When the ocean meets fire

~~~~~~~~~~~~Fury~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ten hut!” Up called, and the five other rangers and robot around him stood to attention. It had been Bug who’d sacrificed his life to save the crew; he’d forced the giant scorpion out of the ship doors and into the airlock pod. The only thing was that to get rid of the scorpion they had to open the airlock...with Bug in it too. February and him had said their last goodbyes before she pressed the release button. Up had bend his head in respect but for once he didn’t feel that automatic depression and the cold, rain-like tears that he’d been feeling ever since his injury. However he still had to give the poor boy a proper burial, even though he’d just admitted that he was actually a bug in a human body- the scorpion’s doing apparently. So the crew had helped him to gather Bug’s human remains and place them, as tactfully as possible, into a makeshift coffin that they were now standing before on the soft soil of Bug World.

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“We are gathered here today...to pay our final respects to our honoured dead,” Taz had heard Up give this speech many times before, but she hadn’t felt so...full of emotion, whilst he gave it, until now. “Bug, who we lay to rest here in his native soil.” Taz looked from side to side and saw that almost everyone, par her, Up and of course the Megagirl unit, had a tear in their eye. She tutted to herself: they obviously hadn’t been prepared for missions with injury or death.

“So Bug...I know that your body exploded in space and that the few remaining bits of it that we managed to salvage are all lying in a pile in this box at my feet,” the communal silence was broken by February’s whimpering gasps, and the others cast a ‘what the hell’ glance at Up. Taz however, knew that Up couldn’t stand the usual sentimental speeches of funerals, as it reminded him too much of his family, so she didn’t bat an eyelash at the seemingly bizarre statement, “but I like to think that you’re still out there, somewhere.”

“Would you settle for somewhere right here?” a cheerful voice to their left interrupted the mood, and as they turned, Taz saw a bright orange bug walking towards them. And she had left her zapper on the ship. Mierda.  

“It’s a damn bug!” she shouted as most of the crew ran behind her. But where was Up? It took her a few seconds to realise that Up was standing in front of her with his arms outstretched: he was protecting her. However before Taz had time to marvel at how quick Up’s transition back to his old self had been, the Bug started talking again.

“No guys it’s me: Bug!” The last word was a name. Bug: the Bug whose body parts they’d just put into a coffin?

“Bug?” Up said questioningly, stepping forward but keeping his arms stretched defensively in front of her.

“Yeah,” the giant orange ant replied, “I know I look a little different but...you see when my body died up there,” he pointed one of his claws to the sky, “I woke up down here.” The insect seemed to have gotten to the point, so she zoned out of his speech and looked up at Up. To anyone else he would look like he was still listening to Bug, but Taz could see the far-away look in his eyes.

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He couldn’t believe it. No, not that Bug was actually alive, but as a bug, but that he’d felt like he could protect Taz again. He hadn’t felt that in ages, and he decided that he would promise her never to stop feeling that. He was about to do it, turn around and tell her everything, but that February girl’s voice was so darn loud.

“Oh Bug,” she gushed, practically skipping over to the orange insect with bulging eyes, “it’s really you!”

“Well I’d understand if you still hate Bugs...” Bug replied sadly. Up shook his head, willing February to do something smart for once in her life and to love Bug despite him being different to how she thought he was before. He stopped himself: