Disclaimer- I own nothing
Different Shades of Blue
Blake Bradley watched the repeat on video. He had lost count of the number of times he'd pushed he rewind and play buttons. He felt nothing as he watched the bike and rider crash and go up in flames. Numbness engulfed him and it hardly mattered if he turned off the video or not as the image kept playing back in his mind.
He remembered the day only too vividly. Rodger Hannah had told all the riders they needed an earlier than usual start- which meant a 5 o lock wake up call for the next day, so all the riders had showered, eaten and hit the sack after yet another day of hard riding. The big event had been 5 days from then and Rodger was keen on having at least the top 3 races in every category to go to a Factory Blue rider. Blake and his team mates had slept like logs that night event foregoing their tradition to telling stories about home. The next morning after having cold showers and mugs of hot coffee pumped into their systems they had worked out and hit the track first doing their routine checks on their beloved bikes.
And it was this that Blake remembered most clearly. He and Danny had been working next to each other, in silence at first, and then Blake had noticed how happy Danny seemed, more so than usual as Danny had always been a very sun shiny guy.
"What's with the I-can't-wipe-this-smile-off-my-face-look Dan?" Blake asked grinning as he bent to inspect his tires.
"Oh, no big deal," Danny said, smiling even wider now.
"Ow, come on dude, what gives? You look like a…a…a love sick puppy as a friend of mine once said." Blake said.
"Okay, you got me." Danny said straightening up. He was a head taller than Blake and 3 years Blake's senior, though both never felt the gap. 'It's what comes from having an older brother,' Blake always said.
"Well come on, spit it out! Dude, at this rate, I'm going to have to get the pliers out!" Blake said now resting on his bike.
Danny turned to look at him and then grinning announced, "I proposed to Sandy last night and she said yes! I've been wanting to do it for such a long time, but the timing never seemed right. Finally last night I decided I can't wait forever and went ahead and asked her! I want to take her a ring and I can't wait to get to her now!"
Back to the present…Blake put down his glass of…water probably. He couldn't remember. He glanced out of the window and saw his other team mates all dressed in black, preparing to head out. Blake looked down at himself. He was wearing a black suit too; he remembered Tori had dragged him shopping before he left to get him something proper to wear for formal occasions. He unconsciously touched the material and straightened his navy tie. Tori's voice came back to him, "You're suit may be black, but you can't just give up your ranger colour so we'll have to get a navy shirt and tie to go with it."
"Blake," the dark haired boy with tanned skin turned at the sound of his name. "Let's go. The funeral's about to begin."
Rodger Hannah stood looking out from his office at the downpour outside. He'd always wondered why it usually rained during funerals. Probably to remind people that at the end of the storm and thunder there was always a rainbow.
"I'm off." Rodger turned, sighed, and walked towards the voice.
"I know there is probably nothing I can say to change your mind right now, but I'm not treating this as the end of your contract, I hope you know that. The offer is pen for you anytime to come back."
Silence greeted this statement and after a long while the voice said, "Thanks. Goodbye."
"Goodbye." Rodger said and then watched as the door shut quietly behind the retreating figure.
"Come on Dustin1 It's really quite simple. Put your hands on Shane's waist and hold his other hand. How hard can it be?" Tori asked, now exasperated.
"Dude, that's gross. Okay, okay, it's a little weird." Dustin said wiping his hands yet again on his sensei robes.
"Easy for you to say." Shane threw the words at Dustin before turning to Tori, "Tor, why do we have to do this?" Dark skinned, leader of the group, Shane Clark asked.
"One, because you asked me to teach you. Two, because you have a date with Skyla and Dustin has one with Marah tonight. Three, because you've asked them to go to a dance party with you'll and four, because neither of you knows how to dance!"
"Hey, how come I got dragged into this? Shane's the one who asked you to teach him!" Dustin Brooks, sensei to the Earth ninjas said.
A whirl of blonde hair and blue eyes rounded on him, "Coz the last time you took Marah dancing she had blistered on her toes from being stepped on by you and I had to hear her complain all day long for five straight days! Now dance!"
Dustin and Shane immediately took up position and moved, unfortunately, in the wrong direction. Before Tori could scream, Cam walked in.
"I'm confused, does it now say 'dance studio' outside ninja ops?" his sarcasm was ignored by the other three.
"Cam! Finally, someone who can dance. Come on over Cam." Tori instructed.
"Tori, really, I'd rather…" then he caught the steely glare Ms. Hanson was giving him and didn't even bother to formulate the word 'not'. He obediently took Tori's hand and together they waltzed in perfect rhythm around ninja ops. Dustin and Shane were duly impressed.
They had slowed down considerably to allow Shane and Dustin to copy them when laughter followed a new voice, "Wow. Nobody told me they had changed this place to the Wind Dancing Academy!"
"Hey Hunter." Cam, Tori and Shane chorused. Dustin was too busy watching his feet to say anything. He just nodded his head in greeting.
"Hang on for just a moment Hunter," Tori said all while facing her back to him, "Showing these guys to dance is more difficult than training a dolphin how to fly."
Hunter smirked, "So it seems."
"But Tor, dolphins can't fly." Dustin said confused. He got a swat on the head from Shane for that but poor Dustin still looked confused. Tori rolled her eyes and let it go.
Suddenly Dustin looked up. "Hey Blake!"
"Hunter, Dustin, his name's Hunter," her voice was a little tense. "Blake's not here…"
"Hey Dustin."
Tori froze. Blake's voice. She'd know it from anywhere. Cam, who was watching her face saw the kaleidoscope of emotions it went through. Tori looked up at him, part pleading that it wasn't a joke and she wasn't just hallucinating. Cam nodded, smiled and released her. Tori took a breath before she turned. She saw Hunter. He smiled and moved to a side. "Blake." Tori just said his name as she saw her former power ranger colleague dressed in his navy colours. Seeing Tori was apparently having its effect on Blake too. Time seemed to stand still as they focused on each other, neither one moving. Finally Blake took a step forward and smiled at her. Tori took this as a sign and moved towards Blake. They were standing inches away from each other.
"You're back." Tori said, but her voice betrayed her.
"Yeah." His tone spoke volumes and suddenly he felt a pair of arms being thrown about it. Blake retaliated by putting his arms firmly around Tori and hugging her fiercly, neither willing to let go just yet. It seemed too good to be true and if this was a dream, then God help the person who woke them both up!