Again, a little messing back and forth with time.

8. Farewell

"I would still find my way,

By the light I see in your eyes.

The world I know fades away

But you stay"

"A Love Before Time", theme song of the movie "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon", lyrics by James Schamus, Composed by Jorge Calandrelli & Tan Dun, performed by CoCo Lee

"Did it have to happen?" asked Ashley gloomily. She and Cassie were sitting at a café at the mall, their bulging shopping bags at their feet.

"What did?" asked Cassie, already knowing the answer.

"Me and Carlos drifting apart"

"Since you didn't fall for each other, yes"

"We've been together since always. It just feels so strange, knowing we'll turn to other people from now own"

"It's been like this for a while now, Ashley" said Cassie gently. She was relieved that Ashley was finally regaining her wits, after losing them following Carlos's breakdown.

"But I only noticed it now". Ashley made a face. "I'm such a jerk"

"No you're not" answered Cassie automatically. As Ashley was about to protest, Cassie spoke again quickly: "You've just been a girl"

Ashley considered this lengthily before replying: "That's not an excuse. We are not "just girls". Me acting like one nearly cost us dearly"

"It's a force of nature, Ash. You can't help falling in love"

A knock on her door.

"May I come in, my princess?"

"Of course. Isn't it nearly time?"

"It is", admitted Shiera. She came into Astronema's office and closed that door behind her. "Just a quick question, if you'll permit… Astronema". Shiera used the princess's name as an indication that whatever she wanted to ask, it was going to hurt.

"Ask"

"Does he know?"

Astronema shook her head. "I thought he feels the same. We scheduled a date. He was his usual charming self, brought me roses and all, but he was unacceptably late. He claimed there was a monster. I blasted him. I sent no monster that day"

"When was this?"

Astronema told her.

"There was a monster that day. Now, save your indignified shock for later. Would you like me to tell him you still care?"

"You're going to fight them", pointed out Astronema.

"I'll take that for a positive answer" replied Shiera with a smile, and left the office promptly, leaving a stunned princess of Evil behind her.

Cassie and Ashley looked around instinctively as their communicators beeped.

"Too crowded" hissed Ashley. "Stay". She got up and went to the bathroom, the closest thing to a secluded zone available. She returned far too quickly to Cassie's taste.

"It's Shiera", said Ashley quietly, motioning to a waitress to bring them the bill. "City Center. Carlos already there, he must have been very near"

"That's the second time in two days", said Cassie, alarmed. She looked around for their waitress, but she was impossible to locate in the full café. "I'll settle this. Tell them I'll be right there. Just go"

Ashley didn't bother to reply. She just nodded and turned around.

Cassie looked down on their shopping bags. "Oh bother", she muttered.

This was not looking good, decided Zhane. Carlos wasn't really able to fight Shiera, and as TJ was knocked down by Shiera's stunner, he and Andros had to combat her on their own. They were seamless partners, each knowing the other's moves as if reading his mind, but Shiera had a way of deflecting even the most coordinated attacks.

They started another maneuver, one that usually terminated with Andros's spiral saber firmly planted into their opponent's body. This time, Andros was thrown headlong unto the sidewalk. Enraged, the silver Ranger launched himself at Shiera, only to find her hand wrapped firmly around his throat as she held him like a hostage. He didn't even get a chance to try and free himself, as three quick words whispered in his ear made him go limp with surprise.

"She loves you"

She sensed that he wasn't resisting her. This gave her a chance to speak one more quick sentence.

"She never sent that monster"

She threw him aside and swiveled as Carlos charged, his ax in his hands. She deflected the blow easily and proceeded to calm sparring. Out of nowhere, a morphed Ashley joined in, aiming her slingshot's explosive bullets at the green Ranger. "Snap out of it!" she yelled at Zhane right before Shiera pierced her abdomen with a well-aimed knife. Zhane shook his head violently, and joined in.

"I want to know how come you got there first, again", growled Andros some time later. He was lying in one of the infirmary's beds, his mood distinctly the worst due to his broken wrist, dislocated shoulder and not-very-mild concussion.

"Was in the hospital" answered Carlos shortly. With a gash across his arm and his ankle sprained, he was once again the Ranger that came off easiest.

"Your mystery meeting?" guessed Zhane. He managed to preserve a relatively good mood despite several cracked ribs.

"Yes"

"My head is splitting into two" groaned TJ. He was shot twice. "Stop shouting"

Alpha pressed some pills into TJ's palm. The blue Ranger swallowed them without asking what they were, and fell asleep almost immediately.

"Poor him" said Cassie. Her broken arm was mended now, but she was still connected to the calcium IV drip Alpha insisted on. "Now what's that about a mystery meeting?"

"Later" replied Carlos.

"How's Ashley doing, Alpha?" asked Zhane in an attempt to change the subject.

"She'll be alright, but this is one bad wound"

"Never before was a Ranger's suit pierced by a blade", said Andros quietly. "We can't keep this up much longer"

"That's probably Astronema's plan" said Cassie.

"Tear us apart limb by limb" said Carlos through gritted teeth. Suddenly his eyes grow very wide, and all the blood drained from his face. "Oh"

"What?" asked Andros.

Instead of answering, Carlos scrambled to his feet. "Oh, No"

"Carlos?" inquired Zhane. Carlos paused, shot him one panicked look, and left the infirmary.

"Oh, great", muttered Zhane. He got up.

"You should be lying still!" protested Alpha.

"Later", replied Zhane shortly. "I want to know what bite him"

He found Carlos in the engines room, staring into the pulsing core, his arms resting on the safety bar. Zhane came and stood beside him, imitating his posture. Carlos didn't make any move to acknowledge his presence. They stood like that for several minutes, the engines humming around them.

"I never thought it could be bad news", said Carlos after a while. He was speaking so softly his voice was almost a whisper.

"That what could be bad news?"

"She went for Ashley and Andros first in both encounters"

"You mean Shiera"

"She has it in for them"

"What?"

Carlos turned his head and looked at his friends with a pained expression. "The Dark Fortress is sitting directly above Angel Grove. For all we know, they're watching every move we make on Earth, listen to every word. Astronema would have known I was angry with Ashley, and why. Shiera must have found out, or perhaps she was told. So she's heading for Ashley and Andros first, because…"

"Because she cares about you" completed Zhane in a whisper. He could see why the thought terrified Carlos. "Some affectionate gesture"

"So she still loves me", continued Carlos, staring into the gleaming core again, "I never though that it could be bad news"

Zhane was at a loss for words. He tried to think of something smart to say. An idea hit his mind, and he smacked his own forehead.

"That's no bad news, that's great news!"

"How's that?"

"I'll bet you anything that not too many spells would enable her to love you despite turning evil!"

The two boys looked at each other excitedly. They spoke together.

"Library!"

"Cassie" came DECA's voice. "Your presence is requested at the library"

"Are Zhane and Carlos there?" asked Andros.

"Affirmative"

"I guess I'll better check what they're up to" said Cassie. "Sorry, Andros. Alpha will keep you company"

"I'll join you shortly" assured her Andros.

"No, you will not, Andros!" said Alpha firmly.

"I'll keep you updated", promised Cassie, and left.

"So what do you need me for?" asked Cassie. The boys just landed on her every bit of Tommy's information, Carlos's insight and Zhane's revelation, and she was still feeling somewhat dazed. "Sounds like you worked it all out"

"The lists are down to 20 spells and 120 profiles" explained Carlos impatiently. "And it's the profiles that matter now. We need to read through them, see if anything rings familiar"

"And it'll be quicker in three" understood Cassie. "We might even finish this today"

"Don't get my hopes any higher" warned Carlos, "They're high enough as it is."

Somehow, it didn't take her all that long to decide. After all, she knew what she was about to risk, and she knew why she was even considering it. Deep down, she knew that this was not about her duties. It was about having peace with herself – it was about doing the right thing. It hurt to admit that. What she was about to do would violate almost everything she was taught. Yet one saying of Ecliptor's rang in her mind: that which was not tried cannot be said to be true.

She glanced again at the view pad in her hands. She recorded the conversation the pink and yellow Rangers had earlier that day, and kept replaying it to herself. The voices were muted as she knew the words by heart: It's a force of nature, Ash. You can't help falling in love. The way the pink Ranger leaned across the table and reached for her friend's hand held a strange appeal for the princess of Evil: she locked those few seconds in a loop, watching them over and over. You can't help falling in love. The words strengthened her decision. She glanced at the other viewing pad. This, if ever, was the time to do it.

Shiera slipped into the room without saying a word. She could see that the princess was deep in her reverie. She will talk to me when she's ready. As if reading Shiera's mind, the young princess looked up at her and smiled. It was a shy, rueful smile, which sent a shiver down Shiera's spine. Something is wrong.

"I watched your battle earlier", said the princess gently. "You did splendidly."

"I want you to be happy" replied Shiera in the same tone. You are my princess.

"I am lucky to have you" said the princess, her eyes gleaming.

You are crying, realized Shiera in alarm. She set down, not knowing what to say.

"I want you to be happy, too", continued the princess. "Will you give me an honest answer to just one question?"

"But of course", said Shiera, positively befuddled.

"If you could meet with Carlos – not as Rangers, just you and him – would you do that?"

The question struck Shiera as something of a surprise. "I'd like to, yes", she answered finally, "If just to say goodbye the right way"

"You have your chance" replied the princess. She handed Shiera one of the view pads she was holding and closed her eyes firmly, suppressing tears.

Shiera took the pad and switched it on. It showed an all-too-familiar spot in the park, where a guy whose face once captured her heart set cross-legged on the grass, the evening wind blowing his hair to his face. Shiera looked at her princess, unbelieving.

"I want you to be happy", repeated the princess, with a tenderness she did not know she was capable of. As her eyes were still closed she sensed Shiera's stare rather than faced it. "Go". She could feel Shiera taking her hand and raising it, touching the long, delicate fingers to a wet, smooth skin. Astronema opened her eyes: her hand was held against Shiera's cheek, and Shiera was crying unabashedly.

"I'm coming back to you", she said, "Or rather, I'm never really going away". With that, she put down Astronema's hand and walked away.

Astronema took the still-on pad and turned it off. She shut her eyes again, refusing to cry. I really hope I did the right thing.

It was late hour of dusk in Angel Grove. Carlos was sitting in the Park for over an hour now, his elbow upon his knee and his chin rested on his palm. He was staring into the darkening sky. Will she come? He wondered. He had no other way of reaching out to her except waiting at this spot, and praying. Let her come.

There was the unmistakable sound of a stepped-upon twig. Carlos jumped to his feet. There she was, looking at him through the branches, right where he stood eleven days before. She slid down the grassy slope, moving with that grace he would know anywhere. His throat was very tight.

She stood at a feet's distance, her eyes warm and unrevealing, something like the beginning of a sad smile in the corners of her lips. Her hair was blowing behind her back, held back from her eyes by a pair of silver clasps. She wore a cream-colored shirt over dark-green pants, small and beautiful as he remembered. He said nothing, only passed his hand through her hair.

She pressed a gently finger to his lips when he opened them to speak. "I can't stay very long", she said.

"I understand" he answered. "Will you let me show you something?"

She tilted her hand. "You are trying to achieve something"

"I am", he admitted, "I want you to hear something you knew once"

Her brows knitted together, but she said "Okay"

"Do you know where we are?" he asked. She was surveying the buildings around them.

"The business district of the city", she answered.

"You see that building over there?"

"That's where the first green Ranger stood, almost five years ago. The other five where standing right where we are now. He wasn't looking at them though"

She seemed interested, mildly.

"The red Ranger called to him, tried to persuade him not to attack them. He didn't know the green Ranger was distracted"

She knew he was trying to break the spell, and he could see how she closed herself against him. Still, she listened.

"Do you know why he was distracted?"

"No", she answered honestly.

"You should. You were there" he pointed to a nearby building. She turned to look, hands in her pockets, hair fanning behind her, a slim feminine figure. He reached into his bag.

"There are good news and bad news", said the former yellow Ranger as soon as the dojo's office door closed behind them. "The good news is, I talked my way into the local TV station's archives, and made you an audio copy of the tape you wanted. The bad news is, the words are very faint. I doubt even an active Ranger could here them"

Rocky cleared the table. "Tanya, hand the tape. Carlos, you brought a player, didn't you?". He slid the tape into place and pressed "play". "Let's hope it's worth anything"

Carlos listened fervently. There were lots of static and background noise, but he could make out two voices, one of which he recognized. "It'll do", he said.

He turned the volume to maximum and pressed "play". He prayed the faint words would find their way to her ears, that they'd inspire sufficient terror in Shiera's heart.

"This is it", said Carlos. "The rebinding charm"

"I'm not so sure" said Cassie. "It's much more complicated than the other two, and it's not exactly black magic, either"

"I don't think Astronema would mind using white magic, if it suited her", said Zhane, "But still, how come you're so sure this is the one?"

"Because it should leave the affected person's personality intact, save for the single memory change. It's very elegant, and it's very strong. It's one of the few spells that were never broken"

"So assuming we go for this one", said Cassie, reading from the pad, "We need to inspire Shiera's greatest fear. Any idea what that may be?"

First the red Ranger's voice, pleading. Shiera's shoulders tensed a little. Then Tommy's voice, changing from a remorseful sigh to a cold sneer, and Shiera's entire body tensed. Carlos could almost see the memories rushing back in her head as the spell broke.

He stopped the tape; no need to torment her with the rest of the dialogue. He put the recorder back in his bag, and its entire contents spilled on the sidewalk. Shiera kneeled to help his gather his things. They finished repacking rather quickly, but as they stood up, he saw that Shiera was still holding a photo, staring at it. After several seconds, she returned it to him. He glanced at it quickly before tucking it into one of the books: it was a group photo of all six unmorphed Rangers.

There was unbearable pain in her eyes, and he reached out to hold her. He wasn't prepared when she grabbed his collar, brought their heads together, and kissed him. There was a universe of emotions in that kiss, ranging from tender regret, through fierce passion, to something Carlos couldn't recognize. When she broke off, however, he saw it in her tear-filled eyes, and couldn't believe it.

"No…" he whispered hoarsely.

"I have to", she whispered back. She touched her finger to one of her tears and wetted his lips with it. Not quite understanding, he returned the gesture. She kissed him again, a poignant, promising kiss that ended far too shortly for both their likes. Then she stepped back. "I'm sorry", she whispered again.

He was choked. He couldn't say a word. He held out his hand, begging, pleading…

She shook her head and turned away.

He stared at her retreating back, unbelieving.

There's still the Interlude, and than we move on to the next part of the trilogy. "Interlude", meaning an epilogue for this part and a prologue for the next.