Epilogue

The Ranger Slayer

"Good form. Make sure that your shoulders are even with your feet." I called out, my voice echoing off the walls of the room behind me as I walked. "Torres, I see you back there. Keep those feet planted and your eyes forward. Good. Now, assume position 14." Around me, the entire room of students bent down and kicked their legs out so that they were in a kneeling defensive position. Their hands were up to attack but their feet were also at the ready. "Excellent. Again from position 1 to position 14." They all stood again before dropping back down. "Repeat this five more times for me." In unison, they are began to climb to their feet only to drop again. I made my way back up towards the front of the room, watching to make sure each person was following the instructions I had given. I was pleased to see that they were, each able to keep their form and posture as straight as possible.

My eyes moved from them up to the wall behind them. Written in bold letters were the words ANGEL GROVE CADET ACADEMY in black lettering. I thought about the number of young students who had gone through here, going through ruthless hours of training in hopes of being the next team of Power Rangers. Those who were not selected were given the option of selecting their own paths whether it be the police, military, or other forms of unitized occupations. Their training allowed them to be prepared for any type of job they might want seeing as there were only five open slots for Power Rangers. The team was replaced every two years, those stepping down in order to allow younger members to join and the former to retire into different positions. Being a Power Ranger wasn't a position designed for a lifetime commitment so it was important the terms weren't as long as the original team had been. Most of the time, the members of the team would continue on as mentors or trainers here at the academy until they were able to decide what path life wanted to take them. Some have even moved up in the ranks, becoming captains and lieutenants.

"Alright. At ease. Hit the showers. I don't want any stinky cadets for graduation tonight." I called, smiling at the room. Everyone stood, letting out some loud happy yells. "Yeah. Yeah. Keep it down." The group of fifty young men and women headed out of the room, heading towards the locker rooms up the hallway. I let my arms relax down to my sides as I watched the last of them disappear from sight. Another round of new recruits headed off for their next mission in life. There were three of them that were pretty well set up to be on the next Ranger team. They had shown all the qualities and characteristics of a Power Ranger in the making. They would be contacted in the next few weeks with the decision of the Board before they are sent off to the next level of training for six weeks and then it was off for their mission assignments. I was just the first stop. The other two positions would be for the two rangers that had made it from last year. Their time would be up next year though but for now, their mission was to help whoever landed the three spots from this group.

Turning, I looked out the tall windows that were behind me. They overlooked the city of Angel Grove, the now growing metropolis seemingly glowing in the yellow light of the sun. It was high in the sky, the warm May air making everything feel as if the early signs of summer were here. In my mind, I thought about how much had changed in comparison to how it had been before. I couldn't explain what happened in the Grid that day with Abby. She had said that we wouldn't remember what happened. When we arrived back in our world though, we found ourselves in a much different future than the one we had left. We also had every memory of what had happened. It felt like another life, something we had dreamed of after having a long fever. The world now was filled with hope and new beginnings, a stark comparison to the death and destruction that had been here when I had first stepped through the Grid.

Instead of a kingdom ruled by a powerful dictator, we learned that our world was now under the sights of democracy as it had been when I was younger. We still had an elected official who was also assisted by a government that was able to make decisions together rather than against the commonwealth. There hadn't been a war for decades now, the last dying away with the fall of the Dessert storm it seemed. The Power Rangers were now used nationwide instead of just here in Angel Grove. They were still trained here but now, anyone who was born in our country or came to our country could come here to train. And they were no longer teenagers either. Most Rangers were around 25, with the hope that a more mature Ranger would not only be more successful in any type of battle but also because children didn't belong on a battlefield.

Upon my arrival back here, I was delighted to see that Trini, Zack, and William were there. Each held a high position here in the Academy as well. Zack was in charge of weapons defenses, Trini did the medical training, and William, naturally, was in charge of all things technological. Even now as a full-fledged functioning adult who has served on the team, I still don't understand him when he teaches the cadets. I just stand there, smile, and pretend to understand. Thankfully, those who move forward seem to catch on somehow. We were all here, helping mold and shape those that would be filling into those shoes that we had broken in almost twenty years ago. They had no recollection of what had occurred before the reset. When I told them, I could tell that they were very skeptical of what I was telling them. I didn't understand why they couldn't remember when I could. But, it was something I left to William to figure out. There was little I understood about what had happened to begin with and I didn't want to waste any more time trying to solve things I didn't grasp.

The only one missing was Jason.

He had been right when he said that I would understand when we arrived back here. I learned after coming back here that Jason did succumb to death in this timeline as well. He was killed in a motorcycle accident on his way home from a training conference along the west coast. I didn't believe that he had actually physically died, though. I believe that Abby rewrote this timeline for that to be something people believed. I was grateful that we had come after that had happened. I didn't think I could deal with Jason dying a third time. It was sad that he couldn't be here and be a part of all of this. He had been the one who helped create the Academy and made it what it was today. There was a memorial garden between the main building and the administration building as well as a plaque on the front of the building that we had all chipped in for. I was happy to learn that he and Trini had been together prior to his death here. They had been together for several years before his death, something that I am sure he had asked to happen to make things easier for Trini. She had been hurting for a while but she was now more complete than I had ever seen her before. She managed to move on, a relationship forming between her and William. It was odd to see her with a different Ranger in each timeline but I could see why they fit with her so well. I was just glad to see her happy and Jason's memory alive.

Hearing that the cadets were completely gone now, I walked towards the back of the building. Up the hallway, there were pictures of the various teams that had graduated from here throughout the years. It had been quite magical, seeing William and Zordon being able to find a way to extend the power of the Grid to last this long. Zordon had been in charge of selecting Rangers for the first couple of years following our team, recruiting the likes of Aisha Campbell, Rocky DeSantos, and Adam Park to join the team along with several others. The three of them were now in charge of a good portion of the political part of the Academy. There were a number of groups who didn't like the idea of the Rangers being involved with things such as the military. They thought they were too powerful to have around in situations like that. Aisha was a pure gem when it came to handling these things, showing that some young adults with powers could come in hand when a thirty-foot monster is trying to take down the Empire State building or when aliens are trying to burn down crops in Iowa. The Rangers stepped in when the military needed to rely on powers out of their wheelhouse.

Stepping into my office, I caught a glimpse of the garment bag that hung from the hook near the door. I shut the door and walked over to it. Since graduation was tonight, top officers were expected to dress in their formal attire for the occasion. I always thought they were the ugliest things in the world. Locking the door, I made quick work of pulling the black uniform I wore off and pulled the other one on. This one was a light grey color, the undershirt that took three years to button a crisp white color. I pulled this one and then put the clip-on grey tie with it. Pulling on the skirt that matched the coat that hung in the back, I zipped it up on the side. Reaching over, I grabbed the suit coat and pulled it on. It was completely grey as well except for the pink stripes that ran up the entire length of the sleeves. Buttoning the brass buttons on the front of the coat, I looked in the full length of the mirror that was on the other side of the room. I much preferred the regular fatigues I wore for day-to-day training. The skirt was too much for me but I knew it was a special occasion for all the people who had trained hard. Four hours in some tweed wouldn't be the death of me, I suppose. Glancing down, I saw the patch that was sewn to the left breast right over where my heart was. It was the symbol of my Power Coin, something I wore with pride. During the ceremony for Ranger selections that would occur at the end of August, I would be able to present the same patch to the person who would be lucky enough to be picked as the Pink Ranger. This was a tradition I had started, something that I thought the Kim from the other timeline would have liked.

I thought of her, Tommy, and Abby often. I wonder how life was for them now without the interference of Drakkon in their world. I prayed every day that things worked out well for them and that they had managed to find some happiness after having to leave their daughter in the Grid. Sometimes, I feel like I can still hear Abby's voice when we do the Power Coin ceremonies. I often wonder if she still lives in there or if her powers were just absorbed, ending her existence. I liked thinking that she was always there, watching the new recruits and cadets maneuver learning powers that had been used by many before them. I'm sure it was a sight to see from her aspect, loaning her powers to allow it to happen.

Shoving my feet into the murderous shoes that they made me wear, I grabbed my badge from the desk and tucked it into the pocket. Opening the door, I headed back into the hallway. Glancing to my right, I saw that the sun was shining through the south windows as well, illuminating the marble flooring here. I also saw that there was a form of a person standing in front of the windows. They stood tall, their hands grasped behind their back and their feet apart in a military-like fashion.

The dude can never turn it off.

"Well, don't you look nice?" I said, walking towards him. The sound of my heels echoed off the walls and the marble flower. He turned slightly, glancing in my direction. He smiled, the warm face of Tommy Oliver soaking in the sun in a way that made the brown hues of his long hair and eyes sparkle. He had pulled his hair back for this, something that made me think of when we were younger. He was dressed in a similar uniform as me though his had pants, something that made me jealous. There was a set of green stripes running up the sleeves of his coat. On his left breast, there was a patch sewn there. The timeline was rewritten here that Tommy had never lost his Green Ranger powers here. Instead, they had been able to stop Rita from draining them as she had in the other world. Tommy had continued on as the Green Ranger, becoming a co-captain of sorts with Jason on our team. Once the academy became something, Jason stepped aside with Trini and Zack to help set it up. He became the leader then, helping us defeat Rita once and for all. Others wanted to fill that position of resident bad guy though, leaving our jobs forever needed it seemed. That's when Tommy, William, and I joined the academy and our spots were given to new people as well.

"You look beautiful as usual." He said, reaching over and taking my hand in his. Bringing it to his lips, he pressed a gentle kiss on the knuckles before lowering both of our hands. "I can't wait to get this damn thing off."

"I feel that," I said, grinning at him. His gaze went from me back out over the courtyard where the cadets were beginning to gather for graduation. Off in the distance, I could see their families beginning to fill the stadium at the bottom of the hill from where our building stood. "Are you worried?" I questioned, looking out at them as well.

"They are a good group." He said. I nodded, folding my hands in front of me.

"They sure are. Little rough around the edges in the beginning but weren't we all?" He grinned slightly, glancing at his feet. "You're going to pick a good sixth Ranger."

"I hate that they are making me do this." He said. After Tommy and the rest of our team decided to leave and the Academy was formed, the decision to go back to a five-person team had been made. It went on like this for a number of years, working just fine. But then a surprise reared its ugly head in the form of Lord Zedd. Apparently, in our new timeline, he worked for Rita's father instead of for his own gain. He set his sights on Earth about six months ago, proving to be a tough match against the Rangers. It was then that we decided that a six Ranger was needed to help face off against him. Up until now, Tommy has never needed to hand over any patches to someone.

"I know but they are ready and I know you are too. It's what the world needs." Raising a hand, I set it on his patch. "I think it's time to let someone else try to pull off that lime green look."

"I don't like to share though." He joked, an almost smile on his lips. He looked at the group and sighed. "I think I picked someone. I thought about it all night last night. But, it seems that Bryant will be a good choice." I scanned the group, my eyes landing on a guy who was standing off to the side of the large group. While everyone else was talking and mingling, he was more focused on the horizon. He seemed lost in thought, his jawline firm. He had been more of a loner from everyone but had strong martial artist skills. I had seen him during his time with Tommy who was in charge of the hand-to-hand combat portion of the Academy. Bryant was well trained and could hold his own against Tommy.

"I think he would be a wonderful addition to the team," I said, giving his arm a light squeeze.

"I hope so." I could see the worry in his eyes. When we returned, he had a great deal of guilt to work through. He couldn't believe the differences between the timelines and how it seemed all the destruction he had caused had never happened. It both relieved and pained him, knowing that he would never be held responsible for what he had caused. It took a few years for him to work through that. I know he still felt regret and guilt for what he had done, especially after seeing all those he had thought he had maimed during his tie as Drakkon still alive here. I was happy to see that Finster had been alive here too, working for Rita but now under Zedd's command. I think it helped Tommy a lot too, even with him being on the opposite side. I also knew that he wanted to suit up again so badly that it hurt. He wanted to take on Zedd now and just finish him as he had in the previous timeline. It had taken some long convincing that we were in no way going to be doing that. Our time as Rangers was up now. The only thing we could do what train them with the knowledge we had. He worried every day that something in him would cause Drakkon to return and I could see he feared the same for anyone who held the coin.

"Sergeant Oliver, it's going to be just fine," I said, taking his hands in mine. "Trust me."

"I know." He said, smiling down at me. "And believe me, I do trust you. Probably more than anyone, Sergeant Oliver." Leaning in he kissed my lips with a slow and sweet kiss. As he pulled away, I smiled up at my husband. In our timeline, Abby had been sweet enough to drop us off exactly one year after our engagement had been announced. We were married in a quick ceremony with all of our friends and family around. In our world too, Tommy's parents hadn't been killed by Rita. Our lives were fully intact here as they should have been from the start.

I didn't like that I still had so many memories from the other timeline that seemed to try to cancel out what had happened here but I was still glad to know what we had survived and come back stronger from. Each day was still a struggle to some extent, the last ten years having their fair share of ups and downs. But, we were happy. I was finally with the person I had fought so hard to save from first Rita and then himself. And he was finally able to have what he always wanted without having to sell his soul for it.

"On to the next adventure?" Tommy asked, holding out his arm. I took it, nodding.

"Always."

Kimberly

If I wasn't late for everything, would it even be me?

It was a good question I thought as I raced out of my office and up the hallway towards the elevator. I had told my assistant, Gwen, to make sure I had left by 1 PM. When she remembered about it, it was halfway to 1:30. I shoved papers into my bag as I walked, slamming my hand on the down button. The sounds of the busy office behind me faded as the doors shut. The busy world of interior design would need to wait until tomorrow. The appointment I had right now that I was praying I'd be one time for was far more important.

The elevator doors opened and I climbed inside. Jamming my thumb into the first-floor button, I taped my foot as I waited for the doors to shut. Reaching into my back, I pulled out my cell phone. Bringing the brick phone to my ear, I dialed my mother's number. It rang twice before going to a voicemail box that was full. Groaning, I shoved it back into my bag and rode down to the lobby at what felt like a snail's pace. When the doors finally did open, I flew out and almost took out a poor assistant carrying a coffee order. I apologized quickly as I ran out of the building and out into the sidewalk. Lifting my arm, I waved at a taxi. Two flew right by me without bothering to stop. I waved again and this time, one pulled over. I ripped the back seat door open and climbed in. Telling the guy the address, I sat back in my seat and let out a sigh.

"How's your day going?" The taxi driver asked, the older gentleman smiling at me in the rearview as he pulled away from the curb. I laughed, shaking my head.

"It's been a day. And you?" I asked. He smiled.

"I could say the same." He replied. "But let's get you where you are going and hope for a better rest of your day."

"I appreciate that a lot." I smiled. Glancing out the window, I watched as the tall buildings of downtown Angel Grove passed by. People were on the streets, heading to and from places and minding their own business. I thought about how strange it was that just ten years ago, I had been a teenager flying around in a large metal machine trying to defend this very city from evil aliens and a giant gorilla. Sometimes, I wonder if I had dreamed it all up instead of actually living it. But then everyone else who fought by my side as well reminds me that it really did happen and that I wasn't as delusional as I had thought.

Thinking of the team, I wondered how the opening night of Zack's play had been. I have tickets for the show next week, something I was looking forward to. I would finally be meeting his new girlfriend as well, something that he was excited about. I knew that Billy and Jason would also be there, Jason called me last week to let me know that he would be in town on Monday. I couldn't wait to see them both, something that doesn't happen as much these days with Jason living in Seatle and Billy in San Franciso. But I was going to make the most of it while they were here.

A frown came to my face as I thought about Trini. This was something that she would have loved to do. She always loved the theater and any chance to get the gang back together. Since her death almost six years ago, I still find it hard to think that she wouldn't be attending events with us like she used to. It still didn't feel real that she wasn't here with us anymore. It had been a nightmare when it had happened. I had decided to leave the Rangers shortly after I turned 17 when I received an offer from a world-famous gymnastic coach to be on his team. I didn't want to go but the team told me that I'd regret it if I didn't. So, I left and made the most out of it. I was there for two years and placed first in the Olympics in my second year. I got the call about Trini the day after coming home from the games. I was on a flight back to California an hour after that. I missed her every damn day still and felt awful that she and Jason didn't get to live the lives that they had planned together. The two of them had finally gotten together shortly after leaving the team and heading to the World Peace Conferences overseas. He took her death extremely hard, resulting in him moving out of the area to help him deal. It was a good decision for him and I knew he was doing better now even though he missed all of us.

The taxi pulled up in front of the Angel Grove High School, the building looking exactly the same as it did when I had gone here all those years ago. I handed him a twenty and told him to keep the change as a tip before I climbed out of the back seat. Quickly, I ran up the front steps and through the front doors where I found my nervous and impatient husband pacing in the hallway.

"There you are!" He said when he saw me enter. "I thought for sure you were going to miss it."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world. I know how hard you guys worked on it." I said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. His long hair, now long gone, was cut short and styled neatly to one side of his head. Glasses were perched on his nose that he adjusted. I saw he went with the pale blue shirt I had recommended this morning before he left the house, matching it with a royal blue tie.

"We're on next. I saved us some seats." He pointed his handed towards the double doors of the auditorium. Walking towards them, I could hear talking over a loudspeaker coming from inside the door. He opened it quickly, allowing the both of us to walk in. I could see the seats in the large room filled with people as a stage was waiting patiently for someone to walk across it. The voices had come from someone announcing the fire exits, a soft murmur coming from the room as people chit-chat before the show began. Tommy led me to a set of empty seats on the right-hand side of the auditorium. I sat down and noticed that he didn't move to sit.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I'm going to do a quick check on them and then come right back."

"Okay." He kissed the top of my head before jogging back up the incline and out the doors. Sitting back in my chair, I set my back down on the ground by my feet. Tommy started working here at our old school about five years ago. I never knew teaching was his calling until after I left the Ranger team. It had been hard for us to do the long-distance thing, especially since he was still on the Rangers. I almost broke up with him when things got to be too much for me. I wrote a letter and everything, wanting to be as gentle as possible. But something told me not to and to pick up the phone. So, I did. I told him how I was feeling and that I needed to know if this was going to work for us. He told me he was going to fight for us and that he would make it work. He quit the team shortly after that and headed to college to become a teacher. The plan had been for him to be able to get his degree and then move to Florida to be with me. Trini's death caused us to change the plan though after I decided to move back here for Jason. So, he took a position right here as a science teacher and fell in love with the job quickly. I was happy for him and relieved he had found his calling in life. It was around then that I found my love for interior design and joined Inner Designs, the company where I work. Both of us are successful now in careers I saw neither of us in but it works well for us.

After graduating from college, Tommy proposed to me. I was thrilled though sad that Trini wouldn't be able to be a part of our special day. Everyone from the team came through, including the new recruits Aisha, Adam, and Rocky who replaced Trini, Zack, and Jason when they left for the conferences. My mother moved home from France around then too, deciding to settle back here for the time being. We were married and have been happy ever since.

"Hi!" Mom's voice said, appearing to my right. Shifting, I allowed her to step over my lap to sit in the chair on my lift. She slid in quick, sounding out of breath. "There's nowhere to park! I had to trek a mile to the door."

"I know. I took a cab thankfully." I replied. Above us, the house lights flashed twice and signaled everyone to get to their seats. The voices lowered as everyone got settled in their chairs. As the lights dimmed, Tommy ran back down the incline and plopped into the open seat next to me. "Everything okay with the kids?" I asked. He nodded.

"Just making sure they all know their lines. This should be good." He said, grinning at me. He gave a small wave to my Mom as our old English teacher, Mrs. Appleby walked across the stage to the microphone in the middle.

"Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for coming here today. Our students have been working so hard these last few months for our end-of-the-year program. It's hard to believe that just a few months ago, they were coming here for the first day of school and now, we are celebrating their last day. Please remember to stay clear of the aisles for pictures and that there is no cell phone use during the program. Without further adieu, I present you with our students." She bowed, walking off the stage. As she cleared it, a spotlight widened and the red curtain rose. A large group of about 50 kids appeared on a set of bleachers. Each of them was dressed in a dark green cap and gown, a white tassel hanging from their caps. There was a group awe noise that rose from the parents as the five-year-olds as their teachers on either side of the bleachers signaled them all to start singing a song.

"There she is!" Mom said, pointing to the left of the stage and pulling her camera from her purse in her lap. Sitting up slightly, I saw a little girl in the front row. They all seemed to look the same in their robes but the bright pink sandals under hers made her stand out. The bright smiling face of my daughter sang along with her classmates as they sang about growing up. I smiled, looking over at Tommy who was beaming at our daughter.

Shortly after we got married, Tommy and I discovered we were pregnant. It was a surprise to us both and came at a very unexpected time in our lives. We weren't prepared but we took it as a blessing. She was born a few short nine months later and now, she was the most brilliant part of our lives. There wasn't a moment with her that I regret and that I wish we had done things differently. She was the perfect blend of Tommy and I together, mixed with an old soul that I can't really explain.

As the song ended, one of the teachers stepped forward to the microphone. "Hello, everyone! Thank you for coming together today to celebrate our little graduates. It's a big deal to graduate from Kindergarten and I am so glad to see so many of you here today to help up. We are going to have each student go up and read something they've prepared for us." The teacher stepped back and helped the front row step forward. The first kid came to the microphone, looking terrified.

"I want to be a fireman." He said quickly before scurrying away. A few more students went, saying what they wanted to be when they grew up. I leaned forward as our girl stepped towards the microphone.

"My name is Abigail Trini Oliver and I want to be a Power Ranger when I grow up." She said proudly, her front left tooth missing where it had fallen out last week. I clapped loudly, Tommy letting out a little happy yell as she looked towards us with a huge smile on her face. She waved quickly before going back to her spot. I had decided to name Abby after Trini in some fashion. The idea to use her name as her middle name came to me but I was lost on a first name. Tommy and I spent months trying to decide on a name. It wasn't until we were at the zoo for one last trip of something to do before the baby came. We were standing near the elephant exhibit when a little girl came skipping over to us. She couldn't have been more than Abby's age. She started telling us all about the elephants and all the different animals she wished she could have. She didn't seem to have any parents with her and when I asked her if she wanted help finding them, she just said that they would find her. When I asked her what her name was, she said it was Abby. I turned back for a second and she just seemed to disappear. I loved the name though and told Tommy as we were leaving the zoo that it was the name I wanted to use.

"She's definitely ours," I whispered to Tommy who grinned.

"She sure is."

As I watched the rest of the graduation program go on, I thought about how wonderful my life had turned out. There were days when I felt like I was missing something, not in a sad way but a forgotten dream that I just couldn't piece back together. But then I look at Tommy and Abby and I know that everything I would ever need was right here with me. I don't regret my time as a Ranger or any of the other choices I've made in my life. For some reason, I was lucky enough to land on a path in life that led me right here. I wouldn't trade that for anything in this world. Abby, with her sweet old soul, and Tommy, with the purest heart I have ever seen in a man, were the parts of my life that kept me breathing. And somehow, I had been lucky enough to land right here with the both of them with me forever.

Almost as if someone had written the perfect ending for me.

A/N: And that's the end! I had such a great time writing this and I hope that you all have enjoyed it just as much. Thank you all for your support during the course of this fic. I honestly didn't think I would have it in me after losing my Mom but you all have been so supportive that it's helped me push forward. I love our fandom and our little community here on . I am so grateful to all of you.

Stay tuned for my next fic! I will have the preview out very soon. In the meantime, I am determined to finish Sail Away before the end of the summer. If you haven't had a chance to read it, pop right on over.

Thank you!

- Jess (morphme)