Disclaimer: Don't own the Power Rangers. Anybody you never heard of before
is probably mine, but it doesn't matter because there's no money involved
anyway.
Note: this is completely AU. Zordon never died. The originals are all in their early to mid-twenties. You'll recognize the other stuff I changed. Anything inside these brackets like this is supposed to be telepathy.
Legacy, part 8
Taia looked reluctantly at the room she'd inhabited so briefly. Everything was in its place and tidy; she'd changed back into her pressure suit, the clothes she'd worn were back in the wardrobe. She dropped the vidcrystal her mother had made so many years ago for Jason on the bed and turned, catching a glimpse of her face in the mirror. Slowly she approached the dresser and leaned both fists on it, staring at her reflection.
"You are a fool, Taia," she whispered. "Not worthy to be Guardian, not anymore. Before – before, maybe you could have grown to fit the mantle. But not now. You nearly killed your brother, first by hesitating, then by aggression against those trying to save him. Why could you not simply tell the others what you knew?" Straightening, she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered, leaning against the wall. "So'Vran was right. I am in pieces now, and I cannot put them back together. All I can do is run, like the coward he knew I was." Slowly she slid to the floor, burying her face in her hands. "I need…spirits, I do not know what it is that I need." Taia turned an unseeing, tear-streaked face to the ceiling, spreading her palms in supplication. "Help me know what to do, Guardian. I am lost…"
The door to her room swished open; Billy did not see her at first. "Tai? Oh… no…" he took in the immaculate state of the room. "You've left me…" Taia started at the sound of his voice and saw pain twist his handsome features, believing her gone.
I am here, beloved. Billy started at her voice in his head and whirled to see her crouched next to the dresser.
"Tai? Thank God," he crossed to her and crouched on his haunches in front of her. "But you were going, weren't you?"
"I don't know," she sighed. "I wanted to hide from you all; mostly from myself."
"But you were right, Taia," Billy said quietly. "We were in the wrong. You saved Jason's life."
I nearly lost it for him as well. I made terrible choices. How can I help my people if I cannot make good decisions in the heat of battle?
He tilted her chin up to face him. I made some terrible choices as well, threatening you, doubting you…can you forgive me?
Her dark eyes brimmed over with tears, nearly breaking Billy's heart. Had I not made my decisions so poorly, you would not have turned on me so angrily. The one I cannot forgive is myself.
A third voice, familiar and loved by both, broke into their link. No one needs forgiveness here, Jason's voice boomed strong and confident. You both did your best to save my life, and you succeeded. Your guilt is misplaced. Trust each other, trust your bond. Taia could feel the thread connecting her to her brother grow stronger, fuller. Your lack of confidence in your abilities is misplaced as well, Taia. Father spoke of your power, of the blessing that you have become to the Xeryan people. How can you not know…? Taia gasped aloud and tried to shy away as her brother traced the boundaries of her experiences with So'Vran, his growl of rage at what he found there echoing in both their minds. I will kill this So'Vran for what he did to you. Don't give him this victory, little sister. Not this nor any other.
She stared at Billy for a long time, unmoving; then, slowly, she reached out and stroked his jaw in a feather light caress. He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm; she made a small noise of pleasure, and suddenly Billy could no longer hold himself in check, dragging her to him, crushing her mouth with his own.
In the infirmary, Jason smiled and opened his eyes.
A while later Taia lay atop Billy, their bodies still entwined, listening to his heartbeat as it slowed back to normal. Her abundance of dark hair spread over them, its silken duskiness clinging to them. "So this is what a train collision feels like," she murmured, laughing softly.
"You heard that?" Billy blushed fiercely. "I can't believe you heard that."
She propped her chin on his chest and regarded him through dark eyes, love and mischief reflected on her face. "Did you know, the most interesting parts of you blush when you are embarrassed?"
"Oh, Lord, you're as bad as Kat and Tanya."
Dark eyebrows raised teasingly. "Oh yes?"
"You're as impossible as they are," Billy growled as he rolled over on top of her, imprisoning her in a loving cage of his arms and legs.
"And do you desire them as well?" Taia said saucily.
"Are you confused as to whom I desire? I thought I made myself clear on that point," he nuzzled her neck. "Would you like a demonstration?"
She smiled up at him. "I am rather stupid," her breath caught as he began to kiss her slender throat. "I think I will need a lot of reminders…if you think you are up to it."
Billy gave her a wolfish grin. "Oh, I'm up to it, love." And he proved it.
**************
"I'm sorry, son; I can't think of anything else to do. Either Paladin will manifest itself spontaneously, or your recent ordeals have made the thing impossible," Peter looked at Jason, his heart heavy. "You don't feel any change at all?"
"No, not really," Jason sighed. "I'm more aware of Taia, but – whoa! Turn it off, please!"
Peter looked at the youth worriedly. "What is it, Jase? Are you in pain? What?"
"No, it's – Taia! Turn it down! Oh, man…" Jason gave his companions a hunted look.
"Are they in trouble?" Tommy's voice was urgent.
"No, they're… um… you know, the train wreck thing? Hang on a second." Jason closed his eyes and concentrated, hard.
Taia? TAIA!
Jason! Are you hurt?
No, Tai, you're broadcasting. Keep it down, will you? There are things I just do not need to know about ol' Billy, if you get my drift.
Oh, by the spirits, I am so sorry. I did not realize…
'Sokay, just keep it to yourselves from now on, all right? Jason blew out a breath and began to laugh. He eyed Tommy, who was watching him curiously. "What?"
"Jase, is it my imagination, or are you…growing?"
Note: this is completely AU. Zordon never died. The originals are all in their early to mid-twenties. You'll recognize the other stuff I changed. Anything inside these brackets like this is supposed to be telepathy.
Legacy, part 8
Taia looked reluctantly at the room she'd inhabited so briefly. Everything was in its place and tidy; she'd changed back into her pressure suit, the clothes she'd worn were back in the wardrobe. She dropped the vidcrystal her mother had made so many years ago for Jason on the bed and turned, catching a glimpse of her face in the mirror. Slowly she approached the dresser and leaned both fists on it, staring at her reflection.
"You are a fool, Taia," she whispered. "Not worthy to be Guardian, not anymore. Before – before, maybe you could have grown to fit the mantle. But not now. You nearly killed your brother, first by hesitating, then by aggression against those trying to save him. Why could you not simply tell the others what you knew?" Straightening, she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered, leaning against the wall. "So'Vran was right. I am in pieces now, and I cannot put them back together. All I can do is run, like the coward he knew I was." Slowly she slid to the floor, burying her face in her hands. "I need…spirits, I do not know what it is that I need." Taia turned an unseeing, tear-streaked face to the ceiling, spreading her palms in supplication. "Help me know what to do, Guardian. I am lost…"
The door to her room swished open; Billy did not see her at first. "Tai? Oh… no…" he took in the immaculate state of the room. "You've left me…" Taia started at the sound of his voice and saw pain twist his handsome features, believing her gone.
I am here, beloved. Billy started at her voice in his head and whirled to see her crouched next to the dresser.
"Tai? Thank God," he crossed to her and crouched on his haunches in front of her. "But you were going, weren't you?"
"I don't know," she sighed. "I wanted to hide from you all; mostly from myself."
"But you were right, Taia," Billy said quietly. "We were in the wrong. You saved Jason's life."
I nearly lost it for him as well. I made terrible choices. How can I help my people if I cannot make good decisions in the heat of battle?
He tilted her chin up to face him. I made some terrible choices as well, threatening you, doubting you…can you forgive me?
Her dark eyes brimmed over with tears, nearly breaking Billy's heart. Had I not made my decisions so poorly, you would not have turned on me so angrily. The one I cannot forgive is myself.
A third voice, familiar and loved by both, broke into their link. No one needs forgiveness here, Jason's voice boomed strong and confident. You both did your best to save my life, and you succeeded. Your guilt is misplaced. Trust each other, trust your bond. Taia could feel the thread connecting her to her brother grow stronger, fuller. Your lack of confidence in your abilities is misplaced as well, Taia. Father spoke of your power, of the blessing that you have become to the Xeryan people. How can you not know…? Taia gasped aloud and tried to shy away as her brother traced the boundaries of her experiences with So'Vran, his growl of rage at what he found there echoing in both their minds. I will kill this So'Vran for what he did to you. Don't give him this victory, little sister. Not this nor any other.
She stared at Billy for a long time, unmoving; then, slowly, she reached out and stroked his jaw in a feather light caress. He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm; she made a small noise of pleasure, and suddenly Billy could no longer hold himself in check, dragging her to him, crushing her mouth with his own.
In the infirmary, Jason smiled and opened his eyes.
A while later Taia lay atop Billy, their bodies still entwined, listening to his heartbeat as it slowed back to normal. Her abundance of dark hair spread over them, its silken duskiness clinging to them. "So this is what a train collision feels like," she murmured, laughing softly.
"You heard that?" Billy blushed fiercely. "I can't believe you heard that."
She propped her chin on his chest and regarded him through dark eyes, love and mischief reflected on her face. "Did you know, the most interesting parts of you blush when you are embarrassed?"
"Oh, Lord, you're as bad as Kat and Tanya."
Dark eyebrows raised teasingly. "Oh yes?"
"You're as impossible as they are," Billy growled as he rolled over on top of her, imprisoning her in a loving cage of his arms and legs.
"And do you desire them as well?" Taia said saucily.
"Are you confused as to whom I desire? I thought I made myself clear on that point," he nuzzled her neck. "Would you like a demonstration?"
She smiled up at him. "I am rather stupid," her breath caught as he began to kiss her slender throat. "I think I will need a lot of reminders…if you think you are up to it."
Billy gave her a wolfish grin. "Oh, I'm up to it, love." And he proved it.
**************
"I'm sorry, son; I can't think of anything else to do. Either Paladin will manifest itself spontaneously, or your recent ordeals have made the thing impossible," Peter looked at Jason, his heart heavy. "You don't feel any change at all?"
"No, not really," Jason sighed. "I'm more aware of Taia, but – whoa! Turn it off, please!"
Peter looked at the youth worriedly. "What is it, Jase? Are you in pain? What?"
"No, it's – Taia! Turn it down! Oh, man…" Jason gave his companions a hunted look.
"Are they in trouble?" Tommy's voice was urgent.
"No, they're… um… you know, the train wreck thing? Hang on a second." Jason closed his eyes and concentrated, hard.
Taia? TAIA!
Jason! Are you hurt?
No, Tai, you're broadcasting. Keep it down, will you? There are things I just do not need to know about ol' Billy, if you get my drift.
Oh, by the spirits, I am so sorry. I did not realize…
'Sokay, just keep it to yourselves from now on, all right? Jason blew out a breath and began to laugh. He eyed Tommy, who was watching him curiously. "What?"
"Jase, is it my imagination, or are you…growing?"
