Disclaimer:  ----been there, done that----

Chapter 11 ~ Silver and Black

Bria stood on the Animarium with the rest of the Rangers. Her helmet was tucked under one arm, and the Red Leopard stood not too far away. Princess Shayla stood in front of the Rangers, smiling.

"These are the Destiny Zords. They will help you in your fight against evil."

Kalli smiled. "They're very nice and friendly."

The Princess smiled back. "They should be; they were assigned to you eons ago. They have had thousands of years to get used to the idea."  

The Leopard roared, her teeth catching the sunlight. Bria smiled, feeling the Leopard's joy at finally being able to defend the Earth with a Ranger. The five Rangers stayed on the Animarium a bit longer, talking with the Princess and getting to know their Zords.

*****

Sphinxra walked to his chambers, convinced to do whatever it took to get his help. She stood in the doorway, looking at his broad, muscled back as he sat on a bench, polishing his helmet.

"Did you want something?" he asked without turning around. Sphinxra sauntered into his room, eyeing him.

"I want many things."

He seemed amused. "Anything you want I'd be willing to give you?"

Sphinxra scowled in frustration. Why couldn't he see her as a lover? She could give him everything he wanted; she was--

She cut her line of thinking off. That was not why she was here. "Perhaps. But right now I've come to ask you a favor."

"Oh?"

"The Rangers are not leaving; and they now have Zords with them."

His muscles tensed, and he stopped his polishing. "The Rangers will be taken care of," he growled. After a moment, he relaxed, the tension easing out of his body as he retuned to the helmet. "But," he continued lightly, "favors do not come freely."

"I will repay you..." Sphinxra whispered, running a hand across his back.

He laughed, causing Sphinxra to anger. "Is that payment for me, or reward for you? I don't want such things from you."

Sphinxra withdrew her hand. "Fine," she spat. "Let the destruction of the Rangers be reward for all of us." She stalked out of the room, livid.

The Black Ranger sat, shaking his head in amusement as he put the finishing touches on his helmet. "Fair enough."

*****

Bria lounged on a couch, relaxing. They had just got back from another battle, and everyone was tired. Bria flicked her fingers and a glass of water floated over to her, from which she eagerly drank.

Just then Alpha popped his head upstairs. Bria never understood how he got up all those stairs, but she never asked.

Matt groaned. "Please don't tell me there's another one."

Alpha shook his head. "Ai yi yi, no! Sphinxra is at the park!"

Jess looked up. "Sphinxra? What's she doing there?"

Bria stood up. "I don't know, but let's go see what she wants."

When they reached the park, Bria looked around. Upon seeing Sphinxra and the Rangers, everyone on the playground had deserted it. Sphinxra stood at one end, and the Rangers stood at the other. Josh started singing the showdown theme from old westerns.

"Do do do...where's the tumbleweed when you need it?"

They all rolled their eyes, though none saw behind the visors. "Sphinxra, what do you want?" Bria called, sliding her voice down an octave so she didn't sound so much like a woman.

"It's not what I want," she replied, sneering. "It's what he wants."

"Say what?" Matt asked.

A black cloud appeared, and Sphinxra laughed menacingly. "You think you're so tough, you puny Rangers. Just you wait and see."

 "I'm waiting," called Josh, "but I'm not seeing."

"Shut up, Ranger! You will soon enough." Sphinxra disappeared, saying with a laugh, "It's a fine day for a Ranger funeral."

Jess shook her head. "She thinks she's so smart."

Kalli pointed at the cloud, which had materialized into the Black Ranger. "I think we have better things to worry about."

His outfit was total black, with just a silver line around the tops of his boots and gloves, a silver belt, and a silver line around his visor. He laughed evilly and wielded a staff with a saber on each end.

"Oh joy," muttered Matt. "Just what I've always wanted."

The Black Ranger stood, twirling the staff around.

"What do you want?" Bria asked.

The Black Ranger made no response, but instead attacked the Rangers, lashing out with his saber-staff. Bria dove over it, delivering a punch to the Black Ranger's stomach. She didn't really want to fight him, but if she had to...

The Black Ranger turned with amazing speed and slashed across Bria's chest. She fell back in pain, clutching her chest as he laughed. There was something odd in that laugh, but she couldn't place her finger on it. It was like there was something in him that wondered if what he was doing was right...but it was so well covered that Bria dismissed it as a delusion from the pain.

The Black Ranger beat them horribly, even though he was outnumbered five to one. On the most part it was because the Rangers didn't really want to fight him. When all the Rangers lay on the ground, breathing heavily and wincing in pain, the Black Ranger looked over them in distaste.

"You pathetic weaklings. This is the best you can offer? I was hoping for more of a challenge."

"Try this," came a voice, and the ground erupted around the Black Ranger, who swore. A Silver Ranger now engaged the Black Ranger in battle, as the others recovered. Matt eyed some vines, which wrapped themselves around the Black Ranger's ankles. While he was distracted in cutting them away, the Silver Ranger blasted the Black Ranger again.

Staggering backwards, the Black Ranger growled. Bria could feel his glare through the visor. "I'll be back." And then he was gone in a puff of black smoke.

The Silver Ranger turned, looking at the fallen Rangers. "Well that's a nice place to rest. Mind if I try?" He sat next to Bria, and Bria frowned at his voice as she shakily sat up.

"Where did you come from?"

"Oh, nowhere of consequence. You disappoint me though; I leave you on your own for a few weeks, and you can't even take on a Black Ranger."

Bria stared as she realized who it was behind the visor. "Kyle!" she yelled, joyfully throwing her arms around him.

"Hello to you too," he replied, laughing, as he hugged her back.

"You have got to come with us! Stay with us! You have to meet everyone!"

"OK, OK! Let's go then," Kyle laughed.

*****

Bria led Kyle into the family room, where everyone was hanging around, after showing him his room. "For those of you who don't know him, this is Kyle. Kyle, this is everyone."

"Hey, everyone."

They all greeted Kyle. Jess stood back, grinning. "Long time no see, huh, Brownie?"

Bria stifled a giggle at Jess's old childhood nickname for Kyle. They had been playing one day when they were really small and had gotten into a fight, and Jess couldn't think of a better insult after she had run out of rude words; she had hated brownies at the time. The name had stuck.

Kyle stared openly at her. "Jess?" he gaped.

"The one and only."

"You...you grew up," he stated. The last time he had seen Jess, they had been 13, and Jess was tall, skinny, and gangly. He had always remembered her that way, without thinking that she had gotten older. Now...

Jess laughed. "Of course I did. What did you think I was going to do?"

Bria hid a smile. Her cousin and one of her best friends? Interesting combo...