"The Wolf and the Debutante"

Disclaimer:
Hasn't changed. Chapter 1.

The Rematch

"Syd?" Commander Anubis Cruger asked, his voice shaking ever so slightly. "How are you feeling?" Sitting up-with a little help from Cruger-Syd replied "All right, I guess. A little weak but other than that, I'm fine." Thank God she's all right...Commander Cruger thought to himself at the sound of her response. "Well, we're all just glad you're okay..." With that, the other rangers and Kat walked in.

"You okay, Syd?" Sky asked, concerned for his friend's wellbeing. Nodding in agreement, Bridge added "Yeah, you took a pretty good hit..." Nodding as she brushed off their concerns, Syd replied "Yeah, I'm fine." The others stayed and visited for a while, mostly about how worried they'd all been for Syd after the fight and how amazing Cruger was when he destroyed Darkonda...or atleast when they all thought he destroyed Darkonda.

Back at Grumm's lair, Darkonda approached Grumm. "You rang, sir?" He asked in his usual menacing voice. Turning to face Darkonda, Grumm replied "Yes...I understand you handled a battle with the rangers fairly well...For someone who was thought to be destroyed..." Infuriated at the understatement of his performance, Darkonda shot back "Fairly well? I would have destroyed those pathetic rangers-" Cutting him off, Broodwing interjected "Had the Shadow Ranger not destroyed you?"

Sighing frustratedly, Darkonda replied "He merely had the element of surprise. I was not expecting him to be so powerful after the feeble attempts the other rangers had made...But now, I will be ready..." Angrily, Grumm snapped "You had better be! Now, go! And don't return until you've destroyed all the rangers!" Nodding in acceptance of his task, Darkonda replied "Yes, sir!" As Darkonda turned to leave, Grumm shouted "Wait!" Turning back to face Grumm, Darkonda asked "Yes, my lord?" Menacingly, Grumm added "Whatever you do...Do not destroy the Shadow Ranger..." Confused about his new orders, Darkonda asked "What do you mean? I thought you wanted me to destroy all the rangers?"

Sighing menacingly, Grumm continued "I do...But, I will deal with the Shadow Ranger personally..." Nodding, Darkonda replied "Yes, sir!" With that, he turned and left to carry out his orders. Soon, he arrived in downtown Newtech City. "Oh, rangers...Come out, come out wherever you are..." He taunted.

Meanwhile, back at the SPD headquarters, the rangers heard an all too familiar alert. "All rangers to the command center immediately." As all the rangers made their way to the command center, Kat addressed them. "Guess who's back?" She asked, knowing they all knew full well who she was talking about. "Impossible..." Remarked Sky when he saw Darkonda attacking downtown. "I thought Commander Cruger destroyed him?" Jack asked in addition to Sky's remark.

Turning to Jack and the other rangers, Kat added "He did. But, according to my research, this guy litterally has the nine lives of a cat..." Not liking the sound of that, Z asked "Oh great! You mean we gotta destroy this freak eight more times?" Shaking her head slightly, Kat replied "Not exactly...He's already used up eight of his lives. He's only got one life left." Still furious over what Darkonda had done to Sydney, Cruger spoke up.

"Well, then let's go cut it short..." He spoke up angrily. Turning to face him, the others all replied in unison "Right." Turning to Syd, Cruger added "Listen, Syd, I think it would be in your best interest to sit this one out..." Furious at being underminded like she was, Syd replied "What? Commander, I told you, I'm fine..." In her defense, Z turned to Commander Cruger and added "Besides, Commander, we all know how tough Darkonda can be, we could really use the help."

Adding to Z's comment, Bridge replied "Yeah, Commander. I mean, the way I see it, we really don't have a choice. We need Syd..." Sighing frustratedly in defeat, Commander Cruger added "All right. Just be careful, Syd. We don't need a repeat of last time..." Nodding, Syd added "Yes, sir." With that out of the way, Jack spoke up. "Ready?" Turning to Jack, the others all shouted in unison "Ready!" Drawing their morphers, the rangers shouted "SPD! Emergency!"

Once again arriving on the scene, Jack shouted to Darkonda "Hold it right there, Darkonda!" Turning to see the rangers arrive, Darkonda replied "Try and stop me, rangers!" With that, Darkonda charged at the rangers as the battle ensued. Throughout the battle, Syd noticed Cruger being rather protective of her. Why is he being so protective of me...Doesn't he know I can take care of myself?...Syd thought to herself.

Finally, the battle came to an end when Cruger energized his Shadow Sabre and fired at Darkonda. Once again, Darkonda was destroyed in a tangled mess of flames. Powering down, all the rangers then returned to SPD Headquarters. Once back at the headquarters, Syd approached Commander Cruger.

"Commander, could I speak with you? In private?" She asked in her usual sweet little voice. Nodding, Commander Cruger added "Of course, Sydney..." Once they'd made their way away from the others, Syd turned to Cruger as she asked "Commander, why exactly were you so protective of me back in there in the fight?" Knowing he'd been caught, Cruger replied hesitantly "Sydney, you wouldn't believe me if I told you..." Sensing that he was hiding something, Syd replied "Well, you could tell me anyway..." Sighing, Cruger hesitated before he continued "Because...Because I love you and I'll be damned if I lose you like I lost Aisynia..."

Syd was speechless. That wasn't exactly the response she'd expected. Mentally kicking himself for saying what he had, Commander Cruger added "I knew it...I was too forward, wasn't I?" Finally finding her voice again, Syd replied "N-No...No that's not it at all...It's just...I had no idea you felt that way...Actually, I guess now that we're being honest there's probably something I should tell you, too..." Not expecting that response, he replied "What is it?" Smiling up into his softened caring eyes, Syd replied "I love you, too, Commander..."