Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. The ones you recognize belong to Saban. Jane Mitchell is the original creation of Pink Lightspeed Ranger, and it's on her request that I wrote this oneshot! In her story, Jane is Dana and Ryan's younger half sister.
"Kick it here, Dana!"
10-year-old Dana Mitchell barely glanced up from the book she was reading at her younger half-sister, Jane. The soccer ball had landed near the bench she was currently occupying. She ignored her, engrossed in her biography of Clara Barton.
Jane bounced over to her sister, her black hair bouncing in its ponytail. "Come on, Day," she wheedled. "Please come kick a few with me?"
"I'm almost done with this chapter," Dana sighed. "Why is it you always come interrupt at the good parts?"
The nine-year-old stuck her tongue out. "'Cause I can," Jane replied, picking up her ball and tossing it back and forth in her hands. Then, she was off, dribbling the ball as she went, her eyes looking around at the skyscrapers of Mariner Bay, never losing track of the soccer ball. She popped it up with her foot, catching it on her head and sending it flying into the grass. Jane chased after it.
She glanced back down the hill. Dana was still reading her book. Jane shook her head. Her bigger sister read really fast, she knew. There was no way she was still on the same chapter she'd been on. Probably just kept going, Jane decided. She bit her bottom lip, and then grinned slyly. She set the ball down like she was setting up for a penalty kick, then-ichi, ni, san!- let loose with her left leg.
The soccer ball sailed down the hill, gaining momentum the farther down the slope it got. It was headed directly for Dana.
Clara Barton became determined to have the United States join the Red Cross organization. In 1881-
Dana's book went flying from her hands, up and over the bench to land in the grass behind her. "Hey!" Dana sat up furiously, looking for whoever it had been that had taken her book out of her hands. She looked down at her book, then at the soccer ball resting just inches away. "Jane!" she yelled, shaking her head. She picked up the soccer ball and her book, looking back up the hill to where Jane was standing, arms crossed over her chest triumphantly. "I'll show her," Dana said with half a smile. She set the book down on the bench, then picked up the soccer ball as she came around to the front. Dana tossed the ball just a bit in front of her, and then drop-kicked the ball in Jane's direction. Except she'd purposely put her full strength into the kick.
The ball sailed over the top of her sister's head and down the other side of the hill.
"Hey!" Jane yelled angrily.
Dana shrugged. "Sorry!" she yelled back, not sounding it.
"Why'd you do that?" Jane came sprinting down the hill, catching up to her sister easily.
"Because I'm trying to read," Dana shot back, as if it was obvious. "Look, when Dad said to go to the park, he didn't say we had to play together. I have to get this book back to the library pretty soon, and I'm almost done."
Jane nodded in understanding. "Oohkayy," she said. "Can we play after?"
Dana nodded. "You bet."
"Hey, is this yours?"
Both girls turned at the sound of a boy's voice. The boy coming toward them was wearing a red t-shirt with a pocket on the front, blue jeans, and white sneakers. He was holding Jane's ball in his hands. He looked to be about Dana's age, maybe a little older.
"That's mine," Jane said, snatching it out of his hands. "Where'd you find it?"
The boy looked at her. "It almost hit me in the head," he told her. "I was riding my bike and it came flying through the air! Mom told me to wear my helmet today, but I don't think flying soccer balls was the reason why!"
"That was my fault," Dana apologized, digging into the grass with the toe of her jelly sandal. "I kicked it too high for Jane to get it." Jane looked at her sister. Dana's cheeks were pink, and she was pretty sure it wasn't because it was warm out. She think he's cute! Jane studied him. I mean, he's okay, I guess.
"You should play on a team," the boy informed Dana. "'Cause that's a pretty good kick!"
"I play on the city league," Jane informed him hotly. "On the boy's team. 'Cause the girls' teams don't want me."
The boy eyed her. "You're proud of that?"
"It's because she's so competitive," Dana cut in, defending her little sister. "She just fits in better with the boys."
"Oh," the boy said. "That's pretty cool." He stuck out a hand. "I'm Carter."
"I'm Dana," Dana introduced herself. She tossed a thumb at Jane. "And that's my sister, Jane."
He looked at blonde-haired Dana and dark-haired Jane in confusion. "You guys are sisters?"
"Half," Dana explained.
"Oh sure, okay," Carter replied. "Hey, uh, I don't suppose you guys wanna hang out for a little bit? I was supposed to meet a friend here today but he never came, and it's too nice out to go home." He shoved his hands in his pockets awkwardly. "'Cause um, it's hard to play firefighters all by yourself."
"Sure!" Dana said quickly. "Sounds like fun!" She tagged along after Carter, heading for the playground equipment.
Jane crossed her arms over her chest, one foot on her ball. "Oh sure, now she wants to play," she grumbled. "Hey! Wait for me!"