Disclaimer: Just to keep it simple: A. I don't own Power Rangers. B. I just make fun of them; so don't get upset if I mock your favorite. C. Please review. I don't mind constructive criticism. D. Thanks to Writer's Guide to the Universe and Power Rangers Central for providing a lot of the information that I need.
If you haven't done so, please read the first hundred and fifty stories in "When Rangers Meet," "More of When Rangers Meet," and "Headquarters Where Rangers Meet"
This is story number sixteen.
Danny and Carlos
By
Eileen (Psycho Tangerine)
Danny hummed tunelessly to himself as he arranged the carnations. "Ah, yet another beautiful, romantic bouquet of flowers for my customers." He tied on the white ribbon with black lettering…Rest in Peace, Uncle Joe. "Yes, there's nothing lovelier and heartwarming than flowers." Of course, a wedding was even more romantic, mused Danny. He loved weddings. After all, he had attended so many Ranger weddings in the twenty-two years since he had retired as the Black Wild Force Ranger. Danny started on the next arrangement. Even Max had managed to get married. Sure, it was just someone desperate to get citizenship, but still….
Danny sighed. What was taking Kendall so long anyway? He never expected it to take seventeen years for her to visit her ailing aunt up in Seattle. Danny angrily squeezed the flowers he was working with. "Aaaaaaggggggghhh!!" he screamed before gingerly prying the rose thorns out of his palm.
KEEEERRRRAAAASSSSHHHH! A soccer ball smashed through the store window and knocked over a row of expensive plants and knick knacks.
"Org attack!" yelped Danny as he dove under the counter.
The door opened. "Oh, great, it's empty," said Carlos with a sigh of relief. He went to retrieve the soccer ball from the pile of porcelain it had destroyed. It had cost him over ten thousand dollars on e-bay last year, but it was well worth it to own the first soccer ball ever to be kicked around on the moon. He stepped past the counter. Whump! He fell hard on his bottom.
"You'd better clean up this mess," ordered Danny who still had a grip on Carlos' ankle. "There's no way I'm explaining to Kendall about this mess when she gets back."
"Oh, really?" replied Carlos as he stood up, flexing his muscles. Yep, even approaching forty, he still had it. "Wanna make me?"
Danny stood up…and glowered down at Carlos.
"…uh make me see how fast I can pick up this stuff and throw it away?" stammered Carlos at the site of the bigger man.
Danny smiled as Carlos began working. "Thank you, this shop really means a lot to me. Aren't flowers just the most beautiful things ever?"
"Whatever," mumbled Carlos as he swept up some dirt.
"And don't they just want to make you dance around and have happy thoughts?" asked Danny.
"You can't be serious," groaned Carlos as he yanked his fingers out of the Venus Flytrap he had picked up. "And here I thought you were actually a threat. You're nothing but a namby pamby…"
"Except of course when someone comes in and destroys them," continued Danny as his face darkened. "I hate that. You…had…better…pay…for…these….things."
Carlos gulped. "Oh, yeah sure." He stood up and pulled out his wallet. "Let's see, will a twenty cover it?"
Danny rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding? You destroyed four thousand dollars worth of merchandise."
"What? That much for a bunch of sissy flow…." Carlos blanched as the other man glared at him yet again. "I mean, I don't have it right now. Can I just pay it off in installments?" Damn that guy from e-bay who had wanted thirty thousand for that official World Cup made out of Legos.
Danny blinked. Then he smiled and clapped Carlos on the back. "Of course! Take all the time that you need." He didn't care what Max had told him, it just wasn't fun using his large size to intimidate others. Well, not much fun. Danny smirked to himself. Who was he kidding? That had been great! He'd have to use it on that creep who kept coming in every so often ranting about destroyed flower floats and backstabbing gymnast girlfriends.
"Thanks," replied Carlos. Then he suddenly remembered why he had stopped in front of the shop while he was practicing his ball-heading skills in the first place. "Oh, wait! I need a dozen long-stemmed roses!"
"A doz…how do you plan to pay for that?" asked Danny curiously as he went back to his flower arranging. "You already owe me…"
"Yeah, yeah I know," interrupted Carlos. "But look, can't you just add it to my bill? I'm sure I'll get a ton of money once the Olympic committee accepts my proposal for an all-Ranger soccer team." So far he had Justin and Conner's agreement. He still had to work on Adam. It seemed his former coach actually thought being the CEO of a large company was more lucrative.
"An all…" Danny narrowed his eyes. "What do you know about the Rangers? You're an org! An org with its horn chopped off. No wait, that doesn't make sense." He studied Carlos a bit more. "Oh…my…God!" he yelped. "You're one of those Space Rangers! The Black one!" Danny got down on his knees. "I always wanted to be a Ranger after seeing you guys on television."
"That's wonderful," said Carlos who was beginning to feel a bit creeped out. "But can I please get some flowers. Andros and Ashley just had a big fight and I need to be ready to make my move if she finally kicks him out." She was mine first, anyway, Carlos seethed to himself. But could he ever compete against a surly alien? Of course not…it just wasn't fair.
"I practiced all your moves. Oh, I really wanted to be a Ranger." Danny gushed. "I wanted to be the best of them all!"
Carlos sighed. "Great," he mumbled. "Now I'll have to hear all about the Red Ranger yet again." He contemplated just grabbing some flowers and running while the doofus was still on his knees.
"I wanted…"
Carlos reached for some flowers on the shelf above him.
"To be the…"
Carlos grabbed the flowers, but tipped over the vase they were in.
"Black Ranger."
"What?!" asked Carlos as the vase rolled off the shelf.
Danny sighed. "I didn't think it was possible."
WHACK!!!! The vase crashed on Carlos' head.
"But do you know what my best friend kept telling me?"
"Ohhhhhhh…." moaned Carlos as he held his now dizzy head.
"Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion, …"
