So It Begins....
In a pocket dimension beyond the touch of time and space, stood the Temple of the Crystal. Amadan of Galridia, First of the Temple, sat upon an imposing obsidian throne in his private chamber, his eyes never straying from the scene being played out in the viewing globe. His face was as impassive as the cold stone he sat upon as he watched the battle take its toll on his Rangers.

He had no doubt about the outcome; his Rangers were seasoned warriors. Time after time their superior strength and skill in battle had held back the forces of evil that threatened to overrun Kel-Theteme. Even as the thought flickered through his mind, Namarac's forces began to retreat. The Power Rangers of Kel-Theteme had been victorious. Yet, victory had come at a terrible price; Tarjiji, the White Ranger, had fallen. Amadan closed his eyes, allowing himself a moment of emotion for his team's leader, then he shook it off. Tarjiji was the strongest of his warriors; he would live to fight another day. However, the Rangers would be calling upon him soon to return to Kel-Theteme to aid in their leader's healing.

Amadan dismissed the images in the viewing globe; he would have the acolytes gather the necessary medicines from the jungle. He descended from his highseat, his robes trailing down the black stairs like liquid silver. As he passed the darkened orb, the four digits of his long, slender hand caressed the surface absently. True, his warriors had won the day, but the battle was far from over.

Amadan passed through his chamber into the great hall of the temple. In spite of the torches, the hall was awash in shadows. He looked to the dais with a heavy heart. He could never enter Xia's Rising without glancing up at the empty pedestal that once housed the Zeo Crystal. Ah, how he missed the glorious light which flooded the chamber when the sun hit the Rise and touched the crystal. One could almost touch the power....

The Zeo Crystal.

Had his Rangers possessed the legendary powers, Namarac's hordes would have been laid to waste long ago. Amadan paused by the first of the statues that lined the avenue leading to the dais--a memorial to one of the guardians. Through the ages, the Zeo Crystal had chosen its champions from among those who served as Rangers. Only once had it selected one from among the Keepers of the Power: Xia. It had been she who had erected the temple to house the crystal and keep it safe from those that would use its powers for evil; Xia had safeguarded the powerful talisman for untold millennia and in the end had give her life to protect her charge. No Guardian since had ever championed the crystal so well. In fact, the crystal had been lost after its last champions--the Ninjetti of Phaedos--had fallen.

Amadan had searched long and hard for the Zeo Crystal in the wake of that debacle. The Ninjetti had been unfit (though he would never say as much to the Master Warrior)--they hadn't the strength to wield it properly. However, he had made certain that his Rangers would be ready should the crystal ever choose them to be its champions, but there was no telling with the crystal. No one understood the sentience that inhabited the powerful talisman--not since Xia.

He had been new to the Keepers when Xia had fought her last battle. He, Dulcea, Zordon, and a few others ... there weren't many left on the Council from those days. They were the elders now, and the younger ones had no conception of the crystal's true power. Amadan stopped before the final statue--that of a surprisingly petite woman, so fragile seeming but as hard and inexorable as the Zeo Crystal itself.

He touched the pendant that hung from Xia's image--a shard from the crystal. He always checked it. It would tell him if the crystal had resurfaced. And finally, after three millennia, it had. He still could not fathom how it came to be in the clutches of Zedd and Rita--or had it been Master Vile? It was of no consequence which of the three it had been. They were all equally inept, but their ineptitude combined with the powers they had acquired over the eons made them supremely dangerous. He was almost grateful that they had decided to bedevil Zordon's sector instead of his.

If only his old friend hadn't been forced to fragment the crystal! If his Rangers had been seasoned warriors, they would have been able to preserve the crystal without shattering it. The thought made Amadan seethe even now. Why the Eltarian recruited children to do a warrior's job was beyond him--even if they had been anointed by the Master of the Temple of Power. Ninjor should have known better, but Amadan would not question the ancient mystic who had harnessed the power of the universe to forge the Power Coins and create the morphing grid. He sighed. The Zeo Crystal broken and scattered through the time stream ... such a waste! Yet, he supposed Zordon had done what he thought best to preserve the crystal's powers. He had been tempted to send his Rangers on a quest for the shards, but he knew they would never find them unless called by the crystal.

As he stood fingering the shard, Amadan felt a faint pulse.

"Impossible!" he hissed.

The shard began to glow. It could only mean one thing; the pieces of the crystal had been reunited. That the illumination was white indicated that it was not in the hands of the forces of evil.

"The shards have been reassembled! But how? Where...?" More importantly--who? As the ages had proven, the sundered crystal could only be made whole by the designated champion--or champions. Amadan raced up the stairs of the dais. He touched the flat of the crystal's pedestal. "Show me the Guardian."

An image took shape--an image of five teenagers and their timewarp entrapped mentor.

"No!" Amadan roared. The scene flickered and died. It wasn't possible! It wasn't fair! He had worked and searched so hard.... He had trained his warriors to be fit ... and the crystal chose CHILDREN to be its champion? And not just any children--Zordon's brood.

Amadan paced up and down before the pedestal. He could not accept ... he would not accept it! There had to be some error! Perhaps in the time that the crystal had been under the shadow of evil, it had become tainted. That was it. The sentience had simply made an error; it only thought the teens were its champions because they were the last to touch it. There was no way those children could properly utilize the crystal's power; it would be like the Ninjetti all over again. The crystal needed to be returned to the temple. Once it touched the whole of the Power again.... It would see and choose anew.

The question was, how to return it to the temple. Zordon would not just turn it over; even the whole of the Council would not demand it of him. The crystal had chosen. His Rangers were powered by it. He would have to show the crystal that its champions were unworthy. But how...?

"How indeed," Amadan mused aloud. Deep in thought, he descended the stairs, his mind turning over the possibilities. His plans were suddenly interrupted by a touch at the back of his mind: his Rangers summoning his presence. Amadan sighed. The matter would keep for the moment, but he would find a way.

"Where do you want these, Ernie?"

Adam looked up from his notebook upon hearing the charmingly accented voice. He turned to face the door in time to see the owner of the voice enter; however, Kat's sunny hair and smiling face were hidden behind a large box.

"Just put that on the counter, Kat," Ernie called back to her.

Tanya looked up from her book and noticed Adam's expression as he watched Kat cross the Juice Bar. She smiled indulgently, recognizing the lovelorn look.

"Hey, Adam. Hey, Tanya," Kat said brightly.

"Hi, Kat," Adam mumbled, flashing her a shy smile.

"Hi, Kat," Tanya echoed. "Going to join us?"

"In a bit. I'll be back as soon as I finish helping Ernie."

"Ernie is really going all out for the Games, isn't he," Tanya remarked as she turned back to her book. When Adam didn't respond, she glanced up again. She watched as Adam's gaze followed Kat as she headed out the door again. "Adam? Earth to Adam!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Tanya," Adam murmured, finally recalling himself.

"So...?" Tanya prompted.

"What?"

"How long have you had this crush on Kat?"

"A crush ... what are you talking about?" Adam fumbled, turning back to his writing.

"Come on, I saw those puppy dog eyes you gave Kat." Next to Kat, Adam was probably her closest friend on the team. He had taken her under his wing when she had first arrived in Angel Grove. He had been extraordinarily patient in teaching her how to fight, and he had been very sympathetic when her relationship with Shawn had fallen through. He was a dear friend, and on more than one occasion Tanya had thought that she might like to be more than friends. However, she had known for some time that Adam had a thing for Kat.

Adam appeared as if he was going to deny it again, but Tanya shot him her best no-nonsense glare. All the fight seemed to drain out of him.

"Am I that obvious?" he sighed, blushing.

"Not usually. You're normally more guarded when the others are around. I take it as a compliment that you feel you can relax around me," Tanya said. She propped her elbows up on the table and rested her chin on her interlaced fingers. "So, you going to tell me about it?"

"I don't know ... I mean, you live with Kat. Besides, it doesn't matter. She's Tommy's girl," Adam replied with a touch of disappointment.

"Adam, this isn't like you," Tanya chided, picking up on his tone.

"I'm sorry." Adam fell silent for a moment as if gathering his courage. "I think I fell for her the first time I saw her in the park after she and Tommy had been freed from Zedd's dungeon or whatever--only I didn't know she was Rita's pawn at the time. She was so beautiful and so nice ... but even then she only seemed to have eyes for Tommy."

"Part of that was due to Rita's spell," Tanya reminded him.

"I suppose, but she wasn't under Rita's spell when Tommy got that letter from Kim."

Tanya thought she detected a note of bitterness in Adam's voice.

"What chance do I have when someone like Tommy is around?"

"Don't sell yourself short, Adam," Tanya soothed. Before she could say anything further, Rocky came stomping over to the table and all but threw himself into a chair.

"What's wrong, Rocky?" Adam queried, grateful for the distraction. Tanya was pushing the conversation in a direction that he wasn't comfortable with.

"This is what's wrong," Rocky grumbled, slapping a piece of paper on the table.

Tanya reached for the note and began reading. "'Dear Rocky....'"

"Uh oh," Adam muttered, a feeling of deja vu settling over him. "From Elizabeth?"

"Yeah."

"Why? I thought things were going great for you two."

"So did I."

"It's not because you had to keep running off in the middle of dates, is it?"

"I was up front with her about that--well, as up front as I could be," Rocky explained. "I told her that I was helping out with my brothers and sisters and that if my 'pager' went off, I had to go."

"Elizabeth writes that while she found Rocky's dedication to his family admirable, it did make her feel as if she wasn't as important," Tanya paraphrased. "Her big gripe is that you seem to be afraid of commitment; whenever she'd try to get close to you, you'd wind up acting like a jerk. I don't get it. I can't recall anyone ever accusing you of being a jerk before."

"Put the TV over there," Ernie directed as the men from the rental agency wheeled in a big screen TV.

"Man, Ernie is really going all out for the Games tonight," Adam mused, practically repeating Tanya's earlier words.

"He must be very proud of your friend," Tanya said. "It's not every day that someone you know competes in a competition of this caliber. The Pan Globals are pretty prestigious."

"If Kimberly does well tonight, she may have a shot at qualifying for the Olympic team."

"Really? I thought you had to compete at Nationals to be invited to the trials."

"Normally, yes, but according to the papers, the top two, possibly three finishers for the US team will be asked to try out."

"Wouldn't that be something!"

"I don't know if I want to watch the games tonight," Rocky groused.

"Why not? I thought you were excited about Kimberly competing," Tanya remarked.

"I'm not so sure now."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that she dumped Tommy the same way Elizabeth dumped you, would it?"

"Sort of. I mean, now I know how Tommy felt when he got Kim's letter. How could she do that to him--and they were tighter than I was with Elizabeth. That's such a cowardly way to break up with a guy. She should have had the decency to face him...."

"Are you referring to Kim or Elizabeth?" Tanya wondered. "Kim couldn't exactly face Tommy; she was in Florida."

"Then she should have called or something," Rocky insisted. "She owed Tommy more than a cold hearted letter. She took the easy way out ... just stabbed him in the back...."

"Do you really think that it was easy for Kim to send Tommy that letter?"

"She should never have gone to Florida," Adam murmured in spite of himself. "She shouldn't have left the team ... left Tommy...."

Tanya understood what Adam had left unsaid. If Kim hadn't gone, Tommy wouldn't have wound up with Kat.

"You guys aren't being fair to Kimberly," Tanya pointed out. "As I understand it, she nearly refused Coach Schmidt's offer. All of you--including Tommy--urged her to go."

"Fair? Was it fair what she did to Tommy?" Rocky countered. "Tommy would have waited for her."

"Did he ever tell her that? Maybe Kim felt it wasn't fair to keep Tommy hanging on, so she gave him his freedom."

"I don't think Tommy wanted his freedom," Billy interjected as he joined the trio.

"I ask again, did he ever tell Kim that?" Tanya demanded. "Did he--or any of you--bother to write or call Kim to ask her about the letter, to find out why she did what she did?"

"I don't think Tommy did; I think he just wanted to put the pain behind him," Adam replied.

"Can you blame him? She called him her brother," Rocky grimaced.

"A brother is someone you can love no matter who else you pledge your heart to," Tanya said.

"What are you getting at?" Billy wondered.

"That there might be more to Kim's letter than meets the eye," Tanya asserted. "I know that I never knew Kimberly the way you guys did, but from everything you've told me, she didn't strike me as the sort of person who'd hide behind a letter--especially when it came to you guys, her friends ... people she trusted with her life."

"It did seem out of character for Kimberly to have handled the situation as she had," Billy admitted guardedly. "There was no warning ... when we saw her at Christmas, she seemed perfectly happy with Tommy."

"If you thought it was odd, why didn't you get in touch with Kim?" Tanya pursued.

"She corresponded with Tommy...."

"... whose heart she had just broken...."

"... and Aisha...."?

"... who had just moved to Africa." Tanya favored the three with a stern gaze; they all looked very uncomfortable.

"Since you seem to know so much, what do you think Kim was doing when she sent that letter," Rocky challenged, on the defensive.

"I don't know. Maybe she wrote it as a cry for help," Tanya postulated. "Maybe she hadn't wanted to break up with him, but had to do something to provoke a response. I mean, if Kimberly truly no longer cared for Tommy, why would she have set him up to be a family figure--someone she could still hold in affection?"

"Why are you so keen on defending Kim?" Rocky countered. "You don't even know her. Anyway, Kat's your best friend; if Kim hadn't dumped Tommy, Kat would be miserable."

"Granted, I don't know Kim, but I remember how you guys would talk about her. You were all so proud of her; everything you ever told me about her made me wish I had known her. And now you're bad mouthing her without giving her the benefit of her being able to defend herself. That isn't right. What kind of friends are you that you'd turn your back on one of your own like that?" Tanya looked around the table. Rocky had pretty much tuned her out and resumed wallowing in his misery. Adam looked uncomfortable, and Billy appeared thoughtful. Her questions had at least struck home with two of the three.

"Finally," Kat remarked when Tommy arrived.

"We were beginning to think about raffling off your seat," Rocky jibed.

"I had car trouble," Tommy said as he slid into the seat next to Kat; he favored her with an apologetic smile.

"You could have called," she said softly but patted him on the arm to let him know that the apology had been accepted.

"Man, I wouldn't miss this for the world," Tommy continued, and Kat's expression darkened somewhat. A glance at the TV showed that the network was at a commercial break. "Have I missed anything?"

"Naw, they haven't gotten to anything interesting yet," Rocky replied. He was fidgeting in his chair with excitement.

"Did some one give him a caffeine I.V. or something," Tommy whispered to Billy.

"He is just anxious for the event finals to get underway," Billy said. Actually, they were all rather anxious to see Kimberly perform. Kim had sacrificed a lot to chase her dream: going to Paris with her mother, her role as a Power Ranger ... her boyfriend. Billy snuck a glance at Tommy; he appeared as nervous and excited for Kimberly as any of them. If he was still hurting, it didn't show.

"They're showing diving right now," Tanya said.

"Aw, who cares about dumb ol' diving; when are they gonna get to Kim," Rocky huffed.

"I care about the diving," Kat retorted.

Adam cuffed Rocky's shoulder, and Rocky had the decency to look sheepish as he recalled that Kat had once been a Pan Global hopeful until a diving accident had caused her to miss the competition.

"It's a shame that the women's team didn't medal," Ernie commented as he set a bowl of popcorn on the table. Rocky dug in eagerly.

"They came so close," Tanya agreed.

"I just hope that poor girl who hit her head on the beam is all right," Kat added. The six winced, thinking of the fall Kimberly had taken--the one that almost convinced her to give up the competition.

"The media has reported that the injury is not serious, but Coach Schmidt has decided to withdraw her from the finals," Billy remarked.

"All right, here we go!" Rocky cheered as the broadcast resumed.

"When is Kimberly up?" Adam asked, sounding almost as anxious as Rocky.

"They just flashed the graphic for the first rotation," Tanya informed him, finding both Adam's and Rocky's responses amusing. For two men who weren't sure they wanted to see Kimberly's performance, they were certainly "into" the Games. "Kim starts on...."

"... the vault, her weakest event," Tommy murmured concernedly, "and she vaults last in the rotation."

"That can work to her advantage," Billy postulated. "In performing last, she has a better opportunity to observe her competition and gauge what it will require of her to place satisfactorily."

"Also, the judges won't be holding back on the scoring as much," Kat added.

"Starting on her weakest event means she gets to save the best for last," Tanya contributed.

Conversation ceased as the rotation commenced. The six watched the competition with a more critical eye than usual.

"They're all really good," Tommy observed, "especially the Romanians."

"It will be exceedingly difficult for Kim to match the score posted by her predecessor on the apparatus," Billy noted.

"Sh! She's up," Rocky hissed.

The six held their breath as Kim stepped up to the runway. She signaled the judges, stared down the runway for a moment, then took off.

"Looking good...."

"She's got the speed...."

"Uh oh...."

"She has sufficient height...."

"Keep it tight!"

"C'mon, stick the landing...."

Kim landed with just the slightest of steps. Still, she threw her hands up exuberantly; she did not seem to be disappointed with her performance.

"Man, she hit the vault slightly off center," Tommy groaned.

"What do you know about gymnastics?" Rocky snorted.

"I've seen enough of Kim's meets to have picked up a few things here and there."

The commentators ran the slow motion replay and confirmed Tommy's diagnosis.

"Still, it was a really good vault," Adam continued.

"Her score isn't that bad," Tanya added.

"However, it is not likely to hold up for medal contention for the apparatus."

For the second rotation, Kim was slated on the uneven bars.

"How can they do that?" Rocky grimaced as he watched the talented Romanian bounce her hips off the bar to throw herself into the next move.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she takes the all around gold," Tanya speculated.

"No way," Rocky retorted.

"Rocky, these gymnasts have been training for an event such as this for years," Billy pointed out. "Kimberly didn't even have a coach until nine months ago. That she is there at all speaks well for her talent, but we have to be realistic. Kim hadn't devoted her life to gymnastics; she had other duties. If she medals in even one event, that would be phenomenal."

"Spoil sport," Rocky muttered under his breath.

"We all want Kim to do well," Adam assured him.

"Knock it off; Kim's ready," Tommy shushed.

His words drew the attention of both Billy and Kat, not that he noticed; his attention was riveted to the television screen. Even so, there was a sort of glow in his expression as his eyes avidly followed Kim's every maneuver. Billy favored his friend with a smile; Kat frowned.

"Hold the handstand...."

"Don't over-rotate...."

"Watch it! Get the bar ... I can't look; did she...."

"She caught the bar."

"I didn't know she could do that--did you?"

"A little higher...."

"Pull it in...."

"All right!" Tommy cut loose with an exuberant cheer, exchanging high fives with Billy and Rocky as Kim hit her landing.

"Kim should gain some ground in the scoring with that routine," Adam remarked.

"Anyone for refills on their sodas?" Kat queried. "I'll make a run to the counter."

"I'll give you a hand," Tanya volunteered as everyone took Kat up on her offer. As they walked off, Kim's score was posted. From the guy's reactions, it wasn't as high as it could have been.

"How are you holding up?" Tanya asked softly as she and Kat handed over the empty glasses.

"I'm all right," Kat sighed heavily.

"I imagine it's difficult knowing you were so close and always wondering what could have been."

"Oh, that's not what's bothering me. It's Tommy and the guys," Kat answered. "They are really into rooting for Kim."

"Shouldn't they be? She's their friend; they want her to do well. Don't you want Kimberly to do well?"

"Of course I do. She's my friend, too."

"Well then?" Tanya prompted knowingly.

"All right. It's Tommy," Kat admitted. "This is the first time since Kim broke up with him that he's seen her, and ... I don't know. I guess I wasn't expecting him to be so enthusiastic."

"Tommy isn't the sort to hold a grudge. He just wants his friend to do well, that's all."

"I suppose...."

"What are you worried about? That Tommy is still carrying a torch for Kim?"

"Yes."

"Everyone has told me how tight they were. You don't get over losing someone like that that quickly."

"It seems like it's been forever."

"I know. These things take time." Tanya draped her arm across Kat's shoulders and gave her a little hug. "You shouldn't worry so much; you know Tommy wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

"I know."

"Here you go, ladies."

"Thanks, Ernie."

While Kat and Tanya retrieved the drinks (and Adam and Rocky were off doing who knows what), Billy and Tommy had the table all to themselves.

"How are you holding up?" Billy queried.

"Huh? What do you ... oh, I get you. Seeing Kim."

"It is the first time since Christmas."

"I'm okay, really," Tommy answered. His statement was followed by a thoughtful pause. "You know, I thought it would be harder. I mean, sometimes it still hurts when I think about what she did. Part of me wants to be angry with her--I mean, don't I have the right to be? But somehow, I just can't do it. I know what this means to her; I want her to do well."

Billy patted him on the arm. "That's really big of you, Tommy. I'm glad."

"I just want her to be happy, y'know?"

"I know."

Just then the other four returned en mass.

"Did we miss anything?" Rocky chirped as he plopped down into his seat.

"Perfect timing; they just came back from commercial," Tommy said as he helped Kat and Tanya distribute the drinks.

The third rotation had Kim in the floor exercise.

"I hope Kim kicks butt in this round," Rocky said.

"She should. Floor and beam are Kim's favorite events," Billy replied.

"All this fuss over little girls doing flip flops," Bulk sneered as he wandered by the table. As always, he had Skull in tow.

"Even if one of those little girls is Kimberly?" Skull asked.

"Hey, don't knock it; at least Ernie's supplying the TV and popcorn," Adam pointed out.

"Hm," Bulk rumbled as he dug a beefy hand into the munchies on the Rangers' table.

"Has Kim gone yet?" Skull wondered.

"She performs last in the rotation," Billy supplied.

"Come on, Skull; we have stuff to do," Bulk commanded.

"Aw, Bulkie, do we gotta? I wanna watch Kim," Skull complained.

"Skull...."

"Oh, have a heart and let him watch," Tanya interjected. "Kim's routine is up shortly."

"Here, you can have the bowl," Rocky offered, foisting the popcorn off on Bulk. Anything to get the two of them to shut up and quit causing a distraction.

"Oh all right," Bulk grumped. He and Skull pulled up a couple of chairs.

"Does anyone know what music Kim selected?" Kat wondered.

"I don't believe she ever said," Adam responded

"Sh, maybe the announcers will say...." Rocky began.

" 'Magic Bird of Fire?' " Kat queried, a frown creasing her forehead as she tried to place the title.

"I don't think I know that one," Tanya interjected.

"Nor do I, but I find the selection apropos," Billy said with a secretive smile.

"I know what you mean," Tommy agreed, thinking of her Firebird ThunderZord.

"It seems vaguely familiar," Billy mused as the music commenced and Kim raced into her first tumbling pass.

"Argh!" Skull shrieked, causing everyone at the table to jump.

"What's the matter with you?" Bulk snarled, as he had upended the bowl of popcorn all over himself.

"What have they done to it?" he moaned. "Stravinsky is probably turning in his grave!"

"Stravinsky? Of course! A modernized version of 'The Firebird Suite,'" Billy murmured, finally able to place the piece. It was still rather astonishing to recall that Skull was an accomplished pianist, well versed in the classics.

"Will you guys keep it down," Rocky muttered.

"I can't listen anymore; let's get out of here, Bulk." With that, Skull made a hasty departure, leaving Bulk to catch up with him for a change.

"Next time we want to get rid of Bulk and Skull we'll have to remember to play some really horrible modern rendition of classical music," Tanya giggled.

"Oh man, that was an awesome routine," Adam sighed, bursting into applause at the conclusion of Kim's performance. He wasn't the only one clapping.

"Perfect," Rocky echoed.

However, the judges didn't agree.

"Man, she was robbed," Rocky pouted.

"Hm, Kimberly will likely miss the bronze for this event by just a fraction of a point as according to the announcers there are no serious contenders for this apparatus in the final rotation," Billy remarked.

"There's still the beam, and that's her best event," Tommy said confidently.

Conversation died out as they anxiously watched the other competitors in the fourth rotation. Everyone was too tense to comment. They watched each routine, thinking uncharitable thoughts, praying that someone would give their friend and former teammate an opening. None was forthcoming.

"Kim is going to have to be absolutely perfect," Adam murmured, scanning the scores that flashed across the screen.

"The way the judging's been going, that's not likely to happen," Rocky groused.

"Kim can do it," Tommy insisted.

"I hope so," Kat murmured.

"Look at her. She looks so poised, so confident," Tanya added as the camera focused on Kimberly's face.

"I know that look," Billy commented.

"Yeah, it means 'putties, you're about to die,'" Rocky said.

"I've rarely seen her look so determined," Adam mused.

Kim raised up on her toes and raced toward the springboard for her mount. As one, the six held their breath as their comrade flipped into the air and landed squarely on the beam. Head held high, chin up, eyes focused, and smile bright, Kim effortlessly performed her routine.

"What was that Kim said when she got her new powers?" Billy wondered.

"'I am the Crane, agile and graceful,'" Tommy whispered, recalling that proud moment when they all first touched the Ninja powers. He felt a tug at his heart by their absence--not unlike that which tugged at him by Kimberly's

"She looks like she's walking on the floor, not four feet in the air," Rocky mused in awe.

"Has she even wavered at all?" Kat wondered, sitting on the edge of her seat just like everyone else.

"All that's left is the dismount," Adam murmured with quiet anticipation.

"C'mon, Kim...."

"Good speed...."

"What a jump!"

"Keep it tight!"

"Hold on to the rotation...."

"Stick the landing...."

"Don't even move to breathe...."

There was a moment of heart-stopping silence as Kim landed, her knees bending deep to absorb the impact. Then she stood tall and proud, her face beaming with satisfaction, as she turned to acknowledge the judges, then the crowd.

"She did it!" Rocky cheered.

"Flawless!" Billy echoed.

"She's got the gold--and she knows it!" Tommy declared exuberantly.

"Now, it's up to the judges," Adam said nervously.

"They just have to give her a ten," Rocky insisted.

"I don't recall seeing any other perfect scores," Tanya noted with some concern.

"All the scores are so tight; Kim can't afford anything less if she wants the gold," Kat pointed out. "Anything lower than a 9.9 and she won't medal at all."

A hush fell over the sextet. Fingers crossed, hands tightly gripped, they waited in silent agony for the scores to be shown.

For once, the judges were in complete agreement with the six friends.

Shouts of joy and congratulatory hugs made the rounds as the teens celebrated their friend's victory. On the screen, the cameras showed Kim being mobbed by her teammates. Just as the coverage was cutting to a commercial break, Billy noticed Kim frowning, glancing around as if in search of someone.

"Kim--a gold medallist. Can you believe it?" Ernie said, looking a little misty-eyed.

"I knew she could do it," Rocky crowed.

"We all did." Tommy added.

"She's made us all so proud of her," Kat remarked.

"Be sure to let me know when she's coming home; I'm going to throw her the biggest party...." Ernie began as he wandered off, his mind already on the preparations.

"All right, they're going to show Kim's medal ceremony," Adam piped up as coverage resumed.

The jabbering throng settled down as the gymnasts stepped up to the medal platform. When the medal was placed around Kim's neck, the crowd in the Youth Center erupted into a round of applause. Then, as the flags were raised, the gathering fell silent.

During the National Anthem, the camera focused on Kim's tear-streaked face. Although she smiled through her tears, it never touched her eyes. That fact did not go unnoticed by two of the spectators. Tommy and Billy exchanged puzzled frowns, wondering what it meant.

E-mail: kittiec@starpower.net