"She's so stuck up and full of herself!" ranted Conner.
It was the middle of the morning only a few days after the training incident with Kellie. Clearly, Conner had not forgiven the girl for her vicious session with him, making him look like a fool. Though he had successfully learned that Kellie had once been as bad as he was, it wasn't enough.
Ethan shrugged from behind his laptop, focused on his computer game as opposed to Conner's temper tantrum. "You have to admit that she's pretty knowledgeable about the Rangers. She's dealt with the double life a lot longer than us, anyway."
"Whatever… I bet I could kick her ass if we were in Ranger mode," Conner replied bitterly.
"That's not the point," Kira said as she sat down between the two boys at their round table. She set down her glass of soda, rolling her eyes at Conner's puzzled expression. "Kellie is here to help. Maybe if you didn't give her such a bad attitude, she'd be nicer to you."
Conner growled. "I don't have a bad attitude."
A snicker came from Ethan while he continued to type on his laptop, and Kira took a long drink of her soda to hide her smug grin.
"Oh, thanks, guys," said Conner while standing up to leave.
"Come on, we didn't mean it," Ethan closed his laptop, giving his dark-haired friend his full attention.
Conner just shrugged them off, walking out of the cyber café in a huff. As he stepped outside, the brunette found that the darkened clouds that had been looming overhead when he first came in were letting off giant droplets of rain. This wasn't unusual, considering it was the middle of September. Of course, Conner hadn't expected any sort of showers from the sky, so he wasn't dressed for the bad weather. With a groan, watching raindrops splatter in the street, he tried to think of a dry way to get home.
Conveniently enough, he spotted Kellie just across the street, coming out of one of the clothing shops empty handed. She stopped beside a copper-brown, Nissan Datsun pickup truck and struggled to unlock the driver's door. Conner recalled what Kira had told him; if he was nicer, perhaps Kellie would be, too.
Quickly, running across the street, he waved Kellie down. "Hey! You want some help?"
"Uh…" Kellie looked at him uncertainly, "Sure, I guess. My key doesn't turn well in the lock."
Conner took the lanyard from Kellie and searched for the car key. Sliding the gold key into the lock, he turned it and unlocked the door easily. Kellie looked absolutely stunned. The key hadn't even threatened to break!
"Thanks," muttered Kellie while snatching her lanyard back.
"So, do you think you can give me a ride to my house to repay me?" Conner asked tentatively.
Kellie inhaled sharply. A simple 'thank you' wouldn't suffice? After taking a few moments to think it over, the girl shrugged. "Yeah… Get in."
The two climbed into the old truck and Kellie started it, pulling out on to the main road without bothering to check for traffic. Conner was a little surprised considering this girl was more reckless than he thought, and the fact that she drove manual as if she had been driving her entire life.
"You're still full of surprises… By the way, I never did find out what city you're from."
"Portland, Oregon."
"That's not too far away, I guess, but I bet it's a whole lot different than Reefside, right?"
"Chyeah," Kellie nodded, "Except for the rain. That's a normal thing for us."
"So I've heard," Conner replied while stretching his arms, "Why did you leave Portland, anyway?"
Kellie glanced out of her side mirror to avoid eye contact. "Just... to train you, I guess."
"Dr. Oliver made it sound like it was more than that."
With a sigh, Kellie frowned. "It's those meth labs in my basement. I just can't stop."
"Be serious!" Conner growled.
"I'm allergic to pine trees. The real ones, not the car fresheners."
Conner let out an exasperated sigh, "Next you're going to tell me you're allergic to rain."
"Just acid rain. But the meth has built a good immunity to it."
"Are you ever serious?"
"Only on days starting with 'Q'."
"You know what?" Conner asked as he sat up, "I would get out right now if it wasn't so rainy and cold… and wet…"
Kellie threw her head back and laughed, "And the fact that we're going about forty-five miles per hour?"
"Whatever… You're just—"
Conner was cut off by a familiar cell phone melody which caused him to jump. Glancing to Kellie's right hand, which was searching through her bright green purse, he noticed that she had a large, red gash across the top of her hand. Arching his eyebrow, he watched closely as the brunette brought the flip-phone to her ear. The wound, Conner thought, didn't look self-inflicted. Kellie was a fighter, and he realized that he needed to expect ugly scars, even on women like Kira or Kellie.
"Hey, Tobias," Kellie said cheerfully into the phone and paused for a few seconds before speaking again. "Reefside isn't as bad as I imagined it to be."
Conner's thoughts started to wander. "Who's Tobias? Why didn't she mention him? Maybe it's her brother…"
"Well, I'd better go," Kellie continued, "I'm driving, that's why! I love you, bye!" She said hurriedly and shut the phone.
Dropping the phone, Kellie felt eyes staring at her and she turned to find Conner glaring.
"What?" Kellie asked, annoyed.
"Tobias… Who's that?"
Kellie blushed at the question, "Tobias is my boyfriend, and also a Zodiac Ranger."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Conner cried. "How many of you are there?"
"Four so far. Why?" Kellie asked innocently.
"Are you telling me that there are three other Rangers in Portland?"
"Yes… We're the Zodiac Rangers, Conner. I'm Sagittarius, and the others are Leo, Virgo and Aquarius. I suppose you could say that evil has taken a break in our town, so that's some of the reason why I'm here now. I'm experienced."
Conner looked offended by this remark. "And I'm not?"
"Well, have you ever come face to dace with the strongest of all your enemies?"
"…Not yet."
"Then there's your problem," Kelli stated.
"Yeah, and here's my street. I'll just walk the rest of the way," Conner said lowly, removing his seatbelt.
Kellie stopped the truck and watched as Conner got out, then slammed the door. He stormed off angrily, and Kellie sighed to herself, driving on.