Dying Ember

    Tommy woke up slowly. There was something heavy leaning on him from behind and a weight across his waist. Looking down, he saw an arm. The night before flashed back to him. Kimberly had come back to take Katherine's place as Pink Turbo. She had stopped by last night to check on him and offer support. She ended up staying the whole night as they had both been worn out, Kimberly from the plane trip and Tommy from his tears.
    Kim was always like that, Tommy mused. Always willing to help somebody out. She even helped Katherine when she didn't know what Kat was trying to do to her. The memories of when Katherine had been less than perfect surfaced in Tommy's mind. He and Katherine had had a lot in common, as both of them had been used as pawns of evil. He had cared for Katherine deeply, seeing her as an aspect of himself.
    Tommy turned his head around to watch Kimberly sleep. He was a bit shocked to feel the jolt of pure emotion run through him. I loved Kat, he thought. I really did, but what I felt--feel--for Kim is something so different. I never felt like that with anyone.
    Kimberly could feel Tommy watching her. She kept her eyes closed, though, and pretended to be asleep. I've missed you, Tommy, she thought. I didn't want to let you know, but I did miss you. You may not have wanted me to come back to Angel Grove and take up the powers again, but I had to. I couldn't refuse the powers. Something inside wouldn't let me. Being the Pink Ranger is what I was meant to do, and it--as well as you--mean more to me than anything else. More than the Pan Globals, more than France, more than anything. She decided to let Tommy know she was awake by stretching.
    "Morning," he murmured.
    "Yep." She looked into his deep brown eyes as he gazed into her hazel ones, and they knew that whatever secrets they had from each other, were now known.

    As it was Saturday, the teens gathered in the youth center. Aisha greeted Kimberly with a strong hug. "It's good to have you back, Kim," she said.
    "Yeah, I've missed everybody here. Especially you, Aisha. How was Africa?"
    "Oh, it wasn't Angel Grove."
    "No place is."
    Tommy listened to the girls' conversation. Yeah, no place is Angel Grove, he thought. Other places you only have to worry about human threats or occasional animal threats. Here, it's crazed space aliens attacking every other day. Lost in his musings, he didn't see Lieutenant Stone enter the juice bar.
    "Hello, kids," Lieutenant Stone said.
    "Hello, Lieutenant."
    "I was real sorry to hear about all of your recent losses," Lieutenant Stone started. "The captain, however, thinks there might be a connection between the deaths. All from the same group of friends, all suffering brutal deaths, plus the fact that the deaths are so close together."
    "What does the captain think?" Jason asked.
    "He's not sure, especially since nobody's ever been killed by one of these monsters before. I was hoping some of you might know a little more on the topic."
    Tommy and Rocky exchanged nervous glances. "Sir, we weren't there when the deaths occurred. It's as much of a mystery to us as it is to you," Rocky said.
    "Maybe they were Power Rangers," Zack said, straight-faced.
    Lieutenant Stone looked grim. "I hope not."
    "Why?" Kimberly asked.
    "If a Power Ranger could be killed by a monster, then I'd say there's little to no hope left for Angel Grove." Lieutenant Stone tipped his hat to the group. "If you find out anything at all about these deaths, please come to the station. Take care." With that, he left.
    The teens looked at each other, worried. "You don't think the police are really going to investigate, do you?" Kimberly asked.
    "I don't know. Adam's dad's on the force. He might be willing to support an investigation. After all, the Power Rangers didn't give him much of an explanation," Aisha said.
    "How could we? What were we supposed to say? 'Mr. Park, Mrs. Park, your son just died because he was a Power Ranger.' That wouldn't have cut it, either," Rocky said, muffled because his head was on the table.
    "Rocky's right. We did the best we could." Tommy said. "It's been hard on all of us."
    Kimberly looked at the group of friends she had been away from for so long. Outwardly, they looked the same for the most part, but she knew that inside, they had changed greatly. Zack, Rocky, and Aisha didn't smile and laugh as easily as they once did. Tommy and Jason seemed harder, their faces more stern. The tragedy was beginning to take its toll on the young warriors.

    On the moon, Rita watched the teens as they talked to cover the grief they felt. I have to admit, she thought grudgingly, Zedd's plan is working. She looked over to where her husband sat perusing the ancient text. Perhaps he isn't all that bad after all.
    Zedd could feel Rita's scrutiny. Instead of acknowledging her gaze, however, he continued to search the text for the next creature.     "Rita," he finally said. "Come, join me in choosing the next monster."
    With a swish of skirts, she joined him at the table. "Well, what's left?"
    "I was thinking of perhaps this one." Zedd showed Rita the picture. "It's the Metal Medusa." Rita looked over the designs.
    "I like it, Zeddy. I really do."
    "I'll send the specifications to the Machine Empire in the morning."

    Aisha stretched before beginning her workout. However, she didn't enjoy the ritual warm up as much as she usually did. Before, it had been a joy to feel the pull, the tension, the slight ache in her muscles that let her know she was alive and feeling. Today, those same things reminded her of death. Adam's death, in particular. She hadn't really known any of the others. Justin she had never met. Tanya she had only known for a few hours.
    "Isn't it ironic," she muttered, "that Kat is the only other one I could really feel sorrow for." Aisha grimaced as she stretched her hamstrings. Kat had never been one of her favorite people, and now Kat was gone. She'll be buried tomorrow, Aisha thought. I'll have to go to the funeral with everyone. Tommy might not sit with Kim, because it would cause people to talk. But then again, he needs her support. None of us really understands Tommy the way Kim did. I don't even think Kat did. She tried though. I'll give her that. Aisha stopped her stretching. What's the point of working out? she thought. I think I'll just go home. Maybe I'll stop by the cemetery on the way.
    On her way to the cemetery, Aisha stopped at the corner store and bought a few packets of flower seeds. Once there, she sat and stared at Adam's headstone for a while. The tissue paper flowers hadn't survived the last rainstorm intact; their bright colors had bled and muddied together, the paper itself torn and tattered. Something had scattered the cookies and torn up the paper plate, and the cans of Mountain Dew had fallen over. Some of the notes attached to the headstone still fluttered bravely in the ocean breeze. The wildflower seeds Rocky had sprinkled were starting to take root in the soft soil. Aisha opened one of the packets she had brought and gently sprinkled the seeds near the headstone. She sat down again, tears starting to fall. She was getting ready to leave when a movement near the grave caught her eye. Aisha turned to see what it was.
    Sitting on the base of Adam's headstone, blinking at her, was a small black frog with green stripes on its back. Aisha and the frog looked at each other for a few minutes, then the frog leapt away. Aisha wiped her tears away, staring at the frog with disbelief. Then, she giggled.
    "Leave it to Adam," she murmured through the giggles. "He would find a way to let us know he was all right, even if he did have to call on his spirit animal." She smoothed the soil over the seeds and moved on. The next grave she visited was Tanya's. She sprinkled some more seeds on her grave, and as she did, a large salamander skittered out from behind the headstone. Aisha recognized it as a Pacific Giant salamander. The black mottling on its golden body was the key. She looked at it for a few moments before dismissing it as nothing.
    She then visited Justin's place of rest. A large blue jay squawked at her, then noisily flew away as she sprinkled her seeds. Finally, she came to Kat's grave.
    "I don't know why I'm here," she muttered. "You know I never really liked you. I know it, too. Why I'm putting forget-me-nots on your grave I'll never know." Aisha sprinkled the last of her seeds over Kat's grave. A sparrow flew down and landed on the headstone, cocked its head at Aisha, then flew away. Aisha noticed a feather floating down. Curious, she picked it up.
    The feather was pink.

    "My dear," Zedd exclaimed. "King Mondo has arrived with the Metal Medusa!"
    Rita hurried over to see the latest creation. "She's hideous! Perfect!" Rita exclaimed, looking at the coiled metal hair and long steel talons of the monster. "Let's send her right away!"
    Zedd and Rita chanted the now-familiar incantation and sent the beast to Earth.

    Alarms sounded through the Power Chamber. Without waiting for Zordon's command, Alpha signaled the Rangers.
    The five gathered in the Chamber, Aisha still holding the pink feather. "Rangers," the weary head droned. "This is the Metal Medusa. Beware her talons and her tentacle hair."
    "No time for a pep talk," Tommy sighed. "Let's shift into Turbo."

    "Ahh, Rangers!" the creature squealed. "Finally, you've arrived!"
    "You're going down, bitch!" Tommy snarled. "Too many of your kind have shown up lately. Your masters haven't even let one body get cold before we have another one to take care of. This time, you're going to feel the sting of Turbo Power!" Tommy and the others shot their Auto Blasters at Metal Medusa.
    "Try harder!" she growled, tentacles shooting towards Tommy. With one slice of his Turbo sword, the tentacles fell to the ground.
    "How about a manicure?" Kimberly called out, shooting Wind Chaser at the talons. However, Medusa just reflected the bolt back, striking Kimberly on the shoulder.
    "You bitch!" Aisha and Tommy both screamed. Together, they rushed Metal Medusa. Aisha reached her first, letting off a blast from her Star Charges.
    With one scoop of Medusa's hand, Aisha was hoisted off the ground, talons through her abdomen. With her other hand, Medusa knocked off the Turbo morpher, knocking Tommy to the ground.
    "Aisha!" Kimberly screamed. She repeatedly blasted Medusa with Wind Fire.
    Zack readied his Turbo cannons and fired at Medusa. All his blast did was jar her enough that Aisha slipped on the talons, the sharp edges slicing through her ribs.
    Tommy got up from where he fell in his first charge. With a cry of anguish, he raised his sword. "You heartless metal bitch," he gritted out. "Die!" he screamed as his blade swung true, slicing the talons from Medusa's hand.
    As Medusa shrieked in agony, Zack rushed forward to catch Aisha as she fell. Kimberly, Tommy, and Rocky combined their charges, blasting the Metal Medusa into a pile too small for recycling.
    "Aisha," Kimberly moaned. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, holding her friend's hand.
    "Kim," Aisha mouthed. Her lungs had been torn in the attack, so she had no breath to speak. "Remember...... all......." she grew weaker and Kimberly had to strain to make out the words, "...our...... fun." With that, Aisha gave herself over to the blackness and the raw comfort of death.
    Rocky stood, tears streaming under his helmet. "Let's go," he choked out, taking Aisha's body from Zack.

    In the Power Chamber, hours after Aisha's body had been delivered to her parents, Tommy, Zack, Rocky, and Kimberly greeted the new Yellow Turbo Ranger.
    "It's good to have you back, Trini," Kimberly sobbed, hugging her old friend fiercely.
    "It's good to be back, Kimberly. I'm so sorry it had to be this way," Trini whispered, hugging Kimberly just as hard.