In case you haven't noticed I'm attempting to write this horror movie style! So whenever you feel the need PLEASE don't hesitate to add your own squishy sound effects or a REE REE REE! When you feel that the moment calls for such a sound. We wont laugh at you! I promise!
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Disclaimer: the Power Rangers in no way shape or form belong to me. Which is apparently a good thing because look what I've gone and done to them…
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Bridge and Z made their way awkwardly through the lower levels of the academy. Well it wouldn't have been so awkward if it wasn't for what almost happened before they had found out that the commander was dead. Being pretty sure of what Syd and Jack were up to while ignoring Sky's repeated attempts to get a hold of them wasn't helping. Bridge would busy himself by periodically scanning the hallways watching the fading psychic trails of cadets and faculty weave in and out of labs and workshops, while Z would send out replicates to search the rooms.
"Z," he complained. "I'm not finding anything." He turned to look at the closet version of her.
"Yeah me neither." Came her voice from about two rooms down. Bridge looked at the replicate standing next to him, who simply shrugged her shoulders before disappearing.
Bridge wouldn't have needed for her to tell him which copy of Z Delgado was the real one. Every time he scanned the hallway only the real Z gave off that glowing gold aura that he found so spectacular. Without doubt he snuck up behind the real Z whose back was turned while searching through one of the teaching labs.
"Gotcha!" he yelled while playfully poking her below the ribs. Screaming she jumped and turned to face her attacker who was grinning madly at her.
"Don't do that!" she smacked him on the chest, but couldn't keep the smile from creeping its way across her face. It was the dimples that did her in, the way they got deeper the more he smiled, and the way his blue eyes glowed bright with delight every time he did.
"And take that stupid wig off." She eyed the mullet that resembled road kill lounging on top of his head.
"But it's great! Business up front party in the back!" His smile widened while he did a little butt wiggle to indicate the party. Her laughter rang through the empty hallways.
"The only party that wig is going to will be it's own wake." Z reached up and against his protests plucked the travesty to modern hairstyles off his head and tossed it in the nearest trash bin.
"Heeeeeyyyy!" he whined.
"Sorry Bridge it had to be done, trust me it's for the best."
"But now I have wig hair…you know like hat hair only worse." He pouted.
"Bridge with the normal state of your hair I doubt anyone will notice." She giggled.
"I'll have you know it takes me forever to get my hair to stick up just right." Bridge inched closer to her.
"You would do that on purpose." Z closed the distance between them by reaching up and running her fingers through his relentlessly disheveled mop of brown hair. It was softer then she had expected and stuck up almost of its on accord. Using her fingers she ruffled his hair causing it to stick up even more. Seemingly satisfied with her work she let her hands trail down his neck and locked her fingers together at the base.
"There is that better?" she asked gazing into his bright blue eyes.
"Definitely." He let his hands snake around her waist and pull her in to him. She could fell his breathing become heavier as his chest rose and fell against her. Tentatively he leaned in licking his lips nervously. She eagerly awaited his touch closing her eyes softly and tilting her head up slightly to meet his lips. Then the radio crackled to life.
"Bridge. Z. Come in." Sky's voice ruined her moment. No wonder Jack and Syd had been ignoring him. Quickly pulling away from her Bridge grabbed the radio from his back pocket, leaving her eyes still closed and her head still lifted, awaiting that which would never come. Silently she cursed the Blue Ranger and his inane ability to ruin moments.
"Sky what's wrong?" Bridge could hear the anguish in the voice of his best friend.
"It's Syd." He seemed to choke on her name.
That got Z's attention. Her head turned and her eye's snapped open at he sound of her roommates name and the tears that seemed to fill Sky's voice when he said it.
"We're on our way." Was Bridges immediate response. Grabbing Z by the hand they ran for the nearest elevator.
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When they got to the 20th floor Bridge didn't need to ask where exactly they were, he had only to follow the waves of sadness permeating the air, that and he heard Syd's CD still playing in the background. Breathless they ran into the girls bathroom and slid forward colliding with the man in the tux.
"What the…?" Z steadied herself with help from Sky. Looking down she saw the trails they had left through the blood that slicked the floor and screamed.
"Sky what happened?" Bridge asked his sullen roommate.
"They got Syd." Jack answered flatly
"Whose they?"
"Whoever it was that killed DC and stole our morphers."
"How? Weren't you both here?" Z asked accusingly. The two men looked down at the floor ashamed to admit that they had been fighting with each other while Syd was getting her throat cut. Bridge just shook his head at the silent answers and undid the Velcro on his gloves. Dragging his right hand across his field of vision he focused on the colors in front of him. There was a familiarity there that he couldn't quite place.
"Can somebody turn off the music so I can concentrate?" He asked irritably. Z stepped over the body of her friend and turned off her voice haunting them through the speakers.
"Thank you." Turning back to his vision he watched the events unfold and then almost immediately ran for the toilet.
"Bridge what did you see?" Z asked over the sound of him loosing his punch and cookies. A few minutes of gag inducing noises passed before Bridge finally emerged from the stall, pale and wiping the bile from his mouth.
"Bridge what was it?" she asked again. Bridge turned to the frazzled French maid and took a deep breath before answering.
"It was you." Z stared at him wide eyed and disbelieving.
"That's impossible! I was with you the whole time!" She yelled frantically.
"I know but the Yellow Ranger power is all over the place in here."
"Someone used the Yellow Ranger power to kill Syd?" Jack asked.
"Well that and a shard of glass from her own hand." Bridge looked down at the body of his fallen teammate before meeting his leaders gaze. She thought her earrings were diamond but someone switched them out with glass…"
"So that when she used her power…" Sky added catching on to where Bridge was going.
"Her fist shattered against the murderer." They all stood in silence with the gruesome mental image.
"We have to find whoever did this." Z whispered her own fists trembling in fury.
"We will." Jack promised his adopted sister.
"We have to." Sky stated. "Because we're next."
Bridge looked at Sky inquisitively. "Why do you say that?"
Sky indicated the mirror above the sink and the words written in blood upon it.
"Because it says Your Next."
Bridge turned from the mirror to his friend. "Wow Sky you are good."
Jack and Sky simultaneously rolled their eyes.
"Lets split up." Jack took the attention away from the bloody warning and Bridge. "But this time stay on the same floor, we'll work our way down together. Bridge and Z you take the rest of the classrooms, Sky and I will get the gym and simulator rooms." Jack took off his leather trench coat and covered Sydney's body, and then followed his team out the door.
"Okay guys lets go find out who did this and make them pay."
Before they could all leave Jack took Bridge aside from the others. When they were sufficiently out of Z's hearing range he turned to Bridge.
"You take care of her." He whispered harshly. "I kept her with you because I figured you would be able to know if something was coming." Bridge nodded his head in acknowledgement while looking over at the woman they both cared for." If anything happens I just want you to get her out of there. Never leave her alone!" Jack grimaced at the thought of his own mistake before continuing. "Call me and Sky and we'll take care of it, you understand?" Bridge glowered at Jack.
"You now Jack just because I don't have physical powers like you and Z and Sky doesn't mean I don't know how to take care of myself or anyone else for that matter." Jack was taken aback. Bridge angry was the most disconcerting thing he had ever seen.
"I didn't mean it like that Bridge." He tried to apologize.
"I can take care of her just fine." He stated while giving Jack his best angry glare, not having much practice in being angry at people it came out looking more like he was badly constipated.
"I know you can." Jack conceded giving his odd friend a light pat on the shoulder.
They wandered back over to the others and then split up and continued the manhunt.
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Jack and Sky walked in uncomfortable silence neither man looking at the other instead focusing on just about anything else. Finally Sky's demeaning tone hit Jacks eardrums with accusation.
"If you had been focused more on finding the killer instead of indulging your own pathetic needs she would still be alive."
"I would not go there if I were you." Jack muttered.
"And why not Jack? She was my friend." Both men winced at the use of past tense.
"She was my friend too." Jack continued to stare ahead of him, not wanting the egotistical bastard next to him to see the tears forming.
"No Jack to you she was just another piece of ass." Jack made a turn mid step and lunged at Sky.
"You have no idea what she was to me!" he screamed, landing a curled fist on the surprised jaw of Sky Tate knocking him to the ground. Now standing above him Jack contemplated kicking him in the groin but decided against it figuring Sky probably had nothing there to kick anyway.
"I loved her." Jack said quietly but confidently, before turning and walking away from the stunned man on the floor.
Sky pulled himself off the ground and sent a brief gaze in the direction that Jack had stormed off in.
"So did I." He whispered before turning and going the opposite direction.
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Is it just me or have I made Sky and Jack a lot more hostile towards each other than they actually ever were? Oh well writing their fights is, if truth be told, really fun! I enjoy coming up with new ways for Jack to insult Sky and how Sky just bluntly says things to piss off Jack. Too bad that may have been their last fight…ever! Oh crap…I think I just gave away too much! Coming up - WHO exactly is next?!
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