Chapter 31: Fame isn't everything Part 1

Ashley was walking down the hall when she stopped at Kelsey and Dana's room. She was listening to Dana name off every bone on her skeleton model that she had. "Perfect! You've named every bone in the human body three times," Kelsey announced. Ashley laughed and knocked on the door.

"May I come in?" She asked.

"Ashley, of course you can. Have a seat," Kelsey replied.

Ashley sat down and looked at her friend to see her looking at another model of the human body. "Dana, you're going to be a great doctor," Kelsey assured her. Dana sighed as she put the model down. Ashley could see that something was bothering her.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing. It's if I can afford medical school," Dana replied.

"What do you mean if Dana?" Ashley asked.

"I'm afraid I'm a little short on money for medical school," Dana replied.

"I know what you mean. Andros and I found this great house, but the problem is the money. Every time we find a perfect house, the price is way out of our reach."

"Well, hopefully you'll be able to get that dream house.

Ashley wrapped her arm around Dana's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll get the money for medical school," Ashley assured her. Dana sighed and then when she asked Kelsey to hold the book again, the alarms went off.

"Let's go," Kelsey insisted.

They got up and ran to the Rescue Rover.

Andros was already in the Rescue Rover and helped his wife in before going down. "What's going on?" Ashley asked.

"There's a fire in the city," Andros replied.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and they were off with the rest of their team.

Once they came to the fire, Carter went to fire truck while the rest of the team went inside to get the people who were caught in the fire out. Ashley and Andros saw a girl trapped in a flaming room. "I'll go get her. Just keep searching," Ashley insisted. Andros nodded and ran to another direction. Ashley ran to the girl. "Just hold still okay. Back up and close your eyes," Ashley instructed. The girl that looked to be around nine, backed up and covered her eyes. Ashley took out her blaster and aimed it at the wood in front of it. She blasted it away and ran to the girl. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Uh-huh," the girl replied.

Ashley picked the girl up and ran out of the building.

Andros was searching everywhere and found a young woman around their age unconscious on the floor. He pulled a beam off her and saw a small flame on her shoulder. He quickly put it out and picked her up.

When they came out, Ashley had de-morphed and placed the girl on a stretcher. "It's going to be okay, these guys are going to take care of you now," she informed.

"Thanks, Yellow Ranger," the girl told her.

Ashley wiped some sweat from her brow and ran to Dana. "Is that everybody?" She asked.

"I think so," Dana replied.

They watched as the fire was put out and the rest of the people who were trapped in the fire were taken to the hospital. Andros walked over and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"How are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm a little tired and I smell like an ashtray, but I'm okay," Ashley replied.

Andros chuckled before they went back to the Rescue Rover with their friends.

In a room, a woman was tossing pictures of girls around the room saying that they weren't perfect. "These Glitz girls have to have a sense of adventure they has to have romance in her soul, like me, Koko Kashmere," she insisted. She then looked at her desk to see a picture clipping of Dana and Ashley taking care of the two girls. "Oh! Exquisite! Perfection! Find me them! Sure the girl in yellow needs a little bit of hair changing, but she's perfect and the girl in pink needs a little make-up, but she's also just perfect!" She gasped. Her assistant nodded and left.

Dana and Ashley were leaving the library. Ashley was still continuing on with her dream as a fashion designer, so she had sketches of her favorite gowns she had drawn in hand. Dana however had her nose stuck in a book. A white limo pulled up and honked making the girls jump slightly. Koko then came out of the car. "Dana Mitchell! Ashley Karovan! Darlings! Oh, yes indeed. A little of this, a little of that. Oh, I have outdone myself," she stated. Ashley and Dana looked at each other with quizzical looks before looking at her.

"Not to be rude, but who are you?" Ashley asked.

"I am Koko Kashmere! I take the little common people, and shoot them into the stars," Koko replied.

She grinned at the girls and tapped her chin. "And you, my lucky ladies, are going to be my new Glitz girls," she announced. Ashley was stunned just as much as Dana was.

"Us? Glitz girls?" Dana asked

"Yes," Koko replied.

"I don't think so. I don't even like having my picture taken," Dana stated.

"I enjoy being in front of the camera. I just don't want to yanked away from my husband for so long. Besides, I want to be a fashion designer instead of a model," Ashley agreed.

"Aw...how cute shy. Just like I was," Koko commented.

She then grabbed both of the girls' arms and led them down the street. "Don't worry darlings. When I'm done with you the camera will be your best friend! Everyone will know your faces, and there will be money. Lots of money. You young lady. If you don't want to be pulled away from your husband, we can bring him with us. Let me look at your sketches, darling," Koko insisted. Ashley held up some of her sketches and nodded. "I like them. They have that unique design in them. We can dress you up in your own fashion designs," she commented. Ashley was stunned. Seeing herself wearing her own designs intrigued her. She then held up money for both of the girls. "Fameand fortune, darling. It's what makes the world go round," she added.

"Not my world. I have plans. I'm going to be a doctor," Dana insisted.

"This is all very nice Koko, but Andros and I have plans on trying to buy a house to raise a family," Ashley insisted.

"Really? Well, I will pay you enough money so that you can go to any medical school you want. You darling Ashley. You and your husband could live in any mansion your little hearts desire," Koko added.

They looked at the money in front of them and they looked at each other. "All right, we give in," Ashley sighed. Koko nodded and then she looked at Ashley.

"If you really want your husband to be with you. Call him up and we'll pick him up," she stated.

Ashley shrugged as she called Andros.

Andros jumped when his cell-phone went off. "Andros," he answered. He was still trying to get used to the thing.

"Andros, meet me outside the Aqua-Base. I have a great news," Ashley informed.

"Okay," Andros stated.

He hung up and left.

When he came out of the Aqua-Base, the white limo pulled up and Ashley got out. "Ashley, what's going on?" He asked.

"Andros, I have been asked to design my clothes and I'm able to wear them," Ashley replied.

Andros then hugged her with a smile. "That's wonderful, Ashley," he stated. Then Koko got out of the car.

"Hello young man, I'm Koko Kashmere. Your wife is dazzling with beauty," she commented.

"Thank you, Ms. Kashmere," he told her.

"Please, call me Koko," she insisted.

"Okay."

"Well, we better get going or we're going to be late for Mrs. Karovan's big break."

They got in the limo and they were off.

As they got to the studios. Koko got out with a smile. Her assistant was there. "Ladies and gentleman. My assistant will show Dana to her dressing room and I will be leading Ashley to her room. My other assistant will bring Andros to Ashley's studio," she instructed. Andros was led away, not knowing that Zafina was watching him.

Zafina sighed when she saw Andros being settled down in a studio. He looked a bit confused and she smiled at it. "So, his pretty wife is being used as a model. Well, at least she's out of my hair for an hour along with that Pink Ranger," Zafina stated.

"Remember, Zafina. We can't get to him not with the Yellow and Pink Rangers there," Vypra reminded.

"That's why we have a monster. We'll send it down when I know the time is right," Zafina instructed.

Vypra nodded and stepped back, not wanting to get her angry since she was Queen Bansheera's second.

Ashley was put in a dress and was sat down at a make-up station. "Well, my dear. If I do say so myself, you and your handsome husband seem to have a special bond," Koko commented.

"Uh, yeah. We do. Andros and I met in high school two years ago. He was new and he was distant that was until I came in," Ashley lied.

"Ah, a cold hearted man was he?" She asked.

"Yeah, I guess he was."

Ashley felt a little uneasy talking about it, she didn't like trying to hide what Andros really was, but it wasn't like she could come out and say that her husband was from another planet. "Okay, stand up and let me see how you look," she insisted. Ashley stood up and turned around once.

Her hair was down and it flowed around her shoulders perfectly. She was wearing a golden yellow looking dress that had Crepe back satin, no straps, metrical pleated surplice bodice, a drape, it had beaded trim, and a long slim skirt with a low hem. She had on golden buckle high heels, she still wore the necklace Andros gave her, and diamond earrings.

"Darling you look absolutely gorgeous," she complimented. Ashley blushed and then they walked out into the studio.

Andros's eyes widened in disbelief when he saw how beautiful his wife looked when she came out. "Ashley," he whispered. She smiled as she stood out on the studio.

"Now, let me see some pizzazz as you move around. You're happy and let's just have you show off to Andros over there," Koko instructed.

Ashley nodded and started working her magic. Andros couldn't help but watch her in a daze. However, he saw Koko look at Ashley's morpher. "Wait, what is that?" She demanded. Ashley knew she saw her morpher and hid her arm behind her back.

"Uh, that's my morpher," Ashley replied.

"Well, unless it matches your outfit, like I told your friend, Dana. It has to go," Koko instructed.

"I'll take it, Ash," Andros told her.

He took her morpher and stood back. "Let's get back to work. I'll be back, my dear. I have to check on your friend," Koko informed. Ashley felt a little weight get lifted off her shoulders when Koko left.

"You know something, Andros. This isn't all that its cracked up to be," Ashley commented.

Andros noticed that Ashley was feeling a little bit nervous without her morpher on. Then his communicator went off. He looked at Ashley and she nodded. He hid in a corner and held his communicator up. "Andros," he informed.

"Andros, get Ashley and Dana down here. We need you both now," Captain Mitchell instructed.

"We're on our way," Andros assured him.

He then saw Koko and ran to her. "Koko, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to steal Ashley away," Andros informed.

"Why?" Koko asked.

"It's a family emergency," he replied.

"Have her back here quickly," Koko insisted.

Ashley hurried off the set and she ran out with Andros. They tried contacting Dana on the way, but the studio doors were locked and her morpher was in her dressing room and they didn't know where that was.

When they came to the sight to where Treevil, the new monster, was attacking. Kelsey and Carter ran up to them. "Ashley, where's Dana? And where on earth did you get that dress?" Kelsey asked.

"We don't know where Dana is. And the dress, it's a long story," Ashley replied.

"All right, we need your help," Carter insisted.

"Right. Ready Ashley?" Andros asked.

"Ready," Ashley replied.

"LET'S ROCKET!"

They morphed and helped their friends fight Treevil.

After their defeat, they went back to the Aqua-Base, but Ashley had to go return the dress to Koko. Koko was a little disappointed that Ashley wasn't there for the rest of the shoot, but she promised that she would come back and get more shoots done.

When she was about to go to her and Andros's room, she heard Kelsey and Dana talking. "Knock, knock," she greeted. The two girls looked up to see her standing there.

"Hey, Ash, where did you go?" Dana asked.

"Andros and I responded to their call. We had to go," Ashley replied.

The next day, a magazine was placed in front of her. "The new Glitz girls," Andros commented. Ashley looked at the picture with a sigh. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. I just don't think I like this. I was there for only a day and counting this morning. I already hate it. I wanted to design clothes, not wear them," Ashley replied.

Andros wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You could always say no," he commented.

"I can't, we need the money," she insisted.

"We can survive without you being a model. Have Koko let you be a fashion designer like you dreamed to be, not a model," he insisted.

Ashley sighed then looked up when Kelsey came back alone and had a hurt look on her face. Andros nodded and let Ashley go after their Yellow Ranger friend.

Kelsey was storming down the hall when Ashley caught up to her. "What's going on? Where's Dana?" She asked.

"I'm surprised that you're not out there joining her," Kelsey grouched.

"What are you talking about?"

"Dana has been signing autographs all afternoon. She just hopped in her limo and left me behind."

"Kelsey, I'm so sorry."

Kelsey sat down with a sigh. "I thought she was my friend," Kelsey mumbled.

"She is her friend. Soon this will go by and we'll have our old Dana back," Ashley insisted.

Kelsey sighed and nodded. Ashley walked to her room and picked up the phone. She was going to get the house she and Andros deserved, but she was going to get it on her own and not being famous. She picked up the phone and called Koko. Koko was persistent and Ashley tried again for three more days.

Author's Note: Will Koko let Ashley give up being a model? Will Dana finally get the sense knocked into her or will the Rangers lose their Pink Ranger for good?