Author's Notes: This chapter lacks my usual perverse humor and instead focuses on trying to further the story. I hope you like it (bites nails nervously).
Thanks YellowPrincess for becoming a regular reviewer of my story. I really appreciate it! In exchange, I have considered how to pair Hunter with Tori and possible consequences. In my thinking about that, I came up with something that will significantly affect the dynamics between Tori and Blake. Now, at the end of this chapter, you may want to hit me with something really heavy, but just bear with me. It's not necessarily what it looks like at first glance.
Thanks Magichalo for another review. So sad for Tobi but yay for Dustin/Hunter? Well, isn't that how it goes? I'm really not sure what will happen exactly, but I think that relationships may get a bit complicated when I introduce the other versions of the Power Rangers. As for him controlling water, it's supposed to be a bit weird (beyond my perverse humor) for a reason that I'll reveal later. Let's just say that water may not be his element, just something he absorbed after the morpher swap.
Thanks cancermoon for reviewing my story. I'm glad you like it so far. I will try to continue Tobi's internal struggles, but I honestly don't yet know how to make things work out for him. Anyway, on to the story...
Previously in Parallel Realities Ninja Storm:
Sensei uses Cyber Dustin to train Tobi in how to practice control under difficult situations (such as getting a blow job) Tobi does well with defensive moves, but his attacks are weak unless he feels that Dustin is in danger. Only then can he channel his powers. Meanwhile, Inflatron is defeated but Tobi notices a disturbance at the beach that Cyber Cam says is nothing. After a shower, Cam finds some clothes for Tobi and the two discuss who is alive and who is dead in each dimension and Cam wonders if the other versions of each of them are naturally different or if they became different because of differences in each dimension's past. Later, Dustin tells Tobi he didn't choose him, but still like him and wants the best for him. Tobi says he's fine and wants Dustin too be happy but bursts into tears the moment Dustin leaves. After the misting of his tears distracts him, Tobi discovers that Tori and Blake are in danger at the beach. Cam discovers a rift between the two dimensions just before the power goes out in Ninja Ops...
Parallel Realities Ninja Storm: Chapter 14 (The Dimensional Dilemma)
"What happened?" Tobi called out into the darkness.
"An EM pulse refracted through the portal," Cam's voice explained. "Give it a moment."
"A moment to—?" Tobi began just as the lights in Ninja Ops came back on.
"What is happening, son?" Sensei asked, hopping over to Cam.
"I'll explain once everyone else is here," Cam said quickly while pulling open a circuit panel under his still inactive computer screen. "Tobi, get the others."
Tobi shook off his confusion and ran outside. Fortunately Shane, Hunter and Dustin were standing nearby. "Cam needs you guys inside, now!" he shouted.
"What's wrong?" Shane asked, but Tobi had already returned to Ninja Ops.
"Tori?" he asked his communicator, but with no response.
"Even if she were okay, that won't work," Cam said, working on rewiring something in his hands.
Just then, the others entered Ninja Ops.
"What's wrong, Cam?" Shane immediately asked. "Did Ninja Ops crash again?"
Cam put down what he was working on and sat facing the others. "Tori and Blake are in trouble," he began.
"Then let's go!" Dustin immediately declared.
"Wait," Cam demanded. "There's more. I think they may have been kidnapped by either Lothor or by someone from Tobi's dimension."
"What?" Tobi asked, surprised.
"Blake," Hunter called to his morpher. "Bro, are you okay?"
"As I was telling Tobi," Cam said with an exasperated sigh, "that won't work. Lothor used remains of Goldwinger to tear a fissure between our dimension and Tobi's. I can only assume he's trying to bring over the other Power Rangers."
"Evil Power Rangers?" Shane asked.
"Exactly," Cam replied, earning him a glare from Tobi.
"Dude, I still don't get why we're waiting around here," Dustin added.
"The fissure is unstable," Cam continued. "It created an electromagnetic shock wave that swept over the city and when it reached the other side of the portal, it refracted through. Ninja Ops is essentially out of commission until I get things up and running again."
"Meaning...?" Shane prompted.
"Meaning, we can't communicate and," Cam took a breath, "most of all, we can't morph."
There were groans from the others.
"What about the thunder morpher?" Hunter asked.
"If you were anywhere on this side of the portal, it's affected too," Cam answered.
"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form," Hunter called, but nothing happened.
Cam gave him an "I told you so" look before continuing. "That may not be so bad if at least one of my theories holds true though."
"What's that?" Shane asked.
"Tori told me that she couldn't morph while in Tobi's dimension," Cam explained. "I think it's because her morpher was aligned to this dimension. Even though it's been days since she's been back, her morpher just recently somehow aligned itself to the other dimension. If the other Power Rangers are here and their morphers somehow align to this dimension, they'll be able to morph and we won't."
The others exchanged looks. Tobi kept his mouth shut, but he knew Tori's morpher hadn't realigned itself so there was no chance of it happening for the other Power Rangers. They'd need to know the coordinates for this dimension and they didn't have access to that info. Or did they? Suddenly Tobi gasped. He had given the other Tori a morpher pre-aligned to this dimension. If the other Power Rangers figured that out...
"Since there's only one morphing matrix in each dimension," Cam continued, oblivious to Tobi's realization, "whoever morphs first cancels out their counterpart."
"I don't know about the others, but I'm totally lost," Dustin admitted.
"That means, Dustin," Cam explained, "that only one yellow Power Ranger can morph at a time. If the other version of you morphs first, you won't be able to morph because they're currently morphed. The same applies for all of us. Therefore our goal should be to morph the moment I get Ninja Ops operational. I'm not even going to try to fix the Zords or holographic portals because our Zords may be used against us. Timing will be critical. I need you all here at least until I've restored communication."
"Right," Shane agreed, looking at the others, who nodded. He then looked at Tobi. "I thought Hunter would be the one to ask this, but can we trust Tobi if his... friends are here?"
"Hey!" Tobi immediately protested.
"I believe it is a fair question to ask where your loyalties lie," Sensei told Tobi.
"Sensei," Dustin spoke up, "I know everyone thinks I'm like too trusting, but I know we can trust Tobi." He looked at Tobi and noticed something that caused him to give Tobi a concerned look.
Tobi gave him a weak smile, realizing his eyes were probably still red from crying.
"I agree with Dustin on this one," Hunter said, which earned him a surprised look from everyone else. "He may be obnoxious," Hunter quickly added, "but he has certain... loyalties to us." He looked at Dustin.
"I agree with Hunter's assessment of Tobi being obnoxious," Cam said, a grin making it obvious he wasn't completely serious, "but his heart's in the right place."
Tobi couldn't help but feel guilty over swapping morphers with Tori. Sure, he had a loyalty to his own dimension and his own sister, but none of them would stand up for him so easily the way this dimension's Power Rangers were now. "Thanks," he managed to tell them. "I wish I had been born in this dimension. Maybe then, things would be different." He glanced at Dustin.
"Cam," Hunter addressed, "why didn't this happen before when Tori went to Tobi's dimension?"
"Originally, Goldwinger created a transdimensional vortex," Cam explained. "This is more of a tear between the dimensions."
"So, we rescue Tori and Blake first and then seal the thing," Shane concluded.
"Since I have no intention of closing the fissure while the other versions of us are still here, I agree with Shane's priorities," Cam said. "I'll get the main systems online, we all morph and I'll have Cyber Cam work on computer simulations to determine how to seal the tear, but I need to tell you one more thing." He paused, an uneasy look in his eyes. "The fissure is unstable and it will keep expanding until either I find a way to seal it or it... destroys both our dimensions."
"What!" everyone shouted.
"Could it really do that?" Hunter asked.
"Yes," Cam said flatly. "Now, I need to get to work."
Cam repaired Hunter's morpher first and had him stay morphed. The others would need Ninja Ops up and running to work. So, everyone was quiet while Cam proceeded to repair Ninja Ops' computer systems. But, after a while, the group became restless. Hunter opened his visor and he and Dustin started to talk about modifications they had made to their bikes. Shane turned to Tobi and asked the first thing that came to his mind. "What's the other version of me like?" he asked.
Tobi thought for a moment. "Angry, dark," were the first two things that came to his mind. "He growls a lot and tries to get Hunter to laugh at his taunts."
"So, he's... evil?" Shane asked.
"I don't know," Tobi admitted. "The only person who really called us—I mean, them—" he quickly corrected, "evil was Dustin." He laughed at a memory. "Like he'd say, 'My evil weapon is ready,' and I'd be like, 'By your evil weapon, do you mean your big—"
"I get the picture," Shane interrupted. "But, if we were in a battle with them, whose side would you be on?"
"I don't know," Tobi admitted again. "It's not like it would matter anyway."
"You got a point there, dude," Shane said with a laugh.
"Sensei says I'm already a ninja on the outside," Tobi defended. "I just need to work on my 'inner ninja.'"
"Really?" Shane asked, surprised. He looked over at Sensei, who was talking to Cam.
Cam glanced toward Tobi and he knew that Sensei was talking to Cam about the possibility of sending him back with the other rangers and sealing the hole. The thought made him question his loyalties all over again. It was his dimension and those were his sister's friends, but something about this dimension made him willing to give it all up, even if it meant he'd never go back. Still, no matter how much better he fit in here, if he stayed he'd forever be reminded that the quirky, silly Dustin of this dimension had chosen Hunter over him. Because he hadn't really been faced with the immediate choice of leaving but had instead felt stranded until now, he had been able to put off facing the possibility and really dealing with it.
His thoughts were interrupted when Cam announced that the communications were online. He then turned to his father.
"Each of you should remain in constant contact," Sensei advised. "The three of you should go scout out the area, but do not engage any enemies, whether they are able to morph or not. Shane and Dustin, the moment Cam gives the signal, you will need to activate your Wind Morphers. Remember, you still have your ninja powers."
"Right," the others agreed before leaving quickly.
"What about me?" Tobi asked.
"At present, there is not much you can do, Tobi," Sensei told him.
"We're at the beach," came Shane's voice from Cam's morpher only moments after leaving.
Cam stopped working to ask, "What do you see?"
"Nothing," Shane answered.
"Keep looking," Cam advised, going back to work.
"Guys, spit up," Shane's voice told the others.
"I think I know where they are," Hunter's voice said.
"Hunter, wait!" Dustin's voice called.
"What's happening?" Cam asked, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"I think Hunter's going to Lothor's ship," Dustin answered.
"Hunter," Cam called. "Sensei told you not to engage the enemy."
"I'm the only one who can morph," Hunter whispered before making a "shhh" sound.
Cam shook his head in frustration.
"I think I found that tear you were talking about," Shane's voice announced.
"How bad is it?" Cam asked.
"It looks like a big glowing crack," Shane replied. "It's about twenty feet tall, maybe bigger because it's in the water."
"I almost have the main systems repaired," Cam told his morpher. "Are you two ready?"
"Yeah," Shane and Dustin agreed.
"Okay," Cam said, reaching for a button. "Morph... now!" he instantly activated his own morpher.
"Ninja Storm, Ranger—Ah!" Dustin's voice cried. A blasting sound came from the morpher.
"Dustin, Shane!" Cam called.
"I'm okay," Shane replied. "I morphed right away."
"Dustin?" Cam asked, but there was no reply.
"I'm on it," Shane said.
Tobi stared at the scene unfolding before him. Both Cam and Sensei were too occupied to notice Tobi run out of Ninja Ops. He left through the portal and away from the waterfall as fast as he could toward the beach. The trees around him seemed to become blurs and he realized he was somehow streaking like a ninja.
He arrived at the beach in no time and looked around. "What are you doing here?" a voice called. He turned to see Shane in his red Power Ranger suit running up to him.
"Where's Dustin?" Tobi asked quickly.
"I think we can answer that one," a female voice announced. Both Tobi and Shane looked up to see Marah and Kapri with Dustin.
Dustin looked unconscious and Marah was holding his morpher in her hand.
"It's simple," Kapri said. "You give us your morpher and we give you your yellow ranger."
"Why the morphers?" Shane asked. "Cam can just build new ones."
"Our cousin won't be fast enough," Kapri insisted.
"Hey, wasn't there another red—or reddish—ranger?" Marah asked.
"Yeah, he's behind you," Shane said.
"You don't expect us to fall for—" Kapri began as a foot connected with her back.
Marah was the next to fall as Hunter kicked the morpher from her hand. Tori and Blake were with him, both also morphed.
Tobi immediately ran up to Dustin just as Zurgane appeared and Shane took him on. "Dustin," Tobi called, shaking him. "Wake up!"
"Wha—What happened?" Dustin asked, looking around disoriented.
"Dustin!" Hunter called. "Heads up!"
A morpher landed on Dustin's chest. He blinked for a moment before strapping it on, standing and morphing. "Ninja Storm, Ranger Form!" he called. "Power of Earth!"
Suddenly a bike shot across the sandy beach. It began firing at the rangers. On it was Motodrone.
"Tobi, get out of here!" Shane cried, dodging an attack from Zurgane as the others avoided blasts from Motodrone.
Zap! Dustin was thrown backward from a shot and Tobi immediately started to run over to him, but an explosion in front of him forced him to stop. Hunter reached Dustin first, but was also blasted.
"Hunter!" Dustin called, getting up.
Just then, a green streak appeared. It was Cam in his Samurai Power Ranger suit. He immediately flew around, slashing at Lothor's henchmen. "Get the others back to Ninja Ops!" he called out.
The others managed to grab Tobi and streak off, despite their injuries. Once they were gone, Cam was quick to follow suit.
Back at Ninja Ops, the others caught their breath. "Why'd we run from the fight?" Shane asked. "Isn't that their job?"
"One must always know when to fight and when to walk away," Sensei advised.
"You're welcome," Cam said impatiently. "We're in no condition for a fight right now. And, since I haven't been able to reinitialize Cyber Cam or the emergency transport, I can't keep coming to your rescue. I need to find a way to seal the dimensional fissure as soon as possible."
"We almost had those guys before you showed up," Dustin insisted.
"Dude, you were unconscious and Marah had your morpher," Shane pointed out.
Cam sighed loudly. "So, did you encounter any alternative versions of yourselves?" he asked.
The others looked at Blake and Tori. "No," Blake answered. "I only saw Lothor's goons." He looked over at Tori. "Did you see anyone while we were separated?"
Tori shook her head.
"Same here," Hunter agreed.
"Well, it looks like we got lucky," Cam said. "They may not have been able to bring the others over yet. Which means, I need to find a way to seal the fissure ASAP."
"What can we do to help?" Shane offered.
"You can leave me alone to work," Cam replied, beginning his work.
The others exchanged looks.
"Cam is under some strain," Sensei explained, "but it would be best if you give him what he is asking for right now."
"Like, where can we go?" Dustin asked. "I can't go home in this."
Cam turned from his work. "I'm now able to monitor any fluctuations in the dimensional threshold," he told them.
"Huh?" the others asked.
"I can tell if anyone enters our dimension," he explained. "You can demorph until I tell you to morph again, but you must morph immediately when I tell you to."
"Right," the others agreed.
"I'll stay morphed and scope out the area," Shane offered before adding to Sensei. "Don't worry, I won't engage, only check things out."
Sensei nodded and Shane left.
Blake demorphed and turned to Tori. "Since we can't go back to the beach, what did you wanna do?"
Tori followed suit and demorphed. "We could always go back to my place," she said in an uncharacteristically seductive tone.
"But what about your mom?" Blake asked.
She gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about?"
"I just thought you meant you wanted to..." he trailed off.
"Oh, I do," she replied, grinning.
"Don't worry about it, bro," Hunter chimed in. "You two can go back to our place. I'll... find something else to occupy me." He looked at Dustin.
"Thanks, bro," Blake said with a wide smile. He then stood up and left with Tori. Before she left, she gave Tobi a wink.
Tobi wondered if that meant she was finally going to have sex with Blake. He looked over to Cam, but he was too busy to have witnessed the sexual tension.
Hunter and Dustin were next to demorph. "So, what'd you want to do now?" Dustin asked Hunter.
"I can think of a few things," Hunter replied, giving him a suggestive look.
Dustin laughed nervously. "I know what you're thinking, but I still want my first time to be with a girl."
Hunter gave him a confused look. "But why?"
"You did it with a girl," Dustin pointed out. "And..." He grimaced nervously. "And I don't want to be like totally weird."
Hunter looked down. "If I had stayed a virgin—"
"I don't think that would've changed anything, dude," Dustin interrupted. He looked at Hunter and Tobi could see the emotions playing out in his eyes. He was afraid to really commit all the way with him. "I know you love me, but..." But Dustin still didn't love anyone yet. Both Tobi and Hunter read that on his face at the same time. But obviously he felt something... more with Hunter.
"Maybe you two should go out on a date," Tobi suddenly suggested.
The two looked at him with shocked faces.
"I think it would be good for you two," Tobi explained. "I think it would make you guys... happy."
"I'm starting to think Dustin was right," Hunter replied. "You have changed."
"Yeah," Tobi mumbled.
Dustin studied Tobi for a moment. "Hey, we can all go out, like the three of us," he suggested.
"Thanks," Tobi replied, "but I'd just be a third wheel."
"He's right," Hunter agreed. "So, Dustin, you want to go out on a date with me?" He laughed at how silly he sounded.
Dustin looked sympathetically at Tobi before smiling toward Hunter. "Sure, I'd love to man."
"You'd love to?" Hunter repeated, grinning.
Dustin blushed and fidgeted nervously.
Hunter laughed again and stood, holding out a hand for Dustin, who took it hesitantly. "Shall we?" Hunter asked.
Dustin continued to blush as he let Hunter lead him out of Ninja Ops.
Tobi watched them go with a sense of defeat. He looked at Cam and Sensei, but they both seemed occupied, so he headed to the training room that he had slept in during his first night in this dimension.
He sat on the cot that was still in the room and closed his eyes.
He had lost track of time when Cam entered the room. Tobi looked up, surprised. "Did you figure out how to close the hole?" he asked before realizing Cam was going to ask if he was ready to return to his dimension.
"Not yet," Cam said removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "I needed a break," he explained, returning his glasses to his face. "Plus, I wanted to check on you."
"Wondering if you should send me back?" Tobi suggested.
Cam sat down beside Tobi on the cot. "I'd be lying if I said my father was for letting you stay. He believes that you don't belong here, that the balance of the universe is upset or something like that."
Tobi gave him a surprised look. "And what do you think?"
Cam took a breath. "I think you could easily belong here." He stared at the training room wall for a moment. "You know, when Shane, Tori and Dustin became Power Rangers, it was because they were the only three Wind Ninjas left. They were the bottom of their class and were about to be kicked out of the academy. In every way, they didn't really belong here, but they ended up being the only ones who can save the rest of the students and restore the Wind Ninja Academy."
Tobi stared at him, trying to picture Shane and Tori as misfits like Dustin.
"The point is," Cam continued, "what keeps the universe in balance can really surprise you."
Tobi smiled. "Thanks," he said. "And, Cam..." He trailed off.
"What?" Cam asked, surprised.
Tobi looked away. "I swapped Tori's morpher," he said slowly.
"You what?" Cam asked.
"I even tried it on and... I morphed," he added. Cam gave him a shocked look, but he continued. "That's why I was able to streak to the beach and my tears misted and... my juices floated."
Cam gave him a confused look before realizing something. "That's why Tori's morpher was alighted to your dimension,"
"Yeah," Tobi agreed, "because I—"
"But you were able to morph using her morpher," he interrupted, looking amazed. "And it must have triggered dormant ninja abilities within you or you somehow absorbed some of the power charge when the suit formed."
Tobi gave him a confused look.
Cam stopped looking lost in thought and then looked at Tobi. "Listen, I understand why you did it. I would have done anything to be a Power Ranger at one point too, but this is actually good news. It means that, if the Power Rangers from your dimension come here, their morphers won't realign on their own. And, you swapped her morpher back and I realigned it, so no harm done."
"Huh?" Tobi asked.
"When you swapped her morpher back for your communicator," Cam explained. "Anyway, I guess I better get back to work." And, with a sigh, he left the room.
Tobi realized that Cam had misunderstood his confession, thinking that he had just traded his communicator with Tori's morpher to try it out and then switched them back. Cam had no idea about the other Tori or the danger her morpher alignment posed. But, if Lothor's helpers had been trying to steal this dimension's Power Rangers' morphers, obviously Lothor and Tobi's twin sister didn't know about the alignment issue either. That gave them at least some advantage, though not as much as Cam seemed to now think.
An uneasy feeling kept creeping over Tobi. He tried to shake it off, but he figured he still felt guilty about the misunderstood morpher swap, so he eventually made his way back to the main room of Ninja Ops.
When he entered, he saw Dustin sitting in front of Cam's computer monitor. "Dustin?" he asked, approaching him. "What are you..." But something about the way he typed so quickly made Tobi suspect this wasn't' the goofy Dustin from this dimension, but instead the crafty Dustin from Tobi's dimension. "How did you get in here?" Tobi demanded before realizing that the other versions of the rangers would be able to come and go as they please, being exact copies and all.
When Dustin didn't respond, Tobi tried to turn the chair Dustin was sitting in to face him, but he was stuck in place.
"He'll ignore anything that might distract him from his work," came a voice from behind Tobi.
Tobi turned to see Cam sitting with his laptop in front of him.
"If only I could program myself never to be distracted," Cam commented, studying his laptop screen.
"So, that's Cyber Dustin?" Tobi realized.
"I wasn't able to get Cyber Cam to load, so I just settled for him," Cam explained before addressing, "Cyber Dustin, you can acknowledge others now."
Immediately, Cyber Dustin paused in his work and spun around, smiling at Tobi. "Sorry I get so caught up in my work," he told Tobi, pulling him closer.
Tobi's cheeks flushed as Cyber Dustin's hands explored his body.
Just then, Shane entered Ninja Ops. He gave Tobi and Cyber Dustin a confused look.
"Cyber Dustin," Cam addressed, "resume your work."
Cyber Dustin immediately lowered his hands and spun around, hastily resuming his calculations.
"I probably don't' want to know what's going on," Shane commented. "Anyway, I scoped out the entire area and there's no more sign of Lothor's goons. It's getting dark, so I think it's Lothor's bedtime."
"That's one good thing about my uncle," Cam admitted. "He needs his beauty sleep."
"Not that it helps," Shane added.
The sound of giggling came from behind Shane. Tobi and Cam turned to see Blake and Tori entering Ninja Ops. They looks ridiculously happy. Blake had a relaxed yet triumphant look on his face and Tori looked equally satisfied.
As the two hung on each other and exchanged flirting looks, Tobi realized what was going on. "You two did it, didn't you!" he shouted louder than he had intended.
Blake blushed and fidgeted nervously. "We... uh..." he stuttered.
Tori grinned. "That's right, little brother," she said. "We did the wild thing!"
To be continued...