Enemy Façade
Chapter One

Note: I do not own Power Rangers Jungle Fury or the characters from
that series or Power Rangers itself. If I did…yeah it'd be amazing.
I do own however the original character Kiran Jones.

Timeline: "Enemy Within" took place during Dom, RJ, Jarrod and Kiran's first year. When it ended they were between the ages of 15 (for Kiran) and 17 for the others. "Kiran" by Darien Fawkes, takes place right after the last chapter of "Enemy Within" and the time span within that story is roughly 6months to a year. So "Enemy Façade" takes place 7 years later.

Genre: Angst/Drama/Romance/General
Rating: T+ (Language, violence, Reference to VERY ADULT content)

Dai Shi growled, the rumble from his chest reverberated deep and slid out of his lips. It was more Lion than human, the animal sliding to the surface of the sleeping host. Dai Shi loved the strength and brutality of the Lion, the host on the other hand was beginning to anger him. Though his body was strong, the soul was beginning to weaken; his attachments to this world were still holding him down.

The Dark Spirit could access his host's memories but some were harder, the ones he needed to access the most were adamantly denied. Whatever his host was attempting to hide would soon come out. The human would not cooperate but maybe the beast would. Using his force of will he drew the Lion from its embodied soul and looked to it.

"Tell me Lion, why does your human fight to keep his secrets? What does he know that could aid me?" the lion growled, eyes glowing.

"Why should I answer you, Dai Shi? You use my human and I to cause harm and to wage war. I know you plan to kill him, all spirits know of your
intent."

"Because I will spare your human to the last for the job he served."

"That means little. Why do you desire to have all his knowledge? You have chosen a broken human to learn of the world and human race."

"Because he has seen the true face of human nature and is choosing to act out with the hatred he's been shown." the lion scoffed and looked wearily at its paw. "If this human has had any good things in his life he is denying me. I've only gotten to see kindness from one source, the Rhino."

"There were others but he chooses not to allow those memories. Jarrod knows that your opinion will not change and anyone who showed kindness would not matter to you. You will rip all spirits from their human and you will kill the flesh. He's already damned for what he's done he does not want anyone who showed him kindness to suffer as he does and
still will."

"I will make you another deal, Lion."

"What now?" The voice was weary and annoyed.

"Give me her name and I will release my hold on my host for 24 hours. I can tell who he is protecting is a great love, your mate." the lion
looked up, clearly wounded.

"She passed years ago, she is none of your concern." the dark spirit laughed.

"Then tell me her name. If she had passed, and is no longer a concern."

"And you will let my host have one free day?"

"One day since soon my reign will begin and I will win the Beast War." The Lion met Dai Shi's gaze, then hung his head.

"If one day is all I can do for him besides making sure he is the last human to die. The Rangers are strong but their leader, the Tiger, is still a cub. I do not foresee them winning, not right now." the Lion said, sorrow laced his tone and Dai Shi smiled. He hadn't expected the strong lion to be so broken, but it was all apart of his plan. Break the host, break spirit, and win the war.

"Done."

---ENEMY FACADE---

RJ inhaled deeply from his yoga mat, the dawn was breaking, his cubs were sleeping, and his mind was clear. Though the mornings light and the promise of a new day would lift his spirit and the wolf inside would reveal with joy at the thought of a fulfilling day, today neither did. This day always held a shadow over it even in the bright sunny day. He heard the Rhino stir and wake, and then slowly make his way down to the main floor. Usually their morning would be filled with a playful wrestling match but not this day. As Dominic dropped to the matt beside the pack leader, they shared to same dark thoughts.

Seven years ago their littermate lifted a gun to her head and pulled the trigger, ending her life. She was in the midst of a breakdown, one that they had seen coming for a long while. Everyone had except her mate, Jarrod. The rest could see her sanity slipping but he was so blinded by his feelings for her, he couldn't see it. Not even after she pulled the trigger, the Lion never understood why. RJ blamed him for it, Dominic and their Masters were not so quick to judge. Masters Swoop, Phant and Finn shielded the boys from what truly vexed the girl. What kept giving her night terrors, what always revolved in her mind that would never truly leave. RJ could never forget the smells from that day, her blood, the gun's metallic scent, tears and sorrow. But as he inhaled he swore he smelled…her…

He snapped his eyes open and looked; Dom was sitting with a darkened look on his face beside him. His cubs were gently stirring; the Cheetah entered the main floor. She was as beautiful as the dawn itself, and he took it in. That was when realized the scent he was picking up came from her. He felt like someone threw ice cold water over him and Dom's eyes opened in alarm.

"RJ? What's wrong? You're shaking…" the Rhino was mystified as the Wolf climbed to his feet. He crossed with four big steps to Lily and looked down at her.

"Lily, I apologize." He said, he heard open her mouth and her voice was about to ring out but it stopped dead as he pulled her close. He lowered his head to her neck and inhaled deeply and he felt her go stiff in his arms. He smelled not just her but Kiran, the girl that was like his Sister, that he had lost al those years ago.

This time burying his face in her hair, he realized that's where the scent was coming from then the light blue hue caught his eye. Jerking away he moved in a blur to peer into the back of her hair to find a light blue ribbon, Kiran's light blue ribbon, tied in his Cheetah's hair. Something he had not seen her wear before. Given the color he assumed she only wore it when she was back at Pai Zhua.

"RJ, what are you doing?" Theo demanded hotly as he came into the room. The wolf was pressed against Lily who looked shocked and still, which was unnatural for her. He watched as RJ's hand combed into Lily's ponytail and gently removed a ribbon.

"Dom." Came RJ's low and strangled voice, he held out the blue ribbon and Dom shot to his feet.

"Lily, where did you get that?" Dom asked as he crossed to them and Lily took a step back from both of them, regaining her personal space.

"She's had that ribbon as long as I've known her, what's the big idea?" Theo asked.

"This ribbon belonged to our littermate. She killed herself seven years ago. Why would Jarrod give you his last physical connection to her?" Dominic asked.

"How close were you? You had to mean a lot if he gave you that." RJ said, and Lily glared.

"He was really good to me for a while then he turned into the jerk we all know and loathe." She said, "He was kinda like a mentor for a while. He trained me well. He gave me this ribbon to tie my hair back."

"Was that shortly before he started acting like worlds biggest asshat?" RJ asked, Lily nodded. "Well that explains a lot."

"He was letting go of everything he held dear because he didn't care anymore. He truly didn't. He just wanted to be the best and be something but in the end, she was gone." Dom's voice was low, remembering his friend for who he was.

"Kiran." Lily said, they nodded. "He told me he lost a friend named Kiran. He didn't say they were mates." The Cheetah became quiet, drawing conclusions; the true realization struck her hard as she heard the next words.

"Why would he? She's dead. She killed herself. In front of us." RJ said softly, Lily rubbed his shoulder "We don't like to think about it."

"I'm sorry." Came a voice from above and they looked to see Fran leaning over the railing, listening intently and looking sad.

"Not your fault. She was a very troubled girl. We didn't realize how badly until she started raving that she was hearing voices and to stop them she put a bullet in her brain." Dom said, Fran came down and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Well schizophrenia usually first develops in teenagers. From the sounds of it out of the types of schizophrenia there are, it sounds like its paranoid or it could be a delusional disorder…do you know what her life was like before she met you guys?" Dom shrugged.

"We know she was abused but that was about it." Fran let him go and returned to her things. She pulled out her laptop and started it.

"What was her full name?" she asked as she started her internet.

"I think it was Kiran Jones. She only mentioned it once." RJ said her watched Fran tap away on the keys and then watched her smile turn into a thin line.

"Uhm I do find reports of a Persephone Kiran Jones that go back about 6 years ago and then mentions of previous…uh-oh."

"What?" Dom asked.

"Uhm well…seems that as a child she was passed around in a…uh… "adult entertainment that likes children" ring where she was abused…in all forms." Fran shuddered openly; her face was contorting in disgust at what she read. "She was about to be taken into police custody after she was finally found but then she vanished…"

"That's when she was taken to the Academy. The Masters told us because of what was going on she had to be brought their despite her age." Dom said.

"My Father never told me how bad it was but I could always tell it was something horrible. He always used to look so haunted when he saw her. Come to think, they all did." RJ replied softly, Dom nodded.

"The last records of her are when she murdered 3 people in a hospital about 7 years ago." Both men looked at each other, shock and confusion clear in their faces.

"That can't be. She was dead and in the ground." RJ said, Dom's brows met together.

"No RJ, they have her prints and other forensic evidence at the scene. And witnesses. And camera footage. It was her. But then she vanished, again." He told him after reading what Fran had pulled up.

"Dom, we're going grave digging." RJ said, the trio looked to their Master.

"Are you kidding me?" Casey asked, arriving to hear 'grave digging.'

"I'm very serious." He replied, and looked over to where Dom was already holding shovels. "Sweet, we're set. We'll be back for lunch." The trio and Fran watched as Dom and RJ left with their shovels over their shoulders.

"It's too early for this." The Red Ranger stated and turned and went back to bed.

To Be Continued