Time Force Delta Squad: Trapped (S2 Game)

Kari stood and listened to M'yrrn speak his truth and show his vulnerability in this situation. She stopped, wanting to swing again but couldn't find it in her to do it again. Instead, she stepped closer to the bag and put her hand on his and looked at him. "I promise to use everything I've got to get her back." She said with a slight shake of her head. "Cody can have his opinion.." She started, feelings coming up to cut her off. "They all can for all I care. What I know, is the love of my life is going to come home and we ARE going to destroy anyone that stands in our way to make that happen." She finished with a small smile.

After ordering breakfast, Cody and Rolo take the time talking about random facts, something they first connected over. Eventually Rolo's eyes spot Tanjiro across from their spot. "Hey look, it's Tanjiro." The boy whispers to Cody. "What is he doing here?"

Cody turns his head around to see his Red teammate having a chat with a barista. He smiles a little, glad that Tanjiro is at least found a safe space to land. Then Cody glances back at his nephew. "He's having his own breakfast. No need to question about it." He gently reminds him.

"Sorry." Rolo replies guiltily. "I was just surprised."

"I understand. At least you didn't announce his name. That would've been more rude." Cody smiles.

"True."

"And he wants his own time. Just like us when we need space." Cody mentions quickly. Once he and Rolo receive their meals, they begin to dine in. "Time to eat."

"Nothing cliche about it," M'yrnn said. "I had a love like that once, but it wasn't meant to be. The fact taht she found someone is a testament to how she went for her dreams."
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Tanjiro sighed as he paid and walked out of the cafe, having heard Cody and Rolo behind him, but due to the continued tensions, he didn't say anything to the Blue Ranger. He made his way down the street, tucking his hands in his pockets and looking up, seeing clouds moving in. "Going to rain today."

Rolo frowns as he watches Tanjiro leave. Whatever it is, he thinks he doesn't want to approach them or something. He still wonders why he and everyone else are like walking on eggshells. "Did I do something wrong?"

Cody shakes his head to assure his nephew. "No, you're not. The past few weeks, everyone copes differently because of what we learn regarding K'hysh."

"Oh...yeah. I did remember that one." Rolo has never forgotten what he overhears. From arguments back and forth from the distance to his uncle coming to his room with a black eye, it doesn't take long to put two and two together. What even confirms it is talking to him about it. "I still don't get why saving her is important when all she does is hurt us."

Sometimes, Cody really wishes his nephew isn't so damn smart and observant. Then again, he doesn’t think it will suck any less if he explains it all to him, instead of him figuring it out for himself.

“True,” Cody says, and then, to be fair, “But she was a victim as well. I don’t think the Commander did as intended on her and on the team. She thought she was doing the right thing. She didn’t know that we were uncovering more truths than we realized. She wanted to protect us.”

"But it blew up right away." Rolo adds in the end.

Cody only nods and makes an affirmative noise. "I do understand where she's coming from. Doesn't mean I agree completely. It makes me see where my stance is at." And it's true. While no one agrees, at the very least it feels good to just speak out his truth.

“Even though K'hysh saves us, I don't feel easy.” Rolo argues, with a flash of sullen anger that reminds him of Ephraim. “I’m scared she's gonna hurt Kari and Alluka.”

Cody agrees with a small nod, allowing the silence to go on. Eventually uncle and nephew finish their breakfast, take care of last minute things here before they leave. Since it's going to rain soon, they decide to return to the WaveRunner for warmth.
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"What are your thoughts on this matter?"

Looking up, Alluka stares at the elder Agronite Ashera while her hands hold on to the newly-made tea. She gives her a brief rundown on what her and her friends are going through this time and her earlier conversation with Est. She lets a deep exhale, trying to formulate her thoughts.

"Here is the thing. I want to save my friend. Not out of obligation or for her love ones, but to ease the weight I have been carrying." Alluka answers slowly.

"Why is that?"

For a moment it seems as if Alluka won’t speak, that whatever it is will crumble down from inside. But she starts eventually, eyes diverting as she slowly explains, "In the beginning, I have always followed K’hysh. She is amazing, she treats me as her equal, someone I can confide in when it comes to relationships. She is the best Red Ranger I can ever ask for. She set the bar so high that I could not reach her level. When she seemingly disappeared, I did not know what to do with myself. For months, I was going through motions." Alluka explains with a sigh. "Had I not have Cody, I do not know what I would have become. Being part of Time Force gave me everything I wanted, her included."

"And yet?"

Alluka lowers her head, gazing at the liquid. "My path becomes uncertain. Everyone wants to quit. I would like to quit but I cannot. Not when I still have more accomplishments to complete here. I do not know what I can do outside of Time Force. It is bad enough to live with the nightmare of guilt but to deal with the ruse? It is difficult to fathom.”

“I see. That is a lot for any one person to go through in the span of two years,” Ashera says. “Without even taking into account everything that came before it. You don't have to always follow their examples. They choose for themselves. You follow what your heart wants, right?” Ashera asks.

“I think so?” Alluka answers. “My mantra is I cut my own path. Along the way, I cut my path for others to follow. Lately, I emulate theirs and to be honest, it weighs me down. Joy. Fear. Excitement. I became numb. There was just this looming dread left over, like I cheated fate, and I was not supposed to be part of that, and I felt that eventually that would catch up to me.”

“You’re someone with a very deep well of empathy, Alluka. You take on other people’s hurt along with your own.”

Alluka nods.

“And sometimes, feeling other people’s pain that deeply, leads us to making decisions that can hurt ourselves. Even if we have the best intentions.”

Of all the things Alluka has considered, this one may be the missing piece. Is it possible she has a problem confronting her own self. She does avenge her parents with the help from her friends, and yet she begins to realize she has a long way to go,

After several minute, Ashera asks carefully. “Going back to earlier question, what are your thoughts moving forward, Alluka?"

"Okay." Kari said her hand raising to her chin in thought. "Physical front the team and I can cover.." She said looking into his eyes. "Are you going to have to do to her what she did to your psycho brother?" She asked out of concern and knowing how that ended.

"Okay." Kari said her hand raising to her chin in thought. "Physical front the team and I can cover.." She said looking into his eyes. "Are you going to have to do to her what she did to your psycho brother?" She asked out of concern and knowing how that ended.

M'yrnn sighed softly. "If I can avoid it, I will. Thankfully, the couple of times I have had to shred a mind working on the KO-35 prison, I have been able to restore it. I don't want to have to do that to my sister, but if I absolutely have to, in order to pull Arianas out of her, I will do what I have to." He sighed and ran his hand in his hair. "She's lucky to have you. And even Tanjiro, who barely knows her, is willing to help get her back. I wish the others were as supportive."
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On Arianas' ship, the Empress of the Battalion stormed through her prison, blasting monsters back before finding the one she wanted. "Get over here!" she snapped, looking at the demon. The demoness walked up, resting her hands on the bars.

"Queen Arianas. What do I owe the visit?" Fumiosa asked. "Who needs a little death?"

"I want the Pink Ranger to turn on her team," Arianas said. "She's got a little resentment in her heart, and I can feel it. It has to do with the bitch I'm inhabiting, and I want her to kill them."

"You fucking harpy! Leave Kari alone!" K'hysh yelled.

"Hurting the Pink Ranger? Child's play," Fumiosa laughed, the cell opening as she walked out. "Give me Dark Waters and I'll get her good."

"Deal. Aquisa will go with you."