Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize; I do own Andrew, Scout Rin, Garen, Rowen, Rhine, Izerac and the plot, of course.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the Prologue because this chapter is not happy at all. Let me just announce that every problem that will be presented during Quest into Space II: Father and Son, will be solved! If not here then in a possible sequel :D
AH/AY: :D bring me a clover from Ireland! Have a buttery-stripey-zhanish trip!
Phantom Rogue: It's only getting more complicated… thanks for reviewing;)
SweetSas: I don't want you sad, I want you cheery and happy! (go read Happiness:P maybe it'll make you feel better!) Thanks for reviewing, mate;D
zeopurple: Kids are cruel, that's a fact. Ashley and Andros… each has a reason, you'll see. Thanks for reviewing:)
Star Fata: thanks a bunch, you're great too :P
GinaStar: unfortunately, it won't get any happier… but everything will turn out okay and after okay it'll turn out… amazingly;) thanks for reviewing!
DizneeDol: I hope so too ;cross fingers for Andrew; thanks for reviewing mate.
thepoweroflove: fast enough:P you only had to say a word and it's here;) love ya!
BellaCordelia: I love you! You're on my Andros thing:) I'm glad you noticing, mate. ;gives you cookie; but I must add that Andros is not mean. You'll see why he acts like it.
Quest into Space part II: Father and Son
by DarkHonda aka Tal
Chapter 1
Four years had passed since the day I found Dad, Rin was three years old and mum was pregnant again. I never felt lonelier, so lonely that it was beginning to slash my chest from the inside. School was okay at that time, bearable yet hateful all the same; I was improving in school, finally, after I got a hold of the Karovan Math and Physics, now it was pretty easy. Universe history still got me bad, I was lousy in it and to be honest, I didn't care, Karovan history was even bloodier than Earth history and I really didn't care about Emperor Invar's wars against the rebels.
I was interested in Math, Physics and Astronomy and my teachers grew to like me, I was a good kid, they knew it and so did I. Yet, no student dared to come near me, at first I thought it was my looks that frightened them but then I found out they were scared of me, Rhine was threatening everyone who dared looking at me. I didn't confront him again, I was too strong for him and too smart for that matter, I didn't need friends. I needed myself alone.
I changed through the years, my hair was longer now, and it passed my shoulders. Every once in a while, I'd let mum cut it to shoulder length and she would do it with a smile, kissing my head when it's done. I always laughed when she did that, I was seventeen years old now, not a little boy anymore.
My body was changing too, I wasn't the cute boy anymore, I was a man. Almost as tall as dad only muscular, dad was beginning to slump his training, always preferring mum over practice… I always shrugged it off when he didn't want to train with me; at the beginning it was because he had so much to catch up with mum, later on she was pregnant and he wouldn't leave her and at the end, he preferred his time spent with Rin, they used to play a weird looking ball thingy, I never took interest in it, it just wasn't important. Just another game, just another diversion.
I needed my father with me, yet his constant ignoring of me hurt more than I could take. At the beginning I swear I understood, I really could! I gave them the time they needed, I knew how much they loved each other and I often visited my uncle and aunt to give them time in private. All the time needed so my family would be happy, so mum would be happy.
Uncle Zhane and Aunt Karone were easily my favorite relatives, they were so funny sometimes, I could laugh for hours. At first I was kind of scared of them, not knowing what to expect, I knew everything about them except… I never met them. Uncle Zhane and Aunt Karone always made me feel wanted and welcome, they were like my other family and in time they became my only family. Aunt Karone knew me well, I don't think I ever understood how or why, she just did. One look at me and she knew everything I am and I guess that was what I liked about her, I didn't have to lie, I didn't have to pretend everything was alright. Because it wasn't.
I needed my father. I needed him so much that it hurt every time he found an excuse to let me down. At first it was mum, then her pregnancy and lastly- Rin. Sometimes I was jealous of the baby, he had no worries, he already had a family that he would grow up into and I? I never knew how to be a family, at first I thought I was a bad son but I noticed that Uncle Zhane didn't treat Zayla and Jaden like dad treated me; like they should have no worries in the world because their father would protect them. It wasn't the same with me and dad, he always saw me responsible, no matter what, just like in that day when Izerac, Rowen and Garen attacked me on the way home from school;
Flashback
I was reading a book in my way home from school, home was just around the corner, the book was Nature of a Ranger by Arwennicole (A/N: check it out! It's goody!), I was absorbed with the book, realizing all over again how much I wanted to be a ranger. Being a ranger was a dream I tried to achieve; only the night before I quietly sneaked out and put my applying letter to SPD Academy in the mail converter! Being a ranger was only natural after all of my childhood memories of my uncles and aunt telling me stories on their time as rangers; I wanted it so much, the excitement, the risk, the thrill and the very cool gadgets and suit.
I was wearing a white shirt and khaki slacks, my backpack was green hanging on both shoulders and around my neck I had a sparkling piece of gem that dad gave me to my 14th birthday. He said it was part of Zordon's tube once and I eagerly accepted it.
"Skunk! Hey, skunk!" a shout woke me up from my haze as I decided not to respond. I was no skunk and whoever wanted a word with me should've used my name. I walked in even a quicker pace, trying to avoid another teasing. The book was enjoyable, it was about a ranger's kid who wants to be a ranger, like his dad, and I related with that kid so much. All my life I wanted to be like my dad, or the dad I thought I had anyway, I sighed, 'you will never be like your dad, Drew, you don't want to be and you never will be,' I thought bitterly, 'I wish I could want to be like my dad,' I mused, 'but I can't, I have to be strong, last night I did it, now I only have to wait,' I promised myself as I bumped into someone.
"Sorry," I muttered and lifted my gaze from the book, it was the I saw the malicious face of Rowen, a newly appointed class bully. His wicked smile made chills of disgust roam my back, I glared at him and walked a step forward, to my home but his hand stopped me.
"Now, Now, filthy skunk half blood," he said, "I think I've heard someone calling your name," he said quietly, I dreaded him. The low ton was what made it all worse, the fact that he was relaxed, that he did it for fun when his punch almost met my face. I evaded and blocked his next punch, kicking behind his knee and making him fall. Yet it was too late for Garen and Izerac had already gotten to us and now I had to deal with them too.
"Come on, skunk, let's see what you can really do," Garen said quietly and jerked his backpack away, after a second so did Izerac. I didn't, I had respect for my things, and I didn't want to get into more troubles then I had too. Rowen was behind me and Garen and Izerac were in front of me, all were smiling evilly as I tried to evade their blows and kicks but at the end I had to defend myself and as the battle was raging, dad appeared from out of nowhere. They immediately stopped and tried to look innocents with their noses bleeding and Garen's black eye. Dad put his hand on my shoulder and shoved me to our house direction, lecturing me.
"What did I told you about fights, Andrew?" he said quietly and I lowered my gaze to the floor, I disobeyed him again. He's disappointed again. I knew as I felt the disappointment filling my veins.
"I didn't mean to, dad, they were attacki-"
"Andrew Zhane, you are not allowed to fight and you know it, don't make me punish you because you disobeyed me again," he said quietly and I nodded and exhaled silently, in relief. Dad's punishments weren't so bad, mostly cleaning and chores, sometimes sending me to my room or detentions. His disappointment was what killed me, his straight face and polite words were the ones that hurt me the most. I didn't feel like his son, I felt like a stranger! He never yelled at me or smacked me or even tried to talk to me about something that isn't schoolwork!
'Calm down,' I obeyed myself, stopping the tears, a lump on my throat, 'you have to control your temper,' I thought as we entered his home. Lunch was already served and mum was keeping an eye on Rin who was playing with his food. She looked at me, my face was sullen, her least favorite expression in the world, my eyes scanned the table and I felt sick to my stomach and went to my room without a word. No one came to demand me to return to the table.
End Flashback
\3-3-5/
It was a hard day at school, as always, I dreaded every day in school, and learnt to hate every night at home. Both place had a lot in common and I couldn't help the feeling of helplessness as I slowly reached for the entrance door of my house. I reluctantly checked in our mail converter to see whether or not I got a reply and this time, I found a letter addressed to me. My heart jumped as I saw the logo on the envelope; a black and silver logo of a dog with the initials S.P.D POLICE. I wanted to laugh, to scream I wanted to cry! 'This letter is my one way ticket out of the Karove System," I allowed myself to think happily. I entered our living room, little Rin was sitting there and playing with his Power Rangers action figures. I laughed and quickly scooped him up and hugged him. He yelped in surprised, but a few second later laughed.
I loved him so much, he was a little angel that brightened my day. With him I wasn't lonely, with him I felt good, I felt happy. Only with him. When Rin wasn't spending hours with dad or whenever dad wasn't at home, Rin and I spent a very long time together; playing hide and seek, soccer and sometimes I even put him to sleep or read a bedtime story to him. The little dwarf knew how much I loved him, I have to admit that he had a firm hold on my heart no matter what. But right now I was celebrating my redemption from KO-35 with the arrival of the letter.
You see, SPD is Space Patrol Delta, a new ranger establishment. It was established by the Silver Guardians Headquarters and NASADA in every system there were rangers. Karova system had the original Astro rangers, therefore an SPD Academy was supposed to be built here, very much like on Earth, yet KO-35 already had a ranger establishment, only here it was called KRA- Karovan Ranger Academy. It was an old institution and I didn't want to attend it since dad went to KRA and I didn't want to be like him. I didn't want to be anything near the Karova System or space colony KO-35, I wanted home. I wanted Earth. I wanted my dreams, my ambitions, I wanted me back!
Being a ranger would my savior and I knew it, it was me all along, it was what kept me alive in KO-35, my hope to change the world, to make a difference. There was so much of the little boy Andrew in me, so much of my younger self preserved in me, except… except the color. After a while I didn't want to be a green ranger, I didn't need to be another one of them, the space rangers. I wanted to be me, a new red ranger, a leader that mum could be proud of. I only had to have a chance in order to succeed and that I was doing as I applied the SPD Academy in Earth, as Drew Zhane, so nothing would get to my parents' ears.
I put Rin back down and he went to play with the action figures some more, as I slowly opened the envelope and unfolded the letter:
Dear Mr. Zhane,
We are happy to announce you've been accepted to the first SPD Academy class on Earth. Since you are under age, your parents must fill the forms attached. The forms must be sent until July.
Best Wishes,
Anubis Cruger,
Commander of SPD Academy, Earth.
All these forms were attached and I needed one of my parents to sign them, 'damn,' I thought, 'and I thought insulting DECA on the Megaship was a misfortune!' I grumbled to myself as I was walking to my parents' room, hoping they are awake. 'Here goes' I told myself, standing in front of the door, I counted to three and knocked. No one answered, so I decided to take a bold action and peeked in, my mum was sleeping peacefully.
I pouted my protest and grumbling, I went back to the living room, searching for my father. Surprisingly, he was sitting on the carpet playing a game with Rin with the weird looking ball thingy, I was standing next to dad now.
"Dad, I need you to fill out these forms." I told him and put the forms on the desk, "please do it quickly since I have a deadline for them." I told him coldly and went outside, to train away from everything.
\3-3-5/
I have received no response for my request from dad yet, it was already evening and I was just about finished with martial arts for today, and I was going to go out for a jog. Dad went to our giant back yard and put his hand on my shoulder, I turned to him noticing the letter in his hands. 'This is the moment of truth,' I knew and took a long breath as I was speaking, "Dad?"
"Why are you doing this?" he asked quietly, I felt his pure interest rise in me but I didn't know what he mean; I wanted to be a ranger, why did he think I was doing 'it' ?
"Doing what?" I asked, ready to explain my motives, the bright sides of my departure but something told me it wasn't about 'it', it was something else that bothered him. I asked but I wasn't sure if I really wanted to know.
"Why are insisting on breaking your mother's heart?" He asked bluntly, in a harsh tone and I got slightly pissed, was that all he cared about? Mum? What about me? Why didn't he care about me? Why didn't he say something like: 'drew, you can't leave, I'll miss you,' why couldn't he love me?
"Insisting? How do I do that?" I asked, my voice a little unsteady, he hurt me, again, and he didn't even realize. It was like he wasn't listening to me, like he never listened ever.
"You applied to SPD Academy on Earth. Don't you realize it's going to break your mother's heart?" He exclaimed in a steady voice, too steady, so artificial. He didn't feel… anything, he didn't care about me… not anymore, not ever?
"This is what you care about? Me breaking my mum's heart?" I asked, my voice trembling without me able to control it. He nodded, he was just standing there and nodded, he was just standing there and admitting he doesn't love me.
"You are ruining her, first- your grades, you fights and now this?" he said and I wanted to die, 'my grades?' my mind exclaimed, 'did he just say that my grades are more important than me!' I couldn't contain my anger, my own disappointment from him. not anymore. Not after four years of suffering and this.
"If that's all you care about, I suggest you to sign these papers now. Don't worry I'll be out of your way before you notice," I told him and after a second added, "Before she notices too," I told him and tried to walk out of the yard to the street, examining the height of the fence, considering jumping over it.
"You really think we don't care about you?"
"I was the tool to bring you home without anyone getting hurt, I did it and she doesn't need me anymore. I better go." I told him, "just sign the papers and let me go, everything will be okay, she won't miss me that much, you know."
"You're serious," he said sounding alarmed, "why do you think so?"
"I know so." I told him yet his hand gripped my shoulder, not letting me move, I felt the concern piercing him, piercing me. I couldn't take it anymore.
"Do you really think we don't care about you?" my dad hazel eyes were glazing- -with tears? So he suddenly cared for me? It was too late anyway, I wasn't going to stay even if he was about to kneel and swear his love for me. I couldn't look at him anymore, looking at him increased my sorrow, my growing pain of loss.
"I know so, you stole my identity and everything I could have become. You took me out of my world and threw me to yours without warning, you made the last four years hell for me." A tear escaped his eyes after my harsh words absorbed in him, he let me go and I was more than willing. "I know it's not your entire fault, Andros of KO-35, but it's clearly not mine," I told him and ran toward the fence, jumping over it and running to the street as fast as I could, the furthest I could. I didn't want to think.
I don't know how much time I was out there, contemplating about my pain, trying to harness it, trying to live without him anymore. I thought I would be easy, I thought he didn't matter but at some point I was wrong and I only grieved more; it wasn't losing him as much as it meant hurting her and Rin. I never had a dad but I never wanted to anger or disappoint my mother, and frankly, she never showed any sign of disappointment or anger. She never yelled at me, if I was wild she tamed me with soft words, if was angry, she made it all go away with a joke, she tended every wound I got from every fight in school, she knew me so well and loved me unconditionally. I could feel it.
No other human in the universe had such an amazing mum, I cared so much about her, and she was so precious to me. I almost lost her once, and she is the only person important in my life.
Before I noticed it was raining, grey clouds covered the sky as they cried my loss, my pain; it matched my feeling completely and the hurting thoughts crept into my head again but I couldn't think. I couldn't anymore. It hurt even more, it was a torture slicing my heart over and over and over again, I closed my eyes and let my legs take me anywhere.
Somehow I found myself standing in the door of my aunt.
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A/N: I hope you…enjoyed the storming emotions! Please review!
Dear Quest into Space (I) readers, I wanted to say how sad I am that none of you asked me a certain question I thought you'd be asking… (about something in questI) I hope you'd find what it is that I mean, I love you all and I thank you.
