Today was pretty easy... especially for _physical_ gifts for Alyssa... those are a lot easier to figure out than Merrick's.
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers... if I did, Merrick and Alyssa would've gotten together for sure!-
Alyssa was smiling happily as she woke up and made breakfast… but the Princess didn't like this.
"Alyssa… can I ask you something?"
"Sure." The White Ranger nodded.
"Why do you care about Merrick so much?" Princess Shayla asked bluntly, "I mean… there's a lot of other people out there you could care about."
Alyssa shrugged, "I guess it's because of my gifts… and the fact that I've talked to him so much lately…"
"Yes… just wait till he rejects you as he did me." The Princess looked away.
Alyssa frowned, "Come again?"
"Nothing, nothing…" The Princess shook her head lightly, "I'm just saying… he hasn't loved me, no matter what I try…"
"I… I never said that I love him…" Alyssa wanted to reason quickly, feeling nervous.
"It's nothing to be afraid of, Alyssa… but, truly. I'd suggest staying away from Merrick."
The tiger ranger nodded… her heart clinching in her chest as she did.
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Merrick was looking over a screen before him.
Willie was letting him borrow his computer so the young man could try to get two tickets to see Nine Ballerinas Dancing in the woods.
"I just need to make sure I get them at the lowest price…" He let out softly.
As he was looking at the screen, the bell above the front door chimed, causing him to look up from the contraption as it gained his attention.
He walked out and saw Alyssa walked inside, frowning, and near crying as she carried her kitten with her.
"What's wrong?" Merrick abandoned his work altogether to check on her.
She shook her head, silent, as Dos jumped from her arms and began playing with Deeg as he ran over.
"Alyssa… hey… look at me…" Merrick gently nudged The White Rangers head to look at him, "Please tell me… I won't be mad."
"It's just something Princess Shayla had told me…. But it's really nothing." She insisted quickly.
"Nothing? Alyssa… you're near crying… what'd she tell you?" He gaped in horror.
"It's nothing, really…"
"Alyssa… please… protecting the Princess is my job… you don't have to do it… besides… she's not here… so you can tell me." Merrick assured kindly.
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Tears gathered in Alyssa's eyes before she could stop them and she explained what the Princess had told her.
"She… she said that… even if I did love you… which I… I… uh… I don't… not more than a friend…" Alyssa started, "She said you'd throw me away… saying you'd reject it… she even told me to stay away from you."
She looked down at tears fell more and more from her eyes, she couldn't really stop.
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Merrick felt outraged by this news…
But, his rage would have to go down for a bit as he pulled Alyssa into his arms and rubbed her back.
"Alyssa… hey… look at me… look at me…" He whispered softly, gently nudging her head up, "Even if it was true… and you did love me… I wouldn't just reject it… okay? I had to do what I had to 3,000 years ago… besides… she's a princess…. I'm just her guard and a warrior… I'm not anything special….. not saying that you're not special of course…. But I… I wouldn't reject you… and she had no right to tell you to stay away…"
"B… but-"
"But nothing." Merrick shook his head, "Look… you can stay here tonight if you want to… I mean… you brought Dos with you, and… I kinda still have that trundle bed set up in my room… so…"
"Y… you'd do that?"
"Of course…. you're my friend." Merrick smiled softly, "And if it makes you happy… then I'll do it."
"Thank you so much, Merrick." She breathed out.
"No thanks needed." Merrick assured kindly.
Of course, as he finished saying that, the computer in Willie's office went off.
"Can you excuse me for just a second, though?" He smiled sheepishly before he bolted into the office.
Right on the screen read: Two (2) tickets for tonight's show now in the cart. Proceed to checkout?
"Thank you, Animus." Merrick grinned before he began completing the ordering process.
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"Hey… Alyssa…" Merrick casually walked in from the front a while later with an envelope, "Check this out…"
Alyssa gently took it and opened it, "I bet it's from my secret admirer."
Once she opened it, she noticed two tickets drop out.
She picked them up and her mouth dropped as she read what was on them.
"No way, no way!" She grinned.
"Something exciting?" Merrick chuckled lightly.
"Two tickets to see the Nine Ballerinas Dancing!" She let out, then looked at the letter.
Dear Alyssa,
Nine Ladies Dancing is special… but, Ballerinas are in a league all their own.
So, as a special treat, here are two tickets to the contest… I wish I could go myself… but, you're more important.
Signed,
Your Secret Admirer.
"Ah… I feel so sorry for him." She frowned.
Merrick raised a brow, then looked over the letter, then shrugged, "I don't know….. why don't I go with you? You shouldn't waste a good ticket."
"You really wanna sit through a Ballet with me?" Alyssa blinked, "You don't have to."
"But I want to." Merrick took her hand, "No sense wasting a ticket, right?"
"Right…" Alyssa nodded, "Okay… our show starts at…. 6:30… that's just in a few hours."
"Got it." Merrick nodded.
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As they walked back to the Roadhouse after a long 4 hours by Merrick's count, Alyssa looked over their ticket stubs, smiling lightly.
"I can't believe I keep getting these incredible gifts… from something I might not even know." She let out.
Merrick shrugged, "Well… maybe you do know them? And they're just too shy to tell you?"
"You think so?"
Merrick nodded, "You're perfect Alyssa… I don't get why guys aren't fawning over you all the time."
Alyssa smiled and glanced down, shaking her head, "I'm not entirely perfect."
"Well… I'm sure to them, and myself, you are." Merrick took her hand softly in his own, "And, honestly, shouldn't that be all that matters?"
Alyssa smiled and nodded, "Thanks for going with me Merrick… and letting me stay at the Roadhouse."
"You deserve it." Merrick let out as they got up to said building, "You shouldn't be alone so close to Christmas, and you shouldn't be upset… I'd do anything to keep you from being upset."
Alyssa smiled a little more, nodding, "And I truly appreciate that… thank you."
Merrick hugged her lightly before they walked inside.
As they did, Merrick's mind wondered a bit.
"If the Princess could just butt out, I can finally tell Alyssa how I really feel about her."
Could the Princess still get in the middle?
Find out tomorrow.
In the meantime, please review and please no hate. It's still the holidays.