The Talented Tiger
Disclaimer: I own nothing but what you see here! Becky G music videos pretty much inspired this one! Can also be considered a sequel to 'A Mother's Caring Hart'.
Ever since she was 12, Trini DeSantos had developed an interest in singing and writing songs in notebooks. Something she chose to keep to herself since it was her thing and didn't think she'd have any support for it. As she thought her mom's idea of normal didn't include that kind of thing. Which was kinda cemented a year later when she over heard her mom making some remark about how her daughter would never do music stuff cause it wasn't normal or appropriate for her after seeing some music video. So she kept her little interest to herself, improving when she could and looking up anything she could get her hands on that would help. Trini would always lie about what it was she was writing in her notebooks anytime someone in the family asked about it as she figured it was better that way. Though there was one time when she and her dad got to singing along to some random at the time popular song and he made the remark that she had a really beautiful voice and that she should use it more often. Making her blush some and would even sing around him since it was kinda their thing. But ony if it was just him on his own. There was a time or two when she sang her little brothers to sleep however.
But it wasn't something they'd ever really remember and she was kinda thankful for that. And so, her little talent would be kept a secret until she was 17. Which was then when her long kept secret got found out. Not by her family of course but by her friends and fellow Rangers a little while after she'd been kicked out of the house after angrily dropping the bomb to her mother that she likes girls and is proud of that. Her dad had been pretty furious too. Not because of her being gay, but because his wife had done something without coming to him about it first. The Hart family had been quick to take her in and both Trini and her dad were thankful for it after he managed to find her there. He was heartbroken however that she refused to come back home until her mom got past her view but did at least bring her her stuff since he knew she was going to need it. The whole thing leading to her coming up with a song she called 'Strangers'. Which spoke of the growing divide between herself and her mother and it'd be Jason who'd end up over hearing her first one day in an empty class room. Her voice sounded so beautiful yet so heart broken and it made his heart clench in pain for her.
He'd make his leave after that, knowing that she probably wouldn't have liked the fact he'd been there listening in for a brief time. As even with the deep bonds they were developing between one another as time went on, she could still be something of a closed off girl. Zack would also end up over hearing her singing but like Jason, would leave quietly so she wouldn't know he was there. Her hauntingly beautiful voice would be with him for days after that too for that matter. It'd be Billy and Kim however that would change things when the two caught her singing in her bedroom at the Hart home while writing in her notebook. "W-Wow." Breathed out Billy after she'd finished the last line of her song.
His voice startled Trini. "The Hell!? How, how long have you two been standing there!?"
The two looked at one another nervously as they could tell she wasn't happy at all. "Umm… Just a few minutes, I promise!" Kim quickly told her.
"Three minutes and 32 seconds." Added in Billy helpfully. Hoping this would help soothe his friend some.
"O-Oh. I'd rather you two not have heard that."
"What!? Why!? Trini, you sounded beautiful, girl!"
"Yeah! I could probably hear that all day!" Added in Billy with a smile.
Not used to praise like that, Trini couldn't help but duck her head and blush. "Feel free to correct me on this, but I'm guessin' you never told anyone you could sing so good cause you thought your mom would be against it? And that notebook next to you is stuff you've written for songs that you didn't want her or anyone else really knowin' about?" Billy asked curiously and pretty much getting right on the ball with things.
Granted, this still surprised both Kim and Trini despite the fact it wasn't the first or even the second time he'd done something like this. "Umm… Yeah. How the Hell do you do that, Billy?"
He just shrugged. "No idea. Just happens."
"This does explain the comments I've heard from Zack and Jason at different times about a yellow song bird with a great voice. I just thought they were being weird when I heard that." Kim said thoughtfully and causing Trini to groan.
"Of course they would hear me without me knowing."
"T., if they heard, its a given others have heard too. Especially if you happened to be doing any singing at school." Reasoned Kim.
The fact Trini groaned again after her words just told the Pink and Blue Rangers all they needed to know. She then decided that since the other two knuckleheads know, that she might as well call them over to have a word or two with them. As she really didn't want this getting out more then it already apparently had. This would turn out to be something of a mistake, at least in her view. As Jason and Zack, followed by Billy and Kim would be all encouraging and what not about the fact she shouldn't hide such an amazing talent anymore. Especially after no longer living at home anymore where her mom would be likely against it and causing a conflict of support/interest with her dad over it. "I for one think its great they are encouraging you sweetheart." Came Erica Hart's voice from the doorway while holding a basket of clothes in need of a washing.
She could also be seen smiling too. "You ought to look into getting something recorded too." She added seconds later before walking away.
"Yeah, that's probably not gonna happen." Muttered Trini and completely missing the grins from the others at first.
And when she did, she groaned. "Oh no…"
"Oh yeah, Crazy Girl! And I bet Billy here could come up with somethin' too for your recordin' needs."
Billy just clapped excitedly, causing her to facepalm. "And I'm sure dad would be willing to help get us anything we need too." Kim added excitedly.
"I'll help with any transporting if needed." Jason offered.
Trini just glowered at them, causing them to refrain from grinning over it as her small frame made things like that so damned adorable. Not that they would ever say that as she was already a little defensive over that kind of thing! "If this goes horribly wrong, I'm blaming all of you and hiding the bodies where no one will think to look." Promised the girl darkly.
Her threat was met with excited cheers. Causing the Yellow Ranger to shake her head at the foursome and thinking their all nuts. Wait… I've been around them awhile now, so am I a nut now too!?
That would be something that would keep her up that night. And thanks to Billy, with some additional help from Kim's dad, Trini would gain herself some recording equipment that would get put in the Hart basement and she would go from there. Albeit, after a few deep breaths and a lot of encouragement from her friends and their parents. The first song she'd end up recording after coming up with a great beat for it, would be 'Strangers'. Followed by a few other songs of her's thanks to the fact that once she had gotten started, she just didn't want to stop. Sometime later after a little convincing on James Hart's part, would see Trini submitting the 'Strangers' song to a local radio station thanks to a connection the man had. Along with another called 'Don't Need Your Labels', which nicely enough included a line from Billy that would resonate with a lot of people who are also on the Spectrum like him. 'Yeah, I'm on the Spectrum, but so what? I'm not defined by that!' The song in general would resonate with a whole lot of people since many who listened could relate to it. Both on the Spectrum and otherwise. Hector DeSantos would even have the unexpected pleasure of hearing Trini's 'Strangers' song one day while on his way to work.
"Coming up next boys and girls is a song that has legit brought tears to my eyes more then once! 'Strangers' by The Tiger!"
Hector thought it would be nothing more then some trashy pop song or whatever that would end up being catchy. Only to find out how wrong he was when the song started up and realized it was his daughter singing! "Ay, dios mio!" Got out the man in shock as he ended up having to pull over to the side of the road to get control of himself as the song kept on playing.
Utterly shocked by what the lyrics his little girl was singing and feeling a little ashamed of himself for not doing more by her. A little while later would see him getting June to listen to the song but she would refuse to believe it was Trini singing. Thinking it was just some girl who merely sounded like her despite Hector and the boys adamantly saying otherwise in frustration. None of them realizing that despite the short amount of time Trini had started to get out there with her music, that she was getting notice from a few folks in the music industry. Which honestly shocked the Hell out of the girl and at first thought she was being pranked by Zack til she finally realized it wasn't the case at all.
Author's Notes: Hope folks enjoyed! If its somehow lacking, I do apologize. And to be honest, this wasn't the sequel I had in mind but it works either way as I can still do the other fic as a third part. R and R!