Dark Specter had watched as Jason comforted Kimberly, his lack of understanding of the situation angering him. Why would Tommy dump Kimberly like this? Why now? And why in a letter instead of face to face?
Jason had told Kimberly about going to Angel Grove and why. She had understood but begged him not to confront Tommy about the letter.
"Kim, I want to know what he was thinking. Or even if he was thinking when he wrote this thing. He needs to explain himself. And don't tell me that you don't want to know what he was thinking when he wrote this garbage." Jason was angry and Kim knew it. He took a deep breath and put a gentle hand to his 'little sister's ' cheek. "You forget, Kim. I know you far too well to believe that you don't want to know what was running through his mind with this. But I promise, I won't get overly confrontational about it." He smiled at her. "I'd hate to have to face that famous Kim Hart temper. I know what that's like."
"You should," she smirked back. "You've been on the receiving end of it enough times."
He laughed. "That's no joke! You've gotten me more times than I care to count."
Kim got serious again. "I mean it, Jase. There's no need to confront Tommy about this letter. I'll get through this and come out the other side stronger and better for it."
"What are you going to do, sis?"
"I'm going to train hard and make gold at the games. Then, I'll figure life out from there. Now, I think you need to treat me to dinner before you head off to Angel Grove."
Jason laughed and hugged her. He treated her to a nice healthy dinner that night before going back to his apartment to pack a bag for Angel Grove.
But he still planned to ask Tommy about the letter. He would just be a little bit sneaky about it.
Having arrived in Angel Grove to an attack by the newest bad guy, King Mondo, Jason was amazed at how quickly the power transfer took place. He felt the Gold Power coursing through him and was more than awed by the power he now held.
The questions he had for Tommy took a back seat to getting used to the new power. He had little time to learn to control the power because he had to head right into a battle. Thankfully his experience with the Power helped him acclimate quickly and he was able to help the Rangers quite a bit in their fight against King Mondo.
Jason called Kim the first night and told her that he had been attacked on his way in and thrown right into battle as soon as the Power Transfer had been complete.
"Jase, just remember, you promised to be careful. And not to confront Tommy."
"I won't. I'm just hoping that I'll find some clues on my own as to what he was thinking when he wrote that letter. I can't just leave it as he wrote it and he meant it. He had to have had a reason."
"Jason, it doesn't matter anymore. He made his choice and I will respect it. I'm moving on with my life just as he's moved on with his." Kim didn't believe this even as she said it. Jason didn't believe it either. He knew that the letter Kim had received had broken her spirit as nothing else could have. And that made him angry.
He didn't mention the letter Kimberly had sent him but Tommy knew that Jason had figured out that something was up with him.
He didn't feel that he could tell Jason. Not with as close to Kim as the man was. Jason had known Kim since they were little kids. Tommy was the newcomer. He was the outsider to their little group.
Receiving that letter, Tommy had been plenty heartbroken but had thrown himself into his studies and his relationship with Kat. Their relationship grew stronger and stronger.
But Tommy always missed Kimberly. He hoped she was doing well and finding all that she needed from the people around her. He also prayed that if she needed anything she would look past her stubborn streak and ask for help.
He didn't realize it but the rest of the team missed her too. Even Kat. Kat felt she owed a debt to Kimberly that she could never repay. Kimberly had given her a chance when she didn't really deserve it. And she did her best to live up to that every day. And when she got her chance to go to a prestigious dance school in England, Kat jumped at the chance. She would work hard and succeed. She would make Kimberly proud of the faith she'd had in her.
Jason lost the Gold Powers before he had a chance to really talk to Tommy about the letter that Kim had gotten from him. Tommy still hadn't told him about the one he'd gotten from her. Jason still felt there was a lot more to the whole story about the letter than he knew now but he felt a need to go back to Florida after he lost the Gold Powers. He missed Kimberly and was worried about her. She'd sounded kind of down the last couple of times he'd called her.
Tommy was there when Jason was getting ready to drive back to Florida. "Have a safe trip, man," he said to Jason.
"Anything you want me to tell Kim?"
"Why?"
"She misses you, bro. She misses you so much that some days she can't even concentrate on her schoolwork or practice."
"I don't believe it."
"You should. I wouldn't lie to you about something like this."
"She dumped me, Jase. Dumped via letter. Does that sound like someone that misses their boyfriend?"
"She dumped you? I don't think so. When did you get this letter?" Tommy rattled off a date that was about two weeks before she had gotten her letter. But if he had sent her a break-up letter, why didn't he mention her letter to him? Did he want to see what she would say? What in the world was going on with these two?
"Why do you ask? What's going on, Jase?"
"Let's just say that I think something's going on that is bigger than what you know. Or what she knows for that matter."
"Tell me what's going on."
"Tommy, I need to figure out what's going on myself. I don't want to give anyone the wrong information. Give me some time. I promise. I will let you know as soon as I know."
Jase climbed in his car and headed back to Florida. He had to make sure that Kim was okay. He needed to figure this out and he couldn't do it here. Too many people would be asking what was going on.
Jason spent most of the drive back to Florida thinking about what Tommy had told him and what he had read in the letter Kim had gotten. He knew that he should have stuck around and read the one Tommy had gotten but then he would have had more questions to answer and he didn't have the answers to those questions. But he was certainly going to find out what he needed to know and what his friends needed to know. It wouldn't be easy but he was determined to find out what happened between his two best friends.
He had to find out before it drove him crazier than them being apart was doing. They needed each other. They just seemed to be too stubborn to admit it.
Sixty hours after leaving Angel Grove, Jason pulled in at the apartment building he'd been renting at while he was living there the first time, before he got the call to go to Angel Grove and help out the rangers.
His apartment was still open and he was still welcome to it. He walked inside and collapsed onto the couch, falling asleep within minutes, not even thinking about calling to let Kim know that he was back in town.
The next morning, Jason was woke up by his phone ringing insanely from the coffee table in front of the couch. He picked up the phone and answered it. "Hello?"
"Jason, where are you? I called Billy and he said that you left Angel Grove nearly three days ago. What happened? Where are you?"
"Kimberly, relax. I'm in my old apartment. The landlord held it for me. All my furniture is still here and I got in yesterday, sat down on the couch and fell asleep. You just woke me up." He realized that she had been worried when she realized just how long ago he'd left Angel Grove. "I'm sorry, Firebird. I should have called you the moment I got in. I was just completely wiped out and not thinking. Can you forgive me?"
"I'm not sure. I think this is going to take some serious groveling. And maybe a strawberry banana smoothie or two." Jason smiled, all but hearing the smile in her voice. She had calmed down quickly and was teasing him now.
"I think that I might be able to work something out. I'll see you after lunch, Kim. Have a good practice today."
"Thanks, Jase. I missed you."
"I missed you too, Kim. I'm glad to be back. It's been a rough time."
"Come by later and tell me about it. I need to get going. I was just wondering why you hadn't called in a couple of days."
"I'm sorry, sis. I promise I'll come see you later. And I'll tell you all about the stuff that happened when I was in Angel Grove."
She giggled. "I can't wait. I hope you have some good stories for me."
"A few. And some that you probably won't be too happy to hear."
"Okay. Well, we won't discuss those right now. Later will be soon enough."
Later that day, Jason sat down with Kim and explained that Aisha wasn't in Angel Grove and there was a new girl taking her place named Tanya. He also told her that Billy wasn't one of the rangers anymore.
Kim broke down and cried at that point. "Being a Ranger has been so good for Billy. He really started to feel like he belonged. Like he finally had a group of friends that appreciated his brains and the fact that he wasn't just brains. He had brawn too. Something that so few people noticed. They all noticed his smarts and not his brawn. They thought he was a wimp just because he chose not to fight all the time. He only fights when he has no other choice."
"Kim, I promise you this. Billy has come to terms with the fact that he may no longer be a Ranger but he still helps them where and when he can. He hasn't lost that aspect of himself. He's held on to it. He's still a Ranger in his heart where it matters most." Jason wrapped her in his arms and knew that he couldn't tell her about the letter Tommy had received. He was certain that she just couldn't handle that right now.
He had no clue how this was going to go down but he knew that he had to stay close and keep an eye on Kim. She was vulnerable right then and would need all the help she could get to make it through this thing.
In time, Kim settled down and prepared to go back to practice. She knew she needed the extra time to be ready for the Games. It was unavoidable.
But that night, Kim had a visitor in her dreams. She'd never expected this particular visitor and yet, even after talking with her all night, Kimberly felt rested and awake the next morning.
Upon falling asleep that night, Kimberly dreamed that she was back on the plateau on Phaedos. Dulcea was there with her. "Kimberly, our graceful and elegant Crane, you must prepare yourself. The Power is not finished with you yet. It has a great task for you."
"I'm not the Crane anymore, Dulcea. I walked away to participate in the Pan-Global Games."
"The Crane is still connected to you, dear Kimberly. And your mighty Falcon has lost his way. You must help him find it again or he will be lost to you forever."
"How can I help him? He broke up with me. He's dating Katherine now."
Kimberly could feel the tears streaming down her face as she thought of Kat and Tommy being the couple that she had always dreamed of being with him.
"That will not last. I can promise you that. And when it falls apart, he will refocus on you. It will be up to you to let him in or not."
"What kind of a task does the Power have for me?"
"It has not told me specifics but I do know that you must be ready. You will have two allies to assist in bringing other Rangers in to help you. But it will not be easy, Kimberly. Tommy, much like the mighty Falcon, is very stubborn and strong-willed. He believes that you no longer want him."
"But how could he believe such a thing? What could make him believe that?"
"He received a letter from you saying you had found someone new and that you only loved him as a brother. He is hurt and will not seek you out, thinking this is what you want. He believes that if this is what you want he should not stand in your way."
"How can I prepare for this task if we don't know what it is all about?"
"You must renew your connection to the Crane and help Jason to find his spirit animal. Then, he will stand beside you and aid you in the coming battle. I do not know when it will begin but I do know that you must prepare. And you must begin now."