The vial of deep purple liquid sparkled slightly in the lights of the Space
Base. Divatox looked at it longingly as she fondled it. "Oh how I wish I had
found you a week ago!" Divatox cried as she thought of what would have
happened if she had used it on her secret weapon, the Purple Ranger. "Too bad
the little Power Freaks got her out of my control. I MUST find a way to get
her back. But how?"
As she sat on the medical table protesting, Kris felt her body shift into the familiar phase of teleportation. She instantly knew what was going on. Kris landed in her defensive position, knowing without looking that she was on the Space Base. "What do you want Divacrap?" she growled.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Purple Ranger," Divatox purred, "that's no way to talk to your Queen."
"Queen?" the Kris spat, "I would never call you Queen. Drag queen maybe."
"You will call me Queen, don't worry." Divatox cackled, "With you on my side I will conquer the world!"
"I will never join your side," the Kris snarled, as she landed a perfect spin kick on Divatox.
"Purple Fire Saber!" She shouted, and the sword of purple fire appeared in her white-gloved hands. Kris held her saber close to Divatox's throat, "Tell me how to get out of here, and she doesn't get hurt," she growled at Elgar and Rygog.
"Uhh, I dunno," Elgar squeaked, "Rygog?"
"Uhh, only Divatox and Porto know that," Rygog rasped.
"Then where is Porto?" the Kris asked.
"Right here!" exclaimed a high pitched voice from behind her, as Porto hit her
over the head with something heavy. The depths of unconsciousness welcomed her
with open arms.
Kris Thomas sat up so fast she nearly somersaulted off her bed. Her light purple nightgown was soaked in cold sweat, but that was not the only thing that made the girl shiver. Her dream was a much-too-real flashback of the fateful day last week, when Divatox had succeeded in capturing her. The rest was hazy, but clearer than before, thanks to the other Rangers helping to piece it back together.
"It's times like this that make me wish I had a sister." Kris sighed, then flopped onto her sopping pillow. "Eww." She groaned, and threw the pillow into a corner of the room. "Never thought I would actually use Girl Scout camp training for anything important!" the Purple Ranger exclaimed as she picked a plum-colored sweater off the floor, and proceeded to roll it into a decent pillow. Her head hit the sweater/pillow with a slight 'thump', but right before she closed her eyes, an image appeared before her. Kris wanted to scream, or wet the bed, or both!
Divatox's head materialized out of nowhere, right in front of the Purple Ranger's half-closed eyes. "You WILL be mine Purple Ranger!" It whispered, then it was gone.
"I REALLY need to get some sleep!" Kris told herself, as she curled up into a
ball under the royal purple blanket.
"Oh man! Kris, you didn't get much sleep did you?" Cassie asked the younger girl.
"Is it THAT obvious?"
"Well, you have major circles under your eyes." Ashley pointed out.
Kris slumped against her locker, a sigh escaping her lips. "I feel terrible. Ever since last week I've had horrible nightmares."
"This could be Divatox's handiwork," Cassie said.
"Or it could be natural." Ashley added.
"Either way I look like crap." Kris murmured, her eyelids drooping.
"Kris! You gotta stay awake!"
She snapped to attention, "Yes ma'am! Sorry ma'am!"
All three girls laughed at the joke, though they immediately cringed when the bell for first period rang.
"Oh no!"
"What is it Kris?"
"Justin's in my class for first period!"
"Uh oh. Wouldn't want your boyfriend to see you looking like this!"
Ashley waited expectantly for Kris to make a rude comment about her saying Justin was her boyfriend, but surprisingly, she didn't.
"I have some make-up in my bag. You probably have some too Ashley. We could make the circles a bit lighter."
"We have less than three minutes to get to class!"
"Let's get started!" Cassie and Ashley dug into their backpacks, and pulled out mounds of make-up.
"Don't make me look like a clown!" Kris cried.
"So, Purple Ranger's not sleeping well?" Divatox cooed, "Poor baby. PORTO!!!"
"Yes, my Queen?"
"Make a monster for me!"
"I need inspiration! I need time!"
"We don't have either. Just make something."
Justin Stewart watched the door of the class, waiting, waiting, waiting for Kris to walk through it. Sighing, he looked away, just as the door opened.
Someone slid into the seat next to him. He looked up to see a pretty girl. "Um, I'm saving that seat for someone."
"Who? Me?"
"Kris?!"
"Of course, Blue, who else?"
"Don't call me that at school!" He hissed.
"Oh, right, sorry."
"What's with the make-up?"
"Cassie and Ashley did it. I told them not to use too much, but I guess they did anyway."
"I think you look beautiful. Not that you don't usually. I mean..." She laughed, and was about to say something back, when Mr. Ralt called the class to order.
They started off by taking attendance. First period was math. Math in the morning was definitely not good. Kris could barely concentrate when she got enough sleep, so her tiredness almost took control of her. "Justin," she whispered.
"Yeah?"
"I think I'm gonna fall asleep! Help!"
"Stay awake. If you fall asleep you get your knuckles rapped!"
Nobody noticed the small golden periscope peeking out of Mr. Ralt's drinking glass. "Oooh! I got it! PORTO!"
"Yes, Queen Divatox?"
"I have an idea for my monster. Here's what to do..."
"Whew, I'm SO glad that school day is over!" Kris grinned, as she walked in the park with Justin.
"You actually made it through! If you don't count your falling asleep during biology." Justin chuckled.
"It was boring! All he talked about was how to cut a frog in half. I know how to do that already!"
Kris stiffened. "Justin. Someone or something is following us."
"How do you know?"
"I smell Piranatron."
Sure enough, when the two spun around, a school of Piranatron tried to duck into the bushes.
"Shall we?"
"SHIFT INTO TURBO!"
"Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!"
"Moon Dancer Turbo Power!"
Kris grinned through her helmet. "Now THIS is my idea of a fun fight!"
"Yeah! It's so much easier not having to fight you!"
After several minutes the two remaining Piranatron cowered by a tree. "Let's finish them!"
"You want to finish them? Why don't you try your hand at me?"
"What did you say, Blue?"
"That wasn't me! It was him!" Purple Ranger turned to the direction Blue Ranger was looking, and saw the monster for herself. She burst out laughing.
"What are YOU supposed to be?" she snorted, "A smurf?!"
The monster was infuriated, "I AM NOT A SMURF!"
"OK, then what ARE you?"
"I AM SLEEPINATOR!"
"Jeepers, Divatox must be running out of good names for her monsters!" The monster was about five foot tall, with blue skin, wearing a night cap. It looked like a wrinkly old man carrying a stick with a crescent moon on the top.
"That guy is too weird for words!"
"Well, let's get to it!" The two dark-colored Rangers launched their attacks, Purple Ranger from one side, Blue Ranger from the other. Sleepinator waved his 'wand' at Blue Ranger, who immediately fell to the ground.
"JUSTIN!" Purple Ranger cried, breaking off her attack to run to her fallen partner. Before she could get to him, the two Piranatron that they hadn't destroyed grabbed his arms, and teleported away with him.
"The only was you can get your boyfriend back, is if you submit yourself to Divatox!" Sleepinator laughed.
"Oh God!" Purple Ranger shrieked, then teleported herself to the Power
Chamber.
"Alpha! Divatox's new monster got Justin!" Kris shouted when she arrived, demorphed.
"Yo yo yo! We knows that Kris! We also heard what he said to yas!"
"What should I do?!"
"What do YOU think you should do?"
"I can't let Divatox hurt him in any way. I'm going to go."
Four flashes of color lit up the Power Chamber, each rematerializing into it's respective Ranger. "Kris, don't go!" Cassie shouted, waving her arms. She was too late, Kris had already morphed and gone.
"What is it Cassie?" Dimitria asked.
"We found out why Divatox captured Justin to get to her!!!"
Kris growled, glaring at Divatox. "Fine, I'm here! Now LET HIM GO!!!" Demorphed, Justin lay limply on the floor of the Space Base, and to Kris he didn't seem to be breathing.
"Only after you do one more thing!" Divatox smiled.
"What do you want Divashit?"
"You must drink this potion."
"Excuse me? I thought you just said potion."
"I did."
"Get bent."
"Drink it or I kill him."
Kris knelt by the boy she loved. Tears filled her carmel-colored eyes, as she
looked up at the evil space pirate. "I'll do it."
"A control potion? How do you know this?" Dimitria questioned.
"We borrowed a long-ranger scanner." Ashley explained.
"Don't worry, nobody saw us." Carlos added.
"There is no doubt that Divatox will get Kris under her thumb again."
"The only thing we can do, is pray she doesn't hurt us too bad."
As Kris took the vial, she looked at Divatox. "Do you swear you'll let him go?"
Divatox could see the pain on the young girl's face, and a strange feeling washed over her, "Yes, I swear."
Kris uncapped the potion, and poured the nasty stuff down her throat. Her eyes flashed several times, finally settling on a shade of vivid purple.
"OK, back you go!" Divatox laughed in a singsong voice, as she sent Justin to the park.
Blankly, Kris stared at Divatox. "What is thy bidding, my Queen?"
"Yo yo yo! The scanners is pickin' up on Justin! He's in the park!"
"Thanks Alpha, let's go get him!"
Divatox sat in her captain's chair, while Kris, stood motionless behind her. "Krissy?"
"Yes, my Queen?" Normally, Kris couldn't STAND that nickname.
"Go destroy the Rangers for me, starting with the Blue one."
Kris hesitated ever-so-slightly before answering. "As you command, Queen Divatox."
"SHIFT INTO TURBO!"
"Moon Dancer Turbo Power!"
In a flash of purple, she was gone.
Divatox chuckled, "I WILL get her to destroy that Power brat! Viva le Diva!"
Cassie and Carlos landed close to Justin, and bent down to pick him up. A beam of purple energy whizzed just above Justin's head, singing his hair a bit.
"Blast!" Purple Ranger muttered, and re-aimed.
"Uh oh!" Carlos yelped, "Better just grab Justin and teleport!"
And they did just that.
"I failed you my Queen. I do not deserve to work for you."
Divatox chuckled, "I'm not like Rita and Zedd. I don't kill you over one tiny mistake."
"My Queen is gracious."
"Am I really?"
"Yes, my Queen."
"Can you wake him up, Alpha?" Ashley asked.
"Yo yo yo! Somethin's not right! He should be awake!"
"Oh no, don't tell me it's one of those 'Sleeping Beauty' curses!!!" T.J. gagged.
"Teej, it's one of those 'Sleeping Beauty' curses." Carlos grinned.
T.J. ran to one of the back rooms, and barfing noises were heard. Cassie and Ashley looked at each other. "Ewwww!" They shouted in unison.
"How are my going to get Kris back on our side?" Carlos worried.
"We're gonna have to get her to fight Divatox's control, or she and Justin are gonna be gone for good!"
"Why do you say that, Alpha?"
Alpha looked up at Dimitria, "You want to tell them or should I?"
"I will tell them, Alpha." Dimitria said softly. "Rangers, I'm afraid Alpha
and I have two sets of bad news. One, is that if that control is not broken in
forty-eight hours, Kris will be forever lost to the side of evil. Two, is that
also in forty-eight hours, if Justin is not awake, he will sleep forever."
The Rangers were alarmed at these two pieces of information. They could lose
the two Rangers that always knew how to cheer someone up, and they only had
two days time to save them.
It was night, and the Space base dwellers all were starting to hit the hay. Kris had been instructed to sleep at the foot of Divatox's bed, like a dog, and of course, she did While she was sleeping, a wisp of a voice called to her in her mind. _Kris?_ it called _What's wrong with you?_
_Who are you?_
_You don't recognize me?_
_Justin??? But that monster got you! What's going on?!_
_That's what I'd like to know. Why are you obeying Divatox???_
_I don't know... I try to not obey, but my mind makes me obey. It's so scary, Justin!_
_This is freaky-weird for both of us... Let's stick together._
_OK. Do you think I could somehow beat this control she has on me?_ Justin mentally shrugged _Where there's a will there's a way, and I'm SURE you've got the will._
_I'll see if I can._
Kris had been fidgeting at the end of the bed, and that woke Divatox up. "KRIS!" she screamed, "SIT STILL AND GO TO SLEEP!"
"Y-y-y-...Yes, my Queen." Kris replied dejectedly, obviously trying to fight the control.
"Did I notice a hesitation?!" Divatox asked, her eyes narrow.
"No, my Queen."
"Good."
_Justin?_
_Yeah?_
_Good, you're still there. 'Night love._
_Uh, yeah, goodnight to you too Kris._
Kris nestled down into the bed, and fell asleep.
In the Power Chamber, Justin's sleeping form sighed happily, and smiled.
"Alpha!" Cassie worried voice echoed in the empty Power Chamber. Dimitria wasn't in her tube, and Alpha was gone. Justin was the only one there, and he was still asleep.
"What's with this? Can't a robot get a little recharging time without a teenager wakin' it up at 3 a.m.?" Alpha grumbled as he clomped into the main room.
"Alpha! How's Justin?"
"Why don't you look for yourself?! HE'S RIGHT THERE! Is that it?"
"Yes."
Alpha stomped off, muttering something about respect.
"Yeesh, talk about waking up on the wrong side of the bed!" Cassie murmured, then crossed the room to the cot where the younger boy lay. "Oh Justin, I wish I could wake you up. Not by kiss, of course, but I want you to be awake, happy, and full of life!"
A soft lavender mist began to form, with Cassie just barely noticing it out of the corner of her eye. It took on a human shape at first, then became a perfect likeness of Kris, clear down to her matted brown hair. "Cassie?"
"Kris? I thought-"
"It's true. I'm still on the Space Base, but my spirit is here. I just HAD to come see how Justin was doing. I miss being with him."
"I can't say I know how you feel, but I can imagine how hard it must be for you."
"It is very hard. Divatox can control me. I can't stay much longer, for my strength is fading fast." Kris bent over and kissed Justin softly, then disappeared.
After the young girl had gone, Justin stirred, and opened his eyes, slowly sitting up. "Cassie?" he whispered hoarsely.
"Justin!!!" Cassie shrieked, and flung her arms around him.
Hearing the commotion, Alpha stomped into the room grouchily. Then he saw Justin sitting up, and his bad mood dissolved. "JUSTIN!" he yowled (as best as a robot CAN yowl, anyway), and dashed to the computer console, tapping in the command to contact the other Rangers.
"Ungh... This is Carlos, I read you."
"Yo yo yo, Carlos, I know it's early, but we need yas here!"
"On my..." he yawned, "Way."
"Arg... This is T.J., what do you need?"
"I knows it's early, but it's an emergency!"
"Oh fine. I'm coming."
Alpha sent the alarm at least a dozen times to Ashley's communicator, but got no reply. "Ashley must be a heavy sleeper!"
"Yeah, she doesn't wake up until six at the very least."
Red and green streaks momentarily lit the Power Chamber, then turned into the other two guys.
"What's the problem?" Carlos asked, his hair messy and his clothes rumpled.
T.J. looked no better, except that he didn't have any hair to be messed up.
"Hey guys!" Justin called happily.
"Justin!!!" the two yelled, racing over to him.
"It's me! What happened? The last thing I remember is that stupid monster hitting me with a beam of energy." He didn't mention his mental conversation with Kris, of course.
The three sleep-deprived Rangers glanced at each other sadly.
"Justin, I don't know how to break it to you, but Divatox and Kris made a deal. If Kris willingly swallowed a control potion, Divatox would release you." Carlos sighed.
"You don't know if you and a person are in true love until they give their
freedom to save you." T.J. added softly.
Once again Divatox's long legs kicked Kris off the bed, onto the floor, and once again Kris climbed back up.
She was getting sick of it, and vowed that next time she was kicked down, she'd stay down. Well, she got to keep her vow, because the next thing she knew she was sitting on the floor. "Damn." She muttered, and curled up to sleep.
As soon as the youth was asleep, Divatox sat bolt upright and yelled. "EVERYBODY GET YOUR LAZY BUTTS UP AND GET TO WORK!"
Kris jumped nearly three feet into the air, but calmed her jittery nerves quickly, and stood up. "Ready and awaiting your orders, my Queen."
"Eww, go take a shower. You smell worse than Elgar after he works out a lot!"
Silently Kris fled to the bathroom, and hopped into the shower.
"Porto! How long do we have to wait 'til the potion is permanent?"
"Twenty-eight hours, fifty-nine minutes, and three seconds."
"That long? Can't it work any faster?"
"No, Queen Divatox. Sorry."
"You'd better be sorry!"
The Rangers hung around in the Power Chamber for no reason at all, except that they were worried and bored out of their minds.
"Justin?"
"Yeah, Ashley?"
"Are you upset?"
"WHAT ARE YOU?! AN IDIOT?! OF COURSE I'M UPSET!!!!!!!!"
"Jeez... You don't have to snap at me."
"Yo yo yo! Rangers, Sleepinator's attacking in the park!"
"Yay! We can kick his ass for being so mean!"
"Ashley, do us all a favor and shut up!"
"Oh, fine."
Justin whispered to Carlos, "She and Elgar would make a good couple, don't you think?"
Carlos couldn't help but chuckle, which caught Ashley's attention.
"Dimitria!!! They're laughing at me!!!"
"Oh well! Let's morph and go!" T.J. yelled.
And they did.
"Hahahaha! You Rangers are nothing! I can put you all to sleep!" That, of course, was Sleepinator.
"Jeez, Justin was right, you ARE cheesy!" Pink Ranger laughed.
Sleepinator was about to reply with a snide remark, but the flash of purple that streaked down from the sky, right in front of him, startled him.
"Listen Smurf-boy, you're gonna get beat!" Purple Ranger began.
"Kris! You're back!"
"Go back to the Space Base, you'll do Divatox little good getting destroyed."
"Sorry Justin, but it looks like we've got to face her again."
After Sleepinator disappeared, Purple Ranger faced her kin. "Well, doesn't THIS look familiar! Five against one, I like those odds!"
"Cut the talk and get it over with!"
She sauntered to Justin, and grabbed his wrist. "Hmm, whaddaya say I break Blue Ranger's wrist?"
"I say you shouldn't hurt your boyfriend."
Purple Ranger whipped her head around to snarl at Yellow Ranger, "Boyfriend? Hah! I have no friends."
"Divatox has brainwashed you! Wake up and smell the coffee, darlin'!"
"Shut up Ashley, you're gonna get us killed!" Carlos whispered franticly.
"So what Carlos?" Ashley was MAD, "We're gonna get killed anyway, so why not go down talkin' trash? I say I can say what I want! IT'S A FREE COUNTRY!!!"
"Are we gonna fight or not?" Purple Ranger complained, tapping her foot impatiently. Suddenly Blue Ranger knocked her legs out from under her, causing her to drop his wrist and fall to the ground. Winded, she hesitated before getting up, allowing time for Justin to do some serious damage to her. The other Rangers watched the brutal fight, frightened by the ferocity of the attacks Justin was using on his girlfriend. Amazingly enough, Purple Ranger ducked out of the way, and called her weapon.
"You're goin' DOWN punk."
She slashed at him with her saber, scoring a hit to his right shoulder. Blood trickled from the wound like a small red river, but the cut was healing fast. Purple Ranger held her saber high, then brought it down swiftly. A sickening crack echoed in the park, as the saber handle connected with Blue Ranger's helmet. She scooped her saber up, and examined it. "Good. Not even a scratch."
Ashley ran at her from behind, but ended up colliding with her fallen
companion, as a streak of purple flashed away.
Deep within the confines of their own minds, Kris and Justin carried on a mental conversation.
_Kris! That HURT!_
_Sorry! I can't control my actions, remember?!_
_I forgive you, on account of Divatox's potion._
_Why can't I break this control? The last thing she pulled was so EASY!_
_Maybe she finally found a way to trap you._
_Justin Stewart, how DARE you say that?!_
_I was kidding! For God's sake! You're to stubborn for ANYTHING to control you for long!_
_Hehehe, you're right!_ Kris smiled mentally _I'm as stubborn as a mule!_
_You got that right!_
_Quiet for a sec, I gotta pay attention to Divashit._
_Hahaha, same ol' Kris._
_Shh!_
"Now my Purple Ranger, you do have a zord, right?" Divatox was saying.
"Yes, my Queen. Moon Dancer Turbozord, and Tow Dancer Rescuezord."
"And they each form into a Megazord?"
"Yes."
"Excellent! Call Tow Dancer Megazord and go finish those meddlesome Rangers once and for all!"
"As you wish."
_SHIT!_ Kris swore_Justin, she ordered me to call Tow Dancer Megazord and... kill you guys._ By the time she finished her sentence, her mental voice was a whisper.
_I'll warn the others... Providing I finally wake up of course... Something must've smashed into my groin. It hurts._
Kris had to stifle a mental laugh _Oh... That s-sounds p-p-p-painful!_
_You're laughing!_
_Hehehe!_
_It's not funny!_
_Yes it is!_
_Shut up! Fine, I'm not *talking* to you anymore!_
_But- _
Kris could feel his presence leave her mind, and she suddenly felt rather lonely. As ordered, she teleported to the park, and called her zord. "I need Rescuezord power, now! Tow Dancer!"
Once in the cockpit of the purple towtruck, Kris felt amazingly calm. "Tow Dancer, Battle Mode!"
The vehicle transformed into a giant robot, a huge sword hanging on her left
hip. Purple Ranger chuckled, but the sound held no merriment, only pure,
untouchable evil.
Sirens went off loudly in the Power Chamber, startling Justin back to conciousness. "Yaaah! Whoa! Let's go!"
"Slow down Justin! You're not in any shape to fight!"
"Yes I am!"
"Aww, just let him go."
"SHIFT INTO TURBO!"
"Red Lightning Turbo Power!"
"Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!"
"Desert Thunder Turbo Power!"
"Dune Star Turbo Power!"
"Wind Chaser Turbo Power!"
The five colored flashes streaked from the Power Chamber, ready and willing to
take on whatever they had to.
"Uh oh! We need Rescuezord power, now!"
"Lightning Fire-Tamer!"
"Siren Blaster!"
"Thunder Loader!"
"Star Racer!"
"Wind Rescue!"
Tow Dancer gracefully unsheathed her sword, the blade flashing with a tint of purple in the light. Purple Ranger activated the comm system, and spoke to the Rangers she used to fight alongside. "Hmm, should I beat you up first then use my sword, or just cut you up into bits?" Her voice wasn't sweet like usual, instead it was harsh and grating. She seemed to answer her own question by putting her sword away, and launching a swift attack.
Rescue Megazord stepped back, then lashed out with a fierce high-kick. The battle continued, neither side getting the upper hand, until Tow Dancer knocked Rescue Megazord's feet out from under it. She rested one large purple foot on it's chest, and drew her sword. Tow Dancer brought the blade high above her head, then swung it down, on a collision course with Rescue Megazord's head.
"AHHHHHH!!!"
