Last Revised: September 12, 2005

Summary: Sky and Syd have been sworn enemies ever since they could remember. Bridge, Z and Jack are tired of their constant arguments and hatch a plan to get them to at least be civilized to each other. However, along the way, Sky and Syd discover for themselves the true sides and good qualities of each other.

Disclaimer: We don’t own Power Rangers. This story was written for entertainment purposes only.

Pairing: Syd/Sky with undertones of Bridge/Z

AN: Thank you to all of you for the enormous amount of support we’ve gotten from the first two chapters. We love hearing the positive feedback. --PGW4 grins-- The best way to describe this chapter is: Score – Sydney 1, Sky 0 -- grins –

-x-x-x-

He was a complete jerk. ‘I’m surprised we haven’t killed each other yet,’ Syd thought as she shuffled back and forth between her bed and the closet. She stood on her tiptoes and reached into the closet, retrieving a worn notebook that had been sitting on one of the shelves. Moving back toward her bed, she tossed the notebook into her satchel. ‘He’s impossible to deal with. I can’t believe I lasted this long dealing with him everyday.’

She straightened and surveyed her room with a critical eye. Was there anything else she needed? ‘Always trying to boss the rest of us around, expecting us to train 24/7, snapping at us whenever he’s pissed off- no wait- not snapping at us, snapping at ME! Always trying to find a way to make my life miserable. He’s always bragging about the fact that his father was a red ranger, what an arrogant imbecile; his father wasn’t the only red ranger around, my father had been a red ranger too!’

The pink ranger moved over to her night stand and opened the top drawer, pulling out a pencil case. She added the pencil case to the bag. ‘Sometimes I don’t know who is worse –Sky or Gruumm. On one hand, Gruumm is an evil alien, bent on taking over Earth and causing destruction everywhere. On the other hand, Sky is annoying, arrogant and is just a jerk in general. But I suppose if it all came down to it, I’d pick Sky over Gruumm any day.’

Syd stopped in mid thought as a wry smile came to her lips. ‘Huh, I never thought I’d be thinking that.’

Heading back towards her closet, Syd pulled out a light pink sweater and after folding it neatly, stuffed it into her bag for use later on in the evening. ‘I wonder what Commander Cruger was thinking anyway. Putting us together on the same squad wasn’t the greatest idea he ever had. All we did most of the time was arguing.’

‘I guess Jack’s right, we DO provoke each other,’ the pink ranger mentally shrugged. ‘But I can’t help it; I always have to fight back. There’s just something about that man that just sets me off. Just one look at the smirk on his face is enough to make me lose it.’

Seeing that she had everything she needed, Syd proceeded to quickly tie her hair up in a ponytail. The yellow ranger entered the room just as Syd was finishing up.

“Going somewhere?” Z asked as she watched Syd shoulder her bag.

“Just out,” the pink ranger replied nonchalantly, as she checked her bag to make sure she had her morpher. Syd gave Z a small smile. “I’ll be back later okay? Call me on my morpher if anything happens.”

“Okay, bye Syd.”

Sydney gave a small wave as she left the room, leaving the yellow ranger to wonder where her friend was heading. As the pink ranger walked along, she spotted Sky down at the end of the hallway. For a brief moment, she considered making some sarcastic remark, but then she remembered the promise she made to Jack. So she held her tongue and continued on as if she hadn’t seen him.

If she had turned around, she would’ve seen the curious glance Sky had given her.

-x-x-x-

She pulled up in front of the large white building, and parked the jeep in the driveway. Pulling her bag to her shoulder, Syd got out of the vehicle and headed toward the front door. She rang the doorbell and waited. Moments later, a woman in her early forties with grayish-brown hair answered.

The woman smiled upon seeing her. “Sydney!” she greeted, flinging the door wide open. “Come on in!”

Syd chuckled as she stepped inside. “Thanks Caitlynn.”

Caitlynn Roberts had been in charge with running the school for disabled children for over twenty years now. Sydney had begun volunteering a few years back –she helped tutored mentally challenged children. The pink ranger loved her job, and she was good at it too. The feeling of triumph whenever those children learned something new was the best feeling in the world –she loved seeing the looks of joy on the children’s faces when they discovered something exciting.

Sydney followed Caitlynn into a small room where a child with dirty blonde hair was already seated at the table. “You’ll be teaching Kyle today, Sydney,” Caitlynn smiled.

“Okay!” Syd responded cheerfully, heading over to where the little boy sat. Caitlynn left, as Syd sat down in the chair next to Kyle.

“Hi, Kyle. Are you ready to learn?”

The little boy nodded vigorously, his eyes dancing with excitement. “Yesth, Siddy!”

Syd grinned and pulled her notebook and other various materials out of her satchel. She spread them out all over the table and the two set to work. Kyle was a six-year-old little boy with cerebral palsy, though he physically appeared different, he was not mentally retarded –he loved learning about birds and airplanes, his dream one day was to fly.

The pink ranger pulled out a book on airplanes and grinned at the delighted look on Kyle’s face. With happy, loving children like Kyle around, the world didn’t seem half bad.

-x-x-x-

Syd sighed as she pulled into the parking lot of the Academy. Stepping out of the vehicle, she pulled her pink sweater tighter around herself, the evening air had cooled down and it had gotten a bit chilly. Glancing at her wristwatch as she headed inside, the pink ranger slightly groaned when she saw what time it was and shook her head slightly. It was five minutes past curfew.

She quietly trudged along the hallways, careful not to make a sound. Heading towards the common room, she waited till the doors slid open before walking in. Immediately, she headed over to the vending machine, retrieving a bottle of water. Just as she took a sip, a voice spoke up, startling her.

“Cutting it a bit close, don’t you think?”

Sydney whirled around in surprise only to see Sky standing in front of her with his arms crossed. She rolled her eyes and resumed to what she had been doing. “Mind your own business.”

“Actually, it is my business. I should report you. The handbook clearly states that every cadet must be inside the Academy by-“

“Spare me your lecture, would you? I’ve only heard it about a million times.”

“It’s against regulations-“

“I know what’s against regulations!” Syd snapped, her patience rapidly wearing thin. “And like I said, mind your own business!”

Before Sky could retort, a new voice rang out. “Just what is going on here?”

Instantly, Sky and Syd were standing next to each other, saluting as Commander Cruger came into the common room.

“Sir,” Sky began, casting a slight smirk in the pink ranger’s direction. “Sydney came in past curfew.”

Syd stood up straighter as Cruger fixed his gaze on her, his eyebrow raised. “Cadet?”

“It was just five minutes sir, things piled up a bit while I was out,” Syd emphasized the word ‘out’ hoping that the Commander would understood what she meant. Cruger was the only one at SPD that knew about her secret projects. She gave a soft sigh of relief as Cruger nodded.

“Try not to let it happen again, Cadet.”

Syd nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“But, sir!” Sky sputtered. Clearly, the blue ranger had been expecting Syd to get punished.

Cruger fixed Sky with a serious stare. “Time for you to get to bed, Cadets. You have an early training session tomorrow morning.” With those last words, the Commander turned and left.

As soon as the doors slid closed, the blue ranger whirled around and glared at Syd accusingly. “Getting the special treatment, I see. What are you? The Commander’s favorite?”

The pink ranger glared right back at Sky. “Don’t assume things, Tate,” she hissed. “You don’t know anything.”

“Oh really?” he shot back, “Why don’t you enlighten me. Tell me why you were able to get the afternoon and evening off, while the rest of us had to train?”

“I don’t have to answer to you,” Syd picked up her water bottle and her bag and began making her way towards her room, leaving Sky to glare at her retreating back.

-x-x-x-

“I hope the Commander let’s us off early, I didn’t sleep a wink last night,” Bridge grumbled to Z, who looked worried about him.

“Somebody broadcasting again?” the Yellow Ranger asked, nodding her head toward Sky.

“That and I heard the argument they had before he came to bed,” Bridge sighed, leaning against the wall.

The Yellow Ranger shook her head, disbelieving the two couldn’t even follow Jack’s simple request that they ignore each other.

“Listen up, Cadets,” Commander Cruger very nearly barked upon reaching the five Rangers. “Cadets Delgado, Carson and Landors, I want you three to spar together. Cadet Landors, please help Delgado and Carson on their martial arts training.”

Z and Bridge blushed. The two of them knew that while they were fairly well versed in the marital arts, Jack was the master fighter of the three of them.

“Cadets Tate and Drew, you’re with me.”

Five sets of eyes widened, taking in the Commander’s dominating presence. “Yippy yay,” Syd muttered, and then went quiet when Cruger glared at her.

Moving to their groups, the five Rangers prepared themselves for their training session. Jack, Z, and Bridge stretched and then began a somewhat complicated kata before they began to spar, Jack versus the other two.

Meanwhile, Sky and Sydney moved to face Commander Cruger. The trio began to spar, the two Rangers attacking Cruger with all the pent up frustration and anger they felt toward one another.

“Commander Cruger, your presence is requested in Dr. Manx’s office!” someone called over the intercom.

Cruger stopped and allowed Sky and Sydney a moment to breath. “You two, continue to work together. Delgado, Carson, Landors! Continue your sparing. I’ll be back shortly.”

Once the Commander walked away, Sky and Sydney eyed one another warily. “Guess we’d better get back to it,” Syd mumbled.

Sky sneered at her. “Does the Princess not want to spar like the rest of us peasants?”

Syd’s jaw dropped, and then her eyes narrowed in on him. “The only peasant I see around here, Schuyler Tate, is you!” she hissed.

“How about the best fighter in the Academy show you what missing one afternoon of training does to a lazy, snobbish, childish brat like you?”

Syd smirked. “Too bad Jack’s busy at the moment, but you’re welcome to try in his place.”

The Blue Ranger didn’t respond verbally, he lashed out with his arms instead, hoping to catch Sydney off guard. Unfortunately for him, the Pink Ranger was ready for him. Sydney grabbed his right arm and spun herself to his chest, her left hand grasping his right wrist while her right elbow connected with his ribs, hard.

Sky gave a muffled cry and then shouted when Sydney tossed him over her shoulder, causing him to land on his back and skid a few feet away. “Gee, Sky, I’m sorry. Did that hurt?” Syd asked in a sickingly sweet voice as she fluttered her eyelashes at the downed Blue Ranger.

Pushing himself to his feet, Sky growled at Sydney, and forgetting that thinking out a plan of attack was better than rushing in, he sped toward the Pink Ranger, who dropped to a lower position and sweep kicked his feet out from under him, causing him to land hard.

Meanwhile, the trio of other Rangers stood watching the sparring match, wincing every time Sky hit the ground. “She’s good,” Jack muttered.

“Real good,” Z dead-panned in response.

Bridge stood next to them, shaking his head and grinning. “Sky had it coming this time, what he said was uncalled for.”

“He’s not using his head, he’s just rushing at her,” Jack commented. “And she’s going to kick his butt if he doesn’t start using his brain.”

“You’re suggesting guys actually have brains? I thought you all thought with another part of your anatomy?” Z smirked, causing both Bridge and Jack to glare at her, before the three of them turned their attention back to Sydney and Sky.

“Give up yet, Tate?” Syd taunted.

“Not to sniveling brat like you!” he hollered, rushing forward.

Sydney ducked and rolled, causing him to trip over her before he turned and came at her before she could get up. Noticing she was in a bad position, Sydney brought her foot up, catching Sky in the stomach and barely missing a vital part of his anatomy, while causing him to fly backwards.

Sky hit the mat with a thud, and didn’t get up once he was done. Crawling over, Syd smirked at him and then threw one leg over him, so that she was straddling his stomach. “You give up now?” she asked, glaring at him. She leaned her palms against his chest, pinning him to the mat.

“Get off!” he growled, but didn’t move. His back, among other areas of his body, was killing him, and even though Sydney barely weighed anything, it hurt to try and push her off.

“Not until you yield, otherwise we’ll be sitting here until the Commander comes back.”

“Fine! I yield!”

“Thank you.” Syd flung her self off him and then tried to help him up, only to have Sky brush her hand away.

“I loved her technique,” Z giggled, watching Jack and Bridge grin. All three of them blinked in surprise when they noticed the slight bulge in the front of Sky’s sweats. “NO WAY!”

Jack laughed. “Looks like someone is attracted to our very pretty Pink Ranger.”

Bridge nodded and discreetly slipped his glove off, waving it in front of him.

“Well?” Z asked.

“I see blue, which means he’s concerned about something, or someone and also because that’s his Ranger color, and our Ranger colors make up a good part of our auras now. Red-violet, which means that’s he’s very driven, which is obviously a given, cause it’s Sky we’re talking about. But it’s the last two that surprises me.”

“What?” Jack questioned.

“Well, I see more Pink than the others, and that could mean a few things. First, it’s there cause he’s standing so close to Syd. Two, he’s got some romantic feelings toward someone that we don’t know about. And then there’s the Violet.”

Z’s brow creased in confusion. “What’s violet stand for?”

“Considering it’s mixing with the pink and those two are practically drowning out every other color I see on him, it means…um…well…”

“Bridge, spit it out.”

“He’s sexually frustrated and I believe Syd’s the cause.”

Jack and Z’s jaws dropped as Bridge’s cheeks turned bright red.

-x-x-x-

“I can’t believe this,” Z complained as they made their way inside the Academy. “The entire time they’ve been fighting, they were secretly attracted to one another? Can this get anymore weirder?”

“I know,” Bridge shrugged.

Jack began to snicker. “It does explain a few things though. Maybe that’s why Sky is always moody. He can’t get laid.”

“Jack!” Z slapped the red ranger’s arm, but found herself grinning also. It had been an interesting turn of events.

“Well, whatever it is,” Bridge said, “It’s bothering the heck out of Sky.”

“Has Syd realized it yet?” Jack asked.

“I don’t think so,” Bridge shrugged again. “But it’s only a matter of time.”

-x-x-x-

The cold water ran over his body, cooling it down to its normal temperature. Sky stood under the spray, his thoughts running wild over what had happened during their morning training session. Luckily, the training hadn’t lasted much longer after Sydney had pinned him; thankfully Cruger had gotten back and they had sparred for another fifteen minutes before they were dismissed.

It had been the most uncomfortable fifteen minutes of his life. Sydney had been assigned to be his sparring partner, while Cruger stood by and observed. For the entire fifteen minutes they had sparred, for some reason, Sky had kept picturing her in a bikini.

What he didn’t understand was why his body had reacted this way. It was Sydney. There was just no other way to put it. He didn’t understand why he was suddenly imagining her in a bikini. He had seen her in one before, a few years ago when their families had gone on vacation at the beach. It had done nothing for him then. She was the skinny little brat that annoyed him constantly. She was the spoiled blonde that was too snobby for her own good. She was pretty sexy when she was angry…

“Damn!” Sky cursed under his breath. What the hell was wrong with him today? Had there been something wrong with the food when he ate breakfast earlier?

Sighing, the blue ranger turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. Drying himself off, Sky wrapped the towel tightly around his waist. Stepping out of the bathroom and into his room, he was in for a bit of a surprise.

-x-x-x-

Syd walked along the hallway, carrying her radio, looking for Bridge. The green ranger had seemingly disappeared and was no where to be found. She blew a lock of hair out of her face. Heading toward the green ranger’s room, she paused just outside the door and knocked. There was no answer.

Syd frowned slightly. ‘Where in the world is he? I need my radio to be fixed!’ Briefly wondering if Bridge was asleep, she entered the room, not expecting to see Sky.

Her eyes landed on the soft blue towel first, before slowly traveling up. Her eyes widened as they landed on his chest. Smooth skin over rippled chest muscles, nice strong muscular arms…

“Can I help you?”

Sky’s voice brought her back to reality and she took a step back. She felt the heat rushing up to her cheeks when she realized that Sky had caught her staring. She blinked and shook her head. ‘Get a grip Syd. This is SKY we’re talking about.’

“Where’s Bridge?” she asked, shifting her gaze to the radio she held in her hands.

“He’s not here.”

All previous thoughts were gone and Syd felt her temper flare up. “I know that!” she snapped. “I wanted to know where he is!”

Sky shot her an annoyed stare. “Well I can’t help you there; I haven’t seen him since training ended. Now can you please leave so I can get dressed?”

“Gladly.” Syd whirled around and stomped out, heading back to her own room. Once she was safely in her quarters, she heaved a sigh of relief. ‘Who knew that Sky, of all people, would have the body of a sex god?’

-x-x-x-

“You ok?” Z asked as Syd entered the rec room, the Pink Ranger looking flushed and embarrassed still from her earlier encounter with Sky.

“I’m fine!” Syd snapped.

Z raised an eyebrow at her roommate and watched as Syd sighed. “Have you seen Bridge? I need him to take a look at my radio.”

“He’s with Jack; I have no clue where they are. Syd, you sure you’re okay?”

The Pink Ranger looked like she was debating what to tell her yellow teammate and roommate. “It’s nothing, I promise. If you see Bridge before I do, tell him I need him, please?”

Z nodded, and then frowned when she saw Sky walk in the door behind Sydney. ‘Oh boy, here we go’ Z thought, wincing. Much to her amazement though, when Sydney turned around, she said not one word to Sky and fled the room, heading for their bedroom.

“What gives?” Z asked Sky when he sat down on the couch opposite her.

“I haven’t a clue,” Sky mumbled, looking down at the floor.

‘Something happened’ Z thought, wondering if she should go find Jack and Bridge and see if they could help her figure out what.

-x-x-x-

Sydney tossed and turned. She’d been in a grumpy mood all afternoon, and though she wouldn’t admit it, it had to do with seeing Sky scantily clad in a towel. ‘Darn him!’ she thought angrily, sitting up and pounding her fist into her pillow.

“The pillow’s innocent, you know.”

The Pink Ranger jumped at Z’s voice, looking over to see her roommate sitting up, dark hair flying everywhere. “Well, I promised Jack I’d leave Sky alone, otherwise I’d be pounding on him. It is his fault, after all.”

“What’s his fault?”

Busted. Syd recovered quickly. “What ISN’T his fault? He’s egotistical, self-centered, a know it all who thinks he’s God’s gift to women! I HATE HIM!”

Z leaned back against the wall by her bed, arms crossing over her chest. “What brought this on? I thought you two were ignoring each other?”

“WE ARE!” Sydney roared, flopping back on her bed.

“Something happened, didn’t it?”

“No, nothing happened. He’s just being Sky. Goodnight.”

Z lay back down, staring at the ceiling, knowing there was so much more to Sydney’s story than the Pink Ranger was letting on. ‘But what?’

-x-x-x-