"So we need to find a way to get him away from the city. Keep the damage at a minimum," Rocky said.
"I agree. The less damage we do the better," Kai added.
"Justin, Lucas, and I will begin work on the weapon adjustments," Billy said.
"TJ and I can work out a land defense," Rocky said.
"While Kai, Max, Chad, and I can strike from the water," Tori added.
Everything was going so well... it gave Tori an unsettling feeling... like things were going TOO well.
"Wait a second," Chad said as he went off with his assigned group. "Wasn't there another blue ranger from your team Tori?"
Her face went blank for a moment and Chad instantly regretted bringing up an obviously painful memory.
"Yeah... he was the Navy Thunder ranger... but he's gone now," she said as she looked out at her pool.
It was then that Kai decided to change the subject.
"Tori?" She turned and saw Kai smiling at her. "Lucas was telling us about how you can, how did he put it? Walk on water?"
"Yup. That's what I do," she said.
"How about a demonstration?" Max asked excitedly. Tori grinned and walked over to the pool.
Tori turned to the guys and tore off her street clothes, leaving her in her ninja uniform. They just stared at her as she proceeded to literally run out onto the pool. She grinned to herself and turned to the others.
"How's this Max?" she asked.
Max stood there speechless for the first time in his life. He had heard of rangers doing this sort of thing, but only when they were morphed.
"You should come to my park sometime and show that off," Chad commented.
A sudden spray of water came and hit him in the face. Tori smiled again.
"I don't think that's a good idea Chad," Kai said laughing a little. The others by now had gathered around to watch as Tori performed a few other basic moves on the water.
"Can you teach me that?" Justin asked excitedly.
Billy watched her with interested curiosity. "It's mind over matter," he said. Tori nodded her head in agreement.
"Don't know if you're up for that yet Justin," TJ said, causing the others to laugh a little at the youngest member of their group. Tori floated over to them and walked off.
"I think I can give you a few pointers if you're up for it," she said.
Rocky stood off to the side with Lucas. "So, she doesn't have her ranger powers anymore?"
Lucas nodded. "Yeah, but if she can do that, we should be okay against Uric and whatever he has to throw at us."
"What about the other ranger from her team that I heard Kai mention?"
Lucas got a sort of thoughtful look and sighed. "He and Tori sort of had a falling out and, unless someone told him what's going on, I don't think he'll be joining us... it would be better though if he did."
"Why's that?"
Lucas again thought how to phrase what he was going to say. There was more to his lineage than just Tori...
"He's one of the strongest rangers in history. He was nearly destroyed at one point when he was trying to save her." He motioned to Tori. "But he stood up and kept fighting until she was safe."
Rocky let out a slow whistle. "Well, if Uric is as powerful as you say he is, we may need this Blake guy after all."
Lucas just nodded and turned his attention back to where Tori was trying to show Justin how to concentrate.
Rocky nearly fell over when Justin landed flat on his stomach in the water. Lucas just watched and waited... He had to find a way to get Blake here without Tori getting pissed at him.
Lucas couldn't tell her everything, but deep down he wished he could. Blake was also in the archives from his time... he was the patriarch of his family. Lucas wasn't descended down from the Kendalls. His mother's maiden name was Bradley and the power that they were all trying to protect was passed down the Bradley line until it at last came to him.
He knew Tori didn't want him there, but maybe she did. She had to have forgiven him at some point, or else he wouldn't be here right now. They need him if they wanted to be strongest... 10 Blue Rangers...
"Lucas?" he turned when he saw Tori starting to walk towards him.
"Hey," he said. "Everything alright over there?"
"Yeah, they're just wringing Justin out, but I was thinking we should all get settled and go over the final plan. Billy said he was hoping to get the plan finalized so we can move tomorrow."
Lucas only nodded his head and together, they all walked into the house.
(((((())))))
It was dark by the time everything was set up in Tori's living room. Billy, being the genius he was, had managed to form a holographic illustration of their plan. They all gathered around the table in the center and were about to begin when a knock came to the door.
"I'll get it," TJ offered. He got up and walked out of the room and walked down the hallway to the front door.
Blake stood outside nervously as he waited for the door to open. In his hands he held a small box that was trusted to him by Sensei Watanabe... Tori's morpher was inside. After they had graduated, they all had given their morphers back. He had his strapped to his wrist. They may not have power anymore, but he still felt that they should have them.
The door opened and Blake was a little surprised to find a man he had never met before. 'He must be another ranger,' he thought.
"Hi, can I help you?" TJ asked.
Blake was a little tongue tied at the moment. What if this guy wasn't a ranger? After a moment, TJ looked him over and saw the Morpher on his wrist.
"Are you Blake?" he asked suddenly.
"Yeah... how'd you know that?"
TJ extended his hand. "I'm TJ, the Blue Space Ranger." Blake shook his hand and was relieved. They walked in and made their way to the living room. Blake held his breath as he approached. "We were just about to get started."
The others looked up as TJ entered the room with Blake behind him. Tori's smiling face was frozen the moment she saw him.
"Guys, this is Blake, The navy Thunder Ranger, right?" he said to Blake.
Blake couldn't answer his question though. All he could do was look at Tori's expression. It was completely void of anything.
"Blake?" TJ asked. Blake snapped out of it.
"Yeah, I'm Blake Bradley," he said at last.
"Well, Blake you're just in time," Billy said. Blake took a seat next to TJ and was quickly introduced to everyone, and was given a general background on Uric.
"I'm here to help in any way that I can," Blake said after he had heard what Uric was after. There was never a second thought in his mind. He would do anything to make sure Tori was safe.
He sat down next to TJ as Billy began his explanation of their plan.
"Basically we're going to lure him away from the city and to this island, here," he said pointing to the image. Tori immediately recognized it as the one from her vision. "Chad, Kai, and Max will be set up at these points near the beach incase he decides on a water assault. Rocky, TJ, and Blake will be inland here if he goes for the land first. The idea is to keep him on one area in order for Lucas, Justin and myself to set up the trapping device that Lucas has given us to work with. Once he gets here, we'll activate the device and capture him."
"What about Tori?" Chad asked.
"I'm the bait," she said as she took a deep breath. Everyone around her looked at her skeptically. "He's after something that I have. How else are we going to get him there?"
"There has to be something else we can do. You shouldn't be putting yourself out in the open like that," Blake said gently. Tori gave him a hard look.
"He's either after me or Lucas, and Lucas is needed elsewhere, so that leaves me," she said defending herself.
"Lucas? Why him?"
"I'll explain everything later Blake," Lucas said. He had already told the others of his connection to Tori. "What we need to do now is get some rest. We leave for the island tomorrow to set up, and we'll put the plan in action the day after."
Everyone seemed satisfied with the plan thus far and went their separate ways. TJ, Billy, Kai, and Chad were all hanging out in the living room. Rocky, Justin, Tori, and Max were out by the pool, and Lucas was with Blake.
"So how are things on Aquitar?" TJ asked Billy.
"Wonderful. Cestria and I have twin girls and everyone on the planet is flourishing."
"I've heard a lot about Aquitar," Kai chimed in. "On Mirinoi we try to keep up with the other planets. Maya and her father are very interested with the water planet."
"Yeah. Cassie and I made a stop there a few years ago," TJ said.
"You all make it seem like the planets are right next door to each other," Chad said laughing. "Kelsey thinks it's a haul just to drive to Silver Hills!"
"It's interesting," Billy began. "That a lot of us are either married to or are with other members of our team." The guys all lightly laughed and talked long into the night.
At the pool, Justin was still trying to walk on the water. "Just concentrate," Tori said. Justin made a face and tried his hardest, but failed again. Rocky just laughed and pulled him out of the water.
Tori sat with her feet in the water and looked around. She noticed the Rocky had a wedding ring on. Max sat next to her and gave her a goofy smile.
"So a little birdie told me that you have a dolphin zord," he said.
"HAD a dolphin zord... it was destroyed in the last battle," she said a little saddened.
"I'm sorry to hear that," he said sincerely. Tori had heard that the Wildforce Rangers had a connection to their zords. Rocky joined them as Justin went inside to get a towel.
"Oh man, if the others could see Justin now," he said.
"Dripping wet?" Max asked.
"No... trying to impress a girl." Tori's cheeks blushed a little.
"He should come to the academy," she said.
"I was actually going to ask you about that. Aisha and I were looking for a school for our son," Rocky said.
Tori then told Rocky about the academy and he in turn told her about his family.
"A lot of us actually got together with other teammates,"' Rocky said as he finished.
Tori just looked out at the water and Max started laughing. "Taylor, our yellow ranger, actually is married to another ranger from a different team."
Rocky turned to Tori. "What about yours? Anyone hook up?"
"Rocky, she's the only girl on the team... don't you think that's a little personal?" Justin asked as he joined them.
Rocky shut his mouth instantly and watched as Tori just smiled at him. "No... nothing happened with me or any of the others guys..."
'I wish it did though,' she thought silently as she looked out to where she could see Lucas talking with Blake.
Blake sat on the steps of the large porch listening to everything Lucas had told him.
"So Uric is trying to erase your family line?" Blake asked. Lucas nodded his head. "And Tori started it all."
"Well, not JUST Tori of course," Lucas said. "My great grandfather also had something to do with it."
"Doesn't that mean he's in danger too?" At this statement Lucas froze. He hadn't even thought about that. "I mean you must know who he is, so shouldn't he be here too to keep him safe?"
Lucas was at a loss for words. While Blake found himself slowly coming to the realization that Tori was going to be with someone else. He couldn't sit here and wait for Lucas to tell him the name of the man who married the love of his life.
"You know what... it's cool. I'm sure everything will be fine," he said as he stood. He needed to find Tori...
Lucas watched him walk away and grinned. 'Don't worry great granddad, she'll come around...'
"I agree. The less damage we do the better," Kai added.
"Justin, Lucas, and I will begin work on the weapon adjustments," Billy said.
"TJ and I can work out a land defense," Rocky said.
"While Kai, Max, Chad, and I can strike from the water," Tori added.
Everything was going so well... it gave Tori an unsettling feeling... like things were going TOO well.
"Wait a second," Chad said as he went off with his assigned group. "Wasn't there another blue ranger from your team Tori?"
Her face went blank for a moment and Chad instantly regretted bringing up an obviously painful memory.
"Yeah... he was the Navy Thunder ranger... but he's gone now," she said as she looked out at her pool.
It was then that Kai decided to change the subject.
"Tori?" She turned and saw Kai smiling at her. "Lucas was telling us about how you can, how did he put it? Walk on water?"
"Yup. That's what I do," she said.
"How about a demonstration?" Max asked excitedly. Tori grinned and walked over to the pool.
Tori turned to the guys and tore off her street clothes, leaving her in her ninja uniform. They just stared at her as she proceeded to literally run out onto the pool. She grinned to herself and turned to the others.
"How's this Max?" she asked.
Max stood there speechless for the first time in his life. He had heard of rangers doing this sort of thing, but only when they were morphed.
"You should come to my park sometime and show that off," Chad commented.
A sudden spray of water came and hit him in the face. Tori smiled again.
"I don't think that's a good idea Chad," Kai said laughing a little. The others by now had gathered around to watch as Tori performed a few other basic moves on the water.
"Can you teach me that?" Justin asked excitedly.
Billy watched her with interested curiosity. "It's mind over matter," he said. Tori nodded her head in agreement.
"Don't know if you're up for that yet Justin," TJ said, causing the others to laugh a little at the youngest member of their group. Tori floated over to them and walked off.
"I think I can give you a few pointers if you're up for it," she said.
Rocky stood off to the side with Lucas. "So, she doesn't have her ranger powers anymore?"
Lucas nodded. "Yeah, but if she can do that, we should be okay against Uric and whatever he has to throw at us."
"What about the other ranger from her team that I heard Kai mention?"
Lucas got a sort of thoughtful look and sighed. "He and Tori sort of had a falling out and, unless someone told him what's going on, I don't think he'll be joining us... it would be better though if he did."
"Why's that?"
Lucas again thought how to phrase what he was going to say. There was more to his lineage than just Tori...
"He's one of the strongest rangers in history. He was nearly destroyed at one point when he was trying to save her." He motioned to Tori. "But he stood up and kept fighting until she was safe."
Rocky let out a slow whistle. "Well, if Uric is as powerful as you say he is, we may need this Blake guy after all."
Lucas just nodded and turned his attention back to where Tori was trying to show Justin how to concentrate.
Rocky nearly fell over when Justin landed flat on his stomach in the water. Lucas just watched and waited... He had to find a way to get Blake here without Tori getting pissed at him.
Lucas couldn't tell her everything, but deep down he wished he could. Blake was also in the archives from his time... he was the patriarch of his family. Lucas wasn't descended down from the Kendalls. His mother's maiden name was Bradley and the power that they were all trying to protect was passed down the Bradley line until it at last came to him.
He knew Tori didn't want him there, but maybe she did. She had to have forgiven him at some point, or else he wouldn't be here right now. They need him if they wanted to be strongest... 10 Blue Rangers...
"Lucas?" he turned when he saw Tori starting to walk towards him.
"Hey," he said. "Everything alright over there?"
"Yeah, they're just wringing Justin out, but I was thinking we should all get settled and go over the final plan. Billy said he was hoping to get the plan finalized so we can move tomorrow."
Lucas only nodded his head and together, they all walked into the house.
(((((())))))
It was dark by the time everything was set up in Tori's living room. Billy, being the genius he was, had managed to form a holographic illustration of their plan. They all gathered around the table in the center and were about to begin when a knock came to the door.
"I'll get it," TJ offered. He got up and walked out of the room and walked down the hallway to the front door.
Blake stood outside nervously as he waited for the door to open. In his hands he held a small box that was trusted to him by Sensei Watanabe... Tori's morpher was inside. After they had graduated, they all had given their morphers back. He had his strapped to his wrist. They may not have power anymore, but he still felt that they should have them.
The door opened and Blake was a little surprised to find a man he had never met before. 'He must be another ranger,' he thought.
"Hi, can I help you?" TJ asked.
Blake was a little tongue tied at the moment. What if this guy wasn't a ranger? After a moment, TJ looked him over and saw the Morpher on his wrist.
"Are you Blake?" he asked suddenly.
"Yeah... how'd you know that?"
TJ extended his hand. "I'm TJ, the Blue Space Ranger." Blake shook his hand and was relieved. They walked in and made their way to the living room. Blake held his breath as he approached. "We were just about to get started."
The others looked up as TJ entered the room with Blake behind him. Tori's smiling face was frozen the moment she saw him.
"Guys, this is Blake, The navy Thunder Ranger, right?" he said to Blake.
Blake couldn't answer his question though. All he could do was look at Tori's expression. It was completely void of anything.
"Blake?" TJ asked. Blake snapped out of it.
"Yeah, I'm Blake Bradley," he said at last.
"Well, Blake you're just in time," Billy said. Blake took a seat next to TJ and was quickly introduced to everyone, and was given a general background on Uric.
"I'm here to help in any way that I can," Blake said after he had heard what Uric was after. There was never a second thought in his mind. He would do anything to make sure Tori was safe.
He sat down next to TJ as Billy began his explanation of their plan.
"Basically we're going to lure him away from the city and to this island, here," he said pointing to the image. Tori immediately recognized it as the one from her vision. "Chad, Kai, and Max will be set up at these points near the beach incase he decides on a water assault. Rocky, TJ, and Blake will be inland here if he goes for the land first. The idea is to keep him on one area in order for Lucas, Justin and myself to set up the trapping device that Lucas has given us to work with. Once he gets here, we'll activate the device and capture him."
"What about Tori?" Chad asked.
"I'm the bait," she said as she took a deep breath. Everyone around her looked at her skeptically. "He's after something that I have. How else are we going to get him there?"
"There has to be something else we can do. You shouldn't be putting yourself out in the open like that," Blake said gently. Tori gave him a hard look.
"He's either after me or Lucas, and Lucas is needed elsewhere, so that leaves me," she said defending herself.
"Lucas? Why him?"
"I'll explain everything later Blake," Lucas said. He had already told the others of his connection to Tori. "What we need to do now is get some rest. We leave for the island tomorrow to set up, and we'll put the plan in action the day after."
Everyone seemed satisfied with the plan thus far and went their separate ways. TJ, Billy, Kai, and Chad were all hanging out in the living room. Rocky, Justin, Tori, and Max were out by the pool, and Lucas was with Blake.
"So how are things on Aquitar?" TJ asked Billy.
"Wonderful. Cestria and I have twin girls and everyone on the planet is flourishing."
"I've heard a lot about Aquitar," Kai chimed in. "On Mirinoi we try to keep up with the other planets. Maya and her father are very interested with the water planet."
"Yeah. Cassie and I made a stop there a few years ago," TJ said.
"You all make it seem like the planets are right next door to each other," Chad said laughing. "Kelsey thinks it's a haul just to drive to Silver Hills!"
"It's interesting," Billy began. "That a lot of us are either married to or are with other members of our team." The guys all lightly laughed and talked long into the night.
At the pool, Justin was still trying to walk on the water. "Just concentrate," Tori said. Justin made a face and tried his hardest, but failed again. Rocky just laughed and pulled him out of the water.
Tori sat with her feet in the water and looked around. She noticed the Rocky had a wedding ring on. Max sat next to her and gave her a goofy smile.
"So a little birdie told me that you have a dolphin zord," he said.
"HAD a dolphin zord... it was destroyed in the last battle," she said a little saddened.
"I'm sorry to hear that," he said sincerely. Tori had heard that the Wildforce Rangers had a connection to their zords. Rocky joined them as Justin went inside to get a towel.
"Oh man, if the others could see Justin now," he said.
"Dripping wet?" Max asked.
"No... trying to impress a girl." Tori's cheeks blushed a little.
"He should come to the academy," she said.
"I was actually going to ask you about that. Aisha and I were looking for a school for our son," Rocky said.
Tori then told Rocky about the academy and he in turn told her about his family.
"A lot of us actually got together with other teammates,"' Rocky said as he finished.
Tori just looked out at the water and Max started laughing. "Taylor, our yellow ranger, actually is married to another ranger from a different team."
Rocky turned to Tori. "What about yours? Anyone hook up?"
"Rocky, she's the only girl on the team... don't you think that's a little personal?" Justin asked as he joined them.
Rocky shut his mouth instantly and watched as Tori just smiled at him. "No... nothing happened with me or any of the others guys..."
'I wish it did though,' she thought silently as she looked out to where she could see Lucas talking with Blake.
Blake sat on the steps of the large porch listening to everything Lucas had told him.
"So Uric is trying to erase your family line?" Blake asked. Lucas nodded his head. "And Tori started it all."
"Well, not JUST Tori of course," Lucas said. "My great grandfather also had something to do with it."
"Doesn't that mean he's in danger too?" At this statement Lucas froze. He hadn't even thought about that. "I mean you must know who he is, so shouldn't he be here too to keep him safe?"
Lucas was at a loss for words. While Blake found himself slowly coming to the realization that Tori was going to be with someone else. He couldn't sit here and wait for Lucas to tell him the name of the man who married the love of his life.
"You know what... it's cool. I'm sure everything will be fine," he said as he stood. He needed to find Tori...
Lucas watched him walk away and grinned. 'Don't worry great granddad, she'll come around...'