Disclaimer: Power Rangers does not belong to me, nor does Dekarangers. The plot as well as some of the script for this story is not my own. Shout-outs to TV-Nihon as well. Oh, and I don't own the song "Waiting for Tonight" by Jennifer Lopez either.
A/N: For those of you who don't know, SPD like each Power Rangers series was based off its Japanese Sentai counterpart (in this case Dekarangers). I think there were some really great Dekaranger plotlines/episodes that never made it into the SPD series. This particular story is my adaptation of Dekaranger episode 46 (the best ranger romance episode I've seen to date EVER) to the SPD cast of characters. While in Dekarangers a romance occurred between green and pink, I'm using a Bridge/Z pairing in my SPD version 'cause I am not a Bridge/Syd shipper at all. So enjoy, and let me know what y'all think!
Chapter 1: Green with Envy
"Waiting for tonight," sang Z Delgado cheerfully the song by Jennifer Lopez. "When you will be here in my arms. Waiting for tonight, wooooohhhhh!"
"You're unusually cheerful, Z," noted Bridge Carson hesitantly as they made their way over to the outdoor field.
"How typical of you Bridge to be so observant," replied Z happily, wagging her finger at him. "I have a date after we finish running D-Squad training exercises this afternoon."
"Oh," was all the usually talkative Bridge could manage upon being hit with the blow that Z – his longtime secret crush – had all along not been single.
"Perhaps," started Z, clasping her hands earnestly together, "I will get engaged to him soon and leave SPD!"
"What?" cried Bridge shocked, dropping his clipboard to the ground in his surprise. "Congratulations, I guess," replied Bridge awkwardly, busying himself with picking up his fallen papers so Z would not see the disappointment written on his face.
"No, no," sang Z reassuringly. "Us getting engaged might still be ways off."
"So tell me about your boyfriend," said Bridge, figuring he might as well learn as much as possible about his competition for Z's affections.
"He works in internet technology," revealed Z, pulling out her cell phone. "Here he is."
Looking at the background image on Z's cellular, Bridge beheld a picture of her cheek to cheek with a tall Japanese man with spiky hair and a taut visage. Bridge had never seen a picture where Z looked so happy. Immediately, the green ranger felt envy ignite in his veins.
"I've known my boyfriend for about three months," continued Z. "He's extremely busy, so we can only meet for about one hour at a time. But he's soooo cute! He does whatever I want. He's completely like my own magic prince."
"I get it, I get it," cut in Bridge tersely, pushing away Z's cell phone as he tried – unsucessfully – to reign in his raging jealousy.
"My boyfriend's completely different from you, Bridge," teased Z. "He's not eccentric the way you are!"
"Just rub it in a little harder, Z, why don't you?" thought Bridge to himself bitterly, although he couldn't blame the yellow ranger for her unawareness of his crush on her.
"Right, right," muttered Bridge out loud resentfully.
"My boyfriend's so cool," cooed Z, pulling from her pocket two miniature dolls she had knitted and pushing the couple's faces together.
"So, you're having another one hour dates later?" asked Bridge agitatedly.
"Yup!" confirmed Z enthusiastically. "That's why I definitely hope Broodwing doesn't try to pull something today…"
At that moment, Z was interrupted by the voice of SPD Commander Doggie Cruger coming over her morpher. "A smuggler's ship is flying over the city," informed Cruger. "Omega is in pursuit. Bridge and Z, you two must meet the other rangers and capture the ship using the S.W.A.T. flyers."
"Awwww!" whined Z, worried that this new assignment might make her miss her date. "Why did the smuggler's ship have to come right now? Unforgivable criminal!"
"Ready?" asked Bridge, pulling out his morpher.
"Ready!" repeated Z determinedly.
"SPD Emergency!" they shouted together.
"Stop, smuggler!" ordered Omega as he chased the ship from his Omegamax Cycle zord.
"Thanks for waiting!" Omega heard Jack's voice over the intercom as the S.W.A.T. Megazord flew by overhead. "That's the smuggler's ship?"
"Flying-Flying-Friend Number Two," said Syd, stating the enemy craft's name.
"Hmmm…that's kinda long," commented Bridge. However, Bridge's attention was immediately turned back to the battle as the Flying-Flying-Friend Number Two fired some not-so-friendly fire at the S.W.A.T. Megazord.
"I warn you," announced Sky over the common frequency radio to the smuggler, "Any further attempts to escape…"
"…and we'll knock you down!" interrupted Z fiercely, cutting off Sky mid-sentence.
"You don't give orders!" complained Jack indignantly.
"Wait a minute," interjected Omega over the intercom. "From the data analysis, the smuggler's ship will not be that easy to bring down from the sky."
"Well this smuggler hasn't seen my fighting spirit!" shouted Z with great feistiness, shifting from Jack the main controls of the S.W.A.T. Megazord to herself. Now in the driver's seat, Z drove her flyer's foot into the smuggler's ship. The boat came crashing down to earth with the S.W.A.T. Megazord's foot planted triumphantly on its deck.
"I saw it again," sighed Omega, burying his face in his hands. "Fighting that surpasses theory."
"Why did you have to smuggle tonight of all nights?" asked Z angrily as she piloted her flyer to kick the smuggler's ship across the pavement. Next, Z sent a fury of rapid-speed punches hammering into the boat's hull. "Bastard, bastard, bastard!" screamed Z furiously as she panicked at the possibility of missing her date.
"What's with Z today?" asked Sky, raising his hands questioningly.
"She sure is enthusiastic," mused Jack.
"O rather… elated?" proposed Syd.
"I wonder what the reason could be," muttered Bridge sarcastically under his breath.
"Everyone!" Bridge heard Omega's voice announce over the intercom. "The ship's pilot is a Krybot."
"Then there's no need to hold back!" cried Z eagerly, pushing the Omegamax Cycle out of the way.
"Ahhh!" cried Omega as his Zord fell to the ground.
"Z Delgado going forth!" declared the yellow ranger as she disengaged her S.W.A.T. Flyer Four from the main megazord. Powering up her vehicle, Z piloted her flyer straight into the cockpit of the smuggler's ship from where the Krybot was steering the boat. Breaking through the cockpit's glass, Z in one swoop grabbed the Krybot and threw him out of the ship.
"Unbelievable," stuttered Sky as he saw the Krybot smash to pieces on the pavement below.
"Dumbfounded," added Jack.
"Dazed," expressed Syd.
"Nonsense," said Omega, uttering his trademark phrase as he shook his head in wonderment at the over-enthusiastic display of fighting he had just witnessed from Z.
"With this case complete," began Z as she jumped from the cockpit of the still in-tact smuggler's ship and landed unmorphed on the ground. "Please take care of the rest, guys!"
"What's with her?" asked Jack in puzzlement as she watched his honorary sister race away.
"I suppose love makes a girl truly strong," mused Bridge out loud, shrugging his shoulders as he tried to feign indifference.
"What?" shouted the other rangers, eager to learn about Z's romantic life.
Yet Bridge wasn't in the mood to share what he knew of Z's boyfriend. Just the thought of the yellow ranger with another guy made Bridge turn green with envy.