Chapter Eighteen

"Hayley, is there anything we can do?" Conner asked, looking at the computer genius in front of him.

"I'm not sure. We've never dealt with anything as powerful as Melissa is when she's morphed… and now that she's evil…" She trailed off.

"She's twice as powerful." Kira finished for her. Hayley just nodded as an answer.

"But, there must be something." Ethan said. "I mean, we can't let her become Mesogog's queen… with Dr. O. as the wedding present."

"You're right, Ethan." Hayley said. "But, with Tommy without his morpher, there might not be a chance to save her."

"We can't just sit here, though." Conner said. "We have to do something."

"We have to try again. At least if we get Dr. O. out of there, he'll be able to help us." Kira said. "So, what do you say?"

"I say: Let's do it." Ethan said.

"Right." Conner agreed.

"Okay, but be careful. Mesogog is very tricky. Who knows what traps he's set for you?... And remember, once you get there, we'll lose contact, so I won't be able to help you once you get inside the fortress."

The teens nodded.

"We promise we'll bring them home." Kira said.

"Okay, guys. Let's do it." Conner said.

"Right." Ethan and Kira chimed in.

"Dino Thunder, Power Up! Ha!"

Tommy sat on the floor in his cell. He hadn't realized how much time had passed since he'd spoken to Mel, until he saw her walking toward him, wearing a beautiful, white, off the shoulder wedding dress.

His eyes went wide as he looked at her. She was a vision of beauty; no matter how evil she was and whoever she was going to marry. He had always thought she was very pretty, but seeing her like this made him think that she was gorgeous. She would make someone very happy one day when she married; he wouldn't let her go through with this. Not today. Not to Mesogog.

He looked at her in surprise as she approached his cell and spoke first. Also, it was the way she spoke.

"I came to talk to you." She said, meekly, without him being able to ask why she was there.

Tommy furrowed his brow. For being evil, meek was something she shouldn't have been. "About what?" He asked, curiously as he scooted to the bars of his cell.

"About what you said to me, last night. You said things that only someone who really cared about me would say… I wanted to believe you, when you said that there is some good inside me, but I have yet to find it."

"Mesogog must have blocked off that part of your memory… But, I know you're good… caring… loyal… I'm just not sure how to break the spell that you're under." He let out an exasperated sigh as his eyes rested on the ring on her right hand. They went wide as he never realized that she had been wearing it. It had always just looked so perfect on her that it had blended in with her personna. It was a part of her. "Mel, your ring. That ring on your finger… do you remember how you got it?"

She thought for a moment as she stared at it, then slowly nodded as she remembered. "You guys gave it to me." She said, softly.

Melissa sat quietly in her chair as she pretended to read her English book, but it wasn't fooling anyone. Her friends could tell that something was bothering her. This wasn't the first time that she's not been interested in her schoolwork. Not that her never turning the page didn't give it away.

"Mel, you okay?" Aisha asked, looking up from her own book.

Melissa braved a smile and nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine, why?"

"Well, I think you've stared at that page long enough. Your eyes haven't moved one bit… Is something wrong?" The Yellow Ranger gave her friend a worried glance.

The others looked up from their own books to look at her. They too noticed that she didn't seem as lively as she had been before.

"No. Nothing's wrong. I guess I just must be tired… Uh, why don't I just go home and rest? Who knows, I might be coming down with something." She said, gathering up her school things.

"You need a ride?" Tommy asked.

She shook her head. "Nah. I'll be fine… I'll see you guys tomorrow." She waved them goodbye and quickly left them in a puzzled daze.

"What was that about?" Adam asked.

"I dunno." Rocky said.

"She seems like she's depressed." Billy said.

"How so?" Kimberly asked, taking a sip of Tommy's smoothie without him noticing.

"It's like how when Tommy lost his Green Ranger Powers." The genius of the group lowered his voice so no one would hear.

Tommy nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean… It's not fun when you lose your powers. I mean, giving up something that powerful just makes you feel so drained and… not normal."

"So, what do you think we should do?" Aisha asked.

"How about we throw a little party for her?" Kimberly asked.

"Great idea." Adam said.

"Yeah, that should perk her up a bit." Aisha said, smiling.

Melissa sat on the couch in her living room, hugging her favorite stuffed green bear close to her. It was her most comfort when she was feeling as bad as she was. She'd had it since she was four; a gift from her grandparents.

There were so many things that were bothering her that she just wanted to be left alone to think. She was lucky that her parents weren't getting home until later.

She unconsciously flipped through the TV channels, as she tried to think to herself. She wasn't really watching the TV. It just made her feel slightly better, but she didn't know why. It just had always helped her to think. It was weird.

She stopped flipping as she heard a knock at the front door. She set down her bear and got up to answer it.

She wasn't expecting what she found when she opened the door. Tommy and Kimberly were standing there, worried looks on their faces.

"Hi, Mel." Kimberly said, cheerily.

"Hey." Melissa said, softly. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Uh, well, we've noticed that you've been down, lately and so we were wondering if you'd want to come to the Youth Center tonight, where there is going to be a party." The Pink Ranger gave a sweet smile to her friend as she waited for an answer.

"Thanks, but, I'm not really in the mood to party." Melissa said.

"What's wrong?" Tommy asked.

"Nothing that you guys need to worry about. It's something that I have to deal with on my own."

"It's about losing your powers, isn't it?" The White Ranger asked. "Look, I know it's hard to go through, but you can't just block everyone out of her life." He said.

"Tommy, that's not what's bothering me." Melissa said, letting out a short laugh.

"It's not?" Kimberly asked.

"No… Maybe you guys should come in and sit down. We need to talk."

Tommy and Kimberly nodded and entered the house, sitting down on the couch, careful not to sit on Melissa's bear. "So, what's wrong?" Tommy asked.

"I've been meaning to tell you guys this for a few days, but I didn't know how. And this is very hard for me to say, since you guys have been so great to me since I moved here."

"But?" Kimberly asked.

"But… my dad just got a raise and his old job back in New York… So, that means I have to move back there."

"Are you serious?" Tommy asked.

"I wish that I wasn't, but I am." She plopped down onto the arm of the couch and picked up the stuffed animal.

"So, you're leaving?" Kimberly asked, sadly.

Melissa nodded. "Yeah, in two weeks… I'm sorry for not telling you guys sooner."

"We understand… hey, why don't you come to Ernie's anyway? We can throw you a goodbye party." Kimberly's smile widened in hope that her friend would cheer up.

Melissa let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "Okay." She gave him.

"Great! Can I use your phone? I need to make a call." Kimberly asked. The former Green Ranger nodded as her friend jumped from the coach and ran into the kitchen, where the phone was located.

Tommy and Melissa just laughed as they saw how eager their friend was. Melissa then felt Tommy's hand on hers.

"It's going to be okay." He said.

"I know."