Pink Ranger Problems

"Hey, Ryan!" Scott calls from down the hall. He's back in his original body. Hopefully that would change for him. He deserves to be happy in his own skin. Maybe Astrus and Kepler can do something for him. "Can you come here for a second?"

"What’s up, Scott?" By the Power he's tall? When did that happen? It's like he grew a foot in a second. Or I shrunk?

"Thanks for being so cool about the whole guy thing,” his voice was like butter. It was like listening to music. If I was into guys I'd be all over him. I'm jealous of all the girls he's bound to get. Not that there are any girls at school who are my type.

"What else are bro’s for?" 

“Haha. Yeah. Anyway I met this girl. I was wondering if you’ve seen her before. She had this cute short haircut and a super cute face.” Is he talking about Pink? “She was gorgeous. The way she pulled people from the rubble. Gosh she was stunning.” Why is he telling me all this? He is definitely talking about Pink, the only other girl that was there was Summer. I can’t have been that good at rescuing people. My cheeks feel warm. Why is he talking about me--her like that?

“I-- uh -- didn’t know you liked girls?” I mumble.  

“How could I not when there are girls like you, Pink?”

“What do you mean? I’m not a--” Why do I sound like a girl? Why is he suited up?

I hear him calling out to me as I run away. What’s happening? Is Loch controlling us? I haven't morphed, so why am I a girl? Why is he flirting with me? We’re friends for goodness sake! There’s no time to look where I’m going. Where's my suit? I have to get out of here.

“Pink, slow down!” he shouts. Like that's going to happen I need to get out,  I need to--

My body slams into something warm and soft. I close my eyes as the comfortable wall and I tumble forward. My body rises and falls with the breath of the person under me. The person I crashed into is gorgeous, his chiseled face, the small amounts of stubble on his chin. How did he get in front of me? I need to get up and keep running, but he grabs me. His arms wrap around my small frame, his hands pat my back to keep me calm. I’m melting in his arms. Why am I melting in his arms?

“Scott, let me go. It’s Ryan. We’re friends!”

“I thought you stopped using that name, babe?”

He knows? Babe? I try to wriggle free.

“What are you talking about, Scott?” My voice quivers. I sound like a squeaky toy. 

“Are you alright, my love?”

“Scott. Did Loch do something to you? I’m a guy.” He needs to snap out of it.

"You sure don't look like one."

"Why don't you believe me?"

"Because you chose to be a girl. Don't you remember?"

I feel his lips against mine. Their warmth radiates throughout my body. Why should I keep running from him? His beautiful brown eyes look at me like I’m the most gorgeous thing he’s ever seen. I could just give in and lay on him forever.

The morning alarm went off. Thank the Power. 

I throw the covers off and jump out of bed. Body check time. Hands? Oversized and ridiculous. No change. Chest? Concave. No boobs. Height? Lanky, and skeletal. Perfect. I do not have it in me to explain that I turned into a girl. Or to be a girl for that matter.

That dream was something straight out of a soap opera. Why was Scott there? Why was I a girl for most of it? Why did I kiss him? It has to be fear. I'm scared that him being a guy will ruin our friendship. That has to be it. I'm not gonna let that happen. My communicator beeps, pulling me out of my thoughts before I can figure out why I was a girl. Maybe that's for the best if I want to continue being a ranger. 

"Pink, teleport to the command center," Astrus commands. 

"Will I morph in teleport?"

"I can make that happen if you'd like."

"Do it." I can't let Scott know I'm Pink. 

I close my eyes and I'm still blinded by pink light. My body feels weightless. Is this what being in space is like? Would we get to go to space? Rangers in space? Nah that would be ridiculous. 

"Welcome back, Pink."

"Where is Red, Astrus?" My voice is girly again. There goes my hope the first time was a fluke. 

"He's asleep. I've pinged his communicator multiple times but he hasn't budged."

"He had a big night I think. No thanks to this weird transformation stuff." I gesture at my body to get the point across. My melodic voice rang through the empty command centre. 

"I do not control the forms that you are given, Pink."

"Do you at least have any idea why it might be happening?" I want to be a man. A man amongst men, in fact. A fighter and someone who can protect himself. Who doesn't have to rely on his cool friend to bail him out. Like this I might be able to protect myself but I’m not manly. Not even close!

"The only reason I can think of is that the Power thinks you would fight better.”

"I guess that makes sense for Scott, since he wants to be a guy."

“Ahh, that makes sense. So I’m assuming you are a--” 

“What? No! I’m a guy. I was trying to be more dudely before you summoned me here!"

“Then why is your ranger form so… girly?” I haven’t had a chance to look in a mirror, nor do I want to. I am not going to give in to this body. 

“I don’t know! You’re the wise sage here, Astrus.” I shout.

“Maybe some lines have been crossed. I can have Kepler look at your morpher, but you’ll still turn into a girl until it gets fixed. Are you okay with that?”

“How long will it take?” Fighting as a guy would be easier right? Guys tend to be stronger and they have more stamina.

“You’ll never be stuck as a girl, but there is the possibility that nothing is wrong with your morpher.”

“What?” How can it keep turning me into a girl if there is nothing wrong with it? There has to be some kind of mistake. 

“I don’t know much about gender. Kepler is the expert on that. My only experience with it was after the Gender Vendor incident. Maybe you just fight better in that body but are still a guy.” Can I live with that? “Would you still like to be a ranger?”

Would I? I mean I was only able to save Will yesterday because I was a ranger and despite being a girl he thought I was cool. I always thought girl superheros were just as cool as guy ones, like the old Gold and Red rangers were cool and they were both girls (Even if Gold was a guy at the start). Am I willing to give up being a superhero and saving people because it turns me into a girl? Like, this is a childhood dream come true. Besides what's more manly than saving people? I can't think of anything.

“I’ll stay on the team.” My mind is made up.

“You will need to tell the others then. Teams need to bond outside of battle." He announces. No. No. Can't do that. "Last time I was lax on that rule Gold almost got herself killed,” he mutters.

"My friends can't know about this!" I shout.  Or squeak. Damn this body. 

“No exceptions, Ryan.” A shudder goes up my spine. He does know my name. Why did he call me pink for so long?

“Can I pretend to be a girl? Like a normal girl?” Why did I say that? I don’t want to pretend to be a girl. I don't want to wear dresses and skirts and leggings and cute hoodies. But I can't let them know I'm a guy inside. That would be really embarrassing. It's one thing to turn into a girl because you're trans and a different thing to turn into a girl and still be a guy. That's another thing, what If I tell them and Scott believes his transformation was a fluke just because mine was. Pretending to be a different person who is a girl is the only logical option. That's why I said that. Of course.

"Very well then. You'll pretend to be a girl." The hologram smiles at me knowingly. Mysterious sages are the worst. "You should be able to hide the suit under some clothes. Kepler will arrange some clothes for you.”

“Just don’t tell Scott who I --” My sentence is cut off by a flash of red light.

"Hey, Astrus. Pink. Sorry I'm late." Speak of the devil.

"It's no problem, Red."

"Please, call me Scott." Why did his voice make my heart skip a beat? Scared me I guess. Should I see a doctor?

"Very well. You two were called here because you are different from the others. Scott, your body becomes a man’s when you morph. And uh, Pink because you don't know the others. Your situations pose extra challenges. I'd like you two to rely on each other."

"I become a man because I am a man, right?” He's taller than me. A lot taller than me. I should be taller than him! Did I shrink? It's intimidating, that’s why my heart is being weird. He looks like he could punch through a wall!

“I’d assume so.” 

“Is there any way to make it permanent?”

"I might have something, but you'll need to talk to your parents and be prepared. People won't forget who you are but I might be able to obtain some Clownfish Orange," Astrus explains. I try to imagine Scott teaching karate in his new body. Or fighting bullies. He is gonna have girls all over him. That shouldn't piss me off.

"Wasn't that a weapon?" He asks. It's my turn to jump in. I'm not going to let him hang onto that preconceived notion if it might stop him from being happy.

"It only changes your body. From what I remember he used it to inflict discomfort on the old rangers. There were reports that some people's bodies changed permanently and a program was devised to help those people. Will he need to take it every day until it becomes permanent, Astrus?" Researchers working on analyzing weren’t able to figure out the trigger, at least according to my research. 

"One dose will be enough, Pink. The drink was designed to alleviate dysphoria in trans individuals before it was stolen. It's medicine." Astrus explains.

"And it will give me the body I want?"

"Correct. You should come out to your friends and family before taking it. We can set up a plan over the next couple of days." I'm jealous. Some soft drink and he gets the body of his dreams. It wouldn't work on me obviously because I'm cis, but it would be nice to have my ideal body. Whatever that looks like.

"Thank you, Astrus."

"In the meantime, this girl is homeschooled. She doesn't know many people and she could use your help." Good backstory. Too bad I suck at improv.

"Um hi. Scott was it?" I sound meek. Soft-spoken. This is the opposite of what I want. I was gonna be a cool guy. A badass flirt! 

"Yeah. Hi. I don’t usually look like this.” I know that! “What's your name?" I need a name. What did Dad say he was going to call me? It was Fi something Fiona? Filia? Phoebe?

"Filia."

"Hi, Filia. Nice to meet you." 

"Nice to meet you too. Uh you’re body suits you." 

He blushes. I’d never seen him blush before. Why is this so awkward? We talk normally all the time. Why is this different? Aside from the obvious.

 “Thanks. I’m getting used to it. I caught a glimpse of myself yesterday and just. I don’t know how to describe the feeling. I just felt myself, you know?” I don’t really understand. How can someone not feel like themself? Things always feel wrong in some way or another, but that's life. I nodded anyway. I’ll figure it out later. “Sorry, I’m rambling.  Wanna go to the youth center Filia? I can introduce you to everyone and reintroduce myself." 

"That sounds great." I lie.