Disclaimer: If I owned any of this, would I really be here right now?

Thanks to Crystal Raven, the Rose of Darkness; YOU ARE AWESOME! People, this is a goddess! She is a living muse! She has helped me so much with this story, and I owe so much to her, mainly on developing Aaron into a believable character when I hit a wall...THANK YOU!

Chapter 14 ~ Black Twists

Bria climbed out of the pool, giving Josh a death glare. She slowly walked over to him, not taking her eyes off him. Josh started backing up nervously.

"Fair is fair," he said, holding up his hands. Bria jumped forward and shoved him into the pool.

"Yep, fair is fair," she said, walking into the house, leaving Josh sputtering in the pool.

"Dad always said to watch out with girls and pools," he muttered.

Hurrying upstairs, Bria took a quick, hot shower. As she dried off with a fluffy towel, she wondered how Aaron's chat with his father went. Quickly dressing, she toweled her hair, brushing out the long, wet locks. A few moments later, Bria walked downstairs to where Aaron had been. He was gone.

Bria searched the whole house, but found no trace of Aaron. "Jess," Bria said, popping her head into the living room, "have you seen Aaron?"

"No," said Jess, looking up from the book she was reading. "Why?"

Bria frowned. "I can't find him anywhere."

"Huh, I don't know where he went," Jess said. Rising, she tossed the book on the couch. "He's not by the phone?"

"No." Bria frowned, thinking. "Hold on a sec." She walked over to the phone, grabbing her phone book from beside it. A few seconds later, she heard the other end of the line ring.

"Hello?" asked a delicate female voice.

"Hello, is Mr. Mitchell there?"

"Whom shall I say is calling?"

"Bria."

"One moment." Bria heard the voice calling, slightly muffled. "Ryan, honey, there's a Bria on the phone for you."

A few moments later Bria heard Ryan's voice. "Hello?"

"Yes, Mr. Mitchell, it's Bria. We met at Mr. Grayson's house?"

"Of course. Please, call me Ryan."

"Then Ryan, did Aaron happen to mention his plans when he talked to you?"

"Aaron? You found him?" Ryan sounded shocked.

Bria frowned. "Yes, I just had him call you not half an hour ago."

"That was Aaron?"

"Yes..." Bria was quite confused. "That was Aaron. I met him recently and suggested he call you...you're saying he didn't say he was your son?"

"No. He just asked it this was Ryan Mitchell and I said yes. When I asked who it was he hung up."

"Ryan, the reason I'm calling is that Aaron has disappeared again. After he called you, he just, well, left."

"He didn't say anything other than what I told you." Ryan sighed. "We had him, and he slipped through."

"If there's anything I've learned about Aaron, it's that he's a very self-sufficient man. He'll be fine. We'll find him again."

"I certainly hope so. To think I was talking to him all along..."

After talking for a few moments, then saying goodbye and hanging up, Bria rubbed her forehead thoughtfully. She didn't think Aaron would leave so soon. True, she had a feeling he was the kind of guy that didn't want to be restrained, but...

She jumped as an alarm blared. Running downstairs, she meet the other Rangers there. "What's going on?"

"It looks like our friend wasn't as thankful as we thought," said Kyle scornfully. Bria sighed, running a hand through her long dual-colored tresses.

"I just don't understand!" she exclaimed.

"I do," Kyle said. "He's evil. That's it, nothing more to it."

"He is not, Kyle! He can't be! Look at what happened to his father, and how close his story is!"

"I don't give a damn who he is, Bria, or who his parents are, he's evil!"

"Shut up! " yelled Jess at the top of her lungs. They both turned to look at her. "We have more important things to worry about," she said, pointing to a screen. On it they could see the Black Ranger attacking the city. Bria lowered her head.

"It's not right."

"Why not?" Kyle asked irritably. "He's evil. End of conversation."

"No, he's not. He helped me, Kyle."

"So what? A bee can help you by making honey. Doesn't mean it won't sting you."

"Please guys," Kalli said, "can we just go and stop him?"

Bria nodded. "Yeah," she said softly. "Let's go."

"Alpha, not to pressure you dude, but have you figured out that transport device?" Josh asked, still slightly damp from his romp in the pool.

"No need," Bria said. "We can transport ourselves. Just use your power. Ready?" Everyone nodded. "Let's go then. Fire," she said, morphing. Each called out their respective powers, standing morphed. "OK guys, now just concentrate on your power and where you want to go."

The Red Ranger was shrouded in flames, and the others watched as they jumped from one side of the room to the other faster than the eye could follow. As the flames died, the Red Ranger stood in their place.

"Got it? Good. Let's go."

The Blue Ranger was covered in a blue mist, Yellow in lightning, Green in vines, Pink in pink fog, Silver in a silver light. A few moments later, all 6 masses formed in front of the Black Ranger.

"Well, well, well," he said sarcastically. "Look what the cat dragged in."

Kyle stepped forward. "You made a mistake when you turned against us."

"Against 'us'? Or just against you?" his voice was back to the cynical, harsh tone he always had when morphed.

Kyle stood strong, without moving. "Both." The two lunged at each other, sparks flying as they exchanged blows. Bria felt extremely guilty, but hung back with the others. She didn't want to fight Aaron.

Kyle stumbled backwards, and the Black Ranger's saber-staff materialized. Kyle said something, and a silver blade appeared in his hand. The two continued fighting, almost evenly matched. Yet as the fight continued, it was clear that the Black Ranger held the advantage.

Matt waved a hand, and vines sprouted out of the ground, wrapping around Aaron's legs. While the Black Ranger fought to move, Kyle attacked. Aaron fell, and Kyle raised his blade. He brought the weapon down.

"What the hell?" he swore. Bria had grabbed the sides of the blade as she stood over Aaron, sparks flying from her gloves.

"No! I don't care if he's evil; I won't let you kill him! He doesn't deserve that!"

"Get out of the way. Stop being an idiot; I'm not going to kill him."

"No? Then what? If you kill him, you'll be as good as evil yourself!"

Kyle growled. "If you don't--"

"Just shut up. I've had enough." She shoved the blade back towards him. Turning, she discovered Aaron was gone.

"No we lost him," Kyle muttered. Bria stared at him with so much loathing he felt it even through both their visors.

"We'll talk when we get back to the Command Center," Bria spat out. Turning her back on him, she teleported home.

*****

"Bria, what the hell were you thinking?" Kyle exploded back in the basement, his helmet under his arm.

"I was thinking of another Ranger!" Bria took a deep, calming breath, placing her helmet on a table. "Kyle, you have been my friend since I was what, 2? So listen to me, OK?"

Kyle glared, but was silent.

"I am not going to let you kill Aaron, or whatever else you were thinking of doing. He really is a good person. I don't know why he's gone back to Sphinxra and Amenkotept. But please trust me, Kyle. Please. I know there is a solution."

~ There is. ~

Bria tilted her head to one side, motioning for the others, who were watching, to be silent.

* How, Zordon? I know he's not evil. *

~ Aaron is evil, Ambrianna. When he saved you in the caves, and then in Amenkotept's lair, it was the first time he fought against it. He cannot fight forever, however strong he is. ~

* No, Zordon! It can't be! I know it! *

~ Calm yourself please, Ambrianna. There is one way to help him fight this evil. ~

* How? What is it? *

~ The Black Power that Aaron possesses is only fueling his evil. If the Power was removed from him, it would leave him free to start over again. ~

* How do I help him do that? How do I remove the Power? *

~ He must give the Power up of his own free will. It cannot be forced from him. You must help him to see the evil of his ways. I am always here if you need help. ~

Bria nodded. "I will," she said out loud. "And thank you." With that, Zordon's presence was gone.

"Um, who are you talking to?" Matt asked.

Bria sighed, biting a lip. "Zordon."

"Ha, good one, Bria," Matt chuckled.

"She's not joking," said a simmering Kyle almost regretfully, leaning with his arms crossed against a console. "That's how I got my Silver Powers; Zordon came to me."

Bria started. "I forgot to ask you!" she exclaimed. "Did Kim have her baby?"

Kyle smiled. "Yeah. I have a baby sister."

"Congratulations, brownie," smiled Jess. He nodded.

"What did Zordon say?" asked Matt.

Bria sighed deeply. "Kyle's right," she mumbled. Kyle started, looking at her with an eyebrow raised. She sighed. "But you're not totally right. We can save Aaron."

At this Kyle let out an exasperated sigh. "Will you give it a rest all ready?"

"No. If you don't want to help, fine. I'll do it on my own."

Whirling, Bria stormed out of the basement. She had no idea where she would find Aaron, but hell would freeze over before she stopped looking for him. And with her power of fire, that day was a long way off.

*****

Jess glared at Kyle, who was seated on the couch. "You could at least look a little worried, Kyle!"

He glared right back. "Do you think I'm not? But we can't freak out every time Bria takes off."

Jess sighed. "I just get so worried about her," she said as she plopped down next to him on the couch.

Kyle slipped an arm around her. "So you care about her and are protective. There's nothing wrong with that, Jess."

She unconsciously laid her head against his shoulder. "Mmm, yeah, maybe you're right...."

He smiled down at her. "You know, Jess, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about..."

*****

Bria sat at the edge of the lake, sighing as the sun went down. She knew it had been childish to run out, but she couldn't take it anymore. How had her father done it? How had he, or anyone else for that matter, been able to deal with being a Red Ranger? Everyone looked to you, expected you to lead, to make the right choices. Now, when she had made her choice, it seemed no one agreed with her.

Which brought her, again, to her problem. How was she going to convince Aaron to give up his Power? She snorted. Good or evil, she doubted it would be easy. Bria turned as she heard footsteps.

"Come here often?" The deep voice made her shiver. How was it that he was like two different people?

"Aaron," she replied, greeting him coolly.

He sat next to her on the grass, and she was shocked to see a look of masked pain on his face.

"Are you all right, Aaron?"

He shrugged. After a moment, he spoke heavily. "It hurts...at times...when I fight."

She studied him. "You have to fight the Black Powers of evil, don't you?" He nodded slowly, reluctantly. She turned, kneeling in front of him. "So let me help you."

Aaron looked up at her, glaring. "No," he growled. "I don't need anyone's help." He stood up, pushing her aside. Bria looked down at her hands as he left. What was she going to do?

*****

Aaron sat in his chambers, staring at the Black helmet. It stared back at him, its glance empty. Ironically, it reminded him of his life. He mentally scolded himself.

I am evil. I am Black. I am power. I am evil.

A voice floated unbidden through his head. "He's so much like his father..."

He growled. He'd show Red. He wasn't weak like his father. His father couldn't handle the power or use it to its full potential. But something in the back of his mind told him it wasn't true. Sighing, he let the thought come.

Ryan had deserted to the side of good because he had wanted to, not because he was weak or forced to. Aaron was starting to think it wasn't such a bad idea...

I am evil. I am Black. I am power. I am evil.

He grinned. Why would he want to leave? After all, he was the Black Ranger; a force to be reckoned with. Even the Silver Ranger couldn't match him. He was the ultimate in Ranger Powers. He was Black. Black as night, black as jet, black as the hair which he concealed under his helmet.

His grin faded, remembering the last time he had allowed anyone to see that hair. The dual-haired Red Ranger had accepted him for who and what he was, but for the life of him he couldn't understand why. She had defended him in front of all the others. But why, damn it?

Aaron knew it wasn't because she loved him or lusted after him. He knew plenty of girls like that, and Bria wasn't one of them.

He'd had his share of affairs and one-night stands...possibly more than his share. After a while they all started to look the same. It was only once in a while he would meet a woman who stood out in his mind, who smiled a little more personally, who was more pleasing in bed. But in the end, all had had the same feel about them. Bria didn't fit with them, and he knew that wasn't why she was standing up for him. She was too innocent for that. He gritted his teeth. He wouldn't think about her or them.

I am evil. I am Black. I am power. I am evil.

His father...his father....the words echoed through his head, no matter how he blocked them. Did he want to be like his father? Ryan had everything he did, but he left it all...and when Aaron had talked to him, he could hear the happiness in his voice...happy with his life...but what about his son? Did Ryan ever miss his son? Aaron paused. Did he want to be Ryan's son?

No! he thought desperately.

I am evil! I am Black! I am power! I am evil!

You're not evil. Black is empty. Power means nothing. You're not evil.

I am! It's not! It does! I am!

You're not. It is. It doesn't. You're not.

I AM EVIL! I AM BLACK! I AM POWER! I AM EVIL!

He stressed each syllable in his mind, trying to overpower the little voice that had a surprisingly big impact on him. In the end, he failed. He buried his head in his hands. He wasn't happy, and he knew it. He truly knew it. This life meant nothing. He had no purpose. His life...his very being...was empty. Worthless. Dead.