Chapter 4: For Me
A.N.: The Eltaran lullaby is in this chapter (most of it). Since I'd get in trouble for posting it on , if anyone wants to see it (as well as Cosima to English translation), let me know in a review and I'll send it by e-mail. Add if you want it in DOC or ODT!
While Tommy and Kat were getting the food orders and putting in what they referred to as "the usual calls", Billy was checking the pink diary for any clues, while Tanya looked through the blue one. Adam had gone to the Cranston residence to get his weekend homework and the books that had been left at the school. Rocky went with him.
I honestly have no concept of what I've done to deserve friends like these, the Ranger's advisor thought wryly as he watched all that went on, including Clairie taking a nap with Cosima right near her, Not only are they doing everything they can to try to save my sister, they're also going out of their way to help me, too. He smiled slightly, shook his head and started back into the pink diary. One entry caught his eye.
October 1, 1993
It's been a real good day!
On September 11th, Billy signed us both up for what he called a special kind of class, one that'll let me be able to talk to him and everyone else, even though I can't speak anymore. It's called sign language. We both caught on real good in classes, and today, I used it in school for classes for the first time. The teachers were real happy, too.
Even better, that nasty voice in my head hasn't said anything for the past couple of days. I don't know how long it'll last, but it's nice not to hear it telling me to sur-render.
Since it's so nasty, I'm gonna call it a demon from now on.
"Billy," Tanya said, "Did you know your sister's being bullied after school?"
"Ever since this first happened to her, she's always being bullied," he replied, "For a long time, it was the kids in her school that did that. It stopped when a couple of the bullies lost siblings to the same condition. Why?"
"There are two that haven't stopped. In fact, they've stepped it up. I lost the place that you were last at, and I found an entry from last week."
He stiffened and said, an edge appearing in his voice, "Read it to me."
April 15, 1996
Even though the school bullies stopped picking on me long ago, there's a pair of high school kids that keep doing it. Thing is, they now only do it when not wearing blue clothes. I usually run into them near the Youth Center, the school crossing or at the park. I never got their real names, but I think I know now what they call each other.
One of them is real big and fat, and the other one's skinny. I've been calling them Tweedledee and Tweededum, and now that I know what they call each other, I wish I could still use that. You see, one's named Bulk and the other's named Skull.
I know that I'm supposed to ignore them when they say stuff like "mutie" or "geek and freak", but they've also done stuff like take my sign language book and rip it up, or get my homework dirty, so that I have to get it done again. But one of the more recent ones really hurts. Bulk said that he hopes another loud boom (yeah, that loud boom) goes off so that I'll wind up like everyone else.
The look on Billy's face changed as Tanya read the entry. At first it was surprise, then shock. Now, his eyes were fiery with anger.
"Bulk and Skull? Why didn't she tell me about this?"
"She sounds like the kind of kid sister that didn't want to worry her big brother," she replied, "It even says here, 'Billy's got a lot to worry about without me telling him about this. Besides, I'm a big girl, I'm supposed to handle things myself.'"
"That sounds like her, but..." He sighed and added, anger seeping into his tone, "For her sake, I hope I don't run into those two for a while. Tanya, let's switch diaries."
"Alright."
Almost immediately, he found an entry.
October 31, 1993
The demon started talking again. It was while dad and I went trick-or-treating. Billy was at a party in the Youth Center, dressed up as Sherlock Holmes. It's one of his favorite storybook characters, you know.
Anyway, about the demon. Instead of just ignoring and fighting the voice, I chose to get facts out of it. Who knows? If this is in the hands of the Power Rangers, maybe they can stop it from killing more kids.
Anyway, I did find out that the first two kids from my group that died really did have their minds wrecked. I asked it just what it wanted from me. I didn't expect an answer, but I got one. I really don't understand what it said so I'll write them down here.
The demon said it takes something called life energy and essence. When the kid sur-renders or just can't fight anymore, it'll take something else, too. Now this is what I'm confused about. What does signatures have to do with power?
Zordon was listening to the entries as they were read aloud over the intercom system. When he heard the last part, there was only one thing he knew of.
"Billy, you're certain she said that?" he asked, alarm evident in his voice, "Repeat the last sentence."
He nodded and said, "'What does signatures have to do with power?'" The young genius thought for a moment, then said, "The only thing I could think of it to mean would...be..." His eyes widened and he turned pale. No...for once, tell me I'm wrong!
"Exactly. The last part refers to power signatures. This is much worse than I thought."
"What's much worse, Zordon?" Tanya asked.
Before I answer, we will wait for the others to return and for all of you to eat."
Right then, Adam and Rocky teleported in, carrying not only schoolbooks, but also a stack of papers. They then walked into the medical bay.
"We're back. Man, if I had a ton of this kind of homework, I'd explode," Rocky said, shaking his head.
"Yeah well, you could do with more of it then," Adam replied.
"Hey!"
Right then, Kat and Tommy teleported in as well, carrying different containers.
"That smells good!" Rocky remarked.
"Okay guys, where should we eat?" Tommy asked.
"If Alpha and Zordon wouldn't mind," Billy said, "I'll grab some blankets and set them up in the middle of the main room. I'm seeing about converting one of the storage rooms into a break room, but it's not completed yet."
"Why not eat in the medical bay?"
Billy scowled at him. "Besides the chances being high of the machinery getting food or drink into the circuits? Also, I'm not cruel."
"Cruel?"
Tommy shook his head and scowled. "Yeah, eating in front of his sister isn't exactly too smart."
A scream came over the speakers. Billy's eyes widened, then he ran into the medical bay, Alpha hot on his heels.
"Clairie!"
He went to the medical bed where his sister was laying. He could hear some kind of growling voice, low and evil.
"You!" he hissed, "You've got to be the 'demon' my sister wrote about. Zordon!"
"I hear it. Alpha?"
"From these readings, it's as though she's having a very bad nightmare, and the monster's taking advantage of it by draining-"
Billy thought quickly, shaking her as he said, "Clairie! Clairie, wake up!"
It didn't take long for the little girl's eyes to open. Even though they were filled with terror, he was relieved that they were open at all.
"B-Billy? How come you look so upset?"
He let out a sigh of relief, then sat on the medical bed. He set her upright, then hugged her fiercely.
"Was it the demon again?"
"Y-yeah," he replied, "Does it do that to you often?"
"Make nightmares? Not all the time, but yeah."
"Tell me," he whispered, "Tell me."
"It was real bad. The demon made some little demons and put one of them into you and the Rangers. Your eyes turned red, and while the others were holding me down, you were getting knives and scalpels and—and..."
He shuddered at the thought and tightened his embrace, running a hand through her hair. "I will never do something like that to you, and neither will the others. We're not going to let this monster win," he replied.
"Not without a good fight, huh? Hee hee, I knew you'd say that."
Tommy and the others looked in from the entrance of the medical bay, mentally breathing a sigh of relief that the little girl was awake.
"Look at them," Kat said in a low voice, "I've seen brothers and sisters fight like cats and dogs, but I've never seen any as close as these two."
"Yeah," Tommy agreed, "Makes me feel like we could learn a lot from those two."
"I've got a little sister that's a holy terror," Adam said with a nod, "But I wouldn't wish this monster on even her."
After Billy made sure that Clairie was comfortable, he went into one of the adjoining storage rooms and got four blankets, then as he started to leave the medical wing, he saw the others watching.
"Sorry," he said quietly, "I've got the blankets. We should eat before the food gets cold. We can talk afterwards."
"That's fine. We even got you some anchovy spaghetti and your favorite soda," Kat replied.
Billy started to get his wallet, but Tommy shook his head. "Don't worry about that, bro. This's on me."
0000000000
After the six friends ate, all eyes (figurative and literal) shifted to Billy.
"Okay," Tanya said, "We found some more clues in the blue diary about this monster, and it's not good."
"That's an understatement," Billy agreed, "This monster apparently operates by draining the victim's life energy and essence. In the first monster attack, two of Clairie's playmates actually did succumb to catatonia, and from what else I remember from the cases, two others did as well."
"That explains why the doctors were fooled," Kat inserted.
"Yes, and that's not all. Apparently, before killing the victim, this monster also steals his or her power signature."
"Power signature? What's that?" Adam asked.
"Even I'm not fully certain," Billy admitted, "I saw references to it in the database."
Zordon answered, "When beings are selected to become Power Rangers, skills and moral upbringing are only two of the criteria we judge by. There is a third, and equally important quality that we look for: a power signature. Not everyone has it."
"I'm not liking the sound of this one bit," Tommy remarked.
"Neither am I," Billy said darkly, "if I understand this correctly, this monster is targeting and killing any children that may become Power Rangers in the future."
"Unfortunately, that is exactly what it means."
"You know what it also means?" Katherine asked.
"What?"
"Billy, if and when we beat this thing and save your sister, she's very likely to become a Power Ranger herself down the road."
"That is a very distinct possibility. However, we must first focus on finding more information and a way to save her life."
"Yeah, I agree," Tommy replied.
"Billy, Alpha, run a scan on Clairie. Look for any foreign matter."
"Right away," the young man agreed and got up, taking his covered drink with him.
"The scan will most likely take all night, Rangers," Alpha said, "So it would be best for all of you to rest."
"As well as any of us can, anyway," Adam replied.
0000000000
"Billy?"
"Yes?" He asked as he and Alpha configured the medical bed to begin the scan that Zordon had ordered. Configuring for the scan would take an hour, since they would be looking for anything ranging from spells, mental tampering or even parasites. That hour was almost up.
Her voice, even on the speakers, sounded sad. "If...or when I die, are you going to still stop the demon?"
He stiffened at the question. Before he could say anything, Alpha beat him to it.
"Don't talk like that, Clairie. We're not going to let that happen."
"I need to know. Are you going to stop it even if I die?"
Her brother took a shuddering breath, then answered, though his voice held a small tremor. "Of course we will. We're not going to give up, so don't you dare think of doing so, either. I am—we are not going to let you die."
"I'm scared."
"I know, sweetie. I'm scared, too, more than I care to admit to anyone."
"Hey...big brother? It's close to bedtime, isn't it?"
"For you, yeah."
"I don't know if I can sleep. I mean, you're here with me, and so are the Rangers, but I'm really scared." There was a pause, then she asked, "Can you do me a favor?"
"Anything."
"That foreign song...the one you learned a couple of years ago...did you learn it here?"
"Yes, I did. Why?"
0000000000
Tommy and Kat were working on homework when they heard something very unusual.
"Music?" he asked, "I didn't think this place had any music."
"It's pretty, I can hear reed instruments, and...almost like bells," she replied.
"Let's go check it out. Sounds like it's coming from the main room."
The two walked out of Tommy's temporary quarters and down the corridor, into the main room. That's when they heard a voice begin singing.
"Na fe so'la,cru tei'ma..."
"A tenor," Kat asked, "Is that you, Zordon?"
"No."
"Fa'le Tol Na, Chai'luma..."
"Where's it coming from?" Tommy asked in a lower voice.
"Whoa," Tanya asked as she and Rocky came into the main room, "Who's singing?"
"Ki'rei fa cosim, Sa'li te..."
"Whoever it is, he's good," Adam remarked as he joined the others.
"Qa cru fa'lei, fa'do'ma so'la..."
"Just what is this tune?" Tommy asked.
Zordon replied in a lower voice, "It's a traditional Eltaran night song."
"I think it's coming from the medical bay," Tanya said as she walked quietly. The others followed suit, both curious as well as not wanting to interrupt whoever it was.
As they approached the threshold into the medical bay, Tommy's eyes widened. What he saw before him made him barely able to breathe.
Inside, Billy was standing beside Clairie's bed, holding one of her hands in both of his and staring directly at her.
"Fa'le tol na, wam veinte awaki...Tol na tei'ma, chai'estei..."
It was then that they realized the truth: the one singing the "night song" was none other than Billy himself. His voice was gentle and warm, though soft and sad. The expression on his face was one of love, and to Tanya, it seemed as though he were trying to transmit to his sister a stronger will to live.
"Ki'rei fa cosim, Sa'li te, Qa cru fa'lei, fa'do'ma almai..."
None of them spoke up or made their presence known, each feeling that they didn't dare.
"Fa'lei a Fa'le, Sola a Luma, Chai'estei recre pa ii, Sa Liefe cicla, conta pa Eterne..."
It wasn't until after there was soft, little snores in the room when Billy stopped singing, let go of her hand, then put Cosima against her head. "Good night, Clairie." He turned towards the entrance and saw that everyone was in the doorway.
"Uh...ah..." he tried to think of a way to explain as he turned beet red.
"Billy," Tommy said, "Even after all this time, you're still full of surprises."
"Dude," Rocky said, "How come you never joined the school choir?"
"Science and technology is more my specialty. I'm actually not that good at singing."
"Not that good—there's a little girl in there that'd beg to differ," Kat replied, "and so do we."
"When did you learn that song?" Tanya asked.
"A couple of years ago. Zordon gave me permission to learn it as long as it was only for Clairie." he wanted to change the subject quickly, so he added, "I believe I have homework to do. I wanted to stay in the medical bay instead of my quarters, but he was set against it."
"Think of it as being across the hall, just like at your house," Kat suggested, "Besides, I have a funny feeling he will be keeping a closer eye on her than we think."
"Knowing him, he probably will," was the answer as he smiled wryly. "All right, let's get going. I know a good spot in the Power Chamber we can use to study..."