Still unable to believe that the man before her, this new Fox Ranger, was her dearly missed big brother, Kimberly clutched his arm before he turned to lead the way. Her emotions were chaotically shifting in her shellshocked state; on one hand, the Ranger Slayer wanted to grab him up and never let him go, but on the other, she was angry.
All the nights she had cried herself to sleep, her voice hoarse, refusing to eat because the mere sight of food made her want to vomit, the guilt and shame of her shared past with Red…..
Jason hadn't died. He was here the whole time, yet never reached out. He let her and the others think that their beloved leader and friend had perished. Why? Why would he do something to break their hearts more than they already had been?
"Wait. I want some answers now," she demanded, her voice cracking.
The warring impulses in her heart demanded she either hug him tightly again with tears of joy or slap him so hard he didn't know what way was up. Kim harbored a fear that if she expressed her anger and confusion, Jason might just disappear before her eyes. Like popping a bubble or breaking a spell.
The others felt the tension radiating off her shoulders like waves. Jason and Tommy hung back, letting the Coinless have this private moment with their former Red Ranger. Skull still remained protectively in front of Billy; although Red, or Jason rather, claimed he wasn't out for blood anymore, the former Sentry had seen enough carnage from him that he wasn't about to take chances.
The Blue Ranger quietly observed the two, unsure how he felt about not being recognized. It was most likely the case that he never knew his Billy had died and the mental gymnastics Drakkon inflicted on him made it difficult for the man to recall his teenage years.
Jamie's eyes grew moist behind his glasses as he too stared down at Kimberly.
'I told you that you should have left well enough alone,' the growly voice scolded again.
'Now you decide to talk to me? To order me around? You just took control from me before, but I'm not letting you this time,' Jamie fired back at the alter he now knew was lurking. 'We owe them the truth, Red.'
The canine alter was quiet then as the Fox Ranger nodded his understanding at the Ranger Slayer.
"You deserve them, Kimberly. I wasn't trying to be hurtful. Please know that. I really thought I was just keeping you safe. Just in case," he murmured. "But I know that even though I didn't do it out of malice, it doesn't change the fact that you were harmed."
Kim sniffed and wiped at her eyes.
"You were here this whole time?" she asked bitterly.
Jamie nodded silently, bracing for her rightful fury.
"Do you know how much I cried for you? How much weight I lost? All the sleepless nights I spent beating myself up? The guilt and shame? The 'what-ifs?" she cried. "I fought all this time to find a way to honor your memory! So everyone could know you and your sacrifice! I even brought your name back from being banned!"
Her shoulders shook as emotions poured out of her. The fingers gripping Jamie's forearm tightened painfully.
"Zack and Trini are back home right now and have no idea that you're still alive! They ached for you every bit as much as I did! So please, tell me your logic behind hiding out here, Jason!" she yelled now, dropping his arm and giving him a hard shove.
Jamie stumbled but managed to stay upright in the slick mud. He knew he deserved every bit of what was coming. But it was time; things needed to be set right again.
He nervously adjusted his glasses and swallowed painfully.
"So much has happened, Kim. I'm not sure where to even start," he admitted.
Jason spoke up from his place beside Tommy; considering this man was essentially him, the Red Omega didn't doubt that his doppelganger truly meant no harm.
"Why don't you start with what happened after you got me off the Spectrum?" he asked gently.
Jamie looked at him gratefully and sighed.
"Alright. I guess that's as good a place to start as any. But I think we need a place to sit down. This might take a while," he conceded.
Kimberly silently nodded towards their ship, her eyes not entertaining any argument. Jamie looked over towards her indication and gave a slight nod.
Wordlessly, the group walked to the vessel, each lost in their own thoughts regarding this newest development.
Tommy leaned his head toward Jason's as they followed the group ahead of them toward the vessel.
"What do you think about this, Jase? You guys didn't get to interact very long last time, did you?" he whispered, concerned about how his boyfriend might be feeling.
Jason frowned slightly, remembering the encounter with Red after Drakkon drugged him and left him in the hands of his older self.
"I vaguely remember us talking. Drakkon had shot me up with something and it made me really out of it," he reminded the White Ranger. "I do remember he said something about not being sure who he was."
Tommy looked at his boyfriend in confusion.
"He left a note with you, tucked under your belt. And it was signed 'Jason'."
The Omega could only shrug.
"I'm not sure about that part. But knowing me, I believe he did have good intentions with hiding from us. When he was with me, Red wasn't violent or aggressive. He was able to talk to me normally. Not like what I read in Drakkon's journals or how Kim said he was in the palace," he responded thoughtfully.
Billy spoke up, startling the two men. He couldn't help but overhear their conversation.
"I'm inclined to agree with Jason. I don't think he had negative intentions. As for his behavior on board the Spectrum and here," he mused, "I have a hypothesis for that."
Skull fell back to join the Blue Ranger; he too was curious about Red's about face in mood and behavior.
"From what I read in Lord Drakkon's journals, I believe that he and Red had what has been referred to as a type of 'folie a deux' or 'shared psychotic disorder.' It was first reported in 1860 and typically involves two individuals, although not always. One person, the primary, has delusions that are influencing another, the secondary. The secondary usually does not have psychosis but in this case I believe a psychotic episode was brought about by Drakkon's physical and mental torture."
Taking a breath, he glanced towards the Fox Ranger and Ranger Slayer who were some distance ahead, walking side by side but not speaking.
"As you read in the journals, Lord Drakkon utilized some of the most heinous methods of torture dreamed up by some of the worst minds in history. He took great joy in hurting Jason, forcing him to comply with helping him strategize his armies. But that wasn't the only thing he wanted from him."
Tommy's head lowered toward his chest and he averted his face from Jason's. He hated hearing the antics of this demented demonic version of himself.
"Drakkon wanted a pet, a loyal companion. To that end, he ramped up the mental and emotional warfare. Eventually, I think, something snapped in Jason. He became Red, but not the Red that Skull became familiar with. That developed much later," the Blue Ranger continued.
Skull nodded.
"The Red I knew grew very emotionally unstable over time. He had a special hatred for Red Sentries. It was a joke amongst us, considering his name was 'Red.' We all wondered what the fuck the man ever did to get such a punishment," he recounted to the others.
Billy briefly checked again to make sure the man wasn't within earshot. He didn't want to risk offending or spooking him; it was imperative that they rebuild a relationship with this 'Jason'.
"It appears to me that the 'folie a deux' began to form between Drakkon and Red after his 'induction' as a pet. Even in his own notations, Drakkon observed the gradual mental decline Red was undergoing. They started to feed off each other in terms of their psychosis. Once Drakkon and Red were separated and 'Jason' was kept in the palace by Kim, some of the delusions lessened but he was still extremely paranoid and aggressive."
Jason reached out a comforting hand and slid it over his boyfriend's shoulder.
"Hey, you alright, Tommy?" he asked worriedly.
The White Ranger frantically glanced up at the Fox Ranger, hoping he didn't see the intimate gesture. Gently, he eased Jason's arm down and nodded up at the older man.
"I don't think we should push it with him. At least until we know more about his mental state as of this point in time. I remember how strong he was when he wised up to my play acting Drakkon," he whispered. "As for me, I'm as ok as I can be. Still feeling guilty over the things that asshole did to Red."
By now the group was ascending the steps into the ship and everyone fell silent. Kimberly moved ahead and gestured to a room with chairs and a small table used as a dining area when needed. She crossed her arms and waited quietly while the others filed in.
Jamie nervously looked around himself; he hadn't been on a ship since the incident on the Spectrum and images slowly rolled through his mind one by one.
Watching Drakkon's treachery before his very eyes, the final straw that made him see the asshole for what he really was.
The initial clash with his former master, the pain of his shattered knee.
Seeing Drakkon's disembowelment and collapse.
The Fox Ranger squeezed his eyes tightly, sweat starting to bead the flesh of his forehead.
"Jase?" Kimberly's voice caught his attention; she stared at him with some concern despite her frustration and anger.
Obviously, there was something that needed to be addressed first. As the whole fucking story was a colossal hot mess, any way of looking at it was going to be confusing.
"This isn't going to make sense right now, but I'll try my best to explain this part when I get to it. But remember when I said I was both Jason and Red but also neither at the same time?"
He pointed at himself.
"My name is Jamie."
Kimberly frowned and looked at the others' faces, particularly Billy's. The Blue Ranger looked extremely interested in this comment; he leaned forward on the table towards the man.
"What do you mean you're not Jason? I'm lost," the Slayer admitted.
Jamie pushed his glasses up and rubbed his eyes.
"Fuck," he growled to himself. "Sorry. I just have had a hell of a lot happen in a very short time frame. Instead of starting at the Spectrum, let me address this first."
He sighed and righted his glasses, hands clasping together on the metal table.
"Please keep in mind that this information is all new to me too. Like as of today. So I don't know if I can answer a lot of questions about it."
Now, he gave a sad chuckle.
"I'm going to sound crazier than before if that's possible. But here goes. Tommy and Trini reminded me that I used to be Jason Scott. Once they did, I was slowly able to access some of those memories. Only it felt like they were someone else's, a whole different person. I also knew that I was 'Red'. When I arrived here, however, I was blocked from most of those memories. That persona was fading, and it was like I was this other person again. Not Jason. Not Red. Someone new."
Jamie spread his arms in confusion, looking timidly at the assembled faces.
"I chose this name and with some help from a friend who found me, I started my life here. I'm not saying I am 100% a fully functional person. I still have nightmares and flashbacks, episodes that I called my 'Red Rages', when I lose control of my anger," he went on, but quickly added, "The rages are rare. It was more in the beginning. I'm not going to randomly hurt any of you."
He couldn't be positive of that last part but warned Red that he absolutely wouldn't allow him to harm these people.
"Apparently, it was brought to my attention as of this morning, that I…" he stammered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I have more than one personality."
Billy gently reached out and put his hand over Jamie's.
"Dissociative identity disorder. Considering what happened to you, it makes sense," he responded, giving a calm smile.
"Yes," Jamie confirmed. "Me, Jason, and Red. I guess they've always been there, but I wasn't aware of them. I've had a lot of stress lately. Obviously, you seen part of it out there. It's not the only thing though. Red started coming through and taking control. I didn't know. I'd just have missing time, changes in location, being covered in sweat like I'd really exerted myself. And some bad migraines."
Jason cleared his throat.
"So you're another version of me that's not exactly me?" he asked, brow raised.
Jamie shrugged.
"I guess. I don't know," he stuttered.
Kimberly put her hand on the Fox Ranger's shoulder.
"If you just found this out today, then that isn't what you were protecting us from," she clarified.
"No," Jamie answered. "But calling me Jason and expecting me to behave like him would disappoint you. I'm not him, not really."
Skull carefully addressed the former Red Ranger next.
"It sounds like what you're trying to tell everyone is that you want to be called Jamie, not Jason," he pointed out, looking to each of the others. "You're your own person."
Sighing with relief, Jamie nodded and actually smiled at his former Sentry nemesis.
"Yes, exactly."
Kimberly nodded thoughtfully.
"Alright then, Jamie. What was it that you wanted to protect us from?" she pressed.
The Fox Ranger shifted so he was fully facing the Ranger Slayer and took one of her hands in his.
"You remember what Drakkon was like, Kim. How possessive and evil he was. Especially with Jason and then Red. One of the things he always said was that we were fated to always be together, that I could never run far enough or fast enough to escape him. He'd always find me, no matter what I tried."
The Ranger Slayer felt her chest tighten, memories seeping back of their time together in the palace under that asshole's control. One in particular stood out; this one had floated almost forgotten amongst the other atrocities she'd committed for that psychotic fuck.
Drakkon sat on the plush chair in his private chambers, his expression almost absent. One powerful leg was crossed atop the other, the white silk and gold armor reflecting the light of the fire in the hearth. Red knelt beside him passively, his glossy eyes staring into the flames. Fresh bloody wounds adorned his forearms, chest, and hands; they were dressed in sterile white bandages spotted with ruby colored patches.
Classical music tinkled in the air and the tyrant waved an arm as if conducting the performance. On a nearby tabletop sat a box of decadent chocolates. She could almost smell the delicious aroma from her place before the asshole.
He'd ordered her to come and dance provocatively for his amusement. Kimberly had worn a sheer, formfitting pink garment; delicate, lacy pink clothes wafted through the air, clutched between her fingertips. She'd twirled and smiled as commanded, almost leering.
Unsure what exactly Drakkon was expecting, she'd considered that the mad man might be in the mind to order her to service him. But that didn't appear to be what he was aiming for this night. She'd been surprised when the tyrant whistled sharply at Red, bringing his pet's attention to his master's face.
"Up," he'd ordered, gesturing with one finger.
Obediently, his darling moved to his feet and awaited further instruction.
"There's my good boy," Drakkon cooed. "Such a fearsome pet you are, Red. Defeating all those challengers today."
One long finger grazed the bandage covering his chest.
"Would you like a treat, my precious one," he asked solicitously. "I think you deserve something delicious."
Pointing to the lush bed behind him, Drakkon commanded Red.
"Sit."
The pet turned and moved to the bed where he perched on the edge of the mattress silently. Kimberly continued to dance and sway, watching the interaction, curious what Drakkon had planned.
Now those dark black eyes shifted to her face.
"Kimberly, my Ranger Slayer, I want you to excite him. Tease him until I tell you otherwise," he hissed.
Twirling her body towards the unstable man, she couldn't disobey Drakkon despite her fear of Red. Her hands trailed seductively over his skin, his lips, his thighs. She'd ground her ass into his lap, feeling him respond to her movements. The growl he'd given was more in pleasure than his usual fury.
Her lips teased his ears, his jawline, down his neck to his chest. The light sweep of her tongue punctuated the journey. Red began to pant, his hands striking out to snare her waist and pull her astride his lap.
Drakkon continued to watch, his eyes glittering like stars in a night sky.
"Consider yourself lucky, my Slayer. I don't ever share my darling. He's mine forever. But I'll allow him this special exception as you are also most favored among my followers," he snarled.
That night, the asshole ordered her to ride his precious pet like a racehorse.
And she had…..
Kimberly's brown eyes widened at the forgotten encounter.
Drakkon had ordered her to fuck her dear brother….
Psychosis – some loss of contact with reality. Difficulty recognizing what is real and what is not.
Signs and symptoms of psychosis – prior to episode: paranoia, unease with others, trouble thinking clearly and logically, withdrawing and spending time alone, usual or intense ideas, feelings or lack of feelings, decline in self care, sleep disruption, difficulty telling reality from fantasy, confused speech or trouble communicating, emotional disruption, anxiety, lack of motivation, difficulty functioning, unpredictable behavior. Risk of violence increases. Delusions or hallucinations.
Causes – can be caused by stressors or trauma. Sleep deprivation, drugs