[Mushverse; Open to All! (though especially to other Power Rangers)] Fresh off the DenLiner....

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

I know. I know Dr.K said she was going to try and send us back on that crazy train that Scott took to whatever weird universe he went to help.

But I mean...

When he said he'd met Samurai....

I didn't think he meant.....

Japan.

Now, I know a little Japanese. You pick up some here and there in the biz. And no, I do not actually have a collection of questionable animated films stashed under my bed back at The Garage. I just. Well, in the Mob you pick up a few things.

Though I don't see how threatening to whack a guy in Japanese is going to help my situation at all.

So I fumble around, hoping against hope someone knows some English. Or I run into some other members of my team. That would be the ideal situation. I wonder where they all got off to? I don't seem to remember much between stepping off that weird train (that girl with the pink streak in her hair was really cute. Funny coffee though. Bleh) and where I've found myself now.

I wish Dillon were here. I don't think he knows any Japanese, but he can usually stop me from making a complete fool of myself.

Usually.

Comments

[hybridoperatorblack]

Usually. Though it was often more trouble then it was worth. Ziggy did like to make a fool of himself

Dillon stepped off the train and looked around. It had only been chance they had been near Corinth when they got the call from Dr. K. And of course he'd volunteered to make the journey before Summer and Tenaya, just in case. It wasn't that he didn't trust Scott...but he didn't trust Scott with their lives.

The place was odd, Dillon would give it that. But he'd dealt with worse.

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

I fumble about, trying to find someone that can understand me.

"Excuse me, do you speak Engl... ...no okay never mind. Sorry!" I try person after person. I figure if someone speaks English, they will understand me asking if they can.

Most people just brush past me. And I'm floundering. Where are the rest of us? Where is Flynn and Gemma and... and Dillon! Where is he? He needs to be here right now before I break down completely.

After the seventh person ignores me I throw up my hands, pleading to the sky. "Does anyone speak English !?"

[hybridoperatorblack]

"I do." Came the bland reply from right behind Ziggy.

While Dillon was still not sure what to make of this place, he couldn't help his default setting of indifferent. At least on the outsite. On the inside, he was very glad to see that Ziggy was alright. He had not been pleased when he'd heard Dr. K had sent him through already and by himself. Really, what was she thinking?

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

That voice.

Dillon!

I spin on my heels. Too far, coming right back around the way I was facing to begin with. I stamp my foot and try again, this time settling facing...

"Dillon!"

I practically leap at him, throwing my arms around his shoulders as I tiptoe. "I'm so happy to see you!"

[hybridoperatorblack]

Dillon just waited patiently with his thumbs hooked in the pockets of his jeans for Ziggy to finally turn his way with an amused almost smile.

If it had been anyone but Ziggy (or one of the girls to be honest) Dillon would have reacted violently or not at all. In this case, one arm came around to half way return the hug, though the grip was tight in relief.

"I'm glad to see you in one piece."

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

"Dillon!" I cling to him, smiling to myself as he grips at me. I pull back, though not completely, just enough so that I can settle back down off my tiptoes, my arms still loose around his shoulders, so I can look at his face.

"We're in Japan." I stare at him, silently wondering if he speaks Japanese. "And no one will talk to me. Someone has to understand!"

[hybridoperatorblack]

While his grip loosened a bit, the arm didn't fall away as Ziggy pulled back slightly. At least this way, Dillon knew he couldn't get into any trouble right this second.

"Japan?" After all the other universe talk, that was anti-climatic. "Ziggy, no one liked to talk to you anyway. What makes the Japanese different?" Of course this was said with fond sarcasm as Dillon accessed his hybrid parts to see if Japanese was part of his programming.

It was. "Plus, no one can understand when you speak English half the time." He said in perfect Japanese with a smug grin, just because he knew it would annoy Ranger Green.

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

I am about to protest, to insist that I am a delight to talk to, but then Dillon he... he slips into Japanese. The same fast spoken, near head spinningly dizzying Japanese that ev
everyone around me has been speaking.

I squirm away from him and frown and smack my hand against his chest. Which hurts my hand, but, well, whatever.

"Dillon please." I frown, deeply, putting on my biggest pout. "We need to find the others..."

[hybridoperatorblack]

It took some effort but Dillon managed to not laugh as Ziggy smacked his chest, he knew that it had to hurt, instead settling for grinning and shaking his head. His hands resumed their former position, half tucked in his jean pockets.

"Okay, Ziggy, whatever you say." He said in Japanese again but then took pity on his friend. It so wasn't because he was effected by the pout. Nope, not at all. "Okay, Ziggy. Let's go. You've been here longer, any idea which direction?"

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

My hand is still a little twingey, but I think I'm hiding it well. I am a lot strong than when we first met. After all, I am a hero.

I beam at Dillon when he starts speaking English again, relived that he hasn't simply gone native on me.

"I think I came from..." I spin again, looking around and pointing this way. "From over... no wait..." I gesture that way. "Maybe it was... no. No, that cart wasn't there before. Um.."

[hybridoperatorblack]

Ziggy is a hero. And Dillon would make anyone who said otherwise sorry.

His friend's relief when he switched back to English just earned another fond eye roll. Though his expression quickly turned exasperated as Ziggy pointed in each direction.

"Ziggy." He said simply, putting a hand on the other's shoulder to stop him before he made himself dizzy. "How about that way?" He choose the direction away from the train station, figuring it would be their best bet.

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

I go as still as I can when Dillon grips at my shoulder, hovering and waiting for him to help me.

And he does, well, he points in as good a direction as any. It's in the opposite direction of the train station, and while I have the strangest memory of crawling out of a door that was in no way at the train station, I know that logically that can't be right. My memory must just be playing tricks on me.

"Yes! That direction!" I clear my throat and pull the hems of my jacket down, putting up as confident a front as I can muster. "That is exactly the way I meant!"

[hybridoperatorblack]

If Dillon noticed when Ziggy paused, waiting for him, he didn't react to it. If anything, he didn't really notice it anymore, taking it just a natural part of their friendship and team work.

It would figure that all of the other Rangers had to use a train and Ziggy crawled through a door. It really would.

"Of course you did." Dillon said with fond amusement as he squeezed Ziggy's shoulder then let go as he started walking in that direction. He didn't even look for Ziggy, knowing his friend would follow.

btw, the denliner usually drops people off at ransom doors, hence the Ziggy confusions <3

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

I wish I could remember what happened between my memories of the train with the cute coffee girl, and me coming out a random door in the middle of Japan. All my memories are vague, and slipping away, like they don't want to be saved.

I sigh, and then push those problematic thoughts away, and fall into step with Dillon, my shoulder feels warm where he squeezed it. I've missed him. Not that he's been out in the wastes for that long, I just... well it felt like ages that I couldn't rely on him for strength and confidence.

I just feel more like a proper person around him, even with his eye rolls and light laughter. Especially because if his eye rolls and light laughter.

"Did Dr.K tell you anything about what we needed to do?" I question as we walk, hoping against hope. "She kind of just kicked me onto the train without much warning..."

Ahhh gotcha. Thank you!

[hybridoperatorblack]

There was a small, more relaxed lean to Dillon's shoulders as the familiar presence of Ziggy walked beside him, a feeling he hadn't even noticed was missing until just then. He wouldn't exactly say he'd missed Ziggy while out in the Wastes with Summer and Tenaya...but he was very glad to have him back. Things just seemed...more as they should be.

Maybe when this was over, he'd convince Ziggy to come with them. So he wouldn't lose this feeling again.

"Not really." Dillon admitted with a small shrug. "She explained something, I just didn't catch most of it. Something about other rangers Scott had met in another dimension. I just wanted to make sure I went through before Summer or Tenaya. You know how Dr. K's ideas can be."

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

"Damn," I kick at the ground with the heel of my shoe, wobbling a bit as I almost trip on a crack in the pavement. "I was hoping you might know more than me. I kinda feel like we're just running around directionless."

I keep my eyes scanning the crowd as we walk. It shouldn't be too hard to spot Summer or Scott, their hair would make them easy to pick out at least.

"So, how do you know Japanese?" I slide my hands into my back pockets, trying to make some sort of attempt at hopefully not awkward small talk. I want to ask him what he's been doing out in the wastes, but I think I should maybe wait until we at least get settled here first.

[hybridoperatorblack]

Not even looking, Dillon's hand shot out to steady Ziggy. It lingered on his shoulder for a moment before returning to his pocket as if nothing had happened.

"And this is new?" He said with pure sarcasm. He wasn't too thrilled about the lack of direction either but considering they hadn't even really known what to expect on the other side of the train, he guessed they should consider themselves lucky they'd even ended up in the same place. "I guess we could ask around for these Power Rangers Scott found."

There was a long pause in response to Ziggy's question before he shrugged. "Part of my programming," he threw out. "Guess Venjix thought it would be helpful if his hybrids spoke the languages of the people he was conquering. More efficient." The only reason he could even say this without sounding spiteful was because he knew Venjix was gone for good.

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

I gesture wide at the crowd. "If you think anyone will actually talk to you, Dillon, be my guest. Though I think maybe asking around for Power Rangers might be a bad idea. You might ask a villain and get our heads blow off."

I pause, then reconsider my words. "Get my head blown off."

I go very quiet when Dillon explains why he knows Japanese. I hate bringing up his robotic side, the side of him tainted by Venjix. I had hoped maybe, during the time we've been apart, much of the virus inside him would have receded.

"I'm sorry," I say softly, honestly.

[hybridoperatorblack]

"Do you have a better idea?" Dillon asked as he turned to give Ziggy a long look, one the other was certainly used to be now but he couldn't help himself. It was expected. "And," he started as he looked back in front of them, "I wouldn't let anyone blow your head off. I like it right where it is." Said in the same even tone as everything else.

The virus was more dormant, then receding. The Doc had said something about needing parts of the program to stay so some of the implants could keep working. He didn't care, honestly, as long as a) it couldn't became active again and take him over and b) the implants in Tenaya's eyes kept working. If that meant they kept the virus, they were keeping it.

"Why? You didn't do it." Something about Ziggy's apology made him uncomfortable. All he could remember was when he'd had the virus inside him. There wasn't anything anyone could do about that, never really was. It was just...part of who he was.

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

"I'm sorry I brought it up? Even, you know, I didn't mean to bring it up I just, well. I should have considered that was the reason to begin with."

I stretch a little, then a lot when a yawn takes me by surprise. I groan happily, my shirt riding up a bit before I fling my arms back down, swinging them a bit at my sides.

"Though on that subject, how's your sister? Can she still..." I make circling gestures with my fingers at my eyes.

[hybridoperatorblack]

Letting out a deep breath, Dillon just rolled his eyes and nudged Ziggy with his elbow, a bit forcefully but with no malice behind it. Apology accepted.

If Dillon caught Ziggy shirt riding up a bit out of the corner of his eye, he didn't react. Besides glancing over a few seconds later just to check. "Tired?"

"Yeah, Tenaya can still see. The implants haven't been giving her any trouble." There was an implied 'yet' there, of course. Just because the virus was still working now, didn't mean it always would.

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

"Not so much tired," I muse aloud, making a wide gesture in the air between us that even I don't understand. "More like jet-lagged? Groggy and woozy and a little disorientated. I don't even know what time it is here. Except, you know, daytime."

"Well, that's good," I nod firmly, lips pursued together solemnly. "It would be extra upsetting if she ended up following behind us to Japan in some other random location and couldn't see to find her way. Not that we can find our way but at least we can see to know we can't find it."

[hybridoperatorblack]

The gesture just made Dillon's eyebrow twitch for a moment, not even bothering to rise fully. He did roll his eyes fondly though. "Daylight. How observant of you." Why he liked the fact Ziggy exasperated him, he'd never know.

"She wouldn't have followed us." He said with a definite tone to his voice. Not that Tenaya did what he told her but he'd have found a way to make her stay behind. They were going into this blind enough as it was, no pun intended.

[brilliantshadowpuppets]

I nod at this, reaching back to tuck my hands in my back pockets. This way I won't make more stupid gestures that make Dillon's eyebrows twitch.

I'll probably continue to put my feet in my mouth though; I'm good at that.

"So, what's the plan now? Just wander until we find the others? Or do we have someplace we need to be?"

I remember Doctor K babbling at us, I just didn't really understand most of what she was saying.