Perplexity

Written by: Hikaru Kosuzaku

Insert Disclaimer Here

Oh, and the title goes to NeJ Kazuki

Summary: Hunter is hallucinating. Or he thinks he is… So, why is Cam seeing the same things? And why do these hallucinations hurt?

A/N: Okay, you can think of this as shounen-ai (slash) or just comradely brother-in-arms type thing… I don't care! By the way, this is sorta like a Wolf's Rain type thing for all ya'll who understand what the heck I'm talkin' 'bout.

Chapter One: The Wolves Will Die

"Yo! Blake!" Hunter called across the store. "Have a moment?" he asked. Blake shrugged and walked over, helping Hunter put up a display.

"Why'd you need help with that?" Blake asked, once they were done. Hunter gave a rare grin and placed his younger brother in a head lock.

"I didn't," he replied, ruffling his brother's hair. Blake squirmed out of his grasp and glared evilly at the crimson ranger. Hunter only smirked in reply. And then he frowned as a lady walked into the store.

It wasn't exactly the fact that the lady had walked in; it was the fact that she hadn't opened the door to do so. She had walked through it. Her dress style was odd as well, almost looking as though it were from an ancient Japanese warrior. Hunter closed his eyes, rubbing at them with the heels of his hands.

"Hey…Hunter? Are you alright?" Blake asked. Hunter opened his eyes, noticing that the lady was gone and that his brother was looking at him worriedly. He took a deep breath and forced a smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he muttered. "Just need a little more sleep I guess." For a moment Blake just continued to stare at him and then with a shrug, he turned away, heading for the counter. Hunter turned back to the display, startled to find his ghost-lady standing in front of him. She smiled at him, little more than a smirk and then her mouth was by his ear.

"The wolves will die." It was little more than a breath of a whisper and Hunter took a step back, confused. But the lady was gone. And a sharp pain ripped through his side, driving him to his knees with a pained cry. Blake was at his side in an instant, his hands on his brother's shoulders.

"Hunter! What the heck is wrong with you?" the navy ranger demanded of his brother. Hunter looked up at him, giving him a tightlipped smile and ignoring the fact that the blood from his injured side, although unseen against his crimson shirt, was threatening to leak from beneath his hand.

"I'm fine…just an injury I got in a motocross accident…" The worried look didn't leave Blake's face. "Fine. Listen, I'll go and have Cam look at it, if that will make you happy. I have to talk to him anyway," he muttered. Blake sighed and nodded, helping Hunter to his feet.

"What's going on?" Kelly asked, having come out of the back room. "Are you alright Hunter?" Hunter glanced at her over his shoulder and gave her the same tightlipped smile he had given his brother.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Shane walked through the door and gave the four of them a curious glance, his greeting dying at the sight of Hunter's obvious pain. "Hey, I'm leaving now. If you need anything, just ask Shane to do it." And then Hunter was walking out the door.

For a moment, there was no sound, a complete silence filling the room. And then Shane muttered, "Hey…I don't work here…"

"Aren't you supposed to be at Storm Chargers?" Cam asked as Hunter entered the room. He turned from his computer and gave the crimson ranger a curious glance, noticing the way one hand covered his side, and the fact that he was leaning heavily against the wall. "Are you okay?"

"Hey, Cam?" Hunter asked. "When you see something that no one else can see, that's hallucinating, right?" There was a pause.

"Yes. Why?" Hunter just nodded, seemingly lost in thought. "You've been hallucinating?" Cam asked.

"Maybe," Hunter answered. "But hallucinations usually don't hurt…" He let his bloodstained hand drop to his side, the injury showing. Cam was on his feet and at the ranger's side almost instantaneously. The samurai probed at the wound gently, and then caught Hunter's hands as the said thunder ranger swiped at him.

"That hurt," Hunter gasped, letting his head fall back against the wall. Cam kept his hold on his comrade's hands. With his free hand he unbuttoned Hunter's crimson shirt and forced the ranger's hands against his chest. Hunter didn't even bother glancing at him.

"Whatever this hallucination of yours stabbed you with, is still in you and I've really got to get it out." Hunter didn't comment, but Cam felt his breathing hitch as his fingers probed deeper into the injury. "Did it say anything to you?" Cam asked, his fingers brushing metal. Hunter gave a short nod. "Found it," the samurai muttered, grasping the metal between two fingers. Hunter gave a sharp moan, his eyes closing against the pain.

"Okay…I know you two are friends and all…but this is taking friendship to a whole new level," Dustin's voice said from behind the two of them.

"Shut up," Cam said without missing a beat and pulling the star shaped metal from the crimson ranger's side. "What'd it say?" Cam whispered.

"The wolves will die," Hunter muttered before his knees buckled and he fell to the ground, doubling over with a groan. Cam blinked and then knelt down next to him, looking over his shoulder at Dustin.

"If you're just going to stand there then at least make yourself useful and hand me the first-aid kit." There was a pause and then Dustin did as he was told. The yellow earth ranger crouched next to the two of them as Cam bound the wound and handed Hunter some pain killers, which he swallowed without the aid of any water.

"Dude, what happened to you?" Dustin asked, helping Hunter to his feet as Cam put the kit away.

"Nothing…just a bike accident." He looked pointedly at Cam who paused before nodding. Hunter rubbed at his eyes and laid down on the couch, falling asleep almost instantly. Dustin looked at him curiously and then moved his gaze to Cam.

"Dude, what did you give him?" he asked. Cam smirked and sat down at his computer.

"Some aspirin…and some sleeping pills…" Dustin said nothing, only shook his head slightly and left. "Finally…some time to try and figure out what the heck he meant," Cam muttered to himself.

"What who meant?" Blake asked, giving his brother a curious look as he walked into the room. Cam sighed and turned to face him.

"Oh, nobody," he answered. Blake sat down on the couch, Hunter behind him. The navy ranger leaned back, resting his arm on his brother's shoulder. "He'll be fine," Cam reassured him, noticing the worried look on Blake's face. "Bike accident right?" There was a nod. "Makes sense. The injury look like it had been half-healed but then opened up again. Nothing to worry about." He turned back to his computer.

"Whatcha lookin' for?" Tori asked as she too came into the room. Cam shrugged and then sighed.

"I don't know…something I guess…"

"You're always looking for something," she replied. She glanced at Blake. "You want to spar?" she asked, not bothering to ask what was wrong with Hunter, having overheard earlier. He nodded and stood up, following her outside.

Cam, once again, turned back to his computer. There had to be something about wolves right? Because why else would a so-called hallucination say that they—meaning the wolves—would all die? And why would it then attack Hunter? With a shuriken for that matter? He sighed, rubbing at his eyes. None of this was making any sense.

The next day the entire group of rangers met in front of Ninja Ops. Cam was there waiting for them, relaying the message that they were supposed to train against each other. Shane gave him an odd look.

"Dude, what's with that cut on your cheek?" he asked, motioning to the thin red line that traced Cam's cheek. Cam shrugged.

"Bad time with some kelzaks…" The others just shrugged and walked past him, but he held out his arm when Hunter neared him, stopping the crimson ranger from continuing.

"The wolves will die," Cam whispered, touching his cheek softly. Hunter just gave him a knowing look and a shrug.

"It doesn't make any sense," the thunder ranger muttered. Cam nodded and then got into a fighting stance, followed by Hunter.

"It will eventually, I'm sure." Hunter sighed.

"That's what I'm afraid of…"

End Chapter One

Okay…so what do you think so far? I'll continue writing, but it might take me a while to update. Reviews would help speed up the process. But no flames, they're only used to roast Lothor, who has not been left out of this story, don't worry… Anywho! Later peeps!