Limbic Resonance

"I don't want anyone else to die because of me."

The old church is abandoned and cold. Zordon is shaking, desperate to find more of the blockers, but he's used up all of what he had. There's no more heroin left, either, or any other drug that used to work. There's no delaying it now.

"They'll be hunted.", Alpha says, standing on the other side. His presence has been faint for the past hour, but growing stronger as the blockers wore off. His face is stoic, but every now and then it twiches with Zordon's pain. "Born or unborn. At least you can give them a fighting chance.", Alpha is now closer, his hand finding Zordons and holding it tight.

Zordon becomes overcome with pain lying down on the worn out matress. He lets out a scream, hoarse and broken, before suddunely he's back up, returning Alpha's hold.

"I see them."

Perth, Australia

If Jason thought his headache was strong yesterday, then today it's a full-blown fucking migraine. He tries to write it off to stress of starting the new year of school after the infamous scandal of last year that made him the talk of the town, but knows that it can't quite be it. Maybe it's from over-exhaustion - he's been exercising tirelessly during entire summer break in order to ensure that there is no reason coach can't put him back on the rugby team - he did his community service - and also has notes from five different doctors that his leg is as good as new (and he's pretty damn adamant to keep the slight onsets of pain every now and again solely between himself and God and no one else).

He wasn't intent on letting one bad decision ruin his chances at a scholarship. He wanted to leave this place, wanted to make something more of himself.

But it seemed like the universe had other plans because even though Jason's pretty sure he's had half the aspirins in his bottle already, the damn migraine just won't stop, and he's got try-outs next period.

He can barely keep his focus during math class - and he's almost certain some of his friends already noticed - but sucks it up and changes into gym clothes and heads out into the field. The first fifteen minutes, he feels almost fine, forgetting about the piercing pain in his head for a while. But, as he's about to tackle an opponent and get the ball, he stops in his tracks.

There's a man in the middle of the field, dressed in worn-out and somewhat ripped clothes, looking like Death itself.

And he's looking straight at Jason.

London, England, UK

Kimberly feels like dying.

No, quite legitimately. She feels like she is about three seconds away from her secure death, and she knows she messed up on so many levels, but she doesn't think a proper punishment form the universe is this much fucking pain. For most of the week, she could deal with it. But right now? No bloody way.

"You don't seem to have a fever.", her mother says and Naomi wants to scream. If she's not on her period, and she's not sick, then what the hell could be causing her this godforsaken headache?

"I'm dying.", she says. "I am quite certain that I am dying."

Her mother looks at her softly. "Kim, dear. Are you sure you're in pain? Or is it because you don't want to see your friends?", she approaches the subject carefully. Kimberly is nothing short of outraged, but the pain is causing her to be unable to react as she wants to.

"Mum, if I was scared about seeing my friends, I wouldn't have gone to school at all for the past month.", she says and there's bitterness in her voice, accompanied by resigned guilt and self-hate for the mistakes she's made and wishes she could take back. But, history can't be re-written so she lives with her mistakes. Lives with them until she could make up for them, when she can't fix them.

Her mother's look is apologising and Kim manages a smile. She grabs her mothers hand. "I could never make this type of pain up, Mum."

Her mother nods, muttering something about making her tea and bringing her a few aspirins before she leaves the room. "I'll call the school, tell them you're ill.", she says from the doorway. "If the headache isn't gone by tomorrow, we'll go see the doctor."

Kim smiles gratefully as her mother shuts the door. Her open blinds are the only thing bringing light into the room - seriously, is today the one day it chooses to be sunny in Britain? - which does nothing to help her headache. Kim takes a deep breath and musters the strength to get off the bed to close them. She feels a bit dizzy once up, but manages to find her balance quickly and finds her way to the window.

She's about to close the blinds when her eyes find a figure standing on the other side of the street, not at all dressed for British weather - or even decently enough to simply go outside.

She tries not to think much of it, really.

Until the man looks directly at her.

Jacksonville, Florida, USA

He's arranging his colored pencils by primary colors on the top of his desk. He didn't think his lunchbox would actually blow up - he thought he had all his calcultions down correctly, but he might've made a mistake, he was doing all the numbers in his head and could've gotten distracted, which is why he always writes things down.

Alas, now he has to spend the rest of the afternoon in detention. He doesn't mind, he appreciates new experiences and maybe this is where he'll finally meet a friend. He could use someone to take on the camping trip he usually took with his father around sometime this month, and everything beats going alone or, worse yet, going with his mother who overreacts on the smallest insect. Billy loves his mother, he does, and he understands that she doesn't like insects the way he doesn't like many other things, and he accepts that. He also doesn't want to discomfort her into going on a trip she doesn't like, since she's already done so much for him.

He'll go alone. It'd be a good experience.

Sadly, detention passes with no new developments in any area - especially that in friendship - and Billy sighs as he picks up his things and puts the schoolbag on his shoulders.

Billy is halfway home when he finally gets a new experience; there's a man standing a few feet away from him, and even though Billy's never loved holding eye contact for too long, he can't find it in himself to look away.

He can't find it in himself to move, either.

Maybe he did find a friend.

Ciudad de México, México

Trinidad does her afternoon yoga every day at the same time, on the same hill near her family house. It's close enough that her mother never gives her any issues, and away enough that she can't hear the loud mess that is her family.

It also gives her the opportunity to clear her head, think through things, deal with the fact that they've moved her maybe a week ago and probably won't stay for longer than a year, at most, if even that. As she moves positions, she tries to decide if maybe she should try and make some friends this year, make an effort, maybe find a girlfriend - to the inevitable fury of her parents.

She wonders if maybe she should try to make this a home.

Trini changes positions again, her control impeccable, when she can feel someone's eyes on her. She first thinks it's her mother, or one of her family members, and waits for them to dare interrupt her, keeping an ear open to sounds beyond her music just in case. She's not about to finish her session anytime soon - definitely not for someone from her family - but as she switches two more positions and nothing changes, no sound beyond her music is heard but the feeling of eyes on her is relentless, she gives in, pulling down her headphones and leaving the position she was in.

She's about to open her mouth and tell anyone that's there to fuck off, but she barely makes it past the first syllable.

There's a man standing there. He's older and wearing raggedy clothes, his face looks worn out, as if he hasn't slept in weeks, and under his rolled up sleeves she can see bruises on his hands, like he's been using.

She wants to call for help, wants to tell him to leave her alone, but there's something about him that intrigues her, makes her think.

They stay there in silence, their eyes locked on each other.

Fuzhou, China

He finishes off his training exercise with one final blow to the punching back. His muscles are sore, indicating he's overworked himself. Zack was supposed to only be in the gym for an hour, two tops, but apparently his issues have piled up a bit too much to be dealt with in one hour long punching session.

He takes his water bottle and drinks most of it in a few long sips, taking the rest and pouring it over himself. He checks his phone for messages and sees that his mother called twice. It causes him immediate worry, but he knows she might be sick but is well enough to take the medicine he's left on the counter by her bed herself once the alarm rings. Still, his fingers are already a beat away from dialling the number when someone calls his name, a flier dropping in his lap.

"I got you in.", Myung tells him. "You looked like you could use a fight."

Zack smiles gratefully and gets up, hugging him. "You have no idea.", he says. "Thank you."

"All you gotta do is win!", Myung says. "I'm putting some big money on you."

"You know I won't let you down.", Zack laughs.

He says his goodbyes and makes his way to the dressing room. His headache is bearable, but exhausting himself definitely didn't help on that front, even if it did soothe other things on his mind.

He quickly showers and changes clothes, stuffing all of his things into his bag, before he goes and refills his water bottle. The water is soothing on his bruised knuckles, and Zack cups some of it and leans down to wash his face, refreshing himself.

When he looks back up, he's startled by the reflection of another man in the mirror. He turns around, but all the words he thought of saying get stuck in his throat as he looks into the mans eyes.

And the man's eyes look straight back into Zack's.

Zordon pulls Alpha closer, his hand on the other man's neck, foreheads touching. "Protect them.", he says, voice quiet and shaky but firm at the same time.

Alpha nods. He can hear the faint sound of cars coming closer. "They're here."

Zordon looks away. "So is she.", he says and Rita is there, by his side, a devilish smirk on her face.

Alpha shakes his head. "Fight her.", he encourages. He cannot see Rita, but he can feel how her presence shakes Zordon even more.

"I can't."

"Does she know?", Alpha asks, moving so he can look Zordon in the eyes. Zordon nods.

Rita closes up on Zordon. "You're giving birth.", her voice causes chills to go down Zordon's spine. He tries to ignore her, not looking away from Alpha.

"Go.", his voice is firm, the shakiness gone for the first time.

"Is that Alpha?", Rita whispers, her lips by Zordon's ear. "Tell him I can't wait to meet him."

Zodron ignores her. "You promised me. Now go. I can't do it if you're here.

Alpha nods. "I will protect them.", he says and disappears, even if reluctantly.

Zordon feels emptier than before, missing Alpha's presence. He was the only one Zordon had left from his cluster. There are holes in his heart where the others have been, but he doesn't let the pain overtake him.

Rita cannot get him alive.

He reaches under the matress and grabs a gun. Lifting it up slowly, he can feel Rita chuckle.

"Oh, come on, now.", she taunts. "How many times have you made that threat?"

Zordon continues bringing the gun closer to his mouth.

"We both know you're not going to do it. You can't.", Rita says. "You've always been too weak.", he can feel her fingers by his head, caressing him. "You're coming home, Zordon, with me."

"No.", Zordon replies as the doors to the church open and a group of people stomp in, Rita in the front.

"Give me the gun.", Rita in front of him says as the projection of her by his side speaks as well. "Put the gun down."

"No.", Zordon repeats.

He has to protect them.

The man in front of them now holds a gun.

He puts it into his mouth, his eyes still locked on theirs.

He pulls the trigger.