Long Journey Home

"So .... when you went to Phaedos, what happened, besides you getting the Ninjetti Power? Does it still work, by the way?"
 
"Yes, it does, but not for very long. I spoke to Zordon about it the other day; he thinks that the same method we used there would have to be reapplied here onore ore to stabilize the Power within me. But we agreed that there’s no hurry, really; the Ninjetti Power is of little use against Mondo, and this way I can stay in the background a bit."
 
"Sort of like our secret weapon, huh?"
 
"Yeah, that’s me." Both grinned. "Anyway, we met Billy, and he found out what’s been causing the switches after the first time."
 
Tommy noticed with some surprise the more than slightly sheepish expression on Jason’s face. Intrigued, he sat up.
 
"Oh? Why did you get transferred on, then?"
 
"I ... I made love." Seeng that Tommy was about to comment, Jason hastened on. "It has no real deep meaning; the way Billy explained it, it had to do with the chemical and psychological processes happening within the body during intercourse."
 
"Yeah, that sounds like Billy," Tommy laughed. Houghought about it for a moment. "Makes some kind of sense, though."
 
"True. In any case, that also showed us the way how I could get home, once the Rangers fixed the connection between my mind and my body the Gold Power had messed up."
 
"Uh-huh. What way was th ... waitaminute!" Tommy stared at Jason, slack-jawed. "A-are you saying that ... that you and Tommy ... Jay’s Tommy ... no way!"
 
Jason had gone slightly pale, but met his friend’s eyes unflinchingly.
 
"Yes, Tommy and I made love. I was switched back home about an hour later last Saturday."
 
"Then ... then Rocky’s comment ....."
 
"Was exactly right. Tommy and I woke up at dawn and had the hottest, steamiest sex I could ever have imagined."
 
"So that’s why you didn’t give him a straight answer ....." Tommy still stared at his best friend, trying to reconcile this startling bit of news with the image he had of Jason. Deep down, in a far-away corner of his mind, a little voice whispered that it wasn’t that strange, not when it also involved him. The young man refused to listen.
 
"I thought you had a bad memory? Yes, that was part of the reason. Another, bigger part was that it’s really none of Rocky’s business. I mean, I like the guy, but his mouth does tend to run away with him at times."
 
"You got that right. Sometimes I wonder how he manages to keep our identities secret." The bit of levity went a great deal towards diffusing the tension that had sprung up with Jason’s revelation. The two sat for a while, silently looking out over the desert landscape, watching dark clouds gather in the distance. Then, Tommy glanced hesitantly at his best friend.
 
"What ... what was it like?" He interpreted the look Jason gave him correctly. "I’m not trying to pry; I think I’d have done the same -- you had to have a way back, and if that was the only way ..."
 
Jason looked down in front of him. Thinking back on his reasoning at the time, he took his time formulating his thoughts.
 
"Billy had a theory that it would permanently restore all transfers to their original realities. Seems he was right, at least for me. I can’t let myself think about what the others I displaced would go through if they didn’t get home."
 
Tommy nodded, understanding. Suddenly aware of his dry throat, he took the last two sodas out of the backpack and handed one to Jason, who took it gratefully. They grimaced a bit at the lukewarm temperature, but sipped the liquid slowly. After some time, Jason continued, almost as if speaking to himself.
 
"Tommy didn’t really want to do it, in the beginning. He felt as if he was cheating on Jay, but he knew it was the only way for both of us to get back where we belonged. He wanted Jay back so much ... he really loves him."
 
The Red Ranger chose to ignore that last comment. Instead, he concentrated on another aspect.
 
"Technically, he wasn’t really cheating. I mean, it was still Jay’s body, right?"
 
"That’s what I told him. I don’t know if it was that convincing, though. I mean, look at the whole mess. My body’s been here all the time, but did you really think I was?"
 
"No." Tommy didn’t have to think before he gave that answer. Jason -- everything that made his friend what he was -- had been missing for all of the six weeks, and it had scared him badly, even though to all outward appearances, he was still there.
 
"What was it like?" he asked again, driven by a need to know he refused to examine too much.
 
Jason thought for a moment, trying to find words for the experience which still filled his dreams at night.
 
"Intense. Hot -- I never thought I’d get so excited. Very loving, though -- we both didn’t want to hurt each other. He really was very gentle ... I don’t think I can describe it, really. It was the same and yet totally different from making love as Jess. I mean, as Jess I just had this feeling of being filled, of being joined to Tommy, but with him .... being stretched open like that, taking him inside of me, feeling his pulse within me ...being within him ....." He looked over at Tommy, who had tried vainly to suppress a strangled noise. The Red Ranger’s face was beet-red, and he looked anywhere but at Jason.
 
"I’m sorry; I wasn’t trying to embarrass you."
 
Jason’s voice was quiet. Tommy tried to match it.
 
"‘S okay; I did ask, didn’t I?" He got a small smile in return, then Jason looked back out, at the darkening sky. Tommy followed his gaze. Before he could comment further, a sudden gust of wind blew sand and grit into the spot where the two boys sat.
 
Getting up, Tommy tried to recall what David and Sam had told him about rainstorms in the desert. Quickly calculating the time they had left before the sudden storm front would reach them, he held out a hand to haul Jason to his feet.
 
"C’mon -- if we hurry, we might just make it before that storm hits. We don’t want to be caught outside in the middle of that."
 
"Right." Jason couldn’t tell whether he was relieved or frustrated. He’d told Tommy only part of what he wanted, but at least now he knew that he’d been intimate with all three of his counterparts. All things considered, he’d taken it surprisingly well. Now there was only the matter of his feelings for his friend ... but that would have to wait. Right now, all that mattered was to get back to the Reservation before they were soaked.
 
Tommy hurried back the way they’d come, his friend at his side. His thoughts were in turmoil, but he tried hard to come to terms with everything Jason had told him.
 
His best friend had had sex with another man?
 
Unbelievable. Even more so that that man had been a duplicate of himself. He was uncomfortably aware of his erection; the way Jason had talked about making love with that other Tommy .... the look in his eyes ... Tommy was sure Jason wasn’t even aware of how much he’d given away.
 
*Jase’s gay? No. Not after the way he talked about Tammy. Besides, I’m sure I’d have noticed something before if he were. I always could tell, somehow....*
 
Tommy had met openly homosexual people before, in some of the big cities he’d lived in before moving to Angel Grove. A lot of them had been interested in Martial Arts, as well. It had never been anything blatant, although he’d had to refuse a pass or two in the past. No, it had been small, insignificant things -- the way they reacted to the girls, a look, an inflection -- once you knew what to look for, the signs were there. He’d never got anything like that off Jason. *Then why does it affect me so?* He mentally shrugged it off while the teens made their way back as fast as safely possible. The clouds were gathering with astonishing speed. *Probably because I haven’t had sex yet with anybody; to hear Jase talk about it ... it’s just hormones, I’m sure.*
 
Deliberately turning his thoughts to other matters, Tommy followed the former Ranger, who had pulled slightly ahead.