A lot sure has changed... (Oki)

Jack stared at the empty contain of Zyu Green... How had it gone so fast?... He had his second cup after he got home that day. He tryed it while he was watching Zyuranger.... didn't help in the slightest... His third cup happened when he was literally out of anything else to drink... And not wanting to drink just water he brewed himself a cup... it was uh... not the smartest decision.

The fourth cup happened when he returned form Alt Zela... The bitter and oppressive taste cleared his mind of his regrets for a moment... and that moment caused him to make his fifth... sixth, and seventh cup... Each for the same desired effect.

His eighth cup was made when he returned form the nurses office after his scrap with Charles... and much to his surprise... He had grown to love the frankly rancid and vile taste... Some how it reminded him of a simpler time in his life. Unfortunately this revelation only came after his eighth cup... which was also his last. Desperate for the dark green liquid he had grown to love, he finally resolved to pay... her... another visit.

It wasn't that he was avoiding Oki... Oh no quite the opposite... he was shy... Yes yes get the laughter out all at once. The mighty Red Ranger, leader of the Personangers... was shy when it came to the Tea Shop owner. He didn't know why... maybe he did like her after all... but that was preposterous!... right...

Ether way now that he had an excuse to go see her. He mustered his courage and took the long walk to her tea shop. Hesitantly he would open the door, poke his head in and call out"Hello?"

Oki was manning the antique shop with Sky when it heard the bells on the Tea Shop side jingle. A bit surprised that someone had actually came through that door, the old being would turn to the sound and tilt its head slightly before blinking and looking over at Sky. With a light wave, she gave it permission to attend to whoever was in the other shop…even if the antique shop currently had three visitors in at once. Nodding lightly to Sky, the being would make its way across the antique shop and go to the door that led to the Tea Shop being sure to close off the noise of the antique shop as it entered the other side.

Pushing aside the curtain that acted as a door, Oki would appear behind the counter prepared to give a warm welcome to whoever was in the shop; however, that greeting stopped as the being spotted the familiar face of Jack looking in. Moving up to counter with a light smirk on its face, Oki would place both hands on the counter before leaning forward and eyeing the young man.

“Is Jack afraid we bite? Why not come in, my friend?” the being said in friendly tones as it remained watching the other carefully. There was something off about him, but what it was it wasn’t sure. So staying alert the being waited to see what the other would do.

In spite of the growing heat in Jack's face he couldn't help but smile at Oki's friendly greeting. He nodded happily and pulled his head out from inside the doorway, only to come bursting in a moment later with a heroic shout. He bellowed out a hearty laugh and struck a heroic pose as red confetti fluttered down around him"Yes it is I! Protecting the world from the shadows that plague it at every turn! We brave hero's fight for the souls within! The Crimson Chariot! Personanger!....RED! Haha!" Jack basked in his own badassery for a moment before quietly pulling a small brush and dust pan from seemingly nowhere and cleaning up the fallen confetti.

"Hi Oki! Long time no see!" Jack's smile grew as wide as ever as he deposited the red confetti into a nearby garbage can and approached the counter"What's new? Have you given any thought towards becoming the Yellow Ranger?"

Oki's gaze on Jack remained calm and friendly as it watched the other for a moment. It could read some form of tension in the air, but still couldn’t understand why the other was so tense. Had it done something to frightened him or was he worried about something else? However, before Oki could even question the behavior, Jack had nodded and then after going back outside he came back in the shop in quite a loud fashion.

As Oki watched the display with raised eyebrows for a moment, the being would blink as the show ended before leaning even more against the counter with a an amused smirk on its face.

“Well, it seems you have not changed in the least since we last met,” the being said with a light chuckle as it watched the other clean up the mess he had made with a broom and dust pan that had magically appeared out of thin air…or so it seemed. The action was amusing and illogical, but to keep itself from questioning the action Oki simply told itself that Jack must be a magician too.

As the other approached the counter with a wide smile, the being shifted its weight lightly on the counter as it looked up at the other with green eyes.

“New? Too much is new I am afraid, but I am not sure if you want to be bored with inventory at the moment. How about you? What’s new with you, shadow buster?” it asked in casual tones before tilting its head lightly at the other.

“Yellow ranger, huh? Well before I would’ve given you an 100% yes, but due to circumstances, I am going to have to leave myself as only an ally to your cause, but not exactly apart of your group. This is…the most logical and sound solution I am afraid” Oki said with a light nod as it looked at the other with a serious expression for a moment as it study him. This would probably not go well...especially when there seemed to be something behind all that happiness that Jack displayed that bother Oki. It was quiet for a second longer before asking its question.

“Jack…why did you really come here? Are you alright?” it asked as it watched the other with careful eyes. Perhaps it was wrong. Maybe Jack was simply here to say hi, but until he confirmed this out loud Oki would not dismiss the odd offness in the air as its imagination only.

Jack couldn't help but let his smile dim slightly when Oki said she would not be joining the Rangers. He was honestly confused as to why... She said her answer WOULD have been 100% yes but... Something came up. What could have happened that could have changed her mind like that. Whatever it was it must have been really important and personal though... Jack better not pry... it's not his place to know, if it was she would have told him.

Jack was about to speak again when Oki took note of the oddness of his sudden appearance at her doorstep. Well it was true that he had come for a reason. He was here to refill on Zyugreen tea!... Right?... After all that IS why he came right? Once again he could feel tears well up in his eyes... slowly he reached for the empty container of Zyugreen in his pocket and placed it on the counter. Try as he might he couldn't keep the shakiness and uncertainty out of his voice"I... I came t-to refill on... some... tea... and to see how-how you're doing." He clenched his teeth to their breaking point trying to hold back the tears... It had been a while...he should be over this by now, yet... seeing Oki again... being reminded of the last time he was here so wide eyed and enthusiastic about saving the world with... with his friends...

The memories broke him...his legs felt weak as he leaned on the counter for support "I... I came to tell you I failed... I found an angel... and I failed..."

Oki could see the disappointment in Jack’s face as it declined the offer to become the yellow ranger. In response, Oki frowned lightly not liking to be the bearer of bad news, but….in this situation it really could not risk getting another wrapped up in the mess it was in. If that happened…it honestly didn’t know what it would do; however, shaking that thought away, Oki focused on Jack asking him what was up before falling silent to watch the strange reaction that occurred.

It had been right. Something was wrong. Very wrong. The usually bubbly and confident young man now looked like he was about to cry, but why? What had happened to change him so? Oki’s eyebrows furrowed as it looked at the other with concern. When the other pulled out the empty container that it had stashed the Zyugreen tea in before, Oki looked at the container confused for a moment before looking back at Jack.

It heard what he said and yet it couldn’t get itself to move to obey. Jack was breaking…why?

Oki was about to open its mouth to ask, but before words could escape it, Jack spoke….or rather broke down in tears. On instinct, Oki leaned further over the counter, a hand going out to grab his arm in case, he fell backwards or sideways. Highly concerned about the other, Oki listened to his words and then felt itself go stiff as the blood within in it felt like it drained out leaving the being paler than usual as it looked at Jack with wide eyes.

“Jack…found an angel…How? Where? And how did finding it cause you to fail? What did you fail?” Oki asked the question in a whisper, too shocked to do anything else as it held onto Jack both to support him and itself. This…this was not possible….should not be. Those angels…those were its task to find and judge and no one else's. And yet Jack had found one…..He had found one…

The simple statement repeated in Oki’s mind filling it with fear and dread as it awaited the other to answer questions it had a feeling that it would like hear answered.

For a moment Jack said nothing, he just let himself break. He felt the pain and loss that had been building sense that day fill him to the point where he knew his fragile mind could take no more. He felt his heart slip away in that moment. It felt more real now then it ever had before, now that he had said it out loud. Until now it had just been an unspoken truth that Nilo was gone, and that he had failed to protect him. Now, however... the pain was tenfold..."N-Nilo... Did-didn't..."

Jack's breath caught in his throught as he felt Oki grab his arm... it wasn't a firm grasp... nor was it a lose one. It was one mearly of support... for him or for herself he didn't quite know... But he chose to take comfort in it regardless. As if it was the one thing still tying him to this world. Her words were little more then a whisper but he heard them as if they were the only sound in a dead world.

"W-We... we found it in a portal we found in Zela Academy..." his voice was stronger but still shaken. "It... It wanted to test out strength, so it summoned three powerful entities... I was defeated quickly and... wh-while I was... unconscious... they... they forced..." Jack's head slowly lowered to the table as he wept "It forced one of us... to.... to kill Nilo... it... it made us kill one another! Oh god… It’s my fault… I should’ve been stronger… I promised I would protect him!... I promised we’d all make it out!... I-It should have been me… Damn it!" Jack's body heaved as he sobbed...he's very close to a very dark place right now...

Jack was quiet for a moment before he just let himself break in a way that was very concerning to Oki. The being automatically reached out to steady the other, but felt its own self becoming paler and sicker as it heard the news the other came bearing. This guy…he was breaking because of someone named Nilo and what the angel they found had done...

“Nilo? As in Nilo Lockwood?” the being found itself asking as an image of a young man popped into its head. It wasn’t too long ago it had met the other in this very shopping district. Oki remembered there was another there named Ando that was looking for places to shop for goods….

Back then the child seemed to be full of life and kind, so what had happened to change that? Dreading the answers to the questions, Oki heard about the angel and as it held onto Jack doing its best to hold onto him, it would eventually come from behind the counter and guide the other to the chair before sitting next to him and rubbing his back.

The guy was broken from something…it was scary and while Oki didn’t want to pry further it wanted to know what was going on and the answer it got back was one that made its stomach twist even more.

Jack and some others went through a portal at Zela Academy and in turn ran into the angel that was there. The angel tested them, defeated Jack and then turned each ally against each other resulting in the death of the child known as Nilo.

Oki was quiet as it listened to the words being spoken, its mind sinking further and further into the darkness as the weight of it all fell upon it.

“Jack…I know this hurts, but you can’t blame yourself for this. The angels and their servants…they are unreal in their power and strength. If I was quicker, you wouldn’t have to be put through this. I am so sorry Jack,” the being said in gentle tones as it continued to comfort the other feeling a pang of pain and anger within. These angels…were they really worth judging or was it just easier to listen to Helen and take them out?

Oki wasn’t sure. The story left the being conflicted in ways it could not explain, but before its friend who was breaking, the being stayed calm and locked away the feelings for the moment.

"The fact that you are here now means you have a chance to grow strong, so nothing like that will happen again. I am not sure how much assistance I can be to you, Jack, but I am here if you need anything or just someone to talk to….” the being said, not sure exactly what the right words were to comfort this young man, but it was doing its best. But was that enough?

Jack let himself be guided by Oki... not that he had the strength or the resolve to resist regardless... He was a broken man at this point. He could hear her talking, yet he could not understand her... Her voice was distant and soft... So... So very soft. Not something he deserved to hear. He was the reson Nilo was gone... there was no other explination other then Jack killed him... by bringing the frail young man into the alt world Jack doomed him to a terrible fate. It was his fult... the blood on his hands stained him in a briliant crimson that made his childish costume seem pail by comparison.

He heard her words try to tell him he wasn't weak... just that the angels and their servents are stronger.... that it wasn't his fault... that there was nothing he could have done, but he could have been stronger, he could have been faster... he could have left Nilo behind that day." H-How Oki?... How do I grow strong? I want to be able to protect everyone... but... But...O-Oki... I... I... It should have been me... I would gladely give my life just to know he was still here...I know they are strong, bu-but I... I should ahve been stronger! I promised him I would die before I let him get hurt! He was my best friend! My Brother! And I let him die in that hell!" Jack's grip on Oki's tightened as fresh tears began to well in his eyes. With dark, dead, pleadign eyes he met Oki's gaze"O-Oki... H-H-How am I supposed to save the world... If I can't save one of the most important people in it?"

Quietly jack burried his face into Oki's shoulder abd began to cry... it was not a heaving or a sobbing cry... it was a tired cry...

The young man did not resist being guided to the chair. He was broken and Oki knew this well. It tried to comfort him, but how well the words reached the other was uncertain. He seemed so far away as he sat down. So far…almost out of the being's grasp, even if he was physically right next to Oki. The being was never trained to deal with situations like this and yet instinct told it, it could not let Jack fall deeper into whatever pit he was hanging over.

As he spoke still blaming himself for what had occurred, he spoke about protecting everyone and how the death should’ve befallen him. It was true Oki didn’t know Nilo well, but it knew what it was like to be close to losing someone due to one’s own actions. It had been down that path before, the only difference was goddess had intervened. When Jack asked his question, Oki was quiet for a moment as it allowed the other to enter its personal space and cry upon its shoulder.

On instinct, it stroked his hair with one hand as it hugged him close with the other. It was an action it had picked up from its grandmother and the only one that was logical in this situation. It would comfort him silently for a while longer before speaking.

“I am not sure how to fully answer that question, Jack. Much like all humans, I have my flaws and due to actions almost got another killed. The event shook me and still does to this day as I realized how fragile our lives really are. No matter how hard we try...when death wants something it takes it from this world leaving us to deal with the pain. We can drive ourselves crazy with it, but...” Oki would pull Jack away slightly and use one hand to lift his head gently to attempt to get him to look it in the eyes.

If he met them, he would find eyes that understood how he felt, but at the same time had resolve within them.

“You have to go on living for those that are gone. You become stronger by living with the memory and the pain within. Sure, you can physically train all you want, but in the end that is not is what is going to save the world. It is emotions and the power that comes from them that helps all. It makes us stronger and gives us the will to make changes even when everything is falling apart. You want to become strong? Well then, start by learning to live with your mistake. It is done. Forgive yourself, but do not forget the feeling it has brought. That memory will give you the power you need to make better choices, but it can never happen if you can’t get back on your feet, Jack,” Oki said in tones that were calm, firm, and yet gentle all at once.

The being was simply telling the boy the truth and not yet giving him the other option he had. He was too broken for that right now. He needed to heal, so Oki would help with that if it could, but it could not help the guy if he did not first help himself.

Jack would meet Oki's eyes... She would see in his eyes a broken man deep in depths of despair. The flame that once burned brightly in him now glowed only faintly under the deep shadow of his guilt and grief, however, her words did strike a cord in him... Her words rang true in him... He had said them to himself so many times in the past few days that he was sick of hearing them... He thought he believed them but... Perhaps he was just deluding himself so he could keep going, keep shambling through life one more day until he made it to the next pep talk.

"O-Oki... P-Please.... tell me I'm not a failure.... Th-Th-That I didn't kill my best friend... I don't know how to be strong any more... Pleaes help me..." A small bit of light returned to his eyes as he pleaded to her. His grip on her shirt would tighten as he dropped his gaze to the floor. Fresh tears fell as he sobbed gently"I-I want to be able to carry on his memory... But I don't know if I can do it alone... P-Please... I just need a friend right now... Please... please help me..."

Ok met the eyes of the broken man. Saw all his despair and sorrow as plain as day. The sight would bring pity from the normal, but for Oki it only made the coolness within its eyes even colder. It wasn’t that it didn’t care. No, it cared quite a bit of the broken one before it. The coldness was coming from absorbing his negativity as it tried to help him manage the weight of the burden he carried. It was quite a weight, even heavier because Oki in a way felt responsible for this. It had waited too long to plan and now…now people were getting dragged into this angel mess and suffering….

Green eyes would focus once more on Jack as he began to plead with it, asking it to tell him things it did not know how to respond to. As the other held onto its shirt and bowed his head, Oki was quiet for a moment as it stood up and moved closer to Jack to better hug the seated young man.

It kept him close to it as it spoke.

“Jack, I do not know how to ease this pain. All I can be is right where I am now. At your side to support you. You are not a failure, but you are human and as such will and do make mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes are more costly in others, but you cannot blame yourself for what death has planned. Nilo’’s death was not your fault. Death is never anyone’s fault. It just happens…and sometimes in ways we do not plan for. That is death’s cruel and unpredictable nature. All you can do is hold onto the memory , keep him alive that way, but you cannot do that if you remain in this pit you are in,” Oki said and then pulled a way slightly as it looked at Jack with a serious expression.

“Let’s go for a walk,” it said as its gloved hand slipped down into Jack's hands. Gently it would pull on him to see if he would get up. Maybe a change of scenery could help with this problem.

Jack would listen to Oki's words as if they were She spoke the words that he had told himself many times over... that it wasn't his fault... that he wasn't the one who killed Nilo... But hearing it from her.. From someone else... ANYONE else seemed to help crack the walls that despair had been built around his heart. The stream that were his tears began to dry as he took Oki's hand.

"O-Ok...." Is all Jack would say as he was lead out by Oki... In spite of himself. in spite of all the pain and sorrow that he felt in his soul at the moment. In spite of his fears and self doubts... feeling Oki's soft yet firm grasp on his hand seemed to at once calm, and fluster the young Featherman Ranger."Thank you.... Oki...." Jack would say as the two left the tea shop. Jack would fallow Oki where ever she lead him... however if she tryed to pull her hand free she would feel a slight resistance. If she really wanted to she could easily pull her self from his grasp. But his grasp was still there.

"He... He would have loved to meet you... He loved everyone so much... that he had so little love left for himself... heh.. If he saw me now he'd probably hit me with a rolled up news paper for being such a sad sack. The last thing he wanted to be in life was a burden... I almost feel that being so broken about his death is dishonoring him. Yet, I still can't bring myself to move on... Dose,... Dose that make sense?"

It was often hard for the being known as Oki to understand emotions. It was a short coming at times from being isolated within the world. While it was true the owner of this shop had taught it much before her life ended, Oki still hadn’t mastered becoming completely soft when others broke. Instead, its behavior remained between a stern teacher and a wall. The being never knew what to say or do, but it typically followed its instincts in these cases, finding the natural impulse typically right when dealing with those that were hurt. The same tactic seemed to work here too. Its words somehow calmed the other down and when it told Jack they were going for a walk, he did not resist as he got up and allowed himself to be lead outside.

As Oki took him out the back door back into the sunlight, it would slowly moved pass the shrine holding Jack’s hand as it began to head up some old stairs that led into the thick woods out back. As they walked, Oki would nod at thank yous and listen to what Jack had to say. When he posed his question, Oki was quiet for a moment as it continued to move up the stone steps.

“I did meet him once right before a rain storm. He did not stay long, but the small amount of time spent with the other gave me the feeling he was quite kind. It is sad that he is gone and did not get the chance to find love for himself, but if he is as you say he was then he was also strong willed. He would’ve bloomed into something grand,” Oki said in soft tones not minding the other holding its hand. It would remain support for him until he could stand on his own two feet again.

“As for the way you are acting now. I do not think it is dishonorable, I think it’s natural. Losing someone that is family is one of the hardest things to do. We blame ourselves and scream the most in agony when this happens. Moving on is often hard, but I find that even though it hurts we have to walk on. Otherwise, we not only make the spirit of the one now free of all troubles sad, but we harm ourselves and become something we should not,” Oki paused as it moved over to a statue of a disfigured humanoid with fangs and a tail.

“These things we turn into are demons that feed off of our misery. If we submit to the pain they bring…then we lose ourselves and become just like them. We stay stuck right where we are,” Oki said as it stood in the spot before the statue for a while longer before turning to Jack and gently removing its hand from his.

“It is going to hurt, but walk forward and resist the demon. See where it takes you,” Oki said and then began to walk up the steps once more. It would pause a few steps up and turn to Jack gesturing for him to come…to at least try to walk on his own through his pain. Could he do it?

Jack let Oki guide him by his hand.... wait... Has that forest always been back there? Like... Always!? Cus Jack never noticed it before... Then again Jack had only been here twice, this being one of them. It was completely possible that he had just not noticed it this time due to being so out of it, and he must have missed it last time due to being so distracted by Oki... EH! Ah That is to s-say! Oki's Uh... Uh... HAT! Yeah her hat! It's a.... a nice hat...

Ether way... Jack would let go of Oki's hand as she walked up the stairs... her words rand deeply in Jack's soul... She had met Nilo only briefly then eh?...He... he wondered if they all could have been friends together... The thought threatened to pull Jack back into the sniveling mess be just escaped from... But then... She continued...

She was right... This... this grief, this sadness inside him... It was doing more to him then any shadow could. It was making him forget everything that he stood for... Everything that he was meant to do in this world... He didn't want to become that... he didn't want to give in... Nilo wouldn't want that ether...

Jack looked up to her... Standing there at the top of the stairs.... The light shining down from between the trees. His heart skipped a beat as a faint pink came over his face. "O-Oki...." A fain't breeze flowed through the trees in that moment. As the trees rustled and waved, Jack realized that right there, here and now. Oki seemed more angelic then any of the angels he was tasked to find.

Slowly... Jack took one step... then another... then a third... Soon he had climbed the steps and stood next to Oki starring at the odd statue before them... He stood silently for a moment... "Thank you...."