Author: Jadelyn Tate

Story: Begotten

Characters: RJ, Kim

Disclaimer: I own no one, the idea of RJ and Kim being siblings is all Tara's over at PRU's, I'm just expanding it into a fic.

Summery: A Shark. A Crane. A Wolf. And you thought your family had issues.

Author Notes: Hee. The "illness" will be explained, I promise. Also, Kim is kinda OOC in this chapter, but that, too, will be explained. :D


"Dude, that was…slammin…"

Casey looked at what had deflated RJ's hype. There, standing in the middle of the Loft and looking thunderous, was Kimberly. Just before the battle that had led to RJ getting possessed, Phant and Swoop had dragged the young woman away to train her as a Pua Zhua student since her father was working on something for Mao and couldn't do it himself. They had informed Kim that if she was going to train the cubs as a ranger, she was going to get trained as a Pua Zhua. Kim had grudgingly agreed and left with the intent of being gone for twelve days.

That was a week ago.

"…crap…" Casey muttered quietly and gingerly began backing away. Theo and Lily did the same, confusing Dominic.

"Hey!" RJ greeted her with a worried smile. "Aren't you supposed to be gone for like, five more days?"

"Casey, Theo, Lily, go downstairs and take the Rhino with you," she ordered quietly, no taking her eyes off her brother.

"Come on, Dom, lets go…crap," Casey muttered again as Dominic shook him off. He moved forward, his most charming smile in place as he gently grabbed Kim's hand. RJ rolled his eyes even as Dominic placed a gentle kiss on Kim's knuckles.

"I'm Dominic, beautiful lady," he introduced himself with a roguish grin. Kim simply stared at him, her expression blank despite the anger rolling off her in waves.

"Unless you want to find out firsthand just why the cubs are backing away in fear, I suggest you let go of my person," she informed him coolly and his grin fell. Her eyes flashed pink when he didn't release her fingers. "Now."

He hastily dropped her hand and backed away, as Casey noted that RJ hadn't moved and was watching Kimberly warily. Theo made a disgruntled sound in the back of his throat.

"I'm not scared!" he burst out. Kim raised an eyebrow in the three teens direction.

"Go downstairs," she ordered. The group balked at her tone. Theo shot away, Lily hot on his heels. Casey stayed long enough to drag Dominic with him as he left.

"Kimberly…" RJ began but trailed off when Kim simply looked at him.

"You promised, Requiem," she said, her voice calm. RJ winced; oh yeah, she was pissed. She never used his real name unless she was pissed or worried. "You sat in this very Loft and promised me you would not create a new ranger without at least warning me ahead of time."

"I know and I'm sorry," RJ agreed, even as he rushed to defend himself. "But Dom showed up and he found out we were rangers and he wanted to help and--"

"And he nearly got a civilian squished," she interrupted him. "We're here to protect civilians, RJ, not squish 'em!"

"How'd you know about that?" RJ asked, confused. Kim glowered at him and he winced. "Not the time?

"Not even close."

"Right," he agreed. "Look, Dom means well and he's pretty powerful. He's needed."

"No, he's not," she informed him. "He may be wanted by you, but he's not needed."

"But--"

"You can not simply create morphers when it suits your desires, Requiem."

"But--"

"There has to be balance and if your boy is as powerful as you claim then you just gave Dai Shi more power as well."

"But--"

"Your power up wasn't needed anymore than this one was."

"We don't have to--"

"Casey is having enough issues with you on the team as it is; how is he going to handle the joking rhino who thinks spying on private conversations is okay?"

RJ jerked at that. A flicker of annoyance passed his features as he saw Dom come of hiding from the alley entrance to the loft.

"What are you doing up here?" RJ asked but Dom ignored him. Instead, he crossed his arms and stared at Kimberly angrily.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" he demanded. "This is RJ's team, his parlor, his home! What gives you the right to waltz in here and start questioning his decisions and ordering his team around?"

Without warning, a piercing cry echoed through the room before a pink, white, and gold crane spirit materialized and began attacking the Rhino Ranger. Even as he turned on Kimberly angrily, RJ couldn't help but be impressed with how effortlessly she managed to control the Crane.

"Cut that out!" he hissed and Kim raised an eyebrow. RJ made a face. "Please?"

Just as quickly as it had began, the attack stopped. The three teens who had come up when they heard the crane, all winced in sympathy at the cuts on Dominic's face. He looked up at her incredously.

"You're Pua Zhua!" he exclaimed and Kimberly smirked.

"I'm not Pua Zhua," she informed him coolly as she held out a hand. RJ, Dom, and the four teens all gaped as the ivory band that hid Dom's morpher faded from his wrist only to reappear on her palm. Kim flicked her own wrist and the morpher disappeared entirely. At his incensed look, Kim merely raised an eyebrow.

"I am the Jungle Fury Guardian and until I say otherwise, you are no longer a ranger."