“Hi, Ernie,” Tommy said, sounding a lot more cheerful than usual.

“Hi, Tommy,” Ernie said, “You sound like a new man.”

“You know what, I feel like a new man,” Tommy said.

“Hi, Tommy.” Kim came skipping up and gave him a kiss before scampering off for the balance beam.

“I can see why,” Ernie said with a smile. Tommy looked a bit sheepish.

Billy was helping Trini with her homework. “Come on, Trini,” Billy said, “You already know this stuff down pat. Why do you need my help?”

“To tell you the truth,” Trini said, “I just wanted you over here, near me.”

Billy turned red slightly.

“I’m sorry,” Trini said, “I’m embarrassing you, aren’t I?”

“A little,” Billy admitted.

“Just forget I said anything, all right?”

“Sure.” They put their minds back to doing homework.

“It’s working.” A monster was in the Youth Center, but was cloaked and no one could see it. The Ranger’s rings couldn’t even sense it. “The lust spell is working, my empress. It’ll have the girl Rangers almost completely incapacitated with worry over their respective boyfriends.”

“Good work, Cupidius,” Rita said over a communications device. “Now, get out of there, before their that cloak wears off.”

“Yes, my empress,” Cupidius said.

“And this is how you do these problems,” Billy said. Trini moved closer to him and pressed up against his shoulder slightly to see what he was pointing out. He was finding it hard to concentrate, especially since he had a good angle to look down her shirt, if he wanted to do so. He decided not to, and showed her the equations. He was glad that he was sitting down, though, or he’d really be embarrassed.

“Billy, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Billy lied, “I think I’m just going to go up to the bar and get something to drink. Want anything?” He decided that he was calmed down enough to stand up.

“Strawberry smoothie, please,” Trini said. She started to reach for her purse.

“It’s on me,” Billy said. ‘Why not?’ he thought, ‘She’s had just about everything else on me without getting embarrassed in public.’

“Hey, Billy, my main brain,” Zack said, “What’s up?”

“I’m helping Trini with some homework,” Billy said.

“From the looks of it, she seems to be helping you, too,” Zack teased. Billy turned red. “Hey, I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. Forget I said anything about that, all right?”

“Thanks, Zack,” Billy said. He went up to the bar.

“What would you like, Billy?” Ernie said.

“One spinach and one strawberry smoothie, please,” Billy said.

“Coming right up,” Ernie said. He fixed the drinks quickly and passed them to Billy with a wink. Billy turned red again, but was okay by the time he paid for the drinks and had gotten back to Trini.

“Here you go,” Billy said, handing her the drink she ordered.

“Thanks, Billy,” Trini said, taking a sip from it and putting it down on the table. “Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?” She took off her jacket and... Billy’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. She had a very skimpy top on. ‘So much for hoping to keep my mind on my work,’ he thought.

“I’m sorry to say this, Trini,” Ernie said, as he walked up. “But with that top you’ve got on, I’m going to have to insist that you put the jacket back on.”

“No problem, Ernie,” Trini said, slipping the jacket back on.

Across the room, Tommy was working out when hands closed over his eyes. And a soft body press up against him from behind.

“Guess who?”

Though he knew exactly who it was, he played along. “Umm, Trini?”

The person giggled. “No, silly. It’s me.” Tommy spun around.

“I knew it was you, beautiful,” he said to Kim, who was right behind him.

“Sure you did,” Kim said. Her finger was tracing down his face and chest almost seductively. Tommy struggled not to let the effects that had show.

“Kim, I’ve got to get back to practicing,” Tommy said, “I’ve got a class later.”

“Oh, all right, spoil sport,” Kim teased. She gave him a kiss and went to sit down at their usual table. “Hi guys,” she said to Billy and Trini. Trini was watching Billy, and didn’t answer her.

“Hi, Kim,” Billy said. He looked slightly uncomfortable. ‘I wonder what that’s about,’ Kim thought. She knew that it wasn’t any of her business, so she got back up and went back to practicing on the balance beam.

“And this just in,” a newscaster was saying, “A monster is attacking downtown Angel Grove. It appears to be a cupid.”

The Rangers stopped what they were doing and gathered in the alcove they always morphed or teleported from. From there, they teleported to the Command Center.

“Rangers,” Zordon said, “I’m glad you’re here. Rita has sent down Cupidius, monster that casts spells that increases the hormone level in people. I’m afraid, though, that two of you have been affected.”

Once Billy heard that, he understood. He looked at Trini.

“What? What are you looking at me for?”

“Trini,” Billy said, “Do you remember how you were acting at the table at the Youth Center?”

“Yes,” Trini said. Her eyes grew wide. “Oh, my gosh. I’ve got that spell on me, don’t I?”

“I think so,” Billy said.

“Oh, Billy,” Trini said, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to...”

“I know you didn’t,” Billy said, “You just couldn’t help it.”

Tommy was also looking at Kim. “I know,” Kim said, “I’m under the spell, too.”

“You two will have to stay behind,” Zordon said, “At least, until we can find an antidote for the spell.”

“All right,” Kim said, “Be careful, sweetie.” Trini squeezed Billy’s hand gently.

“It’s morphin’ time,” Tommy called. “Dragonzord.”

“Mastadon.”

“Triceratops.”

“Tyrannosaurus.” Their rings sparked to life and they morphed. They teleported to the business section of Angel Grove, where the monster was waiting for them.”

“Nice of you to join me, Rangers,” Cupidius said, “Where are your female counterparts?”

“Temporarily side lined, thanks to you,” Billy said.

“Well, isn’t that too bad? Let’s rock.” With that, Cupidius jumped towards the Rangers, tearing through them easily.

“Zordon, they need us,” Kim said. Tommy takes a terrible blow. “Oh, Tommy.”

“Alpha,” Zordon said, “Have you found anything yet.”

“I have,” Alpha said, “But... it says that there is no actual antidote. It says that the person, or persons, that are affected by the spell must be able to overcome the monster all by themselves.”

“Then go,” Zordon said, “The only way that it seems you can do that is if you’re out there, with the others on the battle field.”

“Right,” Kim said, “Thanks, Zordon. It’s morphin’ time. Pterodactyl.”

“Saber Tooth Tiger.” They morphed and teleported to where the guys where.

Kim’s heart almost broke when she saw Tommy, unmoving. “Zordon,” she said, “If you can hear me, get Tommy out of here. I don’t want to have to worry about him too much if I’m going to get over this spell.” Tommy’s body disappeared in a pillar of green light. Kim sighed with relief. Trini had taken the time to explain the situation to the other guys, who teleported back to the Command Center. The girls, fresh for battle, quickly defeated the monster. They teleported back, to find Tommy unconscious on a biobed.

“Good work, girls,” Zordon said, “You’ve broken free of the spell.”

“What’s wrong with Tommy?” Kim demanded as she ran over and cradled his head in her lap.

“He’s just exhausted from battle,” Zordon said, “You should take him home, Kimberly. He does live by himself, doesn’t he?”

“Yep,” Kim said, “Jason, can you help me get Tommy to his apartment?”

“Sure thing, Kim,” Jason said. He gently picked Tommy up. “See you later, guys.”

“Yeah,” Kim said, “Later.”

“Bye.” Jason and Kim teleported to Tommy’s apartment. Kim stayed the entire night, after calling her parents. She laid down beside Tommy and rested his head on her chest.

The next day, they all met in the park for a picnic. Kim was sitting on one side of the picnic blanket. Tommy was laying down beside her, with his head in her lap and his eyes closed. She was brushing some tangles out of his long hair.

Billy and Trini were at opposite ends of the blanket from each other, with Jason and Zack between them. They rarely spoke to each other.

Kim was looking at them. ‘I can’t believe this,’ she thought, ‘They like each other, yet they let little things like what happened yesterday to get between them.’ She heard a light snoring, and looked around, wondering who was asleep. When she finally looked down, she found out that it was Tommy.

“Oh, you,” she said, gently shaking Tommy. “Come on, Tommy. Wake up.”

“Hmm?” His eyes fluttered open. “What happened?”

“You fell asleep,” Kim said sweetly.

“Sorry,” Tommy said, “Still suffering from that beating yesterday, I guess. Do you want me to sit up?”

“Not on your life,” Kim said, as she went back to brushing his hair. Tommy let out a heartfelt sigh of contentment. “Does that feel good?”

“Uh huh,” Tommy said, and sighed again. “Oh, Kim, you’re spoiling me doing this, you know that?”

“I just like making you happy,” Kim said, “It makes me feel good knowing that you are.”

“Just being around you makes me happy, beautiful,” Tommy said, reaching up and gently touching her face. The others rolled their eyes at their flirting.

“I’m going for a walk,” Trini said, getting up suddenly. She left, with Billy watching her every step until she was out of his eyesight, though that wasn’t saying much, due to Billy’s short line of vision.

“Go on,” Kim said, “I know Trini, and she wants you to follow her.” Billy hesitated. “Go on, or I’ll kick your butt.” She grinned playfully, but the gleam in her eyes let Billy know that she might not be kidding.

Billy got up and started in the direction Trini went. A short distance later, he heard some sobbing. He followed it, to find Trini by the duck pond.

“I can’t believe it,” she was saying, “I like a boy, and he seems to like me, and I act like a whore, coming on to him like that. He probably doesn’t like me after this, probably doesn’t even want to be my friend.”

“You’ll always be my friend, Trini,” Billy said. Trini spun around.

“What are you doing here?”

“Kim threatened to beat me up if I didn’t come after you,” Billy said, “I don’t think I needed that encouragement, but it helped.” With that, he plopped down next to her and skipped some stones.

“Billy, I can’t apologize enough for what I did yesterday at the Youth Center,” Trini said, “You must’ve been so embarrassed after me coming on to you so strongly in public.”

“I admit that I was, at first,” Billy said, “But I get over embarrassment quickly. It’s happened too many times in my life for me not to.”

Trini started crying again. “You don’t know how embarrassed it makes me,” she said, “I know that it was because of a spell, but... my feelings getting so opened out to the public like that isn’t an excuse. You probably don’t want to be my friend any more, do you?”

Billy gently cupped Trini’s chin in his hand. “No matter what you do, I’ll always be your friend,” he said, “Aw, what the hell.” With that, he gave her a very passionate kiss. The force of his emotions surprised both of them, but Trini returned the ferocity of the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck gently.

“Oops,” Alpha said. They had accidentally tuned in the viewing globe to watch Billy and Trini kissing. If robots could blush, Alpha would have been. He quickly turned the viewing globe off.

The End... for now
To be continued in... Hawaiian Vacation