Sorry this took so long rangers. My health has been poorly...again. So even though I have the story in my head, it's hard to find the energy to write. And thank you to all my reviewers and readers for being patient. You make this story fun to write.
Also for those who think Tommy could not have been beaten, in the search for the Zeo crystal when Zedd fights Tommy he is more than a match for the ranger. The fight only ends in a stalemate when Tommy gets in a lucky shot and breaks Zedd's staff.
*****************************Billy and Kim's room***********************************
Slowly Billy cracked open his beautiful sky blue eyes. The room wasn't bright or dark but in-between, like a twilight, something he was sadly starting to get used to. That thought made his stomach turn slightly. He was getting used to it. No, he had to stay strong. He rubbed his tried face and for just a moment, vision crossed his mind. He was standing on a mountain overlooking the desert, his unicorn thunder zord calling out to him. Billy blinked and sat up, pushing the mess of tangled cloth away. Had he fallen back asleep? Had he just been dreaming? It took his brain a moment to remember everything that had happened just last night. But just as he was about to panic he heard the sound of mats being hit and of tiny hands clapping.
"Kim?" Billy called out. There she was flipping and twirling. So graceful, like she was made of air. Skull clapping when she finished a move or trick. Bulk sat nearby but he was looking slightly less enthralled then his wooden cohort. Kimberly's neon pink shorts and sparkly tank top shown like a beacon in the dark room. She had tied her long hair back into a big messy bun. As soon as she finished her next set of flips she looked over and smiled brightly at him. Billy's heart skipped a beat. This was Kimberly Hart, at her best. This was just like before on earth, the aura she gave off. Billy felt his own confidence stumble under her beautiful gaze.
Billy didn't have time to think much else as Kimberly came trotting over. "Billy! You're awake. I'm so glad. You were sleeping for a really long time after I woke up."
Billy looked at her up and down, "How are you feeling Kim?"
Kim felt herself blush slightly. Funny she never felt shy in gym clothes before. "I'm good, better than I have been in weeks, maybe months." She shrugged; even Billy had given up on telling time here.
Billy felt himself smiling. "I am so glad, I was really worried when…" but then he stopped maybe he shouldn't ask but. "…Kim, how much of last night do you remember?"
Billy regretted it the moment he spoke as her smiled faded and she looked towards the stone floor. "Not all of it, there are…blank spots but…I remember most of it." Kimberly's voice waivered, a sign she was trying to hold back tears.
Without thinking Billy closed the gap between them and took her into his arms. He felt her head fall naturally into the crook of his neck and with every breath he inhales her soft scent even as warm tears trickled onto his shoulder and her small frame shakes with sobs. "Shhh…Kim…Its okay, it's okay…I'm here…" Billy whispered.
After a moment Kimberly pulled away. "I'm sorry Billy," She sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "I'm okay now. I don't want this to be our life now but…what choice do we have?" The last part she whispered.
Billy gave her a strange smug smile and Kim blinked rapidly banishing the last of her tears. "What? What is it?" When Billy looked like that he always had something up his sleeve. Like the Rad Bug, he teased her with that for a month before it was done. After all only someone like Billy could invent a flying car.
Billy looked left, then right in the empty room, as if he was worried of being over heard. "Come on, I'll show you." He walked over to his cracked computer only to find it wouldn't turn on. Billy tried again and again before a hushed curse word escaped from his lips. Finally, he sighed and began to take the severely abused computer apart. "The hard drive is fried." He grumbled pulling out the offending part. "I'll have to ask for a new one. Zedd, he might be pissed at all that lost work." Billy frowned though at this point Zedd probably wouldn't take his anger out on the two teens.
Billy felt a tug at his pant leg. "Hey!" Billy looked down. There was Bulk and Billy felt his cheeks grow hot. Bulk ignored that. "You dweebs really need to eat something. I know you, Kimberly, were waiting till Billy woke up but it has been almost a whole day since you last ate." Bulk stated matter of factly.
"Wait…you can tell the time?" Kim asked disbelieving.
The little toy snorted, "Of course I can and so can Skull, just because we never got straight A's in school like you does not mean we're stupid."
Kimberly frowned. "I didn't mean it like that, Billy and I, we can't tell the time. The minutes, they've been blurring together, like an endless dream. "
"She's right. If you can tell the passing of time, that could help us in the long run." Bill assured the toy.
Bulk nodded, he didn't apologies for the misunderstanding, but his nod was enough. Kimberly went to the door, and opened it. Two putties jumped to attention from where they had been playing with shiny rocks on the floor. "Breakfast now. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, everything." Kimberly demanded. The putties saluted her and she shut the door.
"That much food Kim?" Billy asked. He was messing with the remains of his electrical gear.
Kimberly shrugged. "Just felt like a big brunch. Though I'm still not use to the putties being respectful. Kinda creeps me out."
*******************************Rita's private chambers*****************************
Rita frowned. He brother Rito was proving to be less helpful then she had hoped. In fact he was spending the majority of this time in Zedd's haram getting bone drunk and making a constant fool of himself. Rita tapped her perfectly manicured nails onto the ledge of her balcony. She looked down on the earth; it was still there but much more slug green than blue.
All she had ever wanted was to concur the earth, now that is was done, even if it was concord in Zedd's name, Rita felt uneasy. She wasn't unhappy but she wasn't happy either. She felt influx and for once in her life she didn't know what she wanted.
Perhaps she just needed a vacation? Something to soother her frayed nerves. Maybe to the famous slime springs spa? Soaking in a slime bath sounded so good right now. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea of taking a little vacation without Zedd. Getting away from the place might just be what she needed to clear her head.
**********************************Castle kitchen*************************************
The putty hurried in with the order. The chef sighed; he has been awoken from his sleep by this clay abomination with a food order. "They want what? And at this hour?" The putty repeated the order in a strange burbling tongue that the chef was still surprised to hear and understand. A little magical spell from Zedd. "Alright, alright, it will be done soon." The chef dismissed the putty with a wave of his hand and got out of his bed. He certainly didn't feel like waking everyone for one albeit large order, nor did he desire to cook it himself. The new monster, some relation of the queens, was keeping the kitchen working overtime. Grabbing a clean chef coat, the chef walked the length of the kitchens back towards the animal pens. Even the beasts were still sleeping. He didn't feel like climbing the ladder up a floor but he did so and entered the tiny room of his new butcher and that washroom kid.
"Hey wake up!" The chef shouted. Adam mumbled but Justin's eyes flew open. He had become very observant to sounds from his time in the wash room. He saw the chef standing by their bedside and began to shake Adam hard. "Adam! Adam wake up!" he whispered harshly into Adam's ear and Adam's brain registered the fear in Justin's voice as he force his eyes quickly open.
"Can you make pancakes?" The chef asked in a rough, I so don't want to be here, tone.
"I…Yes." Adam said with a nod, this voice still raspy with sleep.
"What about bacon? Sausages? Fruit cups? Scrambled eggs?" Adam nodded to every question the chef asked. "Good, get down to the kitchen, you are cooking brunch for two of Zedd's favorite human pets, and it better be good and served to them hot." The unspoken tone that was in the chef's voice spelled doom if he failed. Failure was not an option. Adam just nodded. "The putties will take it as soon as you are done. Get cooking." The chef ordered and with a fluttering of white he was gone.
**********************************Falcon Zord**********************************
Kat felt the words die in her throat as she looked at this man. No, he was more around her age, a teenager like her. Unless he was an alien, then he might be an adult. Rumors said the power rangers were aliens but she didn't recognize that costume from TV and oh dear, her head was starting to hurt.
Rocky asked a question and the ranger just tossed back his head and laughed. Yes, he was a power ranger he said.
"Rocky don't..." Aisha called out but it was too late as Rocky's punch connected with Tommy's face. Kat immediately put herself between the two. "Rocky please! He saved us!" Kat begged her friend.
"He saved us but what about everyone else on earth?! My parents, Aisha's parents and little brother, your family Kat…dead! Gone... I…just…" It had been too much for Rocky, this was the final straw of strength and it had broken. The anger in the ranger's eyes faded the moment Rocky began to cry. Even with a broken arm Aisha tried to comfort her sobbing friend. Kat now stood between them and the white ranger with a nasty bruise forming on his cheek.
"Please, he didn't mean it, please forgive him." She begged unaware of the tears slipping from her soft blue eyes. "Please…you can even strike me if you want, as revenge, I won't mind it, if you won't be angry with Rocky." Kat closed her eyes and waited for a blow to the face.
Gentle finger tips brushed at her tears. There was a feeling, like a spark inside her, as he spoke. "I could never hurt you." His voice was so pure, so true, so very powerful but just as protective.
Kathrine opened her eyes and he smiled at her. "My name's Tommy. What's yours?" He asked.
"I'm Katherine, Kat and these are my friends Aisha and Rocky." Tommy looked over. Rocky had calmed down but looked quite embarrassed. Tommy scrutinized all three closely, they all had cuts and bruises on them but Aisha arm hanging limply had him worried. "I have a medical bay, let me fix your arm. That must hurt a lot." Aisha only nodded. It was taking all the strength she could muster to keep from screaming out in pain.
Tommy led the way out into the bright hallway. Everything looked so crisp and white. After a moment they stepped onto a circular pad. It began to glow yellow under their feet and started to rise quickly. Kat stumbled and quickly Tommy caught her. "Easy, jump lifts take a while to get used to."
Kat could only nod as she looked into his eyes. What was this feeling? She felt like she was flying. Even after Tommy let her go the feeling stayed. What was happening?
********************************Zedd's throne room*******************************
Still nursing a hangover Zedd sat upon his throne. His chamber was dimly lit at best, dark would be a better description when the door opened and Rita came in wearing a traveling gown, followed by several putties carrying trunks, suit cases and bags.
"Leaving me oh queen?" Hungover or not Zedd began to glow with rage. Rita quickly stepped up to stop it.
"Don't be silly Zeddie. I thought I would take a vacation to the slime springs spa. I have to keep myself looking good for you and since… the earth was concurred, why shouldn't I have a little vacation time."
Zedd cooled, getting his hot tempered wife out of his head for a few days might be just the time he needs to start grooming her replacement again. "But of course my dear, you deserve all the best. Take a few weeks, No a month if you want. Enjoy yourself fully my evil empress…."
Rita stiffened. Something, something in the way Zedd spoke that last word raised alarm bells in her mind but she could not put her finger on anything. "Very well, I leave at once. I have a late afternoon slime soak all reserved." With that she bowed to Zedd and turned, putties following her out the door. Once she was gone Zedd sat back and began to think. He needed to train his firebird and he needed to do it now.
Two pairs of eyes watched from a hiding. "Rita's leaving?" Squatt whispered to his tall companion.
"Oh this is news, we better tell Finster." Baboo added as the two snuck along the wall corridor, careful not to make a sound and alert Zedd they were there. Long ago the minion of the castle agreed that the higher ups should not know about this little secret way of listening to them they had. It saved them from being unfairly punished many times; they could hide if they knew what was coming.
Please review.