The first appearance of Cadinia's family is gonna come soon...

So for the disclaimer:

Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, or any songs in this story, all I own is Cadinia and her family.


Cadinia

I held up a pair of sickles in front of a large oak tree.

"You sure this is a good idea?"

"It calms me when I'm being bugged by Noelani."

Merrick sighed before he stepped back, his arms folded, "I still think this is a bad idea."

I rolled my eyes before I struck the tree with my sickles in a sweeping motion before I kicked off it and struck it a final time in an X formation.

I took in a deep breath as I spun my sickles and put them back in their holsters at my side.

"Well… you sure showed that tree."

"Funny." I rolled my eyes as I smiled at Merrick, "But, attacking something like that is a lot better than going against someone as skilled you."

"Woah, woah, woah… are you saying I'm less skilled than you?" Merrick stepped up.

I smirked, "Yep."

"Alright. That's it. Sparing match, here and now." He instructed.

I shrugged, "Alright…"

5 minutes later…

I jumped over Merrick as he went to strike me and rolled a bit as I landed on the ground before I swept my leg under him and he came crashing to the ground.

I got back to my feet and got in my stance as he laid on the ground.

He grunted and looked up at me, "Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"The Solar Academy… they teach a lot of different fighting techniques." I smiled proudly.

He groaned, "Yeah… I can see that…"

Half an hour later…

We were in the Roadhouse, Merrick holding an ice-pack over his shoulder.

"How on earth could you hit a tree with so much force?" Noelani questioned as I looked it over.

"Very easily apparently." Merrick covered.

"Don't be such a baby." I rolled my eyes as I pulled the ice-pack off his shoulder to look at it, "Swelling's gone down at least… so that's a good sign."

He groaned in pain as I put it back on his shoulder, "Man… that's smarts."

I sighed as Noelani walked away and I whispered in his ear, "I'm really sorry I hurt your shoulder like that… I didn't mean to…"

"I know." He whispered back, "Where do you find the time to practice anyway?"

I shook my head, "Since I was at least one, the fighting style's been ingrained into me… doesn't go away, even after two years."

Merrick scuffed, "Yeah… I kinda got that."

I smiled sheepishly before my normal cell phone rang.

I pulled it from my jacket pocket and opened it, putting it to my ear, "Hello?"

"Hello, Cadinia?"

My heart nearly stopped in horror, "Dad?!"

"Around others I take it?" He sighed.

"If you called to bag on me, I'm hanging up." I threatened through gritted teeth.

"It's important." He assured, "Look… are you busy?"

"I'm working." I replied shortly, "But, I go on break at…." I looked at my watch. "At 2:50. I'll be at the Turtle Cove Trail just off the main park. Can it wait till then?"

"2:50… Turtle Cove Trail… fine. But no later." With that, he hung up.

I glared at my end of the phone, "Hate you too."

"Was that your dad?" Merrick asked as I put my phone back in my pocket.

"Yeah." I sighed and sat down, rubbing my head in exasperation.

"What's wrong?"

"He said 'people' not 'Civilians' after I called him dad and not Minor Sensei Drenor…. Stupid title, I know." I sighed at the look Merrick gave me, "Point is… he never calls me, as a Ninja or not, since I left…"

"Then it must be important." Merrick noted, "You should go talk to him."

I scuffed softly, "Believe me, Merrick… whatever my dad has to say… it's not important… not to me at least… not anymore."

"Why don't I go with you then?" Merrick suddenly suggested, "It'd be a good way to keep you calm, and I've been wanting to meet your dad."

"You'd do that for me?" I blinked.

He nodded, "Sure… when'd you say you'd meet him?"

"2:50… there's a Hiking Trail close by that I've been meaning to check out." I replied simply.

"I'll be with you then." He agreed.

I smiled lightly, "You're a good friend, Merrick."

At 2:50…

We were walking up to the trail, Merrick ahead of me.

"Come on, Cadi. It's already 2:50." He noted.

"I know." I sighed and suddenly stopped.

Merrick looked back at me before he walked over, "What's wrong?"

I bit my lip, "My dad… he… he never calls me… like… ever. Not even when I was an official Solar Ninja… and even then it was only because someone needed to be saved and I needed to throw myself in to save them."

"He can't be that bad." Merrick reasoned, "I mean, you should've seen my dad… now there was a man who you did not wanna double-cross."

"Oh, did he throw his enemies into volcanoes or throw Fireballs at them for the heck of it too?" I inquired.

"Wow… your dad sounds….."

"A lot less Andy Taylor and a lot more Tywin Lannister?" I supplied, rolling my eyes at the look he gave, "Dude, you've gotta watch some TV and read some books."

"I've been trying."

"Still." I sighed before we finally got up to my father, Edan Drenor, who was waiting by a tree.

He had hazel brown hair, like me, though his hair was being overtaken by grey hair, and his eyes were a dark green.

He was about 5′11″, about 5 inches taller than me, and was wearing his Solar Academy Minor Sensei uniform.

It was white with silver strips going in an 'X' formation across his chest and down to the edge of the top of the uniform, followed by clean and pressed white pants that stopped at his white sneakers.

White was the uniform color for the White Hot power of the Sun, which he was the student of.

"Minor Sensei." I bowed lightly, gritting my teeth a bit.

"Cadinia." He nodded softly as I stood back up, then looked at Merrick, "And you must be her new friend?"

"One of them, sir." He nodded.

I hit my forehead. My dad did not need to hear that!

"One of them? Cadinia-"

"Can we please just get to why you're here?" I inquired quickly, wanting to get to the point.

He nodded, "Still strict, I see… very well… I am here, to offer you something special."

I nodded silently, folding my arms, "Which is?"

"You return to the academy if you are able to bring a missing Steam Student." He replied.

"In other words, I find this Steam Student and I'm back in the loop? No thanks." I shook my head.

"Cadi…"

"Two years… two years and I haven't heard even a slight utter of your name, Dad." I let out.

"I know what happened was wrong…"

"Wrong? Dad, you kicked me out!" I exclaimed.

"Easy Cadi…" Merrick took my hand softly.

I took a soft breath and stood beside him.

"Look, I haven't seen any Steam Student. So, I'm a lost cause." I let out in a forced calm voice.

"Didn't you Noelani was a Steam Student?" Merrick blinked.

"Noelani? Noelani Pele?"

"Yeah. The one that's been a thorn in my side for years." I nodded, "Why?"

"Is there a reason she's here?"

"She said you sent her." I replied, "Then again, knowing her, she probably lied."

"It's against the Rules to speak to a Banished student… unless necessary." He nodded.

"She's been here for two weeks." Merrick put in.

"The exact time the Steam Student went missing." My dad breathed out.

"Are you saying Noelani, someone you praise for mostly everything, is guilty of something?!" I couldn't keep the triumphant grin from my face.

"Don't get any idea about revenge." He cut off my thoughts, "Your Grandfather just wants her brought back to the school to be punished."

"If she gets banished, what's the point of bringing her in, to begin with?" I questioned, recalling the rule for Runaway Solar Ninjas.

Right as I was talking, Merrick suddenly jolted back a bit as the wind blew at us.

I looked back at him, "Should we…?"

"No." He shook his head, "Not yet."

"Not yet what?" My dad questioned.

I shot Merrick an annoyed look.

"Hey, you asked." Merrick shrugged.

I sighed and shook my head, looking back at my dad, "It's not important… what is important… is bringing Noelani to the Academy… which I'm not even allowed to step foot in…"

"Soon." He instructed before he stepped away and I saw him Ninja Streak out of the area.

"We just need to find her." Merrick let out after a moment of near silence.

"Little problem with that." I bit my lip.

"What?"

"Steam students can change their form from fog and wind at ease."

We winced and looked to see Noelani standing behind us, her body changing from vapor to solid.

"That is-"

"Don't say it." I glared at Merrick before I glanced at Noelani again, "So you lied?"

"Depends on how you define lying."

"Not telling the truth. Let me guess, you still define it as reclining your body in a horizontal position?" I bit.

The last thing I wanted to deal with was Noelani anymore anyway. Especially with my father around.

A father, who I swear is incapable of loving someone like me anymore.

Merrick

I forced myself to not chuckle at Cadinia's comment… especially when I saw the look in her eyes.

"You know you can't hurt me."

"You wanna-"

I grabbed Cadinia's arm before she could step up. "Cadi… calm down."

Before she could retort, Noelani scuffed.

"That's not something she'd do…"

"Just back off." I snarled at her, "You don't know Cadi anymore."

"And you do?" She retorted before she turned to vapor again and drifted away.

"What's she mean?" I looked back at Cadi.

She bit her lip, "There's… more to my story."

1 hour later…

"Talk." I instructed as we sat in her room.

"It's not… that simple, Merrick…" She sighed, "I can't just… let out 15 years of frustration and anger…"

"Try."

"I can't!" She moaned and leaned back onto her bed, "It's… a hard topic anyway."

"Start at the very beginning then." I reasoned, "Don't leave anything out."

"Merrick, that's the problem!" She sat back up, "My family… I don't know where to begin with them! They just… they've hated me for such a long time…"

I sighed, "Why don't I tell you some of my family then we can compare?"

She blinked, then nodded.

"I was afraid you'd agree to that." I muttered softly, causing her to smile a bit before I sighed again, "Alright… as you well know now… I was born 3,000 years ago… my father was strict, and my mother cared for me more than anything in the world."

"Yeah, I already knew that." She nodded.

"But there's thing… there's… moments….." I looked down at my hands, "There are times I just thought… if I couldn't make my own father happy… what were the chances I'd make anyone happy? That'd I'd prove myself to be a strong warrior? That'd become anything other than some stupid teen?"

"When I was younger… my brothers made me feel the same… and with no one else who cared… I was basically all alone. Especially during my two years away from this town…" She sighed, "But I still… tried to be better… to be top of anything…"

"Yeah… you're either the best or your not…"

"My Father and Grandfather sure thought that way." She nodded softly, "I guess I just… I wanted to be different… I wanted to be the black sheep… cause when I think about it… I ask myself… 'Would my mom have wanted this life for me?'… So I just… started my rebel years early… I guess."

"And they responded poorly."

"But naturally." Cadinia reasoned, "I mean… I get it… I guess… hundreds of generations before me, both male and female, have followed the same path… but I just… I wanted…. I felt like I had to be different… find something that… was meant for me as a person and not me as a ninja…"

"I guess it's the opposite for me." I sighed softly, "I wanted my family to like me… so I just… followed orders… kept with tradition…"

"Traditions change… I'd tried telling my family that… about a week before my banishing at that… I had to clean the ember again…" She put in.

"Even when I was protecting the princess, I wanted approval… even when it was stupid…" I sighed, "I just… wanted to make my family proud… let them know I wasn't a waste of time… that I can make them proud."

"Sometimes… I just wonder… if what I did… surfing and swimming… and everything… if it was to be me… or just get their attention…" Cadinia admitted.

"Looking back… I wonder if… if I hadn't gotten trapped… would things be any different…" I let out.

"Guess it's too late for that now." We sighed in unison.

I looked over at her before I bit my lip and sighed again, "Listen… Cadi… for whatever it's worth… your family might not have cared about you… but I do. You're my friend… and if there is anything I've learned in the last 7 weeks I've been here… friends are nothing without each other… even with family."

Cadinia smiled lightly, "That's true… you know… short though this talk was…. It feels good to get that all off my chest…"

"No doubt… my anger's been from 7 weeks… I can't bear to imagine the length of time your anger's been boiling." I noted.

"Years…" She whispered, "And now my dad suddenly comes out of the blue and asks for my help? I'm a banished Solar Ninja… we're not supposed to have-"

"Supposed to." I cut in, "That doesn't mean he can't."

She opened her mouth then closed it and looked away, "I can't believe someone of 3 millennia ago just said something very insightful."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I smiled lightly.

She nodded, "You should."

I looked over at her before I sighed, "So… how do we find a Steam Ninja?"

"The problem isn't finding a Steam Ninja… the problem is finding Noelani." Cadinia reasoned, "That, of course, is like finding a Needle in a Haystack since she can turn to mist at will and disappear."

"True." I relented, "What do we do then?"

"I don't….." Her eyes went wide as a smirk grew on her face, "Actually… I think I might know…"

"Should I be worried?"

"You wouldn't be the first."

1 hour later…

The wind blew at us again, but… once more, the WolfZord didn't howl, and I didn't think the Rangers would need us.

We were walking up the Turtle Cove Trail.

Well… Cadinia was walking up the trail…

I was trudging behind her.

"Could you slow down?!" I groaned.

"Keep up!" She laughed lightly.

I rolled my eyes before she finally came to a stop at a level plain.

I groaned and sat down, catching my breath.

"You'd think a Power Ranger would have more stamina than this." She commented.

"That's… when morphed…" I groaned, then bit my lip, "My father wouldn't like this, ya know… the thinks men should be the protectors and-"

"And the girls just sit back and watch the world burn while they cook, clean, and wait for the men to do the heavy lifting?" She finished bitterly.

"Well… yeah." I nodded.

She rolled her eyes, "I kinda figured."

"Sorry." I apologized, "I didn't mean to-"

"It's not just you." She sighed and sat beside me, "It's the thought that men can't see women as equals… in my way of growing up… man, woman, black, white… whatever you were… it didn't matter. We were all brought under the sun… warmed by fire… we're all human."

I bit my lip, then nodded softly, "I guess you're right."

She smiled lightly before she sighed, "That was the one good thing that came out of my time at the Academy…"

"I can tell…oh, I've been meaning to ask… do you usually bag on yourself for everything?" I sighed softly.

She nodded, "A downside of being the Granddaughter of the Head Sensei… the pressure to be perfect….. when someone doesn't say they like what I do 100%… then what's the point in trying?"

"I see your point." I nodded softly, "But… you've got something all those other students don't."

"Which is?"

"A friend who understands." I took her hand lightly, "I may not understand your specific situation… I understand enough to be here for you… and I promise, as your friend, I won't leave you."

Cadinia smiled lightly, "Thanks for helping me, Howler."

I scuffed softly, "Least I could do, Stamped."

Third Person

As they were talking, Noelani was close by, changing to her solid form.

Finally, she cleared her throat behind the two, making her presence known.

They instantly turned and saw her standing in front of them, looking guilty.

Cadinia scuffed at the look, not buying it. "What do you want, Pele?"

"Would an apology work?"

"You've disrespected me more times than I can count." The Fire Ninja retorted, "I don't think so."

"Look, I didn't mean to cause trouble-"

"When my own father comes to ask for my help, it's trouble." Cadinia bit, "The moment you left the Solar Academy, you became trouble."

"Look… if you wanna turn me in… fine. I'm not stopping you." Noelani sighed.

"Fine by me." Merrick was about to step up, but Cadinia put a hand in front of him.

"Why should we believe you?" Cadinia questioned.

"Cadi…"

"It's too easy." She whispered to him, "Especially for someone like her."

"Oh, come on, Drenor, stop being so paranoid!" Noelani groaned, "You were so much more relaxed before."

"Two years can change someone." Cadinia growled softly, her hands balling into fists before she threw a punch at the Steam Ninja.

Noelani stumbled back, but, before Cadinia could throw another punch, Merrick grabbed her and pulled her back a bit.

"Don't stoop to her level, Cadi." He whispered softly.

"But-"

"I know it's tempting." Merrick assured gently, "But you can't stoop to her level, okay?"

Cadinia looked over at Noelani, who was slowly getting to her feet, then back at her teammate, "But it's so tempting!"

"I know." He nodded, "But you can't let that built up anger…. You can't let it consume you like this."

"I won't let consume me, I just need to show her who she's messing….. with! Whoa!"

Cadinia was thrown back by a blast of steam and almost over the side of the hill, they were on.

She looked up at the recovered Steam Student, her hands flaring a bit in rage.

"You'll pay for that." She snarled.

"Later… later…" Merrick quickly got beside her, "Are you okay though?"

"Letting others come to your rescue, Banished."

"Merrick… let me handle this."

"No." He denied, "Cadi… no. You're not letting this control you… not like I did."

He didn't realize that last part came out before he actually heard it.

"Wait, what?" Cadinia looked back at him.

Not the best thing.

Noelani sent a stronger steam blast at Cadinia, forcing her to roll down the hill she'd tried to get away from, and land on the ground, groaning.

Merrick quickly ran down after her to make sure she was okay before they looked up at Noelani.

"Don't." Merrick clamped a hand over Cadinia's as she was about to through a fireball, "Look."

They looked back up and saw Edan Drenor, Cadinia's father, standing behind the steam student.

Her eyes went wide before Edan grabbed Noelani's arms and Ninja Streaked them out of the area.

"Are you okay?" Merrick looked back at Cadinia after a second, "Does it hurt anywhere?"

"Not that I feel." She shook her head before rubbing it in pain, "But that attack did hurt me… not to mention the roll down here…"

"Let's get you back then." Merrick helped her up.

"Good idea." Cadinia nodded.

15 minutes later…

"Ah…" The Solar Ranger hissed in pain as Merrick wrapped a new piece of gauze around her hurt leg.

"Sorry." He apologized before he finally nodded, "There… do you wanna try standing up?"

"Yeah…" She nodded.

Cadinia wrapped an arm around Merrick's own and slowly turned in her bed before she leaned against him and slowly stood up.

"There you go." Merrick smiled once she was fully up.

"It still hurts…" She moaned.

"It will for a while." Merrick figured, "But at least you're walking around… sorta."

Cadinia smiled, "Thanks for helping me."

"Pleasure…" He nodded before he suddenly frowned, "I just wish you've been more careful…"

"I know… and I'm trying… I promise." Cadinia insisted.

"Could you try a little harder?"

"It's not that simple, Merrick." Cadinia retorted before she took in a deep breath, "I'm gonna get some air, then check on the Surfboard… okay?"

Merrick bit his lip, then nodded, "Okay…"

Cadinia nodded before she walked out of the room, slowly, then the Roadhouse.

As she did, she noticed her father standing close by.

"Dad…. I mean…." Cadinia blinked.

"Dad." He assured, "I come to you, not as a Sensei, but as your father."

"Is everything okay?" Cadinia frowned, "Do you need-"

"We require no more help." Edan assured, "But, there's a lot more I wanna talk to you about, Cadinia."

"But… it's against the Solar Ninja's rules." She finished.

"You are certain for great things." Edan assured kindly.

Cadinia nodded before she finally asked, "But why now? It's been two years… why not sooner?"

"Things happen for a reason." He replied, "You will soon see, that your choice on your life shall prove that."

"This might be the… only time I ever get to tell you this… but I love you." Cadinia breathed out.

Edan nodded before he kissed his daughter's forehead and walked away, bumping into Sabad Enrilé and Alyssa as he did.

"Sorry." He bowed in respect before he walked away.

"Hey, Alyssa." Cadinia smiled and walked over to the White Ranger, then nodded to the man beside her, "You must be her dad."

"That I am." He nodded.

"Is… the Roadhouse open?" Alyssa asked.

"Yeah… I was just saying bye to my dad." Cadinia nodded, "First time in over two years, ya know."

"I know the feeling." Mr. Enrilé nodded, "I'm on my way to the bus station now… mind if we come in to have a bite?"

"Oh… sure." Cadinia nodded, "Little heads up though, Alyssa… Merrick's kinda in a grouchy mood."

"It's okay." She assured before they walked into the Roadhouse.

Cadinia nodded before she walked around to the back to finish the work on her Surfboard.

The contest was two weeks away, and she needed to make sure her family, old and new, would be proud.


Alright, I've noticed something about the other rangers that Cadinia has yet to have.

Three Crystals.

So the next chapter's gonna be an interesting twist on how she gets her second...

So, please review, Favorite and Follow.

See ya next week.