Streaks of Purple Saga Volume Two, Heather Ray [story read aloud txt] 📗

the move."

"Can you bring up an image?" Trini suggested, falling to Billy's side and watching him work.

"Bringing it up... now."

The five Rangers turned their attention to the Viewing Globe, and all five suffered similar shock.

"The Purple Ranger?" Zack whispered, "But how?"

"Is it Alexis?" Jason wondered.

"Well, who else could it be?" Trini pointed out.

Kimberly frowned deeply. "But how would she know how

to Morph? Did she even have the Morpher?"

"The ancient Power Ranger teams didn't use Morphers," Alpha revealed,

"Instead, they absorbed their Power Coins into their bodies, and Morphed that way."

Zack cringed. "Absorbed? Whoa..."

"Why do we use Morphers then?" Billy inquired, "Logically, direct connection to our outlet of power is better, for utilizing the external Morpher makes it possible for our enemies to separate us from our power sources."

"TRUE, BILLY. HOWEVER, AFTER KREIA'S DEATH I REDESIGNED THE MORPHIN' GRID SO IT COULD ONLY BE TAPPED THROUGH A MORPHIN' DEVICE. IT IS A SAFETY PRECAUTION, SO YOU RANGERS WOULD NOT ACCIDENTALLY TAP INTO THE INTENSE POWER THAT KREIA DESTROYED THE LUNAR PALACE WITH."
Zordon frowned thoughtfully. "SOMEHOW, ALEXIS KNOWS HOW TO USE THE PURPLE COIN AS KREIA DID. THAT EXPLAINS HOW SHE WAS ABLE TO GENERATE THE EAGLEHEART PULSE."

Trini's face folded into a confused scowl. "But it still doesn't make sense," she protested, "How could Alexis manifest the Eagleheart Pulse without Morphin'? Even if she did somehow become the Purple Ranger, Morphin' is an essential step to summoning any aspect of the Power."

"KREIA WAS A SPECIAL CASE, TRINI. SHE WAS A MAGE, TAUGHT TO MANIPULATE THE MAGICAL ENERGIES WOVEN THROUGHOUT THE INVISIBLE UNIVERSE. OVER TIME, SHE DEVELOPED TECHNIQUES THAT ALLOWED HER TO TAP INTO THE PURPLE ENERGIES THAT FED THE EAGLE COIN WITHOUT UNDERGOING THE PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATION."

"Wow, this is too much!" Zack moaned.

"We'd better get out there," Jason decided, reaching for his Morpher,

"Where is she now?"

Billy squinted through his wire-frame glasses. "It looks like she's hovering over Angel Grove Plaza... no wait, now she's on the move again, flying much faster than before. She's moving northwest."

Billy turned his pale green eyes to Jason. "Before she was flying at a cruising speed, but now, she's definitely

moving with a specific goal in mind. Her speed is approaching... three hundred miles per hour!"

Trini blinked in astonishment. "What? That's... incredible."

Jason scowled. "She'll be hard to catch up with now," he realized, gazing at the Morpher that sat in his palm. "We'll wait until she lands.
Her destination might give us some clue to what's going on it that head of hers."

Chapter Six

A young man stretched his arms lazily and fell back into the long, swaying green grass. The cool evening breeze rustled the wild grass, causing it to wave like an emerald ocean. The grass was so tall someone gazing in his direction from the lake wouldn't even notice his presence.

He grinned, a look of utter calm smoothing his tan face as he gazed at the stars that just managed to twinkle in the sunset.

It was always peaceful in his uncle's wooden retreat. A rustic cabin perched in a forest clearing, a stone's throw from a peaceful lake. A perfect escape from the hectic world of racing that earned John Rush his living. And when John was busy touring the United States at various races, it was available for his favorite nephew to take advantage of.

And how Tommy Oliver had needed such a refuge!

His life hadn't been "normal" for some time. His emotions were on a constant roller-coaster ride since his family's hasty move to Angel Grove.

Moving to a new city. Finally facing a martial artist he honestly couldn't best. Meeting a cheerful, beautiful

girl so eager to make his acquaintance...

Being kidnapped by a diabolical alien sorceress to be molded into the perfect killing machine.

His hand blindly reached into his pocket and retrieved a small golden coin. Even in the dim light, he could make out the embossed three-toed footprint on its face.

It was a curse. It brought incredible suffering to Angel Grove, as the Green Ranger and his mighty Dragonzord laid waste to the downtown district and the harbor. Its power nearly murdered Zordon, destroyed the Command Center, and annihilated the Power Rangers, Earth's only defense against powers beyond human imagining.

But, it was also a blessing. The coin gave him a place amongst five of the most noble, wonderful...unforgettable

people he'd ever met.

Billy... so mild-mannered, but with a unique genius that would make Albert Einstein green with envy.

Trini... the perfect blend of a peaceful spirit and a mighty body.


Zack... an inspiringly joyful young man with the determination to move mountains.

Kimberly... a beautiful young woman with a sterling, loving heart.

Jason... the absolute personification of courage and strength.

They were the kind of people he really wanted to emulate. As Rita's toy, he learned their strengths and weaknesses. He was created to be their downfall. But they gave him the precious opportunity to make amends, to join their noble cause and ascend to their level.

He became their ally. And more than that, he became their friend.

When that very coin was wrenched from his hands, when Rita lit the Green Candle, he had desperately needed to escape. He had disappeared for weeks, avoiding Angel Grove like the plague. He didn't want to be reminded of all he had lost. He didn't want to face that loss every day, watching his friends disappear every time a monster attacked. He so desperately hated

feeling helpless.

But, he bounced back. Slowly, he realized that Rita may have been able to extinguish his powers, but she could never take away all he had gained. She could strip away armor and weapons, but the friendships he had forged were permanent. He had a place amongst the Rangers, coin or no coin. So he ventured back to the fold, once to participate in the honor Angel Grove bestowed upon their heroes on the first annual Power Ranger Day, and a second time to celebrate Parent's Day with them.

The second time brought about more than a return of an old friend. It brought back the Green Ranger. Not to full fighting ability, but definitely back to action.

Weeks of excitement, mixed with a seething fear that kept him awake many nights. He knew his powers were only temporary. How long would they last? How much abuse could his powers take, before he became more of a liability than an asset?

He learned the answer when Lord Zedd arrived, and pounded the Green Ranger mercilessly until there was nothing left.

Nothing left... except Tommy Oliver.

But that wasn't so bad. Tommy Oliver was more than he had been one year ago when he first moved to Angel Grove. He wasn't a Power Ranger in strength or speed, but definitely in heart.

And that heart gave him the courage to stand up to Zedd, to save the Dark Rangers and stop the Emperor of Evil's latest deadly scheme.

He had the last laugh.

And he had grown much wiser.

His uncle's cabin was no longer an escape, as it had been all his life.

He wasn't running away from Zedd, from his friends, or even from the bittersweet memories of his last days as the Green Ranger.

He was much too strong to run from his past, or cower in fear of his future.

He just wanted to relax

for a while. And his last letter to Jason and the others had made that perfectly clear.

Sure, he'd miss being a Power Ranger. But he was also happy to just lie back in the long, cool grass. To enjoy the simple things that he didn't seem to have time for with his communicator constantly buzzing.

With a lopsided grin, he rested his coin atop his thumb, and flipped it into the air. It rolled, the moonlight glinting off its polished surface as it descended back into his waiting palm.

His fist clenched over the coin, and his hand rested atop his stomach.

His eyelids lowered lazily.

This time, he'd keep the coin. Treasure the memories it carried.

"You know, you really should keep your guard up, Erol."

Tommy blinked in astonishment, his dark eyes focusing on the form above him. A Power Ranger... a Purple

Power Ranger, floated about a foot above him, her pose mimicking his own.

He gasped, rolling out from under the stranger. In one deft motion, he flipped onto his feet, and assumed a fierce defensive stance.

The Purple Ranger laughed languidly, twisting so she could watch him. She leaned her helmeted head against her palm, and continued lying on a bed of air.

Tommy stared at the figure in open-mouthed shock. With the exception of the design of the helmet, the primary color of the costume, and the odd glowing ankle wings... she was the very picture of the Green Ranger.

Same golden shield, perched proudly across her chest. Same gold armbands, belt, and trim atop the gloves and boots. But where the Dragon Dagger would be nestled at his hip, a coiled whip hung.

"P... Purple Ranger?" he breathed, once he recovered enough of his senses to speak.

Her soft laughter chimed again, and slowly her body rose from the ground and turned clockwise. In moments, her boots were firmly planted on the thick glade.

"Very good," she cooed, amusement evident in her voice. Her hands fell to her hips and her head bobbed slowly, clearly studying him from a distance.

"Are you planning on fighting me?" she inquired.

Tommy's stance relaxed slightly. "Only if you're planning on attacking."

She cocked her head to one side. "I don't feel like sparring tonight, Erol. It's too beautiful a night, and if there's one thing you tried to teach me, it's never to waste a beautiful night."

His arms fell to his sides. "Who's Erol?"

The Purple Ranger froze for a moment, obviously thrown by the odd question. Then, she laughed again, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You're certainly acting strangely," she commented, "Hiding out so far from the Command Center, sleeping out in the woods... did Sener put you up to this?"

"Sener?" Tommy whispered.

"Some kind of practical joke?" Her tone switched from amusement to mild exasperation. "I'm sorry I've been so busy... I don't even remember

the last night we spent together..."

Eyes wide with alarm Tommy backed away, stumbling over a lounge chair as he neared the lake. He hastily recovered his bearings, throwing up his hands as if in surrender.

The Purple Ranger's words died on her lips, and she stared at the retreating figure.

"Look,"