Tommy Oliver jerked out of his troubled sleep. His heart was pounding and he was drenched in sweat. It had been the fifth night these dreams had troubled him. He hadn't had a decent night's sleep in a week and it was being to show. He moaned and flopped back down. He closed his eyes and prayed for morning to come
Miss Applebee lectured as she wrote the new assignment on the board. "....Remember, I want you to find one ancestor and research him or her thoroughly, telling what that person did for Angel Grove."
Her voice droned on. Tommy, already exhausted, drifted off. Miss Applebee turned and saw the napping ranger. He was pale with dark shadows underscoring his eyes. She shook her head and decided to let him sleep. She'd talk to him after class.
"The first reports will be due next week." Miss Applebee said as the bell dismissed the students. As soon as the other teenagers were gone, she tapped Tommy gently on the shoulder.
"What?" He jerked awake. He looked around, disoriented.
"Tommy, are you feeling alright?" She asked.
"Huh? Oh, fine." Tommy gathered his things. "Excuse me, but if I'm late one more time to Biology, Mr. Barques will use me the next time we do dissections."
Miss Applebee laughed. The temperamental science teacher was known for making theatrical threats to students. Then, she sobered up. She had important things to tend to.
"Tommy, you have been falling asleep in class a lot lately. Haven't you been sleeping well at night?" Tommy shook his head no. "Is something upsetting you at home. I know how hard it can be not to have a mother even though your father and uncle have been doing their best."
Tommy yawned. "Oh, sorry. Nothing's wrong at home."
Miss Applebee scribbled a note. She handed it to Tommy. "Give this to the nurse. I will contact your teachers for you, so you won't be used for dissections."
Tommy sighed and plodded out of the room. He stopped at his locker, pausing only to empty out his heavy book bag. Then, he followed Miss Applebee's orders
The nurse showed Tommy to a small, windowless room with an Army surplus cot in it. Once Tommy laid down, she shut the door. Almost immediately, he mind began to wonder.
Tommy saw himself as a young child, maybe six or seven years old. He was running through a tropical jungle. He was dressed in a white linen loin cloth, leather sandles and ornate gold jewelry set with precious stones. Tommy knew from his history books that was the way the ancient Aztecs dressed.
He skipped through the thick flora, following a strange, furry creature. Even though Tommy had never seen the animal before, he knew it was his beloved pet. "Mei-chan!" Tommy scooped up the animal. It was the size of a guinea pig, furry, with perky kitten ears and a squirrel-like tail.
A man in an elaborate military uniform strolled up to the young Tommy.
"Hello, Papa-san!" Tommy smiled.
"Shirochi-chan, what are you doing?" The man asked. He knelt beside the boy.
"Papa-san, looky." Tommy held up a multicolored stone.
"Oh, it's pretty." The man ruffled Tommy's dark hair. Then, he straightened up and turned around.
Deep in Tommy's mind, he gasped. The man was Zordon!
Tommy bolted awake. He was breathing heavy. Oh, man, that was strange. He thought.
"Thank you again for calling me." Tommy heard his uncle's voice in the nurse's office. "And for giving this delicious coffee."
"You're welcome, Mr. Oliver. Would you like to check on Tommy and see if he's awake yet?"
"Please."
The nurse opened the door. Tommy shielded his eyes as the bright light from the outside hit him.
"Well, well, good morning Tommy." The nurse laughed. Tommy glared at her. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "Your uncle is here to pick you up." She said and left. He picked up his book bag and joined his uncle in the office. He had already been signed out.
Once Tommy was home, his uncle put him to bed. Nana, Tommy's old nurse, a fiery black cajun woman, brought up something to for him to eat.
"I'm sorry, Nana, but I'm not hungry." Tommy looked down at the plate of grits and sausage gravy, beaten biscuits with homemade butter, and milk. His stomach churned at the thought of eating.
"Either you eat this on your own, Tommy or I will force feed you!" Nana exclaimed. Tommy meekly ate everything she had fixed for him. Experience had taught him never to cross Nana's path. As soon as Nana was gone, Tommy teleported to the Command Center. He wanted to have a few words with Zordon.
TOMMY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT HOME, RESTING. Zordon looked at the White Ranger when he appeared in the Command Center. Tommy was dressed in boxer shorts that had dalmatian puppies and fire hydrants on them and a Garfield t-shirt, his normal nighttime attire.
"Zordon, we have to talk." Tommy faced the giant head. "For the past week, I've been having strange dreams. About a little boy named Shirochi." Zordon gasped as Tommy said the name. "And, he looks an awful lot like I did at that age. Why?"
Zordon composed himself. THOSE ARE JUST DREAMS, DON'T LET THEM DISTURB YOU. NOW, GO HOME AND GET SOME SLEEP. YOU LOOK ILL AND NEED THE REST. Zordon paused, trying to think of a good threat. OR, I'LL INFORM NANA THAT YOU LEFT YOUR ROOM.
Tommy blanched and teleported out. Even Lord Zedd wouldn't want to mess with Nana.
Just as Tommy reappeared in his room, the phone rang. He picked it up.
"Hey, there!" Kim said.
"Kimberly? Wuzzup?"
"Well, we were worried about you when you didn't show up for any of your classes after English. What's wrong?"
"Oh, just those dreams I told you about. I told Zordon about them, but he dismissed them as just dreams and said that I was ill. However, he looked like he was in pain when I said the name Shirochi."
"I wonder why." Kim mused.
"I wish I knew."
"Well, are you gonna be at the Youth Center later?"
"I don't think so. Nana doesn't want me to go out."
"I'm come by and visit you later if you want and Nana allows it." Kim laughed.
"Nana will. She likes you. She thinks that you're a good influence on me."
"Humph! We've got to change that reputation!"
"Good bye, Kim. See you later." He hung up and laughed. Then, he crawled back into bed. He was more tired than he had wanted to admit.
The little girl (his sister?) was about two years younger than him. She had the same dark hair and eyes, but her skin wasn't bronzed like Tommy's, it was winter white. She was pretty, but she had a temper. She had thrown her dolly away when she couldn't undress it. Then, she demanded that Tommy get back for her or she'd tell their father that he hid the doll. Tommy rolled his eyes and complied with her demands. He found the doll laying peacefully in the underbrush surrounding a meadow. Tommy heard moans and gasps coming from the meadow. He peaked through a bush and stifled a cry. His mother was naked and in the embrace of another man!
"Does Zordon know about us?" The man asked.
"Of course not. He still thinks that Shirochi is his child. Zedd, Zordon is more like a brother to me. I only got pregnant with Yukiko because I felt a little guilty that the only child he'd ever have was yours."
Tommy swallowed bile that had rushed into his throat. He looked at the man. The man had the same bronzed skin that Tommy had. He was handsome with a dangerous air about him. Tommy looked away and saw the silver staff with a "Z" carved on the top. It was Lord Zedd's.
Tommy scooped up the doll. He rejoined his sister, his heart broken. His family would never be the same again.
"NO!" Tommy screamed as he woke up. Kim and Nana were leaning over him, trying to restrain him.
"It was only a dream, honey-child." Nana soothed him. "Do you want to tell us about it?"
Tommy looked up at the women. "Lord Zedd is my father." He buried his face in his hands.
"Oh how awful." Kim hugged him. She looked at Nana. Nana knew who the Power Rangers were. She knew the first time Tommy went into battle.
Tommy limped into the kitchen. He had just fought in his first battle on the side of goodness and he was sore from head to toe. Nana was cooking rabbit pot pie, Tommy's favorite meal, for supper.
"Oh, Tommy-lamb, what happened to you?" She wailed when she saw him. "Don't tell me that nasty Goldar hurt you! If he did, he'll be sorry!" Nana declared.
"Now, Nana, why would Goldar want to hurt me?" Tommy asked.
"I know he's after all of you Power Rangers. Well, I won't let my little Green lamb be hurt by some gold monkey. You just come to Nana, and I'll fix you up." Nana gathered the bewildered boy into her ample bosom. She fixed up his injuries and tied a dime around his left ankle. She also gave him some pralines, his favorite sweet, to cheer him up.
"Kimberly, honey, I need your help." Nana handed the Pink Ranger a large handful of herbs. "I don't care what that Zordon says, my Tommy is being bewitched and I won't stand for it. While Tommy is taking a bath with five finger grass oil in it, you and I are gonna spread these herbs all over this room so no evil spirits can get to my boy." Nana, a Voo Doo priestess, instructed.
"Yes, ma'am." Kim followed Nana's orders. Nana lit sweet insence.
Tommy willingly soaked in the hot tub. He poured all of the five finger grass oil into it. He had taken his communicator off. It was on his nightstand. He heard it beep and he heard Nana answer it.
"Yes, what do you want?" Nana demanded.
*WHERE IS TOMMY? ZEDD HAS SENT DOWN A NEW MONSTER AND TOMMY IS NEEDED TO LEAD THE BATTLE.*
"He's soaking in the tub. He's in no shape to go into battle. My poor lamb....." Tommy laughed to himself. Zordon was getting it now. He almost felt sorry for the interdemensional being. Nana could be a force to reckon with when she's mad.
After Tommy dried off and dressed for bed, Nana gave him an amulet attached to a leather thong. He slept all night with out any dreams.
Tommy hummed under his breath as he loaded up his book bag. Given the undependable state of his memory, he just took every book and binder and folder. Kim came up behind him and hugged him.
"Well, you look chipper today." She smiled.
"Yeah. Those herbs of Nana's really worked." He put his canvas lunch bag in his locker.
"What did she make you for lunch?"
"Po'boys, hominy grits and gravy, and pralines." Tommy smiled. He loved Cajun food, especially the way Nana cooked it.
"Oh, hey, here comes Mr. Capland and some new girl." Kim pointed out. By that time the rest of the Rangers gathered around them.
Tommy looked at the girl. "Yukiko." He whispered and fainted. Adam caught him before he hit the ground.
"What's wrong with him?" Mr. Capland asked.
"I dunno." Kim said. "Hello, Yukiko." She faced the girl. Tommy had told her about his dreams, so she knew of his "half-sister".
"My name is Akiko Midoriyama." The girl corrected Kim. She was dressed in a greenish-black PVC jumpsuit and stelletto heels. Her long brown hair hung straight down to her waist. She was tall and had a killer figure: slender with large, firm breasts and pale skin. She had Tommy's dark brown eyes and long lashes. She was about 16 or so.
"I'm Kimberly Harte. The guy on the floor is Tommy Oliver, my boyfriend." She stressed the last word. Then, she introduced the rest of her friends. Akiko smiled seductively at Adam, Rocky, and Billy. Aisha and Kim rolled their eyes.
Just then, Tommy moaned and sat up. "Yukiko, I'd never thought that I'd see you again." He said.
"Shirochi?" Akiko/Yukiko knelt by him.
"You know everything, then?" Tommy/Shirochi asked.
She nodded. Suddenly, Zordon contacted the Rangers and told them to report to the Command Center and to bring their new friend. friend with them.
"Zordon, we want some answers from you." Tommy/Shirochi demanded as soon as they reappeared in the Command Center.
MY CHILDREN, YOU'VE COME BACK TO ME. BUT HOW? YUKIKO, I BURIED YOU WITH YOUR MOTHER AFTER SHE WAS RAPED AND KILLED AND YOU WERE KILLED. SHIROCHI, YOU VANISHED. WHY?
"Zordon, Goldar raped Mother and murdered us. I tried to stop him but I was hurt. I made it to a temple and there, I died inside. I must have been brought back to life by the men I call my father and uncle." Tommy/Shirochi said.
"I was revived by my "parents": a Japanese scientist and his wife, a teacher. She's the new Japanese teacher in Angel Grove." Akiko/Yukiko stated.
"Zordon, there is one more thing you should know about me." Tommy/Shirochi spoke up. "Mother had an affair with Lord Zedd. Believe it or not, he's human under the helmet. I was the result of that affair. Both decided that it would be best for me to be raised in the House of Goodness."
I SUSPECTED THAT, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, SHIROCHI, YOU ARE MY FIRST BORN SON AND I LOVE YOU.
"Oh, ai yi yi yi." Alpha wiped away a tear. "Here, Akiko." He handed her the Green Morpher. "We were able to restore it to full Power with the Light of Goodness. Evil can never touch it again. Sniff."
"Arigatoo." Akiko smiled. She handed the little robot a tissue.
Tommy hugged his sister, the nightmares laid to rest.