Chapter 7: The Talk
With the revelation that Tommy Oliver was the Green Ranger, the team believed that he had been placed under an evil spell cast by Rita Repulsa. Their new mission was to track down Tommy and try to break the spell while Alpha was determined to bring Zordon back and somehow revive the zords. The crew agreed to split up and span across Angel Grove to find Tommy and meetup at Mr. Scott's auto repair shop a few blocks from the Youth Center when they were ready.
Having being saved by the Power Rangers and speeding down the street in the stolen bus, Bulk and Skull decided to return it back to the Youth Center parking lot where they found it. To their surprise, teens were going back inside the Youth Center. Luckily the building hadn't collapsed after all. The two ran inside to find nearly everyone gathered around a TV set on the juice bar counter broadcasting Goldar's attack on the city. The boys sat at one end of the bar, digging into a fresh popped bowl of popcorn and pretzels set on the counter.
While Ernie was distracted by the television, Bulk snuck over to the blender and snatched the whole pitcher containing a freshly abandoned smoothie. He sat back down beside Skull and took a large gulp straight from the heavy glass pitcher. Just then, Kimberly ran up to the counter.
"Hey, Ernie-"
"Can you believe this is happening? Monsters actually destroying the city." He said in astonishment.
"Yeah, it's terrible." Kimberly replied, watching the broadcast. If only they had their zords, they could get back out there and fight.
"Thank goodness for the Power Rangers!" Ernie stated proudly. Kimberly smiled and nodded.
"Hey! You should be thanking us." Bulk chimed in as if offended.
"Yeah, us!" Skull agreed, taking a bite out of his pretzel. Kimberly and Ernie looked at them in absolute confusion.
"Yeah!" Bulk went on to explain, "We were the ones who helped the Rangers scare off that big ugly gold guy." Bulk claimed. Skull gave an assured nod. Kimberly rolled her eyes at them.
"Yeah right." She scoffed. The punks frowned.
"Yeah, right!" Skull defended. "We're the ones who should be on TV!" he argued, gesturing toward the set in emphasis, half bitten pretzel still in hand. He shook his head, annoyed that Kimberly would have the utter nerve to doubt their claims. Bulk looked off in dream-like bliss as he imagined just what it would be like to be on tv.
"Yeah…TV…" he said with a goofy grin.
"Dream on, Bulk." Kimberly quipped. The boys looked at one another and Skull just gave a shrug before devouring another pretzel. Kimberly sighed and turned back to Ernie.
"Ernie, have you seen Tommy?" she asked.
"Yeah, he's right over there." He pointed to Tommy, using an exercise machine. His face seemed stone-cold and focused, almost frightening. Despite his menacing aura, Kimberly knew what she had to do and walked over to him, leaving the bullies to their snacks.
Bulk took another gulp of smoothie and spotted Trini jog in through the door. He gave a huff.
"Oh great, just what we need, more geeks!" he complained. Skull glanced over to see just who Bulk was referring to. Trini! She looked right at him and motioned for him to come over so they could finally have their talk. His bright blue eyes glistened excitedly. As he stood up quickly from his chair, he haphazardly knocked into Bulk, smoothie spilling all over Bulk's purple tie-dye shirt. Skull's face dropped before cackling at his misfortune. "Skull…" he growled in rage. Skull immediately stopped laughing.
"I-I'll get ya some paper towels, buddy!" he proclaimed, hoping Trini would take the hint. "Yeah, paper towels…" he added looking back and forth between him and Trini anxiously. "Paper towels from WAY that way!" he pointed vaguely before eagerly running away from the scene to follow Trini outside.
"Skull, there's paper towels right-"Bulk motioned toward a roll on the opposite counter. He shook his head bitterly, "Idiot." He mumbled, snatching the roll to clean himself up.
As Trini and Skull headed outside, she looked around and took his hand, and led them around to the other side of the building so they wouldn't be disturbed.
"Sorry, to pull you away like that." Trini apologized. Skull gave a cheeky grin.
"That's alright." He assured her teasingly giving her hand a squeeze. "I was beginning to think we were never going to talk again." He confessed.
"I know, and I'm sorry about that, it's just…I've had plenty going on lately." She explained.
"And that's fine. I understand you're busy, but…" Skull started, "What I wanted to talk with you for…I just…I want to know if you, me, if this is something you still wanna do." He asked sincerely. She nodded, still holding his hands.
"Skull…I really do, but…I want to know something myself." She interjected. Taken off guard, he tilted his head.
"Okay?" he replied puzzled. She took a breath.
"You can just be so mean…to everyone, and I know you. You're not really like that." Trini pressed. "You have a good heart, but you keep putting on this attitude and…I just want to know why." She asked, looking deep into his eyes. His usual clueless or smug demeanor quickly dissolved. He was stern, quiet, taking in what she said. Skull glanced down at his feet before looking back into her searching dark eyes.
"I…I can't tell you." He responded.
"Please?" Trini pleaded gently. "Skull, whatever it is, I just want you to be honest with me. Please?" she asked. There was a long pause and the boy mulled it over in his head. He had a hard time not wanting to pour his guts out to her. Those desperate eyes, begging for him to tear down his walls, he just couldn't say no. He rolled his head back in a loud sigh.
"Alright. Here's the truth," he began, "When I was a kid…I had one close best friend. Did everything together, but as we got older…he started to realize that I'm an idiot compared to him and he would always rub it in my face. He made me feel like an even bigger idiot. By the time we started middle school, he found a new group of friends, and I had no one." Skull looked out at the nearby park. "I became a prime target for bullies all through 6th grade, that is until I met Bulk. He helped me. He told me that if I don't want to get pushed around, I gotta be the one to push first. He had my back and I had his, and I still do." He looked back to Trini, who looked on at him in sympathy.
"But, you hurt people who have done no harm to you." Trini carefully pointed out. Skull shook his head.
"That's the thing isn't it? You never know who could hurt you. Strike first before anyone has a chance to strike you." He chuckeld. "Stupid…"
"No, Skull it's not stupid. I understand you've been hurt." She sympathized, touching his face, "But you have to try to let people in. You let me in." she reminded. He gave a nod and raised his eyebrows, recognizing she had a point. Just then, a car nearby was playing the radio loud enough to hear.
"This just in!" the radio announcer boomed, "The monster is currently terrorizing and destroying the business district of downtown Angel Grove!" he reported. "Authorities are urging everyone to stay home and avoid the downtown area until the monster crisis is averted!"
Trini gasped. The man in the car changed the station, but they were all the same. Every station was broadcasting about the crisis downtown.
"Skull, I really have to go and find my friends, but I want us to continue this conversation later!" she said, letting go of his hands and turning to leave.
"But, Trini-!" Skull started to protest. She turned back and planted a firm kiss on his cheek.
"Please, stay safe." She urged before sprinting down the sidewalk, leaving Skull completely astounded and at a loss for words. Just as he was letting her in, she had to disappear. Typical. But what she had said, to 'stay safe'. She didn't want him to get hurt…a smile creeped onto his face. He still had faith that they could work out after all…that is if she didn't keep running off inexplicably for no reason.
Trini ran as fast as her legs could carry her toward the auto repair shop. Zack, Kimberly, Billy, and Jason were already there talking amongst themselves. She slowed and caught her breath when she reached her friends.
"Trini, what's wrong?" Kimberly asked worried.
"There's big trouble downtown." She said gasping to catch her breath. "It's all over the radio. A monster's attacking the business district." She explained. Jason shook his head.
"Rita's not going to give up is she?" he asked rhetorically. "It's MORPHIN TIME!"
The Power Rangers came onto the scene in the Business District just in time to face the Green Ranger's massive dragon zord. Bulk and Skull watched the live coverage from the safety of the Youth Center. That Green Ranger was really a terrible opponent, controlling the dragon zord with a flute in the shape of a dagger. The trumpeting sound of the flute caused the dragon zord to swing his tail violently.
To everyone's amazement, as they watched the tv footage, the once fallen zords miraculously emerged unharmed from underground, ready to take on their foe. The crowd in the youth center cheered as they watched the battle unfold between the Green Ranger's Dragon zord and the Power Ranger's Mega zord.
"Yeah! Get 'em!" Ernie cheered.
'Stay safe.' Skull remembered Trini had urged him. He grinned. He couldn't stop playing the conversation over and over, feeling her kiss still lingering on his cheek. He knew they definitely needed to spend more time alone, when the world wasn't in danger and they could just relax. They would soon be able to rest easy as the dragon zord was driven off, and the Green Ranger fled to the mountains in retreat. The Rangers quickly followed, hopefully to put a stop to his reign of terror once and for all.
"And there you have it folks!" The newscaster proclaimed, "The Rangers have once again, saved our fair city yet again. Thank you Power Rangers, where ever you are."
"Man oh man. Where would we be without those power rangers, huh?" Ernie asked excitedly.
"Yeah." Skull agreed. The Power Rangers would keep him safe, just he hoped the Rangers would keep Trini safe as well.