Chapter Nine-School and The Youth Center
Kira plopped down on Aisha's yellow sleeping bag, two shopping bags at her sides another at her feet, and one more bag above her head.
"You guys know how to shop." she giggled.
Kimberly and Aisha laughed. Aisha sat on her bed. While Kimberly sat Indian style on her pale rose pink sleeping bag next to Kira's.
"Yeah, so we've been told." Kimberly smiled.
"The guys are always getting on us about that." Aisha said.
"I used to be a shopper." Kira said. "For a day."
"Couldn't cut it?" Kimberly asked with a cheeky smile.
"No, some alien rock made me all girly and preppy. I could help it and was so happy when we were turned back to normal."
"What's wrong with that?" Kimberly said offended.
"Sorry."
Aisha smiled at the girls. They were all different, but so much alike. She wondered what they truly had in common.
"Hey, everyone's different." she told them. "And you should be ashamed, Kira."
"What? Why?"
"Because you know you loved it."
Kira laughed. "True, especially the moans and groans from the guys."
They all laughed.
It was true, Kira did enjoy their shopping adventure. She never really had any girlfriends to hang out with, so she never really got into the who'll girl bonding games. She smiled knowing when they returned home, she was going to have new friends.
Adam walked into the spare bedroom of his house.
"This will be your room." He said to Conner as he nodded his head to the room clad in different shades of green.
"Thanks." The taller boy said.
An awkward silence with both boys. Conner placed his shopping bags on the neatly made bed.
"My parents will be home in an hour."
"That's good." Conner said as he sat on the bed.
He rubbed his palms on his jeans. He was nervous. He was usually more social.
"So, you got any hobbies?" He asked the Black Mighty Morphin Ranger.
"Martial Arts." Adam answered. He leaned against the door frame.
Conner nodded and looked towards the closet opposite the bed.
"You?" Adam asked.
"Soccer." Conner said cheerfully.
"I like soccer."
"Dude, that's so cool." Conner exclaimed quickly. He nervousness evaporated.
Adam jumped at the other boy's exclamation.
"Yeah, it's my favorite sport." Adam confessed.
"Mine too. Do you play?"
"I used to."
The two boys fell into a conversation about the sport. Joking fondly. They didn't even hear the Parks enter the house.
"So, how much power do we need?" Ethan asked the boy sitting on the stool next to his.
They were in Billy's garage also known as Billy's lab. The two Blue Rangers were busy making wrist communicators for the Dino Thunder Team and Kim.
"Let's put it this way," Billy answered, his attention never leaving the communicator with blue in his hand. "and of us will need Ninja powers to open the vortex completely."
"You mean, Dr. O, Kim , Conner, Kira, Trent, and I?" Ethan said.
"Affirmative." Billy said. "Hand me that screwdriver."
Ethan handed him the item and watched as the final touch was added to the first communicator.
Billy handed the device to Ethan.
"Put this on." He told the other Blue Ranger before he told him his theory to the vortex.
"It would seem the power need to open the portal is the same power of the Ranger team at the time."
"Right," Ethan agreed. "That would explain some things."
"We are not strong enough though." Billy frowned.
Ethan thought for a bit. Then something came to him.
"Maybe the amount of power needed to open the vortex depends on the number of Rangers in that time." He explained his own theory.
"Yes, how foolish of me not to realize." Billy suddenly said. "That makes sense. I will have to inform Zordon and Alpha tomorrow after school."
The other boy nodded. Silence followed before the Blue Mighty Morphin Ranger remembered the communicator on Ethan's wrist.
"Push the button and see if you can contact Alpha." He said.
Ethan pushed the button.
"Hello?" He said nervously. "Alpha?"
"I'm reading you, Ethan." The robot's voice said through the device.
He stared at the device. He liked it. Such complex equipment for the early nineties.
"Great." The Tricera Ranger exclaimed and broke the connection.
Billy smiled at Ethan's excitement.
"So, are you gonna show me how to make these?" Ethan asked.
"Affirmative."
Billy handed Ethan a band and picked one up for himself. He proceeded to teach the other Blue Ranger how to make a wrist communicator.
"Here's some blankets." Mrs. Oliver said as she handed a couple of blankets to Trent.
The Drago Ranger smiled shyly at the woman.
"Dinner will be ready in a half hour." She said as she left the room.
"That's your mom?" Trent asked. "You don't look alike? Do you look like your dad?"
"No," Tommy said as pulled mattress from under his bed. "I'm adopted, but it's not a big deal."
"Me too." Trent said. "My dad's, my dad. Nothing less. Did you know your birth parents."
"No, my biological mother died soon after my birth. My biological father died months before. That's all I know about them."
"I knew mine. They were great. They died a few years ago. My dad was with them. He took me in and adopted me. I go by both names."
Tommy nodded.
"What do you like to do?" He asked knowing a change of subject would make them both more comfortable.
"I like to draw. You?"
"Martial Arts mostly." Tommy chuckled. "I like impressing my girlfriend."
Trent wondered where that thought came from.
"I love seeing her smile and hearing her laugh. She was my first friend here in Angel Grove."
"It's the same with me and Kira."
"She your girl?"
Trent looked down.
"No. She's just a friend."
"Oh."
Trent sighed.
"Lately, she seems more interested in Conner."
"That bites."
"Yeah."
Tommy didn't mean to hit a sore spot. Then he thought of his future self and Kimberly's adult form. They seemed to hate each other.
"I wonder what happened." He said out loud.
"What?"
"Kimberly and I." I wonder what happened to us."
"I don't know." Trent lied. Well, kind of lied.
He didn't think one letter could have put such a rift in the couple.
"Dr. Oliver doesn't talk much about his personal life, let alone his past."
"I do like my solitude."
"I guess that's why you chose to live in the middle of no where near the woods."
"I guess? I like nature too."
Silence followed. Both boys not knowing exactly where to go from here. It was clear to them that they had a lot in common. More than Trent should ever know, but Dr. Oliver did share his heartbreak over the first Pink Ranger.
Tommy could honestly say he liked the boy (not in a romantic way). They were so alike it was scary.
"So, were you evil too?" Tommy asked out of curiosity. "You know, when you first become a ranger."
Trent nodded.
"Yeah."
"How?"
The two fell into a conversation about their first experiences as Rangers.
Dr. Oliver and Kim sat alone in the Command Center. Alpha had plugged himself in to charge after he had tested the new communicators with the Blue Rangers and Zordon wasn't in his chamber.
The two adults were seated on the floor. They sat opposite to the other. Kim's side leaned into the console. Her legs were pulled to her chest, her arms embracing the limbs. While Dr Oliver's back was facing the console his legs out stretched.
They were really bored.
They couldn't argue.
After the teens left, Zordon told them, if they even say one unpleasant word to the other, they would regret it.
So, they sat in silence. Both afraid of what their mentor would make them do as punishment. They had no doubt in their minds if they were to speak, he would her them.
Kim sighed.
"So, how's Reefside?" she asked choosing a safe topic.
Dr. O also took a calming breath.
"It was okay when we left it."
He wasn't too sure about the city's current state. Mesogog could be terrorizing the city at this very moment.
"That's good." Kim said not noticing the worry in the man's eyes.
"How's Florida?"
"Warm. I'm bored there and lonely. Not as happy. I miss home."
The Black Ranger bit his tongue. He wanted to be cruel, but he couldn't. He didn't want to get into trouble.
"Oh."
Silence.
It was amazing how much distance they had put between them. They used to be so close, but now they couldn't stand each other and all because they tried again.
The next day, the teens walked into Angel Grove High School. There hardly was any one in the halls. They decided to arrive early to get the Dino Thunder Rangers settled.
They walked until they reached the main office.
Tommy, Billy, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha waited outside as Kimberly led the rest through the doors.
"The responsibilities of the Student Body President." Rocky sighed.
"Hello, Mrs. Murphy." Kimberly said cheerfully to the rather plump secretary.
"Good morning, Kimberly." The black woman smiled brightly at the girl. "How can I help you?"
"Um..." Kimberly began. "These are the new students. They transferred from Reefside High School."
Mrs. Murphy typed into the computer and pulled up the four records. Standing, she went over to the filing cabinet and pulled out four files.
"Let's see." She said leafing through them. "Mr. Fernandez?"
Trent raised his hand and she handed him the file.
"Sit there." She pointed to a set of chairs outside of the principal's office.
"Miss Ford." She stated and gave Kira her file.
Kira took it and joined Trent.
"Mr. James?"
Ethan held out his hand for his file.
"And Mr. McKnight."
Conner took his file and the boys sat by their friends.
"Mr. Caplan will be with you in a moment." Mrs. Murphy told them before turning to Kimberly. "I will inform your first period teacher that you will either be late or not attending class today."
Kimberly nodded.
"I'll get my notes from Adam."
"Good."
Later that morning, Kira, Conner, Tommy, and Rocky sat in Ms. Applebee's class. It was only three minutes before lunch.
Tommy was practically bouncing in his seat.
"Calm down." Rocky said knowing exactly the reason Tommy was excited. You would think the Red Ranger would be more excited for lunch, with his appetite. "Kim's not going to start making out without you."
The White Ranger glared at his friend.
"That's not the reason why I want to see her."
"Sure it's not." The Red Ape smiled. "You just want to study for math."
Tommy was about to comment on his teammates sarcasm when the bell rang.
"There will be a quiz on today's lesson tomorrow." Ms. Applebee said.
Groans of displeasure rose from the students as they exited the classroom.
"Oh, Tommy, Rocky?" she called before they left.
The two boys paused and approached their teacher. Kira and Conner waited at the door.
"Will you play catch up with our new students?"
They nodded and smiled.
"No problem, Ms. Applebee." Rocky assured.
"We were going to help them anyway." Tommy said.
"That's wonderful."
They nodded and left the room.
"I thought we would never get out of there." Conner said as they walked to the cafeteria.
"Me either." Rocky and Tommy said in stereo.
Kira just rolled her eyes as she walked over to the table where the other Rangers were sitting.
She took her place next to Kim. Tommy sat on Kim's other side. Rocky sat in the middle of Adam and squeezed in between Ethan and Kira. Ethan tried to force the Tyranno Ranger to sit on his other side by trying to stay firmly in place, but Conner wedged his way in. He gave the Tricera Ranger a confusing look before turning to his lunch. Ethan shot Trent an apologetic look. Trent nodded and smiled at him to thank him for trying.
After a several minutes of eating, Conner noticed the big grin on his Blue Ranger's face.
"What's up with the wide grin?" he asked Ethan.
"Billy and I came up with a theory." Ethan answered proudly.
"What about?" Kira asked.
The Tricera Ranger looked around to make sure no one was listening distance.
"The time portal and powers thing."
"That's great." Tommy said.
"Yeah," Conner agreed. "What's the theory."
"The portal reacts to the number of active Rangers in the time period it appears." Billy began. "There were five good Dino Thunder Rangers in 2003, it took all five powers. There may be six of us in this time but, since their are five more rangers, we need more power.
"The portal does not only need our six Ninja powers. There are eleven active rangers in this time now." he continued. "The portal requires all eleven of us to fully open."
"Thus, we're screwed." Ethan finished.
"Maybe not." Kimberly said. "There's supposed to be an animal spirit in within all of us, right?"
"Yeah?" The other 1996 Rangers said.
"Well," Kimberly continued as she tucked her hair behind her ear. She pulled a leg under her and sat on it. She leaned on an arm the table. "How about we ask Ninjor to awaken their animal spirits?"
"It may work in theory." Billy said. "We will have to ask Zordon and Ninjor."
Everyone nodded as they continued to eat lunch.
They all decided to meet at the Youth Center after school, not only to continue the power theory, but to do their homework before heading to the Command Center.
The ten teens walked to the Youth Center. They babbled silly tales of their time as Rangers.
"...and then the TV blew up." Billy laughed as he related the day Kimberly had bad luck and she was trapped in another dimension in the bottle of the Samurai Fan Man.
"That was the worst." Kimberly groaned. "My hair, my outfit, and my make-up: I looked a mess and once I got out that bottle, I looked worse."
"I thought you looked all right." Tommy gushed.
"You would." Rocky snipped.
"Suck up." Conner grumbled.
Both Red Rangers yelped painfully as the Yellow Rangers smacked them.
Everyone laughed as they entered the gym and juice bar.
"Hey, guys." Ernie greeted the teens as they walked up to the counter.
An assortment of greetings from the Mighty Morphin Rangers followed.
"Um... Ernie." Aisha said as she brushed a few braids behind her shoulder. "This is Conner, Trent, Ethan, and Kira."
She pointed to each as she addressed them.
"They're new in town and we're showing them around. Guys, this is Ernie. He runs this place."
"Hi." Ernie waved at the new comers. "Since you are new, how about banana smoothies on the house?"
"Sure." Kira said eagerly.
"Why not?" Ethan shrugged.
"I never could turn down a free drink." Conner replied.
"I love banana smoothies." Trent smiled.
"And I'll take it you guys want your regulars?" Ernie asked the other team.
"Yeah!" They all said.
Later, the Rangers were sat at a couple of tables, drinking their drinks and chatting. Rocky was eating a plate fries.
He swatted at Aisha and Conner as they each took turns taking some of the sliced potatoes.
"Well, look what we have here, Skull." Came a greeting the 1996 Rangers were used to.
"It's our favorite trouble makers."
Kimberly swerved in her seat to face the two annoyances.
"What do you want, Bulk?" she asked with a sneer.
"Watched your mouth, missy." Bulk ordered.
"How about a date and a kiss?" Skull said approaching the Pink Ranger.
"How about a double?" His bigger companion said as he went over to Aisha.
Both girls looked at the want to be suitors with disgusts.
"By the looks, on their faces, I would have to say no." Kira chimed.
"Hey there, cutie." Bulk said taking his eyes off of the black yellow ranger to place his attention on the Ptera Ranger. "How about we make it a five person date? Kimberly with Skull and you ladies with me."
He said looking from one Yellow Ranger to the other.
All three girls rolled their eyes and groaned.
"How about you go away?" Trent snapped his attention on the one called Bulk.
"Yeah," Tommy agreed glaring at Skull. "You ask the same question every date and you get turned down every day."
"Take a hint." Rocky said.
"God, not even I'm that dense." Conner added.
"Bulkmiere, Skullovich!"
The new voice stopped Bulk's retort.
"Lt. Stone?" The officers in training squeaked.
They were caught away from their post again and their head officer didn't look pleased. He looked really annoyed.
"You are supposed to be outside in the parking lot watching for car thieves."
"Yes sir." Bulk and Skull said in unity.
They remained frozen, not taking the hint to head out immediately.
"Go!"
They squeaked as they ran out of the Youth Center, tripping over each other. Lt. Stone in tow.