Greetngs all! I'm finally ready to continue the story.

Enjoy!

Tommy lay on his cot with Kimberly laying on his chest. He grinned at her as he thought of the talk they'd had after their little girl had fallen asleep.

She'd been surprised that he taught Science. Apparently she'd thought that he would have a whole string of dojo's by then. She was right of course, he'd always dreamed about having them…before the abduction. But when all that had happened. He found he'd lost intrest in that dream and fell back on his second dream…to dig up dinosaurs. That dream he'd carried into completion.

He didn't know if we would still want to teach martial arts after all these years. Maybe once Kimberly was well…or at least adjusted to her new life, he may just ask if the other's would allow him to become a full time instructor.

Hell, they'd welcome him as an instructor. Jason had asked him before to come teach but he'd been to immersed in studying and going to college.

When Mesogog emerged, he'd been thrown into training again, this time with his own team of rangers. Tommy knew he'd done an awesome job of it, but now, with Kim back in his life, he honestly thought that maybe, just maybe-

His thoughts were interrupted when Kimberly stirred beside him and he adjusted their blankets to cover her up and pulled her closer to him and then yawned softly and smiled in the darkness as his eyelids grew heavy.

He looked over at his daughters palette and saw her sleeping deeply and then at his mate who now clung to him. He'd been given back one dream, to have a family with his beautiful Crane. Now maybe he could have his other one…to be a martial artist.

Mabey when Jase and Zack came back with the plants, he'd ask them.

He wondered what they were doing at that moment.

The next morning

Jason was roused the next morning by a loud shouting in his head.

:ZACK, ARE YOU UP?:

Jason chuckled at the groan coming from his brother and sat up. He looked around and saw that TorrEnt was gone from the cave as was his 'little sister'.

:WAKE UP! WE'RE GOING SWIMMING, TORRENT IS WAITING FOR US!:

"Alright, I'm up. Please don't yell like that."

:You didn't wake up when I tried the first time. So I yelled:

"Well, I'm awake now. What's going on?"

TorrEnt chose that moment to walk in the door. He grinned leaning against the doorway. "There's no sleeping in with my little brother around."

Zack chuckled good naturedly. "A living alarm clock. That's just what I need."

The dragon cocked his head at him. :What's an alarm clock?:

"It's just a little device that wakes you up when you ask it to. It pretty much does what you just did. " Jason replied as he got up and stretched. "You better get up Zack. It's going to be a busy day, Kimberly is counting on us. I'm not going to let her down."

The water was cold as Jason dove in. it was quick to banish any lasting sleepiness from his system. When he emerged from the water he heard TorrEnt laughing. Zack who sat on the edge with his legs folding under him was being squirted mercilessly by Shuma who had heard the splashing and decided to join in. Little Neekta who was being cradled in the arms of her 'big brother' kicked water at them while Urchin who was decidedly on Zack's side fired back volleys of water at both dragons. The impromptu water war ended when Neekta fell asleep in TorrEnt's arms and he walked out of the water and laid her down in the shade of her mother's arms.

Then an older dragon arrived who instantly caused TorrEnt, Shuma, and Urchin to show respect. This dragon was comparatively ancient to DreyGa and reeked of wisdom and intelligence.

He bowed his head to them in return and then spoke directly into Jason's head. :I know you dragon kin. You have nothing to fear, descendant of Valora.:

Jason's head shot up. The older dragon's eyes shone with ancient knowledge. His scales were a little duller then the other's and his frill was very wrinkled but still the former ranger found warmth and compassion in his gaze.

"Ancient one, I don't know this Valora."

:That is alright. You will soon. But for now take this pedant, its will grant you dragon abilities, you will be able to breathe with this on as well as swim faster.:

Jason bowed his head in respect as he accepted the jewel. When the dragon had gone, he put on the pendant and gasped as he felt the changes starting to take place. He felt his neck rip open on both side as gills formed. His feet suddenly changed, having grown stronger as the same membrain that the water dragons had began to grow between his own towels instantly becoming flippers that he knew would propel him through the depths.

Zack watched him with odd fascination. He was learning a lot on this trip!

Jason looked over at TorrEnt who was wearing a similar jewel and sporting the same changes. "You ready to go?"

Jason was too awed to answer and instead followed Shuma and TorrEnt into the depths.

The water felt nice and cool now and he found he didn't need to take a deep breath. As he now had gills to filter the water for him. Shuma raced ahead his tail flowing from right to left as he swam. His eyes adjusted quickly to the water and he knew he wouldn't be needing those eye drops afterward.

They swam for what seemed like 10 minutes until they came upon a cave set into rock. :we're nearly there.: TorrEnt said in his mind.

:What? You can speak in my head too?: Jason asked back…too surprised to realize he was using his mind to speak.

:Yep, just like you are now, but enough of that, we need to get into that cave. It's where the Growbright is. Come on:

And with that, they swam upward until they went in through an entrance. It was brightly glowing inside, Swimming upwards again, they soon found themselves above water.

And there in the back of the cave was the Glowbright. The water around it was still knee deep and the water glowed around it still making the cave bright.

Jason watched as TorrEnt gently cut a couple stalks and put it into his medicine bag. "That should do it. This will be plenty for the potion that your sister needs.

"When we get back, the elder will have much to tell you. I sense a story waiting for us.

Jason just nodded numbly and dove in as they headed for the surface.

When they arrived in shallow waters, everyone was waiting for them. Neekta chortled at them as she nudged at her big brother's leg and he picked her up. She rubbed up against his cheek lovingly as they all walked to the biggest cave where DreyGa and the elder dragon sat with the adults around them.

:We were successful DreyGa. We got the Glowbrite:

:Excellent Youngling. You can put it in the clay jar and it will stay wet,:

As TorrEnt put the plant in the jar Jason found the elder one looking at him as he rested on his front paws.

He lifted his head. :Come closer Dragon Kin.:

Jason swallowed and did as he was commanded. :Please turn around. I want to see your mark.:

Jason was confused but still obeyed. :Ahh there it is,:

The former red ranger felt the delicate claw pointing to the spot on his side.

"But that's just a birth mark, I've had it since I was born."

:It's not merely just a birthmark. It's the sign of your heritage. All of your bloodline has sported it. From the first time the Great One gave it to your ancestor.

Jason sat down in front of the elder dragon and put his head in his hands. "This is just so confusing. I don't understand."

:Your kind goes back a long time ago.: the elder began as TorrEnt came to sit beside Zack accompanied by their scaly entourage.

:Once, long ago when my sire was still a hatchling, the dragons and the humans were very different. We didn't commune with them nor go near their caves.:

The old dragon sighed in disgust. :They were the savage beasts…not us. We lived to serve The Great Dragon and take care of our own. It had been that way for a long time.:

:Among us dragons, none was more powerful as the great Valora. He was the Great One's most faithful servant. His strength was rivaled only by his wisdom, honor, and compassion.:

:He communed with the Great One more then all of us, and spent most of his nights guarding the sacred Glowbright. He took no mate for himself…and therefore produced no hatchlings to keep his legacy from dying out. His scales were as blue as the water, and his eyes were the color of amethyst and his frill the most vivid emerald you had ever seen. We revered him almost as much as we did our Creator.:

Jason now found himself completely consumed by the story.

:The wicked warlord that ruled the humans was called Grimoda. He was a lazy beast that lived only to satisfy his blood lust and cared nothing for his subjects.:

:Among all of the humans there was one tribe of people who were different, they communed with the Great One though they did it in secret. The cherished their mates and trained up their younglings to care for those weaker as well as the creatures around them. They called themselves Ninjetti. Their leader was a man named Tommora. He led his people with justice and respect and taught them to respect all the living things around them.:

:Now, among the Ninjetti was a young woman named Liyota. She was a very beautiful woman and her spirit very pure, but she was not whole. She was born blind and constantly had to be looked after. At the time she reached womanhood, a marriage had been arranged for her. The man who had offered for her was the hatchling of his best friend and co leader.:

:On the night she was bonded, a terrible thing happened. A man masquerading as her new mate, came into their dwelling and defiled her before dragging her out into the jungle and leaving her to die.:

Jason could feel his heart break for the young woman.

:But she didn't die, for she was one of the creator's own. Liyota wandered through the jungles for many days cold, broken and pleading to the great one to help her. In response, the Great Dragon sent his warrior servant to help her. Valora soon found her and he began to take care of her, leading Liyota to a hidden under water cove. The Creator granted him human speech and he crooned dragon lullabies to her and fed her and at night he kept her warm, sheltering her beneath his front paws. Covering her with giant water plants and he kept her warm.:

:As they day's went by she found herself drawn to him and soon began to tell him all that had happened to her and even though she knew was he was, she showed no hatred nor prejudice to him. It wasn't long before Valora felt his heart warm with love for the human. In that time, the pure dragon, noticed the swell of her stomach and could sense the tiny human growing inside of her. When he revealed the change to her, she showed no hatred or bitterness to her enemies.:

:This purity was what made Valora seek The Creators help, he went before his maker and pleaded with him to restore her eyes and to make her whole again and her eyesight restored.:

:The Great One asked him. "What would you give to make her well?":

:He answered, "I would give up all power and strength to make her well…take them as well as my immortality…make her dragon kind.":

:The Great Dragon, then said, "I will tell you what to do to make her dragon kind, but in doing so, you are giving her half of your soul, heart and body to her. She will be like us as will the child growing in her womb.:

:"I understand," he responded. And so the Great One instructed him to mix some of his blood, with the water of the cove and to bring it to him In the leaves of his sacred plant, the Glowbright. When he did so, the Great Dragon blew over it, blessing it. When all was done, Valora offered it to the human and she also blessed the Great One, and then drank it.:

:The moment she did so, Valora began to change. He lost his frill as well as his scales, claws and tail. At the same moment, the blood of the dragon began to change Liyota. Her eyes became as bright as his and she felt power spread through her. The blood of the dragon also seeped into the woman's womb changing the young one inside it forever.:

:And for the first time, she beheld Valora, she'd loved him before, but at first sight she became bonded to him and he her,:

:Then the Great One, at their request, declared them mates, and as a gift, gave the woman the ability to become a water dragon when she so chose and immortality.

:To his servant he gave a great weapon. The staff of the Dragon King. The great jewel that sat atop it allowed him to freeze his enemies, and then destroy them.:

:He also, gave him a scale taken from his own body, when worn, it would make the bearer's body invincible, not even the vilest magic or sharpest sword could over come it.:

:And so the two became one and soon after the child was born, They named him Alastare. He was just as mighty as his father, and his spirit was as pure as the Great One himself.:

:For many years after, they lived in peace, until the dragon war. Grimoda sought to destroy our kind and take the Glowbright from us. We were ready for him.:

:Valora lead us all into battle then, bearing the weapon his creator had given him. Along with us, came the Ninjetti who felt called by the great one to fight. It was a long and bloody battle. We lost many of our kind to them and they were also dealt heavy losses to them…:

:Soon both side's began to tire of the battle and declared a ceasefire. The evil king threw down a challenge to Valora. A one on one fight without weapons…pure muscle and reflexes.:

:It was agreed and soon their own battle began. It lasted a long time. And the human leader plunged a poisoned knife into Valora's heart, ending its life giving beats and draining it of the dragon's blood.:

:In the same moment, Liyota felt the blade in her spirit and knew her mate was dead. She fell to her knees, and begged the Creator to give her the power to vanquish the evil retched king, and to finish off his army.:

:The Creator who was already angry for the foul trick done to his servant, flowed into her making her an avatar of his power and she still bearing the gift of invincibility, engaged him in a battle to the death. Wanting to protect her son, she left the pendant around his neck and set off to take revenge on the evil beast:

:Knowing the honorable Ninjetti were vulnerable, he bestowed them special powers that allowed their inner Ninjetti spirit to manifest itself in the form of wild animals.:

:Wanting the great one's will, they accepted the gift. With all this power against them, the opposing army ran off for the safety of their realm.:

:While all this was going on, the great one's avatar fought against the evil warlord. Liyota cast him down driving her husband's weapons into her opponent, but not before he too brought her down. With her last dying breath, she begged the leader of the Ninjetti, to take care of her son. Who was no older then TorrEnt is now:

:When the dragon took her to his paradise to be with her mate once more, Tomoora the leader took him in as his own son.:

:Alastair grew up to take his own mate, and hatchlings but never lost his dragon heritage, though the dragon ability faded from descendant who mixed with other humans.:

As the tail ended, Jason's head was swimming and he felt breathless.

:You'll have to ask Dulcea what happened after that, all we know is that some evil being massacred the Ninjetti, we thought everyone had died, and yet here you are. You are not him, but I can sense the familiar spirt within you.:

"You're telling me that I'm a descendant of this dragon." Jason asked feeling like he was about to pull a Kimberly and faint. It was a lot to take in.

Thank goodness he was sitting on the ground already.

Zack squeezed his shoulder in support. Please don't pass out. I'm not about to call you 'Beautiful' or tell you it's time to wake up. I may just throw you back in the water."

That moment of levity helped Jason relax. "This is all so amazing. I never dreamed that I was a descendant of Dragons."

:It is a lot to take in dragon kin. After Valora's death, we kept the weapons the Great One bestowed on your ancestor, they are your birthright. The dragon chuckled. :When you have rested a bit, you may come and seek me here, and I will give them to you then.:

"Thank you." Jason said he knelt forward on his knuckles and knees showing respect to the ancient story teller then he got up and walked out of the cave.

The dragon was right. A nap was definitely in order.

I know there must be a lot of questions, but they will definitely be answered in the next chapter. What a twist for the story! I was always meaning to do something like this.

How did you guys like the backstory?

Please leave non flamitory reviews!