Disclaimer: I do not own either Power Rangers or Banana Fish nor do I make any profit from these words.

This one's for my friend Seithr-Kairy, who introduced me to Banana Fish.

NOTE - "/Speech bracketed like this signifies Japanese./"

A CALLENREESE BY ANY OTHER NAME

CHAPTER 1

I was seven the first time I was raped. It was my little league coach. A 'respected' war vet. Respected. What a joke. I didn't say anything. I mean even then I knew. Who'd believe some little kid over the word of a 'respected' man? But my old man saw me and he dragged me to the police station to 'report' it. Don't know why he bothered anyway. It's not like he was ever there.

I remember that cop too. Can't forget him. He taught me exactly how much you can trust the cops. Or rather how little. He said a lot of shit that day but it's the last that really stuck. 'You probably seduced him. Didn't you?'

I didn't say anything. I knew I was on my own there. Griffin would've stopped him. But then Griff was a world away, fighting a war. Can't protect anyone through a letter. So I just stayed silent and gave thanks little Tommy wasn't there. Tommy, my five year old little brother from the old man's third wife, liked to stay home and draw more than he liked any kind of sports. He's the quiet one of us. That's why the old man got a chance to see me you know. I was hiding it from my little brother. Tommy would have known something was wrong. He's real empathic like that.

Then we were home again, I was finally getting cleaned up and I heard the old man talking. I tried to tune him out, ignore him, but then he got right in my face, looked me in the eyes and said, 'Listen. If any weirdo catches you and tries anything funny you just keep quiet and let him do what he wants. But when its over you just makes sure the bastard pays you.'

I knew we were really on our own then. The old man wouldn't try to protect us at all. Not that I expected anything different. He always left that to Griffin. With Griff off at war, that just meant it was left to me now.

I left then. Went over to the house where me and Tommy and Griff lived separate from the old man and new woman. The one that replaced Tommy's mother. Tommy smiled when I walked in and he held out a picture he drew. Even hurting like I was from that bastard, I couldn't help but smile as I looked at it. A family portrait. Our realfamily. Me and Griff on either side of our little Tommy. He could always make me feel better and there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for him.

That's why I got the gun. It'd been a year then and I just put up with it you know. But then the bastard started in on Tommy. Got Tommy to his house. I saw them go in and I just … I had to do something. I had to protect my little brother.

The old man kept a gun in his bedroom. I ran home, got the gun and ran back as fast as I could. I wasn't on time. He'd already hurt my little brother. Took his innocence. He was six years old. Only six. Well, when I came in the bastard smiled. He fucking smiled. Thought he'd take a turn at me again since I was there. I let him get close then I pulled the trigger. Emptied the fucking clip into him. Didn't feel a thing.

I was eight years old when I first killed a man and I didn't feel a thing. I cried that night because I killed a man and I felt nothing.

The cops came and they found his basement was full of bones of other kids. It caused this major media stir. Ruined the town's reputation, at least that's what everyone kept telling me. Said it was my fault. My fault. Assholes. I didn't care really. Didn't feel a thing. But Tommy … They blamed him too, 'cause he was there that day. The hurt just kept building in him. I didn't feel a thing but Tommy always felt everything. So we ran. I packed a bag with some clothes and food and the cash the old man kept in his drawer and we ran away. There was no other choice. Tommy's my little brother. I had to protect him.

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Continued - Let me know what you think. Review