Enemy Within: Stolen Glances
The lion seeks the girl

Note: I do not own Power Rangers Jungle Fury or its characters. I'm just playing with them.
Prompt: First Crush (bigthingsinlife prompts)
Genre: General/Drama/ Romance
Dedication: Thanks to my beta and to my psychological advisor. You two rock!

At first she was the tiny girl with the long blonde hair in light blue ribbon. Then she became the girl whose screams kept me company in the night. I used to stand near her door until her screams stopped, just to listen to her calmly sleep. She used to worry me so much. I finally slept through the night after her night terrors ended, until that day I couldn't. I didn't know how to look at her. Like a relative? A friend? Now as we've grown older, she was a crush. I didn't realize it until months had passed that I liked her. I started noticing that when anyone showed her attention. Even if it was RJ, who revered her as a Sister, I would resent it. If someone touched her, I'd want to break their arm. When she cried I wanted to comfort her. Unfortunately I never had the chance and was too afraid that I'd be rejected if I did. She suddenly became the light for me. I didn't think I could care about anyone, but then I met Kiran.

I was about 16 when I realized that I had my crush on her. She was 14 then, and even though we were still young, she was breathtaking. Her blonde hair had gotten longer now, still tied back in her blue ribbon. She looked at me kindly with her ice blue eyes and gave a gentle smile. Instead of loathing and contempt everyone else seemed to have for me.

At five-four, she was full-grown now, but she was still tiny compared to me; I was six feet and still growing. That didn't matter to me; the one thing that did bother me was that she was thin, too thin. I began to wonder if she ate and started to watch her at meal times to make sure she would eat. She did, sometimes she ate more food than I did, other days she would push it around and snack later. I did notice that her eating habits flux with the energy her spirit gave. Even though neither her nor I knew exactly what her spirit was. She was one of a few who had this problem, but it wasn't all that important.

But that's when I realized she meant something to me; when I cared so much for her health and well-being that I was beginning to follow her around to make sure she was okay…and to watch her…I know it's weird and a bit wrong but I liked to watch her. One of the lessons we all had been instructed on was learning to embrace animal actions and instincts; that through our spirit, they would be able to amplify and protect us. I chose to work on stalking; being able to sneak up on an enemy unawares was something I had craved since the days of being bullied on the playground, to catch them off-guard and make them pay for what they had put me through. But that wasn't honorable, according to the Masters.

I had already picked up some of the stalking habits as Dom and RJ often told me. I'd scared them just about every morning by walking in when they weren't expecting someone to. RJ's sense of hearing was getting better and better. He didn't think that anyone noticed, but I did. I see him more often now, gently tilting his head to pick up on noise in the distance. And yet, just about every morning, he missed me coming downstairs or into the room. They said I walked silently without realizing it. I make sure I walk like that now, not that I changed much in my walking patterns, I've perfected shifting my weight and to choose each step wisely.

Today Kiran is intensely working on weapons with Finn. She's excelled with every weapon put in her hand; each Master here has given her lessons and she's perfected each one. The thing is, they haven't even passed down their techniques of fighting to her yet; they've only taught her how to handle and use their weapons. Many people have gathered to watch so my joining doesn't make a difference. RJ is in the inside of the ring of people watching, and even Swoop has come to watch…in his own sightless way.

My eyes are only on her; the way each move of her body is controlled perfectly amazes me. She handles the blades with a natural grace - like she was born to wield it – just like every other weapon she's come across. I've been tracking each movement; she's able to, mid-move, stop and contorts her body to block an incoming attack. She fails and drops her weapons; she jumps back and prepares for his next attack. She's too tiny to fight toe to toe, but it is very well trained in using her opponent's weight and force against them. I should know; in our younger days, she'd often ask to practice with me, and I would end up across the room in a blur. Now today, Master Finn falls to the same method. He smiles as he lands, clearly proud of her work; the other Masters that have gathered wear the same smile. I don't like how they are staring at her either. They bow to one another and she departs, and RJ checks on his father and I follow her. She's heading back to our dorm, with me in her shadow.