Get Out of Here

    Kim,
        Hey, it's been a while, hasn't it?  Lots of changes have been going on
    around here.  I wanted to write earlier, but we had some Orb of Doom
    troubles.  It got me wondering if the effects were localized, or of you felt
    them in Miami, too.  Anyway, remember the Zeo Crystal that Zordon had
    us find, shatter, and scatter?  Well, we had to quest, find, and reform the
    dang thing to cancel out the Orb of Doom and to get new powers after
    Goldar and Rito destroyed our power coins.  It's a long story; call me
    sometime and I'll try to tell you the whole thing.
        In summary, though, Aisha's in Africa now, and a girl named Tanya's
    the new Yellow Ranger.  Billy--well, he had some problems.  There were only
    five sections of crystal, and six people.  Plus, because of the snafu with the
    Power Coins--I really have to get around to writing this whole story down,
    but not now--he couldn't quest, so none of the sections were attuned to him.
    So he kind of was shunted out of being a Ranger.  After a whole lot of
    confusing situations, he ended up on Aquitar.  Permanently.  But he says
    he's happy now.  Tommy, Rocky, Kat and I are all hanging in there.
        Oh, did Tommy tell you about David?  Turns out Tommy had a long-lost
    brother.  He's an okay guy, and he knows about us, after a run-in with the
    villains of the moment.
        The atmosphere around here is so different.  I don't know if you'd recognize
    AG if you came back.  Tommy and Kat have been working together on a
    number of projects, including a family one they did for health class.
        Kim, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think Kat still has her crush
    on Tommy.  And without you around, I think he's starting to like her as more
    than a friend.  I know he still loves you--he talks about you all the time--but
    it's rough on him.  He's agreed to take Kat to the dance this Friday, and I'm
    afraid that if she gets her wish, they'll be dating seriously by month's end.
        If there's any way you could come back to AG for a weekend or more, try
    to. Or find a way to let Tommy know you're still thinking about him, so he
    doesn't forget.  You understand his memory better than any of us.
        We all miss you, Kim.  I hate to have to tell you this, but someone had to.
    Good luck with your training, by the way.  You haven't said anything about
    it, so I'll assume we'll all be rooting for you to grab gold this summer.
                                                                                                    Adam

    Kim set the paper on her bed.  Tommy and...Kat?  I knew she liked him, but I didn't think she'd try to take him from me.  She stretched out, looking at the ceiling, curling her toes.  Not that it'd be that hard.  I've been so busy with my training, I haven't had time to write, or call, or anything.  Maybe I'm being selfish, trying to hold on to him from across the country.  Maybe...
    She rolled over and grabbed the cordless phone from beside her bed and punched in the familiar digits of Tommy's phone number.
    "Hello?"
    "Hi, Mrs. Oliver, it's Kim.  Is Tommy there?"
    "Oh, hi, Kim.  No, you just missed him.  He and Katherine were meeting for something.  Do you want me to have him call you back?"
    "Um, no, that's okay, Mrs. Oliver.  I'll try back later.  Thanks anyway."
    "All right, Kimberly.  Is everything okay there?"
    "Everything's fine."
    She hung up the phone and re-read Adam's letter.  A knock sounded on her door.  She stuffed the letter under her pillow and padded across the room to answer it.
    "Oh, hi, Brian."
    "What a way to greet a friend."  He stepped in and flopped across Miranda's leaky tie-dyed beanbag chair.  "So, we still on for tonight?"
    "Tonight?"
    "Helping Miranda with her twist, then working on your vaults.  Remember?"
    "Oh yeah, those.  Sorry.  I got some news from home and it...never mind.  Why don't you and Miranda start; I'll catch up with you in a bit.  I need to write a letter."

        Dear Tommy,
            ...I've met someone.  You'd really like him; he's a lot like you.  You'll
        always be like a brother to me...