The Tale of The Dragon and The Tiger

Chapter Thirty Two: Quinn

   I parried a strike from Jason and ducked under another blow from Billy. I planted my foot and spun at the last minute so the both of them ended up sprawled on the ground in a heap of red and blue.
   Jason rolled over onto his back and stared up at me through his open visor. I smirked and drove Saba into the ground. The saber stood straight up as i hauled them both to their feet.
   They both sulked over to sit next to Zak, who just had his ass handed to him by my upgraded simulations.
   "Ladies?" I asked, shooting Kim and Trini a glance.
   "Ready Kim?" Trini said as her visor slid down over her face. Kim nodded and her visor slid down also. "Don't go easy on us."
    "Tommy won't, so neither will I." I sank into my ready position.
   "It appears, that your training will have to wait." Alpha announced as he walked in. "Rita has deployed her Green Ranger in the middle of the desert outside of Angel Grove. He has the Dragonzord, and thankfully, there appear to be no buildings or civilians present."
    "Okay. Team," Jason said clapping his hands. "Lets get to the zords."
   Everyone nodded and rushed off. I started to follow but Alpha caught my arm. "Oh no master Quinn. You will stay here and help coordinate our attack."
   "Alpha I can't just sit back and watch-"
   "Its not up to me. Zordon asked for you to stay."
   "But we could finally get the Tigerzord into Action!"
   "No means no Quinn." Alpha shook his head. "Aye ye ye. Why are you teenagers so difficult?"
   Jason looked back. "Quinn?"
   I looked at Alpha, but he shook his head. "I'm not coming."
  He nodded, though a bit puzzled. He rushed off with the rest of his team as I crossed my arms and stared, peeved, at Alpha. The android just happily skipped down the corridor back to Zordon. I smiled at the naivety and followed him down the metal hall.
   "Zordon, Quinn has stayed behind, as you requested."
   "Rather unwilling i might add." I sneered at the robot. "Why did you want me to stay anyway?"
    "You are still not ready to face your brother." Zordon said as his face glided across the screen to me.
   I rolled my eyes. "Ive been training nonstop for days now! If anyone can beat Tommy it's me!"
   "I know you are distressed but I cannot allow you out there yet."
   "You wanted someone to lead this team with Jason! I was supposed to be part of the team! How am I supposed to be part of the team if I'm stuck in here!"
   Zordon scowled at me. "I'm warning you Quinn. There a more powerful foes than Rita in the galaxy. You must be ready to face all of them." He locked eyes with me but I wasn't about to give in. "Your personal feelings aren't clouding your judgement ,I hope?"
    I grimaced. Maybe he's right. Maybe my feelings for Jason were clouding my decisions. "I can't be sure. But I know that my team is out there." I walked over to the Zord bay. "And I'm going to fight with them."
    Zordon smiled. "Then go. You have proven your worth. Now, I must tell you. Alpha had upgraded the Rangers' zords. Yours also. They can now become more powerful creatures, based on your outlandish earthly mythical creatures. Yours on the other hand contains far more power. But go. Alpha will explain it to you through your communication with the Rangers."
    I nodded and ran from the room, hoping it wasn't too late.

   The Tigerzord bounded onto the scene just in time. The other zords laid on the ground steaming as the other Rangers tried to yell over each other over the intercom.
   "How did we do it last time?!" Billy shouted, trying to move his triceratops out of a sand dune.
   My tiger slowed and jumped into a prowl in front of the dragonzord. It's dark green and grey exterior reminded me of Godzilla, with a slick green and gold horn that curved backwards from its skull. Menacing silver teeth jutted from its maw. Gold etchings marked its metallic hide like battle scars. It's glowing green eyes pierced through my view port like a predator's eyes, searching for prey.
   "Tommy! Stop this!" I shouted. My tigerzord roared with me, sending a shockwave through the sand at the dragon. "I know this isn't you! You're not like this! Hurting innocent people, killing for the pleasure, it's not who you are!"
   "Maybe I'm not who you thought I was." He shouted back as his dragon bent down and roared. Jetting emerald flames from its throat. "Because all of that, feels a whole lot better than sitting in detention!"
   His dragon charged and I grudgingly thrust my zord's controls forward. My tiger lurched forward in a graceful loping gate and met the Dragonzord head on, sinking its fangs into the beast's arm. The dragon just reached over with the other and tossed my tiger aside like a rag doll.
   My tiger hit the sand on its paws and just launched another barrage. The dragonzord was powerful, but slow. It couldn't get turned around in time. My tiger jumped onto its arched back and sank its fangs into its exposed neck. The dragonzord howled like an animal in pain and tried to swipe at the menace on its back. I thrust my hand out and the tiger extended its claws, hooking into the dragon's metal plating. It began to thrash its head, trying to rip the metal from the dragon's neck.
    I heard Tommy screaming from inside the cockpit as the dragon thrash around, whipping its tail back and forth. The end was spun into a drill like attachment that scraped the back of my tigerzord. With one powerful swing, the dragonzord's tail hit my tiger's back legs and knocked me off balance. The White tiger fell off the dragons back and rolled into the sand.
    My head hit the glass of the view port, opening a gash along my scalp. I let the blood flow and stain my white hair pink.
   I heard Tommy laughing as the Dragonzord stalked over. "Looks like you should have been the pink ranger after all."
   I snarled and forced my tiger to stand. The zord lurched upward and stood shakily. "Let's finish this."
   We stalked in slow circles around each other. Our zords itching to finish the other off. I felt the tiger pulling against my control, trying to find the best way to finish his opponent. The ground rumbled as the other zords started to move. Kimberly rose into the air and her Pterodactyl made a few circles around us. Trini stalked up next to me in her Sabertooth. Zak and Billy lumbered over toward the other side of Tommy. Finally, Jason and his T-Rex stomped forward, ready to face the dragon head on.
   "Rangers!" Jason shouted. "It's Megazord Time!"
   "Right!" They shouted and the zords started being drawn to each other like magnets.
   The dragonzord tried to attack the vulnerable machines but my tiger pounced, making the dragonzord and I go tumbling through the sand. My tiger lashed out with claws poised to finish it.
   The dragon just tossed me aside. This time, I landed on my feet and launched an almost instantaneously assault. Every time To was thrown down, I'd catch myself and spring again.
   It was like a dance. Each of us trying to get an upper hand on the other.
   A large shadow loomed over me as the Megazord strode into view. I heard Tommy growling as the Megazord pulled out its sabers, ready for battle.
   I heard Jason over the zord's speakers. "Let's go bitch."