Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers, nor am I making any money off this. Don't sue me.
Setting: Right after the PRiS episode "A Date with Danger"
Dancing in the Shadows
Part One: Into the Flames
By: Pink Ranger Karone
(Email:
pinkrangerkarone@aol.com)Astronema, the Princess of Evil, sat on the end of her bed, thinking. "I should be with the Silver Ranger right now," she grumbled. She got up and began to pace back and forth across her room. "Why did I get so mad?" she asked herself. "He wasn't that late! But then again, he did accuse me of sending some monster..."
Astronema jumped as she heard a knock at her door. "Enter!" she shouted.
Ecliptor came into the room. "My Princess, are you all right?" he asked.
Astronema turned away, not wanting Ecliptor to see her true emotions written on her face. "I'm fine," she lied.
"A monster was sent to attack the Power Rangers earlier," he informed her. "We were again defeated."
Astronema quickly spun around. "A monster attacked the Rangers? Why?" she asked.
Ecliptor seemed confused by her reaction. "We are here on a mission to destroy the Power Rangers, My Princess. Sending monsters to attack them is what we do," he replied.
Astronema narrowed her eyes. "Not without my permission. See that it does not happen again, Ecliptor," she snapped. "Now leave me."
Ecliptor bowed. "As you wish."
As soon as she heard the door shut Astronema threw herself on the bed. There had been a monster! The Silver Ranger had been telling the truth! "Maybe this is for the best," she thought. "What sort of chance would the Princess of Evil and the Silver Ranger have anyway?"
Still, Astronema couldn't seem to clear her mind. "I have to get out of here," she declared as she teleported off the Dark Fortress.
***
Astronema wasn't quite sure how she ended up back by the campfire where she had met the Silver Ranger earlier that day, but somehow there she was. The fire was burning, and a familiar figure was standing near it. Her first instinct was to turn and run, but she couldn't help but stay. His back was turned to her, and she took the opportunity to watch him with impunity. She gazed at him in secret for a long moment, watching as the shadows cast by the fire danced around him. She got the courage to move towards him. A twig snapped beneath her boot.
Zhane, the Silver Ranger, spun around and dropped into a fighting stance. He frowned when he saw who it was. "Are you planning to get me all muddy again?" he asked, his tone almost annoyed. "Last time you ruined my favorite shirt."
Astronema shook her head. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Zhane relaxed a little. "Then what are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?" Astronema countered.
Neither of them said anything for a moment. Instead, they just stared into each other's eyes, searching for solutions to unanswerable questions. Finally, Astronema broke the silence. "I'm sorry."
Zhane looked at her, puzzled, and opened his mouth to speak. But Astronema wouldn't let him say anything. She began to talk quickly. "I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you for being late—you have a duty as a Power Ranger. And Ecliptor told me there really had been a monster—I shouldn't have doubted you. It's just that I was sorta looking for a reason to be angry. I mean, I've been evil for so long, and I've never really had any friends. And besides you're so...well, you're...you're a Ranger, and..." Astronema realized Zhane was chuckling. "You're laughing at me! Why are you laughing at me? What's so funny?"
"You," Zhane replied simply.
Astronema glared at him. "I'm glad you find me so amusing," she said sarcastically. "Maybe I was right to hate you in the first place."
"No, it's just that you aren't quite what I expected," Zhane explained. "I mean, here you are, Astronema, Princess of Evil, apologizing for hurting a Power Ranger."
Astronema blushed. "You're the first Ranger I've ever really met, and you're nothing like the way Ecliptor said a Ranger would be," she told him.
"How did he say a Ranger would be?" Zhane asked.
Astronema looked down at the ground as she thought of all the times Ecliptor, the only person she'd ever really trusted, had told her that the Power Rangers had killed her family. "I don't want to talk about it," she said.
Zhane moved closer. "Then I won't make you," he said as he gently stroked her cheek.
Astronema froze at his warm touch, the expression on her face similar to that of a frightened animal. "Do I scare you?" Zhane asked softly.
She shook her head no, although the butterflies in her stomach contradicted her negative answer.
"You sure?" Zhane asked as he moved closer and took her hands in his.
Astronema found her voice, although it was weak. "Of course I'm not afraid of the Silver Ranger."
She expected Zhane to say something in response, be he did not. He leaned in and kissed her. Part of Astronema wanted to pull away, but she couldn't. Instead, she walked into the flames of passion and returned his kiss.
***
They spent hours that night just talking by the fire. Astronema was more open with him than she had ever been with even Ecliptor, and in turn he shared his innermost secrets with her. Astronema had never felt so at peace with anyone, and she knew she had never laughed so hard or so much in a long time. She felt as if as long as she was with Zhane, all was right with the universe.
But all good things come to an end, and that night was no exception. All too soon for both of them, the fire had died down, and it was time for them to once again become Zhane, the Silver Ranger and Astronema, the Princess of Evil. It was time for them to return to reality. "Will we see each other again?" Astronema asked as they prepared to leave.
"Wasn't it just this afternoon that you declared that you never wanted to see me again?" Zhane asked with a playful grin.
Astronema gave him a dirty look. "Can't a girl change her mind?"
Zhane shrugged. "Woman's prerogative," he replied.
Astronema lightly slapped his shoulder. "You know that means I can change my mind back and decide I'm better off without you," she teased.
Zhane wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. "Something tells me you wouldn't be happy that way, Princess," he said.
Astronema avoided his gaze. "No, I wouldn't. I think tonight is the first time I've been truly happy since I was a small child," she told him.
Zhane gently cupped her chin in his hands and lifted her face until their eyes met. "We'll see lots of each other, Astronema, don't worry. We'll meet here as much as we can," he promised her.
She gave him a small smile. "Can we meet here again the night after next?" she asked.
Zhane leaned in and kissed her. "Sounds great to me," he replied right before their lips met.
***
Zhane was on Cloud Nine when he returned to the MegaShip that night. Who would have thought he could be so happy with Astronema of all people? And she was happy with him, too! He felt that nothing could possibly ruin his mood.
"And just where have you been?" asked a voice from behind him.
Zhane stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned around. Maybe something could ruin his good mood after all...
To Be Continued...