Chapter 4 - Devotion

"Hey, take it easy Kevin." Hayley watched as her teenage employee frantically moved about, trying to clean up the café.

"My audition's...in thirty minutes," he gasped. He struggled to hold a stack of dishes while wiping off a table with his other hand.

Hayley gave him a cheerful smile. "So go."

Kevin put his plates down and looked at her, confused. Just a few minutes ago, the place had been packed with Reefside High students celebrating last night's football victory. Their team had not only finished the regular season with a perfect record, but had done so by defeating rival Blue Bay Harbor. More teens had piled into the Cyberspace than Hayley could ever remember serving at a single time.

Catering to so many customers at once was a difficult task, but Hayley had also found it to be fun. It felt rewarding to play a part in the community by providing its young people with a place where they could party in a safe and positive way. What wasn't fun was cleaning up the awful mess that had been left behind when the party ended.

"You sure about that?" Kevin asked.

"Of course I'm sure. I'm the one who told you about this audition, aren't I?"

Kevin nodded his head and smiled before sprinting off.

"Tell me all about it tomorrow!" Hayley shouted as he ran out the door. Turning around, she sighed as she reached for the broom and dustpan that she had leaned against the wall. She was alone now. She had better get a move on it if she wanted to finish at a reasonable time.

As she swept up the crumbs and used napkins strewn across the floor, Hayley thought about what the Cyberspace meant to her. What it meant to Tommy, and to the mission. It was all they had to support themselves with. Tommy was well connected; if the Cyberspace were to fail, he could easily turn to his other associates for help. But that would make him beholden to them, compromising his independence and possibly his image of leadership. That was something that must never happen. Not to Tommy, the greatest hero of them all. More than anyone else, he deserved to be at the head of the Ranger fraternity.

"Are you kidding me?" Hayley asked as she pulled out a chair. She saw several large pieces of cake lying under the table, half crushed, with their icing and syrup smeared on the floor. That wasn't something that she could just brush into a dustpan. Hayley scowled as she got down to wipe the mess up with a thick wad of napkins.

She knew that she shouldn't complain though, because this was the life that she had chosen. When Tommy had first come to her for help, it was her idea to quit her job at her uncle's corporation. The Cyberspace gave her more flexible hours, and she would answer to nobody but Tommy. But she didn't choose it just for his benefit. This café was the means by which she would make friends and have some semblance of a normal life.

Over the years, she had met so many young people with their own dreams and aspirations. Each one needing her hand to push and guide them, whether they knew it or not. Hayley was more than willing to help. Their problems seemed so simple and straightforward to her, and it felt good to know exactly how to go about things. She had set them up with various industry insiders, and alerted them to countless tryouts, all the while encouraging them not to give up on their dreams. It filled her with joy when she saw her friends' names in various articles across the internet, months or years after she had helped them on their way up. She just wished that these kids would call or e-mail her more after they graduated.

Hayley gathered the last piece of cake and tried to stand up, banging her head against the bottom of the table. She held her head and groaned as she pulled herself out from underneath, suppressing an urge to scream and curse. As she rubbed her head, she heard someone walking into the café behind her. "We're closed," she said, trying not to sound too annoyed.

"Don't you have time for an old friend?"

Hayley turned around and saw Kira standing there, her radiant smile bringing light into the otherwise darkened room. "Kira! Oh my God!" Hayley ran up and embraced her.

"Nice to see you too..." Kira said, as she squirmed in Hayley's grip.

Hayley loosened her arms. "Sorry, the last couple days have been kinda rough," she explained. "Here, have a seat." She led Kira to one of the cleaner tables, hastily pushing the napkins and empty plastic cups on it to the floor below. "I know, the place is a mess."

Kira shrugged. "Eh, I've seen worse." She gladly took a seat.

"You want an espresso?"

"Sure. Make that a double."

"Sounds good." Hayley rushed to make their drinks, eager to sit down and catch up with her friend. "So, how's everything?" she shouted from behind the counter.

"Oh, everything's going great Hayley. I'm planning my first cross-country tour."

"That's awesome!" Hayley replied, as she returned to the table with two double espresso shots.

"But right now I'm just thinking about my gig in Angel Grove tomorrow."

"Angel Grove?" Hayley paused for a second as the name reminded her of work, and of her worries. "Tommy went there last night."

"Because of Will, right?" Kira was always quick to catch on to things. "How's Dr. O taking it?"

"I'm sure he'll be okay." Hayley tried to brush the subject off even as it clung to her mind. She wanted to enjoy some time with her friend, instead of distressing her by bringing up Tommy's erratic behavior from the previous night.

"If he needs my help with anything, I'd be happy to-"

"It's alright Kira, it's alright." Hayley faked a smile, trying to calm her down. "You do too much, you know. Ranger work, music, Trent - you're with Trent again, aren't you?"

Kira grinned and nodded her head. "Yeah, we kinda drifted apart after that whole turning evil thing, but I never gave up on him." The two friends laughed at how casually she had said that. "We kept in touch. Then a few months ago I visited him, and the feelings were still there."

The story gave Hayley a small amount of hope. She too had been holding on to the same man for years, although she never seemed to get any closer to him.

Kira continued. "Trent's about to launch his own comic series with some of his friends. He's apparently getting lots of hype."

"Wow, you guys are making it big!"

"Well, not as big as Cassidy," Kira remarked. She looked off to the side, before gulping down her drink.

"Oh Kira, don't compare yourself to her. You're doing really well, if you ask me."

"Mm hmm. But listen, enough about me. What's going on with you Hayley?"

"Oh me? Nothing much, really. I wouldn't want to bore you." She was completely honest about that.

Kira leaned in closer, smiling. "Come on. Don't tell me you haven't found a guy."

"Well, there is one guy," Hayley said nervously. She was too embarrassed to admit that she had been pining for Tommy, which would lead to questions about why she hadn't been able to win him over after so long. Me and Tommy, she thought. What a stupid idea.

Nobody had ever so much as seen a hint of that. Hayley had never been brave enough to risk her relationship with Tommy by opening up to him. And for Tommy's part, he was downright dense at times. But as Hayley waited and did more and more for him, her feelings grew only stronger. How can he not notice me by now? I couldn't have done all that, for nothing.

"Yeah? What's his name?" Kira asked, clearly very interested.

Hayley tried to think of a name, blurting out the first one that came to mind. "Um, uh...it's Jason."

"Dr. O's friend?" Kira asked, looking dismayed. "Really?"

Realizing her mistake, Hayley impulsively rushed to cover it. "No, um, I mean David, Frank...lin."

Kira was able to sense the oddness in her tone. "Is something wrong?"

Hayley sighed. "You ever spend a lot of time with someone special, only for him to act like he doesn't think of you the same way?

"Hayley, I totally understand." Kira reached out and touched her hand. "Have you ever told him how you feel?"

Hayley shook her head. "Uh-uh."

"Well, there's your problem right there! Some guys are just reserved like that. They won't do anything unless you reach out to them first." Kira smiled. "Trust me, I know."

Hayley felt awkward about taking romantic advice from a girl seven years her junior, but she knew deep down though that Kira was right. Even so, she wasn't inclined to actually go through with it. She had always wished that one day, Tommy would learn to appreciate her himself. She had given him some time after his breakup with Kat, and she had waited patiently as he pursued Elisa Randall.

She occasionally fantasized about doing something great for him, possibly injuring herself in the process. She would wake up in her warm bed and see him at her side, waiting on her. Telling her that he had been such a fool, for not seeing the beautiful woman who had been faithfully standing by his side for all those years. They would hug, and then they would kiss and he would profess his undying love to her...it was a stupid fantasy. But she still held out hope that it would come true.


Kira sat in her tent silently rehearsing the song that she was about to perform. Outside, a throng of fans was clamoring for her to appear. But she tuned them out, for she wanted to get the performance just right.

The song that she was going to sing wasn't hers, nor did it even fall within her usual style of music. It was a song that she knew from her childhood. One that she had loved until the fads changed, forcing her to hide her fondness for it to avoid mockery from the other girls. But she was past all of that now. She was wiser and stronger than before, and she knew who she was. Life was too short to worry about such silly things.

Kira merrily went over the final notes in her head, remembering each of them with perfection. She was full of eager anticipation, yet she felt relaxed and peaceful at the same time. She was "in the zone," as Conner would put it. It was time to go.

An early November breeze swept over her face as she pulled open the side of her tent. The crowd screamed when they saw her, their excitement quickly surging into a fever pitch. Kira looked around, in awe of her surroundings. She was in Angel Grove Park, which was more colorful and lively than ever. Everywhere she looked, there were balloons, signs, and people in costumes. What seemed like the entire population of Angel Grove had turned out to celebrate. It was the seventeenth annual Power Rangers Day.

As Kira walked past the cheering crowd, she thought herself silly for thinking that the ugly incident from two days ago would mar this event. Angel Grove, more than anywhere else, understood who its heroes were.

The stage that had been prepared for her included a painted background of the original team of Rangers. They towered over the area as colorful, unmoving titans, looking as if they would stand guard over the city for all time. Kira walked onstage and made her way to the microphone, located at the feet of the Green Ranger. The band that would be backing her up was ready to go.

Kira picked up the microphone and motioned for the crowd to settle down. "Thank you, thank you. I think most of you will be familiar with the song I'm about to sing. This is dedicated to the Power Rangers, as well as to my own, personal hero." She took one last look up at the Green Ranger, before nodding at her band for them to start.

The audience fell quiet as the band's hard, fast-paced instrumental filled the air. Still catchy as ever, Kira thought as she rocked her head up and down. She was glad that she had come, even though her agent wasn't. The event didn't fit the image that he wanted, and he was sure that this performance wouldn't impress her ever-important teenage target audience. Most of all, he hated that she was doing this for free.

But Kira didn't care, because this performance wasn't about her. It was bigger than her. It was about honoring a legacy of heroes, one that she was proud to be a part of. The music rose to a crescendo, as the moment for her to sing had finally come.

They've got, a power and a force that you've never seen before.

They've got the ability to morph and to even up the score.

The lyrics flowed out of her naturally, as if she had been singing them for years. Even so, Kira mentally geared herself up to deliver her favorite part of the song.

No one can ever take them down.
The power lies on their si-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ide.

She couldn't help but crack a smile after dragging out those I's. But it was fine. She was having the time of her life, and she wanted everyone to know it.


"Passion doesn't just happen. You make it grow."

-Tommy Oliver, "The Passion of Conner"


Selected entries from Hayley's diary:

August 28, 1993

Mom and Dad were fighting tonight. Mom made a big dinner with some of Dad's favorite foods. But Dad came home late, and when he did he complained that the house was a mess. That made Mom really mad. She said she had spent a lot of time cooking tonight, and that before that she was out with me buying things for the new computer I wanted. Dad didn't care though. He kept saying that he worked so hard to pay for our big house, but that Mom was lazy and just stayed home watching TV every day. They kept screaming at each other until Dad smashed a plate on the floor.

I'm alone in my room right now. No one has said anything to each other for over an hour. I feel really bad because I took up so much of Mom's time today, making her wait until I found all the right accessories. I want to do something to make things better, but I know they won't listen to me.

What a great way to start your diary, right? I've been wanting to start one for a while, and I wish I had something better to write about. But this was so horrible and I needed to get this off my chest.


September 2, 1993

I went shopping for some new school clothes today. My first day of high school is next week. I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully I'll meet some new friends there.

I've also been reading this great book called Star Crossed Lovers. It's about a very smart girl who graduates and gets a job in the big city. She works really hard to help her company, but nobody appreciates her. That is until the boss's son Bobby notices her and asks her out. Bobby's the perfect guy. He's so strong, and focused on protecting the people he cares about. I loved how he was able to notice what an amazing person she was inside, and how he swept her off her feet. Hopefully my own Bobby will find me some day...

Until then, I'll wait. I don't want to settle for just any guy.


October 29, 1993

This was the craziest day of my life!

The Stone Canyon math team took on Angel Grove today. I was excited because it was my first match as captain. But then some know-it-all called Billy Cranston beat us on the last question. Angel Grove bet every point they had on it and ended up winning, even though we were ahead for almost the entire game. It was sooooo unfair! Billy came up to shake my hand afterwards. I didn't want to but I had to be a good sport.

After that, we were on our way back to the bus when a monster attacked us! It called itself King Crab and it was really ugly. I tried to get away but it grabbed my arm with its claw and threw me to the ground. I got scared and closed my eyes, thinking that I was done for. Then I heard the monster scream and felt it letting go of me.

I looked up and the Green Ranger was there, asking me if I was OK. I don't know why, but the way he said it suddenly made my fears go away. He told me to run, but I stopped nearby so I could keep on watching him. He was so brave. I'll never forget the way he fought the monster, yelling "Si-yah!" with every spin kick.


July 1, 1994

My family started our long Fourth of July weekend by going to Uncle Barry's twentieth anniversary reception. The food, music, and decorations were all terrific. There was some dancing as well. Mom and Dad said that dancing wasn't their thing and stayed at our table as usual. But Uncle Barry and his wife did go up there, and they could really move! I don't think I've ever seen two people show as much love for each other as they did. They seemed really nice. I wish I had gotten to know them better before.

At the end of the party, Uncle Karl came over to invite us to his new summer mansion next week. He kept talking about his pool and how big it was. Personally, I thought he was just showing off. So did my Dad. He seemed kind of annoyed and said that he'd think about it.


October 18, 1994

He's back! After being gone for almost a month, the Green Ranger is back! Well, I guess he isn't green anymore, but I'd recognize those moves and that battle cry no matter what he wears. My friend Amy doesn't believe me when I say they're the same. I'm just glad he's back and that he's OK. Seeing him on the news this afternoon just made my day.


March 7, 1995

I've created my first site on the World Wide Web. It's called "The Green/White Ranger Shrine." The name is kind of clunky but it's the most accurate one I could think of. So far I only have a few pictures on it and a short explanation of why I like him so much, but I'll be adding more whenever I can. I'm tempted to put up a story about one of my dreams, where I discovered the White Ranger's identity and we fell in love. It's a little embarrassing though. Anyway, I've already told everyone about my site on the newsgroups. Hope lots of people come to see my work!


May 16, 1997

Mom was upset when I came home today. I couldn't tell for sure but it looked like she might have been crying. I asked her what was going on but she said it was nothing. She just told me to work hard and get an education so that I won't end up as a housewife with no future. I didn't think that would a problem for me but I just nodded and agreed with her so that she would feel better.

Later, Dad came up for a talk of his own while I was doing my homework. He told me that his company had lost a lot of money, and that he wouldn't be able to pay for me to go to MIT next year like I've been planning to. Dad also told me to work hard, but for different reasons. He said that I'd need to in order to afford the things I want and keep people from looking down on me.

I'm disappointed, but hopefully things will get better down the road. I'll do my best at the college I go to and try to transfer to MIT after a year or two.


September 13, 1997

I helped a cute guy during calculus class today. His name is Tommy Oliver. The professor told us to do some exercises, which were based on the reading assignment he had given us last week. Tommy had forgotten both the assignment and his book. I let him look on with me, and tried my best to bring him up to speed. He seems like a nice guy, but he is just so dense and forgetful!

After class, he said that he was glad he met me. It felt nice to be appreciated.


April 4, 1999

I had lunch with Tommy today at the diner. At first he said he didn't want to go, but I was able to convince him on my third try. I wasn't looking to eat out so much as get a chance to talk to him. He hasn't been the same since last November. The invasion was a scary time for all of us, but Tommy really seems to have been affected by it. I don't know all the details, but I think he might have lost someone very important to him. All I know is that he also broke up with his girlfriend right after that.

I couldn't find the answer to that question during lunch, but at least I got Tommy talking. Our conversation shifted to the expedition he and some of the other paleontology students will be going on next month. Tommy thought that I could help with the fancy new scanners I've been working on. Only a limited number of students will be accepted so he said that I'd have to sign up right away. Paleontology isn't my specialty, but this sounds like it could be exciting. At the very least, I'll be able to do something with Tommy before I transfer away to MIT. I hope something will finally happen on this trip.


May 20, 1999

Everything changed today. I just got back to my tent and I can hardly believe what just happened, but I'll try to write down as much as I can.

Tommy woke me up early today to ask me how to use my full-spectrum scanner pack. After I reviewed the basics with him again, I started to carry the scanner to the main dig site when he stopped me. Tommy said he was driving to the mountains ten miles away for a little survey of his own. He wanted to go alone but I wouldn't let him. Our supervisor had made a point about how secluded and dangerous this area was, telling us that we weren't to go anywhere without a buddy. He finally let me come along after I threatened to tell the others.

We drove near the mountains and got out to explore on foot. The scanner picked up some energy readings that led us to a dark cave hidden behind some trees. Again, Tommy wanted to go in alone, but I insisted on following him.

We walked around inside the cave for over an hour, hoping that our flashlights wouldn't give out. Just when I was about to suggest that we turn back, the ground fell out from under us and we dropped into a hidden room. Torches all along the walls lit up by themselves, revealing a chamber full of dinosaur statues. I was shocked, since I had never read about any advanced civilizations living in this area before. On the other side of the room was an old scroll lying on top of a pedestal, with a stone raptor standing behind it. Tommy went straight for the scroll as if that was what he had come for.

Just seconds after Tommy had picked up the scroll, the raptor statue suddenly came to life. The thing swung its tail at Tommy, slamming him into the wall. I wasn't even able to scream before it jumped, landing within inches of me. I started to back away when I saw Tommy striking a pose behind the raptor. He shouted "It's Morphin Time!" before transforming into the Red Zeo Ranger. As if that wasn't enough, he shouted "Si-yah!" as he leaped in to protect me. I think I must have just stood there with my mouth open during the entire fight. This was my hero, the one I had fantasized about so often. And after all these years, it turned out that he was the forgetful boy whom I had helped in math class.

Tommy finished the creature with a flying kick that shattered it into stone fragments. He turned back to normal right after that. According to him, his powers aren't what they used to be. Tommy took the scroll, and together we looked for a way back to the surface. It felt bizarre to walk around with him in silence, after what I had just seen him do. It wasn't until we were back outside that Tommy tried to explain things to me. He said that I had just been let into a bigger world, and that knowing his secret was a responsibility. I told him I understood, but I'm still not sure that I do...


August 3, 2001

Thank God it's Friday. I've been putting in sixteen hour days at work for the entire week. Dad told me to work hard and not to make us look bad when I started working for Uncle Karl, but I've come to really care about the job for my own reasons. I feel really proud when I create things with what I know, and my coworkers depend on me for so much. Just yesterday, Horatio told me that my hiring was a godsend, and thanked me for helping him meet the big deadline. The work is exhausting, but it's good to know that people want me around.

Speaking of people who need me, I've been helping to plan Amy's wedding with whatever time I haven't spent on work or one of Tommy's projects. I can't believe that it's just a little over two weeks away. Amy told me that she's so grateful for my help that she wants me to be her maid of honor. I can't wait.


August 18, 2001

Tommy came to me tonight. He was hurt, and looked like a total mess. He told me that he had been attacked by some mutant. Anton Mercer is dead, and the entire island they were on has been destroyed. Most of the projects that I had worked on with them have also been lost. Tommy thinks that his attacker had inside help. He said that he came to me because he didn't know who else he could trust right now.

He's sleeping on my couch as I write this. I'm still in shock over everything, but I already promised Tommy that I would help him. Tomorrow we're going to sit down together and plan our next steps. Tommy told me that Mercer's experimental teleportation system had been damaged during the attack, and that things were disappearing all around him before the island blew up. If there's a silver lining to things, it's that most of our experiments probably survived. They're still out there, but so is whoever tried to kill Tommy.

It broke my heart to do it, but I called Amy to tell her that I had to pull out of the wedding tomorrow. She understandably didn't take that very well. Amy thought that I was betraying her, and that I was probably ruining her wedding because I'm lonely and jealous. She said that she never wanted to speak to me again. I hate that things had to turn out this way. But Tommy needs me. And I think I need him as well.