Adaland: The land of Zeo

Chapter 2: Back to Green Hills

After that embarrassing scene, I shut myself to draw like mad. Keeping myself busy let me avoid thinking about Billy. If I filled my head with hundreds of ideas which took me in turn to hundreds of other ideas, that wouldn't leave a single space for shame or anger over my strange behavior. I also spoke with Cassie by video chat to distract myself:

- So you're free as a bird already? - she asked cheerfully - When will they deliver your results?
- Tomorrow. I thought it would take at least five working days to rate so many applicants.
- It took that much before. But now the tests have a code which the optical reader only needs to register once to capture the data. It was Billy's idea.

I just looked away. I must have had a formidable timid face.

- When will you go see him? - Cassie asked me out of the blue.
- This ... - I said with a drop in the neck.

My friend arranged her beautiful black and sleek hair, getting it away from her face.

- Look Meijei, I only have a few minutes before going to class, and I wouldn't like to spend them on sanctimoniousness. Don't be offended by the word, but it's the truth.
- On the contrary, I know my behavior is a disaster.
- Anyway, what I mean is that I have something important to tell you. I don't know if it's my imagination, but lately I've got the feeling that I can read people's minds again.
- What? - I said, perplexed.

One of Cassie's specialities as a Ranger was telepathy, but that ability had been sealed with the rest of our powers... Although when I was in the science college, if not for all the apprehension I felt I could have sworn I sensed Billy's movements in his lab.

- How long have you been feeling that? - I asked my friend seriously.
- It might be coincidence, but I think it was since the day I met you at that cafe...
- And before that you never...?
- No... well, not since we went to Green Hills for the last time. Since then neither have I gone close to the Command Center, nor could I know what my teachers think of me. But it's weird, isn't it?
- Do you know if anyone else has noticed their powers again? Perhaps it's a sign.
- Do you think someone will try to wipe out our planet again? – she muttered, much more serious than I, if that was possible.
- Wish it to be false alarm, but... it's not normal for something that is sealed to be present...
- I know. Anyway, I'll take care of asking everyone, as there is some hen that hasn't hatched yet. So, take care and call me when you have the scores in hand, or I won't be able to sleep peacefully.
- Sure Cassie. Good luck in your classes.
- Thanks Meijei. See you!

My friend's face disappeared from the computer's screen and I was left thoughtful. Her telepathy? My ability to feel presences?... What if that meant that Adam's telekinesis, Aisha's healing, Rocky's pirokinesis, Tommy's psychometry, and Billy's dowsing... Could it be that our powers were coming back? But then we would be Rangers again! And what for if there were no enemies?

Unless the presence of the enemies was so strong that the Zeo crystals have been released on their own, calling us frantically from Green Hills to go into battle once more.

This thought paralyzed me. To be a team again? To see Volgara after so long? Well, for her it should be a brief nap, as she has been alive for several eons... but we were no longer the same.

- Better go to sleep - I concluded getting abruptly up. - Tomorrow I can think better about all these things.

*****

Among the darkness of outer space (how strange, isn't space supposed to be illuminated by millions of stars?) an opaque dust cloud that surrounded a huge rocky asteroid was visible. On this asteroid a cool and metallic colored city could be seen. A multitude of clicking noises were heard everywhere. In a building that looked like a sharp needle, there was a balcony with three bright mounds, probably also made of metal. But looking more closely, it was evident they had human shape.