FALL OF THE POWER RANGERS
by Arsenal, the Lone Warrior


Part I: Postcards from the Dark Side

	Lightsabers clashed, and Skywalker sprawled down the stairs...
	"Had enuff, Cajun? Just say 'Uncle'..."
	"Oh! Wise guy!"...
	
	Arsenal sat in his monitoring station in Base One, channel-
surfing.
	"You'd think with 150 channels via satellite, there'd be something  
GOOD worth watching," he muttered to himself.  He again clicked on his 
remote.

	"IT'S MORPHING TIME!"

	Arsenal immediately turned the sound on his TV all the way down.  
Then, against his better judgment, hit the "RECORD" button on his 
remote.  He felt that the Rangers should be scrutinized.  Although he 
found their story lines to smack of B'Harniism, he studied their 
fighting styles for flaws in their techniques. 
	"They always flip when going for the attack," he muttered to no 
one in particular.  "And when the going gets tough, they bring out the 
Zords, and immediately merge them into Megazord.  Pathetic.  It's a 
wonder they don't lose more often."
	The fight scene ended, and the scene switched to Lord Zed's moon 
fortress.
	"There's one guy who's scarier than the Power Rangers and B'Harnie 
put together," Arsenal commented.  "I'm glad he's only a fictional 
character."  Arsenal switched off the TV and the VCR.  Then he pressed a 
button on his console.
	"Fran, I'd like you to warm up the Holochamber," he told her.  "I 
need to break something.  Pull the files for the Power Rangers."
	"Which season?"
	"Current."
	"Choice of weapons this time out?"
	"Excalibur, fully loaded."
	"Combat level?"
	"Start with level 10 and work up to level 50.  Don't let me know 
when the levels are increasing."
	"Gotcha.  Want me to join you?"
	"No thanks, Fran.  I haven't trained you for combat yet.  I'm 
still getting used to you being human."
	After a few minutes, as Arsenal was strapping on his Jihaddium 
exoskeleton, Fran announced the holochamber's readiness.  Mounting his 
Excalibur, he stepped into the grid covered room, and mechamorphosed the 
cybercycle into its Armor Mode.
	"OK, Fran. Begin sequen..."
	Arsenal was thrown to the ground by a powerful kick from behind.  
He tucked into a somersault and rolled back onto his feet.  As he did 
this, he engaged his Excalibur's thrusters, propelling him into the air.  
He twisted in midair, landing facing the Rangers.
	The Rangers struck a pose as one.  "Let's get him."
	The Rangers rushed him, as music from the show was piped in 
through the holochamber's speaker system.  He expertly blocked their 
various attacks, sending them reeling with his own attacks.
	"Let's give him the old one-two, Aisha," the Pink Ranger called 
out.  Both of the women Rangers attacked him, the Pink Ranger attacking 
low from the left, and the Yellow Ranger attacking high from the right.  
He leapt, grabbing the Yellow Ranger and throwing her into the Pink 
Ranger.
	"Let's give him a taste of the Power Weapons, Rangers!" the White 
Ranger called out.
	<So that's how they want to play this,> Arsenal thought, extending 
the Excalibur's ion blades.
	He expertly blocked the Red Ranger's Power Sword, and hit him in 
the face with a Sponge-Seeker Missile.  Then he absorbed a blast from 
the Pink Rangers Power Bow.  He sent it back to her through his laser 
array.
	The Yellow Ranger rushed him, her Power Daggers glancing his ion 
blades.  He exchanged blows with her for half a minute before taking her 
out with a powerful blow to the facemask.  He prepared to face the next 
Ranger.....
	Without warning, the holochamber shut off.
	"What's the meaning of this, Fran?"
	"Arse," Fran's voice carried over the intercom system, "we're 
getting a signal from somebody named Lord Zed."  Arsenal's mind raced.  
	<Lord Zed?> he thought.  <He's only fictional.>
	"Do you want to take it here or in your communications center?" 
Fran asked.
	"I'll take it in the comm center, Fran." 

	After a quick sonic shower, despite the fact that his workout 
hadn't even made him sweat,  Arsenal walked into the communications 
center of the Base.  He flicked on one of the monitors.   A red and 
silver helmeted face appeared on the screen.
	"Arsenal here," he said.
	"Greetings, Lone Warrior," stated the face.
	"What do you want, Zed?"
	"Lord Zed," corrected Zed.  "I offer a proposition which should be 
mutually beneficial to the both of us."
	Arsenal leaned forward, studying Zed's countenance.  "What would 
this proposition be?"
	"An alliance between my forces and yours to eliminate those 
retched Power Rangers."  Zed waved his power staff dramatically as he 
talked.
	"In others words, Zed," Arsenal countered, "I do your dirty work, 
and you benefit."
	"Come now, Warrior," Zed stated, ignoring Arsenal's skepticism.  
"I happen to know for a fact that your Jihad is engaged in a war against 
the entity known as B'Harnie, and that the Rangers are allied with him."
	"And what is your part in this deal?"  Arsenal asked.
	"I will provide backup and weapons, in the form of my Putties, 
should they be required."
	Arsenal leaned back in his chair, his mind already formulating a 
plan.  "Give me twenty-four hours to think over your proposal, Zed."
	"Do not think too long, Warrior," Zed warned him.
	"My time is my own, Zed," Arsenal countered.  "I do with it as I 
please."
	"Your time IS yours," Zed rumbled.  "For now."  The screen went 
black.
	Fran's head appeared on one of the other monitors.
	"You're not seriously considering his proposal, are you, Arse?" 
she asked.
	"No," he replied.  "Fran, send a message to Angel Grove, 
California. Tap into the Rangers' communicators' frequency.  Tell them 
to meet me in the old quarry near the park in two hours.  I'll be 
carrying 
a white flag."

	Two hours later, Arsenal drove his Battle-van through a 
teleportal, into the midst of the Power Rangers.  Powering down the 
mobile attack base, he stepped out ready to do business.  He could feel 
the Ranger's tension as he offered the white flag to the White Ranger.
	"All right, Warrior" he intoned.  "Exactly why did you want to see 
us?"
	"I received a message from Lord Zed." he replied.  "He suggested 
an alliance between myself and him, to wipe out you guys."
	"Hey, you want a fight" Rocky, the Red Ranger spoke up, "we'll 
give you one!"
	"Back down, Rocky," the White Ranger warned his comrade.  "So why 
tell us this?  What's your angle?"
	"I would prefer the alliance be between me and you, against Zed."
	"We'll have to think this over. Several Jihaddi have fought us on 
several occasions."
	"I'm a little different," Arsenal told them.  "I'm willing to work 
with a potential enemy to defeat a greater enemy.  In other words, the 
enemy of my enemy is my ally."
	"Man, I don't think we trust him," the Black Ranger whispered to 
the White Ranger.  "He sounds just a little too slick."
	"I think we should give him a chance," the Blue Ranger stated.  
"He has presented a very real problem, which must be resolved."
	"But if we beat Zed," The Yellow Ranger asked, "we'll be out of a 
job."
	"Nonsense," Arsenal stated.  "There's still the Jihad, and 
B'Harnie."
	"And I see one Jihaddi I wouldn't mind getting with," the Pink 
Ranger muttered under her breath.
	It was a good thing the Rangers all wore face-concealing helmets, 
or Arsenal would have seen the instant flash of hatred and jealousy in 
the White Ranger's eyes.
	"Do we have a deal?" Arsenal asked.  Before any of the Rangers 
could reply, several Putties appeared, followed by the monstrous figure 
of Goldar.
	"Putties!" yelled the Red Ranger.  "You set us up, you Jihaddi 
scum!"
	Without a word, Arsenal drew the Soul Sword.  There was a 
resounding gulp from the Rangers.  Arsenal didn't say a word, as he 
ferociously attacked the Putties.
	The Rangers struck a pose.  "Let's get them!"
	The battle was joined, fast and furious.  The Putties were no 
match for the onslaught.  Every Putty that was taken out of commission 
promptly disappeared.  Soon, only Goldar was left.
	Goldar and the White Ranger faced off, swords drawn.
	"I'll crush you like the insect you are, Ranger!" Goldar bellowed.
	"You'll never beat me, fang-face!" Tommy retorted.  They're swords 
clashed.
	Arsenal tapped on Goldar's shoulder.  "Excuse me," he said.  
Goldar turned around, swinging his sword in a wide arc.  The White 
Ranger pulled Goldar's sword from his hands, as the flat of Arsenal's 
Soul Sword impacted with Goldar's forehead.  Goldar fell to the ground 
with a loud >CRASH!<  and the sound of birdies echoing through his 
skull.
	"I don't believe it!" the Pink Ranger gasped.  "He took out 
GOLDAR!   Tommy, you could never do that!"  Tommy muttered something 
incomprehensible as he plunged his sword into Goldar's chest.   Tommy 
walked away as Goldar disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the swords 
behind.
	Arsenal picked up Goldar's sword.  "Well," he commented, placing 
it in the van, "there's another one for the trophy case, along with 
Bop's Blankie."
	"Look, pal," the White Ranger shouted, getting into Arsenal's 
face, "I'm sick of you hitting on my girl!"
	"Back off," Arsenal told him with a piercing glare.  "I haven't 
even looked at her."
	Just then, Zordon signaled.
	"Rangers, return to the Citadel.  And bring the Warrior with you."
	"I don't think that would be expedient, Zordon," Billy, the Blue 
Ranger, replied into his communicator.
	"Don't question my orders, Billy," Zordon told him.  "Just trust 
me."
	The six Rangers and Arsenal were transported from the quarry to 
the Citadel interior, where Alpha-5 and Zordon awaited them.
	"Ai-yiyiyi," Alpha stammered.  "It's the Lone Warrior!  Battle 
stations!  Battle stations!"
	"Be quiet, Alpha," Zordon commanded, his voice sounding like he 
was chewing on peanut butter.  "The Warrior is here at my request."
	"Ai-yiyi!  What has this world come to?"
	"So, what's up, Zordon?" Adam, the Black Ranger asked as the 
Rangers removed their helmets.
	"I congratulate you on your victory over Goldar," Zordon stated.  
"However, if you keep up like this, you'll soon be out of a job.  I 
suggest you tone it down a little."
	"There's always the Jihad and Barney," Aisha, the Yellow Ranger, 
suggested.
	"Good point, Aisha," Zordon agreed.  "But back to the reason I 
asked you to bring the Lone Warrior here."
	"Which is?" Arsenal asked in a bored tone, sitting on one of the 
control panels.
	"It has come to my attention that with your combined strengths, 
now would be the best time to mount a final assault on Zed," Zordon 
stated.  Tommy, Billy, Adam, and Aisha whistled.
	"But, Zordon," Billy commented, "we don't even know where Zed's 
base is."
	"I do," Arsenal stated.
	"You do?" Kimberly responded, excitedly.  Tommy glared at the both 
of them.  This time, there was no way Arsenal could miss the daggers of 
Tommy's stare.  The other Rangers, however, were paying rapt attention 
to Arsenal and ignoring Tommy.
	"Alright!" Rocky exclaimed.  "Let's kick his butt!"
	"Where is it?" Billy asked.
	"He's on the moon," Arsenal replied.
	"Ai-yiyiyiyi!"  Alpha exclaimed rapidly.  "How will you ever get 
there!"
	"Let's get back to my battle-van," Arsenal said calmly.  "I've got 
something there that'll get us to the moon."

	"AAARRRRRGGGGGHHH!"
	Putties scattered as Lord Zed ripped through his throne room, 
striking out at anything within reach.
	"Traitor! Betrayal! Oath Breaker! The Lone Warrior shall pay 
dearly for his deceit!  I shall plunge my hand into his chest and rend 
his heart from him!"
	"But, Lord Zed," one of his lackeys whined, "he never s-s-said 
'yes'."
	"SILENCE, WORM!!!"
	Zed's body was aglow in an angry crimson.  He sauntered over to 
the balcony of his fortress.
	"He DARES team up with those accursed Power Rangers against me!  
And insults me by killing my best warrior!"
	"S-S-Sire, Goldar was killed by the White Ranger, not the Lone 
Warrior!" stuttered the lackey.
	"You DARE contradict ME!" screamed Zed, glowing even brighter.  "I 
shall have you IMPALED!"  The lackey was carried away by several 
Putties.
	"S-S-Sire?" another lackey said.  "They're returning to the 
quarry.  Should we attack them now?"
	"YES!  So glad I thought of it!  Have Finster send down his most 
fearsome monster."

	The Rangers and Arsenal returned to the battle-van in the usual 
flashes of light.
	"Are you sure this is going to work?" Rocky asked Arsenal.
	"Never failed yet.  Fran," Arsenal called into his communicator, 
"Give this doubter a shot to Alaska."
	"You got it, Arse."
	And with that, Rocky found himself hip deep in hard packed snow.  
Nearby, an Eskimo offered him a slice of fresh blubber.   A minute 
later, Rocky reappeared in Angel Grove.
	"How was your trip?" Arsenal asked, a grin hidden by his face 
shield.
	"Not bad" Rocky replied, shivering.  "I brought you back a 
souvenir."  He swung the blubber in a wide arc.  Arsenal ducked, and the 
blubber slapped Billy in the face.
	"Fresh blubber," Billy commented, pulling himself up from the 
ground.  "My favorite."  Aisha and Kimberly started giggling wildly.  
Aisha's ended in a guttural snort.
	"Where does that come from?" Rocky asked Adam.
	"I don't know," Adam replied.  "Ask Billy."
	"Can we get moving?" Tommy demanded irritably.
	"Fran," Arsenal asked into his communicator, "is the experimental 
booster up and running?"
	"It's running, but I wouldn't exactly trust it," came the reply.
	"Fine.  Begin trans-"  Arsenal was cut off by the radar scope in 
the van beeping wildly.  "INCOMING!"
	A massive form collided with the ground.  Dust was thrown into the 
air and a familiar voice rumbled ominously from the epicenter.
	"Lone Warrior!  We meet again!  This time, you shall DIE!!"
	Even before the dust settled, Arsenal knew who their enemy was.
	"Executor."  Arsenal's eyes went wide, as his face fell.
	The Ebony Raptor was twice as large than when they had first met, 
and its eyes glowed with a peculiar emerald light.  His claws were 
sheathed in a silvery glowing substance that smoked with the air's 
contact. 
	"We need the Zords!" Tommy called out.
	"Zords?" Arsenal asked.  "Who needs Zords?   Throw your weapons 
together into the Power Blaster!  Put it right down his throat!"  
Arsenal sent out a radio signal through his helmet, and his Excalibur 
Cybercycle burst from the rear of the battle-van.  Arsenal leapt onto it 
as it raced on by.  With a flick of a switch, it mechamorphosed into its 
Armor mode.
	Arsenal advanced on Executor and drew the Soul Sword.  Executor's 
laugh was low and resentful.
	"I am beyond your feeble weaponry," the Ebony Raptor growled.  
"You will soon join your lover in the depths."
	"Don't count on it, lizard-breath," Rocky yelled as he took aim 
with the completed Power Blaster.
	"NOT YET!" Arsenal yelled, too late.  The beam from the Power 
Blaster was blocked by Executor's claws.  The Rangers scattered as it 
struck the ground in front of them.
	"Man, this guy's tough!"  Adam yelled.
	"Don't get cheesy on me now!" Arsenal called back to them as he 
dodged a thrust from Executor.
	"Can't help it, man.  It's the way we are!" Rocky replied.
	Arsenal extended his ion blades.  Executor just laughed.  Arsenal 
managed to get close enough to plunge both of them into Executor's 
chest.  Executor swung about, knocking Arsenal across the quarry with 
his tail.
	Arsenal pulled himself out of the imprint he'd left in the rock.  
He then launched several Sponge-Seeker Missiles at Executor.  The 
Raptor's eyes glowed a hot white, and the missiles prematurely exploded 
in mid-air.
	Drawing his sword, the White Ranger rushed Executor.  He brought 
the blade down on the dinosaur's clawed hand, only to have the blade 
absorbed by the silvery material of Executor's claws.
	Arsenal called out to the Rangers, "Bring in your Zords to 
distract him!"


Part II: Assault on the Dark Side

	...
	Drawing his sword, the White Ranger rushed Executor.  He brought 
the blade down on the dinosaur's clawed hand, only to have the blade 
blocked by the Raptor's thick hide.
	Arsenal called out to the Rangers, "Bring in your Zords to 
distract him!"

	"Alright! We need Thunder Zord Power!!"
	"Not Megazord, you morons! Just the regular Zords!" Arsenal yelled 
in reminder.
	The earth shook and the mountains quaked.  In the distance, the 
rumble of giant feet slamming the ground could be heard as the Zords 
raced to their masters' sides.
	"Yeah!" shouted the Red Ranger.  "Power 'em up, and go for 
delaying tactics!!"
	"I wish they'd stop being so cheesy," Arsenal muttered as he 
watched the Power Rangers "morph" into their Zords.
	Arsenal watched as missiles erupted from all six Zords and 
impacted on Executor from three sides.  With a laugh as the missiles 
exploded around him, Executor vanished in the thrown up dust.  The 
behemoth then reappeared on a crag high above the Rangers, and sent 
those eye-beams thundering down onto them.
	"We're in trouble," Tommy commented.
	"Not for long," Arsenal told him, jumping up in front of Executor.  
"Pull back, and let me try out a new toy."
	"What toy is this, Warrior?"  Executor rumbled.
	"THIS!"  Arsenal slammed his fists into the ground.  Concentrated 
seismic activity shook the ground.  Executor lost his balance, and fell 
to the quarry floor far below.  He was followed by an avalanche of sharp 
rocks that completely covered him.
	The Rangers morphed out of their Zords to stand near Arsenal's 
battle-van.
	"What was that?" asked Billy.  "Is it dead?"
	"And why did it say those things to Arsenal?" Kimberly wanted to 
know.  Tommy simply groaned and turned away.
	Arsenal mechamorphosed his Excalibur back to cycle mode and rode 
back to the van.  He dismounted and switched on the van's holographic 
display.
	"Fran," he said, "we have a very big problem.  Executor is back."  
This drew some curious glances from the Rangers.  "And he's bigger and 
badder than ever.  I buried him, but he may not be dead."
	"I'll see what I can do," Fran replied.  "Scanning.....  Arse, 
he's not under the rocks."
	"Arse?" Tommy muttered with a grin under his helmet.  Kimberly 
elbowed him in the ribs.
	"Disappeared again!"  Arsenal grumbled.  "How do they keep doing 
that?"
	"Not enough info, Arse," Fran replied.  "Do you still want that 
trip to the moon?"
	Arsenal glanced at all the Rangers, who nodded their consent.
	"Yeah, Fran, we do.  How soon can you get us there?"
	"Is immediately too soon?"
	"Wait a second," stated Billy.  "There's no air on the moon."
	"So what's your point?"  Adam asked.
	"If we're going there, how are we going to survive?"
	"I've got just the thing" Arsenal stated, popping a couple 
microcapsules.  Six trans-suits appeared in his hands.  "Put these on 
over your outfits.  They'll enable you to live in a vacuum."
	"But what about you?" Kim asked.  "There's only six here."
	"He's got his own way of surviving," Tommy stated coldly.  "Let 
him worry about it."
	"What's the matter, Tommy?" Aisha asked.  "You jealous or 
something?"
	"Shut up, Aisha," Tommy told her.
	"Fran, port us," Arsenal stated, closing the face shield of his 
helmet and mechamorphosing the Excalibur to its Armor mode.

	Arsenal and the Power Rangers materialized in the dungeon of Zed's 
fortress.
	"That is so cool!" Billy commented.  "Why can't Zordon make us 
stuff like yours?"
	"Yeah, that ride was smoother than when we morph into action!" 
Rocky agreed.
	Arsenal pulled out a scanning device and started examining the 
area.
	"This is weird," he commented.  "There is a breathable atmosphere 
here."
	"And you said there wouldn't be one," Aisha told Billy.
	"There shouldn't...  There couldn't..." Billy turned to Arsenal.  
"Are you sure that thing's working right?"
	"Perfectly,"  Arsenal said.  "It must be limited to Zed's fortress 
area."  He flipped up his face shield, took a deep breath, and keeled 
over, clutching his throat.
	"Is he all right," Kim asked as Tommy hid his smile.
	As Billy bent down to check on Arsenal, Arsenal sat up.
	"Fooled you," he said, keeping his face shield open.
	"Rats," Tommy muttered under his breath.  Only Arsenal, with his 
Excalibur's sensors, could hear Tommy's remark.
	"Hey, this appears to be the dungeon," Rocky commented, examining 
the room.
	"So there should be a way to Zed's Throne Room from here," Billy 
stated.
	"Fine," Tommy said.  "Just look for stairways leading up."  With 
that, he started up the nearest stairwell.
	"What bug crawled up his pants?" Adam asked no one in particular.  
No one bothered to answer as they followed Tommy up the stairs.
	The team traveled three flights of stairs before they ran into 
their first opposition.  At the top of the stairs, several Putties 
blocked their path.
	"Leave this to me," Arsenal said.  He fired with his laser array, 
and the Putties vanished.

	Meanwhile, in the throne room of the fortress, Zed was not a happy 
camper.
	"Intruders?!" he yelled.  "Intruders?! Here within my domicile? My 
own inner sanctum?! Destroy them! DESTROY THEM ALL!! OR YOUR WORTHLESS 
CARCASSES SHALL ADORN MY DOOR!!"
	Putties and lackeys alike scrambled to fulfill their master's 
wishes.

	Arsenal and the Rangers had fought their way through seventeen 
floors of Putties before they encountered any challenge.   At the top of 
the staircase stood one of  Zed's monsters, an anthropomorphic cross 
between a pig and a dog.
	"What is that thing?"  Rocky asked.
	"I am Svinehund," it called back in a German accent.  "And I'm 
going to kill you."  It rushed towards them.  The Rangers automatically 
flipped out of its way.  Arsenal, however, stood his ground.
	"Arsenal!" Kimberly yelled.  "Get out of there!"
	"A SEAL does not run," Arsenal stated calmly.  "He fights."
	Svinehund ran right up to Arsenal, intent on engaging in combat.  
Arsenal stepped to the right, and clotheslined the beast with his arm.  
Svinehund lost its footing, and its momentum caused it to fall down the 
stairs.
	Arsenal extended his ion blades, and leapt down on the creature.   
With a single slice, Svinehund was dead.  It immediately exploded.
	"Is he...?" Kimberly asked, gazing down the stairs.
	"Svinehund is dead," Rocky told her.  "That Lone Warrior lives up 
to his reputation."
	"But how's the Warrior?" Kimberly asked.
	"I hope he's dead as well," Tommy stated coldly.  "We don't need 
the extra baggage.  Let's go get Lord Zed."
	Adam placed his hand on Tommy's shoulder.
	"What's wrong with you, man?" he asked.  "You've been acting 
really weird since Arsenal showed up in the quarry."
	"Nothing's the matter with me," Tommy stated, shrugging out from 
under Adam's hand.  "Kimberly's the one whose been making moon-eyes at 
Arsenal."
	"Jealous?" Kimberly asked Tommy.
	"Yeah, I'm jealous!"  Tommy yelled back.  "You never looked at me 
the way you look at him."
	"Maybe that's because Arsenal isn't cheesy, like us," Kimberly 
retorted back.  "He's so much better at combat than us.  And he's got 
respect!  WE DON'T!  I'm starting to doubt why I ever became a Ranger in 
the first place."
	"You don't mean that," Rocky told her.
	"Yeah," Kimberly stated.  "I mean it."
	"Am I missing something?" Arsenal asked, stepping out of the smoke 
that was now clearing and climbing the stairs to stand near the Rangers.
	"After this mission is over," Tommy told Arsenal, "don't even come 
near us again, or you'll taste the Power Blaster down your throat!"
	Arsenal looked Tommy in the eye.  "Fine with me," he said dryly.  
"I'm getting tired of your attitude anyway.  Next time you see me, it'll 
be as an enemy."  Arsenal looked at each of the Rangers, pausing 
slightly longer at Kimberly than the others.  "Let's go finish off Zed."

	"THEY DESTROYED SVINEHUND!" Zed yelled, glowing his brightest 
shade of crimson to date.  "IT'S THOSE ACCURSED POWER RANGERS!  I KNOW 
IT!!"
	"But, Sire," the remaining lackey stated, "Arsenal is with them.  
It was he who destroyed Svinehund."
	"The Lone Warrior is here as well, isn't he,"  Zed said.  "Allow 
them to find their way up here.  I shall deal with all seven of them 
personally."  The lackey and the putties scurried to perform Zed's 
orders.
	"Now I shall finally kill the Rangers once and for all."

	Several minutes later, Arsenal and the Rangers strode into Lord 
Zed's throne room.
	"WELCOME RANGERS!" Zed's voice rumbled through the room.  "WELCOME  
WARRIOR!  WELCOME TO MY HUMBLE ABODE!  AND TO YOUR DEATHS!!!!"
	With this, Zed stepped forward, glowing a deep scarlet.  He swung 
his power staff in a wide arc, sending crimson energy in the direction 
of the Rangers.  They were thrown back against the inner wall.
	Arsenal mechamorphosed his Excalibur into its cycle mode and 
dismounted from it.
	"Arsenal!" Kimberly yelled.  "Don't do it!  You need your armor!"
	"I hate to sound so cliché," Arsenal called back to her.  "But 
trust me, I know what I'm doing."  With this, he drew the Blade.
	"So it has come down to us," Zed told Arsenal, waving his power 
staff.  "Prepare for death, oath-breaker!"  He tossed a crimson bolt at 
Arsenal.  Arsenal swiftly deflected the bolt with the Blade.
	"Oath-breaker?" Arsenal asked.  "I told you I'd give you my answer 
in twenty-four hours.  Only five have passed.  And the answer is a 
resounding NO!"
	Arsenal swung the Blade at Zed, who deflected it with his staff.  
For ten minutes, the Rangers could only watch as Arsenal and Zed went at 
it, each one deflecting the furious death-blows of the other.
	"We need to help him," Kimberly told the others, drawing her Power 
Bow.
	"Forget it!" Tommy stated.  "I'm not going to help a guy who 
will no doubt kill us as soon as he's finished with Zed."
	"Sorry, Tommy, but I'm with Kimberly on this one," Rocky stated, 
drawing his Power Sword.  "Power Blaster! NOW!"
	Within moments, the Power Blaster was assembled.
	"Wait for a clear shot!"  Rocky called.  Arsenal heard this and 
maneuvered Zed between himself and the Rangers.
	"NOW!" Arsenal yelled, dropping onto his back.  The Power Blaster 
roared to life, knocking Zed towards Arsenal.  Arsenal kicked with his 
feet, and Zed flew out the window of his balcony.
	Arsenal and the Rangers strode over to the balcony and looked 
down.  Zed hung from the balcony floor, his arm wrapped around a post.
	"Guys," Aisha stated, stifling a giggle, "we shouldn't leave him 
like that."
	"You're right," Tommy agreed.  He reached out with his foot and 
crunched them down on Zed's fingers.   Zed was forced to let go, and 
fell to the moon's surface below.
	"Even with the moon's lighter gravity," Billy stated, "Lord Zed 
should not survive a fall like that."
	"Let's go home," Kimberly said.  "This place creeps me out."

	Several minutes later, the seven reappeared beside Arsenal's 
battle-van in the Angel Grove quarry.  Zordon immediately contacted the 
Rangers.
	"Rangers, please return to the Citadel," Zordon told them.  "And 
bring the Warrior with you."
	"No way, Zordon," Tommy said.  "He's not coming back with us."
	"Don't contradict me, Tommy," Zordon replied, "or you can 
relinquish your standing as a Power Ranger."
	"We'll bring him," Kimberly told Zordon.  "We'll be there 
shortly."

	Moments later, the seven appeared in the Command Center of 
Zordon's Citadel.
	"Congratulations, Rangers," Zordon stated.  "The threat from Lord 
Zed is finally finished."
	"Don't be too sure," Arsenal stated, placing a hand on Alpha.  
"Earlier today we fought a monster I thought I'd destroyed a long time 
ago.  So don't count Zed out just yet."
	"Very well, Warrior.  What are your plans regarding the Rangers 
now?"
	"We made a good team today," Rocky admitted.  "I'd hate to have 
you as an enemy."
	"Yeah," Kimberly agreed.  "I pity B'Harnie."
	"Well," Arsenal told the others,  "why don't I just leave you with 
this...."  With this, he reached out and passionately kissed Kimberly.  
To his surprise, Kimberly returned his kiss.  The other Rangers, Zordon, 
and even Alpha were speechless.
	As Arsenal was breaking off the kiss, Tommy attacked him.  Arsenal 
reflexively threw Tommy into Zordon's holotube a split second before he 
teleported out.

	"So what was all that about?" Fran jealously asked Arsenal as he 
pulled the battle-van into Base One's motor pool.
	"Just spreading some dissent among the Rangers," Arsenal laughed.   
"And he seeds for their own destruction."



Part III: Defection from the Dark Side

Several weeks later.......

	The Power Rangers surrounded Arsenal, Power Weapons drawn and 
ready for action.
	"I thought I told you not to show your face in Angel Grove any 
more, Lone Warrior," Tommy growled.
	"Actually," Arsenal replied, sheathing his Soul Sword, "I'd heard 
a report of a major threat to the Earth in the area.  I'm here on a 
recon.  I'm not looking for a fight."
	"Too bad," Tommy growled, "cause I am."  He swung his sword at 
Arsenal.  Arsenal blocked the blade with his gauntlet, then hit him in 
the face with his seismic knuckles, sending Tommy flying backwards, 
unconscious.
	"Good riddance," Kimberly muttered, under her breath.
	"Tommy's been such a JERK lately," Aisha said.  "I've been wanting 
to do that to him for a while."
	"Ever since our fight together," Rocky told Arsenal, "and with his 
recent fight with the bogus Green Ranger, Tommy's been on edge.  You're 
free to go.  Just don't come back again."
	"Don't worry about me," Arsenal responded.  "Just worry about 
yourselves.  Things are not quite as black and white as they seem."
	He sped off on his Excalibur.  Only Kimberly noticed a diskette 
near the Excalibur's tire tracks.  She bent over and picked it up.  On 
the label, it read: "TO KIM.  THE TRUTH."  Intrigued, she hid it and 
returned to the Citadel with the others.

	"She took the bait, Arse," Fran told him after he'd returned to 
his underground base.  "But, why her?  Why not the Blue Ranger?"
	"Jealous?" he asked, hiding his smile from her.
	"Maybe," she admitted, shaking her red mane of hair.  "I *AM* 
human now.  You and Neon Wizard certified that some time ago."
	"You need to get out more, Fran," he told her.  "Take the rest of 
the afternoon off.  Head into town, go shopping, take in a movie, or 
something.  I need to get back to work."  Fran left the room as he sat 
back and read the latest reports from various Jihaddi.

	Kimberly sat down in her room at her computer, and slipped the 
diskette into the drive.  After pulling up the contests of the disk, she 
read, stunned.  For the first time since she'd been approached to become 
a Power Ranger, everything fell into place.  And she was disgusted.
	She flopped onto her bed, lost in thought.  After all she'd been 
through, she thought she'd had it bad.  The information on that 
diskette, coupled with what Arsenal had said earlier, had her mind 
reeling.  And yet....  
	She still needed to see for herself.
	She stood up and pulled out her Power Coin and Morpher.  They, 
like most of her clothes, were pink.  It stuck her then how 
stereotypical she'd been acting. 
	'One last time,' she thought.  She thrust the Morpher in front of 
her.  "PTERODACTYL!"
	She was immediately clothed in her Pink Ranger outfit.  She 
grabbed a cassette recorder from her dresser and teleported to the 
Citadel.
	She appeared in the control center of the Citadel, yet hidden in 
the shadows.  With a flick of the wrist, she deactivated Alpha. Luckily, 
Zordon's attention was elsewhere.  She pulled out the recorder and 
turned it on.
	"So the Lone Warrior has been snooping around Angel Grove," a 
dopey, syrupy voice asked over one of the speakers.
	"Yes, Lord Barney," Zordon replied.  "He has almost killed Lord 
Zed, and I fear the Rangers are next.  They are no match for him."
	"This is bad," the voice replied.  "Very, very bad.  Perhaps using 
the Rangers as pawns in our plan was a mistake."
	"I must break off, my lord," Zordon said.  "I sense that one of 
the Rangers has activated her Power Coin."
	"'Pawns in our plan,' Zordon?" Kimberly asked, coming onto 
Zordon's view.  "When I first learned you were in the league with Zed, I 
didn't want to believe it.  But now?  I've seen enough."  She drew her 
Power Bow.
	"Rangers!" Zordon called out.  "I need you.  Kimberly has been 
brainwashed, and is attacking the Citadel.  Alpha!  Alpha, where are 
you?"
	"He can't help you now, Zordon," she said.  "I've deactivated him. 
And by the time I'm done with you, all your plans are going to worth 
squat."
	Five beams of light entered the room, and the other Rangers 
appeared, worried looks on their faces.
	"Kimberly," Tommy asked her, "why are you doing this?"
	"Zordon's been playing us all for fools," she replied.  "He and 
Zed are both minions of somebody he called 'Lord Barney'. I have it all 
on tape."  She held up the recorder.
	"Kimberly," Billy said, stepping forward, "I know you've been 
through a lot lately.  You don't have to do this."
	"Back off, brain-child," she warned him.  "You don't know 
anything!"  She waved her Power Bow warily towards them.  "I really 
don't want to do this, but it seems I've got no choice."  She pulled out 
her Power Coin, and threw it on the floor.  
	"I quit.  And to make sure there can never be another Pink 
Ranger...."  She grabbed Alpha's inert body, and slammed it against the 
Coin.  The Coin shattered, and the resultant power surge traveled 
through Alpha and into Kimberly's body.  She cried out in pain and 
collapsed.
	Tommy was by her side in an instant.  He grabbed a device Alpha 
had used some time earlier and scanned her body.
	"How is she?" Aisha asked.  Tommy handed the scanner to Billy, who 
read the readings.
	"She's in a minor state of shock," Billy replied.  "It seems the 
energies contained in her Power Coin are now permanently within her 
body."  He set the scanner down.  "Our best bet is to get her to a 
hospital."
	"No," Zordon replied.  "She'll be better off if she stays here in 
the Citadel.  Billy, reactivate Alpha and have him take Kimberly to the 
Citadel's infirmary."
	"Infirmary?" Adam asked Rocky quietly.  Rocky just shrugged.  
After a few minutes, Alpha was reactivated and carrying Kimberly into 
the bowels of the Citadel.
	"I'm worried about Kimberly," Tommy murmured.  "Ever since we 
first met the Lone...."
	"You've been a jerk since then, too," Rocky told him.
	Tommy grabbed Rocky by the front of his shirt.  "DON'T. SAY. THAT. 
AGAIN."  He threw Rocky against the wall and followed Alpha to the 
infirmary.
	"Man," Adam whispered to Rocky, helping him up off the floor, 
"another outburst like that, and I don't care what Zordon does.  Tommy's 
goin' down."
	"I'm with you," Aisha agreed, poison slipping into her voice.  
"It's almost as if the Green Ranger was returning."

	"I've been monitoring the Rangers, Arse," Fran told him as he 
entered the monitor room.  "It seems as if the three replacements may be 
salvageable."
	"I'll deal with that later, Fran."  He checked a fluctuating 
meter.  "Have you got a fix on the other three?"
	"Negative," she replied.  "There must be something about the Swiss 
Alps that's blocking our scans."
	"Hrmmm....."  He thought for a minute before making a decision.  
"Contact Lord Owsen and see if he has any satellite scans of the area.  
I want those Rangers back in Angel Grove, ASAP."

	Kimberly stirred, and finally awoke.  She tried sitting up, and 
found herself strapped to an examination table by her wrists, ankles, 
waist, and forehead.
	"Where am I?" she mumbled.
	"You are in the infirmary," Alpha told her.  "Please lie still.  
You have been through a very traumatic experience.  After all, 
brainwashing is something very difficult to repair."
	"Brainwashing?" she muttered, then snapped suddenly alert.  
"BRAINWASHING!!  That's what Zordon's done to us!"
	"Ai-yiYI!"  Alpha predictably exclaimed.  "It seems you are still 
not completely restored.  Alpha to Zordon."
	"What is it, Alpha?"  Zordon asked in his mouth-full-of-peanut-
butter voice.
	"Kimberly has come to, and she is still irrational."
	"IRRATIONAL!" Kimberly yelled.  "You better believe it, baldy, 
after what you've done to us!  When I get outta here...."
	"Kimberly, please," Tommy told her from the side of the bed.  "Lie 
still."
	"I kinda have no choice, _Tommy_," she shot back, sarcastically.  
"Why don't you just go back to being the Green Ranger.  At least HIM I 
can deal with."  Tommy's face contorted in a mask of hatred.
	"Ever since you laid eyes on that Lone Wimp, you've been nothing 
but a love-sick Putty."
	"Low blow, Tommy.  At least _I_ was never a traitor!"
	"Rita had me under one of her spells!" he nearly yelled in her 
face.
	"Some excuse," she spat back.  "So was Jason, and he didn't turn 
on us!"
	Clenching his fists, Tommy turned around and stormed out of the 
infirmary.  He pounded the door on his way out, leaving a sizable dent.
	"Ai-yiyi," Alpha muttered to himself.  "Another mess to clean up."
	"What are you complaining for, robot?" she asked.  "After all, you 
just do whatever Zordon tells you."
	To this, Alpha was strangely quiet.
	'I've gotta get out of here,' Kim thought to herself.
	"So what happened to my Coin?" she asked, dropping her voice into 
a nicer tone.
	"Oh it was horrible," Alpha whined.  "It was completely destroyed.  
Now you won't be able to power your Zord.  And the others can't form 
MegaZord."
	"Too bad," she said, feigning concern.  "What happened to the 
energies?"
	"Oh, they at least were saved.  It would appear they now reside in 
your body."
	"Oh, _really_."  This took her completely by surprise.  "Tell me, 
if I channeled the energies through my body, could I power my Zord that 
way?"
	"It is a possibility," he admitted.  "But should we not first 
consult Zordon on this?"
	"No."  She concentrated, remembering what it felt like to 
teleport.  In a beam of pink energy, she disappeared.
	"Ai-YIYIYIYIYI!"  Alpha ran around the infirmary like a headless 
chicken.  "Alpha to Zordon!  Alpha to Zordon!  The Pink Ranger has 
escaped!  Red Alert!  Red Alert!"

	Kimberly materialized on the beach in Angel Grove.  She sat up, 
shaking her head.
	"Now _that_ was interesting," she muttered.
	"HEY!" she heard someone yell next to her.  "Get out of the 
sunlight!  Yer blocking our tan!"
	She looked over at the voice.  Bulk and Skull lay next to her, 
Skull buried in the sand up to his neck, and Bulk in Speedos.  Trying as 
hard as she could to maintain her composure, she fled the beach.
	"Chicks just can't take it," Bulk told Skull.  "Chicks see me like 
this, and they either run towards me, or away from me."
	"With what?" Skull asked.  "A dump truck?"
	Moments later, Skull was totally buried.

	Meanwhile, over in Switzerland, Jason, Trini, and Zack received a 
fax from the States.  Jason read it to the others.
	"'Hi, guys.  There is a major crisis brewing back home.  We need 
your help.  Get to Angel Grove as soon as you can.  We'll meet you in 
the Command Center.  [Signed] Tommy.'"
	"All right," Zack excalimed.  "It's gonna be nice to get back into 
action."
	"I wonder what the crisis is?" Trini wondered aloud.
	"We'll find out when we get there," Jason replied.  He pulled out 
his Morpher.  "IT'S MORPHING TIME!"

	Kimberly "morphed" into her Zord, heading East, away from 
California, and towards the one person she knew could be trusted.
	"I don't care how long it takes, Arsenal.  I'll find you."


Part IV: A Light in the Dark Side

	It was a dark and stormy night, at least for Kimberly.  Thousands 
of feet above the ground, and moving in excess of mach two through cloud 
banks could have that effect.  But her thoughts were far from admiring 
the scenery. 
	Betrayed.  Betrayed by those whom she had believed she could 
trust.  Betrayed by the people who had been her friends.  Betrayed by 
the one who she thought had loved her!
	There was at least one consoling thought, she reflected.  She was 
now searching for the one person left that she hoped could help her. 
Arsenal, the Lone Warrior.

	"Arse, I believe we just hit paydirt," Fran told him as he slid 
into his monitor station chair.  "The Pink Ranger has just left Zordon's 
Citadel.  And the robot's just called a red alert."
	"Where is she?" he asked, patching into NEBULA's satellite 
network.
	"She was last seen heading East in her Zord," the redhead replied.  
"By my estimate, she should be over the Mississippi River by now.  Boy, 
that Zord can really move."
	"Sometimes I worry about you, Fran," Arsenal grunted.  "A Pinto 
could do better, in reverse."  He studied the readouts.  "Got it.  She's 
over Kansas."
	"So let's send her a twister, and take her to the Yellow Brick 
Road."
	Arsenal turned to study his companion.  "You ARE jealous," he told 
her.  "Don't tell me you think she's a threat to our relationship."
	"I never said that," she huffed.  "After all, YOU're the one that 
kissed her."
	"Let's just drop it, Fran," he groaned.  "Send her a homing signal 
to bring her here."  Glaring at Arsenal, she silently complied.
	'It's gonna be another one of those days,' he thought.  'Still, 
the Plan is proceding without a hitch.  So far.'

	The demanding beep of the Firebird Zord's tracking console brought 
Kimberly out of the deep brooding funk that had plagued her since her 
escape. Checking the console's scopes, she nearly cried out in delight, 
and adjusted her heading to take her directly to Arsenal's hidden 
domicile, Base One.

	Jason, Trini, and Zack appeared in the Command Center of the 
Citedel.  Tommy, Rocky, Aisha, Adam, and Billy were already there, 
waiting for them.
	"Hey," Jason asked, "What's the crisis?  And where's Kimberly?"
	"She's the crisis," Tommy stated, fighting to keep his voice 
level.  "Zordon claims she's been brainwashed.  She attacked the Citadel 
without reason."
	"That's not like her," Zack commented.  "Lord Zed must've done 
something to her."
	"Not even close," Rocky said.  "We cleaned Zed's clock for good 
last week."
	"The only thing I can figure," Billy started to explain, "has to 
do with the Jihaddi known as the Lone War-"
	"Billy," Tommy warned threateningly.
	"Wait a minute," Jason asked.  "Tommy, are you hiding anything 
from us?"
	"Only his jealousy," Aisha piped in.  "He's been acting a lot 
differently since we first met Arsenal."
	"Wait a minute," Zack asked.  "Who's this 'Arsenal'?"
	"Arsenal the Lone Warrior is a member of the Jihad Against Barney 
Dinosaur," Alpha explained.  "Until he showed up, things were going as 
usual.  And then he led the Rangers to take down Lord Zed."
	"And????" Trini asked in aticipation.
	"After that, everything has gone downhill.  Kimerbly and Tommy 
have fought almost constantly.  Ai-yi-YI!! She even used me to smash her 
Power Coin!"
	"Kimberly SMASHED her Coin?" Zack asked, dumbfounded.
	"That is correct," Zordon intoned ominously.  "She must be found 
and stopped, before she can do any real damage."
	"If I know her," Trini commented, "she'll be at Ernie's, having a 
Pink Marguerita."
	"We already looked there," Billy stated.  "She was nowhere to be 
found.  Also, her Zord is missing."
	"Then she can be anywhere," Jason said, thinking.
	"And I know where she's headed," Tommy growled.  "She's on her way 
to find that Lone Wimp, Asinine!"
	"We don't know that," Adam told Tommy.
	"You're forgetting their kiss," Tommy grumbled.
	"Kiss?" Jason and Zack looked at each other, then back to Tommy.  
"She kissed him?" they asked in unison.
	"He kissed her," Tommy stated, flatly.  "She returned it."
	"So what's the plan?" Zack asked.
	"There's really nothing we can do," Jason said, "until she decides 
to make her presence known."
	"I hate waiting," Tommy growled.  "You need me, I'll be at 
Ernie's, working out."  He disappeared in a beam of white light.
	"What Putty crawled up his pants?" Zack asked no one in 
particular.  "He's almost acting like the old, evil Green Ranger."

	"And that's everything, Arsenal," Kimberly told him as they sat in 
Base One's cafeteria, eating a light lunch.  "Tommy's probably gonna 
kill me next time we see each other.  And I do mean that literally."
	"I see."  Arsenal appeared to think for a while.  "I believe - "  
He was interrupted by Fran's signal over the intercom.
	"Arse, there's been a minor change in plans.  Zordon's reactivated 
the originals."
	"Jason, Trini, and Zack are back?" Kimberly asked.  Arsenal 
nodded.  "How did you - ?"
	"Remember when I visited the Citadel?"  Kimberly nodded.  "I took 
that time to plant a bug inside Alpha.  No one knows it's there.  I've 
been keeping an eye on you Rangers since then."
	"So you know every move we make," she muttered.  "Why, then, do I 
feel as if you're the only one I can trust.  If the others have listened 
to Zordon, they won't listen to reason."
	"I just have to know something," he told her.  "If it comes down 
to it, can you fight them?"
	Kimberly looked him straight in the eye. "I don't know."

	Weeks passed.  Arsenal trained Kimberly in the use of all the 
weapons and equipment in Base One he thought she might need against the 
Rangers.  He also trained her in many forms of combat.  During those 
same weeks, she briefed him on the various Rangers and their fighting 
styles and weapons.  Finally, it was time to make their move.

	“...and that was the last time you order out from Pizza Hut!!  Uh-
huh-uh-huh!  All that acidic sauce makes my upper tooth cringe just 
thinking about it!!”
	“Lord Barney, please,” Zordon rumbled, “Trini will be properly 
disciplined for this infraction.  But as to your request for an update 
on the rouge Ranger, we have nothing more to report.”
	“Nothing?” Lord Barney asked, not believing himself.  “Surely you 
have a lead?”
	“Well, she has been suspected of defecting to the Jihad,” Zordon 
mused.
	“The Jihad?!?!”  This angered Lord Barney.  “Zordon, do I have to 
send a team of Loved Ones to Angel Grove?”
	“No, Lord Barney,” Zordon answered.  “I’m sure the Rangers will be 
able to take care of the renegade Pink Ranger.  As for any Jihaddi she 
brings with her, I’m sure they’ll fall against the Rangers’ superior 
skills.”

	“‘The Rangers’ superior skills’, Zordon?” Kimberly muttered to 
herself, listening through the tap.  “The Rangers will be dead meat if 
they ever go up against the Jihad.”
	“That’s for sure,” Arsenal stated.  “You sure you won’t 
reconsider?”
	“No,” she replied.  “This is something I have to do.  One way or 
another, it ends.”  She “morphed” into her Pink Ranger outfit.  She 
immediately took the helmet off.  “I won’t be needing this.  You sure 
you want me to use that Excalibur you have set aside for me?”
	“Yes,” he replied, handing her the armor to the Excalibur.  “If 
what you told me is accurate, you’ll need the extra firepower to take 
out the other Zords.”
	“But what if I fall under Zordon’s spell again?”
	“That’s what self-destruct sequences are for,” he told her.  “But 
I wouldn’t worry about that.”  He strapped on his own armor, and helped 
Kimberly into hers.  “Fran, is the teleportal to Angel Grove operating?”
	“Affirmative, Arse,” came the flat reply.
	“Fine.” He lowered the faceplate as he mounted his Excalibur.  
“Let’s do it.”  He roared off through the teleportal.  Moments later, 
Kimberly followed.

	The phone at the Angel Grove Gym and Juice Bar rang three times 
before Ernie, the bartender/manager, answered it.  His face fell, and he 
waved Tommy and the others over.
	“Why yes, Kimberly,” he said into the phone, “Tommy’s right here.  
Yes, I’ll put him on.”  He handed the phone to Tommy.
	“Yes, Kimmy?” Tommy asked.
	“Hello, Tommy” her voice came through, sounding dejected and 
embarassed.  “I, uh, I’m sorry about what happened.  Could we, uh, maybe 
get together sometime soon to, maybe, uh...”
	Tommy’s response was almost shouted into the reciever.
	“After the way you...! I ought to...! I...I...oh, sure.”
	“Great! Could you meet me in the park in, say, five minutes?”
	“Sure” Tommy grumbled.  Maybe he was wrong about Kim’s loyalties, 
after all.  Besides, he reasoned, these little spats were almost certain 
to occur between them every so often.  And with that bit of assurance, 
he headed for the park.  The other Rangers followed him.
	“Hey, Bulk, what are they up to?” Skull asked, pointing at the 
departing Rangers.
	“I don’t know,” Bulk admitted.  “Let’s follow them, and find out.”

	Several minutes later, the remaining eight Rangers entered the 
park, steadily approaching the lake.  Kimberly stood near the lake’s 
shore, in her normal clothes.  Unbeknownst to anyone else, Bulk and 
Skull hid in the trees behind the Rangers.  
	Although her face betrayed no emotion, Kimberly fought an internal 
struggle: with her friendships with the Rangers on one hand, and the 
brainwashing Zordon had put them through on the other.
	“Kimmy!” Trini called out.  “What’s going on, girl?  Why’d you do 
what you did?”
	“When we took down Zed,” Kimberly explained, her words a little 
rushed, “Rita captured me and placed me under a spell.  Then she placed 
me back only a few seconds after I’d disappeared.  Luckily, I’ve been 
able to break the spell.”
	“What’s she talking about?” Skull asked Bulk.
	“Quiet!” Bulk replied, hitting Skull.  “Could it be, *they* know 
who the Power Rangers are?”
	Arsenal had also hidden in the trees.  He smiled when he heard 
Kimberly’s “explanation”.  He took aim at the back of Adam’s head.  An 
insistent beeping in his communicator grabbed his attention.
	“Arsenal.  Yes, Neon, the fight’s about to begin.  Move into 
position.”  He smiled as he closed the com-link.  Neon Wizard, a fellow 
Jihaddi, had insisted on taking out Zordon when the fight was over.  
Neon was poised to teleport himself right into the heart of the Citadel.
	“So, Kimmy, are you going to come back to the Command Center with 
us so Zordon can look you over?” Tommy asked.
	“Yes,” she replied.  “Just let me change into my outfit.”  She 
“morphed” into the combined Pink Ranger outfit/Excalibur armor and 
mounted the Excalibur, which she had stashed in some tall grass on the 
lake’s shore.  She leapt into the air, mechamorphosing her violet and 
black Shadowcat model Excalibur into its Armor mode.
	“I knew it!” Tommy yelled.  “She’s not a Ranger, anymore.  She a 
stinking Jihaddi!”
	“Thank you,” she replied, taking aim at him with the Excalibur’s 
rocket launcher.
	“It’s morphing time!” Jason yelled, thrusting his Morpher out in 
front of him.
	“MASTODON!” called Zack and Adam.
	“TRICERATOPS!” Billy called.
	“SABERTOOTH TIGER!” Trini and Aisha yelled.
	“TYRANOSAUR!” Jason and Rocky yelled.
	“DRAGONZORD!” Tommy called out.  Seconds later, he realized his 
mistake, as he was dressed in the uniform of the Green Ranger, and 
powerless.
	“I don’t believe it,” Bulk muttered, climbing up a tree to get a 
better look.  “It’s the wimps.  They’re the Power Rangers!”  With this, 
he lost his balance, falling to the ground.  Luckily for him, Tommy 
broke his fall.
	“Get off of me, chubby!” Tommy growled, tossing Bulk into a tree.
	“Well, this is interesting,” Arsenal stated as he stepped forward 
in his more powerful blue and black Azrael model Excalibur, ion blades 
extended.  “How’s it feel to be powerless, Tommy?”
	Seeing that he had no real options, Tommy poised for combat, then 
ran away as fast as he could.

	
Part V: Fall of the Dark Side
The Final Chapter

     ...
     "Well, this is interesting," Arsenal stated as he stepped forward  
in his more powerful blue and black Azrael model Excalibur, ion blades  
extended.  "How's it feel to be powerless, Tommy?"
     Seeing that he had no real options, Tommy poised for combat, then  
ran away as fast as he could.
     "Whatsamatta, Greenie?" Kim taunted.  "Shrinking from battle?"
     "You were the one who ran from your treatment!" Tommy called out at 
her.
     "'Treatment'?" Kimberly asked, taking aim at him with her rocket 
launcher.  "We were brainwashed by ZORDON!"
     "Impossible," Jason muttered.  "Zordon wouldn't do that."
     "You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you?" Kimberly remonstrated.  
"Too bad you won't get the chance to learn the truth!"
     There are few things more pathetic than a weakling suddenly coming 
into power.  Jason's final vocal reverberations proved more pathetic 
still as he exploded into several thousand pieces by a Sponge Seeker 
Missile.
     "We need our Zords!" Trini called out.
     "Against a murderous ex-Ranger and the Lone Warrior?!" Rocky 
shouted.  "I'd rather take on the entire U.S. Army by myself.  Billy,  
teleport back to the Command Center and find out if Zordon'll be able to  
help us."
     "Got it," Billy worriedly agreed, more than happy to get as far 
from his former friend as possible.  He disappeared in a beam of blue 
light.
     "Arsenal to Neon Wizard," he spoke into his radio.  "You've got a 
blue booger headed your way."
     "Gotcha, Arsenal," Neon replied.  "That guy gives geeks a bad 
name."

     Billy reappeared  in the Rangers' Citadel a few seconds later.    
     "Zordon, I---"  He paused.  Something wasn't right here.  Alpha  
was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Zordon.  A flurry of bright neon 
lights from behind him caught his attention.  Warily, almost fearfully, 
he turned towards the lights.
     Before him stood a fairly young Wizard, as such things are 
measured, dressed in neon-colored robes.  Neon Wizard had arrived.
    "How did you get in here?" Billy squeaked.  "No one can enter here 
without a Power Coin."
     "It was mere simplicity to bypass Zordon's pitiful protection 
spells," Neon Wizard flatly stated.  "Life is terribly tragic."  Neon  
waved his hands.
     "NO!!!!" the Blue Ranger screamed as he disappeared under an 
avalanche of _Calvin and Hobbes_ hardcover books.

     ...And somewhere in the distance, a young boy and his pet tiger 
started a game of Calvinball....

     "Neon to Arsenal," Arsenal received over his helmet radio.  
"Scratch one Blue Boy."
     "I'm almost afraid to ask how." he muttered, half to himself.   
Instead, he took aim with his pulse cannon at one of the Yellow Rangers;  
to him, it didn't matter which.
     Arsenal squeezed off a barrage of pulse beams in the Yellow 
Ranger's direction.  One of the blasts took out her face-plate, 
revealing it to be Aisha.  The rest of the blasts ripped through her 
body in five different places.
     He turned to face the other Yellow Ranger.  "Next?"
     Before she could reply, Trini's body exploded.  Behind her charred 
remains, Kimberly lowered her rocket launcher.  "Never *did* like those 
daggers."
     The surviving Rangers regrouped around one of the tables near the 
lake.
     "So how do we take them out?" Zack asked.  "We can't form MegaZord 
without the Firebird or Griffin."
     "What about the other Zords?" Adam asked.  "At least then, they 
wouldn't be able to pick us off so easily."
     "Tommy," Rocky asked, "can you control the TigerZord?"
     "Or the DragonZord?" Zack added.
     "I can give it a try," Tommy muttered, pulling out the flute that 
once controlled the DragonZord.  He tried a familiar sequence, but only  
managed to produce a gurgle of bubbles from the nearby ocean.
     "We need a plan, guys," Adam prompted the others.
     "How about, die!"  Kimberly called, releasing a few more missiles 
in their general direction.  Two struck Adam, producing an explosion of  
blood and gore.
     With a thought, Zack and Rocky "morphed" into their Zords.  Funky 
music drifted through the air as the Red Dragon transformed into its 
humanoid configuration.  It landed with a reverberating *THUD*.
    "Arsenal, I think we're in trouble."  Kimberly sounded worried.
    "Nonsense," he assured her. "Concentrate all your fire on his head.  
I'm going for his legs."  As Kimberly concentrated all her rockets on 
the RedZord, Arsenal ran up to it, extended his ion blades, leapt, and 
sliced the Zord through its knees.  He managed to leap out of its way as 
it crashed down on the spot where he'd been a moment before.   Arsenal 
slashed open the Red Zord's cockpit and grabbed Rocky by  the collar.

     And what of Bulk and Skull?
     "Ernie! Set 'em up and keep 'em coming!"
     The two sat at the bar at the Angel Grove Gym and Juice Bar.
     "And don't worry about the expiration dates!" Skull called. "The  
drunker we can get the better!"
     "You two must've seen something really, really, really...well, you  
know, REALLY."
     "Really" Skull agreed.  Bulk socked him one in the gut.
     "Look, Ernie," he almost whispered.  "What would YOU be like if you 
finally found out who the Power Rangers were, and then have them turned 
into teriyaki sushi right in front of you?!"
     "You're kidding, right?"  Ernie was about ready to call the paddy 
wagon on these two morons, but something told him to wait.  Instead, he 
watched as they got themselves inebriated on eight month old prune juice 
and cranberry sauce, then picked up the phone and dialed for the local 
asylum.

     "Here's where you meet your end, Rocky," Arsenal told him.  "Big  
shame, too.  As you said, we work well together."
     "Wait," Rocky begged.  "If you kill the rest of the Rangers, Rita  
Repulsa and Lord Zed, if he's still alive, will rule the Earth."   
     "You really believe that, don't you?  Just so happens, Zed and 
Zordon both answer to somebody named B'Harne."
     "That's not true," Rocky whispered.  "That's impossible."
     "Believe it or not, Rock-head," Kimberly stated, reloading her  
rocket launcher, "it's the truth. *That's* why I confronted Zordon last 
time I was here."
     "Regardless," Rocky told her, "you are *still* a Ranger.  Chosen to 
fight Lord Zed's evil."
     "Zordon is just as evil as Zed," Kimberly stated.  She drew her 
Power Bow, and shot an energy arrow through Rocky's heart.  Then she 
broke the Bow across her knee and tossed it on top of him.
     A loud roar and a thundering of massive metal across rocky terrain  
grabbed their attention.
     "The Lion Zord," Kimberly muttered.  "We forgot all about Zack."
     "And a certain Ranger you used to love, beautiful," a voice called 
from behind them.  Kimberly spun around to face Tommy, in his Green 
Ranger outfit, removing his helmet.
     "You stall Tommy," Arsenal radioed to her.  "I'll be with you as 
soon as I take care of Zack."
     Arsenal ran towards the approaching Black Lion Zord, charging his  
seismic knuckles to full capacity.
     Kimberly mechamorphosed her Excalibur into its cycle mode, and  
dismounted, removing her own helmet.
     "You're still as beautiful as the day we met," Tommy told her.
     "And the day after we met," she reminded him, "you joined Rita's  
forces."
     Arsenal ran right up to the Lion Zord, and pounded his fists 
mercilessly into the Zord's metallic hide.
     "I was under a spell," Tommy tried to explain.
     "That's no excuse."  She looked him in the eye.  "I thought you 
loved me."
     "I *do* love you."
     "Then why'd you betray me?"
     The Black Zord fell to pieces under the assault of uncontrollable 
kinetic energy.
     Tommy held Kimberly's face in his hands, caressing her cheeks 
lovingly.
     "Kim, you know I'd never betray you."
     "I really wish I could believe that, Tommy," she said, turning away 
from him.  "I really do.  But it's too late for that now."
     Without warning, she spun around and kicked him square in the jaw,  
full force, sending him flying back onto a picnic table.
     Arsenal found Zack's body among the wreckage of the Black Zord.   
Zack was already dead, having every bone in his body shaken to dust and  
every major organ explode from the intense vibrations.  He turned to  
face Tommy, the *Last* Power Ranger.
     Tommy pulled himself up from the wreckage of the picnic table.
     "That's *IT*!!!" he growled.  "The kid gloves are off!"
     "In case you haven't noticed, Tommy, Arsenal and I never had them 
on in the first place."
     Arsenal could only watch as Tommy and Kimberly fought each other,  
neither one relying on any weapons except their skills.
     Kimberly had learned a lot from Arsenal over the weeks he'd spent  
training her.  Her first blow caught Tommy full in the chest, driving  
the air from his lungs.  The second was straight to the groin, causing  
Tommy to keel forward.  The last isn't worth mentioning as he crashed to 
the ground, sucking dirt.
     "Come on, babe," Neon shouted from a park bench. "Give the wimp a 
chance to at least whiff! Then *IWO JIMA* his butt!!!!"
     Pulling himself off the ground was the worst mistake that Tommy 
could have made.  Rising to his feet, his face bloodied and battered, 
his head spinning from the pounding so tenderly administered by his 
former girlfriend, he fell over from sheer nausea.  
     "Oh no you don't!" Kimberly spat, spinning a kick into his laterals 
with an audible crunching of bones.  "If anyone puts you down,  it'll be 
ME!! Not dizziness! NOT air pressure!! NOT GRAVITY!!! ME!!!"
     It is a medical fact that human bone is stronger than a bar of 
tooled steel of the same thickness, but the spine is, nevertheless, a 
very sensitive portion of one's skeleton.
     "AAAAIIIIIYYYYEEEEEAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!" he screamed, falling to 
the ground, his spinal column shattered.  Tommy flopped about 
pathetically for a brief second, then lifted his face towards Kimberly 
in a final plea for mercy.
     "kim,' he gasped, as his head dropped, his injuries being too much  
for any one person to bear.  Moments later, he breathed his last.
     "whoa!" Neon muttered from the park bench.  "Too brutal, even for  
me."
     "This from the guy who *liked* 'Agony in Pink'," Arsenal muttered. 
     Kimberly stood over Tommy's broken body, a tear streaming down her  
cheek.
     "Zordon'll pay," she whispered.  "If only....."  The thought was 
never completed.
     Arsenal approached Kim and stood behind her.
     "Neon and I are about ready to attack Zordon.  I'll understand if 
you don't want to ---"
     "I'm coming with you," she interrupted.  "Zordon is *mine*."

     Three figures appeared in the darkened Citadel.  The pile of books 
Neon had dropped earlier caught Kimberly's eye.
     "Is that...?" she asked.
     "It's Billy," Neon stated.  "He couldn't take _Calvin and Hobbes_."
     "Kimberly," Zordon rumbled, finally reappearing.  "I see you've  
returned.  And you've brought two Jihaddi with you.  Whatever became of 
the other Rangers?"
     "All dead, Zordon," she replied, removing her Excalibur's helmet.   
"I killed half of them myself.  Including Tommy."
     "How is that possible?  The White Ranger is the most powerful 
Ranger ever."
     "Not when he's in the Green, baldy," Neon taunted.  "Pit wits with 
the Jihad, and you won't have any wits left to pit with, knowwhatImean?"    
     "So you've joined the Jihad then," Zordon grumbled.  "I take it 
you've come to kill me, now?"
     "That's right," Arsenal laughed.  "Kim, where's the dimensional 
matrix?"
     "Right over here," she stated, opening a up console.  Arsenal 
reached his hand in and tore at wires.
     "Let me do that," Kim said.  "You two can bring this place down 
after I'm done."
     Kimberly pulled Arsenal's hand out of the console and reached 
inside it herself.  Not knowing what to do next, she tore at all the  
wires.  Zordon's bald head flickered in his tube, then vanished.   
Forever.

     Moments later, the Citadel blew up with the force of a nuclear  
bomb equal to that of the one dropped on Hiroshima.

     "What will you do now?" Arsenal asked Kimberly as she prepared to 
leave Base One in her Firebird Zord.
     "I don't know," she said.  She pulled him close and planted a  
passionate kiss on his lips.  "I'll be in touch."  She "morphed" into  
her Zord as it flew away, into the sunset.
 finis
------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Okay, so I didn't kill the Pink Ranger, as many of you wanted.  In  
fact, out of all the replies I got, only one person said to let her 
live.
     I must admit to watching _Power Rangers_ on a semi-regular basis 
early in the writing of this saga.  Why?  To write the Rangers  
correctly, I needed to know how they thought, felt, acted, and reacted.   
I went so far as to rent a copy of the "Green Ranger Saga" that 
introduced the Green Ranger from my local video store.  I trust my  
research has paid off, with no Spongifying effects.
     Also, on an ironic note, FOTPR comes to a close only a few weeks 
before POWER RANGERS: THE MOVIE hits the theatres.  Coincidence?  Or  
Fate?
     Will there be a sequel to "Fall of the Power Rangers"?  Maybe.   
Depends on how many people want a sequel.

Arsenal the Lone Warrior