"ARG! So itchy!" I groaned and rubbed against the bedpost to scratch my back.
"I know! Where is Nathan?!" Tasha asked as she paced back and forth in front of her bed, her hands clasped in fists so that she wouldn't scratch.
The two of us were stuck in the apartment covered in Chicken Pox along with Ethan, Jakob, Ryan, Gray and Daphne. Nathan, Lara, Chris (who it turned out had had the chicken pox when he was 8), Dad and Billy were working in shifts to bring us what we needed. Right now Nathan and Chris were on duty and were supposed to be bringing supplies from the drug store. However where on earth they were right now I didn't know.
Just when I thought that I couldn't take it anymore the front door opened. I threw back the covers and hurried out of the room.
"Where the HELL have you been?" I said and grabbed the Walgreen's bag from his hand.
"Sorry! There was a wreck over on Parson! We had to go three blocks out of the way." Nathan replied.
"Whatever." I replied and tossed the bag back at him, carrying the calamine lotion back to the bedroom.
Tasha, Daphne and I wasted no time dousing ourselves in the pink liquid which cured the constant itchiness. Finally simi-itch free we settled back into bed.
"Are you done complaining now?" Nathan asked walking into the bedroom with a tray in hand.
"Yes. I'm sorry." I replied.
"Good. We also stopped by my place. Mom made everyone some chicken noodle soup." he said nodding towards the tray.
Walking over to the bed he sat the tray down on the nightstand and handed each of us a bowl teeming with steaming chicken noodle soup. I balanced it in my hand and began to sip the soup slowly.
"This is great Nate." Daphne said appreciatively.
"Yeah, Cassie makes the best food." Tasha nodded.
There was a sudden beeping and Nathan pulled out his phone, "And it's time for your meds girls." he replied and walked over to where there was a small collection of medicine bottles.
I slowly sipped the soup as I watched him measure out the cocktail of pills for each of us. We had an antiviral pill prescribed because all of us were older, ibuprofen for various aches that went with being sick, and Benadryl for the itching. All seven of took them every few hours.
"You know babe…you should think about becoming a nurse or something if this Power Ranger thing doesn't work out." I grinned.
Nathan rolled his eyes, "Just take you pills."
I took the pills from his hand and balanced the soup on my lap as Nathan handed out cans of ginger ale. Popping the handful of pills into my mouth I swallowed them down.
"Alright. If you need me call me." he said and headed out.
A few minutes after he left the guys wandered into our room.
Since there were so many of us packed into the apartment we all had sleeping arrangements. The three of us girls slept in Tasha's room, the boys had my room and whoever was on duty slept on the pull out bed in the couch in the living room. For the most part we stuck to our rooms because with all the medicines we were taking we and the fact that being sick sapped most of your energy we often dozed off.
"How's your soup?" Ethan asked sitting down at the foot of the bed.
"Good." I replied as I drained the last few dregs from the bottom of the bowl.
"Anyone else feeling as annoyed as I am about all of this?" Ryan groaned as he rubbed at his arms, mittens already tied securely around his hands since he had a bad habit of scratching.
"No. Not at all Ryan. We're all having an amazing time." Tasha deadpanned.
"Yeah well try sharing a room with him." Gray said.
"You can always come room with us G-G." Daphne said.
"Us? Aren't you moving into Ann and Jakob's place soon?" Tasha asked.
It turned out that Daphne had caught the chicken pox from some kid who had come down with them at the daycare she volunteered at. She hadn't realized she'd been exposed until Lara had found the spots all over her a few days previous. However unlike the rest of us she would no longer be contagious in a few days and would get to leave.
"Be careful. I may take you three up on that offer. Ethan kicks, Ryan mumbles and no offence Jake but you should get that snoring check out. You sound like a broken foghorn." Gray replied.
"Nah…I've heard that before. Ann likes to smack me with a pillow when I get too loud." Jakob shrugged.
"I'm surprise she doesn't shove the pillow down your throat. That's what I'm close to doing." Ethan smirked.
I laughed and sat back. My eyes were getting heavy and I knew that I wasn't going to stay awake for very much longer.
"Tired?" Ethan asked nudging my foot.
"A bit." I nodded.
"Same. I say we head back to our room boys." Ethan said standing up.
"Agreed. I'm about to pass out." Jakob sighed and with a wave all of them headed out however few moments later Gray returned with a pillow and my favorite Harry Potter throw.
"I borrowed one of your blankets Iz. I hope you don't mind." he said as he crawled on the bed.
"Nah. It's cool." I replied slipping under the blankets.
Gray crawled under the blanket beside me, our heads at the foot of the bed while Tasha and Daphne had their heads at the top. I curled up under the covers and before I knew it my eyes had slipped closed and I was asleep.
I opened my eyes and was met with unfamiliar scenery. The walls around me were a dull gunmetal color and stretched out to make a long tunnel both ahead and behind me, the only light coming from small grates above me. Looking down at my body I saw that I was nearly transparent, almost ghostly. This had to be some sort of odd dream. I couldn't imagine what would make me dream about this but I was going to blame the fever.
"Izzy?"
I turned and saw Daphne running towards me.
"Daphne? What are you doing in my dream?" I asked.
"You're dream? I thought I was dreaming." she replied.
"Then we're all dreaming the same dream." Tasha said emerging out of the dark, flanked by Ethan, Ryan, Gray and Jakob.
"Anyone else feel a little weird about all of this?" Ryan asked.
I don't think any of us could disagree with him. Here we were dressed in nothing but pajamas in the middle of some random place. All three of us girls wore short shorts and thin tank tops so that we could get to every spot that needed lotion. Ethan and Gray were shirtless and in sweatpants while Jakob and Ryan wore wife beater tank tops and basketball shorts. All of us were either only in socks or barefoot. Add to the fact we all looked like ghosts and this was pretty trippy.
"So what? This is like some sort of crazy group fever dream?" Jakob asked.
"No clue. Lets go look around and see where we are. Maybe if we know this will make more sense." Gray suggested.
We nodded and made our way down the hall. Our footsteps didn't echo and I didn't feel cold nor hot. I didn't even itch. It was truly a surreal feeling.
The halls twisted and turned and soon I almost sure that if we had to find where we'd started we'd be screwed.
Suddenly from behind us we heard footsteps. Turning, my stomach dropped and my heart climbed into my throat as I saw Vormex walking towards us. We all froze and instantly we moved into fighting stances.
"Alright Vormex what have you done with us?! Why are we here?!" Ethan asked.
However his eyes looked right past us as he grew close and a moment later he passed right through us. Literally. He walked through us as if we were no more than smoke.
"Well that was weird." Ryan said.
"Agreed. He must not be able to see or hear us." I said watching Vormex's back as he continued to walk away.
"Come on…maybe we should follow him." Ethan said and we hurried after our red leather clad former friend.
He walked through the halls sure of himself, not once getting turned around in the labyrinth like halls of wherever it was we were. Soon though we figured out we were on some sort of ship. Every few yards or so there was a window that looked out on an immense of stars.
After what seemed like forever he stopped in front of a pair of large dark metal doors. Placing his hand on red lit panel on the side, the doors slid open for him and closed as soon as he'd passed through.
I wondered for a moment how we would get thorough the doors but that was solved as Jakob stepped forward and touched the doors, his hand passing straight through.
"Just like I thought. We're not corporeal." he smiled.
"What is he talking about?" Gray asked.
"He means that we're not solid. We're like ghosts…we don't have a physical body." Tasha explained.
We all passed through with ease and found ourselves in a sort of throne room with Zard sitting on a gray stone throne. Goldar flanked him on his right side and Vormex kneeled on the floor in front of him.
"I assure you my liege I am trying my best to break through their barriers." Vormex said his head bent.
"Well your best is not good enough is it Vormex?" Zard growled.
"They have put up blocks. It is taking every ounce of my strength to try and break through them. Since Drake's pest of a sister ran to the others in Angel Grove my manipulation of her dreams has been halted just as Izabella's was weeks ago." Drake said.
"That is just another pathetic excuse!" Zard said spat.
"Please forgive me Master! I do have one more link." Vormex said his voice shaking with fear.
"And that would be?" he asked.
"T-Though I cannot breech her dreams I have been able to penetrate the barrier of Izabella's thoughts. Because she and Drake share a power they are linked. I can see as she does. Know what she knows as she learns it." Vormex replied.
My jaw dropped in horror.
My thoughts?
He could see inside of my head and I had no clue?
I looked to the others who all looked as shocked and frightened as I did. My mind began to race for any info that I may have accidentally given him.
"And have you gathered anything worth while?" he asked.
Vormex shook his head, "No. It seems the Rangers are waiting for us to make our move first."
Relief washed over me. I hadn't unknowingly betrayed my friends.
"You are lucky Vormex. If it wasn't for your work on the repairs I ordered from you, you would have lost my favor. I trust the repairs are going according to plan at least?" Zard asked.
"Yes Master. They are going splendidly." Vormex said a cold smile curling onto his face.
"Very well Vormex. I suggest you go and work then. You have 2 more days to finish your work. We have things to do and everything must be in place before we reach Galldona. If you are able to finish your task we will be able to wipe out those pesky Rangers before we reach the planet and every other planet will fall to us." Zard said.
"Yes Master." Vormex said and stood, bowing a little before turning on his heel and quickly walking out the door.
"What do you think that was about?" Tasha asked as we walked back through the door following Vormex so we could find out just what it was he was repairing.
"No clue but it can't be good." Daphne said.
"Hey! What's going on?" Ryan suddenly yelled.
I turned and looked at him and saw that slowly he was fading, becoming more and more transparent.
"I don't know but I don't like this!" Jakob said and I saw that he was fading too as was Ethan.
In moments they were gone.
"No! What happened?!" I asked waving my arms in the space that they had just occupied.
"Hey! C'mon you four…wake up!" A voice echoed from somewhere far off.
"What was that?!" Gray asked looking around.
"I don't know I-" but then I saw I was fading just like the guys had.
"Izzy! No!" Daphne yelled and grabbed hold of me but a moment later my hand wasn't there and everything got dark.
I sat up in bed, my chest heaving. I looked down at my body. It was there and it was solid.
"Oh my god. I'm here. I'm alright!" I said sighing with relief.
Suddenly Gray sat up beside me and Tasha and Daphne opened their eyes.
"Izzy!" Tasha yelled and launched herself at me.
"I'm okay." I replied hugging her back.
"Of course you're okay…why wouldn't you be?" Chris asked from beside the bed.
Daphne's face lit up, "The others!"
"Shit!" we all cursed and scrambled out of bed, shoving past Chris in order to get to the door.
We hurried to the next room and saw Jakob, Ryan and Ethan all sitting up in bed.
"ETHAN!" I yelled and hurried over hugging my brother.
"It's okay Iz…I'm here. We're all here. It's okay." he soothed as he hugged me.
"I know. I know." I nodded pulling back.
"Okay can someone please explain what's going on?" Chris asked walking into the room.
"Soon. We need to get to the Command Center. Now." Jakob said standing up.
"What? You guys are sick! You can't just go out!" Nathan protested.
"We have to. We know what Zard is up to." I replied.
"Are you serious?" Chris asked.
"Completely." Ethan said already grabbing a t-shirt from his duffle bag, pulling it over his head before looking at the rest of us.
"Gray, get a shirt on and everyone grab shoes, morphers and jackets. We leave in two."
I nodded and hurried to my room and grabbed a pair of sneakers from my closet. Since they were closest Tasha grabbed a pair of slip-ons even though they were too big for her and Daphne grabbed a pair of sandals since the rest of my shoes were too small for her. The three of us pulled on jackets, grabbed our morphers and met up with the guys in the living room.
"I called Lara and she's going to meet us at the Command Center. Tommy and Billy are both at work and can't get away so Zordon will fill them in later. As for Ann is just going to have to get the info second hand too." Jakob said.
"Well with a baby in her stomach she can't fight anyhow." Ryan pointed out.
"Talk later. Teleport now." Ethan said and Daphne grabbed onto my arm as we teleported to the Command Center.