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Yrysaranger Ch 3

Choices

'I'm glad I keep this with me.' Marcus thought to himself as he bounced an old tennis ball off the floor, into the wall, and back to him. It was soothing, to hear it bounce and to have it come right back at him to catch. He'd catch it from what seemed the hundredth time and lightly squeeze it in his paw.

He'd done his best to leave society, done his best to escape this world. In the end, look where he was. "The basement waiting to be a lap dog to the Earth's military." Marcus said out loud, earning a glare from the guard watching him outside.

He returned to bouncing the ball quietly, trying to decide his next move. His mind kept going back to the morpher, and the experience he had in that suit. How strong he was. He caught the ball again, and squeezed it tight as he focused.

'The strength I had, I pushed him back with ease. With that power...I can do anything.' He'd think to himself, looking out the regular cell door. He looked to the bench where the girl from before sat.

She said her name was Serena, she had gave up on small talk with him for a while. She did earn a small bit of respect, how ever. Before she was taken upstairs, the guard who was on duty told her "Good job on entrusting the last morpher to a Flea-bag who won't help us in the least. Waste of good tech."

She glared, apologized to Marcus, and then told the guard she'd be sure to let Mai know the words he just said. He was still begging her to stay silent when she was taken upstairs. Five minutes later, the guard was marched off by two more guards and replaced by a Cream colored cat.

The said Cat kept watching Marcus with interest, quietly. He'd say "Everything alright Ranger Black?"

Marcus would glare back, then say simply "I'm not 'Ranger Black' or what ever. Call me .."

"Marcus, I know." He'd finish for him. "It's a sign of respect, I apologize. The Rangers are the equivalent of Generals, so I call them by rank. Most do."

Marcus then said "Judge someone by what they do, not what rank they hold." as he looked away, and started bouncing the ball again.

The cat then said "You took the morpher, and fought against the creature. Earned my respect so far."

Marcus thought back, aggravated as he tried to decide his next move. His life was always an annoyance whether it be to him or to another. His father was one of the first high ranking Yrysaian to make it to Earth and settle. He mated with a female woman who stole his eye, like a lot of other male Yrysaians, and seemed happy for a while. Then it happened.

Tina, Marcus's mother, was found to be pregnant. At first, Irigan was furious. But the ultrasound showed, as she didn't know until she was four months in and thought it was just simple weight gain, showed that the child had animal ears, specificity canine. When the time came, Marcus was due to be born.

He was never told much about it, but he never had to be. He watched a documentary on his birth. According to that, there was a large disagreement and protest to his birth. The hospital parking lot was full of protesters of both races on how blasphemous the birth was. The United States of America, as it was still a separate power of Earth then, had to call in the National Guard to guard the hospital, and eventually both sides had to be tear gassed to calm the hostile fight that broke out eventually.

Everything about his birth went fine, until the end. There was a complication that happened in which they almost lost both Marcus and Tina. It was a common human complication that happened from time to time. After the birth, Tina was told that it'd be a death wish to have another kid and her ovaries where removed.

Things where fine at first, but after Marcus turned three there was many issues in the home that many people didn't know about. A lot of people had no idea why Marcus ran away, and even more had no idea why Marcus wasn't searched for as hard as the Parents should have.

Marcus was lost in thought, so he didn't hear the guard who came down and called his name, opening the cell door. The guard cleared his throat and said "Marcus, hey the General wants to see you."

He blinked, bounced the ball once as he stood up and caught it without looking as he walked out. He didn't have handcuffs on, they took them off when they arrived saying it won't be necessary unless they struggled. The guard, who was human, said to the cat "Can you escort him to her office, I need to go take a leak bad. I'll owe you a solid." to which the Cat nodded, saying to Marcus "Follow me, Marcus sir." and lead him upstairs quietly.

As Marcus followed, he thought he recognized something. There was something odd about this cat. He looked at the back of his head, and thought he could see a light blue mark that lead down his shirt. As they walked through the base, from the basement level, he noticed that there was a lot of high tech stuff. The walls where white, and each wing had a different color. He noticed red, blue, green, yellow, purple, and orange at least, and they went up five levels. The colors where all the same every level, and plenty of people in uniforms. Most uniforms where dark gray with black belts and silver buttons and buckles. Occasionally you would see gold instead of silver, and the farther they went up, there was an occasional white uniform with the same type of buttons. Everyone in uniform had a side arm.

On the tenth floor, they took an elevator from floor five up, they got out and went down the blue wing. There where not many doors down this way, but when they reached one he saw it was a silver door with a gold plaque. It was inscribed in simple Italic text:

Commander in Chief

Mai Katio

The cat knocked, and said simply to the speaker "Commander Mai, I have escorted Ranger Black, Marcus, as requested." He stood at attention, and after a moment she said "You are dismissed Privet Carl, Marcus Tirigan please enter." As the door opened.

It dawned on Marcus, this cat was the first friend he made in pre-school before he ran away. The mark on his back was the same mark Marcus accidentally dyed on his fur. He just realized that the mark the cat made permanent. Carl turned, then said "Couldn't speak out of line, I'm glad your well Marcus." As he saluted him, and waited for Marcus to go inside for respect.

Marcus entered the room, and took note. It was oval in shape, and painted white. Along the right hand side was a large screen that took up most of the right side, and had a control panel below. The screen had 'RED BLUE YELLOW BLACK WHITE' written across the screen each in their respective colors, and below each said 'Standby' in each respective color. The left wall had different framed pictures, medals, and awards from military and colleges. The back wall was a window that looked over the city, with a solid oak desk. The room was large enough for about fifteen people to stand comfortably in. In the center, a glass table was set down, with tea and muffins set down. There was a iron work chair waiting, and standing beside the opposite chair was Commander Mai. She had shoulder length jet black hair, and wore a olive green uniform with golden buttons. Her belt was solid black, and there was a side arm like everyone else had. She waved her hand outwards and said "Please, have a seat Mr. Tirigan."

Marcus's ears laid flat immediately at the name, and said "I cast that away a long time ago, it's just Marcus." as he stayed standing. Mai nodded, and said "Marcus then, please have a seat and be comfortable." as she waited. It was a common courtesy to let your guest sit first, showing that you feel they where more important. Marcus took note of this as he sat down. After he sat, she sat as well.

She motioned to the tea and said "Is green tea fine for your tastes, if not I can get something else you prefer." He nodded her on, and she picked up the tea pot. Behind it, and sat to where it was centered in front of her was the black ranger morpher that was on his wrist not twenty four hours ago. His gaze remained on it for about thirty seconds while she poured the hot, steaming tea into his china mug then filled her own. She'd say then "Cream or sugar?"

Marcus said simply "Sugar." after a moment, tearing his gaze from the morpher. She'd offer the sugar, and he'd take two lumps and stir it in as she added just cream. She'd motion to the chocolate chip and blue berry muffins saying "Please help yourself."

Marcus didn't need a second invite, he was always hungry where he lived on the streets and never turned down free food. He ate a blue berry one rather swiftly, as she said "You've been gone a long time, Marcus. You mysteriously disappeared, after being the saving star of the Yrysaian race. Why is that, you don't seem to be a person to do things without a reason."

Marcus took a drink of his tea, and held the cup to his muzzle in a pause as she finished asking the question. He'd sigh, then set the cup down saying "Because Earth is not a big ball of sunshine."

She'd stay quiet, looking him in the eyes. He knew little of this woman, he left the world before all the powers of Earth gave way to being one planet, each under her power. But the look in her eyes told him, she hungered for information, she wanted to know more and the exact details. He'd say "Don't you have more to do than listen to me, a lowly street rat?"

She'd shake her head and say "My evening is yours unless that creature breaks down my door or window." as she sat, her back straight and in perfect posture. He'd nod and take a drink, then say "Let me eat my fill, while you explain to me what you want out of me and when I'm full I'll gladly talk to you."

Marcus didn't wait, and started to eat. Mai smiled, and said "Alright. Going on what I do not know. I will assume that you know nothing since you left. Since you have left, the Earth has been moving towards a better community. It takes time, as it always has done in the past. But there are laws now against discrimination."

She took another drink, and Marcus took the chance to snort. She said simply from there "Discrimination openly is grounds for job loss in a work field or a heavy fine. Hate crimes, is a expulsion from the Earth."

Marcus blinked, and said simply "Are you serious, the price for that crime is that serious?" interested. She'd nod, then he'd say "Alright, things have improved some. I see why that guy was begging for that girl to keep her yap shut."

She'd nod, then say "Yeah he was fired." As she smiled. Marcus cleared his throat as he finished his muffin. She'd set her cup down, and say "I believe it's your turn to talk, your finished with your muffin."

Marcus sighed, and said "After I turned about three was when my parents started to abuse me. Mom was only taken by my father because and I quote 'Human Bitches are always willing to take it, especially when not in heat.' So when she had those birth complications and had to lose the ability to have kids he lost interest in her and started being abusive. I left to get away from all the hate. It's as simple as that." as he looked at Mai in the eye firmly.

She'd nod as the computer next to her beeped, she'd turn, and see three bars colored red, yellow and blue under the names at the top, the standby changed to active. She'd say quietly "So it's begun." as she turned back to Marcus. "As you may know, the Ranger Program was made to be the Earth's foremost and last line of defense. The technology used for these protective suits come from Yrysa, a rare material that only generates in the planet's core every twenty years. It's a hardy material, and we only had enough for five rangers at this time. The morpher is bound to your DNA, as Serena told you. So, the only way I could remove you from the morphers memory would be to have it scan your body while you where dead."

Marcus sat as he took in the information. He basically took the biggest ticket in the planet to be stuck in the military for life. He let off a low irritated growl as he responded "So you expect me to fight for you while you sit in here?"

She shook her head then said "It is up to you if you wished to continue to be Ranger Black. For your work in keeping the black ranger morpher from enemy hands you are awarded the Black Feather, the highest honor I can grant a citizen for military affairs. Also as a apology to being bound to the morpher, I'll be giving you two hundred credits a month for the next ten years. But if you wanted to continue to be Range Black, you'll be welcomed openly and thankfully."

Marcus was in shock, she wasn't going to force him to use the power to fight? His ears raised back up, and noticed that the bars on the screen had been progressively going down, sometimes in jumps. Inside each bar was a number that was going down, 89.23 and so forth. Suddenly the blue bar jumped down to 40.25 and the computer started to beep. Mai sighed, and said "Please excuse me." As she stood, and went to the computer to shut the alarm off. She'd say as she worked. "If you do put that morpher back on, It's considered a willing enlistment into the military for the ranger program and if you back out from there, you will be prosecuted for going AWALL but if you want to go back to being as you where, then the morpher will be locked up physically and technologically to where it won't function. The only thing I'd ask would be to allow us to put a chip under your skin so that when you do pass into death the chip will send a signal to the morpher to allow us to use it again."

She hit a button, and a screen popped up showing the view from someone's helmet. According to the text in the upper left corner, it was Ranger Yellow's. He was looking at the creature from the day before hold up red and blue by the throats, the two trying to fight him off. He'd curse under his breath, and turn away showing a group of younger children, Yrysain and human alike. He'd tell them "Get going, go that way and stay out of sight and together. Find help, we'll distract this thing and stop it."

A stone dropped in Marcus's stomach. He felt like throwing up, those kids where the ones he left there, to be safe from the gang wars. The same ones he helped feed. His eyes shot to the morpher, thinking of everything that was said.

Mai said simply "Our mission is to protect, and it looks like I need to send Ranger White in now. I hope she's ready." As she turned. When she did, she'd blink. The chair was empty, and the black morpher was gone. She shook her head with a chuckle, and turned back to the computer as she pressed a button saying "Ranger White, report to the bay to deploy in assisting Cell team one."

Serena would respond back through her morpher saying "Roger!" as Mai added "And, also, catch Ranger Black before he gets lost and give him a ride to help. Cell team two, I declare time for launch!"