Author's note: this story takes place beginning halfway through 'A Different Shade of Pink III' in the second power rangers season. It answers all the what ifs like: 'What if Goldar grabbed the wrong jar?' and 'What if Rito woke up while Kat and Rita were arguing?' So, here goes the alternate ending of the Different Shade of Pink trilogy.
Disclaimer: all this stuff is owned by Saban, except for the stuff that was created by me. 'Nuff said.

A Different Shade of Pink III
The Alternate Ending
(Prologue of 'The New Girl')

Tommy looked up at Zordon.

"What are we going to do?" he asked.

"RANGERS, THIS IS A CHOICE YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE FOR YOURSELVES." the floating head advised. The five rangers looked at each other in concern.

Kim looked up as Kathrine entered her hospital room.

"Hey Kim." she said cheerfully. Kim smiled, and wrinkled her nose.

"Oh, I want to go outside so bad. I hate being cooped up in here." Kat smiled.

"I didn't get the chance to tell you guys, but I was supposed to be in the Pan Globals too." the Aussie revealed.

"As a Gymnast?" Kim asked in surprise. Kat shook her head.

"No, as a diver. I was supposed to bring the first gold home to Australia in years." she said, a little sad.

"Really? Let me see." Kim said, leafing through Kat's album as Kat spoke.

"I was in first, and it was my last dive. I'd done the dive a hundred times perfectly in practice." she mourned a little.

"What happened?" Kim asked.

"I lost concentration. I guess it was the rush of knowing I'd won. When I dove, I hit my head on the board. When I woke up, they told me I'd lost the meet by one point." Kim smiled in sympathy.

"Did you ever dive again?" she wondered.

"Nope. I'm too afraid to go near the water." she said pointedly.

"You think I'm too scared to get back up on the beam?" Kim surmised.

"Aren't you?"

"Well Zeddy, looks like our little kitty will come in handy after all." Rita said smugly. Zedd snorted.

"Until one of your hare brained ideas works, I have no confidence in your ability to wreak havoc anywhere." he growled.

"Just you wait an see. Soon we'll be rid of those power mosquitos forever!!" she cackled.

"Are you sure Kat said to meet her here?" Rocky asked.

"Hey guys! We need to talk. Follow me." Kat said solemnly as she walked between them, and sat down at a table.

"What's this all about?" Tommy asked.

"Guys, I've decided you've got no other choice. You have to trade me for your friend Ninjor." she stated in her soft accented voice.

"Hello? Kathrine! It's not exactly like Rita's throwing you a welcome home party. You know what she'll do to you." Rocky stated. The formerly evil girl blushed.

"I don't see any other way." she shrugged. Tommy scowled.

"No way. There's gotta be something else." he said. Then he looked at his two friends with a glint in his eye.

"I've got an Idea."

"Goldar you Dummy! Go get the jar!!" Rita screeched. Goldar scratched the top of his head, and looked at the two identical blue jars. Shrugging, the ape-like warrior grabbed one, and ran after Rita.

"Got it!" he shouted.

"Are you guys ready?" Tommy asked quietly as he and Kat walked into an open space. Billy nodded from where he was hiding behind a tree with the others.

"Okay Rita! Come and get me!" Kathrine called. Rita, Goldar and Rito appeared.

"Set down the jar." Tommy commanded. Goldar shrugged, and set the jar down.

"Now leave." Tommy added.

"Not likely! Give us the girl!" Rita demanded.

"Go ahead Kat." Tommy murmured. Kat stepped forward.

"I'm all yours." she said. Then a force field of blue surrounded her, and Tommy grabbed the jar.

"Tommy! Here!" Rocky called. Tommy tossed him Ninjor's jar. Rocky twisted off the lid, and Ninjor spilled out.

"Thank you rangers." he said. Rita smacked Goldar with her staff.

"You idiot! You grabbed the wrong jar!!" she shrieked. Rito waved his sword, and a group of tengas appeared.

"We need Ninja power now!" Tommy shouted. The five rangers morphed, and leaped into combat.

"Get the girl!" Rita snapped. Goldar spotted the force field generator, and smashed it with his sword.

"Kat run! There's nothing to protect you now!" Black shouted. Kat froze.

"Oh no.. What am I going to do...?" she whispered. Then Rito grabbed her.

"Tommy! Help!" she cried out.

"No! Let her go!" White shouted, and ran at Rito. The monster and his captive vanished.

"Lose something White Ranger?" Rita cackled.

"Give Kathrine back!" he yelled. "Yeah right!" Goldar laughed. The evil creatures all vanished. The now unmorphed rangers looked at each other sadly. Billy held the remains of his creation in his hands.

"I'm sorry guys. I should have been watching it the whole time." he apologized.

"It's not your fault." Aisha said, offering small comfort.

"IT IS GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK WITH US KIMBERLY." Zordon smiled faintly. "Thanks. It's great to be back. I just wish it were under better circumstances." Kim smiled ruefully.

"Alpha, have you located Kat yet?" Tommy asked.

"Aiyiyi Tommy! I can't find her anywhere." the little android replied.

"Keep looking. She's gotta be around somewhere." the leader said grimly.

Kat strained to reach the keys on Squatt's belt as he and Baboo played Go Fish. Just as she hooked her fingers into the ring, Rito appeared.

"Alright, move it! This sucks... guard duty, and I have a cramp in my neck. Hey, maybe it's a pinched muscle!" he joked. Squatt and Baboo looked at each other in confusion.

"It was a joke! Pinched muscle, I'm a skeleton? Get it?" he asked.

"Oh get out of here!" he snapped, grabbing the keys. The two minor lackeys fled. Rito sat with a groan, and tried for a few moments to get comfy.

"I could help you with that." Kat offered.

"Eh? What?" he asked looking at her.

"The pain. I can make it better, but you'll have to come here." she shrugged.

"Well.. Alright... but no funny stuff!" he growled, and moved. With a grimace, Kathrine began to massage the monster's neck. Just as he nodded off, Kat spotted something.

"What's in the box?" she asked. He sat up.

"Eh? Oh. None of your business!" he snapped.

"Come on... you can tell me." she soothed. He relented.

Well.. Don't tell Rita I told you, but it's the pink power coin. You know how she is." he yawned, and scratched his skull. Then he began to snore softly. Kat shuddered, and removed the keys from his hand. Quickly, she unlocked the gate and slipped out towards the box. Opening it quietly, she looked down at the coin.

"What are you doing!!??" Rita shrieked as she walked in. Kat gasped. Behind her, Rito snorted.

"Don't touch that!" Rita shouted, and smacked Kat's reaching hand away from her only hope. Kat looked around frantically.

Rito woke from his sleep to Rita's shrieking. Not that that was unusual, but it was the fact that she wasn't screaming at him. He opened his eyes to see his prisoner in front of him, and Rita swiping futilely at the girl with her staff. He grabbed his sword.

"RITO! Stop her!" Rita yelled. Kathrine turned, and Rito thrust with his sword. The dungeon fell into silence. Then Kat fell to her knees, and slid off of Rito's sword. She looked at the gaping wound in her stomach in shock.

"Help.." she mouthed, and fell over. Rita checked for the girl's pulse as a pool of blood grew beneath her body.

"Ha! She's deader than you are!!" she laughed at her normally incompetent brother. Then she clapped him on the shoulder.

"Good work, Bone head!!"

Zordon grimaced.

"RANGERS... I HAVE SOME BAD NEWS." he began. The teens looked at him in shock.

"What is it?" Kim asked.

"I HAVE JUST FELT KATHRINE'S DEATH. I WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE HER, BUT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MONITOR HER HEALTH. SHE HAS JUST BEEN SLAIN. I BELIEVE THAT SHE IS IN THE DUNGEON DIMENSION OF ZEDD AND RITA'S CASTLE." the eltarian mourned. Kim began to cry, and she hid her face in her hands. Tommy pulled her into a hug.

"Teleporting Kathrine now..." billy whispered. The pale girl appeared on the floor of the command center.

"Oh Kat..." Aisha whispered, and knelt beside the Australian.

"She was so brave..." she whispered.

Mrs. Hillard looked up as someone knocked on her door. Curious, she opened it. And screamed. In front of her stood five spandex clad people.

"Oh!" she cried, and drew back in horror.

"Mrs. Hillard.... we're so sorry. Kathrine was a wonderful person. We tried to save her.. We really did!" said Yellow. Mrs. Hillard could detect a tear choked voice coming through.

"Your daughter was a very brave girl. She saved the life of a very dear friend of ours. We wish we could have done more." black apologized. Mrs. Hillard nodded, and moved aside.

"Where's my daughter?" she asked.

"I'm sorry ma'am. We.. Couldn't save her. We tried. Please forgive us." White whispered.

Mrs. Hillard sank to her knees. "No... not my baby girl... not my Kathrine..."

~*~

"Ashes to ashes... Dust to dust. Amen." intoned the priest. Mrs Hillard numbly sprinkled a handful of dirt on the coffin of her daughter. Kim knelt beside the grave, looking down.

"Forgive me Kat... if it hadn't been for you..." she was crying so hard she couldn't finish her sentance. Aisha laid a bouquet of yellow and pink roses on the grass.

"Yellow for friendship.... and Pink because of your sacrifice." she whispered. The four boys were too choked up to say anything, but they stood in silence with their heads bowed, asking Kat for forgiveness. Then, the power rangers turned from the grave of the one they couldn't save, and walked away.

~*~

Kim posed, and mounted the balance beam gracefully. As she went through the graceful movements of her routine, she had only one thought in her mind.

*This is for you Kat. You showed more bravery in your sacrifice that I ever will in my entire life. I owe you this, as much as I owe it to myself.*

"Guys.. I've decided to take up Coach Schmidt's offer. I'm going to train for the Pan Globals." Kim announced.

"But..." Rocky began. Kim cut him off.

"I know I'm a ranger and stuff, but I can't help you very much without a coin. So I'm going to follow my dreams, an take this once in a lifetime chance." she said firmly. Tommy hugged her.

"Good for you Kim. We're all proud of you." he smiled. She hugged him back.

"Thanks you guys. I love you all so much. I'm gonna miss being with you." she said, feeling a hot tear spill down her cheek. Aisha pulled her into a hug, and slowly, they were joined in the group hug by the four guys.

End