It took nearly an hour for Trini to stop crying and even then she still hid under Tommy's jacket . Now, Trini was too tired to cry and just sat on the floor with the jacket over her head.
"Trini, you can't hide under there forever." Tommy tried to reason with her.
"I can and I will." Trini muttered defiantly.
"It is alright, Tommy," Zordon said, ever the picture of calm, "let her stay under there if she wants too."
Tommy flopped on the floor and sighed, "Can't you just fix her with magic?"
"Magic takes patience and is not a cure all." Zordon said, "Why don't you two watch the viewing globe?"
Tommy was eager to see that round TV again, so he got into a comfy position and watched the world. It focused on a strange town.
"Who's that?" Tommy asked pointing at the globe.
"That is Trini's family." Zordon said quietly.
"Whoa!" Tommy said, "But they look so sad."
"That's not my family." Trini's muffled voice said, "He ate them!" Trini's hand pointed vaguely in Zordon's direction.
"You sure?" Tommy said, "They looks lot like you. See that lady has your hair and you've got that man's eyes."
Trini poked her head out, ready to give a retort, when she spotted the globe. Her eyes widened in obvious shock.
"It is them!" Trini said running closer to the globe. She stood on her tip toes and had her nose as close to the globe as possible. "Mommy? Daddy?" she yelled poking the globe, "Where are they?" Trini demanded.
"They're at your home." Zordon said.
"Impossible. I saw it destroyed." Trini said folding her arms, "You destroyed everything. He came right out of the sky and ate it in one big gulp! "
"I thought you said only Billy and Kimberly lived on your street." Tommy said skeptically.
"Yeah," Trini muttered uneasily.
"Well then that proves it didn't happen. Zordon's head isn't THAT big." Tommy said enthusiastically, "And those have to be your parents safe and sound, because I could see everything that happened to you on this TV before and it happened just like I saw it happen."
"You don't know what you're talking about, Tommy." Trini snapped.
"Well, all I know is if there was a chance that I had a family, I'd want to check it out." Tommy muttered bitterly.
The two were silent, as they watched the globe.
"They sure do look like my family." Trini said longingly, as she leaned as close to the viewing globe as she could.
"Why don't you check? Tell us about your family." Zordon suggested.
"Yeah!" Tommy said, "Please! You've got good stories!"
Trini didn't want to talk anymore, especially too Zordon, but at the same time she felt like she had to. Before she knew it she it, she was babbling away about her family. At first she focused on Tommy, trying to ignore Zordon's existence, however, the more she talked the more drawn she was to the floating head. As she talked, some memories got stronger, while others got weaker and weaker till suddenly she gasped.
"It wasn't true! It was a dream!" Trini yelled angrily.
"Huh?" Tommy said in confusion.
"Those really are my parents," Trini cried pointing at the viewing globe, "and I've never met Zordon in my life. We've been tricked!"
"Does that mean your cured?" Tommy asked hopefully.
Zordon nodded, "See, the magic of talk is powerful, particularly with hypnosis spells."
"Whoa," Tommy whistled, "I never knew talking was a power."
"Not as strong a power as thinking." Zordon said.
"But why? I don't understand. Why would Empress Rita do this?" Trini asked, "Doesn't she know how upset and scared we all were? Our parents must be freaked out."
" Rita is trying to keep you for herself." Zordon said, "All of you have very strong magic potential. Rita wants to utilize you all in her evil army, when you get older. You are at the age when your magic potential is at a cross roads. It will either fade from here or it can be encouraged."
"But my friends wouldn't help someone that evil." Trini said.
"You went running to Rita when she came." Tommy said quietly, as though it was shameful, "I wanted to too."
"Rita is a much stronger witch then you are. Hypnosis is a easy but strong spell in her hands. Your friends probably do not see evil as it is anymore." Zordon said.
"Evil was good. Yeah, I guess you're right, besides they hardly want to leave her side any more. I mean, Billy and Kimberly snuck off one morning and next thing you know it was like they couldn't remember life before going to the moon. Then Zack and Jason got locked in some room, I remember because we got a lecture on out of bounds areas, but when they got out they acted like Kim and Billy. That's why I ran away. I was afraid I'd forget my life." Trini frowned, "I knew something was wrong. I left my friends in danger! What if she does something bad to them?"
"From your story, I do not think there is anything worse she would do to them. I believe your friends have drunk a powerful mind control spell. An unbound one too." Zordon said.
"What does that mean?" Trini asked fearfully.
"It means that Rita has erased part of their memories. Basic abilities are retained, but their memories are forgotten. They probably have had a loyalty switch. It would kill an adult but a young child, especially a magical one, would not fight it very hard. Magic draws in magic, and there is not a lot of magic on Earth. They will have latched onto Rita, kind of like a mother figure." Zordon said gravely.
"Mother?" Trini yelled, "They all already have mothers! Mothers who probably miss them!"
"Very much so," Zordon said, "but when we return you to your family, you must not mention your friends. If the adults go looking for the lost ones then Rita will probably destroy them to ensure keeping her prize."
"But, aren't they looking now?" Trini said in surprise. Then her eyes widened, "No, Bulk and Skull said there was a funeral. They think we're dead. They only saw a monster when they saw me!"
"An illusion spell. One we can easily remedy." Zordon said. A moment later Trini glowed yellow and then the light faded.
"That felt weird." Trini said, "What did you do?"
"Only help you take off the spell." Zordon said, "You are very powerful, and just needed direction. However, the Earth is not a safe place to practice unsupervised magic. It will let Rita and other things track you ."
" I'd be careful." Trini reasoned, because she really was starting to think her small grasp of hypnosis was very useful.
"Magic has consequences that you do not always understand. You have too much power, and your body is not ready to control it. Magic will wear away at you until it destroys you. No magic isn't for you, especially at your age. Exposure to magic has catalyzed your own too early." Zordon explained, "You are not allowed to try any magic. That goes for you too, Thomas."
"No fair." Tommy said grouchily, "I mean, I've lost foster families to magic. It just comes out! If I learned to use it maybe it wouldn't go all over the place."
"You especially must be careful. You have a lot of excess power. You did not even need another magical source to catalyze your power like the other children." Zordon said calmly, "Rita will be hunting you and with your kind of power you are a danger to yourself and to others. I was thinking about intervening, but you seemed to be trying to make your powers dormant. I think you would have succeeded, or at least dampened them. Perhaps they would have disappeared forever."
Trini and Tommy had a mixture of horror and fear on their faces. They liked their new found magic abilities, but Zordon made them sound dangerous and scary.
"I'm sorry, children, I did not plan for you to find out about your powers this way." Zordon said, "It would have been easier for you two if you had never learned of them."
The kids just stared at Zordon.
"I will signal the Rangers. They will bring Trini home and give an explanation. Trini, you can never reveal the Rangers' identities. It would put everyone at risk." Zordon said.
Trini nodded, "I understand. " she muttered. Then Trini's eyes light up fearfully, "What about Tommy?"
"We will keep an eye on the children's home. I want you two to lead as normal a life as possible." Zordon said, "It is for the best."
The two looked at each other fearfully for a moment.
"We might not ever see each other again." Trini said sadly.
"Yep." Tommy muttered dropping his eyes to the ground.
"I'm going to miss you Tommy." Trini said.
"Yep." Tommy muttered, not even looking up.
Trini gave Tommy a quick hug. "It'll be fine. I bet you find a great family. One with lots of toys and stuff."
"I hope you get your friends back." Tommy said.
The two were silent.
"Thanks for fixing me." Trini said to Zordon, "You'll find my friends, right?"
"We will try." Zordon said, "Alpha, call the Rangers. We can put things right now."
Tommy looked down glumly.
"Hey, don't be like that." Trini whispered to Tommy, "I was wrong. I can feel that we will see each other again. You just wait."
~~PR~~
"Finster, are those putties well enough disguised?" Rita demanded.
"Yes, and a whole battalion is hidden around all the indicated sites. Our stores are going to be low for days." Finster grumbled.
"It'll be worth it." Rita said, "Make sure everyone is prepared. I want to get those kids the second Zordon turns his back."
"What makes you sure that he'll return them, your evilness?" Squatt asked.
"Because," Rita hissed, "Zordon believes in letting them squander their potential by living naturally. He'd rather let them lose their powers and let magic evolution on the planet go at a normal pace, then have stronger warriors. He's weak that way. It serves no one. If he had it his way those kids would grow up to have meaningless jobs on a throwback planet. They would never get to experience any of the magic of the universe. They would never realize what they are."
Rita looked through the telescope again.
"Ah," Rita yelled, "Look there's the Black Ranger returning little Tommy right now. Look at him! All of that beautiful power practically radiates off of him!"
~~PR~~
Tommy gave a dark look to the children's home.
"Do I really have to go back?" Tommy asked Aaron.
"Yeah, and we need you to stay near the children's home. We've set up security on this block. We'll set up some more at your kindergarten. Now remember if Rita or putties or something comes you press that button on your communicator." Aaron instructed.
"I don't want to be here. No one wants me anyway. People just think I'm weird." Tommy muttered, "I guess now I know what a freak I really am."
"Tommy, you've got a gift," Aaron started.
"One Zordon doesn't want me to use!" Tommy interjected, "It's going to eat me alive!"
" No it won't," Aaron corrected Tommy, "Everything is going to be fine. Just do what Zordon says and you'll be fine."
Tommy sighed, "Just go on. You've got to find Zack. I can go around the corner myself."
Aaron nodded and watched Tommy go.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid." Tommy punched the air with his fists, "It's my magic, I could handle it. I don't need anyone else."
Aaron however didn't hear Tommy and when he saw the boy was safely in the yard of the children's home he sat up the final security beacon.
"There." Aaron said, "Nothing bad will happen to you now, little buddy." He turned and teleported back to the command center.
Tommy watched from the stairs as Aaron disappeared, "Good riddance. Finally alone." he growled. He opened the homes door and slammed it shut.
~~PR~~
"A very bad attitude for the hypnosis spell." Finster pointed out, "He needs to want some emotional desire for belonging for it to work."
"Finster, are you blind?" Rita sighed, "He's the neediest of all of them. He has never had anyone, and he's being pulled away from the only person he's met like himself. I almost had him without good eye contact in the alley. He's practically begging for a family and some sense of belonging. No, that boy will be the easiest one yet. He has the attitude, but just as much fear and desperation to go with it. Zordon is a fool to let him out of his sight for a second. No, Finster, it's Trini that will be hard."
Rita turned the focus to Angel Grove and was almost instantly rewarded with the Rangers teleporting down with Trini between them.
"Perfect, now the challenge begins." Rita said, "I want reports on the hour. I want to get them out the second Zordon has to reserve some energy. It will be a day or so before Zordon might divert his attention. We must be patient. In the mean time, I have children to check on."
~~PR~~
Billy neither ate nor spoke all evening. Kimberly and Jason only played with their food. Zack, however, ate with an great appetite. He gorged himself more than usual and could not stop laughing and telling inane jokes, until Kimberly lost it and yelled at him. The children all wanted to sleep early. Rita came to check on them. They were all curled up next to Trini's spot. Zack and Kimberly slept back to back. Jason was sleeping sitting up, with Billy on his lap. Billy had obviously been crying.
Rita quietly moved Billy out of Jason's lap and tucked them all in snugly.
"Don't be too upset, my little ones," Rita said soothingly, "I will return your lost sister soon, and a new brother too."
