Title: Fairytale Chronicles

Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be, no profit being made.

Warnings: The stories herein will contain slash of various natures. If that bothers you, click the back button, otherwise happy reading.

Sleeping Beauty, SPD Style

Mora sighed despondently. She was bored. Incredibly, mind-numbingly bored and she wanted something to do. More to the point, she wanted someone to play with, but there was no one here that would play with her. Not unless Emperor Grumpypants ordered them to anyway and krybots just weren't that entertaining. There were only so many ways you could fry their circuits before it stopped being funny or Gruumm started yelling about destruction of valuable property and he was already paying Broodwing more than enough anyway so would she give it a rest. She pouted and tried to think of something to do, when suddenly she smiled. Yes. That sounded like a lot of fun.

She picked up a pencil and started drawing.

Z looked up from her console in the control room and frowned when she found Jack's console empty. "Guys? Where'd Jack go?"

"Bathroom?" Syd suggested with a toss of blonde curls. "He'll be back."

"Ah, guys," Bridge said slowly. "Where's Sky?"

Mora scowled. That was what she got for getting distracted, she'd drawn in completely the wrong ranger. Eraser poised and ready, she stopped. No. This might turn out to be more entertaining than what she'd planned.
Prince Jack stared at the castle in front of him, all covered with vines and small flowers blossoming here and there. After a moment's debate he got off his horse and wandered over, pulling absently on loose vines until one came off in his hand. That decided him and he started pulling at the vines in earnest. When he finally made it through, he crossed the courtyard and sauntered up the stairs, hand resting casually on his sword hilt, just in case.

All the rooms on the first floor were empty so he shrugged and headed for the second. When that proved just as empty he made his way back to the stairs and started upwards once again. By the time he reached the last door on the third floor, his patience was pushed to its limit - he hated wasting his time when he could have been doing something else - when suddenly he found someone. Okay, granted, said person wasn't quite what he'd been expecting, but he wasn't complaining either.

Lying on the bed, fast asleep, was a young man around his own age, hands folded peacefully on his lower chest. Not quite the princess Jack had been expecting, he shrugged and went over to the bed anyway. The guy wasn't bad, he supposed, quite attractive really and something in his stomach flipped over in something like recognition. Barely hesitating, he leant over and brushed his mouth against the other man's.

He stepped backwards at the quiet noise and slowly opening eyes. Blue eyes fastened on him instantly and Jack felt himself pinned by that gaze. The tempting mouth opened and spake thusly: "Who the hell are you?"

He stiffened reflexively. He was Prince Jack, heir to the kingdom of Newtech, people weren't supposed to speak to him like that. "Prince Jack, heir to the kingdom of Newtech," he replied stiffly. "More to the point, I'm the guy who just woke you up. And you are?"

The blue eyes narrowed and the pouty mouth tightened. "Prince Sky, heir to the kingdom of Silverhills, not that it's any business of yours."

Okay, Jack thought, it looked like they were equals. He supposed he could let the guy get away with some of that attitude then. But not all of it. "Is now a good time to repeat that I woke you up?" he demanded, arms folded across his chest. "A little gratitude wouldn't go amiss. And by the way, this is a really pathetic way to get a boyfriend."

"Not that it's any of your business," Sky repeated rigidly, "But this? Totally not my idea and when I get my hands on the miserable excuse of a lifeform that did it, they are going to be very, very sorry. And as for you waking me up," he continued, apparently on a roll with his tirade, "You did that all by yourself, I didn't ask you to."

Jack scowled. "I'm guessing your family did things the traditional way? The old three wishes deal when you were born?"

"Yes. Your point?"

A quick image flashed before Jack's mind's eye - a tiny blonde woman in a pink dress, with a wand and bouncing curly blonde hair, looking far too cheerful than anyone who wasn't sniffing the raynger dust should be; another woman, brunette this time, looking the exact opposite to her compatriot in pink with a very disgruntled expression on her face. The third was looking down at her- no, himself in confusion.

He shrugged as the vision faded. That explained a lot. "No point. I was just wondering what the three wishes were. And whether or not that explained the stick up your ass."

"No, no, no," Mora shouted at the page in front of her. "You're not doing it properly. Now, behave like you should be, my little toys. I don't have all day to make you do things right."

Suddenly, as the man opposite him geared himself up to no doubt yell some more, Jack was reminded of his first reaction on seeing Prince Sky asleep on the bed, because despite - or perhaps because of - the pissy attitude, Prince Sky was very attractive and he was having to fight the temptation to shut the man up in a way that would doubtless be very effective. It was a losing battle.

Oh, hell no! Jack yelled inside his head as the rest of him played along with fantasyland. I am not kissing Sky again, no way. Once was enough and I want out, right now. No, don't you-- hey this isn't that bad.

Sky's rant had been cut off before it could get going as Jack, or rather, Jack's body, had closed the distance between them and kissed him very thoroughly. There had been a surprised 'meep' but then Sky had got with the programme and kissed back, fingers winding in Jack's hair.

Not that bad at all.

"Much better," Mora said in satisfaction. "Now, cue monster."

Distracted as he was, Jack almost dismissed the muted roar in favour of carrying on kissing, but then Sky tensed and the chance was lost. The roar came again, followed by a loud crash, and this time it permeated his kiss-fogged brain, kicking his senses back to full alertness. "What's that?" he asked, hand closing round the hilt of his sword.

"I have no idea," was the extremely unhelpful reply and he scowled.

"Well that's helpful," he snapped and Sky glared back at him.

"Would you rather I made something up?"

"I'd rather you knew what the hell was going on."

Sky gave him a bright, clearly fake smile. "We're under attack."

About to snap back that he knew that already, Jack was taken by surprise as the taller man walked back over to the bed. "What the hell are you doing?" he yelled. Sky couldn't be going back to sleep, now of all times. "Just get behind me, okay?"

Sky simply rolled his eyes and leant over the bed. When he straightened up again, Jack was surprised and not a little embarrassed when the other man turned out to be holding a sword. "I'm not exactly a damsel in distress," he said, faint smirk on his face.

"No you don't," Mora snapped. "Behave!" She glowered at the images in front of her. They weren't doing what they were supposed to. Didn't they know how fairy tales went? These things ran to formulas, but noooooo, the blasted rangers had to have their normal personalities bleeding through. Well, this was simply unacceptable. They would just have to learn to do things properly.

Two pairs of eyes stared blankly as the sword in Sky's hand vanished.

"Was it supposed to do that?" Jack asked hesitantly. "Because it's a nice trick and all, but not really appropriate considering what's about to come through that door."

"No, Jack, it's not supposed to do that. What kind of moron do you take me for?"

"Okay, back to plan A. Get behind me, I can handle this."

With a scowl, Sky moved so he was standing behind Jack, a little to his left, out of the reach of his sword, but still ready. When the monster came through the door, Jack swallowed a little. A fair amount of wall had come crashing down along with the door and now a giant monster made of bone was standing in the empty space. "Oh boy."

"You sure you can handle this?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Yes."

"Okay, okay. Fine. Have it your way."

Dodging, ducking, weaving, it was harder than expected to get a decent thrust in and Jack found himself having an intimate encounter with the nearest wall left standing.

"What was that you were saying about how you could handle this?" Sky asked from across the other side.

"You think you can do a better job?" Jack demanded breathlessly.

"Well I can't really do worse."

"Fine. Be my guest."

"I was going to anyway."

It was with a jab of chagrin that Jack found Sky was better with a sword than he was. "Don't break my sword!" he yelled as it clanged dully off a bone in an unfortunate mis-hit.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Sky yelled back as he ducked aside and sliced the sword down the skeletal thing's side.

"If you dull the edge you have to sharpen it!" Jack responded as he studied the room, looking for anything that could help.

"Whatever, Jack."

There. Slowly sidling round the room, Jack tugged on the tapestry hanging on the wall. Pulling it down he waited until the bone monster was right where he wanted it and threw the tapestry over its head. Unable to see, the thing was lurching from side to side, clawing at its head and Sky took advantage of its distraction, slicing low and sending it to the floor.

"Ah, a little help?" he asked sheepishly and Jack hurried over, placing his hands round Sky's on the hilt and helping push the sword down. Even with both of them it was an effort, but finally the thrashing stopped.

"My grandmother stitched that," Sky said after a couple of minutes of silence.

"Well, I'm sure she'd be glad to know it saved your life," Jack retorted. Then, "You dulled the edge," he said, staring at the sword embedded in the skeletal monster's stomach.

"Fine," Sky replied, rolling his eyes. "Get it out and I'll sharpen it."

Jack wrinkled his nose. "Nah. I can always get another one."

There was another moment of silence. "Well, I suppose I'd better be going" he continued with forced lightness. "My work here is done."

Sky shifted uneasily. "Going back to Newtech?"

"Eventually. What about you?"

Sky shrugged. "Silverhills is pretty much abandoned by now, I should think. I don't really have a lot to do."

"You could come with me," Jack offered. "There's plenty to do out there."

"I don't--" Sky stopped. "Actually, yeah, okay."

Jack stared. "Okay?"

"Yeah."

Jack grinned. "Alright. Now, we just need to find some swords and we're good to go."

"Armoury," Sky said promptly. "There should be more than enough swords there."

Jack nodded. "Good." He fidgeted briefly before deciding to just go for it, kissing Sky again. Breaking away slightly, he smiled as Sky protested quietly. "I woke you up, I get to kiss you," he said, his voice a little huskier than usual.

Sky's mouth twitched and this time Jack was on the receiving end. "I saved your life, I get to kiss you," was the quiet murmur in his ear and he laughed softly.

"Deal."

Mora sighed and closed the book as the story ended, sending the two rangers back to base in an extremely compromising position, leaving them with no doubt a lot of explaining to do. "Oh well. There's always next time."