Author's Note: I originally meant for "Perfection" to be just a one-shot looking at Kat's childhood, but then I decided that Kat's problems with being perfect could also play a role in Rita deciding to use her against the Power Rangers, especially since I had established in the previous chapter that Kat is already starting to develop feelings for Tommy (and from the show we saw that Kat had a bit of an oppression with Tommy while under Rita's spell). Also, I want to explore in more depth than we were given in the show the relationship between Kat and Rita.

Note: It is not my intention to bash any character. Everything is from Kat's point of view, and the way that she views someone else may be different from how others view that same person.

Note: Anything in italics are inner thoughts and not spoken out loud.

Kat knew that she was starting to become a bit of a stalker when it came to watching Tommy from a place where he could not see her, but she couldn't bring herself to care. And even though Kat and Tommy had yet to exchange a single word with each other and even though Tommy had yet to learn that Kat even existed, Kat just knew that she and Tommy shared a connection. They were, after all, alike. They both acted perfect when they were with others, but both of their masks of perfection were nothing but lies.

Perhaps, in time, Kat would have been able to bring herself to step outside her shy shell and actually approach Tommy.

But there was one huge problem.

Kimberly.

It was painfully obvious how much Tommy loved Kimberly. Kat often saw them together in the park. Kimberly would be talking on and on about something "girlish," and Tommy would listen to every word she said and say the right things at the right time.

Either Tommy was really interested in "girlish" things or he was a very good actor. Either way, Kat never saw Tommy looking bored or uninterested in anything that Kimberly said.

And Tommy would always look at Kimberly with eyes filled with love, adoration, devotion, and worship.

There was no denying that Tommy worshiped the very ground that Kimberly walked on.

But why?

Kimberly, or Kim as she preferred to be called by those close to her (Kat had really eavesdropped on too many of Kim's conversations with her friends), was very pretty and seemed like a nice enough girl.

But to Kat, Kim seemed too much like the girl-next-door. Nice to talk to. Nice to be friends with. But nothing more than that.

Kat had seem Kim alone on a few occasions, but Kat had yet to see that same haunted look in Kim's eyes that was present in Tommy's eyes.

There was no way that Kim could possibly understand Tommy in the same way that Kat could have.

What's wrong with me? Kat would often think later. I'm sounding like some jealous romantic rival.

Kat was not a jealous type of person. True, she usually wasn't happy with herself, but she never blamed anyone but herself for that. And Kat definitely would not go out her way to be unhappy with someone besides herself.

But there was no denying it. Kat was jealous of Kim. Kat wanted what Kim had. And that was Tommy.

You need to worry more about your grades than your nonexistent love life, Kat would often berate herself. You need to get those good grades to get into the best university. Tommy isn't going to do that for you. Only you, Katherine Hillard, can get yourself into the best university.

But no matter what, Kat could not stop thinking about Tommy and how perfect they could be together.

Kat, though, still managed to keep up with her studies, even if she was slightly more distracted than usual whenever Tommy was in the same classroom. Or when Kim was in the same classroom.

Overall, though, things weren't that bad for Kat. Her teachers were already starting to notice what a hard worker she was and what a perfect, dedicated student she was. She was managing to act normal at home. Neither Kat's parents nor her teachers suspected that anything was wrong with Kat.

No one suspected that anything was wrong with Kat. Her mask of perfection was always perfectly in place whenever she was with someone else.

Things only really started to get real bad for Kat the day she met Rita.

"Hey, could you come over here for a moment?" a boy's voice suddenly called out to Kat while she was one day walking by herself in the park.

Kat looked in the direction of the voice and saw a rather cute boy. Nothing like Tommy, of course, but the boy looked friendly enough.

And he was actually acknowledging Kat.

Not to mention the fact that Kat was polite by nature and always answered someone whenever they spoke to her.

Kat walked over to the boy.

"Hi there," Kat smiled shyly but politely. "What can I do for you?"

The boy gave her a twisted grin before suddenly turning into a giant, black bird.

Kat didn't have enough time to react before things got even more bizarre.

"Hello, Katherine," a female voice spoke from behind the teenage girl while her mind was still trying to comprehend the boy that was really a giant bird.

Kat spun around and found herself face to face with the strangest woman she had ever seen.

The woman looked human, but she was wearing a strange outfit. And she was carrying a golden wand.

"Who are you?" Kat cried out in fright, her fear causing her to temporary forget her usual manners whenever she was speaking with a stranger.

"Your new master," the woman smiled wickedly before raising her want and pointing it at Kat.

A beam of red light enveloped Kat's entire body. Kat immediately began to feel faint and light-headed. It took all of Kat's efforts to remain conscious.

Then, Kat suddenly began to hear a voice in her head, a voice that most definitely was not her own.

Your mind belongs to me now, Katherine, the voice spoke. You will do whatever I say without question. For now on, you live only to serve me.

No! Kat cried in her head. Get out! My mind is my own! My mind is all that I have that is my own!

But Kat quickly found herself losing the sound of her voice as the other voice continued to repeat over and over again, Your mind belongs to me now. For now on, you live only to serve me.

It did not take long before Kat found herself drowning in the other voice until it completely consumed her.

Kat had to obey the other voice for she could no longer hear her own voice.

"How can I serve you?" Kat asked in a slightly dazed voice that was not quite her own.

The strange woman, who then introduced herself as Rita with a twisted, pleasant smile, began to tell Kat all about the Power Rangers and how she wanted Kat to help her to defeat them.

Something in Kat caused her throat to catch when Rita revealed that Kim was the Pink Ranger. Something in Kat caused her heart to drop when Rita revealed that Tommy was the White Ranger.

This is wrong, a part of Kat thought. I know I've been jealous of Kim lately, but I don't hate her. She's a good person. She deserves Tommy more than I ever will. And how could I ever dream of hurting Tommy?

But Rita wanted Kat to hate Kim and to be more than willing to hurt Tommy. And even though Kat tried to fight it, she could not disobey Rita's commands. Whatever Rita wanted, Kat had to do.

Without question. Without hesitation.

"I can already see that you're going to be a perfect little servant, Katherine," Rita purred with delight.

There was that word again.

Perfect.

"Please, Empress," Kat pleaded, "don't use that word. I hate that word."

"But I thought you wanted to be perfect," Rita asked in mock concern.

"I do," Kat cried.

"But you have yet to reach perfection," Rita replied. She gave Kat a sympathetic look. "I can help you with that, Katherine. I can help you to become perfect. I can give you the guidance and the support that everyone else refuses to give you.

"I'm not like everyone else, Katherine. I can see the real you. Will you accept my help?"

"Yes," Kat gasped.

"Then it's only fair that you help me in return," Rita said sweetly. "You are a good girl, after all. You don't like disappointing anyone. You don't want to disappoint me, do you, Katherine?"

"No, Empress," Kat sobbed. "Since you are willing to teach me, I will learn to be perfect for you."

"That's my good little girl," Rita smiled. "You are exactly what I've been looking for. You're perfect."

That word again.

Kat wanted to cry. To scream. To do anything but just stand there and nod her head like some mindless zombie.

But Kat's mind was no longer her own. She now shared her mind with Rita.