![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Title: An Unexpected Mission
Authors:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rivulet027 and moonlite_n_rose
Fandom: Power Rangers with an AU ending for the Operation Overdrive Team-up.
Pairings: Billy/Trini, Tommy/Hayley eventual slash and het.
Rating: Pg-15
Summery: The Once A Ranger vets team continue in Angel Grove with a new set of villains. Wherein Adam gains a team, gets a girl, a couple of tattoos and might just lose his sanity in the process.
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Power Rangers, neither does MnR. We’re just playing in their toy box and we promise to put everyone away when we’re finished.
A/N: This story is originally being written in role playing format. All updates will first be posted here http://pr-stories.escape-from-reality.net/ and then added elsewhere.
Chapter 5:
Tori flipped through the rack of men’s T-shirts. "Bridge you need more clothes… Red stuff," she said with a shrug. She had never been one for shopping, she'd always been more of a tomboy.
Kira laughed. "Yeah, but he needs jeans too and another jacket, underwear. Oooh, some swim trunks for when we head out to the lake," she rattled off the items he needed. She'd never been much of a girlie girl, but Tori seemed a bit hopeless, and that little personality switch back in her ranger days made her appreciate a good shopping spree every once in awhile.
Bridge looked around the store they'd dragged him into. He'd thought they were getting him acquainted with 2007, what did a mall have to do with that?
"Red stuff?" he said with a tilt of his head, "I can like pick out my own underwear." He actually had a system for that. Since most of the time the outside clothes he wore were red, his underwear was either blue or green and his socks the opposite color. He'd left all his thing with the SPD logo on them at home, all he really had was his uniform, some pajamas, two jeans, five shirts, two of which had been given to him by Mack.
"You need a few more pairs of jeans," Kira argued.
"Shoes," he decided, giving in. After all he'd been dragged on shopping trips with Syd numerous times and neither Kira nor Tori struck him as the die hard shopper she was, "I've only got the one pair and they'll be useless for exercising in. And if I'm going to have T-shirts I need longer sleeves to wear under them."
"I agree with the shoes," Kira said biting her lip. He needed long sleeves, but in the California weather he'd swelter. "Thin cotton long sleeved under the t-shirts or you'll get overheated," she said walking over to a rack that had undershirts.
"I'm used to it. Try running drills in this weather in long sleeves. Should've seen my first team leader...he tried to convince me to go shirtless," Bridge shuddered at the memory. He hadn't gotten along with his first squad leader. Thankfully he'd met Syd and Sky shortly after he'd joined. That reminded him he had nothing to exercise in, maybe they'd been right to take him for clothes as this mission was lasting longer than he anticipated.
"Just because you're used to it, doesn't make it okay," Kira pointed out, checking the tag on a few undershirts making sure they would 'breathe'.
"How bout this?" Tori said pulling out a red vintage wash t-shirt that had the coca-cola logo on it.
He blinked at the shirt Tori held up for him. If he was going to be a walking advertisement the only thing he wanted to advertise was SPD and that wasn't possible because it was only 2007, they were just starting to go public. He groaned, "You know this is a lot less complicated when you just have to wear the same logo on all your clothes."
"Welcome to 2007," Tori said patting him on the shoulder. She put the shirt back and picked up one and started giggling, it had a big 'Hello My Name Is" tag on it and 'scribbled' on the tag was 'Ninja'. "I should so get this for Dustin," she said showing it to Kira, who started laughing.
"I agree, but that's not helping Bridge," she reminded her. She held up a green t-shirt with a giant faded red star on it, "What do you think Bridge?"
Bridge tilted his head to regard the shirt Kira was holding up and couldn't help the smile, "That could work as it has my first color and my new color on it. This is going to take awhile isn’t it? And it’d probably help if I started looking too.”
He brought a hand up and paused staring at his gloves, he’d only brought two pairs. He wouldn’t need more than that, right? This mission would be finished soon and he’d be going home to SPD. Soon, he promised himself as he blinked at the crazy multicolored shirt on the rack, “Who in their right mind would want to wear this?” He paused to give the girls a confused look. Kira and Tori both looked at the shirt.
"Ewwww," Kira said shivering a bit.
"Totally agree," Tori said making a face at the shirt. "It's too loud."
Kira sighed and then spotted a bright yellow t-shirt. "Something is calling me," she said with a laugh and picked it up off the rack, it had a black screen print of a stack of stereos on it. "Oooh, this is mine," she said with a smile. She then reached over and grabbed another shirt, "Hey Bridge how bout this?"
Kira held up a faded red-black checkered t-shirt with a peace sign in the middle. Bridge wrinkled his nose, he liked the yellow shirt for Kira, but not the other one, "It's making my eyes go weird." He blinked and shook his head, "No, not that."
He pushed several of the other shirts out of the way, and found a long sleeved red shirt with black designs up the sleeves. He shrugged and held it up for them to see.
"Cool," Kira said nodding appreciatively.
Tori nodded as well, "I think it'll look good on you."
Bridge nodded and draped the shirt on his arm. He moved shirts around again, avoiding the darker colors, his eyes falling on a green one, but it had no red. He bypassed it and kept looking. At least sizes were still similar. He frowned as he looked it over, "How do you tell how it looks on you?"
In his time that was done electronically, but it didn't look like that was the case here. He blinked as he came across a girl's shirt in the middle of the guy’s shirts. It was blue and stitched up the sides. He held it out for Tori, "Here, this looks more like you then me. Well, except if Jack was here then he'd just be putting it on to be silly."
"Who's Jack?" Tori asked, taking the shirt from him and holding it up to herself.
"My teams original red," Bridge explained and smiled when it seemed Tori liked the shirt he'd found.
"I like it…" Tori confirmed with a grin.
"Me too," Kira agreed and then answered Bridge's question. "Fitting rooms," she said pointing to the back. "You go in and try them on to see how they look on you. Come on," Kira said leading him towards the back.
"Wait," Bridge said digging his heels in, "You mean I have to put on clothes to decide if I want them, which probably means someone else has put them on and decided they didn't want them. That's just weird and if you think about it a bit gross. It's a good thing Syd's not here. I don't think she'd be a big fan. She might even be throwing a fit and ah...how big are fitting rooms?"
Thinking about Syd made him realize that he was essentially clothes shopping with Kira Ford. The Kira Ford, Syd would be thrilled. Syd would be freaking out. Syd might actually be trying on clothes. Syd might kill him when he got home. When had his life gotten this complicated? Kira and Tori were pushing Bridge, despite his efforts to stop them.
"That's why you wash the clothes when you get home," Kira pointed out. "Leave your undershirt on if you think it'll be that gross.”
Tori pointed to the 4 x 4 rooms in the back. "They're pretty big, all things considered, I've tried stuff on in smaller ones," she replied.
"So by big do you mean big or are you just saying big cause there are smaller ones?" Bridge asked, not quite sure he liked where this was going.
Kira sighed, "They're about average on the scale of fitting rooms, there are smaller and there are bigger, less talking… more moving."
Tori nodded, "I think they're pretty big, the ones at Storm Chargers are really small."
That's when Bridge spotted the rooms. He squawked and jerked away from them. He shook his head, eyes growing big, "Too small. Way, way, too small. I'll like just take what I think fits and go from there. Trying on um isn't something I've ever had to do and I'm not sure I feel comfortable starting now." He gulped in several deep breaths and reminded himself he hadn't actually stepped into the small space and that the walls weren't going to start closing in. "I'm claustrophobic," he managed, "Dr. Felix says it's perfectly understandable given what Bork did to me and...that is way too small."
"It's okay," Kira said giving him a hug, being sure to keep from skin to skin contact. She wasn't sure she wanted Bridge to know what was going on in her head. Tori bit her lip. "Look over there," Kira said pointing to the side wall. "There's fitting rooms there that have a curtain over the front instead of a door. Would that help?"
Bridge wrapped his arms around Kira as she hugged him. It reminded him of Syd, when he’d said something to upset her. It also helped to calm his suddenly slightly frayed nerves. “Thanks,” he said as he pulled away and looked to where she was pointing. He nodded and twisted his face into his contemplative look. That might work, it wasn’t really closed in and if he was going to be stuck in 2007 he might as well go a bit native.
"What did that Bork guy do to you?" Tori asked before she could think. “Sorry, you don't have to tell us if you don't want too," she added quickly, realizing it might be hard for him to talk about if it was something that induced a fear of closed in spaces.
“No, it’s okay,” Bridge shrugged, he figured he could at least tell this story as it really only pertained to him, as long as he didn’t give away too many details. He glanced around to make sure no one was too close to hear him, “He kidnapped me and broke my morpher. At least I think he broke my morpher, that might have happened when he knocked me out and then he wouldn’t have broken it. I do know he put me in this room and I had to fix my morpher so my team could get a location on me or I could at least contact them. Then the walls started closing in, but Jack found me before they could squash me. Actually I think during Jack was more upset than I was and Sky took it pretty hard, but that’s understandable si…and Syd was mad and so was Z and Cruger did this thing where he looked all growly which I suppose is normal since he’s actually a dog. Kat even thought up plans to stick a tracking device in me but Dr. Felix told her no. Since then I haven’t really like small spaces. I can handle being in a zord, but not really anything else.”
Kira started to say something about Bridge breaking off in mid-sentence after mentioning Sky, but then it dawned on her that if he was from the future, maybe there were things he couldn't tell them. "That's horrible. I'd be upset too," she said not letting go of him. "I hope you're team took care of that asshole."
Tori nodded. "I'd of put him in the middle of a tsunami," she agreed. She was coming to care for all of her teammates, which led her to believe that there was more to the bonds she shared with her original team than just friendship, something in the powers pulled you close together.
"Oh he's carded," Bridge attempted to reassure with a smile as he returned Kira's hug again, "Did I ever actually explain what carding was?"
"No," the girl chorused together, looking at each other they shared a laugh.
"Oh," Bridge scratched his head trying to think of the easiest way to explain carding without giving away the science, "Well it's actually a containment card. We make them small and put them in the card and then file them. So it's prison, just they serve their time in a card. It's about this big." Bridge showed them with his hands, "It makes things easier."
Kira's jaw dropped, "Like… so you could have an entire prison in like an old shoebox, righteous."
Tori nodded in agreement, too speechless by the idea of that type of prison.
"Yeah, I guess we could keep them in a shoebox, but we use filing cabinets instead," Bridge nodded before he took the clothes, "Am I suppose to just try them on and then pick or am I suppose to show you and then you can like tell me if I look like I'd fit in?"
"Show us," Kira replied.
"Yeah, sometimes guys have a really skewed sense of what looks good on them," Tori added. "You don't know how many times I had to stop Blake from…" she sighed, she didn't want to talk about Blake. “Anyway… no offense," she said putting a smile back on her face. Kira gave her a hug.
"Good things…" she murmured. She knew Tori and Blake didn't have the best break up in history. "Just think about good things."
Bridge nodded. Maybe just like there were some things he couldn’t say about Sky there were some things about Blake Tori wasn’t going to say. He reached out and gave her shoulder a squeeze before he took the clothes they’d found, and went into the dressing room she’d indicated earlier. He tugged on a thin grey long sleeved and then put on the green t-shirt with the red star. It seemed to fit okay. The sleeves covered the beginnings of his gloves. He stepped out and suddenly felt subconscious. He really had meant it, he’d never really tried on clothes until he’d worn them for the first time.
“I like that fit on you," Kira said with a smile.
"You look hot," Tori added. Kira nodded in agreement.
Bridge contemplated that for a moment. Providing that 'hot' meant the same thing now, which is probably didn't, but sometimes Z like to use older terms so than 'hot' was good. Wait that couldn't be right because he wasn't 'hot', 'hot' was a word Z reserved for Sky and sometimes Jack, not him. Still he knew from shopping with Syd that sometimes you trusted the girl and just went with it. "This is a yes then," he smiled before he ducked back into the changing room.
Kira giggled at his contemplative look. "He's so cute when he's thinking," she whispered to Tori, "But in a 'definitely not my type' sorta way."
Tori nodded, "I think so too… he's goofy like Dustin, but more serious at the same time, which is like completely weird."
Bridge tried on the red shirt he’d found next. He frowned down at it. It was too small, his stomach was showing. With a shake of his head he took it off and tried on a blue long sleeved with another red shirt that one of them must have snagged. It had a symbol in blue that he didn't recognize on it. He stepped out, "The red shirt was too small, unless shirts are suppose to come up to here." He indicated with his hand where the shirt had ended, "Is this okay?"
"I like that shirt," Tori told him.
"So do I, and yeah, that other shirt had to be too small, midriff bearing t-shirts went out like twenty years ago," Kira told him. "If you like the design, I can find you the next size up."
He smiled at her, "If you don't mind. Something I don't have to end up layering would be nice." He ducked back in and tried on a pair of jeans next. He stepped back out, they were lower on his hips than he was use to, "I think I would have to wear a belt."
Kira went off to hunt for that shirt in a bigger side, so Tori was by herself when he came out again. "Hold on," she said pressing her lips together in thought. She walked over to him. "I'm not getting fresh, I promise," she said with a smile and tugged on his pants. "Well, they are a low rise sit, so they are going to be lower, but they aren't baggie. It's the style more than anything," Tori said as she stood up. "I don't think you'd need a belt."
Bridge nodded his understanding, "That makes sense. I guess I'm used to uniforms. We don't wear civilian clothes all that often." He went back in and tried on another pair of pants. They seemed a little tight, but for all he knew that was normal to. With a frown and a slight hope that he wouldn't have to keep them he stepped out.
Tori gasped, those pants were definitely too tight. "I…" she shook her head.
Kira walked up with a shirt and a pair of kacki's, "Holy shit… umm, I don't think you're going to be able to fight in those," she said biting her lip. "Definite no."
"Oh good," Bridge sighed, "I was worried they were something else I didn't know about."
That said he took the other clothes Kira had grabbed, thanked her and went and tried both on. He was also thankful he hadn’t come out with the too short shirt if the too tight pants had made them look at him like that. He stepped back out, "This is better."
"Much" Kira replied.
"Totally," Tori agreed. "Let's get this stuff and then hit that new store that opened down on the other side of the mall, I heard they have really good bargains."
"Oooh yeah, we should," Kira said with a smile. "Come on Bridge, get changed."
Bridge agreed, and changed back into his clothes, he kept the clothes they’d decided on in hand and gave them a puzzled look as he held up the clothes he didn’t want, “What do I do with these?”
Kira took them from him. "Most places either have a return basket or a return rack," Kira said setting the clothes in the bin marked 'return'. "If you don't buy them , you put them there so they can hang them back up at the end of the day."
"Oh, that makes sense."
"Yup, now let’s check out and go do more shopping," Kira said heading up front with Tori and Bridge.
"After you," Tori said to Bridge and followed them up front, holding her purchases.
At least the checking out process hadn't changed too much and Bridge could understand that one. It was strange though, the girls carried their own bags instead of shoving them at him.
As they entered the next store they were greeted enthusiastically by several employees and one approached them. "Hi, can I help you with anything today?" he asked.
It took all Kira had not to snap at the over-enthusiastic employee but she smiled. "We're on a shopping spree," she said in her 'I'm being nice but you annoy me' voice.
Tori chuckled a bit at Kira's demeanor and smiled at the employee. "Mostly for him," Tori said nodding at Bridge. "He needs a new wardrobe."
The young man seemed to shrug off Kira’s attitude and take her words at face value. He looked Bridge over, “Anything in particular you’re looking for or are we talking whole new wardrobe?”
Bridge blinked, not quite sure how to answer that.
"Thin long-sleeved undershirts or shirts, t-shirts; his favorite colors are red, blue and green, jeans…" Tori rattled off for Bridge.
When Tori had finished listing Bridge’s needs and received a grateful look from Bridge the employee then took time to look over the girls, "And are you sure I can’t encourage you ladies to have a little fun?"
He did not just call me a lady, Kira thought, shooting a glare in his direction, before she could open her mouth though, Tori pinched her. Tori smiled at the personal shopper. "We may indulge if we see anything that catches our eye," she replied as nicely as she could.
"Sounds like a plan," the young man grinned before he led them over to the guys section of the store all the while chattering at them, obviously trying to put Bridge at ease and get a smile out of Kira. As he started pulling aside shirts that fit Tori's description he held one up to Bridge, "Yeah, that should be about your size."
"Oh, he’s good," Tori whispered to Kira.
"He's paid to be," Kira replied watching them. "It looks like Bridge is relaxing a bit."
Tori nodded her agreement.
"So this stuff will work for general every day stuff and this could double as something to work out in, but let's talk dressing up," the employee segued happily as he picked up a dress shirt and held it up. He frowned, "Nah." He held up a few more shirts, setting some back and throwing a few more onto the pile in his arms obviously basing some of his decision by the look on Bridge's face or his own personal taste. "Generally you're only allowed to try about ten items on at a time, and they encourage less, so let's get you started and go from there."
Tori and Kira watched almost dazed as the employee flipped through clothing.
"Wow…" Tori whispered softly.
"He does know what he's doing," Kira admitted, seeing most of the clothes he grabbed would look amazing on Bridge.
Bridge was a little dazed, yeah he wasn't as nervous as the last store, that had gone well, but this was sort of a whirlwind. "I'm claustrophobic," he managed, not about to get shoved towards the changing rooms by a guy he didn't know. The girls, not so much a big deal, but he didn't know this guy.
The guy blinked, "Okay, we have a larger changing room and a few that have curtains instead of doors."
Bridge shrugged, "Curtain worked last time."
The guy grinned, led Bridge to a room giving him clothes, "Let me know if anything ends up not fitting and I'll get you a different size, or you could just give us a show..."
"Should we do a bit of shopping while Bridge tries on his stuff?" Tori asked, cocking her head towards the ladies section.
"We should," Kira said with a laugh, linking arms with her as they walked over to their section.
________________________________________
Jason was beginning to suspect that Adam kept finding excuses to come into work to escape that madness that was the house he was living in. At least when he was rangering he had been able to put it aside when he went home, Adam was now living with his teammates. Still, that didn’t account for the tired look on Adam’s face. Concerned for his friend he dropped into Adam’s office, took a chair and asked, “So, how are things going?”
Adam sighed, "Could be better… no attacks yet, which worries me because Rita and Zedd threw attacks at us all the time," he said running a hand over his face. "I've been having these screwed up dreams, an order I give the team leads them into a trap, or worse…" he let the 'worse' hang there, knowing Jason would know what that implied. "They're so young, I don't want to make a mistake that would hurt them."
"They’re probably plotting," Jason suggested as he tried to think of a way to reassure Adam. "Hey, we were younger, and they know what to expect. We really need to find a way to get you over this thinking you’re not a leader thing, because I've seen you with them, you are."
Adam shook his head, "I know that, I do. But they way they look up to me," he sighed. "When we first worked together, Bridge was in so much awe to be working with me, I don't know what the future says about us, but here in the present, it's a lot to live up to."
Jason laughed, "It's really not that far into the future. I mean we're still probably all alive when Bridge becomes a ranger. Besides Bridge definitely falls under the category of..." Jason struggled to find the right word and eventually just shrugged and finished, "unique." That said he changed the subject, "The thing that I find strange is this super power stuff."
Adam laughed flat out at that, "I swear, every team has super powers now. Kickin' ass and takin' names went out of style years ago. Now it's all about the genetic powers. Well Tori's comes from her training, but still… Tori controls water, Kira's got a scream that will bust your eardrums, Dustin can merge with the earth, Xander has magic with nature, and Bridge… well Bridge is like a psychic dictionary." He sighed, "It makes me feel outdated man…"
“If you’re outdated what would that make me? The Ninja stuff I get, I mean when you guys had Ninja powers you did some rather weird stuff. Magic, well I’m not sure how you wouldn’t call some of the things we did and went through magic. Kira well, the Dino gem things was weird, but at least she can’t go invisible on you. Tommy invisible,” Jason paused to shake his head, “And other than the tracking thing I really don’t see how Bridge’s powers are useful. Did Bridge get his powers the same way Kira and Xander did, by getting his morpher?”
"Weird stuff," Adam smiled as he remembered their Ninja powers, "I got super huge and squashed a Tenga," he said with a laugh. "As for Bridge… he was babbling about it, I think it was a lab accident." He stretched in his chair, "But the Overdrive team, they got genetic enhancements from Hartford, he offered it to me but I told him the day my fists and my feet can't protect me from monster attacks is the day I hang my hat up for good."
"Yeah, that'd just be weird and for all we know all it'd have done was make you taller or something," Jason teased.
"Like you're so tall," Adam muttered, making a face at him.
Jason sat back smugly and with a teasing smirk told him, "Hey, I'm taller than Justin, call me when you manage that one."
"Justin is like less than half an inch taller than me," Adam protested, leaning over to punch him playfully.
"Hey man, shorter is still shorter," Jason laughed before he changed the topic back to what Adam had first mentioned, "I had nightmares too, when I first started to lead. Typical I'm gonna screw up and get my friends hurt sorta stuff...so I mean if you want to talk about it?"
Adam sighed, "They're so vivid, and they're always different, different monsters, difference choices I'm making, but always the same outcome, my team is decimated and it's my fault." He leaned back in his chair again. "I'm almost dreading the first battle right now, scared of what is going to happen."
Jason sat up, that wasn’t good. “I’m sure your first battle will prove to you that these dreams are just that, dreams,” Jason reassured trying to think of questions to ease the stress Adam was under and to make the dreams less real, “Any monsters we’ve seen before?”
Adam shook his head, "No… not really, they seem… it's weird, they seem like improved versions of the types of monsters Rita and Zedd threw at us," he sounded disturbed by that thought.
“Now that’s disturbing,” Jason shuddered, “but we do keep comparing these two to Rita and Zedd, so maybe that’s what’s getting to you?”
"It's possible, but something isn't right, I just wish I knew what it is," he closed his eyes in frustration. "I've been sleeping for shit lately, because of these dreams."
That wasn’t good, Adam needed his rest for any up coming battles, but he likely also didn’t need that pointed out to him. Concerned Jason asked, “Not right how?”
"That's just it… I don't know!" Adam exclaimed in frustration. "It's just a feeling, a tickling in the back of my head that says, 'something isn't right', but I can't figure
it out."
Jason raised an eyebrow at Adam’s raised voice, obviously Adam’s nerves were more frayed than he thought. He knew that lack of sleep could affect a person, but Jason pressed his lips together and frowned sitting back in the seat, “Didn’t Tommy say he and his ki…team were attacked in their dreams once?”
"Yeah, but these Rita and Zedd wannabe's haven't even sent down one attack on us since making their presence known. Not even one. Why would they attack dreams before they've even tested us?" Adam said dismissively.
“It was just a thought. You’re pretty stressed and if that’s not a reason I wouldn’t know what is. Just remember, your team wouldn’t be following your orders if they didn’t think they were good ones. I’m sure if they don’t like one they’ll let you know."
"What if they don't?" Adam got up and started to pace in the office. "What if they think that just because I'm a veteran, and just because I was a ranger longer, I won't make a bad decision?"
“Everyone makes bad decisions Adam, even rangers. They’re not stupid, but if you’re worried they won’t give their input ask for it. Just, try to avoid asking Bridge, you’ll never find the point among all his theorizing,” Jason advised ending in a teasing tone in hopes of calming his friend.
Adam chuckled a bit, "You learn to pick out the important points in Bridge's babbling," he said leaning back against the wall. "I'm over-thinking this aren't I?"
“You’re stressed and antsy because they haven’t attacked, not really over thinking because that’s kinda one of the standards, thinking though your options for your team,” Jason told him.
"It is sad that I want them to attack?" Adam asked, feeling a bit selfish. "Battles are what makes a team bond, helps build trust. Right now our team's bond is fragile, the girls want to kill Xander on a daily basis; that needs to stop real quick." Not to mention it'd help calm my nerves, he added to himself. He hated it when villains took their time, it usually meant bad news.
“What he’d do now?” Jason groaned
"What doesn't he do man, he thinks every woman is going to fall over for his charm, he tries to charm the girls, the girls try to rip his head off, it's a vicious cycle man," he said with a chuckle.
Jason shook his head before he suggested, “You could always try some of those team building exercise; I mean I know most of them are dorky, but it’s at least something. Or just have a team movie night or dinner or something where you’re all hanging out.”
"We're having a movie night at the end of the week, baring a monster attack."
"See now you've just jinxed yourself and made plans, now you know when the monster will attack."
"At least movie night can be rescheduled. I swear they say patience comes with age, but I remember being patient in high school man, now, I want the first battle done and over with. I need to know what we're up against." He shrugged, "Not that I can't keep myself busy till then, stopping the girls from killing Xander, keeping Bridge from burning down the kitchen and teaching Dustin fighting meditation because any time he tries regular meditation, he falls asleep."
“You’ve got your hands full man,” Jason said with a shake of his head before he told him ruefully, “Have Xander meet Aisha, if that doesn’t teach him a lesson he’ll never forget, nothing will.”
Adam laughed, "I don't want him dead. How could I explain that to the rest of his team? 'Sorry but a yellow ate him'."
Jason chuckled, “"Maybe they'd thank you and then you'd have an excuse to stick a morpher on Tommy. ‘Here man, be your original color, we had to get rid of the last guy he drove us insane'..."
Adam couldn't help but to laugh again, "I think his original team would be more appt to kill me for harming their ranger. As for Tommy…" he trailed off. "I think Tommy's ready to officially retire, though you know he's gonna wind up in suit again, it's his luck."
Jason snorted, “Tommy will be eighty and clutching both his cane and his morpher…I fear for our future. The only question is what color will he be next?”
"He's slowly working on every color of the rainbow man," Adam joked. "He will be the first male pink ranger I just know it."
“He has to be, he missed being the first male yellow, though I have to admit the color suits Dustin…the guys being the opposite of the girls.”
Adam nodded, "He really is suited to the earth, but the Ninja Storm's colors are so messed up, I mean Tori's makes sense… but Dustin should be green or black since he's an earth ninja, and Shane should be yellow since he's an air ninja, Red's a fire elements color."
“They don’t work the way yours did and if it really bothers you ask one of them. I’m sure they know the origin of their colors. Besides Trini seems pleased with Dustin being a yellow and I can’t say she’d say the same for Shane since I haven’t met him.”
"Ooh, I didn't mean their personalities don't match their colors, because they're personalities fit their colors to a tee," Adam explained. "I mean… it's weird thinking about yellow and earth and red and air," he explained. "Dustin's a yellow, no doubt… Tori's the first female blue, and I haven't met Madison yet, so I don't know if the calm, cool, collected trait suits her too."
“Ask Xander? Hey, didn’t they have another male yellow and a kinda yellow sounding pink?”
Adam nodded, "Yeah they had a male yellow too. I guess he and Dustin share a common love of comic books," he said with a laugh. "I should really ask Xander, I know Trini was going to do some study about colors and what character traits fit what color."
Jason smiled, “Well naturally reds are the best color. Though I’m thinking Trini’ll find that not everyone lines up. I mean here I am the responsible one, but I’m not always hungry or getting my mind screwed with by the bad guys.”
"Rocky was hungry even when he was blue… and Kat can put away the food when she chooses to, too," Adam pointed out. "Besides… black is where it's at bro," he felt the need to add.
“And if I argue with that I’m sure Zack would somehow know and make me regret disagreeing,” Jason laughed, “Do you think she can do that, find similar traits in all the rangers of the same color?”
"It's Trini, she can do anything," Adam replied firmly. "But you have to admit, there are some general traits that rangers of one color and gender seem to share, and of course that pink ranger/red ranger scenario that keeps popping up. I mean Tommy and Kim, Tommy and Kat, TJ and Cassie had some sort of a fling, and they were red and pink at one point in time, Leo and Kendrix, Wes and Jen, Dana and Carter, Jungle boy and Alyssa… it's unnatural man, and it makes me glad I don't have a pink on my team" he said shaking his head.
“Alyssa was pink? Oh man, I’m out of the loop. I thought she was the first female white.”
"Well she had pink on her uniform… so she's pink," Adam said waving a hand. "But even with out them, it's still weird."
“Hmm,” Jason pondered with a smirk, “So do most greens like yellows?”
"I was black before I was green," Adam pointed out. "And Zack did have a fling with Trini in Switzerland. So blacks like yellows," Adam said as he felt his cheeks go red. "You suck man."
“Not all though. Tommy’s with Hayley and she…okay I could see her getting a morpher and it being yellow. Andros dated his yellow so that’s a red with a yellow. Wasn’t Danny with his team’s blue? Kira’s dating her team’s white. Did Will like Ronny at all? And hey, me and a pink never happened so I guess we’re wrong…”
"I didn't say it worked for every team, it's a pattern," Adam pointed out. "Besides, you can't tell me you never were jonsin' after Kimberly," he added with a smirk.
“What?” Jason asked attempting to look confused and profusely glad he didn’t blush as easily as Adam, “She dated Tommy. I don’t go after my friend’s girls.”
"Doesn't mean you don't have eyes," Adam pointed out. "Anyway, that's beside the point, which… I don't even remember what the point was," he admitted with a laugh.
“Me either,” Jason laughed, “How do we end up doing that?”
"Don't have a clue, but it seems to happen often, doesn't it?"
“It does, doesn’t it?” Jason agreed, happy to finally see some of the tiredness go out of Adam’s eyes, “So what were we trying to talk about?”
"I think it was Trini and her study of colors and personality traits, coinciding with the gender of the ranger," Adam said after pondering for a moment. "But…" he stretched, "I should probably head back home, Kat went to acquire a car, which means the team is home alone, I don't know if I trust them alone together in the house yet," he said with a chuckle.
"Sounds about right," Jason nodded then smiled, "I'm glad Kat's back, and you're probably right, but hey maybe you'll get lucky and the house won't be a disaster.
"You aren't the only one glad she's back," Adam said with a warm smile. "She's a huge help." He grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair. "As for coming home to a disaster free house, well, one can only hope." He walked over to the door, "I'll call ya later man… you gotta come by soon and see this gigantic house. Kat swears she's gonna get lost."
“Will do,” Jason agreed, “See you later bro.”
"Later man," Adam said as he headed out.
Authors:
rivulet027 and moonlite_n_roseFandom: Power Rangers with an AU ending for the Operation Overdrive Team-up.
Pairings: Billy/Trini, Tommy/Hayley eventual slash and het.
Rating: Pg-15
Summery: The Once A Ranger vets team continue in Angel Grove with a new set of villains. Wherein Adam gains a team, gets a girl, a couple of tattoos and might just lose his sanity in the process.
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Power Rangers, neither does MnR. We’re just playing in their toy box and we promise to put everyone away when we’re finished.
A/N: This story is originally being written in role playing format. All updates will first be posted here http://pr-stories.escape-from-reality.net/ and then added elsewhere.
Chapter 5:
Tori flipped through the rack of men’s T-shirts. "Bridge you need more clothes… Red stuff," she said with a shrug. She had never been one for shopping, she'd always been more of a tomboy.
Kira laughed. "Yeah, but he needs jeans too and another jacket, underwear. Oooh, some swim trunks for when we head out to the lake," she rattled off the items he needed. She'd never been much of a girlie girl, but Tori seemed a bit hopeless, and that little personality switch back in her ranger days made her appreciate a good shopping spree every once in awhile.
Bridge looked around the store they'd dragged him into. He'd thought they were getting him acquainted with 2007, what did a mall have to do with that?
"Red stuff?" he said with a tilt of his head, "I can like pick out my own underwear." He actually had a system for that. Since most of the time the outside clothes he wore were red, his underwear was either blue or green and his socks the opposite color. He'd left all his thing with the SPD logo on them at home, all he really had was his uniform, some pajamas, two jeans, five shirts, two of which had been given to him by Mack.
"You need a few more pairs of jeans," Kira argued.
"Shoes," he decided, giving in. After all he'd been dragged on shopping trips with Syd numerous times and neither Kira nor Tori struck him as the die hard shopper she was, "I've only got the one pair and they'll be useless for exercising in. And if I'm going to have T-shirts I need longer sleeves to wear under them."
"I agree with the shoes," Kira said biting her lip. He needed long sleeves, but in the California weather he'd swelter. "Thin cotton long sleeved under the t-shirts or you'll get overheated," she said walking over to a rack that had undershirts.
"I'm used to it. Try running drills in this weather in long sleeves. Should've seen my first team leader...he tried to convince me to go shirtless," Bridge shuddered at the memory. He hadn't gotten along with his first squad leader. Thankfully he'd met Syd and Sky shortly after he'd joined. That reminded him he had nothing to exercise in, maybe they'd been right to take him for clothes as this mission was lasting longer than he anticipated.
"Just because you're used to it, doesn't make it okay," Kira pointed out, checking the tag on a few undershirts making sure they would 'breathe'.
"How bout this?" Tori said pulling out a red vintage wash t-shirt that had the coca-cola logo on it.
He blinked at the shirt Tori held up for him. If he was going to be a walking advertisement the only thing he wanted to advertise was SPD and that wasn't possible because it was only 2007, they were just starting to go public. He groaned, "You know this is a lot less complicated when you just have to wear the same logo on all your clothes."
"Welcome to 2007," Tori said patting him on the shoulder. She put the shirt back and picked up one and started giggling, it had a big 'Hello My Name Is" tag on it and 'scribbled' on the tag was 'Ninja'. "I should so get this for Dustin," she said showing it to Kira, who started laughing.
"I agree, but that's not helping Bridge," she reminded her. She held up a green t-shirt with a giant faded red star on it, "What do you think Bridge?"
Bridge tilted his head to regard the shirt Kira was holding up and couldn't help the smile, "That could work as it has my first color and my new color on it. This is going to take awhile isn’t it? And it’d probably help if I started looking too.”
He brought a hand up and paused staring at his gloves, he’d only brought two pairs. He wouldn’t need more than that, right? This mission would be finished soon and he’d be going home to SPD. Soon, he promised himself as he blinked at the crazy multicolored shirt on the rack, “Who in their right mind would want to wear this?” He paused to give the girls a confused look. Kira and Tori both looked at the shirt.
"Ewwww," Kira said shivering a bit.
"Totally agree," Tori said making a face at the shirt. "It's too loud."
Kira sighed and then spotted a bright yellow t-shirt. "Something is calling me," she said with a laugh and picked it up off the rack, it had a black screen print of a stack of stereos on it. "Oooh, this is mine," she said with a smile. She then reached over and grabbed another shirt, "Hey Bridge how bout this?"
Kira held up a faded red-black checkered t-shirt with a peace sign in the middle. Bridge wrinkled his nose, he liked the yellow shirt for Kira, but not the other one, "It's making my eyes go weird." He blinked and shook his head, "No, not that."
He pushed several of the other shirts out of the way, and found a long sleeved red shirt with black designs up the sleeves. He shrugged and held it up for them to see.
"Cool," Kira said nodding appreciatively.
Tori nodded as well, "I think it'll look good on you."
Bridge nodded and draped the shirt on his arm. He moved shirts around again, avoiding the darker colors, his eyes falling on a green one, but it had no red. He bypassed it and kept looking. At least sizes were still similar. He frowned as he looked it over, "How do you tell how it looks on you?"
In his time that was done electronically, but it didn't look like that was the case here. He blinked as he came across a girl's shirt in the middle of the guy’s shirts. It was blue and stitched up the sides. He held it out for Tori, "Here, this looks more like you then me. Well, except if Jack was here then he'd just be putting it on to be silly."
"Who's Jack?" Tori asked, taking the shirt from him and holding it up to herself.
"My teams original red," Bridge explained and smiled when it seemed Tori liked the shirt he'd found.
"I like it…" Tori confirmed with a grin.
"Me too," Kira agreed and then answered Bridge's question. "Fitting rooms," she said pointing to the back. "You go in and try them on to see how they look on you. Come on," Kira said leading him towards the back.
"Wait," Bridge said digging his heels in, "You mean I have to put on clothes to decide if I want them, which probably means someone else has put them on and decided they didn't want them. That's just weird and if you think about it a bit gross. It's a good thing Syd's not here. I don't think she'd be a big fan. She might even be throwing a fit and ah...how big are fitting rooms?"
Thinking about Syd made him realize that he was essentially clothes shopping with Kira Ford. The Kira Ford, Syd would be thrilled. Syd would be freaking out. Syd might actually be trying on clothes. Syd might kill him when he got home. When had his life gotten this complicated? Kira and Tori were pushing Bridge, despite his efforts to stop them.
"That's why you wash the clothes when you get home," Kira pointed out. "Leave your undershirt on if you think it'll be that gross.”
Tori pointed to the 4 x 4 rooms in the back. "They're pretty big, all things considered, I've tried stuff on in smaller ones," she replied.
"So by big do you mean big or are you just saying big cause there are smaller ones?" Bridge asked, not quite sure he liked where this was going.
Kira sighed, "They're about average on the scale of fitting rooms, there are smaller and there are bigger, less talking… more moving."
Tori nodded, "I think they're pretty big, the ones at Storm Chargers are really small."
That's when Bridge spotted the rooms. He squawked and jerked away from them. He shook his head, eyes growing big, "Too small. Way, way, too small. I'll like just take what I think fits and go from there. Trying on um isn't something I've ever had to do and I'm not sure I feel comfortable starting now." He gulped in several deep breaths and reminded himself he hadn't actually stepped into the small space and that the walls weren't going to start closing in. "I'm claustrophobic," he managed, "Dr. Felix says it's perfectly understandable given what Bork did to me and...that is way too small."
"It's okay," Kira said giving him a hug, being sure to keep from skin to skin contact. She wasn't sure she wanted Bridge to know what was going on in her head. Tori bit her lip. "Look over there," Kira said pointing to the side wall. "There's fitting rooms there that have a curtain over the front instead of a door. Would that help?"
Bridge wrapped his arms around Kira as she hugged him. It reminded him of Syd, when he’d said something to upset her. It also helped to calm his suddenly slightly frayed nerves. “Thanks,” he said as he pulled away and looked to where she was pointing. He nodded and twisted his face into his contemplative look. That might work, it wasn’t really closed in and if he was going to be stuck in 2007 he might as well go a bit native.
"What did that Bork guy do to you?" Tori asked before she could think. “Sorry, you don't have to tell us if you don't want too," she added quickly, realizing it might be hard for him to talk about if it was something that induced a fear of closed in spaces.
“No, it’s okay,” Bridge shrugged, he figured he could at least tell this story as it really only pertained to him, as long as he didn’t give away too many details. He glanced around to make sure no one was too close to hear him, “He kidnapped me and broke my morpher. At least I think he broke my morpher, that might have happened when he knocked me out and then he wouldn’t have broken it. I do know he put me in this room and I had to fix my morpher so my team could get a location on me or I could at least contact them. Then the walls started closing in, but Jack found me before they could squash me. Actually I think during Jack was more upset than I was and Sky took it pretty hard, but that’s understandable si…and Syd was mad and so was Z and Cruger did this thing where he looked all growly which I suppose is normal since he’s actually a dog. Kat even thought up plans to stick a tracking device in me but Dr. Felix told her no. Since then I haven’t really like small spaces. I can handle being in a zord, but not really anything else.”
Kira started to say something about Bridge breaking off in mid-sentence after mentioning Sky, but then it dawned on her that if he was from the future, maybe there were things he couldn't tell them. "That's horrible. I'd be upset too," she said not letting go of him. "I hope you're team took care of that asshole."
Tori nodded. "I'd of put him in the middle of a tsunami," she agreed. She was coming to care for all of her teammates, which led her to believe that there was more to the bonds she shared with her original team than just friendship, something in the powers pulled you close together.
"Oh he's carded," Bridge attempted to reassure with a smile as he returned Kira's hug again, "Did I ever actually explain what carding was?"
"No," the girl chorused together, looking at each other they shared a laugh.
"Oh," Bridge scratched his head trying to think of the easiest way to explain carding without giving away the science, "Well it's actually a containment card. We make them small and put them in the card and then file them. So it's prison, just they serve their time in a card. It's about this big." Bridge showed them with his hands, "It makes things easier."
Kira's jaw dropped, "Like… so you could have an entire prison in like an old shoebox, righteous."
Tori nodded in agreement, too speechless by the idea of that type of prison.
"Yeah, I guess we could keep them in a shoebox, but we use filing cabinets instead," Bridge nodded before he took the clothes, "Am I suppose to just try them on and then pick or am I suppose to show you and then you can like tell me if I look like I'd fit in?"
"Show us," Kira replied.
"Yeah, sometimes guys have a really skewed sense of what looks good on them," Tori added. "You don't know how many times I had to stop Blake from…" she sighed, she didn't want to talk about Blake. “Anyway… no offense," she said putting a smile back on her face. Kira gave her a hug.
"Good things…" she murmured. She knew Tori and Blake didn't have the best break up in history. "Just think about good things."
Bridge nodded. Maybe just like there were some things he couldn’t say about Sky there were some things about Blake Tori wasn’t going to say. He reached out and gave her shoulder a squeeze before he took the clothes they’d found, and went into the dressing room she’d indicated earlier. He tugged on a thin grey long sleeved and then put on the green t-shirt with the red star. It seemed to fit okay. The sleeves covered the beginnings of his gloves. He stepped out and suddenly felt subconscious. He really had meant it, he’d never really tried on clothes until he’d worn them for the first time.
“I like that fit on you," Kira said with a smile.
"You look hot," Tori added. Kira nodded in agreement.
Bridge contemplated that for a moment. Providing that 'hot' meant the same thing now, which is probably didn't, but sometimes Z like to use older terms so than 'hot' was good. Wait that couldn't be right because he wasn't 'hot', 'hot' was a word Z reserved for Sky and sometimes Jack, not him. Still he knew from shopping with Syd that sometimes you trusted the girl and just went with it. "This is a yes then," he smiled before he ducked back into the changing room.
Kira giggled at his contemplative look. "He's so cute when he's thinking," she whispered to Tori, "But in a 'definitely not my type' sorta way."
Tori nodded, "I think so too… he's goofy like Dustin, but more serious at the same time, which is like completely weird."
Bridge tried on the red shirt he’d found next. He frowned down at it. It was too small, his stomach was showing. With a shake of his head he took it off and tried on a blue long sleeved with another red shirt that one of them must have snagged. It had a symbol in blue that he didn't recognize on it. He stepped out, "The red shirt was too small, unless shirts are suppose to come up to here." He indicated with his hand where the shirt had ended, "Is this okay?"
"I like that shirt," Tori told him.
"So do I, and yeah, that other shirt had to be too small, midriff bearing t-shirts went out like twenty years ago," Kira told him. "If you like the design, I can find you the next size up."
He smiled at her, "If you don't mind. Something I don't have to end up layering would be nice." He ducked back in and tried on a pair of jeans next. He stepped back out, they were lower on his hips than he was use to, "I think I would have to wear a belt."
Kira went off to hunt for that shirt in a bigger side, so Tori was by herself when he came out again. "Hold on," she said pressing her lips together in thought. She walked over to him. "I'm not getting fresh, I promise," she said with a smile and tugged on his pants. "Well, they are a low rise sit, so they are going to be lower, but they aren't baggie. It's the style more than anything," Tori said as she stood up. "I don't think you'd need a belt."
Bridge nodded his understanding, "That makes sense. I guess I'm used to uniforms. We don't wear civilian clothes all that often." He went back in and tried on another pair of pants. They seemed a little tight, but for all he knew that was normal to. With a frown and a slight hope that he wouldn't have to keep them he stepped out.
Tori gasped, those pants were definitely too tight. "I…" she shook her head.
Kira walked up with a shirt and a pair of kacki's, "Holy shit… umm, I don't think you're going to be able to fight in those," she said biting her lip. "Definite no."
"Oh good," Bridge sighed, "I was worried they were something else I didn't know about."
That said he took the other clothes Kira had grabbed, thanked her and went and tried both on. He was also thankful he hadn’t come out with the too short shirt if the too tight pants had made them look at him like that. He stepped back out, "This is better."
"Much" Kira replied.
"Totally," Tori agreed. "Let's get this stuff and then hit that new store that opened down on the other side of the mall, I heard they have really good bargains."
"Oooh yeah, we should," Kira said with a smile. "Come on Bridge, get changed."
Bridge agreed, and changed back into his clothes, he kept the clothes they’d decided on in hand and gave them a puzzled look as he held up the clothes he didn’t want, “What do I do with these?”
Kira took them from him. "Most places either have a return basket or a return rack," Kira said setting the clothes in the bin marked 'return'. "If you don't buy them , you put them there so they can hang them back up at the end of the day."
"Oh, that makes sense."
"Yup, now let’s check out and go do more shopping," Kira said heading up front with Tori and Bridge.
"After you," Tori said to Bridge and followed them up front, holding her purchases.
At least the checking out process hadn't changed too much and Bridge could understand that one. It was strange though, the girls carried their own bags instead of shoving them at him.
As they entered the next store they were greeted enthusiastically by several employees and one approached them. "Hi, can I help you with anything today?" he asked.
It took all Kira had not to snap at the over-enthusiastic employee but she smiled. "We're on a shopping spree," she said in her 'I'm being nice but you annoy me' voice.
Tori chuckled a bit at Kira's demeanor and smiled at the employee. "Mostly for him," Tori said nodding at Bridge. "He needs a new wardrobe."
The young man seemed to shrug off Kira’s attitude and take her words at face value. He looked Bridge over, “Anything in particular you’re looking for or are we talking whole new wardrobe?”
Bridge blinked, not quite sure how to answer that.
"Thin long-sleeved undershirts or shirts, t-shirts; his favorite colors are red, blue and green, jeans…" Tori rattled off for Bridge.
When Tori had finished listing Bridge’s needs and received a grateful look from Bridge the employee then took time to look over the girls, "And are you sure I can’t encourage you ladies to have a little fun?"
He did not just call me a lady, Kira thought, shooting a glare in his direction, before she could open her mouth though, Tori pinched her. Tori smiled at the personal shopper. "We may indulge if we see anything that catches our eye," she replied as nicely as she could.
"Sounds like a plan," the young man grinned before he led them over to the guys section of the store all the while chattering at them, obviously trying to put Bridge at ease and get a smile out of Kira. As he started pulling aside shirts that fit Tori's description he held one up to Bridge, "Yeah, that should be about your size."
"Oh, he’s good," Tori whispered to Kira.
"He's paid to be," Kira replied watching them. "It looks like Bridge is relaxing a bit."
Tori nodded her agreement.
"So this stuff will work for general every day stuff and this could double as something to work out in, but let's talk dressing up," the employee segued happily as he picked up a dress shirt and held it up. He frowned, "Nah." He held up a few more shirts, setting some back and throwing a few more onto the pile in his arms obviously basing some of his decision by the look on Bridge's face or his own personal taste. "Generally you're only allowed to try about ten items on at a time, and they encourage less, so let's get you started and go from there."
Tori and Kira watched almost dazed as the employee flipped through clothing.
"Wow…" Tori whispered softly.
"He does know what he's doing," Kira admitted, seeing most of the clothes he grabbed would look amazing on Bridge.
Bridge was a little dazed, yeah he wasn't as nervous as the last store, that had gone well, but this was sort of a whirlwind. "I'm claustrophobic," he managed, not about to get shoved towards the changing rooms by a guy he didn't know. The girls, not so much a big deal, but he didn't know this guy.
The guy blinked, "Okay, we have a larger changing room and a few that have curtains instead of doors."
Bridge shrugged, "Curtain worked last time."
The guy grinned, led Bridge to a room giving him clothes, "Let me know if anything ends up not fitting and I'll get you a different size, or you could just give us a show..."
"Should we do a bit of shopping while Bridge tries on his stuff?" Tori asked, cocking her head towards the ladies section.
"We should," Kira said with a laugh, linking arms with her as they walked over to their section.
________________________________________
Jason was beginning to suspect that Adam kept finding excuses to come into work to escape that madness that was the house he was living in. At least when he was rangering he had been able to put it aside when he went home, Adam was now living with his teammates. Still, that didn’t account for the tired look on Adam’s face. Concerned for his friend he dropped into Adam’s office, took a chair and asked, “So, how are things going?”
Adam sighed, "Could be better… no attacks yet, which worries me because Rita and Zedd threw attacks at us all the time," he said running a hand over his face. "I've been having these screwed up dreams, an order I give the team leads them into a trap, or worse…" he let the 'worse' hang there, knowing Jason would know what that implied. "They're so young, I don't want to make a mistake that would hurt them."
"They’re probably plotting," Jason suggested as he tried to think of a way to reassure Adam. "Hey, we were younger, and they know what to expect. We really need to find a way to get you over this thinking you’re not a leader thing, because I've seen you with them, you are."
Adam shook his head, "I know that, I do. But they way they look up to me," he sighed. "When we first worked together, Bridge was in so much awe to be working with me, I don't know what the future says about us, but here in the present, it's a lot to live up to."
Jason laughed, "It's really not that far into the future. I mean we're still probably all alive when Bridge becomes a ranger. Besides Bridge definitely falls under the category of..." Jason struggled to find the right word and eventually just shrugged and finished, "unique." That said he changed the subject, "The thing that I find strange is this super power stuff."
Adam laughed flat out at that, "I swear, every team has super powers now. Kickin' ass and takin' names went out of style years ago. Now it's all about the genetic powers. Well Tori's comes from her training, but still… Tori controls water, Kira's got a scream that will bust your eardrums, Dustin can merge with the earth, Xander has magic with nature, and Bridge… well Bridge is like a psychic dictionary." He sighed, "It makes me feel outdated man…"
“If you’re outdated what would that make me? The Ninja stuff I get, I mean when you guys had Ninja powers you did some rather weird stuff. Magic, well I’m not sure how you wouldn’t call some of the things we did and went through magic. Kira well, the Dino gem things was weird, but at least she can’t go invisible on you. Tommy invisible,” Jason paused to shake his head, “And other than the tracking thing I really don’t see how Bridge’s powers are useful. Did Bridge get his powers the same way Kira and Xander did, by getting his morpher?”
"Weird stuff," Adam smiled as he remembered their Ninja powers, "I got super huge and squashed a Tenga," he said with a laugh. "As for Bridge… he was babbling about it, I think it was a lab accident." He stretched in his chair, "But the Overdrive team, they got genetic enhancements from Hartford, he offered it to me but I told him the day my fists and my feet can't protect me from monster attacks is the day I hang my hat up for good."
"Yeah, that'd just be weird and for all we know all it'd have done was make you taller or something," Jason teased.
"Like you're so tall," Adam muttered, making a face at him.
Jason sat back smugly and with a teasing smirk told him, "Hey, I'm taller than Justin, call me when you manage that one."
"Justin is like less than half an inch taller than me," Adam protested, leaning over to punch him playfully.
"Hey man, shorter is still shorter," Jason laughed before he changed the topic back to what Adam had first mentioned, "I had nightmares too, when I first started to lead. Typical I'm gonna screw up and get my friends hurt sorta stuff...so I mean if you want to talk about it?"
Adam sighed, "They're so vivid, and they're always different, different monsters, difference choices I'm making, but always the same outcome, my team is decimated and it's my fault." He leaned back in his chair again. "I'm almost dreading the first battle right now, scared of what is going to happen."
Jason sat up, that wasn’t good. “I’m sure your first battle will prove to you that these dreams are just that, dreams,” Jason reassured trying to think of questions to ease the stress Adam was under and to make the dreams less real, “Any monsters we’ve seen before?”
Adam shook his head, "No… not really, they seem… it's weird, they seem like improved versions of the types of monsters Rita and Zedd threw at us," he sounded disturbed by that thought.
“Now that’s disturbing,” Jason shuddered, “but we do keep comparing these two to Rita and Zedd, so maybe that’s what’s getting to you?”
"It's possible, but something isn't right, I just wish I knew what it is," he closed his eyes in frustration. "I've been sleeping for shit lately, because of these dreams."
That wasn’t good, Adam needed his rest for any up coming battles, but he likely also didn’t need that pointed out to him. Concerned Jason asked, “Not right how?”
"That's just it… I don't know!" Adam exclaimed in frustration. "It's just a feeling, a tickling in the back of my head that says, 'something isn't right', but I can't figure
it out."
Jason raised an eyebrow at Adam’s raised voice, obviously Adam’s nerves were more frayed than he thought. He knew that lack of sleep could affect a person, but Jason pressed his lips together and frowned sitting back in the seat, “Didn’t Tommy say he and his ki…team were attacked in their dreams once?”
"Yeah, but these Rita and Zedd wannabe's haven't even sent down one attack on us since making their presence known. Not even one. Why would they attack dreams before they've even tested us?" Adam said dismissively.
“It was just a thought. You’re pretty stressed and if that’s not a reason I wouldn’t know what is. Just remember, your team wouldn’t be following your orders if they didn’t think they were good ones. I’m sure if they don’t like one they’ll let you know."
"What if they don't?" Adam got up and started to pace in the office. "What if they think that just because I'm a veteran, and just because I was a ranger longer, I won't make a bad decision?"
“Everyone makes bad decisions Adam, even rangers. They’re not stupid, but if you’re worried they won’t give their input ask for it. Just, try to avoid asking Bridge, you’ll never find the point among all his theorizing,” Jason advised ending in a teasing tone in hopes of calming his friend.
Adam chuckled a bit, "You learn to pick out the important points in Bridge's babbling," he said leaning back against the wall. "I'm over-thinking this aren't I?"
“You’re stressed and antsy because they haven’t attacked, not really over thinking because that’s kinda one of the standards, thinking though your options for your team,” Jason told him.
"It is sad that I want them to attack?" Adam asked, feeling a bit selfish. "Battles are what makes a team bond, helps build trust. Right now our team's bond is fragile, the girls want to kill Xander on a daily basis; that needs to stop real quick." Not to mention it'd help calm my nerves, he added to himself. He hated it when villains took their time, it usually meant bad news.
“What he’d do now?” Jason groaned
"What doesn't he do man, he thinks every woman is going to fall over for his charm, he tries to charm the girls, the girls try to rip his head off, it's a vicious cycle man," he said with a chuckle.
Jason shook his head before he suggested, “You could always try some of those team building exercise; I mean I know most of them are dorky, but it’s at least something. Or just have a team movie night or dinner or something where you’re all hanging out.”
"We're having a movie night at the end of the week, baring a monster attack."
"See now you've just jinxed yourself and made plans, now you know when the monster will attack."
"At least movie night can be rescheduled. I swear they say patience comes with age, but I remember being patient in high school man, now, I want the first battle done and over with. I need to know what we're up against." He shrugged, "Not that I can't keep myself busy till then, stopping the girls from killing Xander, keeping Bridge from burning down the kitchen and teaching Dustin fighting meditation because any time he tries regular meditation, he falls asleep."
“You’ve got your hands full man,” Jason said with a shake of his head before he told him ruefully, “Have Xander meet Aisha, if that doesn’t teach him a lesson he’ll never forget, nothing will.”
Adam laughed, "I don't want him dead. How could I explain that to the rest of his team? 'Sorry but a yellow ate him'."
Jason chuckled, “"Maybe they'd thank you and then you'd have an excuse to stick a morpher on Tommy. ‘Here man, be your original color, we had to get rid of the last guy he drove us insane'..."
Adam couldn't help but to laugh again, "I think his original team would be more appt to kill me for harming their ranger. As for Tommy…" he trailed off. "I think Tommy's ready to officially retire, though you know he's gonna wind up in suit again, it's his luck."
Jason snorted, “Tommy will be eighty and clutching both his cane and his morpher…I fear for our future. The only question is what color will he be next?”
"He's slowly working on every color of the rainbow man," Adam joked. "He will be the first male pink ranger I just know it."
“He has to be, he missed being the first male yellow, though I have to admit the color suits Dustin…the guys being the opposite of the girls.”
Adam nodded, "He really is suited to the earth, but the Ninja Storm's colors are so messed up, I mean Tori's makes sense… but Dustin should be green or black since he's an earth ninja, and Shane should be yellow since he's an air ninja, Red's a fire elements color."
“They don’t work the way yours did and if it really bothers you ask one of them. I’m sure they know the origin of their colors. Besides Trini seems pleased with Dustin being a yellow and I can’t say she’d say the same for Shane since I haven’t met him.”
"Ooh, I didn't mean their personalities don't match their colors, because they're personalities fit their colors to a tee," Adam explained. "I mean… it's weird thinking about yellow and earth and red and air," he explained. "Dustin's a yellow, no doubt… Tori's the first female blue, and I haven't met Madison yet, so I don't know if the calm, cool, collected trait suits her too."
“Ask Xander? Hey, didn’t they have another male yellow and a kinda yellow sounding pink?”
Adam nodded, "Yeah they had a male yellow too. I guess he and Dustin share a common love of comic books," he said with a laugh. "I should really ask Xander, I know Trini was going to do some study about colors and what character traits fit what color."
Jason smiled, “Well naturally reds are the best color. Though I’m thinking Trini’ll find that not everyone lines up. I mean here I am the responsible one, but I’m not always hungry or getting my mind screwed with by the bad guys.”
"Rocky was hungry even when he was blue… and Kat can put away the food when she chooses to, too," Adam pointed out. "Besides… black is where it's at bro," he felt the need to add.
“And if I argue with that I’m sure Zack would somehow know and make me regret disagreeing,” Jason laughed, “Do you think she can do that, find similar traits in all the rangers of the same color?”
"It's Trini, she can do anything," Adam replied firmly. "But you have to admit, there are some general traits that rangers of one color and gender seem to share, and of course that pink ranger/red ranger scenario that keeps popping up. I mean Tommy and Kim, Tommy and Kat, TJ and Cassie had some sort of a fling, and they were red and pink at one point in time, Leo and Kendrix, Wes and Jen, Dana and Carter, Jungle boy and Alyssa… it's unnatural man, and it makes me glad I don't have a pink on my team" he said shaking his head.
“Alyssa was pink? Oh man, I’m out of the loop. I thought she was the first female white.”
"Well she had pink on her uniform… so she's pink," Adam said waving a hand. "But even with out them, it's still weird."
“Hmm,” Jason pondered with a smirk, “So do most greens like yellows?”
"I was black before I was green," Adam pointed out. "And Zack did have a fling with Trini in Switzerland. So blacks like yellows," Adam said as he felt his cheeks go red. "You suck man."
“Not all though. Tommy’s with Hayley and she…okay I could see her getting a morpher and it being yellow. Andros dated his yellow so that’s a red with a yellow. Wasn’t Danny with his team’s blue? Kira’s dating her team’s white. Did Will like Ronny at all? And hey, me and a pink never happened so I guess we’re wrong…”
"I didn't say it worked for every team, it's a pattern," Adam pointed out. "Besides, you can't tell me you never were jonsin' after Kimberly," he added with a smirk.
“What?” Jason asked attempting to look confused and profusely glad he didn’t blush as easily as Adam, “She dated Tommy. I don’t go after my friend’s girls.”
"Doesn't mean you don't have eyes," Adam pointed out. "Anyway, that's beside the point, which… I don't even remember what the point was," he admitted with a laugh.
“Me either,” Jason laughed, “How do we end up doing that?”
"Don't have a clue, but it seems to happen often, doesn't it?"
“It does, doesn’t it?” Jason agreed, happy to finally see some of the tiredness go out of Adam’s eyes, “So what were we trying to talk about?”
"I think it was Trini and her study of colors and personality traits, coinciding with the gender of the ranger," Adam said after pondering for a moment. "But…" he stretched, "I should probably head back home, Kat went to acquire a car, which means the team is home alone, I don't know if I trust them alone together in the house yet," he said with a chuckle.
"Sounds about right," Jason nodded then smiled, "I'm glad Kat's back, and you're probably right, but hey maybe you'll get lucky and the house won't be a disaster.
"You aren't the only one glad she's back," Adam said with a warm smile. "She's a huge help." He grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair. "As for coming home to a disaster free house, well, one can only hope." He walked over to the door, "I'll call ya later man… you gotta come by soon and see this gigantic house. Kat swears she's gonna get lost."
“Will do,” Jason agreed, “See you later bro.”
"Later man," Adam said as he headed out.