Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.

Dissension within the Ranks

It was late in the evening at the S.P.D. Academy, and despite the lights being turned off, the yellow and pink rangers were chatting away.

"So, do you, you know, like anybody here?" Syd asked.

"Of course I do. I like practically everybody," Z replied.

"No, no, no. That's not what I meant!" Syd responded.

"Well, then what did you mean?" Z asked.

"Do you like, you know, could you see yourself dating anybody here?" Syd answered.

"Oh, so that's what you meant," Z said.

"Yeah, that is what I meant!" Syd replied. "Now answer my question!"

"What difference does it make if I do?" Z replied.

"So you do like someone here!" Syd responded.

"I never said that!" Z shouted.

"Yeah you did, just not in those exact words," Syd said.

"Whatever," Z said.

"So, who is it?" Syd asked.

"That's none of your business! Good night Syd," Z replied.

"Hey, not fair! We're not finished with this conversation yet!" Syd shouted.

"Wanna bet?" Z replied.

"Just tell me who you're interested in," Syd said.

"I don't think so princess," Z responded.

"Fine if you won't tell me, then I'll guess," Syd replied.

"Go right ahead," Z answered.

"Jack?" Syd asked.

"What?" Z asked.

"Is that a 'yes'?" Syd asked.

"No way, Jack's practically my brother!" Z answered.

"Bridge?" Syd asked.

"Wait a sec. Who said the person I like is on our team?" Z replied.

"Quit avoiding my questions!" Syd whined.

"If you didn't ask so many, I wouldn't have any to avoid!" Z responded.

"You never answered my question!" Syd complained.

"You never answered mine either!" Z replied.

"Wait, what was your question again?" Syd asked.

"Who ever said the person I like is on our team?" Z repeated.

"Nobody, but I was just guessing," Syd replied.

"Oh," Z answered.

"Well, is it Bridge?" Syd asked.

"What about you?" Z asked ignoring the question.

"What about me?" Syd asked.

"Do you like anybody on our squad?" Z asked.

"Not fair! I asked you first!" Syd whined.

"Sometimes you are so childish!" Z said.

"Hey, that wasn't very nice!" Syd complained.

"It's the truth," Z replied.

"Do you like Bridge?" Syd asked.

"Are you ever going to go to sleep?" Z asked.

"Once I get an answer," Syd replied.

"Well, in that case, be prepared to stay up all night, because you're not getting one!" Z said.

"Oh my gosh, you like Bridge!" Syd exclaimed.

"I never said that!" Z replied.

"You didn't have to. Your avoiding the question said it for you," Syd said.

"Let's get one thing straight here princess. My avoiding a question in no way shape or form translates into a 'yes' got it?" Z asked.

"Well, if it's not Bridge then…oh my gosh, is it Sky?" Syd asked.

"For the last time good night Syd," Z replied.

"Is it?" Syd asked.

"Ok if I tell you, it's only fair that you tell me who you're interested in," Z said.

"Fine," Syd replied.

"Then afterwards you'll go to sleep right?" Z asked.

"Uh huh," Syd answered.

"Fine, it's Sky," Z said.

"It is?" Syd asked.

"Yes, it is," Z asked.

"You're not just saying that to get me to shut up are you?" Syd asked.

"No," Z replied.

"Oh," Syd responded.

"Now that I told you who I like, it's your turn to tell me who you like," Z said.

"But you and Sky are so different," Syd said.

"Hello, I said it's your turn to tell me who you like," Z said.

"Oh, uh…Jack. I like Jack," Syd replied.

"Really?" Z asked.

"Yeah…really," Syd responded.

"I don't believe you," Z said.

"Why not?" Syd asked.

"Because you hesitated," Z replied.

"So?" Syd asked.

"That means you're lying," Z added.

"No it doesn't," Syd said.

"Whatever you say. I still don't believe you," Z said.

"What's wrong with Jack?" Syd asked.

"Nothing's wrong with Jack," Z replied.

"Then why don't you believe that I like him?" Syd asked.

"Because you don't," Z responded.

"Ok fine, I don't like Jack," Syd said.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Z said.

"Good night Z," Syd said.

"Not so fast princess," Z replied.

"Now what?" Syd asked.

"We made a deal. I tell you who I like and in return, you tell me who you like," Z said.

"I never said I like anyone," Syd said.

"Not in so many words," Z answered.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Syd asked.

"When you agreed that I tell you who I like in return for you telling me who you like, it is implied that you like someone," Z said.

"You're starting to sound like Bridge," Syd said.

"Who's avoiding the question now?" Z asked.

"What question?" Syd asked.

"Who do you like?" Z repeated.

"Look, it doesn't matter!" Syd said.

"Ok. If you won't tell me, then I'll just have to guess," Z replied.

"Go right ahead," Syd said.

"Is he on B-Squad?" Z asked.

"That's not a guess," Syd whined.

"Just answer the question," Z said.

"That's not fair!" Syd complained.

"So you do like someone on B-Squad!" Z exclaimed. "Well, we've established it's not Jack, so let's try Bridge," Z said.

"Hey, I never said the guy I like is on B-Squad!" Syd whined.

"Oh yes you did," Z replied.

"When?" Syd asked.

"When you complained about how it wasn't fair," Z answered.

"That didn't mean that the guy I like is on B-Squad," Syd responded.

"It was implied," Z said.

"You just jumped to the wrong conclusion," Syd replied.

"Yes or no? Do you like Bridge?" Z asked.

"Nah, he's not my type," Syd answered finally giving in to the yellow ranger.

"Then that would mean…no, it can't be!" Z said.

"What?" Syd asked.

"You like Sky!" Z exclaimed.

"How did you reach that conclusion?" Syd asked.

"You implied that the guy you like is on B-Squad. We've established that it wasn't Jack or Bridge, so that only leaves Sky," Z said.

"Um…no it doesn't," Syd replied.

"Who else is there?" Z asked.

"Well, there's Cruger…" Syd said.

"You don't like Cruger!" Z exclaimed.

"…and Sam," Syd finished.

"I find it hard to believe that you like Sam," Z said.

"Fine, I like Sky! Are you happy now? I just didn't want to say it because you just told me that you like him and now we have a problem!" Syd shouted.

"Shh, keep it down people are trying to sleep here!" Z warned.

"Wait a sec. How is it possible that you like Sky?" Syd asked.

"Me? How is it possible that you like Sky?" Z retorted.

"Hey, I've known Sky a lot longer than you have. We've been through a lot together," Syd said.

"Just because you've known him longer doesn't entitle you to him," Z commented.

"I'm the reason Sky's lightened up!" Syd exclaimed.

"What? Oh puh-lease! You are so full of yourself!" Z replied.

"Oh, and I suppose you think you are the reason Sky's lightened up?" Syd asked.

"I didn't say that did I? However, I certainly don't take all the credit for that happening like some people!" Z replied.

"Sky is so not your type," Syd said.

"Oh and I suppose a spoiled brat is?" Z asked.

"Take that back!" Syd shouted.

"The truth hurts doesn't it princess?" Z asked.

"I doubt that street trash is just what the doctor ordered!" Syd fired back.

"I can't believe you just said that!" Z replied.

"It serves you right for calling me a spoiled brat!" Syd exclaimed.

"You know what you spoiled brat? I hate you! I'm never gonna forgive you either!" Z said. She then ran out the door tears streaming down her cheek. Z ran to Jack's room.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Jack, I'm sorry to wake you, but we need to talk," Z said sobbing.

Jack turned on a lamp on his nightstand. "Z? What's the matter?" Jack said.

Z burst into tears. Jack gathered Z in his arms and rubbed her shoulders.

"Shh. It's alright. You can tell me anything Z," Jack said.

"Syd and I got in a fight," Z said.

"A fight?" Jack asked. "What about?"

"Sky," Z answered.

"Huh?" Jack asked confusingly.

"We both said that we were interested in Sky…" Z started to say.

"Sky? What could you possibly see in him?" Jack shouted.

"Why are you getting so upset?" Z asked with a hint of fear starting to show in her eyes.

"I don't believe this! After all that we've been through. God Z, don't you know how I feel about you?" Jack asked.

"I'm sorry Jack, but I don't have those kind of feelings toward you. You're practically like my brother," Z said.

"Get out of my room," Jack said.

"What?" Z asked.

"Get out now!" Jack yelled.

Z burst into tears once again. She left Jack's room sobbing.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Great, now who do I go to?" Z thought to herself. Before Z realized what she was doing, she found herself in the room that Sky and Bridge had shared.

"Who's there?" Sky asked seeing a shadow of a figure standing in the doorway.

"It's me Z," Z answered.

"Are you crying?" Bridge asked. Bridge turned on a lamp on his nightstand since it was pretty dark in the room.

"Yes," Z responded.

"Why? What happened?" Sky asked.

Z sat on the foot of Sky's bed. "Syd and I got into a fight. Then I went to Jack for comfort, but he ended up yelling at me," Z replied bursting into tears again.

"There, there Z, it's ok," Bridge said reassuringly.

"No it's not Bridge," Z answered.

"I'm gonna give Jack a piece of my mind!" Sky said.

As Sky got out of bed, he felt a hand hold him back. He looked and saw it was Z's.

"No Sky, it'll only make things worse," Z said.

"Do you want to tell us what happened?" Bridge asked.

"What's there left to tell?" Z replied.

"What did you and Syd get into a fight about, and what exactly did Jack say to you?" Bridge answered.

"Oh my God! I can't believe this!" Syd said appearing in the doorway.

"Syd? What are you doing here?" Sky asked.

"I came here because I needed to talk to someone about the fight that street trash and I had," Syd replied.

"Syd, that was a little uncalled for don't you think?" Bridge asked.

"Hey, she called me a spoiled brat!" Syd exclaimed.

"That's because you are one!" Z shouted.

"That's enough! Stop it!" Sky exclaimed. "I want the two of you to apologize to each other," Sky ordered.

"There's no way I'm apologizing to her!" Z replied.

"I'm not apologizing to her either!" Syd shouted.

Jack appeared in the doorway. "Hey Z, look I'm sorry for yelling at you," Jack said.

"Leave me alone Jack!" Z replied.

Jack looked over at Sky. "You know, this is all your fault!" Jack said pointing at Sky.

"Me? How is this my fault?" Sky asked.

"Yeah. I got rejected by Z because I found out that both her and Syd are interested in you!" Jack said.

"You weren't supposed to tell him that!" Syd and Z said before storming out of the room.

"Whoa, what just happened?" Bridge asked after Syd and Z had left.

"Thanks for screwing up my relationship with Z blue boy!" Jack yelled sarcastically before heading back to his room.

"I'm just as confused as you are," Sky said to Bridge.

XXXXXXXXXX