The Tale of The Dragon and The Tiger

Chapter Twenty Two: Quinn

   Jason flew backwards, his back hitting the dock hard.
  Tommy slipped his foot underneath Jason and kicked him into the water.
  "I don't want to hurt you Tommy." I said, my voice quivering a bit.
  "I don't want to hurt you either Quinn." He sunk into his fighting stance. "I just want you to see the light."
   "What light!? Rita has corrupted you. And I won't let you hurt anyone." I planted the balls of my feet, arching them so I stood on my toes. "I will not let you pass. Not with that zord."
   I heard him exhale deeply. "I thought I could talk some sense into to."
   "The feelings mutual." I growled.
  Then he sprung. I dropped into a crouch and used the palm of my hand to toss him aside. His back hit the dock and he rolled onto the stone pathway. A growl escaped his lips as he pushed himself back to his feet. He charged me, slicing his claws in an arch. I raised my arm and could his blow, dealing a couple of my own in the process. Blood slicked the side of my arm as I slammed a gab into his ribs.
   His rose his fist and slammed it into my visor, sending me backwards down the dock. Water lapped the side of my head as Tommy strode over confidently. His visor fell away from his face so I could see his cruel grin.
   "What now Quinn? Your team is beaten." He held up his hands. "I've won."
   "Far from it asshole!" I spat and swept my leg at his feet. He crashed hard onto the wooden deck as I snapped my wrist. Saba appeared in my grip as I raised the blade to his throat. His smile quickly faded as I dug the blade into the soft skin of his neck. "This is over. You've lost."
   He laughed. It wasn't his normal enjoying life laugh. This one was evil and full of pain. "Oh, this little tiger, getting its paws wet for the first time." He brought his cackling grin closer to my face, digging my blade deeper into his own neck. "This battle is far from over. And we will win this war."
   In a bright green light, Tommy held a dark triangular shaped dagger. He thrust the point deep into my abdomen and used his knees to flip me backwards.
   My back slammed into the wooden dock with a sickening snap. My suit tried to repair itself, but every time it tried, the bleeding spread. Soon the dock was washed in red. Tommy dragged himself to his feet. "Now, who's pinned who?"
   He raised his dagger to my throat. The dark blade stung my skin like bee stings. I held back a yowl of pain as he dug his free hand's claws into my stab wound.
  A green apparition appeared beside him. Her dark hair was held back in a tight ponytail. Her face was a mess of protruding bone and pale skin. "Oh, Zordon's newest pet." She bent down, stroking my face with golden claws. "How I'd love to watch you suffer, just to make Zordon squirm! But I promised my ranger I'd keep you alive."
   I locked eyes with Tommy. "You don't actually believe her, right?"
  His eyes grew solemn.
"Drop him in the water, and bring the Dragonzord to the fortress." Rita cackled, slicing her claws across my face and disappearing in a puff of green smoke.
   Tommy, with out a second thought, rolled me off the dock and into the dark water below.
   The salt made my wounds burn like fire. The darkness was suffocating and almost blissful. I closed my eyes, waiting for the dark embrace to end it all.