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Entry tags:
The Lurking Fear - Group 6
Nightmare becomes reality....
[roster: Leader - Echo, Adam Park, Billy Cranston, Cissie King-Jones, Jamie McCrimmon]
[roster: Leader - Echo, Adam Park, Billy Cranston, Cissie King-Jones, Jamie McCrimmon]
In the moment that reality starts to fade, Billy clings to the desperate hope that he can survive---and then the familiar but long-lost sensation of teleportation washes over him, pulling him up and out of the hallway.
Then---impossibly---he's standing in a very familiar place. An endless sky of stars stretches out from the circular blue platform he stands on. Shining columns of light stretch up from the abyss, pointing to a long blue surrounded by rays of light. The face within is wise, old, and troubled. Zordon.
The six standing in front of him are familiar. In red is Jason. In yellow is Trini. In black is Zack. In pink is Kimberly. In green is Tommy. But in blue is...Adam? This isn't right, Billy's mind protests. I need to find the truth and break away. I'm aboard Stacy. This is a trap.
"Everyone, what's going on?" The last few nightmares have silenced him. This one does not.
Then---impossibly---he's standing in a very familiar place. An endless sky of stars stretches out from the circular blue platform he stands on. Shining columns of light stretch up from the abyss, pointing to a long blue surrounded by rays of light. The face within is wise, old, and troubled. Zordon.
The six standing in front of him are familiar. In red is Jason. In yellow is Trini. In black is Zack. In pink is Kimberly. In green is Tommy. But in blue is...Adam? This isn't right, Billy's mind protests. I need to find the truth and break away. I'm aboard Stacy. This is a trap.
"Everyone, what's going on?" The last few nightmares have silenced him. This one does not.
What?
"Adam, what are you talking about? I'm your friend. We're working together aboard Stacy, remember? This isn't real. The Nightmare King's trying to trap us!"
"Adam, what are you talking about? I'm your friend. We're working together aboard Stacy, remember? This isn't real. The Nightmare King's trying to trap us!"
Billy flinches, looking hurt. Kim's one of his best friends. Why doesn't she trust him? He's drawn further into the argument, almost forgetting that none of this is real.
"I'm not working for Lord Zedd! Where on earth did you get that idea?"
"I'm not working for Lord Zedd! Where on earth did you get that idea?"
Zack and Jason face him next, moving protectively in front of the others. Billy tenses, then gets the surprise of his life when the Black Ranger kicks him ferociously into one of the control panels.
"Don't play dumb, man. You know exactly what you did. When those beetle creeps attacked, you left us. You went running to Zedd, and now you're his...what was that word, Trini?"
"Vassal," Trini informs, an uncharacteristic scowl on her face. "You betrayed us, Billy. You killed our parents!"
With a howl of despair she launches at him, raining down ferocious punches and kicks.
Jason pulls the struggling Yellow Ranger back, shaking his head.
"I don't believe you, man. You were our brother, I taught you better than that!" The pain in his eyes shines clearly.
Billy flops to the ground bonelessly, still shellshocked from Zack and Trini's assault.
"No, please! I swear to you that I honestly have no idea what crimes you're all accusing me of! Zedd's tricked you!"
"No, please! I swear to you that I honestly have no idea what crimes you're all accusing me of! Zedd's tricked you!"
"Has he?"
Growling angrily, Tommy swoops in and seizes Billy's shirt collar, holding him above the ground. "We've been through this before. You come crawling back to us, begging our forgiveness and pretending not to know what happened, but it's always the same! We still haven't repaired Alpha from the last time!"
He spins on his heel and throws Billy into another control panel, then pounces and shoves the Blue Ranger's head against the wall.
"You're scum, Billy. One alien attack scares you and you go running off to Zedd. We would've helped you, man. Geeks are all the same. You go running off to the strongest protector." He punctuates his point by punching Billy in the face, quite cleanly breaking his nose.
Ah!
He doesn't bother to resist the assault, still reeling from the broken nose. How did it come to this? Did he really turn to evil when the Ohm attacked? How are the Rangers still alive if Stacy didn't rescue them? Nothing makes sense, but it's getting harder and harder to think.
Calling on his last resort, Billy asks the old sage for advice. "Zordon, please show me what happened. I swear I don't understand!"
He doesn't bother to resist the assault, still reeling from the broken nose. How did it come to this? Did he really turn to evil when the Ohm attacked? How are the Rangers still alive if Stacy didn't rescue them? Nothing makes sense, but it's getting harder and harder to think.
Calling on his last resort, Billy asks the old sage for advice. "Zordon, please show me what happened. I swear I don't understand!"
"Observe the viewing globe," Zordon instructs somberly.
A video plays. Billy sees the beginnings of the Ohm attack. The high school crumbles, the Youth Center falls, Ernie and his teachers are dead. Bulk and Skull are viciously ripped apart. The Rangers are desperately holding off the attack, but they won't last long.
Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa descend then, stopping the Ohm assault with their magic. The Rangers finally have time to breathe. An offer is made---if they call a ceasefire, Rita and Zedd can keep the Ohm at bay forever. Most of the Rangers refuse. Billy accepts, feeling that nothing is worth the destruction of their planet.
At first, nothing happens. The Blue Power is transferred to Adam, Billy moves to their Moon Palace. Monster attacks spread around the world---minor at first, but growing in intensity. But Angel Grove is kept safe for now.
Eventually, they advance on Angel Grove, and this is where they are now, the Rangers continuing to be thorns in Rita and Zedd's sides. Billy attempts to infiltrate the Rangers several times, each time feigning innocence and begging for their forgiveness. They fall for it twice---and disaster ensues. Because of him, Alpha and the Zords are gone.
When the vision finishes, a cage descends to ensnare the former Blue Ranger. He stares blankly, and then the sensation of teleportation whisks him away again.
Billy comes to consciousness again some time later, a faint buzzing sensation in the back of his head. He feels as though he's been unconscious for some time, allowing the new 'reality' to sink in. The Rangers are his enemies, he sided with Zedd and Rita to fight the Ohm...something isn't right. Deep inside, he's screaming that none of this is real.
But then the pain fades, catching his attention. His nose, cuts, and bruises are healed, and someone leans over him with a look of concern.
Rita. Billy flinches away from her, jumping into a defensive position and nearly impaling herself on her decorative chest spikes in the process. "You caused this! If you don't reverse it now, I will!!"
But then the pain fades, catching his attention. His nose, cuts, and bruises are healed, and someone leans over him with a look of concern.
Rita. Billy flinches away from her, jumping into a defensive position and nearly impaling herself on her decorative chest spikes in the process. "You caused this! If you don't reverse it now, I will!!"
Edited 2010-02-23 00:39 (UTC)
There was a bright flash, and a fuzzy, almost electric taste in Jamie's mouth. And then...
"James Robert McCrimmon. Come here."
"Hey?" Jamie turned to see one of the Doctor's people - the Time Lords - standing there. What did the man want now? Surely it was enough that they were forcing him to go home? He didn't really want to go, after all. His place was with the Doctor.
"It is time." The Time Lord looked at him, his face expressionless. "Come with me."
"Time for what?" Jamie asked in confusion. "Are we back in Scotland already?"
"No. It is time for...something else." The Time Lord raised a hand and beckoned him closer.
Jamie hesitated, looking at the other man with growing suspicion. "Time for something else? Och, what are ye on about?" He looked around, realizing that something was missing. "Hey, where's Zoe?"
"She is safe, and well." At that moment, Zoe came into the console room with a second Time Lord. Her face was oddly blank, and she seemed to look right past Jamie without seeing him.
"Zoe?" There was no response. Jamie stepped forward and waived a hand in her face, but there was still nothing. He turned a baleful look on the first Time Lord. "What have ye done to her?"
"Nothing harmful." The Time Lord spoke in a mild tone devoid of any emotion, as if he were discussing the weather. "It is a simple adjustment. She will not remember anything apart from her first meeting with you and the Doctor. It is better this way."
"Better this way?" Jamie asked, confused. "But why remove her memories of us? What good would that do?" His eyes widened as he realized they meant to take away his memories of the Doctor, too. "Oh, no. You're not going to do that to me!" He turned to run - but there was nowhere to run to. He found himself facing a wall and turned about quickly, bringing up his hands to fight.
"There's no point in resisting," the first Time Lord said. "After all, you do not have a choice in this matter." The second Time Lord reached out to restrain him and then did...something.
Jamie reached up to clutch at his temples, his head feeling like it was turning inside out. "No! I willna..." He let out a cry and collapsed. The next thing he knew, he found himself in a hallway. The floor felt uncomfortably squishy and alive. He slowly got to his feet, patting his chest to make sure he was still in one piece. He half-expected a Redcoat to be there - after all, he was on the moors. Wasn't he? As he looked around at the walls of Stacy, he realized that no, he wasn't in Scotland any longer.
"Where am I? What is this place?" Not finding any immediate answers, he cautiously started off down the very strange hallway, trying to swallow the knot of fear that was threatening to rise up into his throat.
"James Robert McCrimmon. Come here."
"Hey?" Jamie turned to see one of the Doctor's people - the Time Lords - standing there. What did the man want now? Surely it was enough that they were forcing him to go home? He didn't really want to go, after all. His place was with the Doctor.
"It is time." The Time Lord looked at him, his face expressionless. "Come with me."
"Time for what?" Jamie asked in confusion. "Are we back in Scotland already?"
"No. It is time for...something else." The Time Lord raised a hand and beckoned him closer.
Jamie hesitated, looking at the other man with growing suspicion. "Time for something else? Och, what are ye on about?" He looked around, realizing that something was missing. "Hey, where's Zoe?"
"She is safe, and well." At that moment, Zoe came into the console room with a second Time Lord. Her face was oddly blank, and she seemed to look right past Jamie without seeing him.
"Zoe?" There was no response. Jamie stepped forward and waived a hand in her face, but there was still nothing. He turned a baleful look on the first Time Lord. "What have ye done to her?"
"Nothing harmful." The Time Lord spoke in a mild tone devoid of any emotion, as if he were discussing the weather. "It is a simple adjustment. She will not remember anything apart from her first meeting with you and the Doctor. It is better this way."
"Better this way?" Jamie asked, confused. "But why remove her memories of us? What good would that do?" His eyes widened as he realized they meant to take away his memories of the Doctor, too. "Oh, no. You're not going to do that to me!" He turned to run - but there was nowhere to run to. He found himself facing a wall and turned about quickly, bringing up his hands to fight.
"There's no point in resisting," the first Time Lord said. "After all, you do not have a choice in this matter." The second Time Lord reached out to restrain him and then did...something.
Jamie reached up to clutch at his temples, his head feeling like it was turning inside out. "No! I willna..." He let out a cry and collapsed. The next thing he knew, he found himself in a hallway. The floor felt uncomfortably squishy and alive. He slowly got to his feet, patting his chest to make sure he was still in one piece. He half-expected a Redcoat to be there - after all, he was on the moors. Wasn't he? As he looked around at the walls of Stacy, he realized that no, he wasn't in Scotland any longer.
"Where am I? What is this place?" Not finding any immediate answers, he cautiously started off down the very strange hallway, trying to swallow the knot of fear that was threatening to rise up into his throat.
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She didn't know why she was standing there, but she was. She looked out at the lawn in front of her and could make out a figure running. They were running slower than her heart knew they should be. And then it hit her. She backed away from the images, her hand going to her mouth as tears sprang up in her eyes.
"No. Not this... god anything but this.." She continued to back away from the image but it kept coming towards her. Then she heard the voices. The Rogues and their word of hate to the man who was running towards her. She wanted to run to him to help him. And she did just that. Running towards him, she held out her hand. "Bart please.. I can.." But as she went to grasp his hand, it phased right through hers. She couldn't touch him. And as she turned she came face to face with Captain Cold himself. His gun armed and ready.
"No!" She jumped in front of the blast, but it went right through her. Right into Bart's back. She turned to face him and screamed as she watched the Rogue's continue to shoot him. Watched him die in front of her.
She dropped to her knees and brought her hands up to her face. Kneeling by Bart's fallen body as the Rogues turned and fled. Her sobs were the only sound she could hear.
"No. Not this... god anything but this.." She continued to back away from the image but it kept coming towards her. Then she heard the voices. The Rogues and their word of hate to the man who was running towards her. She wanted to run to him to help him. And she did just that. Running towards him, she held out her hand. "Bart please.. I can.." But as she went to grasp his hand, it phased right through hers. She couldn't touch him. And as she turned she came face to face with Captain Cold himself. His gun armed and ready.
"No!" She jumped in front of the blast, but it went right through her. Right into Bart's back. She turned to face him and screamed as she watched the Rogue's continue to shoot him. Watched him die in front of her.
She dropped to her knees and brought her hands up to her face. Kneeling by Bart's fallen body as the Rogues turned and fled. Her sobs were the only sound she could hear.
"Would you really turn your back on your saviors?"
Lord Zedd's voice boomed in his ear, the mass of muscle and metal advancing upon them. He looked Billy over, then promptly planted his head in his palm.
"GOLDAR! I can't believe that bumbling buffoon thought trying the infiltration plan again was a good idea. Now Billy, son, you're safe now."
Lord Zedd's voice boomed in his ear, the mass of muscle and metal advancing upon them. He looked Billy over, then promptly planted his head in his palm.
"GOLDAR! I can't believe that bumbling buffoon thought trying the infiltration plan again was a good idea. Now Billy, son, you're safe now."
What was Lord Zedd trying to say? Berating him one moment, then treating him like a son the next. How bizarre---another reason this was all wrong.
"What are you talking about? I don't remember agreeing to work for you, or taking orders from Goldar, or anything! You're lying."
Yet a creeping feeling in his heart told him not to be so sure...
"What are you talking about? I don't remember agreeing to work for you, or taking orders from Goldar, or anything! You're lying."
Yet a creeping feeling in his heart told him not to be so sure...
Zedd sighed. "allow us to fix that for you."
"We suspected that floating know-it-all meat glob would hurt your head," Rita crooned, helping Zedd with a spell-casting. And he saw.
Earth is starting to crumble. Casualties pile on every day. The Rangers are haggard and desperate. Yet eventually...
Rita and Zedd have a plan. They combine their sorcery and force the enemy out, determined to conquer Earth for themselves...but it will take years to drive the Ohm away.
For a time, the team resists the offer of a ceasefire, encouraged by their Zordon to keep fighting. Then, Billy's family is murdered and all hell breaks loose. Desperate to do something, he makes an attempt to convince the team to give it a try. Months of trouble had worn down his faith in his abilities, and in his desperation, ANYTHING they might be able to do to help someone was worth trying. The team refused. Billy went alone.
Over time, the Rangers proved that they prioritized upholding their morals over protecting the planet. Working alone against the Ohm, Billy came to realize this too. His lifelong friends slowly became pitiable fools, then obstacles, then enemies.
And soon, just the same, his sworn enemies became friends.
"We suspected that floating know-it-all meat glob would hurt your head," Rita crooned, helping Zedd with a spell-casting. And he saw.
Earth is starting to crumble. Casualties pile on every day. The Rangers are haggard and desperate. Yet eventually...
Rita and Zedd have a plan. They combine their sorcery and force the enemy out, determined to conquer Earth for themselves...but it will take years to drive the Ohm away.
For a time, the team resists the offer of a ceasefire, encouraged by their Zordon to keep fighting. Then, Billy's family is murdered and all hell breaks loose. Desperate to do something, he makes an attempt to convince the team to give it a try. Months of trouble had worn down his faith in his abilities, and in his desperation, ANYTHING they might be able to do to help someone was worth trying. The team refused. Billy went alone.
Over time, the Rangers proved that they prioritized upholding their morals over protecting the planet. Working alone against the Ohm, Billy came to realize this too. His lifelong friends slowly became pitiable fools, then obstacles, then enemies.
And soon, just the same, his sworn enemies became friends.
"No, no, no!" Billy clutches at his head, moaning in pain. Everything was wrong. So completely wrong. He feels as though a squashing force is compressing his head from every angle, urging him into accepting this truth. He can't. He won't.
Yet the doubt sliding like water into his mind slips in undetected, lowering his guard bit by bit. As he clamors for the strength to force this abomination away from him, he's fighting the wrong battle.
And losing.
And lost, as a sudden spell from the sky encases his body. The 'memories' force their way inside, the emotions lock into place like a straight jacket, and the moralistic and kind Billy is suppressed by the force of the spell, locked inside the cage of his own mind.
A new warrior emerges: calm, intelligent, focused, and evil. From the inside, the transition is a violent storm. From the outside, though? Completely silent. In the blink of an eye, a hero dies and a villain is born.
Are you ready?
Yet the doubt sliding like water into his mind slips in undetected, lowering his guard bit by bit. As he clamors for the strength to force this abomination away from him, he's fighting the wrong battle.
And losing.
And lost, as a sudden spell from the sky encases his body. The 'memories' force their way inside, the emotions lock into place like a straight jacket, and the moralistic and kind Billy is suppressed by the force of the spell, locked inside the cage of his own mind.
A new warrior emerges: calm, intelligent, focused, and evil. From the inside, the transition is a violent storm. From the outside, though? Completely silent. In the blink of an eye, a hero dies and a villain is born.
Are you ready?
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