THE REASON - Part Seventy-Two: Memories
Summary:Weeks have passed. The Dino Thunder Rangers look over the past few months in battle, and prepare for the final battle to come.
Disclaimer: Power Rangers is not mine.
A/N: It is just something out of the blue, but ties into the future of where this series is going. Read and reply. I'll catch you later.
"I won't lie to you guys. Our biggest battle is yet to come, and we got to be prepared for anything that comes our way." -Eclyptyk Neo
Weeks later.
The team was sitting in the cyber café into the late hours of the evening. They were all in the lounge area of the café. The teens were sitting on the biggest couch in the order of Conner, Ethan, Trent and Kira from left to right. Kim sat in one of the lounge chairs, Tommy sitting on the arm rest beside her. Hayley was sitting at the other with a round of drinks on the table before them.
"Man, I am so glad it is the weekend." Conner breathed a sigh of relief.
"I hear you there, bro." Ethan nodded, tapping his friend's hand. "For once, I'm free of homework."
"These last few weeks have been a blur." Kira sighed as she took a sip of her fruit smoothie.
"Yeah, after finally settling down, we never got a chance to ask you guys what happened on the island fortress." Trent began, looking at the older rangers for answers to the biggest battle the team had faced.
Tommy exchanged a confused look with his fiancee. It was in fact a blur for the two of them, if not the entire original ninja team. They were all feeling the strain in the past few weeks, hoping it would pass in time. That battle took a lot out of them, and Kim and Tommy had hit the bed earlier than usual. They also appeared slightly fatigued anytime the teens saw them. But with the amounts of rest, they were feeling better.
"It's really kind of a blur." Kim admitted as she looked from Tommy to the teens. "I can't recall what happened."
"All I can say is that I don't want to go through it again," Tommy shook his head as Kim reached over to take a hand into hers. "All I can say though, is that Lothor should be gone. Lothor was still a little shaken by his own epic battle with the ninja storm rangers. That's why it was easier to defeat him. Unfortunately, it'll take a whole lot more to destroy Mesogog."
"Okay, there is something that is bothering me." Ethan leaned forward.
"What's that, Ethan?" Tommy furrowed his eyebrows with concern for the teen.
"If we are gonna face our own epic battle, do you think we could suffer the same fate as the ninja storm rangers? Lose our powers?" Ethan seemed slightly discouraged. It was clear that this had bothered him for some time, and they all knew he had kept close ties with Blake and Dustin after they had went back to their normal lives.
The other teens looked at him with some concern, then looked toward their ranger predecessors with as much concern for the answer to his question.
Tommy looked at Kim then to Hayley who was taking a sip from her own cup before looking back at the teens. He looked down at the metal bracelet mounted on his wrist just as the teens locked at theirs. "I won't lie to you guys. The worst feeling in the world, for any ranger, is to lose their powers. But, no matter what, those powers will live on inside of you. These powers have found a way into who you are as a person now. They've changed you, but not for the worst. Remember that the powers found you. And there wouldn't be any other person it could go to because they don't have the same potential as the four of you do to hold those powers."
It fell silent as the teens grasped their teacher's/mentor's encouraging words. It was clear that he had wanted to make the transition for the teens as easy as possible. They were still getting used to the super hero business, even if it has already been for more than a year.
"Is it kinda the same way as your ninja powers work?" Kira asked, looking from her teacher to the other ranger predecessor.
Kim nodded slowly. "Unfortunately, like Tommy here, I and the original rangers were chosen to become the first. Zordon found potential in the five of us that would start the legacy. The unique thing about those ninja powers was that we had those ninja powers even before we got the zords and cool uniforms."
"Our ninja powers were forged together by Ninjor, the true bearer and creator of the power coins," Tommy concluded. "With that it also created a bond shared by just the six of us rangers forged together by our animal spirits and power. It's kinda hard to explain."
"What they're trying to say, is that sometimes people have a unique bond with one another." Hayley said slowly, but keeping things as simple as possible. "It's almost like a telekinetic power as the same way you guys share with your zords, but with people. Yet, I do recall that the five of you share a bond after what happened with the pink dino gem. You can almost feel each other in battle and how one will react toward something."
"Wow." Ethan breathed. "That's a lot to take in right there."
"But it is true." Tommy nodded agreeing with his friend, and relieved to find she made things simple.
"Well, now that that is explained. What about you, Kim? What is the deal with you right now?" Conner asked changing subjects hoping to find what the ex-pink ranger was up to all these months in the making since her permanent stay in Reefside.
"Well, besides preparing for the wedding?" Kim questioned as he nodded. She looked up at Tommy who laid a gentle kiss to her head as she looked back at the teens. "Well, you're looking at the newest staff member to Reefside High. I'll be doing athletic training and teaching P.E."
"Are you serious?" all the teens eyes widened and leaned forward wanting to learn more.
"How did you manage that?"
"No way! Principal Randall must have flipped out."
"That's awesome!"
"When do you start?"
The questions and comments by the teens merged together, making it hard for Kim to answer their questions. She held up her hands to silence them.
"I start Monday. And thanks to a certain teacher and a good background under my wing, they couldn't refuse. Tommy told me how low you guys were running on P.E. teachers and the whole athletics part of the school."
"Yeah." Conner nodded looking a little upset at the statement. "It was really hard putting in a good word with the coaches when many of them are freaked with all these monsters attacks on the city. They refuse to work in a town that's infested with strange activity that destroys the very nature of a good sports scholarship."
"Man, Principal Randall must be pulling out her hair to have someone like you now on the teaching staff." Ethan said with a smile.
"She doesn't scare me." Kim shook her head. "I remember the first time I met her, she was already giving me shit for being there."
"I told you she doesn't take lightly to visitors at the school," Tommy shook her head.
Kim smacked her fiancé on the shoulder, annoyed at his comment. "I saved your ass from getting fired."
"That was nothing new. It's routine for Principal Randall to find ways of firing anyone she doesn't like."
"Well, you especially, Dr. O. She always had a nagging for you." Kira said with a laugh.
That caused the rest of the team to join in and laugh at her comment.
"Trust me, guys. Things with me and Principal Randall got nowhere, nor do I plan to hook up with her with all the shit I was getting from her." Tommy shook his head remembering all the times he was called out by Randall for doing something wrong.
"It could be worse, Dr. O. You might not even have a job anymore." Ethan said.
"And knowing Randall sometimes, though, she could never get rid of me."
"Man, I can't believe she turned down that Karate Club idea." Trent shook his head in disappointment. "I mean, after she found out there wasn't one, she goes off and says there is no point in hurting students just for the pleasure of learning something new."
"That would have been a perfect thing to do, Dr. O." Kira nodded her agreement with the teen in white.
"Yeah, but even the school board turned me down. They don't think I have the experience to teach such a thing as martial arts, but they don't even know I hold a 5th degree black belt in my hand."
"I know how you were really wanting that too, Tommy." Kim said looking at the sad look on his face.
"I wouldn't mind it, but with all that's been happening, it's hard. I'm too busy keeping an eye on Mesogog to be doing something like that."
"Hey, what about a joint project?" Ethan suggested with a smile. "You and Kim could set up something after school. A martial arts/gymnastics thing. If two heads say something, it could be a little more productive and successful."
"It's an idea. How about it, partner?" Kim smiled lightly, turning to look at Tommy.
Tommy thought for awhile then shrugged. "Anything is worth a try. But I'm making you four the crash dummies."
"What?! Bump that. We'd only help." Ethan shook his head.
"And helping could mean anything, Ethan." Trent said with a sigh. "Sure, Dr. O. Where ever you need us."
"Just don't beat us up completely." Conner said with fair warning.
Tommy chuckled. "Trust me, I wouldn't stoop that low."
Another hour passed.
The team continued to talk some more about the next few weeks and months, looking into the marriage set for the end of the year. They were all excited about it, but it was clear that Kim and Tommy were showing a little sign of nervousness for it. Of the weeks that have passed, they even discussed the epic battle with the ninja storm rangers, and meeting another generation of rangers that made a difference. Eventually such things as the time the team was caught in a battle of reality and dreams, and the time caught in a comic book, it was almost hard to believe that there were even more possibilities out there they were about to face.
And they had to be ready for anything. All of them.
to be continued…
A/N: So, I say it so. Kim is now apart of the teaching staff of Reefside High. But as far as I could tell, it won't be fully mentioned until the sequel. See ya next chapter.