The Sixth Ranger (A Power Rangers Story) Book 1

Argument and Fenix Jewelers

They walked down the slope, heading back home. However, Zack had a different plan that night.

"Hey, guys..." he started, making everyone look at him. "Guys, look, uh... I'ma stay up here tonight. Make a fire. I got some food if you guys wanna stay," he offered.

"I'm down," Trini said, making her way back to him.

The others agreed. Jaylyn had returned to the ship, coming within earshot of Zordon and Alpha 5.

"Jaylyn's team is failing. I shall destroy Rita myself," Zordon said. "There must be a way to free me from this wall."

"Yes, but the irony is, is that you need these rangers to morph. If they morph, you can harness that energy to regenerate your body and come back through," Alpha 5 explained.

"There's got to be another way! I can't--" Zordon started only to be cut off.

"What, Zordon! You can't what?" Jaylyn asked, coming to the top of the stairs.

Zordon and Alpha 5 looked up at her in shock. She was normally the calm one of the group. To hear her tone of voice now was shocking to them. She started down the stairs.

"Wait for us dumb kids to morph so that you can come back to life? That's what all this has been about, right? You coming back?" Jaylyn accused.

Zordon moved along the wall to look at her.

"This has only ever been about protecting the crystal," he said. "Rita could be building Goldar as we speak."

"Don't underestimate me or my team," Jaylyn snapped, getting angry.

"You can't stop him. She will have him dig up the crystal and life on Earth will die."

"And we need you. Because you were so successful at stopping her last time."

"I died burying those coins in hopes that they would find the next real rangers. Those who are worthy."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you," Jaylyn yelled.

She felt insulted and hurt. It showed in her eyes. Zordon realized what he had said but she didn't give him a chance to apologize as she stormed back to the stairs.

"I don't need to stand here and have you tell me what I did wrong. I can go home and get that," she snapped.

"Jaylyn, you need me out of this wall. To help lead this team!" Zordon yelled.

"Your team's dead. And you're just as scared as we are," she said quietly before walking off.

Alpha 5 had been silent, watching the argument. He shook his head and sighed quietly.

Back in Angel Grove, the sun was setting, casting pink and orange clouds dancing around. Two people were in a jewelry store. A man and what appeared to be his fiancé.

"These... are all 24 karat gold bands," the store woman said.

The door opens, causing the bell to chime.

"Hello, I'll be right with you," the woman said, looking up briefly from the rings.

"There at the top of your budget," the fiancé said.

A new woman entered the store, black hair and golden staff. Rita. Walking barefoot across the floor, she made her way to the front counter.

"I'll get you anything you want," the man said.

"Aw. You're so sweet," his fiancé replied with a chuckle.

The store woman looked at the newcomer, and her eyes widened.

"Get my cookie anything she wants," the man continued.

Rita came to a stop at the counter, green power coin in one hand and her staff in the other. Her face was a bad mix of tan and grayish white. Blue eyes shone through the skin. She slammed the coin onto the counter, laying the staff next to it. The woman looked over her future husband's shoulder and widened her eyes in fear.

"I'll be right back," the store woman said hesitantly.

Rita ran her black curved nails over her staff as the woman stopped in front of her.

"Uh... can I help you?" she asked, nervously.

"Gold," Rita answered, tilting her head to the side. "I'm interested... in gold."

"Yeah," the woman said, shaking her head slightly and heading over to a cabinet.

She crouched down below the counter and fumbled around, feeling for the emergency button. She pressed it and continued looking for the gold pieces that she was asked to get. Rita tapped her long nails on the counter, her power ring rotating ever so slightly. The woman stood back up with a box of gold jewelry.

"We have some very nice pieces here," she said, placing the box in front of Rita.

Rita grabbed a gold necklace from her and put it in her mouth, eating it. The woman stared in shock and disgust. As soon as Rita swallowed, gold light shone on her face, making it look younger. The woman stared in disbelief.

"Come closer," Rita ordered.

The woman hesitantly leaned forward.

"Closer. Closer. Closer," she said.

"Oh..." the woman gasped.

Rita opened the woman's mouth and looked around for gold teeth. She spotted the necklace she wore and picked it up.

"This. Give it to me!" Rita snarled.

"Of course!" the woman said, quickly fumbling with the clasp and handing it over. "Okay. Here you go."

Rita snatched it and crushed it in her hand, turning it to liquid gold. The gold landed on her staff, forming more of it. The woman gasped and watched in shock.

"Grow," Rita whispered, running her hand out to shape the staff's handle. "Grow. More!"

Rita looked up at the woman, who gave her more. Rita completed her staff and looked at it. She picked up her coin and was about to put it in the holder when the door opened behind her.

"Police! Don't move!" the officer shouted. "Drop your... weapon, and put your hands on your head. Do it now! Do what I say, lady!"

Rita looked over her shoulder slightly and smiled. The officer was holding his gun up and ready. The store woman had her hands up as she backed away. Rita turned her back to the officer as she raised one hand, pointing her index finger to the ceiling.

"Lady... I like the sound of 'lady,'" she admitted.

"Get on the ground and you won't get hurt," the officer demanded.

Rita cackled and turned around. The officer instantly shot her, sending her backwards. She crashed through the counter behind her and fell to the floor. Rita's eyes flew open, and she took a deep breath.

"Unit five, I need backup at Fenix Jewelers," the officer said in his radio. "Shots fired. I repeat, shots fired."

Rita picked up her staff and coin. She slammed the coin in the holder, and she is restored.

"Get down!" the officer shouted to the other people in the store.

Rita stands up, revealing her outfit. A black skirt to her knees, a ripped mid-riff top and black sleeves from the elbow down. The glass behind her broke as she waved her hand. The things she waved her hands at flew into the air and walked towards the officer. He shot at her, and she deflected it, sending it crashing into something else.

"It's been too long since I raised my beautiful creatures," she said. "Did you miss me?"

A Putty grew out of the ground behind her

"Oh, my God," the officer whispered.

"Kill him!" Rita ordered.

The Putty snarled and killed the man. As Rita walked out of the store, it blew up. And that was the end of the officer, the store woman, the man and his fiancé. The end of Fenix Jewelers.