"I was just wondering... Would you... liketogooutwithme?" There was a long pause, "Arrgh! That sounds so... bad." Andros, the Red Astro Ranger, sighed into his reflection. "Why is it so hard for me to say this?"
"You're afraid?" Andros quickly spun, spotting the lop-sided smile of the Silver Ranger. "Admit it Andros, you're a chicken."
"No, not chicken," Andros defended himself, "Just... cautious."
"Also known as Chicken Syndrome," Zhane smirked. "Don't feel bad though; we all get this way." His smile drifted. "Don't make the same mistake I made, though. You'll live to regret it."
"Mistake? Oh, you mean..." Andros nodded seriously. "I understand. And I wont..." His eyes turned mischievous, "And by the way... I'll admit I'm a chicken on one condition."
"Which is?"
"I'm not a roasted chicken!"
Zhane rolled his eyes and laughed, "alright... Deep-fried?"
"You got it," Andros snickered, "now, serious moment... I really don't know what to tell her. I'm so afraid of saying the wrong thing."
"Friend to friend moment, Andros…You have nothing to lose. Just do it."
Andros nodded, and rolled his eyes, "Since you just quoted the earth Nike saying... Must we sing the chicken song?"
Zhane sighed, "No Andros, I won't sing the chicken song. I remember last time I did something chicken related." He made a face, "remind me to never take a dare from Cassie ever again, okay?"
Andros laughed, "Oh, I don't know... I think the image of you doing the chicken dance will forever be etched into our memories."
"Arrgh! Don't say that again. Ever."
Andros just shook his head, "life around here is very amusing."
Zhane nodded in agreement, "of course." He glanced to his watch, "and I have to go for a while. Cassie's taking me shopping for clothes. She says I'm not stylish."
Andros chuckled, "about time someone let you know that."
"Hey! I happen to like how I dress."
Andros watched with amusement as he left. His face turned to a frown as his mind slid back to his earlier thoughts. 'I wonder what I should say... Or if I should at all.'
"Ashley, I need to talk to you." His voice came out in a whisper. "I want to tell you something important."
"Okay." A voice chirped, "what is it?"
Andros' eyes widened as he caught her reflection in his mirror. Ashley stood in his bedroom's doorway, an amused expression on her face.
"I... Uhh.. Just wanted your opinion on something to help improve our battles with Astronema."
"Oh." His heart broke at her expression. She brightened, "what was your idea?"
"To, um..." he paused, unable to think of anything. His eyes shifted to the yellow jumpsuit she was dressed in. "To colorize our uniforms. Maybe to confuse her or something..."
Her eyes raised in amusement, "what an… interesting plan."
"Yeah," he coughed lightly, "I know. Maybe not my brightest of ideas.. But, you know..."
She nodded in understanding, "busy with your Karone search and not thinking straight?"
"Uh.. Exactly."
"Hey," she walked into his room. "I have a question for you as well."
"What?" He gulped out. He silently cursed to himself, suddenly noticing how nervous he was acting. She placed a hand onto his shoulder and he felt himself blushing at the contact.
"Would you like to..." She paused, her face searching his. She seemed to gain the courage she needed and smiled, "go to a movie with me tonight?"
"I..." She looked at him, waiting for an answer. "I'dloveto," he responded. She gave him a curious look, "I mean, I'd love to go with you."
"I'll pick you up at seven," she smiled, "and don't be late. I know where you live!" She ducked out of the room before he could utter another word.
"I have a date with Ashley." He said seriously to his reflection. Several moments later he broke out into a huge smile.
It was rapidly approaching seven and Ashley paced her closet nervously, staring at the mountain of clothes.
"I have nothing to wear!" She complained. She flopped onto her bed and stared up at her ceiling.
"I bet you could go in rags and he'd think you looked awesome," Cassie smirked from the doorway. "Face it, Ash, he's crazy for you."
"Of *course* he, or any guy, would like me in rags," she huffed, "they'd barely cover anything!"
"That's not what I meant, but..." Cassie rolled her eyes. She turned and looked over the closet's contents. "Where you two going?"
"A movie."
"Okay," Cassie turned her attention to the many shirts, skirts, and dresses. "You're black mini-skirt and a yellow tank top?"
"Hmm," she mused, "OK, that can work, I guess..."
"Hon," Cassie looked to her yellow-clad friend, "don't worry. I promise he won't care what you're in."
"Thanks," she smiled, "I need all the confidence I can get."
"Why? You know, as I do, and the others, he's crazy for you."
"Maybe."
"Maybe? Don't sell yourself so short. Would he even agreed to go out with you if he didn't like you?"
"I don't know..."
"Just go. You know you won't regret it,"
She nodded. "I hope you're right."
Andros nervously paced his quarters, glancing at his door every few seconds. "I hope I don't do something wrong," he sighed.
"You won't," Carlos encouraged from Andros' bed. The Black Ranger hid a grin as he observed the Red Ranger's face. It was obvious both Andros and Ashley liked each other, now it was only a matter of minutes, or hours in their case, that they'd realize it themselves too.
"You seem so sure," Andros retorted, "do you know something that you aren't telling me?"
"No," Carlos carefully said. "Just believe me, okay?"
Andros shrugged, "I'm just so... scared." He admitted. "Ashley's like... Something from a dream." He paused and looked at Carlos, "does that make sense?"
Carlos nodded, "oh yeah."
"Good, I thought was going cra--" There was a knock on the door and Andros froze. "…zy... I can't do this. I'm the Red Ranger, I need to do my job. Not go girl crazy over someone. That's Zhane's job."
Carlos nodded seriously, "right. Go scan then and give up a chance to be happy. I'm sure Zordon's just dying to be saved."
Andros scowled, "bad joke," he sighed, "but it's right. I do have a shot at happiness. A love shot," he murmured.
Now set with a new insight, he smiled at Carlos and walked towards the door and paused. "Hi, Ashley," he gulped out as the door automatically slid open.
"Hey," she smiled. "Ready to go?"
Andros nodded, "You... look great."
Her smile brightened and a flush creeped up her neck and to her cheeks, "thanks."
"What movie are we going to?" he asked as he lifted his eyes from the floor to her tan face. She shrugged and he couldn't help but notice how well the skirt and top fit her.
"Umm," she shrugged, "I don't know what's playing. Can we decide when get there?"
"Fine with me," he responded. He felt his own cheeks flush lightly as she linked arms with him and leaned up and kissed his cheek.
"Come on," she giggled lightly and dragged him to the Bridge, where Cassie and T.J. sat talking quietly with Zhane. "We're leaving," Ashley announced to them. "Don't wait up," Ashley winked. Cassie giggled in response and Zhane grinned at his red friend.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Zhane whispered as they passed.
"So, nothing?" Andros countered back and grinned. "C'mon, Ash, let's go." Before any more words could be said, they were gone in red and yellow beams of light.
"I bet they don't come back tonight," Zhane smirked.
His only response was the laughter of the Blue and Pink Rangers.
It was now a few hours later and Andros and Ashley walked hands-in-hand along Angel Grove Park. They'd just finished watching the movie and decided not to go home quite yet.
"I can't believe you got me to watch Star Wars," Ashley groaned. "I wouldn't even see Star Wars when T.J., Carlos, and Justin tried to get me to watch it almost a year ago!"
Andros grinned, "I guess that's one thing Earth and KO-35 have in common. We got the original trilogy the same time you guys did. I've loved them." His eyes turned wistful, "Back on KO-35, as a kid, I used to collect all the merchandise. I remember my parents always complained if I wasn't destined to be a Ranger, I'd be a Jedi by choice."
"Be a Jedi?" Ashley repeated, "it's real?"
"In the Kerova System it is," Andros nodded, "maybe that's why we got the movies. Compare fiction Jedi to the real deal..."
"Well," Ashley said seriously, "I'm glad you were destined to be a Ranger. If you hadn't been, I'd probably never had met you. And that thought scares me," she whispered.
Andros turned his hazel eyes away from her and stared into the quiet air. "I agree..."
"Andros?"
"Hmm?" He turned to look at her.
"Will you kiss me?" she asked softly.
Andros stared at her in surprise, "you want me to kiss you?"
"You do know what that is, right?" she asked in a hushed tone.
Andros grinned, "I may be an alien, but we do have a few things in common..."
"Alright, will you do me that favor?" her smile grew as he nodded.
Andros smiled shakily to himself as he gently cupped her chin in his rough palm. Silently, he stared into her eyes before leaning close to her. Their lips met . . .
"Wow." Ashley murmured as they broke apart. "That was... wow."
"My thoughts too," Andros whispered. "Can we try that again?" Before she could respond, he leaned closer and kissed her lips softly again.
"Mmm," she murmured, "I could do this with you all night..."
Andros chuckled as he kissed her again, "so could I... but, knowing Zhane... I bet he took bets on us. So we better go back, for our sakes."
Ashley leaned up and kissed his cheek and smiled, "right. Let's go."
With that, the Yellow and Red Rangers walked off into the sunset.