Disclaimer: PR belongs to Disney…I think, anyhow I don't own Power Rangers.

Best Friends

Chapter VII: Five Becomes Four

"How is he?" Cruger asked from the doorway of the infirmary.

"He's stable. It's just a matter of waking up now," Kat replied.

Cruger was glad to hear that, but he still felt like it was all his fault this even happened in the first place. Maybe experimenting with Sky's powers wasn't such a good idea after all. How could he be so reckless? How could he put Sky's well being in jeopardy? For what? Just to satisfy his own curiosity? What kind of a commander does that make him?

"Do you have any idea what went wrong?" Cruger asked.

"I'm afraid not," Kat answered.

Word had spread fast through the Academy about what had happened. Everywhere Cruger went, cadets would give him dirty looks or just flat out refuse to look at him at all. It's not that Cruger didn't blame them for reacting in such fashion though. However, that didn't make Cruger feel any better about himself either.

"Do you mind staying with Sky? I have to go and administer the test on regulations 101-200 to the rest of D-Squad," Kat stated.

"Yeah, go ahead," Cruger replied.

The test. All Sky had wanted to do was study for the test, but now here he was unconscious in the infirmary on the day of the test. Maybe Sky was right from the beginning. He and Kat didn't have powers themselves, so how were they supposed to help Sky control his powers if they didn't know the first thing about them? What was he thinking? Why would he even allow Sky to experiment with his powers knowing full well that he probably doesn't even know how to control them?

XXXXXXXXXX

Kat entered the classroom to find the rest of D-Squad in their seats with their pencils out, and ready to go. She could sense the worry radiating off them though. No doubt, they were concerned about Sky after hearing what had happened from other cadets.

"Is Sky okay?" Lily asked.

"We think so," Kat responded.

"You 'think'? What do you mean you 'think'!" Kim exclaimed.

"I mean that he is stable, but unconscious," Kat answered.

Kat handed them their tests putting an end to the uncomfortable conversation that was going on.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Where am I?" Sky asked sitting up in his medical bed.

Cruger was so relieved that Sky was awake. Now he just hoped that Sky wasn't angry with him and Kat.

"It's ok. You're in the infirmary. After experimenting with your powers last night, you kind of blacked out. We were worried about you. Are you sure you're feeling ok?" Cruger asked.

"Yeah, I feel fine. I guess I kind of lost control of my powers huh?" Sky replied.

"I guess so, but we shouldn't have pushed you so hard," Cruger responded.

Sky became silent. He could detect the worry and regret in his commander's voice. "Am I too late to take the test?" Sky asked.

Cruger was surprised. Any other cadet would be milking their injury for all it was worth. Any other cadet would be glad to miss a test. For the first time, Cruger became fully aware of how dedicated Sky was to his job just like his father was.

"You know, you don't have to take the test today. If you don't feel that you're ready yet, take a couple of days, and then you can make it up," Cruger said.

"Well, I don't usually like to be buried in make up work, but I really didn't get an opportunity to study for today's test last night. I don't think I'll take two days to make it up though. I'll study for it today and I'll study the next 100 regulations while I'm at it, and take a test tomorrow on 200 regulations to kind of kill two birds with one stone," Sky replied.

"Sounds like a plan, but you can take the day off today. There's really no need for you to go through with any training or class today because surely you can't feel all better," Cruger said.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Well cadets, the four of you did much better on this test since it was multiple choice instead of fill in the blank. The highest grade was a 94. The lowest was a 56. Please come up and take your test when I call your name. Kim," Kat announced.

Kim walked up to the front of the class and took her test. She saw that she got an 85.

"Dru," Kat said.

Dru walked up to the front of the class and got his test. He saw that he got a 79.

"Lily," Kat called out.

Lily retrieved her test and noticed that she got the 94.

"Boom," Kat said.

Boom went up to the front of the classroom and picked up his test. He noticed that he got the 56.

"Class dismissed. Boom, may I have a word with you?" Kat asked.

Lily, Kim, and Dru left the classroom and Boom cautiously approached Kat.

"I'm sorry to say that I have no choice but to flunk you out of the Academy. However, I do have a position for you if you are interested. How would you feel about being my assistant?" Kat asked.

Boom couldn't believe what he heard. His heart sank once he had heard Kat tell him that he flunked out of the Academy. He was intrigued by Kat's offer to become her assistant though. Without a doubt, that would give him a reason to stay at the Academy, and maybe his parents will never know that he flunked out of the Academy in three days.

"Sure," Boom said excited that he could still be a part of the Academy even if he wouldn't ever be a power ranger.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sky looked up from his S.P.D. handbook, which he had Cruger retrieve for him so he could study, to see Kim, Lily, and surprisingly Dru.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Kim asked.

"I'm fine," Sky answered still shocked that Dru of al people came to see him.

"That's good to hear," Dru remarked sincerely.

Sky, Lily, Kim, and Cruger all had their jaws dropped after that. Did Dru actually care about Sky's well being? Who would've thunk it?

"Why do you all look so shocked that I care?" Dru asked.

"I thought you hated me," Sky replied.

Sky, Lily, Kim, and Cruger looked to Dru to see how he'd respond to that.

"I don't hate you Sky," Dru answered.

Everyone else's jaw dropped yet again. Nobody thought they'd ever see the day that Dru and Sky were on the same page.

"What about our rivalry?" Sky asked.

"Oh, we're still rivals. Your accident just made me see things differently I guess. Nobody deserves to have what happened to you happen to them," Dru said.

Cruger was happy to see that D-Squad was finally on the same page for the first time. However, little did he know that D-Squad now only consisted of four cadets.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Uh Kat, what type of work exactly will I be doing as your assistant?" Boom asked not sure what exactly he had gotten himself into.

Kat couldn't help but smile at Boom's uneasiness.

"Well, as my assistant, you will become what I like to call the chief gadget tester. All the technology and weaponry here at the Academy was created by yours truly. The technology shouldn't have any glitches, but the weaponry needs to be tested before it is certified as ready for combat. All the weaponry that I create is used by the A-Squad power rangers," Kat explained.

"Are you telling me that I get to use the power rangers' weapons before the power rangers themselves?" Boom asked excitedly.

Kat nodded her head in the affirmative.

"Awesome!" Boom exclaimed.

Kat laughed. She was glad to see Boom happy to be her new assistant. At least that got his mind off the fact that he had flunked out of the Academy.

"Come Boom, we better tell Cruger that you are my new assistant," Kat said.

XXXXXXXXXX

"All right. Lily, Kim, Dru, it's time for simulation training. Let's go," Cruger said leading the three cadets out of the infirmary.

"See you later Sky," Kim called out while leaving.

"Bye," Sky answered.

Now that he was alone, Sky resumed studying his S.P.D. handbook. A few moments later, Kat and Boom entered the infirmary.

"Hey Sky, glad to see you're ok," Boom said.

"Thanks," Sky replied.

Kat scanned the infirmary for Cruger, but didn't see him.

"Sky, do you know where Cruger is?" Kat asked.

"Yeah, he took the others to simulation training," Sky answered. "Say Boom, why aren't you with them?"

"Well, I am now Kat's assistant. Cool, huh?" Boom asked.

Sky reflected on that piece of information. If Boom was Kat's assistant now, that can only mean that he is no longer a D-Squad cadet. Eventually, when they get their morphers, there will only be four rangers instead of five. How is that going to work? On second thought, maybe Sky was getting a little ahead of himself. After all, they are still only in D-Squad.

"That's great," Sky replied.

"Yeah, Boom and I better go find Cruger and tell him the news," Kat said.

Kat and Boom left the infirmary, and Sky was happy to get back to studying.

XXXXXXXXXX

Cruger was observing the simulation training. He noticed that their fighting prowess had improved markedly. However, he couldn't help but wonder where Boom was. If he wasn't mistaken, he was supposed to be doing simulation training too.

"There you are Doggie," Kat said.

Cruger turned around and saw Kat and Boom. That answered the question of where Boom was.

"I have some news to tell you. Boom here is my new assistant and chief gadget tester here at the Academy now," Kat announced.

Cruger knew what Kat was really saying though. She was really saying that Boom flunked out of the Academy, and to stop him from feeling bad, she offered him a position as her assistant. Cruger had no problem with that though. He knew that Boom wasn't up to par when it came to becoming a power ranger. However, it's not that he hated Boom despite his previous attempts to flunk Boom out of the Academy. Maybe being Kat's assistant was where Boom belonged.

"Very well. Thanks for letting me know Kat," Cruger responded.

Cruger found himself thinking about Sky again. How did Sky get his powers anyways? Was he the only one who had powers? If not, what kind of powers did others have? Then, it all became very clear to him. There was a mishap back in the year 2001. A group of scientists were working on the technology of the power rangers' morphers when an accident happened. The accident caused their DNA to be altered. However, being a feline based alien, Kat was unaffected. One of those scientists happened to be Sky's mother. That is why Sky has powers. That is where Sky's powers came from. Now who were the other scientists that were working with Kat on that fateful day? Cruger thought about it for awhile. He remembered now. The other scientists were Dr. Drew, Dr. Carson, Dr. Delgado, and Dr. Landors, and one other scientist that he couldn't quite put a name to. He made a mental note to tell Kat about his discovery and find some way to get a hold of those scientists. If they had children, then they will no doubt have powers like Sky. Cruger was very curious to see if these children's powers have been displayed and if so, what they are and how far they've progressed.

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