Sheesh, this is a short chapter. But really fun to write!

Disclaimer: Taz and Up and the G.L.E.E are starkid productions.

Chapter thirteen

Over the next three months in space, Taz finally became accustomed to her life. Her work with Up was paying off (with her being able to flip any academy G.L.E.E.k onto their back in five seconds flat) , she could cook a vast array of stuff, and to top it all off, just a month ago Taz had discovered that the headquarters had a library. A LIBRARY! It was marvelous. Sometimes when she couldn't sleep, Taz would sneak through the halls to the library and read a novel or two. Sometimes even Mary would join her, which was nice even though she wasn't that talkative.

Also, her first kiss occurred. No, it was not romantic. It had been rushed and sloppy and Taz did not want to suck face right then. NOT AT ALL. It was safe to say that when it happened Taz was furious with the ego-inflated academy boy. Same-said academy boy had to go to the medical bay for a broken nose and a split lip. No one forced themselves upon Taciana Antonella Carlotta Lopez and got away scot-free. Nope, not a one. That punk was just lucky Taz didn't have her switchblade.

Ever since she was a little nina, Taz had hoped that she would share a kiss with someone truly special... that dream had been stolen, thrown on the ground and stomping into polvo. She wasn't a girly kind of girl... but even she knew what was important. Taz gave off an aura of tension for an entire week, her personal forecast being stormy with a strong chance of mood swings. The reality of being a female that week didn't help matters much either. Finally, after a week of learning to navigate around his apprentice's touchy mood, Up decided it was safe enough to ask his friend what was wrong. She was only glowering today, and hadn't threatened anyone yet.

"What's got you down Taz?" He asked in that gruff accent Taz had grown to love.

"Nothing." She responded, her own Guatemalan accent heavy as well. Up had come to realize that when Taz was in a temper, out came her native tongue. He actually bought a spanish-to-english dictionary awhile back because he had no clue what her insults actually meant. Some of them were quite colorful.

"Aw, come on Taz! You've been angrier then a kicked hornets nest all week!" She swung a punch at his left temple as he ducked and skirted around her to avoid it. The two were in the gym during free hour working on some technique. Around the edges of the room was some weight lifting equipment, and spaced out around the duo were other rangers fighting. She sighed and feigned an uppercut.

"You really want to know?" She asked slowly. He aimed a sidekick at her torso, she jumped back in time.

"It's why I asked."

Her face scrunched up in what the Lieutenant could only describe as disgust. "I...I got kissed by a boy." He spun around to keep her in his sight. Taz watched him carefully evaluating his reaction. Only an eyebrow was raised.

"How is that a bad thing?" He asked teasingly. Aw, Taz was growing up! She managed to punch him on the chest.

"The idiota freakin' jumped me on my way back from the library and planted one on me!"

"Did you knee the sucker?" He asked concerned.

"No."

"NO?"

"I clocked him in the face." Then Taz's fist came into contact with the right side of his head, poetically emphasizing her point. *SMACK* That was the first time she had been able to hit his cranium. Up stumbled back a step or two and then burst out laughing. Taz raised an eyebrow at the man in front of her. What was so funny about that? A few other sparring couples looked their way. Up waved them off and then turned to Taz with a giant grin on his face.

"Atta girl." She was improving, and God knew the kid she punched deserved it. "Do I know the kid?"

"Yea, Lenny. In your third class."

"No wonder why he's been missing." It was probably why the boys in his class stayed far away as possible from Taz now. She scared them.

"Oh, I threatened him... and his ego will be bruised beyond belief if he shows up again." She shrugged and then lowered herself into a defense position. Up copied her stance, and his eyes skimmed her over. She wasn't protecting her right side very well. He could work that to his favor.

"What did you threaten him with?"

The latina grinned, her white teeth in a devilish smirk. "You."

He chuckled "Me?" Then made his first offensive move, getting her to open up her right side a bit more. She huffed and blew a chunk of hair out of her face (which had fallen out of her braid.) Taz grunted as his foot made contact with her side. He never did take it easy with her. Hair fell in front of her sweaty face again. "Yea, you. Mr. Buff- I-have-a-mustache-Lieutenant-Guy. You can be pretty scary... luckily I know how much of a softie you are."

"I'm not soft!" She blocked a punch with her forearm.

"Sure you aren't." Taz whipped around her mentor, and her braid smacked him in the face. She pivoted on her left foot and slid into a crouching position.

"Taz... have you ever thought about getting that hair of yours cut?" Up said warily. It had become quite a big problem when fighting.

"Si; i've got to get rid of some split ends and-"

"No, I mean like cut it really short. To your shoulders or higher." She broke out of her position and stood up straight.

"Now why would I want to do that?"

Translation:

-polvo= dust/dirt

Authors note: AHHHH! I woke up at 4 in the morning today, and realized I had dreamed of Taz and Up. That sparked some inspiration... and i wrote their first kiss. Its brilliant, and WILL be part of this story... but you won't get to read it for a long while yet...muahahahahha!

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