Finally Get To Know You

Posted on Tue Oct 10th, 2023 @ 4:51pm by Ellie Evans & Spencer Gustaffson

1,113 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: The Invasion
Location: GPF HQ, Quad
Timeline: 1100 Hours, November 21st, 2050

Mid-morning after the bombshell about the possibility of the Rangers having 'civilian powers', Spencer was in the quad, enjoying the winter coolness as he worked out in a blue A-shirt and uniform pants. He decided to take a jog around, but slowed down when he noticed someone he recognized, but hadn't had much time to talk to. Ellie and he had met on the mission to Mirinoi. Before she'd activated the green crystal, she'd been a civilian accidentally roped into whatever harebrained scheme Damian had cooked up. After that, she'd been one of the ones who'd gotten offworld while Spencer started a rebellion on Earth with the help of another Ranger. So, they really hadn't had much time to talk.

He waved at her with a smile, matching her pace easily. Obviously, he was less affected by the cooler weather than some people, and in part that had to do with the exercise he'd been doing. "You off to anywhere special today? I know you had a civvie job before; I don't know how that situation worked out."

"Hey!" Ellie smiled, adjusting her stride. "Nowhere special, just a walk. I used to be on staff at the Juice Bar, but since the whole Ranger thing and the invasion..." she shrugged. "The GPF are a being a little bit weird about just letting me go back to work. What about you? Any work currently missing you?"

Spencer shook his head at the question about his employment with a smile. "Nope. I was actually about to go for my commission test here before we went to Mirinoi. I think that's part of why I was pulled in, actually; field experience and all that. I think the invasion and the Ranger stuff has changed where all of us stand for them. I get them being concerned. " He shrugged a bit as well. "Then again, this whole situation is a little weird, if you stop to think about it."

"Oh totally. If you'd asked me when I took my year out over here that I'd up being a Power Ranger, trying to save the universe from evil, flying giant robots...?" She giggled. "I'd have said we were both crazy."

Spencer couldn't help but chuckle at that comment. She was right, of course, but if he didn't laugh, he'd probably end up worrying instead. He smirked. "Hey, I only flew in a giant robot the one time, after sneaking up on another bunch of rangers and finding a forgotten space ship. You've got way more time in that thing than me."

"Oh I guess that makes me practically a veteran at this point," she agreed. "If that's the case then we definitely are in trouble. Fate of the universe left to a Juice Bar chef and a guy who hasn't even been commissioned yet?"

Spencer nodded, still smiling at Ellie's comments. "I guess it does, yeah. But hey, maybe we're not in so much trouble. After all, I led a rebellion, you've piloted a giant robot. We've got a psychic, a guy who's ridiculously lucky, a gal with poison stuff, and a dude who knows about ghosts. Maybe we'll even get space ghosts to help us. Might just have a chance with all that, I think."

Ellie let out a little chuckle. "If only my mother could hear you say that!" she laughed. After a moment she reflected on that. "What do you think of our changes then? You sound optimistic, talking like that."

Spencer smiled at her with a one-shouldered shrug. "If I told your mother half of what I knew, she'd beat the daylights out of me - at least, she would if she's anything like my mother. But honestly, I don't know if we're the best hope the world has... but I know that I don't plan on backing down. You had the guts to go to another planet. I think we're a lot stronger than people think we are."

She considered that for a few moments. "You know the one thing that everyone around here seems to have? Optimism. Like this vibe that if we stick together and work as a team, that things will all work out for the best." She regarded Spencer. "Nothing seems to get you down, huh?"

Spencer chuckled at Ellie's assessment of his outlook on life. He didn't really notice the optimism - especially when compared to Damien or some of the others. Most of the time, he was the one whose outlook was 'grim determination' in the face of their enemy. "When I was in school, they said I was a pessimist. Now I'm an optimist. I didn't really notice a change. I don't think things will just work out, though. It will be hard, and there will be deaths we can't prevent. We've already lost a Ranger - those Kaldor bastards will pay dearly for that. But, I know we can win eventually. I know how close I got to winning against that fake Red. I only lost because I went at him alone; but the first time, it was enough to get you, Kilena, and Damien out of there, and to save the people who were trapped. The way I see it, I didn't win the fight, but I achieved the objective. The second time got Keon and the others onto the Megaship before you all told me that you found my Zord. We have to work together, and I have to do a lot to remember that. When we work together as Rangers, we win. I've been through a lot in my life - I'll tell you some other time, probably after a couple beers. I learned along the way, though - it's not about the times we lose. It's about always going in for the next round. As long as we're alive, as long as we have these powers, there's reason to keep fighting. If that's optimism, then I guess I'm an optimist."

"Huh. I guess I should stop worrying about the big picture and think about what's in front of me then, right? Like baby steps." She smiled at the small revelation. Although not much of a fighter, and the analogy was a little lost on her, she understood the meaning all the same. "Learning from each encounter, right?"

Spencer nodded at her with a slight smile - not a happy one, but satisfied that he'd been understood. "Exactly. One fight at a time. We can't win a war in a single battle, but if we focus on fighting together and winning each battle, we will win this war."

Ellie grinned back. "Definitely an optimist."

 

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