Okay, so this doesn't fully follow the episode... but, I promise it's still good.
Now, for the disclaimer:
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, or any songs in this story, all I own is Cadinia and her family.
Merrick
"Cadi?"
She looked over at me and nodded, "Hey…"
I sighed and walked over to her, "Look… I… I want to seriously apologize…"
"You already have."
"I was an inconsiderate jerk last few weeks," I continued anyway, already having my apology prepared, "And, while I know you shouldn't forgive me… I will do anything and everything within my power to make you happy… please know that I don't like it when you're sad… and I feel horrible for the way I treated you…"
"Like you could've stopped yourself." She retorted, standing up to look at me, "The last few weeks I have been nothing but afraid that you'd go off at me again… that you'd be angry at something I did."
"I'm so sorry I made you feel that way."
"It's gonna take more than an apology to fix this." She bit, clearly still mad, "Now I've got some chores-"
"Already done." I insisted, "Both yours and mine… I also tuned your guitar, and sharpened your training sickles just in case."
"Okay… fine… then I'm gonna write some songs." She decided, grabbing her stuff and walking away.
I groaned and banged my head against the wall, "Idiot!"
She's still mad at me!
"There's gotta be something that can…" As I was talking, I saw a newspaper being thrown at the building.
I sighed as I walked out and picked it up to look it over.
When I did, I saw something amazing.
Come one, come all, to Turtle Cove's Once a Year Carnival!
My eyes went wide as I looked it over before I smirked.
"This is perfect!" I decided, "Cadi is gonna love it!"
15 minutes later…
"I hate it!"
"But… but you love Carnivals!"
"I only said that so you'd buzz off!"
I groaned, "Cadi… please, I'm sure you'll love it! Just… just give it a shot for… for 2 hours… that's all."
She sighed, "Fine. Two hours… but I'm coming straight back after that. Deal?"
"Deal." I let out.
She groaned, "I was afraid you'd say that."
"I promise you'll love it though." I insisted.
15 minutes later…
She had her arms folded as we walked into the carnival grounds… clearly upset.
"Cadi… please try to cheer up." I pleaded as we headed over to a game, "Tell you what… pick out a prize and I'll try to get it."
"Merrick-"
"I will spend every dollar I have if it means you smile for even a second." I informed her, "Now… pick a prize."
She sighed and nodded to a medium stuffed Zebra.
"Got it." I nodded before the worker came over.
"If you want that Zebra, then you'll have to get three bullseyes." She informed us.
"Easy." I decided and sat down my money.
"We are so gonna be broke by the end of the day." Cadi grumbled softly.
25 minutes later…
"I can do this… I can do this."
"You've been saying that for the last 20 minutes. Merrick, give it up already." Cadi groaned.
"No… I'm gonna make you happy… I'm gonna get that Zebra." I insisted.
"You've been saying that for the last ten!"
I ignored her and threw another 'star' at the bullseye…
This time finally getting the first one!
"Yes!" I grinned lightly before I looked over at my best friend, "See… I told you."
"That's only one, genius. You still have to get a bullseye two more times in a row." She folded her arms.
"I can do that." I insisted
I threw another star that landed, unexpectedly honestly, on the bullseye.
"Yes!" I smirked, "Just one more and I'll get that prize for you."
"Merrick, you can stop trying to impress me at any time… cause it's not gonna work." She denied.
I sighed, "Just one more."
She rolled her eyes before I finished the round with… a third and final perfect throw into the finale Bullseye.
"Yes!" I grinned.
"I stand corrected….." Cadi nodded, but then I heard her mumble, "Again…"
"Alright." The Worker gave me the Zebra.
I, in turn, gave it to Cadi, who sighed as she grabbed it.
"See?" I smiled as we walked down the path, "I knew I could do something right."
She sighed and looked at her watch, "Hour and a half."
I stared at her, "You're still not having fun?"
"Merrick, as of late, nothing has been making me happy… so no matter what you try… this isn't gonna work… I can assure you."
I pulled her to the side and just… looked at her.
"Cadi… what do you want?" I asked gently, "Anything at all… and I'll try to get it."
"I don't want anything." She let out, "Except to go back to the Roadhouse and just sleep till… I don't even know…"
"Are you tired?"
"Again, I don't know, but I've been feeling weak lately."
"Weak?" I repeated, raising a brow.
"I, myself, have been feeling weak… my powers are getting stronger… it's like… the weaker I get… they get… and I don't know what's causing it… and it's… kinda starting to scare me."
I nodded before I opened my arms, "Come here."
She just walked away.
I quickly followed after her in worry.
5 minutes later…
"Hey… Check that out." I nodded to the ferries wheel, "Picture it, the two of us… up there… together… that'll make you happy."
"Merrick… that's high." She bit her lip.
"I'll be with you." I assured quickly.
She rolled her eyes.
"Cadi… anything you want. I promise." I insisted, "Just tell me and I'll give it to you."
"Merrick, I already told you what I want." She noted, rubbing her wrist a bit.
"Are you okay?" I took her hand gently.
"Yeah… just… hurts a little." She relented.
I gently lifted her hand to look at it, before I noticed some kind of frost wrapping around it.
"Do you mind if I…?" I motioned to take off the morpher.
"Go ahead." She sighed.
I gently pulled it off and looked over her wrist, "Its… it's frostbitten…"
"It's like… 80 Degrees out here… how is it frostbitten?" She frowned as she looked it over.
"I don't know." I let out, "Why don't you try burning it?"
"I can't-"
Gently putting a hand on her shoulder, I looked at her eyes, "I promise… you'll be okay."
She bit her lip before she put her hand on the frozen bit of her wrist, only to quickly pull away, shaking her head as she recoiled back, "It actually hurts too much…"
"Here." I took her wrist lightly in my hands, "Try it now."
"I don't know…"
"I promise you'll be okay." I insisted.
She bit her lip again before she gently put her hand on the frost, her muscles tense, before her hand flamed to life easily.
The second it did though, she yelped and pulled away, shaking her hand, "Nope… nope… definitely not gonna work… and definitely not good!"
"I thought you couldn't feel your fire?"
"Exactly!" Cadi nodded, her eyes wide.
"Hey… hey… hey… don't worry…" I assured quickly, gently talking her wrist, "I'm sure… it'll clear up…?"
"Have you ever heard of Gangrene, Merrick?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Its main cause is frostbite."
I blinked, "Are… are you….?"
"I wish I wasn't." She sighed, "I don't get it. It's like… one second my powers are out of control with my emotions… and the next… they're completely harmful to me… and that's actually impossible."
"Don't worry." I let out gently, "I'm sure you'll be okay."
"I really hope you're right, Merrick."
I pulled her into a gentle hug, rubbing her back.
"Same here." I whispered.
15 minutes later…
We got onto the ferries wheel either way, and I smiled as Cadi and I moved to the top, only for it to suddenly come to a screeching halt.
There was screaming and I groaned as we looked down to see people running away from Jindrax and… some… other… clown freak.
"This isn't good." I growled softly.
"Uh… to add to that…" Cadi looked…. Uh-oh…
"Fear of heights?"
"Definitely kicking in." She nodded quickly.
I sighed and took her hand softly, "I'm here… you don't have to worry… I promise."
"Kinda hard to do that, when we're stuck high in the air."
"I'm right here… don't worry…"
"Just saying 'don't worry' doesn't make me not worry!" She complained, clearly starting to breathe heavily, "It actually makes me feel a lot worse!"
I gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "Cadi… Cadi hey… hey… look at me… look at me… right at me…"
She bit her lip, so I had to nudge her head to look at me myself.
"You'll be okay." I insisted, "I'm right here… and, as you can see, I'm not going anywhere."
I saw her bite her lip a little more before I noticed something below us.
"Hey… take my hand and check it out."
She took my hand and looked over the edge with me.
"What are those two doing?" Cadi gaped.
Below us, Taylor and Max were morphed and fighting that… clown freak.
"More importantly, could we try not to scare me more with moving this thing…." She slowly sat back down.
"Why do you have such a fear of heights but are completely fine when we're in the Steed-Predazord."
"Because, one, I'm morphed and it's like… all of my logical fears go away when I'm morphed, and two, even if something were to happen, I'd have you to break my fall… so…" She shrugged.
I rolled my eyes, "How 'bout this? Why don't you sing something? That usually calms you down."
"Yeah, usually." She noted, "Not when I'm actually dealing with that fear!"
"Cadi-"
"Merrick… just… do me a favor and shut up right now."
I looked over at her and nodded softly.
She looked really scared, so maybe talking wasn't gonna be much help…. Even if I really wanted to…
I looked away and started humming her favorite song… which, I noticed, made her left hand, flame up… and considering she was still wearing her gloves… that got me kinda nervous.
"Stop singing." She snarled.
"But… it's you're favorite." I reasoned.
"Yeah, well, you're not exactly the best singer 7/10 times." She grumbled.
I frowned, "You… you really think that?"
"Let's just say, to me at the moment, you're not exactly musically inclined." She let out.
I bit my lip, "Still mad about the Flute thing?"
"Oh for the love of…..!" She clearly got pissed at the mention, "Yes! Alright! Yes, I'm still mad about the Flute thing! Call me obsessed, but you really hurt me, Merrick! Not just with the speech… or whatever… but you didn't even care to ask me how I felt after everything was said."
"But… I apologized." I reasoned.
"Apologizing doesn't fix the problem." She denied, "You still got mad… and I… Merrick, it just hurt me…"
"I want to make it up to you." I let out.
"And look where that got us." She looked away, then gulped, "Uh… seriously, look where that got us… is Jindrax…?"
"Yep." I nodded, not exactly wanting to look at the sight, "Trust me… you… don't wanna look."
"Too late." She looked away, "And… I've officially lost my apatite…"
Well… there went the picnic idea…
"What's say we surf later?" I figured.
"You can't surf, and there's barely been any wind… no wind, no surf."
I nodded softly, "Oh… what about-"
Cadinia
"Merrick, just stop it." I sighed, "Look… when we get down… I'm gonna check the damage around here… you go check on the others."
"But-"
"That would make me happy." I lied.
He bit his lip, then nodded, "Okay…"
I sighed softly and looked away, gulping down any puke that wanted to come up.
15 minutes later…
The Ride finally got finished and I but kissed the ground once we were upon it again.
Merrick smiled lightly at my antics before he looked over at the others.
"Go." I instructed, "As I said… I'll check around."
"You sure?"
I nodded, "Yeah… besides, I'll be okay."
He nodded and headed over, "Hey guys!"
As I was walking away, I saw Kite standing a ways away from them.
I bit my lip as they rushed over to him and I suddenly felt my wrist hurting again.
I lifted it up and rubbed it before I looked away from Kite, the pain suddenly disappearing once I did.
"I really need to get going." I whispered, then headed off as quickly as I could.
Half an hour later…
When I got to the Roadhouse a while later… I was pretty much, wanting nothing but sleep.
Of course, that wouldn't happen when I noticed Merrick coming in with Kite and Cole following.
Anger started to course through me and my wrist started hurting once again.
I pulled off my morpher and my gloves, just holding my wrist as best as I could, burning it a bit… my dad always said 'No pain, no gain'…
What I had to gain from this, I had no idea… but at least the fire was familiar to me, whereas the frost wasn't.
"Cadi?"
I jumped a bit and put out the flame as Merrick walked over slowly, "Yeah?"
"Are you okay?" He frowned gently taking my wrists.
"I don't know… it's like… something keeps hurting me… I don't know what… but something is… like it's… punishing me… like it….. I don't know… knows of my fire powers." I hissed the last part.
"How could anyone know? Aside from your academy and myself… no one even knows you have these powers." Merrick let out.
"That's… kinda what's scaring me." I let out, "I don't like this…. And… whatever's causing it… must think I'm not worthy to be a ranger or something…"
"Don't say that." He denied.
"Merrick, face the facts. The only wrist that this keeps happening to is the wrist with my morpher." I let out, "Again, I don't know what it is… but… it must think I'm not worthy for this to keep happening."
"Maybe you're not."
"Oh… jeez!" I turned to Kite, holding my heart, "You know, for a little kid, you're very silent… and… what do you know about what I'm talking about?"
"Nothing." He shrugged, "Just saying that… if something keeps happening, and you think you're not worthy… maybe you're not."
I frowned, then shook my head, "I don't believe that… things happen for a reason… but this isn't one of them… that's the Drenor Family philosophy."
He shrugged, "Just saying."
With that, he walked to the back with Cole.
"Geez… what is with that kid?" I grumbled softly, then looked at my wrist and grabbed Merrick's arm, pulling back to look at it too.
"How…?"
"I have no idea." I let out softly.
Right as we were about to start working, I heard a window and some boards break and we rushed over to where it was… in the kitchen…
"Oh… my…"
"Willie is gonna be so mad!" I gaped.
"Sorry." Kite let out from outside.
"No… no… it's… it's okay…" I assured weakly, "Uh… it's… it's just gonna take a little work… uh… Merrick?"
"You want me-"
"No… I'll be faster." I assured, gulping nervously, "But you can keep an eye on him… and keep an eye out for Willie. Please? I'm begging you."
Merrick scoffed lightly and nodded, "Sure thing."
"You're hopefully a lifesaver." I assured before I headed into the treeline, then Ninja Ran to the Hardware store.
5 minutes later…
Just as I was walking out with the required equipment, the wind blew at me.
"Dang it!" I cursed before I looked around and tied the bags under a bus chair.
Once done, I was about to run to the scene when someone came up behind me.
"Gisli… uh…" I gulped softly, "Uh… what… brings you to this part of town?"
"You tell me." He lifted his phone, "Who's Merrick? And… why is he hanging out with you and some kid?"
I frowned, "I… don't know what you're talking about."
"Really?" He raised a brow and I gulped when I noticed the ground around us begin to shake.
"N… now Gis… you know… you know Grandfather told you not do that anymore…" I slowly backed away.
"All I want is an answer." He growled, "Who's Merrick, and why are you hanging out with him?"
"Uh… because we're… co-workers?" I answered.
"Please… even I know you can't get a job."
I bit my lip, then looked over at where Kite was with Cole… and suddenly… that's all I needed to spark the anger still inside me.
I turned back to Gisli, shaking.
"Oh… you think you can actually stand a chance against me now?" Gisli scoffed.
"Keep messing with me, and we'll see." I bit.
He scoffed again, then turned and walk away.
I took in a deep breath before I felt my wrist hurting again and I grabbed it in pain as I fell to my knees.
"I'm not giving up just yet." I whispered, weakly getting to my feet again, "I'm not giving up at all."
1 hour later…
I walked out to my dad's grave-site, sitting down in front of it, closing my eyes.
"Dad… I don't know if you can hear me… but… even if you couldn't… please just know I need your help… I need some guidance….. I can't… I can't do anything anymore… after mom… then being banished… now you…. Dad, I don't know what to do… you and grandpa always taught me to look to my elders for help or those who support me… but none of them understand… and I can't tell them…" I took in a deep breath, "Dad, I don't know what to do anymore."
"Isn't that sweet?"
I got to my feet and turned to see Jindrax standing behind me.
"What are you doing here?!" I growled.
He raised his hands, "Now, now, gold ranger… I come in peace."
"Yeah, right." I kept myself at the ready.
"I, too, just lost a family member."
"And Org like you has a family?" I blinked.
"Yep!" He nodded, "My brother, in fact."
"That means…. That other clown freak at the carnival…!" I realized then growled, "What are you doing here? This is a grave-site for humans!"
"Is it a crime to be around graves now?"
"Let's not forget who created that Tombstone Org." I growled, "That damn Org is the first cause behind my recent falling out with my friends, and why I'm here alone right now…" I then clenched my fist. "And my father is buried here! So you better show some respect and leave before I make you!"
"Family means a lot to you, doesn't it?" He ignored my threat with clear ease.
I took in a deep breath and nodded, "Yeah… family means everything to me… even three years after they kicked me out of the family business."
"But why care so much for people that did that?"
I scoffed, "Are you under the impression that family's supposed to make you feel good, make you an apple pie, maybe?"
He shrugged a bit… and I felt pissed.
"They're supposed to make you miserable! That's why they're family!" I snapped, "I've known that my whole life… and you know what? You only love something when it's gone… and I wish to Ra, I could get my dad back… for at least one more day… so I can tell him I love him… because I never had the chance… never a true chance… and I hate that."
"Ra… Ra…. The sun god! Which means… you're a descendant!" He realized.
I frowned, "Descendant? Descendant from what? I mean, yeah, my family traveled all 'round the world… quite literally being nomads…"
"You don't know?" He questioned, "You're from-"
Before he could go on, Merrick thought it best to come in right there!
He kicked Jindrax backward and stood in front of me.
"Stay away from her, Jindrax!" He demanded.
"Merrick!" I hissed, but he didn't listen.
"I'm going, I'm going." The Duke Org waved him off, walking away.
Once he was, Merrick turned to me.
"Are you okay? Are you-"
"Are you insane?!" I exclaimed, "He was actually being civil with me! You guys just destroyed his brother and… let's just say, I think I found some actual common ground with the guy."
"You and he are nothing alike." Merrick growled.
I sighed, "Merrick, he lost his brother… I lost my mom and my dad… maybe I don't know the sting of losing a brother, or losing five people to… who knows what… but I know the sting of losing someone I love… and, while you might think Orgs can't feel love, and I can't blame you for not… being a brother, or sister… you might not know it or wanna feel it, but you do love your siblings… deep down or not."
"How do you know?" He frowned.
"I met up with Gisli earlier." I sighed, "He… wasn't exactly happy with me."
"Did he hurt you?"
"Who cares?" I denied answering, "It doesn't matter."
"You're more important than he is."
"No one person is more important than another, Merrick." I countered, "Everyone's the same… we can do what we want, but… deep down… everyone's the same. No one can, or should, change that."
"Animus… doesn't think that way… and neither do I."
"So?" I frowned, "That's your problem… it doesn't affect me… and it doesn't affect what the heck you're doing here in the first place."
"I… wanted to see if you were okay… you were taking a while getting back to the Roadhouse.
Third Person
Truth be told, Merrick was worried about her… that was all… he didn't care about getting the tools, he just wanted to find her.
"Well, as you can see, I'm fine." Cadinia let out, "I was paying my respects to my father… you know he had to be born someday, right?"
"Today?"
"Well… tomorrow… but… the way things are going… I can't be too careful." She relented, giving an obviously fake smile.
"Cadi…" Merrick stared at her.
"Just… could you start fixing the window without me?" She requested, "I'll be there in 90 minutes… I promise."
Merrick frowned, "But-"
"I promise." She repeated.
Merrick bit his lip, nodded, then headed off.
This left Cadinia to turn back to her dad's gravestone and sit back down, continuing to talk to him… even if he might not be listening.
An hour and a half later…
True to her word, Cadinia was back and helping fix the broken window.
"Alright… 9 and a half inches." She measured the broken window then walked back over to him, "Got it?"
"Yep." Merrick nodded, then handed her a set of goggles as he pulled on some work gloves, "Ready?"
"I'm… a little scared to see you working with power tools." She relented, putting the goggles on, "Are you sure you know how to work that thing?"
"Please… how hard could it possibly be?"
Cadinia winced. Those are jinxing words.
5 minutes later…
Sure enough, Merrick had gotten the cuts perfect…
But, decided to put a few more personal touches with the Power Saw…
Cutting the perfect boards in half and getting sawdust all over Cadinia's clothes.
He quickly turned it off and carefully set it down before looking her over. "Uh…"
"Not… one word." She denied him, "Just… fix the boards… I'll get the glass set."
"Are you sure-"
"No! I don't need your help." Cadinia gently took the other power tool from his hand, "And I honestly think you need to learn to use power tools… before using them on something like this."
"Right…" He smiled sheepishly.
As Cadinia went to make sure the glass was perfect for the window and Merrick decided to ask.
"So… why don't you like Kite?"
"I never said I didn't like him." Cadinia countered.
"But, you don't like being around him." Merrick noted.
"Doesn't mean I don't like him." She retorted.
"But… you think something doesn't go right when he's around." Merrick replied.
She sighed and turned to him.
"I'm just saying… something's off about that kid." Cadinia relented, "My powers get all out of wack when he's around… and my morpher… it's like it turns to ice! Along with the frost on my wrist… like… some sort of power radiating from him just… destroys it and causes that pain… I'm not saying I know what it is… but… it's just weird… and I don't like weird."
"But… you're blaming a little boy?"
"No. I don't know what's causing it, Merrick." She bit, "Not to mention my recent spike in my anger… it's just… Like… event after event is piling on… and I don't like it… I hate that sort of thing… but… it's just… something about that kid… it's not right… like he's not normal… and that's coming from a freak like me…"
"You're not a freak." Merrick stepped up to her.
"I'm just saying, Merrick." She rolled her eyes, "Yeesh… stop taking every word I say by law."
Merrick sighed, "I know… and I'm not trying to… it's just… with you… I just don't want you to think you're any different than the rest of the team…"
"Merrick, I know the others aren't facing what I am… but… it's like… when those spirits kept the Zords from hearing them… it was way worse for me… my morpher freaking froze for Pete's sake…" Cadinia relented, then sighed, "Maybe I am different… I don't know if that's good or bad… but… for whatever reason… it doesn't look good for me."
"We'll figure it out." Merrick insisted.
Cadinia shook her head, "I don't think we can."
Merrick bit his lip.
"Come on." Cadinia decided to change the subject by hitting his arm, "We gotta finish fixing this window before Willie finds out."
Right on cue… Willie's voice came from the door.
"What happened to my kitchen window?!"
Merrick chuckled lightly at the caught look on her face.
"And fast!" They finished, with one out of worry and one out of laughter.
Okay, so when I rewatched this episode, looking for parts with Merrick in it... I will admit... I hated most of it, so... Cadinia wasn't with them for their meet up with Kite, but... it begs the question; why Kite's appearances keep making her angry for no reason and why her morpher keeps freezing?
Please review, Favorite and Follow.
See ya next week.