Power Rangers is not something that is owned by me, as unfortunate as that is.

This introduction is obviously rated K, but with thoughts of where I may take this who knows what it'll end up as.

Taking place after the Ninja Storm finale, this story will follow the ship of Hunter/Tori. After reading TheDescension's stories I've become a massive shipper of this ship, (does that make sense?!), and she's granted me permission to invade and write my own yippee!

The title is a play on both the saying and the title of the Ninja Storm Finale, I haven't just lost it. Here's the introduction ramble...

Tori thought it nice to have Blake's endearment showered on her during their year as Rangers.

It took away from the reality of being the earth's protectors, as well as that of being enrolled in a strict ninja academy. It allowed her some downtime as a 'regular' young woman of her age.

With their nact of not always being the cleanest ninjas, you could say that they always had fun - but there was still the underlying truths.

So, in her view, talking, laughing, and somewhat flirting with the Navy Thunder Ranger was a pleasurable respite.

She'd had relationships before - well, if you could call them that. A couple of week-long engagements with the opposite gender that you experience as a young teenager had to count as something.

As they progressed, Blake's approaches felt similar to her previous experiences, and as they continued her moderate interest began to decline. Everything from not informing her about Leanne to spraying a motherload of cheap perfume in her face when her sarcasm had obviously told that it was disgusting had turned her away.

He seemed too over-eager, felt too temporary - was too much like the others.

Upon her epiphany, Tori's heart grew weary.

As a then-seventeen-year-old, she obviously had a lot of time ahead of her to find love. However, she had been toyed with and misunderstood, and was beginning to believe she would never have a meaningful relationship in her life.

Thinking of meaningful relationships, Tori couldn't even imagine herself in one.

Truthfully, the Ranger work and seeing the world almost be destroyed had broken her. She was willing to train the next generation of ninjas, but any real love for it or the world around her was long-gone.

'It's an omen that I am better alone' Tori had pondered, trying to keep her spirits high so that she was never questioned.

The word 'alone' had connotations. It perfectly described him - always sat on that rock alone, pondering his own thoughts.

They'd never properly spoken, with him taking a backseat so his brother could do his best to impress Tori.

There was that day at the beach though, on her birthday, where upon being challenged to be the first one to the water she had to take a second after turning to face him. His toned, slim fame could easily be observed due to the lack of a shirt, while his messy blond mop and lopsided grin provided a calming aesthetic - a world away from Blake and others regimented and uptight style.

They had connected for a moment. Gazing into each other's eyes, they both saw a little glimmer. A glimmer that had been passed over.

Sensi Hanson cursed under her breath as she became aware of the slow rising smile that was beginning to grace her lips at the thought of the Thunder Ninja Academy's new head teacher.

Trying to return to previous thoughts before the deviation was seemingly possible, because as soon as she tried Tori found Hunter in her mind once again, causing an added redness in her cheeks as his beach appearance passed through her mind once again.

With him taking the aforementioned backseat for his younger brother, Tori hadn't had many opportunities to socialise with Hunter. He spent most of his time brooding, trying to pick up the pieces of his broken start in life.

'Great! I'm interested in such a miserable, anti-social dork!'

Hunter was never the most social type, so it's no surprise that he hadn't spent that much time with Tori. His brother being interested in her hadn't exactly helped said matter.

In truth, it never really worried him too much. He bounced off of the guys more anyway, having the same ideology as them that girls were 'chicks'. With there being only one female on the team, there hadn't been much persuasion to change that.

But just being on the same team as Tori had seen his views change. For one, he saw how she could stand on her own two feet and fight for herself. For two, he saw a change in his brother.

Being older, they both had just slept around previously, not being able to go into anything further due to their eroded selves. Then they met and joined the Wind Rangers, and Blake had solely set his sights on that cute blue one.

All-in-all, he became to gain an increasing respect for the opposite gender.

His brother's chasing of Tori had amused Hunter, for he was acting so differently to his normal self - going on dates for one. And even with his lack of judgement when it came to understanding emotions, he could see that his advances were reciprocated.

Blake even began to spend some time away from his brother, with her. Hunter had been surprised at himself when he became somewhat jealous of his brother, but he ignored it as he did with seemingly any new emotions he came across.

But he couldn't completely rid of it, and the jealousy continuously popped-up in his mind here and there. His brother seemed to be settling and getting into the groove of life, unlike him. And he had to admit, Tori was rather beautiful - it was a shame he never really socialised with her.

There was that day at the beach though, on Tori's birthday, where upon challenging her to be the first one to the water he had to take a second after she turned to face him. Her slim figure and long, similarly blond locks had radiated a tone of pure innocence. In that instant she seemed at peace, and it was a moment he wanted to capture and relive time and time again. He saw why his brother was drawn to this young woman, and in the moment understood his brothers want settle into a groove.

They had connected for a moment. Gazing into each other's eyes, they both saw a little glimmer. A glimmer that had been passed over.

Hunter still hung back while Blake tried his best with Tori, but after that day he noticed a change.

Not being too in-touch with emotions meant he had trouble reading said change, but Tori seemed to be losing interest while Blake was becoming too over-eager with the promise of Factory Blue on the horizon - the idea of motocross fame seemed to be getting to his head little by little.

Hunter had made sure to watch out for Tori after that moment on the beach, the reason why he actually noted the difference between the two.

It wasn't something he made a mental note to do, or knew he was doing - it was done almost subconsciously. Inwardly, he had found peace in that moment with her, and in his mind he wanted to hang onto it with the tightest grip possible.

Looking to the sky from his brooding rock, a warm smile graced Hunters lips, for he was proud of his Ranger colleague for graduating from the Wind Ninja Academy and going on to be a Sensi. He wondered whether the feeling was mutual, and that Sensi Hanson was proud of him becoming the head teacher of the Thunder Ninja Academy.

The squawk of a passing bird drew the ex-Crimson Thunder Ranger out of his pondering trance and, upon feeling the smile upon his face, shook his head violently.

He was definitely not one to get sentimental over a girl, especially not now when he had the freedom to roam, learn, and find himself with Lothor gone.

Yet Tori still twinkled and danced in the back of his mind, and Hunter began to think the maybe the best place to roam, learn, and find himself was right here.

'Damn you Tor..'

And that's it for the first chapter, hope you enjoyed it!

It seems customary for me now to have long rambles for each character as the first chapter of my stories, but imo it helps sets the scene and also helps me with writing the story as a whole.

I'm not as acquainted with the Ninja Storm characters as the RPM ones which may make the story a little weaker than my others but hey, it's another Hunter & Tori story so who cares!

Thanks again to TheDescension for letting me invade! :P