DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban and Nickelodeon. I only own the subplots.

Jason, Kimberly, Billy, Tommy, Adam, and Bulk and Skull sat in the park working on their projects.

"Hey, uh, sorry about in class," Skull apologized.

"That's okay. You were just really getting into it," Jason chuckled.

"I can't show this to the whole class," Tommy complained, holding up his clay mold. "Hey, maybe if I made it taller."

"She stares at you all the time in school," Adam stated. "I think Marge really likes you." Kimberly laughed in agreement.

"Yeah, but I don't know if it'd work out. I mean, I can't exactly be honest with her," Billy hesitated.

"Billy, just ask her out. She's a great fit for you," Kimberly encouraged.

"Yeah, two intellectuals having a meeting of the minds. What could be more perfect?" Skull queried.

"I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but I agree with Skull," Jason commented.

"You know what? You guys are right. I'll ask her to a movie," Billy stated.

"Perfect," Adam said.

"Definitely," Kimberly agreed.

"Man, no one will ever know it's supposed to be human," Tommy complained.

"Bro, you're having a conversation with yourself over here," Jason told him.

"That's it! I'll say it's an alien!" Tommy cried, not seeming to have heard him. Everyone laughed. There was a burbling sound and they all looked up.

"Speaking of aliens!" Skull cried, pointing to the Putties.

"Don't these guys ever learn?" Adam wondered.

"Spread out!" Tommy ordered.

"We can help!" Bulk offered.

"Aim for the 'Z'," Kimberly reminded them. They all began fighting the putties. As they did so, they the clay creatures surrounded them. A group of Putties started to surround Adam, Kimberly, and Jason.

"Form a human chain!" Jason cried. Adam jumped onto his shoulders and Kimberly placed herself in between Adam's legs, holding on tightly. Then, they spun around.

"Yes! They're distracted! Now to cast my spell!" As the other Rangers fought, they didn't notice when vines began wrapping themselves around Billy's body. Rita chanted in a foreign language and Billy grunted as he felt a foreign presence enter his mind. No…gotta fight it, he thought to himself. Blue Ranger, I am your evil Queen and you will obey my command. Steal the Power Morphers. Make the Rangers helpless, Rita instructed. Billy's eyes shone with silver electricity as the spell took effect. After defeating the Putties, Jason, Adam, and Kimberly disengaged and fought separately, but stuck close together. Kimberly looked around. Where's Billy? She wondered. Finally, the Putties were defeated and they all headed back for the table.

"Hey, you all right?" Kimberly asked in concern. "I'm so sorry, Billy. I didn't mean to lose track of you."

"Don't worry. I'm fine," he answered.

"I think we should contact Zordon, Bro," Jase stated. "I've got a bad feeling about this," he continued. Tommy nodded and then touched the 'talk' button on his green and white communicator.

"Zordon, we ran into some Putties at the park. Are the sensors picking anything up?" he queried.

"Not at this, moment, Green and White Ranger. However, Putty attacks tend to implicate a larger plan. Alpha and I shall have to run a scan on Angel Grove and then contact you when we have more information."

"All right. Tommy out."

"All right, let's go meet the others," Kimberly stated. "Oh, Billy, don't forget. Marge will be there."

"Marge? Don't be ridiculous. She's not even my type." The others stared at him in surprise.

"Billy?" Kimberly questioned.

"Can we go?" Billy asked in irritation. They're getting in the way of Empress' plan, he thought to himself.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Tommy answered. He stomped off, and the others followed him.

"Something's not right here," Jason said to Tommy.

"I know," the other boy agreed.

"Maybe he's just been spending too much time in the sun," Skull said.

"That's a good guess as any," Jason commented.

"Or maybe he got hit in the head during the fight," Bulk suggested.

"Possibly," Kimberly agreed. At the youth center, Jason, Kimberly, Tommy, Zack, Trini, Rocky, Adam, Aisha, Justin, Tina, Chris, Hilary, Zane, Angela, and Curtis had gathered around a table and were studying, while Richie was taking orders. and Bulk and Skull were playing cards at a nearby table, oblivious to what was going on around them. Presently, a man in a Angel Grove Police Department uniform walked in. He looked around, and then seeing who he was looking for, walked up to the table.

"Excuse me Mr. Scott, I realize that you're studying, but may I have a word with you?" he asked in a low tone.

"Of course, Lt. Stone," Jason answered and followed the man to a secluded corner. Jerome Stone looked at the teen, who stood in front of him almost passively. What happened? Did I get red-flagged because I had to leave some classes early because of a monster attack? The boy wondered. "What's going on?"

"Do you know a Bulkmeir and a Skullovich?"

"Bulk and Skull? Yeah, why?"

"Would you say that they have the qualifications to become Junior Police Patrol Officers?"

"They-they-applied for-" Jason stammered and gaped, unsure of how to respond. Never would've seen that one comin', he thought to himself. Sure they had changed in the past year, but this was pretty major. Kimberly and the others had stopped studying and were watching in confusion.

"Hey, Richie, take this to the back table, would you?" Ernie requested, holding up a tray.

"You got it, Ernie," Richie agreed, and with only a quick glance at Jason, went to do so.

"Am I to take your reaction as evidence that they're unqualified?" Jason shook off his surprise and shook his head.

"If this was about a year ago, I'd say your assumption was correct. However, they've grown and they've become really good friends."

"What are their grades like?"

"Uhhh…they're a little spotty, but once they get into something, they stick with it." That's an understatement, he thought to himself, recalling all of the stunts they had pulled in the past to discover their identities.

"Thank you, Mr. Scott. I'll let you get back to your studies." The man tipped his hat and walked out, as Jason headed back to his table.

"What was that all about?" Curtis questioned as Jason sat down.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Jason responded, opening his Math book. Presently, Marge came up to them.

"Salutations, Billy," she greeted. He ignored her. "Billy?" she asked, feeling hurt. What's troubling him? He appeared jubilant in class, she thought to herself. Everyone looked at the Blue Ranger in surprise as Marge walked away. Kimberly smacked him.

"Ow!" he protested.

"What is the matter with you?" she demanded.

"Yeah, I thought you were going to ask her out on a date," Jason continued.

"Yeah, to the movies," Skull added.

"No, I-I think everyone made false assumptions based on our rapport with each other," Billy added. Then, lowering his voice, "I'm going to need your communicators because tonight I'm going to be making adjustments to them like Zordon asked me to."

"What is wrong with our communicators?" Kimberly questioned.

"Well, by redefining the geographical servo frequency Ranger, we'll have less high end interference and less of a chance of strange malfunctions," Billy answered. Kimberly frowned, trying to decipher what he had said. Though she had gotten better at translating him, she didn't always know what he was saying.

"But there's been no static on them," Trini objected.

"I'm just doing what Zordon asked me to," Billy said, getting testy.

"Okay," they all said and unclasped their communicators and gave them to him.

"I don't like it, Billy," Jason frowned.

"Yeah, what if Zordon tries to reach us?" Tommy agreed. "Ever since Rita's been back, things have been pretty unpredictable."

"You guys don't have to worry. I'm just going to keep them in my backpack," Billy replied. Tommy and Jason shared a look.

"Um, you know what? I think Jason and I'll hold on to ours until you get those fixed, just to be on the safe side," Tommy stated.

"Yeah," Jason agreed. Good thinking, Bro. Something's not right here, he thought to himself. Billy gave them both a dirty look, and then turned his attention to his blue backpack, which along with everyone's communicators, held their Morphers.

"Well, why don't we get back to Math?" Rocky suggested.

"You guys go ahead. I'm going to take off. I think I know Math inside and out," Billy said and then took off.

"Talk about mood swings," Angela commented.

"Guys, something's wrong here. Ever since the fight, he's been acting really weird," Kimberly stated. On the moon, Rita, Zedd, and their henchmen had seen the whole thing.

"It worked! It seems that I underestimated you, My Darling," Zedd stated. She laughed.

"Finally, the world will be all mine!" she cackled. Zedd growled.

"What did you say?" he queried.

"I mean-all ours!" Rita amended. Drat! I can't believe I slipped like that! she thought to herself. She'd have to be more careful. But, if Finster's test proved successful, she'd soon have a way to get rid of Zedd and the Power Rangers at the same time. Goldar and Scorpina looked at her and they all laughed.