Life Twice Lived
by Jeremy Ray Logsdon

I have been for a long time. I couldn't give you the exact date I was born, for two very good reasons. One, I can't really remember that far back. Two, the solar calendar wasn't around when I was born.

I have gone by many names. My skin has been the color of every race under the sun. I have lived in every country, and I can speak over 6,000 languages fluently.

Only three things about me remain constant. I am always a woman, I always fight for good, and I always serve God.

I am a woman because that is how I was born. I tried living as a man one time when I was married to a man who was like me. We agreed, during our honeymoon, though at the time the word honeymoon had yet to be used in any conversation, to swap genders for one night. We both mutually agreed afterward never to do that again. Raul, my husband, was killed four hundred years ago. We had been together for almost three hundred years when Xett murdered him. But I'm jumping ahead of myself.

I always serve God. I was once a nun, even. Well, I can't say I've always served God. That isn't entirely true. When I was born, my parents were atheists. Naturally, I was too. Then, I made my change and became what I am today. That's when I knew there was some type of omnipotent deity. Male, female, genderless, one, two, many... I didn't know at the time. At a time now described as 25 A.D., I met a man named Jesus. I became one of his followers because I loved his message of eternal love. Before Jesus, I followed a great man named Krishna. Krishna was the reason I followed Jesus later in my long life. Krishna told me about Jesus before God was even born into a mortal body. He told me that I was to seek out Jesus, who would light my personal path to enlightenment. I was even there the day Jesus was crucified. It isn't one of my better memories.

I just realized I haven't even told you what I am yet. Well, that's a fairly simple answer.

I'm a vampire. Sort of. I call myself a vampire because I occasionally drink blood. But, I'm old enough now that I don't need it. Actually, except for the very beginning, I always could have survived without it, but I craved it. I still do.

Now that you know I'm a vampire, I'm sure you have a lot of other questions. I was made a vampire around 8,000 years ago. I was not made into a vampire by a human vampire. I was made a vampire by a tiger vampire.

I couldn't tell you how the tiger became a vampire. I would really like to know, actually. That question has haunted me for eight millennia.

Anyway, whenever animals become vampires, they develop vampire intelligence, which greatly exceeds human intelligence. Some animal vampires are good, some are evil, just like humans. My creator was very good. His name was Uma. I was hunting one day, and I was attacked by a normal tiger. Uma found me before the tiger could kill me, and pulled me to safety. However, I had lost so much blood, in order to save me, he made me a vampire.

There are many misconceptions about vampires. We are not all evil. In fact, most vampires are not evil. A vampire was once Pope, even. The sun only bothers us when we are young or weak. When I was first made, noon was the only time I was affected. I slept for an hour before and after noon. That was all the sleep I needed. Now, I don't need to sleep at all.

Blood is another popular vampire misconception. All vampires like blood. That is a fact. There is just something about blood that tastes sooooo good. But we don't need it. Regular food and water keeps us alive. Blood is necessary only for the first week or so, and that blood has to come from our creator. Tiger blood is still my favorite, actually. I've never killed anyone or thing for blood, though. Ever. The people or animals I take blood from are always willing.

Religious symbols don't affect me. I even wear a cross most of the time. I can't turn into a bat, although I would really like to. I can come into a house whether I am invited or not, but I wouldn't.

I am very powerful. I can lift many tons over my head without breaking a sweat. I can heal from any type of injury. There isn't a human or animal on the planet that can beat me in a fight. Of course, I seldom use all of my skills. I just fight enough to keep myself from getting hurt. I can also change my form at will.

I can see in pitch black darkness. I can hear virtually anything in a fifty-mile radius. I can even hear conversations that take place in a car far ahead of mine on the interstate.

I guess that gives you a pretty good idea about what I am. But you still don't know who I am. I defended the planet for a year of my life. But my reasons for being there weren't exactly pure.

You remember I told you Xett killed my vampire husband, Raul? Well, after that, Xett left the planet. He returned in the year 1994. He assumed the name Lord Zedd. Even though he was on the moon, I knew it was him. He was there to deal with the Power Rangers. I knew what I had to do. I had to become a Power Ranger.

I made arrangements for the Peace Conference to come to Angel Grove. Oh, that's another talent I have. I can just look in someone's eyes and make them think whatever I want them to.

After that, I gave the Peace Conference Officials the names of the six Power Rangers and told them to choose one. For some reason, they chose three.

Then, I went to Stone Canyon. I found two really nice guys named Rocky and Adam. Using the power of my gaze, I convinced them that they had been friends with a girl named Aisha Campbell since kindergarten. I then assumed that identity.

I found a family that was childless and convinced them that they were my family. I changed my body into that of a young African American woman, and took on the name and identity Aisha Campbell.

Once that was accomplished, I made numerous changes to a lot of lives. The DeSantos, Park, and Campbell families moved to Angel Grove. We "accidentally" met the Power Rangers and became their friends. Two weeks later, I was the Yellow Power Ranger, ready and willing to kick Lord Zedd's butt.

Our Power Coins were destroyed about eighteen months ago. Then, the Machine Empire began to approach our solar system. I knew that Zedd was history, so I decided to move on. During the Zeo Quest, I sent my powers back with Tanya Sloan. I convinced everyone that there was a plague I needed to stay for. After all, I have no qualms with the Machine Empire. I thought I may as well try a new type of life. I haven't lived in an African tribe for many centuries.

But I soon realized that Zedd was not gone for good. He has teamed up with Dark Spectre and will be coming back.

That means I am coming back, too. Actually, I already have. I have already become a Ranger again. Of course, I am no longer Aisha. She is gone, and in her place is a nice but homeless girl I found in Nairobi. She looks somewhat as I did as Aisha, and even "remembers" being a Power Ranger.

I moved back to Angel Grove and "convinced" myself into a family. I'm no longer black, although my new persona has a lot in common with Aisha.

We've already gotten our "new" powers. Right now, I'm waiting for Zedd and company to show up. This time, I will seek revenge for what his alter-ego Xett did to me in the past.

~*~

"Hey," her teammate says, seemingly hyper. "Me and the guys are gonna go catch a movie. Wanna come with?"

"Sure," she answers, closing the notebook while writing a mental note to put it in a safe place later.

"Cool. We're at the Youth Center. We'll wait for you."

"Thanks Cassie," Ashley says just before she hangs up.

Ashley walks over to her mirror. With only a slight mental effort, her skin tone darkens, her hair turns into long braids, she gets shorter, and her face changes. "Aisha," she whispers in her Aisha voice. After reminiscing for a few moments, she changes back into her current form of Ashley Hammond. "I love you, Raul," she whispers. "I promise I will avenge your death."

With that last serious thought out of the way, Ashley shifts into her cheerful teen mind-set and leaves the house to go join her new friends.

End