Decisions and Choices
A.N: Hmm, this wasn't on the schedule, was it? Anyway, this is a short story, set during my previous story, Aftershock. The two main characters come from there, so if you want to know more about one, read Aftershock.
This is set during chapter eight, just after Kat finishes talking with Isinia
This was heavily inspired last night when I watched KT Tunstall's 'Another Place to Fall' music video. No, not a song fic, but merely inspired by it. You can find the video on Youtube, and I can't link it here. Sorry.
This is my first attempt at this kind of story, so bear with me, please. Reviews would be appreciated, thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers, and the song which this was inspired by belongs to the wonderful KT Tunstall.
It was cold, it was dark, and it was rainy.
All of dark, moody conditions around him reflected his inner thoughts and mind, even his clothing.
The streets of Newtech were shiny, reflecting the light which shone upon them from the lights above. None of that brightness was within Therntia. He was too caught up in his thoughts, and bumped into another person hurrying through the rain.
"Sorry," he muttered.
The person just kept walking.
Another flash of lighting ripped through the clouds, and another thunderclap exploded in the sky above. Endless torrents of rain poured down, soaking into his being.
The drops were hard, relentless, and unforgiving.
It was something that he knew he deserved.
Walking into an establishment he knew was friendlier than others, he entered, and sat down heavily on a stool. Strange that of all places, here, sitting in a bar in a city that he was helping to besiege, was where he went to find shelter.
Not from the rain. From his demons. From her.
Briskly ordering his drink, and paying for it with what money he still kept with him, Therntia sighed heavily as he took his first drink of the intoxicating substance that held so many others in its grip throughout the bar. Putting the glass down, he reflected on how he had gotten here.
He had met Kat Manx what seemed a hundred years ago at the Science Academy. Things were shaky between them at the best of times, and at the worst, it was an outright brawl. It was an odd sight, seeing a human male roll on the floor fighting with a cat-human female.
They had left on the worst terms, and after so many years, he still hadn't forgotten her.
And now, he had met her, and as a result of meeting her, he was driven halfway insane, with her voice echoing through his mind.
Another clap of thunder.
Raising his glass again, he drank again. He had used the teleporter to take him to the outskirts of Newtech. From there on, he had walked through what was originally a cloudy night, and then through an endless rainstorm.
With a wave, and an exchange of a few words and some money, he had gotten his glass refilled, and had taken another drink.
Already he could feel the drink's effect on him.
Another couple sat down next to him, and ignored the soaked person drinking alone.
Therntia waved the barman over, and ordered a much larger glass. Receiving his order, he took it, and walked into a darker, quieter section of the bar, a corner, to be exact. The table was raised off the ground, and the seats were merely raised stalls bolted into the ground. He sat at the one which allowed him a full view of the bar.
From here, he could sit and think quietly, and watch the rest of the patrons dance and drink the night away without a care in the world. He had drank half his glass, and deciding that he had enough, he was about to get up and leave, when a voice from behind him purred, "Hello Therntia."
He froze. No, not here, not now, not her, he thought, panicked, before Kat Manx's head slid next to his, her chin just above his shoulder, her face centimetres away from his. She was so close, that he could almost feel the heat radiating from her. He rose to get up.
"Why are you in such a rush? Sit down," she purred quietly.
Seeing no alternative, he sat down. Kat remained standing behind him, her body almost touching his. He thought he smelt the faintest trace of alcohol in her breath.
"Why are you here?" he mumbled, refusing to face her. "To arrest me?"
Kat laughed in a low tone. It wasn't a joyous laugh. It was almost a sadistic laugh.
"Where would I benefit from that?" Kat still purred in that low tone.
This wasn't Kat. He had known her, and never had she done anything like this, to him or anyone he knew.
"Then leave me alone."
"On the contrary, I thought my stay would be quite…beneficial…for the both of us," Kat whispered into his ear. "And you seem to need the company."
Her breath was warm, and when it touched the bare skin of his neck he shivered.
"Go away," he mumbled, taking another drink.
"That's the way you treat an old friend? I thought that I might stay a little. Just so that things are…cleared up."
Therntia did his best to ignore her.
"Poor, poor Therntia," Kat whispered. "So lonely, so wet, so…afraid…"
Kat's hand slowly ran down the length of his arm.
"What are you talking about?" Therntia hissed, turning around.
Kat had a predatory grin on her face, and moved closer, despite him thinking it was impossible for them to.
"You are afraid, aren't you? You're afraid of what will happen to you, what we will do to you, what Malignticous will do to you."
Kat's head inched back until her face wasn't visible anymore, until she re-appeared to his left.
"But then again, you already knew what was going to happen, didn't you?"
Once more, Kat's hand slid across his arm, back up, and then down again.
"Are you proud Therntia, of what you have done? Are you?" Kat whispered.
"Are you proud, that you've successfully met with the Troobians, that you've done something for them, that you've become a traitor?"
"I'm not going to answer you."
"Of course you aren't. Since when have you?"
Kat's hand wandered up to his shoulder, and brushed away some matted, wet hair.
"You really don't know, do you? Is that why you're afraid of answering? Because you are not sure if you really are proud?"
More thunder drowned out the excited murmur of the other patrons, but to Therntia, they were long gone.
"Why are you tormenting me?" he hissed, holding his head in his hands. "Can't you see that I've done enough damage to myself?"
He froze at his own words. But Kat vocalised his thoughts.
"Ah…so you are torn by your decision. Well done," Kat said in that chilling tone. "But still, tell me, what's in this for you? What do you get out of this?"
"That's none of your business."
"Is it me? Is that what you get? Me, and me alone? Is that all? Is it? You want revenge? Or do you want something…greater?"
Kat stopped his answer before he could say anything.
"You really are alone, do you realise Therntia?" Kat whispered. "Take a good, long look around you."
She steered his head around, and Hh found himself involuntarily looking at what Kat stared at.
"See that?" Kat whispered, looking at the couple he had seen before. "They have each other, to fall back on and to rely on."
"Look at them," Kat pointed at a pair of ordinary police who had entered. "They rely on each other to get the job done."
Therntia blinked as he thought he saw Kat flash before him, arms wrapped around a young man with messy hair and in a blue S.P.D. uniform.
"And I? I have someone to help me."
"Take a good, long look around Therntia. You're alone. All alone in a big galaxy," Kat taunted.
Her head appeared right beside him again.
"You're all alone Therntia. Think about it. Why have you chosen to join the Troobians? Revenge? Or is it because you realise how vulnerable you are, all by yourself?"
Therntia whipped around, his hand raised, but Kat never flinched. "Resorting to violence are you?" Kat said as he sunk back.
She laughed.
"Poor, poor Therntia. All alone, it's raining and now you're confused, about yourself, about your reasons, about your goals," Kat said with mock sadness, placing both hands on his shoulders and moving closer.
"What are you going to do, Therntia? Are you going to give up, leave it all behind, becoming another broken person in history? Are you going to continue? To keep going, to do what you are confused about?" Kat whispered. "Or are you going to change? Do what you know is right, do what you want to do. So many choices."
"Wh- why are you doing this to me?" Therntia croaked out, tears forming.
Kat seemed unfazed. "Who said that this is me? It could be Kat Manx, your foe. Or it could be Kat Manx, your friend. Or, it might not even be Kat Manx," Kat whispered.
Therntia turned around, and Kat let go of his shoulders to pull back as he did so, letting him see her face. Kat looked exactly like herself, with the messy brown hair, the luminous bright green eyes, and the fangs which showed themselves as she smiled.
"Why not make a choice?" Kat said, even as he turned back to his drink. "Why not choose what you know is right, rather than what you think would keep you safe?"
"I-…I can't," Therntia said.
"Then one identity we have established today. It is you, Therntia. As always, you never choose what you know is right. You can't choose. You never could."
Kat moved in closer, and placed her lips on Therntia's cold cheek.
"This is your life, Therntia," Kat whispered, drawing back and leaving a cold abyss where she had kissed him. "But, your life is tied to someone else's as well. Think about it."
Kat pulled back, and seemingly disappeared. Therntia's posture fell apart, as if Kat was what had held it upright.
Looking around, he couldn't see Kat anywhere. But, movement caught his eye, and he swore he saw Kat exit the bar, giving him a wink as she did so.
He turned back to his drink, and drained the last of it. It burned his throat, but did little to warm him up as Kat's body had when she was practically moulding herself to him. Or was it his imagination?
Therntia left the bar as quickly as possible, and once out, and away from anyone's stray gaze, he activated his teleportation device, whisking him away from the nightmare.
Was he falling? Would he be forced aside, cast away like a stray stone when this was over?
He wouldn't know, and still couldn't decide. But he knew one thing.
Part of himself was falling. He just didn't know where.
A.N: So here it is, my first attempt at this kind of angst-y kind of thing. I hope you enjoyed it, and leave some comments please! If you've watched it, then now you know how much of it was actually inspired by the song/video. And how well do you think the song fits? It's pretty freaky, how well it fits into Therntia's change of heart.
If it's a bit confusing, then I apologise. Leave comments/reviews!