A/N: Thanks for the reviews as always. I got nothing left to say...so enjoy!
Chapter 20
"Another Chance"
Kat Manx left Cadet Tate and Delgado inside the control center as they waited patiently and nervously for Commander Cruger. Sky and Z stood still with their hands behind their backs while glaring at each other from the corner of their eyes. Just moments later, the big blue dog enters the room, looking very intimidating upon his approach.
"Well." He looks at them and groans while choosing his words wisely. "I got word from Kat that you two failed horribly during the simulation." Sky and Z both looked down shamefully. "And I must say, I never been so disappointed throughout my years working here till this very day."
"Sir, I can explain."
He turns to her.
"Please do, cadet."
Z looks over at Sky before starting off with a nervous sigh. "It was my fault. I take full responsibility."
Cadet Tate furrows his eyebrows in bewilderment as Z continues on. "As the leader of the group, I fail to communicate with the other members and give a proper execution from our positions to track down the alien. As a result, we failed the mission and I took upon myself to blame Sky when it was me that failed them as their leader, sir."
Sky's lips parted as he gives her a puzzled look.
"Very well, Cadet." Commander Cruger then turns his gaze over to Sky. "Tate, you are dismissed. As for you Miss Delgado--"
"But sir--"
Cruger stops and turns back to Cadet Tate, who just interrupted him. "Yes?"
He looks at Z and sighs. Sky wasn't just going to stand there and have Z take full responsibility, although it surprised him that she would. He'd expect her to start pointing the finger at him. Z taking the blame didn't feel right, especially to him. "It's not her fault, Commander." He stepped up and deeply sighs. "It was my mistake."
"Sky?"
"I refuse to obey her orders, sir." He explains in all honesty as Z protested.
"No, Commander. I'm responsible for this."
"I was stubborn and insubordinate." Sky continues speaking. "I let my emotions take over our mission and as a result I failed the team…and my leader."
"Sky, you don't have to do this."
"Just because you're the red ranger doesn't mean you should take fault of everything." He shot back. "We work as a team, Z. If you go down, I'm going down with you."
Commander Cruger darted his eyes between them. He felt slightly confused, but yet proud of the both of them. Despite their intense relationship and stubbornness, Commander Cruger felt that they were slowly learning and accepting one another. He could tell that deep inside there was something going on between them—but whatever it is, he believe that the two of them working together would bring a lot of good and strength to SPD.
"Very well," he grunted. "You two are dismissed."
"That's it?" Sky and Z exchange bewildered looks. "You're not gonna punish us or anything?"
There was a small pause.
"Well I could."
Sky and Z drew in a few nervous gulps.
"But I decided that you two pretty much learned your lesson and the truth from yourselves." He explains as the cadets exchange smiles. "And that is a very important thing. Just make sure it won't happen again."
"Don't worry, sir. It won't." Z tells him reassuring. "Right, Sky?"
He looks at her and nods. "Right."
"Why did you do it huh?" Z breaks the silence as the two begin walking down the hallway after being dismissed. "You said it yourself that it was my fault and that I wasn't leader material." She quoted with the gesture of the fingers.
Sky stopped in the middle of the corridor and faces her. "Look, let's just forget about it okay?" She searches his blue eyes carefully. He wasn't the same Sky she'd witnessed just a few hours ago.
"Why is it that one minute you'd be a total jerk and the second a whole different person? It's like you have split personalities." Sky chuckled at the comment. "It's not funny." She tells him seriously. "It's like I don't even know who you are."
Z nods her head in dismay as she turned around and headed to the opposite direction. Sky looks down when suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, allowing him to turn around.
"Hey…" Syd smiles sincerely. "Are you okay?"
He nods. "I'll be fine."
"You want to talk about it?"
"Not now, Syd."
He moves to the side, only making her stand in his way. He groans irritably as she follows his every move, "Syd."
"I'm your friend, Sky." She tells him seriously. "You can talk to me about anything."
Silence lingered in the air as Sky gives in, releasing a deep breath.
"Well I'm kind of hungry." He groans. "Why don't we talk about it over some pizza eh?"
The blonde smiles in return. "Sounds like a great idea."
The two took Sky's blue convertible as they arrived just moments after at a pizza place nearby. It was a beautiful day out with clear skies and nothing else but sunshine. Sky and Syd both took their orders and waited patiently for them as silence lingered in the air.
"I think I'm being too hard on Z."
"Nah, yah think!" Syd chuckled as he shot her a look, forcing the blonde put on a serious face. "I'm sorry."
Sky groans as he rubs the back of his neck. "She has this fire that drives me crazy."
"In an emotional way or…" she bit her lip and smirks, "a sexual way?"
He stops and narrows his eyes at her. "You see, this is why I don't come and talk to you about these things."
"Oh come on, Sky. Just answer the question."
"Emotionally."
"Are you sure?"
He groans, "Syd."
"Alright, I'm sorry." There was a small pause. "Does it still kill you that she's the red ranger?"
Sky looks down and sighs. "Not really."
"Then what is it?"
"Syd, she's--" he stops in mid-sentenced before continuing on. "She's the perfect red ranger.
"And that bothers you?"
"Yes and no. No because she's what we need as our leader." He explains as a small smile crossed his face. "You know it amazes me how in a short amount of time Z could be a good example of what a red ranger should be. But then again it bothers me because…"
Syd listens intently. He could see the confusion in his eyes. "Because?"
"Because," he stops and looks at her, "I'm afraid to lose her."
Bridge Carson was wandering around the academy, looking for someone in particular till he run into Z just down the hallway. He got back from playing lightball with Jack and was about to head to his room.
"Hey, Z."
"Bridge."
"So…" he stood in front of her with his arms crossed, "how did it go with the boss?"
She bit her lip with a thought in mind. "Hey, Bridge…is Sky always….you know? Who he is?"
The cadet slightly chuckles. "Well…yeah. I know he can be so hard on you, but deep down Sky is a really good person."
"I wish I could believe that."
"It's just that after his father died he took it real hard. And Sky's dream is to follow his father's footsteps and to one day become the red ranger."
His female companion sighs. "You know I didn't mean to take that away from him—being the red power ranger and all."
"You didn't, Z. You just gotta give it some time."
She groans. "How much longer do I have to wait?"
"Sky will eventually come around." Bridge reassures her. "I didn't know him till just a few years ago, but I do know that ever since his father died, he's been really hard on himself. He wants his father to look down on him and be proud of the kind of person Sky has become."
"And he is proud of him."
"But Sky doesn't know that." Z sighs at the thought. "He has put a lot of pressure in himself and wants everything to be perfect. Sky wants to become the best at everything…and the best he could be."
"But why does he have to put all that frustration and pressure on me?" She questioned. "Well other than being the red ranger."
"Believe it or not Syd and me get it too before you guys came along. It's Sky yah know? He likes everything to be perfect and tends to want to lead the team. But with your situation, it did hit him rock bottom when Cruger pointed you as the red ranger. He worked so hard for the past few years and felt that he deserved it more than anyone else in the academy."
"I get all that, Bridge. But why is it that he's a really sweet person one minute and the next…he becomes this ego maniac who gets all up in my face all the time."
He chuckles. "Honestly, Z? It may not seem like it but Sky does really care about you. That's why he's putting a lot pressure on you because he wants you to be the best that you can be. He sees potential in you, Z." She averts from his gaze and thinks deeply. "You bring in the soft side of him."
"Does he even realize that not everyone is perfect?" She scoffs. "In fact no one is."
"Sky wants you to be the perfect red ranger—the best."
"But why?"
"Because," Bridge trails off as he studies her carefully, "he doesn't want to lose another red ranger in his life." Her lips slightly parted. "You."
A/N: Okay, I lied. This isn't the last chapter. The next one is. lol. Sorry, didn't mean to get your hopes up there. Please...please review...and I'll give you the last chapter ASAP. This is it you guys! Dun. Dun. Dun. Expect a really long chapter. Later.
