Chapter 39—Normal

Matt

Just for the record, having the Mecha Squad walk around freely in front of my teammates and me was just downright weird. But I let it slide, if only for the fact that Grace said we really had no choice. We were all outcasts together.

Oh yeah, that part.

See, we thought the Fury Team would have everything under control, but it seemed that even with their powers back, they couldn't trump Messiah and Gabriel while the Mecha Squad took cheap shots to keep them at bay.

So, Patrick commanded us to go back and argued with Aaron for a little bit before it became evident that Patrick was not backing down. He was stubborn as hell, but only when he knew he was right. And he was.

The Fury Team was being battered from all sides with Messiah calling on Gigadroids to assist Mira and Rheas, while he and Gabriel attempted to make their way to the throne room to either revive Cronus by combining Gabriel's morpher with the Chrominite Technology still active in the Mount Imperious Bridge Control, or to drain what power was left so that Gabriel could ascend at will. Either way, it was beyond bad.

So we showed up in full ranger gear and dealt the pain the only way we knew how. And it was a sight to be seen. The Cyber Squad in all its glory, vanquishing enemies next to the most powerful and largest team of rangers to exist; the Power Rangers: Nature's Fury.

I had fought alongside Zhane, the Blue Inferno Fury Ranger, and Dustin, the Silver Cyclone Fury Ranger. We devastated the Gigadroids helping the Blue Mecha Squad Ranger, Tundrus, who I later discovered was Brianna Smith, a student from Reefside Central. Near us, Jay, Bridge, and Natasha had been trumping the female Yellow Mecha Squad Ranger, Spiritos—or, as I knew her, Melissa DePew. The Gigadroids, Kevin Gerringer—the Red Lunarus Mecha Squad Ranger—and Rheas stood no chance against the Red Energy Fury Ranger, Sky. Not to mention, Beth and the Brown Terrestrial Fury Ranger, Ryan, had been backing him up wholeheartedly. Across the mountainous field, Aaron worked with Leo Corbett, the White Tidal Fury Ranger, and Wes Collins, the Metal Atomic Fury Ranger to decimate Gabriel and his horde of Gigadroid backup.

The person I had been most worried about was my best friend, Patrick, who was showing off his Green Ranger powers like no other. Though my scanners told me his suit was at 40 percent power, I watched him keep up with the best of the rangers as he pummeled any Gigadroid opponent that got near him. Watching his back, Andrea and Justin—Green Astral Fury Ranger and Golden Nimbus Fury Ranger, respectively—knocked out the Green Technos Mecha Squad Ranger, Josh. Rheas and Michelle Meyers, my ex-girlfriend and Pink Naturos Mecha Squad Ranger, had tried to get the best of Amy; but she was backed by Skylar, the Pink Dimensional Fury Ranger, and Nike, the Purple Lunar Fury Ranger. Meanwhile, Grace, Hunter—Black Lightning Fury Ranger and Eltarian King—and Carter—Grey Polar Fury Ranger—trumped Sanders easily. His Black Aquos Mecha Squad Ranger powers were incomparable to Grace and her Fury Team assistants, even with Messiah trying to interrupt them.

I had to admit, though, we really worked well as a team of united rangers from different generations. At one point, each of our foes was knocked back together while we regrouped flawlessly. I remember that as the Fury Rangers finished blasting Messiah and the Mecha Squad with signature elemental attacks, our ranger instincts took over as the entire Cyber Squad jumped forth from in front of where the Fury Rangers landed.

Somehow, we had all lined up perfectly so that we were in the middle of the two Fury Rangers who could recreate our Super Stones. As I sprang forward, blue wind surrounding me, I felt Dustin and Carter unite their energy and blast me with it. To my left, Amy was covered in red and cobalt blue energy from Sky and Wes as they meshed together, repowering her. To Amy's left, Grace was enveloped in the power of the Zeta Sisters, Andrea and Nike, as the green and purple energy bolstered Grace's power. To my right, Jay had been engulfed in Blue Fire from Zhane and Yellow Solar Energy from Bridge that swirled together and combined on Jay's Chest. On Jay's right, Beth and the dirt flying around her were blinded out by Ryan and Leo's brown and white energy; and next to Beth, Aaron had been graced with the power of Natasha's Orange Temporal energy, and Skylar's Pink Dimensional energy. Finally, I had looked at Patrick and saw Hunter's Black Lightning writhing around his body as Justin's golden sonic waves of Neo-Thunder/Nimbus Energy boomed from around him.

When we landed, we were decked in our Digital Orymeka Powers, posing like naturals.

"Cosmic Cyon!" screamed Grace, who was followed by Amy yelling, "Soul Sygmatoz!"

I blared, "Whirlwind Kavvys!" as Jay hollered, "Wildfire Umykron!"

To top things off, Beth posed with her "Chthonic Alfur," Aaron chimed in with "Divine Deltosyn," and Patrick finished with "Elemental Zetasyn!"

We hardly took the time to stand before we each combined our energies and cast it forth. The obliteration following left the Mecha Squad completely demorphed and reverted Messiah to his Mesomorph form. Mira and Rheas were barely alive, and any Gigadroids that had been left standing were completely annihilated.

But what the Fury Rangers did next changed everything. They absorbed their Super Stones from us, combined them into the Cronus Stone, and eradicated the malevolent energies in the Mecha Squad Morphers. The evil Aleph Beyt was simply…gone.

—39—

So, as we headed back in our post-victory glory, Gabriel, Mesomorph, and his cronies having fled after the Mecha Squad was vanquished, I just couldn't wrap my head around trusting the Mecha Rangers. Now, I'm sure you think I'm being hypocritical, since I forgave Patrick so easily.

I fought Patrick for less than a year. And he was my best friend. When he tells me it was out of his control, I believe him. When Sanders and Kevin and their flunkies try to tell me they were under the control of their Aleph Beyt Guardians…well…it was hard to believe.

As we arrived at SPD Headquarters, I was excited to get some sleep. The sun had set by the time we returned, and even though it was still early evening, I could hardly keep my eyes open.

Then everything changed.

Mesomorph was in our command center.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" Patrick screamed furiously as several SPD officers held him back.

"Ah, my rangers. Welcome," he hissed.

"Is anyone going to explain why this mass-terrorist is standing in the middle of our command center and no one has blown his fucking head off?" Patrick spat.

"Our command center?" Mesomorph wondered sinisterly. "Oh no, my green ranger friend…this is my command center."

Sky stepped forward angrily, "Under whose authority?"

"You're seriously trying to figure out the authority behind this? It's Mesomorph!" Grace said angrily.

"Ah," Mesomorph hissed, "it would seem you never caught sight of the bigger picture." He rubbed his claws over his chin as he circled us like his prey. "I own SPD. 74 percent to be exact. This…guise," he said as he motioned toward his face, "was nothing more than a publicity stunt to receive more government funding for the SPD project. And for the past 4 years, we have had an exponential increase in taxpayer's money, private investments, and so much more. From the entire globe."

We were all shocked into silence. I don't think I'd ever seen a group of rangers so quiet. It was like telling us that power rangers were just flat out evil. That there was no good. How could this have happened? The largest concentration of active rangers in history worked under SPD. Surely they couldn't have all known.

"Why?" Hunter finally demanded.

"Ah, I'm so glad you asked, my pretentious Eltarian friend," Mesomorph spat. "For the past who-knows-how-many-years, your planet has shaped the history of Earth as it saw fit. Earth enjoyed its longest reign of peace under the rule of Cronus, but because you Eltarians have your ridiculous blood feud with the Chrominites, you took it upon yourself to not only change Earth's present, but its entire future! And under what cause? Because you high-and-mighty 'celestial beings' decided the Chrominites were evil and could not be trusted?"

He was all-out screaming now, his fangs intimidating the shit out of me and a few of my teammates. But Hunter stood right in Mesomorph's face as the reptilian SPD owner berated him and his people.

"Because of you, the entire planet of Earth has been affected on a grand scale. But the one good thing that you pompous Eltarians gave us…was the ranger technology. And now we have it, and we use it better than you!"

"Mesomorph…" Hunter said warningly, "don't do this."

"What? Start a Ranger War so catastrophic that it will bring your planet to its all-too-clean knees?"

Silence continued to fill the room as Mesomorph inched closer to Hunter's face.

"Sign. Me. Up."

It happened faster than I could even see.

Aaron was at Mesomorph's throat in an instant, punching the large-headed creature into the central console. A troupe of SPD officers slammed Aaron to the ground immediately, holding their blasters level with his face.

All the while, Dustin and Hunter were absolutely silent. Even I was on my toes, ready to beat some SPD ass. But his own parents did nothing.

"Well," Mesomorph panted, "that was exhilarating."

We merely glared in response.

"So," Mesomorph mused, "now that I have global legality to destroy the Fury Team and initiate the invasion of Eltar…I think I'll have my Cyber Squad wipe you off the face of the earth."

"What?" we all murmured.

"You forget," he said to us, "you are all enlisted in SPD. You have a worldwide duty to follow orders."

"Fuck your orders," Patrick snapped.

As if we were all connected, we were knocking the guards off Aaron and making our way to the emergency teleport hatches. Mesomorph was hissing at the guards to stop us, but the blasts they fired at us were easily stopped by the combined force fields of Amy and Sky. None of us wanted to go on the offensive. Not just yet. We needed time to process. A place to gather our thoughts. But we were fugitives from the largest ranger corporation in the universe.

—39—

We ended up at the lake, ironically enough. It seemed fitting, I guess, because when we got there, none of us really spoke about anything that had to do with being a ranger. It was all just…normal. We tried to avoid the topic of us being hunted worldwide. But it was inevitable.

"What are we gonna do about my dad?" Grace wondered sadly.

I placed my hand on her knee as I gazed at the fire Jay had started. The Fury Team had long since returned to Eltar to warn the planet of SPD's intentions, and I found myself wondering what the hell would happen if there was a war between rangers. SPD had so many different Patrol Morphers and literally an army of rangers around the world. They were like militarized police.

"We'll get him," I said, "even if we have to bust into SPD HQ."

"Thanks, Matt," said Doc Ol as he came out of the woods along the shoreline, "but that won't be necessary."

"Dad!" Grace yelled as she ran to him. Commander Jason Scott was right behind him.

"How did you know where to find us?" Aaron asked as he stood from the rock he was sitting on.

"Most fire burns red," Jason said to Jay, who quickly stomped the fire out.

"Doc, please tell me you know what the hell's going on," Amy said as she pulled her hair into a short ponytail.

"What Mesomorph is doing is…completely legal."

"But how? He's talking about invading another planet!" Beth argued.

"The fucked up thing is that Eltar won't fight back," Aaron said quietly.

We all silenced.

"What do you mean?" I half-whispered.

"Eltar is a member of the Universal Council. They won't retaliate until the Council has decided Eltar is justified in going to war—and since Eltar is infinitely more powerful than Earth, the declaration of war will be deemed unjust and Eltar won't be able to refute," he explained.

"That's bullshit," Jay interjected, "are they just supposed to be invaded, then?"

"Eltar's kind of on…probation," Aaron responded slowly.

We all exchanged confused looks. Sure, we knew about Eltar—everyone learned a little bit of intergalactic history in school, but intergalactic history was still being made. Hell, planet Earth didn't begin communicating openly with Eltar until after the 2012 Cronus battle.

Finally, Patrick chimed in. "Eltar's been in wars since it was populated, pretty much, and the Council's sick of it. Even the Eltarian Senate won't approve a proposition to the Council because they know it'll be shot down." He paused as he stood up from his own rock and pressed on, noticing that his point was still lost to us. "It'd be like if the kid at school who always gets in fights suddenly gets picked on by a kid half his size. Do you really think the principal's going to say it was okay for him to defend himself against an opponent like that?"

"I see…" Jay said as it clicked for him.

"So…what do we do? We kind of just broke a million laws," Josh Anderson asked from afar.

Patrick glared at him, though I'm not sure it was intentional. It was probably just reflex. "We just need some time to think," he finally said. "I'm tired. Exhausted, in fact, and I just found out the past 2 or 3 years of my life, I've been working for the person I've been trying to destroy."

"Life kinda sucks right now, not gonna lie," Amy said disappointedly.

"Guys," Doc Ol interrupted, "you are, by far, one of the most formidable teams I've ever seen. When you first started this thing 4 years ago, no way in hell did I think you'd make it this far. But you have. You guys nearly all despised each other when you started. Yet, as I've gotten to know each of you as people and not just rangers, I've gained a small family and even a real family of my own. I've watched bitter enemies become best friends," he glanced at Beth and Grace, "and watched the worst of enemies become even closer." He was now looking at Patrick and Aaron, even though they seemed to be completely broken up.

Then he pressed on, "I know it's hard, but you've already faced hard. You went up against enemies that overpowered you, had more time and resources than you, and juggled a full-time school career while doing it! Hell, my daughter's one of the most recognized people in the entire world. You've worked your way out of tons of situations, and I know if anyone can do it, it's you seven."

The Mecha Squad was awkwardly silent.

"What? You guys were evil," Doc Ol defended himself.

And for some reason, I laughed.

And I just kept laughing because it felt so good, and before I knew it, everyone chimed in. And it was then that I realized that no matter how bad things seemed, we always had each other. It was…comforting? More comforting than Doc Ol's speech, and more comforting than anything else I could think of.

For a second, I looked at Grace, the laugh lines on her face fresh and new, and the joy in her eyes like a raging fire. She looked back at me through those emerald green eyes and slapped my hand, hugging me lightly as she invited everyone to the cabin to relax.

So we did.

Our world was ending, but we had some bottles of Jamison and some ice-cold beers, and a couple packs of cigarettes for the smokers, and probably a few illegal substances for whoever wanted that. But most of all, as lame as it sounded, we had friendship. I was able to chill with Sanders and Michelle, who talked my ear off about being evil rangers; and I think even Patrick and Josh had a heart-to-heart at one point. Not sure how it went, but I didn't see any lightning flying around, so assumed it was okay.

And things were good. Because the whole time, Grace stayed by my side. She held my hand at points, just with her hand in mine—not interlaced—but it was like I was on cloud nine. She even sat on my lap a couple of times, and I could hardly believe things were going so well. Too bad it took the fucking end of the world for her to come around.

Then I noticed Beth, who was anti-socially quiet and distant to everyone else. Her eyes were glued to Grace and me, and I knew she was hurt. She had also fallen for Grace in a weird way, and I didn't really know how to take it. I mean…I'd had guys get jealous of me…but girls? It was different, to say the least.

So I finally got up and walked over to her.

"You okay?" I asked her.

"Just peachy."

"What's wrong?"

She looked at me incredulously and shook her head, scoffing as she walked to Patrick and asked him for a cigarette. He stopped his conversation with Aaron, Jay, and Amy momentarily as he pulled the pack out and handed it to her, and then started his sentence back up with "but um…"

"Can you at least talk to me?" I pestered her, following her outside.

"Jesus Christ, you don't give up, do you, Fido?" she griped through her cigarette as she struggled to light it in the wind.

"I know you're pissed about Grace," I said softly, stilling the wind for her, "but you have to understand that I've been in love with her since I can remember."

"I know."

"And I'm not going to turn her down when she finally seems to reciprocate just because of your past with her."

"I know."

"So I don't want you to be pissed at me for something I can't really control."

"I know."

"Wait," I said slowly, "what?"

"Matt, I'm not mad at you," she said as she inhaled. "I'm mad at myself for feeling mad, you know? I mean…I care about Grace—a lot, actually—but…I'm not in love with her. And when I was with her, I knew you loved her…but I didn't care. Because…Grace is one of those people who can just take your pain away. She makes you feel special and cared about and like anyone who doesn't want you is an idiot. And that's what I needed."

"Because you're still in love with Gabriel?"

"And they say you're the dumb one."

"Who says that?" I asked defensively.

"The tabloids," she laughed. "They also call me a cold-hearted bitch, but hey…"

I was silent for a moment as I looked away. "But…you are."

"Exactly."

I was still quiet before it clicked.

"You're calling me dumb!"

"Gosh, you're on fire tonight."

"You're a bitch," I laughed. "But you're a cool bitch."

"And you're a cool dumbass, Matt," she said as she patted my back. "Now go back inside before Sanders makes a move on Grace."

"Good call."

But when I went back inside, Sanders wasn't making a move on Grace. He was all over Jay.

"Whoa…" I said as I reacted to the tension in the room.

Sanders was yelling at Amy drunkenly before he turned on Jay and called him a closet faggot.

"Dude, you need to chill the fuck out," Aaron said as he got in front of Jay and in Sanders' face. "What the hell is your problem?"

"You're just drunk," Sanders slurred at Aaron.

"No, I'm actually sober," Aaron snapped back.

"What, so you don't fuck Josh again?"

"That's enough," Amy interrupted angrily. "Sanders, I think you need to go to bed. Now."

"Maybe I will," he said as he stared unfocusedly, "but have fun with my sloppy seconds, eh?"

The room got even quieter.

"What?" Amy asked lethally.

"Tell her, Jay!" Sanders yelled. "Tell her, or I will!"

All eyes were on Jay now, who stared shamefully at the floor.

"Jay?" Amy wondered softly. "Jay, what's he talking about?"

"It doesn't even matter!" Jay finally shouted. "We fucked, like 3 years ago! And then I discovered guys just aren't my thing, okay?"

"Whoa…" seemed to be the unanimous response to his confession. Either that, or "wow…"

But Amy was leaving the room, and Patrick shot Jay a sympathetic look as he patted the Yellow Ranger's shoulder and left the cabin with Amy. As he breezed past me, I followed, Grace coming along, too.

"Whoa, are we moving the party outside?" Beth wondered, still smoking her cigarette.

Grace shook her head soberly. "Shit just went down."

"Like ranger shit?"

"No, like college-kid shit."

"Oh, no thanks," Beth shrugged, tossing her cigarette and heading inside.

I couldn't help but chuckle on the inside. Give us a crazy reptilian tyrant hell-bent on starting an intergalactic war and we're set; give us some college drama and we run away.

We were so emotionally retarded.

"Amy, wait up," Patrick called to her.

"Just give me a fucking cigarette," she demanded, the anger spilling from her voice like acid.

Patrick complied, pulling one out for himself as well.

He waited a few minutes until she finally spoke, the little bit of eyeliner she had on smearing ever-so-slightly from the tears that slid down her cheeks. "It's just like…I've been with him for all this time, you know? And I try not to be the crazy girlfriend—the one who always asks where he is and stuff—and I really trust him. I never get jealous or suspicious when he's with other guys or other girls…and now I find this out. Do you have any idea how fucking dumb I feel?"

Patrick was silent as he lit his cigarette. I simply stood there with Grace, who was holding my hand like it was second nature.

"Yeah," he finally said, "I do. Remember?"

She chuckled sourly a bit as she wiped her face and puffed her cigarette. "Sorry…"

"But it's okay, Ames," Patrick continued, "Jay loves you. If anything, this proves it. Now, you never have to worry that your boyfriend and my ex are gonna get it on."

"Yeah, you've already had that happen," Grace joked, punching Patrick lightly in the shoulder

"Hey, not fair," he laughed.

"In all honesty…I guess I'm not really mad at Jay. I'm…I'm mad that Sanders broadcasted it, you know?" Amy said somewhat happier.

"Yeah, it's pretty embarrassing," Patrick said. "But honestly…it's us. Like Doc Ol said, we're like family."

"Exactly," I finally piped up, "If there's any group of people you'd want to know, it'd be us."

I grinned goofily at her and she laughed, rolling her eyes. "I guess that's true. Thanks for saving me from my emoness."

"Anytime," I said cheerily as Patrick agreed.

Grace and I sat down on the rocks near us, glancing at the cabin with all of its lights shining to us like a beacon of the future.

"I'm tired, Matty," she said as she laid her head on my shoulder.

"Me too," I sighed.

"We're gonna head inside," Patrick interrupted us as he and Amy finished their cigarettes a few minutes later.

"We'll be right in," Grace yelled after him.

He gave me…a look? I think it was a look. Or maybe it was to Grace. After all, he and Grace were in a famous duo together, so they spent a lot of time together…maybe it was toward her? I dunno, all I know is it was a look. And looks from Patrick always meant something.

"Did you see that?" I asked Grace, who had her eyes closed.

"Hm?" she hummed to me sleepily.

"Never mind," I said quietly, suddenly aware that Grace was pretty much sleeping on me. "Do you…do you wanna go to bed? I can take you to your room, if you want."

"Mhm…"

I laughed to myself as I used my powers to lift her up lightly and flew us to the back entrance of the cabin, which was closer to her room. We went through the kitchen, through the hallway, and back toward the bedrooms. In one of them, Aaron was definitely yelling at Sanders, who was now puking his guts up in one of the bathrooms. Served him right.

"Alright," I said silently to Grace, "we're here."

"Ugh…God…I drank way too much," she groaned as she pulled off her shirt.

I looked away uneasily. From the corner of my eye, I could see the soft, tanned color of her smooth skin caught in the moonlight. I felt my breath hitch a little and tried to think of something to say. "Yeah…tonight was…pretty crazy."

She turned and looked at me as she pulled a t-shirt on. "Matt…are you nervous?"

"What? Why?"

"Your fingers are twitching."

"I thought you were really drunk."

"Just cuz I'm drunk doesn't mean I don't know when my best friend is nervous."

I smiled shyly. "Sorry."

She smiled half to herself as she pulled off her jeans and slipped into shorts, tossing her hair into a ponytail.

"Why are you sorry?" she finally asked, walking toward me.

"I…uh…I dunno?"

She smirked, seemingly to herself again, and stood in front of me. And then, as if in slow motion, she closed the gap between us and faintly laid her lips on mine. I felt like my mouth was on fire, like it was just a fuse that was going to cause the rest of my body to self-destruct. If there weren't sparks flying from our lips, it sure as hell felt like it.

Then she pulled away, just like that. There was no intense make-out session…no mind-blowing first kiss. Just a peck.

And then, as she was still centimeters from my lips, she whispered one word.

Stay.

So as we laid in her bed, my arms drawn protectively over her long and supple form and her head pressed against my chest as my heart beat a million miles a minute, I thought about the past four years. And in that one moment, just that one tiny moment of pure perfection that Grace and I had created in an almost completely non-sexual way…everything seemed worth it. All the fighting and the killing and the injuries and the pain; it was all worth it if I just had this.

I kissed her forehead softly, and she looked up, stroked my jaw line, and smiled at me. And then she kissed me again. And it was mind-blowing. And it was our first real kiss. And I felt like my heart would stop at any second.

But I kissed her back with all the control and passion I could muster. Quickly, I jammed my legs together to keep her from freaking out about the…'excitement' my body chose to display, and I pulled her closer.

And then she stopped.

"G'night, Matty."

"G'night, Grace."