POWER RANGERS :- Demon Wars
The Dragon's Green Fire Part I:- Reborn
Introduction, Disclaimer and Chapter One
Introduction
After doing a quick bit of research this is hardly an original idea; producing a massive crossover by creating a team of Rangers from characters across multiple stories. However it isn't the most common and, it's certainly going to be one of the biggest stories I've ever tried to write and that's the idea.
Power Rangers:- Demon Wars is my attempt to write a whole series of Power Rangers. Based on crossing over Buffy with the original Ranger team and a few other shows, all of which will be revealed during the series.
At first I just posted this idea as a challenge and thought "let it be", but the idea just wouldn't let go. After months and months of trying to knuckle down and finish something else this idea just kept floating to the front of my mind , almost demanding my attention. Now it's exploded into a full blown series, with an over all plot story and everything, but the kitchen sink throw in. This is planned to be Epic in every sense of the word.
I'd like to apologise in advance for all the clichés I'm going to have floating around in this series. On the other hand Power Rangers always has thrived on a good (or should that be bad) cliché. So before we get on with the show, disclaimers
Disclaimer.
I own none of the characters used here and make no profit form their use. All charters and concepts belong to their respective owners, which include Disney, Mutant enemy, and MGM.
Chapter One
Tommy took a breath and sighed as his class entered. Teaching college kids archaeology wasn't anything like Indiana Jones made it out to be. Still it was the one thing he'd wanted for a good few years now. No more rangers, no more saving the world. He'd leave that up to the next generation.
He'd done his time, more than most. Lost more than enough friends and even lovers over the years. He'd done it all, all save live a normal life. His old friend Anton once called him that man that had done it all. If he could just settle down that might be right.
Looking again at his class he realised that he had an extra student. Given that there were only six students at the start of the term it hadn't been that hard for him to keep track.
'Hello,' Tommy looked to the brunette girl hovering at the door. 'Can I help you?'
'Doctor Oliver?' She asked. At his nod she smiled, looking both relived and a bit nervous. Quickly she handed over a sheet of paper, 'I'm Dawn Summers, I'm new to your class.'
Tommy read the paper, newly enrolled from the looks of things. 'So you are. Well the more the merrier Ms Summers. If you can find a seat you're welcome.' There was a little laugh from the class and the new girl sat down. He gave her a chance to get settled in before sitting on his desk. Tommy didn't like barriers between him and his students. The friendlier he could make his classroom the better in his opinion.
'Don't worry guys we're not going to go over everything again. Ms Summers is just going to have to catch up in her own time.' He shrugged at her. 'Sorry about that. So lets get started; Basic mistakes of archaeology, where did we leave off...?'
In all fairness The morning went well, it didn't take too long recap the last weeks lessons and move on. Surprisingly Summers kept up with the class, she even asked one or two questions that were a little too well informed. When he caught her on that she explained that she and her sister had been part of a history club. Good on the research side of things, but no real experience.
She probably didn't earn many friends in the class but, if Tommy had to guess, she'd be fine.
At the end of class he asked her to stay behind for a moment and that was when it happened. It was nothing really, and everything at the same time. He still had a copy of the main reference book in his desk draw and was just handing it over when he noticed she was humming softly. Six short notes that were, even after years, far too familiar.
'How...' He bit his bottom lip. 'Where you hear that?' he asked after a moment, trying to make it sound like idle curiosity.
'Hear what?' she asked, genuinely confused.
'That tune, where did you hear it?'
'Oh, "deee de-de, de de dee" that? I don't know.' She shrugged. 'Woke up this morning with it stuck in my head. Something wrong?' Either this girl was the best actor Tommy had ever seen or she had no idea what it was.
The summoning tune for the Dragonzord.
'No, nothing wrong. I think I heard it recently myself.' Tommy lied, handing over the text book. 'Right then, have a flick through that tonight and if you think you're going to have any trouble with catching up talk to me tomorrow. Alright?'
'Alright Doctor Oliver. Thanks.' She said and left, still humming despite herself.
That was the end of the day and Tommy couldn't get home fast enough. Once back at his apartment he didn't waste any time locking the door behind him and dived straight into his bedroom. He'd moved in months ago, but there were still some boxes he hadn't opened. He didn't plan to either. They were mostly mementoes and old keepsakes he hadn't had the heart to throw out.
It was the other things in there he was more interested in. Really the rest was just camouflage. In a small jewellery box, stuffed in the corner of a shoe box full of photos, sat a thick gold coin with a three clawed paw print embossed on one side.
Over the years, since losing the power, the green ranger coin had tarnished, looking more and more like brass. Scratches and cracks had left deep impressions in it. Last time Tommy had opened the box it had looked ancient and on the verge of crumbling into dust.
Taking a deep breath he broke the seal on the box. Inside the coin was perfect, practically glowing with power once again. Deep within the gold there was a flicker of green, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Something had recharged the last power coin.
Dawn still couldn't get that damn tune out of her head. Worst still she couldn't remember here she'd heard it from. She had almost driven her roommate mad humming it the night before. It had been bouncing around in her head all day, getting louder and louder.
If it was that meant magic, tunes didn't just get louder in your head for no reason. It was that or she'd just gone crazy and hadn't noticed. Dawn had left Buffy and her world travels to get away from magic and demons. Sure, she was going back to that world as a trained watcher one day, but not now. Now was college.
College was supposed to be normal, nowhere near a Hellmouth or anything demonic. Now, out of nowhere, magical music in her head. She wasn't sure if it was just that the universe hated her, or if somehow she'd picked up her sisters bad luck somewhere along the way. If it was magic she'd need a cleansing spell, a general aura scrub and the stupid thing would be gone.
That was going to have to wait though. First she had to get past the last lecture of the day. Dr Oliver's archaeology class. Science, English, and Latin were easy. She had practice on those, but Giles had suggested she take archaeology as well. Well not suggested. He flat out enrolled her in it and then told her it would do her good.
Stupid Watcher skill set.
The closer she got to the lecture room the louder the tune in her head got. Right up until the door opened when it suddenly stopped dead. Dawn stood there, hovering at the door and blinking hard. It was a relief, but also abrupt. No doubt about it. Magic.
The universe must have had it in for her. 'Something wrong Ms Summers?' Dr Oliver asked, snapping her out of her revere.
'No… no nothing wrong.' She forced a smile and found her seat. Dr Oliver sort of shrugged and let it pass. Rolling a gold coin over the back of his knuckles.
If anything the silence was more distracting than the tune. It took all of Dawn's self control not to gawk at the corners in the room looking for something to explain it, but it was painfully empty. No ancient artefacts or cursed rocks, just a couple of posters, a fossil or two and a battered briefcase. The only thing that was new was the gold coin.
If that tune was magic, and she was more convinced than ever that it just had to be, that coin was probably blocking it. One unexplainable magic thing was normal. Two was trouble. It meant phone calls to Buffy, Giles, even Willow. A round of "I told you so" from Xander and perhaps yet another apocalypse. All ending up in never being let out of Buffy's sight again.
It was almost enough to let whatever was behind this get away with it. After all what was so bad about a song?
Apocalypse, demons and death. Magic was always just the start she reminded herself.
The class ended all too quickly and her notepad looked all too empty. 'All right, so I'll see you all next week. Ms Summers will you wait a moment again.' Doctor Oliver said
Carefully sliding her notebook in her bag Dawn nodded, hiding the emergency stake she had in there up her sleeve. This was bad, he had to be involved somehow. It was just her luck she'd been enrolled in the same class of some demon worshipping psycho that wanted to sacrifice her to some god. It would explain the little black beard thing.
After everyone else left she went up to his desk, silently cursing that the only weapon she had was a pointy stick. 'How did you find the book I gave you yesterday?' he asked.
'Kind of hard actually.' Dawn admitted. 'I had a hard time concentrating.' she added sarcastically.
It looked like he was far to busy worrying about something else to notice. 'You can borrow it as long as you need to catch up. Actually I think I have another book that might help.' As he went for his draw he put down the strange coin. If you ever asked why she reached out and touched it she wouldn't be able to give you an answer. She'd long since gotten over her kleptomania, still somehow her hand reached out and picked up the cursed gold coin without her even thinking about it.
It was cool and hard to the touch, like gold should be, but there was something else. A deep light that was almost glowing. She absently ran her thumb over the symbol on one side, it looked like a paw print. As Dawn was studying the coin it was getting warmer. 'Whoa.' She whispered, but before she could drop it the coin flashed with green fire. It was so bright Dawn was blinded by it, but when she tried to rub the spots from her eyes she found something in her way.
It was a helmet covering her head 'What the...?' she asked feeling around. Only then realising the coin was gone too.
'I hoped I was wrong.' Dr Oliver said sadly. 'But the power has chosen now. You are the new Green Ranger.'
'The what now?' Summers asked incredulously as she patted herself down. She wore the classic green ranger uniform, only without the golden armour. 'What did you do to me?' she asked finding the morpher on her belt.
'I didn't do anything.' Tommy admitted. 'Alright Ms... Dawn. You're going to have to listen to me. Put both hands on your belt and say "Power Down".'
'What?' she threw her arms wide. 'What did you do to me?' the young woman practically screamed at him.
'Just trust me and I'll tell you exactly what's going on.' She glared at him for a moment before doing as he'd asked. In a green flash the uniform vanished and she was back to normal. Tacking a deep breath Tommy sat down. 'You might want to take a seat.'
She didn't, just looked at him warily.
'You've heard of the Power Rangers right?' Tommy started with the easy question.
'Sure. Never really paid much attention to them. Why?'
Tommy winced, even now he hated to say it. It still felt like he was betraying Zordon's trust in him. 'What you've got there is the original green power coin. You see I was the first Green Ranger...'
'What?' she frowned at him, turning her morpher around in her hands. Tommy could only guess that coming in contact with its new wielder the power coin had generated it.
'You see the Green Ranger coin was never like the others. It was given to me by the evil space sorceress Rita Repulsa. Under her control I was supposed to destroy the other five rangers, my friends. They were able to brake the spell and I used the power to fight Rita...'
'This has got to be a joke.' Summers interrupted, pacing up and down in front of him.
'It's all real I promise you.' Tommy knew he was dropping a lot on her, but she had to know. She had to be ready. If the power coin had chosen her there had to be a reason. Usually that reason was a great evil rising somewhere nearby. 'Rita destroyed the Green Ranger's powers after I turned against her.' he continued. 'Zordon, her sworn enemy and mentor to me and my friends, was able to keep the coin charged for a short while, but eventually that ran out and the coin became useless. The Green Ranger was no more.'
'So it's batteries ran out and you kept it? Oh-kay. Thanks for the lesson, but no thanks to the whole green destiny thing.' She put the morpher on his desk and stepped back.
'Dawn, please wait.' he asked, grabbing it. 'Somehow the Power chose you. The other coins were almost totally destroyed. Other Ranger teams have come and gone since, but I've never known the Power to chose anyone when it wasn't necessary.'
She turned on him 'Look, I've seen the whole chosen to fight evil thing before. It never ends well. Tell your Power it got a wrong number, try my sister she loves that crap.' Tommy held out the Morpher, but before he could insist she turned on him again; 'No, wait, let me guess. It doesn't get wrong numbers.'
Tommy smiled slightly. 'Something recharged the Dragon coin Dawn. Everything I knew up until last night said that could never happen. Somehow, for some reason, it has to do with you. Neither of us have a choice.'
'What do you expect me to do with it? I'm no ninja and the closest I've ever come to a fight didn't end well.' That was cryptic, so was what she said about her sister.
'Alright, just take the morpher. I might have some old contacts I can try, if I find anything out I'll contact you.'
'So why do I need it?' She asked him carefully as she took the morpher.
'Trouble always finds you when you're a Ranger.'
Dawn sat on the corner of her bed in her dorm room. Cassie, her roommate, was out and it gave Dawn a chance to look at the new problem in her life. In the end she'd taken the stupid thing and she still wasn't sure why.
She'd grown out of idolising Buffy years ago. A super destiny to fight the forces of darkness might have sounded cool as a kid, but Dawn had seen enough to know it wasn't. Now she'd just been handed a destiny like it was a prize on a raffle.
This was just ridiculous, she told herself throwing the belt buckle to the head of her bed. The Green Ranger was just a silly story and the Rangers weren't super heroes. They just popped up out of nowhere, caused massive amounts of damage for a few months, and left. They never had to deal with vampires or demons. They never had to fight the minions of the First when their high school fell down around their ears.
Reaching back she picked up the damn thing again and traced the gold coin in the middle. 'Green, what's with me and green all the time...' Dawn said to herself before slapping her forehead. 'Why am I just putting this together now, a magical power source that just happens to be green, perfect.' Dawn flopped back on her bed, 'What am I going to have to do to get rid of this damn Key?'
A knock on the door pulled her out of her revere. 'Come in' Dawn called, hiding the belt buckle.
She couldn't have been more surprised when it was Faith that came in 'Hey Dee, wasn't that kinda dangerous?'
'Faith! What the heck are you doing here?' Dawn was on her feet in shock.
The dark haired Slayer puled out a stake and began spinning it. 'B called me up, she wanted me to check up on you.' She waved a thumb at the door. 'So you forget the invite rule?'
Dawn shook her head. 'No, there just isn't any vamps on campus.'
'You sure?'
Dawn pointed out the window. 'There are four buildings and a bus shelter. No sewer tunnels, wear-houses, abandoned churches or caves.' she smiled 'I checked.'
'Come on Dee, there must be some sort of action somewhere around here.'
'Nope.' Dawn smirked as Faith looked deflated. 'All the mines were blasted shut years ago, but there might be something to do in town. How'd you get here?'
It turned out that Faith was living out of a suitcase these days, just like Buffy, and that her car was parked outside. "Town" was Amethyst City and just as dead for the undead as the college. Dawn was happy about that, but Faith wasn't.
'You said there was something to slay.' the Slayer said grouchily.
'I said do, not slay.' Dawn laughed. 'Cassie said there was a club near the mall.'
'Cassie?' Faith frowned
'My roommate, she's meeting some friends there.' Dawn explained. If she was honest she would have like to join them, but had other things on her mind when they asked. There wasn't enough room in the car anyway so Dawn had let it side. She had planned to spend the night catching up but the whole Ranger thing got in the way. Just the thought of the device reminded Dawn of the buckle at the small of her back. She wasn't going to leave something like that just lying around, wanted or not.
'Club, doesn't sound that bad.' Faith smiled. The problem was Dawn had no idea where the club was.
As they were crossing the loading bay something happened which changed everything. Out of nowhere the earth shook and a fist punched out from the black top. 'You have got to be kidding!' Faith exclaimed.
'I do not believe this,' Dawn shook her head in disbelief, Doctor Oliver's warning was coming true. Like a vampire clawing it's way out of a grave a demon punched it's way out of the ground. This wasn't any normal demon it was huge, about seven feet tall and built like a nightmare. In the half light Dawn could make out two tusks jutting up from it's jaw and a pair of horns sweeping back over its head like dreadlocks.
It was wearing some sort of bulky armour and a short cloak, almost a cape. When it began laughing it was in a voice that was anything but friendly. 'Slayer! Right where I wanted to be.' It growled out, shaking rubble from it's head.
Faith pushed Dawn back, 'Now this is what I'm taking about!' She sent a snap kick at the demon's chest. It didn't even stagger, just answered with a massive back hand that sent Faith to her knees. 'Slayers are supposed to be dangerous.' It chuckled. 'You and your kind are the only thing that stand between my Master and this dimension. We've already won.'
Faith rolled to her feet and tried a leg sweep, but the demon jumped over it and kicked out from under foot.
Dawn helped Faith back to her feet. 'Faith, he's too strong!' She shouted
'Tell me something I don't know.' Faith groaned back, clutching her side. 'Dawn, run. Tell the others.'
Dawn reached behind her back for the morpher. 'Faith I...' but she didn't get a chance to finish. the Slayer didn't wait, she just jumped right back into the fight and lasted half a minute.
The demon shrugged off her punches and just picked her up by the neck, choking her. "Dawn,' Faith croaked. hitting the arm 'Get out of here!'
'Not a chance.' Dawn hissed. As she held the morpher she knew just what she had to do and how to do it. 'Give me your best shot, demon.'
'My name is Tretrax.' He growled 'And if you want my best shot girl you can have it.' In his free hand he called up a fireball and threw it at her.
Just what Dawn was expecting. Punching the air Dawn hit the switch opening the morpher and shouted the activation code 'Dragonzord!'
End Chapter One