98Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers.
A/N: Just another story idea I had in my head, and I wanted to do. It won't be too long not really sure exactly how many chapters, though. It's set sometime after Kim's letter, but before Jason joined the Zeo team.
Tommy turned his head at the sound of a loud, excited squeal from the other end of the youth center. The off duty Red Zeo Ranger was teaching a karate class with Adam, but he just had to see exactly what was going on. He figured it was Kat or Tanya, but was surprised to see the source had been Ernie, who was clutching a sheet of paper as if it were made of gold.
"Ernie! You alright!?" Tommy called over, exchanging amused glances with Adam for a second before they both looked back at the youth center's owner.
"I won!" Ernie screamed, holding the paper up victoriously. "I entered a contest awhile ago and I won! I'm going to Panama Beach!"
Tommy held up his wrist to check the time, and found himself staring at his communicator. He quickly switched wrists, hoping no one saw that, and looked at his watch. Five minutes left in class...might as well end early. "Alright guys, class dismissed."
Adam grinned at his leader, and Tommy just rolled his eyes as the two of them walked over to the bar, each taking a seat across from Ernie while their students dispersed behind them.
"Panama, Florida?" Adam asked as Ernie handed them two smoothies, knowing exactly what they wanted without having to ask.
"That's the one," Ernie said. "I've never been on vacation! I'm so excited! I don't know what to do...what to pack..!"
"Hey guys!" Rocky said as he walked up behind them, taking a seat next to Adam. "Everything alright?"
"Great. Ernie here just won a dream vacation in a contest," Tommy said with a laugh as he took a sip of his smoothie.
"Oh yea, what was it? How many cakes you could throw at Bulk?" Rocky asked with a grin as Ernie handed him a smoothie as well.
"Very funny," Ernie dryly said. "It was a cooking contest. I entered with that new burger of mine and got first prize," he continued, smacking Rocky with his victory letter. "And you didn't like it."
"So I'm a connoisseur," Rocky said with a shrug and a laugh. "I have high standards for food."
"High society," Adam laughed, taking another sip of his smoothie.
"Connoisseur, huh?" Ernie challenged, looking Rocky in the eye. "Spell it."
"Oh, that's not fair," Rocky replied, pointing at Ernie in a mock threatening way.
"So what're you going to do in Panama?" Tommy asked, deciding to jump back in the conversation now that Rocky had been shot down.
"Well, there's going to be a big party at this beach-side restaurant," Ernie said, looking at the letter again. "But I figure I'll just spend some time on the beach working on my tan and meeting some ladies."
Before he could continue, the three guys let out a cheer, then Rocky reached over and patted Ernie on the shoulder while Tommy and Adam gave a small applause.
"Wish you guys greeted us like that every time," Kat said with a smile as she and Tanya walked up behind them. Kat took a seat by Tommy and Tanya took a seat on her other side.
"What's the commotion about?" Tanya asked as the three guys were rolling their eyes.
"Ernie's goin' to Florida!" Rocky said. "Gonna be clubbing and picking up some babes!"
"Thanks, Rocky," Ernie said sarcastically.
"Aw, a vacation!" Kat said, putting her arms on the counter. "You work so hard Ernie, you could really use one."
"Yea, well I still have to worry about things here," Ernie said. "Tommy, you still have a spare key to the place, right?"
"I think I do, if not then I know the Scotts or the Taylors have one," Tommy said after thinking for a moment. "Why?"
"I'll shut the place down while I'm gone, but you guys can come in and teach your classes like normal if you want," Ernie said with a shrug.
"I appreciate it, Ernie, but I'll probably just take a break while you're gone. What about you guys?" Tommy asked as he shot a very quick glance both ways, hoping the Rangers would get his message. There was no way they could do that, since if a monster attacked during a class they'd have to abandon the youth center. The other Rangers all voiced their agreement.
"Alright," Ernie said. "Say, isn't Kimberly down there? I'll have to look her up."
"Hey, yea!" Rocky agreed. "If you see her tell her 'hi' for all of us. We haven't heard from her since..." he trailed off, awkwardly leaving it at that as soon as he realized where he was going with that one.
"Well, you'll have fun," Tommy said, standing up. "I've got to go. Billy and I are helping the Kwans rearrange some stuff in their house."
"Oh, aren't they turning Trini's room into storage or something?" Adam asked, sounding a little amused.
"Yep, I just hope I don't get blamed when she finds out. Later guys," Tommy said, and he turned and walked out.
"Still in that stage, huh?" Ernie asked once he was out of earshot, going back to the mention of Kim earlier.
"He's not really depressed anymore, just sort of mad at her," Kat said, shaking her head. "It's hard to explain."
"I know how it goes," Ernie said, nodding his head.
The group was silent for a moment before Rocky decided to speak up. "Alright, Ernie! Here are some pickup lines guaranteed to work no matter what...!"
The remaining Rangers groaned in annoyance before standing up and exiting the youth center as well, leaving Ernie alone with his new coach.
King Mondo, Queen Machina, and Prince Sprocket appeared in a large construction site in the middle of Panama City, Florida late that night. The three of them looked around, and their eyes spotted a strange, giant purple egg held in a giant metal claw. Just what they were looking for. The construction workers here had unearthed it earlier today, and the space villains had caught immediate interest. They had quickly done some quick research and found out just what it was, and were now coming to see first hand.
"I don't like it here, mommy! It's too hot!" Sprocket complained.
"It's Florida, you idiot!" Mondo replied. "Of course it's hot!"
"So this is the feared warlord Ivan Ooze, huh?" Machina said as she looked over the egg. "How do we open it?"
"Simple!" King Mondo said, firing a small lightning bolt from his staff and the claw released the egg. As soon as it did, the top half of the egg split to reveal a giant pool of purple slime.
"What is that...?" Queen Machina wondered as the three looked on, but the slime had already begun moving, startling all three of them. They watched in awe as it lifted out of the egg and formed into a strange, purple man...the feared Ivan Ooze.
"Freedom!" Ooze screamed to the heavens as he held his hands up. "I'm free at last!"
"He certainly is lively..." Machina observed, looking to her husband.
"And just who might you be?" Ivan asked the three machines standing before them, looking them over.
"Ivan Ooze...I am king Mondo of the Machine Empire," Mondo replied. "I have freed you so that I may help me destroy the Power Rangers."
"The Power Rangers!?" Ooze yelled, stepping forwards and causing the machine family to step backwards. "Zordon's still around!?"
"And still causing trouble," Mondo replied. "I want to make a deal with you. You destroy Zordon and his teenaged do-gooders and I'll dig up the rest of your army I know is buried here."
"Very well," Ivan Ooze agreed. "Where can I find these stupid teenagers?"
"Most of them are based in the city of Angel Grove, California," King Mondo replied. "Although some are retired. Three in Switzerland, one in Africa, and one right here in Florida."
Ivan Ooze frowned as Sprocket handed him a sheet of paper listing all kinds of info about the Rangers. "A Power Ranger that retired and moved to Florida? What...is it the same damn kid I fought six thousand years ago?"
Ooze grunted when the three just stared at him, not understanding his joke.
"...Very well...we'll leave you to your mission," Mondo said, nodding. "I'll send my machines in the morning to dig up everything else."
Ooze waved a dismissive hand as the three of them teleported away. Instead he stared at the list of Rangers, trying to think of how to start. Should he track down Zordon and attack personally? Tempting...but his eyes shot up when he sensed a strange presence in the area. It was with a group...but it stood out. He could sense two lingering animal spirits coming from a single person.
Instantly Ooze looked back to the list, and a large grin formed. "Very well...we'll start with you, Kimberly."
Kimberly Hart sighed as she watched her boyfriend, Andy Thomas, climbing the fence into a closed construction site. Along with them were their friends Amy, Bridgett, Carson, and Steven. She and Carson were the only ones not over the fence yet...and she let out another sigh as Carson threw over a case of beer, which Andy easily caught, before scaling the fence himself.
"You know I don't like this, guys!" Kimberly said for the hundredth time, crossing her arms. The only reason she was here was to make sure they didn't do anything extremely stupid.
"Come on, Kim!" Andy said with a laugh. "You know we'll be fine. Just kickin' back a few beers and having fun...it's all safe!"
"I know...I know..." Kimberly said, climbing the fence and hopping down herself. "It's just...I'm not used to this. Sneaking around and breaking laws and all that."
"We'll be fine, sweetheart. I promise," Andy said, pulling her in for a quick kiss on the lips. "Just drinking and relaxing."
"Alright..." Kim said with a smile, looking to the others who were setting up some chairs they'd brought. "Don't expect me to drink any, though."
"Deal," Andy said, turning back to the group. He froze, though, at the sight of a strange purple figure, who the others were backing away from. Instantly, he grabbed his girlfriend's arm and pulled her behind him.
"I'll take her share!" the man said with a laugh.
"Who are you...?" Bridgett asked, tripping over a rock as she backed up, but still keeping her balance.
"The name's Ooze! Ivan Ooze!" he announced, picking up a beer and cracking it open. "Pleasure to meet you all!"
"Uh huh..." Steven said hesitantly. "What are you doing here?"
Ooze just laughed as he took a sip of the beer, instantly frowning. He quickly threw it into the air and fired a lightning bolt from his finger, causing it to explode in midair.
"Run guys!" Andy ordered, releasing Kim's wrist so she could run. "Run and get help!"
"Oh! Look at the brave little hero!" Ooze mocked with another cackle. "Come and get me!"
"We'll be right back!" Carson yelled as the others, except for Kim, began scaling the fence.
"I'm not leaving you!" Kimberly yelled, shaking her head furiously. Andy shot her a look like he wanted to argue, but the look in her eyes told him that she wasn't going anywhere without him.
Instead, Andy grabbed a steel pipe, and ran right at Ooze. Ivan didn't move until the teenager took a swing at him with it. He held his hands up at the last second and ripped the pipe from his hands, and quickly slammed in into the side of Andy's head, knocking him out and throwing him onto a stack of concrete bags.
"Andy!" Kim screamed, running over to him. She checked his pulse...he was alive, just unconscious. She turned turned in horror to see Ivan Ooze closing in on her. "Stay back!"
"Now, now...Pink Ranger," Ooze said with a laugh as he grabbed her by the neck, picking her up. "I just want to meet you and some of your...other friends."
"Let...me go...!" Kimberly demanded, struggling to get free.
"As you wish," Ooze said, and threw her hard into a wall, knocking her out as well.
He looked at the two fallen teenagers, then snapped his fingers. Instantly, a horde of his specialized Ooze-men appeared, looking around at their surroundings.
"Go and play, my pretties! Let this city know that Ivan Ooze has returned!" Ivan said with a laugh as he picked the unconscious Kimberly back up, trapping her arms against her waist with some Ooze from his hand. "I'll be back soon. Next stop...Switzerland!"
A/N: Since the movie isn't canon, that means the Rangers never actually encountered Ooze...so I decided to go ahead and try mixing him in. Of course...I obviously took some liberties and changed the location. Anyways, please leave a review.
