The Forgotten 26

A/n: Sorry for the delay folks.

The story is winding down and almost at an end.

Hope you enjoy!

Kimberly came awake slowly. Tommy was still wrapped around her like a protective blanket. As much as some part of her wanted to stay there she knew she needed to get up. Somehow she managed to wiggle out of his hold without waking him. Focusing she vanished and landed on the roof top. Going to the storage shed she kept on the roof she started pulling out the mats she used when she was feeling froggy enough for gymnastics or training. All was calm around her for once. There wasn't a threat for the moment and the baying of enemies were howling at her door, but there still was a gaping hole that belonged to the Duke Org. It wouldn't be the same without him, but she knew he wouldn't want her to be sad forever. Kneeling down in the middle of the mats she closed her eyes and tried to center herself before she started. When her eyes opened, they were gold as she looked up at the shadow that was leaning over her with his arms crossed. That look was familiar to her and it made something inside twist. She turned her head away for a moment.

"Zen-Aku…"

'You cannot mourn forever Kimberly. You will have to stand up again.'

"I know."

Her head came up and looked him in the eyes. "I will stand up again even when you're gone."

A curt nod was his response to her words. The shadow vanished as her eyes melted back into their normal brown. Rising to her feet she started going through sets. Her eyes were closed as she moved through them. Before she hadn't had time to process everything that had happened to her. Running on instinct was fading and now she had a moment to breathe. Without even bringing out her morpher she felt the power of the Crane wrap around her like a comforting blanket. She drew her sword and slowly went through the exercises he taught her. It amused her that once upon a time she would've never thought she'd be one of those who were calmed by things like this. It always brought her to a place where everything made sense, a place where love and friendship never died. That Good always won over Evil. That they could save everyone they cared about. She knew that wasn't the case and had known that for a long time. Through the good and the bad she'd learned that lesson the hard way.

In mid set her senses went haywire alerting her to the fact she wasn't alone and it wasn't Tommy. Whipping around there wasn't anyone there but her senses were telling her otherwise. Closing her eyes, she tried to feel out who it was. At least one of them was Trent even though he was using his cloaking. Her eyes shifted to green as the pink melted into green. With practiced ease she got down in a fighting stance. Then the prickling of her senses was her only warning before they lashed out. She barely managed to dodge the swipe. Pain blossomed in her side sending her to the mats. The creatures appeared then and she didn't recognize them, but they looked like henchmen but not ones she'd ever come across. They surrounded her. She wondered at that moment why the hell she couldn't be left alone. Then a back pressed against hers. White and black out of the corner of her eye told her who it was.

"What are you doing here!"

"I saw those creatures… It was like they were drawn here."

"Trent get out of here, I got this."

"Why won't you let me help?"

"The same reason you won't ask for help when you need it."

"How did?"

"Because I observe and you're more like him than you'll ever know."

She watched these creatures dance and weave around them. The two of them tag teamed and managed to destroy all but the last one. She saw it going for Trent's back leaping forward she knocked the last one off the roof but knowing she had to finish this she leapt up on the ledge and jumped drawing her power bow. When she was close enough, she put an arrow through its chest making it break into pieces. She managed to land just right so she didn't hurt herself. Her knees went wobbly and she sank down. Running feet made her look up seeing Trent and Tommy rushing towards her. She sat there trying to get herself back together. Turning her head to the side she wondered what those creatures were and who sent them. They didn't look like the run of the mill creatures that Mesagog had nor any other villain she'd come across in her time as a Ranger. Then a thought struck her and a groan left her lips. Her thoughts sunk inward until warm hands engulfed her face. Shaking her head, she stared into his concerned eyes. Making him worry twisted something inside of her.

"I'm alright."

"What happened?"

"Those creatures. I've never seen them before. They come off like henchmen to me kind of like putties or tengu."

Tommy looked over his shoulder at Trent. Kimberly followed his gaze.

"It was like they were drawn here for something," Trent said.

"You said that before," Kimberly murmured. "How do you know they were drawn here?"

"I don't know."

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"I was heading to work when I saw those things."

Kimberly rose to her feet and flexed her hand making her power bow disappear. "Go ahead to work Trent."

"But I…"

"Later," she told him.

Tommy looked between the two of them. Trent nodded his head and walked away.

"What was that?"

"Something I said to him clearly unsettled him."

She grabbed Tommy's arm and transported them to her rooftop. Leaning down she picked up her sword and sheathed it on her back. A soft grunt escaped her as she moved the wrong way.

"Kimberly?"

"I'm alright they just got a good kick in."

Then she stopped and tilted her head to the side. Her eyes closed as she felt pain wash through her. "Don't ask me to sit this out."

"Tell me then."

"Zen-Aku sacrificed his power to me so I could carry on. It wasn't a straight on healing though. Zen-Aku is still in the shadows and his power is draining as I get better."

"Why…"

"Look I want to help. If I didn't, I'd be somewhere else fighting myself for the things I've done. That or I would've purposely died in battle."

"Kimberly..."

"Zen-Aku has protected me for a while Tommy and it..." she started trying to find the words at what Zen-Aku's death had done to her. "There are things that I have gone through that have hit me harder than anything. Even at the beginning even with Analyse, Jade and Rayce I struggled with a lot. They tried to understand but they really couldn't. They couldn't understand what it means to be one of us."

"You fought."

She shook her head at his words.

"I am still fighting."

She turned and placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. Something wasn't right.

"Zen-Aku has possessed…"

"Not in the way you think," she growled darkly. "It's not like Merrick. I'm in control and borrow his power in the form the Ninjetti Black Wolf. Zen-Aku sacrificed his physical form so I could live, but I will not have him forever."

Everything ached inside of her finally getting the words out. As she grew stronger his presence was getting weaker. Then something sparked letting her know something was closing in. Her senses were still on high alert. Then he realized something was off.

"Kimberly?"

"Something is wrong."

He went to transform but she grabbed his wrist. "Not yet."

"What do you mean not yet?"

"Not yet."

The pink melted away to white but her eyes remained the same color. She grabbed a fist full of his shirt and kissed him hard before looking him in the eyes.

"Now go!"

He nodded his head and morphed. Tommy moved away and went to help the teens. She stood back and watched them. They'd won the day but she still felt something was wrong. She left them and headed home. The first thing she did was quickly sketch out the creatures she'd fought against and hoped her hunch wasn't right but there was always that feeling that it was right. Once a couple of those were done she picked up a different book and went to sit in her chair. Kimberly was sitting in her arm chair working on a new sketch of Tommy and his team. The end was coming she could feel it like she had so many times before. Getting up she laid her latest out on her mapping desk so the ink could dry and got another book. Closing her eyes, she had to fight the ache inside of her. Going back to her arm chair she sat down and threw her leg over the arm as she opened to a fresh page and started drawing again. This time it was in their Ninjetti gear. He was facing away standing strong and on the other side she drew herself her back against a wall her hand outstretched as the rain poured down. For some reason tears started sliding down her cheeks. Reaching up she brushed them away. She didn't know why she felt like this. Soon they'd either make a relationship work or one of them would walk away. Before she could wipe away her tears again a hand reached out and brushed them away for her. She turned to look into concerned brown eyes. She hadn't even heard him come in.

"Tell me what's wrong?" he murmured softly.

"I can't explain all of it."

He carefully took the book and pencil from her hands and laid it down on the coffee table and sat down on the edge closer to her.

"Try," he encouraged softly.

"I've waited for this for a long time, us finally being on the same side again and I'm worried it's all a dream."

"Kimberly…"

"A dream and when I wake up, I'll wake up alone."

Before she could say more he pulled her forward into his arms.

"This is real," he murmured against her hair. "We are real, don't ever doubt that."

She smiled softly at him, but she held back He headed home not long after that knowing he had class the next day. Getting her phone she sent a message to Merrick that she needed to talk to him. A message came back that he'd see her in the morning. Leaning back, she wasn't looking forward to this. Though, in the end it needed to be done and things needed to be said. A new stand had the Crescent Blade and Zen-Aku's summoning flute. Getting up she put away the now dry books and went to bed.