Watching as the tall, slim physician crested the top of the trail toward Jamie and his friends, Red curled over his long legs, tail wrapped tightly around his ankles. His tongue anxiously licked his grinning lips like a canine's muzzle. This morning promised more intrusive questions he couldn't answer and more prodding by strangers who didn't have the good sense to give the feral alter a wide berth.
A strange, nostalgic feeling had settled in his stomach the moment he stared down through Jamie's eyes at Tommy and Jason's slumbering embrace, the White Ranger's face nestled in the Omega's thick, dark brown hair. Red bristled at himself in shameful, guilty annoyance.
As much as it pained the canine alter to admit, the sight reminded him of the fleeting sadness he felt, missing the tenderness and warm caresses of his master. It didn't make sense. The tyrant had lied to him, used his body, commanded him to commit horrific acts of violence.
And interspersed in those hateful, demonic memories were moments of connection, understanding, and 'love', strangely enough.
Red's heavy, silky tail briskly brushed the 'ground' to and fro in agitation. He huffed softly, arms hugging more tightly to his legs. His dedication to keeping Jason and Jamie safe and alive were what mattered, not his useless feelings and thoughts. It wasn't his fate to have a happy, engaged life with a loving companion.
Red was meant to be alone, always on duty, watchful ember eyes on alert for any danger.
And yet, he found himself indulging in a treasured memory, one he kept barricaded away from Jamie's knowledge.
It wasn't that the experience was overtly traumatizing, bloody, or violent. The moment in time was something special just for Red to hold to his chest, like a small delicate music box playing a tinkling melody.
A crackling fire blazed in the hearth, the orange flames illuminating a small fraction of the large, chilly bedchamber. Stretched out on a soft, fluffy blanket beside the ornate, four-poster bed, the pet slumbered, his bare chest rising and falling rhythmically with his breathing. A golden, jewel encrusted collar rested around his neck, marking his master's ownership.
Atop the plush mattress, under the expensive emerald green duvet and silken sheets, Lord Drakkon tossed restlessly. Small whimpers passed trembling lips and glittery tears rolled down his temples. Rapidly panting in fear, the tyrant's racing heart echoed in his ears.
"No, please! I'll be good! I'm sorry," he sobbed like a small child, voice high and full of terror.
Fingers clutched his blankets tightly as hazel eyes snapped open and Drakkon bolted upright in the bed, a strangled cry ringing out into the darkness. Staring into the shadows, he frantically searched for where his demonic 'father' was lurking.
Immediately upon hearing his master's petrified cries, Red was wide awake and ready to defend the beloved man to the death. He was on his feet in a second, crouched low and prepared to pounce, his wide canine grin showing sharp white teeth. The dark eye scanned the room for a possible threat.
But there was no one else in the room except Red and his master.
Drakkon sat stock-still in his bed, mouth quivering and gasping. He didn't appear to see his pet standing at the bedside. Still stuck in the throes of his nightmare, he had forgotten who he was and how much power he wielded.
"Master?" Red whispered softly, slowly approaching the terrified man.
Swallowing nervously, Drakkon's glistening eyes flitted to the pet's worried face. Still unable to speak, he shivered despite the thick comforter.
"So cold," he finally managed, wiping the rolling tears with the back of his hand.
Red's thick dark hair was mussed about his head and he gently lowered his upper body near Drakkon's shaking hand. The master always loved to entwine his fingers in his pet's warm mane, the action a calming one in times of stress or frustration.
This time was different, however.
Frightened arms reached for the pet, engulfing him and pulling him onto the mattress. The tyrant clutched Red tightly, his silky green pajamas brushing the canine's chest. Strong, protective arms moved to encircle Drakkon's hunched body, holding him close. Red could hear faint sniffing from below his chin as his master buried his face in his throat.
"Which one was it this time, my Lord?"
Chewing his lower lip as he nuzzled closer into Red's warmth, Drakkon's voice was barely audible.
"The closet."
Red murmured tenderly into his master's hair and gave him a tight hug.
"That's a bad one," the pet agreed, low and soft. "Would you like to hear one of our stories? Or perhaps the lullaby?"
Drakkon inhaled deeply into Red's neck, the scent always a source of calming comfort. He wasn't sure why he always felt safe with this other being, even in the days before his reign. Jason himself always exuded an aura of protection, strength, safety, and warmth. Whether it had to do with him being the Red Tyranno Ranger or whether it was just his natural state was unclear.
"Would you tell me one of the fables? The one with the knight and the dragon?"
Red grinned, his smile wide and toothy.
"That's one of my favorites, master," he answered, before clearing his throat.
Then he easily launched into the fairy tale, acting out each character's unique voice and breathlessly narrated the grand adventure. Drakkon continued to anxiously chew on his lip and inner cheek while the horror of the memory gradually began to recede.
Instead of drifting off to sleep, the tyrant remained wide awake, soaking in the warmth and safety of Red's body pressed against his own. The pet was powerful, territorial, and very protective of his owner.
In this moment, Red was everything to Drakkon.
When the tale ended, he pulled his head away from Red's muscular chest and gazed into his beautiful dark brown eye. The pet was confused; his owner should be slumbering deeply after the fable.
"Master, would you like another story? Or a song?" he queried.
Drakkon slowly shook his head, his eyes moving lower to Red's soft lips. He hadn't yet attempted anything intimate with his pet, merely adoring words and stroking his hair. The plan wasn't to transition into physically satisfying him just yet.
Yet the frightened, spooked man needed more to soothe his frazzled nerves. He needed Red's body.
"I need something special from you, pet," he whispered. "Not a story or a lullaby."
Then his lips descended and pressed shyly against Red's.
The canine's eyes widened, and he gasped in confusion. He wasn't worthy enough to be doing this with his master!
Breaking the kiss, Drakkon looked in Red's shocked face.
"Did you like that, darling?"
Licking his lips self-consciously, the pet blushed and averted his eyes.
"Yes, master. But surely there are those who are more deserving of your affection than a lowly pet," he answered.
A long finger glided under Red's jaw and brought his face around to look at him.
"You are the one I want. I want to have this special bond between just us. No one else," Drakkon whispered, his expression soft. "Will you give yourself to me completely, my precious Red?"
The tyrant could easily force himself on the pet or command him to put his legs over his master's shoulders. But he wanted Red to want it himself.
Red was silent a moment as he considered what Drakkon was asking. His master wished to have sex with him when he could have any partner he desired. There were many others more provocative, more powerful, more desirable. Yet his master wanted to exclusively fuck his pet.
Red lived to please Drakkon, not just to protect him or win him riches in off-world fights. He adored his master and he knew his master adored him. Although a mere pet, Red was a beloved one.
Raising his gaze to those inquiring hazel eyes, the pet leaned forward and timidly brushed his lips to Drakkon's.
"I'm yours, master. In all ways."
Growling possessively, Drakkon deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping easily into Red's mouth. The taste of the other's tongue was exquisite. One hand cupped his pet's jaw, the other trailing down the bare chest.
"Lay back and let me look at you," he ordered.
Obediently, Red complied, laying passively against the silky sheets as hungry eyes roved his bare chest and abdomen. Lowering his face to the lightly sweating and flush skin, Drakkon's lips trailed hot, wet, open-mouthed kisses down the center of the pet's chest all the way to his belly button.
The dark-haired man nearly screamed in pleasure when his master vigorously licked and sucked at the flesh of his lower abdomen and hip bones, fingers ensnared in the waistband of Red's pants, tugging them down.
"Your body is so goddamn fucking gorgeous," Drakkon snarled against the top of one slowly exposed thigh, teeth nipping sharply.
Red could only whine in anticipation despite his disbelief that his master wanted to taste his weak, undeserving flesh.
A shiver rolled down Red's spine, making his tail thump involuntarily.
'No, this is unproductive to our agenda', he hissed to himself.
Realizing that Jamie was approaching the doctor, he forced himself to focus on the conversation and prepared to be bombarded with confusing and frustrating questions and statements.
Dr. Water's hand raised in a friendly wave as the grey-haired man moved to greet him, followed by two younger men trailing behind him.
"Good morning, Jamie! I'm sorry I didn't realize you had guests," the physician began, before words suddenly became difficult to find.
His green eyes behind the thick frames widened as he looked at his patient's companions. Swiftly moving from Tommy's face to Jason's and back to Jamie's, his lips moved in stunned wonderment. He slowly walked closer to the Red Omega, removing his glasses to vigorously rub the lens on his shirt before replacing them on the bridge of his nose.
He peered intensely at Jason and then Jamie, his mind trying to reconcile what he was seeing.
"What's going on here?" he finally managed.
Jamie smiled kindly and placed a hand on the doctor's shoulder.
"Dr. Waters, I'd like you to meet Tommy Oliver and Jason Scott," he politely stated, gesturing at each Ranger. "They are from an alternate timeline where Tommy joined with the Power Rangers instead of becoming Lord Drakkon."
The doctor raised a brow.
"Fascinating," he breathed. "So this 'Jason' is a version of you. And Tommy is one of Drakkon."
Jamie nodded.
"In simple terms, yes. They're here with a few of the others from my former life. The energy signature of that hound is a close match for Drakkon's Black Dragon coin. They traced it and the Fox Ranger's energy here," he explained as concisely as he could.
The Red Omega gave Jamie a teasing grin.
"And he got busted," he added with a laugh.
Dr. Waters paused in thought.
"Then I take it you are aware of the 'situation' Jamie's found himself in?" he asked, looking knowingly into Jamie's dark eye.
Tommy spoke up then, mindful of the doctor's wary expression when it came to Drakkon's doppelganger.
"Yeah, that's he now playing house with my darker self so he can get clues about the hound and its origin."
Jamie gestured for the others to follow him back up to the house where the others were still gathered. He wasn't sure if the tyrant was awake yet and needing tended too. As thankful as he was that someone had managed to put the asshole to bed last night and not turn his guts into garters, he didn't want anyone else to be responsible for the former dictator.
"I want you both to know that I'm not exactly on board with this arrangement, but there wasn't much choice. Although I'm glad that David's no longer able to terrorize my patients and the nursing staff, I've been very concerned for Jamie's wellbeing," he advised, walking alongside Tommy and Jason.
Glancing back over his shoulder, the man in question gave a little chuckle.
"Doc's supposed to pay me a visit every morning to make sure we haven't killed each other. And I agreed to be his new patient since I have a huge gap in my health history," he grinned.
The physician shook his head sadly.
"If nothing else, I wanted to be able to help take care of Jamie. It is the least I can do for someone who saved us more than once as the Red Tyranno Ranger. His physical and mental health were in urgent need of assessment considering everything he went through."
Jason placed a hand on Dr. Water's arm.
"We read Drakkon's old journals about what he did to him. All the torture and abuse. I'm glad you're here to help support him."
"Me too," Tommy added from the physician's other side.
Jamie opened the door leading into the kitchen. Skull sat the table, empty plate in front of him. Billy and Kim were seated across from the former Sentry, the Slayer sipping a hot mug of coffee while the Blue Ranger nibbled a piece of bacon. Seeing the newcomer following Jamie, their brows raised in interest.
"Guys, this is Dr. Waters, the doctor at the facility where David had been staying. He's the one I confided in about our history and who we really are."
Kim pulled herself from her chair and extended a hand politely.
"Kimberly Hart," she announced, shaking the man's arm firmly. "That's Billy Cranston, Blue Ranger in Tommy and Jason's universe. And over there is Eugene Skullivitch, or Skull, former Red Sentry of Lord Drakkon."
Jamie cleared his throat.
"Speaking of Drakkon, is he still in bed? I'm surprised he's not raising cane back there."
Billy swallowed the last of his bacon and sighed.
"He's been pretty quiet this morning. Skull just checked on him. He's awake but umm.. he's 'in a mood'."
Skull rolled his eyes.
"What Billy means is that David's pouting like a spoiled teenage girl. He's got something stuck in his craw this morning, that's for sure."
Huffing a sigh, Jamie rubbed his eyes under his black frames.
"Alright, let me go see what's chapping his ass, Doc and I'll be right with you," he grumbled.
Striding out of the kitchen, he left the physician standing awkwardly with the odd assortment of individuals, some not even from the same universe.
The Ranger Slayer kindly pulled out a chair and gestured for the doctor to take a seat.
"I want to thank you for caring for my big brother," she whispered gratefully.
"You two are brother and sister?" Dr. Waters asked as he slid onto the hard surface.
Kimberly laughed.
"Not by blood. We grew up together since we were babies. So we just always looked at each other as family," she explained, taking a different chair.
Placing the now thick chart on the tabletop, Dr. Waters looked around the assembled faces curiously.
"You know, I can't discuss Jamie's private history with you, maybe you all can provide more insight into his life before Drakkon," he asked hopefully.
Skull stood and gathered his used plate and fork as he nodded over at the Red Omega.
"There's your man right there. If anyone knows Jamie like the back of his hand, it's their Jason," he quipped.
Jason gave the physician a bashful smile.
"I'm happy to help in any way I can. I think we share history up to the day his Tommy Oliver decided to willingly join Rita. After that, I'm not sure how things might differ besides the obvious," he offered.
Billy raised a hand, grabbing the doctor's attention.
"According to Jamie, you witnessed his alternate personality, Red, come through. I know you can't go into details, but I think we are all a little concerned about confronting him if he decides to do so again. Is there anything you can share about that seeing as how Red presents a danger to others?"
Skull placed his palms on the wooden table beside Dr. Waters.
"You've got to understand, Doc. I have firsthand experience with Red and what he's capable to doing. It's the stuff of nightmares. I'm on pins and needs around Jamie and it sucks because he seems like an awesome guy," he firmly stated.
Dr. Waters sighed sadly.
"He knows about the others now. Great," he murmured. "I'd hoped to have a conversation with him in person, but I guess David probably thoughtfully informed him."
"Well, Drakkon's always been a noble humanitarian," the former Sentry couldn't help but snark. "Ethical. Fair. Always thinking of other's wellbeing."
Kimberly instinctively snorted in derision.
"I'm sure he loved rubbing Jamie's face in it."
Lacing his fingers in front of his face, Dr. Waters considered what he could share in good conscience.
"It appears Red was triggered to re-emerge by Drakkon's sudden reappearance. He seems to function as a protector. Often a traumatic event can be so overwhelming that in order to preserve itself, the mind dissociates into a separate entity. This entity is the one that undergoes whatever event is taking place."
He took a breath, noticing that the others were nodding their heads in understanding.
"Red took on the mantle of Drakkon's pet with his behaviors being shaped into whatever was desired. In this way, Jason survived, albeit in a roundabout way. Jamie was created as a caretaker to live life in a normal society. Red said he somehow 'stitched' him together from Jason's memories and his own limited experience. He wasn't sure how exactly he was able to do that."
Looking towards the doorway to ensure no wild yelling or screaming was coming from David or Jamie, the doctor paused. Hearing nothing, he gave a deep relieved breath.
"Red was only interested in getting at Drakkon, or so he claimed. He said he wasn't concerned with Mark or myself. It seemed he was very enraged at being deceived and tricked into some type of relationship dynamic. We managed to come to an agreement that Jamie needed David alive in order to stop the hound, but it's a shaky one. Red is also the only personality who seemed to be aware of the other two and what was going on."
Looking back at Jason, he raised a brow.
"Since you are a Ranger, you might understand what he was talking about when he mentioned the Fox Ranger power. He said that when he was morphed, he felt that they were integrated in some way. Mark and I took that to mean that Jason was included. Red was very secretive about anything concerning the primary personality."
Jason looked over at Billy, his expression thoughtful.
"What do you think, Billy? Could the Fox Ranger power do something like that? And how?"
The Blue Ranger leaned back in his chair, a hand stroking his chin.
"It is interesting. I remember Jamie mentioned the same feeling when we were on the ship. Its possible that each personality harbors strengths that this power can draw on in order to battle. In a fragmented state, it might be difficult to access the information across personalities, jumping from one to another."
His blue eyes stared off out the kitchen window at the bright, fragrant blossoms climbing around the sill.
"In the brain, the right and left hemispheres have to communicate to function. The right-side controls negative emotions, arousal, and creativity while the left oversees positive emotions, memory, and more logical thought. The bridge between the two is the corpus callosum. Without it, the two halves couldn't coordinate with each other."
Skull's eyes lit up in understanding the Blue Ranger's analogy. It happened more often now than when he was younger, but it still gave him a pleasant jolt of enjoyment when it occurred.
"So the Fox Ranger powers create a sort of arch across personalities. Like the arch that connects our dimensions," he gasped.
"Affirmative," Billy answered, favoring Eugene with a proud smile.
Dr. Waters tapped a pen on the plastic chart cover.
"It would seem then, that the Jason personality is still active and able to function when Jamie is morphed, but is somehow cut off when he isn't," he pondered. "Why?"
Billy shook his head in confusion.
"That's unknown. The fact that he's still there is encouraging."
Tommy put a hand on the Red Omega's shoulder.
"Any ideas why you might not be responsive, love? As weird as that probably sounds."
Jason ran a hand through his dark hair, eyes staring down at the table in thought.
"I'm not sure. Does he know the danger is over? At least the danger he was in when Red was created. If Jamie didn't know about Red until recently, does Jason know about the other two? Even with the Fox Ranger powers creating a connection, is Jason aware of it using his skills? Maybe he's still afraid?"
Dr. Waters now tapped his chin with the black ink pen.
"That's a possibility. It sounds like he was extremely traumatized from what Jamie relayed to me. I wouldn't fault him for wanting to remain hidden."
Skull walked to stand behind the Blue Ranger; he dropped both hands on his boyfriend's shoulders lovingly.
"Me either. Just watching the elaborate fuckery Drakkon carried out on others was hard enough. I couldn't image having that asshole's undivided attention," he commented with a shiver.
The physician turned sympathetic eyes to the former Sentry.
"It sounds like you could also benefit from a mental health professional," he pointed out kindly.
Nodding at the Ranger Slayer, he grinned.
"Her too. Drakkon's fearsome Ranger Slayer. She was under a spell and forced to commit atrocious acts of violence as well."
Rubbing his forehead, Dr. Waters groaned in disbelief.
So much mental anguish and suffering just under the bubble of all the physical brutality Drakkon had inflicted. All because he refused to address his own mental health, the tyrant had effectively infected the poisonous curse to a whole universe.