Disclaimer: Power Rangers does not belong to me.
Chapter 8: Exercise
(A few days later)
Z's alarm clock went off the in the morning as usual an hour before B-Squad's usual wake up call. And – as usual – Syd did not stir as the sounds of Z's favorite punk-rock record came blaring out of the alarm clock stereo. Switching off the noise, a still very groggy Z went through her usual motions of throwing on sweats and sneakers before stumbling out of her bedroom toward the Common Room video game system for her usual morning routine, hoping – as usual- this would be the dawn she would finally top Jack's high score.
"Good, you're dressed perfectly," a deep, male voice analyzed as he grabbed her the moment she exited her bedroom.
Though she had been half asleep the second before, Z instinctively switched into attack mode the moment she felt a predator's hand touch her body. Grabbing her assailant's arm back, Z used his own weight against him to throw the male intruder over her shoulder. Only after she'd pummeled the person to the floor did Z let out a gasp when she realized it was Sky Tate.
"Ohmygosh, Sky, I am SO sorry!" apologized Z, seeing the boy arching his back and writhing on the floor.
"Not exactly the type of workout I had in mind for us this morning," grumbled Sky as Z helped him up. "But at least it's good to know you're ready to go."
"Ready to go where?" asked Z warily.
"You showed me your morning tradition," said Sky, pointing to the video game system. "So today, I thought I'd show you mine."
"Which is sneaking up on people when they're half asleep?" responded Z sarcastically as she walked away from him toward the video games.
"Look Z, I'm trying," said Sky in a tone of blunt honesty that halted his fellow ranger in her path. "This friendship thing? It's a two-way deal, remember?" he added more quietly.
With her back to him, Sky watched as Z played out the decision making process in her head. When she finally turned slowly to face him, her posture was casual, but he detected a more cautious emotion in her facial expression. Scanning his face back, she approached him hesitantly.
"Ok," Z finally said. "But what did you mean I was already dressed right for whatever this is we're about to do?"
"Oh," Sky said; his typical smirk gracing his tough visage. "You'll see."
"Good, now we're warmed up," said Sky, breathing lightly as he finished his 500th push-up.
"JUST warmed up?!?" wheezed Z, falling on her belly as her arms gave out. "Five hundred pushups, 300 pull-ups, suicide sprints and 20 laps around the track? You call that a warm-up???"
"Just part of my morning routine," shrugged Sky as he scanned the SPD track and field arena.
"You're worse than Cruger," complained Z as she stumbled to her feet.
"And you're clearly out of shape," said Sky critically as usual.
"Good to know your pompous persona doesn't slack off at 5 a.m. in the morning," replied Z cattily. "And I'm sorry I'm not used to exercising before the sun comes up."
"We'll you should work on that then," responded Sky.
"Huh?" gasped Z.
"I mean," said Sky, clearing his throat. "I wouldn't mind having a workout partner. And you clearly could use the extra training time," his tone growing more abrasive again.
"Oh gee, Sky, I feel so wanted," cooed Z sarcastically, to which Tate rolled his eyes. "But why ask me?" she continued. "Why not Bridge? Or Syd?"
"Bridge usually stays late at the Lab with Boom and doesn't get to sleep until real late, so he could use the extra hour of shut eye," said Syd. "And Syd, well, she seems… busy… these days?"
"By busy you mean sleeping with Jack?" asked Z bluntly.
Z saw Sky's body visually clench up. He then abruptly spun and started to walk away from her. Cocking her head to the side curiously, Z jogged up beside him with an intrigued grin on her face.
"Are you jealous, Tate?" asked Z coyly.
"NO!" shot back Sky instantly. "Why does EVERYONE think I am jealous?!?"
Sky sighed when he saw Z's surprised and taken aback expression. Slowing his pace, he turned to face his fellow ranger, who now regarded him with a mixture of intimidation and interest. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Sky did not attempt to meet Z's gaze of fixated concern.
"I don't know if I'm jealous," began Sky. "I don't know if I'm supposed to be jealous. Everyone, especially Bridge, has been pushing for Syd and me to get together for so long. There's just been so much build up and expectations, and then with us becoming Earth's first line of defense as far as rangers go, it has never really felt like the right time. But more so, I guess," he paused. "It's weird for me to see Syd spending so much time with another guy."
"You're not jealous of Jack sleeping with Syd as much as the fact he's just kinda overall taken your place as the main man in her life?" concluded Z.
"Yeah," said Sky slowly, looking at her surprised. "I never really thought of it that way."
"Surprised I figured it out?" grinned Z cockily. "Even though I don't know you that well?"
"Yeah," said Sky again, looking at her gratefully for a split second before growing serious again. "Ok, we've wasted too much time on this emotional stuff. Time for staircase sprints."
Z groaned as she followed the blue ranger over to the stairs that split the SPD stadium bleacher. Her legs felt heavier with every glance she took at one of the 600 steps. As they both started their sprint up the steps, Z sighed with frustration as Sky shot ahead of her. Yet a sneaky smile spread across her face as an idea snapped into her head for a way to shut up Sky.
"HEY!!!" spat out Sky, skidding to a stop halfway up the flight of stairs when he saw that Z had replicated using her genetic power and suddenly appeared at the top of the stadium.
"Take that, Tate!" shouted Z triumphantly. "I win!"
"No, you cheated," shot back Sky angrily.
"Just because this clearly shows that YOU need to work out more…" began Z snidely.
"Oh very funny," groaned Sky, rolling his eyes as he continued his sprint up the steps.
"It doesn't feel so good to be criticized that harshly now, does it?" commented Z coolly.
"Ok, you proved your point," smiled Sky sheepishly when he joined her at the top of the stadium. "You seem to be doing that a lot with me lately," he added more quietly.
"Well, you better get used to it!" grinned Z. "Workout partner."
"Really?" inquired Sky; his eyes breaking into a small smile.
"I mean, if you can put up with me putting in your place," added Z teasingly.
"Actually," began Sky, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "With everything that's been going on, you know, with Syd and Jack, plus Bridge being so involved too, I gotta say it's been nice talking to someone…"
"Not so caught up in the 'Sex in the SPD Academy' drama?" cut in Z.
"Exactly," nodded Sky.
"Us working out together, should we tell Syd and Jack about this?" asked Z hesitantly.
"I think they're both too busy working out together for us to really even have a time to tell them," said Sky sarcastically.
"And Bridge?" asked Z more softly.
Neither Z nor Sky could meet each other's eye. Sky found himself rubbing the back of the neck as Z made herself busy kicking dirt on the stadium floor. Each waited for the other to speak, but realized the other's typical bluntness had evaporated. Realizing that she wasn't going to state either both their obvious reaction to the topic at hand, Sky finally broke the silence and switched the subject.
"Come on, now," he said briskly. "We've got a half hour to run the woodland course and hit the showers before being at the Command Center for morning assignments with Cruger."
"Awesome," exclaimed Z as her eyes lit up. "The woodland trail?"
"Oh?" asked Sky. "I made a good choice, then?"
"I love the woods," explained Z. "It's always my favorite place to go to think when I am stressed out. What?" she said, seeing Sky's surprised expression. "You shared something about yourself this morning, so I thought I would too in return."
"Thanks," said Sky genuinely. "I appreciate that. Now, try to keep up. I can't be late and look bad in front of Cruger just 'cause your endurance levels aren't up to par yet. But," he added over his shoulder. "They certainly will be after working out with me for a few more weeks!"
As Sky sprinted toward the woodland thicket, Z moaned and made an annoyed face at her new workout partner. Then, she suddenly burst into amused laughter as she followed her friend into the woods. The sun spilled over the tree tops as the two friends ran toward their new horizon.
Next chapter: Bridge
finally makes a move on Z, and new developments as far as Jack's
feelings toward Syd are revealed! Stay tuned!
