**** Extra long chapter for my dedicated readers
*************************Command Chamber***********************
"It's a giant floating head!" Justin exclaimed with surprise and awe. 'How cool!"
"Justin don't be rude." Adam warned quietly, placing a gentle hand on the boys shoulder. While he was sure Zordon was good, after all the stories Tommy, Kim and Billy had told about him around the camp fire for the past few days, it was still best to make a good first impression.
Adam's worry was for nothing as Zordon gave a hearty laugh. "You are just seeing my head through the dimension rift. I assure you young Wolf, I have a body too."
"Super cool!" Justin couldn't contain his excitement.
Billy couldn't blame the kid at all. From the short time he had known him, it was clear Justin was indescribably smart. Inexperienced but very smart. Billy could see a lot of himself in Justin. Well maybe not hyperness, Billy was pretty sure he had never been hyper as a child.
"We should introduce ourselves. I'm Rocky, Ninjetti the Ape. You already met Justin the Wolf."
Justin waved at Zordon.
"I'm Aisha, I'm the Bear."
"I'm Katherine, or Kat if you prefer. I'm the Crane."
Adam blushed a bit. "I'm Adam...the Frog."
Zordon took note of Adam's hesitation. After he got to know his new rangers better perhaps that was something he could talk to the young man about. There was no shame in being something small like a frog as your spirit animal.
"And we're Bulk and Skull!" A voice called up from the floor. Zordon looked down, the living toys Kimberly had mentioned. The old bullies of his former rangers, were there on the floor.
"Ah yes, Bulk and Skull. Welcome to the command chamber."
"Thank you for having us. Since were not rangers." Skull said quietly. He was truly grateful that the others hadn't left them out in the desert. Well Kimberly hadn't. She had waited to teleport until she had Skull in her arms. Bulk always clung to her leg, this time careful not grab hold of her hurt leg.
Billy had waited too and for a brief moment it had been just the four of them, once more alone, but together.
The rangers spent the next hour or two getting to know Zordon and getting the command chamber as well prepare as they could to sleep in. Kim was increasingly distant and Tommy couldn't help but notice. It was really starting to bother him. Especially when he could see Adam talking to her from where she was helping to assemble the mass of pillows and blankets that would be the girls resting area tonight. Now that they not longer had to huddle by a fire for warmth it seemed proper to separate the sleeping area by sexes. They were talking, alone in the corner, just the two of them. No, he needed to trust Adam and Kim. Kimberly could have guy friends... of course she could... she never dated Jason or Zack.
Billy he never worried about. After all they had practically grown up together. There friendship was more sibling like and as much as he liked Billy, the guy wasn't competition when it came to girls.
Maybe Tommy was being foolish. He had made so many mistakes already in his relationship with Kimberly. The only official date they had was interrupted by a monster attack but Kim was laughing now. Adam must have told her a joke or something. Tommy shook his head. He wanted to ask Kim about what had happened on the moon. If Zedd had raped her. He had heard the stories from the survivors of the harem. Just how Zedd used humans. Then again he still had his own secrets from when he was Rita's evil green ranger.
Secrets he never wanted to talk about.
"How's your ankle?" Adam asked.
Kimberly gave him a smile while still fluffing the blue pillow in her hands. "It's fine Adam. The burn gel helped. It just kind of numb now. No pain."
"I'm glad...and how are you feeling about the other thing? Ready to tell the others?"
Kimberly's small smile slipped from her lips. She had told Adam everything on that cliff. She had to tell someone about... not being fully human anymore. "I don't know... I want to but... how could I possibly tell Tommy? That he's going to grow old and die while I'll still be a teenager."
"Well look at it this way Kim, Tommy will have the youngest girlfriend in the whole retirement home."
Kimberly laughed at that. It was such a silly mental image she couldn't help it. "I don't think it will be like that."
Adam smiled, he was happy he had been able to make Kim laugh. They had all been through so much. Now was a time for healing. "I won't mention anything till you and Billy are ready to tell the others but I want you to know I've got you back Kim. No matter what happens." Adam was loyal to a fault.
Kimberly had risked so much to look after him and Justin on the moon. She stood up to Goldar when the monster wanted to order him around or hit him, how she looked out for him when she told him to get whatever he or Justin needed when they were on earth. How she, after singing for hours in the harem, on shaking legs demanded the roast that he had been drooling over and made sure he got more than a fair share to eat and drink. Adam would have her back, even if that meant Tommy would want a different person to be the frog ranger.
Kim reached up to give Adam's hand a squeeze. "Thanks Adam. That means a lot to me."
"You're welcome."
************************* Next Morning*********************
Tommy woke around dawn. The others were still snoring around him. Tommy did a quick head count. Adam and Justin were sort of snuggling on his right and Billy was snoring on his left next to Rocky. He didn't see Ninjor or Alpha anywhere and Zordon's tube was empty. He stood quietly and took a count of the girls.
Kimberly was missing...
Tommy frowned and quietly went to the 'bathroom' area. Nope, no Kim. Now he was starting to worry. Just as her turned to go wake the others a warm breeze wrapped around his body. Following it, he walked down the hall, past where Billy and Alpha said they would build bedrooms.
There was a door at the end of the hall, ornately carved like the sides of the command center had been.
And it was slightly ajar.
Tommy went to the door and pushed it open the rest of the way. Only to come out on a cliff that seemed to sit high in the air. The morning light was just starting to touch the world, giving it a strange gray look. He could just make out a form standing a little ways away. Suddenly the sun crested the peaks, bathing him in golden light. There, like an angel of the sun, stood Kimberly right at the edge of the cliff. He watched the warm wind of the desert swirl around her, making her pink skirt flair and her long hair dance in wild freedom. She looked positively glowing with radiance.
For a few minutes he could do nothing but watch her. She did some stretches, working out her supple gymnast muscles. She stretched her arms up to the sky then suddenly down. She lifted one leg high above her head then the other, her arms moving in gentle arcs. She was dancing with the wind and sun. How she moved, every delicate step, was entrancing. For a moment it was as though her arms were wings made of shadows and sunlight. The pink glow of the dawn enhanced every part of Kimberly's being.
A fire bird...
This was the Kimberly he had been missing. The girl he wanted to sweep into his arms and off her feet. The girl he wanted to hold onto and never let go of. The falcon inside him cried out and Tommy put his hand over his heart. He was sure he hadn't made a sound but Kimberly had stopped and turned abruptly towards him. 'Tommy?" her voice held surprise.
"Good morning Kim. I didn't mean to startle you." He smiled going to join her. "What are you doing out here?"
Kimberly shrugged. "I couldn't sleep. I guess I'm still on moon time or something. So I though I would get some fresh air and next thing I know it's sunrise."
"You were dancing?"
Kimberly blushed. "It wasn't me, I mean it was me but..." Kimberly put her hand on her heart, "She just wanted to greet the sunrise." Kim moved her hand to rub at her face. "That sounds so dumb."
"It not dumb beautiful." Tommy said, taking her hands into his. "While you were dancing I felt my falcon call. I think it might take some time getting use to these spirit powers."
Kimberly look at Tommy with her soft brown eyes. For a moment everything felt right in the world. He just wanted to kiss her but her gentle words stopped him. "Tommy, I have to tell you something. Something...life changing."
Tommy felt a lump form in his belly but he still smiled. "You can tell me anything Kim."
"It's about what Zedd did to us." She swallowed hard. This was it. She had to tell him. "Tommy... Billy and I... we aren't human anymore..."
Tommy blinked, of all things he was bracing for, that was not one of them. "What?"
"Zordon called us hybrids. Billy's going to try and find a cure but Tommy... He and I... we're basically immortal now. We won't age."
"Seriously!?" Tommy yelled, astonished. He knew the lord Zedd was powerful but this? How was it even possible?
Kimberly tried not to flinch at the distress in Tommy's voice. "Yeah... I'm sorry Tommy. I wasn't even awake when it happened." Kimberly found tears on her cheeks before she even realized she was crying.
At her sorrow Tommy pulled her into his strong, protective embrace. "Shhh... it will be okay Kim. We'll find a cure. I promise." He would rescue Kimberly from this horrible fate somehow.
"But what if we can't?" Kim sniffed in his arms. Crying warm tears upon his chest. "I can't... I can't watch you grow old and die."
"Don't talk like that beautiful. Don't give up hope before we've even tried. I'm here. I've got you." "And I'm never letting you go again." Tommy added silently.
And in his heart, his falcon called.
****** Command chamber*****
Rocky paced the floor of the command chamber. He had woken up early with a rumbling belly. When ever Tommy got back, he was going to have to talk to the fearless leader about getting more food. Considering Kim was also missing, Rocky had no intention of going to look for them. They might be... doing things boyfriends and girlfriends do and he didn't want to walk in on that.
Rocky gave his head a shake. A blind man could see how into Tommy, Katherine was and when Kim wasn't around Tommy seems to enjoy Katherine attentions but when Kimberly was around it was different. Tommy was devoted to Kimberly. You could see just how much he loved her.
Rocky didn't care for that night and day kind of personality. You were either single or in a relationship. I mean sure, there were some relationships where things were open but he had seen Tommy talking to Adam last night and had talked to Adam about it later. Adam had not told him much but had mentioned Tommy wanted to know about his time as Kim's slave.
Tommy was down right protective of Kimberly. So Rocky doubted they had an open relationship. Speak of the devil. Here they came now holding hands walking down the hall. He had to admit, they were really cute together.
"Rocky good morning." Kimberly greeted softly, seeing how most of the rangers were still asleep.
"You're up early." Tommy added.
Rocky grinned. "I could say the same about you guys but actually I need to talk to you Tommy." Rocky's belly took that moment to growl loudly and he blushed slightly. "About that. Tommy we need more food. Ninjor's veggies are great and all but..."
Tommy nodded. "Yeah we need more protein. We haven't been getting nearly enough."
"And I don't even think Billy ate yesterday." Rocky added. "He wasn't back when the stew was ready."
Tommy sighed, and sent a silent pray to Jason to please give him guidance. Food was in the top three of things humans needed to live. He just had so much on his plate. With saving the world and a new team of friends to get to know. Now with Kimberly being immortal. There was just too much to cook and not enough burners in his mind to do so.
"We should talk to Ernie at the juice bar. If anyone knows if there been some kind of soup kitchen set up. He will." Kim said. There was no shame in getting food that way. After all none of there parents had been found yet and money for the most part was not a thing right now. Not that the rangers had any money.
Tommy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah about that..." Tommy looked quickly making sure Zordon's tube was still empty and the others were still sleeping. "Ernie knows."
Rocky raised an eyebrow. "Knows what?"
"That we're the power rangers?" Kimberly asked.
"Really!?" Rocky exclaimed.
Tommy held up his hand, hushing the other teen. "He only knows about me and Kimberly. He recognized our voices."
Kimberly gave a soft laugh, pushing away the worry. "At least that will make asking easier then. I'll go."
Tommy frowned. "Not alone you're not."
"Tommy I can take care of myself."
"No, a hundred times no. You're not going alone." Tommy argued back.
"I'll go with Kim." A new voice spoke quietly.
"Billy. Sorry we woke you." Rocky said sincerely.
Billy simply nodded at the apology before looking at Tommy. "I believe you and the others are over due to practice with your Zords in the virtual practice hanger. I will accompany Kimberly to procure food, if that meets your approval." It was said in such a way Tommy suddenly felt guilty and he didn't know why.
"Yeah, sure buddy. That's fine."
********************* Juice Bar*****************************
Ernie hummed a little tune as he walked into the juice bar. He pretended to stop a moment and unlock the doors. The truth was the door locks currently didn't work but he made a show of it in case anyone was watching. Most people had been decent but there were a few bad apples in the rescued bunch from the moon.
Things would be stolen if not properly locked, mostly food was what went missing but sometimes other things too like shoes, clothing, working electronics, medical supplies etc. The hospital had guards around the medical supplies all day and night to keep people from stealing them. Ernie sighed sadly. The world was just barely holding on. He wasn't sure what, if anything, was happening outside angel grove. Right now as far as he was concerned, this little community was all that mattered.
Zedd had killed millions in his take over of earth. Maybe even billions.
Ernie wondered how many humans were still left.
"Ernie! Hi!" A voice greeted brightly from inside the juice bar.
"AAAAHHH!" Ernie shouted, dropping his keys and back pedaling a few steps before seeing the speaker. "Kim! Don't scare me like that. Wait Kim? And Billy?" Ernie was suprised, he had thought Billy was dead, like Jason and the others were.
"Hello Ernie, we are exceedingly apologetic for startling you." Billy said coming over to pick up Ernie dropped keys. Offering them back to the Hawaiian shirt wearing man.
"You know you would think I would be used to you guys randomly appearing and disappearing by now." Ernie said with a smile. "So what can I do for the pink ranger? Oh oops I..." His eyes flicked towards Billy.
Kimberly only smiled brightly. "Ernie, meet Billy, the original blue triceratops."
"Powerless now." Billy added.
"Oh." Ernie said, for he didn't know what to say to that. "When Tommy mentioned the others didn't make it. I thought it was only you and him left Kimberly."
Kim looked so sad Ernie regretted saying anything but she spoke "Only Tommy, Billy and I survived of the original six rangers. And only Tommy was gifted with new powers."
"We are sorry to intrude so early but we need food." Billy tried not to blush at the request.
"I think you mentioned something about a soup kitchen being set up someplace?" Kimberly added quietly looking at Ernie. Begging for food was embarrassing. She was glad that Tommy wasn't here. He never would have been able to ask. His pride was too great.
Ernie smiled. "I'll do you one better. Sit. I'll make breakfast."
"Oh but, not just for us. There's eight of us." Kim said.
Ernie waved her off. "Sit, eat first then I'll make enough for you to take back to the others." Ernie began digging in some well hidden boxes. "I've got eggs, bacon, cheese, a little cured ham, pancake mix... what would you like?"
"All of that sounds amazing." Kimberly said, her eyes shining with hunger.
Ernie smiled again. "Breakfast buffet coming right up."