Episode V

Courage and Fear

Chapter One

"The Hunt"

Rocky charged across the base of the arid mountains, leaping over stones and bouncing off boulders. The many layers of sweat leaking from his brow failed to sooth him from the overhead sun's beating rays. His calves and quadriceps tore with each stride, while his ribs ached. His breathing now shallower—fainter—as his vision darkened. Yet the will to survive—to escape—burned at his heels. He pushed forward, urgent for help. But all he had seen for the past hour were rocks and boulders. This is madness! he swore, too tired to talk, his eyes zipping around for shelter.

No sooner had he thought these, a gust of sizzling air shot past him, inches from his left cheek. Just as he dug his feet into the ground, pivoting to change course, a boulder at least twice his size exploded a few yards in front of him. Hurled off his feet, he tumbled, rolling and scraping across the sandy dirt, rock, and stones; finally slamming his side into the ground at the bottom. Though starving for oxygen, Rocky's lungs froze on impact, weighing Rocky into the ground.

"You should've stayed put," called a deep voice from Rocky's left.

Unable to suck in air, Rocky swung his head around to the source of the voice. Already strained by fatigue and stress, his heart almost burst upon beholding his pursuer.

"It would've made this easier," Jason finished, striding to Rocky's side, his robes flapping in the breeze.

Air began hissing from Rocky's lungs. Fear overpowering his wits, Rocky scrambled backwards, scraping his skin even more.

Jason continued striding toward him, eyes locked on Rocky. "You're not going anywhere," he commanded quietly.

I don't believe this! Rocky snarled in his mind.

Full mouthfuls of air finally flowing back into his lungs, Rocky struggled to his feet, crawling away. His legs were jelly, and the chances of him getting away were slim, but anything was better than staying. The thought of teleporting did not enter his thoughts.

Jason retaliated by pitching a fireball the size of a softball at Rocky.

Rocky crumbled forward upon the side of his face, fatigue hammering him to the ground with his arms spread out. For a moment, a fog settled over his mind, dulling all thought. Soon he discovered he was still breathing. Eyes still open, he glanced around, dared not moved his head. However, the faint stench of smoke wafted into his nostrils. But there was no fire, and he felt no pain.

And he heard the pair of boots approaching.

"You know, it's hard to look at yourself when you're lying on your stomach," Jason called out.

A hand seized Rocky's shoulder, swinging him around. Grunting, Rocky stared into Jason's face, unable to read his expression. In his hands Jason held a thin triangular prism shaped, white crystal, a bit longer than a foot. Wonder and confusion swam in Rocky's mind while studying it, grasping at nothing. Waves of blue energy swirled around its outline. Rocky's eyelids stretched into his forehead, his mouth falling open. It was his sub-crystal of the Zeo Crystal.

But that was— he gasped.

Taking quick short breaths, he arched his neck up, peering at his chest. His mouth melted in horror. Two of his left rips and his sprinting heart met his gaze.

"Your power coin was destroyed once," Jason said, glancing at Rocky. "It's only fitting your sub-crystal should also." Before Rocky could react, Jason crushed the crystal into dust.

Rocky gasped, eyes alight with pain and confusion. "Wh—wh—why?" he whispered. You're a Power Ranger!

Jason smirked, eying him with contemp. With lightning precision, he clamped a hand over Rocky's mouth, pinning his head to the ground.

Rocky grunted and tried pulling his head away but it remained immovable. His arms lay limp at his sides.

Without a word's warning, Jason seized Rocky's heart, digging his fingers into it.

Every fiber in Rocky cried out to scream, but all he got was a stream of blood choking his throat. All the while, Jason kept squeezing his heart. Rocky squirmed and whimpered, silently begging for Jason to stop. Under his skin, his muscles thrashed but his limbs never flailed. He should have been paralyzed. He should have been dead; but oblivion never came.

Jason loosened his grasp around Rocky's heart but still pinned him.

Rocky whimpered again, trembling within.

"Rocky?" Adam's voice cried from a distance. "Rocky!"

Listen to that voice, Jason instructed, bending over Rocky. He looked Rocky in the eye. What ranger are you? he asked.

Rocky only shuddered, beseeching mercy through eyes flooding with anguish.

Jason slowly squeezed Rocky's heart once more.

Pain and anguish consuming him, Rocky screamed, blasting his anguish through his eyes yet his voice echoed in the ears.

Tightening his face in determination, Jason tore Rocky's heart free and slammed it into the ground.

Rocky bellowed as never a person he knew bellowed. Tears, shudders, and wails spewed from him. All the while, Jason watched.

"Rocky, wake up! You're dreaming! Wake up!"

Adam shook Rocky almost violently, ducking an ill aimed backfist.

Rocky bolted upright, eyes open, sweat pouring down his face to his chest. He was not in the desert. He was in his and Adam's bedroom. And it was night.

I'm home, he thought; too shocked to talk.

Quickly, he swept his hands over his chest. Feeling it intact, he finally looked at it. There were no holes or burns there. He combed his neck and mouth.

No blood. Smirking, he gasped, too shocked to laugh. What the heck was that? A nightmare? An attack? Uncertainty pounded through his blood vessels.

"Rocky?" repeated Adam with greater urgency, reaching for Rocky's shoulder; not thinking to turn on the bedside lamp. Upon Adam's touch, Rocky whirled around at Adam, his eyes and mouth stretched open in terror; unsure of whom he was seeing—his brain half immersed in the night terror. For a handful of seconds, the two of them remained frozen, locked in each other's stares.

"Adam?" Rocky whimpered, his face shattering in relief. Immediately, he tackled Adam with a bone cracking hug, nestling his head alongside Adam's.

"Rocky—crushing me!" Adam gasped, his voice becoming breather with each word.

But Rocky only tightened his hold with his lover, as if Adam would suddenly disintegrate into dust

With some difficulty, Adam wrenched his arms free. "I'm here," he stressed, wrapping his arms around Rocky. "What happened?"

Relief and joy flooded Rocky so much that he only sighed, chocking back a cry.

"What happened!?" Adam pleaded, struggling to keep the panic from his voice. Rocky still did not answer. "Rocky, please! Tell me what's wrong!" Adam added, his voice finally betraying a crack.