A/N: WOW, I haven't updated this book in forever. Enjoy!
EDITED ON JULY 18TH, 2018 @ 8:05AM
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN - TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES
𝓣𝙰𝙽𝙽𝙴𝚁
WE WERE AT THE CAVE when we found out that Dr. Oliver has been fossilized. "Is he okay?" Ethan asked. "This internal scan should be able to tell us more." Hayley informed. "What's the deal? Is he frozen or something?" Kira asked. Hayley sighed. "Not exactly. It's more like he's fossilized, fused into this amber-like substance." She replied.
"Can you get him out?" I asked. Hayley shook her head. "Too risky. He's able to stay alive in there, but I'd hate to think what would happen if I broke him out." Hayley answered. "A paleontologist turned into a fossil. The White Ranger's got a great sense of humor." Ethan commented. "Well, personally, I've had enough with him." I said. "Let's find out who this guy is and deal with him." Conner stated. "Now."
We were at Hayley's Cyberspace. "Maybe Hayley's got some ideas." Ethan said. "Yeah, but it looks like she's kinda busy right now." Kira informed. We saw Hayley rushing to get people's orders. "Well, let's hit the streets. It's not like The White Ranger's just going to walk in here." Conner said. At that moment Trent walked in.
"Hey, Trent." I said. "Hey." Trent said walking up to the counter. "Thank goodness. I'm getting slammed here." Hayley said when she saw Trent. "Hayley, listen, I got to talk to you." Trent started to say. "Later. Grab a tray." Hayley interrupted him. "I can't. I'm quitting." Trent stated. Conner, Ethan, Kira, and I looked at him.
"Why? Trouble with your dad again?" Hayley guessed. "No, it's not that. I just— I just have to quit." Trent replied. "I'm sorry." He added. I decided to catch him before he went out the door. "Hey. Wait a minute." I said. Trent sighed. "You're just going to bail on Hayley like that?" I asked. "Yeah, I know, it seems sudden." He said.
"Don't you think you owe her some kind of explanation?" I asked. "You don't understand. Tanner, something weird has happened. And I feel like if I don't tell someone, I'm going to explode." Trent informed. I was now curious. "Well, what is it? You can tell me." I stated. Before Trent could say anything, Cassidy came through the door.
"Excuse me, people— Important announcement!" Cassidy said as the door slammed in my face. "Attention— look at me!" Cassidy continued to shout. Trent sighed. Everyone in the cafe turned to looked at Cassidy. "I have the scoop of the century. Excuse me, girls, I need the stage." Trent and I turned to look at her.
"And as my faithful core audience, I wanted to share it with you guys first." Cassidy explained. "What do you think this is about?" Ethan asked. "Maybe she's decided to run for queen?" I guessed. Conner, Kira, and Ethan chuckled at that. "I have uncovered the identity of the one and only White Ranger." Cassidy said. Trent looked scared.
"And any minute now, my assistant Devin is going to come through that door with videotape evidence." Cassidy continued. Everyone looked towards the door. "Any minute." Cassidy chuckled. Everyone continued looking at the door. "Where is he?" Cassidy wondered. Devin then came through the door.
"Oh, Oh, Cass, I'm here! Sorry I'm late!" Devin said. "So. . . Devin, where is your camera?" Cassidy asked as Devin came to the stage. "Uh. . . See, that might be just a little problem." Devin informed. "Only if you don't have it." Cassidy stated. Devin chuckled nervously as everyone waited. "Look. . ." Devin said as he whispered to Cassidy.
"We're waiting!" A girl said. Cassidy faced everyone. "Ladies and gentlemen, it appears that The White Ranger is. . ." Cassidy started off. Trent looked nervous. ". . .taped on a camera that Devin stupidly loaned his sister, but once she returns it, I'll be sure to let you know." Cassidy finished. Hayley groaned. "So, Trent, What is it you wanted to. . ." I turned and saw that Trent was gone. I looked around. "Tell me?" I finished.
Conner, Ethan, Kira, and I were heading to the place that popped on the screen. The White Ranger was back. We found The White Ranger fighting Elsa and Zeltrax. "Hold it right there!" Conner said "Great. That's all we need." Elsa commented. "Whoa! Whose side do we take?" I asked. "Good question." Conner replied.
"We'll make it easy for you!" Elsa informed as she and Zeltrax disappeared into a portal. "If you had any sense, you'd run, too." The White Ranger stated. "Dream on!" Kira said. "Let's do it!" Conner said. We began fighting The White Ranger. He attacked Conner, Ethan, and Kira and then he headed for me.
"Whoa!" The White Ranger said. He pinned me to the wall. "Had enough?" He asked me. "Hardly. I've been through a lot worse. Super Dino Mode!" I said. I kicked The White Ranger back as he fell to the ground. Just as he was about to get up, I kicked him back down again. "You'll pay for that! I'm taking you down!" The White Ranger said.
He made lasers with his sword as he attacked me. I fell to the ground as Conner, Ethan, and Kira jumped in front of me. "Lasers, Fire!" All three of them said. They fired at The White Ranger but he fired them right back. He laughed. "That's enough!" I said as I tried kicking him. He twisted my arm.
"You're a little out of your league, don't you think?" The White Ranger asked. "Huh?" I said as he attacked me with his sword. "See my point?" The White Ranger said. He made lasers with his sword and making me demorph. "I swear I'm gonna kill him!" I think to myself as I held my stomach and groaned.
Meanwhile, Ethan, Conner, and Kira were attacking him. "Back off!" The White Ranger said. He was walking towards me. "Never did like the color Purple." The White Ranger stated. He kneeled down next to me. "Well, Purple Ranger, Time to say goodbye." He stated. He grabbed my arm and was about to punch me.
"Huh? Tanner?" The White Ranger said. I could've sworn it was my imagination, but it kinda sounded like Trent's voice. He lowered his arm. "I-I. . ." The White Ranger stuttered. He screamed as he grabbed his head. That's when Conner, Kira, and Ethan went into Super Dino Mode. They knocked The White Ranger away from me and began attacking him once more.
The White Ranger fell to the ground. "I'll be back." The White Ranger said as he left. "Power down!" Conner said as he, Ethan, and Kira powered down. Then, they ran over to me. "Tanner?" Conner said. All three of them helped me up. "Are you okay?" Ethan asked. "Yeah. I'll be fine." I replied.
I saw Trent by the lake. "Trent? Is that you?" I asked. "Hey." Trent said as he closed his drawing book and looked at me. I sat down next to him. "Where'd you go?" I asked. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have just taken off like that." Trent apologized.
"Look, I can't help you if I don't know what's going on." I informed. Trent opened up his drawing book. I saw pictures of The White Ranger. I knew that Trent loved drawing superheroes. After all, he drew Kira as a superhero. But why did he draw The White Ranger? "Trent, If you're gonna dream about being a superhero, The White Ranger's not who you want to be." I told him.
"I kinda wish I had a choice." Trent replied. "What does he mean by that?" I wondered. "What are you saying?" I asked. Trent showed me his bracelet. It had the white dino gem in the middle of it. And it looked exactly like the one Conner, Ethan, Kira, and I both had.
"So it wasn't my imagination when I thought I heard Trent's voice when The White Ranger was about to attack me." I thought. Everything made sense now. About Trent quitting his job, everything. Trent was The White Ranger. "You?" I blurted out. All Trent did was give me a nod in reply. "But you almost annihilated me." I informed. "But I didn't. Look, once I knew it was you—" Trent started off. I got up. He grabbed my wrist. "Let go of me!" I yelled.
"Tanner, I couldn't help it. The gem— It's changed me. I can't take it off or control what I'm doing. You gotta believe me." Trent said. "Why should I?" I asked. "Because I would never intentionally hurt anyone, Tanner, especially you." Trent replied. "Okay. I think I know some people who can help. I'm going to get Conner, Kira, and Ethan." I stated.
"Why them?" Trent asked. "Well, because. . ." I started off. "Wait a minute. Them too?" Trent asked, knowing what I was gonna say. I nodded. "Hard to believe, but true." I answered. "Look, I need you to wait here until I come back." I informed. Trent nodded. "Okay." Trent said. I ran off to get Conner, Ethan, and Kira.
We were back at the command center. "Trent? Oh, there's no way." Kira said once I told everyone. "Nice. Pretending to be our friend one minute, and then kicking our butts the next. I can't believe I fell for it." Conner said, angrily. Ethan and Kira nodded in agreement. "I told you, he can't help it. The gem is too powerful." I informed.
"I thought you hated him, Tanner. Why are you defending him?" Conner asked. I thought I did too. But after the recent events, I've known what he's been going through. I was once in his situation as well. Maybe I even developed a crush on him. But I couldn't tell them that. "I'm with Conner on this one. I mean, Look at what he did to Dr. O." Ethan said. I turned and saw Dr. Oliver still fossilzed.
I sighed. "Hayley, he needs our help." I said, hoping Hayley might have some sense. "I don't know if there's anything I can do, but I'll try." Hayley answered. "Hey, don't go without us. I've got some stuff I'd like to say to that guy." Conner said.
"No doubt." Kira and Ethan agreed. We ran to the place I last saw Trent. "He was supposed to wait right here!" I said, noticing that Trent was gone. His drawing book was on the ground as I picked it up. "There's a surprise. He lied to us again." Ethan said. "Tanner, I'm telling you, Trent can't be trusted." Conner informed.
We were back at the command center once again. "I'm picking up White Ranger's signal. He's back." Hayley informed. All four of us rushed up to the computer. We saw him get into his Megazord. "Great. Major Megazord action right off the bat." Ethan commented.
"Well, this might be a good time to use a new Dinozord." Hayley said. "Let's do it!" Conner said. "Wait. We've gotta do whatever it takes to stop Trent. You know that, right?" Conner asked me. I nodded. "Ready?" Conner asked. "Ready." Kira, Ethan, and I replied. "Dino Thunder, Power up! HA!" All four of us shouted as we morphed. "Dino Power!" All four of us yelled.
We got into our Dinozords. Then, we created our Megazord. "Here you go, guys— Ankylozord." Hayley said as she sent one of the Dinozords. "A new Dinozord, eh? I'll add it to my collection." Trent said. "I don't think so!" Conner shouted. We began fighting for the Ankylozord.
The Zord attacked both of us as we fell to the ground. But we got up again. "What are you guys waiting for? Ankylozord may be small, but check out his power." Hayley said. "Ankylozord! Weapon formation!" We all shouted. "Lasers, fire!" Trent shouted. We blocked his attack and shot it right back at him. "Thundersaurs Megazord, Double Drill Attack!" We all shouted.
We knocked Trent to the ground. But as we celebrated, he got back up. "Don't think this is over." Trent said as he disappeared. At Hayley's Cyberspace. Conner, Ethan, and Kira were sitting together. "Take a look at this. It's a new game out this week." Ethan was saying to Conner. "Cassidy, I have the camera back." Devin said as he held the camera.
"Okay, let's check it out." Cassidy said as she stood up. "Oh, wait. I just need to, uh, rewind it." Devin informed. "Okay. We finally get to know the identity of The White Ranger." Cassidy said as she went up on stage. It ended up having Devin's sister giving birth and Cassidy passing out.
Meanwhile, Tanner was at the lake, looking at Trent's drawings that were left behind. "I thought you might be here." Trent said. I turned around. "Why didn't you wait for me?" I asked. "I did. It's just— It's a long story." Trent replied.
"You know, it's funny. I always thought it'd be cool to be a superhero. This isn't how I'd draw myself." Trent continued. "Look, let us help you." I said. Trent shook his head. "No, it's too late. The gem's already taken over, just like he said." Trent stated. I had a feeling I knew who he was talking about, but I decided to make sure I was right. "Who?" I asked. "It doesn't matter. I have to go away. It's not safe to be around me." Trent informed.
"But—" I started to say.
"Look, I said no!" Trent shouted.
He took his drawing from my hands and walked away from me, throwing the drawing in the water as he did so.
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A/N: Sorry that this chapter took so long! And yes, I know the scenes between Trent was supposed to be Kira, but I decided to do it with Tanner instead since he was exactly like Trent in the first book.
Anyone else getting that Trent x Tanner vibe from this chapter?
Word Count: 2337 words.