The Path of Friendship
By : Tsubasa Caligrapher
Chapter 1
Disclaimer : I don't own Power Rangers or anything that else about them ... except this story ... yeah ...
A/N : This story is COMPLETELY AU.
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Little William Cranston peeked around the corner of his parent's room. He was supposed to be in his room, asleep, but it was strange today. He didn't even get to see his mom today, and they sent him to bed earlier than usual. He was only 7, but he wasn't dumb. Something was wrong, he knew his mom was sick but they kept on saying that she was going to get better.
Somehow he just knew that it wasn't true. He knew that the truth was in his parent's room, but he was too afraid to look. He held his breath, and looked around the corner.
" Momma ? " he whispered. But it was loud enough for his father and someone else he didn't know to hear.
" Billy ? What are you doing here ? " his father asked as he made his way to the door. Billy's eyes widened as he saw his mother's still form. She was paler than usual and he saw a medical bag on the edge of the bed. He realized that it was the last time he was ever gonna see her alive.
" Mommy ? "
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Billy jerked awake, covered in a light sheen of sweat. When he finally regained control of his wits, he sighed as he buried his face in the palm of his hand. It was the nightmare again, the one where his mother dies. But why now ? After 8 long years he slowly let the pain fade away, this was the first time in a lon while that he ever had a dream about her death.
He reached for his glasses on a bedside desk and put them on, seeing that the sun was already rising. Billy thought he might as well wait for them to be called, not wanting to risk falling asleep and getting that same nightmare again. He rested on his bed, waiting for morning duties to start, reflecting on his life.
" HEY ! WAKE UP SCUM ! " and there was the daily wake-up. Yes, that was how his life was now. He came from being a prince to being a slave. But it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Not since he was lucky enough to be sent to the Hart Palace, home to one of his very few friends, Kimberly Hart.
The kingdom residing in Angel Grove was very peaceful, and the ruling family was gracious and kind, a rarity in every kingdom. It was nice, all the slaves had to do was farm the crops and help in building and house cleaning. The family was very leniant, allowing them more freedom than what was usually given.
Billy got up and put on his old work clothes, walking downstairs to breakfast. He yawned tiredly as he walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl and spoon. The lines moved slowly as usual, he waited patiently until he got his serving of porridge. He was used to the food now, it was enough to fuel him for the rest of the day.
He sat down at a lone table, never eating with the others since he was the nerd and the loner. Everyone treated him differently just because he had glasses. He didn't have the best eyesight as everyone else so he invented a simple device to help him see better. Just a wood carven frame with flexible glass for the lens. Nonetheless, it made him look different and that was never a good thing.
As he sat there quietly, the two bullies came over and decided to bother him again. Farkus and Eugene, who everyone simply called Bulk and Skull.
" Hey there Billy-boy. Eating porridge again are we ? " said Bulk.
" Yeah ! Porridge ! " repeated Skull.
" What do you guys want ? I'm not in a really good mood today ok, so just leave me alone. " he grumbled.
" Awww, the poor baby feeling lonely ? " Buly mocked as he patted Billy's head rather hard.
" Leave him alone you two ! " yelled Kimberly as she dove down the stairs to her friend's rescue. As soon as they saw the princess coming, the split as fast as they could.
" God man ! Why do they always pick on you ? " said Kim angrily as she sat down next to him. If nobody has ever seen it before, the scene would have looked rather strange, something lower than a peasant was sitting confortably with the ruler of the castle. But everyone there already knew that the princess was friends with Billy, though they didn't know why but they were used to it.
" Probably because I am a gee- "
" Don't even say it ! " she cut off as she pressed her fingers over his lips.
" But I am. "
" No you are not. " she stated a matter-of-factly. Billy sighed as he soon gave up. Nobody could win against Kim in an argument. So he just sat there quietly eating while she watched him in worry. After awhile, he noticed her looks.
" What's is bothering you Kim ? "
" Oh, it's nothing. " he decided not to probe, he dind't like to share his feelings and since she never forced him to reveal them, he returned the favor. So he just sat there, while she mused sadly.
" Aaarrgghh ! I'm so bored ! " she yelled. Billy just sat there, knowing that she could leave anytime soon but she decided to stay, for him.
" Kim, you could go you know. "
" Yeah but I don't want to. I want to do something with you today ... oh yeah ! I totally forgot ! I got great news ! " she said happily, putting on a new expression full of gleeful joy. He always liked that about her, almost everything could excite her and make her happy in a matter of seconds.
" Well ? What is it ? " he asked after she didn't say anything yet.
" Wha- oh ! There's going to be a whole new crew of people coming over tomorrow to join us ! " Kim never said the word slaves, she thought it was too offensive.
" Wait, but doesn't that mean that we have to leave for another land ? " ever since awhile back, they have been shifting more and more slaves to different lands and replacing them for an unknown reason.
" Well yeah, but everyone has to go this time.. "
" Everyone ? " he looked alarmed, he didn't want to leave. Kim was the only friend he had.
" Well, no. Almost everyone. They're only taking about three-fourths of everyone here. You'll probably stay here though. I'm pretty sure of it. "
" And how is that possible ? " he asked, starting to see a glint of mischief in her eyes.
" It just is. " she stated.
" What are you up to ? "
" What ! Me ? " she pretended to look surprised but everyone who knew her knew she was putting up an act.
" Yes you. " after minutes of quiet laughter, a bell rang and Billy had to go leave for his duties.
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After a quick rinse in the lake, Billy went to his bed and quickly fell asleep, waiting for the next sun to rise. Strangely, he was excited about the new slaves that were soming in. Almost everyone was the same, hating him before knowing him just because he had glasses and wasn't physically fit.
But Billy had a strange feeling that this one may have potential friends for him. Dawn quickly approached and he grabbed his glasses and ran downstairs, to wait with the others in the great hall to greet the newcomers and to say goodbye to the departing slaves.
The farewell departure was quickly over and then came the newcomers. Billy sighed sadly as he saw almost the same group once again, except for three kids that just stood out.
One was a beautiful Asian girl with long black hair, hanging out with an African boy who was talking and smiling wildy, playing around with an attractive brown haired boy. It was a rare thing to see them hanging out together, mainly girls stayed with girls and the same for the guys. But it was strangest because Racism was always a big thing in this day and age.
But of course Billy didn't believe in it, but he had seen what happened to some people who hung out with people out of their ' kind '. It dusgusted Billy. But here were these three kids, having fun with eachother, acting as if the color barrier between them didn't exist at all. Billy smiled, he was right. He had a feeling that things were about to get a whole lot more interesting with them around.
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The prolouge completed ! Come and review people, please ! I know that this chapter was boring, but please just wait for the next chapter. Things will get a whole lot more interesting when the gang of 5 gets forged so please review ! It will only make me type faster ! Yay !