Disclaimer: I don't anything except Ink and Alice.
Important Author Note: Yeah I know, it's finally here! Don't shoot me, it's been a weird packed summer and I've rewritten the second half of this chapter more times than I can count. Incidentally the first half was one of the first things I wrote for the story so I always had the end in sight.
The first part of this chapter takes place at the end of the Power Rangers Wild Force Episode 'Reinforcements from the Future Part 2', which along with Part 1 is my very favorite episode of PR ever as it combines my two very fave series. The second half takes place sometime after 'Forever Red'. Thanks for sticking around. Hope u like. Check the end for the story origins and the final more personal shout outs. I can't believe it's finally over!
EPILOGUE: LET GO
Eric strode through the Animarium. He felt what he supposed must be a kind of peace. It was an almost alien feeling to him but he guessed he liked it. It was a feeling of most worries disappearing and just being left with the Power. Maybe it was being in the company of other Rangers. Friends, he corrected mentally, in the company of friends. Through the nearby foliage he spied Taylor. She was sat alone beneath a leafy tree reading a book and was totally concentrating on the pages before her. Nothing else seemed to matter around her. She seemed to need something to keep her going, keep her mind stimulated. She reminded him of himself. Eric smiled; enjoying the view he had of the pretty Ranger.
"She's beautiful, Eric."
His first thought was that the voice couldn't be real. It had to be the effect of the weird magic shit that seemed to be everywhere on the Animarium. She couldn't be here. She was light-years away, or something. But even as he tried to dismiss it, Eric was surprised to find his heart racing. Feelings both his own and someone else's flooded through him, combining into a kind of hesitant joy. It almost overwhelmed him. It had been so long since he'd had to deal with this again.
He turned to the source of the voice. In the shade of a nearby clump of trees, stood Ink and Alice. They looked expectantly at him as though it was nothing unusual for them to be stood there. As though they hadn't disappeared for almost a year.
"You're back," he managed, fighting to subdue his feelings.
"I felt you activate your Morpher when you fought the Mutorgs," replied Ink, a smile lighting up her face. "It has been a while since you have needed to use it and so a while since you needed me. Eltar was as wonderful as I remembered it and I got to see my family again."
"We could have done with your help trying to figure them out. We had to spring Ransik from prison," retorted Eric.
"Yes you did, and you also got to see the Time Force Rangers again, reunite Wes and Jen after a lengthy absence, destroy the Mutorgs and purify Ransik," listed Ink. "So on the whole I did not feel I was needed. You did fine by relying on each other."
Eric nodded and slid his gaze over to Alice. She was unarmed and wore a frown on her face. He raised an eyebrow at her and got a formal nod of acknowledgment in return.
"Wes and I are still leading the Guardians together," Eric continued suddenly, finding himself unable to say anything else.
Why couldn't he tell them how he really felt? Like something of him had been suddenly ripped away when he couldn't contact her? It had made him realise how intertwined they were. He wished he could tell her how pleased he was to see her but found himself hiding behind his childish resentment at once again being abandoned by the one person who was supposed to be there for him. He'd felt calm when she'd left, excited about the new chapter of his life was beginning but slowly he'd realized how much he missed her and how he'd come to depend on her. Half the time that made him disgusted with himself. Ink looked at him for a length of time long enough to make Eric partly uncomfortable before replying calmly.
"It is good to see you too, Eric."
Eric raised his gaze and managed a defeated smile. No mind talk. It seemed she was going to settle for speaking out loud. He was grateful; he was unaccustomed to mind speak after so long without it and Ink seemed to sense this. He moved closer to his Guardian.
"Yeah, it's good to see you two are safe," he said. "It's been a long time."
"It was……..painful, saying goodbye. I forgot how hard emotional bonds can be sometimes."
"Tell me about it," muttered Eric ruefully. "There's a reason I don't do team work."
"But it is worth it, correct? To know that Wes is there to help you and not to hinder you?" pressed Ink. "I know you find it hard to trust, Eric but Wes is a good man and stayed until the very end with you to ensure your safety."
Eric smiled and nodded, unwilling to even share out-loud with someone who was somehow connected to him how his friendship had evolved with Wes. At first it had been hard to share the Silver Guardian leadership position (and his office) with him but soon he'd found it was easier to share the load. And that working alone wasn't as beneficial as he once thought it was.
As he raised his eyes to take in Ink and Alice in the lush jungle surroundings, a confusing thought struck him.
"How did you get up here anyway? I though only people coming up with the Wild Force Rangers can be teleported up to ….well…..here," Eric gestured at the beautiful landscape.
"It is true that even my powers cannot surpass the powerful ancient magic which protects the Animariam," admitted Ink. "And I do not possess an Animal Crystal to allow myself access. But Alice and I were invited here by our sister and therefore granted entry."
Eric's forehead creased in confusion.
"Your sister?"
Then he properly took in what Ink was wearing. Her dress was identical to the one Princess Shayla wore though naturally it was completely midnight purple and was adorned by purple and white flowers around the waist and shoulders. A matching half crown of flowers circled her head with her long silver-streaked hair pulled back into one long braid down her back. Eric realised that he'd never see Ink's hair tied back before. Alice also looked slightly different. As usual, she wore dark navy blue this time in the form of a thick-strapped dress that was cut just above her knees. An explosion of silver glitter stars started from one of the bottom corners and spread over the dress. Her hair, usually long and free, was pulled back into a tight ponytail that fell to her waist and she wore all her clanking silver jewelry, her silver staff in her hand.
"Now you see the resemblance," laughed Ink. "Alice prefers to wear your century's style but I find wearing the traditional clothes of this surrounding helps keep my magic in focus. It tends to shift in such a powerful place which is so attuned to Shayla and her abilities."
"I guess you do act a bit alike," muttered Eric in half-wonder. "So Princess Shayla invited you up here to see us all again?"
"Yes, Eric. She knew that while you were all gathered together I would desire to see you all once more," smiled Ink. "As well as meet her own Rangers whom she cares for so much."
Eric caught the wistful tone in Ink's voice and looked surprised.
"Jealous, Ink?" he asked almost playfully.
"Oh no! Being a full time guardian to a full Ranger team as well as a flock of animal spirits is draining and taxing work. I find it hard enough to be your Guardian," laughed Ink.
That made Eric stop for a heartbeat and stare at her.
"You're…..you're still my Guardian?" he asked cautiously.
"Indeed, just because the Ranger Team has split apart and your era is over does not mean that I am no longer attached to you," said Ink in surprise. "For as long as you wear the Quantum Morpher, I will be with you, even when you cannot see me."
"I'm still Ryan's Protector even though he hasn't fought any demons for a few years now," added Alice. "He says hi by the way, he's in Africa at the moment."
Eric raised an eyebrow. It was true that even though he hadn't seen Ink for so many months, he could still sense her in someway. Somehow he knew she was still alive and still watching out for him. It had been extremely frustrating to feel this and not see her at all.
"So now you're here," he said with an almost carefree smile that made Ink smile back.
"Yes I am and pleased to see the weight of the world finally off your shoulders, my Quantum Ranger," she said fondly. "Here to see my sister after many many millennia and her own Silver Protector who I am sure you met."
"Merrick?" guessed Eric.
It made sense. Eric had only briefly spoken to the tall silent warrior. He had a serious air to him that gave the impression he was not to be crossed. He stayed pretty much at Princess Shayla's side for the whole celebration time and even when he wasn't with her, his steely gray eyes never left her petite form.
"Yes, I am glad to know he is still as loyal and noble as he once was all that time ago," smiled Ink. "Things aren't so dark for Merrick now."
"He still persists in living in the old ways though," snorted Alice. "He can't get rid of the past until he stops living in it."
"Merrick is an ancient warrior, Alice. He is bound by the codes and conduct of Animaria. That is why he was chosen to protect Shayla, we knew he would do it well." reprimanded Ink. "He cannot help the fact that he has much to atone for and not much time to do it in. You must let him continue to follow his own path."
She turned to Eric with a sudden mischievous smile. It seemed to Eric that all her age fell of her then and all that was left was a small sweet child. It more than slightly unnerved him.
"You and Merrick should get on well, Eric. I have never met two Rangers more deep in darkness," she declared. "You may think you have been alone, Quantum Ranger but you have never known loneliness as Merrick has."
"Being locked in a tomb for over three thousand years and unable to be with the woman he loves did that to him," added Alice.
"He's in love with the Princess. It doesn't take a genius to work that out," pointed out Eric flatly.
"He is rather obvious," agreed Ink, his lips twitching with a smile. "But Merrick will not allow them to pursue a life together, even though they are perfectly matched. When he first became her Protector, he swore to be that and nothing more, no matter his inner desires. With so much to atone for now Merrick refuses to overstep any lines."
Eric looked back towards the temple and thought about the longing he'd seen in Merrick's eyes as he'd watched the Princess from afar. It had to be killing him from the inside out. Would he be able to live like that, Eric wondered.
"But do not worry yourself about the Luna Wolf Ranger and his problems," said Ink gently. "He has fought his demons and won. Now he had to fight off his past and himself. I have a feeling that things will not be so dark in the future for Merrick and my sister."
Alice smiled as she caught the contented dreamy look on Ink's face.
"Been looking into the future, Ink?" she asked teasingly.
"It is just a hunch," Ink replied, her eyes dropping to the floor.
Eric grinned at this. Ink knew how Princess Shayla's future turned out with her love Merrick. How frustrating it must be not to tell your own sister how her future turned out. He turned his head slightly to check that Taylor was still sitting beneath the tree. She was, still buried in her book and seemingly unaware of his presence. He smiled at the sight of the Yellow Ranger.
"You've both been alone for so long," said Ink softly. "Don't be afraid to reach out for each other."
"I'm not afraid," snapped Eric over his shoulder, more out of habit than anything else.
"Of course you are not," smiled Ink knowingly, humor softening her words. "Tentative then, relationships between Rangers have worked before."
"It didn't exactly turn out roses for Wes and Jen did it?" retorted Eric defensively.
"But they found each other again, through the very Powers that brought them together," reasoned Ink. "I knew that someday, their hearts would bring them together again. A love that strong cannot be denied by the barriers of time."
"And what about after the party's over? When Jen has to go back to the year 3000?"
"That is for them to decide," said Ink.
But a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as though she knew more than she let on.
"She'll eat you for lunch," snorted Alice, nodding toward Taylor. "Tough as nails, highly ranked in the Air Force."
"It is natural for Rangers to come together, Eric," said Ink, with an admonishing look towards Alice. "In almost every Earth team, people have fallen in love. When you spend so many days saving the world together, you cannot help but lean on each other and look for companionship."
She nodded towards the temple where laughter could still be heard from.
"Cole Evans and Alyssa Enrile from these Wild Force Rangers have managed it," she supplied. "They have decided that when the Power does one day leave them that they do want to stay together."
Eric's eyebrows shot up at the names. Ink smiled at his expression.
"They have been very discreet," she said. "They do not want to anyone to feel uncomfortable around them."
Eric nodded and began to move away from Ink when he heard her voice again.
"I am not saying it will be perfect, Eric but you have to take that chance," her voice was soft and persuasive. "Jump off the cliff with the Soaring Eagle."
That made him turn back.
"Soaring Eagle?" his voice dripped with familiar distain.
"Taylor's animal spirit," laughed Ink. "Each of the Wild Force Rangers has an animal spirit which guides and protects them and a name which is coupled with the spirit. Taylor is the Soaring Eagle."
It made sense. He could see that in her; strong, graceful, commanding. God, he'd barely know her a day and the woman had him spouting poetry. Ink began stepping forward with Alice following.
"It is time for us to go and join the festivities," she decided. "The other Rangers are unaware of my presence and there is some catching up to do I believe before the night is over."
"You haven't seen the Princess in a very long time," guessed Eric as they passed him and stopped on the track that led to the Temple.
"In many many centuries," confirmed Ink. "Since she was sent to Earth all that time ago to Animaria. Then she slept high above the ground and I deep below it. I have had my time and now it is her's. This event allows us the chance to once more connect and share the power."
"Take care of her, Eric," said Alice suddenly. "I don't want to deal with an angry pack of Wild Force Rangers if you break her heart as well as my sister distraught that you've traumatised one of her Rangers."
Eric smirked.
"I'll be careful, Alice. I promise," he said mockingly.
Alice nodded and bowed respectfully from the waist down. Eric was surprised. He'd only seen her do that to Ink. Hesitantly he returned the gesture.
"You're a good true warrior, Eric," Alice said with a sudden brilliant smile. "Ink was right about you all along."
"We'll see you at the Temple, Quantum Ranger," called Ink softly.
The sisters turned and began their walk up the path towards the Temple where a great amount of noise was coming from. Eric could hear a lot of laughter. Although he was part of the group and he was even beginning to enjoy being part of one, he still felt like somewhat of an outsider gate-crashing their closeness. He'd seen Merrick slope off mid-way through the gathering. According to Cole, he'd gone to visit his Wolf Zord. He did it a lot at Ranger gatherings apparently, always considering himself an outsider too. It seemed Taylor did as well. He turned to watch Ink and Alice disappear up the path. Ink raised an arm and he saw a flash of purple energy emit from her hand before fading away. He felt her smile widely.
Always there, even when you can't see me.
Maybe she really would always be there for him, even if he only saw her at once-in-a-lifetime events like this. This past year had taught him that he could handle it.
With a smirk, he began to walk a wide circle around Taylor out of her sight so that he could approach her from behind the tree. She was feisty, controlling and didn't take any crap from anybody. No one had challenged him the way she had. Eric's smile grew as he neared her. Ink was gonna leave again, that he was sure of, but Taylor, she'd stick around. She was too tempting to possibly pass up.
It was several months later that Eric received a postcard from Alice. He was sorting through his mail as breakfast cooked on the stove and Taylor used his shower. She always tried to get in first after their early morning run. Sometimes she seemed to take competing a bit too far.
At first he'd assumed the postcard was from Maria but the message on the back wasn't in her impatient scrawl. It was in a much more unfamiliar precise flair that he didn't recognize. He soon did though.
Eric, surprise! Am back on Earth traveling with Ryan, currently in Korea. You & Taylor should take collective leave one summer & join him. Ink's still on the Eltar counsel, diplomacy's her thing. She's helping keep several nearby galaxies safe. We're all where we need to be. I may visit you soon when Ryan's in town so I can see Shayla too. Keep safe Quantum.
"Any reason you're smiling like that?"
Eric started and looked up to see Taylor wandering in, her hair wet about her face. He handed her the postcard so he could pay full attention to the eggs on the stove.
"It's from Alice," he informed his girlfriend. "Sounds like situation normal."
"Working with Ryan sounds fun," commented Taylor.
"Could be good," he shot her a smile then nodded at the table. "I'm cooking, you lay the table."
Taylor rolled her eyes but opened the cupboard door to fetch the cutlery. There was a contented silence as they shared the kitchen space, broken only by the sizzle of the eggs in the pan. Ink preoccupied Eric's mind as he slotted bread into the toaster. He hadn't seen her since the idyllic celebration on the Animarium meadows when he and Taylor had finally stopped arguing long enough to arrange their first date. Ink hadn't seemed surprised at all when they'd arrived back at the temple breathless from their chase and some stolen kisses. Ink had been in his mind ever since, a gentle reassuring presence that sparkled with amusement. So she was helping keep the universe safe and Alice was aiding Ryan clean up the world's disasters. It all seemed very right.
"If breakfast is ready, do you think I could have some?" asked Taylor pointedly, throwing him the toast. "Since you do have work to do or so I'm supposed to believe."
"At least I'm earning money," Eric replied, handing her a plate of scrambled eggs and putting his own on the table. "And protecting my city."
"Yeah, you're a regular Batman giving out parking tickets. That's really dangerous work."
"It was a slow period, will you just let it go?"
A heated pause followed as the pair dug into their breakfasts. With deliberate casualness, Eric reached over and caught one of his Taylor's hands with his. She didn't even glance at it but continued to eat her breakfast one-handed. Sometimes he didn't know why he let her occupy so much of his time. She intoxicated and frustrated him with her tough personality, single mindedness and similar outlook on life to him.
He and Wes had already privately agreed that when Master Org was defeated and Taylor finished her time in the Air Force, they were going to offer her a place in the Silver Guardians. She could possibly head the training of the new recruits. She'd probably refuse it just to be difficult. The thought brought a smile to his face. Like that celebratory time on the Animarium, Eric felt that strange sense of peace again only this time it was truly welcome. This wasn't life as he'd expected it. Practically living with his irritating frustrating woman and working with the man he'd once despised but could grudgingly call a close friend. Somehow, like Ink and Alice, he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
Thanks, Ink
You're welcome, my Quantum Ranger
AUTHOR NOTES
STORY ORIGINS
I can't believe it's finally over! This story has taken up so much of my time and a huge amount of emotional investment! I started writing it late last year when the character of Eric Myers caught my attention – a controlling aggressive bastard who had grown up dirt poor and wanted to beat those who'd held him down to the top. But I loved the small sensitive side we saw of him; his pet birds, his treatment of his neighbor, Alice. There is so much to Eric and in him; I found the biggest amount of inspiration.
So to my OCs Ink and Alice. They're inspired by me and my sister (whose incidentally called Alice too) and came out pretty much the way I wanted them. I realize now Alice should have been called something different since Eric's neighbour is also called Alice and it ended up being pretty confusing. Physically Ink is me (though without the silver in the hair) but personality-wise I'm probably more of an Alice. The golden rule of this story was that neither Ink nor Alice would have a romantic relationship with Eric – I do not like stories where OCs and cannon characters fall in love!
First off I have to thank my reviewers! You guys have been amazing! I couldn't ask for better reviewers. Some of the things you've said have been mind-blowing and have always inspired me. Here are your final shout-outs!
Mega thanks to all those who reviewed at one point or another! Timeforce101, Kokuryu, Silver Rider, PRTF101, Myriah, Kokuryu, Jnr Cpl Scarlett (the very first review for this story! Thank you!)
MagCat, Sreym/Time Force Princess, Blooming Violets and Etcetera Kit for their continual kind support, fab reviews, even better stories and just general loveliness! You guys were faithful to this story and to me and that means the world.
The Fink: Without you, my story would have been a lot worse. You sent me 'Reinforcements from the Future' which helped kickstart the whole thing and inspire an ending I'm finally pleased with! Your punctuation pointers were invaluable to not only improving this story but my entire writing style. You own Time Force work is hugely inspiring so thank you a million times for everything. I truly couldn't have done this without you.
Cmar: You always had something constructive to say which helped mould this story. Thank you for your many interesting reviews which always helped. Reading your own TF work also helped inspire me. You reviews were ones I always looked forward to as I knew I'd always get honesty, a fair view and plenty to think about. :- )
Titanium Gold: Well I'm flattered so thank you! I'm glad you think so much of this story. It's taken a long time to do and I'm thrilled you have such high words of praise for it.
Now to my last special shout-outs!
White Time Ranger: Without you, I doubt I would have kept writing! You truly kept the faith in this story and really helped kick start me into it every time I was flagging. Thank you for your constant support and love. You've made me smile so much with your reviews; I can't thank you enough really. Thanks also for your words of wisdom and support when I was devastated by my boyfriend breaking up with me, you really helped.
Finally to Daniel Southworth who breathed life into Eric Myers and made him such an incredible character. Thank you for the believability you gave him and even a certain likeability eventually. I am in awe of your amazing martial arts skills and it always makes me proud to know you did all your own fight scenes and stunts! You are a cut above many. Without you this story really wouldn't exist. Thank you.
Wes: There's other Rangers out there alright and we all fight for the same goal.
Cole: It's good to know there's others out there like us.
Wes: It's important to have friends you can count on.
- Reinforcements from the Future Part 2