Bleeding Crimson

Summary: One life can touch many. One death can alter the course of history. The death of Brandon Loksen, Crimson Phoenix Ranger does just that. The sequel toHeart of Crimson. AU for MMPR Season 2 and beyond.

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor do I intend/desire to make any money off the Power Rangers/Super Sentai concepts and characters presented in this story. They are fully the property of their respective owners and are used with loving respect. Furthermore, this story utilizes concepts borrowed/adapted from Chris Claremont's run on X-Men. Certain aspects of the story are also due to my current obsession: Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger.

Takes place between A Zeo Beginning Part II and The Shooting Star

Chapter 2: Lest We Forget

Tommy was sitting at the Ranger's usual table in Ernie's studying. Unfortunately, he wasn't getting very far; he kept getting distracted by the red at the lower edge of his vision. Red from the t-shirt he was now wearing. It still felt weird to be the Red Ranger all of the sudden. But then, everything about the last few weeks was sudden. One minute Rito had them on the ropes, destroying the Zords and the Command Center, the next Zedd, Rita, and Rito had all fled in the face of the Machine Empire and the team was now the Zeo Rangers. On top of that he, Rocky, and Adam were trying to get used to new colors, and the whole team was trying to get used to Billy no longer fighting alongside them and Tanya being there instead.

Seemingly summoned by his thoughts, Billy sat down next to Tommy. As Tommy looked up, he found it difficult to repress a bit of a shocked expression, as Billy was wearing a charcoal gray tank top under a gray plaid button up shirt. The only concession to his former color was the anodized blue wolf pendent that Kat had given him soon after they started dating. Billy glanced down and then looked at Tommy with a lopsided grin, "I thought it might help Rocky get over his fears he was somehow going to disappoint me if I got rid of one of the constant reminders of his succession."

Tommy smiled back, nodding. Giving up on studying, he asked, "How are you holding up?" remembering the physical reactions to being stripped of his powers.

"Okay," Billy responded. "It's interesting, in a way. Our powers weren't gone long enough last time for me to fully catalogue the differences. I'm not requiring as much food; however I find myself tiring out more easily."

Tommy grinned; leave it to Billy to treat his power loss as a scientific study. Tommy really didn't know how he would have handled things if it hadn't been for Billy. They had been friends since Tommy joined the Rangers, the then-Blue Ranger being the first after Jason to accept Tommy, but their friendship was primarily fueled by the two young men's connection to Jason. However, after Jason had left, and especially after Kim went to Florida, the two had grown closer, finding common ground, not only through the Rangers, where Tommy had come to depend not only on Billy's technical genius but also on his tactical mind, but in several other areas as well . . . such as Tommy's growing obsession with paleontology.

The two spoke of seemingly inconsequential things . . . at least, that's how it sounded to an outsider, but in fact it was a well honed code between the two veteran Rangers that allowed them to discuss the current situation with the Machine Empire in public without compromising their identities. They were interrupted briefly when Kat stopped by the table, giving Billy a quick kiss before heading to the dance studio to teach her children's dance class.

Tommy smirked at Billy and the young man blushed. However, after a moment Billy's expression turned serious and he asked, "So, when are you taking her?"

Tommy gave Billy a puzzled look, "What?"

Billy glanced down, "Tanya."

"Oh," Tommy replied, understanding dawning. "I wasn't sure if I was going to."

"Ah, I just concluded, since you did it with Aisha, Rocky, Adam, and Kat that you would continue the tradition with Tanya."

Tommy looked bemused and replied, "It's become a tradition?"

Billy nodded, "A valuable one . . . lest we forget."

Tanya had been confused when Tommy asked her if she would be free for a few hours that Saturday. When Adam and Kat told her it was a good idea to go with him, she figured it was for some training, as she acknowledged that while she did have some innate skill, enhanced by the Zeo crystal, she was nowhere near the other Rangers' level. However, her confusion returned when Tommy picked her up and she noticed the bouquet of dark red carnations in the back seat of the Red Ranger's jeep. Her confusion grew even stronger when Tommy then drove them to a local cemetery. Once they stopped, Tommy indicated that Tanya should follow him.

Tommy lead a winding route to a grave site in what appeared to be a more recent area of the cemetery, finally stopping at a headstone of red marble with deep black veining. Kneeling down, Tommy laid the flowers before the headstone and started talking to it, "This is Tanya. Aisha stayed in Africa and sent her to us. We've changed powers, again, and Billy's stepped down, but is still serving at the Power Chamber. Yeah, the Command Center got blown up, long story, but apparently Zordon's had this new set-up ready and waiting under the old place."

Tanya was starting to get really weirded out when Tommy finally stood and faced her, a hint of unshed tears in his eyes. Answering her unvoiced question, Tommy said, "His name was Brandon Loksen. He was the Crimson Ranger."

Tanya's hand went to her heart, "Was?"

"Yes. He died saving us and the whole world from a powerful enemy." Tanya seemed speechless, so Tommy continued, "When Aisha, Adam, and Rocky joined the team I brought them here and told them about Brandon. At the time, we had just lost him and I thought they should know what was going on with me, Billy, and Kim so that they didn't feel like we were shutting them out. When Kat joined us, it just seemed like the right thing to do . . . we had almost lost Kim and it brought everything with losing Brandon back, and I wanted her to understand our reaction wasn't about her actions while under Rita's control."

Tanya finally found her voice, "And why now, with me?"

Tommy looked back at the grave and was silent for a moment before answering, "Because I don't want anyone to forget him, because he was an example of what it can ultimately mean to be a Ranger. And because he was a good friend and he gave Jason something that I don't think can ever be replaced."

Now a single tear did roll down Tommy's cheek. Tanya moved closer and placed a hand on Tommy's arm. When he turned to her she gave him a warm, comforting smile and said, "So, tell me all about him."

Tommy smiled, "The first time we met Brandon . . ."