and he was red;

“There really is always unfinished business,” Elvira looked up at him and nodded in agreement. The field of work they were both in was not something that ever had a definitive ending; Evil never rests, after all. Her brows furrowed for a moment as she looked at Sky, “Castigador’s in Ceres Centropolis?” Elvira blinked a few times as she looked directly at him, “You’re fucking kidding me. We don’t need anymore things happening in Ceres.”

“You have a lot of things in your mind,” Hawkes said as he looked over at the man.  “The Red Ranger has much to think about,” he added as he inspected him.  Even without using any spells, he could feel that there was much turmoil in the man.  In a city like Ceres Centropolis, it was difficult for good men to stay steadfast against the challenges the city offered.  He knew this struggle.

Indigo was aware of how much he intimidated people.  It was something that he relished in;  he would rather have his presence speak for him before he had to.  “There has been a lot of things going on,” Indigo agreed.  Even he was starting to struggle with keeping up with what went on in the city.  He looked at Sky, “You don’t know?”  Indigo cocked an eyebrow up as he slowly looked over to Sky and shook his head.  “You’re the Red Ranger, Schuyler,” Indigo said as he nodded at him, “You know plenty.”

“That’s good,” Brett grinned, “I can’t have people say I’m late when I’m the new Director.”  There was a weight attached to that title, one that Brett swore dragged down further than expected - heavy is the head that wears the crown.  He looked over at Sky and said, “I know about that.  S.H.O.T.’s becoming a thorn in all of our sides.”  He frowned and said, “I’ll find a way to take care of S.H.O.T. and fix things.  I have to.”  The title of Director was not one that Brett had anticipated getting, but now that he had it, he knew he had to rise to the standards.

Brett stopped walking and turned to face Sky.  A rare seriousness made its way to him as he said, “I’m sorry, Sky.  I’m sorry that we didn’t take care of you the way we should have.  I’m never going to let that happen again.  Not to you, not to anyone else.”  He pressed his lips together and nodded, “I’m going to protect everyone and if I can’t, I’m going to train everyone to help each other.  I’m going to change the Inner Sanctum.”

“yeah, congrats about that, man,” sky said, grinning at brett.  “it’s a tough title to carry, but you’re going to do great.  i believe in you, man.”  sky always thought that brett was a good guy, especially when it came to upholding justice;  their beliefs often coincided and sky couldn’t be happier for him.  he frowned, nodding, “i’ll help you.  just let me know what i can do, brett.  we’re all on the same team, so we’ll get through this together.”

“No worries dude.” Maddox gave the other guy a toothy grin from behind the blanket tightly wrapped around himself. Damn why the fuck was it so cold? Wasn’t it spring already? He’d be lucky if he could sleep tonight, at least he had this bench. “If you’re sure then…” He wasn’t going to push the issue if the other guy wasn’t willing to talk. He knew what it felt like to deal with shit on your own and not want to bother others. That’s why he was sitting alone here now. “Me? Eh…” Maddox considered for a moment. “I’ve been better. Definitely been worse too. So I’m somewhere in the middle I guess. But dontcha think everyone’s kinda like that?”

“You know, Red,” Elvira said as she elbowed Sky. She walked around until she was in front of him. Elvira looked up at her friend and then slapped her palm against his forehead. She moved her hand and finally said, “You got the look in your eyes that says there’s unfinished business.”  Elvira looked at him and nodded, “Whose ass do we have to team up and kick, man?”

Brett never got over the guilt of what happened to Sky.  Although he wasn’t directly involved in that, he couldn’t help but feel guilty;  he wished that they had done more in following up with that case.  The attacker had never been caught and Sky had been put out of commission for months - they didn’t do anything either.  Brett sighed as he forced that comfortable smile back on.

“I said, I’m here.  I hope you didn’t wait too long,” Brett said as he threw an arm around Sky.  He veered him over to a different direction and put on that usual playfulness that Brett was known.  “Let’s get food.  I’m hungry.  Patrol’s been tough,” he announced he continued to direct Sky over.  Brett’s alien nature made it difficult for people to get away when he had a grip around them - alien super strength and all.  “Besides,” Brett said, “I got some things I want to discuss with you anyway, Red.”

“brett,” sky said.  his surprise settled into a smile at the appearance of the new director.  of all the people who could have been director, sky would have voted for brett.  elvira would have argued since she wasn’t brett’s biggest fan, but sky always held admiration for the man - he was one of the most truthful people he knew.  there were few people in the inner sanctum that sky could trust aside from the rest of the ranger program.

He didn’t like getting involved with others. It usually led to some unwanted shit happening. But even though he was homeless, that didn’t mean he didn’t have a heart. “Uh, you’re on my bench…” Maddox had spent his first couple of days in this new city looking for a spot to call his own, and this bench was it. Good sunlight during the day for warmth and underneath a streetlamp at night for safety. “But it’s cool, you can sit there too.” He sat down on the opposite end wrapped up in a patched up blanket that he had since his days in the orphanage. “So you got something on your mind?” Even he could tell that much. “If you need a place to vent you got one. I’m a nobody. Might as well be a wall.” 

There were countless reasons why someone could be stood in one place - Hawkes spent thousands of years literally frozen in time - but the issue wasn’t that.  His brows knitted with frustration mounted in annoyance as his lips upturned into an obvious frown.  When the man in front of him finally turned to face him, his upturned lips shifted as they pressed into a thin line:  the red ranger.  He looked back at the man, carefully eyeing the worried remnants in the man’s expression as he finally said, “You’re in the way.  It’s a sidewalk.”

It wasn’t difficult to get lost in one’s thoughts.  Especially with the way that the events in Ceres Centropolis started to pan out.  There were too many times when Indigo could find himself lost in the whirlpool of his own mind to the point where he was certain he could have drowned in his thoughts alone.  However, it didn’t mean he would allow himself to obscure people’s ways.  He cleared his throat and looked over to the man who would be the Red Ranger and asked, “Are you alright?  You’ve been standing in the same spot for quite awhile, Sky.”  He knew Sky - Conrad was one of Indigo’s few and closest friends, after all.

Castigador never could stand the Red Ranger.  

Even when The Diabolos were functional in Hells Kitchen, the stories of the Red Ranger and the rest of the Rangers had trickled into their usual haunts.  While most people in his alignment detested the Ranger group as a whole, there was just something about the Red Ranger that everyone hated more.  Now that he was standing in front of that man, Castigador understood why:  that color of red spread a particular hope to the people he was protecting.  It was so irritating, so annoying to look at.  

At the moment, Castigador assumed that he had overpowered the Red Ranger.  An assumption he quickly learned was wrong.  As the ranger avoided the attacks, Castigador switched into the defensive.  He tried to recall that annoyance he felt from that man with the spiky red hair - red was becoming such a bothersome color to Castigador.  While he worked on activating that power, he had no time to dodge the Red Ranger’s attacks.  He felt the hit connect on his side, causing him to wince in pain as it did.  The energy from the Red Ranger’s power sword sparked through the sky - there was no time to avoid it, but that ability appeared just in time.

“You’re going to have to do better than that,” Castigador said as the sword’s beam pressed against his forearm.  The annoying man with the red hair whose powers Castigador had borrowed was someone who was immovable - the ability was to harden his entire body to the point where it felt as though he was entirely made of steel.  With his arms crossed in front of him to block the Red Ranger’s attack, Castigador shoved him forward, pushing his arms ahead and then separating them to begin an assault of punches.  He threw his punches hoping to hit the Ranger with as many of them as he could;  once he finished, he kicked his leg forward.

Castigador started to grow impatient.

“Yo, Red,” he called out as that hardening ability dissipated.  He rolled his shoulders to the back as he looked at him, “I’m getting tired and I have shit to do, kid.”  While Desi had never been one to speak so disrespectfully to people, as Castigador, it was easy to throw words out with heavy tones of condescension.  “You have until I finish activating this next ability,” he decided, “If you don’t finish me off by then, you might end up losing your other eye.”

castigador was too strong of an opponent.  the red ranger wasn't stupid.  he had paid the price for his overconfidence before - not having his eye for a few months was a price he never wanted to pay again.  this wasn't a fight that he could win by just blindly throwing his fists and hoping that a hit would land.  

the red ranger's moral perked up when his attacks connected with castigador.  a smile of excitement almost broke through, but then, castigador's powers changes.  again.  that smile was overtaken by a sudden frown.  his brows furrowed as castigador's entire body turned into something harder.  the red energy of his power sword crackled, sparking as it connected with castigador's arms.  "shit, shit," sky muttered to himself as he tried to draw back.  as castigador began his new assault, all the red ranger could do was try to separate himself from the villain.

"i'm not done yet," the red ranger shouted out.

that was stupid.  the red ranger couldn't avoid the punches.  he brought his arms up, bracing hismelf against the flurry of assault.  that final kick had him skid further back than he expected.  when the red ranger finally pulled himself into a halt, he looked over the castigador.  this man had a bag of tricks.  too many abilities that sky could not calculate what to do next.

she grinned, hesitantly. “i thought it’d be a safe assumption, yeah.” he seemed rather forgiving, and as she nodded and selected a macaroon from the tray for him, one of the baristas appeared and made swift work of the rest of his order, much to adina’s relief. she shrugged in response. “mostly coincidence—we were running low on croissants, and i just finished a batch so i thought i’d bring them out myself. brave the front for a second or two. but i, um. i don’t think i’ll be making a regular habit of it.” she realized belatedly that could be seen as dismissive and lifted a hand quickly. “not because of you! you seem—you seem totally nice.” yikes, adina. “ i’m just… not great at the whole…” she gestured vaguely at, well—the front counter, people, interacting with them in general. “y’know. i’m really kind of a one trick pony, and my trick is… making food for people, not… talking to them.”

sky greatly appreciated how quickly grounded’s team seemed to make his orders;  time was of the essence after all.  “croissants are quite popular.  i’m sure they’re honored that you braved the front though,” he said and then quirked an eyebrow up, “i was about to say ...did i do something wrong to make the front seem awful?  i mean, i could understand when i had an eyepatch up for awhile.  pirates are cool, but actually walking around with an eyepatch for a few days?  not so much.”  he could laugh about it now, but a few months ago, that was a different type of pain.  sky’s brows furrowed then relaxed as he shook his head, “for a one trick pony, i think you’re doing pretty well.  you haven’t threatened to kill me yet, so i think we’re off to a good start.”

she glanced around, and decided if he didn’t know what he wanted, she was safe to stall a little until someone more capable came to make him a drink. “uh, i assume you like… coffee?” adina generally had just a mug of tea going on the counter while she worked, so she was aware that her tastes were somewhat simpler than the average grounded customer. “sorry, i’m actually just the baker, not one of the, uh… drink-smiths. i can tell you i’m pretty proud of the macaroons we have out right now, though?” she squinted, and smiled apologetically. 

Willpower has always played a part in any fight.  It seemed that the Red Ranger had willpower and determination in spades.

“Oh, this is going to be fun,” Castigador said.  Desiderio had never been a violent person.  At least, he tried his earnest to contain that but the moment he put on that mask and donned Castigador’s armor, he felt everything that he had gone through.  It was dangerous to feel its temptation but even worse when he wore it.  His initial plan tonight was simply to let the city know Castigador had move from Hell’s Kitchen and into Ceres Centropolis.  It seemed that fighting the Red Ranger was going to that announcement.

With the ranger’s thrown punch, Castigador deflected with his right hand before he jumped back.  He let the distance between them expand.  He knew what was going to come up next.  “Oh-ho,” Castigador grinned beneath the mask as the Red Ranger brought out his morpher.  As the Red Ranger’s power suit went on, Castigador cracked his knuckles.  So much for a casual stroll through the city.  “So, you’re finally going to be serious.”

Castigador had no time to throw out another insult as the Red Ranger rushed at him.  He dodged, ducking down but he felt the uppercut connect.  He winced under his mask but had no time wait for the pain to subside.  A second uppercut was thrown - he blocked this time, deflecting it with his forearm before felt the third uppercut connect.  The wind was blown out of him and just as he was about to hit the ground, the Red Ranger forced a kick at him.  Castigador slid backward, until he forced himself into a halt.

“Heh,” he said, rolling his back and letting himself straighten out.  “So, you can fight.  Good.  I needed some practice,” Castigador said as he tried to remember that incredibly annoying man again.  He always liked the powers of ice.  He bit his bottom lip until it bled, then licked the blood before he felt the coolness of that annoying ice mutant’s abilities come through.  He pressed his right hand into a fist and then slammed it into the palm of his left hand, “Ice Make: Lance.” 

At the words he said, ice shot out of his palm in form of a lance.  Multiple lances came, aiming directly at the Red Ranger.  He wasn’t sure if he hit him, but as the coolness vanished from his palm.  He feinted to the right, then headed behind the Red Ranger.  He brought his right leg up, kicking up as high as he could.  With his leg up, he twisted his whole body forward and followed with a round-house kick to the back of the Red Ranger.

“Come on, Red,” he taunted, “You’re gonna need more than just that.”

the villain group called the diabolos had been in the inner sanctum files for as long as sky could remember.  castigador had been on there and sky could remember the jealousy he felt - this man had the ability to harness as many powers as he could, regardless of what it was.  

and sky?  sky wasn't born with any powers.  no mutations, no magical abilities, nothing that could be considered to be outstanding or different;  nothing about him stuck out that could have made people look at him and say: 'oh, that kid's hero material'.  yet, when he was five years old, he decided that he was going to become a hero.  and heroes?  they never give up.  even when the deck is stacked against them.

castigador has to have an opening.  he had to have some weakness?  sky frowned, but what was it?

the red ranger wasn't surprised when castigador avoided his assault of punches.  he took a defensive stance as castigador was blown back by the last flurry of kicks.  his arms were, fists balled and ready for the next attack.  sky kept his focus on the fight, not the insults or retorts that castigador would give to him.  he couldn't afford to be distracted.  not one bit.  especially when he didn't know what to expect from the man.

then the coolness of the air came back.  another ice attack.

the red ranger jumped back, avoiding the frozen lances that were aimed directly at him.  though the ranger suit was strong enough to withstand many attacks, sky knew better than to let it continually take damage from these attacks - repetitive hits from these frozen attacks would dull the sensors across his suit and with this heavy hitter of an opponent in front of him, he needed to be careful.  panic came across his eyes - he dodged the ice attack but in his attempt to avoid being hit, he lost sight of castigador.  his eyes widened as he couldn't find the man in front of him.

"shit," sky muttered as he felt castigador's kick send him upward.  then he felt that round-house kick to his side.  as he sailed off, the red ranger twisted himself to land on his feet.  he needed to change his strategy.  he reached for the holster attached to him: the hilt of the power sword was now in his hands.  there was a slight tension that came through him - this was the same weapon that removed his eye.  he wasn't going to be a victim;  he would reclaim his weapon.