Disclaimer: I own nothing except Garthon, Shreefang, various planets and geographic things, and the mercenaries, I think they're mentioned in this chapter. I do not own the example fortunes either, they were all ones that I got. The ones that the Rangers and Karone got however, I did make up.

When It Rains…

Chapter 3 - Fortune

"Phantom Ranger has left the galaxy milord."

"Are you sure?"

"My scouts report that a ripple was seen moving through the Teruthian Forest on Elsnar."

"Good. We will soon be able to make our move. With two Rangers away we have only to draw the former princess and her guardian away from Earth."

"Two Rangers? But sir, what other Ranger has left Earth? If I may be so bold…."

"The Pink Ranger would not allow the Phantom Ranger to leave her, not after all that has happened."

"Ah, of course sir."

"Now, send the Melorian mercenaries to the Karovian rebels, they should cause enough of a stir to bring out the princess. And, just to make sure the entire team doesn't go, send Shreefang to Angel Grove, she should distract the Rangers."

"Yes milord. All will be done as you have said."

"Excellent."


"Who knew two guys who had never played basketball could do so well against two guys who have played it every week since they were five," Ashley said.

She and Karone were sitting on the bleachers in the park, watching Andros and Zhane play against T.J. and Carlos.

"I don't know about Andros," Karone said, "but Zhane's cheating."

"What?" Ashley balked. "How?"

"Well, I don't know if cheating's the word since no one, well, almost no one, on Earth can do telekinesis, but I don't think it's fair since T.J. and Carlos aren't part of that minority."

"Zhane can do telekinesis?" Ashley asked, awestruck at the idea.

"We all can, didn't you know?"

"No."

"Wow." Both girls continued watching the game for a moment before Karone burst out, "Andros is an idiot."

"Why?"

"Because, if any other guy in the galaxy wanted to get with an alien girl he would use all of his great alien-ness to get on her good side, but he doesn't. He's an idiot."

"Well, maybe he's just not very good-"

"No. He is very good. Out of the three of us, he's the most powerful. And you will recall, power was important where I used to live, so that's saying something. He's just being an idiot." Karone emphasized her statement by swishing her hand slightly to the left just as Zhane made a shot: the ball swerved slightly left of where it should have been.

"Wow," Ashley said simply.

"All right!" Carlos cried. "Game's over!"

"Good," T.J. agreed, "I'm wiped. Who would have thought you two were so good at a game you've never played?"

"Yeah," Karone said as Zhane sat down next to her, "who would have thought?"

Zhane simply smirked and, unable to contain his mirth, laughed.

"Who won?" Ashley asked.

"No one," T.J. said, "we ended on a tie. And we are not going back out!" he called as Zhane began to rise.

"Oh fine," the Silver Ranger moped, then quickly slipped into curiosity with, "I'm hungry."

"Me too," Carlos said.

"I'll get something," Ashley said, getting up. "You boys just rest."

Zhane kicked Andros and gave him a look. "I'll – come too," the Red Ranger said uncertainly.

"Great," Ashley said, grabbing Andros' arm. "Let's go."

"Should we drive?" Andros asked as they approached the parking lot.

"No, there's a great little Chinese place a couple blocks away. Even if we did drive it would take longer to find a place to park than to walk over."

"Okay."

The two walked on in silence for some time before Ashley stepped in front of Andros and stopped, forcing him to look at her. "You're avoiding me."

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are. Cassie and Phantom are light years away together and Zhane and Karone are always laughing with each other, but you and me? We just…." Ashley sighed, unable to explain.

"I know that we don't do things like the others do but – that's not the way I am. I'm slow and I need time and-"

"And I understand that. But, well, we've been through a lot and I'd like a boyfriend who at least holds my hand or looks at me every so often."

"Boyfriend?"

"Well, that's what you are isn't it? How else would you describe our relationship?"

"I- I guess you're right."

"Good. Then we'll go to dinner. Friday."

"Okay," Andros said, trying to keep up.

"Maybe even a movie."

"Movie, good."

"Good," Ashley agreed, and started walking once more.

"Wait," Andros said, catching up, "what just happened?"

"Well," Ashley said, not stopping, "we decided that we're boyfriend and girlfriend and that the best way to portray that fact would be to go to dinner on Friday."

"That… sounds good."

"I thought you'd agree."


"I knew it would be Chinese food," Carlos said, taking a bit of an egg roll.

"How?" Zhane asked.

"Because-"

"Don't say it!" Ashley cried throwing a still-packaged fortune cookie at her friend.

"Because," Carlos continued as if nothing had happened, "Ashley always gets Chinese if she can choose."

"It's your favorite, what's wrong with that?" Zhane asked, turning to face the embarrassed Ranger.

"Nothing," T.J. said, "if it's your favorite based on taste."

"It does taste good!" Ashley protested.

"But that's not why you always get it!"

"Oh," Ashley moaned, and Karone could hear her mutter something about bigmouthed pink rangers.

"Why does she?" Zhane asked, earning a shove from Karone. "Come on, why?" he asked again when he'd recovered his balance.

"Because every fortune Ashley has ever gotten had something to do with love," Carlos said dramatically.

"That's sweet, but what does it mean?" Karone asked.

"Well," T.J. said, "you know these little weird-shaped cookies we told you not to open? They have little slips of paper inside and on each piece is a little saying like 'You will take a long journey soon,' or 'Use your natural talents to obtain more.' They're supposed to tell you your future or what would be the best path for you to take, something like that."

"That is sweet then," Karone said. "Can we open our cookies now?"

"Sure," Carlos said.

"'There is always hope, even when you cannot see the light,'" T.J. said.

"'A warrior is not only measured by the strength of his sword, but by the strength of his spirit,'" Zhane read. "Huh, pretty cool. What does yours say?" he asked Karone.

"'It is the stronger person who turns away from evil, than who turns away from good.'"

"Sometimes they're accurate," Carlos said.

"Yeah," T.J. agreed. "Especially now. Ever since I became a Ranger all my fortunes have had a bearing on my own life. What does yours say Ashley?"

"'True love once won must still be fought for.' What does yours say Andros?"

"I don't have one."

"The machine must have just missed one," Carlos said. "You can have mine."

"No, that's okay," Andros said slowly. After a moment of silence he began gathering the empty containers and taking them to the trash.

Ashley followed with her own armload, saying, "Karone said that Zhane cheated, that he used telekinesis to help you two do so well."

"Yeah," Andros agreed, his mood lightening, "I thought as much."

"I didn't know you guys could do that."

"Oh, well…."

One of the boxes Ashley was dumping into the can bounced off the edge and stopped in midair.

"That is so cool," Ashley said as the box floated up and dropped neatly in with its fellow food receptacles.

"It's not that great," Andros said sheepishly.

"Yes it is. I wish I could do something like that."

"Really? Maybe you could. I mean, I've never tried to teach a Terran, but, well…."

"I'd like that."

"Me too," Andros agreed. "Friday, after dinner."

"Friday, after dinner."

Several yards away the others gave each other knowing looks. The Yellow and Red Rangers were finally getting somewhere.