"What in the world is that?"
"Hey, my gift wrapping's not that bad," Leo retorts, and I sigh, reaching for my own gift bag. Did no one teach this poor soul how to properly throw surprise parties? A smile twists at my face.
"Watch and learn." The brand new multi-tool safely tucked in the layers of tissue inside the cellophane bag, I tie the ribbon in a quick knot, securing it shut. Then, in a trick I'd been taught as a kid, I take the edge of the scissors that sit on the coffee table, hold the string, and pull. The green ribbon curls immediately, and I do the same for the other side. Leo shakes his head.
Show off.
You're one to-
"Damon's going to be so surprised," Kendrix gushes, and I get up, sticking my tongue out at Leo, passing him to join the Pink Ranger.
"Hopefully we didn't freak him out too much," She grins back at me, and I hear Leo's footsteps as he stands.
"I mean, he does think we forgot his birthday, so…" 'Drix mentions, and I cringe. Guilty as charged. But at least it'll be a nice surprise, I guess. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Leo reaching to take a bit of frosting, and I kick his shin as Kendrix slaps his hand away.
"Don't even think about it."
"What she said." The alarm I'd set on my communicator goes off, and I straighten up, fixing my slightly wrinkled clothes, "I've got to pick up something at work. Don't miss me too much!" Walking backwards out of our apartment, I blow a kiss at the two, Kendrix catching it and putting it to her heart while Leo squishes up his face. Whether they admit it or not, they love me.
I greet Leo with a simple nod as we arrive back home at the same time, but before I can say anything, he shushes me.
Maya royally fucked up.
Oh, so you eavesdrop on them?
C'mon, it's funny!
To each their own, L. To each their own.
"Leo? Kara?" My brother, Kai, asks, and Leo beckons him over. I refuse to take part in any of this, mostly because if the other two find out that we're listening in, we're toast.
What're they saying?
They're going shopping, I think. And, uh… oh SHIT- At that precise moment, the door slides open, and I slide out of view as Leo gets a faceful of frosting. As I said: toast. Or cake? Bread..?
"We're going shopping. Come on." Kendrix doesn't let me get a word in edgewise, instead grabbing my hand tightly (ouchhh) and dragging me away.
Have fun playing mediator!
Shut up, Red.
"We'll divide the refrigerator in half."
"Good."
"You won't eat my food, and I won't eat yours."
"You got it." That's a solid plan if I've ever heard of one, and if I also hadn't heard of passive aggressiveness before, I'd think they were agreeing again.
"Um, is anyone keeping Damon preoccu-" My entire body slams into something, and I fall flat on my butt, thankfully managing to save the bag of groceries I hold.
"What in starblazes was that?" Maya mutters, and she gets up, leaving her own groceries on the hot ground. Yikes, my mom would murder me for that. I guess jungle parenting is different from other forms of parenting. Do they even have grocery stores?
"There's some sort of invisible wall here."
A bicycle bell rings out from across the street, and I glance over just in time to see the biker ram into the wall as well. At least he's wearing a helmet. I exchange knowing glances with the other two.
"Scorpius."
"Look, over there."
"Astute observations, M. That thing's standing out like a sore thumb," I mutter.
"We have to morph," Kendrix murmurs, and I scramble back behind the wall. "Ready?"
"Go, Galactic!"
"Lights!" The monster calls in a creepy sing-song tone. Of course it's looking for the lights. What else is new?
"Excuse me. If you're looking for trouble, you found it," Maya threatens.
"How did you three pests get inside the force field?"
"If you thought you could keep us out, you're wrong!" Kendrix retorts.
"Attack, and destroy!" We've definitely pissed it off, but I've been wanting to get some sparring in after being stuck indoors thanks to the doctor (Alpha's) orders. That last fight was tough, even alongside Leo. But compared to that, this should be a piece of cake… oops.
As the first Stingwinger's fist flies towards me, I duck beneath it and push, shoving it to the ground. It hits the concrete hard, and I turn, bracing for the kick that's coming towards my midsection. I catch the Stingers leg and use its momentum to send it flipping into the air, squishing another of its teammates as it lands. They circle now, trapping me in, and I shrug. Not that this tactic had ever worked before. My hours of training and actual combat experience lull my body into muscle memory, letting my mind almost wander as I deflect and dodge blows while dealing my own. Soon, the circle of Stingwingers is no more, and I race to join Maya and Kendrix.
"Ready?" Maya asks.
"Ready!" Kendrix and I reply.
The monster merely laughs. "You happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Wrong again."
"Quasar Sabers!" Yellow, pink, and aqua lightning glow from our blades as we stab them towards the monster, but before we can do any damage, it catches the swords. With a twist of its wrists, it blocks my blade with theirs.
"You're gonna have to do better than that!" It unsheathes its own sword, kind of like a katana, and I narrow my eyes, bracing myself for the fight, "Now I'll show you how it's really supposed to be done."
"Here it comes. Whatever you do, try your best not to get in the path of the blade." My newly minted second-in-command position kicks in, and Maya and Kendrix nod. Considering Leo's not here, it's my duty to make sure all of us three get out of here in one piece.
Another rotation of its wrist as it readies its blade, and I curse. I don't know if I'm back to full health, and if I'm not, there's no way I'm going to be back at full fighting strength, either-
"Fire!"
You okay? Leo checks up on me, and I nod.
Yes, and admittedly, thanks to you.
I don't give him time to gloat. "Let's go!"
Maya and Kendrix respond with shouts of their own, and then we're off. Maya manages to get in one good strike before being hit with two more, and Kendrix just can't seem to move fast enough. Arms aching from the previous fight with the Stingwingers, I'm only able to deflect the thing's sword before rolling away, leaving it unscathed.
People like to say karma's a bitch, but I think they're wrong: lack of stamina is a bitch. Especially when you're a Power Ranger. A dark black aura ripples out from the monster's sword, and I shut my eyes, focusing on breathing deeply even as I feel the attack's power racing towards me.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Deep breath in… My eyes fly open, and I extend one arm after the other, using my telekinesis to push the blasts away from Maya and Kendrix. I'm not strong enough to deflect the one heading right for me, though, and my chest burns and stings where it hits.
"Kara!" Maya and Kendrix are already bracing themselves for another attack, standing in defensive positions above me, and I plant my hands on the ground, forcing myself to stand. Or try to.
Stay down, K. You're hurt-
You sound like him.
The most absolute dead silence comes from the other end of the link, and I let out a groan as my wound flares with pain again.
I realize then that that's the first time I've ever dared to compare anyone to Zayne.
Stay alive, second. We'll be back. Leo's back to business now, and my concentration focuses back on the situation at hand. Turns out those deep breaths I'd taken earlier were worth more than I thought.
"What's the matter, Rangers? Out of breath?" No matter how much I force my lungs to try to take in air, nothing happens, and my heartbeat picks up as I begin to panic.
"What's happening?"
"I don't know. It's like we're running out of air," Kendrix gasps, choking out a cough.
"You may have gotten in, but you won't be getting out! Look." My gaze swims as I turn, spotting the civilians dropping to the ground, clutching at their throats. I would run to help them, if I could walk.
"You're pathetic Rangers. Give up, now!"
"We won't last a second longer if we don't lift the forcefield," I choke out, desperately trying to retain as much breath as possible.
"Yes, right now we need to help the colony. We can deal with this guy later," Kendrix agrees.
"No, we've got to stop him now!" While I wouldn't say I'm surprised that Maya disagrees with our plan, there's nothing either of us can do to stop her as she runs full force at the monster. Just like the first time she attacked, she only manages to land one solid hit before getting knocked down, and I grit my teeth.
"Let's get out of here. Care to make a diversion?"
"I'd be more than happy to." Kendrix summons her Beta Bow as I help Maya up, and the moment her arrows hit the ground, I start running as fast as I can in the opposite direction.
"Don't touch me." Somehow, impossibly, those two are still fighting, and Maya's snappy remark pulls me out of my breathing exercises.
"But you're hurt, I was just trying to help-"
"Help? You could have helped me fight instead of retreating. We have to stop that monster before we run out of air!"
"We need the others, he's too powerful!"
"Maya, Kendrix is right." I really do not know how Andros did this with us. He made it seem so freaking easy. "We do not have time for this sort of argument, the others are waiting-"
"Fine. If neither of you want to, I'll stop him myself."
"Maya!" I shout after her.
"Wait, come back!" Kendrix calls, and I grit my teeth.
"I'm going after her. Keep looking for a way out."
"Oh, you didn't have to tell me twice."
I guess this is what it feels to be at an extremely high altitude without an oxygen tank. Remind me never to get into that sort of life-threatening situation again. (Yes, I know I get into life threatening situations with no regard for my safety, but at least I'll know to avoid certain circumstances.) The air thins out, and just as I need to stop to bend over and catch my breath, I spot Maya in front of a bakery.
Ugh. Of course Damon's surprise party had to be the cause of this.
Before I can fully catch my breath, though, a crowd of Stingwingers swarm around Maya, and I curse. I'm too far away to launch a counterattack, but I can warn her. Before I can open my mouth, though, Kendrix comes barreling through the swarm, knocking them to the ground, and I race to join them.
The three of us take shelter behind a pillar, and I keep my hand ready above my morpher.
"Thanks," Maya murmurs, and I can't help but smile. Nothing but the threat of suffocation to make you grateful for what you have, "It was a birthday cake, wasn't it?"
"Don't worry about it." Ah, the typical Kendrix response.
"I didn't know. Where I'm from, we don't celebrate birthdays."
"What? You don't?"
"What she said," I echo, incredulous. "No birthday presents?"
"I'm sorry to the both of you," Maya adds.
"No, I'm sorry. I completely overreacted and forgot how great of a friend you are to me." I place a hand on Maya's shoulder.
"Don't sweat it. I can handle a little sass. I mean, Kai's my brother." Maya and Kendrix laugh at this, and I grin.
"Tell you what. I'll help you make another one."
"Great. But first, we've got to find the source of this forcefield."
Finding the forcefield generator is easier than stealing honey from a bee. Sting from a Stingwinger? Whatever, same difference.
"Look, it's part of the forcefield," Kendrix murmurs, and I nod, glancing over at it. It seems simple enough to destroy, but looks can be extremely deceiving, "That must be the source."
The Stingwingers, who must have been there to check up on it to make sure it was still doing a decent job of trapping us, move away. "Now's our chance. Let's-" A notoriously familiar bellow sounds from outside the forcefield, and I groan. "Never freaking mind."
From our vantage point, we can clearly see the Magna Defender's ToroZord going at it, smashing at the barrier with its horns, sending blue lightning and sparks arcing every which way. (Tell me something is extremely dangerous and reckless without telling me something is extremely dangerous and reckless.)
"The ship will be ripped apart!" Kendrix cries, and I brace myself as attack after attack hits the invisible dome.
"Something tells me he really doesn't care about that."
I'm going to call the Galactabeasts. You know what to do.
Right on cue, the roar from Kai's Gorilla Beast echoes out, and I nod. "Ready-"
"Let me guess. You missed me!" Ugh, this dude again.
"Let's do this," Maya urges, and Kendrix and I nod.
"Go, Galactic! Transdaggers!" I let the others leap into the air first, then as they land, I come up from my dive, stabbing upwards. My blow is easily predicted and deflected though, and I leap backwards, out of range of any attack.
"Fire!" Now that we're working together again, our combat skills are once more in sync, and the arrows from our blasters land right on target.
"Excellent!"
"Alright. Let's get him!"
Okay, I'd thought that our lasers had done more damage than they'd actually inflicted, because as we slash away with our Quasar Sabers, the monster is still able to fend us off and deal blows of his own. The wound in my midsection from earlier still burns, and that doesn't really help matters at all. Speaking of which… the same burning sensation fills my body as the monster's black energy attack slices into us, throwing us into the forcefield and onto the ground.
Both wounds burn with pain, and when I press a hand to my midsection, it comes away slightly red with blood.
"Kara, it's okay," Kendrix assures me, "We've got this."
"Are you sure about that? There's nothing you can do to stop me!"
"We're not giving up!"
"Ever!" Kendrix adds.
"Please, neither one of you is a challenge to me at all!"
"Alone, maybe, but together…" Despite the stinging in my chest, I can't help but smile at Maya's implication.
Please tell me they're getting along now?
Got that right, Red. Is this what it feels like to be proud of your team as our humble leader?
Hell yeah. Feels good, doesn't it?
Can say that again.
"We make a pretty awesome team," Kendrix adds.
"I doubt it." And I doubt that that monster is going to be shit-talking any more.
"Are you ready to go?"
"You got it!"
Once, Andros had told me and TJ how proud and thankful he was of us. How we helped him when he fell, when even he couldn't bear the burden of the Red Ranger. I'd meant everything I said to Leo: watching the Pink and Yellow Ranger take down evil together replaces my pain with a swelling sense of pride. And while they're not Cassie and Ashley, nor will they ever be, they are still my friends, Kendrix and Maya, and more importantly, my team.
The team that runs straight through the crossfire from monster attacks. I let out an astonished breath; apparently some of Maya's badass has rubbed off on Kendrix.
Then, raising her sword, Maya lets loose the strongest attack I've seen from her, and the forcefield falls.
Teammate banter has never felt so good, even in the middle of combat. With the oxygen replenished, I'm able to get up and join the others. (I also don't want Kai babying me. I may be the younger sibling, but I don't appreciate being treated like a kid.)
"Took you long enough to let us in," Damon teases, and I shove him gently.
"We were kinda busy suffocating." The others chuckle at this, but I guess the monster doesn't find it funny at all.
"Enough of this cutesy stuff. Time is running out!" Yeah, for him it is.
"Let's do it! Quasar Launchers!" Maya orders.
"Energy launch!" Kendrix shouts, but as the smoke from our attack clears, I realize that it didn't even make a scratch.
"Don't you get it? I'm indestructible!"
"Everyone has their weak spot, and I'm sure we can find yours!" Leo's threat is cut off as the ground begins to shake, and I stumble, my balance thrown off. Okay, what now- A bolt of lightning zooms up from the thing's staff, and when it strikes the sky, dark clouds gather. The wind picks up, sending leaves and trash swirling around us, and I can't help the shiver that courses down my spine.
"The Lights of Orion are here!" The beautiful orb of orange light settles in front of us, and I sincerely hope that this is the real deal… why is it floating away? "What's happening?" Damn, never thought I'd be on the same page as a monster, but here we are.
"They're going away!" Maya observes.
"We have to follow them, let's go!" Leo orders, and we dash off, after the trail of light that it leaves behind. But before we can catch them, or even begin to figure out how we're going to catch them, they zoom out of the colony and far out of our reach.
"They've left Terra Venture!"
"If it weren't for you, the lights would be mine!" The monster growls, and I clench my fist. Those had to have been the real lights, which means that no matter what the cost, we cannot let it fall into Scorpius' hands.
"Not if we get to it first!"
"Surprise!" I'd never thought I'd see Damon more awestruck and happy than when I told him I was a Space Ranger. I was wrong.
"You guys did all this?" He asks, voice nearly a whisper, and I nod fervently, "I can't believe it, my birthday! You remembered."
"Of course we did, Greenie." The others crack up at the nickname.
"Kendrix and I made you a cake," Maya adds, and Kendrix turns, grabbing the freshly baked dessert.
"Wow. You guys are the best."
"Don't be saying that too often, it'll go to our heads," I joke, and Kai laughs, smacking Damon in the face with a handful of confetti. I don't say it often enough, but Damon and my brother were the first two people I'd seen after coming out of cryosleep, and I wouldn't want to be on this journey with anyone else.