Cataclysm (Tsukino Akume, Drama/Friendship)
Yesterday I added about two cups of Drumstick ice cream to my large coffee cup, and proceeded to drink about half of it.
Then this happened.
Title/: Cataclysm
Author/: Tsukino Akume
Relationship/: Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, mentions of Cassie/Phantom
Rating/: K+
Warnings/: emotional trauma, mentally disturbed people, depression
Disclaimer/: If I owned the Power Rangers, this universe would exist. We would have known who the Phantom Ranger was - and it *would* have been a girl because I'm weird like that - and team snuggles would be mandatory every episode. As none of that is cannon, it's safe to assume that I don't.
Summary/: When Astronema was defeated, the Astro Rangers gave up more than their Powers. Reporters, fans, and long-lost relatives are coming out of the woodwork as the team struggles to adjust to it all. Bright Skies Universe.
Theme/: 55. Boredom
Author's Notes/: The requirements being read were taken from http://www.ehow.com/list_6454579_ged-requirements-california.html. I have since been informed that there was a second test that the Rangers could have taken which came out right about the time this would have been happening. x.x So for the sake of this story, it wasn't an option until later in the year.
Much love to
rosabelle for beta. ♥
"Examinees who want to take the GED test must be eighteen years of age or older, or within sixty days of their eighteenth birthday regardless of school enrollment status."
Carlos lifted a hand. "Um - "
"Examinees who are seventeen year old," Andros continued loudly, clearly not finished, "Are allowed to take the GED test if they satisfy two requirements: have been out of school for at least sixty consecutive school days - "
"That's us," Ashley confirmed.
"And provide a written letter of request from either the military, post-secondary school, or prospective employer."
"Uh," Carlos began again.
"Examinees who complete the GED testing before their eighteenth birthday will experience a delay in certification. They initially will receive a letter of intent from the state of California, and then be certified when they turn eighteen. Examinees may not be enrolled in school at time of GED testing and must be within sixty days of when they would have graduated from high school had the normal course of study been completed. Individuals who are seventeen years of age while incarcerated in a California state or county correctional facility are eligible to take the GED test if these requirements are met: it is found that the individual has no realistic chance of achieving a high school diploma, the individual is suffeciently prepared to complete the GED test, the individual understands the ramifications, benefits, expectations, and limitations of obtaining a GED verses a diploma, and the individual is capable of committing sufficient time to completing the GED test battery in its entirety."
"Wait, so we have to get a job or get *arrested* just to graduate high school now?" Carlos demanded.
Zhane started laughing.
Cassie kicked him absently as she frowned in thought. "That would mean ... T.J. can take it in March, Ash would be April, and Carlos in May, but I have to wait until the end of June?"
"Would your government accept being a Power Ranger as enrolling in the military?" Karone asked.
"Who knows?" T.J. sighed, reaching up to run his forehead. "It's not like there's a precident for this kind of thing."
"Maybe Lord Billy could write you a note," Zhane teased, still snickering.
Cassie kicked him again.
"Do you know Lord Billy personally?" Ashley asked curiously.
Surprisingly, Zhane and Andros both nodded. "I've worked with him several times, through the Rangers of Aquitar," Andros told them.
"I haven't known him long, but we've worked together since I took over as the Alliance representative for KO-35," Zhane added.
Ashley blinked. "You're KO-35's representative?"
A slow smirk crossed Cassie's face; she couldn't help it. "Does this mean we get to call you Lord Zhane?"
"Only in Alliance Meetings," he answered absently, shifting around to hang upside down in his beanbag chair and stare at the ceiling.
T.J. stared at him. There was a slight twitch over his right eye. " ... You mean I spent all that time researching laws and politics, when you could have just taken care of it?"
"First of all, I couldn't," Zhane corrected him, holding up a finger. The gesture looked odd from the position he was in. "I'm not from Earth. I don't know your laws, and I have no power to argue them even if I did. Second, seeing as you're from Earth and the team's second, it falls to you as our Earth Representative which means you needed to know all that anyway."
There was a long silence.
"Do we get to call you Lord T.J. now?" Carlos asked finally.
Cassie snickered, and they exchanged a low five as T.J. glared at them both.
"Only in Alliance meetings," Zhane said again, but there was a slight smirk on his face as he said it.
"So how do we get ahold of Lord Billy?" Ashley ventured, clearly trying to keep the peace.
"Comm call, once he's available." Zhane didn't look too concerned. "He's been on sabbatical for awhile now. When he starts taking messages again, we'll call."
Cassie frowned. "Why is he ... ?"
"Lord Billy was one of Zordon's Rangers."
She winced, and there was an awkward pause.
Andros cleared his throat abruptly. "Valid identification is required by all GED candidates," he read aloud. "Identification must be current and include the examinee's full name, date of birth, address and signature. Identification must also include a current photograph. Items considered acceptable to prove identification are: a Department of Motor Vehicles driver's license or identification card, military issued identification card, U.S. or foreign government issued passport, identification cards issued by U.S. or foreign governments, and lastly identification cards issued by a post-secondary school."
Karone sat up from where she'd been leaning against the window, blinking for a moment like she'd been dozing. "Do you have any of those?"
T.J. was still glaring at Zhane, but he nodded. "Driver's license. We all do."
"If T.J. is the only one who can even take this G.E.'d test, why are we still boring ourselves talking about it?" Zhane asked suddenly, clearly ignoring the glare as he continued to stare up at the ceiling.
"Because T.J. can still take his *G.E.D.* test, and T.J. would like to graduate high school," T.J. informed him irritably.
Zhane shifted, turning just enough to stare at him blankly. "You're a Power Ranger. You saved the *universe*. What do you need high school for?"
There was another awkward silence.
"Because if we want to go to college, we have to graduate high school first," Ashley said finally.
Zhane only looked more bewildered. "Why do you need more school?"
"If you want to get a good job, you have to go to school," she explained. She elbowed Carlos, who was fighting a grin.
"You're a *Power Ranger*. You already *have* a job," Zhane argued.
"But I don't know if I want to be a Ranger for the rest of my life," she protested, fidgeting a little.
"What else would you be?"
" ...I don't know yet," she admitted. "But I like the idea of having the option."
"Not everyone wants to be a Ranger, Zhane," Andros interjected defensively, eyeing Ashley.
"That's because you're just weird," Zhane informed him. "I'll stop being a Ranger the day they pry this morpher from my cold fingers."
Cassie made a face. "Cheery."
"Okay, change of subject," T.J. interrupted. "This conversation is getting morbid, and I still have a test to study for."
"But studying is boring," Zhane protested. "Just wing it. You'll be fine."
"We could name Carlos' dragon," Ashley offered quickly before T.J. could do more than glare at him.
Carlos looked up, rolling his eyes as his dragon peeked out on his left shoulder from under his hair. "For the last time, the dragon doesn't need a name, Ash. It's a *dragon*."
"Don't say that! You'll hurt Sparkle's feelings!"
His eyes narrowed. "You are *not* naming him Sparkle."
"What's wrong with Sparkle?" Karone asked with a frown. "I like things that sparkle."
"Shiny," Zhane suggested, grinning. "Shiny things are fun, too."
"Fireball." T.J. shrugged, shooting a longing glance at the book Andros was still holding. "That's a good name for a dragon."
"Trouble," Andros suggested, eyeing the dragon warily.
"What about Sparkie?" Cassie offered. "It still sounds kind of like Sparkle, but less .. Zhane-like?"
"Hey," Zhane protested.
"I'm calling him Chaos, because that's all he ever seems to cause," Carlos grumbled. The dragon snuggled against his cheek, and he reached up to pat its head absently.
"Now that that's settled, can we *please* help T.J. graduate high school?" T.J. asked pointedly.
"High school is boring," Zhane informed him.
"You said that already."
"Obviously you weren't listening well enough, or I wouldn't have to repeat it."
Cassie shook her head with a smile. If there was one thing she could be sure of, life as a Power Ranger was *never* boring.
Then this happened.
Title/: Cataclysm
Author/: Tsukino Akume
Relationship/: Andros/Ashley, Zhane/Karone, mentions of Cassie/Phantom
Rating/: K+
Warnings/: emotional trauma, mentally disturbed people, depression
Disclaimer/: If I owned the Power Rangers, this universe would exist. We would have known who the Phantom Ranger was - and it *would* have been a girl because I'm weird like that - and team snuggles would be mandatory every episode. As none of that is cannon, it's safe to assume that I don't.
Summary/: When Astronema was defeated, the Astro Rangers gave up more than their Powers. Reporters, fans, and long-lost relatives are coming out of the woodwork as the team struggles to adjust to it all. Bright Skies Universe.
Theme/: 55. Boredom
Author's Notes/: The requirements being read were taken from http://www.ehow.com/list_6454579_ged-requirements-california.html. I have since been informed that there was a second test that the Rangers could have taken which came out right about the time this would have been happening. x.x So for the sake of this story, it wasn't an option until later in the year.
Much love to
rosabelle for beta. ♥
"Examinees who want to take the GED test must be eighteen years of age or older, or within sixty days of their eighteenth birthday regardless of school enrollment status."
Carlos lifted a hand. "Um - "
"Examinees who are seventeen year old," Andros continued loudly, clearly not finished, "Are allowed to take the GED test if they satisfy two requirements: have been out of school for at least sixty consecutive school days - "
"That's us," Ashley confirmed.
"And provide a written letter of request from either the military, post-secondary school, or prospective employer."
"Uh," Carlos began again.
"Examinees who complete the GED testing before their eighteenth birthday will experience a delay in certification. They initially will receive a letter of intent from the state of California, and then be certified when they turn eighteen. Examinees may not be enrolled in school at time of GED testing and must be within sixty days of when they would have graduated from high school had the normal course of study been completed. Individuals who are seventeen years of age while incarcerated in a California state or county correctional facility are eligible to take the GED test if these requirements are met: it is found that the individual has no realistic chance of achieving a high school diploma, the individual is suffeciently prepared to complete the GED test, the individual understands the ramifications, benefits, expectations, and limitations of obtaining a GED verses a diploma, and the individual is capable of committing sufficient time to completing the GED test battery in its entirety."
"Wait, so we have to get a job or get *arrested* just to graduate high school now?" Carlos demanded.
Zhane started laughing.
Cassie kicked him absently as she frowned in thought. "That would mean ... T.J. can take it in March, Ash would be April, and Carlos in May, but I have to wait until the end of June?"
"Would your government accept being a Power Ranger as enrolling in the military?" Karone asked.
"Who knows?" T.J. sighed, reaching up to run his forehead. "It's not like there's a precident for this kind of thing."
"Maybe Lord Billy could write you a note," Zhane teased, still snickering.
Cassie kicked him again.
"Do you know Lord Billy personally?" Ashley asked curiously.
Surprisingly, Zhane and Andros both nodded. "I've worked with him several times, through the Rangers of Aquitar," Andros told them.
"I haven't known him long, but we've worked together since I took over as the Alliance representative for KO-35," Zhane added.
Ashley blinked. "You're KO-35's representative?"
A slow smirk crossed Cassie's face; she couldn't help it. "Does this mean we get to call you Lord Zhane?"
"Only in Alliance Meetings," he answered absently, shifting around to hang upside down in his beanbag chair and stare at the ceiling.
T.J. stared at him. There was a slight twitch over his right eye. " ... You mean I spent all that time researching laws and politics, when you could have just taken care of it?"
"First of all, I couldn't," Zhane corrected him, holding up a finger. The gesture looked odd from the position he was in. "I'm not from Earth. I don't know your laws, and I have no power to argue them even if I did. Second, seeing as you're from Earth and the team's second, it falls to you as our Earth Representative which means you needed to know all that anyway."
There was a long silence.
"Do we get to call you Lord T.J. now?" Carlos asked finally.
Cassie snickered, and they exchanged a low five as T.J. glared at them both.
"Only in Alliance meetings," Zhane said again, but there was a slight smirk on his face as he said it.
"So how do we get ahold of Lord Billy?" Ashley ventured, clearly trying to keep the peace.
"Comm call, once he's available." Zhane didn't look too concerned. "He's been on sabbatical for awhile now. When he starts taking messages again, we'll call."
Cassie frowned. "Why is he ... ?"
"Lord Billy was one of Zordon's Rangers."
She winced, and there was an awkward pause.
Andros cleared his throat abruptly. "Valid identification is required by all GED candidates," he read aloud. "Identification must be current and include the examinee's full name, date of birth, address and signature. Identification must also include a current photograph. Items considered acceptable to prove identification are: a Department of Motor Vehicles driver's license or identification card, military issued identification card, U.S. or foreign government issued passport, identification cards issued by U.S. or foreign governments, and lastly identification cards issued by a post-secondary school."
Karone sat up from where she'd been leaning against the window, blinking for a moment like she'd been dozing. "Do you have any of those?"
T.J. was still glaring at Zhane, but he nodded. "Driver's license. We all do."
"If T.J. is the only one who can even take this G.E.'d test, why are we still boring ourselves talking about it?" Zhane asked suddenly, clearly ignoring the glare as he continued to stare up at the ceiling.
"Because T.J. can still take his *G.E.D.* test, and T.J. would like to graduate high school," T.J. informed him irritably.
Zhane shifted, turning just enough to stare at him blankly. "You're a Power Ranger. You saved the *universe*. What do you need high school for?"
There was another awkward silence.
"Because if we want to go to college, we have to graduate high school first," Ashley said finally.
Zhane only looked more bewildered. "Why do you need more school?"
"If you want to get a good job, you have to go to school," she explained. She elbowed Carlos, who was fighting a grin.
"You're a *Power Ranger*. You already *have* a job," Zhane argued.
"But I don't know if I want to be a Ranger for the rest of my life," she protested, fidgeting a little.
"What else would you be?"
" ...I don't know yet," she admitted. "But I like the idea of having the option."
"Not everyone wants to be a Ranger, Zhane," Andros interjected defensively, eyeing Ashley.
"That's because you're just weird," Zhane informed him. "I'll stop being a Ranger the day they pry this morpher from my cold fingers."
Cassie made a face. "Cheery."
"Okay, change of subject," T.J. interrupted. "This conversation is getting morbid, and I still have a test to study for."
"But studying is boring," Zhane protested. "Just wing it. You'll be fine."
"We could name Carlos' dragon," Ashley offered quickly before T.J. could do more than glare at him.
Carlos looked up, rolling his eyes as his dragon peeked out on his left shoulder from under his hair. "For the last time, the dragon doesn't need a name, Ash. It's a *dragon*."
"Don't say that! You'll hurt Sparkle's feelings!"
His eyes narrowed. "You are *not* naming him Sparkle."
"What's wrong with Sparkle?" Karone asked with a frown. "I like things that sparkle."
"Shiny," Zhane suggested, grinning. "Shiny things are fun, too."
"Fireball." T.J. shrugged, shooting a longing glance at the book Andros was still holding. "That's a good name for a dragon."
"Trouble," Andros suggested, eyeing the dragon warily.
"What about Sparkie?" Cassie offered. "It still sounds kind of like Sparkle, but less .. Zhane-like?"
"Hey," Zhane protested.
"I'm calling him Chaos, because that's all he ever seems to cause," Carlos grumbled. The dragon snuggled against his cheek, and he reached up to pat its head absently.
"Now that that's settled, can we *please* help T.J. graduate high school?" T.J. asked pointedly.
"High school is boring," Zhane informed him.
"You said that already."
"Obviously you weren't listening well enough, or I wouldn't have to repeat it."
Cassie shook her head with a smile. If there was one thing she could be sure of, life as a Power Ranger was *never* boring.