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The Toughest Mission (Power Rangers Turbo)
Summary: Tommy might have a tough time not being a Ranger anymore. (Graduations and Choices)
The Toughest Mission
by Estirose
copyright 1997
It was over.
Tommy Oliver growled softly, trying not to wake up the others. He couldn't burden them with what he was feeling. How he'd managed to make it though this day without breaking down he'd never know. First getting chased by the Pirahnatrons on bikes, then being hung over the chasm, and then getting rescued, having to fight a monster, and finally having to give his powers to a new person.
Hard to believe that only a few hours ago he'd been the leader and most senior of the current group of Power Rangers. That for four years, minus those times when he didn't have powers, that he'd been defending the Earth.
The five that had welcomed him into the team had left. Jason, Trini, and Zack to that peace conference. Kim for the Pan Globals. Billy for love on Aquitar. And some of their replacements had gone, too, Aisha to cure the animals and Rocky to recover from his fall. Maybe it was right to join them as an ex-Ranger, finally. One could live without the power. He'd known that, once. He had a career now, something that demanded more of his time.
He still felt, well, he couldn't really describe it well, but it was kind of like he wasn't feeling anything at all. A kind of numbness was his best guess. Shock from his power loss. Later, he'd be alone, able to cry his head off when he finally realized what he'd let go of. It had always hurt him, every time that he had lost power due to one enemy or the other.
But this time, he hadn't lost his powers because of an enemy, unless he counted age as one. He'd given up his power because Dimitria had asked him and the others to, and he wouldn't cause a mutiny. That, and she'd made sense when she'd pointed out that all of them were going on to college and careers, things that wouldn't allow them the easy schedule the'd had as high school students. It was hard to muster up the rage against Dimitria, who certainly wasn't taking his powers away so that the Earth would be defenseless.
Besides, he'd left the power in good hands. T.J. would make a really good Red Ranger and leader. He recognized something of himself in the younger teen almost instantly. Tommy hoped he'd made the best choice. After all, he'd rejected so many others possibly because he couldn't face up to the fact that he'd no longer be a Ranger. Still, even if he'd chosen T.J. because he was upmost on his mind when it came to choose, he was still confident in the other teen's ability to be a good leader.
And the rest of the team would be in good hands. He'd been a bit surprised at Adam's choice, Carlos, a loner who had problems being with a team, but maybe Adam had his own reasons for choosing him. Maybe Adam was just a tad reluctant to give up his own power and that had altered his perceptions and choices just a bit. After all, Adam was only going to Angel Grove University that fall. He'd still have plenty of time to be a Ranger.
Tanya's choice was pretty plain, too. Tommy couldn't fault her for choosing the compassionate, brave Ashley for her replacement. Kat had been thinking of going to London for her schooling, so it was surprising that she'd had so many problems choosing her own successor. Maybe she was just like him and had chosen the first person who came to mind. Not that it would hurt the team, as Cassie was a good choice and they already knew she worked well with T.J., despite only knowing him for a few hours at most.
Yes, the team was in good hands. Besides, maybe it was best that they'd have a leader that was around more. He'd been so busy ever since he joined his uncle's race car team that he'd been barely spending any time with the rest of the Rangers. Kat had pointed this out one time to him when he was talking to her about Dimitria's pronouncement.
Maybe it was time to let go and get on with his life. Time to remember what it was like not to save the planet on a daily or weekly basis. Letting go of what had defined him for four years. He wasn't a Power Ranger anymore, just Thomas Oliver. Good guy, race car driver in training, and young man with a future ahead of him.
It was the toughest mission that he'd ever have to face.
The Toughest Mission
by Estirose
copyright 1997
It was over.
Tommy Oliver growled softly, trying not to wake up the others. He couldn't burden them with what he was feeling. How he'd managed to make it though this day without breaking down he'd never know. First getting chased by the Pirahnatrons on bikes, then being hung over the chasm, and then getting rescued, having to fight a monster, and finally having to give his powers to a new person.
Hard to believe that only a few hours ago he'd been the leader and most senior of the current group of Power Rangers. That for four years, minus those times when he didn't have powers, that he'd been defending the Earth.
The five that had welcomed him into the team had left. Jason, Trini, and Zack to that peace conference. Kim for the Pan Globals. Billy for love on Aquitar. And some of their replacements had gone, too, Aisha to cure the animals and Rocky to recover from his fall. Maybe it was right to join them as an ex-Ranger, finally. One could live without the power. He'd known that, once. He had a career now, something that demanded more of his time.
He still felt, well, he couldn't really describe it well, but it was kind of like he wasn't feeling anything at all. A kind of numbness was his best guess. Shock from his power loss. Later, he'd be alone, able to cry his head off when he finally realized what he'd let go of. It had always hurt him, every time that he had lost power due to one enemy or the other.
But this time, he hadn't lost his powers because of an enemy, unless he counted age as one. He'd given up his power because Dimitria had asked him and the others to, and he wouldn't cause a mutiny. That, and she'd made sense when she'd pointed out that all of them were going on to college and careers, things that wouldn't allow them the easy schedule the'd had as high school students. It was hard to muster up the rage against Dimitria, who certainly wasn't taking his powers away so that the Earth would be defenseless.
Besides, he'd left the power in good hands. T.J. would make a really good Red Ranger and leader. He recognized something of himself in the younger teen almost instantly. Tommy hoped he'd made the best choice. After all, he'd rejected so many others possibly because he couldn't face up to the fact that he'd no longer be a Ranger. Still, even if he'd chosen T.J. because he was upmost on his mind when it came to choose, he was still confident in the other teen's ability to be a good leader.
And the rest of the team would be in good hands. He'd been a bit surprised at Adam's choice, Carlos, a loner who had problems being with a team, but maybe Adam had his own reasons for choosing him. Maybe Adam was just a tad reluctant to give up his own power and that had altered his perceptions and choices just a bit. After all, Adam was only going to Angel Grove University that fall. He'd still have plenty of time to be a Ranger.
Tanya's choice was pretty plain, too. Tommy couldn't fault her for choosing the compassionate, brave Ashley for her replacement. Kat had been thinking of going to London for her schooling, so it was surprising that she'd had so many problems choosing her own successor. Maybe she was just like him and had chosen the first person who came to mind. Not that it would hurt the team, as Cassie was a good choice and they already knew she worked well with T.J., despite only knowing him for a few hours at most.
Yes, the team was in good hands. Besides, maybe it was best that they'd have a leader that was around more. He'd been so busy ever since he joined his uncle's race car team that he'd been barely spending any time with the rest of the Rangers. Kat had pointed this out one time to him when he was talking to her about Dimitria's pronouncement.
Maybe it was time to let go and get on with his life. Time to remember what it was like not to save the planet on a daily or weekly basis. Letting go of what had defined him for four years. He wasn't a Power Ranger anymore, just Thomas Oliver. Good guy, race car driver in training, and young man with a future ahead of him.
It was the toughest mission that he'd ever have to face.