Independence Day (in Space/Power Rangers, K)
I actually had a decent Fourth of July this year, despite the fact that it's my least favorite holiday. Woke up sore this morning from three wheeling yesterday (I am *way* too short to be riding on the back of one of those things. >.<), and started writing this. It's angsty and somewhat anti-Fourth, but not intended in an offensive way.
This is what happens when I think too much.
Fandom/: Power Rangers in Space
Characters/: Ashley and Cassie
Rating/: K
Disclaimer/: I don’t own things.
Summary/: Two Rangers debate the meaning behind Independence Day now that their lives have been changed.
Author's Notes/: This idea came to me the other day while explaining why I personally don’t like the Fourth of July. Then my thoughts wandered the other night, and this is what resulted. InSpace just seemed to be the best season for my purposes. Devon and Tabitha are Ashley's younger siblings, snagged from my Fade to Darkness fic.
For Challon86, because she started the conversation that inspired this. ♥
She sat on a hill overlooking the picnic area, where dozens of families were barbequing and enjoying the evening. The fireworks should be starting soon, and then they'd all gather to ooh and ah over them. Her own family was probably down there somewhere, but she couldn't bring herself to join them.
"Hey ... "
She glanced up and smiled faintly. "Hey, Cassie."
Cassie frowned, moving to sit beside her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. "You okay?"
Ashley shrugged. "I guess so."
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Cassie finally nudged her shoulder. "Tell me what you're thinking about," she requested softly.
Her gaze moved back over the celebrations with a soft sigh. "It's just ... not the same anymore, you know? I used to love the Fourth of July. But now ... it all seems so hypocritical. I mean, Dark Specter's out there trying to conquer the whole planet, the whole *universe*, and here people are celebrating one part of it. If ... if he wins, we'll lost *everything*, not just America, or Angel Grove, or - "
She stopped, shaking her head and pressing her palms against her eyes. "Sorry," she murmured finally. "I was trying to explain the Fourth to Andros the other day, and he didn't get it at all. And then watching Devon and Tabitha this morning it just ... got to me."
Cassie squeezed her gently. "I know what you mean," she agreed quietly. "It's hard to see them celebrating America's independence when we have to worry about the whole Earth. But there's another way I like to look at it."
Ashley glanced up. "What's that?"
"We're protecting their dreams," she said softly. "To a lot of people, the Fourth of July is about celebrating the American Dream, not just our country's history." She gestured outward with her free hand. "We're surrounded by people who are spending time with their families and having fun, enjoying peace. They don't know what's out there or what's coming - not really. And we're protecting them from knowing that. We're protecting their innocence."
She paused, and now she was the one watching the people below them. "The Fourth of July reminds me that we're keeping them safe, and happy. We're fighting for everyone, but this is the day I remember why."
"That's sweet," Ashley said after a pause, tilting her head to rest against the other girl's shoulder.
Cassie leaned her head on top of Ashley's. "So don't think of it as ignoring what's important," she continued quietly. "Think of this as a reminder of what *is* important."
Ashley swallowed. "Yeah." She hesitated. “You think other Rangers ever feel this way?”
“Justin does,” Cassie said immediately. “Remember him on the last Fourth?”
Ashley winced in memory. Their blue teammate had been broody and snappish all day, and none of them had been able to figure out why. She really hadn’t known Tanya as well to ask - and still didn‘t to be honest - but she liked to think other Power Rangers had dealt with the same feelings she had now. That she wasn’t the only one frustrated by what no one else could understand.
They stayed quiet for awhile, enjoying each other's company as they watched. "Feel better?" Cassie murmured finally.
"Mmm," Ashley agreed. She paused. "Still don't know how I feel about fireworks, though. They remind me too much of morphing, but not as fun."
Cassie laughed.
Ashley wasn't smiling, but she liked hearing Cassie laugh. Fireworks reminded her of morphing because of the bright flashes of light, but they reminded her of other things, too. Of firefights, blasters, Astronema's magic. Hearing her friends scream in pain as they took a hard hit, the destruction of the Power Chamber ...
Her life was filled with fireworks now, not all of them fun.
There were good fireworks too, of course. Morphing, using the jump tubes, the stars through the window when they made a hyperspeed jump. Seeing the monster finally defeated after a long fight.
She smiled finally, and blinked back the tears that suddenly welled in her eyes. "Wanna go back to the Megaship?"
"Thought you'd never ask."
This is what happens when I think too much.
Fandom/: Power Rangers in Space
Characters/: Ashley and Cassie
Rating/: K
Disclaimer/: I don’t own things.
Summary/: Two Rangers debate the meaning behind Independence Day now that their lives have been changed.
Author's Notes/: This idea came to me the other day while explaining why I personally don’t like the Fourth of July. Then my thoughts wandered the other night, and this is what resulted. InSpace just seemed to be the best season for my purposes. Devon and Tabitha are Ashley's younger siblings, snagged from my Fade to Darkness fic.
For Challon86, because she started the conversation that inspired this. ♥
She sat on a hill overlooking the picnic area, where dozens of families were barbequing and enjoying the evening. The fireworks should be starting soon, and then they'd all gather to ooh and ah over them. Her own family was probably down there somewhere, but she couldn't bring herself to join them.
"Hey ... "
She glanced up and smiled faintly. "Hey, Cassie."
Cassie frowned, moving to sit beside her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. "You okay?"
Ashley shrugged. "I guess so."
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Cassie finally nudged her shoulder. "Tell me what you're thinking about," she requested softly.
Her gaze moved back over the celebrations with a soft sigh. "It's just ... not the same anymore, you know? I used to love the Fourth of July. But now ... it all seems so hypocritical. I mean, Dark Specter's out there trying to conquer the whole planet, the whole *universe*, and here people are celebrating one part of it. If ... if he wins, we'll lost *everything*, not just America, or Angel Grove, or - "
She stopped, shaking her head and pressing her palms against her eyes. "Sorry," she murmured finally. "I was trying to explain the Fourth to Andros the other day, and he didn't get it at all. And then watching Devon and Tabitha this morning it just ... got to me."
Cassie squeezed her gently. "I know what you mean," she agreed quietly. "It's hard to see them celebrating America's independence when we have to worry about the whole Earth. But there's another way I like to look at it."
Ashley glanced up. "What's that?"
"We're protecting their dreams," she said softly. "To a lot of people, the Fourth of July is about celebrating the American Dream, not just our country's history." She gestured outward with her free hand. "We're surrounded by people who are spending time with their families and having fun, enjoying peace. They don't know what's out there or what's coming - not really. And we're protecting them from knowing that. We're protecting their innocence."
She paused, and now she was the one watching the people below them. "The Fourth of July reminds me that we're keeping them safe, and happy. We're fighting for everyone, but this is the day I remember why."
"That's sweet," Ashley said after a pause, tilting her head to rest against the other girl's shoulder.
Cassie leaned her head on top of Ashley's. "So don't think of it as ignoring what's important," she continued quietly. "Think of this as a reminder of what *is* important."
Ashley swallowed. "Yeah." She hesitated. “You think other Rangers ever feel this way?”
“Justin does,” Cassie said immediately. “Remember him on the last Fourth?”
Ashley winced in memory. Their blue teammate had been broody and snappish all day, and none of them had been able to figure out why. She really hadn’t known Tanya as well to ask - and still didn‘t to be honest - but she liked to think other Power Rangers had dealt with the same feelings she had now. That she wasn’t the only one frustrated by what no one else could understand.
They stayed quiet for awhile, enjoying each other's company as they watched. "Feel better?" Cassie murmured finally.
"Mmm," Ashley agreed. She paused. "Still don't know how I feel about fireworks, though. They remind me too much of morphing, but not as fun."
Cassie laughed.
Ashley wasn't smiling, but she liked hearing Cassie laugh. Fireworks reminded her of morphing because of the bright flashes of light, but they reminded her of other things, too. Of firefights, blasters, Astronema's magic. Hearing her friends scream in pain as they took a hard hit, the destruction of the Power Chamber ...
Her life was filled with fireworks now, not all of them fun.
There were good fireworks too, of course. Morphing, using the jump tubes, the stars through the window when they made a hyperspeed jump. Seeing the monster finally defeated after a long fight.
She smiled finally, and blinked back the tears that suddenly welled in her eyes. "Wanna go back to the Megaship?"
"Thought you'd never ask."