A/N: Starting with this chapter, for storyline reasons I'll be taking some liberties with the Mighty Morphin' Timeline.
Tommy felt the weight of his newly constructed lightsaber in his hand for what had to be the hundredth time. After leaving the cave he sat outside Yoda's hut, while the ancient Jedi Master guided him through the weapon's construction. The hilt was made of durite, a highly durable metal naturally colored black with a slight golden electrum plate at the base of the hilt, which he had used careful manipulation of The Force to stamp the emblem on The Dragon Powercoin into. Six more diamond-shaped plates lined the hilt, three to a side, one of which doubled as the activation switch. Another ring of electrum lined the emitter at the top.
Beneath the simple but elegant weapon was a power cell, housed just above the base of the hilt. When activated an electrical charge would be sent to a contact plate which the crystal chamber, which itself housed the Kyber Crystal at the heart of the weapon. The energy would pass through a focusing lens, then Finally out of the emitter as a brilliant green blade.
"Your weapon, activate. Your lightsaber training, begin we will," Yoda said with a smile. Tommy nodded at his master and pressed the switch. There was a distinctive and loud snapping sound followed closely by a hiss as the blade came to life bathing Tommy in a bright green glow.
Meanwhile, on Earth Kimberly had been pushing herself hard. Spring finals were coming up and after a chance meeting with the famed gymnastics coach, Gunthar Schmidt, she had been spending more and more time practicing with hopes of qualifying for next year's Pan-Global Games. Then of course there were Lord Zedd's constant attacks. Recently, he had been focusing for some unknown reason on her new neighbor. A very attractive girl from Australia, named Katherine Hillard, Kat to her friends, whose family had relocated to The States.
"I wonder what Zedd wants with her, whatever it is, it can't be good," Kim thought to herself as she drifted off to an exhausted sleep.
Little did the rangers know that Zedd had adapted one of Rita's many failed schemes. The Emperor of Evil sat on his throne waiting for the pawn in his plan to show. Suddenly a swirl of white lightning Katherine Hllard appeared. Unlike Rita, who had created an evil ranger, he did not give the rangers an obvious target. Initially, they didn't know that Tommy was the green ranger or under Rita's spell, but, the green ranger was their obvious target. While they knew nothing of Kat being under his own spell, he made it look like his attacks were aimed at the blonde Australian.
"You summoned me, My Emporer?" Kat asked bowing respectfully to the creature she was compelled to obey but in the recesses of her mind found hideous and grotesque.
"Yes," Zedd replied in his gravelly voice. "The pink ranger is nearly exhausted. Take this, and put it in her drink," he instructed as he held out his hand and a vile of dark purple liquid appeared between his thumb and forefinger. "This will speed up the process, and Zordon's precious pink ranger will be useless to her team."
"I hear and obey, Lord Zedd," Kat said as she took the vile. All she would have to do is wait for her opportunity.
Late the next evening, The Youth Center was nearing closing. Only Kimberly, Kat, and the juice bar's good-natured owner, Ernie remained. Kat sucked some of her strawberry-lemonade smoothie through her straw. She glanced and saw that Ernie was distracted by the closing cleaning procedures, and Kim was focused on her balance beam routine. She quickly opened Zedd's vile and poured the liquid into Kimberly's orange juice.
"Hey Kat, Kim, closing time!" Ernie called a few minutes later as Kim took big gulps of her juice.
"Hey Earnie, you mind if I stay and practice a bit? I could really use it?" Kim asked. A thoughtful look crossed Earnie's face. He had known Kim for years. She was one of the best kids he had ever known. "What the heck, she deserves this shot," he thought to himself. "Yeah Kim, Go ahead. Just be careful and lock up when you leave."
"Thanks, Earnie," she replied as she climbed up onto the balance beam once more.
Kat walked out of The Youth Center with Earnie close behind. "Have a good night Kat," the portly kind-hearted man said as he turned towards his truck.
"You too Earnie, I'll see you tomorrow," Kat said before turning the corner and sitting on the concrete planter beside the building. As she sat, images of her youth in Australia. She had won a reward for raising the most money for a local charity, earning her the moniker "The Sweetheart of Surry Hill." "Oh no! No! No! No! What have I done?" she said in a panic as she ran back inside. She rounded the corner into the juice bar's main area just in time to see Kim lose her balance and crash down on the floor. "Kimberly no!" She ran over and lowered her ear to Kim's lips and sighed with relief as she found the brunette gymnast breathing. She made her way to the bar, reached behind, pulled up the phone, and dialed 911.
"9-1-1 emergency. What is your emergency?" a dispatcher asked after two rings.
"I need help, I'm at The Angel Grove Youth Center, a woman has fallen she's unconscious but breathing!"
"Alright Miss, stay on the line, an ambulance is on its way they'll be there in about three minutes. Shortly after the ambulance arrived and the paramedics carefully placed a neck brace on Kim, gently placed her on a backboard, and loaded her into the ambulance.
"Kim!" Tommy yelled as he woke from his sleep. He sat up so quickly in the dark of Yoda's tiny hut that he smashed his forehead against the ceiling.
"A vision have you seen?"
"Yeah, yeah, Kim she got hurt. Zedd kept the pressure up until she was exhausted. Master, he used an innocent girl as his pawn." Yoda growled low in his throat.
"Be mindful of what you have learned Tommy."
"I know, it's Zedd's doing, not the girls."
"Almost ready you are."
The next afternoon after school Kat walked through the halls of Angel Grove Hospital she found the door to Kim's room open wide and Kim herself laying on her back staring up at the ceiling, looking completely bored. Kat knocked on the door drawing Kim's attention. "Hey Kat, what brings you by? Thanks by the way, they told me it was you that found me and called the ambulance," she said with a warm smile.
"Kim I, I..uh came by to apologize," she said tearfully.
"For what?" Kim asked clearly confused.
"It's my fault, all of it."
"Kat, what are you talking about?"
"I know about you, Jason, Billy, Trini, and Zack. Lord Zedd, shortly after we got to Angel Grove, he put a spell on me. I was never the target of his plans it was you. He wanted you too tired to do anything so something like this would happen. Last night before you fell, I drugged your juice. When I was outside the spell I...I don't know wore off and well," Kat said before sobbing into her hands.
"Kat it's not your fault," Kim said as she reached out and placed her hand reassuringly on Kat's arm.
"That's right, it was Zedd's doing not yours," Jason said from behind Kat. She gasped, spun around, and saw the other four rangers standing shoulder to shoulder just inside the door to Kim's room.
"Affirmative," Billy said nodding his head in agreement, "Unfortunately it's not the first time our enemies have used their power and influence to turn an innocent individual to suit their ends."
"So something like this has happened before?" Kat asked.
"He wasn't around then, so I'm not sure if he would know. So, did Zedd ever tell you about the green ranger?" Kimberly asked.
"'Green ranger?' There was a green ranger?"
"His name was Tommy, Tommy Oliver. He was a new kid in town, kind of like you really into Karate. He got Rita's attention, she was Zedd's flunkie, but we didn't know it at the time, and she abducted him, brainwashed him, and turned him loose on us," Jason explained.
"What happened?" Kat asked.
"He trashed The Command Center, broke our link to Zordon, and thrashed us every which way from Sunday," Zack answered.
"And that was before he kidnapped Jason and nearly killed him," Trini added.
"Are you serious?" Kat asked.
"Yeah, things looked pretty hopeless for a while. But Alpha got Zordon back, Zordon told us how to break the spell, we did, and Tommy joined us, although early on he definitely felt guilty about it," Jason continued.
"So, where is he now, and why doesn't anyone remember him?"
"When Rita abducted him, she made sure he touched some kind of magic wax and linked it to his powers. When she burnt it down, the green ranger powers were mostly lost."
"What do you mean 'mostly lost?'"
"You see, after Rita's candle burnt down, it became it was imperative that Tommy give The Dragon Powercoin to a ranger whose metaphysical connection to The Morphin Grid was undamaged in order to stop Rita from reclaiming the power for her own evil ends," Billy added.
"He gave the coin to me, but, According to Zordon, my connection to the grid isn't enough to allow for two of the newer Thunderzords to run through me, and as powerful as it is The Dragonzord just isn't powerful enough to take on Zedd's monsters."
"How long ago did Tommy lose his powers?"
"Uh, what's it been now, guys? Eight or nine months?" Trini asked.
"Nine," Zack answered.
"Wait, I'm confused," Kat said looking from person to person in the group. "Why doesn't Tommy hang around with you anymore?"
"I'm sure he would," Trini answered.
"Yeah, dude had it bad for Kim when he left," Zack laughed.
"You mean like you do with Angela," Kim said teasingly.
"She's got you there Zack," Jason laughed.
"Alright alright, alright," Zack laughed back.
"Zordon sent him to another dimension in order to become something called a Jedi Knight," Trini said still laughing at her friends. A knock came at the door which the other rangers had closed behind them to minimize the chance of their discussion being overheard. Zack opened the door and found Coach Schmidt standing on the other side.
"Hey Coach, come on in," Zack said inviting the older man in.
"Thank you, Kimberly please let me apologize. I feel responsible for all of this," Coach Schmidt said looking at Kim with a guilty look on his face.
"Coach Schmidt, it's not your fault," Jason said reassuringly.
"Jason's right Coach, I shouldn't have been practicing alone."
"No, you shouldn't have," Kimberly's mom said as she entered the room. "But, I get it, you were working towards a dream. Which is why I've agreed to Coach Schmidt's offer if you want to take it."
"'Offer?'" Kim asked as she looked back and forth between her mother and the famed coach.
"Kimberly I would like you to come to train at my facility in Florida. Where you will be able to focus entirely on your training," Coach Schmidt said.
"Really, that, that's an incredible opportunity!"
"May I assume that you accept?"
"Yeah, I uh...I just need to make a few arrangements."
Kimberly was discharged the next morning and after school teleported to The Command Center and filled Zordon in on everything that had happened. After finishing her story she stood nervously before the wise old sage who was much like a father figure to her and the other rangers. "Kimberly, when I selected you and the others to be Power Rangers, the last thing I wanted to do was deprive you of your own goals and dreams. Alpha and I will begin screening candidates at once."
"Actually Zordon, I think I might have someone in mind. Can you give me an hour and then bring the others here?"
"Very well Kimberly," Zordon said with a nod of his disembodied head.
"Thanks, Zordon," Kim said before teleporting away and landing in her bedroom. She took a deep breath and left her home and went over to Kat's house and rang the doorbell.
"Hello, Kimberly," Kat's mom, whom she had clearly gotten her looks from, said with a warm smile.
"High Missess Hillard, is Kat home?"
"Yeah, she's in her room. Down the hall there, second door on the left."
"Thanks, Misses Hillard," Kim said with a smile once Kat's mom moved aside to let her pass. Kim made her way down the hall and stood at Kat's door with her fist held up, ready to knock. She sighed nervously before knocking three times.
"Come in," He heard Kat call from within the room.
"Hey, Kat," Kim said as she opened the door and stuck her head in the door. "Got a minute?"
"Sure Kim, come on in," Kat said as she placed a bookmark in her book and sat up on her bed.
"So, I've decided to take Coach Schmidt's offer and I need someone to take over for me," Kim said after closing the door and sitting next to Kat on the bed.
"Wait, wait, are you saying that you want me to be the pink ranger?" Kat asked quietly.
"Yeah, yeah, I am," Kim said as she nodded her head.
"Are you sure? I mean, I could have killed you. I mean I still can't believe that you guys are being so forgiving," Kat said looking down in shame.
"Just like Tommy," Kimberly thought to herself with a slight and sad smile.
"Kat, I understand your hesitation, I do. When we first freed Tommy from Rita's spell, he was ashamed of what he had done and wasn't sure that we would want him on the team."
"But, Kim, he already was a ranger I'm not."
"True, but, you already know about us, and you saved my life. I'd like to give you a chance to repay Zedd for using you. Not to mention it's my way of thanking you for saving my life."
"Alright," Kat said with a nod. "If nothing else, I'd like to make up for the trouble I helped cause."
"Alright!" Kim said excitedly as she held up her hand. Kat laughed and slapped Kim's offered hand. "We've got about half an hour before the others are summoned to The Command Center. Why don't we go now and you can meet Zordon and Alpha?"
"Okay, no time like the present," Kat said letting out a nervous sigh.
"Let's go, we'll tell your mom we're going to Earnie's."
"Right," Kat said as they stood and left Kat's bedroom. "Hey, Mom, Kim, and I are going to go to The Youth Center for a while."
"Alright Sweetie, have fun," Misses Hillard said as she waved at her daughter and her friend as they left the Hillard home.
The two walked through their neighborhood until they came to the park. They cut through the park since it was the quickest way to The Youth Center only for Kim to take them to a secluded area before Kim lifted her wrist to her mouth and pressed a button on her communicator. "Zordon, we're ready," she said quietly. The two streaked away in beams of light, one pink, and one white.
Seconds later, the two teens landed in The Command Center. Kat looked around in wonder before seeing Zordon in his tube. She gasped and took a step back. "Welcome Katherine, I am Zordon," the wise old sage said in a comforting and welcoming tone.
"And I am Alpha 5," Alpha said from behind Kat.
"Oh wow, I never expected it to be like this," Kat said in shock. "Uh... thank you for allowing me to come here after everything I've done."
"What you did, my dear, was not your own doing but that of Lord Zedd," Zordon said.
"So I keep hearing."
"I trust that Kimberly has told you why you have been brought here?"
"Yes, Zordon, she has," Kat said after glancing over at a smiling Kim, and stepping forward toward Zordon.
"Will you accept the responsibilities of being a Power Ranger?"
"I will," Kat said with a nervous nod.
"Then you must follow three basic tenants, or lose the protection of the power forever. First, Never use your power for personal gain. Second, never escalate a battle unless Lord Zedd forces you to. Third, your identity and those of the rest of the team must remain secret. No one may know that you are a power ranger."
"I won't let you down," Kat said looking at Zordon. "Any of you," she added as she looked at Kim, then at Alpha.
"I know," Kim said with a smile as she took Kat's hand and placed the Pteradactle Powercoin in Kat's hand. As she did, Pink lightning rolled off of Kim's hand and onto Kat's as she passed on her role as the pink ranger to Kat.
Not long after, Zack, Billy, Trini, and Jason arrived in streaks of light. The four newly arrived rangers smiled at Kim and Kat. Jason looked at Kat and gave a knowing nod to Kat. Trini walked up and hugged her best friend before turning to Kat and hugging her as well. "You're going to do great," she said as she broke the hug and smiled at Kat.
"Welcome to the team," Billy said with a smile as he stuck out his hand.
"Thanks," Kat said as she shook Billy's hand.
"I have a feeling, Lord Zedd is in for it now," Zack laughed. which made Kat laugh as well.
"Thank you all of you. I'm not sure I deserve such a warm welcome," Kat said looking at the rest of the teens.
"Of course you do," Jason said as he placed his hand gently on Kat's shoulder. "Even if Kim hadn't chosen you to carry on as the pink ranger, knowing what you know, well, it makes you one of us." Kat looked at the other rangers each giving a kind welcoming smile and a nod of their head in agreement with what Jason had said.
"Thanks again. All of you," Kat said as she wiped tears of joy from her bright blue eyes.