Disclaimer: I do not own BtVS, Angel, or Power Rangers.
Xander's actual road trip
"Talking"
"Thinking"
The Scoobies were gathered around the kitchen while the Potentials were looking from outside in. There was a new Potential amongst them, but she hadn't come alone. "So, who's the new girl?" Dawn asked, breaking the ice.
Buffy made the introductions. "This is Britney," she told everyone, gesturing at the teenage girl by the sink.
"Hi," Britney said with a little wave. She was dressed in overalls while her red hair was tied up in a braid. No one would've been blamed if they thought she was trying to look like a little kid. Oh, she was pretty, especially with those blue eyes, but she would've been much more attractive in different clothes.
Everyone said hello back. Then Giles looked at the other newcomer. "And you are?" he asked.
"Her brother," the teenager answered, pointing at Britney. He looked to be about a year or two younger than her. Dawn thought he was cute, especially with how his hair was kept short. But his dark eyes kept scanning the room. What was he looking for?
The nervousness in Britney vanished in an instant. "Stepbrother," she corrected, flashing him a quick glare. "And I didn't need you to come with me."
He didn't blink as he matched her look. "Like I'm gonna let you just head off without telling the parents. You're lucky they bought that excuse of you being recognize by an advanced school." He turned his attention back to everyone else. "So, why exactly are we here?"
"To keep her safe," Buffy explained, looking at Britney. "And to train her."
"Okay, why? What's coming?" he asked.
"Evil. Darkness," Giles answered with a grim expression. "Anything and everything that wants to bring hell on Earth."
"…Alright, I'm in."
The declaration got a lot of giggles from outside the kitchen. Not all of them were well-meant. "Sounds like someone's trying to be manly," Kennedy said with a semi-condescending smirk. It wasn't that she didn't think he couldn't do it. It was just, well, he seemed like another teenage boy trying to be impressive.
Justin's eyes found her, burning with an angry fire. The smirk froze at the sight. "It looks like you guys could use all the help you can get," he said. "And besides, between the two of us," he jabbed a finger at Britney, "I'm more likely to handle a fight."
"How very confident of you," Xander remarked. It was the first time he spoke since the meeting took place. "Or should I say cocky?"
Justin turned his head to look at him. "It's not cocky if it's true," he retorted.
"Kid, you don't even know what we're up against."
"Can't be any worse than what I've already faced." That statement earned him a lot of mocking looks from the Potentials. Just what exactly has he faced, just some bullies who had been bigger than him?
Xander pushed off the fridge and walked right up to him. As tough as Justin was trying to make himself sound, he was still a teenager. He might've been at height with most of the girls, but he was still shorter than the men (except Andrew). So he had to look up to meet Xander's eyes. "Kid," the older man said, "if you knew what we were up against, you'd back off and go home."
It didn't take him long to answer. "No. I'm here, I'm going to help."
"Oh, just like that?"
"Yeah, just like that."
Buffy and Willow shared a look. This was starting to sound like typical male stuff. Seriously, was Xander feeling threatened just because there was another guy in the house? He didn't have that problem with the others. This needed to stop before it went any further and they did something stupid.
"Why don't you prove it?" Xander pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "Backyard, now."
Too late.
No one stopped the two as they walked out back. They also followed so they could watch. Everyone started jockey around to get a better view. Buffy, Willow, and Dawn got front seats due to seniority (and maybe a couple of elbow jabs in some stomachs).
The second the men touched grassed, they turned on each other. Two things quickly became obvious. The first was they were both trying to kill each other. The second was that none of their audience had expected this kind of fight.
They weren't fighting as expected, a lot of flailing at each other with some surprising hits. No, this fight had control, precision, and power. More than that, both Xander and Justin moved like martial artists. Experienced martial artists.
Buffy stared at Xander as he fought. Just where had been this fighting? When it came to patrols, Xander could lend a hand, but he couldn't stand on his own. But now, she watched as he threw blows that could definitely break bones. "Did you know he could do this?" she whispered to Willow.
She shook her head. "No."
"Ssh, don't disrupt the show," Dawn said. There were two boys who knew how to fight duking it out in front of them. Why are they ruining that by talking?
It was a sentiment shared by the Potentials. Most of them were aware of Xander, in the sense that he was around. Mostly they figured he was Buffy's personal handyman or some sort of trainee to Giles. Useful when he was needed but pretty much part of the background. Now they watched as he did moves they had to think about for a second before trying. Seriously, that sequence of spin kicks could easily go wrong, and he'd wind up with a sprained ankle. Yet he did it flawlessly and without missing a beat.
But as impressive as it was, what was equally impressive was that Justin was able to match him. He had a different style, more focused on punches and chops, but he moved just as fast and hit just as hard. Britney was stunned by the sight. Even though their parents had been married for two years now, she had no idea that her stepbrother could do this. She didn't even know he could fight.
Xander dropped to the ground, his legs lashing out in a sweeping sequence. Justin was forced to back away lest he get dropped by the kicks. He stepped high, making sure the leg avoided the sweep, then stepped back. When the sweeps stopped, he jumped between a leg and locked in place with his own.
For a moment, both fighters stared at each other. "Still go with that sweep," Justin remarked.
"Nice to see you're finally able to block it." His upper half shot upwards, fist aiming for Justin's stomach. A hand caught and he twisted to the side, bringing the younger man with it.
The two stayed there for a long second. Xander got back to his feet first and offered a hand. He pulled Justin up. "Good to see you again, Justin," he said with a wide smile, the kind his friends saw regularly. "Guess you finally had that growth spurt."
Justin returned the smile. "Hey, I'm still growing. I could beat your height."
"Ha! Keep dreaming!"
The sudden disappearance of the fight threw everyone for a loop. Giles recovered first. "Xander, I take you know the young man?" he asked.
"Yeah," he answered, facing the audience as he threw an arm around Justin's shoulder. "I ran into this guy about four years ago. He was shorter then."
Justin rolled his eyes but smiled too. "Let that go already."
"Not a chance."
Buffy noticed something about how they stood. The arm had been thrown without thought and was accepted in the same manner. Xander didn't do that just for someone he met. This was a friend, one he fought beside. She thought back four years ago. That had been during when Xander went to explore America. But he only got as far as Oxnard. Hadn't he?
What wasn't he telling them?
After dinner, everyone usually liked to do their own thing, whether it be watching the tv or reading. Some were usually inclined to go out but that was put on a hold until Buffy was sure they'd be able to handle themselves in Sunnydale. But all that was placed to the side. A new interest had everyone's attention.
Both Xander and Justin were sitting on the back porch. It had been a small attempt to have some privacy so they could talk. Naturally, everyone else agreed and then did what they could to listen in. Most were pressed up against the wall, straining to hear. The only thing they didn't do was have Willow do a listening spell.
"Have you heard from the others?" Justin asked Xander. Everyone's attention perked up.
"I've stayed in contact. Andros finally popped the question to Ashley," he answered. "From what Cassie told me, everyone on the ship heard her reaction."
"Hopefully it was a good reaction."
"Well, she said yes." Everyone listening wondered who they were talking about. The names sounded important.
"Have they set a date for the wedding?"
"Not that I've heard of. I just hope they remember to invite me."
Justin's snort showed his disbelief. "Why wouldn't they? They're your friends, Xand, just like they're mine. Doesn't matter that we're here and they're out there."
"Yeah, you're right. And it'll be nice to see them again. It's been a couple of years. I wonder how much things have changed." He took a small swig from his bottle and then glanced over at his friend. "Much like you. So, you've got a sister now. What's that like?"
Justin thought about it for a second. "It's different. Although there are days it feels like I'm the older sibling trying to make sure she doesn't do anything stupid." His exasperation rang clear in his voice. Britney was a little embarrassed by the declaration. She wasn't that bad.
"Now you know how I felt with your antics," Xander retorted.
"Hey, I wasn't that bad! Or should I bring up the time you tried to have a date with Karone?"
There was a paused silence outside. Willow could imagine that Xander had a stunned look on his face. "How do you know about that? You weren't there when it happened!"
"Carlos told me. He couldn't stop laughing."
"Oh no, you're not pinning the blame for that one on me. For one, I didn't know she was Astronema at the time, and she was the one who tried having a date with both me and Zhane at the same time. We were not at fault here."
Justin chuckled. It was a nice sound, especially to some of the younger Potentials. It made him seem more human. "Yeah, Zhane and Andros certainly made that clear. Still a funny story." He made a relaxing sound, and many could imagine him leaning back against his chair. "Xander, how bad is it here?" Something changed in his voice. It sounded clear and serious.
Xander matched it. "Bad enough for me to ask if you're packing." Buffy flashed a quick look at Britney. Her stepbrother had a gun? Britney shook her head. She didn't know what they were talking about.
"…Yeah, I brought it. Wasn't sure if I was gonna need it or not."
"Probably. There are things here that are hard enough to fight without it and things are getting worse. If you gotta use it, use it."
"Gotcha. What about you?"
"…Mine's around, but I haven't used it since. Oh, don't give me that look, Justin," he told him. "I left that life behind when I came back. I always told you guys I would always leave. The only reason I've still got mine is because Andros insisted I keep it until he found a replacement."
"And he still hasn't?"
"Not that I'm aware of."
Everyone was baffled by everything they heard. It sounded cryptic to all but the people talking. Even Giles had no clue what Xander and Justin were discussing. They knew what it was and that was all that mattered to them.
"So, how about you take me out and show what's around?" Justin asked.
"…Sure, might as well get your feet wet." Feet struck ground as lawn chairs shifted in place. "Gonna need my number 2 running at full pace."
"And it's a good time to leave everyone baffled." The people inside the house froze at that.
A knock echoed on the door. "We'll be back, guys," Xander announced for everyone to hear. "Don't wait for us."
Buffy opened the door quick, but the guys were already gone. "What the…? Did they teleport or something?" she asked.
"No, I would've felt that," Willow said, shaking her head.
How they left wasn't important. "Just what were they talking about?" Dawn asked her sister and Giles. She wanted answers. Unfortunately, they didn't have any.
As the days rolled by, Xander and Justin fell into a pattern everyone could tell was old habit. Xander would lead and Justin followed, doing what he could to support him. They helped the Potentials in their training, more often than not taking the lead. Even Kennedy understood they knew their stuff and weren't the drill sergeant she was trying to be. It didn't help that they saw that and thought she was adorable.
When it came time for patrols, they'd aid whatever group they were with but could very well just head off on their own. They'd come back hours later looking no worse for wear. And they looked like they had the time of their lives.
Every time she saw the two of them, Buffy had a strange feeling: jealously. She was jealous of their relationship. She knew that Xander was her friend and could have other friends, but she never thought they would be different friends from her. Justin was an okay kid, maybe a little too smart for his own good, but they didn't quite get along.
It was the same thing with Willow. She saw Xander around Justin and she couldn't help the small feeling of jealously in her heart. Xander was her friend. Why was he going around with that kid acting like he did with her? That wasn't right. But she also didn't try to stop it. That wouldn't be right to Xander.
Dawn liked that there was a boy in the house around her age. Justin was fun to flirt with and he didn't hesitate in flirting back. Yet when Xander needed him, he was gone without another word. Dawn could've thought Xander was feeling a little jealous about her not paying attention to him but there had been times she and Justin flirted without interruptions. Yet she also couldn't help but feel jealous whenever Xander and Justin walked off. Just what were they doing that they had to exclude everyone else.
Things came to a head one night. The patrol didn't come across too many vampires that night, so Buffy took the chance to show the Potentials the right way to fight. They were certainly loving the lessons, Britney included. The boys kept to the back, letting them do the work and get the experience.
It had been fun, so much fun the Potentials started to enjoy themselves. With that came a relaxed guard, a feeling that was started to feel shared by everyone. Which was why the ambush worked so well.
They were about three blocks away from Rovello Drive when the Turok-Hans appeared out of the shadows. For Justin, it was the first time seeing such creatures. While their appearance scared him, he was also revolted. "What the hell are these?" The creatures didn't waste time pressing the attack.
"Turok-Hans," Willow answered.
"Bless you."
"Ubervamps," Xander told him as he dodged claws of a said ubervamp. If he had been an inch slower, his shoulder would be bleeding.
They were certainly faster than normal vampires. Justin didn't need to see the rest of the battle to know things could quickly turn bad. Buffy was doing her best to fight off the monsters while protecting the Potentials, but she was outnumbered. The Potentials were trying their best, but they were outmatched. If something didn't happen and soon, people were going to die.
He looked at Xander and saw he knew the exact same thing. There was one way around this, and they could do it. Xander nodded once with grim understanding. Justin was glad he convinced him to start wearing it on patrol.
They backed off, enough to give them some room, and went for their morphers.
"Shift into Turbo!"
"Let's Rocket!"
There was brief flash of light and suddenly the fight was turned around. Two men in blue suits were amongst the Turok-Han. Their aggressive fighting created a breathing space between them and the humans. Willow used it to their advantage, using a telekinesis spell to trip some of the ubervamps up. Buffy struck the downed enemies, turning them to dust, and quickly joined the men. The other Potentials were a step behind, doing their best to not get killed.
By the time the fight was over, they didn't lose a single person. It gave Buffy and Willow a chance to look at the men. The glaring fact about their suits was the blueness of them. Each had a different shade of blue, the one on the left being a darker hue. It was offset by white patterns, specifically at the boots and gloves. The one on the right had a row of colors across his chest while the left just had a yellow spot surrounded by black. And then there were the helmets. The left had a design that looked like it belonged to a car but the right was all curving lines that formed spaces.
"Get back to the house," the right one ordered with Xander's voice. "We'll keep an eye out."
Britney stared at him, then at the other man. Realization flashed through her eyes. "Justin…?"
"Later," the left one said. "Get home." The order was enough to galvanize the patrol into moving.
They made it to the house without any problems. But Xander and Justin stayed outside. Buffy stayed at the door, looking at them both. "Xander?" she called out. What they were thinking was obvious and she didn't like it. "Don't even think about it," she warned him.
It went ignored. "We'll checking the area," Xander told her. "Make sure there aren't more surprises."
"But what about—"
"Tomorrow, okay? We'll talk tomorrow." At his gesture, he and Justin took off into the night. Buffy kept watching until they were gone from sight and even then, it took her a moment to turn away.
The next day, Buffy, Willow, and Dawn, accompanied by Britney, ambushed Xander. It was fairly easy to do, since it was Saturday and Xander had the day off. They arrived at his door with an attitude that wouldn't take no for an answer.
Xander opened the door after the first knock. "Come in," he said with a resigned look. He glanced past them as they walked in. "Anya with you?"
"No, she said she didn't care about this," Willow said. He winced and she felt bad for a moment. Then she pushed past it. Answers were needed and she wanted to have them.
Britney looked around the apartment. She had often heard Xander and Justin claim his apartment was their sanctuary against the whims of estrogen. Considering how Buffy and the other girl Scoobies giggled, she knew they only meant it as a joke. Still, the place looked rather neat. No messes in obvious sight. Was this what a grown man's place looked like?
Justin was sitting at the kitchen table. He sighed when he saw the girls. "Guess we're doing this," he said.
"Yeah, they're not gonna take no for an answer," Xander remarked.
"Here's hoping we don't get punished for this." Punished? The girls wondered what he was talking about. Just how could they get punished?
"If it comes to that, hopefully this can be an exception." As the girls sat down on the couch, he stood before them. "So, you've got questions. Who wants to start?"
Buffy took the lead. "What happened four years ago? You told me you got as far as Oxnard and stayed there."
"Yeah, I did. But I didn't stay there. I chose to give up on the car and took a bus north, getting the last ticket to Angel Grove." Britney's eyes widened at the name, and she glanced back at her stepbrother. "On the bus, I met a girl named Cassie and we came across a monster attacking. Due to us being proactive, we wound up getting a job."
It seemed rather blasé how he spoke, but it was cut off by Justin's snort. "You call being a Ranger a job?" he asked.
"It certainly seemed like it at the time."
"Ranger?" Dawn repeated. She frowned as she thought. It sounder familiar but she couldn't place it.
Britney answered. "The Power Rangers were a group of heroes who protect the world from evil. You could always tell who they were by the suits they wore and the machines they could operate."
"Zords," said both Xander and Justin.
She ignored them. "Four years ago, they were stationed in Angel Grove." Her eyes found Justin. "So you…"
He nodded. "I was the original Blue Turbo Ranger. The other four wanted to get on with their lives, so they chose their successors. He was one of them," he added, flicking a hand at Xander.
"Which one were you?" Britney asked. Her curiosity was matched by her eagerness.
"Red."
The other girls looked at her when she gasped. "Does that mean something?" Willow asked. This was all for her. While it did seem intriguing, she was still coming to term with everything.
"He was the leader."
The girls looked at Xander again, trying to see that. Sure, he could take the lead when he had to, but he always seemed fine to just be following. "Anyway," Xander continued, "that was pretty much how I spent my summer, fighting bad guys through Angel Grove. Then things took a turn for the worse."
Dawn didn't like how those words sat in her stomach. Neither did Willow. "How bad?" she asked.
"We lost the last battle, and we learned a mentor of the Rangers, Zordon, had been kidnapped. We couldn't give up the fight, so we went after our enemies, into space."
If anyone had been drinking, that would've been the moment they'd spit out the liquid. "Space?" Buffy repeated.
"Yeah. Justin here stayed behind so he could be with his father. The rest of us barely had an idea of what do when we ran into someone who knew Zordon. He was Andros, a human from the planet K0-35, and the Red Space Ranger. After we helped each other out, he brought us onto his team. I became the Blue Space Ranger. We spent the rest of the year searching for Zordon while fighting the forces keeping him hostage."
That didn't track with Willow. "Hang on, you were back at Sunnydale that fall," she said.
"Not as much as you might think," Xander told her.
"No, that's not right. I would've noticed if you weren't around." Buffy nodded her agreement. They would've noticed if their friend hadn't been there.
Xander's expression turned grim. It wasn't an expression they saw often. While it did make him seem more mature, there was a dark underside to it. "Will, we weren't exactly the closest that year. All I had to do was make an appearance once a week to help with a problem and you guys were satisfied. The rest of the week, I usually wasn't on the planet."
It wasn't an accusation, but Buffy and Willow felt it like one. Xander was right. They hadn't been close during that year in college. Everyone had been trying to figure out their live and didn't really come together unless there was a monster. It also made them wonder just how many jobs Xander had lied about whenever they did get together.
Dawn knew Xander had been a little distant that year, but she also knew it changed over the summer. So why did it sound like he had no problems leaving Earth behind to go flying amongst the stars? "Why'd you stay then?" she asked.
Xander smiled at her. It was a warm smile, filled with memories and love. "Where else would I go? Being a Ranger was always a temp job. And besides, I was reminded of who I was in a dream." He shared a look with Buffy and Willow. They knew what he was talking about. "So, after the bad guys tried to conquer Earth and the galaxy and failed, I knew it was time to come back home."
"Wait, these Rangers knew about Adam?" Buffy asked.
"Wrong bad guy, Buff. The Rangers were going up against Dark Specter and all the bad guys he commanded. They launched a galaxy-wide attack and did their best to destroy everything."
And that included Earth? She frowned. "Why didn't I hear about this? I would've done something." Willow wanted to know the same answer. She wasn't aware of anything like that happening.
"As far as I've got it figured, you were on a camping trip with Riley and Willow was…exploring her magical side with Tara when it happened."
The rising indignation they had stopped short and was replaced by slight embarrassment. It was a point of fact for the Scoobies that after apocalypse season, things slowed down and they could relax a little. Which they did. Although they clearly missed something back then. Had Xander expected them to show up and help?
"So now, that part is over for you?" Willow asked. "You're not a Ranger anymore?"
Justin laughed at that. "Once a Ranger, always a Ranger, Willow," he told her. "We might be technically retired, but that doesn't mean we can't call in some help."
The door reverberated with a series of knocks, getting everyone's attention. Xander looked back at Justin with wide eyes. "You didn't."
"C'mon, Xander. This place could use their help. Tell me I'm wrong." The older man could only frown at him as if he made an obvious mistake. Justin took that as a win as the door was knocked on again. "You might as well open the door. I gave them the address, so they know you live here. Besides, don't you think it's time your friends got to know each other?" The rest of the Scoobies agreed with the sentiment. The eager looks were mixed well with pleading. Britney was curious about what was going too, just not that big of an extent.
Needless to say, Xander caved pretty fast. He went over to the door, opened, and was suddenly engulfed by a very hugging, and happy, blonde. "Xander, it's good to see you again!"
"Hi, Karone," he replied, returning the hug. Once that stopped, he looked at the rest of the Space Rangers standing at his doorway. His smile was the kind friends gave each other after being away for a long time. "Hey, guys. It's been a while."
The First Evil was not blind or deaf to the world. It listened and when something had its interest, it paid attention.
The Power Rangers were such an interest. It sought out information about who and what they were. It didn't care about how or why it happened, only about what made these Rangers tick. Through that aspect, she searched for a weakness. A weakness she could apply to those two men that followed the Slayer.
And it found one such weakness. The more she examined it, the more she liked it. This would certainly put the Scoobies, especially their heart, on the back step.
It took some work but the First Evil, with the aid of its forces, was able to craft the necessary ritual. The First Evil didn't care about how the ritual went. It was a ritual. After a while, you got used to them and tuned them out. All that matter was if it was successful. When everything was said and done, a figure stood in the exact spot on the floor where the sigil had been carved.
There was no denying the menacing air it gave off. The First Evil liked it. "Hello, Psycho Blue," it said in Buffy's voice. "I think we need to have a chat about someone we both despise."
End
Author's note: Thank you for all the reviews you've sent me.
The Roadtrip to Oxnard has such possibility to put Xander in different situations. So this is my first attempt. Hopefully more will come of it. In this story, Xander essentially got the last bus ticket to Angel Grove, taking T.J.'s place.
Becoming a Power Ranger would have done much to improve his confidence, in himself and what he can do. It would also make him realize that he couldn't tell the other Scoobies about his adventures. It would be for a simple reason: he's supposed to be the normal one. They'd never believe him, even if he insisted.
It's also because he's supposed to be the normal one that made Buffy and the others feel jealous. Even though they had grown and changed through the years, they knew Xander would be there and be dependable. Seeing him take charge and be friendly with Justin, it would show a different side of him. Of course, the Potentials see the change and start considering him differently.
Yes, I went there with Karone and Zane. Xander's luck with women is that bad. Of course, at the end of it, Karone would be happy to see him again. Maybe she'd be interested in trying to date him again. Anya's reaction would be interesting.
That last part can be considered a tease if I write another chapter of this. If anyone has watched Power Rangers in Space, they would know the history between Psycho Blue and the Blue Space Ranger.
I'll see you all next chapter!
