Purple is Prettier than Pink

BY: Jeni
Disclaimer: Even though I would love to, I don't own Power Rangers; some guy named Saban does. And although all characters in this story belong to him, the story plot is of my creation, as well as all the events in it. This is pretty much a Cassie romance fic, but Astronema after her powers adds a little action to it. Please review! (Yes, you can tell me I suck, but if I get too many of those I might need therapy). Enjoy!



"Astronema's after Cassie." TJ announced into the still air. He gazed around the room, meeting each ranger's gaze individually, and was surprised when Andros didn't look away.

He pushed his curiosity to the back of his mind and focused on the matter at hand.

"What do you mean? I thought she was after all of us." Carlos, the black ranger, stated.

TJ sighed. "She is. But she's after Cassie the most right now. I don't know why."

"What makes you think so? What happened?" Andros demanded. TJ spared him a glare which the red ranger returned.

"We were on our way to the Surf Spot to meet you guys," he recalled with a faraway look in his eyes. "When she just appeared with a squad of Quantrons. The quantrons came after me while she went for Cassie."

He paused and Cassie spoke up. "She wants my powers!" she whispered. "She tried to force demorph me so she could grab my morpher. She had just knocked me to the ground when..."

"When we showed up." Carlos finished. Both TJ and Cassie nodded.

"It doesn't make sense! Why is she after Cassie's powers? Why not which ever one she can get?" Ashley asked.

TJ glanced at Cassie and shrugged. "To tell you the truth I thought she'd go for Andros, since he's the most powerful, and our leader."

"Or you; you're second in command," Carlos murmured as he chewed his lip.

TJ tilted his head to the side. He was about to respond when a movement from the corner of TJ's eye caught his attention. He turned in time to see Andros grab Ashley by the arm and gently tug her over to stand beside Cassie. Stepping back he regarded both rangers intently.

"What the-"Carlos began, but TJ shushed him. The two rangers stood in bewildered silence as Andros circled the female rangers, eyes intent on their faces. He reached out and poked Ashley in the side.

"And you?" he whispered.

"And me what?" Ashley asked. But Andros just shook his head and walked over to Cassie.

"Pink," he observed thoughtfully. "Lighter than red but darker than yellow."

"What is he saying?" Carlos muttered, and TJ found himself agreeing.

"Are you saying their colors have something to do with Astronema's attacks?" he asked doubtfully.

Andros looked at the blue ranger and his second-in-command. "Or lack thereof," he corrected.

"What?" Ashley blinked. "You've confused me."

"Yeah, man," Carlos added. "Rewind."

Andros frowned in confusion. "What does rewinding have to do with colors?"

"Or lack thereof," TJ muttered.

Ashley shot a glare in TJ's direction and he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

The yellow ranger merely sighed and rolled her eyes before turning back to Andros. "He means explain again?" She cocked her head and smiled sweetly at the red ranger.

Andros shrugged, oblivious to her less-than-subtle hint, and said, "It's simple. What color represents Astronema?"

"Um, I didn't think she represented any color." Carlos replied, scratching his head.

"Purple." Cassie spoke up suddenly, causing the rangers to turn to her in surprise. All but Andros, TJ noted with amusement. The red ranger always seemed to know something no one else did, but Cassie seemed the quickest to catch on to his ideas.

TJ crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Explain?" he asked. He felt his heart leap as the pretty pink ranger smiled.

"Think about it," she replied. "Her favorite hair color is purple."

"So?" he countered. "She has a lot of favorite hair colors. Purple is just one of them."

Cassie shook her head, still smiling. "I'm not finished. What color is her sceptor?"

"Not purple," Ashley stated as a matter-of-factly.

"No," Cassie admitted, "But her magic is."

There was a second of stunned silence as the meaning of what the pink ranger had said sunk in. "Then what did Andros mean by lack of colors?" Carlos asked.

Cassie shrugged. "I'm not sure." she admitted. "You'll have to ask him."

As one four pairs of eyes turned slowly and regarded the red ranger expectantly. "Oh, come on!" He burst out. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed she's partial to the color yellow as well!"

"Well..." Ashley trailed off sheepishly, and TJ grinned.

"Not really." he replied. "But how do you know?"

Andros flung his arms in the air in exasperation. "Because Astronema follows Ashley's every move when we're in battle!"

"I thought she watched you!" Carlos exclaimed. The black ranger failed to see the knowing grin Cassie shot Ashley, causing the yellow ranger to blush and turn the color of Andros' ranger uniform, and TJ smothered a grin. Without realizing it, Andros had just revealed to the others the fact that he had indeed noticed Ashley's interest in him, and that he cared about her enough to watch out for her during battle, too, something that TJ had noticed a while back but hadn't mentioned to anyone.

"When she's not staring at me like she wants to fry me she's glaring at Ashley," Andros retorted, drawing TJ's attention back to the current situation. He noted in amusement the red ranger seemed to be catching on to Earth's slang fairly well. "It's almost like she's mad at her for something."

"For hanging around you all the time and preventing your capture?" Carlos suggested.

"Carlos!" Ashley shrieked, face once again turning bright red. TJ winced. Carlos had just overstepped the line between irritation and anger for their leader, and the blue ranger almost pitied him. He turned his back away from the pair as well as averting his eyes, and saw Cassie do the same.

Ashley, however, continued to stare at the scene curiously.

Surprisingly, though, Andros simply said, "Ashley may make Astronema angry from following me around all the time, but that is not the point."

TJ's head jerked up and he whirled to meet Cassie's eyes, seeing the surprise he felt mirrored on her face. Did Andros just admit he needed Ashley's help? he wondered, dazed.

The red ranger continued, "Astronema likes the color yellow; trust me. You haven't known her as long as I have, but yellow seems to be her second favorite color. She always wears something yellow hidden beneath her hair. I think it's a string braided into her hair, but I'm not sure." he shrugged. "I discovered it a few years ago when I accidentally knocked off one of her wigs off in a fight." He smiled in wicked pleasure at the memory, and TJ laughed.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you." It was a statement more than a question, but Andros took him literally.

"You bet I did." he chuckled. "The look on her face was priceless! She turned bright red!" he collapsed in a fit of laughter.

TJ looked at Cassie in worried amusement. This was the first time he had ever heard Andros actually laugh, but he found himself wishing it didn't sound so... bitter. On the other hand, though, the thought of Astronema throwing a fit over the loss of her wig was amusing, and he found himself grinning.

"So what does this have to do with her trying to steal Cassie's powers?" he asked after Andros had regained his composure.

The red ranger shrugged. "Simple. Pink is closer to the color purple than yellow, and while red or blue is the closest, they also happen to be the farthest away from yellow."

"Boy," Carlso muttered, shaking his head, "she sure is picky."

Ashley's bright peal of laughter overlaid everyone else's, and it filled the megaship with the sound.

* * *
A knock on the door alerted the sleepy pink ranger to a visitor. She groggily lifted her head off her pillow. "Who is it?" she asked.

A muffled "TJ," told her just who her unexpected visitor was.

Sighing she swung her legs over her bunk and regarded the door. "Come in."

The door hissed open upon her command to reveal the blue ranger standing impatiently, waiting for it to open far enough for him to enter. Cassie smothered a giggle. TJ was patient and calm in many times of crisis, yet he could be as jittery as anyone else when it came to a simple matter such as talking to a teammate or friend.

Just a friend? Cassie wondered as he slowly stepped into her darkened room. Or do I want him to be something else? Something more? I thought I loved Phantom, but Phantom's never around, and TJ is...

"Cassie?" the soft murmur of her name startled her and she glanced up.

"Yeah?" she asked.

He sighed and glanced down at the floor. Now thoroughly confused and worried, Cassie asked, "Are you all right?"

His head snapped up, almost as if he had forgotten she was there. "No- I mean yes! I mean- oh, nothing," he stuttered. "Just- be careful, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you."

Cassie frowned. "I'm always careful."

TJ's lip quirked up ever so slightly, and he answered in an amused voice, "Not always."

She opened her mouth to argue her point with him when he raised his hand, and she could almost see his worried expression in the darkness of her room.

"Just hear me out," he requested, waiting for her short nod before continuing. Taking a deep breath, he continued seriously yet gently, "I know you think you can take care of yourself," he began quietly, "and normally I would agree with you."

Cassie crossed her arms across her chest defiantly. She knew where he was leading the conversation, but she didn't like it.

He saw her irritation and hurried on, his words a rush. "But this is different. Astronema is after you specifically. And she'll do anything to get your powers. So be careful, okay? And always let one of us know where you're going."

Cassie continued to stare at him and he matched her eye to eye. Finally, she sighed, arms dropping from her chest to her sides. "All right. I guess I can live with that."

TJ smiled. "Thanks." he said. He turned away to go. When he reached the doorway he paused, glancing back over his shoulder to meet her gaze once again. "Astronema won't get your powers." the blue ranger promised, and Cassie could tell by the firmness in his tone that he meant it. "We won't let her." And then he was gone, the door sliding shut behind him, and Cassie slumped back into bed with a sigh.

A few moments later she was asleep.

* * *
She awoke knowing something was wrong. She struggled up into a sitting position to squint through sleep-filled eyes at the chrono on the wall. She let a gasp of dismay escape her lips when the numbers 8:30 penetrated her sleepy brain.

She was late for school!

She stumbled to her feet, grabbing a scrunchy to tie her hair back with, and lurched onto the holding bay.

It was empty. None of the rangers were there, nor had been for quite sometime, judging by the clean table and lack of homework strewn about the floor.

Turning around she grabbed a blueberry bagel from the synthetron and headed toward the bridge. There was one ranger who didn't go to school, and she would squeeze every ounce of information out of him she could.

The doors to the lift swung open and she strode down the hallway angrily. Turning the corner she entered the bridge.

"What is going on?" she snapped by way off greeting. She had the small satisfaction of Andros whirling around, surprised written all over his face.

His eyes flicked to her outstretched hand and his lips quirked upward in the beginning of a smile. Glancing down she nearly laughed. She was brandishing her bagel in front of her like a sword.

She cleared her throat and lowered her outstretched arm slowly. In a slightly calmer voice, she asked, "Why was I not awakened for school?"

Andros shrugged. "It wasn't my idea."

"Who's was it?" she demanded. "Because I swear once I get my hands on that person I'll- I'll do something to them!"

Andros' left eyebrow lifted and she knew he had seen her frustration. Of course, she thought in dim amusement, it would be hard even for him to miss it, granted it's not every day someone approaches you like they're going to bash you on the head with a blueberry bagel.

"I'm not sure, actually." his soft reply only angered Cassie more. How could he be so calm? She had had no say in the matter! He failed to notice her growing irritation and continued, "All I know is by the time I went to breakfast they had already planned everything out. They had even instructed DECA not to wake you."

"You could have overridden their command, though." Cassie snapped.

Andros shrugged. "I could have." he admitted. "But I tend to agree with them. If you go to school Astronema could attack."

"She attacks all the time when I'm not at school." Cassie muttered. "Why should it matter if she attacks when I am at school?"

"Because you might not be able to morph." he stated simply.

Cassie blinked. "Oh." she was all she could say. "But what am I supposed to do all day?"

Andros tilted his head in the direction of her bagel. "You could start by eating breakfast. And then you can do your homework."

"You got it already?" she asked, surprised. "How'd you do that?"

"I didn't." Andros frowned. "I think either TJ or Ashley called you in last night and picked it up then." he cocked his head. "Or maybe it was Carlos. I'm not sure. Come to think of it, Alpha could've-"

Cassie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Never mind. I don't want to know."

The red ranger shrugged and returned to his work, leaving her to figure out the puzzle by herself.

* * *

"I don't believe this!" Astronema shrieked. "The little brat is supposed to be at school! Where is she?"

"I would imagine she is on the megaship," Ecliptor responded. "The rangers must know your plan. They are keeping her hidden from you."

"Well, they can't hide her from me for long," Astronema snapped. "Especially if I send a monster down to Earth."

"She might stay on their ship," the black and green monster pointed out.

Astronema laughed. "She'll come down if the others are in danger. She won't be able to stop herself."

* * *

"Ugh!" Cassie flung her pencil in her math book and slammed it shut. "I hate calculating distances!"

From his position next to the console Andros glanced up. "Having trouble?" he asked.

Cassie glared at him. "Yes!" she sighed, rubbing her eyes with the palm of her hands. "How come you don't have to go to school anyway?"

Andros gave her a strange look. "You think I'd make it through a day there without someone figuring out I didn't know anything about your planet or its history?" he grinned suddenly. "Besides, who would call up those lovely excuses to get you out of class when there's a monster attack?"

Cassie shrugged sarcastically. "I dunno, maybe DECA."

Andros gave a short laugh. "Yeah, right. Her excuse would be something like, 'Sorry Ashley, Cassie, TJ, and Carlos can't make it to school today, but they were abducted by an alien and therefore are unable to attend class."

"Which is pretty much what you say," Cassie pointed out.

Andros paused. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Huh. Oh, well. What do you need help with?"

Cassie opened her book up and pointed to number 27. "They want us to calculate the distance of these galaxies." she replied. "Frankly, I'm about ready to have DECA do it for me."

"Oh, come on," Andros scoffed. "That wouldn't help you any come test time."

"I know," Cassie answered, "That's why I haven't had her. Yet."

Andros didn't answer as he gazed at the problem with interest. "Oh, this is simple!" he exclaimed. "All you need is the formula."

"Well, what is the formula?" Cassie asked, exasperated. "Because I don't have it!"

Andros plucked her pencil from her hand and scribbled something on her paper. She frowned as she read it. "L=Const*V(rot) to the fourth square?"

"Yep," Andros pointed to the letter L. "L is the luminosity, and V(rot) is the rotation of the galaxy." he moved the pencil to point at the V. "Just follow the equation and you'll get the right answer." He handed the pencil back to her with a shrug. "Quite simple, really."

Cassie sighed. "Why do we have to learn this stuff, anyway? I mean, when are we ever going to use it?"

Andros threw a look in her direction and she immediately understood. "Point taken," she added hastily. "That was a stupid question."

The red ranger said nothing; he merely nodded and returned to his repair work, once again leaving her to puzzle something out.

* * *

Astronema paced back and forth in front of her row of hand-picked monsters, taking her time in choosing. She stopped to face a spiked hedgehog-like thing.

Personally, she had never even heard of a hedgehog until she followed the rangers to Earth, and even then she hadn't known of its existence. It was only during a battle with the rangers that had forced her to discover the ridiculous looking creature.

She had literally stumbled upon it, she recalled with a scowl of anger. Those stupid rangers had meant for her to get poked. But she would have the final laugh.

After the battle she had returned to the Dark Fortress and had began creating a new monster. She had given it its shape, its power, and although it was merely a myth about porcupines throwing their spines she had given it that ability. Of course, it wasn't a porcupine. It was a hedgehog.

"My Princess," Ecliptor bowed to her graciously. "I believe now is the perfect time to attack the Earth. The rangers are no longer at school."

"They're not back on their ship, are they?" she asked worriedly.

Ecliptor shook is head. "No," he responded gravely. "But they will be soon."

"Very well." Astronema gazed at the hedgehog fondly before commanding, "Porcupotticus! Attack the Earth!"

* * *
Cassie felt as if she had jumped out of her skin when the alarm sounded. Glaring at DECA she dropped her book and homework and followed Andros off the bridge and into the holding bay. As he turned to morph, he caught sight of her and frowned.

"Oh, no you don't." He moved her away from her jump tube.

"But you'll need my help!" Cassie protested. "I'll be careful!"

"That doesn't matter." Andros snapped into his leader mode. "This entire battle is most likely to get you off the ship."

"Well, I'm not going to stay on here forever!" she cried.

"Of course not." The red ranger sounded slightly miffed. "But you're not leaving right now, either." He waited for her reluctant sigh before he whirled and was gone.

Cassie waited long enough to make sure he wouldn't return before leaping up the stairs and sliding through her own jump tube. She could take care of herself.

The tube slanted slightly and a flash of pink nearly blinded her as her galaxy glider appeared, and she landed on it in a crouch. She skillfully steered her way through the hyperspace tunnel, and then a gap opened and she flew through, revealing the rest of the ranger team battling a strange... porcupine.

She leaped off her galaxy glider and landed in front of TJ. From his gasp she knew he was angry, but she didn't care. She wasn't going to let him get hurt because of her.

"Cassie, what are you doing here?" A female yell through her helmet's communicator made her wince.

"Ashley, quiet down," she snapped. "And I'm fine."

"You won't be when Andros finds out you disobeyed his order," Ashley grumbled. "That is if TJ or I don't kill you first."

The porcupine whirled and fired a spike at the yellow ranger. Cassie opened her mouth to scream, knowing it was too late, when a red streak rushed in and knocked Ashley out of the way and to safety.

As she watched in stunned silence the flash of red rolled to his feet, and with a yell of "Spiral Sabre!" when running toward the strange creature.

The red ranger was thrown back several feet after slashing the creature several times. He went rolling, and when he finally stopped Ashley was there to help him up.

Cassie swallowed as Andros' helmeted face turned to her. She couldn't read his expression beneath the visor, nor could she tell by his stance whether he was angry or not. She could tell, however, without even looking, that TJ was furious. And going on her conversation with Ashley the yellow ranger wasn't too happy with her either.

She turned her attention back to the porcupine and pointed her finger at its large head. "What do you say we send this porcupine back to wherever it is he came from?"

Carlos shouted in agreement, which the other rangers quickly echoed. "All right!" Cassie shouted. "Astro Blasters, fire!"

As one all five rangers pulled their blasters from their sheaths and fired on Astronema's newest creation.

"Lunar Lance!" Carlos shouted, leaping into the air immediately after the shots struck the porcupine, and he sliced several of its spikes in half before he was flung away.

"Carlos!" TJ cried, running to the black ranger. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but that guy is a big pain in the-"

"Yeah, you're okay," TJ quipped, helping the black ranger to his feet.

"Satellite Stunner!" Cassie heard herself yell just as Ashley's cry of "Starslinger!" came through her communicator. They fired, hitting the spiked mammal in the eye and nose, and they whooped. "That was awesome, Ash!" Cassie congratulated.

Ashley giggled from her position next to Andros. "You weren't so bad yourself, Cass."

The porcupine snarled, tail swishing, and the rangers found themselves slowly moving back. "No one does that to me!" the creature fumed. "No one!"

"No one but the Power Rangers, that is," TJ stated boldly.

"That's what you think!" the monster jumped in the air, whirling around with surprising agility for a creature so cumbersome, and thrust its tail forward, spraying quills everywhere.

Cassie ducked, shielding her head with her arm, and she heard Ashley's cries of pain as a quill struck the teenage girl in the leg. With a wrenched cry of her best friend's name Cassie took of running toward the fallen girl, aware of the other rangers already surrounding her.

"Aha!" the porcupine would have snapped its fingers if it had any, but it didn't, so it settled for snapping its teeth together instead. It reached out with its gigantic paw and Cassie felt herself being lifted ( and none too gently, either), into the air.

"Cassie!" she heard Ashley's anguished cry of knowing her friend was in trouble, and she heard TJ's command for her to hold on, and then she felt herself disappear in a Astronema's teleportation stream.

She awoke sometime later in a darkened cell... Astronema's dungeon, she realized, and the chilliness alerted her to the fact that she was no longer morphed. A slight movement beneath her startled her, and she struggled to lift herself into a sitting position when a glove hand pressed her firmly back down.

"Hold still, Cassie. You've been hurt."

She gasped. That voice... "Phantom?"


To be continued.