Individual disclaimer: the song featured in this story is Ivy's "Undertow" I don't own it or power rangers so Please don't come after me.
Author's note: This story is slightly depressed. It's meant to be. How would you feel in Justin's shoes? That's why I kept thinking when I realized what I was writing. Anyway it briefly mentions death so be prepared.
"Undertow"
Justin Stuart stood there, looking out over the lake. It had been three months since they'd
Left, since he'd lost any chance he'd had of being a power ranger. He'd not only given that up but his friends. Sure rocky and Tanya and the others were still around but they were so busy. Tommy was on the racing circuit, Katherine racing in London, Adam acting in movies in Mariner bay and rocky had his classes at the university and his job teaching marshal arts. Tanya was a singer, based in town. Still he was all alone. The thing was they were really his only other friends. The astro rangers were off somewhere in space. Now he was alone.
Standing by yourself.
High on the hills above the ocean.
This is where you'd come to walk with your friends.
Strange how it leaves you with no emotion.
The blue clad boy let his head fall back, the sun felt cold. He hated it now, he hated that everything felt so cold. How had this happened? How had the power, a force of eternal goodness turned him into nothing but a shell?
Justin thought of his father and felt pain welling up; his death hadn't helped thing s either. He could still remember the sight of the principal in the doorway, his grim voice as he led him from his class room. The moments following the news, the pain and fear… What would he do alone now? How could he go on alone? He didn't want a foster home or a shelter again. Not that there was anything bad a bout the shelter but he didn't want to go through that again. He'd hated how the other kids had looked down on him. Now it wouldn't just be because his mother had died but because his father was… But there was no help for anything now, he was all alone… Justin Stuart was a total orphan.
You can't fight the undertow.
Not when you're all alone.
You can't fight the undertow.
How long 'til you let go?
Watching a crane fly above the water Justin could remember meeting the first pink ranger, she'd been the crane. She'd also been through a lot, her parents had gotten divorced, her mother had moved to Paris and her father had died. He thought about her understanding brown eyes and wished he could talk to her, to someone, that someone would try and understand. Maybe then he'd be able to cope with everything. He thought of her boyfriend, the once red ranger and temporary gold ranger. He'd been through a lot too, his older sister had killed herself, his parents had split up and he'd lost the power once. He thought of Jason's older sister, what had she been thinking? Had she thought it was the only way? Had she been scared? Why would she be scared? They had the power rangers to save them… Right, like they were always around when he needed them… That was a joke, Justin thought bitterly. People were never around when you needed them. If they were he'd not be here now, alone and angry. He'd not be feeling like his life was in shambles, never to be whole again…
Taking one step back.
Trying to pull you together.
No matter what you say nothing you do
Can hold back the forces on you forever.
"Justin?" The voice sounded as if it came on a sigh of air.
"Demeetria?" He asked looking around for his old adviser.
"Are you not to be in school?" The voice asked again and yet he couldn't find her.
"I thought you were on Eltar trying to help." Justin said and there was light laugh, like the tinkling of bells.
"Do you not need someone's help as much as they do?" The disembodied voice asked then sounding much more serious.
"I'm fine." He lied, he didn't know what was going on but he wasn't in the mood for games.
"Then why are you out here?" A voice asked and Justin spun to find a tall young man with a muscular build watching him.
"Justin?" Another voice asked and again the boy turned.
"Who are you?" Justin demanded was this a trick by dark specter?
"We're friends." A pretty Asian girl told him softly and he tilted his head in question.
"I don't know you." The teen narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Naw but we know you man, you were the blue ranger." Another young man appeared clad all in black.
"And you…" Justin began and the yellow clad girl stepped forward.
"My name is Trini, I was the yellow ranger, this is Zack the first black ranger, and that is Billy the first blue ranger." The older girl smiled nodding to each of her friends.
"What are you doing here? Is there trouble?" Justin asked half hoping there was, and then he'd see some of his friends…
"We heard you needed friends." The brunette said and Justin knew she was Kimberly, the girl from the mirianthious adventure.
"You…" He could only stare, had his thoughts brought her there?
"Hey, friends are friends no matter what." Jason Scott put in coming up behind her.
"Tommy?" Justin saw his old friend join them.
"Right here little man." The long hared young man said as he too appeared near Kimberly, with Katherine at his side.
"But you're…" Justin couldn't believe this, they were all there for him?
"Ashley contacted us." Tanya smiled as she and Adam joined them. It was odd, as if they were coming out of nowhere.
"Wow, so you're all here?"
"In the flesh." Rocky grinned at him.
"Cool." Was all Justin could think to say?
"Yeah, well what do you say we all go to the surf spot and grab a drink?" Zack asked adding and Billy nodded adding.
"Yeah, inner planetary travel makes me really thirsty."
"Ok." The younger boy smiled, feeling suddenly as if everything would be just fine, he wasn't alone.
***
Another completed little story. I know it's kind of silly but when I do free writing I always listen to music and this is what came out today. PlZ R&R and let me know what you think of it.