The Kindergarten Sandbox
This was written in response to a fic request from second_batgirl. She requested more adventures of baby!Adam, Rocky, and Aisha in the sandbox. This... is not quite what she asked for.
Okay, so this ended up being more about Rocky and Adam than about the full Stone Canyon Trio. I just couldn't help it. I hope you like it anyway!
Title: The Kindergarten Sandbox
Fandom: Power Rangers- Stone Canyon Trio
Rating: G
Summary: School is not everything they thought it would be.
Disclaimer: not mine, not even a little bit
At the beginning of the school year, Rocky thought he was the luckiest kid on Earth. He got to start school, real school, Big Kid school, with his two best friends. Adam and Aisha were both in the same kindergarten class and they got to walk to school together. They were inseparable and Rocky thought nothing could ruin the happiness he felt at being in school with his friends.
The thing was, not everybody felt that way. Rocky hadn’t spent a lot of time around too many other kids. He knew other kids could be mean sometimes, but Rocky had a heart of gold and a rosy outlook on life. He had no idea kids could be cruel all the time. He had no idea anybody could have such meanness in them. Until he started school.
They weren’t meant to him, of course. He didn’t understand it. He didn’t know why, but the mean kids left him alone for the most part. He’d never stood up to them really and he certainly didn’t fight back. Fighting was wrong. His father had always taught him that real men didn’t use their fists to solve their problems, and his mother had always said only bad little boys with no heart could hurt another person physically. So while he’d never done anything to divert their attention, he’d never drawn the attention of the bullies in the first place.
But Adam did. Rocky didn’t know why, but from the first minute of the first day of school it seemed like Adam had a big huge target hovering over his head. Maybe it was because he was so quiet and shy. Maybe it was because he was so much smaller than the other boys. Rocky didn’t understand, since Adam was the nicest and smartest person he knew, but the bullies zoned in on him right away. Adam was their main goal and they did everything they could to make his life miserable.
Rocky had tried standing up for him, but Adam told him not to. Aisha had started telling the teacher every single time the bullies even looked at Adam funny, but when Adam refused to talk about what was going on, Aisha had to stop before the teacher accused her of lying. Adam hadn’t let them do anything to help and though they both honoured his wishes, it tore Rocky up inside to see Adam be taunted so horribly. All he could do was be there and play no matter what, but he knew it hurt Adam. And when Adam was hurting, he was hurting. He knew Aisha felt the same. She looked ready to cry half the time and that was usually Rocky’s cue that she was feeling bad too. So they suffered in silence, because their friend asked them too.
Until the day things changed. Until the day things got worse. Until the day things got physical and the bullies tried to really actually hurt Adam, hurling fists and not just words. Until the day Rocky couldn't take it any more.
“Hey, Spasm!” Mitchell called out, his looming shadow covering the sandbox and the holes Adam, Aisha, and Rocky were digging. Adam ignored him and while Rocky’s anger flared, he and Aisha kept quiet as well.
“Does Baby Spasm need a wittle nappie after his wunch? Does snookums needs his Mommy?” Mitchell taunted. His cronies laughed. Rocky grimaced. Adam just kept silently digging.
“Hey! I’m talking to you, Shrimp!” Adam gritted his teeth, but continued to ignore Mitchell. Rocky hoped all the ignoring would make Mitchell go away, that maybe if they didn’t talk back he’d get bored and leave. He knew that’s what Adam was thinking, and so he stayed silent, hoping Aisha would manage to keep quiet for just that once too.
“Look at me when I’m talking to you, you freaky little midget!” Mitchell was just getting angry and not going away. Rocky felt the anger bubbling inside him, but he didn’t know what to do to make it all stop. He could see Adam wincing with every word and knew it was hurting him, but he was helpless to stop it. Adam wouldn’t look up, wouldn’t even acknowledge Mitchell. But Mitchell wasn’t going away, he was just getting mad, and a mad Mitchell was the most dangerous thing on the whole playground.
Things spiraled out of control quickly. Mitchell, overcome with anger and frustration, grabbed Adam by the front of his shirt and hauled him to his feet. Mitchell picked him up as if he were made of paper. Rocky and Aisha both gasped, jumping to their feet. Rocky saw Aisha look towards the teachers, but they were all the way on the other side of the playground. There were about a million kids between them and the teachers. Aisha kept looking between the teachers and Mitchell, but Rocky narrowed his eyes on the bully. The teachers would never make it in time. He’d have to do something himself.
“Leave him alone, Mitchell,” he said, trying to step between the two. Mitchell gripped Adam tighter and shook him a little, pushing Rocky out of the way.
“Go back to the country you came from. I’m talking to my midget here.” Rocky clenched his fists as the anger surged.
“There’s nothing wrong with being small.” Adam managed to stutter out, his eyes wide with fear. Mitchell finally laughed, and his friends chuckled nervously along with him. They all looked a little scared too.
“Oh yeah? What good is being small?” Mitchell shook him again and let go long enough to wrap his meaty fingers around Adam’s thin little arm. It looked like it would break in half if he squeezed hard enough, though Adam struggled to get away. Adam’s eyes pleaded with Rocky to come up with something, anything, but Rocky was frozen in fear. He knew about a million reasons it was good to be short. There was that time Mr. Wiggles, the class hamster, escaped from his cage and somehow climbed on top of the cabinets. Adam was the only one small enough and light enough to get hoisted up there and crawl along the top until he could catch Mr. Wiggles. Then there was dodgeball during gym class. Adam was always the last one standing, even if he never moved, because he was too small for the other kids to hit with the balls. Rocky knew all this, and more, but with Adam shaking in fear and all those bigger boys around them, he couldn’t speak. He looked at Aisha, desperate for help, but she was still staring at the teachers as if silently willing them to look over.
“Hah! Even your big stupid friends can’t think of anything.” Mitchell and his gang all laughed and Adam just crumpled under the taunting. He looked like he was about to cry.
“Aw, widdle baby gonna cwy? Cry, baby Spasm, cry!” Rocky couldn’t help it. He stepped in front of Adam and got right in Mitchell’s face, grabbing hold of Mitchell’s arm and squeezing as hard as he could.
“Let him go.” Rocky whispered. Aisha gasped and took off running for the teachers. She was screaming for Mrs. Smith at the top of her lungs. It didn’t matter. They were too far away. Mitchell grimaced, but didn’t let go. Rocky released his arm and, letting the anger take over, launched himself at Mitchell’s waist. It was enough to knock them over, Mitchell dragging Adam down with them. Rocky grabbed hold tight and rolled Mitchell over until Adam was free from the pile and Rocky was sitting on top of him. Adam stood up and backed away, crying for Rocky, but he wouldn’t stop. He couldn’t stop. Mitchell would never stop, and so neither would Rocky. He let go with as many punches and hits as he could get in. Most of them missed, or were blocked as Mitchell cried and tried to fight back, but he felt his fist connect a few times. Mitchell managed to get one good hit in and Rocky felt pain explode behind his eyes as blood rushed down his nose and into his mouth. Mrs. Smith finally reached them and pulled Rocky off Mitchell. It took all her strength to keep him away from the other boy. She hauled them both down to the office, Adam trailing behind.
“Mrs. Smith, it’s not his fault! He was just trying to stick up for me! Mitchell was the one who started it!” Mrs. Smith wasn’t listening to Adam, though, and when Adam refused to go back to class, she decided he might as well be dragged into the punishment as well.
The principal gave him an ice pack for his nose and a stern talking to. Rocky didn’t care. He didn’t care that they called his mother, and that she called his father, who came home from work early. His father enrolled him in karate, so he could learn to fight with dignity, whatever that meant. He didn’t care that he got yelled at for over an hour, in rapid fire Spanish, once he got home. He didn’t care that he was grounded for a whole month. He didn’t care that he’d rendered Aisha virtually speechless, which never happened, or that she swore she’d never talk to Rocky again, or at least for the whole rest of that day. All Rocky cared about was the smile on Adam’s face and the hug of thanks he gave him before Rocky got pulled to the car by his ear. Adam was smiling, triumphant instead of beaten down for a change, and that was all that mattered. Rocky would tear the world apart to keep Adam smiling like that.
Okay, so this ended up being more about Rocky and Adam than about the full Stone Canyon Trio. I just couldn't help it. I hope you like it anyway!
Title: The Kindergarten Sandbox
Fandom: Power Rangers- Stone Canyon Trio
Rating: G
Summary: School is not everything they thought it would be.
Disclaimer: not mine, not even a little bit
At the beginning of the school year, Rocky thought he was the luckiest kid on Earth. He got to start school, real school, Big Kid school, with his two best friends. Adam and Aisha were both in the same kindergarten class and they got to walk to school together. They were inseparable and Rocky thought nothing could ruin the happiness he felt at being in school with his friends.
The thing was, not everybody felt that way. Rocky hadn’t spent a lot of time around too many other kids. He knew other kids could be mean sometimes, but Rocky had a heart of gold and a rosy outlook on life. He had no idea kids could be cruel all the time. He had no idea anybody could have such meanness in them. Until he started school.
They weren’t meant to him, of course. He didn’t understand it. He didn’t know why, but the mean kids left him alone for the most part. He’d never stood up to them really and he certainly didn’t fight back. Fighting was wrong. His father had always taught him that real men didn’t use their fists to solve their problems, and his mother had always said only bad little boys with no heart could hurt another person physically. So while he’d never done anything to divert their attention, he’d never drawn the attention of the bullies in the first place.
But Adam did. Rocky didn’t know why, but from the first minute of the first day of school it seemed like Adam had a big huge target hovering over his head. Maybe it was because he was so quiet and shy. Maybe it was because he was so much smaller than the other boys. Rocky didn’t understand, since Adam was the nicest and smartest person he knew, but the bullies zoned in on him right away. Adam was their main goal and they did everything they could to make his life miserable.
Rocky had tried standing up for him, but Adam told him not to. Aisha had started telling the teacher every single time the bullies even looked at Adam funny, but when Adam refused to talk about what was going on, Aisha had to stop before the teacher accused her of lying. Adam hadn’t let them do anything to help and though they both honoured his wishes, it tore Rocky up inside to see Adam be taunted so horribly. All he could do was be there and play no matter what, but he knew it hurt Adam. And when Adam was hurting, he was hurting. He knew Aisha felt the same. She looked ready to cry half the time and that was usually Rocky’s cue that she was feeling bad too. So they suffered in silence, because their friend asked them too.
Until the day things changed. Until the day things got worse. Until the day things got physical and the bullies tried to really actually hurt Adam, hurling fists and not just words. Until the day Rocky couldn't take it any more.
“Hey, Spasm!” Mitchell called out, his looming shadow covering the sandbox and the holes Adam, Aisha, and Rocky were digging. Adam ignored him and while Rocky’s anger flared, he and Aisha kept quiet as well.
“Does Baby Spasm need a wittle nappie after his wunch? Does snookums needs his Mommy?” Mitchell taunted. His cronies laughed. Rocky grimaced. Adam just kept silently digging.
“Hey! I’m talking to you, Shrimp!” Adam gritted his teeth, but continued to ignore Mitchell. Rocky hoped all the ignoring would make Mitchell go away, that maybe if they didn’t talk back he’d get bored and leave. He knew that’s what Adam was thinking, and so he stayed silent, hoping Aisha would manage to keep quiet for just that once too.
“Look at me when I’m talking to you, you freaky little midget!” Mitchell was just getting angry and not going away. Rocky felt the anger bubbling inside him, but he didn’t know what to do to make it all stop. He could see Adam wincing with every word and knew it was hurting him, but he was helpless to stop it. Adam wouldn’t look up, wouldn’t even acknowledge Mitchell. But Mitchell wasn’t going away, he was just getting mad, and a mad Mitchell was the most dangerous thing on the whole playground.
Things spiraled out of control quickly. Mitchell, overcome with anger and frustration, grabbed Adam by the front of his shirt and hauled him to his feet. Mitchell picked him up as if he were made of paper. Rocky and Aisha both gasped, jumping to their feet. Rocky saw Aisha look towards the teachers, but they were all the way on the other side of the playground. There were about a million kids between them and the teachers. Aisha kept looking between the teachers and Mitchell, but Rocky narrowed his eyes on the bully. The teachers would never make it in time. He’d have to do something himself.
“Leave him alone, Mitchell,” he said, trying to step between the two. Mitchell gripped Adam tighter and shook him a little, pushing Rocky out of the way.
“Go back to the country you came from. I’m talking to my midget here.” Rocky clenched his fists as the anger surged.
“There’s nothing wrong with being small.” Adam managed to stutter out, his eyes wide with fear. Mitchell finally laughed, and his friends chuckled nervously along with him. They all looked a little scared too.
“Oh yeah? What good is being small?” Mitchell shook him again and let go long enough to wrap his meaty fingers around Adam’s thin little arm. It looked like it would break in half if he squeezed hard enough, though Adam struggled to get away. Adam’s eyes pleaded with Rocky to come up with something, anything, but Rocky was frozen in fear. He knew about a million reasons it was good to be short. There was that time Mr. Wiggles, the class hamster, escaped from his cage and somehow climbed on top of the cabinets. Adam was the only one small enough and light enough to get hoisted up there and crawl along the top until he could catch Mr. Wiggles. Then there was dodgeball during gym class. Adam was always the last one standing, even if he never moved, because he was too small for the other kids to hit with the balls. Rocky knew all this, and more, but with Adam shaking in fear and all those bigger boys around them, he couldn’t speak. He looked at Aisha, desperate for help, but she was still staring at the teachers as if silently willing them to look over.
“Hah! Even your big stupid friends can’t think of anything.” Mitchell and his gang all laughed and Adam just crumpled under the taunting. He looked like he was about to cry.
“Aw, widdle baby gonna cwy? Cry, baby Spasm, cry!” Rocky couldn’t help it. He stepped in front of Adam and got right in Mitchell’s face, grabbing hold of Mitchell’s arm and squeezing as hard as he could.
“Let him go.” Rocky whispered. Aisha gasped and took off running for the teachers. She was screaming for Mrs. Smith at the top of her lungs. It didn’t matter. They were too far away. Mitchell grimaced, but didn’t let go. Rocky released his arm and, letting the anger take over, launched himself at Mitchell’s waist. It was enough to knock them over, Mitchell dragging Adam down with them. Rocky grabbed hold tight and rolled Mitchell over until Adam was free from the pile and Rocky was sitting on top of him. Adam stood up and backed away, crying for Rocky, but he wouldn’t stop. He couldn’t stop. Mitchell would never stop, and so neither would Rocky. He let go with as many punches and hits as he could get in. Most of them missed, or were blocked as Mitchell cried and tried to fight back, but he felt his fist connect a few times. Mitchell managed to get one good hit in and Rocky felt pain explode behind his eyes as blood rushed down his nose and into his mouth. Mrs. Smith finally reached them and pulled Rocky off Mitchell. It took all her strength to keep him away from the other boy. She hauled them both down to the office, Adam trailing behind.
“Mrs. Smith, it’s not his fault! He was just trying to stick up for me! Mitchell was the one who started it!” Mrs. Smith wasn’t listening to Adam, though, and when Adam refused to go back to class, she decided he might as well be dragged into the punishment as well.
The principal gave him an ice pack for his nose and a stern talking to. Rocky didn’t care. He didn’t care that they called his mother, and that she called his father, who came home from work early. His father enrolled him in karate, so he could learn to fight with dignity, whatever that meant. He didn’t care that he got yelled at for over an hour, in rapid fire Spanish, once he got home. He didn’t care that he was grounded for a whole month. He didn’t care that he’d rendered Aisha virtually speechless, which never happened, or that she swore she’d never talk to Rocky again, or at least for the whole rest of that day. All Rocky cared about was the smile on Adam’s face and the hug of thanks he gave him before Rocky got pulled to the car by his ear. Adam was smiling, triumphant instead of beaten down for a change, and that was all that mattered. Rocky would tear the world apart to keep Adam smiling like that.