The Senshi and Rangers stared at one another trying to figure out what the riddle was about. 'Nicole has a special power that she knows naught of, she will return to the place where she feels like she belongs,'
"I don't understand, we've done everything to make her feel at home here." complained Raye
"Its not that, Nicole must be feeling something we've never felt." Mina stated softly.
"Nicki is from the past, Could she be feeling homesick?" asked Kim
"That means she must have gone back to the moon." Jason replied. Serena had tears shining in her eyes; she knew she wasn't being sisterly to Nicole but was only because she didn't remember. She began to giggle a little.
"What's so funny?" asked Zach, thinking Serena had lost her sanity.
"Just remember how Nicki came to our time." Serena answered.
"Oh I remember, at first we thought she was Queen Serenity." Lita commented. The Senshi had a smile of remembrance on their faces.
"Uh, I hate to break the fond memories but shouldn't two of you go get Nicole?" asked Luna. Selene buried her head in her paws. "Humans."
"I'll go." volunteered Serena. "Mina, you're in charge."
"I'll go with you, I believe it's somewhat my fault that Nicki left," Jason stated. He did feel guilty about not going after Nicole but he didn't know what to say, what would a person say if he finds out that the girl he had a crush on was a lover in a past life?
The two leaders nodded. Serena and Jason would bring back their friend. The two headed out to find that portal to the Moon Kingdom.
"Zordon said it was close, now where is it?" Jason thought outloud.
"Could it be that shimmering thing over there?" Asked Serena; pointing in the direction of a shimmering blue gateway.
"That could be it." replied Jason. The two walked over to the gateway, they seen what was on the other side it was the once beautiful water gardens of the moon palace.
"I think this is the one." Serena commented as she walked over to the gateway. "Well I guess this is the only way to find my sister."
"You sure this is safe?" asked Jason, if anything happened to Serena, He had the feeling Nicole would skin him alive. Serena shook her head and grabbed Jason by the arm and walked though the gateway. The ruins were exactly the same as when the Senshi came.
"What happened here?" asked Jason, if he was this Akira this might have something to with Nicole and his past life. Serena sighed
"This is all that is left of the Moon Kingdom," She replied gesturing to the ruins of the once beautiful palace. The two of them searched for Nicole everywhere. "This is hopeless."
"Nothing is all hopeless, Serena." Queen Serenity stated materializing before them. Serena smiled softly at her original mother. Jason looked on in shock at the translucent woman before them. He glanced at Serena and she didn't seem in shock.
"Hello, Mother." greeted Serena. Jason's jaw dropped this was the woman that gave life to Serena and his Nicole. "We'll hear that Nicole might be back here."
"Yes, she is indeed here." Queen Serenity replied "She seemed melancholy."
"Where is She?" asked Jason. Sapphire eyes that Nicole had the very same glanced over at him "Who is this?"
"His name is Jason, He's Akira reincarnated." answered Serena. Serenity nodded "I see"
"Mother, Where is Nicole at?" asked Serena.
"I cannot tell you must listen, her heart calls for family and belong. I cannot offer the family she needs anymore." Serenity stated as disappeared.
Serena closed her eyes and focus on bringing the crescent moon insignia to her forehead. Jason closed his eyes too seeing no point in doing so. But that was until he heard something that sounded like sobbing. The two looked at each other and started to run to where they heard the sound. In the corner of a once beautiful garden was Nicole with her knees up to her chest, but when Jason went to reach her a barrier shimmered.
"What is this?" asked Jason. Serena walked up to it and places a gentle hand on the barrier. "I remember she had always done this. First was because of her training then when I fell in love with Endymion."
"How are we going to get it down?" He asked.
"We're not; she's going to let us in." Serena replied her eyes held onto the barrier when at last a hole just large enough for two people to slip in was made. "See I told you."
The two walked inside the heartache they felt broke their own hearts; Jason was the one who caused most of it. Both He and Serena went to sit beside Nicole's huddled form. Her eyes still had sad haunted look to them. But she was still here in the present day.
"What are you two doing here?" Nicole asked, She glanced up then back down where she seen that Jason was with Serena.
"We come to bring you home." replied Jason.
"I am Home, I was born in this kingdom and I will die here." Nicole countered since she knew no one would love her.
"Nicki, this isn't our home anymore." Serena stated gentle.
"To you it isn't but I'm from the past it will always be my home." Nicole replied; Serena slapped Nicole across the face. "Will you stop with the self-pity, at least you remember how the Kingdom look before it went to Hell, and I can barely remember our own mother for crying out loud."
"You....just.....slapped.......me" Nicole stated shocked, her eyes didn't hold as much sadness anymore
Jason looked on in amazement, he just witness the sweet tempered princess of the moon slap her own sister across the face.
"Of course, I slapped you and I would do it again too. Now why did you come here?" chirped Serena.
"I don't remember, all I knew is that no one would love me like you and Endymion." replied Nicole looking down at her hands.
"You're wrong." Jason spoke up. Nicole stared at him. "I don't understand."
Jason looked over at Serena, She nodded and stood up. "I'll be over somewhere else, just hurry up." She left to give the two stubborn lovebirds' time to themselves.
Nicole watched as Serena left, but her face was turned back to stared the Red Ranger in the eyes. "I don't care if I'm a reincarnated lover of yours; all I know is that I have strong feelings for you."
"Please don't lie to me to make me feel better." Nicole whispered somewhere deep in her heart she wished this to be true.
"I'm not lying" Jason replied as he reached out to his moon maiden and pulled her into his lap, staring in those beautiful sapphire eyes, ever so slowly he leaned into Nicole brushing his lips with hers. Their kiss was sweet, yet so full of love and need. They did need each other, he supposed. He needed her to survive and he gave her reason to live and keep fighting for love. He moved his lips gently against hers, trying to take his fill of Nicole and quench the hunger that he had felt for her over the past few months. When they pulled apart, Nicole was breathless and starry eyed.
"Does that prove to you how much I love you?" Jason asked equally breathless. Nicole could only nod. Once she regained her composure. "I must say that was way better then the first kiss i ever had." She stated then leaned her head on Jason's shoulder. "I'm so tired right now; I think i could sleep forever."
"I wouldn't do that, if i were you." Jason teased.
"Why?" asked Nicole, she was so happy right now that even Rita wouldn't spoiled her moment.
"Because if you did sleep forever, I wouldn't be able to go to the couples dance." Jason replied "That if i have my girl to go with me or she could go with Skull?"
"There is no way on earth or the moon I would go with anyone but you." Nicole replied forcefully.
"Good." Jason agreed.
"I hate to ruin the happy moment, but could we leave now?" asked Serena coming back over to the happy couple.
"Sure, but i don't know how i did that portal thing." replied Nicole
"That's okay it's still open you didn't come far enough for it to close, I already looked." Serena replied with smile on her face.
"What are you smiling for?" asked Nicole.
"Oh, I'm happy because my sister found love again." Serena replied.
"Well at least I didn't meet Jason by throwing a failed test at him." Nicole retorted.
"I didn't throw a test at him, He was in the way." Serena argued.
"Sure, Sure." stated Nicole.
They began to walk back to the gateway. Once they were there Nicole got a bright idea.
"Nicki, What's with that look on your face?" asked Jason, suddenly being afraid of his girlfriend.
"I won't tell." replied Nicole.
"She has an idea, and I bet it won't be good for whoever is on the opposite end of it." explained Serena.
"Explain Nicole." ordered Jason.
"I don't take orders from you." replied Nicole. Serena laughed "But you do take them from me."
"Crap." muttered Nicole. "I have an idea of playing a trick on a certain evil sorceress."