Disclaimer: Power Rangers belongs to Saban. American Idol belongs to Fox.
This is it.
It was the first coherent thought that flashed across Tanya Sloan's mind as she walked out onto the massive stage. What had seemed like just a short walk before now seemed to take forever. She took a deep breath, then another, to calm herself down. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the massive studio audience cheering loudly, banners and posters aloft, but she could not hear anything beyond the frantic pounding of her heart.
Her mind was a blank when she finally reached the microphone, which had already been set up in the middle of the stage, and she felt a moment of panic when the lyrics to the song that she was about to sing eluded her.
Faintly, she could hear the host, Ryan Seacrest, announce her name and the title of her song, but even that seemed to be drowned out by the loud thudding of her pounding heart.
She loosened the death grip both her trembling hands had on each other, took a nervous, shuddering breath and slowly let it out.
The judges, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell had turned their attention onto her, their eyes bright with anticipation and expectation. She avoided their gazes and focused on the floor instead.
She, Tanya Sloan, who had fought countless monsters off in bright yellow spandex and giant robots, was about to expire from sheer nervousness. Squeezing her eyes shut, she took deep, deep breaths so she would not hyperventilate.
The audience had quietened, and the silence that fell was almost eerie in contrast.
The music started, and just like that, all her worries fell away.
What if I told you,
It was all meant to be
Would you believe me,
Would you agree
She looked up at the audience, at the cameras, at the judges. This was what she was born to do. This was her moment. And she was determined to shine.
It's almost that feeling that we've met before
So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy
When I tell you that love is here and now
The nerves were gone, and her head was clear. The lyrics that she could not, for the life of her, remember a minute ago, flowed past her lips like she had known them all her life.
A moment like this,
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this,
Some people search forever
For that one special kiss
Oh I can't believe it's happening to me
Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this
She could feel the truth of the lyrics in her heart. She had waited for a lifetime for a moment like this. Nothing else mattered.
Everything changes, but beauty remains
Something so tender, I can't explain
Well I may be dreaming but until I awake
Can we make this dream last forever
And I'll cherish all the love we shared
A special moment like this, and she never felt more alive.
For a moment like this
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this
Some people search forever
For that one special kiss
Oh I can't believe it's happening to me
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this
Her voice soared, reverberating soulfully in the studio.
Could this be the greatest love of all
I want to know that you would catch me if I fall
So let me tell you this
Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this
Some people search forever for that one special kiss
Oh I can't believe it's happening to me
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this
This was her moment, and her eyes fluttered close as she sang the last line of the song.
For a moment like this...
When she opened her eyes, the audience was on its feet with a standing ovation. What had seemed like a muted buzz before suddenly became a deafening roar as reality finally sank in.
The judges were on their feet as well, applauding her performance, and she felt wash of pride at the sight.
Just behind the judges' podium, to the left, she could see her family and dearest friends cheering her on, and beaming with pride. Her parents had returned from an exploration trip in order to be here to support her; Adam, who had rushed to the studio straight from another; Kat, who had flown from London just to be here; Rocky, who had driven up from Angel Grove; Tommy, who had brought the rest of the Mighty Morphin' team with him.
Tanya let out the breath that she did not even realize she was holding and simply beamed. She could see Ryan approaching her to resume his duties as host and ask for the judges' comments. But she would worry about that in a few seconds when the time came. For now, all she could do was revel in the energy of the cheering crowd.
All her life she had dreamed of a moment like this, and now that it was finally here, it felt so surreal. She never dreamt that she would be one of the last two standing in the competition when she went for that open audition in New York, much less receive a standing ovation for her performance in the final performance show. Regardless of what the judges would have to say, she knew that she had poured her heart and soul into that song and given the performance of a lifetime, for now anyways, and that was enough for her.