I literally started writing this the second after I posted yesterday's chapter... so it's bound to be exciting.
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers... if I did, Merrick and Alyssa would've gotten together for sure!-
Alyssa didn't get up, didn't make breakfast… she didn't even get up to train the next day.
The other four Rangers on the Animarium were really concerned, but she'd insisted she was fine.
It was only when the sun had reached its peak that she finally got up, rubbing her eyes… as her phone went off with a text from Merrick.
Biting her lip and going against her better judgment, she looked at the message.
Merrick: Hey Alyssa, I was wondering if you wanted to go watch some swans in Turtle Cove lake?
Alyssa: Thanks for asking, but, I'm fine.
Merrick: What? Why not?
Alyssa: I just don't feel up to it.
Merrick: Wanna meet up, or talk about it?
Alyssa: No.
With that, she closed her phone and rubbed her eyes of any sort of tears she had left before she headed off.
Merrick stared at his final text to her.
Alyssa: No.
Merrick: But… I wanted to see you.
With a sigh, Merrick put his Lunar Caller back on its band, feeling upset.
"What could possibly be upsetting her now?"
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Merrick calmly walked up to the Animarium, gulping softly as he stepped onto the entrance before he noticed Alyssa making lunch for everyone.
"Alyssa!" He grinned, walking up to her.
The White ranger looked up and visibly paled.
"Oh, Merrick, you're here again!" The Princess got in between the wolf and the tiger.
Not a moment after that, Alyssa left, saying she had some last minute shopping to do.
"Alyssa!" Merrick tried to stop her, but she either didn't hear him, or she was ignoring him.
"Are you okay?" The Princess asked.
"No." He replied truthfully, "I came up here because I wanted to watch some swans dancing in the lake…"
"Why don't I come with you instead?" Princess Shayla figured, "Like 3,000 years ago?"
Merrick frowned, then shook his head, "No. I wanted to be with Alyssa…. So I better go check on her."
As he turned to leave, Taylor rushed up to him.
"You might wanna read this." She handed him a letter.
He frowned before he looked at it, his eyes growing wider as he did.
He shook with rage then let out. "Yeah… I better go apologize too…"
With that, he turned and ran off.
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Merrick found Alyssa close to an ice rink.
"Alyssa?"
Her back went noticeably stiff as he got up to her… but the White Ranger didn't turn to him.
"Alyssa… please…" Merrick took her hand.
She instantly pulled away, but still didn't turn to him.
Merrick sighed, before he let out, "You know… the Princess had asked me to be with her today… I told her no… I wanted to spend the day with you."
"Why?" She frowned, slowly glancing over at him.
"Because I know she lied." He let out, "I saw your letter, Alyssa…. And I am enormously sorry I never believed it was you."
"It's okay… it was meant to be a surprise anyway." Alyssa reasoned kindly.
"Still… I should've been kinder to you about it…" He noted slowly.
"It's okay, Merrick… really…" Alyssa assured.
Merrick sighed before he looked at all the people, skating on the ice.
"Hey… what's say we do that?" He asked gently, "I'm pretty sure those Swans aren't gonna be at the lake for a while…"
"Sure…. You know how to Ice Skate?"
"How hard could it be?" Merrick shrugged.
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Very.
It could be very hard.
"Whoa!" He groaned as he tried to keep his balance.
Alyssa skated up to him easily, "Are you sure you don't wanna wait for me instead?"
"No, no… I… I can handle this." Merrick assured, "I just… uh… need to relax, is all…"
"Oh… okay…" With that, Alyssa skated off.
Merrick took in several weak breaths as he tried to catch up without falling.
As he did, he saw how easily Alyssa danced across the ice, how graceful she was…
He quickly shook his head as he finally got up to her before he noticed her watch beeping.
"You better go." He let out, "The Swans should be by the lake by now."
"Oh… right." Alyssa blinked before she gently took his hand and they moved off the ice together.
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When they got to the lake, sure enough, the seven swans were already dancing across the water.
Alyssa watched in awe and Merrick smiled before he snapped a picture of her with his Lunar Caller.
Alyssa was so engrossed into the swan that she slowly pulled out her Growl Phone to take a picture of the swans before they flew off.
"This was so beautiful…" She whispered, then looked at her picture, and smiled even more as she held it close to her heart.
This was followed by Merrick walking forward with a small envelope.
"I found this on the ground…. it's addressed to you." He informed her simply.
Alyssa blinked as she took it, "What was it doing on the ground?"
Merrick shrugged, "Why don't you open it?"
Alyssa bit her lip, then nodded and did just that.
Dear Alyssa,
Seven swimming swans are beautiful, but when I look at you, you're radiant.
I hope you enjoyed the show, and I promise, by the 12th, you'll know exactly who I am.
Signed,
Your Secret Admirer.
"Wow…" The White Ranger whispered.
"Your secret admirer?" Merrick asked simply.
Alyssa looked up, then nodded, "Yeah… this was really sweet of them… and they'll tell me who they are in five days… which is amazing."
"Yeah." Merrick nodded back, "Come on… it's getting late… do you wanna get something to eat at Willie's before you go back to the Animarium?"
Alyssa smiled and nodded, "I'd love that… thank you."
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The Princess angrily waited for Alyssa as she came back to the Animarium, smiling happily.
"So… how was your day?" Princess Shayla played, as Max had once called it, cool.
"It was amazing… Merrick took me ice skating… even if he wasn't the best at it… and he took me to see Swans swimming and the lake…" Alyssa smiled as if she was still in both events.
The Princess was not happy at this though.
"I see… well…" She cleared her throat and stood up, "Uh… are you hungry?"
"I just ate at Willie's… but I can make you guys something if you want?"
"Yes." The Princess nodded.
Alyssa nodded back before she started work on the dinner for the team, and the Princess.
But, as she did… something still remained on her mind.
"Who is my secret admirer?"
Will The Princess get over her anger in time for Christmas?
Find out tomorrow.
In the meantime, please review and please no hate. It's still the holidays.