Variations Of SPD
Chapter 1: Arrival Of The Dragon
By: Pink-Green-White-4ever
Last Revised: September 12, 2005
Summary: A new cadet arrives at the Academy, and the team wonders what's so special about him that has Cruger having him train with the new A squad, and them.
Rating: M, for adult-themed situations.
Disclaimer: I don't own PR, Disney does
AN: Yeah, I'd like to give a great big thank you to Chrissy, for helping me name the new character. On my site, once the story progresses further, his biography will be up, along with some information about the SPD team.
AN2: Hey gang! In case you haven't noticed, BloomingViolets now has her own web page. If you go to her profile, and click on homepage, you'll go to it. Go check it out, sign the guestbook, let her know what you think!
"A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold." -- Ogden Nash --
The Rangers' House
Sky's Room
2:00 A.M.
Monday
September 7, 2025
Sky groaned when the door to his bedroom was lightly knocked on. Slowly opening one sleepy blue eye, the former Blue Ranger looked at the clock on his nightstand. When he saw the time was two o'clock blaring back at him in big, bold red numbers, he groaned again and pulled the pillow back over his head. They'd been up until two hours ago making sure every piece of furniture and what not was in place.
"Sky?"
"GO AWAY!" he hollered from under the pillow, not recognizing which of his housemates' voices it was. When he felt someone settle on the bed, he sat up quickly and glared. "WHAT?"
"Sky..."
His anger faded instantly when he saw Sydney looking at him, tears in her eyes. Automatically, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. Since the final battle with Visvajita, the loss of her birth parents, and her miscarrying their baby, she'd had nightmares whenever she wasn't sleeping with him in his room, or vice versa.
"Another one?" he asked. Sydney nodded, snuggling closer to her boyfriend, allowing the warmth of his presence to sooth her frazzled nerves. "What caused it this time?" he gently asked.
"New room."
Sky nodded. He admitted to himself he'd had trouble getting to sleep earlier. "I'm glad Jack took the third floor room, this way Bridge and Z have connecting rooms and you and I have connecting rooms. Want to sleep with me tonight?"
Sydney nodded slowly, already starting to drift off thanks to the security she felt while being in his arms. Sky smiled softly, pulling her onto the bed and settling her under his covers and in his arms. "Get some sleep, Syd."
"Love you."
Sky smiled. "Love you too."
SPD Academy
Command Center
10:00 A.M.
"Good morning," Kat greeted as the five former Rangers walked into the Command Center to get ready for the new wave of cadets.
"Morning Kat!" the team called, trudging around a bit slowly still, due to their hectic moving that weekend.
"How's it living together outside of the academy?" Kat teased, handing each of them a data pad.
Jack shook his head, Z laughed, Bridge grinned, Sky glared and Sydney didn't respond at all, the former Pink Ranger still leaning against Sky's side, even though they were on duty.
"That good huh?"
"Good morning, Cadets," Cruger greeted, then stopped when Bridge stepped forward.
"Um, Commander, it's ummmm, since we're not, like, Rangers anymore, shouldn't, you uhhhh, call us something other than Cadets? Instructors maybe? Or teachers, or better yet, mentors?"
Everyone rolled their eyes at Bridge's babbling, so use to it after all this time. "No, Cadet Carson, as you're still taking courses here at the Academy you are still A Level Cadets, just not active Rangers."
"Yes sir."
"I've got a surprise for you and the A Squad. Please bring them back here after the assembly."
Jack nodded, still assuming his role as leader of the team, even though they were no longer and active team.
"Let's go welcome our new D Level Cadets."
SPD Landing Pad
10:30 A.M.
Walking off the shuttle, he cringed slightly at the activity of the landing bay. There were people everywhere, something he wasn't use to. He'd spent most of his life in the sacred temple, training for the day when he'd take his rightful place in the legacy his parents had started years before, so this was a new experience, and he was silently wondering what his mentor had gotten him into.
"Brian?" the female in front of him asked softly. Turning, he nodded and smiled. He knew Kat from the picture his mentor had shown him, as well as the last transmission with Commander Cruger when she'd been present.
"Dr. Manx."
Kat smiled. "Welcome to SPD. Follow me, I'll get you into your room, which you'll be sharing with the A Squad Red Ranger and then I'll take you to meet the Commander, and the others."
Brian swallowed, hard, knowing immediately what she meant by "others".
"It's ok, she's here, but she doesn't know you're here."
Chocolate brown eyes closed briefly while the button nose he'd inherited from his mother wrinkled up in anxiety. "I'm ready, but are they?"
Location Unknown
Same Time
The room was quiet, which would have been a good thing if the silence hadn't brought a foreboding atmosphere. He'd seen Brian off nearly a day before, and knew that the teenager was now in the presence of those who could train him and guide him in the ways of his world.
He looked at the picture hanging on the wall. The picture was over twenty years old, and faded a little, but he could still clearly make out the uniforms, the animal spirit insignias on their chests, but most of all, their smiles still danced back at him. His first six Ninjetti from Earth; they had served the power proudly, each doing their duty until they'd passed it on, and then had it passed back. Now it was up to a teenage boy and six slightly inexperienced former Rangers to make sure the legacy of the ninja was unbroken. His eyes focused in on the individuals wearing the Pink and White Ninja uniforms.
"Your son is trained, his body and mind ready for battle, now it is up to your daughter to take it one step further."
Command Center
11:45 A.M.
"I see you made it in one piece," Cruger called out as Kat and Brian walked into the command center. The young man stopped suddenly, taking in the people rushing about the room before his eyes landed on the ten Cadets and the big blue dog.
"Yes sir," Brian nearly choked on the words, until Anubis smiled at him.
"Come in, and allow me to introduce you to your instructors and teammates," Anubis commanded. Brian nodded and stepped forward, his hands coming to rest behind his back as he stared at his new teammates, trying to decipher which one was the person he most wanted to see.
"These are your new teammates, Cadet Aaron Matthews – Red Ranger. Cadet Alana Ortiz – Yellow Ranger, Cadet Allison Parker – Pink Ranger, Cadet Travis Gaines – Green Ranger, and Cadet Brett Silvers – Blue Ranger."
The five Rangers nodded in greeting.
"And these are our former A Squad Rangers, and new instructors here at the Academy; Cadets Jack Landors, Z Delgado, Bridge Carson, Sky Tate, and Sydney Drew."
Brian's eyes misted over slightly when he took in the former Pink Ranger. She looked nothing like him, or his parents, but both Cruger and his mentor said she was related to him.
"Cadets, allow me to introduce you to the newest A Level Cadet, Brian Oliver."
Gasps were heard from the former Rangers at the mention of his name, especially from Sydney who'd reached out and took Sky's hand, squeezing it tightly.
'My brother!'