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Post by GoseiYellow on Aug 7, 2020 13:03:02 GMT -5
Jax left the veterans center, making his way down the street on foot. He'd driven in that morning, but he wanted to walk, clear his head. Between Ares' attack on Dream Chasers, the tension between the Rangers and Divatox, and Amara's own still seething anger, the Blue Ranger didn't know where he stood in the grand scheme of things. Taking his phone out of his pocket, he sent a message to the others.
<"Anyone up for a meetup? Got out of my meeting and could use a friendly face or three."> He watched as his sister's dots popped up on the screen, waiting for her message. "Come on, Mar..."
<"Sorry, big brother. I'm neck deep in laundry and working my way through Master Chief collection. See you at home later.">
"Shit," Jax said, shrugging softly. "Derek, Mackenzie, Tyler, please don't say no. Could really use a friend today..." He sat down on a bench, seeing a voicemail. Listening to the message, he chuckled. "Good. Insurance finally came through. Get that check next week and go get a new truck. Least there's one good thing today."
Tyler continued his stay at the Youth Center until he had gotten a message from Jax after hearing his phone ping. He began to rapidly tap onto the screen.
<"Same for me. I'm still miffed over what Diva had pulled on us.">
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Post by FangZeronos on Aug 7, 2020 14:18:10 GMT -5
<"I'm down. I just finished a meeting myself, so you have good timing. What did you have in mind, bro?>">
Derek sent the text, awaiting a response.
Tyler continued his stay at the Youth Center until he had gotten a message from Jax after hearing his phone ping. He began to rapidly tap onto the screen.
<"Same for me. I'm still miffed over what Diva had pulled on us.">
Jax looked at his phone and saw messages from Tyler and Derek. "Thank God," he said wtih a bit of a smile. <"Let's meet up at the Youth Center. Could really go for a smoothie!">
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Post by Mr.Silver on Aug 7, 2020 21:49:17 GMT -5
Jax looked at his phone and saw messages from Tyler and Derek. "Thank God," he said wtih a bit of a smile. <"Let's meet up at the Youth Center. Could really go for a smoothie!">
<Cool beans. I'll be there in 15!>
Derek sent the reply text before walking out of his office, hoping to escape before Boss cornered him. With everything that has happened over the last few months, his trusted assistant has been far more suspicious of his activities and at this rate, it's only a matter of time before she figures it out.
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Post by mariescott on Aug 7, 2020 23:12:19 GMT -5
Mackenzie was busy working so she had her phone on silent. She was taking a break when she saw the texts from Jax along with the others responses. <"Hey sorry I missed your texts. I'll meet you guys at the Youth Center.">
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Post by FangZeronos on Aug 8, 2020 0:10:54 GMT -5
Jax saw the two replies, smiling a bit. He tucked his phone in his pocket, grabbing hte keys for his father's car before he got in and took off for the Youth Center. With the feel of the engine in his bones, the Blue Ranger couldn't help but let his mind wander, feeling a stab in the chest as he thought back to one of his last combat missions.
"Echo-2 pull up!" Jax yelled over the radio, launching a rocket at the enemy combantant. "Echo-2!"
"It's too late, Captain! They've disabled the tail rudder. I can't pull up. I'm going down!" a female voice responded. "Captain! My bunk. Give the letter to my mother. Please."
"Trinity, you'll get it to her yourself!" Jax yelled, flying down to try and get to his friend and partner. "Can you eject?"
"No. Ejection's busted. Something in the first few hits took out some big systems. I'm sorry, Captain. Tell my mother--" The radio cut off as the plane was blown up by an anti-aircraft rocket, Jax pulling up at the last second to avoid a flaming wreckage.
"Echo Squad, pull back and return to base! Repeat, break off attack and return to base!" their CO's voice yelled over the radios. "Now, Echo Squad!"
Jax jumped as a car horn knocked him out of the memory, and he looked up at the green light before taking off again. "Goddamn it..." He parked in front of the Youth Center before shutting the car off and making his way inside. Once in, he spotted a familiar face at the counter. "Tyler, you're already here."
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Post by GoseiYellow on Aug 8, 2020 2:31:48 GMT -5
Jax jumped as a car horn knocked him out of the memory, and he looked up at the green light before taking off again. "Goddamn it..." He parked in front of the Youth Center before shutting the car off and making his way inside. Once in, he spotted a familiar face at the counter. "Tyler, you're already here."
Tyler noticed Jax making his approach and a soft smile appeared on his face, "Hey, Jax. Take any seat," he said with a smile. Aisha and Hiro noticed the Blue Ranger and they made their greeting to him.
"Hey there, Jax," they said in unison.
Tyler shook his head until he looked deeply in his eyes, "Jax, are you alright?" he asked with concern.
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Post by Mr.Silver on Aug 8, 2020 11:04:36 GMT -5
Twenty minutes later, Derek walked into the Youth Center. He greeted Aisha and Hiro and sat down where Jax and Tyler were sitting.
"Hey! Sorry I'm late. I got cornered by Boss before I left." Derek's smile began to fade a bit when he got a good look at Jax's current expression. "What's wrong man?"
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Post by FangZeronos on Aug 9, 2020 0:19:07 GMT -5
Tyler noticed Jax making his approach and a soft smile appeared on his face, "Hey, Jax. Take any seat," he said with a smile. Aisha and Hiro noticed the Blue Ranger and they made their greeting to him.
"Hey there, Jax," they said in unison.
Tyler shook his head until he looked deeply in his eyes, "Jax, are you alright?" he asked with concern.
Twenty minutes later, Derek walked into the Youth Center. He greeted Aisha and Hiro and sat down where Jax and Tyler were sitting.
"Hey! Sorry I'm late. I got cornered by Boss before I left." Derek's smile began to fade a bit when he got a good look at Jax's current expression. "What's wrong man?"
Having sat in silence since walking in, Jax looked over when Derek came up and sat with him and Tyler. "I keep....having flashbacks. Memories of combat missions," he said, his voice low. "I had one the other night after that shit with Dee, and they keep happening sporadically. One happened in my vet meeting today, and it was bad enough that two of hte older men and women had to get me to the ground because I thought I was back in Pyongyang. One happened just now in the car on the way over, a flight mission over New Delhi where I lost four of my squad, listening to my wingwoman, Trinity, as her fighter got shot down. THey're happening more and more frequently and...I'm scared I'll fall into one during a fight and I'll hurt one of you two or one of the girls. I'm afraid of myself, and I can't bring this up to Amara..."
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Post by mariescott on Aug 9, 2020 0:58:06 GMT -5
Mackenzie arrived at the Youth Center about five minutes after Derek. She saw Jax sitting with him and Tyler and the serious look on Jax's face. She said hi to Aisha and Hiro and then joined them. "I'm sorry it took me so long." She placed her hand on Jax's arm. "Is everything okay?"
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Post by Mr.Silver on Aug 9, 2020 11:13:13 GMT -5
Having sat in silence since walking in, Jax looked over when Derek came up and sat with him and Tyler. "I keep....having flashbacks. Memories of combat missions," he said, his voice low. "I had one the other night after that shit with Dee, and they keep happening sporadically. One happened in my vet meeting today, and it was bad enough that two of hte older men and women had to get me to the ground because I thought I was back in Pyongyang. One happened just now in the car on the way over, a flight mission over New Delhi where I lost four of my squad, listening to my wingwoman, Trinity, as her fighter got shot down. THey're happening more and more frequently and...I'm scared I'll fall into one during a fight and I'll hurt one of you two or one of the girls. I'm afraid of myself, and I can't bring this up to Amara..."
Derek's heart sank when he heard Jax explain what was going on with him. He wasn't really worried about being hurt and was more focused with helping his friend through what was ailing him.
"We'll be fine. How can we help?" Derek asked, wanting to help Jax get through what was ailing him.
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Post by FangZeronos on Aug 9, 2020 11:35:01 GMT -5
Mackenzie arrived at the Youth Center about five minutes after Derek. She saw Jax sitting with him and Tyler and the serious look on Jax's face. She said hi to Aisha and Hiro and then joined them. "I'm sorry it took me so long." She placed her hand on Jax's arm. "Is everything okay?"
Derek's heart sank when he heard Jax explain what was going on with him. He wasn't really worried about being hurt and was more focused with helping his friend through what was ailing him.
"We'll be fine. How can we help?" Derek asked, wanting to help Jax get through what was ailing him.
Jax looked over at Mackenzie and shook his head softly, repeating what he'd told Tyler and Derek. He looked over at the Red Ranger, sighing softly. "There isn't...really much that can be done to help," he admitted. "You've seen Amara handle me when I get lost in the memories, she'll tell me to come back and I'll snap out of it but be shaky. PTSD sucks a fat one, and everything that's happened in the last few weeks is adding to it. Especially iwth what Divatox did."
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Post by GoseiYellow on Aug 9, 2020 14:27:38 GMT -5
Jax looked over at Mackenzie and shook his head softly, repeating what he'd told Tyler and Derek. He looked over at the Red Ranger, sighing softly. "There isn't...really much that can be done to help," he admitted. "You've seen Amara handle me when I get lost in the memories, she'll tell me to come back and I'll snap out of it but be shaky. PTSD sucks a fat one, and everything that's happened in the last few weeks is adding to it. Especially iwth what Divatox did."
"I know, I was still upset over how she handled it. And the Machinezords aren't innocent from it either," Tyler spoke to Jax. "But I haven't really realized that you have been struggling with PTSD."
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Post by mariescott on Aug 9, 2020 16:55:04 GMT -5
"I'm so sorry you've been having to deal with this," Mackenzie said giving his arm a squeeze. "In my job I've come across some veterans who are dealing with PTSD. I've also seen how it can affect their lives. There are several groups out there for people with PTSD where they can share their experiences. I know some vets don't like to talk about it but have you tried any of those?"
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Post by FangZeronos on Aug 9, 2020 17:15:10 GMT -5
"I know, I was still upset over how she handled it. And the Machinezords aren't innocent from it either," Tyler spoke to Jax. "But I haven't really realized that you have been struggling with PTSD."
"I'm so sorry you've been having to deal with this," Mackenzie said giving his arm a squeeze. "In my job I've come across some veterans who are dealing with PTSD. I've also seen how it can affect their lives. There are several groups out there for people with PTSD where they can share their experiences. I know some vets don't like to talk about it but have you tried any of those?"
Jax nodded. "I'm part of a smaller one. We meet three times a week, and it's mostly older vets that come. We get together, talk, laugh, sometimes they bring in food. I keep coffee flowing like a river for everyone. It's across town at one of the Churches," he said. "I just came from the meeting, actually. The episode I had in the meeting...I don't even know what it was triggered by. Someone said something about an echo on her phone and my mind went to one of hte last flights I had. We were called Echo Squad."
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Post by Mr.Silver on Aug 9, 2020 18:12:05 GMT -5
Jax nodded. "I'm part of a smaller one. We meet three times a week, and it's mostly older vets that come. We get together, talk, laugh, sometimes they bring in food. I keep coffee flowing like a river for everyone. It's across town at one of the Churches," he said. "I just came from the meeting, actually. The episode I had in the meeting...I don't even know what it was triggered by. Someone said something about an echo on her phone and my mind went to one of hte last flights I had. We were called Echo Squad."
Derek shifted in his chair just slightly while talking to Jax. For him, he wasn't sure if it was Jax's PTSD or the fact that it wasn't something that couldn't necessarily be fixed is what irked him. Perhaps, both items hit him equally hard.
"Is that normal?" Derek asked. "I mean the episodes being triggered by something you can't quite put your finger on." He said, clarifying what he meant.
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