Welp, I'm back sooner than usual because this loser ended up with Covid for a second time. Gotta do something while in confinement.
So here is the next chapter!
"This is amazing!" Phoebe looked around the Power Chamber in awe.
"It is very nice to meet you," Alpha told her.
She leaned in closely to look at him.
"It's nice to meet you too, little man of steel."
The rangers chuckled.
Welcome to the Power Chamber, Zordon offered her. My name is Zordon of Eltar.
"I am Lady Phoebe of Pleuronia," she gave Zordon a nod of her head.
"Phoebe will be staying with me for the time being," Billy voiced.
Kat exchanged a glance with Tommy and then looked over to Kim.
"So Phoebe will be staying here so we can keep her safe," Rocky said, "in return for help with her other sisters."
"Well me and the last bit of Castor I have," Phoebe added, her pendulum stone lifting as if acknowledging the presence of Castor.
"Is that what that is?" Kim asked.
Phoebe nodded, "my sweet, beloved brother. People don't know this, but even though Polla was his twin and partner, we were always very close."
"He did mention you would be the only one worthy of the Midnight Powers," Billy recalled.
Phoebe immediately shook her head. "I can't fight. I never could. It is not my calling."
Billy, you must be safe while Phoebe is with you. You are both now targets, Zordon warned.
"You're oracle is right," Phoebe realized. "I didn't think of that."
"We did," Kim stepped up. "I will be staying with you as well, for protection."
"One of us can stay with you too," Jason added. "Just to be sure?"
Billy thought about it and nodded, "it would make sense, but I don't want anyone to stress."
"It's no stress," Tommy said.
"Why don't I join you," Jason offered. "At least for a night or two. We can trade out."
Billy nodded.
"That would be ideal."
"Then it's settled. We'll take turns. The more people you have to back you up, the better," Tommy glanced around at the other rangers and they all nodded.
"We better get Phoebe settled," Kim told them. "Jason and I have to go get our things."
-PR-
"Here you go," Rocky placed down the tray of smoothies for the group before taking a seat next to Phoebe.
It had been a week, and Billy found himself falling into a brotherly role with Phoebe (even though they told anyone who asked that she was his cousin). Teaching Phoebe about basic modern technology was not as difficult as he thought it would have been. She spent most of the days hanging out with Billy in between his college classes and waiting for the rest of the team.
Kim had let her borrow some clothes, but the day before the girls had all gone to the mall to get Phoebe her own stuff.
She was wearing blue jeans with a white and purple striped top. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She fit it perfectly with the group as a "normal" teenage girl.
She picked up one of the cups and eyed it.
"Drink through here," Billy demonstrated drinking through his straw.
Phoebe followed his example and drank. "This is delicious!" She exclaimed.
"Don't drink too fast," Tommy warned her. "You'll get a brain freeze."
Phoebe's eyes went wide. "It can freeze your brain?"
"No," Adam chuckled. "They call it that when you drink something cold too fast. The roof of your mouth gets cold and it causes a temporary pain in your head."
"Oh…" Phoebe sipped slowly.
"So how are you liking it here so far?" Kat asked.
"It's…different. But very nice."
"We could go to the park after this," Rocky suggested.
Suddenly there was a familiar beep coming across their communicators.
"Looks like the park may have to wait," Tommy said. They glanced around and headed to the entrance back into the school. Phoebe grabbed her smoothie and followed.
"We're here," The Midnight Ranger patched in as the others surrounded him.
Rangers, there are Tengus attacking downtown Angel Grove, Zordon informed them.
"If it's not one…" Jason rolled his eyes.
"We're on our way. Alpha, when we transport, lock onto Phoebe and bring her to you."
"You got it, Billy," came the reply.
"Good luck," Phoebe said to them, as they teleported out, her white signature diverging from the others.
-PR-
The rangers teleported into an alleyway, and right ahead could see people running and hear them crying out.
"That doesn't sound good."
"We should be prepared. Something tells me a monster is nearby," Tommy said. "It's morphin time!"
Now morphed, the rangers ran around the corner to view the scene.
Sure enough, Tengus were running around and making a mess, and there was what looked like a spotlight with arms and legs wearing a beret on its head.
"You know, when Finster was designing the monsters, they seemed to make more sense," Tommy said to Billy, Jason and Kim.
The rangers each took on a few Tengus each and stood before the light-creature.
"Oh good, the Rangers! Let there be light!" It said as the light turned on in their faces.
The rangers reacted, covering their eyes from the brightness as they also felt a burning sensation.
"That's one hot lamp," Rocky complained as they jumped out of the way.
"Kim," Billy called to her.
"Let's go," She knew what the plan was.
The Gemini Rangers used their enhanced speed to approach the monster, but he turned his gaze towards them and they couldn't see, and the heat from the light was searing.
"Just the pair I was hoping to put in the spotlight," he said with a chuckle.
Kim and Billy cried out in pain and dropped down. Billy crawled over to Kim, covering her to try to protect her. Suddenly there was a purple forcefield that surrounded them.
"Oh come on," the monster complained, keeping his light on them. "I was just getting to the finishing torches!"
"Oh no!" Tanya turned to the others. "We've got to do something!"
"Rangers!" Alpha called in.
"What is it, Alpha?" Adam placed a hand up to his helmet to hear better.
"I'm sending backup!"
"Backup?" Kat asked.
In a white flash stood Phoebe.
"Phoebe, it's too dangerous for you here!" Tommy warned her.
"I can help though! It's a Medusa situation!" Phoebe lifted her chain and the pendulum at the end transformed into a large mirror, framed in gold and purple.
"Oh!" Kat realized. "Perfect!"
Tommy and Jason looked at each other and gave a nod.
"Let's do this!"
Billy felt his force field weakening. He didn't even know he could create one, and he wasn't sure he could hold out for much longer.
This monster was intent on trying to take down Kim and him.
Kim? Can you hear me?
There was no response and she was still beside him.
Suddenly the bright light was no longer on them, and Billy was able to drop the forcefield.
Tommy was doing some fancy jumping back and forth and the monster was doing his best to try to hit him.
Tommy then landed behind Jason, who was hiding behind the mirror he held.
The light reflected and hit the monster in return, knocking him down.
Once more the rangers managed to create their blaster to take on this monster, before it could even be given the chance to be enlarged by Zedd and Rita.
"Alright!" Rocky exclaimed.
"That was some quick thinking," Tommy told Phoebe.
The mirror transformed back into her pendulum and she put it back in her pocket.
"Billy, Kim!" Adam and Kat were rushing over to their friends.
Billy was lifting Kim into his arms. "We need to get back to the Power Chamber," he said.
Kat noted that he didn't sound too great himself.
They all streamed out of the public area.
-PR-
"Ai yi yi," Alpha said on their return. "That monster was tough."
The group powered down and Tommy helped Billy place Kim down on the table that was waiting for them.
At this point, it was always in the main Power Chamber.
"I don't remember Rita and Zedd being that strong," Adam looked to Zordon. "And it was made to target Billy and Kim."
It is concerning that they have returned with the means strong enough to challenge your current powers, Zordon admitted.
"But are they trying to take the power back?" Kat asked. "Or destroy them?"
Phoebe walked up to Billy, whispering something to him and he nodded, taking Kim's hand and closing his eyes, trying to concentrate.
Alpha was just getting the scanner, but Tanya stopped him.
"How is she?" the Yellow Ranger directly asked Billy.
"She's weak…" Billy said. "I'm going to try something."
"Careful," Jason warned. "You're not in the best shape either, at the moment."
Billy opened his eyes and looked around at them. "I'm better than she is. I need to try."
He closed his eyes again, breathing out as he felt some of his own energy force concentrated and moving into Kim.
He could hear her stir and he opened his eyes, just as she did.
She immediately locked eyes with him and gave a small smile, "hey."
He opened his mouth to reply to her, when he was overtaken by a rush of dizziness.
"Woah," Tommy grabbed Billy's arm, as Phoebe grabbed the other side as he started to falter and steadied him. "You alright, man?"
"Yeah," Billy shook it off. "I'm OK. Just got a rush of exhaustion."
"You gave some of your own energy to Kim," Phoebe noted. "You are bound to feel the effects."
Rocky and Kat helped Kim sit up.
"How long was I out for?" Kim asked.
"Not too long," Kat assured her.
Both of you should take some time to recover from the battle, Zordon told them.
"In the meantime, we should see if we can figure out what is making Rita and Zedd so strong," Tommy looked to Jason and Adam.
It was Rocky's turn staying at the Cranston household. He stepped next to Billy. Kat and Phoebe helped Kim stand and Phoebe held onto her.
"Get some rest you two," Kat told them. Tommy came up next to her, placing an arm around the small of her back.
"Let us know if you need anything," he added.
"We should be alright," Billy said.
"I'll keep an eye on them," Rocky promised.
"Me too," Phoebe voiced.
The team smiled as the four teleported out of the Power Chamber.
-PR-
Billy and Kim were unstable as they came out of the teleport back at the Cranston house.
Rocky and Phoebe gripped onto them.
"You can recover your energy better if you are near each other," Phoebe told them. "You need to be in the same room. That way it'll go quicker, in case someone shows up trying to attack."
Phoebe took Kim and led the way to the guest room, and Rocky helped Billy as they followed.
Phoebe placed Kim on the bed, and Billy knelt down onto the sleeping bag, covered with blankets and pillows on the floor.
Phoebe held up her pendulum which didn't really move, but swung a little.
"If you require anything, please let me know," she said.
"We'll be downstairs," Rocky told them. "Rest a bit and I'll order pizza or something."
Billy and Kim nodded as Phoebe shut the door on her way out.
"You promised to teach me the game with cards," they heard her say to Rocky.
After a few moments, Kim turned over to look down at Billy.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"Drained, but I'm alright," he told her. "I don't know how Phoebe sleeps in this…nest."
"She insisted," Kim laughed softly. "I tried to make her take the bed."
Billy chuckled as well and shifted some of the pillows, trying to get comfortable..
"Why don't you take the bed," Kim offered to him.
He shook his head, "it's alright."
Kim thought for a moment. "This is a full size bed. We can share… We've done it before.
Billy sat up and studied her, trying to read her expression.
"When we were kids. The bed used to be much bigger."
Kim sat up, then hesitated for a moment feeling lightheaded.
"You could join me up here, or I'll come down there," She gave him a look.
He let out a breathy, laugh in disbelief. But he cut it short when he saw the tone in her face.
"Kim-"
She cut him off, "Billy. How long are we going to dance around this?" She held out her hand to him. "Come on. We are better when we are in sync, and you know that us physically being near each other helps."
He stood up, without taking her hand, and sat next to her on the bed.
She looked into his eyes.
"Billy, it's me."
"Doesn't make it any less awkward. I always thought of you as…"
"A sister?"
Unattainable. Someone else's. Anyone else's. This feels like a line is being crossed.
Billy realized in Kim's reaction that she heard that.
"What line?" She asked. "There's no one else. I came back single and you've seen Tommy and Kat. Besides, how frustrating would it be for anyone right now to be with either of us?"
We are constantly connected, the other comes first.
Until…
"Don't think that way," Kim grabbed his hands.
They both took a moment as they felt the physical stress of the day.
"We don't have to talk about this now," Billy said. "Why don't we get some rest so we can be ready for the rest of the team?"
"Cautious Cranston."
"It's been a while since you've called me that," He gave her a small smile. Kim sat back to the other side of the bed and laid down, indicating the extra space to him with her eyes.
He sighed and laid down next to her on his back.
She quietly positioned herself at his side, resting her head on his chest. He placed a hand on her shoulder and inhaled her rose scent as he drifted to sleep.
After a few moments the door cracked open and Phoebe and Rocky peeked in.
Phoebe shut the door and looked at Rocky with a sad smile.
"What is it?" He asked with a whisper as they walked back to the living room.
"They will keep going through cycles until everyone with a claim on the Midnight Crystal concedes," She said with a frown. "I wish I could help more."
"We all do," Rocky said. "It's not fair that Billy has to go through all of this and Kim too."
"I will do my best to help and protect them," Phoebe turned to Rocky.
Rocky was taken aback by this declaration. Phoebe seemed as if she needed to prove herself.
He took her by her arms and spoke gently, "You have been very helpful. Continue to help. Let us protect them."
She smiled at him and nodded.
"You are a wonderful family," she told him.
"Darn right we are."
Sorry- this wasn't an exciting chapter, but it's kind of putting down the foundation for the next part of the storyline.
Even still, hope you enjoyed it!
I'll try to update soon.
