Living on Aqua Base is kind of what I assumed dorming might be like. Passing by others involved with Lightspeed everywhere I go, living with people who are slowly becoming my friends. It's been two days since Carter extended the offer, and two since my trial run began. I haven't missed a class since we fought the lava monster.

Jeez. It doesn't even feel real to think about it.

At least I won't have to do any more thinking for the time being. I just got out of a production class, which means I get the rest of the morning to relax in my room, unless we have duties- The door slides open, and I'm greeted by an unwelcome sight: the others packing their training bags. "Ally! Just in time," Kelsey chirps. I have no idea how she's this energetic this early (although it is nine AM). "We're talking about our dreams and aspirations."

What in the world did I just walk into? I shrug, already taking off my school bag in preparation to start packing for training. "I mean. You guys kinda already know about mine?"

Joel nods, gestures as if his hands can generate rainbows. Like that Spongebob meme. "World-famous director: Alyssa Sakamichi. Something like that?"

"Something like that." The others burst into chatter all at once, questions firing at me from every angle, and I shake my head. I really don't want to be late to training, which will very well happen if I stop to talk. "Wait, wait, I need to pack!"

Chad sighs. "Fine. I still don't know how you balance all of this."

It's funny, because I don't, either.

I think a subject change is in order. "What about you, Carter? Did you get one of those firetruck toys as a kid?"

Dana's eyes light up. "Ooh, what about those plastic fireman hats that are always way too big?" Okay, maybe I can be a little late for this. Carter stares from me to Dana, runs a hand through his hair.

"I mean, yeah. But first off, who didn't, and second, firefighting was never really the dream. Not until, I, uh…"

"Until you?" Kelsey presses. I know the look in his eyes, not because I've seen it from him, but because I've seen it from actors. When they're trying to put themselves in a certain frame of mind, they'll get this faraway look. Drawing on old memories.

"Uh, yeah. Ally, you should probably get ready before-"

"Rangers, to the training arena. Doubletime!"

I smirk and wave the granola bar I'd pulled from my bag in Carter's general direction. "We'll get an answer out of you yet, Red."

—-

Dust flies up into my vision, and I grit my teeth, taking the next turn a little more careful. The others are going through their own set of tests, and mine is a riding exam. Making sure I'm as adept as possible on my Rescue.

With my visor blurred, an x-ray overlay of the course immediately appears over my view, and I grin. Here we go. "You're at the halfway point," Captain Mitchell informs me over my comms. "Now we're going to add a little something."

My first thought is to keep a close eye on the course. Nothing seems out of the ordinary, though- First, the map overlay cuts out. Then, my vision goes completely black.

Shit. Shit. I cut my speed gradually, narrowly missing the obstacle that'd been the closest. "Hey, Ally." Carter. They're teaching me the importance of trusting my team. "The team and I are gonna guide you through the rest of the course. Just listen to me, and I won't let you crash. Do you read?"

"I read."

—-

Not being able to see the finish line while I cross it is something entirely bizarre. But I know I've done it thanks to Carter's shout of, "Let's fucking go!" and the others' similar yelling in the background. I've gotta admit, it feels good. (Tom Cruise who? Kidding. Kidding. Not trying to get myself whacked by the cult he follows. And I still want to cast him in something at least once in my life.) The moment I skid to a stop, my vision comes back into perfect focus, and the next moment, I'm tackled by Dana.

"That was literally insane!" She gushes.

"You should've seen yourself!" Kelsey adds.

I shrug. "Couldn't have done it without Carter." That was the other weird part about it: he said he and the team would help me. But I only heard him. The Red Ranger himself joins us, since Chad and Joel are already starting their test.

"The truth is, I couldn't see the course. Only these two could."

"Except we couldn't speak," Dana explains, "So we had to signal to Carter…"

"Who relayed it to you verbally," Kelsey finishes. "I think we killed it."

I almost can't believe what I'm hearing, which is funny, considering that my life this past week has been a bunch of unbelievable events. "I think we did, too."

—-

Carter's the last one of us to do his test: an indoor target range. There are cameras in the house the test is taking place in, and we watch in rapt silence as he takes down each of the targets with ease.

Something like homesickness strikes deep in my chest. In some way, my teammates remind me of the things I left behind: Kelsey of the adventures I'd go on in the mountains, Dana of the hospitality. Joel's fun-loving spirit reminds me of life on set, Chad's easy-going nature reminiscent of the locals. Carter? I honestly don't know. I just know that there are so many things I can learn from him, and that alone is admirable.

He leaps over the railing fronting the door, landing squarely in front of us. "Done."

Captain Mitchell clicks his stopwatch, a satisfied smile on his face. "Fifty-two seconds."

Like I said: I can learn from a guy like him. Chad leads the celebration, and soon we're crowding around Carter just as the others were around me. If being a Power Ranger comes with friendships like these… my pros and cons list might've just gotten a little longer- "Carter." Okay, maybe we were a little early on the congratulations, since Captain Mitchell does not look happy.

"C'mon, man," Joel mutters, "The guy got all of our times beat!"

Dana shrugs. "Dunno what's got my dad so bothered." We watch in silence as the Captain points a finger at Carter, then into the house, and walks away.

Huh.

—-

At least this time, the monster decided to attack after my first class got out. The others swung by in the jeep, much to the delight of my classmates, and now we're fending off a hoard of Battlings. Battlings that are at the command of a monster I've never seen before, one that calls herself Vypra.

I've positioned myself on a rafter high above the battle, firing down at the Battlings that get too close to me or my teammates. "Hell of an aim, Ally!"

"Hell of a fighter, cowboy." My compliment almost feels like sarcasm, even though I know it isn't. Guess I'm getting more comfortable after all. He turns away a split second longer than he should, but I easily dispatch the Battling that leaps for him. Its black guts darken his green suit, and I flinch. "Anyone got visual on Carter?"

"Negative!" Chad calls over.

"Lost sight of Vypra, too," Kelsey adds, shimmying up a dangling rope to get to my vantage point. "He's probably taking her on." Alone. "Ally!" My helmet protects me from the worst of it but all the same, my head still smacks against the railing pretty hard. I launch an elbow back into the Battling's neck, and it lets out a choking sound. My next punch goes into its stomach, and then I trip it up, sending it over the rafter.

The others got this. But Carter… he's in no state to be fighting alone, at least mentally. "I'm going to give Carter some backup!"

"Got it!" Dana shouts from across the tunnel, "Go!"

—-

There's no sign of Vypra, but there is the smell of smoke and gasoline in the air. A fire, one that Carter must've just put out- Something shakes, and for the briefest second, I'm confused. An earthquake? "Out of the way!" No, the ceiling is what's crumbling.

The ceiling above the mother and her young son.

"Take cover!" Carter's closer to them, but he's still not going to make it in time. Neither will I. The chunk of pavement collapses, hitting the little boy to the ground. The Red Ranger doesn't even turn to look at me, to acknowledge I'm here. But all I see is the dirt caking the kid's face, covering the blood that streams from a cut on his head, the mother desperately crying out for her child. Despite it all, guilt plagues me as I rush forward, scooping the little boy up. "I'm going to get him some help, ma'am. And you need to get checked out, too."

She stands, and through all the emotions in her eyes, I think I see fury there. "Not until my little boy is safe."

He is, I want to say. But she's not looking at me.

I don't need to follow her gaze to know she's watching Carter's every move. "Ally. I'll take him," Joel murmurs, and I place the boy gently into his arms.

"What happened?" Dana murmurs.

"I don't know."

—-

It hurts him, to have failed so spectacularly at the one thing he thought he was good at. And in front of the new girl, too. Wonderful. Carter's a little hurt that no one thought to come after him, but for the most part, it works in his favor. He doesn't need anyone of them to see him blow up, least of all at their boss.

He's pretty sure he's justified, though.

"You told me to put out the fire, and you were wrong." When Captain Mitchell doesn't immediately reprimand him, Carter takes a breath, ready to start up again.

"I wasn't wrong." Somehow, this is much worse than a scolding.

"Of course you were! I should've gotten those people to safety first."

The look that the Captain gives him makes Carter want to run from his office screaming. "You did the right thing." Then why doesn't it feel like it?

"No! I listened to you, and then that little boy got hurt!" Not to mention, so did his pride. He failed in front of someone who, just hours earlier, trusted him to guide her blindfolded through a dangerous obstacle course. (It's not because he wants to impress her. It's not.) Captain Mitchell sighs and leans back in his chair, saying nothing.

—-

"And you're one hundred percent sure mom and dad don't know a thing about-"

Leon heaves a sigh, and I wave to the nurses at the front desk, spam musubi in hand. "I'm sure. But remember that little thing I told you about living?" Of course. How could I forget the first person I went to about my dilemma?

"Well, I'm alive. But I'm worried that the kid won't be." That's why he'd called, actually. My brother's keeping up with the Mariner Bay news, even from an ocean away. "Bought a slushee and made spam musubis for him and the mom."

He chuckles. "Always looking out for the little guy."

"Yeah. Learned from the best." Leon's quiet. I think I hear him sniffle, but that could be my imagination. "I gotta go."

"Talk to you later."

"Yeah." When I go to knock on the door, I hear someone else's voice: Carter's. My suspicions are confirmed as I knock, and it quiets, so I step in. "Hey."

He nods wordlessly, glances down at the poor kid. "You heard anything from the doctors?"

"They said he should be waking up soon."

"That's good." If I didn't know any better, I'd say this is the most awkward we've ever been around each other. Although, I'm not too sure if we've ever had a one-on-one conversation. This is not a good place to start off at, if I'm honest. My hand's freezing, so I put down the slushee and rummage into my bag for the Tupperware of musubis. "You did all you could."

Carter scoffs in such a mean way that I almost can't believe what I'm hearing. "Don't lie to spare my feelings."

Irritation spikes in my gut, but I don't give into it. Hours of being on set with some unruly coworkers prepared for me situations like this. "Don't assume I'm lying." The following quiet is only broken by Carter's sigh. "Look, I don't know what happened before I got there, but knowing the little about you that I do…" I shrug, take the little boy's hand. I still don't know his name, but I do know that he reminds me of my little brother, Ash. "You'd have done anything to protect this kid."

"And if I didn't?"

I let go and glance over at Carter. "Then there had to have been a damn good reason why." His gray-blue eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I'm stunned. (He really does have beautiful eyes. I'm not saying thatn in a weird way, though.) "I'm heading back to Aqua Base to get some studying done. If you wanted to come with."

He shakes his head. "Nah. I've got something I need to do."

—-

According to Ms. Fairweather, our suits are designed in such a way that things like fire shouldn't actually burn us, punches shouldn't bruise, that kind of stuff. Key word: shouldn't. Because after Vypra's blue flame attack, every inch of my skin burns. "Ow."

"No shit," Joel mutters, planting his hands onto the ground. "We just have to…" His voice trails off, and I glance up to see what he's looking at: a Battling handing Vypra a hammer and a spike. The same ones from earlier, that if pounded into the ground will generate an earthquake strong enough to take out most of Mariner Bay.

But before she can make the final blow, a red laser blast strikes the hammer, pushing it off course. Carter. I catch myself smiling, and even though no one else can see, I still force it away.

"I've had enough of your games, Vypra. We're putting a stop to 'em, now."

She tilts her head, and the smile on her face sends a chill down my spine. "I wouldn't be so sure of that, Red Ranger." With that, she charges, and I realize a part of what he's done: give us time to recover, get back on our feet. I watch as her first swing misses, ending her up in the path of his blaster. But he doesn't fire.

If it wasn't clear before, now it's crystal: I can trust Carter with my life.

That is, if I can live past this. There's no higher ground that I can see, so I go for the traditional method of fighting: bare hands. The Battlings fall as I push through their ranks, regrouping with the rest of my team without too many injuries to account for. A blast of sparks rains down on us, and I frown. The hell was that? "The spikes!" Carter shouts over the screeches of our opponents, "We need to destroy them."

"On it," Chad replies.

"I knew that," Joel mutters.

"Oh, sure you did." I can already see him rolling his eyes, even as I pull out my blaster and dispatch a line of Battlings that rush to protect one of the spikes. It's almost too easy. Together, we pile the spikes up and with a final blast from our weapons, they're blown to bits. The Battlings don't give us a single moment to breathe, though, and soon we're back in the thick of battle.

Amidst the tangle of bodies, I can see flashes of the others' suits, but no sign of Vypra catches my eye. "I'm going after her!"

"Not alone," I mutter, rushing over to Carter. "I've got you."

—-

When Carter and I walk back into the kid's hospital room, the bed is made, the slushee's gone, and the Tupperware sits one-musubi less. "They would've told us if he was discharged, right?"

He nods, gestures to the dish. "That wouldn't be there, either-"

"Carter? Alyssa?" We spin, and the boy is there, mouth stained blue and rice on his pajama shirt. "Thank you for the snacks." I swear, I think I can feel my heart expanding a few sizes, especially as Carter bends to pick him up into his arms. (It's not because it's Carter. It's because men with kids in general is… phew.)

"No problem, kiddo. Did you like the musubi?" He tilts his head.

"The what?" Carter and I burst into laughter.

"Never mind," he murmurs, "We're just glad you're okay."