Chapter Six

Night had fallen hours ago, and SPD Headquarters lay silent and still as a tomb. Everyone was asleep, their snores and soft breathing filling the hallways around the dormitories. Silently, Shadow crept down the hall. It was risky for her to be sneaking out like this, but she needed to get out of the stifling environment in which the cadets lived. She glanced over her shoulder, checking to see if anyone was following her, and, satisfied that no one was there, exited the building, careful not to trip the silent alarm.

Free at last, Shadow breathed in the cold night air, allowing it to freeze her lungs before exhaling. Her breath formed a wispy white cloud that floated up into the dark sky, illuminated only by the stars and crescent moon. She took off, jogging across the grass. Her feet moved steadily beneath her, quickly acquiring a rhythm that propelled her down the street.

The park soon loomed ahead of her, streetlamps casting patches of light and eerie shadows across the grounds. Shadow made a beeline for one of the side entrances. Her steps slowed as she entered the park, her eyes scanning the shadows for the familiar figure.

"I thought SPD caught you." Shadow turned to face the tall, broad shouldered figure that stood only feet from her.

"Well you thought wrong." She retorted, eyeing up her companion. "So do you still have it?"

A spine-chilling laugh echoed through the quiet night as the figure pulled something out from his cloak. Shadow reached for the slim package he held out to her, but the figure held it just out of her reach.

"Uh-ah," he shook his cloaked head, "money first." Shadow dug into her pocket, pulling out the right amount. She held it out to the figure as he held out the package once more. At the same time they reached for what the other held, each drawing back with their wanted items.

With trembling hands, Shadow opened the package and reached inside, drawing out a flower. It was small, barely the size of Shadow's palm, egg shaped, and an odd blue-yellow-purple color.

Biting her lip, Shadow held the flower up to her nose and inhaled deeply, instantly feeling the high that came off the drug. Non-Earth drugs were so much better than the ones native to the once human-only populated planet. For one thing, humans never built up a tolerance to the alien drugs, they always got humans off on only one hit.

Shadow sighed happily as she felt her mind instantly clear of all thought. Her body loosened and her eyes drifted closed contentedly. It had been almost three days since she'd last had a hit, and the withdraw symptoms had begun to set in. Only a few hours before she had thought Z sprouted another head.

Leaning against a nearby tree trunk, Shadow sunk slowly to the ground as her legs turned to jelly beneath her. Her head lolled to the side as the drug took full affect and stripped her limbs of mobility and function. Soon she would be floating on a cloud of sheer bliss, feeling nothing and thinking nothing, caught up only in the pleasures of flying high above the earth.

It never even occurred to her that she could not even move the corners of her mouth, let alone any other part of her body. Too caught up in the pleasure, the high, the stress and worry free moments that the drug provided.


A noise in the hall startled Sky from his sleep. Glancing at Bridge to see if he too had heard the noise, the blue Ranger was greeted with the sight of his roommate drooling on his pillow. Shaking his head, his lips turned up in a slightly amused smirk, Sky turned his attention back to the noise. There it was again.

Slowly, silently, he slipped out of bed, quickly pulling on a shirt over his bare torso. He waited a moment, waiting for the whoever was out in the hall to travel some distance away before opening the door to his room and entering the corridor himself. He moved in the direction of the noise, his bare feet padding softly on the cold marble floor. There, up ahead, a person turned the corner. Sky followed quickly, keeping his distance.

A barely used side-door opened shut with a muffled click. Sky waited a few moments before following the figure outside. Gleaming brown hair caught the faint moonlight as the figure moved swiftly over the grass and towards the street. Sky followed all the way to the park.

He moved silently, waiting to catch the figure beneath a streetlamp to find out the identity of the late night prowler. From his hiding spot behind a large oak, Sky saw another figure emerge from the shadows, joining the first. They spoke for awhile, then an exchange happened. Sky couldn't see clearly what they were trading, but he had a faint guess as to what business two people would have to take care of in the middle of the night.

The first figure drew something out of the package they received, and placed it up to their nose, and, as they breathed in, took two steps back, as if they had lost control of their limbs for a second. The figure took a few more steps back, resting against the base of a tree that stood directly in a circle of light. Sky smirked triumphantly as he caught sight of Shadow slowly sinking to the ground.

Finally, he thought maliciously, something that I can use against her. Now Cruger will have to get rid of her. He couldn't wait to get back to headquarters and report Shadow's use of illegal substances to the Commander.

Shadow's companion knelt over her as she sat there, lost in the bliss of the drug. Sky watched the cloaked figure curiously, what was going to happen now? The figure cast a look around, Sky slid further back in the dark. Finally, content that he believed no one was around, the figure drew something from his cloak. Sky strained to see what it was, only able to make out that it was long and had a long, silver edge. A needle of some kind, the Ranger was sure of it. A metallic blue fluid filled the syringe. Sky racked his brain for what type of substance was that unique color.

He moved closer, staying in the gloom, until he was in earshot.

"Well my dear," the figure said as a slim finger tapped the bubbles out of the syringe, "it's time that I paid you back for nearly getting me caught the other night. I don't like coming that close to SPD cadets, and you're about to find out just how much." His malicious laughter rang through the night as he poised the needle above Shadow's arm.

Sky's hero mode kicked in and he felt himself moving at a run towards the mysterious figure. He leapt into the air and kicked out. His foot connected with the figure's arm, causing the needle to fly from his hand and fall into the grass only a yard away. The figure held its arm tight against its chest, crying out in pain and shock. The figure stood as Sky landed on the ground, and lunged at the cadet. Sky dodged him easily, delivering a roundhouse kick to the figure's back as his momentum carried him past Sky. He whirled back around, his black cape billowing out around him, the hood remaining fast atop his head, keeping his face shrouded. His angry breathing filling the air.

The figure lunged again, his hands held out, ready to grip Sky around the throat. The Ranger gripped the hands, bone white and cold, in his own and twisted them, nearly snapping his opponent's wrists. The figure gave a shriek of pain as Sky bore him to the ground, his grip still tight on the cold hands. The cadet kicked his assailant in the stomach, releasing his hands at the same time, and allowing the figure to fall back on the grass, his hood still hiding his face. The figure scrambled across the grass, feverishly putting as much distance between him and Sky as he could until, finally, he got up and ran.

"Coward." Sky muttered angrily, shaking his head in disgust. A low, breathy sigh brought his attention back to Shadow, who lay slumped amid the roots of the tree. Her eyes were open, her stare vacant. Sky knelt beside her, feeling her pulse. It was weak, barely a flutter beneath his strong hands, but it was there. Content that she was still alive, Sky reached for the package that she had dropped earlier.

"Mage flower." He said to himself as he pulled the drug out. He shook his head sadly. "You sure are messed up in some bad crap." He said, looking down at Shadow.

And Mage flower certainly was 'bad crap'. The most toxic of any other drug that the galaxy had to offer, only those who had built up a tolerance to all other drugs sought the high that this potent flower could bring.

Filled with unsolicited pity for Shadow, Sky sighed and placed the flower back in its envelope.

"Come on," he said, pulling Shadow into his arms and standing. She lay limp as a rag doll, and light as a feather in his arms. "Let's get you home."


Her head felt as if it had been beat against an anvil as Shadow opened her eyes. Sunlight fought to break through the closed shades of her bedroom window. She groaned, slinging an arm over her eyes to block out the few rays of light that did manage to penetrate the room.

Wait a second, she thought, sitting up quickly in bed, causing her head to pound even more, how did I get back to my room? I don't remember ever leaving the park. But of course she wouldn't remember getting back to her room, right? After all, a hit after a few days without one would certainly cause her to black out a few memories, wouldn't it? All Shadow could recall was that wonderful floating feeling and the meadow of beautiful flowers that she had seemed to fly over.

Groggily, she pulled herself out of bed, even though all she wanted to do was lie in bed forever. She knew, however, that someone would come looking for her and Shadow didn't want anyone finding her in her current state. She pulled her clothes off and stumbled into the shower, hoping that the scalding hot water would bring her out of the post drugged state that she was currently in.

Freshly showered and changed, and slightly refreshed, Shadow made her way down the hall towards the Cadet lounge. The lounge was empty, except for one person when she got there. Sky sat reading a book in one of the chairs, his feet propped up on a large cushion.

"Where is everybody?" Shadow asked, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the doorframe. Sky glanced up at her, his eyes barely registering her presence before turning back to his book.

"I told them to go on ahead and start training, I would wait for you to get up." He stood, placing his book down on the chair and walked over to her.

"I trust you had a good night last night." The way he was looking at her, his eyes boring into hers, made Shadow start. He knew. She didn't know how he knew, but he knew.

"How do you…"

"Next time you plan on sneaking out, I'd advise you to be a bit more quiet about it." Sky said, brushing past her. "Oh and Shadow," she turned to look at him where he now stood in the hall, "I wouldn't go back to using a supplier that tried to kill me."

Before Shadow could ask him what he meant, Sky had disappeared.


Short chapter, but hopefully a good one. Please review and tell me what you thought and don't forget to cast your vote for who you want Shadow to end up with. The count now currently stands at:

Sky-8

Jack-16