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The planet Aquitar was very nice, even for non-Aquitarians; the watery landscapes, the beautiful architecture, and the peacefulness, thanks to the alien rangers. They thrived on the term alien rangers; they enjoyed being aliens, even on their home planet. Originally, they had just been the 'ninja rangers', but then when they extended their pacification to other planets, their appearance earned them the name 'alien rangers'. Their techniques only improved with their resident scientist, Billy Cranston. He enjoyed Aquitar too, but somehow, things didn't feel right. He and Cestria had been having problems lately; Billy didn't feel like himself. Sometimes, he wished he could just be invisible.
/
"Hey Billy," Aurico walked into Billy's lab, "How's it going?"
Billy was busy attempting to repair a weapon that another ranger had asked him to fix.
"Not great," Billy said, dismantling the Red Space Ranger's spiral saber, "It has a jam in the kentadate circuit, thanks to the M.I.K.U. virus."
"Oh, that sucks," Aurico said, "Can I give you a hand?"
"Uh…actually, I'd kind of like to do this alone. I think I work better when I'm alone."
"Oh. OK."
Aurico left. Billy put down the spiral saber, and took out his real project. It was a thick plastic harness, with a lot of exposed wires and a glowing green power source. Billy tried it on, fastening all the straps and securing the wires with some electric tape.
"OK," he breathed, doing a few stretches, "Three, two, one…"
An electric current surged through the suit; for about three seconds, Billy was invisible. Then the power source destabilized, and blew a fuse; Billy was visible again. If only he could power it by his own desire to be invisible.
"Hey…" Billy thought about it
/
Two weeks later…
/
Billy slid his helmet over his head, and strapped on his harness. He switched on his helmet, and it began to link up with his mental impulses, feeling his every will. Billy crossed his arms, and began to fade from visibility.
"OK, stable," Billy noted, "Now to attempt mobility…"
Billy began to walk, but found himself struggling with keeping his head up. The helmet was very heavy.
"Darnit…" he groaned
/
Later…
/
Billy lay in his bed, doing some calculations. He needed extra support to hold up his head.
"Hey Billy," Cestria walked into the room, "How was work?"
"Fine," Billy replied
Cestria climbed into bed next to Billy. They began to kiss, but as usual, Billy stopped.
"I'm sorry," Cestria said
"It's not your fault," Billy replied, "It's just…do you ever feel like the only reason we got together was because it was convenient?"
"Oh…" Cestria was hurt
"It's not that," Billy said, "I mean, you're a great friend, a great scientist, but I just don't see you as a…well, as someone to share the bed with. In fact, I don't really see any girl that way…"
"I understand," Cestria said, "It's not that uncommon on Aquitar."
"I think I'm going to go call someone," Billy got up
/
"…so, Kim, do you understand what I mean?" Billy asked
The two of them had been talking on the video phone for ten minutes.
"Totally," she replied, "But Billy, to tell you the truth, I've always known."
"What tipped you off?"
"Remember that time we switched bodies? It kind of surprised me that you didn't head to the nearest girl's locker room."
"Ah."
"So what are you going to do now?" Kim asked
"Well, now that I'm cured, I see no reason to stay on Aquitar," Billy replied, "I guess I'll come back to earth."
"Awesome, it'll be great to see you again!"
/
Billy returned to earth the next week; Cestria and the alien rangers had been sad to see him go, but they understood. He teleported in, nothing fancy, right outside the command center, and walked inside. He descended to the power chamber.
"Hi Zordon, Alpha," Billy grinned, "It's good to be back."
"Hello Billy," Zordon said, "It is good to see you. Are you staying this time?"
"Uh huh," Billy nodded, "By the way…did you talk to Kimberly?"
"She had informed me, and I spoke to the rangers," Zordon announced, "They understand. And so do I. I think it is very brave of you to admit it. I always knew you had that kind of courage. You know, we still have the Zeo powers, if you'd like to resume your ranger duties."
"That would be awesome," Billy put his bag down on a table, "So…where is everyone?"
"They're down at Ernie's," Zordon replied, "I can teleport you in if you like."
"That would be great."
/
Billy teleported into the juice bar, just behind a wall. He walked out, and faced everyone.
"Cranston," Lieutenant Stone grinned, "You're back!"
"Yeah," Billy said, "Could I get some fries?"
"Of course. Bulkmeir! Skullovitch! I need some fries out here!"
Bulk and Skull ran out of the kitchen, carrying fries in a paper basket.
"What is it, Stone?" Bulk asked, "I wanted to…Billy! How are ya, you big geek?"
The way Bulk said it sounded more playful, not in the hurtful way they used to say it. Billy had missed being a 'geek'.
"Hey Bulk, Skull," Billy firmly shook their hands, "How are you guys? Still working for the police?"
"Nah, we couldn't play by their rules," Bulk said
"Plus there was a misunderstanding with the chief's daughter…" Skull muttered
"I'll catch up with you later," Billy said, picking up his fries, "Got to go see the guys."
/
The former blue ranger strolled over to the table where his old friends were: Tommy, Adam, Kat, and Tanya. There was also some kid wearing blue who had a bowl haircut.
"Hey," Billy said, sitting down, "I just got in from Aquitar. And Zordon says…"
He realized everyone was glaring at him.
"What did I do?" Billy asked
"I talked to Kimberly last night," Tommy said, "Look, Billy, we're not comfortable with you hanging out with us."
"But guys, I'm still the same Billy," he said in his defense, "It's not like…"
Tanya, Kat, and Justin looked away awkwardly.
"We know," Adam said, "Look, Billy, can you just go?"
Billy was too hurt to say anything. He got up and walked out.
/
Later…
/
It was late. Billy was at the park, sitting on the swings. He thought back to all the times Rita, Lord Zedd, and King Mondo had sent monsters here for them to fight. When Billy was a ranger, they had all been so close; now, they shunned him for being who he was. Billy tossed some rocks through a tire swing; it made him feel better.
"Hi,"
Kim stood behind Billy. He turned around to see her.
"I heard about what Tommy did," Kim said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told him."
"It's fine, he would have found out eventually," Billy sighed, "When did you get here?"
"I flew in from Florida to see you. I didn't think it would go that way."
"I guess society isn't ready for a power ranger like me," Billy said, "You know, Zordon offered me the Zeo powers. But I just can't accept them knowing that the team wouldn't accept me."
"Well, Billy, it's like when we used to be Rangers," Kim said, "No one liked having a Valley Girl on the team. But I did my part, and we saved the earth. I stopped caring what people thought of me, and I focused on being a good ranger."
"I guess. But I wish there was some way around it…"
/
"Hey, geek."
Billy turned around, seeing Bulk and Skull walking towards him.
"Hey guys," he said
"Hey Billy, hey Kimberly," Skull said, "We saw what happened tonight."
"If it helps, we think those guys are jerks," Bulk added
"Thanks," Billy replied
"What was the deal about it?" Skull asked
Billy told him.
"Oh, that's it?" Skull was confused, "I was thinking you killed Tommy's mom or something."
"No…"
"That's not all we overheard," Bulk interrupted, "What you and Kim said just now…"
For a moment, Billy panicked.
"But we already suspected you guys."
"Why?" Kim asked
Skull snorted.
"You guys wore your morphers on your belts!" Bulk laughed, "We were going to find out sooner or later!"
"So…what are the Zeo powers?" Skull asked
Billy explained them to him
"…but there's no point," Billy continued, "Even if I did become a ranger again, I wouldn't be as strong as Tommy, and I can't fight as well."
"Oh, please," Kim snorted, "Everyone knows Tommy's been using 'roids since he was twelve. And as for the moves, we can train you."
"I could go for that…"
/
The next day…
/
The four of them were training privately at Rocky's dojo; Billy was fighting Bulk and Skull, who were wearing pads.
"Mastodon hook! Slider Uppercut! Tiger kick!" Kimberly yelled instructions
Billy executed the moves perfectly; he wouldn't need much training to match Tommy.
/
"OK, Billy," Kimberly said, "I think you've earned yourself a five minute break. Go get yourself a protein shake."
Billy nodded; he was too out of breath to speak. He walked out of the room. Skull gave Bulk a shove, and raised an eyebrow.
"OK!" Bulk walked out
Skull took a deep breath; he tried to think of something to give himself courage. Think of the time you stood up to Rita and Lord Zedd, he thought.
"Hey Kimberly," Skull accidentally yelled, "Sorry. That happens."
"It's alright," Kimberly smiled
"Anyway…I was wondering, when we're done here…do you want to maybe go get a hamburger or something?"
"Uh, OK."
"Awesome."
/
During the day, Billy trained, and at night, he worked on his invisibility generator. He found that shoulder pads could support the helmet. When he discovered that tactile contact affected the visibility, he solved it by creating an suit that would conduct the invisibility. Soon, the time came for Billy to accept the Zeo powers. He went into the command center, finding Zordon and Alpha waiting for him in a special room; it was completely black, with the Zeo crystals located in the center of it.
"Shall we begin, Billy?" Zordon asked
"I'm ready."
Billy held out his hand, and the crystals shot an electric beam at it. The crystals moved closer to him, changing color and shrinking down to the size shape of a ruby. Billy held it in his hand.
"The Zeo ruby will give you the abilities of a ranger," Zordon explained, "It will synchronize with your invisibility suit and power it up."
"Morphenomenal," Billy said, "Thank you, Zordon."
/
Billy, with the aid of Bulk, Skull, and Kim, infused the power ruby within the invisibility suit's circuitry. The suit no longer felt clunky and cumbersome; it was like a second skin.
"The ruby will give me life support, oxygen and stuff," Billy explained, "I'll never need to unmask."
Billy combined the two zeonizers he was wearing.
"Zeo Ranger Omega!" he yelled
The suit materialized onto him.
"You know, I always wondered how you guys did that," Bulk admitted
/
Billy's ranger activities were soon noticed by the new Turbo rangers; they welcomed him, but Billy still chose to maintain his mysteriousness, for fear that they would shun him like Tommy and Adam had done. Zordon aided him with his fight against evil, giving him a spaceship, the Artillatron, and the Delta Megazord, to name a few. Billy had arranged for the rangers to get new Zords when they had lost the Turbo megazord. When the Turbo powers were destroyed, however, Billy decided to arrange a meeting between Andros and the rangers, knowing that a team like that could defeat the United Alliance of Evil. Billy also gave them his Delta Megazord so they could have a disposable Zord, which they needed. After the destruction of the UAE, Billy retired the Phantom Ranger, deciding it was time to settle down…
/
2010…
/
Dr. Tommy Oliver was in Angel Grove airport, getting a connecting flight to Mexico for an archeological dig. As he walked through the airport, he saw some familiar faces sitting at a café.
"Billy?" he asked, "Kimberly?"
The two of them turned to him.
"Hey Tommy," Billy replied
Tommy walked up to his old friends.
"Listen Billy, about the last time we spoke…" Tommy began, "Well…you know, it was the nineties; we weren't informed like kids today. I'm sorry we shunned you."
"It's alright," Billy said, "This is John, he's my partner."
Billy indicated a guy across the table.
"Hi," John said, giving Tommy a little wave
"Kimberly, how are you?" Tommy asked
"I can't complain," Kim replied
"I'm almost afraid to ask this, but are you…?"
"Uh huh," Kim nodded, "Three months. Gene and I waited a year after getting married."
"That's me," Gene raised his hand
Tommy studied Gene. He looked familiar, yet so different, with his Ivy League hair cut and fancy suit.
"Skull?" Tommy exclaimed
"Detective Eugene Skullovitch," Gene corrected, holding up his police badge, "No one's called me Skull for years."
"Man, it's great to see you guys," Tommy said, "Billy, you know, you disappeared all those years after you came back, all these rumors got started. Some people say that you even became the Phantom Ranger."
Tommy waited for Billy to tell him the rumors weren't true.
"Are you serious?" Tommy asked, "That was you?"
"Yeah," Billy nodded, "No point in hiding it anymore. Everyone's more accepting now…"