Chapter one: Shadows of Us

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The defeat of the latest alien rejects left the Rangers with another win under their belt and a short reprieve from Lothor's himself. So Sensei Watanabe allowed the team to have a day off training with the promise they keep vigilant in case Lothor attacked. With that in mind, the Rangers decided on a beach day that made Tori happy with. The beach was packed full that day, but they found a spot away from the crowds over by the cliff face.

Tori looked out at crystal blue of the waves at peace with herself in her element just as Shane was with his skate park, Dustin, and the Thunders at the track. When she was on her board in the water surrounded by waves, it was absolutely perfect.

The water held more than just the element she wielded in battle it held memories good ones. As a girl she would go to the beach with her family, her sisters would go to the boardwalk to either the arcade (to like to scope boys) or the shops along it. She didn't go with them instead she took to the water it always called to her first she learned to swim and hold her breath; she used to pretend she was a mermaid as a little girl. Then as she got into middle school, she said older girls out in the surfing the waves and Tori wanted to a part of that, so she got up to these water queens and asked them to teach her how to surf.

"Plan on joining them soon" teased a familiar voice, Tori turned around wrapping her arms around the navy thunder ranger. The young man caught her weight "You know I would Blake, but I made a promise" she laughed at the confusion on his face.

"You mean Tori Hanson listened to one lowly Thunder ranger" he joked. Tori stepped from the embrace, Blake regrettable released her.

She gave one of her brilliant smiles grabbed her board from the sand and headed for the waves, paddling out with smooth effortless motions.

Blake was still smiling when the rest of the group found him.

"Oh oh looks like lover boy took a hit."Dustin joked giving Blake a good-natured shove it was returned with a swing from the thunder ranger. A shout interrupted their impromptu wrestling match.

"Hey you two want to help anytime soon" yelled Cam, the samurai ranger was holding up a few chairs and one cooler. They both at least had the nerve appear sorry at their forgetfulness, they helped their friend up pack the rest of the beach gear from his Jeep. They set up the blankets and were getting the umbrella up when Shane arrived.

"Yo, you guys set up quick" Shane announced the red ranger, he had his skateboard in one hand and a bag in the other.

"Hey, Shane" Greeted Cam who sat in a chair engrossed in a book, Dustin, and Blake both gave their own greetings.

"Dude how was the park today," asked Dustin who was already rummaging the cooler for sodas and food. Shane plopped down on the blankets and grabbed a drink for himself popping it open drink a big gulp before speaking, "Awesome, been trying a new move, I got it down now" he fished the can and threw in the bin they used for trash. Strict rules they had to follow by Tori standards at keeping the beach clean.

"Hey you guys started the party without me" Hunter voice rang out the tall crimson ranger came onto the beach, he gave Blake a brotherly swing on the back and came to rest on the blanket grabbing a soda too.

"It been a great couple of days with no nasties from Lothor," he spoke. Collectively they all groaned Hunter swiveled his head around. "What? What did I say, it's true?"

"Dude you totally just jinxed us, it's bad mojo to say something like that," Dustin said matter of.

"Sorry, Bro but I agree you jinxed us," Blake said crossing his arms over his chest.

Hunter threw up his arms exasperated at how ridiculous they were reacting "Oh come on Y'all are being superstition grandmas", he pointed out to the ocean where Tori was performing some fabulous moves.

"Nothing gonna happen guys" he argued, But soon as he said it a huge wave of energy reverted throughout Blue Bay Harbor.

All the Rangers turned to Hunter who just slapped his hands to his face in frustration. "Really geez "
Their morphers beeped and Tori's voice rang out, "Guys, look up" when they looked up a huge spaceship was falling from the sky, it looked damaged and a fire spread from the front of the ship. Everyone on the beach was screaming and panicking at the turn of events.

"Dude that Lothor's ship," Blake said turning his head to his brother, "What the hell is happening" Hunter added.

As the ship landed in the ocean huge waves formed flinging debris drove the hordes of beachgoers, swimmers and surfers alike were abandoning their boards and personal things in their haste for safety.

"Hey, guys I'm going in for a closer peak" Tori responded before anyone could reply the water ranger dived into the ocean and disappeared.

"Well at least she didn't streak over," Cam observed.

"Come on guys, she will need our help" Shane commanded.

They ran from the beach spot and found an area where they could morph from panicking crowd rushing to leave.

"Ninja Storm Ranger Form Ha,"

"Thunderstorm, Ranger form,"

"Samurai's Storm Ranger Form,"


...

Just as the surf was getting good did the world have to explode Tori kept her balance on her board when the explosion happened, other surfers weren't as lucky a few of them fell in head first or belly-flopped in the water.

She looked up and saw what had to the source of the events she called out on her morpher.

"Guys look up,".

A Large alien spaceship was falling from orbit looking damaged and on its way down.
The waters swirled and turned at the ship impacted the ocean. " Hey, guys I'm going in for closer peak" and knowing streaking out in the open was not a good idea she untied the ankle strap and dived into the water. She morphed and controlled the water to travel to the sinking craft, spotting an opening on the underbelly push into the shuttle.

Inside the spaceship, flickering wiring sparked everywhere broken steel lay littered around her. Sword in hand Tori took small steps careful to not step on anything that would attract attention to herself. Walking down the hall the ship swayed back and forth, it must have landed on one sandbar Blue Bay had, she came to a large door which showed heavy scorch marks blacken parts of the corridor, a panel to open showed the same marks. Pressing the bottom was useless as it didn't open at all from so she broke the panel open, she picked up a few things up from her boys, it connected just three wires to a circuit board the black one though was the one she needed disconnected from the panel and pulled it out.

The door opened with a resonating groan and Tori was in what looked to be a lab, different chemicals lay strewed about broken and leaking across the floor, thankful that her helmet filtering out anything harmful from those bottles. Reading anything from the computer screen was useless all the information in a language she didn't speak, but she guessed it had to be a warning from the giant red flashing letters.

There was nothing of use in this room continuing her search moving down the hallway a sense of dread filled the pit of her stomach. The sweat was building on her forehead she kept her grip tight and ready herself for an attack, at the next corner she almost dropped her guard at the sight.

Kelzaks lay all across the corridor hallway dead, what disturbed her the most though was the blood and carrange everywhere. It looked like a war had happened, Tori couldn't think of who or what had attack these Kelzaks in such a brutal way. Some had what looked like sword cuts and burns from laser rifles, the worst though dismembered, she was bound to have nightmares tonight, walking past it all and turning down the corridor when all of a sudden she had to dodge a huge blast out of nowhere. She dodged the attack and prepared herself.

"WATER RANGER" yelled the familiar voice of Zurgane

"Why isn't it our favorite Alien general," quipped Tori

"You insolent little wretch, this is all your fault!" the general blamed as he readied himself to shoot another blast of the young woman.

"What's your deal Zurgane I didn't attack you" she defended herself palming three-star shurikens and readied her aim.

"It's your fault Ranger it's because of your return that brought them here" he shot out another blast of compacted energy at her, she dodged once more and let the shurikens fly. There was a grunt of pain from the alien general they found their mark.

On the ground again she took two more and threw them again. Zurgane defensively crossed his sword protecting himself, Tori gave a loud yell as she fell down on the general with her sword.

"Listen Zurgane, am a smart girl but even I don't know what you mean about that" she made quick footwork back blocking the next attack he had two swords she only one. She kicked his left sword hand, and it flew off in the other direction.

Zurgane angered yelled and surprised Tori when he created a dagger out of energy in his left hand

"DIE Ranger!" he brought down the blade and Tori could disengage herself from his right sword which she was blocking. Instead, she readied herself for the blow that never came.

"POWER OF THUNDER,"

Blake Bradly her saving grace his attack saved her from getting knifed in the face, flipping back Tori joined a Blake and the two took an offensive stance.

"Man am I glad to see you Thunder Boy." Tori teased.

"Why here I thought every day with me is a blessing" he flirted back. Tori blushed at that remark, thankful for her helmet.

No time for that They both dodge an attack from Zurgane, "My blade will slice through both your Hearts!" he threatened readying a blast his hand glowing with power.

They dogged the attack and Tori this time sheath her sword and called out her sonic fin to attack with next. Blake had already taken out his thunder blade preparing to attack Zurgane in close quarters. "Blake!" Tori yelled The Thunder ranger turned and lock on the blue ranger from, seeing her hold up her sonic fin understood what she was planning. He nodded his reply and got into positions for his attack.

"Hey, Zurgane!" Tori shouted and her sonic fin created the loud distraction, the sonic waves did their job at disorientating the General.

Zurgane anger the best of him turned and blasted a force of energy towards the water ranger while running full force. "You Insolent bitch! I'll have your blood" The General shouted, their plan to use the sonic waves to anger him enough to distraction, Blake attacked with the full force of his thunder blade and hit Zurgane right in his back. The blade sparked and cut through the back armor and into Zurgane back ripping flesh his screams reverberated in the small quarters.

Tori moved from her spot and stood side by side with Blake, Zurgane lay still on the ground both rangers were breathing heavily the adrenaline from the fight still surging in their blood. Blake moved to the prone form of the feared general.

"Blake careful, we don't know what tricks he has," Tori warned.

"Don't worry Tori, I put enough lighting to put down ten elephants" his thunder staff still in hand. Zurgane didn't move an inch from the floor though. He bent down place his hand on the alien hoping checking a pulse point would be as easy on an alien as it was in a human.

He felt nothing from him though, with a sigh of relief he answered Tori, "Zurgane down for the count there's no way he coming back from that"

Their morphers beeped signaling a communication coming through. Blake hit his and answered 'Go for Blake and Tori here too, what happening on your end"

"Blake you and Tori need to get on our end Fast!" Commanded Cam as his voice sounded panicked, they both looked at each other alarmed at this tone. "Were on our way Cam" Blake responded and press on his morpher the halo image showed they were close by at least.

"Blake, What's happening on this ship?" Tori question out loud for as long they been fighting Luthor and his army of alien evil there has never been a word or sense of any other threat. So what could have made his own ship fall to the ocean and kill so many kelzaks?

"Don't know Tor, but we got to keep moving you doing good?" he asked concern. Tori looked at the Navy Thunder Ranger, she couldn't let the battle drain her spirit now.

"Am fine, don't worry about me" she meant it "Come on the other's need us "she spoke determination in her voice. They both walked out from the corridor and the prone dead form of Zurgane to meet with their fellow Rangers.

Now that's sound like my girl Blake thought if only though he could admit his feelings out loud to her. The Navy Thunder had always thought she was the most beautiful woman he ever met. Tori was a light that seemed to attract everyone to her with her personality when he first met her that light. When he betrayed her trust, it drove him mad. He never would forgive himself for doing that to her, but his mind had been at such a dark place and that dark voice rise to tell him how worthless he was.

"Blake what are you brooding about," Tori broke him out of his madding thoughts. "What are talking about am not Brooding that Hunter's thing not mine," he quipped smiling at his own joke.

"Uh huh, Blake Bradley you can brood just like that brother of yours, So spill what wrong," she questioned-

"Look Tori am not Brooding let-" when they turned the next corner though stopped them in their steps, the team with no other than their worst enemy on the ground with Cam.

"Oh, my" Tori stared at a scene she didn't think was possible.

"Shit, what the fuck is happening!" Blake cursed

Cam was on the ground he held Luthor up by his shoulder one of his left arm a bloody stump it seemed now, multiple wounds on his chest and legs. His older brother and Dustin stood by with both weapons out guarding the team, Shane stood by Cam and Lothor a glance at his expression and you can see the conflicting emotions anger and pity. The one who they have been fighting for over a year lay dying in his nephew's arms.

"Hehe, So Rangers this is how it ends for us then" he chuckled. The dark ninja had a dark phlegm coming from his mouth as he spoke.

"Now don't wipe those smile of your faces yet Rangers, in a way I still win," he continued even as he struggled to breathe.

"You see whelps, when your little water girl returned from the golden dimension it gave me a idea" he lifted his head towards the said girl.

Tori shivered at the memory about that place it was terrible seeing everything so flipped around and just wrong.

"Well, my pretty when you came back you also allowed me to find other dimensions, where others are"Lothor gave a lurch coughing a large trail of blood hit found the floor.

"Damn it Luthor, What did you do" Command Shane growing impatient with the evil man.

"Nothing much red ranger except I found a pleasant little alternate reality were there lay the darkest rangers ever" he stammered, his right arm shook as he extended in it a small round diskette place into Cam's, the samurai took it.

"So when I found my new pets, I thought we could agree to some mutual benefits" his voice faltered getting quieter.

"Let me guess you planned on dumping them and they got wise," Shane said

Luthor gave a smirk,"Why they double-crossed me, why it made my little evil soul proud at such cunning" his eyes were becoming cloudy.

"But you see I like no one taking what's mine rangers, that" he grabbed Cam hand "should help you somewhat" he hissed.

"You want us to do your dirty work no Way!" Dustin bellowed.

"Dustin stand down" Cam shouted, "He's not in a position of power now" he hissed. Dustin scoff but remained silent but his posture was tight.

"Oh, are you arguing over little me oh goodie, listen, nephew, these rangers are nothing like yourself" Cam turned to Shane looking eye to eye there lay a troubling thought between them.

More frothing bloody phlegm was spat on the floor that cloudiness in his eyes growing, "For once...Rangers I wish you to win" with that final word Luthor the once feared master of the dark ninja arts was dead. Defeated one would say by his own selfish vain attempt at finding a power to rid the world of good. Instead killed by an even darker evil, who betrayed him.

Cam laid the body of his uncle down and stood up, no one said a word whether it was from the story the dark ninja told or just seeing their greatest enemy dead but not by their own hand.

The whole ship gave a powerful lurch the sandbar it was caught on was being eroded away.

"We need to get out of here guys!" Dustin voiced.

"Wait we can't leave without the students" Tori exclaimed

"Fuck, Fuck Fuck" came Hunter's own voice.

"Cam, can you get a read on any life on the ship"

The green samurai ranger took out a small handheld device from out of nowhere and scanned. Small clicks and beeps alerted them it was working

"The only readings am getting are weak, but there's elemental energy in some parts of the ship". He said

"Weak or not have to locate any survivors still on this ship, we break off in teams to find anyone" Shane spoke his leadership being put to the test.

"Just how long do we have till this place becomes a fish paradise," Hunter said.

"oh for goodnes's sake" Tori started then she called forth her power and slam it to the floor. The ship gave a groan but the Rangers could feel the water push up the ship.

"GO! Find anyone and everyone and let's get off this ship!" she yelled

They were shocked for a moment before they took off in other directions. Blake held back for a moment longer, giving a silent plea that Tori would hang on then he followed his brother.

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There was no time for being stealthy with a clock on how long Tori could hold the ship afloat. They had to be quick Blake's Morpher beeped and then the little holo image open showing they were nearing there quarry it beeped again and this time a familiar voice rang out,

"CYBER CAM TO TEAM"

The others rang into the frequency "Go ahead Cyber, have you done what I ask" was the real Cam voice sounding more detached than usual.

"Yo dudes got you some transport token put them on your guys and we can send everyone home"

"Copy Cyber cam send the disk now" came Cam reply.

Soon a small glowing orb formed on top of their morphers and small disks appeared and just in time cause turning the corner they spotted bodies many of them unmoving.

They had been students with them at the Thunder academy but many of them had been torn to shreds, the pit of his stomach threaten to heave the breakfast he had that morning. Blake didn't dare breathe too hard, then he heard moans of pain.

He and Hunter nodded and went through each body, they found many of the students had marks on them from blades had cut deep on them. Stranger though was that some bodies shriveled up like paper mache mummy, but they were survivors.

Hunter had been ten bodies in when he found Sensei Omino, He lay near a group of student it looked like he had been trying to protect them. "Blake here quick" he yelled. Blake turned from the body he had placed a tracer on and ran to his brother side. Hunter checked the Older man pulse and gasped "He's Alive, thank god" as he attached the tracer to the man uniform when it was seized.

"You will not touch my student's demon" he rasped his face showed the pain he was in, but he held tightly on Hunter's wrist.

"Sensei it's us Hunter and Blake don't you recognize us" Hunter spoke trying to convince him.

"Not .my ..students" Omino mumbled as the man passed out from the pain.

A resounding hum started, and the students were materialized out of the ship and back to the awaiting zords.

The ship gave another lurch signaling they were running low on time they finished what they had to do.

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Shane and the others had just the same reaction when they found so many of their fellow wind students dead. Cyber Cam was busy replication and sending as many transponders as they needed.

"SHANE" Dustin yells altered him he instant had his sword out for a fight, Instead he was walking back and forth. "Dustin what's the deal" he sheaths his sword, nerves shot enough as they were he didn't need one of Dustin special moments now.

"Dude I haven't seen a water student yet" Dustin questioned, "Like no one from Tori peeps here."

"Dustin that can't be true" Cam criticized.

Shane thought looked around at the faces and bodies of the students still left were air or earth students or teachers so at this point what Dustin said was true.

"Dustin just chill okay am sure you missed someone" Shane started,"There's some fucked up shit on this ship" he finished. Dustin stared down at his feet his voice quite "but..they're gone' he mumbled.

The ship gave a hard lurch and Cyber Cam voice rang out "Dude's Tori vitals are going haywire you'll got to hurry"

The pressure was building in the back of her head but Tori didn't dare stop pulling the water to her will. It was her element they needed and she would not falter when they needed her most.

So she ignored the blinding pain in her head the muscles spasms in her arms and legs.

"Tori this is Cyber Cam get ready for a teleport in 3 minutes!" 'Thank god Tori thought she could only hope they found all the students.

'Alive''' She wished a warm energy enveloped her body, and she recognized she stood up by sheer willpower and whether it was the head rush or the act of using her elemental energy for a long on such a scale, Tori could have sworn that she saw herself a moment standing across the corridor.
Materializing in the Zord was easy for a moment until her vision went dark, she felt the energy of demorphing and someone yelling her name.

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...

When Tori demorph they knew it was bad and when she went down they all screamed, but it was Blake who reached her first. The navy ranger cradled her close lowering her to the ground. Cam joined them he held a Star Trek looking device in one hand scanning her vitals.

"She will be ok, but she overdid it her reserves are shot" he sighed "I never thought Tori would be the one stubborn enough to try such a dangerous move" he flipped the pad and press a button a small needle poked out, a blue liquid filled the syringe. "You all been a bad influence on her" he joked.

He administered the shot,"This should help, as long she sleeps she can heal quicker".

Blake looked at Tori face her expression didn't change but she did at least look peaceful. He got up careful not to jostle her much he didn't care much if the others were looking he sat down in zord seat watching her keeping her safe.

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..

Such easy prey they all made now that Lothor was out of the way.

This reality held many possibilities and fresh specimens.

The alliance would enjoy the new resources but they also didn't have to tell them anything about what they found, when a portal opened and a dark Lothor came with he almost laughed, remembering how he believed he held control simply by promising position in his new world.

Such a damnable fool, he enjoyed ripping into him seeing sword cut into flesh was a pleasurable pastime. He looked at the scroll and studied the text so this had been an outlet to how Lothor breached dimensions, they had heard it was possible the Rangers before them in their reality had dealt with a witch who used such spells any times to flee them but the scrolls burned at the time of her death by her.

A dark smile grew now they had the upper hand with such a treasure, it would be used soon. At this moment though he had to see how the latest recruits were doing by their lovely mermaid's standards.

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...

Her mind was swimming there were bodies dead and decayed in front of her eyes again like morbid marionettes they all got up and dance around then they ran after her. Tori instincts began feet moving before her heart could catch up, she ran down different corridors they still were behind. Then a dead end turned up turning around she expected the hordes to be there, but that wasn't the case.

It was herself Tori was looking at her mirror image, long blonde hair same blue eyes except this Tori had a darkness to her. One moment she was looking at herself the next the double, in turn, morph into a grotesque features jaw becoming mis-aligned hair grew and become like tentacles. They reached out land grab her arms and legs, Tori tried to summon her power but the demonic like double just opened her mouth and screamed
Tori awoke screaming and entangle in someone's arms pushing her down.
"Tori! Tori! Relax it's me, Blake!"

Soon her mind caught up with her body and Tori saw she was in the cot the one they had in the Ops center. The familiar sights and settings calmed her nerves somewhat but her heart thumped almost painfully against her ribcage that dream had been so vivid and real to her.

"Tori, you ok?" Blake asked concerned He looked at the water ranger who had been pretty much dead asleep the entire trip back from Luthor's ship to the Ops center. The others had all gone to do what they could to find the families of the students who had survived and those who did not, they also were trying to learn as much as they could about what happened on the ship. There were many conflicting accounts though, Thunder Students had said it was someone using the thunder style to attack them, other said it was Wind styles. Then there was a growing realization that Dustin had been in fact right, all along every water style student were missing or were dead.

Sensei Omino had recovered enough to tell his side of the story and was talking with sensei Watanabe at the moment. He should have been with Hunter and the rest of the team but he couldn't leave her side

Tori gave herself a few more moments before speaking, "Am. ok just.. "she started but her mouth felt scratchy, a glass of water appeared and she gave Blake a smile as she drank "it was a nightmare, that ship going to haunt me" she shuddered

Blake gave a reassuring smile trying to lighten the mood, "Well at least you didn't snore" he joked. Tori glared at him and good-naturedly pushed him off his chair.

"Shut up, you idiot I have you know a lady doesn't snore" she teased. Their moment interrupted by a knock at the door which opened to reveal Sensei Watanabe human that surprised Tori who raised an eyebrow followed by Thunder Sensei Omino who had a dark gaze etched to his face at that moment.

Blake Stood and greeted both men standing before Omino. Tori rose from the cot to greet them when the wind sensei place a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Stay where you are Tori, Cam and the others have told me what you did today"

"Yes, It was a most impressive feat" Sensei Omino stated he looked at the water ranger with an appraising judgment. Tori couldn't help the sensation of being scrutinized by him and maybe not well liked, then again the wind and thunder academy's had been rivals for generations.

"Sensei how are the other students?" Tori questioned, she didn't want to think the people she had learned with had died.

It was times like this the Kanoi felt the burden of the mantle of his position as he did now. He sat down on the upturned chair and grabbed her hand, Tori allowed herself to hope.

"Am sorry to say we lost many Tori". She looked at the older gentleman she considered a father figure, "Sensei, what happen please tell me." she begged.

"My dear, I am sorry to tell you all your fellow water students are gone," he told her disheartened by the news himself still.

Tori couldn't believe what she was heard all those students who she had trained with learned from were all gone. There wasn't anything that could hold back the tears she held in her heart for them for all the students. Sensei Watanabe cradled her as she cried into his shoulder as she released her grief.

Blake watched the scene with a heavy heart he wanted only to be in sensei Watanabe place and let the girl he loved spill her grief.

'There' he thought I admit it.

When they arrived back to the wind academy grounds, the others had told him about Dustin revelation on the ship.

Tori Hanson was the last and only water student left.

A hand on his shoulder drove his attention away and Sensei Omino was there.

"Come, Blake, we have a lot to talk about now, leave them"


Enjoy new chapter to follow later :)

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