A/N Power Ranger Zeo Settings and Characters all belong to Haim Saban and Toei Company and the Fox. Any original characters and this story are copyright © 2011-2018 to Hopelessromanticgurl, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

I am soooooooooooooooo sorry for the late update. But I have to give a big shout out thank you mae-E for helping me with this chapter. It is so much more epic because of her help! Thank you so much mae-E!

Thank you mae-E for also being my beta!


A couple more days passed after that. Tommy and Kimberly continued to train and work on their fears, each time passing with flying colors.

Kimberly was now able to go hours while wearing the blindfold, and she no longer heard the coach's voice.

Tommy had managed to fight off Heather and Kat and get to Kimberly in time, before she died, to save her.

They were both so excited by their progress that they didn't even think about the fact that it was going to get a lot harder.

One afternoon Tommy and Kim went to the main room, ready to face their challenge head on.

"Good Morning, Rangers. I am very proud of the progress you have both made and at such a fast pace as well. You are both now able to handle simple fears and pains without crying out to the other."

"Thank you, Zordon," Tommy said.

"Thanks." Kimberly smiled.

"However, I feel it's time to move on to something new. You are both able to control it, but you are both also in the same room as the other. We need to move on and test to see just how far your connection can reach."

"No. We know it can reach far. I was in Florida, and he was in…" Kimberly started.

"Kimberly, our connection was stronger and easier to control once you started to teleport to the same location as I was. Zordon is right."

"No. You're not leaving me," Kimberly said.

"He will just be in the other room. He will not be far." Zordon said.

"I…"

"It's ok, Beautiful. It's just to practice. I'll come right back to you as soon as you're done." Tommy said gently.

"He's still out there. He's still looking for me. If you're not here to protect me…" Kimberly whimpered.

"You're in no danger. Zordon and Alpha would never let anything or anyone hurt you. Besides your coach can't get into the command center. He doesn't even know this place is here. It's hidden from the human eye. You won't even see it if you didn't have a power coin or zeo crystals."

"I don't have either, and I can see it," Kimberly said.

"You have the Ninjetti power. That's the same thing." Tommy smiled. "It's even stronger than your power coin or a zeo crystal. You're perfectly safe in here."

Kimberly inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. "Ok, Let's do it."

"That's my girl." He kissed her forehead and looked to Zordon. "We're ready."

"Then let us begin."

In a flash of red Tommy was gone. Kimberly inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. She sat on the floor as Alpha wrapped the blindfold over her eyes.

She inhaled and exhaled a deep breath.

"It's about time. I thought Tommy was never going to leave your side." She heard her Coach say.

"You're not real." She said instantly.

"Of course I am."

"How did you get inside?"

"Simple, I got a zeo crystal from your friend."

"The Rangers would never give you their crystals."

"Are you sure about that? What about your little blond Australian friend?"

Kimberly gulped and started to breathe harder. She had never even thought about that. Kat hated her and while under the evil spell she would do everything she could to get rid of her. But did that include calling her coach and helping him find her? "I…Kat would never…"

"Are you sure? I know there was a time when Kat would never abandon you when you were hurt and needed help but she did."

"I…how do you know about that?"

"I know everything about you. I also know you never liked your medicine in your leg. It hurt too much. You always liked it better in your arm. So just hold still this will only pinch for a second."

"NO! TOMMY! HELP!" Kimberly ripped off her blindfold as a loud crane cry filled the room. "HELP!" Kimberly screamed once more. She looked around and didn't see Tommy. "TOMMY HELP!"

The cry of the crane got louder and louder.

Kimberly backed up until she hit the bottom of the control panel. She panted as tears filled her eyes. "HELP! PLEASE! MAKE HIM STOP! MAKE IT GO AWAY!"

In a flash of red Tommy was by her side, laying on the ground next to her as he panted and tried to gain his strength back.

"It's ok, Beautiful. You're safe. I'm right here. You're safe." Tommy soothed. He couldn't even get the strength to sit up next to her, so he gently pulled her down, so she was laying next to him on the ground. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair kissing her forehead. "Shhh, you're safe. You're safe. I'm right here."

Kimberly was hyperventilating as she laid on the ground, her chest rising and falling at an extreme speed. She curled into Tommy hiding her face in his chest, inhaling his scent.


After a few minutes Kimberly calmed down, and it gave Tommy his strength back. He stood up and kept Kimberly in his arms.

Kimberly kept her face buried in his chest. She was too ashamed to look at Zordon or Alpha.

"What happen? She's never reacted this badly before." Tommy said. He rubbed her back as she continued to shake and sniff softly.

"I believe it was what she heard while she was wearing the blind-fold. She mentioned something about the other rangers giving her coach a zeo crystal to be able to enter. I think he might have mentioned it was Kat because She tried to say 'Kat would never' but never completed her sentence." Zordon explained.

"It's something we never thought of." Tommy sighed. "Kat is completely unpredictable while she's possibly evil. If she thought it would rip us apart and give her a chance with me…"

Kimberly started to cry again as she shook and clung to Tommy as tight as she could.

"Zordon do you think Kat would do that?" Tommy asked as he soothed Kim the best he could.

"I don't know, Tommy. I have not seen Kat do anything truly evil. However, I believe you when you say you suspect she might have been put under an evil spell so I can not say for sure."

Tommy hugged Kim tighter. Kat would never do something as terrible as call Kim's coach and tell him where she is…would she?

"Let's try not to worry about it. We do not know for sure Kat would do it. It very well might have just been Kimberly's fear of Kat combining with her fear of her Coach. Tommy, why don't we head over to the stimulation room."

"NO!" Kimberly screamed. "I'm not leaving him!"

"Kimberly, would you like to try something different?" Zordon asked. "We can move you up to the stimulation room."

"NO! I never want to do this or anything like it again!" Kimberly screeched.

"Kimberly, you must calm down. Everything you just experienced is all in your head. We have no proof that Kat has even called your Coach, none the less given him, her zeo Crystal."

"No!" Kimberly screamed once more.

Tommy kissed her head. What is it, Beautiful? Why are you still so upset? He thought to her. He waited for a response but got none.

Please talk to me. Don't shut me out.

I thought I was safe here.

Tommy's heart broke when she finally answered him back through their connection.

You are. He quickly replied to her.

No, I'm not. Not anymore. Kat is evil, Tommy. She already abandoned me when I was beaten to a bloody pulp. She even hid me from anyone else so they couldn't help me. I was stupid to think she'd at least stay loyal enough to keep my location a secret! She responded just as quickly to him.

Beautiful, Kat wouldn't give your Coach her crystal. Even if she did, he wouldn't know what to do with it. At the very least she'd have to explain everything to him, and that would expose all of us and put all of us in danger. She'd never do that, it would blow her cover, and she's not dumb enough to do that. He said trying to soothe her still.

You didn't say she won't call the Coach and tell him where I am….

Tommy sighed. He buried his face in her hair and squeezed his eyes shut. I don't want to lie to you, that's why. But, even if she does call him he won't find you. Kat is not going to expose our secret just to get you out of our lives. He admitted as calmly as possible.

You don't know that! You don't know that!

Tommy's heart broke once more. "You're right. I don't. But until we have proof, there is nothing else we can do," he said aloud to her in a soft tone.

Kimberly cried as she clung to Tommy. They were both terrified now. Just how far would Kat go to get Kim out of their lives?

"Rangers, I understand your fear. I do not believe Kat would do anything to expose herself or the other rangers. I do not believe Kat would call your coach either."

Kimberly just whimpered and buried her face deeper into Tommy.

"Rangers…Kimberly, please look at me."

Kimberly whimpered once more and shook her head.

"Beautiful, look at him. It's ok." Tommy said gently rubbing her back.

"I can't" she whispered.

"My Young Crane, please will you look at me," Zordon said.

Kimberly looked up. It always made her feel better to hear him call her 'his crane.'

"Kimberly, you must understand something. IF and that is a very large IF, someone were ever to enter the Command Center that wasn't a ranger they would not be able to go anywhere else inside the command center without being teleported there by Alpha or myself. The bedroom we created for you is also a safe room. If your Coach were to ever enter this building, he would never get any further than this main room. Alpha and I would never teleport anyone into your safe room without your permission. So IF your Coach were to ever find a way in here, you would be teleported to your safe room, and nobody would be able to follow you."

Kimberly inhaled and exhaled a deep breath and nodded.

"Does that make you feel better?"

Kimberly nodded once more.

"Good. Tommy, are you ready for your training?"

"No!" Kimberly whimpered and hid her face once more. "No, no, no."

Tommy sighed and hugged her close rubbing her back.

"I think I have an idea," Zordon said. "Alpha…"

"Right away, Zordon," Alpha said.

"Alpha's a mind reader now too?" Tommy teased.

Kimberly giggled softly, hiding her face deeper to muffle it.

A couple of seconds later there was a flash of different colors, and the Rangers were all there.

"Zordon, what's going on?" Jason asked.

"Where are Kat and Tanya?" Kimberly asked when he didn't see them. She had heard Jason's voice and peeked her head out to see him.

"Shopping," Jason answered.

"You didn't go with them?" Kimberly asked Trini.

"Nah, it's more fun shopping with you," Trini said. "Kat only likes to look at one store, at one particular rack. If she doesn't like anything, it's over."

"What is wrong with that girl?" Tommy teased. "Doesn't she know anything about shopping?"

"Yeah! Doesn't she know you have to shop at least ten different stores and at least one entire mall before it's over." Jason added.

Kimberly giggled softly and blushed. "It's two malls and five stores."

"My point exactly." Jason nodded. "Now that Kimberly is cheered up, what's going on?"

"It's been a rough day," Tommy answered. "Kimberly's training didn't go as planned this morning and it's left her shaken. I still have to do mine, but as you can, Kimberly has decided not to leave my side."

"What happen?" Jason asked. He walked over to where Tommy was and rubbed Kimberly's back.

"Did Tommy take advantage of you being blindfolded and tickle you." He teased hoping to make her smile.

"No," Kimberly whispered. "I would have preferred that."

"So what did happen?" Rocky asked.

Kimberly turned and buried her face back in Tommy's shoulder. Tommy sighed softly and kissed her hair. "We aren't sure what caused it, but Kimberly now believes that Kat is going to call her Coach and tell him where she is just to help break us up," Tommy explained. "She is also worried Kat will give him her zeo crystal to give him access to the Command Center."

"Kim, when are you going to let this thing with Kat go? I mean seriously! She made a mistake. She kissed Tommy, big deal. You wrote Tommy a breakup letter and broke his heart." Adam sighed.

Kimberly clung tighter to Tommy. "I didn't write that letter!"

"Adam don't you dare start defending her," Jason said. "This is not what Kim needs right now."

"No, you're right. What she needs is a strong dose of reality because Kat isn't evil."

"NO!" Kimberly whimpered. "No more needles please."

"Adam, you can leave," Tommy said. "You're not helping, Kim you're making this worse."

"Tommy, I'd like him to stay," Zordon said. "There is something I think he needs to see. Now, Jason, why don't you, Trini, and Billy take Kimberly into the bedroom while Tommy does his training. Adam can stay out here with me and help Alpha."

Kimberly whimpered.

"It's ok, Come on, Sis," Jason said gently rubbing her back.

"Go with him, Angel." Tommy soothed. "I'll be back real soon."

Kimberly inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. She carefully looked up, making sure not to look at Adam and reburied her face in Jason's shoulder.

"Teleporting now," Zordon said.

In a flash of different colors, the four of them were gone. In another flash of red, Tommy was gone as well.


Tommy landed in the stimulation room. "Beautiful, you ok?" he thought.

"Yes. Just hurry back to me." She thought back to him.

Knowing Kim was ok he inhaled and exhaled a deep breath and stepped up to the table in the center of the room and picked up the headband and put it on. Moments later the table and bare walls of the room melted away and were replaced with angel grove park.

He and all his friends were sitting down on a blanket having a picnic. Kim was curled into his side as everyone had a plate full of food. Everyone was happy and getting along, and in that moment he forgot how much he had missed this. Just as he started to relax and enjoy this moment their communicators all went off.

"Well it was nice while it lasted," says Rocky.

Tommy raises his communicator to his mouth and says. "We read you Zordon."

"Rangers, the Ruinous Rhino and a band of putties have appeared in the park near your location, He is causing havoc with the population and must be stopped. Be careful Rangers; he has the power to bring out a person's darkest traits, letting them take control of the individual. He projects this power through his horn."

"We understand Zordon. what can we do for those infected?" Tommy asked.

"Scans show that if you cut off the rhino's horn, then he loses his power and those infected will be returned to normal," Zordon replied.

" We're On it. Tommy out," he said as he ended transmission.

They quickly got up from their blanket and headed towards the cover of the tree line. Once safely out of sight they Morphed into action. Heading in the direction they started to hear screams coming from, it only took about five minutes before they found the putties and the monster just northwest of the prior location.

Not only were people running and screaming, but the few that were under the monster's power were fighting with each other and cause general havoc.

"We have to find a way to lead them away from the people here." said Adam.

"There is a clearing just south of here if we can get them to follow us, it should work out fine," said Billy.

"Just leave it to me," says Kim as she pulls out her power bow. She quickly notches an arrow and takes aim at the monster. Then after a steadying breath, she releases the arrow, and it flies straight through the chaos going on around it and lands precisely at the monster's feet before igniting and knocking him off his feet.

It takes the monster a few moments to get back up on his rather large feet but as soon as he does he cries out his orders to the putties. "Get them!"

Responding to his command the squadron of putties start to advance on the Rangers.

" Good job Kim! Now it's time for follow the leader," said Rocky, as they all start to lead them away from the infected people and into the unoccupied part of the park.

Soon afterward they turn to fight the babbling gray monstrosities that Rita and Zedd used for footmen.

"Is it just me or are these things getting uglier?" asked Aisha.

"No, I think your right," says Kim as the first wave of slate colored goons descended upon them.

Rocky swung out with a left handed jab and connected with the putty's face. Then quickly countered with a roundhouse punch while it was still stunned, knocking it back and giving him room to kick it right in the big Z on the middle of its chest. Causing the putty to break down and disappear completely.

Meanwhile, Adam was fighting off two putties at once, ducking and weaving from the putties attacks. When one of the two putties managed to get him off balance, and the other one took advantage and kicked him knocking him down. Billy quickly jumped in, over where Adam's body was, and in a flying split, kick managed to make contact with the Z's on each putty's chest, causing each one to disintegrate upon being struck. By the time Billy landed on his feet, there was not a trace of either of them left.

"Looked like you needed a hand," said Billy as he reached down to help Adam up.

"Or a foot," Adam joked as he got to his feet with help.

Aisha dropped down low and swept the feet out from under the putty she was fighting with her leg. Once the Putty hit the ground, she seized the opportunity to punch the big Z on the middle of its chest, finishing it off. She quickly jumped back up as three more charged at her. She did a spinning kick and hit the closest one right in the z and then moved on to the second one before the first one even began to fall to pieces. Striking it in the face, and then with a quick side step, let the third one run right into the second one. The two putties fell to the ground and stumbled over each other trying to get up. By the time they got back on their feet, it was just in time for Aisha and Rocky to finish them off with well-placed kicks to the chest.

"Thanks." said Aisha.

"No problem, anytime," responded Rocky, as they both went back to fighting the ever shrinking crowd of putties.

Kim and Tommy were working together seamlessly. Tag teaming the group of putties that were surrounding them. Back to back they punched and kicked at the gray goons as they came at them. They moved with the precision of clockwork and made a lethal combination.

"we aren't making a big enough impact," stated Kim as the putties continued to press in on them.

"I have an Idea," responds Tommy.

Without saying anything further, he holds his hand out, and Kim nods knowing exactly what he has in mind. She quickly puts her hands in his and grips his wrists and jumps as he starts to swing her forwards. She Kicks out at the nearest putty her foot striking right in the middle of its chest, hitting the Z dead on. With the momentum, Tommy was creating it allowed Kim to stay upright for a few monuments and just walk across the chests of at least four more putties. By the time Kim had her feet on the ground the five putties had crumbled away and disappeared.

" That was fun. I walked all over them," Kim remarked.

while he couldn't see it, Tommy was pretty sure that she was smiling under her helmet as she said that.

Tommy roundhouse kicked a Putty in front of him hitting the Z; it fell apart instantly. They all looked around and noticed that the putties were all gone. They re-grouped and looked around.

"Where the monster go?" asked Billy.

"Good question Billy, a very good question," said Tommy, as they were all looking around.

A few minutes passed and they saw or heard nothing, but eerie silence.

"I don't like this, it's too quite." says Kim.

"Yeah I know what you mean, I would have sworn it followed us," said Adam.

"It should have, If someone knocked me off my feet the way Kim knocked that monster off its feet, I sure as heck would have followed," added Aisha.

"Should we contact alpha?" asked Rocky.

Before they got the chance the ground started to shake as they saw the monster come into view, The Rhino standing on two feet like a human and wearing a leather coat with spikes on it was charging at them with his head pointed down branding its horn.

The rangers scattered so to make themselves less of a target.

"It looks like one of the Bulk's relatives," jokes Rocky as they all continue the monster's advances.

"Not Funny Rocky!" shouts Kim.

Just then a bruise colored burst of energy bursts forth from the horn scorching the ground where Aisha and Rocky were just occupying.

"Beware of the horn guys remember what Zordon said about it," warned Billy.

"Right, Adam stand by with your ax, we need to cut that horn off him," ordered Tommy.

"We'll try to distract it to give him the chance to do so," responds Billy.

Billy, Aisha, and Kim take out their blasters and start to take shots at the monster while Rocky and Tommy move in a direct attack, as Adam moves in behind for a sneak attack on it with his ax. The monster is, unfortunately, is not fooled by this tactic and swats both Tommy and Rocky aside. He then stomps his foot causing the ground to shake knocking the rest of them off their feet. Then starts to blast energy at them from its horn.

The continual blasts left them all scrambling as they knew how important it was not to get hit by one. They all kept looking for an opening that would allow them the upper hand because as it stood now, they were on the defensive, which was not a good place to be. At the rate things were going it was only a matter of time before their luck ran out and someone got hit.

"Kim try shooting for his eyes, maybe if we can blind him we'll have a better chance of dehorning him," says Billy.

Kim nods and pulls out her bow and tries to line up a clean shot, while the others created a distraction. As she focused solely on lining up a clean shot the world around her became a blur. So the fact that one of the rhino's blasts had ricocheted of Adam's axe and was heading straight at her went unnoticed.

Tommy turned and seeing this made his blood run cold. He knew even if he tried to warn her it would be too late for her to react. So he did the only thing he could, being the closest to her he charged across the distance to get to her, praying with each step that he go to her before it was too late. He knew that neither he or any of the others could fight against her if it came to that. With no thought to his own safety, he raced against the beam, and when he was within a few feet of her, he dove to push her out of the way.

He succeeded at knocking her out of the line of fire, but at a high price. For He ended up taking the blast in her place. It slammed into the right side of his ribcage and then surged thru his body. He screamed out as the pain that flooded his body was excruciating as if burning and drowning simultaneously. His breathing constricted and came in strangled gasps, causing him to claw at his helmet until he managed to rip it off. His vision darkened and constricted causing a wicked case of tunnel vision, and what he could see was obscured by flashes of light like fireworks before his eyes.

His body was racked by a fit of spasms, and yet he felt someone touch him on his left side trying to sit him up. With a Herculean effort, he managed to turn his head and see a blurry pink form. A spike of fear shot through him, stronger than all the pain he was currently in, fear for her as he felt something dark take hold of him slowly ripping control away from him.

"RUN!" He managed to shout at her, as he used the last of his control to rip himself out of her hold and throw himself to the ground. As the pain started to die away leaving only a numbing cold, the kind that made him suddenly aware of the fact that he was now only a spectator of his actions.

The other Rangers were powerless to do anything but watch as they looked at the impact the blast had on his suit. Penetrated it, leaving a large hole that was burned around the edges. That was not the most terrifying part, for as if the suit itself was bleeding rivulets of a dark, filthy, murky green started to spread out from the hole across his suit staining the white armor with its grimy color.

The other Rangers watched him as they gathered around Kim, Not sure what to expect from him, but Kim and Billy knew that whatever was coming was not going to be good if past experience taught them anything.

"Guys the only way to save him is to dehorn the monster." advised Billy.

"Sooner rather than later, cause if he has become evil again he going to be more powerful than the monster itself," said Kim in a worried tone.

It did not take long for his suit to completely transition to its new vile shade of green. Slowly he starts to get up and without even bothering to reach for his helmet, he turns and looks at them and his eyes are no longer brown but are filled with bright green flames that seemed to glow. It was utterly unnerving to look at and sent fear throughout the team.

As Tommy looked at at the others, he growled at them all; while the monster to this opportunity to disappear.

The others stood frozen unsure of what to do against one of their own. They watched as he took his eyes off them just long enough to retrieve his helmet, the only part of his uniform to remain white. They were all taken by surprise when instead of putting it back on he threw it hard, directly at Kim.

"You Miserable, useless, wench! Can you do nothing right?" He shouted at her, with such venom it made her gasp.

"All I seem to do is save your ass, and all you seem to do is tease me with it in response!" he snarled at her leaving the others shocked.

"You can't talk to her like that," says Billy, as him and the other Rangers formed a wall between him and Km to attempt to protect her if she is going to be the focal point of his rage.

"Oh, really four eyes? you and little band of misfits going to stop me?" Tommy asked harshly.

"We don't want to hurt you, Tommy," responded Rocky., as they all took up defensive stances.

Tommy's only response was a devious laugh, one that the pink and blue ranger knew all too well.

"I'd like to see you try!" he said a little too calmly and eagerly, then quickly dropped into his battle stance ready for their attack.

The moment was still and charged with tension, as they sized each other up, it seemed to stretch out for a painfully long period of time before it was broken. When he charged them going on the offensive, the first person he came into contact with was Rocky hitting him square in the chest. The blow had such force that even with the protection of his suit it still knocked all the air from his lungs causing him to stagger back before dropping to his knees. As he gasped for air, he never saw the kick to the head coming which knocked him out cold. Next was Adam who kicked Tommy driving him back a few steps before he came back at Adam with a blow that would have hit Adam right in the helmet had he not blocked it.

" Why do you defend her, when she nothing but trouble?" Tommy snarled at him.

"Because she is my friend, that's why. This isn't you Tommy, you have to fight this! You love Kim, you don't want to hurt her," He responded, hoping to break through to his friend.

That hope what dashed by Tommy's answer to his plea, " What has that love ever gotten me? Mind games, aggravation, and enough frustration to turn certain parts of me blue in color. As I always have to be the one to save her when she gets taken, because she is our weakest link! I will satisfy one of those things today, and I will go through all of you to do so."

Deep within his mind, the rest of him howled in rage at what he saw himself doing and heard himself saying. Just as if he was watching a horror movie and saw the main character doing something stupid that would get him killed, except this time that character was him. He struggled desperately to take back control from the darkness that had overtaken him but it was futile, its grip was just too strong. All he could do was watch as one by one he beat his friends into unconsciousness, a few of them losing their morphs in the process until it was just Kim left standing. It hurt his heart to have to wittiness himself do this and be powerless to stop it. That paled in comparison to the fear he felt for what he might do to Kim. The thought of hurting her made him physically sick, but if he couldn't regain control of himself, his worst nightmare was about to come true.

Kim stood there holding her bow preparing to fire on him, for it seemed the blast made him stronger as well. While she knew she could teleport out to escape him, she feared for what he do to the others if she did, or worse if he followed her what he do to Alpha and Zordon. So she held her ground against him, praying she could get thru to him.

"Tommy you don't have to do this! I know you're stronger than this, you can fight this. Don't make me hurt you," she cried out to him as she prepared to fire.

He didn't respond just keep slowly advancing on her. With no choice, She fired letting her arrow fly straight at his heart at lighting speed. Just before it buried itself within its target, he put his hand up and caught it. Stopping its forward momentum, leaving him unharmed. He looked up at her and shook his head as if to say, "no, no, no." then threw the arrow off to the side where it embed itself into the dirt. She was momentarily blinded by the dirt cloud raised from the explosion as the arrowhead detonated. That moment was all it took for him to close in on her while she was temporarily vulnerable.

With one hand gripping her throat forcing her chin up to look him in the eyes, as his other arm was around her waist holding her body close to his, it was then and only then that he spoke, " Oh, but I want to! After nearly three years of skimpy outfits and skin tight workout outfits as you showed off just how flexible you are, teasing little kisses that promised more than they ever delivered, and consistent rescues I think you owe me something and I am finally going to collect."

He disappeared with her in flash of green flames.

They arrived at a place that looked like an abandoned warehouse; cobwebs and thick levels of dust clung to everything like a layer of gray snow. The place was littered with boxes and tools and machinery, and random chains hung from support beams near large, closed, rolling doors that at one point must have functioned as receiving bays to loading docks that lay just beyond the closed doors. Shadows loomed large and heavy within as the only light came from grimy windows far above their heads, near the ceiling. Slim beams of sunlight streamed in from the few windows that have been broken out of their frames.

He quickly shoved her against on of those support beams, disturbing the dust around them. As clouds flared up around them and shimmered in the low light he said to her, "Why don't we get rid of this; I want to be able to see into your eyes as we do this."

As he released her throat and reached around and undid the clasps so he could remove her helmet. Once it was off he threw it off to the side and then said, "There now that is better."

"Tommy this isn't you, this is the monster's power stirring up what is left of the dark dragon inside you. I Know the real you, and he would never hurt me. I know he still in there I can see him in your eyes," Kim pleaded with him, as she stared deeply into his eyes. They flickered for a moment between their real color and the ghastly glowing green that they currently were

The sway of the green unfortunately won out, and the little hope she had of getting thru to him was dashed. As his free hand starts to roam over her body, she starts to squirm to try to get away from him. As he started to grip her tighter, on instinct, she brought her knee up as hard as she could. The pain she caused him was enough for her to break free from his hold on her. She quickly disappeared into the low light of their surroundings. His breath came in gasps as he dropped to his knees. It took more than a few minutes for the pain to fade, and for him to see straight. It took a few minutes longer for him to be able to stand back up, but once he did he was enraged.

"KIMBERLY!"

He howled her name so loud that it echoed in the large empty space. He staggered forward as he looked for her.

"Where are you? You know its only a matter of time till I find you. Your suit can't save you, you saw what I did to the others, I could do that to you too, but I would rather you be conscious to enjoy what I have planned." He shouted as he looked around boxes or in places she could hide.

Out of nowhere, he got hit in the chest by a shot from a blaster causing his suit to spark and knock him off his feet. He then heard the sound of footsteps running off. He quickly got up and ran in the direction of the sound, and after a few moments caught a flash of pink ahead of him. He was about to give chase when he saw a rusted ladder attached to the wall that led up to a catwalk that encircled the building and smiled deviously. He quickly ascended a ladder to the catwalk to find it almost to the point of unstable, but it was worth the risk to get the bird's eye view he had now. He was determined to use this to his advantage no matter what. As he carefully and slowly walked along the catwalk, it groaned and shuddered in protest. After a few yards, he had to stop for a major chunk of the platform was missing making a further progress impossible. Not that it made much difference because from where he was he could not only see where she was hiding but could drop in right behind her. Without a second thought, he jumped from the edge of the catwalk. He silently plunged downward and landed within a couple of feet behind her. She turned and at the sound of his impact on the floor and quickly kicked out knocking him off balance. He quickly recovered and rolled up onto his feet. He charged at her, and she Countered using his size and momentum against him. She got a quick combo kick in on him before backing away out of his range. She readied her blaster again and went to shoot, but he managed to knock it from her hand. She countered with a punch that the jaw that without his helmet to deflect it, it knocked him to the floor.

She dove for the blaster while he was down, but just before her fingers closed on it, his fingers closed around her ankle and pulled her back. She tried to kick at him, but he caught her foot and just flipped her over.

"You know your wasting your time and energy fighting me, when you could actually enjoy this," he said.

"I fight cause, my Tommy, the real Tommy, wouldn't try to take anything from me, he cared enough to wait for me to give freely to him. He also knows I kick his butt if he tried." retorted Kim.

She kicked and bucked and tried to free herself, but he now used his weight against her and sat on her legs to keep her still. He reached for something off the top of one of the nearby boxes. It was a knife, a very large knife, and upon seeing it, she suddenly went still as the fear of what he meant to do with that ran through her. Even in the low light, the blade seemed to gleam thru the dust and grime. Before she could move, he took the blade and in one quick motion cut the morpher away from her suit.

She instantly lost her morph as her morpher and coin were no longer there to sustain them. The sudden fear of what this could mean for her spiked her adrenaline, and she was able to kick him off and run off.

She quickly dove behind a large stack of crates, in one of the darker corners of the warehouse. Her lungs burned from both the exertion and the dust. Now clad in only her pink jean shorts and pink tank top with the crocheted white pull over t-shirt which did little more than show off the tank top underneath, and pink tennis shoes. She could hear him looking for her, and the fact that the sound was slowly moving closer told her she couldn't hide here for long. She prayed the others were alright, and either on their way or fighting the monster. Cause she knew she could only fight him off for so long, especially now that he had her morpher. It was only a matter of time before he worn her down to the point where she wouldn't be able to escape. That would be when the nightmare truly begin.

As the game of cat and mouse continued in the warehouse, the real Tommy was in agony locked within his mental prison. The pain he suffered from the monster's initial blast seemed like nothing compared to watching himself fight with and torment the woman he loved more than life itself. Every kick or blow that he saw himself land on her was like a shot his heart. Every slash he saw himself make with that knife that ripped away a part of her clothes or spilled a drop of blood was like a slice into his own soul. As he saw his beautiful crane inevitably wear down from her valiant effort to fight off this dark, twisted version of himself, it felt like he was dying by inches in the most brutally severe agony he ever known possible. The worse the pain got, the harder he fought to get free, knowing that not just his life but hers was on the line.

What he saw next though almost broke him as fear gripped his heart like a vice, stopping him cold. His Kim battered and bruised and bloody. Her clothes or what was left of them shredded by that damn knife, and covered with grime and filth. He had caught her, and the look in her eyes was pained and terrified and almost seemed resigned as to what was going to come next. She was forced back against another of the warehouse's support beams, and this time he took one of the chains laying on top of one of the few crates that didn't get busted up during their fighting and wrapped it around her wrists and the secured her to the beam. She squirmed and wriggled trying to get loose but it was to no avail, she was too tired and secured too tightly.

The guilt he felt at all the pain she endured at his hands was crushing; he didn't think he could ever forgive himself for it whether she did or not. When she defiantly spit in in his face after a particularly crude remark, he couldn't have been more proud of her. Her defiance came at a price, for after he wiped his face he took the knife and cut down the center of her shirt and bra, then ripped what was left of her top off of her. He was horrified as he saw her now topless form standing bound before him.

It was then he saw what looked like her spirit breaking as her eyes started to water, she looked up at him and simply said, "I know you're in there Tommy, and I know your blaming yourself, but this isn't your fault, it is theirs. This is their evil at work. These are not the actions of the man I love."

At that final word, the tears rolled down her cheeks. In that moment he felt a sudden crack in the grip of the darkness that was controlling him. He took advantage of this and threw everything he had at it.

After a momentary struggle, he felt the crack give long enough for him to let out a strangled cry, "'PECAN PIE!"

Instantaneously everything disappeared, and he was back in the stimulation room. He quickly dropped to his knees and wretched up his breakfast. As he was able, he reached up and snatched the headband off his head and tossed it as far from him as he could. He felt disgusted with himself, as the pain from within him seemed to grow uncontrollably. He curled up into a ball as the pain multiplied, and before long he started to glow white all over, then a loud screech filled the air, and he vanished. When he reappeared, he was laying on the floor of his room with someone calling his name.


Kimberly was laughing with Jason and the others when suddenly a loud screech was heard throughout the room. A surge of unbearable pain rushed through her entire body. Kimberly cried out and grabbed her head. She fell to the floor just as Tommy appeared by her side. "Tommy!"

She crawled over to him and lifted his head into her lap. "Tommy, Handsome, it's ok. It's over. You're safe." She stroked his hair ignoring the surging pain running through her body. Her fears and pain forgotten completely as she comforted her lover.

"No, no, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He cried trying to pull away, but he was too weak.

"You have no reason to be sorry. It wasn't real. Shhhh, just rest." Kimberly soothed. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Tommy panted and clung to her as tight as he could without causing her any pain. He never wanted to cause her pain gain. That was the worse stimulation yet. He had caused her physical harm, bullied her, things he had promised he would never do again after his Evil Green Ranger days. Suddenly a thought hit Tommy. He was no better than Kim's Coach. He had no right to love her after the way he just treated her. Using what strength he had left he pulled away from Kim. "I'm sorry, Kim. I don't deserve you. Not after what I've done."

"What?" Kimberly gasped. "Of course you do! Tommy, I didn't see the stimulation, Jason and Trini made sure I didn't watch it. What happened to you? I haven't heard you talk like that since…"

Jason and Trini gasped too. "His Green Ranger days." They both said.

Kimberly nodded and looked to Tommy. She surprised herself when she felt herself glaring. "You listen to me Thomas James Oliver and you listen well. You are NOTHING like my Coach. He used my skills and talent for nothing more than money for his gym." She was so angry at that moment she didn't even realize that she had finally manage to say her Coach without struggle. "When I and a thousand other girls were no longer making him enough money he became desperate and forcefully injected us with drugs to help us perform better. You are nothing like that!"

"I beat you!" Tommy cried. "I bullied you! Just like he did."

Kimberly cringed at the memory but shook it away to help Tommy. "You're right. He beat me, bullied me, and left me for dead. If I hadn't teleported out of there, I would have died. But Tommy, you have to understand the difference between you and him."

Tommy shook his head too ashamed to even look at her anymore. Kimberly crawled over to where he was curled up in a corner. She carefully moved herself, so she was sitting on his lap. "Tommy look at me."

"No, I can't. Not after everything I did."

Kimberly took his chin in her hands and made sure he was looking at her. "Thomas James Oliver, what happened in that stimulation wasn't ready. I have forgiven you for your actions when you were the evil green ranger a long time ago. Besides, my coach left me for dead without a single drop of guilt or remorse. You are almost literally tearing yourself up for what you did to a pretend me. It wasn't even really me."

Tommy inhaled and exhaled a shaky breath. "But it just reminded me that evil is still inside me."

"We all have evil inside us Tommy. It doesn't mean we're bad people." Kimberly said. "I've been under evil spells too, remember? It doesn't mean I'm a bad person. It doesn't mean you're a bad person."

Tommy sighed.

Kimberly looked deep into his eyes and could see he was still feeling guilty. Not knowing what else to do she pressed her lips to his and kissed him with so much passion and love it was almost overwhelming.

When she pulled away she looked into his eyes again and smiled. "Welcome back, Handsome."

He smiled too. "Thanks. Come here."

They shared a tight hug never ever wanting to leave each other embrace.


Back in the main room Adam was shocked by what he had just seen.

"I know that was hard to watch," Zordon said. "But I felt it was important for you to see the lengths Tommy and Kimberly are going through to strengthen their connection, their love for each other."

"But this doesn't prove anything about Kat," Adam said.

"This isn't about Kat." Zordon said. "This is about Kimberly. You look at her and see a crazy woman so messed up by drugs that she doesn't know the difference between reality and make believe. Do you really think Kimberly and Tommy would be fighting this hard if Kimberly was a crazy woman messed up by drugs?"

Adam didn't answer.

"Do you really think Kimberly would have been able to completely forget about her fears and worries for the sake of helping and comforting Tommy, if she was a crazy woman messed up by drugs?"

Again Adam didn't speak.

"I just wanted you to think about it, Adam. I will teleport you home now."

Adam could only nod. In a flash, he was gone. He had a lot to think about.


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