I'm Liam Hudson! I'm seventeen years old and a junior. I'm a nationally ranked sharp shooter, state championship fencer, 3rd degree brown belt, military family raised, and one of Reefside's newest residents. Also the Green Warrior of Devone's army.
Don't confuse me for Finn.
My father infused it with your body? That is really something else. I am so sorry that he put you through all of this. But, just keep your guard up. They wont be happy that the green warrior is losing his hold. So, please be careful. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Hmmm…. what you are going through kind of sounds a lot like Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Maybe we could ask Dr. Oliver and Ms. Hillard more about this. I know that when Dr. Oliver was a power ranger he was being controlled. Maybe they could help. Maybe it’s because, deep down you never wanted the people you care about to feel any pain. Even though you did some bad things as the green warrior. They could have always been worse. Liam you have a big heart, and I believe that you are truly a great guy. That’s why I always gave you an out of our friendship. I didn’t want anything to happen to you.
Eh… I don’t think I am that brave. Even if I am it’s because, I want to protect the people I care about. You kind of have to be brave when fighting to protect the people you love, and I just want to protect you. You never need to ask to borrow some of my strength. Because, you already have some. You don’t have to pay me back. I know that you’ll protect me when it’s your time to shine.
It’s okay. You don’t deserve to feel bad for something he did, and we know you wouldn’t of allowed things to go this way if it was possible. It’s life, right? We’ll... we’ll work past it. At least if the coins with me it can’t go anywhere else which means that my own Mr Hyde is stuck here. Do you think they’d even talk to me after all this? I don’t even know how I would get a hold of them. It’s a good idea though, if it’s a possible one. Maybe that is what kept me around enough to come back. It’s just strange, I guess, because I don’t want to blame it all on the warrior. Even if it was Devone’s influence, it was still me that did it. So it really could all come down to guilt. That’s definitely there.
Wanting to protect people and actually doing it are very different. Since you are actually trying to do it, that is bravery. You’ve definitely got it. As much as I would love to protect you, I’d be happy never paying you back for that. Only because that would mean there’s nothing that’s trying to harm you.
Brittany: Like the ones as big as a house. And with people inside.
Brittany: (This is important.)
Brittany: (Like really really.)
Liam: I've never been to a bonfire, but I've always wanted to go to one.
Liam: Oh. You're not talking about an actual bon fire, are you Brittany? Because if that's what they actually are... I really don't want to have one now.
I know now that you weren’t wrong, and truthfully, I don’t really feel like doing much of either. I think that I’m trash talked and teared out for now. Hopefully for good, but I can’t say.
You’re still in there. I know it. You have to be. I mean, you were in the house with me and mom all that time, and you didn’t really hurt either of us. You’re in there, and we just have to find a way to get Devone out.
I think it’s out, or at least not active right now. Maybe the Green Warrior powers are just kind of like an inactive volcano waiting for a chance to suddenly erupt. But I’m really hoping its not. I don’t want to leave you and aunt Carole again. Home with you guys is a lot better than being at Devone’s lair.
He picked you because you’re Finn’s cousin, not because you’re anything special. You know, it’s actually kind of funny and pathetic to me that you’d be willing to be on his side considering all that he’s done to your own family and to the girl you like.
I know it was. Or is. I’m not too sure still. Hopefully some day I will be. For the record though, maybe it doesn’t seem like it to a lot of people, but I think being Finn’s cousin is pretty special thing to be.
What? Ryder, I don’t hate you. I don’t hate any of you. That isn’t... that wasn’t what it was like. I don’t know if getting out of Devone’s side is as easy as it’s sounding though.
Can you get control over the Green Warrior? Like I said before…. we are a team. We’ll think of something. I promise. Then let’s try to find away to stop him from hurting someone. While you are feeling more like yourself. This is a good time to think back the green warrior and what made him weaken his hold over you. I wont let anyone know. Just promise me that you’ll try to gain control over the green warrior. Trust me you can break it. I believe in you. No, you wont. I’ll make sure that you don’t. If the green warrior is about destruction. Then what is Liam about….peace? Power coin… like the other rangers? or is it different?
You aren’t me. That doesn’t mean you aren’t strong. Believe in yourself. You can over come anything you set your mind to. I think we all have a dark side. Even if my dark powers weren’t called dark. I could still use them for bad, or good. It depends on how I want to use them. We’ll figure something out. I know we can if we work together.
I think I can, or at least do. It still feels there, though. The Warrior’s powers. My power coin I think is different. If what I know about the Rangers is right, theirs isn’t infused with their own bodies like mine is. Some times I would get strange marks, except they haven’t happened since prom practically. It’s probably for the best. I don’t know how to bring the powers or marks back out then maybe the Warrior won’t take over again. It would be weird having that trapped somewhere inside me, but... I guess I’d rather have it there than brought on to someone else. I don’t know what made the hold weaken. Even after looking over my mission logs and things I wrote down, none of it says explicitly what happened to the powers. One thing I do know is that my actions started feeling really... wrong once Marley told me Millie died. Then I got a letter from my dad and after that, it’s like I snapped out of it.
You sound much more braver than I do about this. Mind if I borrow some of your strength? Promise owl pay you back some day.
MAILED → June 22nd, 2015
RECEIVED → July 5th, 2015
Hey buddy,
You know I’m not really all that great at writing up letters, that was always something your mom was better at. There was a reason that Christmas card ever sent were all her doing. Heck, she even did Easter. And who could forget Valentine’s day? Although, both of you worked on those. The two of you would stay up for hours until you were sure everyone had a Valentine’s card hand written and sealed up. I remember waking up the next morning to you and her sleeping on the couch and trying to make you both a Valentine’s day breakfast for all your hard work. I have to say, I did a pretty good job on the heart pancakes. Almost as good as the Christmas tree ones from the holidays. I still have to teach you how to make those, don’t I? Actually... there’s a lot of things I still have to do for you. That’s why I’m writing this and hoping you get it.
Liam, son, I’m sorry for not being there for you ever since... your mom died. I know that was a hard time for us both, and I know we should have been working through it together. I guess I just couldn’t. I can face enemies lines with mines and a risk of snipers, but dealing with losing your mom? I didn’t know where to begin on that, and it wasn’t fair to you. It wasn’t fair to leave you so soon, and then not be around for you to talk to when I was gone. I know we never talk too much while I’m shipped out, but those monthly calls were what got me through every day. I couldn’t picture having one of those calls without hearing your mother’s voice, too.
Don’t think that I don’t love you, because I do, with all of the pieces I’ve got of it. You’re my kid, you’re our kid, and there’s nothing that’d make me want to change that. I mean that, Liam. Nothing. Before your mom went into her coma, I know things were better, and I know it might look like they won’t ever be again. I don’t think that’s true though. Things are going to be different for us, a lot different, but I know we’ll work on it. Both of us. Together. It’s what your mom would have wanted us to do, and it’s what you and me have to do. I love you too much to not at least give it a shot (speaking of, hope you’re keeping your practice up. I’ve got my eye on this airsoft gun I think you’re gonna like).
Besides all that, I owe you a few other words. Merry Christmas, Happy Halloween, Happy Ester, Happy Saint Patrick’s day, Happy New Year, and most important of all, Happy Birthday.
Give me a call some time this month. We need to get our phone call schedule back on track.
Keep doing your best, hotshot. I know you’re making me and your mom proud.
NOTES→ After getting a letter from his father, Liam manages to get out of the hold of the Green Warrior’s powers. When coming to his senses, he realizes what he’s done and returns the Evans-Pierce’s dog, Sam 2.0
AUTHOR’S NOTES→ he’s BACK BITCHES. sort of.
Liam‘s actions of taking the Evans-Pierce dog had not been one he had been planning for a long time. It hadn’t even been a thought at all until the day before, actually. He had just been around when he heard Brittany letting the animal out. The idea seemed like a good one since Liam was aware that he hadn't caused much issue for the Rangers. Smaller pranks here and there only appeased Devone for so long. Taking something one, better yet two, of the Rangers loved, that would prove something. The issue with that was he didn't feel compelled to actually [i]hurt[/i] anyone in a fight and so, taking a dog just came off as the next logical step when presented with it. At first Sam seemed to go along with Liam not because he wanted to follow, but rather he was trying to protect his home. That's how he interpreted it anyway given the low growl. That only got more vicious as they got closer to Devone's liar and it resulted in Liam having to scoop the animal up and hold him from making any noise for others to hear. It wasn’t easy to explain, but he didn’t want to show off his latest deed to Devone despite doing it for him. Instead, had left Sam in his part of he liar, staying with the animal to keep Kayden from seeing him. The Warrior, or maybe it was Liam, didn't trust her after the fire she caused. However, Brittany and Sam's frantic nature when posting and asking for help had caused him to need some air as he was actually feeling terrible for what he did. It wasn't until after he went to the place Liam from months before considered his 'spot' in the forest and found a letter from his father and a birthday card from his grandparents that his attitude fully shifted. He finally knew what had to be done, and fast. That was what brought him to where he was now, with Sam on a leash and him walking to the Blue and White Ranger's house. In contrast to before, Sam wasn't growling at Liam now. In fact, he was trotting along side him as if they were going on a simple stroll around the neighborhood and not taking him back home. He had considered just knocking and running off to let it be left up to interpretation on what happened, but that changed as he got closer. The younger Hudson knew he had to face up to what he had done. He was scared to given everything, and because he had worried perhaps it was just a trap and he wasn’t actually okay like he thought. He had to believe very intensely that that wasn’t true and it was all he could to in order to get himself to knock on the door. As soon as it opened, he didn’t wait to see who it was as he held the leash out for them to take and said a very quiet and timid, “I’m sorry. I promise he’s okay.”
Brittany was a mess. The hint of redness around her eyes had become somewhat of a permanent fixture over the past day or so, and they stung so badly she wasn't sure it'd ever go away. Staring at the illuminated screen, her vision blurred slightly as she scrolled over the menu bar once again and clicked 'print'. She sat numbly in her chair, the sound of her printer working to produce flyer after flyer filling her bedroom. She'd already hung them all over town, but a few more couldn't hurt. Feeling powerless was no stranger to the blue ranger, but even after all this time, it never hurt any less. She couldn't remember the last time she ate. She hadn't slept in over twenty four hours. Sam was gone, and not in the normal hide and seek way. He was far too excitable to be any good at that game, but Brittany always played along. She always found him. He was one of her babies, and she'd lost him. It didn't matter how or why - she had one job and she blew it. She stood up quickly in attempt to stifle the tears forming in her eyes, but it was no use. With the death of Marley's mother fresh in her mind, all she could think about was the green warrior, or worse, Kayden getting their hands on him. They took no mercy on human beings, so the chances of Sam surviving that was slim to none. Wiping her eyes for what felt like the ten millionth time, she snatched the papers from the printer and stepped outside her room. "Sam, I'm gonna go hang more fliers!" She didn't bother stopping as she took the steps two at a time. "Tell mom not to wait for dinner." She was almost annoyed when the sound of knocking reached her ears. She didn't have time for anymore of Rachel's dishes or even her offer of hugs. "Go away," she muttered disgruntled as she opened the door. What she saw, however, stopped her in her tracks. Brittany froze, her stomach and jaw clenching at the sight of Liam on her doorstep. There was a time when she would have welcomed the sight of the younger Hudson, but ever since he'd fallen to Devone's control, seeing him only brought on a mixture of sadness and terror. "You can't be he--" she started harshly. His own words, however, stopped her mid-thought. Confusion washed over her as her eyes travelled down the leash and settled on Sam, and immediately, she dropped her fliers to the ground below. "Sammy!" A bright smile spread widely across her face, and she crouched low, scooping him up into her arms and welcoming the soft licks to her face through soft coos and giggles. "Have you been a good boy? Mommy missed you," she kissed the top of his head, snuggling him close. She held him like that for a while, refusing to let him go even as he struggled to hop down and play. She'd almost forgotten that Liam was there at all, but when Sammy yapped happily at him, she knew they needed to talk. "Welcome home, boy," she scratched behind his ears. "Lord Tubbington, Asher and Quentin can't wait to hear all about your adventures. But be nice, okay? We both know how jealous they get." Putting the puppy down, she kissed him one last time before finally letting him run off to play with her other pets. With him out of sight, Brittany stood to her full height and stepped outside to join him on the porch. Unwilling to let Liam enter her house, she closed the door softly behind her and crossed her arms defensively. "Well?" she prodded expectantly. Her voice sounded angrier than it had been in a while, and while she knew Devone was to blame for that, she was incapable of hiding it. This was Liam now - this was the green warrior, and as much as she hated it, that changed everything. "What do you have to say for yourself? Do I have to worry about him growing another head and eating my family or should we check for fangs? His farts are toxic enough without monster juice in him."
Liam had swallowed hard as he heard Brittany start saying he couldn't be there. She wasn't wrong, in pretty much every way there was, he shouldn't of been. After all that happened he was well aware that he wasn't welcomed and he couldn't even find a reason yet for anyone to let him. He was worried himself that he wasn't actually himself yet. He had a concern that maybe he was only going to be like this a short time only to then be brought back to Devone's clutches. The future of his own self was very uncertain for him and that hadn't happened in a long while. And even so, it hadn't happened like this. But when Brittany's tone changed, he knew she had seen the dog and was, for a moment, happy. He wasn't the cause of it, that was all Sam, but it had felt nice to of helped bring it to someone again. He had forgotten what that was like, and it was far more satisfying than he could ever remember doing the terrible things feeling like. It even made him smile a bit as he watched the scene play out. It might have been better to simply leave after that, but he couldn't. It'd leave things very uncertain on where he was, and who he was for Brittany and he did want her to know that Sam was unharmed. Granted, there was a good reason for her to not trust him even if he stayed to convince her. That didn't mean he couldn't try to do it. That had always been in his nature after all. He did take a step back to give her some room and make it easier if he wound up with a door slamming in his face. The shift in the moon came a little sudden, however, it was obviously going to happen. He could feel that as soon as Sammy was inside. Every step the dog took was a step closer to the reaction he would be getting from the Blue Ranger. By being off the porch, the height difference between them worked in Brittany's favor. His shoulders slumping down and eyes looking at Brittany's shoes didn't make him any bigger either. In most ways, he was comparable to a child that knew they had done more wrong than they even realized, "No, you don't need to worry about that," he quietly promised, shaking his head to emphasize the point. His eyes were slightly covered due to his hair having gotten shaggy from the last month of his will fighting the Green Warrior's. It had been a strange time to say the least. Then his eyes dared to glance up at Brittany, "or anything else. Devone and Kayden didn't touch him," then they traveled back down to looking at her shoes, "he's okay. Really. At least I hope he is." He swallowed down, taking a breath in to finally look up and face the blond, trying to keep his head up, "I'm sorry, Brittany... I'm sorry to Sam, too. And Sam 2.0. And Stacey and Stevie. And your parents."
Brittany eyed him curiously. The Liam standing before her wasn't the arrogant jerk they'd been dealing with, and it made her nervous. She wasn't like most of the other rangers. She still held onto that innocent naiveté that allowed her to trust and depend on people when she sometimes shouldn't, and it made her weak. It left her more exposed than the others, but as they stood there - with his voice softer and quieter than she'd ever heard it - her gut was telling her that something had changed. So she shifted uncomfortably, trying to find the words that seemed to have died in her throat as he... apologized? She'd given up on trying to understand the world a long time ago, but this was too much. "Liam?" She questioned curiously, sounding as if she were seeing him for the first time. "I don't understand," She voiced her bewilderment, silently searching for answers as she stated the obvious. It was the only way she could work through the scenario in her brain. "You were different..." She trailed off quietly. "You-- You were hurting people and saying all these things about serving the bad guys, and you took Ryder's clothes, and shaved Puck's head, and wrote love letters to Dr. O. from Finn, and put lesbian porn in Santana's locker, and a whole bunch of other stuff. You took my dog. Didn't you?" Her words were fragmented and hard to follow, but people Devone took - they didn't just come back. "You were this adorable guy from New York that liked guns and puppies and you made Finn happy, but then you weren't. Then you were that other guy, and that guy plays a lot of awful tricks. So... Who are you?" She attempted to catch his eye. Maybe if she did, she could see through him; maybe she'd see the shadow of who he used to be. She certainly hoped so.
Liam stood there having to listen as Brittany pieced everything together. She wasn't stupid and he had remembered when he called her that. It was another thing he had remorse for, and felt a need to tell her he was sorry about. As she worked through everything that happened, his mind retraced the steps with her. Except she had only heard about some of these things whereas he had lived them out. He had made them happen and had wanted there to be bad results for the Rangers. He didn't want that now. Of course he didn't. Still, he could remember when it felt like he did because of being the Warrior and it wasn't something he was going to be able to forget with ease. If at all. That was his own personal struggle to handle and deal with, however, and didn't pertain to Brittany. She didn't have to listen to his woes, she owed him nothing. He owed her, and the rest of the people he had considered friends, everything. When Brittany asked if he took her dog, he nodded a yes. It wasn't a very strong movement, it was shallow in nature, but he couldn't not admit to her what he had done. Brittany already knew, clearly, but he could still be honest. When she asked who he was, his Adam's apple bobbed. It was such a simple question that also was so loaded. How was Liam suppose to answer? He was himself, he felt like it, but he wasn't sure. He couldn't be sure just yet, it was something time was only going to be able to tell. He wasn't sure how to any any of that though, "I.... I don't really know right now," he admitted to her with a small hesitation in his voice as he said it. It was an honest answer at least. He wasn't about to go into the story of what was going on, she hadn't asked and it wasn't anything he thought he could explain. Not right then. Everything was still too confusing for his own self, and too up in the air, "but I just... wanted to bring Sam back to you guys. I didn't want you to keep worrying about him or thinking he was hurt somewhere. He's a really good dog."
Brittany 's heart clenched in her chest with the silent admission, though she hadn't really needed the extra indication. Like many others before him, Liam had fallen prey to Devone. Designed and manipulated into fighting amongst his evil forces while his friends and family waited desperately for him to return home. She hardly doubted that that version of him would have ever helped search for her missing dog, let alone return him safely to her. It was this precise action that kept her feet rooted to the ground and standing still. Maybe it was a mistake. She was potentially opening herself up for disappointment or injury, and maybe that made her a bad ranger. Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, Brittany could practically hear the others in her mind - scolding her for being reckless and controlled by her emotions; whatever other crap Dr. Oliver could come up with during trainings, but she remained unmoving, waiting patiently for the words to come to him. She of all people knew how hard they could sometimes be, but it was unnerving watching him struggle. She hoped that things would become more clear once he actually spoke, but his words only proved to confuse her more. She’d seen that face before - the uncertainty and guilt - and it broke her heart every time. Remaining quiet, she waited for him to finish, unsure of what to say or how to make this any better. If Santana had taught her anything, it was that she never could. Not really. It was deeply personal, and if Liam really had returned home, it was something that he’d have to learn to live with. The past and himself. “He likes you,” she responded absentmindedly. Without unfolding her arms, she gave him a tiny shrug before explaining herself. “He wasn’t barking. He always does when he’s upset or afraid.” A moment of silence passed between them and she could hardly believe that this was the boy that had nearly ruined them on more than one occasion. He looked just as apprehensive and frightened as they were. “Thank you for bringing him back,” she tried, her face void of her usual smile. Inhaling quietly to herself, she chose to focus on that. Sam was home and safe, and that was because Liam hadn't given him over to Devone or Kayden. That was what mattered, and because of that, she ignored the past as well as anything the other rangers might advise or say about the situation. “That’s who you are," she answered simply. "At least for now.”
Liam could see the restraint Brittany was putting on in letting her guard down. It wasn't anything he was hoping to use for his advantage, that wasn't his angle anymore. It was far from that now, thankfully. He mainly noticed it because he felt the same way about his own self. The moments he would shift his weight was because of how off kilter he was internally. There wasn't a stance that felt natural at this moment for him and that made it difficult for him to keep his shoulders and head up to look at her. It wasn't going to last much longer though, he could feel it. Every quiet moment between them felt like it was going to crush him with each passing second. Then she broke the silence in a way he hadn't expected. Not at all. She had to of noticed his confused face at the initial words, but she went on and as she did, he picked up on what was being said. Perhaps the relief was just as easy to see as the confusionhad been. His throat started to close up again like it had done so earlier, but this time it felt different. It wasn't because words wanted to come out and were trapped, it was emotion that had been balled up and kept under covers for months wanting to make themselves known. It actually stung a little with the immensity of them, and it made him look at the blond speechless. Brittany hadn't said everything was okay, or that he had been forgiven. She didn't imply that he ever would be. But her words were more than enough for him. They meant more to him than she probably had even intended, but that was just who Liam was, and hopefully still could be, "Yeah," he agreed, finally chiming in and nodding ever so slightly in case his volume wasn't as loud as he imagined it to be, "that's who I am." And with that, Liam's eyes started to sting and he knew what was coming next. He hadn't cried in over a year. When his mother died he hadn't cried, that happened before she had finally been lost. After though, he didn't had tears. And he continued to not until now. Perhaps there had been a lot more to everything going on than he could even picture. Quickly he rose his arm up and rubbed one of his eyes with the sleeve of the jacket he was wearing (despite the heat) and taking a breath in to get himself together. Just for a few more minutes at least, "Take care, Brittany," Liam swiftly said, turning himself around to start walking back home. And this time, home had meant back with the two people that were actually his family.
Don’t underestimate me. And let me do us both a favor by ending this conversation because I don’t need anymore reasons to lash out at you when so many people seem intent on doing so without my helping.
I won’t do that, Marley. Underestimate you, I mean. But I can leave you alone. Or well, will do it. If that helps anything. And um. I’m-... I’m sorry. For your loss, and for everything else.
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