The Perfect Host
Author: dream-edge
Title: The Perfect Host
Summary: The Ranger Green energy decides that Ziggy Grover is an... imperfect host. That simply will not do. So it changes him.
Rating: T
Pairings: Dillon/Ziggy
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or anything related to the franchise. I do not own anything recognizable as from any other media source.
The Perfect Host
It was not a being. It had no form, no name, no beginning or end. But it was aware. It was aware of the witch Rita who had tried to use it without permission, tried to twist and taint it. It was aware of the powerful but gentle presence of the being called Zordon, who had tried to correct the damage Rita had wrought with admittedly little success. It was aware of the endless stream of hosts that had found ways to harness its power. It was aware those hosts called themselves the Power Rangers.
It was aware of its current host Ziggy Grover. And it did not approve.
Its other hosts had been strong, driven individuals ready to give up everything in order to protect their world. The child that held its power now did so with timid hands and an unwilling heart. This… Grover was both a coward and a weakling. He felt awkward in his own body and insecure in his surroundings. He was unwilling to trust or grow attached to his team and he lied about himself. He had a select few moments of selflessness but his first thought was usually for himself. The only similarity this child had with its previous hosts was a persistent streak of silliness.
And that attitude would not do.
It knew of others like it that had helped their hosts by guiding them. But it would not guide. It would change by however much it took to change Grover's attitude.
-0-0-
Ziggy had been a Ranger for all of two days now and the entire time he had felt uncomfortable. He had felt like someone, someone other than the Rangers and Doctor K, really did not approve of him being a Ranger. Someone who had power and influence and whose approval he needed desperately. Which he had decided was stupid. The only approval he needed was Dillon's who had given him it. Dillon trusted him; that was enough.
Speaking of Dillon.
Ziggy fell to the floor when Dillon's fist connected to his jaw. Again. He didn't bother to get up this time, just laid there, resting his now aching cheek against the cool floor of the training room. He really didn't want to be here. Really, really did not want to be here. But Scott and Doctor K had put him on a very strict training schedule and he didn't want to think about what they'd do to him if he didn't keep to it. His only salvation was the fact that Dillon seemed to have an endless amount of patience when it came to him. He really did wonder lately why the man was putting up with him.
He turned his head when Dillon squatted down next to him but didn't look up, unable to meet his disappointed gaze. "You dazed again." Dillon accused. Ziggy closed his eyes against the tone, knowing it was true. "I know. I'm still adjusting to… everything." He whispered. He didn't want to suck at this but… he was scared. He couldn't handle this. He didn't want to handle this. Everything in him was whining that this just wasn't fair. He'd never asked for the fancy suit.
Although he didn't see it, Dillon's eyes softened in understanding. "You alright?" Dillon asked.
He nodded, sitting up at last. "I'm fine." He lied. His cheek hurt like hell and the rest of his body was a dull, achy throb. "Thanks for helping." He replied. Dillon just shrugged. As if this was something he did for everyone. Ziggy knew he didn't. Dillon would never put up with the others this long just to teach them such a simple lesson. He didn't say anything about it though. He merely accepted the hand up Dillon held out for him and the water bottle he was thrown. "Am I making this more complicated than it actually is?" he asked quietly.
Dillon looked over at him and sighed. "Maybe. I don't know." Dillon paused then clapped him on the shoulder gently. "It's alright. Don't worry about it."
Ziggy grinned but the feeling of disapproval that had hung over his head the last two days increased suddenly. The smile dropped off his face, a shiver of anxiety racing down his spine. He was starting to get a very bad feeling. "You okay Zig?" Dillon asked, looking at him weirdly.
He nodded slightly, mumbling, "Just thinking." Another lie. He wondered if he should mention the bad feeling he was starting to get. But he really didn't think Dillon would take him seriously. Dillon had taken him seriously so far, or at least, didn't think him as much of a failure as the others did, but he didn't need his partner thinking he was crazy and paranoid on top of everything. Dillon probably thought him a fool already.
"Dillon!" They both turned at the call to see Flynn standing in the doorway to the training room, eyeing them carefully. "I need to talk to you about your car, lad." He said. Dillon nodded and walked over to him, patting Ziggy's shoulder another time as he walked past in reassurance. Ziggy nodded distractedly, trying to see if he could identify why he was feeling so uneasy.
Suddenly, a wave of cold crashed over him, freezing him in place. He couldn't move, no matter how hard he tried. His heartbeat picked up in fear. He started to panic. He couldn't move! Dillon, help me! He tried to shout, tried to get sort of noise out of his throat to alert the two men at the door that something was wrong. Nothing came out. Tears bloomed across his eyes from sheer panic. What was happening to him?
The water bottle slipped from his nerveless fingers to splash across the ground. The two men turned towards him at the sound and somewhere beneath the fear crashing through him, Ziggy registered Dillon calling his name in concern. Dillon help! He tried to call. Nothing.
'You are an… imperfect host.'
The words echoed in his head, neither male nor female, just pure power. All his thoughts ground to a halt at it, his lungs stopping for a brief minute.
'That will change.'
His bad feeling came back, breaking through the icy panic. It did nothing but heighten his fear. There was nothing he would do. He was trapped in his own body.
'This will hurt.'
The warning was short and blank of feeling. Then the cold disappeared. Feeling returned to his arms and legs and he grabbed a sharp lungful of air. But before the fear could ease even a little bit though, pain and fire washed through him. His very blood felt like it was boiling. He could feel his muscles and bones shifting with excruciating detail beneath his skin. The pain seemed to go on forever. He couldn't handle it. He screamed.
Both Dillon and Flynn jerked into action when the tortured wail broke through the worried silence that had consumed them when Ziggy had dropped the bottle. Ziggy collapsed before they could reach him, his body convulsing against the floor. Dillon knelt next to him, grabbing his arms to prevent him from hurting himself due to his thrashing. Flynn took that time to quickly check him over for injuries, all the while calling out for the other two Rangers for help. In his head, Dillon ran quickly through all the injuries Ziggy could possibly have attained during training that would cause this kind of reaction. He drew a blank. So what was causing this?
Scott and Summer slid into the room just as Ziggy's fingers twisted and latched onto his arms, obviously having no intention of letting go. Then Dillon got a very good look at Ziggy's face and his heart stopped for a minute. It was equal parts pale and flushed, expression tight and pained, lips open in a scream, and eyes jammed shut as tears of pain slowly slipped down his cheeks.
After a terrifying few minutes, Ziggy's screams slowly trailed off and died out with a low whimper. His eyes slid open. Dillon froze as he stared down at his friend. He knew Ziggy's eyes and the eyes staring back at him from his friend's face were not Ziggy's. Ziggy's eyes were a deep, warm brown, constantly dancing with life and laughter. The eyes staring up at him were pained and desperate. And they were the brightest, purest shade of emerald green he'd ever seen. He was pretty sure they were glowing as well.
Slowly, the glow faded and his eyes fluttered shut. Ziggy's suddenly limp body slumped against the ground, breathing heavily. Summer reached forward slowly, as if unsure about what to expect from the boy, and combed her fingers through his hair, brushing away the tears on his face even as she tried to blink the startled fear out of her eyes. "What just happened?" she asked, sounding about as terrified as Dillon was feeling right now.
"Rangers." Doctor K's voice called over the com system. Even the Doc sounded a little shaken. "Bring him to the lab. Quickly."
Everyone did as they were told, Dillon grabbing the boy to carry him into the lab. Ziggy was horribly light. Summer kept hold of one of Ziggy's hands, biting her lip in worry. As Dillon carried the youngest, most vulnerable Ranger into the lab, he tried to banish the image of the inhumanly green eyes to the back of his mind.
-0-0-
Ziggy was asleep for three days. Three long, anxious, mind-numbing days. Three days where they worked tirelessly to find out what had happened to Ziggy. Dillon stopped sleeping, alternating between checking in on K and keeping a silent vigil over Ziggy. Scott spent most of the time pacing, glancing anxiously around as if waiting for another of his Rangers to drop like Ziggy. Summer hovered around the lab, trying to help K but doing admittedly little. Flynn made smoothies he never bothered to drink, looking pale and gaunt from worry. For three days, they worked and had no success other than to discover an outpouring of Ranger Green energy that may or may not have anything to do with Ziggy's condition. When they went to bed, of the three that still went to bed, they were tired and defeated. And still Ziggy slept, his body slowly healing itself from the damage wrought upon it by some mysterious source.
When he did finally wake, it was late and raining. Dillon hadn't been able to stay in the lab any longer, could no longer listen to Doctor K's constant reply to every question he asked. All the Doc could tell him now was "I don't know." So he had slipped into Ziggy's room, intending to watch over him like he had for the past three days. But when he entered, Ziggy was already awake, looking around with his normal wide brown eyes.
-0-0-
Ziggy looked around his darkened room, feeling drained, hungry, and wide awake all at the same time. Even in the dim lighting of his room, he could make out the details of his room and he could just make out the subtle sounds of rain from outside. He blinked dazedly. How had he gotten here? He couldn't remember what had happened.
Before he could figure out what happened, a familiar smell hit him, making him breathe deeply. Layered beneath the heavy scent of rain was the smell of leather and oil, of machinery and something wholly human. He sat up, turning his head to the just as it opened. Dillon stepped in.
The older man squinted at him before his eyes widened in surprise. Ziggy merely blinked at him. In five quick steps, Dillon crossed the room and pulled him into a tight hug. Ziggy's eyes widened at the move just as the smell from before exploded across his senses. It weaved around him, blocking out everything but Dillon. Dillon he became suddenly hypersensitive too. Dillon's breathe and heartbeat echoed in his ears, the warmth of his body ghosting across his and making him relax into the grip. Dillon was muttering something into his hair. "You had us so worried Zig." Dillon whispered so quietly it felt like he shouldn't be able to hear it. "We didn't know what had happened and you wouldn't wake up."
Ziggy blinked again. Just how long had he been asleep? It felt blurry in his head and he couldn't figure it out. "What?" He asked, his voice unnaturally loud in the quiet room. "I don't-" he stopped, frowning as he struggled to remember. Bits and pieces slowly came back to him. He could remember pain, lots of pain that hurt just to think about. And there had been something else… something in the back of his mind he knew was important. He could remember hearing something… no good. He couldn't remember. "How long was I out?" he asked finally.
"Three days." Dillon answered. He pulled back finally, staring down at him with disbelief. "You're really alright?" he asked. Ziggy nodded, surprised. How did he feel so good after what had happened? It had felt like his whole body was splitting in half from the pain. "You need to see K." Dillon said, looking all at once relieved, concerned, and a little terrified. He allowed Dillon to pull him to his feet. However, once he was up, he stumbled, blood rushing back to his legs. His vision went fuzzy and black for a minute before he shook his head and straightened.
"You okay?" Dillon asked quietly. He nodded and looked back up at Dillon in time to catch the weird look Dillon was giving him. "What? What's wrong?" He asked. Dillon shook his head, the look disappearing although his eyes remained faintly unsettled. Dillon opened the door for him, motioning him out. Ziggy obeyed, heading towards the lab. Their footsteps echoed around the empty Garage loudly, ringing painfully in his ears and making him wince slightly at first before he got over it. Everything felt different somehow, clearer than it had been, sharper.
They entered the lab and he was nearly overwhelmed by the scent of something… like perfume almost. The smell of kiwi and strawberries he had learned Summer used as a shampoo was there as well but the scent of flowers was ingrained deeper, beneath Summer's shampoo. And it was starting to make his head. It felt like he'd become oversensitive to everything. Dillon pushed him into a chair before leaving. Ziggy followed him with his eyes then with his ears was he was out of the room. He could very clearly hear Dillon running back up the stairs and forcibly awaking the others with news that he was up and it was starting to scare him.
"Series Green, are you well?" Doctor K asked finally and he looked over at the screens that were their only connection their mentor. He nodded slightly to signal that he was fine. Suddenly, Summer's shriek of glee when she heard he was up cut through the air and he gasped, both hands slamming over his ears and his eyes closing in an effort to stop the ringing and to make the pain in his head go away. He wasn't even aware of the Doc's concerned call, biting his lip in an effort not to cry out from the pain. Then warm hands gripped his own, gently pulling them away from his ears. He opened his eyes again to see Dillon standing before him, looking at him in concern. "You okay?" he asked.
He nodded weakly. The smell of kiwi and strawberries washed over the room and he groaned. "Please don't yell." He begged weakly, glancing over Dillon's shoulder to see Summer standing just behind him. Scott and Flynn were standing in the doorway, looking at him as if they were waiting for him to lose it again. Summer nodded and pushed Dillon aside slightly so that she could hug him. He sighed and gave into the second embrace he'd found himself in the last five minutes. It was a long moment before she pulled back, looking at him with wide, concerned eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.
"As long as you don't yell again I'll be fine." He answered, bringing one hand up to rub against his ear again. As he did so, Scott and Flynn came closer, Flynn's bare feet shuffling across the cold floor. "Zig?" Scott asked quietly.
Ziggy looked up at them and smiled slightly. That small smile quickly blossomed into a grin. "Don't worry. I'm fine. Just don't ask me what happened, I have no idea." He told them. One thought kept repeating itself inside his head as the others were forced to quit their personal examination of his health so they could run some tests on him for K. This was his team. They didn't always get along or even like each other but they were a team. They were a family and outside these walls, they were all each other had.
Once the tests were done, they got mobbed again, the other Rangers closing in from all sides and asking him question after question while K went over the data. He laughed at them, trying to feel claustrophobic. It must not have worked because after a few minutes Dillon started to shepherd them away, claiming they were making him nerves, which they were. And Scott's cologne, combined with Summer's shampoo, Dillon's strange scent, and the smell that was coated over the lab, were making his head spin.
"Rangers." Doctor K called, making them turn towards the screen. "I must insist on Ranger Green's behalf that you all keep your voices as low as possible and warn him before you turn on any lights. From these scans I believe both his eyesight and hearing have become hypersensitive."
"And my nose." He added. They all turned back to him and he shrugged. "What? It has. I knew Summer had entered from her shampoo!" he defended. The other laughed and Dillon clapped his shoulder again. "Alright, no yelling, sudden lights, or too much cologne. I think we can handle that. Anything else Doc?" Dillon asked.
"For the moment, no. I will have to run more extensive tests in order to determine the full range of his changes." Doctor K told them. Ziggy shrugged slightly and smiled. He had the strange feeling something approved of him now.
-0-0-
Seven Months Later
Ziggy listened to the battle raging several stories below him as he ran deftly across the roofs and high ledges of the Venjix facility, heading to where the main databank was. The other Rangers were on the ground below him, moving in at a much slower rate due to having to tear through the Grinders. This was their fifth hit on such a Venjix compound in a single month and they had perfected it by now.
And with the others cutting them down, the grinders never bothered to look up. Not even when his shadow passed over him as he jumped from one landing to another.
They were raging a vicious campaign against Venjix, had been for months now, and they were finally doing enough damage to make a difference. Before Venjix had barely noticed the destruction, had considered it a laughable attempt at its defeat. That had been months ago. Now, Venjix was too busy trying to rebuild what they had destroyed to attack Corinth. Slowly but surely they were pushing the attack bot back. They were winning the war.
It was elating and terrifying when he took the time to realize that he was the reason they had had the courage to make that first attack. He was the reason they had left the safety of the walls and started really fighting back, waging a real war against the machines. He had, after all, become a perfect weapon.
They had never figured out what had caused him to change. They all had theories but no real answers and unless it happened to someone else, Ziggy doubted they ever really would. Yet, despite the lack of answers, they had marked the changes done to his body down to the tiniest detail. He had become much stronger and much, much faster; now that he was once again comfortable in his own body, no one on the team could touch him, not even Dillon. He had become more limber too. His healing rate had increased tenfold, to the point where he could actually see the majority of his wounds healing. His muscular flexibility and durability had increased as well, or so Doctor K said. He hadn't quite understood what that meant until the one time he'd fallen four stories and landed on his feet without a scratch. All five of his senses had become hypersensitive. There had been one more change that had tried everyone's control, especially Dillon's, for weeks until he'd learned to control it.
All of these changes had made him a force to be reckoned with, especially once he had learned to fight. The other Rangers no longer looked at him as a burden but as the most valuable member of the team. It felt good to be useful to the team, to be able to do something under his own power at last.
He stopped running at last, sliding to a halt above where the database should be. Venjix used the same relative layout for all of his factories and Ziggy's mind has become a steel trap when it came to information so he had had to find it only once in order to be able to make it there every time. He kneeled down at the edge of the rising he was on, looking down at the four Grinders that were stationed in front of the door. It had only two last time so Venjix was learning, just not fast enough. He reached behind him and pulled out his Blazefire, the weapon K had made specifically for him, and flipped it into its sword form. Then he leaned forward and let himself fall off the landing, twisting to land on his feet and, before the Grinders could react, whipped the sword around and cut cleanly through them. In seconds, the machines were in pieces at his feet. He smirked slightly and forced the door open, slipping inside quickly.
He pulled out the disk K had given him and downloaded as much data onto it as it could. Although it contained nowhere near the full amount of the database but the small amount they did manage to get kept them ahead of the game. He secured the disc back into the tac belt he was wearing before taking off out the room. As he left, he slammed on charge on the wall and armed it.
He ran down the corridors, cutting through any Grinders that got in his way. He met up with the other Rangers carefully setting charges around the complex. "Everything clear?" he asked. Scott nodded. "No sign of prisoners. Let's blow this place and go home."
They all nodded in acknowledgement of the order and started running back the way they'd come. The whole way was littered with Grinder parts, several of which were torn apart in such a way that suggested Dillon had probably taken a bit too much pleasure in this particular attack. They met little to know resistance on the way out and in seconds they were safely back at the cars. Ziggy slid his Blazefire back into its holster on his belt.
"Gem, Gemma." Scott said, looking over at the new Rangers who had joined them about two months ago. The two were nice, although they did give him the creeps still. They had been hard to deal with at first but the majority of their enthusiasm had been curbed once they'd learned about his hypersensitivity to sound. After a week with them Ziggy had ended up curled up on the couch in pain, barely able to move. Dillon had given them a very thorough lashing due to it which Scott had followed an hour later with his own. Once he'd managed to recover, he'd gotten separate apologies from both twins and promises that they would be more careful in the future. It hadn't been easy, not at first, but they'd been able to do it and Scott had gained a small level of control over them. "Blow it!" Scott ordered.
The two twins cheered, giving each other high fives before Gemma pulled the detonator from the small bag she was carrying. Dillon stepped towards him, covering his ears for him, making him smile. He placed his own hands over Dillon's for added protection, turning towards the man and away from the complex. The sound of the explosion pierced through the combined shielding of their hands, making him wince and coil away, closer to Dillon. After a moment, it ended and he allowed Dillon's hands to drop away, pulling his own away more slowly. Dillon's eyes met his own, some part worried and some part something else, something dark. Something that made a shiver run down his spine. "Let's go home, people." Scott called. Ziggy gladly jumped into Dillon's car, happy to be going home all in one piece once again. They hadn't lost yet. He didn't plan for them to.
-0-0-
The Next Day
Ziggy watched as Dillon beat the crap out of the punching bag in front of him sadly. "No news in that batch?" he asked. Dillon paused then grabbed the bag so he could rest his head against it tiredly. He didn't say anything, merely shook his head. Ziggy winced slightly. The twins had revealed a short time after they'd arrived that Dillon had a sister somewhere under Venjix's control. Ever since then he'd been looking for clues on how to find her. Sometimes, the information they stole before blowing a facility to pieces gaze some clues. Sometimes it didn't. Every time they went out, Ziggy could see how hopeful Dillon got, praying that maybe this time he'd find her as one of the prisoners or in the databanks. He hadn't found her or any solid clues to lead him to her yet but he never gave up that hope. It tore at Ziggy's heart some days.
He sighed and stepped forward, shrugging out of his jacket and carefully placing the tac belt he wore nearly everywhere on the floor. "Well, come on then." He called to his friend. Dillon turned to face him in confusion, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What are you doing?" He asked, watching as Ziggy came closer slowly.
Ziggy smiled and held up his arms in a defensive position, shrugging one shoulder. "You're pissed off because it's taking way too long to find one little girl in a population of about, say, 5000. Beating the hell out of that bag is not going to help you, so come on. Fight me! What you need is a good adrenaline rush." He answered.
Dillon gave him a considering look then shrugged as well and moved across from him. Ziggy carefully regarded the older man's stance for a minute then made the first move. He dashed forward and jumped up, swinging a roundhouse kick at Dillon's head. Dillon immediately grabbed his ankle before forcefully throwing his still rather lightweight body over his shoulder. Ziggy caught himself and charged his friend again, not giving him the time to think, only react and respond. Normally, Ziggy dodged any attacks headed his way, confident in his ability to outmaneuver his opponents. Now he held his ground, blocking Dillon's attack so the older man could work out his frustration. It hurt, a lot, but with the way he healed any bruises would be gone before they could ever properly appear so it was a small price to pay for his friend's peace of mind.
Once he became aware of the strength in Dillon's hits wavering due to the anger having worked itself out of his system, he took control. He delved in his true abilities. He ducked around Dillon's next punch, grabbing his wrist with one hand while he used the other to slam against Dillon's chest, his leg catching behind Dillon's and forcing him to the ground. The hand on Dillon's wrist prevented him from sliding across the floor from the strength of the hit. Immediately, he clambered on top of the older man, keeping him pinned to the ground with his body weight and the single hand on his shoulder that was a lot stronger than it looked.
Dillon didn't bother to struggle, having learned long ago that such an act was useless. Instead, he glared up at the young man that was basically sitting in his lab in order to keep him place. Although he had to try very hard not to think about just where Ziggy was sitting. It was very distracting. "You cheated." He accused. Ziggy smiled down at him prettily but his eyes betrayed his true intentions. His very bright green eyes. "What makes you say that?" Ziggy asked.
Dillon rolled his own eyes. "Because your eyes change colors when you use those weird abilities of yours you moron." He reminded. When Ziggy tapped into his true abilities, he drew power from Series Green, making his eyes change colors. The pressure on his shoulder eased as Ziggy's eyes returned to their normal dark brown. Ziggy grinned again. "I still win." He said.
The older man rolled his eyes and snorted. "Ziggy?"
"Yes?"
"Get off of me." He ordered. Ziggy's smile turned dark around the edges, his eyes gaining a look Dillon knew all too well. Ziggy shifted on top of Dillon but instead of getting up like he'd asked, Ziggy lowered himself until he was rubbed against Dillon's in a long, lithe tease. Dillon groaned, jamming his eyes shut. Ziggy smirked slightly when Dillon's hands fell to his hips, holding him there, not allowing him to come closer but certainly not allowing him to move away. It was obvious Dillon was trying very hard not to grind Ziggy's hips against his own, trying not to start something they couldn't finish in here. And considering they had a way of falling into each other during sex, if they started something in here, they'd probably end up finishing it in here, no matter who saw them.
He leaned his head down next to Dillon's so he could purr against his ear. "You sure you want me to get off Dillon? You're still so tense."
He felt the muscles beneath his hand tense at his words before Dillon groaned again and thumped his head back against the floor, closing his eyes tighter in an effort to block everything out. "Fucking pheromones." Dillon hissed. Ziggy smiled coyly.
The last change done to his body. Doctor K was sure it was just a side effect of the changes done to the way his body healed. His body emitted a constant wave of pheromones. It never truly affected him however, it had whacked havoc to the rest of the team for weeks before he had managed to control it. Everyone had been walking on eggshells around him, doing all they could to resist the drawl the sex hormones created so that they didn't end up jumping him. The only reason it hadn't affected them the night he'd woken up was because of the rain. Water of any kind, especially rain, tended to dim the effects of the pheromones, which tended to operate from sense of smell and so were lost under the scent of water.
It was a good thing it had been raining to. Dillon, due to his upgrades, was even more affected by the damn things then the rest of the team. The pheromones had been affecting him that night to, which had created that weird he hadn't been able to place, and after the way Dillon had held him, he probably wouldn't have been able to resist. Lord knows he hadn't been able to after that night, before Ziggy had learned to control the effect he had on people. Ziggy closed his eyes as the memory washed across his mind, moaning softly.
Ziggy wasn't quite sure what to think of everything that had happened to him in the past week. The fact that the whole team was avoiding him in order to not throw him to the floor and ravage him wasn't helping. He needed a little support right now. He did not need to be locked up in his room while the others discussed what to do about the pheromones. He really hoped they figured something out. He really didn't want to have to edge around his friends for the rest of his life.
Before he could fall too deep into a depression, the door opened and Dillon entered. He perked up, looking over at his friend. "Well?" he asked. Dillon came closer but didn't sit down next to him like he would have a few days ago. Dillon remained several feet away from him, a strange expression on his face. "K thinks you can learn to control it but it's going to take some work."
Ziggy couldn't stop the sigh of relief that escaped his lips. "Just as long as I can interact with them without them looking at me like I'm a piece of meat." He replied. Dillon chuckled at that, making Ziggy glare at him. "This isn't funny!" he snapped, standing up and approaching him quickly. Dillon's amusement died away immediately, replaced with that expression Ziggy just couldn't understand. "No I guess it's not." Dillon said after a long pause, sounding strained.
Ziggy frowned tightly, wanting to ask so many questions. Finally, he asked, "How are the others dealing with all… this?" he asked, making a hand motion towards himself. Dillon shrugged. "They're freaking." He said simply. Ziggy smiled tightly. "And…you're not?" he asked carefully. He really didn't want to lose his best friend because of whatever the hell was going on his body right now.
Dillon cleared his throat awkwardly, shifting from one foot to another. "Doctor K says I should stay very, very far away from you for now." He answered.
Ziggy tried very hard not to panic at that but couldn't stop himself from stepping closer. "Why?" He asked, his voice going a little high in worry. Dillon's expression shifted, looking equal parts desperate, torn, and something he couldn't identify. "I should go." Dillon said, turning towards the door. Ziggy's eyes widened and using a speed he wasn't aware he possessed, ran to Dillon's side and grabbed his arm and held him in place. "Dillon wait! Why?" he asked again.
Dillon froze in place, his eyes closing tightly. "Ziggy," Dillon whispered, his voice tense. "Let me go. Right now." Really, he should listen. But any thought beside the one that his best friend, his only ally as a Ranger, was going to leave him was gone from his head. "Dillon talk to me!" he begged.
Dillon's eyes snapped open. "Fuck it." Dillon hissed. Before Ziggy could say anything, Dillon twisted in his grip so he was the one holding Ziggy's arm and used the grip to slam Ziggy against the wall. Ziggy gasped in surprise just as Dillon's lips crashed against his. Ziggy froze, his mind grounding to a halt as Dillon's mouth pressed insistently against his, tongue probing against his lips. Oh…OH! Well…that explained the look on Dillon's face he hadn't been able to place. Need.
One of Dillon's hands ghosted across the side of his neck suddenly before burying in his hair. Ziggy shivered, instantly reminded of how every sense was now hypersensitive, including touch. The fact that his hair had always been a weak spot just ensured he became completely undone. He moaned softly, opening his mouth so Dillon could explore, giving over control of the kiss to the older man. Dillon seemed intent on exploring every part of his mouth, his hand gently massaging his scalp, completely at odds with the fever of his kiss. Ziggy's hands came up of their own accord in order to clutch desperately at Dillon's shirt, pulling the man closer until nearly every part of their bodies were touching. It felt like he was on fire and Dillon's heavy body pressed against his was doing nothing to cool him off but it felt so good he didn't care.
Dillon jerked his lips away suddenly, making him whine. He slowly slid his eyes back open, although he wasn't sure when he had closed, to look up at Dillon. The Black Ranger was gazing at him with dark, wild eyes, flushed and panting, his lips bruised. Ziggy wondered if he looked the same. "Dillon… wha?"
"K says…" Dillon said after taking several long deep breaths, his voice several octaves lower than it should have been and rough with lust. Ziggy gulped. "That because of my implants I'm super sensitive to that pheromone crap. And I'm pretty sure the Doc's right." Dillon swallowed, not taking his eyes off of him when he slowly pulled his hand from Ziggy's hair. He couldn't seem to help himself when he drew a single finger down the arch of Ziggy's throat, making Ziggy groan and tilt his head back. Ziggy's eyes fluttered shut in pleasure at the touch so he didn't see the way Dillon's pupils dilated sharply, his breath hitching. "That's why…" Dillon continued eventually, drawing away. Ziggy whined again, trying to tug him back. Dillon resisted the tugging, finally stepping back and breaking Ziggy's hold on his shirt. Ziggy slumped against the wall, gazing at his friend with wide eyes. "I have to go." Dillon answered, sounding strained again, like it was taking all his will power not to take Ziggy against the wall.
Dillon escaped the room quickly before one of them could continue the encounter, leaving Ziggy to slide down the wall, breathing deeply and trying to understand what had just happened.
That had been the first time Dillon had lost control. It hadn't been the last. Two weeks after that, Ziggy had gained control. Once he had done that, he had used his new control to tease and taunt Dillon until the older man snapped again and slept with him. Ziggy had loved it. Dillon had been concerned though. It had been a silly worry really and Ziggy had pushed it aside with a laugh and pointing out that Dillon had made everything all right when he'd held him after and still been there when he'd woken up. They had been having sex with each other on a regular basis ever since. Dillon really had no resistance against the pheromones and Ziggy would admit some days that he didn't even bother to control them around Dillon. Just not to Dillon.
"I saw the way you looked at me yesterday." He whispered, not moving from his place on top of Dillon. "After we blew up that factory. You wanted to fuck me right there, didn't you?"
Dillon grit his teeth, not opening his eyes. "Ziggy, if you don't get off of me right now, I will not be able to stop myself." Dillon warned him quietly. Ziggy grinned, admitting that he might be having a bit too much fun with his game. He had just decided to see if Dillon would let him investigate the very attractive piece of skin right below his ear when someone cleared their throat. "You know I wouldn't mind a show if you want to put one on, but I'd prefer it wasn't on the training room floor." Summer's voice told them in amusement.
Ziggy sat up, turning around slightly in order to see Summer standing in the doorway, looking in on them with a smirk. He blinked; how had she gotten so close without him noticing? He always noticed. It was hard not to when everyone in the Garage had a different scent and he could hear their fucking heartbeats. Then again, Dillon had a way of blocking everything else out. He smiled cheerfully and waved at the Yellow Ranger, not really caring that he'd just completely tortured the man still beneath him. "I guess you're right. That wouldn't be exactly sanitary." He agreed. He gave the man beneath him another charming smile and pushed himself up despite the tight grip on his hips. He could feel the bruises already forming and healing.
He took a deep breath and pulled the pheromones back as much as he had ever managed so he didn't torture Summer as well as Dillon. "I hate you." Dillon muttered breathlessly, not moving from his place on the floor. "I really hate the both of you right now."
Ziggy smiled without sympathy and walked over to where he'd left them, pulling the belt on and slinging his jacket over his shoulder. He turned back and smiled when he saw Dillon eyeing him, eyes still dark with hunger. He turned away again, saluted to a giggling Summer, who knew exactly what he was doing, and walked out, swaying his hips slightly because he knew Dillon was watching. Dillon was probably going to kill him later for this but it was so worth it.
-0-0-
Ziggy went to bed late that day. The minute he entered his room he was grabbed and thrown back against the door, lips immediately attacking his neck. He groaned when the familiar smell of leather and oil met his nose and tilted his head back to let Dillon continue his attack, moving one hand up to bury it loosely in Dillon's hair. "Gave me a fucking heart attack Dillon." He mumbled out, sighing softly when Dillon's lips found the dip in his collarbone and started to mouth along it, occasionally worrying the skin between his teeth. A little higher, they both knew, was a spot of skin that, if sucked just right, would make Ziggy scream from pleasure. He moaned softly, one hand sliding between them to run over the hard planes of Dillon's chest and make the man shiver.
"You're evil." Dillon muttered, moving to the other side of his neck to give it the same treatment. "Utterly evil." Ziggy muttered something in agreement, sucking in his breath sharply when Dillon bit down harshly into his skin. A small payback for the stunt he'd pulled. Dillon smiled against his skin, soothing the abused skin with his tongue. Ziggy shivered, the hand in his hair tightening and tugging him upwards. Dillon allowed himself to be pulled into a kiss, eagerly fighting for control. After the stunt Ziggy had pulled in the training room, he wasn't taking chances. Ziggy was obviously in a mood to torture him today.
Ziggy gasped into the kiss breathlessly, trying to tug off Dillon's clothes. Dillon chuckled slightly, and instead of helping him, let his hands fall to Ziggy's belt and unfasten the multiple bindings used to keep it in place during battle. Once it was loose, he threw it away, not caring about the very expensive Blazefire still in the sheath at the back. Ziggy pulled away when he heard it clatter against the ground and frowned dazedly. "Several things in there go boom you know." He warned. Dillon shrugged, not very concerned at the moment.
He stepped back just slightly and grabbed the edges of his skirt so he could pull it off, having removed his jacket before Ziggy entered. The minute it was off Ziggy's hands were back on his chest, roaming over the muscles and skin freely. He groaned slightly, leaning against Ziggy and placing his head against the boy's shoulder. "Fuck Zig." He whispered. Ziggy grinned slightly, letting one hand circle around a nipple in taunting. Dillon hissed and pulled back, grabbing the boy's chin so he could kiss him roughly. Ziggy whimpered and moaned into it, the sounds doing nothing but spurring him on. He reached up himself to remove Ziggy's jacket. It took some work but after a few seconds, both it and Ziggy's shirt were on the ground with his. Once that was done he started trailing a line of kisses and bits down Ziggy's chest, enjoying the little gasps and groans he got, how Ziggy's fingers tangled in his hair. He paused when he got to the edges of Ziggy's belt and smiled slightly before standing and returning his kisses to Ziggy's mouth.
Ziggy kissed desperately now, pressing as close as possible. He was grinding too, hooking his fingers in the loopholes of Dillon's pants to pull him closer. Dillon gasped in pleasure, eagerly responding to the new action. Ziggy pulled back at last to lean his head back to rest against the door, gasping and moaning every few seconds as his jean clad cock rubbed against Dillon's. "Dillon… please…" He begged.
Dillon really should have stopped there, just to make Ziggy suffer for earlier but he needed the boy too much right now to stop. He'd been waiting for this all day. He pulled Ziggy away from the door and shoved him onto the bed, grinning at the way Ziggy just laid there, gasping up at the ceiling as he tried to control his raging hormones. Dillon might be highly affected by the pheromones but Ziggy was hyper sensitive to touch and that usually made the playing field at least somewhat level. He climbed over Ziggy so he could rest on the boy's hips like Ziggy had done to him and returned his attention to his throat. Ziggy whined softly, barely holding it together enough so he didn't flip Dillon over and take control, which he did do sometimes. However, after the teasing Dillon had gotten this morning, Ziggy was ready to let him control this round. As long as he sped things up.
Dillon did.
It was several hours later that Ziggy woke from the light doze he'd fallen into. When he did, he was unsurprised to see Dillon there gazing at him. He smiled and stretched, feeling Dillon's eyes take in the full length of his pale, naked body. He relaxed back against the sheets after that and looked up at Dillon. "Hello." He whispered.
Dillon smiled slightly. "Hello." He repeated. Dillon trailed on hand down Ziggy's side, watching contentedly as Ziggy sighed and relaxed into the caress. "It's early still. Go back to sleep." He whispered. Ziggy muttered something in agreement, turning over so that he ended up draped across Dillon chest. Dillon's chuckled slightly, moving his hand form Ziggy's side to his hair, brushing the loose curls away from his face. Ziggy sighed softly again.
They would probably never figure out what had caused him to change. Ziggy didn't care. He had what he wanted.
Title: The Perfect Host
Summary: The Ranger Green energy decides that Ziggy Grover is an... imperfect host. That simply will not do. So it changes him.
Rating: T
Pairings: Dillon/Ziggy
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or anything related to the franchise. I do not own anything recognizable as from any other media source.
The Perfect Host
It was not a being. It had no form, no name, no beginning or end. But it was aware. It was aware of the witch Rita who had tried to use it without permission, tried to twist and taint it. It was aware of the powerful but gentle presence of the being called Zordon, who had tried to correct the damage Rita had wrought with admittedly little success. It was aware of the endless stream of hosts that had found ways to harness its power. It was aware those hosts called themselves the Power Rangers.
It was aware of its current host Ziggy Grover. And it did not approve.
Its other hosts had been strong, driven individuals ready to give up everything in order to protect their world. The child that held its power now did so with timid hands and an unwilling heart. This… Grover was both a coward and a weakling. He felt awkward in his own body and insecure in his surroundings. He was unwilling to trust or grow attached to his team and he lied about himself. He had a select few moments of selflessness but his first thought was usually for himself. The only similarity this child had with its previous hosts was a persistent streak of silliness.
And that attitude would not do.
It knew of others like it that had helped their hosts by guiding them. But it would not guide. It would change by however much it took to change Grover's attitude.
-0-0-
Ziggy had been a Ranger for all of two days now and the entire time he had felt uncomfortable. He had felt like someone, someone other than the Rangers and Doctor K, really did not approve of him being a Ranger. Someone who had power and influence and whose approval he needed desperately. Which he had decided was stupid. The only approval he needed was Dillon's who had given him it. Dillon trusted him; that was enough.
Speaking of Dillon.
Ziggy fell to the floor when Dillon's fist connected to his jaw. Again. He didn't bother to get up this time, just laid there, resting his now aching cheek against the cool floor of the training room. He really didn't want to be here. Really, really did not want to be here. But Scott and Doctor K had put him on a very strict training schedule and he didn't want to think about what they'd do to him if he didn't keep to it. His only salvation was the fact that Dillon seemed to have an endless amount of patience when it came to him. He really did wonder lately why the man was putting up with him.
He turned his head when Dillon squatted down next to him but didn't look up, unable to meet his disappointed gaze. "You dazed again." Dillon accused. Ziggy closed his eyes against the tone, knowing it was true. "I know. I'm still adjusting to… everything." He whispered. He didn't want to suck at this but… he was scared. He couldn't handle this. He didn't want to handle this. Everything in him was whining that this just wasn't fair. He'd never asked for the fancy suit.
Although he didn't see it, Dillon's eyes softened in understanding. "You alright?" Dillon asked.
He nodded, sitting up at last. "I'm fine." He lied. His cheek hurt like hell and the rest of his body was a dull, achy throb. "Thanks for helping." He replied. Dillon just shrugged. As if this was something he did for everyone. Ziggy knew he didn't. Dillon would never put up with the others this long just to teach them such a simple lesson. He didn't say anything about it though. He merely accepted the hand up Dillon held out for him and the water bottle he was thrown. "Am I making this more complicated than it actually is?" he asked quietly.
Dillon looked over at him and sighed. "Maybe. I don't know." Dillon paused then clapped him on the shoulder gently. "It's alright. Don't worry about it."
Ziggy grinned but the feeling of disapproval that had hung over his head the last two days increased suddenly. The smile dropped off his face, a shiver of anxiety racing down his spine. He was starting to get a very bad feeling. "You okay Zig?" Dillon asked, looking at him weirdly.
He nodded slightly, mumbling, "Just thinking." Another lie. He wondered if he should mention the bad feeling he was starting to get. But he really didn't think Dillon would take him seriously. Dillon had taken him seriously so far, or at least, didn't think him as much of a failure as the others did, but he didn't need his partner thinking he was crazy and paranoid on top of everything. Dillon probably thought him a fool already.
"Dillon!" They both turned at the call to see Flynn standing in the doorway to the training room, eyeing them carefully. "I need to talk to you about your car, lad." He said. Dillon nodded and walked over to him, patting Ziggy's shoulder another time as he walked past in reassurance. Ziggy nodded distractedly, trying to see if he could identify why he was feeling so uneasy.
Suddenly, a wave of cold crashed over him, freezing him in place. He couldn't move, no matter how hard he tried. His heartbeat picked up in fear. He started to panic. He couldn't move! Dillon, help me! He tried to shout, tried to get sort of noise out of his throat to alert the two men at the door that something was wrong. Nothing came out. Tears bloomed across his eyes from sheer panic. What was happening to him?
The water bottle slipped from his nerveless fingers to splash across the ground. The two men turned towards him at the sound and somewhere beneath the fear crashing through him, Ziggy registered Dillon calling his name in concern. Dillon help! He tried to call. Nothing.
'You are an… imperfect host.'
The words echoed in his head, neither male nor female, just pure power. All his thoughts ground to a halt at it, his lungs stopping for a brief minute.
'That will change.'
His bad feeling came back, breaking through the icy panic. It did nothing but heighten his fear. There was nothing he would do. He was trapped in his own body.
'This will hurt.'
The warning was short and blank of feeling. Then the cold disappeared. Feeling returned to his arms and legs and he grabbed a sharp lungful of air. But before the fear could ease even a little bit though, pain and fire washed through him. His very blood felt like it was boiling. He could feel his muscles and bones shifting with excruciating detail beneath his skin. The pain seemed to go on forever. He couldn't handle it. He screamed.
Both Dillon and Flynn jerked into action when the tortured wail broke through the worried silence that had consumed them when Ziggy had dropped the bottle. Ziggy collapsed before they could reach him, his body convulsing against the floor. Dillon knelt next to him, grabbing his arms to prevent him from hurting himself due to his thrashing. Flynn took that time to quickly check him over for injuries, all the while calling out for the other two Rangers for help. In his head, Dillon ran quickly through all the injuries Ziggy could possibly have attained during training that would cause this kind of reaction. He drew a blank. So what was causing this?
Scott and Summer slid into the room just as Ziggy's fingers twisted and latched onto his arms, obviously having no intention of letting go. Then Dillon got a very good look at Ziggy's face and his heart stopped for a minute. It was equal parts pale and flushed, expression tight and pained, lips open in a scream, and eyes jammed shut as tears of pain slowly slipped down his cheeks.
After a terrifying few minutes, Ziggy's screams slowly trailed off and died out with a low whimper. His eyes slid open. Dillon froze as he stared down at his friend. He knew Ziggy's eyes and the eyes staring back at him from his friend's face were not Ziggy's. Ziggy's eyes were a deep, warm brown, constantly dancing with life and laughter. The eyes staring up at him were pained and desperate. And they were the brightest, purest shade of emerald green he'd ever seen. He was pretty sure they were glowing as well.
Slowly, the glow faded and his eyes fluttered shut. Ziggy's suddenly limp body slumped against the ground, breathing heavily. Summer reached forward slowly, as if unsure about what to expect from the boy, and combed her fingers through his hair, brushing away the tears on his face even as she tried to blink the startled fear out of her eyes. "What just happened?" she asked, sounding about as terrified as Dillon was feeling right now.
"Rangers." Doctor K's voice called over the com system. Even the Doc sounded a little shaken. "Bring him to the lab. Quickly."
Everyone did as they were told, Dillon grabbing the boy to carry him into the lab. Ziggy was horribly light. Summer kept hold of one of Ziggy's hands, biting her lip in worry. As Dillon carried the youngest, most vulnerable Ranger into the lab, he tried to banish the image of the inhumanly green eyes to the back of his mind.
-0-0-
Ziggy was asleep for three days. Three long, anxious, mind-numbing days. Three days where they worked tirelessly to find out what had happened to Ziggy. Dillon stopped sleeping, alternating between checking in on K and keeping a silent vigil over Ziggy. Scott spent most of the time pacing, glancing anxiously around as if waiting for another of his Rangers to drop like Ziggy. Summer hovered around the lab, trying to help K but doing admittedly little. Flynn made smoothies he never bothered to drink, looking pale and gaunt from worry. For three days, they worked and had no success other than to discover an outpouring of Ranger Green energy that may or may not have anything to do with Ziggy's condition. When they went to bed, of the three that still went to bed, they were tired and defeated. And still Ziggy slept, his body slowly healing itself from the damage wrought upon it by some mysterious source.
When he did finally wake, it was late and raining. Dillon hadn't been able to stay in the lab any longer, could no longer listen to Doctor K's constant reply to every question he asked. All the Doc could tell him now was "I don't know." So he had slipped into Ziggy's room, intending to watch over him like he had for the past three days. But when he entered, Ziggy was already awake, looking around with his normal wide brown eyes.
-0-0-
Ziggy looked around his darkened room, feeling drained, hungry, and wide awake all at the same time. Even in the dim lighting of his room, he could make out the details of his room and he could just make out the subtle sounds of rain from outside. He blinked dazedly. How had he gotten here? He couldn't remember what had happened.
Before he could figure out what happened, a familiar smell hit him, making him breathe deeply. Layered beneath the heavy scent of rain was the smell of leather and oil, of machinery and something wholly human. He sat up, turning his head to the just as it opened. Dillon stepped in.
The older man squinted at him before his eyes widened in surprise. Ziggy merely blinked at him. In five quick steps, Dillon crossed the room and pulled him into a tight hug. Ziggy's eyes widened at the move just as the smell from before exploded across his senses. It weaved around him, blocking out everything but Dillon. Dillon he became suddenly hypersensitive too. Dillon's breathe and heartbeat echoed in his ears, the warmth of his body ghosting across his and making him relax into the grip. Dillon was muttering something into his hair. "You had us so worried Zig." Dillon whispered so quietly it felt like he shouldn't be able to hear it. "We didn't know what had happened and you wouldn't wake up."
Ziggy blinked again. Just how long had he been asleep? It felt blurry in his head and he couldn't figure it out. "What?" He asked, his voice unnaturally loud in the quiet room. "I don't-" he stopped, frowning as he struggled to remember. Bits and pieces slowly came back to him. He could remember pain, lots of pain that hurt just to think about. And there had been something else… something in the back of his mind he knew was important. He could remember hearing something… no good. He couldn't remember. "How long was I out?" he asked finally.
"Three days." Dillon answered. He pulled back finally, staring down at him with disbelief. "You're really alright?" he asked. Ziggy nodded, surprised. How did he feel so good after what had happened? It had felt like his whole body was splitting in half from the pain. "You need to see K." Dillon said, looking all at once relieved, concerned, and a little terrified. He allowed Dillon to pull him to his feet. However, once he was up, he stumbled, blood rushing back to his legs. His vision went fuzzy and black for a minute before he shook his head and straightened.
"You okay?" Dillon asked quietly. He nodded and looked back up at Dillon in time to catch the weird look Dillon was giving him. "What? What's wrong?" He asked. Dillon shook his head, the look disappearing although his eyes remained faintly unsettled. Dillon opened the door for him, motioning him out. Ziggy obeyed, heading towards the lab. Their footsteps echoed around the empty Garage loudly, ringing painfully in his ears and making him wince slightly at first before he got over it. Everything felt different somehow, clearer than it had been, sharper.
They entered the lab and he was nearly overwhelmed by the scent of something… like perfume almost. The smell of kiwi and strawberries he had learned Summer used as a shampoo was there as well but the scent of flowers was ingrained deeper, beneath Summer's shampoo. And it was starting to make his head. It felt like he'd become oversensitive to everything. Dillon pushed him into a chair before leaving. Ziggy followed him with his eyes then with his ears was he was out of the room. He could very clearly hear Dillon running back up the stairs and forcibly awaking the others with news that he was up and it was starting to scare him.
"Series Green, are you well?" Doctor K asked finally and he looked over at the screens that were their only connection their mentor. He nodded slightly to signal that he was fine. Suddenly, Summer's shriek of glee when she heard he was up cut through the air and he gasped, both hands slamming over his ears and his eyes closing in an effort to stop the ringing and to make the pain in his head go away. He wasn't even aware of the Doc's concerned call, biting his lip in an effort not to cry out from the pain. Then warm hands gripped his own, gently pulling them away from his ears. He opened his eyes again to see Dillon standing before him, looking at him in concern. "You okay?" he asked.
He nodded weakly. The smell of kiwi and strawberries washed over the room and he groaned. "Please don't yell." He begged weakly, glancing over Dillon's shoulder to see Summer standing just behind him. Scott and Flynn were standing in the doorway, looking at him as if they were waiting for him to lose it again. Summer nodded and pushed Dillon aside slightly so that she could hug him. He sighed and gave into the second embrace he'd found himself in the last five minutes. It was a long moment before she pulled back, looking at him with wide, concerned eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.
"As long as you don't yell again I'll be fine." He answered, bringing one hand up to rub against his ear again. As he did so, Scott and Flynn came closer, Flynn's bare feet shuffling across the cold floor. "Zig?" Scott asked quietly.
Ziggy looked up at them and smiled slightly. That small smile quickly blossomed into a grin. "Don't worry. I'm fine. Just don't ask me what happened, I have no idea." He told them. One thought kept repeating itself inside his head as the others were forced to quit their personal examination of his health so they could run some tests on him for K. This was his team. They didn't always get along or even like each other but they were a team. They were a family and outside these walls, they were all each other had.
Once the tests were done, they got mobbed again, the other Rangers closing in from all sides and asking him question after question while K went over the data. He laughed at them, trying to feel claustrophobic. It must not have worked because after a few minutes Dillon started to shepherd them away, claiming they were making him nerves, which they were. And Scott's cologne, combined with Summer's shampoo, Dillon's strange scent, and the smell that was coated over the lab, were making his head spin.
"Rangers." Doctor K called, making them turn towards the screen. "I must insist on Ranger Green's behalf that you all keep your voices as low as possible and warn him before you turn on any lights. From these scans I believe both his eyesight and hearing have become hypersensitive."
"And my nose." He added. They all turned back to him and he shrugged. "What? It has. I knew Summer had entered from her shampoo!" he defended. The other laughed and Dillon clapped his shoulder again. "Alright, no yelling, sudden lights, or too much cologne. I think we can handle that. Anything else Doc?" Dillon asked.
"For the moment, no. I will have to run more extensive tests in order to determine the full range of his changes." Doctor K told them. Ziggy shrugged slightly and smiled. He had the strange feeling something approved of him now.
-0-0-
Seven Months Later
Ziggy listened to the battle raging several stories below him as he ran deftly across the roofs and high ledges of the Venjix facility, heading to where the main databank was. The other Rangers were on the ground below him, moving in at a much slower rate due to having to tear through the Grinders. This was their fifth hit on such a Venjix compound in a single month and they had perfected it by now.
And with the others cutting them down, the grinders never bothered to look up. Not even when his shadow passed over him as he jumped from one landing to another.
They were raging a vicious campaign against Venjix, had been for months now, and they were finally doing enough damage to make a difference. Before Venjix had barely noticed the destruction, had considered it a laughable attempt at its defeat. That had been months ago. Now, Venjix was too busy trying to rebuild what they had destroyed to attack Corinth. Slowly but surely they were pushing the attack bot back. They were winning the war.
It was elating and terrifying when he took the time to realize that he was the reason they had had the courage to make that first attack. He was the reason they had left the safety of the walls and started really fighting back, waging a real war against the machines. He had, after all, become a perfect weapon.
They had never figured out what had caused him to change. They all had theories but no real answers and unless it happened to someone else, Ziggy doubted they ever really would. Yet, despite the lack of answers, they had marked the changes done to his body down to the tiniest detail. He had become much stronger and much, much faster; now that he was once again comfortable in his own body, no one on the team could touch him, not even Dillon. He had become more limber too. His healing rate had increased tenfold, to the point where he could actually see the majority of his wounds healing. His muscular flexibility and durability had increased as well, or so Doctor K said. He hadn't quite understood what that meant until the one time he'd fallen four stories and landed on his feet without a scratch. All five of his senses had become hypersensitive. There had been one more change that had tried everyone's control, especially Dillon's, for weeks until he'd learned to control it.
All of these changes had made him a force to be reckoned with, especially once he had learned to fight. The other Rangers no longer looked at him as a burden but as the most valuable member of the team. It felt good to be useful to the team, to be able to do something under his own power at last.
He stopped running at last, sliding to a halt above where the database should be. Venjix used the same relative layout for all of his factories and Ziggy's mind has become a steel trap when it came to information so he had had to find it only once in order to be able to make it there every time. He kneeled down at the edge of the rising he was on, looking down at the four Grinders that were stationed in front of the door. It had only two last time so Venjix was learning, just not fast enough. He reached behind him and pulled out his Blazefire, the weapon K had made specifically for him, and flipped it into its sword form. Then he leaned forward and let himself fall off the landing, twisting to land on his feet and, before the Grinders could react, whipped the sword around and cut cleanly through them. In seconds, the machines were in pieces at his feet. He smirked slightly and forced the door open, slipping inside quickly.
He pulled out the disk K had given him and downloaded as much data onto it as it could. Although it contained nowhere near the full amount of the database but the small amount they did manage to get kept them ahead of the game. He secured the disc back into the tac belt he was wearing before taking off out the room. As he left, he slammed on charge on the wall and armed it.
He ran down the corridors, cutting through any Grinders that got in his way. He met up with the other Rangers carefully setting charges around the complex. "Everything clear?" he asked. Scott nodded. "No sign of prisoners. Let's blow this place and go home."
They all nodded in acknowledgement of the order and started running back the way they'd come. The whole way was littered with Grinder parts, several of which were torn apart in such a way that suggested Dillon had probably taken a bit too much pleasure in this particular attack. They met little to know resistance on the way out and in seconds they were safely back at the cars. Ziggy slid his Blazefire back into its holster on his belt.
"Gem, Gemma." Scott said, looking over at the new Rangers who had joined them about two months ago. The two were nice, although they did give him the creeps still. They had been hard to deal with at first but the majority of their enthusiasm had been curbed once they'd learned about his hypersensitivity to sound. After a week with them Ziggy had ended up curled up on the couch in pain, barely able to move. Dillon had given them a very thorough lashing due to it which Scott had followed an hour later with his own. Once he'd managed to recover, he'd gotten separate apologies from both twins and promises that they would be more careful in the future. It hadn't been easy, not at first, but they'd been able to do it and Scott had gained a small level of control over them. "Blow it!" Scott ordered.
The two twins cheered, giving each other high fives before Gemma pulled the detonator from the small bag she was carrying. Dillon stepped towards him, covering his ears for him, making him smile. He placed his own hands over Dillon's for added protection, turning towards the man and away from the complex. The sound of the explosion pierced through the combined shielding of their hands, making him wince and coil away, closer to Dillon. After a moment, it ended and he allowed Dillon's hands to drop away, pulling his own away more slowly. Dillon's eyes met his own, some part worried and some part something else, something dark. Something that made a shiver run down his spine. "Let's go home, people." Scott called. Ziggy gladly jumped into Dillon's car, happy to be going home all in one piece once again. They hadn't lost yet. He didn't plan for them to.
-0-0-
The Next Day
Ziggy watched as Dillon beat the crap out of the punching bag in front of him sadly. "No news in that batch?" he asked. Dillon paused then grabbed the bag so he could rest his head against it tiredly. He didn't say anything, merely shook his head. Ziggy winced slightly. The twins had revealed a short time after they'd arrived that Dillon had a sister somewhere under Venjix's control. Ever since then he'd been looking for clues on how to find her. Sometimes, the information they stole before blowing a facility to pieces gaze some clues. Sometimes it didn't. Every time they went out, Ziggy could see how hopeful Dillon got, praying that maybe this time he'd find her as one of the prisoners or in the databanks. He hadn't found her or any solid clues to lead him to her yet but he never gave up that hope. It tore at Ziggy's heart some days.
He sighed and stepped forward, shrugging out of his jacket and carefully placing the tac belt he wore nearly everywhere on the floor. "Well, come on then." He called to his friend. Dillon turned to face him in confusion, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What are you doing?" He asked, watching as Ziggy came closer slowly.
Ziggy smiled and held up his arms in a defensive position, shrugging one shoulder. "You're pissed off because it's taking way too long to find one little girl in a population of about, say, 5000. Beating the hell out of that bag is not going to help you, so come on. Fight me! What you need is a good adrenaline rush." He answered.
Dillon gave him a considering look then shrugged as well and moved across from him. Ziggy carefully regarded the older man's stance for a minute then made the first move. He dashed forward and jumped up, swinging a roundhouse kick at Dillon's head. Dillon immediately grabbed his ankle before forcefully throwing his still rather lightweight body over his shoulder. Ziggy caught himself and charged his friend again, not giving him the time to think, only react and respond. Normally, Ziggy dodged any attacks headed his way, confident in his ability to outmaneuver his opponents. Now he held his ground, blocking Dillon's attack so the older man could work out his frustration. It hurt, a lot, but with the way he healed any bruises would be gone before they could ever properly appear so it was a small price to pay for his friend's peace of mind.
Once he became aware of the strength in Dillon's hits wavering due to the anger having worked itself out of his system, he took control. He delved in his true abilities. He ducked around Dillon's next punch, grabbing his wrist with one hand while he used the other to slam against Dillon's chest, his leg catching behind Dillon's and forcing him to the ground. The hand on Dillon's wrist prevented him from sliding across the floor from the strength of the hit. Immediately, he clambered on top of the older man, keeping him pinned to the ground with his body weight and the single hand on his shoulder that was a lot stronger than it looked.
Dillon didn't bother to struggle, having learned long ago that such an act was useless. Instead, he glared up at the young man that was basically sitting in his lab in order to keep him place. Although he had to try very hard not to think about just where Ziggy was sitting. It was very distracting. "You cheated." He accused. Ziggy smiled down at him prettily but his eyes betrayed his true intentions. His very bright green eyes. "What makes you say that?" Ziggy asked.
Dillon rolled his own eyes. "Because your eyes change colors when you use those weird abilities of yours you moron." He reminded. When Ziggy tapped into his true abilities, he drew power from Series Green, making his eyes change colors. The pressure on his shoulder eased as Ziggy's eyes returned to their normal dark brown. Ziggy grinned again. "I still win." He said.
The older man rolled his eyes and snorted. "Ziggy?"
"Yes?"
"Get off of me." He ordered. Ziggy's smile turned dark around the edges, his eyes gaining a look Dillon knew all too well. Ziggy shifted on top of Dillon but instead of getting up like he'd asked, Ziggy lowered himself until he was rubbed against Dillon's in a long, lithe tease. Dillon groaned, jamming his eyes shut. Ziggy smirked slightly when Dillon's hands fell to his hips, holding him there, not allowing him to come closer but certainly not allowing him to move away. It was obvious Dillon was trying very hard not to grind Ziggy's hips against his own, trying not to start something they couldn't finish in here. And considering they had a way of falling into each other during sex, if they started something in here, they'd probably end up finishing it in here, no matter who saw them.
He leaned his head down next to Dillon's so he could purr against his ear. "You sure you want me to get off Dillon? You're still so tense."
He felt the muscles beneath his hand tense at his words before Dillon groaned again and thumped his head back against the floor, closing his eyes tighter in an effort to block everything out. "Fucking pheromones." Dillon hissed. Ziggy smiled coyly.
The last change done to his body. Doctor K was sure it was just a side effect of the changes done to the way his body healed. His body emitted a constant wave of pheromones. It never truly affected him however, it had whacked havoc to the rest of the team for weeks before he had managed to control it. Everyone had been walking on eggshells around him, doing all they could to resist the drawl the sex hormones created so that they didn't end up jumping him. The only reason it hadn't affected them the night he'd woken up was because of the rain. Water of any kind, especially rain, tended to dim the effects of the pheromones, which tended to operate from sense of smell and so were lost under the scent of water.
It was a good thing it had been raining to. Dillon, due to his upgrades, was even more affected by the damn things then the rest of the team. The pheromones had been affecting him that night to, which had created that weird he hadn't been able to place, and after the way Dillon had held him, he probably wouldn't have been able to resist. Lord knows he hadn't been able to after that night, before Ziggy had learned to control the effect he had on people. Ziggy closed his eyes as the memory washed across his mind, moaning softly.
Ziggy wasn't quite sure what to think of everything that had happened to him in the past week. The fact that the whole team was avoiding him in order to not throw him to the floor and ravage him wasn't helping. He needed a little support right now. He did not need to be locked up in his room while the others discussed what to do about the pheromones. He really hoped they figured something out. He really didn't want to have to edge around his friends for the rest of his life.
Before he could fall too deep into a depression, the door opened and Dillon entered. He perked up, looking over at his friend. "Well?" he asked. Dillon came closer but didn't sit down next to him like he would have a few days ago. Dillon remained several feet away from him, a strange expression on his face. "K thinks you can learn to control it but it's going to take some work."
Ziggy couldn't stop the sigh of relief that escaped his lips. "Just as long as I can interact with them without them looking at me like I'm a piece of meat." He replied. Dillon chuckled at that, making Ziggy glare at him. "This isn't funny!" he snapped, standing up and approaching him quickly. Dillon's amusement died away immediately, replaced with that expression Ziggy just couldn't understand. "No I guess it's not." Dillon said after a long pause, sounding strained.
Ziggy frowned tightly, wanting to ask so many questions. Finally, he asked, "How are the others dealing with all… this?" he asked, making a hand motion towards himself. Dillon shrugged. "They're freaking." He said simply. Ziggy smiled tightly. "And…you're not?" he asked carefully. He really didn't want to lose his best friend because of whatever the hell was going on his body right now.
Dillon cleared his throat awkwardly, shifting from one foot to another. "Doctor K says I should stay very, very far away from you for now." He answered.
Ziggy tried very hard not to panic at that but couldn't stop himself from stepping closer. "Why?" He asked, his voice going a little high in worry. Dillon's expression shifted, looking equal parts desperate, torn, and something he couldn't identify. "I should go." Dillon said, turning towards the door. Ziggy's eyes widened and using a speed he wasn't aware he possessed, ran to Dillon's side and grabbed his arm and held him in place. "Dillon wait! Why?" he asked again.
Dillon froze in place, his eyes closing tightly. "Ziggy," Dillon whispered, his voice tense. "Let me go. Right now." Really, he should listen. But any thought beside the one that his best friend, his only ally as a Ranger, was going to leave him was gone from his head. "Dillon talk to me!" he begged.
Dillon's eyes snapped open. "Fuck it." Dillon hissed. Before Ziggy could say anything, Dillon twisted in his grip so he was the one holding Ziggy's arm and used the grip to slam Ziggy against the wall. Ziggy gasped in surprise just as Dillon's lips crashed against his. Ziggy froze, his mind grounding to a halt as Dillon's mouth pressed insistently against his, tongue probing against his lips. Oh…OH! Well…that explained the look on Dillon's face he hadn't been able to place. Need.
One of Dillon's hands ghosted across the side of his neck suddenly before burying in his hair. Ziggy shivered, instantly reminded of how every sense was now hypersensitive, including touch. The fact that his hair had always been a weak spot just ensured he became completely undone. He moaned softly, opening his mouth so Dillon could explore, giving over control of the kiss to the older man. Dillon seemed intent on exploring every part of his mouth, his hand gently massaging his scalp, completely at odds with the fever of his kiss. Ziggy's hands came up of their own accord in order to clutch desperately at Dillon's shirt, pulling the man closer until nearly every part of their bodies were touching. It felt like he was on fire and Dillon's heavy body pressed against his was doing nothing to cool him off but it felt so good he didn't care.
Dillon jerked his lips away suddenly, making him whine. He slowly slid his eyes back open, although he wasn't sure when he had closed, to look up at Dillon. The Black Ranger was gazing at him with dark, wild eyes, flushed and panting, his lips bruised. Ziggy wondered if he looked the same. "Dillon… wha?"
"K says…" Dillon said after taking several long deep breaths, his voice several octaves lower than it should have been and rough with lust. Ziggy gulped. "That because of my implants I'm super sensitive to that pheromone crap. And I'm pretty sure the Doc's right." Dillon swallowed, not taking his eyes off of him when he slowly pulled his hand from Ziggy's hair. He couldn't seem to help himself when he drew a single finger down the arch of Ziggy's throat, making Ziggy groan and tilt his head back. Ziggy's eyes fluttered shut in pleasure at the touch so he didn't see the way Dillon's pupils dilated sharply, his breath hitching. "That's why…" Dillon continued eventually, drawing away. Ziggy whined again, trying to tug him back. Dillon resisted the tugging, finally stepping back and breaking Ziggy's hold on his shirt. Ziggy slumped against the wall, gazing at his friend with wide eyes. "I have to go." Dillon answered, sounding strained again, like it was taking all his will power not to take Ziggy against the wall.
Dillon escaped the room quickly before one of them could continue the encounter, leaving Ziggy to slide down the wall, breathing deeply and trying to understand what had just happened.
That had been the first time Dillon had lost control. It hadn't been the last. Two weeks after that, Ziggy had gained control. Once he had done that, he had used his new control to tease and taunt Dillon until the older man snapped again and slept with him. Ziggy had loved it. Dillon had been concerned though. It had been a silly worry really and Ziggy had pushed it aside with a laugh and pointing out that Dillon had made everything all right when he'd held him after and still been there when he'd woken up. They had been having sex with each other on a regular basis ever since. Dillon really had no resistance against the pheromones and Ziggy would admit some days that he didn't even bother to control them around Dillon. Just not to Dillon.
"I saw the way you looked at me yesterday." He whispered, not moving from his place on top of Dillon. "After we blew up that factory. You wanted to fuck me right there, didn't you?"
Dillon grit his teeth, not opening his eyes. "Ziggy, if you don't get off of me right now, I will not be able to stop myself." Dillon warned him quietly. Ziggy grinned, admitting that he might be having a bit too much fun with his game. He had just decided to see if Dillon would let him investigate the very attractive piece of skin right below his ear when someone cleared their throat. "You know I wouldn't mind a show if you want to put one on, but I'd prefer it wasn't on the training room floor." Summer's voice told them in amusement.
Ziggy sat up, turning around slightly in order to see Summer standing in the doorway, looking in on them with a smirk. He blinked; how had she gotten so close without him noticing? He always noticed. It was hard not to when everyone in the Garage had a different scent and he could hear their fucking heartbeats. Then again, Dillon had a way of blocking everything else out. He smiled cheerfully and waved at the Yellow Ranger, not really caring that he'd just completely tortured the man still beneath him. "I guess you're right. That wouldn't be exactly sanitary." He agreed. He gave the man beneath him another charming smile and pushed himself up despite the tight grip on his hips. He could feel the bruises already forming and healing.
He took a deep breath and pulled the pheromones back as much as he had ever managed so he didn't torture Summer as well as Dillon. "I hate you." Dillon muttered breathlessly, not moving from his place on the floor. "I really hate the both of you right now."
Ziggy smiled without sympathy and walked over to where he'd left them, pulling the belt on and slinging his jacket over his shoulder. He turned back and smiled when he saw Dillon eyeing him, eyes still dark with hunger. He turned away again, saluted to a giggling Summer, who knew exactly what he was doing, and walked out, swaying his hips slightly because he knew Dillon was watching. Dillon was probably going to kill him later for this but it was so worth it.
-0-0-
Ziggy went to bed late that day. The minute he entered his room he was grabbed and thrown back against the door, lips immediately attacking his neck. He groaned when the familiar smell of leather and oil met his nose and tilted his head back to let Dillon continue his attack, moving one hand up to bury it loosely in Dillon's hair. "Gave me a fucking heart attack Dillon." He mumbled out, sighing softly when Dillon's lips found the dip in his collarbone and started to mouth along it, occasionally worrying the skin between his teeth. A little higher, they both knew, was a spot of skin that, if sucked just right, would make Ziggy scream from pleasure. He moaned softly, one hand sliding between them to run over the hard planes of Dillon's chest and make the man shiver.
"You're evil." Dillon muttered, moving to the other side of his neck to give it the same treatment. "Utterly evil." Ziggy muttered something in agreement, sucking in his breath sharply when Dillon bit down harshly into his skin. A small payback for the stunt he'd pulled. Dillon smiled against his skin, soothing the abused skin with his tongue. Ziggy shivered, the hand in his hair tightening and tugging him upwards. Dillon allowed himself to be pulled into a kiss, eagerly fighting for control. After the stunt Ziggy had pulled in the training room, he wasn't taking chances. Ziggy was obviously in a mood to torture him today.
Ziggy gasped into the kiss breathlessly, trying to tug off Dillon's clothes. Dillon chuckled slightly, and instead of helping him, let his hands fall to Ziggy's belt and unfasten the multiple bindings used to keep it in place during battle. Once it was loose, he threw it away, not caring about the very expensive Blazefire still in the sheath at the back. Ziggy pulled away when he heard it clatter against the ground and frowned dazedly. "Several things in there go boom you know." He warned. Dillon shrugged, not very concerned at the moment.
He stepped back just slightly and grabbed the edges of his skirt so he could pull it off, having removed his jacket before Ziggy entered. The minute it was off Ziggy's hands were back on his chest, roaming over the muscles and skin freely. He groaned slightly, leaning against Ziggy and placing his head against the boy's shoulder. "Fuck Zig." He whispered. Ziggy grinned slightly, letting one hand circle around a nipple in taunting. Dillon hissed and pulled back, grabbing the boy's chin so he could kiss him roughly. Ziggy whimpered and moaned into it, the sounds doing nothing but spurring him on. He reached up himself to remove Ziggy's jacket. It took some work but after a few seconds, both it and Ziggy's shirt were on the ground with his. Once that was done he started trailing a line of kisses and bits down Ziggy's chest, enjoying the little gasps and groans he got, how Ziggy's fingers tangled in his hair. He paused when he got to the edges of Ziggy's belt and smiled slightly before standing and returning his kisses to Ziggy's mouth.
Ziggy kissed desperately now, pressing as close as possible. He was grinding too, hooking his fingers in the loopholes of Dillon's pants to pull him closer. Dillon gasped in pleasure, eagerly responding to the new action. Ziggy pulled back at last to lean his head back to rest against the door, gasping and moaning every few seconds as his jean clad cock rubbed against Dillon's. "Dillon… please…" He begged.
Dillon really should have stopped there, just to make Ziggy suffer for earlier but he needed the boy too much right now to stop. He'd been waiting for this all day. He pulled Ziggy away from the door and shoved him onto the bed, grinning at the way Ziggy just laid there, gasping up at the ceiling as he tried to control his raging hormones. Dillon might be highly affected by the pheromones but Ziggy was hyper sensitive to touch and that usually made the playing field at least somewhat level. He climbed over Ziggy so he could rest on the boy's hips like Ziggy had done to him and returned his attention to his throat. Ziggy whined softly, barely holding it together enough so he didn't flip Dillon over and take control, which he did do sometimes. However, after the teasing Dillon had gotten this morning, Ziggy was ready to let him control this round. As long as he sped things up.
Dillon did.
It was several hours later that Ziggy woke from the light doze he'd fallen into. When he did, he was unsurprised to see Dillon there gazing at him. He smiled and stretched, feeling Dillon's eyes take in the full length of his pale, naked body. He relaxed back against the sheets after that and looked up at Dillon. "Hello." He whispered.
Dillon smiled slightly. "Hello." He repeated. Dillon trailed on hand down Ziggy's side, watching contentedly as Ziggy sighed and relaxed into the caress. "It's early still. Go back to sleep." He whispered. Ziggy muttered something in agreement, turning over so that he ended up draped across Dillon chest. Dillon's chuckled slightly, moving his hand form Ziggy's side to his hair, brushing the loose curls away from his face. Ziggy sighed softly again.
They would probably never figure out what had caused him to change. Ziggy didn't care. He had what he wanted.