Karone thrashed around in bed, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as memories drifted down in her slumber. Years of things came flooding back, one by one; Some good, others bad.

Her mind drifted once again as her body relaxed as her subconscious mind took complete control once more.

Karone stood at a light slump, her eyes on the ground as she stood in a line with three other children. She sighed, her hands itching to run her fingers through her messy blonde hair. She didn't feel right and she knew her mother wouldn't be happy. What would she say if she saw her looking this dirty? She'd be grounded in a second.

"Now," the stern voice of Darkonda was heard. "I want all four of you to know, I'm not fooling around here. You all will have a tough life ahead of you. Serving the Alliance is not an easy task." He seemed to pause in his thinking and turned back to the four children. "I want this known and clear right now. If one of you DARES betraying me, your life will be ended as of that moment. Am I clear?" Fours nods of heads happened in a heart beat of a second. "Good."

"Mr. Darkonda?" Karone whimpered softly. She cringed as he turned to her with a glare.

"What?" he snapped.

"I want to go home,"

"Aww, the little girl wants to go home?" Karone's head nodded quickly. Darkonda smiled sweetly and bent down to her eye level. His eyes turned to a glare and he almost yelled at her, "You are not leaving this place. Do I make myself clear?" she nodded solemnly. "And for another thing, Karone, from now on you are known as Astronema."

Karone nodded, her eyes filling with tears. She choked back a sob and looked down at the ground.

"WELL, do I?!"

"Yes." she whispered.

"Good. Now you three leave," he gestured at the three kids next to Astronema. "You," he glowered at Astronema. "Follow me. I have someone else in mind for your training."

***

"Ecliptor." Ecliptor turned his head in the direction of the harsh voice. He sighed, once his eyes told him the voice was Darkonda's.

"What now?" he growled, watching as the red and black beast walked in with a small pale blonde child. "And what is this you brought with you?!"

"This," Darkonda gestured at the small trembling girl, "is Astronema. You," he paused then smiled evilly, "are going to train her to be the Princess of Darkness who will take over this world in the distant future."

"You," Ecliptor turned to continue then stopped. "fine."

"You're going to accept my orders just like that?" Darkonda gasped out, half shocked at the display of nothing that Ecliptor showed.

Ecliptor sighed. "Just get out of here Darkonda. Just get out of here NOW."

Darkonda nodded crisply and pushed Astronema towards him, who stumbled and fell. "She is yours now. I'll check back in two years for improvement." with that, Darkonda was gone.

Ecliptor sighed and turned away and gazed out the boarded up window. He turned his gaze on the now crying child. Although he was evil, and a feared villain, his heart broke at the sobbing child. "Come here," he whispered softly. Astronema looked up at him through tear streaked eyes and stood up, and crawled into Ecliptor's grip. That small gesture was just the beginning of the close friendship that would bloom later in life.

Beside the sea
When the waves broke
I drew a heart for you in the sand
In fields where streams
Turn to rivers
I ran to you, you were there

Time Period: Astronema; Age 13

Astronema stood in her bedroom of bare nothings and stood in front of the mirror, gazing at her reflection. She sighed, her blonde hair shining brightly in the sun light. She hated where she was. Everything was miserable. Why did she have to be training to be evil? Her mind drifted to a period of about 6 years ago when she and her bother, Andros, were playing.

"What will he think when he finds out I'm just the opposite?" she wondered miserably, glaring at her reflection bitterly. Her blonde hair was such a reminder of what she was losing tomorrow when her final day of training happened and they... Brainwashed her. She was scared and there was nothing she could say or do to stop it.

"Astronema, what's wrong?" Ecliptor's voice barreled into the room from the hallway. He quickly walked in when he saw tears creeping down her pale cheeks.

"I'm..I'm..Scared," she whimpered, more tears crashing down her face. "I don't want to tomorrow to happen. I just want to go home!"

"Shh," Ecliptor knelt beside her, his huge arms creeping around her to hug tightly. "I'll be with you every step of the way. We'll do this together. Don't worry so much."

She nodded, tears slowing down.

"I promise you darling," he paused then lowered his voice. "Someday...We'll be free."

Astronema just said nothing and continued to weep.

Karone's body jerked to a stop as her eyes flew open. A hand flew to her mouth and she began crying. The dreams, the memories...All came flooding back from over the years. Her eyes flashed with sadness when her mind drifted back to the previous weeks. Astronema had been destroyed when the Red Ranger, her brother, had broke the life energy protecting the loved mentor. Her eyes filled to tears remembering what Andros had told her afterwards.

"Ecliptor is dead," she muttered bitterly. "And it's all my fault!" Laying back on the pillow, her eyes wandered up to the blank white ceiling in her quarters of the Astro MegaShip. Still crying, she vowed to her self that she'd never forget her friend and mentor from so many years. He'd been there for her when she had needed anything and she, couldn't even save him in result when he needed her the most. With a final sigh, she closed her eyes tightly together and rolled over, hoping to knock the dreaming away for the night.