"Aisha?" Aisha turned, and smiled as Ashala came out of the shadows between two huts, "What are you doing out here? You should be in bed."
Aisha shrugged, "I couldn't sleep, ma'am. The stars are so clear here, to." She looked back up at the stars and shivered as she saw the moon, hanging innocently, with no hint of the evil she knew was there.
"Are you afraid of the moon?" Ashala asked.
"No," Aisha replied, "I'm afraid of what lives on the moon."
"Even we know, there is nobody on the moon," Ashala replied.
Aisha shook her head, "In a few years, there will be. They call her Rita Repulsa, and she's only the beginning."
"How do you know this?" Ashala asked.
Aisha winced, "Because I lived it," she said finally. "Ashala, ma'am, I was sixteen years old a few weeks ago. I know it sounds like I'm crazy, or that I'm lying, but I'm not. In 1993, unfortunate astronauts will unleash Rita Repulsa and her minions from imprisonment, where she has languished for 10,000 years. In response, my mentor, and Rita's enemy, Zordon of Eltare, will summon six, no, five teens to take on the mantle of the Power Rangers."
"Are you one of them?" Ashala asked.
"No, I replaced them. I didn't fight Rita until after she married Lord Zedd in 1994." Aisha replied. "Three of the originals left, and I was one of the selected replacements." She sighed, her eyes heading back up to a moon she could no longer call innocent.
"What happened?" Ashala asked.
"The Ranger I replaced," Aisha said, quietly, "was only a college degree from being a psychologist. Her mother is one, and T- she learned everything from her mother." Aisha sighed, "Nobody ever said it, but, we all know that I don't even have a tenth of her talent for helping the team."
"What do you mean?" Ashala asked.
"I'm the Healer," Aisha said, "T- she told me that meant I was supposed to help them deal with the things that happened. I can't, I try, but I never know what to say to get them to even talk about the problem."
"Forgive me," Ashala said, "but isn't a Healer one who helps the sick?"
"What?" Aisha asked, lifting a hand to wipe her cheek. She glanced down at her hand, surprised to feel it was wet.
"A Healer, are they not the ones who help the sick and injured?" Ashala repeated.
"I guess," Aisha said, "but, that isn't what she did."
"And you are supposed to be her clone?" Ashala asked.
"No!" Aisha shook her head, violently, "We made it a rule; only To- I mean, our fearless leader is allowed to have clones."
Ashala shook her head, "Aisha, please, do not try to deflect me. I only want to help."
"I don't think you can," Aisha replied. "I have to find the crystal and bring it back, or the future will never be right. No matter what happens, my teammates have to get that crystal."
"That is not the issue, either," Ashala replied, firmly. "It's about whether or not you are your predecessor's clone."
"I don't know," Aisha replied, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I don't know what they want!"
"It's all right," Ashala said, she reached out slowly and Aisha let her pull her into a hug. "You've been hiding this, haven't you?" Aisha nodded as she let Ashala comfort her, in a way, she felt like a child again, in the arms of an adult who could fix everything. "Aisha, may I ask a question?"
"Yes, Ashala," Aisha said, sitting back to look at her.
"What makes you happy? I don't mean being a Ranger, but something else," Ashala replied.
Aisha considered Ashala's words, sensing their importance but not quite grasping their significance. Finally, she sighed, "I like working with animals. I volunteer at a veterinary clinic. There's something soothing in helping animals."
"You said that you are the Healer," Ashala said, "perhaps for you, it is to be the Healer of Body, and not the mind as the one before you, or the spirit, as you may have seen in Tanya."
"Is that what it is?" Aisha asked, "I could feel something when we were talking, but I didn't know what it was."
"Yes," Ashala said, "now, you should go to bed. Even superheroes need some sleep."
"Yes ma'am," Aisha said returning to the hut she would share with the wise woman.
As she lay in the darkness, she thought about what Trini had asked her, almost a year ago, who heals the Healers? As always, the question was unanswered as Aisha surrendered herself to Morpheus.
The next morning, Aisha awoke to find the Zeo Crystal shard she'd come for lying next to her bed. Aisha picked up and knew, as the stone chilled in her hands, that it was not meant for her. She stood and went in search of Tanya, who was destined to use the crystal now.
Tanya was helping a group of children pick berries, "Tanya," Aisha said, "May I speak with you?"
"Is something wrong?" Tanya asked, standing up.
"I think, it may be, that something is going right," Aisha said. "I'm going to need your help, though."
"How," Tanya asked.
Aisha held out the Zeo Crystal, "I'm not the yellow ranger we need. You are; you have the heart and temperament to help my friends."
"But, why?" Tanya asked, "This is your destiny!"
"Not anymore," Aisha said, "it's not been my place for a while."
"What do you mean?" Tanya asked.
"Tanya, from the moment we met up, I knew you had the heart of a Yellow. The way you listened to me, it helped, a lot. The Power Rangers need someone like you to help them. I've served as their yellow, but I am not the one they need." Aisha pushed the crystal at Tanya, "I'm not the sort who can help people with their problems, or who can heal soul wounds. It's not my talent, and my team needs someone who can. You can do it, you know that as well as I. Please, help me. Help me give my team what I can not."
Tanya stared at Aisha, who belatedly remembered that she was a little girl, and not an adult trapped in a child's body. Please, she thought, let her do this. I can't help my family, but I can help here.
"What will you do if I go?" Tanya asked finally.
"Help the animals," Aisha replied. "I want to be a vet, and these animals need help. When the time stream gets fixed, there might even be researchers out here working on the problem. I can help them, and get college credit, maybe."
Tanya nodded and reached out to take the crystal. Power from its depths rose, washing over Aisha and Tanya. As Tanya took the crystal from Aisha's hand, Aisha found that her connection with the Power, while not as strong as it had been before they'd lost the power coins, was now stronger. She wondered if she could achieve a Ninja morph if need be. "Hey," Aisha said, "let me try something." She lifted her hands, "Ninja Power, the Bear!" She called and was rewarded with the familiar power surge that left her in her Ninja gear.
"Wow," Tanya said, "how did you do that?"
Aisha uncovered her face, "This was a secondary form we got when we became Ninja Rangers. My animal spirit's the bear. Power down." The power faded with the costume, and Aisha grinned. "At least if something happens out here, I'll be able to protect people. It's not Ranger strength, but it's better than being butt naked."
Tanya laughed for a moment, and then said, "I should go tell people I'm leaving."
Aisha's communicator chimed, "Hold on, Tanya," Aisha said and activated the device. "Zordon? What's going on?"
"Aisha, are things going well in Africa?' Zordon asked.
"Somewhat," Aisha replied. "Zordon, I'm not coming back. I've met someone here who can help the team better than I can."
"Are you sure about this?" Zordon asked.
"I'm very sure. Her name is Tanya. Should she pack, and explain now? I know we need to get the crystal back as soon as possible." Aisha said.
"It is not necessary," Zordon said, "when the time stream is corrected, you will find that events have realigned to fit the new history you are creating."
"Zordon, may I speak to the others please? I want to explain…" Aisha trailed off.
"They are here now." Zordon said after a moment.
"Guys?" Aisha called.
"Aisha, what's wrong?" Rocky asked.
Aisha had to smile, because that was Rocky, "I-I've found the crystal," she said.
"Are you coming back?" Tommy asked, "What's wrong?"
"I'm going to stay in Africa," Aisha said, and closed her eyes as cries of denial and dismay echoed out of the communicator. "I'm sending someone else with the crystal. She'll make a good yellow if you give her a chance. There's a problem here that I might be able to help people with."
"We need you," Adam said quietly.
"I'm staying," Aisha said firmly, "but I'll come back to California in a few years for college. We'll see each other then. Now, I have to finish warning Tanya about you guys. She'll be back sooner than you think. I love you guys, you're the best set of brothers and sister a girl could have. And I'll see you in a few years."
Aisha cut the connection after they had said good bye and smiled shakily at Tanya, "So," she said, "what do you want to know first, funny stories, sad stories, or blackmail?"
"Blackmail," Tanya replied with a nod and a grin.