Power Rangers Turbo, Heather Ray [read e book .txt] 📗

How can I say this enough? Thank you to everyone that has kept up with all my books! You all are awesome! When I started adapting my fanfiction to these books, I was just doing it in order to introduce the Power Rangers to a new generation and to also help reluctant young readers to find a new love for reading. But I have found out that with each new book there is resounding success! Thank you all so much!

The Power Rangers belong to Saban Brands. All the characters herein are his property (for a change)

. This story takes place immediately after the events of Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie

.

Okay, this is a major departure for me. I've done the unthinkable. I've written a... *gasp*

Kat/Tommy vignette!

Don't shoot me yet. While I am not a fan of this match, I do like Kat. She is potentially very dimensional, with complicated feelings that were rarely explored in the series. I took on this project as a personal challenge to myself: to get into Kat's head, and to try the Kat/Tommy relationship on for size. That, and I couldn't get the below quote out of my mind. This story is written in first-person, from Kat's perspective.

"He's got you on a pedestal, and me in his arms."
-- My Best Friend's Wedding

It's finally over. I have to repeat it several times to myself before it really sinks in. We came so close to losing everything. We almost lost Lerigot. We almost lost Kimberly and Jason. We almost lost the whole war. But we survived it all, none the worse for wear.

As I scan the empty cockpit of the new Turbo Megazord, I inwardly sigh in relief. Everyone else is celebrating, throwing hugs around and patting each other on the back, but I can't generate that kind of enthusiasm. Instead of congratulating myself for a victory, I quietly thank God we didn't suffer a defeat.

I guess I just prepare myself for defeat, and consider every victory as a stroke of luck, or beating the odds. Even though we win more than we lose, I take every battle extremely seriously.

But... maybe that's not the reason why I'm not celebrating. After all, this victory merits a celebration. The battle on Muiranthias wasn't one of our typical afternoon brawls. We defeated an ancient demigod. And we have friends to welcome back. Which, as it turns out, is the crux of my problem.

"Hey, Kat!" calls a cheerful voice, as hands falls onto my shoulders with force enough to make me jump. "It is you in there, isn't it?"

I smile weakly as I pull off my helmet, craning my neck to see the person behind me. Kimberly smiles brightly, her hair brushing my shoulder as she bends over me to pluck my helmet from my hands.

"These new Turbo suits are pretty snazzy," Kim comments, staring into the visor. "Suddenly, you guys are changing your uniforms like you change your socks!"

"Well, with new villains come new powers," I answer, trying my best to smile as I endure the conversation. "The Machine Empire used weaponry that was qualitatively different from what we expected from Divatox, so Zordon saw fit to give us new powers, to handle this new threat."

Kim looks at me for a long, uncomfortable moment. I feel her gaze upon me, and try not to squirm as she thoughtfully fumbles with my helmet. Finally, Kim hands me the helmet, and lays her hand on my arm, her eyes staring right into my soul.

"Are you all right, Katherine?" she asks, concern written all over her face.

I'm not surprised Kim saw right through me. I was being curt with her, which isn't how I normally act around friends.

Just why is it that I don't really consider Kimberly my friend? I always say I do, but deep down... I don't feel comfortable in her presence. It's always like... I'm being evaluated. I know no one is actually doing it - actually comparing us and contrasting our skills and appearances. It's my imagination. I know it is. My overactive imagination, mixed with an unhealthy lack of confidence.

I just wish I were as comfortable in my own skin as she is…

"I'm just tired, that's all," I answer, leaning deeper into my seat. I then turn my attention to the control panel in front of me, making unnecessary adjustments. "Besides, someone has to make sure we get home alright."

Kim's insightful stare finally leaves me, turning to the view screen. A wistful grin brightens her face as she watches the ocean pass beneath the speeding Zord. "If there is one thing I've missed most about being a Power Ranger, it's this. Flying." She stretches her arms, consciously or unconsciously mimicking a bird in flight. "Every Zord I ever piloted had wings, letting me soar through the air."

Her comment sits oddly in my mind. Even though I am Kimberly's immediate replacement as the Pink Ranger, my experience has been vastly different from hers. Case in point, I've never piloted an aerial Zord. Just before she left for Florida, the Ninja Zords were disabled by Lord Zedd, forcing the Rangers to rely on the more powerful Shogun Zords. However, she never actually rode in a Shogun Zord. And in fact, the Pink Ranger never had a proper Shogun Zord. Instead, I shared the White Zord with Tommy.

I know it's merely a coincidence. In fact, I'm the one that helped Lord Zedd clip the Crane Zord's wings weeks before I could've sat in the cockpit. But it still feels… strange. It's almost like Zordon had prepared for a rookie Pink Ranger to take the scene. And that would mean I was the only active Ranger to have to wait several months before having a Zord of her own, when we were given the power of Zeo…

So lost in my own thoughts, I only notice Kimberly again when I hear her standing up. "I'm going to check on Bulk and Skull," she informs me. "They're still in some sort of weird daze, but Tommy and Jason are trying to snap them out of it." She smiles warmly at me; her sincere, friendly smile that oddly makes me wince. "See ya later, Kat."

I watch my predecessor disappear into the back hall just behind the cockpit, where entrances to various rest quarters and the infirmary are located. And as soon as she disappears, I take a breath of relief. I'm finally alone in the cockpit. I just don't feel like dealing with anyone right now... especially her.

I wish I didn't feel like this. I wish I didn't doubt myself so much. I wish I didn't expect the worst. I wish I wasn't quite so paranoid.

I thought I had dealt with these feelings... but now it's obvious that I only buried them. And now, recent events have caused them to strike back with a vengeance.

No matter what, I can't get these images out of my head.

Tommy's expression when he saw Kimberly trapped in Divatox's bilge. The way he dove into the ocean when Elgar came to trade Kim and Jason for Lerigot. He desperately waded to the first figure, and when he discovered it was a mannequin, he still dove for the other. It's like reason gave way to pure panic at the thought of losing them.

Of losing her

.

I had uncomfortable suspicions from the start, but I couldn't say for certain it was Kimberly he was concerned for… until we reached Maligore's chamber. As Kim and Jason plummeted into the pit of lava, Tommy kept screaming her name. And when Kim and Jason emerged, saturated with the evil Flame, he risked everything to save her. He even dared to take of his helmet, and begged Kimberly to remember him.

Ever since this entire nightmare began, Kimberly was all that was on his mind.

How am I supposed

to feel about that?

I do wish I could just dismiss these worries. I wish I had enough... faith in what we have together. But I just can't... because I don't

. Seeing his every thought and feeling anchored to Kimberly today… it brings back to my memory how Kim and Tommy were when I first met them. How they were in that photograph I had stolen from Kim's backpack when I snatched her Power Coin.

Together, hand in hand. So happy with the world, just because of each other.

I can't put the question to rest. Does he still love her? After all this time, and with all that's happened between them, between us

… can he possibly still feel so strongly for her?

And the questions don't end there; no, my overactive imagination is simply merciless

. If he still loves her, what does he feel for me? He never actually said that he loved me. We went on a few dates, but... is that all I'll ever be to him? A good friend? A listening ear?

I don't really know what to expect from him. I mean, could I ever really compare to the angel-made-flesh Kim is to him? No matter the pain