The Cousin
Chapter One
"What's up Carlos?" T.J. asked as Carlos whizzed by.
"My cousin's getting here in about half an hour. I gotta grab a couple things for the room before I head over there."
"Oooh, is he cute?" Cassie asked from where she was sitting in the bridge.
"Define cute?"
"You know, dark hair, dreamy eyes..." Ashley answered, trailing off.
"Well, she does have dark hair, but I don't think that her eyes are dreamy."
As Cassie and Ashley started talking about what a shame it was, Carlos and T.J. were smirking at each other. "Wait...did you say...she?"
"Yup."
They looked at each other and started grossing out. "What's up?" Karone asked as she and Zhane entered the bridge.
"They just started to...crack up," T.J. said shaking his in shame.
"Carlos said that his cousin was coming in a few minutes. Not here but, to the city. Anyway, me and Ashley ask if he's cute. See we just automatically thought that it was a boy. Then he said that she had dark hair but that her eyes weren't dreamy. We went on saying it was such a shame, when it clicked. His cousin's a girl!"
"If that's not a reason to laugh I don't know what is," Zhane said as Andros walked into the bridge.
"What's laughable?"
"Me getting my butt kicked if I'm late!" Carlos said as he ran out the door. Andros looked after him with a look that said he was insane. Well, that was normal. He thought all humans were insane, if not homicidal.
"His cousin's coming to visit and she'll get here in a few minutes. He has to run by the store to pick up a couple things too. So he has to hurry."
"So...We never asked how old she is! Or when we'll get to meet her!" Cassie exclaimed as she and Ashley looked at each other in horror.
"Is there really a reason for freaking out over that?"
"Yes! We won't know a thing about her! Not even if she even still goes to school."
"You mean she might be in college?"
"Yes! I've never met her before. Have you T.J.?"
"Nope. I've never even heard Carlos talk about her before."
"So this is a mystery cousin of Carlos'. Andros are we still going to discuss the matter?" Karone asked, raising an eyebrow.
"We should do it when Carlos is around," he said in a bitter tone.
"Stop trying to delay the inevitable. Do you think we need a new Ranger?"
"You mean like to choose an eighth ranger? Uh, yeah. We can use the extra help."
"I agree."
"Me too."
"Me three."
"That only leaves Carlos. So far it's 5-1. The one being Andros. Typically."
"There's no reason to try and find another match for her DNA. The morpher chose Lina and she's dead."
"So are the original Astro Rangers. The morpher knows when it's time for a new ranger and now is it. You just don't like the idea of a new ranger, becase you're afraid that she'll replace Lina."
"It has to be a girl?"
"Yup. The Moon Rangers always been a girl."
"Too bad we were never able to figure out who the Turbo Moon Ranger was," TJ said. His comment whirled Andros' head around.
"Turbo Moon Ranger? There's a Moon Ranger on Earth?"
"Yeah. She first appeared a little after the evil green ranger turned good. That's what Tommy said anyway. Maybe he'd know where to find her."
"Great. Do you know how to find him? 'Cause I sure don't," Cassie asked, right before the comm went off and Carlos' panicked voice came on.
"Guys! There's an attack at the park, and my cousin's a few minutes early...I can't exactly morph can I?!"
"We're on our way Carlos. Let's go!" Ashley said as the five of them quickly teleported out. Andros sighed as he walked over to his console and punched in a command that opened a storage compartment in his chair's arm. Pulling out the morpher he grabbed the piece of paper and photo that was with it. He smiled as he stared at the girl in it. He missed her so much...