It was night time, and once more Rocky was staring off at the moon.
Another monster had attacked, and yet he felt a call. A strange one, as
if he was supposed to be out there fighting and not in here. Not watching
the world pass him by. He hadn't really known what had possessed him to
give the powers to the needy little boy from the center. Justin. what a
twist that was.
As it was most of the rangers were still angry at him about it. So angry
that Adam had quit talking to him until he 'cooled off and was rational
again.' Tommy, as it was had been avoiding him, even though he taught a
class at Rocky's new school.
And he was voiding everything else in general. The community college had
called, asking him if he was still interested in taking the business classes
in the fall, and he still hadn't made up his mind.
Not that he actually missed being a ranger. The constant danger to friends
and family, not to mention the lying, has basically destroyed nearly any
and all relationships. He was virtually a stranger to his youngest brother,
and knew almost nothing about him except he liked the new cartoon show
called Nightmare Ned.
Any romantic entanglements had been crushed and shattered under the morphing
boot heels of protection, except one. He had asked for time off, a chance
to think, get his breathe back. She'd given it, and the last time he'd
seen Mack was off in the distance at a movie theater. Her hair wasn't curly
anymore, instead laying in thick sheen of molten lava flowing across her
shoulders. She'd never called, to tell him about her decision to change
her hair. Rocky bit his lip in remorse. he didn't know wither it hurt that
she never called him, or came over and was doing like he asked, or that
she agreed so easily and didn't fight him about it.
He'd heard from Tanya that Billy had come back from Aquiatar, much younger
than the last time they'd all seen him, but changed. When he'd asked her
how, she didn't know how to put it into words. More quiet than before,
she'd hazarded a guess. that didn't sound right, what had happened? Was
he struck Mute? Billy had been the most introverted guy he'd ever meet,
and now he was even more so? Not a good sign of what had went down on water
world.
Rocky shrugged, shifting down into himself. If the others were pissed about
Justin being a ranger how would Billy react to him handing the blue over
to a hyper nine year old. Not well at all. Rocky didn't relish facing the
first blue ranger, and to hear what he had to say about the entire ordeal.
At least when Tommy yelled at him, Rocky could begin to comprehend what
he was yelling about.
So here he was, at Monster park, laying across a table, staring up at the
stars. Hot and humid, his light grey shirt sticking to him with sweat,
he still felt cold. And so Alone.
"I used to come here to contemplate myself," Billy spoke form
the head of the table. Groaning, Rocky leaned his head back, looking at
the upside down Billy. "And the lack of it all."
"What lack?" Rocky rolled over, running a hand nervously through
his short hair.
"The absence of the power," Billy smiled softly, knowing from
similar experience that Rocky probably didn't want to talk about it. "It
starts out slow at first, a simple lack. Like eating an apple when what
you really need a entire porter house steak, and the potatoes. By the time
It runs its course, you have cut yourself off from everyone and everything
you've loved."
"Yeah, I guess," Rocky agreed, looking back up at the stars.
"I've seen Mackenzie," Billy prodded, sitting down on the bench.
Rocky flinched, but kept quiet. "Perhaps you can call her."
"I saw her the other day," Rocky sighed. "She didn't seem
to be doing bad."
"Appearances are deceiving," Billy replied. "Don't be a
fool. And don't make her wait while you get your head straightened. She
needs to hear from you even if its merely to make salutations."
"Huh?" Rocky's eyebrows rose.
"Say hi." Billy smiled.
"Oh." Rocky nodded. "Cool word."
"Thank you." Billy glanced at the sky, breathing in the comfort
of the stars back in their regular clusters.
"Thought I'd find you here!" A voice shouted out, as Tommy ran
up over the hill.
"A party, great," Rocky snorted, laying back on the table.
"I'd've been here sooner, but...." Tommy tapped his wrist with
a sigh. "How's it going?"
"Strangely quiet," Billy remarked. "I've gotten a yeah,
huh, and an oh as responses to my inquires."
"Uh Yeah," Tommy nodded, hands on his hips. "Look, man,
are you all right?"
"Fine," Rocky replied, losing himself in the blackness of the
sky.
"Oh boy," Tommy sat down at the table. "I know what its
like to lose your powers, but man don't cut us off."
"Who's been cutting who off?" Rocky snapped, sitting up. "Not
me."
"Between teaching classes and Rangers and driving, I've got no time,
not to mention any brainpower to spare," Tommy explained. "If
I seem rushed, I am. I'm not avoiding you, at least not cause I'm mad at
you. I know that you've been wanting some space. I'm trying to give it
to you."
"Right," Rocky rolled his eyes, laying back down.
"I'm sorry, I never meant to cut you off," Tommy sighed. "Seriously."
The small watch on his wrist sounded, and Tommy resisted the urge to rip
it off.
"You should answer that," Billy remarked at the torn look crossing
Tommy's lean face.
The guilt flooded his face, as he laid a strong hand on Rocky's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, okay?" Tommy shook his head. "I never meant
you to think I was avoiding you for any other reason than respecting your
space."
"Sure," Rocky spoke, not knowing whether to nod and play dumb
as usual, or tell him how bad it hurt. That Tommy, the last person he'd
expected it out of, after all they'be been through together, had left him
behind, and never looked back once. Not even to say, 'yeah I've been there.
I know what your feeling. It'll get better man, with time.'
His watch sounded again, and Tommy took a step back, his lips vanishing
into a serious line of anger. "I'll be back," he glared at his
wrist. "Don't be pissed, okay, Rocky."
"It's all cool, Tommy," Rocky agreed, and the funny thing was,
he was being completely honest. Watching, seeing his friend, the look of
concentration, the worry that had aged Tommy from friend to hardened man
in minutes, Rocky was no longer upset. In fact, he was worried. What if
the monster got lucky, and Tommy got hurt? What if Adam or Tanya or even
Justin got nailed hard? An uneasy ache settled in his stomach. How had
Billy handled it calmly and not go stark raving bonkers with panic?
With a flash of red, Billy and Rocky were alone in the park again.
"It's kind of funny, but we're unique in a way," Billy mused,
watching the stars. "I mean I've been blue and stayed blue. But Adam,
he's been green, black, and black. Only Tommy has been the green. It makes
them different in a way. Just like us."
"I've been red red and blue," Rocky sighed, "What's the
point?"
"I don't know but why did you get the blue?" Billy questioned.
"You retrieved the red zeo crystal, and yet you received the blue
powers. Its rather an interesting question."
"That's right," Rocky rolled over, propping himself up on his
elbow. "But ....wait a minute."
"Do you realize that you didn't give up the zeo powers?" Billy
stated, a wide grin touching his face.
"I am such a idiot!" Rocky clapped a hand to his forehead. "But
I still feel empty."
"So do I, and yet I still have the inner power from Phadoes,"
Billy sighed. "But it still doesn't explain the loss and the how terrible
the ache in my soul."
"Maybe it's everything that we've given up for the rangers, the world,"
Rocky curled his legs up, knees to his chest. "The loss of family,
and a normal life."
"I never took that line of thought before," Billy glanced over
at Rocky with surprise. "That's a good proposal."
"Mack said that you got a application to some college while you were
at Aquitar," Rocky broached the subject gently, instead of his usual
directness. "Do you plan on going?"
"I am not sure of that venture at this moment," Billy admitted,
his voice showing his reluctance. "I feel like I have lost so much
but if I don't go, I might be losing more. I want things to say the same
and yet be willing to go forward."
"That's how I feel," Rocky sighed, clutching his knees tightly
to his chest. "It's not easy. It's a cross roads thing. If I go here,
what happens? Is it the mistake of my life or the best thing in the world?
I'm taken over the school, but what if I want more thirty years from now?
I don't do good at things like this."
"No one does, but it still doesn't explain what it is with what is
happening with the powers," Billy scratched his head. "I believe
it may be us achieving adult hood, that is why the gold powers didn't stay
with Jason. Not his human body but that fact that it's his adult human
body. With a changing adolescent body the power can adhere. But with a
adults, it may be too taxing."
"Okay, you figured it out," Rocky laughed, the first laugh to
come out of him in weeks. "How was that hard?"
"Because up until ten minutes ago, I had no clue," Billy laughed
with him. "Feeling better?"
"Yes and no," Rocky admitted. "I still feel hollow but not
as bad. Thanks."
"Glad to be of help," Billy stood up, dusting the dirt off his
pants. "There's this tall red headed girl waiting for you."
"Waiting?" Rocky shook his head. "I think she waits for
No one."
"For you, Blue, she might make an exception," Billy clapped Rocky
on the shoulder.
"She does for you too," Rocky noted. "I think it is the
color blue. We're lucky."
"Its our secret," Billy grinned, wrapping an arm around Rocky's
shoulders. "Lets get to the diner."
"Yeah I am hungry all the sudden," Rocky smiled, as Billy began
laughing hard. "What?"
"Nothing," Billy laughed. "Some things are still delightfully
the same!"
"Hey, isn't Justin like a Blue too?" Rocky asked, as Billy cocked
an eyebrow at him.
"Let's not push the boundaries of believability," Billy winked.
