Who We Become (Power Rangers Ninja Steel)

Chapter 13- Losing Ground

A/n- *Looks sheepishly at the four posted one-shots, and 2 stories ideas brewing that got a lot of attention between writing ch 12 and 13* ...So yeah, inspiration, oops that it wasn't this one? But I've started watching Beast Morphers and that's gotten my brain back into power rangers world. So without further ado...

(April 22, 2008)

Cracked streetlights groaned in the wind sending shadows bouncing in all directions. Aiden shivered from the noise more than the night's chill. Aiden gripped his bike's handlebars tighter and urged his legs to move faster. They protested at first, but gradually he rolled along at an increased pace. This part of his Tuesday and Thursday routine he hated- being out in the open for so long.

The creaking buildings around him had seen better days. Remnants of paint gave the walls a corroded patchwork look. Gaping holes glared at him where windows once rested, but most buildings still had their doors attached. However the graffiti tags on the buildings sent the deepest shivers down Aiden's spine.

Most of the words were illegible, but spattered in and out of the tags a crude image of a dragon's head could be seen. A tag belonging to the Neon Dragon gang that claimed much of the dilapidated part of the city.

In his months on the streets Adien had managed to avoid running into any of them. His gut clenched with the knowledge that it likely was only a matter of time. Especially if he continued tempting fate by taking this route.

A dull, ever present, ache in his stomach and the fatigue building in his muscles served as a reminder why he took this particular risk. Taking this stretch of road and buildings cut Aidens commute by close to an hour of what it would be if he took the long way round. That didn't stop his eyes and heart rate jumping crazily every time a shadow moved.

Inch by inch, never fast enough, the tagged building faded into the darkness behind Aiden. Eventually his heart rate settled though the back of his neck itched- as if someone watched him. 'Probably just my imagination.' Maybe. Hopefully. If not . . . well, he'd worry about that later.

The buildings that now surrounded him were less decayed, but not affluent by any means. The people here tended to pay closer attention to who was out and about, since it fringed on the Neon Dragons' territory. Aiden figured that might have been one reason why a dojo had been established- and survived- in the middle of several aged apartment buildings.

Aiden never got close enough to figure out all the reasons why a martial arts center had been built here, but this location gave ample allowance for his need to lay low. Parking his bike in an alleyway, Aiden locked it to a metal ring in the wall. He tightened the straps of his backpack and slipped to the fire escape, climbing to the roof four stories above.

Lights flickered on in the dojo's window just as Aiden reached the edge. 'Perfect timing.' The large glass windows gave an unobstructed view of the class soon to be practicing inside.

Though the streets were mostly deserted, Aiden crouched at the edge of the roof. He couldn't tell if anyone would be able to see him with the street lights below, but, as with almost every other aspect of his life now, he couldn't take that risk. The last thing he needed was for the police to be called for a kid hanging out on a roof where he shouldn't be. Though at the moment it felt like the worst that could happen was for the dojo to shut their blinds.

A faded Sensei Mike's Tae Kwon Do sign hung above the door. Though different from ninjutsu, tae kwon do more of an emphasis on kicks as opposed to punches, getting back into martial arts - even if it was more of an observation- grounded Aiden in a way he hadn't felt since before- before it happened.