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Well here it is! The new chap! Sorry its been like two months since I've written. I started writing but I got caught up with exams and then a crazy first semester! Then when I tried to write it had been to long and I lost my flow! Luckily! I found it again and have finally written the next chap. Hope you enjoy it! There are probably only two left after this.

Chapter 7: The Morning After

Monday morning 8:00 am

SPD Headquarters: Dining Hall

Jack, Bridge, Syd and Z all sat indifferently at one of the many dining hall's tables, munching away at their breakfast. Syd and Bridge were making most of the conversation, Bridge babbling on to Jack about some new invention he was working on with Boom, something about a time machine and a toaster oven, Jack wasn't sure. Syd was gossiping away about her latest fashion escapade and her battle at the mall she had to go through to get the designer pair of shoes she had just bought. Neither Jack nor Z was listening very attentively. They had both had yet to fully adapt to the early schedule SPD ran on and thus very much appreciated the great supply of free coffee the base offered. Still, it was Monday morning, and neither had slept very well after their last night's adventure nor had they seen Sky yet that morning. He was out on his morning run and would be back soon.

"… So I just told her, 'try me' and she so backed off. I mean I didn't join SPD just so I could let people walk all over me. Right? Z?" Syd, who had just finished retelling her tale to her only girl pal available, waved her hand in front of Z. She pouted annoyedly as had Z appeared to have zoned out in the middle of her story. "Z? Hello? Have been listening to a word I said?"

"Hmm?" Z replied sleepily. "Did you say something Syd?"

"Oh my god! Where are you this morning Z?"

"Hey, not all of us have brains that function at "Syd talk" speed this early in the morning."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have been out so late last night. By the way, where exactly were you last night?"

"Out," Z replied with a yawn. She hoped her sleepy tone would give Syd the illusion that she was just not in a conversational mood, as opposed to avoiding the question.

"Bridge! Bridge!" Jack's sudden raise in volume drew Syd's attention (thankfully) away from Z. "Man! It is too early in the morning for your conspiracy theories."

"But I'm telling you Jack, it could happen," Bridge replied insistently.

"What could happen?" Z asked, not really wanting to know the answer but hoping to change the subject from her conversation with Syd.

"Well, you see, it all starts with…"

"Hey guys," Sky interrupted, plopping down beside Bridge at the table with his tray of food.

"Hey Sky," Jack replied a little too cheerfully. "How ya doing?"

"Um, fine." Sky replied, slightly perplexed at Jack's sudden cheerfulness. He usually had some sort of smart ass remark waiting for him and was a bit thrown by Jack's overly nice attitude.

"Did you have a nice run this morning?" Z asked, just as cheerily.

"Uh, yeah, it was good…" Sky raised an eyebrow at Z. She was acting just as strange as Jack. Sky's eyes narrowed as he looked at them both suspiciously. "Are you two planning something I should know about?" The two were infamous for their practical jokes around the academy, and Sky tended to be one of their main targets. After their last one, he had now made sure to check his shampoo thoroughly before using it, as he had ended up with a head of hair that matched his very blue uniform.

"What? No! No!" Both replied in unison, shaking their heads attempting to look as innocent as possible. For once they didn't have anything planned, but were glad Sky wasn't suspicious of them, other than in his usual way.

"Un huh…" Sky looked to Bridge and Syd who just shrugged in equal confusion and then turned back to Jack and Z. "Right…" At this point both Jack and Z had appeared to become very interested in their meal trays and refused to look up at Sky. Sky just shook his head. It was way too early on a Monday morning for him to be attempting to figure his odd team mates out. He got enough of that from rooming with Bridge, and that was plenty.

The table was silent for several moments more until Syd couldn't take it any more and turned to the boys.

"So Sky, Bridge, you two will not believe what happened to me the other day…"

&&&&&&&&&&&&

The day continued same as usual and Sky didn't notice any more abnormal behavior from either Jack or Z, except for maybe the fact that Jack was no longer holding a grudge against him and glaring at him behind his back. Not that Sky minded. Their feud always ended up getting them both into trouble and used up far too much of his energy. He was almost tempted to ask why but didn't want to risk messing with a good thing.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Later that day…

After a particularly nasty zord fight the rangers stumbled into the command center for the debriefing. It wouldn't actually take them that long. Cruger and Kat had been watching the whole thing from the command center and to their knowledge it had been a fairly routine fight: Grumm sends monster, monster attacks, rangers fight monster, monster grows or jumps in giant robot, rangers defeat monster with zords. They only held these debriefing to clarify the facts and allow the rangers to add any details they noticed that the cameras might not have picked up. Fortunately, no one had noticed anything so the meeting went by fast.

Just as the Cruger dismissed the cadets, Kat cleared her throat signaling Cruger of his missed announcement.

"Rangers," he called out. They turned, having not gone that far and gather once again before Cruger curiously. "One last thing. Dr Manx has brought to my attention that there have been an increasing number of attacks recently and this has taken a bit of a toll on your performance." The cadets inwardly groaned. They hardly needed a reminder of how much more tired they were lately. There was an attack almost every day now and the rangers were beginning to think Grumm never took a day off. Cruger continued. "Therefore, I have decided… to give you the rest of the day off. Enjoy your afternoon cadets. Dismissed."

With that, the rangers exited the command center beaming with excitement. Even Sky was looking forward to an afternoon off gracing his fellow teammates with one of his rare smiles.

"Man, I can't believe Cruger gave us the whole afternoon off!" Jack exclaimed excitedly.

"I believe it, and I intend to use it to its full extent. I'm going shopping!" shouted Syd turning to the others. "So… who's with me?"

"…"

Syd pouted as the other rangers suddenly became very interested in the architecture of the surrounding hallway. "Come on you guys! It'll be fun! Z? Bridge? Sky? Jack?"

"Uh…" Jack said nervously, "Sorry Syd, but uh… Bridge and me, we were going to uh… look for some new bath books!"

"Really Jack?" Bridge replied happily. "I didn't know you liked bath books."

"Oh uh… yeah! Of course! I've just dying to get one of my own since you mentioned yours."

"Well, they have book stores at the mall too," Syd replied encouragingly.

"Yeah, but um… you see, the one I want is at this special book store and it's like at the other end of town. Sorry."

"Aww," Syd pouted. "What about you Sky? You of all people seriously need to expand your wardrobe."

"Sorry, but I was planning on taking the afternoon off. You know? Relax. Read a bit."

Syd rolled her eyes. "God Sky! Could you be any more boring? What about you Z?"

"Well… I… uh…"

"Come on! I know you need at least one new shirt. Especially after you ripped that new top you got."

"What are you talking about Syd?" Z asked, unsure of to what she was referring to.

"You know. The yellow one we bought 2 weeks ago at Le Shaque. I saw it one the floor this morning with a big tear in it."

Z's eyes widened in recognition. It was the shirt she had been wearing when she and Jack followed Sky. "Oh! Um, yeah! That one! You see, I … I was trying to give it a more rockish look so I trimmed it in a few areas."

"What? While rolling in the dirt? That thing was filthy."

"Well, I uh…" Z was beginning to panic as searched for an excuse.

"Hey guys," Jack cut in, rescuing Z from Syd. "That store, you see, it closes soon so if we want to get there on time we have to go now. You want to come too Z?"

"Yeah!" Z replied a little too enthusiastically. "I'll go get changed and meet you in the lobby." And with that Z ran off down the hall before she could be questioned further.

"Well now, I better get changed too." Jack turned to Bridge. "Meet you downstairs in five?"

"Sure!" Bridge replied cheerfully, although he wasn't sure Jack had even heard as he immediately ran off in the same direction as Z. He shrugged. "Okay. Bye guys," Bridge said turning to Sky and Syd and then walking off.

Both Syd and Sky were silent for a moment.

"Well that was weird." Syd said looking perplexed. "I wonder what was up with them." She looked up to Sky for insight. "What do you think Sky?"

"…"

"Sky?"

Sky's remained silent, staring off in the direction Jack and Z had run in. His face was neutral but one could tell from his eyes he was in deep thought.

"Hey. You okay?" Syd said, growing concerned by Sky's silence.

"I have to go," he replied coldly and walked off leaving Syd alone in the middle of the hallway.

Syd just shook her head as she watched her blue friend go. "You know the world is coming to an end when Bridge is the only one who makes sense."

To be continued…

Well there you go! Kinda filler! I know! But necessary filler! It leads up the much anticipated talk / conflict that will ensue as Sky discovers he's been had! It should be soon so no worries!

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