Chapter Text
The Dino Charge Rangers were a team of Power Rangers empowered and bonded to their universe's most powerful items: the Energems.
Said to have bonded to the spirits of Earth's prehistoric inhabitants before their ultimately extinction, the Energems were lost to time but discovered in the year 2015 and discovered by ten people who became the rangers.
While this is true for multiple universes consisting of the Dino Charge Rangers, one universe didn't share the same as they were not chosen…
Rather sought out.
Tommy Oliver, a Legendary Ranger from the age of Zordon, ducked underneath a sword swipe. Putting up his guard, Tommy threw a one-two punch combo, effectively knocking the assailant back.
Fury, an alien bounty hunter with the motif of a lion, roared, "Head over the Energems now, Oliver!" He had been stranded on Earth the day the dinosaurs went extinct and searched for the Energems for the longest time.
Keeping the bag in check, Tommy glared at the alien. "Not a chance, fur face!"
Enraged by the taunt, Fury conducted lightning from his weapon and unleashed it, striking the ground around Tommy. The veteran Ranger flipped away very spryly for his age and continued to run.
Having escaped from Fury, Tommy managed to hop into his jeep and drive off. Looking over his shoulder, the veteran ranger noticed Fury wasn't keeping up and let out a breath of relief. His radio started to act up, which prompted him to answer.
"Go for Tommy," He answered.
"Please tell me you found them." A voice asked on his radio.
"Don't worry, Kendall. I've got them." Tommy replied as he did a quick check to see five Energems: red, blue, green, black, and pink. "I got a total of five."
"That's good enough for me." Kendall responded, "Now all we need is the other five."
"Yeah, but we need to do more research." Tommy said, "I just fought something else that wants the power for himself. Or at least I hope because if he's just a general of the one who really wants them…" He shuddered at the idea.
"I'm close to narrowing down the Gold Energem. At least I think so." Kendall informed him. "But right now, it's imperative you get back to the museum."
"You read my mind." Tommy remarked and headed straight for his destination.
...
Arriving at the Amber Beach Museum, Tommy parked his jeep and hopped out. However he was greeted with the infamous skateboarder near the premises.
Rolling his eyes, Tommy exited his vehicle as he parked and walked over. "Chase, how many times have I told you not to skate on the museum's grounds?"
Chase Randall, who just came to a stop, spotted him and addressed, "Oh! Hey, Dr. Oliver. What's the occasion, mate?"
Tommy sighed and pointed to a sign that clearly stated NO SKATING, SMOKING, LOITERING, OR VANDALISM.
"… I swear that the sign is new." Chase tried to defend himself.
"You already used that one." Tommy refuted.
"Um… I was just leaving."
"Also used that one."
"I was picking medication for my mom."
Tommy raised an eyebrow at that one. "You and I both know that's not true."
"Shoot!" Chase swore underneath his breath. "What do you have in that head? A mental list of every excuse I've ever used?"
"More like I know the obvious." Tommy said, "You should know where my office is by now." Chase sighed as he followed the professor into the museum.
Riley Griffin entered the museum with his eyes peeled. He came from his family's ranch but he wanted more than that. He often was caught daydreaming about being a musketeer or knight. However, he was here for a proper internship. His family was doing their best to keep the ranch afloat but a greedy investor was looking to turn the ranch and the woodlands into a new neighborhood. Riley thought he could get an internship at the museum and help provide for the time being.
Approaching the front desk, he introduced himself, "Hi, I'm Riley Griffin. I heard there was a job opportunity."
The receptionist didn't look up and said, "Did you apply online?"
"Well… um… no, I live on a ranch, but I saw a flyer and-"
"We only take online applications at the moment. Please submit yours through the website." The receptionist explained.
Riley looked sullen before Tommy walked over, "Don't worry. I can help you." The professor said, "This way."
"Thank you." Riley nodded and followed both Tommy and Chase. Riley had a quick look up and down at Chase before the skateboarder noticed the mild ogling and smirked, "Like what you see, mate?"
Riley, slightly flustered, quickly shook his head and followed Tommy and Chase to the office.
Further inside, Tyler Navarro had a map in his hand. Not one for the museum but one for a different location. His puzzled expression was enough for some of the employees to question him.
"He seems lost." Shelby Watkins noted as she stood near the Triceratops skeleton.
"Well, he is reading a topographic map in a museum." Dakota 'Koda' Tien added as he joined her.
"Cut him some slack." Shelby chided. "I'm going to ask."
"Shelby, typically guests ask us for help, not the other way around." Koda reminded her.
"Well…" Shelby trailed off and Dakota realized something, "Oh~ You think he's cute."
"Koda!" Shelby snapped and playfully slapped his arm as Koda laughed. The pink-clad girl was blushing with embarrassment, confirming the unspoken attraction.
"Dakota. Shelby." Tommy greeted as he passed them with Chase and Riley following behind. He noticed Tyler with his map and asked, "Any chance you can help the man over there? Because this is a museum, not an orientation place."
"Yes, sir, Dr. O." Dakota and Shelby said before the former whispered, "Looks like you get to talk to him after all." Shelby's face was bright red again.
"Come on…" Tyler said, reading his map.
"Hi, Sir." Shelby greeted, "Looking for something?"
Tyler turned around and saw Shelby and Dakota for the first time. "Oh… yeah." He looked down at his map again, "I was just looking for a certain cave around here."
"Where is it?" Dakota asked and Tyler pointed to the spot. "Hmmm… Looks like Sampson Caves but I could be wrong."
"Why are you looking there?" Shelby asked and Tyler's face almost fell at the question.
"I'm looking for my dad. He's been gone for about 10 years and this was his last known location."
"Oh… I'm sorry." Shelby said. The two employees felt guilty at the look on Tyler's face.
"It's alright," Tyler responded with a sad smile, "You didn't know."
"How about we go ask Dr. Oliver about some clues?" Koda offered.
"Dr. Oliver probably does know more about formations than we do." Shelby intoned.
"If it's anything to go by." Tyler agreed and followed the two employees. 'Don't worry, dad. I'll find you.'
"Dr. Oliver, wait!" Dakota called for the professor.
Dr. Oliver held back a groan. He really needed to give these Energems to Kendall but the interruptions just kept coming. "What is it?"
"Do you know anything about the Sampson Caves?" Tyler asked.
Dr. Oliver thought for a moment before replying, "Yes. A few things. What for?"
"He's looking for his dad." Shelby clarified.
Tommy's look somewhat softened. He remembered trying to find his brother during the whole Machine Empire invasion, so he decided to help. "Alright. I'll tell you what I know and how to get there. Shelby, Dakota. Escort him to my office." The two employees nodded and headed towards Dr. Oliver's office while Tommy went elsewhere for the time being.
…
"When I said get back here, I didn't mean to bring some teenagers with you." Kendall Morgan lightly scolded Dr. Oliver.
"I was going to get Chase's mom on the phone, Tyler is looking for a certain place that Dakota and Shelby were going to help with, and Riley is here for a potential job opening." Dr. Oliver explained as he unveiled the briefcase. They were in a secluded part of the offices.
"Well, at least you have the Energems." Kendall said and Tommy opened it. To their surprise, they began to shine. "You didn't tell me you found potential candidates."
"That's because I didn't." Tommy responded, somewhat surprised. Kendall reached for the pink Energem but nothing happened to her. "Well, there goes my guess."
Tommy, for the sake, picked the black Energem to test his theory which was proven correct as he didn't feel the powers flow through him. "So it's not us then."
"Then who?" Kendall asked. Tommy looked briefly at the five teenagers in his office and sharply inhaled.
"I have a sneaking suspicion."
Kendall looked between Tommy and the five teenagers in his office, putting two and two together. "You cannot be serious." She groaned.
"Kendall, when I was a ranger, we were just teenagers too." Tommy defended.
"Yes, but you also had experience in fighting. Not to mention you were manipulated." Kendall commented. "These five probably don't know how to throw a punch, let alone defend themselves."
"As Zordon once said, the Grid works in mysterious ways." Tommy quoted. He took the briefcase with him as he headed towards the office. Kendall sighed and followed him in.
Opening his office door, Tommy and Kendall entered, the former with his briefcase in hand. "Alright, so let's make this simple." Tommy began, "Tyler, what brings you to Amber Beach Museum?"
"I'm looking for the Sampson Caves." Tyler explained, "Clues to where I can find my dad hopefully." Tommy nodded then turned his attention to Riley. "And you?"
Being in the spot, Riley straightened his posture, "I'm here for a possible job opportunity, Mr. Oliver."
Tommy waved off the Mr. part before looking at Chase, "And I suppose you know why you are here."
"Loitering isn't something the police need to get involved with, mate." Chase replied in a nonchalant tone.
Tommy rolled his eyes while Kendall was unimpressed. These five couldn't possibly be the ones chosen with these dangerous artifacts.
"I understand you three… rather five," Tommy added, gazing in Dakota and Shelby's direction. "Have different goals or hobbies. But right now, I have a different offer for all of you."
Tommy opened the briefcase and presented the red, pink, black, blue, and green Energems to Tyler, Shelby, Chase, Dakota, and Riley respectively.
"What are these…" Shelby asked as she eyed the pink Energem.
"They are called Energems." Tommy answered. "The reason I'm showing you this… is because you have been chosen."
"Chosen? Chosen to do what?" Riley questioned. All he was looking for was to have a job to support his family's ranch.
"Chosen… to become Power Rangers." Tommy revealed to the gathered teenagers.
Said teenagers were in shock at the reveal. The Power Rangers were a huge deal. Modern-day superheroes right out of comic books since their first reveal in 1993. Since then, new teams have formed and defended their local cities from monsters, aliens, demons, evil ninjas, and more.
"Wait, like actual Power Rangers!?" Tyler exclaimed.
"I thought they were an urban legend." Dakota mentioned.
"An urban legend? Are you kidding me, mate?" Chase remarked.
"The Power Rangers are the real deal!" Tyler said, clearly elated.
"Trust me, they are." Tommy said, "I went to Angel Grove High when the Power Rangers first appeared in the public." Tommy omitted the part of him playing a role in the appearance.
"But why us?" Shelby asked which made Kendall snort in amusement.
"Yes, that is the question of the day." The director commented which made Shelby narrow her eyes at Kendall. Kendall had always undermined Shelby so they never saw eye-to-eye. It wasn't sure if it was jealousy due to Shelby's somewhat rich legacy of the Watkins ice cream industry.
"I know it's crazy but me and Kendall have been doing research on these Energems for years now." Tommy clarified. "Make no mistake, they chose you. Not the other way around."
The five teenagers were processing this with thoughtful looks on their faces. Seeing this take some time, Tommy closed the briefcase. "I'll give you some time to process this. Get some air but don't leave the museum before I get your answer. You're dismissed."
...
From Earth's orbit, a brown plated spacecraft hovered about. The spaceship's pilot and owner glared from the viewing deck at the planet.
"So this is where those fabled Energems are said to be hidden." Sledge, the ruthless bounty hunter, snarled, "They shall be mine!"
Wrench, the ship's mechanic and engineer, approached Sledge, "Master Sledge, I thought you had sent Fury here eons ago? Why are we approaching it now?"
"Fury is a skilled warrior who should no doubt have the Energems at this point. I gave him enough time already. It's about time he should deliver them to me." Sledge said.
"I personally don't see why you should get that furball back." Poisonadra, Sledge's wife, said. "He and I never really got along. I think it's better for him to stay on this planet for the rest of his life!"
"My precious little pookie-bear," Sledge cooed, switching his scary demeanor to a soft one -only used for his wife-, "While I would love to agree with you, Fury's deadline has come to an end. He is my best soldier after all."
Poisonadra hated to frown -since she declared it gave her wrinkles- but hated Fury even more.
Speaking of the devil, Fury's spaceship approached Sledge's, much to the bounty hunter's malicious intent. Fury had never let him down before, always delivering when it counted.
The second-in-command connected his ship and entered, storming through the gates of the many bounties his master had obtained. No doubt they were going to be sold soon.
"Fury!" Sledge cheered before immediately getting to business, "Where are the Energems?"
"I have searched long and hard to find them but I have been eluded each and every time." Fury explained which made Sledge growl. "Please Master Sledge, allow me to have a few more months."
"I've given you more than enough time… And you haven't even got one Energem!" The bounty hunter roared and lunged at his top general.
Fury was slammed into a wall as Sledge had him by the throat with his blaster to his head, "I should end you here and now."
"Oh, do it, Sledgums!" Poisonarda said gleefully.
"I… had… five before… you arrived… nearly in… my… possession."
"And what happened?" Sledge threatened with his hand crushing Fury's throat with Poisonarda not even trying to hide her dislike.
"A human… stole… them…." Fury wheezed out.
Sledge almost fired the blaster at that comment. His top general was stopped by a mere human on this planet. Granted this planet was the one to put the end of the United Alliance of Evil but Fury managed to evade the Z-wave since he wasn't a member of the UAE.
With an ounce of remorse, Sledge dropped Fury. "For the first time, I'm disappointed in you, Fury." Sledge snarled as Poisonarda clapped joyfully. Fury held back a glare for his boss' wife.
"The Energems were supposed to be mine! But now they are in the hands of a mere human?!" Sledge vented.
"But he only has five!" Fury argued, trying to find leeway. "Which means only five Energems left to find."
"You mean to tell me that you would have only had five!?" Sledge exclaimed and had his blaster charging up.
"Perhaps! But allow me to create a proposal." Fury offered.
"Tell me what it is before I pull the trigger." Sledge intoned.
Fury knew he wasn't bluffing and explained, "Why not have one of your prisoners prove themselves and send them to attack the city. In an exchange, the human will no doubt hand over the Energems."
Sledge considered this proposal. It would cut out the middle alien. Maybe he would even allow the prisoner to be pardoned and leave his ship. Even if that would cost him his bounty, the Energems were far more valuable than some random hit.
"Fine." Sledge relented, releasing his second in command much to his wife's dismay. "Select a prisoner that will do the job."
Fury massaged his throat for a while, knowing that Sledge's armor enhanced his strength and arsenal. He managed to walk and went down the cells of the rowdy inhabitants. Strolling down, he passed a few imposing ones such as a meteor themed felony, a feathery witch doctor-esque criminal, and one that was
Fury's eyes looked at the dreaded solitary confinement. Fury almost considered releasing him… before realizing that even Sledge wouldn't release him in the open to obtain the Energems.
Fury looked to one cell and found his breath was visible due to the low temperature. That's when he decided on the right alien to bring the Energems.