Chapter 6

Cam looked up as his father walked into Ninja Ops, the kind of walk of a man totally in control and sure of everything. It was nine o clock at night, of all people his father was never out this late.

He usually gets on the rangers for that sort of behavior.

"You're certainly coming back late" Cam commented.

Sensei raised his eyebrows, "oh am I on curfew? But the smile let Cam know it was all right.

"You don't usually do something like that".

"I do when it's important it was for you". Cam felt a funny feeling come over him and it wasn't good, "for me?"

His father stood before him, his eyes peering intently into his. "Yes my son I went to see Hunter".

Cam tried to keep his fear down but his anger was simmering and threatened to explode. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing I just had a little chat with him as I will now have with you".

"Father I don't wish to discuss this".

"To bad this is a matter that has to be talked about and we will end this tonight now sit down" his tone of voice left no room for argument.

Cam sighed but sat down. He was dreading this discussion deeply.

Hunter was looking out of the window when Blake walked in. "Hunter are you ok?"

"Uh yeah why wouldn't I be?"

"Well you had a distant look on your face".

Hunter tried to smile but the pain of Sensei's words kept coming back to him. "Blake if somebody you knew told you they liked the members of both sexes what would you say to them?"

"Uh this is hypothetical right?"

"Yes" Hunter replied quickly. "Well first off I'd probably think it was a phase or something".

"What if it wasn't?" Hunter pressed.

"Bro are you trying to tell me something?"

"No Blake I'm not I'm just wondering".

"Well I don't know anyone with those kinds of feelings and I might not like it, but if I had to I could learn to live with it".

Hunter went back to staring out of the window, "Sensei came to see me".

"No way he actually leaves Ninja Ops?"

"In my case yes, he thinks I prefer Cam and that I'm indecent".

"Hunter that's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard, you're not indecent and neither is Cam".

"That's why I asked you that question Blake, lately I've been having thoughts about Cam and he did come to the track".

"To return Dustin's morpher" Blake told him.

"I never should have told you" Hunter said angrily.

Blake quickly went to stand by his brother, "hey you're not indecent if you have feelings for Cam I can learn to live with that, we're brothers and we're all we have".

Hunter felt himself tear up, "thanks bro you're the best".

Cam wanted to be anywhere else but Ninja Ops. "You want me to tell Hunter I don't have feelings for him?"

"That's right son".

"But I don't!"

"Well then perhaps you need to be clearer, but we shall drop this discussion before it consumes us".

Sensei rose to leave but Cam stopped him. "Why do you hate the thought so much growing up you told me to accept anyone no matter who they are".

"Well I guess even I have limits" Sensei replied, his tone angry.

"Dad what happened to make you this angry? What made you this way?"

"It was a long time ago Cameron drop it!"

"No not until you tell me why I deserve to know".

"Because Kia was".

Cam was stunned, his father's brother who later turned into Lothor. Sensei sat down his shoulder slumped with shame. "Now you know".

"Your brother preferred males?" Cam didn't know how else to say it.

"Actually he preferred both sexes like you and Hunter, when I see you and Hunter together I see all the signs of blossoming romance, that's why I'm trying to stop it now".

"That didn't make your brother go to the dark side".

"Yes it did a year after we arrived Kia met a water ninja and fell for him completely, I thought it was a phase and he would soon get over it. Then his lover introduced him to the dark powers and that's when Kia's descent into darkness began".

"You never told anyone?" Cam asked.

"Who would I have reported their romance to? Everyone knew about it and there was no law against it at that time, after Kia became Lothor it was discussed but never enacted until after I became Sensei".

"Dad you can't think Lothor became the way he was because of who he loved".

"That's exactly what I think and why I went to see Hunter, Cam if you love me you will forget this feelings for Hunter, for all we know Lothor could've done something to both of you".

"Dad I.."

"Cam please do this for me".

Cam looked into his father's desperate gaze, his father was practically the only family he had, nut maybe if he went along with his father's wishes, he could get him to see reason".

"I'll try" Cam replied but with no real emotion.

"Thank you son you may think I'm the worst human being in the world but I'm not".

The next day Hunter found Cam alone in Ninja Ops. "Oh hey I was looking for you".

Cam looked at him, "where else would I be?" he winced at how cold his voice sounded.

"Cam we need to talk".

"Hunter there's nothing to discuss".

"Cam there's plenty to discuss!" Hunter lowered his voice in case anyone else was around.

Cam looked into the face of the Crimson Ranger, the person he had feelings for and because of his father was about to hurt.

Damn my father and his beliefs!

"Ok Hunter what do you want to talk about?"

"What's between us".

"There's nothing between us Hunter, there never can be" Cam turned away as his voice cracked.

"Cam please" Hunter's voice nearly did him in.

Cam forced himself to look at Hunter, "relations between two ninjas of the same sex are against ninja law and it's not ancient, in fact two months before Lothor came four ninjas got expelled for it".

"Cam in case you haven't noticed there aren't any other ninjas around".

"I've noticed but my father made it very clear".

Realization came across Hunter's face, "he got to you to didn't he?"

Cam sighed, "We had a talk last night after he came home".

"Cam you have to think for yourself, your father has some kind of anger in him and a lot of prejudices". "He's a good man!" Cam as usual rising to his father's defense.

Hunter grew angry, "fine then I guess we have nothing further to discuss but he'll continue like this unless someone rises up to stop him, otherwise you'll be no better than he is!"

Cam watched Hunter leave anger and regret tearing through him. He longed to run after Hunter and tell him how he truly felt but didn't have the strength or the bravery.

Ironic a Power Ranger not having bravery to do something.

Cam let out a cry of anger and pounded his consul. Damn his father for being the way he was and Cam had allowed himself to be manipulated.

Cam closed his eyes trying to clear his mind but Hunter's voice and his words kept ringing in his ears.