Kimberly Harte bounced into the Youth Center. She was dressed in a short pink dress with white roses and pink high-tops. Her brown eyes were sparkling with joy.

"My, my, don't we look happy." Aisha Campbell sipped at her soda.

"Tommy and I are going on a romantic moonlight picnic on the beach tonight." Kim laughed.

"What's the occasion?"

"It's been one year to the day that he and I started dating. And, our date tonight will be at the same time our first one was."

Aisha raised an eyebrow and smiled at her friend. Just then, Tommy Oliver snuck up behind Kim. He put his fingers to his lips when Aisha started to speak. Then, he scooped Kim off her feet.

"Hello, Beautiful." He whispered in her ear.

"You!" She squealed and hugged him. "Are you ready?"

"Of course, Mi Lady. Your chariot awaits." Tommy carried her out to his jeep.

The two Rangers sat on a hand woven Navajo blanket in a private lagoon. A breath taking sunset cast a rosy glow over everything.

"It's so beautiful here." Kim sighed. Tommy handed Kim an oblong box. It was dark blue with a silver ribbon on it. "What's this?"

"Just a present. Open it."

Kim opened it and gasped. It was a gold identification bracelet with flowers and Kim's name set in precious stones. On the back was engraved: "For one year of love and the promise of many more to come. With all of my love, Tommy." was engraved.

"Oh, it's wonderful! I'll never take it off!" She hugged Tommy. He helped her put it on.

"You're a million times more wonderful than any jewel." He kissed her.

Kim snuggled up to Tommy. Suddenly, she smacked a fire ant that had crawled up her leg. "Ouch! These stupid things burn!" She exclaimed.

"Hmmm." Lord Zedd murmured. He was watching Tommy and Kim's date. He tried to ignore the jealousy that welled up in his withered heart as he saw Kim hug Tommy. Instead, he concentrated on the fire ants. "That ant would make a wonderful monster."

"But, My Lord, it's too small." Goldar pointed out.

"Fool!" Zedd snapped. "RITA!"

Rita Replussa stormed out of her room. "What?"

"My dear, what do you recommend to give my new fire ant monster height?"

She scowled. She had been suffering from one of her famous headaches, so she was in a foul mood. "Fertilizer!" And she left.

Zedd's eye's widened. "Must that time of the month." He exchanged confused looks with Goldar. Then, he shook his head. Using his wand, he stole a load of cow dung and took ones of the fire ants. It was one that Kim had smashed. The ant grew to human proportions. It was ghoul like and had a foul breath.

"Go, Fire Ant!" Zedd proclaimed.

The Japanese song echoed softy through out the cool night. The two lovers were embracing each other, locked in a passionate kiss.

Suddenly, a foul stench invaded the lagoon. Tommy and Kim gagged as the smell became worse. Fire Ant and a horde of Putties surrounded them.

"Oh, man!" Tommy fumed.

Before the fight could begin, Mother Nature threw both sides a curve ball; a massive quake shook the area. A hole opened up underneath them.

The other Rangers were in the Youth Center, doing homework when the quake hit. Ernie evacuated everyone with out incident. Once the ground stopped shaking, Adam looked at his friends and fellow Rangers. "I have a bad feeling about this." He shook his head.

Tommy, Kim, Fire Ant, and the Putties tumbled down into the hole. The monsters disappeared before they hit the ground. Kim landed with all of the gracefulness of a cat, while a sickening crunch accompanied Tommy's. He wailed with intense pain.

"Tommy!" Kim rushed over to him. His right leg laid crumpled underneath him, and like herself, he was cover with cuts, scratches and bruises. His long hair had come out of its pony tail.

"I think I landed wrong." He gasped. "But, your arm!" He exclaimed. Almost all of the skin had been scraped off her left arm.

"It's nothing." She shrugged. Tommy took off his shirt, turned it inside out and wrapped it around her arm. "Thanks. I wonder where the monster has gone?" She looked around.

"I dunno." Tommy tried to sit up. He fell back as an extreme wave of dizziness hit him.

An aftershock shook the area, causing more rocks and sand to fall. Kim tugged Tommy up. "Lean on my shoulder!" She yelled.

The two Rangers made their way into what appeared to be a series of tunnels. Tommy's right leg dragged behind him, completely useless.

"I never these tunnels existed." Kim said when they paused to catch their breath.

"Yeah. They're man made and very old. Check out these symbols. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that they were Japanese." Tommy ran his hand over a group of symbols.

"If they were Japanese, what would they say?" Kim asked.

"I can't make out all of them. They're too faint. "Yama no chi to Kinhito ni Hoshi Yama e"......" Tommy squinted as he read what little he could make out.

"What does it mean?"

"The Mountain's Spirit and the Metal Man at the Star Mountain. Look at this drawing."

Kim leaned closer. "It's the Command Center!" She yelped.

"Yeah. We'd better tell Zordon about this." Tommy looked at his communicator. It was ruined. Kim's was gone. Suddenly, the foul stench of Fire Ant filled the tunnels. The monster had caught up with them.

"Tommy..."

"Right. Let's Morph!" Tommy reached behind to grab his Morpher. It was gone. "My Morpher!"

"Mine's gone too! We must have lost them when we fell!" Kimberly wailed.

Fire Ant laughed and sent bolts of fire hurdling at the Rangers.

"Why haven't they called?" Aisha fumed. She was with her friends in Billy's garage waiting for Tommy and Kim to contact them.

Rocky patted her shoulder. "I'm sure they're fine. I bet that they're having soo much fun doing what ever it is that those two do on their dates, that they've forgotten to call us."

"Right." Billy agreed but with out a lot of conviction. He was beginning to get worried also. I hope Zedd doesn't pull any tricks while we're at partial strength. He added to himself.

"You see, Goldar. Two of the Rangers are hurt and trapped with out their Morphers or communicators." Zedd gloated. "Now, take Scorpina and destroy the rest of those Power Pests!" He commanded Goldar. "Yes, my Lord."

As Billy and the others waited for word of their friends, Zordon called them.

SCORPINA AND GOLDAR ARE ATTACKING ANGEL GROVE. I CAN'T CONTACT TOMMY OR KIMBERLY, SO BILLY, YOU WILL LEAD THE ATTACK.

"Right. IT'S MORPHIN TIME!"

The Rangers Morphed and found the two monsters in Angel Grove Park.

"Let's go!" Billy yelled and tackled Goldar.

Kim threw Tommy down and covered him with her body. The fire bolts passed harmlessly overhead. Then, Kim dragged Tommy into another tunnel. She found a small alcove they barely fit into.

"I wonder where we are?" Kim whispered.

"See that symbol?" Tommy pointed to yet another symbol. "It's pronounced "Knee-she". It means west."

"If we're heading west, then, we must be under the park." Kim mused.

"Dunno." Tommy laid his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes.

Kim held him close.

Explosions intermixed with aftershocks rocked the park. The Rangers had managed to beat Goldar and Scorpina back. They used the rest of their Putties to cover for their escape.

Just then, Zordon contacted the Rangers.

WE STILL CAN'T LOCATE TOMMY AND KIMBERLY, BUT ALPHA HAS FOUND A SERIES OF TUNNELS NEAR THE LAGOON WHERE TOMMY AND KIMBERLY WERE PICNICKING. THEY MIGHT BE DOWN THERE. ALPHA IS GOING TO TELEPORT YOU THERE NOW.

The Rangers vanished from the park. They reappeared inside the tunnels. A foul smell greeted them. They followed it to Fire Ant. He had managed to corner the two Rangers.

"Adam, take him out!" Billy ordered.

"You got it!" Adam brandished his Power Ax and switched it to its gun mode. A well aimed blast finished off the monster.

Aisha knelt down. She dislodged Tommy and pulled him out. Billy took him and slung his leader over his shoulder. Aisha and Adam followed with Kimberly.

Kim's arm was cleaned and bandaged. She took a shower at the hospital, then changed into the fresh clothes that her mother and step-father brought for her.

The Rangers waited with Tommy's uncle and father for the injured White Ranger to get out of surgery. Ernie brought them dinner.

Tommy had a concussion and his right leg had been broken in several places. After a few days in the hospital, he went home.

"Did Zordon ever tell you how those characters got down there?" Billy asked Tommy a week later.

"Nope." Tommy sipped his juice shake. He still had a massive cast on and was off duty with the Rangers. Billy would lead the Rangers until Tommy was well. "Every time I bring it up, he changes the subject."

"Hmmm. I wonder why?" Billy frowned into his drink. "What is he hiding?"

"I don't know." Tommy stared off into space.

FOOTNOTES
*My heart feels like it's in ruins; I
can't get to sleep at all tonight.
Something is lurking... "Midnight"

Towering skyscrapers, tranquil moonlight...
Something is likely to happen
on the highway, late at night.
One mystery after another,
you should feel it too.

We shouldn't have been
born to be sad.

"Don't close your heart..."
Don't close your heart...
("Mysterious Night" Performed by The Knight Sabers, Lyrics by SHOW, Music & Arrangement by Makino Kouji. From BUBBLEGUM CRISIS Vol. #5 "MOONLIGHT RAMBLER" Also used with out Youmex's permission.)