SailorStar9: This fic is officially neglected for too long. Time to type this chapter out. This is Chapter 5. Read and review.
Disclaimers: I own nothing, except the plot and the pairings.
Chapter 4: Return of Thunder
"I don't buy it." Shane remarked, Tori having informed the others at Ninja Ops about Hunter and Blake's plan. "Why would those two suddenly decide to turn good?"
"I must agree with Shane." Sensei concurred. "It sounds far too convenient."
"Hunter and Blake said they were going to check it out." Tori replied. "Even if they get into the ship, they won't attack until they can bring us in for backup."
"Good, then that gives us time." Dustin nodded.
"Time for what?" tori blinked.
"Time for you to fix my bike, Ms. Free-Style-No-Hand-Landing." Dustin reminded.
"It wasn't that bad." Tori defended. "I just took a little spill."
"The fender's facing backwards." Dustin pointed out.
"All right." Tori relented, seeing Ami's disapproving look.
"They told you their plan?" Shane asked, as he and Tori sparred.
"They said they'd let us know what happened." Tori replied. "I trust them."
"If them is Blake and Hunter?" Dustin asked, breaking the pair up. "Might want to rethink that."
"What's up?" Shane inquired.
"I just saw them at the shop and they just totally blew me off. I don't know, it's like déjà vu all over again."
"Technically, that's impossible, Dustin." Cam pointed out.
"Whatever man." Dustin shrugged. "I tell you, these guys are suffering from a major brain fade. Okay, it's like our little adventure in the Cavern of Lost Souls never happened."
"But I thought we were all cool." Tori reminded.
"Yeah, like those guys were ever reliable." Shane snorted.
"And speaking of reliable," Ami voiced from the super computer. "Someone just got up on the wrong side of the bed."
"Where does Lothor get these losers?" Shane wondered.
"Do you really want to know?" Ami deathpanned.
"Good point." Shane nodded.
"Do you want to say it, or should I?" Tori asked.
With a unison nod, the trio morphed.
"I don't see anything." Shane remarked, the three arriving on site.
"I hate to bring it up, but this is always how it starts." Tori reminded.
"Real smog alert." Dustin gave the alarm as steam erupted from the pipes. "Where's this dude?"
"I rest my case." Tori muttered, Toxipod's claw knocking them down.
"There they are." Blake remarked, in his Navy Thunder Ranger form.
"It's show-time." Hunter agreed and sent a wave of electricity at the Wind Rangers.
"Hey, remember us?" Blake taunted.
"Wait." Shane protested, to no avail when the two Thunder Rangers started attacking them.
"Come on, let's get this over with." Hunter remarked, having cornered the Wind Rangers with Toxipod. "Blake?" he stopped when the younger Bradley clutched his head in pain. "What's the matter? They're getting away."
"Cam, your thoughts?" Shane asked, after Lothor sent a 'Scroll of Empowerment' to enlarge Toxipod.
"Megazord time?" Ami grinned.
"My thoughts exactly." Cam nodded.
"Me too." Shane nodded.
"It's our turn." Blake nodded, he and Hunter coming into the battle after Toxipod was defeated.
"Oh great, the bugs are back." Shane muttered.
"I feel… weird." Hunter muttered as Blake skidded to a stop. "Why are we fighting?"
"I feel it too." Blake agreed.
"Where am I?" Hunter was confused. "What was I thinking?" he snapped, Choobo blasting them with the mind-wiping beam. "Let's crush them."
"I'm with you all the way." Blake nodded.
With three swipes from the Power Saber, they destroyed Toxipod, only to face the Thunder Megazord.
Choobo then used the remaining energy of Toxipod to transport the Rangers to a deserted island.
"The Megazord's off-line." Cam reported. "There's no one on-board."
"Are you able to locate the Rangers?" Sensei asked.
"It's like they vanished into thin air." Cam replied. "Like they were never even there. I've tried everything. There's no sign of them anywhere."
"No kidding." Cam muttered, feeling the cold hit. "You sure you alright, dad?"
"This is the first time I'm glad to have fur." Sensei admitted. "Have you had any luck locating our Rangers?"
"Nothing." Cam shrugged. "It's like they vanished into another dimension."
"Always a possibility." Ami noted. "Keep trying."
"And how are you still standing?" Cam was looked at the ice Senshi. "Right, Senshi of Ice." He nodded when Ami gave him a look. "This is crazy." He went back to work. "It's never been this cold here. We've broken every record since the Weather Service ever existed."
"Why couldn't I have been a long-haired Peruvian Guinea Pig." Senshi sighed, earning him a smile from his son and a chuckle from the reincarnated princess.
"Well, I've turned the heat up, but I'm worried about having enough power to drive the search system." Cam admitted.
"We have no choice, Cam." Sensei reminded. "You must find the Rangers."
"I'll keep trying, dad." Cam nodded. "Bad news, Dad." He reported, the temperature was continuing to drop. "The temperature is dropping every degree one hour."
"It will quickly become impossible for us to sustain life." Sensei agreed.
"I've tapped into a military satellite and found a disturbance that traces back to an island in the South Pacific." Cam explained. "It's a volcanic formation that's sinking at a rate directly proportionate to the dropping climate."
"In other words, the island's submergence is triggering the catastrophic weather change." Ami concluded.
"Exactly." Cam nodded. "And I don't know any way to stop it."
"I fear the island's appearance and the Rangers' disappearance is not a random event." Sensei mused.
"So, it's Kaguya all over again." Ami sighed.
"I'm getting something." Cam went on alert when the screen sounded. "That must be them. Look at this, I've tracked the heat from the satellite photos and I think I've found the Rangers."
"That's good news, son." Sensei nodded.
"And the bad news?" Ami prompted.
"They're on a sinking island." Cam replied. "And they're not alone. I'm getting something." He made the connection.
"Is that you, Cam?" Shane inquired over the com-link.
"No, it's the phone company." Cam joked. "I'm calling to find out if you're happy with the long distance service."
"Is he always this funny?" Hunter mused, having broken out of the mind wipe.
"Not always." Shane shook his head. "We're all here, Cam. Thanks for asking."
"Are the Thunder Rangers with you?" Sensei inquired.
"We're here, Sensei." Shane replied.
"Excellent." Ami nodded. "I must speak to them when you return."
"Which brings up our next problem." Cam added. "You're on an island that is sinking fast. You've got to find a way off."
"How about the gliders?" Dustin asked.
"The atmospheric pressure is too unstable right now." Cam shook his head. "It won't be safe."
"What about the Zords?" Blake asked.
"Good idea, Blake." Ami agreed.
"They're on their way." Cam went to work. "I just have to check the structural integrity to make certain they can withstand the water pressure."
"Wait a minute, let me get this straight." Shane cut in after the two Thunder Rangers informed them about their decision in Ninja Ops. "After what we've been through, you guys just want to walk away from being Rangers?"
"We have to." Hunter nodded.
"Lothor isn't going to let us rest until he destroys us." Blake agreed.
"Join the club, dude." Dustin pointed out.
"We can't risk anything happen to you because of us." Hunter argued. "You're the only thing standing between Lothor and millions of innocent people."
"But you've been given a gift." Tori reminded. "Isn't it your responsibility to use that gift?"
"Tori is correct." Ami concurred. "Hunter, Blake. Omino-sensei knew the Thunder Ranger powers were meant for you. But I cannot force you to live up to your responsibility."
"The Princess has spoken." Shane grinned. "So, what do you say? You guys in, or not?"
"I'm confused." Cam stated, Shane was trying tricks on his skateboard. "Does it now say 'Skatepark' outside the secret entrance?"
"Apparently, it does." Ami quirked a grin.
"Sorry." Shane chuckled.
"Someone knew what they were doing when they built these Thunder Zords." Cam was astonished. "The technology is amazing."
"Yeah, now we need is someone to drive it." Tori agreed.
"Blake and Hunter will follow their destiny." Ami affirmed.
"Whatever that may be." Sensei agreed.
"That's weird." Cam frowned.
"What?" Shane mused. "Finally found something you can't figure out?"
"No," Cam deathpanned. "I've scanned the Thunder Zords for damage, but I keep coming up with this non-functional retro-fit."
"Could you repeat that with fewer syllables?" Tori inquired, confused.
"There's one piece that doesn't do anything." Ami translated. "This one piece doesn't have any purpose." She explained, Cam bringing out the orb-shaped blueprint. "But it is integral to the overall design."
"I'd just love to know what the deal it is with it." Cam muttered.
"Wouldn't that count as something you can't figure out?" Shane hid his snigger.
"Blake and Hunter aren't the most reliable guys, but leaving their bikes?" Shane frowned after Dustin informed them on finding the abandoned motocross vehicles on the beach. "No way."
"I don't know about you, but I smell a rodent." Tori nodded. "No offense, Sensei."
"None taken, Tori." Sensei assured. "I, too, suspect foul play."
"And it probably has something to do with this." Cam centred on the mediating Choobo.
"I'm assuming he's not there for the scenery." Ami nodded.
"I don't know." Dustin corrected. "That place is kinda of cool. Especially this time of the year. Right." he muttered when the rest shot him a look and the three Rangers morphed.
"Guess now I know how Venus puts up with his craziness." Ami mused. "She's as crazy as he is."
"That's harsh," Cam joked. "Even for you."
"Guys, I've locked onto Choobo's genetic coding and found a routing system to the dimension system in his pack." Cam informed the Rangers.
"It's the key to releasing the Thunder Rangers." Ami supplied. "To get Hunter and Blake out, you need to slash the tubing that connects the control center on his chest to his backpack."
"It's got to be something…" Cam muttered, trying to figure out the mystery piece.
"Wait," Ami frowned. "What if it wasn't meant for one Megazord?"
"That's it!" Cam beamed. "Ami, you're a genius! Guys, that part I was telling you about?" he informed the battling Rangers. "We've figured out what it does. Check this out." And sent Shane and Hunter two Power Disks.
"Thanks Cam, but what about filling us in on the big secret?" Shane asked.
"The only way you are going to beat Choobo is to combine your Megazords." Ami explained. "Call the MiniZord, he was part of the program all along."
"It would be good to see the powers of Wind and Thunder working together." Sensei noted.
"I can't believe you said no." Dustin echoed in disbelief, the Bradley brothers having turned down Hannah's offer. "Factory Blue, that's nuts!"
"We have something more important to do." Blake replied.
"We're in." Hunter nodded.
"You have made a difficult decision." Sensei admitted.
"But I believe it's the correct one." Ami nodded.
SailorStar9: Phew, this chapter is long overdue. Read and review.