A.N: Don't worry about Red and his power up. The next chapter will give it to him, and I think it'll be rewarding for a lot of us. For now, enjoy crying! (JK JK JK SJDHJOSHG)
"And all of a sudden… boo!" The kids let out shrieks of fright as I let my telekinetic holograms explode. Aqua sparks flutter down all around us, "The monster burst into flames, defeated once again by the-"
"Power Rangers!" I'm interrupted by the kids' cheers, and I can't help but laugh.
"That's right. Whenever you're in trouble, they'll always be there to help," I glance up, spotting Karone heading towards me, and I grin. "Look, there's Aunty Karone. Go get her!" The herd of children rushes up to her, clinging to her legs, and I grin at her as she attempts to sit down next to me.
"They may be cute, but man, if they aren't vicious," she mutters, "Anyway, tell me more about what's been going on with you." It's been a week (and a few days) since she's joined us on Terra Venture, and it's been one of the best week and few days I've had in a while. Unfortunately though, I've spent most of the time at work, and she's still getting acclimated to her new home, so we haven't had that much time to talk.
"Well, you know where I work. You know what I do in my spare time, since we both do it," I joke, and she rolls her eyes.
"You still have to tell me about your telekinesis!" She leans forward, placing her hands on her knees, eyes wide.
"Well." Honestly, this is a memory I'm not too eager to share. Both because of how I got my telekinesis, and when I got it. "A while back, we had an… acquaintance. The Magna Defender. He had a vengeance so strong, he refused to consider anyone else. One day, a child came into his line of fire." I shake my head, almost afraid to look at Karone's stunned expression. "Leo was the one who went to try and get the kid away in the first place. But the thing is, we were facing off against a monster at the time. So I knew I had to do something."
"Something that Zayne-" My throat clogs up, and I clear it, "Zayne taught me came to mind then. How to use telekinesis. That was the first time I used it, to deflect the monster's attack while Leo rescued the kid."
Karone is silent. The only sound that fills the space is the shouts of the kids and the wind in the trees. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"Me too."
"On a lighter note, though… Does Leo know about Zayne?" I almost flinch. Not sure if this is as light as she thinks it is.
"Yeah. That was something, is something, I know he still tries so hard to accept. But sometimes, y'know, I just feel that he's jealous." Karone sighs.
"That bond is a blessing and a curse, huh?"
"I couldn't have said it better myself-"
"Hey guys!" Speak of the devil. I force the downtrodden expression on my face away and wave to Leo. His joy is infectious, and I find myself grinning when the kids charge at him much like they did to Karone. Soon, he's got himself trapped under a pile of small humans, and despite my inclination to not like affection… I find myself thinking. On Earth, Zayne and I had had a plan for our future: to spend it together, as well as with the rest of the team. No doubt it included… "Okay, okay. Your parents are waiting."
What did that future include? Dammit. My guard must have been down, seeing as how Leo knew what I'd been thinking.
If I tell you, you'll laugh. Which will be cute, but, at my expense? He laughs as the kids clamber off of him, rushing back towards their parents.
Even better.
I hate you.
Karone and I laugh as Leo approaches us. "Bye Leo, bye Kara, bye Karone!" We wave back at the girl, and Leo clears his throat. When I meet his gaze, he glances down towards the ball in Karone's hands, then back up to my eyes. I don't need to read his mind to know what he's thinking. Quickly, I grab the toy out of my old friend's hands, and when she lunges for it, I toss it to Leo.
"You haven't changed a bit," I manage to observe through my laughter.
"You're just a big kid," Leo adds, but when I glance at Karone's face to see her reaction, I know that look all too well.
"Darkonda kidnapped me when I was about their age. It's because of him that I became Astronoma, and learned to be evil." I shake my head, taking her hand gently. "I never really had a childhood." She glances at me, gives my hand a squeeze. Her smile is most definitely one to relieve our worry. It doesn't work. "Guess I'm making up for it now." Without a single word of warning, she flips me onto the grass, grabbing the ball back from Leo. "What's your guys' excuse?" Ouch.
Leo helps me up, and I make a face at Karone. "Dunno," I reply with a shrug.
"Guess we just never grew up."
"Makes sense." This time, her words come with a hint of a mischievous glance, and I narrow my eyes. Oh, boy.
"'Rone…"
"Did you know that-" Thankfully (mmm… maybe not the best word), her words are cut short when a monster with a magnet for a head teleports straight into the park.
"Get the civilians out of here," I murmur, and the Pink Ranger nods, ushering people out of the area. The monster lowers its staff, and I roll out of the way of its blast.
Ready?
Ready.
"Go, Galactic!" As I come up out of my roll, my suit folds over my body, and I unsheath my Quasar Saber. Leo leaps through the air at the monster, but before he can land a solid blow, it slashes at him first. Sparks fly from his suit, and I grit my teeth. This pain is only equivalent to the one I felt when we'd faced Sincerax. And now that I think about it, it must have only hurt that much because we were feeling double the amount of our own pain. Now, it's something like tripled. A shout rips from my throat as I strike at the monster over and over, but its skin is rock hard. Exactly like a magnet might be.
My attempts at attacking do nothing but distract it, though, and it turns to me. "Get away from him, you freak!"
"Be careful what you wish for, Aqua Ranger!" I don't even have time to give a reply like "No, you", since the monster lifts its staff once more. The magnet at its tip points right at Leo, and I barely have enough time to shove him out of the way before every cell in my body lights up. Like fireworks! (Of pain. Or rather, agony.) Oddly enough, the blinding pain is gone in a flash, and all that's left is the sense of increasing exhaustion. Increasing exhaustion, and decreasing… something. It takes me a split second to realize what exactly I'm losing, though.
Because when I hit the ground, not only is all my energy sapped away, but there's also an unnerving quiet. A quiet that I haven't felt… ever.
"Kara!" Leo and Karone's voices. But they need to get out of here. There's no way they can handle this thing on their own. "Are you okay?"
"Get… out of here," I manage to mumble, even as my limbs continue to twitch with the remnants of electricity.
"Guess who's next?"
"Not if we can help it!" I've never been more grateful to hear my brother's voice. Well, except for when we'd reunited on the Megaship. And then when he'd rescued me from Sincerax. But I'm just really sore right now, so I'm glad he's here.
"Kara, you need to remorph." Damon doesn't need to tell me twice.
"Go, Galactic!" Nothing. No burst of energy, no surge of power.
"What's wrong?"
"My morpher's not working," my voice comes out wobbly, and I steady myself. Weakness doesn't have a place here right now, it can't. Not when I'm second-in-command of a team that just got completed again. Not when I've got my old friend to protect.
Electricity crackles from the monster's magnet head once more, and I force the last of my fear down until it's nonexistent.
"Soon, you won't be able to, either!"
"We'll see about that." Damon steps forward, but I throw out a hand, stopping him.
"We're no match for him. His power is even stronger than Sincerax's." Simultaneously, everyone's energies ripple at once, like I'd skipped a stone over the local pond. Everyone's except for Karone's, "It's a long story."
"You can try to run," the monster begins his threat, "but it won't do you any good."
"Get Kara to safety," Damon orders, "I'll hold him off." Sometimes, I hate that the Green Ranger acts like he doesn't hear a word I say, especially in combat. Especially since his Trans Blaster doesn't seem to be doing much of anything. At least, until he lets loose one final laser, giving us just enough time to get away.
I feel like I'm running on fumes. Not that I'm overly tired or anything, my stamina having been built up over this past year and a few months of being a Ranger. But without my abilities… Now I understand what our small electric cars feel like when we haven't charged them.
"Ai-yai-yi! All of your Ranger powers have been drained, and you're unable to morph without them!" Alpha reports, and I flinch. Don't get me wrong, I know that the others are capable without me, but all the same. I'd felt the sheer amount of power from the monster, so I can only hope Leo, Kai, Damon, Maya, and Karone can handle it.
"I'll never forget to charge our car ever again." Leo scoffs, then checks my temperature with the back of his hand for what's probably the twentieth time.
I'm injured, not sick, babe.
I know. Force of habit.
"There must be something we can do." At Maya's insistence, Alpha lets out a series of resigned beeps.
"I'll try to figure something out." I smile at our robot companion, patting its shoulder gently.
"Thanks, Al. Don't know what we would do without you." Damon sighs, fixing the ice pack that'd slipped from my shoulder.
"This sucks," the mechanic mutters, and I scoff.
"No shit."
"Maybe… I might know a way." Leave it to Karone to come to the rescue. She meets my gaze, which I know has lit up at the prospect of getting my morphing powers back. "When I was Astronema, I once fought a powerful warrior." Hm. I haven't heard this story before. "He was a powerful opponent. His power came from two keys he wore on his shoulders. When they were combined, he became invincible."
"I had to do something, so I stopped him just before he could get the two halves together. I made sure he'd never be able to use them again."
Now that I've reunited with Karone, I've gotten a sense of the energy she carries: it's something like a cloud. Sometimes one of those cotton-ball shaped ones, and sometimes a stormcloud, ready to flood anything in its path. And sometimes, like now, she's a fog. Unreadable, impossible for me to understand. It's true that she can't take back the physical and emotional pain she'd inflicted on me as Astronema, but what matters is that she's not Astronema. She's Karone. Andros's sister, and most importantly, an amazing friend.
I can see that so clearly, and it hurts me that she can't see it for herself.
Fuck this. I pull myself up to a sitting position, somehow get my legs to support me without turning to jelly.
"Kara, you're hurt." Leo's command doesn't do shit to make me stop. Pain ripples through my body, but I manage to make my way over to Karone's side.
You're crazy, you know that?
You love it.
A pause, one as clear as if he'd been speaking to me aloud, then: Yeah. I do. A lot.
"The keys. Do they still have power?"
"I don't know," Karone murmurs, looping an arm around my shoulders. "That was years ago, before…"
"Sounds like a long shot." Thank God for Kai's tendency to interrupt. I turn to him, nearly stumbling if not for Karone still supporting me.
"But it's a shot I need to take."
Remember what I said about horror movies? Yeah. Still hate 'em. (The one time I'd tried to summon up the inner strength to watch one, I'd been with the others. The others who'd get a kick out of every time I'd startle at a jumpscare. I'd clung to Leo so tightly, he'd complained. I told him to shut up. It was great.) But now, with only Karone by my side, this setting is kinda terrifying. The bones of the ancient inhabitants of the planet litter the ground, and a shiver that has nothing to do with the ache in my body courses down my spine.
"The warrior lives inside the cave," Karone whispers, and I gulp. No more Ms. Badass Amazonian Warrior Second-in-Command for me. Nope. Not here, at least.
"Let's go." We approach the entrance to the cave without a problem. Too easy. There has to be something-
"Astronema!" The skeleton that leans against a rock just outside the cave turns its head, and I squeak, leaping into the air. In other circumstances, my friend would burst into laughter. Not now, though. "You struck down the warrior and dare to return?" Purple lightning reminiscent of Karone's own abilities stream from the skeleton's finger, and I grit my teeth as it strikes me. What is with enemies and electricity? All it does is hurt, and bring back bad memories. Which makes it hurt more. I'm hurled to the ground, and shackles slap around my wrists.
"Kara!" Karone's alone. Just like how she had been on Onyx, facing down Trakeena all on her own. The concept of that… I struggle against my restraints, hardly even noticing when the wound on my shoulder opens up again.
"I'm going to get out of here," I mutter, "I will."
"It's time for you to face your past." My stomach drops like I'd just gone on a rollercoaster. I know she's been contemplating that very thing since she got to Terra Venture, and even back on Earth. But I trust her, the person she's become. I meant it when I said she made me proud.
"Face my past?" An odd energy prickles in the air just above my head, and a bolt of energy zaps to life. An energy that I never thought I'd feel again.
Is this… I'm honestly surprised Leo can still feel what I do so strongly, even separated by literal space.
Yeah, L. It is. She can do this, though. I know she can.
"If you are truly good, you will prevail." The Astronema clone steps over me, shoves her staff up towards Karone's face. As terrible as this is, as much as it makes me want to break the fuck out of these shackles and give whoever this is a piece of my mind, it's also flat out strange. Which only makes me want to get out of here more.
Breathe. It's like you said: this is Karone's fight.
"Once evil, always evil." A fresh ripple of fear rips down my spine.
Kar. Breathe. It's not real. Whatever this is, it's not real. Even before we'd made it official, Leo and I had often passed images to each other over the bond, and those images turned to memories. It was like reaching into my own head and pulling out a video to show him, and vice versa. One of them was the sunset back on Earth, a sunset we both miss. To us, it represents eternal gratitude for the other, and Leo sends this memory to me now. The panic rising in my chest fades, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Atta girl.
"Once evil, always evil." Karone finds it hard to believe the words, even though she's technically the one speaking them. No, she tells herself. Not her, at least not the 'her' from now. Her old identity. Astronema, not Karone. Never Astronema again.
Now, she's the Pink Lost Galaxy Ranger, and she has a job to do. Her old friend, the one who she'd nearly killed on multiple occasions, lies prone on the ground, her wrists and ankles shackled. Before, when she'd been Astronema, this sight might have given her pleasure. Happiness, even.
Karone wants to throw up.
"You're wrong." The first strikes are easy to avoid, mostly because she knows exactly when they'll come, where they'll land. As much as she hates to admit it, those are her moves. But maybe that's to her advantage now. She lands a kick against Astronema's staff, but is dealt two blows in return. She refuses to be unevenly matched.
So when Astronema next swings her staff, Karone manages to catch it, pulling it into her own hands. The feeling is… odd, to say the very least. She'd made promises, both explicit and implicit, to never be put into this position again. But at least she's using this staff for the right reason. Before she can continue to delve into her miasma of thoughts, Karone sends a bolt of purple lightning arcing towards her opponent… who avoids it easily.
Then, to Karone's utter dismay, Astronema bends down, grasping the front of Kara's shirt in her hands. (Her disgusting, evil hands. Not her own. Astronema's.) "You can't have it both ways. It's you, or her."
Leo's seen a lot of things. Some of those things shouldn't even have been possible to see, thanks to the bond he has with Kara. But now, the images he sees are clear as day. Andros laying the still body of Astronema down in the middle of a ruined battlefield. (He was there, too. Just somewhere in the back of the crowd, unaware of where he'd be in the next few years.) Karone emerging on the side of good, joining the others as they head back to Earth. (There are probably a lot of stories the two could share. Hopefully embarrassing ones. Those are the best. He focuses on this fact to avoid the reality of what's unfolding before him telepathically.)
And the most vivid memory, the one that to view feels as if he's there once more: when Kara had seen Karone wield the Quasar Saber. When she'd become the Pink Ranger.
The fear Leo feels is now purely his own. Mostly because Magnetox has got them outgunned. Now, despite the utter shit his girlfriend, his second, his best friend is in… all he feels from her is pride. Acceptance. And a complete sense of trust.
Leo berates himself sometimes, especially today when he'd spotted the two old friends playing with the kids in the park. There's literally no way Karone could become evil once more… but the idea that it had happened before, that the possibility still exists, no matter how small… He shakes his head. No. He needs to trust, because if he doesn't, evil wins.
"Let. Her. Go." He hears. Kara had regaled the team with tales of how terrifying Karone could be, even when she's on the side of justice. Now Leo gets it, but he almost wishes he doesn't, since then the Pink Ranger throws the staff to the side. "Take me."
"Karone." My voice wobbles, no matter how hard I try to force it to be commanding, bossy, even. (Damon's gotten on my case about that multiple times, but I've always argued that it's a part of being second-in-command of the crazy team.) "Stop-" The breath's knocked out of me as Astronema drops me back onto the ground.
"You'd… sacrifice yourself?" Karone meets my eyes, and in that moment, I know with full certainty that she would. In a heartbeat.
"Yes." And she means it. When the Astronema clone disappears in a flash of light, so do my shackles, and I leap up. Ignoring the way every cell in my body curses me out, I rush to Karone, squeezing her in a rare hug.
"I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks, 'Kar. But you really can't be running around like-"
"You've passed the test!" I let out a yelp as the skeleton speaks again, and she bursts into laughter. Humor at my expense. Literally nothing has changed. "You may now enter-" The skeleton lets out a final groan before collapsing into a heap at the mouth of the cave. Thank God.
"Scaredy-cat."
"Oh, be quiet."
"I hate this. So much."
"Come on, Kar. You've faced off against much scarier than an empty cave. It's like you're asking me to-"
"No, I didn't ask anything, 'Rone. Now, can we just focus on- whoa." I'd apparently spoken too soon, since the statue of the warrior looms before our eyes. Karone places her torch down in the firepit, and I rush to inspect the statue, searching for the keys. The keys that will bring back my morphing abilities.
The keys that aren't there.
"Karone," I murmur, desperately trying to keep the fear out of my voice, "The keys, they're gone."
"What?" Karone. "I… I thought they'd be here. I'm sorry, Kara."
"There's nothing to apologize for. We tried our best, but now I think we should head back to the others."
For a moment, there's nothing but the crackling of the fire, the drip of water that echoes from somewhere deeper in the cave. But then, Karone speaks.
"I don't know if you can hear me, but I've done… bad things in my past. I was angry. Angry at the whole universe, I suppose. But you… you were fighting for justice." Her words are a double-edged sword, one that digs straight to my heart. I know those words aren't just for the statue.
She loves you a lot.
Tears well into my eyes at Leo's words. At how he can tell this even though we're separated by who knows how much distance.
I know.
"I'm so sorry I did this to you. If I could, I would gladly take your place." With that, she steps over to me, and I pull her into a hug. Despite the (unfair) height difference, Karone rests her head on my shoulder, and for the first time ever (since I knew her, at least), she cries. All the pain, all the hurt has come down to this. I'm not even sure what to say, honestly, not sure if words are even enough to express the things I want to feel.
Good thing the statue's come to life.
Hold on, what? "'Rone, look!"
"I forgive you." Damn. Maybe three words was all it took. "Now it's time for you to forgive yourself." The warrior holds out his hand, and there in his palm sits- "Here. The keys. Take them, and carry on my mission as only a Power Ranger could. Your powers will be restored, beyond your imagination."
"Thank you so much."
I've never been one for grand entrances. (But then again, I could say the same for stuff like affection. Now, I give way too many hugs for my liking.) So, when Karone zooms in on our Jet Jammer, I take it as a signal- a really explosive, not subtle signal.
"Surprised to see me, Magnetox?"
"The Aqua Ranger? How?"
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck-
Whoa. Hold your horses-
How can I? You're… you're…
Tell me aloud, and probably when we're not surrounded by the others.
"I believe we have a score to settle."
"Yes we do. I need to absorb all the Rangers' powers!"
"Sorry. You've gotta get through me first. Aqua Mage Power Ranger!"
Talk about restored power. Even when I've been at the height of my telekinetic ability, absolutely nothing can come close to this. Sheer power entangles with the blood in my veins, and I'm pretty sure that the light I'm exuding is enough to blind. When it fades, though, I'm left cloaked in a pair of black pants, along with an aqua colored top with black accents and longer sleeves. My helmet's changed, too, the snake fangs atop it elongated outwards, forming something like a visor.
Kicking ass and looking good? Hell yeah-
Fuck me. Literally.
Heat blossoms through me. He's never said anything quite that… that… I'm not even sure how to quantify it. Never been in a relationship where… yeah. Honestly, I'm not even sure if I'm made for "that kind" of relationship, but I don't have time to figure that out right now. Despite my utter embarrassment, I manage to glance back at my team. Maya, although exhausted and covered in dirt, is absolutely beaming. Kai looks like he's about to break down, and Damon, well, Damon just looks at me like I'm his finest invention.
Which, actually, means a whole lot more than you think. Then, finally, there's Leo. There's shock in his eyes, but more than that, there's pride, admiration, love, and a hint of… oh. He really meant it when he said… Okay, no. Focus. Figure out your feelings later.
I sweep an arm in front of me. "This is your last chance, Magnetox. Get out while you still can."
"Not with all this power to take!" In other circumstances, I'd be afraid of when a strong monster starts to cackle. But not now. Not when I'm a literal fucking wizard. A single push of my arm, and my telekinesis sends Magnetox flying out of the building and into a stack of barrels. Then, before he can get back up, I close my eyes. I've never used this technique before. Never even knew it existed until now.
But now that I do know it exists, I can use it. Eyes still closed, I sweep my leg behind me, a similar action to my previous technique. But instead of just bracing myself at the end of it, I take a deep breath. Channeling all the gathered energy into the palms of my hands, I focus on exerting it with all my strength, and when it's reached its peak, I merely push forward.
"Venom Psy Strike!" Magnetox falls, and as he does, so does my Mage form. Each of the others' abilities flow through the air like little lights, and upon contact, allow them to morph back into their suits. "I kinda can't believe I- oof." Leo cuts me off as he runs to me, sweeping me off of my feet, and I can't help but giggle at his stupid antics.
"Get your hands off my sister," Kai jokes, shoving Leo out of the way, and I squeeze my brother in a hug so tight, I'm afraid I'll hurt him. "I'm so proud of you."
"You're a literal badass, Kar!" Maya cheers.
"Something tells me you won't be getting beat in our sparring matches," Mike adds, and I cringe. He'd be surprised at his own strength, honestly.
"Talk about magical," Damon remarks, and I accept his fist bump.
"The warrior would be proud," Karone comments, and I grin, looking around at each of my teammates.
"Thanks, guys. You're the best."
Honestly, I was ready to spend the next day lying in bed, not doing much of anything since it's my day off. No such luck. The others drag me out to the park, having planned a picnic in celebration of my new skills, but despite my complaints, the sun feels pretty nice. Been meaning to tan, anyway. I rest my head on Karone's shoulder as we watch the guys play football (or attempt to, anyway).
"For the first time in my life," she murmurs, "I feel like I've left my past behind me." Karone jolts up, and I knock my chin on the table, much to her and Maya's amusement. (I hate it here.) "My future is a clean slate. I feel so… alive."
"It must feel good," Maya replies.
"At least, better than my face feels." My friends giggle, even though my joke was kinda lame, and when Maya glances up at the guys, I know pretty much exactly what she's thinking. Perks of being roommates.
"I know Karone's not evil anymore, but… how about a little mischief, you guys?"
"Oh, you know I'm done."
"What do you have in mind?" Maya, Karone, and I huddle together as inconspicuously as possible, and Maya tells us her prank. Trying to keep up our label of "inconspicuous", we calmly stroll over to the hose that the gardener left unattended (someone's getting fired), and wait for a perfect opportunity.
There. The ball's passed to Damon, and when it is, I turn the faucet with a hint of telekinesis, and Maya and Karone aim the hose right at the mechanic.
"Hey!" Another flick of my wrist, and the water's turned off, but not before Damon's face drops into a sneaky expression as well.
"Not so fast!" I counter, and as the guys rush over to him, I turn the water back on at full blast. Then, with a single glance, Karone, Maya and I chase after Kai, Damon, Mike, and Leo.
Seven. The number of completion.