The Children of Maligore

They had failed. Even as he ran with the other rangers out of the temple, the knowledge that he had failed Jason and Kim ate at him.

He could not rejoice in the defeat of Maligore, nor in the knowledge that Bulk and Skull had ended up saving Lerigot and his family from dying in the temple. He stood in the cockpit of the Turbo Megazord, watching Bulk and Skull make fools of themselves yet again but he could not find it in him to laugh. Yes, they had won, but his friends, his teammates, his family, had not made it off the island.

His head rebelled at the thought even as his heart mourned.

He knew he was worrying his team. He hadn’t broken down yet. He hadn’t cried, raved, threw a tantrum. He showed no emotion at all as he went back to training with Adam and Richie, a last minute replacement for Rocky. He gave the customary smile when they won the money, but his friends could see it held no real warmth.

Zordon was worried.. The old mage hadn’t said anything, but he could see it in his face whenever the rangers were called on to fight the returned Rita and Zedd. He knew the giant head, and Alpha as well, knew of his nightmares. Where Jason and Kim, the evil plain in their eyes, cursed him for their deaths.

It was Goldar, ironically enough, who finally got the Red Ranger to show emotion. It was the winged monkey, his bitter rival of several years, who finally gave him something to live for.

Goldar claimed Jason and Kim were still alive. Evil, yes, but alive.

And Tommy believed him.

One Week after Maligore’s Destruction It was shaping up to be the tournament of the century. Assassins and would-be warriors had turned up from all over the cosmos when it was discovered the Great Flame of Destruction had created two children on the eve of his wedding to Divatox. Evil, ruthless, and former power rangers, they swore to have their revenge for the death of their father. But first, they needed an army.

It’s like moths to a flame. The woman smirked as she heard her brother’s thought.

Yes, moths, drawn to the great flame of our heritage. She agreed.

Half of these half-wits are worthless. He sent back derisively. The woman’s lips twitched.

True, but we’ll need some of these half-wits to keep the rangers occupied. She reminded him. He growled, startling two wannabe’s nearby. Her snickering was cut short when the taller man grabbed her roughly to stare down into her red eyes.

“Focus, wench! We have things to do and not enough time to do it!” He snarled. The people around all froze at the man’s words, hardly breathing as the two flames stared one another down. Finally, the man formerly known as Jason snarled and let the woman go.

“We begin!” He roared. The warriors cheered in response. The woman slinked off to the side, her eyes raking over the gathered warriors. Feeling nothing but derision for those who looked less than human, they had excluded all monsters from this tournament; their court would be all human.

“You fight! The last 7 warriors left standing will be our generals!” He shouted and the crowd watching roared their approval. Leaving him to the fight, the woman formerly known as Kimberly made her way into the crowd of onlookers, searching for the pirate who had tried marrying her father. She finally found her screeching to Rita and Zedd.

“…and they won’t listen to me! I’m there mother, for Spector’s sake!” Divatox screeched. Kimberly’s expression hardened.

“We have no mother. We need no mother.” She snarled. Divatox whirled around in outrage.

“If it weren’t for me, you’d still be goody-two-shoes!” Divatox yelled. Without warning, the pirate was dangling in the air, Kimberly choking her.

“You are pathetic. My father would have never given you the time of day had he known what a moron you are. Now stop you’re screeching woman!” She snarled before throwing Divatox to the ground. Turning around, she found Zedd eyeing her appraisingly.

“I always knew you’d be wonderfully evil, Kimberly.” He smirked. She raised an eyebrow, looking him over.

“Call me Khetala.” She told him. Zedd’s visor glowed red in pleasure.

“And what of the former Red Ranger? What is he going by now?” He asked. Khetala smirked.

“He insists on being called Jereth.” She informed him in a bored voice. Rita frowned, half annoyed at the attention Zedd was paying the former pink ranger and half annoyed at the flippant attitude Khetala was showing them.

“What is your plan, Khetala?” She spat. Khetala smiled as the crowd cheered. Looking to the center ring, Khetala smirked when she saw the 100 warriors had been reduced to roughly 30; she could just see familiar gold armor flashing through the crowd.

“Why should I tell you?” She turned her attention back to the Empress. Rita sneered.

“I can give you pointers on being evil, my dear. I’ve been doing it for a long time.” She replied. Khetala rolled her eyes.

“I think I can manage, thanks.” She commented dryly. Rita pouted.

“My Lady Khetala?”

Khetala turned around, surprised to find a woman standing just behind her. Khetala raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“My name is the Lady Hecate, my liege. I’ve come to offer you my services.” She murmured, bowing. Khetala smiled, pleased at the subservient attitude.

“Why should I accept your services, Hecate?” She asked curiously. Hecate looked up, her eyes flashing green.

“I am a sorceress, my Lady. I can create monsters and footmen for you.” She replied. Khetala eyed her hungrily.

“What kind of footmen?” She demanded. Hecate smirked and waved her staff. With a flash of light, half a dozen female warriors and half a dozen male warriors appeared. Khetala approached them, looking the foot women and men over. Absently she heard Rita, Zedd, and Divatox gasp.

“Those are Keres, the spirits of the Dead!” Rita whispered, gob smacked.

“Where did you find them?!” Zedd demanded. Hecate eyed him disgustingly.

“Ah ah ah, now that would be telling. And you, Zeddie, do not have the power to order my court around.” Khetala broke in smoothly. Zedd growled.

“Why you little upstart!” He went to stalk towards her but the 12 Keres’ stepped in front of Khetala. To the side, Hecate smiled, pleased. Khetala watched, amused, as one of the male Keres’ stared at Zedd with contempt.

“You will not harm our Princess.” He snarled. Zedd’s visor glowed red but before he could say or do anything the crowd cheered again and Jareth’s voice could be heard congratulating the victors. Smirking at her rival, she waved a hand at Hecate.

“Let us go and introduce you to Jareth. He’ll be pleased with what you have offered.” She told her. The Sorceress smiled evilly as Khetala looked over her shoulder at the fuming Zedd and Rita.

“By the way, by order of Maligore’s children and by the decree of Dark Spector himself, I’m ordering you back to Earth to keep the rangers occupied. Do not tell them of our survival or you’re deaths will be long and…torturous.” She informed him before leading the way to the center ring.

Rita looked at Zedd, fuming. “That little bitch! She can’t order us around like some-some-PUPPY!” Rita screeched.

“Actually, she can.” A new voice broke in, amused. Rita and Zedd turned around to find them face to face with Astronema, Dark Spector’s adopted daughter. Zedd barely stopped himself from stepping back.

“What do you mean?” Zedd demanded. Astronema smirked.

“Have you forgotten who Dark Spector is? Maligore’s brother, and Khetala and Jareth’s uncle. He’s made them Princess and Prince of his court. Which means they can, and do have the power to order you around.” She informed them. If Zedd could pale, he would have.

“Now, I’d hate to have to tell my father that you, a mere Lord and Lady, had refused to obey my cousin’s command. He might just find that…traitorous.” She purred. Rita squeaked at the implication. Dark Spector did not tolerate traitors—they never survived.

“Let’s go Rita.” Zedd growled, motioning to Rito and Goldar.

“Where’s Scorpina?” Rita demanded. Astronema snickered.

“With her new Princess, Rita.” She motioned to the crowd of warriors surrounding Khetala and Jareth. Sure enough, Scorpina was with them, head held high as she swore her allegiance to the Great Flames of Destruction. Growling, Rita and Zedd stomped off in the direction of Serpenterra. Astronema’s eyes sparkled with glee as her protector came up behind her.

“Things are about to get very interesting Ecliptor.” She purred. He grunted and she slowly smiled. “Very interesting indeed.”

One Month After Maligore’s Destruction Tommy looked up at Zordon, his eyes alight with an inner fire.

“Is it true, Zordon? Did Kim and Jason survive?” He asked hopefully. Adam, Tanya, and Kat exchanged worried glances as Justin looked on silently.

Zordon sighed. “I do not know if what Goldar spoke is truth but I know someone who may. Alpha, open a communication link with Aquitar.” He ordered. The little automaton rushed to comply, his body nearly quivering with hope.

Within minutes, Billy’s familiar features filled the screen. “Aquitar here—Zordon! Guys, it’s so good to see you again!” He exclaimed. Kat and Tanya smiled.

“It’s good to see you as well, Billy.” The pink ranger responded. Billy grinned at her.

“Billy, we are calling for a matter most urgent.” Zordon broke in gently. Billy straightened.

“Should I get Delphine?” He asked. Zordon nodded as Adam and Tanya exchanged looks. Off to the side, Justin fidgeted. Soon, the screen was split in two, Billy on the right, Delphine on the left.. Zordon nodded.

“Introductions are in order. Billy Cranston, Delphine of Aquitar, I would like to introduce you to the newest member of the Earth’s Ranger team—Justin Stewart, Blue Turbo Ranger.” Zordon voice was proud as Justin straightened and nodded at the two. Billy frowned.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Justin but…what happened to Rocky? Is he okay?” The former blue ranger asked worriedly. Adam smiled at him.

“Rocky had a bit of an accident. He injured his back severely and couldn’t fight. We needed a blue ranger due to what we’re calling about, so Justin was asked to fill in. Rocky decided retirement agreed with him so Justin became the new blue.” The green ranger explained. Billy nodded, his expression thoughtful.

“Billy, have you heard from Jason or Kim?” Tommy suddenly blurted out. The Turbo Rangers turned to Billy hopefully but Billy’s frown quickly dampened there spirits.

“No, should I have?” He asked quizzically. Tommy swore softly.

“Damnit! I know Goldar wasn’t lying! But where the hell are they?!” He muttered angrily to himself. Billy frowned at the red ranger before turning to the others.

“What’s going on?” He asked worriedly. Kat sighed.

“Divatox came to Earth and kidnapped Kim and Jason along with Bulk and Skull. She intended to sacrifice them to Maligore.” Kat explained softly. Before Billy could say anything Delphine broke in.

“She succeeded.” She spoke softly, pityingly. Tommy froze while the other Turbo’s and Billy looked at her in surprise. The white ranger sighed.

“I received intelligence this morning that two beings going by the names Khetala and Jareth have joined Dark Spector’s Court as Prince and Princess. The report says that they call themselves the Children of Maligore.” She explained. Billy paled.

“Kim and Jason are evil?” He whispered, stunned. Adam nodded morosely.

“We thought they had been stuck on the island when it was destroyed but Goldar let slip that they survived. We were calling to see if you guys knew anything.” He explained softly.

“Guess you did.” Tanya whispered, her heart constricting. Justin’s brow furrowed as Billy’s expression suddenly hardened.

“Delphine, I regret to inform you that due to the matter of this emergency, I must resign as Earth’s ambassador.” He spoke quietly, confidently. Tommy’s eyes shot to his and Billy nodded. “My family needs me.”

“GOLDAR!!” Rita and Zedd both spun around, shocked at the fury in the scream at there assassin. When they saw who had screamed, however, they both stiffened. Glowing a faint crimson, her eyes flashing fire, was Khetala. Standing behind her, looking amused, was Jareth.

“What do you two want?!” Rita snapped. Khetala threw a hand out and a fireball hit the back of the throne she was standing next to. Khetala glanced at her.

“Next time you speak, I won’t miss.” She informed her before twirling around and holding another arm out. Goldar was lifted from the ground, his sword raised in preparation of a strike as Khetala kept him from moving.

“You disobeyed a direct order!” She snarled. Zedd came to his senses and stepped forward.

“What did he do?” He demanded. Jareth stepped forward, holding a fireball in his hand. Zedd eyed him warily.

“Your overgrown baboon told the rangers we were still alive.” He informed him. Rita gagged as Khetala methodically tore feather after feather from Goldar’s wings as the assassin screamed in silent agony. “For his disobedience, he must be punished. And as your assassin, your must be punished as well. Dark Spector has approved.”

“What?! Now wait just a—“ Zedd started, only to be silenced when Jareth threw the fireball at him.

"You dare defy the Prince of Darkness?” Jareth demanded as Zedd crumpled to the floor, holding his arm. Rita watched in morbid fascination as Zedd’s muscles began deteriorating from where the fireball had hit. Zedd himself seemed to be in shock, watching the destruction with horror.

Off to the side, Khetala dropped the now wingless and featherless monkey to the ground. She turned to Rita who whimpered and scurried back. Khetala smirked over at Jareth who nodded.

“We do not blame you Rita. You are under your husbands command and so the blame falls mostly on him. However, we can not let you go unpunished.” She told her almost gently. Rita whimpered again and Khetala and Jareth threw fireballs at her. Rita screamed as the fireballs hit her staff, causing it to turn to dust. She collapsed to the ground next to her husband.

“You both have been stripped of the magic afforded you by Dark Spector and have been demoted in the court. If you or any of your court disobey or hamper us again, we will not be so merciful. Good day, Baron and Baroness.” Jareth spoke softly, his voice at odds with the fire in his eyes. With that, the two turned and walked away.

Crying softly, Rita looked from Zedd, writhing on the ground in silent agony as the fireballs power fed on his flesh to her assassin who was unconscious at the foot of the throne, blood pooling around him from his wounds. She turned in the direction the two former rangers had left, an all consuming hate filling her very being.

“I pledge myself to this oath, that before I draw my last breath, I will see the death of you, Children of Maligore. I will feel and feed on your hearts blood. So mote it be.”

Being a new prince of Darkness has its challenges. Jareth thought as he observed the room he was currently holding court in. Once Zedd’s stronghold on Maldoran, it had been given to Jareth and Khetala when the former Lord was reduced to a Baron, the lowest noble title in Dark Spector’s vast network. Unfortunately, Zedd hadn’t actually been to Maldoran for quite some time and he throne room was less than hospitable. “My Lord, if I may inquire on your next course of action?” Dwyn, the newest member of the court, was a low level sorcerer and warrior. What he lacked in actual magical power, he more than made up with his fighting and tactical skills. Jareth smirked, glancing at Scorpina who leered back.

“We’re going to attack and capture Earth of course.” He informed him coolly. Lasair and Janus, the twin assassins, exchanged a grin while Sirona lay back against the wall, studying her nails.

“When do we leave, my lord?” Tyr, Jareth’s right hand fighter, asked politely. Jareth glanced at him, taking in the full crimson body suit he’d taken to wearing since swearing his allegiance to the Flames. Tyr was renowned in the cosmos as one of the deadliest fighters to ever grace Dark Spector’s court. He was also known as the most polite warrior many had ever met—Astronema had informed Jareth that Tyr would no doubt apologize to the Rangers before kicking their asses.

“We won’t leave for a few days yet. I have a plan that will greatly reduce the number of allies Earth can count on.” Jareth informed them. He suddenly frowned, looking around. “Where is Khetala, Hecate, and Eisa?”

“Here, Jareth dear.” Khetela said, stepping from the doorway on the right. Jareth raked his eyes over her, a slow smile crossing his face as he took in her new look. Calf high, crimson leather boots adorned her legs, stopping just under a black and crimson skirt. Her stomach was bare and her chest was encased in a crimson and black corset tube top. Covering her arms and back from the cold was a black floor length jacket with silver lining. Her once brown hair was now blood red and put up in two top knots, accenting her red eyes and small throat. All in all, Jareth approved.

“You like?” She asked, twirling. Jareth glanced at the others in the court and glowered—Dwyn, Lasair, and Janus were ogling Khetala and throwing her appreciative smiles. Glancing at Scorpina and Sirona, he was pleased to see both of them nodding in approval but nothing else. Without warning, Khetala sat down on his lap.

“So…have you filled them in?” Khetala asked, settling in so her back was against the arm rest and her head was on his shoulder. Rolling his eyes, he turned to his court, taking stock of the fact Hecate was sitting demurely on a chair while Eise had plopped herself in between the twins. Neither Lasair nor Janus appeared upset about this, as they leered the small ninja.

“Tyr! Scorpina, come forth!” Jareth growled, turning his head to nip at Khetala’s neck before staring his two chief warriors down.

“I have an assignment for you two. Using whatever resources you must, attack Triforia and Aquitar. Do not retreat until sufficient damage has been done. You are also to deliver a personal message to their King’s—this message.” He waved his arm and two scrolls appeared in a flash of flames. Tyr and Scorpina grasped them and nodded. Jareth glanced at Khetala who was staring at him, her eyes hooded. His pants suddenly tight, he glared at the two assassins.

“Go and make sure they know that anyone who helps Earth against us will not live to regret it.” He snarled, standing abruptly, cradling Khetala in his arms. He glared at the others as Scorpina and Tyr left quickly to do his command.

“The rest of you, prepare for our departure in two days; I want as many Keres as you can make and you five ready for battle.” He snarled before walking from the room, his lips crushed to Khetala’s. Eyes alight, Dwyn, Sirona, Lasair, Janus, and Eise shot to their feet and rushed from the room. Hecate stood much more slowly, taking care to smooth out her skirt. Looking around the empty throne room, she nodded. She was going to enjoy her employment with the Great Flames.

It’d been a week since he’d returned to Earth and Billy was still struggling to adjust to all the changes. Tommy was in a constant foul mood; Kat was struggling to help her boyfriend and failing miserably. Adam and Tanya were struggling to help Justin, Rocky himself wasn’t a ranger anymore, and everyone had finally graduated. To say Billy was feeling slightly out of place was an understatement. “Hey Billy.” Rocky greeted as he teleported in. That was another thing; Rocky was spending nearly as much time in the Power Chamber these days as Billy. The former blue took this as a sign that he missed being a ranger; something Billy could definitely relate to. Smiling at him, he went back to studying the computer. Rocky stepped up behind him, fidgeting.

“Anything I can do to help?” He asked hesitantly. Without pausing in his search, Billy pointed at another computer screen.

“Look for anything pertaining to Maligore. We have to find out as much about him as possible to figure out a way to get Kim and Jason back.” He said, eyes raking over the text on his own screen. Billy felt Rocky nod and move away. There was silence for a few minutes before Rocky finally caved.

“So, what did Cestria say about you coming back?” he asked. Billy smiled slightly; he’d wondered how long it would take one of them to ask.

“Seeing as how Cestria and I didn’t last more than a month, she was fine with it. She told me to be careful.” He added as an afterthought.

“You guys broke up?” Rocky asked, surprised. Billy glanced at him and nodded.

“I realized a few things while I was with her and…lets just say she wasn’t my type.” He put forth before going back to his computer. He could practically feel Rocky frowning.

“But…she’s a smarty. She’s pretty. How is she not your type?” He asked, confused. Billy debated on answering before finally deciding he needed to tell someone.

“First of all, I’ve been afraid of aquatic life since I was boy. Dating a half fish was a bit odd, even for me being a former ranger.” He told him, glancing over to see Rocky grin. Steadying himself, he prayed that what he was about to say didn’t cause any strife with his friend.

“Second, she’s female.” He said softly, and glanced at the former ranger. Rocky didn’t seem fazed; if anything, his grin had gotten bigger.

“I thought as much.” He nodded, his eyes twinkling. Billy gaped at him.

“Pardon?” He spluttered. Rocky shrugged.

“Billy, my man, you have had girls lining up for years and none of them ever ‘felt right.’ After Shannah and you fell through, I started thinking and finally decided the reason they didn’t feel right for you was cause they were the wrong gender.” He explained. Billy continued to gape at him, astounded at the insight his normally clueless friend had just displayed. Finally, when Rocky began fidgeting under Billy’s stare, the original blue gathered his wits.

“And why did you not see fit to explain this insight to me before now?” He asked curiously. Rocky, surprisingly, blushed.

“Billy, how do you think most guys react when someone tells them that they thing they’re gay?” He asked and Billy nodded in understanding.

“I would have undoubtfully denied it.” He sighed. Rocky nodded sagely.

“Been there, done that.” He waved a hand and Billy blinked. Before he could say anything to that, Rocky’s eyes began glimmering with mischievousness.

“So, any particular guy you like?” He asked innocently. Billy spluttered again, unable to reply. Laughing, Rocky went back to reading.

Triforia, Capital City of Tri The palace was in ruins as Trey, Lord of Triforia, stumbled from the smoke. The attack had come from nowhere in the middle of the night and the city was decimated. With no advance warning, Trey had been unable to morph and lead the troops who had been slaughtered by the black and crimson clothed warriors. And for every troop who had been killed, a new crimson and black warrior had sprung up. “I wouldn’t move if I were you, my golden lord.” A soft silken voice sneered as a sword tip appeared at his throat. Trey froze, unwilling to move as the smoke disappeared to reveal Scorpina, the assassin of Rita and Zedd. His brow furrowed.

“What are you wearing?” He asked, trying to stall so his troops can get to his side. She smirked as he took in her now black armor and crimson lined black sword.

“I now serve the Great Flames and so I show my allegiance.” She informed him coolly, pressing the sword to his neck as his troops closed in. She glanced at them.

“You move one more step, warriors of Triforia, and I will slit your Lord’s throat.” Scorpina informed the warriors as if discussing the weather. They froze and Trey glared at the assassin.

“What do you want?” He snapped. Scorpina smirked and a flame appeared at his feet. Trey watched the flames until they died down from the corner of his eye, leaving a small scroll in its place. Before he could say anything, a bright flame engulfed Scorpina and she disappeared. Wincing, he rubbed his throat and stooped down to pick up the scroll. As his warriors surrounded him protectively, Trey unrolled the parchment and read the missive.

“Lord of Triforia,

This attack is not random, nor is it without purpose. This attack serves to warn you and all others who would assist Earth against us. If you do so, this attack will seem like a small skirmish in comparison.

You’ve been warned,

The Great Flames,

Jareth and Khetala”

Aquitar, Throne Room of the King Light years away, Delphine stood before King Pontus of Aquitar as he read the same message. Once he was finished, he turned to look at the white, red, and blue rangers.

“I will not risk any more danger to Aquitar. No longer will we assist Earth. Go, mourn your losses.” He ordered before turning his attention to the destroyed city not a hundred meters away. Bowing, Cestro and Aurico left. Delphine alone remained.

“My lord, with your permission, I would send a message to Earth. The Flames were once Rangers there who have now been perverted by Maligore’s flame. The Peacemaker should know what his old teammates are doing and why they will not hear from us until the Flames are defeated.” She spoke quietly, convincingly. Pontus remained silent for a few minutes before speaking.

“As a Ranger leader, I know that I have no say in you informing the other team of this; it is your duty, as protecting this planet is mine. I only ask that you do so in the greatest of secrecy…I will not have this act turn against us.” He agreed reluctantly. Delphine nodded before leaving.

Triforia, Capital City of Tri Trey sighed as he sat in front of the communication console. After discussing the issue with his mother, his advisors, and his sister, they had decided that they would not risk Triforia until the Flames were defeated. Why these Flames were attacking and where they came from, he didn’t know; all he knew was that he wished his father was still alive to guide him through this obstacle. “Trey, hi!” Katherine greeted the Gold Ranger with a smile. Trey smiled back in greeting, pleased to see Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Tanya and Billy behind her.

“What can we do for you Trey?” Tommy asked, taking command. Trey was quiet as he studied the rangers, unsure how to tell them they would not receive help from Triforia again.

“I have some bad news for you rangers.” He began and was surprised to see all of them tense, wary, as if they knew what was coming but didn’t want to hear it.

“I’m afraid Triforia will not be assisting Earth from this point on.” He sighed. Tommy frowned.

“Why not?” He demanded, surprised. Trey sighed and pushed a button, showing the destruction of the main city, the palace still smoking from the blasts.

“Triforia was attacked twelve hours ago. Scorpina, who led the troops, delivered a missive promising worse destruction and death if we continued to assist you. I apologize Rangers, but I must protect my people.” Trey explained, switching back so he could speak to them face to face. He narrowed his eyes when Tommy swallowed and Adam swore softly.

“What?” He demanded. Tommy set his face and looked Trey dead in the eye.

“Scorpina is now serving the Flames of Destruction, Jareth and Khetala.” He told him. Trey nodded, knowing this. What Tommy said next shocked him so bad he nearly fell from his chair.

“Jason is Jareth and the original pink is Khetala. They’ve been turned evil.”

Earth, Power Chamber Trey’s message was a complete and utter shock to the rangers. Even knowing Jason and Kim were evil, it hadn’t fully penetrated their minds how dangerous the two of them could truly be.

“Rangers!” Zordon spoke, calling attention to him and Alpha. “We’re getting a heavily disguised message from Aquitar.”

The six young adults moved to the viewing panel and were unsurprised to see Delphine appeared. What did surprise them was the fact that the connection was horrible. Billy made a move to clear it up and Delphine shook her head.

“Don’t bother, I don’t have a lot of time and the more interference the better.” She spoke with conviction. Tommy swallowed and closed his eyes, knowing instinctively what had happened.

“They attacked you too, didn’t they?” He asked quietly, vaguely aware of the others looking at him in horror. Delphine nodded.

“King Pontus has declared that we will not assist Earth in any way until the Flames have been either contained or…killed.” She informed them. “I’m sorry Rangers.”

Maldoran, Flames Stronghold On Maldoran, Jareth and Khetala lounged in bed, naked and looking at the flame screen which was showing them the destruction on Triforia. Khetala smirked, licking her fingers of the chocolate strawberries she’d been eating. Jareth was rubbing circles on Khetala’s back as he hungrily eyed in the destruction on the screen.

“No worries babe. Soon, that will be Earth and you will stand as the victor as we begin the path to our final glory.” She assured him, handing the now empty bowl to one of the Keres who was serving as their servant. Jareth grunted and she smiled into his shoulder before leaning up to kiss him. He kissed her back, rolling to pin her beneath him. The kiss broke and Jareth’s eyes softened as he took in Khetala’s appearance. She smiled up at him. He bent down and nuzzled her neck.

“Finally, you’re mine.” He murmured, nipping at her throat and Khetala made an affirmative sound in her throat. A delicate cough made them tense and Jareth looked up to find Hecate in the doorway.

“What?!” he growled. Hecate stared above them as the two Flames glared at her, her cheeks pink.

“Scorpina and Tyr have returned sire and Dark Spector wishes to speak with you.” She informed him softly. Jareth grunted and rolled off Khetala. Growling, Khetala shot to her feet, accepting the black robe Jareth had handed to her. Dressed in a matching crimson robe, Jareth lead the way to the drafty throne room.

There, waiting in a screen of flame, was Dark Spector praising Scorpina and Tyr for the destruction on the Allied of Good planets. Once they entered the room, the two warriors stepped away in deference. Dark Spector smiled at them.

“You have done well, Jareth, Khetala. I am pleased with the destruction of Aquitar and Triforia. Though I wish to know why you have not deemed them yours.” He inquired. Jareth raised an eyebrow.

“Aquitar and Triforia are trifling when compared to the glory Earth’s capture will bring us, my lord Spector. Once we have Earth, Triforia and Aquitar will be nothing.” He assured him. Spector nodded in agreement.

“I have a gift for you.” Spector spoke and a vision of a black and crimson ship appeared in midair. Jareth’s eyes lit up. “She is called the ‘Crimson Pyro.’ As my family, you deserve only the best.”

“We thank you, My Lord.” Jareth smiled and Khetala nodded. Off to the side, purple sparkles lit up the room to reveal two Quantrons holding two lethal looking weapons. Spector nodded.

“Gifts from Astronema in honor of your victory. The sword is for you Prince Jareth and the staff is for you Princess Khetala. You’ve also been given the Lunar Palace on Earth's moon so you will have an easier time in capturing the planet.” Spector told him. Jareth eyes glowed with pleasure as the two quantrons stepped forward and handed the weapons to them. Jareth’s sword was nearly four feet long and blood red with the blade’s edge lined in silver. He swung it experimentally a few times, thrilled with how well it seemed to fit into his grip. Nearby Khetala inspected her new staff; all black with a silver crystal on the top that was held in place by what appeared to be crimson frozen flames.

The two turned to Dark Spector only to find him gone, as well as the two quantrons. Jareth grinned before turning to Khetala, the sword held high. She smirked up at him, the staff resting beside her.

“Let’s go celebrate Khetala.” He suggested. She nodded and then turned to Scorpina and Tyr.

“Go with Dwyn and Eise and prepare for our arrival on Earth. I expect the Lunar Palace to be much more…us.” She ordered. Tyr and Scorpina nodded and left to get two others. Jareth smirked.

“I like the way you think, Khetala.” He murmured as they left the room. Khetala smiled back at him.

“What can I say? The Lunar Palace has always been very…cold.” She informed him as they entered their room. Jareth chuckled.

“Which goes to show what cold-fish Rita and Zedd are.” He sneered before shutting the door.

The Youth Center was bustling with activity as various teenagers and preteens hung out. In a corner table Tanya, Kat, and Justin were eating lunch while Tommy and Adam pounded on two punching bags a few feet away. As Katherine watched, the Tommy’s bag fell from the hook for the third time in ten minutes. Grunting, Tommy and Adam hefted it back up.

“Where’s Billy and Rocky?” Tanya asked softly. Katherine turned to her, eying the cheeseburger Justin hadn’t touched.

“In the Power Chamber, where else? Eat your food, Justin. You have to keep your strength up.” She lightly admonished. The blue ranger looked up at her, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

“Are we going to die?” He asked in a small voice. Katherine was taken aback and before she could respond Justin took off. Katherine glanced around desperately and was surprised to see Adam immediately go after him. Slumping in her seat, Katherine allowed a small tear to fall from her eye.

"I hope not Justin. I hope not."

"Justin!” Adam called, jogging over to where the young ranger was curled up by Tommy’s car. He looked up, his face tear stained and Adam sighed. “Are we going to die?” He asked for the second time, looking at the green ranger for reassurance. Adam sighed and sat down beside him.

“No, we’re not going to die. We’re going to win, I promise.” He answered. Justin’s lip trembled.

“But Tideus and Corcus were Rangers and they…they…they died. It could happen to us, can’t it?” He asked. Adam swallowed a lump at the mention of the dead Aquitain Ranger’s names. They and Cestria had been among the casualties on Aquitar, murdered by Tyr.

“Justin, death is always gonna be a factor. But Tideus and Corcus…they died protecting civilians. It’s what they would have wanted.” He explained, running a hand through his hair.

“But Aquitar and Triforia aren’t going to help us against Kim and Jason! Look what they did to those planets, how are we supposed to protect Earth?!” Justin demanded, his body shaking.

“We’ll win, Justin.” A new voice said softly and Adam and Justin looked up to see Tommy standing above them, looking determined. “No matter what, we will win.”

Justin and Adam said nothing, simply staring at the stiff posture of the red ranger. As Adam watched, Tommy seemed to evolved right before his eyes. No longer was he a simple teenager who saved the world on a regular basis—now he was a man, willing to do anything to win the war between good and evil. And Adam knew then that no matter happened, in the end, they would win.

“Welcome home, my Lord and Lady.” Scorpina greeted Jareth as he walked into the castle, Khetala on his arm. Jareth didn’t answer, too busy inspecting the new throne room.

Gone was Zedd’s throne and the mist that seemed to constantly be on the ground. Instead, the room had been reshaped into an oval, with a rectangular pool in the center and a stream lining the walls and connecting with the pool at the center. The stream and pool were not filled with water, however but with living flame—lava. Along the walls were alternating black and crimson banners, each with the image of a three-flared flame. Two steps above the pool and stream were black marble walkways and three steps above the walk way on the far end, was Jareth and Khetala’s throne platform.

Jareth’s throne was made completely of rubies, the back resembling a flame with three flares. Khetala’s throne was the same, only made from black obsidian. Along the side of the wall sat 8 ornate chairs, 4 on each side. Made of alternating black and red marble, they had etched at the top the names of the court members. As Jareth and Khetala watched, their servants silently went to stand in front of their seats. On Jareth’s right were Scorpina, Dwyn, Eise, and Janus. On Khetala’s left was Tyr, Hecate, Lasair, and Sorina. The chair were on descending platforms, so that Scorpina, Dwyn, Tyr, and Hecate were a foot below Jareth and Khetala and Eise, Janus, Lasair, and Sorina were a foot below them.

Jareth turned his attention to the stream as a small battalion of black armored Keres entered the room from a hidden door, walking across rocks that appeared on top of the lava and holding black and silver scythes. When they stopped, a line of Keres lined the walls in front of the banners. Jareth smiled as six Keres, their armor crimson rather than black, placed themselves behind their Lord and Lady. Turning to the pool, he glanced at Khetala, who was grinning madly, her eyes alight with pleasure. Without a word, the two began walking. As they stepped onto the lava, he was pleased to see it condense into magma stepping stones, protecting his boots from the lava’s heat. His skin fairly hummed at the familiar presence—Maldoran had been much too cold for his tastes.

As they stepped up to the throne’s, their blackguard walked to the side so they stood in two lines of three on either side. Grinning, Jareth and Khetala slowly sat down, enjoying the warmth of the hot ruby and obsidian. Once they were settled, Jareth nodded and the court sat. Hecate made a motion with her hand and ten Keres stepped forward, holding trays on which sat silver goblets. Jareth accepted his goblet with a nod and was pleased to see it held lava juice. He held up his Goblet with one hand, grabbing Khetala’s hand with his other. Khetala, Tyr, Scorpina, Hecate, Dwyn, Eise, Lasair, Janus, and Sorina held their cups up.

“For four years, Earth has successfully defended itself from destruction and enslavement. Rita, Zedd, the Machine Empire; all have tried to conquer this backwards planet and all have failed due to their incompetence and idiocy. Now, a new era approaches, an era that will see the Great Flames standing victorious! Soon, the Rangers of Earth will fall! Soon, Earth will be ours! In Maligore’s name, we will wipe this planet of all that is good and proper!” He roared.

“In Maligore’s name!”

Jack and Sarah Scott were in their living room, reading and working on paperwork when they heard the front door open and the familiar voice of their son call out. “Mom, Dad, I’m home!” He called. Sarah jumped from her seat, elated that her son had returned from his trip to Florida.

“Jason!” She exclaimed as he appeared in the doorway. She rushed forward and hugged him. He gingerly hugged her back before turning to Jack and nodded.

“Hey dad.” He greeted and Jack nodded back, frowning a bit. Something was off with Jason; he seemed…different.

“So, how was your trip? How’s Kimberly?” Sarah asked, oblivious to the charged tension emanating from Jason. He withdrew his hand, smiling a bit.

“Why don’t you ask her?” He suggested and Sarah’s face broke into a wide smile when Kimberly stepped from behind him, her brown hair up in a ponytail and her eyes sparkling.

“Kimberly!” Sarah rushed forward and engulfed the girl in her arms. Kimberly hugged her back hard and Sarah leaned back to study the girl she’d watch grow up.

“Why aren’t you training? The Pan Globals are in a few weeks!” She exclaimed. Smiling wryly, she pulled up her floor length skirt to reveal a walking cast.

“I fell on the uneven bars and broke my leg about 5 weeks ago.” She explained softly and Sarah face fell.

“Oh honey, I’m so sorry. I know how hard you’ve been working.” She sympathized and Kimberly nodded, looking uncomfortable. Shaking her head, she motioned at the two.

“Well, where are you staying?” She asked and Kimberly smiled a bit.

“I’m staying with an old family friend who has a place on the outskirts of town. I’m in the process of deciding what I’m gonna do after that; I got my GED in Florida.” She explained and Sarah grinned proudly.

“Oh that’s wonderful!” She exclaimed, turning to Jason.

“Well, do you want to take your stuff up to your room and rest a bit? I know cross-country flights are exhausting.” She suggested. Jason and Kim exchanged looks and Jason shook his head.

“Actually, Kim and I are gonna go to the Youth Center and see the gang, let them know we’re back.” He explained and Jack frowned at the small sneer that crossed Jason’s features as he said the last bit.

“Okay, well, you need to come for dinner at 6. Both of you.” Sarah ordered and Jason and Kim nodded in understanding. After a quick run up to his bedroom to drop off his duffle, Jason and Kim left.

Jack stood up and walked to the window. He watched as his son and his son’s best friend since childhood began walking towards the Youth Center, chatting about something or other. Something was up with those two and he was going to find out what it was.

“Hey Tommy, can I ask a question?” Ernie called and Tommy walked over to the bar. “Sure, Ernie, what’s up?” He asked. Ernie motioned to a group of fifteen kids in the center and Tommy’s stomach clenched when he realized it was Jason’s beginning Karate class.

“Have you seen Jason? He said he’d be back in time to teach the kids but I haven’t seen him all day.” Ernie asked in a concerned tone. Tommy throat suddenly went dry and he realized he and the others had royally screwed up; how the hell were they going to explain Jason and Kim’s disappearance? In desperation, he took a long swig from his water bottle.

“Sorry I’m late Ernie. My flight back was a killer.” Tommy choked on his drink, looking up to see Jason’s familiar face looking at him with amusement. “You okay, bro?”

Tommy, unable to form a coherent thought let alone a reply, simply stared at him. Jason smirked. “Someone’s been working out too much. You…no….reply?” He teased and Ernie laughed. Jason turned to him.

“By the way, guess who I brought back with me?” He asked and Ernie broke into a wide smile when Kimberly popped up beside Jason. On Jason’s other side, Tommy went rigid and could only form one thought.

Shit!

“Tommy sounded frantic when he called and said to get over here. I hope everything’s okay.” Rocky commented as he, Billy, Adam, Kat, and Tanya walked into the Youth Center. He suddenly ran into Billy, who had froze. “Billy, man, what’s…wrong.” His question trailed off when he suddenly caught sight of what had so thrown Billy and more than likely, Tommy. There, standing in the center of the floor mats, fifteen kids surrounding him, was Jason. He was going through a beginning kata, showing the kids how it was done. Off to the side was Kimberly, watching the group and talking animatedly with Skull. Nearby, gaping at the two, were Tommy and Justin.

“Oh my God.” Kat murmured, shell-shocked. “What are they doing?”

“Come on.” Adam murmured and the group hurried over to where Tommy and Justin were sitting. Immediately, Tommy turned from the two former rangers to look at his team helplessly. Sitting next to Justin so the blue ranger was between herself and Tommy, Kat hugged him close. Justin grasped onto her waist, his head buried in her shoulder.

“What are they doing here?” Justin’s whisper was muffled but they all heard it. Billy swallowed.

“Making a statement.” He murmured hoarsely. All but Tommy and Justin, who was still hiding in Kat's shoulder, looked at him in confusion.

“They’re telling us that they can go anywhere, do anything, and we can’t stop them.” Tommy clarified. Tanya frowned.

“But…that’s not right. I mean, we can stop them.” She paused. “Can’t we?”

“Not without either blowing our covers or theirs. They know we can’t tell anyone they’re evil because that would blow the oath. We can’t reveal our identities to the public.” Billy explained quietly. Tanya frowned.

“But if we say something like they were kidnapped due to the fact they’re well known and physically able, we can leave the ranger issues out of it.” She suggested. Tommy shook his head.

“Then they’d just blow our covers as well. And how long would it take for someone to connect the dots about them? I mean, we’d get bombarded. It’s a lose-lose situation for us and they know it. They’re threatening us with one of our biggest issues: our identities.” He explained.

“Man. Jason and Kim don’t play by the rules, do they?” Rocky murmured. The others looked at him oddly and he shrugged.

“Think about it! Rita, Zedd, Mondo, they always did the same thing; they rarely altered or changed their attack strategies. Jason and Kim aren’t doing that. I mean, they haven’t even attacked yet and it’s been a week since Zordon told us they had lodged up on the moon!” He whispered.

“You’re wrong, Rocky.” Tommy whispered back softly. The others looked at him worriedly. He was staring at Jason and Kim who were talking as Jason’s class went to their parents and older siblings. As they watched, Jason bent down and captured Kim’s lips in a kiss. Tommy clenched his hand into a fist as Kim giggled and the two said goodbye to Ernie before heading out. He turned to the others, his eyes blank.

“It’s Jareth and Khetala who don’t play by the rules.” He said hollowly. He reached over and put a hand on Justin’s shoulder. He glanced at Kat who nodded back.

“So what do we do?” Adam asked softly. Tommy turned to the doorway where Jason and Kim had disappeared to.

“I don’t know Adam. I just don’t know.”

With them assuming their old lives, Tommy had come to the decision that no longer would he call them by their birth names when discussing them with the other rangers. Instead, he gave in to their new identities and called them Jareth and Khetala. Adam and Billy had refused, saying that Jason and Kim were still somewhere inside them and that the more they fought against Jareth and Khetala, the more strength they gave to Jason and Kim to break free. Calling them Jareth and Khetala was like giving up on them, Billy said, and Tommy had had to restrain himself from punching the former blue ranger.

Privately, Rocky and Tanya agreed with Billy and Adam but hadn’t said so out loud yet. Katherine and Justin had taken Tommy’s lead however, causing the team to divide itself. Rocky only prayed Jason and Kim didn’t notice the strain between the seven of them.

To add insult to injury, half the population of the Youth Center had seen Jason and Kim kiss and within the week rumors were flying left and right that the reason for the teens distance with Jason and Kim was due to the duo’s dating. It was not making for a happy bunny Tommy.

Even now, as he watched as Tommy stuffed the crap out of the sand bag, Rocky could feel the tension—Jason and Kim had yet to attack though they frequented the Youth Center constantly. From what Tommy had learned, they were essentially living on Earth—Jason with his parents and Kim with family friends just outside of town.

It was driving the rangers bonkers.

“Hey Rocky.” Billy greeted, sitting down, Adam on his heels. Rocky grinned at the two, glad to find a distraction from his musings.

“What’s up?” He asked casually, watching out the corner of his eye as Jason and Kim walked into the Youth Center. Jason headed to the locker room while Kimberly headed to the balance beam, shaking her leg out and smiling and chatting with various people as she went. It would have been perfectly normal but for the evil glint in her eye when she glanced at the three.

Billy pushed a box and two pieces of paper toward him and Rocky looked down before doing a double-take. “You don’t think…” He trailed off, uncertain and Billy nodded.

“I do and I can’t get a hold of them. I know you’ve wanted to help and since I have the PC under control, this is something you can do. None of us can afford to leave right now. All 3 of them have to be told, it’s not safe otherwise.” He explained and Rocky nodded, quickly pocketing the two pieces of paper and grabbing the box.

“I’ll see in you in a week then.” He told him, having seen that his plane would leave that night. Billy and Adam graced him with encouraging smiles and Billy tapped his communicator, essentially telling him to keep it close. Nodding, he headed out, unaware that Kimberly was staring at him.

Billy and Adam did notice however and the former blue ranger prayed he hadn’t just sent the other former ranger to his death.

“What is it?” Jareth asked lowly, coming to stand by Khetala who was frowning while staring at the green ranger and the tech support.

“They’re planning something.” She told him quietly and Jareth raised an eyebrow, watching as the red ranger went to sit with his teammates. He turned to Khetala, effectively brushing them off. He bent down and brushed his lips to hers, knowing how it irritated the red ranger.

“We’ll deal with it.” He assured her. Hiding a smirk, she kissed him back before turning to the balance beam. Jareth stood back and watched as she quickly flipped onto the beam and went into a half remembered routine that had people stopping to watch and stare. He smirked; being thrown into Maligore’s pit had enhanced all their strengths as well as given them awesome powers; which meant that Khetala had become even more flexible and agile than she’d been before.

It was something he was extremely thankful for, especially when they were alone in the bedroom. Smiling at the memories of the night before, Jareth went to an abandoned mat and went into the kata Jason and Tommy had created. He smirked as he felt the red rangers’ irritation grow as well as a stab of nostalgia. Coming to a stop, he turned to Tommy and raised an eyebrow in what would appear to everyone as a invitation to join him. He, Tommy, Adam, and Billy knew it for what it really was, however.

A challenge.

Tommy had never been very good at turning down challenges.

As the red ranger tightened his bandana and stepped onto the mat, Jareth mocking went into the bow. Scowling, Tommy did the same. Within minutes, they were fighting.

“It must burn you up, so bad, Tommy. Knowing I have her.” He whispered so only the two of them would hear. Tommy twitched but said nothing though he began fighting harder.

“To know that she allows me all the pleasures of her body, of her flesh. Her desire.” He continued, watching as Tommy’s eyes began glimmering with a mix of emotions, the strongest two being jealousy and hate.

“She’d never be with you, Jase, if she were herself.” Tommy hissed his name and Jareth smirked before punching him in the stomach.

“Really? Why do you think she broke up with you? It wasn’t for some random guy in Florida. It was because she was tired of you, tired with being Tommy’s perfect princess.” He spat and Tommy’s temper flared. As Tommy attacked him, Jareth smirked.

“Now, she’s mine. My dark princess and there is nothing you can about it. Soon, you and all others who would stand with you will die. You know that in your heart you can’t kill me. Why do you fight it, Tommy? Why do you fight the evil inside you? Give in and we may spare you. Khetala would love a little plaything.” He sneered and Tommy had had enough. Deviating from the kata, he flipped over Jareth’s head and snapped a kick at his back. The former red and gold ranger flew to the ground, grunting as the air was forced from his body.

Khetala rushed to his side as Adam and Billy went to Tommy’s. Jareth grinned at him before giving the three rangers a casual salute. “Being seeing you, bro.” he smirked and the two quickly left. Scowling and breathing heavily, Tommy silently dared anyone but Adam and Billy to approach him.

None did.

“Tyr, Scorpina. Go. Destroy.” Jareth ordered while Khetala smirked from beside him. “Have fun.” He added as an afterthought.

Tommy was sitting with Adam, Billy, and Justin in the Youth Center that day. Since Khetala and Jareth had arrived three weeks previously, they had been oddly silent, not sending a single footman or monster. The rangers had become jumpy, especially after the so-called sparing match Tommy had had with Jareth-as-Jason. A familiar tone was heard coming from the watches the four young men were wearing;. Exchanging worried glances, they got up and headed to the hall. Making sure no one was around, they leaned in as Tommy pressed the button to answer the page.

“Yeah Zordon?”

“Scorpina and Tyr are attacking the park, proceed with caution rangers.” He told them. Exchanging grim looks, Tommy pushed Justin to Billy.

“Justin, stay with Billy until we need you. This is your first battle and I’m not letting you near them yet.” He ordered and Justin nodded, looking relieved. Billy squeezed the younger rangers shoulder and the four rangers teleported away—the two geniuses to the Power Chamber and Tommy and Adam to the park.

When they rematerialized, they found a dozen black clothes guards terrorizing civilians as they ran for safety. In the center stood Scorpina, looking even more deadly than before with her armor black instead of the old gold. Nearby was a warrior in a full crimson bodysuit, a staff in hand as he watched the proceedings with no emotion.

“Rangers!” Scorpina cackled as Tanya and Kat ran up to them. The four rangers stood in a row as Scorpina and Tyr came forward.

“Leave these people alone, Scorpina!” He yelled, the red spandex shining in the sun. Scorpina laughed and Tyr raised a single eyebrow.

“Certainly. It was you we wanted anyway.” He told them calmly, bringing his staff up. “I apologize for this, rangers. You are a formidable enemy; I will make your deaths swift and painless.”

“Wha-” Tommy began but stopped when Tyr ran towards him, raising his staff in a strike. Jumping away at the last possible second, Tommy gaped behind his helmet as Tyr came to an abrupt stop and turned to face him again.

“Very good.” He praised before moving to attack again. Grimacing behind his helmet when the staff made contact with his chest, Tommy went flying. Struggling to stand, he wasn’t surprised to see Scorpina facing off against Adam while the girls fought off the new footmen. Bringing his attention back to the battle at hand, he flew out of the way as Tyr went to strike again.

Summoning his Lightning Sword, he lifted his arms to deflect the attack at the last possible second. Tyr’s face showed just a hint of approval before he swept his staff down and punched Tommy in the solar plexus.

With a loud oof, Tommy flew back and crashed into a tree, cracking it. Looking up, he dove out of the way with the last of his energy just as the tree crashed where Tyr had been. Demorphing, Tommy clutched his chest. He watched as Scorpina hit Adam so hard he flew back and landed with an explosion as he demorphed. The female assassin ran to where Tyr’s hand could just be seen poking from under the branches. The moment their hands touched, they disappeared in a flash of black flame. Groaning, he rolled over and saw Kat running over to him while Tanya went to Adam.

“Tommy?” She asked, her voice trembling. He looked at her briefly before his eyes fluttered close and he blacked out.

Tommy woke a few hours later in the Power Chamber to find two new warriors and a monster attacking downtown. Fighting against Janus and Lasair was just as bad as facing off against Scorpina and Tyr—they were evenly matched but eventually they hurt each other so bad the twins retreated. Jareth and Khetala didn’t stop there, however. That night, the rangers were awakened by Alpha to find a petite young woman destroying buildings and cars in the moonlight district alongside another woman and a young man—Eise, Sorina, and Dwyn according to Zordon. Tommy had returned home, holding back groans and aware that his chest was tightly wrapped—he’d broken two ribs facing off against Dwyn. He was in better shape than Adam, however, who had been knocked unconscious and suffered a broken arm and wrist courtesy of the female ninja. And so it went for the next few days, they’d fight two battles during the day, with the assassins and warriors alternating the location of the attacks and the attacking party but always refreshed and with backup, and fighting another battle late at night. Eventually, Kat and Tanya had been pulled in to face off against the warriors and even Justin had been called on for help.

Then, suddenly, the attacks stopped. Not a peep was heard from the newly christened Pyro Palace (the change in management came from an unknown source in sporadic contact with Zordon). The Rangers, while confused at the change, remained wary even as they healed.

“Wow.” Rocky muttered as he stepped from the cab and took in the majestic building in front of him. Quickly paying the driver, he grabbed his duffle and headed inside. Immediately he was bombarded with dozens of different languages, all being spoken simultaneously. Stopping to get his bearings, he spotted what looked like a sign in desk and headed that way. Eyeing the teens in various business suits and outfits, he grimaced. In his faded blue jeans, blue tank top, and red button down, he looked like a hobo in comparison.

“Yes, may I help you?” The woman asked in accented English. Rocky gave her his most dashing smile.

“I’m looking for two of the teen ambassadors, the ones from the United States—Trini Kwan and Zack Taylor?” He asked and the woman went to her computer. A few quick key strokes and she smiled up at him.

“You’re in luck, they’re free today and should be in their rooms. May I ask who’s visiting? And I’ll need two forms of ID.” She told him as he gave her his name and fished out his passport and drivers license. A quick scan and photocopy later, a young boy from Turkey was leading him upstairs, talking a mile a minute in heavily accented English. Rocky, unable to follow his speech, simply listened to the boy babble. Finally, he left Rocky in front of a dorm door with the US flag on it. Pushing it open, he was surprised to find himself in a circular room filled with plush couches and armchairs, a TV, a couples desks, and a fireplace. Doors lined the wall. Looking around, he saw several students working on what appeared to be homework before finding the familiar form of the original black ranger just as Trini came walking in.

“Zack, have you heard from—Rocky!” She exclaimed, running forward and hugging him. Zack, his expression one of surprise, quickly grinned and jumped over the couch to shake his hand.

“Man, what are you doing here?” He asked enthusiastically. Glancing at the curious teens watching them, he gave the two originals a serious look.

“Is there any place we can go that’s…private?” He asked and Trini and Zack exchanged glances before ushering him into a room that Rocky immediately knew was Zack’s. Black sheets and comforter on the bed, a poster of the Rangers, all fully morphed on the wall, and a pile of tapes next to a large stereo, it was exactly what he imagined the former black rangers room to look like. The room also had a second bed, dresser, and desk and Rocky remembered that Zack had shared his room with Jason before the former red ranger had returned to be the gold ranger.

“All clear.” Trini murmured and Rocky looked over to see her holding a small device that was beeping. He frowned.

“What is that?” He asked curiously and Trini smiled.

“Billy, Alpha, and I made it--it detects and alters any listening or video survelliance equipment in the room. This way we can talk without worrying about someone overhearing." She explained and he nodded, impressed.

“So whats up? We haven’t heard from anyone in weeks, man!” Zack bounced onto his bed. Trini sat down at the desk.

"First of all, the Zeo Rangers have changed to the Turbo Rangers. Tommy is Red, Adam is Green, Kat is Pink and Tanya is Yellow.” He explained. Zack and Trini nodded. Rocky took a deep breath.

“I was in an accident, I hurt my back pretty bad. They needed a blue ranger quick though so the decision was made to give it to Justin, a Billy-level, twelve year old genius.” He explained. Though Zack and Trini looked shocked, he could also see compassion and understanding in their eyes.

“Why did they need a blue ranger so quick?” Trini asked, understanding that what he was saying hadn’t even begun to cover the whole story. He sighed.

“A space pirate named Divatox showed up on Earth, searching for a small wizard named Lerigot—he held the power to release an evil demon named Maligore. Lerigot refused to help her though so she kidnapped his wife and baby daughter….not to mention Bulk, Skull, Kim, and Jason.” He explained. Trini gasped and Zack growled.

“Kim and Jason?” He asked and Rocky nodded, closing his eyes.

“She needed two beings of purity and strength to sacrifice to Maligore in order to free him. She captured them for that.” He explained and swallowed when he saw tears spring to the former yellow ranger’s eyes.

“She succeeded, didn’t she?” She whispered and Rocky nodded.

“Maligore’s power turned them evil and not even Lerigot and Lara, his wife, were able to bring them back. They’re going by Khetala and Jareth now and they’re attacking Earth. Scorpina has sided with them.” He explained. He waited, knowing it was a lot for the two rangers to take in. Suddenly, without warning, Zack punched the wall. Trini jumped up, hurrying over to fuss over Zack’s quickly swollen and bleeding fingers. Zack turned to Rocky, staring him straight in the eyes.

“When are we leaving?”

Rocky was startled. “What?”

“When are we leaving?” He repeated and Trini nodded, still fussing over his hand. “Evil or not, Jason and Kim are still two of our best friends, we’re gonna help get them back.”

“What about the Peace Conference?” Rocky asked faintly. Zack shrugged.

“They’re already in the process of getting some replacements for others who’ve decided to leave—they can replace us too.” He explained. Rocky nodded, mentally going over the plan in his head.

“I still need to get to Kenya and let Aisha know. You can leave here with me—my flight leaves tomorrow at three—or you can make your own plans and return to Angel Grove by yourselves.” He offered. Trini and Zack exchanged a glance.

“I’ll go make the flight arrangements to Kenya.” Trini said, rushing from the room. She poked her head back in, a stern expression on her face. “Bandage your hand.”

Rocky chuckled as Zack gave her a mock salute. “Yes ma’am.” He quipped. Trini threw him an exasperated glare before disappearing from the doorway. Rocky and Zack turned to each other, grinning.

“So, Kenya, huh?”

“They’re messing with our heads.”

Adam looked up, a puzzled frown on his face. “Who are?” He asked his friend. Billy gave him a tight lipped smile.

“Jason and Kim. Think about it, they waited for a few weeks before even attacking, they’re acting normal and hanging out here, then they attack non-stop for a week before stopping all attacks on a dime. They’re messing with our heads.” He concluded and Adam grimaced.

“But why? I mean, what could they possibly achieve?” Tanya asked. Billy smiled wryly.

“It’s a proven fact that when people get jumpy or paranoid they’re easier to beat in a fight. That, and Maligore’s flame twisted everything about them—instead of being amazingly kind, they’re now amazingly sadistic.” He explained as Kat came and sat down. Nearby, Tommy and Justin were working on the mats, the red rangers showing the young boy some moves.

“I’m not arguing that.” She muttered, flashing back to the make-out session the two former rangers had engaged in the day before that caused Tommy to destroy another punching bag.

“Great, so what, we don’t get jumpy? Cause I gotta tell you, I’m already jumpy.” Tanya informed him and Billy shrugged.

“We hope that we can figure out a way to release them, and soon. I have a feeling things are gonna get ugly sooner rather than later.”

It had taken four hours to go from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, to the village Aisha lived in. And that was after spending about an hour arranging for a rental car that was nearly falling apart. Rocky vowed he’d never ever grumble about Adam’s rickety jeep again. “There it is.” Trini pointed between the front seats. On her lap was a map of the country; she’d acted as navigator. Zack, sitting in the drivers seat, grinned and gunned it. Rocky slapped his hand up and grabbed the trucks’s frame, glowering at the former black ranger. Behind him, he heard Trini curse and then her scramble to put on her seat belt.

“Never. Again.” Rocky muttered when he jumped from the jeep ten minutes later. Zack simply grinned, patiently listening to Trini’s lecture on proper driving and how he wasn’t allowed to drive anymore.

“Can I help you?” An older woman had approached them while they had gotten situated and Rocky smiled.

“We’re looking for Aisha Campbell?” He asked hopefully and the woman’s face brightened.

“You must be her friends from the States.” She smiled happily. “Come, I will take you to Aisha. But tell me, how is Tanya?”

Rocky smiled. “She’s doing well, ma’am. I know she wished she could have come.” He told her politely. The woman smiled, pleased.

“The stars bless that child.” She said as they approached one of the circular huts. Pushing the door in, the woman entered. Exchanging glances, they shrugged and followed her. It took a few minutes for Rocky’s eyes to adjust to the darkness. The moment they did, a very familiar squeal filled the air.

“ROCKY!!” Aisha pounced on him and Rocky, having been prepared for his old friend’s reaction, grinned and swung her up and around. When he finally put her down, Aisha noticed his companions.

“Zack, Trini!” She exclaimed, moving forward to hug both. Rocky just grinned, his eyes gleaming with laughter as Aisha fairly bounced around the room.

“I can’t believe it! I thought it’d be years before I saw you guys again! How are you?” She asked and Rocky looked around. Seeing that the old woman had left, he turned serious. Aisha’s smile slowly dimmed, replaced by that of worry.

“What happened?”

A few hours later Aisha was packing her things and telling Ashala, the old woman, that her family in the states needed her and she had to leave. The woman agreed, saying that one must always follow their hearts. Rocky and Zack had been in the midst of squabbling over who was going to drive when they realized that the two former yellow rangers had packed up the car and were waiting for them to get in; Aisha was in the drivers seat. “I’m driving. I know how you drive Rocky and Trini told me about the trip here. I’m driving.” She repeated firmly. The two men grinned sheepishly before jumping in the back, Trini having taken the passenger seat.

“Onward!”

“Hey guys, glad you got here so quick.” Tommy greeted the other rangers, Justin fidgeting at his side. Adam frowned, glancing at Billy for any clue what was happening and was startled to see him talking with David, Tommy’s brother. “What’s going on?” Kat asked curiously. Tommy glanced at Justin who nodded.

“Zordon, Justin, and I have made a decision. Justin’s stepping down as Blue Turbo.” Tommy informed them quietly. Tanya stared, shocked, while Kat and Adam glanced worriedly at the young boy.

“Why weren’t we told before?” Kat asked softly, hurt. Tommy went to answer her but it was Zordon who did.

“This decision was made by Justin and myself; Tommy was informed only today. While he has been an admirable ranger, the enemy we are dealing with requires those with more fighting experience to battle. Justin has also informed us of some momentous news.” Zordon spoke softly, gently and Justin nodded.

“My dad came back.” He announced proudly and Kat smiled, knowing how much he had missed his father. He continued. “I’m moving back in with him but we’re moving to Baltimore.”

Kat was surprised but nodded all the same. Next to her, Tanya and Adam did the same, giving the young boy proud looks. Justin grinned. Kat stepped forward and embraced him.

“I’m proud of you.” She whispered and he hugged her, hard. She stepped back and Adam and Tanya hugged him as well. Tommy motioned to David, who was shifting nervously off to the side.

“David’s agreed to take the powers.” He announced and Kat smiled, knowing how much having his brother on the team would mean to the red ranger. She caught sight of Billy monitoring readout and frowned.

“I take it Billy can’t take the power?” Adam asked what she was thinking. Billy looked up, startled. He gave a half smile.

“I’m not meant to be a Turbo. I don’t know how I know; I just do.” He explained. Kat nodded, slightly upset that once again he was getting passed over. It just didn’t seem fair.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine with it. I’m not meant to be a Turbo.” He reassured them confidently. Beside Kat, Adam stared at his friend and saw that it wasn’t an act—Billy really was fine with not getting the Turbo powers.

Within an hour, the powers had been successfully transferred to David Trueheart and the seven teens were at the Youth Center to celebrate. Tommy also talked to Ernie and explained about Justin leaving and between the two of them, plans to host a surprise goodbye party later that week were in full swing.

“Rocky is gone.” Khetala announced, moving into the throne room with Hecate. Jareth looked up, raising an eyebrow as Tyr, Scorpina, and Eise looked surprised. “What do you mean?” Jareth asked curiously. Had she killed him without discussing it first?

“He’s left California. Hecate can’t find him in the state.” She explained, plopping into her throne. Jareth frowned.

“Well that doesn’t make sense. Rocky would never leave California while the two of us are fighting against the rangers.” He glowered. Khetala shrugged.

“I told you they were up to something.” She reminded him and he flashed back to the day he’d “sparred” with the red ranger.

“So you did.” He murmured.

“My Lord and Lady, if I may make a suggestion?” Scorpina bowed and Jareth nodded. “What of the other rangers, the ones who’ve passed on the power? Could it be possible he’s gone to recruit them?”

Jareth and Khetala didn’t answer but their faces had become drawn. The original black and yellow rangers had known Jason and Kim the longest, it was them who would know some of their secrets, who would know what to expect. Jareth’s eyes hardened.

“Find him. Do whatever it takes.” He ordered but Hecate held up a hand; her head was cocked to the side and her eyes were misty white.

“No need. My Keres have informed me they found him—he’s at the Angel Grove Airport with three others, a man and two women.” She relayed. Jareth and Khetala scowled.

The former rangers were back.

“Aisha!” Three voices yelled loudly when Rocky, Zack, Trini, and Aisha entered the Youth Center a few hours after Jareth and Khetala had discovered them. Aisha grinned when Adam, Kat, and Tanya rushed over, each talking a mile a minute as they squabbled over who would hug the former yellow ranger first. Meanwhile, Zack and Trini were greeted by Tommy and Billy, both of whom wore large smiles. Rocky sat back, grinning as the defenders of earth were reduced to California teenagers once again. Justin and David sidled up to him and Rocky turned to smile at them. “It’s good to have nearly all of us together again.” He murmured and David nodded in understanding. Despite his initial reaction of jealousy and envy for his brother’s friendships, he’d learned over time that Tommy’s family wasn’t restricted to those who had adopted him and if he wanted to be part of his little brother’s life, he had to accept that.

“I’ve been looking forward to meeting them, especially now.” He murmured back. Rocky frowned, confused. Smiling slightly, he lifted his arm and twisted it slightly. Rocky’s mouth fell open as the Blue Turbo Morpher flashed in and out sight. He turned to Justin, still gaping.

“Wha--?” He asked and Justin shrugged, smiling slightly.

“Dad came back and we’re moving to Baltimore.” He whispered and Rocky nodded, finally understanding. David suddenly looked apologetic.

“If you want it, it’s yours. We didn’t know when you were gonna get back and we didn’t want to risk Justin having left and you not be back to take it.” He explained and Rocky nodded, then shook his head. David looked bemused.

“Keep it. Blue’s never been my color. No offense, Billy.” He added when Billy, who’d been listening to their conversation, gave him a look. Trini smiled and gave David a hug. David appeared startled for a moment but hugged her back.

“Welcome to the family. I’m Trini Kwan.” She introduced herself, smiling softly. David smiled back.

“I’m David Trueheart, Tommy’s brother.” He replied and Trini’s eyes twinkled as Zack thumped the taller man on the back.

“Zack Taylor. I can not wait to spar with you!” He bounced, did a little twirl and bopped. David chuckled; Zack’s upbeat personality was refreshing after the tension of the last few days, waiting for Jason and Kimberly to attack and discover there was a new blue on the scene.

“I’m Aisha Campbell.” The second former yellow pushed her way through the group, sidling up to give David a megawatt smile. David smiled back, pleased at the reception he was getting from some of his brother’s oldest friends.

“In honor of Aisha, Zack, and Trini’s return, drinks are on the house!” Ernie called and then disappeared as a half dozen teens rushed to the counter. The ranger group looked at each other and then burst out laughing.

“I knew it.” Khetala muttered when she and Jareth entered the Youth Center that night. Looking around, she scowled at the impromptu decorations and the loud music as a very familiar form danced in a ring of admirers. “This is not good.” Jareth murmured and Khetala nodded before assuming the upbeat personality of Kimberly. Squeeling, she dashed into the center of the ring and began bopping along with Zack. For his part, Zack didn’t appeared startled and simply moved with her, though his eyes had gone frosty. Khetala glanced over her shoulder and saw Jason in a whispered discussion off in the corner with Trini. A hand on her arm shocked her back to the former black ranger. Her façade slipped for a second, her eyes turning red before she reigned in the magic she used to uphold the illusion. Zack’s face hardened and she knew he had seen. Scowling, she snapped her arm from his gasp and marched over to Jason.

“I’m telling you, they’re going a little insane.” Jareth was insisting but Trini didn’t look convinced. Scowling, Khetala grabbed Jareth’s arm and all but dragged him from the Youth Center, leaving behind a subdued party.

“What was that all about?! I was working on her!” Jareth snapped as his illusion melted away to reveal the red eyes, black hair, and outfit of his true form. A crimson vest held together with silver chains and black pants under a black duster, he barely resembled the original red ranger anymore. With a face, Khetala allowed her illusion to fade as well.

“They’re not going to believe us, Jareth. I could see it in Zack’s face, and in Trini’s. They’re a lost cause.” She informed him tartly. Jareth scowled.

“They’re not a lost cause, Khetala, they’re a liability. They’ll have to be eliminated—they know too much about Jason and Kimberly.” He informed her hotly and she nodded in agreement, her thoughts already whipped in a frenzy as she schemed. With a last glare at the music, laughter, and light coming from the building, they turned on there heals and walked away. Three steps and they vanished in flashes of flame.

A figure stumbled into the light, staring wide-eyed at the spot where the two had disappeared. Wiping his face, he saw that it was scorched. Swallowing, he plopped to the ground, his mind going over what he had heard. “They’re not going to believe us, Jareth. I could see it in Zack’s face, and in Trini’s. They’re a lost cause.”

“They’re not a lost cause, Khetala, they’re a liability. They’ll have to be eliminated—they know too much about Jason and Kimberly.”

“They’re gonna kill Trini and Zack!”

“Rangers! Scorpina, Tyr, and Sirona are attacking downtown!” Zordon’s voice was urgent as the teens listened. It was a week since Zack, Trini, and Aisha had returned to Angel Grove and since the party, the moon had been very quiet. Unfortunately, that wasn’t uncommon these days but it was still unnerving.

“We’re on it Zordon.” Tommy responded, his voice hard. Zack resisted the urge to shiver—he hated it when Tommy got angry, it brought back unpleasant memories of a certain evil green ranger who’d kicked his ass. Shutting off the comm. link, Tommy gave Zack, Trini, Aisha, Billy, and Rocky a look.

“Get to the Power Chamber.” He ordered and the former rangers nodded in agreement. They quickly left as Tommy, David, Adam, Kat, and Tanya morphed and teleported to the battle.

Wide-eyed and thinking he should have seen this coming, a tall figure gazed at the spot where the rangers had morphed and disappeared from.

He’d been tailing Trini and Zack ever since his encounter with Jareth and Khetala. Despite his reputation for the contrary, he actually liked the two teens who’d left for the Peace Conference. If he could help keep them alive, he would.

As he left the area, he thought of how to tell the ten that not only did he know their secret, but he had overheard the two villains posing as Jason and Kim planning the deaths of Trini and Zack.

“And where are those two, anyway?” He muttered to himself as he realized that Jason and Kim hadn’t been seen in weeks. According to news, Kimberly had quit training in Florida to train closer to home. Now he wondered how much of that was the truth and how much was made up by Jareth and Khetala.

Tommy must know. He told himself. They’re his best friend and ex. Of course he knows. They better be okay or by God I’ll kill Jareth and Khetala myself.

Groaning, Tommy allowed Billy to assist him to a cot while Aisha, Trini, Zack, and Rocky did the same for the others. Swallowing, Tommy glanced worriedly at Tanya and David, both of whom were unconscious. The new blue ranger had been fighting with Sirona, the weakest of the three warriors. Despite that, David was simply unused to fighting for his life and had taken a sound beating before Sirona had hit him so hard he crashed into a parked car. Underneath the butt loads of worry and guilt, Tommy wondered absently if the owners had Ranger insurance.

“How are they Alpha?” Aisha asked quietly, causing Alpha’s lights to go crazy. If it were possible for a robot to look anxious, Alpha was looking anxious at the moment. And you'd definitely been rangering too long when you could tell a robot’s moods from the way their lights were blinking.

“They’ll live.” Trini answered him when Alpha began smoking. She gently directed him to a corner. “We’ll take care of it Alpha.”

“Rangers…too dangerous…she qualifies as a bitch…” Tommy blinked at Alpha’s muttering, wondering when the little automaton had started swearing and who he was talking about.

“Tommy, you okay?” Trini asked, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look at her. Jerking, he tried to get away but she held firm, staring into his eyes. Tommy swallowed, remembering why he’d always tried to stay on Trini’s good side—she was damn scary when she was angry.

“A little sore.” He muttered and the former yellow ranger snorted. Letting him go, she walked briskly over to the med kit, Zack and Billy eyeing her warily as they treated Kat and Adam.

“A little sore…I’d kill him if we didn’t need him…leader complex.” She muttered before turning back with a needle and rubber band, causing Tommy to pale. He scrunched up his face as she moved over and began cleaning his arm.

“Trini, I’m fine.” He tried arguing but clamped his mouth shut when she glared at him.

“You have a concussion.” She informed him coolly and he gulped, eyeing the syringe warily. After the first couple concussions he’d gotten when he first joined the team, Alpha had given Trini and Kim access to a medicine which helped clear up concussions quicker. Unfortunately, it had to be injected directly into the bloodstream. The male rangers had always hated getting the shots because Kim and Trini were always the ones administering them—and neither one had a very good bedside manner when the patient had done something stupid. He, Jason, Zack, and Billy had privately agreed that the two girls angry and with needles was a scarier image than Rita on Earth.

When she had finished stabbing him and injecting the meds, she turned around and Tommy was startled to see tears in her eyes. He hopped from the bed and gently grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at him. Her face was a mask of stone; he frowned.

“We’re gonna get them back, Trini. I promise.” He told her, knowing her anger wasn’t fully at him but at the situation and her inability to do anything about it. “If I promise not to do anything stupid for the next month, will you please dry those tears?” He pleaded.

She gave a soggy laugh, wiping her eyes. “You never could handle it when we started crying.” She whispered and Tommy breathed out a sigh of relief. If she was joking then the tears storm had been averted. She suddenly caught him in a firm look and he made his face blank. “However, the next time you get a concussion trying to fly, I’m going to give you a double dose.” She threatened lightly and Tommy made a face.

“Yes ma’am.” He mumbled, knowing his concussion was finally clearing up. “And I was not trying to fly!”

“You allowed Tyr to throw you into a tree…again!” She added and Tommy shot Billy and Rocky looks that screamed ‘traitor!’ Billy shrugged, a sheepish look on his face while Rocky moved behind Aisha.

“This is nuts!” Adam blurted out. The conscious rangers looked at him in surprise. His face was filled with fury as glared at his bandaged wrist; he’d sprained it fighting Scorpina.

“We’re never gonna get the advantage—we’re too evenly matched.” He insisted and Tommy felt something fill his chest; it took a few minutes before he realized it was dread.

“You’re right. Its gonna be a stalemate every time we fight them.” He murmured, causing the rangers to turn to him. Zordon remained quiet—he’d been letting the ranger deal with everything cause he knew he had too. This wasn’t something he could mentor them on.

“It’s the powers.” Billy snapped his fingers and Tommy blinked at him. The former blue ranger’s face was filled with realization.

“What?” Kat asked, puzzled.

“We’re fighting with science, they’re fighting with magic. Kinda.” He added. All but Trini gave him a blank look.

“Of course.” She murmured and Tommy turned to her, exasperated.

“Will the two of you explain to those of us who have no idea what you’re talking about?” He demanded and Trini and Billy shot him looks. He wasn’t backing down, however. He was sore, angry, tired, and in no mood to deal with their cryptic crap.

“When we fought Rita, we fought mostly with mystic powers—the Dino’s, the fantasy zords, even the ninja’s. When the Machine Empire came, you upped to the Zeo powers, which are based on science, cause the machine’s are based on science. But Jason and Kim are using magic as a base of attack. Pitting Science against Magic will always come out a draw, that’s why you have to change powers when the villains change. Otherwise, neither one will win.” She explained. Tommy frowned.

"Wouldn’t that be a good thing? I mean, if neither one will win, couldn’t we just fight until they give up or break the hold Maligore has on them?” He asked. Billy shook his head, his face drawn.

“A team of rangers tried that a very long time ago--it caused the total destruction of the planet and people they were protecting.” He told him quietly and Tommy swallowed.

“So what do we do?” Kat asked quietly.

“Switch powers.”

The rangers turned to David and Tanya, who had awoken in the middle of Trini’s explaination. Tanya shrugged. “There has to be more powers than the, what, five we’ve had.”

They glanced at each other, uncertain.

“No new powers are available at this time that I know of.” Zordon spoke softly and the rangers frowned. Aisha’s face brightened.

“What about an old one?” She asked, pulling a semi-familiar coin from her pocket. The rangers stared at the bear embossed on the front, a replica of the one destroyed when time was changed. Tommy looked up at Zordon.

“Could we, Zordon? Could Ninjor turn us back into Ninja’s?” He asked his voice hopeful. Zordon frowned.

“I do not know but it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Billy, summon Ninjor please.” He requested and Billy immediately went to work. Within a few moments, a very familiar form flashed into the Power Chamber.

“Who has summoned the Ninja Mast—oh, hello rangers.” He greeted them warmly once he saw who had called him. Tommy smiled slightly.

“Ninjor, this is Trini Kwan, Zack Taylor, Tanya Slone, and my brother David Trueheart.” He quickly introduced the Ninja Master to those who hadn’t met him.

“A pleasure!” he grinned, bending to kiss Trini and Tanya’s hands. The girls stifled giggles.

“Ninjor, do you know what’s happened with Kimberly and Jason?” Tommy got straight to the point and Ninjor bopped his head.

“The Crane has been greatly distressed on what has happened to her child.” He told them softly. Tommy swallowed a lump.

“Can you help us?” He asked, and Billy and Trini quickly explained their predicament. Ninjor stroked his chin thoughtfully before shaking his head sadly. Tommy’s spirits plummeted.

“I can not make you ninja again—once the power is gone from you, that’s it.” He told them, and the rangers slumped. “However, I may know of something else that you can connect to.”

Tommy’s head snapped up and the rangers stared at the Ninja Master in shock. He shrugged.

“There is a power greater than Ninja but one must have already been Ninja in order to attain it. Since you have, you can get this power. But it will be dangerous.” He warned. Tommy set his shoulder.

“Is it mystic?” He asked, going into what the others had dubbed leader mode. Ninjor nodded.

“Yes, the Ninjette powers are mystical in nature—they should suit your needs.” He agreed. Tommy nodded, glancing at the others.

“You said that we had to have been Ninja in order to get it—so Rocky, Billy, Aisha, Tommy, Kat, and I have to get this?” Adam asked and Ninjor nodded again. Rocky and Billy exchanged glances.

“I knew there was a reason I wasn’t meant to be a Turbo.” Billy murmured and Rocky nodded his agreement.

“How do we get the power?” Aisha asked. Ninjor looked up at Zordon who nodded.

“You will have to travel to Phaedos, where the power is located. As Ninjor has told you, this will be very dangerous rangers. No one has every survived the trials of claiming the power.” He warned but Tommy face had set.

“Being a ranger has always been dangerous. We can do this.” He told his mentor confidentially and Zordon nodded.

“I agree. If anyone can attain this power, rangers, it’s you. When will you leave?” He asked and Tommy looked at Adam, Rocky, Aisha, Billy, and Kat. All but Kat nodded.

“I’m not going.” She told them quietly. They started.

“What?!”

“Why?” Tommy asked quietly and Kat shrugged.

“It doesn’t feel right. There’s only one person I can see as the Pink Ninjette and its not me. I’m sorry.” She murmured and Ninjor nodded.

“It’s doubtful the Great Power would accept her--while she had the pink ninja powers, she’s not the Crane.” He told them. Tommy nodded, somewhat relieved. Despite everything, he would never be able to see anyone but Kim as the Pink Ninja/Ninjette. Kat smiled at him and he smiled back. He turned to Zordon.

“We leave as soon as possible.” He replied and Zordon nodded. Ninjor stepped forward.

“Find Dulcea, my cousin. Tell her I sent you and that I believe in you. She’ll help.” He told him and Tommy nodded. Quickly telling them good luck, he teleported out. Tommy looked down at his wrist, frowning. He glanced at Adam, who seemed to know what he was thinking. He hopped from the cot he’d been sitting on, twisting his wrists so his Turbo Morpher appeared. He quickly took it off. Kat and Tanya nodded when Tommy glanced at them and he took off his own Morpher. The others suddenly caught on.

“We can’t leave Earth unprotected while we go to Phaedos.” Billy murmured and Tommy nodded. Quickly conferring with Adam, Kat, and Tanya, Tommy stepped forward and grabbed Trini’s hand. As the former yellow ranger stared at him wide-eyed, he handed her the red Morpher. He glanced apologetically at Zack but found the former black ranger grinning in approval even as he accepted the green Morpher from Adam. Tommy turned back to Trini.

“There’s no one better to lead a ranger team than you Trini.” He told her softly and Trini swallowed, tears once again in her eyes. He gave her a small smile and then stepped back. Adam shared a grin with Zack.

“It seems only fitting I give you my powers after you gave me yours.” He murmured and Zack laughed.

“Sweet!” He exclaimed, examining the key. Trini nudged him and he looked up. Seeing her expression he nodded. Sharing one last grin with Tommy and Adam, they went into position. Knowing instinctively what to do, they grinned.

“Shift into Turbo!”

“Desert Thunder Turbo Power!”

“Red Lightning Turbo Power!”

When the light cleared, Tommy was amused to see that the power had added something to the red uniform. As the two new Turbo’s took off their helmets, Trini looked down at her armor in surprise.

“Well that’s new.” She muttered, smoothing the red skirt that was similar to Kat and Tanya’s.

“Somehow…it fits.” He told her and she smiled. “You’re the first female red ranger of Earth; best not let anyone forget it.”

“Definitely.” Kat, Tanya, and Aisha said and the four girls grinned at each other. Tommy glanced at his watch.

“Come one guys, its time to go.” He ordered and the other former ninja’s moved to stand next to him after quickly grabbing the Turbo packs. Kat, Tanya, David, Zack, and Trini faced them.

“Good luck.” Trini told them, staring at Tommy. He smiled slightly.

“You too. Be careful.” He warned and Trini nodded, eyes twinkling.

“I’m thinking needles are gonna be the new punishment for stupid stuff.” She told him causing Billy and Tommy to wince. Zack stared at her incredulously.

“Since what has that been a new punishment?!” he demanded Trini laughed. Tommy caught Kat’s eye and she smiled at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

“Come back.” She whispered and Tommy nodded. With one more glance, Alpha teleported them away.

“What the--? JARETH!” Khetala screamed. Jareth ran in, his face a mask to those who didn’t know him well but Khetala could clearly see worry in his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” He demanded and Khetala pointed out the bedroom window, five pinpricks of light glowing dim even as he watched.

“Five white teleportation streaks.” She told him hotly. He growled.

“Where the hell do you they think they’re going?” He demanded before stomping from the bedroom. Khetala followed him. Once in the throne room, he started giving orders.

“Hecate, find out where those teleportation streaks are going. Dwyn, Lasair, Janus, Sorina, disguise yourself and go down to earth to determine who has left. Scorpina, Tyr, Eise, prepare a dozen Keres for battle.” He ordered. When everyone remained frozen, his eyes flashed black and he bellowed “NOW!”

His court scattered like the wind.

Khetala was working on her hair later that day when a flash of purple heralded the arrival of her cousin, Astronema. Standing, she turned to face the purple and black clad woman. Without a word, Astronema plopped herself on the bed.

“I HATE reds.” She grumbled. Khetala raised an eyebrow.

“Red trouble, I take it?” She asked curiously. Astronema groaned.

“I took over KO-35, a small human colony a few years ago—destroyed the first two versions of the ranger team before getting all but that annoying red. He’s been making a nuisance of himself lately and Dark Spector wants him gone. And I can’t seem to track him down!” She let out an unintelligible screech just as the Prince walked in.

Jareth raised an eyebrow at the sight of his cousin lying on the bed, her hands on her face, screeching while his sister sat back, looking bemused and sympathetic. Catching his eye, she made a face.

“Astronema is having red issues.” She explained blithely and he nodded, suddenly getting it.

“Give it time, eventually all reds make mistakes that can be taken advantage of.” He advised her. Astronema peeked at him through her fingers.

“You think so?” She asked hopefully and Jareth nodded.

“Despite what many might think, Rangers are not Gods.” He told her before turning to Khetala. “Any word from Hecate?”

Khetala shook her head. “Not yet. They could be heading to any number of planets. She says she should have it within the day.” She answered promptly. Jareth nodded, glowering. Astronema sat on her arms, still lying on the bed.

“Whats going on?”

Jareth and Khetala exchanged looks but ultimately Jareth nodded. Khetala made a face. “Five of the rangers have left Earth. Lady Hecate is trying to determine where they’re going.” Se explained. Astronema nodded.

“Sounds like were both having issues.” She muttered. Jareth snorted.

“You two enjoy yourselves. I’m going to go train with Tyr.” He told them and they nodded. Once he was gone from the room, Khetala poked her head outside and ordered a Keres to gather all the women but Hecate, who remained working. Within minutes, Eise, Sirona, and Scorpina had joined them for a little girl time.

“That was just what I needed.” Astronema sighed later that night as Khetala showed her to a bedroom.

“Me too. Being evil doesn’t mean we can’t be girls.” She replied. Astronema snorted.

“Women, Khetala, we can’t be women.” She corrected. Khetala rolled her eyes.

“Here we are. Enjoy your stay.” Khetala swept open the doors and Astronema walked in, squealing. Khetala’s expression didn’t betray the fact she was surprised at the change in the room. She could’ve sworn the room had been done in reds and blacks, like the rest of the palace, not purple and black.

“You like it, I take it?” She asked dryly and Astronema nodded, falling onto the bed.

“Two Keres have been assigned to assist you. They’ll remain outside the door unless you call them in. Evil night!” Khetala called, backing out and closing the door behind her. Looking at the two Keres, she smirked.

“As I said before, assist her but do not let her in the restricted areas. Princess of Evil or not, NO ONE must know of Jareth and my projects. Understood?” She demanded and smirked when they nodded.

“Good boys.”

“Jareth?” Khetala asked a few hours later as they lay in bed. She gently traced patterns on his bare chest, gleaming with sweat from their love-making. He grunted, his own hand massaging her scalp.

“Astronema, Scorpina, and I talked about going to Onyx for the Dark Market. I was hoping to find a metal smith to make a new weapon for me.” She explained, lifting her head to look into Jareth’s face. He nodded, his eyes on a small parchment in front of him.

“Get me a new set of daggers as well, would you?” He asked. She smirked, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. Without a word, he turned his head and captured her lips with his own. Khetala moaned as she brought her hands up to tangle in his hair. Jareth, for his part, threw the parchment to the floor and rolled over so he was above her. As he began trailing kisses down her throat, he waved a hand behind him and heard the clear sound of the door locking. Looking into her eyes, he smirked.

“No interruptions this time.”

“Intriguing.” Khetala murmured, inspecting a silver blade. The handle was black leather with silver vines painstakingly etched on it. The owner gave a spasm of a bow. “Lined with razer sharp diamonds, my lady--can cut through almost anything!” He told her in a low whine. She raised an eyebrow, inspecting the edge more closely to find that he was right—it was lined with diamonds. She smiled.

“I’ll take it.” She told him, reaching into her purse and dropping ten coins into the mans greedy hands. Eyes wide, he hurriedly grabbed another dagger identical to the one she now possessed and handed it to her.

“The set, my lady.” He told her, slipping the coins into a pocket of his coat. She nodded, knowing that she had overpaid and he had compensated—the Dark Market was the only place in the galaxy where evil treated each other fairly and things they usually delighted in were frowned upon. At least, that’s what they were supposed to do.

“Theif!” a man screeched behind her. She turned slowly, eyeing the scene with distaste. Her, ehem, step-mother was standing in front of a small crowd of angry market-men and women, looking annoyed.

“I’m a pirate, what do you expect?” Divatox asked, rolling her eyes. “I also happen to be the Queen of Darkness, therefore—“

“Queen of Darkness? Hardly. Lord Maligore can’t stand the sight of you ever since you got his brother killed!” Khetala snorted. The marketers looked from the two women, confused. Khetala smirked—very few men and women seemed to know what she and Jareth looked like and the descriptions Astronema had given her were so far off to be laughable.

“Why you little brat!” Divatox screeched. Khetala looked at her new daggers thoughtfully, before looking up.

“You really want to be marked a traitor, don’t you?” She asked lazily as two Keres came up beside her. Divatox eyed them with envy.

“Why don’t you allow mommy-dearest to use some of your—“ What she was going to say was cut off as she screamed—Khetala had thrown the dagger at her, pinning her flowing cape to the wooden beam of a market stall. The crowd tittered quietly at the enraged expression on the pirates face.

“I have no mother. I need no mother.” The crimson-haired woman informed her. “By order of the Princess of Darkness, all items you have stolen this day will be returned to their rightful owners immediately. Fail to do so, and I give permission for these fine marketers to punish you for failing to honor the code.”

Divatox whimpered as two of the market-men leered at her. She glared at Khetala who was standing with Astronema, Scorpina, and the two Keres. The crowd whispered to each other in hush tones—it was now apparent to all who exactly she was. Astronema smirked.

“I, Princess of Evil, daughter of Dark Spector himself, add my order to my cousins—all items will be returned immediately or we’ll see just how creative these men and women can be.” She informed her haughtily. Divatox made a face but grudgingly motioned to Elgar who upended the bag he’d been holding. Over a dozen objects fell to the ground. Khetala, Astronema, and Scorpina watched as the marketers hurried forward and grabbed at the things that had been taken from them.

Smirking at the annoyed and flustered expression on Divatox’ face, Khetala turned and left with the two women. They’d barely taken three steps when a short, fat man stepped forward and gave her a bow. Khetala tilted her head back regally as Scorpina straightened and Astronema smirked at the man.

“My ladies, I implore you’re help. I had thought the pirate,” He spat her name and Khetala stifled a laugh. “Has stolen something from my tent but it was not among the items that were dumped. I fear someone else took it.”

“What was this item?” Astronema asked curiously. The man gave a nervous look at Khetala, twitching as he looked down.

“An ice dagger, Princess.” He mumbled.

Khetala went still, her eyes locked on the man’s form. Next to her Astronema glared and Scorpina stiffened.

“An ice dagger?” the black armored woman asked harshly. The man nodded miserably. Astronema was seething.

“Ice daggers are to be destroyed when found, that is Dark Spectors law—why wasn’t this one destroyed when it came into your possession?” She demanded. He swallowed, seeming to shrink in on himself.

“I only just found out, princess. Twas my father who found it originally and I never knew of the dark law until this morning. That was why I have come to you. I know the dangers it possesses.” He whimpered. Astronema snarled and backhanded the man to the floor.

“Divatox would not have stolen it for she would not have known what it was—someone else then, someone who knows the power it possesses would have taken it. Someone who fears and hates you, my lady.” Scorpina spoke up, her voice extremely hard. Khetala looked at her and instantly knew who she meant.

So far, she and Jareth had only made three enemies among the dark courts. One of them would have gladly braved the punishment of stealing at the Dark Market. Two of them knew of the dark law and knew what an ice dagger could do to Jareth, Maligore, and herself.

“Rita and Zedd.” She replied flatly and Scorpina nodded. Astronema’s eyes flashed fire and she turned on the market, sending a blast of energy high into the air. The crowd froze, turning to her.

“Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd are wanted for questioning by the High Court. A reward of a higher title and 10 thousand tokens will be given to the one who brings them before myself or my cousins!” She yelled. The crowd instantly began whispering in hush tones.

“Find them! Do whatever it takes!”

“THEY’RE WHERE?!” Jareth bellowed when Hecate finally approached him with the location of the rangers. “Phaedos, my lord.” She replied calmly, having grown use to Jareth’s temper. “Home of the Great Power.”

He turned to Tyr and Eise who had entered the room when they heard his bellow. “Tyr, gather a team of Keres and send them to Phaedos. Eise, go to Onyx and get Khetala.” He ordered before waving a hand to reveal a flame screen that showed the inside of the Youth Center. Trini, Zack, David, Kat, and Tanya could be clearly seen.

“We have rangers to destroy.”

“Woah.” “What a rush!”

“This place is incredible!”

“Anyone else feeling queasy from that little ride?”

Billy looked over to see Aisha bent over, holding her stomach. He smiled a bit as Adam and Rocky went and helped her. Tommy stood next to him, inspecting the area.

They’d landed on the kind of beach you only see in movies. The water was aqua blue, clear in the sunlight. The rocks seemed white-washed as they nearly glowed. The sky was clear of any clouds, and two moons could just be seen in the distance. His lips quirked.

“If that isn’t a sign we’re not on Earth anymore, I don’t know what is.” He murmured. Tommy followed his gaze, saw what he was looking at, and snorted.

“Aisha, you okay?” He asked, turning to the now upright former yellow. She made a face, rubbing her stomach absently.

“I’ll be fine. Let’s find this Dulcea woman.” She told him. Tommy nodded, glancing around.

“Which way?” He asked Billy who frowned, scanning the distance. Finally, he shrugged.

“I suppose we can follow the coastline, see if we can find paths or civilization.’ He suggested. Tommy nodded.

“Which way?” He asked again, motioning to his left and right. Billy made a face.

“Normally I’d say follow the sun’s movement but…” He hedged and Tommy raised an eyebrow. Billy sighed.

“We’re on another planet so for all I know, following the Sun’s descent in the sky could make us go North.” He said bluntly and Tommy nodded. He took a deep breath.

“Let’s go this way.” He said and began walking. The group looked at each other, shrugged, and followed.

Adam sighed, looking at his watch again. They’d been walking for about three hours with nothing to show for it except getting scared shitless when Aisha had tripped over a skeleton. To make matters worse, daylight was fast fading and he could see several stars peaking in the sky. He saw Aisha, who was walking directly in front of him shiver and he made a face. Shrugging out of his flannel, he gently placed it on her shoulders. She shot him a smile of gratitude.

After living in Africa for so long, Aisha wasn’t used the cold. Yes, it got cool at night but the village was smack dab in the middle of the desert and never got colder than 75 degrees. She wasn’t sure, but she believed that they had already gone below that.

Rocky smiled when he saw Adam’s act of gallantry. He’d been about to hand over his own flannel but the former black and green had beat him to the punch. Glancing over his shoulder he wasn’t surprised to see Billy studying the landscape intensely. Taking the chance, he studied the former blue’s profile in the fast fading light. His dirty blonde hair was shaggy, with little curls covering his neck and bangs falling into his eyes. His blue eyes were drawn together in scrutiny as he looked around. Rocky’s eyes traveled lower, taking in the black shirt tight across his chest and the blue vest across his wide shoulders. A commotion at the front made him stop his perusal of Billy’s physique. Hurrying forward, he found Tommy muttering curses as he shook out his leg. Seeing his audience, Tommy made a face.

“I tripped.” He explained. Rocky and Adam nodded while Aisha fussed over the former red’s ankle. Billy sighed.

“We need to find shelter and build a fire. We can’t keep walking in the dark.” He suggested. Tommy shook his head.

“We have to find Ninjor’s cousin. I don’t like not being on Earth right now.” He responded. Billy gave him a look.

“How are we supposed to get the Great Power if we’re all injured from trying to hike in the dark?” He pointed out. Tommy stared at him silently for a moment before his shoulders drooped.

“You’re right. Let’s find a clearing, maybe a cave. Also be on the lookout for food.” He ordered. The group nodded and got up.

Billy moved back to the end of the line, studying the surrounding area. Privately he was proud of himself for remembering to bring the Turbo packs-at least they’d have fresh drinking water that night and a small amount of food. He knew they could handle a couple days with rationed meals but water…that they couldn’t go without.

His thoughts suddenly strayed as he caught sight of Rocky looking him again. The former red and blue ranger had been doing that a lot lately. He hadn’t said a word but Billy felt funny every time he caught him at it. He swore that he’d have a permanent blush on his face if he kept it up.

Tommy was brooding. He knew he was but that didn’t seem to help. He hadn’t liked the idea of leaving Earth—despite what he’d said back in the Command Center about Trini’s abilities as leader, he worried for them. Jareth and Khetala were the hardest enemy they faced—and not just because they were former friends and rangers. They twisted everything they knew, played mind games with them, and he knew that if they had the chance, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill one of them. “Hey guys, check it out!” Aisha called, pointing. The boys looked over and saw a small opening, barely big enough for a person to fit through. Shrugging, they headed over. Tommy peered inside but couldn’t see a thing.

“Hey Billy, got a light?” He asked, looking over at him. Billy nodded, grabbing the red pack from Tommy’s shoulder and rummaging inside till he found the lighter. After returning from Aquitar, he’d redone the Turbo packs to include standard emergency equipment. While they had a limited water supply, the packs hadn’t had any first aid supplies or food.

Tommy accepted it with a smile and clicked it on. He quietly stepped into the cave, holding the lighter in the air in front of him. Rocky, Adam, Aisha, and Billy grabbed their own packs and found the lighters. With the five lighters in hand, they entered the cave to find it just large enough to hold the five rangers. They deduced that it must have been a camping spot before since the center housed a small fire ring and off to the side was rough firewood and kindling. It’d been a while since someone had actually been there, they realized, when Adam found a thick coat of dust over the wood and ring.

“When sunrise comes, we’ll head out.” Tommy planned as Rocky and Adam got the fire going. Billy cautioned the group not to eat too much since they didn’t know how long they were going to be on the planet with no viable source of food.

“Someone should take watch.” Aisha suggested. The boys looked at her in surprise before Tommy slowly nodded.

“You’re right. I’ll take the first watch.” He agreed. They quickly decided Adam would take over for Tommy in a few hours and then Rocky, Billy, and finally Aisha, who said she had gotten used to rising with the sun

“You guys get some sleep.” Tommy ordered, throwing the red pack towards Aisha. Smiling at him, she grabbed his pack and withdrew the emergency cloth that would be an extra blanket. Using the yellow pack as a pillow, she laid down and quickly fell into a light slumber. Rocky and Adam followed her lead and were soon sleeping as well. Billy and Tommy looked at each other.

“You should sleep.” Tommy told him and Billy snorted.

“I know what you’re gonna do Tommy and its not gonna happen.” He told him. Tommy made a face.

“What are you talking about?” He asked, avoiding the blue rangers gaze. Billy glared at him.

“All of us need rest, you most of all. You are not keeping watch all night.” He informed him coolly. Tommy fidgeted.

“But—“ he began only to get cut off by Billy growling—growling!—at him.

“In three hours, you are waking up Adam. If I find out you didn’t, I’ll send you back to Earth cause you’re not listening to the senior medical tech on the team.” He warned. Tommy made a face.

“That only works in the military, Billy, not among us!” He argued. Billy raised an eyebrow.

“Zordon himself said that we had the power to force you to leave battle or a situation if you were deemed too unhealthy enough to continue. He’ll back me up.” He reminded him. Tommy scowled.

“If Kim were here, she wouldn’t be yelling at me about this.” He muttered mutinously. Billy snorted.

“If Kim were here, we wouldn’t be, would we?” He pointed out. Tommy made another face.

“Fine, I’ll wake up Adam in three hours. Happy?” He snapped. Billy nodded, completely ignoring his surely attitude. He quietly made up his bed and laid down so his head was by Rocky’s. Ignoring the little voice in his head who was whispering that he had it bad, he gave Tommy one more warning glare before falling asleep.

“Billy!” Rocky hissed, gently shaking the blue ranger. With a groan, he opened his eyes to find Rocky’s face peering at him from above. With a start, he shot up in bed, banging heads with the other teen. “Damnit!” Billy cursed, rubbing his forehead. He looked over at Rocky, who was wincing as he held his head. “Sorry.”

Rocky waved him away. “No worries.” He told him. Billy yawned, glancing at his watch. 3am.

“My turn?” He asked and Rocky nodded, motioning to Tommy who was tossing and turning by the fire. Looking over he saw Aisha and Adam curled around each other. He raised an eyebrow and Rocky smirked.

“We used to do that all the time, the three of us. When we went camping, for extra warmth when it was cold. Aisha was always in the middle.” He murmured wistfully. Billy blinked, remembering the few times he’d gone camping with the three of them.

Most of the time they girls shared a tent and the guys would share. He remembered how at ease Rocky and Adam had been at sleeping around each other and in comparison how Tommy and he had been jumpy the entire first night. He also recalled the one time, when Tommy was unable to go on a trip with them. One of the tents had a hole in it and it had rained all three days. They all ended up piling into the bigger tent (the hole-less one). While Billy was used to curling around Kim, we’d been shocked with how at ease the other three were—and how at ease they’d been in adding Kim and Billy to the sleeping pile. When he’d woken up that morning, he’d been spooning with Kim, who had her head on Adam’s chest, inches from Aisha, who was curled on the former black and green rangers other side. Rocky had been spooning with Aisha.

“Billy, hello, you in there?” Rocky waved a hand in the former blue’s face. Billy blinked as he came back to the present.

“Sorry, got lost in my thoughts.” He muttered, not looking at Rocky. That camping trip had been the first time he realized that Rocky was rather hot.

“Hey Billy, can I ask you something?” Rocky asked suddenly. Billy looked at him, seeing the nervous expression. He swallowed.

“What’s up?” He asked. Rocky worried his lower lip; Billy tore his gaze from it to look into Rocky’s face.

“I was, well I was wondering if you’d thought about dating. I mean, since figuring everything out?” Rocky asked. Billy frowned, noticing the nervousness in his voice.

“I’m not sure actually. I’m not really up on the gay, uh, scene.” He told him. Rocky nodded, ducking his head. Billy may have been fairly oblivious when it came to Marge, but he had a feeling he knew where this was going. And if the growing ball of excitement was any indication, he welcomed it.

“Well, I know a few clubs. Maybe we could go, you know, together?” Rocky asked, nervously.

“Rocky, are you asking me out?” Billy asked, amused. Normally, he’d be a spluttering mess right about then, except for one simple fact. This was Rocky asking him out, not some random girl who didn’t know him.

“Yes he is, now say yes so I can get back to sleep.” Aisha muttered from where she lay. Rocky and Billy both jumped and turned to see that the others were all awake and watching them with amusement. The two turned red. The three just looked at them expectantly. Blushing, Billy turned and caught Rocky’s eye. He gave him a small smile.

“Ask me again when we get back to Earth.” He told him before standing up and heading out of the cave, barely keeping himself from trembling. He looked over his shoulder to see Rocky grinning like a loon and the three others rolling their eyes as they went back to sleep.

“Alright, this is getting ridiculous.” Aisha was the one who finally voiced what they all been thinking. It was nearly lunch time and they had been walking all morning with not a single sight of civilization. Aisha and Adam had tried keeping themselves amused by watching Rocky and Billy who’d been sneaking looks at each other and then looking away when their gazes would catch. Tommy had been focused on the mission so completely that he barley even noticed the other four. “What do you suggest we do?” Tommy asked, angrily. “Its not like Ninjor gave us a whole lot of help. Find my cousin, she’ll help. Oh yeah, thanks Ninjor!” He yelled. Aisha eyes flashed.

“Tommy, you are so not helping!” She snapped. “I was just thinking that maybe we should look at this another way.”

“Uh, guys?”

“Like what?” Tommy demanded.

“I don’t know, something other than following the coastline cause we’re lost!” Aisha shot back.

“Guys!”

“If you have a suggestion, I’d like to hear it.” Tommy told her.

“Why the hell are you looking at me?! I’m not the only one here who can have ideas!” Aisha snapped.

“GUYS!”

“WHAT?!” Tommy and Aisha yelled, turning to Adam. He pointed to a small cliff. They looked over and saw a dozen Keres.

“Thought you might want to know we have company.”

“Shit!” They cursed simultaneously. Exchanging an exasperated glance with Billy and Rocky, Adam prepared for the onslaught as the Keres jumped down and attacked.

“You know the funny thing about morphing?” Billy called after fighting off a Keres who looked like aTriforian. Adam grinned over at him.

“What’s that?” He asked.

“You don’t appreciate it until you can’t do it anymore!” He yelled back right before getting tackled by a large figure in a very familiar headgear. Billy stared up in shock.

“Corcus?!”

The eres scrambled to his feet, growling. Billy crab-walked backwards, looking around widely. He was surrounded. The Triforian Keres had reappeared as well as two more with the same headgear as the Keres that had tackled him. His heart in his throat, he instantly recognized them.

“Tideus. Cestria…” He whispered, heartbroken. The three Keres grinned at him maliciously. Before they could do anything, however, a blur of green leather and bronze skin had swept them away. As Billy watched in utter shock, the woman beat the Keres back until they finally disappeared in flashes of flames. Breathing heavily, she turned to Billy as the other rangers hurried over to help him up.

“Friends of yours?” She asked, her voice accented. Dumbly, he nodded.

“They used to be.” He murmured. The woman snorted.

“Why are you here?” She demanded. Tommy stepped forward.

“We’re here for the Great Power.” He told her confidently. Billy broke from his haze as Dulcea swept her staff out and tripped Tommy, causing him to fall onto his back.

“Leave Phaedos. The Great Power is only for those who have the strength of the Ninja.” She told him, keeping the knob on his chest. Aisha held out her hands in the universal surrender position.

“Ninjor sent us.” She began but was cut off by the woman, who was looking at them in puzzlement.

“Ninjor?” She asked, looking down at Tommy uneasily. “You know Ninjor? Then that would make you…”

Billy nodded as she trailed off, her eyes wide. “The ninja team from Earth.” He confirmed.

“We need your help, Dulcea.”

“You must first be reconnected with your animal spirit,” Dulcea told them the next night. After imploring her help, Dulcea had led the five rangers what she dubbed the Ancient Ninjette temple. Ancient was right, Tommy realized, looking around. The ruins were nearly gone, only the outer columns remained. The in the middle was a roaring fire, small enough to keep everyone in the limits of the ruins, but large enough to keep everyone warm. Across from them stood Dulcea, studying them intently.

“As you know, there is an animal within us all. You know your spirits but your connection has been lost. Look deep within to find it again. Reconnect,” she told them before gently blowing sand from her hand into the fire. It lept up, swirling madly. The rangers took deep breaths, closed their eyes, and did as she ordered.

From her spot opposite them, Dulcea could see the exact moment each of the five reconnected. One by one, they glowed brightly in their colors. Adam was first, reconnecting in a violent burst of black. Dulcea smiled as the Frog jumped onto his shoulder, studying the youth intently. Turning to his Priestess, Jadespring smiled.

“It is good to be back with my child,” he told her. Looking to the girl on his right, she smiled.

The bear Stronggrip had wrapped his arms around the young woman, holding her tightly. The bear looked at Dulcea. “My cub has returned.”

“As has mine,” Fleetfoot said, nudging Billy with her snout. Dulcea smiled, pleased to see Mightyfist with Rocky and Swiftwing with Tommy. Curiously, another spirit had entered the temple. She looked at Skysong quizzically.

“Skysong, why do you come?” she asked quietly so as not to startle the teens out of their trances. The crane looked at the Priestess mournfully.

“My child is lost, Lady. We too should be reconnected but cannot,” she cried. Dulcea frowned.

“There was a sixth?” she asked and the spirits nodded. Dulcea realized suddenly that Skysong was not the only spirit who looked melancholy. “Why is she not here then?”

“She has been possessed by the flame of Maligore, she and her mate of spirit. That is why the others have come; they seek a way to free the two without harming them,” Skysong explained sadly. Dulcea sighed. Everything made sense now; she had wondered why Ninjor had sent them. All they had said was that Earth needed them. She straightened as the five teens opened their eyes to inspect their new uniforms. Dulcea smiled at them even as the five spirits by their side leaped into their chestplates.

“You have reconnected. Congratulations,” she told them, watching the awe they felt at being with their spirits once more. “I send you know to pass the trials. I will not, however, send you alone.”

“What do you mean, Dulcea?” Billy asked. She smiled at him as she gently scooped some sand from the alter. Springling it over the crane, she watched as the pink animal became corporal. The five teens eyes widened.

“Your companion may come to the Temple once the hold upon her is gone. Until then, her spirit animal may accompany you while you travel,” she told them as the pink crane flew to perch on the White Ninjette’s shoulder. She nuzzled him slightly before going and doing the same to the other four. Dulcea smiled when she saw the tears in the teens eyes. Skysong had always been protective and motherly—the comfort of having their companions spirit animal would give them the strength to do what they must.

“Jareth?” Khetala called from where she stood in the hidden room. Jareth turned and inspected the warriors before him.

He and Khetala had known first-hand just how much mayhem a dark ranger could cause. With that in mind, they had come upon an idea. With Hecate’s magic, they had created what they saw as the ultimate fighting force. Five warriors, dressed in dark ranger gear, they were as strong, agile, and fast as a normal ranger. Additionally, all had the ability to mimic a true rangers fighting style. The colors were in honor of the team that inspired them—Red, Blue, Black, Yellow, and Pink. Jareth smirked.

“The Psycho Rangers,” he announced, showing off his force to Astronema. She eyed them hungrily.

“Psycho?” she asked curiously as she circled him. Jareth and Khetala exchanged smirks.

“Cause the rangers they’re based on were psycho’s to think they could beat evil,” Khetala answered.

“They can be programmed to fight any team, not just the Turbo’s. They’re currently un-programmed but we’re working on that,” Jareth told her.

“Eventually, they’ll be the personal assassin force for the Dark Family,” Khetala added, watching as Astronema’s eyes lit up.

“I’ll have use of these?” she asked eagerly. Khetala smirked.

“Eventually. They have to be field tested first. We had one test already—they destroyed the rangers of Argos before getting destroyed by Master Vile,” she made a face. Astronema eyes flashed.

“Did you tell father?” she asked and the two nodded.

“Uncle has given us permission to use them on Vile once they’ve been tested as punishment,” she grinned and Astronema smirked.

“Wonderful,” she purred. The three turned to Scorpina when the woman came in.

“My Lord, my Ladies, I have word on the Plan,” she announced. Jareth and Khetala turned to her sharply as Astronema looked on curiously.

“Well?” Jareth demanded. Scorpina smirked.

“The house and its occupants have been destroyed, My Lord. You needn’t worry about him returning to help his…friends,” she sneered. Jareth and Khetala shared a gleeful look.

“Khet? Jar?” Astronema asked, reminding them she was present. Jareth made a face at the nicknames.

“Its Jareth, Astronema,” he growled. She rolled her eyes.

“We needn’t worry about the former Blue returning,” he told her hotly. “He’s been eliminated.”

“He has?” she asked, shocked. It had taken her years to get rid of one of those blasted KO 35 rangers. Jareth smirked as six Keres walked in, holding the still body of a young, twelve year old. His body was covered in soot, his chest a bloody mess. He leaned over, inspecting the wound.

“Sword?” he asked and she nodded, handing the aforementioned sword to Jareth. He smirked at the blood before handing it back.

“Place it on a pedestal—the first weapon to kill a Ranger of Earth.”

“Oh wow,” Billy whispered as the great power filled him. The animated skeletons, the rock-warriors, they were fairly easy to handle with the familiar presence of the crane by their side. But as the power filled him, he felt a sense of loss—Kim herself should have been with them. Glancing at the others, he could see the others felt the same. “I missed this,” Rocky murmured by his side. Billy glanced at him and saw the familiar red form of the Ninjette and Morphin armor. He smiled behind his helmet as Rocky twisted, showing off the familiar planes of his backside. Billy shook his head to clear it of the unneeded thoughts.

“Let’s go home,” Tommy said. With a last peak at Rocky, Billy followed the others and teleported away.

As they traveled, Billy thought of the differences between the trip back. On their way to Phaedos, he’d felt sick, dizzy, and unbalanced. Without the power as a buffer, they all had felt disorientated upon dematerialization. Now, with the Great Power filling him, he felt slightly unbalanced but other than that he felt fine.

Which meant, of course, that when he landed in the Power Chamber he fell flat on his ass. Groaning, his face slightly red in embarrassment, he looked around and saw that all five of them had fallen. Looking up, he accepted a hand from David who pulled him to his feet. Once standing, he popped his helmet off and saw that the others were doing the same.

“Whats wrong?” Tommy asked sharply. Billy looked around and suddenly realized that Kat, Tanya, and Trini’s eyes were suspiciously red-rimmed. Feeling his stomach drop, he barely heard Trini as she answered.

“We got word yesterday that Scorpina and a dozen Keres attacked a house in downtown Baltimore,” she told Tommy matter-of-factly. Watching him, he saw Tommy’s eyes grow wide.

“Justin…,” he whispered. Kat led out a sob, burying her face in her hands.

“His father was found dead. He…he was cut in two,” Trini told him, her voice catching. Billy felt his stomach turn over and had to force the bile that threatened to rise back down.

“And Justin?” Rocky asked, oddly calm. Kat and Tanya were sobbing quietly into each others arms, unable to answer. David stood and motioned for them to follow. The five rangers followed him, Zack, and Trini to a room just off to the side. Walking in, Billy froze. Lying on a table was a a figure covered in white cloth. Alpha stood by the table, making notes. David went to lift the cloth but Tommy stopped him. Walking forward, Tommy stared down at the form for a minute before gently grabbing the cloth and lifting it to reveal Justin’s pale, unbreathing form. Billy watched as through a dream as Adam hurried from the room, his face as green as his former uniform; Aisha followed him. Tears fell from Rocky’s eyes silently as he stared at the former blue’s form.

“He was a kid,” Tommy murmured, gently placing a hand on Justin’s forehead, “He was supposed to be safe.”

“He was so happy,” Rocky whispered. Tommy knocked his head to the side, listening but not commenting, “He was finally back with his dad. This shouldn’t have happened.”

“No, it shouldn’t have. But it did,” Tommy answered, his voice devoid of emotion, “Jareth and Khetala knew we would call on him if we had to. Knew he would be a liability to them if something happened to one of us.”

“So they killed him,” Rocky replied flatly. Tommy nodded as Trini twitched.

“They were planning on killing Aisha, Zack, and me too,” she told them quietly. Tommy didn’t take his eyes off of Justin.

“Oh?” he asked, his voice hard.

“Skull overheard them talking. He told us he knew the truth when word of the attack reached Angel Grove last night,” she answered promptly.

“How come the sensors didn’t warn us?” Tommy asked. Trini sniffled.

“They only scan Angel Grove and the surrounding area. We never had to scan the rest of the world before,” she replied in a disgusted tone of voice.

“Billy, recalibrate them to constantly scan Earth,” he ordered. Billy frowned.

“I’m not sure I can--” he began but was cut off by Tommy who twirled around, his face filled with rage.

“THEN FIND A WAY!” he roared, “JUSTIN IS DEAD! DEAD, BILLY! THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN, UNDERSTOOD?!”

“Understood,” he replied meekly. Trini, Rocky, and Alpha watched the two uneasily. Breathing heavily, he stalked back to Justin.

“Get out. All of you,” he ordered, his voice quiet once again. Swallowing, Billy shakily walked from the room after Trini and Alpha. He was shaking and not just cause of the horror of Justin’s death. He’d never really faced Tommy pissed off before. It was…

“Scary,” Rocky answered for him. Billy glanced at him uneasily.

“Give him time,” Trini advised them as the reentered the main room of the Power Chamber.

“How did we get the body anyway?” Aisha was asking David quietly when they walked in. David’s face turned stony.

“They sent it,” he spat. Billy immediately understood who he meant.

“Jason and Kim are--” he began but David cut him off.

“Dead. This, out of everything, should prove that to you,” he told him hotly. Billy didn’t answer, slightly miffed that no one was letting him finish his own sentences. He inwardly smacked himself—we have worse things to worry about that your petty feelings, he inwardly scolded.

“The police have been informed. The President announced that anything Ranger related is off limits to everyone but us. The attack is officially under our jurisdiction; we’re to deal with everything, including 'finding' Justin. David and I went and talked to him,” Trini told them quietly. Billy nodded, moving to the scanning consol. Trini and Adam joined him.

“What are we doing?” Adam asked. Billy sighed.

“We need to find a way to recalibrate the scanners to engulf the whole planet. Tommy doesn’t want this happening again,” he answered. Adam nodded.

“Neither do I.”

A sudden flash of light lit up the room before fading to reveal Skull, dressed in washed out jeans and a black shirt with a skull and crossbones on it. He looked around, taking in the newly arrived Ninjette with unease before shaking his head to clear it of his thoughts. Billy watched in bemusement as he darted straight towards Trini.

“Can you bring up CNN?” he asked and Trini nodded, turning to do as he asked. Billy moved with the others to stare up at the viewing screen as CNN popped up. The screen showed hundreds, thousands of people holding candles and signs in silent vigil. Absently he realized Tommy had come into the room.

“Thousands around the world have gathered in parks, schools, and churches to mourn the loss of twelve year old Justin Stewart and his father Alan. The two were attacked by Scorpina, personal assassin of the current villains Jareth and Khetala who have taken up residence on the moon,” The reporter announced as the screen showed the inside of the Youth Center where a picture of Justin was hung up and hundreds of people wept as they stood with candles.

“The Rangers of Earth held a private meeting with President O’Neill recently and assured him that this attack was a fluke—Jareth and Khetala are possibly the worst of the villains they have faced as of yet due to the fact that they have intimate knowledge of the way the superhero team works. Blue Ranger informed the President that they were once rangers themselves and have no qualms of using their information to their advantage.

“Red Ranger assured the President that they’re doing everything in their power to keep this from happening again. This includes requesting the assistance of a former team that protected Earth as well as try to free the two former rangers—she admitted that the two were under the magical control of a more powerful entity and that their actions were not their own. The President has issued an immediate order that if any of the footmen appear around you, to run rather than try and fight, as Justin and his father did,” The reporter finished. The rangers were silent as they took this in. That is, until Skull spoke up, staring at one of the consols.

“Is that a Crane?”

“Jareth, it's time,” Khetala announced as she stood in the doorway to their bedroom. Jareth glanced at her, saw her expression, and nodded. “Have Hecate prepare the snatch team.”

The priest was halfway through the eulogy when the Rangers quietly filed into the back. Their appearance caused a bit of a stir but the priest didn’t stop “Justin believed that everyone had something to give—that everyone had a purpose. He didn’t care for people half-way and those who he considered friends were enriched by his friendship,” he finished. As Billy and the others watched, Tommy walked quietly to the front of the church, his back stiff.

“Justin…Justin was a friend of the rangers. He was intelligent, extremely so, and accidentally uncovered our headquarters and thus, our identities. He never spoke a word—he trusted us more than we often trusted ourselves. And he kept our secrets unto death—not even his closest friends knew what he knew. When he moved to Baltimore with his father, it was the happiest we ever saw him. He was a good boy, a smart boy. We miss him. Good bye Justin,” Tommy’s voice caught as he stepped away from the podium and made his way to the others.

Tommy had insisted he be the one who gave the rangers goodbye and no one, not even Rocky, had argued. Tommy had considered Justin a kid brother and Justin had felt the same—none could begrudge Tommy his chance to say goodbye.

“Rangers, may I ask a favor?” the priest came over and the Rangers straightened; the church was emptying as everyone went to the grave site.

“What is it?” Trini asked and the Priest smiled at her.

“Would four or six of you consent to be pallbearers?” he asked softly. The rangers froze in surprise, “It’s what he would have wanted, I think.”

“I will,” Tommy stepped forward, glancing at the others. Without a word, Adam, Rocky, and Billy himself stepped forward as well. The Priest smiled and motioned for them to follow him.

Watching them approach the casket, Trini turned to the others and motioned for them to follow her so they lined the exit of the church. Standing in lines of two, they waited until the four guys and the Priest came with the casket. Adam and Tommy were in front with Billy and Rocky holding the back. Kat and Tanya followed the Priest with the casket just behind them. Trini, Aisha, Zack, and David followed behind.

Within half an hour Justin was in the ground and the rangers were leaving. A young woman darted over to them, her hand gripping a voice recorder.

“Excuse me, Rangers, can I ask some questions?” she called. Tommy whirled around, his temper about ready to explode.

“No, you can’t!” he snapped. The woman raised an eyebrow.

“I think the public deserves to know if they have to worry about assassins coming to attack,” she replied smoothly. Trini and Zack jumped forward and forced Tommy away from the woman. Adam stepped up to the reporter.

“No. Justin had been targeted because he knew us. He was the only one who knew. Now, I suggest you leave before Falcon gets even more pissed off than he is; Justin was like a little brother to him,” Adam’s voice was so cold the others did double-takes. The woman seemed to realize she wasn’t going to get anything more and left. Adam turned to the others.

“Come on guys, lets go home.”

When they’d teleported back to the Power Chamber after the funeral, Tommy had immediately demorphed, given Billy his communicator, and left. He didn’t want to be bothered for the rest of the day and according to the scanners, the Pyro Palace was quiet. “Probably celebrating Justin’s death,” he mumbled staring out blankly across the water. He was at the beach, in front of the rock cave he and Justin had found. Justin had insisted on exploring the cave and the two had found that the cave acted as a tunnel that led up to a small rock ledge with an amazing view of the beach and ocean. Justin had named it Zeo Rock, after his heroes, the Zeo Rangers. This was before he’d learned the truth and joined them, back when he was just a kid they all looked after from the Shelter. Kicking the sand, Tommy turned around and made his way inside, completely oblivious to the dark figures following him.

“Hey Billy?” Rocky asked as the two worked on the computers. The blue ranger looked over at him. “Whats up?” he asked, wiping his hands on a piece of cloth. With the new/old powers had come some familiar zords. They were looking them up and down to make sure they were ready for a fight, despite the fact Jareth and Khetala had yet to turn any monsters big enough to call the zords out.

“Do you want to come to dinner tonight at mom’s? I know your dad’s out of town and…I don’t think any of us should be alone right now. Well, none except for Tommy,” he corrected himself. Billy frowned.

“I still think he should have kept his communicator. If something happens, we won’t know about it,” he told him. Rocky nodded.

“And I agree. But Tommy needs time to come to terms with whats happened. I was the same way when my dad died—no one was allowed around me until I was ready,” he admitted. Billy’s expression twisted.

“I felt the same way, when my mom died. Didn’t stop Kim from coming over and just hanging out in my room without saying anything, though,” he told him. Rocky smiled slightly.

“Are you sure your mom won’t mind?” Billy asked suddenly and Rocky nodded.

“She’s itching to cook for the group of us anyway. Ma’s way of dealing with grief is her cooking for everyone affected,” he told him. Billy smiled in understanding.

“She liked Justin, didn’t she?” he asked, sitting down so his back was against the ape-zord. Rocky ambled over and sat next to him, his shoulder just brushing the blue rangers.

“Yeah, she did. She warned me not to adopt him—she said she’s not quite ready to be a grandma yet,” he chuckled. Billy swallowed.

“You’re gonna have to adopt, aren’t you? Both of us are,” he murmured, not having considered that before. Rocky snorted.

“Actually, its likely we’ll not even be able to do that. Gays and lesbians are rarely able to adopt,” he sighed. Billy glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

“You always wanted a big family.” It was a statement, not a question, but Rocky answered anyway.

“Yeah, I did. I just can’t see myself with one or two kids, not with having helped raise the others,” he murmured.

“There are always surrogates,” Billy suggested. Rocky’s brow furrowed as he turned to the blue ranger.

“Surrogates?” he asked, puzzled. Billy smiled slightly.

“Basically, you would donate your sperm and you’d find a woman willing to donate eggs. The child would be created artificially and the woman would carry the child to term. Aisha would probably be willing to do it for you,” he explained. Rocky’s eyes sparkled.

“I doubt she’d want to carry that many kids,” he joked. Billy snorted.

“I can just see it now; 'Cheaper by the Dozen; The Gay Story,'” he snarked. Rocky chuckled. The two smiled at each other before turning to stare at random objects across the room.

“I miss him,” Rocky said suddenly, his voice soft. Gathering his courage, Billy reached over and grabbed the red ranger’s hand, twining his fingers through his. He squeezed and got a little thrill when Rocky pressed back

“So do I.”

“We have him, My Lady,” the Keres leader said when he walked in. Behind him, limp in the arms of four more Keres, was a young man in white, his long hair covering his face. Hecate twisted her lips in distaste. “I told you not to harm him!” she snapped, moving forward to lift the hair from his face. His features were unblemished, his face slack in unconsciousness. The lead Keres’s face was blank when she turned to him.

“He fought valiantly, but in the end, Lord Tyr was able to get close enough to knock him upside the head with a staff. He’ll have a splitting headache when he awakes, but other than that he’ll be unharmed,” the Keres told her in a monotone. Hecate nodded sharply.

“Very well. Put him over there,” she ordered, motioning to a long table. She turned from the warriors to move over to her worktable. Standing in the shadows, in sentry duty, were the five psycho rangers. They’re current programming was simple; she could utter one word and they would spring to life to protect her and the other members of the court, no questions asked. Eventually, she knew, they would be given more sophisticated programming so they would be able to act as assassins and infiltrators, thus appearing more human.

Shrugging them from her mind, she grabbed a box of black, inlaid with silver etchings. She picked it up and turned to the table and the body on it. Handing the box to a Keres standing at the head of the table, she opened it and took out a small instrument. Absently noticing the Prince and Princess had come into the room to watch, she ordered a Keres to lift the white rangers hair. Wiping the base of his neck, were his spine connected with his skull, she very carefully began drawing.

“What is taking them so long?” Jareth growled. It’d been two hours since Tyr and Scorpina had reported that Tommy had been captured and delivered to Hecate and so far they hadn’t heard anything besides Hecate’s initial order not to interrupt. Suddenly, the doors to the throne room swung open and a very familiar man, still dressed in his Earth clothing, strode into the room followed by Hecate and three Keres. Jareth, Khetala, and the other members of the court in the room straightened. Jareth watched, amused, as the white ranger came and knelt before the thrones.

“I am at your service,” he spoke quietly, his face to the ground in reverence. Jareth and Khetala smirked.

“You are, are you?” Jareth asked, looking at Hecate. The woman smiled.

“Essentially, he is a mole. The magic will keep him unaware of the fact he’s been compromised; the tattoo that now connects him to the fire of Maligore will sink into his skin and out of sight once you send him back. When you wish for him, call on the tattoo and it will reappear and he will be evil once more,” she explained.

“So while he’s with the rangers, he will be Tommy, with no memory of being attacked and taken, but when we need him, you can summon him and the tattoo will return him to evil?” Khetala asked for clarification and Hecate nodded.

“Yes, and he will have all the memories of when he was simply Tommy, our mole.” She replied. Jareth’s smile was chilling as he looked at Tommy.

“Welcome back to evil, my friend,” he greeted Tommy. He looked up, his eyes crimson. His eyes lingered on Khetala for a moment before he turned to stare directly at Jareth.

“It is good to be back.”

Tommy groaned, standing up. Looking around, he was surprised to find himself at the base of the ladder leading to the rock ledge. He glanced around and spotted what had caused his fall—one of the ladder rungs was rusted through. Sighing, he shook his head and gingerly made his way out of the cave, unaware that Jareth was watching him from the ledge.

“Hey Tommy!” Rocky called from his truck. Tommy turned around, his keys in hand as he stood at his parents porch. Tommy jogged over.

“What’s up?” He asked warily, taking stock of the fact Billy was in the passenger side.

“We’re heading to the Pizzeria for dinner, wanna come?” The red ranger offered. Tommy glanced at Billy and with that one glance knew the blue ranger didn’t want him to come on what could possibly be his first date with the red ranger. Tommy smiled at the two.

“Nah, I’m gonna cook some soup and catch some rest. The last two weeks have been murder on us,” he groaned. Rocky and Billy grimaced in agreement. It’d been two weeks since Justin’s funeral and Jareth and Khetala had renewed their blitz attacks, sending attack parties at all hours of the day and night.

“You two have fun,” he told them, moving away. Waving as they left, he headed back towards the house. Just as he was about to put the key into the lock, he abruptly changed his mind. Heading back to the jeep, he swung in and drove away.

After picking up some food from Taco Bell, Tommy had headed down to the beach. Within minutes, he was back at the entrance of the cave. Just as he was about to enter, he felt a tingle at the base of his neck.

“Report!” Jareth commanded as he and Khetala stepped from the darkness. Instead of dropping to a fighting stance as he normally would have, the figure now known as Tieran dropped so he was kneeling in front of the two.

“They are still in mourning over the death of the brat,” he replied. Jareth growled.

“Oh get UP! You’re our assassin, our mole, our personal warrior. Stop groveling, you’re better than that!” Jareth snarled, kicking the still kneeling man. Smirking, Tieran stood up.

“Of course. They bitch and moan about the brats death and speculate on what you two are planning. It’s exhausting,” he sneered. Jareth snorted while Khetala silently circled the evil ranger over.

“And you? What have you been doing, my Lord?” She purred. Tieran kept his face straight as she stopped just in front of him.

“I sleep while Tommy works at keeping the others up to snuff. Continue the blitz attacks and you’ll wear them down so much they’ll fall easily in a few weeks,” he answered, staring straight ahead as Khetala ran a hand over his chest. Jareth was smirking as he watched the two.

“We want them to beg for death. How would you suggest we accomplish that?” He demanded. Tieran growled as Khetala scratched down his chest with her nails.

“Continue the blitz attacks. Take out Zordon and Alpha, they will be mentorless. Kill Trini and recall me permanently, they’ll be leaderless. Capture the ones they love, their families, and they will hand over their powers easily. Then, capture them and torture them until they beg. Earth will be yours for the taking,” he outlined. Jareth smirked and exchanged a look with Khetala.

“That’s one plan. Plan B, as it were. Do you have anything else to report?” Jareth asked, watching in bemused silence as Khetala leaned up to nibble on Tieran’s ear.

“Yes. Skull overheard your plans to kill Trini, Aisha, and Zack. They’ve given him a communicator; he’s a liability to your plans,” he said, his voice husky. Jareth smirked.

“Very good. Let’s go back to the palace Khetala. We have work to do,” he ordered, pushing away from the wall where he’d been leaning. Khetala turned to him, her lips in a pout.

“No playing?” She asked prettily. Jareth hesitated, looking between the pouting woman and the obviously turned on man behind her. He crossed his arms and strode forward. Khetala immediately moved out of the way.

“I have a question and I will ask you only once. Answer as you will,” Jareth ordered, his voice soft. Off to the side, Khetala clapped happily, seeing where Jareth was going. Tieran stared down at him, silent. Without warning, Jareth surged forward and captured the other mans lips in a kiss. Almost immediately, Tieran growled and hungrily kissed him back. As the two made out, Khetala smiled wryly.

“Well, that answers that question,” she murmured. Finally fed up, she strode forward and gingerly placed herself between the two.

“Let’s go have some…fun,” she purred and the three disappeared in large flash of flame.

“This is not good,” Tommy muttered, flipping through his new log book.

After the third black out and a feeling that he’d just done something incredibly stupid, Tommy started getting paranoid. He became obsessed with keeping time, logging down where he was when and what he was doing. If his friends noticed anything off, they didn’t say anything but Tommy had been evil too many times to not realize when something was up. Finally, he started noticing a pattern.

Every Thursday, without fail, he’d go buy fast food, and head down to the beach. A few hours later he’d return to his house feeling hungrier than ever and often with the feeling that he’d just taken a shower. He often felt extremely sore and spent and so he figured he kept getting attacked but couldn’t remember them which didn’t make a whole lot of sense. He was fairly certain he’d remember getting into a fight, swiss-cheese memory or not, which meant only one thing.

He’d been compromised somehow.

He’d been taking the notes for 3 weeks, and could recall the feeling of missed time twice before that so he figured he’d been compromised for about five weeks. Tommy hated admitting to anyone he’d been compromised, especially since he couldn’t for the life of him figure out when it was. As far as he knew, he’d never been attacked outside of the random blitz and everyone kept on eye out on each other during those fights. Surely someone would have noticed if he’d been compromised during one of them.

Right?

“Damnit!” Hecate cursed, watching the magic flickering on the white rangers form. She was in her lab, watching her mole through a puddle of water in a stone basin. Waving a hand over the pool, it changed to show his face. The white ranger seemed resigned, annoyed, and worried. Another wave showed the magical rope that latched him to Maligore’s fire.

It was fraying.

“Of course I couldn’t get the ranger who’s never been evil, the one no one will suspect—I get the one who’s so obsessed with not being evil he can severe the rope without even realizing it,” she muttered, annoyed. “I should have used a chain.”

Even as she watched, the rope was fraying. Within a few hours the rope would break and he’d be good again—and she’d be in a lot of trouble with her Lord and Lady.

“I have to strengthen it. Turn it to chain,” she murmured, moving so she was directly by the flame that sat encased in an enchanted glass box. The rope was still visible to her, leaving the living flame and floating out the door and across space. She scowled. The distance the rope had to go didn’t help.

“Why couldn’t they have just thrown the blasted ranger into Maligore’s true flame when they had the chance? Then we wouldn’t have this problem,” she scowled. Setting herself, she reached out and grasped the rope. It was brittle to the touch; the smallest pressure could snap it. Taking a deep breath, she sent her magic out, gently, slowly, filling the link with her magic. As she traveled the length of the rope, she felt Khetala and Jareth approaching her body. Panicking, she put more power into the rope.

It snapped in her grasp.

“Woah,” Tommy gasped, bending over and holding his stomach. “Tommy!” Kat called, rushing over. They were in the Power Chamber where Tommy had just told the others his suspicions that he’d been compromised. Billy, Zack, and Trini hadn’t seemed very surprised, though they were worried. They had admitted they suspected Jareth and Khetala would try something like that, both of them having had deep feelings for the original green ranger. Now, as all of Tommy’s memories came back, he realized just how deep those feelings had actually went—particularly with Jason. Fighting back a blush, he stood.

“It’s gone,” he announced, still holding his stomach to stop it from revolting. The others looked at him oddly.

“Hecate was trying to strengthen the bond—it was fraying. She accidentally broke it instead,” he explained, adding that he could feel and recognize the touch of her magic, just like he’d always be able to recognize Rita’s. The rangers shifted uncomfortably, eyeing him warily. He frowned.

“I’m telling you the truth,” he insisted. They exchanged glances.

“What do you remember?” Billy finally asked. Tommy blushed, avoiding Kat’s eyes.

“Everything,” he mumbled. Billy eyed him before understanding filled his eyes.

“I see,” he said softly, coming over and gently laying a hand on Tommy’s shoulder.

“We’ll talk about it later. In private,” he whispered. Tommy swallowed and nodded, looking down at his feet.

“I didn’t tell them anything drastic—just how everyone is and what we’re doing. I have no idea what their planning but we need to be careful…and I want it made known that if anything happens to Trini or I, Zack and Billy are in charge,” he ordered, glancing at Trini who nodded in agreement.

“Get rid of the leaders—oldest trick in the book,” she murmured and Tommy scowled.

“And unfortunately, I put it in their head,” he grumbled. Trini gave him a wry smile.

“It probably already occurred to Jason—we learned about the tactics of war at the Peace Conference,” she told him quietly. Everyone but Zack looked at her oddly.

“You learned about war tactics at a Peace Conference?” Rocky asked, confused. Zack smiled wryly.

“One of the instructors insisted that the best way to prevent war was to study everything about it,” he shrugged, his expression saying that he didn’t entirely get the logic either. Rocky and Aisha both snorted.

“So now what?” Adam asked quietly. The others looked at Tommy who sighed.

“Call Skull, tell him it’s not paranoia when people actually are out to get you. And the rest of us…stay sharp,” he ordered. The others nodded, Rocky smirking at the white rangers choice of words. Within minutes, everyone but Billy and Tommy had left. Alpha had gone to do some checkups on the zords, and Zordon was meditating. Tommy looked at the blue ranger and sighed.

“Did you know? About Jason, I mean?” he asked quietly. Billy swallowed.

“Yeah. We’ve always known Jason was bi, but no one ever really thought it mattered before since he barely dated. He always said dating came second to saving the world and he wouldn’t do that to his partner. I know he entertained the idea of dating Trini for a time but I always knew that he was more attracted to Kim…and you,” he told him. Tommy ran a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes.

“He never said anything,” he admitted. Billy smiled wryly.

“Part of that was because he had no idea how you would react. There is a huge difference with being okay with your best friend being bi and that same best friend having a crush on you. He didn’t want to destroy your friendship,” he pointed out. Tommy frowned.

“Actually, I meant his attraction to Kim. I knew he was attracted to me—we got a wee bit too drunk one night and he admitted as much,” he told the blue ranger, who blushed.

“Oh.”

Tommy took a deep breath, not looking at the recently semi-outed guy. “And out of all of the guys I know, I always knew Jason would be the one I’d probably date if it came to that.”

Billy blinked. “Seriously?” he asked, startled. Tommy nodded, smiling wryly.

“I think that’s why the thing with Kim and Jason and I…I was so open to it,” he replied, not entirely sure how he felt about it. Billy blinked again.

“Wait, Jason and Kim? Together?” he squeaked. Tommy glanced at him and snorted—the blue rangers cheeks were bright red.

“Oh yeah,” he answered, his mind flashing back to images of flesh on flesh. Shaking his head hard to get rid of the images, he glanced at the blue ranger and barely stopped himself from snickering; Billy’s expression was pensive as he gazed without actually seeing anything.

“How would that work?” he murmured, causing Tommy to stare at him. “I mean, I know the logistics but…”

His voice trailed off and he came back to the present to find Tommy eyeing him with amusement. He turned bright red again before mumbling something about the zords and fled. Tommy stared after him, his expression thoughtful.

When Jason, Zack, and Trini had left for the Peace Conference, Tommy had discovered the true hardships of being a leader—particularly with three new rangers. After a two hour long conversation with Jason over the phone, Tommy had approached Billy and asked if the blue ranger wanted to go and hang out at Tommy’s house that night. Billy had been surprised but nevertheless agreed.

Despite the initial uneasiness on both their parts, they had learned more about each that night then they had the entire year they’d known each other. They had talked about things Tommy couldn’t talk with Kim, Rocky, Adam, or Aisha about; his worries about the chemistry of the team, the danger they all got into, how his relationship with Kim was affecting everyone. In turn, Billy had shared his fears, his ideas, his observations, and his worry he’d never find someone to love.

After the success of that night, Tommy made plans to have one night a week with his teammates. It had worked so well that Billy began doing the same thing, spending one-on-one time with Kim, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha. Within a few weeks, they all had worked it so they all had one-on-one time at least once a month and once a week they all did something as a group—mostly they watched movies but occasionally they’d go to the beach, have a BBQ in the park, or some other random thing. It had helped them stave off several blow-ups, not to mention strengthened their friendships.

As the team changed, with first Kim leaving and then Aisha, the one-on-one nights had slowly changed. Instead of everyone meeting with everyone else, they’d paired off, especially when they turned Zeo. Tanya and Kat would spend a night a week just hanging out, while Adam and Rocky did the same. Tommy had continued his meetings with Billy up until Jason had returned. Then, he was ashamed to realize, they’d stopped. Tommy had become so obsessed with having Jason back, he’d ignored the blue ranger.

“No wonder he left,” he muttered to himself. Setting his face, Tommy headed down to the zord bay. Once he found the blue ranger under the Ape Zord, holding a sandwich, Tommy plopped down beside him.

“Let’s go play some pool tomorrow night and you can tell me how you and Rocky are doing.” Tommy suggested. Billy stared at him, surprised. Slowly, the shock wore off and his eyes filled with realization. With a twinkle in his eyes, Billy smiled at him.

“You’re on.”

To say Jareth and Khetala were displeased with the loss of Tieran would be an understatement of gigantic proportions.

They were furious.

“…I hope you enjoy your new accessory,” Jareth sneered as a Keres placed a collar around Hecate’s throat. Hecate flinched as the collar was snapped into place a low humming filled the room. Hecate she swallowed as Jareth held up the controller. She screamed as a large jolt of electricity shot through her body, centering from her neck. Collapsing on the ground, she gasped for breath as Jareth handed the controller to Khetala. Her eyes flashed and with a slight nudge, she moved the level. Hecate swallowed tears of pain as a low thread of electricity coursed through her body.

“For the next few weeks, you will live with this electricity constantly. Every time you make a mistake or error, the level will be increased. Know that we are being merciful; there are hundreds of other sorcerers willing to join our court,” Jareth told her coldly, Hecate shakily stood and carefully curtsied. Keeping her head down, she left only when Jareth dismissed her.

Once she was gone, Jareth gave Khetala a look. “Take a group of Keres and catalogue the lab,” he ordered.

The collar had been found by Khetala and Scorpina when the assassin was showing her around. Scorpina had told her the basic functions and how Rita and Zedd had deemed it useless. Now, the two planned on using as many of the old monster’s inventions as they deemed useful.

Grumbling darkly, Khetala grabbed the watching Astronema and dragged her out of the throne room. “Sometimes I just want to….” she grumbled.

“I know the feeling,” Astronema smirked. Khetala snickered, recalling their discussion about Ecliptor and Darkonda. Without warning, the pathway they were walking through crumbled beneath their feet.

“Damnit!” Khetala cursed, gingerly picking herself up as Astronema did the same next to her. Making a face at the cave they had fallen into, Khetala quietly made her way forward. She and Jareth hadn’t explored all of the castle yet; most of it was still largely unmapped. Still, something about this room was niggling in the back of her mind.

“This looks like a life extractor,” Astronema murmured from a wall. Khetala turned around and came face to face with a slab of rock. Instantly images invaded her mind.

Being held down by ropes as Finster fiddled with something; feeling her energy leaving her body as the extractor took her powers; Tommy coming and saving her, fighting off Zedd single-handedly.

“I know this place,” she muttered. Astronema raised an eyebrow.

“Zedd and Rita kidnapped me back when we were still ninja. They got my coin, Katherine stole it while she was evil; they nearly killed me,” she murmured, placing a hand on the table. Astronema remained silent as Khetala made her way around the cave. She bent down, picking up what looked like blanket.

“Scorpina was here when they did it; she kept an eye on me most of the time. She placed this on me when I got cold. She was so gentle…” Khetala trailed off, staring down at the cloth as if mesmerized.

“Tommy came to save me, even though he shouldn’t have. He loved me so much…” she murmured softly. Astronema just watched her as she scampered around, looking at everything. Absently, the young princess fingered her locket.

Her heart is pure. It’s only Maligore’s flame that’s keeping her evil. She realized. Glancing up at the hole they had fallen through, she frowned. Jareth too.

I never knew my own family; they were killed before I got the chance. Can I really let Khetala and Jareth kill their own family, even unknowingly?

“It’s time, boys,” Jareth announced. It’d been a week since Tieran had slipped their grasp and the son of Maligore had decided it was time he traveled down to earth and made his presence officially known to the populace of Earth as its Master.

“What weapon, my Lord?” Tyr asked politely. Jareth smirked evilly.

“The Sword,” he demanded and, smiling in approval, Tyr grabbed the sword Scorpina had used to kill Justin off the wall. He reverently handed it to Jareth who accepted it with thanks. Jareth’s eyes flashed as he stood.

“Let’s have some fun,” he announced, moving to the center of the attack group. His face covered in a black mask, surrounded by Tyr, Dwyn, Lasair, Janus, and half a dozen Keres, he felt assured of some form of victory.

“We hear you Zordon,” Tommy spoke into the communicator, the other four ninja’s and Skull leaning in at the table. With Bulk having moved away for a month to help his grandparents, Skull had been left to become friendlier with those he once considered his rivals. Now, as he watched, Skull finally understood them.

“Rangers, teleport to the park, Jareth, Tyr, Dwyn, Lasair, Janus, and a group of Keres are attacking,” Zordon’s voice was urgent as he relayed the news and for good reason; this was the first time Jareth or Khetala had come down to Earth in their new form.

“Lets go,” Tommy ordered, but he needn’t have bothered; Rocky, Adam, and Billy were already at the door, where Tanya, David, Kat, and Trini were waiting. Soon, all ten rangers were morphed and on their way to the park while Skull teleported to the Power Chamber.

“Stop right there!” Tommy bellowed when they rematerialized. Jareth calmly turned around, allowing the cowering man he’d been about to kill the chance to flee. Tommy glared as the four assassins spread out amongst a group of Keres. Tommy seethed.

“Jareth’s mine,” he growled before jumping at the still smirking flame. Trini didn’t hesitate as the two former best friends went at it.

“Zack, David, take the Keres. Rocky, Billy, take Lasair; Kat, Tanya, take Dwyn, Adam you have Janus; Aisha, we’ll take Tyr!” she yelled and the nine rangers spread out as they approached their opponents.

Nearby, Jareth landed a blow to Tommy’s midsection, sending him crashing into a picnic table. Shaking his head, Tommy stood up, “Jason, fight the evil!” he urged even as Jareth advanced on him again, this time with sword drawn.

“You know what sword this is, Tommy?” Jareth asked, swiping at the white ranger’s mid-section. Tommy jumped back, the tip of the blade less than inch from landing across his chest. “It’s the sword Scorpina used to kill that former blue. What was his name, again? Oh yes,Justin.”

With those words, Tommy saw red. The anguish, pain, and horror of losing one of his own in such a brutal way had been simmering just under the surface since it had happened. Now, as the sword that killed the young boy was waved in his face, Tommy forgot everything, even that the man wielding it had been his best friend. Now, all he saw was the man who ordered Justin’s death.

With a howl of rage, Tommy attacked. Punches flew fast and hard as Jareth laughingly defended himself. Jareth had planned on this, getting Tommy angry enough. For when that occurred, he was so angry he lost all thoughts, with nothing in mind but the battle and he’d make mistakes.

“A toast, Khetala?” Astronema inquired, holding up a tray with two steaming cups of a white liquid. Khetala accepted the one given to her without looking up from the viewing screen. On it, Jareth danced around Tommy as the white ranger once again brought Saba down and missed. Khetala tossed it down her throat in one gulp as Astronema murmured the toast to victory.

“Astronema, what was in that?” Khetala demanded a few minutes later when a light mist started rising from her skin. Astronema raised an eyebrow.

“Boiled Ice Juice,” she replied and watched as Khetala started choking.

“What!” Scorpina snapped, moving forward. The assassin stopped as three dozen of Astronema’s personal guard appeared around them, along with Finster. As Khetala continued to choke, Finster began chanting and Astronema thought back to the conversation that had led to this moment.

“I do not understand, Princess. What use could you have of the little weasel?” Scorpina asked as she and Eise dragged the simpering troll of Rita’s to Astronema. The Princess of Evil only had eyes for the cowering monster-maker.

“Leave us,” she ordered and the two women quickly left. Finster glanced around uneasily.

“I do not know where Rita and Zedd are,” he lied. Astronema frowned.

“Right now I don’t care about them. I need your help,” she told him. Finster frowned.

“What would the almighty princess need with me?” he asked skeptically. Astronema’s frowndeepened.

“How do you give someone their free will back?” she demanded. Finster started and stared at her, open mouthed. She raised an eyebrow and he swallowed.

“It would depend, you highness,” he replied.

“On what?” she snapped. He swallowed again as a crackling of purple lightning danced on her shoulder.

“On the magic used to block the free will and whether the person was of good or evil disposition to begin with,” he stuttered. Astronema frowned.

“They were good before they were twisted by the fires of Maligore,” she replied. He swallowed, realizing who she was talking about. Thinking fast, he realized this would work to his Mistress’s advantage. He drew himself up.

“If such a person were to drink a special brew of boiled ice juice while a person with the right incantation chanted over this person, then the person of stature would be given their free will back,” he told her, careful to keep any and all indications of who she was speaking of out of it. Astronema smirked.

“Make the juice. Do not speak to this to anyone. When the time comes, you will perform this chant and I will give the juice to Khetala myself. Understood?” she ordered and he nodded.

“Ego to order thee, solvo is nolens animus ex vinculum of incendia , tribuo suus solvo mos ut is may sumo ut is vota. SOLVO!" Finster shouted as Astronema returned to the present.

With a final cough, Khetala’s eyes faded to their normal hazel hue as she collapsed on the ground. Behind her and Astronema, Scorpina furiously fought the Quantrons. Astronema bent down over Kimberly, who was sobbing.

“Why?” she whispered, broken as she looked up at the Princess. Astronema frowned.

“Save your family,” she ordered before waving a hand and teleporting the girl away. Astronema slowly turned around and without a thought, blasted Scorpina into the wall, knocking her unconscious. A few minutes later, Jareth walked in and saw her.

“How went the battle?” she asked curiously. He snorted.

“I got bored. What happened to her?” he asked curiously as he allowed a Keres to strip him of his armor. Astronema smirked.

“She challenged me. She lost.”

Barely able to remain conscious, Kimberly heard the shocked shouts as she appeared in the Power Chamber. Curling into a fetal position, she felt someone approach her and gently place a hand on her back. She whimpered, tears in her eyes as she looked up into Tommy’s face. He swallowed.

“Kim?” he whispered and she let out a sob, curling into herself even more. Tommy picked her up, cradling her in his arms for a few minutes before gently laying her on one of the medi tables.

“Is she okay?” Trini asked as Tommy moved away and shot Billy a look. The Blue Ranger moved to the table and gently began inspecting the still sobbing young woman.

“It’s Kim,” Tommy answered, confident. Zack, Trini, and Adam appeared satisfied but the others were not as assured.

“How can you be so sure?” David asked suspiciously. Tommy shot him an irritated look.

“I dated her for close to three years; I think I can tell when she’s her and when she’s Khetala!” he told him hotly and David winced. “Besides, her eyes are brown.”

“And that’s supposed to mean something?” Rocky asked, confused. Billy shot his boyfriend an annoyed look even as Kat answered him.

“Khetala and Jareth’s eyes are red. Crimson, actually,” she said softly, her eyes sliding over to her predecessor. Her gaze softened as Kimberly’s sobs faded.

“Boiled Ice Juice,” Kimberly whispered brokenly. Billy froze, his eyes wide. Nearby, Rock and Adam appeared gob smacked. Tommy frowned.

“What is she talking about?” he demanded as he and Kat both moved to stand by the former pink’s bed.

“It was something we looked into to free them. It was how the Lairians originally regained their free will before Maligore was imprisoned. We dismissed it though because you needed a dark magic user to perform the chant on the person who drank the potion,” Billy said, his voice strangled. David’s eyes narrowed.

“Who would free them? I mean, they were obviously doing a splendid job, why stop them?” he asked suspiciously.

“Astronema. Finster,” Kimberly whispered. Those who knew the annoying little troll blinked.

“Why would they do that?” Adam asked, “And who’s Astronema?”

“Astronema is the Princess of Evil. Dark Spector’s adopted daughter. She was taken into the Dark court when her parents were killed by a ranger team,” Kimberly replied, her sobs having receded. She refused to look anyone in the eye, instead staring down into her lap as she lay down.

“So why would she help you, if she’s the Princess of Evil?” David pressed, ignoring Tommy’s glare.

“She never got to know her family,” she whispered. David paused, suddenly getting it.

“Why did Finster help?” Zack cut in, confused. Kimberly gave a strangled laugh.

“I pissed off Rita and Zedd…not to mention Goldie.”

“How’d you manage that?” Tanya asked, despite herself. Kimberly hiccupped.

“We stripped them of nearly all their magic, Jason smoldered Zedd’s muscle-skin stuff, and we can’t call Goldie the annoying Wizard of Oz reject anymore cause I kinda defeathered him,” she whispered. The rangers all winced.

“I just know I’m gonna regret this but…defeathered?” Rocky asked. Kim swallowed.

“Plucked his feathers out one by one until he was nothing but a bloody mess,” she replied meekly. Rocky made a face.

“I almost feel sorry for him,” Rocky muttered.

“I don’t,” Everyone turned from Kim to Tommy at that proclamation. He shrugged.

“Goldar has never been an innocent. Add the feathers together and it probably doesn’t even come close to the number of lives he’s taken,” he reminded them. Those who knew Goldar nodded in agreement.

“So she sent you here?” Kat asked, gently running her hand over the girls crimson hair. Kimberly muttered.

“She said ‘save your family’ and then teleported me here as Scorpina tried to get over to me. I don’t know what happened after that,” she whispered as a sudden weight fell on her hip. As the others remained silent, Kimberly gingerly peeked from where she was hiding her head to see a very familiar pink crane staring at her unblinkingly. She shot up, causing Skysong to squawk as she flew over to Tommy. Once certain her ninjetti wasn’t going to make another sudden move, Skysong settled back down on Kimberly’s lap, gently rubbing her head across Kimberly’s tearstained cheek. Kimberly looked up at Tommy.

“How?” she whispered. He smiled slightly at her.

“Dulcea sent her here,” he answered, causing Kimberly to frown.

“I know that name….I think,” she whispered, confused. Tommy frowned as Kimberly’s eyes suddenly widened.

“JASON!” she shrieked, causing Skysong to fly into the air again, screeching in annoyance. Tommy’s eyes sharpened on her.

“Is he okay?” he asked sharply. She shook her head frantically, struggling to get off the bed.

“I have to go to him, I have to get him to drink the juice, he’s so close to being lost, we have to help him! Please Tommy!” she begged as she Billy and Kat tried holding her down. Tommy swallowed as she stared at him, tears in her eyes once again.

“How?” he asked. Kimberly looked around, taking in the hopeful and suspicious looks. She swallowed back more tears.

“I don’t…no,” she suddenly froze, a plan forming in her head, “I know what can—can get him to break Jareth’s hold,” she whispered, the plan growing to include a better understanding of the ninjetti powers. Looking over at Skysong (who was sitting on Billy’s shoulder now), she could feel the information coming from the bird, as Skysong agreed with her plan.

“What do we have to do?” Tommy asked. Kimberly looked up.

“When Skysong gives the signal….shoot as much pure energy, white energy, as you can at Jason. Think only of freeing him, of purging the fire from him,” she instructed as she untangled herself from Billy and Kat.

“And that will work?” David asked skeptically. Kimberly nodded.

“Added with what I have planned? Yeah, it will,” she replied, not looking at him. She could feel the open hostility from the Blue Turbo and she really didn’t blame him.

“What are you going to do Kim?” Tommy asked, worried. He really didn’t like the look in her eyes. She stared up at him, imploring him.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know,” she whispered softly. Tommy’s face tightened.

“Kim, I…,” he trailed off as Kim placed a finger to his lips, effectively silencing him.

“I have to do this Tommy. If I don’t, Jason will be lost forever. I owe him too much not to at least try,” she told him. Tommy nodded, tears in his eyes. He didn’t know what she had planned but his gut told him it wouldn’t be good.

Kimberly looked around, taking in everyone. “If anything happens…know that I love you guys. Forever and always,” she whispered before disappearing in a spark of white flame. The group jumped, staring at the spot she had vanished from. David whirled on Billy and Tommy.

“I thought you said she was good again!” he yelled, pointing to the spot she had disappeared from. Billy frowned as Tommy glared at his brother.

“I said she had free will again, control of her body again. I never said she still didn’t have the powers she possessed as Khetala!” Billy shot back. David’s eyes flashed.

“Then how can we know she’s telling us the truth?!” he demanded, “For all we know, they could need this energy for some ritual or something!”

“It was white,” Adam’s voice was quiet as he spoke but they all turned to him.

“What?” David snapped, confused. Adam stared at him; he knew why David was reacting as he was but that didn't stop the black ninjetti from feeling annoyed with the blue ranger. They had been doing this a LOT longer than he; he should trust their instincts.

“The flame. It was white. And if anyone knows if Kim is herself again, it’ll be Tommy and Skysong,” he told the blue ranger softly. Tommy was filled with pride as Kat, Tanya, Billy, Rocky, Adam, Trini, Zack, and Aisha nodded in agreement. David looked around, taking in the full trust and faith the others had in Tommy’s belief in Kim. He deflated.

“I hope you’re not wrong, Tommy. This could easily blow up in our faces,” he warned. Tommy nodded.

“Trust me, I know.”

When Kimberly reappeared in the Pyro Palace, she fell flat on the ground. Grumbling about stupid landings and teleporting while sitting on a bed, she picked herself up and gingerly looked around. Absurdly happy no one had seen her spectacular crash, she drew herself up and walked down the nearest hall.

It didn’t take long for her to find a group of Keres and when she did she waved a hand and they scattered. Fervently thanking her parents for giving into her demands for acting lessons when she was seven, she descended into the depths of the castle.

What she had never shared with anyone, not even Jason, was that she knew exactly where Rita was hiding. The old witch had taken the old adage of hiding right under your enemy’s nose literally and had been squatting in the dungeons since Khetala, Astronema, and Scorpina had returned from the Dark Market. Deciding she’d rather have Rita where she could keep an eye on her, she had let the woman be. Now, she was thankful Rita had stolen the ice dagger; she needed it.

“Rita, come out this instant!” Kimberly called, her voice ringing in the small, enclosed space. She heard a slight shuffle to her left and saw the bedraggled witch come out of a small fissure in the rock.

“You rang, Princess?” she asked sullenly. Kimberly refused to be amused at the sight of Rita looking like she’d been thrown into the lion’s den at dinner time.

“The ice dagger. I want it,” she demanded, holding out her hand. Rita’s eyes flashed with defiance even as her hands twitched upwards. Kimberly’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m not joking Rita, I want it NOW!” she roared. Rita scuttled back, letting out a wimper as a flash of flame lit up the room. Rita swallowed before reluctantly pulling the dagger from her dress. She handed it to Kimberly, hilt first. Kimberly hissed as her hand made contact; it was COLD!

“Are you going to torture me before you kill me?” Rita asked despondently. Kimberly looked up, startled. Seeing Rita’s resigned expression Kimberly bit her lip.

“No. Tell Finster he does good work,” she whispered. Rita stared at her, studying her. Suddenly, the witch’s eyes widened.

“Not a word, Rita!” Kimberly cut her off. “I’m here to get Jason and get out. You stay out of my way and we’ll both be outta your hair within the hour.”

Rita didn’t reply at first. It was only as Kimberly slowly slinked back up the stairs that she spoke; “Watch our for Scorpina. Astronema is keeping her quiet, but that won’t last. She’s never been as devote as she is to you two.”

Kimberly paused on the stair, studying the witch. Finally deciding the witch was being honest for once, she nodded, “Thank you Rita. We’ll both be gone soon.”

Kimberly walked away as Rita slowly dropped to the ground. She knew what the original pink was planning, had seen it in her eyes. Jason may leave the moon alive, but Kimberly wasn’t planning the same for herself.

Despite being on opposite sides of an eons old war, the witch had always felt a certain amount of respect for the rangers of Earth, one she knew Zedd grudgingly agreed with. No matter what evil seemed to throw at them, the rangers always bounced back and they never faltered. They did what had to be done, they made plans that should not have worked and pulled them off with perfection. They had resisted domination for nearly five years, which was nearly unheard of. And they all did so before they were even legally of age by Earth’s standards.

Now, Kimberly was going to make the ultimate sacrifice to save one of her own. Rita could only feel admiration and respect for the woman the original pink ranger had become. And as Zedd came up to stand beside her, she knew what she, what they, had to do.

They had to help.

As Kimberly gingerly made her way to Jareth’s room, she thought of what she had planned. It was risky, dangerous, and probably very very stupid but it was all she had. And if it wasn’t enough to help Jason escape the flames, nothing would.

Absently she wondered if it would hurt; if her life would flash before her eyes. She hoped not. Despite her past as a ranger, she’d spent the majority of her childhood as a vapid valley girl who almost never showed her intellect. She didn’t regret her childhood, but she wasn’t proud of it either. If not for Jason and Billy, chances were she would have become just like Shawna: cold, detached, smug, superior. In short, a callus bitch.

Thinking of Shawna made her think of her friends. She’d grown up with Billy and Jason; Mrs. Scott and her mother had been college roommates and had remained close even after they both married. Billy was Jason’s next door neighbor and Mrs. Scott being who she was, had always invited Billy over to join her and Jason on their play dates.

She’d known Trini since third grade, when she was in her cootie faze and hadn’t wanted to hang out with Jason and Billy anymore. Thank God Trini had knocked some sense into her; the original yellow had told her that cooties didn’t exist and even if they did, it was doubtful Jason and Billy had them, seeing as how well behaved they were.

They’d met Zack in sixth grade when he’d moved to Angel Grove with his parents. Kim had only one class with him that year, but Angel Grove didn’t have many black families so the Taylors moving in had been big news. Kim had originally deemed him a bit crazy since he kept dancing in the halls to music no one else seemed to hear, but when a seventh grader had called Zack a couple of derogatory names, Kim had joined Trini and Jason in soundly chastising the older boy. From that moment on, they were a five-some. In seventh and eighth grade, they specifically chose as many classes together as possible so they could hang out more often.

High school had changed them all. No longer were they the goody-two shoes high school five-some; they were now adults, capable of anything and everything. As she approached the door to her and Jason’s room, the thought cheered her. No matter what happened here tonight, Jason and the others would be safe and that was all that mattered.

She wasn’t the damsel this time; she was the (lady) knight coming to save the day.

“Khetala, where have you been? Astronema said you were working on a project,” Jason’s voice felt wrong to Kim as she opened the door. She schooled her face into a mask.

“I was. Something that will change the tide of the war,” she responded softly. Jareth stared at her, taking in her tearstained face, the mess her hair was in, and the white and silver dagger hanging loosely in her left hand. Something was off.

“Who is it? Was it a Keres? Tyr? I’ll have them flogged!” he roared, assuming she had just come from a tryst and that Astronema had been covering. Kimberly would have found the whole thing amusing if she weren't so scared. She winced and stepped into the room, quietly shutting the door behind her. As Jareth prowled the room growling, he didn’t notice Kimberly walk up to him until she was an inch away from him.

“Jason,” she whispered softly as he stared down at her in confusion. She slowly stood on tip toes to kiss his lips. It lasted only a second but it was enough. Looking into his crimson and black streaked eyes, she smiled sadly. His eyes widened and she knew he had realized that she was not Khetala but Kimberly.

“What are you--” his demand was cut off abruptly as Kimberly lifted the ice dagger and plunged it into her chest. As she fell to the ground, Jareth’s eyes glowed briefly before turning brown again. He fell to her side, cradling her in his arms as a streak of white light struck him in the chest. He screamed as Kimberly stared up at him, her eyes filled with pain.

A sudden explosion of energy erupted from the original red ranger as the pure energy of the Turbo’s and Ninjetti cast the flames of Maligore out of him. The dagger clattered to the floor, covered in Kimberly’s blood, as the ice did its job and destroyed the evil still lingering in her body. The concussion of the wave of energy blasted the walls, causing them to crumble around the two original rangers.

As Jason continued screaming, this time from rage, horror, and fear for the woman in his arms, he never saw Rita and Zedd teleport in and then teleport out with the two young adults just as a slab of stone fell where they had been.

Tommy came out of his memories to find his four students and close friend in shock. Conner was gripping his soccer ball so hard he was afraid it would explode while Trent was extremely pale. Kira and Hayley both had tears in their eyes and Ethan was staring down at his closed laptop blankly. He swallowed. He’d never told Hayley the full story, how hard it had been, how painful. Telling these four; well, he hoped they learned something.

“But…what happened after that? Did Kimberly survive?” Conner demanded and Tommy was slightly surprised to find him staring at him intently. Tommy expression remained neutral though his eyes flickered to the back and saw Jason standing in the shadows. He’d called and told Jason he’d planned on telling the kids the whole story last night and Tommy had known Jason would be coming by. Raising an eyebrow, the former red and gold ranger disappeared upstairs before the others saw him.

“Jason regained consciousness a few hours later in the Power Chamber—Lerigot came and assured us that he was himself again and Maligore’s flames were gone forever. Jason eventually learned to live with what had happened, but he never forgave himself,” Tommy explained, smiling sadly at Kira and Hayley’s tears.

“We all decided to pass on the powers—staying Rangers after that was just too hard, emotionally as well as physically. I passed on the power to TJ and went to college. Kat ended up in London dancing and Tanya and Zack left for LA—he wanted to choreograph and she wanted to sing. Adam stayed in Angel Grove and he and Rocky opened up the dojo. David went back to the reservation after giving a high school freshman named Fred Kellman the Blue Turbo powers.

“Rocky ended up leaving the dojo after a few years to become a fire-fighter, which paid better. Billy remained behind as the technical support for the new rangers and he and Rocky ended up moving in together. When Rocky’s mother died 2 years after graduation, they took in Rocky’s siblings. Rocky and Billy have three kids, with Aisha, Trini, and Kat as the surrogate mothers. Last I heard, Rocky’s youngest sister Maria is preparing to graduate high school.

“Trini left for Stanford and was a year from graduating with two degrees when she was killed in a car accident--” he was interrupted by Conner, who was staring at him impatiently.

“What about Kimberly and Jason?” he demanded. Tommy glared at him but gave up when he saw Ethan, Kira, and, especially Trent, were looking at him hopefully. He sighed.

“Jason left a week after he was freed; I later found out he had returned to the moon with Trey of Triforia. He destroyed the entire place and, using the last vestiges of the magic he had from Jareth, he encased Scorpina and Tyr in stone and tore apart the magic that allows people to live safely in that area of the moon. It’ll take centuries before anyone can fill that area with enough spells to rebuild. The area where Serpenterra was buried was the only place left untouched, ironically enough.

“As for Kim…the ice dagger tore a hole in her heart that we couldn’t repair. If she had stabbed herself anywhere but there, she would still have destroyed Khetala forever but she hadn’t known that and she had wanted to make sure Khetala would never come back,” he explained and Kira sniffled while the boys sat back in shock.

“I was so sure...” Conner murmured. A few hours later, Tommy was alone, training having ended soon after he had told them about the worst six months of his life. As he slowly turned off all the lights upstairs, he walked down to the Lab. Moving to a section of the right wall, he gently pushed the lining in and the wall slowly slid apart to reveal a room that Hayley knew was there but had never been in.

Stepping in, he was vaguely aware of the wall sliding back into place as he took in the suits recovered from the destroyed Power Chamber. Standing in front of the Pink Morphin Ranger, he opened the glass and pressed a small button on the inside of the door. The case slid back, revealing a room that only he, Billy, and Jason knew was there. In the center, a single spotlight illuminating it was a six feet long coffin shaped box. Standing next to it was Jason who had come in through the entrance from Tommy’s bedroom. Tommy stepped forward and tenderly placed a hand on the glass surface. Underneath, her face perfectly preserved, was Kimberly. He felt tears come to his eyes as he remembered what had happened after Rita and Zedd had teleported inside the Power Chamber with the former villains.

Kim, near death, had apologized to them for not being able to stop herself before. As they all cried and told her it hadn’t been her fault, Delphine had teleported in. Rita and Zedd, despite their hatred of Jareth and Khetala, offered to repair her heart as much as they could. They’re healing was enough so that she was able to survive being teleported away to Aquitar with Delphine.

They’d found out later that the white ranger had convinced King Pontus to place the young human woman in a cyro tank. Eventually, Kimberly, still frozen, had been returned to Earth. She’d stayed at the power Chamber for a few weeks before being moved to the basement of Rocky and Billy’s house. When Rocky’s mother had died and he’d had to take his brothers and sisters in, she’d been moved to Jason’s house. Jason had kept her up until a few weeks before Tommy had started teaching at Reefside.

It would take years before the tank could fix her injuries, if she would be healed at all. They all knew there was a chance she would never revive. But they all kept hope that one day she’d wake up and life would be brighter.

For Jason and Tommy, that hope was enough.

Sunday, February 9, 1997

In the well-equipped gymnasium owned and operated by Coach Gunther Schmidt, a group of young American athletes are training for the Pan-Global Games, an international sports competition that will be hosted by the United States in May. Many of the athletes are teenagers who have devoted their entire lives to gymnastics. Some were recruited by Coach Schmidt as early as their pre-teen years, and they have slowly but surely progressed into champions of the sport. But there is one young woman who hasn't devoted her life to gymnastics. Kimberly Anne Hart is a young woman born and raised in Angel Grove California, who was recruited by Coach Schmidt this past July. Even though she has only trained for half a year, Kimberly is quickly becoming one of Coach Schmidt's best students. She is a natural athlete, and she is no stranger to high physical strain, and fierce competition. But what is so amazing about Kim is that no matter how strenuous the exercise, nor how demanding the instructors, Kimberly is always wearing a charming smile. Her cheerful attitude permeates everything she does, and its absolutely contagious. Everyone on the team simply adores Kim.

Presently Coach Schmidt is surveying his team of athletes as they practice on the various gymnastics stations. As usual, he keeps a careful eye on two of the best gymnasts on the team-- Kimberly and her roommate Renee Ryan. He knows that they are the heart and soul of his team, and that they are also America's best chance for gold medals in the individual and all-around competitions. He has coached many world-class teams, and usually, no matter how much he tries to create group cohesiveness, there is always an undeniable air of competition between his best athletes. He was really worried about the possibility of competition between Renee and Kimberly, because they are nearly equals in most events, and both are top choices for gold medals. In nearly every event, they will be competing against each other come the Pan Globals. Coach Schmidt hoped to avoid ingroup conflict by putting the two girls together in the same room. And it worked. Renee and Kimberly quickly became close friends, to the point that both would be just as happy if the other wins then if she had won.

"Coach," says Trevor Monroe, one of his assistants, "Its nine o'clock."

"So it is," said Coach Schmidt, glancing at his watch, "Well, I guess its time to call it a day."

Coach Schmidt stands on the mat in the center of the gym, and blows his whistle, causing everyone to stop practicing and give him their full attention.

"Okay, everyone!" he calls, "That's enough for today. Great practice by all! As a reward, we're all going for frozen yogurts on the boardwalk! On me! Now hit the showers!"

The group of teenagers cheered happily, and separated into the locker rooms. The Coach then turned to Trevor.

"So, will you join us?"

"Not tonight, Coach," said the young man with a smile, "I have an early class tomorrow, so I'd better turn in early. I need time to commute. Maybe next time. Tell everyone I said goodnight."

Trevor shook Coach Schmidt's hand, and hurried to the corner of the gym to gather his belongings. He then waved at the coach, and left the gym.

Inside the girl's locker room, Renee steps out of a shower with a towel wrapped around her body, and another wrapped around her dark hair. She sees Kimberly busily tying her shoelaces, and combing her chestnut hair, still damp with sweat.

"You're not taking a shower, Kim?" she asked with a smirk. Kim rolled her eyes.

"I'll take one in the apartment. I don't like the whole idea of communal showers, 'Ne."

"So, I take it you're not going to come get fro-yo with the rest of us?"

"I can't. Its Sunday!"

"Sunday...?" asked Renee, raising her eyebrow.

"Yes! I call Tommy every Sunday night at ten. You know that."

"Kimberly," said Renee with a sigh, "you can't live your life around Tommy's schedule."

"But I'm not," Kim protested, "He calls me Thursday nights, and I call him Sunday nights. We need to keep in touch. Besides, talking to Tommy is the highlight of my week!"

"Kim," said Renee in a low voice, "don't you think you're being a little... naive? I mean, here's the scenario: your boyfriend is a handsome, popular guy, whose girlfriend is three-thousand miles away! You may talk to him Thursday and Sunday nights, but who do you think he's with Friday and Saturday nights, eh? I'm willing to bet my hip-hop CD collection that he's not sitting in his bedroom, staring at a picture of you."

"Renee, I trust Tommy," Kim said sternly, "He'd never go out with anyone behind my back."

"How do you know, Kim? I mean, don't get me wrong-- I'm sure Tommy's a nice guy and all-- but let's face the facts. He lives in California, you live in Florida. You haven't even seen him in six months, and who knows when you'll see him again?"

"I'm moving back to Angel Grove after the Pan-Globals," Kim said, "I didn't tell him yet, but it'll be a surprise. I'm spending the summer with my Uncle Steve. I'll tell the gang all about it when I go visit them when Coach Schmidt gives us a week off at the end of the month."

"That's nice, but what about after that? Your parents live in Paris, Kim! You aren't planning on living with your uncle forever!"

"I know, but I have to think about it," said Kim, picking up her gym bag, "I'm going to the room. Have fun, okay."

"Take care, Kim," said Renee, as she watched her best friend leave the locker room. She sighed deeply, and started getting dressed.

Oh, Kim, she thought, you can't do this to yourself! I know you love him, but you're going to have to face facts. You're both teenagers. Neither of you really knows what you want out of life. Long-distance relationships never work. Someone always winds up getting hurt. I just hope it isn't you.

Meanwhile, in the M51 galaxy, there is a large palace, designed like a skull. Here, on a barren world, is the headquarters of one of the most dangerous and feared villains of the cosmos-- Mastervile. Mastervile is the emperor of this galaxy, and he sought to include the relatively near Milky Way galaxy to his empire. But his first attempt was foiled by a group of teenaged heroes known as the Power Rangers. His only daughter, Rita Repulsa, and her husband Lord Zedd have been trying to destroy these Power Rangers for some time. But, a new, more dangerous threat has struck. The Machine Empire, another extremely powerful race of evil, have also set their sights on Earth. They invaded first the Moon, and drove Zedd and Rita away. Rita decided to bring the entire court to Mastervile's homeworld, where they can coordinate a joint attack against the Machines, and retake the Moon Palace. So for the past several months, they have taken refuge in Mastervile's palace, even though they aren't the most welcome visitors.

Lord Zedd in particular is unhappy with his present situation. He feels nothing but loathing towards his father-in-law, who had the nerve to take command of Lord Zedd's palace during his brief stay, and tell him what to do. And lately, he feels nothing towards his wife, except disgust. She is constantly complaining, and her magic is useless against the Power Rangers. Little did Lord Zedd realize that the reason why he no longer cares for his wife is because the potent love potion, which Rita used on Zedd months ago, has finally begun to fade.

Why in the name of Evil did I marry that old witch? he thought to himself as he stared out at the barren wasteland of the planet, I _never_ liked her! She was always a second-rate witch, who was more like a pain in the neck than an ally! I banished her from my sight, and condemned her to life in a dumpster, for her failure to defeat the Power Rangers. And then the next time I see her, I declare everlasting love, and marry her?! That makes no sense! A being such as myself cannot feel love. I may desire power, and fame, and to be feared throughout the cosmos, but I do not desire Rita. I hate her. There is only one woman I desire...

Lord Zedd's thoughts stray to the image of a young human woman, who was the original Pink Power Ranger. Although she was pure and innocent, she was also strong and determined. She had potential in his eyes.

But, she managed to escape when I sent Goldar to kidnap her, and make her my wife, he thought angrily, The spell I had Goldar cast on her didn't work, because her heart already belonged to someone else, making her immune to it.

Zedd's visor began to glow scarlet as his thoughts turned to another subject-- Tommy Oliver.

Ooo, I hate him the most! he thought furiously, He always managed to survive every attack I focused on him! Every time I tried to destroy him, he came back better and more powerful than before! Nothing I do to him has an effect! I must find his one weakness-- the way to destroy him >from the inside! I can't destroy his body, but perhaps... I'm focusing on the wrong thing. Perhaps the way to defeat the Red Zeo Ranger is not through combat... but heartbreak?

If Lord Zedd could smile, he would be doing so at this moment. He left the balcony, and hurried to his bedchambers.

If I can separate Kimberly from Tommy, I'll be killing two birds with one stone! I can then make Kimberly my wife, because her love for Tommy will not be able to protect her, and also I can destroy Tommy by taking away the one thing he truly loves! The perfect revenge! But in order for this to work, I must make both miserable, without using a spell. A spell would be too obvious, and it wouldn't have a lasting effect. I've already cast spells on both, making them hate each other, but it didn't work. Spells can always be broken. Tommy must feel Kimberly doesn't love him, and Kimberly must feel Tommy doesn't love her. Perhaps, if I created a clone of Kimberly to break up with Tommy? No, too obvious. A letter, maybe? Yes! But it must be the perfect forgery! A letter to Tommy from Kimberly, telling him that she has found someone else. And she has! I will make her my queen, and together, we can conquer the cosmos!

Wednsday, February 12, 1997

In the Gym and Juice Bar in Angel Grove, California, Tommy Oliver, Katherine Hillard, Billy Mitchell, Rocky DeSantos, Tanya Sloan, and Adam Park are relaxing and enjoying themselves. Tommy is busy bench-pressing, while the others watch and cheer him on.

"Okay," said Rocky, "you got two more sets. You ready?"

"I was born ready," said Tommy enthusiastically, rolling up his sleeves and laying back down on the bench. The gang watched as Tommy lifted the weights and counted aloud. Meanwhile, Ernie walks towards the group, holding a small white envelope with a Florida postmark.

"Hey Tommy," he called, "a letter came for you."

"Its from Kimberly," Billy added with a smile. The determined expression on Tommy's face instantly disappeared, leaving a wide grin.

"Cool. Hey Adam, could you do me a favor and read it?" he asked, looking back at his friend in the green shirt, "I have one more set to do."

"You got it," said Adam, taking the letter and opening it, "'Dear Tommy, everything is going great here in Florida. Coach Schmidt has me as ready as I'll ever be for the competition.'"

"Man," said Rocky, "Kimberly is gonna do great!"

"What else does she say?" asked Tanya.

"'Tommy, this is the hardest letter that I'll ever write,'" read Adam, a frown crossing his face. Everyone in the group listened carefully to the remainder of the letter. Adam continued. "'You've always been my best friend, and in some ways you're like a brother to me. But, something has happened here that I can't explain. Its both been wonderful and painful at the same time. Tommy, I've met someone else--'"

Adam stopped short, and looked up from the letter, his dark eyes wide with shock. Tommy, who was in the middle of a lift, nearly dropped the weight. He set down the dumbell and sat up.

"What?!" exclaimed Katherine, "That can't be right!"

"Tommy," said Adam uncomfortably, "maybe you should finish this another time?"

"Let me see," said Tommy, nearly snatching the letter from his friend, "'Tommy, you know I would never do anything to hurt you, but I feel like I've found the person... I belong with. He's wonderful, kind, and caring. You'd really like him...'"

Tommy chuckled bitterly at that statement, his hazel eyes starting to sting. With great pain, he continued to read. "'Everything would be perfect if it weren't for hurting you. But, I have to follow my heart. I'll always care about you Tommy. Please forgive me. Kimberly...'"

Tommy's voice had lowered greatly as he read, to the point where it was a barely audible whisper. He squeezed his eyes tightly, and slowly folded the letter. His proud shoulders were uncharacteristically slumped, and his face was hidden by loose strands of chestnut brown hair.

"You alright?" asked Billy gently.

"Huh?" asked Tommy, snapping back to reality, "Yeah."

Tommy rose to his feet, and turned to face his friends, managing to stay focussed on the ground, "I uh, I have to go, um, I'll uh... catch up with you guys later."

Then, the valiant leader of the Power Rangers hurried out of the Youth Center, not looking anyone in the eye. The remaining teens watched him go, completely stunned. Katherine bit her lower lip, and cast her crystal blue eyes to the ground. She had just locked eyes with Tommy for a brief moment, but that's all she needed. The expression of pain and betrayal spoke volumes, and seeing their leader close to tears caused her heart to break.

In Angel Grove Park, Tommy sits beneath a large maple tree, gazing out at the still waters of the lake. He rises to his feet, and walks along the shore, his cheeks wet with tears. As he walked, he came across a large stone slab, surrounded by flowers and grass. He smiled weakly when he remembered the day he lost his Green Ranger powers for the first time. That day, he came to this very spot, to practice his martial arts outside. He was feeling weak and depressed, much like he's feeling right now. He felt like his life was over. At least, until She came, and startled him out of his reverie. Earlier that day, Tommy had decided that he would ask his charming, beautiful pink teammate to an upcoming dance, but when the opportunity rose, he was attacked by Putties. Now, he felt more self-conscious than ever, and looked away from Kimberly's doe-eyes, for fear of losing himself in their golden shimmer. Kimberly herself decided to take the first step to starting a relationship between them. Ever so shyly, she started a conversation, that culminated in a tender kiss, which finally released all the emotions both had kept hidden since the day they met.

Believe it or not, it was the happiest day in Tommy's life. Even though he had lost his powers, the loss was coupled by a great gain-- the knowledge that Kimberly Hart loved him. To this day, Tommy had looked at that special stone with fondness. It was where his life truly began. He gained unsurpassed strength that day, even though his powers were gone. That inner strength, that he never really knew was there, showed itself time and time again-- especially when Kimberly was in danger. That strength and self-confidence helped him mature, and grow into a fitting candidate for the White Ranger powers later on, and even the leadership of the Power Rangers. He owed it all to Kimberly, and the kiss by the lake.

Tommy touched the stone with his fingertips, and let a single tear drip down his chin, and splash onto its cold, smooth surface. Tommy then looked again towards the lake, and saw on its still waters Kimberly, wearing her heartwarming, tender, and inviting smile. That smile is what drew him to her the day they met, and he would do anything just to see that smile cross her face. Tommy wiped his cheeks with his sleeve, and picked up a pebble from the shore. He threw it into the water, disturbing the still surface, and breaking up the image. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. He jumped a little when a warm hand lightly touched his shoulder.

"Tommy," said a gentle Australian voice, "are you okay?"

Tommy quickly wiped his face with his hands and turned around, and saw Katherine, looked at him worriedly.

"Yeah," he said. Katherine wasn't so easily convinced.

"Everyone's really worried about you."

"I'm sorry," he said, looking to the side, "but I just don't get it. I mean, Kimberly's never mentioned anything in her other letters or phone calls." He added weakly, "Until now."

"I wish there was something I could say to make you feel better," Kat said with a sigh, "but I know there isn't."

"Thanks anyway," Tommy said with a forced smile.

"Will you call one of us?"

"Yeah, sure," said Tommy, looking back at the water, "No problem."

"You take care," Kat said sternly.

"Yeah," Tommy said absently. Katherine gave up, and walked towards the benches, folding her arms and shaking her head. When she reached the closest bench, she found Billy waiting.

"Hey," she said, touching his shoulder.

"Hey," Billy responded, standing up and walking alongside her, "Any luck?"

"He's really in bad shape," Kat sighed.

"This calls for drastic measures," Billy decided, "We're going to have to do something to cheer him up."

"What?" asked Kat curiously, "Do you have something in mind?"

"I think I just might," Billy said with a smile, "Come on."

Thursday, February 13, 1997

In their small apartment in Miami, across the street from the gym they spend half the day in, Kimberly Hart and Renee Ryan are both watching ER, one of Renee's favorite television programs. Renee is completely enthralled by the plot of the drama, but Kimberly's mind is somewhere else. She continues to glance at the clock impatiently, and then turn her attention back to the television. She followed this pattern from the moment ER began at ten o'clock, to the ten-thirty commerical break. Renee put the television on mute, and looked at Kimberly in frustration.

"Kim, could you please stop doing that?" she sighed, "You're making me nervous!"

"Sorry, 'Ne," said Kim, "but Tommy always calls me at ten o'clock sharp! He's half an hour late!"

"I thought you said your boyfriend would be late to his own funeral."

"Yeah," Kim sighed, "but he's usually on time when he calls me."

"You also said he's very forgetful," Renee continued.

"True, but he doesn't forget me !"

"I understand that, but maybe something important came up, and he was distracted."

That's possible, Kim thought, the Machine Empire could have attacked. This isn't the first time Tommy was late calling me, but the Machines usually attack during the school day, or right after. Their routine is mechanical. But, I guess its possible. After all, its only seven thirty in California...

"Or," continued Renee, "maybe he wanted to call you on your birthday, instead of today. Tomorrow's your birthday, and Valentine's Day. He'd almost have to spend it with you."

"You're probably right, 'Ne," said Kim with a smile, "He'll call tomorrow. Turn up the volume! I want to see if Doctor Green can save that boy from the gunshot wound!"

"You got it, Girlfriend," said Renee with a snicker.

Friday, February 14, 1997

"Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday dear Kimmie... Happy Birthday to You!!" sang the entire squad of gymnasts.

"And many more..." added Trevor with a charming smile. The entire group screamed and shouted, and Kimberly couldn't help but laugh hysterically. She had stepped into the gym for evening practice at six, as usual, and was surprised by her friends singing a capella.

"Surprise!" cried Renee in excitement, "Happy Eighteenth, Girl!"

"You guys shouldn't have..."

"Nonsense," said Trevor, kissing her cheek, "How could we not celebrate the birthday of one of our favorite gymnasts?"

"Come on, now," said Coach Schmidt, "let the Birthday Girl through! She has to cut the cake!"

Trevor gave Kim his arm, and escorted her to the table, where a gallon of milk and a large sheet cake, with white frosting, small pink flowers on the sides, and a little balance beam in icing, were waiting. Renee handed Kimberly the knife, and she started cutting the first piece.

Meanwhile, at the ski resort, Tommy was standing with Heather Thompson, a beautiful, cheerful champion skier, atop a snow covered cliff. They had met not long after Tommy, Katherine, and Billy arrived at the ski resort, and the two immediately hit it off. And now, after he heroically saved her life, Heather can't help but find this mysterious young man intriguing. And attractive.

"Man," said Tommy, taking off his helmet and gazing down the cliff, "this place is amazing."

"Yeah," Heather agreed with a smile.

"Look how far it is to the bottom," Tommy commented.

"I come up here to get excited before I compete. Its like there's no one else in the world when you're up here. No pressures."

"Yeah," Tommy agreed, a faraway look in his deep hazel eyes.

"No one expecting anything from you," Heather continued, gazing intently at Tommy. Tommy turned to her, and looked deeply into her warm golden brown eyes. He smiled.

"Listen Tommy," Heather said quietly, "I hope you don't mind, but Kat and Billy told me a little bit about Kimberly--"

Tommy's smile fell, and he turned away, gazing down the high cliff again. Heather swallowed, and continued.

"Uh, I'm sorry. It sounded like you guys has something really special."

"Yeah, we did," he said in a bitter tone, "but I guess nothing lasts forever, huh?"

Heather touched his shoulder and smiled up at him. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No," said Tommy with an uncomfortable laugh, "Thanks anyway."

"Okay," said Heather, once again losing herself in his endearing hazel eyes. Tommy gazed into her eyes, and for a moment, a familiar feeling came over him. Their faces inched closer together, until Tommy blinked, and his eyes widened. He quickly turned away from Heather, and put on his helmet.

"Hey, uh, we'd better go," he said, walking towards the snowmobile that brought them to the cliff, "Ready?"

"Yeah," Heather sighed disappointedly, following him.

After a few hours of partying, Kimberly excused herself at a quarter of nine. At five minutes to ten, she plopped onto her bed, utterly exhausted.

I feel bad about not helping with the clean-up, but Renee and Trevor insisted, since the party was technically for me. They didn't have to throw me a party... not that I didn't enjoy it.

Kim smiled to herself as she remembered dancing the night away. She then realized that she spent most of the night with Trevor Monroe. She blushed slightly, and then a wave of guilt hit her. She brushed it aside and glanced at the telephone.

"We only danced," she reasoned, "and it was a party. I wasn't going to just stand there. Besides, I didn't dance to any of the slow songs. So I guess I didn't do anything wrong. Still, I'll tell Tommy all about it when he calls me. I don't want to keep anything from him. He should be calling any minute now..."

But he didn't call. Kim spent over an hour waiting by the telephone, flipping through television stations or fashion magazines, and constantly glancing at the clock, or the telephone. She sighed deeply, and picked up the romance novel she was reading. But she couldn't concentrate. By eleven o'clock, Kimberly had resorted to staring intently at the phone, as if it would ring at any moment. She remained like that until fifteen after eleven, when Renee stepped into the room. Renee glanced at Kim, and smiled to herself.

"What on Earth are you doing?" she asked. Kim frowned, and looked up at her roommate.

"Waiting for Tommy to call," she said simply.

"He didn't call yet?" said Renee, surprise evident in her voice, "Well, maybe you should call him. Just to check up on him."

"You're right," Kim said, picking up the phone, "Maybe he didn't think I'd be home, since its Friday night."

Kim dialed the Oliver house phone number, and let it ring. After the third ring, a young boy answered the phone.

^Hello, Oliver residence,^ he said.

"Jesse? Is that you? Its Kimberly."

^Oh, hey Kim, how are you?^

"Fine. Listen, is your brother there?"

^No, he went away for the weekend.^

Kimberly was surprised by this. "Really? Where did he go?"

^He went skiing with Kat.^

"Excuse me?"

^He went skiing with Kat. For the weekend. He should be back Sunday afternoon. Want me to tell him you called?^

"No!" Kim said quickly, "Nevermind. I... I'll try again Sunday. Take care, Jesse."

^G'bye, Kim.^

Kimberly hung up the phone slowly, and stood there, staring at it in a daze.

"What happened?" asked Renee.

"Uh, that was Tommy's little brother Jesse," Kim said quietly, "Tommy's not home."

"Oh?" said Renee, "Well, that's not such a big deal, Kim. Its still early in California. He'll probably be back in an hour or so."

"No, he won't," Kim choked, tears starting to form in her eyes, "He... he went skiing for the weekend. He went skiing with Kat on my birthday!! On Valentine's Day !!!"

Kimberly sank onto her bed, and began to cry. Renee was stunned by the news, but she remained cool and sat down on Kim's bed beside her.

"Maybe its only a misunderstanding," Renee said, "Jesse could've gotten the facts wrong. Maybe a whole group of them went. Why don't you call one of your friends, and find out?"

"No!" Kim said quickly, "I don't want to look like I'm checking up on Tommy. I don't have the right to keep tabs on him or anything. Jesse said he'll be back Sunday. I'll call him Sunday night, and we'll straighten this whole mess out."

"Right," said Renee, "and don't worry about it, Kim. I'm sure it looks worse than it really is."

"I hope you're right," sighed Kim, wiping tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.

Sunday, February 16, 1997

The past two days were utter torture for Tommy. First, the love of his life dumped him from out of the blue. Then, his best friends tried to help by taking him away on a skiing vacation, even though all Tommy wanted to do was wallow in self pity. While skiing, he had to meet an attractive young woman, who reminded him too much of Kimberly for him to be comfortable with her. Still, he was interested in at least becoming friends with Heather Thompson, but the Machine Empire continued to get in the way, forcing Tommy and his friends to cut the ski vacation short. He had to leave Heather without a decent explanation, and he could tell she was annoyed. Katherine decided to set up a romantic dinner for the two of them that evening at the Juice Bar, and things were going quite nicely. At least, until the Machine Empire struck again, forcing Tommy to leave. When he came back, Heather was gone. Now, Tommy is faced by rejection again, as he sits at a table for two, with two wax candles burning, wiping the smudges off a glass of orange juice. Slow, romantic music is playing in the background, making him feel even more alone. For the second time in half a week, Tommy was left behind by a woman he cared about. He felt horrible.

"I'm sorry things didn't work out, Tommy," said Katherine, who was sitting across from him, "I wanted everything to be perfect."

"Just forget it Kat," Tommy sighed, "What you did was incredible! I'm just really lucky to have a friend like you."

"I just thought it would help take your mind off things if you had someone to in your life."

"I know," Tommy said quietly, "Its just going to take some time is all."

Kat nods, as a new song plays softly on the radio. She closes her eyes, and a dreamy smile crosses her face. "Oh, I love this song," she commented. Tommy looked up at Katherine, and for the first time since they met, he noticed how attractive she was.

"Hey," he said, the first genuine smile crossing his face in days, "what would you say if I asked you to dance?"

Kat opened her eyes, and looked at Tommy in surprise. She saw him smile, and she couldn't help but smile back. "I'd say... promise not to step on my feet, and you've got a deal."

"Alright," he said, standing up and taking her hand. He lead her away from the table, and they slowly swayed to the music, foreheads touching.

The past two days were utter torture for Kimberly. After trying to convince herself for hours Friday night that this whole scenario was only a misunderstanding, Kimberly finally managed to fall asleep. But even as she slept, she wasn't at peace. In her dreams, she pictured Tommy hand in hand with Kat, standing on the large stone by the lake in Angel Grove Park. He leaned over and kissed her. That was the very place where Kim had first kissed Tommy, and it was murder for her to see him with another girl at that spot. More than once she woke up that night, tears forming in her eyes. But each time, she forced herself back to sleep, and each time, her dreams were plagued by horrible visions.

Yesterday, Renee had to practically drag Kimberly out of bed. The whole team always gets Saturdays off, so Renee brought Kimberly on a shopping spree. For once, Kimberly wasn't excited about visiting all the various Miami malls. Renee grew very worried, because it was rare that Kimberly wasn't in the mood for shopping. On Sunday, Kimberly refused to go to practice that afternoon, and stayed in her bedroom. Coach Schmidt asked if she was okay, and Renee told him she wasn't feeling well, but she'd be okay. The coach didn't ask anything further, but Trevor wasn't happy with that explanation. Still, he didn't press the matter.

Now, its approaching ten o'clock, and Kimberly is practically counting the seconds. She didn't want to call to early, and thereby seem too anxious to talk to Tommy. She was going to play it cool, and ask Tommy what he'd been up to over the weekend. After all, it was always possible that the Zeo Rangers had to go on a mission to another planet, and Tommy made up the excuse of going skiing simply for his family. Its happened before, when the Power Rangers went to Edenoi. It can happen again.

As soon as the clock struck ten, Kimberly dialed the familiar phone number. She held her breath as it rang.

In the Oliver house, Mrs. Lilliane Oliver was busy washing the dishes after dinner. Tonight, it was only her, her husband, and their son Jesse. Their adopted son Tommy had gone out for dinner with a young lady. Lilliane was so glad Tommy was dating again, she hugged him tightly right before he left, and wished him luck.

She distinctly remembered that past Wednsday, when Tommy came home at about five o'clock in the afternoon. Usually, Tommy didn't come home until seven o'clock or so, since he spends most of the day at the Youth Center, or just hanging out with his friends. But when he came home that day, he looked like death warmed over. His eyes were bloodshot, his tan skin was pale, and his hair was a mess. Lilliane asked him what was the matter, but Tommy couldn't bring himself to speak. He only looked at his mother, his hazel eyes bleeding with despair. He then handed her a crumpled, tear-stained sheet of paper, and slowly ascended the stairs to his bedroom. Lilliane read the letter, and was shocked beyond belief. How could Kimberly do this to him? She tried to go talk to Tommy, but he had locked himself in his bedroom. He didn't come out that night, nor the next morning for school. Lilliane was thankful when Katherine Hillard and Billy Mitchell came by Thursday afternoon, checking if Tommy was okay, and asking her permission to take him on a little vacation that weekend. When he came back Sunday afternoon, he was in better spirits than when he left Friday morning, but she could tell he was still absolutely crushed. At this moment, Lilliane hated Kimberly Hart more than any other person in the world.

Lilliane heard the telephone ring, turned off the faucet, and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

^Mrs. Oliver?^ came a familiar voice, ^Its Kim. Is Tommy home?^

Why the hell is _she_ calling here? What does she want to do... rub salt into the wound?! "Sorry, Kimberly," she said coldly, "but Tommy is out."

^Oh,^ said Kim, obviously nervous, ^Um, do you know when he'll be back?^

"No I don't. He went to dinner this evening."

^Um, if you don't mind me asking, who did he go with?^

"I don't think its any of your business, but it was Katherine's idea. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

With that, Lilliane rudely hung up the phone. At that moment, she heard footsteps in the hallway.

"Hey, Mom," said Tommy, locking the front door behind him. He had his suit jacket flung over his shoulder, and a weak smile on his face.

"Hey Honey," she said, kissing his cheek, "So, how did it go?"

"Not as expected," he admitted, "but not badly. Who was that on the phone?"

"No one dear."

Kimberly was sobbing uncontrollably when Renee arrived that evening. She couldn't even bring herself to sit up. She was lying on her stomach, her salty tears being absorbed by her pillow. Renee didn't need to ask to know what had happened.

"I'm so sorry," she said quietly, laying her hand on Kim's back. Kim sat up, and hugged Renee tightly.

"He... he's out to dinner," Kim sobbed, "with Kat. And it was his mother on the phone, so I know its not a mistake! And she was so rude to me!! Tommy must've told her he doesn't love me anymore. That's the only explanation!!"

"It'll be okay," soothed Renee.

"NO!" Kim shouted, pulling away from Renee, "How could he do this to me?! If he loved Kat, all he had to do was tell me! Why couldn't he be honest with me? I would have understood! Why did I have to find out like this?!"

Kimberly once again buried her face in her pillow, shaking violently with sobs. Renee sighed deeply, and left the room quietly. She knocked on her neighbor's door.

"What's up, Renee?" asked Patricia Armstrong, a fellow Pan-Global gymnast.

"Kim needs some time alone," she said, "Do you mind if I hang out in here for a little while? She'll fall asleep soon."

Lord Zedd roars in laughter, and raises his hands in victory. He is inside the bedroom he shares with Rita, looking into a small, hand-held mirror. But this is no ordinary mirror. It is a special mirror, which allows one to see light years away. It is the only way Zedd could bear witness as his plan takes shape. He laughs as he sees Kimberly sobbing uncontrollably on her pillow, feeling abandoned and alone. He then waves his hand over the mirror's surface, and the image changes. Now, Zedd sees Tommy sitting on his bed, hot tears streaking down his face as he once again reads the letter from Kim. Or at least, the letter he thought was from Kim.

"For once, a plan is working even better than I planned!" he roared, "I was so careful to insure the letter was believable! I stole one of Kimberly's notebooks, to make sure I copied her handwriting accurately! I even transported it into a mailbox in Miami, to insure the proper postmark! Now, the mighty leader of the Power Rangers is reduced to a sobbing, heartbroken, pathetic little boy, and my future Queen is ready for the next phase of my plan. Now, all I have to do is get to Earth. If I take Serpentera, its warp speed engine can get me to Earth in a matter of days!"

Just then, Rita Repulsa walks into the bedroom, yawning and stretching her arms. She glances over at her husband curiously.

"What are you up to, Zeddie?" she asked him. He growled quietly.

Why did _she_ have to show up?! I don't need her incessant whining to ruin my good mood!

"My latest plan is taking shape," he said, "I'm about to destroy the Zeo Rangers. And, I'm doing it alone."

"Excuse me?!" she yelled, "Just what is THAT supposed to mean?!"

"It means this: I have no idea why I married you, but I've changed my mind! I can't deal with your annoying voice, your chronic headaches, or that dictator you call a father a day longer! I'm taking Serpentera, and leaving. Hopefully, our paths will never cross again."

With that Zedd left the room. Rita stormed after him in a heated rage.

"Just WHO do you think you are?!" she barked, "What gives you the right to boss ME around?!"

"Before I was your husband, Repulsa, I was your master. Remember your place. If I see you again, you'll be floating aimlessly in a space dumpster before long!"

Rita stayed back, and watched as Lord Zedd went to the docking bay. She growled angrily, and stormed through the halls of the palace.

"Finster!" she screeched, "FINSTER!!!"

Meanwhile, Lord Zedd boarded Serpentera, the collossal zord easily dwarfing any Ultra-Megazord the Power Rangers put together. He then activated the engines, and plotted a course towards Earth.

"Now, all I have to do is sit back and relax," he said, doing just that, "In less than seventy-two hours, I'll be back on the Moon! Then, Serpentera will eliminate those blasted Machines, and I'll lay claim to my planet!"

Through the corner of his eye, Zedd noticed a flashing red light. He rose to his feet, and checked the console. His visor glowed a blinding scarlet.

"WHAT?!?!" he roared, "There isn't enough power for me to reach Earth and attack the Machines! But, all is not lost. If I fly at a slower speed, I should be able to conserve power. But, instead of taking seventy-two hours to reach Earth, it'll take no less than three months! I suppose it doesn't matter. After all, what is three months to a being who has lived for ten-thousand years? Besides, victory is already guaranteed. I am a patient being. I can wait, to get what I want. I won't fly to the Moon using full power, and then sit there like a lame duck as the Machine Empire destroy a powerless vessel. No mess-ups this time around..."

Monday, February 17, 1997

Its past noon, and Kimberly hasn't gotten out of bed. She is certainly awake, but she won't respond when people talk to her. She's already missed morning practice, and Coach Schmidt asked Renee what was the matter. Renee explained that Kim's having personal problems, but she didn't go into it. Now, between the morning and afternoon practices, Renee returned to her apartment, and threw her hands on her hips.

"Kimberly Anne Hart," she commanded, "Get your little Californian butt out of bed! You've already missed three hours of practice! Everyone wants to know where you are!"

"I don't care," Kimberly whispered from underneath her covers, "I don't care about anything anymore."

Renee frowned and pulled away the blanket Kim was hiding under. Kim shrieked and sat up.

"What are you doing?!" she yelled. Renee looked down on her.

"What are YOU doing?!" she responded, "Kim, look at yourself! You're a mess!"

"Don't you think I should be? My God 'Ne, my life is over!!"

"No its not," said Renee, sitting down beside Kim, "Okay, so you and Tommy aren't a couple anymore. Big deal. Life goes on."

"But, I loved him," Kim choked, "I still love him..."

"Well, get over it! Look Kim, you can't let him get to you. He used you, and then dropped you as soon as someone else came along who can boost his ego! You don't need him!"

"Oh, 'Ne," she sobbed, "I don't know how to face him next week..."

"Well, then don't face him next week! No one said you have to go to Angel Grove during vacation. You can go visit your mother in Paris. Paris is a beautiful city, and you'll have fun and spend time with people who really care about you."

"But what about my other friends? I can't just forget them."

"Why not? After all, they're Tommy's friends too. They must have known he was seeing Kat, and if they were truly your friends, they would have told you he was cheating. Look Kim, something similar happened to me. My best friend was seeing my boyfriend as soon as I left Jersey to study under Coach Schmidt. Who needs friends that stab you in the back? Its not too late to change your plans, Kim. After the Pan-Globals, you can go to Paris, and start all over. Its probably better this way. I know its cruel, but at least you can just leave that part of your life behind you and move on."

"Renee, I've never felt so alone in my whole life."

"Don't act like you can never love again," said Renee with a sigh, "I know its hard for you to believe right now, but Tommy isn't the only guy in the world. There just happens to be a handsome assistant coach who's had his eye on you since you got here."

"Oh, Renee," Kim said, "how can I even think about going out with Trevor?!"

"Why not?" said Renee simply, "Tommy doesn't seem to have a problem going out with Katherine, who you thought was your friend. You gotta be strong, Girl. I can tell you're a survivor. You'll get through this. And me, Trevor, your parents, the Coach, and the rest of team is here for you. We'll help you get through this. I promise."

"Thanks, 'Ne," said Kim, giving her roommate a hug, "What would I do without you?"

"Good question," Renee joked. Kimberly managed a small smile.

As the months passed, both Kimberly and Tommy slowly healed from the heartbreak. Kimberly focused on her gymnastics, as well as put an extra effort to forge relationships with the other Pan-Global athletes. She even went out with Trevor Monroe from time to time, much to Renee's content. As the Pan-Global Games approached, Kim was in top shape, and ready for the challenge. But, she had cut herself completely from Angel Grove, Calfornia. She didn't visit, didn't call her friends, and even went so far as to take all the photographs of them off her desk, and hide them in the back of her closet. And the stuffed white tiger, that Tommy had won for her at carnival, was thrown away. As far as Kim was concerned, Tommy Oliver didn't exist.

Tommy also moved on with his life. He began to date Katherine Hillard, and they have grown very close. Also, he was kept busy by the Machine Empire, who increased the frequency of their attacks as time passed. Although he did still think about Kimberly, the pain subsided substantially. He was in love with Katherine now, and he didn't hold anything against Kimberly for dumping him. There was still some unfinished business between them, but Tommy had great difficulty facing that. Whenever he tried to pick up the telephone and call her, he lost his nerve. He was afraid of what she'd say. After all, not once did she call him after the letter had arrived. He felt it would be for the best not to bother her. He reasoned she was probably extremely busy, since she didn't keep in touch. She didn't even keep in touch with Billy, who was her close friend since elementary school. Soon, three whole months had passed, and the Pan-Global Games were suddenly upon them.

Thursday, May 8, 1997

In the Gym and Juice Bar, Tommy Oliver and his best friend Jason Scott Lee were busy sparring on the mats. Jason had recently returned from the Peace Conference in Switzerland, and was appointed the Gold Zeo Ranger, while Prince Trey of Triforia healed from an injury. Just yesterday, Prince Trey had returned, and took back the powers of the Gold Ranger. Now, for the second time, Jason had to give up his powers. Although he wouldn't confide in anyone, it was even harder the second time around. When Tommy came to his house, and offered him the chance to once again be a member of the Power Rangers, Jason felt his greatest wish was being granted. He missed being the Red Ranger horribly after he left Angel Grove, and while Trini Kwan and Zack Taylor soon got over the initial depression, it didn't completely fade in Jason's case. That contributed to his returning from the Peace Conference. As soon as he finished up all his classes to graduate high school, he packed his bags, and returned to California. Now that he is once again powerless, he finds himself a little nostalgic.

"Hey Tommy," he said, tightening his black belt, "when was the last time you spoke to the others?"

"Others?" asked Tommy, wiping the sweat from his brow with a towel.

"You know," Jason whispered, "the other ex-Rangers."

"Oh," said Tommy, "uh, we couldn't keep in touch at all with Aisha, because of the change in history and all. Billy has been doing well, and he announced in his last message that he's engaged to Cestria now. They should be getting married within the year, and we're all invited to the ceremony. I haven't managed to contact Zack and Trini since they finished their schooling, and went on that trip to Rwanda."

"Yeah," said Jason, "the mail system isn't all that reliable." Jason then realized that Tommy had curiously left out one of the original rangers. "Hey Tommy," he said, "when was the last time you spoke to Kimberly?"

"Its been awhile," Tommy said quietly.

"That surprises me," Jason continued, "I mean, I never actually asked about it, but it seems that you and Katherine--?"

"Yeah, we're going out," Tommy said, "Kim and I... broke up. In February. Um, I'd really rather not talk about it, if that's okay with you."

"Sure," said Jason, and the two young men exited the ring, and went to the Juice Bar.

"So," said Jason, sitting on one of the stools, "are you and the others going to the Pan-Globals? They start in a couple weeks."

"Wow," Tommy said, "I didn't realize they were so close. No, I don't think I'm going." Jason was visibly surprised by this. "Why?"

"Well, the Machine Empire has been attacking nonstop the past few days, and we've also got final exams and graduation right around the corner."

Jason could tell that Tommy was making up excuses. He could also tell that Tommy was extremely uncomfortable with the subject of Kimberly, so he didn't press the matter. Something bad happened between them, he decided, They were so close! I can't believe they don't even talk anymore! Well, I'm going to the Pan-Globals. Kim has been my friend for years, and I'd hate to think she's been cut off from everyone so long. Besides, since I'm done with classes, and I'm no longer a ranger, I have some time on my hands. Maybe I'll spend a few days in Florida, catching up on some old times.

Saturday, May 31, 1997

After an entire day of difficult and stressful competition, the American Pan-Global gymnastics team returns to their respective apartments, completely exhausted. That afternoon, the team competitions were over, and the American women managed to come away with the gold medals. The American men surprised the nation by coming in second, and winning the silver. Tomorrow is the beginning of the individual events, and so instead of celebrating their victory, the team of young athletes retires early. Kimberly Hart sits at her vanity, blow-drying her long, slightly curly caramel hair. On her dresser lies her gold medal, reflecting the soft light of the lamp. Kimberly glances down at the medal, and smiles triumphantly. She remembers the final event in the rotation for the Americans-- the balance beam, her best event. The Russian team was in the lead, and had been the entire competition. But they faltered at the balance beam, averaging a 9.1. The Americans ran with the opportunity, and Kim herself pulled a perfect 10, cementing the American victory. Of course, the fact that the Pan-Globals are in the USA this year eased the American victory, and Kim beamed happily as the crowds roared when she flipped off the beam. This has been the most thrilling night in her life, and she was thoroughly enjoying it. The only other day that was so exciting was about a year ago, when she and the other Mighty Morphin Power Rangers went on a trip to the distant planet of Phaedos, and had to pass a difficult test to prove worthy of the Great Power.

Kim's smile quickly fell as she remembered the excitement, and the danger, of the mission. And she couldn't help but think of Tommy, and how he was always at her side. He did his best to protect her from each and every villain they encountered. Kim sighed deeply, and opened her top drawer. She pulled out a small photograph, of the entire original team of Power Rangers-- Jason Lee, Trini Kwan, Billy Mitchell, Tommy, and herself. She shook her head, and sat the photograph on her dresser.

"What was I thinking these past months?" she asked her reflection, "Boy, I've been immature! I mean, I have every right to feel hurt, and I can even justify never talking to him or Kat again, but I can't place blame on the others. Billy has been my friend as long as I can remember, and I know he would never do anything to hurt me. He must have been in a bad situation, being both my friend and Tommy's. Can I really be angry with him for keeping quiet? And Jason, Trini, and Zack were all in Switzerland! I should have kept in contact with at least the four of them, but I've been so busy, and I'm sure they are all busy too. Its a shame how friendships just... fade with time and distance. But victory seems kinda hollow without them. I should have at the very least invited the gang to Florida to see the games."

Just then, the telephone rang. Kimberly jumped slightly, and hurried to pick up the receiver.

"Hello?"

^Hey Kim,^ said a cheerful male voice, ^Its been a while.^

"Jason?!" Kim cried in surprise, right into the phone.

^Yow!^ he responded.

"Sorry," she said in a quieter voice, "Wow, Jay, you read my mind! I was just thinking about you, and the others. Its been months! So, where are you? Geneva?"

^Actually, I'm in my hotel room, about a block from your apartment.^

"Jay, you came all the way from Switzerland to see the games?"

^Well, actually, I've been in Angel Grove for the past few weeks. We really have some catching up to do, Kim. What are you doing tonight?^

"I have to turn in early, because we still have the individuals starting tomorrow. But, I can definitely go get some dessert or something. Interested?"

^Definitely. Come pick me up? I'm at the Holiday Inn down the block from the colliseum.^

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes. See ya then."

^Bye, Kim.^

Kim hung up the phone, and smiled as she turned to see her reflection in the mirror. "Well, Kim," she said, "maybe all isn't lost yet. Maybe you can salvage some of these abandoned friendships after all."

Meanwhile, a gargantuan vessel, shaped like a mighty dragon, streaked through outer space, headed towards the blue jewel known as Earth. More specifically, it headed towards Earth's only natural satellite, the Moon. The lone passenger on the ship watches anxiously through the viewscreen as the small grey rock gets closer.

"Finally!" he roared, "After months of interstellar travel, I'm back! Now, the first thing to do is dispose of those blasted Machines, so I can focus my attentions on my future Queen. And the Power Rangers!"

Lord Zedd rose from his chair, and sat down at the weapons control consoles. He fired a warning shot at the palace as soon as it came into range.

"What was that?!" cried Mondo, the king of the Machine Empire.

"Yer Majesty," said Klank, "there is a very large vessel approaching the palace!"

"Is it the Megazord?" asked Queen Machina.

"Nay, My Queen. Its headed towards us, but _not_ from Earth, from outer space. Its coming closer--"

The entire palace was rocked to its foundations, and the entire royal court fell to the ground in the throne room. Young Prince Sprockett was the first to recover, and quickly rose to his feet and ran to the balcony.

"Mom, Dad!" he called, "Its a Zord!"

"But, you said it wasn't the Power Rangers!" Mondo snapped at Klank.

"It isn't Dear," said Machina, joining her youngest son at the balcony, "Its Serpentera!"

"Lord Zedd's ship?" Mondo snarled, "So, the skinless coward returns! Does he plan on fighting the entire Machine Empire with that one zord?"

Suddenly, a flash of blood red light streaked through the darkness of the throne room. A cloud of gray smoke took shape, and Lord Zedd appeared, sitting upon his abandoned throne, and firmly clasping his Z staff.

"I don't have to fight off the entire empire," Zedd said, "After all, you four are the brain of the Machines. If something happened to you, the Cogs wouldn't know whom to obey. I'm sure I could convince them to work for me, but I prefer good old Putty Patrolers."

"You have a lotta nerve barging in here, and threatening my Dad!" Sprockett yelled, stepping towards Zedd. Zedd regarded the young machine for a moment.

"So," said Zedd, standing up from his throne and approaching Sprockett, "you are the heir to the Machine throne? Aren't you a cute little robot? I hate cute."

Zedd's visor flashed, and Serpentera's red eyes flashed in response. It roared tremendously, once again shaking the entire palace. Lord Zedd quickly grabbed Prince Sprockett, and pulled him away. Machina, Klank, and Mondo watched in mute terror as Zedd stepped back, holding his deadly scepter to the young prince's neck.

"Here's the deal, Mondo," Zedd snapped, keeping a tight grasp on the terrified prince, "You have one hour to evacuate this palace, and abandon your attempt to conquer Earth! Then, you'll get your son back..."

"You coward!" Mondo roared, his anger soaring, "You hide behind a child!"

"Why not?" Zedd laughed, "If you were truly evil, you would sacrifice your son to save your empire. But, I'm betting you aren't as threatening as you like to believe. You have one hour."

With that, Lord Zedd vanished from the throne room. Mondo's golden eyes flared with rage, as he turned around, towards Serpentera. "KLANK!!"

"Aye," Klank said humbly.

"Prepare every Cog we have for battle--"

"WHAT?!" cried Machina, "You're actually thinking of sacrificing Sprockett, just so you can continue to attack this worthless globe?!"

"No, my Dear," he said soothingly, "but I will _not_ be bullied by Zedd! I'll evacuate, all right, but as soon as he returns Sprockett to us, I'll have the Cogs plow down his vessel!"

Inside the large bridge of Serpentera, Lord Zedd apppears, with his young, chubby captive.

"You won't get away with this," Sprockett yelled angrily, "When my Dad gets his hands on you--"

"Oh, shut up," Zedd snarled, letting a pulse of electricity from his staff shoot through Sprockett. The energy quickly overloaded the prince's circuits, and he deactivated. Lord Zedd lifted the prince, and lay him face down on a table.

"I don't have much time," Zedd thought aloud, opening a panel on Sprockett's lower back, "If I know Mondo, he's getting an army ready to attack me. He has me at a great disadvantage as far as numbers go. That's why I've decided to resort to other tactics..."

Zedd placed a small explosive, about the size of a half-dollar, into Sprockett's back. He made sure it was secure, and then activated the single button. The number 60 appeared in red digits on the tiny screen.

"I spent three months working on this device," he said, laughing triumphantly, "It packs enough explosive to destroy the royal family, and the entire royal ship! The other ships are all drones, and without the computer commands from the royal ship, they'll lose all navigational abilities! Mondo has exactly 56 minutes to save his son, and his son has exactly 59 minutes to live. Perfect."

At Starbucks a few miles from the Holiday Inn, Jason and Kimberly talk over two mugs of hot chocolate and some fresh muffins.

"... and so I decided to move back to Angel Grove," Jason concluded, stirring his hot chocolate, "It was the only place I really felt at home."

"I know how you feel," Kim admitted, "I really miss Angel Grove. I always believed it was the most beautiful spot on the planet. When the sun rises, and casts that orange-pink glow over the ocean, its just breathtaking. Miami is beautiful too, but it doesn't have that peaceful, easy-going air that Angel Grove has. Everyone here is always in a rush. Myself included."

"The coach has been keeping you busy?"

"You wouldn't believe how much practice we've been doing. Every day, except Saturdays, we work out in the gym, either at the gymnastics stations, or on the weights. We go for jogs around Miami, and swim laps. We do just about every form of exercise you can imagine."

"Have you been keeping up on your martial arts?"

"Actually, Coach Schmidt thinks keeping up on the martial arts is a great idea," Kim said, "I for sure thought he'd tell me not to, in case I get hurt or something. But he realizes that martial arts develops discipline, so he let me sign up for some classes a few months ago. Twice a week."

"That's good," said Jason, looking up at her. Kim could tell from his look that the subject of discussion was about to turn to something serious. "So, what are you planning on doing once the Pan-Globals are over?"

"I'm going to college in Paris," Kim said, "My parents are really glad that I decided to move in with them."

"When did you decide that?" asked Jason.

"Not too long ago. It was either that, or stay with the team to practice for the Olympics. I love gymnastics and all, but I'm not much into serious competition. I can do without it."

"And, when did you decide not to go back to Angel Grove?"

Kim looked away uncomfortably.

"Last time I talked to you, Kim, you said you couldn't wait to see everyone again," Jason continued, "That was back in December, during Christmas break. When exactly did your attitude change?"

"February 14th," Kim said bitterly.

"Excuse me?" Jason asked.

"Jase," said Kim quietly, "I know you and Tommy are best friends, and since you're living in Angel Grove again, I'm sure he's talked to you about what happened between us."

"Actually, he tries to avoid that topic. I was wondering what did happen. It must've been pretty bad, to lead you to totally cut off all contact with your friends. We've worried about you, Kim."

"I can't believe he actually didn't tell you," Kim said, shaking her head, "Maybe he feels guilty about it. Okay, the thing is, Tommy was going out with Katherine behind my back. I don't know how long it had been going on, but I know for a fact that he did. He chose her over me, and he didn't even have the decency to tell me about it."

"What?" said Jason in surprise, "Are you sure about that, Kim?"

Kim went on to tell Jason about this past Valentine's Day, and Tommy's skiing trip with Katherine. She also related the telephone conversation with Tommy's mother, and Tommy going to dinner with Katherine that same weekend. As Kim talked, a shadow seemed to darken her usually bright eyes, and her tone became more and more spiteful.

"... and that's it," she concluded, taking a long sip of her hot chocolate, "I guess they just couldn't get enough of each other Valentine's weekend. And he hasn't tried to call me since. So, I didn't try to call him. After all, I'm not the one who should have made the apology."

Jason was stunned by Kimberly's story. "It... it just doesn't make sense," he said, "I mean, Tommy wouldn't do that--"

"That's what I believed too," Kim said bitterly, "but he did. And Adam, Rocky, and Billy must've known about it too, and they didn't tell me Tommy was cheating on me. I realize now that I shouldn't blame them, but at the time, I was so hurt and confused, I didn't want to associate with anything-- or anyone-- that reminded me of Tommy. That included all the rangers, past and present."

"But still, I can't believe he did that. And you never talked to him about it?"

"No. I guess we both decided to have nothing more to do with each other."

"Would you consider coming to Angel Grove after the Pan-Globals? I mean, we were all a close-knit family before this whole mess. Maybe you and Tommy can come to an understanding?"

"There's nothing to understand," Kim said coldly, "He lied to me! End of story. How could I ever trust him again?"

"Kim," Jason said, reaching across the table and touching her hand, "as a friend, listen to me. Even if Tommy lied to you, I really think there's something more going on here. I'm sure you'd agree that we really should try to get to the bottom of this."

"Well," Kim sighed, "I guess."

"Welcome back, Kimberly," said Jason with a smile, squeezing her hand gently.

Lord Zedd is sitting at the helm, watching carefully as the first few ships take off. His visor glows in triumph as more and more drone ships take off from the lunar surface. Finally, a rather large ship takes off, and then, his communications system beeps, indicating an incoming message. He turned on the screen, and saw the emperor of the Machines, on the bridge of the flagship.

"Well, Mondo," Zedd laughed, "you are even more coordinated than I thought! It only took you... 55 minutes to pack your bags!"

^Shut up and return Sprockett to me,^ Mondo snapped, ^If you harmed one bolt on his head I swear--^

"Relax, Tin-man, he's fine. See?"

Zedd beckoned behind him, towards the young prince. Sprockett was restrained with heavy iron chains.

"How do you want him delivered?" Zedd continued, "Shall I teleport him to your ship?"

^No,^ Mondo said quickly, ^teleport him to the lunar surface, and I shall teleport him from there. I do not trust you.^

"Nor should you," Zedd said, pointing his staff at Sprockett. Bright beams of light coallesced around him, and he vanished. "There. Nice doing business with you."

King Mondo suddenly started laughing, as Sprockett appeared behind him on the bridge of his ship, ^Now, taste the full might of the Machine Empire!^

The drone ships that had pulled off the lunar surface descended, and opened fire on Serpentera. Zedd quickly hurried to the weapons stations, and returned fire. He watched as the flagship pulled away from the battle, leaving the drones to destroy Serpentera.

"Five. Four. Three Two. One," Zedd said quietly, and watched in his viewscreen. Suddenly, the flagship erupted in a flash of bright white light, reducing the mighty vessel to ashes. Only seconds later, the drone ships began firing randomly, and crashed into each other. Zedd laughed as he watched the entire event on the viewscreen.

"As I predicted," Zedd declared, "without the Flagship, the drones can't even navigate! The strings of the mindless puppets have been cut! That's the end of the Machine Empire..."

Zedd continued to laugh in triumph, until the very last drone ship was destroyed. He then steered Serpentera towards the Moon Palace, and teleported himself back to his throne room. He sat down on his throne, and sighed in contentment.

"How I've missed my palace," he said, "Its far better than living with that infernal Mastervile! And its by far more comfortable than the bridge of Serpentera. Now, all I have to do is prepare to destroy the rangers, and collect my Queen."

On a distant planet, deep beneath the dreary waters, is a bronze submarine. On the bridge of that submarine, the doors open, and the crew aboard salute the captain-- the villainous space pirate Divatox.

"Idiots!" screams the lady pirate, marching onto the bridge, and fiercely slapping the two Piranatrons who stood at attention. "You're worthless!" After they fell to the ground, she turned around, and glared at the navigator of the ship, a tall, white creature.

"And you!" she roared, approaching him.

"Who?" he asked, "Me?"

"You lost Lerigot," she muttered, putting her hands on her hips and breathing heavily, "You let him get away!"

"I told you those bug-brains didn't have a clue," Elgar retorted, pointing to the Piranatrons.

"Shut up Elgar!" she commanded, "Those are _your_ 'bug-brains' That makes this all _your_ fault!"

"Come on, don't punish me!" Elgar pleaded, "I'm your favorite nephew!"

Divatox turned from the pale creature, and rubbed her gloved forearm, grinning wickedly. Elgar wiped the sweat off his brow, and turned back to the two Piranatrons.

"Hey!" he called, "You two losers! I nearly got fried for your screw-up! You're just lucky Aunt Divatox likes me!"

A sharp blade appeared on Divatox's arm, and she quickly spun around, slicing Elgar's hand off with one swing.

"Not again!" Elgar moaned, watching the sparks fly from his wrist. Rygog caught the hand.

"Never send a moron to do a mutant's job," muttered the tall navy blue creature.

"If you're so great, why don't you do the job, Rygog?" asked Elgar fiercely, "That little runt Lerigot is still out there with the key to the island of Muiranthias!"

"I'd be happy to lend a hand," chuckled Rygog, giving back Elgar his hand. Elgar reattached it to his arm.

"Quiet, both of you!" Divatox roared, touching her forehead, "You're giving me such a migraine..."

Divatox walked over to a small box, and took out a bottle of perfume. "I have a plan," she said, applying the perfume to her neck, "Once we take away the one thing he values most in the world, Lerigot will come to us willingly."

"I've found Lerigot!" cried Rygog, turning away from a computer, "He's on Earth!"

"He must be looking for Zordon," said Divatox.

"Earth? That lint-trap!" cried Elgar, swinging his sword around, "Forget it! Let's go back to looting and pillaging! That's what I like to--"

"Never!!" Divatox cried, taking Elgar's sword and slapping him in the face, "Lerigot holds the only key to bring forth Maligore, the great Flame of Destruction and _my_ husband to be. Once we're wed I'll have enough to power to collect all the riches in the universe. Thinking about it just give me goosebumps."

"Kinda gives me gas," Elgar commented.

"Elgar, you'll have to capture two humans of purity and strength. They'll be my dowry to Maligore. Activate the barrier shields and set a course for Earth!"

Tuesday, June 23, 1997

At the docks at the shore in Angel Grove, Kimberly Hart and Jason Scott Lee busily strap on scuba gear. Jason looks up at the early morning sun, and shakes his head. "Why exactly are we doing this?" he asks, turning to Kimberly. She smiled up at him as she zipped up her wetsuit.

"Because, its one of those passtimes the five of us used to do. You know, back before we were Power Rangers. And even a little bit after. I haven't been scuba-diving in a while, and I'm willing to bet you haven't either."

"You'd win that bet," Jason admitted, "but why do I have the feeling you're trying to delay the inevitable?"

"In what sense?" Kim asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Well, as soon as we arrive at Angel Grove Airport, you insist we go to the beach, to see the sun rise. Then, you suddenly decide we absolutely _must_ go scuba-diving! We haven't even called my parents, to let them know I've arrived, or stopped by your hotel to check in! We didn't even go to the Youth Center. It seems to me like you're trying hard not to let anyone know we're in town. As if you're trying to... avoid someone."

"The Youth Center will still be there when we get back," Kim said with a smile, "We can go get breakfast there if you'd like. Now, let's go!"

The two teens boarded a rented motor boat, and rode out into the water.

Meanwhile, deeper into the bay, Divatox's space-submarine floats, while the crew busily searches the planet for Lerigot.

"What do you mean you can't find Lerigot?!" Divatox roared, her voice shaking the entire ship, "And are these my two humans of purity and strength?!" she asked, pointing to Bulk and Skull, who were kidnapped when the submarine first arrived on Earth the previous night. Both young police officers are standing in a completely oblivious stupor, staring off into the distance.

"Yeah," said Elgar proudly, "I even scrambled their brains so they'd be easier to deal with. What do you think?"

"Are you out of your mind ?!" Divatox moaned, pinching her nose, "The idea was to woo Maligore, not make him lose his lunch!"

With that, Divatox slapped Elgar over and over again, causing Rygog to laugh at his plight.

"I am giving you one more chance to find two humans for Maligore. Don't blow it."

With that, Divatox marched over to her periscope.

"Yes," Elgar said, saluting the captain. Once she was out of earshot, Elgar turned to his Piranatrons, and slapped them. "Go find me some humans, you two losers!"

As Kimberly and Jason dove off the motor boat, a periscope reached over the water's surface.

"What do we have here?" said Divatox excitedly, looking through the periscope, "Two humans ripe for the picking, and they're heading our way! Ha ha!"

The two teens leisurely swam through the water, watching as schools of fish swam by. They were taken by surprise as two Piranatrons grabbed them by their air tanks, and took them to Divatox. They were thrown into the lower levels of the submarine.

"Now that we have the humans, its time to find that little runt Lerigot," said Divatox, rubbing her hands, "He's probably with Zordon by now. Remove the mindguard!"

Elgar took off a small helmet that was on a female Liarian, who was carrying a small baby.

"She'll telepathically find her hubbie for us!"

In the Power Chamber, Katherine watches over Lerigot, the little troll-like magician, who was lying unconscious on the medical bed. He had landed in Africa, and the treacherous heat almost killed him.

"Is he gonna be alright?" Katherine asked, turning to Alpha.

"The sun has taken its toll on him," Alpha said, "but this should restore his life force. At least, for now."

"I wonder who's after him," asked Adam.

Suddenly, Lerigot's eyes opened, and he began struggling.

"What's happening to him?" asked Tommy, as the four rangers circled him.

"He is receiving a telepathic transmission that is obviously upsetting him greatly," Alpha explained, "Zordon, what should we do?"

"PERHAPS IF WE CAN SEE WHAT IT IS HE'S RECEIVING, WE CAN HELP HIM," said Zordon, "ALPHA, ATTACH THE CRANIAL TRANSMISSION SCANNER, AND CONNECT IT TO THE VIEWING GLOBE."

Alpha followed Zordon's instructions, and the rangers turned around to see and image of a woman with a gold mask, gazing into a mirror compact.

^Zordon,^ she said, applying another coat of lipstick, ^I know you can hear me, so listen up. Lerigot must surrender. Say hello to Lerigot's family-- Yara, the loving wife and caring mother to little baby Bitel.^

The image pulled away, revealing a cage behind Divatox, with two Liarians trapped inside. A Piranatron stood behind them, holding a mechanical cap about a foot over Yara's head.

^Don't you just want to pinch those adorable cheeks?^ Divatox said mockingly.

"Stop!" cried Kat, turning back to Lerigot, who was fidgetting even more, "Look what it's doing to him!"

^Bring him to me. Oh, and by the way, as a token of my appreciation, I'll spare a couple of your favorite humans.^

All the rangers turned back to the Viewing Globe with urgent expressions on their faces. The image in the globe shifted to a dark, wet cell, with two scuba divers walking around in confusion.

^They're not much to look at,^ Divatox's voice continued off-screen, ^But my sensors tell me that they used to be some of your... oh, what do you call yourselves? Power Rangers.^

On the screen, one of the divers pulled off her mask, letting a mass of caramel brown hair cascade over her shoulders. Her eyes were wide with confusion and fear.

Katherine gasped and turned to Tommy, who slowly moved closer to the Viewing Globe, his lower lip quivering. "Kimberly," he whispered.

^Do what I say or its lights out for all of them!^ Divatox ordered, as the other diver pulled off his mask and looked around.

"And Jason," Tommy added, as Katherine placed a consoling hand on his shoulder. Then, the Piranatron placed the metallic cap back on Yara, breaking the telepathic transmission. All that was left was static.

The four rangers turned to Zordon.

"I don't understand," said Tanya, throwing up her hands, "Why does Divatox want Lerigot?"

"I SUSPECT THAT DIVATOX PLANS TO USE LERIGOT AND HIS GOLDEN KEY TO PASS THROUGH THE TREACHEROUS NEMESIS TRIANGLE INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION. ONCE THERE, SHE WILL MOST LIKELY TRAVEL TO THE LOST ISLAND OF MUIRANTHIAS, AND ATTEMPT TO JOIN FORCES WITH AN EVIL CREATURE NAMED MALIGORE."

"Great," muttered Tommy, "Then what?"

"THEN NOTHING WILL BE SAFE. NOT EVEN THE ZORDS WOULD BE ENOUGH TO STOP THEM."

"What?" said Alpha, who was standing beside Lerigot, "No!"

"What's he doing?" asked Tanya, glancing at the small wizard.

"Aye yi yi! He is performing the Liarian Prayer of Guidance. Lerigot is preparing to surrender to Divatox."

"We can't let him do that!" said Katherine.

"Its his family, Kat," said Adam solemnly, "We'd do the same for each other."

"I just hope they're okay," Kat sighed.

"Okay listen," said Tommy, his face the very image of determination, "We'll get Jason and Kim out of there. Then we'll go after Lerigot's family."

"Look," said Adam, "Kimberly and Jason were Power Rangers once. If anyone can get through it, they can."

Katherine, Tanya, Adam, and Tommy accompanied Lerigot to the seashore. They looked around for Divatox.

"Look," said Tommy quietly, pointing to a large rock, "They're over there."

Sure enough, the space-submarine had surfaced, and a group of Piranatrons on jetskis rode out of the submarine onto the choppy waves. They, as well as Elgar, rode to the shore, where the Power Rangers were waiting on a nearby cliff. Two unconscious bodies, wearing full scuba gear, were on one of the jetskis.

"Send Lerigot down!" Elgar ordered.

"No!" Tommy responded, "Give us back our friends first!"

"You have no choice, Humans!" Elgar roared, "This is as close as you get! Now send the wizard DOWN!!"

"I don't like it," whispered Adam, "We should try to stall until we can think of something else."

"Yeah," Tommy agreed, "I think maybe you're right."

Meanwhile, Tanya spun around, looking for Lerigot.

"Lerigot's gone!" she cried. Katherine spotted him down by the boats.

"No!" Kat cried, as the Piranatrons grabbed the wizard.

"You have what you came for!" Tommy cried, "Now let our friends go!"

"Swim for 'em!" Elgar cried, as the Piranatrons pushed off into the water. They dropped the two unmoving bodies into the ocean. The four rangers hurried to the ocean, and Tommy and Adam leapt into the water. Tommy reached one of the bodies first, and took off its mask.

"Its a fake!" Tommy yelled angrily, dropping the dummy and headed for the other one.

"Tommy!" Adam called, "They're gone!"

"I've got to check the other one," Tommy gasped desperately, swimming towards the sinking body.

"Tommy come on!" Adam cried, grabbing his shoulder, "They're gone!"

Adam pulled the reluctant leader out of the ocean.

Divatox held Lerigot's key high in the air, and laughed victoriously. "Set a course for the Nemesis Triangle, full speed ahead!"

Divatox sat down at her vanity, and brushed out her long purple ponytail. "Once we get to the Island of Muiranthias on the other side, my Maligore's appetite will ignite once he sees the tasty offerings I'm bringing him."

Meanwhile, a few levels down, Kimberly listens to Divatox as she relates her plan through the iron door. Kimberly sighes deeply, and throws her hands on her hips in frustration.

"This is so lame!" she moans, "We come back, so we can surprise everyone, and the next thing you know we're snack food for some monster with the munchies!"

"Maybe we shouldn't have gone scuba-diving," Jason said with a smirk on his face. Kim glared at him, and folded her arms.

"Why are you in such a good mood?!"

"I'm not," he said defensively, "Look Kim, we've been in worse situations. We can't panic--"

"I'm not panicking," she snapped, sitting down and touching her forehead, "but we're really in trouble this time."

"The Power Rangers will help us," Jason offered, "You know Tommy will do everything he can to come rescue us."

"Whatever," Kim muttered, rolling her eyes, "Look Jason, I'm _not_ going to sit around and wait for the dashing White Knight to come to my rescue! I'm _way_ past that."

"He's red," Jason remarked.

"Huh?" Kim asked, looking up at him.

"He wears Red now," Jason repeated, "He's the Red Zeo Ranger."

"Big difference," she said, "Different color, same independable, self-centered jerk!"

"You really believe that?" Jason asked, sitting beside her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly.

"I don't know what to believe anymore."

"All systems go here," said Katherine, punching in the final sequence of commands.

"THE ZORDS YOU ARE NOW CREATING WILL POSSESS THE POWER TO CARRY YOU SAFELY THROUGH THE NEMESIS TRIANGLE," said Zordon, as a large metal door opened, revealing a dark room filled with thick smoke, "TO RESCUE LERIGOT, HIS FAMILY, AND OUR FRIENDS. THEY ARE THE TURBO ZORDS."

The rangers entered the smokey room, and the headlights of five high-tech cars came to life.

"They're just cars," said Adam.

"THEY ARE EXTRAORDINARY CARS, EQUIPPED WITH THE POWER AND VELOCITY OF TURBO TECHNOLOGY. INDIVIDUALLY, THEY ARE FORMIDABLE FIGHTING MACHINES, AND WHEN MERGED TOGETHER, THEY FORM THE TURBO-MEGAZORD, THE MOST POWERFUL ZORD EVER CREATED."

Four of the cars drove forward, approaching the rangers, who stood in a line. "ADAM, DESERT THUNDER WILL BE YOURS TO COMMAND," Zordon decreed, as the green van flashed its headlights in response. Adam gazed at it in wonder.

"KATHERINE," continued Zordon, "YOURS IS CALLED WIND CHASER." The pink and white car flashed its headlights, and Katherine marveled at it.

"TANYA, DUNE STAR IS YOUR TURBO ZORD," said Zordon, as the yellow truck drove over to her. She smiled proudly.

"AND TOMMY, RED LIGHTNING WILL SERVE YOU WELL." Tommy cracked a small, one sided grin, and nodded his head.

"What about Rocky's?" asked Adam, looking at the lifeless blue vehicle in the background. Adam winced as he remembered the devestating fall during practice, which lead to his best friend being carried to the hospital. He was surely in no shape to join the fight.

"THE MOUNTAIN BLASTER WILL STAY BEHIND FOR NOW."

"Remember rangers," said Alpha, as a circular machine with five patches of color rose from the smokey floor, "Once inside the Nemesis Triangle, communication with the Power Chamber will be impossible."

"BEFORE YOU ARE YOUR TURBO MORPHERS," said Zordon, as the rangers approached the circular table, "FIVE KEYS SIMILAR TO LERIGOT'S GOLDEN KEY. INDIVIDUALLY, THEY WILL POWER UP YOUR ZORDS, AND GIVE YOU ACCESS TO YOUR MORPHIN POWERS. BUT ONLY TOGETHER WILL THEY BE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO SEE YOU SAFELY THROUGH YOUR MISSION. TAKE THE MORPHERS, AND ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY."

"Ready?" asked Tommy, raising his hand.

"Ready," Kat said, as the four teens held their hands over the center of the machine. A soft white light turned on right under their hands, and they pulled their hands back, touching the colored tiles before them. Bright energy passed through their bodies, morphin them into the Green, Yellow, Pink, and Red Turbo Rangers. After the initial rush of power, the rangers oriented themselves.

"Alright guys," said Tommy, the Red Turbo Ranger, "Let's go to work."

The Turbo Rangers left the Power Chamber in their Zords, and rode off across the desert, to begin their perilous new journey. As soon as they left, a young man walked into the Power Chamber from the background.

"BY ACCEPTING THIS HONOR," said Zordon to the young man in blue, "YOU ARE ALSO ACCEPTING A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY. AS THE NEWEST RANGER, YOU MUST TAKE YOUR LEAD FROM THE OTHERS, AND LEARN TO USE YOUR NEW POWERS WISELY. YOU WILL COMMAND THE MOUNTAIN BLASTER, AND WILL BE KNOWN AS THE BLUE TURBO RANGER. GOOD LUCK, AND MAY THE POWER PROTECT YOU."

The Blue Ranger, already morphed into his uniform, quickly leapt into his zord to catch up with his new teammates.

The Green, Yellow, Red, and Pink Turbo Zords drove up to an abandoned dock in the twilight. The four rangers, now unmorphed, exited their cars, and looked around warily.

"I think I've found it," said Tommy, looking out into the water. There was an ancient, mystical ship floating on the ocean. This ship was their means of transport to the Island of Muiranthias.

"The Ghost Gallion," whispered Katherine, "Its amazing,"

Tommy turned around in surprise when he heard an engine roaring. "Guys," he said, "Check it out!"

The four rangers watched in surprise as the Mountain Blaster parked beside the other Turbo Zords along the shore.

"Rocky?" Adam asked as a figure wearing blue jeans leapt out of the car. Tommy focussed his flashlight on the young man as he closed the car to the door.

"Wow cool," said the figure with a smile. Tommy and Katherine traded confused glances, and approached the young boy. He was Justin Stewart, a twelve year old friend of Rocky's.

"Justin, what are you doing here?!" Tanya cried in exhasperation.

"Rocky couldn't make it, so he sent me," Justin replied.

"What are you talking about?" Adam asked with a frown.

"Guys," Justin announced with a wide smile, "I'm the new Blue Ranger! Is that cool or what?"

Tanya rolled her eyes, and huffed. Tommy sighed and touched his forehead.

"What?" asked Katherine, still not believing what she's hearing.

"I was afraid I wouldn't make it," Justin continued, "Alpha had to give me a crash-course in driving. Good thing you don't need a license to drive a zord."

The four veteran rangers all tried to let this new information sink it. Tanya just couldn't believe Zordon had chosen a twelve year old kid to replace Rocky, a loyal, formidable Ranger. She stared at Justin in shock, and looked up at the others worriedly. Her eyes communicated what they were all feeling. This mission was too dangerous for a rookie. Especially a little kid.

"What are we doing here anyway?" Justin asked, looking out at the waters.

"We'll talk about this later," Tommy said, pointing his flashlight to the Ghost Gallion, "Right now, we have a boat to catch."

The rangers rode out to sea, and spent the night on the Ghost Gallion. By noon the following day, the ship had reached the tropical island of Muiranthias, with a giant volcano at its center.

"Guys," panted Adam, "we gotta hurry! Lerigot's dying!"

"We may already be too late," said Kat solemnly, glancing at Tommy. His face hardened.

"Alright," he said, "we'll leave the vehicles here, and go for the silent approach. Take our your morphers, its time to kick into action. Shift Into Turbo!"

Simultaneously, the four veteran rangers held up their left arms. Justin held up his right, and received a cold glare from Tanya.

"Oops," he muttered sheepishly, turning around. Tommy shook his head.

"Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!" shouted Justin.

"Desert Thunder Turbo Power!" called Adam.

"Dune Star Turbo Power!" cried Tanya.

"Wind Chaser Turbo Power!" yelled Katherine.

"Red Lightning Turbo Power!" bellowed Tommy. The five teens were instantly morphed into the mighty Turbo Power Rangers, and Justin, who was about five feet tall originally, grew to equal height with Tommy.

"Let's do it!" Tommy commanded.

"Right!" Justin yelled excitedly.

The four rangers began running towards the volcano, while Justin was admiring his uniform. He then turned around, and noticed they were leaving.

"Hey!" he called, "wait for me!"

Inside the volcano is a stone chamber, with a deep pit of molten lava in the center. This is the resting place of the dreaded creature Maligore. Divatox leads her entourage into the chamber. Jason and Kimberly are both in chains, as well as Lerigot. Piranatrons carry Yara and Bitel in a small wooden cage, just in case Lerigot tries something.

"I love it," said Divatox, admiring the decor of the chamber, "I love it, I love it, I love it! The steaming skulls... perfect!"

Divatox walked around the room, commenting on the decorating. Lerigot, who can't last in Earth's atmosphere for very long, suddenly passed out on the ground. Divatox paid him no heed.

"Alright!" she roared, "Now its time to feed my future husband! Prepare the humans first!"

"On your feet!" ordered Elgar, as he and a Piranatron grabbed Kimberly by the arms and forced her to stand. She released a quiet yelp, and was lead towards the pit of lava.

"He can have the Liarians for dessert," Divatox said, grinning at Yara. She then put her hands on her hips, and focused on the lava pit. "If anyone here knows a reason why we should not be wed... SHUT UP!!"

Divatox approached the lava pit, as the Muiranthians began chanting.

"Maligore, the Flame of Destruction," she said quietly, "it is I, Divatox, your one and only true soul-mate. This moment is long in coming, and now, I bring you two perfect specimens to seal our matrimonial pact!"

She glanced up, and watched as Kimberly and Jason struggled against the ropes holding them a few feet over the opening of the lava pit. Come forth, and feed upon their purity! Come forth, and let evil and hatred twist their souls! Join forces with me!"

The crowd of villains gave a cheer, as a Piranatron began to lower Kim and Jason into the pit of lava. Suddenly, the five Turbo Rangers ran into the chamber, scaring the Muiranthian natives who were performing a ceremonial dance.

"Hey," said Tommy, after first glancing at Kim and Jason, "Did we miss the party?"

"Who invited you?" Divatox snarled.

"We did!" said Jason smartly, "Rangers, this is Divatox. Divatox... this is your worst nightmare."

Kimberly couldn't take her eyes off the Red Ranger. She knew in her heart it was Tommy under that helmet, and she would have known even if Jason hadn't mentioned it earlier. There was a flicker of hope in her panicked doe-brown eyes. Maybe he does still care after all. He risked it all, just to save us. He wouldn't let me down. Not again.

"Ha!" Divatox chuckled at Jason's wit, "Lower them into the volcano."

The Piranatron obeyed, and Kim and Jason cried out as they inched closer to the magical flames of destruction. The Turbo Rangers immediately leapt into action, with the Blue Ranger hurriedly approaching the lever Jason and Kim were tied to, and battling every villain in his way. The Green Ranger made sure Lerigot was out of harm's way, and placed him beside his wife. But the Blue Ranger couldn't stop Rygog from lowering the two former rangers into the fire.

"Kim!" Tommy cried, watching in panic while at the same time fending off Piranatrons.

"Into the fire!" yelled Rygog, as Kim and Jason plunged further down.

"You guys!" Kim cried in terror, as the flames grew closer. She threw another desperate glance at Tommy, and as the fire closed in on her, her eyes narrowed. He let me down! Again!

Divatox laughed hysterically. "Too late, rangers! Even now they are becoming spawns of evil!"

Hot fire spewed forth from the pit, as the Piranatrons held the Turbo Rangers back.

"Kim!" Tommy cried frantically, "NOOO!!"

Two narrow columns of flames rose, and took the form of a man and a woman, with their backs turned to the rangers. The Piranatrons backed away, leaving the rangers to approach.

"Kimberly," Tommy said, obviously relieved, "Jason."

"Whoa," said Elgar, "That's a nice trick."

Kimberly turned around, and opened her eyes. Her eyes were ruby red. She grinned at the rangers, as she held up her manacled hands. She broke the chains without any effort. The Turbo Rangers gasped as Jason turned, and did the same.

"Children," Divatox roared, "Destroy them!"

Kimberly leapt off the edge of the pit, and landed on the dirt floor with the grace of a cat. Tommy ran up to her, and grabbed her shoulders.

"Kim!" he cried desperately. Kimberly snarled and tossed him aside.

Jason flipped off the pit, and approached the rangers, a bitter scowl on his face. The Blue Ranger approached him, but Jason grabbed his hand and crushed it. He then punched him in the stomach.

"Leave him alone!" Katherine ordered. Jason growled as he punched her in the helmet fiercely, and kicked her in the chest. Kimberly grinned as she approached Katherine. Adam got in her way.

"Kim!" he called, "Snap out of it!" Kim kicked him out of her way, and proceeded to her target. The Yellow Ranger grabbed Kim by the shoulders, but Kim broke free from Tanya, and continued onward.

"Kim," Katherine gasped, backing away, "you've gotta fight the evil!"

"Evil is as evil does, sister," Kim said in a deep voice, her eyes glowing with hatred.

"Don't do this!" Katherine begged, reaching out. Kimberly grabbed her arm, intending on breaking it.

"NO!" cried Tommy, after beating back a handful of Piranatrons, "Leave her alone!"

He grabbed Kim by the shoulders, turning her around. He quickly took off his helmet, and looked at her pleadingly. "Look at me, Kim. Look at me!"

Kimberly glared at him with more hatred than a human being can possibly hold inside. The evil corrupted her heart deeper than it was supposed to. She welcomed in the darkness, and a chill grin crossed her face.

"Its me... Tommy."

"Yes!" Katherine said, "We're your friends!"

"Friends?" chuckled Kimberly, "I don't have any friends. Thanks to you two!"

Kimberly spun around, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick to Tommy's jaw. She then dodged Katherine's swing, and swept the Pink Ranger off her feet. She jammed her heel into Katherine's stomach, and turned back to Tommy, who had risen to his feet.

"Kim..." he said, backing away from her, "please. I... I don't want to hurt you--"

"Really?" she growled, "You don't want to hurt me? As I take it you never did want to hurt me! I'm sure it was all for my own good, Tommy, eh? You only wanted to make me happy? Is that why you lied to me?!"

"Lied to you?"

"Oh, I've been waiting for a LONG time for this!" she laughed, swinging at his face. He dodged, and grabbed her forearms, trying desperately to restrain her without hurting her.

"Kim," he said sternly, "you don't want to do this..."

"Yes I do!" she cried, "You betrayed me! You abandoned me!! You're going to pay for that, Tommy! You will pay for what you did to me! With interest!"

With that, Kim kicked him in the groin. Tommy yelped, and fell back. She was about to kick him again, but Katherine tackled Kim to the ground from behind.

"Kim," Katherine ordered, "Stop this now!"

"Oh please," Kim snapped, "If you dare say 'I don't want to hurt you', I will personally rip your heart out and serve it on a platter. Provided of course that you have a heart!"

Kim elbowed Katherine in the stomach, and Tommy once again tried to stop her. He was still in pain, but he pushed it aside. He was determined to save them both. But Jason had other plans.

"You're mine!" Jason roared, lifting Tommy by the neck from behind, and tossing him like a rag doll. Tommy sprawled out on the ground, dangerously close to the pit of flames. Kimberly grinned, and glanced back at Kat. Kat was about to rush her, but Kimberly received her with a powerful kick. Kat fell to the ground, and didn't get up. Kimberly laughed and looked down on her.

"Oh, and sweetie," she chuckled, "Pink is out."

Katherine didn't respond.

Kimberly laughed deeply, and surveyed the battle scene. The Blue, Yellow, and Green Rangers were just barely holding their own against the seemingly endless number of Piranatrons, and Katherine was lying unconscious in the dirt. Where she belonged. Finally, Jason had Tommy dangling off the side of the pit of lava.

"Come on, Ranger!" Jason yelled, strangling the helmetless Red Ranger.

"Into the fire," Kim said happily, rubbing her hands together, "Into the fire." Lerigot was watching, and he weakly held up his Golden Key. Purifying energy coarsed through the air, directed at Kimberly. He was hoping he had enough energy to break the spell of evil cast upon this poor girl, and that she could help the Red Ranger before he is killed. But, to Lerigot's shock, Kimberly wasn't healed. She cocked her head towards the Liarians, and chuckled.

"Nice try, Ewok," she snarled, "but I like being evil!"

Lerigot's eyes widened when he realized that the evil has fed off her hatred and anger towards the Power Rangers, especially the Pink and Red Rangers. She wouldn't save them for any reason. Still, Lerigot wasn't dismayed. He could still try to reach Jason.

"Now I'm the one with the muscles and the power!" Jason declared, pushing Tommy further off the edge. Tommy's eyes narrowed.

"Sure Jase," he gasped, "but you're not using your brain power!"

With that, Tommy flipped Jason over the edge. But, he managed to catch Jason's wrist before he fell in completely. Jason struggled against Tommy's grasp.

"Jason, don't fight me!" Tommy pleaded, "I'm trying to help you!"

Lerigot focussed his Golden Key again, this time sending the purifying energy into Jason. The effect was different with Jason. He immediately calmed down, and looked around in confusion. He looked up at Tommy.

"What.. what's happening?" he asked. He yelped when he saw the flames of destruction licking at his feet.

"Hold on, Jase," Tommy said, pulling with all his might, "I've got ya..."

Just then, Katherine regained consciousness. She sat up, and quickly surveyed the situation. Tanya, Adam, and Justin were handling the Piranatrons well enough, and Tommy was still pulling Jason out of the lava pit. She gasped when she saw Kimberly approaching them, her eyes glowing brightly, and a scowl on her face.

Oh, no you don't! Kim thought angrily, approaching Tommy without making the slightest sound, You're not making it out of this one alive!

Kimberly growled, and Tommy turned his head in shock. But, the Pink Ranger stepped in the way, and kicked Kimberly solidly in the face. Tommy stared as Katherine quickly helped Tommy pulled Jason out of the pit.

"What... what did you do?!" Tommy demanded, once Jason was safe. He hurried to Kimberly's side. Kim wasn't moving, and blood trickled from her nose. He could also see a purple bruise forming on her right cheek.

"I saved your life and Jason's," Katherine said sternly, "I don't know if you noticed or not, but she's trying to kill us!"

Tommy sighed, and turned to Jason. "You okay, Bro?"

"I... I think so," he said, "Man, Tommy, I'm so sorry--"

"Forget it," Tommy said with a smile, "I'm just glad to have you back, Bro."

Then, the fire flared, throwing them all back. The Rangers regrouped, and Katherine held out Tommy's helmet.

"I think you're gonna need this," she said.

"Thanks," he said, holding his helmet under his arm. He kneeled beside Kim, and then glanced up at Jason, pain evident in his eyes.

"I'll get her out of here," Jason offered, "and I'll get the Liarians."

Tommy smiled his gratitude, as Jason took Kimberly out of harm's way. Tommy strapped his helmet back on, and all five Turbo Rangers stood in line, ready for action.

"Let's finish up, guys!" he declared, as the five rangers immediately began plowing through the remaining Piranatrons. Divatox frowned as she saw her forces thinning, and hurried back to the pool of lava.

"Rise, Maligore," she said, "and meet your bride. Together we will exact revenge on Lerigot, as well as the ones who imprisoned you. Come to me. Please?"

"Look!" said Rygog, watching as Jason led the Liarans out of the cave, while still carrying Kimberly, "I think the humans are turning pure again!"

"Now we don't have a sacrifice!" Elgar whined.

"Yes we do," said Divatox, tossing her pet eel onto Elgar. Both Elgar and the eel plummetted into the pit of flames, bringing Maligore to life.

"Remind me to get a new pet," Divatox said to Rygog, as they stepped back from the pit.

Smoke and flames rose from the pit, putting an end to the fighting.

"I don't think I like this one bit," commented Tommy. The Muiranthians fell to their knees and bowed, and Divatox watched excitedly.

"Yes, Maligore!" she cried, "Unite our powers as one!"

Her smile fell when she saw a hideous claw reach out from inside the pit. Everyone gasped as the huge creature climbed out, and roared ferociously.

"Get ready to take this freak," Tommy said to his team.

"She wants to marry him ?!" Katherine asked.

"Are you sure about this?" Rygog asked Divatox. She shrugged.

"I think its time to break out the hardware," Justin suggested.

"Good call Justin," said Tommy, "Let's do it!"

The five rangers silently summoned their weapons, and opened fire on Maligore, who was slowly approaching them. But their weapons had little affect.

"What's the plan, Tommy?" asked Adam, "It barely fazed him!"

"We gotta lure Brimstone Breath outside so we can call on our zords," Tommy decided, as the rangers backed away from the approaching monster.

"All right!" Justin said excitedly, "I was hoping you'd say that!"

"Let's do it!" cried Tommy, charging at the monster. The other rangers followed suit. But with each strike, Maligore retaliated with a debilitating fiery swing.

"I think I hear my mother calling," Rygog said, walking away. Divatox grabbed him by the arm.

"Everyone," said Tommy, "Out the way we came!"

The Power Rangers led the monster outside, where there was room to call on their zords.

Meanwhile, across the room, Jason stood with the Liarians. He was still carrying Kimberly, who was starting to stir.

"We gotta get out of here," he said to the Liarians, "This place is gonna blow!"

Kimberly's eyes opened, and she stared up at Jason. Jason cringed when he saw the red glow in her eyes.

"PUT ME DOWN!!" she roared in a deep, powerful voice. Jason obliged, and Kimberly was on her feet. She glared at Jason, and looked around.

"Where are the rangers?!" she cried, approaching Jason. Jason stepped back, holding his hands out.

"Relax Kim," he said soothingly, "Everything will be fine. Lerigot will help you--"

"Don't you get it?!" she roared, "I don't want to be helped! I want REVENGE!"

"No," Jason said, "that's just the evil in you. You've got to fight it! We're your friends!"

Kimberly's eyes reverted back to their golden brown shade. Her facial expression softened, and tears welled in her eyes.

"Oh, I get it," she said angrily, "you're taking his side! Why should I be surprised? After all, you two are 'bros'! I guess you forget that you were like a brother to me, too! Way before Thomas Oliver came into our lives! You always were my big brother, keeping an eye out for me. Now I see that I'm just going to have to take care of myself."

With that, Kimberly swung at Jason. Jason managed to dodge, and continued to block Kimberly's lightning quick attacks. She began to chuckle, as Jason kept backing up from her.

"I've been practicing, Jason," she said with a smirk, "I never told you this, but I took up martial arts because I wanted to release the stress I have lived with since I moved to Florida. It only got worse when Tommy cheated on me! I realized that too much depended on him! I depended on him for love, support, guidance, and protection. Well, not anymore! I can support, guide, and protect myself! And as for love... who needs it? Definitely not me! This spell of Maligore is truly liberating! I don't think I can love anymore!"

Jason panicked when his back hit the wall. He was cornered, and Kimberly wasn't letting up her attack. He ducked a punch aimed for his face, and Kimberly's hand plowed into the wall. Jason got up and ran and Kimberly brushed the dust off her clothes. The Liarians followed him.

"There's no way I can beat Kimberly," he told the Liarians, hoping they understand English, "I don't want to hurt her, and I don't even think I can! Whatever Divatox did to Kim, she's growing more powerful-- and more angry-- by the minute! I gotta get you three out of here!"

Kimberly let Jason and the Liarians run. She chuckled to herself. "He's not worth it," she decided, "I want Tommy and Katherine. They're going to meet their end... slowly."

Kimberly went back through the tunnel, and into the chamber with the pit of fire. She followed the sounds of battle, until she found herself outside. On the ledge below her was Divatox and her remaining crew, watching as the Turbo Megazord battled Maligore, now grown to full strength. She scowled as Maligore fell into the sea below.

"The volcano!" said Rygog, "Its erupting! We gotta get outta here!"

"Arr, my plans!" Divatox screamed angrily, "The money, the jewels! The plastic surgery. Oh, I didn't even get a honeymoon!"

She turned to Rygog, and pointed her finger in his face. "Rygog, you mark my words someday the Power Rangers will pay for this. I never accept defeat!"

Kimberly smiled when she heard this.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Rygog.

"RUN!!" cried Divatox, preparing to depart. But Kimberly flipped down from her perch above, landing nimbly right in front of the pirate queen.

"YOU?!" Divatox yelled, "What do you want?!"

"To join your crew," Kimberly said with a wicked smile, "I have nothing left here. Besides, it sounds like we have similar goals, Captain."

Divatox smiled when she saw a flash of red energy in Kimberly's eyes. Divatox folded her arms, and turned to Rygog. "Well, what do you think?"

"Well," he said, "we do need another navigator. After all, you did toss Elgar into the fire."

"I guess this little mission wasn't a total wash after all," she said, holding out her hand to Kimberly, "I may have lost a nephew, but it looks like I've gained a protege! Welcome to the crew, Kimberly."

Kim grinned and shook Divatox's hand. Together, the three villains ran from the fight scene, before the rangers had a chance to see them.

Jason and the Liarians bumped into Bulk and Skull on their way down the mountain, and together, the six hurried down to the jungle. Once Maligore was destroyed, they stepped into the clearing, where the Megazord could see them. Jason waved as the head of the Megazord looked down at him.

^Hey guys,^ said the voice of the Red Ranger, ^How about a lift?^

Jason nodded, and the gargantuan hand of the Megazord lowered, picking them off the sand, and depositing them into the bridge. Bulk and Skull were still in a daze, but the others enjoyed a victory celebration. Tommy shook Jason's hand vigorously, and looked around expectantly.

"Hey," he said, "where's Kimberly?"

"That's what I wanted to tell ya, Bro," said Jason uncomfortably, "When she woke up, Kimberly attacked me. I... I had to leave her behind. I couldn't overpower her or convince her to come with us. She's still under the spell."

"What?" said Adam in surprise, "Where is she now?"

"She was in the tunnels in the volcano the last time I saw her."

"No," Tommy said quietly, taking off his helmet. Fortunately, Bulk and Skull weren't aware.

"But, the entire volcano erupted," said Katherine quietly, "No one could survive that."

"Maybe she made it out in time," said Tanya hopefully. Tommy grimaced, and strapped his helmet back on. He headed towards the door.

"What are you doing?" asked Adam.

"I'm going to find Kimberly," Tommy said sternly, "Even if she was under the spell before, now that Maligore is dead, she should be free now."

"Maybe we should go back to the Power Chamber," suggested Justin, "Zordon and Alpha can run a scan for Kimberly. There's no way to find her in this jungle."

"I didn't ask for you opinion, Justin," Tommy said coldly. Justin cringed as the Red Ranger left.

"I... I'm sorry," Justin said quietly, "I was just trying to help." Katherine placed a hand on the new Blue Ranger's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it," she said, "Tommy has always been very... protective of Kimberly. He doesn't always think clearly when she's in danger."

Meanwhile, Divatox sits on her captain's chair, brushing out her ponytail. The space submarine is already beyond Pluto, headed towards Divatox's homeworld, where she can get a fresh set of troops, and prepare for her revenge against the Power Rangers.

"We'll be getting back home in about... six days," said Rygog.

"Fine," she said, tossing her ponytail behind her back, "As soon as we get back, we're going to start planning. I want to know exactly how we will destroy those annoying Power Rangers! Then, when we come back, we'll eliminate them, and steal all the riches of Earth! That'll teach 'em to ruin my wedding!"

"Here, here!" said Rygog enthusiastically.

"Great plan, Diva," said a deep voice from behind. Divatox stood up, and saw a figure step out of the doors. She was wearing a leather dress similar to Divatox's, but completely in black, without the cape. Her hair tumbled loosely around her face, and her eyes shimmered with evil. She had her hands on her hips, and she marched down in five inch heeled boots. Divatox smiled.

"Not a bad fit, Kimberly," she said with a smile, "When I gave you permission to find something to wear in my closets, I was certain you'd select something pink."

"Like I told my replacement, pink is out," Kim said coolly, taking a seat at the helm, "I find black much more becoming of the new me. Now, can someone show me how to work this thing? If I'm going to be navigator, I'll need to learn how your technology operates."

"Aren't you the eager beaver?" Divatox chuckled.

"I guess I'm just a woman with a mission," Kim replied, her eyes flashing red.

In the Power Chamber, the five Turbo Rangers, Jason, and the three Liarians wait, while Alpha Five conducts a scan. Bulk and Skull were returned to their homes.

"Aye yi yi!" Alpha moaned, "I can't detect Kimberly anywhere!"

"So, she's not on Muiranthias?" Tommy asked.

"She's not anywhere !"

"What does that mean?!" Tommy barked. The other rangers stayed back, as Tommy approached Alpha to see for himself.

"She's not within the range of our scanners," Alpha explained, "She's not on Earth."

"Then, is she--?"

"No, Kat," said Tommy fiercely, "She can't be dead. She just can't."

"IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DIVATOX HAS ABDUCTED KIMBERLY," Zordon suggested.

"Its more likely Kimberly went willingly," Jason said quietly. Tommy heard him, and walked over to his best friend.

"Why?" he asked.

"She's angry at all of us," Jason explained with a sigh, "That's probably why the spell didn't break. She doesn't want to be saved." "That's nonsense," Katherine said, "I can't believe Kimberly is evil."

"She's not evil!" Tommy yelled.

"Don't you think I know that?!" Jason yelled back.

Then, Lerigot said something. The rangers blinked.

"What did he say, Alpha?" asked Tanya.

"He said that the hatred in Kimberly's heart made her susceptible to the spell."

"What hatred?" asked Justin, "I thought you were all friends."

"I know we didn't part on the best of terms--" said Tommy.

"That's one way to put it," Jason interrupted, "Kimberly told me that you were seeing Katherine behind her back. That's really low, Tommy."

"What?!" said Tommy in shock, "That's ridiculous! For goodness sake, Jay, you know I'd never do anything like that! Kimberly was the world to me!"

"That's the truth," said Adam, "He was so crushed after that letter--"

"What letter?" Justin asked curiously. Tommy sighed.

"Kimberly sent me a letter, telling me that she met someone else."

"That's not true," said Jason, "Kimberly didn't write any letters. She thought you were seeing Katherine, so she decided to stop talking to you. Or any other ranger. She felt betrayed."

Tommy's eyes widened, and he stared at his best friend mutely.

"But," stammered Katherine, "how did she get that idea?"

Jason related the story Kimberly told him over the weekend. Everyone present was shocked. Tommy sank to his knees, totally stunned.

"So, that's what she meant when she said I lied to her," Tommy whispered, "This is all my fault."

"How can you blame yourself?" Katherine asked quietly, kneeling beside him, "There's no way you could have known this would happen."

"But, this still doesn't make sense," said Adam, "If Kimberly didn't send the letter, then who did?"

The chamber is dark. So dark, its nearly impossible to see. But the lone warrior inside the room needs no light. Her ruby eyes glow brilliantly, illuminating the entire chamber with their eerie light. As she thought, she was in the lower level of the submarine. The dirty water covered up to the ankle of her thigh-high black leather boots, and she tightened her grip on her katana blade. She could feel someone approaching.

As she suspected, five streams of water shot forth from the ground, taking the shape of deadly armored monsters known as Piranatrons. The warrior leapt back, performing an elegant backflip catapulting her through the damp air. She lands perfectly over five yards back from her previous location, despite having on five-inch heels. She grins wickedly, throwing back her head to push her golden brown curls out of her face. The five Piranatrons advance, but they were too slow to dodge the warrior's mighty blade. With one slash, she decapitates one Piranatron, and kicks its headless body into the two behind it, knocking them all to the ground before it evaporates. The warrior moves to the side to evade a punch from another Piranatron, and uses its own momentum by kicking the beast, jamming her sharp heel into the small of its back. The Piranatron evaporates. Three to go.

The two Piranatrons that were knocked over quickly rose to their feet, and each grabbed on of her arms, restraining the woman and rendering her blade useless. The warrior struggled against them, but they maintained their firm grip. The final Piranatron picked up the falled katana, and approached, intending on slitting her throat with her own weapon. But the woman showed no fear. Instead, she stopped struggling, and kicked out with both her feet as soon as the Piranatron was close enough. She smacked it in the face, throwing it backwards, and also knocking the two holding her off balance. The warrior pulled free of their vice-like grip, and lifted them both by the collar. She smacked their heads together, and dropped them to the ground. They soon evaporated. One to go.

The final Piranatron recovered, and lunged at the woman warrior with her own blade. She evaded his advances, and knocked the blade from its hand with a powerful roundhouse kick. She laughed as she kicked the monster in the stomach, and watched it fall to the ground. She touched her forearm, and the long metallic armband opened up, revealing a secret compartment with a small, shining silver blade. She turned around quickly, tossing the small blade at the Piranatron. She hit her target, striking the Piranatron where the jungular would be. If it were a human being. The Piranatron fell to the floor, completely lifeless. Then, it also evaporated, leaving the woman alone. She cackled, and picked up her silver blade. She stood erect, and placed the blade in its compartment. The lights then turned on, and the warrior heard applause. She smiled, and bowed towards the left corner. Out of the shadows stepped Divatox, the pirate queen. She continued to clap as she approached the warrior.

"Not bad, Kimmy," she said with a proud smile, "Not bad at all."

"I've been practicing," Kimberly answered, wiping the seawater off her short black leather dress.

"Each day, you grow stronger," Divatox continued, "and your attacks are more and more lethal."

"Shouldn't they be?" Kimberly said simply, "After all, I only have about a week until we return to Earth. I must be prepared to kill the Power Rangers before we arrive."

Divatox nodded, and regarded the young woman's ruby red eyes. "Get cleaned up, Kimberly," she said finally, "I sent Rygog and Porto to assemble as many legions of Piranatrons as they can find. Once we gather our army, we'll set a course back to Earth, where we can finally destroy the Power Rangers!"

"I agree," said Kimberly, "but remember, Diva, the Red and Pink Rangers are mine."

"No problem," Divatox said, as Kimberly's form slowly faded away, leaving the pirate queen alone in the practice chamber. Divatox looked over at the katana blade that her prized warrior left in the room, and smiled victoriously. Over the weeks that Kimberly had been a member of her crew, she quickly learned the art of combat, as well as strategy. Divatox attributed her superior strength, speed, and agility to the spell cast upon her. Maligore fed off her purity, and left her stronger. Kimberly internalized the magic even better than anyone would have expected, and as a result, she grows more powerful each day. She was easily as strong as a Turbo Ranger-- perhaps even stronger.

"My dear little Kimberly is the key to the Power Rangers' destruction," Divatox said quietly, "Her desire for revenge is even stronger than my own, and its all she lives for. With her by my side, I will easily vanquish the Turbo Rangers!"

A few hours later, Divatox stands upon an elevated plateau, looking down at an army of endless Piranatrons. At her side is her crew-- the large blue cyborg Rygog, the brilliant white creature Porto, and finally, the sleek human navigator Kimberly. It took an Earth week for Divatox's space submarine to return from Earth to the homeworld of Xenos to collect her army and prepare for a full-scale invasion. Her army has finally been organized, thanks to the diligent efforts of her crew.

"Piranatrons!" Divatox roared, "Faithful followers, you all know the reason why we are here. The ruination of my plans to rule the universe must be avenged!"

The Piranatrons cheer enthusiastically, anxious to go to war. Porto turns to the leather-clad human teenager who recently joined Divatox's crew.

"You know, Kimberly," he whispered, "I haven't seen her this mad since... I don't remember when!"

"Well, she has every right to be angry," Kimberly answered, "the Power Rangers ruined her chance to become the bride of the most powerful villain in existence! Well, besides Ivan Ooze, of course."

"Too bad you can add Maligore's name to the list of bad guys the rangers finished off for good," said Rygog.

"Well, he'll be the _last_ one on that list," snarled Kimberly, her ruby eyes flashing, "Diva won't let them get away with this. As soon as we're organized, we're heading to Earth!"

"The Power Rangers will pay dearly," Divatox continued, "Their beloved Earth will become mine! Are you with me?!"

The loud cheers of the army testified to Divatox's reign over them. Kimberly grinned as her leader bathed in the admiration of the Piranatrons.

"Everyone, prepare for our return to Earth!"

The Piranatrons dispersed, quickly collecting their weapons. Divatox chuckled as she stepped down off the plateau, back towards her ship. Rygog, Porto, and Kimberly walked in step behind her.

"We'll leave at sun-up," Divatox said to her crew, "With this army of Piranatrons, we'll be unbeatable!"

"I wouldn't count on that," Kimberly said darkly. Divatox spun around and glared at her protege.

"What are you saying?" she barked. Rygog and Porto cringed at Divatox, but Kimberly didn't flinch. She looked right into her captain's ice blue eyes unwaveringly.

"The Power Rangers are more powerful now than ever before," Kimberly explained, tossing her caramel hair over her shoulder, "and your Piranatrons are glorified Putty Patrolers. They don't stand a chance. I can even beat them."

Divatox's eyebrow raised, and she slowly nodded. Kimberly was right; she could defeat a squad of Piranatrons during practice without even breaking into a sweat. "So," Divatox said, "what are you suggesting?"

"Sure, the Piranatrons are a great distraction, but they aren't tough enough to defeat the Turbo Rangers. I suggest we don't start by simply trying to kill the rangers. Instead, let's work on destroying everything that matters to them!"

"In what sense?" asked Rygog.

"Well," said Kim with a chill grin, "the rangers ruined the most important ceremony in Divatox's life, so its only fair to do the same to them."

"Are they getting married?" Rygog asked, scratching his head. Kimberly glared at him furiously.

"No!" she barked, "They're graduating from high school in a week! If we leave immediately, we'll arrive at Earth just before the ceremony! We'll distract the rangers with the Piranatrons, and then, while they're busy fighting them off, we'll destroy the graduation ceremony! If we plan this right, we'll be able to completely wreck the ceremony, and perhaps even maim some of the rangers' friends and family. After all, everyone comes to their loved one's graduation."

"Brilliant!" screeched Divatox excitedly, "Perfect! Kimberly, you _are_ learning!"

Kimberly smiled at the compliment as the four continued into the space submarine.

On Earth, Tanya Sloan and Katherine Hillard stroll down the sidewalk inside the Angel Grove Botanical Gardens. They are busy helping with the preparations for the high school graduation, that would be taking place that evening.

"You know," said Tanya, heaving a large potted plant, "holding the graduation ceremony in the botanical gardens was a great idea."

"I know," said Katherine, a small smile on her face, "I just wish Tommy could be here."

"I know, Kat, but working on his uncle's stock car crew was something he just couldn't pass up."

"Besides," said Adam Park, falling into step beside Tanya, "he already picked up his diploma this morning."

"You're right," sighed Kat, "it is a great experience, and I really am happy for him." But I still can't shake the feeling that he's avoiding me. He hasn't spent more than five minutes with me since the Muiranthias incident. Could he possibly be blaming me for Kimberly's death-- well, disappearance? I doubt it. More than likely, he's blaming himself. I just wish there was something I could do to make him feel better, but he just won't open up to me.

At the Stone Canyon Raceway, a single stock car speeds along the asphalt. It swings around curves easily, and as it continues to build up speed, its clear to whoever watching that the man behind the wheel is an experienced race-car driver. That man is Tommy Oliver.

Ever since Divatox's attack three weeks ago, things have been rather quiet in Angel Grove. Surprisingly, the Machine Empire has disappeared, and there is no sign of Divatox anywhere. There hasn't been neither hide nor hair of Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa, although there were some mysterious energy readings emanating from the Moon for awhile. However, Alpha had determined that the energy readings were minimal, and were harmless. They didn't display a threat, and could be accounted for as residual energy from the Machine Empire. Although Zordon has allowed them to keep their Turbo morphers, the Turbo Rangers have been off active duty for some time, freeing up everyone's schedule. Tommy decided to spend his newfound time working on his uncle's stock car team. He felt the practice would do him good, since his Turbo zord is a highly advanced racecar. But, there's another reason why he devotes nearly every waking hour to racing-- he's trying to forget.

Three weeks ago, the most tragic event in Tommy's life took place. Divatox had raised the stakes higher than they'd ever been by capturing two people who meant a great deal to Tommy-- his best friend Jason, and his ex-girlfriend Kimberly. Jason and Kimberly were manipulated by some evil magic, and were forced to battle the Turbo Rangers. The rangers managed to save Jason, but Kimberly vanished. There is no way to know whether or not Kimberly was alive, or if she died when the volcano erupted, taking half of the island of Muiranthias with it.

Tommy had put Kimberly behind him, after he received a letter stating that she had met someone else. But seeing her again had ignited feelings long buried. She was still so beautiful it was intoxicating, and Tommy's heart ached when he saw the fear that shone in her doe-brown eyes as she plunged into the dark flames. He couldn't bring himself to fight her, or even to defend himself against her powerful attacks. When Katherine finally managed to knock Kimberly unconscious, Tommy had nearly screamed at his new girlfriend in rage. He couldn't deny that he still felt strongly for Kimberly. Even after all this time. Even after the letter.

However, it was recently discovered that Kimberly didn't dump Tommy. Rather, someone else sent Tommy that letter, and forced a wedge between the two young lovers. Tommy felt Kimberly left him, and Kimberly felt Tommy betrayed her, since he never called her again, and was spending more time with Katherine Hillard than Kim was comfortable with. Tommy realized that Kimberly didn't find someone else. She never loved anyone but him, and he couldn't even save her when she was counting on him.

"This is such a nightmare," Tommy said to himself, stepping on the gas harder, "Its been three weeks, and there's still no sign of Kim! And Divatox split, probably for good! I don't know what I'd do if Kim is--"

Rather than complete his sentence, Tommy clenched his teeth and pressed the accelerator even harder. The small stock car whizzed along the raceway at record speeds.

"I can't believe she didn't write that letter! Scratch that, I can't believe I actually believed she wrote that letter! Man, this is all my fault! She's gone, and the last thing she said to me was that I betrayed her! How could she not understand that I could never betray her? She meant the world to me. She still does..."

Tommy fought back tears as he accelerated still more, and flew across the raceway, surprising his uncle Jeff Rush, who was watching from the stands.

"That kid is amazing," Jeff commented, glancing at his stopwatch, "Absolutely amazing..."

"And you're telling me he's only been behind the wheel for a month?" asked Jeff's assistant Artie.

"Not even," said Jeff, shaking his head, "Tommy's a natural. But, he's got his problems..."

"What do you mean, Jeff?"

Jeff sighed. "Well, he gets distracted easily, and sometimes he just... zones out, you know? Its obvious something's bothering him, but when I ask him what's the matter, he just denies it. Tommy's never been a very good liar, though."

"Are you still going to offer him a position on your race team-- for good?" Artie asked. Jeff sighed.

"Well, I'm glad to have him, I really am. I'll offer it to him, but I don't know if he'd take it. I still can't tell whether he races because he loves it, or because he's trying to leave something behind."

Inside the dark, dank stone palace on the dark side of the Moon, Lord Zedd lays upon his restorative bed, tapping his silvertipped fingers against each other while replenishing fluids course through his body. He has spent the past few weeks repairing his palace, after he single-handedly destroyed the Machine Empire, and drove them from his former dwelling. After he finished the repairs, he set out to find his two servants-- Rito Revolto and Goldar. It didn't take long before he found them, with their memories completely wiped, living as servants of two less-than-average human beings. He magically restored their memories, and they once again joined his ranks.

Of course, Rito asked immediately where his sister, Lord Zedd's wife Rita Repulsa, was. Zedd explained that Rita had gone to visit her father Mastervile while he remained to re-establish his lunar kingdom. Being a simpleton, Rito accepted Zedd's explanation, when in reality, it was as far from the truth as possible.

In fact, Lord Zedd left his wife in order to find the one woman he yearned to possess: Kimberly Hart. She was the reason Zedd returned to Earth. He planned on first destroying the Machine Empire, then restoring his palace, retrieving his loyal henchman Goldar, and finally, laying claim to the Pan-Global gymnast. However, not long after Lord Zedd arrived, Kimberly vanished without a trace.

By carefully watching the Power Ranger teens for the past week or so, Zedd learned of the arrival of Divatox, who kidnapped Kimberly, as well as the former Power Ranger Jason Lee, and used them to free the demon Maligore from his confinement on the island Muiranthias. Apparently, the Zeo Rangers received the new power of Turbo to confront Maligore, and managed to destroy the villain for good. As a consequence of the titannic battle, the island itself was engulfed with flames as the volcano erupted. The rangers managed to save Jason and the wizard Lerigot and his family, but Kimberly was nowhere to be found. That meant she either died in the temple when it exploded, or she left the planet with Divatox. There were no signs of her on Earth.

Now, Lord Zedd is pondering his next move. He is in no condition to take on the Power Rangers, especially since they've received a new, mightier power source. Also, the battleship Serpentera is still drained of power and damaged from the battle against the Machines, and it therefore can't be used in battle for at least another few weeks. His own magic is still replenishing itself, making it impossible for him to create a decent monster to attack Earth. And finally, although Goldar has always been a faithful, formiddable ally, Rito is little more than a moron, with loyalties only to his family. If he ever learned Zedd divorced Rita, he would surely retaliate. Zedd had planned on turning Kimberly into his evil bride, and he even used a great deal of his own magic to create a wedding gift for her, to give her a measure of magical power to use against the Power Rangers herself.

My plan was perfect, he thought, still tapping his fingers. He glanced down at a small podium beside his bed, where a small golden jewelry box lay. Kimberly would have been the key to the rangers' defeat! It would have crushed Tommy to see her in my arms, and I'd use her to destroy him! My letter worked perfectly, but when I finally restored my palace, I was too late to capture her. Now she's gone, and there is no way I can defeat the Power Rangers. My only option is to wait until my magic has fully recovered. I spent a great deal repairing the palace, finding Goldar and Rito, and creating this gift for Kimberly. This gem will cast a spell of evil upon her, as well as infusing her with evil energy so she can fight at my side. Together, we shall be invincible!

Suddenly, Rito burst into the throne room. He tripped over an uneven stone on the floor, and sprawled to the ground with a thud. Zedd shook his head, but didn't sit up. "Ed!" Rito cried, "I have news!"

"What is it?" Zedd said dryly. Rito's news usually deals with finding space-insects in the dungeons, or discovering mysterious rings surrounding the planet Saturn through Rita's telescope.

"I was playing with Rita's telescope, and I found something!"

"I've already explained the ring of dust around the planet Saturn, Rito. Motion keeps them from falling into the planet--"

"I know that now," Rito said, "but I found something else! Its a ship!! But it looks like a boat or something..."

Zedd sat up, and looked at Rito impatiently. Rito fidgetted under Zedd's glare.

"Uh," Rito muttered, "well, it wasn't exactly a boat. It looked like one of those underwater boats human beings use. What is it called? A hero? A... a hoagie?"

Zedd disconnected himself from the regenerator, and rose to his feet. "A submarine, perhaps?"

Rito considered this for a moment, rubbing his chin. "I don't think so. I think it was the name of a sandwich."

"A submarine _is_ a sandwich!" Zedd snapped, briskly marching out of his bedchambers towards the throne room. He stood upon the balcony, and a beam of bright red light streamed from his visor into space.

"Which way did it go?" Zedd asked, scanning space.

"It was over by Pluto when I saw it, and it was coming in this direction."

Zedd looked up where Pluto was, and he saw a bronze submarine in the distance. It was approaching Earth fast.

"That is the type of ship the Xenon culture uses," he mentioned, "and that is the planet of Divatox's origin. She is returning to Earth. But why? The rangers have completely destroyed Maligore. What has she to gain by returning?"

"Revenge?" Rito asked with a shrug. If Zedd could smile, he would be doing so at this moment. He watched with interest as the submarine streaked past the palace, and flew towards California. He focussed his telescopic vision, and witnessed the ship land inside the lake in Angel Grove Park.

"Rito," said Zedd, "tell Goldar to come here immediately."

In the ground level of the mighty palace is a large arena, where Goldar practiced his fighting skills ever since he joined Rita Repulsa's employ. As he swung his enormous sword through the cold air, he could tell he was moving slowly. He was desperately out of practice, since he spent months on Earth as Bulk and Skull's housemaid. His feral face snarled when he reflected on that. Those months as a weak, helpless creature obeying the whims of petty humans were the low-point of his career, that had been spiralling downward for years.

Goldar was at his peak when he served as Rita Repulsa as her second in command. He left Lord Zedd at the latter's request, so he could keep an eye on the rebellious witch to see if she would obey Zedd's decree, and conquer Earth. When Goldar first battled the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, he managed to defeat all five morphed heroes without even breaking a sweat. He even managed to stand against the Megazord, although he could never destroy it. Nevertheless, he was the undisputed mightiest warrior in this sector.

As time passed, however, Goldar laxed on his training. Perhaps he was overconfident, since he knew humans were one of the weaker species in the universe. They had no inherent magical powers, and their strength and speed were inferior to his own. When Goldar battled Jason in Rita's Dark Dimension, he could have torn the young man apart. And he would have, had the Green Ranger not interfered. Goldar was furious at Tommy, since he was quickly becoming Rita's favorite henchman during his brief time as a villain, and when he defected to the Power Rangers, Goldar was glad to have the opportunity to destroy him.

However, he never managed to do so. Even though Goldar was strong enough to break Tommy's body, he could never break his spirit. And that human spirit is where the young man drew strength, making him worthy of the White Ranger powers. Goldar faced the White Ranger many times in one-on-one combat, and much to his despair, he could never defeat Tommy. Or any other Power Ranger.

"I can't believe I let myself fail!" he roared aloud, his heart pounding and his muscles pumping as he continued the exercise, "I actually let those human beings defeat me! Time and again, they defeated me! They out-smarted me, they out-maneuvered me, and they even out-fought me!! ME!!"

This fangs clenched tightly as Goldar madly swung his blade. Even though he was venting his rage, his swordstrokes were perfect in timing and execution. After days of nonstop practice, Goldar can feel his skills returning. He was so focussed on his practice, he failed to notice Rito enter the chamber, clapping madly.

"Woo-hoo!" he cheered, startling the warrior, "Wow, that's really cool, Goldie! You're pretty good."

Goldar rolled his eyes, and sheathed his sword. "I told you not to bother me, Rito!" he barked.

"I know, but Ed wanted me to get you. He's on the balcony."

Goldar nodded, and hurried up to the throne room. Rito followed, and mimicked Goldar as he bowed to the Emperor of Evil. Lord Zedd turned around, and looked down at his two warriors.

"Rito," he said, "leave us. I have something I need to discuss with Goldar. Alone."

"Uh, okie-dokie, Eddie!"

Rito stood outside the throne room, busily watching a spider climb the wall. Goldar rose to his feet.

"Yes, my Lord?" he asked.

"Goldar, Divatox's space-submarine has returned to Earth. It landed inside the lake in Angel Grove Park. I want you to keep an eye on the ship from the shore."

"But... why?"

"Because, I want to know why Divatox returned. And, I also want to know whether or not she still has Kimberly. If Kimberly is her captive, I wish to offer a ransom in exchange for her. Divatox is a pirate, and therefore money is more important than anything else to her."

"You still wish to make Kimberly your queen?" Goldar asked, somewhat surprised, "She is unworthy, my Lord."

"I'll be the judge of that!!" Zedd roared, "Now, go to Earth, and wait. If you encounter Divatox or any of her servants, inform them that I want to purchase Kimberly. And make sure not to let the Power Rangers find you!"

"Yes, my Lord," said Goldar, bowing once again. He then turned to leave the throne room.

"Oh, and one more thing," Zedd called, "Make sure not to let Rito know I intend to marry Kimberly. He still thinks I'm married to Rita."

Goldar nodded, and vanished in a cloud of golden energy.

In the Botanical Gardens, Katherine carefully placed a plaque of Angel Grove High School's shield on the face of a wooden podium. She stepped back to make sure it was attached straight, and then looked behind her. Both Tanya and Adam were busy setting up the folding chairs, while Rocky was sitting on the front row, folding small sheets of blue paper. Katherine sits beside Rocky, and glances at his work.

"How are those programs coming?" she asked.

"Well, there's just this box to go," he said, nodding towards a large cardboard box beside him, "I just wish there was more I could do to help."

Tanya and Adam walked over to their friends, and took seats behind Kat and Rocky. "Hey," said Adam, gently squeezing Rocky's shoulder, "we're just glad you're out of the hospital! That was a pretty nasty fall."

"Yeah," said Rocky, "They didn't think that I'd regain full use of my back ever again. But after three weeks of recovery, I'm good as new. So long as I don't over-extend myself."

"And we'll make sure of that," said Tanya with a smile.

"So," said Rocky, lowering his voice, "when are you guys gonna tell me what's going on?"

Kat, Adam, and Tanya traded worried looks. "What do you mean?" asked Tanya.

"Well, I can understand why you didn't mention the Power Rangers in the hospital, since Justin overheard us the first time. But I'm out now, and I'm three weeks behind on the news!"

"Actually, things have been rather quiet lately," said Katherine, "The Machine Empire seems to have left."

"But you guys managed to find Lerigot and save the day, right?"

"In a manner of speaking," Adam said evasively. Rocky sighed angrily.

"Okay," he said at last, standing up, "now I know you guys are hiding something from me! And I have a feeling its something important! Now, spill it already!"

"Relax," said Katherine, pulling Rocky back down by his arm, "we didn't want to tell you because we didn't want to upset you. You're in a very delicate state."

"No I'm not," Rocky said indignantly, "Now what happened?"

"Well," said Adam, "a space pirate called Divatox was following Lerigot to Earth, planning on using his Golden Key to release a demon called Maligore. Zordon gave us the power of Turbo to use against Divatox. So, we basically went to Muiranthias, and kicked Maligore's butt into next week."

"And...?" said Rocky suspiciously.

"Okay, I give up," said Tanya, "In order to awaken Maligore, Divatox had to offer him to sacrifices-- two humans of great purity. She ended up choosing Kimberly and Jason."

"What?!" said Rocky in shock, "You're kidding!"

"No," said Katherine, "Kimberly and Jason were tossed into a pool of lava, and an evil spell was cast upon them, sapping their purity and leaving only evil behind. They fought us, and somehow the spell increased their strength, stamina, and speed. They could have killed us had Lerigot not saved Jason by breaking the spell."

"Okay," said Rocky, "and he saved Kim too, right?"

"Not... exactly," said Adam, "For some reason, Kimberly wasn't freed from the spell. She remained evil, and Jason promised to keep an eye on her when we went to fight Maligore in the Megazord. But she somehow escaped, and we couldn't find her again."

"You guys lost Kim?!" Rocky cried. He then glanced around quickly to make sure no one else heard him.

"I'm afraid so," said Kat, "Half the island was destroyed by the volcano eruption, and after the fight we scanned the entire island. Kimberly was nowhere to be found. We don't know if she's alive or not."

"Jeez," said Rocky, leaning back in his chair, "I can't believe Kim's... gone."

"I know," said Adam, "Its been rough on all of us. Its the first time we lost someone."

"Its been especially hard on Tommy," Tanya added, "He hasn't said a word about the entire incident since it happened. But you can tell he's blaming himself."

"I just wish there was some way to convince him otherwise!" sighed Katherine.

"Not in this lifetime," said Rocky, "If there's one thing Tommy Oliver is good at, its blaming himself. He just doesn't feel comfortable unless he's feeling guilty."

"Say," said Katherine in an attempt to change the subject, "has anyone seen Justin? He was supposed to help us set up."

"I think he's in the Power Chamber," Adam said, "He wanted Alpha to show him how the scanners work."

"He reminds me a little too much of Billy," said Rocky.

Beneath the waters of Angel Grove Lake, Divatox watches Tanya, Adam, Rocky, and Katherine continue to set up for the graduation ceremony.

"They've ruined the most important day of my life," she snarled, "and now, its time to return the favor."

"And take half of the state of California with it," Kimberly added with a sinister grin.

"I wouldn't bother with those college applications," Divatox continued, "you won't live long enough to mail them!"

Just then, Porto walked onto the bridge, holding a small metallic device. He placed the device upon a table near Divatox.

"Its ready, Captain," he announced. Both Divatox and Kimberly walked over to the table, and glanced at the machine.

"Alright you walking marshmallow," said Divatox, "what have you got?"

"As we discussed, the detonator will achieve maximum implosive power in sixty minutes."

"But will it be enough to destroy the power facility?" asked Rygog.

"Are you kidding?" said Kimberly, "It'll do much more than that. Angel Grove is powered by nuclear energy, which is extremely dangerous. If we plant this bomb inside the Angel Grove Nuclear Power Plant, it'll cause a meltdown powerful enough to raze Angel Grove and everything around it!"

"What a shame," Divatox said with mock concern, "While the rangers are sitting innocently in the graduating crowd, the entire city they love and protect turns to a radioactive wasteland!"

"Then let's get going," said Kimberly, picking up the detonator, "we have a city to destroy."

"We must be extremely careful when teleporting with a detonator," said Porto, "First, we'll have to teleport to the shore, and then from there, to the power plant."

"Fine, whatever," said Kimberly, as both she and Porto vanished from the submarine. Seconds later, they reappeared on the sandy shores of Angel Grove Lake. Behind a tree, Goldar jumped when he saw them appear.

That's Kimberly! he thought in shock, It looks like she's joined Divatox's crew! Amazing.

"Now remember, Kimberly, you must place the detonator at the exact center of the compound. That will insure maximum damage."

"Fine," said Kimberly, "I'll take it to the Nuclear Plant myself. I'll contact you to teleport me back when I'm finished."

"Very well," said Porto, as he vanished from the beach, Kimberly rolled her eyes, and turned to face the direction the plant was in. She then vanished in a streak of red light.

"So, Kimberly is planning on attacking the Nuclear Power Plant?" Goldar said, stepping out of his hiding place, "Lord Zedd will certainly want to hear about this!"

In the Power Chamber, Alpha Five finished up showing Justin how the scanner works.

"Its very simple," the robot said, turning to Justin, "Now, you try. Do a scan of the entire city."

"Okay," said Justin, "should I scan for magical energy, alien life signs, or what?"

"Uh, go with magical energy," said Alpha, "Its the easiest to detect."

"Got it," said Justin, programming the scanners to sweep the entire city. After only a few minutes, the alarm signaled.

"What did I do?" Justin asked, slightly panicked.

"Aye yi yi!" Alpha shrieked, "You found magical energy!"

"WHERE IS IT LOCATED?" asked Zordon.

"Its in... the Nuclear Power Plant!" said Justin.

"THIS COULD MEAN GREAT DANGER. ALPHA, CONTACT THE OTHER TURBO RANGERS."

"Wait!" Justin interrupted, "Tommy's busy at the track, and the others are probably already starting the graduation ceremony! They can't leave now! I'll check it out myself."

"But, it could be dangerous!" said Alpha.

"IT IS NOT ADVISABLE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING YOU ARE NEW TO THE POWER."

"If things get rough, I'll contact you guys," said Justin, teleporting out of the Power Chamber. Milliseconds later, he appeared in the power plant.

"Hello?" he called, "Is anyone here?"

Meanwhile, Kimberly activates the detonator, which she placed in the exact center of the compound. The number sixty appears on the small screen.

"That does it," she said, standing upright, "I guess its time to leave--"

"Hello?" called a voice, "Is anyone here?"

Kimberly's eyes narrowed, and she followed the sound of the voice until she saw a boy wandering about on the level beneath her. She smiled.

Its the Blue Ranger! she thought, I'd recognize that pre-pubescent voice anywhere! He obviously hasn't been trained well in dealing with villains. His cries have lead me right to him! This should be fun...

Kimberly leapt off the iron platform, landing gracefully a few yards behind Justin. Justin turned on his heels, and his jaw dropped when he saw her.

"K-Kimberly?" he gasped, "You're alive?"

"Of course I'm alive," she laughed, her hands on her hips, "Did you think you annoying rangers could kill me that easily?"

"What do you mean?" asked Justin, "We were trying to save you!"

"Whatever," she muttered, forming a W with her hands, "Please excuse me if I'm not overwhelmed with gratitude. So, what is the little Cub-Scout doing here all by himself?"

"I'm not a Cub-Scout," he retorted.

"If you insist," Kim said with a grin, "Still, I'd think Zordon would have some sense to send an _adult_ into combat instead of a puny kid."

"I can take care of myself!" Justin yelled, taking a fighting stance. Kimberly doubled over with laughter.

"Oh, that's rich!" she laughed, her eyes tearing. Justin frowned angrily as Kimberly made fun of him. "Fine, we'll see what kind of a man... uh, Smurf, you really are!"

Justin ran at Kimberly, and tried to side-kick her. But she blocked the attack, and swept him off his other foot, knocking him to the concrete floor. Justin got up and tried to punch her in the stomach, but she caught his hand in hers, and squeezed. Justin winced as he felt bones breaking.

"Well, that was about as challenging as stepping on an ant," Kim chuckled. Justin's eyes flared as he focussed his strength into one kick, hitting Kimberly in the shin. Her smile fell as she released the boy, and touched her shin gently. She growled and glared at him, who had already summoned his Turbo Morpher.

"Now its time for a fair fight!" he cried, "Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!!"

Kimberly yawned dramatically as Justin transformed into the Blue Turbo Ranger.

"So you've grown a foot," Kim said, taking a fighting stance as well, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

Meanwhile, the class of 1997 was seated in two rows, with Mr Caplan standing upon the podium, delivering his speech.

"...and over the past four years, I've watched you all grow and learn. And it has given me hope that the future of this great hantion is secure. I'm proud of you, and you should be proud of yourselves."

As the principal continues to speak, Adam looks back at the audience worriedly. He then turned around, and tapped Tanya on the shoulder.

"Hey," he whispered, "have you seen Justin?"

"No," she said, "Its weird, huh?"

"Yeah," Adam sighed, standing up, "I'll be right back."

Adam walked past Tanya and Katherine as casually as possible, and hid behind a tree not far from the ceremony. He pulled back the sleeve of his purple graduation gown, and activated his communicator.

"Zordon, this is Adam. Do you read me?"

^YES. WHAT IS THE MATTER, ADAM?^

"I'm a little worried about Justin. Is he still with you?"

^NO. HE WENT TO THE ANGEL GROVE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TO CHECK ON A STRANGE SIGNAL WE WERE RECEIVING. HE HAS NOT CONTACTED ME SINCE HE LEFT.^

"Someone should check it out, but we're in the middle of the ceremony! Kat has to give a speech in a few minutes."

^VERY WELL. I SHALL CONTACT TOMMY TO INVESTIGATE. TELEPORT TO THE POWER PLANT AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE.^

"Got it. Once Kat finishes her speech, we can slip out and meet up with them at the power plant. Adam out."

At the race track, a red and white stock car flies on the pavement. Jeff and Artie watch as the car passes the finish line, and Jeff stops his stop watch and shakes his head in disbelief.

"He's absolutely amazing," Jeff said incredulously, "Absolutely amazing."

Jeff and Artie run over to Tommy, who had just climbed out of the stock car. He took off his helmet and pressed his fingers to his forehead.

"Great run, Kid," said Artie, slapping Tommy on the back, "You broke your old record by eleven seconds!"

"Yeah," Tommy said with a wane smile, "Great."

"Are you okay, Tommy?" asked Jeff, "You look a little pale."

"Nah, I'm just... tired is all."

"Well, why don't you get yourself something to drink and take a break?" Jeff recommended, "When you feel up to it, stop by my office. We have to talk."

"Okay, Uncle Jeff," said Tommy, waving. He walked towards the refreshment table, and took a long sip of water. Suddenly, his wrist communicator sounded. He frowned, and put down his paper cup.

"Tommy here," he said quietly.

^TOMMY, JUSTIN MAY BE IN DANGER. PLEASE MORPH AND TELEPORT TO THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IMMEDIATELY.^

"I'm on my way." Tommy looks around, to make sure no one could see him. "Shift into Turbo! Red Lightning Turbo Power!!"

Tommy transformed into the Red Turbo Ranger, and teleported to the power plant. When he arrived, he saw Justin lying unmorphed and unconscious on the cold concrete. He ran over to his young friend, and immediately checked his pulse.

"He's alive," Tommy sighed with relief, "but he's really hurt. Justin, can you hear me?"

Justin's eyes fluttered, and he looked up at Tommy sleepily.

"Justin! What happened to you?"

Justin opened his mouth, but he couldn't form the words. He passed out again. Tommy sighed and lay Justin back down on the ground. He then lifted his wrist to his mouth.

"Zordon, its Tommy. I found Justin."

^IS HE ALRIGHT?^

"No, he's been banged up pretty bad. As far as I can tell, he's got some bruises, cuts, and he's unconcious. He's been in a fight."

^I SHALL TELEPORT HIM HERE IMMEDIATELY,^ said Zordon, as Justin vanished from beside the Red Ranger. As Tommy stood up, he heard a deep, villainous laughter echo through the empty room.

"Who's there?" he called, turning full circle.

"You know, Tommy, your little friend has spunk," a chillingly familiar female voice said, "but he thought he was invincible. For some reason, he figured being morphed would save him from me. But it didn't take long before the Junior Power Ranger deflated like a balloon."

Tommy shuddered when he saw a form step out of the shadows. She was wearing a short leather dress, black leather boots with five inch spiked heels, and arm bands. Her hair cascaded around her shoulders in soft curls, and her eyes, once an endearing shade of golden brown, now glowed with eerie red energy. Tommy gasped.

"Kimberly...?"

Tommy Oliver, the Red Turbo Ranger, is inside the Nuclear Power Plant of Angel Grove. But he is not alone. Standing only a few yards away is the woman he's been mourning for three weeks, since she vanished during the battle on Muiranthias. But although she is physically so close, Tommy knew he was far from actually having her back, and he could tell from her cold expression that their reunion wasn't going to be pleasant. For him, at least.

"Kim?" he asked, gazing at her in shock, "Is that you?"

"Well, you do remember me," she said in mock surprise, circling the Red Ranger like a lion would its prey, "I'm shocked!"

"Kim, I know you don't mean that," Tommy said, watching her carefully, "I've been worried sick about you! Where have you been? What happened to you?"

"Not like its any of your business, but I've been... away. Divatox and her crew just returned. You know I just couldn't miss your graduation, Tommy."

"Kim, listen to me," Tommy pleaded, "I can help you. I don't understand why that spell is still affecting you--"

"For once, Tommy, why don't you stop whining?!" she barked, startling the Red Ranger, "Ever since I've known you, all you did was complain about how horrible your life is. I'm tired of being a shoulder for you to cry on! I practically carried you through your career as the Green and White Rangers, feeding your ego at every turn! And as soon as I turn my back, you replace me for the next woman who happens to show the slightest interest in you. I can't believe I trusted Katherine with my Power Coin. And I can't believe I trusted you with my heart!!"

With that, Kimberly leapt at Tommy fiercely. He moved out of the way, allowing her room to land gracefully on her feet. She let loose with a powerful roundhouse kick, which Tommy blocked. She continued a ferocious series of kicks and punches, which Tommy just barely managed to block and dodge. But he never retaliated. Finally, Kimberly let her guard down just long enough for Tommy to catch her arms and pin them to her sides. She struggled against his grip, but he held on for dear life.

"Kim!" he said, his voice strained, "You've gotta listen to me! We were tricked! I never, ever did anything to hurt you!"

"Don't feed me any more of your lies!" Kimberly growled, discreetly releasing her small silver dagger from its secret compartment in her armband into her hand.

"I'm not lying! Kim, look into your heart, and I know you'll believe me! I didn't get together with Kat until months after I--"

Tommy yelped when he felt a sharp pain in his thigh. He dropped Kim, who did a series of hand-springs to create some space between them. He cradled his wound, and gently pulled the small silver dagger from his flesh.

"That metal was specially designed to break through the magical encasing of Power Ranger armor," Kimberly explained, watching him pull the reddened dagger out of his flesh, "Next time, I'll be sure to aim a little higher."

After Katherine gave her Valedictorian speech, the class of 1997 rose from their seats, and lined up to receive their diplomas. Kat, Adam, and Tanya all managed to discreetly leave the ceremony during the reorganization, and hid among some trees in the botanical gardens.

"Let's go to the Power Chamber to find out what's going on," Katherine suggested. The others nodded, and in seconds, they materialized inside the Power Chamber. Alpha was working at the medical table that Lerigot occupied only weeks ago, when he was slowly dying from the sun's rays. Tanya gasped loudly when she saw what Alpha was doing.

"Oh my God!" she cried, running over to the table beside Alpha, "What happened to Justin?!"

"Aye yi yi!" Alpha muttered, "He was attacked when he went to the Nuclear Power Plant!"

"How bad is he?" asked Adam.

"He has a concussion, as well as two broken fingers and a fracture in his left femur. Other than that, he has some bruises and a broken nose. Also, there may be some neural damage, but we can't tell yet."

"How did this happen?" asked Kat.

"WE DO NOT KNOW," said Zordon, "TOMMY WENT TO INVESTIGATE, AND HE FOUND JUSTIN IN THIS CONDITION. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT FIND JUSTIN'S ASSAILANT."

"Where is Tommy now?" Kat asked, crossing her arms worriedly.

"HE DID NOT CONTACT US AGAIN, AND THE MILD RADIATION IN THE CORE OF THE POWER PLANT IS INTERFERING WITH THE VIEWING GLOBE SIGNAL. I AM ADJUSTING IT TO COMPENSATE."

Kat, Tanya, and Adam all circled the Viewing Globe, and watched as the hazy image took shape. All three gasped audibly when they saw Tommy sword-fighting with Kimberly.

"Kim!" said Adam in surprise, "She's back!"

"She's okay," said Tanya.

"Not quite," said Kat, a frown on her face, "Kimberly is still evil, and if she's still under the spell Maligore placed on her, she's super-strong, too! Look what she did to Justin!"

"Wait a minute," Adam argued, "there's no way for us to be sure Kim did that! There may be a monster in that plant!"

"When she was on Muiranthias, she was ready to kill any one of us," Kat reminded them, "I just wish you guys would realize that! Just look at Tommy! He's not even trying to fight back! He's just blocking her attacks, and he's even limping!"

"You're right," said Tanya, peering at the Viewing Globe more closely, "He's been wounded!"

"We'd better get over there," said Adam, "Shift into Turbo!"

The Turbo Rangers weren't the only ones watching the fight. On the Moon, Lord Zedd is standing on his balcony, thoroughly enjoying the battle taking place. He chuckled to himself as he saw Kimberly's sword slice through the material in Tommy's uniform, drawing blood from his chest.

"She's magnificent!" Zedd decided, "Just look at her! She's vicious, powerful, devious, spiteful... perfect."

"So, what will you do, M'lord?" asked Goldar.

"Well, she's already under the power of an evil spell," Zedd said, stepping off the balcony, "so I won't need to place her under another one. Instead, I can adjust the gift I plan to give her. Presently, it was created to hold her under an evil spell, and also to grant her limited magical power of her own. Instead, I can grant her even more evil power! She will be nearly as powerful as myself! The perfect companion."

"Do you think that is wise?" Goldar asked, "What if she breaks the spell of evil she is now under? She may use her magic against you! You are still weak from expending all that energy recently."

"Don't worry," Zedd said, walking into his rest chamber, "she won't turn good. Look at her, Goldar. She's prepared to brutally murder the man she loved. I doubt she even knows how to love anymore. She will be the perfect bride."

"If you do not use a spell on her, how will you convince her to marry you?"

"I don't think that will be too difficult," said Lord Zedd, leaving the throne room.

Helplessly, the Red Turbo Ranger was thrown into the concrete wall. He managed to smash through the durable material, into the adjoining room, which contained viewscreens of the entire complex, and various devices monitoring the state of the radioactive elements that generate energy. He weakly rises to his feet, but the pain in his right thigh is seriously debilitating. Still, he manages to stand, and shakes off the wave of dizziness that strikes him.

I've gotta stay focused! he thought, If I let my guard down, Kim'll kill me!!

Tommy crouched down and picked up his sword, and returned into the outer room, where Kimberly was waiting for him, her ruby eyes glowing with ire. He steadied himself, preparing for another vicious onslaught. No matter what, he refused to attack her.

My only chance is to convince her how much I care about her, he reflected, watching his opponent carefully, She still thinks I abandoned her. If I can show her the truth, she may surrender, and let us help her break whatever spell Divatox has on her!

"So," Kimberly uttered in a deep voice, "you're still on your feet, Red Ranger? I suppose your pride won't accept that you have been beaten by me, once the weakling that always relied upon you for safety? Well, times have changed, and so have I!"

Tommy then straightened, ignoring the pain in his thigh. He had reached a decision. Remaining still, he dropped his sword to the floor. Kimberly stared first at the fallen sword, and then back upon Tommy, who stood still with his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

"Kim, I won't fight you," he said sternly, taking off his helmet, "I can't. You'll have to kill me."

Kim raised an eyebrow, and then began to chuckle deeply. "Oh, I get it. You're trying to confuse me! Well, you tried it on Muiranthias, and it didn't work then. And, it won't work now!"

With that, Kimberly leapt at Tommy, her sword gripped tightly in her hand. She plowed into him, and straddled on top of him, pinning his arms to his side as he lay on his back. She sat on his chest, her sword pointed to his neck. She pressed it lightly against the white collar of his uniform. Tommy's face remained grim, his eyes focused on Kim's. She was grinning wickedly at him as she pressed the blade deeper into the collar, penetrating it partially.

"I'm going to enjoy watching the life seep out of those 'charming' hazel eyes of yours," she whispered quietly. Tommy didn't resist at all as he felt the blade press against his skin. But before Kimberly could break the skin of his neck, a well-aimed arrow streaked at her, grazing her shoulder. Kimberly shrieked in pain, dropping the sword and clutching her wound. She fell off of Tommy and rose to her feet, glaring at the source of the arrow menacingly. The Pink Turbo Ranger held Windfire high, with another arrow ready to fly. The Yellow and Green Rangers stood at either side of her, both looking at her in surprise.

"You were supposed to get her attention!" Adam said.

"And I did," Kat said flatly, "If I didn't hit her, she would have killed Tommy before any of us could have done a thing. Now, step away from Tommy, Kimberly. Believe it or not, I don't want to hurt you. But, unlike Tommy, I will do so if I need to."

Kimberly glanced down at her black glove, and saw it moistened with her own blood. She then put on a calm demeanor as Tanya helped Tommy to his feet.

"Are you okay?" she asked, handing him his helmet. He nodded mutely, fingering his neck. His eyes locked with Kimberly's, expressing hurt and shock.

"What?" she said, cocking her head, "I told you I'd kill you! You really thought your sweet words would win me over? I've learned my lesson a long time ago!"

"Kim, please," he tried once more, "Let us help you!"

"Save your breath," Kat said coldly, "Obviously, the only way we're gonna be able to bring Kimberly back to the Power Chamber for observation is unconscious."

Tommy frowned at the Pink Turbo Ranger, pulling his helmet back in place. Kimberly took a step back as the four Turbo Rangers advanced, all holding their weapons.

Suddenly, a cloud of thick red smoke appeared between them. Everyone jumped in surprise as the smoke faded, and the form of Lord Zedd appeared. In one hand, he was holding his silver sceptor. In the other, he carried a small golden jewelry box. He chuckled as both Kimberly and the Turbo Rangers immediately fell into defensive stances.

"I'm sorry I'm late to the party," he said, facing the rangers, "but I really wanted to see Kimberly finally finish the Red Ranger for good. Too bad his pet Kitty-Kat interfered when she did."

"What are you doing here, Zedd?!" Tommy barked angrily, "I thought you high-tailed it when the Machine Empire arrived!"

"Well, Rita insisted that we go visit her father for awhile. It didn't take me long to get bored there, so I divorced Rita, and came back to Earth. I then destroyed the Machine Empire. That's why you haven't seen Mondo around in so long."

The Turbo Rangers regarded Zedd, completely perplexed. "Why would you help us?" Tanya asked.

Zedd laughed deeply. "I didn't. I just wanted them out of the way. They would have surely disrupted my plans."

"And what would those be?" asked Kimberly, her arms folded over her chest. Zedd then turned to her, and his visor flashed. Kim's eyes widened, and she stepped back cautiously from the Emperor of Evil.

"Stay away from her, Zedd!" Tommy hollered, running towards him. But Lord Zedd rose his silver staff into the air, and suddenly, Tommy was flung back by an invisible force, crashing into the other rangers. Zedd then returned his attention to his target.

"Its funny you should ask about my plans," he said, still approaching her, "for you see, you are a major element in them."

"Why would I have anything to do with you?" she asked him, "After all, you nearly killed me when you stole my Power Coin!"

"That was Rita's idea," Zedd scoffed, "She was always jealous of you. I, on the other hand, never wanted anything bad to befall you. I have a proposition for you."

Kimberly's eyebrow rose when Zedd suddenly lowered to one knee before her. He held up the golden chest, offering it to her.

"Marry me."

The Turbo Rangers remained in stunned silence as they absorbed what was happening before them. After a few seconds, Kimberly's confused and shocked expression melted, as a smile crossed her face. At first, she merely snickered. But not long after, she was laughing hysterically, throwing her head back and clutching her sides. Zedd patiently waited until she regained control.

"Why... why on Earth would I ever... consent to marrying YOU?!" she asked between gasps for air.

"Because together, the universe shall be ours!" he answered, "Kimberly, what is the one thing you desire most in all the universe?"

Kimberly's smile fell as she tapped her chin pensively. "Revenge," she said finally, assurance in her tone.

"As I expected. Now, you joined Divatox's crew because she offered you revenge against the Power Rangers, for betraying you. Am I correct?"

"Yes," Kim said simply. Behind Zedd, the Turbo Rangers stood their ground. "What do we do?" asked Tanya.

"Nothing yet," Tommy said, "He's not attacking her."

"Yet," Adam muttered.

"So tell me, my dear, how can Divatox help you achieve revenge? She couldn't even save her fiance from being destroyed. How can she defeat the Power Rangers?"

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "Please, Zedd," she muttered, "you haven't done too well yourself."

"Perhaps not," Zedd admitted, "Perhaps I need your help. If we work together as a team, we can vanquish the rangers, conquer Earth, and do whatever else you wish. I offer you the power to do whatever your cold heart may desire."

"How?" she asked, visibly interested in Zedd's proposal. In answer, Zedd unlatched the golden box. Within it sat a rather large red gemstone, about the size of a fist, cut in the shape of a heart.

"This is what I call the Heart of Darkness," he said, "I created it myself. It is a battery, more or less, filled with magical powers. With this, you can cast spells, create monsters and Putties, or do whatever other magical deed Divatox can only dream about! She can offer you promises, but I offer you the universe!"

"What's the catch?" Kim asked darkly.

"No catch," he responded, rising to his feet, "Marry me, and this gemstone will be yours. And also will be the lives of the Power Rangers. Specifically, the Red and Pink Rangers."

After another moment, a small smile crossed Kimberly's face. Tommy's eyes widened with dread behind his helmet, as he once again approached her.

"Kim!" he called, "He's lying to you!! He doesn't love you! He doesn't even know how to feel love!"

"I don't need love," Kim snapped, "I can't love anymore, so why should I care? All that matters to me is power and revenge. And if Zedd can deliver it, why shouldn't I accept?"

"Kim please!" Tommy begged, stepping closer. Zedd thrust his staff again, freezing Tommy in place.

"Stop interfering!" Zedd hollered, "I want you conscious when you hear her reply. Well, my dear? Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she said, "but only on one condition."

"What?" Zedd asked cautiously.

"That I don't have to wear that ridiculous brown dress you put me in last time," she said with a smile, "That polyester monstrosity was a fashion no-no."

Lord Zedd began to laugh triumphantly as Kimberly took the red gemstone out of the case. She held it in her fist tightly, and the red in her eyes increased in intensity. As she and Zedd slowly began to fade away, she blew a kiss at the paralyzed Red Ranger.

"Catch ya on the flipside," she called, as she vanished completely. The intimidating laughter of Lord Zedd still echoed in the chamber as the spell on Tommy faded. He collapsed onto the floor, and remained on his knees, looking up at the sky.

"KIMBERLY!!" he screamed at the top of his voice. The other Turbo Rangers slowly approached him. Adam lay his hand consolingly on his friend's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Tommy," he said quietly.

"There was nothing we could have done," Kat said quietly, "She went of her own free will--"

"Kat, I am SICK of hearing this crap!" Tommy suddenly yelled, surprising all of the rangers present, "She did not go 'of her own free will'! She's under a spell, dammit! And we failed! We couldn't save her!!"

"She didn't want to be saved!" Kat yelled back, "Get it through your thick skull! She's not going to just come back to you!"

"Guys," Tanya said, stepping between the Pink and Red Rangers, "you're not helping anything. Calm down."

"Tanya's right," said Adam, stepping away from the group and looking around, "we have to start thinking here. Kimberly came here for a reason, and it probably wasn't a benevolent one."

"You've got a point," said Tommy, rising to his feet, "we'd better check the place out. She may have left a surprise for us."

With that, the four rangers separated, each hurrying in opposite directions to search for whatever it is that Kimberly may have left behind.

As Lord Zedd and Kimberly materialized in the throne room of the Moon Palace, both Goldar and Rito bowed humbly. Kimberly looked around the throne room, nodding her head.

"I'm impressed," she said, "I don't think I've ever been in the throne room. Not while conscious, anyway."

"I'm glad you like it," said Zedd.

"So," said Rito, standing up, "what're ya gonna do with the girl, Ed?"

"I've decided that she will be our ally," Zedd answered, "Her hatred for the Power Rangers nearly equals my own."

"Wrong," Kimberly said, gazing into the Heart of Darkness, "it exceeds it."

"Wow," Rito said, "what happened to her?!"

"My eyes have been opened," she answered, her eyes flashing red, "and I've realized how utterly worthless friends are. So I've left it all behind in a search for something greater."

"Revenge and power," Zedd finished for her. He then turned to Rito.

"Rito, prepare the guestroom for our new ally to stay in."

"Sure thing, Ed!" called Rito, hurrying out of the throne room. Zedd then turned to Kimberly.

"Rito doesn't yet know that I have divorced his sister," he explained.

"I kinda figured that out," Kim said, "I get the idea. Mum's the word."

Then, Kimberly walked over to the balcony, and gazed out at the barren wasteland that is the Earth's moon.

"Breath-taking scenery," she commented sarcastically.

"Once we conquer Earth, I shall move my palace onto the planet," he promised, "Where would you prefer? The Rocky Mountains? Brazilian rainforest? African savanah? Lake Geneva?"

"Hmm," she said, "Actually, I think we should put the palace in the crater that used to be Angel Grove. Speaking of which..."

She walked over to Rita's old Repulsascope, and tried to focus it.

"What are you doing?" Zedd chuckled.

"Trying to see the Power Rangers!" she said, her voice tainted with frustration, "How does this stupid thing work?"

"Don't bother," he said, taking her hand and guiding her to the balcony, "The Heart of Darkness gives you powers much like my own. That includes telescopic vision."

"What do you mean?" she inquired.

"Well, when I spy on Earth, I don't use a telescope, or any other gadget. I merely gaze at what I want to look at."

"How?"

"Focus your eyes towards Earth," he explained, pointing with his finger, "Angel Grove is in this direction. Oh, and hold onto the Heart of Darkness tightly."

Kimberly clutched the ruby in her hand, and followed Zedd's direction. Soon, she saw the Angel Grove Nuclear Power Plant as clearly as she would if she was standing there. "Amazing," she said quietly.

"You will be able to see whatever you wish, so long as it isn't protected by magic barriers, like the Power Chamber," Zedd explained, "Of course, you will not be able to hear anything. What are you looking for, my dear?"

"I placed one of Divatox's detonators in that complex," she explained, searching the plant, "and its about to go off. Any minute now..."

Finally, she found a Power Ranger. It was the Red Ranger, and he had a device in his hands. Her smile quickly fell as she saw him run up to the detonator, pick it up, and run outside of the plant with it. He put it on top of a small racecar, which drove the detonator clear from anything it can damage.

"BLAST!" she screamed, "I almost had them!!"

"Don't worry," Zedd said, placing his hands on her shoulders, "we'll have a lifetime together to plan out the rangers' destruction. Besides, we have more important things to do."

"Such as?"

"Preparing our wedding."

In Miami Florida, a young man hangs up his telephone angrily. His aqua blue eyes narrow as he dials another phone number, one that was as familiar as his own. He tapped his foot impatiently as the phone rang.

^Hello?^ came a female voice.

"Hey, Renee," he said, "Its Trevor."

^Any luck?^

"Absolutely none," he sighed, glancing out his apartment window, "I called Caroline, after we finally found her phone number in Paris, and she hasn't heard anything from Kimberly. This is so frustrating!"

^Well, what do we do now?^

"I've come to a decision," he said sternly, "Kimberly vanished three weeks ago, and no one's heard from her. She never checked into her hotel in Angel Grove, and she didn't contact any of the relatives we could reach, and its nearly impossible to find her friends. They never seem to be home, for goodness sake! I've decided to go to California."

^What are you going to do there?^ she asked him, ^Trev, you're not a detective!^

"I realize that," he said, "but I love her. I have to do something!"

^Is there anything I can do to help?^

"Actually, there is. Do you know if Kim has any photographs of her Angel Grove friends?"

^Why?^

"In order to hunt them down, I'll need to know what they look like."

A few days later, in the Gym and Juice Bar, Tanya, Rocky, and Adam are sitting in silence, sipping at their sodas. Across the room, Tommy was fiercely pounding the sawdust out of the hanging punching bag, releasing all his frustrations physically. On the other side of the gym, Katherine was silently stretching her limber body, preparing to practice her ballet routine. The trio glanced at both of their friends, and simultaneously released heavy sighs.

"This is such a nightmare," Adam whispered, "I can't believe all this is happening!"

"You said it," Rocky agreed, "Justin is still in critical condition, Kat and Tommy still aren't speaking to one another, there hasn't been hide nor hair of Zedd or Kimberly in days..."

"...and Zordon won't let us do a thing about it," Tanya sighed, "Yeah, this is murder. I mean, we know where Kimberly is, but we can't do a thing about it! I can't believe its against the Power Ranger Code to teleport up to the Moon to save Kim."

"Sometimes that rule about not escalating a battle is really unreasonable," Rocky said bitterly, "For Pete's sake! Kimberly's life is on the line!"

"That's just the problem," Adam said quietly, "It really isn't. Zedd asked her to marry him, and she agreed. He didn't take her forcibly, and so we have no reason to suspect that he may hurt her. Her life isn't in danger, so we can't go save her. She doesn't need saving."

"Her life may not be in need of saving," Tanya said, "but her soul is. Who knows what kind of corrupting influence he's having on her? How are we supposed to get her back when she keeps on slipping through our fingers?"

"One thing we need to do is restore group cohesion," Adam said, "Now that Justin is wounded, we're down to four. And with Tommy and Kat not speaking to each other, we are very vulnerable to attack from Zedd, Kimberly, or even Divatox."

"Things are really rough between them," Tanya said, "Tommy's torn up by the whole situation, and Katherine's certainly doubting his love for her. They need to talk and straighten things out, before the situation gets any worse."

"If they're going to talk," said Rocky, "someone's going to have to convince them to. Any volunteers?"

"I'll talk to Tommy, and you talk to Kat," said Adam, standing up, "Deal?"

"Deal," said Tanya, as they both walked to separate ends of the gym. Adam cautiously approached Tommy, and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Tommy," he greeted.

"Hey," Tommy said flatly, wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead, "you got something to say?"

"Actually, I think you have something to say. To Katherine."

Tommy turned to his friend, eyeing him suspiciously. Adam continued.

"Tommy, you and Katherine have a relationship. I know its still budding, but its there. Now, this whole scenario with Kimberly has obviously been strenuous on all of us, especially you and Kat. But most specifically, its been strenuous on your relationship with Kat."

"I know," Tommy sighed, "I just... I don't know what I feel anymore. I mean, seeing Kim on Muiranthias revived feelings I really thought I'd put behind me. And seeing her like this-- consumed by hatred for me-- well, its tearing me up inside. I'd do anything for her, but I can't get through to her. And now, she's sided with Lord Zedd. And I know she doesn't love him. She is sacrificing happiness, love, and freedom... all to kill me."

"I can't say I understand what you're going through," Adam admitted, "but I can say I'm here for you, if you ever want to talk about it. Still, I really think Kat deserves to know what you're feeling. After all, you care about her, right?"

"Yes," Tommy said, "of course I do! Kat means alot to me!"

"Then I think she ought to know that, because lately, all she's heard from you are angry words. I understand you're not angry at Kat-- you're just venting your anger of the whole situation. But she may not know that."

"You're... you're right," Tommy said, picking up his towel and wiping his face, "I'd better talk to her."

Meanwhile, Katherine had her eyes closed, letting herself be washed away by the grace and beauty of the dance she performed.

"Kat," Tanya called, stepping onto the mat, "Talk to me."

Kat stopped her dance, and regarded her best friend for a moment. "What about?" she shrugged.

"About Tommy and Kimberly," Tanya said, getting directly to the point. Kat frowned slightly.

"I have nothing to say about them," she said flatly. Tanya rolled her eyes.

"Kat, I know you better than that! I know how much you love Tommy, and how much you care about Kim. She's your friend!"

"I know that," Kat snapped, "but still... I can't be so easy on her! I hated it when I kicked her in the face back on Muiranthias. It made me feel sick, but if I didn't, she would have pushed Tommy into the Lake of Fire! But instead of showing gratitude--"

"He yelled at you," Tanya recalled aloud.

"Exactly," Kat said coldly, "and the same thing the other day. If I didn't hit Kim with that arrow, she would have killed Tommy. Firing that arrow was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I knew that if I had been off by only a few inches, I could have killed her. But I did what I had to do, to save him. And still, he was angry with me. Its like he wants to die."

"Maybe, he just doesn't believe Kimberly could actually kill him," Tanya offered.

"I suppose," Kat nodded, "but he has to step into reality. Kimberly isn't evil, and I know that! But whatever evil is gripping her is very powerful, and I doubt his tender words will suddenly break the spell. That's what he's counting on! He keeps putting down his defenses, letting Kimberly beat him to a pulp, hoping that she'd come to her senses. But she won't. And I can't watch her kill him! I just can't."

"Why don't you tell Tommy all of this?" Tanya pushed, "I think he needs to know what you're feeling. He probably has no idea how much you care about him, and Kimberly."

"I... I guess..." Kat said, her voice weakening as something caught her eye. Tanya turned around, and saw Tommy jogging over to them, a weak smile on his face.

"Hey Kat," he said, "Hi, Tanya."

"Hello," both girls answered.

"Uh, Kat," he said, running his fingers through his chestnut hair, "I think... we should talk."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Kat answered.

"Let's find someplace... quiet."

Kat nodded, and together the couple left the Youth Center. Rocky smiled as he saw Tommy and Katherine leave the Juice Bar together. "At least things are on the right track," he sighed. His eyes widened when he saw a stranger walk into the Juice Bar past Tommy and Kat. The stranger turned to look at Kat and Tommy for a moment, glancing at a piece of paper he had in his hand. The the stranger turned and looked directly at Rocky himself. Rocky turned away quickly from his gaze, but it was too late. The stranger recognized him, and walked over to his table. He stood above Rocky, and smiled.

"Hello," he said, "is anyone sitting here?"

"Well--" Rocky began, as the stranger sat down beside him.

"I'm Trevor Monroe," the stranger said, extending his hand, "and you must be Rocky DeSantos."

Rocky's eyes widened in shock. "How did you--"

Trevor smiled in reply, and lay the piece of paper he was holding on the table. It was a photograph of Rocky, Adam, Aisha, Tommy, Kimberly, and Billy. The names of all of them but Kimberly were written in marker just above their heads. After Rocky stared at the photo for awhile, he looked at Trevor questioningly.

"I take it you're a friend of Kim's," Rocky said, "She's the only one without a name beside her on the photo. That means you already know her."

"You're right," Trevor said, "Kimberly happens to be a very dear friend of mine. Very dear."

"Oookay..." Rocky said.

"...and she's disappeared," Trevor added, "I'm looking for her."

"Disappeared?" Rocky asked uncomfortably. Trevor closely studied Rocky's expression through suspicious eyes.

"Yes, she disappeared," Trevor said finally, "She came to Angel Grove about a month ago, and I haven't heard from her since she left Miami. I called all her family and friends, and no one's seen her. I figured the best place to start looking is here, since this is where she was supposed to be."

"Well, I guess that's a good idea," Rocky said, "but what does that have to do with me?"

"Kimberly was very close to her friends, especially the ones in this photo. Now, I figured you must have seen her since she got here. I figure you guys were the first ones she'd contact."

"That's an interesting hypothesis," Rocky said uncomfortably.

"I recognized Tommy leaving the restaurant when I got here," Trevor continued, "I almost talked to him, but then I figured he and Kimberly may not be on good terms. You, on the other hand, are still her friend. Have you seen her?"

"Can't say I have," Rocky said quickly. Trevor continued to stare at Rocky, which was making the latter extremely uncomfortable.

"If you haven't seen her, then do you know where she is?" Trevor pressed.

"Nope, sorry."

Trevor leaned a bit closer to Rocky. "You're lying to me," he said in a low voice. Rocky's eyes widened, as he looked at Adam and Tanya desperately. The pair noticed Rocky sitting beside a stranger, and briskly walked over to them.

"Excuse me," said Adam, drawing Trevor's attention, "but you're sitting in my seat."

"And you must be Adam," Trevor said, standing up and shaking the surprised young man's hand, "Its a pleasure to finally meet you. Kimberly's told me alot about you."

Trevor then glanced at Tanya, and studied her face curiously. "Uh... Aisha?"

"No," she said, almost coldly, "I'm Tanya."

"Sorry," he said, picking up the photograph that was on the table and showing it to them, "I figured that since you were with Kim's friends, you'd be Aisha."

"So, who are you exactly?" asked Adam, perplexed.

"Trevor Monroe. I'm a friend of Kim's."

"From Miami?" Tanya asked in surprise, "Why are you in California?"

"Kimberly's gone missing," Trevor said quietly, "and no one I've spoken to has seen her. I was betting that her friends may know something, but it looks like I was mistaken. Rocky here said he hasn't seen Kimberly at all. Have you?"

Tanya and Adam glanced at each other through the corners of their eyes. "No," they both said simultaneously. Trevor's grin fell.

"Well, I guess I've come to a dead end," Trevor sighed, glancing at the photo again, "Maybe I'll have better luck with Tommy. Do you guys know where he was heading?"

"Uh, he's pretty busy right now," Tanya said, "Maybe you can talk to him later."

"I suppose," Trevor said, picking up a napkin from the table and pulling out a pen from his pocket, "Here's my hotel room and phone number," he said, handing the sheet of paper to Adam, "If you hear anything from Kimberly, please let me know. There are dozens of people really worried about her. Thanks."

With that, Trevor shook each of their hands, and exited the Juice Bar. The three teens watched him go, as Adam glaced at the napkin.

"I feel bad," Rocky said finally, "I mean, he's obviously worried sick about Kimberly. And I'm sure tons of people are too. She's been gone for a month!"

"What are we supposed to do?" asked Tanya, "Tell this guy that Kim was abducted by aliens? I doubt he'd buy it anyway."

"The only thing we can do is get Kimberly back," Adam said, tucking the napkin into his jeans pocket, "That's what Trevor really wants, anyway."

Tommy and Katherine walked along the shore of Angel Grove Lake side by side. Katherine held her hands behind her back, and Tommy kept his hands in his jeans pockets. The warm summer sun beat down on the pair, and birdsong filled the air. Tommy stopped walking suddenly, and turned to Katherine. He had a sad smile on his face.

"Kat," he began, "I want to say I'm really sorry for how I've been acting. Since this whole mess started on Muiranthias, I've been cold and curt with everyone on the team. Especially you. You didn't do anything to deserve that, and even though I may yell at you, I don't blame you for what happened to Kimberly."

"I know you don't," said Katherine, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, "Actually, you only blame one person-- yourself. Tommy, you keep putting me into difficult situations! You blame yourself for Kim's condition, and so you're willing to do anything to free her of whatever evil is gripping her. You even take unnecessary risks, like just standing there and letting her attack you the other day. Why?"

"I... I don't know," Tommy said with a shrug, "I just couldn't bring myself to fight her. I always protected her, and stopped anything... or anyone... from hurting her. That's why I got so angry when you--"

"When I kicked her on Muiranthias," Kat finished, "and when I shot her at the Power Plant. But Tommy, what you don't seem to understand is that in both instances, she was ready to kill you. If I didn't act decisively, you wouldn't be standing here. It was terribly difficult for me to attack Kimberly. She is my friend, and I would never want to hurt her. But your life was in danger."

"I know," he said, taking her hand and squeezing it gently, "Thanks for watching my back, Kat. I don't think too clearly when Kimberly's in danger."

"You really must love her," Kat said quietly.

Tommy looked away from her, directing his attention to the clouds overhead. "Yeah," he admitted, "I do. I don't know how to explain it, really, and I can't understand why, but even after I got that letter, and before I found out she didn't write it, I still loved her. That letter broke my heart, but I couldn't feel any anger towards her. Even now, after she almost killed me, I can't be upset at her. Instead, I get angry at myself, for letting her down."

Tommy glanced at Kat, and saw her eyes misting over. Tommy felt a knot tie in his stomach when he saw her in pain.

"So," Kat said, forcing her voice not to crack, "you... you never loved me, did you."

It was a statement rather than a question. A simply matter of fact.

"That's not true!" Tommy said quickly, turning her around to face him. He gripped her hands tightly, and looked directly into her glassy eyes. "Kat, I did love you, and I still do. Our relationship is very special and important to me, and don't you ever think otherwise."

"But you love Kimberly more than you love me," Kat said quietly. He didn't answer, his silence confirming Katherine's hypothesis. She nodded.

"I understand," she said, "The only reason why you ever fell for me was because you felt Kimberly had found happiness with someone else. Now that you know that's not the case, you realize your love for her never faded. So, when we save her, you'll go back to her, as if this entire incident with the letter never happened."

"I honestly don't know what's gonna happen. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Tommy decided, still not letting go of her hands, "Still, no matter what happens, you know I care about you, Kat."

"I know," she uttered, "God, when will this nightmare end?!"

Katherine wrapped her arms around Tommy's neck, and cried on his chest. He hugged her back consolingly, his own hazel eyes wet with unshed tears. The entire team had been suffering tremendously for the past few weeks, and no end seemed to be in sight.

As the pair embraced tightly, neither was aware of the ruby red eyes watching them from afar. Kimberly stood on the balcony of the palace she now lives in with her fiance Lord Zedd. She stands tall on her coal color high heeled shoes, staring down at the Earth, which was peeking over the horizon. Her delicate features were curved into a furious scowl as she let her ruby eyes unfocus. She blinked once, and her telescopic vision returned to her normal vision. She leaned her weight on her golden staff, with the Heart of Darkness attached to the top by eight golden claws, reminiscent of spider's legs. Her caramel hair is piled up atop her head in a mass of soft curls, held in place by a golden tiara with red gemstones, showing her pending queenship. In place of the leather dress she wore as Divatox's navigator, she had on a simple yet elegant black silk gown that covered her body loosely, yet flattered her fit form. She rolled her ruby eyes in anger, and turned away from outer space.

"Is something the matter, my dear?" asked Lord Zedd, who had just entered the throne room.

"Nothing at all," Kimberly said quickly, stepping off the balcony. "Say, where's Rito?" she asked, changing the subject, "I haven't seen him since I first got here."

"I sent him to deliver a message to Rita and Mastervile," he answered, "He still doesn't know about our engagement, and I don't feel like trying to hide it from that simpleton any longer. I sent him with an invitation to our wedding."

"That's really rubbing salt into the wound," Kimberly said with a grin, "Don't you think you're provoking them?"

Zedd laughed. "I hope I do! I'd love to show them a thing or two!"

"Can you defeat them?" Kimberly asked skeptically.

"Together we can," he answered, taking her hand and kissing it, through his metallic mouthpiece, "Would you please go find Goldar for me? I asked him to contact the Magistrate of Malevolence."

"Who is that?" asked Kim.

"He is the one appointed in dealing with legal matters regarding villains. Most specifically, nuptials. I already sent him a notice about my divorce, but I would like him present for our wedding in two days."

"I'll find Goldar," Kimberly said. After smiling politely at Zedd, she gracefully walked out of the throne room. After watching her leave, Zedd went to the balcony, and focused his gaze to Angel Grove.

"Now," he said to himself, "to see what she was looking at."

As his vision focussed, he saw Katherine and Tommy by the lake, walking hand in hand.

"So, Kimberly was no doubt upset by these two, her worst enemies. Well, I think they'll make a perfect wedding present."

With that, Zedd pointed his staff at Earth, and fired a single beam of white lightning at Angel Grove.

Katherine and Tommy sit in silence under a tree by Angel Grove Lake. After discussing their mutual feelings of confusion and guilt, they had decided to walk along the lake together. They then decided to just watch the sunset pensively. Kat felt she was intruding, since Tommy quite often came to the lake to reminisce and deal with his anxiety. This time was no different. Although Tommy didn't say anything about the matter, Kat knew he was in pain. Kimberly had agreed to become the wife of the most vile, sinister villain to ever come to Earth. What was most painful for Tommy was dealing with the fact that Kimberly hated him beyond words. She hated him so much she made a deal with the devil.

"Kat," said Tommy, breaking the pensive silence, "I'm glad we had this little talk. And I'm glad we came to an understanding."

"Me too," Kat agreed, "You know I'm always here for you. All of us are. We have to draw strength from each other if we're going to get Kimberly back." "Sure," she said, as the couple stood side by side. But before they could activate their teleporters, a beam of white lightning struck the grass, transforming into twenty of Lord Zedd's infamous footsoldiers.

"Putties?!" said Katherine in shock.

"I'll go left, you go right," ordered Tommy, as the two split up. With an aerial somersault, Tommy launched himself directly into the fray, immediately venting his anger and frustrations on the Putties. Although they were stronger than he remembered, he managed to destroy three of them within a minute. Still, more kept approaching, and they surrounded him. In response, Tommy fell to the ground and spun his leg alon the grass, knocking all of them off their feet. They fell over, but they got back up, and continued their attack.

Why did Zedd send Putties?! Tommy thought as he continued his attack, They usually come to either set us up for a fight with a monster, to steal something, or to kidnap someone. Now, I don't have anything important to steal, so maybe they're hear to kidnap me?

Tommy smiled as an idea crossed his mind. Yeah, its probably not the most though-out plan, but its the only way I can get myself up to the Moon Palace without breaking one of Zordon's rules! The other rangers can follow, and we can all save Kim!

His mind made up, Tommy slowed down his attacks. This gave the Putties a chance to move in closer, and soon two managed to grab Tommy by his arms.

"Tommy!" Kat cried, dodging the fist of a Putty. She caught a glimpse of him being held to his knees by a group of Putties, and tried to get close enough to help him.

"Kat!" he yelled, "Get out of here! Go to the Power Chamber!!"

"Tommy, no!" she shouted, "I won't leave you! Shift into Turbo!!"

A black armband appeared on Kat's forearm, and she flipped away from the Putties to make some room.

"Kat, don't!" Tommy ordered, "Its the only way!"

Kat stared at Tommy in amazement, until a revelation struck her. He's sacrificing himself to save Kim! she realized. While she was distracted, two Putties rushed her. She managed to fend them off, constantly glancing in Tommy's direction. He remained in the grasp of a large group of Putties, not putting up the slightest resistence.

"Katherine, please!" he called to her, "Get to the Power Chamber now!! They're after you too!"

Kat continued to fight the Putties, dozens of thoughts running through her mind. She couldn't just abandon Tommy, but he had asked her to go. Rather, he had ordered her to go, for her own protection. There was no way she'd be able to save Tommy, and by staying she'd only get herself captured, which would mean that Tommy would have to keep an eye out for her. After delivering a powerful spin-kick, forcing the Putties back, Katherine activated her teleporter.

"I... I love you, Tommy!" she called as she vanished in a streak of rose-colored light. Tommy heaved a sigh of relief that Katherine was now out of harm's way. It didn't take long before he and the Putties vanished from the park.

In a spectacle of bright lightning, Tommy arrived in the throne room of the Moon Palace, surrounded by a cloud of Lord Zedd's Putties. Two of the Putties forced Tommy to his knees, while the others stepped back against the wall. Tommy looked up and saw Lord Zedd sitting upon this throne, grasping his sceptor with his right hand. On his left stood Goldar, with his arms crossed and his wings stretched. Tommy looked around the throne room expectantly.

"She is not here," Zedd said, getting Tommy's attention.

"What have you done with Kimberly?" Tommy yelled at the Emperor of Evil.

"Don't worry," said Zedd, "you will have the priviledge of seeing her before you die. Actually, you will bear witness to our wedding ceremony, where you will see the woman you loved given to me forever."

"I won't let you get away with this, Zedd," Tommy said darkly. Lord Zedd rose to his feet, and approached the teenager. The Putties holding Tommy down by the shoulders stepped back, allowing Tommy to rise to his feet and glare at Zedd directly in the visor. He didn't flinch, even when Zedd's visor flashed red.

"I have already gotten away with this," Zedd replied, quickly reaching out and grabbing Tommy's wrist. Tommy was shocked by this action, and even more so when he saw his Turbo Morpher appear. Somehow, Lord Zedd summoned it from the interdimensional pocket it was kept in. Tommy knocked Zedd's hand away viciously, and flipped backwards, making some room between them. He then brought his key towards his morpher, attempting to morph into the Red Turbo Ranger. But as quickly as lightning, Goldar's sword swung through the air, slicing through the cotton of Tommy's sleeve, and also breaking the skin. Tommy yelped, and glanced at the cut on his shoulder. Goldar held his sword at Tommy's neck, preventing him from retaliating.

"You've gotten faster," Tommy commented, not resisting as Lord Zedd took the morpher and key.

"Perhaps you have gotten slower," Goldar grunted, baring his ivory fangs. Once Zedd took the morpher, he beckoned to his Putties.

"Escort him to the dungeon," he ordered, "and Goldar, you make sure Tommy-Boy doesn't try anything. He gets to stay in the dungeon for a few days, rotting in the darkness, all alone. Its a shame you didn't bring Katherine with you. I'm sure you would have enjoyed the company."

The Putties resumed their grasp on Tommy's arms, and Goldar marched behind them as they moved through the stone palace. Zedd returned to his throne, and stared at the Turbo Morpher in his hand.

"Won't Kimmie be surprised when she sees my wedding present?" he chuckled maliciously, "Its a shame I didn't manage to capture Katherine. But I'm sure Kimberly will be more than delighted to hunt the Pink Turbo Ranger down herself."

In a streak of bright pink light, Katherine materialized in the Power Chamber. Immediately, her glance turned to the medical bed, where Justin was still lying unconscious. She sighed deeply, and then approached Zordon's tube.

"Someone sent a squad of Putties to attack me and Tommy," she explained, "They got Tommy, but I managed to escape."

"Aye yi yi!" shrieked Alpha, "Why didn't you call for backup?"

Katherine folded her arms in frustration, "Tommy didn't let me! He wanted to be captured!"

Zordon observed the distraught condition of the Pink Ranger. "KATHERINE, PLEASE CALM DOWN. TOMMY HAS BEEN CAPTURED BY EVIL ON MANY OCCASIONS, AND HE ALWAYS RETURNS. HE WOULD NOT HAVE GONE TO ZEDD WILLINGLY UNLESS HE HAD A PLAN OF ACTION."

"Somehow, I doubt he thought this one through," Kat muttered, "Alpha, can you call Tanya and Adam? We need to figure out what we're going to do."

"You got it," said Alpha, walking over to the communications console. While he contacted the Yellow and Green Rangers, Kat made her way over to Justin's side, and squeezed his limp hand gently. She turned around when flashes of green and yellow light brightened the Power Chamber.

"Don't tell me," said Tanya bitterly, scanning the Power Chamber completely with her eyes, "Tommy's been captured."

"YES," answered Zordon, "A SQUAD OF PUTTY PATROLERS ATTACKED KATHERINE AND TOMMY AT THE LAKE. TOMMY WAS ABDUCTED."

"I can't believe a squad of Putties can overcome two Turbo Rangers," Adam said. "We didn't morph," Kat said, "We didn't get the chance."

"Well, what are we gonna do?" asked Tanya, glancing up at Zordon, "Zedd's captured one of our own. We have to go save Tommy! You can't say attacking the Moon Palace is breaking the Power Ranger code."

Zordon remained silent for a moment, reading the desperate and angered expressions on the three remaining Zeo Rangers. "YOU ARE CORRECT," he decided, "IN THIS CASE, TOMMY WAS ABDUCTED. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT RESIST TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITY, WE ALL CAN ASSUME QUITE CORRECTLY THAT HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER. THE POWER WILL PROTECT YOU IF YOU LAUNCH AN ATTACK TO SAVE YOUR FRIENDS."

Adam, Katherine, and Tanya smiled at their mentor, silently thanking him for bending slightly the rules against escalating a battle. Then, Adam walked over to Justin, and gazed at the young man's sleeping form.

"How is he, Alpha?" he asked, turning to the short robot.

"He's slipped into a coma," Alpha replied quietly, "We're pretty sure he'll be fine, but he needs time to heal the neural damage inflicted in his fight at the Power Plant." "Its possible," said Adam, "but dangerous. We really need a Blue Ranger. Now."

"How about Rocky?" asked Katherine, "Do you think he's up to it?"

"I don't want to risk it," Adam said, "He's only been out of the hospital for about a week, and I don't know if fighting is a good idea for him."

"THE POWER RANGER ARMOR DOES PROTECT OLD INJURIES," Zordon said, "IT IS UNLIKELY THAT HE WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED WHILE MORPHED."

"Well, look what happened to Justin," said Katherine, "He was morphed."

"How about Jason, then?" asked Tanya.

"He's still on vacation," Adam sighed, "We have no way to contact him, and it would take hours to scan for him."

"We don't have that kind of time," Katherine said, stating the obvious, "Anyone else?"

"There's always Zack and Trini," Adam suggested.

"THE INTERFERENCE FROM THE SWISS ALPS MAKES TELEPORTATION NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME REQUIRED TO MODIFY THE SYSTEMS."

"Are they even still in Geneva?" asked Katherine, "I think they went to Rwanda for some reason. Or was it Bosnia?"

"We'll never be able to find them," Tanya sighed, "So, we're completely out of options?"

"I guess so," said Adam, sticking his hands in his pockets, "I guess we'll have to-- hey, what's this?"

Adam pulled a napkin out of his pocket, with a hotel room address and a phone number written on it in black ink. A smile crossed his face. "Guys," he said, holding up the napkin, "I think we've found our temporary Blue Ranger."

Katherine looked at Adam in confusion, while Tanya's eyes widened in surprise. "You're kidding," Tanya said.

"No, I'm not," Adam said, looking at the napkin, "Look, Trevor obviously cares about Kimberly. He came all the way here to find her, and I'm willing to bet he'd accept being a ranger to help us save her. He's obviously smart-- I mean, he managed to find us, didn't he?"

"Who is 'Trevor'?" asked Kat in confusion. Adam related the story of when he, Rocky, and Tanya met Trevor Monroe only about an hour ago, at the Juice Bar.

"What makes you think we can trust him with the Power?" Tanya asked.

"He's Kimberly's friend," Adam said, "and Kimberly doesn't become close friends with just anyone. What do you think, Zordon?"

"I TRUST YOUR JUDGEMENT, ADAM, AND SINCE WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF A BLUE RANGER, I APPROVE OF YOUR DECISION."

"Great," said Adam, touching his wrist communicator, "I'll be right back with the Blue Turbo Ranger."

With that, he vanished in a flash of bright green light.

Tommy weakly opens his eyes, and finds himself inside a cold, dark, damp stone chamber. His arms and legs were wrapped in slimey black tentacles, stretching from the wall. He struggled with all his might, but the black tentacles didn't budge at all. He sighed deeply as he realized he was completely helpless.

Tommy's head perked up as he heard approaching footsteps. He could tell two beings were coming in his direction. No sooner did he make this realization that he saw Lord Zedd march into the chamber, with his Z staff in one hand. His other hand was holding the hand of his fiance, and Tommy's ex-girlfriend Kimberly. A silken black scarf was wrapped over Kim's eyes, and Zedd guided her into the chamber. Zedd glanced at Tommy, and lifted his finger to his grated mouth, in the universal gesture of silence. Tommy frowned angrily, but didn't make a sound.

"Can I take this thing off now, Zeddie?" Kim asked, touching the blindfold with both hands.

"Allow me, my dear," he said, untying the knot in the back. Once the blindfold fell from her face, her eyelids opened, revealing piercing ruby red eyes. Those eyes widened with surprise, and a sly grin crossed her face when she saw her present.

"Ah, Zeddie," she cooed, "you really shouldn't have."

"But I wanted to, my dear. I wanted to get you what you've always wanted."

Tommy could barely stand the way they spoke to each other. He knew that neither of them truly cared for the other, but they carried on as if they were truly in love. Just the thought made him sick.

"So, Tommy," said Kimberly, "what do you think of my new home?"

"Sorry, but I don't think Zedd gave me the grand tour," he said sarcastically. She grinned.

"Always have a witty comment?" she asked him. His facial expression remained grim as he gazed at her.

"Kimberly," he started to say, "you've gotta listen to me."

"No I don't!" Kim yelled, her calm face instantly turning to anger, "I thought I'd let you know exactly what you did to me. Tommy, you crushed me. You alienated me from everything that ever mattered to me, and your thoughtless, selfish tendencies ruined my life. Its all your fault, you know. I haven't been truly happy in months!"

To cap off her statement, she slapped Tommy across the face. Although the slap stung his face, the words hurt far worse. He always was one to blame himself for the misfortunes of his friends, and having her affirm his beliefs was torture to him. "Kim--" Tommy tried again.

"Don't even think of begging me for mercy," Kim cut him off, clutching her own scepter, "As it is, I'm debating whether I should kill you now, or wait until the wedding ceremony. And stop trying to appeal to my emotions. Give me some credit, Tommy! I'm not the weak emotional marshmallow I used to be! And I am not capable of mercy."

Trevor Monroe is lying on the bed in his hotel room, gazing at the ceiling blankly. He's only been in Angel Grove for two days, and he's hit a dead end. At first, he visited Kimberly's uncle Steve, who lives in the area. He hadn't heard from her. Trevor then did a little research, and found out where the teenagers usually hang out-- the Youth Center. With a little luck, he managed to find all of Kim's friends, congregated in the Juice Bar. But none of them knew where she was. Or so they claimed.

"I hope they find something out," he sighed, closing his aqua eyes tightly, "They really do care about her. I can tell that much. They're probably as worried about Kim as I am. But, I still can't shake the feeling that they're hiding something from me. Could she have been kidnapped, and the kidnapper is holding them to secrecy? I just can't believe she's gone."

Trevor jumped up into an upright position as his telephone rang. He glanced at the phone curiously for a moment, and picked it up after the third ring. "Hello?"

^Trevor Monroe? This is Adam. We met at the Juice Bar earlier.^

Trevor's eyes widened, and a small grin crossed his face. "Did you find anything out?"

^Yes, but we need to talk in person. I'm downstairs in the lobby. See you in a few minutes.^

"Thanks," Trevor said, and hung up the phone. He quickly put his sneakers on, and grabbed his wallet and room key. He straightened out his sandy-blonde hair, and hurried out the door. In less than a minute he stepped out of the elevator, and walked out into the lobby. He immediately caught sight of Adam, who was standing beside the pay phone across the room. He made his way over to Adam as quickly as he could.

"Wow," Adam said, glancing at his watch, "you're fast."

"Tell me you have some good news," Trevor panted. Adam's amused smile fell.

"Come on," he said, grabbing Trevor's arm and guiding him out of the lobby. Once they were outside, Adam checked to make sure no one was in sight. He then heaved a small sigh of relief, and glanced at Trevor. As suspected, Trevor was staring at him in confusion.

"Okay, Trevor," Adam began, "I'm going to tell you what's happened to Kim, mainly for two reasons-- one, you're her friend, and she obviously trusts you, so I feel we can trust you too. Two, we need your help if we're going to save her, and put an end to this whole nightmare."

"Maybe you should start from the beginning," Trevor said.

"Good idea," said Adam, rolling up his sleeve. He then twisted his wrist, and a black box suddenly appeared on his forearm. Trevor gaped in surprise.

"What is that?" he asked, "And how did you do that?"

"It's my Turbo Morpher," Adam explained, "and it allows me to connect to the Morphin Grid, becoming the Green Turbo Power Ranger."

"You're a Power Ranger?" Trevor said in shock.

"Yes," he said, "Me, Tommy, Tanya, and Katherine are the Turbo Rangers. But we're not the first team of Power Rangers. Before us there were the Zeo Rangers, and the very first team was the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. They were some other people you may have heard of: Zack Taylor, Trini Kwan, Jason Lee, Billy Mitchell, and Kimberly Hart."

Trevor's wide eyes widened even more, and his mouth opened slightly. "You're kidding," he said finally.

"No, I'm not. Kimberly was the first Pink Ranger, and she fought against the villains Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd along with her teammates. She left the team to compete in the Pan-Globals, and Katherine took her place. But even though she left rangering behind, the villains didn't forget about her. About the same time that Kim and Jason came back to Angel Grove about a month ago, a new villain called Divatox showed up, and she needed two humans of purity and strength. She chose them, because they were former Power Rangers."

Trevor had taken a seat on the grass, and held his head in his hand. "So what did this 'Divatox' need two humans for?"

"A sacrifice to her fiance."

At the second word in that sentence, Trevor's head shot up, his eyes wide in alarm. "She's dead?!"

"No," Adam said, "she's not. The sacrifice wasn't the lives of them. Rather, it was their purity. Both Kim and Jason were placed under a powerful spell, completely eliminating all human feeling except one-- hatred. Fortunately, the wizard Lerigot could break the spell placed on Jason, but the spell on Kim was more potent. We figure it was because there was genuine, deep-seated hatred for us in her heart. Most specifically, towards Tommy and Kat."

"That's not surprising," Trevor commented, "I know what Tommy did to her."

"He didn't," Adam said, resting his hand on Trevor's shoulder, "Tommy didn't cheat on Kim, Trevor. He received a letter from her, saying that she'd met someone else..."

"That's a lie!" Trevor said quickly, "She was heartbroken on Valentine's Day, just because Tommy didn't call. She was 100% faithful to him."

"I know that. Someone tricked the both of them."

Trevor remained silent, letting this information in. "But, I did see Tommy with that blonde woman."

"He didn't start dating Katherine until over a month after he got that letter."

"I... I don't believe it," Trevor said quietly, "So is Kimberly still evil?"

"I'm afraid so," Adam replied, "Right now, she's up on the Moon, preparing to be wed to Lord Zedd himself."

"You've got to be kidding me on that one!" Trevor said.

"Nope, I'm serious. And about half an hour ago, Zedd kidnapped Tommy too."

"So," Trevor said, standing up, "what are you Power Rangers gonna do?"

"That's hopefully where you come in," Adam said, "Our mentor Zordon is allowing us to attack the Moon Palace full force to save Kim and Tommy. However, there are only three of us left. Our Blue Ranger, Justin Stewart, was critically injured in battle about a week ago, and he hasn't healed yet. We also can't get in contact with any of the former rangers to take over. Right now, its just me, Kat, and Tanya, and frankly, we need all the help we can get."

"I'd be glad to help," Trevor offered, "If you'll let me."

"That's just what I was hoping to hear," Adam said, touching his communicator, "Hold on, Trevor."

With that, the two young men vanished in streaks of green and white light. Moments later, they arrived in the Power Chamber. Trevor staggered slightly, and balanced himself on the nearest console. He shook his head and blinked, trying to clear the cobwebs. He then looked up to meet the greeting faces of Tanya, Adam, and Katherine.

"Don't worry about it," Katherine said, "The dizziness will fade soon. You'll get used to teleporting soon enough."

"Teleporting?" Trevor asked, looking around the chamber, "Where am I?"

"YOU ARE IN THE POWER CHAMBER, THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE TURBO RANGERS."

Trevor looked up at the source of the booming voice, and stared mutely at the large floating head.

"That's Zordon," said Adam.

"Not to be rude or anything," said Tanya, "but we don't have time for drawn-out introductions. Tommy and Kimberly are really in trouble, and every minute counts!"

"Alpha," said Adam, turning to the small robot, "where is Justin's stuff?"

"Right here," said Alpha, walking over to the temporary leader. He handed him the blue Turbo Morpher and communicator. Adam then looked at Trevor, and held up the communicator.

"This goes on your wrist, just like a watch," he explained, "You see each of these five colored buttons on the left side? The silver one patches you into the Power Chamber, and each other one sends a signal to the ranger of that color. The buttons on the other side are for teleporting. The top one sends you right here, and the others are for programing destinations. You don't have to worry about that though, because most of our teleporting is to the Power Chamber. Alpha teleports us from here to wherever else we wanna go."

Adam handed the communicator to Trevor, who strapped it onto his wrist confidently. Adam then held up the Turbo Morpher, with the black armband in one hand, and the golden key in the other.

"This is the Morpher, which will allow you to transform into the Blue Turbo Ranger. Just put the key into the hole and turn it, calling 'Mountain Blaster Turbo Power'. The Power enhances all of your physical skills. You'll run faster, jump higher, punch and kick harder, and withstand more punishment. Do you have any fighting experience?"

"A little," Trevor admitted, "I started taking karate classes with Kimberly last September, though. And I was on the gymnastics team in high school."

"That sounds good enough for me," said Adam with a smile, handing the morpher to Trevor, "Welcome to the Power Rangers, Trevor."

Trevor smiled in reply, and attached the black box to his forearm. He then held the key in his opposite hand.

"How will we get into the Moon Palace?" asked Tanya, "Isn't it protected against teleportation?"

"IF IT WERE COMPLETELY PROTECTED, THEN IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR LORD ZEDD TO TELEPORT TOMMY FROM HERE TO THERE. WE HAVE THE EXACT FREQUENCY OF THE TELEPORTATION BEAM LORD ZEDD USES TO GET TO EARTH FROM THE PALACE AND BACK AGAIN. SHIELDS CAN ONLY PROTECT AGAINST CERTAIN FREQUENCIES, AND THEREFORE THEY ALLOW OTHER FREQUENCIES THROUGH. THIS ONE WILL TAKE YOU SOMEWHERE IN THE PALACE, BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHERE."

"Aye yi yi!" shrieked Alpha, typing in codes in the teleporter console, "Take care, rangers!"

"Let's Shift Into Turbo!" Adam called, holding up his arm. As one, all four rangers placed their keys into the morphers.

"Desert Thunder Turbo Power!" called Adam.

"Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!" yelled Trevor.

"Dune Star Turbo Power!" shouted Tanya.

"Wind Chaser Turbo Power!" cried Katherine.

"Teleporting now," said Alpha, activating the teleporter as soon as the rangers had morphed. After a few seconds of transit, the Turbo Rangers appeared on the balcony of Zedd's Lunar Palace.

"Wow," said Trevor, "this is so incredible."

"Where are we?" asked Tanya.

"This is Zedd's throne room," said Kat, "I've been here before."

"So, where do we go from here?" asked Adam.

"To your graves," came a deep voice from the side. The four rangers turned around, and saw Goldar step out of the darkness of the shadows. He was gripping his sword tightly, and a fierce grin plastered his blue furry face. Behind him, dozens of Putty Patrolers marched. Goldar held out his sword, and pointed it at the rangers.

"Destroy them," he snarled.

Inside the dungeon, Tommy hangs weakly from the slimey vines of energy sprouting from the wall. His cheek was still sore from when Kimberly slapped him, and now, Lord Zedd stood only inches from Tommy's face, his expressionless countenance only hinting at the joy he feels at this moment.

"Kimberly my dear," Zedd says suddenly, turning to face his bride-to-be, "would you please get Goldar for me? I'll need him to stand guard. After all, we don't want the Turbo Twits to try and save their fearless leader."

Kimberly frowned for a moment, but nodded. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she called while leaving. After waiting a moment for Kimberly to leave, he then turned back to Tommy.

"She certainly is wonderful, is she not?" he mocked, "Amazing how fate works. This time last year, she was the sweet, innocent girl-next-door, harboring a cute little crush on you. And now, she is the devious, powerful Empress of Evil, forever bonded to me in an alliance against you and your friends. Or at least she will be in a matter of days."

"Shut up, Zedd," Tommy muttered, glaring at Zedd, "I don't need to hear this."

"Oh, but I think you do," Zedd chuckled, "You don't know how long I've been waiting to tell you what happened. Tell me, Red Ranger, do you recall a certain 'Dear John' letter, as they say on your planet?"

Tommy's hazel eyes widened in realization and alarm. "You..." he whispered.

"Yes," Zedd said, folding his arms, "I wrote it! And it worked magnificently. Oh, Tommy, you should have seen what I saw! You were sobbing like an infant, and poor little Kimmie was doing the same. But at least you had all your closest friends to help you cope, as well as the Power Ranger duties to keep you busy. Kimberly, on the other hand, couldn't make her Florida friends understand what she was feeling, because they only knew about you through stories. And of course, she didn't have that outlet of her frustrations that you had. Gymnastics wasn't nearly as theraputic as beating the daylights out of villainous robots. She suffered for weeks, feeling she was abandoned by everyone she held dear. At least you had an explanation in the letter. Kimberly had nothing to go on but her suspicions."

Tommy's eyes were flaring now, and a look of utter hatred crossed his tan face. "You despicable, cowardly son of a--"

"My dear Red Ranger," Zedd interrupted, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "isn't such harsh language unbefitting of a hero?"

"I swear to you Zedd, you'll pay for this," Tommy threatened, "I'll see to it."

"You'll be dead in a matter of hours," Zedd said, "You are no threat to me."

Meanwhile, just outside, Kimberly is sitting by the gate to the dungeon, curled into a ball. She looked up, allowing hot tears to spill from her ruby eyes. Since she has only lived in the palace for a matter of days, she was yet unfamiliar with the layout of the palace. While searching for the stairwell to the ground floor, she reached a dead end, and had to backtrack. As she passed near the room where Tommy was being held, she heard Zedd's taunting. She decided to listen further, to hear Tommy suffer all the more. But what she heard shocked her more than anything she had ever experienced. Hearing Zedd recount her experiences over the past few months, and all that she endured straight-faced while in Florida only revived the pain that remains. The pain of being unloved and abandoned, betrayed and forgotten. She couldn't hold in the emotion, and for the first time in a month, she cried tears of sorrow. But those tears didn't remain long. While she heard Zedd's mocking laughter echo through the dungeon, fury built in her heart. But for once, it wasn't focused towards Tommy or Katherine. It was pure, unadulterated anger, aimed at Lord Zedd, and only Lord Zedd.

He... he tricked me, she realized, her eyes flashing with anger and she rose to her feet, He tricked us all!! All these months of pain and loneliness, were all because of his manipulations?! Tommy never cheated on me! It was Zedd, from the very beginning! My God, why didn't I realize it earlier?!

"I think now is a good time to spy on Earth," she heard Zedd say, "Now that I have you, I would like to add to my little collection by capturing Katherine. I'm sure you recall how much Kimmie likes presents."

Kimberly grasped her scepter tighter and inched slowly from the door as she heard Zedd approach. She focused her attention through the Heart of Darkness, and suddenly, Kimberly became invisible. Zedd marched right past her without even noticing her presence. She released the breath she was holding as she reappeared. After waiting a few more seconds, she slowly entered into the cell holding Tommy. She remained quiet, and just looked at him for a moment.

Tommy was hanging limply from the vines, his chestnut hair hiding his face from her. She could tell from his completely motionless position that he had given up. As Kimberly walked further into the cell, the sound of her heels striking the stones caused Tommy's head to rise slowly. Kimberly eyes widened when she saw his face. Tears still wet his eyes and cheeks, and a stoic expression crossed his face. But the expression in his eyes was of infinite pain, drowning in a sea of failure.

"I'm surprised," she said quietly, "Usually when I see you, you immediately begin to beg me to come back to the side of light. Have you nothing to say?"

"No," Tommy responded weakly, but firmly, "I don't."

"Well, I have something to say to you," she said, walking closer. She stopped right in front of him, and gently touched his cheek, where she had slapped him earlier. "I'm sorry."

Tommy's eyes widened, expressing confusion laced with a ray of hope. "Huh?"

"I... I'm sorry," she repeated, her ruby eyes tearing, "I'm sorry I slapped you. I'm sorry I fought you, and joined with Zedd. I'm sorry for not listening to you when you tried to save me. I'm sorry... I hated you and Kat so much. I didn't know about the letter, and I didn't want to believe it when you tried to tell me about it. I'm so sorry."

She was crying outright now, covering her eyes with one hand while the other still gripped her golden scepter. Tommy's heart ached when he saw her in pain, and yet a powerful feeling of joy overcame him as well. He had finally won her back.

"Kim," he said softly, "you have nothing to be sorry for. Neither of us could have guessed Zedd was manipulating us."

"All this time," she continued, "all the pain and heartache, all because of Zedd, and not you..."

Kim took a deep breath, and looked up again. Tommy smiled when he noticed the ruby shimmer had faded slightly. The only thing maintaining the spell Maligore placed on Kim was her hatred for the Power Rangers, and as soon as it evaporated, the spell began to disappear along with it. She then gripped her scepter with both hands.

"Hold still," she ordered, touching the vines with the scepter. One by one, the vines released their grip, allowing Tommy to land on the ground. Immediately, he wrapped his arms gratefully around Kim, who continued to cry onto his chest. He rested his chin on her hair, and gently swayed her back and forth.

"Achem," came a bitter voice from across the room. Both teens looked up, and were shocked by the red light filling the chamber. It was the light of Lord Zedd's fury. "Zedd," Tommy muttered, glaring once again at his captor. He didn't let go of Kimberly, whom he could feel shiver in his arms.

"Get your hands off my wife," Zedd threatened, tightening his grip on his scepter. "She's not your wife!" Tommy yelled back, releasing Kim. She looked up at Zedd, her own eyes displaying anger.

"And I never will be, either!" she finished.

Zedd roared angrily, and pointed his scepter at Tommy. A blast of white lightning scorched Tommy's chest, throwing him clear across the chamber. He smashed into the wall, barely maintaining consciousness.

"TOMMY!!" Kimberly cried at the top of her lungs, running to his limp form. He was still conscious, but dazed. She then looked up at Zedd, her eyes flashing with fathomless fury. Zedd returned the gaze with a flash of scarlet anger, watching as Kimberly lifted her scepter, with the Heart of Darkness attached to its crown. She rose to her feet, and approached Zedd, holding the scepter like a lance.

"Like Tommy said earlier," she muttered, "you're not getting away with this!"

Goldar growled, pointing at the four Turbo Rangers with his golden sword. Then, the dozens of Putty Patrolers sprang into action, charging the rangers fiercely. Adam, Kat, and Tanya all took defensive stances, preparing for the onslaught. But the Blue Ranger lingered back slightly, a little uneasy in his fighting stance.

"Uh, guys?" he asked, "What're those?"

"They're Putties, Trevor," Katherine responded, plowing her toes into one's chest, "Aim for the 'Z', and you'll be fine."

Trevor nodded, and ducked as the first Putty swung at his head. He responded by cartwheeling to the side, and punching the creature mightily on the Z plate. To his surprise, the creature exploded, and its clay pieces quickly vanished. Grinning beneath his helmet, he met the other oncoming Putties head on.

Katherine easily fended off the Putties. Her anger and fear over Tommy's situation fueled her strength, allowing her to unleash her emotions on the lifeless magical creatures. With a powerful snap-kick, one Putty flew clear across the room before crumbling. Tanya continued to block and dodge the Putties' attacks, allowing them to back her towards Zedd's throne. She turned around to deliver a spin-kick, and to her surprise, she saw the red Turbo Morpher, sitting on a stone pillar beside the throne. She kicked the Putties as planned, and then approached the Morpher. But a golden sword stood as a barrier, and then its blunt end plowed into her stomach, throwing her backwards. She shook off the pain, and glared at Goldar, who was towering above her.

"Tut, tut," he mocked, "Trying to steal what isn't yours."

"Not like its yours," she spat, rising to her feet to meet Goldar's gaze, "Where's Tommy and Kimberly?"

"Oh, the Queen is surely with her fiance," Goldar drawled, "and as for the former Red Ranger... he's probably being prepared for the wedding ceremony. Didn't you hear? He's going to be the main course!"

Tanya frowned with disgust, and took a fighting position. Goldar grinned at her, and thrust his mighty sword at her. She backflipped out of the way, and rose her hands to the air.

"Turbo Star-Chargers!" she cried, as her weapons appeared at her call. She then returned to Goldar, blocking his swing with one Star-Charger, and plowing into his stomach with the other. From across the room, Adam saw Tanya fight through the corner of his eye.

"I've gotta help her!" he decided, throwing his elbow into one Puttie's chestplate. He then broke away from the others, and leapt into the air. His speed built enough momentum, and so when he flew through the air foot first, he struck Goldar in the back, throwing the mighty warrior to the ground. Adam somersaulted off Goldar, landing near the Turbo Morpher. Goldar roared angrily, and reached for his sword, but a blue and white boot stepped on his hand, pressing down hard. Goldar winced, and looked up at the Blue Ranger, baring yellowed fangs.

"I wouldn't, if I were you," said Trevor, pointing to the left. Goldar followed his gesture, and saw the Pink Turbo Ranger standing tall, her Windfire bow aimed carefully. Goldar growled inwardly when he noticed every single Putty Patroler was gone. "Useless," he muttered to himself.

"Guys," said Trevor, "I think this monster's had enough. What do we do with him?"

"We make sure he doesn't get in our way," said Tanya, approaching. She lifted her right Star-Charger, and slammed it into the back of Goldar's head. He groaned in pain, and lost consciousness.

"That should keep him out of the picture for awhile, at least," said Kat, lowering her bow, "Where to now, Adam?"

"We find Tommy," he answered, turning to the pillar, "Kat, where would Zedd hold a prisoner?"

"The dungeon, in the basement," Kat answered.

"Do you know the way?" asked Trevor. Kat nodded.

"Great," said Adam, "Hopefully, we'll find Kimberly too. But first, we need the Red Ranger."

As Adam grabbed the red Turbo Morpher, he gasped as the entire palace began to quake. He balanced himself on the pillar, and glanced at the other Turbo Rangers. Even though their faces were masked my their helmets, it was obvious a wave of fear hit them all. They could only guess what mighty force was rocking the palace.

Below, the dungeon rumbles with power. The shaking was enough to stir Tommy, who was against the far wall of the chamber. He looks up, and his eyes widen when he sees two beings of immeasurable power, dueling with all the fury each of them could muster. As he watched the bright silver scepter clash with the golden one, sparks of energy shot out, filling the chamber with a magical light much like fireworks. On one side, his visor still glowing with energy, stood Lord Zedd, the universally despised and feared Emperor of Evil. This villain had destroyed countless civilizations in his time, and has ruined billions of lives with his cruelty and tyranny. But his opponent, the latest victim of his ruthless manipulation, has been given by destiny the opportunity-- and the power-- to fight back. That opponent is Kimberly Hart, who, once upon a time, was a typical human girl, with dreams, goals, love, and friends. But Zedd stole them all from her, leaving an empty shell where a fun-loving teenager used to be. That void was filled with anger, hurt, and most of all... power. And that power is being thrown back upon the being who bestowed it upon her. It is the classic struggle of the created against the creator.

Tommy watches, completely mesmerized, as Lord Zedd swings his staff in a downward stroke, as if it were an ax chopping firewood. But rather than become kindling, Kimberly quickly sidesteps the attack, her flowing gown not inhibiting her movement in the least, and retaliates by striking Lord Zedd in the face with the heel of her own scepter. Her eyes, still pulsing with red energy, display the anger and hurt raging through her mind as she counters each attack expertly. The scene unfolding before Tommy's eyes was so dramatic and intriguing, he couldn't bring himself to move. He just stood against the wall, watching. While his face didn't display it, he unconsciously realized the irony of the situation.

Lord Zedd gave her absolute power, to allow her to help him rule the cosmos. Now, she's turned that power against him. And it looks like they're evenly matched.

Tommy was shaken back to reality when he felt small pebbles falling onto his head. He glanced up, and noticed the ceiling was splintering under the vast amount of power being released. Instincts kicked in, and he moved to the corner, hiding behind a podium of stone. He prayed it would be enough to shield him from any stray attacks. No matter how much he desired to help Kimberly, he knew he would only get in her way if he involved himself. Without his Turbo Morpher, he had no power to counter Lord Zedd's magic with. This time, Kimberly had to face her enemy alone.

"Give it up, Kimberly," Zedd huffed, ducking a swing aimed at his head, "you can't defeat me! I gave you that power! Without the Heart of Darkness, you're nothing!"

"Wrong!" she cried, "I'm a human being, with feelings, hopes, aspirations, joys... and everything was taken from me! I won't let you use me!!"

"You can't destroy me," Zedd announced, catching her arm, "Don't you understand? The Hart of Darkness had bonded to your life force, allowing you to tap into the bottomless well of energy that I draw from. If you destroy me, you destroy yourself. You've come to rely upon the power, Kimberly. You will die without it!"

Kimberly's ruby eyes softened a bit, as the realization struck her. She looked at Zedd, and then back at her scepter. She didn't notice Zedd start cackling cruelly, cementing his victory over her. Kim stared at the scepter, and the red gemstone upon it. She then realized the consequence of accepting Zedd's gift of fathomless power. The price was her life.

Tears began to well in her eyes, as she slowly turned her head to Tommy. In his eyes, she could see the fear he was experiencing. She knew that he wasn't afraid for himself. Rather, he was afraid for her. There was no way out of the bargain she struck with Zedd. Except one.

Kimberly turned to Zedd, casting an icy glare upon him. He immediately stopped laughing, and stared at her quizzically.

"I've sinned," she said quietly, "I've struck a bargain with the devil, trading my soul for the power to gain revenge. I can't get out of this. I must pay the price for my mistake."

She straightened, holding her scepter tightly. She stared into the red gemstone, watching the swirling cloud of energy encased within it. The power held by the stone was immeasurable. And deadly.

"The only way I can make amends for what I did, is to make sure we are both punished. You and I, Zedd. We both erred, and we both ruined lives. I can't say I'm a complete victim here. I will destroy you. And I'm going with you."

Before either Lord Zedd or Tommy could react to Kimberly's own judgement of herself, she swung the scepter with all her might at the ground beside Zedd's feet. As she did, she closed her eyes, mustering all her mental as well as physical strength. And her task was completed. As the gem struck the stone surface, it shattered into infinite grains of glass, releasing the energy trapped within it. As Zedd and Tommy watched in absolute horror, the energy took the form of a blinding flash of white light, throwing both Kim and Zedd away with all the force of supernova. Fortunately for Tommy, the blast was so concentrated that only the two at Ground Zero were affected. He didn't feel a thing. Physically at least.

Tommy scrambled to his feet, and ran towards Kimberly. The instantaneous flash of energy threw her into one wall, and she crumpled against the stone limply. He cradled her still body in his arms, and touched her cheek gently. Too surprised to do anything else, he shook her gently, hoping to wake her. It was at this moment that the Turbo Rangers ran into the dungeon. They stood at the entrance like statues, their gaze falling first upon Lord Zedd, who was lying completely motionless upon the floor. Across the room, they saw Tommy, clinging to Kimberly with all his strength. He looked up at his friends, his eyes blank with denial.

"What... what happened?" asked Katherine, approaching Tommy. The other rangers did the same. They all removed their helmets, each one displaying expressions of shock and terror. They knew they had arrived too late.

Tommy's lip trembled. "She... she killed Zedd," he said at last. Adam's eyebrow rose, and he glanced at the Emperor of Evil. As he watched, Zedd's body slowly faded away, leaving a spark of red energy. That red energy then faded itself, vanishing from reality. There was nothing left of Lord Zedd but his silver scepter, which lay on the stone ground.

Trevor glanced at Adam, and then back at the spot where the creature was lying moments ago. "Was that Zedd?"

"Yes," Adam said, "He's finally beed defeated. Forever."

Trevor nodded, and kneeled on the ground across from Tommy. He gazed at Kimberly's peaceful face, and then glanced up at Tommy. Tommy was staring at him quizzically. Trevor smiled weakly, wiping the moisture from his aqua colored eyes with his gloved hand.

"I'm Trevor," he introduced, "the temporary Blue Ranger. And you're Tommy."

Tommy nodded quietly. He then glanced down at Kim, who's eyes fluttered. Everyone surrounded the trio in a tight circle, as Kim's eyes focused on Tommy's face. They were soft brown.

"I... I'm sorry for what I did to you guys," Kim whispered softly, "There is no excuse I can give. Thank you all for trying to save me. But I was beyond salvation."

She turned to Trevor, and her eyes at first widened with surprise. Her expression softened, and she smiled at her friend.

"Hi, Trev," she said weakly, "Nice suit."

He chuckled slightly, "Somehow, I don't think it suits me."

Her eyes slowly shut, the light of life behind them fading. She then forced them open, and gazed at Tommy one last time. His eyes were wide and wet, and his expression was grim. With all the strength left in her body, Kimberly rose her hand to his face. He caught her hand as it began to fall, and held it to his cheek. Her hand was cold.

"Tommy," she said, weakly, gasping for air, "no matter what happens in the years to come, I want you to know I love you. I always loved you, and although my love was transformed to hate, I guarantee you that I never stopped caring about you. That's why I wanted revenge. I... I couldn't stand the fact that you didn't love me anymore."

"Never," he whispered, "I could never stop loving you. I never did, and I never will."

Her smile brightened slightly, as her touch weakened, "Thank you... for not giving up on me. Trev, guys... thanks for being my friends. Thanks for caring about me. I... I only wish I'd realized it sooner..."

Her soft voice died on her lips, and her eyes slowly closed. Tommy looked at her still form, his muscles tensing and his breath escaping. As if in a daze, he stared at her face, praying her eyes would open once again. But they never did.

Katherine turned away from her friends, letting her tears flow into her cupped hands. Tanya's face remained stoic, but she released her tension by squeezing Adam's hand tightly. But Adam didn't feel her touch. His hand was numb, as was the rest of his body. His bit his lower lip, and closed his eyes tightly. Trevor ran a hand through his disheveled blonde hair, casting his eyes to the floor as they spilled over with tears. He then glanced at Kim, and hesitantly kissed her forehead. He then stood up, and hid his face in his blue helmet.

"We... we should probably get going now," he said hoarsely, "Our job here is done."

In silence, the Yellow, Green, and Pink Rangers put their helmets back on. Adam touched Tommy's shoulder, but he didn't respond. He remained on the ground, his back slumped in defeat, and his eyes squeezed shut, still holding onto Kimberly tightly.

"Tommy," Adam said, "we have to go."

He didn't move. Adam couldn't even tell if Tommy had heard him. He sighed, and rose his communicator to his mouth.

"Zordon," Adam said quietly, "We've got Tommy and... Kim. Teleport all six of us home, please?"

In the Power Chamber, silence reigned. Kimberly was lain on a bed, a sheet over her body. Justin remained on his cot, still soundly asleep. Adam, Kat, Tanya, and Trevor all stood before Zordon, still in their uniforms. They all held their helmets under their arms. Beside Kimberly's bed, Tommy sat, slouching forward and clasping his hands together. He was holding his hands so tightly, his knuckles grew white. The four rangers looked up to Zordon, their eyes still red from tears. Finally, Trevor regained his voice.

"Um, I don't know what the usual procedure is with you guys," he said, taking a deep breath, "but what do we tell Kim's family; and the rest of the world?"

"I don't know," Adam muttered, "This has never happened before."

"We certainly can't tell the world the truth," Tanya offered.

"THE TURBO RANGERS CAN ANNOUNCE THAT KIMBERLY WAS ABDUCTED BY ALIENS FOR SOME PURPOSE. DESPITE VALLIANT EFFORTS, WE WERE UNABLE TO SAVE HER LIFE. THE BODY SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE POLICE, WHERE THE INCIDENT CAN BE DOCUMENTED, AND THEN SHE CAN BE GIVEN A PROPER FUNERAL."

Adam nodded. "I guess I can do that job. It won't be easy, but I'm sure there are tons of people wondering what happened to Kim."

"I'll go with you," Tanya offered, putting her helmet back on.

Zordon regarded his rangers for a moment, watching as Adam picked up Kimberly's body. Tommy didn't even blink in awknowledgement. Zordon sighed inwardly-- a sound that startled all of the rangers present. In all the years of service, none have ever heard signs of despair in their mentor's voice. Even Alpha was surprised.

"RANGERS," Zordon began, "I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE ALL FEELING. AS TIME PASSED, I CAME TO REGARD YOU ALL AS MY CHILDREN. IT IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO LOSE SOMEONE SPECIAL-- A FRIEND, A CHILD, A COMPANION-- AND KIMBERLY WAS AS SPECIAL AS A HUMAN CAN BE. BUT YOU MUST REALIZE THAT WHAT HAPPENED WAS NOT YOUR FAULT. THERE WAS NOTHING YOU COULD HAVE DONE. WE HAVE SCANNED HER BODY, AND WE DETERMINED THAT THE LIFE-FORCE WITHIN HER HAD DRAINED AWAY. SHE WAS AWARE THAT SHE WAS MAGICALLY CONNECTED TO LORD ZEDD, AND DESPITE THIS, SHE KILLED HIM. SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING. SHE DIDN'T BLAME ANY OF YOU FOR HER FATE, SO NEITHER SHOULD YOU BLAME YOURSELVES. THIS INCIDENT HAS BEEN A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY, BUT IT IS OVER. KIMBERLY HAD FOUND PEACE."

The rangers all nodded, grateful for Zordon's reassuring words. Then, Adam and Tanya vanished in bright streaks of light, leaving Trevor and Kat standing before Zordon. They both glanced at Tommy, who was totally oblivious to everything surrounding him. He didn't hear Zordon's speech, nor did he see Adam and Tanya leave with what remained of Kimberly Anne Hart. Kat sighed, and glanced down at her palms. She was holding the red Turbo Morpher and key.

"I don't know what to do about Tommy," she said quietly to Trevor and Zordon, "Its like he's not even here."

"TOMMY WAS ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO KIMBERLY. IT WILL TAKE HIM A LONG TIME TO COME TO TERMS WITH HER DEATH. ALL YOU CAN DO FOR HIM IS LET HIM KNOW YOU ARE ALL THERE FOR HIM. ONLY BY REMAINING STRONG CAN YOU ALL GET PASSED THE PAIN OF LOSING A DEAR FRIEND."

"Here," Trevor said, "let me try something."

Trevor took the Morpher from Kat's hands, and approached Tommy. He pulled up a chair, and sat beside the stoic leader of the Turbo Rangers.

"Hey Tommy," Trevor greeted. As suspected, Tommy made no reply. "Look, Tommy... I have something to admit to you. Believe it or not, I know how you feel..."

Trevor studied Tommy's face carefully. He took a breath, and then finished his sentence.

"...because I'm in love with Kimberly, too."

Tommy blinked in surprise, and glanced up at the Blue Ranger. Trevor nodded, and grinned.

"Yep, I am. Kim and I were pretty good friends, and not after too long, I realized how much she meant to me. I honestly, truly love her. She was the light of the gymnastics team, and her energy and enthusiasm really made the work lots of fun. I had never been in love before, either. It was really a shock to my system."

Tommy gazed at Trevor inquisitively. Trevor realized he had his full attention.

"I loved her more than anything, but there wasn't really anything I could do about it. I mean, she was quite vocal about her relationship with you, and even though she didn't go into detail, it was obvious she was deeply in love. To be perfectly honest, I resented you, Tommy. You had the love of the most wonderful woman in the world. I was jealous of you, for being so important to her. But then, she thought you didn't love her anymore, and her enthusiasm for life died."

Tommy's featured hardened, and he cast his eyes downward. But Trevor still knew he had a rapt audience.

"She was so upset about what happened, but she hid it pretty well. I feel horrible about this... but on a certain level, I was happy to hear you two broke up. It meant that I had a chance to have the woman of my dreams. The thing is, no matter what I did, I could tell that she didn't love me like I loved her. Sure she cared about me-- we were really close friends. But she didn't _love_ me. That's because she never stopped loving you. We went out on a handful of dates, but I was only fooling myself. We remained friends, and nothing more. Now, I'm going to miss her terribly. She still has a firm grasp on my heart. But no matter what, I'm going to cherish the time we had together, and I'm going to move on. You wanna know why?"

Trevor didn't wait for Tommy to respond.

"Because she'd want me to. Kimberly always wants her friends to be happy, no matter what the circumstances. For her sake, I'm going to work at that. And I really think that if you love her, you'll do the same. Good luck, Tommy."

Trevor took Tommy's arm, and strapped on the Turbo Morpher. Tommy glanced at it in surprise, and then looked up at Trevor. Trevor was grinning, and holding the key out.

"You gotta keep going," he repeated, holding the key out to Tommy, "For your own good, as well as for hers."

For the first time in hours, Tommy's expression changed. A tiny, although sad grin crossed his haggard face, and he accepted the key. Trevor rose to his feet, and then walked over to Kat and Zordon.

"That was incredible," Kat said, wiping her eyes, "I had no idea how much you loved Kim. This must've been a nightmare for you to bear."

Trevor shrugged modestly. "She's in a better place now," he sighed, "and at least she's free from the evil. Free from the anger."

Trevor turned his wrist, and his Turbo Morpher appeared. He pulled out the golden key, and demophed. He then unstrapped the Morpher and communicator, and lay them on the console.

"So, this means you're not staying?" Kat asked. Trevor shook his head.

"Power Rangering isn't my forte," he said with a lopsided grin, "These'll be right here waiting when Justin recovers. Besides, I have a feeling you guys won't be needing the Turbo Rangers for awhile, at least. Zedd's dead."

"IT IS YOUR DECISION TO MAKE," said Zordon, "LET ME BE THE FIRST TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE TO ASSIST US, TREVOR. MAY THE POWER PROTECT YOU, ALWAYS."

"And may the Force guide you all," Trevor joked, turning to Kat. He shook her hand.

"Take care of yourself, Kat," he said, "And keep an eye on Tommy. If he loves Kim half as much as I think he does, then he's got a lot of hard times ahead of him."

"I will," she said, "And you take care as well."

Trevor backed away, and turned to Alpha. "Do you think you can teleport me to my hotel? I have to pack."

"You're leaving already?" Kat gasped.

"I'll come back for the funeral," Trevor said, "I have some things to come to terms with, and some pretty grim news to deliver to Renee and Kim's other Miami friends. They'll probably want to come, and pay their last respects."

Alpha proceeded to program the teleporter. As Trevor waited, he saw Tommy rise to his feet. Tommy walked over to Trevor, a weak smile plastered on his face. He extended his hand.

"Thanks for everything, Trevor," he said, "We really appreciate it."

"No prob," Trevor said, shaking Tommy's hand, "It was nice to have met you all."

Trevor then disappeared in a flash of white light. Kat walked over to Tommy, and gazed into his eyes. Although he had a smile on his face, his eyes were dead. She knew the smile was for her and Trevor's benefit. It didn't reflect his feelings. She took his hand, and squeezed it gently.

"Will you be okay?" Kat asked. Tommy glanced at the bed where Kimberly had been, and shuddered.

"Eventually," he answered, his voice uncertain. Before anyone could say anything further, Tommy touched his communicator, and vanished in a carrier wave of blood red energy.

Epilogue: "One Flesh" Kimberly and I are by the lake, one of our favorite picnic locations. As usual, she packed my favorite lunch-- bananas and chunky peanut butter on wheat. She's the only person I know who loves banana and peanut butter sandwiches as much as I do. Its just one more reason why we are a match made in heaven.

Its a perfect afternoon. Fluffy white clouds float around in the azure sky, and there's just enough breeze to slightly rustle the leaves on the trees lining the lake, making the gentle background music we always enjoyed. The birds sing their favorite melodies, as if competing to see which has the most charming voice. Kim and I never, ever thought of bringing a stereo to the park. The music of nature is far more appealing.

While we enjoy our less-than-healthy lunch, we talk about whatever comes to mind. Some people would think such conversation is small talk, as if we weren't really conveying any meaningful information. But that's unbelievably far from the truth. Kim and I are far beyond our awkward stage-- when we always got tongue-tied when we were alone. Now, we're so close that we can tell what the other's thinking. And every word that passes between Kimberly's rose pink lips is vital. To me, at least.

Its such a simple experience-- being by the lake on a warm spring afternoon-- but its sheer bliss for me. Every moment I spend with Kimberly is special... even when we're not doing anything at all. She can read my mind just by looking into my eyes, but that never made me feel uncomfortable or exposed. Its like she's a part of me. As if we were one being. I can't help but think of that scripture in Genesis... that a man would stick to his wife, and they would become one flesh. Of course, that deals with married couples. But I still think it applies to our relationship. We haven't said any vows or anything, but I think the feeling's mutual. We're in love.

Kimberly notices my reverie, just like she always does. Her beautiful brown eyes, touched with gray, glance at me, and the corner of her mouth rises into a smirk. "What are you daydreaming about now, Tommy?"

I grin at her. Its that innocent grin I always use when she smirks at me. She always thought the grin was charming. I never considered that, but after she told me, I used it more often. It irritated her, and it also amused her. And when I irritated her, she always cocked an eyebrow-- probably one of the expressions I like most on her face. Of course, my favorite expression is that smile. The smile that pulls you in like a whirlpool-- that almost forces you to smile back. I've never seen a smile as powerful as Kimberly's. That's another thing I love about her. One of these days, I should make a list of the little things I love about Kimberly Anne Hart. Or maybe not; I don't think there's a notebook big enough.

"I was just thinking about us," I answer her, leaning my chin on my palm as I watch her. She shakes her head, causing her shimmering caramel curls to bounce around her neck and shoulders. Of course, she knows I'm studying her. That doesn't make her visibly uncomfortable. There, that's a third reason why I love Kimberly so much. So much, it almost hurts.

"And what exactly were you thinking?" she asks, sliding over on the blanket until she was beside me. She lay her head on my shoulder, and I gladly wrap my arm around her. She smells like fresh lilacs. Okay, that's the fourth reason.

"How much I love you," I reply, glancing down at her face as I do. As I expected, her face turns a shade pinker. Every time I give her a compliment, or pronounce my feelings about her, she blushes. Its a very flattering, charming blush. Its actually barely noticeable to the untrained eye. But since I met Kim, years ago, I always drank in her appearance. To put it in one word... she's beautiful. A natural, gentle, pure beauty that exudes from every pore. A beauty that so few people had; as if she was innocence incarnate, or a angel from heaven in the shape of a human being. There's reason number five... and I'm not even trying.

"How much do you love me?" she asked, looking up at me. She had a playful smile on her face. Her love of fun and games... reason six.

"As much as Lancelot loved Guinevere, or as Romeo loved Juliet. At least."

Once again, she blushes, and she snuggles up closer. I remember a time, not all that long ago, when I was too shy to even speak to Kimberly. Now, Kimberly is the source of my self-confidence and inner strength. I can be completely open with her, about anything at all. And she isn't judgemental either. She's an excellent listener. And if I'm not mistaken, those are the seventh and eighth reasons-- her being non-judgemental and being an excellent listener. Wow... I'm on a roll here!

"So," I ask her after a short while, "how much do you love me?"

Kim thought about it for moment. "As much as America's founding fathers loved freedom, or as an astronomer loves the sky. As much as life itself."

She's so poetic. Every word she says has such meaning. I wonder if its just because I'm in love with her, or if she has this mesmerizing effect on everyone else. Is that reason number eight, or nine? I've lost count already...

The warmth of her breath tickles my neck like a feather, and her skin is as soft as a dove's wing under my touch. Just another reason why she's an angel. And another reason why I love her.

As we sit in silence, I hear a soft buzzing sound. At first, it seems like a bee, flying towards the patches of wildflowers in the park. But the buzzing sound intensifies, and slowly, I can feel myself slipping away from that paradise I am in. The buzzing draws me away from Heaven...

...and drops me in Hell. Once again, as I open my eyes and turn of my buzzing alarm clock, I realize that it was merely a dream. Slowly, my mental faculties return as I shake off deep sleep, and reality strikes me yet again. I'm in my room, in my house, in Angel Grove. And Kimberly is dead.

It took me awhile to even admit to myself that Kim was dead. Not that I walked around, telling everyone that Kim was alive, and denying what happened on the Moon last week. I just didn't let go of the hope that she wasn't really dead. Like, perhaps that wasn't Kim. Maybe Zedd created a clone to marry him, and hid Kimberly somewhere in the dungeon. Or maybe that energy explosion only wounded her, and she'd miraculously return to life. To me.

I glance at my clock. Its eight o'clock. For a moment, I'm confused again. Why did I wake up so early on a Saturday morning? Then it hit me... today was Kim's funeral. This is my last chance to say goodbye to her earthly remains. After today, I'll never see her face again. Just that thought makes my skin cold.

With a great deal of effort, I manage to rise to my feet, and stretch out my body. This past week, its been increasingly difficult for me to get up. I just want to sleep all day... and live my life in my dreams, where Kimberly is still with me. I just don't want to face the world. The world seems so dark and hopeless now. My parents are convinced that what I'm experiencing is a case of depression. I also know that symptoms of depression are common in people who've recently lost loved ones. They're really worried about me, but they're sure this is only a phase. They are convinced that, after a while, I'll be back to my old self again. But like I said before... Kimberly was a part of me. As far as I'm concerned, we were one flesh. And now that she's dead... so am I. I'm not physically dead, but my spirit's dead. She was my spirit... my whole love of life was dependent on her happiness. And she's gone forever.

As I search through my closet for my bathrobe, I hear a soft knock on my door. Its just loud enough for me to hear if I were awake, but not loud enough to wake me if I were asleep. Only my mother could be so considerate.

"Come in, Mom," I call, turning to the door. She peers into the room, and quietly walks inside. She walks over to me, and kisses me on the forehead. That means she has to stand on her toes, but it doesn't bother her. No matter how tall I get, I'll always be her baby.

"I just wanted to check if you were awake," she said, "You know the... uh... funeral is at ten."

"Yeah," I answer, as calmly as I can, "I'm getting ready now."

"I made some breakfast. Banana-nut pancakes and sausage. Your favorite."

I can't help but smile. She went through all that trouble for me... even though the rest of the family hates bananas. Because bananas are my favorite fruit, she fixed banana pancakes. No matter how tempting they would have been before, I can't think of eating now. I'm told loss of appetite is another symptom of depression.

"I'm not really hungry," I tell her gently, "I don't... feel too well."

My mother nods with understanding. "Well, if you change your mind, the pancakes are downstairs. And if you ever need to talk, you know I'm here for you. I'd better get ready."

With that, my mother kisses me again and leaves my room. As I go into the bathroom, and drown my body in the steaming hot shower, I ponder over my mother's offer. She's there for me, and I know that she means it. But she doesn't know what happened, and she never can. As far as the world is concerned, Kimberly was abducted and killed by an alien, in an attempt to defeat the Power Rangers. But what they don't know is that I'm the leader of the Power Rangers! No matter how many times everyone tells me otherwise, I know its my fault! There were dozens of times I could've saved her, but didn't. I could've called her after I got the letter. Then we could've figured out it was some vicious hoax. Or, I could've saved her from Divatox, instead of worrying so much about Maligore. The others could've piloted the Megazord fine without me. I never should have let Divatox get away with Kim. I shouldn't have let her cast that spell on Kim and Jason in the first place!!

I could have saved her when we fought in the Power Plant. All I had to do was knock her unconscious or something, and teleport her to the Power Chamber. But I didn't. And Zedd got her. Once she agreed to marry Zedd, all was lost. I missed my chance to save her. Time after time I missed my chance. And now I have to live with the fact that I let her down. Repeatedly, when she was counting on me, I let the woman I love more than life itself down. What kind of hero am I? I'd be better off dead.

I've thought about killing myself a few times this week. All I'd have to do is leap into the lake... where Kim and I first kissed... and let the weight on my shoulders pull me to the bottom. Then, all my suffering would be over. I'd be with Kimberly again, and hopefully we can live the afterlife together. But I know I can't do it. Its the easy, and selfish way out. If I killed myself, I'd leave my family and the rangers behind. My family would be devestated, and I know they'll blame themselves for letting me wallow in self-pity and depression. They'll feel the guilt that I'm feeling right now, and they'd carry it with them for the rest of their lives. And what would the rangers think? I'm the leader, and I have to set the example. I have to be strong for them all, so they can gain strength from me. That's what a leader does. He leads. And if I take the cowardly way out, then I'd betray them all. I can't let myself do that to my friends.

So I'll continue living. Not that it will be easy, but its not a choice. I have to live on, just like Trevor said. I have to keep going, for the benefit of those close to me. And I have to consider Kim. She wanted to pull the weight of guilt off me, when she said she deserved what happened. She wanted me to move on, knowing that she'll carry her love with her to wherever she is now. She wanted me to leave her behind. But I can't. She's a part of me. One flesh...

I've always felt comfortable in churches. There's a feeling of brotherhood, and there's a feeling of security in knowing that I'm in the house of God. God is watching over me, and he can read my heart. He knows that I'm in pain, and I don't need to mask my true feelings from him. Besides God, there is only one person who knew the real me. And she's dead.

I put my black blazer back on over my white shirt. Suddenly, I feel incredibly cold. Its usually a little chilly in churches, probably because a lot of people wear suits. But its absolutely frigid in this room. Is it the room, or is it just me? Or maybe, its because Kim's body is here. And I know that its ice cold. Is that why my flesh is ice cold? I wouldn't be surprised.

I glance uncomfortably around the room. Its nearly ten, and just about everyone's here. In the front, I see Caroline, and her new husband Pierre. Caroline usually is radiant, with beauty very similar to Kim's although more mature. But today, she's a wreck. Her eyes are red, and her hair is in disarray. Even Pierre looks distraught. Kim wasn't his daughter, but they grew close in the few weeks they spent together. Sitting beside them is Richard Hart, Kim's father. He came all the way from Washington, where he moved when he and Caroline got a divorce. I've only seen him once, on the Parent's Day when I got my Green Ranger powers back. He's usually a cheerful guy, but now, he looks like a zombie. The news of losing his only child obviously hit him rather hard. Its terrible how tragedy brings people together. Before, Caroline and Richard wouldn't even speak to each other. But now, they are sharing their pain, since they share the torture of losing a child. Kimberly was a blessing to both, and now there was a gaping hole in the collective heart of the Harts.

The next group that catches my eye is a very familiar one. Jason Lee, my best friend for years, is sitting as still as death, with a blank expression on his face. I know Jay like I know myself-- he's crying inside, but he won't show it. He probably feels responsible, because he was the last person to see Kim before she took off with Divatox. He always regarded Kim as his little sister, and he always kept an eye on her during middle school, and even high school. But the big brother couldn't save her. He probably feels almost as terrible as I do. Almost.

Sitting beside him is Trini Kwan. Trini is sobbing outright, covering he face in a yellow hankerchief. This must be the first time I ever saw Trini in dreary black. She always wore yellow, either as a ranger or after. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Trini in ages... since she left Angel Grove for Geneva. She and Kimberly were like sisters, and Trini never said goodbye. That must hurt. And Trini's so sensitive, losing her friend will leave a scar that may never heal completely.

Another face I haven't seen in awhile is Zack Taylor's. He, like Trini, hasn't been back to Angel Grove since the Peace Conference started, and he hasn't seen Kim since then. He and Kim were close in that they both had an unparalleled zest for life. Its terrible that Zack, the man who always is full of energy and vibrance, is so despondent. Its as if he's dead inside. I know how that feels, my friend.

I should be surprised to see the next person in the row, but I'm not. I knew that he'd come. Billy Mitchell was Kimberly's friend throughout grade school, and no matter how decidedly different they were, they always managed to have a good time together. Billy took it hard when Kim left Angel Grove for Florida. I always believed it was one reason why he went to Aquitar. I guess things got a little lonely without her.

In the row behind them sit the present Turbo Rangers. They all cared about Kim, but none of them knew her like the original team did. Tanya and Justin are rather calm, and that's understandable-- neither knew Kimberly. Still, they came to show support to their friends, and that's nice of them. Rocky is sitting beside Adam, and both have tears in their eyes. Now that I think of it, I've never seen Rocky cry. Even after he injured his back, he didn't cry. He always searched for the bright side. But what bright side is there when the light dies?

Kat isn't crying. That doesn't surprise me, because she's been crying all week. I didn't see her a whole lot, since I spent most of this past week in my bed, but she called me a couple times, to check up on me. I could tell from her voice that she was in tears. She blamed herself for what happened to Kim, even though she isn't at fault. Kim believed that Kat and I betrayed her, and that guilt won't go away. I feel badly for Kat. She picked the wrong man to fall in love with. And I still haven't decided what I'm going to do about that.

Across from me and my family are a group of people I'm not too familiar with. However, I do recognize Coach Schmidt and Trevor Monroe. I guess the rest of the people are Team USA members. Kim sure made alot of friends in Florida. And she touched their lives to such an extent that they came all the way from Florida to pay their respects.

The mininster stands at the podium, and gives a speech. But I can't listen. I know that what he's saying is supposed to comfort those in mourning. But I don't want to be comforted. I don't even think I can be comforted. I'm dead inside.

About midway through the sermon, the casket is opened, revealing Kimberly's body. In line, everyone walks up to the black coffin, and say farewell to her. A lump rises in my throat as I approach her. She's so radiant, even when dead, that I can't help but think of Snow White. And then I wonder... if I kissed her, would she come back? I don't try it, though. Not only would everyone think I'm crazy, but I know my kiss won't revive her. I'm not her savior. I'm not her Prince Charming. Its my fault she's dead.

Instead, I kiss the tips of my fingers, and gently touch her cheek. I think I'm the only person who touched her, and I don't know if its improper to touch a dead body or not. All I know is, I was with her, holding her tightly, when that last spark of life died from within her. Its like a small piece of that life energy that faded from her passed into me, that I could never think of her as totally gone. Her skin is cold and clammy-- as should be expected. But for some reason, I was suprised... as if I expected her to be warm and alive. I guess I haven't convinced myself that she's gone for good yet.

The casket remained open as the minister concluded. My gaze remained on Kimberly throughout the speech. It seemed that her chest was still moving, and I almost got up out of my chair to jog her awake. I know my mind's playing tricks on me. I want her to be alive so much, I can't accept that she's not. I closed my eyes tightly as they suddenly clouded over with tears. Its not really the fact that Kim's dead that made me cry-- because I know she's in a better place. Its far more selfish than that. Its that I'll never see her again. That's what's unbearable. I'll have to live without her.

Finally, the sermon's over, and the casket is closed. Kimberly's radiant beauty has seen the light of day for the last time. Everyone stands up and watches as the casket is carried out of the room. Then, we all leave, heading to our cars to follow the black car carrying Kimberly as it makes its way to the cemetary. As the group walks, I notice some of my friends talking. But I don't want to join them. I know misery loves company and all, but I think I'm beyond help. I can't verbalize my true feelings anyway. To my friends, I must be strong. That's the role I must play.

Everyone else is still at the cemetary. I should be there now, but when they began lowering Kimberly into the dark hole, I couldn't watch any longer. The whole idea of Kim's final resting place, encased in cold darkness, made me ill. I just wove my way through the crowd, and left. I walked away calmly, but I soon broke into a run. I ran as if there were demons licking at my feet. I guess I ran so quickly so as to leave my pain behind. But I can't outrun pain, confusion, and guilt. They're a part of me know. I guess that's what filled the part of me that Kim's death left empty.

I keep reminding myself that I lost Kimberly months ago, when I got the letter. Although she didn't write it, I thought she did, and it crushed me. But I didn't feel anything like this. It must be because, on some level, I was happy for her. The letter said that she fell in love with someone else, and I was happy that she found happiness. Even if that meant being with someone else...

My run through Angel Grove was a blur, until I came to a stop at the lake. This very lake was the seat of my greatest joys, and greatest pains. Its where I first kissed Kim. Its where I went when I got the letter. Its where I spent many hours with Kim on picnics. It was the battleground for numerous monster and Putty fights. Once again, I sit down by the shore, ignoring the fact that I'm probably getting permanent grass stains on my suit. At this point, nothing really matters.

As I sit pensively on the shore of the lake, a shadow approaches me silently. I don't need to look up to see who had followed me. She sits down beside me, and gazes out at the waters as I do. I can feel her blue gaze on my skin, but I don't respond. I'd rather lose myself in my own thoughts than speak.

"Everyone is worried about you," she says to me, "You just disappeared from the cemetary. Your parents were terrified that you may have done something... rash."

I didn't respond, although I could understand why everyone was worried. I wanted to die... to join Kim in that cold, dark earth. Anything was better than living without her.

"Talk to me," Kat says quietly, "I know you're in pain, but you shouldn't keep it bottled up."

"I... I don't think so Kat," I say to her, still not turning around, "Not yet."

"Tommy, you've confided in me before," she says, reaching for my hand, "I'm here--"

She stops short as she touches my hand. The reason why is because I retract my hand from her, as if she was a poisonous snake out to bite me. Its a horrible thing to do to a person, and I didn't mean it. Its just that I didn't want to touch her. I felt... guilty. Kimberly had just died, and she took my heart with her. I didn't have my heart to give to another. Kat wants to be there for me... she wants me to love her. I know she does, even though she doesn't come out and say it. But I can't love her.

Kat pulls her hand back, and rises to her feet. "If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me," she says as she walks away. "I have the feeling you'd like to be alone."

Although I don't express it, I'm grateful to Kat for leaving me alone. Without Kim, I'll always be alone. Kimberly and I were one flesh, and now half that person we became is dead. From this day forward, I'll always be alone... and incomplete.

The End