Disclaimer: Saban owns the rangers and the bad guys. We just borrowed them. The song is sung by Deana Carter, and is called oddly enough, Once Upon a December, and is owned by 20th Century Fox. This takes place just after Secret of the Locket, (we think). We love e-mail so send away...please?
Astronema tossed restlessly on her bed as she tried to erase the memories of the day out of her head. She had lost her locket. Her most precious possession in the entire world, and in the process she had managed to lose her identity.
"Is it possible? Could she be Karone?"
She couldn't seem to get the red ranger's incredulous voice to quit repeating over and over again in her mind. {It's not possible. I'm Astronema. I've always been Astronema. My brother is dead. What right does that red bastard have to impersonate him? Does he think he can get to me by mocking my pain? I lost everyone I loved because of him and his power ranger ideals. He and his teammates killed my family, does he think I will just forget that fact because he has my dead brother's locket?} Angrily, Astronema sat up straight in bed. {Ecliptor was right. This is just another one of their tricks. I knew that before I left Earth. They think they can use my weakness against me. This changes nothing.} Viciously, she reached up and yanked the necklace off from around her throat. Her face grew calm though as she stared at the intricate designs etched in the gold surface.
Dancing bears
Painted wings
Things I almost remember
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December
Her brow furrowed as the edge of a far distant memory danced around the recesses of her mind. {Why can't I remember what they looked like? I was six when Ecliptor took me in. I should remember, shouldn't I? All I can remember about them is that they loved me, and that they gave me this locket.} She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to recall the fuzzy images that haunted the back of her mind, like the memories from a dream. {Nothing. I remember nothing.} Sadly she looked down and flipped the locket in her palm open. Two childish faces stared back at her.
"Mom, do we have to get our pictures taken? I already know what Karone looks like. I'm not going to forget her. Besides, we have your pictures in the lockets."
"Yeah Mom, Andros is right. I want to keep the pictures of you and Dad in my locket."
"You can still keep the ones of us in there, little bear." Strong arms pulled her off the ground and pulled her close as she let out a childish giggle.
"Can we go and play in the snow after we get our pictures taken?" She looked down from her father's arms at her brother. His striped hair bobbed with every word.
The memory fled as quickly as it had arrived, but she was still reeling in shock. Carefully she pulled back the image her young smiling face away from the locket. An older woman's face, so much like her own, smiled back at her.
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses dance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory
{Why can't I remember you?} She silently asked the picture. {I would know if the Red Ranger was my brother! It can't be him. He wouldn't kill his own family. I know he wouldn't. He was always...protective.} The word came unbidden to her mind and she smiled. She nodded. {Protective. He was protective of me. I was his little sister. He didn't want to see me hurt.}
Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart
Used to know
Things it yearns to remember
Her gaze hardened. The Red Ranger would pay for trying to impersonate her brother, for defiling his memory. {But what if he is?}
And a song
Someone sings
Once upon a December
The End
