Disclaimer: Power Rangers does not belong to me, because if it did, there would have been a lot more ranger romance. Now don't y'all agree? (smiles)
A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading and reviewing "The Perfect Valentine's Day." The overwhelming support for this story has honestly bowled me over. I very happy that y'all are enjoying it so much. So anyways, keep looking for that special Valentine and please continue to R&R!
Chapter 3: Money Can't Buy Love
Takes places the morning of Valentine's Day
"Happy Valentine's Day, Sky my sweetie!" bellowed Syd to her boyfriend as she entered the Command Center.
"Please don't ever call me that again in public," demanded Sky, hearing snickers and subsequently feeling his ears grow hot. "In fact Syd, don't ever call me that again period. Besides, the Command Center is not a place for romance."
"But…" objected Syd, sticking out her lower lip.
"I have to completely agree with Cadet Tate in this case," injected their SPD Commander Doggie Cruger. "The Command Center is no place for puppy love. Cadet Tate, you are hereby instructed to take the day off in order to commemorate this important holiday," directed Doggie, winking at Syd.
"Oh Doggie, thank you thank you thank you," squealed Syd in delight, grabbing Sky's jacket sleeve and practically dragging her boyfriend out of the Command Center in happiness.
"Sir, I'm the red ranger!" protested Sky as his workaholic nature kicked into survival mode. "I can't take the day off! What if…."
"You will celebrate Valentine's Day with your girlfriend, Cadet Tate!" growled Commander Cruger. "That's an order. Besides," he added, his voice growing light, "Even I'm cooking up some kibble and bits for my wife tonight!"
"Commander!" responded Sky stunned, but by then the red ranger had already been hauled into the hallway by his Valentine's Day crusader of a girlfriend.
"Z got another gift from her secret admirer today," Syd informed Sky as she towed him down the hall to her room. "It was one of those French beret hats she is always wearing, except this one was in yellow. Z's now totally infatuated with her mystery man."
"Sounds like Z's secret admirer is doing a good job with her," snickered Sky, starting to chuckle.
"I would whole-heartedly agree myself!" replied Syd before breaking into laughter along with Sky. "Who says money can't buy love?"
"It's about time those two had some romance in their lives…" began Sky.
"… especially since they were the ones that played Cupid to set the two us up," finished Syd, pushing Sky into her bedroom. "It's great that Bridge and Z are now both finding someone for themselves."
"Even though they needed a push in the right direction to do it," posed Sky amusedly, once again causing Syd to giggle.
"Here!" said Syd skidding to a stop of her bed and shoving two gifts into Sky's hands. "It's your Valentine's Day presents from me! I know it's still early day, but I just couldn't wait to give to you!"
"Which one should I open first?" sighed Sky, again feeling exasperated by all her Valentine's Day rituals.
"The one in the blue wrapping!" instructed Syd excitedly.
Sky methodically pealed away the edge of the cloud blue paper, staring at Syd oddly after he beheld what was inside. "Syd it's…. a picture of you," spelled out Sky, raising his eyebrows dubiously at his girlfriend.
"Well, I wanted to give you something beautiful!" bubbled Syd as Sky in response smacked his head against his hand in incredulousness. "And now, open the present in the red wrapping paper."
"Syd, you really didn't have to do all this," said Sky as he got to the second package. "Especially with… ohmygosh you are the best girlfriend EVER!" cried Sky like a little boy on Christmas morning.
"Well, what do you like it?" queried Syd, although she knew she really didn't need ask judging from Sky's teary-eyed gaze in the direction of his gift.
"It's, it's… it's the Pocket PC Organizer version 5.0 with wireless internet, voice data organization, satellite tracking systems and even the Oxford Dictionary for leisure reading!" oozed Sky in utter bliss. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! Uhh, after you of course!" added Sky upon seeing Syd's exterior start to switch into hissy fit mode.
"Now that's better!" cheered up Syd. "I'm very glad you like it. Now come on, Sky. What'd you get me? What'd you get me? What'd you get me?"
"Ummm," stalled Sky, clasping and unclasping his hands together in anxiety.
"Skyyyyy," prolonged Syd, her face furrowing as she noticed his trademark nervous gesture.
"Well, I was thinking tonight we could just curl up in my room and watch movies," suggested Sky meekly. "I mean, Bridge will be out on his secret admirer date and…"
"Obviously Bridge will be out on his secret admirer date!" repeated Syd exasperatedly. "Of course of all people, Sky, you know I'd be aware of that. But that still doesn't explain why you didn't plan a special date for us on Valentine's Day. It's our first holiday together as a couple, and we've only been dating a few weeks so…" Syd's voice trailed off in disappointment.
"Would the line I wouldn't want to share you with anybody else work?" offered Sky hopefully, desperate to avoid the wrath of Princess Syd.
"Sky, that's so sweet!" cooed Syd dotingly before looking at him pissed off. "But that's so not going to get you out of trouble. Did you even get me a Valentine's Day gift?"
"Aren't I wonderful enough?" responded Sky egotistically, straightening himself before being socked in the stomach by Syd. "Owww!" groaned the red ranger, doubling over in pain.
"Sky, is Valentine's Day not important you?" whined Syd upset.
"You really haven't picked up on that by now?" shot back Sky sarcastically, still clutching his stomach. "What's so special about a couple of corny cards and boxes of cheap chocolates from CVS? Why do I need to go out of my way to celebrate the most commercialized holiday of the year?"
"Because it's important to me!" wailed Syd, distraught by her new boyfriend's lack of concern about things that mattered to her.
"Look Syd, I gave my month's salary like the rest of us to Jack so that he could put the down payment on Ally's engagement ring," explained Sky. "In all honesty, I don't have that type of money right now to be able to buy you expensive gifts like you did for me or take you out to a fancy dinner. And to be perfectly blunt, I'm not rich like you are."
"Yeah, having been a pop idol before joining SPD certainly helps in that regard," mused Syd out loud, begrudgingly admitting to herself that Sky had a point.
"Besides you said it yourself," continued Sky. "Money can't buy love."
"But it certainly helps!" whined Syd to herself as she saw her Valentine's dreams of diamonds, Godiva chocolates and five-star dinners go down the drain.
"You gotta believe me when I say I'm sorry I don't have anything for you," said Sky, softening his tone. "But we all make sacrifices for our friends sometimes."
"Z's lucky that she's gotten so many gifts for Valentine's Day," complained Syd without thinking, quickly putting her hands over her mouth once she realized her slip-up.
"That's not fair Syd," shot back Sky resentfully. "This secret admirer thing for Bridge and Z was your…"
"I know, I know," injected Syd tiredly, cutting Sky off. "I'm sorry. Look, whatever you want to do for Valentine's Day tonight is fine by me. Just come by my room later when you want to watch movies. Right now, I'm going to go shopping at the mall since it looks like I'm not getting any presents today," she couldn't help but throw in bitterly.
Grabbing her purse, Syd brushed past Sky and sulked out of her room. It wasn't that she was really mad at him for ruining her dream of their perfect Valentine's Day together. She got that the financial pockets of Power Rangers came in all shapes and sizes, just like the members of the actual teams themselves.
"But would it be so hard for Sky to at least once show that he cares about me?" thought Syd miserably to herself.
"Syd's very conniving, more so recently with her friends than ever," thought Sky to himself; a smile cracking across his usually stern face as he watched his girlfriend trudge dejectedly down the hall. "Yeah, Pinkie is pretty good at being sneaky, but of course," continued Sky to himself arrogantly. "Even I'm still better in that area than her. I'll prove to my pink princess that money isn't the only way to buy her love!"