Chapter 30: Heartache for Pink and Yellow

The Power Rangers were trying to fight a monster when Dana and Ashley noticed a young child hurt. "Wait, stop the Rover," Dana insisted. They got out and looked at them. "You guys go, we'll catch up," Dana assured them. They nodded before leaving. Karone was standing next to them and saw a little girl near the boy injured too. She took care of the girl while Dana and Ashley took care of the boy.

Andros and the other Power rangers that were left stood in front of the monster. "You won't destroy Mariner Bay," Andros snapped.

"We'll see about that," the monster laughed.

All of a sudden, a high pitched sound could be heard. Andros fell to his knees holding his head in pain. He and the rest of his friends de-morphed. The last thing he could remember was Ashley's beautiful face before falling unconscious.

Ashley, Dana, and Karone arrived and saw that their friends were unconscious. "GUYS!" Dana yelled. She ran over and kneeled in front of Carter. Ashley ran over to Andros with Karone behind him.

"Andros, are you okay?" She asked.

His eyes were filled with confusion when he looked at his wife and sister. "Who are you?" He asked. Ashley de-morphed with fear and confusion in her eyes.

"Andros, it's me. It's Ashley, your wife," she replied.

"I have no wife," he insisted.

Ashley looked over to see that Dana wasn't having any luck with the other rangers. Karone then de-morphed. Andros looked at her in disbelief. "Karone?" He asked.

"Yes, Andros, it's me. You rescued me two years ago," she replied.

"Who kidnapped you?" He asked.

"Darkonda did, Andros, don't you remember anything?" Karone asked.

Andros looked at Ashley. "If I knew who she was, I would definitely remember," he replied. Ashley placed her hands on his face.

"Please, you have to remember. If you don't, Zafina will win," she insisted.

Zafina laughed when she saw Ashley desperately trying to get him to remember. "This was the best idea you've had so far, Vypra. Now, I'll be able to make him believe that he's in love with me and I'll be able to bring him to me," she laughed. Vypra nodded and watched as her friend was celebrating her soon-to-be victory.

Once they got back to the Aqua-Base, Andros was forced to lie down while Miss Fairweather checked him over. "If you don't mind, I have to get back to KO-35. I have to tell my parents that Karone is okay," he insisted. Karone felt pain go through her heart. He was thrown back to four years. He doesn't remember that their parents were killed because of the attack she sent down on her home planet. He then finally pushed the nurses and doctors away and stood up. "I have to find Zhane," he insisted. Ashley then helped the doctors grab him.

He was put into one of the spaces next to the rest of the Power Rangers. Ashley felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over to see Dana standing there.

Zafina watched with rage in her eyes. "NO!" She hissed.

Ms. Fairweather placed the disk that the Megaship's computer gave them. Andros's eyes twitched when he remembered meeting his friends.

(Flashback)

"Power down," he ordered. He de-morphed and Ashley stared at him for a second. She walked around him, poked his shoulder twice, and then she finally said something.

"You're human," she concluded.

"What did you expect?" He asked.

"I don't know, I mean...you're not from earth are you?"

"Earth isn't the only place humans live. I'm from a space colony, KO-35, it's in the Karova system."

Then T. J. started to speak. "So you're from outer space?" He asked. Andros nodded.

"Incredible," Carlos commented.

"Well, hey. I'm Cassie, it's really nice to meet you," Cassie greeted.

"And I'm Ashley," Ashley cut in.

"Carlos," Carlos informed.

"And I'm T. J.," he told him.

Andros backed up when T. J. held his hand out to him. "T. J., I'm called Andros," he informed.

(End Flashback)

Ms. Fairweather looked at the screen to see that the memory scan was up to 50. "Maybe we should try something a little more personal," she commented. She then placed more disks into the computer. Andros felt another memory enter his head.

(Flashback)

Andros was putting his stuff away when he saw Ashley walking over to the synthetron. He took a deep breath and walked over to her. "Ashley, I uh...I uh..." he trailed off.

"What?" Ashley asked.

"I was thinking that maybe..." Zhane cut him off.

"Darkonda said something about more monsters. He must have some kind of a lab. I'm going to start scanning, want to help?" Zhane asked.

"Sure," Ashley replied.

Zhane then stole her cake off her plate. "Hey!" She gasped. She then looked over at him. "So, what did you want to ask me?" She asked.

Andros looked over to see his best friendpractically shoving his crush's cake down his throat. He then looked back over to her. "Forget it," he replied.

(Zhane's Sacrifice)

Andros felt pain go through him when the monster struck him with it's saber. "ANDROS, LOOK OUT!" He heard Zhane yell. He fell to the ground when the monster struck him again. "NO!" Zhane yelled. Andros held his arm up when the monster was about to finish him off when Zhane took the hit. He then watched his best friend push the monster down. "ANDROS, RUN!" Zhane yelled.

"ZHANE, NO!" Andros yelled.

He watched as his friend and the monster blew. He walked over and turned his friend over. "Zhane, Zhane, Zhane answer me," he insisted. No word, Andros flung his best friend over his shoulders and walked away.

When he got back to the ship, he placed Zhane in the back room and connected his case with wires and everything else that could keep him alive. "Until we meet again, Zhane," he murmured. He watched as Zhane froze and walked away.

(Finding Karone)

Andros found Astronema's locket and picked it up. "Don't touch that," Astronema snapped. Andros turned to look at her and opened it. His eyes widened in disbelief when he saw that it was the same pictures he had of him and Karone that were in his own locket.

"Where did you get this?" He asked.

"I always had it," she snapped.

He then started to ponder about the possibility. "Is it possible? Could she be Karone?" He pondered. He then turned to look at her. "I've always had mine too," he told her. He opened his locket to show her his pictures. "I don't believe this," he murmured.

"What are you talking about?" She demanded.

"You're Karone, my sister," he replied.

"Karone? That's not true, you destroyed my parents and my brother."

"No, listen to me. I'm your brother."

She then looked at him with a sneer. "Nice try, Red Ranger, but your tricks won't work on me," she sneered. Then she disappeared.

(Saving Karone)

Andros carried his beloved sister out of the Dark Fortress with tears in his eyes. He could see Ashley and the rest of the Power Rangers standing there. He placed Karone on the ground and hovered over her. Tears fell down his face and landed on her face. He watched in disbelief, Karone was turning back. "Karone?" He asked.

"Andros? How did I get here?" She asked.

"That's a long story," he replied.

He smiled when their friends surrounded them, glad that Karone was back and that Andros was alive.

(Ashley's Graduation)

"Congratulations, class of 1999," Mr. Caplan congratulated. Andros clapped for his friends and girlfriend at the end of the graduation. He stood outside standing next to Karone and Zhane while waiting for their friends.

"ANDROS!" Ashley called.

He smiled and opened his arms out to her. Ashley ran over and jumped into his embrace. He spun her around while burying his face in her hair. "Congratulations," he whispered. He placed her on the ground and touched her face. "Now, the future is ours," he told her. Ashley held his hands in hers with a smile.

"Yes, now we have forever," she agreed.

Andros hugged her again and smiled at their friends. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she whispered back.

He pulled back a bit and kissed her.

(End Flashbacks)

Ashley and Ms. Fairweather didn't notice that Dana and Karone left to defeat the monster while she was waiting for Andros to come back. She sighed as she looked over at Ms. Fairweather. "It should be anytime now, Ashley," she informed. Ashley nodded and then she looked over to see the lights around Andros's head turn off and he opened his eyes. Ashley untied his arms and he stepped off. "Andros, who am I?" She asked.

"You're Ashley," he replied.

Ashley shrieked and hugged him tight. One by one the Power Rangers came back, but then the machine malfunctioned and Carter was still strapped to it. When they got Carter off the machine, they realized he lost all of his memory. The monster was attacking the city again, but this time, Dana and Karone were fighting it alone. Andros's eyes widened and was about to follow them when he looked at Carter. "Carter," he started. Carter looked at him, but then Captain Mitchell looked at him.

"There isn't time, you have to go," he insisted.

Andros nodded and left.

When they arrived, Andros ran over to his injured sister. "Karone, are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine," she replied.

He helped her stand up and they fought off the batlings and the machine soldiers that came at them. When Dana was thrown to the ground, she de-morphed. Ashley and Andros tried to get to her, but she was too far. When the monster was about to finish her off, Carter came to the rescue. The monster was finally defeated, another battle was won.

Zafina watched in fury and again slammed her staff to the floor. "Don't fret, my dear. you'll defeat those Power Rangers and you'll have the Red Ranger," Queen Bansheera assured her.

"I hope so, my lady. I don't think I can stand another defeat," she told her.

When they got back to the Aqua-Base, Andros and Ashley watched as Joel went after Ms. Fairweather once she teased him about a date. Captain Mitchell nodded and they went off to get some rest before going into training.

That night, as Ashley and Andros started to fall asleep, a single memory lingered in their heads.

(Flashback)

Andros and Ashley were walking out of the tunnel near the ship and Ashley stopped with a sigh. She looked at him with a sad sigh. "I never thought I had to say goodbye," she murmured.

"I know," he told her.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" She asked.

He grabbed her hands and looked at her. "KO-35 is my home," he reminded. Ashley looked at him with sad eyes.

Once she was on the ship, Cassie placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you going to be okay?" She asked.

"I miss him so much," Ashley replied.

She was quiet, but then a familiar voice reached her ears. "DECA set a course for earth," Andros instructed. Ashley turned around to see him standing there.

"Andros!" She gasped.

She jumped from her chair and ran over to him. He wrapped his arms around her once she reached him. He sighed as he held her to him. "My home is with you guys," he informed.

(End Flashback)