Okay, I'm kinda feeling rushed... so.., here's the thrird day of the Twelve days.
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers... if I did, Merrick and Alyssa would've gotten together for sure!-
Alyssa walked into the store she needed to find the Feather Wreath in.
When she did, she noticed Merrick talking to some workers before he sighed and noticed her.
She yelped and quickly walked down an aisle and grabbed what she'd needed before going to the cashier.
As she did, Merrick came up to her to pay for whatever she was buying.
"Hey… can I talk to you for a bit?" He requested kindly.
"What is it? Thank you." Alyssa smiled as she took the bag and walked out.
Merrick followed after her and explained what'd happened the previous night.
"Sure, I'll help out in any way I can." She assured after he was done, "Do you know what they need?"
"I walked by their house, it's pretty much replacing the roof and a few windows…. And their door."
Alyssa nodded through all of that, "Alright… I'll get the others to help out."
"Thank you." He smiled softly, then looked at the bag, "Hey, what's that?"
"Nothing!" She hid the gift behind her back, "It's for someone special.
Merrick nodded, "Alright… uh… you wanna meet me at that house? I'll bring everything we need."
Alyssa nodded, "Just send me a text of where it is."
"Right… uh… how do I do that?"
Alyssa chuckled, "Here… give me your Lunar Caller…"
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After Alyssa dropped the now wrapped gift at Willie's, placing it on a very high shelf where Deeg couldn't get to it before Merrick, she met him at the address he'd given with the other Rangers.
"This should be easy." She let out as she looked it over.
"Alright… Cole and I will handle the roof, Max and Danny, the windows. Alyssa and Merrick, you guys can handle the doors." Taylor instructed, her Air Force training coming through, "Let's go!"
The three groups split up quickly.
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Once they were finished, the carolers walked up to the house, amazed and happy.
While they were gonna try to pay Merrick for his trouble, he assured they didn't have to.
"Just have a Happy Holiday." He assured and left.
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When Merrick reached the Roadhouse, he saw Deeg trying to jump up to bite a bag from a tall shelf.
"Deeg!" He groaned before he grabbed a step ladder to grab the bag.
He put the ladder away and looked at the bag frowning before he saw a bold 3 on both sides in white.
"Day three…" He nodded lightly.
The Lunar Wolf put the gift on the table as Deeg hopped up beside him.
Merrick chuckled as he rubbed the pup's head as he pulled out the gift.
It was a feather wreath with three different colors.
"Wow…" He whispered in amazement before he looked into the bag for the letter.
There wasn't one this time… making him frown.
"Woof!" Deeg barked as someone was at the door.
He looked up at it but frowned when all he saw was a letter at it.
Merrick got up and picked it up to look it over.
To: Merrick Baliton.
Yep, here it is.
He opened it right there and looked it over.
Dear Merrick, sorry this didn't come with the gift today, got a little sidetracked and forgot to write it beforehand.
Here's the third gift of the twelve… and happy holidays to you.
Signed, A Special Friend.
Merrick smiled lightly as he read it before he looked up at Deeg, who was trying to bite the gift.
"Whoa boy!" He picked up the wreath and held it away, "Now this is one thing you can't attack, okay?"
The pup whimpered before Merrick walked over to his bedroom door and set the Wreath on the front of it.
After he did, he folded his arms and nodded.
"Now… to figure out who that Special friend is!" He moaned, walking over to the table.
Deeg barked before he hopped onto the table, barking at the paper.
Merrick raised a brow before he got the idea.
"You think I should write back? I don't know… it seems kinda weird…"
Deeg barked again, looking up at his owner.
"Alright, alright." The Lunar Wolf raised his hands before he walked over to his room again, Deeg following closely behind.
The pup hopped onto the bed, wagging his tail.
Merrick chuckled at the pup before he sat at the desk next to his bed, pulled out a sheet of paper and started writing down a letter.
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Alyssa was walking along the path later that night, carrying Dos in her arms, as it began to snow like it'd been predicted the day before.
She smiled as she did, spinning a bit as the snow danced about her person.
Her college was out for the holidays, so she was enjoying her free time.
Dos purred as she curled closer to her owner, nudging her head into Alyssa's chest.
The White ranger giggled softly as she rubbed her head lightly, then heard something in the Roadhouse.
She hurried up to the door and calmly walked inside.
It must've been coming from the rooms because no one was in the front, causing her to go to the rooms and slowly knock on the door.
"Come in!" Merrick's voice snapped.
She frowned before she did… and was greeted with a piece of paper being thrown into her face.
Dos took the paper and started clawing at it with Deeg following close behind.
"Merrick?" She slowly walked up to him.
He blinked, looking up, "Oh… sorry about that, Alyssa… I'm trying to find a way to thank that Special friend for the gifts…"
"It's… only the third day… why so soon?"
Merrick shrugged, "I just think I should do it now, rather than later… but I can't find the right words."
Alyssa frowned, "Well…. why don't I see what you've got so far then?"
Merrick hid the letter, "Sorry, Alyssa… it's not that I don't trust you… it's just… this is kinda personal…"
"Oh…" Alyssa let out slowly, "It's okay… I was just wondering is all…"
"I can make you a cup of Hot Chocolate if you want?" Merrick noted turning away from his work, "It'll be a while before I can find the right words anyway…"
"No… it's okay." She denied, "I was just wondering what you were doing is all."
Dos mewed for attention, causing her owner to look down, then pick her up.
"Besides, I better get back to the Animarium before this little girl gets too cold."
Merrick frowned before Deeg hopped into his lap.
"Oh… okay…. But… I'll see you later?"
Alyssa shook her head, "How about tomorrow?"
Merrick felt even worse, "Okay…. See you then?"
She smiled and nodded before she walked out.
When she was gone, Merrick felt even worse.
"I wish I could see that smile less forced…" He grumbled before Deeg barked for his attention, "What?"
His new pup nudged where the figurine and mittens were, yipping softly.
"Come on, even if I wanted to do this with her… the lines of the song are specifically about true love giving them to one another… and I don't love her… I can't love Alyssa…. It wouldn't be fair… to Cole or Princess Shayla…." He denied.
Deeg barked, growling at the Princess' name.
"What?" He frowned, "I know you haven't met the Princess… but she's nice and sweet… and kind…" He suddenly got lost in thoughts about the woman he'd loved 3,000 years ago.
Deeg backed and pushed him onto the bed, sitting atop him, panting heavily.
Merrick moaned as he got out of his daydream.
"You know… for a puppy, you do look like a bear." He smiled softly at the pup.
Deeg barked with pride before going over to the desk and biting a picture before bringing it back over.
Merrick took it as he sat up before his eyes went wide.
It was a picture of Alyssa and Merrick together after they'd defeated the three 'Mutorgs' and were celebrating with the Time Force Rangers.
Merrick was laying lazily on the grass under a tree with Alyssa sitting above him in a crook in the tree.
"Alright, so I like her… that doesn't mean she's my true love!" Merrick insisted.
His dog barked again and jumped onto his dresser, grabbing a handle with his teeth and pulling the top drawer out to show the white clothes he'd accidentally made turn a light pink.
"Alright! Fine, I can't get her my mind off her! But she's way too good for me!" Merrick reasoned with a shake of his head, "She so sweet… and kind… and I have never seen someone, man or woman, with a greater determination that she has…. She's so amazing… and all I am? All I am is a failure…"
Deeg whimpered and rubbed his head under Merrick's head softly.
This caused the human to laugh and rub his fur as he moved closer.
"Ah… but you're amazing too."
Deeg's tail started to wag, and Merrick chuckled lightly.
"Alright… fine… I'll write a letter to the admirer… then I'll start thinking of ways to impress Alyssa."
Deeg barked in agreement.
Merrick smiled as he moved back to his desk and wrote with far more confidence than he had before.
And he was gonna make sure his plan worked perfectly.
Alyssa was looking over gifts to give the next day.
"Four calling birds… four calling birds… come on… think!" She moaned.
"Actually… it's four colly birds."
Alyssa turned to see the Princess walking up to her.
"Princess… I…." Alyssa quickly hid her letter and anything with Merrick away.
"It's okay… are you doing those Twelve Nights of Christmas for someone?"
"Yeah… day four's tomorrow… did you say colly birds?"
The Princess nodded, "Yes… but, if you want my opinion, you could do a mixture of both… Taylor had told me of a crafts place selling some sort of screen with regularly changing images and calls of birds of your choosing."
Alyssa blinked then grinned, "That's perfect!"
The Princess smiled, then asked, "So… who's it for?"
"Uh… just… someone I really like…." Alyssa replied.
"I see." She nodded and walked away.
Alyssa turned back to her gift ideas as Dos hopped onto the table and curled before her on the papers, mewing for attention.
"Oh, okay…" The tiger ranger gently picked her up and rubbed the kitten, "I really hope Merrick likes these gifts…. Cause I'd really like for him to be happy once…"
Tomorrow is Four Colly birds (I had to look it up, and it's true)... but what Could Merrick be planing?
Find out tomorrow.
In the meantime, please review... and please no hate!