There was no light in the apartment or heat. It was empty, still, cold and utterly unwelcoming. He looked around unable to see through the shadows. He touched his spirit crystal and called upon the enhanced senses of the wolf. His friend was there...in the far corner, tightly curled in a foetal ball. Waves of mental pain washed over him, of guilt and despair. Billy found himself oddly shaken by this development. Skye had always been strong in his mind, his personality. He had been the one who gave support ever since he had known him. He had taken trips to alien planets, the Power Rangers and all the peripheral madness that went with being their friend without a blink. He had been a rock, to see him out of control was....very disturbing.The desert was starting to come alive as she stepped out of the shuttleport, the intense heat of the afternoon beginning to fade into evening's pleasant warmth. Sunset was still far in the future, though, and it was a dramatic change from the night that had hung heavily over Angel Grove by the time Cassie left. She could feel her drowsiness lightening as she set out for the outskirts of town, tucking her Ranger ID into the pocket of her jeans and smiling absently at passersby.

She had meant to return before Saryn, knowing that he wouldn't be happy to come home and find nothing but a message flashing on the vid screen. Looking for Ashley had taken longer than anyone expected, however, and ultimately it had proved unsuccessful. The only clue they had managed to garner was the testimony of her roommate, who reported that Ashley had left early that morning in the company of a boy with long, highlighted hair.

"Skye..." he touched him gently on the arm. No response.During his time with the Crustaceans, Les Fortunes had seen many emotions on Nukus' face. Anger, generally caused by the defeat of yet another monster, surprise, satisfaction, and the occasional expression of unholy joy, all of these had crossed Nukus' features at one time or another. But the pure, naked shock on the Crustacean leader's face as Shadowborg carried an unconscious Drew McCormick into the crypt, that was a new one.
          "And just what are you planning to do with that?" Nukus asked, gesturing to the comatose Beetleborg.

"It's Billy...come on talk to me Skye!" he pleaded.

Nothing. Right well then, time for devious tactics. It had worked with Adam, and Billy was not one to turn his back on a tried and tested strategy. He shimmered into wolf form, and nuzzled and licked at the artist hands until he uncurled. When in the wolf form this behaviour seemed the most natural thing in the world.