Here we are. Finally all the answers you could ever want.

Slight spoilers, but this chapter needs a trigger warning for attempted suicide and parental abuse.

Please don't kill me!

Edit: I fixed a little bit of wording that was pointed out as not fitting with the characters.

Chapter Nine

The Truth Revealed

Alex hadn't gone home that night. She told the Rangers that she was, but she spent the night huddled in a ball in the park instead. Only about half of that time was spent sleeping. The rest of the night, she stared at the paintbrush that Rita had given her.

Now that she wasn't blinded by anger, she could feel the dark aura that the brush exuded. She wanted to throw it away or break it or something. She was repulsed by its darkness. But something else kept her from doing anything to get rid of it. She could still use it. It hadn't lost its powers from no longer being with Rita as evidenced by her ability to teleport away from the Island and change her clothes. She hadn't possessed it for long. Perhaps she could get some use out of it before she destroyed it. Or, maybe the Rangers had something that could cleanse the darkness from it and let her continue to use it as a weapon.

Luckily, the next day was a Saturday, so the Rangers agreed to meet Alex in the park to finally hear the truth behind her strange behavior. They all agreed to bring supplies to turn the discussion into a picnic to help relax a bit after the stress of the last few weeks. They finally had Alex back. Despite the somewhat solemn atmosphere that permeated the air, the Rangers couldn't help but feel elated that they finally had their friend back.

Kim noticed that Alex was still wearing the same clothes from the night before, and she was holding the brush Rita had given her. She exchanged a concerned look with Trini, but neither Ranger said anything aloud. They were here for answers, and they were going to get them.

Jason and Tommy seemed to have decided to handle Alex like she was made of fine china. They both guided her to sit down on the picnic blanket and offered her some food without even mentioning what they were all gathered for. The meal was quiet, and Alex only ate a tiny amount of food and sipped at the water bottle that had been brought for her.

Finally, as the Rangers were starting to gather their trash, Alex cleared her throat. "I've been trying to figure out how to say this. There is so much to say. So much to explain. I've never told anyone before. I was too afraid to. But I'm tired of being afraid." Her fingers closed around the brush in her lap and the Rangers flinched as she lifted it. Her movements didn't stop though, and she ran the tip of the brush over her face. The smooth motion was followed by sweeping her hair back from her face so they could see it properly for the first time.

Both Trini and Kim tried and failed to hold back gasps as they finally saw how thin Alex's face was. Jason, Tommy and Zach all stiffened, fists clenching and jaws tightening at the image before them. Billy seemed to react the least strongly, and Alex focused on him to gather courage to begin.

"My mother was once a brilliant artist. I remember growing up going to parties and gallery openings. We had a nice house and I had all the toys a little girl could wish for. But when I was about five or six, she broke her arm. She couldn't paint for a long time because of the type of break it was. She fell into a depression and lost inspiration. She was frustrated and angry, and I think Dad eventually started feeding off that.

"I was seven when I first came to them with one of my pieces. It was a finger painting of a bouquet of flowers. They were thrilled. From that day on, my parents were more normal toward each other. They encouraged me to spend all my time painting or drawing. I enjoyed it, so I didn't mind. They were happy again, and we had nice things and went on trips to all sorts of fun places."

Alex dropped her eyes from Billy and started fiddling with the brush. "It wasn't until I was thirteen that I realized what they were doing. They were taking my work and selling it like they had done with my mother's work before. It didn't bother me at first, but then I found out that they weren't selling it under my name. They were selling as though my mother was the one behind it. Even that didn't bother me at first. But when I turned fourteen I asked them to start selling them under my name. I didn't care about the previous works. If they had admitted that they sold the work under Mom's name, it could've ruined them. So, I just asked that they sell future work under my name. They refused.

"They had become obsessed with the fame. They are well-known in powerful circles because of my work, and they didn't want to give that up. I wanted to get into the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. But I couldn't apply if everyone thought my work was copied from my mother's style. I begged them to reconsider. That's when they began to change. They weren't kind and gentle anymore. All they cared about was that I keep their source of income flowing. I tried to tell a teacher at my school, but they refused to believe me. My friends found out what I'd said, and turned against me. They were all the children of important people that my parents knew. No one believed me. I couldn't see any way out."

Wordlessly, Alex held her hand out and pulled up her sleeve. Kim buried her face in Tommy's shoulder at the sight that Alex presented them. A smooth, pale scar ran across her wrist. It was the only one that marred the pale skin, but that wasn't the only thing that was disturbing. Alex's arm was so thin they could see the bones beneath the pale skin. It was this, and the scar that made even Billy flinch.

"After I recovered, my parents moved us away from the house we'd lived in my whole life. They didn't want people to know what I'd done. They became worse after that. I tried to drown myself after only a month. They caught me and we moved here after I recovered. We've been here for about six months. I haven't eaten a full meal in three months. I figured that would be the only way they couldn't prevent.

"When I met you guys, I didn't feel quite so hopeless. I ate a little more, tried a little harder. I wanted to survive for you. If only to feel the warmth of your friendship a little longer. But when I found out you'd been lying to me…"

Kim and Trini were openly crying at this point. Even they guys were blinking rapidly, though the action wasn't keeping a few tears from escaping Tommy and Billy. Alex remained silent, gazing down at her lap and wondering what she was going to do now.

Kim was the first to move, nearly launching herself at Alex and almost knocking her backward onto the grass. "We won't let you get hurt again!" she exclaimed through her tears. She leaned back and turned to the other Rangers. "We have to do something! We can't let her go back there. We'll have to tell someone."

"You're right," Jason replied. "We'll have to get parents involved. This isn't a Ranger problem, it's a real-world problem and we have to get help to deal with it."

The Rangers began planning, figuring out whose parents would be the best to talk to. Alex could barely believe what was happening. Not only did her friends clearly believe her, they were immediately figuring out what to do about it. She was so touched and relieved that she started crying. The Rangers gathered her into a big group hug, assuring her that they wouldn't let her be hurt anymore and that they were going to do everything they could to help her.

Jason's parents ended up being the ones who got told first. They believed the united front of all six Rangers, and called the police. Alex had to tell the story again, but the Rangers were there to support her. The police went to the house to investigate and found clear evidence that Alex was telling the truth. The Rangers came in afterward, to help Alex gather some of her things, and finally got a look inside her bedroom.

There wasn't a bed, just a sleeping bag rolled up in the corner to make room for several painting easels with multiple projects in various states of completion. The Rangers had seen examples of Alex's work in her drawings, but the paintings on display here were even more amazing. The colors were expertly done, and the details were stunning. Most of them were landscape pieces, but there were a couple with silhouettes of people they recognized as being themselves.

As soon as the police were out of the room, Alex pulled out the Brush. Jason stiffened and took a step forward. "Alex," he said, concerned.

"It's alright, Jason," she assured him. Calmly, she touched the brush to the center of all the landscapes. Immediately, angry, dark lines appeared across the canvases. She then hid the brush away again and grabbed the two canvases with people in them. A single backpack with two extra shirts, a pair of jeans and a set of pajamas was quickly slung over her shoulder. "Let's get out of here," she said. Without another word or a look back at the room, she walked out.