Chapter 16: Crazy If You Please

by: Weszt

Kimberly arrived to the place she knew they needed to begin their night. Katherine was staring off out the window and sighed as they stopped.

"Well, this is it. We are here."

"And where exactly is here?" Katherine asked as she slammed the door after she got out. Kimberly pulled out 2 huge camping backpacks.

"You know I have never been camping, real camping. Outside in the open."

"Enlightening. So, what? We camp and bond?"

"Not exactly. That one is yours." Kimberly said pointing to the black one.

"It is twice as big as yours."

"Well, what do you know! It is! Come on, it's late and we have a long walk."

"We are in the middle of nowhere! I am not walking in the pitch dark."

"Fine. Stay, but just so you know." Kimberly pressed a button at her car. It was teleported out. "You will be alone and I don't know about you. I wouldn't want to be alone in a place foreign to me..." Katherine looked around. "With coyotes and snakes." Kimberly smiled and walked ahead.

Kimberly looked at the map and nodded after an hour of walking. Katherine was a good 10 feet behind her, struggling with her backpack.

"Do you know where we are going exactly!"

"Of course! I earned by camping badge in 2 days when I was just 8 years old." Kimberly was an excellent camper when she was in Girl's scout, earning all her badges in record times, that is why she was elected as head girl for teach and train younger scouts.

"This feels like a ton of bricks I'm carrying." Kimberly noticed the spot she wanted just for tonight.

"Great, we are here. Good, and there is plenty of wood and rocks."

"This! We are stopping here! We are nowhere!" Katherine yelled.

"Wow, talk about impatient. You can put your bag down now." Katherine dropped the bag in a second.

"What am I carrying exactly?" Katherine opened the bag, after lifting aside her bag with her change of clothes, she let out a scream. She had in fact been carrying nothing but barbells. "I am carrying barbells!"

"Oh, sorry about that," Kimberly said with a smile. Kimberly started setting up for a fire pit, putting rocks in a circle. She opened her bag for some matches. "Want some water?" Katherine went to slap Kimberly when she walked over to her, but Kimberly was quick. She caught Katherine by the arm and twisted it around, pushing her down to her knees. "Do you really want to play this game?"

"Ahhh!" Kimberly twisted the arm harder. "No!"

"I am trying to do you a favor!"

"I don't need your favor! Ahhh!" Kimberly squeezed her arm. "Please…please don't…"

"You know if I wanted to hurt you, I could have easily done it back at your house with no shame. And if I want to break this arm of yours…." Kimberly twisted it harder. Katherine screamed. "I could. So why try me?"

"Please! Please, don't! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"I brought you out here to help you. You see, when I was lost, when I wasn't my true self, a man took me under his wings and showed me I can be better. I am better now than what I was before. And now, I am going to help you, even if you don't want me to." Kimberly let her go. Katherine grabbed her arm. "Because I know you are better than this. You were put under an evil spell, but that spell is not going to be your excuse for your actions. It's time you own up to your actions and pay the consequences." Katherine had tears in her eyes. Kimberly placed a bottle of water beside her. "It's late. You need to sleep off that pain because that is just the beginning. Tomorrow, well, let's just say. Much lies ahead." Kimberly lit the wood and started a fire. She tossed Katherine a sleeping bag after pulling out her bag.

"Are you crazy?"

"Crazy if you please." Kimberly opened her sleeping bag. "Get some sleep."

"I'm hungry."

"In the morning." Kimberly fixed Tommy's huge shirt that was around her waist as a pillow. She wrapped herself in the bag. "Goodnight." Katherine sighed and laid down, flexing her arm a bit. It was still in pain. She looked over to see Kimberly with her eyes closed.

"This is crazy," she muttered. "I am not staying here." Katherine sat up.

"Lay your ass down." Katherine looked over at Kimberly shocked, who kept her eyes closed. Katherine did. Eventually, she found sleep.

Morning sun woke Katherine. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. She found herself alone.

"Kimberly?" Katherine sat up fast. "Kimberly!" Katherine saw the fire was out, and Kimberly was nowhere in sight. "Kimberly!" Katherine screamed. Katherine stood up, near tears. "Kimberly!"

All of a sudden, Kimberly appeared. Katherine held her chest and rushed toward her.

"How could you leave me!"

"Just checking the map. You were in sight. I just wanted to check out the rock hill ahead on the map. My my, you seem worried. I wouldn't leave you alone to yourself, though you deserve it."

"Whatever."

"Get your bag."

"I am not carrying that thing!"

"You can take out the barbells."

"I can?"

"Sure! Knock yourself out." Katherine did. "I hope we can make it to the lake by lunch and do some fishing." Katherine lifted the bag with ease and smiled.

"I don't fish."

"Me either. Won't it be fun?"

"No!" Kimberly shrugged and smiled. She held up a device toward the barbells and pressed the button and moved it back over to Katherine's bag. Katherine dropped to one knee as her bag was filled with the barbells. "You said…"

"I said you could take out the barbells from your bag, which you did. But I never said you won't be carrying them. Let's go."

"What about breakfast!" Kimberly tossed back at her 2 wrapped bars. "Trail mix snack bars?"

"With cranberries. Oh and..." Kimberly walked over to Katherine and placed 2 bottles of water to the side pockets. "Hope that is not too much."

"Funny." Kimberly pulled the snap around Katherine's stomach. She patted her stomach.

"There, let's go."

Katherine groaned walking behind Kimberly as she pointed, enjoying the beautiful sight as she talked and talked.

"So, want to hear another story?"

"No!"

"It's a shame. I love this one." Kimberly had just told the story about the day she receive her pink powers from Zordon. "It was a typical school morning. The past weekend was a drag. The most exciting thing to happen was when I went to Jason's karate match."

"Oh goodie." Katherine knew where this was going.

"I meet the guy I knew I would love for the rest of my life. He was gorgeous, still is, with dark wavy brown hair, dreamy eyes. Was it like that when you first saw Tommy? Were you amazed? Did you drool? I know I did. Anyways, I think the match ended in the draw, wait, yeah, it did. Jason was bummed, as he always is when he doesn't win. I wanted to run to him, but I was too shy. Then the following school morning, we officially met, in the non-conventional way. He saw Bulk and Skull being their usual annoying selves and came to my aid."

"What a surprise," Katherine said rolling her eyes.

"Do you know why I am telling you this?"

"No."

"Not just for conversation. You see, I know what it feels like to look at that boy and feel something. I know that's why Rita targeted you. You are not the only girl that has feelings for Tommy. There are dozens that…"

"Wow, you really must think highly of Tommy and his looks."

"No, but I see the eyes wander when he's around. I always feel it. I just want you to know, you are not alone in your 'love' of Tommy."

"No, with those other girls it's just infatuation..."

"And with you?"

"I love him. And you stole him."

"He is not a locket or a dress you can simply take, Katherine. I stole nothing. He gave my his heart long ago and you never will have it."

"Wow, is this the big speech, where you tell me I am nothing. I will always be second best to you?"

"You don't have to be second best to anyone, unless you make yourself that." Kimberly looked at the map. "This way."

Kimberly stretched after she dropped her bag by the lake. She bent back.

"Wow, talk about your long walks in the heat." Katherine dropped the bag and fell to the ground as well. She had fallen into a mud pit, now covered in mud. Kimberly had forget to mention mud ahead, as she stepped aside. Katherine, some feet behind, not paying attention, fell straight into it. Kimberly looked at Katherine and couldn't help but laugh. "I am so sorry."

"Yeah right. You are enjoying this."

"Of course, but really, I should have yelled and told you."

"Yeah, you should have." Katherine wiped her face before crawling to the water. They had been trekking for nearly 3 hours.

"Why exactly are you doing this?"

"I told you."

"You can't possibly want to help me after what I did!"

"And why not?"

"No one is that nice, that forgiving!"

"I am. I hold no grudges to you, because what happened, well..."

"Rita's spell had nothing to do with what I did, you and I both know that. I choose to do those things."

"Oh, I know that! Don't think I am doing this because I feel sorry for you and that spell cast on you. You are responsible for those actions you did. I am here to help you see the truth."

"What truth!"

"Yourself." Kimberly pulled out some fishing rods. She unsnapped them, making them long. "Now, I have not a clue how to do this. I wish Jason or Tommy was here."

"Me too," Katherine muttered. Kimberly smirked.

"But we are girls and girls are better than boys, so we can do this." Katherine tossed the rod aside.

"Help yourself. I need a bath." Katherine grabbed a change of clothes.

"Fine, but no fishing, no lunch."

"Whatever." Katherine walked away to clean up.

Kimberly sat with a fire going, cooking her fish when Katherine returned, fresh and cleaned. She had her 2 caught fishes on sticks. She was very proud of herself for her success.

"You're back. How was the bath?"

"Cold."

"Yeah, water around this time is rather colder than usual."

"I see you caught something."

"Yep, second try too. I suggest you get to work."

"No thank you."

"Fine by me." Kimberly checked her fish. Kimberly relaxed back until it was done. Katherine's eyes never left Kimberly was she smelled and took tentative bites at her fish. She moaned. Katherine rolled her eyes.

"Can I at least get another nasty trail mix bar?"

"Sorry, did you eat both of them?"

"Of course!"

"Your lost." Kimberly opened her bag of potato chips.

"Bitch." Katherine picked up the rod in anger and went to fishing. Kimberly smiled. She angrily cast the line into the water.

"Fish won't like it if you are angry."

"Go to hell."

"Just telling you." After 20 minutes, Katherine hadn't gotten one bite. Kimberly was finishing up her second fish. "That was so good." She patted her stomach. Katherine turned to her.

"Is this where I ask for your help and I have complete step 1 of this re-enlightment?"

"Hell no. I am not some AA or counsel. And I won't help you fish."

"I'm hungry!"

"Then keep trying."

"It's hard!"

"No shit, life is hard, but you gotta kept trying." Kimberly stretched out on her sleeping bag.

"What the hell are you doing now?"

"A nap, little mediation."

"Unbelievable." Katherine went back to fishing.

Kimberly sat up as Katherine was waiting on the fish to cook. Katherine couldn't get one fish, so Kimberly did. And though she only caught one fish for her, Katherine was grateful for any food.

"So, why did you do it?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Of course, but I want you to tell me."

"I told you! You stole him…" Kimberly held her hand up to stop her outburst.

"We are not going down that road."

"Fine. Want to know the truth? I hate you and I wanted you to pay."

"See, not that bad, and I didn't hit you," Kimberly said with a smile. "So, you hate me? Present tense, you hate me?"

"Now, I…I feel indifferent to you."

"Wow. Really? What did I do to you?"

"You came back."

"Now that is the truth. You felt, out of place when I came back. You knew eventually, Tommy would leave you to be with me."

"Yes."

"And you were not going to let that happen?"

"Yes! Especially when you don't deserve Tommy."

"I can understand that. I did break up with him."

"You compared your love for him, as a brotherly love."

"I know. Crazy, huh."

"Yes!"

"And that angered you?" Kimberly asked.

"Completely!"

"So, I didn't deserve him for what I did to him?"

"Yes!"

"And why was that your decision to make?"

"Excuse me?" Katherine asked.

"That wasn't your decision to make, Katherine. Whether or not, if and when Tommy and I get together is our decision to make, not yours."

"Yes it was! I was his friend when you dumped him! It took weeks to get him out of that funk of you! He promised himself to never feel that way again."

"Which you felt he meant he could never trust me, be with me again?"

"Of course! After what you did,after you embarrassed him like that! But no! He comes running back to you as soon as you are in town!No, that isn't fair!"

"It's simple, Katherine. It is...Love."

"Love?"

"In his heart, in my heart, there is always love for each other."

"I don't care. And I don't need to listen to this."

"Yeah, you do. Sit down." Katherine looked at her. "Sit down." Katherine did. Kimberly took her hands as she sat Indian style before her. "When I left for Florida, I trusted you. I trusted you and gave you my powers because you helped me overcome my fears. Whether or not you were still under Rita's side-effects, I trusted you because I saw something in you like Zordon saw something in me, giving me my chance to do good." Katherine looked at her. "Now, I'm going to do something, tell you something only one other person knows because I told him. And I am not proud of it, but I wouldn't change it." Kimberly took a deep breath. "I killed a man." Katherine's eyes went wide. "Yes, me. Kimberly Ann Hart. I did something very bad."

"Who?"

"I told you how the Zeo crystal was given to me by a friend, Master Morimoto. I earned it, through many trials and personal quests thanks to him and his teachings. His son murdered him because his son felt that I didn't deserve his help. I went after this man. Miles, Master Morimoto's young grandson, went to kill his uncle. I knew he couldn't beat his uncle. Michael, his uncle,was evil, so I went to do the job."

"You went to kill a man?"

"On the surface, I kept telling myself, no. I am not evil, I'm not that malicious to want to commit murder, but deep down I was enraged with revenge. There was fire in the temple where we fought. Miles was injured by a fallen beam and so was his uncle. I saved Miles, of course first. I went over to his uncle, who was struggling with the beam. Miles was yelling for me to help him get out. I looked Michael in the eyes, and I lifted a sword from the ground, his father's sword, passed down through the generations. It was a powerful sword, with many lives taken with it. It was apart of Master Morimoto's legacy. He claimed, his sword was an instrument of death. I knew that and felt that when I touched that sword. So I looked Michael in the eyes, and I thrusted that sword into his chest." Katherine gasped. "And I walked away." Kimberly had tears in her eyes. "So, now you know the whole truth. I told Tommy, I left him to die, because I had a choice between Miles or him. I didn't tell Tommy, I left him with a sword in his chest."

"You killed him?"

"I didn't make sure of it, but I am pretty sure, if the sword didn't kill him. The fire did."

"But how could you..."

"You see, I know what it feels like to be consumed with anger, to want to cause someone pain for making you suffer pain. I know that feeling. And I will always live with that feeling."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I am here to help you and myself. We both have a soul to cleanse and I was hoping together, we could do it."

Katherine watched Kimberly pull off her shirt and shorts after her sneakers.

"We are going to have to swim down and across if we want to reach the place I want for tomorrow." Kimberly was lucky Billy supplied them with water-resistance backpacks.

"I just want to go home now," Katherine said.

"Can't let that happen, Katherine. Come on."Kimberly put on her backpack after putting away her clothes.

"I will drown if I carry those bricks!"

"You may leave the bricks here."

"Another trick?"

"Nope." Kimberly stepped into the water. "Oh, cold!" She dived into the water. She kicked off from the shore. Katherine unloaded her bag and followed Kimberly. They swam down. Kimberly shook her hair out as they reached the other side. "Let's continued on."

"Oh, just wait. I am tired!" Kimberly looked ahead.

"We are warmed up. We need to work with the light, so keep up." Katherine sighed and they continued on. They found a spring and filled their water bottles before resting for the night.

Kimberly stopped outside a cave the following late afternoon. They had finally reached where she wanted them to be. The final stop until home.

"What is this?"

"I think David called it the 'Cave of Clarity'. Many spiritual journeys are started here."

"Started? We just started!"

"Yeah, this is a big cave. Come on."

"It's dark in there!"

"It's getting dark out here. Trust me."

"I don't trust you. You killed a man."

"Fine, never said you had to. Follow me then." Kimberly slid on some jeans and continued into the cave. Katherine looked around. She stomped the ground in frustration.

"Hey, wait!" Kimberly smiled. She clicked on her flashlight and led the way through the many tunnels.

"Do you know where we are?" Kimberly asked as Katherine bent over breathing hard. "Do you know where we are standing?" Katherine shook her head. "This is hollow ground. Can't you feel that energy?"

"I feel tired." Kimberly rolled her eyes.

"With your heart, Katherine, feel it." Kimberly held her hands out.

"I don't feel a damn thing!"

"I do." Kimberly continued on. Katherine sighed and followed. Kimberly walked down a path. "It's getting stronger here…come on."

"Maybe we shouldn't….I mean it could be…" Kimberly walked on.

"It's stronger…" Kimberly screamed as the ground opened up. Katherine screamed too, falling backward. Kimberly was swallowed by the ground.

"Kimberly!" Katherine crawled to the edge and felt the ground. "Kimberly!" She dugged through the dirt, getting nothing. "Kimberly!" Katherine pounded the ground. "No! No!" Katherine screamed backing up. She looked around the dark cave. She went into her bag and pulled out a flashlight. "Kimberly! Kimberly please!"

Kimberly landed hard on the ground. She looked around, coughing.

"Wow, David didn't mention that in the tour guide. Katherine?" Kimberly stood up. "Katherine!" She sighed and put her backpack down. She saw the cut on her knee. "Katherine!" Kimberly wrapped her knee in cloth and went to search for Katherine. "Katherine!" Kimberly screamed walking around thecave. "Katherine, can you hear me!" Kimberly sighed. She went to wrist and realized she gave up her communicator. "Great job, Kimberly. Shit. Perfect. I just had to leave behind both communicators. Great, I better find Katherine before she freaks out." Kimberly walked on. She felt a presence brush past her. She gasped. "Who's there?" Kimberly turned around.

Katherine walked down the caves, screaming out for Kimberly. She had drank down one bottle of water on to her next.

"Well, well, poor kitty, are you lost?" Katherine stopped and turned around.

"What do you want Rita?"

"I told you they would find out," Rita's figure said with a smile.

"Shut up! You are not here."

"Of course I am."

"Shut up! Kimberly!"

"Kimberly!" Rita mocked. "Always running for help."

"Go away."

"Let me help you."

"Right, you help me." Katherine laughed.

"It didn't work with Jasmine, like I said it wouldn't. She betrayed you."

"Like you won't!"

"I don't want Tommy, I have my Zeddy. But if you come back, I will bring Tommy with you. I made him evil once, I can do it again."

"I don't want to be evil! Evil is not the way to win Tommy!"

"Oh, yes, because the way you did worked."

"Go to hell!"

"Feisty kitty."

"I will have Tommy."

"Not with Kimberly in the picture." Rita held up a dagger. "But if you take her out of the picture, you can have him."

"I am no murderer!"

"You already tried once. If Kimberly can do it, I know you can. She is just around that corner, down the left tunnel. You know when this all ends, she'll go back to Tommy, back to his bed. You know they made love within the hour of knowing the truth. Take it. Use it. You know you want to." Katherine looked at the dagger. "Kill her." Katherine look at the dagger.

Kimberly sighed and took a sip of water as she sat down.

"Great. Searching for like an hour." Kimberly felt someone pass her. She jumped up. "Who's there!" Kimberly shouted. "I know someone is there! Katherine! Is that you! Katherine! This is not funny! Come out Katherine!"

"There is no Katherine here." Kimberly gasped as she slowly turned around. A man stood before her.

"Michael."

"You killed me!" Kimberly screamed as Michael lunged forward to choke her. Kimberly fell back against the wall, hitting her head. She opened her eyes and looked around. She sat up from the ground, holding the back of her head.

"Okay, my mind is playing treats on me. This is great." Kimberly stood up. "I need to get out of this place and fast." After a few more steps, Kimberly feltthe presence. "Go away! You can't hurt me! You're dead."

"Am I?" An evil laughter came. Kimberly did a 360. "You killed me, you bitch. You killed me!"

"You died the minute you killed Master Morimoto. You just didn't know it." Kimberly continued on. "You will not haunt me, because you have no power over me."

"Do I?" Kimberly was punched to the ground. She held her face and listened to the laughter. She looked around. "Feels like I do." Kimberly stood up and went into a fighting stance. He laughed and kicked her. Kimberly fell to her knees and was kicked in the face. Kimberly rolled to her back. Michael's ghost stood over her. "Who's the strong one now?"

"Not you!" Kimberly rolled backwards to her knees and found herself alone. "Come on, fight me!" Evil laughter came from down the tunnel. Kimberly jumped to her feet and chased after the laughter. "Get back here!" Kimberly ran hard.

Katherine ran down the tunnels. She held the dagger out just in case. She wasn't going to let anything get the jump on her. 'Kill her! Kill Kimberly' still ringing in her head. Rita's words still there in her head. "I will not kill her. I don't care what Rita's says. I am not Kimberly, I am me." Katherine ran faster down.
Kimberly took a sharp right and crashed straight into something. Katherine felt the pain in her head after slamming back into the ground after crashing into something. Kimberly gasped, holding her stomach. Katherine sat up and found blood on her hands.

"How could you?"

"Kimberly?"

"How could you?" Kimberly pulled the dagger out of her stomach, and crawled away, holding her stomach, blood pouring from her hand.

"I didn't mean to…I didn't mean…" Katherine's eyes filled with tears.

"You stabbed me. You stabbed me." Kimberly collapsed. Katherine gasped, covering her mouth with tears in her eyes. She picked up the dagger, not believing it.

"No…no…no!" Katherine screamed.