The Forgotten
Chapter 1: A New Start
A/N: I'm back with another story. Hope you guys enjoy.
Don't own Power Rangers.
Kimberly came awake in a rush panting softly. Looking around she for a moment forgot where she was. For a moment she was back in Angel Grove on the fateful day. Even after all these years it left her shaking when she remembered them. Shaking the dreams off she finally recognized the garden she was in. The tile was warm underneath her back. The Dragon Dagger and her sword lay beside her. She calmed down slowly from the dreams. It was of the past. Throwing her arm over her face to cover her eyes from the sunlight she heard footsteps moving towards her.
"Something wrong?" she heard from her left.
"Just dreams."
More than once Shayla and Merrick had woken her from dreams of the past that haunted her. Things she didn't want to talk about with anyone. Things she refused to let anyone else know what happened.
"Memories?"
"Yes."
"You know you don't have to stay here," the Lunar Wolf Ranger told her.
"Merrick is right Kimberly."
A soft sigh escaped her knowing that her friend had talked to the other two. She'd been pushing her to get away from the Ranger Game for awhile and get back to being a Paramedic and Search and Rescue Diver. Though, Analyse wanted her to get back into designing book covers and maybe write a book too.
"Analyse talked to you guys didn't she?"
"She's worried about you like we are."
She smiled softly underneath her arm. It made a shiver of warmth move through her about those who actually worried about her. Instead of her worrying about others, they worried about her. Andros and his team had her kinda resenting the worry at first but it was nice that others cared about her. Not that she believed that no one cared and worried about her but it was a matter of whether or not she deserved it. There were days she didn't think she deserved it.
"I'll be okay."
"But not here," Shayla said softly. "You need to start over somewhere else."
"Actually I was going to. I found a place in a seaside town called Reefside. It'll be quiet there and I can focus on my work on the book series Analyse wants me to help write and illustrate."
"That sounds like fun!"
"Are you sure you're going to be okay out there?" Merrick asked her.
She looked at the Lunar Wolf Ranger and shook her head. There were moments she saw another Ranger in him but she kept that to herself. There wasn't a need to bring that up anymore than she wanted to talk about him. He was a sore subject that she kept her mouth sealed. Since no one knew it pained her less since no one talked about it.
"I'll be fine."
He didn't look like he believed her. Knowing that they had to be told.
"I'm tired Merrick. I just want to find a place to settle and work on my art and try to find some semblance of peace. Maybe I'll brush up on my paramedic and rescue diver training and do that for a bit."
"And the next Ranger team?" Merrick asked.
"I think they can handle things without an OG hanging over their shoulder."
"Kimberly…"
"It's okay really guys. Reefside will be a fresh start."
"That'll be good for you," Shayla agreed.
"When are you leaving?"
She picked up her phone and looked at the calendar.
"A week. Analyse wanted to set up the apartment before I get there. Wes and Eric are going to help me move the last couple things the day I leave."
"That is a good friend."
"She is. She knows my past and accepts it and treats me like a normal person. Of course I had to convince her not to go back to Angel Grove and beat the crap out of the others."
"That wouldn't have gone well."
"No it wouldn't have. They've scattered to the winds and The Forgotten I remain."
"That's not who you are Kimberly."
"To my team that was what I became and I accepted the mantle."
"Maybe it's time for you to retire the Crane and the mantle of the Forgotten."
"Maybe it is. It'll be a new start."
"A new start sounds nice."
She closed her eyes again wondering what this new town would be like.
A week later had her standing with a couple boxes of what was left to move. The Wild Force team and Princess Shayla were standing there to see her off. Wes pulled up in a decked out military decked out Durango. Eric was sitting in the front seat. She hadn't expected to see the Quantum Ranger. There were days Eric hadn't been her biggest fan, but Wes had a way of rallying the Quantum Ranger to his way of thinking.
"I see you brought your partner in crime," she teased him.
"Always. You ready?"
"Almost."
She looked at the Wild Force team and smiled.
"Thank you," she told them all. "For accepting me on your team."
Before she could go in Cole moved forward and wrapped her up in a bear hug and the others followed. Kimberly felt their love wrapping around her. She wasn't sure about this path when she'd been set upon it with the Space Team after the curse and her fight with Tommy, but now she knew this was where she belonged.
"Call us if you need us," Taylor told her softly.
"I will, but hopefully when I do call it's for you to come see my new work or just to hang out."
Taylor nodded her head and smiled softly. The Wild Force team backed up watching her join the Time Force and Quantum Ranger's side at least to her next adventure. Wes drove away.
"You going to be alright?" Wes asked her as he saw her staring out the window.
"Yes, I'll be okay. It's always hard to start over again. Then there's the never knowing when the next Call will be."
"If you need us."
"Call someone else," Eric told her with a smirk.
"I'll remember that."
"Don't listen to him. Call us if you need us. The others too."
She laughed softly at her friends. It didn't take them long to get to Reefside. Once they got out they saw Analyse standing there with her hands on her hips with a huge grin on her face.
"Welcome to Reefside."
She led them up a flight of stairs. Unlocking the door she let the Rangers inside. Wes and Eric sat the couple boxes down in the corner and looked around.
"I know there's an order to your sketch books, but I couldn't remember what it was."
"It's okay I'll fix them. I'll have to install a locking cabinet while I'm at it."
"Locking cabinet?"
"Secrets only Rangers should keep."
Eric moved to the wall where one of her works was on the wall. It was a beach battle between a green, black and gold sea dragon and a fire breathing red, white and black dragon. In the corner her mark was there. On the mapping table across was a more detailed engraving of her mark whereas on her paintings it's just the outline. There was a covered painting.
"Can I?" Wes asked softly.
"Go ahead."
He uncovered it. It was Tommy standing on a cliff with the Dragon Dagger to his mouth and the Dragonzord was rising from the sea with a might roar. Then something else caught his eye. It was a framed picture over the stand where her sword and Dragon Dagger rested. Wes stopped and stared at a picture that they'd never seen before.
"It survived the curse because it was on me at the time. I have a few others but that one has seen me through a lot."
Before she could say more Wes engulfed her in a hug. Wes understood her and it made her heart twist. She hugged him back just as fiercely. Tears were burning her eyes but she wouldn't let them fall. Wes pulled back first and looked at her.
"Have you talked to him?"
"Not since the short hello and what are you doing here conversation on the moon."
"I still don't understand…" Eric started.
"Andros is her friend and keeps in contact with her. Of course he's going to invite her or she would've found a way to get there," Wes told his friend.
"You're learning."
"That's always something I knew early about you Kimberly. This is a new start for you and maybe you can find someone."
"Wes… He doesn't know what I've been through and done all this time. Even though all that has happened I still love him and I always will."
Eric looked towards the pair and shook his head.
"Take care of her," he said as he looked at Analyse.
"I'll do my best."
"Come on Wes we need to get back to base."
He nodded his head at his friend. The smile he gave her made her shake her head.
"Call us if you need us."
"I'll remember."
The two Time Force Rangers left the two women alone.
"It's nice to have friends like that," Analyse mused softly.
"You're like that too."
"This is true but we worry about you."
"You know once he told me that was my job to be worrying about everyone."
"Enough about that. Let me show you the town. My friend Hayley has a café down the street."
Kimberly smiled and nodded her head. The two women left the apartment to explore the town Kimberly just moved to.