Chapter Six ; The Devil's Number

A/N : Okay, notice the time stamp. It went from the sixteenth to the twenty first. Okay? Five days have passed, a full school week, with no monster attacks. The reason will be explained later.

Also, many thanks to my freaky-amazing beta reader, Hewhoreheapes, who fixes my mistakes and makes sure my story sounds good.

Wednesday, Nov. 21 1998

11.55 am

Lunar Palace

He stared down at the green and blue planet, mind wandering. It looked so peaceful out in space, and the earth looked like a jewel in the black area around it. Earth was different from other planets; for one, it had the Power Rangers. Not many planets with such inferior technology had a team of Power Rangers. In fact, they really shouldn't have their Rangers. The only reason they had a team of protectors was because Zordon had taken up residence of the planet and brought the Power with him.

Normally, a planet's military put together a team of Power Rangers and created a morphing device themselves. The Power Grid could be accessed and the Power harnessed by technology or even magic. Earth wasn't far along enough in science to create the technology, and magic wasn't widely used on the planet. When Zordon had brought the Power Coins over, he had also brought his home planet's morphing devices and enough of his home planet's tech to create a link to the Power Grid and make a Ranger Team.

Andros leaned his forehead against the window and wondered why. Why would someone so powerful waste his life on such a planet? Yes, earth was beautiful, but it wasn't important. The green and blue marble wasn't involved in any trade, it didn't have superior technology, and it wasn't a huge magic planet. There was nothing important about the primitive place, or at least that's what he told himself.

Shaking his head, he stepped back from the wall and turned, grabbing his jacket from the chair it had been thrown on. The Prince of Evil tugged the black leather over his shirt, a crimson tank top. For some reason, he preferred red. Maybe it was because it was the color of blood. Who truly knew?

Shaking himself from his thoughts, his let the magic form up in him, then he was gone. Red and black light shimmered for a second where he had stood, but he was gone, going to the planet he saw no need to save.

Wednesday, Nov. 21, 1998

12.00 pm

Youth Center

The crowd was light at the moment, if only because school had started and not many people would be gutsy enough to skip to go to the Youth Center. Adelle always stressed the importance of education, 'or you'd end up like her, surrounded by teenagers'. Very few had the guts to get Adelle mad, or have their parents called. Ashley was one of the few that dared, and the only one that got away with it, if only because Adelle knew that girl got straight A's and rarely missed a day.

Today was one of the days that Ashley was taking a 'mental health' day. She'd jokingly claim that she needed a break every three or so months, to get her head together. Adelle, seeing past the joke, had known that Ashley truly needed a day every so often to get herself together. She'd offered the Youth Center for those days and promised not to tell anyone that Ashley sometimes cut school to mope in the restaurant.

Right now, moping wouldn't be the right word. Adelle watched as the girl lifted the weight in her final rep, before sitting up and taking a gasping breath. It was an odd sight, since she'd never seen Ashley really care about muscle. In fact, the light brown haired girl was usually on the balance beam, her body moving through the air in a grace that Adelle hadn't seen since Kimberly Hart vanished.

The high school senior had shown up in sweat pants and a long sleeve workout shirt, hair in a pony tail. She'd barely bothered to look at Adelle before making a comment about annoying parents. Then she'd slid under the bar at the weight machine and been at it for fifteen straight minutes. The drink that Adelle had left beside her – a lemonade with a fluffy straw and umbrella – was so far untouched, even though Ashley had sweat out everything she'd eaten or drank in the last five weeks.

"Ashley," Adelle called out, her voice breaking the silence. She winced, knowing she probably startled the already on edge girl. The girl lifted her head, brown eyes questioning. Adelle lifted her purse and pointed towards the door. "Going out for a bit. Try not to mess the place up, okay? And I'd feel better if you didn't use the heavy weights while I wasn't here."

Ashley nodded and stood. "Sure, Adelle. I'm mostly done anyway." She flashed a smile, and relieved, Adelle turned and flipped the closed sign, locking the door behind her.

She reached up and fixed her ponytail as the door closed and locked. Then she leaned back down under the bar, ignoring the fact that she was probably too tired to lift it again. She had gotten three hours of sleep last night, even less the day before.

The teen barely got it off the rack before two large hands slammed it right back down. "I thought she told you not to use the weight machine when no one is around." He spoke from above her, hazel eyes snapping in anger.

"Yeah, well, do I look like I care?" She snarled back at her 'friend'. He'd visited her three times since last Sunday. She didn't know his name, she didn't really know him, but for some reason, he showed up when she was upset.

"You look like a drowned rat." He said calmly after of composing himself for a second. He didn't seem to take argument well.

"Oh, gee, thanks. That's exactly what every girl needs to hear." She let go of the bar when he became evident he wasn't moving. "Look, I appreciate the concern, but it's not necessary."

"Someone needs to look out for you," He argued, then blinked, surprised by himself. Since when was he concerned by earth children? Then he shook his head at himself. "Now take a drink. You are going to become dehydrated."

She glared but started to do as he demanded, then stopped as she realized what she was doing. She flushed and stood, crossing her arms at him. "What is your problem? You stalk me, freak me out, demand things from me, and then tell me it's because you're concerned about me!" She seemed a second away from screaming in frustration, he noted in amusement.

"You interest me." He shrugged, "And I do not wish to see the only human I can stand come to harm by her own hand."

She froze, eyes narrowing further. "An odd way of telling me your anti-social or, when you say human, do you mean something else?"

"Astute for a child of earth," He commented, "But you live in a city where monster and alien attacks are normal." His head tilted like a large cat's. "No, I'm not from Earth, though I am human."

Ashley took a huge step back, "How can you be human but not from Earth? And are you the 'come in peace' kind or do I scream?" Sarcasm was obvious in the last sentence.

He scowled, "Humans exist in other places besides earth. You aren't the only inhabitable place in the universe, you know." Then he dropped the scowl and reverted back to his frown. "And I won't hurt you, even though you frustrate me to no end."

"Yeah, well, the feelings mutual." She would ignore the first statement until she knew what to make of it. Then, "If you aren't from earth, what are you doing here?"

"That I cannot tell you, little one." He said, "But rest assured, no harm will come to you when you are with me."

For some reason, that made her feel better. "Fine." Another pause stretched between them. "Want something to eat? The hamburger meat is frozen, but French fries are easy."

He smiled slightly, "I tell you I'm a human that's not from earth, and you offer me fries? Your customs are indeed strange."

"Look, you want 'em or not? Cause I don't have to feed you, stalker boy." She growled, and then whirled around the stalk towards the kitchen.

He followed. "Actually, I'd like to help you. I can even make the shakes if you tell me how." He offered after a second, ignoring the voice in his head that told him Princes of Evil did not make milkshakes or eat fries with human girls.

She paused then nodded. "Cool. I'll get the stuff out, and then we can eat."

Thirty minutes later, Andros was sprawled on a cushioned bench, Ashley curled across the booth. She munched on an overly salted fry from the basket between them, her golden brown eyes trained on the 'alien'. He stared right back at her, hazel eyes guarded.

"So, I know you're human, not from Earth and a stalk, but I don't know your name." She said after a second.

"Andros." He spoke after a second velvet running down her spine. Not that she would ever admit that. "I don't believe you introduced yourself, either."

"No, but something tells me you know anyway." She said suspiciously.

"I do." He smirked, "Ashley; a pretty name, but rather generic. It doesn't fit you."

She blinked, taken aback. "I think it fits me just fine!" She snapped after a second, eyes snapping fire. His smirk grew. "Ashley is a name for a normal girl, one with no fire, no spark. You, Ashley Hammond, have both fire and spark."

It was flattering. "Well, thanks, I guess." She took a sip of the chocolate shake. "What would fit me? Because I really can't think of a name besides Ashley." He cocked his head, "I think I'll just call you little star." He said after a second, avoiding the question with an air that said the subject was closed.

Not that she headed the warning. "'Little Star'? Well, you're definably from outer space. Why not just call my Ash?" He stopped to think "Like what the phoenix rises from?" He asked after a second.

She chocked on a laugh and then on her shake. After coughing a bit, she shook her head. "No, just...Short for Ashley." Then she herself stopped to think, "You know, now that I think about it, a phoenix does rise from its own ashes, doesn't it?" He nodded, not saying a thing, and she kept going. "I always thought it was a lovely tale, if a little sad. I wonder, would it hurt to burn up and be reborn? Or would it just feel warm, like happiness and love?"

This time he spoke. "I can't truly say, but I think it would hurt. Nothing good comes without pain." A profound statement that made her blink. "You're probably right." She said after a second, eyes staring off into space. Then she shook herself. "Whatever. Let's change the topic, okay?"

He smiled lightly and nodded. There was silence then, as if Ash didn't want to be the one to start the conversation this time. "How about I tell you about space?" She swallowed her shake and nodded eyes wide. "Would you?"

He laughed under his breath and picked a story he was sure she would like. This might not be such a bad day after all.