*********************** Tengu Cave*************************

Katherine stabbed again at the lock with the remains of the fork. The tines had broken off but it was still slowly working on the lock. She wiped her brow with grimy hands. God, how long had she been working on this? Hours? Days? She didn't know anymore. All she knew was she needed to get out. After seeing Scorpina being her double, Katherine knew she had to get back to the others. They were all in danger! She just needed a little more time.

Stab, stab, stab... Katherine continued to poke and prod. Doing her best to ignore how her fingers were numb. Just a few more minutes... it was all she needed.

Violent noise from the dark echoed down the tunnel that held her. Katherine stopped and listened before working faster. Whatever was happening was really bad.

She had to get out... Now!

********************* Command chamber*********

"There! Found something! The caves just outside angel grove. There is a ton of energy signals there." Billy practically shouted. He pushed a few button and Elgar appeared leading a group into the caves while a few Tengus fought against them going in.

"Right! Aisha, Rocky let's go!" Tommy shouted. "Billy, get Justin and Adam and have them follow after."

Billy nodded, watching the others teleport away. "Good luck."

Scorpina laughed. "They're going to be too late little unicorn. Katherine is already lost."

Billy frowned. "They won't be too late, they'll save her, you'll see."

Scorpina paced in her cage, slinking around like an eel. "You really think that? Poor Billy, you're not human anymore. You're more like us."

"Us?"

She smiled at him, eyes twinkling. "A monster. Just like the rest of us. Why do you fight it Billy? Can't you feel the evil just under your skin? Doesn't it feel good?"

"...No."

"You're lying. Not just to me but to yourself. A very monster trait. Why don't you just give in?" She purred.

Billy turned and walked to the wall of energy separating them. He said nothing but there was anger, no hate for her in his eyes and hate for himself. The collar glinted in the light and Scorpina laughed. "So that's why! Clever ex ranger. Very clever. Even gone, Zedd's power is still strong but I wonder what you'll do...when you start hurting them."

Billy blinked. "I won't hurt anyone. This won't allow me." he touched the silver band around his neck.

Scorpina giggled. "Hurt is such a strange word. What hurts one, could be pleasure for another. You have no idea what exactly you are becoming."

"What do you mean?"

She smirked again. "Now that would be telling."

Billy shook his head and walked away. "You're just lying."

"Not about this. Goldar told me all about you and Kimberly. Is you're tail starting to grow yet?"

Billy looked away, blush on his cheeks. Yes, his tail was starting and he hated it. It hurt and felt wrong.

Scorpina could read this little human like a book. "If you hate it so much, why don't you break the spell?"

"Don't you think I've been trying?" Billy snapped.

"Not very hard. After all, you only need Finster. His magic based knowledge along with your science would fix everything. Why don't you let me go? And I'll tell you what planet he's on."

"I can't trust you."

Scorpina still smiled. He hadn't flat out refused. "If not for your sake, then for Kimberly? How long do you think pretty little pink is going to survive? Soon she'll start sleeping longer and longer... what's that story you humans have? Sleeping beauty? A sleep from which she won't wake. Not without a cure."

Billy froze at that. It hadn't even occurred to him as a possibility. That she would just sleep forever. One the one hand Scorpina couldn't be trusted but on the other hand, Finster would be able to help cure them both. Billy turned to the force field. "Tell me where he is."

"And you'll let me go?"

Billy nodded. This was for Kim. Everything he did now was for Kim. His very life belonged to her.

"And how do I know you'll keep your word?"

Billy's blue eyes blazed with a fire matching the shimmer in his horn. "How do I know you won't lie about where Finster is?"

"Touche." Scorpina nodded with respect. "Alright Billy, you've got a deal. Finster is on Regda 2. A planet Rita concurred using I Eye Guy, you remember him, don't you?"

Billy said nothing but pressed a button on the console. Scorpina vanished in a shimmer of golden light.

Silence echoed around him until a voice spoke. "Was that wise Billy?"

"I don't know Alpha but... I have to do as much as I can for Kimberly. Please understand. It was for Kim."

Alpha went quiet with nothing to say at this moment. He wished he could take this pain from Billy.

But the little robot could do nothing...

And it made his emotion core hurt...

***************************** Tengu caves**************************

"Take this you furry freak!" Elgar growled sending a bolt of striking energy from his card sword.

Goldar ducked behind his throne. Where the hell was Scorpina? The tengu had taken massive causalities and he was still to injured to really fight back. "What do you want Elgar?"

"Ready to give up? Good I like that. Auntie D wants the power punk you've been holding here. Just give her to me and I'll let you live."

Goldar cursed quietly to himself. His one bit of good luck and he had to give it up to save his skin. "She's down the far tunnel in a cage at the end."

"Thanks, you're a pal." Elgar mocked. "Come on pharaniatrons! Let's get that ranger!" He turned and moved down the tunnel, as soon as he had a opening Goldar made a run for it. Passing by dead and dying tengu as he ran from the cave. Only to come face to face with the power rangers.

"Goldar! Where is Katherine?" Tommy demanded, sword in hand.

"Ugh... She's in the cave. Better hurry. Elgar is almost upon her." Goldar frowned, clearly bleeding from a wound to his side.

Tommy simply nodded at his former teacher. As the rangers went into the cave. Goldar limped away to lick his wounds. His ship wasn't far. He would fight another day.

Someday he would have revenge.

Someday...

********************* Tengu's cave**********************

"Oh pink ranger? Where are you?" Elgar called reaching the cage at the end of the cave. It was opened but there was blood around the lock and it was still wet. The ranger must still be close by. "Search the area. She can't be far."

Katherine pushed her back into the rocks as far as she could. Please don't find her, please, please, please... Katherine held her breath as they got closer and closer to her hiding spot.

"Come on ranger. You'll like being Divatox's prisoner." Elgar offered. "You're the only way Ninjor will talk. Come on out."

"You want a ranger Elgar? How about me! Hi-yah!" Tommy's voice echoed through the room follow quickly by the sounds of battle. Katherine covered her ears and closed her eyes.

Then all was quiet. She didn't dare move, barely dared to make a sound.

"Katherine?" Tommy voice called. "You here?"

"It's us." Aisha voice spoke.

"You're safe now." Rocky added.

Tears were in Katherine's eyes as she stood from her hiding place. "Guys?" She sobbed and suddenly felt warm arms around her.

"We've got you Kat. Its okay." Tommy said before looking at her hands. "You're hurt. Let's get back to the command chamber. Have Billy fix you up."

She nodded with a sniff. "Okay..."

A moment later the team was back in the command chamber in medical. It was odd not to see Billy but a communicator call had the ex blue ranger hurrying towards them.

He cared for Katherine's hands so gently that the pink ranger felt an odd little flutter in her heart. He spoke with such soft tones and reassurance. She felt safe in his care. She was so thankful for her friends, her new family.

"Scorpina give you any trouble?" Rocky asked seeing Billy was finishing bandaging Katherine.

Billy blushed. "A little... she um... escape."

"What?!" The other's cried out.

"How could she escape?" Tommy asked.

Billy shrugged. "The computer wasn't fully fixed yet and she someone how out through a power surge." It was a blatant lie but one he was hoping they would just except. "She did say where Finster was."

Tommy frowned. "Why? We don't need Finster."

Billy turned and snapped. "Yes we do Tommy! If you want Kimberly to ever be human again. He's the only one who might know what Zedd did to her... to us."

Tommy looked hurt. "Sorry Billy I... with everything happening... Ninjor and Divatox and then Kat being taken and... I'm sorry." Tommy hated to admit it but with so much going on some things were falling through the cracks. "Let's see about getting this key part and rescuing Ninjor. Then we can see about finding Finster, okay pal?"

Billy dropped his head. "Okay."