Upon hearing the click of the doorknob, Jason and Tommy quickly jumped a respectable distance apart with the Red Omega tucking his left hand into his pants pocket for good measure. They exchanged guilty glances as Jamie rejoined the group, his expression irritated. Billy appeared over his shoulder, leafing through a thick collection of paperwork.
"Interesting," he breathed occasionally as he tracked the onset of the tyrant's symptoms and his nonsensical rantings and depictions.
Jason worriedly voiced concern for the large black and brown canine who had been on the business end of the thick skull of a possessive goat.
"How's Bear?"
Jamie let out a deep sigh and brushed his hair back.
"Billy says he's going to be alright, just bruised," he responded. "Jasper's never acted like that before. Leave it to that asshole to corrupt my goat."
Skull laughed and gave the man a wink.
"Well, they have so much in common, Jamie. Hooves and horns, you know."
At that, the older man nodded thoughtfully before giving a small laugh.
"I hadn't thought about it like that," he mused, trying to calm his frazzled nerves.
The former Sentry continued gently.
"In all fairness, that went better than I expected. It was a powder keg waiting to ignite. But now it's done and over with."
Kimberly stood to stand beside Jamie; she pulled him into another tight hug. It would be a long time before she had hugged her teddy bear too much. Even Bulk would understand. Hell, he'd probably snatch the man into the air and twirl him in joy.
"You're probably right about that," Jamie admitted, returning the hug Kim was giving him. "Considering the trajectory of recent events, that wasn't as bad as it could have been."
His stomach gave a rumble then, reminding the host that it was far past lunchtime.
"We need to get some food in us and decide what we're going to do while Billy looks over that mess," he added. "Perhaps we can go into town and grab a bite? Then you can meet my friend, Mark."
Jamie's brow furrowed slightly, and he paused.
Jason knew where his mind was headed.
"You're wondering what to do about him, aren't you?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
His older doppelganger sighed and nodded.
"Yeah. For better or worse, he's in my care for now. Not to mention, I don't particularly want to leave him alone to ruminate on what just happened. I really have no desire to deal with his agitation right now. I'm still recovering from this recent round with him. And that stupid hound on top of it," he explained.
Skull shrugged.
"Bring the asshole. I'm fine with it."
Tommy raised his brows at the comment.
"Seriously?"
"Seriously. We all need to eat and figure this out. Maybe for different motivations. We need to stop the hound and keep Jamie safe. Even if its just to assert his claim on Jamie, David has reason to cooperate. Like he said, he just got Jamie back so he's not going to be inclined to lose him again."
Giving Kimberly and Jamie a knowing look, Skull gave a low whistle.
"And he wasn't lying when he said that hound is lucky that he didn't challenge the OG Drakkon. If it was the olden days, that beast would be gutted, skinned, and decorating the floor of his bedchambers," he added.
The two Coinless Rangers nodded in agreement.
"That's for sure," the Slayer muttered.
Jamie turned to the others and took a deep breath.
"How about the rest of you? Think we can all handle this little field trip with him in tow?" he asked.
Jason glanced nervously at Tommy, knowing that Skull was right. David had an important reason not to fuck around with any of them right now. But the tyrant could easily bring out the worst in his partner.
"What do you think? Can we get through lunch without bloodshed? I'll be alright dealing with him as long as you are," he murmured and, noticing Jamie's curious expression, quickly added, "I won't have to morph and drag you two apart, right?"
The White Ranger grimaced.
"Who would have thought we'd all be sitting down and sharing a meal with that fucker? Like all this bullshit never happened!"
He huffed, knowing what had to happen. They couldn't let this situation blind them to the current threat not just to Jamie but to this very planet. That's not what Power Rangers did.
"Fine. Go get the gremlin. But you better tell him to knock off his shit. No one is in a frame of mind to deal with him right now!"
Jamie turned to Kimberly and Billy.
"What about you two?"
The Blue Ranger was still deeply engrossed in the medical records and barely caught the question. He nodded absently, his blonde hair catching the sunlight.
"Sure. There's so much here to consider and I've already constructed several hypotheses. The hospital records are especially interesting considering Drakkon was doped up on anesthetics and pain killers and experiencing high fevers with his infections. He may not have had the cognitive awareness to develop his elaborate lies under these conditions," he breathed, his mind already mentally listing the various follow up questions and considerations.
"Kim?" Jamie whispered down where the smaller woman had her head tucked under his shoulder.
"Fuck it. Load him up and let's get going. But if he starts in again, I'll personally turn him inside out," she hissed, looking up into her big brother's face.
Jamie smiled and released the Slayer; he turned to enter the kitchen.
"Give me a second to get him ready."
Ducking back into the house, Jamie noted David at the sink, lethargically scrubbing the bottom of the scorched pan with a bristly brush. Various vegetable remnants clung to the surface stubbornly. Not that he was putting in much effort with their removal.
Honestly, the whole process was going to only scratch up and mar the cooking utensil in the end. Idly, David's finger picked at a blackened particle, his posture slumped as he did so. He didn't turn around or otherwise acknowledge the other man's presence.
Jamie approached the sink and gently took the pot from David's grasp. To his surprise, reddened hazel eyes gazed up into his own as the man jumped in surprise at his appearance.
"What are you doing?" David sniffed. "Shouldn't you be out there with them? I'm cleaning up my accident."
Placing the pot under the facet, Jamie started to fill it with hot water and soap.
"This is going to need to soak for a little bit," he advised softly. "It'll be fine for now. But we need to get some lunch."
David sniffed, brushing at his cheek as he averted his face.
"Oh, well alright then. I'll see you when you get back," he muttered, backing his chair away from the sink.
He prepared to escape with his shameful weak tears into the living room, but Jaime put a firm hand on his shoulder. David paused, turning his head to look back at his former pet.
"What?"
Jamie knelt beside the chair and took in the tyrant's swollen eyes and scalded cheeks.
"Why are you crying? Because I said no one would eat your food? Since when do you care about that? You've got a strong history of drugging people, remember?" he asked, brow raised.
David shrugged.
"It isn't just about the fucking soup, Jamie," he growled. "Maybe a little bit. But there's other stuff. I don't want to talk about it right now."
Managing to give the tyrant's shoulder a squeeze, Jamie pulled himself to his feet.
"Come on. We've got to get you cleaned up before we leave," he offered.
"Huh? I'm invited to join your little outing? I bet the others are thrilled," David gasped in surprise.
He had been able to hear most of the conversation after Jamie returned to the group. However, once the shit talking started, he'd decided to tune them out. Bunch of assholes! Just like he'd always told himself: other people were nothing but a pain in the ass. More trouble than they were worth.
Overlooking his contribution to the fucked-up situation, David had busied himself cleaning up the disaster that the soup had turned into. How he wished he could tear that kitchen door open and give them each the dressing down they deserved!
Jamie's voice cut into his swirling negativity.
"As long as everyone reigns in the hostility, we can get through this. That hound is still out there and we don't know what it wants besides me. You were ranting about the whole planet being wiped out."
Running his hand through his grey hair, Jamie sighed.
"Remember how you claimed to love me? That thing wants to kill me and destroy this planet. Whether anyone likes this or not, I need your help. You don't want me to die, do you?"
David shook his head vigorously.
"Of course not! You have no idea how much I wish I could dismember that creature and pike its head! But I fucking can't! And I keep trying to figure out all those things they claimed I was saying in my medical records. I can't explain it!"
The asshole was starting to get worked up again and that would do no one any good.
Jamie moved to crouch in front of David's chair this time, one hand covering the other man's.
"Look at me. We're all going to work together on this. We don't have to figure this out alone. You know that's a good team out there even if you have personal issues with them. Their skills and knowledge are invaluable. And we need you too, alright?" he whispered gently. "But right now, everyone is starving so let's get ready and go eat in town."
Running his arm under his nose, David nodded silently.
"Good. Come on. Let's get you changed and calmed down," Jamie said with a small smile.
When Jamie entered the store with a large group filing in behind him, Mark raised his brow at him in curiosity. The man gave him an exhausted smile in return as he propelled the asshole in the wheelchair over the wooden floorboards. The store owner shook his head, amazed at the run of shit luck his dear friend was running lately.
Approaching the table where the newcomers had settled, Mark placed a hand gently on Jamie's shoulder. Catching his tired gaze, the man patted his friend tenderly.
"Looks like you've had a long day, Jamie," he murmured. "Having a reunion?"
Knowing his friend had a private and chaotic past, he didn't want to pry. Yet he did want to ensure all was well at the present time.
"You could say that," the grey-haired man sighed. "These are friends from before. Looks like I'm going to have help dealing with that hound."
Mark looked at each face and smiled warmly. His eye stopped when he got to the Red Omega who was seated across from David. Puzzlement creased his face; this only intensified when he got to Tommy.
"Crazy, isn't it?" Jamie spoke up. "Jason and Tommy are versions of David and I from a different dimension. One where things went differently when Rita's spell over the Green Ranger was broken."
Mark continued to stare at the two younger men. It was difficult to believe that the red clad, dark haired man was an alternate of Jamie. Jason's soft, baby-like face was in stark contract to his older self's more angular one.
"Wow," he managed, looking back to his friend and David. "That is wild."
Leaning down close to Jamie's ear, he whispered, "You doing ok now? With what we talked about this morning?"
Grey hair swished as Jamie nodded and waved his hand in a 'so-so' motion.
"Still processing it. But I know I have Dr. Watters in my corner and now these guys," he answered. "Maybe once this space canine is stopped, I can focus on my mental health more."
Mark stared at David intensely at the mention of 'mental health.' The tyrant glared back.
"Well, food is on me today, friend. It's the least I can do," he directed at Jamie.
After a few minutes of refusing to hear otherwise, Mark took the orders for the table and disappeared to the kitchen. Everyone sat in silence, eyes darting around the room for anything to look upon other than the obvious issue seated at their table.
Except for Billy, of course. He had managed to delve all the way through the medical documentation and leaned back in his chair with a deep sigh.
"Well, that was enlightening," he began.
David rolled his eyes.
"I'm glad my misfortune is such a thrilling read," he muttered.
Jason's hand immediately went to Tommy's knee under the table to steady him as the White Ranger had visibly tensed with David's shitty retort. He gave a soothing squeeze and risked a quick worried glance into his boyfriend's eyes.
Billy was shaking his head.
"I wasn't referring to your unpleasant downfall in space. I mean coupling that information with the entries and sketches in your journals. It's easy to see why you managed to slip through the cracks at every turn. Maddening, as well, to be honest."
David raised a brow in confusion.
"Was that a compliment? I can't always understand your drivel," he asked snottily.
Skull tapped a finger on the tabletop.
"I think what Billy means is that it's easy to see now how you became the charming, demure asshole you are today. And that it could have been prevented many times but wasn't. Sound about right, Blue?"
The blonde man nodded.
"Affirmative."
Reaching into the pack attached to his wheelchair, David pulled out the sketch book he'd been given in the assisted living center.
"Since you've already nib-shitted through all my other private thoughts, you might be interested in these," he announced. "I don't remember doing many of these but apparently I did. There's lots of Latin words and crazy cosmic animals fairytale bullshit. That's not my typical subject matter."
Shoving it easily across to the Blue Ranger, he crossed his arms over his chest, braced for judgement.
Billy gingerly flipped the cover and to David's embarrassment, the first portrait was one of Jamie from the day of their reunion. The figure was standing at a slight angle with a large dog gazing up at him. Everyone was silent.
David's face reddened and he glanced quickly to gauge Jamie's expression. He was staring thoughtfully at the black and white drawing; it was hard to decipher what he might be thinking.
Rolling his hand irritably, David growled.
"More towards the middle, Blue boy," he directed.
Shaking his head, Billy quickly turned the pages until the first odd depiction appeared. Latin words bordered the sketch of the mangy hound. It's thick matted hair projected like spikes from its scruff and its scarred muzzle was lifted in a snarl. The thick leather band encircled its neck almost hidden under the disheveled fur.
"That's the space mutt!" Skull exclaimed. "Wow, I hate to say this but Dictator Dickhead has skills."
David lifted his lip but said nothing.
Jason frowned.
"What do those words say?"
"Fuck if I know," the tyrant snarked.
Ignoring him, Billy turned the page as he muttered something about having to sit and translate them.
The next page was a series of animals drawn in an ethereal otherworldly style. There was an owl, a fox, a bear, a jaguar, a deer, a raven….. So many creatures! Latin descriptions were jotted below them.
Jamie nervously cleared his throat.
"Do you think any of this could help us figure out how to stop this hound?"
Reaching over, David turned the page back to the first sketch of the canine.
"Jamie, dear, the hound is not the issue. He's a minor irritation at best."
The former pet turned confused eyes toward the man sitting beside him.
"What do you mean it's not the issue?"
David gave an exasperated huff and tapped the picture impatiently.
"You of all people should be aware of this, darling. See the engraved collar?"
He looked at each of the other's face and noted the implication wasn't sinking in.
"Where there's a collar, there's a master."