training grounds

Sky, Bridge, and Z were running a trail. Trail 3 to be exact. Its not the easiest trail but its not the most difficult. Sky had decided to take an easy run this morning so that they could save their energy for some intense combat training afterwards.

"I wonder how Syd's meeting with her new team went this morning?" Bridge said.

"yeah, about Syd. Has she ever come to you guys about a nightmare or something like that?" Z asked.

No. why do you ask?" Sky asked worriedly as they slowed down until they were at a complete stop in the middle of the trail.

"well, when we got back last night, she was clutching peanuts and balling her eyes out. She said it was just a nightmare, but it seemed like it was more than just a mere nightmare. what do you guys think?"

"well, maybe it was just a stress induced nightmare." Sky said.

"I don't think so Sky. Last night, even though her aura was pulsing with joy, there was still a little bit of sadness there. Something's bothering her. Or haunting her."

"what do you mean 'haunting her' Bridge?" Z asked.

"well, usually when someone wakes up from a nightmare screaming and/or crying, they are either really afraid of something or a memory in her past is haunting her. Since it was sadness I sensed in her aura and not fear, I believe that a memory in her past is haunting her." Bridge said.

They all stood in silence for a while until Sky said, "come on guys, we need to finish. We have a long day ahead." With that said, they all ran to finish the trail.

When they got to the end of the trail, they stopped at a bench to take a break before they started their combat training. As they all sat down on the bench, they spotted Syd and her team a little ways away.

"hey look! Do ya think we should go over and say hello?" Z asked the two.

"no, she needs to concentrate on training with her team. And if we go over there, her team might not give her the respect she deserves." As Sky said this, Z gave him a confused look.

"ya see Z, people around here, especially the younger cadets, still have Syd pinned as a self-centered, spoiled princess. Ever since she has arrived here she was pinned as the SPD princess. They all just think that SPD is something for her to do until she finds something else to mess around with. Even after this passed year, they still expect her to just up and leave at the first opportunity." As Bridge said this, you could practically see the steam blowing out of Z's ears.

"I am going to find every cadet who thinks this of our friend and show them exactly how much she cares about SPD."

"Z chill, that's the last thing we need. And besides, she knows what everyone thinks of her, and so if she can get passed it then we should too." Sky said.

They fell into silence as they watched their best friend and former teammate in action.

training grounds(B-squad)

the four former c-squad members were stood around dressed in training clothes clad in their respective colors.

"B-squad, atten-hutt!" Syd exclaimed. No one responded to the command.

"I SAID…atten-HUTT!" once again, Syd did not receive a response from her new team.

"still no answer huh?" Syd said with a raised brow.

Al walked over(he's the blue ranger, incase you have forgotten) and put an arm around Syd's shoulder and said, "come on Drew, you don't seriously expect us to be led by you. Lets make a deal. You let me lead the team and I'll make sure you don't break a nail."

Syd stood for a moment of mock thinking. Then she grabbed his arm(which was slung around her shoulder.) and flipped him over. ("that's our Syd!" Z exclaimed as the three watched the event unfold with them having front row seats.)

Syd bent her head down to his ear and said "if you think that I will allow you to disrespect me like that, then you are so very wrong."

After a few seconds, Syd finally let him go. Al got up and went over to his teammates. This time, when she called them to attention, they snapped to it.

"now if anyone else has a problem with me being the leader then I suggest that you go to Commander Cruger to get reassigned because I assure you that I will not be stepping down from this position. I was hoping that for once, people wouldn't judge me by how much money I have. I thought that you four would be mature enough to look passed the money and the SPD princess rumors. You may not think that I am a suitable leader but Cruger does. I don't know why but he made me your leader. I was hoping that I was going to be with my original team but Cruger thought that it would be best if I lead you four. With Al's little agreement, you have all received Trail 4 and 5 along with the Trail 3 that we will run right now. Is that clear?" Syd shouted the question to emphasize that she was not joking around.

"Ma'm yes ma'm!" the four shouted.

Syd led them to trail 3. as they walked by, A-squad stood. As Syd saw them she abruptly stopped and called her team to attention. Sky realized that this was in response to them standing up. Sky took this as his chance to look over her team. He caught Z and Bridge's sight and they both nodded in understanding. Z and Bridge stood side-by-side as Sky walked up to B-squad.

He wanted to look them all over, starting with the pink ranger. He looked over the petite brunette. Syd watched them out of the corner of her eyes, a slight tint of jealousy playing on her face. What is he doing? He is totally checking her out! Syd let out a quick breath. As Sky heard this, he decided it was his que to move on, but not without a little smile playing on his lips.

Next in line was Peter, clad in yellow. Sky took a second to look him directly in the eyes. When he did this, Peter stared right into Sky's eyes, emotionless. Smart move, kid.

Moving on to Marcus, Sky saw him immediately tense. Sky shook his head slightly as a laugh threatened to escape from his mouth. Jeez, I didn't know I was that scary.

Moving onto Alfred, better known as Al, Sky noticed something. He seems angry, but not by the fact that Syd just flipped him. No. at the fact that he isn't the red ranger. He reminds me of…well me. A sad look flashed on Sky's face but was quickly replaced with an emotionless one. He's going to give Syd a hard time, just like I gave Jack a hard time.

With that thought, he moved onto Syd. Now, he was checking her out. She looks great in red. But once again, he saw something in her eyes. Is that…sadness. Why is she sad? Moments later, Sky realized. She thought that her new team would accept her, but they're just like everyone else. As Syd met his eyes, she knew that he knew what she was feeling, even though she was putting up an almost emotionless front.

As they both silently analyzed their emotions, Z and Bridge stood by watching the interaction between their best friends.

"they are so obvious!" Z whispered.

"yeah, to everyone but themselves." Bridge said with a smile on his face.

"first day in red and your already kicking blue's ass huh?" Sky asked with a chuckle.

"yeah, well you know me Sky, I'm not one to hold back." Syd replied with a smile.

"alright, then by all means, don't let us hold you back. Continue." And with a nod from Sky, Syd gave her salute and ordered her team to follow her into the trail.

Z and Bridge walked up to Sky as he stood watching Syd run with her team.

"will you just tell her already?" Z asked as they reached their leader. Bridge shook his head. I've been telling him that for years. Sky had given up a long time ago in telling Z and Bridge that he wasn't attracted to Syd like that. Who was he kidding? He was totally into Syd like that.

"I can't. not yet." Sky said after a few minutes of thought.

"and why the hell not?" Z asked forcefully.

"because she needs time to adjust. I need time to adjust. Which reminds me. We need to get to combat training."

After a few groans from Z and Bridge, Sky led them into the academy and to the simulations room.

While running the trail with her team, Syd had a lot on her mind. You would think that after defeating Gruum, I would get a little respect around here. I guess I have to start all over again. A new team, a new beginning I guess. And with that, she led her team to the end of the trail.

All of them weren't so eager to finish because they all knew what was in store for them in the next two trails.

Unlike Jack's first time as a leader, Syd ran all three trails with her team. Allison was really impressed with her new leader. I guess she's right. The SPD princess doesn't exist. Wow. We must seem like such jerks to her. Well, at least I'm not the only form of estrogen in this team anymore. Trail 4 was only a little less flat than Trail 3, but Trail 5 was a nightmare. it was mostly up hill and a lot of uneven trail, but Syd led them through it.

Instead of running ahead as they followed, she stayed behind the pack incase anyone fell behind. When someone would try to look back at her, Syd would yell, "keep your eyes ahead, you don't want to get stuck in a ditch or hit a boulder!" once in a while, Peter would sneak glances at his leader and teammate. Wow, even after we totally disrespected her, she still decided to watch our backs. I was so wrong about her.

Peter turns and his eyes connect with Marcus(green ranger) and Peter knew that he was thinking the same thing. (Marcus's thoughts) we were totally wrong to have disobeyed her like that. Man, Al probably still doesn't like Syd. And he probably won't accept her for a long time.

Thinking of his older brother, Marcus looked up at Al. He was ahead of everyone else. See, I am totally smokin' that princess over there. How can she be a leader if she can barely get through this trail. Psshh. Even though Al heard her calls to her team and could tell that she was just hanging back so that she could watch their backs, he still told himself that he was better than her.

When they got to the end of the trail, Syd gave them a ten minute break.

When the break was over(Syd spent it to herself, making final arrangements for everyone's training), Syd, instead of calling them to attention, spoke to her team directly, "when Cruger told me that you guys were going to by the new B-squad, he gave me a file on each of you. I used those files to plan out individual training plans for each of you. I wanted to start with individual training first because I don't think that we are comfortable with each other enough to have our first group training in the simulator. With that said, I was hoping to have dinner tonight with all of you to celabrate all of our promotions. If you don't want to come, then don't come. It will be at High Tai(I am bad at naming restaurants ok!) tonight at 7. so come if you want to get to know me because I certainly want to get to know my teammates. Anyways, back to the training plan. I want Allison and Marcus to work on their shot in the shooting ranges. Peter and Al will work on their hand-to-hand combat skills in one of the training rooms." Syd said.

Before she was able to dismiss them, Al asked, "and what, praytell, do you plan on doing princess?"

Allison, Peter, and Marcus all exchanged a look of uneasiness due to the fact that Al had called her princess and the three of them had decided that that rumor was purely a rumor.

"well, Al, if you must ask, I was going to work out for a couple of hours and then speak to Cruger about a personal matter."

Her teammates, excluding Al, gave each other another uneasy look.

As Syd caught this, she said, "don't worry, it won't be about the disrespect I received this morning, it is about a personal matter. Now, do you all understand what you're doing?" they all nodded in response.

"alright then, Dismissed!" with that, the team dispersed to their directed areas. I hope they show up tonight. It would be great to get to know them. They seem to be getting the fact that I am not the SPD princess everyone makes me out to be. Except for Al. what the hell is his problem?