Thanks to Garnetred, CamFan4Ever, Aneesha, BlueAngel07 for taking the time to review very much appreciated.

Again a lot of the dialog is taken from the episode itself not as much this time the zord battle didn't have as much. Next time I'm free to do my own thing.

Part Two-

While the lion's at play

"There it is, the abyss of evil." Leaning over the white railings the three wind rangers looked at the jagged line glowing with sickly purple light. The noise of the Kelzacks ransacking the US Action Games faded into the background.

"There's Lothor!" Pointing to the other side of the field Dustin felt his mouth go dry and his stomach muscles contract. Lothor had a megazord designed like some creepy Asian deity from it he was pouring energy into the abyss the purple light disappeared replaced by Lothor's dark energy.

"We have to stop him!" Yelled Tori. Dustin felt his stomach tighten even more. His normally calm friend was panicked which made him doubly panicked.

Standing away from the railing they opened their visors and exchanged looks.

"My mom made chili" Volunteered Shane.

Tori offered a shaky smile. "Party round Shane's house."

"Don't mock the chili Tor." Forcing himself to be upbeat Dustin closed his visor. They just had to believe in themselves like Sensei believed in them.

"Megazord time guys."

"Right" Nodding the three rangers waited. It was not long before they heard the roar of Dustin's lion, screech of Tori's dolphin and the squawk of Shane's hawk. Jumping into the cockpit of their separate zords the rangers brought them together to form their storm megazord.

Dustin swung the megazord sword in a complicated arch pointing it Lothor but before Shane had a chance to send out a blast that would have had Lothor reeling Lothor fired a ball of red energy at them. Tori tried her best to keep them on their feet but he had managed to hit critical latitude circuits.

Dustin heard her swear softly over coms as the megazord crashed heavily into a nearby cluster of trees. The impact vibrated through the zord causing some non-vital system like oxygen circulation to blow.

Hauling the zord to its feet Shane released the energy blast he had been preparing causing Lothor to stagger back.

"Mega punch" Striking with all the power available to him Dustin used the non-sword arm forcing Lothor to the ground.

"Dolphin blast." Waves of blue energy hit Lothor's deity zord squarely. Fire erupted from the deity zords head

"Direct hit" Observed Shane.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT RANGERS!" Lothor's voice boomed out of his zord as it pulled itself to its feet destroying what little was left of Rockside woods. Eyes flashing luminous green his zord released another wave of crackling energy and once again the storm megazord hit the dirt.

"Taste your defeat!" Lothor loomed over them his sword hitting their zord's neck with a metallic clang.

"I don't think so." The red power sphere shot out of their chest exploding on Lothor's red sparks raced over its body leaving scorch marks in its wake. Taking the opportunity the rangers righted themselves but it's body still sparking Lothor charged his zord at them wrapping its arms tightly around the other zord so the rangers found it impossible to move. Determined his enemies would share his fate.

Dustin heard Tori scream her dolphin was trapped between the two megazords and was receiving the brunt of the negative energy. All around him systems exploded insintively Dustin's arms went to cover his helmeted face.

"EJECT! Eject now!" Coms are still working then Dustin thought distantly. Pressing hard at the eject button ignoring the hot electrical discharge his suit did not fully protect him from Dustin waited. Nothing. Looking up Dustin could see the escape hatch was welded shut. Holding the lion hammer with practiced ease not allowing himself to even think of panicking Dustin slammed it at the roof of his zord. Pieces of a plastic like material fell on and around him but the yellow ranger kept hitting his zord until finally he could see the bright afternoon sun of blue bay harbor.

Ninja streaking to safety he joined Shane and Tori. They watched as the two zords crashed to the ground flames erupted from the storm megazord until they both exploded in a large ball of fire destroying them both.

"The megazord....It's gone." Shocked Dustin stared at where the zord last lay. There was nothing left even Cam could not fix nothing.

The earth below their feet shook violently and a loud rumbling filled the air. Running back to the edge of the abyss the rangers stared.

It was bigger a lot bigger. Energy was now pouring out of the abyss.

"What's happening?" Shane asked.

"I don't know" replied Tori. Familiar blurred figures erupted from the abyss. They knew those shapes.

"Not good so not good." Shane closed his visor and as one they stepped away from the abyss and turned to face where the monsters were gathering.

"They're back." All of them every monster they had defeated all of Lothor's generals they were back. Some had been harder to defeat than others but could they really defeat them all at once?

"I hope the guys get back soon." Tori spoke quietly but Dustin heard her he could not help thinking that it was not Hunter and Cam she wanted at her side. The jealousy that sometimes dogged him rose up to gnaw at his heart.

Lothor ninja streaked in front of his army of monsters and spread out his arms walking towards them his black coat billowing in the faint breeze. Shane snarled.

"How does it feel to fail rangers?"

"You should know." Challenged Shane.

Lothor narrowed his eyes at them "Not this time."

Drawing their swords the rangers charged at the waiting army. Parrying laser blasts sending them back to any monster within range. Striking a familiar hog monster across his chest Dustin spun kicked another. It was not long before he stopped trying to remember which monster he was fighting they all just blurred together in a flurry of martial arts and trying to hurt as many of them as possible.

A sharp kick to his sword hand caused his muscles to spasm.

"My sword!" Searching franticly Dustin saw a heavily armored foot holding his sword hostage. Distracted Dustin did not see the green plant that tackled him to the ground. Thick green vines sprung from the earth holding him in place.

"Dustin!" Shouted Tori. Hazily Dustin could see a pale blue figure fighting its way towards him using one monster as a springboard. The vines around his legs loosened and then the ones around his arms.

"We need a rabbit." Tori said offering him her hand accepting it Dustin hauled himself to his feet.

"Cam's on Lothor's ship."

Tori nodded gravely despite the helmet Dustin knew her lips pursed and then firmed into a straight determined line.

"Then we pull it out of our own hats." Pulling out her sonic fin the blue ranger blasted it at the monsters that surrounded them forcing them back. A flash of red light joined them.

"This isn't working." Growled Shane. He to had lost his sword and his hawk blaster was clutched in his hand.

"Just what we were saying." Seeing the green vines beginning to grow again Dustin hit the ground hard with his lion hammer until they retreated.

"Ninja shadow attack!" Pulling down the ninja darkness to confuse Lothor's monsters Dustin felt the comfortable weight of his sword back in his hand slicing the monsters around him.

Landing gracefully on balls of his feet Shane and Tori by his side. Dustin listened to the familiar sound of a monster exploding this time in stereo. They had destroyed maybe fifteen of them but it was not nearly enough.

"Battlizer!" Shane spun his power disk and forming his battle armor. While Shane focused on aerial attacks Dustin used his lion hammer to keep the monsters at bay. His sword had disappeared again as soon as the shadow attack had ended. A battlizer of his own would be handy right about now. Why did the red guy always get the heavily duty stuff? As the monsters surged around him Dustin knew he needed backup and as the cavalry had not made it to the party yet he would have to do it himself.

"Time to split." Feeling the solid ground beneath his feet Dustin concentrated and did what the earth had always done made more earth.

"Ready?" Dustin asked his shadow.

"Oh yeah!" Himself replied. The shadow could only do what he did. Leaping into the air Dustin round housed the nearest monster to his right the shadow did the same on the left.

Sweeping above him he could hear Shane's cry of "Battlizer flight mode fire!" And feel the heat from the resulting explosions. Then he heard Shane cry out again but this time it was full of pain. Turning Dustin saw Shane plummet to the ground thankfully landing on a safety stack of hay. Running over to his friend with Tori's help they pulled Shane up. Sadly Shane examined his morpher.

"The battlizer...it's gone."

Tori placed her hand against Shane's helmeted check. "I'm sorry."

Resting his hand on Shane's shoulder in mute sympathy Dustin fought against the lump in his throat Shane had lost the last link he had to Skyla. It had always brought Shane comfort to know she had thought him worthy of such a powerful gift.

"Did I break the red rangers toy?" Chuckled Lothor "oops."

"You're going to pay for that Lothor!" Stepping in front of the boys the only one still with a ninja sword Tori raised it to eye level. "Water ninja submerge." Water rose quickly enclosing her inside with Lothor. Dustin knew it was useless to try but still he punched at the barrier. Inside Tori spun around Lothor attacking him her sword until Lothor's hand shot out and crabbed her around the throat slamming her to the ground. Straining Dustin watched carefully for signs of movement as the water receded.

His face white Lothor threw the blue ranger at them with hands that trembled Shane just managed to catch her. Holding the girl protectively against his chest Shane fired his blaster forcing Lothor to dodge.

"Storm striker" Tori mumbled into Shane's chest Pulling away from him Tori held out her sonic fin Shane added his blaster and Dustin put his hammer to the back. Kneeling with Shane they braced themselves.

"Fire!" A large bubble formed around Lothor and some of his monsters. Blue light expanded from inside the bubble until it was all the rangers could see. Standing Dustin and Shane both wrapped an arm around Tori.

There was no way Lothor could have survived that.

"Enough" filled with anger Lothor's voice rumbled behind them. Turning his head Dustin could see Lothor's mask had burnt off leaving his face blistered, his clothes and hair were smoking but still he was standing or maybe weaving would be a better way to describe it.

"I'll be taking those handy ranger powers of yours." Rising the samurai amulet green light flashed at them knocking the rangers off their feet. Dustin felt the power leave him once again he had been stripped of his ranger power leaving him feel weak and about as an affective warrior as a newborn puppy.

"Now stay down. There is a place for you three in my new world order if you behave."

"Never." Said Shane flipping to his feet.

"What are you going to do? I have your ranger powers your at my mercy. Give up."

"No." Tori's voice was completely flat no room for negotiation.

"Fine. Ninjas are a dime a dozen anyway." Between his hands dark ninja energy formed shooting out at the former rangers forcing them to their knees.

"We won't let you win." Dustin stood in ready position knowing the others were also getting ready for Lothor's next attack.

"Why do you insist on fighting me? You have no power." He sounded genuinely mystified.

"We might not be power rangers but we still have power." Shane moved his hands around into the air summoning position.

"Power of air." Around them the air moved faster twisting and curling around itself until it had them inside. Tossing them around from one side to another on his way past Dustin gripped onto Shane's leg.

"Great plan dude." He had to scream to be heard over the air howling around them.

"It wasn't me." Shane said grimly.

As quickly as it started the air stopped moving and they fell to the ground.

"No that would be me." The voice had a musical quality to it one they recognised immediately.

"Suzie!" Dirty blonde hair tied in a neat high pony a tall woman glared at them with icy blue eyes. They had started at the wind ninja academy at the same time her and Shane had trained together.

"Use my full name, I'm not a trainee hairdresser" She hissed at them. Racking his brain Dustin tried to remember what her full name was.

"Okay what ever." Shane muttered. "What are you doing Susanne? Are you trying to kill us? You know what sensei says, 'never leap onto a stepping stone until you're sure it's not a crocodile'." Despite the situation Dustin was impressed Shane had sensei down to the folded hands.

"You always were an idiot Shane of course I'm trying to kill you."

"So you weren't aiming for Lothor?" Okay silly question given the death glare she was giving them but Dustin figured it paid to be sure.

"Reunion time is over kiddies. Destroy them!" From the skate ramp Lothor stood with his arms crossed Tori was laying at his feet. Dustin felt his heart freeze blood was flowing from her foehead and she was not moving.

Susanne smiled as streaks of multi coloured light settled around them. It was not a nice smile.

"What was it you were saying Shane not being a ranger doesn't mean you don't have power?"

All around him Dustin could feel the draw of the earth's energy as the call for power raced around the mass of ninjas.

Air

Thunder

Spirit

Ice

Fire

Earth

Shadow

Water

The last words Dustin would remember before the world exploded into pain. There was no time to move to try and protect himself.

One moment frozen the next unbearable heat, lightening burning through his veins and his mind exploded with images.

A little blonde girl covered in dirt making mud pies.

Watching Dad pack his suitcase.

Fighting his sister for the TV remote.

Helping mom wash the car.

Sensei at the dojo offering him a place at the wind academy.

Practice kissing with Tori

Shane dressed in his ninja outfit skating around ninja ops.

Tori, Shane, Blake and Hunter crowding around him on his dirt bike.

Cam offering them their morphers.

Faster and faster the images came some he knew some he did not but each one made him feel lighter. Until he could see the action games below him. The ninjas had stopped their attack only the ones in purple still glowed with active power. He could see two bodies laying on the ground one dark one light both with dark brown hair. It was Shane and himself. Confused Dustin looked closer at his body. He was dead why did he not care about that?

A silver rope joined what he thought of as his body and what ever he was now was fading fast.

The ninjas then approached Lothor a good distance away they stopped and kneeled their heads bowed low.

They were going to win in fact they had won Dustin realised. The rope had disappeared to just a thin thread and nothing was connected to the body next to his.

He and his friends had failed and now the world was going to suffer. Unless what about Cam and the thunders?

"Waldo" Turning his attention away from the field below him thirty-ish woman brown hair curling wildly was smiling her hand reaching out for his. Dustin did not recognise her but he did know her.

The world of US action games and Lothor disappeared filled with golden clouds and mist.

"Grandma. I should go back." Reaching out his hand Dustin took hold of hers. In the distant part of his mind Dustin was surprised it was warm it felt real more real than anything else had in his life.

"You can't." A sad simple truth.

"I don't belong with you though" Inside Dustin knew this.

"No your path has always been different the others are waiting." With a light kiss on his forehead Dustin watched his grandmother drift away.

The golden clouds faded replaced with trees and a calm river it stretched as far as he could see. On the other side of the river nothing grew and there was nothing but shadows. Along the riverbank a group of people in white robes rose from the grass.

"Welcome back brother." Looking at the woman who was suddenly at his side the soul that had once been Dustin Brooks and many others nodded.

"I wish I could have done more."

"It was not meant." He nodded gravely that was not true he still had one last quest as Dustin Brooks but for now he pretended and waited for the question he knew she wanted to ask.

"Tell me about my husband and son."