Chapter One- Hidden Nightmares
10 days earlier
Kim giggled as Tommy tickled her as she wrapped her hair up in a bun. "Stop doing that, Tommy."
"It's not my fault I can keep my hands off you, beautiful." Tommy grinned as Kim rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe we're on Dead Reckoning heading off to our first mission as a new Ranger team."
"A lot has changed the past two years. Some of the changes have been good."
Tommy laughed, silently agreeing with her. "I'm glad that Billy has found someone he can relate to. It would be disappointing if he had to live a life without someone by his side." He stopped when he saw Kim turn slightly away. "Kim, did I say something wrong?"
"It just kind of reminded me of when I wrote that letter." Kim looked away from Tommy, emotions racing across her features. "I wasn't completely truthful when I told you my reason for writing the letter." She looked at her hands.
Tommy moved slightly closer to her. "What do mean you weren't completely truthful?" He asked in a slightly disbelieving tone.
"Not wanting to keep you tied to me was a reason but not the primary one." Kim started playing with the buttons on her shirt. "I felt like it was going both ways you know? That not only were you tied to me but I was tied to you as well. I wanted to go out and do what girls my age do with their boyfriends. But you were in Angel Grove and I was caught in Miami. As the weeks passed, the desire to go out with a boyfriend grew. I didn't want to pressure you into thinking you had to leave the Rangers and come to Miami to spoil me."
Kim looked at Tommy. "I had to break free as well. I wanted to do things and not be hampered because of the fact that you weren't there." The Crane Ninjetti went quiet. "At the same time, I also meet Peter Jennings."
"Who was he?" Tommy asked in a subdued voice.
"He was another gymnast on my team. He was like your opposite in some ways and almost a carbon copy in others. In the beginning I was infatuated with him, giggling when we caught gazes and blushing when we bumped into each other in the hallways. After a week of sending the letter, he asked me out on a date. I though he was a gentleman who had waited until I was free and asked me out after waiting a while. We went out on a couple of dates. It seemed like I was moving on." Kim's expression darkened after a while. "I was so naïve that I didn't see the fact that he was using me to get into bed with my room mate. She refused him and one night, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He placed a small amount of the date rape drug into her water. I came back to find her on the floor, violated and unconscious. They were able to identify through the various tests we took before competing."
"Oh my god!" Tommy gaped at her. "What happened after?"
"She quit the team and went back to her parents' farm. I heard that she vowed never to compete again. As for Jennings there was no trial."
"Why the hell not?"
"They found him dead in his parent's home prior to the indictment. My guess somebody wanted revenge in him raping Chelsea." Kim looked at her hands. "Ever since then, I've been carrying the guilt, a burden that weighs heavily. "Coach knew and he pulled me aside one day asking me if I wanted to continue on the team."
"You said yes."
Kim nodded. "But I still felt guilty that Chelsea had lost her will to compete. It felt like I had taken her joy of competing from her. I knew it's illogic but I still feel it."
"I know how that feels. To me, it resembles the feelings I felt when I lost the Green Ranger Powers the first time. I felt like who I was had been taken from me and I couldn't get it back."
The Crane Ninjetti nodded, wrapping her arms around her suddenly cold body. "There are times where I want to forget but I can't and time when I want to remember to punish myself." She snuggled it Tommy's warm body as he wrapped his arms around her. "I just want to forget it for tonight. I don't want this ruining our reunion and mission."
"It won't. You're too strong for that." Tommy whispered, feeling content to have Kim back in his arms.
(VvVvVvVvV)
Trini leaned back, cradling a cup of hot chocolate in her hands, the mist rising up invitingly from the dark brew. Gazing out the window, she saw the bright purples, soft pinks, and the gorgeous blues running past as the two ships ran through hyperspace. Right before launching into hyperspace, the Ranger teams and Trey had teleported aboard Dead Reckoning as she was better equipped for long trips than Pyramidis. The Lynx Ninjetti thought back over the past week.
The Zeo Crystal having been destroyed by the Machine Empire; the rise of the Sentinels and the ultimate revelation when they had travel to Phaedos; The finding of her own Animal Spirit being the Lynx; Her thoughts came back on Billy as she took a sip of her chocolate. When they had been kidnapped, it was the first time she had seen her friend in over 30 months, ever since she had left for the convention with Zack and Jason. Boy, had he changed from the quiet and shy young boy to the self assured and confident teenager bordering on adulthood.
Speak of the Devil. Trini thought as she saw Billy enter the common room where she was. "Hey, Billy."
"Hey, Trini. Do you mind some company?"
"No, grab a cup and join me over here." Trini watched the Wolf Ninjetti as he poured some of the treat and grab a bag of chips before walking over to join her on the couches. For a couple of minutes, they sat in an easy silence, the type that was usually shared by friends. "You've changed a lot, Billy."
The cup stopped halfway to his mouth. "What do you mean?"
Her dark eyes bore in his. "When I first meet you, you were really withdrawn, using words not commonly used in casual conversations, wearing overalls and barely walking 10 yards without tripping over something. When I left, you were more open, more talkative and used a little less of the long words. Now, you're completely at ease with yourself and your abilities, just like any other successful student and friend."
"A lot of things happened when you left. I guess I realized that the way I was living wasn't the best I could do. I felt afraid of becoming that boy again when you, Jason, and Zack left. It was like I had been left behind when you all had moved on. Kim was there but she had Tommy and I was by myself." Billy glanced out the window.
Trini leaned over and placed her hand on Billy's arm. "I'm sorry."
He smiled at her slightly. "What for? Life moves on. But if you need to hear it, I forgave you all those months ago. It helped me move forward." He stopped, his eyes caught in hers. Then as if by some sort of telepathy that neither could explain, slowly they came together in a slow kiss. In that single instant, the acceptance of love that was never sought after as well the promise of continuing forward as friends and the hope of the future passed between the two Ninjetti. After a second, the two drew apart.
"Does she make you happy?" Trini asked as they settled back into their couches.
"More than I thought possible. There are times where I just watch her draw in her room or she watches me perform experiments in my lab. She's an okay cook but swears that when it comes to steaks and fries, she's the best."
"Well someone's going to know how to cook in your relationship as your culinary skills are mediocre at best." Trini's eyes twinkled with laughter.
"Hey! I've gotten better." The Lynx Ninjetti snorted.
"How about you?"
"Well, I dated a couple of times in Geneva but most believed American girls would be easy targets to get into bed. I stopped after the last one wouldn't stop until I replaced his genitals to somewhere he didn't like."
"What?!" Billy stared her, anger coiling through his body. "They tried to. . . . ." His rant was stopped when she placed a finger on his lips.
"That was the same reaction Jason and Zack had when they found out. By then, I was already with him. Let's just say, after that, men were wary of dating me, saying that I was too much of a controlling girlfriend."
"How come you never told me in your emails?"
"To me, it seemed little of consequence. Anyway, you on one side of the world while I was on the other? What good would that have done besides causing you to worry about me?"
Billy sighed, know those points were valid. "It's just feels like we didn't do enough to be there for you."
"If it's any consolation, if something happens from know on, I'll tell one of you guys."
"Okay." Billy stood up and walked back to where the rest of the chocolate was being held. "Want some more?"
"Yeah, haven't had any since I left. For being a chocolate city, I didn't nearly get enough over there." Trini held out her cup for him to refill. "The food there were in small amounts and sometimes not even tasty. Plus, any food we bought outside the regular meals was expensive! For like seven euros, I would barely get enough to feed myself which in American money would be around 10 dollars!"
"Ouch. I wouldn't be able to handle the coffee then."
"It was like being in classes 24/7. I'm guessing the only reason I stayed as long as I did was the fact that it felt like I was doing something now that I no longer had the Yellow Coin. There were times where I wished I hadn't given it up, especially while I went through the Power Withdrawal."
"Yeah, I know how that feels. I thought I was going to go crazy. I didn't make it any better as I stayed behind in the Power Chamber and had to see the guys morph right before my eyes almost every single day."
"And the only reason that made it worthwhile was the fact that they needed your help sometimes."
"Yup. I couldn't leave them alone like that against the Machine Empire."
"Tommy told me that you built the Zeo Zords and the Warrior Wheel along the Red Battle Zord. Exactly when did you start building them?" Billy smiled and leaned forward, both of them easing into their conversation.
Spyridon- Here's another chapter of Immortal Evanescence. I think I finally have a good grasp of what to expect in this story and I hope none of you decide to shoot me as I write it. I also remembered that I also posted up pictures of what the Ninjetti clothing. I have a twist about the Ninjetti Sentinel Powers that even I didn't see coming. It just popped up one day. To see the pics, click on my profile link and I have my deviantART account listed as my homepage where it should be under the name Sentinel Commander I in my gallery. Also, if you go to scraps, there should be different poses to see the full costume. I even have begun drawing Beck and Will in their animal forms. Oh and please review! Don't forget to watch my profile for weekly updates!