"I was under the impression that this social event would be appropriate for you"
The disembodied voice that originated from over his right shoulder was a quiet one. He didn't jump at the sudden sound, which seemed to surprise him as much as it surprised her. Turning around in one swivelled, slow movement, he was met with darkness - that was until his eyes adjusted and he could make out the figure of a young, petite female, the dim lighting in the corner of the Ranger rooms section of the garage just illuminating her face enough so that the features could be made out - the very tired looking features which adored her face, which surfaced a large pang of worry and concern within him. Maybe now that the threat of Venjix had been taken care of he could convince her begin to look after her own health.
Mind you, Ziggy was rather worn out and tired himself. Yet rest was not an option. He had to soak up every moment possible, for Project R.A.N.G.E.R. and this past year had helped Ziggy find himself, given him a purpose and a reason, and also vanquished the consequence of a demise either at the hands of the cartels or the wastelands.
Below them, a party was being held to celebrate the eradication of Venjix, and to thank the Rangers for their deeds. Unseen to the two teenagers, the dance floor had now become the place to be. Flynn approached Gemma on the sidelines, offering a hand with his infamous Scottish smirk. The young lady took his hand and returned her own, only for the situation to go from adorable to humorous as they started, with Gem running between them, jumping up and down, and shouting "Where's the ball?", believing they were playing piggy in the middle.
"One cannot be understood for all that they are from only observation" replied Ziggy croakily.
"As if the situation could not get any more outlandish, a weirdly profound and thought-provoking quote from you Ranger Operator Series Green"
"Sorry Doc, it's a cool one though isn't it?"
Silence. Doctor K's eyes burned into Ziggy.
"Okay, sorry, won't do it again"
"Good"
Another moment of silence swept over them both, and Ziggy turned his head back to view the events below. Gem had gotten hold of Flynn's ranger jacket and was running around in circles, spinning it above his head, while Flynn was covered in ice cream. He had no idea what was going on, and he'd like to leave it at that.
"As aforementioned, I was under the impression that this social event would be appropriate for you. I enquire as to why you are not with the others Ranger Operator Series Green"
He returned his gaze to her, sighing as he did so. "Ziggy" he replied, the sigh likely adding to the significant force at which it was said.
And the force did shock the Doctor, for it was very unlike him to talk in such a way. It was then she realised that the tiredness and intelligent quotes were unlike him also, so she should be in shock of the whole situation rather than just his voice. It was in that moment though that she realised what he had said - his name. She had referred to all the others by their name since Gem and Gemma had returned, but Ziggy always had a way of making her nervous by just being around - in a good sort of way. It had surprised her, for this was one of the very limited range of emotions she had ever felt over her lifetime, and she was now enlightened to it in a new and positive way, plus it was also another person unnerving her and making her feel strangely positive around the nervousness. She left his name to her computer password and referred to him by his Ranger name instead in order to make sure she was not distracted from her work. That reminded her, she needed to thank Summer for not spilling the beans. Anyway, there was still plenty of work to be done, but Venjix was gone, surely she could break a couple of her rules now…
"The question remains the same" she stated matter-of-factly before pausing and then continuing - "Ziggy"
She took a step forward towards him, letting her weary body and head rest against the cool wall. With the step forward she could better see the rather ginormous smile adorning his face. It was very reminiscent of a child being told he now owned his favourite toy store and everything in it.
Another realisation crossed the doctor's mind as she looked up and noticed it - 'I've just made someone happy. How a simple title can cause such immense pleasure is beyond me, but I've made someone happy and also smile. Am I as cold hearted as I lead myself to believe?'
Relaxing into the railing similarly to the female in front of him, Ziggy began: "Well, since you're being polite now, it's -"
"K!" Doctor K abruptly shouted, cutting him off. It startled Ziggy a portion, what had he said in the start of his explanation that deserved a letter of the alphabet shouted at him?! It did catch the attention of a few party-goers below though. All turned back away in an instant. Apart from two. Summer saw the two together in a dark corner above and away from everyone else and couldn't stop the smirk escaping from the corner of her mouth. Dillon was also doing the same and, upon returning their glances to each other, saw the formations of their mouths and giggled like school children.
"Feel free to bypass the etiquette. Your name is Ziggy, my name is K. I do not have any knowledge or indication of any official title, but it's the letter I was assigned and the one you may use"
The explanation of the shout was followed up with a radiant smile that near-enough matched the one of Ziggy, who's grew with said explanation.
"Well, 'K'-" he began, exaggerating her name, "-I guess you could say I'm, well, kinda, um, yeah, um, a bit, you know, shy?"
K tried especially hard to keep her composure but to no avail, a small giggle escaping into her hand, her bright grin still present. "An extroverted individual such as you suffers from shyness?" she questioned silvery once half recovered.
"One, laughing isn't nice. Two, yes" It was a very oddly short reply.
She had fully recovered by the time he had finished. "Tell me, how come this was never noticeable during this past year of ranger duty?"
"I kinda had a job to do you know. I was a Power Ranger. A Power Ranger! Oh my, I was an actual Power Ranger! Wait, that means I could have my own comic! Operator Series Green - Quest For Salv-"
K's cough brought him back to earth, and also to her question.
"Anyway, yeah, job. I can't really be shy while protecting Corinth and fighting against Venjix can I? Anxiety would stop me from getting out there, finding those attack bots and beating them to a pulp like I did, and did you hear my one-liners? They were much better than Scott's weren't they!"
To this the proclaimed doctors smile grew at the edge of her mouth, and she lifted her head from the wall and slightly tilted it the other direction and an gave inquisitive look, registering what he was saying and processing another question. As she performed this movement her hair followed suit, helped by the cool breeze emitting from the room they were standing in front of. Whoever's room it was, they had definitely left all of the windows open. It, combined with the bright smile that lit up her face, caused a sharp intake of breath from Ziggy. He always thought of her as attractive, he always thought of her as radiant. But in this moment of solitary closeness, with no worries or strife, he truly registered her beauty.
"That covers your on duty excursions, but there were never any signals present off-duty?"
"Kinda the same Doc.. um.. er.. K" he began, quickly shaking his head to rid the past second, much the to amusement of the female. "Yeah, the same, this job and all. I knew I was the weak one and didn't want to look anymore, well, weak. I knew I had to come together with you and the others for meetings and stuff and that and stuff as well, and didn't want to draw attention or put anyone at risk by being the quiet person who never said anything and didn't do much and yeah. It was really hard bottling it all up the amount of times I lost sleep at night or didn't sleep at all is not a number I want to think about"
"Is the latter the reason why you were in a state of deep sleep in a full cereal bowl during one of the ranger meetings?"
Taking a swig of one of Flynn's famed smoothies that occupied his left hand, Ziggy replied "Probably, although dunno how I'm meant to remember that day when I was so tired. Or it could be the tiredness now causing it. Oh I don't know, I'm not doctor here!" The conclusion was met with a small, nasally laugh at his own pun, which quickly grew to encompass the both of them.
"I'm guessing similar circumstances were in play during your undertakings with the cartels?"
As soon as the words left her mouth K cursed herself. She had never done so before and was happy to approach a situation in whatever way she wished, but something about the way the atmosphere became slightly awkward and the way Ziggy recoiled into himself and fondled his drink with both hands made her regret talking altogether, not even just the way she had put the subject.
"I had no intention of causing of pain from the remembrance of past memories" was her response.
"It's okidokaliy. I mean, I'm going to be hanging around for a while anyway so you might as well know about me, and you only got to know the basics anyway, why I had to run away" K had allowed him to stay indefinitely within the garage seen as he had no other place to go to like the others - as long as he was helpful.
Ziggy took a deep breath before returning to speaking. "I guess you could say it was similar, it was a job and that. It was a lifeline for me as the cartels were the reason I was able to come to Corinth. I hated it - who I was associated with, what I had to do, and how I affected people. I was just trying to hold on to that lifeline and bottle everything up like with the Rangers, but the unwilling impact I was having on lives along with the other bits and bobs I mentioned just now sometimes made that impossible, so I turned to the orphanage. It was somewhere were I could secretly try and do some good away from the eyes of Fresno Bob, with a group of staff knowing me and the situation I was in. It was one day on a visit that I was told that most of the children had become ill - with the orphanage at the edge of the dome and the air filtration being rather new, it wasn't really too much of a surprise that there was an illness around, but the extent of it and the amount of kids it infected was still shocking. Going from that to being told I was stealing a truck worth millions within a few hours is a feeling I'll never forget. I remember looking in the back and seeing medical supplies. Lots and lots and lots of medical supplies. I had the choice of either taking it back to them for the cargo to be cashed in and never seen again, or take it back to the orphanage to save the lives of hundreds of kids and do something great for once, which was something I had always dreamt of doing. Bob and the rest of the cartel members were thinking of throwing me back to where they found me in the wastelands anyway because I was so useless, and this was more than likely my final job anyway, so obviously I thought I'd do the latter. You know the rest. Yeah, it was kinda similar, but more about surviving rather than fitting in"
The seconds of silence that they stood in made them even more aware of the cool breeze coming from the room to their side. But neither cared, for they were in each others company.
It was in the next second, however, that Doctor K did care. For Ziggy. She had always had a detachment from everyone else after her treatment at the hands of the same species within Alphabet Soup. She had begun to learn and understand human emotions thanks to Gem and Gemma, and upon their return was able to apply it to the Rangers, with calling them by their first name being a huge leap forward.
"I- I must apologise for the re-occurrence of emotional trauma that I have brought upon you. It certainly was not my intention"
As soon as the words left her mouth she cursed herself. 'An apology? Really?! Why! The acceptance of actions should be standard human procedure - I shouldn't be sorry for any emotional trauma left behind by a failure to do so!'
Looking up from the floor, where she'd lowered her head to contemplate her thoughts, K remembered how she had apologised earlier in the conversation also. On the route to curse herself again, her gaze returned to an emotionally drained and tired Ziggy leaning against the railing, once again staring down into the party below. The one that intrigued her the most seemed so vulnerable in this moment, and she appeared to be the cause. She had brought up his previous pain, and was on her way to seemingly interrogating him about his revelation.
"As I've said it's fine, no worries Doc"
"K!" the young female replied back instantly, as loud as the previous iteration, putting a stop to her thoughts and this topic of conversation. She lifted the corner of her mouth in a wry, apologetic way at Ziggy, who returned his infamous smile.
Flynn chuckled to himself as he ghosted up the stairs to the Ranger rooms, looking to clean-up and find a new t-shirt after the ice cream incident. He was happy to see that the good Doctor had taken upon herself to interact with Ziggy more often - there was something there, they just needed to take their time together to find it.
The now-ex Blue Ranger had a problem though - Doctor K was standing right in-front of his door and didn't look like budging. Hoping to slip past the young pair as silently and nonchalantly as possible, he simply mouthed a quick apology and carefully opened his door enough to just slip into his quarters.
"By Odin's beard it's cold in here, could've sworn I shut the windows!" he muttered to himself as he pulled the door to.
The action of Flynn entering the room had pushed K and Ziggy closer into each other. Seeing a familiar face out of the corner of her eye trying to access their personal and private quarters made her instinctively move to one side to allow them access. However, she was now closer than ever to the male in-front of her.
Ziggy's first response was to turn his beaming smile into an over-exaggerated look of surprise and shock, although when he settled and she didn't make a move away or ridicule him for the situation it turned into a soft, loving gaze down towards his female companion.
K's first reaction was to wonder why she had allowed herself to initiate this circumstance, just wanting to scream and punch her way out and retreat to a place of individual safety. But something stopped her. What stopped her was the realisation of what was in-front of her - Ziggy.
This young man had poured so much love and effort into her without her ever realising. In just this conversation he had enough trust in her to confess a deep truth that had been his personal burden. Also, during the final Venjix assault he put himself in serious harm's way in order to care for her, doing everything from confronting Venjix unmorphed to caressing her wrist to make sure that no damage was done via the handcuffs.
'Personally, I have to admit that, while inappropriate at the time of the occurrence due to the engagement against the antagonist Venjix, the contact upon release from the handcuffs was rather… well, nice..' K contemplated.
She was being to realise that Ziggy wasn't too dissimilar from her. Yeah, there was the slight gaping hole in that statement that he wasn't abducted into a government think-tank before he hit double figures. But beneath it all, he was a shy young man that wished he was in K's shoes, where he could experience as little social interaction as possible and live his life in his, private way. K just beginning to hope that he was willing to share this dream.
Slowing tilting her vision upwards, she caught the man's Adam's apple moving as he gulped. While content with the current situation, he was evidently very nervous.
Gently closing her eyes, the recently dis-titled Doctor drew in her breath slowly and deeply, drinking in the smell of the man before her. Venjix has been defeated, and she was here alone with the one that interested and intrigued her the most. She wanted to remember this day for the rest of hers, for it would be the start of something new.
"Ziggy?" K tenderly muttered.
"K?" was the whispered response.
"At a previous time I was provided with a duad of sleeping bags. Fetch a good deal of Mr Marshmallow and convene my lab at midnight. Might as well try one of these movie things"