Dedication

To those that have stayed with me through both the Streaks of Purple Saga and the Spectrum Force series, thank you! See? I told you there were more books to come! I've decided to go back to editing the Power Ranger Fanfiction I wrote back in the day to book format and The Terran Rangers are kind of my own take on Power Rangers Zeo. I hope you all continue to stick with me through this series. Again, thank you to all the readers and the people that have supported me over this project through the years! Luvs to you all!

Author's Note

The characters are all Saban's except for Alexis Darling and her family. If you don't know who Alexis is, take another look at the Terra Preliminaries

and the Streaks of Purple Saga

. If you want to use Alexis for whatever reason, please give credit where credit's due.

Prologue

The fluffy white snowflakes gently fell from the overcast sky, forming a chilly blanket over the city of Philadelphia. Although this usually meant traffic hazards, black ice, and slippery sidewalks, once high school girl was excited to see snow fall. And it was not because of school being cancelled. She just loved the sight of snow on a January morning. And although it snowed rather frequently in Pennsylvania, snow was an extremely rare sight in Southern California. And that was where she was moving to.

I can't believe its snowing!

she thought in amazement. And it couldn't have been a better time! Next week, Jonny, Denise and I are getting in an airplane, and heading back for sunny Angel Grove! After over a year, I'm finally going to see the gang again! Man, its been so long...

Alexis was lying on her stomach, spread across the length of her full size bed, with her head propped up on her palms. She had a serene smile on her face as she watched the snowfall from her apartment window. All around her room were cardboard boxes, half-filled with various odds and ends, and a few suitcases. She also had one trusted duffel bag that contained all the essentials that she would most likely need before all the unpacking was finished. Among them was a small silver rectangular box, with a bright golden coin attached to it. That was Alexis' morpher, which transformed her into the mighty Purple Power Ranger, who drew power from the noble Eagle.

I can't wait to be back in action. Not that I haven't been doing anything this past year. I fought crime as best I could, even though the only time I had a chance was at night. And I did have that way cool adventure with Spiderman. But other than that, I just fly around. I absolutely love flying about aimlessly, but a little adventure every now and then sure spices up life. And I know that once I rejoin the Power Rangers, I'm gonna be in for some major battles with intergalactic goons. Last time I spoke to Kimberly on Billy's Ranger Com system, she told me all about the new Terra team, and about Zack and Jason coming back. It's a shame that the Ranger-Com system shut down several weeks ago. Kim called me on the regular phone about a week after, explaining that the satellite Billy launched vanished, so the signals couldn't be sent across country. So, it was time to resort to the good-ole paper and pen...

Just then, a knock at the door snapped Alexis out of her reverie.

"Uh, come in," she called, sitting up on her bed. Her older sister Denise walked into the room, and shook her head.

"Lex, don't you think you should stop daydreaming, and finish studying?" she asked, eyeing Alexis' scattered belongings. "Why did you pack so much? We're not leaving for a week!"

"I know," Alexis said, "but I can't focus on anything else!"

"Look Lex, I know you're excited about seeing your friends and all, but you have midterms to study for! Monday is the first day of exams, and we won't be leaving here until next Saturday. We specifically stayed the extra week so you can take all your exams and finish this semester before transferring schools again."

"Actually, you wanted to stay to get your law degree," Alexis said with a grin. Denise chuckled.

"You're right," she admitted, sitting beside her sister. "Although the school can mail it to me, I'd rather get it in person. After all this work, I've finally graduated from Law School!"

"I still can't believe it," said Alexis, "You managed to double up on your classes the past two semesters, as well as take summer courses, in order to get all the required credits a full semester ahead of time. After breezing through your last set, you passed the standard exam, and passed with flying colors!"

"Believe me, Sis, there was no 'breezing'

about it! Law school is hard work to begin with, and to juggle that with raising a baby, work, and finishing early, I didn't have time to breathe. Thank God I've been feeling well. The doctors have been pestering me to try not to over-exert myself, since I could easily contract any number of diseases. But I haven't...yet."

Alexis' smile fell slightly as she saw a shadow cross over her sister's face. A year ago this past November, Denise Johnson was diagnosed with AIDS, which she contracted from her ex-husband Martin before their break-up. Although she was ill with a serious, and terminal disease, Denise was determined not to let that stop her from achieving. She blatantly refused to go live in Angel Grove, where her mother recently moved to, until after she had finished Law School at the University of Pennsylvania. More than anything, Denise wanted to prove to everyone...including herself...that she could live a full life. So Alexis decided to move in with Denise, leaving behind her life in Angel Grove to help her sister take care of Jonathan, enabling her to focus more on her studies. Despite all her difficulties, Denise succeeded in finishing her curriculum, and she is now officially graduated from law school.

"Too bad you don't get a graduation," said Alexis.

"I had a big graduation party from high school, and that's enough. Besides, I'm not much of a party person. So, changing the subject, have you told your friends you're moving back to Angel Grove?"

"I mailed my friends Kimberly and Jason letters as soon as I found out when we were leaving."

"Just the two of them?" asked Denise, a glint of surprise in her emerald eyes, "I thought you had a big group of friends."

"Yeah, well I am part of a close-knit group, but I'm closest to Kimberly and Jason. Kimberly, along with Aisha and Trini, were the girls I hung out with. But Trini and Aisha moved away, so they aren't in Angel Grove anymore. And Jason is...well..."

"He's that guy you fell in love with the moment you met," Denise narrated with a grin. Alexis rolled her eyes, and playfully punched her older sister on the arm.

"I guess," Alexis admitted. "Anyway, we were keeping in touch pretty well, him being in Geneva and all, but as time passed, we kinda fell out of touch. When he moved back to Angel Grove, I haven't heard from him more than three times since. I guess we're both just busy people."

"But you still talk to Kimberly a lot."

"Kim likes to talk. Jason really doesn't. Still, they'll both be surprised when they get those letters! They should be arriving any day now."

Chapter One

The following day was Saturday, and in Angel Grove the populace were enjoying the mild weather. In the park, Jason Lee and Katherine Hillard played two-on-two basketball against Rocky DeSantos and Zack Taylor.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Rocky, dribbling the basketball at the foul line, "the score's nineteen to eighteen in a game going up to twenty, and the amazing athlete Rocky DeSantos is at the line, after drawing a foul during a fast break. Can he end the game with a three-point play? The crowd quiets down as the incredible NBA player from Stone Canyon holds the ball, his eyes filled with determination --"

"Rocky," sighed Kat, tightening the band that tied her curly blonde hair in a ponytail, "could you please

cut down the narration and shoot the ball?"

"Yeah," said Jason, "while we're young."

"Everyone's a critic," Zack chuckled.

"Rocky goes up," Rocky continued, aiming the ball, "he shoots, and he scores!"

Rocky threw up the ball in perfect form. The ball spun gently in the air, right on target. Almost. It bounced around the rim, but rolled the wrong direction. Rocky frowned in indignation, and Katherine giggled as she caught the rebound.

"Looks like you've spoken too soon, 'amazing athlete'

," she said with a playful smile, passing the ball to Jason. Jason caught the ball and jogged down the length of the court, with Zack hot on his trail. Katherine and Rocky soon joined him, and Rocky left Kat so he and Zack could double-team Jason. Katherine knowingly positioned herself at the foul line, in clear sight of Jason. Jason saw her, and expertly bounce-passed the basketball to Kat. Kat caught the ball, and before Rocky could reach her to block, she bounced it once and turned to shoot. The ball rolled off her fingers just before Rocky got close enough to intercept, and it sailed cleanly through the rim and hoop. Katherine jumped up in excitement, and Jason quickly ran over and hugged her fiercely.

"Fabulous shot, Kat!" he said. "We won!"

"I can't believe we lost," muttered Zack, "I mean this morning, Kat had no idea how basketball was played!"

"I guess I'm just a natural athlete," she said with a smile, extending her hand. "Great game, guys."

"So what do we do now?" asked Rocky.

Jason wiped his face with a towel, and glanced at his watch. "Well, we're meeting the others at Ernie's for lunch. Knowing Kimberly and Aisha, they won't be done shopping 'til at least one."

"And since they dragged Tommy along with them, they have someone to carry all their stuff," said Rocky, starting to laugh, "When will he learn to say no

to Kimberly?"

"Probably never," said Katherine with a smile, "I just hope he can stand shopping for so long. It must be dreadful."

"I thought you liked to shop, Kat," said Jason.

"Everything in moderation," she responded, dribbling the basketball, "I don't see the need to shop three times a week. So I opted to learn basketball today instead."

"Billy and Adam will probably be awhile too," commented Rocky, "Billy wanted to run some checks on Adam, to see how his heart is healing. Adam didn't even wake up until ten o'clock!"

"So, we have about an hour before the gang shows up," said Zack, "I'm heading home to take a shower."

"Good idea," said Rocky, as the four friends collected their belongings and headed towards the parking lot. Zack climbed into Rocky's car and after waving, the red Honda pulled away. Katherine unlocked the door to her 1991 blue Volvo, and then noticed that Jason was walking towards the sidewalk.

"Jase," she called, "where are you going?"

"Home," he replied. "It's only a couple miles."

"Where's your truck?"

"It needed a tune-up," Jason answered, "I'll pick it up Monday."

"Well, why don't I give you lift?"

"That's okay," Jason said, shaking his head. "You live in the opposite direction."

"Oh nonsense. Get in the car."

Jason shrugged, and made himself comfortable in the passenger seat of Katherine's car. Katherine then pulled out of the parking lot, and onto the street.

"You really played well today," Jason said, "I still can't believe you've never played basketball before."

"Well, I did alright," Kat said modestly. "It was your slam dunks that ensured our win. You make it look so easy!"

"A lifetime of practice, I guess."

Both were silent for awhile, as Jason stole a glance at Kat. He couldn't help but notice that even though she was sweating, and her hair was a mess, she was still gorgeous. He cracked a small smile.

"What's so funny?" Kat asked, looking at him from the corner of her eye. Jason nearly panicked.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Why were you smiling?"

"No reason," he said quickly.

"Jason, what are you laughing at?"

Jason looked out the side window, and saw his house up the street.

"Uh, my house is the third one on the right," Jason said, effectively ending the conversation. Katherine shook her head, and pulled into the driveway. Jason unbuckled his seatbelt, and opened the door.

"Say," he said, "you wanna come in for something to drink?"

"Why not?" she said, turning off the car. Jason led Katherine to the front door, and unlocked it. He then escorted her to the kitchen.

"Wow," she said, looking around the expensive decor of the living room. "Impressive."

"You've never been in my house before?" Jason asked in surprise.

"Never."

"Oh," said Jason, pulling a seat at the kitchen table out for Katherine, "well, both my parent's have high-paying jobs, so I guess we're pretty well off."

"That's one way to put it," she commented, looking at the elaborate furnishings surrounding her.

Jason opened the refrigerator door, and pulled out two glass bottles.

"Is apple juice okay?" he asked, holding up the bottles.

"Perfect," she answered. Jason sat down at the table across from her, and handed her the bottle. After a few moments of silence, Katherine decided to start a conversation.

"I received a postcard from Tanya the other day," she said. "She's still in Kenya."

"How is she?"

"She's having a wonderful time. She's getting to know her parents, as well as the place of her birth. She said they'd be in Africa for at least another month. It takes time for her parents to get the appropriate visas and immigration papers, considering they were missing for ten years. She already misses us, but she is having fun."

"You and Tanya are pretty close, huh?"

"She's my best friend," Kat admitted. "We get along fabulously. I guess its because we have so much in common. I mean, we're both spirited women, who try to realize our potential academically as well as athletically. Tanya is marvelous at baseball and is really a quick learner of karate, and I'm a diver and dancer."

"You know, I really think you'd like Trini," Jason said. "She and I were friends for years, and we still are. I always loved her indomitable spirit. She never fell back on a challenge. You two would really hit it off. If she ever decides to come back to Angel Grove."

"We probably would," Kat said, nodding. "Another thing Tanya and I have in common is our association with the Power Rangers. Both of us came from totally different continents in order to replace former rangers. Of course in Tanya's case, she didn't get the chance to replace Aisha, because the Zeo Crystal couldn't be used by a non-Ranger."

Jason could tell that Katherine was speaking a little quietly.

"Kat, you're not a replacement," Jason said sternly, "I mean, you were picked to be a Terran Ranger by Zordon, so you know you must've done something right! I thought you got over your doubts when you faced the Nightmare Queen on the Dreamscape."

Katherine visibly shuddered when Jason brought up that incident. Not long after the inception of the Terran Power Rangers, Katherine was plagued by terrible dreams, in which she was constantly shunned by her fellow Rangers, to the point where her self esteem plummeted so low, she couldn't even morph. Rita invaded her mind with Finster's Dream Machine to break Katherine's confidence, and on the Dreamscape, Katherine faced the magical creature Envy, who embodied all the envy Katherine felt toward her fellow Rangers. Especially Kimberly, who was everything Kat wasn't. It was the most difficult fight the Blue Terran Ranger had ever faced, but she managed to assert herself, and defeat Envy.

"You know, Jason," Kat said, "I don't think I ever thanked you for your help against Envy."

"Oh, I didn't do anything..." Jason said modestly.

"Yes you did," she argued, taking his hand and squeezing it gently. "If you hadn't come into the Dreamscape to encourage me, I surely wouldn't have mustered the self-confidence I needed to win the fight and break out of that fever. I could've died. I owe you one."

"Hey, what're friends for?" he asked with a lopsided grin, squeezing her hand back. Just then, Jason heard a key turn in the door. He looked up and saw his mother entering the house, a shopping bag in one hand and a stack of letters in the other. She looked up and smiled warmly at her only son.

"Hello, Jason," she said, walking into the kitchen and setting the groceries on the sink. "Who's your friend?"

"Mom, this is Kat Hillard. We go to school together."

"And now, we play basketball too," Kat added, standing up and smiling at Mrs. Lee. "It's nice to meet you."

"Same here," she responded, shaking Katherine's hand. She then returned her attention to the envelopes she was fishing through.

"Bill...bill...bill...I may have won a million dollars...oh, here's a letter for you, Jason."

Jason accepted the letter, and noticed the purple ink in which the address was written in. The return address was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jason's eyes widened slightly, and he suddenly felt uncomfortable.

"Is something wrong, Jase?" Kat asked, peeking over his shoulder at the letter. She saw the return address. "Who do you know from Philadelphia?"

"Uh, listen Kat, it's getting late," Jason said abruptly, "and I have to shower and stuff before lunch."

"Oh," said Kat, her voice laced with confusion, "okay. Do you need me to pick you up?"

"Nah, I can walk. See you at the Youth Center?"

"Right," she said, picking up her car keys and walking towards the door. "See you. Oh, and it was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Lee."

"Likewise," said Jason's mother, waving. She then turned, and saw her son slowly opening up the letter.

"What was that all about?" she asked. "Why did you chase her out?"

"Because...I have stuff to do, and I'll see her later," Jason responded, scanning the lavender stationary with elegant black writing on it.

"Well, what does it say?"

"Mom...!" Jason whined, glancing up at his mother.

"Okay, fine. I'll mind my own business," she said finally, returning to the grocery bag. She began to put the food away, and Jason jogged up to his bedroom, reading the letter while he went.

Dear Jason,

How are you doing? I haven't heard from you for a few months. I guess you're pretty busy, but that's fine. How's it feel to be a 'you-know-what' again? I'm sure you're having the time of your life! And I'm sure you love being back in Angel Grove. Home Sweet Home...

Anyway, I have some terrific news for you! Denise finished Law School a whole semester early, which means we're coming back to Angel Grove in January! I can't wait to see you again! As soon as I finish midterms here in Philly, we're on a flight over. Our plane arrives at two o'clock on Saturday, January 25, at Angel Grove International. Its flight 545, direct from Philly to California. I'm really excited to see you again. It's been awhile.

All my love,

Lex

Jason sighed deeply when he finished reading the letter, and he folded it neatly and placed it on his dresser. He then went into the bathroom, undressed, and turned on the shower. As his tan body was immersed in the steaming water, his mind was immersed in thought.

I don't believe it...Alexis is coming back! It's been...over a year since she first left Angel Grove. Man, has it really been so long? When she first moved back to Pennsylvania, I moved to Geneva, and we spent hours on the phone. If Billy hadn't constructed that Ranger-Com system the following spring, those long-distance bills would've killed me. We were friends before we both left Angel Grove to pursue other things, but I guess we both felt the same loneliness in our new homes. We got really close. We talked almost daily, when time would allow, and we talked about everything under the sun. As time passed, we got busier and busier, so the conversations got fewer. Then, I moved back to Angel Grove, and I don't think I called her since. I don't even think about her much lately. Is it just because I'm a ranger again? I mean, before I didn't really have that much to occupy my time, other than classes and meetings with the other delegates at the Peace Conference. In Angel Grove, I have to juggle school, hanging out at Ernie's, extra-curricular activities, and of course fighting off Zedd and Rita. I just haven't had the time...

Jason frowned to himself as a wave of guilt hit him.

That's not good enough,

he decided. No matter how busy I was, it wouldn't take all that long to drop Lex a message, asking how she's been doing. I could've if I really wanted to. But, why didn't I want to?

As if in answer, his mind conjured an image from only minutes ago, when he and Katherine were holding hands over an apple juice and a heart-felt conversation. Jason's guilt increased exponentially, and he shampooed his hair harshly, as if to relieve some of the tension building.

That was nothing,

he reasoned, Kat and I are just friends. Nothing more. Besides, it's pretty plain to see she'd never go for me. I'm so... rough around the edges. She's so sophisticated and proper. And she's in love with Tommy. She'd never admit it, and Tommy doesn't have the faintest idea, but I can see it in her eyes. She's in love with Tommy, and I love Alex. Sort of...

Jason shut off the water and wrapped his body in a towel. He wiped the condensation off the medicine cabinet mirror, and gazed deeply into his own eyes, as if trying to see into his mind from outside rather than from within.

Of course, Tommy is in love with Kimberly, and I doubt that'll ever change. They've bonded in such a way that every couple aspires to. I don't think they're breaking up anytime soon, so I really can't see Tommy getting together with Kat. And Alexis probably hates me after I've all but ignored her the past few months.

Jason knew he wasn't fooling anyone. If Alexis hated him, she wouldn't have sent him such a warm letter. It was obvious Alexis still had strong feelings for Jason. But he, on the other hand, didn't know what his feelings were for Alexis.

"Ah, I should stop thinking about all this," he decided, "Alexis and I just have to get reacquainted is all. Spend some time together. I mean, it didn't take me long to fall for her in the first place. We've just been separated for so long, that I just kinda...forgot about her. No, I didn't forget her! I just...put her out of my mind. It's probably some kind of psychological defense, so I don't end up dwelling on thoughts of her and getting all depressed, like Tommy always did when Kim left..."

Jason cracked a smile, and rolled his eyes. This new argument was even more ludicrous that the previous one. He decided to drop the subject, and hurried to his bedroom to get changed. After throwing on a T-shirt and some black sweat pants, he combed through his curly wet hair, and gazed at the letter. He sighed again, and slipped the folded lavender paper into his front pocket before hurrying out the door.

Chapter Two

Katherine parked behind the Gym and Juice Bar, and got out of her car. She saw Aisha walk into the Juice bar with Kimberly and Tommy following behind her, strolling hand in hand. She smiled wistfully when she saw the serene expressions on both of their faces. Obviously, a few hours of shopping didn't disagree too much with Tommy. So long as he could spend time with the love of his life.

Katherine cast her eyes down to the pavement as she locked the car door. Every time she saw Kimberly and Tommy together, a wave of mild depression struck. At first, it was jealousy towards Kimberly. No matter how much she tried to fight it, Katherine couldn't help but fall for Tommy. Rita's spell, that made her evil when they first met, fed off that initial attraction, turning Katherine into an obsessed maniac, willing to do anything in order to have Tommy. Including kill Kimberly. Fortunately, Katherine broke the spell before she could harm Kimberly too much. And Kimberly forgave Kat for all she did while evil, and even offered her a place on the Power Ranger team. Kimberly obviously harbored no ill will. And Katherine learned Kimberly was one of the sweetest, nicest people on the planet. That just made Kat feel guilty about being attracted to Tommy.

But lately, her feelings toward Kim and Tommy had changed. Of course, she was still attracted to Tommy, but the type of jealousy changed. At first, Katherine wished that she could be in Kimberly's place...the woman Tommy loved. But now, she was happy for them. They made a fabulous couple, and Tommy was so happy, Katherine would never wish them to break up. It would break Tommy's heart, and he'd probably never recover completely. Rather, Katherine found herself wishing for a relationship like the one Kimberly and Tommy have.

Kimberly found her Prince Charming,

Kat thought, walking towards the building. That's what I'm envious of. Their love is so true and pure, and so all encompassing, they would do anything for each other. Kim always supports Tommy's athletic pursuits, even though she doesn't much like being a spectator. And Tommy always goes with Kimberly shopping, even though he loathes shopping in its own right. Slowly, they've reached a point where just being together is joyful, no matter the activity. Just seeing Kimberly makes Tommy's eyes shine, and the same goes for her. I so wish I could find a love like that. A love so strong and true, nothing could break it. Not distance, not time, not responsibilities... nothing. When will I fall in love, I wonder? Its true, I'm attracted to Tommy, and I'll even venture to say that, to some extent, I love him. Of course, I don't think I could ever love him as much as Kimberly does. But that's not what I want. I want a love that is reciprocated, so it can grow and flourish. When will I find my

Prince Charming?

As Katherine walked into the Juice Bar, her mind turned to earlier that morning, when she and Jason were together. Although they rarely spent time together, and they didn't know each other all that well, Katherine found herself so comfortable with him that she could divulge her deepest feelings. Her feelings of alienation, of inadequacy, and of vulnerability. And she knew she could trust him. He wouldn't share her secrets with anyone, and he would always try to make her feel better. However, he wouldn't lie to her to lift her spirits. He is truthful and caring, and he always knows what to say. He is much more sensitive than his husky exterior would have one believe.

Kimberly did refer to him as a "big teddy bear"

,

Katherine thought with a smile, as she looked across the room. Kimberly and Aisha were seated at the group's usual table, and they were both sitting with their backs to Katherine. It was simple to see they were looking at something on the table, because Aisha was sitting extremely close to Kim, and both had their heads nodded downwards. Katherine moved over to them and sat down.

"Hello," she greeted, sitting beside Kimberly. She saw a lavender piece of paper, with flowing black lettering on it. Kimberly and Aisha looked up, and smiled at Katherine.

"Hey, Kat," said Aisha. "What've you been up to?"

"Rocky, Zack, Jason and I played some basketball," Katherine related.

"Well that's nice," said Kim, grinning widely, "but you would've had a ball at the mall."

"Yeah!" chimed Aisha. "There was a huge sale at The Gap, and I found the cutest little dress at Nordstrom's --"

"I can imagine," said Kat, smiling with amusement. "So where's Tommy?"

"Bathroom," said Kim. Kim then turned back to the letter for a few moments, reading over the last paragraph. She then turned back to Katherine, practically bubbling with excitement.

"What's going on?" Katherine asked.

"You're not going to believe this! Lex is coming back!!"

"Who?" Kat asked. Aisha and Kimberly looked shocked.

"Alexis Darling?" Aisha said quietly. "You know, the Purple Ranger?"

Katherine rubbed her chin, as if trying to recollect. She then shook her head. "I've never met a Purple Ranger."

"Well, of course you didn't!" said Kimberly. "She moved to Philadelphia before you moved to the US. But I'm sure I told you about her at some time."

"I'm sorry, I don't recall," said Kat, shrugging. "What's she like?"

"Well," said Aisha, "she's tall with red hair, and green eyes. She's lots of fun, and a great fighter. Hmm, I didn't know her all that well...only for a few weeks. You should ask Jason. He can tell you the whole story."

"Why would I ask Jason?" Kat asked curiously.

"Because she's Jason's girlfriend."

Kat's eyebrow rose slightly, and her small grin fell into a straight, tight line. Kimberly noted Katherine's expression with interest. It seemed like Kat was trying to control her reaction, without doing too good of a job.

"Hey girls!" called a voice across the room. Everyone turned around to see Rocky, Zack, Billy, and Adam. The four guys sat down at the table.

"How're you feeling, Adam?" Aisha asked with concern. He smiled warmly.

"My heart's fully healed," he announced, "but I still shouldn't strain it."

"Right," said Billy. "He shouldn't re-absorb a Zeo shard for at least three more months, although he can go about his other activities unhindered. He may tire more easily than usual, but other than that he's fine."

"That's fantastic!" said Rocky, giving his best friend a high-five.

"Yeah," said Adam, "and I got a postcard from Tanya today, too."

"Really?" asked Zack, "I'm sure you're excited."

Adam blushed slightly, causing all the others to grin.

"Well, yeah I am. She's having a blast in Kenya."

"Wow," said Tommy, walking over to the table from the bathroom, "the gang's all here!"

"Not quite," said Katherine, moving over so Tommy could sit next to Kimberly, "Jason's not here yet."

"Guys," said Kimberly, "I have some terrific news! Alexis is coming back next week!" "That's great!" said Rocky excitedly. "Man, that girl can sure help Zack and I lighten up this crowd!"

"We could use a hand," said Billy thoughtfully, "I doubt the Eaglezord can morph with the Terra Megazord, but it's still an efficient vehicle."

"I thought she wasn't coming back until May or June," said Zack. "Doesn't her sister have to finish Law School?"

"She finished early," said Aisha. "They're arriving on Saturday --"

"Hey everyone," called Jason, running across the Youth Center. "Wow, am I late?"

"No," said Katherine, watching him as he sat down across from her, "you're just on time. Did you know that Alexis Darling was coming back to Angel Grove?"

Jason nodded. "Yeah, I did. Actually, I got a letter from her this morning. She said she's coming back Saturday afternoon."

"That's great!" Rocky repeated. "That gives us plenty of time to plan a Welcome Back party for her!"

"Good idea, Rocko," said Tommy. "Any ideas?"

Everyone turned to Jason, who looked at everyone curiously.

"Why are you looking at me?" he asked.

"Well, she's your girlfriend," said Adam. "Who knows her better than you do?"

"Yeah," chimed Aisha, "what would she like to do?"

Jason thought silently for a minute. What does

she like to do for fun?

"I've got an idea," Rocky said, "how about we throw her a party at the indoor ice rink in Stone Canyon? She likes to roller-skate, but she loves to ice-skate! And she'll be surprised, because she probably isn't expecting to be able to ice-skate in California!"

"That's a terrific idea!" said Zack.

"Yeah," said Adam. "Good thinking!"

"Right," said Jason quietly. Why didn't I think of that? I can' believe I didn't remember how much Alexis loves to skate!

"She said in her letter that her mother's picking her up at the airport," Kimberly continued, "so I figured we could meet her there and say hello. We should have the party on Sunday because she'll probably be really busy Saturday, what with all that unpacking and all. I think I'm gonna help her."

"Me too," said Aisha with a grin. "It'll be fun!"

"I'll help," Jason offered. Kat locked her eyes with his.

"That's a good idea," she said, a hint of coldness in her voice, "I'm sure you and Alexis have some catching up to do."

Jason looked away from Katherine uncomfortably. All the rangers could feel the tension in the air, but only Kimberly understood why, recalling Katherine's reaction to hearing about Alexis.

Uh oh,

the Pink Ranger thought, chewing her fingernails, this is gonna be trouble!

Chapter Three

Meanwhile, upon the Moon, Rita Repulsa, the notorious Empress of Evil, watched the scene in the Juice Bar through her Repulsascope. She stepped back from the telescope, and tapped her chin.

"There's a Purple Ranger?" she thought aloud, "I don't recall there being a Purple Ranger! GOLDAR!!

"

The golden plated creature marched into the throne room and bowed.

"Yes?" he asked, impatience in his voice. Even though Goldar used to serve Rita Repulsa exclusively, he could no longer fathom being faithful to her. Now, he only served her because his master, Lord Zedd, was her husband.

"Have you ever heard of the Purple Power Ranger?" she asked. Goldar rose his head, with surprise on his face.

"Yes," he said. "Not long after Zordon created the White Ranger, Lord Zedd retaliated by re-creating the Purple Ranger. A young woman who moved to Angel Grove was in possession of the Eagle coin --"

"I have a feeling I know where this story is leading," Rita sighed, rolling her eyes. "Zeddie kidnaps this girl, planning on restoring the Purple Power to the coin and creating an evil Purple Ranger. However, the Power Rangers break the girl out of the spell, and she joins their ranks, increasing the number of rangers to seven."

"You're almost right," Goldar said. "The Power Rangers saved the girl before she ever became evil."

Rita snarled, and tapped her foot impatiently. "And Zeddie has the nerve to chide me about trying to make Tommy an evil Green Ranger. At least he was

evil for awhile! But, where has this Purple Ranger been? The Terran Rangers have mentioned that she is returning to Angel Grove."

"I...I do not know exactly what happened to her, but she disappeared. She left the team for some reason, and took her Power Coin with her."

"And now she's coming back," Rita sighed, "making the Terra team even more

powerful! We can't even beat six rangers, for Evil's sake! How will we destroy seven?!"

Goldar remained silent, knowing that any answer on his part would surely bring Rita to hit him over the head with her magic wand. Rita paced around the throne room, with her hands clenched behind her back. "Goldar," she said finally, "where's Zeddie?"

"Regenerating."

"Good," she said quietly. "Do you know where he put all those wedding presents we received from villains throughout the universe?"

"Um...I think he asked Finster to find a place for them. Many of them were left unopened."

"Right," she said, walking out of the throne room. "FINSTER!! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Chapter Four

It was Saturday afternoon, and in Angel Grove International Airport, a rather large welcoming committee was waiting at the gate of flight 545, from Philadelphia. One of them, Amanda Darling, was awaiting her two daughters Alexis and Denise, as well as her grandson Jonathan. The nine teenagers were also awaiting Alexis, who was their close friend and fellow Power Ranger. As the airplane pulled into the gate, they all rise to their feet and waited by the entrance itself. After only a few minutes, all three individuals entered the airport, with Denise carrying her son, and Alexis carrying a number of carry-ons. As soon as Alexis saw her friends and mother, her green eyes lit up, and a wide smile crossed her face. She didn't get far before she was caught in a large embrace by Kimberly and Aisha.

"Welcome back, Girlfriend!!" Aisha exclaimed. "We missed you!"

"Right," said Kimberly, taking a bag from Alexis, "What's up?"

"Aw, same old, same old," Alexis said, glancing at her mother. Amanda was excitedly talking to Denise, and at the same time coddling her grandson.

As Kimberly and Aisha led Alexis into the crowd of friends, both Katherine and Jason maintained a considerable distance. As Jason watched Alexis chat excitedly with her friends, he couldn't help but steal a glance towards Kat. Kat was wearing a friendly smile, but it was obviously plastered to her face. He didn't get a chance to think any more of the awkward situation, as Alexis ran up to him and embraced him warmly. He smiled as he returned the hug.

"Hey, Red," he greeted. "Long time no see."

"Too long," she answered.

"Here, let me take that." Jason reached over and took the duffel bag hanging from Alexis' shoulder. Then, Alexis slipped her hand into his, to return to the large crowd of friends and family. It was then that she noticed a stranger.

"Hi," Alexis said, bringing Jason with her as she approached Kat.

"Hello," Kat said politely. She then turned to Jason expectantly.

"Oh," Jason said, "uh, Katherine Hillard, this is Alexis Darling. Kat is a member of the Terran Power Rangers."

"Right," Alexis said, "I remember you mentioning her. Pleased to meet you, Katherine."

"Likewise," Kat answered, shaking the redhead's hand. "My friends call me Kat, by the way."

"And my friends call me Lex," Alexis said, still beaming with an excited smile. "So," said Amanda, "are you kids going to the Youth Center?"

"Actually," said Kimberly, "Jason, Aisha and I are going to help Lex unpack and stuff."

"Great!" said Alexis. "We can catch up on all that I've missed!"

Then Kimberly, Jason, Aisha, Alexis, Amanda, Denise, and Jonathan went towards the baggage claim after saying brief good-byes. Jason waved weakly at Kat, who nodded in response. She then sighed lightly, and rejoined the remaining teens as they left the airport.

"Hey," said Adam, "you okay, Kat?"

"Oh, sure," said Kat, "I'm fine."

"What did you think of Lex?" asked Tommy.

"Well, based on a first impression, she reminds me a lot of Kimberly," Kat said honestly. And just like Kimberly, she's got a solid relationship with a great guy. Why does this whole experience feel like deja vu?

As the group left the airport, they all glanced at the sky as a loud thunderclap sounded.

"Looks like a thunderstorm," said Rocky.

"That's odd," said Billy, frowning, "the forecast predicted clear skies."

"The forecast isn't a guarantee," said Kat.

"Still, it's odd. The sky was blue only minutes ago."

Chapter Five

Meanwhile, Rita laughed deeply, gripping tightly to her Repulsascope to prevent her from falling backwards. In her other hand she held a clear crystal orb, about the size of a tennis ball. She laughed so hard that she didn't notice when her husband, Lord Zedd, stepped into the throne room. He stretched his arms, and yawned.

"Ahh! That regenerative sleep sure hit the spot!" he declared. "Now I'm ready to do some major evil!"

He turned to his wife, who was trying to compose herself. He glared at her.

"So," he said, approaching her, "what have you been up to?"

She smiled at him. "Well, for starters, I found out that you created a Purple Ranger!"

Zedd snarled. "Everyone makes mistakes. Besides, at least the ranger I helped create didn't go on to become the most powerful, dedicated ranger on the team! Also, I didn't give the coin to the human. She had it to begin with."

"Whatever," she said, waving away the argument. "Anyway, that Purple Ranger is back in action in Angel Grove. If you had any brains, you would have taken care of her while she was separated from the team!"

"I had bigger fish to fry," he retorted. "And besides, she could have summoned aid from the remainder of the team."

"Fine. So, I decided to come up with a plan, and so I checked out those old wedding presents we never bothered with --"

"And?" Zedd snapped impatiently.

"-- and, I found this!" she announced, holding up the crystal.

"What is it?" Zedd inquired.

"It's a Weather Warp," she explained with a smile. "They are magical creations of the Kenshin, a race of beings my father conquered during his spread across the M51 Galaxy."

"What does it do?"

"Zedd, it's called a 'Weather Warp'

. Therefore, it warps weather patterns. Duh!"

"Cheap parlor tricks," Zedd scoffed. "Count on Master Vile to give a useless present!"

"Don't talk about my father that way!" Rita snapped, turning away from Zedd. "It's already creating a massive storm front in Angel Grove. Weather is one of the most destructive forces in the galaxy! Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards...they kill hundreds of people every year!"

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to plant this crystal in Angel Grove, so it can have the greatest effect. Then I'll program it to bury Angel Grove in a blizzard! Considering it never snows in southern California, that weather disaster will be the most unexpected of them all!"

Rita began to laugh triumphantly, and Zedd shook his head. "I don't think it's going to work, Rita."

Rita glared at her husband. "Don't be such a stick in the mud!" she croaked, turning on her heel. She then vanished from the Moon Palace in a bright display of energy.

Chapter Six

Inside the Darling's house, Alexis busily organized the cardboard boxes that littered her room, with the aid of her friends Jason, Kim, and Aisha. Jason and Alexis were busy unpacking her clothing, while Kim and Aisha continued to carry boxes from downstairs.

"So," said Jason, opening a box with a pair of scissors, "what has the Purple Ranger been up to all this time?"

Alexis chuckled, putting some folded sweaters into her drawers. "Not much, really. With midterms right before the break in the marking period, I haven't had much time for patrolling. Not that it's all that much fun anyway. The crime rate in University City dropped about 44% since I first showed up about a year ago. I guess they figured that crime doesn't pay -- so long as the Purple Ranger is around to catch them."

"How is the solo fighting life?" Jason inquired. "It must be tougher than working as a team. Also, we know exactly who we fight. We don't go on patrol -- Rita and Zedd make the first move."

"It's really very different," Alexis admitted. "Actually, I picked up a lot from Spider Man. The adventure with the Lizard last year really honed my detective skills."

"I guess that makes you a purple Batgirl?" Jason asked with a grin. She rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't say that. So, how've you been? How's the Terran Ranger experience?"

Jason nodded, and grinned, "I love it," he said, "I didn't realize how much I missed being a Power Ranger until Zordon made me the Black Terran Ranger. It's a feeling that... just can't be described. It felt like a missing part of me was suddenly returned."

"I'm glad you got that chance," Alexis said, sitting beside him on her bed. "It was pretty obvious from our conversations over the Ranger-com that you weren't enjoying the Peace Conference as much as you expected. It's a worthy cause, but it's not your style. You save the world in your own way...with your fists

."

Jason laughed. "Yeah, I'm just addicted to the action. Discussing world peace seemed pretty boring in comparison. Especially considering nothing seemed to get done! I'm not patient enough to wait years and years for the slightest result. I like to see my accomplishments, so I'm sure I'm making a difference."

Alexis took Jason's hand and squeezed it gently. "I'm glad you're back, Jay."

She waited for a moment, expecting him to return to gesture. She was surprised when he moved away from her. He stood up, and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh...I'm kinda thirsty. I'm gonna get a soda. You want anything?"

"No thanks," she said, watching him leave. She blinked, still surprised by his nervous reaction. Just a few seconds later, Kimberly and Aisha entered the bedroom. Both of them glanced back out into the hallway, and set the boxes they were carrying on the plush carpet.

"What's with Jason?" Kimberly asked, an amused grin on her face. "He looks like he's seen a ghost."

Alexis frowned. "I don't know what happened," she sighed. "He was fine and everything, but then I took his hand, and he freaked out!"

Kim's eyes widened. "You're kidding." Alexis' silence was answer enough.

"Maybe he's not comfortable with intimacy?" Aisha suggested. Alexis huffed.

"I wouldn't exactly call holding hands intimate

Aisha."

"What else happened?" Kim asked, sitting beside her friend.

"Well, we were just talking about Rangering, and I took his hand, and told him I'm glad he came back to Angel Grove. You know, so we can be together again. But he didn't say anything."

"He didn't say anything?" Aisha repeated.

"Nothing. He just sat there. I figured he'd say something along the lines of 'I'm glad you're back, too'. But not a word came from his lips. Then, he got up, asked me if I wanted a soda, and ran outta here."

"Well you two did kinda leave your relationship up in the air," reminded Kimberly. "You weren't officially dating before you moved, but there was something there between you. Maybe it's hard to pick up from where you left off?"

"I guess," Alexis sighed, sitting forward and clasping her hands together tightly. "We kept in touch pretty well, though, and I really thought something was blossoming. But when he moved back to the US, we kinda lost touch. Could he have changed so much in three months?"

"Jason is one to ease into a relationship," Kim offered. "Trust me on this one, I've know him almost all my life. He obviously likes you. That's why he gets so tongue-tied around you. He's a lot shier than you'd expect."

Meanwhile, just downstairs, Jason leans against the kitchen sink, taking a long sip of water. He breathed deeply, and runs his hands through his short black hair. He then pinched the bridge of his nose, and squeezed his eyes shut.

What just happened there? She only touched my hand, and I panicked! What was THAT

all about?! Its not like we haven't held hands before. But I just felt so...guilty

. Could this all be because of Katherine?!

Jason sighed, and took a seat at the kitchen table. He stared at the glass in his hands, and then back at the table.

How did I get myself into this situation? Well, my plan didn't work. I honestly thought that all I had to do was spend a little time with Lex, and suddenly, all the emotions I felt for her a year ago would suddenly rekindle. Well, I was wrong. I mean, she's still a fantastic person, but I don't think I love

her. She'll always be a friend to me, but I don't know what I feel towards her. That's not fair to her. I...I gotta tell her...

Jason rose from the kitchen table, when he heard someone coming up from the basement. He turned to the basement door, and saw Denise walk up. She tucked a loose strand of strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear, and smiled when she saw Jason.

"Good idea," she said to him, moving to the refrigerator. She poured a glass of water, and sat down on the table across from Jason. He sat back down to join her.

"So," she said, "how's the unpacking coming along?"

"Slow but steady," he said with a polite grin. "How are you feeling, Denise?"

"I'm tired," she admitted, "and my mother told me to stop exerting myself. I guess she's right. I just don't like admitting it. So, how are you, Jason?"

"I'm fine."

Denise's eyebrow rose as she gazed at the young man. "Funny, you look a little troubled."

"Really?" Jason asked.

"Jason, I'm a trained prosecutor," she said with a wry smile, "I know the look of guilt when I see it. Is everything okay between you and my sister?"

"Everything's fine," he said, rising to his feet, "I'd better get going. See you, Denise."

She nodded, and watched him walk up the stairs. Jason knocked on Alexis' bedroom door, even though it was already open. He then stepped in, and saw Kim, Aisha, and Alexis all sitting on the bed, with Alexis in the middle.

"Uh, I'd better get going," he told them. "See you tomorrow?"

"Fine," said Alexis, a weak smile on her face. "Goodbye, Jason."

"Bye, Lex. Bye girls."

With that, he left the room, closing the door behind him. With a slight wave to Denise, he left the house, and strolled down the street, his hands in his pockets, and his face cast to the ground. Alexis watched him leave her family's property from her bedroom door, and turned back to her friends, a frown on her face.

"Well," she said, "what are we sitting around for? We've got unpacking to do!"

Although she tried her best to sound enthusiastic, it was obvious Alexis was upset. Kim and Aisha traded worried glances.

Chapter Seven

The next morning, Denise knocked on Alexis' bedroom door.

"Come in!" she called. Denise walked in, and saw her younger sister busily styling her shoulder-length red hair in a French braid. Denise walked up behind her, and pulled her to the vanity chair.

"Hey!" Alexis complained as Denise took apart the braid. Denise rolled her eyes, which Alexis could see through the mirror.

"Lex, you've never been very good a braiding. Let me do it for you."

Alexis sighed, and watched in the mirror as Denise brushed through the thick red mane.

"So," Denise said, parting Alexis' hair, "what are you and your friends doing today?"

"I don't know," Alexis sighed, "Kim told me yesterday it was a surprise, and to be ready at ten o'clock."

"Hmm, sounds like fun," Denise said, carefully twisting the locks. She glanced at the mirror, and saw Alexis' face. Usually, Alexis would be beaming excitedly at the prospects of a surprise outing, but now, she was almost downcast. "What's up?"

Alexis sighed. "Nise, how do I know if Jason still cares about me?"

Denise's emerald eyes widened, and she stared at her sister through the mirror. "What?"

"Well, he was so...distracted

yesterday, when we were unpacking. He didn't seem up to much conversation, he refused to touch me, and he seemed to run out of here as quickly as possible. Maybe I'm reading the signs wrong, but that isn't how a person usually expresses affection."

Denise smiled, and tugged on Alexis' hair. Alexis yelped, and frowned at her sister. Denise giggled.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you think too much?"

"Not really," Alexis responded, smiling.

"Look, Lex, you've been separated for a year. Don't you think he's a little bit disoriented? I mean, suddenly, his long distance relationship has become an up-close-and-personal one. And considering you weren't really a couple when you parted, don't you think that'll cause some anxiety?"

Alexis shrugged. "I suppose."

"Give him some time. He'll warm up to the idea of having a girlfriend nearby."

Alexis frowned. "That's another problem. I mean, maybe it'd be better for the both of us to just stick to being friends. I've already applied, and been accepted, to UPenn. I'm going to move back to Philly in September, and then we'll be apart again. I don't think its fair of me to start a relationship with him, and then leave again."

"Don't you think he has a say in the matter?" Denise asked, tying the end of the braid.

"That's true," Alexis admitted.

"And you love him, right?"

"Yeah."

"So talk to him. Let him know how you feel, but don't be too confrontational about it. And ask him what he's feeling. Let him know that you care, and that how he acted last night hurt you. After all, he may not even realize it did."

Alexis nodded, and Denise lightly covered the braid with finishing spray. Then, Alexis put on her jewelry and communicator, when a horn beeped outside. Denise walked to the window, and opened the shade.

"My God!" she shrieked.

"What?" asked Alexis. "Is there a monster out there or something?"

"No, it's snowing!"

"Huh?!" asked Alexis, running to the window. Sure enough, flurries were falling from an overcast sky. Alexis opened the window, and chilly winter wind stung her cheeks. She looked at her sister quizzically.

"I've never seen this kind of weather in Angel Grove," she said. "It's never colder than maybe fifty degrees. It's freezing out there!"

"Well, you only lived here for about a month total," Denise reminded her. "Maybe they do get a bit of snowfall once in a while. Put on a heavy jacket."

Alexis nodded, and went to her top drawer. After glancing at Denise, who was still gazing out the window, Alexis pulled out her morpher, and attached it to her belt beneath her purple sweater. She then hurried to the coat closet, picked up her heavy jacket, and went out to meet her friends. In the driveway was Billy's old Rad Bug, with Billy and Zack in the front, and Jason in the back. Alexis sat down beside Jason, and let out a deep breath.

"Its colder here than it is in Philly!" she declared.

"Tell me about it," muttered Zack. "When I saw snow out my window, I could've sworn I was back in Geneva!"

"I haven't seen snow in Angel Grove since the Bookala creature created some," Billy commented, backing onto the street. Jason sighed.

"Mother Nature isn't too predictable."

The others all agreed. Alexis turned to Jason, who was watching the flurries from his window.

"So," she said, gaining the Black Ranger's attention. "Are you feeling better, Jay?"

"Huh?" he asked.

"Well, you kinda left in a hurry last night," Alexis continued, looking down at her hands, "I thought maybe you weren't feeling well."

In the front, Zack was watching Jason's reaction through the mirror. Jason noticed it, and frowned at his friend.

"Sounds like trouble in paradise," Zack commented. This time, both Jason and Alexis looked around uncomfortably.

"I'm...uh, sorry I couldn't stay, Lex," Jason said finally, "I had some...work to take care of. That's all. No big deal."

"Okay."

The occupants of the car remained silent. Alexis stared out her window, watching the streets and people. Jason kept looking out his own window, watching each snowflake that caught his eye. Billy kept his eyes on the road, and Zack, who was greatly annoyed with the silence, turned the radio on, and found the nearest Hip Hop station. He danced in his seat, and sang along to Puff Daddy's "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down"

. Finally, Billy parked the Rad Bug in the parking lot of a rather large building. Alexis gazed at the building, and then back at Billy.

"I don't think I've ever been here before," she said. "What is this place?"

"It's a surprise," said Billy, turning off the car and opening his door. The others followed him out. Alexis stuck her hands in her pockets, and looked around the lot. She easily saw Tommy's white Jeep, as well as Rocky's red sedan. Together, the four friends walked to the door. Jason held it open for everyone, and Alexis gasped when she saw what was inside. There was a large oval ice-rink, with a few people skating and chatting. There was also a refreshment section, with tables and even arcade games. She grinned, and turned to her friends.

"You guys are the best!" she declared.

"Hey!" called Rocky from the bench beside the ice rink. He jogged over to them, as well as he could with ice skates on his feet. He hugged Alexis, and smiled at the guys. "Wow, what took you so long?" he asked.

"Well the snow has been accumulating, and therefore roads are rather slippery," said Billy, taking off his winter coat.

"Is everyone else already here?" asked Zack.

"Just about," said Rocky, turning back to the rink, "Kim and Tommy are on the ice, and Aisha and Adam are warming up with some hot chocolate at the snack bar."

"Where's Kat?" asked Jason, looking around. Rocky shrugged.

"I haven't heard from her, and she isn't here. She may have slept in. She does that, sometimes."

"Maybe I should call her?" asked Jason.

"I'm sure she'll get here," said Alexis, grabbing his hand and leading him to the skate rental counter. "What's your shoe-size?"

Billy and Rocky stayed behind, and watched Alexis tie her skates on. She waited impatiently for Jason, and then lead him onto the ice rink. Jason was a little wobbly on the ice, but he soon grew accustomed to it, and skated around the rink. Alexis was skating excitedly, moving over to Kim and Tommy to say hello. Then, she returned to her boyfriend, and skated circles around him. This sparked Jason's competitive streak, and the two suddenly began racing around the rink. Of course, Alexis beat him.

"Ice-skating was a terrific idea, Rocky," Billy mentioned, clapping his friend on the back. "Everyone's having fun."

"Yeah," said Rocky, watching Jason and Alexis skate. He had an amused smile on his face. "I just remembered Alexis liked to skate is all. No big deal."

"So," said Billy, "are you going to hit the ice?"

Rocky laughed. "Maybe later. Right now, some hot chocolate sounds pretty good. And how about a round or two of 'Street Fighter/X-Men?'

I already beat Adam, Aisha, and Tommy today."

"You're on," said Billy, as the two headed to the snack bar.

Chapter Eight

In her home in the north of Angel Grove, Katherine Hillard busily blow-dried her straw gold tresses in the bathroom. She was wearing a pale blue bathrobe, and fuzzy slippers. As she fixed her hair, she glanced at the snowfall from the bathroom window. She sighed deeply, and turned off the blow drier. She gazed at her reflection, and brushed through her dry hair.

"I'm actually rather late," she said, glancing at her watch on the sink, "I was supposed to be at the rink at ten o'clock. It's already nearly eleven. Not that I'm in much of a rush. I've never been one to like roller-skating, and ice-skating is a new sport for me entirely. And out of all of us, I'm the only one who isn't really friends with Alexis. It'll be awkward to be at her party. I suppose I should just stay here and do homework. But I really should go, and welcome Alexis into the fold."

Kat left the bathroom, and went back into her bedroom. After a few minutes of searching, she finally found something appropriate for the harsh winter weather -- a white wool sweater and turquoise turtleneck. She then selected jeans and snow boots, and began getting dressed. Once fully clothed, she went back to the bathroom, and tied her hair in a loose ponytail, and applied some lip-gloss. Then she went downstairs, and put on the winter outerwear.

You're not fooling anyone,

she thought to herself, buttoning her jacket. You're not going to the party to support Alexis, or even to make friends with her. You just want to see how she and Jason interact. To see if they're really a couple. This is so pathetic! Why do I keep falling for men who already have girlfriends? It's some kind of handicap, prohibiting me from ever developing a relationship. I should at least be big about it, and express my support for Jason and Alexis. I'm sure she's a fantastic person. If not, Jason wouldn't have fallen in love with her.

Just the thought made Kat slightly ill. She was still upset with Jason for never mentioning he had a steady girlfriend. At what was worse, Kat actually seemed to see something in Jason's demeanor -- something that seemed to show his interest in her. The day when he received the letter from Alexis, after the basketball game in the park, Jason and Kat really seemed to be building towards something. What, Kat didn't know.

"I probably imagined it," she huffed. "He's in love with Alexis. So obviously, he wasn't expressing romantic interest in me. He probably just wants us to be friends. And we are, of course. It's just a shame that we can't be anything more than that."

Kat grabbed her purse, and headed out the door. To her surprise, full-fledged snow was falling from the sky, in contrast to the light flurries that were there only about a half an hour ago. There were already a few inches of snow on the ground. Kat muttered to herself as she approached her car, and started scraping the snow and ice from the windshield. As she worked, she didn't notice a flash of white light behind her. She didn't realize she wasn't alone until something slammed into the small of her back. She screamed in surprise and pain, and fell into the snow on the driveway. She picked her face up, wiped off the snow, and gasped when she saw about a dozen venomous Viper Putties. The Putty that had kicked her was standing only a few feet from where she lay now, and she rolled out of the way just before a stream of green venom shot from its mouth. The venom burned through the snow, and also into the asphalt beneath it. Kat struggled to her feet, and tried to strike the Putty with a roundhouse kick. But she lost her balance, and slipped on the ice. She growled again, and once again forced herself to stand on the ice. Although she had a problem, the Putties didn't seem to have trouble maintaining balance. They leaped at her with the grace of a cat, and she tried to move out of the way. She only fell again, and rolled off the driveway, onto the grass. Since the grass wasn't completely covered with snow, it wasn't nearly as slippery. She looked around carefully, making sure no one could see her. But there were people on the street, shoveling and driving by. Even though they saw the Putties and fled, Kat knew they were probably watching the battle from some hidden place.

"I can't morph," she whispered to herself, raising her communicator to her lips, "I need some help!"

Chapter Nine

At the skating rink, Billy and Adam were engrossed in a game of Street Fighter/X-Men

. Kimberly and Tommy were chatting quietly, sipping hot chocolate. Aisha was watching Billy and Adam play, cheering Adam, the underdog, on. Rocky was sitting quietly by the rink, observing everyone. He had lost at the arcade game, and therefore he had to wait until Billy was dethroned to play again. On the ice, Jason and Alexis skated hand in hand. Alexis glided on the ice with the grace of an eagle, soaring through the skies. Jason, on the other hand, was slightly less graceful, and was visibly tired from the skating.

"I'm a little tired," Jason admitted to Alexis. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"Sure," she said, smiling brightly, "I'll have a Coke."

"You got it," said Jason, skating off the rink. As soon as he was at the snack bar, a tone signaled from his wrist. He looked up, and turned to Kim and Tommy, who were sitting nearby. They also heard it, and they were rising to their feet. Tommy beckoned Jason to follow him to the coatroom, where no one was currently. Aisha and Billy then joined the trio, and everyone simultaneously turned on their communicators.

"Kat?" asked Tommy. "Is that you?"

^Yeah,^

said her voice through the unit, ^I've been attacked by Viper Putties just outside my house, and I'm in full view of the neighbors. I can't morph, and I need some help!^

"We're on our way," Jason assured, as they all turned off their communicators.

"I'll stay here with Rocky, Adam, and Alexis," said Billy. "Contact me when you find something out."

"Right," said Tommy, taking another quick look to make sure the coast was clear. "It's Morphin Time! TERRA FIRE POWER!!

"

"TERRA WIND POWER!!"

called Aisha.

"TERRA EARTH POWER!!"

bellowed Jason.

"X-Ranger One!" yelled Zack.

"X-Ranger Two!" cried Kimberly.

After the five rangers morphed, they vanished from the skating rink in a rainbow of light. Billy then returned to Adam, who was waiting beside the arcade game.

"We might as well play another round," he said, dropping a quarter in. Billy nodded, and did the same.

On the ice, Alexis continued to skate, spinning in the center of the rink. She continued to spin until she was moving so quickly, she was a purple blur on the ice. Then, she broke the spin, and continued to skate on one foot. She turned her head when she heard enthusiastic cheering.

"Wow, Lex," said Rocky, standing up on the carpet just off the rink. "That was fantastic!"

"Thanks," she said, skating towards him. She glanced down at Rocky's feet, and giggled at the pink ice skates he was wearing.

"What?" he asked.

"They didn't have any others in your size?" she asked.

"Well, they're my sister's skates. They fit me perfectly, so I figured I might as well use them. So what if they're pink? My self-esteem is secure enough that I don't feel like an idiot. Too much, at least."

The two laughed together, and then a mischievous smile crossed Alexis' face. "Say, I don't think I've seen you on the ice all day."

Rocky blushed slightly. "I don't really know how to skate."

"That's ridiculous!" said Alexis, grabbing Rocky by the hand and pulling him onto the ice. "It's a snap! Here, I'll show you. Hold onto my hand."

Rocky's eyes widened as he began sailing over the ice. He grabbed Alexis' hand with both of his, and allowed her to pull him along. After a few seconds, he relaxed his grip a little, and his expression of panic was replaced with a smile.

"Having fun yet?" asked Alexis.

"Yeah," Rocky admitted. "This isn't so bad."

"Maybe you should try actually skating, instead of being dragged along like a wagon," she suggested, "Try to push with your feet."

Rocky did as suggested, and managed to push a little. Rocky grinned, and tried again. But this time, he tripped over his own foot, sending him to the ice with a crash, and pulling Alexis down with him. The two fell in a heap on the cold ice, and fell into a fit of laughs.

"Okay," Alexis said, letting go of Rocky's hand and pulling herself onto her feet. "Maybe I should keep pulling you along."

"Good idea," said Rocky, trying to rise to his feet. But unlike Alexis, he couldn't maintain his balance, and once again fell onto the ice. Alexis sighed, and extended her hand.

"Let me help," she said, pulling him with all her might. But she lost her footing, and fell backwards, pulling Rocky along. Rocky rolled off from on top of her, and they once again laughed hysterically.

"Remind me never to skate with you again!" Alexis giggled.

Chapter Ten

Meanwhile, Katherine continued to swing at the horde of deadly Viper Putties with a fallen tree branch she picked up. She gasped in alarm as one Putty spit venom on it, eating through the wood rapidly. She dropped the branch, and backed away from the Putties. It didn't take long for her to slip once again on the ice, allowing the Putties to surround her.

However, the ground began to shake, and suddenly, a column of rock sprang from beneath the ground, elevating Katherine about ten feet in the air. She turned around in alarm, and saw the four Terran Rangers, along with the two X-Rangers.

"You okay, Kat?" called the Black Ranger, as all the rangers immediately pounced on the Putties.

"Oh, I'm great," she answered. "Although you sure did a number on my parents' lawn, Jason."

"I'm sure we can fix it before they get home," Tommy said, slicing off one of the Putty's arms. As usual, the lost limb quickly replaced itself, and the battle resumed. "I wonder what Zedd and Rita are up to," said Zack, knocking two Putties off their feet with his Lance of Light. "Usually, Putties are part of a bigger plan."

"Whatever it is, its not going to be good for us," said Kimberly, aiming her Thunderbow. She fired a bolt of lighting directly into one Putty's chest, causing it to fall into convulsions, and disintegrate.

After a few minutes of fighting, all the Viper Putties were destroyed, and the Terran Rangers sheathed their weapons. The Black Ranger walked to the column of rock, and touched it with his hands. Faint energy passed from his hands into the earth, and the rock receded back into the ground. Soon, it was completely level with the rest of the Hillards' lawn, and Katherine was back with her fellow rangers.

"What happened?" asked Tommy. Kat sighed.

"Well, I was a little late coming to the party, so when I got out here, there was a few inches of snow. While I was cleaning the snow from my car, the Putties snuck up on me. I saw my neighbors along the street, and I knew they were watching. I couldn't morph, and I couldn't fight back effectively. Not with all this snow. I kept falling."

"But you're wearing snow boots!" X-Ranger One said, looking at her feet. Kat frowned.

"I realize that, Zack, but I'm not used to fighting in these conditions. It doesn't snow often in Sydney, you know."

"And it doesn't snow often here, either," said Aisha, rubbing her chin. "Guys, do you think maybe this weird weather is Rita and Zedd's doing?"

"I wouldn't put it past them," said Jason.

"How can we find out, though?" asked Kimberly.

"We need to run some scans on this storm front," said Tommy, glancing up at the cloud cover, "and that means we're heading for the CAC."

"I'll contact Billy," said Jason, activating his communicator.

Chapter Eleven

At the ice rink, Billy received the message from the Terran Rangers. He glanced at Adam, and the two leaned towards Billy's wrist.

"Billy here," he whispered.

^Billy, it's Jason. Kat's safe and sound, but we think something's going on here. We're going to the CAC. Can you meet us there?^

"I'm on my way," said Billy, turning off the communicator. He then rose to his feet, and Adam followed.

"Let's get Lex and Rocky, and get going," he said, as the two begin walking to the rink, where Rocky and Alexis were both sailing along the ice like pros.

"Wow," said Adam, "I can't believe Rocky's doing so well! Look at him!"

"I'm impressed," Billy confessed, "I didn't think Rocky was even capable of standing on the skates. But we'd better get going. Come on."

Billy walked over to the edge of the rink, and waved at the pair. But they were so busy chatting and laughing, they didn't notice. Frowning, he whistled at them. Alexis and Rocky looked up in surprise, and skated to the edge.

"What's up?" asked Rocky.

"Trouble," Billy responded, "Kat was attacked by Viper Putties."

"By what?" asked Alexis.

"Zedd's newest breed of Putty," Adam answered. "The Terran Rangers are waiting at the CAC. We'd better go."

Alexis looked around, and to her surprise, she noticed all her friends were gone. "When did they leave?"

"About twenty minutes ago," answered Billy. Rocky blinked.

"Wow, I didn't even realize they left."

"Me neither," said Alexis quietly. "Why didn't they come get me? I could've helped."

"They were only fighting a group of Putties," said Adam. "It's no big deal."

"You didn't receive the page from Kat?" asked Billy.

"No," she said, glancing at her communicator, "it didn't make a sound."

Billy frowned. "I guess I'll need to make some adjustments to it, to patch it back into the network. Since you've been gone so long, all the new systems installed since the inception of the Terran Rangers are incompatible with your communicator. But first, let's go to the Central Access Complex."

"The what?" asked Alexis, glancing at Rocky. He grinned.

"Trust me," he said, "you just have to see it."

With that, Alexis and Rocky exchanged their skates for shoes, and the group hurried to the coat closet. In one streak of purple light and three streaks of white, the four heroes vanished from the skating rink.

Chapter Twelve

"This...this is incredible

!!"

Everyone smiled as Alexis gazed around the huge underground Central Access Complex. It was by far superior to the Command Center she was familiar with, with dozens of computer consoles, a huge Viewing Globe, computer screen almost large enough to be a movie screen, an entire section devoted to medical equipment, and number of doors in the back.

"What's back there?" she queried.

"The door with the symbol of Earth is the entrance to the Terra Zord hangar. The other doors lead to lower levels of the CAC -- storage depot, living quarters --"

"There are living quarters down here?" Rocky asked in surprise, "I didn't know that!"

Billy laughed. "Well, I didn't want you guys to know too soon, because you shouldn't stay here so long as to require accommodations."

"The same could be said about you, Billy," said Zack, "I'd bet you've spent many a night in those quarters."

Billy shrugged. "You'd win that bet. But sometimes extra work is a necessity."

Billy then turned from his friends, and sat down at the controls to the main computer, located on what appeared to be a desk. "Okay, the meteorological scan is almost complete. There is indeed an unnatural storm front covering the whole of Angel Grove, as well as parts of Stone Canyon, and other neighboring cities."

"Can you give us a satellite view?" Katherine asked, turning to the Viewing Globe.

"Affirmative," Billy responded, typing in the commands. On the globe, an image of the earth took form, and there was an especially pronounced cloud cover over a small section of southern California.

"Is there any way you can determine the cause of the storm front?" asked Tommy.

"Not directly, but I am reading a strange energy emanating from the exact center point of the area affected by abnormal weather. It appears to be...magical

in nature. But the magic is of an unfamiliar pattern."

"How do you mean?" asked Aisha.

"Magical patterns vary according to who cast the spell. The computer can distinguish from the magic of, say, Lord Zedd and Ivan Ooze. But the pattern of this spell hasn't yet been identified. It'll take some time for me to be able to tell you exactly what's happening down there."

"Unfortunately, time is something we don't have," said Jason, a serious expression on his face. "The Viper Putties attacked Kat, and that usually is a precursor for whatever Rita and Zedd have in store. We need to throw a wrench in their plans!"

"I think their plans are already taking shape," said Kimberly, glancing up from the data screen she was looking at. "The snowfall has already accumulated to approximately seventeen inches! The flurries have built into a full-fledged blizzard!"

"Then that's it," said Tommy stepping forward. "The seven of us will check out the source of the alien energy readings. Lex, are you up to it?"

"Am I ever!" she replied, holding her morpher.

"Then its Morphin Time! TERRA FIRE POWER!!

"

"TERRA WIND POWER!!"

shouted Aisha.

"TERRA WATER POWER!!"

called Katherine.

"TERRA EARTH POWER!!"

bellowed Jason.

"X-Ranger One!" yelled Zack.

"X-Ranger Two!" cried Kimberly.

"Purple Ranger Power!" finished Alexis.

Chapter Thirteen

At the very center of the city of Angel Grove there was a vacant lot, where a traveling carnival had set up for a few weeks. Obviously, since the inclement weather had pretty much forced the inhabitants of the city to remain at home, the carnival had been shut down. But that didn't mean it was abandoned. Rather, there were numerous Viper Putties patrolling throughout the area, hiding in rides, concession stands, and even snow banks. In the very center was a mirror maze, where Rito Revolto had placed the Weather Warp on top of a stone pillar. He then marched around the orb, just in case someone arrived.

"Oh boy!" he said, "I can't believe Rita let me guard this present from Dad! This time, Goldar's the one who has to keep an eye out for the Power Rangers! I'll make sure those rangers don't get the crystal ball! No one gets past Rito Revolto!"

About fifty yards from the mirror maze, right beside the large Ferris wheel, seven columns of light land in the deep snow. The seven Power Rangers peer through the heavy snowfall, searching for any signs of trouble.

"This is insane!" Zack muttered, trudging through the deep snow. "There's like two feet of snow on the ground!"

"It'll be hard maneuvering," said Tommy, turning to the Gold Ranger, "Kim, do you think you could construct a TK field around the area? It'll keep the snow from falling any more."

"I can try," she answered, "but it'll take a lot of concentration to keep it up."

"Okay then, Kim'll stay here and maintain the force field. Alexis and I will stay with her, in case something comes out to get us. The rest of you, split into teams of two and cover the carnival area. Um, how about Jason with Aisha, and Kat with Zack?"

"What do we look for?" asked the Silver Ranger.

"Anything that could be a focus of magical energy," Tommy responded. "Okay Kim, now!"

The Gold X-Ranger nodded, and a dome of translucent gold energy formed around the carnival. The snow immediately stopped falling within the dome, and the two pairs of rangers ran in opposite directions -- one to the left, and one to the right. Alexis stood beside Tommy, watching their friends leave. She then glanced at Kimberly, who was trembling slightly from the exertion.

"How long can Kimberly hold the field?" she asked Tommy.

"Hopefully, as long as we'll need it."

Chapter Fourteen

By the bumper car track, the Silver and Blue Rangers continued their search. Finally, Kat stopped, and threw her hands on her hips in frustration.

"This is ridiculous!" she moaned, "I can't get anywhere in all this snow!"

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it," Zack replied. "Here, if you want, I can levitate both of us above the snow magnetically."

"Don't bother," said Kat, stretching her hands out in front of her, "I'm going to try something."

After a few seconds of concentration, the snow took on a faint aqua-blue glow, and suddenly, all the snow in front of Kat slid into large mounds on either side, creating a canyon of grass between two huge cliffs of snow. Zack gawked as Katherine walked between the mounds.

"I guess you're the next Moses?" Zack asked. Katherine giggled.

"I doubt I can part an entire sea, but as the Terran Ranger of Water, I can command water in a limited extent. All forms of water."

Zack nodded, and the two proceeded towards the bumper car track. Since the track was beneath a large canopy, the black raceway was pretty much free from snow. The two rangers leaped over the iron fence and looked around the arena.

"I don't see anything," Zack said. "Of course, we have no idea what we're looking for."

"Yeah, I think you're --" Kat stopped talking suddenly, as her head turned quickly to the direction they had just come. Zack noticed her reaction, and turned to where she was facing.

"What?" he said.

"I hear something," she whispered. "Something's coming."

"We'll make our stand here," said Zack, silently summoning his Lance of Light. "At least there isn't a whole lot of snow to get in our way."

Katherine nodded, and thrust her hands at the snow. The snow suddenly flew from the ground to the sky, as if a grenade had exploded from beneath it. The sudden explosion of white caused the lingering creatures hiding behind the large snow banks to fly backwards. Kat stepped back, and took a defensive stance. The Viper Putties then collected their bearings, and gracefully leapt at the bumper car arena. Slowly, they approached the two rangers.

"Five, six, seven, eight..." Kat muttered, "I guess we each take four?"

"Sounds fair to me," Zack replied. "You hang back, I'll make the first move."

Before Katherine could reply, Zack pole-vaulted himself at the Putties with his lance. He didn't manage to hit any of them, because they all avoided him as he landed. As soon as he landed, he rotated his long lance in a complete circle, knocking over all the Putties that were within four feet from him. He then rose to his feet, and blocked all the Putties' kicks and punches with his lance, occasionally pelting them with the two ends, which were topped with heavy prisms.

Meanwhile, Katherine summoned her Ice Daggers and watched Zack's attack. Of course, it didn't take long before four Putties left the Silver Ranger, rushing at the Blue Ranger. She was prepared, and as soon as one Putty was close enough, she ducked his fist, and while turning full circle, she sliced off his leg at the knee with her razor sharp dagger. The Putty fell to the ground, and Kat focused her attention on the other two, knowing full well that it would recover soon. As expected, after only a few seconds, the leg grew anew, and the Viper Putty was ready for action. He fired a stream of deadly venom from its mouth, aimed for Kat's head. Kat had seen it through the corner of her eye, and dove for the ground, allowing the stream of poison to fly over her, and strike another Viper Putty in the face. The Putty writhed in silence as it slowly disintegrated.

Chapter Fifteen

On the other side of the lot, the Green and Black Terran Rangers approached a carousel, with horses, unicorns, dragons, and chariots covered with inches of ice and snow.

"How big is this place anyway?" Aisha huffed.

"Pretty big," Jason answered. "The traveling carnival comes each year, and it pretty much has room for every teen in Angel Grove. We came here a couple years ago, not long after we became rangers, and Trini's cousin Silvia got lost. It's a big place."

"...with dozens of places for Rita and Zedd to hide whatever magical nexus they're using."

"Yep," said Jason.

"At least we have Alexis back," Aisha said, hopping onto the carousel and looking around. Jason lingered back. "With seven rangers, things should be easier."

"Yeah," Jason muttered, "I guess they should."

Before Aisha could think about the underlying meaning of Jason's comment, a group of Viper Putties leaped down from the top of the carousel onto her. Jason moved to help, but suddenly the carousel began rotating. Jason turned around, and saw three more Viper Putties at the machine's controls.

"Hey!" Jason yelled, running towards them with his Earth Sword at the ready. "You're not licensed to operate this kind of machine!"

Jason punctuated that statement by chopping off the hand of the Putty that was pressing buttons on the console. The hand quickly evaporated, but the Putty soon grew a replacement. Jason leaped out of the way as another Putty spat a mouthful of the sticky corrosive venom they were armed with.

On the carousel, Aisha felt dizzy as the machine began spinning far faster than it usually did. She shook her head to orient herself, and stumbled back just in time to avoid a Putty striking her in the solar plexus. She rolled back, and struck her head against a plastic pony. She groaned, and weakly rose to her feet.

"Good thing this uniform comes with a helmet," she said, rubbing the back of her green headgear. "That surely would've done some permanent damage."

Aisha regained her balance, and delivered an explosive snap-kick, knocking one of the Putties off of the carousel, and into the metal fence around it. Aisha grinned under her helmet.

"Four to go..."

Aisha took another step back, preparing to launch a deadly roundhouse kick, when she felt her foot was stuck. She glanced back, and noticed her right foot was jammed between the floor of the carousel and the large cylinder in the center. She frowned and tried in vain to pull her foot out as the four remaining Putties approached her from the front.

"Wind Shield!!" she shrieked, holding out her hands. A flash of green light formed the circular shield, and as soon as it materialized, she felt the pressure of a squirt of venom from the other side. She sighed in relief.

Too bad our uniforms aren't made of this material,

she thought as she knocked another Putty in the stomach with her shield. We'd be able to take far more punishment!

Chapter Sixteen

Back by the Ferris wheel, Alexis and Tommy looked around warily, walking in a circle. In the center of that circle was Kimberly, her entire attention focused on maintaining the golden shield of energy prohibiting the fall of any more snow. While Alexis continued to walk, her eyes caught the large building in front of her. She continued to look at it, thoughts running through her mind.

Billy tried to teleport us in as close to the energy source as possible. Maybe the source is right in front of us!

"Tommy!" she called, turning to the leader of the Power Rangers, "I have an idea of where it might be. The mirror maze!"

The Red Ranger glanced at the building, and nodded. "Go check it out. If you find anything, contact the rest of us."

The Purple Ranger nodded, and jogged into the building. Tommy watched her leave, completely oblivious to the cold red eyes watching him from within one of the cars on the Ferris wheel.

"Now that the Purple Ranger is out of the way, and the Gold Ranger is otherwise occupied, only Tommy remains. Perfect."

The creature moved so quickly, it only looked like a flash of gold as it moved through the crisp air. Tommy turned around just in time to duck as the creature flew above his head, landing a few feet behind him. Tommy rose to his feet and fell into a defensive stance as Goldar unsheathed his mighty golden blade.

"So, once again it is you against I, Red Ranger," Goldar growled.

"And once again, I'm going to fillet your hide!" Tommy retorted, his Flame Saber glowing faintly with heat energy. The two seasoned warriors immediately fell into a dueling match. As their mighty swords clashed, the warriors continued moving further and further from Kimberly, who was oblivious to the events around her. Goldar grinned maliciously as he battled the Red Ranger, glancing at the Gold Ranger. He then nodded his head, and two Viper Putties leap from the Ferris wheel, and ran directly at Kimberly. Tommy gasped when he saw them, and turned around, making the fatal mistake of turning his back on Goldar.

"KIMBERLY!!"

he screamed. "LOOK OUT --!!"

His warning was cut short as he felt the sharp end of Goldar's sword cut through his side Tommy gasped in pain and surprise, and fell onto his stomach, blood staining the white snow around him. He rolled over onto his back, and saw Goldar raising his sword for the final blow. He faintly noticed that the snow began falling once again, momentarily blinding the large canine warrior. Goldar swung down with his mighty sword, but it suddenly stopped, only inches from Tommy's helmet. Goldar's eyes were wide with shock as he pushed down with all his might. But the sword wouldn't move. He didn't notice the faint golden glow around it, until he was suddenly thrown into the Ferris wheel by a faint gold force. Tommy was dizzy with pain, and lay limp as he felt someone removing his helmet. Through bleary eyes he made out a golden form in front of him. He tried to struggle, but he couldn't muster enough strength to break the firm grip on his chest.

"Tommy, stop it!" ordered Kimberly. "It's only me."

"Kim?" he muttered, "I thought you were Goldar."

Kim shook her head. "That's the last thing you should say to your girlfriend, Tommy Oliver!"

Tommy chuckled a little, but winced as Kimberly gently probed the sword wound.

"I don't think the sword punctured any organs," she said. "What happened? I thought you'd be more careful!"

Tommy smiled at her. "I was stupid, and I turned my back. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered, helping Tommy sit up, "I heard your warning, which disrupted my concentration and caused the TK shield to collapse. The Putties were so surprised by the sudden downpour of snow that I managed to knock them both out of my way. They're still alive, though. I just had to make sure you were okay."

Tommy nodded, and tried to stand up. He then noticed that Kimberly had encased the pair inside a smaller TK shield, protecting them from the two Putties who were punching and kicking the field in vain. Tommy's hazel eyes narrowed as he saw Goldar approach them, his sword at the ready. Kimberly held him by the shoulders, instinctively knowing what he was thinking.

"Tommy, you're hurt," she said. "You can't face Goldar!"

"Yes I can," he argued, rising to his feet. "With your help, at least."

Kim nodded and let go and Tommy painfully rose to his feet. She handed him his helmet, and he lifted up his sword in his right hand. He clenched his left fist, which began to grow red with heat energy.

"Lower the shield," he requested. "It's time for round two."

Chapter Seventeen

Meanwhile, inside the mirror maze, the Purple Ranger stoos at what appeared to be a dead end. Surrounding her were reflections of herself. She was tiring of this situation very quickly.

"I hate mazes," she muttered, turning full circle, "I never know where there's a mirror, until I bump into it!"

She sighed deeply, and cautiously stepping in one direction. Sure enough, she collided with the reflective glass before getting very far.

"Okay, time to use my brain," she whispered. "Mirrors reflect lasers, and therefore a beam of laser would bounce around until it found a way through! That's it! Laser Whip!"

The purple tinted whip appeared in her right hand, and she grasped it tightly.

"All I have to do is make sure the beam is weak enough to bounce off the glass rather than shatter it," she said. A beam of bright violet light shot forth, and slammed into the mirror. Alexis quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding the light, and watched as the laser continued to ricochet until it finally found a path. Alexis ran as quickly as she could after the light beam. Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for Alexis, even while morphed, to run at the speed of light. However, since the light was constantly bouncing around, she managed to keep up with it. Finally, she saw a small clearing in the center of the mirror maze. She skidded to a halt and gazed at the skeleton creature standing in front of a stone pillar. She ducked out of sight before the creature saw her, and touched her wrist.

"Tommy?" she whispered, "I found the magic source! Tommy? Do you read?"

She frowned when only static was transmitted. She tried again.

"Alexis to CAC. Billy, are you there?"

Alexis huffed with frustration. My communicator doesn't seem to work at all! I didn't realize I couldn't send messages! I just thought I couldn't receive them! How am I supposed to contact the others?

Her emerald eyes widened with insight as she recalled her conversation with Kimberly and Aisha the previous night. After Jason had left, the conversation had turned to the Power Rangers, and Kimberly said that she used to control lightning, but now has the powers of telepathy and telekinesis as the Gold X-Ranger.

"That's it!" she said, almost too loudly. She held her breath as the skeleton creature looked around warily, certain it had heard something. After a few moments, he shrugged, and continued pacing around the pillar. Alexis exhaled slowly.

Now, all I have to do is think, and Kim'll hear me. I hope.

Chapter Eighteen

The two Viper Putties leaped at the Gold Ranger, but she cartwheeled out of the way. Taking care not to slip on the ice and snow, she pulled out her Thunderbow, and aimed carefully. One shot of scalding lightning struck one Putty in the face, immediately turning the entire creature to ash. The second one struck Kimberly in the arm, knocking her bow out of her reach. Kim blocked its follow-up punch with her forearm, and then punched it in the face with her other hand, closely followed by an elbow in the chin as she swung her arm back around. The Putty was dazed, so she took advantage of its distraction by grabbing the Putty by the shoulders, and thrusting it downwards, where it met with her knee halfway to the ground. Her knee struck the Putty in the face, and she continued to knee it until it stopped moving. She then tossed the Putty to the snow, where it evaporated. She glanced up, and saw Tommy still fighting Goldar. She ran towards them, picking up her Thunderbow along the way. But before she could reach them, she heard a mental cry. The cry startled her, and she closed her eyes to concentrate.

*Hello? Alexis, is that you?*

*Kimberly! Whew, thank goodness you heard me! I have no idea how to contact someone mentally!*

*Where are you?*

*I'm in the center of the mirror maze! Some skeleton monster is in here, and he's guarding a crystal orb. I'd bet my wings that its the source of the magical energy.*

*Why didn't you page us?*

*My communicator is still malfunctioning. I'll have to give it to Billy when we're done here. What should I do?*

Kimberly thought for a moment. *We'll be right there, Alexis. Just sit tight.*

Kimberly then opened her eyes again, and saw Tommy still fighting with Goldar. Tommy didn't seem to desperately need her help, so she focused her telepathic power, sending a mental call to the Black, Blue, Green, and Silver Rangers.

*Guys! Alexis found the power source in the mirror maze! It's right by the Ferris wheel! Get here ASAP!!*

Once the message was released, Kimberly continued towards Goldar and Tommy. Goldar had grabbed Tommy by the right wrist, and squeezed, forcing the Red Ranger to drop his sword to the snow. Goldar laughed triumphantly, but then screamed in pain as Tommy jammed his left fist, glowing with flaming energy, into Goldar's exposed face. The canine dropped the Red Ranger, and dropped to his knees, burying his burnt face in the snow. Tommy quickly picked up his Flame Saber, and stepped back from Goldar.

"Had enough, Metalhead?" Tommy taunted. Goldar growled, slowly rising to his feet. Smoke still exuded from his charred blue fur.

"I'll rip you apart," Goldar threatened, "and feed you to Zedd's snake-staff."

"Now that's a pleasant picture," Kimberly said, stepping beside Tommy with her Thunderbow aimed. Goldar frowned, realizing that victory would elude him once again.

"This isn't over," he muttered, as he slowly vanished in a cloud of golden light, "I'll be back."

"Doesn't he always say that?" Tommy asked, sheathing his sword.

"Yeah. The writer's of Terminator II should sue him for copyright infringement."

Just then, all four other rangers ran onto the scene.

"Where's Alexis?" Jason asked, glancing around.

"Still in the mirror maze," Kim replied. "Let's get going."

The six rangers hurried into the maze, immediately confused by the dozens of reflections. "We'll never find our way through this!" Zack moaned.

"Sure we will," said Jason, stepping forward. "Just follow me."

The others shrugged, and followed as Jason walked slowly through the maze, holding his hands out at arms' length.

Chapter Nineteen

After only a few minutes, the rangers heard the sounds of battle not far ahead.

"Wow," said Tommy, "how did you do that, Bro?"

"I kept my eyes closed," he answered. Zack gasped.

"Say what?!"

"The reflections create an optical illusion," Katherine said. "By closing his eyes, Jason avoided the confusion of the mirrors."

"You almost sound like Billy," Aisha joked. Katherine shook her head in the negative.

"Come on," Kimberly said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "They're right behind this mirror."

The four Terran Rangers and two X-Rangers peeked past the final mirror, and saw Alexis fighting with Rito Revolto. Behind the two of them was a crystal orb, placed upon a marble pillar.

"Guys!" Alexis called, kicking Rito in the stomach. "Destroy the crystal!"

"Wha...?" asked Rito, turning around, "Power Rangers!"

"Keep him busy, Lex!" Aisha yelled. The Purple Ranger nodded, and drew back her Laser Whip. She flung the purple leather whip through the air, wrapping it around both of Rito's hands. Rito struggled against the otherworldly strength of the whip, but he couldn't get loose. Alexis gave the other rangers a thumbs up.

"Terran Tempest, guys!" ordered Tommy. The five other rangers all held out their right hands, which began to glow with energy. Instantly, everyone's weapons appeared in their hands.

"Terra Thunderbow!" cried Kimberly, throwing her bow into the air. It stayed suspended in mid air.

"Terra Lance of Light!" shouted Zack, separating the lance in the center and throwing the two halves into the air. The halves attached to the center of the bow side by side, with the two prisms on either side facing forward.

"Terra Ice Daggers!" screamed Katherine, throwing both short blades up. They attached to the ends of the bow as two handles to hold up the weapon.

"Terra Earth Sword!" roared Jason, tossing his powerful blade into the air. The blade attached to one end of the bow, pointing towards the crystal.

"Terra Flame Saber!" bellowed Tommy, throwing up his trusted sword. It attached itself to the end opposite the Earth Sword, also facing the crystal.

"Terra Wind Shield!" called Aisha, launching the shield like a Frisbee. The shield lay on top the weapon.

Tommy grabbed one handle, while Jason grabbed the other handle. The others stood beside them, touching each others' shoulders.

"Terran Tempest!!" cried the entire team, focusing their elemental energies through the weapon. The two blades fired tight energy beams, while the two halves of the lance each fired beams of white lasers, laced with crackling lightning. The shield released a mighty gust of wind, laced with hail. The barrage of elemental energy struck the crystal orb all at once, instantly reducing it to small crystalline particles. The Terran Rangers released their weapon, and it vanished in a flash of multicolored light. Alexis and Rito stood in mute awe of the devastating power of the combined weapon.

"Uh oh," muttered Rito. "My sister's not gonna like this!"

"Sister?" Alexis said in surprise, turning to the rangers.

"He's Rita's brother," Zack explained.

"Well," he said with a dramatic sigh, "I guess now's as good a time as any to face the music. Ciao!"

With that, Rito separated at all the joints, all his bones vanishing from the maze. His head was the last part to go. Alexis stood there for a moment in surprise, and then leaned down to pick up her whip.

"If he could teleport, why didn't he just teleport out of the whip?" she pondered.

"He's not much of a thinker," Kimberly answered. "Why did you fight him? I told you we'd be right there!"

"I know," Alexis sighed, "but I guess he heard me or something. He was coming right at me. I had to act before he actually saw me, so I could utilize at least a little of the element of surprise."

"Well, so much for Rita and Zedd's plan to wreck the world's weather," said Aisha.

"Yeah," said Tommy, "let's get to the CAC, and make sure the damage has been fixed."

The others nodded, and all seven rangers vanished in a rainbow of colored light. While they left, the small fragments of what used to be the Weather Warp began to glow faintly in an entire spectrum of colors, and slowly, the particles burned through the concrete floor, burying themselves in the soil beneath the construction.

Chapter Twenty

In the Central Access Complex, Alexis, Kim, Aisha, Rocky, Adam, Zack, Katherine, and Jason stood in a circle, watching the sphere of the Earth as rendered on the Viewing Globe. Everyone smiled as they saw the threatening cloud covering Angel Grove slowly recede.

"We did it!" announced Kimberly, high-fiving Aisha, who was standing beside her. "Affirmative," said Billy, turning towards them from the med-unit. "The snow's already begun melting, the clouds have mostly dissipated, and the sun's shining. The temperature is estimated to each about sixty-eight. The snow should be completely melted before nightfall."

"Terrific," said Zack, rubbing his hands. "Now we can get back to the party!"

"Not me," said Kimberly, stretching her arms, "I'm wiped."

"Yeah," said Alexis, "Me too. I don't have the energy for skating."

"Well, how 'bout we all go get a late lunch?" suggested Rocky.

"Great idea, Rocko," said Aisha. "To the Youth Center!"

"So," said Tommy, sitting up from the med-unit, "what's my diagnosis."

Billy turned to Tommy, his eyebrow arched. "Try to avoid anymore sharp objects to the abdomen, and you should be fine."

Tommy grinned, and joined his friends by the Viewing Globe. As the teens prepared to teleport, Billy walked over and touched Alexis on the shoulder.

"I think I should make those adjustments to your communicator now," he told her. "It's not safe for you to be out of communications."

"But I won't be able to teleport."

"Don't worry. I'll have the communicator repaired by tomorrow. I can teleport you to the Youth Center from here."

Alexis agreed, and unsnapped her communicator. Billy took it, and placed it on his desk. He then activated the teleporter, sending Alexis, Rocky, Jason, Kat, Zack, Aisha, Tommy, and Kimberly all to the Youth Center. He then opened the face of the communicator, and began examining the gears.

Chapter Twenty-One

On the balcony of the Moon Palace, Lord Zedd averted his gaze from Earth. In the process, the red energy of his telescopic vision faded, allowing him normal vision. He glanced at his wife, who was still gazing at Earth through her Repulsascope. He sighed, and walked towards her.

"You can stop watching now," he said. "The fight's over. Once again, the Power Rangers won. Where did Rito and Goldar go?"

"Goldar went to Finster to get some ointment for his burns, and Rito went with him." Rita said, still not looking up at her husband.

"I can't believe you asked Rito to guard that Weather Warp thing!" Zedd barked, "I'll admit, this actually was a halfway decent idea of yours, but your brainless brother destroyed it!"

"No he didn't," she said, stepping back from the Repulsascope. To Zedd's surprise, instead of wearing an expression of frustration or anger, Rita was grinning.

"What do you mean 'no he didn't'

? The Power Rangers destroyed the crystal!"

"Well, that's almost true," she said, grabbing Zedd's arm and pulling him towards the Repulsascope. "Here, take a look at this."

Zedd grudgingly obeyed, and saw the center of the mirror maze, where there were now tiny holes in the floor. He looked up and shrugged.

"So?"

Rita frowned. "What do you mean 'so'

? Don't you know anything about Weather Warps? Or Kenshin magic, for that matter?"

"Well, its not my field of expertise --"

Rita sighed, interrupting her husband's excuses. "The Weather Warp is a focus of magical power. Inside the crystal is a field of magic, capable of completely ruining climate. When the Power Rangers turned the Terra Tempest on the crystal, the glass shattered, releasing the magical energy encased within. However, the glass itself absorbed the elemental energies of the Tempest. Don't you get it yet?"

Zedd just looked at her. For the first time he could remember, he was thoroughly confused. Rita grumbled something under her breath, and glared at Zedd.

"Let me explain in a way even YOU would understand. The - energy - the - Power - Rangers - used - against - the - crystal - was - absorbed - by - the - crystal - and - now - the - crystal - fragments - are - transforming - that - energy - and - using - it! Don't you get it?! You can make a monster out of those fragments, and in essence, make a monster out of the elements!"

"Yes," said Zedd, tapping his metallic chin. "An excellent idea..."

"It'll take about twenty-four hours before the crystals are ready to be transformed. Then, Elementor will wreak havoc!!"

"Elementor?" Zedd chuckled. Rita frowned.

"Hey, it's my idea, so I get to name the monster!" she sneered.

Chapter Twenty-Two

That evening, Alexis sat in her bedroom in her mother's Angel Grove colonial. She really missed this bedroom while she lived in Philadelphia. It was by far larger, and more cheerfully decorated. Perhaps it was because the atmosphere in Angel Grove was so much more relaxed than in Philadelphia. That's one of the big differences between living in a city and living in a small town.

Alexis was lying on her stomach atop her lavender bedspread, wearing her sleeveless purple silk nightshirt and shorts. Her growing red hair was pulled out of her face in a short ponytail, and she was chewing on the cap of a purple pen. She decided to make some time this evening to write in her diary, since she tried to chronicle all the important events in her life. And coming home again was an event she'd been looking forward to for over a year.

It's funny,

she wrote. For the past few months, all I could do was romanticize my homecoming scene, when I walk off the plane, and Jason greets me with an passionate kiss. You know, just like in the movies. Of course, I wasn't expecting that kind of welcome, but I dreamed about it constantly. But, that's not what I got. And the funny thing is, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Alexis sighed deeply, and pondered the sea of conflicting emotions she had been feeling since she moved back. The moment my eyes fell on Jason, over a year ago, I felt something-- like a tingle going up my spine. And every time afterwards, when our eyes met, it was just...oh I don't know...magic

! But it's not there anymore. I could sense it the other night, when he basically ran away from me. I have no idea what he's feeling, and that doesn't make my position any easier. I'm not sure what I feel for Jason. Its like...he's not the same person I fell for last year. Should I even try to forge a relationship with Jason, or should we just remain friends? And that's what we always were really -- good friends

. We never went on a date, we never really

kissed, or declared love, or anything like that. It would be so much easier if I knew how he really, honestly felt about me. But I'm too much of a coward to talk to him about it. I just don't know what

I'd say to him. Matters of the heart are so delicate!

Alexis closed the diary, and put it back on her dresser, after locking it with the small key. She hid the key in its usual place, and turned off the light. She was about to tuck herself in bed, but she decided not to. She walked over to the window of her room, and looked out on the quiet streets of Angel Grove. She laughed to herself, leaning her elbows on the windowsill.

"It's pretty different from all the hustle and bustle of Philly at night," she pondered aloud. "On nights like this, I'd go out on patrol in Philly. But there really isn't a reason to in Angel Grove. Here, the Power Rangers only fight space aliens, and only appear when summoned. I don't know if that's a good thing, or a bad thing."

Alexis shrugged, and walked back to her bed. She made sure her alarm clock was set for waking up for school the next morning, and she tucked herself in. After a few minutes of tossing and turning, Alexis finally fell asleep.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The sound of a telephone ringing slowly aroused Alexis from deep sleep. She squinted, despite the sunlight pouring into her room, and reached over for the telephone.

"Hello?" she yawned.

^Lex? Did I wake you?^

Alexis rubbed her eyes, and glanced at her alarm clock. "Jason, it's six o'clock! School doesn't even start 'til after eight. What are you doing up so early?"

^Well, I should've told you this earlier, but Tommy and I are going in early today. We have a presentation for Economics, and the teacher wants to see us before school to discuss our research. We can still bring you to school if you want, but we need to be there by seven.^

Alexis grimaced. "No thanks. I'll see if I can get a ride with Rocky or something. See you at lunch, Jase."

^Bye.^

Alexis hung up the phone, and dragged herself out of bed. She glanced at the clock again, and shook her head.

"I'll wait for a bit to call Rocky," she decided, stretching her arms. "No need to wake him."

With that, Alexis slowly marched to the bathroom.

Chapter Twenty-Four

At six-thirty, Rocky was lying on his bedroom floor, doing a series of crunches as salsa music is playing from his clock radio. A loud knock on the door managed to reach Rocky's ears through the energetic music.

"Come in!" he called. His mother entered the room, holding a cordless telephone.

"Alexis is on the phone," she said with a strong Mexican accent. Rocky jumped to his feet and took the phone.

"Hey, Lex!" he greeted. "What's up?"

^Rocky, could you do me a favor?^

"Name it."

^Jason can't pick me up for school this morning, and I'm really not up to walking --^

"I'll pick you up," Rocky offered. "No problem. Adam's taking Aisha, so it'll just be you and me. See ya at 7:45?"

^You're a lifesaver, Rocky! I'll see you then. Take care!^

"Bye."

Rocky turned off the phone, and stared at it for awhile. He then sighed, and sat it down on his dresser. He wiped the sweat off his face with his towel, and combed back his light brown hair from his eyes with his fingers. As he got ready for a shower, he couldn't stop thinking about the previous day, when he and Alexis were happily skating around the ice rink. They were having such a good time that neither noticed their friends had left. Alexis didn't pay attention to the fact that it took Jason twenty minutes to get her a soda.

We both were just having a genuinely good time,

Rocky reasoned. Sheesh, I really miss that. Back when we were the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, we always managed to have a good time. But somewhere along the road, the Terran Rangers have changed. They don't seem to have as much fun as they used to. They've gotten so...serious

! Billy's gotten even more serious, and Jason and Tommy act like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders! Aisha and Zack try to lighten up the crowd a bit, but even they can't do it alone. Kimberly and Kat are both kinda in the middle, but they're more sensitive than humorous. It's like the Terran Rangers have forgotten how to have a good time. Maybe it has something to do with being heroes -- something I haven't been for awhile now. I don't mind it, though. It's a big relief, actually. I missed the Power at first, but now I'm glad not to have it. What I really miss is being part of the group. They don't alienate me or anything, but I'm not part of the inner circle, so to speak. And then...there's Alexis.

Rocky walked to the bathroom, and locked the door behind him. He then turned on the faucet, allowing steaming water to heat up the room.

Alexis is different. She's got a free spirit. She'll tell it like it is, and she's not afraid of anything. And after everything she's been through -- with her sister being sick, moving to Philly, fighting crooks all by herself, and even risking her life with that Bomb Attack waaay

back when we met the Spectrum Force -- she hasn't lost her smile. Through trials and tribulations, her sense of humor is intact. She's really something. I didn't realize how much I liked her until she came back to Angel Grove.

Rocky undressed and stepped into the stream of practically scalding water. The heat relaxed his tensed muscles, and at the same time relaxed his mind.

I wonder if I should tell her?

he asked himself. Should I tell her I...I like her? Probably not...she's Jason's girlfriend, for Pete's sake! Well, she's sorta his girlfriend. They don't seem all that

close. But do I really want to get between them? No! They're both my friends, and I wish nothing but the best for them. But I've never been one to bottle up emotions. I can't do that. It's a skill I've never mastered. When I hate someone, it's obvious. And when I like someone...I'm afraid that's rather obvious too. What could it hurt to tell her? At least I'll be honest with her, and with myself. Doesn't mean she has to reciprocate or anything. It's just something for her information. If she loves Jason -- and she probably does -- that's just fine with me. As long as she's happy. But she still should know.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Tommy waited patiently in the Lee family's driveway. After a few minutes, Jason walked out of the house, his black book-bag in tow. He opened the passenger door, and took a seat beside his best friend.

"How's it going, Jay?" Tommy asked as he pulled his car onto the road.

"Same old," Jason responded, glancing at the back seat. "Where's Kim?"

Tommy chuckled. "Are you kidding? She'd never be ready for school this early! She's going in with Kat later on. So, are you ready with the research proposition for Mister Erikson?"

"Yeah, I got the proposal in there," Jason said, pointing at his book-bag. He then glanced out the side window, and propped his elbow against the window.

"You okay, Bro?" Tommy asked, glancing at Jason through the corner of his eye.

"Tommy, I've got a...a slight problem."

"Is it anything I can help you with?"

"Maybe. Tommy, how do you know you're in love?"

Tommy blinked, and barely refrained from slamming the brake as a surprise reaction. He continued along the road, and turned to face Jason. Jason wasn't smiling. He was completely serious.

"Uh, I think it's different for different people," Tommy replied after awhile, "I fell for Kim the moment I met her. It just felt so good to be around her, and I'd do anything to spend time with her. When she was in trouble, I was terrified. When she was in pain, I hurt too. And when she's happy, so am I. It's like an emotional connection. But again, that's me."

"Oh." said Jason, as if unsatisfied by Tommy's response.

"Does this have something to do with Alexis?" Tommy asked. Jason looked at Tommy, and raised his eyebrow. "Okay, stupid question," Tommy said.

"Tom, I don't think I love Alexis," Jason said quietly. "Actually, I'm rather sure I don't love her. I think I used

to love her, but that feeling's just not there anymore."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, I'm not comfortable when I'm around her. But it's not nervousness, or the 'good'

kind of uncomfortable. It's the bad kind. You know, the guilty feeling. I feel guilty because I'm leading her on. I can't bring myself to tell her the truth."

"Jase, she's only been back for two days! How do you know you don't love her anymore?"

"Because," Jason said, his voice lowering, "I'm in love with Kat."

This time, Tommy did indeed slam the brakes, bringing the white Jeep to a sudden stop. Fortunately, both young men were wearing their seat belts, and there weren't any cars behind them. Tommy turned to Jason, completely taken aback.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely. I've loved her for awhile now. I just didn't let myself realize it."

"Since when?"

"Do you remember the Crystal Ball?" Jason queried.

"Yeah..."

"Well, remember when Kat was trapped in that sleeping spell, and she had to face the Nightmare Queen? When Billy told me that her life was on the line, it really scared me. Now, the thought of any of my friends dying is scary, but I was really terrified. And I was determined to save her. Like, I'd do absolutely anything to make sure she survived."

"Yeah," said Tommy, nodding, "I know what that feels like."

"I thought you would," said Jason. Now it was Tommy's turn to sigh.

"Look, Jase, this is serious. You've gotta be straight with Lex. If you don't love her, you need to let her know."

"The thing is...I don't wanna hurt her."

"I know you don't. But what else can you do? Lie to her? Don't you think that'd hurt her even worse that breaking up with her?"

Jason nodded. "You're right. I gotta tell her."

Chapter Twenty-Six

At the kitchen table of the Darling residence, Alexis and Denise converse over a mug of coffee.

"Nise," Alexis said, "I've come to a realization. I'm not in love with Jason."

"And you're sure?" asked Denise. "This isn't just anger because he left abruptly the other night?

"No, it's not that. It goes much deeper than that."

"So, what're you going to do about it, Lex?"

Alexis sighed. "I don't know! I've never even been in a relationship before! Not that this really is

a romantic relationship, but that doesn't make it any easier. Actually, I think it makes it much harder! I have absolutely no idea what Jason is feeling. What should I do?"

"Isn't that a question you should ask yourself?"

Before Alexis could reply, a car horn sounds.

"Well, I guess you'd better get going," said Denise. "Listen, Kiddo, I really can't tell you what to do about the situation --"

"Yeah, I know," Alexis sighed, buttoning her coat. "It's my problem. I'll have to figure it out."

Denise stood up, and gave her sister a reassuring hug. "Alexis, here's my advice. Follow your heart. You can't lie to yourself, and you can't lie to your friends. If you don't love Jason, you have to let him know. The longer you wait, the more painful it'll be. There's no easy way out of a relationship."

Alexis nodded, and walked out the door. In the driveway, Rocky was holding open the passenger door to his sedan. When he saw her coming, he smiled warmly at her, and bowed.

"Your chariot has arrived, M'lady," he said as she got into the car. She began giggling as he walked around the front of the car, and sat in the driver's seat.

"Rocky, you're ridiculous," she laughed. Rocky feigned insult.

"Who me?"

"So, how are you feeling today?"

"I'm still a little sore from falling on the ice so much yesterday," Rocky answered, backing the car onto the street, "but other than that, I'm peachy. We really must do that again some time. It was fun."

"Yeah, it was," said Alexis, looking out her window. Rocky glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

"So, Lex, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"You just did," she answered with a playful smile.

"Okay then, how 'bout another one, after this one?"

"Shoot."

"Do you know where Drexel University is?"

Alexis turned to Rocky and looked at him quizzically. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you're from Philly. I'm going to Drexel in the fall, and I wanted to know if you're familiar with it."

"Rocky, its like three blocks from Denise's old apartment!" she said, shaking her head in disbelief, "Drexel starts right where UPenn ends. They border on each other! This is amazing!"

"Why?" asked Rocky.

"Because, I'm going to UPenn in the fall! We'll be right next to each other."

"Wow, that's a funny coincidence," Rocky said, laughing slightly. "At least I'll have one friend in the area."

"Oh please, Rocky," Alexis said dramatically. "You can probably make friends in your sleep."

"Ah, M'lady doth shower me with flattery!" Rocky joked. Alexis rolled her eyes.

"I just don't believe it," she said, "you're going to Drexel..."

"Yep. My dad's an alumnus, so I guess it's tradition."

The two remained quiet for awhile, both immersed in thought. Finally, at a red light, Rocky turned in his seat, and glanced at Alexis.

"I...uh," he stammered, "I'm really glad you came back to Angel Grove, Lex."

Alexis turned to him, surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said honestly, "we all missed you while you were in Philly. You're a great person to hang out with, and at least you have a sense of humor, unlike most of the team."

Alexis laughed. "Well, I'm glad to be back."

The two looked into each others' eyes, and shared a meaningful glance. Both were actually surprised by the strength of the urge to just look at the other. The moment was lost when the cars behind them began sounding their horns. Rocky turned back to the street, and noticed the light turned green. The rest of the car ride was in silence.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Kat," said Kimberly, glancing up at her tall friend, "you've been quiet all morning. Are you okay?"

Kim frowned, and let out a sigh the two girls walked towards the building of Angel Grove High. Katherine was once again off in her own world, completely oblivious to Kimberly's words.

"KAT!!"

Kim yelled. Katherine jumped slightly, and looked down at Kim, eyes wide.

"Did you say something, Kim?" she asked.

"Sheesh, Kat, I think your hold on reality is getting weaker by the minute! The way you keep zoning out, its almost as if..."

Kimberly stopped in mid-sentence, and once again glanced up at her preoccupied friend. A mischievous grin crossed her face as she quickly stepped in front of Kat to look her directly in the eye.

"Who is he?" Kim said. Kat looked at the Gold Ranger, bewildered.

"Who's who?" Kat questioned. Kim's grin widened.

"You're in love," Kim responded, "but the question is...with who?"

Kat frowned, and walked around Kimberly in an attempt to reach the school.

Kimberly raced to the tall blonde's side, and tried her best to keep in step with her. "Kat, don't try to hide it. I know you're in love, so fess up!"

"Kimberly, please --"

"Okay, okay," Kim said, rolling her eyes, "you don't have to talk about it. But you should really do something about it. Kat?"

Once again, Katherine had stopped paying attention to Kimberly. But this time, she wasn't daydreaming. Instead, something had caught her eye. She was peering out to the parking lot. More specifically, at the red sedan that just pulled in.

"Kim," she said, not taking her eyes off the car, "isn't that Rocky's car?"

"You got that right," Kim said, looking in the same direction. They both witnessed Rocky get out of the car, and jog to the passenger side, where he bowed and opened the door. He held his hand out, and helped his passenger out of the car. She was giggling at his antics, and saying something, which neither girl could hear.

"That's Alexis," Katherine mentioned.

"I guess Jason couldn't pick her up this morning," Kim said with a shrug.

After Rocky closed the door, he lifted Alexis' hand to his mouth, and kissed it. Both Kim and Kat were visibly surprised by this. But what surprised them more was when Alexis smiled, and leaned towards Rocky. Although they were rather far away, it was quite obvious what she had done. She had kissed Rocky.

"I can't believe she did that!" Kat yelled, her blue eyes narrowing. Kimberly glanced up at Kat, even more shocked by the Blue Ranger's furious reaction than what they had just witnessed.

"She only kissed him on the cheek," Kimberly offered. Although this was true, that didn't make the kiss completely friendly.

Katherine folded her arms, and continued walking briskly towards the school. Kimberly ran to catch up with the tall Australian.

"Kat," she breathed, "we really shouldn't read into this."

"Kim, friends don't just go around kissing each other. That's just not how it's done. How do you think Alexis would feel if I had kissed Jason? Or how would you feel if someone kissed Tommy? Especially a friend!"

"Do you think we should talk to her about it?"

"You do what you want," Kat replied, as the two girls ascended the stairs to the main entrance of Angel Grove High, "I want nothing to do with this entire matter."

Kimberly sighed and watched as Katherine continued quickly down the hallway. It was obvious the Blue Ranger was extremely upset about the situation. The emotions and thoughts running through Kat's head were so intense, Kimberly didn't need to put any effort into her telepathic skills to pick up on them. She didn't want to pry, but she didn't seem to have the choice.

"Kat's in love with Jason," she muttered to herself, turning down the hallway to her locker. As she approached her locker, she was surprised to see Tommy leaning up against it, his arms crossed and a serious expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked her boyfriend. He sighed in reply.

"I probably shouldn't be telling you this," he said in a low voice, "but you know more about relationships than I do."

Kimberly raised her eyebrow. "What happened?"

Tommy sighed again, and ran his hand through his loose chestnut mane. "I drove Jason to school today, because his truck is still in the shop and all, and he was kinda down, so I asked him what was the matter. He...he's having problems with his relationship with Alexis."

"You're kidding," Kim said.

"No, I'm not. He's not in love with her anymore. He's in love with Kat."

Kim's doe-brown eyes widened, and her jaw dropped slightly. Tommy nodded, as though answering her unspoken question.

"He's sure about it. He said he's been giving the whole matter a lot of thought, and he's sure about his feelings. He doesn't love Alexis, and he doesn't know what to do about it."

"The plot thickens..." Kim said, shaking her head in disbelief. Tommy looked at her questioningly, so she elaborated. "This morning, just as Kat and I were coming to the building, we saw Rocky with Alexis."

"So?" asked Tommy, "Alexis told Jason she'd catch a ride with Rocky."

"She did more than just ride to school with him. She kissed him."

Now it was Tommy's turn to display utter shock. "So Jason loves Kat, and Alexis loves Rocky?"

"I'm not sure what Alexis is feeling, but I think it's a rather safe conclusion to draw."

"But what about Kat and Rocky? How do they feel about all this?"

"Well, Katherine practically went ballistic when she saw Alexis and Rocky together. I'm pretty sure she's in love with Jason, and so she was furious that his girlfriend would do that. It also explains why Kat and Jason have been rather...uncomfortable

in each other's company since Alexis came back."

"You noticed it too, huh," said Tommy, shaking his head. "I guess the next question is: what do we do about all this?"

"It's really none of our business," Kim decided, "I think the best thing we can do is keep our mouths shut. If Lex, Kat, Jason, or even Rocky ask for our advice, then we surely give it to them. But I don't think its our place to tell them what everyone else is feeling, or tell the others. As far as I know, Adam, Billy, Aisha, and Zack are in the dark."

"Yeah," said Tommy, reaching over and grasping Kimberly's hand, "Mum's the word. So where are you going now?"

"Scientific Founders," Kim sighed, "I don't know why I took that class."

Tommy grinned, "It can't be worse than my Economics class. Can I walk you over?"

Kimberly smiled, and tightened her hold on his hand. "Let's go."

As they walked, Kimberly couldn't help but say, "I really hope they get everything straightened out."

Tommy frowned. "If they don't, then this'll tear the team apart."

Chapter Twenty-Eight

After first period, Alexis leaned against the wall just outside a classroom. After a few seconds, dozens of high school students poured out of the room, carrying sheets of paper in their hands. Alexis continued to scan through the students until she found the one she was looking for.

"Wow, Kim!" said Aisha, glancing over Kim's shoulder at her report, "I guess Mrs. Sandsworth loved your report on Sigmund Freud! You're probably the only person to get an A from that woman."

"Well, I worked my butt off on this paper," Kim replied. "And considering how I did on my Charles Darwin paper, I really needed this grade. But hey, you got an A-! That's a fabulous grade, and your average in this class is higher than mine!"

"Kim! Aisha!" Alexis called, trying to weave her way through the rush of students to reach her friends. "Wait up!"

Both girls stopped and turned around. Aisha grinned happily at the sight of her friend, but Kimberly wore a more serious expression-- something that is rather unusual for the perky teenager. Alexis glanced at both of them, and then held her gaze on Aisha.

"How're ya doing, Lex?" Aisha asked.

"Can't complain," Alexis responded. "Um, do you mind if I talk to Kim for a minute? Its important."

"Too important for me to hear?" Aisha joked, stepping away from her friends. "Well, I'll see you both at lunch! Bye!"

Kimberly waved to Aisha as she disappeared into the crowd. She then turned to Alexis, whose false smile had been replaced by a nearly panicked expression.

"What's wrong?" Kim asked worriedly.

"Kim, I've got a major problem," Alexis sighed in response, "I...I'm really, really confused about my feelings. I've never really been in love before, and so it's hard for me to figure out exactly what my heart is trying to tell me."

"Go on," said Kim.

"Okay, here goes -- I'm absolutely, positively sure I'm not in love with Jason. That doesn't mean I never was in love with Jason, but it definitely isn't there now. I think I misunderstood a more mild attraction for something far more serious. I still care a lot about him, but I don't think we're...right for each other. I know how they say 'opposites attract'

, but we're fundamentally different. It won't work."

"Does Jason know how you feel?"

"I...I doubt it. I didn't tell him anything. But wait -- this whole thing gets even worse. Suddenly, I'm having strong feelings for Rocky."

Kimberly shook her head and smiled. "And you're sure this isn't some kind of projection?"

"A what?"

"It's something I learned from Freud's theory. Maybe after you discovered you no longer loved Jason, you projected the feelings you did have for him onto Rocky, because you wanted someone to love. Maybe?"

"I don't know," Alexis said, "it's not the same at all. I mean, when I first fell for Jason, I felt so awkward around him I had butterflies in my stomach! And even now, it's a little uncomfortable. And he obviously was uncomfortable the other night... Anyway, when I'm with Rocky, it's totally different. I feel like I can tell him anything, and there's no discomfort at all. He makes me laugh, and we have fun together. I think we're more suited to each other. I don't know...maybe it's my imagination, but...I think he feels similarly for me."

"Really?" said Kim, an eyebrow slowly rising.

"He said he was really glad that I was back," Alexis began, "and at one point, in the car, our eyes met and... it was like I could see his conflicting emotions, and he could see mine. In my case, I'm torn up about what I'm gonna do about my relationship -- if you can even call it that -- with Jason. For Rocky -- and this is assuming he likes me -- it's being attracted to a girl who is supposed to be dating a close friend of his. This is such a mess!"

"So how does it feel having two men in love with you?" Kim asked light-heartedly. Alexis scoffed.

"I don't think Jase loves me anymore, if he ever did. I don't know...but it seems to me that both of us distance ourselves from the other, but neither wants to be the one to cut the cord, and officially end 'us'

. I guess we're both worried about what the other would think."

"What would Jason think if he found out that you and Rocky were getting close?" Kim asked.

Alexis shrugged. "How could he?"

"I don't know...maybe he could have seen you two this morning?"

Alexis paled considerably. "You mean the kiss, don't you."

Kim nodded. Alexis ran her fingers through her carrot-colored hair nervously. "I don't know what I was thinking," Alexis said finally, "I was just as surprised that I actually kissed him as he was. It just seemed like the right thing to do at the moment...if that makes any sense at all."

"I suppose it does, if you really are attracted to him. Of course, as far as Jason is probably concerned, you two are a couple. He really would have been hurt if he'd seen what happened -- whether or not he was still in love with you."

Alexis looked down into Kimberly's eyes, and nodded. "You're right. I've gotta talk to him about this. The longer we delay, the more likely someone is going to get hurt. And the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt Jason."

"I know that," said Kim.

Suddenly, the bell signaling the beginning of second period sounded. Both girls' eyes widened.

"Uh oh," Kim muttered, "Mrs. Appleby is going to kill me!"

"And my Spanish teacher won't be too happy either! See you later, Kim!"

"Good luck, Lex!" called Kim, as both girls raced through the hall to their respective classes.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The mirror maze in the center of the carnival set up in Angel Grove rumbled slightly. Since it was only about noon, very few people were at the carnival, and at first, they didn't notice the tremors. The maze itself was off limits, because a few mirrors were broken when the Power Rangers battled the villain and destroyed the Weather Warp. In the center of the maze, where a few miniscule holes were burned into the concrete ground, the tremors were even stronger. Finally, something smashed through the solid concrete, sending fragments flying through the maze, shattering a number of mirrors. After the dust settled, the thing that penetrated the concrete could be seen clearly. It was a fist. Made of rock.

Chapter Thirty

Alexis slowly gathered her textbooks together after another slightly boring Calculus class. Usually, Calculus was mildly uninteresting, but this day, Alexis has her mind on other matters. She glanced at the clock at the front of the room as she rose to her feet. It was noon. Time for lunch.

With a sigh, Alexis picked up her backpack and headed out the door. She was to meet her friends at Ernie's for lunch and conversation. Both Jason and Rocky would be there. It obviously wasn't the time or the place to be honest with either of them, but Alexis had difficulty hiding her feelings. Although she was an expert at ignoring pain and emotional anguish, it was far more difficult to mask her feelings of guilt, confusion, and affection. She slowly stepped out of the main entrance of Angel Grove High, and glanced up at the clear blue sky. There wasn't a cloud there. It was a serene, beautiful day.

I...I can't do it,

she thought, walking in the opposite direction of the Juice Bar. She ended up in the bushes near the school, where there were few passersby. She hid her backpack in the bushes, and pulled out her morpher. She studied it carefully.

"I can't face them now. I need to clear my head. And there's only one way I know to really think things through."

Alexis took another quick look around, to make sure no one was present. She then held her morpher at arm's length, the golden coin glittering in the sunlight.

"Purple Ranger Power!!" she cried. In a flash of violet light, Alexis was transformed into the Purple Power Ranger. The golden wings on her ankles began to flap, and soon, the Purple Ranger was airborne. She soared high into the sky, so that no one could see her with the naked eye.

Flying is the best therapy out there!

she thought as she sailed high over Angel Grove, and I really need it!

She soared through the warm air, letting her mind wander on whatever topic it chose. It didn't take long before she began thinking about Jason and Rocky.

I know something's up with Jase. What it is, I don't know...but I know something's wrong. I guess its woman's intuition or something. And I will talk to him about it. But not in front of the others...we need to talk in private, and get all our feelings out into the open. And knowing Jason, it'll be tough to get him to talk openly. But if I'm persistent enough, I know I can get him to open up. Maybe tonight, if he's free, we can take a walk, and just talk. Yeah, that's what I'll do. And once Jason and I are squared away, then I can figure out what I'm feeling for Rocky...

Her train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a terrified scream below. Alexis stared down below her, and saw the heavy tree cover of the center of Angel Grove Park. The screaming persisted and intensified, drawing the Purple Ranger to the ground. She slowly lowered herself, feet first, to the grass. She looked around in the shaded forest, but she didn't see anyone.

"Hello?" she called. "Is someone here?"

"Help me!!" the person screamed from deeper in the forest. Alexis followed the sound, and soon found a young boy, about the age of nine. He was leaning beside a tree trunk, sobbing and trembling.

"Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling beside him. "What happened?"

The boy looked up, and stared at the Purple Ranger curiously. She smiled under her helmet.

"I'm one of the good guys," she assured him. "What's going on?"

"There...there was a monster..glowing yellow. He...he attacked our field trip group! I...I got lost, and it followed me!"

"It's okay," she said, helping him to his feet, "I don't see any monster. Do you know where he went?"

The boy looked around, surprised. "It was right there!" he said, pointing to the ground about a yard in front of him.

"Well, I'll find him," Alexis said. "But first, I'll make sure you find your classmates."

The young boy nodded, and Alexis held his hand as they walked through the park. But behind them, right where he had pointed only moments ago, a figure passed through the dirt. Alexis heard the rumbling of the ground, and spun around, instinctively pushing the boy protectively behind her as she did. She gasped quietly when the monster took shape. It stood at least eight feet in the air, with a rather large build. But what was most interesting was that each part of its body seemed to be composed of a different material. One arm, from the hand to the shoulder, was made of rock. The other arm was solid ice. Its torso was made of some kind of a crystal emitting white energy, while the head seemed like it was a piece of clear glass on fire. Finally, instead of legs, there was a whirling cyclone around the lower body. And the entire being seemed to glow with yellow electricity.

"That's the monster!" the boy shrieked, shaking with fear yet again. Alexis held the his arm, and watched the monster through narrowed eyes.

"No kidding," she muttered. She then stepped back, bringing the boy with her, as the monster silently approached her. "Listen, Kid, get out of here now!"

The boy wasted no time, and ran as quickly as he could through the park. The monster watched him go, but then turned his attention back to the Purple Ranger. Alexis could've sworn she saw a mocking smile beneath the orange flames surrounding its head.

"I think I'll need some help with this one," she whispered to herself, automatically raising her wrist to her mouth. But to her surprise, the purple and silver watch wasn't on her wrist.

"Oh no!" she muttered, "Billy still has my communicator! Now what do I do?"

She didn't have a chance to think about it, as a powerful lightning bolt streaked towards her. Alexis barely managed to avoid it by throwing herself to the ground. The lightning bolt slammed into the tree behind her, causing the tree to fall on top of her. Alexis rolled out of the way, but she wasn't fast enough. Her leg was caught beneath the tree. She pulled with all her might, but she couldn't free herself from the enormous maple tree. She glanced up as the monster approached her.

"I'm not going down that easily!" she shouted, holding her hands together. She released a powerful sphere of crackling purple energy, which slammed into the tree beside her. The force of the energy explosion threw her and the monster in opposite directions, and reduced the tree to ash. She shakily rose to her feet, and glared at the monster, who was seemingly unphased by the explosion.

Chapter Thirty-One

At the Gym and Juice Bar, Rocky DeSantos and his best friend Adam Park walked over to the table where they always sat. Already present were Jason, Katherine, Tommy, Kimberly, Aisha, Zack, and Billy. Rocky's cheerful smile fell as he glanced around the entire Juice Bar. He then turned to Adam.

"Do you see Alexis anywhere?" he asked.

"No, I don't. But she's probably on her way," Adam replied, sitting down beside Billy. Rocky pulled up an additional chair, and sat on it backwards between Adam and Zack. "So, did you guys order already?" he asked.

"No," said Jason, "we were waiting for you guys."

"And Alexis," said Kim, glancing at the entrance, "I wonder what's keeping her. She said she'd meet us for lunch."

"Do you think she forgot?" asked Zack. Aisha shook her head.

"No, that's Tommy's department," she said light-heartedly. Tommy frowned, and threw a wadded napkin at the Green Ranger. The others all laughed at their antics, but Rocky remained straight-faced.

"Maybe we should contact Alexis," he said in a low voice. "You know, just to check on her."

Rocky turned on his communicator, and glanced around to make sure no one was looking. "Lex, this is Rocky. Do you read?"

He frowned when nothing but static answered him.

"What happened?" asked Zack.

"I didn't give her back her communicator yet!" Billy recalled. "It's in the CAC."

"So if she's in trouble, there's no way she'd be able to contact us," Rocky said quietly.

"Well, the scanners in the CAC detect alien activity," Kat pointed out, "so we'd know if there was any trouble before it happened."

"But no one's in the CAC," Jason said.

"I carry the remote CAC alarm with me at all times," said Billy. "After all, I can't live in the CAC like Zordon and Alpha lived in the Command Center. My communicator makes a distinct whistling sound when the CAC sensors detect alien energy."

"So relax already, guys," said Zack with a grin, "Lex is on her way."

"Hey gang," said Ernie, peeking over behind Zack. "Are you ready to order yet?"

"Give us a few more minutes," said Tommy. "We're waiting on Alexis."

Ernie nodded, and walked away. The group continued to talk about various topics, but Rocky remained silent. Finally, Rocky glanced up at the wall clock in frustration. "Okay, she's twenty minutes late, and lunch only lasts forty five minutes! Isn't it possible that she's in some kind of trouble that the CAC alarms wouldn't pick up?"

"I suppose anything is possible," said Billy, rising to his feet, "I can run a scan to pick up Alexis' energy signature. Would that make everyone feel better?"

Everyone glanced at Rocky, who blushed slightly. "Yeah. Thanks, Billy."

Billy smiled, and discreetly left the Juice Bar. Jason then turned to Rocky. "Since when have you been so protective of Alexis?" he asked his friend.

"I'm not protective," Rocky argued, "I just have the feeling something's going on, and since we're out of contact with Alexis, there's no other way to make sure. Why? Aren't you the least bit worried?"

"A little," Jason admitted, "Alexis isn't usually late."

After waiting a few minutes, Rocky's communicator sounded. Rocky glanced at his friends, and then turned it on. "Billy?"

^You were right, Rocky,^

Billy's voice said in a serious tone, ^Alexis is morphed, and she's in the park, fighting some kind of monster. The rangers had better get moving.^

"Why didn't the alarms go off?" Tommy asked.

^I'm looking into that as we speak,^

Billy replied. ^You guys had better hurry up. And be careful -- this is no run-of-the-mill monster.^

"Time to go," Jason said, standing up. Kat, Kim, Tommy, Zack, and Aisha followed. "We'll let you two know what's up as soon as possible." he said to Rocky and Adam.

"Heck no," Rocky said, standing up, "I'm going to the CAC to watch the fight. Billy may be able to use my help."

"But you can barely use a calculator!" Aisha joked. She then noticed that Rocky was completely serious. And obviously worried about their missing teammate.

"I'm going," he said finally.

Adam stood up as well. "Me too."

"Then, let's get going," said Tommy, as the entire group of teens hurried from the Juice Bar, over to a quiet corner.

Chapter Thirty-Two

The Purple Ranger crashed helplessly into the lake in Angel Grove Park. She surfaced quickly, and struggled to keep herself over the water while collecting her bearings. She had attempted to attack Elementor from above, but apparently the monster's manipulation of the elements surpassed her expectations. A powerful gust of wind, stronger than the greatest wind Chicago ever faced, sent her hurtling through the air, and into the lake clear across the park. With great effort, Alexis swam to the shore of the lake, and fell on the grass, panting heavily. She had expended a great deal of energy, in the form of energy blasts, flying, and fighting, to keep Elementor at bay. But it didn't seem to be phased by any attack she used. She was running out of options.

"Do you surrender?" Elementor grunted in a deep, earth-shaking voice. Alexis rose to her knees, and slowly managed to pull herself to her feet.

"I've only just begun," she panted, clenching her fists. Her mind raced, running through all the abilities at her disposal. She desperately searched for a weapon or attack she hadn't used yet against her opponent. But she quickly discerned that she had used every fighting technique she had mastered, with little success.

I've got to come up with something!

Alexis ordered herself, hand-springing out of the path of two glowing fireballs Elementor flung at her. Nothing I've done has had any effect. Is there any way I can make him expend his energy? Maybe he has a limited supply!

Alexis planted herself on her feet, her Laser Whip once again forming in her hands. Elementor tossed more fireballs, which Alexis deflected by cracking her whip. Finally, Elementor grinned, and fired a larger fireball, flashing with sparks of electricity. The moment Alexis struck the ball with her whip, the electrical pulse surrounding the fireball passed through the whip and into the Purple Ranger. Alexis screamed in agony, her entire body surrounded by a faint aura of yellow energy. Finally, she dropped her whip, and collapsed onto the grass.

Elementor approached the shaken Power Ranger slowly, intending on finishing her off. But before he reached her, six beams of colored light fell from the sky, taking the form of the Terran and X-Rangers. All six rangers fell into attack poses immediately, with the Red Ranger stepping forward.

"Jay, check on Alexis," he ordered. "Everyone else with me. Hit him with everything you've got!"

"Right!" said the rangers collectively, leaping into action. Jason stepped back from the fight, watching for a moment as the strange elemental creature was buried in a flurry of punches and kicks from all sides. Then, Jason knelt on the ground beside the Purple Ranger, who was stirring.

"Remind me never to do that again," she said quietly, touching her helmet. The Black Ranger helped her sit up, and took her helmet off gently.

"You okay?" he asked. He noticed her skin was rather pale, and her hair was practically standing on end from the electric shock.

"No problem," she responded, trying to rise to her feet. "Just...give me a second...to catch my breath."

"Oh, no you don't!" Jason argued, keeping Alexis from rising to her feet. "You're hurt!"

"Am not!" she muttered, grabbing her helmet. "Besides, you need me!"

"Not yet we don't," Jason said finally. "You're exhausted, and probably hurt. You're going back to the CAC!"

"But --"

"No buts," Jason said in his most commanding voice. Alexis remained silent as Jason turned on his communicator.

"Billy, teleport Alexis in."

^You got it,^

said Billy, as Alexis vanished from the park in a purple carrier wave. Jason rose to his feet, and looked toward the battle. He didn't hesitate to join the other rangers.

Chapter Thirty-Three

"You're going to be just fine, Lex," said Rocky with a smile, punching a few buttons on the console, "You're just drained."

"That's what I told Jason," she grunted, sitting up on the med-unit cot, "I'm ready for action."

"I don't think so," Rocky said, laying a hand on her shoulder, "I want you to take a rest. Just to be on the safe side."

Alexis sighed, and lay back down on the cot. She glanced at her morpher, sitting on the table beside the med-unit, and closed her eyes. Rocky smiled with satisfaction, and walked over to Billy and Adam, who were both working on a program on the main computer. Rocky glanced up at the dwarfing screen, and his eyebrow rose. There was an image of the monster on the screen, with blurbs of information about each part of his body.

"So what did you figure out?" Rocky asked.

"Well," said Adam, turning to his friend, "the reason why the CAC didn't register Elementor's presence is because he isn't made of evil magical energy."

"Then what is he made of? I'm pretty sure its not sugar and spice, and everything nice."

"That is certain," said Billy, still typing on the keyboard, "but his energy pattern is recognized by the computer. It didn't set off the alarm, because no threat was deduced. He's made of Terran energies."

Rocky gasped. "What?"

"Somehow, this monster's siphoned off a fraction of the elemental powers of the Zeo Crystal. That's why he has mastery over so many elements."

"But...how?"

"Remember when the Terran Rangers destroyed the crystal within the Mirror Maze?" asked Billy. "Well, they destroyed it by forming the Terran Tempest, which is a concentrated burst of all the elemental energies. Now, beneath the elemental energy is a being made of a skeleton of crystal. That's why his torso is white, with a glowing energy. He is made of the same crystal that altered weather, and so the crystal absorbed the Terran Tempest, and somehow transformed into a monster with these abilities."

"That also explains why it has the powers of Light and Lightning," Adam continued, "Kim and Zack don't have those abilities any longer, but their weapons do. Its the only way to get a concentrated burst of those energies."

"So what do we do about it?" Rocky asked, glancing at the Viewing Globe across the CAC. "It doesn't look like the rangers are doing too well."

"Well, for each element they attack with, Elementor has an element that cancels it out."

"Then they do need my help!" Alexis called from across the room. The three young men turned around, and saw her run across the room, carrying her morpher in her hand.

"Alexis, you already fought Elementor," Billy said, "and your abilities proved ineffective."

"True, but maybe we can try my Bomb Attack!" Alexis pressed, "I'm sure one powerful bolt of pure energy will finish Elementor for good!"

"But the last time you used the Bomb, you almost killed yourself!" Rocky recalled. Alexis waved the comment aside.

"That was different. I absorbed both the rangers' powers, and that of the Spectrum Force. I just over-extended myself is all."

"But the Terran Rangers powers are vastly more powerful than the Mighty Morphin rangers," said Billy, "I doubt you would come out of the battle unscathed."

"Then what do I do?" Alexis muttered, folding her arms.

"You wait," said Billy, turning back to the screen, "I'm trying to find a weakness on Elementor. Once we figure out how to attack him, then we'll send you out. If needed."

Chapter Thirty-Four

After letting the Terran Rangers bury him in physical attacks for awhile, Elementor released the massive energy he had been storing. In a wave of fire strong enough to melt an iceberg, Elementor cut loose, and the force of the attack sent the six rangers crashing to the ground. It also burned numerous trees and bushes to ash, and caused the lake to nearly boil for a fraction of a second.

The Red Ranger quickly rose to his feet, his red uniform pulsing with fire energy. He glanced at his friends, who were all dazed by the attack. He then turned to Elementor, his helmet hiding the fury in his eyes.

"As they say...fight fire with fire!" he declared, holding his fists out at the monster. One powerful streak of fire poured from Tommy's hands as if he were a flame-thrower, heading in Elementor's direction. But Elementor raised his ice arm, and opened his palm. A gust of water appeared at his hand, and quickly dowsed Tommy's flames before they could even make contact. Tommy concentrated more, but he couldn't prevent the water from getting closer. Once Tommy expended all his stored energy, his stream of fire dried up. Elementor rumbled, and suddenly the water he was creating turned freezing. Tommy yelped as the ice-cold liquid touched him, forming a block of ice around his entire body. He was frozen solid.

"Tommy!" Kim screamed, scrambling to her feet. A burst of telekinetic energy lifted the Tommy-popsicle off the ground just as a vast chasm appeared right below him. While Kim struggled to keep Tommy in the air, a cyclone of powerful wind wrapped around Elementor, spinning the monster uncontrollably. Kim glanced at Aisha, who held her Wind Shield at arm's length, with powerful wind manifesting at the center of the spiral design on its surface.

"Jason!" Aisha grunted with exertion. "Fix the chasm!"

"You got it," he answered, turning towards the canyon Elementor just created. He held his arms out to his sides, and slowly brought them together in front of him. As he did, the ground came together as well. Once his arms were touching, the hole closed completely. Kimberly gratefully put Tommy back on the ground.

"How do we get him out?" Zack asked Jason. Jason frowned in thought.

"I don't know," he replied, "Tommy's the one who can melt the ice. Is he even conscious under there?"

Katherine, who was standing behind the rest, glanced at the lake. Although it was no longer boiling from Elementor's flame attack, it was indeed steaming slightly. She walked to the shore of the lake, and held her hand in the water.

"Guys!" she called, standing up. "Step back! I want to try something!"

The Gold, Silver, and Black Rangers abided, and Kat held her hand over the water. Then, she waved her hand in the air, and pointed at Tommy. The lake's heated waters obeyed Kat's command, and leaped from the lake, bathing Tommy in hot water. After a few minutes, the ice completely melted, and Tommy collapsed onto the ground. Both Kim and Jason hurried to help their friend to his feet.

"Are you okay?" Kim asked with concern.

"Jussttt fiiine," Tommy replied through chattering teeth.

"Hey guys!" Aisha screamed, the exertion of her cyclone drawing the Green Ranger to her knees, "I could use some help here!"

"You got it!" said the Silver Ranger, running to his teammate's side. He clenched his fists tightly, a faint silvery glow forming around his body. "Let him go!"

Aisha abided, lowering her shield. The cyclone of wind that held Elementor prisoner faded, leaving the monster slightly dizzy. Before he could catch his bearings, Zack held his palms open at arm's length. A powerful wave of magnetic energy struck the monster like an oncoming truck, sending it flying into a patch of trees. As soon as its head touched the trunks, the trees ignited in a wildfire.

"Oops," Zack said, glancing down at Aisha. "You think you can blow out that fire?"

"Wind will spread it!" Aisha argued, as a powerful earthquake caused both rangers to collapse. Zack turned around, and saw all his friends with their stomachs to the ground. "We gotta stop the fire!" Zack hollered over the sounds of the earth moving.

"But first we gotta stop this earthquake!" Kat shouted, "I can't focus my powers!"

"Let's see what I can do!" Jason said, holding out his hand, "Earth Sword!!"

The mighty silver blade appeared in his hand. Jason forced himself to his knees, despite the mighty quake, and dug the blade into the ground. The quaking immediately stopped, but Jason's arms were shaking.

"Hurry," he said in a strained voice, "I can't...keep this up much longer!"

Kat nodded, rising to her feet. She ran into the forest, her Ice Daggers appearing at her silent command. She pointed both daggers at different trees, and the blades, vanished, leaving a stream of water gushing from the hilts as if they were hoses. While Kat quenched the flames and Jason held off the earthquake, a small silver sphere fell from the sky, and landed in Elementor's rock hand. He grinned with understanding, and then slammed it onto the ground. In a cloud of gray smoke, the monster grew to enormous proportions. The six rangers regrouped, and stepped back from the towering monster.

"Consider the situation escalated!" said Zack.

"Call the Terrazords!" Tommy ordered, "Red Phoenix...Activate!!"

"Black Rhinocerous...Activate!!" hollered Jason.

"White Cheetah...Activate!!" shouted Zack.

"Yellow Thunderbird...Activate!!" cried Kimberly.

"Blue Alligator...Activate!!" screamed Kat.

"Green Hawk...Activate!!" yelled Aisha.

Suddenly, the ground at the ranger's feet parted, allowing the huge and powerful Rhinoceros to climb out of the dirt. The Zord was silver and black, with metallic legs and sharp silver horns. Then, a beam of light streaked from the sky, forming the shape of the Cheetah. The Cheetah was mostly white, but the body was gold with black spots. The fangs shimmered gold, and the eyes were glowing red. A flash of lightning struck in the heavens, forming the Thunderbird high in the sky. The Thunderbird was yellow and gold, with silver lightning bolts decorating the wings. The winds picked up, forming a glowing green cyclone. At the top of the funnel was the graceful Hawk, with forest green frame, silver feathers and claws, and a shiny silver beak. A wave of blue energy appeared from the lake, resembling rippling water. Out of the water climbed the Alligator Zord, a massive and sturdy machine with blue frame, silver teeth and legs, and a huge blue tail with sharp silver scales. Finally, a fireball formed in the sky, taking the shape of the Phoenix. The Phoenix was all shades of gold and red, and the golden wings appeared to be on fire.

"Let's do it!!" the six rangers cried, each vanishing from the ground in his/her signature color. They all appeared in the cockpits of their individual Zords, and immediately ran the start-up program. The Zords screamed to life, and they lined up by the lake, with the ground Zords on the shore and the aerial Zords hovering overhead.

"Anybody have any ideas?" Kimberly asked.

^I have one,^

said Billy through the communicator. ^As you've noticed, each part of Elementor's anatomy is composed of a different element. Perhaps if you focus your elemental attacks on the area that would me most damaged, you can defeat him.^

"Sounds like a plan!" said Kimberly. "Maybe my Thundernet will hold him for awhile!"

A lightning rod rose from the head of the Thunderbird like an antenna, and it quickly absorbed the electrons in the atmosphere. Then, the lightning streamed at Elementor, surrounding him in a web of lighting.

"Bingo!" Kim shouted.

However, Elementor's body flared with yellow energy, and he harmlessly passed through the cage of lightning. Kimberly gawked.

"What gives?!" she shrieked.

"I guess lightning energy exudes from Elementor's entire body, not just a specific part," said Jason. "The easiest element to destroy is his arm of ice."

"Piece of cake," said Tommy, "Hyperflame rockets away!"

Two narrow rockets, glowing with red energy, plowed into Elementor -- one striking his shoulder, and the other hitting just above the elbow. Elementor screeched as the protective ice around his arm melted, revealing a narrower arm of crystal.

"My scanners are reading that as the same crystal we destroyed in the Mirror Maze!" Zack said. "It's not very durable. The elements acted like an armor as well as a weapon."

"Let's test that hypothesis," said Jason, the Rhinocerous running across the ground. Elementor made the mistake of trying to block the Zord's attack with his crystalline arm. The Rhino's sharp horn tore through the crystal, shattering the fragile material to dust. "Now we're cooking!" said Tommy. "His arm's gone!"

"Instead of destroying each part of its body individually, why don't we just hit a critical part?" suggested Aisha. "Like the head? Its obviously protected by fire."

"I'll try my Deep Freeze Cannon," said Katherine, the Alligator stepping forward, "but I need a distraction!"

"You got it!" Aisha called, the Hawk streaking at the monster. She spun circles around the monster's flaming head, confusing the monster and causing it to spin, swinging at her madly. While it did so, the Alligator's gargantuan mouth opened wide, and a spout appeared between its razor teeth.

"Locking..." Kat muttered. "And fire!"

A stream of liquid poured out of the cannon, and Elementor screamed as he felt the ice cold surround his head. The aura of flames on his head vanished, leaving a sphere of clear crystal.

"Let's finish this fight!" said Tommy. "Form the Terran Megazord!"

The six Zords all floated off the ground, and began changing shape.

"Head ready!" yelled Tommy.

"Right arm ready!" said Aisha.

"Left arm ready!" called Kimberly.

"Body ready!" announced Zack.

"Right leg ready!" called Jason.

"Left leg ready!" cried Kat.

"Bring 'em together!" Tommy ordered, and the six Zords moved together, locking at the joints to form the Terran Megazord. The Megazord lowered to the ground, nearly reaching the height of Elementor.

Although Elementor was seriously weakened, he wasn't ready to give up yet. With a mighty grunt, Elementor swung his remaining arm at the Megazord, striking the head with its earth arm. The Megazord stumbled back. but ducked the follow-up swing.

"Time for a KO!" called Aisha. The green arm drew back, and struck Elementor's chin full force. The crystal shattered instantly, and the rest of the monster began exploding once the head was destroyed. In a massive burst of rainbow energy, Elementor was reduced to cinders.

"Talk about a glass jaw!" Zack commented.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Just outside Angel Grove High School, the Power Rangers, accompanied by their friends Rocky and Adam, approached the building. Kimberly glanced down at her watch, and frowned.

"We're nearly ten minutes late," she muttered. "What excuse do we use this time?"

"I forgot my locker combination," Tommy said with a shrug. Zack smiled.

"Tommy, you're the only person in the world who can get away with that one!"

"Adam had to go to the nurse with chest pains again, and I walked him," suggested Rocky. Adam nodded in agreement.

"I have study hall," said Katherine, "so fortunately, being late doesn't matter."

"Maybe I'll have a doctor's appointment," said Aisha, "I can get my dad to write me a note. Mr. Mason will be satisfied if I bring the note tomorrow."

"Its not fair, your dad knowing your a ranger," Zack muttered.

"There are good and bad points," Aisha said with a grin. "Getting excuses for school is a good point, but having him constantly badger me to be careful is definitely bad."

"Oookay," said Kimberly, "I have gym now, so I can Coach Baily that I had to make up a quiz during lunch, and it went overtime."

"That's a good one," said Tommy. As the group of teens headed for the building, Alexis lingered back.

"It's now or never," she muttered to herself, catching up with Jason. She grabbed his arm gently.

"What's up, Lex?" he asked her.

"Um, Jase, could I talk to you for a minute? Or do you need to rush to class?"

All the other rangers turned around, and glanced at the two in surprise. Kimberly shook her head, and opened the front door.

"Come on," she said, "if they need to talk, then they need to talk! Alone."

After their friends entered the building, Jason turned back to Alexis. "About anything in particular?"

Alexis nodded, somewhat uncomfortably. "Yeah. About 'us'."

Jason nodded, taking Alexis by the arm. "Come on," he said, leading her off the stairs. They walked into the Gym and Juice Bar, which was relatively quiet after the rush at lunch hour. They sat down at a small booth along the wall, across from each other. Alexis folded her hands, and lay them on the table. Jason leaned back in his chair, and watched her expectantly. She remained quiet for a moment, as if searching for the right words.

"Jase," she said finally, not looking at him. "We've been friends for awhile now, and over the past year, there've been some...shifts in our relationship. I mean, we were friends back when you were the Red Power Ranger, then we got a bit...closer when we talked over the phone, when I was in Philly and you in Geneva. Then you moved back to Angel Grove, and everything changed. And then I came back, and things've changed again. I...I want you to be completely candid with me, Jason, because no matter what else we were since we met over a year ago, we've always been friends. And friends are honest with each other, no matter what."

"What do you want me to be honest about?" he asked, trying to look her in the eye. But she continued avoiding his inquiring mahogany gaze.

"I want you to be honest with me about your feelings. For me."

This time, Jason cast his gaze to the table between them. Alexis noticed, and watched his reaction with her curious emerald eyes. Jason took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

"Alexis," he started finally, "I really do care about you. Your friendship means a lot to me..."

"...but?" Alexis interrupted him, "Jason, like I said, I want you to be completely honest with me. What's a relationship- either as friends or as something more -- when we can't be honest with each other? I can tell something's wrong. You've been acting strangely around me ever since I got back. Like, the other night, when we were unpacking."

Jason cringed. He hadn't meant to be so rude, but he was so uncomfortable, and guilty, that he couldn't stand it anymore. He just needed to leave.

"I didn't want to hurt you, Lex," he said, meeting her gaze for the first time, "I...I don't know what happened exactly, but I felt...uncomfortable

."

"With me," Alexis finished for him. Jason frowned.

"Lex, it's not that simple! I mean, we were close friends, but we never...went out or anything. I mean, we never really established what we...meant to each other. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, I do. Actually, I feel the same. We're good friends, but we never really took the next step. And...I don't think we should."

Jason blinked in surprise. Alexis suddenly felt sick.

"Why?" Jason asked.

"Because I care for you, but I don't think I...love you."

Alexis turned away from Jason, and squeezed her eyes shut. It was even more difficult to tell him than she had thought.

She didn't open her eyes until she felt a gentle touch on her hands. She turned around, and looked at Jason quizzically. He held her hands in his, and he had a small smile in his face. Alexis was startled.

"Alexis," he said, "I...I feel the same. You'll always be special to me, but I don't think it would work out."

Alexis smiled, and her eyes glassed with relief. She hastily wiped them with the back of her hand. "How long have you felt this way?"

"Ever since..." Jason suddenly blushed slightly, "ever since I discovered I had strong feelings for Kat."

Alexis blinked. "Kat?" she said in surprise, "I can't believe I didn't notice it! Do you know how she feels?"

Jason shook his head, relaxing now that they had reached an agreement without hurting anyone's feelings substantially. "No, I don't. Not yet, at least."

"Well, I'm sure you'll be happy together," Alexis said with a warm smile, "and I'm sure she cares about you. Who wouldn't?"

Jason chuckled at the compliment. "So," he said with a devilish glint in his eyes, "what's the story with you and Rocky?"

Now it was Alexis' turn to blush. "Rocky?"

"Yeah," said Jason. "He was worried sick when you didn't show up for lunch today. It usually takes a lot to make Rocky serious for a split-second! He really cares about you."

Alexis couldn't help but smile. "Do you think so?"

"I do," he said, standing up from the table. He offered Alexis his hand. "Friends?"

Alexis shook her head, and rose to her feet. She pushed his hand aside, and wrapped her arms around his neck in a warm hug. "Need you even ask?"

Jason glanced up at the clock against the wall. "If we hurry, we can make it back to school before the next class starts."

Epilogue

Alexis and Jason walked into the bristling halls of Angel Grove High. Sixth period had just ended, and the students had four minutes until seventh period started.

"Well, I've gotta go to my locker," Alexis said, waving at Jason. "See you!"

Jason grinned, and then turned in the other direction. Alexis quickly wove her way through the crowd, and made it to her locker. To her surprise, she saw someone leaning against it. He perked up when he saw her.

"What're you doing here, Rocky?" she asked him, her head tilted slightly to the side. Rocky moved out of her way as she opened her locker. He shoved his hands in his pockets, and bit his lower lip.

"So, how'd it go?"

"How'd what go?" she asked, searching through the mess of her locker.

"Your conversation with Jason," he said quietly. Alexis closed her locker and looked Rocky directly in the eye. He fidgeted slightly. "I know it's none of my business --"

"Don't be silly," Alexis interrupted, a grin creeping onto her lips. She slid her arm in Rocky's, much to the latter's surprise. "Actually, what we talked about did have something to do with you."

Rocky grinned. "I hope you only had nice things to say."

"Only the best. Care to walk a girl to Physics?"

"I am at your service, Milady," Rocky answered, as the two walked down the hallway, arms linked. As they walked down the hall, they passed Jason. Rocky suddenly felt nervous as the larger young man approached.

"I only have one thing to say to you, Rockwell DeSantos," Jason said seriously. Rocky blinked.

"What?"

Jason's expression softened into a satisfied grin. "Take care of her."

Rocky blushed as Jason squeezed his shoulder. "You got it, Jase."

Jason waved as he watched the pair continue down the hallway to the Physics classroom. Then, he continued to his own locker. As he searched for his copy of "Portrait of the Artist"

, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of seventh period. The hallway was empty when Jason slammed his locker shut. But as he turned the corner, his eyes widened when he saw Kat Hillard standing just outside his English classroom.

"Hey," he said to her. She looked up at him and smiled weakly.

"Hi."

"What're you doing here?" he whispered. "Don't you have class?"

"Well, yeah," she admitted, "but I wanted to talk to you immediately."

"Really?" he said, a small grin forming on his face. Kat could feel the heat rising in her cheeks.

"Well, I saw Alexis with Rocky when I left the library, and I...well, I guess I...wanted to see how you're doing."

"I'm fine," Jason said, "Lex and Rocky make a great couple. I'm glad they found each other."

"What about you, though?" Kat pressed. "Breaking up is hard to do."

"Yeah," Jason admitted, "but it wasn't as hard as you'd think. Alexis and I both decided we weren't right for each other. That's all."

"Well, that's good," Kat said, relieved. "Not that you broke up, but that it was mutual, I mean."

Jason grinned. "Well, I'd better get to class."

"Me too," Kat said, taking Jason's hand and squeezing it gently. "Take care of yourself."

"I will," said Jason. He watched as Kat walked down the hallway to her class. "Kat?"

She turned around. "Yes, Jason."

"Um...I have some tickets to the Lakers game this weekend," he said, running his hands through his ebony hair. "So, uh, if you don't have plans, would you like to come?"

Kat smiled, a sparkle in her crystal blue eyes. "It's a date."

To Be Continued In...

The Terran Rangers/X-Men

Time After Time

Excerpt from The Terran Rangers/X-Men: Time After Time

February 7, 2009

It had been over two years since the fateful day when the Temporal Comet flew past Earth, bringing the infamous Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd with it. The re-surfacing of these villains forced the long-retired Terran Power Rangers to retake their awesome powers and Zords to confront the invading monsters. After but one battle, Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa left again, and did not return. But, there was always the possibility that they may. Or perhaps another malevolent alien race may attempt to conquer Earth.

After the Power Rangers saved three world-famous NASA astronauts, they announced to the whole world that they would remain active superheroes, and would try to protect the Earth from any blight, whether it be war, pestilence, famine, or invasion. They quickly became international heroes, appearing at numerous peace talks, at celebrity gatherings to raise money for the poor and underprivileged, dealing with various terrorists, diffusing numerous hostage situations, and even going on worldwide patrol in their amazing Terrazords, to insure the public that someone was looking out for them.

Of course, the identities of these six heroes is still a mystery. The only way for the Power Rangers to be contacted was from the United Nations building in New York City, where a highly advanced computer system is kept, which can contact the heroes via their communicators.

Since the time the Power Rangers resurfaced, the lives of a select group of men and women, and also their respective families, had gotten incredibly complicated. After their last battle against evil, they decided to remain heroes and do what they could to keep the peace.

Trini Kwan and William Mitchell were married only months after the incident, and presently Trini was pregnant with their first child.

Zachary Taylor retired from his Olympic career, because it took too much of his time and energy. Now, he was a sports newscaster, who occasionally made celebrity appearances. He now lived in Los Angeles, a mere hour's drive from Angel Grove, the city that changed his life more than any other.

Adam Park was still a major action star, but he had eased up on his schedule. Instead of making three movies a year, which he used to do, he now starred in only one a year, on average. Also, he was engaged to be married to his longtime love Tanya Sloan, who only recently returned to the United States after living in Nairobi.

Jason Lee, now the father of a two year old daughter Brittany, was the captain of the Angel Grove Police Force.

Kimberly Hart-Monroe, the world-famous fashion designer, was the one charged with communicating with the UN, since she lived in New York City. Kimberly's life took a drastic turn when two years ago, her husband Trevor Monroe disappeared without a trace. She hadn't heard from him since.

Thomas Oliver was still a Native American Studies professor at Princeton University in New Jersey, but due to his secret Power Ranger business, he had little time for anything else. His fiance Vanessa Stevens left him because he was spending far too much time with his old friends, and repeatedly left during their dates without a good reason. When Vanessa left Thomas, he realized that he didn't truly love her. Eventually, he fell in love again, this time with his high school friend and now bride-to-be Katherine Hillard.

Katherine decided to move back to the States from Australia, and took a job as an Astrophysics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and she also guest-lectured throughout the country. She spent a lot of time with Kimberly and Thomas since they all lived in the general area, especially once Kim's husband disappeared. Katherine's attraction towards Thomas resurfaced after over a decade of denying it, and this time Thomas felt the same way about her. So Thomas proposed to her four months ago. Now, the couple was in New York to visit an old friend and pick up some necessities for their wedding, which will take place on February 14 in Angel Grove, California.

Character Thesaurus

The Terran Rangers

Jason Lee Scott - Black Terran Ranger

Full Name:

Jason Lee Scott
Ranger Designation:

Black Terran Ranger
Weapons:

Earth Sword, Blade Blaster
Gear:

Wrist Communicator, Power Morpher with Black Zeo Shard
Zord:

Black Rhinoceros Zord

Strong and fearless, Jason is the former Black Terran Ranger and original leader of the Power Rangers. To Jason went the Black Zeo Shard, giving him the power of the Earth, and control of the Rhinoceros Zord. Black Terran Ranger's power weapon is the Earth Sword, a powerful weapon with a razor sharp edge. His weapon combined with the others to form the Power Blaster. As Black Terran Ranger, Jason gained enhanced strength, speed, and durability. His tactical knowledge and fighting skill make him the ultimate Ranger. Jason closely follows the rules of Martial Arts, and promotes discipline and making friends out of enemies. It is this attitude that got him chosen to represent Angel Grove at the World Teen Summit, a peace conference in Switzerland he attended, leaving the Rangers with Trini Kwan and Zack Taylor that left a gap in the team which was then filled by Rocky DeSantos. Recently he's rejoined the team which then granted him this new power.

Zack Taylor - X-Ranger One: Gold

Full Name:

Zack Taylor
Ranger Designation:

X-Ranger One: Gold
Weapons:

Lance of Light, Blade Blaster
Gear:

Wrist Communicator, Power Morpher with Gold Zeo Shard
Zord:>

White Cheetah Zord

Quick witted and clever, Zack relies on speed and cunning to win his battles. The former Black Ranger was the jokester of team, loving dancing, magic, and girls, especially Angela. He cares for his friends and always tried to cheer them up when they're feeling down. A good friend with a good heart, Zack always loved a good joke, and loved it when Bulk and Skull embarrassed themselves in public. Zack is currently back in Angel Grove after promoting world peace at a peace conference in Switzerland. To Zack went the White Zeo Shard, giving him the power of the Light, and control of the White Cheetah Zord. White Terran Ranger's power weapon is the Lance of Light. His weapon combined with the others to form the Power Blaster. As White Terran Ranger, Zack gained enhanced strength, speed, and durability. It is this attitude that got him chosen to represent Angel Grove at the World Teen Summit, a peace conference in Switzerland he attended, leaving the Rangers with Trini Kwan and Jason Lee Scott leaving a gap in the team to be filled by Adam Park. Recently he's rejoined the team which then granted him this new power.

Kimberly Hart - X-Ranger Two: Silver

Full Name:

Kimberly Hart
Ranger Designation:

X-Ranger Two: Silver
Weapons:

Thunderbow, Blade Blaster
Gear:

Wrist Communicator, Power Morpher with Silver Zeo Shard
Zord:

Yellow Thunderbird Zord

Kimberly was one of the five Rangers originally chosen by Zordon to protect the Earth against Rita Repulsa. She was given the Yellow Zeo Shard and ability to morph into the Yellow Terran Ranger and control of the Yellow Thunderbird Zord. Once ditzy and materialistic, Kimberly has evolved into a strong, confident, and caring person. A kind and compassionate soul, Kim cares a great deal about her friends, and will not take kindly to anyone messing with them. Her weapon combined with the others to form the Power Blaster. As Yellow Terran Ranger, Kim gained enhanced strength, speed, and durability as well as limited energy projection.

Tommy Oliver – Red Terran Ranger

Full Name:

Tommy Oliver
Ranger Designation:

Red Terran Ranger
Weapons:

Flame Sabre
Gear:

Power Morpher with Red Zeo Shard, Wrist Communicator
Zord:

Red Phoenix Zord

After he lost the Green Ranger powers, the Power Rangers team was down to five. To keep up with the increasing intensity of Lord Zedd's attacks, Zordon created new White Ranger Powers and gave them to the only one he felt was worthy of receiving them - Tommy. Now he is the Red Terran Ranger. Red Terran Ranger's power weapon is the Flame Sabre. As the Red Terran Ranger, Tommy gained enhanced strength, speed, and durability as well as limited energy projection.

Alexis Darling - Purple Power Ranger

Full Name:

Alexis Darling
Ranger Designation:

Purple Power Ranger
Weapons:

Eagle Whip
Gear:

Eagle Shield, Power Morpher with Power Coin, Wrist Communicator
Zord:

Eaglezord
Powers:

Eagle Heart Pulse Blast

Alexis moved from Philadelphia to Angel Grove with her mother when her mother gained a job at an art gallery. Being new to Angel Grove, she didn't know what to expect and everything was brand new to her. Meeting the six teenagers that were the Power Rangers, she was accepted into their group and they were all later surprised when she became the Purple Power Ranger, inheriting her powers from an ancestor from long ago.

Aisha Campbell - Green Terran Ranger

Full Name:

Aisha Campbell
Ranger Designation:

Green Terran Ranger
Weapons:

Wind Shield, Blade Blaster
Gear:

Wrist Communicator, Power Morpher with Green Zeo Shard
Zord:

Green Eagle Zord

Spirited and full of energy, Aisha was always up to the challenge as a Power Ranger. She met the Power Rangers on a trip to Angel Grove, where she competed in the Ninja Competition along with Rocky and Adam. Aisha and her friends assisted the Rangers in the rescue of a baby in danger. She continued assisting the Rangers when they needed it, proving herself a formidable replacement for Trini as the Yellow Ranger. Trini left Aisha her powers by transferring them to her with the Sword of Light. Yellow Ranger's power weapons are the Power Daggers, powerful blades used for defense and for throwing. Her weapons combined with the others to form the Power Blaster. As Yellow Ranger, Aisha gained enhanced strength, speed, durability, and limited energy projection. Her Yellow Ranger powers were lost when Master Vile turned the team into children, and Goldar destroyed the Power Coins. Upon retrieving the Yellow Zeo Crystal, she sent Tanya back to the team in her place, and stayed in Africa to help the animals. Recently she moved back to Angel Grove where no one but the Rangers remember who she is and what she had done before. Upon an injury that befell Adam, Aisha returned to the team, taking up the mantle as the Green Terran Ranger.

Katherine Hillard - Blue Terran Ranger

Full Name:

Katherine Hillard
Ranger Designation:

Blue Terran Ranger
Weapons:

Ice Daggers, Blade Blaster
Gear:

Wrist Communicator, Power Morpher with Blue Zeo Shard
Zord:

Blue Alligator Zord

Kat is mature and sophisticated beyond her years. She recently came to Angel Grove from Australia, only to be captured by Rita and placed under a spell. Kat befriended the Rangers, and got close enough to steal the Falconzord and Kimberly's Power Coin. Her memories of being good broke the spell, and she became an ally, retrieving Kimberly's coin, which quickly became her own once Kimberly decided to leave for Florida and pass the coin to Kat, so that she would become the new Pink Ranger. Kat maintained a partial telepathic link with Rita, a lingering effect of the spell she was once under. After losing those powers, she received the new powers of the Blue Terran Ranger. Blue Terran Ranger's power weapon are the Ice Daggers. Her weapon combined with the others to form the Power Blaster. As Blue Terran Ranger, Kat gained enhanced strength, speed, and durability as well as limited energy projection.

Mentors and Allies to the Terran Rangers

Billy Cranston

Billy is one of the original five teenagers chosen by Zordon to defend the planet from the forces of Rita Repulsa. As the Blue Ranger, Billy fought well against Putties and Tengas, and saved the Power Rangers on numerous occasions with devices that he created. Billy is the smartest of the Rangers, with a super genius IQ level. Once awkward and shy, Billy has evolved over time into the confident and capable person he is today. To Billy went the Triceratops Power Coin, giving him the power of the Triceratops, and control of the Triceratops Dinozord. His weapon combined with the others to form the Power Blaster. As Blue Ranger, Billy gained enhanced strength, speed, and durability as well as limited energy projection. When the Rangers gained the powers of the Zeo Crystal, he was made mentor to the group after Zordon and Alpha left to create another team of Rangers to fight the Machine Empire in another part of the galaxy.

Tanya Sloan

When former Yellow Power Ranger Aisha Campbell began her quest for the Yellow Zeo sub-crystal, little did she know that she would not return to her life as Power Ranger. Her quest took her to present day Africa, where she decided to remain to help cure the dying animals of the land. When the Yellow Zeo Shard rejected Tanya, she was asked to step up and assist Billy with helping the Terran Rangers in their quest to protect Earth.

RockyDeSantos

Rocky is like the class clown of the Rangers. Good natured, spirited, and likes to have fun. He may be low on the IQ points, but Rocky's martial arts prowess and stubbornness make him an excellent fighter and asset to the team. He first met the Rangers on a trip to Angel Grove to compete in the Ninja Competition, and helped them save a baby in danger. Proving himself worthy by assisting the Rangers several times, Rocky was given the power of the Red Ranger by the departing Jason. Jason used the Sword of Light to transfer his powers to Rocky. Red Ranger's power weapon is the Power Sword, a powerful weapon with a razor sharp edge. His weapon combined with the others to form the Power Blaster. As Red Ranger, Rocky gained enhanced strength, speed, durability, and limited energy projection. When Rocky lost his powers after Rito Revolto's attack on Angel Grove, he gained new powers with the Ape Power Coin given to him by Ninjor on the Rangers' journey to the Temple of Power. The Ape Power Coin was later destroyed by Zedd and Rita when Master Vile reversed time and reverted the Rangers to children. When Rocky sustained injuries from the Command Center exploding, it was deemed that he would serve the Rangers better if he assisted Billy and Tanya in helping the Terran Rangers in their quest to protect Earth.

Adam Park - Green Terran Ranger

Adam is shy, sensitive and spiritual. His training has made him a disciplined and efficient fighter specializing in Shaolin Kung-Fu. He first met the Rangers while attempting to save a child in danger alongside of them. Originally from Stone Canyon, Adam moved to Angel Grove and transferred to Angel Grove High School. By fighting Zedd's forces with the Power Rangers, Adam proved himself to be a suitable replacement for Zack as the Black Ranger. Zack transferred his powers to Adam using the Sword of Light. Upon losing those powers, he then gained the new powers of the Green Terran Rangers. Green Terran Ranger's power weapon is the Wind Shield. His weapon combined with the others to form the Power Blaster. As Green Terran Ranger, Adam gained enhanced strength, speed, durability, and limited energy projection. Recently, Adam has experienced complications with his heart making him unable to continue on as the Green Terran Ranger. He has joined Billy, Tanya and Rocky in helping the Rangers from the CAC.

Amanda Darling

Alexis’ mother. She’s a very caring and determined individual. After divorcing her husband, she only wanted what was best for her two daughters, Alexis and Denise. When Amanda was transferred to Angel Grove for her job, Alexis moved with her. Currently they are back in Philadelphia to help her other daughter, Denise and Denise’s son, Johnathan during Denise’s trying times.

Denise Johnson

Alexis’ older sister. She stayed in Philadelphia while her sister and mother moved to Angel Grove to pursue her law degree. She, like her mother is a very caring and determined individual, despite her illness. She is willing to put everything on the line in order to protect her mother, sister and especially her son, Johnathan while struggling with the AIDs virus.

Johnathan Johnson

Denise’s son. Not much is known about this youngster quite yet. All that is known is that he can be quite a handful when it comes to her aunt Alexis who watches him quite frequently. Having seen that his mother has become sick, he has also been a devout son, never really wanting to leave his mother’s side and always worrying for her well-being.

Bulk and Skull

Bulk and Skull are Angel Grove High's resident punks, bullying those smaller than them, and always coming up with schemes to get fame or fortune, like finding out the identities of the Power Rangers.

Ernie

Ernie is the owner of the Angel Grove Youth Center, the most popular hang out spot for the teens of Angel Grove. Ernie is generous and good-natured, often giving out free drinks and food for special occasions, and helping out his customers if they need it.

Ms. Appleby

Ms. Appleby is one of Angel Grove's most dedicated and tolerant teachers. She constantly put up with the wacky antics of Bulk and Skull, and seems to have them in every subject she teaches.

Mr. Caplan

Mr. Caplan believes in three things- detention, wearing a toupee, and detention. A strict disciplinarian, Mr. Caplan never hesitates in issuing detention to those who deserve it. He loves seeing the students do things for the community and for the environment and does his best to encourage them all do it.

Angela

Zack attempted to gain the affections of Angela, often to no avail. She would turn him down several times before conceding to go on a date with him. When their date was ruined by a monster attack, Zack's chances with Angela seemed slim. However, he refused to give up and succeeded in making amends with her after several ruined attempts, earning a kiss on a lips for his efforts.

Villains of the Terran Rangers

Lord Zedd

Disgusted at Rita's performance at attempting to conquer Earth, Zedd came to the Moon himself to get rid of Rita and do the job right himself, but would also be unsuccessful. Rita found her way back to the Moon, and placed Zedd under a love spell. The two got married, and continued to fail at world domination.

Rita Repulsa

A feared sorceress, Rita attempts to conquer all in sight. After being released from a dumpster in which Zordon imprisoned her in a final battle, she tried to conquer Earth, with her crew. Rita had no luck however, being defeated by the Rangers time and time again.

Goldar

Goldar is Rita's top warrior. He frequently accompanies monsters to Angel Grove, and holds his own against the Rangers.

Squatt and Babboo

Rita's two bumbling henchmen do their best to help their mistress in her war against the Rangers, but usually end up screwing up.

Finster

Finster was part magician, part scientist. He created Putties and monsters for Rita, along with the occasional technological device. Finster was very easy going and gentle by nature.

Z Putties

When Lord Zedd arrived, he brought with him the Z Putty Patrol, which were more powerful than any previous putties, and had to be hit in the Z spot to be destroyed.

About the Author

Heather Ray lives in Logansport, Indiana where she enjoys spending time with family and friends. In her spare time when she isn't reading, writing, going to school at the local college of Ivy Tech Community College or working on various art projects, she enjoys swimming and playing basketball with the Special Olympics, watching movies with her god daughter, Lucy, (who happens to be the reason why Heather decided to transfer the fanfiction that she originally wrote this and other book series' into books!)

, acting with the local theater troupe in her hometown, singing, and working on her voice over work.

Her favorite book series includes The House of Night, Peter and the Starcatchers, Daughters of the Moon, The Nick Chronicles

(among other Dark Hunters books!)

, the Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings Book Series, the Harry Potter series, the Sookie Stackhouse series

, and she is also a bit of a comics 'nerd'

with her love for X-Men, Batman, Avengers,

just to name a few of her favorite comics. She also enjoys reading several mangas which include Chobits, Ceres Celestial Legend, Vampire Knight,

and Sailor Moon

!

Not only does she enjoy reading, as is stated above, she also loves watching movies and various TV Shows. Her favorite TV Shows include True Blood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel

, all the seasons of Power Rangers, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Doctor Who

and Once Upon a Time

. Her favorite movies include all the Star Wars

movies, all the Star Trek

movies, the Lord of the Rings

trilogy (she is really looking forward to see The Hobbit

soon!)

, all the Marvel Comics

movies, the Chronicles of Narnia

movies and all the Harry Potter

movies! She also enjoys several animes including Chobits, Ceres Celestial Legend, Rosario Vampire, Vampire Knight,

and her favorite: Sailor Moon

(she is a bit obsessed with Sailor Moon what with not only enjoying the anime but also the live action series from Japan, and the musical series: Sera Myu

! She also cannot wait for the new anime series of Sailor Moon that is due out in a year!)

When she isn't at home writing or spending time with her friends and family, Heather can be found going around her home town (where she picked up a lot of her ideas for these books)

or at her local library, picking up new ideas for her next book!

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 08.08.2012

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