The Terran Ranger Saga Volume 6, Heather Ray [top 10 motivational books .txt] 📗

born to be a Power Ranger."

Trini leaned over to her young daughter, and kissed her forehead. "Just be careful out there."

Rebecca smiled widely at her mother, and then cast a reassuring smile to her father. "I can handle it," she said firmly. "Especially with this great team of Rangers to stand by my side."

"And finally, Billy said, rising from his seat after altering the image once again, "we come to the Red Ranger. The leader of the team. He will draw strength from the actual nuclear fusion that takes place within the star, which creates the energy that keeps this system alive. He will pilot the Red Dragon Starzord which, just like the Thunderzord, can shift between Warrior Mode and Dragon Mode. His weapon is the trusted broad sword Draco, who will impart his own intelligence and experience whenever asked."

"The Red Ranger will have to face something that the rest of the team rarely does...the burden of leadership," Trini highlighted. "The lives of these four youths will be in his hands. Leadership proved to be withering to both Jason and Tommy. They bore it well, but whenever one of the Rangers was hurt seriously, the guilt ate at them from within. Leadership is never an ability you are born with. It is something you will develop with time. Still, we've decided that Anthony has the right heart attitude. His friendship and older-brother role will be vital to this position. And with the support of the other Rangers, he will certainly blossom as the third Red Ranger."

Anthony bit his lip, staring at the badge without ever reaching for it. His aqua eyes almost screamed with uncertainty, as he glanced around the room, at all the faces that waited for his answer. He then locked his eyes on the badge, swallowing hard.

In all his life, he had never considered becoming a Power Ranger. In fact, he didn't even really want it. If his mother had never been a Power Ranger, then his father Trevor never would have been lost for two years, turning into the villain Solar. It was the Zeo Crystal that sent him into the Multiverse.

He knew that the Power Rangers had many sacrifices to make, including even the possible sacrifice of their loved ones. Their cause was just, to be sure...but could he do it? Could he deal with having the lives of these four individuals...including the love of his life, one of his best friends, and two kids that looked up to him like an older brother? These weren't just friends...they were like family to him.

Could he handle the weighty responsibility that would sit entirely on his shoulders.

Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around slowly, and gazed into Regina's wide hazel eyes. They weren't pleading. They weren't even asking. They were gentle and supportive...just like they always were.

Then, his decision was made.

He reached out, and accepted the badge Trini offered. He gripped the badge in his fist, and nodded.

"I'll do it," he said.

Frankly, he didn't trust the lives of these cherished people with anyone else.

Everyone stepped back slightly, and Anthony, Regina, Brittany, Rebecca, and Micah congregated in the center of the void. They all held up their badges to the sky, and they each flashed in colored light.

"Look into your hearts," Will advised. "The Power will teach you all you need to know."

Rebecca closed her eyes, her smile widening as the pink pulse on her Starlight Disc intensified. She then opened her eyes, revealing a faint pink glow shining from her deep brown irises.

"Heaven's Gale Starlight Power!" she cried, her voice echoing through the silence. The light from her disc erupted in a wave of glowing pink energy, bathing her with power and infusing her with energy to the very core of her being. The light then tightened around her body, until it became a second skin. When the intensity faded, the light had transformed into the form-fitting metallic salmon uniform, complete with shimmering pearly white sleeveless tunic and short miniskirt, matching gloves and boots, and an elegantly styled pink helmet, with skillful gold etching around the opaque face mask in the design of a bird. Finally, her badge relocated from her hands to her chest, and a bright pink and gold crossbow was attached firmly to her belt, with a head of a firebird and the bow styled as wings.

"I...can't believe this is happening," she whispered, staring at her hands.

Brittany then closed her eyes, digging deep into her soul for the fiery yellow light that represented her new power. She managed to tap into that, allowing her mind to be flooded with rich energy. Her eyes opened, and her mouth moved, shouting out words she simply knew were the key to her destiny. "Corona Wash Starlight Power!"

The wave of energy struck her, molding itself to her body to create the perfect protective shell. Brilliant canary yellow spandex stretched across her body, along with the white chest and skirt, hemmed with gold. Her Starlight Disc enlarged, and placed itself firmly on her chest. Her helmet glimmered with the gold design of a griffin, and from the holster on her golden belt hung a collapsed staff, with a griffin's head on the top.

"This...this is so intense

!" she breathed.

Micah chewed on his lips, his eyes focused on his green Starlight Disc with uncertainty. Finally, he took a deep breath, and closed his eyes tightly. For a few moments, he was silent, as his face wrinkled with frustration. But finally, a peaceful expression melted his worry, and his eyes opened, glowing faintly with green energy. He had found what he was looking for.

"Graviton Rush Starlight Power!" he shouted at the top of his voice. A flood of green poured out from the badge, bending and shaping itself to fit Micah's slender form. It then flashed, the energy transforming from liquid to material. The emerald-hued uniform reflected the dim lighting majestically, and the Starlight Disc flashed slightly. His uniform was identical to the girls', minus the skirt. The emerald and gold helmet sported the design of a bold lion, and from his belt hung a sharp dagger, with the head of a lion with its eyes closed.

"It's so unreal," Micah said in awe, his hands blindly exploring his helmet as if to see if it were really there.

Then, Regina squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out the outside world as she searched for the power within.

"Solar Blaze Starlight Power!" she called. Suddenly a dam burst, releasing blinding neon blue waves from the disc and down her arm. The energy molded around her body, transforming into the brilliant sapphire armor of the Blue Unicorn Ranger. Her uniform matched the others, with a short pearl miniskirt. Her helmet bore a stylized unicorn design, and from her belt hung two axes, with the handles in the shape of unicorn heads.

"...wow," she gasped, completely at a loss for words.

After a few more moments of gazing at his teammates, Anthony turned his attention to the golden disc he cradled in his palm. He felt the eyes of all the other Rangers, as well as the onlookers. Everyone was waiting for him to take the honor he had accepted.

Closing his eyes, he searched for the crimson flash within. When he found it, his mind occluded everything except three words.

"Starburst Starlight Power!"

His deep command summoned the flood of energy to cloak his body in its radiance. Crimson tides whirled around his body, folding until it created a body cast. Once again, energy transformed into matter, and the brilliant crimson waves became the brilliant crimson armor of the Red Dragon Ranger. His helmet was designed as a dragon, and his golden belt carried an intimidating broad sword, with the head of a dragon on its hilt.

"I've...never felt so alive before," Anthony affirmed, looking around the room.

Then, Will moved closer to the newly-formed Starlight Ranger team. "I wish we had more time for you to accustom yourselves to this new power, but every second is costly. You five will take this new power, and travel back in time to a point just before the first meeting of Thomas Oliver and David Trueheart. They will borrow the arrowhead, just long enough for me to save the Terran Rangers, and then return it."

"Did you find this dimension yet?" asked Rocky, "I remember the Multiverse is nearly impossible to navigate."

"Well, about sixteen years ago, as you remember, Kimberly went back in time to the year 1997, with the help of the mutant Nate Grey. I still have the coordinates of that dimension, but since sixteen years have gone by, I do not know just when the portal will take the Starlight Rangers. I think I've isolated the specific energies of the arrowhead halves, though, so it won't be after they were united."

"But, wouldn't they be stealing the arrowhead from the past Rangers?" Luke DeSantos said quietly. He then kept his inquisitive gaze on Will, who stared at the boy in amazement.

"The arrowhead will be returned to them expediently," he assured.

"But Luke has a point," Brittany stated. "We're asking these Terran Rangers to give us the united arrowhead. You said that the peak healing energy occurs right at the union, so they will permanently lose that maximum healing capacity. They might not be willing to give it up."

"It's our only chance," Will said, sighing, "I know we're asking a lot, but we can only hope for the support of our fellow Power Rangers in this time of crisis."

"It's our best bet," Anthony said, tugging on his glove and tightening his hand into a fist. "So Mr. Mitchell, when we get the arrowhead, how do we get back home?"

"I'm glad you asked," Trini answered for her husband, holding out a red and silver communicator. "This communicator will keep you all in contact, as well as emit a beacon through the Multiverse. Presently, the computer doesn't read anything, because they aren't turned on. When you are ready to come home, press the gold button, and the beacon will be sent. It should take about half an hour for the beacon to reach the CAC. Take care, Starlight Rangers."

William and Trini handed out the wrist communicators, and stood back. Will placed the Zeo Crystal beside the Terran Rangers as before, and then took a seat at his desk. After a few minutes, a black portal appeared in the center of the room.

"Goodbye, Starlights," Will called, turning from the computer to gaze at his creations, "and may the Power Protect you."

The Starlight Rangers said goodbye to their families, and leaped through the portal, one by one. Once all five were gone, the portal closed.

"There's nothing more we can do," said Will, "at least, until they return with the arrowhead."

Chapter Seven