Brownout
By: ScarletDeva
Summary: Throw away everything you thought you knew about the lives of retired Rangers. Once a Ranger, always a Ranger. Retirement is an illusion. And the real mission has the universe hanging in the balance.
Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers in any form. And really this whole fic would be really wrong for the half hour show format anyway.
Rating: M to be safe. There are adult situations and adult relationships here.
Spoilers: To be safe, there is canon stuff through Forever Red but a lot of canon is being subverted.
Thanks to JTrevizo for betaing, to Shawn30 for encouraging this mad dance, and to Gamine for forcing me to post and also for coming up with the latest and final name.
Author's Notes: I reread Pink Shade of Fear and while the evolution of my writing skills was interesting, it didn't really make for a very mature and cohesive story. I am going to try to up the game here. I want to post this fic about once per week but we shall see. Hope you like!
A young man tossed restlessly on his bed, his right arm flung above his head, his left buried in the knotted grey blankets. The lean places of his face, usually composed, were scrunched and glistening with sweat.
He dreamed.
The Command Center swirled in his mind. Trini and Zack were flanking him so closely that their arms touched. The sensation of their elbows against his - Trini's long-sleeved, cotton tank and Zack's warm, bare skin - grounded him as the feeling that his world was about to collapse rose from deep in his belly.
"I HAVE A MISSION FOR YOU, MY RANGERS," Zordon's remembered voice echoed. "I CANNOT REVEAL ALL OF THE DETAILS TO YOU UNLESS YOU AGREE BUT IT IS ONE THAT MAY PROVE TO BE FAR MORE DIFFICULT THAN THE TASK YOU FACE NOW."
It was Trini who asked for more information.
"I CANNOT TELL YOU MUCH MORE, MY CHILDREN," and the epithet, rarely used, startled them even more than being summoned from their beds in the middle of the night and finding that it was only the three of them, pajama-clad, facing Zordon in the Command Center, "ONLY THAT YOU WILL GO FAR BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF YOUR WORLD, FIND DANGERS MORE SERIOUS THAN ZEDD AND BEAR THE BURDEN OF SECRECY AGAINST THOSE YOU LOVE."
It was Zack who asked how important it was.
"THE RANGERS PROTECT EARTH. YOU WILL BE SAVING THE UNIVERSE."
It was he who voiced their silent agreement.
And his world did collapse.
"Jason. Jason, wake up."
He felt delicate fingers stroking his forehead as his eyes fluttered open to see Trini's face smiling above him.
"You were having a nightmare," she said, shifting on the bed as he moved over to make room for her.
He smiled back at her. "It's been a long couple of years. I've just been... remembering how it all started. Seems appropriate, I guess, what with bringing someone else in."
She nodded, her long braid falling over her shoulder. "It was the right thing to do. Still is," she said quietly, half of her words lost into his neck as he pulled her down against him.
"I know," he agreed and inhaled. Trini smelled faintly floral and warm, just a little metallic like they all did now, and, most importantly, like home.
She pulled the covers loose and slid under, curling up closer to him, her hands cool and her platinum thumb rings even cooler against his chest. "Let's go to sleep, Jase. You're going to need your rest for the trip."
He hummed agreeably, toying with loose strands of her hair. "You and Billy finished with our toys?"
"Yes."
"Good."
He closed his eyes and dreamed again.
Kimberly spun herself in the chair, half-heartedly calling out, "Whee..."
"Geez, girl, could you sound any more depressed?" Aisha asked before biting into a chocolate-chunk, mitar berry cookie.
"I would hypothesise that Kimberly is apprehensive about returning to Angel Grove," Billy commented. He was carefully wrapping up his tools at the big circular table which sat in the middle of the spacious room.
"Really?" Aisha said and cocked an eyebrow. "And would you hypothesise water is wet too?" Her lips quirked and she shook her head. "Sorry, B, it's been a long day."
Billy shot her a quick grin as he closed the tool case. "I know, Sha." He lifted the case off the table, gave Kim's right shoulder a squeeze and crossed the room to drop a quick kiss on Aisha's lips. "I'm off to bed."
"Night," Kimberly grumbled, still spinning herself, her pigtail braids smacking her in the neck as she turned. Aisha's and Billy's conversation passed her by in a blur, like the room twirling around her. She was already nauseous, her head spinning and her stomach churning, and, maybe, if she made herself sick, Jason would relent and she could stay behind tomorrow. She'd cite little sister privilege if she had to. She would do anything at all if she thought it would work. Anything.
"Night, hon," Aisha said and flicked a bit of her hair back, all of it shaped into easy to maintain twists and loosely held back by a yellow and green striped headband, the carefully arranged braids gone the way of her old life. As soon as the clink of Billy's footsteps on the metallic floor faded, she finished eating her cookie, leaned forward to fix her gaze on Kim and cleared her throat. "Spill it, sister."
"Spill what?" She was sure she didn't want to talk about the neon elephant in the room. It had been there since day one and she never wanted to talk about it - talk about him. She knew Aisha wouldn't buy it if she played dumb but maybe it would stave off pouring salt on her still open, weeping wounds for a few minutes. Kimberly very well knew she was being dramatic about it. She made her choices, made her bed and was now hating lying in it. But she couldn't help it.
Aisha crossed her arms over her chest and leveled a hard look on her friend. "Come on. Don't even."
Kim let the chair come to a stop and tilted her head up, staring at the metal-grey ceiling. "Why do I have to go with Jason? Why can't Trini or Zack go? Anyone else?" Her chest was tight, her breathing growing ragged and she knew she only had moments Aisha laid her insides completely bare.
"You know why. Jason has the most raw force and you have the most delicate touch. If anyone should examine the seal before we determine what kind of physical and Grid conduits we need it's you two."
"But I don't want to go..." her voice cracked and dropped, her eyelids fluttering fast in the vain hope of keeping back the quickly gathering tears. Her efforts failed as a tear, then two, slid down her cheeks.
"Kim," Aisha said softly. She got to her feet and walked over to pull the smaller girl to her feet so she could wrap her in a tight hug. "Hey. I know. I know."
Kim buried her face in Aisha's sweater covered shoulder, clinging to the other girl tightly as Aisha rubbed her back in slow soothing circles, her body shaking with sobs she wasn't ready to release. "I'm not ready, Sha," she choked out, her words muffled against the soft wool. "I'm just not." Walking through fire would have been less terrifying. She'd done it before, so she knew.
"I know." And if Aisha's eyes gleamed suspiciously, it was just a trick of the light and the metal that made up the room.
"Why couldn't Zordon let us tell them?" Kim asked plaintively. "They're Rangers. They would understand." *He* would understand.
"You know why," Aisha replied and Kim thought her friend sounded as tired as she felt. "No one can know. It's just not safe. Not for them, not for us. Now, come on. You need sleep."
Limbs trembling, Kimberly let Aisha lead her off to her room. Maybe sleep would be an escape from what haunted her. Maybe.
Zack finished the kata with a precise spin kick, then bowed. He grabbed the towel off the rail and wiped his forehead.
The exercise room was as big as anyone could ask for, with mats for sparring and floor exercises, Kim's gymnastics equipment and weight machines. They all used it daily, at least.
And Zack often used it when he couldn't sleep.
They were going home. Going by home.
This was now the fifth time they were going by home but wouldn't - couldn't actually go home.
Some part of Zack didn't really mind. It had been several years, many lies and at least a few scars ago that they left and he just wasn't ready to see that welcome mat when he still couldn't tell the truth.
As he caught sight of himself in the mirror - the gleaming skin of his skull, the thick copper hoop in his ear, and the ragged scar across his chest - he knew he wasn't ready to explain who he had become. Even if his smile was largely the same.
He didn't bother to throw on a shirt when he left the room and the lights shut off behind him.
As he padded barefoot down the hallway and dragged his fingers against the wall, the metal cool against his heated skin, he winced. It was Kim who would be going home with Jason, if only for a short while, and he felt guilty at his relief that it wasn't him. They all knew Jason didn't mind that much. Being home was worth it to him. But Kim, she'd looked ashen since Jason and Billy agreed it would her who had to come along on this trip.
Better Kim than him... but... Zack nodded as he decided that he'd make breakfast to make it up to her.
As he recalled what they had stocked in the galley, he heard a sound ahead where the dim lighting revealed a figure stepping out of Kim's room. It was a figure he knew well.
Zack smiled as he approached. "Hey."
"Hey."
"Rough night?"
"Yeah."
Aisha twined her fingers with his and pulled him down the corridor.
Maybe it wouldn't be such a rough night anymore.