“Yeah, Kat! I literally can’t believe that a respectful woman such as yourself, with such a high education level just teleported us here without asking us if we were naked.” Eury shook her head in faux disgrace at the woman, and tried to hide the smirk threatening to show itself on her lips. “You cannot chastise me, Katherine! You’re the one who brought Bianca here in a towel! It’s like telling a kid off for taking a cookie when you placed a plate full of ‘em in front of them! Gosh!”
As she followed Kat towards the map, Eury untied her hoodie from around her waist. “B, put this on. At least it’ll cover you a little more, and Tommy can finally look you in the eye,” she laughed, tossing it towards her friend, then winking at her.
Eury trained her eyes on the map, focusing on the red dots Kat was talking about. There were a lot of them. “Well, that’s just peachy, isn’t it? He fucks off, then returns with some big ass threat living in the sewers. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s created the real Killer Croc down there. Nobody called Waylon Jones has gone missing, have they?”
She felt the pressure when Kat looked at her, and told her that the choice was her own. Why did she have to be the leader? Making choices was hard, and she couldn’t know if someone was going to get hurt on her watch. “You want me and Bianca to go into the sewers?” she asked, uneasy at the thought. “We can do it, but what if this is what he wants? What if he wants me and Bianca down in the sewers? Do you think we’re strong enough to fight? Do you think I’m strong enough to fight?” she asked the woman. “Be honest. Because I’m not taking us down there if you believe I could get Bianca hurt, like I got Rory hurt.”
Bianca accepted Eury’s hoodie and immediately pulled it on, zipping it all the way closed. “Is this a look or what,” she said under her breath, looking down at her sweatshirt and towel-skirt get up. They obviously had more important things at hand, however. Bianca narrowed her eyes as she looked at the map, taking in all of the red dots that Kat described as “disturbances”. There was a lot that she didn’t understand but whenever Dr. Oliver or Professor Hillard called something specific to their attention, even without much information, she knew she had to take it seriously. A long sigh escaped from her lips. “We all saw it coming,” she reminded them. “We knew he was quiet for a reason, and it wasn’t just to give us a break.” Bianca lifted her head to look at Eury. She chose not to say anything and instead grabbed her friends hand, offering her a sympathetic smile, and hoping to drown her own guilt.
Katherine stared at her pointedly, having already apologized for the situation. It was clear that Eury only wanted to instigate, but Katherine wouldn’t feed into it. There were important matters at hand. “I believe the word you’re looking for here is self-control, Eurydice. Lets focus on the task at hand, shall we?” Once she was at her side, she added, “That was kind of you to offer your sweatshirt, thank you.” Her expression softened, and she looked at Bianca. “Once we’re all through here, I can teleport you back home or lend you some of my things depending on how soon we want to get started. Is that alright with you?”
A few moments passed as she let them talk it out. Tommy’s shoulders had relaxed once Bianca put the sweatshirt on though his eyes remained fixed on the map, waiting. It was important to both Katherine as a mentor and Eury as a leader to come to a decision together. Her role was to guide, not drive, and while that proved difficult sometimes, she’d be doing a great injustice to hinder Eury’s growth as the red ranger. She’d chosen her for a reason, after all. “Hopefully, you’ll encounter nothing of the sort,” Kat said, trying to keep it positive. “But I have to agree with Bianca. Bad guys never stay gone for long, and when they do, it’s usually a cause to worry.” Stepping closer to Eury, she placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed for support. “I think it’s the best course of action, yes. As far as we know, Devone doesn’t know we’re onto him which gives us the element of surprise. As I’ve said before, this is strictly an intel gathering, but there’s always a chance for battle. There are no sure things as a ranger, and unfortunately, you might get hurt. That’s the risk we take to be the heroes we need be.” Blue eyes locking with green, and she paused. “Nothing I can say is going to make you feel less guilty about what happened with Rory, but know this — she had a choice, and she made it. Do you think she regrets going down there with you? I’m willing to bet the answer is no, because had she made that decision based on fear, you might not be here now. We all make choices, and they’re going to challenge us, but whatever you decide, we’re behind you. One hundred percent. Isn’t that right, Bianca?” She waited for an answer and continued. “If you’re asking if I believe in you, the answer is always yes. You’re two of the strongest women this world has to offer and if anyone can do this, it’s you. I may have one other suggestion though...”
