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

must've seen that coming… right?

"Hunter, stop!" I try to shout, but it comes out as a pitiful whine that he either ignores or just doesn't hear. But the air charges once again; the Thunder Staff preparing for another assault.

No. This can't happen. There's no way this can end well. Either Hunter will kill the Winds, or they'll hurt him.

This has to end now

.

"STOP!"

This time I don't just scream. I struggle, the sudden movement disturbing my brother's careful aim, bringing the sparking tip of the staff within reach.

I know I can't just stall him. I need to stop him. And without daring to really think about the consequences, I lunge for the staff, much closer to the fully-charged metal head than anyone should.

Part Fourteen: Vulnerable

Hunter learns what it means to be weak, and what it takes to be strong.

Author's Note:

This installment is told by Hunter.

Chapter Twenty

I would have thought the electricity would make him spasm, his fingers or feet twitching randomly. But instead he's completely motionless, as traces of crimson energy fade from his costume. The memory of a deafening scream pounds in my eardrums; I can't even tell who had screamed, me or Blake.

The first thing I do is throw the Thunder Staff as far away as I can. I...I should have...what

? How could I have prepared for this

? Dammit, Blake, you should've known better! Our powers are similar, but they're not the same! And you're not even morphed. Of course you're vulnerable to my attacks! What were you thinking??

I take a slow, shaking breath. It doesn't matter, what you were thinking. I'll ask you about it. Later. When we're off this goddamned island, as far away from this craziness as possible.

Shivering with a fear I've only felt once before, I lay my brother on the sand as gently as possible to check the damage.

Not only is he not spastic… he's not moving at all. Not even the barest twitch. No signs of life.

"Blake?" I force through my strangled throat. "Blake, come on. You're stronger than this..."

But my anxious search for a pulse is in vain. My god...I've...I've ki --

I stumble back, falling limply into the sand, dizzy with horror. No, this isn't possible! I came here to save him! Save him from Lothor, from those conniving Winds, from his own naive longing for friends, for allies...and I'm the one who...

I then gasp, all my grief lodged in my throat, when a new target for my rage comes into view. The Blue Wind Ranger approaches on unsteady legs, bracing a bruised shoulder with her opposite hand.

My hands come together, charging a pulse of crimson thunder faster than an eye-blink. "Get the hell away from us, Tori."

"Why?"

she shrieks, and the anger in her voice hits me like a physical blow. "What could I possibly do to him that you haven't done already? You electrocuted him!"

It feels like I'm choking. Hearing that accusation… from a Wind Ranger, of all people… it's like a noose around my neck.

"All he wanted to do was save you from Lothor, and you tried to kill him!"

"Scheming bitch

!" I growl hoarsely, but as I take aim, a flash of blue light freezes me in my tracks.

She...un-morphed

?

I stare at her, my attack dying in my palms as I lose all concentration. She watches me, chin raised in defiance and cheeks wet with tears, as she lifts her wrist.

I blink in confusion at the beetle-shaped device. Blake's morpher...

"He trusted me with his life today, Hunter. That's why he gave me this. And I'm going to live up to that trust."

And with that, she closes the gap and kneels beside my brother, lowering her cheek to his nose. "He's not breathing."

Wasting no more time, she carefully tilts his head back, pinches his nose closed, and seals his mouth with hers, forcing deep breaths into his lungs.

I haven't moved. I'm still poised to strike, and I immediately realize that she is completely defenseless. The Yellow and Red Rangers are still recovering from my last attack, and I'm less than a yard away from her. I could reach out and snap her neck before anyone even noticed the threat.

Tori moves, planting her hands at the base of Blake's ribs as she begins precise chest compressions. She doesn't even spare me a glance, even though I'm close enough to spit on.

She's the embodiment of the rift that pulled Blake and me apart. She's the reason we were on this island fighting each other to begin with, instead of at the Thunder Academy figuring out our next move.

But...she's also trying to save his life.

The zeal to fight drains out of me as I realize it has no meaning. Hurting her now accomplishes less than nothing. If Tori fails...I'll lose everything that matters to me.

Frustrated and angry, and more worried than I'm able to admit, I sit down across from Tori, watching the life-saving process. My agitated hands sift sand, because they can't do anything useful, as I count the breaths (two)

and chest compressions (fifteen)

in each cycle. And I notice that each chest compression causes her to wince visibly, making me remember how she cradled her wounded shoulder earlier.

"Why are you doing this?" I demand of her. "What's he to you? Really?"

Blue eyes slide in my direction; if they could shoot fire, I think they would. "He's my friend. Why is that so hard to believe?"

I glare at her, trying my best to match the righteous anger in her eyes...but I come up short. And I can't articulate why I don't trust her, why I know the Wind Rangers are liars.

That nagging pain behind my eyes returns, and I turn aside, willing my helmet open. Squeezing my eyes closed, I rub the bridge of my nose, hoping to alleviate the tension.

And suddenly, voices float from a foggy, dream-like memory.

"We're always looking after you."

"Make us proud."

I know I've heard them before. I...I remember it.

Mom, Dad...I'm sorry. I let you down.

My hands draw away from my eyes, and I realize with some surprise that they're wet with tears. I hadn't even noticed I was crying. It's like I'd forgotten what it felt like, to cry...though I know I've cried before. Recently, even.

Gritting my teeth, I close my helmet. It's like grabbing at smoke, trying to make sense of the vague memories just out of my reach.

"Tori." I look up, noting that Shane has knelt beside Tori. "How's he doing?"

"Still no response, but that doesn't mean anything," she insists after two deep breaths. "We have to keep his blood pumping until we can get to Ninja Ops. Cam can take better care of him there. Until then, we have to continue CPR until the Megazord comes. There's an AED unit on board."

"Right, for emergencies," Dustin contributes. "Listen, Tor, how about I take over for you, let you catch a breather?"

"You have to un-morph," she instructs, her tone insistent. "You're too strong otherwise; you'll probably crush Blake's ribs during compressions."

So that's why she un-morphed. She risked her life, standing three feet away from me completely vulnerable, to give Blake the best chance for survival she could. She trusted me; that I wouldn't take advantage of her exposure.

I wonder if she knows how close I came to killing her, just out of spite.

Suddenly disgusted, I rise to my feet. Shane braces himself, watching my every move, but Tori and Dustin pay me little heed, the former continuing the CPR while the latter releases his morph. Then, Dustin takes position at Blake's chest just as Tori delivers two more breaths, and the pair efficiently trades off.

I release an explosive sigh, and fix my cold glare on Shane. "This fight's over," I tell him, squaring my shoulders with some effort. "You win."

I turn back to my brother, watching as Dustin continues compressions while Tori counts aloud. And it dawns on me: these Wind Rangers, they're more than I ever gave them credit for. They're actually...heroes

.

Heroes save lives. And Tori, Dustin, and Shane know when to fight, and when fighting isn't the solution.

I'm the Crimson Ranger. In the Academy, even when surrounded by other students of the Thunder Ninja discipline, my speed was famous. Strike like thunder… that's always been my style. Speed and power, leaving nothing in my path.

And I wasn't fast enough, or strong enough, to do a bit of good when my brother needed help. I don't know how to save lives. There's nothing I can do here.

I survey the beach through blurry eyes, until I find my Thunder Staff, half buried in the sand where the water creeps up the shore. Without a word I move to retrieve it, the weapon vanishing at my silent command.

"You think you're leaving?"

I feel Shane's eyes on me like a laser, and the shame burns just as hot.

I don't answer. Instead, I keep walking, drawing the portal-creating circlet that will get me off this rock.

"I knew you were a psycho, Hunter. I didn't know you were a coward."

My grip tightens on the circlet. "The fight is over."

"Fighting is easy. Making peace, that's the hard part. Getting past pride, resolving differences, helping Blake recover...that's a lot

harder than throwing lightning bolts, and you know it. That's why you're bailing."

I take a slow, steadying breath. "Blake's in good hands. I know you won't hurt him."

"Of course we won't hurt him!" Shane responds sharply. "We'll do everything we can to help. But you know he's got a better chance with you by his side."

I turn around, and blink in surprise to see Shane, not the Red Wind Ranger, staring at me. His arms are crossed and his gaze is firm, but still, he's taken the first step. He's un-morphed.