Scars
Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Power Rangers?
A/N: I apologize for not updating. My computer has been insane so I just updated the stories I had stuff for. But I got it fixed and hopefully those idiots have repaired it correctly. Anyway, I plan to update more frequently. Scars takes place during "Unfinished Business."
He spent the day playing pool. Over and over again he practiced the same shot. He wanted to be perfect. He wanted to be good.
"Let me show you something new," Willie said approaching the pool table.
So Merrick watched and learned. He was surprised at Willie. But he had learned that he didn't know everything. In fact he knew very little in this brand new world.
Life had become a never ending pattern to him. It was work and fight orgs whenever the others needed him. He was at peace. Perhaps his sins had been forgiven. Then he felt it.
It was there on the wind. The simplest of breezes told him the horrifying truth. His sin wasn't forgiven. It wasn't buried in some forgotten past. His sin was walking towards him. He rushed out the bar in to the forest.
"Hello Merrick," Zen-Aku said.
His soul felt the scars stand out. It was a cold bitter reality. It was a horrifying pain that grilled into him. This was his mistake.
The fight that resulted was a horrid one. It wasn't a quick or an easy battle. Every movement was countered quickly. Every battle plan known before the other made it. Every strength and weakness exploited.
They knew each other too well. After three thousand years of being together they knew each other's very souls. They had been each other and in some sick birth they were part of each other. They were the dark and light halves of one whole. They were the two halves that would forever fight to see who had dominance over this one soul.
He didn't expect the others would rescue him. They watched the pair fight the bloody battle.
She didn't think when she saw the sword about to come down on him. The crescent blade would kill him. It would make him weak and give Zen Aku the chance to force them together.
She couldn't loose him like that. She couldn't loose him because he was too important to her. He was her best friend and she—she couldn't imagine a world without him.
She moved quick pulling him away from the blade dragging him into the water.
"Why did you do that?" he screamed at her once they were on dry land. "I told you it was my battle."
"He would've—"
"You know what it doesn't matter," he shouted cutting her off.
"But we're your friends," she retorted.
"I'm the one who released Zen Aku. I have to handle this on my own."
She watched him go back to the battle. She watched him silently fear gripping her tightly. She called him back but he didn't come. He just rode off on the lunar cycle.
She felt trapped as she watched as he fought. She couldn't help until he asked. She couldn't do anything until he needed the zords.
She knew while she watched him fight alone: He was trying to make up for everything. He was trying to atone for sins that weren't his fault alone.
She didn't understand why he hated himself so much. She couldn't even as she watched him fight. She felt his every moment. His every pain and it was killing her.
Why do you hate yourself so much Merrick? Don't you see how good you are? Don't you see that we never blamed you?
His soul was so scarred. It bore the marks of three thousand years with Zen Aku. It carried every crime, every battle, every transgression. It carried the marks of hurting his friends.
When the battle ended she raced to him with the others. They rejoiced with him. They saw the peace in him. She still saw the scars.
They begged him to come to their celebration party. He blew them off until she asked.
"Please Merrick," she pleaded.
He smiled at her. "We'll see," he replied.
He didn't come though. She shouldn't have been surprised. Still she felt a small shred of sorrow. She had wanted to celebrate with him.
After the party was long over she headed towards Willie.
The bar was empty save for Willie and Merrick. Willie stood behind the bar waiting for customers. Merrick was practicing his pool shots.
Willie just smiled as he watched Alyssa head over to Merrick. Her eyes burned brightly as they focused on the lone wolf.
His eyes never left the pool table. He didn't hear her soft footsteps or the sound of breathing. He didn't feel her familiar presence. Instead he focused only on the pool table trying to drown out his memories.
His sins replayed in his head. He would never be free of all that he had done. His soul was tainted from the possession. He would never be the same boy he had been before Zen Aku. He would forever be a creature undeserving of love or forgiveness.
I'm going to die alone, he thought bitterly.
He knew he was a broken man. He was a man bearing the scars of his past with no chance of healing an open wound.
He didn't feel her presence until he felt strong arms wrap around his back.
"I forgive you," Alyssa whispered softly.
Slowly he felt the open wound begin to close.
To be continued….