This world was once a different place, a place where people lived in cohabitation that meant no real harm, yes there were problems, but nothing like what began that summer. A group of teenagers whom had vowed to protect the earth were forced into a 'normal' life, one that would not attract attention. It was a life in which they passed their powers onto others, so that they might one day return to fight and defeat this man.
After the Fall
"Tommy!" Kim yelled as she got off the plane and ran into her boyfriend's arms. It had been too long since she had last seen him, too long since she had been in his embrace. Her going to Florida had taken its toll on the both of them, but the one thing that had been left untouched was their relationship and they weren't sure how they got so lucky in that aspect.
"Kim," Tommy whispered as he pulled her close and inhaled her scent. At one time he thought he'd forget it, now he realized that was never going to happen. Any time he smelled green apples, and that hint of raspberry he found himself looking for her. She was with him wherever he went, even when he didn't want her to be, but that was a good thing, it reminded him of what he was really fighting for. "There's a lot we need to talk about."
"Can't it wait? I just want to be your girlfriend tonight, not what I used to be, before the fall. I don't know if I can do that," Kim said as he barely nodded his head. The whole world was going crazy and a man named Gary Vintovskiy seemed to be at the middle of it. He was the real reason that Kim was back and they both knew it. All the Power Rangers had to unite to attempt to defeat this man, who had marked them as the evil ones.
"If it was only that simple, come on, Ernie's is still open. We'll talk on the way there," Tommy said as he held up his identification card as an Angel Grove resident and they exited the building. He noticed that Kim had packed light, to the point that he wondered what had been confiscated of hers before she came here. All Angel Grove residents, of the past three years, were being forced on similar journeys, as if keeping them all here would somehow contain the Power Rangers.
"Is there still a mall?" Kim asked as Tommy nodded his head yes and slung her bag over his shoulder.
"Hours are different, everything is different around here actually," Tommy said as she looked at his wrist and let out a gasp. He no longer wore a communicator, but it wasn't like Tommy to give up, even in the face of a man like this. "It had to go, along with some other things in my life."
"You're joking, right?" Kim asked as Tommy shook his head no. He had hoped to be able to serve as a ranger throughout the entire crisis, but Zordon had decided that the veteran rangers should protect in another way, a way that Kim might not take a liking to. "Why are we going to Ernie's then?"
"In the car," Tommy repeated as he opened her door and she climbed inside and he went around to the other side. "Our powers had to go to someone that could be lost, so that we can live to fight again."
"Who had this idea?" Kim raged as Tommy gently grabbed her hand and she looked over at his eyes.
"What choice did we have? As the real Power Rangers we can protect them, from what is being munched over by a bunch of heartless men. We can protect them, not as Power Rangers, but as people who know the Power Ranger code," Tommy said as Kim barely nodded. She had seen the census and upon revealing her hometown had had to pack up one bag and leave the gym, after medaling at the Pan Globals and knowing she had a pretty good chance at the Olympics. No one understood why and no one was stopping this, no one could except the people that were rangers.
"What happens when they realize that the new rangers aren't the ones that they used to be?" Kim asked as he let out a sigh. He didn't like this any better than her, but she had been in Miami, he had never had the luxury of leaving.
"It will happen, Zordon has told us as much. When the time comes they'll fight and we'll protect the innocent people. After today you won't be seeing much of me, you'll be at a different community house," Tommy said as she gave him a confused look. She had heard of some of the violence, but was sure it was only the media's spin of the truth, which couldn't be taken as accurate. "My parents are dead, yours might as well be, because they can't come back, at least not until this is over. They'd be killed if they came here."
"Tommy, I'm so sorry," Kim whispered as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze and he straightened himself up in his seat.
"They died to keep me alive, like many parents did here. Only one set turned over their child as a Power Ranger," Tommy said as Kim stared at him. She couldn't imagine any of their parents doing that sort of thing. "Did you ever feel your Ninjetti powers fully return?"
"Yes, but that can't…" Kim trailed off as her eyes widened. "No…"
"Gary Vintovskiy knew the Hillard's, from somewhere, and he convinced them of their daughters misdoings. She sent out the call, moments before they killed her," Tommy said as Kim's mouth dropped open. "You see why we have to be careful now? There's no way that I could lose anyone else, especially you."
"So what are we doing?" Kim asked as Tommy pulled into a parking space and held up his id card again as he stepped out of the jeep.
"Going to talk to Ernie," Tommy responded as she jumped out of the jeep and three security guards quickly gathered around her. "She's with me, doesn't have her id card yet, going to get it right now."
"Id card?" Kim asked as he barely nodded and gently led her into the juice bar.
"This is one of the few places not infiltrated by Vintovskiy's men, mainly because Ernie is the only person to stand up to him," Tommy said as Kim looked over at him and he gave her a nudge through the doors. "Ernie! I've brought an id taker."
"Kim! I'm so sorry you were dragged back here," Ernie said as she looked around the abandoned juice bar. It had been stripped of all the gym equipment and that was replaced with televisions and chairs. "Come with me."
"I've got to leave you here, you're in good hands," Tommy said as Kim stared up at him and clung to his hand. "Nothing is going to happen to you, trust me."
"Everything is so…" Kim trailed off as Tommy planted a kiss on her lips and she sensed the sense of change in him. In the past his kisses had left her slightly flustered, but now she could feel the urgency, the need to know she was fine and that he wouldn't lose her too.
"You'll be safe," Tommy whispered in her hair as he released her and then forced himself to walk out of the juice bar as she choked back tears. Things had changed with him, in a way that she wasn't ready to understand.
"Come with me," Ernie said as she looked over at him and he gently took her hand and guided her to the back. "It's killing him too, but he's one of the few people that Vintovskiy doesn't suspect of anything."
"Why doesn't he?" Kim asked as her mouth fell open when she walked into the back room. This was so different from everything she was used to.
"Because according to these records Tommy Oliver is dead, JT Fox is Vintovskiy's top agent," Ernie said as she stared at him. That could not be true, there was no way that could be true. "He couldn't tell you, he's prevented so many deaths, just by saying a credible word from 'Tommy'."
"Who died that he'd believe that?" Kim asked as Ernie started the paperwork. " Ernie…"
"Billy took on Tommy's identity, Tommy the character of JT Fox…Billy was 'vaporized', in all reality he was taken back to the Command Center. Billy confessed all the 'Power Ranger' names, the ones who replaced you at least, who are in refuge in the Command Center, you went unnamed. Tommy's communications will be brief, but you'll save lives because of it," Ernie said as Kim barely nodded and she took in a deep breath.
" That's why he cut his hair?" Kim asked as Ernie nodded his head. "They killed…"
"And Tommy will get revenge for that, JT will not, he's the monitor for all Power Ranger activities and does a damn good job of it," Ernie said as Kim barely nodded and she took in another deep breath.
"Tommy didn't explain the dormitories, just said I'd be living in a different one from him," Kim said as Ernie passed her the id and she gave it a confused look. "My name isn't…"
"For now it is, Tommy requested it," Ernie said as Kim shook her head.
"Katy Fox? What about the people that knew me before?" Kim asked as Ernie gave her a smile.
"They have their own name, former Power Rangers have different ones. Not too many adults are left here, most of the teens want revenge, this is how they know they'll get it," Ernie said as Kim just shook her head. "You're safer this way, with his name."
"He won't be kissing me much until this is over, will he?" Kim asked as Ernie sadly shook his head no. He saw the sadness descend on her heart and let out a sigh. So much was being taken from these kids he just hoped that things would get better. "The dorms?"
"Sorry, got sidetracked. There are seven dormitories in all, each has one Power Ranger representative, you will be the one at Gagmire Hall. They are spaced throughout the city and little communication is made between them. You are on your own in there, Tommy might come, but he'll always be playing JT. You are a normal dormitory resident to everyone above you, except Tommy, they think they've forced the Power Rangers to run," Ernie said as Kim nodded and took the keys he passed her. "Katy Fox, you are the new dorm resident of room 365, Gagmire Hall, let me escort you to your building."