Disclaimer: as you already know, I'm just writing this for fun, not for profit. All characters and zords belong to Saban Entertainment, except for Stephanie Marks, the Purple Ranger, which belongs to me. Any similarities between my character and others are purely coincidental. I got the idea for the Ninja Rangers after watching the PR movies and reading Ellen Brand's Personality Conflicts series, so give the credit to those two for that. I am not in any way, shape, or form, however, using her Morphin Warriors idea. Any similarities between my character and others are purely coincidental. I hope you enjoy the story!

Shades of Violet
by : Snowflake

"Wonder why Mr. Kaplan and the teachers are so worked up," Kimberly Hart commented to her friends Tommy Oliver, Billy Cranston, Adam Park, Aisha Campbell, Katherine Hillard, Tanya Sloan, and Rocky DeSantos. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat in the auditorium and accidentally elbowed a girl about her own age. "OOPS, sorry!"

"Personally, I’m wondering where Zack, Trini, and Jason are sitting," Aisha spoke up as she noticed that three of their friends, Zachary Taylor, Trini Kwan, and Jason Scott, were missing. "I thought they’d be sitting with us."

"They’re sitting farther back than we are, Isha," Tanya spoke up, pointing in their general direction.

"Is this ever gonna start?" Rocky whined as he slumped in his seat. "I’m bored."

"Rocky, be quiet. So Kim, how’s your floor routine coming for your competition that’s coming up?" Katherine asked Kimberly, brushing her long blonde hair out of the way.

"You didn’t hear? I might have a chance at the Pan Globals if I win this competition!" Kim exclaimed, bouncing up and down in her seat, hitting the girl next to her again.

"There’s no doubt in my mind that you’re gonna win it, Kim," Aisha told her. She looked around the auditorium. "Guys, this must be important. I’ve never seen the auditorium so packed before. Every single person in the school must be here!"

Kimberly wrinkled her forehead. "Why, though? What’s so important?"

Aisha eyed Kimberly curiously. "You didn’t hear the rumors floating around school?" she asked incredulously. "I thought everyone had heard about it by now."

Kim shook her head no. So did Katherine. "No, I didn’t hear about anything. What are you talking about, Aisha?" the petite girl questioned.

Aisha leaned forward, her braids swinging as she did so. "Well, there’s a rumor going around school that someone famous is coming here," she answered. "All things are possible."

The girl sitting next to Kimberly joined their conversation. "Whomever said that someone famous is coming was right," she spoke in a low voice, her deep brown eyes twinkling. She absently wound a curl around her finger.

"Whoa!" Kimberly breathed, awed. "What’s your name? I’m Kimberly Hart, and these are my best friends Aisha Campbell and Katherine Hillard."

"I’m Stephanie," the girl responded with a warm smile, "but you can call me Steve."

"Someone famous must be coming. This looks like a big deal for them," Rocky spoke up, drawing their attention back to the stage as their principal, Mr. Kaplan, stepped up to the microphone and asked everyone to quiet down.

"I know you’re all wondering why you’re here today," Mr. Kaplan began. "Well, we’ve got a very special guest joining us. You may have heard of her. She’s a major success story at sixteen, flying all over the world to perform her songs from her self-titled debut album, which entered the record charts at number one four months ago and continues to hold the number one spot on the R and B charts.

"Besides being an accomplished vocalist, she’s into martial arts where she holds a fourth-degree black belt in Karate, loves swimming, reading, writing, dancing, and acting, but her first love is soccer, where she excels at center midfield and center forward," Mr. Kaplan paused for a moment.

Adam raised his eyebrows at that last statement. "She plays soccer? I want to know who this lady is!" he responded quietly.

"Singing a cover of one of her favorite songs, Robyn’s ‘Show Me Love,’ I am proud to present to you Miss Stephanie Marks!"

Everyone expected a teen about their own age to walk out onto the stage. What happened next was a complete shock to everyone, especially Kimberly. The girl next to her stood up and raised a microphone to her lips in one fluid motion as Kim stared in shock. "Yeah, yeah-ha."

Always been told that I’ve got too much pride
Too independent to have you by my side
Then my heart said all of you would see
Just won’t live for someone until he’ll live for me
Never thought I would find love so sweet
Never thought I would meet someone like you,
Well now I’ve found you and I’ll tell you no lie
This love I have for you could take me ‘round the world
Now show me love

Show me love, show me life
Baby show me what it’s all about
You’re the only one that I’ve ever needed
Show me love and what it’s all about
All right

So don’t waste this love I wanna give to you
Show me what you got, tell me what you can do
Show me love, show me everything
I know you’ve got potential so baby let me in and show me love

Show me love, show me life
Baby show me what it’s all about
You’re the only one that I’ve ever needed
Show me love and what it’s all about
All right

Stephanie was facing the crowd on the stage, smiling brightly as she danced to the music while she sang. Then she caught sight of a fine guy sitting right behind Kimberly. Who is he? she thought, momentarily stunned. He looks familiar…like someone I’ll know soon. That’s who I’m singing this for right now, she decided as she looked straight into his chocolate-brown eyes.

Show me love
Show me everything you’ve got and show me life
Show me love baby
Show me everything and what it’s all about
I’ll love you
I’ll miss you
I’ll make sure everything will be all right
I’ll give you my heart if you show me love
Every day and every night

As Stephanie sang the line, she did a back flip off the stage and landed perfectly.

Show me love, show me life (all right)
Baby show me what it’s all about
You’re the only one that I’ve ever needed
Show me love and what it’s all about

Show me love, show me life (all right)
Baby show me what it’s all about,
You’re the only one that I’ve ever needed
Show me love and what it’s all about
All right

The students whistled and hooted their approval as Stephanie smiled shyly. "Thank you. You guys are so sweet," she thanked them warmly.

"And you’re hot!" one guy yelled, referring to her cropped purple short-sleeved sweater, wide-leg jeans, and black chunky-heeled shoes, prompting a response from the other males present in the audience.

Stephanie blushed in embarrassment. "Thanks," she responded, trying not to laugh.

Tommy just watched Stephanie up on the stage, transfixed. She’s gorgeous! He mused silently. That smile, her beautiful voice…and what a body, he mentally added.

Rocky nudged Adam slightly. "Check out Tommy’s expression!" he chuckled as he pointed at their leader.

Adam did as he was told and found Tommy staring at the new girl. "He’s got it bad for her. I don’t blame him, though. She’s beautiful!" he exclaimed.

Stephanie caught Kimberly’s eye and grinned. "So Kim, are you surprised?" she asked. Then her gaze settled on the gorgeous guy behind Kimberly again. This time, though, he was staring right back at her. She decided to take the plunge. "Hey, the person sitting behind Kim. What’s your name?"

Tommy caught his breath. She was speaking to him. This must be Heaven, because no girl I’ve ever met was that gorgeous! He thought, completely forgetting to answer her.

Aisha rolled her eyes. It’s so obvious that Tommy and Stephanie like each other! From the looks of it though, Tommy won’t be speaking any time soon. He looks like he just got hit over the head with a sledgehammer! She shook her head. "His name is Tommy!" Aisha shouted.

So his name is Tommy? I like it. It just seems to suit him perfectly. God, he is so fine! Stephanie smiled. "Well then, Tommy, this next song is for you. It’s called ‘My Dream Come True’," she responded as the music started.

Kimberly’s eyes narrowed. Does Stephanie like my boyfriend? Worse yet, does Tommy like her? Oh God, I can’t lose him. I love him too much. She desperately prayed that she was wrong as the assembly went on.





On the moon, Lord Zedd leaned back in his throne as he watched the assembly at the high school. "Hmm," he mused thoughtfully, tapping his metal-tipped fingers against the arm of the throne, "it seems that Kimberly is jealous of the new girl, Stephanie. I must use this to my advantage so that I may finally destroy the Rangers.",

Goldar watched his master closely. "My lord, why don’t you cast a spell for the girls to hate each other?" he suggested.

Lord Zedd glared at Goldar for a long time, then began to laugh. "Goldar, you’re brilliant!" he crowed. "An excellent idea, yes. A spell for Kimberly and Stephanie to despise each other! Now, for a monster. Hmm…"

"Send Bookworm to destroy the Power Rangers, Lord Zedd. He can wrap himself around the Rangers, rendering them helpless while he crushes them to death!" Goldar exclaimed.

Lord Zedd stood up. "Perfect! Those Power Rangers are going to be sorry they crossed me," he seethed, remembering the defeat from the other day when Aisha had gotten in a lucky shot at a monster’s weak spot and brought it down single-handedly. "Especially Aisha. Bookworm, arise and annihilate those Rangers!"



Part Two

Stephanie hummed ‘Show Me Love’ to herself as she walked down a hall of Angel Grove High and looked for her locker. Suddenly, a shiver went down her spine and she automatically folded her arms across her chest to keep warm while, unbeknownst to her, her eyes glowed violet for a second. "Where’s my locker?" she asked herself quietly as she shrugged off the feeling and instead thought about Tommy.

He is so fine I can’t stand it! I’m surprised I didn’t jump off the stage and pounce on him when I saw him, she mused silently. He is my dream come true, though, Stephanie thought, echoing the words of her song.

Suddenly, she spotted her locker out of the corner of her eye. "There it is! 138." She reached for the lock and began to twist the combination. "Thirty-one, sixteen, eleven."

All thoughts of Tommy suddenly flew from her mind as she got the locker open and saw the inside. Her jaw dropped at the mess and she raised her eyebrows. "Talk about messy!" she exclaimed. "Well, let’s see. I’m sharing a locker with someone. It’s a total mess. And," she paused, taking in the red jacket, red backpack, and gym clothes at the bottom, "I’m sharing the locker with a guy. Nope, things REALLY haven’t changed since my freshman year here!",

Stephanie glanced around the locker once more to figure out where to put her stuff. Then a watch caught her eye and she picked it up. "Is this a watch? It looks like it is, but…oh, who cares!" Stephanie groaned as she put it back down. I’ll never understand why guys have to buy the stupidest things.

She finally unzipped her purple-colored backpack and put her notebooks and her jacket in the locker before she closed it. Turning around, she came face-to-face with a guy who had the most gorgeous eyes she’d ever seen. "Oh my God, it’s you! Tommy, right?"

Tommy smiled down at the petite girl. She’s so beautiful, but she’s also friendly and so sweet, even though she’s the new girl, he thought. But to Stephanie he said, "Yeah. I’m Tommy Oliver. Let me guess-you’re my new locker partner."

Stephanie’s brown eyes widened. "You’re the one who made that mess in there?" she questioned, gesturing to their locker.

Tommy grinned at the horrified expression on her face. "Unbelievable, huh? Yeah, that’s all mine. I’m sorry, though. I didn’t know that I’d be sharing with anyone," he explained.

Stephanie held up her hands, silencing him. "It’s okay! You don’t have to apologize," she assured him. "Trust me, I’ve seen worse. So, how long have you been here?"

Tommy gazed at her chocolate-brown eyes. Then he realized that she had asked him a question. "How long have I been here? Oh, I transferred from my old high school in Los Angeles in the middle of sophomore year. I’m a junior now," he told her.

Stephanie nodded, understanding. "I knew there had to be a reason why I didn’t recognize you. Everyone else has been here forever."

Tommy stopped and looked at her, an eyebrow raised curiously. "How would you know that?" he asked her.

Stephanie flashed him a smile as she turned to face him. "I went here for half of freshman year before I was discovered in the school talent show. I’ve had a tutor ever since then up until now. I’m a junior, too," she explained.





Kimberly walked down junior hall, heading for her locker, and turned a corner to see Stephanie talking to Tommy. She’s talking to him? I knew she liked him. Well, if it’s a fight she wants, it’s a fight she’s going to get, she thought.

Stephanie noticed Kimberly coming towards them and rolled her eyes. "Oh, great. Here comes little Miss Sunshine!" she remarked nastily to Tommy.

Tommy looked confused. "I thought you and Kim were friends."

"Yeah, whatever," she responded.

Kimberly reached Tommy and took his hand. "Hello, sweetie," she cooed as she kissed him. Stephanie fought a violent urge to throw up as the kiss went on. Oh, Tommy. Please don’t hurt me like this.

Tommy suddenly heard a voice in his head. Tommy, please don’t hurt me like this, it spoke softly. He looked at Stephanie, who looked almost ready to either cry or yell, but wouldn’t meet his gaze. Stephanie, are you all right?

Kimberly finally seemed to remember that Stephanie was still there. "Oh, look. It’s the little showoff who seems to think she’s all that, but we all know that she’s not anything but a curly-haired slut," she taunted her, her eyes flashing pink.

"I’d rather be that than a slut that throws herself at every guy that comes along," Stephanie retorted, her own eyes flashing violet.

Tommy caught the subtle flash of purple in Stephanie’s eyes. Something is seriously wrong here, and I bet Rita and Zedd are behind it, he thought angrily. Kimberly would never act like this. I’m not too sure about Stephanie, but I don’t think that she normally does this either.

"Let’s get going, Tommy. I need to get my jacket out of my locker and we’re meeting Aisha and everyone at the lake," Kimberly practically commanded him as they left, leaving Stephanie staring after them.

"What a brat," she finally pronounced, her voice filled with disgust, as she left for the youth center. Her mind, however, filled in a different word in place of ‘brat.’





A few minutes after Tommy and Kimberly had met Billy, Rocky, Aisha, Adam, Trini, Jason, Zack, and Katherine at the lake, Kimberly pulled Aisha aside. "Can I talk to you, Isha?"

"Sure. What’s up, Kim?" Aisha questioned as they sat down beneath a huge oak tree. "You look mad."

Kimberly’s eyes flashed a subtle pink, but Aisha looked away before she could see it. "Do you know who-or should I say what-Tommy was talking to today?" she demanded angrily of her friend.

"Who? And why are you so angry?" Aisha whispered. Then a thought sprang to mind. "Was he talking to Sandy McDowell?" she questioned, referring to their school’s biggest flirt.

Kimberly snorted. "Hardly. The girl he was talking to makes Sandy look like a saint." She took a deep breath and tried to control her rising temper, but failed. "He was talking to the new girl, Stephanie! I’m furious because she was flirting with him like there was no tomorrow!" she screamed.

Aisha’s eyes widened noticeably. "Are you sure, Kim? Maybe it wasn’t the way it looked," she told her best friend.

"Yeah, and I’m Lord Zedd’s queen!" Kimberly retorted. "I know what I saw!"

Tommy and everyone else heard shouting and turned around, realizing that it was Kimberly. He caught Aisha’s eye and motioned for her to come talk to him for a moment. Aisha told Kimberly something and rose from where she was sitting, obviously relieved to get away from Kim’s yelling. "Yeah?" she replied.

Tommy looked from Kimberly to Aisha. "What’s going on?" he asked worriedly.

Aisha hesitated. "I honestly don’t know. From what she told me though, I think she’s jealous of Stephanie."

Tommy’s eyes widened in realization. "Is it okay if I talk to her?"

Aisha nodded slowly, biting her lip. "Yeah, but be careful. She’s pretty angry." She paused. "I’ve never seen her like this before."

"You got it," Tommy agreed as he left Aisha to talk to his girlfriend.

Kimberly’s back was facing him. "Kim, what’s wrong?" he asked her gently as he approached her. "I’ve never seen you act like this before, to be so jealous."

She whirled around, her eyes blazing. "Then obviously you don’t know me that well, now do you? I hate that girl!" Giving Tommy a dirty look, she took off for the youth center.

Tommy, stunned, looked at his friends for help. Aisha met his eyes and bit her lip. "Come on, Aisha. I’ve got to get her to talk to me somehow," he resolved.





Back at the youth center, Kimberly tried to cool her temper by practicing a new floor routine for an upcoming gymnastics competition. Just as she completed a pass with three back-handsprings and a double twist, Kimberly looked up in time to see Stephanie and three other girls enter the room. "Why did she have to come? She ruined my good mood," she groaned.

Stephanie settled herself next to the CD player inside the youth center and turned it on as her friends, Alicia Parker, Rachelle Stevens, and Leah McArthur, sat down next to her. "So, what should we sing?" she grinned impishly.

"‘Lucky Love!’" Alicia suggested.

Leah rolled her eyes. "No way. ‘Sweet Dreams.’"

"You’re both crazy," Rachelle interjected. "We have to sing ‘2 Become 1’ or ‘Saturday Night Divas.’"

They all looked at Stephanie. "Why don’t we do them all? First, though, we have to sing ‘Viva Forever,’" she decided.

Rachelle grinned as she turned on the Spice Girls ‘Spiceworld’ CD and her famous friend began to sing.

Do you still remember, how we used to be
Feeling together, believe in whatever
My love has said to me
Both of us were dreamers
Young love in the sun
Felt like my Saviour, my spirit I gave you
We’d only just begun

As Stephanie continued to sing, she felt the rest of the world fade away, the way it always did when she sang. This time, though, she began to think about Tommy Oliver. At the same time, she was vaguely aware of the fact that the emotion behind the song had caused her to stand up, her voice had gotten louder, and that people were gathering around her, listening to her sing. However, there was only one thing going through her mind. I’m singing this for Tommy, Stephanie realized as she continued.

Hasta manana, always be mine

Yes, always be mine, Tommy, she thought. She happened to catch Kimberly’s eye, who shot her a look of pure ice. Unbeknownst to Stephanie, her eyes flashed violet and a cold feeling settled deep within her. I don’t want to fight with Kimberly, but I can’t help it!

Viva forever, I’ll be waiting
Everlasting, like the sun
Live forever, for the moment
Ever searching for the one
Yes I still remember, every whispered word
The touch of your skin, giving life from within
Like a love song that I’d heard
Slipping through our fingers, like the sands of time
Promises made, every memory saved
Has reflections in my mind

Hasta manana, always be mine

Viva forever, I’ll be waiting
Everlasting, like the sun
Live forever, for the moment
Ever searching for the one

But we’re all alone now, was it just a dream
Feelings untold, they will never be sold
And the secret’s safe with me

Hasta manana, always be mine

Viva forever, I’ll be waiting
Everlasting, like the sun
Live forever, for the moment
Ever searching for the one

As the people gathered around Stephanie began to applaud, she felt herself coming out of her haze that the music had put her in. Stephanie focused on Kimberly standing on the balance beam and walked over, ready for a fight. "Well, if it isn’t little Miss Flower Power!" she observed.

Tommy and Aisha ran into the juice bar just then. "There they are!" She pointed them out to Tommy, then drew her breath in sharply. "Uh-oh. Something tells me blood’s gonna be spilled," she predicted, a look of concern on her face.

"I can’t believe it. The mighty queen is talking to me?" Kimberly feigned surprise.

"Well, at least I’m not a double-jointed slut!" Stephanie shot back. "And one who’s a brat to her boyfriend, at that."

"How could you? You don’t even have one!" Kimberly taunted her, jumping down from the balance beam to be at eye-level with her enemy, or so she believed. "Besides, you’re starting to give me a headache. Go back to working your corner."

Stephanie’s eyes blazed. Before she even realized what she was doing, her hand shot out and slapped Kimberly squarely across the face. "You’d better watch it, Kimberly. Tommy won’t be yours forever. I’ll make sure of that," she growled, anger evident in her voice.

Aisha turned to Tommy, confusion written across her features. "What does she mean by that?" she whispered, referring to what Stephanie had just said.

Tommy stared at the two girls fighting. "I’m not sure. I think she likes me, though," he whispered back.

Aisha groaned silently. Could it be any more obvious that she likes you? Or that you like her? But she didn’t mention that to him. Instead she asked, "What are you going to do about it?"

"I don’t know, Aisha," Tommy confessed. "I really don’t know."



Part Three

Zack, Katherine, Jason, and Trini walked through the park slowly, enjoying the sunny day. "I wonder what’s wrong with Kimberly," Katherine spoke up. "In all the time I’ve known her since I came here from Australia, she’s never acted like that."

Trini nodded in agreement. "I’ve known her since we were five years old, and she was never once a brat to anyone," she added.

Zack flashed them a grin as he executed a few dance moves. "Ladies, don’t worry. Kim never lets anything get her down. This isn’t going to, either," he told them.

Jason rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest. "Zack, do they even know what’s going on?" he asked him.

Katherine and Trini traded glances. "Know what?" they said in unison.

Zack backed up a few steps. "Uh-oh. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything, then." He shot Jason a look. "Man, why didn’t you tell me they didn’t know?"

Jason laughed. "I thought you knew!" he responded. Turning serious, he faced the girls and proceeded to tell them what was going on.

Katherine gasped. "I had no idea that Stephanie liked Tommy. No wonder Kim’s jealous!" she realized.

Trini wasn’t as shocked. "That’s what I thought it was. I saw the look on Stephanie’s face at the assembly when she spotted Tommy. Why wouldn’t she like him? Practically every single girl in school in secretly in love with him," she stated matter-of-factly.

"How would you know that?" Zack asked, fascinated.

Trini smiled devilishly. "I just happened to be hiding in the girls’ locker room when I overheard about half of the second period girls’ PE class swooning over him. You can learn some interesting things about people like that," she giggled.

Zack brought his hand to his heart. "Trini, I’m surprised!" he said, pretending to be shocked. "And all that time we thought that you never eavesdropped on other people’s conversations! Well, except for that one between me and Jason when we were in Switzerland, but that’s different…"

Trini giggled. "Right. See, Katherine, Jason and Zack were in their room talking when I came in to see if they were ready to go to the conference one day when we were in Geneva, and guess what they were talking about."

Katherine’s green eyes glimmered with curiosity. "What?" she asked.

Trini glanced at the guys, who were already turning an interesting shade of red. "They were just talking about how well Kimberly and Aisha filled out the suits of the Pink and Yellow Rangers! In other words, they liked watching them when they morphed after we gave up the power to Aisha, Rocky, and Adam, because they could see every curve that they had," she explained.

Katherine laughed. "Typical. All guys do that, I swear! Even the boys down in Australia would all turn and stare when a pretty blonde walked down the street in a skirt," she told Trini.

"I bet especially when it was you," Zack replied.

Katherine blushed. Then she stiffened. "Do you guys hear that?" she asked quietly.

The teens fell quiet and listened. Almost immediately, they heard the unmistakable sound of putties and cogs heading their way. "When it’s not Mondo, it’s Zedd. When is this gonna end?" Jason groaned. He fell into a fighting stance as the putties and the cogs came towards the four and the others did the same. "Ready for our workout, guys?"

"Definitely," Trini answered.

"You know it!" replied Zack.

"Let’s do it," responded Katherine.

With a yell, the four teens launched themselves into the middle of the putties and the cogs. "Hey, Kat!" Zack yelled as he took out three putties with a leg sweep. "Let’s give them a dance lesson!"

Kat, being the graceful ballerina that she was, knocked out a cog with one fluid motion and side-kicked another Jason’s way, who executed a tornado kick. "You ready?" she said, running to Zack’s side. Grabbing Kat’s hand, Zack spun her out to one side, where she kicked a cog and rammed it into a bunch of putties and cogs, effectively taking out half of their attackers.

Trini and Jason were fighting back-to-back in the team that they had perfected back when they were the original Red and Yellow Rangers and generally causing a lot of damage. "There’s one headed your way, Jase!" Trini shouted as she punched a putty squarely in the stomach.

Jason looked up in time to see the putty launch itself into the air, intent on knocking Jason off his feet with a flying kick. He dodged the kick and threw the putty over his head, breaking it apart upon impact. "Don’t mess with me, claybrains!"

A rip in space appeared and the remaining cogs disappeared through it as the putties ran away. "That was fun, wasn’t it?" Zack asked cheerfully.

Kat stuck her tongue out at Zack playfully. "Optimist."

Jason looked at his watch. "We should really get going. We all agreed to meet at the youth center around four, and it’s almost four o’ clock," he told them. "Besides, we should let the Rangers know about the attack."

Trini nodded in agreement. "That’s a good idea. Let’s get going."

They heard a vaguely familiar six-tone beep right then. "This is Jason. What’s up?" Jason answered the call.

RANGERS, PLEASE TELEPORT TO THE POWER CHAMBER IMMEDIATELY. WE HAVE A SITUATION ON OUR HANDS, Zordon instructed them.

"We’ll be right there," Zack responded quickly. The four teens checked for onlookers and then disappeared in colored streaks of light, heading for the Power Rangers’ hidden base of operations.





Kimberly was stunned, caught off guard by Stephanie’s blow and by her words. Then she narrowed her eyes. "And just what do you mean by that?" she retorted. Kimberly knew that the other girl meant every word that she said and had no doubt that she could make it happen.

Stephanie smiled nastily, but her eyes remained cold. "I meant just what I said. I’d have fun while you can, because you’re not going to have him much longer," she repeated.

Right then, Tommy’s communicator beeped. Aisha jumped up at the noise, nearly crashing into a row of lockers in the hallway. "Tommy here. Go ahead, Zordon," he whispered.

"Tommy, a new monster has landed on Earth. You and the other Power Rangers must stop it. Please teleport to the Power Chamber at once," Zordon explained.

"You got it. Tommy out," he told him, then turned to Aisha. "Aisha, you go get Kim. I’ll meet you both there," Tommy instructed her, then teleported out in a streak of red light.

Aisha rolled her eyes. "Absolutely unbelievable, but totally typical of a guy to leave a girl to do all the dirty work. I don’t blame him, though. With Kim and Stephanie acting like this, I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes when it all finally explodes," she mused.

With that, the petite African-American teen took a deep breath, then headed cautiously over to where Kimberly and Stephanie were standing, glaring at each other.

"Don’t mess with me, Kimberly Anne Hart," Stephanie stated in a tone so chilly that Aisha shivered involuntarily.

Kimberly had never imagined that she could ever hate anyone as much as she hated the curly-haired girl in front of her right then. Lifting her chin she declared haughtily, "You don’t scare me, Stephanie Marie Marks."

Aisha recognized the look in both sets of the girls’ eyes and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the fight would turn nasty in another second or two unless she intervened. "Kimberly?"

Kimberly turned to Aisha. "Yeah?" she asked, her brown eyes searching her best friend’s face.

Aisha bit her lip. "I really need to talk to you. It’s an emergency." She looked at Stephanie, who nodded. It’s almost as if she knows, Aisha told herself. Nah, it couldn’t be…could it? Strange… To Stephanie she simply said, "Excuse us."

As soon as they were safely in the hall, Aisha checked for onlookers and spoke quietly to Kimberly, "It’s time. Two to teleport."





With a yellow and a pink flash of light, the two girls appeared in the Power Chamber. What’s wrong now, Zordon?" Kimberly immediately asked.

"It’s about time she was concerned about something else besides fighting with Stephanie," Rocky muttered to Adam and Billy as Kat, Jason, Zack, and Trini appeared in the Power Chamber.

"Why are they even fighting?" Adam questioned Billy.

"I have no idea what even started their fight!" Billy noted. "It’s like they were turned against each other."

"POWER RANGERS, THERE IS GRAVE DANGER FACING YOU IN THIS PARTICULAR FIGHT," Zordon explained carefully, "SO FOR THIS MISSION, I HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU WILL HAVE SOME HELP."

"What help?" Adam questioned. "A new zord?"

"NOT EXACTLY, ADAM. KATHERINE, KIMBERLY, TANYA, AND AISHA, PLEASE STEP FORWARD," Zordon intoned. Katherine and Tanya did so curiously, as Kimberly stood before Katherine and Aisha before Tanya.

Kimberly and Aisha shared a look of sympathy and of sorrow. In a few more minutes, their Zeo powers would be gone forever. I’ll go first, Kimberly mouthed to Aisha, who nodded.

"KIMBERLY, AISHA, YOU MAY PROCEED," Zordon told them.

"What’s going on?" Tommy asked curiously. Kim and Aisha simultaneously silenced him with a dirty look. "Sorry…I’ll keep my big mouth shut now," he apologized.

Kimberly turned back to Katherine, summoning her zeonizers as she did so. "Katherine Hillard, you have been a good friend and a valuable asset to the team ever since I first met you. In dangerous situations where you could’ve been killed, you have helped myself and the other Zeo Rangers countless times without any regard for your own safety. I know I’ll be leaving my Zeo crystal in good hands with you." Kimberly looked straight at Katherine, ignoring her friends’ exclamations of surprise and shock behind her as she took off the zeonizers. "Do you accept the power?"

Katherine drew in her breath. "Oh, gosh…yes, Kimberly. I will take the power and try to protect the Earth as well as you have. I’m truly honored."

Kimberly handed the zeonizers to Katherine and watched as the willowy blonde strapped them on. "You have the power now, Kat. Use it wisely."

Kat gave Kim a huge hug, who laughed and hugged her back. "Thank you, Kim. I won’t let you down."

"Hello!"

Everyone whirled to look at Aisha. "Can we get on with it? Some other people here would like to get this over with!" she mock-scolded all of her friends.

"PROCEED, AISHA," Zordon nodded.

As Kim had done, Aisha summoned her zeonizers and took them off. "Tanya, you and I are a lot alike. We’re both fun-loving, musically inclined, and today, we’re both Power Rangers. You can cheer anyone up, you make sure everyone’s all right, and you fight for things you believe in. As Kim said to Kat, I also believe that I’m leaving my Zeo crystal in good hands, Tanya. Do you accept the power?"

Tanya nodded, awed. "It will be an honor to be the Yellow Ranger, Aisha. Thank you," she responded as Aisha handed over her zeonizers and she put them on.

"KAT, TANYA, YOU MAY JOIN THE OTHERS. JASON, TRINI, BILLY, AND ZACK, PLEASE JOIN AISHA AND KIMBERLY," Zordon spoke up.

"We’ve got another little surprise for you guys," Kimberly told the others, grinning. "Remember when me, Trini, Jason, Zack, Billy, and Aisha went on a little vacation over the weekend? Well, we actually were on a planet called Phaedos, and this Master Warrior called Dulcea gave us Ninjetti powers. Ready, Jase?"

He nodded. "You know it, Kim. Let’s do it, team. Ninjetti power!" Jason commanded.

"Black Ninjetti power!" Zack yelled. He was clothed in a loose-fitting black ninja outfit, and set into the center of his chest was the symbol of the zebra.

"Pink Ninjetti power!" Kimberly called. She was clothed in a pink-colored version of Zack’s costume, but hers came with a short skirt. Set into her chest was the symbol of the crane.

Billy followed after. "Blue Ninjetti power!" His outfit was styled like the others, but in blue. The symbol on his costume was the wolf.

Trini commanded, "Yellow Ninjetti power!" Her outfit looked just like Kimberly’s, only in yellow. Her spirit animal was the unicorn.

"Red Ninjetti power!" came Jason’s call. Clothed in a red ninja outfit, his spirit animal was the fierce lion.

Aisha shouted out, "Green Ninjetti power!" Swathed in a brilliant emerald green costume the same as Kimberly’s and Trini’s, her spirit animal was the mighty bear.

With the transformation sequence complete, Kat, Tanya, Rocky, Adam, and Tommy found themselves staring at the Ninja Rangers. "Wow," was all Rocky could say.

"Anything else?" Tommy managed to joke.

"AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE IS," Zordon told him seriously. "SIX ZEO RANGERS, INCLUDING PRINCE TREY OF TRIFORIA, ARE A FORMIDABLE FIGHTING FORCE, BUT THERE WERE ORIGINALLY MORE THAN FIVE SHARDS OF THE ZEO CRYSTAL. THERE WERE EIGHT: RED, GREEN, BLUE, YELLOW, PINK, GOLD, SILVER, AND PURPLE. YOU ALL KNOW THAT TREY’S SHARD WAS FORGED INTO A STAFF AND PRESENTED TO HIM, BUT THE PURPLE SHARD WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN…UNTIL NOW."

"So what are you trying to tell us?" Rocky asked their mentor, his curiosity piqued.

"What the floating head up there is trying to tell you people is that there’s another Ranger," a new voice spoke up.

Tommy and the others spun around, startled, to see the Purple Power Ranger standing before them. "Who are you?" Tommy demanded, falling into a fighting stance and not letting his guard down for an instant.

"Relax, Tommy!" she laughed. "I’m not here to attack you. Zordon brought me here to help the Power Rangers."

"Then who are you?" Aisha questioned softly.

The Ranger’s hands moved towards her helmet and popped the latches, then pulled the helmet off slowly, her curly hair falling into place as she did so. She placed her helmet on a nearby console and turned to face the assembled Rangers.

Kimberly’s eyes narrowed. "Oh, this is just great!" she hissed upon recognizing the new Ranger.

"Stephanie?" Tommy whispered, stunned. Oh God, you look so good in spandex, Stephanie. It’s going to be very interesting around here with three new Rangers, one of which looks absolutely gorgeous as one! Boy, am I in serious trouble!

Stephanie’s eyes widened as she recognized the Power Rangers. Tommy, Aisha, Rocky, Tanya, Billy, Jason, Kat, Trini, Zack, Adam, and Kimberly? Oh God, and now I’m one of them? This is too unbelievable. Then her eyes locked with Kimberly’s. "Oh, great. It’s you," she snarled in disgust, her eyes flashing a startling purple.

Tommy was brought back to the present as he caught sight of a flash of purple. He swiveled to find Stephanie and Kimberly eyeing each other, with the other Rangers well out of the way. Uh-oh. Something is seriously wrong. "Stephanie, what is wrong with you and Kim?" he asked.

Stephanie’s hair swirled about her shoulders as she faced him. "Nothing, except that we totally hate each other," she snapped, her eyes flashing angrily.

Tommy stepped back cautiously. "Okay. Billy, Alpha, can you two run a check on Kim and Steph? I think something’s up," he explained, silently praying that Lord Zedd was behind it.

Billy scanned Kimberly and Stephanie carefully. "Here it is," he said after a moment. "Lord Zedd has placed them under a powerful hate spell in order to break up the team."

"Any way to reverse it?"

Before Billy could respond, the alarms began to sound.

"What an ugly monster!" Adam raised one eyebrow.

"I know. What is it, a personal CD player?" Rocky added.

"That's what it looks like, Rocko," Aisha snorted.

"RANGERS, TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE VIEWING GLOBE," Zordon ordered the teens. "THIS IS GROOVEMAN, LORD ZEDD’S LATEST MONSTER."



"We’d better get to work," Tommy spoke up. "All right, here’s the plan. Jason, you take the Ninja Rangers and take care of the cogs and tengas. The zeos and I will take on Grooveman in the zords."

Jason nodded. "Sounds good."

Tommy looked to Zordon. "Zordon, does Stephanie have a zord?" he asked.

"NO, FOR THE TIME BEING, SHE DOESN’T. ALPHA AND I ARE WORKING ON A WAY TO REMEDY THE SITUATION," Zordon replied. "GO NOW, AND MAY THE POWER PROTECT YOU ALL."

What happened next in the Power Chamber was an unprecedented event as the thirteen Power Rangers morphed.

"It’s morphin’ time!" Tommy yelled as he, Stephanie, Tanya, Adam, Katherine, and Rocky summoned their zeonizers and brought the crystals in them together, activating them, as Trey called upon his power staff.

"ZEO RANGER I—PINK!"

"ZEO RANGER II—YELLOW!"

"ZEO RANGER III—BLUE!"

"ZEO RANGER IV—GREEN!"

"ZEO RANGER V—RED!"

"GOLD RANGER POWER!"

"PURPLE RANGER POWER!"

"Ninjetti power, power up!" Jason called as he, Kimberly, Zack, Billy, Trini, and Aisha crossed their arms in front of their chests and flung them to their sides.

"BLACK NINJETTI POWER!"

"PINK NINJETTI POWER!"

"BLUE NINJETTI POWER!"

"YELLOW NINJETTI POWER!"

"RED NINJETTI POWER!"

"GREEN NINJETTI POWER!"

With thirteen flashes of light, the teens morphed and teleported to downtown Angel Grove and to the park.



"Hold it right there, you freak!" Grooveman paused in his destructive dancing and caught sight of seven Zeo Rangers. "Hello, Rangers. So nice of you to join me! Would you like to make a request? For your deaths, maybe?"

"You wish, you R&B reject!" Stephanie shouted, hands on hips. "You give all of us singers a bad name!"

"Oh, but wait! Here’s a tune you Rangers have just gotta hear!" Grooveman cackled as he hit the volume control switch on the side of his head and turned it up until he was making the ground beneath them shake.

The Rangers lost their balance and tumbled to the ground. Unfortunately, Stephanie banged her head against a large rock as she hit the ground and fell into unconsciousness. Suddenly, the rest of the Rangers recognized the song playing. "Only a monster could make the Spice Girls sound even worse than they already do," Tanya groaned as she sat up.

Rocky smirked. "Look at it this way, guys. There’s only four more to go!" he shouted, referring to Ginger Spice’s recent departure from the girl group, prompting cheers from the rest of the Rangers.

Say you’ll be there
I’m giving you everything
All that joy can bring this I swear

Last time that we had this conversation I
Decided that we should be friends
Yeah, but now we’re going round in circles,
Tell me will this deja vu never end?
Now you tell me that you’ve fallen in love
Well I never ever thought that would be
This time you gotta take it easy throwing far
Too much emotion at me
But any fool can see they’re falling,
I gotta make you understand

I’m giving you everything
All that joy can bring this I swear
And all that I want from you
Is a promise you will be there
Say you will be there
Won’t you sing it with me

If you put two and two together you
Will see what our friendship is for
If you can’t work this equation then
I guess I’ll have to show you the door
There is no need to say you love me,
It would be better left unsaid

I’m giving you everything
All that joy can bring this I swear
And all that I want from you
Is a promise you will be there
Yeah I want you

Any fool can see they’re falling,
I gotta make you understand

I’ll give you everything on this I swear,
Just promise you’ll always be there

I’m giving you everything
All that joy can bring this I swear
And all that I want from you
Is a promise you will be there

The Ninja Rangers burst onto the scene near the end of the song and watched in horror as everyone’s eyes flashed a dull gray through the visors of their helmets. The only one not under the spell was Stephanie, who was still unconscious.

"NO!" Aisha cried out, causing Grooveman to spin around and find the rest of the team standing behind him.

"More of you? Ah, well. Tengas, cogs, attack!" he growled.

"Me and my big mouth," Aisha groaned as the ninjas scattered.

"Let go of me, you damn birds!" Kimberly yelled as she wrenched her arms free from some tengas attempting to subdue her and spin-kicked them into each other.

Jason, Trini, and Billy fought back to back in a triangle formation, not letting any cogs or tengas get close enough to land a punch. Within minutes, their attackers were dispatched back to Lord Zedd and King Mondo.

Zack and Aisha were using a combination of karate and dance moves to take care of their attackers. Aisha was spun around by Zack, knocking tengas and cogs every which way. As the ninjas finished them off, a new song came on over Grooveman’s speakers.

Oh honey you can have me
When you want me
If you simply ask me to be there
And you’re the only one who
Makes me come running
‘Cause what you got is far
Beyond compare

And it’s just like honey
When your love comes over me
Oh baby I’ve got a dependency
Always strung out for another
Taste of your honey

It’s like honey when it washes over me
you know sugar never ever was so sweet
And I’m dying for you cryin’ for you I adore you
One hit of your love addicted me
Now I’m strung out on you darlin’
Don’t you see every night and day
I can hardly wait for another taste of honey

Honey I can’t describe
How good it feels inside
Honey I can’t describe
How good it feels inside

I can’t be elusive
With you honey
Because it’s blatant
That I’m feeling you
And it’s too hard for me
To leave abruptly
‘Cause you’re the only thing
I wanna do

And it’s just like honey
When your love comes over me
Oh baby I’ve got a dependency
Always strung out for another
Taste of your honey

It’s like honey when it washes over me
you know sugar never ever was so sweet
And I’m dying for you cryin’ for you I adore you
One hit of your love addicted me
Now I’m strung out on you darlin’
Don’t you see every night and day
I can hardly wait for another taste of honey

Aisha, Jason, Trini, Billy, and Zack froze suddenly and their eyes flashed a dull gray, except for Kimberly, who hated the song and had covered her ears at the first note. Kimberly’s eyes widened as she watched her friends advance toward her, bent on destroying her. "Guys, it’s me, Kim!" she pleaded as she slowly backed away.

At the base of a large oak tree, Stephanie began to stir. "Ohh…I feel like the football team used my head for practice," she groaned as she slowly sat up. Instantly, a wave of dizziness crashed over her, and she fought hard not to be sick.

A scream caused her to look up. "Oh my gosh. What happened to everyone else?" Stephanie breathed in horror. "Uh-oh. They’re attacking Kimberly!"

Stephanie scrambled to her feet, ignoring the enormous headache that threatened to split her head in two, and ran to her teammate’s side as the spell’s hold which had held her captive broke. "Let them go!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

Kimberly shook her head. "Stay out of this, Stephanie. I can handle it."

The minute Kimberly took her eyes off of Grooveman he struck, catching her in the side of her head with his headphones, which acted like a boomerang and returned to him as she crumpled to the ground, her mind spinning from the blow.

Stephanie’s eyes blazed as she focused her gaze on Grooveman. "All right, Grooveman. This time you’ve gone way too far. No messes with my friends!" she spoke ominously. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Within seconds, she knew what to do. Raising a hand to the sky, she yelled, "Starblade!"

Magically, the Purple Ranger’s personal weapon appeared in her hand. "Unbelievable," she whispered, awed, as she inspected the sword and gave it a few practice swings. Then her attention returned to Grooveman, who was backing away from her now that she had a sword. "Planning on going somewhere, sweetie?" she cooed mischievously. "You haven't even heard what I can do yet!" Thinking quickly, she began to sing one of the most annoying songs known to man.

You have so many relationships in this life
Only one or two will last
You're going through all this pain and strife
Then you turn your back and they're gone so fast
And they're gone so fast
So hold on to the ones who really care
In the end they'll be the only ones there
When you get old and start losing your hair
Can you tell me who will still care
Can you tell me who will still care

Mmm bop, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba duba dop
Ba du
Mmm bop, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba du dop
Ba du bop, ba du dop
Ba du

Stephanie glanced up at her Starblade and was amazed. It was literally glowing with bright purple energy. She realized that to utilize the most powerful attack her sword was capable of, Star Strike, all she had to do was sing. It was connected to her. This is amazing. Star Strike, Shooting Star attack...the list goes on and on! she thought giddily as she continued to sing.

Plant a seed, plant a flower, plant a rose
You can plant any one of those
Keep planting to find out which one grows
It's a secret no one knows
It's a secret no one knows

Mmm bop, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba duba dop
Ba du
Mmm bop, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba du dop
Ba du bop, ba du dop
Ba du

In an mmm bop they're gone. In an mmm bop they're not there.
In an mmm bop they're gone. In an mmm bop they're not there.
Until you lose your hair. But you don't care.

Mmm bop, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba duba dop
Ba du
Mmm bop, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba du dop
Ba du bop, ba du dop
Ba du

Can you tell me? You say you can but you don't know.
Can you tell me which flower's going to grow?
Can you tell me if it's going to be a daisy or a rose?
Can you tell me which flower's going to grow? Can you tell me? You say you can but you don't know.

Stephanie waved to Grooveman. "Say goodbye, loser!" she gigled as she pointed her sword at him. "Star Strike!"

Grooveman tried to get out of the way, but he never stood a chance. Twinkling white stars shot out of the tip of the Starblade, blasting the overgrown CD player to bits.

"Stephanie?"

Stephanie turned around to find Tommy and the rest of the Rangers behind her. "What happened?" Tommy asked.

"Short version? Grooveman placed you guys under hypnosis to destroy Kimberly and me," she explained. "I showed him no one messes with my friends and gets away with it."

As Stephanie spoke, the last of the pink Kimberly's eyes and the remainder of the spell dissipated. Immediately, tears began to fill her eyes as she realized just what she had said to Stephanie while under the spell.

"Come on, guys. Let's get back to the Power Chamber," Tommy suggested.

In thirteen flashes of colored light, the teens teleported out.



Lord Zedd sat in his throne, simmering with anger. "NO!" he yelled, slamming his fist down on the arm of the throne. "This is impossible! This is all that Purple Ranger's fault! I swear, I shall find out who she is and make her life a living hell!"

"She likes Tommy, my lord," Goldar pointed out, "and he likes her as well. If you kidnap her, he will come to her rescue and we can kill two Rangers with one stone!"

Lord Zedd tapped his metal-tipped fingers against his chin. "That's not a bad idea, Goldar," he mused thoughtfully. "Not bad at all."



"STEPHANIE, I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WHEN YOU DESTROYED GROOVEMAN, THE SPELL THAT WAS PLACED UPON YOU AND KIMBERLY WAS BROKEN," Zordon noted.

Stephanie was practically bouncing off the walls. "I still can't believe this! It's so unbelievable," she crowed, enthused.

"And you're the first one to believe Zordon when he said you were a Power Ranger," Adam added. "We all thought he was kidding at first."

"We found out real fast that he wasn't," Aisha commented. "God, I still can't believe we've got a superstar on the Power Team now!"

Stephanie smiled brightly as she glanced around at her teammates. Then she noticed Kimberly sitting by herself near the viewing globe. "Hey, Kimberly. Why are you sitting by yourself?"

Kimberly wouldn't meet her gaze. "I figured that you probably wouldn't want me around after I said all that stuff to you," she answered in a low voice.

Stephanie sighed. "Look. I'm sorry I started a fight with you and said all those awful things about you. I just really like Tommy and I want someone who is just as sweet and as caring as he is...that is, if I can't have him!" she teased her new friend.

Kimberly gave her a look. "Like I'm ever going to let him go! Anyway, I apologize too for being such a brat," she assured her teammate.

Tommy sensed that that Stephanie and Kimberly had ended their fight and came over to them. "I'm really glad you're the Purple Ranger. We'd be toast by now if you hadn't saved us," he told her as he gave her a hug.

Kimberly held up her hand. "Definitely. You go, girlfriend!"

"Just what you like, huh!" Rocky called to Stephanie. "In the spotlight and the center of attention!"

"STEPHANIE, COME HERE," Zordon instructed her solemnly.

Obediently, Stephanie stepped forward, aware that she was being singled out. "Yes?"

"NOW THAT YOU HAVE BECOME A POWER RANGER, YOU MUST FOLLOW THREE BASIC RULES OR LOSE THE PROTECTION OF THE POWER," Zordon explained. "FIRST, NEVER ESCALATE A BATTLE UNLESS THE FORCES OF EVIL FORCE YOU TO. SECOND, NEVER USE YOUR POWER FOR PERSONAL GAIN."

Tommy, Kimberly, Adam, Billy, Aisha, Rocky, Tanya, Katherine, Zack, Trini, Trey, and Jason watched her initiation with a mixture of pleasure and fear. Now that there was another Ranger, Lord Zedd, Rita, and the Machine Empire would send stronger, more powerful monsters to Earth. Tommy didn't want to admit it, but they had needed the Ninja Rangers and a new Zeo Ranger.

"...FINALLY, KEEP YOUR IDENTITY A SECRET. NO ONE MAY KNOW WHO YOU ARE."

"You got it," Stephanie promised.

"Stephanie," Billy announced, handing her a box, "this is your communicator."

Stephanie opened the box to reveal a purple-banded communicator. "Thanks, Billy," she grinned happily as she put it on her wrist. "Oh, that reminds me. Rocky?"

"What?" he called.

"I've been hearing things about you, such as how you're called a 'garbage disposal' and a practical joker. Don't even think about playing a joke on me. I'm a practical joker too, so watch it!" she warned him.

"Ooh, I'm scared of you!" Rocky teased her.

Stephanie, Aisha, and Kimberly automatically crossed their arms over their chests and glared at him. "Excuse me, what was that?" they asked in unison.

Billy, Adam, Rocky, Tommy, Jason, Zack, and Trey involuntarily took a step backward as Trini, Katherine, and Tanya watched in amusement. "Scared of a couple of girls, guys?" Katherine drawled in her sweet Australian accent.

"Get over it, you guys," Kimberly rolled her eyes as she put her hand out in front of her. Catching on, the other Rangers put their hands on top of hers and looked at Stephanie, who hung back uncertainly.

"Come on, Steve," Tommy waved her over. Grinning, she put her hand on top as they yelled the old battle cry from the very beginning, "POWER RANGERS!"

The End


Rule

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