Disclaimer: Power Rangers does not belong to me.
A/N: This is my version of what could have happened had there ever been a Wild Force/Ninja Storm team-up. (This is was the only team-up between back-to-back ranger teams that never happened due to the PR ownership switch from FOX to ABC.) My only warning with this fan fic: I have, let's say, strong feelings on the Wild Force characters thus I apologize for my over-the-top portrayals of their personalities at some points during this story. So here we go, and please R&R!
Chapter 1: Secrets
Blake Bradley sat in Storm Chargers looking at the love of his life. His eyes traced over her slender back and curvaceous behind. Not only was she good-looking, but she had a powerful attitude to match. Just the sight of her made Blake's heart accelerate.
Yes, Blake loved his new motocross dirt bike. He had been saving up for her all year. Now, she was finally his. Unfortunately, Blake couldn't say the same about his long-time crush on his best friend and fellow Ninja Storm Ranger – Tori Hanson.
Glancing up from the work on his bike, Blake scanned across the Storm Chargers floor to find Tori sitting in the lounge studying. Blake smiled tenderly at Tori as she absent-mindedly tucked a strand of her sleek blond hair behind her ear as she browsed over her biology book.
"Hey man, I need that socket wrench," Blake heard Dustin shout from the back room of the store where the yellow Ninja Storm ranger was also fine-tuning his bike.
"Coming," called Blake, never tearing his eyes away from Tori as he grabbed the tool and walked into to Dustin's room. Unfortunately distracted by Tori, Blake ended up walking instead into a surfboard hanging form the ceiling.
"You ok there, Blake?" asked Tori, laughing sympathetically as she saw the navy Thunder ranger sprawled on the floor and grabbing his head in pain.
"Fine," grumbled Blake, feeling embarrassed beyond belief especially in front of the girl he wanted to impress.
"Dude, you got to stop being such a space case," chided Dustin as he helped his friend up from the floor.
"Look who's talking!" shot back Blake as the boys made their way to the back
room. "Besides man, it's Tori. You know I got it bad for that girl."
"Everyone knows you got it bad for Tori," responded Dustin ruefully. "Everyone except Tori herself."
"So what do you suggest I do?" inquired Blake, shutting the door to the room to make sure they wouldn't be heard.
"Uhhh, ask her out?" offered Dustin as if the suggestions was obvious.
"Do you really think she'd say yes?" asked Blake hopefully.
"Of course she would," replied Dustin exasperated. "And they call me the airhead!"
"Ok, ok I get the point!" chuckled Blake. "I'll go do it right now."
Marching out of the backroom with Dustin hot on his heals, Blake strode purposefully over to Tori. Despite his cocky personality, Blake in the past had always found himself rendered shy around the stunning Tori Hanson. But thanks to Dustin's pep talk, Blake was determined to finally tell Tori how he felt. "Will you go out with me?" Blake repeated to himself. "Six little words. How hard can it really be?"
"Hey Blake!" greeted Tori cheerfully seeing the navy Thunder ranger approaching. "What's up?"
That smiled. That sweet, sensible, stunning smile of Tori Hanson. Suddenly Blake once again felt all the confidence sucked from his body. "Tori, will you…I mean, would you sometime," stuttered Blake.
"Yes, Blake?" asked Tori hopefully.
"Would you, would you go, one night," staggered Blake, kicking himself mentally for his inability to speak English around her.
"What is it, Blake?" encouraged Tori.
"Would you like to go… check my gas!" burst out Blake. Immediately he wanted to run over and bang his against the nearest wall for the stupidity of his last statement. Luckily Blake didn't have. He could practically hear Dustin doing it for him from all the way across the room.
"You want me to go check your…gas?" repeated Tori, looking at Blake strangely.
"I mean, help me make gas mixtures for my new dirt bike," said Blake, trying frantically to come up with something plausible.
"I don't know that much about dirt bikes," replied Tori, still weird-out by Blake's request. "And why would you ask me to help with your gas mixtures when you know Dustin's here."
As Blake desperately searched for a believable explanation, he was saved by two strangers walking through the Storm Chargers door.
"Wow Danny, an extreme sports shop!" enthused a youthful looking boy in blue with curly brown hair.
"Every bike is like a flower, Max," mused the taller man with gelled black hair who wore glasses. "Each beautiful and unique in its own special way. I am so happy we finally found this store!"
"Never give up?" Blake heard the guy called Max ask.
"Never give up!" responded Max's friend Danny happily as the two jumped in the air and banged chests. "Max, I'm so sorry!" apologized Danny as Max was sent sprawling on the floor from the impact of colliding with his larger friend.
"They're a little weird," whispered Dustin whispered to Tori.
"You're one to talk!" retorted playfully the blue Ninja Storm ranger as Blake walked over to help their customers.
"How's it going? I'm Blake," he said introducing himself. "Can I help you guys find anything?"
"I'm Max," introduced the littler boy. "And this is my friend Danny. We've been taking a trip around the world for the past couple months, and Blue Bay Harbor is our last stop before we return home to Turtle Cove, California for our friend's wedding."
"A trip around the world; sounds cool," said Blake. "What made you guys decide to do that?"
"Well after we finished being Wild Force Power…" Danny was cut off by a sharp nudge from Max. "I mean, we're really into saving the planet. This past year was, well, one long battle for us. After we won our biggest fight, we decided it was time for a vacation."
"Well how about a little adrenaline rush to end your world tour?" suggested Blake. "Those are my friends over there: Dustin and Tori. The three of us would love to take you tree-huggers out on the dirt bike trails around Blue Bay Harbor."
"Wow, that would be great!" responded Danny and Max together enthusiastically.
"Alright then, I'll go tell Dustin and Tor and we'll be off," replied Blake, smiling and shaking his head at the odd couple.
"I can not believe you almost let it slip that we used to be Power Rangers!" hissed Max angrily to Danny when Blake was out of earshot.
"Sorry," replied Danny, hunching over sadly. "Are you mad at me, Max?"
"Just try harder next time to keep your mouth shut," responded Max. "Never give up, ok?"
"Never give up!" cheered Danny loudly, wrapping Max in iron-like embrace that left the younger boy gasping for air.
The two friends were so caught up in their excitement that they did not notice the monster-like creatures watching them through the shop windows.