Trini's gentle eyes shot open as she felt heavy breath on her face and a splatter of clear liquid on her forehead. A wrinkled woman dressed in green and silver leered above her, staring at her with an evil look in her eyes before grabbing a hold of the girl's chin as the bed shook slightly.

"Do you know who I am?" she rasped.

"Yes," Trini whispered as the woman temporarily let go of her.

"I was once just like you. So... pretty. Innocent. Are all the Rangers on Zordon's new team as young as you?"

That did it. Trini thrust herself up at Rita Repulsa, knocking her up to the ceiling. As they came back down, Rita growled, "Have you morphed yet?" and threw her opponent against the wall. Trini slid down to the floor as the words roiled throughout her mind.

We haven't morphed yet. And that's all because of me!

"Please. This conversation would be different if you could." She picked her up by the throat and pinned her against the wall. "Where is the Zeo Crystal?"

"I... I don't know."

"Hmm..." Rita tapped her own chin thoughtfully with a finger on her other hand. "Sadly for you, I don't believe you. I will ask you one more time: WHERE IS THE ZEO CRYSTAL?!"

"I told you, I don't know!" Trini gasped desperately.

"Maybe if I play with you for a little bit first, then you will finally give me the Crystal's location," Rita exclaimed, raising the Yellow Ranger higher.

"I'm serious, I don't know where the Zeo Crystal is!"

"Yes, you do!" Rita shouted, loosening her grip on Trini before tossing her across the room. She crumpled against the wall, gasping for breath as she got up and tried to charge again.

"Pitiful." With one swift arm movement, Rita blocked Trini's punch and swept her feet out from under her, sending her crashing to the floor and twisting her arm. Trini bit her tongue to stop herself from screaming, tasting blood in her mouth. The evil woman picked her up again by the neck, slamming her against the wall so hard that her vision began to blur.

"You could have had everything from me!" Rita hissed, heavily attempting to cut off the teen's air. "You could have had glory and fame. You could have ruled the universe with me!"

"Please..." Trini struggled against her grip, frantically aspiring to escape. She realized that she had no dignity left in her anymore.

"Tell me where the Crystal is or I really will kill you, just like I did with the Ranger before you."

"No... don't..." she gasped.

Rita's nails dug into her neck, leaving deep cuts in her skin. A few tears leaked from Trini's eyes.

"Yes, cry as much as you can. It'll all be over soon."

"No!" I've only just discovered who I really am, I can't die now! Plus... I can't leave Kimberly! I... I...

"Pay attention, Ranger!" Rita snarled. She tossed Trini to the other side of the room. The girl's head hit the wall so harshly that a deep gash opened in the back and her head began to bleed.

I'm sorry, Kimberly. I... I love you!

Rita advanced on her brutally, her armor glimmering as it came to light. She slashed her nails across Trini's neck again, opening many more deeper cuts. She stepped back in temporary triumph as they started bleeding too. Every breath brought more blood from her throat.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?" Both Rita and Trini looked up as a female voice rang out in the air. Standing next to the open window, glaring at the intruder with a fierce aura in her angry gaze, was Kimberly.

"Doing what I did to the Ranger that had come before her!" Rita roared. As Kimberly ran toward her, she lifted Trini into the air again and launched her at the Pink Ranger. Kim skidded to a stop as Trini's body collided with her, sending them both to the floor.

"Trini, are you okay?" Kimberly asked. Then she caught sight of the slashes on her neck. "Oh no!"

"Does it look bad?" Trini inquired nervously.

"Bad is an understatement," Kim mumbled to herself.

"I heard that. Seriously, be honest with me."

"It does!" she burst out. "Oh Trini, you're bleeding badly." She pressed a hand to her friend's throat and Trini gulped as pain flashed through her neck, drawing away from her.

A screech in the room startled both of them. In their brief reunion, Rita had summoned her golden staff and just as she let out a battle cry, she thrust it at Trini, catching her on the side and flinging her against the bed. The wooden bed frame cracked and a large piece of wood embedded itself in the skin on her chest as she collapsed. Kimberly gasped as she saw blood spurt out of the wound.

"Trini!" Kim ran over to her and helped her up. Seeing the big piece of wood made her freeze in shock. Eventually, she took a deep breath and placed one hand on it and the other on Trini's back. "I'm going to pull this out, okay? Just breathe." Trini obeyed as her companion quickly grasped the wood and yanked it out of her friend's chest. Trini shrieked in pain as she fell into Kimberly's arms, more blood steadily streaming from the deep leftover gash.

Oh no, I've only made things worse! Kimberly thought anxiously, wrapping her arms around her and forcefully impelling her hands against Trini's injury. Trini screamed, struggling to battle her way out of the other girl's arms.

"Kim, let go!" she shouted. Kimberly twisted around and gently picked Trini up by the waist, laying her on the bed.

"Well, I see that my work here is done!" Rita laughed and fled out the open window, disappearing into the night. Her voice lingered behind, yelling out loud, "Enjoy your last moments with your friend!" Kim went over to the window and slammed it shut. Silence reigned over the room until Trini broke it.

"K- Kim, please c- come here." Her friend obeyed.

"Trini, no. God, you need a hospital quick."

"Kimberly, there's something I need to tell you first."

"Okay, what is it?" I have something to tell her too. I also have something to feel for her. What is she trying to tell me?

"Please don't judge me for this. Since I met you, I knew there was something special about you, even though I acted like I didn't like you. Also, when you pulled me into the water the first time we discovered the ship where Zordon and Alpha-5 resided, the touch you gave me, it- it felt like you cared as well."

"I do." Trini blinked in surprise as she heard Kimberly's answer.

"Really?"

"Yes," Kim replied. "I feel that same way. I love you."

"I love you too."

"So... will you be my girlfriend?"

"Of course, Kim. Of course."

"That's so amazing." Kimberly gave Trini a small kiss on the lips, still smiling as she pulled away. "Now let's get you to a hospital."