Chapter 29 – It's A Wonderful Life
December 19 1995
Aisha slowly stretched her arms as she arose from a deep sleep. She had spent the previous day Christmas shopping with the girls and she had taken an early night. When she opened her eyes, she had to rub them a few times to make sure she wasn't still asleep. Instead of sunlight coming through the window, everything was black and white. All the modern technology had been replaced by items that looked like they belonged in the 1940's.
Aisha quickly jumped out of bed and threw open the curtains and saw that it wasn't just her room that had gone back in time. Everyone walking past were wearing forties style clothes and the car's on her neighbours driveway were from the same period.
As Aisha closed the curtains behind her and took another look around her room, she muttered to herself, "What the hell's going on?"
Moon Palace
In the throne room, Rita Repulsa knelt down in front of a hologrammatic projection of her father. Master Vile had been extremely displeased with the progress his daughter and Lord Zedd were making. Despite the destruction of the pink ranger powers, they had lost a piece of the Zeo crystal from right under their noses. They were also still losing almost every battle against the Power Rangers. He was extremely unhappy that the teens had the audacity to invade the Moon Palace itself.
"How many times must you grovel Rita", he growled, "the rest of the alliance is rapidly running out of patience".
"But father my plan will work this time. I've trapped the rangers with a spell of my own creation. Because the spell will make all their dreams come true, the rangers won't want to fight".
Master Vile sighed, "Rita you've been doing this for nearly three years, none of your hair brained schemes have worked".
"But father-"
"Silence", he roared, "I will arrive in the next few weeks to take over personally, try not to screw up too much", and with that his imaged disappeared.
Rita grumbled and walked over to her telescope to see how the rangers were coping in her dream world. She would show her father that she could succeed, if it was the last thing she would do.
Dream World
Aisha had left home quickly and headed for downtown Angel Grove. Her parents had served her favourite breakfast, pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. During a brief discussion, her parents had explained that she was arguably one on the most famous artists in the world. Everything in this world was perfect, maybe a little too perfect.
As he approached the area where the Youth Center should be, Aisha spotted a familiar face, "Kat over here", she called out.
Kat turned around, "Aisha, you're here too", she paused briefly, "wait a second, do you remember that you're a Power Ranger?"
Aisha frowned, "Of course I do, why do you ask?"
"Well I've already come across Rocky and he doesn't remember a thing", Kat replied, "it's like he was brainwashed or something".
Aisha nodded, "Like someone wants everything to be perfect. So how did you escape?"
"I'm not sure, I just woke up here this earlier today", she replied.
"You can thank me later", he voice called out from behind Kat. From her shadow stepped Sakura, also dressed like a typical 1940's teenager. "Seriously how did women wear these skirts, they're so itchy", she complained as she scratched her legs.
"Sakura?" Aisha asked nervously as she laid her eyes on the long dead ninja.
"Wait you can see her?" Kat asked and Aisha nodded in response, "but I don't understand".
"Part of the spell sweetie", Sakura replied, "your desire is for someone else to see and hear me, that way you won't feel like you're going crazy".
"I guess I'm free of the spell so I can acknowledge her presence", Aisha added.
"I do have a name you know", Sakura replied sarcastically. Aisha stepped forward and poked her a couple of times just to make sure she was real. "Cut that out", she shouted as she swatted Aisha's hand away.
"Sorry just checking", she laughed, the yellow ranger then turned to Kat, "we need to find the others".
"I know who to start with", Kat replied but addressing Sakura, "can you find Billy for us, you'll be able to move around quicker than us".
Sakura rolled her eyes, "Fine", she grumbled before disappearing.
"Is she always like that?" Aisha asked.
"Sadly yes", Kat laughed. The teens continued walking down the street toward where Kat had run into Rocky. Now they had their bearings, they realised they were approaching the Youth Center. When they got there the outside of the building was vastly different than they remembered. Gone were the neon signs and in their place were several large wooden boards with the establishment's name.
Aisha laughed when she saw the name, "Los Rockwells?" she asked.
"Wait until you see the inside", Kat responded.
When Aisha got inside the restaurant, she was amazed to see that it was an authentic Mexican style cantina. The tables were all laid out around a central bar with the kitchen in the far corner of the room. She struggled to suppress a giggle when Rocky approached then. He was wearing a Mariachi style outfit complete with sombrero, "Good afternoon, a table for two of the prettiest ladies in all of Angel Grove", he said smoothly.
"Erm yes please", Kat was able to splutter out as she tried to stop herself from laughing. Rocky led them to a table in the corner next to the kitchen. She gave them two menus that were in the shape of cactuses.
As they browsed through the menus, Kat was impressed by what she saw, "This all looks amazing, I didn't know Rocky could cook".
Aisha nodded, "Not many do, when we were younger he always used to impress everyone with his cooking. He hasn't done it so much recently, kinda sad really".
"Can I take your order ladies", a familiar voice asked them. They turned around to see Adam standing over them in an identical outfit to Rocky's.
"We're still looking thanks", Aisha said once she had regained the power of speech. Adam nodded and walked off towards another table.
"OK so Adam's dream is to be a waiter?" Kat asked.
Aisha thought about this for a moment. Adam was a quiet child growing up but he had always been best friends with Rocky. Maybe it would only be natural to find him helping out him out. "Rocky and Adam have been inseparable for years, it doesn't surprise me to find him helping out Rocky with his business".
Kat nodded and returned to browsing through their menu. Since Sakura wasn't back with Billy they decided to make the most of the situation and order something. After Adam took their order he returned 15 minutes later with two bowls of the house special chilli. The two girls were amazed with the quality of the food and they both agreed that Rocky should definitely cook for them more often.
Just as they finished, Sakura reappeared with a very flustered Billy, "Oh I see that you ordered lunch without me", she said sarcastically.
"It didn't cross my mind since the dead don't eat", Kat snapped back.
The ninja smirked and shook her head, "That's the gratitude I get for retrieving lover boy here".
Aisha and Kat were confused, "I'm sorry lover boy?" the yellow ranger asked.
"Yeah apparently his dream is get freaky with that girlfriend of his", she replied, "I walked in just-"
"Yes thank you Sakura, I think you've embarrassed me enough for one day", Billy interrupted. Sakura laughed behind his back and made a gesture with her hands used to demonstrate the size of something.
Kat rolled her eyes at Sakura, "You do know that it's not just me who can see you currently".
"I know", was her simple replied as Sakura grabbed a piece of bread from the table. "Blue boy here came up with a theory", she said with her mouth full.
Billy looked disgusted by her antics and tried his best to ignore them, "Indeed, whilst this world tried to make all of our dreams come true, I think that only one of us has created this setting".
"Yeah it is very quaint", Kat replied, "very seasonal".
Billy slapped his hand against his head, "Of course, this is the town from It's A Wonderful Life, it must be the favourite film of someone still affected".
"Well I bet it's not Pedro and Pablo here", Sakura snorted as Rocky and Adam approached the table.
"Can I help you", the red ranger said to Billy.
Billy tweaked his head as he tried to observe Rocky closely, "You really don't recognise me do you".
"No should I", he replied hesitantly. Sakura rolled her eyes and threw down the piece of bread she had been eating. She approached Rocky and Adam and with one swing of her arm, she slapped them both hard across the face.
"Oww what was that for", Adam complained.
"Yeah and where the hell are we", Rocky added as he rubbed the side of his face.
"Explain later, we need to find whitey", Sakura replied as she walked towards the exit.
Rocky looked stunned at the figure that just attacked him, "But thats-", the others nodded, "But she's-", everyone nodded again, "I forgot how hard she hits".
"What I don't understand is how she would know a sharp shock would break the spell", Billy asked.
Kat sighed, "Knowing her I don't think she did".
The teens left the restaurant and they got the red and black rangers caught up on what they knew so far. Since they were still in black and white, Tommy was the key to breaking the spell and returning them to their own universe. After walked for over an hour, they stopped in front of a house with two children playing outside. The teens stood in silence as they observed the children, who were dead ringers for a young Tommy and Kimberly. "This must be the place", Billy commented.
As they were about to approach the children, two adults walked onto the porch. Everyone was shocked to see an aged Tommy and Kimberly, around fifteen years older, "Can I help you", Tommy called out.
"Tommy it's us", Adam replied.
"I'm sorry do we know you", Kimberly replied.
Billy stepped forward and explained the whole story to the couple, from their background as Power Rangers to the spell that Rita had cast over them. "Well that's everything, do you believe us".
Tommy stared at the blue ranger for moment, "That's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard, now please leave us alone".
"Can't I just slap him like I did the others", Sakura asked.
"I don't think that'll work", Billy replied, "because he's the focal point of the spell, he needs to find his own way out".
Just then a group of Doros Soldiers appeared near Tommy and his family. They stood out in the black and white universe as they still retained their blue colour. "Great what are they doing here", Aisha cried.
Sakura cracked her knuckles, "I did like taking these things apart", she aimed a kick at one of them but was shocked when she passed straight through. She tried again but achieved the same result, "What is this pick on the dead girl day".
"I don't think it's you", Kat replied as she and the other rangers tried to attack the Doros but they too went straight through their bodies. It was almost like the creatures didn't even see them as they went straight for Tommy and his family.
"This must be Tommy's subconscious trying to remember", Billy stated, "it's conjured the Doros from his memory".
Tommy was taking a heavy beating as he struggled to hold off the footsoldiers. For everyone he defeated, another two would take its place. "We need to help him", Rocky stated.
"We can't", Billy replied, "he needs to do this to get us back to reality. I don't believe I'm saying this but he needs to lose this fight".
"I'm sorry did you say lose?" Adam asked,
Billy nodded, "They need to break his belief of this world, only then will we get back home".
The group could only watch in despair as the Doros overwhelmed Tommy. They struck down the little boy, then the girl and finally Kim. Each of them disappeared with a pop before the Doros themselves disappeared. As they approached Tommy, he began to slowly return back to his normal age. The world also began to change around them and Sakura also faded away to everyone except Kat. Once the universe had returned to normal Tommy just sat on the ground and quietly sobbed to himself. The only thing the others could do to comfort him was to sit down around him in a protective circle.
Youth Center – The next day
Kat sat at the corner table with a smoothie in her hand waiting for the rest of her friends to arrive. Rocky was bringing Yuri over from Blue Bay Harbor along with a surprise present. Sakura sat at the vacant chair opposite her, "I still don't get what's so special about this time of year".
"It's the season of good will and a time to be with family", Kat replied.
"Well forgive me if I don't think too kindly about my family", she replied bitterly.
Kat then saw Aisha walk in with a painting under her arm, "It's also about forgiveness and presents, as we will now demonstrate".
"Hey Kat", Aisha greeted, "is Sakura with you now".
Kat nodded with the spell broken she was the only one who could see and speak to the ninja. "Well when I got home last night, I thought about how she wouldn't have got a Christmas present in her life. So I was up until early this morning doing this".
Aisha turned the picture around and revealed a watercolour painting of Sakura in her ninja attire. Aisha had captured her in a fierce pose and the wind appeared to blow through her long hair. Sakura inspected the painting closely, her eyes began to water but she was able to smile.
"She likes it", Kat stated as she rubbed Sakura on the back.
"I'm pleased, now Rocky's outside with a surprise", Aisha replied. The two girls left Sakura and her painting inside the Youth Center and walked into the car park. Rocky has parked his pick-up in a secluded spot behind the building.
When the girls reached him they saw Yuri was standing beside him smiling brightly, "Hey girls, how's things", she said.
"Yeah we're doing alright", Kat replied.
Yuri nodded, "I'm glad to see that you're putting the Nusiachi powers to good use".
"Show them the surprise", Rocky stated excitedly.
"I'm just getting to it", she responded with a smile, "the others hid this well, it's taken me all this time to track him down". Yuri reached into the back of the pick-up and produced a large blue pot.
Aisha jumped up and down on the spot, "Ninjor".
"Cool right", Rocky replied, "Can you open it up now?" he asked Yuri.
She nodded and touched the top of the pot. She closed her eyes and concentrated and after a matter of moments the pot cracked and Ninjor burst out, "Woah that was a good sleep", he then caught sight of Yuri, "You", he exclaimed.
"No Ninjor wait", Aisha stopped Ninjor from pulled out his sword, "she's on our side now".
Ninjor snorted, "Yeah right".
"It's true, the others have been imprisoned in the Nusiachi diamonds", Yuri replied. Rocky pulled an orange diamond out of his pocket and showed Ninjor.
"I don't understand", the ninja master spluttered.
"That is a long story Ninjor", Aisha said with a smile. She and the others told him the story of the last few months. Everyone was happy to have Ninjor back, it truly felt like it was going to be a happy Christmas now.
