Power Ranger Ninja Storm - Heather Ray (online e reader .txt) 📗

a dream?

"Ah, Hunter. Our paths cross again."

My fists clench with a will of their own as I step back, glaring up at a ledge near the top of the cave's mouth. "Choobo. I thought I told Lothor that I was handling this."

Lothor's stooge shrugs. "And Lothor told you he would take action if he was unsatisfied with your performance. And as it happens, he is very disappointed with the Navy Ranger. Your plan to infiltrate the Wind Rangers by winning their trust has backfired."

"I said I'm handling this," I snarl at the alien, my anger flaring remarkably fast… even for me. "I'll have Blake out of here in no time. Then, I don't care what you do to the Winds."

"Unlikely." Choobo's tone is unusually mocking, or maybe I'm just hypersensitive. "Blake can't bring himself to betray them…betray her

."

I bite back a hot retort, trying to ignore how disconcerting it is that his argument so closely reflects my own worries. "You're wrong, Choobo. Blake would never turn his back on me." I fold my arms contemptuously. "He's my brother."

Choobo responds with a slow shake of the head, as if he were talking to a stubborn kid. My blood boils at the condescension. "He is almost your brother."

"Blood isn't everything," I growl, oddly…defensive

.

"Of course it isn't. Life experience is so much more important, is it not?" Choobo rubs his chin in mock-thought. "He only knew you for… what? Half his life, more or less? He knew your dearly-departed parents even less than that. You though, you knew them and loved them with all your heart since you were an infant. They were the only parents you've ever known. Perhaps… his love for them doesn't run as deeply as yours? Perhaps he isn't quite as dedicated to avenging their deaths as you?"

Choobo's words hit with all the impact of a physical blow.

But like any other blow, I shake it off quickly. I lift my Thunder Staff, pointing it at Lothor's lackey. "I won't let you, Lothor, or anyone else hurt Blake. Got it?"

Choobo holds up his hands, waving away my threat. "I'm trying to help you, Hunter. If you can snap your brother out of whatever enchantment the girl has placed on him, then Lothor will be merciful." A chilling grin appears. "But, you must be realistic. Pain is better than death, Crimson Ranger. You may have to slightly hurt him in order to save him from our master's wrath."

I can actually hear the growl rumbling in my throat. "Lothor is not my master. Not now, not ever! We have an agreement…one which I can cancel at any time if I choose

to."

"Don't be naïve, Hunter. You and Lothor have a mutual goal: vengeance against Watanabe, the man that murdered your beloved parents in cold blood. It would be unwise to break that alliance now, when your goal has not yet been achieved."

With a deep roar I pounce, fully intending on splitting the talkative bastard's head from his misshapen shoulders. From somewhere deep inside me, a bottomless well of hate suddenly opens, directed squarely at this creature, his façade of sheepish timidity hiding a cunning mind…

But instead of meeting plated armor, my Staff collides with the spandex-covered form of a Kelzack.

My fury-crazed mind finally notices the swarm of alien foot soldiers that materialized out of thin air, squirming around and between Choobo and me like a class of hyperactive grade schoolers.

"Fighting me now will only waste time," Choobo points out, probably trying to be the voice of reason. "Your goal should be to find your brother, and get him under control and off this island. Lothor's patience is not infinite."

I still feel a rolling hatred for this creature in the pit of my stomach, though for the life of me I can't quite piece together why. It's like grabbing at wisps of smoke… just impossible. So I forcibly put it out of my mind. There's no point dwelling on it now. I have more important things to worry about.

I fix a cold glare at the alien, and nod briskly.

"Take these Kelzacks with you. They can provide a distraction in case you should find the Winds first." That mocking smile returns. "Or, should you find Blake and the Winds together. That wouldn't be too surprising, since he jumped into the vortex specifically to find them, now would it?"

I decide not to waste any more breath on the bastard as he disappears in a flash of ionized light, leaving me with the swarm of Kelzacks.

I will find my brother, and I will save him. And the Wind Rangers even try to come between us… they will regret it.

Part Eleven: At Odds

The Winds are finally reunited, but are far from unified.

Author's Note:

This chapter is in Dustin's voice.

Chapter Seventeen

The cool water is a huge relief. After a nice, long drink, I take a breath deep enough to fill my lungs, throat and cheeks, and dunk my head under the surface, reaching my hands under to scrub the tangled mess of my hair.

When I can't hold my breath any more I come up for air, and find myself face to face with Shane's impatient glare.

"C'mon!" I complain, squeezing out the excess water. "It's hot out here! What's wrong with taking five?"

"We don't have 'five'

to spare," he answers. "We haven't found Tori, and our communicators still aren't working."

That sobering thought tries to kill my grin, but I don't let it. I know this is serious, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't take advantage of some fresh water when we can! Personally, I'd rather spare a couple'a minutes now to refresh and recharge than wait to collapse from dehydration and exhaustion a few hours from now.

Shane knows better, too. He's just really worried. And upset. And, well…probably a little humiliated. Because Hunter really

embarrassed us this time.

"If we can't take five, we'll take two," I tell him, brushing my hand through my hair. My fingers tangle in a gunky spot I must've missed, and I grimace. "Why don't you at least take a drink?" Then I swallow another breath and dunk my head under again, this time concentrating my efforts on that stubborn gunky spot.

I come up for air, this time satisfied that the 'do is totally gunk-free. I look up, seeing Shane's frown twist. Now he's not just impatient; he's totally grossed-out. "Like I'm going to drink that water after you washed your hair."

I roll my eyes. "It's a stream! Running water, Dude. Sheesh."

His frown doesn't go away as he brings a tentative handful of water to his mouth. "Why are you washing your hair, anyway?"

"You saw what I looked like when we met up at the bottom of the mountain!" I grumble, gesturing down the cliff we'd climbed. "That mud was totally caked on! I took a tumble climbing a tree in the woods, and happened to hit a moist spot." I frown just at the memory. "I managed to clean of most of it with leaves and stuff, but my hair was a wreck. And it smelled."

I glare when Shane starts chuckling. "Now why would an Earth

Ninja be so grossed out by mud? It's just wet soil, right?"

"Says the Air Ninja, whose element leaves no stains and has no smell! Who're you to judge?"

He grins, splashing some water in my direction. "Told you you should've studied the ways of the Air Ninja."

I narrow my eyes, preparing to splash him back…only a column of water rises on its own, drenching both of us thoroughly.

I can't hold back a swell of relieved laughter as she remarks: "Of course, we all know who has the best element."

We both jump to our feet, shaking off the water and lighting up at the sight of Tori, a hint of a grin on her lips as she climbs over a crag and joins us by the stream.

I immediately wrap her in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground easily. "When you get lost, Miss Hansen…you get lost

!"

She hugs me back tighter than I can ever remember, then turns and greets Shane just as eagerly. "I was so worried about you guys," she murmurs, her choked voice instantly putting me on red alert, "I didn't know what happened to you, if it was all a trap…"

"Whoa!" Shane and I trade startled looks. "Trap? What are you…?"

I have every intention of interrogating her right here, finding out every single detail of whatever it is she's been through… but the silent form that appears out of nowhere shuts me up.

Shane growls. "It's you

…"

I feel the air gust passed me before I even realize Shane had moved. An impressive combination of a Streak and a flying kick, his form is practically glowing as his foot sails toward Blake, aiming directly for his chest. It's so weird… it's like Tori and I are in slow-mo as the two trade blows that sound like thunder crashing.

"Shane, stop it!" Tori cries, and her voice is so… strained I can't help but stare at her.

She's really been through the wringer. Not only is she physically a mess, her eyes are really scaring me. And her face is so pale, almost sickly.

Frowning, my hands fall upon Tori's shoulders, turning her towards me with gentle insistence. "Tori, are you okay? What did he do to you?"

"Nothing!"

she answers sharply. I take a startled step back, watching as the tension in her face cracks, showing a trace of the fear beneath…

"Tori, talk to me," I insist, taking her hands. My eyes bug out when I note that she's wearing, not one, but two morphers.

How the heck did she get Blake's morpher??

She gulps, anxious eyes turning to the fight behind us, that from the sound of it has intensified in these few seconds. "I don't know… I don't know anything anymore. I