Author's Note: Hi guys, just a few quick things. If you use Livejournal or are interested in this, I have a LJ community for this fic. It's all of the chapters as well as some other information. If I ever manage to actually make graphics that work, they'll go up there. I'm also working on a playlist as well as a photo album of the Rangers stints in spandex that will be posted there. Check out my profile for the link to the community. And lastly, do you like the teasers at the end of the chapter? Oh, and do you even pay attention to the dates at the top of the chapter? Or are those actually just for my sanity instead of yours?
Part One: Tommy and Kimberly's Dating Years
Chapter Eight: The Astro Megaship Museum
(The United States Government Is Weird)
Date: May 3, 1999; May 12, 1999
"You can't be serious," Kimberly said over the phone. "The government wants to turn the Astro Megaship into a museum? That just doesn't make sense."
"Apparently it's because of our 'great and honorable deeds' that we did to the world or something," Cassie said.
"But a museum? Don't you guys need it or something? To get to KO-35?" Kimberly asked.
"No. Well, I mean yes, but Andros and Zhane each have their own ship now. The government of KO-35 gave them to them. They're really getting up and going now," Cassie said.
"That's good," Kimberly agreed. "So they've each got a ship now? And you don't need the Astro Megaship?"
"Nope. So apparently the US government wants to turn the ship into a museum. It took a pretty heavy beating that last time around, so it's not like it's in the greatest condition. Alpha wants to stay away from the action for a while and he's going to be the tour guide or something."
"Sounds good. He's seen a whole lot of action over the years," Kimberly said.
"Yeah. There's going to be a big opening ceremony thing and Ashley's adamant that all of the Rangers be there. And I was wondering if you could help me out there. I don't have Jason, Trini, Aisha, or Zack's numbers."
"Yeah, I'll call them," Kimberly said. "When's the get together?"
"It officially opens May 12th, but we're planning on getting together the night before to celebrate," Cassie explained.
"Works for me," Kimberly grinned. "Hey, I've got a niece who sort of knows about us being Power Rangers. Could she come? She really wants to meet you guys."
"I think we may have vaguely met her during the big battle," Cassie said thoughtfully. "Is she a ninja?"
"Yeah," Kimberly said slowly.
"Then yeah, we have met her briefly. She was fighting during the battle. She and Justin did a lot to help us actually."
"She was in Angel Grove?" Kimberly asked. "I didn't know that. I didn't know Justin was either."
"Yeah they were," Cassie said.
"And she fought?" Kimberly asked. "Because I really wasn't aware of that. Her parents thought she was safe inside somebody's house."
"That would not be the case apparently," Cassie said.
"Oh she is in so much trouble when I get a hold of her," Kimberly groaned.
"Don't tell her I told you," Cassie said and Kimberly could imagine the wince that graced that Pink Astro Ranger's face.
"I won't, don't worry. I'll tell her that Justin told me," Kimberly grinned evilly. "She won't dare to annoy him. And even if she does, then he'll just be confused. It'll be fun to watch."
"For a Pink, you can be surprisingly devious sometimes," Cassie said.
"We can all be surprisingly devious for Pinks, Cass," Kimberly grinned.
**********
Kimberly could tell Megan knew the gig was up as soon as she saw the extremely pissed off look that she was being given.
"Uh … Hi Aunt Kim," Megan said cautiously.
"You were fighting in Angel Grove," Kim said.
"Uh … Yeah?" Megan winced.
"You are so lucky I'm not telling your parents," Kim sighed, sitting down next to her niece.
"You're not?" Megan asked in shock.
"Nope," Kimberly said. "You are in trouble with me though."
"Is that why you're here?" Megan asked.
"Not only. The Astro Megaship is turning into a museum. Cassie said that you can come. Everyone's invited."
"I get to meet the Astro Rangers for more than three seconds?" Megan asked excitedly as she nearly bounced up and down on the couch. "That is so sweet!"
"Don't tell your mother you've already met them," Kimberly said.
"Do you honestly think I'm that stupid? I haven't told them anything at all. Cam doesn't even know I was doing that," Megan said. "And you know how that boy gets when it comes to over protective siblings and stuff."
**********
The Opening Ceremony for the Astro Megaship Museum was an affair to behold. The Astro Rangers were in attendance—in uniform, of course. The Mighty Morphing, Zeo, and Turbo Rangers were there in the audience hiding out to watch the fiasco that was undoubtedly going to occur.
Megan was having the time of her life seeing all of her "family" again. Especially Billy who had managed to come from Aquitar.
"I can't believe you're here," she said. "This is really fantastic. So, how've you been?"
"It was difficult adjusting to the climate originally, but I have sufficiently become used to the way things are there as well as the copious amounts of water," Billy said.
"Huh?" Rocky asked from next to them.
"He had issues at the start but is fine now," Megan said.
"You can translate Billy-speak?" Rocky asked.
"Yes I can," Megan said.
"We have another Billy translator!" Rocky said. "How come I never knew about this?"
"Because you didn't," Megan said. "And Billy doesn't always need a translator. So, how are things with Cestria?"
"Wonderful," Billy said with a bit of a dopey grin on his face.
"You are such a dope," Trini said with a grin as she came over to them. "How've you been, Megan?"
"Fine. The Academy's a lot of fun," Megan grinned. "Sensei Kanoi's son Cam's really great. He's four or five years older than I am. We're the only children of teachers, so I think he's trying to sibling adopt me. The students don't really want to talk to us because of the whole teacher-kid thing."
"Really?" Billy asked in concern.
"It's fine," Megan said. "I didn't say all of them won't talk to us. And besides, I'm in a class that ranges anywhere between five years old and twenty seven."
"How far behind are you?" Rocky asked.
"Well, I mean it's not like they don't get new people every year who're different ages. It's hard to gauge how far behind you are exactly, though Sensei Kanoi says I'm improving rapidly. Though when I'm compared to other kids my age from Japan, I've so got a ways to go. Dad's blaming himself for not starting me sooner. I don't really care. And anyways, I kicked some major butt here during the Countdown."
"What about me?" Justin asked.
"You did too," Megan said. "But we weren't talking about you."
"Do you want any help?" Rocky asked after a little bit. "You know you only have to ask any of us and we'll help you. After all, some of us do have Ninjetti powers."
"I know," Megan grinned. "Aunt Kim's already told me that. And did you know that Ninjetti are actually more powerful than regular ninjas?"
"Really?" Billy asked. "It's an interesting theory."
"What is?" Tommy asked.
"That Ninjetti have more power than ninjas," Billy explained.
"It's because the Ninjetti taps into their animal spirit and the ninjas don't. And ninjas aren't just confined to Earth. There's a Jinto Academy and a couple of others out there. Since there's only about five, they take on a lot more students than we do here," Megan said.
"So it's all because we have an animal spirit?" Tommy asked.
"And the Ninjetti spirit is tied into the Morphing Grid. Ninjas aren't. So you get an extra boost from the Morphing Grid and everything," Megan said.
"Seriously?" Rocky asked.
"Seriously," Megan grinned. "So you guys are more powerful than Mom and Dad. Maybe not Sensei Kanoi, but Mom and Dad yes."
"Interesting concept," Billy said.
"Ooh! It's about to start!" Megan chirped, bouncing up and down a bit as the Mayor of Angel Grove came out in front of the museum.
"People of Angel Grove and the world," he announced, "I welcome you to the Opening of the Astro Megaship Museum! We'd like to thank the Astro Power Rangers for graciously donating this wonderful ship to us."
Andros, Zhane, Cassie, Ashley, Carlos, and TJ came out, waving to the people. Some (such as Andros) looked a little more lost than others. The Mayor of Angel Grove shook hands with all of them, making sure to pose for a picture.
"Oh he is so getting reelected," Megan sighed.
"Yay publicity," Rocky said in annoyance.
The Mayor blathered on some more, talking about all sorts of Power Ranger duties and things that they'd done and other stuff. The Rangers in the audience sort of tuned him out after a while.
"Who makes huge scissors like that?" Rocky asked.
"The huge scissor factory?" Adam suggested.
"Funny," Rocky said.
"And now, to officially open the Astro Megaship Museum!" the Mayor said, cutting the ribbon with his insanely large golden scissors.
"What do we do now?" Megan asked.
"Go in I guess," Zack shrugged.
The line to get into the Astro Megaship took quite some time due to the sheer numbers of people there for the Opening Ceremony. But when they did get in to the Astro Megaship, they had to grin at all of the displays.
"Ha! Look! They've got pictures!" Megan giggled.
"Pictures?" Kimberly asked. "Of what?"
"Of who should be the question," Jason said, looking at the pictures.
"Ooh! Look, Green Ranger," Kimberly said, peering at the picture of Tommy.
"Green and Pink, White and Pink, Red and Pink – ew," Megan said.
"Apparently they didn't realize Kat's a foot taller than Kim," Jason said.
"Hey!" Kimberly said, smacking Jason on the shoulder. "That's mean."
"But true," Jason said.
Throughout the museum there were newspaper articles, candid photos, homemade videos, news reports, and quite a number of fan letters. Alpha was in the Bridge standing and looking fairly awkward as people gaped at him.
All of the Rangers managed to give him a little wave but couldn't do any more than that with the people around. Hopefully they'd be able to sneak back in after hours to actually be able to talk to him.
"This is borderline amusing and borderline boring," Megan sighed.
"Yeah, it is," Kimberly agreed. "So, who wants to sneak to the kitchen and make some food?"
"Think we'll get in trouble?" Justin asked.
"Justin, I don't think anyone here cares," Tommy said.
"And it's not on the tour," Rocky said.
"How are we going to sneak away though?" Jason asked.
"Jason," Trini said with a sigh. "Didn't we have to sneak away all of the time when we were on active duty?"
"Well yeah, but there generally weren't a lot of people around, and we weren't trying to get into a barred section of a museum," Jason said.
"Like that's ever stopped us before," Rocky said.
Everyone looked at him in surprise. "When have you snuck into a roped off section of a museum?" Adam asked.
"Uh, never," Rocky said. "It was metaphorical."
"Somehow I doubt that," Kimberly sighed.
***
Next time on "One Little Change"
"You know how the Astro Megaship took off a few weeks ago?"
"Yeah, what about it? I know Alpha was on it," Tommy said.
"Well, it came back. Apparently it was at Terra Venture."
"That's the space station Andros was working on with NASADA, right?"
"Mmhm. The one that nobody seemed to know anything about."
