Jason kept his eyes on her as she led him through many ruins located just on the outskirt of the Palace. She stopped them behind a large stone pillar and he ducked in behind her barely noticing what had prompted the cautious reaction. His mind was full of questions but at the moment he knew he could not get his answers.
"Look," Kim pointed off in the distance at the end of what used to be a stone street that was now all broken up and in tatters. At the end of it, an army of Putty Patrollers fanning out in every direction. They were clearly searching for something and Jason had a suspicion he knew what.
"How do we get past them?" Jason questioned both Kimberly and thinking out loud to himself. Kimberly glanced around at the surroundings. She turned to him with a furrowed brow.
"I am not sure, this is the way I came in and help is just on the other side of those walls," Kim nodded past the Putties.
"We can take them..." Jason surmised.
"Yeah but we would expose our location," Kim countered and Jason acknowledged her reasoning with a nod. He then surveyed the scene.
"Maybe we can hunker down in there until they move through," Jason pointed to the right of them at what was left of what looked to be a primitive shop. The mostly stone building would provide some cover even if it did appear to be very unsteady.
"Okay," Kim agreed, she glanced out at the putties and then reached her hand back for Jason. "We got to be quick and move together."
"Gotcha," Jason agreed as he took her hand and followed her lead as she took off in a sprint across the broken street and hurriedly pulled them both into the doorway and up against the wall next to it.
"Do you think they saw us?" Jason questioned as both caught their breath.
"If they did, I am sure we will find out soon," Kim answered looking around the building. She spotted a staircase in the back of the room and gestured for Jason to follow her. He did so as she ascended the stairs with him close behind.
"Must have been a storage area," Jason surmised as he took in the now mostly empty space sans for some broken wooden boxes and shelves lining the walls. Kimberly walked over to a small window that looked out onto the street. She was too short to reach it to see out and turned to Jason.
"Would you?" Kim asked. Jason glanced up at the window and then down at Kim. He realized he also would not be able to reach it and so he made his way over and clasped his hands together and hunkered down so he could give her a boost. Kim stepped onto his hands and he lifted her so she could glance out the window to see the street still crawling with Putties and the occasional Monster.
"Crap," Kim remarked. She then looked down at Jason. "Okay."
He lowered her back to the ground and then waited for her report.
"It's crawling... we may be here a while," Kim informed him with a frown.
"Great," Jason replied, folding his arms and leaning up against the dusty shelf behind him. He studied Kim as she seemed lost in thought. "Hey... while we have a moment..."
"Right... I am sure you have some questions," Kim responded. Jason nodded. "So... Trey... visited my world... to check on us..."
Kim sat gingerly on one of the large boxes across from Jason.
"I guess he just wanted to make sure everything was settled and you know... over," Kim shrugged. "Whatever his reasoning he showed up this morning."
Kim paused, contemplating the time and what it even meant on this planet.
"When he uh... got there we asked for updates from your world and that is when he tracked you here and saw your predicament we weren't even really sure what was happening but knew we had to come," Kimberly explained. "He and my Jason are just on the other side of that far wall about a couple of miles."
"Why did they not come with you to the Palace?" Jason asked.
"Less chance of being caught if there was only one of us," Kim explained. "And I am the smallest and quickest."
"Right," Jason agreed with the sound reasoning. "Did he get in contact with anyone from my world to let them know you were coming?"
"No, we tried but it is so hard to get a message through and we didn't want to wait so we just came," Kim answered.
"Yeah, I understand," Jason said.
"They are waiting by the portal," Kim got up and started pacing. "The thing is... we aren't sure how long we can keep it open so we got to get back as soon as we can."
Jason considered this information walking past her to the top of the staircase.
"What..." Kim started to speak but Jason turned to her and held his hand up. He then pointed down the stairs. Both of them stopped moving as Kim heard the rustling downstairs. She glanced back at the window to see if it would be a viable exit.
After a few moments, Jason stepped back and exhaled.
"They left," Jason whispered as he approached Kim.
"Hopefully no more decide to check this place out," Kim responded.
"Yeah," Jason agreed as he rubbed the back of his neck, slightly worried about the new information Kim had given him before the scare. "I think maybe we should make a break for it soon."
"Maybe... but if we expose our location you know she will show up," Kim suggested.
"Yeah... but we may just have to take that chance," Jason stated. "Any idea how long the portal can stay open?"
"No..." Kim answered quickly. "It wasn't exactly stable... hence why only three of us came through and Trey decided not to risk closing and reopening it."
Jason took a deep breath and nodded.
"Listen..." Jason began. "I wanted to say thank you... for you know risking so much to come here to save me."
"Are you kidding?" Kim dismissively shook her head. "It wasn't even a question after what you did for us... for me."
Jason smiled.
"How are things... back on your world?" Jason asked. He was relieved to see the slight smile on Kim's face.
"It's getting better," Kim responded. Jason studied her features, she was starting to look more like his Kim, her hair was growing back out and she had applied some makeup.
"And the other me... is he good?" Jason asked.
"Very much so," Kim answered, she ducked her head ever so slightly and Jason grinned. He decided not to pry but was very happy to know things had gotten better for them.
"Wanna check out how it looks out there now?" Jason asked pointing back to the window before going over and getting into position.
"Yep," Kim agreed and made her way over to him so he could boost her again. After a few seconds, she turned to him and he lowered her back. "It's all clear now."
"Do we trust that?" Jason questioned. She looked up at him now from her spot on the floor in front of him.
"I think we have to," Kim replied.
"Right," Jason agreed as both of them in unison headed for the staircase.
(Back on Earth)
Billy walked into the Power Chamber and smiled bittersweetly when he saw Kimberly sitting on the floor up against the console. She immediately looked up at him and sprung to her feet.
"Did you stay here again overnight?" Billy asked. Kim nodded quickly before turning to the console.
"Where did we leave off?" Kim asked over her shoulder as Billy moved to stand beside her. He reached his hand over and placed it on hers.
"Hey," Billy spoke softly, catching her attention. "You need to get some real rest."
"We have been over this," Kim shook her head. "I'll rest when he is back..."
"I get it... we all want him back," Billy replied. "But without keeping our minds sharp, I am not sure we can figure this thing out."
"My mind is sharp," Kim replied as she stifled a yawn. Billy gave her a sympathetic smile. "Besides I think we are close to getting this."
Billy relented despite his concern and turned to the console. He pressed a button in front of him to bring up some specs on the viewing screen. He walked over to it and rubbed his chin. Kimberly watched him intently.
"What is it?" Kim asked.
"I just... I can't figure out how to power it," Billy replied. Kim studied the schematics on the screen. A rectangular device with various parts she didn't fully understand. She was mostly moral support for Billy, Trini, and Adam as they had designed the device as a tandem.
"Can't we use the Morphing Grid?" Kimberly suggested.
"Well... that would power it of course, but it won't work it," Billy answered. "I can't quite figure out how to make the cloaking work."
Kimberly walked over to stand next to him. She put her hands on her hips and stared at the screen, mentally trying to will the answer to Billy.
"Any progress?" Trini's voice entered the room as both Billy and Kimberly turned to see her and Adam approaching them.
"Still stuck on how to make it actually cloak us," Billy said with a defeated shrug.
"I have been thinking about that," Adam responded. Kim's expression changed as she saw the hopeful look on Adam's face as he spoke. "What if we use the Zeo Crystal?"
"Zeo Crystal?" Billy furrowed his brow for a moment before nodding.
"Wait... that might work..." Billy hurried over to the console and began pressing some buttons. Kimberly was soon at his side.
"I was remembering once how I was able to use the Zeo powers to create a mirror image of me in a battle and I was wondering if we could harness that ability to cloak us instead," Adam explained his theory to Trini, Kimberly, and Zordon who had been observing the scene from the beginning.
"I think that could be possible," Zordon agreed.
"Can the Zeo Crystal still be used?" Adam asked.
"Yes," Zordon answered. Adam smiled.
"Got it!" Billy stated excitedly turning to the group. "This may take some time but I think we can do this."
Kimberly beamed as she started to have hope. Her mind and heart had been on that planet with Jason ever since he didn't come back and now she couldn't wait to bring him home.
(****)
"I think we are clear," Kim looked behind at Jason as he too walked close to the side of a building just a few feet away from the large gate in front of them.
"Good..." Jason responded as the two rushed over to the towering gate and squeezed through a crack in it.
Kim made it through much easier with Jason struggling. She turned and helped pull him through and he offered her a grateful smile as both of his feet firmly planted on the ground.
"It is just a couple of miles through there," Kim stated, gesturing at the clearing in front of them.
"Let's move then," Jason said.
"Leaving so soon?" Rita's voice stopped both of the Rangers in their tracks and prompted both of their helmets to immediately materialize over their heads. They turned to see Rita standing on top of the wall behind them.
"Just let us go, Rita," Jason responded.
"You KNOW that I can't do that," Rita replied. "We had a deal."
"Some deal," Kimberly spoke up, Rita turned her gaze in her direction. She cocked her head slightly.
"Who are you?" Rita asked. Jason turned to Kim.
"I think you know," Kim answered.
"No... you are not her," Rita replied. "Wait a minute..."
Jason and Kimberly took a few steps back as Rita floated to the ground in front of them.
"You are from that other world," Rita continued as she sized up the Pink Ranger.
"What of it?" Kimberly replied as Rita inched closer to her. Jason instinctively moved closer to Kimberly. This got Rita's attention. She looked back and forth between the two.
"Is he here too?" Rita asked.
"What are you talking about?" Kim feigned ignorance. Rita's expression grew very cold, even for her.
"He is isn't he?" Rita questioned. "The one responsible for everything..."
"Come on, let's get out of here," Jason whispered to Kimberly.
"He will come for you if you don't get back to him..." Rita stated with a half-grin.
Jason took Kim by the hand and pulled her away both breaking out in a dead run. Jason glanced behind them to see Rita levitating and her staff crackling with purple energy. His eyes widened and he pushed Kimberly to the side as a wave of energy hit him dead center in the back, toppling him face-forward into the ground.
"Are you okay? Kimberly was quick to his side and helping him stand.
"Yeah... but she won't stop... she wants revenge on your Jason," Jason stated. "We got to get out of here before he comes looking for us."
"Right," Kim agreed but was suddenly very disheartened by the sound of Putties all around them. "Oh joy."
"We got to make quick work of them and get through," Jason said looking at the wall of clay around them.
"We can do that," Kim said reaching over and placing a hand on Jason's forearm. "You good?"
"I am," Jason responded he then turned and caught an approaching Putty with a straight punch at the same time Kim hit one on her side with a jump kick to the chest.
"Two down..." Kim commented as she took in the hundreds of warriors closing in. "Well... let's not keep count."
"Good idea," Jason responding before tackling two at a time to the ground and kipping up to spin kick two more. Kim smiled watching him in action before she herself rolled clear of two attackers and swept the leg of one and elbowed the other under the chin as it turned to her./p
(****)
"Heads up!" Kim called out as she used her momentum to flip a Putty toward Jason caught it and launched it into a group of about five of them. She surveyed the scene to see a break in the wall of Putties and hurriedly rushed over to Jason. "Look... we gotta make a break for it."
"Right," Jason agreed as he slammed two more Putties into each other and stole a quick glance at Rita who was on her perch on the wall again. He glanced back at Kim. "Here... let's distract her."
"I'm with you," Kim answered as both of them pulled out their blade blasters and dropped low to fire through some Putties and hitting the wall Rita under Rita. It started to crumble and both then turned and made a break for it at top speed.
Jason stole a glance behind them scarcely able to see through the dust they were kicking up. He turned to Kim.
"Is it much farther?" Jason asked.
"Just around those rocks," Kim answered with a point.
Jason glanced up at a row of large boulders off in the distance. He turned once more to look behind them and through the dust. His breath caught in his throat when he saw a hint of purple mixed in with all the brown of the dust. He cursed which prompted Kim to turn to him.
"We aren't going to make it," Jason replied. He closed his eyes as he made his choice and then he came to a full stop. Kimberly ran a hundred feet before she realized he was no longer beside her. She stopped and turned back to see him standing there.
"What are you doing?!" Kim called to him as she started to approach him. He held up his hand.
"Go!" Jason called back." If she gets to him, she will kill him!"
"Jason... no..." Kim said, her voice lower now, not sure if he could even still hear her. She was stuck. She felt like she couldn't move. She knew what he was saying was true but she couldn't bring herself to just leave him. She looked behind him to see Rita closing in on him and she clenched her fist and shook her head even as she startled walking backward.
"It's okay... thank you... but I won't let her get to him," Jason said as he took off his helmet so she could see his face.
"I..." Kim's voice caught in her throat as she turned and began to run again despite herself.
She glanced back once to see Rita had reached Jason who had turned to her and surrendered. Kim felt her heart breaking at his sacrifice and a tear ran down her cheek as she picked up speed.
(****)
"Well well well," Rita replied looking down at Jason on bended knee in surrender in front of her. She smiled. "You know... I think in time we will get along very well."
"Let's just go back," Jason responded staring intently at the ground. He wanted to get her as far away from the portal and the other Rangers as possible. He glanced up to see her intently looking at him. Her eyes started to shift past them and he stood up so he would be directly in her line of vision.
"I'd almost admire you... if you weren't so foolish," Rita responded. "You think you are protecting them... but it is only a matter of time before our paths cross again, you can't save them forever."
"We'll see," Jason responded. Rita looked as if she was going to take exception to his words but instead materialized a group of putties to surround them and push Jason forward as they all began to make their way back toward the Palace.
"You really thought you could get..." Rita's voice was interrupted by an explosion taking out the two putties at the back of the group. Jason and Rita turned in unison to see Kimberly with her Power Bow in hand and preparing another shot. "You have to be kidding me."
An arrow landed and exploded between Jason and Rita and filled the air with smoke. Kimberly raced up to Jason and reach out her hand for him.
"What are you doing?" Jason questioned shaking his head.
"I am not leaving here without you," Kim replied.
"THAT... is very true," Rita replied as she stepped through the smoke. Jason stepped between her and Kimberly. "Don't be a fool."
Rita raised her wand.
"Leave now... and I will let you go," Rita stated. "One last chance."
"Not gonna happen," Kimberly replied as Jason glanced over his shoulder at her. He was moved by her resolve.
"Very well..." Rita raised her wand higher and fired a blast at Kimberly. Jason moved to step into the path but it never reached them. He instead saw it evaporated by some gold energy. He turned to see the Gold Ranger and other Red Ranger standing next to each other in the distance. He turned back to see the look of recognition on Rita's face as she saw the other version of him.
"No..." Jason whispered as he realized what was about to happen.