THE REASON - Part Nineteen: Hittin' It Off
Summary: Ethan informs Kira of the situation, having her get the dirt on Kimberly. And they hit it off like the best of friends. When Kim returns to her hotel room, she chats up a storm with the girls. But how much do they really know about the situation?
Disclaimer: You know the deal. Power Rangers not mine. But the story is. Haha. I do own part of this. And again, to those associated with Power Rangers, the credit is yours. Not mine. You win. For now. And to Hoobastank. I just think that songs fits so perfect with my stories.
A/N: The guys get their say in with Tommy. So, now the girls get their say in with Kim. I know, I haven't made full connection to Zack in all this. But I haven't pinpointed where to introduce him. Or even some of the other rangers. Still looking for it. And I had to cut the chatroom talk short again. But enjoy.
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"Friends are as diverse as the animals in the forest. But they depend on each other in ways no one could expect." –Eclyptyk Neo
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Hayley's Cyberspace.
"...what more do I have to say? That love has got you all twisted up. But I'll always be here when it all comes crashing down. Because that's what real friends do. They'll always be by your side. And be there for you." Kira sang, as she strum the last few cords to end the song.
There was a scatter of claps from those who were actually listening to her. And by now, it was nothing new to her. She would get some recognition for her songs. But it wasn't enough. She had hoped every time she performed more people would listen to the message behind her songs. She wanted them to understand and hear the real beauty behind true art of music.
She walked over to the counter where Trent had a drink set out for her.
"That was really good, Kira. Was that something new?" Trent complemented with a light smile.
Kira took a drink, sighing. "It was. Thanks, Trent. But how am I suppose to get any feedback if no one else is gonna listen to me? They seem too busy destroying their brain cells with their video games or whatever."
"Hey. Don't let it get you down. They'll listen eventually," he encouraged her with a touch to the shoulder. "Just give them time. True talents come from the skills we have hidden in us. I think you'll become a great singer."
She blushed at his words of wisdom. She knew he meant what he said. He appeared so open to her, but still so observative and shy. He had a lot to say, but managed to get it out more when he talked among small groups. And he was the only person who wasn't associated with the rangers to be giving such great support.
"Thanks, Trent. But I still haven't had a chance to see what you came up with for my demo covers."
"I know." he nodded. "But you know how my dad is. The guy won't let me do anything without his consent."
"Still giving you a hard time." she stated more than questioned.
"Like that's something new. He just doesn't like what I'm doing with my life. He finds it a little less motivative to draw than to be running my own business at the age of 17. But that's not what I want. I want to have a normal life as a teenager. Enjoy high school, ya know."
Kira nodded, pushing open a smile. "Yeah, I know how that's like. To not really have a normal life. It's hard."
"I guess I can't blame him. He's just trying to be a good father."
She nodded again. She began to look around the room and saw a familiar face among the café. It was Kim. She looked a little saddened, but also preoccupied with something. But than she remembered Dr. Oliver's cold shoulder at school. "How long has she been here?" she pointed at the former pink ranger.
Trent looked over her shoulder at the women dressed in a pink ensemble. He shrugged. "I'm not so sure. For awhile now." He looked across the room seeing that Hayley was directing him over to one of the computer stations. "But hey, I gotta get back to work. I'll talk to you later."
"Okay. Bye, Trent." she said with a smile.
With a blush, he waved a good-bye and walked off.
Kira turned away and slowly headed for the preoccupied petite woman. She tapped the table to get her attention. "Kim, is that you?"
Kim looked up, wiping her eyes, only realizing she was crying. "Oh, hey, Kira. How are you?"
"I'm fine." she said with a light smile, setting her guitar down and taking a seat in front of her. "How about you? It doesn't look like you and Dr. O have resolved things yet."
"No. Obviously it's much harder than it looks," she sighed. "We got into another fight. But, I guess I'm to blame for that."
Kira nodded slowly. "Well, I don't want to intrude or be rude about it, but why haven't you and Dr. O talked in a long time?"
Kim sighed, taking a drink from her mug. "I guess you can blame me for that. After I left for Florida eight years ago, I met someone down there. We were trying to do the whole long-distance relationship thing, but it didn't work. I broke it off, and I guess, he took it really hard. I know I did. I never wanted to write him that letter. But the reason I had to was because I cheated on him."
Kira's eyes widened at Kim's last comment. In a relationship such as theirs, she had not expected them to cheat. But than again, she would have thought her teacher would have made the move to cheat before she would. Yet, she wasn't sure why any of them would. "Wow."
Kim finally looked up at Kira, closing the laptop to direct the young girl directly. "Tommy is a great guy. He really is. A loyal man. And it's rare to find such qualities as the one he possesses. You don't get that a lot from a guy. Guys nowadays just want to try and sleep with every girl they see. But if you ever find that rare one, hold on to them, Kira. I won't lie to you. A break-up can be hard, but if it was meant to be than nothing would really stand in your way, but the actions you make toward each other." She paused a second, seeing Trent pass behind Kira with a tray of empty glassware toward the counter. "Trent seems to be one of those rare occasions. But sometimes, it takes a real woman to open up the man underneath the mask."
Kira looked back at Trent, a light smile on her face. A flush of red filled her face as Kim made the comment. She turned back to the former ranger. "So, what happened next?"
"Well, I started to date the guy I met in Florida training for the Pans Global. Carl Lopez. And, oh my god, did he have the most sexiest Hispanic accent." she blushed, but saw the confused, yet not so interested look in Kira's face. "Oh, sorry. But we went out for a few months, but it didn't last. Obviously, he was one of those guys looking for action under the covers more. So, we broke up. As for Tommy, he began to go out with a friend of ours. Katherine Hillard. She replaced me on the team, and I guess, Tommy was just giving her an easy welcome into the crew. A few weeks after he got that letter, he started to go out with her. But they never really made it passed college without going their separate ways. Kat told me that the break-up was my fault. That he had closed himself from a relationship because he was afraid of heartbreak. I didn't want to believe it, but three years ago, I saw what she meant. He looked so empty at the funeral." She choked back her tears.
"At the funeral?" Kira raised her eyebrows.
"I didn't realize how much I missed him until that day. I lost a dear friend. Trini Kwan. She was my best friend. A car accident took her life. And it brought the old crew together again after the split. And we began to talk more and more. But the only person I couldn't really talked to was..."
"Tommy." Kira finished, realizing the tears that came crashing down the older woman's face. "I'm sorry about your friend."
"Ya know," she caught her breath. "You kinda remind me of her. A fierce and strong fighter." She looked into the younger girl's eyes. The dancing power that appeared to a ranger alone. But it must have been a dream. She figured that Kira was just some other independent teenager trying to find her place in the world. And even if she did mention her status as a ranger, she probably wouldn't believe her. Let alone, she didn't need anymore confrontations from Tommy about patronizing one of his students about his past. Their past as rangers.
Wow. She must be talking about the original yellow ranger. And it would have been cool to meet her. The way Kim made it sound was that they were the best of friends. Rest in peace, Trini. Kira thought with astonishment. Don't worry, the legacy still lives on in me. And the new team. She wanted to say something to Kim about her connection with the ranger team, but figured that Dr. O would be all over her about her conclusion. But she had to admit, it could help bridge the gap in their relationship. But she didn't risk it. She had heard about Dr. O's dark side, and didn't want to be apart of it if it ever came down to that. "Fighter? You keep mentioning something about an old crew? Or a team? Like what?"
Kim held her breath. She didn't know how else to put it, without breaking the truth. Here she was pouring her heart out to a girl she didn't have any true preference with except that she appeared rather close to Tommy. As did Conner, Ethan and Trent. But Kira was pushing her over the edge. "Well, during high school, me and a few friends took some martial arts courses. And I wouldn't consider myself some vigilante or anything, but we were sort of the scouts against bad things. There were originally five of us. Me, Trini Kwan, Zack Taylor, Billy Cranston and Jason Lee Scott. And eventually, Tommy joined some time later after he settled into Angel Grove."
Wow. Kira was impressed at how Kim seemed to hide the truth so well. Even now. She figured she would have cracked after so long of no longer being in suit. Good back up. It actually has me stumped. "And this was during high school?"
"Yeah. Basically. Tommy would take up the leadership role when he officially joined the team. But he always had Jason as a back-up. Jason was the first leader of the team. But soon, it was time to pass on the torch. Jason, Trini and Zack were offered a role in the peace conference in Switzerland among high school students from all over the world. And we needed to replace them. It just couldn't work with three people. So, three students who just transferred to Angel Grove High from Stone Canyon High were potential candidates. Aisha Campbell, Adam Park and Rocky DeSantos."
The next generation of rangers. Kira nodded, as she recalled the video diary. "And they were skilled in martial arts, too?"
"Actually, what makes them more unique was they took up ninjitsu as their martial arts form," she announced. "But they were still skilled in karate and martial arts. They just had that extra ninja skills that me, Tommy or Billy didn't have. But with time, they trained us to become just as skilled in our ninja forms. They were the best of friends. Adam and Rocky knew each other since they were born. They met Aisha in elementary school and they've been inseparable ever since."
"Wow. I'm impressed. I mean, Dr. O has never really talked about his past much, but it seemed really exciting."
"It was." Kim smiled. "I mean, that team. We learned a lot of things when we were together. We discovered who we were as people and how much helping out others makes a difference."
And another good save. Man, Dr. O, if you trained these guys to keep secrets, or it's some instinct. I can't seem to be doing a good job. I'm sweating like a pig now, holding all this in. Kira groaned, pulling her collar from her sticky neck. "So, how are things amongst all of you?"
"It's good for the most part. I mean, I have a really good relationship with everyone on the team, it's just...well, your teacher just doesn't really seem to be one of them at the moment."
"That's Dr. Oliver for you," Kira shrugged. "Kinda the quiet, yet serious teacher when he's in school. But away from it, he's rather cool and collected. More down to earth and just kinda nice to hang with. I know it seems crazy for a student to say that about a teacher, but he's not as bad as some people claim him to be."
"No." she shook her head agreeing. 'I hear that principal of yours gives him a hard time."
"Principal Randall? Oh my god, she is the bitch of all bitches. She doesn't care who you are. Student. Teacher. Custodian. She will get on your ass. Even the school board if she has to. Lucky for us, the school board tends to like Dr. Oliver. It's her in general. She just isn't one of the best people to be around. It was only the first day of school, and she gave me detention for an entire week. I mean, c'mon, that's a little harsh."
"What did you do?" Kim grew more interested.
"I was just singing and playing my guitar on school grounds. Unfortunately, for me, she didn't seem to care about my fact that for students that play instruments, they're bound to get into college 50 quicker than those who don't."
"Ya know, I heard something about that. And it is true." Kim nodded.
"Well, unfortunately for her, I didn't even look like college material." Kira scoffed, remembering that day like it was yesterday.
"No way. She said that!" Kim was shocked.
"That's Principal Randall for you, Kim. She doesn't even have a good side. She's nothing but pure evil. Lucky for me, Dr. Oliver was running detention that day, and he managed to get us out of it."
"Us?" Kim rose an eyebrow.
"Oh. Right. Conner and Ethan." Kira filled in the gaps.
"You guys seem to do a lot of things together. But you don't appear..."
"To be from the same worlds?" Kira nodded. "I know. It's a long, crazy story. But the three of us have first period together with Dr. O, if you haven't really noticed. And, as a side project to get us out of detention, Dr. O put us up to the test to see how we worked as a team. Ya know, help out the community and make sure not to really kill or injure anyone in the process. And plus, if we managed to find anything ancient in the woods. It worked. And we sorta became the best of friends. Kinda weird. I mean, Ethan is some computer genius. Conner is a jock. And I usually sit with my guitar and try to create songs."
"Well, sometimes the friends you make throughout your life can be your total opposite, but can still relate to you in one way or another to create a good strong friendship. It kinda reminds me of me and the old crew."
Kira smiled. Wow. Now, she's comparing us to the first generations of rangers. This is cool. But it's killing me. I gotta tell her. But I can't. I promised Hayley I wouldn't. And Dr. O wouldn't be too happy if I did. "Wow. It seems like you guys did everything together. I know, this might be jumping the cliff a little bit, but is it possible for me to meet some of them?"
"That could be arranged," Kim said with a light smile. "I was just talking to Jason recently and he was talking about some huge reunion here in Reefside with the old crew. And of course, Tommy would kinda be the main star. We tend to keep in touch, but it's him we can't seem to pinpoint or get a whole lot of information about."
"About his whole dino research thing?" Kira questioned. But her eyes widened. Oops. I don't think I was suppose to say that.
"He told you about it? I figured he'd be rather touchy about it, considering he lost most of his research in that explosion."
"Well, he does tell. If you can pry it out of him. But than again, Ethan's shown me some articles regarding a certain doctor of paleontology."
"I can't get much out of him about it. Like I said, a touchy subject. But, I know he's just making sure that no one hears about his mistakes or whatever. He doesn't like to admit he needs help sometimes. Or he'll accept it hands on. But he is a hard guy to read too."
"Yeah. I've heard rumors that some of his experiments are now being used these so-called Power Rangers." Kira said, but stopped. D'oh! How did this happen? Sure, Kira. Just open the floor up for Ranger Q & A.
Kim raised her eyebrows. "You don't believe in the Power Rangers?"
"C'mon, it's just some childish t.v. show about some guys running around in color coordinated spandex trying to save the world from some twisted dino bone-head trying to turn this place into a dino paradise." Kira shook her head. Oh, great. Just tell her you're some t.v. show now. Smooth, Kira. "I mean, have you actually seen a Power Ranger? Up close and personal. And see who they really are? There's been no proof at all."
"You can't possibly mean that, can you, Kira?"
"I don't know." she shrugged. "I mean, they're so world famous, they can't even go out and tell the world who they really are."
"Maybe it comes in the suit." Kim suggested. "I mean, back in Angel Grove, the city presented a day devoted to the Power Rangers for all their hard work, but I mean, they never showed up. But the city wasn't exactly free of giant monsters and everything. I was surprised to find the city in such good shape after some of those battles."
Another good save, Kim. But don't push me. I'm not as strong in keeping secrets like this. But than again, I'm doing it right now. Kira concluded. "Well, okay. So there might have been a few incidents in town. But to actually see a Ranger, nope. Still no live proof for me." She looked at her watch, groaning. 8: 45pm. "Oh, man. Hey, Kim. I gotta go. It's late. I got some homework to do."
Kim nodded slowly. "Yeah. It is kinda late." She got to her feet, pulling out her keys. "Hey, why don't I give you a ride?"
"Sure, thanks. That would be great." Kira got to her feet. She scrambled to collect her stuff and followed the former pink ranger out the door.
Time passed.
When Kim went to drop off Kira they had exchanged digits, email and AIM screen names for some chatting time away from the phone. Kim thanked Kira for the talk. Glad that she seemed to find someone who wasn't a ranger she could relate to. But of course, that was a lie for Kira. She gave a hug to Kim and left with a good night. She got out of the car, but stopped to look back at Kim.
"Are you and Dr. O gonna talk?"
"We will. We should. Just giving him his space. Lettin' it wait awhile. But we should work things out." she nodded.
"I hope so. You guys just seem so perfect for each other to be arguing like this."
Kim sighed and smiled a bright smile to Kira. "Thanks, Kira. I hope things work with you and Trent, too."
"But..."
"Don't worry. I can see it. But don't make the same mistakes we made, okay?" She declared, as Kira nodded. "Night, Kira."
"Night, Kim. Thanks for the ride."
Kim nodded and drove off. Kira retreated to her house.
When Kim returned to her lone hotel room, she collapsed on the bed in an exhausted heap. She shrugged off the black jacket, only realizing it was Tommy's jacket. The one he had lent to her only a few days ago. She pulled it close to take in a deep breath of the leathery smell with the lingering cologne still left by her love. She dug into one of the pockets and found the set of house keys he had also given to her the day they appeared to be on good grounds. When they shared their first kiss in over eight years.
"Here. Since you're in town and everything...my home is always open." he had told her as he placed the keys into her hand.
She didn't want to accept it, but figured it could help with bring their relationship onto good grounds. She figured her fellow former ranger counterparts could have their say in it, and pulled out her laptop to see if they were on.
They were. BEARGURL: Aisha, PINKWINDKAT: Kat, and STAR2YELLOW: Tanya.
PKTERACRANE joins chat
STAR2YELLOW: hey, kim.
PKTERACRANE: Hey, tanya. How are you?
STAR2YELLOW: I'm aiight.
PINKWINDKAT: Hey, kim.
PKTERACRANE: Kat. Doing good?
PINKWINDKAT: Coodn't be better.
The other rangers couldn't help but believe that Kim was actually in Reefside. They didn't want to believe Jason when he told them of his plans about the ranger reunion, but that it was still in the process of being made. The girls continued to encourage Kim that it would take time for Tommy to open up more about what has happened in the past few years. He was still struggling with getting over the loss of his brother and the loss of his experiments, if not in the process of almost losing his life in the run too. But than again, there was a truth or a secret that considered Kim greatly, which had the other girls not comment on it. The room fell silent. Kim raised her eyebrows realizing that several moments had passed since any of her friends had sent a message.
PKTERACRANE: HELLO!
BEARGURL: Still here. Sorry. Watching tv
STAR2YELLOW: yeah, sorry. Computer glitch.
PINKWINDKAT: Keys got jammed
BEARGURL: but what big secret? I didn't think he'd keep anything from you, kim.
PKTERACRANE: Well, he is.
PKTERACRANE: And I don't like it one bit.
STAR2YELLOW: I think you're just jumpin to the conclusions
Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Kim, the girls did in fact know the secret that Tommy had yet left to say to her. Tommy had informed his ranger family of the recent events in Reefside and to keep their eyes open for any updates. He had done it mostly through email, finding the need to talk was best done face to face. But none of them really had a chance to see him since the funeral.
Kim began to describe the issues of getting attacked by lizard-faced goons, or dino-faced more, and how they attacked both Tommy and Kim while they were reminiscing about the past. She had spoke of the new ranger team, and questioned why there was an absence to the black dino ranger. Unfortunately, the three girls hit their knowledge of it well, hoping though in the back of their minds that Tommy would tell her eventually of his recent suit up and connection to the ranger team and the evil attacks in Reefside. Aisha couldn't help but bring up his stature as "The World's Greatest" and Kim didn't really like their confrontation on that. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder why Tommy hadn't been in contact with the ranger team, considering he was in the same area as them.
BEARGURL: Stop stalling.
PKTERACRANE: I'm not stalling.
BEARGURL: Yes you are, girl.
PINKWINDKAT: Jason is gonna have to do all the work for you.
PKTERACRANE: Jason? Wait, don't tell me...
PINKWINDKAT: He's in town. So, he might be paying either u or tom a visit.
PKTERACRANE: Great.
Jason was in fact in town. And this ranger reunion that had them all pretty anxious to get it started or over with was starting to have its effect on Kim. There was still a distance that she couldn't sem to pinpoint coming from Tommy and hoped that it wasn't anything way too serious. She spoke to them about their recent lip-locking and how he had just heard of their broke-up had brought their relationship to another halt.
PKTERACRANE: I know. But he had to know.
BEARGURL: Kim. Kim. Kim. Shame. Never bring that up in tryin to create good grounds with a guy. No past stuff. Bad for their mind.
PINKWINDKAT: Especially him.
PKTERACRANE: He had to know.
STAR2YELLOW: We know that. But that cood be another bump u have to work with.
PKTERACRANE: I already knew that, aisha. I juss couldn't keep goin with out him knowin.
Tanya brought up the scheme being plot out by the guys, but had no great detail except that the guys were already in town. And again, they found Kim as the target of the conversation, making it obvious that the stalling was driving the whole crew off the wall. Kim thought the gesture of him offering her a place to stay was rushing things, but the girls made it clear that he was giving them a new beginning to start over.
PKTERACRANE: it's not that easy.
BEARGURL: Than stop makin it hard.
PKTERACRANE: He gave me a set of his house keys. Is that fast?
BEARGURL: No. Just an invite.
PINKWINDKAT: New beginnings.
PKTERACRANE: Makes it sound like he wants me to move in.
STAR2YELLOW: Well, u did want to spend time wit him b4 u go to athens, rite?
PKTERACRANE: Yes, but move in?
Kim continued to bring up the fact that the two of them hadn't talked in over eight years. How it was hard to look at him at the funeral, and find out from Adam that he had lost his brother in the same year only a few months from Trini's death. She was heart-broken. Crushed. Wanted to be that crying shoulder, but in the way he carried himself wasn't much of an invite for her to come over and talk to him. Though she did mention her bonding with a certain Kira Ford and several of his other students, who had every reason not to really believe that power rangers did or did not exist.
But eventually Kat and Tanya called it a night, informing Kim to be on the look-out for their arrival in the next few days.
PKTERACRANE: I met some of his students.
BEARGURL: And?
PKTERACRANE: They appear so different.
PINKWINDKAT: How so?
PKTERACRANE: Conner is some sports jock. Ethan is a computer gamer. Kira is a singer. Trent is sorta quiet and shy.
PKTERACRANE: But, man, did I ever bond with kira. She's a nice girl. She kinda reminds me of you two. Aisha. Tanya.
BEARGURL: Really?
PKTERACRANE: Idk. She sorta has those qualities of ranger, but she really doesn't look like she'd really like the job of one. She don't believe we exist.
STAR2YELLOW: A skeptic. Typical among those who never encountered one.
BEARGURL: Secret idenitites.
STAR2YELLOW: Man. Cood u imagine if we made some sort of documentary or diary on our lives.
STAR2YELLOW: Crazy things.
BEARGURL: Oh yeah.
The two best friends began to talk. What their men have been doing and finding out a way to drag Zack out of his busy schedule to come for a visit. They all missed him, and like the other guys made it hard to visit the girls when it was needed. Yet, they couldn't help but question why Adam wanted to stay a bachelor in all of this when he very well showed the signs of hating the loneliness. They set up a goal to find someone suitable in Reefside for the shy, spiritual guy from Korea. But soon, Aisha had to call in leaving Kim with the encouragement to give Tommy some time about their recent halt in the relationship.
Kim exited the program and turned off the laptop. She hoped that Aisha was right about that. Than she got ready for bed, dreaming aimlessly about the new ranger team.
to be contined...
A/N: So, it seems as if Kim has gotten close to a particular yellow ranger in denial of her existence for reasons requested by her mentor. So, when will the news come out about who they really are? Check it out in the next chapter. Just a heads up, is finally "White Thunder Pt. 1". Yay! Hurray for me. I finally made it. But until next time. Keep readin and smilin. May the power always protect you!