About forty-five minutes into my music video production class, I get a text from Dana. A code red, and I haven't even presented my rough draft yet. I risk a glance down at my screen and almost regret it: He's pissed you're not here, the message reads, Might not wanna give him any more reason to hate you.
The Pink Ranger's hardly wrong, but now is one of those rare occurrences: I don't think Carter hates me. I just don't think we see eye-to-eye.
I'm not sure why I'm trying to convince myself that I'm still in his good graces. The last few tinkling notes of this group's indie music video fade out, and just before we can start clapping, our phones ring in unison. A public warning of a monster spotted downtown.
Every single gaze in the classroom darts towards me. Some are more subtle than others. I don't appreciate them regardless. The professor, Florence Tom, clears her throat. "Alyssa, you're free to go. Your group can present next week." Yikes. So we'd pulled those three all-nighters for nothing? None of my teammates look upset in the slightest, though. They're all understanding.
Somehow, that makes me feel worse. My phone buzzes again, and I take another glance at it, spotting a map and a ping. That'll take me thirty minutes to get to and with the traffic… "Thanks, Professor."
Vypra was annoying all on her own, but now that she has a sleek car, fitted with weapons? Even worse. Especially since I'm pretty sure she's just used those weapons on my team. I keep my back pressed to the wall of one of the buildings, wait until she drives off, and rush over to help my team up. "What the hell was that?"
Carter steps up to me, and I brace myself. Here we fucking go. "We coulda stood a chance, had you been here."
"Well, I wasn't." We don't have time for this. I don't have time for this. "I'll be faster on my Street Rescue than the Rover. I can go ahead, get some intel-"
"Ally," Dana warns in a tone that's way too similar to the Captain's, "All of us combined were no match for her."
Carter scoffs. "Nearly all of us."
"Beg your pardon?"
"The longer we spend talking, the less time we're out there making sure she doesn't hurt innocent civilians." I hate that he has a point. He tilts his head down at me, and even through his mask, his stare burns. "Get in the Rover, Alyssa."
My full name. Yikes. I meet his gaze- I think- for a second longer, then climb into my designated seat.
Despite our aim being absolutely perfect, none of our bullets actually make contact. If I'd just been on my damn bike- "Dammit." Carter punches at the wheel, "She's getting away-" Vypra swerves around a corner, and instead of giving chase, he slams on the brakes.
"What the hell, Car-"
"Where'd she go?" Kelsey mutters. I keep my blaster leveled at the side of the building, just in case she decides to make a U-turn.
"Well, she didn't just disappear," Carter bites back, and I don't have time to issue a retort, since a screech of wheels behind us lets us know where she went.
"Flank!" Joel shouts. I spin, aim as steady as ever, and fire. The bullet glances off some kind of purplish force field that generates from the car's hood, and Vypra sneers.
Shit.
I'm already planning out the rest of my day as the loading dock deposits us back into Aqua Base. Artillery training for an hour or so, then gym because I've been skipping legs for the past two weeks, and then maybe a shower before homework or maybe the other way around. Plus, I have to call Leon and check up on him.
Miss Fairweather dashes over to us, but before she can fret over me, I vault out of the Rover. So much shit to do, not enough time. "What the hell happened?"
Not angry about the car, angry that we'd gotten hurt. "Vypra has a new battle vehicle," Carter mutters, and somehow, his dejection is what sends me over the edge.
"One we could've stopped, if I'd just gone ahead on my Street Rescue!" He slams the car door shut, and he marches over to me just as he had earlier. Funnily enough, he's scarier like this than he is in his suit.
"And gotten hurt, or worse?"
"At least we would've caught her!"
Carter's jaw clenches. "We could've, had you not been late because of some stupid class." Okay, what?
"Excuse me-"
"Alyssa! Carter!" Oops. My posture immediately straightens as Captain Mitchell steps into the room. "What is the meaning of this?" Honestly, I have no idea.
Well, I have a vague idea. "I was just following orders, sir."
Carter sneers. "Not well enough, apparently." What the hell's his problem? Is this because he's still pissed that I can't make important life decisions as fast as he can?
"Not my fault you aren't the patient leader everyone thinks you are." He flinches back, eyes wide, and I immediately want to eat my words-
"Fuck you, Sakamichi."
Never mind. "Ay, fuck you, Gray-"
Captain Mitchell raises his hand for silence, and we shut up once more. "Both of you, go cool off. Preferably somewhere outside of my Aqua Base." But the briefing, and my gym time, and- "I trust that I'll get an accurate briefing of today's events, from everyone else. Go, now."
Carter's not even sure why Alyssa's indecision is so bothersome to him. And his uncertainty only annoys him more, which is why he's stalking along the pier outside of Aqua Base, hands in his pockets as he stares at the ground. It's a vicious cycle, one he can't seem to break. On top of consistent meetings with damn near every department at Lightspeed, training (individual and group), and actual missions, he just doesn't have time for this.
What even is this? It's not hate, of at least that much he's sure. Just a difference in opinion. They'd all had lives before becoming Rangers, had been brought into this new world on a whim, but for Alyssa, it must've been sudden. Jarring. A nineteen-year-old living in a brand new city, and on top of it all, one of her closest family members had to get hurt in a situation that she could've easily prevented had she been there. He gets it, she has priorities.
But if they'd all managed to put aside their pasts, she should be able to do the same.
When I first saw Carter, I genuinely thought he was cute, at least for a haole. But as soon as that fantasy started up, it died, especially with that whole training ordeal, and then with Leon's thing… I doubt we're even friends. He's just my leader. My leader who's pissed at me right now. Like, I get it. Maybe my priorities aren't where they should be, but at least everyone else has family here. Meanwhile, my family is a six-hour flight away, and my brother just fully recovered.
I'd appreciate just a little bit of understanding, no matter how difficult it is to give. But no, we couldn't even agree on a fucking strategy, and now we're here, with an out of commission Rover. I know I hurt him. But he's been hurting me, and as the saying goes, Hurt people hurt people. And as much as I've been taught to respect my superiors- to respect everyone, really- I've always been taught time and time again that those superiors could be wrong. That's why I'd held to my plan with as much conviction as I did. Because even though I might not say it aloud, I know when I'm right.
"Um, miss?" Yeah. My tea. The barista at the counter nods to me. "Wrinkling your book."
Geez. I'd been grasping the pages so tightly that the spine was bending. Not a good look. "Thanks." I get up, leaving my book on my table, only to realize that I'd ordered Earl Grey tea: Carter's go-to.
Huh.
Somehow, miraculously, I don't fall off my longboard once as I rush to the scene of Vypra's next attack. But when I get there, I guess my luck's run out. Flames crackle along the courtyard's few patches of grass, and even some parts of the asphalt burn, too. Civilians lie injured, scattered around the battleground, and for a second, my head empties except for a single thought: that this is my fault. If I'd just listened to Carter. Or if I'd just hit my shots, then maybe…
I barely catch my jacket that Joel throws my way, stare down at the patch that reads 6. I don't even feel like putting it on. "Ally." He's uncharacteristically quiet, and that's enough to get me to look up at him. "Come on."
"I-"
"You what, Sakamichi?" He challenges. "You wanna quit?"
"No."
The green Ranger smirks down at me. "There's your answer." He glances over to where Carter is, helping people towards Dana's ambulance. "By the way, we all think he's the dumber one."
"So what I'm getting is," I murmur, putting on my jacket, "I'm still dumb."
Joel shrugs. "Less than C, but yeah. Still dumb." I roll my eyes, and start searching for the nearest wounded. They look like they just got off of work, and I bend down, spotting the gash on their leg that looks nasty enough to need immediate medical attention. For now, a tourniquet will have to do. The bleeding stops at least somewhat as I tie the knot off above the wound.
"Sir, you're going to need an ambulance. I can help you to my friend over-" The rev of an engine, and through the smoke at the end of the courtyard, I see Vypra nod towards me. A challenge. Joel dashes over to me, already bending down to help the man to his feet, so I lift my morpher up, "Captain, do I have the okay to take my Rail Rescue in pursuit?"
I feel the intensity of Carter's anger rippling off him as he steps towards me. "Not from me, you don't-"
"You're clear for pursuit, Alyssa."
No matter how fast I push my Rescue, Vypra still has that damn headstart. A small red triangle flashes up onto my dashboard, indicating a very slight overheat in my engine, but I don't let up. I can't let up. "Ally," Miss Fairweather cautions, "our readings indicate that you're overheating." I shake my head.
"I've almost got her, Miss Fairweather-"
"Ally, stand down!" Carter, along with the telltale rumble of the Rover behind me. He's doubled, both in my comms and out loud behind me, and I cringe.
"I'm closer than you are, Grayson." Which means I've got a better shot at this. I steady the crosshair in my helmet's view over the back tire of the Vypari, and- Vypra turns the corner and disappears. Again.
"We didn't have a chance in hell," Carter reports. He's not even angry, which scares me even more, "She's too fast. Sir, by the time we got there, the whole area was destroyed." (My fault.) "People were hurt." (My fault.) "The next time she shows up, the whole city's fair game."
Something that'll undoubtedly be my fault, too, since I wasn't fast enough to catch her. Now, there's only one thing left to say. "I take full responsibility for it all, Captain." Instead of agreeing like I honestly hoped he would, Captain Mitchell shakes his head.
"You may have failed this time, but you won't fail again," he pauses, glancing at Carter, "Carter, you may not agree with me, but Alyssa was right." Oh, this is so much better than getting scolded in front of the entire team, "Not about the mission coming before her safety, but about the key to defeating Vypra. Get the other Rangers and meet me in the transport." I nod, but before I can move out, Captain Mitchell holds up a hand, "But only after you two resolve this."
With that, he walks away, and for a moment, neither of us speaks. Which means I guess I'll have to be the bigger person. "I didn't mean it," I mutter, even though I kinda did. "It was… a-a heat of the moment kinda thing."
"I've done nothing to prove you wrong, though." Damn. "I've been impatient with you, not to mention unfair." I meet his eyes unflinchingly, and for the briefest moment, I understand why I'm pretty sure Dana has it bad for him. "I was just… I was scared that you'd get hurt, and that it would've been on me for giving you the okay. If any of you guys were to get hurt on my watch…"
I offer the tiniest of smirks, even as I mentally acknowledge that he still hasn't fully apologized for the still-brewing conflict. "C'mon, C. We're too good for that."
Miss Fairweather takes one glance between me and Carter and nods to herself. Like she's satisfied with something. "Oh, good. I'm glad you two aren't screaming at each other in my lab." Her gaze turns dark. "Again." Yikes.
"Sorry," I apologize, "Won't happen again."
"I second that," Carter adds.
Dana shuffles from foot to foot in a very Kelsey-esque motion. Kelsey herself scratches her neck and mutters something like Stupid new conditioner. Joel stares googly-eyed at Miss Fairweather, and Chad's staring between me and Carter like he's watching a tennis match. Weirdos. All of them.
"Now that that's settled," Miss Fairweather mutters, "Every now and then, my job gets… personal." Concern lights up her gaze now as she casts it on each of us, "This is one of those times." She steps towards a display case, bringing the lights up inside of it. "It is my honor to present to you the newest weapons in your arsenal."
Okay. Riding side-by-side with the other Rail Rescues is cool and all, but it's nothing compared to this. I lead the charge towards the Vypari, the others following close behind me on their own Cycles. (At least none of them have jet propulsion engines. I've still got that on them.) I risk a glance in my rearviews just to make sure everyone's okay, and of course, they are. Naturals at whatever they do.
"Fire with fire, eh?" Vypra sneers as we close in on her, "Prepare to get burned." Well. Hopefully these new weapons are effective as they are gorgeous.
"What's the plan, Carter?"
"Defense."
Which, for lack of better words, is way too easy on these insane bikes. Each of the blasts that Vypra lets loose miss as we swerve around her, confusing her. I circle around the Vypari, then come to coast alongside Dana. I swear I hear her huff through comms.
"Why do you get jets at the bottom of yours?"
"Because the rest of y'all get cool shit like a giant fuckin' ambulance," I remind, "And meanwhile I'm here cosplaying Speed Racer." She snorts out a laugh, and I'm pretty sure she's grinning like a fool.
"Rescue Blasters?" Kelsey asks, and I nod, falling back to come directly behind the Vypari.
"Ready?"
"Fire!"