Skull stared at the two objects on the shelf. Both items held incredible meaning to him. The first was simply a photograph in a frame. It captured forever one of the most memorable days of his life. In it, he and Bulk were posing together in their new Junior Police Patrol uniforms. Bulk had no hair, and he himself had very little left. True, they had not passed the training programs with flying colors; they had in fact just barely squeaked by. But they had passed. That day, standing in that field for the ceremony, as his friends from Angel Grove High School cheered, he had felt on top of the world.
The other object on the shelf brought exactly the opposite feelings. It was simply a folded piece of paper, in a shiny gold color - nothing too special about that. It shouldn't have been able to represent all the things that it did. A lifelong friend, gone too soon. Lost opportunities. Missed chances. The death of a dream. That simple piece of paper was one of the single defining moments of his young life - it was his passport to go on board Terra Venture, which had left without him.
It had been a week now since Terra Venture had left, taking with it Skull's lifelong friend as well as his lifelong love. Yes, Kimberly Hart had journeyed on Terra Venture as well, as Skull had discovered only two days ago. Of course, he had heard that Kim and Tommy Oliver were dating again, with some serious talk of marriage, but Skull had still had his secret dream inside that she would one day return his love.
Of course, that dream had come to an apparent death the same day he had completely forgotten to wake up on time. Sure, his alarm clock had gone off, as it should have, but only one of them. His second alarm clock, which did the majority of the work in waking him up, had not gone off. That was the reason that he had missed the final shuttle.
"Oh, Bulkie. Why hadn't you called me before you and the Professor left? If only you had . . . I wouldn't be so alone now," Skull said, staring morosely at the photograph. "Oh, I can't blame you. If anyone is to blame, it's me. It's completely my fault. Of course, little good that does me now. You're off having a great time, and I'm talking to an empty apartment."
He was truly alone now. When he and Bulk had gotten the apartment together, his parents were so glad that he had finally moved out, they moved too. To Russia. Something about 'getting in touch with their roots.' Skull knew that he had definitely been an unwanted pregnancy, and subsequently, an unwanted child. He had always wondered if that was what had led to his name being Eugene. They were punishing themselves through their child. Skull was also the only child his parents had had - he had given up hope of ever having a sibling when, at the age of five, he had overheard a conversation between his parents. Nineteen years later, and he could still remember it verbatim.
"Chris just called," his father said, unintentionally waking Skull up from where he had fallen asleep behind the couch. "That wife of his, Amy, is pregnant again."
"Again?!?" his mother had asked, disbelief and disgust in her voice. "Little Mike is only, what, two?"
"Yeah, he's two. Chris was actually expecting congratulations from me," his father replied, amused.
"For doing what? Bringing another brat into the world? We only have the one, and that's one too many."
Skull's cousin Leo was born just six months later. Over the years, on the rare occasions that Skull had visited his cousins, he had envied Mike and Leo for having each other. Uncle Chris and Aunt Amy had been like parents to him, providing the love that was sorely lacking from his own house. Unfortunately, Chris and Amy had been killed in a freak car accident only last year, when they were hit broadside at a stoplight by a semi whose brakes hadn't worked. Then Mike, with his high rank in the GSA, had left on Terra Venture, as should have Skull. The day it left, Skull had stopped by to visit Leo, only to discover that Leo was gone too. Recalling his younger cousin's bitterness at not being selected, Skull wouldn't put it past him to have snuck on board.
Skull was truly alone.
He took one final look on the objects on the shelf, then left the room. It wasn't doing anything but depress him, and he had the entire rest of life to be depressed about missing Terra Venture. Now, he had work to do. Mary Ellen Larson, an acquaintance of Lieutenant Stone's, had hired him to play the piano at a small recital. The music had been dropped off yesterday, and the recital was in two days. Now was the perfect time to work on it - when he was playing, nothing else entered his mind. He could close off the world and forget about everything except the music. He quickly crossed to the piano and got down to work.
Roughly thirty minutes later, he was jerked from his haven by a noise. The phone was ringing, and he got the feeling that it had been for a while. That was such an infrequent event that Skull raced to the phone, almost tripping over a small end table, anxious to answer before whomever it was up.
"Hello?" he asked, happy to talk to someone, anyone, even a telemarketer.
"Skull? Is that you?" a male voice asked, over a bad connection. The voice was familiar, but he couldn't place it.
"Yeah, it is. Who's this?" he questioned in return, taking a seat.
"It's . . . Leo," the voice answered, with a pause.
"LEO?! But I thought you were on Terra Venture? Why are you calling? How are you calling?" Skull couldn't help but ask.
"Listen, Skull, I have the best news. I am on Terra Venture, like you thought. But there's this kid that the Power Rangers are bringing back to Earth for some reason, and the Blue Ranger told me that they would be willing to take you back with them!"
"You know the Power Rangers?" Skull couldn't help but ask.
"No!" Leo denied quickly. Almost too quickly. "That was why it completely shocked me when the blue one stopped by and mentioned he knew that my cousin had been left back on Earth," Leo said in a manner that he hoped sounded truthful and surprised. It must have worked, because Skull seemed to believe him.
"You must have been complaining about it in public or something," Skull mused.
"That must have been it. Look, I only have 30 seconds before I lose the connection. They're on their way back to Earth now. They're in the MegaShip. They'll land in the old location of the MegaShip museum. If you want a ride to Terra Venture, meet them there at 7:00 p.m. tonight. Oh, and Skull? This truly is your last chance. Seven p.m.. Gotta go. Hope I hear from you so-" the connection was lost, cutting Leo off in mid-goodbye.
Skull continued to hold the phone in shock. The Power Rangers were coming back to Earth? To pick him up? In the MegaShip? Tonight?
Although Skull, in his heart of hearts, wanted to believe, he knew that there was no way Leo could be telling the truth. He probably hadn't snuck on board after all, but was out partying with some friends and had called his cousin on a dare.
Yet, if by some miracle it was true, then he was being given one last chance to go on the space colony. If it were true, then he wouldn't have to spend the rest of his life alone, dreaming of what might have been. If it was true, he could see his best friend again. If it was true, he could see Kim again. If it was true . . .
And even if it wasn't, where was the harm in waiting in that spot tonight at 7 p.m.? If it were purely a hoax, then at least he would have tried. And if it was true . . .
If it was true, he had some things to do in the meantime! He had to call Mary Ellen Larson and let her know that he couldn't play for her recital. He had to call his parents and say goodbye forever. He had to pack! There was a two-suitcase limit, and he had an apartment full! He had packed initially, of course, but when he overslept and missed the shuttle, he had unpacked and put everything away. He had to say, goodbye, forever, to Earth. And he only had four hours to do it in.
Two hours later, Skull had called his parents, Mary Ellen, his landlord, and Lieutenant Stone. He had stopped by his bank and closed all accounts. All he had left to do was pack. He went back through the apartment, trying to recall what he had packed originally, and what was to be left behind. With the two-bag limit, he knew that he was not going to waste precious room with clothing, when it could easily be purchased on Terra Venture. He knew he could leave his sheet music for the piano behind, because Terra Venture also had a very extensive music department - they wanted to make sure the new world had some culture. He had often wondered in recent months if the reason that he had been selected had to do with his musical talent. He knew that the official reason was that he and Bulk were essential assistants to Professor Phenomenus, but that seemed a bit too simple. Especially since he got the impression that the entire GSA was only humoring the Professor.
But now was not the time to think about that. He had the whole long journey on Terra Venture, not to mention the rest of his life, to ponder why he was chosen. Now, he had only two hours to pack and get his self to NASADA, where the MegaShip had once been enshrined as a museum. It was a five-minute drive, and he wanted to be early, which led him to the conclusion that he only had an hour and a half left!
Skull quickly moved about his apartment, gathering the things he simply could not leave behind. The scrapbook from high school went in first. Along with his old bandana/collar. The framed picture from the Junior Police Patrol Ceremony went in next, along with his badge and a lock of his own hair from the big haircut. A picture of himself with the Corbett family. His entire secret collection of Power Ranger action figures. A few changes of clothes. The standard issue uniform for the Research Department. The miniature skull Bulk had given him on his tenth birthday. His attempts at composing. His photo album chronicling his friendship with Bulk, along with other such items. His money from the bank. His clothes from the day Kim and Trini had deliberately shrunk them. And a necklace, with a small charm of a balance beam. Suddenly Skull was awash in memories.
Eight years ago . . .
"Oh, Skull. How could I ever have gone out with that loser Tommy?" Kimberly asked him, as they walked through the park, holding hands.
"I don't know. But now we're together, and that's all that matters," he replied, stopping to give her a hug.
"That's the most important part," she reciprocated, playing with her necklace. Abruptly, she stopped fingering the necklace and took it off, placing it in Skull's hand. "Skull, I want you to have this. I know that you always wanted to be a gymnast, and that you were never able to. Also, so that you'll never forget me. No matter what happens, you'll always have a part of me."
Skull didn't know what to say; he was just so surprised. Kim closed her hands over his, making it impossible for him to give it back. He was further surprised when she raised herself up and quickly kissed him on the cheek.
Skull stopped Kim as she tried to pull away. He looked down, staring deeply into her brown eyes. "I should give you something too." He released one of her hands only long enough to reach up to his own ear and remove an earring. It was, appropriately, a small skull hanging from a small chain. He placed it in the hand he had just released, and closed her fingers around it, as she had done with his. "There. Now you have a part of me as well," he said, his voice hoarse with emotion, before giving her a small kiss on the cheek.
Kim smiled shyly, then pulled him forward. "Come on, we were walking!"
Skull couldn't help but laugh as the petite brunette all but dragged him across the park, thinking to himself that this day couldn't get any better!
He had been right. The day had not gotten any better. In fact, it had gotten much worse. The walk in the park turned out to the highlight of the day. Later, back at school, just after the final bell, Kim had suddenly abandoned him in the hallway and ran back to Tommy. At the Junior Police Patrol dance that night, she had apologized for her behavior, but she had never explained. She had only said that they could still be friends. In fact, they had become friends, in a way. Of course, Kim had moved to Florida to train soon after that. But before she left, she had treated him better than the usual brush-offs she had given him in the past.
He had never understood just why she had spent that day with him. It was singularly the best day of his life, right up there with graduating from the Junior Police Patrol Academy. Skull couldn't help it; he moved instinctively to the desk in the corner of his bedroom. He opened the bottom drawer and removed the false back. He carefully removed the painting he had hidden there so long ago.
The painting was a product of that same walk through the park. On their way back to the school, they had passed a portrait artist who was painting portraits of passerbys and others for a small fee. Kim had thought it was a great idea, and the two of them had posed for the artist. It had taken the entire break period, and it was not finished by the time they had to leave to get to class on time. Skull had promised the artist that they would be back that afternoon to pick it up. As it had turned out, Skull had gone back to the park alone. Thankfully, the artist had returned as well, after the park had been evacuated for another monster attack.
In the painting itself, he and Kim were seated next to each other on one of the many park benches. He wore his regular Junior Police Patrol uniform, and she had on a pink T-shirt and a pair of short overalls. He had his left arm draped across her shoulders, and her right arm was circling his waist. The artist had perfectly captured the love coming from both of their eyes. Skull simply did not understand how Kim could act so completely in love with him, and then simply turn it off.
Skull checked his watch. He was going to be late! He quickly grabbed the painting and placed it into one of his bags, carefully wrapping it in a few paper towels first. He took the other bag and ran to the bathroom. He grabbed some items and threw them in: razors, shampoo, conditioner, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a hairbrush, a comb, styling gel, deodorant, shaving cream, suntan lotion, a few hair ties (in case he decided to REALLY let his hair grow) and a bar of soap. In the kitchen, he threw in some nonperishable food for the journey: gum, saltine crackers, marshmallows and some bottled water.
Back in the bedroom, he did a quick and final search, looking everywhere, making sure nothing vital was left behind. Under his bed, he found his old hat with the question mark on it; that went in a bag. In the back of his closet, he found a newspaper article. Scanning it, he realized that it was the article Bulk had given him as a joke; it was about Kimberly winning a gold medal on beam in the Pan Globals. Bulk had said at the time that since Skull couldn't have her, he could use this to start a shrine. Skull had laughed with Bulk at the time, but he had always kept it. He thought it was in his scrapbook from high school; it must have fallen out. He carefully placed the clipping between pages of the scrapbook, and closed both bags. He turned and left the room, only to quickly return. He grabbed his passport off the shelf, along with the packet of information that had come with the passport, then left again. "Can't forget this!" he grinned.
Skull looked around the apartment. This was it. He turned off the lights, then moved out into the hallway and locked the door. He slipped the key under the door, turned and left the building. There was no going back now.
The drive to NASADA went by too quickly. It was hard to believe that this was more than likely going to be the last time that he would ever drive down this road again. It would be the last time that he drove this car. He was really leaving. He was never coming back.
He drove past all sorts of landmarks, memorizing them so that they would never be forgotten. The park, the high school, his old house, the Youth Center turned Surf Spot. The park had become a great place for people of all ages again in the past few years; the monster attacks had completely stopped. There hadn't been a genuine monster attack in Angel Grove since the big "Countdown," as the media had dubbed the fantastic series of events that culminated in the revelation of the Space Rangers identities and the defeat of all evil in the universe.
All too soon, Skull found himself at NASADA. He drove carefully around to where the MegaShip museum had been located. There was already a car waiting in the lot, which he immediately recognized as belonging to Lieutenant Stone. He carefully parked next to the other car, and climbed out.
"Skullovitch! It's great to see you! You remember my cousin Joe, don't you? He's going to be driving my car home, since you're giving me yours," Lt. Stone asked, greeting Skull and motioning to the third man that had been waiting inside the car.
The man looked familiar. "Um, wasn't he one of the many people who you got to hire Bulk and me that summer after graduation?"
Joe laughed. "You got that right. You two were supposed to direct traffic away from some wet cement. To make this short, it didn't quite work out that way."
Skull had to laugh along with Joe. "You're right. We were pretty bad at practically everything we did that summer. I have no idea why that always worked out that way, but we simply could not keep a job."
"Well, Skullovitch," Lt. Stone stated, "I can't believe you're actually leaving. It is definitely going to be different without having you and Bulkmeier around. You must be thrilled that the Power Rangers are coming back for you. Do you know why?"
Skull suspected that Leo was in fact a ranger - how else would the rangers have known that Skull had been left behind accidentally? However, that was something he would need to confront Leo about, not something to mention now to Lt. Stone. "Well sir, I got a phone call from my cousin, who claimed that the Blue Ranger had offered to pick me up, since they were coming back to Earth anyway. That's pretty nice of them, in my opinion."
"Certainly sounds like it. Odd that they would know about you, isn't it?" Joe couldn't help but contribute.
"That's what I thought. My cousin Leo said that he thought the Blue Ranger must have overheard him complaining about it at some point. That's really the only way it could work," Skull said, doing his best to mislead them, since it had in fact been his idea that the rangers had overheard Leo.
The three settled into a comfortable silence, waiting for it to be 7 p.m. At about ten minutes before the hour, another car drove into the lot. Surprised, the three men turned around. A red-haired woman stepped out the car, and looked at the three quizzically.
"Who are you? The press? Because I'm not saying anything," the woman said, her hands clenched onto her car door.
The three looked at each other and saw their own confusion reflected on the faces of the other two. "No, ma'am," Lt. Stone said, spreading his arms wide. "We are definitely not the press. I am Jerome Stone, a former police lieutenant. This is my cousin Joe, and my friend Skullovitch. We're here to..." he trailed off, glancing at Skull, unsure of how much to reveal.
"I'm Anne Wipperfurth," the woman replied, reaching out and shaking each of their hands. "Are you here to meet the MegaShip?" Anne asked.
"Um, yeah. How'd you know?" Skull queried, amazed.
"Oh," Anne replied with a slight frown. "I thought it was just Matthew they were bringing back. Who are you waiting for?"
Suddenly, Skull understood. Leo had mentioned that the Power Rangers were bringing some kid back with them, then would take Skull back to Terra Venture. "We're not meeting anyone. I got a phone call from my cousin on Terra Venture, saying that the Power Rangers were coming back. I was originally supposed to go, but I missed the last shuttle. Apparently, since the Rangers were coming back, my cousin somehow maneuvered to get me a ride. I was sure it had to be a joke, but it's beginning to look like it's actually going to happen."
Anne brightened. "Aren't those Power Rangers so nice? Hard to believe that there's another set of them out there. It's been so long since we've needed them."
"Five years. It seems like it was just yesterday," Skull said wistfully.
Lt. Stone opened his mouth to say something, than abruptly shut it. "Skullovitch, I think the MegaShip is here. I guess it's not a joke. You're really going to get to go on Terra Venture."
The other three turned, and sure enough, something was lowering itself in the night sky. As they watched, it became bigger and bigger, clearly identifying it as the MegaShip. A roar grew louder and louder as the MegaShip got closer and closer. Finally, it landed about fifty feet away from the three cars, and the roar subsided into a soft hum. A pair of doors opened along the side, and a young boy in green overalls ran out.
"Mom!" the boy yelled, running toward the three men and the woman. As soon as he yelled, Anne's face brightened incredibly, and she ran to the boy, who was obviously Matthew.
Skull, watching the reunion between mother and son, took his two bags from the car and began the walk across the field to the MegaShip with Joe and Lt. Stone.
At the entrance to the MegaShip, the five rangers watched the happy reunion. "Now remember, Kai," Leo said, "you have to do all of the talking. If I say anything, Skull will recognize me for sure."
Kai nodded. "That's your cousin? The former member of the Junior Police Patrol? He doesn't look it," he commented, eyeing Skull's scruffy leather jacket.
"Hey, he just dresses how he wants to. I happen to like his outfit," Leo said, rising to his cousin's defense.
"Whatever," Kai said, resisting the urge to comment about how alike the cousins' outfits were as he turned to Damon. "Hey, Damon, didn't you want to stop by your house and explain what happened?"
Damon nodded emphatically. "You bet! I just went to work one day, and then found myself on Terra Venture. There's some stuff I have to get!"
"Well," Leo said, "you could always borrow my cousin's car."
Kendrix quickly hushed the three male Rangers, since Skull and the other two men could be seen making their way across the field. "Quiet, you three, if you have any hope of keeping our identities a secret."
The male rangers nodded, and waited for the other three men to arrive.
Skull walked confidently across the field with Lt. Stone and Joe. He could see conversation going on between the Red, Blue and Green Rangers, but was too far away to hear them. The Pink Ranger nudged the three of them, so all was silent by the time Skull reached the Rangers. He couldn't help but notice that, once again, the suits were different. The ever-present spandex was still there, of course, but the entire upper half of each ranger was in white, rather than their ranger color. Directly above the waist was a black line, almost like a series of W's all connected. There were five rangers, not six, and a green one instead of a black one.
Skull was trying to think of something to say - an opening, a way to say thanks - when the Green Ranger suddenly blurted out "Can I borrow your car for about ten minutes?"
At that, everyone except the Green Ranger burst out laughing. "Sure. Just don't wreck it," Skull said with a grin, fishing the keys out of his pocket. "I already promised it to one of my friends."
The Green Ranger happily took the keys and sprinted across the field, only to stop at the three cars. "WHICH ONE IS IT??" he yelled across the field.
"THE BLACK ONE!!" Skull yelled back.
The Green Ranger happily got in Skull's car and peeled away, waving out the window.
"Thanks a lot for letting him borrow it," the Yellow Ranger said. "He didn't know he would be going on Terra Venture until completely the last minute, and he needs to pick up some things from home."
"I'm glad to help out, especially since you're giving me a ride back. By the way, how do you know Leo?"
The Blue Ranger shifted uneasily, as did the Red Ranger. However, before anyone could reply, Matthew and Anne joined the group.
"I want to thank you so much," Anne gushed. "You don't know how much this means to me that you could bring him back."
"Yeah. Oh, if you could, thank Damon for me. He was a great friend," Matthew said.
"We sure will," the Yellow Ranger agreed. "It was a pleasure getting to know you, Matthew. Never forget your time on Terra Venture. And treasure that medal. You deserve it."
Matthew traced a finger across it. "I'll never forget you guys. Or Terra Venture."
"Well, come on, Matthew. We've got to get you home and put some food in you! Thanks again, Rangers," Anne repeated, as she led her son to her car.
The Blue Ranger waved goodbye to Matthew, then turned back to Skull. "So, do you have a passport?" he asked, switching topics rather quickly, hoping to avoid answering about how he knew Leo.
Skull produced his from one of his bags, noticing the Red Ranger elbow the Blue Ranger. "Here it is. All nice and official."
The Blue Ranger looked over the passport, carefully turning it over and checking for the secret hologram. Sure enough, it was there. Leo had said that Skull was supposed to go, but Kai had to make sure. Leo's word wasn't enough in this case, and Kai knew that he was lucky to get by with only a jab in the ribs from the Red Ranger. "Okay, then, Skull, welcome aboard."
Taking his passport back, Skull turned to Lt. Stone. "Well, this is it."
"Yeah, it is. It's been great knowing you," Lt. Stone replied, his voice hoarse. He cleared his throat a few times before continuing. "Skullovitch, it's been a honor. Remember what you learned at the Junior Police Patrol Academy, and you'll achieve great things."
"How could I forget? I had a great teacher," Skull replied, before giving in to the emotions gripping him. He stepped forward and gave Lt. Stone a giant bear hug. Lt. Stone was stunned at first, but then quickly hugged Skull in return.
"I hope you like my car. Maybe this way, I can repay you for everything you went through with me and Bulk." Skull laughed his trademark laugh suddenly. "If I find out you wrecked my car, I'll find a way back from the New World and get you!"
Lt. Stone saluted mockingly. "Yes, sir!"
There was an awkward silence after the goodbyes had been said, since they all knew that they couldn't leave without the Green Ranger. Just then, Skull's car drove into the lot. The car door opened, but before anyone could get out, the Yellow Ranger yelled, "MORPH!!"
The door quickly closed, and there was a flash of green light. The door opened again, and the Green Ranger got out and took two duffels from the backseat, as well as a paper bag. He ran across the field.
"Hey, thanks for letting me ... use your car," the Green Ranger panted, out of breath, giving the keys back to Skull.
"No problem. Glad to help," Skull replied, giving the keys to Lt. Stone.
"Hey, did Matthew leave?" the Green Ranger asked, looking around.
"Yeah, he did, while you were gone," the Yellow Ranger confirmed. "Sorry. His mom was anxious to get him home."
"Well, I believe that's everything," the Blue Ranger said, clapping his hands together. "We need to be going, because I am NOT going to be late for my shift and have to explain where I was."
The five Rangers turned around and walked back into the MegaShip, leaving Skull alone with Lt. Stone and Joe. Joe reached out and shook Skull's hand. "Good luck, Skullovitch. May your dreams come true."
"Thanks, Joe."
"Just remember to cut your hair once in a while," Lt. Stone smiled, also shaking Skull's hand.
"Of course, Lieutenant. Good luck to you too."
With that, Skull took one last look at Earth, then turned and walked into the MegaShip. His life on Earth had come to an end, but his life on Terra Venture and beyond was only beginning.
Skull reclined comfortably on the bed in the small room he had been given. The Pink Ranger had escorted him to the room as soon as he boarded, stating that it was safer for him to be there when they took off. She had also explained that the voyage would take about six hours, and he could go anywhere on the MegaShip that he wanted, after the initial takeoff.
He had a view from a window in his room, and he stared intently out until he could no longer see Earth. He would never go back. It was truly the last time he was ever going to see his home world. It was hard to believe.
Skull sat up on the bunk, careful not to hit his head. If this was going to be a six-hour trip, he had to eat something. And that would also get his mind off of leaving Earth behind forever. He moved to the door and tried to recall how the Pink Ranger had opened it. He punched the button on the keypad that he thought was the correct one, and crossed his fingers. Sure enough, the door opened. He checked the hallway, only to discover it was empty. Anxious for a real meal, he turned to the right, following the sound of voices.
The five rangers were lounging about on the bridge, still morphed. "This is annoying," Kai said, from his position by the main controls. "We have to stay morphed for six hours! We were safe with letting Matthew know the truth, because we were never going to see him again. But this Skull character is going to be living on Terra Venture and the New World with us. We'll see him for the rest of our lives!"
"Yeah. Leo, this is all your fault. How am I supposed to have my McDonalds while morphed?" Damon asked, holding up the paper bag of fast food, which he had been keeping on the chair next to him.
"I'm sorry, but we can't let him know," Leo asserted, from where he was leaning against the Life Support controls.
"Why not? You told us yourself about what Skull did during the 'Countdown' on Earth five years ago. Just based off that, I think we could trust him to keep our secret," Kendrix reasoned, piping up from her chair next to Damon's food.
Maya nodded her assent from her position on the floor, although only Kai and Leo could see her.
Leo attempted to reason with the other rangers. "But what about Scorpius? If there's someone out there who's close to us, Scorpius could use them against us!" Leo exclaimed, slamming his fist into the control panel. Damon flinched nervously, aware that Leo had almost turned off life support for the whole deck. He sighed with relief when Leo re-crossed his arms, bringing his hands back to a safe position.
Skull, by following the sounds of voices, was almost to the bridge. As he got closer, the murmur became distinguishable words, and he caught only the end of a statement.
" ... about Mike? You have to tell him," a female voice said. Skull couldn't remember if that was the Yellow or the Pink Ranger, but it was definitely female.
On the bridge, Damon motioned to Leo, cutting him off before he replied to Maya's question. His instincts were screaming that Leo remain silent. "DECA, where is the visitor known as Skull currently?"
"Skull is currently on the other side of the entry doors to the bridge," DECA replied promptly.
Kai and Leo quickly jumped up and started slinking to the door, intent on catching Skull in his eavesdropping. Leo motioned for the rest of them to keep talking, so as not to alert Skull that he had been found out.
Maya simply harumphed, then said in a loud voice. "Skull, we know you're there. What's more, if you can hear us, you know that we know you're there. You would have heard DECA announce your location. So why don't you come on in and join us?"
Maya laughed as the door to the bridge opened, grateful that Kai and Leo's helmets prevented her from seeing the nasty looks she knew she was receiving.
Skull walked onto the bridge, staring in amazement. He did notice the Blue and Red Rangers on either side of him, and guessed that they had been about to surprise him when the female ranger spoke to him. He saw out of the corner of his eye the Red Ranger move away and lean against one of the sections of panels on the walls around the outside of the bridge. "This place is amazing!" he couldn't help but say.
"Thanks," the Green Ranger replied, "although it's not technically ours. We're sort of ... borrowing it from the Space Rangers for a while."
"Well, they weren't using it! Why shouldn't we, especially since it didn't deserve to be stuck on Earth forever!" the Blue Ranger stated hotly, moving so that he was standing by the main controls once again.
"Oh, relax. No one's accusing you of anything, Blue Ranger ... yet," the Green Ranger said, with a hint of laughter.
"Hey, is that McDonalds?" Skull asked, noticing the bag between the Green and Pink Rangers. "I was looking for something to eat, and I found my way here."
"MINE!" the Green Ranger yelled, grabbing his bag and holding it protectively. "There's the Synthetron if you want something to eat."
"I'd show you the way, but I don't know much about this ship except the bridge, the MedBay and the place where we keep the Jet Jammers," the Yellow Ranger explained from her prone position on the floor. Skull recognized her voice as the one that had mentioned Mike.
"Oh, hey, Blue Ranger. You never did answer my question from before? How do you know my cousin Leo?" Skull asked, remembering suddenly the way that the Blue Ranger had switched topics earlier.
"Well ... he literally ran into me after he arrived on Terra Venture. There were some guards chasing him, and he wasn't paying attention to where he was going," Blue Ranger said, avoiding all mention of events after that initial meeting.
"Really? He had problems sneaking on board?" Skull queried, thinking of the vast security measures that must have been in force.
"He had plenty. If he hadn't masqueraded as a member of the GSA, I really doubt that he would have been able to stay clear of the guards until after Terra Venture left," the Pink Ranger said, remembering that day.
"Oh, you know him too?" Skull asked, turning to look at the Pink Ranger.
The Pink Ranger quickly realized she had said too much. "Well, I was walking with ... Blue Ranger when Leo ran into us. We both later saw him masquerading as a member of the GSA."
"Look, I can see that I'm just making you all nervous that you might reveal too much. It's obvious already that the Blue and Pink Rangers not only both know Leo, but are members of the GSA." Skull paused to take a breath, taking note of how both rangers shifted in their positions. "How about this? I'll just tell you what I think is the case, and if I'm wrong, then I'll leave you alone for the entire journey. But if I'm right, then we can all spend the journey together, hopefully having some food at the same time. That work?"
Skull watched as the rangers all looked back and forth between each other, gauging each other's reactions to his idea. Finally, he saw the Red Ranger nod to the Blue Ranger, who spoke.
"We agree. What do you think is going on?"
Skull took a deep breath, hoping he wasn't jumping to some outrageous conclusion that was totally wrong. The Red Ranger had to be Leo. Didn't he? He was the only ranger who had yet to say a word, which was odd, since he was the obvious leader. That much could be gleaned from the most recent exchange, and there was obviously something the Blue and Pink Rangers were trying to hide about how they knew Leo. Skull calmed himself. If he was wrong, then he was wrong. If he was right, then he was right. He had nothing to lose. He would still get to Terra Venture, and he would still see Kim.
"Okay. I'm fairly confident that the Red Ranger over there in the corner is Leo Corbett, my cousin. How else could Leo have known about you all coming to Earth with that kid, Matthew?" Unknowingly, Skull began to pace around the bridge of the MegaShip as he rattled off his conclusions. "And even if he did know that you all were coming back, now how would he be able to talk to you about giving me a ride? As you've shown already, you're pretty leery about revealing your identities. So, for Leo to be in contact with you to the extent that he can ask you favors, then he knows you pretty good. And why was he the one to call me? How did he get a connection in the first place, and know exactly when you would be arriving, and where? He would have to be very close to know that type of info. Not only that, there has to be more of a story behind you" he pointed to the Blue Ranger, then to Pink "and you meeting him. And to top it all off, the Red Ranger has always been the leader of the Power Rangers, except for the time of the White Ranger. Yet, this Red Ranger has not said a single word in my presence. All of the important decisions seem to be being made by you, the Blue Ranger, which is the traditional second-in-command position. I think that you're doing all the talking because Leo suspects that I'd recognize his voice if he said anything. He'd be right, by the way."
Skull finished his speech, realized he was pacing and quickly halted. He glanced around him. Red was no longer lounging against the panel; he was standing straight up. Blue, Green and Pink were all looking directly at him, and he could only guess as to what kind of facial expressions they were wearing. Yellow was the only one who had not moved; she was in the same position on the floor that she had been when he first entered the bridge.
No one spoke. Skull stood there, his assurance dropping with each passing second of silence. Oh, crap. What if he had been wrong? What if this Red Ranger really wasn't the leader? What if Leo did just happen to know about this trip back to Earth?
Skull opened his mouth to begin apologizing for being so completely wrong. "Ah, ge-"
Skull got no further in his apology. From the other side of the bridge came two words - the first spoken by the Red Ranger. "Power Down."
There was a red flash, and a young man was standing where the Red Ranger had been. He wore jeans, a red shirt and a leather jacket. He was also unmistakably Leo. "Good job, Skull. Guess you're smarter than everybody else thought," Leo said, walking over to Skull and giving his cousin a hug. He then turned to the other rangers. "It's okay. You all said earlier that we could and should trust him. And Damon, your fries are probably cold by now."
There were four more flashes of light as the remaining rangers demorphed. In their places were an Asian male, a blond female, a black male and a brunette female.
"Skull, I'd like you to meet the other rangers," Leo stated, as he led his cousin from Ranger to Ranger.
"This is Kai, third in command at the GSA," he explained, introducing the Asian male, who was wearing a light blue GSA uniform. As Skull and Kai shook hands, Leo couldn't help but comment "Hey, you have the same hairstyle!"
Grinning at Leo's bad joke, Skull turned to the next ranger. "This is Kendrix, who works in the Research and Development area. You'll probably be seeing a lot of her, what with your work for Professor Phenomenus." Kendrix was the blond. She wore glasses and a pink GSA uniform which was similar to Kai's.
Kendrix managed to suppress her hoot of laughter. "You work for the Professor? This should be interesting."
Before Skull could reply to Kendrix's puzzling statement, Leo had pulled him away to meet the next ranger. This time, it was the black male, wearing green coveralls and a tool belt. There were also a few random grease spots on his bald head. "I'm Damon," he said, introducing himself before Leo had the chance. "Thanks again for letting me use your car."
"No problem. Can I have some fries?" Skull asked, shaking Damon's hand while eyeing the bag from McDonalds.
Damon burst out laughing. "Hungry, aren't you? Well, Leo was right. They are a bit cold. I'll go warm them up and you can maybe have a few while we eat," Damon explained, holding his bag of food protectively against his chest as he exited the bridge.
The other rangers laughed as their teammate left. Leo led Skull to the final ranger, the brunette, who had finally stood from her position on the floor. She had lots and lots of hair, and was wearing something Skull simply could not describe. It was a yellow dress of sorts, without sleeves. It hugged her like a second skin. He could not understand how she could breathe in the thing. "And this is Maya. She's from the planet Mirinoi."
Skull wasn't sure how he was supposed to react to that. After all, he had met humans from other worlds before - Andros of KO-35 was someone he saw often. Or at least used to see often. In recent years, the Space Rangers had done everything humanly possible to fade away from the public eye, and were now quite hard to locate.
"So, you're from Mirinoi. Can't say that I've heard of it, but cool. How'd you wind up on Terra Venture as a ranger? Or did you have the powers and give them to these four?" Skull asked, remembering the stories of how the Space Rangers had gotten their powers.
"That's actually a long story, Skull," Kendrix explained, rising and going to stand next to Kai. "It's a long journey back to Terra Venture, so why don't we discuss this over some food? There's the Synthetron, which Damon will be able to locate."
"This way, you get your story and no one starves," Kai explained, chuckling.
Damon returned from his mission to reheat his McDonalds in time to hear Kai mention not starving. "Food? Great. That way, I don't have to share."
Maya laughed at her teammate as she linked arms with Leo. "One problem, Damon. You're the only one who knows where the Synthetron is."
"Well, right this way!" Damon grinned, as he bowed elegantly and motioned toward the opposite door. "Dinner awaits!"
On the walk down the corridor, Leo started the long tale. "Well, you know how upset and bitter I was at not being selected to go on Terra Venture. So, I decided that I was going, passport or no passport..."
Lightyears away, Kimberly Hart stood at her window, staring out into the vastness of space. She was convinced that the apartment she shared with Aisha had one of the best views possible on all of Terra Venture. Poor Tommy and Jason had to get by with a fantastic view of ... the path to the Mountain Dome.
Tommy ... she shouldn't have thought about Tommy. The latest in their string of fights had been the worst yet. Maybe coming on Terra Venture hadn't been such a good idea. Ever since they had left orbit, she and Tommy had spent more time fighting than not.
At first, it was just the little things, like the uniforms they were wearing. Tommy had joined the GSA, and was forced to wear the light blue uniform. Kim was working in the sports department, helping keep the residents of Terra Venture physically fit. Her uniform, therefore, was a dark purple. Kim had been simply mentioning that she didn't think purple was really her color, and Tommy had practically had a fit about his blue uniform. Then it had evolved into a whole thing about how he wasn't given any credit where he worked, and how Commander Stanton completely ignored any and all ideas he came up with. Mike Corbett, the second in command, had never returned from the practice moon, and the Commander seemed to be taking that out on the rest of the GSA.
After the Uniforms Fight, there had been ones about cooking abilities, living quarters, their schedules, and even hairstyles! That one had been the biggest and the most recent. Kim and Aisha, on one of their few days off, had gone into the heart of the main dome and gotten their hair done. Aisha had decided to go back to the braids she had had in high school, and Kim had finally decided that it was time to cut her hair. She had gotten it cut to about chin-length, as it had been early in high school. Tommy had flipped out, stating that she had no right to make that kind of decision without consulting him. In retaliation, Kim had yelled back that he wasn't someone in any position to be making that kind of argument, since he hadn't cut his hair since high school, no matter how many times she had asked.
Kim moved from her position at the window. She and Tommy had talked yesterday, and had agreed to go out today. Tommy had even consented to taking a few inches off. She had gotten off work earlier than usual when her 4:00pm appointment had canceled suddenly. Being a personal trainer was great, and she was even starting to like the purple uniform. Of course, she had promptly changed out of it into a pair of jeans and a pink top for her date with Tommy. She quickly checked her watch. She and Tommy were supposed to meet at 5:30pm, but she knew that his day was free after his shift ended at noon. They would be able to spend more time together! Kim sauntered down one of the many corridors of Terra Venture, on her way to Tommy and Jason's quarters. Tonight, they were going to rent one of those little cars and go for a drive to the Mountain Dome.
Kim rang the bell at Tommy and Jason's apartment. And waited. Then waited some more. Why wasn't Tommy answering? She rang the bell a second time, a little more urgently and a little longer. Still nothing. Just as she was turning away to head back to her own apartment in disgust, she heard the door open.
"Tommy! What took you so long - Jason?" Kim cut off her tirade to her tardy boyfriend when she realized she was yelling at the tardy boyfriend's roommate.
Jason looked bleary-eyed at his former teammate. "Kim? Wha' time izzit?"
Kim couldn't help but feel bad for waking Jason up. His hair was mussed and he wore only a pair of red sweatpants. Thankfully, growing up with him as a surrogate older brother had made her completely oblivious to the sight of his bare chest. "Sorry, Jase. It's about 4:30. I was supposed to meet Tommy for our date. We were going to the Mountain Dome."
"Tommy? He's not here," Jason replied, trying to sort things out in his still sleep-dulled brain. "At work."
"Work? WHAT??!! He knew that we had a date! How could he just blow it off like that?" Kim screeched, amazed that Tommy could forget her so completely.
Jason looked at his old friend quizzically. "No, got called in. Extra shift. Possible promotion."
"Whatever. Jason, sorry I woke you up. Go back to sleep. I forgot that you've been working the night shifts recently," Kim apologized, before stalking back towards her apartment.
Kim rapidly changed back into her purple uniform as soon as she entered her apartment. If she was going to track down Tommy at work, she would have to meet Commander Stanton. And rumor had it that he wouldn't talk to anyone who wasn't wearing their proper Terra Venture attire.
Clad once again in purple, Kim left the apartment and made her way to the center of the main dome. This would be the first time she had actually been in command headquarters. Tommy, after a particularly harrowing day, had mentioned to Kim in a brief stint of complaining that the controls in the tower on Terra Venture were incredibly inferior to those in the Power Chamber, and that anybody with half a brain could operate them. Of course, this had come just days after Mike Corbett had gone AWOL, resulting in everyone giving the Commander a wide berth whenever possible.
Kim stopped suddenly near the Main Plaza Square. She wasn't quite sure how to get to the Tower from where she was. Spying a small open-air café, Kim decided to stop there and ask for directions from the diners. As she approached the scattered tables, she spotted a likely couple. Both were wearing the light blue uniform that announced they worked in the command department of the GSA. She could get directions from them.
Approaching the couple, Kim could see only the back of the man, while the woman was facing her. She had red hair, which was pulled back to keep the curls from hiding her face. The man had long hair as well, almost as long as the redhead's. As Kim neared the couple, the woman glanced up and stared directly into Kim's eyes. Kim felt a stirring of recognition, but very faint. The redhead narrowed her eyes at Kim, then looked back at her companion and laughed uproariously. By this time, Kim had reached their table, and the man was laughing with the woman. It was the laugh that did it. Kim knew that laugh as well as she knew her own. She stopped short, her mouth already forming the what her mind had not yet registered. "Tommy?"
Whirling around in his seat, Tommy saw Kim standing not three feet from him, with her jaw dropped and eyes wide. "Kim? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you still be at work?"
"I got off early," Kim replied flatly, her voice free of all emotion. "We had a date, and I thought I'd surprise you. Jason said you were at work." Kim's voice began to rise as her shock gave way to anger. "Which I can see was an obvious lie on your part, since Jason, one of my oldest and dearest friends, would never lie to me. Of course, I thought the same held true about my boyfriend, but I was apparently completely wrong in that case."
Tommy rose from the chair, intent on reasoning with Kim, therefore missing the pleased smirk on his co-worker's face. "Kim, I am at work. Commander Stanton called me in to take the place of someone he's training to take Mike's place. Leslie and I were talking about it on our break. I was going to stop by your place as soon as I got off work for our date. And besides. You got off early, and just assumed that I'd have nothing better to do that leave a full hour early for our date?"
Kim and Tommy were so engrossed fighting with each other that they didn't notice Leslie, the co-worker, slinking away with a grin.
"Sure, Tommy. Right. Put the blame on me because you know it's your fault. Like I'm actually going to believe you. Call me when you decide to tell me the truth."
"KIM!!" he yelled as the petite brunette turned and ran without looking back. He sank dejectedly in his chair, realizing that there was no way to catch her, and even if he could, he needed to give her some time to cool off. He ran a hand across his face, both to compose himself and to help pretend that the entire rest of the café wasn't staring at him. "Look, Leslie, sorry about that. I don't -" Tommy cut himself off when he realized that Leslie had left as well. At that exact moment, the waitress arrived with the bill. Tommy groaned, but quickly paid.
Leaving the café, Tommy had a thought. Kim would probably head for her apartment. He could catch her there and try to reason with her. As he turned to head for the housing sectors, he caught a glimpse of a clock. He was late getting back to his shift! The Commander was going to have his hide! If he was late all the time, there was no way he would be able to get that promotion. He took one final look in the direction that Kim had fled, then quickly jogged in the opposite direction, back to work.
Kim ran. She ran without cause or thought. Without paying any attention to where she was going. At one point, she vaguely noticed that she was leaving the main dome and was going down into the lower levels of Terra Venture. As long as she was running, she didn't have to think. She didn't have to feel. She could almost forget that her heart was breaking. She simply ran.
"And so we volunteered to bring Matthew home, as a repayment for saving Terra Venture," Kai concluded, finishing the long tale of how they had become Power Rangers and their subsequent adventures.
"I can't believe that Mike's ... dead," Skull stated softly. "He can't be dead!"
Leo reached out and gave his cousin a hug. "I know exactly how you feel. But Mike wouldn't want us to spend the rest of our lives in mourning. We have to move on, because that's the way he would want it."
Skull stared at his cousin. Leo had certainly grown up a lot. Of course, becoming a Power Ranger would probably do that to you.
"We are approaching Terra Venture," DECA's voice cut in. "The time is 4:43 in the afternoon. Rangers, please return to the bridge."
"Sounds like you're needed. I'll put these dishes away," Skull said, gathering the remnants of their meal.
Kendrix grabbed his arm. "Oh, no you don't. You have to see Terra Venture. Besides, the only ones really needed to land are Damon and one other person. Leo, Kai and Maya can clean up."
Skull laughed at the Pink Ranger's maneuvering, and followed her and Damon back to the bridge, leaving the other grumbling Rangers to the task.
On the bridge itself, Damon quickly took control of the landing, occasionally giving orders to Kendrix. Skull had no idea what most of them meant, but Kendrix certainly seemed to, responding quickly to Damon's commands. Skull positioned himself near the main window to have the best view possible.
Skull was suddenly very grateful that Kendrix had stopped him from doing the cleanup. Terra Venture was an awesome thing to behold. Of course, he had seen footage of the construction, as well as the footage from the day it left, but still. Television footage was nothing compared to the actual thing. Skull could distinguish the main dome, as well as the many other smaller domes. Lights could be seen coming from the all parts of the space colony, which Skull interpreted as the various apartments. The powerful engines were at the bottom, and Skull could see that all were currently in use.
Terra Venture was truly a testament to the wisdom of the former exiles of KO-35. Without the knowledge they had brought to the project, Terra Venture would not have been accomplished nearly as fast as it had been. Even as it was, the project still took plenty of time, due to the loss of countless intellectuals in the destruction leading up to the 'Countdown.'
He started as an arm landed across his shoulders. "She's incredible, don't you think?" Leo said, joining him at the window.
"Very. Thanks again for letting me know you were coming back to Earth," Skull reiterated, staring as Terra Venture got larger and larger.
"No prob. You were supposed to be here. I'm just making things right," Leo reasoned, also admiring Terra Venture.
"We have arrived. Please wait until we have come to a complete stop before rising, and remember to thank the crew members on the way out," Damon announced from the main controls, before adding with a grin "By the way, that's me."
"A-HEM!" a tinny voice spoke up, startling Damon.
He froze, with a guilty look on his face. "And Alpha and DECA, of course. They're vital members of the crew."
"That's better!" Alpha declared, joining the Rangers on the bridge. "Rangers, we're here! And Kai, your shift hasn't started yet."
"Good. I would hate to be late. Commander Stanton has not been in a very good mood ever since Mike ... well, you know. He's been a bear," Kai noticed the crestfallen expressions appear almost simultaneously on both Leo and Skull's faces, and started fiddling with his watch as he changed the subject. "DECA, what time did you say it was?"
"It is now 4:50 in the afternoon."
"Kai, doesn't your shift start at five? You had better hurry," Kendrix reminded him.
"Yeah, I know," Kai responded, leaving the bridge. "I'll see you later tonight. Skull, welcome aboard. Sorry to rush out, but I'm sure someone else can give you a tour or something."
"It's okay," Skull replied to the Blue Ranger's rapidly disappearing back.
Skull looked at the four remaining rangers. Damon was still in his position by the main controls, and Kendrix was in the center chair. Maya had taken the seat next to her, and Leo was standing with him at the window. Finally, Maya spoke up. "I volunteer to give you the complete tour."
"And I'll help," Leo added quickly.
"That would be great, Maya. And Leo. Thanks. But I really shouldn't make any big plans before I check in with Bulk," Skull reasoned. "I mean, I am supposed to be sharing an apartment-type place with him, but he wouldn't have any idea that I had found a way to get here after all. Right?" At Leo's nod, Skull continued. "So, I think the first thing I should worry about isn't a tour, but where I'm living."
"Then the tour can just be later," Maya said cheerfully. "Just let me or Kendrix know, and we can work something out!"
Kendrix smiled at her upbeat friend, before giving Skull a more serious look. "Well, do you have the original paperwork with a map and your room assignment? If not, we'll have to access Terra Venture's main directory to find where you're supposed to be."
"That's in with the rest of my stuff in my bags. I left everything in that room where you first had me go before we left. I'll go get 'em, ... but I don't think I remember how to get back there. I wandered a lot before I found my way here."
"I remember where you were," Kendrix stated, picturing in her mind where she had led Skull. "I'll go get them for you." Before Skull could object, she was gone.
"Okay then. You do that," he called out, even though she was no longer in sight.
While she was gone, Leo went and stood next to Damon at the main controls, while Skull continued to stare out the window. The silence had only begun to grow awkward when Kendrix returned, loaded down with the two duffel bags.
"What, you didn't bring the kitchen sink along? Certainly feels like you've got the rest the kitchen in here," Kendrix commented as she handed the bags to their owner.
"Eh, the sink was too big. But I hated having to leave it behind ... it looked so alone without the dishwasher and the cabinets," Skull deadpanned.
Leo and Damon burst out laughing while Kendrix simply grinned. Maya, however, just looked confused. "You brought your kitchen cabinets with you?"
Maya's bewilderment only made Leo and Damon laugh harder. Kendrix glared at the two of them before she started to explain. "It's an Earth expression. 'Everything but the kitchen sink' means that someone brought along absolutely everything possible, whether it was necessary or not."
"I didn't really bring the cabinets, or the dishwasher. I was just taking Kendrix's statement a step further," Skull added.
"But you still brought plenty," Kendrix reminded him.
"Well, I was never coming back to Earth. There were things that I couldn't leave behind. Things that are more than just ... things."
"I know exactly what you mean," Maya agreed. "When I realized that I not only couldn't go back to Mirinoi, but that it had been turned to stone, there were so many things I wished I could have with me for comfort. Things to remind me of my parents, my friends, my home ... my life."
Damon, Leo and Kendrix all stared at Maya in shock. This was one of the first times they had ever seen their teammate with a less than cheery expression, outside of an attack time. It was definitely not like the perky girl to be depressed.
Sensing this, Leo crossed the bridge and placed his hand on her shoulder. "We'll get Furio for what he did to Mirinoi, and Scorpius for ordering it."
Skull had to break the suddenly somber mood. "Well, I found my map and room assignment. I'm in room 1129. Anybody got a clue where that is?"
Leo, Damon and Maya all shook their heads, pulling themselves back to the present situation. Kendrix, as the only member of the GSA present, thought it over. "Is there anything more specific with that number? Like, a color, or a dome designation?"
Skull checked his paperwork again. "Umm ... It says RDSRDD Pink. Does that mean anything to you? And whoa, that's a lot of D's."
"Yes, it means a lot. Most of the living arrangements were done by where you worked, and later on, wherever there was room. You're actually right near Maya and me, in the science wing. That stands for Residential Dome - Science, Research, and Development Division." Kendrix explained.
"That's because he's working for the professor, right?" Leo asked.
"And that's why we're surrounded by all those other leadership-type people, and nowhere near my buddies from the Engine Room!" Damon exclaimed, finally solving the mystery.
"Exactly, Damon, and Yes, Leo." Kendrix smiled at them as only a proud schoolteacher could.
"So, we should probably be going," Maya realized, standing up. "Guys, since Kai's at his shift in command for a while yet, how about you have dinner with us? Oh, Skull, you're invited too, of course."
"Thanks, but I'll probably be eating with Bulk tonight, and maybe the professor," Skull replied, picking up his luggage and arranging it in a comfortable position.
Damon led the way out of the MegaShip, as he was still the only one who always knew where they were. The four Rangers led their new friend to where he would be living, pointing out the occasional interesting things along the way.
"Hey, how do I explain this to Bulk? Simply that Leo somehow contacted the Power Rangers and asked them to pick me up?"
The rangers looked at each other. "Sounds good to me. You sure he's over the 'finding-out-who-they-really-are' stage?" Leo queried, remembering his cousin's stories from when the rangers had first appeared.
"Bulk and I gave that up a long time ago. Especially since I actually - oof!" A person came from out of nowhere and rammed into Skull, knocking them both down.
Skull quickly pulled his bag off of the purple-clad young woman, then moved to help her up. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I think so," the woman in purple responded, straightening her clothes. "I guess I wasn't paying any attention to where..." her voice trailed off as their eyes met.
"Kim??"
"Skull??"