It's been a week since I walked away from Lightspeed. A week since they've given me time to think. And not for the first time, I wish I was a little faster at making big life decisions. I'm pretty sure I've stared at my pros-and-cons list long enough to have it memorized.

Pros, I have typed out in bold font on a Google document, being a fucking Power Ranger, helping people like you always have, being a part of something bigger than yourself like you always have, (ask Dana about the benefits Lightspeed offers.)

That all sounds pretty good, in my opinion, especially with the benefits I've yet to ask about. (Dana's number sits in my contacts, but I've been radio silent, save for the time she'd called to let me know about a test they'd scheduled. It was just a simple check to see if the morpher's purple light really pulses in time with my heartbeat. It does.)

But of course, there is a little thing we like to call Cons.

The aforementioned section sits below the list of pros. When the hell am I going to go to classes if I'm on call 24/7? When the hell am I going to find time for projects? What am I going to do when my parents ask what I'm up to? (Because yes, this is a valid worry for people of my heritage, even when we're an ocean away from our families.)

I'm honestly lost. With no one to talk to about this, I've been chasing my own thoughts in circles. Of course, I could call up Dana, have a nice talk with her and the others. Unfortunately, they'd probably be biased as hell.

But there is one question I can ask.

—-

"I'm a Power Ranger."

Leon doesn't reply right away. He set his phone down on his kitchen counter, and was blabbing away before I'd said those four words. Now, he's frozen in place, knife mid-bread buttering. I lean back into my sofa cushions, bracing myself for what's coming.

"Like those guys up on Terra Venture?" He's not freaking out, which means I have reason to worry.

"Uh… I guess?"

I hear more than see his knife slide along the toasted bread. For some reason, the scraping sound reminds me of a horror movie. (This might very well be the demise I was expecting at the hands of my parents.) "You guess?" No, yeah. I'm one-hundred percent fucked.

At least I'm not worried about going behind Lightspeed's back in terms of confidentiality. Everyone in Mariner Bay and their mother saw us morph on the street last week. As far as I know, our privacy could be stripped away at any moment. At least, that's what Dana said when I called her.

"They're giving me a choice, the- the organization that helps the Power Rangers."

"Wait, wait. There's a Power Rangers organization?"

"Okay, that made Lightspeed sound like a cult. Which they aren't. Please don't tell mom and dad I'm a part of a cult."

"You just said they aren't one."

"Which is why you won't be saying they are."

The scrape of butter knife against bread. "So, according to what your wise older brother is getting, you don't have to be a Power Ranger if you don't want to."

Wise wouldn't be how I'd describe Leon, but okay. Whatever floats his boat and also convinces him not to tell mom and dad about this.

"Don't know if the older brother who calls to ask for boy advice every other week is-"

"Ay, you want advice or not?" I don't reply, scared that no matter what I say, I'll incriminate myself. Leon sighs, takes a bite of his toast and pushes himself up onto the counter. "It's your life, Al. You moved away so you could live it. Key-word: live."

He has a point. The fact that he does makes me want to argue. (That, and he didn't see that family from the other week. Didn't hear the thankfulness in that man's voice.) "I'm alive now, aren't I?"

I regret the words as soon as I speak them, mostly because that just gave me all the way away. "Which one were you." Geez. National news. Hate that.

"The purple one."

He heaves an even bigger sigh, crunches what I think might be an even bigger bite of bread. I can't see him too clearly through the pixels. "How'd it feel?"

Like I could do absolutely anything I set my mind to. Giant flame monsters and shadowy bat creatures be damned. "Weird. In a good way."

"Bet you kicked ass."

"Tried to."

"How badly do they need you?" That's a damn good question, one that's been circulating in my head for this past week. What if the morpher is compatible with one of the others, or maybe just someone else entirely?

I shrug. "Dunno. They've been running tests, but the final decision is up to me."

"The life of a superhero doesn't sound so bad, honestly. Especially if Light… Lightyear is giving you free rein."

"Lightspeed." Leon's right. I make a mental note to add "definitely not a cult" into my list of pros. The way that I have a choice makes me want to stick with them, to see whatever I've started through.

Besides, if the one thing holding me back is worrying about my own life…

I've got it.

—-

Before announcing my presence, I take a second to look around. Everyone's here, save for Joel. Wonder if he's out doing Sky Cowboy shit.

Carter's the first to glance up when I knock on the doorframe, his gray-blue gaze pinning me in place. He stands almost immediately. "Alyssa. Hey." Ew. My full name. (Somehow, it sounds perfectly fine coming from him.)

"Made your decision?" Kelsey asks, eyes wide.

At least I can get this out of the way. "Kind of." From the corner of my eye, I see Dana tilt her head in confusion, and I turn so I can address her, too. "I start classes in a few days. Let me try this for a week. If there's no balance…" For some reason, I can't find the strength to say I'm out.

Chad nods, and his reassuring smile reminds me so much of Leon's that it hurts a little. "Totally understandable."

Now comes the part I've dreaded: awkward silence. "Where's Joel?" The Red Ranger scoffs, and Chad rolls his eyes.

"Late."

"Are any of us surprised?" Pretty sure Kelsey's question is rhetorical, given how obvious the answer is-

"Joel, hurry up." Whoa. Didn't think I'd ever hear that tone coming from someone as even-keeled as Dana. "Even Ally's here for this meeting." That… feels like an insult.

"Whoa, sorry, sorry. Geez. On my way."

The warning comes a few seconds too late, since Captain Mitchell steps into the room as soon as Dana lowers her morpher. "Ms. Sakamichi." With a singular nod, he gestures for us to follow.

I think my Power Ranger trial run starts now. "We'll proceed without Joel," he explains, motioning to an open door we pass. "This is the weapons lab."

Robotic arms extend down from the ceiling, each carrying a separate machinery part, and ocean blue tinted sunlight filters in through some windows up above us. "Those people you see at the computers over there develop, build, and test all the gear you use." No one bothers to look up at us, which is nice, mostly because I'd hate to meet people. Also, it shows me how focused they are on their jobs, which gives me a boost of reassurance. (Kind of. Because if I fuck up in combat, it'll probably be on me, not my tech.)

We step through the lab and into another area, where there's an access hatch that leads into the ocean. I don't miss the way Chad's eyes light up as he sees it, and the smile that forms on my face is nostalgic. He and Leon would be great friends. Either that, or they'd hate each other, considering how similar they are. "What, gonna go for a swim?"

"Maybe later." Hilariously, he sounds one-hundred percent serious.

We come to a stop near the lab's exit. "Of course, none of this would be here without the genius behind it all," Captain Mitchell explains. "Rangers, this is Mrs. Fairweather." Rangers. That'll take some getting used to. Hence the trial period.

"Thank you, Captain. Welcome to Lightspeed." A gorgeous, glasses-wearing brunette steps forward, a pleasantly polite smile on her face. "Hate to be so pessimistic, but Diabolico will stop at nothing to destroy the city, then the world." Ms. Fairweather explains as she walks down our single-file line. Somehow, she's more terrifying than Captain Mitchell, by far. "It's my job to make sure you stay one step ahead of him and his monsters."

She stops directly in front of me, since I'm the last in line, and I hope the smile on my face isn't too awkward. How does one act naturally in front of a superhero scientist, anyway? Thankfully, she nods, smiles, and turns to one of her coworkers. "Vincent?"

The man, Vincent, presses a button on his computer, bringing up a video feed of some sort of… hangar? Not too sure. Never been much of a car girl. "Which is why we developed this." Ooh. I crane my neck forward, peering over Kelsey's shoulder. Wonder what it is? A jet? A sword? Ooh- okay. Hopes crushed.

"Trains?" Ms. Fairweather's smile goes from pleasant to what I'm pretty sure is slightly condescending. (I've seen one too many of those expressions from my higher ups.)

"Oh, they're much more than trains, I assure you."

—-

The wonderful thing about this trial period is I'm not obligated to stay on Aqua Base, even if I am on call 24/7. But something tells me that today, I should stick around, despite the class I TA for starting in a few hours. I check the time on my phone for the fifth time in the last five minutes.

"You have a class soon?"

Putting my phone face down on my lap, I glance up at Carter. He's standing where I'd been earlier, leaning against the doorframe leading into the conference room. "Yeah. I'm the TA, so I can't really be late." He raises an eyebrow, and I already know what he's going to ask.

"You're a sophomore, and already a TA? Not bad." I don't know whether it's because he's the literal Red Ranger, or that he's mad attractive, but pride swells in my chest.

"Thanks, Car-" An alarm bursts through the quiet space, and the leap out of my chair is half-fueled by urgency and half by fright. Jesus. I'll really need to get used to some stuff around here. Someone rushes through the conference room towards Command, handing Captain Mitchell his headset, and for a moment, I stand and watch the chaos.

Well, not too sure if chaos is the right word. This place moves like a fine-tuned machine, the buzz of frenetic energy appreciatively similar to the one I feel on set so often.

Not to mention, according to what I've seen on the news, combined with what I've dug up online, the past Power Rangers never had this sort of… of… assistance. The only reason we've found out about the ones on Terra Venture was the interplanetary communication. (That first news story was absolutely cracked. Had to make sure I wasn't having some weird fever dream when I saw it.)

This all just makes me feel an odd sense of importance, which sucks, because I'm really more of a behind-the-camera gal.

"Ally?"

Carter's waiting for me, concern furrowing his brow, and I nod. "Oh. Sorry." He leads the way towards one of Command's viewing screens, and what I see there doesn't quite seem to fit our job description.

"You guys want us to get rid of an asteroid?"

Ms. Fairweather shakes her head in response to Carter's incredulous question. "Watch carefully. We think it's transforming." Of course the asteroid hurtling onto the street would be able to transform. And transform it does, into something vaguely resembling The Thing.

"It's time to put the Rail Rescues to work," Captain Mitchell instructs, and a part of me wishes I was back in my own apartment, flipping through the pages of my Fantastic Four comic. Because the reality of this entire situation is, we're about to fight a transforming monster with trains. Trains.

"Yes, sir," Carter acknowledges.

"You mean, those trains we saw?" Chad asks, "We haven't used them. Not sure if I'm up for that."

Wow. Astute observations from Blue.

"Don't worry." I'm not surprised that brave Kelsey is the one reassuring us. I am surprised that when I glance at her, she's cringing instead of smiling. "None of us are."

Ms. Fairweather lays an actual comforting hand on Kelsey's shoulder. "We've programmed the Rescues for automatic assistance. You'll be fine." Her gaze lingers on each of us one by one, and despite all the doubts still lingering, I straighten my back and lift my chin.

—-

I can only describe the main control room of the Rail Rescues like something out of a sci-fi movie. (It's a lot better and a lot safer when I'm writing about the setting, rather than being in it myself. Lot less potential of death involved.)

"Amazing." Apparently, Carter doesn't think the same. "All systems online, Captain." The buttons, dials, and switches in front of me all look like a mess; I get why they had to be pre-programmed for us.

A few confusing seconds later, the Rail Rescues lift up and up and up, and soon, the bay doors open, letting in the much-too-bright sunlight. Based on the exterior camera feed, each of the individual train cars opened, too. Wonder what's inside them. "Rail Rescues, on track." Carter grips his controls so hard, I'm pretty sure his knuckles are white beneath his gloves.

After years of living with people who fight so hard to hide their emotions, fearful of vulnerability- the typical Asian upbringing- I read his emotions like a book. He's nervous. Not afraid, just… nervous. For a moment, I realize the immense burden of choice I feel doesn't just rest on my shoulders. In fact, it might weigh heaviest on our leader.

For the umpteenth time in the past twenty-four hours, all thoughts flow out of my mind as I watch each of the Rail Rescues link together. Crazy. Literally insane. Power even more intense than the purple suit gives me floods through the space, and I breathe it in deep.

"Here we go."

—-

Our immense speed is terrifying and helpful all at the same time, because while I wouldn't have loved us all cramming into my tiny car, our Rescues get us to our newest opponent in no time flat. Meaning, I have no time to prepare to see what it looks like up close. The thing's taller than even the buildings around it, not to mention setting the ground on fire wherever it steps. "There it is," Kelsey announces, and I try my best not to shake as I stare up at it, wondering why I'm even here.

Why any of this is my fight.

"Clearly."

"Uh, guys?" I don't dare take my eyes off the road, even though we're all driving this giant thing. "He's firing!" Dana's warning is helpful, but not sure how much we'll be able to heed it: we've got no choice but to continue along the tracks. With an ear-splitting screech, a burst of fire comes flying at us, and I brace myself for the heat-

Nothing happens, and when I glance back out the windows, I see us pull smoothly through the flames.

Damn.

We grind to a halt at the end of the rail line, and I take a deep breath.

"We've arrived, Captain." I don't know much about these people, save for their jobs. Or what used to be their jobs. Carter is, as I'd thought they all were, a firefighter, and part of me totally sees this. The other part of me is absolutely astounded at how he'd managed it. Oh, well. I'm just glad he's alive, here to lead the team. Because while it hasn't been that long, I have the sense that he's something of a born leader.

Regardless of how much or how little I know him, I can tell he's going to keep this team safe, no matter the cost.

"Each Ranger to their own Rescue."

"Yes, sir." Carter glances back at each of us. "You heard the man."

The curiosity as to what's behind those train car doors has been killing me this entire time, so I'm the first out of my seat, the others following behind. Thankfully, the excruciatingly long hallway is air-conditioned, so when I finally reach my car and activate the fingerprint scanner to open the door, my utter surprise isn't ruined by how long it took to get to it.

Because sitting there in the docking bay is a dark purple motorcycle.

—-

The literal second I'd gotten my provisional, I begged my parents to let me get my motorcycle license. After riding with Leon on the back of his beat-up one, I'd gained a keen interest in learning how to ride on my own.

Somehow, miraculously, they agreed. My first motorcycle was an inexpensive blue Yamaha.

Needless to say, this bike is a major upgrade.

Instead of wheels, the bottom's outfitted with multiple miniature propulsion jets. They've decorated it with a six on the side, along with streaks of dark purple running in a vertical streamline pattern.

If everything from here on out is as cool as this, and as safe as we were literally riding through the flames…

"Ally? Everything good?" Good thing I hadn't even approached my Rescue yet, otherwise I'd have knocked it over when I jumped at Carter's question.

"Definitely." Sitting on my motorcycle, I twist the small key that was already in the ignition, rev the motorcycle's jets, and speed out of the carrier. "Street Rescue 6." For a moment, none of my teammates speak.

Joel's voice cuts through the silence.

"Geez. And I thought I looked cool."

"You think that 'cause you are," I reply, craning my neck to peer up at where he pilots a sleek green jet.

Chad scoffs. "Please don't boost his ego anymore."

"Nah. Can't deny facts." Pfft.

"Clear comms for a second." I shut up instantly. "I'm getting a signal from inside that building," Carter's announcement also draws my attention to the displays coming up on my helmet. One of them's an x-ray scan, and when my gaze swipes over it, I'm instructed to blink twice to select it. Don't know how useful it'll be while I'm riding, so I zip my way over to the building he mentioned and then fire the display.

My bike runs as smoothly as it looks. I've no reason to worry about potholes or speed bumps. (I worry about the latter instinctually, anyway.) Thanks to the display on my helmet, I not only see the trapped civilians, but can locate them easily.

"I got visual." Hopefully that doesn't sound as utterly embarrassing as it was to say. "They're trapped in an elevator on the sixth floor."

"Alright. Let's go get 'em."

—-

It takes a little longer for the other Rail Rescues to get to the scene, so I take the time to go over the rest of my bike's features. I can't really make sense of most of them, but one of the buttons is definitely some kind of claw arm that I can use to sweep away debris. The button's purple light blinks up at me as I stare dumbfounded at it.

What've I gotten myself into?

"We've got a problem," Chad announces, "I'm picking up high heat signatures from just below the asphalt."

Weird. I'm not seeing anything, even considering how close I am to the building. "How high?" Maybe I won't even speak from now on, since I seem to be jinxing things. The street crumbles feet away from the front of my bike, a wave of heat washing over my face. Lava. Of course. "Never mind."

"We've gotta cool that lava into rock," Carter figures, "Joel, think you could get in there?"

The pilot laughs, and I swear I can feel a vein in my forehead twitch. "Are you kidding? With this thing, I can go anywhere!"

"Hold on," the Captain interrupts, "You've got to work together. This is a team effort."

"I've got everything I need to get this done on my own." If that was true, Joel would've been sent alone, and I'd be able to actually attend class today. So I guess Joel's wrong, which sends a burst of pride through me.

"Negative," Captain announces.

"Says who?" Jesus Christ is this guy dense. I tune out the rest of their argument and keep surveying the rest of my bike's features. There's a button that'll deploy a sidecar in order to transport injured individuals, then one on the handlebar that'll shoot off a laser from the front of the bike. Along with those, there's a button to release a hook at the back of the bike in case I ever need to pull extra weight, and a lever that'll switch the lasers to a fire extinguisher.

Not bad.

"Says the expert who designed your Rescue who's standing right next to me!" Serves him right. The more he argues, anyway, the less time we have to rescue those trapped civilians. "You have to combine your Rescue vehicles."

"I can do it alone… but if it's an order, we'll do it your way." I glance over my shoulder and watch as Joel, Chad, Kelsey, and Dana's Rescues come together. "Alright guys, you can take it from here."

"Extinguishing now." I keep a watchful eye on the lava's surface, and it doesn't take long for it to cool down to rock.

"I have an opening."

"Great. Go in, check for any more civilians, and we'll be right behind you."

—

When I woke up today, I wasn't planning on running into a burning building to rescue some people trapped in an elevator. Things probably took a detour somewhere, because here I am, shimmying down the elevator cables next to Kelsey. My eyes sting from the sweat dripping down into it, but I keep pushing.

"They're unconscious." Smoke inhalation. If they're already knocked out... I swing my pack around and open it up. No time to waste, so I can worry about the state of their lungs while I work- Before I can bend to put the first oxygen mask on the child, the elevator creaks loudly and I stumble, steadying myself against the wall.

No time to waste.

Kelsey and I work in near perfect unison until all the civilians have their oxygen masks on securely. "Now all we need is a way out." Easier said than done. Only the main characters in the stereotypical action movies are strong enough to break open elevator doors.

"We need help!" Kelsey radios in. I steady my breathing, fix my stance before trying the doors once more. I fail. "Elevator 3!"

"I'm almost there, guys. Sit tight." The elevator car gives another loud creak, and I figure I should stop prying at the doors.

"Better make it quick, Carter." The only reason, emphasis on only, that I'm not freaking out right now is the civilians. They're starting to wake up, and the last thing they need is to see one of their rescuers losing their shit.

"Aqua Base, we're gonna need a little help."

"We just got a new weapon online. Call for the Rescue Bird."

I'm not too sure how a bird can help us in this situation, but I'll stay hopeful. "Alright. Rescue Bird, and Rescue Drill, online." Soon, there's a high-pitched whirring noise as Carter pries open the doors, and soon, he's helping us help the civilians out of the elevator.

An older woman, probably the mother of the child I'd helped, is the first to get up. She stumbles, and I reach to steady her. "It's okay. I've got you."

—-

"Guys, you might wanna get a move on! The monster's coming back." Joel might be forgetting that my motorcycle can only go so fast, especially with extra passengers in the sidecar. The others have already gone back to the fight, but I knew that I'd be the most helpful with bringing these people to safety. Not that I'm running away.

"On it, Joel." Once the sky lightens, the ash clearing away, I pull to a stop and help the civilians out. For the briefest moment, though, the lady from earlier stops and takes my hands in hers.

"Thank you so much, Power Ranger." The gratitude doesn't fall on deaf ears. After all, I've always done what I could do to help people, whether it be my friends or family. But hearing those extra two words makes me feel, at least a little bit, like a phony.

"O-of course-"

"Carter!" Somehow, Chad's shout over comms is even louder than the chaos around me. I spin, looking for what could've caused that reaction, and find Carter's Rail Rescue stuck between piles of debris. His truck probably couldn't get away fast enough.

"Damn it, Carter. I'm heading your way."

"Got it!" With the sidecar retracted back into my bike, I'm free to zip over the street, pushing faster and faster to get to our leader. Come on. Come on.

"Joel, help Alyssa." If I decide to see this through, guess I'll have to get used to hearing my full name. Not anything I can't handle, though.

"I've got another idea." I do my best to tune Joel out as I focus my lasers on the first big chunk of debris and fire. The ground rumbles, and I know the lava monster is coming for me. For us. And while I'm doing all I can, I might be too slow. "See, what I can do is-"

I don't know if I've ever been this scared and irritated all at once. "Joel, a little help!"

"Just obey the order!" Was that… Mrs. Fairweather? I would laugh, if I wasn't so focused on blowing up these goddamn rocks-Finally, the front wheels of the Pyro Rescue come loose, and I take my finger off the trigger.

"Heads up!" With Joel's Aero Rescue here to lift Carter out of harm's way, a huge weight lifts off my chest. I rev my engine once more, make a quick turn, and get out of there as fast as possible.

"That was pretty badass." Kelsey's comment sparks triumph in my chest, but I shrug. Not much I can do but tell the truth.

"We'd both have been toast if it wasn't for Joel."

"Aw, no need to thank me." And I regret saying that.

"Carter, prep for Megazord mode." Mega-what mode? My head hurts, and it's hopefully not the smoke.

"At once, Captain. Alright, here we go, Rangers. Megazord Mode, Lightspeed!"

—-

Actually, Kelsey's right. We are pretty badass. Our Rail Rescues have come together to form what I can only describe as a giant gundam. Wait until Leon hears about this. (Am I enjoying this? Dunno. A part of me hopes I'm not.)

"Alright, we're locked in," Carter announces. "Ready?"

"Let's kick some ass," Joel replies. I'm starting to realize just how dramatic this guy is. It's kind of funny, honestly.

I'm just not sure how he can be so even-keeled in the face of all of this. Especially when giant chunks of rock and magma start flying at us. Even I can feel the effects the attacks are having on us from where my bike has formed propulsion jets on our hands. "He's hitting us hard," Carter reports back to Aqua Base. "But not hard enough. Let's do this." Again I say, how is he so optimistic about all of this?

No time to ponder, though, since Kelsey and Dana push us forward, right into the monster's path. "Power thrust, online!" The arms that'd served as ladders at the apartment lash out, throwing punch after punch at our opponent. If I didn't know any better, I'd say we're winning. "We need to get him outta here," Carter mutters, "Any ideas?"

"He came in from the air," Chad thinks aloud, "Why don't we send him out that way?"

"Excellent idea, Chad." There's a button amongst all the ones in front of me that should give us extra power and stability. Nice.

"Stabilizers and power boosters, online. Let's finish this." With that, the Megazord picks up the lava monster, hurling it into the air, and we watch it explode into harmless rock.

Okay. Okay, holy shit. We just… we just did that. We fought a giant monster and won.

Joel lets out a cheer. "Now that's an air show!"

—-

The moment we got back, Mrs. Fairweather insisted on checking our respiratory systems for smoke inhalation. After we each underwent the same test, she'd come to the conclusion that our suits protected us, and I figure she'd earned the slightly smug smile on her face. She is the one who designed the suits, after all. Now, I'm sitting in the mess hall, finishing my second apple. Being a superhero isn't easy, apparently.

Neither is deciding if I want to stay one.

I have to admit, it hurt to read my professor's email, saying I was missed and hoping I can attend class next week. I'd been looking forward to TA'ing, and my parents had been so proud of me for bagging that position. I was proud of myself, too.

Now I'm running around, fighting giant monsters from outer space- why didn't the folks up at Terra Venture deal with it, anyway?- and saving people from burning buildings.

I know I should still feel proud of myself for doing what I did today. For helping the team in the ways that I knew I was capable of. But I don't feel it.

With or without me, Lightspeed continues on its way, helping the civilians of Mariner Bay and stopping Diabolico, or whatever its name is.

So do I want a normal life, or do I keep fighting to protect people like that mother and her child?

"You doing alright?" I don't bother looking up at Carter as he sits across from me. Actually, I don't have a choice, since he's blocking my view of the ocean.

"I could ask you the same." He laughs a little, and I'm once again reminded of how attractive he is.

"Yeah, I guess… I guess I'm doing pretty great. After what we did today, it's hard not to be." He's not wrong at all. We just have different perspectives on the same event. "If you'd like, you can move into Aqua Base with the rest of us. Rent's dirt cheap." Meaning we pay it by working for them.

Now it's my turn to smile. "That's one difference from back home." Carter laughs again.

"So you'll consider it?"

"Maybe."