Chapter 39: Passing the Baton

While the others were fighting giant monsters that would eventually break down, I was walking home from the command center. Though I was right about my power coin being un-take-able by Zordon, he did ask me to leave, so I did. I walked for quite a way before pulling out my cell and texting Gwen. I walked some more before she drove up. I opened the car door.

“So what happened?” Gwen asked as I got in.

“Zordon didn’t like it that I wasn’t going to fall in line.” I said. “So he told me to get out.”

“That didn’t go over well, huh?” She asked.

“Not for me, but something told me not to hand over the coin to him.” I explained as I closed the door and buckled up.

“Something?” Gwen asked.

“Yeah.” I said before holding out my morpher and coin for her to see.

“Why are you showing me that?” She asked.

“I’m not showing. I’m surrendering it to you. That same something that told me not to give it to Zordon, it’s telling me to give it to you.” I said. “Call it a feeling, a premonition, or even something from a god, but I’m supposed to give you the morpher. You were meant to be the next ranger. Not me.” I said.

Her eyes lit up.

“I think I should give you some speech about responsibility, and keeping your identity secret and all that Jazz.” I sighed as she took it. “But I won’t. I hope you won’t use it to hurt others. Even if you choose to not keep your identity a secret, keep the others a secret, as it’s their choice, not yours to reveal it. As for escalation, try to not push the boundaries too far. Something big is about to happen and Zordon, like it or not, is going to need all hands on deck.” I said as the morpher glowed in her hands.

No doubt about it. The power was accepting her as its partner. That’s the thing about the power coins, at least from my point of view. They had to accept the user. Tommy had to be chosen by the green coin, that’s why Rita couldn’t use it. Kat was chosen by the pink coin later. This time it was Gwen. She was being chosen.

“What about you? Won’t you need the powers?” Gwen asked.

“No.” I said.

She held the morpher to her chest as a tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly unbuckled and leaned over and pulled me into a passionate kiss.

“Wow.” I said after we broke the kiss. “I never thought ... I mean, I guess I was the oblivious main character after all.”

She laughed.

“Oblivious main character?” She laughed. “I guess you did get caught up in that old trope.”

I sighed.

“Yep.” I said. “I guess when you’ve watched enough anime, you end up picking up some bad habits.”

She calmed down and looked at me.

“So what will you do now?” She asked.

I thought about it for a moment before lifting up my communicator and pressing a button.

“If you’ll hear me out, I’d like to explain my actions.” I said into it. “But we’ll need to bring my guest along as well.”