Power Rangers Zeo - Venusian Encounters, Heather Ray [online e book reader txt] 📗

Love breaks the chains,
Love aches for every one of us.
Love takes the tears and the pain
And it turns it into the beauty that remains...

I don't believe this!

he thought bitterly, I told the guys that I wasn't going to the prom! Only Jason would fix me up with someone I've never met, even though I told him I wasn't interested. Now I've got to go down there, and tell this girl I'm not interested in going --

Tommy stopped on the bottom step, and stared in shock at the girl sitting on the couch, chatting with his father. Her long, caramel hair was tied in a French twist, with two curly tendrils on either side of her face. She was dressed in a black silk gown with three strands of pearls serving as straps. The gown hugged her slender body down to the hips, where it cascaded down to the floor in layers of soft silk. Adorning her neck was string of freshwater pearls, with an exceptionally large pearl with reddish hue in the center. She noticed his arrival, and stood up and smiled at him cheerily.

"Hey, Tommy," she said, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Kim --?!"

"Uh, Kerri," she said, winking, "Uh, Mister Oliver, could you excuse us for a minute?"

"I'll go find the camera," said Tommy's father, standing up. As he passed his son, he whispered "Why aren't you dressed yet? Kerri is a very nice girl, and I hope you don't plan on hurting her feelings."

Tommy didn't answer, and as soon as his father left, he ran over to "Kerri" and lifted her by the waist, just as he had by the lake after his first kiss with Kimberly.

"Kim," he said, putting her down, "what's going on here?"

"Well," she said with a bright smile, "I didn't think either of us should miss the senior prom, so I basically took the night off."

"But, the whole world knows that you disappeared! Don't you think it'd look... suspicious for me to walk into the ball room with you?"

"Well, you're right. Kimberly Anne Hart disappeared. But, I'm not Kimberly. Tonight, I'm Kerri."

Kimberly reached behind her neck, and unsnapped her string of pearls. She held it up, and the reddish pearl began to glow slightly.

"Renee cast a spell on this pearl," Kim explained, "So long as I wear it, I look different. Only those who really care about me will be able to recognize me. Now, since all my friends are either present or former Power Rangers, this shouldn't be a problem. Hurry up and get ready! The guys are outside in the limo, waiting for us!"

"Kim," stuttered Tommy, "I... didn't rent a tux. I didn't know you were coming..."

"Don't worry," said Kim, stepping back and opening the front door, "Jason has it covered."

Jason stepped through the door, wearing his own black tux, and carrying another tuxedo in a plastic cover. He stepped into the room, and held out the covered tuxedo.

"I hope I got the right size," said Jason with a smile, "I told you to come rent a tux with us, but no --!"

"Thanks, Jay," said Tommy, taking the tuxedo, "Give me a few minutes."

Tommy hurried up the stairs with his suit, and Kim and Jason sat down at the couch patiently.

"Well," said Kim, "so far, so good."

"Yeah," said Jason, "I'll admit though, I didn't think the pearl would work. I was just waiting for Emily to freak out when she saw you."

"All my closest friends are Power Rangers, so they'd know I'm alive anyway. Still, it'll be weird being with all my old schoolmates, as a completely different person."

"Must be tough."

"I guess," she said with a slight sigh, "But Tommy's worth it."

Just then, Tommy hurried down the stairs, trying to tie his black bow tie. Once he reached the bottom. He looked up and smiled, and raised his arms.

"Well?" he asked, turning full circle, "What do you think?"

Kimberly examined Tommy's midnight black tuxedo, with white dress shirt and silken red vest. His long hair was tied in a curly ponytail.

"Fabulous!" said Kim, giving him a thumbs up, "Perfect!"

"Can I pick a suit, or what?" said Jason with a smile, "Okay, guys, lets get going! The others have been waiting for fifteen minutes!"

As the trio approached the front door, Tommy's mother, father, and younger brother Timothy entered the room, with Mister Oliver holding a camera.

"You weren't planning on leaving without taking a photograph," said Mr. Oliver with a smile.

"Tommy," gasped his mother, "you look amazing

! So mature! Oh, my baby's growing up so fast --"

"Mom," said Tommy, blushing slightly, "We're late."

"Just say cheese," said Mr. Oliver, holding up the photo. Jason promptly stepped out of the picture, and Mr. Oliver got a shot of "Kerri"

and Tommy standing side by side by the door.

"Jason," said Mrs. Oliver, "why don't you step into the picture with Tommy?"

"No," said Jason, "I don't think --"

"Come on, Jason!" said Mr. Oliver, "You and Tommy have been best friends for years! Just one..."

Jason and Tommy stood side by side, smiling for the camera. Once the shot was taken, the three friends hurried out of the house, and sat down in the black limousine waiting outside.

"Hurry up!" called Emily, "We're late!"

Jason sat beside Emily, who wore her sandy blonde hair curly, and was wearing a scarlet off the shoulder velvet gown, which reached her knees. Next to Emily was Katherine, who wore a cotton candy pink floor-length sleeveless gown, with white lace at the hem and white opera gloves. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a French braid, and her date Eric sat beside her, wearing a simple black tuxedo with black tie and gray vest. Next to them sat Tanya and Adam. Tanya was wearing an earthen yellow short-sleeved silk gown, with a sheet of sheer satin blanketing the short skirt. Adam wore a deep green blazer, black dress pants and a black tie. Rocky wore a navy blue tuxedo, with a lighter blue vest and bow tie, and his date Jennifer wore a sky blue sequined floorlength, long-sleeved gown with a plunging back. Everyone happily greeted the late arrivals, and Tommy made hasty introductions to both Emily and Jennifer. After a short trip, the group exited the limousine, and made their way to the elegant ballroom in the hotel. They were all seated at a table together, and ate an excellent dinner of fillet mignon, green beans, and potatoes.

"So," said Emily, trying to make conversation, "do you go to Angel Grove High, Kerri?"

"I used to," said Kimberly, "but my family moved away. I drop by for visits every now and then, though."

"It's funny," said Tanya, "I mean, I have the feeling I've seen you before, Kerri, but I just can't place it."

Kimberly glanced at Tanya, and frowned slightly to herself. She doesn't know me well enough to recognize me! I'll have to tell her who I am later.

"Guys," said Rocky, looking towards the door, "Do I see who I think I see?"

Everyone turned towards the front door, and they saw a tall, well built young man with light brown hair, wearing a black tuxedo with navy blue vest. His date was rather short, and she wore a simple aqua floor-length gown. Everyone gaped in surprise.

"Billy!" called Kimberly excitedly, "Over here!"

Billy located his friends, and led his date to the table where they all sat. Everyone stood up, and the rangers welcomed back their old friend.

"What're you doing here?" asked Tommy after hugging Billy, "I thought you graduated."

"Mister Caplan sent a letter to my house, inviting me to the senior prom, since I never got to attend one. My father forwarded the message to me, so I decided to surprise you all and attend."

"Its great having you here, Billy," said Kim, "I haven't seen you in ages! Who's your date?"

"This is Cestria," said Billy.

"Cestria?" asked Emily, "That's an unusual name. Where are you from?"

"Sicily," said Cestria with a smile

As, Emily and Jennifer introduced themselves. Billy glanced at Kimberly.

"We'll talk later," he whispered.

"Right," she said, and the group sat down again. Once the meal was eaten, Jennifer and Rocky, Jason and Emily, Kat and Eric, and Adam and Tanya rose to dance. Now that the coast was relatively clear, Billy could talk to the others unhindered.

"I'm glad you came," said Kim, "So, how's life on Aquitar?"

"Wet," said Billy with a smile, "but one gets used to it. Actually, I really enjoy life there. Aquitian technology is the most advanced in the galaxy, and I keep myself busy in Triton, the capital city, helping the Aquitian Rangers improve their Battle Borgs. Now that the Hydro Hog has been dealt with, Aquitar is unusually peaceful. However, we must be prepared for any occasion."

"And you, Cestria," said Tommy, "you look so... human."

"My natural appearance would no doubt cause a scene," she explained, touching one of her earrings, "so Billy and my cousin Cestro designed miniature holographic projectors, which make me look human. The projectors are inside my earrings."

"What about you, Kim?" asked Billy, "How've you been? Did you win at the Pan-Global Games?"

"Well," said Kim, "the games didn't go quite the way I expected..."

Kimberly related the entire story about her Venusian ancestry, Ninjetti powers, and rulership of Venus Island. Needless to say, both Billy and Cestria were shocked.

"Amazing," said Cestria, bowing her head, "I'm indeed honored to meet the Queen of Venus. Venus and Aquitar were allied planets for ages, until Venus was destroyed by Divatox. There was nothing we could do to stop the dehydration spell. I wasn't aware that the Venusians continued to live on Earth."

"So, you live on Venus Island?" said Billy, "I take it you've retired from your gymnastics career. How did you deal with your disappearance? I mean, it was easy enough for me to move to Aquitar, but you are a world-famous athlete."

"Kimberly Anne Hart disappeared without a trace," said Kim, "so now, I have this enchanted pearl, which alters the way people see me. But the people that really know and care about me can see me clearly."

"And this device is magical?" asked Cestria, "Or scientific?"

"Magical," said Kim.

Just then, Brian Adams' "Everything I Do", began playing, and Billy smiled and rose to his feet.

"I always liked this song," he said, offering Cestria his hand, "Shall we?"

"Shall we what?" asked Cestria in confusion.

"Dance."

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with Earth dances, Billy," said Cestria with slight embarrassment.

"Relax," he said, pulling her to her feet, "If a klutz like me can dance, I'm sure a graceful lady such as yourself is capable of learning a few steps."

"But you're not a klutz!" protested Cestria.

"Trust me," said Billy, leading her onto the dance