This Time With Gusto

The warm breeze that swept across the coast of Santa Monica felt like a gentle nudge from the universe, coaxing Eden into a better mood as she and Caleb strolled toward the pier. After what had happened last time, she wasn’t sure if a “beach day” was even in the cards again, but Caleb had suggested it with such optimism that she found herself agreeing. Now, here they were, sand beneath their feet, and the sounds of the ocean crashing just a few feet away.

Eden was nervous, though. Last time things went wrong. Really wrong. But she could tell that Caleb was trying to keep the energy light, and she appreciated it more than she could put into words. Her mind kept flickering back to London, to all the chaos that seemed to follow them, and the last time they’d tried to relax by the beach.

She adjusted her sunglasses and gave herself a little mental pep talk. This was supposed to be a good day, damn it. She needed it. They both did. Her thoughts paused as she took in the view of the pier, the soft chatter of tourists, and the scent of saltwater carried on the wind. It was a far cry from last time, but that didn’t stop the anxious tug in her chest.

“This time’s gonna be better,” she muttered under her breath, more to herself than anyone else, fingers curling into the straps of her beach bag.

With Caleb at her side, Eden tried to focus on the small pleasures of the moment—the warmth of the sun, the familiar taste of sea air, and the quiet thrill of the boardwalk’s activities just ahead. If she could just keep her mind in the present, maybe she could let go of the rest.

She felt a mixture of anticipation and nervous energy building up as she and Caleb approached Santa Monica Pier. The sight of it looming in the distance was a welcome distraction from her thoughts. It had that same carefree charm she remembered from childhood visits—colorful signs, the Ferris wheel spinning lazily against the clear sky, and the scattered laughter of tourists blending with the seagulls’ cries overhead.

She tried to take it all in, letting the bustling crowd around her pull her further into the moment. The wooden planks beneath her feet creaked softly with every step as they made their way onto the pier, and the familiar scent of fried food and cotton candy hit her nose, momentarily pushing aside the unease she had felt earlier.

“This is more like it,” she murmured to herself, stealing a glance toward Caleb. The energy here was alive, full of people enjoying themselves, playing arcade games, and lining up for rides. There was a casualness to it all, a sense of normalcy she had craved for what felt like forever.

She allowed herself to relax just a little, her shoulders dropping as she adjusted her sunglasses again. The pier stretched out in front of them, filled with possibilities, and Eden was determined to make the most of it this time. No chaos, no surprises—just a day to breathe, to be in the moment.

A soft breeze off the ocean tousled her hair, and for a second, everything felt almost…normal.

“Okay,” she said, smiling slightly, “where should we start?”

The beach was rather nice when there wasn’t dragons, giants, and succubus running about, making a mess of things. Caleb felt the warm breeze on his face, the sand beneath his feet, he could smell the saltwater scent filling the air. He took a deep breath as he looked to Eden, smiling softly as he watched her adjust her sunglasses, taking in the scenery. London had hit them all hard, and Eden was the one who had tried to keep the spirits alive, tried to keep them all from spiraling. But as the days went by, the burden of being the heart of the team was starting to take it’s toll, and Caleb had taken notice.  

So, he woke today with a mission, checking the scanners, the news, even the weather channel. He made sure the day was clear of monsters, criminals, Anti-meta Activists, and even clouds in the sky. When he was sure the day was clear, he gathered up his courage, and asked Eden out for a day on the Pier. Just a simple day, the two of them, no party, no succubus, no dragons, just a day like when they were kids. Of course he offered an invitation to Frank, but the fellow ranger declined, having too much on his plate at the moment, promising to catch the next outing.  

Eventually the sand made way for pavement, then wooden planks of the pier, the smell of food and sweets overwhelming the saltwater. Caleb adjusted his black rimmed glasses on his nose, looking over the scene ahead of them. Taking in the flashing lights, the bustle of people moving from vendor to vendor, the towering Ferris Wheel across the pier from their position. The wave of nostalgia washed over Caleb as his mind pondered where they should go first.  

“Okay,”  

Caleb looked over to Eden as she spoke, the wind tousling her hair as a slight smile formed on her face.  

“Where should we start?”

Caleb smiled as he looked over to the arcade. “Well, I wonder if they still have that old racing game from back in the day...” He looked to her. “Wanna do a couple races, see who the better driver is like we used to?”

Eden’s lips curved into a grin at Caleb’s suggestion. The mention of racing games brought her back to simpler times, moments before everything got so complicated—before their powers, the responsibility, and the constant battles. It sounded perfect. And more importantly, it gave her an excuse to sit down, which her leg would thank her for.

The scrape along her thigh pulsed with discomfort, but she kept her pace steady beside Caleb, determined to not let it show. She adjusted her sunglasses, shifting them to cover more of her face, giving her a second to focus on controlling the pain before looking back at him.

“Yeah, you’re on,” she replied, the playful challenge in her tone masking the fatigue she felt. “You’re not still sore about losing the last time we raced, are you?” She gave him a teasing nudge with her shoulder, careful to keep her movements light so her leg wouldn’t flare up.

As they made their way toward the arcade, Eden’s attention flickered momentarily to the sights and sounds of the pier—laughter, the smell of caramel corn, and the bright colors of the games and rides. It was the kind of day she needed. A break. Just her and Caleb, nothing else in the way.

Her sandals tapped lightly against the wooden boards as they stepped closer to the arcade, and despite the throb in her leg, she felt herself relax a little.

“Let’s see if you can handle the competition,” she said with a wink, making her way toward the familiar racing game.

“Yeah, you’re on, you’re not still sore about losing the last time we raced, are you?”

Caleb chuckled, the memory of their last race still fresh in his mind, as it was with most memories he cherished. It was a simpler time, before Caleb and Frank donned their first suits and roamed the streets looking for crime. Back then, they were just kids who had gotten some money from their parents to get them out of the house for the day. Eden and Caleb had shown up early, and spend some time before everyone else got there at the arcade. He remembered telling his mom he wanted to dye his hair blonde, and ended up accidently grabbing white hair dye instead. Other kids around kept calling him an old man, grandpa even, but Eden kept telling him the white hair was cute, made him look like one of the characters from the Sentai shows. He didn’t redye it when his original color grew in, but her words did ease his regret.  

“Let’s see if you can handle the competition,”

“Oh, it’s on...” Caleb smiled as they made their way inside, the familiar sounds of the arcade machines and flashing lights filling the space around them. But even with all the noise and lights, Calebs focus was entirely on his friend, as they eventually reached the racing game. “Oh wow, they’ve kept it in pretty good condition...” He couldn’t help but look over the machine, the engineer in him coming out. “You know, with the 3D printer, I could probably build us a better version of this for the...” His thought drifted off as he looked over to Eden.

“Oh, really?” Eden’s smile was playful, arms crossed as she leaned against the game machine, her amusement clear. “Because last time I checked, you said the same thing and still ended up losing. I think the only thing you’re good at building is excuses.”

She felt a small thrill of nostalgia seeing Caleb's focus shift into his engineer mode—she’d seen that look countless times when they were kids. But beneath her teasing, she was genuinely grateful for his company today. It wasn’t often that they got a break, and lately, she found herself longing for moments like these more than ever. The wound on her leg pulsed with a dull ache, but she pushed the pain aside, not wanting to bring down the mood.

“But you know what? Go ahead and build us that custom game someday,” she challenged, a spark in her eyes. “I’ll still beat you at it.”

With that, she slid into the racing seat, giving him a wink. “Alright, Mr. Engineer, let’s see what you’ve got.”

“Oh, really? Because last time I checked, you said the same thing and still ended up losing. I think the only thing you’re good at building is excuses....but you know what? Go ahead and build us that custom game someday...I’ll still beat you at it.”

Caleb just sat there, his mind, for the first time, completely blank, no other thoughts, no concerns or turmoil. As he watched Eden climb onto the motorcycle-like seat, the spark in her eyes caught Calebs, giving him a sense of ease. She was relaxed, enjoying herself, a moment of happiness, true happiness, after months of dealing with pain and grief. He couldn’t help but smile as he slowly rose back to his feet, adjusting his glasses on his nose.  

She then winked at him, as he climbed onto the other seat. “Alright, Mr. Engineer, let’s see what you’ve got.”

Caleb chuckled lightly as he gripped the handlebars of the machine. “Trust me, this time, I got your number.”  

He did not, in fact, ‘have her number’, the first race was close, but like the last time, Eden managed to get well ahead in the final stretch. But it didn’t matter to him, he wasn’t really here to win, they were here to have a day without the suits, without trouble, a day they could spend doing what they used to do before their lives were consumed by the job of being a Ranger. They raced a few more times, Eden continuing to best him, a price he paid just to see her smile again.  

“Okay, I admit...” Caleb held his hands up in surrender. “You are definitely far more skilled at racing than I am...” He paused, a memory coming back to him that brought a chuckle out of him. “Oh god, remember Senior Year, when our class celebrated graduation by going Go-Kart racing...” He smiled to her. “You, me, and Frank ended up overlapping everyone, and Mindy got sooo mad, trying to say we were cheating...” He paused, reminiscing the memory. “So, now that we have reestablished your sick driving skills, what should we do next...?” He gave her a playfully mischievous grin. “We could always run the obstacle course.”

"Oh, you're on," Eden replied with a grin as she adjusted her sunglasses, her confidence radiating as she accepted the challenge of the obstacle course. She stretched her arms over her head, loosening up, trying to shake off the dull throb in her thigh. It wasn’t going to ruin her day. No way. Not after the perfect start they’d had.

With Caleb beside her, they took off at the sound of the starting buzzer, weaving through the initial pylons. Eden’s agility showed immediately as she moved fluidly, her steps quick and precise. Caleb wasn’t far behind, though, determined to keep up despite the clear gap in their athleticism.

She reached the rope climb ahead of him and scrambled up with ease, her hands gripping tightly and her legs swinging just enough to keep her momentum. At the top, she looked down at him with a playful smirk.

"Catch me if you can!"

Sliding down the other side, she bolted ahead toward the foam-padded hurdles, her pace steady. But then, her thigh reminded her of its presence—a sharp, biting pain that made her breath hitch. She miscalculated her leap over the rail, her leg giving way mid-jump. Time seemed to slow as she crashed forward, arms flailing, before landing face-first into the padded floor with a solid thud.

There was a moment of stunned silence around her as the arcade staff and onlookers froze. A murmur rippled through the crowd, concern building. Caleb was still a few obstacles behind but closing in quickly, and Eden could feel the worry that would soon flood his face.

But instead of groaning or sitting up in embarrassment, Eden started to laugh. Not a restrained chuckle or polite giggle, but a full-on, unrestrained belly laugh. It bubbled out of her, infectious and light, as if she hadn’t just eaten it on the course.

"Oh my god, that was amazing," she managed between fits of laughter, her voice tinged with adrenaline and pure joy. Her hands pressed into the foam floor as she lifted her head, her cheeks flushed from the exertion and hilarity of the moment. "I totally ate it, didn’t I?"

She rolled onto her back, still giggling, ignoring the throbbing in her leg. This—this laughter, this carefree moment—felt so rare and precious. It was the first time in what felt like forever that she was genuinely, wholly having fun.