Summery: For years Conner was the popular one at school, always the centre of attention, but since joining the Dino Thunder team thing's have changed, he's changed, and stuff that used to be important to him just isn't anymore…

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Never will, unless I happen to bump into James Napier somewhere and we fall madly in love… So yeah, never will!

Ok, I have no idea why I wrote this. I'd just finished an incredibly strange book and I think something has rubbed off on me. This story didn't turn out as I'd intended it to, but who can argue with the muses'! I wasn't sure if I was going to post this, or if it was just going to join the many stories I've either started and never completed or ones that I will not post because they went wrong. But I have, so I look forward to hearing your comments. I warn you now; even I think it's a little random and strange!

This is told from Conner's POV.

Outside Looking In

Something happened at school today which made me think, really think. Yeah, I know, Conner McKnight, soccer star, thinking... A couple of months ago I'd have laughed at that. A couple of months ago I was a self-centred, arrogant jerk. A couple of months ago I hadn't met them, my team, my friends. Of course, if you asked Kira or Ethan they'd probably still laugh at the thought of me actually thinking; Ethan would make some sarcastic joke and Kira some scathing remark, but they don't mean it anymore. Because I've changed. I'm not that self-centred jerk I used to be, and what happened at school today showed that, or showed something anyway.

xxx

It was just after lunchtime soccer practice and I was in the changing rooms getting changed, well duh! Derrick and another guy, James, walked in, talking about this amazing party that they had been to Saturday night. I thought, wait… party? I hadn't heard of it.

"What party was this guys?" I asked.

"Andy's," Derrick replied lightly, naming another soccer teammate.

"Andy had a party?" I asked, eyebrows raised. "How come I didn't hear of it?"

They exchanged looks, "It got brought up at the end of Saturday's training session. You'd already left." There was something almost accusing in the way they said it.

"Oh yeah. I, uh, had to run an errand for my mom," I said lamely. 'Errand' equalled a life-or-death fight against one of Mesogog's monsters.

"Well there's a party at mine tonight," James said. "Be there or be square." He handed me a flyer.

"Marty's going," Derrick added with a wink. "She missed you at Andy's."

xxx

And that was it. Just a little thing but yet, it made me think. That would never have happened before I joined the Dino Thunder team. I was always the first to know about parties and would always, always be there; more than likely drunk and dancing with any girl who looked good on my arm! But not anymore. I'd been to a couple, but couldn't drink in case we ended up with a 'monster problem' and the girls that hung around... they just seemed shallow to me now, this 'Marty' especially. She was just another stereotypical cheerleader, a brunette with great 'assets' who had made it her hobby to see how many of the soccer team she could get wrapped around her little finger. She wouldn't get me. Maybe if she'd tried a couple of months ago she'd have got somewhere...

Thinking this made me realise how much I had changed. Ok, so I was still arrogant, but that's just who I am. Self-centred? I can hardly be called that anymore, not when I have to help save the world on a daily basis! Being a Power Ranger has given me a whole new out look on life. For the first time I'd opened my eyes to the world around me and not just glanced at it but actually seen it. And I saw just how big it really is, how many people were out there and how many lives depended on me.

And that made me feel important all over again, but for different reasons.

In this world, I am not important. Sure I save it occasionally but I am just one person, and on a planet with over six billion people, I am nothing. Yet I am important – to me. In this big world it is easy to lose track of yourself, who you are. A wise person once told me you must never lose your 'Self', and now I see what they mean.

I exist; we exist, not as a group of people, but as individuals. There is no such thing as a 'collective brain' or a 'collective stomach' – thank goodness! There are just single, separate people with our own thoughts and minds and feelings. We don't exist for each other; we exist for ourselves and our own happiness, and we must do everything we can to achieve our own happiness, but not at the expense of others. It's the same the other way around; we can try to make others happy but it shouldn't, mustn't, come at the expense of our own happiness. The wise person who told me all this was Dr. O, when I considered quitting. He would have stood by me whatever decision I'd made, but I think he's glad I stayed. But it's the reasons I stayed for that are important – Dr. O made me see that. If I'd just chosen to stay for 'the good of the people' then I'd be a terrible ranger. But I stayed because I enjoyed doing all the 'saving the world' stuff. It made me feel good, gave me a purpose in my life apart from soccer. And that's what makes me a good ranger.

And ok, maybe it does mean that I'm still self-centred, but at least now it's in a way that is useful to society! I tried to explain this to Ethan once and he stared at me for a second, I knew he understood, and all he said was he'd never known I was 'so deep'. I'd never know I was so deep. There were a lot of things I didn't know about me, until I joined the team. A lot of things I never thought it was possible to feel, especially not for one person.

Yeah, that's the other thing. I, Conner McKnight, have fallen in love. And it wasn't with who I thought it would be. I guess I always saw myself dating some beautiful, glamorous, elegant but completely shallow and air-headed sorority-type girl. Instead I end up with a beautiful, talented, clever, sarcastic, dangerous musician. Dangerous, especially if you call her 'babe' as I have found out on a number of occasions! Her punches hurt!

I smiled at the thought of her as I got dressed to go to James' party. Nothing special, just a red shirt and blue jeans, fingers run hurriedly through my hair and I was ready and good to go. Or so I thought. As I got to the door my morpher gave a beep.

"Hey Conner, we've got a monster situation downtown," Dr. O's voice came through the communicator.

I sighed, typical. "I'll be right there."

xxx

"You look nice," Kira remarked as I arrived downtown to see another of Mesogog's creatures roaming around, causing chaos and generally not being nice. "Going any where special?"

"I was on my way to a party," I replied, putting stress on the word 'was'. "Where's Dr. O?"

"He's sitting this one out," Kira said, "Said we could handle it without him."

"That's very generous of him," I muttered.

"A party? Without us?" Ethan had picked up on my words and gave me a look of mock hurt.

"Let's get this monster sorted out and then you can come with," I said with a grin. "Ready?"

The two of them fell into position behind me, "Ready," they replied in chorus.

"Dino Thunder, Power Up!"

It didn't take us long to get rid of the monster. In fact, it made very little effort to do anything to stop us blowing it up, apart from a half-hearted attempt at growing. The zords soon put paid to that idea.

"Power down," I said, feeling relief as the tight suit disappeared from my body. Why we had to wear spandex was anybody's guess, but some people looked better in it than others… My eyes drifted to Kira.

She smiled, "So where's the party?"

"You guys actually want to come?" I'd invited them as a joke, but suddenly it didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"Sure," Ethan said, although he didn't look very convinced.

I shrugged and led the way to James' house. I have long legs and strode out in front of them, getting there ahead of them. Instead of going straight to the door I paused and looked in at the window. The party was in full swing, with what looked like the whole soccer team there. Marty and her following of cheerleaders were also there, scantily clad and probably drunk by now. It certainly appeared that way from their behaviour. I glanced back to where Ethan and Kira were walking down the street deep in conversation and I realised how out of place they would be in there. I couldn't see Ethan chatting up a cheerleader and I couldn't see Kira dancing like that, and then I realised I didn't want to.

"Conner?" Ethan and Kira finally arrived behind me.

"Y'know what guys? How about we go get a coffee or something at Hayley's? Suddenly I don't feel in the mood for partying." I said, turning away from the window.

"Sounds good," Ethan said.

Kira slipped her hand into mine, "Whatever Red."

I laughed and gave her hand a squeeze, feeling the warmth of her skin next to mine. The three of us walked down to road in a companionable silence, and I didn't look back. For once, being on the outside looking in was the best place to be!

The End.