7Hi everyone. I just wanted to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for joining me on this wild journey. I was concerned about how you, the reader, would take my vision, but I'm pleased by the feedback and now I know that there are people out there that understand my twisted storytelling. This is the last chapter of this story and I'm glad you all stuck with me. This experience has brought me from my writer's funk and now I feel inspired to continue with my other long standing stories. Crush, to name one.
Warning: You may now breathe a sigh of relief. This chapter is more introspection than carnage.
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers Zeo, 'It Came from Angel Grove', Adam, Tommy, Rocky, Catherine, Billy, Tanya or Jason. But I thoroughly enjoyed messing with them.
Author's Note: This chapter is loosely based off of "Mondo's Last Stand". Also, I take it by lack of reviews for my final chapter, that most people were dissatisfied with it. Upon rereading it I have to agree. I hope that this chapter is a better closing and leaves a nice opening for, say, a sequel? (wink-wink).
Thanks:Thanks again everyone. Especially brankel1 and magically magic for your reviews, RyanWolfeIsHot for adding this to story alert, Tomaki, DorugaruAtisuto and XxMaskedPuppetxX for adding this to your favorites, and last but not least, to you, J. Stellar Raven, I know you're annoyed with me for this and other detours, but I really do value your input, as always, so don't starve me of it. Thanks, as always.
Last time on "The Devil You Know"…
"Let me out of this nightmare," he implored to no one in particular, looking up at the waning moon.
He hazarded a deep breath. The air was thick with moss and mold and death. He swore he could hear something approaching him. Something clashing…distant screams…someone calling his name…
Maybe it was all the blood he lost. Maybe it was all in his head. Let them take me, he decided.
He rested his head back against the tree, closed his eyes, and allowed himself to drift fitfully to sleep.
And now, back to the show!
Epilogue
Zen'Aku Lati
"Adam…Adam!..."
The boy opened his eyes, slowly, letting the daylight stream in with a wince.
"The sun…" Adam groaned. Has he been passed out all night? But before he could count his lucky stars that he had made it through the night, he acknowledged painfully that all his injuries were still there—and that all the trees had disappeared.
Something wasn't right.
He was stretched out in his back, looking around, wondering why the buildings looked like the ones in Angel Grove Square, and why the voice calling him sounded so familiar…
"Adam? Bro, are you alright?"
Suddenly stepping into his view was a red-clad figure with a helmeted head.
The clamor of battle drifted in. Battle…
The figure then removed his helmet and leaned down, his long hair blowing in the wind. Tommy…
Adam blinked. Tommy leaned closer, concern etched across his sweaty brow. Then Adam balked as he remembered the cruel Count.
"l'Dráq!" the confused boy murmured and hastily shot up…and immediately regretted it.
"Dude, try not to move. You took a major blow," the red-clad person advised, then smiled and added, "You took a few, actually."
"You're…alive?" Adam muttered, recoiling when the other reached out a gloved hand.
"Yeah, bro. And I'm glad you are, too," the other continued, looking confused for only half a second. "What were you thinking, taking Mondo on by yourself?"
"Tommy?" Adam acknowledged finally, letting his leader ease him back down to the ground.
"Yeah, it's me. Do you know where you are?" No, Adam didn't. The look of concern was back and deeper than ever.
The Red Ranger then spoke into his communicator, requesting that Billy teleport him back to the Command Center for evaluation.
So back at the Command Center there was nothing for the boy to do but lay there and watch as his friends clean up his mess on the Viewing Globe.
When it was all over his team came streaming back in one by one in colored light.
They were all conferring with each other essentially licking their wounds, letting themselves be looked over by Billy, and every once in a while one of them would wander over to him to see how he was.
His friends. Yet the carnage, the hostility, and their ends were fresh in his mind.
When Rocky finally wandered over, Adam asked, "What happened?" The Blue Ranger gave him a look before beginning.
"Well, when you found out Mondo's latest plot, you decided to go after him yourself, like you had something to prove. But I don't think you realized Mondo would be handling his business personally, and he overwhelmed you." Rocky shook his head. "Shit, man. You really scared me. When you went down and didn't move…I thought he killed you, man! What were you thinking? Save the boneheaded shit for me!"
Rocky's uncharacteristic outburst made the others stop and stare. He was looking at Adam expectantly, and the look on the Blue Ranger's face tore him apart. "Dude, don't ever do that to me again, or I swear to God, I'll kill you myself," he finished, and there was no humor in his tone. Then he stormed off.
"I'm sorry…" Adam choked out to his best friend's retreating back. Everyone, including Alpha, was staring at him.
What was he thinking?
Across the room he spotted Tommy and Jason exchanging worried glances. They would be close enough to speak without speaking, wouldn't they…
Now he remembered. He was thinking about Tommy. He was always thinking about Tommy.
How he wanted to be close to him. How scared he was to let Tommy know his true feelings, and would happily settle for being one of his closest friend…and how Jason returning spoiled all his efforts.
At a glance Adam could tell how tight they were, with the inside jokes, the friendly touches, the whole-hearted way they sparred.
And looking at Jason, no one could ever say he was meek—at least not to his face. Adam could see him in Red. Even in Gold, Adam could easily see him leading.
How could Adam ever compete?
So the Green Ranger opted to prove himself, and take King Mondo and his Domacles sword on himself. Needless to say, that didn't work out so well. He had been soundly pummeled and lost consciousness on the battlefield.
And the resulting dream he had was out of this world.
A fantastic mind-trip to go with that fantastic ass-whooping.
He was so mortified he could cry. He laughed instead. They were looking at him again.
Jason, clutching his newly-bandaged arm, approached his cot, smiling reassuring. "You gave us a scare there, bro," he began, and took a seat at the edge of Adam's cot.
"You know, you never have to prove anything. We're a team. No one's trying to muscle you out," Jason reassured knowingly, then smirked. "A certain Red Ranger had to remind me of that once."
Adam knew this intrinsically—he just didn't believe it.
"Lemme know if there's anything you need," he offered kindly. Jason was a good guy—that didn't mean he had to like him.
Tommy then joined him at the Green Ranger's side. "He's right. We're a team. And if there was any point where you felt left out, I take full responsibility for that," his leader reassured. "Just lemme know if there's anything I can do."
See, this is why I love you, Adam thought, looking guiltily at the pair who were looking equally worse for wear. Look at them, leaders both…
"Thanks, but all I really need is my stuff from the library. I still have tons of studying to do," Adam requested.
"'Kay, bro. You got it," Tommy agreed with a caring smile. "But don't forget to rest." And they both departed.
When his stuff was returned to him and he was left alone, he looked everything over—'A Collectioin of Classic Horror Tales, vol. 1', various research for various classes, his laptop blinking his screensaver: pictures of he and his friends—it was all so absurd he wanted to laugh.
He cried instead.
"Puis Qu'en Oubli"-Guillaume de Machaut
Since I am forgotten by you, sweet friend,
I bid farewell to a life of love and joy,
Unlucky was the day I placed my love in you,
Since I am forgotten by you, sweet friend,
But what was promised you I will sustain,
That I shall never have any other love,
Since I am forgotten by you, sweet friend,
I bid farewell to a life of love and joy.
~Fin?~
Monday, May 7, 2012