Author's Note: * This story is a little bit more intense than my first three and it'll keep gettting intenser. Please do not read this if you can't stand to read about death. Why do you think the name of the story is "Lights, Camera, Death!" for? :O By the way, please, please, please, let me know what you think about the Guardian Saga so far. I LOVE to get e-mail. : )

The Guardian Saga
Lights, Camera, Death!
Chapter Ten: "Morning Drama"
by: WhiteZeo

Katherine Hillard {Kat}, Kimberly Anne Hart, and Tanya Sloan walked through the crowd of school teenage zombies. Half asleep teens walked up the steps slowly, as Kat, Kimberly, and Tanya whizzed by.

No, they didn't whiz by because they wanted to get to class right away, they had to get to the auditorium right away. That morning was the auditions for the play, Kara, basically Cinderella modernized.

Adam was chosen to direct the annual play and he chose to do Cinderella with a nineties' twist.

Tanya and Kat were going to audition for the parts of the two evil stepsisters, Judy and Paula. Kimberly was going to try out for the part of the stepmother, Carol.

They rushed like the wind to get to the auditorium in time. They already knew Adam was already there because he had to pick the parts.

* * * * *

When they got to the auditorium, they saw Rocky, Adam, and Shannon conversing in the middle of the stage. "Hey, come on over here!" Rocky shouted to the trio of girls that he had noticed.

Adam had a clipboard in one hand and a script in the other. Shannon played with a white barrette in her hands as Rocky held and drank a cup of coffee.

The three girls got up on the stage with their friends. 'What part are you trying out for Rocky?' Kimberly asked the muscular built guy.

"I'm play or try to play the part of the Prince, or in this story is this rich, handsome, teenage guy, named Sean Desire," Rocky sort of boasted.

"Rocky, I hate to break it to you, but Adam's looking for a HANDSOME teenage guy," Shannon said tactfully.

Rocky gave Shannon a little play punch in the shoulder.

"HEY, WATCH YOUR HANDS, ROCKO! THAT'S MY GIRL!" a voice bellowed, jumping up behind Rocky.

He turned around and saw Tommy walking towards them. "Hey, man! You scared the daylights outta me!"

From behind, Tommy came up and cuddled with Shannon. "What are you guys doing?" Tanya questioned the cute couple.

Adam glanced at his watch and burst, "Great! 7:30! Time for the auditions to start."

"Tommy, come on, let go. You have sparing to do before class." Shannon told Tommy, but he wouldn't let go, so she went on some more.

"We've had this talk before. You and your 'little friend' are getting a little out of control. Do you want 'him' to swell?" Shannon asked Tommy, as she started to 'peel' him off her body.

Tommy backed off right away hearing the word, swell, and started jogging towards the door.

"When am I ever going to learn not to let him on," Shannon muttered, as everyone laughed.

"If you let him on anymore, you woulda been on the floor!" Rocky teased.

"SMACK!" was the sound that came from the hard slap on the cheek from....

"SHANNON! That hurt!" Rocky whined as he gripped the spot.

"Then I did it right," Shannon sarcastically teased.

"Well, we'd better get ready, before Rocky turns beet red from slaps!" Kimberly told the gang.

"Auditions for the part of Kara up on stage!" Adam shouted throughout the auditorium, without a bullhorn.

Adam, Rocky, Tanya, Kat, and Kimberly cleared the stage, while Shannon stayed up.

The part of Kara was wanted by two girls: Shannon and a girl named Queenie Charlotte.

Queenie had been mean from the start since Shannon joined Angel Grove High. She was always trying to make Shannon feel worthless and unwelcome. Shannon didn't really pay any attention to Queenie though, so it didn't bother her, but she definitely noticed it. Before Shannon came around, Queenie and her boyfriend, Kris Royal, were the Homecoming Queen and King. Next thing Queenie knew the title went to Tommy and Shannon.

Anyway, Queenie was first to audition.

Queenie got up on the stage and had a hunk of makeup on her face. Her blonde hair was permed lightly just for the audition.

She started by getting next to the fake sink and saying her lines, with no feeling at all, "Oh, I wish I could go to the party. It sounds like so much fun, but I just have these awful rags."

Queenie, at the same time, was supposed to be washing the dishes in the fake sink, which she wasn't. Instead she was leaning against the fake sink and filing her nails.

When she finished the lines, she looked out to Adam, who was sitting in the seats in front of the stage, and gave him her make-me-Kara-and-I'll-give-you-what-you-want smile.

Adam got hooked on right away and Kimberly, Kat, and Tanya, who were next to him, could tell. Kimberly took her mug of water and threw it right in Adam's face. Adam, shocked, snapped out of the trance, "Oh.....Thanks, Kim." he thanked, sheepishly, and wiped his face with a towel.

Shannon, then, walked on to the stage and went over to the sink to perform the same scene. She started by looking very drab on her face. Her natural, brunette curls were pinned sloppily on top of her head with the white barrette she was playing with before.

Shannon picked up a sponge and a dish and began to pretend scrub it, while looking straight ahead speaking her lines, "Oh...*sigh*, I wish I could go to the party. It sounds like so much fun, but I just have these awful rags! I would do anything to meet Sean Desire. He sounds so...so...dreamy."

Shannon went off the stage, feeling proud she had put her best into it and scared if Adam chose Queenie as Kara. As Shannon walked off the stage, she heard the applause of her friends, down in the audience.

"Auditions for the stepsisters up on the stage!" Adam shouted, again, throughout the auditorium.

This time Kat and Tanya headed up to the stage. A few people were trying out for the stepsisters" parts, but no one came to rival Kat and Tanya's performance.

They went up first and on the stage was a stool in front of a mirror. Kat sat on the stool and Tanya stood behind her. Kat started to look in to the mirror, playing with her hair, as Tanya pretended to put on earrings. Kat began the scene, speaking her lines in disgust, "Oh, Judy. I wish Kara was more attentive. She's always daydreaming and now she forgot to pick up my dry-cleaning."

Tanya joined her, in the same disgust, "I absolutely know where you're coming from, Paula. I feel we should avenge our mother for having such a burden in the house, but how?"

"Think Judy. What does Kara want more than anything?" Kat questioned Tanya, as she portrayed her character.

Tanya pretended to think as a make believe light went off in her head. "To go to the Graduation Bash and to meet Sean. Let's ruin that chance!" Tanya said, finishing the scene.

The walked off the stage, feeling good that they gave it their best.

"Auditions for the part of Sean Desire, up on stage!" Adam shouted, Kimberly helping him.

Rocky got on the stage and wasn't worried. He knew he'd get the part of Sean Desire. *How could Kris Royal be competion to me, if his girlfriend was crap next to Shannon?* Rocky thought to himself.

Kris went up first. He sat on the stool and began to read his lines, weakly. Yes, reading. Right off his own hand. He wasn't one bit embarrassed and when he finished, Rocky knew this was his big chance at stardom. Well, not stardom, but something near it.

Rocky went out on the stage, sat on to stool, and began his lines, looking very much deep in thought, "I wonder who that girl was? She was so beautiful, more so than those kiss ups, Judy and Paula. I wish I knew her name, but all I have is her shoe."

Rocky was silent, then smiled, "That's it! I could search for her, with the shoe! It's so small I bet on she could fit it!" Rocky ended the scene on that note.

There was supposed to be a stepmother audition, but since Kimberly was the only one who wanted the part, she got it.

"You really mean it, Adam?" she asked the Green Ranger.

"Sure," he told her.

"Thank you so much!" Kimberly thanked him.

Adam glanced at his watch again. "You guys better run to your lockers if you wanna make it to first period!" Adam alerted the five.
They looked up at the clock on the wall and saw 7:50 AM. "EEEIIIII!" Tanya shrieked.

The five of them grabbed their backpacks and started running for the door. "Thanks, Adam!" Kat called back, running out the door with the others.

* * * * *

They all split up. Shannon ran towards the gym, Rocky and Kat ran towards the cafeteria, and Tanya and Kimberly ran towards the front of the school.

Shannon ran until she reached her locker and stopped to check the time. "7:52 AM. Two minutes, a new record," she mused, as she dialed her combination into the lock and opened it.

She took her books out of her white canvas backpack, putting them one by one in the locker. Suddenly she felt a surge of energy, while she sensed someone behind her. She continued to put her books away, until she felt that the 'someone' was close enough. She shoved her backpack into her locker, turned around, and, without looking up, kneed the 'someone' in the groin. She heard a familiar moan and the 'someone' dropped to the floor. Shannon looked down and saw Tommy, on the ground, in definite pain.

Shannon dropped to the ground. "Oh, Tommy! I'm so sorry! I thought you were someone else," she apologized, kissing her boyfriend on the forehead.

She helped him up to his feet and asked, "Do you wanna go to the nurse?"

Painfully, Tommy answered, his voice a tad bit higher than usual, "No, no. I think the swelling's stopped. But you could help me."

"How?"

"Open my locker for me and tell me what's on your mind. You look worried." Tommy replied, leaning against the row of lockers.

Shannon went over to his locker, which was only a few over, looked around, started to dial in the combination, and began to confess to her boyfriend. "Well, I felt this surge of energy through me and I think Zesta's planning something big. And I mean BIG!" Shannon yelled in a whispered tone.

"Oh, come on, Shannon. We've known that since two weeks ago, when we took Caroline away from her," Tommy limped over to Shannon and wrapped his arms around her slim waist, "Let's just get our minds off it."

Shannon removed his US history book and binder out of the locker, as he kissed and caressed her neck, causing Shannon to forget about her worries. *He knows just how to make me forget about things.* she thought.

She handed him his book and binder and closed the locker. "Okay, but you promise to come with me to the office during lunch so I can check if I got the part," she asked him.

"Of course," Tommy agreed.

As she ran off, Shannon turned around and saw Tommy limping towards his Social Studies class. "Oh, and Tommy," she called back to him, getting his attention, "be careful."

Tommy nodded his head as she ran off towards her first period class, Drama.

Shannon had the same class with Kat, Rocky, and Adam, while Kimberly had PE and Tanya had Science.

As she approached the classroom door, she heard a guy panting behind her. She turned around and Rocky almost crashed into her face. "Oh, sorry Shannon! I was just running to class," Rocky explained.

"It's alright. Now come on!" Shannon ordered him, taking his arm and pulling him into the classroom.

Chapter Eleven: "Unexpected Visitors" It was at lunch that Tanya, Kimberly, Adam, Kat, and Rocky met up with each other in the office. There was a big crowd in the small office to find out what teenagers got what part.

Mr. Kaplan pushed his way through the crowd and made it to the main desk. "Quiet! I will announce the parts of the play right now," he shouted towards the sea of teenagers, while getting the papers that held the results.

"Kara will be played by Shannon Kassandra Kaze. The part of Judy is Tanya Sloan's and Paula is Katherine Hillard. Rocky De Santos will be Sean Desire. Kimberly Anne Hart is Carol, the Stepmother..." and he mumbled on about the other smaller parts, "The first rehearsal will be next period."

"Great! I'm glad I got the part! Now to find Shannon. She said she'd meet us here. Where is she?" Kimberly wondered, as the other four shrugged.

They squeezed their way out of the office into the hallway to find Shannon shoved up against the wall, near a row of lockers, being attacked by Tommy's murderous kisses. Shannon's hands were running through Tommy's long, straight, brunette hair as his arms circled around her waist, bringing her closer to him.

"There's your answer, Kim," Kat whispered to her, pointing at the two.

Shannon saw the five looking at them and she told Tommy, "Tommy, everyone's looking at us."

Tommy stopped kissing her and turned around. True to Shannon's word, EVERYONE was looking at them. Not only the gang, but Mr. Kaplan had finished announcing the parts, so teens were filing out of the office, catching a glimpse at the two, then stopping and watching.

The two were blushing a nice bright red, until Rocky diverted all attention. He got in front of the couple and started shouting, "NOTHIN' HERE TO SEE! GO ON BACK TO LUNCH!"

The crowd starting heading down the hall, saving Tommy and Shannon extreme embarrassment. Once the crowd cleared away, Shannon ran up to Rocky and hugged him. "Thank you so, so, so much!"

Rocky was surprised and blushing and the other five were just plain dumbfounded. "I could get used to this!" Rocky exclaimed, but then Shannon released her grip on him and....

"SMACK!"

She was back to normal.

Soon as Shannon was back to normal, Tommy announced, checking his watch, "I gotta go! My free period is the next one and I gotta go to the store."

He pecked Shannon on the cheek and ran out a near by door to the student parking lot. "Since when did Tommy go to the store?!?!" Shannon asked, totally stunned by Tommy's last statement.

"Since he had to go get your glass platform shoes for the play," Adam responded.

"Oh."

They started walking down the hall towards the cafeteria, until they heard screams of terror coming from in front of them and tons of teens running towards the auditorium. "What's all that about?" Rocky wondered, as they pushed their way through, up towards where all the teenagers were running from.

"I don't know, but I don't like the sounds I'm hearing," Tanya declared, hearing sounds of lasers discharging.

All the students cleared out and right in front of the gang was............

"The Element Rangers........" Kimberly whispered.

"Hello, Kimmie. Long time no see, TRADER!" Jason yapped at her.

Kimberly was hurt. *I love you Jason and as much as this hurts me, I'm still gonna do it.* "Shannon, time to morph, don't ya think?" Kimberly asked her new best friend.

"Absolutely! It's morphin' time!" Shannon shouted, but the zeonizers, nor Kimberly's Purple Kartherian coin showed up.
"Ha! You think we'd let you morph! An invisible shield surrounds the school. Blocking communication to Zordon and your morphing powers." Aisha taunted.

"I hear you rangers are participating in the annual AGHS school play. So are we Elements. Hope you enjoy it! Lights, camera, death!" Trini mocked, abbreviating the school name.

Right after Trini's 'introduction' about fifteen cogs came out of a colorful rip in front of the Element Rangers and Kimberly, Shannon, Adam, Tanya, Kat, and Rocky.

"COGS, ATTACK!" Zack ordered.

The cogs started to attack the six teenagers and they began to fight back, powerless. Kimberly, Adam, and Rocky formed a human chain, while Kat, Tanya, and Shannon started a human whip. Neither tactic worked and the rangers were captured most easily.

* * * * *

"Iyaiyaiyaiyai! Zordon, the Power Rangers have been captured by the Element Rangers!" Alpha Five cried out to Zordon of Eltar.

Zordon and Alpha had just watched the scene in the high school, progress on the Viewing Globe.

"Alpha, did any other ranger make it out of the school, before the forcefield was put up?" Zordon asked the robot.

"Yes, Zordon. Tommy is driving on the streets of Angel Grove at the moment," Alpha reported.

"Good. Please make contact with him," Zordon requested.

* * * * *

Tommy was driving down Swanson Street, heading back to Angel Grove High School. In the seat next to him was a box of glass platform shoes. He recalled how odd he felt going to the women's side of the store. *I definitely got some strange looks, but owe Adam a favor and I intend to repay him. Anyway, I'm the only one that knows Shannon's shoe size.*

Tommy's thoughts were interrupted, when he heard his communicator chime the special six tones. *Man, not now!* Tommy shouted to himself.

Tommy parallel parked on the side of the road and looked around to see if anyone was in sight. He held the weird looking bracelet to his mouth and spoke into it, "I read you, Zordon."

"Tommy, the Element Rangers have captured the other rangers in the high school auditorium," Zordon informed the Red Ranger over the communicator.

"I'll be at the Power Chamber in a sec. Tommy out."

Tommy got out of the Red Jeep Cherokee and locked the door. He walked around a corner, into a alley, pressed two buttons on his communicator, and was engulfed in a red flash.

* * * * *

As Zordon contacted Tommy, things progressed far more faster and the high school.

Cogs held Kimberly Rocky, Tanya, Adam, Kat, and Shannon against their will, shoving them towards the auditorium. Leading the group was Jason. "It hasn't been too long," he mused, "This way," he commanded the cogs, as he walked through two double doors.

The cogs threw the rangers to the ground once they realized that they were in the auditorium. Trini closed the doors behind herself and a dozen cogs went to guard because it was the only way out.

The teens stumbled to their feet as they went and sat in the front of the auditorium, in a huddle. The other students and teachers kept together in a big lump, at the back of the auditorium.

Just before the Elements got up on the stage, the Power Rangers heard Jason order, "Wave! Nature! Go herd up the rest of the school!"

Aisha and Zack teleported out of the auditorium in green and blue flashes.

"We have to find a way out of here!" Tanya softly yelled.

Just then, the Flame Ranger, Jason, interrupted their brainstorming. "Teenagers and teachers of Angel Grove. If your beloved Zeo Ranger Five does not make it in the next ten minutes to this auditorium, you all are going to end your lives on a tragic note, by the command of Zesta, Evil Enchantress of Eltar."

"What are we gonna do?" Kimberly and Kat cried at the same time.

"We just have to hope that Tommy is on his way," Adam said quietly.

At the moment the, auditorium's double doors flew open and the rest of the students and school faculty were practically herded into the room. They all ran and filled up the whole auditorium in no time flat. Jason repeated his ultimatum for the others and Aisha and Zack teleported onto the stage.

Shannon and Rocky, both heard worried voices saying, "Aren't they the Power Rangers? Why are they doing this?" and "They must be working for Zesta now."

The last comment struck Shannon, extremely hard. "Please, let him come. Oh, Lady of the Sun, prove them wrong," Shannon whispered to herself.

* * * * *

"Man! I wish there was another way!" Tommy spoke, just watching the Flame Ranger call him.

"I am afraid there isn't, Tommy. You must go to the high school as they demand," Zordon told him.

"If Jason wants me, then he'll have me. It's morphin' time!" Tommy called, as his zeonizers appeared on his wrists.

"Zeo Ranger V, Red!" Tommy shouted.

He morphed and got ready to teleport, but Alpha stopped him. "Tommy, stop," the robot came over to him and handed him a small transmitter, "Tommy this transmitter will penetrate the forcefield around the high school as you teleport in. Give this to Artemis right away when you see her. She will know what to do."

"Can do, Alpha," Tommy held the transmitter in his right hand and teleported out.

* * * * *

Tanya checked her watch. "We've only got three minutes left. Tommy better hurry his butt down here."

"I'm with you Tanya," Rocky agreed.

"Have you all noticed, three minutes to your tragic end. Good-bye Angel Grove High," Zack mocked, with a sigh.

Chapter Twelve: "Tommy's Battle" "Ya!" Tommy cried as he landed on his knee in the hallway of the school office.

He ran through the halls trying to get to the auditorium in time. He finally came to the double doors that lead into the auditorium. Tommy, suddenly heard a female voice coming from the inside of the auditorium, "One minute to your diminish, weaklings!"

*Whoa! That's Aisha's voice.* He heard his girlfriend's voice shouting, "The Red Ranger WILL come!"

And Zack's reply, "All that bravery coming from a......"

But before he could finish, Tommy kicked the door open. "Kia!" Tommy screamed, "Hey, Elements! I'm hereeeeeeee!"

"Looks like you came in time to save your FRIENDS," Jason emphasized, "Cogs destroy him!"

"Flame Ranger, come on! There has to be another way....Errrr! Aughhh!" the last two words came out of Tommy when he was attacked by the cogs.

"Uyseti-uya!" the sound pierced the air like a needle to a balloon as Tommy freed one of his arms and knocked a cog away, throwing the transmitter at Shannon in the process, "Shannon, it's from Alpha," Tommy whispered to her, as he watched her catch the device.

The cogs retorted the gesture and began to attack him, again, full force.

The Wind Ranger, Trini, looked on in displeasure, as the cogs fought a losing battle. The color of crimson creeped up on her cheeks, under her helmet, from madness. "Enough! Senseless winds make these weak humans, SLEEP!" Trini called as a sweep of black wind responded to her call and went through the students and teachers, starting from the back of the auditorium.

Shannon, who was expecting the attack, stuck the transmitter into her jeans' pocket, and shouted, "Star Staff!"

Luckily, when the staff appeared in her hands the room was in high kick chaos, so they didn't notice her. "Light Shield!"

She surrounded herself and Adam, Tanya, Kat, Rocky, and Kimberly with the shield that protected them from the black wind. The black wind made its way through the whole auditorium and practically knocked everyone out.

Shannon took the shield down and Rocky surveyed the auditorium, seeing everyone on the floor in deep sleeps. "Good thing we're not sleeping on the job!" Rocky joked.

"That's gotta be the worst pun I've heard in months," Kimberly complained.

"I second that!" Adam chimed in.

"I third that!" Kat piped up.

"I..." Tanya was cut off by Rocky, "I get the idea already, okay?"

The six turned their attention to the Tommy and the cogs. He was struggling to keep them off himself, basically because he was out numbered one to fifteen. Shannon looked on, knowing he needed help, but she couldn't morph because although the transmitter allowed her to call on the little things like her Star Staff, it didn't allow her to call on her zeonizers.

Instead, she waved her staff in front of Rocky, Kat, Adam, Tanya and herself, revealing bows, as big as the Power Bow, in neon colors, according to the ranger. Each Zeo crystal shard was lodged into the rangers' bow, ready to be shot. "These are your Zeo bows. We gotta to get rid of some of those cogs," Shannon pointed towards the overwhelmed Tommy, "Kim, you'd better stay back."

"Sure, Shannon." Kimberly said, and backed a few steps away.

Each ranger held their bow, insticively and targeted a cog. "Ready!" Rocky, Tanya, Kat, and Adam shouted.

"ZEO!" the five all cried as they launched the Zeo Crystal shard towards their chosen cog. The crystal went through and returned to the bow, as the cogs fell apart.

"Thanks, guys!" Tommy shouted over to the group as he took out the leftover cogs, "Why'd ya want me to come, Jas," he asked the Flame Ranger on the stage.

"Isn't it obvious. I, no, we want to destroy the leader of the rangers, alias of good.....As a gift to our queen." Jason sarcastically remarked.

"Sorry, Jason, but your not gonna get that pleasure any day soon," Tommy retorted.

"You're too sure of yourself, Tommy. A trait that will help in your downfall. Laser pistols, NOW!" Jason called as the Element Rangers pulled out color coded pistols and shot four lasers at Tommy, knocking him into Shannon and Adam.

Adam and Shannon helped him up. "Tommy, you won't be able to beat them. They outnumber you four to one and the have more power." Shannon pointed out the obvious.

"And you think I didn't notice?" Tommy barked.

"Ha, ha. Do you want my help or not?" Shannon asked him, seriously.

"Yes, what's your 'brilliant plan', Genius?" Tommy sharply inquired.

"I'm gonna give you full control of my staff, so get up there and become lunch meat for the pack of wolves," Shannon explained in her words.

"What?" Tanya, Kimberly, Kat, Rocky Tommy, and Adam asked.

Shannon sighed. "GET ON THE DAMN STAGE AND DISTRACT THEM!"

"Sure, whatever you say Shannon," Tommy mumbled and jumped onto the stage, "Hey, Jason! Come and get me!"

Jason started charging at Tommy, as Shannon tried to get the show on the road below. "Uh, Shannon? I could use the staff about now!" Tommy shouted down, while dodging Jason's attacks.

"Hold on a sec. Rocko, Adam, think you can hitch me up on your shoulders? I need to get a clear shot of Tommy with the energy beam from the staff so it'll react to him," Shannon questioned.

"No problem," Rocky told her as Adam and him got her up on their shoulders.

"You'd better hurry it up Shannon, before the Elements get to him first!" Kat exclaimed as the three girls looked up at the stage, the Red Zeo Ranger getting ganged up by the Elements.

Shannon suddenly got a clear shot through the group of evil rangers and the white light made contact with the Zeo Ranger as he absorbed it. *I feel like I could do anything* Tommy thought to himself as he got away from Aisha's grip.

*Not quite, Tommy. I gave ya that energy charge so the staff would respond to ya.* a female voice told him in his mind.

*Shannon?*

*Yeah. Now shut up and get out of that group of Elements so I can give you the staff.*

Tommy looked around himself and saw that he'd been so wrapped up talking to Shannon that the Elements had closed in on him again. He tried to free himself, but nothing working. He felt Zack's gloved hands starting to remove his helmet.

Chapter Thirteen: "Pain, Agony, Death" Down below the stage, Adam's face was staring to turn red from all the strength he was expending to hold Shannon up. "Shannon would you hurry up! You're startin' to get heavy!"

"Just a few more seconds guys!" Shannon pleaded.

"Yeah, whatever. I'm just about ready to faint," Rocky tormented her.

Just then, before Rocky fainted {just kidding}, Shannon sent an ear piercing, "Ki-ya!" through the air as she pushed herself off Rocky and Adam"s shoulders.

She did a quad-flip and landed on the edge of the stage with the Star Staff in her hand. She was teetering off the side, when someone grabbed her by the hip and pulled her up from the teetering state. Shannon kept her eyes closed as that 'someone' kissed her lips, intimately. Shannon, startled, popped open her eyes and found herself drowning in a sea of brown. *Tommy, what is the meaning of this?* but Tommy didn't answer her mental call.

She pushed herself away far enough to see the face of the person. *Jason Lee Scott?!?!* she cried to herself.

"DAMN! Let go of me you fucking pervert!" Shannon shouted at him, removing his hand from her butt.

"That's no way to talk to the person who defeated Zeo Ranger Five!" Jason yelled at her, slapping her, hard, across the face.

Shannon stumbled and fell next to a red helmet with a star on it. "Tommy?" she shuddered to whisper.

She looked a few feet away, and saw Tommy, morphed still, with his helmet off, his face covered in bruises, cuts, and blood, unconscious. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Shannon screamed, as her pain was heard through out the auditorium.

* * * * *

All the other rangers, down in front of the stage had witnessed what happened to the leader of the Power Rangers.

As Shannon pushed herself off Adam and Rocky's shoulders, Kimberly had turned to warn her friend, it was too late, she was gone.

After Zack removed his helmet, Jason, Trini Aisha, and Zack all attacked him, full force. Jason punched Tommy's face like a punching bag as the other three inflicted some bruises and cuts of their own.

Kimberly had tried to stop her best friend, but it was just too much for Kimberly, herself, seeing her boyfriend so violent, that she broke down in tears, after the Elements had practically beaten the shit out of Tommy.

* * * * *

Shannon sat upright and scooted over to Tommy's unconscious body. She picked his head up and cradled it in her hands. Shannon kissed his bloody face as if it were the last time she would ever be able to. *My hero* she thought to herself sobbing quietly. *The one who risked life and limb for me and the world. My knight in shining armor. My one and only true love. I underestimated my mother's power and for that, Tommy, I am forever sorry.*

*Don't be.* a distant voice told her.

*Tommy?* Shannon's sobbing had become crying.

*Yes, Shannon........Act like I'm on the verge of dead.* he suddenly ordered.

*What?!?!*

*I tell you everything later. Just do it!*

*Whatever to keep you with me.* "You guys! Tommy's still barely alive!" she yelled down at the rangers, tears running down her face.

"Alright, Tommy! I knew you could make it!" Rocky shouted at the top of his lungs in joy.

"No! He shall die! He deserves it!" Zack shouted at the top of his lungs in anguish.

"Then let it be done!" Jason told green companion, looking over towards Aisha.

A fire ball of energy formed in Jason's hands and a water ball of energy formed in Aisha's. They both threw the double attack at Tommy.

The ball of blue and red was coming closer and closer to him, when Shannon suddenly laid her body on Tommy's and took the energy head on. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Shannon forcefully screamed as the energy hit her.

"My god..........Zesta's spells are so strong that they could turn friends against each other to........" Kat hesitated, as her eyes filled up with tears.

"Kill in cold bloodshed," Tanya finished for her friend, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"We've gotta teleport to the Power Chamber," Rocky said, trying to be supportive, but as he winced at the sight of his friends, tears spilled out of his eyes.

"Take your dead friends to Zordon. He could do no good." Trini mocked them as she removed the forcefield around the school and the four Element Rangers teleported out.

Adam picked Kimberly up from the floor slowly, crying as he did. He held Kimberly close, knowing she needed all the comfort she could get. The five teenagers walked onto the stage and over to Tommy and Shannon's dead bodies. Tommy was sprawled out with Shannon on top of him, her arms circling around his body as his did the same to hers.

"They would have wanted to die like this," Kat whispered, crying silently.

"Yeah. Together," Kimberly pieced together, agreeing with Kat.

"And we have to tell Zordon, Alpha, Selene, Apollo, Helious, and hardest hit, Caroline," Tanya solemnly reminded the tight knit team, now down by two members

"Zordon and Alpha probably already know and then add on telling Trey, Delphine, Aurico, Cestro, Tidues, and Corcus." Adam added with sorrow.

Rocky and Tanya picked up Shannon's limp body off of Tommy's. Shannon's face was running with blood from a gash above her right eye. Her hair was sticky with blood from the same cut above her eye. Her sky blue eyes shut, the two teenagers didn't have to see them with no life in them. The odd thing was that although she took the hit head on, there were no marks on her body or clothes, hinting to how she died.

Kat and Kimberly pulled up Tommy's feeble body from the stage. Tommy's face was bloody from a cut lip and small gash behind his left ear. Bruises and small cuts covered half of his face. His hair was very sticky from the blood oozing from the gash behind his ear. The Red Ranger's eyes were shut, but Kat and Kimberly cried their hearts out for the man they once loved.

Suddenly a moan came from the back of auditorium, echoing to the front. "Come on! We've gotta get outta here! I guess when the Elements took off the forcefield, the sleeping spell was taken off too!" Adam cried as he grabbed the Star Staff and Tommy's helmet.

The five pressed their communicators and teleported off the stage, where Tommy Oliver and Shannon Kassandra Kaze died, in battle.

* * * * *

Zordon's voice was the first one they heard when they teleported to the chamber. "Rangers, I am extremely sorry," none of the rangers could see, but tears were running down the Eltarian's face.

Kimberly and Kat laid Tommy's body down on the Diagnostic table as another one rose out of the floor. Rocky and Tanya put Shannon's body on the other table. Adam walked over to small table in the Chamber and put the Star Staff and Tommy's helmet down on the table.

There was ultimate silence, until Kimberly started to have a nervous breakdown. "This is all Zesta's fault! I'm gonna kill that damn, fucking asshole, of a bitch!" Kimberly lashed out at no one in particular, anger and fury fueling her.

Zordon wasn't surprised by Kimberly's lash out. He knew a time would come when something would happen like this and one of the rangers would have a nervous breakdown, such as Kimberly was now.

Adam went to her and hugged her. "Let all out, Kim. Just let it all out," Adam encouraged, as tears began to run down his face, like a river.

All the rangers looked down, mourning the death of their friends. Kat was the first to speak up, "How do we go on, Zordon?"

Zordon looked down at his 'children', as he liked to refer to them as. Two of them, his oldest 'child' and youngest 'child' lay dead on the Diagnostic tables. Kimberly cried into Adam's shoulder as Tanya and Rocky stood there, silently crying their hearts out. Katherine looked up to him for an answer.

"To speak the truth, Katherine," Zordon began to answer the Pink Zeo Ranger, "I do not know."

Chapter Fourteen: "To Live Or Not To Live" It was Kat's turn to have the nervous breakdown. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'YOU DON'T KNOW'?"

"Would you keep it down, Kat? My head feels like it's been in a blender for twenty minutes," a sarcastic female voice requested.

The five teens' heads snapped around and they saw Shannon sitting up on the Diagnostic table, holding her head in her hands. "SHANNON?!?!"

"I just said keep it down!" Shannon barked at them.

With that, Tommy rose from his death and sat up. "I told you it worked," he weakly said to Shannon.

"It did didn't it?" Shannon agreed.

"What do you mean, 'it worked'?" Kimberly had her hands on her hips and was looking at the two angrily.

Shannon and Tommy looked around them and saw five angry faces. "Well, we sorta faked our deaths, so we could get out of the battle. I mean, I couldn't stand to take another beating and it seemed like the only way out," Tommy tried to explain.

"So you decided that you were gonna break our hearts, then tell us you were alive?" Kat was about to lash out on Tommy.

"Hey, don't look at me. I was stunned when he wanted me to join in on the shrade, but he said it was the only way out," Shannon tried to coax them.

"Thanks for sticking by my side," Tommy snapped at Shannon.

"You're welcome," Shannon replied, hotly.

"Explain how you survived the blast Shannon? No human could have survived that," Rocky pressed Shannon.

"Of course no HUMAN could have survived that, but you forget, I'm not a full fledged human. I'm part Cindarien and Cindarien bodies can absorb extreme amounts of energy like that." Shannon a-matter-o-factly replied.

"What about the blood and cuts?" Adam asked, staring the two down.

"Well, Tommy got his from the Elements and I got my special one from knocking my head on Tommy's delightful little earring," Shannon pointed at Tommy's ear, "When I got on top of him, the energy force was too strong and I hit my head on his and got knocked out."

"So, whatcha gonna do about the cuts? You can't go home looking like you are," Kimberly questioned, calming down quite a bit.

"The ranger powers will heal the cuts, but we need Caroline to heal us some more. Some of the injuries are beyond the ranger powers, such as me absorbing all of that energy," Shannon answered.

"Where is she anyways?" Tanya asked.

"She's with my parents," Tommy responded.

"WHAT?!?! You can't go to your parents, looking like you two do. They'll start asking what happened and...." Kat was cut off by Tommy.

"They already know we're all the Power Rangers, we told them right after we got Caroline back from Zesta. Zordon gave us the permission to."

All five of them gasped. "Oh, come on! It's no big deal," Shannon started to climb off the Diagnostic table, "Now come on. We've got to teleport there. I don't think I'll be able to walk if we don't," Shannon started to walk towards the other rangers, but fell backwards into the table.

"Here, I'll help ya," Tanya came over and gave Shannon a shoulder to lean on.

Adam helped Tommy off the other Diagnostic table and they teleported out of the chamber.

* * * * *

The seven teenagers stood on the porch of the Oliver house. Tommy and Shannon were surrounded by their friends, so no one could see their injuries.

Kimberly rang the doorbell. The door was opened a second later by Coreen Oliver. "Why hello, Kimberly. What are you doing here?"

Just then, Shannon and Tommy hobbled to the front of the group, Tanya and Adam helping them. Soon as Coreen saw them, she almost fainted. "Don't stay out there too long! Get in here!" she ordered them, opening the door all the way.

The seven rangers went into the house and were lead into the living room, where Caroline was sleeping on the sofa and Kevin Oliver was reading a book. "Kevin," Tommy's mom started, but said no more as Shannon and Tommy barely hobbled in with help from Adam and Tanya.

"My God! What happened to you two?" he exclaimed, eying Tommy and Shannon's condition.

"There's no time to explain, Dad. You HAVE to wake Caroline up now. She needs to heal us before we get too weak again and slip into unconsciousness," Tommy ordered.

By now, Caroline was already awake and sitting on the sofa waiting there, like she knew what she had to do. "Tanya, help me get to the sofa," Shannon told the Yellow Ranger.

Tanya helped the White Ranger to the sofa and right away, she collapsed. Caroline scooted next to her and touched her forehead. A white aura began to emit from her forehead and surrounded her body, healing the energy scars. The white aura faded away and Shannon stood up from the sofa, good as new, all her energy back. "Thank you," she kissed Caroline on the forehead and went over to Tommy and helped him onto the sofa.

Caroline did the same thing to Tommy, except a red aura surrounded him and healed him. "Would someone explain what just happened now?" Rocky asked, stunned by the little girl's power.

"You such a doofus," Shannon complained, then explained, "That was Caroline's healing powers, you idiot."

"Now that you two are healed, explain how you got in that condition, right now," Kevin commanded them.

"Can I demorph first?" Tommy asked meekly.

Everyone laughed and Tommy's father told him, "Go ahead."

Tommy stood up from the sofa and the other teenagers gave him room. "Zeo V, power down!" Tommy shouted and his Power Ranger suit disappeared.

"No fair! I save your life and you come out with the clean clothes!" Shannon whined as she eyed Tommy's CLEAN black shirt, blue jeans, and red flannel shrit, then looked at her DIRTY blue jeans and white cardigan.

"If it helps, I have sticky hair still," Tommy retorted, grabbing her by the hip.

"It does," Shannon smiled and moved her head closer to Tommy's, until Coreen cleared her throat, "Oh, right. How me and Tommy ended up looking and feeling like crap. Well, the Elements decided to attack school during lunch and............."

* * * * *

It took about a half an hour to explain what had happened, then the other rangers left and Shannon stayed at Tommy's for awhile, still feeling a little weak from absorbing all that energy.

Shannon and Tommy were lying on the sofas in the rec room, relaxing and talking. "So, do you think Zesta fell for our Oscar-winning death scene?" Tommy asked Shannon.

"I sure hope she did. If Kim, Rocky, Adam, Kat, and Tanya fell for it, she might have," Shannon yawned and looked at her daughter, sleeping on her stomach, "Caroline's knocked out. Healing us must have taken a lot out of her."

Tommy smiled. "What do you think? She's just a three year old girl and we're her two seventeen year old parents. Of course it would take a lot out of her."

A pillow hit Tommy on the head. "Ouch!"

"Oh, come on Tommy! That had to be the smallest pillow over here," Shannon groaned.

"Well, you hit my cut," Tommy defended as he picked up the pillow and walked out of the room.

Shannon called after him, "I'm sorry, Tommy. It was my fault."

Tommy's head popped into the room again. "Thanks for the apology, Sweetcheeks, but that wasn't why I left."

"Then why ARE you leaving?" Shannon persisted.

"Don't worry. I'll be right back." Tommy told her as he walked towards his room.

A few minutes later, Tommy's Dad walked into the room. "Is everything okay, Shannon? I heard yelling."

"Oh, yeah. But I'm worried about Tommy, he just walked out of the room for no reason, about three minutes ago. We have a telepathic link now, but I just don't want to intrude on his thoughts. You think you could see what's wrong, Mr. Oliver?" Shannon asked Kevin.

"Sure. Don't worry you pretty little head off," he teased her.

"Thanks a lot, Mr. Oliver," Shannon thanked.

"Anytime," Kevin replied the girl as he walked out of the room.
BR> *What's on your mind, Tommy?*

* * * * *

Tommy walked into his room and opened his closet. He grabbed a small chest from the top shelf and took it over to his bed. Tommy closed the door and sat down on his bed, admiring the outside to the chest.

The chest was a cherry color and had beautiful carvings of hearts all over the outside. Below the hatch of the small chest, three symbols were carved into the wood: T+S.

As Tommy ran his hand over the symbols, he remembered so many times he spent with Shannon.

Tommy undid the hatch and opened the chest. Inside the chest were letters; love letters. Shannon had sent so many to him during class, that he had to keep each and every one in the precious chest.

He pulled out the first one off the top of the pile. As he read it, tears dripped down his face.

English is sooo boring! I wish we could skip class and just....Well you know what I mean. I made up a poem for your eyes and only yours. Read.

Me and you
Love meant to be
We stand hand in hand
Through out the land
Proclaiming our love for one another
Let us see someone try to stop us in the love race for each other

Sounds stupid, doesn't it? Well, I don't know really. It describes us pretty well. I think it's funny. Hope you like! - Shannon

Tommy folded the letter up and stuck it with the other letters. He began to dig in the chest, until his hand hit a small box. Tommy picked it up out of the chest and opened it. In the black box, a star shaped diamond ring stood in it's setting, gleaming out to Tommy.

Just then, someone knocked at his door. Tommy closed the small box and called, "Come in."

His dad walked into the room. "Are you okay, Tommy? Shannon's worried about you," Kevin asked his son, but bit his lip when he saw the small black box in Tommy's hands, "Are you thinking about doing it?"

Tommy watched his dad sit on his bed. "I don't really know. I feel like it's time. Today I realized how much Shannon actually means to me, ya know, Dad? It sorta scared me. When that energy ball was heading towards us, my mind was racing with questions: What if Shannon doesn't survive? What would my life be without her?" Tommy paused to look at the chest of letters, "I just couldn't imagine my life, or life at all, without Shannon."

Kevin saw the sorrow in the boy's eyes. "Whatever you decide, Tommy, you know your mother and I are behind you all the way. We always believed you and Shannon were soul mates. If you think it's time, then do it."

"I think I'll wait until the Winter Dance," Tommy told his father as he put the black box back into the chest.

"You'd better get back to Shannon. If I know her, she is impatient, especially when your late for a date," Kevin laughed as Tommy put the chest back in his closet.

"You're right, Dad," Tommy and Kevin headed out of Tommy's room and towards the rec room.

"Thanks a lot, Dad," Tommy thanked as he walked into the rec room.

What were Tommy and Kevin talking about? Does Zesta know that Tommy and Shannon are alive? Will the Element Rangers try another attack? Find out in "Red and White Engagement".