Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, I wouldn't be writing here if I did, would I?
Ghostwriter: Thanks for reviewing! And I'm gonna keep on writing this story until it comes to a good ending (in my opinion, of course).
Daisyz: Thanks for reviewing this story!
Pinkie: Thanks, but if you can tell me what else is confusing you, maybe I can clarify it for you. I'll try to make this chapter clearer, but I make no guarantees.
Now on with the Story!
Kim and Tommy arrived back at the command center, to see that the project of completing the new morphers was no closer to its completion, as they hoped it would be by the time they had gotten back. Removing the shards was not the problem, figuring out how to activate their powers did seem to cause some concerns, to say the least. One being that all of the residual powers that Zack, Kim, and Tommy had left inside of them either had to be destroyed or depleted, both of which were dangerous tasks and only one of the Rangers had been through such an ordeal and lived to tell the tale. Tommy did not like either idea and could tell that Billy was begrudgingly doing his duty, by performing the necessary removal of their former powers.
"I don't understand, Billy. There are only three of us who have any of our old strengths left why is this a big deal?" Kim asked, pacing around the command center. Billy had explained it at least five times, but she still could not comprehend why he had to drain their powers, every other time she had recieved new powers it was just added to the the ones she already contained. Why it couldn't be the same? She didn't understand and was trying very hard not to understand. "And we're going to have to fight with our old ones until we lose them? I don't know about the two of you, but I've had my powers taken away before and the after effects weren't exactly pleasant. Why can't we just add on like we always have? It shouldn't be a problem, Billy."
"I've lost mine, too, you seem to forget that sometimes," Tommy said, with a smile and a wink, these actions were enough to get Kim to stop walking around and focus her attention on what Tommy had to say. "Let's just say its not the powers being taken away; it's knowing you can't get them back."
"What did you learn about their resources?" Billy asked, having missed the chance to see the battle on the viewing globe and completely ignoring Kim's question.
He, as well as, Jason and Trini had been trying to form the morphers into more stable configurations, but had only gotten two done so far and were hours away from finishing the rest of the morphers. He also did not want to explain why the powers had to be drained at the moment, it would certainly cause some problems among the rangers if they knew the whole truth.
"Those things aren't as strong as they look, but they do take a lot of power to destroy. They are patient when we are not," Kim said, trying to make it seem like this might be easy and seeing how her attempt fails, in the eyes of the other rangers. "Well, to be frank, fighting them makes you feel like shit."
"Yeah, it does," Tommy said, feeling exhausted from that, one, excursion. He had not realized how much the powers had truly helped them when they fought until he fought without them. He never wanted to try to do that again. "Can you see how much power we have left?"
"Yeah, but someone needs to get to their shards out of here," Billy said, bringing the box over to Kim. The others had managed to pull out there colors while Tommy and Kim had been keeping the asoriods busy and away from the majority of the metropolis.
"Alright, I'll go to work on it," Kim said, taking the box and sitting down on the floor. While she picked out pink shards of glass, the others began to talk about the upcoming battle.
"I've been thinking," Tommy said, walking over to where the majority of the group now stood and noticed they all looked at him with a curious glance. They never really liked when he had too long to think things out because it often times led to problems for the group as a whole.
"That's never a good thing," Zack said, and promptly received a slap on the back of his head. He was startled, when Tommy only looked at him with a grin and then he realized that it came from another source, one, which happened to stand only about a foot away from him. "What was that for?"
"For being rude, what have you been thinking about?" Aisha asked, giving Zack a look that plainly told him that there was much more where that came from. The rest of the rangers may not have known about them dating, but they knew about everything else that had been going on in both of their lives.
"I don't know if we should fight this battle here," Tommy said, preparing himself for an onslaught of questions and demands. The last time they had left this planet, three of them were put into the hospital when they got back. It wasn't a pleasant memory for any of them and Tommy knew it was sure to cause some problems.
"You're suggesting another trip? Are you out of your mind?" Trini asked, in an enraged tone, as Billy rested his hand on her shoulder, in an attempt to calm the former yellow ranger down. Jason, Kim, and Billy had wound up in the hospital and she did not want to see that happen again, although she had always thought that Tommy felt the same way. Kim had been in the hospital. She had thought that the thought of her going back there would stem any enthusiam for him to venture to another planet. "Do you even remember what happened the last time? We almost got ourselves killed out there."
"Yeah, but it was worth it," Kim said, handing her shards to Billy. She had been one of the three in the hospital, and she knew that she did not regret that mission, at all. They had gotten the problem solved quickly and they all were alive. That was all that they could ask for. "Here you go, Billy. We're all alive, aren't we? And if Zordon told us to go, we would and wouldn't have a second thought about it. I agree with him, we don't have much of a choice. If that was their weakest, I don't want to bring their strongest here to battle."
"I'm still not convinced," Adam said, folding his arms across his chest. Over the past few years, he had lost a lot of his shyness and was much more willing to state his opinion on matters that could affect his life like this. "The two of you might just want to use this as an opportunity to catch up on things."
"I'm not going back to Florida," Kim said, glaring at Adam, and taking a purposeful step towards him, "so I will have plenty of time to 'catch up on things' as you would put it."
"This is exactly what Zordon didn't want to happen," Zack said, loud enough to stop the ones that were arguing dead in their tracks. The mention of Zordon's name seemed to bring guilt to their consciences, knowing how right Zack was. He wouldn't have wanted them fighting, he would have wanted them concentrating on what had to be done. "We're getting no where like this and I think it is best we decide something now, so we will be able to have some sort of crazy plan before they attack us again."
"Yeah, you're right," Adam said, after glancing around for approval from the others to continue. "Sometimes, I guess, we all get jealous of what people have that they want for themselves."
"It's no big deal," Kim said, with a smile and gave Adam a small hug.
"So, is everyone in?" Tommy asked, clapping his hands together to try to put an end to any more emotional conversations that might come around. They still had a lot of work left to do and could not afford anymore delays. If the creatures continued to attack them, then they would be pushed back even more and that was not something that they could really afford to have happen with school so close by and with the rest of them already surviving on what was left of their last weeks pay.
"Yeah, we all are, now it's time to get to work," Jason said, walking over and patting Tommy on the back. "Billy, what do you need us to do?"
"These have to be configured to their rightful owner or we will have problems arise from the error," Billy said, holding up two empty morphers. "As for the Zords, those will supposedly appear when the powers are given to their rightful owner. We will not have to build them or maintain them from the information that I have been able to dig up."
"You still didn't say what we could do to help you get all of this mess done," Aisha pointed out, with a bright smile. "And since you're going to have to drain their powers, it's gonna have to be us helping you. I know, it's scary considering who's left, but you don't have much of a choice."
"Yeah it is," Billy said, and had a few looks shot his way that made him squirm. "But I really only need Jason and Trini to help here. If the rest of you will keep an eye on them once they are hooked up, that'll help a lot."
"Billy, what do we have to do to be able to get our powers back?" Kim said, impatiently tapping her foot on the floor. "Because all of this talk of draining and such isn't getting us any closer to having our powers, again and you can't say that we won't need them."
"Well, we don't have much of a choice, it is too dangerous for the three of you to go into battle with these limited resources and it is also too dangerous to leave your old powers within you and give you the new ones as well. Do you think that you can take us draining them from you?" Billy asked, very hesitant to offer this option. He knew that it was going to be extremely painful and he didn't want to have to make them suffer through such an ordeal. He was also glad that he did not have to explain why he had to do this, as bringing up Zordon's memory always disturbed them some.
Flashback to Billy's Conversation with Zordon
"Zordon, what are you saying?" Billy asked, having never found himself more confused in all of his life. Zordon had just told him that he would have to do all of the activations of new powers and possibly have to drain some of the rangers powers. Both things sounded dangerous and he was not sure that the other rangers would even allow him to drain their powers after he described what it would be lilke to them.
"What I am telling you, is that you will have to be responsible for giving the powers to the new rangers and it will be very hard on you. I am almost certain that our attempts to keep the powers inside of all of you will have some residual effects and those will have to be gone to deal with a power of this magnitude," Zordon said, simply as Billy continued to stare up at him in awe. "It is going to be much more powerful than you have ever imagined and nothing old needs to be left. It would put the rangers in grave danger."
"Yes, Zordon," Billy said and took on the burden that would silently eat him alive for the next five years. He had never imagined that this would be put on him, but now it was the only thing he could think about and failing Zordon and the rest of the team had never been something he wanted to face.
End of Flashback
"Whatever you have to do," Tommy said, taking in a deep breath. This process did not sound like it was going to be pleasant and he knew that the sooner it was over with the better it would be for all of them. If they were going to have to recover, then they might as well get this crap over with. "Where do we need to go?"
"Come with me," Billy said, waving his hand towards three beds that had been set up earlier that day. He knew that the others had found it odd when he requested the cots be moved in, but now they saw the purpose that they served. "Don't fight it, it'll only make it worse."
"Alright," Kim said, as Billy attached a device to her wrist and one to her ankle as well.
"Let me know if it gets too rough, we can slow it down if we have to," Billy said, walking over to turn on the machine.
"I'll be fine, Billy," Kim said, with a smile, as she started to feel the draining begin and the pain that came along with it start. "Go ahead and get the others started."
"How long do you think this will take?" Rocky asked, as they walked away from where the three of them were lying. They had almost immediately began clutching their stomachs, but were not screaming out in pain, as of yet.
"All night, maybe longer. Those two," Billy said, indicating Tommy and Kim, "had more power left in them than Zack and they went through a battle today."
"How are you guys doing?" Aisha asked, after they had been lying there with the machines attached to them for almost an hour. The first moans and groans were beginning to escape their lips, which caused some concern among the other rangers. They did not think that it was supposed to be this bad.
"I've been better," Tommy said, opening his eyes and looking up at Aisha's concerned face.
He knew that this was a vast understatement, he could only think of one time he had felt worse and it had been in a very similar situation, but he also knew it was of no use to tell everyone exactly how he felt. There was nothing they could do to stop the pain, short of unhooking the machine, which was not an option at this point.
"What about the two of you?" Aisha asked, as Kim and Zack had remained silent. They had both fixed their faces to look calm, even though the inside of them was screaming for them to jerk the machines away from their bodies and run away from this experience, no matter what it might do to them. They didn't want to be a ranger this bad and if Tommy could talk then he must not be in near as much pain as them.
"Does feel like shit ring a bell?" Kim asked, taking a slow deep breath; her experience, of losing her powers, had been much milder last time. If this was what it felt like when Tommy lost his powers, she had to seriously wonder why in the world he would ever be a ranger again. "I don't know how much more I can have taken away."
"You'll be fine," Rocky said, trying to cheer them up, but finding himself becoming more concerned at the same time. This was not supposed to be as rough on them as it was turning out to be. Why did they have to have their powers taken away? Was it really that important that they start from scratch? "Why don't ya'll try to get some shut eye?"
"Because it is too painful to sleep," Zack said, as Aisha walked over to his bed and grabbed his hand in an attempt to comfort him in some way, they all just looked horrible, right now and there was nothing they could do about it.
"Maybe this would be a good time to stop all of this," Adam said, walking over to Billy, with concern clearly plastered across his face. Kim and Tommy being in that sort of pain disturbed him, sure they had all been through it before, but it was hard to deal with when you knew that they would be lying there the longest. "They're getting pretty weak."
"Zack, you think you can hold out for a few more minutes?" Billy asked, from across the command center.
He then started making his way over to the three beds and heard Tommy stifle a groan, as to not bother the others as much. Billy knew that if Tommy was close to losing his composure that Zack and Kim must be dying inside from the pain.
"Yeah, if that's all it's gonna take," Zack said, taking a deep breath of his own and looking up at Aisha. "You're lucky you don't have to go through this."
"It should only take about five more minutes," Billy said, walking in between Tommy and Kim's beds and hesitantly asked the question that was resting heavily on his mind. He had been worried about what it would take to get the powers out of them and now it seemed that his worries had been well founded. "How about the two of you?"
"How much longer?" Kim asked, opening her eyes very slowly. She saw Billy's eyes were not bright and chipper, which made her only fear the worst would be said in response to her question.
"It'll be awhile for both of you, sorry about that, but the two of you have a much more extensive network to keep your powers together. It seemed that you needed to be protected more than the rest of us," Billy said, as he watched both of their faces fall. He then saw Tommy sneak a look at Kim, before mentally preparing himself for the rest of the draining. He wanted to get all of this crap done at once. "If you want to stop for today, we will."
"No, I just want to get it over with," Tommy said, with a look of determination in his eyes, "maybe I can get some sleep, after awhile you get used to it."
"Good for you," Kim said, looking much more tired than Tommy, which did not really surprise any of them. Tommy could cope with things that none of them would ever dream to deal with and Kim was just lucky to be laying down and able to speak at this point in time. "I don't think I ever will."
"Sorry, Kim, but we have to do this," Billy said, with a sigh. "Do you want me to disconnect you?"
"No, but how much longer will it take before all of this is over?" Kim asked, and Billy gave her a weak smile.
"I don't know, why don't you and Tommy talk to each other?" Billy suggested, half-heartedly. He knew that they did have a lot to catch up on, so maybe it would distract them some. "At least it will keep you both awake."
"What is it?" Jason asked, seeing the clear concern on Billy's face, as he walked back over to Trini and him.
"Billy, what's wrong?" Trini asked, looking up after Jason's question to see Billy was pale and obviously worried.
"This isn't good, the two of them are resisting all of this," Billy said, hating to have to put the two of them through this painful experience.
"I don't know if they purposely are, they may just not be built to give up their powers easily. They've been through much more than the rest of us," Jason said, looking back down at the morpher he was working on, trying to remember what to do next.
"I know, but it's a big risk to not do this and infuse them with more power," Billy said, shaking his head. "But those are the first two we need to give powers, they could take care of a lot of those things by themselves and buy us more time to prepare for what Nicarni-Aso has planned."
"How much of a risk is it to go ahead and try to transfer their powers?" Trini asked, knowing how desperate their curtain position could become, within a matter of hours, if Nicarni-Aso decided to attack again.
"They could both die; do you think it's worth the risk now?" Billy snapped and then sighed at to himself for his actions. This was all very frustrating and it had been a long time since he had been under this much pressure to get something right.
"How much of a chance?" Trini asked after a moment of awkward silence, knowing that this might not even keep Tommy and Kim from going ahead and getting their new powers transferred.
"It's no use, Trini, I'm not risking killing either one of them. You saw what it was like when they were apart," Billy said, biting his lip, before continuing on. "There's no way in hell I'll even lay one hand on either one of them with even one ounce of residual powers left."
"Okay, okay, we get the point," Jason said, talking with his hands slightly outstretched. He did not want the fighting to start before Nicarni-Aso came back to battle. "So let's get these ready for when they finally get all of their powers removed."
"Fine," Billy said.
"Tommy, I have a question for you. What's with the haircut?" Kim asked. She had noticed the haircut when she first arrived, but never really thought to ask about it. Everyone knew that Kim had loved Tommy's long hair, but she thought that she could come to love the shorter hair too.
"It had to go when I got the job I have," Tommy said, with a little sigh. He did like his hair shorter, but he would do anything to have it long again.
"Will you please be quiet so the rest of us can try to sleep?" Zack asked, irritated.
"Sure, Zack," Kim said and she, as well as Tommy, went quiet.
That night was a long one for all of the rangers. Kim and Tommy did not sleep, which kept several of the others awake into the wee hours of the morning. Zack, who had been disconnected from the machine after a mere hour and a half, was in a very deep sleep and the only one able to get any rest. Billy, Trini, and Jason found themselves having to complete the same tasks repeatedly, with the result taking a full two hours of work on each morpher. When the next day dawned, they all thought it was all ready, little did they know that Nicarni-Aso planned to put a huge kink right in the middle of their plans.
AN: I know, it's a little bit of a cliff-hanger, but I promise it will all be completed in the rest of the story. Hope you enjoyed! Feel free to review!