Alrighty, so I know that in the first chapter I said that Shadow was named for her great-grandmother, but, after doing the math, I decided to change it to her grandmother. You'll see why when you read this chapter. Also, I'd like to thank all of you who have reviewed so far. You guys rock!
Chapter Three
The sun had just crested the horizon, and the sky was painted a brilliant orange-pink, its beauty enhanced by the low hanging, puffy clouds. Shadow lay on the hard plastic bed-like thing that sat in her cell. Her back ached and she was ready to get out of there.
"Hi, I'm Syd." Shadow glanced over at the cell door and the chipper blonde who stood on the other side.
"My gosh, it's SPD Barbie." She remarked dryly. "Look," she sat up on the bench, "are you gonna let me outa here or not?"
"Sorry," Syd shrugged, "I'm only supposed to bring you to Commander Cruger."
"Than I'd rather stay here." Shadow lay back down, her hands behind her head.
"You are coming with us." She rolled her eyes at the harsh and commanding voice. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, Shadow caught sight of the man that had first placed her in the cell.
"Yeah right dude," she returned her gaze the stark white ceiling. "I'm not going anywhere with you."
The cell door opened, but Shadow didn't move her gaze from the ceiling. A rough hand clamped on her wrist and pulled her up to a sitting position. She scowled when she came face to face with Sky's cold eyes.
"You are coming with us." He repeated in the same icy tone. Shadow met his stare with her own.
"You know what, I have had it up to here with your 'I'm an SPD Ranger so that makes me better than you' attitude." she pulled his hand off her wrist and threw it away from her. "So you know what buddy, I don't really give a crap about what you say."
His eyes flashed with unbridled anger and Shadow smirked at the fact that she could get beneath his skin.
"She's not going to listen to you, Sky." Syd said from the cell door, "Maybe you should go. I can take her to Cruger myself." Sky looked at his teammate over his shoulder and shook his head.
"No," he said, "she'll come." He grabbed Shadow's arm once more. She bit her lip to keep from wincing as his fingers dug into her sensitive skin. Sky pulled her to her feet, his fingers biting into the pale skin of her lower arm and turning the skin beneath his grip red.
"Sky, let her go." Shadow and Sky both looked towards the door to see Jack standing beside Syd. The other man had a harsh glare trained n Sky, and his lips were turned down in a deep frown.
Sky bristled to see Jack there, his I'm-your-leader-and-you-do-as-I-say look on his face. Sky dropped the prisoner's hand, glancing at Jack as if to say 'you win this round, but I'll beat you next time.' Jack gave a small nod before turning his attention to the prisoner.
"The Commander would like a word with you, Shadow." He said, "Would you please come with me?"
Sky frowned as Shadow smirked and waltzed past him to follow Jack.
"You alright, Sky?" Syd asked once Jack and Shadow had disappeared down the hall. She placed a hand on his shoulder, which Sky quickly shrugged off.
"I'm fine." he replied before storming out of the holding cell.
Why did he allow that woman to continually get under his skin? Sky had never let anyone, not even Jack, rankle his nerves as that prisoner did. Ever since she had refused arrest the night before, Sky had continually allowed her to make him mad, and rash in his decisions.
Opening his bedroom door, Sky angrily fell onto his bed and beat his pillow until it was just the right shape before pushing it beneath his head. He stared at the ceiling and allowed his anger to stew deep inside of him. Anger at Jack, anger at the prisoner, and anger at himself.
Commander Cruger stood in front of Jack and Shadow, surveying the girl with soft, yet calculating eyes. Shadow stood, arms crossed in front of her chest, and returned his gaze. Jack glanced from the Commander to Shadow, wondering what was going to happen next.
"So you are the young lady who caused my cadets so much trouble last night." Commander Cruger said, breaking the silence. Shadow smirked, something that, Jack noticed, she did often.
"Yes sir," she replied, "I am."
He could have been imagining it, but Jack was almost certain that he saw Cruger's lips turn up ever so slightly in an amused smile.
"I must say, if Cadet Landers's re-telling of the night is correct, you are quite the fighter."
"Thank you sir." A genuine smile replaced the smirk on Shadow's face and Jack couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked.
"I have a question to ask you, miss…"
"What is the meaning of this?" A shrill voice cried. Jack turned towards the door which had just opened. A couple stood there, their arms locked together.
The man was tall, with brown hair and eyes that reminded Jack of Shadow's. The woman, nearly a head shorter than her partner, had a pinched look on her face and her cerulean blue eyes stared around the room with disdain. It was the woman who had spoken.
"Oh no," Shadow muttered beside Jack.
"May I help you?" Commander Cruger asked.
"Yes you can, you can release our daughter at once." The woman commanded. Shadow sighed. Jack glanced at her and caught her rolling her eyes.
"What my wife means," the man placed a calming hand on his wife's shoulder, "Kim couldn't have done anything wrong. You must have the wrong person in custody."
"Mr. and Mrs."
"Oliver," the man offered. Cruger nodded politely.
"Mr. and Mrs. Oliver," He began again, "I assure you that our keeping your daughter has nothing to do with her committing any crime."
"Then why is she here?" Mrs. Oliver cried. Jack could see Shadow biting her lip, her eyes shifting from her parents to Cruger then back.
"I was actually going to ask…Kim, before you both interrupted me, if she would be willing to join Cadet Landers and his team as the newest Power Ranger." Cruger said.
"What?" Jack, Shadow, and her parents said at the same time. Jack looked at the young woman beside him. She met his eye, then quickly looked away.
A Power Ranger, her? Shadow looked around the room and all the people who were staring at her, awaiting her answer.
All her life she'd been trying to forge her own path, make her own identity, and step out of the shadow of her grandparents' legacy. Her entire life she had been raised on stories of her grandparents, Kimberly Hart and Tommy Oliver, two Rangers from the original Power Ranger team. Her father had lived with the same of never being chosen to follow in his parents' footsteps, and he had trained Shadow since birth to fight so that, when Power Rangers were needed once more, she would be ready. But she had never wanted to be a Ranger, she wanted only to be her own person. However she didn't know who she actually was.
After speaking with Cruger for a bit longer, Shadow and her parents had returned home. Now she stood in her father's study, chewing on the pad of her thumb and pacing the floor. Her mother had gone to bed, claiming a headache, as soon as they got home. It was just her and her father now.
"This is what we've always wanted Kimmy." Her father said from his seat behind his desk. He was the only one who she allowed to call her Kimmy.
"No dad, it's what you've always wanted." Shadow shook her head and faced her father. He looked shocked, and hurt. She sighed, sorry that she had said anything to hurt him. Her father was her best friend, the person that she talked to when she needed someone to listen. But, sometimes, she couldn't help but think that he was constantly pushing her to be something that she wasn't.
"I'm sorry dad," she went to his side and knelt, taking his hand in hers, "I know how you feel about never being a Power Ranger like Grandma and Grandpa, but that's never been what I wanted."
The elder man sighed.
"And what is it that you want?"
"I don't know, but I do know that I'm tired of being pushed to be something I'm not."
"You don't see it Kimmy, but I do. You have your grandmother's spirit, and your grandfather's natural ability. You could be one of the greatest Rangers to ever walk this earth. But, if this is really not what you want, I understand. Your mother might not," he rolled his eyes, causing Shadow to laugh, "but I do."
She kissed his cheek lovingly and stood.
"Thank you daddy."
"The prisoner, a Power Ranger? What is Cruger thinking?" Sky cried. The B squad Rangers were assembled in the Cadet lounge, where Jack had just told them what had transpired only moments before.
"She's a good fighter." Jack replied, "Cruger thinks she would be a good addition to the team, and so do I."
"You just want her on the team 'cause you think she's cute." Sky accused, glaring at the red Ranger. Jack rounded on him and Sky stood to meet his challenge.
"Hey you two." Z quickly stepped between them, "Let's not get into another fight."
"Yeah," Syd joined Z, "You guys have fought enough. It's time you stopped."
"I gotta agree with the girls on this one," Bridge added. Sky snorted.
"We don't need another Ranger," he said, "we're doing just fine without any help."
"I hate to say this," Jack sighed, "but I agree with you Sky. But it doesn't matter. If Cruger says he wants her to help us, and if Shadow agrees, she is going to be a part of this team."
Sky shook his head, there was no way that girl was going to join the Rangers. Not if Sky had anything to say about it.
"Commander Cruger?" Shadow walked into the office of the SPD leader.
"Miss Oliver," Cruger stood from behind his desk.
"It's Shadow." she said. He nodded.
"Have you come to a decision?"
"Cadets," Jack looked up to see Cruger standing in the doorway of the lounge, "I'd like you to meet your new teammate, Miss Shadow Oliver." Shadow stepped from behind him and waved at the five Rangers.
"Hi."
Well, I hope you all liked this chapter. I know that Shadow said she didn't want to be a Power Ranger and all that and then she goes and joins. I'll explain all that in the next chapter. Please review and tell me what you thought. And don't forget to vote for who you want Shadow to end up with. The vote currently stands at:
Sky: 6
:Jack: 11
Sky/Syd pairing: 11
:PS. I know that a lot of you want Sky and Syd to get together, but I'm not sure if they will. It depends on if their pairing would fit into the story or not.
