[Power Rangers] Kat x Tommy, #6, mirth
Title: Something Big Is Coming Through
Fandom: Power Rangers
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I own nothing involved in this story unless I invented it myself. This is written for fun, not for profit.
Notes: I'm using the 'Double Night' challenge for this. Prompt used is 'mirth'.
“You’re getting married?” The question echoed from dozens of lips over the weeks following Tommy’s proposal. His parents, her parents, his brother, her cousins, all of the Rangers and ex-Rangers that they knew, as well as those still active on Aquitar and the Space Rangers, who spent a lot of their time going in between Earth and Mirinoi, keeping an eye out for any trouble from any new, or old villains who’d somehow been spared Zordon’s purge.
“You’d think this was a huge surprise or something.” Kat chuckled a little as she hung up the phone from her third cousin’s enthusiastic assurance that yes, she would be at the wedding, she had nothing at all planned and could do anything at all that Kat needed her to do.
The fact they hadn’t even set a date yet hadn’t phased her cousin in the slightest. But her cousin was like that.
Tommy lounged back on the couch, having just finished passing the message through some of his more expanded connections in the wider regions of the known galaxy. Though humans were still slowly working on adjusting to the fact they were but one intelligent species in a stellar ocean of uncounted numbers, this wedding would likely give a chance for a lot of those other species to show up. Thankfully most of them looked human enough that with the right clothes, none of the too nosy reporter types would realize who they were and they could have a peaceful visit whenever it actually happened.
“This guest list is getting big.” He leaned over to pick it up from the table between them. He wasn’t wrong; there had to be over three hundred people listed already. Some people who wanted to come weren’t sure if they’d be able to, because of the aforementioned date not having been set. But even without them, there would be a very big crowd.
They would need security. Their identities as former Rangers wasn’t known widely, though a few more people knew than had back in the day. Their parents, for example, and siblings, and sometimes relatives of siblings, as in Mr. Trueheart’s case. Of course, in his case, Tommy suspected he’d known about the Power Rangers before he and Tommy had ever met one another. The old shaman had never mentioned one way or another and it wasn’t something Tommy had ever found the words to ask him.
Besides, he was grateful enough that Mr. Trueheart had told David that Tommy was alive after the incident with Mesogog and the island blowing up. David hadn’t lost hope in seeing him for a single moment, and had in fact had his favorite meal waiting for him when he’d managed to get over there to see him.
More than security, they would need to make certain that all of the food was properly sorted and edible for everyone. The Aquitians wouldn’t eat fish, of course, and that was probably the least troublesome of the various dietary requirements for the visitors.
At least they didn’t have to worry about that just yet. The most important question still hovered over them: when to have it at all.
Kat settled next to him on the couch and he slipped an arm around her, breathing in the scent of her hair. “So when should we have it?”
Tommy distracted himself a little by running his fingers through her hair. That was one thing he did miss about having long hair himself. He’d always rather liked the way Kat’s fingers felt there. Maybe he’d grow it out a little before the wedding…David seemed to like having long hair.
Then again, David was in training still to take over as shaman one day, and Tommy was a teacher. There were certain differences in what they could do.
“Tommy? You’re not listening to me, are you?” She tweaked his ear and Tommy huffed, focusing his attention back on her.
“I was listening.” Really. He was. He just happened to be listening with his fingers as he let the words flow over him. Instead of into his ears, where they belonged.
“Then what did I just say?” Uh-oh, her eyebrow had been raised. He was going to be in trouble if he didn’t get this right.
“That we should…” Uh-oh again, he really couldn’t think of what she’d just said. He fidgeted some. “Set the date soon?” Please let that be right, please let that be right.
Kat remained quiet for a moment or two and his heart sped up just a fraction. “All right, you win this time.” Tommy did not breathe out a sigh of relief. Out loud, anyway. He did try his best to think about the question itself, though.
It couldn’t be too soon. He wanted the other ex-Dino Rangers there, and they were still working on getting set up at college and other places. Anton and Elsa were still recovering from their experiences, though they were healthy enough for school administration, which was stressful enough on its own. He and Kat had written little notes next to every name on the list, marking any and all issues that might’ve come up with their attendance, at least as it was currently known. So finding a time that would work for everyone would require work.
He skimmed over the list again, thinking. Not too soon, with enough time for those from far away to clear the date with their employers and other obligations and get travel preparations made.
“It probably shouldn’t be until sometime next year, maybe?” He wasn’t especially thrilled by that, since he really did want them to be married soon. But better safe than sorry, especially for a chance to see all of their friends from far away again.
Of course, with Reefside being set where it was, ‘far away’ was just about everywhere, whether or not the friends in question lived on the planet.
Kat looked at the list as well, biting her lip a fraction. “You’re probably right.” She clearly didn’t like it any better than he did, but saw the need just as clearly. She tapped one finger on her cheek. “What do you think of next summer? Sometime in June or July?”
He ran the date over in his head, trying to match it through everyone else’s requirements. “I think that’ll do.” They could pin down something more specific once they were closer; this would just give them something to consider.
“I never knew getting married could be so complicated.” Kat said thoughtfully. “It never seems that way when it’s not you, does it?”
“Didn’t when Jason and Emily were getting married, I know.” Tommy already knew that Jason would be his best man, and David one of the first groomsmen. He’d stood duty as best man for Jason at his own wedding, and there was no way that his brother wouldn’t be a part of this. That reminded him of something as well. “Who do you want as your maid of honor?”
Kat frowned as she considered that. “I don’t know yet. I’m a little torn between Tanya or Kim.” That didn’t surprise him either; those two were the ones closest to her, for any number of reasons.
“Well, you don’t have to decide that today. Maybe ask both of them and see what they think, though?”
She nodded, lounging back against him as she did. “Maybe we should think about just running off and eloping instead?” The tilt of her mouth and laughter in her eyes told him that she wasn’t serious. At least not very serious.
“If we did that, I think there are a lot of people who’d get very mad at us. And most of them know how to deal damage in a lot of interesting ways.”
Her lips twitched a little more. “You’ve got a point there. I suppose we’ll have to do this the big way.”
“Think of how it will feel when we’re looking back on this for anniversaries.” Tommy pointed out. “It won’t seem so overwhelming then. I hope.”
“So do I.” Kat breathed in deeply and closed her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder. “But no matter what it looks like now, I really wouldn’t give it up for anything.”
He wrapped one arm around her and held her close. “Neither would I.”
Moment by moments, the days slid by. Every time either of them turned around, something new seemed to crop up that they had to deal with for the wedding, even when they weren’t actively trying to plan on it. Gowns and suits had to be located, and that meant figuring out who the wedding party would consist of, to make certain everything fit ahead of time. A catering service needed to be chosen, and informed of all of their guests’ special dietary requirements, which meant being much clearer on who would be coming than they’d started off being.
Rings also needed to be bought, and that was something Tommy decided to do as soon as he realized they needed them.
“They’ve got a lot of good stuff here.” Kat said, looking around the jewelry store as they entered. She didn’t know how he planned to pay for this on a teacher’s salary, but she fully intended to share in the price.
“I know. I’ve come in here a few times, just looking.” Tommy walked over to where the wedding ring display and they both took a long look at the samples available. “See anything you like?”
Before Kat could answer, a quiet voice spoke. “Is there anything I can help you with?” The clerk stood there, dark brown hair pulled back into a neat knot on the base of his neck, watching them with calm eyes.
“We’re looking for a set of wedding rings,” Kat answered at once. “We’re getting married next summer.”
“I see.” The clerk waved one hand at the selection there. “Do you have any special requirements? Colors that you’d like? We pride ourselves on delivering exactly what the customer wants.”
Kat considered the sets before them. All of them looked spectacular in their own ways, each of them gleaming in sets of gold and diamond. None of them completely called to her, though, and while that didn’t bother her, she didn’t want to spend time running from store to store in search of something that might not exist.
“Do you do custom work?” Tommy asked while she was still checking out the rings. “Because I’ve been thinking and I’m not sure that what we want really is available without being made.”
The clerk raised one eyebrow, and Kat cast a quick glance at Tommy. “You never said anything about custom work.” They were going to have a talk about that when they got home.
“I wasn’t sure if it was something we’d go with,” Tommy confessed, a touch of ruefulness around his lips. “But what do you think of your band having a cat look to it? Like, a little cat on it.”
Kat bit her lip, torn between smacking him and sighing. Sighing won out at the moment. She’d always loved cats, even before what happened with Rita, and that hadn’t really changed her opinion very much. “That might be…something to look into.” She hadn’t considered putting what she vaguely considered her real inner creature onto her wedding ring, but the more she thought about it, the more the notion began to appeal to her. “What about you?”
Tommy tilted his head up a fraction and pride gleamed in his eyes. “I’d like mine to have a falcon on it.”
She should’ve known. Not that she was very surprised, but really, the moment he’d suggest the cat, she knew he would want the falcon for his own. She turned to the clerk.
“Is that something you can do? A cat and a falcon?” If they were going to do this, better to know if they could do it here or if they needed to go somewhere else. Angel Grove could probably provide them with someone who knew how to do that kind of work if Reefside couldn’t. Angel Grove, she’d learned, could provide almost anything, if you knew where to look for it.
The clerk considered, clearly not having had to do anything like this before. “I’ll have to get back to you on that. I’ll need to speak with the owner before I can be certain. We do custom work, but no one’s ever asked for anything like that before.” He looked harder at them, and Kat wondered if he were one of those who’d gotten involved in a monster attack. One could tell them after a while; the ones who always looked wary and concerned no matter what. In Angel Grove, it was harder to find people who didn’t have that look than those who did.
But if he were, he said nothing else about it, only took down their names and numbers and promised to speak with the owner as soon as possible.
Wedding rings. Guest lists. Finding a location for it that would be suitable for everyone. Catering to everyone’s tastes. Kat on occasion could not help but wonder if the idea of eloping wasn’t such a bad one after all. Not that either of them ever considered it seriously, but sometimes it did seem as if it would be much easier.
“What else do we need to do?” Kat looked over the list the two of them had made. Rings, guests, catering, location, who would have what position in the wedding party, who knew about them being Rangers and who didn’t, and thus who the ones who did know would have to be careful speaking to…
“Someone to perform it?” Tommy suggested, looking up from his own work. His eyes darkened for a few moments. “I wish…Zordon…”
He didn’t need to finish it. She sighed, covering his hand with her own and squeezing it lightly. “I know. Me too.” Though it would’ve caused plenty of difficulties with some of the guests, it still would’ve felt far more right than almost anyone else any of them could think of.
Tommy considered, then sat up a little, a sudden curious gleam to his eyes. “What do you think of Dimitria?”
“Dimitria?” Kat sat up as well and looked at him. “What about her?” They’d heard only a little from her since the end of the war, mostly concerned with how she and Divatox were doing on Inquirius.
That still took some getting used to, that Divatox was Dimitria’s long-lost twin sister. Exactly how that worked they weren’t entirely sure, but since they both seemed happy with the situation, no one wanted to argue about it.
“You think she could do it? Or would do it?” They would probably have to pull some strings somehow to get it legally acknowledged, but with the work the GSA had been doing with other planets and cultures, it likely wouldn’t be too hard.
“Let’s ask her.” One of the benefits to greater contact with the other civilizations in the galaxy involved better communications with those other worlds, and in a very few minutes, Dimitria’s veiled visage looked down at them from the communications screen in Tommy’s living room.
“Greetings, my friends.” Dimitria’s voice hadn’t changed a bit in the years since they’d last seen her. “I have heard there are good tidings in your future.”
“That’s right.” Kat smiled, touching Tommy’s hand. “We’re going to get married.”
Dimitria bent her head gracefully. “I wish you both the best of luck with your future together. I’m quite certain that Zordon would also be proud of you.”
Tommy managed a small smile at that. He understood Andros’s reasons for what he did, but it still caused a pang in his heart at the thought of his mentor’s loss. “Dimitria, we called to ask you something.” It took another moment for him to work the words up. “We were hoping that you could perform the ceremony for us.”
It wasn’t often that anything surprised Dimitria, so far as any of them knew, but this apparently did it. She remained silent for a few scant breaths, before a smile touched her lips.
“I would be honored.”
Kat’s answering smile all but glowed. “Thank you!” Words didn’t seem quite enough to cover everything that they both wanted them to, but enthusiastic hugs were difficult when millions of miles separated the people in question.
“I will arrive some days before your chosen date, in order to prepare everything. You will have everything in hand by then?”
Tommy and Kat both nodded. “We’re going to try, anyway,” Kat added, a hint of a rueful smile on her lips. “This getting married is a little harder than I thought it would be.”
Dimitria’s own smile widened a touch. “Many such events are far more complicated than they appear from the outside. Preparing for a life together is only one of them: and this is only the beginning.”
They both knew it was true, and worth every moment. Kat lifted her head with pride. “Thanks, Dimitria.” Before she could consider not doing so, she asked something else that was on her mind. “How is Divatox doing?”
“Quite well indeed.” Dimitria’s smile now gleamed with pride and joy of her own. “She and I have spent much time getting to know one another. She will be attending with me.”
Divatox, like all of their reformed enemies, had made it to the guest list. Neither Tommy nor Kat held any real grudges, not even against Rita.
“We’ll see you both there, then.” Tommy nodded, and Dimitria again bent her head.
“We both look forward to it. Farewell, my friends.” The screen flickered for a few moments, then faded into darkness.
Kat slouched back against the couch, tension seeping out of her. “That was probably the least stressful part of this whole thing so far.”
“Don’t I know it.” He kept track of the guest list, more or less, since he had practice keeping in touch with various Power Rangers from all the teams and the many corners of the galaxy so many of them had scattered to over the years. He picked up the tablet with the list on it and made the notations. “What are we going to do about the people who don’t know?”
Kat closed her eyes in the hopes this would help her think better. She’d never noticed that it especially had, but she could focus a little more, which was almost the same thing. “Maybe we should tell them. It’s not the same kind of secret for us that it used to be.”
“Maybe.” He’d given thought to that more than once already himself. He would’ve liked to talk to Zordon about it. He would’ve liked to talk to him about many things, but that hadn’t really been possible since the day he and Alpha-5 left the planet. “Let’s think about it for now.”
Kat agreed; it wasn’t so vital they had to decide at that very moment. Not like making up her mind on what her gown and those of her bridesmaids would look like.
All in all, this was another notch on the list of matters that they needed to work through for the wedding. But a very important notch indeed.
Kat turned the ring over in her hand carefully, admiring how it gleamed in the light. She’d seen the sketches that the designer provided in accordance with her and Tommy’s descriptions of what they wanted, but they were nothing at all compared to the actual metal she held now.
“It’s beautiful.” A glimmering golden cat shimmered in the light of the jewelry store, the tail forming the band of the ring, reaching around to touch the cat’s mouth. Twin diamond chips, just large enough to be seen, glimmered in the cat’s eyes.
She looked over to see the ring Tommy held; it was every bit as beautiful as her own, the gold as gleaming and burnished, the falcon’s wings forming the band, and tiny diamonds for eyes as well there. She brushed the tip of her finger over it and looked at him.
“It’s you.” It really was. Every inch of the design spoke of Tommy’s strength and passion, his determination to do what was right, and his fierce, unyielding dedication to that which he believed in.
Tommy grinned at her, that same happy grin that she recalled having seen the day they’d first met. Not all of her memories of being Rita’s pawn were happy ones, but that one was one she’d never give up for any reason.
“That’s you, too.” He gestured toward the cat. “I couldn’t think of anything better for this.”
The designer and the store manager both beamed at them. “We’re glad that you approve,” the designer told them. “That was some of the most unique work I’ve been asked to do.”
“We can’t thank you enough.” Kat carefully set the ring back into the box and closed it with more than a little reluctance. These would be kept in the safe in Tommy’s home, right next to their blasters, where no one would be able to steal them, until the wedding day.
Once the rings were paid for and bagged, the two of them headed home, few words being exchanged, each of them deep in their own thoughts.
It wasn’t until they were curled up together, supposedly watching the evening news, and neither of them actually paying attention to it, that Kat spoke.
“It really feels so much more real now. We have the rings. We’ve got the list a lot more organized than it was when we started. Dimitria’s going to do the ceremony. It feels like…it’s really going to happen.”
Tommy leaned over so he could rest his head on hers. “It does.” He didn’t want to say this scared him, but a part of him that had never quailed in any battle now twitched nervously. He looked forward to what was to come with all of his heart, but the whole reality of it loomed over them both.
“Are we going to have kids?” Kat wasn’t sure where the question itself came from. Like so many others it lurked in the very back of her mind, awaiting the moment when it could spring out and startle them both.
Tommy blinked a few times at that. “I …don’t know.” He’d sort of imagined it, but like so much else about all of this, he hadn’t thought about it with any real seriousness. “Do you want to?”
“I wouldn’t mind one or two.” Kat admitted. She’d given it a few thoughts over the years, usually whenever she or Tommy were in some kind of life-threatening danger. She’d considered it more than once during the battle in Angel Grove against Astronema’s forces.
“So I guess that’s a yes.” If being married sent shivers of awe and confusion all through Tommy, the concept of being a father, having a child he and Kat could raise together, did so even more.
Kat wrapped one arm around Tommy and held him close, breathing in his rich scent. “It really is real.” Real, and growing more so with every day.
Wedding invitations filled the mail. Arrangements of all kinds grew from notes to solid plans. People from near and far made their travel plans and as the day grew nearer, began to gather in Reefside. For all that Angel Grove was where they’d begun, Reefside was where they decided to live their lives together, so that was where this new era would begin.
The sun rose into a clear blue sky on the appointed day, and all of the guests wended their various ways to the large park where Kat and Tommy would take their vows to one another. People from multiple planets settled in, ex-Rangers, ex-villains, relatives, friends, those who were a mix of both, and far, far more.
Kat peeked out from behind the curtain in the portable changing room set up for her and her bridesmaids. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of all the people there.
“I can’t believe it,” she murmured. “They’re all there.” Not quite everyone had been able to come, but many, many more had, and some had even brought friends. She peeked out again and blinked before turning to her aunt. “Is that James? I almost didn’t recognize him. He’s grown so much.”
“He likes being called Jim now.” Her aunt smiled at her. “And he really has.”
Kat shook her head in amazement. The last she’d seen her cousin, he hadn’t exactly been scrawny, but he’d definitely gained far more inches of height than she’d expected him to. She wanted to look again, but there wasn’t much time left.
Dresses were settled into, shoes slipped on, everything that needed to be tied was tied, and everyone checked everyone else’s make-up. Kat tried to remember how to breathe, but didn’t feel she was very good at it, even as the line settled into place.
Kim squeezed her hand reassuringly. “You look great, Kat. Tommy better appreciate you, or else.” Her eyes danced warmly as she stepped into her place, and Kat found herself returning the grin. “You guys had better appreciate each other, really.”
“We will.” Kat promised. She could think of few others she’d want to spend her entire life with other than Tommy. Appreciate didn’t even begin to cover it.
One by one the bridesmaids and groomsmen lined up and began the procession out. Kat took several deep breaths and focused on what she needed to do and not on how nervous she was. It didn’t help matters that what she needed to do was the very reason she was nervous in the first place, but she did her best anyway.
She stepped out into the brilliant sunshine, moving forward with careful steps. She could see everyone there, all of them turned to watch as she walked toward Tommy. Dimitria stood at the far end of the aisle, robed in her usual glimmering white that somehow seemed more festive than usual today, and a warmer smile than Kat had ever seen on her lips.
Soft murmurs and whispers rushed through the crowd ahead of her, but none of it seemed to make sense. She was all right with that. She didn’t want to get distracted today. She had enough to think about with how her heart pounded in her chest and hoping she remembered the answers to all of the questions that would be asked.
Finally she arrived at her place beside Tommy, offering a smile of greeting to him and to Dimitria. Her heartrate slowed down a fraction and she managed to get herself thinking properly, or at least not with every thought skittering endlessly from one subject to another.
“Greetings to all on this most joyous of occasions.” Dimitria spoke the opening words of the ceremony. “I have known Katherine and Thomas for some time, and it is with great joy that I stand here today to witness, with all of you, the fulfillment of their love for one another. I do not bind them to each other, for only they can do that, by their own choice.”
A few curious noises came from the crowd, mostly those who weren’t aware of Kat and Tommy’s connections to the Power Rangers. But no one dared interrupt, not with all the people skilled in various martial arts (including the groom) approving of the unusual ceremony.
“Katherine and Thomas have chosen to write their own vows for today.” Dimitria continued, gesturing to Kat to begin. The blonde nodded and turned to face Tommy directly, taking his hand in hers as she did.
“Tommy, I love you. I haven’t always, and we didn’t meet on the real best of terms, but I love you now, and I can’t see any way I’ll ever stop loving you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I hope you want the same with me.” She paused for a moment of breath before she kept going. “I pledge to be honest, loving, and caring with you, and to watch out for you as you watch out for me. Any problems that we have, I will do my best to work them out with you, and I promise to always listen to what you have to say about everything.”
Tommy smiled at that, squeezing her hand as he did. “Kat, I love you. Doesn’t matter to me how we met, because that’s one of the things that led us to being here today. Sometimes something that starts off wrong can lead into something even better.” He didn’t need to say anything more for those in the know to remember the Evil Green Ranger and all that he’d gone on to do. “I’ll love you for the rest of my life, and if there’s life after that…well, I guess we’ll find out then. I pledge to be honest, loving, and caring with you, and to watch out for you as you watch out for me. Whatever problems turn up, we’re going to work on them together, because that’s how we can work them out the best. And if you’ve ever got something to say and I’m not listening, feel free to smack me. Or for any other reason that might turn up.”
A low ripple of laughter passed through the audience, and Kat didn’t bother hiding her own, nor did Dimitria.
Justin stepped forward, holding a soft velvet cushion on which their rings rested side by side. Kat picked up the golden cat ring and slipped it onto Tommy’s hand.
“With this ring, we’re always together,” she promised, wrapping her fingers around it for a few moments. Tommy picked up the golden falcon ring and reached for her hand again.
“With this ring, we’re always together.” And now it rested on her own hand, his symbol with her, as hers was with him.
Dimitria held out her hands over their clasped hands. “By the customs and laws of this world, I announce to one and all that Katherine and Thomas are one.”
Cheers and congratulations exploded into the air, and Kat waited no longer, but pulled Tommy close and kissed him warmly. He returned with every bit of her enthusiasm, arm going around her to hold her close to him as well.
“I love you,” he murmured, and she leaned her head against him for a few seconds.
“I love you.”
After that came the long line of the reception, with the bride and groom greeting as many of their guests who wanted to say hello to them. This turned out to be most of them, with more than one wanting to know who Dimitria was and why some of the guests were known Power Rangers.
“Connections through the GSA,” Tommy told them with a slightly mysterious nod. Kat mimicked the nod, adding in a haunting little smile.
“The firm I work for has a lot of connections to other design and architecture firms in places like Mariner Bay and Angel Grove,” she added in. She said nothing more; it gave the exact impression that she wanted it to. Besides, it had the added benefit of being the truth. The architectural firm she worked for did indeed have connections in virtually every city that had ever been touched by alien or demonic attack. It made for good business in building repair, redesign, and construction.
“Nice to see you again, Kat.” That familiar accent sent a warm feeling of home through Kat as she greeted her young cousin.
“Likewise, Jim.” Kat nodded at him and at his companion. “How’s Karen doing?”
The young man reached behind himself to touch his fingers to Karen’s snout. “She’s growing up really well.” Karen stretched out her mouth in a greeting and Kat nodded back. Karen had definitely developed more of a personality since the last time Kat had seen her.
Jim cast a quick glance at Tommy, whose attention hadn’t moved off Karen since he’d first seen her. “Good to meet you too, Mr. Oliver.”
Tommy swallowed once or twice, then focused himself on Jim. “You can call me Tommy.” His gaze flicked back to Karen. “Is she…”
“She’s a crocodile.” Jim lightly punched his companion’s side, grinning as he did. “We’ve been best friends since we were both little. Best friend I’ve ever had.”
Before Tommy could ask anything else, Jim nodded to both of them and headed over to the refreshment stand. Tommy looked after him, then looked back at Kat.
“Your cousin is carrying a crocodile on his back. A live crocodile.”
Kat shrugged a little. “Yes. And?” Really, what was he so bothered about? “She’s legally registered as his service animal, because of his eye.”
Tommy clearly wanted to ask about that, but more people were coming, and there was far too much for them to do to focus on just one person right now, no matter how interesting a one-eyed teenager with a seeing-eye crocodile was.
Toasts were made to the new couple’s future happiness. Cake was sliced and shared between them. Speeches were given, the content of which neither Kat nor Tommy could’ve clearly recalled five minutes afterward, much less at any later point. Gifts of many kinds remained piled up on the table for later sorting through, but one in particular the giver chose to deliver in person.
“Kat, Tommy.” Prince Dex of Edenoi stepped up to the two of them as they made small talk with Emily and Jason. He looked very human in his suit; legacy of the years he’d spent in Leawood. “I wish to give you this to celebrate your nuptials.”
He held out a small crystal toward them, which Kat reached for after a quick look to Tommy. “Thank you.” She wasn’t certain of what else to say; it did look pretty, light reflecting from it in a lovely rainbow, but that was all she could see.
Dex smiled, a hint of amusement on his lips. “There are co ordinates there for the planet Relevan. The kings and queens of Edenoi have patronized Relevan for thousands of years when they wed. The information in there will allow you access to the same class of treatment that I would have if I were there.”
A royal honeymoon? Once again Kat looked at Tommy, but this time, both of them were far more in awe of this gift.
“Dex, you didn’t have to do anything like this.” Tommy wasn’t sure if he wanted to accept it or not. They’d made a few honeymoon plans, though most of them had simply involved a remote hotel and as much time together as they could manage.
The young prince turned a stern look to them. “You helped me when I needed it. This is the very least that I can do.”
“I …thank you.” Tommy decided this wasn’t something to argue about. It wouldn’t be that much of a change, except for being farther out of touch than they’d expected. “Thank you very much.”
Dex nodded, bid them farewell, and moved on to where his Earth family stood chatting with some of the other guests. Kat watched him go before she turned back to Tommy.
“This is going to be interesting, isn’t it?”
“I think it already is.”
No matter how good a party is, it must end sooner or later, and this one, as with virtually all wedding parties, ended with the bride and groom heading off together. One small matter did need taking care of before they left, however.
“Billy, we’ve got a question.” Tommy nodded toward the crystal that Kat held out to him. “Dex gave that to us so we could go to Relevan. Think you can help?”
With silent permission from Kat, Billy picked up the crystal and examined it, that familiar quirk to his lips as he thought the matter through.
“I think I should be able to do it. Give me a few minutes to get in touch with them so they’ll know you’re coming.” He headed off to wherever he needed to go to communicate with distant plants. Kat and Tommy had both learned long ago never to question some of what Billy did. It generally led to headaches all around.
“So, going to Relevan?” A not entirely familiar voice spoke up from behind them, and Tommy turned to see a man and woman there. Both of them looked a little older than he and Kat were, but gave off an impression of being far, far older.
“It’s a beautiful place,” the woman added, a ghostly familiar smile curving her lips up. “I loved it when we went there.”
Kat blinked at them, her attention focusing on the woman. “Rita? Zedd?”
Tommy had almost forgotten they’d even been on the guest list in the first place, but they both nodded at Kat’s naming of them. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” He reached out to shake both of their hands. “You’re looking good.
That might not have been the wisest of phrasings, but neither seemed to take any offense at it. Zedd only shrugged. “We’re doing all right. I can’t say that I ever expected to be here, though. Not even after what Zordon did for us.”
“Well, you could say that you kind of brought us together.” Kat teased, bumping her elbow against Tommy’s arm as she did. “And we’ve all come a long way since then, too.”
“We have indeed.” Rita agreed, looking far more relaxed and less likely to complain about a headache than Tommy had ever seen her before. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“It was our pleasure.” Tommy wasn’t sure of how one had small talk at one’s wedding reception with people who had once tried to take over the world, but he did his best anyway. “I hope everything’s been working out for you both.”
Zedd shrugged. “There’s nothing to complain about. We manage.”
Tommy knew they’d moved to a small planet in a distant system, probably wanting a new start and all of that. He kept just enough tabs on them so he would know if anyone tried to give them trouble for what they’d once done, or if they started trying to cause trouble again. This was probably the most peaceful their lives had been in centuries, and he truly did wish them well.
“Guys.” Billy interrupted before matters could get any more awkward than they already were. “I’ve got everything set up for you.” He gave only a passing glance to Rita and Zedd, but one that said he knew who they were as well. He gave more of his attention to Kat and Tommy right now, though. “Just let me know and I’ll get you there.”
“Right.” Tommy glanced over to Zedd and Rita. “Good to see you. But we’ve kind of got to be going now.”
“Of course, of course.” Zedd waved them away. “Enjoy your honeymoon!”
As they headed away, Billy kept in step with them. “You should probably drive off like you intended to, but stop when you get to Hayley’s. I’ll meet you there and get you on the way.”
“Got it.” Kat nodded; this almost felt as if they were going on a secret mission, if not a little more exciting.
When they made it to Hayley’s, still with bits of rice and streamers stuck in annoying places on them from their well-wishers, both Tommy and Kat wanted more than anything to just find a place to sit down and rest. After all the lead-up to the day and the constant stream of stress and excitement that was the day itself, rest called more than anything else did.
Billy already stood just inside the door waiting for them. Tommy decided not to ask if Hayley were involved in any way with this. He’d figure it all out later, when he could think better.
“Everyone ready?” Billy asked, something blinking and beeping in his hand. “They’re all ready for you at the resort. You’re even checked in; they’ll have someone ready to show you to your room once you get there.”
Kat breathed out a sigh of relief; she wasn’t certain she could spell her own name in English right now, let alone whatever other language they might require there.
“Thanks, Billy. We owe you one for this.”
“Not at all.” Their old friend just smiled at them. “Congratulations to both of you. You’ve probably heard it enough today, but once more won’t hurt, will it?”
Tommy decided it was better not to say anything just yet. Billy tapped something on whatever it was in his hands. “See you all later,” he said, before a rainbow beam of light emitted from the end of it to wash all over the two of them, and the Cyberspace faded away, replaced by the familiar sensation of teleportation.
Only a few seconds passed before the world reappeared in front of them. In the interests of strict accuracy, it was a world, not the world they were used to. They stood on a silvery disc in a room of glistening pale white stone, marked at various positions with bands of silver and gold. In front of them stood a young woman, who looked mostly human save for her dark green skin and deep blue hair. She wore a long gown that complemented her coloring with a silver-trimmed sash around her waist, and bowed as their attention focused on her.
“Greetings, Thomas and Katherine, former Rangers of Earth. I am-” What she said next didn’t hold any meaning for either of them, and she didn’t seem surprised by this. “You may call me Selan. It is the closest approximation of my name into your language. Now, if you would please follow me, I will take you to your suite.”
“Thanks.” Tommy found a scrap of manners that he wasn’t too worn out to use and followed after her.
Selan guided them through several fantastically decorated corridors, tapestries, paintings, and holograms of various scenes of incredible natural beauty from all over the galaxy depicted. The building materials weren’t just of the metals and stone that they knew from Earth, but ones that neither of them could name at all, from the same reach of planets and cultures that the decorations came from.
“There’s no way I’m not going to get lost here,” Kat half-muttered, trying to keep herself moving as she did.
“Me either.” Tommy was surprised they weren’t already lost. He hoped Selan at least knew her way around.
Their guide gave him an amused look. “There are maps that can show guests their way. Or you can ask anyone who works here.” She gestured to what she wore. “This is our uniform. Anyone who wears this will be glad to help you.”
At last they stopped outside of a doorway, with the door being a stream of silver-blue light. “This is your suite.” She handed over a crystal the same shade as the energy field. “Set this there to leave or enter. No one can get in without you doing that.”
Tommy set the crystal into the small depression she indicated and the field faded away at once. “Thank you.” He wanted to say something else but nothing came to mind beyond the great need to rest.
“It’s my pleasure. If there’s anything you need, you can call…” She hesitated, searching for the words for a brief moment. “chamber service, and it will be provided to you.” Selan bowed her head and started down the corridor as soon as they entered.
The door sealed up behind them when they were no more than a few paces into the room. Kat was certain that once she’d slept, she’d be amazed at it all, but for now, she wanted to know where the bedroom was, and where their luggage was. She couldn’t remember having talked to Billy about that at all.
“Which way?” She murmured, looking at three or four archways that could lead to almost anywhere. She hoped at least one would be a bathroom. She wanted a shower almost as much as she wanted to get some sleep.
Tommy made his way over to one of those doorways while she tried another. She wasn’t sure who had better luck, since he announced the discovery of the bathroom as soon as she realized she’d found the bedroom. Stacked in one corner of the room sat their luggage, with the door to what had to be a wardrobe opened to show that their clothes were already unpacked.
For all of their weariness, it didn’t take long before they’d enjoyed a hot bath together, in a tub that made the fanciest hot tub either of them had ever seen look like little more than a wooden bucket and a few bubbles. Kat wasn’t even sure how to describe some of the scents from the oils and lotions ranged to one side, in enough variety to satisfy both of their interests.
“We are going to be very spoiled by the time this is over with,” she murmured, wondering if there was any way she could get some of these delivered to Earth.
Tommy pulled her closer, arms slick with water and soap. “I’m jealous. I should be the one spoiling you.” He brushed his lips against her cheek in a damp kiss. “Do you have any idea of what time it is?”
She blinked, looking around until she spied something that resembled a clock, though the time didn’t mean anything to her the way they measured it here. It had already been edging close to sundown when they’d left the reception, and she didn’t know how much time they’d spent getting to here from the arrival room. “Late?” That was about all she was certain of. Very late.
“Let’s go to bed.”
For all that she’d been worn out before, something in the bathwater must’ve helped to revive her, since all thoughts of sleep vanished from Kat’s mind at those words. Bed, yes. Sleep could wait just a little longer.
Stars in unfamiliar constellations peppered the night sky, visible through the very top of the windows as they made it into the bedroom, holding onto one another and giggling in that way that only those are far too exhausted or excited to actually sleep can. The bed rolled beneath them, a marvel of firm plushness, with sheets that put the finest silk of Earth to shame. Kat wondered if she’d ever figure out what all of this was made of and wondered slightly more if it mattered. She had so much else to think about.
She drew closer to Tommy, kissing him over and over, his own lips ghosting over hers in return. This was not the first time they’d been with one another, but tonight it held a special kind of reverence, something to mark the beginning of their lives together.
Much, much later, satisfied with one another and with the first edge of sleep taken off by an hour or so of dozing, Kat stared up at those stars and wondered what the rest of their future might bring. For all intents and purposes, she was still just starting out as an architect, and while Tommy was a teacher, he also watched over the Earth with all the protectiveness of a fully powered Power Ranger.
Whatever the future might bring, it was something that they would face together. She’d made her mind up on that years ago and all the events of today had done was confirm it for everyone else. She looked down at where their hands intertwined, one golden cat, one golden falcon, rings gleaming together in pale strands of moonlight and starlight. She curled up into him, her breathing slowly steadying, eyes sliding closed, and all other thoughts drifting away.
Tommy kept his own eyes open just a little longer, but not very much. He leaned his head close enough to Kat to breathe in her own personal fragrance, before he relaxed as well, falling into a deep sleep. They had a lot to look forward to and the sooner they prepared for it, the better.
The End
Fandom: Power Rangers
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I own nothing involved in this story unless I invented it myself. This is written for fun, not for profit.
Notes: I'm using the 'Double Night' challenge for this. Prompt used is 'mirth'.
“You’re getting married?” The question echoed from dozens of lips over the weeks following Tommy’s proposal. His parents, her parents, his brother, her cousins, all of the Rangers and ex-Rangers that they knew, as well as those still active on Aquitar and the Space Rangers, who spent a lot of their time going in between Earth and Mirinoi, keeping an eye out for any trouble from any new, or old villains who’d somehow been spared Zordon’s purge.
“You’d think this was a huge surprise or something.” Kat chuckled a little as she hung up the phone from her third cousin’s enthusiastic assurance that yes, she would be at the wedding, she had nothing at all planned and could do anything at all that Kat needed her to do.
The fact they hadn’t even set a date yet hadn’t phased her cousin in the slightest. But her cousin was like that.
Tommy lounged back on the couch, having just finished passing the message through some of his more expanded connections in the wider regions of the known galaxy. Though humans were still slowly working on adjusting to the fact they were but one intelligent species in a stellar ocean of uncounted numbers, this wedding would likely give a chance for a lot of those other species to show up. Thankfully most of them looked human enough that with the right clothes, none of the too nosy reporter types would realize who they were and they could have a peaceful visit whenever it actually happened.
“This guest list is getting big.” He leaned over to pick it up from the table between them. He wasn’t wrong; there had to be over three hundred people listed already. Some people who wanted to come weren’t sure if they’d be able to, because of the aforementioned date not having been set. But even without them, there would be a very big crowd.
They would need security. Their identities as former Rangers wasn’t known widely, though a few more people knew than had back in the day. Their parents, for example, and siblings, and sometimes relatives of siblings, as in Mr. Trueheart’s case. Of course, in his case, Tommy suspected he’d known about the Power Rangers before he and Tommy had ever met one another. The old shaman had never mentioned one way or another and it wasn’t something Tommy had ever found the words to ask him.
Besides, he was grateful enough that Mr. Trueheart had told David that Tommy was alive after the incident with Mesogog and the island blowing up. David hadn’t lost hope in seeing him for a single moment, and had in fact had his favorite meal waiting for him when he’d managed to get over there to see him.
More than security, they would need to make certain that all of the food was properly sorted and edible for everyone. The Aquitians wouldn’t eat fish, of course, and that was probably the least troublesome of the various dietary requirements for the visitors.
At least they didn’t have to worry about that just yet. The most important question still hovered over them: when to have it at all.
Kat settled next to him on the couch and he slipped an arm around her, breathing in the scent of her hair. “So when should we have it?”
Tommy distracted himself a little by running his fingers through her hair. That was one thing he did miss about having long hair himself. He’d always rather liked the way Kat’s fingers felt there. Maybe he’d grow it out a little before the wedding…David seemed to like having long hair.
Then again, David was in training still to take over as shaman one day, and Tommy was a teacher. There were certain differences in what they could do.
“Tommy? You’re not listening to me, are you?” She tweaked his ear and Tommy huffed, focusing his attention back on her.
“I was listening.” Really. He was. He just happened to be listening with his fingers as he let the words flow over him. Instead of into his ears, where they belonged.
“Then what did I just say?” Uh-oh, her eyebrow had been raised. He was going to be in trouble if he didn’t get this right.
“That we should…” Uh-oh again, he really couldn’t think of what she’d just said. He fidgeted some. “Set the date soon?” Please let that be right, please let that be right.
Kat remained quiet for a moment or two and his heart sped up just a fraction. “All right, you win this time.” Tommy did not breathe out a sigh of relief. Out loud, anyway. He did try his best to think about the question itself, though.
It couldn’t be too soon. He wanted the other ex-Dino Rangers there, and they were still working on getting set up at college and other places. Anton and Elsa were still recovering from their experiences, though they were healthy enough for school administration, which was stressful enough on its own. He and Kat had written little notes next to every name on the list, marking any and all issues that might’ve come up with their attendance, at least as it was currently known. So finding a time that would work for everyone would require work.
He skimmed over the list again, thinking. Not too soon, with enough time for those from far away to clear the date with their employers and other obligations and get travel preparations made.
“It probably shouldn’t be until sometime next year, maybe?” He wasn’t especially thrilled by that, since he really did want them to be married soon. But better safe than sorry, especially for a chance to see all of their friends from far away again.
Of course, with Reefside being set where it was, ‘far away’ was just about everywhere, whether or not the friends in question lived on the planet.
Kat looked at the list as well, biting her lip a fraction. “You’re probably right.” She clearly didn’t like it any better than he did, but saw the need just as clearly. She tapped one finger on her cheek. “What do you think of next summer? Sometime in June or July?”
He ran the date over in his head, trying to match it through everyone else’s requirements. “I think that’ll do.” They could pin down something more specific once they were closer; this would just give them something to consider.
“I never knew getting married could be so complicated.” Kat said thoughtfully. “It never seems that way when it’s not you, does it?”
“Didn’t when Jason and Emily were getting married, I know.” Tommy already knew that Jason would be his best man, and David one of the first groomsmen. He’d stood duty as best man for Jason at his own wedding, and there was no way that his brother wouldn’t be a part of this. That reminded him of something as well. “Who do you want as your maid of honor?”
Kat frowned as she considered that. “I don’t know yet. I’m a little torn between Tanya or Kim.” That didn’t surprise him either; those two were the ones closest to her, for any number of reasons.
“Well, you don’t have to decide that today. Maybe ask both of them and see what they think, though?”
She nodded, lounging back against him as she did. “Maybe we should think about just running off and eloping instead?” The tilt of her mouth and laughter in her eyes told him that she wasn’t serious. At least not very serious.
“If we did that, I think there are a lot of people who’d get very mad at us. And most of them know how to deal damage in a lot of interesting ways.”
Her lips twitched a little more. “You’ve got a point there. I suppose we’ll have to do this the big way.”
“Think of how it will feel when we’re looking back on this for anniversaries.” Tommy pointed out. “It won’t seem so overwhelming then. I hope.”
“So do I.” Kat breathed in deeply and closed her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder. “But no matter what it looks like now, I really wouldn’t give it up for anything.”
He wrapped one arm around her and held her close. “Neither would I.”
Moment by moments, the days slid by. Every time either of them turned around, something new seemed to crop up that they had to deal with for the wedding, even when they weren’t actively trying to plan on it. Gowns and suits had to be located, and that meant figuring out who the wedding party would consist of, to make certain everything fit ahead of time. A catering service needed to be chosen, and informed of all of their guests’ special dietary requirements, which meant being much clearer on who would be coming than they’d started off being.
Rings also needed to be bought, and that was something Tommy decided to do as soon as he realized they needed them.
“They’ve got a lot of good stuff here.” Kat said, looking around the jewelry store as they entered. She didn’t know how he planned to pay for this on a teacher’s salary, but she fully intended to share in the price.
“I know. I’ve come in here a few times, just looking.” Tommy walked over to where the wedding ring display and they both took a long look at the samples available. “See anything you like?”
Before Kat could answer, a quiet voice spoke. “Is there anything I can help you with?” The clerk stood there, dark brown hair pulled back into a neat knot on the base of his neck, watching them with calm eyes.
“We’re looking for a set of wedding rings,” Kat answered at once. “We’re getting married next summer.”
“I see.” The clerk waved one hand at the selection there. “Do you have any special requirements? Colors that you’d like? We pride ourselves on delivering exactly what the customer wants.”
Kat considered the sets before them. All of them looked spectacular in their own ways, each of them gleaming in sets of gold and diamond. None of them completely called to her, though, and while that didn’t bother her, she didn’t want to spend time running from store to store in search of something that might not exist.
“Do you do custom work?” Tommy asked while she was still checking out the rings. “Because I’ve been thinking and I’m not sure that what we want really is available without being made.”
The clerk raised one eyebrow, and Kat cast a quick glance at Tommy. “You never said anything about custom work.” They were going to have a talk about that when they got home.
“I wasn’t sure if it was something we’d go with,” Tommy confessed, a touch of ruefulness around his lips. “But what do you think of your band having a cat look to it? Like, a little cat on it.”
Kat bit her lip, torn between smacking him and sighing. Sighing won out at the moment. She’d always loved cats, even before what happened with Rita, and that hadn’t really changed her opinion very much. “That might be…something to look into.” She hadn’t considered putting what she vaguely considered her real inner creature onto her wedding ring, but the more she thought about it, the more the notion began to appeal to her. “What about you?”
Tommy tilted his head up a fraction and pride gleamed in his eyes. “I’d like mine to have a falcon on it.”
She should’ve known. Not that she was very surprised, but really, the moment he’d suggest the cat, she knew he would want the falcon for his own. She turned to the clerk.
“Is that something you can do? A cat and a falcon?” If they were going to do this, better to know if they could do it here or if they needed to go somewhere else. Angel Grove could probably provide them with someone who knew how to do that kind of work if Reefside couldn’t. Angel Grove, she’d learned, could provide almost anything, if you knew where to look for it.
The clerk considered, clearly not having had to do anything like this before. “I’ll have to get back to you on that. I’ll need to speak with the owner before I can be certain. We do custom work, but no one’s ever asked for anything like that before.” He looked harder at them, and Kat wondered if he were one of those who’d gotten involved in a monster attack. One could tell them after a while; the ones who always looked wary and concerned no matter what. In Angel Grove, it was harder to find people who didn’t have that look than those who did.
But if he were, he said nothing else about it, only took down their names and numbers and promised to speak with the owner as soon as possible.
Wedding rings. Guest lists. Finding a location for it that would be suitable for everyone. Catering to everyone’s tastes. Kat on occasion could not help but wonder if the idea of eloping wasn’t such a bad one after all. Not that either of them ever considered it seriously, but sometimes it did seem as if it would be much easier.
“What else do we need to do?” Kat looked over the list the two of them had made. Rings, guests, catering, location, who would have what position in the wedding party, who knew about them being Rangers and who didn’t, and thus who the ones who did know would have to be careful speaking to…
“Someone to perform it?” Tommy suggested, looking up from his own work. His eyes darkened for a few moments. “I wish…Zordon…”
He didn’t need to finish it. She sighed, covering his hand with her own and squeezing it lightly. “I know. Me too.” Though it would’ve caused plenty of difficulties with some of the guests, it still would’ve felt far more right than almost anyone else any of them could think of.
Tommy considered, then sat up a little, a sudden curious gleam to his eyes. “What do you think of Dimitria?”
“Dimitria?” Kat sat up as well and looked at him. “What about her?” They’d heard only a little from her since the end of the war, mostly concerned with how she and Divatox were doing on Inquirius.
That still took some getting used to, that Divatox was Dimitria’s long-lost twin sister. Exactly how that worked they weren’t entirely sure, but since they both seemed happy with the situation, no one wanted to argue about it.
“You think she could do it? Or would do it?” They would probably have to pull some strings somehow to get it legally acknowledged, but with the work the GSA had been doing with other planets and cultures, it likely wouldn’t be too hard.
“Let’s ask her.” One of the benefits to greater contact with the other civilizations in the galaxy involved better communications with those other worlds, and in a very few minutes, Dimitria’s veiled visage looked down at them from the communications screen in Tommy’s living room.
“Greetings, my friends.” Dimitria’s voice hadn’t changed a bit in the years since they’d last seen her. “I have heard there are good tidings in your future.”
“That’s right.” Kat smiled, touching Tommy’s hand. “We’re going to get married.”
Dimitria bent her head gracefully. “I wish you both the best of luck with your future together. I’m quite certain that Zordon would also be proud of you.”
Tommy managed a small smile at that. He understood Andros’s reasons for what he did, but it still caused a pang in his heart at the thought of his mentor’s loss. “Dimitria, we called to ask you something.” It took another moment for him to work the words up. “We were hoping that you could perform the ceremony for us.”
It wasn’t often that anything surprised Dimitria, so far as any of them knew, but this apparently did it. She remained silent for a few scant breaths, before a smile touched her lips.
“I would be honored.”
Kat’s answering smile all but glowed. “Thank you!” Words didn’t seem quite enough to cover everything that they both wanted them to, but enthusiastic hugs were difficult when millions of miles separated the people in question.
“I will arrive some days before your chosen date, in order to prepare everything. You will have everything in hand by then?”
Tommy and Kat both nodded. “We’re going to try, anyway,” Kat added, a hint of a rueful smile on her lips. “This getting married is a little harder than I thought it would be.”
Dimitria’s own smile widened a touch. “Many such events are far more complicated than they appear from the outside. Preparing for a life together is only one of them: and this is only the beginning.”
They both knew it was true, and worth every moment. Kat lifted her head with pride. “Thanks, Dimitria.” Before she could consider not doing so, she asked something else that was on her mind. “How is Divatox doing?”
“Quite well indeed.” Dimitria’s smile now gleamed with pride and joy of her own. “She and I have spent much time getting to know one another. She will be attending with me.”
Divatox, like all of their reformed enemies, had made it to the guest list. Neither Tommy nor Kat held any real grudges, not even against Rita.
“We’ll see you both there, then.” Tommy nodded, and Dimitria again bent her head.
“We both look forward to it. Farewell, my friends.” The screen flickered for a few moments, then faded into darkness.
Kat slouched back against the couch, tension seeping out of her. “That was probably the least stressful part of this whole thing so far.”
“Don’t I know it.” He kept track of the guest list, more or less, since he had practice keeping in touch with various Power Rangers from all the teams and the many corners of the galaxy so many of them had scattered to over the years. He picked up the tablet with the list on it and made the notations. “What are we going to do about the people who don’t know?”
Kat closed her eyes in the hopes this would help her think better. She’d never noticed that it especially had, but she could focus a little more, which was almost the same thing. “Maybe we should tell them. It’s not the same kind of secret for us that it used to be.”
“Maybe.” He’d given thought to that more than once already himself. He would’ve liked to talk to Zordon about it. He would’ve liked to talk to him about many things, but that hadn’t really been possible since the day he and Alpha-5 left the planet. “Let’s think about it for now.”
Kat agreed; it wasn’t so vital they had to decide at that very moment. Not like making up her mind on what her gown and those of her bridesmaids would look like.
All in all, this was another notch on the list of matters that they needed to work through for the wedding. But a very important notch indeed.
Kat turned the ring over in her hand carefully, admiring how it gleamed in the light. She’d seen the sketches that the designer provided in accordance with her and Tommy’s descriptions of what they wanted, but they were nothing at all compared to the actual metal she held now.
“It’s beautiful.” A glimmering golden cat shimmered in the light of the jewelry store, the tail forming the band of the ring, reaching around to touch the cat’s mouth. Twin diamond chips, just large enough to be seen, glimmered in the cat’s eyes.
She looked over to see the ring Tommy held; it was every bit as beautiful as her own, the gold as gleaming and burnished, the falcon’s wings forming the band, and tiny diamonds for eyes as well there. She brushed the tip of her finger over it and looked at him.
“It’s you.” It really was. Every inch of the design spoke of Tommy’s strength and passion, his determination to do what was right, and his fierce, unyielding dedication to that which he believed in.
Tommy grinned at her, that same happy grin that she recalled having seen the day they’d first met. Not all of her memories of being Rita’s pawn were happy ones, but that one was one she’d never give up for any reason.
“That’s you, too.” He gestured toward the cat. “I couldn’t think of anything better for this.”
The designer and the store manager both beamed at them. “We’re glad that you approve,” the designer told them. “That was some of the most unique work I’ve been asked to do.”
“We can’t thank you enough.” Kat carefully set the ring back into the box and closed it with more than a little reluctance. These would be kept in the safe in Tommy’s home, right next to their blasters, where no one would be able to steal them, until the wedding day.
Once the rings were paid for and bagged, the two of them headed home, few words being exchanged, each of them deep in their own thoughts.
It wasn’t until they were curled up together, supposedly watching the evening news, and neither of them actually paying attention to it, that Kat spoke.
“It really feels so much more real now. We have the rings. We’ve got the list a lot more organized than it was when we started. Dimitria’s going to do the ceremony. It feels like…it’s really going to happen.”
Tommy leaned over so he could rest his head on hers. “It does.” He didn’t want to say this scared him, but a part of him that had never quailed in any battle now twitched nervously. He looked forward to what was to come with all of his heart, but the whole reality of it loomed over them both.
“Are we going to have kids?” Kat wasn’t sure where the question itself came from. Like so many others it lurked in the very back of her mind, awaiting the moment when it could spring out and startle them both.
Tommy blinked a few times at that. “I …don’t know.” He’d sort of imagined it, but like so much else about all of this, he hadn’t thought about it with any real seriousness. “Do you want to?”
“I wouldn’t mind one or two.” Kat admitted. She’d given it a few thoughts over the years, usually whenever she or Tommy were in some kind of life-threatening danger. She’d considered it more than once during the battle in Angel Grove against Astronema’s forces.
“So I guess that’s a yes.” If being married sent shivers of awe and confusion all through Tommy, the concept of being a father, having a child he and Kat could raise together, did so even more.
Kat wrapped one arm around Tommy and held him close, breathing in his rich scent. “It really is real.” Real, and growing more so with every day.
Wedding invitations filled the mail. Arrangements of all kinds grew from notes to solid plans. People from near and far made their travel plans and as the day grew nearer, began to gather in Reefside. For all that Angel Grove was where they’d begun, Reefside was where they decided to live their lives together, so that was where this new era would begin.
The sun rose into a clear blue sky on the appointed day, and all of the guests wended their various ways to the large park where Kat and Tommy would take their vows to one another. People from multiple planets settled in, ex-Rangers, ex-villains, relatives, friends, those who were a mix of both, and far, far more.
Kat peeked out from behind the curtain in the portable changing room set up for her and her bridesmaids. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of all the people there.
“I can’t believe it,” she murmured. “They’re all there.” Not quite everyone had been able to come, but many, many more had, and some had even brought friends. She peeked out again and blinked before turning to her aunt. “Is that James? I almost didn’t recognize him. He’s grown so much.”
“He likes being called Jim now.” Her aunt smiled at her. “And he really has.”
Kat shook her head in amazement. The last she’d seen her cousin, he hadn’t exactly been scrawny, but he’d definitely gained far more inches of height than she’d expected him to. She wanted to look again, but there wasn’t much time left.
Dresses were settled into, shoes slipped on, everything that needed to be tied was tied, and everyone checked everyone else’s make-up. Kat tried to remember how to breathe, but didn’t feel she was very good at it, even as the line settled into place.
Kim squeezed her hand reassuringly. “You look great, Kat. Tommy better appreciate you, or else.” Her eyes danced warmly as she stepped into her place, and Kat found herself returning the grin. “You guys had better appreciate each other, really.”
“We will.” Kat promised. She could think of few others she’d want to spend her entire life with other than Tommy. Appreciate didn’t even begin to cover it.
One by one the bridesmaids and groomsmen lined up and began the procession out. Kat took several deep breaths and focused on what she needed to do and not on how nervous she was. It didn’t help matters that what she needed to do was the very reason she was nervous in the first place, but she did her best anyway.
She stepped out into the brilliant sunshine, moving forward with careful steps. She could see everyone there, all of them turned to watch as she walked toward Tommy. Dimitria stood at the far end of the aisle, robed in her usual glimmering white that somehow seemed more festive than usual today, and a warmer smile than Kat had ever seen on her lips.
Soft murmurs and whispers rushed through the crowd ahead of her, but none of it seemed to make sense. She was all right with that. She didn’t want to get distracted today. She had enough to think about with how her heart pounded in her chest and hoping she remembered the answers to all of the questions that would be asked.
Finally she arrived at her place beside Tommy, offering a smile of greeting to him and to Dimitria. Her heartrate slowed down a fraction and she managed to get herself thinking properly, or at least not with every thought skittering endlessly from one subject to another.
“Greetings to all on this most joyous of occasions.” Dimitria spoke the opening words of the ceremony. “I have known Katherine and Thomas for some time, and it is with great joy that I stand here today to witness, with all of you, the fulfillment of their love for one another. I do not bind them to each other, for only they can do that, by their own choice.”
A few curious noises came from the crowd, mostly those who weren’t aware of Kat and Tommy’s connections to the Power Rangers. But no one dared interrupt, not with all the people skilled in various martial arts (including the groom) approving of the unusual ceremony.
“Katherine and Thomas have chosen to write their own vows for today.” Dimitria continued, gesturing to Kat to begin. The blonde nodded and turned to face Tommy directly, taking his hand in hers as she did.
“Tommy, I love you. I haven’t always, and we didn’t meet on the real best of terms, but I love you now, and I can’t see any way I’ll ever stop loving you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I hope you want the same with me.” She paused for a moment of breath before she kept going. “I pledge to be honest, loving, and caring with you, and to watch out for you as you watch out for me. Any problems that we have, I will do my best to work them out with you, and I promise to always listen to what you have to say about everything.”
Tommy smiled at that, squeezing her hand as he did. “Kat, I love you. Doesn’t matter to me how we met, because that’s one of the things that led us to being here today. Sometimes something that starts off wrong can lead into something even better.” He didn’t need to say anything more for those in the know to remember the Evil Green Ranger and all that he’d gone on to do. “I’ll love you for the rest of my life, and if there’s life after that…well, I guess we’ll find out then. I pledge to be honest, loving, and caring with you, and to watch out for you as you watch out for me. Whatever problems turn up, we’re going to work on them together, because that’s how we can work them out the best. And if you’ve ever got something to say and I’m not listening, feel free to smack me. Or for any other reason that might turn up.”
A low ripple of laughter passed through the audience, and Kat didn’t bother hiding her own, nor did Dimitria.
Justin stepped forward, holding a soft velvet cushion on which their rings rested side by side. Kat picked up the golden cat ring and slipped it onto Tommy’s hand.
“With this ring, we’re always together,” she promised, wrapping her fingers around it for a few moments. Tommy picked up the golden falcon ring and reached for her hand again.
“With this ring, we’re always together.” And now it rested on her own hand, his symbol with her, as hers was with him.
Dimitria held out her hands over their clasped hands. “By the customs and laws of this world, I announce to one and all that Katherine and Thomas are one.”
Cheers and congratulations exploded into the air, and Kat waited no longer, but pulled Tommy close and kissed him warmly. He returned with every bit of her enthusiasm, arm going around her to hold her close to him as well.
“I love you,” he murmured, and she leaned her head against him for a few seconds.
“I love you.”
After that came the long line of the reception, with the bride and groom greeting as many of their guests who wanted to say hello to them. This turned out to be most of them, with more than one wanting to know who Dimitria was and why some of the guests were known Power Rangers.
“Connections through the GSA,” Tommy told them with a slightly mysterious nod. Kat mimicked the nod, adding in a haunting little smile.
“The firm I work for has a lot of connections to other design and architecture firms in places like Mariner Bay and Angel Grove,” she added in. She said nothing more; it gave the exact impression that she wanted it to. Besides, it had the added benefit of being the truth. The architectural firm she worked for did indeed have connections in virtually every city that had ever been touched by alien or demonic attack. It made for good business in building repair, redesign, and construction.
“Nice to see you again, Kat.” That familiar accent sent a warm feeling of home through Kat as she greeted her young cousin.
“Likewise, Jim.” Kat nodded at him and at his companion. “How’s Karen doing?”
The young man reached behind himself to touch his fingers to Karen’s snout. “She’s growing up really well.” Karen stretched out her mouth in a greeting and Kat nodded back. Karen had definitely developed more of a personality since the last time Kat had seen her.
Jim cast a quick glance at Tommy, whose attention hadn’t moved off Karen since he’d first seen her. “Good to meet you too, Mr. Oliver.”
Tommy swallowed once or twice, then focused himself on Jim. “You can call me Tommy.” His gaze flicked back to Karen. “Is she…”
“She’s a crocodile.” Jim lightly punched his companion’s side, grinning as he did. “We’ve been best friends since we were both little. Best friend I’ve ever had.”
Before Tommy could ask anything else, Jim nodded to both of them and headed over to the refreshment stand. Tommy looked after him, then looked back at Kat.
“Your cousin is carrying a crocodile on his back. A live crocodile.”
Kat shrugged a little. “Yes. And?” Really, what was he so bothered about? “She’s legally registered as his service animal, because of his eye.”
Tommy clearly wanted to ask about that, but more people were coming, and there was far too much for them to do to focus on just one person right now, no matter how interesting a one-eyed teenager with a seeing-eye crocodile was.
Toasts were made to the new couple’s future happiness. Cake was sliced and shared between them. Speeches were given, the content of which neither Kat nor Tommy could’ve clearly recalled five minutes afterward, much less at any later point. Gifts of many kinds remained piled up on the table for later sorting through, but one in particular the giver chose to deliver in person.
“Kat, Tommy.” Prince Dex of Edenoi stepped up to the two of them as they made small talk with Emily and Jason. He looked very human in his suit; legacy of the years he’d spent in Leawood. “I wish to give you this to celebrate your nuptials.”
He held out a small crystal toward them, which Kat reached for after a quick look to Tommy. “Thank you.” She wasn’t certain of what else to say; it did look pretty, light reflecting from it in a lovely rainbow, but that was all she could see.
Dex smiled, a hint of amusement on his lips. “There are co ordinates there for the planet Relevan. The kings and queens of Edenoi have patronized Relevan for thousands of years when they wed. The information in there will allow you access to the same class of treatment that I would have if I were there.”
A royal honeymoon? Once again Kat looked at Tommy, but this time, both of them were far more in awe of this gift.
“Dex, you didn’t have to do anything like this.” Tommy wasn’t sure if he wanted to accept it or not. They’d made a few honeymoon plans, though most of them had simply involved a remote hotel and as much time together as they could manage.
The young prince turned a stern look to them. “You helped me when I needed it. This is the very least that I can do.”
“I …thank you.” Tommy decided this wasn’t something to argue about. It wouldn’t be that much of a change, except for being farther out of touch than they’d expected. “Thank you very much.”
Dex nodded, bid them farewell, and moved on to where his Earth family stood chatting with some of the other guests. Kat watched him go before she turned back to Tommy.
“This is going to be interesting, isn’t it?”
“I think it already is.”
No matter how good a party is, it must end sooner or later, and this one, as with virtually all wedding parties, ended with the bride and groom heading off together. One small matter did need taking care of before they left, however.
“Billy, we’ve got a question.” Tommy nodded toward the crystal that Kat held out to him. “Dex gave that to us so we could go to Relevan. Think you can help?”
With silent permission from Kat, Billy picked up the crystal and examined it, that familiar quirk to his lips as he thought the matter through.
“I think I should be able to do it. Give me a few minutes to get in touch with them so they’ll know you’re coming.” He headed off to wherever he needed to go to communicate with distant plants. Kat and Tommy had both learned long ago never to question some of what Billy did. It generally led to headaches all around.
“So, going to Relevan?” A not entirely familiar voice spoke up from behind them, and Tommy turned to see a man and woman there. Both of them looked a little older than he and Kat were, but gave off an impression of being far, far older.
“It’s a beautiful place,” the woman added, a ghostly familiar smile curving her lips up. “I loved it when we went there.”
Kat blinked at them, her attention focusing on the woman. “Rita? Zedd?”
Tommy had almost forgotten they’d even been on the guest list in the first place, but they both nodded at Kat’s naming of them. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” He reached out to shake both of their hands. “You’re looking good.
That might not have been the wisest of phrasings, but neither seemed to take any offense at it. Zedd only shrugged. “We’re doing all right. I can’t say that I ever expected to be here, though. Not even after what Zordon did for us.”
“Well, you could say that you kind of brought us together.” Kat teased, bumping her elbow against Tommy’s arm as she did. “And we’ve all come a long way since then, too.”
“We have indeed.” Rita agreed, looking far more relaxed and less likely to complain about a headache than Tommy had ever seen her before. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“It was our pleasure.” Tommy wasn’t sure of how one had small talk at one’s wedding reception with people who had once tried to take over the world, but he did his best anyway. “I hope everything’s been working out for you both.”
Zedd shrugged. “There’s nothing to complain about. We manage.”
Tommy knew they’d moved to a small planet in a distant system, probably wanting a new start and all of that. He kept just enough tabs on them so he would know if anyone tried to give them trouble for what they’d once done, or if they started trying to cause trouble again. This was probably the most peaceful their lives had been in centuries, and he truly did wish them well.
“Guys.” Billy interrupted before matters could get any more awkward than they already were. “I’ve got everything set up for you.” He gave only a passing glance to Rita and Zedd, but one that said he knew who they were as well. He gave more of his attention to Kat and Tommy right now, though. “Just let me know and I’ll get you there.”
“Right.” Tommy glanced over to Zedd and Rita. “Good to see you. But we’ve kind of got to be going now.”
“Of course, of course.” Zedd waved them away. “Enjoy your honeymoon!”
As they headed away, Billy kept in step with them. “You should probably drive off like you intended to, but stop when you get to Hayley’s. I’ll meet you there and get you on the way.”
“Got it.” Kat nodded; this almost felt as if they were going on a secret mission, if not a little more exciting.
When they made it to Hayley’s, still with bits of rice and streamers stuck in annoying places on them from their well-wishers, both Tommy and Kat wanted more than anything to just find a place to sit down and rest. After all the lead-up to the day and the constant stream of stress and excitement that was the day itself, rest called more than anything else did.
Billy already stood just inside the door waiting for them. Tommy decided not to ask if Hayley were involved in any way with this. He’d figure it all out later, when he could think better.
“Everyone ready?” Billy asked, something blinking and beeping in his hand. “They’re all ready for you at the resort. You’re even checked in; they’ll have someone ready to show you to your room once you get there.”
Kat breathed out a sigh of relief; she wasn’t certain she could spell her own name in English right now, let alone whatever other language they might require there.
“Thanks, Billy. We owe you one for this.”
“Not at all.” Their old friend just smiled at them. “Congratulations to both of you. You’ve probably heard it enough today, but once more won’t hurt, will it?”
Tommy decided it was better not to say anything just yet. Billy tapped something on whatever it was in his hands. “See you all later,” he said, before a rainbow beam of light emitted from the end of it to wash all over the two of them, and the Cyberspace faded away, replaced by the familiar sensation of teleportation.
Only a few seconds passed before the world reappeared in front of them. In the interests of strict accuracy, it was a world, not the world they were used to. They stood on a silvery disc in a room of glistening pale white stone, marked at various positions with bands of silver and gold. In front of them stood a young woman, who looked mostly human save for her dark green skin and deep blue hair. She wore a long gown that complemented her coloring with a silver-trimmed sash around her waist, and bowed as their attention focused on her.
“Greetings, Thomas and Katherine, former Rangers of Earth. I am-” What she said next didn’t hold any meaning for either of them, and she didn’t seem surprised by this. “You may call me Selan. It is the closest approximation of my name into your language. Now, if you would please follow me, I will take you to your suite.”
“Thanks.” Tommy found a scrap of manners that he wasn’t too worn out to use and followed after her.
Selan guided them through several fantastically decorated corridors, tapestries, paintings, and holograms of various scenes of incredible natural beauty from all over the galaxy depicted. The building materials weren’t just of the metals and stone that they knew from Earth, but ones that neither of them could name at all, from the same reach of planets and cultures that the decorations came from.
“There’s no way I’m not going to get lost here,” Kat half-muttered, trying to keep herself moving as she did.
“Me either.” Tommy was surprised they weren’t already lost. He hoped Selan at least knew her way around.
Their guide gave him an amused look. “There are maps that can show guests their way. Or you can ask anyone who works here.” She gestured to what she wore. “This is our uniform. Anyone who wears this will be glad to help you.”
At last they stopped outside of a doorway, with the door being a stream of silver-blue light. “This is your suite.” She handed over a crystal the same shade as the energy field. “Set this there to leave or enter. No one can get in without you doing that.”
Tommy set the crystal into the small depression she indicated and the field faded away at once. “Thank you.” He wanted to say something else but nothing came to mind beyond the great need to rest.
“It’s my pleasure. If there’s anything you need, you can call…” She hesitated, searching for the words for a brief moment. “chamber service, and it will be provided to you.” Selan bowed her head and started down the corridor as soon as they entered.
The door sealed up behind them when they were no more than a few paces into the room. Kat was certain that once she’d slept, she’d be amazed at it all, but for now, she wanted to know where the bedroom was, and where their luggage was. She couldn’t remember having talked to Billy about that at all.
“Which way?” She murmured, looking at three or four archways that could lead to almost anywhere. She hoped at least one would be a bathroom. She wanted a shower almost as much as she wanted to get some sleep.
Tommy made his way over to one of those doorways while she tried another. She wasn’t sure who had better luck, since he announced the discovery of the bathroom as soon as she realized she’d found the bedroom. Stacked in one corner of the room sat their luggage, with the door to what had to be a wardrobe opened to show that their clothes were already unpacked.
For all of their weariness, it didn’t take long before they’d enjoyed a hot bath together, in a tub that made the fanciest hot tub either of them had ever seen look like little more than a wooden bucket and a few bubbles. Kat wasn’t even sure how to describe some of the scents from the oils and lotions ranged to one side, in enough variety to satisfy both of their interests.
“We are going to be very spoiled by the time this is over with,” she murmured, wondering if there was any way she could get some of these delivered to Earth.
Tommy pulled her closer, arms slick with water and soap. “I’m jealous. I should be the one spoiling you.” He brushed his lips against her cheek in a damp kiss. “Do you have any idea of what time it is?”
She blinked, looking around until she spied something that resembled a clock, though the time didn’t mean anything to her the way they measured it here. It had already been edging close to sundown when they’d left the reception, and she didn’t know how much time they’d spent getting to here from the arrival room. “Late?” That was about all she was certain of. Very late.
“Let’s go to bed.”
For all that she’d been worn out before, something in the bathwater must’ve helped to revive her, since all thoughts of sleep vanished from Kat’s mind at those words. Bed, yes. Sleep could wait just a little longer.
Stars in unfamiliar constellations peppered the night sky, visible through the very top of the windows as they made it into the bedroom, holding onto one another and giggling in that way that only those are far too exhausted or excited to actually sleep can. The bed rolled beneath them, a marvel of firm plushness, with sheets that put the finest silk of Earth to shame. Kat wondered if she’d ever figure out what all of this was made of and wondered slightly more if it mattered. She had so much else to think about.
She drew closer to Tommy, kissing him over and over, his own lips ghosting over hers in return. This was not the first time they’d been with one another, but tonight it held a special kind of reverence, something to mark the beginning of their lives together.
Much, much later, satisfied with one another and with the first edge of sleep taken off by an hour or so of dozing, Kat stared up at those stars and wondered what the rest of their future might bring. For all intents and purposes, she was still just starting out as an architect, and while Tommy was a teacher, he also watched over the Earth with all the protectiveness of a fully powered Power Ranger.
Whatever the future might bring, it was something that they would face together. She’d made her mind up on that years ago and all the events of today had done was confirm it for everyone else. She looked down at where their hands intertwined, one golden cat, one golden falcon, rings gleaming together in pale strands of moonlight and starlight. She curled up into him, her breathing slowly steadying, eyes sliding closed, and all other thoughts drifting away.
Tommy kept his own eyes open just a little longer, but not very much. He leaned his head close enough to Kat to breathe in her own personal fragrance, before he relaxed as well, falling into a deep sleep. They had a lot to look forward to and the sooner they prepared for it, the better.
The End