Power Wars: The Rising Force
by Emily

Epilogue

Five Years Later

I can't believe it, the blonde-haired woman thought, beaming into the mirror before her. Who would have thought that after all we've been through, this day would have finally come.

Kat stared into the mirror, fiddling nervously with the choker around her neck. The choker had once belonged to a friend, though they had long since passed away. It had been very dear to them, for it had belonged to their grandmother. They had never worn it, for it had never been their type of thing, but they had kept it all the same.

"It's beautiful, Kat," said a voice from behind her. "He would have loved it."

Kat turned around in surprise, for she had not heard the person enter the room. She smiled happily as she embraced her new companion. "I know he would have, Aisha. I just wish he could be here to see it."

"I know. I do to," Aisha whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I miss them, even now. Sometimes I feel like I should have done something better to save them, because then they would be here now."

"So do I," Kat stated, a sad smile now on her face. "But I know that there was nothing that I could do. That's the way it was suppose to turn out, I guess. Sometimes, the path that we take has more potholes than we could ever have guessed."

Aisha nodded, letting silence pass between them. Kat glanced at her friend, silently thanking whatever being had allowed her—and the other remaining rangers—to awaken out of cryosleep.

It must have been the golden light, Kat decided. That's what brought them back.

Not long after she had found out that Tommy had been killed, the rangers had found out that the ex-rangers sleeping in the crypt had awakened. They had gone quickly to recover their confused friends, bringing them back to the base to recover. Since then, everyone had had to adjust to the new ways.

It had not been easy for any of them either. The ex-rangers did remember what had happened that day in the park, but had to be reintroduced into society so to speak. The world knew who they were, but they had no clue what the world was like anymore, because of all of the changes the Earth had undergone. Slowly, the ex-rangers got used to the new world and to their new positions. Many loved ones had been killed or had died during the five years—these changed had to be dealt with.

They were. There are more reasons than one that the rangers had been chosen to defend their planet. They not only had the strength and intelligence to resist and fight incoming enemies, they had the resilience to overcome any obstacle put in their way. The ex-rangers had accepted what had happened and had forged ahead, making new friendship and renewing old ones

"Hey, Kat," Aisha said, waving a hand in front of her friend's face. Kat looked at her in surprise. "Are you still there?"

Kat laughed. "Yes. I just got caught in my thoughts, that's all."

"Well, you'd better come back to reality really quickly because the music is going to start any minute."

Kat gasped, looking at Aisha in alarm. "What?! Why didn't you mention that before?" Kat didn't give Aisha time to answer as she twirled around, letting the material of the dress brush against her legs. "Well? How do I look?"

Her simple yet becoming dress fit snugly on her curves, showing off her shapely body. It reached down to the floor and covered the white heels that Kat wore. Aisha smiled as she looked at her friend. "Girl, he is going to melt into the floor when he sees you!"

Kat smiled again, though more nervously this time. She took a deep breathe and followed Aisha out of the room. Slowly, they walked towards the aisle that Karone waited for them at. As soon as Kat got there, the music started. Karone started down the aisle, with Aisha following suit. Soon, Kat was the only one left. She took one more deep breathe and walked forward, her eyes glued to the man at the end.

He looked absolutely radiant as he stared back at her, love shining in his eyes. Kat smiled at him, turning to glance at the people she passed. She smiled at Ashley, who beamed back at her. After a long talk with Andros, he had finally forgiven her for the events of years past. The two of them had become the best of friends, helping each other deal with the changes that had occurred during the last couple years.

Kat glanced at the person next Ashley and smiled at him. Jason nodded back at her, a smile crossing his world-weary expression. It had been much harder for him assimilate back into society and into the world of the rangers. He had lost all of his best friends in the battles throughout the years—if it was not for Ashley and Aisha, Kat was afraid that he would not have made it through.

Finally, her eyes rested on the people in front of her. Andros, Justin, Karone, and Aisha waited for her. She could see as well as feel their happiness as she walked to them, smiling at each. These people, along with Ashley and Jason, were all that was left of the rangers of Earth. They had to live on, to continue the legacy that was the power rangers.

Kat finally made it to her destination and stood next to Zhane. "You look absolutely radiant." He whispered, reaching out to squeeze her hand lightly. She smiled back at them and both of them turned briefly to look at the back of the church.

There, lined up at the back, were the spirits of those that had gone before them. Kat could name each of them, knowing that even death could not separate them. Her choker shined brightly under the light, the falcon pendant in the center glimmering in the light. Kat nodded to Tommy before turning to look at her husband—to—be. All the rangers—past and present, dead or alive, smiled as the minister began to speak.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."

~*~

Amidala smiled as she gently touched the face of her newborn son. Never before had she felt such feelings of joy and happiness. Now, at twenty years old, she had long since resigned as Queen of Naboo. She herself had watched the crowing of the new queen and felt that she had chosen well. The new queen would do an excellent job watching over her planet. After the way, she had realized that the part of her life as queen had passed. She had done all that she could for her people and it was time for her to move on.

"Thinking about anything in particular?" asked a deep voice from behind her. She smiled as she felt strong arms encircling her waist. She turned her head so that she could look up to her husband and friend, Anakin. She gently squeezed his hand as she smiled at him.

"Not really," she said. "Just how lucky we all are. Especially us. I never dreamed that I would find someone like you. And I never dreamed that I would be the mother of twins."

Anakin smiled and released her, walking over to the bassinets that lay before the. He gently picked up their newborn daughter and gently touched the skin of her face. Already he could see wisps of dark brown hair beginning to grow. Her eyes were a deep and soulful brown that reminded him of his wife's. He smiled at his newborn daughter, peace filling him as he did.

Amidala slowly sat down next to the little boy's bassinet. Wisps of blond hair could barely be seen, but she knew it was there. And when the little boy opened his eyes, she was startled by the bright blue that shone back at her. She knew that someday, he would grow up to be as courageous as both of his parents.

"Have you talked to Obi-Wan yet?" she asked, glancing up at Anakin. A shadow crossed his face as the name of his former Master came up.

"I talked to him. He told us congratulations."

Amidala frowned, troubled by the disappointment that lay naked on her husband's face. "What else did he say Anakin?"

Anakin sighed, holding his daughter close, absently stroking her head. "He still doesn't agree with the Jedi Council. He doesn't think that you and I should have been allowed to marry. It isn't right."

"Anakin, you know that he cares for both of us. And you know that he is still deeply wounded by the events of the war," Amidala said softly. "Give him time. He needs that."

Anakin nodded, though he did not verbally answer his wife. Ever since that day, Obi-Wan had never been the same. He had never forgiven himself for killing that girl, even though he knew it was to protect the universe. The sentence on him had been lighter than Obi-Wan expected, yet very harsh for a man who had served his Order faithfully. He had been allowed to finish his time training Anakin but afterwards, he had been ordered to travel the universe, helping those in trouble yet living as a hermit. He was allowed only minimal interaction with other Jedi, including Anakin. And Obi-Wan had lived that way ever since, still questioning his actions from that day years ago. Amidala watched her husband before turning her attention back to the newborns.

"Do we know what their names are going to be yet?" she asked as she looked up at Anakin. Anakin started to shake his head, when an image slowly came back to him. It was an image of him, those five years ago, struggling to not be defeated by the Emperor Palpatine. Two names slowly swam around in his head as he remembered the images that he had seen.

"Yes. Their names will be Luke and Leia." With that, he looked back at his baby daughter, smiling down at her. "You and your brother are going to change the world some day, Leia. You two are going to change the world."

~*~

And the universe was filled with peace. But somewhere, on a small deserted planet, a small wind began to kick up. There was no one there to see it, but it was there. And a soft, but chilling voice filled the small wind.

"I will be back. They might have won the battle for now, but I will come back twice as strong. And I will win the war." With those words, the winds seemed to conjure up the image of a figure robed in the blackest of blacks. His beady red eyes shone brightly before the dust was blown away and the small planet was at peace once again.

End

Introduction and Prologue | Chapter 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Epilogue