By Jeremy Ray Logsdon
May 9, 1997
"Billy... I'm sorry," Cestria sighed.
"I'm sorry, too," Billy said in the same tone. "I don't want to die here, Cestria."
"We shouldn't have lied to the Earth Rangers."
"I thought there was hope of finding a cure."
"I know." Her eyes lit up with hope as she said, "Perhaps your Earth scientists have a cure."
"They don't deal with immortality's effects on temporal displacement in the human body, much," Billy told her.
"How can you be so calm?"
"I sped through the first four stages," Billy said woodenly, not taking into account her unawareness of the five Earth stages of death. "I'll probably get all emotional and misty-eyed when I see my friends." He paused, and then said, "Thank you for being my friend, Cestria. I'm sorry we couldn't have been more than that."
"So am I, Billy of Earth," Cestria said. She reached out to him and gently stroked his left ear, a gesture that roughly translated into a friendly goodbye kiss on Earth. Billy leaned toward her and gently pressed his lips against hers. When he pulled back, he saw tears shining in her eyes.
"Don't cry, Cestria of Aquitar," Billy said.
"Billy, do you have beliefs?" Cestria asked.
"I suppose I do," Billy commented. He had always believed in some type of God; his mother had made sure of that. He was raised in the church, Baptist to be precise, although he hadn't gone much in recent years. His parents still went to church, yet they never forced him. He occasionally went with them, but as a general rule, he could be found in his lab or the Power Chamber on Sunday mornings.
"I don't want to imply anything, but when you get to Kildaro, would you please tell my mother that I love her very much?" Cestria asked.
"Kildaro? Oh, you mean heaven," Billy said. Just as he was about to tell Cestria that he was sure her mother knew that she loved her, he remembered what little he knew about Cestria's beliefs. She belonged to a belief system whose name he could neither remember nor pronounce, but he did know that it had similarities to Earth's religion of Judaism. Her religion believed that the good side of afterlife, Kildaro, was completely separated from the living, and that when someone died, all ties with the old world were broken, only to be restored when the entire universe passed away. "I'd be honored to give her your message."
"Billy, now is the best time for a teleport," Cestro said.
The Earth teenager walked away from Cestria and over to the Alien Rangers. He had already said his goodbyes, and he knew that he would not see any of them alive again. "Goodbye," he said simply. In a flash of white light, tinged with royal blue, he began the long teleport to Earth.
"Aye-yi-yi!" Alpha cried. "Billy, it is so good to see you young again!"
"It's good to see you too, Alpha," Billy smiled.
"Billy, what brings you to Earth?" Zordon asked.
"Are we alone?" Billy asked.
"Of course we are, Billy," Alpha told him. "Is something wrong?"
"I'm afraid so," Billy said. "Well, I became temporally dislocated during the Orb of Doom disaster when I attempted to make myself a teenager. Then, when I went to Aquitar, I drank from the Eternal Falls. That did... help me, but, well..."
"Billy?" Zordon asked, concern thick in his voice.
"The effects of the Eternal Water and the damaging effect of losing the power while being temporally dislocated is killing me," Billy said. Before Zordon or Alpha could say anything, he continued, "Either one on its own and I would have been fine, but the combination of the two has tapped my life force. It has affected my central nervous system in ways we don't understand, and in about three months, I'll be dead."
"Aye-yi-yi! Billy no!" Alpha wailed. "I can find a cure!"
"Alpha," Zordon said sternly. "I'm sure the Aquitian scientists have already looked into the prospect."
"Yes, they have," Billy sighed. "Zordon, I just came to Earth to die. I know I'm dying, and I've accepted it. I just came here to say my goodbyes."
"I must commend your bravery, Billy," Zordon said. "Shall we contact the Turbo Rangers?"
"Turbo?" Billy asked. "Uhm, no. I'll talk to them on my own time. Alpha, would you teleport me home? I need to tell my parents."
"Certainly, Billy," Alpha said. White light, bled through with blue, flared up, and Billy was gone. "Aye-yi-yi... Zordon?" When the automaton turned to look at Zordon, however, his plasma tube was empty. "Zordon?" He hadn't seen Zordon disappear to his privacy to weep over the knowledge that one of his first would be dying.
The news hit Billy's parents hard, as anyone would have expected it. Fortunately, they were both strong people. Both Rebecca and David Cranston were determined to make the last three months of Billy's life the best possible. Billy wasn't sure when he wanted to tell his friends, however. He knew it would be at least a month before any of the seizures would begin. Provided they weren't around for any of his attacks, he would be able to lie to them until the very end.
According to the tests that the Alien Rangers had run, as well as follow-ups by Zordon and Alpha, Billy would look perfectly normal indefinitely. He was living on his immortality, but what kept HIM alive, not his body but the essence that was Billy Cranston, was being powered only by the small amount of Power in him. As it seeped out, he was slowly going to die. The Alien Rangers had reason to believe it would affect his central nervous system, but no one could be really certain until it started.
"You should tell them," David said. "They're your friends, Billy. They should know."
"I don't want them to worry about me," Billy sighed.
"Billy," Rebecca said sternly, "they'll want to be with you for... the end." She was quiet for a moment, and then continued, "Trust me. Okay?"
"Just give me a little while," Billy said. "If I don't, they'll start treating me like glass just like you all have."
Rebecca smiled warmly and remarked, "Billy, it's gonna be different depending on perspective. Imagine if it was the other way around. What if I or your father was dying?"
"I know, and I'm sorry," Billy said. "I just... I don't want things to be different. If these are the last three months of my life, I want to have fun during them."
Kimberly methodically fingered the fake gold medal around her neck. Whilst her real gold medal was safely secured in a bank vault, the fake one stayed around her neck virtually twenty-four/seven. However, her thoughts were on anything but the Pan Global Games. Her thoughts were on Angel Grove.
"I've missed everyone so much," she murmured to herself as she stared out the window of the airplane. I just wish Billy was still there, she complained in the safety of her mind. How could those idiots let him go traipsing off across the galaxy to live with a fish?! Number one item on Kimberly's agenda was to go to the Power Chamber and force Alpha to open a communications line with Aquitar. She was going to persuade Billy to come back to Earth. It just wasn't natural for somebody with a phobia of fish to live on a planet where 98% of the civilization was underwater.
The stewardess announced the descent to Angel Grove, and Kimberly braced herself for a return to the life she had left behind. A lot had changed, and she wasn't sure if Kimberly Ann Hart still fit in the picture anywhere.
Kimberly struggled through the airport with three over-stuffed suitcases. "I knew I should have told someone I was coming here," she complained.
"Your dad told me," Billy said as he walked up to her.
"Billy?" Kimberly asked in disbelief. Billy only smiled and opened his arms for her. "BILLY!" She dropped her suitcases and threw herself at him, nearly knocking him off of his feet.
"Happy to see me?" Billy asked, smiling wide.
"I thought you were on... elsewhere," Kimberly said, always leery of anyone hearing something even remotely Ranger related.
"I came home," Billy replied.
"For good?" Kimberly asked as they finished their hug.
"For good."
May 9, 1997
Dear Diary,
It was SO great to see Billy again! I hadn't realized until I saw him at the airport just how much I had missed him. Until now, I hadn't thought much about our relationship. Just what is going on between us? When I left, we had a solid brother/sister thing going on. But now...
We spent all of today together. It's different between us. We both know I broke up with Tommy, which means we're both single. We haven't been single in each other's presence in eons. He really backed me into a corner today when he asked me why I broke up with Tommy.
I've always said Billy was too smart for everyone's good. He knew there was no other guy. I promised I'd tell him the full truth as soon as I knew it for myself. I told him what little I knew for a fact. I did love Tommy, and I still do think of him as a great friend. But, as much as I think of Tommy, he still has a dark side I'm not comfortable with. So, I gave Billy my cop-out answer. "Given their backgrounds, I think Katherine and Tommy will make a much better couple."
Billy then asked me if I was jealous since Kat and Tommy had gotten back together. Darn you, Billy Cranston. It's like you're the version of me a week later! You always know what I'm going to think. So I guess the truth is, I am a little bit jealous. I had Tommy, and if not for that letter, I would still have Tommy. But he's Katherine's now, and whether I'm jealous, mad, angry, or whatever, I have to admit that they really are a beautiful couple together.
Which brings me to something else altogether. At the Zoo today, the woman who took our tickets, (might I also add that Billy paid our way!!!), said we were an attractive couple. Rather than correct her, I smiled and thanked her. Billy teased me about it for half an hour afterwards. But the issue still remains. Do I want to be romantically linked with Billy? I'll let you know just as soon as I do.
December 17, 2016
Billy shut his mother's diary with a thump. A sudden knocking at the attic door prompted him to put the diary aside. "Billy? You up there?!" Tracy, his younger sister, shouted.
"I'm coming down!" he cried, hurrying to the stairs that would take him down to the second floor of their house. "Is something wrong?"
"Your GIRLfriend is here," Tracy taunted, punching him in the arm.
"Great," Billy smiled, punching back. Tracy, laughing, dodged his fist, and he promptly darted downstairs. "Hey babe!"
"Hi Billy," Hillari smiled, her voice faintly touched with her mother's Australian accent. However, before Billy could reach her, a sound interrupted the peace.
Beep beep beepbeep beep beep.
"Uh oh," Billy sighed. Tracy came flying down the stairs a second later. The two siblings gathered around Hillari, who raised her red communicator to her mouth.
"We read you."
"Rangers, please report to the Power Station immediately," Zordon boomed.
"The rugrats?" Tracy asked, referring to their five extra siblings.
"Dad is home today," Hillari offered. "He'll watch them."
"Let's herd 'em up," Billy remarked. A few moments later, the three hurried Rangers were leading five kids of varying ages across the street to the Oliver house.
"Do you mind, Tommy?" Tracy asked, flashing him a pleading look and shoving six-month old Christina into his arms.
"Of course not," he said, ruffling her hair as he accepted the pacified baby. "March 'em in."
"Can we play with your VR stuff?" eleven-year old Julia asked of Hillari.
"Yeah, can we?" her identical twin sister, Ellen, added.
"Knock yourself out," Hillari said.
"I'm playing, too!" Paul shouted as he followed his sisters up the room.
"Hey Uncle Tommy!" six year old Lori Beth cried.
"Hey munchkin!" he cried, picking her up with his other arm. Hillari smiled a bit proudly; it was no big secret that her father was a strong man. He motioned with his eyes that the situation was under control, and the trio darted outside.
"It's clear," Hillari said, glancing up and down the street. They each hit their communicator, and in sparkling streams of ruby red, royal blue, and emerald green, they teleported away.
1997
"What can I get you?" Ernie asked, facing away to the bar.
"A smoothie," Trini said. She smiled as she saw his face light up with recognition. "'Member me, stranger?"
"Trini Kwan!" he cried. He leaned across the counter, and the two shared a hug. "What are you doing back here?"
"Zack and I decided to follow Jason's suit and give our spots up to other people," she said. "And, Zack and I are starting college this fall, and where better to go than AGU?"
"You are here just in time," Ernie smiled. "Billy and Kimberly are back in town, too."
"That means we're all here!" Trini laughed, clapping her hands together happily. "Do you know where they are?"
"I think Kim and Billy went to the Zoo today," Ernie said. "Kim just got here, but I think Billy whisked her away before she had a chance to get settled."
"Great," Trini smiled. She leaned back over the counter and gave Ernie a kiss on the cheek. "I'll catch ya' later."
"Catch ya on the flip side," Ernie said, grinning happily.
"Oh, I love cranes," Kimberly sighed.
"Gee, I wonder why," Billy joked.
Kimberly smiled bashfully at him. She was astonished at the good time they were having. It didn't surprise her that they were having a good time, but it did surprise her at the type of good time they were having. She expected to have a best friend or brother relationship with Billy, but at the moment, that wasn't where they seemed to be heading.
Just as the duo was about to walk away from the aviary cages, they caught sight of a young woman. "Billy?" Kimberly asked, grabbing him by the arm. "Look."
"Is that-?"
"Trini!" Kimberly cried. She raced away from Billy's side, flying down the boardwalk. Billy was close behind.
"Kim!" Trini cried. The two girls met in a big hug which was promptly joined by Billy. "I am SO glad to see you both," she sighed. "And I'm so glad you aren't with the fish chick."
2016
Tracy, Billy, and Hillari shimmered into being in green, blue, and red light, respectively. They were the second groupings of Rangers to arrive in the ultra high-tech Power Station. Nearly everything was silver and chrome. A clear tube of light set in a cubbyhole provided Zordon's window to the world, while a blue-green plasma tube embedded in the wall opposite him housed Dimitria. Twin robots Alpha Five and Alpha Six hustled about, monitoring the situation.
"What it taking you people so long?" sixteen year old Gold Ranger Acer Trueheart asked. His long hair was tied back in a tight ponytail. The other Rangers had long since learned to read his mood based on his hair. If it was loose, Acer was typically in a carefree mood. If it was in a ponytail, he was ready for action and a bit short-tempered. His loose hair was from his mother and pulled into a ponytail was due to David Trueheart's genes.
"He's in a ponytail mood," Black Ranger Monika Hammond commented. Her own blonde hair was pulled back, with the exception of one of her twin streaks of brown that was typically allowed to hang down beside her face. If she inherited nothing else from her father, she did have the KO-35 genes for multi-colored hair.
"We had to take care of our extremely fertile parents' offspring," Tracy quipped, good-naturedly poking him in the ribs. "What's the deal, guys?" Then, pink light flashed, producing second youngest Ranger only to almost-thirteen year old Monika, fourteen year old Olivia Park.
"Scorpina's Empire is preparing for another attack," Dimitria said.
Lastly, silver and yellow light flared up, producing Yellow Ranger Montana Scott and the team leader, Silver Ranger Jacquelynn Taylor. "Sorry we're late," Jacquelynn sighed, hurrying to the console in the center of the room.
"What were you guys doing?" Acer quipped, casting a glance at the older Ranger.
"Augh," Montana moaned. "I think you forgot how you're wearing your hair. You gotta be uptight today."
"You need to retire again," Acer teased. "You've gotten so old you've lost your humor."
"I can't retire. I gotta keep young punks like you in line," Montana teased back.
"Enough," Jacquelynn, the younger of the two, interrupted. She had elements of both of her parents, including Zack's jokester attitude and Aisha's permanent bubbliness, but she had a leadership ability that was paralleled by none except Jason Scott and Tommy Oliver. She had the qualities of both which made her, in Zordon's eyes, the perfect leader of the team. "Zordon? Dimitria?" she asked.
"Scorpina has just sent a Plague of Scorpites to the park," Alpha Six said. "You guys gotsa get out there!"
"Then let's do it, guys," Jacquelynn said. All eight Rangers immediately assumed the morphin stance with both arms fully extended but crossed at the wrist. In each of their respective colors, their morphers appeared, gold on the left wrist and silver on the right. "Ninja Power Now!"
They all raised their hands to chest level, executed a quick arm cross, and immediately brought their twin morphers together. As they did so, the Golden Coin Morpher on their left wrist and the Silver Totem Morpher on their right wrist merged. The silver emblem of their totems entered the golden coin, and with just a verbal cry remaining to direct the energies, they were ready to morph.
"Gold Raven Power!" Acer shouted. Pure gold light flashed up around him. He was instantly clad in a suit of dark gold, very distinguishable from Montana's Yellow. In the center of his chest was a large white diamond, identical to the suits of the very first team of Rangers. Set in that was a golden coin with a silver emblem of the Raven on it. His helmet was remarkably similar to that of the first Pink Ranger. The Raven's beak bisected the very top of his visor, and its golden wings stretched out across the top. The rest, however, was white. His mouthplate had the imprint of a pair of stern lips on it.
"Black Cobra Power!" Monika invoked. When the black light drifted away from her, she was in the shiny armor of the Black Power Ranger. She, too, carried the diamond on her chest, gloves, and boots. The Cobra's hood was imprinted on the sides of her helmet. Tiny eyes were above her visor, and two silver fangs stuck down through it.
"Green Gorilla Power!" Tracy cried. She, too, was enveloped in shiny armor, her's emerald green. Her helmet bore the Gorilla, its mouth forming the visor. Teeth surrounded her visor, and two large eyes set off the actual Gorilla face.
"Pink Owl Power!" Olivia said as boldly as she dared. Olivia was definitely the more timid of the team. A tiny owl beak was set at the top of her visor. The owl's face was but a small part of her helmet, although unlike the original Pink Ranger, her helmet was pink all over.
"Yellow Deer Power!" Montana shouted, his voice identical to his father's. With that booming and authoritative morph, he was instantly cloaked in the Yellow Ranger armor, the first male to ever wear yellow under Zordon's guard. The deer on his helmet started immediately after the visor ended with a small black nose. The deer's head was streamlined, and its ears were folded back.
"Blue Wolf Power!" Billy bellowed. His helmet carried a snarling wolf, teeth all around the visor. Silver eyes added a powerful emphasis, and its pointed ears stuck out a bit.
"Red Eagle Power!" Hillari morphed. Much like Gold Ranger's, and the first Pink Ranger's, helmets, her helmet was mostly white. Red Eagle wings extended down the side, and the Eagle's head stretched down the top half of her visor.
"Silver Tiger Power!" Jacquelynn yelled. As the leader, she wore a black and bronze chest shield. Set in the center of her shield was a silver and gold coin like all of the other Rangers. Her helmet bore a design not unlike that of the Saber-Tooth Tiger helmet, currently on holographic display along with the dozens of other Ranger Armors of the past in the back of the Power Station.
"All right!" Acer cried as the loud, simultaneous, eight-way morph finished just a second after it had begun. "Let's go kick some Scorpite!"
"May the Power protect you," Zordon said solemnly. The Rangers melted away in eight streaks of colored light as countless other teenagers had done before them.
1997
"Billy man, I'm glad you're back," Jason commented as he released his old friend from a manly hug.
"Well, I'm glad to be back," Billy returned.
"Where did you go?" Emily asked, sliding her arm back around Jason's waist.
"Uhm, London," Billy lied quickly. "Visiting some oversea friends."
"When is Zack getting here?" Kimberly asked, glancing at Trini.
"Sometime this afternoon," she answered.
"Guys?" a familiar voice asked.
"Rocky!" Kimberly squealed. "Get over here!"
"I'm glad we're all here again," Billy said, glancing at Kimberly. "Well, almost. Zack'll complete us."
"We need Aisha, though," Kimberly remarked. She scooted over to make room for Rocky.
"We'll just have to find some way to get her here," Trini added.
"Where are the other guys?" Jason asked, nearly slipping up.
"I saw them around here, earlier," Emily said, glancing around.
"Hey, there's Dave," Rocky remarked. He waved his long-haired friend over.
"Who is that?" Trini asked.
"Tommy's big brother," Jason answered.
Kimberly smiled at the look on Trini's face. She had definitely seen that look before. She then felt a foot on her calf, and looking up, she saw Billy's face. "Don't even try," he whispered.
"How would we go about getting in touch with Aisha?" Billy asked. "I'd really like to see her again."
"Tanya has her address," Rocky said. "We could try that."
"Divatox just doesn't know when to quit," Justin moaned. The once-again victorious Turbo Rangers slowly made their way into the Youth Center's parking lot.
Suddenly, Tommy stopped. "Tommy?" Katherine asked.
"Zack," Tommy said slowly. "Zack!"
"Tommy!" his old friend cried.
"Zack?" Adam asked, turning around. He watched as Tommy and Zack met in a big bear hug in the middle of the parking lot. "That's the first Black Ranger," Adam whispered to the other Rangers before running out to join them.
All of the Power Rangers, minus Aisha, had a huge gathering at the Youth Center, taking up three tables. Plans were made to get Aisha back in Angel Grove. As the night wore on, Rangers began straggling away, Justin to the Shelter, and other's on their own way. Before long, only Billy and Kimberly remained.
"It's sort of weird that we all came to Angel Grove at the same time," Billy murmured.
"Well, we all came here on the pretense of dragging your sorry butt back from Aquitar," Kimberly said, smiling. She paused for a moment, and then said, "I've really missed you, Billy."
"I've missed you, too," he said, nodding. Should I tell her?
"What made you decide to come back?" she asked.
Tell her!
"No reason."
2016
"I'll fight with Hillari," Montana commented, flipping into place between the Blue and Red Rangers.
Billy high-kicked a Scorpite, knocking the bipedal arachnid creature back several feet. "Oh, come on!" Billy cried. "We're fighting, not dating."
"Trust me," Montana said, tapping the Blue Ranger on the chest with his yellow Power Shield, "when you two double-team, you don't get much done."
"You can fight with me," Tracy said, spinning over her older brother. She landed nimbly on her feet and pulled her Power Bow from the air.
"Hey sis," Billy remarked, extending his hands and calling his Power Staff. "I found Mom's diary in the attic." He grabbed a Scorpite in the stomach with the round ball at the end of the Staff and flipped it high into the air.
"Really?" Tracy asked, firing a green arrow at the falling creature. "You shouldn't be reading Mom's stuff."
"I know, but it's about the guy I'm named after!" Billy shouted.
"What?" she asked. As soon as she dropped her guard, two Scorpites ambushed her.
"Tracy!" Acer cried. "Get ready!"
He flicked his Power Whip and a long, golden cord lashed out. It wrapped around one of the Scorpites, allowing Tracy to beat the other away with her Bow. Upon being defeated, it turned into black dust and drifted away.
"Thanks Acer!" Tracy cried, flashing him a thumbs up.
"Not a problem!"
Moments later, all of the Scorpites had been defeated. Just as the Rangers were rallying together to celebrate their victory, golden light flashed. Scorpina dropped to the pavement, her golden and black cape fluttering behind her. In two more flashes of light, her henchmen Rito Revolto and Lord Zedd, now just a mere fighter rather than an overlord of evil, appeared.
"Group up!" Jacquelynn cried. The eight Rangers promptly formed a defensive line before the villains.
"What do you want now, Scorpina?!" Monika shouted.
"Oh, the usual," Scorpina said. "Destroy some Rangers, take over the world..."
"If you really think you stand a chance, then go for it," Hillari taunted.
"We'll talk later," Tracy said, tapping her blue armor-clad brother on the shoulder with the tip of her green Bow. "I don't think you should be reading Mom's diary."
"You can talk later," Olivia said, motioning at Scorpina with her Power Sword. "We're kind of busy at the moment."
June 3, 1997
The Rangers were successful in their efforts to get Aisha back to Angel Grove. She had done all she could with the animal plague, and while it wasn't over, she had certainly helped. Her family decided it was time to move back to civilization, and they returned, this time with Aunt Ashala.
Billy still hadn't told anyone about his impending doom. A full month had passed, and he knew that he had but two months left. For a while, he thought he might have beaten the illness. However, one night in early June, it happened.
His hands tightened painfully on his closet doorknob. He would have fallen to his knees, but every major muscle group in his body immediately tightened but promptly stopped responding, locking him in his position. He temporarily found himself unable to breathe, and then, the final stage of what would soon become a daily ritual started. Acetylcholine, triggered by the final vestiges of the power in his body, burst through his system. He immediately began to shake and convulse, falling to the floor. His body bucked and writhed frantically, and then, thirty seconds after it started, he was still. Acetylcholine levels dropped to their normal levels, and he was able to take a deep breath again.
As he lay on the floor, trying to regather himself, he realized how it was going to happen. At the moment, the only thing keeping him alive was the Power. The immortality induced by the waters of the Eternal Falls was keeping his body alive, but it was the Power keeping HIM alive. He would stay in good health, even after death. His corpse would never decompose. However, as soon as the Power was completely gone, his brain would die. And the Power was leaving. Organic entities couldn't hold the Power; that was why the Rangers always had Zeonizers, Turbo Morphers, or the Power Coins to hold the Power for them. It would leave in small doses periodically, until it was all gone. When the last vestige of the Power left him, his brain would shut down, and Billy Cranston was going to be leaving his current stage of existence.
"The Power must stimulate acetylcholine," he said as he sat back up. "That explains the paralysis and then the seizures. Backwash and then oversurge. I wonder if that info could be useful to the Rangers..." He smiled as the gears in his brain began turning.
White and blue light flashed in the Power Chamber as Billy teleported in. Zordon's tube was empty, and Alpha was standing at the side, silently recharging. It didn't matter, though. He didn't have to wake them up to perform his tests.
However, as soon as he started moving, Alpha's motion sensors were activated, and he whirred to life. "Billy?" Alpha asked. "Are you all right? You look pale?"
"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine," Billy answered, for the most part truthfully. "It's started."
"What has started?"
"The attacks," Billy said. "I didn't know what the Power seeping out would cause, but now I know. First there was paralysis, and then a series of seizures in my major muscle groups, mostly trunk and legs."
"And you're fine?" Alpha asked, tilting his mechanical head to the side.
"Well, obviously it isn't much fun, but it made me realize something. The Power is directly associated with acetylcholine levels in the body. That must be how the Power anchors itself in our bodies. With a little bit of work, we could devise a way to make the Power stay in a person. We wouldn't have to worry about Power Coins being stolen or Zords being blown up, because the Power would stay in the human body!"
"Billy?" Zordon said, suddenly appearing in his Plasma Tube. "Shouldn't you be at home getting your rest?"
"Zordon, I can't pass up this opportunity," Billy said. "I'm the first, and probably the last, person ever to have this opportunity to see first-hand how the Power works in an organic being."
"Billy, I must commend your selflessness, but you should be spending your final days with your friends..."
"I promise I won't spend every waking moment in here, but... just a little bit of time everyday. I don't think it'll require all that much work, anyhow. It's mostly mental. Please Zordon? Besides, this is what I enjoy."
"Provided you do not alienate yourselves from your friends and family, I have no objections," Zordon relented.
June 13, 1997
The attacks were now occurring regularly. They only occurred once a day, and usually at around nine p.m. everynight. He had managed to keep them hidden from everyone except Alpha and Zordon. His parents had suggested that perhaps Billy had beaten his problem with immortality, but he told them that the tests he had run on himself at the Power Chamber revealed death was still imminent. He didn't want them to think that it was a possibility he could survive.
He had plans to tell his friends at the start of July. That would give him one final month. However, Tommy had an idea for a weekend get-away that was going to put a serious hamper on his plans.
"A camping trip?" Billy asked.
"That'll be a lot of fun!" Trini agreed.
"Guys, there is no way my parents would let me go unsupervised," Emily said. She cast a sympathetic glance at Jason's dropped face. "I'm sorry."
"Well, that's okay," Jason sighed. "I'll stay here, too. We can have fun together."
"But we are going to be supervised," Katherine said. "Ernie's going!"
"I think it sounds great!" Kimberly squealed. "I'm in!"
"I don't know if I should," Billy said warily. "I mean... I've been working at the Pow-... at home, and..."
"If you aren't going, I'm not going," Kimberly said. "And I really want to go."
"C'mon, Billy," Aisha pleaded. "It'll be fun!"
"Please?" Tanya tried, smiling as she did so.
"Pleeease?" Katherine added. A few seconds later, half the group was chorusing in 'pleases.'
"All right, all right," he relented, smiling at the attention.
2016
The three oldest members of the team, Billy, Montana, and Hillari, were waiting in the Power Chamber. They were active members of the team, but they were also Zordless. The five younger Rangers were the only ones who could fight in Zord battles.
The trio had served on a team with some still older Rangers a few years prior. They had, for a while, been on a team with Jacquelynn and Acer after the two oldest Rangers, now in their early twenties, passed their powers on, giving leadership to Billy. However, at the end of their Junior year of high school, they retired, giving their spots on the team to Olivia, Tracy, and Monika, while Billy gave the role of leader to Jacquelynn.
The Ranger team had been a bit of a tricky situation for a while. Before they left the team, Billy, Montana, and Hillari still carried their Ninja Powers from their first stint as Rangers, whereas Acer and Jacquelynn used the only two known fragments of the Light Crystal. However, when the next three shards were found, the three Ninja Rangers realized they were going to have to leave the team. Their Powers were permanently bonded with their bodies, whereas the Light Crystal Powers were not. Thanks to Justin Stewart's intense five-year research project that allowed for the permanent attachment of Powers to their owners, the Power was much more secure than it ever had been in the past. While the Rangers still did use various morphers to help control the flow of Power, they weren't necessary. Even without the morphers, they could still morph. However, this also meant that they couldn't accept another Power. Since MasterVile was their only current foe, the Ninja Rangers were not particularly needed, and three young teens were selected to complete the five membered Light Ranger Team.
Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, the powerful Scorpina showed up. She had recently killed Dark Spectre and absorbed his powers, making her the most powerful being alive. With her powerful henchmen Rito Revolto and Lord Zedd, she was a force to be reckoned with. And the Light Crystal just wasn't enough.
The five Light Rangers promptly went to Phaedos to receive the Ninja Power so they would have a Power that was permanently bonded to their bodies, and Hillari, Billy, and Montana rejoined the team. They formed a team of eight Rangers, although they only had the five Light Zords.
"Zordon, Dimitria, do we need to stay here?" Billy asked. "There is something at home that's sort of urgent."
"The fight seems to be going well," Zordon answered. "You may return. If you are needed, we will call you."
"Great," Montana said. "I think the gym is still open." He simultaneously demorphed and teleported away in yellow light.
"What is so urgent?" Hillari asked, demorphing in red light as she walked over to Billy's side.
"Come with me," Billy said, touching her on the arm. "It's about Billy Cranston."
June 14, 1997
It had taken numerous cars, but soon enough, the assortment of Rangers and Ranger friends had made it to beautiful Crystal Lake. Although it was technically a section of a river situated between a waterfall that fed into it and another waterfall leading out of it, it was large and nearly circular, and at first glance, it looked like a lake. Rocky had made the obligatory Friday the 13th jokes, the majority of which had Jason or Emily at the butt of them, but the mood was generally light for all involved.
Before long, a wide assortment of various colored tents was set up along the banks of Crystal Lake. There was a lot to do. Swimming was the primary option, but there were also trails to hike down, a small grotto behind the waterfall leading into the lake to explore, trees to climb, and lots of sun to enjoy. Everyone was having fun. However, as night fell, two of the teens were preparing to have more fun than was allowed.
8:57 p.m.
"Em, we shouldn't," Jason mildly protested as her hands gave him a shoulder massage.
"Why not?" she asked, breathing lightly in his air. "Everybody thinks we're out on the hiking trail. We're accounted for, and we've got a good hour before anyone will even think about look for us. Do you not want to?"
"Oh no, I'd like to," he murmured. "But... I still don't know if we should. I mean, anyone could come along, I don't have a condom." Then, in a much lower voice, he added, "I'm sort of still a virgin..."
Her hands slowly stopped moving on his shoulders. As Jason felt his face grow hot, she leaned over his shoulder and latched her gaze onto his. "First of all, EVERYONE is accounted for. Secondly, I can't get pregnant right now. And thirdly, do you say that because you want to stay a virgin for a while or because you're scared?"
He paused for a moment before finally answering, "A little of both, but more of the latter."
"Jason, I'm a virgin, too," Emily said. "I don't want to pressure you into doing anything you don't want to, but... if you are willing..." She paused as she realized how awkward their conversation would have sounded to an observer. "If you are willing, I'd like to make love tonight. I'm not ready for marriage by any stretch of the imagination, but you are definitely the person I envision spending my life with. I love you, Jason Scott."
He turned so as to face her. "I love you, too," he said. Framing her face with his large hands, he stretched over to her and gave her a passionate kiss.
"Does this mean what I think it means?" she asked. He casually discarded his dark red t-shirt and wrapped his arms around her. Kissing her deeply, the two slowly lowered from the log they sat on to the soft, mossy ground. As he carefully covered her with his massive frame, they both realized that a verbal answer wasn't necessary.
Billy glanced at his watch. He still had several minutes before he had to leave for the Power Chamber. His attacks always occurred around nine o'clock, and he had no intention of letting his friends see him have one. He wanted them to find out about it on his own terms.
"Hey Billy, what time is it?" Ernie asked, catching him looking at his own watch.
"Eight fifty," he answered.
"Your watch is slow," David remarked. "It's a little after nine."
"What?" Billy asked hurriedly, leaping to his feet. "How little?"
"According to my watch, it is exactly 9:03," David said. "Is something wrong?"
Unfortunately, Billy couldn't answer. "Billy?" David asked, looking up. The light-haired teen was standing perfectly still, but David immediately realized something was horribly wrong. Billy was standing too tense. "Billy!" he shouted. Then, he watched in horror as Billy's legs gave out beneath him, and he dropped to the ground, immediately convulsing. His waist was acting like a pivot, causing his upper body and lower body to alternately thrash up and down.
"Ernie!" David yelled as he hurried over to the teen.
"Give him room!" Ernie cried, realizing what was happening. He hurried to Billy's side. "We have to let him have room, but we can't let him hurt himself."
"Billy!" Kimberly screeched, running up to them. "What's happening to him?"
"Kim!" Zack shouted, intercepting her. "Stay back."
Then, immediately, Billy stopped. "I'm okay," he rasped out, grasping onto David's shoulder as he pulled himself into a seated position. Kimberly squirreled out of Zack's grip and hurried to her friend's side.
"Billy, what was that?"
He looked into her frightened face. More and more of his friends were slowly circling him, on each of their faces a similar look of fear. "I guess I owe you an explanation," he sighed.
Jason and Emily returned to camp, equally pleased smiles on both of their faces. However, as soon as they got there, they realized that something was very wrong. No one was talking, and everyone they could see had a somber expression. Jason saw Trini and David sitting together on a log a short distance away. David looked more shocked than anything, but Trini looked positively horrified. Her face was red, her eyes were dark, and her lips were slightly quivering.
"Trini?" Jason asked. "What's wrong?"
Trini immediately started to cry again, but she still attempted to answer Jason. "Bi-Bi-Bill-lly i-i..."
"Go ask Tommy," David mouthed, wrapping his arms around Trini. She immediately accepted him, burying her face in his shoulder as she began to sob uncontrollably.
"Tommy!" Jason yelled, taking Emily's hand as he darted toward camp. "Tommy!"
"I'm the guy to ask," Billy said, stepping out of the shadows.
"Jason," Emily called, stopping him. Both whipped their gaze in Billy's direction.
"What's going on?" Jason asked, the fear apparent in his voice. He had never seen Trini cry in his life. That greatly unnerved him.
"It's my fault the mood is so somber around here," Billy said. "I just told everyone I'm dying."
"What?" Emily asked.
"I came back to Angel Grove to die," Billy answered. He knew that Emily didn't know the Ranger secret, but at the moment, he needed to tell Jason the whole story. Rather than ask to speak to Jason alone, he just continued, "I was fine, until I drank water from the Eternal Falls in an attempt to remedy the old age situation. The Eternal Falls have essentially killed me, but the last bits of the Blue Power are keeping my mind alive. It's making my body work. I've got about six weeks left. The Power is slowly leaving me, and when it is all gone, my body will stop working, my mind will shut down, and I'm going to die. There's absolutely nothing that can be done about it, so don't even ask."
"Blue Power?" Emily asked.
"I was the original Blue Power Ranger," Billy said. "A situation of very bizarre events is going to culminate in my death."
"Billy?" Jason finally managed. "You're... I mean... You're dying?" Without waiting for Billy to answer, he reached out and pulled him into a tight hug. Billy closed his eyes and hugged back, surprisingly grateful for the emotional and physical aspects the hug offered.
2016
Billy and Hillari skimmed through the diary entry for June 14, 1997. At over twenty pages long, it was the most lengthy one yet. It touched on absolutely everything, ranging from the experiences of the camping trip to her feelings at learning of Billy's death and the bemused shock of discovering that Jason and Emily had consummated their relationship.
"Do you realize we just read something written on the day that Montana's parents lost their virginity?" Billy asked, flashing a grimace in Hillari's direction. That resulted in a set of overdramatic seizures from both teenagers.
"Do you also realize that we are about the same age as Jason and Emily were then?" Hillari asked, reaching out to nonchalantly touch Billy on the arm.
"Oh?"
"Yeah," she sighed. She moved closer to him and placed a hand on the side of his face. They simultaneously met halfway and joined each other in a heated, passionate kiss. Their hands met together and began a frantic descent down Billy's front, unbuttoning his blue denim shirt to reveal a muscular, tanned chest. Moving in smooth unison, the two got off of the wooden chest they were sitting on and moved to the floor. Billy shrugged the shirt off of his body, and as he stretched out beside Hillari, he began to kiss her anywhere he could find exposed flesh.
As he planted tiny kisses all along her jawline and neck, one traveled across her chest. Using the heel of his palm, he roughly slid his hand down the slope of her left breast. Upon reaching the center of her chest, he slid his hand up to her neck and started to fumble with her buttons. A few seconds later, her pink shirt gaped open. Billy moved half of his body over her, and as he returned his hands, he kissed the base of her neck and started to move lower.
"Wait, wait," she interrupted, sitting up.
"Huh?" he grunted, rolling aside. Sitting up as well, he said, "If this is about a condom, I can get one in just a few minutes..."
"No, it's not that," she said as she started to rebutton her shirt. "It just... it occurred to me. Not only do I have no desire to have a kid, I have every intention of wearing white when we walk down the aisle. My mother married in white, and I want to marry in white, too."
Billy sighed, simultaneously disappointed and relieved, and a second later, horrified that he had, in fact, sighed. Clearing his throat and turning to face her, he said, "That's respectable." He then placed a hand on the back of her head and pulled her close for a kiss.
"Hey! I'm a tease, now!" Hillari laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "You aren't upset, are you? I'm sorry."
"I will never be upset with you, and you will never have to apologize," Billy promised. He stretched to retrieve his shirt but paused with a smile as a thought occurred to him. "After all, I did make it to second base. Can I tell Montana?"
"Yeah, go ahead," Hillari smiled. "I'm gonna tell Jacquelynn. I love you, Billy Edward."
"I love you, too, Hillari Lynn."
June 15, 1997
Billy stripped down to his dark blue swim trunks just as the sun was starting to peer over the horizon. He hoped a swim would do him some good. He stepped out into the water, voicing a slight disagreement at the water's cool temperature. As soon as he was at chest level, he sank beneath the water and promptly popped back up. That helped, temperature-wise, immensely. He then allowed his body to relax and he started to swim out into Crystal Lake.
He floated on his back, very little of his body out of the water. Closing his eyes, he completely relaxed, thinking of absolutely nothing. For several minutes, he floated in that meditative state, when suddenly, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Billy?" Rocky asked.
"Rocky?" Billy sputtered, instantly sinking beneath the surface. He floundered for a few moments before Rocky helped him right himself.
"Sorry," Rocky apologized.
"It's okay," Billy acknowledged. "You just snuck up on me."
Rocky shivered slightly, rubbing his arms to warm himself up. "It's a little bit chilly out here," Rocky said. "Aren't you cold?"
"A little," Billy agreed. "Have you seen the view from the top of the grotto?" After Rocky shook his head 'no,' Billy said, "Well, let's go." The two former Blue Rangers began to swim across the rest of Crystal Lake to get to a path that led up to the waterfall. As they swam, they talked, starting out with regular guy talk.
"Kimberly isn't attached to anyone, at the moment, is she?" Rocky asked.
Billy shook his head. "She's single. Why?"
"Well... Do you think she would go out with me?"
"She might," Billy answered. "Want me to find out for you?"
"Oh no," Rocky said. "I couldn't ask you to do that."
"Of course you could," Billy insisted. "Why wouldn't you? Because I'm dying?"
"Billy," Rocky whined. "Stop treating death like it's so damn nonchalant."
"Hold up," Billy said, stopping Rocky. The two treaded in the deep but clear water. They had, by that time, made it far from shore. "I'm not treating my death nonchalant. At all. It's just that it's different for me to talk about it than other people. I've had time to accept it. Obviously, I don't want to die, but since I am dying, I've accepted it. It's that simple."
"For you, maybe," Rocky said. "Billy, it nearly broke my heart when my father died. I didn't have a chance to prepare for it or anything. It just happened because of some bastard of a drunk driver." Rocky's eyes flashed angrily for a moment as he relived the memory. "It just-"
"I understand that you have problems with death," Billy told him. "And I'm sorry if I've offended you in any way at all. I never, ever meant to hurt any of you."
"Let's keep going," Rocky said, nodding toward the grotto. They swam in silence for a few moments before Rocky said, "You haven't offended me. I'm hurt, but not at you. Just..."
"God?"
"No," Rocky was quick to say. "I was going to say the Finger of Fate. Or Zordon even."
"It's not Zordon's fault."
"I know," Rocky said. "It's just very easy to blame things on him."
Just then, the two boys made it far enough to the other shore to stand up in the water. Still talking, they walked out of the chilly lake. "Are you scared to die?" Rocky asked.
"A little," Billy said. "Well, I'm a little scared of what it might be like after death." The two sat down on the sand by the lake that was quickly becoming warm as the sun continued to rise.
"Don't you believe in heaven?"
"Sure, I believe in heaven, but I don't KNOW that it's there."
"I do," Rocky said firmly.
"You know there's a heaven?"
"Well, I know that there is a God, and I don't believe that whoever created all of this wouldn't have some kind of reward for everyone who dies," Rocky said. "I know you're into science and everything, but..."
"Just because I'm into science doesn't mean I don't believe in God," Billy said cautiously. "Besides, I'm into chemistry and physics. They just about always believe in something. You find your atheists in Biology more than anything."
"Chemists and Physicists are religious?"
"A lot of the time they are," Billy said. "More often than not. Biology deals with life, which changes, but chemistry and physics don't. They're very constant. It just... they are both so complex, that it's easier for people to accept that there is something than that everything arose from chance. It has been scientifically proven that when something occurs from random chance, the simplest method is always the one taken. If everything we know it arose from purely random events, then it would be much more simple.
"I've never worried about the existence of a god... It's just... I don't know who or what God is. I was raised Baptist, and I'll die Baptist, but... what if that's not right? What if I'm doomed to hell because I've followed the wrong religion my entire life? That's the only thing I'm scared about."
"Well... I don't really know what to tell you about that. I guess all I can say is this. If you've lived a good life, and you've been a good person, and you haven't denied the existence of God, then you'll just have to have the faith that God is going to take care of you," Rocky said. "I know being a Christian says that you have to go through Jesus, and I do believe that, but... maybe that's just the Christian way, you know? Maybe it's all encompassing, and it's just that other people use different names and ways? I mean, even Christians say the only thing that is unforgivable is denying God. Maybe God and Jesus are just so big that some people have other ways that are the same as ours, but different, to get to Him."
"That's a nice thought, Rocky," Billy said, smiling. Laughing, he said, "It makes me feel better, too. If we were both wearing shirts, I'd give you a hug."
"C'mon," Rocky started, reaching out to slap Billy on the shoulder. "Let's go on up to the waterfall."
A few seconds later, the two men found themselves standing in knee-deep fast-moving water that looked out over the entire lake. "Beautiful, ain't it?" Rocky sighed.
"Yes, it is," Billy agreed. "Hey, there's Kim."
They watched as Kimberly waded out into the water in a scant two-piece light pink bikini. "I guess that water's still pretty cold, huh?"
"Probably so," Billy agreed. The two glanced at each other as mischievous smiles spread across their faces in perfect unison. With unspoken agreement, the two cannonballed off of the grotto, yelling the whole way down to the water.
"I didn't realize there were other people up," Kimberly commented as Billy and Rocky swam toward her.
"We haven't been out here long," Rocky said. Glancing sideways at Billy, he smiled and said, "Cold, ain't it?"
"What were you doing out here?" Kimberly asked of Billy, essentially ignoring Rocky.
"Guy talk," Billy answered.
"Ah, that means you were talking about boobs and getting laid, right?"
"Actually, we were talking about the metaphysical ramifications of death," Rocky said. He paused, and then added, "But... boobs, a little. Sort of."
"Metaphysical ramifications," Kimberly said, smiling. "Billy teach you that big phrase?"
Rocky smiled back and said, "Something like that." He attempted to laugh it off in perhaps the spirit it was intended, but Billy noticed that her barb hit him harder than he would have thought. He made a mental note to talk to her about it later.
It was hard on everyone, but Billy virtually forced the others to have a good time during the remainder of their vacation. However, there was more than one person relieved to go back. Everyone needed time to deal with the news that Billy's life was going to be ending soon.
June 16, 1997
"Wake up," Kimberly said in his ear.
"What?!" Billy cried, sitting straight up in bed. Looking around in confusion, he saw Kimberly kneeling beside his bed. "Kim? What are you doing here?"
"I came here to spend some time with you," she said, smiling at him.
Groaning, Billy fell back into a lying position. "Kimberly, it's too early..."
"Scoot over," she instructed, crawling up into bed. Mumbling complaints, Billy did as she ordered, giving her room in his bed.
"Can't a guy sleep in during his finals days on Earth?"
"Billy, stop that!" Kimberly suddenly snapped, causing him to recoil in shock. "Dammit Billy, I am your friend, and even if you've accepted you're going to die, I haven't!" He expected her to start yelling again, but instead, she began to cry. "Damn you, Billy Cranston. Why are you dying on me?"
"Kimberly?" he asked in shock.
"I don't want you to die," she sobbed, "but you're... it's like you don't even care!"
"Kim," Billy said softly, stretching out to touch her. He pulled her into a hug and allowed her to cry on his shoulder. "It's not that I don't care. I'd rather not die, but I've accepted it... I'm ready to die. I'm not afraid to die."
Wiping her tears off on his pajama top, she asked, "Aren't you afraid to leave all of your friends and family behind?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
Sniffling, Kimberly pulled away from him and said, "Then we should spend every waking moment together. Billy, most people who die young don't get to know beforehand. But you do. You can do everything in these last few months of your life that you've always wanted to do. Okay?"
"Thank you, Kimberly," Billy said, smiling. "I appreciate that."
"So," she asked, trying to compose herself, "what do you want to do first? I'm up for anything. Doesn't matter what it is. If you want to do it, and I can help it happen, I'll help. ANYTHING. So..."
"Well, I'd like to have a picnic in the park," Billy said. "Remember that time Jason, Zack, and Trini went scuba diving, and I was afraid to go, so we had a picnic instead?"
"That sounds like fun," Kimberly said with a nod. "But, if there's anything you want to do, even if you think it's something I might not want to do, then just let me know, okay?"
"Like what?" he asked.
"Anything," she said, lifting her eyebrows slightly. "Okay?"
Billy, the perpetually loveably dense teen, didn't catch the implied suggestion of her offer. "Okay," he said slowly, sure that there was an underlying message but completely clueless as to what it actually was. "Thank you."
"Hey, there's Rocky," Billy said as he started to wave his friend over.
"No," Kimberly stopped him. "Don't."
"Don't wave Rocky over?" he asked, lowering his hand. "Why not? You don't like Rocky?"
"No, I like Rocky. I just don't feel like putting up with him today."
"What do you mean by that?"
Kimberly scooted closer to him and said, "I just don't think he takes things seriously enough."
"Have you ever even spent time with Rocky?" Billy asked, a bit defensively. "He's a good guy. Granted, he does have a joking attitude, but that isn't what makes up all of him. He's helped his mother raise six children. Just because he knows how to have fun doesn't make him immature."
"I didn't say I didn't like him," Kimberly reiterated. "I just... I don't know-"
"You're afraid he'll say something stupid about death with me knocking at-"
"Stop it," Kimberly said firmly. "But yes, that's exactly what I'm afraid of."
"You know, yesterday, Rocky and I had a pretty deep conversation," Billy told her. "About death, religion, everything..."
"If you want me to go get him, I can go catch up," Kimberly offered, starting to climb to her feet.
"No, that's okay," Billy said, pulling her back down into a seated position. "There's something I'd kind of like to suggest to you, anyway."
"Oh?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.
"If Rocky were to ask you out on a date, would you go?"
Kimberly started to answer, but she then furrowed her brow in confusion. "That is not what I thought you were going to ask me," she said.
"Well, would you?" Billy asked.
"Would I go? Probably. I'd hate to say no to him, but..."
"You wouldn't want to?"
"Not in a romantic sense," she said. "I like Rocky, but... I wouldn't want to be romantically involved with him."
"Who do you want to be romantically linked with?"
"Let's talk about something else, okay?"
"No, let's talk about this. You want to make sure my final days are happy; I want to make sure the rest of your life is happy, too. Any guy in particular you have your eye on?"
"My eye on?" Kimberly asked, trying to change the subject. "What decade are you living in?"
"Is there someone?"
"Not really," she said. "So, want to go to the zoo again?"
"It wasn't me..., was it?"
"Let's go to the zoo," Kimberly said as she started to pack things back into her picnic b