************************* Ninjor's dimensional vase*****************************
"You are doing splendidly Skull." Ninjor praised as he watched Skull work on the simple balancing puzzle inside his dimensional pocket.
"It's easy!" The lanky teen replied with confidence, completely unaware that this 'game' was actually a ninja training tool.
Ninjor was no fool. The more he was around this teen, the more he could feel a ninjetti spirit. While the ninja master had no powers with him to give, and these 'games' were nothing like the trials Tommy had passed, they did serve a purpose.
Ninjor had narrowed it down to one of two possible spirits, a few more games should prove which animal was inside Skull. And then there would need to be some decisions made. After all once a spirit animal was identified, then real ninja training could begin.
"Do you think Bulk can join us next time? I bet he would get a kick out of this place."
"Of course. Bulk is always welcome." Ninjor replied. After all if Skull had a ninjetti spirit. It was highly likely Bulk did as well. The great powers that be always seemed to find each other.
Skull really enjoyed the time he was spending with Ninjor. Unlike with the other rangers, there was no preconceived notions about Skull. He could be, who he really felt he was, around the ninja master without fear of judgment.
"Hey Skull! Where are you?" Bulk's voice echoed down into the vase.
Ninjor mused, "Speak of the devil. What do you say Skull, shall we have Bulk join us?"
Skull nodded and gave a laugh, "Yup!"
Bulk sighed looking around the room that belonged to Ninjor in the command chamber. "Where the heck is that numbskull...?" he mumbled to himself.
He wasn't jealous that Skull had been hanging out with Ninjor when there was a free moment to spare...
Okay maybe a little jealous...
Suddenly blue smoke enveloped Bulk and he coughed a bit before it vanished as fast as it appeared. "Hi Bulkie! Look what I did!" Skull beamed from the table.
"I...what..huh? Where am I?"
"You are in my pocket dimension." Ninjor greeted. "Welcome."
"Bulk look what I did!" Skull called again. Bulk approached the long, low table. There in the center was a strange balanced pile of wood and metal and glass. It was so delicate that one strong gust of wind would take it down. Like one of those 'modern' art pieces.
"What is it?" Bulk asked.
"No clue but isn't it cool? I built it."
Bulk smiled at Skull. "It's impressive." He spoke honestly and Skull beamed with pride.
"Ninjor and I have been playing all kinds of awesome games. You can join us if you want, right Ninjor?"
"Of course, Bulk is quite welcome."
Bulk smiled. It was nice to be invited but..."Another time. Zordon sent me to find you both. Lerigot is ready to see Kim."
"Then we best not be late." Ninjor replied.
******************** Command chamber*****************************
"Rangers. I am sorry to have called you all together but after speaking with Lerigot. I must ask you to please wait outside the room. This is a private process and we cannot risk any distractions."
"We understand Zordon." Rocky replied, looking to the others.
"Kim's safety comes first." Aisha added, earning herself a small smile from said pink ranger.
"But..." Justin started.
"No buts Justin..." Katherine said softly.
Ninjor spoke from the back of the group. "Come young wolf. We will go over your kata practice."
"Yes!" Justin practically jumped for joy. Working with Ninjor was the best. He felt cheerful learning from him. Sometimes when around the others, other than Adam, he felt so...sad.
Ninjor continued, "Skull, Bulk you are welcome to join."
Bulk was about to argue that he was too old for baby karate but Skull was smiling. 'Come on. It will be fun."
Bulk nodded. "Alright." He then turned to Kimberly. "We'll see you when its over Kim." he promised.
She nodded. "Okay."
"Zordon come on. Let me stay." Tommy argued as the other rangers began to file out of the room. If Lerigot was about to do something to Kimberly he wanted to be there, just in case.
"No Tommy and that is an order. The magic Lerigot will be using is powerful and we cannot afford any distractions." Zordon repeated.
"I'll be find Tommy." Kimberly said. "I'm not scared." And she wasn't. It felt like a great adventure was about to happen.
Tommy took her hand gently in his, giving it a tender squeeze. "But I am. What if this doesn't work? What if the fire bird fights back and burns you? What if...?"
Kimberly stopped his words with a finger to his lips. "Hush Tommy. Trust in the power of good."
Tommy sighed and pulled away relenting. "Okay just..." he turned to Lerigot. "Please be careful with her."
Lerigot nodded.
Kimberly watched Tommy leave, barely catching a glimpse of Adam near the door waiting for there leader. Adam... he had been such a good friend. Kimberly put her hand over her heart. She was so lucky that even in the storm of defeat on the moon she had found a new friend. She had found hope. The door shut and Zordon spoke. "Kimberly, it's time to begin."
She turned back to them and blinked in surprise as there were torches now burning with ethereal light instead of fire all around the room. Soft looking rugs, in brilliant designs, now covered the floor and vases with the strangest looking flowers dotted around the area. Like cattails of a variety of solid colors. Red, blue, pink, yellow, green... and the smell. Such a beautiful, light fragrance she had never smelled anything like it before and when she described it later to the others, she could only say. It smelled like heaven.
Lerigot waited patiently for her to take all this in. He had eternal patience for children and given how old he was, humans were little more then children, no matter what 'age' they were. Alpha was by his side, ready to translate. Lerigot opened his hands to her and Kimberly felt a pull to go to him. Kneeling down, she closed her eyes, as she placed her face in his hands like a child would do to a trusted parent.
For a moment she was aware of how embarrassing she must be acting, but at the wizard's gentle touch against her cheeks, the warmth of a boundless universal love seemed to fill her. The true power of good. She felt like she was floating and at that moment she was the safest she had ever been.
Lerigot cooed softly.
Alpha 5 translated, "Lerigot says the spell is in too deep Kimberly. Woven into the very fibers of your being."
"So he can't cure me?" She wondered, her voice calm, still not opening her eyes or pulling away from the wizard.
Alpha 5 hesitated, "No, he can cure you but in order to do so he will have to... rewind your time..."
Kimberly looked up at that statement. "I don't understand."
Zordon spoke. "Kimberly, what Lerigot is asking to do it to take you back. Back to a point a year and a half ago, to the moment before you were chosen by Alpha and myself to be a power ranger. You were sixteen when chosen and your body, your physical form, will be sixteen again in order to remove the light of the fire bird from within you."
Lerigot cooed sadly. Alpha translated. "The fire bird must be removed and returned to the damaged power coin."
"And there she will sleep forever. She is far to dangerous to ever be used again." Zordon continued.
Kimberly clutched at her heart. "Poor fire bird." Kimberly felt the tears falling from her eyes before she realized she was crying. "So that's it... I won't be a power ranger anymore?" That idea upset her more then the idea of losing a years growth.
Zordon's voice spoke full of fatherly love. "You will always be a ranger Kimberly, powers or no powers. It does not change who you are inside. You will always be my pink ranger... my daughter."
She nodded and gave a great sniff, wiping at her tears.
"There is more Kimberly." Alpha said softly. "Lerigot will need to remove the necklace of time sand from you in order to cast the spell. But the moment he does... you will start transforming..."
"Like Billy?"
"Yes, like Billy. Kimberly I will not lie to you." Zordon spoke. "Billy's change was gradual, the pain bearable, but for one heart beat you will be in pain so terrible, that death might feel preferable. Do you wish to continue?"
Kimberly went quiet for a long moment. "Is there any alternative?"
Zordon sighed. "There is one. Kimberly, and I should have told you of it long ago. You could leave earth and spend the rest of eternity here in my dimension. You would be safe and free of any evil spell Zedd has done to you but you would still be ageless."
"And the others... I'd never see them again. Would I?"
"No. I am sorry."
"What about Billy?" She asked.
Zordon nodded. "If we can save him from the Nightmare he has become. I would make him the same offer. You both could spend the next ten thousand years safe in my realm. The choice is yours and yours alone Kimberly."
For a long time they all were silent. This had to be Kimberly choice. Kimberly played with the pendant around her neck and sighed. "I am grateful for the offer Zordon. You've always been like a father to me. Better than my own dad ever was but... I want to be human again. No matter the pain. I need... to be human again. To be wiped clean of Zedd's evil..."
"Are you sure Kimberly?" Alpha 5 asked. "This won't remove any memories. Those will still be there."
She smiled softly at Alpha. "Yes, I'm sure."
Lerigot cooed and Alpha spoke. "Lerigot says you are very brave and he's ready to begin."
Kim blew out a long breath. "Okay, so what do I do?"
"Remove the necklace Kimberly. And toss it away from you on the count of three..." Zordon supplied.
Lerigot had a wand held steady in his hand. The crystal on the tip already glowing as Zordon's voice counted. "One... two... three..."
Kimberly tossed the necklace away...
And began screaming...
************************** Divatox submarine******************
"Is everything ready?" Ooze asked.
"Yes Master, we aware your command." Goldar replied with a bow.
Billy struggled in the chains around him. Whinnying is both displeasure and excitement.
"Good! Time to get this party started!" Ooze shouted. "To Angel Grove. To the death of the power rangers! And to revenge against Zordon!" minions cheered.
Divatox clapped. "He had such a way with words."
"So Auntie D, if you get with Ooze will that make him my uncle?" Elgar asked.
Divatox hit him, hard on the forehead. "Quiet you fool! Let's not get ahead of things." She turned back to Ivan with a wickedly wonderful smile.
A girl could dream...
************************* Dark void****************************
Billy groaned, sitting up slowly. His first thought was that his head was throbbing. His second thought was wondering where he was? This didn't seem like the dimensional prison of Rita and Zedds, yet he could see no doors, no bars, no way out. Just a seemingly endless void in all directions.
"This can't be good..." Billy mumbled to himself. "Hello?" he called... only for his voice to echo back.
Billy paced for a bit thinking logically. What had happened? That's right! Zedd had tried to kill Kimberly on the beach and he had intervened. "Kim?! Kimberly!" Billy called out to the dark but again only his voice came back. "Damn it..." He frowned putting his head in his hands only to jump suddenly. There was no horn! On closer inspection he found his tail gone as well, his feet back to being human feet, his ears no longer pointed and the slave collar removed from his neck. He was back to normal. He was free, relatively speaking...
So the simple question was. Where was here?
"To Angel Grove. To the death of the power rangers! And to revenge against Zordon!"
A voice, not his own, echoed in the dark space around him. In the distance he could see two little points of light, like holes in the void. As quickly as he could Billy approached the openings. He could not pass through, as if covered with some kind of unbreakable glass. He could see Divatox and her monsters and someone new and...
Realization hit Billy like a truck. Oh God, the holes in the dark were optical receivers, eyes... he was looking through his own eyes without having any control of his body. He was trapped in his own head and powerless...but that shouldn't be possible.
What kind of hell was this?
**************************** Command Chamber************************
"Tommy could you stop pacing please?" Rocky asked as Tommy made his eighteenth lap around the room. "I'm getting tired just watching you."
"I can't sit still. I mean..." Tommy ran his hand through his hair. "I really want to know what's going on in there."
"We all do Tommy but we have to trust Zordon." Adam said looking up from where he was sitting. He was still pretty tired from the past few nights.
"Adam's right." Aisha agreed. "Zordon won't let anything happen to her."
Katherine nodded her agreement while setting out some snacks. Now that Ninjor was back among them, and feeling better, his vase once more produced food for the rangers. It had been nice, not having to take so much from the juice bar. "Come on. Have something to eat."
The group had barely started to snack when an alarm blared through the command chamber. "The computer has found Billy." Katherine was on her feet typing and the view globe showed Nightmare Billy tearing up down town Angel grove along with Goldar, Divatox's minions and...
"Who's that?" Rocky asked.
Tommy narrowed his eyes at the globe. "That can only be one person..." He turned to the others. "I bet my power coin that's him. That must be Ivan Ooze. Alright team... It's Morphin Time!"