insertmeathere | Drabble Meme

Larger than life

"It's much more fun than you think." ~ Vril Dox II

Hey, you're not supposed to be here :P Anyway, here goes!
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"What would happen if everyone knew who I truly was?"

At the outset of his odd career, Billy had readily agreed to Zordon's decree that they keep their identities as Rangers secret, a hidden part of themselves that would never come to light. They were safer that way, the reasoning went---no interviews, no harassment, no loss of normalcy in their school lives. It was simply an accepted part of the job.

Now Billy wasn't particularly a believer in spending time pondering 'what if', but life as a secret savior of his town had presented a burning curiosity. His fellow citizens all had opinions about the Power Rangers, and opinions about the kids they really were. What would happen if it was common knowledge that they were one and the same?

Sometimes, during an unusually trying day in class, he'd picture the looks of shock on Bulk and Skull's faces. Disbelief that the Rangers had been under their noses the entire time they searched. He'd imagine what his teachers would think of teaching the heroes everyone admired so much. What his parents would say, knowing they'd raised a protector of the land.

Strangely, it was hard to picture Ernie treating them any differently. Something about the proprietor of the Juice Bar discouraged questioning of loyalty. Already, the man was willing to give them anything they needed. He even managed to catch their attention when a monster attack was going on in Angel Grove. Did that mean he knew, or suspected?

Regardless, acknowledgment of all that he did for the city was just a passing fantasy. Especially considering that almost everyone he thought of in those days had likely been slaughtered by the Ohm. Here, on this strange quest, he was just one of many heroes. And an unskilled one by the standards they set---the others were faster, stronger, and smarter.

Here, there was no glory. Billy Cranston was just a greasemonkey and part-time grunt. And that, to his surprise, was all right. What he did and who he did it with mattered to him more than what the others thought, as anyone who had been a bullied outcast knew well.

She wishes that she could tell him how she feels, what she has realized - how he is right and she is wrong - and maybe give him a chance.

But the flashes are getting closer and closer together, and a terrible sense of foreboding is looming over her thoughts, as the interference patterns decrease.

She wants to tell him that she's sorry.

But there isn't enough time.

(http://photobucket.com)

Afterlife.

I REFUSE TO BELIEVE HE DOESN'T HAVE ONE!

Dani, Dark Smoke Puncher, Pirogoeth, Elfangor, Selene Jones/Dream Weaver, and Shadow Link.

Say which character the prompt applies too.

I ALSO RULE PAGE FOUR!

Discovering the love of piloting.

Someone takes 'hit me' literally.

Jumping in on this one with Giles

And Tobias...I'll get back to you re Booth.

A true hero...she was willing to give her all for peace.

You are loved more than I can say...and I will fight with everything I have not to leave you again.

OK I misunderstood the challenge but...take it as a prompt LOL

Like I told Loren-mun, I misinterpreted the directions...but you can have it as a prompt.

Spock was a rational being. He embarked on new experiences with the cool head and objective mindset that was always to be preferred in a scientist.

His relationship with Cadet Uhura was no different. As his aide for the Advanced Vulcan Phonology class, she had the responsibility of constructing study guides, holding office hours for the students, assisting him with the grading of assignments and sundry other tasks, all clearly outlined in the Academy guidelines. She performed all of these tasks admirably. She was one of the most highly-skilled aides Spock had worked with.

Beyond this, Spock enjoyed her company. She grasped the nuances of language with a deftness that was nothing short of unparalleled in Spock's experience. They also had many things in common, beginning, they soon found, with an interest in music.

The first time he heard her sing, at an Academy Chorale concert, he noted her first-rate pitch, and the pleasing tonal quality of her voice. What he was unprepared for, was the way she evoked memories of a sunset on Vulcan.

What he was unprepared for, was how comfortable he felt in her presence, and how, when she wasn't around, he often found himself wishing she was, no matter how illogical the thought might be.

Spock had never encountered such a paradox.

"It's much more fun than you think."

"What is?"

"Socialising," Cosmic Boy answered, leaning on the back of Brainy's chair as he watched the Coluan work.

"Really. Which is obviously why you spend so much time in here conferring with me rather than spending time talking to the rest of our team," Brainiac answered dryly, not even glancing away from the constantly changing stream of data on the screens.

Cos sighed. "That's not really socialising. Running the Legion is a job and socialising is--"

"Indulging in pointless and often convoluted behaviours in order to create a false sense of closeness? I don't have the time. In fact, why did you even raise the topic in the first place, I wonder?"

The other man laughed softly. "Ever the optimist, Brainy. I asked to see if you were really here or not, not to mention some people actually want to see you more often, if you can believe that."

That got more of a reaction, and Brainy turned to fix Cos with an exceedingly sceptical look. "I know, my reaction too," Cos answered cheerfully. "But Dream Girl seems to think you should get out more."

"Hn. She's mentioned that. I don't have the time." Brainy turned back to his work, dismissing the other's presence.

"Just saying that it's more fun than you think, and you don't have to be locked away all the--" Cos began, but Brainy cut him off.

"I can be 'fun' and 'nice', or I can be effective, Cosmic Boy. Which would you prefer?"

"What happens when it all stops?"

"What do you mean?" Brainiac 5 didn't look up from his work, though the Legion had long since learned that hardly meant he wasn't paying attention. In fact the Coluan was almost one hundred percent positive that Superman knew he had his almost undivided attention.

He heard the other superhero moving around the laboratory and unconsciously tracked all the sounds, building an accurate image of Superman - red and blue costume a constant reminder of everything a hero should be - walking around, bending over various projects and trying to act nonchalant as he continued speaking.

"I'm talking about..." Superman trailed off and tried again. "The other day, when Cham and Element Lad were discussing religion and started asking everyone else about what they thought happened when they died, you didn't really answer."

Brainiac 5 turned his head to fix the Kryptonian with an almost perplexed look, though his fingers continued to dance across the computer controls just as easily as if he were paying attention to the displays. "Yes, I did. I said Coluans don't have any concerns with such things. We don't have a belief system like that, nor any concept of an afterlife. I'm sorry, Superman, but as far as Coluans are concerned, since there's no proof of there being anything else after death, it's believed that once you die that's it. There isn't anything else. You're just gone."

"But Brainy, isn't that kind of depressing? You can't really want to think that there's nothing else, can you?"

There was an almost pleading sound to his voice that made Brainiac 5 uncomfortable for some reason, and he glanced away, using the computer controls as an excuse to avoid his friend's gaze. "What I do or do not want doesn't change the likely outcome, Superman. I'd rather try and do the best with what I have at any rate. Holding out for something afterwards seems... strange to me."

"You don't really believe that, Brainy."

Brainiac 5 sighed. "Why are we even having this conversation?" he said evasively.

"You know why," Superman said, and the soft working noises from the computer seemed louder somehow. "Because you're not willing to accept that, Brainy, and you're not... letting go."

And Brainiac 5 looked up at the program he was running for the first time. A self-diagnostic on his own systems. Over and over and over... Like it would somehow come back with the results he wanted.

"...I'm not in the Legion's headquarters, am I?" he said quietly.

"No."

"And you're not really here, are you?"

"I'm sorry, Brainy."

The Coluan nodded to himself. In a way he'd known; this was just his mind trying to find a way to comfort itself one last time on the brink of...

He closed his eyes, his hands still running the self-diagnostic because he couldn't stop just yet. There was silence between them for a long moment before he spoke again. "...I'm afraid."

It was little more than a breath, and he swallowed and spoke louder. "This is... final. I know the backup disc was too corrupted to be salvageable by any normal means. I won't be coming back, Superman. I don't know what happens next and I don't...

"I'm a program, to put it simply. Computer files don't have an afterlife. There's nothing else after and..."

A hand dropped onto his shoulder and Brainiac 5 glanced up at Superman, not sure if it helped or hurt to see his friend's sympathetic smile. "You'll be fine, Brainy. You're strong and I know that if there's something else out there, you'll find it." He chuckled softly. "And probably research it until you know everything about it.

"So don't let fear stop you."

Brainiac 5 sighed, relaxing slowly. "Thank you, Superman." His hands slowed and stopped running the endless diagnostics and he looked up to match the Kryptonian's smile as the scene around them began to slowly fade and he felt himself letting go.

"I'll let you know what I find."

*Crying. So much.*

You'll find an afterlife Brainy! You're human enough to get one!

Though I like imagining if anyone else ever goes there for whatever reason (MAYBE TO DRAG HIM BACK?), he's sitting there and being all 'What took you? I've nearly discovered everything here.'

I like this scenario. I like this scenario a lot.

IT IS NOW MY HEADCANON! At some point in the future, someone drags him back from the afterlife! Maybe after they beat the Ohm or something.

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LATE AND DEPRESSING AS HELL. ...sorry? Dx

And I just HAPPENED to be in her journal too.

It's like it was destiny! ...really depressing destiny!

Extremely depressing! And kind of funny it was her talking to her Yeerk buddy.