||Pod Release Protocols Initiating,|| Stacy announced to the denizens of the upper levels. Down the the Pod Caverns, familiar sounds made themselves known
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Billy couldn't recall the last time that waking up had been so thoroughly unpleasant. He'd expected to awaken in his bedroom, or his lab, or perhaps even the Command Center, but he'd never risen to consciousness coated in the slimy fluid now clinging to him.
The foreign situation immediately kicked his still-sluggish mind into gear. His imagination provided him with vivid images of torture at the hands of Rita Repulsa and her bumbling minions. If they'd captured him in his sleep, he was in deep trouble. His fingers rapidly flew to his wrist to contact Zordon or another Ranger, but they only encountered skin and slime.
This triggered the first stirrings of panic. Billy reached for the morpher that always hung at the base of his back, and again, found nothing but slime-coated flesh. Stomach twisting, he looked over his form and deduced that he was completely naked. He covered himself with one hand and unsteadily pushed to his feet with the other.
Billy couldn't make out the details of his new surroundings, but the pulsating lights flashing on the edges of the blur in front of him were more than unsettling enough. Goosebumps prickled down his arms, though whether they were from the chill in the air or the rising apprehension in his mind was anyone's guess. A slimy, powerless Billy without visual aid was at an extreme disadvantage in any fight. And somehow, he doubted he was on a pleasure cruise.
At any rate, staring at the fuzzy picture of a cavern in front of him wasn't providing answers. He spoke hesitantly, hoping despite the odds that a friendly English-speaking life form was present.
||I am here, William Cranston,|| answers a voice. It's emotionless, almost mechanical in nature but not quite. Possibly feminine. And there's something strange about the way it sounds, as if "sounds" isn't even the right word at all...
Billy's head snapped up at the sound of the voice. He twisted on his heel, looking for any moving blobs that were likely to be the source of the voice, but none could be found.
Well, whoever she was, she knew his language and his name. That was a start, if a creepy one. Naturally, he'd follow up with the next logical questions.
||My name is STA'C K'LTRRB'TXFT.|| For such a strange name (one clearly impossible to pronounce with human vocal folds), it stirs up a great deal of emotion. Motherly love, duty, and honor foremost among them. ||You may call me Stacy, if you prefer. I know your name because it is on the crew roster. Is there something else you wish to be called?||
Billy closed his eyes, puzzling over the odd feelings that the name brought to the surface. He wasn't sure how he would classify Stacy yet, but he supposed he'd faced far worse things than her.
"Actually, most people address me as Billy." He paused to regain his slipping balance, unnerved by the sensation of the floor pulsating under his feet. With that settled, he refocused on the more important issue at hand---he wanted to know why he'd been seemingly abducted from Angel Grove.
"I don't remember adding myself to any crew roster. Why am I here?"
Wonderful. Billy's worst enemy, right under 'false answers' and 'no answers', is 'vague answers'.
"What task was I chosen for, and can I decline? I have obligations back in Angel Grove." Yeah. Obligations. And a family, and a life, and a home too. He can't possibly know yet that Zordon replaces Power Rangers as frequently as Kimberly replaces purses, so the prospect of the Rangers being missing a member worries him.
His shoulders droop as he considers Stacy's answers. He has been abducted against his will to complete an unknown duty, and he has no say in the matter.
Well, he'll try again with the questioning. Maybe there's some unclassified information he can use. Like the location of his clothing, for instance. But first---
"I'm assuming there are other crew members present?"
||Yes. Many of them are assembling in the Living Area, but there are several who have recently been released from Stasis and are still within the Pod Caverns. Would you like me to direct you to them?||
It seemed just as likely a way as any to be clothed, so Billy slowly traversed the glowing path. The lights were easy enough to follow in theory, but their tendency to swim before his eyes didn't help.
He remained on high alert as he walked, muscles tense and ears listening intently for any abnormal movements.
The trek was long, but nothing attacked him. If he stopped to inspect any of the pods, he might have seen the shadow of a limb or a body, but no identifying details. The path lead him spiraling upwards, and ultimately ended at a large, circular room. It was empty except for some vines hanging from the ceiling.
Billy paused to observe the empty room, with nothing noticeable but dark green seemingly non-threatening blobs hanging from the ceiling. He unknowingly stepped within striking range of the vines to get a better look, dismayed by the apparent lack of his trusty blue overalls. Oh overalls, we hardly knew ye.
"Where is the clothing?" Well, it was coming right at him one way or another.
Or, rather, the tendrils hanging from the wall simply wrap themselves around him for a few moments, before releasing him, now covered in a strange, organic jumpsuit which feels almost like rose petals against the skin.
The foreign situation immediately kicked his still-sluggish mind into gear. His imagination provided him with vivid images of torture at the hands of Rita Repulsa and her bumbling minions. If they'd captured him in his sleep, he was in deep trouble. His fingers rapidly flew to his wrist to contact Zordon or another Ranger, but they only encountered skin and slime.
This triggered the first stirrings of panic. Billy reached for the morpher that always hung at the base of his back, and again, found nothing but slime-coated flesh. Stomach twisting, he looked over his form and deduced that he was completely naked. He covered himself with one hand and unsteadily pushed to his feet with the other.
Billy couldn't make out the details of his new surroundings, but the pulsating lights flashing on the edges of the blur in front of him were more than unsettling enough. Goosebumps prickled down his arms, though whether they were from the chill in the air or the rising apprehension in his mind was anyone's guess. A slimy, powerless Billy without visual aid was at an extreme disadvantage in any fight. And somehow, he doubted he was on a pleasure cruise.
At any rate, staring at the fuzzy picture of a cavern in front of him wasn't providing answers. He spoke hesitantly, hoping despite the odds that a friendly English-speaking life form was present.
"Is anyone there?"
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Well, whoever she was, she knew his language and his name. That was a start, if a creepy one. Naturally, he'd follow up with the next logical questions.
"Who are you, and how do you know my name?"
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"Actually, most people address me as Billy." He paused to regain his slipping balance, unnerved by the sensation of the floor pulsating under his feet. With that settled, he refocused on the more important issue at hand---he wanted to know why he'd been seemingly abducted from Angel Grove.
"I don't remember adding myself to any crew roster. Why am I here?"
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It's certainly not much of an answer.
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"What task was I chosen for, and can I decline? I have obligations back in Angel Grove." Yeah. Obligations. And a family, and a life, and a home too. He can't possibly know yet that Zordon replaces Power Rangers as frequently as Kimberly replaces purses, so the prospect of the Rangers being missing a member worries him.
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Thaaaaaat's never good.
||This duty overrides your previous obligations.||
Also known as, "you're not going anywhere, get used to it".
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Well, he'll try again with the questioning. Maybe there's some unclassified information he can use. Like the location of his clothing, for instance. But first---
"I'm assuming there are other crew members present?"
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"Affirmative---but before that, I'd like to obtain my clothing if that's possible. My corrective lenses would also be a great help."
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||Please follow the lights.||
Billy would get clothing. Not his clothing, but he would get clothing.
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He remained on high alert as he walked, muscles tense and ears listening intently for any abnormal movements.
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||Please walk to the center of the room.||
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"Where is the clothing?" Well, it was coming right at him one way or another.
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Or, rather, the tendrils hanging from the wall simply wrap themselves around him for a few moments, before releasing him, now covered in a strange, organic jumpsuit which feels almost like rose petals against the skin.
That is, of course, if rose petals had a PULSE.
That can't be pleasant.
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