The Storybook Dimension

See disclaimer.

—

The Weakest Color

Chapter 8: Fallen

—

“You idiot! I told you he was not to be harmed!”

“But mistress, he fought back.”

“Of course he fought back. He’s a Power Ranger. That’s what they do.”

“Now get out of my sight. I have work to do.”

–

Bridge groaned, and rolled onto his side. Opening his eyes a crack, he assessed his surroundings.

He was in some sort of cell, the bars made from a strange green material. Spidery and organic, the walls beyond were composed of the same substance, and glowed with a muted yellow light. Bridge shivered and looked away.

‘Even this room radiates evil,’ he thought, slowly getting to his feet. The green ranger instinctively reached for his morpher, which, unsurprisingly, was nowhere to be found. It must still be back on Earth – or, more likely, currently in his captor’s possession. ‘So much for calling for help.’ He thought ruefully. ‘Or fighting my way out of here.’

Light footsteps alerted him to his captor’s approach. Bridge looked up, and was only mildly surprised to see a young girl standing before him, her eyes betraying an evil nature no child could possess.

“Well, well. What have we here. Bridge Carson, the Green Ranger.” Mora mocked, twirling the edges of her black dress.

“Yes, that’s me. You’re Mora, right? I saw your hologram in the SPD files.”

“How nice. He has a picture of me. Don’t you think that’s nice, Cindy?”

Cindy’s head flopped backwards, her single eye staring into space. Cindy had borne much abuse over the years, and looked like it, too. Mora would say that she was ‘well loved’, but every being that had been granted the ‘privilege’ of playing house with Mora knew otherwise. But, as is characteristic of dolls, Cindy said nothing of her suffering and remained a pliant, immobile toy.

Her owner, however, seemed to be satisfied with this response, and turned back to Bridge. “Did you like my monster? I made him just for you.”

Bridge blinked. “Not really. But thanks for the effort, I guess. I mean, I didn’t really like the monster or being kidnapped by the monster, but I said thanks because … well …never mind.” He paused, having momentarily confused even himself. However, as these situations occurred fairly often, he had long since devised a way to deal with them: he simply changed the topic. “What am I doing here? And where is here?”

“You are aboard the spaceship of Emperor Gruumm. You’re here to help with our plan to take over the universe.” Mora stated conversationally.

Bridge had not truly expected an answer, especially such a straightforward one. For some reason, he’d always thought that kidnappers never told their captives the truth. It was like buying specialty megazord parts from Piggy: nothing was ever what it seemed and the alien always seemed to come out ahead.

“Since you know who I am, you should already know that I have sworn to defend the Earth.” He replied, deciding that a straightforward answer deserved a straightforward response.

Mora laughed. “Yes, I know all about that.”

–

He waiting for an indeterminate amount of time in the cell. Mora had left, and Bridge took the opportunity to look for some means of escape. ‘That’s unlikely,’ He thought, ‘I’m probably orbiting around earth at like a bazillion miles an hour. It’s not like I can just jump out the airlock and fly home. But it never hurts to try.’

Heavy footsteps and a stifling aura of evil alerted him that Mora had returned, this time with backup. She crossed her arms and stared at him. “Now play nice, Power Ranger. We’re going for a walk.”

And with that she opened the cell doors, and Bridge was roughly dragged out of his prison by two orange-headed krybots.

–

Bridge lost track of how many turns they had taken within the ship. It was a veritable maze of passageways, all possessing the same spidery yellow walls and lingering traces of evil. Each hallway had doors leading off of it, some of which led to rooms and other passageways, and others which led places he could only guess.

Mora, however, seemed to know exactly where she was going, and led the krybots with an unerring confidence that disconcerted Bridge. Occasionally she would begin to skip on ahead, humming softly and smiling as if she was greatly pleased with herself. How had someone so young fallen in with such an evil monster?

“You don’t have to do this, you know.” He said boldly to her back. “If Gruumm’s making you…”

“Ha!” Mora laughed scornfully. “Gruumm’s not making me do anything.” She stopped skipping, and turned to face him with a disarmingly innocent smile. “I do this because I want to.”

Bridge thought for a moment, before reaching the inevitable conclusion. “What could Gruumm possibly offer you?”

“None of your business.” Mora snapped. The more he knew, the more dangerous he would be. “Now shut up and walk.”

Bridge shrugged, confused by her sudden mood change, and continued behind her, the krybots flanking his every move.

–

He was brought to the center of the ship, into what seemed to be the Troobian command center. It was much like the rest of the ship, except for the control panels, the spacious ceilings, and the skeletal throne belonging to Gruumm, emperor of the Troobians.

Bridge gulped. He had seem profiles of Gruumm before, but none of these could have prepared him for the sight of the warlord, with his glowing red eyes and armor composed of …was that human bone?

The monster gave him a sinister, searching look and began to speak tauntingly. “Are you afraid, Green Ranger? Confused, perhaps? Would you like to know why you’re here?” Bridge nodded hesitantly and, after a dramatic pause, Gruumm continued. “I have brought you here because I have constructed a weapon that will allow me to destroy the Earth.”

‘Kat was right,’ Bridge thought, trying and failing miserably to quell his rising panic. ‘What should I do?’

“What does this have to do with me?” He replied, braver than he felt.

“I am offering you a simple choice. You can either defeat the Power Rangers, thereby saving the pitiful lives of all the beings on Earth, or I will destroy this pathetic planet, and move on to conquer another world that will better serve my …needs.”

Bridge stroked his chin, trying to act unconcerned. “I think you’re bluffing.”

Gruumm laughed mirthlessly. “But is that a chance you are willing to take?” The ranger hesitated a moment too long. “Broodwing, power up the weapon.”

“With pleasure.” Hissed the bat. Pulling up a hidden panel, he quickly maneuvered the many buttons and dials into position. ‘This had better work,’ he thought. The destruction of Earth would cost him billions of dollars in resources, not to mention ruining his own plans to conquer the planet. “The destruction of Earth will commence in…”

5 seconds…

“You see, power ranger, my quantum disintegrator will reduce your planet to elementary particles – that is, unless you join me.”

Bridge fell to his knees. “I can’t betray my friends…”

Gruumm smiled cruelly. “Wouldn’t it be worth it? Are you truly willing to be responsible for the deaths of 24 billion innocent beings?”

4 …

Bridge felt a sudden, piercing anger towards Gruumm, the monster who would make such an accusation against him. “I’m not the murderer here! You are!”

“But you’re willing to stand by and see them destroyed, knowing that you could have saved them?”

3 …

Gruumm pressed up a button, and a viewing screen appeared, offering Bridge an unobstructed view of the end of the world.

The quantum disintegrator turned slowly to face the Earth, aiming directly at the center of the planet. Brilliant blue energy began to amass within the machine, focusing to a single, incredibly powerful point.

Bridge stared at the screen, both horrified by the sight and unable to look away, frozen in a terrible moment of indecision.

2 …

He saw his life flash before his eyes.

A childhood visit to the ocean. The sound of the waves, and the birds. The whisper of the green sea.

His parents, who loved him and left him behind, gone on a trip from which they never returned.

His training at SPD, his joy in finally being able to control his powers.

His friends, who had stood by him even during his moments of doubt.

His promotion to B-Squad.

Syd’s birthday party.

Sky.

The world he had sworn to protect.

1 second…

“Wait. Stop!”

Gruumm raised his hand, and nodded at Broodwing. The mercenary pressed a button, and the weapon slowly powered down. “So, what is your answer?”

Bridge hung his head brokenly. “I… I’ll do it.”

“What was that?” Sneered Mora. “I didn’t hear you.”

“I’ll do it. I’ll defeat the Power Rangers.”

Gruumm smiled evilly. “Welcome to my service, Green Ranger.”
—

To Be Continued

—

–back–   (oOo)   – next–