Standard disclaimer here; that said I always wondered about Merrick and Zen-Aku after the series when they traveled on their road of redemption. In this AU Princess Shayla never took the jackets and morphers…..Merrick and Zen-Aku are travelling seeking redemption…
Sorry it has taken this long…
Wolf in Ranger's Clothing
'What's happening? Where is everybody?' Merrick shook his head and looked around; nothing made sense; it was day but it looked like the world was ending; there were howls from all corners and they sounded familiar…-oh no, it can't be.- It was there; it was huge; it was a wolf; and it was HIS wolf!
"NO!"
He awoke with a start and looked around then at his wrist. It was still there: his lunar caller that would allow him to become the Lunar Wolf Ranger. That meant his wolf zord was still out there and waiting for his call if needed. He breathed a sigh of relief that the Princess had allowed them to keep the morphers and jackets of the Wild Force.
"Another bad dream 'Old Friend'? " Those words from that mouth made Merrick whirl; Zen-Aku sat at the fire with a bemused attitude. "Yes. Very bad. The world was ending is some form of Armageddon and my Wolf attacked me in the process." Although his face could not change expression the duke org managed to convey both surprise and concern; he knew the bond Merrick had with his Wild Zords and the thought of him being attacked by them was bizarre at best. The closest he could come was when he and Merrick had shared the same identity and he had briefly taken possession of the crystals.
"At least some of the places we have been have been relatively quiet. We have done some good in our quest for redemption Merrick." "True. And some cases we have just been good company." He smiled wryly especially at the memory of Cross World City. He had finally convinced that thick-headed Ryan Steele to ask Kaitlin Starr for a date. When visiting Leawood and meeting the Masked Rider it had taken all of his skill and the help of Zen-Aku to route the Plague Patrol; that one Merrick definitely put in the plus column, it had been a long and hard fight.
"Any ideas on where or when the vision will occur?" Zen-Aku knew that Merrick had visionary abilities and Merrick could tell the difference between a nightmare and a future vision. "No. I wish I could; it looked like I should recognize it somehow." Despite the early hour they began sparring to keep in training and hoping they would not need the workout; but they would: they always did.
Sitting by the rock garden in Kyoto Merrick began meditating in hopes it would lead to some clarity regarding the future. That was when he recognized the place and time: it was Here. But that bothered him because despite the devastation in the vision there was no way it could be in the near future.
"Merrick?" "What?" "You mentioned being attacked by your Wolf; when we shared a body we captured four crystals and turned them against the rangers, remember?" He most definitely did. "What about it?" The only way for your wolf to try to harm you is for someone else to capture the crystal who is not inherently evil and also connected to the Wild Zords. Did you see the other two?" "Not but it seemed like not just one Wolf but several; they were all around me. Was the vision literal or symbolic? I guess we will just have to wait and see. Meanwhile we should press on and go wherever the wind takes us."
Somewhere….Sometime…."Excellent Merrick. Your visions may help save my world after all."
I know it's not very exciting but Merrick is a hard character to write for so I decided to use him as a set-up story. Have you guessed the identity of the Watcher yet?