Power Rangers In Space - Heather Ray (free ereaders .txt) 📗

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

The Power Rangers are Saban Brand's, and "I Don't Wanna Lose You Now"

is by Gloria Estefan. This fic takes place after "Countdown to Destruction,"

when the Rangers are on the way back to Earth from KO-35. My other T.J./Cassie fic, "Lost in Your Eyes,"

takes place in a different universe (this is not

a sequel to it!)

. It's written in first-person present tense.

The stars spot the thick, eternal blanket of the heavens in a sporadic, unformed pattern. It almost looks like a sheet of black construction paper, with little pinholes pressed randomly into the material, and then held up before a light bulb. Still, with all the apparent randomness of outer space, there's definitely order to it.

And now that evil has been vanquished... order will reign supreme.

I love relaxing in the lounge, on the upper deck of the Megaship. The entire ceiling is dome-shaped, and constructed of clear glass (or a glass derivative)

, allowing me to see the majesty of outer space. It reminds me of the clear nights back home, staring at the night sky in the summertime, lying on the cool grass and just thinking.

It's great to know that, in a couple of hours, I'll be back home. For good.

Sure, being an Astro Ranger has been a fabulous experience for me... one that I wouldn't trade for anything. It opened up the universe to me, displaying countless cultures, artifacts, and legends. Yet, despite all the different species I've encountered, there is something innately similar. Even the ones who don't look very human have the same quality.

Heart.

Every sentient being seems to have heart. Whether it be loyalty, courage, faith, love, fear, hatred... or anything else, there was always heart. Sure, there was knowledge, but any computer had plenty of information stored on it. But heart was something only living beings could achieve. Well, Alpha is an exception, but any of the Edenoid androids are far more than mere machines.

Aliens and humans... humans and aliens. It doesn't really pay to make the distinction, because we're so much alike. Having worked with a few, I've come to feel comfortable with them. Zordon, a being I've come to respect, despite the fact I never knew him, was like a father to all those who had ever worn the Power Ranger armor. He was an alien, yet... a member of the family.

And then, there's Andros. As a Kerovan, he's genetically as human as any one of us, but when we first met, he had an air of difference. It set him apart from the rest of us. But that air didn't last too long. He became a member of our little family as well... like a brother. Yeah... with Ashley it's a bit different, but you see where I'm going.

Karone and Zhane are the same way. Yeah, Zhane was asleep for two years, and Karone was a power-mad villainess most of her life. Different former lives, but a unified destiny to preserve justice.

We're all united in that.

Yet, there's one being I've met that isn't quite friend or foe. Well, he certainly has won the right to be seen as a member of "the family," considering the many times he's saved all our butts. He distances himself from the team, but he was still there for us when we really needed him. Besides, he's even a Ranger.

But, the Phantom Ranger is much more than an ally. To me, he has a far different role.

He's competition.

Sometimes it's hard to make things clear
Or know when to face the truth
And I know that the moment is here
I'll open my heart and show you inside
My love has no pride

The Phantom Ranger seems to possess the one thing I've longed for earnestly, but couldn't seem to win. Cassie Chan's heart.

How did he do it? It was a question I've asked myself time and time again. The Phantom had just appeared one day, saved the Rangers' lives, and flashed out of existence. He kept this routine going for a while, and then left again, this time... apparently for good. He said that we no longer needed him. That's it. Just a few weeks contained the entire duration of his visit to Earth.

In those few weeks, he somehow managed to steal Cassie's heart.

I couldn't do it, even though I'd known her for months.

It's gotta be different... what the Phantom Ranger and I feel for Cassie. Yes, it's pretty clear that Phantom cares for Cassie. He was willing to surrender his life-sustaining ruby to save her life.

But... that just means Phantom cares for her. It doesn't mean he loves her. Maybe he respects her, or acknowledges the asset she is to the team as the Pink Ranger. Or, maybe Phantom is just... very selfless. He probably would have done the same if I were the one in danger.

It could mean a lot of things.

On the other hand, I'm certainly in love with Cassie. Unlike the Phantom, I know her. I know about her biggest dream, to be a singer. I know all her little idiosyncrasies that make her who she is; like her love for her dog, her love of writing and reflecting, her diary, her skill at song-writing, her strength of character, her love of children and nature, and her devotion to what she held dear.

I even know what stores she likes to shop at most!

I know her as a complete human being... and that's what I love about her.

My love developed over time. It took a lot to make it grow. It didn't just spring up over night. Yeah, there was an initial attraction, when I first met her on the bus to Angel Grove. But, it grew from that, becoming a lot more than a first-sight crush.

I love her as a complete person. Could the Phantom possibly love her like that?

I feel with you, I've got nothing to hide
So open your eyes and see who I am
And not who you want for me to be
I am only myself, myself

And what about Cassie's feelings toward him? I mean... she doesn't even know what he looks like! Yeah, yeah... I know physical attractiveness isn't what's key to a relationship. Cassie's a lot deeper than that. But still, she hasn't a clue what he looks like. He could be a lizard, for all we know!

She doesn't know him all that well in other respects, either. We don't know his species, which mean we don't know his culture. There are dozens... no... hundreds

of obstacles holding them apart. He may have a life span of ten years, or ten-thousand years! Either one would sure put a damper on their relationship. Or, maybe Phantom can't even breathe in our atmosphere. I've never seen him without his helmet. Oxygen may be toxic!

But Cassie knows me as well as I know her. She knows what I look like, where I'm from, what values I treasure, and what I hope to do with my life. She knows about my baseball infatuation, my sense of humor, my love for pizza and video