Tournament of Terror

by Neo Edmund

  At the Command Center, Kimberly sat on a metal stool, fretfully staring at the clock over the control console. There were still sixty hours remaining until the other Rangers were due to return from their secret mission.

  Alpha 5 spoke to Kimberly using sign language. “Don’t you worry. We’ll figure out what that fiend Goldar is up to.”

  Kimberly smiled. “I see you’ve been practicing your sign language,” she signed.

  “And I’m getting better by the day, all thanks to you,” Alpha 5 replied.

  “That’s great. Now can we get this test over with? I’m really anxious to find out what’s going on,” she said.

  Alpha 5 flicked a series of switches on the console. Kimberly held her breath as a wave of light started swirling around her. The light was soon spinning so dizzyingly fast that she had to close her eyes.

  A screen on a computer console displayed a digitized outline of Kimberly. Light particles passed through her, scanning for anything unusual. After a moment, the screen flashed green, showing everything was normal.

  “Good news, Kimberly. According to the computer, you are in picture-perfect health,” Alpha 5 said. He flipped the switches to turn off the scanner.

  “That is good news,” Kimberly said. “But it still doesn’t explain why I keep seeing Goldar, but nobody else can.”

  “Are you absolutely certain that what you saw was real?” Zordon asked.

  “Yes, I’m certain. I’m not going crazy,” Kimberly insisted.

  “We believe you,” Alpha 5 said. He rubbed Kimberly’s shoulder to comfort her. “We just need to run more tests. We’ll find out what that dastardly Goldar is up to if it’s the last thing we do.”

  Kimberly smiled thankfully, though it didn’t make her feel any better.

  A red light began flashing and a warning alarm sounded. “Aye-yi-yi! What now?” Alpha 5 cried. On the viewing globe, he saw a dozen Putty Patrollers swarming around a group of industrial workers outside the Angel Grove Power Station. “What could the Putties be up to this time?”

  Kimberly looked at the viewing globe and saw Goldar walking toward the station’s main entrance. “It’s not what the Putties are up to, it’s whatever Goldar is up to.”

  Alpha 5 looked oddly at Kimberly. “Goldar? What do you mean?”

  Kimberly pointed at Goldar on the viewing globe. “He’s right there. Please tell me you can see him.”

  Alpha 5 leaned in for a closer look, but he couldn’t see Goldar. “I’m sorry, Kimberly. I wish I could say I do but I don’t.”

  Kimberly looked desperately up to Zordon. “Please tell me you can see him,” she said.

  “While I do sense the presence of something evil at the Angel Grove Power Station, I’m afraid that I am unable to see what you are seeing,” Zordon said.

  Kimberly clutched her head, feeling more confused than ever. “Maybe I am losing my mind,” she said.

  “I do not believe that for a second,” Zordon said. “Whatever Goldar is up to, we will figure it out together. In the meantime, you must go to the power station and deal with the attack.”

  “You’re right, Zordon,” Kimberly said. She then held out her Power Morpher and shouted, “IT’S MORPHIN TIME!”

  • • •

  Moments later, the Pink Ranger made a soaring somersault into the parking lot of the Angel Grove Power Station. She saw the Putty Patrollers circling a frightened group of station workers.

  “Hey, you wanna bully someone, try bullying me,” the Pink Ranger shouted.

  She leaped high into the air and landed between a pair of the gray-skinned Putty Patrollers. Before they could react, she destroyed one with a melee of punches to its chest, and then took out the other with a powerful back kick to its gut.

  With the Putty Patrollers focused on the Pink Ranger, the station workers made a quick escape. Once they were safe, the Pink Ranger launched into full attack mode. She took out a Putty with a spinning jump kick, the next with a walloping back-fist strike, and then flung a Putty into another hard enough to take them both out with a single blow.

  The other Putty Patrollers tried to fight back, but their feeble punches and kicks were no match for the fighting skills of the Pink Ranger. Once they were all defeated, the Pink Ranger turned her attention to the bigger problem at hand.

  “Time to find Goldar,” she said.

  • • •

  Inside the power station, three levels below the ground, Goldar and Finster were busy at work. Electrical bolts crackled around Goldar while he mounted the EMP bomb to the main coil of a massive electricity generator. Finster connected a cable from the power grid into a port on the side of the EMP.

  “Hurry, you fool,” Goldar said. “The Pink Ranger will be here any minute. We can’t risk her discovering our plan.”

  Finster wrenched down a coupler to make sure the cable wouldn’t come loose. “This is a delicate process. Rushing could be disastrous for us,” he said.

  “Fine, I’ll keep the Pink Ranger busy while you finish here. But this better work, or I will personally hold you responsible,” Goldar threatened. He headed up a metal staircase, but only made it up one flight of stairs before he came upon the Pink Ranger, who was dashing down.

  “What are you up to, Goldar?” the Pink Ranger asked.

  “Look at this—first the Pink Ranger ran away from me, now she comes looking for me,” Goldar teased.

  “Enough with the head games. Tell me why I’m the only one who can see you,” the Pink Ranger said.

  “Take me to the Command Center, and I’ll tell you everything,” Goldar replied.

  “I’ve got a better idea.” The Pink Ranger took a fighting stance. “I give you a major butt-kicking and then I ask again.” She leaped toward Goldar, and the fight was on.

  • • •

  Down below, Finster heard the Pink Ranger and Goldar engaged in a furious fight. With no time to spare, he finished locking down the power cable to the EMP.

  “Now, my magnificent creation, it’s time to get you charged up,” he said, and then flicked a switch on the EMP. A sizzling surge of electricity shot through the cable, zapping Finster and sending him soaring backward into a wall.

  The station’s lights flickered and faded. “That may have worked a little too well,” Finster groaned. He clutched his head and stumbled over to the EMP. The needle on the bomb’s power gauge was flickering just above the EMPTY line.

  “Success,” Finster raved. “Soon my creation will knock out the Command Center and destroy every electronic device in Angel Grove.”

  Just then, Goldar came plummeting down the staircase and crashed into the concrete floor, as if someone had kicked him.

  “Uh-oh. Looks like it’s time for me to get out of here,” Finster said. He then teleported away.

  The Pink Ranger stomped down the stairs, holding her Power Bow. “Goldar, I’ve asked once. I’ve asked twice. I’m asking only one more time. Why am I the only one who can see you?” She then aimed her bow at Goldar.

  “That’s for me to know and for you to find out,” Goldar said. He teleported away before the Pink Ranger could fire a shot.

  The Pink Ranger grunted in frustration. She looked around the area, trying to figure out what Goldar could have been doing there, but she didn’t see the EMP. “So help me, Goldar. I’m going to figure out what you’re up to if it’s the last thing I do,” she said.

  Later that night, Kimberly teleported into the backyard of her home in the Angel Grove suburbs. She anxiously looked around the yard to make sure Goldar wasn’t lurking anywhere.

  Suddenly, the porch light popped on and the back door creaked open.

  “Kimmy, what are you doing out there?” the voice of Kimberly’s mother, Mrs. Hart, called out.

  “Just stargazing, Mom,” Kimberly muttered.

  Mrs. Hart stepped out onto the por
ch and looked up into the sky. “I saw that strange flash of pink light again.”

  Kimberly knew the flash was from when she teleported into the yard—not that she could admit this to her mother. She needed to change the subject quick.

  “Hey, I have good news. I advanced in the gymnastics tournament,” she said.

  “Oh, Kimmy, I’m so proud of you,” Mrs. Hart said. She put an arm around Kimberly as they entered the house. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be there to cheer you on. With all that’s been going on at work, it’s getting tougher and tougher to get time off.”

  “That’s okay, Mom,” Kimberly said. She took one last cautious look around the backyard before closing the door and locking it tight.

  In the living room, Mrs. Hart turned off the television. “If you keep winning like this, you’ll be off to the Pan Global Games before you know it.”

  “I sure hope so, Mom,” Kimberly said with a smile.

  “I know so,” Mrs. Hart said proudly. “Now off to bed. It’s late, and you’ve got another big day at the tournament.”

  Kimberly hugged her mom and headed off down the hallway. When she got to the bathroom door, her hand trembled a little as she reached inside to flick on the light switch. She took a few steps in and peeked behind the shower curtain to make sure Goldar wasn’t there.

  While brushing her teeth, she thought about how the next day she would be competing in both the gymnastics tournament and the Toughest Warrior competition. Teleporting from one location to the other would be easy enough to manage, but she wondered if she could possibly have the endurance to get through both events.

  Kimberly went into her bedroom and made another nerve-racking search. First, she checked under the bed, and then inside the closet. Once satisfied Goldar wasn’t waiting to jump out at her, she changed into her favorite pajamas and climbed into bed.

  For the hour that followed, Kimberly tried to fall asleep, but her mind was abuzz with dreadful thoughts. What if Goldar could get into her house? What if he attacked her while she was sleeping? Or worse, what if Goldar went after her mother?

  The streetlight outside the window started to rapidly flicker. Kimberly dashed over and looked outside. Streetlights were flickering all the way down the block. Then every light in the neighborhood went dark. She made another quick dash across the room and hit the light switch, but the light didn’t come on.

  Kimberly cautiously opened her bedroom door. “Mom, I think we’re having a power blackout,” she hollered, but Mrs. Hart didn’t respond.

  Kimberly timidly took a step into the hallway and reached down for an emergency flashlight plugged into the wall. She snapped on the light and walked to her mother’s bedroom door, then shined the light into the room. Mrs. Hart was in bed, in a deep sleep.

  The sound of shattering glass rang out from the far end of the house. Kimberly spun around and shined the flashlight down the dark hallway. She then heard feet scampering across the living room floor.

  With a deep breath to gather her courage, she headed into the living room. She shined the flashlight around and saw a broken vase on the floor near the fireplace.

  Another shattering crash came from inside the kitchen. Kimberly pressed a hand over her mouth to hold back a scream. As she walked toward the kitchen doorway, she could feel her heart pounding inside her chest. When she got up the courage to peek into the kitchen, her flashlight reflected off the eyes of a pair of Putty Patrollers that were digging through a cupboard.

  The Putty Patrollers raised their hands to shield their glossy black eyes from the light. Kimberly could no longer contain her fear. She shrieked and stumbled backward onto the living room floor. The Putty Patrollers looked at one another and dashed after her.

  Kimberly stood quivering in the middle of her living room. Her fists were raised and ready for a fight. Two Putty Patrollers leaped out from the kitchen. “You nimrods are going to regret ever stepping foot in my house,” she said.

  The first Putty lurched at Kimberly. She executed a quick spinning kick, bashing it in the face. The Putty stumbled back and crashed into a bookshelf. Books and assorted knickknacks smashed to the floor. The Putty exploded into chunks of clay and vanished.

  The second Putty hunched low and charged at Kimberly. It locked its arms around her waist and tried to wrestle her to the floor. Kimberly flailed with all her strength until the Putty could no longer keep a grip. She followed up with a powerful side kick, sending the brute crashing into the brick fireplace. The Putty exploded and disappeared.

  Kimberly looked to the hallway, expecting to see her mother frantically racing out of her bedroom. Luckily, Mrs. Hart had had a very long day at work, so she slept through the whole ordeal.

  “Guess I’d better clean up this mess. And figure out what the heck I’m going to tell Mom,” Kimberly said.

  “Maybe you should tell her all about how you’re the Pink Ranger,” Goldar said from behind Kimberly.

  Kimberly spun around and came face to face with Goldar. “This can’t be happening. I must be dreaming,” she said.

  “This is no dream, Pink Ranger,” Goldar said. “Now you have two choices. Take me to the Command Center, or I introduce myself to your precious mommy.”

  “If you ever so much as step foot near my mother, I will end you. You hear me, Goldar?” Kimberly said with a dangerous snarl. She threw a punch at his jaw. The hit connected, causing him to stumble, but not enough to do any serious harm.

  “Your puny punch can’t hurt me,” Goldar teased. “Now what’s it going to be?”

  Kimberly knew taking Goldar to the Command Center would lead to disaster, but she also had to protect her mother. “Fine, have it your way,” she said. “Just promise that after this is over, you’ll never come back to my house again.”

  “You have my word,” Goldar vowed.

  Kimberly could tell Goldar was lying. She reached behind her back and pulled out her Power Morpher.

  Kimberly extended a hand to Goldar. She shivered when his cold metal-gloved hand touched hers. There was no way she would take him to the Command Center, so she entered another location into her communicator watch. She then took a deep breath, held the air in her lungs, and pressed a button on the watch.

  Together, Kimberly and Goldar teleported out of the house.

  Seconds later, they appeared over the center of the lake at Angel Grove Park.

  “What have you done, Pink Ranger?” Goldar asked as they splashed into the lake.

  Kimberly began to kick at Goldar, trying to force him to release her hand as they quickly sank to the bottom. Before Kimberly could swim away, Goldar locked his arms around her. He then squeezed her tight, forcing the air out of her lungs.

  Kimberly began to lose her strength and started to black out. She knew there was only one chance for her to get away from Goldar. She held out her Power Morpher and, with her last bit of air, shouted, “It’s Morphin Time.”

  Kimberly morphed into the Pink Ranger. With a mighty outward thrust of her arms, she broke free from Goldar’s grip. He tried to grab for her again, but the Pink Ranger teleported away.

  Seconds later, the Pink Ranger flopped to the floor in the living room of her home. She quickly pulled off her helmet and gasped to catch her breath.

  Mrs. Hart called out from her bedroom, “I woke up to a crashing noise and saw the pink flash of light again.”

  “It’s nothing, Mom. Just go back to sleep,” Kimberly replied. She then looked around at the mess of shattered glass all over the floor and let out a frustrated sigh.

  In the late morning, Kimberly arrived at Angel Grove Park for the Toughest Warrior contest. The fruit smoothie she had guzzled was keeping her awake, though she doubted it would be enough to get her through the whole day. It had taken her half the night to clean up the mess the Putty Patrollers had made at her house, and half the morning convincing her mom she had made the mes
s during a freak sleepwalking accident.

  The park was abuzz with far more activity than Kimberly had expected. There was a carnival with game booths and thrill rides. Towering in the middle of it all was the Toughest Warrior obstacle course. It had ropes to climb, trapezes to swing from, balance beams to cross, rotating walkways, and collapsing bridges. There were also heavy rubber balls tied to swinging ropes designed to knock contestants into water pits.

  Kimberly’s communicator watch chimed. She looked around to make sure nobody was looking before she responded. “Alpha, please tell me everything is okay at my house,” she said.

  “A-okay so far,” Alpha 5 replied. “I’m keeping a close eye on your mother.”

  “Thank you,” Kimberly said with a sigh of relief. “And please remember to let me know when I need to be at the gymnastics competition.”

  “You can rely on me, Kimberly,” Alpha 5 said.

  Kimberly saw Sarah and her father, Jack, approaching. Jack was wearing a brightly colored tracksuit and a sweatband on his balding head.

  “Good morning, Kimberly,” Sarah signed. “Thank you so much for doing this. With you competing, we have a real chance to save the Center.”

  “Hey, don’t count me out,” Jack signed. “This old boy still has a few tricks left in him.”

  Kimberly and Sarah faked smiles.

  • • •

  While waiting for the contest to begin, Kimberly, Sarah, and Jack walked around the carnival. They came upon a tomato toss game. Bulk was managing the booth while Skull sat upon a pedestal, working as the human target.

  “Step right up and smear the fool, if you think you can,” Bulk declared. “Only one dollar.”

  “Yeah, smear the fool,” Skull giggled.

  “I would like to try,” Sarah signed. “Dad, can I please? These are the guys who made fun of me yesterday.”

  “In that case . . .” Jack pulled out his wallet and slapped a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “I’ll take a bucket.”

  Bulk set a large bucket of tomatoes in front of Jack. “That’s what I like to see. A man willing to put his money where his mouth is,” he said.