Disclaimer: I don't own SPD.
Title: Independence Day
Just a small thing I wrote for Independence Day. My country, India, celebrates 60 years of independence from the British rule on 15th August this midnight.
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Sky frowned as he looked around at various clothes which had been scattered about his and Bridge's shared room. He stepped over a pair of pants on the floor and walked over to his dresser where a small piece of paper was lying.
Sky, it read, gone to run an errand. Be back soon. Love, Bridge.
"Hey Sky!" a cheerful voice came from behind him and the Red Ranger turned to see the writer of the note step into the room, narrowly avoiding the clothes scattered everywhere. Bridge was carrying a large shopping bag in his hand.
"Hey. Why does our room look like a class-five tornado tore through it?"
"I was looking for some clothes."
"Not enough blue?" Sky smirked and then came close to Bridge until they were barely an inch apart. "You know I could take care of that."
Bridge smiled and shoved Sky back playfully, "Not today. I have to go meet my cousin. That's why I was out shopping."
"Cousin doesn't like blue?" Sky said blandly, fingering one of the shirts thrown on the bed.
"She loves it actually. Today's just a special occasion."
"What's so special about today?"
"I'll show you," Bridge walked into their shared bathroom with his bag and came out five minutes later wearing an orange T-shirt, green cargo pants and a white jacket.
"What's with the colors?" Sky stared.
Bridge sat down on his green bed and patted the spot next to him. Sky sat down and Bridge fingered his jacket.
"First of all, my cousin is Indian," Bridge stated and pulled his laptop to the bed as well. He showed Sky the picture of a flapping orange, white and green flag which had a blue circle in the centre of the white strip which was divided into twelve parts.
"This is the national flag of the Indians. It's also a major reason why I'm dressed like this," Bridge looked at Sky, who nodded.
"Today is the 15th of August. It was on this day that India gained freedom from the British rule after nearly two hundred years. Today is Independence Day for them."
"Like how ours is the fourth of July?" Sky asked and Bridge nodded.
"Yup. You see, India was a rich and prosperous country which attracted many traders back in the 15th century. As time went on, more traders arrived and finally the British arrived as well. After a few decades, they established themselves as the rulers of the country and the Indians began to suffer. The unhappiness of the people led to revolts, the first being the revolt of 1857. At that time, a lawyer by the name of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was appalled by the treatment of people in Africa. When he returned to India, he realised that the Indians could not win by violence, so he started a movement called 'Satyagraha'. He told people to protest, but peacefully and without bloodshed. It was amazing, Sky, on how they finally over through the British rule without fighting. He's not called the 'Father of the Nation'. At midnight, on the 15th of August, 1947, India finally became a free country."
Sky looked awed at Bridge's story and looked back at the picture of the flag, "Did you learn all this for your cousin?"
"She loves her country a lot. She takes great pride in her citizenship. I think this would really make her happy."
"Bridge?" Sky questioned.
"Hmm?"
"Can I meet her too?"
"I already told her that you would be coming. She's really eager to meet the man who stole her favorite cousin's heart," he smiled.
"Sounds like a great person," Sky smiled back, "she's not freaked out about…"
"No. She was really supportive and she's not homophobic at all. Anyway, change quickly cause I have to meet her in an hour."
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"So we're meeting her here?" Sky questioned as he and Bridge sat at a table outside an Italian restaurant.
"Yup. She's Indian, but she loves Italian food," Bridge grinned, "especially buttery pasta!" his fingers wiggled.
"Still have no control over that?" a female voice asked from behind him and the two of them looked over to see a young brunette with red and gold streaks in her hair and brown eyes standing there watching Bridge with a smile.
"Tina!" Bridge grinned and hugged her.
"Hey! I'm getting hugged by my national flag!" she laughed and hugged him back. She looked over at Sky, "and you are?"
"Schyuler Tate," the Red Ranger stood up and shook her hand.
"No need to be so formal! You're practically family now!" she laughed.
"Call me Sky then," Sky grinned as they all sat down.
"So Bridge, what's with the get up?" Tina eyed him with an amused smile.
"Happy Independence Day!" Bridge smiled.
"Thanks! It's hard to believe it's been sixty years," she sighed wistfully.
"You really love your country, huh?" Sky looked at her with a grin.
"Yup. I take pride in the fact that I'm an Indian. I love Newtech, but I still miss home," she said with a small smile.
"So I brought a part of home to you!" Bridge grinned, trying to cheer her up.
"You sure did!" she laughed.
Sky sat there quietly watching the cousins interact until Tina turned to him.
"So, how long have you been together?" she asked him, smirking as Bridge blushed.
"Nearly a year," Sky smiled at Bridge who smiled back.
"You two really love each other, huh?" she looked in between them.
"Yup," they both answered together.
"Well, Sky, I think I should warn you that if you ever hurt my cousin, I will hurt you badly," she said seriously, but with a smile.
"I'll keep that in mind," Sky joked and they all laughed.
"So, Bridge was telling me a lot about your country's history and he mentioned someone called Mohandas Karamchand-"
"Gandhi," Tina finished for him, "would you like to know more about him?"
"Yes," Sky nodded.
"He was an Indian lawyer who studied in London and practiced in South Africa. He was a slight, old man, but he had bravery and determination to make up for all that. He spent years in prison, but he never wavered from his path. He influenced the people of our country and brought them together as one force. I doubt if you will ever find such a man ever again. I remember a saying from long ago about him, 'Historians can never believe that such a man once walked this earth'," she said with a smile.
"He sounds like a great man," Sky nodded.
"The greatest. Only thinking about the good of the country, never about himself. The only sad thing is, that nowadays people are forgetting about him. Barely anyone remembers him these days. It's really saddening," she sighed.
Bridge put his hand on his cousin's shoulder, "It happens. People need to realize that instead of remembering him by putting pictures on the walls or books and notes, they should follow the path he showed."
"Thanks for the comfort Bridge, but I already know that someday, people will realize this as well," she smiled.
"It's times like this when you can tell that you two are related," Sky smiled.
"Huh?" Bridge looked at his boyfriend.
"Optimism," Sky chuckled and they all started laughing as their food arrived.
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"Do you have to leave so soon?" Bridge whined.
"Bridge, you know that I still have to finish college!" Tina sighed.
"But can't you stay longer?"
"I'll come again during the summer!" she offered and Bridge perked up, letting go of her arm.
"Okay, see in summer then!" he nodded.
"Sky, it was nice to meet you!" she turned to the Ranger in question.
"It was great to meet you too. Have a safe trip!" Sky shook her hand, but she hugged him and then hopped onto the train.
"I told that you're family now!" she laughed as the train began to move.
"See you in a couple months!" Bridge yelled as the doors closed. Tina waved once more and the train began t pick up speed, passing the platform in a few seconds.
Bridge pouted as the train went further off, "I wish she had stayed longer."
"Me too. I would've like to get to know her better," Sky sighed.
"Well, we better get back to base. The commander will get all growly again," Bridge put his hands up in the shape of claws on the word 'growly'.
The next week, Bridge and Sky shuffled into their room after a hard morning training to see a package on each of their beds.
"It's from Tina!" Bridge said excitedly, ripping into his package as Sky opened his as well. Inside both packages, there was a T-shirt which had a thick orange, white and green strip running horizontally on it and half a blue divided circle on each, Bridge's was on the left side and Sky's was on the right.
Bridge picked up the note as both he and Sky put on their T-shirts and read it.
These shirts are like you two. Incomplete without the other half. You two are incomplete without each other. Love, Tina.
Bridge understood immediately and sat down next to Sky, sticking against him. The two looked down to see that the two halves of the circle had joined together and they now looked like a living flag. Bridge smiled as he looked Sky.
"Incomplete unless there's unity."
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Yes, I know I used self-insertion. Can't blame me for my fantasy. Kinda pointless I know, but I'll except reviews nonetheless. JAI HIND! That means 'Long Live India'. Happy Independence day to those Indians who are reading this. You are part of a great country, let's keep this country great.