Disclaimer: I am getting very tired of saying this. Oh well. I own nothing, well nothing really valuable anyway, so no suing!

Author's Note: Okay, the two-day break is over, my breakfast has been ready for half an hour but here I am, updating for you ungrateful people who don't even review. Actually, I'm updating for the people who do and the people who don't just reap the benefit. Why have none of you good people mentioned T.J.? I have been very mean to him and given him nothing! No one has picked up on the signs, I am very depressed. Maybe someone will guess in their review. Enjoy chapter 9!

When It Rains…

Chapter 9 - Reunion

"Guys!" Carlos called the second he had materialized enough to speak. He quickly spun around, shocked that the Jump Bay was empty. Unless it was the middle of the night there was always someone there, eating or working on their glider or doing something. But it was ten in the morning, usually someone was up by now.

"DECA, where is everyone?" he asked. No answer. "DECA? DECA, this isn't funny," he said harshly. The red light was on but there was no answer. He hurried from the room, deciding to find any of the others, he had to tell them about Rissai.

He stopped outside of T.J.'s door and knocked loudly. The Blue Ranger was at the door so fast Carlos took a step back in shock.

"Carlos!" T.J. cried, pulling his friend into a bear hug. "Man have we missed you."

"What's going on? Where is everyone? What's wrong with DECA?"

"Ashley's still asleep, but only because Zhane gave her a sedative after she finally dozed off. He and Karone are off together looking for leads, while Ecliptor and Infinity go off on their own to look. I still haven't managed to fix DECA."

"Wait—what? What are they looking for? Why is Ashley sedated? Why does DECA need fixing?"

T.J. sighed. "Andros and Ashley went on their date on Friday. When they left the restaurant they were attacked by Shreefang. The monster only attacked once, she injected something into Andros. I had to go down to Earth as the Blue Ranger and say that we felt we had a better chance of helping the poor young man," T.J. adopted a self-deprecating tone for the latter half of the sentence. "When we finally got him up to the ship it took us a while to stabilize him. Karone and the others called then. Jeff stopped on Centaur B a few days ago and they found out that that interdimensional being that Jeff defeated to get his powers wants revenge and was using Shreefang and the attackers on Centaur B to distract us." Carlos bit his tongue here, deciding it was better to hear the story out than tell T.J. his own news in the middle. "Anyway, we convinced Ashley to at least try to take her mind off of Andros and she went to Earth, apparently she talked with Leslie, who you should call when this is all over by the way. Andros woke up while she was gone, attacked Karone, fried internal sensors and DECA's vocal units while looking for Ashley and disappeared. He was apparently transported off the planet a few minutes later. So where have you been?"

"Phaedos," Carlos began. "When Shreefang attacked me and Leslie I snapped. It was like I could feel Reptos in me again and I couldn't deal. Dulcea gave me some exercises to help keep in control and then told me I had to go back even though I'm still not fully stable. Turns out, Dulcea was one of the original Rangers along with Zordon. Rissai, that genie lady from Vega 3, was actually one of their enemies and Shreefang was like her pet or something."

"So, we have two massively powerful bad guys trying to get revenge on us," T.J. said slowly.

"Looks like."

"Maybe we should wake Ashley up."


"Where are you?" Ashley asked.

"I cannot tell you. But I will come for you," he added quickly.

"You need to come back. We're worried about you."

He gently stroked her cheek. "You don't have to be. I am fine, as long as I know we will be together again soon."

"Why did you hurt DECA?" she asked sharply, pulling away. "And why did you leave? You hurt Karone! We only want to help you!"

"Ashley," he said gently, pulling her into his arms, "I am fine. You do not have to worry, I will take care of everything."

"Andros please," she called, but the dream was already slipping away.


"Ashley?" Carlos asked gently.

"Andros," the Yellow Ranger murmured before opening her eyes.

"No," T.J. said sadly, "he's still gone."

"I know," Ashley said angrily, "and he is being a complete idiot."

"What?" Carlos asked.

"He—" Ashley stopped dead. "Carlos? You're back!" Ashley jumped off the bed and gave Carlos a hug. "Where have you been?"

"I'll explain later. What were you saying about Andros?"

"Oh, do you remember how, in the other version, Galactus and I shared dreams?"

"Yeah," the two Rangers said in unison.

"Well, apparently we're doing that again."

"And he's a complete idiot?" T.J. asked.

"Yes, he is," Ashley harrumphed, crossing her arms and flopping back onto the bed.

"Oh, well, did he happen to tell you where he was while he was being a complete idiot?"

"No, which is part of the basis for his idiocy."

"Figures," Carlos said, taking a seat.

"DECA?" T.J. called. "We managed to fix her while you were asleep," he explained to Ashley.

"Two Rangers are better than one," Carlos said.

"Yes T.J.?" the computer asked serenely.

"Is there any way to use Ashley's connection to Andros to find him?"

"There may be, but we would need to contact Zhane and Karone to discuss the safest method."

"Okay," T.J. said, slipping into leader-mode. "Contact them, just don't let Jeff know what we're up to. I don't want the Infinity Ranger going into over-protective big brother mode."

"Of course."


"I do not like this," Zhane said.

"Neither do I," Ashley said, "but it has to be done."

"How are you going to fall asleep?" Carlos asked.

Ashley was wearing a helmet with various wires linking to machines designed to monitor her vital signs and to approximate the location of whoever she happened to telepathically link with while she slept.

"I don't know," Ashley said, lying down.

"We could give you a sedative again," Karone half joked.

"No," Ashley said quickly. "I didn't manage to link with him until I had almost woken up last night because of the sedatives. I'll just have to fall asleep on my own."

"Well, we'll just leave you to it then," Zhane said, sidling out of the room.

"Bye," Karone said.

"Sweet dreams," the substitute leader said.

"Don't let the bedbugs bite," Carlos joked as the door closed behind him.

"We can monitor her from the bridge."

The group slowly made their way through the hall only to be met halfway to the bridge by a very unhappy, out of breath Infinity Ranger.

"Where is she?" he growled.

"Sleeping," Karone said innocently. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I know you guys are doing something crazy involving my little sister in an attempt to find Andros."

"What gives you that idea?" Zhane asked, putting an arm around Karone's shoulders.

"They're Fet-na. She's the best connection you have to him right now. Now what are you doing to her?"

T.J. stepped forward, "We're monitoring her telepathic readings in an attempt to locate Andros."

"So why are you all out here?"

"Because she's trying to fall asleep," Carlos supplied.

"The dreams," Jeff sighed after a minute. "I thought they stopped after the shift in realities."

"Ashley says they did," Zhane said. "But apparently they came back after Andros disappeared."

"Great. My life could not get any weirder."

"Don't say that," Carlos said, slapping the older Ranger on the back. "You still haven't heard where I've been."


"So, what's the special today?" Parix asked, sitting down at the bar.

"When," Dolly asked, "in the entire time you have been coming here, has there ever been a special?"

"Never," Parix said thoughtfully, "but there's always a first time."

Dolly shook her head, a slight smile on her face. "So what's your business here this time?" she asked conversationally.

Parix leaned forward conspiratorially, "Well, I'm sure you've heard about Dark Specter, the dictator who decided to expand his empire into our humble galaxy?"

"Yes," Dolly said, seeming almost bored. "He hasn't been met with much resistance."

"No," Parix smiled, "he hasn't. Anyway, it turns out that he's actually here to hide something."

"What could he possibly have to hide that he needs an entire galaxy for?" Dolly kept her voice low in case any of her other patrons were trying to listen in.

"Not a what, a who."

"A mistress, stolen from his enemies in the Milky Way?" Dolly joked.

"No," Parix laughed, "an old enemy. Zordon, he's called. He has to stay in a time warp for some reason or another, and has been spending the past few centuries training new warriors. Dark Specter's been building factories throughout the galaxy that mimic the time warp's power signature."

Dolly leaned back, and looked the man over as if she suddenly realized he could be lying to her, "And just how do you know all of this?"

"Because," Parix said proudly, "I have been asked to design a new kind of factory, one that will strip Zordon of his power."

"Really?" Dolly asked, intrigued.

"This may be the last time you see me for a while," Parix said. "Dark Specter won't want me leaving Terix Prime and giving away Zordon's location."

Dolly sombered, "I suppose not."

"And so, I was wondering if—"

"I'm sorry Parix," Dolly cut him off, "but I can't. I truly can't."

"I understand, just promise me that I'll see you again, even if it's only because you've invited me to your wedding."

"Don't worry," Dolly assured, "you'll see me again."

"Good," Parix said. "Now how about a drink to drown your memory in before I leave?"

"Sure," Dolly turned, dropping a microscopic tracking device in the drink as she poured it. She had to be sure the information he had given was correct.