Chapter Twelve

Tommy

Before Tommy could say another word to Kim, there was a warning cry up above from the Orca Zord. It's fanged mouth opened wide as it sent out its alert.

A screeching noise sounded from the north and a whooshing missile-like object flew overhead to explode on the side of the Orca Zord.

Tommy dove forward and covered Kimberly with his body as they fell to the ground.

"No!" she cried, struggling to rise beneath Tommy.

Another projectile flew by and hit the Zord on the side of its face. Debris cascaded down on the group, covering them with dust.

"Go, go!" Kimberly screamed at the Zord. "Get out of here!"

Miraculously, the Zord listened. It lifted its head and soared higher into the clouds, getting barraged over and over again by weaponry that Tommy couldn't even see from where he lay on the ground with Kimberly.

"We have to get out of here, too!" Tommy yelled over the sounds of the explosions. He was quick to snap his helmet back in place

Kimberly nodded her head, then quickly put her helmet back on, too.

Tommy stood, pulling Kim up with him. With his hands still around her upper arms, he turned back to where the other Rangers were standing. The group was working hard to contain their horses from running off through the attack.

Tommy pulled Kimberly towards the group, looking frantically around for his horse.

"Here! Here!" Brandon called over, holding the reins to both Carl and his own horse in his hands.

Kimberly shook off Tommy's hands and took off towards Brandon. Tommy was quick to follow right behind her, ignoring the fleeting second where he was dismayed at her shaking him away.

The Orca Zord was calling a near constant cry as it flew higher and higher into the sky. Taking a brief glance up, Tommy noted that it had crossed through the lowest clouds, giving the Zord some much better cover.

Kimberly had made it to the horse first, swinging herself up and into the saddle with ease. Turning to look at Tommy, Kimberly's face was pinched with anxiety.

Tommy jumped up into the saddle, sitting with Kimberly behind him. Gathering the reins back from Brandon, Tommy pulled the horse to face back towards the forest. Surprisingly, the others looked to head towards where the projectiles were coming from.

"They aren't firing at us!" Falcon shouted over the sounds of more explosives heading into the sky after the Zord.

"What's the plan?" Tommy called back. He was comforted by the feeling of Kimberly's arms wrapped around his middle.

"We should head back into the woods!" Reese hollered, "Reassess our plans here!"

"I agree with Reese!" Glen yelled.

The sound of the cries from the Orca Zord was quickly dissipating, which was a good sign for everyone. The sounds of the weaponry firing slowed down, as well.

Falcon paused for a moment, then nodded. He slapped the reins and kicked his horse into a gallop towards the trees once again.

The others followed, quick to kick their horses up to speed. Kimberly held onto Tommy tightly, her face resting up against his shoulder. The contact eased Tommy's anxiety. He had Kim back. That was all that mattered.

It didn't take long for the Rangers to collect beneath the trees again. When they had all stopped in a clearing covered in orange pine needles, Kimberly speedily swung her leg around and hopped down from Tommy's horse. He watched her, concerned, but he followed right behind her.

"Will they keep hunting my Zord?" Kimberly asked, looking to each of the other adults. She pointedly ignored Tommy.

The others dismounted. Mora stepped forward with a smile and said, "I think your Zord will be alright. It understands that it needs to make itself scarce for a time."

Kimberly slowly nodded.

Tommy stepped up, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Kim, these are Anylioch's Power Rangers."

That got her attention. "Really?" she asked, "I met Rangers in Torin...they were taken from...from where I'm from."

"What?" Tommy asked, shocked. He circled around to look at his girlfriend. "What do you mean?"

Kimberly looked up at Tommy but didn't say a word. The silence killed him.

Before he could stop himself, he asked, "Did he hurt you?"

The other Rangers seemed to step away and start their own conversations. Tommy was grateful.

"Not as much as I hurt him." Kim replied, looking away. The angry timbre and ferocity in her voice brought Tommy back. Here was his girl.

"Tell me everything that happened." he stated. "I want to know it all."

"Maybe I should be asking you for the same thing." Kim said angrily. Tommy imagined her eyes now intense and unwavering.

Tommy frowned. "What is it, Kim? Why are you acting like you hardly know me?"

The ground began to shake beneath their feet.

"What is that?" Kim asked, her arms outstretched to maintain her balance.

Tommy held out a hand automatically to Kimberly, but she wouldn't take it.

"We're getting some company." Falcon called out to the group, looking south through the trees.

The sound of galloping was suddenly loud and overwhelming to the ears. Tommy's head snapped around to look at all of their horses, shifting on their hooves. They were clearly antsy about this new turn of events, but they were not running from the area.

This must beother horses? He thought to himself.

"We'll be alright." Falcon said, patting the neck of his horse. "It's not the enemy."

"If you say so…" Kim muttered, leaning against Tommy's horse for support.

Tommy walked over and stood beside her. He still couldn't get enough of seeing her. They would deal with their...issues later.

The sound of pounding steps continued to get louder and louder. The cadence was like a buzz beneath Tommy's boots. He and Kimberly hadn't powered down yet, but that was for the best. Wearing the suit made Tommy feel more comfortable and he was sure Kimberly felt the same.

"Tell me what happened over there." he said over the din of the stampede. He nearly begged. He couldn't help but continue their conversation.

"I learned the truth." was all she gave back in return.

Tommy was about to say something more when Kimberly's head whipped to the right. Following her gaze, Tommy saw the very tree limbs and forestry itself moving. At first it looked like the trees were running at them, but after a moment Tommy could make out horses...horses that were made of tree limb and vine and foliage all bent into shape. And there atop those horses were riders that were much the same: leaves, tree branches, roots… all looking like human riders.

Tommy was shocked.

"Forest guardians." Reese said earnestly. "Come to investigate us?"

"More like coming to investigate the girl who hopped out of the Orca Zord." Brandon said, watching Kimberly.

"Great." Kim responded, throwing a challenging glare back at Brandon.

"You'll be fine. You're under my protection." Falcon said, stepping forward to Kimberly and Tommy. "Just...leave the talking to me."

Kimberly shrugged, looking back towards the forest beings heading their way.

The vast majority of the riders stopped and held their horses back well over a hundred feet. One rider steered forward at a trot. Tommy noticed that the rider had a silver crown resting on its long hair of orange fall leaves. The creature's face was similar to a human, but it was as though the knitted together branches and twigs of its face held nothing within. It was like the creature and its horse were woven like empty baskets. Tommy could see straight through the interwoven pieces.

"Welcome." Falcon called to the rider. "I've taken this young girl from the Orca Zord. We are working together for King Faris."

Kimberly did not seem to like this introduction, but she kept her mouth shut tight.

"You." the rider whispered like wind through a reeds on a pond, "Are Falcon Crass."

"That I am." Falcon replied, sketching a quick bow. "I am King Faris' right hand man. I am sending word back to him tonight of our journey and goings on."

The woven rider shook his head. "We are to bring the girl to the King."

"That's not gonna happen." Tommy growled, stepping between Kim and this rider.

"Tommy, please." Falcon snapped quietly at him.

Tommy gave the older man a glare. It was another warning against letting Kimberly go anywhere with these strange tree riders.

The horse of the rider stomped its stone foot and let out a breathy sigh.

"We only take orders from our King. You may be Falcon, but we are his Forest. No one else can command the Forest." the rider said, and he swung his leg around and hopped down from his horse. The landing barely made a sound on the forest floor.

The rider began walking forward to where Kimberly stood, but Tommy was right there to block its path.

"Tommy. She'll be alright." Mora said, walking towards them.

"Then they can take me with them, too." he said, his arms instantly up for a fight.

The rider looked from Kimberly to Tommy and then to Falcon. "I care not who travels with our Forest. Only that we retrieve and return the girl."

"Then I'm going with you." Tommy repeated without hesitation.

"We all go." Reese said, nodding when Tommy looked at her.

There was a beat of silence before the rider turned back towards his companions. He made a call with both knotted hands over his open mouth that sounded like whistling wind. The riders called back, but several started riding forward.

Tommy stepped backwards to be close to Kimberly who, surprisingly, let him get close.

"What of my horses?" Falcon asked.

"They will ride as one with us and the Forest herd." the lead woven rider said simply.

Falcon nodded, not seeming concerned.

Tommy went to climb back in the saddle, but the woven rider said, "You shall ride with me."

Tommy's eyebrows shot up.

"The girl will ride with my Lady." the woven rider went on.

A smaller rider atop one of the woven horses trotted up.

Tommy's eyes went right to Kimberly. They had always been able to communicate through sight line alone since they were so close.

Kimberly looked back at him and shrugged. She didn't care about the arrangement. Tommy nodded.

Kimberly didn't waste any time: she walked right over to the newest rider and looked at the horse. There was no saddle or stirrups to use. The rider reached a woven wooden hand down to her, which Kimberly took. Using the strength of the rider, Kimberly swung her leg around and sat behind the so-called Lady.

Tommy watched unable to keep his fear at bay. He had just gotten Kimberly back and now they were going to separate again?

The Lady rider hitched her legs into the side of the woven horse and they took off back towards the other line of woven riders. Quickly, they all let the Lady rider pass and then followed her.

Tommy couldn't see the Lady rider with Kimberly anymore so he was anxious to get on the lead rider's horse t0 follow.

Walking over, Tommy waited while the lead rider jumped back up onto the woven horse. The rider also leaned down to give Tommy a hand, which he accepted. The hand was scratchy to the touch; like holding onto a bundle of twigs. He climbed up to sit behind the rider. Soon they were galloping back towards where Kimberly and the Lady had ridden.

Tommy wasn't worried about the horses since Falcon didn't seem to be. He kept his eyes forward towards the deep, dark woods.

Kimberly

The horse beneath Kimberly was not exactly comfortable. Saddle or not, a creature made from woven branches and leaves was not exactly created for comfort for a human like her.

Not to mention that holding onto what felt like a basket made Kimberly's arms a bit tired. The prodding wood stuck out at odd angles and the leaves from the Lady's "hair" was fluttering into her face. Kim felt like she was trying to hold onto a tree's moving branches in the wind.

They rode faster and faster, Kimberly holding on as tightly as she could. These horses were much, much faster than the normal ones she was used to. Behind them there were the similar sounds of stone hooves on the forest floor. It resonated in Kim's chest.

"We go underground." The Lady rider said.

"Huh?" Kimberly asked, confused.

"Underground. Prepare yourself."

Kimberly's mouth opened to ask another question, but there ahead was an open gap in the forest floor. It stretched wider than an olympic swimming pool and longer than what she could see.

Underground..

"We're jumping into that?" Kimberly squeaked.

"Yes." was all the rider said before urging her horse into a stronger gallop.

Just behind them, other woven riders and their horses thundered along. It looked like they were all going down in the hole.

"Oh, boy." Kimberly groaned. She was hardly able to keep her eyes open, but she needed to see what happened next.

The rider Kimberly held onto made a shriek into the sky, which was parroted by all the others behind them.

Then, they were falling.

The woven horses leapt off the ground as one and dove into the ravine. There was no bottom to this hole, or at least none that Kimberly could see.

As they fell, ropes of roots whipped out from the dirt around them, wrapping around the bodies and legs of the horses as they fell.

They continued to drop like stones. Kimberly couldn't look away from the darkness ahead of them. Soon, the light of day behind them looked like a thin, white crack of lightning up above.

The roots snapped out, causing the horses to fall and then buoy upwards like they were in the springing back phase of bungee jumping. Kimberly's heart was in her throat. She was grateful for the fall to have stopped, but now they were deep underground with no explanation as to what would happen next.

The dirt began closing in from all sides. Kimberly nearly cried out as she envisioned being buried alive. But that wasn't what happened – the dirt was collapsing around them, but facing forward, there was a stone tunnel-like cave lit with torches that seemed to go on forever.

Kimberly was relatively surprised that the woven riders would be ok around fire.

The roots from deep underground pulled the riders and horses onto a massive platform that lead to the cave. Calmly, the horses stepped together down to the cave to allow for more space for each of the riders and horses behind them.

"Where are we going?" Kimberly had to ask.

"We go to our King. We go to our Queen." the rider said, and without a warning, kicked her horse to run down the tunnel.

Kimberly nearly fell off, but she managed to rewrap herself around the rider in time. She told herself that she would chew out this "Lady" when they go to their destination.

The torchlights flew by with such quickness that they seemed like long lines of fire instead of stationary fixtures. It was dizzying and a big nauseating to see. Kimberly finally shut her eyes.

Minutes ticked by. It gave Kimberly some time to think (even as she kept her eyes closed).

Tommy. What was she going to do about him? He had lied so completely to her face. Back home, Katherine was probably waiting for him to return so they could go about their new lives together.

Her heart hardened. This was no longer any of her business. She wasn't Tommy's girlfriend any longer. Why he now acted the way he did just blew her mind. How good of an actor was he? How long had he faked it with her? Were there other girls she didn't know about?

Kimberly's fingers interlaced with the thin branches that corded around the Lady rider's chest. She wondered if it hurt the rider. She tried to relax her fingers but then she noticed how freezing they were, even in the gloves. Clearly, being this far underground was not good for regular people and their blood temperatures, even in a Ranger suit.

It felt like hours before the woven horses finally slowed down. Kimberly was shivering so hard she was surprised the rider hadn't said anything about it. Maybe they couldn't feel like normal people could feel.

The horses stopped together at the end of the tunnel with some of the riders jumping off to tend to them. The rider Kimberly was with used her long, twig-like fingers to pry Kimberly off of her sides. Still shivering, she pulled her arms off the rider and tried to step down from the horse. She couldn't.

Wind breezed through the face of the Lady rider and it reminded Kimberly of a sigh. The rider pulled Kimberly off, jumped down from atop her horse, and then turned back to help Kimberly down.

"T-Thank yo-you." Kimberly said, now standing on her own two feet. The ground was squashy and brown and she noticed it was freshly turned earth.

The Lady rider nodded and left her woven horse to be tended to by another rider. Walking steadily away, Kimberly watched as many of the other riders followed. Looking from side to side, Kim decided to follow.

The ground shifted beneath Kimberly's feet and she felt the dirt under her boots slowly filter away to reveal a smooth stone floor.

Everyone followed the Lady rider into a massive chamber. Kimberly's mouth dropped as she examined the space. It was...beautiful. The walls and floor looked to be carved from black and clear crystal. A single, large light source hung at the very center of the ceiling. It looked like it could have been made from glowing moon stone and it lit the chamber with its wan blue light. Everything beneath it was washed in the same light and it casted stark shadows along all of the woven riders and woven horses.

Yet the regular humans stood out much more, their faces lifted and lit up.

Tommy, still in his helmet, seemed to be looking right at her.

He made his way through the crowd and wound up at Kimberly's side. He watched her silently and seemed to be waiting.

Kimberly sighed. "Tommy-"

The floor beneath their feet began to move, jettisoning them towards the light.

By habit, Tommy and Kimberly ate the distance between them and clutched each other in surprise. They then looked at each other.

Kimberly was wary. She thought about pushing him away, but she couldn't find the energy. They held onto each other, straightening to stand, and rode the floor-now-platform that brought them higher and higher towards the ceiling.

And then, the ceiling opened, swinging the blue moon light to the side and away. Now above them was an elegantly painted ceiling that reminded Kimberly of the Sistine Chapel. There were animals, humans, woven riders, and more along with Power Rangers. Kimberly found this a bit comical, but she didn't let herself smile.

There was a great deal of muttering above as well as the sound of many people moving about. As the natural stone elevator came to a stop right at the level of a marble flooring, Kimberly and Tommy stepped away from each other. Tommy kept watching her, but Kimberly examined her surroundings instead.

Another throne room. Straight ahead, another dais with another pair of carved wooden thrones.

The King and Queen of Anylioch stood at the end of the dais, watching the newcomers who erupted from the ground. Surrounding the dais and the now-lifted platform were hundreds of people dressed in finery. The space was enormous and opulent compared to the stone throne room Kimberly saw at the fortress in Torin.

"You are dismissed, Forest Warriors." The King called from where he stood on the dais.

Without a word, the woven riders ushered Kimberly and the others off of the platform, then Kimberly watched as the platform lowered once more. The horses from Tommy's party went with them, but the other Rangers in Tommy's group didn't seem concerned. Kimberly guessed they would get their horses back later.

Instead of the floor converging on itself, two glass panels shifted over the massive circular hole left behind. The sheer panels revealed only darkness now that the Forest Warriors had traveled back down.

With the absence of the woven riders and the horses, the space surrounding Kimberly and the others was quite broad. Kim was reminded of standing in another throne room waiting to be called forward.

But this time, no one called for them. One of the men in Tommy's party strode forward to the dais without a summons and the King stepped down from the dais to meet him.

Surprisingly, the King and the man embraced.

"My friend. It has been too long since we've last seen each other in person." the King declared with a wide grin. "When we saw you and the Rangers riding back to us, I immediately called the Forest Warriors to accompany you home."

"Firstly, if you didn't have me on every job for the kingdom than maybe I would have been able to stop by!" the man replied, with a grin equally as wide. "Also, that entourage was much appreciated. It's certainly a faster method of travel!"

The two began talking quietly so that no one else could hear.

"Stay by my side." Tommy uttered quietly to Kim.

Part of her wanted to shove him away and ignore him completely, but she decided to say nothing. Staying close to the only person in the room that she knew wasn't a stupid decision.

"Bring the girl forward." the King finally said.

There was the summons that Kimberly was expecting. With Tommy at her right, she stepped forward across the clear glass paneling of the floor towards the tall marble dais.

When she was several feet away, Kimberly hesitated. Back in Torin, she was rude and avoided courtesy at all cost. But these royals...they could send her home.

Kimberly removed her helmet and then bowed deeply at the waist. When she looked up, the King and Queen were smiling.

"Your Majesty." she said, standing straight once again.

"And you are Kimberly." the King stated, still smiling. He was the kind of man who smiled not just with his lips, but with his eyes.

Hearing her name and not 'Lady Hart' was a big comfort to Kim. "That's me." she said with a smile of her own.

"Or should we say Blue Amethyst Ranger?" the Queen asked, walking over to stand next to her husband.

"That would be me, too." Kimberly replied, then added quickly, "Your Majesty."

The King and Queen were both dark haired and they both had kind, dark brown eyes. The Queen stepped down from the dais, as well, and she was soon met by one of the women that had been with Tommy. Kim noticed that the woman and the Queen looked very similar. The woman flung her arms around the Queen and the embrace was returned, followed by a speedy conversation that was too low for anyone else to hear.

"And Tommy." the King said, motioning the Red Ranger forward.

Tommy removed his helmet and stepped up to stand beside Kimberly. He also bowed to the royals.

"I see you've helped my Rangers through battle." The King said, "I am grateful to you."

Kimberly decided that she needed some questions answered and that she couldn't wait. "Your Majesty, are you still firing on the Orca Zord? Is it safe?" she asked.

The King nodded slowly. "We have ceased fire. The Zord waits above the clouds for your next instructions."

Kim had an internal sigh of relief. She didn't know to what end the Zord might be damaged, but at least it was being left alone for now.

"Also," Kimberly piped up once more, "I have brought you two Jewels along with the Orca Zord."

Standing a short distance away from the King, the man who had embraced him shifted his stance. He looked anxious and hopeful.

"I imagine your stay in Torin was less than exemplary." The King said without acknowledging her comment. "We hope that you will feel more welcome here in Anylioch."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, I was hoping that now you would send me...us...home." Kimberly replied, indicating Tommy with a nod.

The King hesitated and Kimberly's hopes started to shrivel.

"Kimberly, I am afraid I cannot do that. Not at this time." the King responded, sounding apologetic.

"Why not?" Kim asked, angry at herself for the words to come out shaky.

"There is need of you here in Anylioch. You accepted the Blue Amethyst and it has taken to you. There is no one else strong enough to take those powers to their full potential."

"Your Majesty, that's not fair." Tommy said, stepping forward. "Kimberly brought you the Jewels and the Orca Zord. That should be where her responsibility stops."

"And you, Tommy." The King said, "You are also needed here."

Kimberly's eyes were burning with unshed tears. "So we're stuck here. Until when? You win this war? Sounds to me like Anylioch is just like Torin in keeping me here."

"When we obtain all of the Jewels and the powers are returned to our Rangers, we will send you home." The Queen said, kindly.

"So you're using these Jewels and powers as leverage and holding our return to Earth as the prize." Tommy said, bitingly.

"If it could be any other way, we would send you home immediately. As it stands, there is one more thing that keeps you here, Kimberly." The King said, now sounding very tired and sad.

"And what's that?" Kim asked.

"If we try to remove the powers bestowed upon you by the Blue Amethyst, there is the possibility that you will not survive it."