Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers blah blah blah …but if I did…mmm… Sky 

Chapter 4

Sky Tate caught up with the rest of the rangers in the rec room Danielle's file in hand. Not even a ten minuets and poor Danielle looks like she might need saving from Bridge already. He was trying to explain the intricacies of the toaster while simultaneously guiding her around the room, and over the couch, and under the counter. She dutifully followed her tour guide as best she could in a skirt and high-heeled boots. The girls were sitting on the couch enjoying the show while attempting to fit in questions between Bridges "ode to toast."

"So how was it living off world?" inquired Z

"More importantly" interrupted Syd "has my new CD made it up there yet? So far it's had great sales here"

"You buying up all the copies doesn't count Syd." Z said teasingly. Syd stuck out her tongue at the Yellow Ranger

Sky absorbed the scene. So these are the B squad Rangers. Resigned to his fate he made his way over to the new Green Ranger.

Carefully timing himself with Bridges banter he chose the right moment and then jumped in.

"You must be exhausted from your trip! Why don't you come sit down for a bit before Bridge drags you around the entire complex." Danielle gave a Sky a relieved smile and a look that clearly said Thank you.

He led her to one of the lounge chairs where she promptly collapsed on the soft cushions. Bridge took the chair on the other side of her while Sky remained standing.

"We didn't get a chance to be properly introduced in the command center. I'm Schuyler Tate you can call me Sky. You've already met Bridge Carson" he gestured towards the couch "That's Elizabeth Delgado.."

"Z" the Yellow Ranger corrected, "Everyone calls me Z."

"Right…" Sky continued "And that's Sydney Drew but you can call her Syd" He quickly added. The Pink Ranger nodded with approval.

The new Green Ranger acknowledged her teammates in turn

"Well as you all know my name is Danielle Green however since nicknames seem to be big" she grinned "You can call me Dani everyone else does."

Sky found it hard to take his eyes off her. The way her lips curved when she smiled, the bouncing light in her eyes, the way her uniform hugged her curves and the shade of green matched her eyes perfectly.

Dani caught Sky staring and politely cleared her throat.

"So…" Sky woke from his trance, a look of embarrassment skimming across the surface of his handsome face, before regaining his composure." Tell me about yourselves, Kruger's famous B squad rangers!"

"Well I don't know about famous," Sky said appearing humble

"Of course we're famous," piped up Syd "I mean we did save the Earth and everything" Z nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Sky conceded with a small smile of pride "Maybe a little bit"

"And as I understand it you all have genetic powers?" Dani cut right to the chase. This was one of the reasons she had put in her application here, at Delta Command. She had never been around other humans with powers before. Sure some of the other species at the academy had abilities, but nothing that wasn't normal for their race. It was amazing how if your species routinely took their heads off to go to sleep everyone was okay with that, but as soon as you became an anomaly within your race it was suddenly hard to find acceptance. At Nova her powers had been a closely guarded secret. She had heard that, here, the Rangers all knew about one another and used their gifts in everyday life.

Never one to be shy about her powers Z stepped up to answer first

"Yes we all have certain unique abilities." She glanced at the other rangers and then looked directly at Dani. There was a sudden glow in her eyes and Dani felt there was someone looking over her shoulder. She turned her body to look and nearly fell out of her chair. Dani was astonished to see an exact copy of Z Delgado standing behind her.

"That's amazing! You can make copies of yourself?"

"Exact replicates yeah." There was another glow of her eyes and the replicate disappeared. Not to be outdone Sydney volunteered next

"I can make my hands match the density of anything I touch. Diamonds are my favorite." To demonstrate she pulled out a large diamond necklace from beneath her uniform "Present from daddy" she giggled. Syd had grown up in a very wealthy family.

With all eyes focused on the diamond in her hands Syd ordered " Fist of Diamond" and in a flash her hand now shone bright with the light reflecting off the diamond hard surface that used to be her skin. She held out her hand in admiration

"One of these days I'm going to go in and get myself appraised."

Z and Sky rolled their eyes simultaneously. Sky drew away Dani's attention from the Pink Ranger by demonstrating his own power.

"I can make energy force shields". Sky took a step back and then palm facing out he moved his arm in a circular motion a wave of blue energy trailing out behind it. With the circle complete, Sky now had a small radiating wall in front of him. Not being able to help herself Dani stood up and gave Sky's shield a few experimental taps with her fingers.

"Depending on the size of the shield I can hold it for close to two hours and it can withstand almost a ton" The Red Ranger surprised himself at the amount of information he had just divulged about his power. Normally he wasn't that forthcoming about anything. There was a small recently unused part of his brain that told him he was showing off.

Bridge was nearly jumping out of his skin for his turn. Dani saw the small barely contained movements coming from the Blue Ranger, sat back down in her seat, and faced Bridge to ask him what his power could be.

"I read auras," he proclaimed. There was a puzzled look on Officer Green's face "I'm empathic" he tried to explain to her more clearly." I can see the feelings and moods of others in the form of colors and shapes. Although recently I've been hearing voices too…"

Dani nodded her head the way you do when somebody declares they hear voices

"Not like crazy voices telling me to drown kittens, cause that would be bad, not to mention Dr. Manx is part feline so I'm sure she wouldn't be pleased, but other peoples voices just thinking everyday thoughts. And then there are the dreams like I had this one where we were fighting three robots at once at night and then I woke up and we fought all three robots from my dream but only one at a time and it was daytime. And well if you want I could read your aura for you I usually do it for all the new recruits."

For a moment the bouncing light in Dani's eyes was replaced by the harsh glare of panic. Sky was the only one who seemed to have noticed. The part of his brain that was quiet accustomed to being used forced itself back into the forefront, mumbling about suspicious behavior. Why wouldn't she want her aura read? Is she hiding something? You don't know her.

Dani quickly recovered "You know Bridge maybe later; It was such along trip I'm afraid you'd only get how tired I am"

She gave him a warm smile that could put anyone at ease and Sky relaxed a little shooing the suspicion back into it's corner.

"So Dani" Z inquired "what about you? Have any powers of your own?"

The look of panic resurfaced on Dani's face. Her mind started it's own 50 yard dash. Should I tell them? They're bound to find out. Even though I kept my powers a secret from my fellow cadets I couldn't keep their existence out of my official file She eyed the large folder in Officer Tate's possession. He's going to read about it, and he'll tell the others….Maybe it's better if I tell them first. Show them they can trust me. Uncertain of her decision Dani nodded her head.

"I do" she started cautiously "But most people get a little freaked out by it so I uh …don't usually tell people. In fact nobody at my former academy knew."

"Its okay" assured Z "We're all freaks of nature here" she looked pointedly at Sky who winced at his former words.

Schuyler Tate had never really believed that his power was a gift but more of a curse, something that would always set him apart from everyone else. He refrained from using his power more often than necessary. It wasn't until he met Z that he began to change his mind. She believed that they all had their powers for a reason and there was no point in being ashamed of them.

All the rangers were now staring quietly at Danielle Green. She looked at each of them in turn wondering if she still had time to back out. I could go back to Nova right now. They have their own set of rangers. I don't have to be here. I could leave. No one ever really has to know what I am. No. If not now…. Her gaze stopped on Officer Tate. Then surely later.

"I ….um…"she cleared her throat "I'm a shape shifter"

The whole room shifted uncomfortably. Sky took a small step back while the suspicion leapt out of its corner in his mind yelling I told you so! Deciding an exhibition was in order Dani stood up and chose Z. Officer Delgado would already be accustomed to seeing herself standing in front of her.

Danielle looked at Z and asked, "May I?" The yellow ranger understood the question and nodded, and just like that Danielle Green began to change. Hair became shorter, eyes changed shape and darkened, skin shimmered as it switched skin tones. Everything down to the smallest detail became Elizabeth Delgado.

There was a collective gasp from the room. Dani looked at Sky through Z's eyes and recognized the urge to run. It was an expression she had become very familiar with in her life. People just didn't want to trust you when they weren't sure who YOU really were.

Z finally broke the uncomfortable silence as she got up to inspect a copy of her that wasn't hers.

"That's remarkable. It's just like one of my replicates. Why would you hide this?" Officer Green was stunned. She didn't know how to respond. Syd joined Z in the inspection of Dani.

"What about your voice? Does it change too?"

In Z's voice Dani replied, "Everything changes." She gave a small turn, "For all purposes I AM Z Delgado."

In her peripheral vision Dani saw Sky slowly backing out of the room. Once he had reached the door he turned, and she swore she heard running. Dani began to shift back to her original form.

"I knew this was a bad idea."

She stared at the door debating following Officer Tate out. Not to catch him, but to find the nearest spaceport to send her back home. Z noticed the absence of Sky and Dani staring at the open door.

"Don't worry about him," she said, "He'll come around. Sky's just not very good with change" Bridge had joined the girls standing in the middle of the rec room.

"So can you really be anybody?"