Kim laid there tied to the stainless steel table just thinking for about an hour. Why does Divatwit have us here? I just don’t understand. She has never really singled us out. And what’s with that me being the heart and soul of the team? I am not! We all work as a team and are there for each other. Except, I do tend to put the others before me, and motivate them when they are feeling a bit down. And the others do say that they’ve never seen Tommy put forth such an effort in battle since I’ve been back. But . . .I still don’t understand what she has planned for us. I mean, what can she do?
Kim glanced at Tommy, who was still unconscious, and almost tried to will him with her mind to wake up. Wake up, Tommy! Damn it! I need you! Please wake up. We can beat her if we do this together. Agh!
"That won’t work Kimmy, what ever you’re trying to do. Porto knocked him out with one of his cockamamie spells. You really shouldn’t scrunch your face up like that dear. It causes wrinkles and makes you look like you’re constipated," Divatox said as her stiletto boots clanged on the metal floor as she walked up towards Kim.
"You’d know," Kim muttered.
"Ha, ha ha ha, ha," Divatox said as she hopped up onto Kim’s table.
"It’s about time you showed up."
"Oh , you know. I had to create that whole suspense thing," Divatox said as she shook her hands in the air. "I wonder what Divatox has in store for me," She said in a meek voice. "Wanna know what I’ve got planned for you, you little witch?"
"No, Divatox, I don’t. I just thought I’d stay strapped to this cold table and enjoy the smell of rodent droppings in this musty hold."
The evil space pirate sniffed the air and then shook her head. "Well, I guess when you don’t get out enough you get accustomed to some things. Anyways, let me tell you what I have planned for you," Divatox said as she rubbed her hands together in an excited manner. "Do you remember your friend . . .Jason?"
Kim flinched at the mention of his name, but she wouldn’t let the tears show, not in front of her. Jason, my big teddy bear, it seems like only yesterday that you were here . . .Jason, an ex-ranger, had taken his own life when he couldn’t take under being the control of Zedd after he had placed a spell on him. The pain was just too much . . . and there had been no other option. What does this have to do with . . .
Kim’s eyes suddenly sprang open with fear as her neck snapped over in the direction of Divatox. "Oh no . . ."
"Oh yes," Divatox said as her eyes sparkled and she cackled with delight. "See, I figure Zedd had the right idea. He wanted to take out what counted most to the team through manipulation, however, he didn’t pick the right people to take out. You see, Jason was very important, but he wasn’t what kept the team going. Zordon could have picked any of you to be the leader, and you would have handled it fine. However, if you take out the motivation and reason to fight . . .and you have a different story. Jason was an important member, but he was just one of the most skilled fighters. Tommy was just as good as Jason if not better, so Zedd basically accomplished nothing at the time except weaken your spirits for awhile. This time, I figure I can kill two birds with one stone. By controlling you, I take out the sprit and zest of the team, and by linking you to Tommy I take out the most skilled fighter which in turns makes the Power Rangers worth squat. Ta da! Geez, sometimes I’m so brilliant it scares me," she said shaking her head.
"Wait . . .how," Kim asked fearfully.
"Quite easily Kimmie. See, I’ve come up with a spell that will put you under my control, however, you’ll still be able to think for yourself. The way it works is that if you don’t do what I say, you’ll receive a continuous stream of pain right to your brain which will paralyze you. It’s so intense that you’ll be BEGGING me to let you do whatever I say. However, that’s not even the good part. If you don’t do what I say, not only will you receive a burst of pain, but also . . ."Divatox stopped and hopped off the table. She walked over to where Tommy was strapped in and placed a hand on his chest. In a pouty, babyish voice she said, "But so will your wittle Tommy. You two are, like, connected to each other by your hearts. How lame! So whatever you feel . . .he feels."
Kim closed in fear and frustration as she let the words sink in. Tommy? How could I ever cause him pain? How could I ever do anything that would put him in any kind of pain? Geez guys, where are you? Why aren’t Tommy and I out of here by now?
"Oh yeah, your little friends can’t teleport you out of here. I placed an impenetrable forcefield around this very hold just to make sure you wouldn’t be able to escape. NOTHING is going to screw up this plan. Porto, the shots please," Divatox called out.
"Right away you evilness," Porto said as he ran into the room and handed her the instruments of destruction.
"Shots," Kim asked.
"You think I’m going to try to force you to take some kind of potion," Divatox asked. "Ha! These shots are much faster."
"There’s no needle on the end though," Kim said puzzled.
"Hello? I am so far ahead of your technology dear. This is like one of those shots in Star Trek." Divatox started to walk over towards Kim, but she stopped suddenly in front of Tommy, obviously having changed her mind. "This is just to easy," Divatox said as she placed the end of the odd looking shot onto Tommy and then pushed the trigger. The skin underneath was suddenly sucked in, but then returned to it’s normal position.
"NO," Kim yelled as she struggled against her restraints in vain.
Tommy’s eyes suddenly shot open, and almost instinctively he turned his head to the left to face Kim.
Kim shook her head at him sadly. "We can’t do anything. We’re at . . .her will." Kim admitted in defeat. I never thought I’d have to say those words. Once again, Kim had to fight to keep down the tears.
"Oh how I loved to here those words come out of her mouth," Divatox said grinning widely. " Now it’s your turn."
"Kim, how can you say that? We are never at her will. If we can’t fight he physically, we can fight her mentally. Don’t admit defeat, Kim. Don’t give up."
"Oh shut up," Divatox said rolling her eyes. "Your turn Kimmie." With that, she fired the spell into Kim as Tommy also shouted out in protest but also in vain.
Kim felt her mind cloud over, almost as if she had been knocked out, but then everything came back into focus. Nothing feels different. Maybe . . .it hasn’t worked Kim thought hopefully.
"Now let’s see if this sucker has worked," the evil pirate said as she casually walked over to a control panel and pushed a blue button. The steel restraints which had covered Kim and Tommy’s arms, legs and torso suddenly retracted and disappeared into the tables.
Tommy practically leapt off the table and fell to the floor. However, he picked himself up and ran over to Kim. Wrapping his arms around her, he swung her off the table and onto the floor. "Are you OK," he asked as he gently brushed the side of her face with his hand.
"Yeah, are you," Kim asked rubbing his back. Kim felt like this would be the last time she would ever be able to hold him for some strange reason, and suddenly embraced Tommy tightly.
"Kim. it’s gonna be all right," Tommy said trying to calm her down.
Kim loosened the grip so she could face Tommy and half-heartedly said, "Yeah, I know. We can defeat whatever we set out minds too." Except Kim felt like she was lying to herself as she spoke them.
"Of course, now," Tommy said turning his eyes toward Divatox and dropping into a fighting stance as did Kim, "what do you want?"
"Eww gross! You two make me want to vomit! I better make sure this spell works before I wretch. All right, Kim, come here."
"No way Madonna wannabe," Kim spat out.
"Fine! We’ll just have to try out the pain, won’t we?" Divatox stared at Kim, and suddenly Kim doubled over as a wave of heat engulfed her head and paralyzed. Kim managed to turn her head and saw that Tommy had also doubled over in pain.
"ENOUGH," Kim screamed in agony. In the blink of an eye, the pain stopped.
"Now that you’ve learned your lesson, come here," Divatox shouted angrily.
Kim realizing that there was nothing she could do, turned towards Tommy one last time. She reached up and gently stroked the side of his face. She stood up on her tiptoes and gently kissed Tommy as if it were the last time she would do so. "I love you. Never forget that."
"Now!"
Kim, with slumped shoulders, walked over to Divatox and stood by her.
"I will not stand for this," Tommy yelled and then rushed Divatox.
"Too bad," Divatox said as she pushed a button on the control panel which teleported Tommy away.
* * *
It took all the strength Kim had remaining in her to keep her composure in front of Divatox. She had no idea about what she could do to try to escape her, and that very uncertainty made her want to end her life right then. However, Tommy was back home, in Angel Grove, and she put the little faith she had left in him with the hope that he might just be able to save her. God, let the power protect me.
* * *
Tommy landed on the ground, hard, of in an isolated part of the park. He looked around very confused from how fast the past events had happened. The he realized that Kim wasn’t with him as he surveyed the lush greenery around him. "Fuck," he yelled hitting the ground in frusteration. he knew he had to go the Command Center, so with that he teleported away.
* * *
"Tommy where were you," Kat cried as she ran over and hugged him as soon as he materialized.
"Where’s Kim," Ashe asked in panic as he realize his sister wasn’t with him.
Tommy took a deep breath to try to calm himself down from just hearing her name. "Divatox has her. There was nothing I could do. I . . ."Tommy suddenly twisted his wrists and was surprised to see his Turbo morphers appear on his wrists. "She didn’t take them . . .but why?"
"TOMMY, WHAT HAPPENED TO KIMBERLY AND YOU," Zordon asked. Their much loved mentor had returned home after finding he couldn’t bear to be away from his "children."
"Kim and I, we were in this hotel room and then . . ."
"Hotel room," Rocky asked wiggling his eyebrows mischievously.
"Shut up. This is not the time for your wisecracks boy," Tanya said hitting his arm.
"We were there, and then Divatox appeared. She had us in some hold which I realized after I had awaken because of some shot she gave me. She did the same thing to Kim, I mean she gave her a shot too, and then she said she wanted to test it out. She told Kim to come over to her, and when she didn’t I suddenly felt this wave of intense pain in my brain. She must have linked Kim to me somehow with that shot. Then she asked Kim to come over again, and she did. The next thing I knew I was in the park, without her."
"Oh my," Kat said dazed from what Tommy had just told them. She looked around and noticed that her friends had the same looks upon their faces.
"RANGERS, IT APPEARS THAT DIVATOX HAS USED THE SAME SPELL ON KIMBERLY THAT LORD ZEDD DID ON JASON."
Tommy cringed at the mention of his friend’s name. Jason had been one of the best friends Tommy had known, but had taken his life because of that same spell.
"HOWEVER, THIS TIME SHE HAS LINKED KIMBERLY TO TOMMY AS WELL. IT APPEARS TOMMY THAT ANY TIME KIMBERLY DISOBEYS DIVATOX THAT SHE WILL RECEIVE AN INTENSE AMOUNT OF PAIN TO HER BRAIN, AS WELL AS YOU."
"Well, let’s start researching this virus. Alpha, run a scan on Tommy, so I can try to come up with a vaccine," Kat said as she started to go work on the control panel.
Tommy half-heartedly smiled at Kat’s attempts, but his smile faded quickly when he himself faced reality. There isn’t a cure."Kat, stop trying. There isn’t any cure for this spell."
"That’s nonsense Tommy. There’s always a cure."
"KATHERINE," Zordon said with what each ranger heard as sadness in his voice, "I’M AFRAID THAT YOUR EFFORTS WILL BE IN VAIN. ALTHOUGH DIVATOX HAS ALTERED THE SPELL IN SOME WAY TO LINK IT TO TOMMY, IT ISN’T A BIG ENOUGH ALTERATION TO MAKE MYSELF BELIEVE THAT THERE COULD ACTUALLY BE A CURE. THIS SPELL WAS INVENTED BY ONE OF THE FIRST EVIL VILLANS THAT CHALLENGED THE FORCES OF GOOD. ALTHOUGH A NUMBER OF US TRIED TO FIND AN ANTIDOT TO IT, WE NEVER SUCEEDED. WE FIGURED WE WOULDN’T HAVE TO THOUGH AFTER THIS VILLAN WAS KILLED IN BATTLE AND HIS NOTES WERE SUPPOSEDLY DESTROYED. HOWEVER, LORD ZEDD WAS ABLE TO FIND THESE NOTES AND USE THEM. DIVATOX ALSO MUST HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THEM . . ." Zordon paused, obviously realizing that he was babbling. Sadly he finished, "WE ARE AT DIVATOX’S WILL. THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO."
Katherine then began to sob as she realized there was really nothing she could do. Her mentor had spoken, and she therefore knew she didn’t have any reason to hope. If Zordon didn’t seem to have any hope, why should they? Kat looked over to Ashe and found him crying. Poor Ashe, he’s only been reunited with his sister for a month, and now this had to happen. Poor Kim, she’s all ready been through so much. She went over to him and wrapped her arms around him allowing him to cry into her shoulder.
"It just isn’t fair. Not to Kim," Rocky said pounding his fist in frustration.
Tanya and Adam exchanged worried glances as they looked at Tommy. He was staring off into space with obviously not a thought on his mind to connect him to earth.
"RANGERS, I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST IF YOU RETURNED HOME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE," Zordon said solemnly.
"Yeah, I guess," Tanya said as she lined up with the other to teleport home. "Tommy?"
"Whatever," Tommy said as he immediately pushed the button on his communicator and vanished.
The others exchanged concerned glances and then did the same. Each of them wonded what would become of the future.
* * *
"You’ll stay in here and won’t be allowed out unless I say so. Here’s dinner. Have fun," Divatox said before locking the steel door of Kim’s room.
Kim aimlessly wandered around the room. It contained nothing but a small bathroom, small cot, and dresser with a mirror. She walked over to a small circular window on the one of the walls, but realized that there was nothing to see but water. I don’t even the moon to keep me company. What hope is there? I’ve been so dumb trying to keep any hope. I as well as Tommy know that there’s no hope for this situation. I knew as soon as Divatox mentioned Jason’s name, but I just had to try to believe Tommy’s words. Tommy . . .there’s no way that I’ll be able to hurt you. I love you too much to cause you or any of the others for that matter any pain. I’ll just have to gain Divatox’s trust so that she’ll let me go off by myself for awhile and then . . .end it like Jas. Kim then lay down and cry herself to sleep, having nothing to comfort her any the blackness of night.
* * *
Tommy walked around the edges of the lake, admiring the way the soft waves glistened in the moonlight and sparkled. Kim, how could I let this happen to you? I should’ve done something to stop it. Anything! And now . . .what can I do? God, I was so foolish telling her to have hope, but if I hadn’t, what would she have left but my love. Man, I hope she’s not thinking around the same lines as Jas did. She can’t take her love away from me. I won’t let her. There’s got to be something we can do! I won’t lose her. I can’t! How would I be able to live . . . if Kim isn’t there with me?
This fanfic was written by Shelly Corvin, and is posted here with her permission.