Pink Ranger Problems

The tension could be cut with a knife. I knew this idea was reckless and I'd thought about how badly it could go wrong, but I hadn't even considered how to explain it to them. My plan boils down to shooting a prison wall and then if that works, somehow finding a way out. Leo and Ziggy sat on the floor next to each other. Scott stood to one side, next to Summer, who was scribbling something down.

At least they are safe. I guess the ambushes didn’t let them put up much of a fight. No one had anything more severe than a few scrapes.

“But you beat the Crab Trap.” Leo says looking up at me and making me feel stupid for being here. I was the last person everyone would want planning an escape. I am the idiot that kept getting captured and now it was everyone's problem.

“I did.”

“Then why are you here?” Ziggy asks. Their voice sounds hoarse. 

Scott and Summer stare at me, sizing me up like they’re not sure I’m real. Or they might be disappointed in me. It’s probably the latter.

“Loch threatened to hurt all of you if I didn't surrender,” I argue. “And Astrus was being slow, he wasn’t even there, and Kepler was trying but they didn’t know how long it would take and I just,”

“Oh.” Leo looks down at the floor. 

“I couldn't just–” Scott comes towards me, and hovers his palm over my cheek like he wants to hold my face and I can’t finish my sentence anymore. My face feels so intensely warm. “I couldn’t leave you…”

“Can I touch?” He asks and it's like I’ve swallowed a golf ball.

“Now is not the time for that.” Ziggy says.

“Shh Ziggy.” Summer interjects.

I don't know why he wants to but I don't want to say no. I have half a mind to lean into it further. They got his phone to lure me in. They played with my feelings and then they took him away before we could even figure out what we are. I need him to be real, to be here. 

I nod. He caresses my face, his warm fingers move over my skin and send a shiver down my spine. Is he going to kiss me? It's not a good time, but I don’t care.

“You aren't wearing makeup,” he says.

“I don't know how. Summer did it last time.” I nuzzle into his hand. Pathetic? Yes, but it feels so good.

“And why is this important?” Leo asks. 

“Because she's flawless.” He can definitely feel how hot my face is right now and I can’t even protest because I don’t have any retort to something like that!

“Ew, look I respect both of you, but is now the time for you to flex your heterosexuality?” Ziggy asks. That's what I'm thinking. For once we were on the same side of this stuff. 

“No, she's literally flawless. Filia, no offence to her isn't anymore.” Summer explains, but I'm not really listening enough to get offended. 

The worry in Scott's eyes makes it hard to focus on anything else. They are begging for something they've missed. I don't think he thinks I'm a trick? The last hour has been the worst, and now he's here and worried and I don't know what to do. I came in here with the bare bones of a plan, because I didn't want to lose my friends and he's just holding my face. I tentatively wrap my arms around him, and move in closer, he reciprocates. At least I have more time to figure things out with him…

“Not since she drank the juice.”

“Oh.” Leo says,

“That's brilliant!” It sounds like Ziggy has gotten to their feet.

Scott is so warm and I wish there was more time for me to just melt. I hadn't lost everyone. I'd at least succeeded at getting us together again. Now we just need to figure out how to get out. Freeing up one of my hands, I invite the others to join in on the hug, and I can feel them slowly joining one by one, which is entirely new. A group hug is almost as alien as the ship to me. 

“I'm glad everyones alright.” I whimper.

“There is something on the ground, it wasn't here until you came in,” Summer whispers. 

“Aw, you were worried about us, Fi,” Ziggy says. I feel someone shuffling a bit. 

“Got it.” It seems Leo got the memo about a plan that I didn't.

“We should break this up,” Summer pulls away I assume. “We investigate what was dropped, then you summon your bow, alright?”

“Got it.” Everyone pulls away from me one by one until it's just me and Scott again. 

“Well done taking down Crab Trap on your own,” Scott says.

“He was pretty beat up by the time it got to me.”

“You didn't fall for its ambush though, more than the rest of us can say.”

“I'm getting a bit more cautious about going anywhere alone.” I sway a bit. I should keep an eye on the others to know my cue.

“It looks like a key fob, I saw one of the Anemobots use a similar one when we got thrown in,” Leo throws the key across to Summer.

“And nothing to use it on in here,” Summer says.

I take a deep breath. Moment of truth, how badly did I screw up by coming here? It isn't worth thinking about. I can't have screwed this up or I may have left everyone at the mercy of a stranger sent by Astrus. I imagine the bow in my hand, and reach out to the Power with my mind. I don't know if begging it to work helps, but it sure can’t hurt. The cold metallic finish of the bow weighs down on my hand, in my other hand I feel an unfamiliar leathery hilt. Pulling away from Scott, my bow is in one hand and a sharp thorned blade is in the other. 

“You are amazing, Filia,” Scott says, looking down at his thornblade resting in my hand. How did I do that? Did I do that? “It may not be the full arsenal, but it should be enough to get us out of this glorified aquarium. You three, get ready to run.”

They nod and shuffle around the borders of the rooms to get away from the attack. If this thing was enough to detonate a monster it should be good enough against glass. I hand him his sword, he moves behind me and I draw my bow. He slides his blade between my fingers and reinforces my grip with his.

We let go and the blade soars through the glass, rock and coral which crumble as water floods our cell and the hallway. Our weapons disappear from our hands. My outfit fades back into the clothes I'd planned to wear for school and I suddenly feel a lot less super. I can't really complain too much when I'm the only one who's dry.  

Summer leaves through our new door first, followed by Leo, and then Ziggy.

“After you.” Scott gestures to the door like he was opening it for me. A move which considering everything that we've been through today, shouldn’t work for me. It shouldn't do anything! But it does, and I'm reminded that this idiot has been acting like this forever and it never made me more flustered than it did now.

“Screw you.” I head through our makeshift exit. 

“Take me to dinner first.” He winks as he follows me out, you would think he would be trying to show off more before he knew who I was but he has only gotten more cocky. He's not just trying to show off, he's teasing me and it's working. 

“Look, Scott, Fi, I love both of you, but I need you to focus on the problem at hand.” Summer lectures, saving me from my own reactions.

“Rain check?” He asks me. 

“How did they get more insufferable?” Ziggy jokes.

“I think it’s cute,” Leo replies, “the wonders of young love.”

“Filia, what does this key open?” Summer asks, ignoring the other two with nothing more than eyeroll. At this moment she is my saviour from teasing.

“I don't know.”

“Didn't you steal it?”

“No, sneaking in pre-morphed and breaking out was where my plan ended.”

“So where did it come from?” 

“Fins I guess? He's not the best guard. He left the door unlocked last time.”

“Did he say anything else?” 

“Just that he was around the corner, and he thought I was planning something.” Summer's brain was ticking away.

“It could be a trap,” Summer says. 

“Yeah but it's not like we can do much without our morphers,” Scott replies. “Unless someone else pulled a Filia and didn’t tell us.”

“We are not calling that ‘pulling a Filia'” I interject. 

“Scott.” Summer gives Scott a disappointed look, the kind you would give to a puppy. 

“Yes, ma'am.” 

Despite all anemone “eyes” being on us, it doesn't look like any alarms had gone off. Were they just for show? Regular anemones? Really lazy? Or maybe they just couldn't see us. Whatever the reason. I’m grateful. The others might have taken them unsuited but I haven't and I would like to keep it that way. 

“I knew today was going to be painful but I didn't think it would be this bad,” I say to no one in particular. 

“I can't believe they decided to ruin your special day,” Ziggy says. 

“It's not special, it’s terrifying.”

“It's special because I don't have to pretend you are different people anymore.” It's nice to know that despite the sappiness of the other day, Ziggy could still take digs at me. 

“Ziggy.” Leo scolds.

“Fine. It's special because you are special. You’ve changed and grown and as your friend, I'm really proud of you and want everyone else to be as well.”

“Found the panel,” Summer says. “Filia, do you need to rest before we go on.”

“I mean like mentally painful. I’m not hurt or anything.”

“Yes, but you unmorphed. If you need to sit down, I think it’s safe right now.” 

“I’m fine, Summer. No big transformation and I’ve had breakfast.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Fi, do you think he meant literally around the corner, or that he was close by,” Ziggy asks.

“I don’t know, he’s an alien.”

“That could mean he’s being literal.” Summer says.

“If he’s been here for six years, maybe he’s adapted.” Scott strokes his chin. “I say we check the closest doors when we leave, as a group. Splitting up unmorphed sounds like a recipe for recapture. Sound good?”

“It’s a plan. Which is better than charging blind. Do you want me to stay on door duty?” Summer holds up the key. “Or do you want it.”

“You open, I have a look, if we find something. I go in first, followed by Filia, Leo, Ziggy and then you.”

Still no alarms. We nod, Summer opens the door to the hallway and we shuffle out in the formation we were instructed to. The fish and the anemones stare but alarms still aren’t raised and we still aren’t swarmed. 

“We teleported in from that way.” I point down the hall to where I first saw these fish. “Fin’s might have kept walking past the holding area, it looks like it turns a bit further up as well.

“It’s the best lead we’ve got.” Scott leads the way.

The tunnels are a lot easier to appreciate without a shark monster escorting you to a cell. It didn’t completely quell the fear of being caught, but it helps me think of the future. When we make it out, Scott and I could go to an aquarium or something. If we make it out.

“Scott–” I start before our train grinds to a halt.

“First door.” Summer announces. 

We haven’t turned the corner yet, what type of rooms would you even need on an alien ship? Do they grow food? Or do they just use stuff from our planet? Maybe that’s down here. Or it could be a barracks. Keeping a barracks next to the brig seems smart, but I’m not an alien or a strategist.

“Ready?”

Scott nods, and Summer opens the door.