Power Ranger Ninja Storm, Heather Ray [best classic romance novels txt] 📗

We step out into the afternoon sun, and I take a deep breath of the outdoors air. After spending half an hour waiting for Dustin to finish repairs on a leaking dirt bike, I can't wait to get the smell of gas out of my nose!

"Sorry that took so long, Dude," Dustin excuses, absently picking the grime from under his fingernails, "I couldn't leave Kelly hanging. She really needs to hire more help."

I shrug, glancing at my watch. "Don't worry about it; I was able to get some homework done, so it's no big loss." I then turn to Dustin, my gaze serious. "What we should worry about is Tori. She should've been back by now."

Dustin nods his agreement, casting an anxious glance down the road. Still no sky blue van in sight. "Definitely."

I grimace, stuffing my hands into my pockets. "Why the heck did she decide to go bike riding anyway?" I grumble, trying as hard as I can not to panic. "At least when she goes surfing, we know where to look for her."

A small grin crosses Dustin's lips. "I think she misses Blake."

I stop dead in my tracks. "Excuse me?"

Dustin shrugs. "Okay, she didn't come out and say it, but this dude from Factory Blue came into the store asking about Blake and Hunter, and then Tori got all quiet and moody, and then asked to take my bike."

My frown deepens. "I hoped she'd gotten over...that

."

"That" being the whole touchy "Blake thing"

that's had me walking on eggshells around my friend for two weeks.

She's definitely gotten better. She's not as cold and withdrawn as she was when the Thunders first left. But still... she doesn't talk to me anymore. And every so often she gets quiet and distant.

And now this weird brainstorm to go dirt biking. Where did that come from? She's been gone too long without even a call, and she's not really used to riding those things...

"Maybe we should call her, or ask Cam to track her down in Ninja Ops..."

Whatever Dustin says in response is drowned by a loud explosion, and suddenly I'm thrown off my feet.

I crash into a bush lining the sidewalk, coughing on dust as small specks of broken concrete and bony branches scratch my skin. I hear Dustin coughing to my left; he's conscious, at least.

Then my vision clears, and all I see is red.

"Hunter..."

"So the cat's out of the bag, is it?" the elder Thunder brother remarks, folding his arms.

His answer definitely confuses me...but I shake it off. "Looks like," I sneer, standing up.

"Hey!" Dustin wheezes. I take a second to watch him climb off an overturned bench, fixing the Crimson Ranger with a shocked stare. "What's your beef, Dude? I thought we were all cool!"

"Did you?" I can hear the smirk in Hunter's voice. "Now, what made you think that?"

"Forget it, Dustin," I call, holding out my hand. "Obviously, we misjudged these guys." My eyebrow quirks, and I carefully look around the area for a streak of navy. "Flying solo, I see. Where's your little blue friend?"

A snort. "Where's yours?"

And a sudden, bone-deep horror makes time stand still. Dammit, I shouldn't have waited so long! I should've asked Cam to keep an eye on all of us 24/7!

Stiffly, I lift my communicator. "Tori? Tori, answer me!"

Dead silence.

"Dustin," I command through clenched teeth. "Find Tori. Get Cam to help you. Do whatever it takes."

He doesn't argue. I feel the wind stir as he Ninja Streaks into the distance.

I immediately activate my morpher. "Ninja Storm, Ranger Form!"

The rush of red energy augments my strength, speed, and endurance, filling me with the power to face my foe. When the transformation completes, I glare at my opponent through my visor. "You'd better pray Tori is okay," I snarl, drawing my sword. "If you and Blake hurt her in any way, I will find you no matter where you hide!"

He responds with a low chuckle. "Nobody's hiding today, Shane. The masks are off, and now..." A flash of electricity stretches into the Thunder Staff "..so are the kid gloves."

Sparks fly as steel meets steel.

Tori thought she had made peace with Blake. She thought wrong.

Author's Note:

This one is in Tori's voice, taking place shortly after the events in Part Six.

I just can't stop smiling.

I hum a soft tune as I drive along the outskirts of the city, every so often glancing at the waves tumbling in the ocean to the west.

I haven't felt this good in weeks.

Blake and I spent over an hour just...talking

. We talked about everything: family, training, school, sports, hobbies -- even favorite movies. He told me all about his childhood, what it had been like living with adoptive parents, and growing close to his older brother. I told him about my own life, which is frankly rather mundane in comparison; at least up until I made the decision to join the Wind Ninja Academy. And all the while we fixed Dustin's bike, together.

It was, honestly, wonderful. We covered a lot of ground, and eased the strain between us. At least now I think I know Blake. And I want to get to know him more...

Weird; that solo ride into the woods to clear my head turned into an impromptu first date...sort of. But I definitely had more fun sitting in the forest trading stories with Blake than I ever had getting pizza or going to a movie with a guy.

We really connected.

I almost wish we'd made concrete plans for another "date,"

but I guess that stubborn hurt pride in me refuses to make it so easy for him. So what if I want to play a little hard to get? It's not like he can't find me easily enough. I spend hours surfing, and I'm at Kelly's shop so much I might as well ask her to hire me. At least I'd get paid for it.

The lonely roads near the shore give way to the more congested city streets as I approach Storm Chargers. Still humming, I park in the back and unload the scraped-but-functional bike, all the while wondering exactly how to tell Dustin what happened without making him throw a fit. I decided to let Blake off the hook after all; he's done enough apologizing for one day, and he seemed a little eager to find Hunter for some reason.

"Hey Kel!" I call, walking through the employee's door into the repair shop in the back. "Is Dustin around?"

"Tori!" she gasps, excusing herself from a customer. I watch, stunned, as she hurries to greet me. "Tori, where have you been? Dustin's been calling every five minutes to see if you turned up."

I grimace in confusion. "Really? Did he say why?"

"He asked that you call him on his cell phone A.S.A.P. It sounded important."

"Thanks, Kelly," I offer with a wave, before hurrying into the back.

That was just too weird. Why would Dustin be so worried about me? If it was Ranger business, he could've just used the communicator...

I glance down at my wrist, and blink in astonishment. A few wires have popped out of the unit, and it doesn't respond when I tap the button to contact Ninja Ops.

It's...broken

? But how did that happen?

Frowning, I grab the repair shop's phone.

^Tori!^

Dustin's voice gasps, both relieved and thoroughly ticked off. ^Where the heck are you?? Are you okay? Where've you been?^

"Slow down, Dustin, I'm fine," I interrupt. "What's going on?"

^We've got an emergency. Can you get to Ninja Ops?^

"I'm on my way."

Sliding the phone in its cradle, I hurry out the back door scan the parking lot for any observers. When the coast's clear, I summon the power of the Wind Ninja, and streak through the city and into the woods in a heartbeat.

The moment I reach the bottom of the stairs, I'm surrounded by three very anxious guys, and one tense guinea pig.

"Easy, guys!" I hold up my arms, warding them off. "What's going on?"

"Tori, where have you been?" Shane demands impatiently. "We've been trying to hail you for half an hour."

I shrug sheepishly, un-strapping my morpher. "I didn't realize it earlier, but I damaged my morpher. I must've hit a rock or something when I took a spill --"

I wince as the questions hit me all at once.

"A spill? How did that happen?"

"Are you hurt at all?"

"Tor, what happened to my bike??"

I smirk wryly at Dustin. "Good to know you care," I mutter with mock-hurt. "Relax, Dustin, your bike is fine. A little scratched, I admit, but Blake fixed most of the..."

My voice fades as I watch a strange combination of anger and shock overcome the faces of my friends.

"...damage?"

I murmur, my own alarm rising. "What's going on? What did I miss?"

"We definitely need to fill each other in," Cam responds, setting a hand on my shoulder. I chew my lip anxiously; Cam isn't usually this, well, comforting. What am I in for?

"What happened to you when you left Storm Chargers?" Dustin asks. "Start from the top."

I toss my hair over my shoulder, struggling with my embarrassment as I tell the story. As it turns out, I don't have to tell much of it before Shane practically jumps at me.

"Wait a minute...Blake attacked

you??"

I wince at the fury in his voice. "No, he just surprised me, that's all. I thought I was being attacked, so I raced into the trees. That's when I fell."

"And that's when you damaged your morpher, cutting you off from