Note: Unfortunately I don't own Power Rangers, Power Rangers RPM, or the characters featured within this story. If only.. :(
Note Two: This is a prologue for a continued story that turned into a ramble basically. Essentially it's the end of RPM with some bits and bobs added in, but I think it's cute =./
"Get in gear" Ziggy whispered to himself as he gently pushed down on his morpher, making sure that it was firmly secured within the deep foam of the thick, silver-lined metal case that Doctor K had wheeled in-front of the very soon-to-be ex-Ranger Series Operators.
To any of the others that heard him it might have sounded like a quick quip. However, to him personally, it was more.
Being part of Project R.A.N.G.E.R. had given him a chance to not only help save the last existing portion of the human race - whilst being part of his favorite comic book team of superheroes it must be said - but also a chance to atone for his past deeds performed when he was in line with the cartels.
He had bullied and cajoled many out of their money and possessions, and in truth he couldn't remember why. He couldn't remember why he first stood in line with the cartels, or why he had decided to take part in their undertakings, although he did remember that they gave him a home.
Well, if you could call it a home, he wouldn't have been surprised if it was the old broom cupboard of Fresno Bob's headquarters that he was living in, but it had enough space for his slim frame to extend without interruption and also store a few odd belongings, so he was content. The alternative was a lot worse and didn't bear thinking, so maybe that was why he had placed himself in line with Corinth's personal army of Ronnie Biggs hopefuls.
The alternative nearly came to fruit after he stole millions worth of medical supplies for the orphanage and was forced to escape out of the city, but that was how he met his now dearest friend Dillon.
However, threatening to shoot him with a 4 inch outtake nozzle from a discarded truck in the wastelands, handing him childrens lemon lollies while they ran the Venjix barricade at risk of death at any second, and being imprisoned due to the other being a Venjix hybrid wasn't the best start to their year together. But it had brought him together with the Rangers, and while he was an extreme burden to begin with, he did have his bright spots.
He helped stop Dillon from running, instead returning in order to become the Black Wolf Ranger. Bonding to the morpher didn't help his status with anyone, and he sometimes thought it would be better to turn himself into the various cartels and let them wipe the floor with him, especially with his flailing fighting style often not being too effective, unsurprisingly.
But as the team grew, he realised that he was also growing alongside them, and eventually he saw a square hole for his square peg, downgrading from an extreme burden to a major one - well, that's what Scott had told him anyway.
Furthermore, he had come to a realization of the privileges he had in-front of him. His own full-size room complete with en-suite. A whole garage to live, laugh and work within. Oh, and not to forget the kitchen.
Ziggy had always had a culinary skill, and this was an excuse to use it. The others always wondered why he was up a good hour before them, rejecting the chance of extra time in bed, but he was preparing the fuel for each Ranger for what were their increasingly busy days ahead. He felt he needed to be doing something good, and felt an unknown warmth inside him each day when his friends greeted his exceptional ability to create their favorite morning meals with either a sleepy wry smile or a murmur of gratitude.
Overall, he realised how essential being a Ranger had been to his life, and how much it had taken over his life. In fact, it was his life. There was no going back to the cartels or any sort of sinister scheme. Ever. He didn't pride himself it.
Within Project R.A.N.G.E.R. he did though. Because Venjix was gone. The computer virus which ripped across the globe, leaving nothing but dust, ashes, and sand in its wake. He was part of the team that rid of the monstrosity. Order was returning to the ravaged world outside of Corinth - grass was growing, water following, and the air far-out from the city had mostly been cleared of neurotoxins.
He had helped save the world. And that wasn't him trying to boost his own ego, no. He knew himself, but the cartels had made him forget about his family, original home, and his achievements before them. Now he was just happy that he had found his way, made a difference, and had a lifetime's worth of new memories and friends to live out his life with.
Not forgetting her of course. The day she stepped out as the owner of the electronic voice on the 'K' marked computers, he had hid his heart flutter behind a very Ziggy-like overplayed confused look. He had expected a booming, beefed up super-man that would snap him in half by looking at him.
Instead the culprit was a petite young woman, with the palest of skin and a mop of deep black hair slipping down to just below her chin, the ends of with appeared to be quite untidy in areas - a fact that was later explained after she had yelled at Flynn, relating him almost destroying a Megazord to the fact she cuts her hair with lefty scissors. Her attire never changed, with a pair of black, school-girl-looking Mary Jane shoes covering her feet, a black folded skirt which cropped just above the knee, a light coloured blue blouse unbuttoned at the neck which was covered by what was evidently a school sweatshirt, and the long white following lab coat. As well as the insults thrown towards him, the latter was the easiest way of telling precisely where she was.
Her honest outburst at him about how they couldn't be friends because she didn't like him had thrown him, and all but consigned him to throw in the towel. The fact of the matter is nobody else out there matched Ziggy, and after a while he knew it. He talked about chicks and how he was a sucker for them as a coping mechanism, and also in order to hide his saddening heart. Her refusal to use his name hurt to. But as time progressed he realised there must be some underlying reason to it.
He had made her smile on her birthday - an extremely rare and rewarding occurrence for her to find something enjoyable outside of Gem and Gemma's notes and Mr Marshmallow. Her birthday where she turned 18, and he realised he was only a year older than her.
She might have asked for her hand back, but Ziggy wasn't going to pretend to himself that he didn't she her smile down towards him as he uncuffed her after being kidnapped, nor that she allowed their hands to caress for the briefest of moments.
He knew her insanely introverted self was the one for his own wildly extroverted self.
Looking at it from that way, it should never works. But there was something unique between them. Summer had figured it out when she correctly guessed her computer password - Ziggy.
He was unique to her, a world away from her tragic and marred upbringing. Someone who had playing an unknowing role in helping her through each day, although was vastly annoying on occasions. Someone who could help open her eyes to a world she didn't know, and thus had no experience with. Doctor K partly knew why she was drawn to the seemingly overgrown three year-old, but couldn't figure him out personally.
This was all unbeknownst to Ziggy, who was trying to understand her.
Ziggy thought as quick as he seemed to talk, with this cascade of thoughts crossing his mind in the time it took to gently press the morpher down into its foam cradle. Doctor K looked on from the side of the case as he fell back into line with the rest of the Series Operators.
She knew that the Rangers and being one was the only thing he really had going, with no past to fall back on and no plans for the future. The mild crestfallen look appearing on his face confirming what she thought. She felt her walls melt around her as she made a mental note to engage with him later about his situation.
'Are you utterly serious?!' came the reply from the voice inside. 'The humans in-front of you were only the pawns in the war against Venjix. They were nothing other than intelligently mastered pieces of equipment that were at your disposal. Alphabet Soup is more than suffice as to why elongated, unprofessional contact with anyone should not even be thought about, let alone maintained!'.
The young woman couldn't shake it though. A small, sad smile sat on the far reaches of her lips as she turned her head to look down at the completed set of morphers that lie next to her, hoping to avoid any glances or questions about her somewhat obvious concern.
She remembered how she had explained this to the twins back within the confines of the think tank with the simple words: "Gem, Gemma - you two should know, I don't even like you". Their reply hit her. Hard. "That's okay, we know…" started Gem, "...we can still like you, can't we?"
For the first time she had found people that didn't look down upon her and use her for personal gain, but instead treated her as an equal and valued her - a wildly new concept. Her weaning to them was halted however by their presumed death in the Venjix attacks, and she had come to the conclusion at the time these types of people were simply nothing to be thought of, and slipped back into her ways inside the domed walls of Corinth.
On the twins return though, they ignored the other rangers and made a bee-line for the doctor, melting into her tearful embrace with glee and then spending the next day with her - not going anywhere else, not looking to escape, nor getting distracted. They focused themselves of her. That was when she realised that, in fact, the type of people she thought was lost forever upon their M.I.A. excursion had actually been surrounding her for the previous months - and they were the Ranger Series Operators.
She opened herself to them, knowing this time a connection had to be made, so that they knew her hostility was only the effects of the scars of her past and what she had been moulded to become, not something that bred within her heart.
What she did the day after wouldn't have seemed much if you didn't know the Doctor, but it was a big step down the right path. It may have been a step that needed to be taken, but not one that had been looked at with any positive emotions. However, from the unlikely source of those that had once been loathed, she had learnt the basic beauty and importance of those close to her. Nothing had to get in the way of her work, but she would never forget that.
Well, nothing apart from Operator Series Green. The one who had wormed under skin.
His name couldn't be spoken for fear of crumbling. His character drew her, for he was a unique entity that she had never encountered. The opposite end of the spectrum from the corrupt officials who raised her in captivity, it had come to her realization that her pain washed away in his presence.
When she had announced that it was her birthday during the cave incident and he had given her a shadow puppet show, an unknown warmth had built up inside and let out a smile. For she had solely focused on him, and saw a brighter life - a chance to forget about Alphabet Soup, heal the scars left behind, and go on to start anew. She had wanted to draw this escape closer, resting on him as the last of the air disappeared and all hope appeared lost. The escape that was privately craved had come in the dying moments.
But he ended up a saviour, and she had used the remark of being cured from wanting to go outside ever again as a cover to rebuild. But she was never able to. Every smile, every laugh, every over-exaggerated movement followed by a hard thump on the Garage floor - it all wore down the defenses as she found herself growing warmer and happier. Summer had noticed it. Well, she knew ever since she figured the computer password was his name, and saw past any excuses.
The Landsdown was overjoyed for the younger female, but as was her thoughts she knew that nothing should be able to come between Doctor K and her work, especially with the Venjix threat hitting its peak at that point in time.
She turned her thoughts back to the now former Ranger Operator. They had all been given the opportunity to stay at the garage for as long as they like, go on to call it home.
Dillon, Summer, and Tenaya had chosen to elope, exploring a world which they either had no recollection of or hadn't ever lived to the fullest.
Scott, Gem, and Gemma were a lot closer, but were going to have to relocate in order to be closer to the Eagle Squadron headquarters.
Flynn would still be around and sleep over now and then, but he was mainly spending some well-earned time with his dad, helping to add some umph to the mechanics business - people would flock to have the former Blue Ranger fix their car.
So it was down to one, and unlike anyone before, she wanted him close. She hoped that Ziggy would stay with her.
The Doctor stiffened as she realised that she heard his name run through her mind, and felt a glow of positivity form within her chest. The genius had been left clueless, a piece of putty.
"No more Series Operator's" Summer stated, the timing of the words as if unknowingly to distract Doctor K and help her escape from the thoughts and feelings overriding her, the latter realizing that she must think nearly as quickly as Ziggy as they had only just finished entering the morphers and engine cells into the padded trunk as she returned from her mind. "what next?"
Taking a deep breath, she briskly took the couple of steps necessary in order to stand next to the now former Shark Ranger. "Ziggy and I are starting a school for kids" she announced to huddled group.
Rewarding herself with a hint of a smile for actually being able to state his name without going all wobbly, Doctor K froze in the next instant. It hit her how close she was to him, and how she had let a word escape her lips that he wouldn't let go off. 'What have I let myself in for?..' was the thought that went through her mind.
Summer slightly scrunched up her face, looking directly at their mentor. "Ziggy?" she questioned, with a smile appearing on her face as she did so, happy to see that she was finally progressing her friendship with him. Ziggy himself looked like a kid who had just been told that Santa Claus didn't actually exist. Utter confusion and shock was smattered all over his face, and as he looked down at the doctor beside him she explained "Well, he's not a Series Operator anymore, so I have to call him something. I suppose Ziggy will suffice"
Dillon smirked suggestively down at his partner, with Summer looking back before returning the look to the teenage genius as she talked. Gem's towards sister Gemma was a lot bigger, animated, and childlike, but being honest the whole thing was going over both of their heads, and they were just waiting to jump into a plane and learn how to fire some missiles.
Visibly shaking the shock and awe of his name use from his body, Ziggy informed the other how "She's going to teach all the kids about the,uuh, biofield physics - you know, the fun stuff".
"And he's going to teach them shadow puppets and cooking - you know, the tough stuff" came the reply from Doctor K next to him, looking proud of herself with the latter statement. As one talked, the other gazed solely at them - both wondering about the other, both wondering how they were able to stand here and connect in such a way that they hadn't before without either or both becoming a mess.
As this was happening, Flynn grew aware of the new connection between the pair, and with his trademark sideways Scottish smirk looked over to Scott, who himself couldn't hid a bright, beaming grin that took over his face.
They both realized they were wrong denying it when Summer mentioned it as she was packing. There was definitely something strong there, the pair just had to find it.
Tenaya, then Summer, and then Dillon proceed to take a seat inside the latters Fury. As the keys were placed into the ignition, Dillon let out an almighty sigh and slouched back into the driver's seat. His left hand rested upon the tip of the gear stick, and he suddenly felt a warmth upon it.
He looked down to find a much slimmer and defined hand lying on top of his. Tracing it back up the arm to the occupant, he found his girlfriend looking back, blinking back tears. Leaning over and drawing her in, Dillon placed a prolonged kiss on to the top of Summers forehead. Turning back to face forward, he turned the keys in the ignition and started the roaring engine.
He was going to miss speeding out of this garage towards attack bots seemingly everyday. Remembering Ziggy was the one who brought him to Corinth in the first place, Dillon thought he'd leave him a little present. Reeving the engine, clumps of dust mixed with flecks of sand from the wasteland fired out of the various exhausts.
'Got him!' thought the former Wolf Ranger - who had instead given Flynn a face full.
As he retreated to the bathroom in order to clear out his now clogged system, Scott, Gem and Gemma finished their goodbyes and headed to their respective rooms. There was a lot of reflecting and packing that needed to be done before they relocated closer to the Eagle Squad base. It was the former who was the coerced the latter two though, as he wanted to leave the last two to themselves.
Taking the chance, Ziggy gently place his arm behind Doctor K's neck and over her shoulder.
She looked over at what was now draped over her. It was an instinct for her to repel all touch from another source, but this time she couldn't.
Her heart beating a little faster, she looked over to her other side, where Ziggy rolled his tongue over his bottom lip, waiting to be rejected as before.
The sight of him by her side, arm over her, invoked a new feeling within her chest, one that made that unknown warmth grow quicker and she couldn't contain a radiant smile.
Not that she wanted to anyway. She wanted to tell him how warm this embrace made her feel, how she wanted him to stay in the Garage with her, and how she wanted to help in his future.
But this was Doctor K, and that was not her forefront. For now, she continued to smile and relaxed back into him - another major step for her. Ziggy sensed all of this and smiled also. And that's where the pair stood for a good while, in bliss, starring into the emptying garage.