Here's the new chapter.
Enjoy!
It's been four days since Christmas and Jason and Tommy were at the dojo, clearing a few items out. Jason and Rocky cancelled classes until the second week of January for the holidays. They had ended the year with a karate graduation two weeks before Christmas at the local high school where Tommy taught at.
Aisha and Amy were back at work. Hayley and Billy hung around Trini, all of them talking about Trini's new project at work. She even invited them to come along with her to show them the plans and received their input. Zack and Rocky took advantage of Trini's free Disney World tickets and drove to Orlando to enjoy themselves. Adam and Kim were in the studio, producing Kira's new CD.
"I talked to Eric the other day," Tommy said to Jason as they lifted a mat off the floor. "Remember him? The Silver Guardian with Wes. Quantum Ranger?"
Jason nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think so. Time Force, right? Those rangers that came from the future."
"Yup, that's the one."
"And he was the wannabe red, right?" Jason smirked. "So, how is he? And Wes?"
"They're both doing good." Tommy looked at Jason. "Do you remember Cole?"
Jason furrowed his brow and scrunched his face in memory. "The rookie?"
Tommy nodded. "Him."
"What about him?"
"His old teammate, Taylor, she was yellow, and Eric, the wannabe red, are getting married."
"Good for them." Jason raised his eyebrows and smiled. "That's messed up, though. Why didn't they invite me?"
"Eric just proposed," Tommy answered. "But that got me thinking."
"About what?"
Tommy sighed. "I don't know...do you think...will we...can we...I guess...does it...I don't know...right?"
Jason stared at him with a dumbfounded look on his face. "Uh, okay. Let's do that over again, okay? Cuz you were so understandable the first time."
"I don't know...I guess I'm sorta nervous..."
"Tommy, you're my best friend. You're like a brother to me. What's up?"
"They're getting married. Eric and Taylor." Tommy took a deep breath. "Do you think it's time I ask Kim?"
Jason raised his eyebrows. "Do I think you and Kim should get married? Yes, I do. Do I think you should ask Kim just because Eric and Taylor are getting married? No, I don't. Things take time, Tommy. You and Kim just got back into each other's lives. I mean, look at me and Trini. We've been together for a long time and we talk about marriage all the time, but there is no way in hell that the two of us are ready to take that on. And we both know that."
"I know...but it's been something that I've been thinking about for a long time, you know?"
Jason nodded. "Of course you have. It's only natural that you think that about Kim. And I know she thinks that about you. But...just don't rush into it. I don't want either of you to get hurt again. The two of you have been apart for so long, you guys should just get to know each other again."
Tommy nodded. "Yeah, you're right."
"But you know, when you do ask Kim," Jason looked at him with his older brotherly look of concern. "Make sure you ask me first. You know, there is a long list of people you've got to get through and I'm number one on the that list. Even if it is you."
Tommy smiled a bit. "And who's number two?"
"Adam. Then Aisha. Rocky. Trini. We made Trini last because she's always been the most loving and accepting. Rocky, too. But he at least likes to give people a hard time about everything."
Tommy thought for a bit. "Kim and Adam are really close, aren't they?"
Jason nodded. "It's something you've got to accept, man. I know you like Adam and he's one of your best friends, too, but I know that you can't help but be jealous of their bond."
"Speaking from experience?"
"Sometimes I am jealous," Jason agreed. "I used to be the one in Adam's place. I used to be the first person she calls. And now he's the first one she turns to. If she falls or gets hurt or if her car breaks down, he's the one she calls. And he drops everything to help her. She'll call us if he's busy or if she knows he's busy. He's the one she shares the secrets that she can't tell the rest of us. He tells her secrets that he doesn't tell the rest of us. Remember that overdrive mission? I can bet you anything that Adam tried to hide it from Kim at first. Kim asked him about it and he told her and made her promise to not tell any of us. They have secrets from the rest of us. And they have a bond so strong that they already know what the other is thinking." Jason stopped for a moment. "Granted, I know we all pretty much have that with each other, but you know, it's different with them." He looked at Tommy deep in his eyes. "But you've got to remember that they are just friends. They're very close friends. They are the best of friends. And they spend so much time together that they really have no choice but to get as close as they've gotten. But, I would lay my life down for both of them. And I know they would do the same for me."
Tommy nodded. "I know...it's just...it does take a lot of getting used to, you know? Sometimes it feels like we're back in high school again, except all of us are together. And we're not fighting Rita and Zedd. We just get to enjoy life again. And I just keep going back to that and thinking that I'm gonna be the only Kim calls. I'm gonna help her out of a tough spot."
"Things have changed, Tommy. We're all back in each other's lives and we have been for a while now, but we all did learn how to survive without one another. You, Hayley, and Billy have your own things going on. And we do, too. And we all spent so much time with one another that we know how we all work. We know the little things about each other. Like...Rocky loves Chili's."
"I know that," Tommy said.
"Yeah, but do you know that Rocky's favorite thing to do at Chili's is crack the frozen shell on top of a chocolate molten cake? And that Kim always cracks it first to get under his skin?"
Tommy thought back to that first night they hung out with each other following Kim's show. He vaguely remembered Rocky whining about how Kim cracked the shell before he got to it.
"And Aisha...she's changed from high school, hasn't she? She's the same, but she's not."
Tommy nodded slowly. "She seems a lot more overprotective now. Of all you guys. Even with us."
Jason raised his eyebrows and nodded in agreement. "She is. She's kind of like our, forgive my pun here, but like our 'mother bear'. She always takes care of us. And Trini...she doesn't like to admit it, but I know she knows all the words and loves every Hannah Montana song. And Adam, he's very..."
"Protective? Especially over Kim."
"Mmm, yeah...well, all of us are, especially over Kim. But Adam, one of his things is that he...weird that I know this...but he can't sleep without socks. He always has to have socks whenever he goes to sleep. It doesn't matter whether or not it's a hundred degrees outside, he's wearing socks to bed."
Tommy looked at him in amusement.
Jason rolled his eyes. "Kim told me. She said she used to hide Adam's socks whenever they were on tour so he was forced to sleep without them."
"And what about Kim?"
Jason shrugged. "What about Kim? You know her. You get to know her some more. And to be honest with you, before you ask Kim to marry you, I think you should learn those things about her. Learn what we know about her. Learn what Adam knows."
"Is it weird, not being a ranger anymore?" Amy asked Aisha as the two of them cleaned up the veterinary clinic. No one else was there, every person, dog, cat, and other animal had gone home.
Aisha shook her head. "No. I've grown accustomed to my life now. And I love it."
"Do you regret giving up your powers?"
Aisha thought for a bit. "I used to. I think I used to more regret the fact that Kim left Angel Grove because if she didn't, then she never would've gotten into her accident. And her and Tommy probably would've never broken up. And you see them together, they're happy. They were twenty times that in high school."
"What about you? Your powers? Do you regret giving Tanya the Zeo crystal?" Amy pressed.
Aisha was silent as Amy waited for an answer. "I don't know," she answered at last. "I always thought about Kim and--"
"Why don't you stop thinking about her for a minute. Think about yourself for now. Don't get me wrong, I love Kim," Amy said with a smile. "But think about yourself for a minute. Before you found out about Kim's accident, when you were in Africa, did you regret giving up your powers?
Aisha sighed. "I missed fighting."
Amy let out an exasperated sigh. "You're not answering my question, 'Sha. Do you regret it? Being a Power Ranger? Giving up your powers?"
"At the time, no," Aisha answered after a long time. "I loved being in Africa. I loved everything about it, the people, the whole environment, and especially the animals. I learned so much over there. But...I guess after it stopped feeling like a prolonged vacation, I guess I did start to regret it a bit. I missed going into battle. I missed hanging out with my friends after school. Going shopping with Kim. All that..fun stuff we used to do in high school. I missed my friends."
"What made you give up your powers?"
Aisha thought long and hard about this question. She never exactly knew, but then again, no one has ever forced it out of her.
"I don't know," she answered. She was silent for another couple of minutes. And Amy, sensing her need to think, didn't say anything, just waited for Aisha to answer her. "I don't think it really felt the same anymore. And...a large part of that was...because of Kim. She and I are like sisters. She used to live with me and my parents after her mom moved to Paris. We're closer than close."
"Kind of like her and Adam now?"
"Sort of. Kim...it's easy to get close to her. Easy and hard. She welcomes you in and envelopes you in this everlasting love, but once you hurt her, you're out and you'll never get back in. She's just..."
Amy nodded. "I think I know."
Aisha nodded also. "And it just makes you want to protect her. Her parents...they were there for her, but...she was never...I don't know. Her and her mother were close at one time, but then, once she moved to Paris, it was almost like she forgot about Kim a bit. And her father. After the divorce, she barely saw her father. So she only had her friends. They became her family. Our parents became her parents. We became her siblings. She...us...all of us, we'd die for each other. And you. We're each closer to one person, but above all, we're close to each other. We love each other. All of us."
Amy nodded in understanding. She waited for Aisha to continue.
"But when Kim left Angel Grove, I felt...like a part of me left, too, you know? I didn't grow up with any brothers or sisters and neither did Kim. When she and I moved in with each other, we did everything together. We already did before she moved in. When she did move in, my mom called us twins. We look nothing alike, but we were just always together. And when she moved to Florida, I just...it was different. And I would hate to say that Kat tried to replace Kim, on the team and in the group, but she couldn't. Kat and Kim aren't the same person. And they never would be."
"Kat...she's the one who Kim gave her powers to, right?" Aisha nodded. "And then started dating Tommy." Aisha nodded again.
"So she was gone and here we were fighting for our lives. Again. We were children! We had no business doing what we did. But we had to find the Zeo crystals to restore everything. And my journey led me to Africa. When I got there, I just felt so overwhelmed. Just being in a different place made me feel like I was moving forward. I let go of the rangers, I let go of Angel Grove and I let go of everything that was keeping me down over there."
"And then you found out about Kim's accident."
Aisha nodded. "I knew right then and there that I wasn't meant to stay in Africa. It was fun while it lasted, but I had more important things to worry about. Jason called me and told me about her injuries and I was all ready to leave. But he convinced me to stay, saying that he and Trini had it handled and that they would keep me updated." Aisha shook her head and looked around before continuing. "Then Trini called. She told me that Kim's body was healing, but she wasn't getting any better. She asked me to come to Florida to be with Kim, because it seemed like all she needed was her friends."
Amy sat in silence, waiting for Aisha to continue some more.
"So you ask me if I regret giving up my powers. Well, I don't. I don't think I ever will. Sure, I do miss it, at times, but if I hadn't given up my powers...who knows what would've happened. Would I be down here right now, talking to you? If I hadn't given up my powers, would Kim and I be as close right now as we are? Would Rocky and I be married? Would we all be as close as we are? I don't like to think about what could've happened because I love what did happen. I'm glad that all of us are the greatest of friends. I'm happy that you're a part of it. I'm happy that all of us moved down here to be with each other."
"Wow," Amy said softly. "I never knew."
"It's not really something that I like to tell out loud." Aisha looked a bit wary.
Amy smiled and gave her a hug.
"Fascinating, Trini," Billy said as he looked over Hayley's shoulder at the images on the computer.
"Thanks!" Trini said with a smile. "I can't wait for it to open."
"It certainly looks like it will a great ride," said Hayley.
"And you guys better be here when it opens!" Trini said in a mock-lecture voice.
"Of course," reassured Hayley. "We wouldn't miss it for the world!"
"Seriously, you guys should just move here already. All the cool kids are doing it!"
Billy laughed at Trini's remark. "All the cool kids are doing it? Why, Trini, I never knew you to be such a trend-follower."
"Come on, we're all here, Tommy's here, we need you two and Zack here!"
"I really wish we can, but...life is over there," said Hayley.
"I know," Trini said sadly. "I thought I'd try and convince you guys though."
"It almost worked," Billy said.
He sat down next to Hayley and continued to look through Trini's portfolio.
"Do you guys ever miss high school?" Trini asked, standing behind them.
"Lord, no!" exclaimed Hayley. "I remember it being big hair, ugly clothes, and an embarrassing prom date."
Trini and Billy laughed.
"Sometimes I do," Billy admitted.
"Yeah," Trini agreed. "Me too."
The three of them were silent for a bit.
"Do you think I made a mistake in going to the Peace Conference?" Trini asked, more to Billy.
Billy turned around and looked at her. He thought for a bit. "Do you think you made a mistake in leaving?"
"Sometimes I do."
Hayley turned around and faced Trini as well.
"It was a great opportunity, though, Trini. Switzerland? That's a once-in-a-lifetime chance," said Billy. "And you had Jason and Zack with you?"
"I know, but...I see you guys and I wish that..."
"What is it?"
"That I was a ranger longer."
Billy and Hayley looked at each other before Trini continued.
"I mean, I see you and you were there, even though you weren't a ranger. Tommy...he's been a ranger longer than any of us. And we got our powers before him! Adam...Rocky...they even got different powers. And all of you guys became Ninjetti! And Jason even got to carry that gold ranger one, too."
Billy frowned a bit, taking in Trini's rant slowly. "So, do you think you made a mistake? What would you have gained by staying in Angel Grove?"
"My powers," Trini said slowly.
"And what would you have lost?"
Trini shrugged her shoulders. Hayley watched silently.
"I could tell you what you would have lost." Billy continued to look in Trini's eyes. "Sure you would've had your powers, but what about all the things that you did in Switzerland? All the people you met, all the lives you changed. Even though you didn't have your powers, you still saved people's lives."
"I guess I've been thinking about this a long time."
"What else is bothering you?"
Trini shrugged again. "Nothing, really."
"Okay, then we'll go back. What else would you have lost?" Billy waited for Trini to answer, but none came. "Well, would you be best friends with Aisha, Rocky, and Adam? You barely got to know them when they moved from Stone Canyon. You were just there for a couple of months before going to Switzerland."
"I guess...I kind of feel like when I left...I didn't matter anymore."
"Of course you mattered, Tri."
"I know I shouldn't think about it and stuff, but I just can't help but wonder. High school was such a big part of our lives."
"It was only four years."
"I know, but so much happened, then."
"How do you feel now? Do you like where your life has taken you? Even with the choices that you made."
Trini nodded. "I love it. I love living down here. I love my friends. I love my job..."
"Then why dwell on the past? Why think about the what-ifs? It just leads you to a world of crazy."
"I guess."
"Because you did matter. You still do." Billy paused for a bit. "After you left, Kim and I would always talk about you guys and how if something happened, we'd talk about what you would've done. You were still in our lives, Trini."
Tears swelled up in Trini's eyes. Hayley gave her a tissue from the box on Trini's desk.
"I don't even know why I'm thinking like this. I love how my life is. But I just..."
"Can't help but wonder?"
Trini nodded.
"I know what you mean," Billy said. "Sometimes I wonder if I was happy enough staying in the Power Chamber with Alpha. When our first powers were lost and we received the Zeo powers. Well, they received the Zeo powers and I stayed in the Power Chamber with Alpha. Sometimes I do wonder. What if I was the blue ranger? After all, I was the first one." Billy took one of Trini's hands and looked her in the eye. "But then I thought about how overloaded Alpha got when they went out into battle. I remembered how he and Zordon did need help. I remembered how the Aquitain rangers taught me so much. And how they accepted me as one of their own. How I was given the chance of a lifetime to live on another planet. If I had stayed a ranger, would I have had that?" Billy shrugged. "I don't know. And I never will. And I never want to know."
"Whoo!" Rocky and Zack waved their arms around as they flew down a steep hill on the roller coaster.
"Gosh, Disney World is the GREATEST!" Zack exclaimed. "You guys are so lucky to live down here."
Rocky nodded. "And I never get tired of it. This really is the greatest place on earth."
Zack laughed. "Yeah." He looked at his watch. "But do you think we should be heading back now?"
Rocky pulled out his phone to look at the clock. "Yeah, I guess so. It is a little late. And we did promise Kim that we'd back for dinner."
Zack laughed again. "Yeah. Can't wait to get started on that show with her."
He and Rocky started walking toward the exit of the park together.
"Yeah, how's that coming along, by the way?"
"It's coming along," Zack said, nodding. "Umm...a couple of things here and there, but it's getting there."
"So has it been picked up or anything? When can we start watching."
Zack smiled. "It's been picked up for the upcoming season. It'll be a mid-season replacement. It's gonna start showing in a couple of weeks. And I guess we'll see where it goes from there."
"Of course it'll get picked up. It's the Power Rangers!" Rocky laughed and looked at Zack. "Kim was saying that Kira watched a Japanese-dubbed show of the Dino Rangers."
Zack laughed. "Yeah, I heard about that. It won't be like that though. I hope."
"So, how's everything going with it?"
"It's good. We finished shooting the first few episodes. I think we're a good...probably nine or ten in. We'll film three or four more episodes after the holidays and then we'll see whether or not the network wants to keep it."
"Have you watched the first episode?"
"Of course."
"And Kim?"
Zack nodded.
"What about Adam?"
Zack laughed as he shook his head. "I haven't shown it to him, yet."
"Was it weird producing a show about the rangers?" Zack and Rocky nodded goodbye to the park worker standing at the gates as they exited and headed toward their car. "I mean, is it weird? How do you like seeing the person you casted as yourself?"
"It is kinda weird," Zack answered. "And Kim and I wanted to try and make it somewhat follow our lives since we became rangers. So don't worry Rock, you'll be in it as red soon!"
Rocky started laughing. "That's gotta be real weird, writing yourself off the screen."
Zack laughed. "Yeah, it is. But..." shrugged his shoulders. "You gotta do what you do, I guess."
Zack jumped into the passenger's seat as Rocky started up the car.
"How was it?" Zack asked. "I know it's a little weird, me asking you this, but how was it being a red ranger when Tommy was white?"
Rocky scrunched his face to remember. "I don't know. I mean, when I first met all of you guys, Tommy seemed like the natural leader. How was it watching Jason give up leadership to Tommy?"
"It hurt him," Zack said bluntly. "I know it did. He was the one who was the ranger for a longer period of time. And Tommy was evil when he first became a ranger. And I hate to say it, but I did kind of choose sides and sided with Jason. He and I have known each other forever. So, when we left for Switzerland, for me, it wasn't that hard to give up my powers to Adam." He looked out the window. "But how about you? How'd you feel becoming a ranger when Jason gave you his powers?"
Rocky thought a bit. "I don't know. I felt honored, of course. Giving up your powers is not an easy decision an deciding on who to give it to is even harder."
"So what made you choose the kid?"
"Justin?" Rocky laughed. "Well, it helped that he found out we were rangers. He hid in my hospital room when the others teleported out."
"And what made you decide to give it up? A lot of people...well...maybe not a lot, but there were a few people who knew that we were rangers. And we trusted them to keep it a secret."
"I think it was time for me to move on, more than anything. Especially back then. Divatox had just come to town. Kim and Jason were evil. They got new powers. And I was lying in a hospital bed. I couldn't help them."
"You could've helped afterward."
Rocky nodded. "Yeah, I could've, but I didn't want to. My time has a ranger was finished." He looked at Zack quickly. "Do you ever wish that you came back or never gave up your powers or anything?"
Zack didn't say anything for a bit. "Sometimes I do. Looking back, and especially hearing about what you guys did. What Tommy's done. All the people and things you guys met, everything you guys got a chance to see. Sometimes I wish that I had been there." He sighed. "Sometimes I feel like my time as a ranger was so short."
"Do you ever want to go back?"
Zack thought a bit and exhaled. "Not full-time, I don't think. I do enjoy life now. I guess it was a little easier during high school to save the world. Maybe a little part-time stint like what Adam did. What about you?"
"Same. I've always wanted to go back, but just for a bit...not be...completely in it, you know? It's changed so much since we first started out that it'd be a big old shock to go back. But I do want to go back. When Jason came back from the moon mission and said it was all the reds, I was so mad!! I even swore off burgers for a whole year."
"And how long did you last?" Zack asked, grinning.
"Probably about a week. Maybe a couple of days."
The two of them laughed.
"So, what happened to you after the Peace Conference?"
"I moved straight to LA. Finished high school and went to UCLA. Started at the bottom of the industry and worked my way up." Zack thought for a bit. "I think I'm more surprised at how long the power has lasted. Not that I thought it'd die out with you guys, but I never thought it would ever go as far as it has gone."
"And that's just the half of it. What we did."
Zack raised his eyebrows and nodded. "When I left Angel Grove, I left behind the Power Rangers. I mean, I've heard of the different ranger teams; they're always in the news, but I never tried to find out too much. It reminded me of what I had left behind."
Rocky nodded. "And there were even some ranger teams where the public knew who they were."
"Really?" Zack asked incredulously. "That's crazy. I just remember Zordon always reminding us to not let anyone know of our identities."
Rocky nodded. "That overdrive team that Adam helped out? I think the public knew who they were. And that guy Adam was telling us about, Bridge, remember him?"
"I'm not too sure...the red when they helped out, right?"
Rocky nodded again. "He came from the year 3000 or something like that. And he came from a school of rangers-in-training. They were almost like police officers and stuff."
"3000?"
"Mm-hmm. And Jason was saying that a couple of reds from the moon mission got their powers from the future when the rangers followed the evil guy back."
"Huh?"
"Exactly. I don't get it either. And he said that that team had two red rangers."
"How?"
"Well, he called one the wannabe red."
"How was he..."
"I have no idea. I didn't really want to listen. I was still pissed I missed it. And I still am."
Zack laughed. "I could tell."
"Every color should have their own mission." Rocky looked thoughtful for a bit. "Wait, that means that Tommy would get to go on every single one. We should do a blue one. I don't Tommy was ever a blue ranger."
"He wasn't pink or yellow, either."
Rocky nodded. "Yeah, we should do a blue, pink, and yellow mission." He looked at Zack. "With one black. You're invited."
"Thanks." Zack laughed again. "So how do certain rangers get to go back and others don't? What made Adam go back? And Kira? And Tommy? And the reds from that moon mission?"
"I don't know," Rocky answered. "I guess whoever finds the danger first gets to pick? I know from the moon mission, Andros called Tommy and he wanted to get all the reds together since it was the first-in-commands to Mondo. All of their generals and stuff. And Adam...I don't know. Kim might, though. Cuz his came up so out of the blue."
"It would be nice to go back, wouldn't it?" Zack said, thoughtfully.
"It would," Rocky nodded. "Just for a little bit."
"Sounds great, Kira!"
Kira gave Kim a thumbs up from inside the studio. Kim turned to Adam, sitting on her right.
"She's really gonna do good, isn't she?"
Adam nodded. "Yeah. She has a good sound, great voice, and not to mention the best manager ever!"
Kim rolled her eyes. "I suppose."
"And what about you, Ms. Annie H? How do you think your new one is coming along?"
"You're the manager. What do you think?"
"I think it's coming along great, but what about you?"
Kim nodded. "It's good. I do love being the studio and making up new songs and stuff."
"But..."
"But I kinda miss when I was up and coming in the music business. It was me and you together."
Adam smiled. "And all I could get you were the local clubs?"
"Yeah...that's what I miss," Kim said, smiling. "Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for everything. But I miss it being very intimate and quiet. Now, when I'm onstage, I could barely hear myself think. I miss the days when I could actually make you guys out from the stage."
Adam smiled. "What? Not like your latest tour?"
Kim nodded. "And I like this a bit more, too. Producing, writing. I kinda miss that, too." She watched Kira in the recording booth. "And I love hearing what I write come out of her mouth. I love hearing what I write on the radio. Especially when it's someone else singing it. That way it's not so..."
"Personal?"
"Yeah," Kim said softly. She looked up at Adam. "I guess it could be worst, though."
"How so?"
"I could get recognized everywhere I go."
Adam laughed and nodded. "Very true."
"You know how you have your powers back."
"Yeah..." Adam said slowly, wondering where this conversation was headed.
"Would you help out the next ranger team if they needed it?"
"Of course," he replied. "Wouldn't you?"
"If I had powers, I would." She sighed. "How'd it feel when that thing came to you and asked you to help them out?"
"Well, you know that I didn't believe it at first. Then he told me about my history as a ranger, Thrax, and Rita and Zedd. And I believed him. He told me that he was going to be bringing back a handful of rangers also."
"So...he had a whole bunch of us here. Why didn't he choose any of us?"
Adam shrugged. "I don't think I would've wanted him too. It was Aisha and Rocky's wedding day. I didn't want to mess it up."
"Next time, can I come?" Adam smiled.
"Come where?" Kira asked as she shut the door to the recording booth.
"Next time the latest rangers need help, she wants to come," Adam answered.
"Are there rangers now? I wanna go too! " Kira exclaimed. "Cuz I know the overdrive powers ran out."
"Ran out?" Kim said with a laugh. "You make it sound like a battery."
Kira gave her a look. "You know what I mean." She took a seat next to Kim. "Ronny called me...when was it? Sometime last month."
Adam nodded. "Yeah, Will called me around Thanksgiving to let me know."
"Yeah," Kira said. "Ronny said she's going back to racing and Rose is still gonna teach. I think she said Dax is gonna try directing and Will wants to train his own special team of spies."
"I wonder who the next group is gonna be," said Kim. "Cuz I'd love to go and help."
Adam laughed. "We're here talking about helping the next group of rangers...if the new group needs help from old rangers, that's not really a good thing!"
Kira and Kim looked at each other and laughed.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Kim said, laughing.
"You know...when we became rangers, or a little after we became rangers, Dr. O got kidnapped and we found that video diary of his in the computer."
Adam and Kim nodded, waiting for Kira to continue.
"Well, that was when we first found out about you guys (and I still feel like an idiot for not recognizing you guys), but Hayley called Tommy the best ranger there was."
Adam and Kim made a face.
"Well, see, that's not fair," Kim said. "He made the freakin' video."
"And he and Hayley were like, best friends during college," added Adam. "Of course she's gonna say that."
"I bet she's gonna say that Billy was the best ranger now," Kim said.
"Well, the original pink ranger will always be my favorite," Adam said, winking at Kim.
"Now, you've put me in a bind here, Adam. Green, white, red, black?" Kim put her arm around Adam and leaned her head against his. "But don't worry I'll always have a soft spot for the Frog."
Kira grinned and laughed. "You know, before we watched that video, I never knew there so many ranger teams."
"And now there's even more," said Adam.
Kira nodded. "Yeah. It is pretty cool, though."
"So, how are you liking everything, Kira?" Kim asked. "Moving too fast, too slow? How are you feeling?"
Kira thought for a bit before answering. "I'm having the time of my life, Kim." She grinned. "You guys are great. I love you guys. I think we're moving along at a pretty good pace and I can't wait to see where we go from here."
Adam smiled at her. "Me too."
And there it is. Hope you guys liked it!