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

… but… we have to make them stop fighting, Dustin."

That frantic look in her eyes is enough to make me want to put the whole world on pause. "I'm on it, Tor."

By now, the two combatants have somehow managed to fight themselves right into the stream, pounding the snot out of each other. Shane gets one hell of a roundhouse passed Blake's darn-near impregnable defenses, throwing the Thunder Ninja to the bank of the river with bone-jarring force.

But he still gets up, wiping away the blood mixed with water running into his eye from the cut on his forehead.

Frowning, I run into the stream, grabbing Shane's arm. "Take it down a notch there, War Horse," I mutter into his ear. "We don't know what's --"

"Of course we do!" he snaps at me, snatching his arm back. "His psycho brother banishes us to the Land of the Lost, and now they mean to get the drop on us." The smile that splits Shane's face is…scary

. "Only this time, we

got the drop on them

. Or, at least Navy boy here." His knuckles crack, causing the Thunder Ranger to tense immediately. "No more picking on Tori, little man…you're up against me

now."

"I wasn't picking on Tori," Blake snaps, and I realize with some surprise that this is the first time I've actually heard him speak since… since we all found the Gem of Souls. It feels like a lifetime ago, before everything got really weird. Inexplicably weird, come to think of it…

"Shane, calm down and look at him," I murmur. "Just look at him. He's got a huge purple bruise on his cheek, and don't think for one second it had anything to do with you. No one bruises that fast."

Shane grimaces, though his wary eyes never leave the Thunder Ranger. "What are you saying, Dustin?"

"I'm saying he's already been in one tousle today, and it wasn't with you or me. Leaving three possibilities: Tori, Hunter, or one of Lothor's other goons. If he did fight Tori, I'd like to know what happened before we start another brawl."

"What's the point??"

I sigh explosively. "We can finally figure out what’s really going on!"

A snort. "Like there's a question!"

"Dude, I have plenty of questions! Why are we here? Why did Hunter attack us? Why did Blake and Tori arrive together? And…why is Tori wearing

Blake's morpher??"

Eyes wide, Shane whirls around. Even while fighting Blake hand to hand, he never noticed the absence of the bug-shaped wrist unit. Figures.

I take advantage of Shane's distraction, and approach Blake. The wariness in his eyes makes it clear he didn't hear a word of our hushed conversation. "Blake, I don't want to fight."

His eyebrow jumps. "You'd be the first. So far Cam, Tori, and Shane have all had a bone to pick with me. It's only fair to give you a turn."

I respond with the most earnest grin I can muster. Judging from Blake's wide eyes, I think I surprised him. "You fought Cam too? Then I feel for you, Man. So, how 'bout I take a rain check, until we get this all sorted out. Is that cool with you?"

We continue our little "stare-down"

for a few seconds, until he finally nods. "Fine. So what happens now?"

"Now, my teammates and I have some catching up to do. So you just sit tight…"

"We can't let him out of our sight, Dustin," Tori states. Her voice is firm, and it obviously carries across the stream, since Blake turns to stare at her instantly.

She meets it for a heartbeat, and then glances away.

"She's right!" Shane pipes up in Tori's defense. "We have no reason to trust you!"

"If I were going to make a break for it, I would've done it when Tori and I first found you. She was so relieved to see you two alive, she 'turned her back' on me."

Blake's tone is… weirdly spiteful, considering he's usually so cool-headed, making me more than curious about exactly what happened between them since Hunter sent us here.

Shane's eyes narrow dangerously. "You know what? Why the hell should we take any chances?" He lifts his wrist. "The only Thunder Ranger I'll turn my back on is an unconscious one…"

"Whoa there, Leader Man!" I gasp, grabbing Shane's arm before the confrontation escalates into Mortal Kombat. "You weren't about to morph, were you? Knowing Blake can't?"

Shane bites his lip, wincing at the rebuke written plain on my face. Tori's silence and blank expression don't help, either. I release him, watching him take slow breaths.

"We're all upset, Bro," I whisper to him. "Let's get our heads together and think up a plan of action. And… we need to figure out what happened to Tori. Pronto."

A moment's hesitation, and then finally a nod. "Tori, we're going upstream," Shane's voice booms with that leader authority he loves so much, "but not out of eyeshot, Blake…so think before you move, got it?"

A tight grimace is the only answer Blake gives us, but it's enough. Together, Shane and I step out of the stream, shaking our boots of the water, and join Tori as we walk upstream, just far enough to feel a little privacy from our… well… less than welcome guest.

I immediately take Tori's hand, guiding her to the water's edge. "Have a drink, Tor. You look parched."

She obeys without a sound. I watch her, trying my best to exercise that virtue of patience, as she slowly washes her face with the stream's water. I was hoping that the tension would've washed away along with the dried sand…but even as she rubs her cheeks the grimness remains.

"What happened, Tori?" Shane's tone is too demanding. Ever the sensitive guy, I immediately jab him with my elbow to clue him in.

Silence stretches, and I watch Tori fiddle with some grass, her head bowed to the stream. I bite my lip anxiously as I wait for her to speak.

Finally, she does.

"There's not much to say," she says softly, never lifting her eyes. "I woke up on the shore, and I came searching for you guys. I found Blake not long after I entered the woods…"

"Did you find Blake, or did he find you?" Shane interrupts. Rolling my eyes, I elbow him again.

Our fearless leader frowns, but doesn't say another word. Instead, I notice him throw a hateful glare downstream.

If looks could kill…

"I don't know, honestly," Tori continues after some thought. "I heard rustling in the bushes, and then he appeared. He didn't sneak up behind me, though. And…" she pauses, shivering just a little. "I'm the one that threw the first punch. And the second, and the third." She inhales slowly, wrapping her arms around her knees. "He didn't try to hit me back. He kept talking, but I couldn't even hear

him. I just kept on attacking him. I gave it everything I had."

Shane and I trade surprised looks as Tori rubs her forehead. That does not sound like the Tori Hansen I know.

Then, Shane snorts. "If you ask me, he deserved it, Tori."

I shoot Shane a dirty look.

"I don't know if he did or not," she answers.

Frowning at her stricken expression, I inch closer. "How'd you get his morpher, Tor?"

"He… gave it to me."

I blink. And blink again. "Huh?"

"I think it was supposed to be an act of goodwill, you know? Like, he's willing to take the first step and trust me, since I wouldn't listen to a word he said."

"Just like when he saved you from the Amphibidor, huh?" Shane prompts. "This is a tactic, Tori. He's used it before! He puts himself in a risky situation, figuring he can impress you with a showy display of chivalry or something."

Tori winces. "I did think of that, Shane."

Frowning, I give our "fearless leader" my sternest glare. "You're being way harsh!"

He folds his arms. "What? We can't ignore Blake's history, can we?"

"No, but we can't ignore the circumstances either! Blake gave up his morpher! He's just walked into the lion's den, facing three P.O.'ed Wind Rangers with no powers!"

"Hunter's probably watching us right now, keeping an eye on 'brother dearest' in case things get too hairy," Shane retorts.

"Without powers, Blake becomes a walking target!" I shoot back. "Would Hunter take that kind of risk? He seems way too protective."

"They're probably counting on our being too nice to take advantage of Blake's lack of power," Shane answers. "That's their

mistake."

Wincing, I turn my attention back to Tori, who's been oddly silent while our argument heated up. "Tori, did Blake ever give you any explanation about what's been going on?"

She looks up, watching Blake wander along the water's edge for a moment, before answering. "He said he thinks Lothor did something to Hunter. They were planning on attacking Lothor in his space ship together, but Blake had gotten…" My eyebrow rises at the faint flush on her cheeks. "uh… sidetracked, and when he returned to the Thunder Academy, Hunter had vanished." Frowning, she tugs at her hair again. "He suspects Hunter went aboard Lothor's ship alone, and was captured. That's what he said

, anyway."

Shane rolls his eyes. "Does he really think we'd buy that? No one is stupid enough to take on Lothor and his forces all alone!"

I glance at Shane through the corner of my eye, distinctly recalling his little "one man army" phase right after Sensei gave us the Wind Morphers. Sure, he's come a long way since then, but it shouldn't be that hard for him to imagine a Red Ranger with an independent streak.

"But what if he's telling the truth?" I venture. "That at least explains why Hunter's been doing all the attacking…"

"This is their method!" Shane insists, "Infiltrating our team, tricking us to trust them! That's how they prefer to play it." He huffs. "Those punks have no honor."

I sigh again, rolling my eyes at Shane's rigid stance. When he wants to, he can be as stubborn as a mule!

I decide backup is in order. "What do you say, Tor? You've spent more time with Blake than both of us put together."

Silence is my answer.

Blinking, I turn to our third member. She's sitting with her chin tucked against her knees, staring at the stream.

Puzzled, I glance at Shane. His "righteous anger" has calmed enough to notice that Tori seems to have zoned out or something.

Did she even hear me?

"Tori?"

Tori struggles with her confused feelings as the Rangers make a decision.

Author's Note: