A/N: Part I of my new series, entitled Project Phoenix. As a disclaimer, this series is inspired by Kctimes2's The Adoption (one of the best stories I've ever read here) which is going to become more evident later. It will be a Tommy/Kim/Jayden series eventually.

A/N 2: In the meantime, this part of Project Phoenix is what I think should have happened with Kim at the Turbo movie and afterward. This Kimberly was never brought back by Lerigot thanks to some decisions she made and now she is a cruel, violent, vicious conqueror. This story details her conquests and how she turned from Kimberly Ann Hart to who she is now. This story includes parts of The Movie (which coincide with her pregnancy), and the birth of Jayden.

A/N 3: Usual disclaimer. Power Rangers doesn't belong to me.

Chapter 1 – The Beginning of the End

May 2010

Eltarian Capital City

Eltar

As Kimberly Hart's corrupted, possessed body body sat on her new throne in glee, the small part of her that still believed in the side of light wondered aloud. How did something so right become so wrong?

Looking back on it, the beginning of the end for her and everything she'd ever held dear had, ironically, came with the birth of her child. A child that she wasn't sure even still existed. That singular time had been the most stressful, happiest time of her life. It had also been the start of a chain of events that led to the beginning of her end. Ironically, the seeds of her demise had started with the fight against Ivan Ooze and the events that surrounded that battle.

April 1995

Phaedos

As the Rangers retired for the evening, they were more determined than ever to win this battle.

The first round against Ivan hadn't gone well; the power of Thunder couldn't measure up to the powers Ooze possessed.

They would leave in the morning for their quest, knowing what was at stake. On Phaedos, they could afford to rest, knowing that several hours here didn't take near as long on Earth.

Kimberly prepared to drift off to sleep and soon fell asleep much quicker than the others, which hadn't gone unnoticed by Dulcea. As Dulcea watched Kimberly from her owl form, she felt some weird readings coming from Kimberly, but no, that couldn't be what was happening now.

She knew the prophecy of the Phoenix; knew it by heart. But, it was a prophecy that had never come true.

But then again, the Crane had chosen Kimberly and the Falcon had chosen Tommy. Could it really be happening, right now?

Still, she wanted to make sure and before the Rangers left for their quest, she would take Kimberly aside.

Kimberly, meanwhile, had fallen asleep very quickly with Tommy in her arms. The two were very close, as Dulcea could see. This was no surprise; the Crane and Falcon were soulmates, and as the two of them would later learn, were the heart of the Ninjetti.

A few hours later...

Kimberly, still fast asleep, felt somebody shake her awake, which startled Tommy as well. Both of them instantly knew who it was though.

"Dulcea, shouldn't we be getting some rest?" Kimberly yawned.

"I noticed that you, in particular, fell asleep much quicker than the rest of the Rangers, Kimberly," Dulcea said. "How have you been feeling health wise lately?"

"Come to think of it, she did puke pretty bad a couple days ago," Tommy said as he groggily stood up. "She's also been eating quite a bit more frequently than she even does."

"I'm embarrassed to admit, we did go...um, all the way a couple weeks ago," Tommy stuttered. "We are very much in love."

"Ah young love," Dulcea said, smiling just a bit which surprised Tommy. "I take it you are surprised by my reaction."

"Kind of, yeah," Tommy said. "My parents would kill me if they find out what we did a number of weeks ago."

"Yeah, there was this trip to Australia, it was spring break...Zedd and Rita came back and we got trapped in a theater...and Tommy was so happy we won that...we took it a little far," Kim said.

"Those acts at such a young age are not uncommon," Dulcea said. "Do not be ashamed or alarmed. I just want to check something, Kimberly and then I will let you get back to sleep. Young Falcon, you should probably come with both of us."

Unseen by the fast asleep Rangers, the three of them walked a short distance away and Dulcea mentally searched both of them for several minutes.

'It is finally happening,' Dulcea realized. 'The Phoenix Prophecy is beginning to take shape.'

She then considered next what she should tell them. Could she tell them about the prophecy now?

No, that wouldn't be the best course of action, she decided. The prophecy had to play out and the events were fixed. Any changes to the prophecy could be catastrophic. But she could tell them what she found.

"There is no question about it, young Crane," Dulcea said. "This is a momentous occasion. You are pregnant."

"My gosh...pregnant...how long?" Kimberly gasped.

"I would say approximately five weeks along," Dulcea said. "It is a good thing I caught it early. You should be proud. Your child will one day have immense power just like the both of you."

"God and I'm going to have to be pregnant and go up against Ivan Ooze," Kimberly breathed, "not to mention radiator face and Rita once they get control again."

"That is not an issue, Kimberly," Dulcea said. "I am preparing to cast a spell that will not only keep anyone but the Rangers and Zordon out of the loop of this development, but also this spell will also protect your child in any upcoming fights that will take place."

Dulcea then concentrated and there was a brief flash over the two young warriors, but neither doubted the spell was done. From the moment they'd met Dulcea, they could tell she had powers and knew how to use them.

"The only other thing I will say is this," Dulcea said. "Because of your Ninjetti powers, be prepared for an early birth. What is the normal pregnancy period for Earthlings?"

"35 to 40 weeks from what I've read," Kimberly said.

"Because of the powers you have just received, that may accelerate the pregnancy process by a number of weeks," Dulcea said. "That's how powerful this child is going to be. If this child were to ever fall into evil hands, it would result in a chain of events that could destroy the universe as we know it."

"Now Rangers, you must rest. Go, and save Zordon. May the Power protect you," Dulcea said and soon, the two young warriors were back where they had been before, and really, no one had even noticed. That would soon change though.

24 hours later

Even after everything they'd done, it still all felt hollow.

Yes, they'd defeated Ivan Ooze. They'd saved the world, again, but on a much bigger, grander scale.

It still felt like a loss, because they had been too late.

Their mentor, their father, the man who had given them the chance to be something more than themselves...was dead.

One by one, the tears rolled down all their cheeks as they surrounded their now deceased mentor. None of them felt they could go on anymore.

That was...until Tommy spoke up.

"Remember what we learned?" Tommy said with determination. "To all those who possess the Great Power...all things are possible."

Could it really happen? Could they bring him back?

One thing was for sure...they had to try.

As they all joined hands, six animal spirits arose to try to rouse the Rangers mentor. A frog, a bear, a wolf, an ape, a falcon, and a crane sprang forward and converged in a bright flash of light. Then the weirdest thing happened. A loud squawk was heard, and a raging Phoenix appeared and joined the fray.

The Rangers were momentarily startled but kept their focus. They couldn't afford to fail now.

Slowly but surely, the ground the Rangers considered sacred was rebuilt, and suddenly the effects that Ivan had placed on Zordon were being reversed. The Rangers smiled...Tommy had been right...

30 minutes later...

The joy was evident on all the Rangers faces. The miracle had happened, Zordon was alive, and their precious Command Center had been rebuilt.

Yet, the question remained. Dulcea had never mentioned a Phoenix...and it had come from Kim's body. It couldn't possibly be, could it?

Zordon had felt it too, of course. He was obviously happy he was still alive, but he also knew what was about to happen. He was going to let his Rangers enjoy the moment, but he also knew what awaited them.

"So, yeah, that thing about the Phoenix..." Aisha said. "The heck was that about?"

"Yes, it presents an interesting conundrum," Billy said. "Dulcea never said anything about the Phoenix."

"That's because you haven't met him yet," Kimberly said. "Guys...remember the trip to Australia? The one where Rita came back and married radiator face?"

All of them nodded. Half of them hadn't even faced Rita yet though they'd heard about her on the news, so they knew how deadly she was.

"Well...after that fight...Tommy and I, we were so ecstatic...we went all the way," Kimberly said which elicited shocked gasps from four of her teammates, and a slight smile from Zordon. "Guys...I'm pregnant...Dulcea told me, five weeks along."

"Kim, you can't!" Rocky said. "Who knows when Zedd or Rita will come back! You'll have to fight them carrying a baby!"

"THAT IS WHY IF THERE IS ANY TIME FOR KIMBERLY TO BE IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING A CHILD, THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME, RANGERS," Zordon said. "ZEDD AND RITA WILL BE OUT OF COMMISSION FOR A WHILE, THANKS IN PART TO WHAT IVAN OOZE DID. HE TRAPPED THEM IN A GLOBE AND IT WILL TAKE THEM A WHILE TO RECOVER AGAIN."

"Well I guess if there is one thing that disgusting slime ball was good for, it's that," Rocky said.

"Still, this isn't good, Kim," Aisha said. "Gosh, I wouldn't do that to Rocky at such a young age!"

"EASY, MY FIERCE BEAR," Zordon said. "WHILE IT MAY BE UNSEEMLY BY EARTH CUSTOMS TO GO ALL THE WAY AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE, I MYSELF DID IT. I NO LONGER LOVE, BUT I DID GO ALL THE WAY WHEN VERY YOUNG. SOME OF THE CUSTOMS OF THE GALAXY ARE NOT THE SAME AS ON EARTH."

"IN ADDITION, I WILL HAVE TO TALK TO DULCEA BUT I SENSE SHE PLACED A PROTECTION SPELL THAT WILL REMOVE THE BABY FROM ANY HARM KIMBERLY SUFFERS, AND WILL ALSO KEEP THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS CHILD TO OUR INNER CIRCLE," Zordon said.

"Yeah and thank God for that, Kim's mother believes in abortions," Aisha said. "I just know she'd force Kim to abort this child."

"That's why that's never going to happen and that's why Dulcea's smart," Tommy said.

"I SUGGEST YOU GO ON WITH YOUR LIVES, AND KIMBERLY, YOU MAY INFORM ME WHEN YOU FEEL IT IS CLOSE TO TIME FOR DELIVERY," Zordon said.

The thoughts and reflections of Kimberly (or whatever was left of her) then shifted to when her actual child was born and she had to give up her child. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that with Zedd and Rita still on the loose and the new arrival of Rito Revolto that her child could not be allowed to stay.

In Kimberly's opinion, these events were the start of karma kicking her in the ass, time and again. 20 years worth of it, or whatever. She wasn't even sure what Earth year she was in quite frankly, her body had been in space so long and the days and years differences in Earth and other planets were night and day.

Flashback

Sept. 9, 1995

The Command Center

Angel Grove, CA

Most Saturday afternoons were special to Zordon's Rangers. But this one was extra special.

Saturday afternoons were usually a good time to unwind after a long week (especially if it was a school week, which would be starting a week from Monday), and history showed that many Saturday afternoons did not come with monster attacks either. The Rangers were on call 24/7 as always but most Saturdays villains didn't attack...at least not Rita and Zedd.

However, this Saturday had come with a first.

The official birth of the first "Ranger child," that was. Perhaps the Rangers anticipated this may happen ten years down the road, but not now. Not when they were all still teenagers.

That said, it had happened, and as Dulcea had warned it had come significantly sooner than most pregnancy cycles thanks to the powers Tommy and Kim now possessed. Jayden David Oliver had been born at just past 10 a.m. that morning; Kim had caught the ultimate break seeing that her mother was in Paris seeing her new fiance, so Kim had full run of the house at the time.

The moment she felt her water starting to break, she had gone to the Command Center immediately, where a specialist from Eltar had been brought to handle the birthing which had gone off without a hitch.

It was now mid-afternoon, and the day had been a full day. Including the birth, there had also been a party to celebrate the newborn child. Kim and Tommy had also both had private baby showers during the run-up to Jayden's birth. To make it even more special, Jason, Zack and Trini had been informed by Kim during this hectic time, and earlier that day they had been called back to the Command Center from Geneva to pay witness to the newborn.

Unfortunately, the time was here that no one wanted, but everyone knew had to happen. With Rita and Zedd still on the loose, and Rito now in their ranks, there could be no chances taken.

"Zordon, you're sure this family and this Ji guy is trustworthy?" Jason said, facing his old mentor. "I mean, Tommy and Kim appointed me to be the godfather for heaven's sake."

"HE IS, JASON," Zordon said. "IN FACT, JI HAS BEEN A MENTOR LIKE ME FOR MANY YEARS AND THIS FAMILY THAT I WILL BE SENDING JAYDEN TO HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR A CHILD THEMSELVES FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I CAN'T REVEAL ALL THE DETAILS NOW, BUT JAYDEN WILL EVENTUALLY BE NEEDED THERE FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE."

"Ninjor and Dulcea also consider him very trustworthy, bro," Tommy said. "That counts for a lot in my book."

"I WILL LET YOU HAVE A FEW FINAL MOMENTS WITH YOUR CHILD, TOMMY AND KIMBERLY," Zordon said. "NINJOR WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY TO TAKE THE CHILD TO JI AND THE PARENTS, AS IT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS IF JI CAME DIRECTLY."

Zordon sadly smiled; he wished he could come to know the first "Ranger child" but he also knew the prophecy and that it had to be fulfilled. He recalled the line in the prophecy that was about to take place...

Trained in the ways of the Samurai but with the Ninjetti in his blood...

Zordon knew young Jayden would be in good hands; the Shiba family and the Samurai Power Rangers of the past had always shown exemplary discipline.

He just hoped that the events coming up would alleviate Jayden of the need to fight for his family. But he also knew that not all things went the way you wanted them.

End Flashback

Kimberly smiled sadly. She could only hope his son...if he was even alive, was OK. He just had to be.

To her, it was the beginning of karma kicking her in the ass, many times over. Those events, as happy as they had been at the time, had begun a great time of sorrow for her. It had been the start of her malaise...her curse, if you will.

Truth be told, she didn't hold anyone responsible for her actions but her.

Not Tommy...dear God, not her precious Falcon, who had always stood by her and yet she'd broken his heart in the most cruel of ways.

Not even Katherine, even though Maligore had used the events surrounding Kimberly and Katherine to fuel jealousy and help turn Kimberly dark. She didn't hate Katherine at all...just what she herself had become. She had after all trusted Kat with her power coin many years ago, and Kat had gone through so much shit as a Ranger. Kat didn't deserve anyone's contempt much less her own.

Certainly she didn't hate her other friends, and held nothing against Tanya and Justin. Both had turned out to be exemplary Rangers given the circumstances they entered into.

All of those former Rangers were almost certainly living better lives than her...all because she had been a naïve, immature girl who thought chasing her dreams was more important than the greater good.

She had never been more wrong as her thoughts shifted to her time in Florida training for Pan Globals...

If she could take anything back, it was that. If she had the choice all over again, she would have stayed and continued to fight the evil that came her way...

But as she knew, hindsight was 20/20 and she could never take that back even though she wished she could. In a perfect world she would also be with her child but she also knew there was no way she could have kept him.

Miami had almost been akin to the gateway to her own personal hell, as she recalled those long lonely days where she chased dreams and found nightmares instead...

A/N 4: As the tease indicates, the next chapter will detail what happens to Kimberly in Florida. In that chapter, the Highway to Hell for Kim continues as she finds out how cruel the world of international sports competition can be, and every dream she ever had about gymnastics, etc. crumbles into dust. Includes The Letter. Thus will set the table for the birth of Lady Flammia herself.

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