Is Love For Real?

Chapter Eight - A White Cat

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Power Rangers, Ninja Storm, and I'm not making any money from this fic

mysterious-muse, crazy4nc128, and CamFan4Ever: Glad you liked the last chapter. I hope you like this one too

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"So what's through that door?" Dustin asked Hunter, thinking, Wow, my life is strange. I've just realised that I'm in love with one of my best friends, who's male, and is trapped between the living and the dead... And I'm not fazed one bit.

"I can't tell you that," Hunter answered, dropping his hands. "It's against the rules."

"What rules?" Dustin demanded. "Dude, who makes all the rules?"

Hunter raised his shoulders and lowered them in a slight shrug. "I don't know," he replied. "But I can't disobey. I'm sorry."

"No, it's cool, man," Dustin replied. "If you can't tell me, you can't tell me. It doesn't matter. But going through that door is the only way to bring you back?"

Hunter nodded. "That's what it looks like."

"And maybe this will make up for what I did to you," Dustin commented.

"Dude, don't blame yourself," Hunter told Dustin. "I know that you didn't mean it, Dustin."

A couple of tears escaped Dustin's eyes and slid down his cheeks.

"Don't cry, Dustin," Hunter said softly. "It wasn't your fault. I was protecting you. It was my decision to make."

"But if I hadn't have beaten you up, this never would have happened," Dustin protested.

Hunter reached out a hand as though he was going to stroke Dustin's face, though, because he was a spirit, he couldn't touch anything. "Dustin, blaming yourself isn't going to help any. And, if it makes you feel any better, I don't blame you at all."

"I blame myself," Dustin mumbled. "I'll do anything to bring you back, Hunter. I know that when I beat you up, I was just looking for an excuse to hurt you."

Hunter ran phantom fingers through Dustin's hair. He then leaned forward so that, if he had been solid, their lips would have met. "Don't worry about it, Dustin," he murmured.

"Easy for you to say," Dustin mumbled. "You haven't done anything wrong."

"Neither have you," Hunter replied. "And as soon as I get my body back, I'll prove it to you."

Dustin blinked. "You have that much faith in me?" he asked.

"I love you," Hunter answered as if that explained everything.

He loves me? Dustin thought. I should tell him that I love him as well. But the yellow wind ranger couldn't find the words. And Hunter didn't seem to expect a reply.

"I... I'll go through," Dustin whispered.

Hunter gave him a gentle smile. "I'll be waiting for you," he replied.

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"Cam, what is it?" Dustin asked as he entered NinjaOps. Blake and Tori were already there, but the red wind ranger could tell that they didn't know what was going on either.

Cam turned from his computer screen to look at Shane. "It's Dustin," he replied.

Shane frowned. "Dustin?" Oh, great. What trouble has that airhead got himself into this time?

"What happened to Dustin?" Tori wanted to know. Blake didn't look too worried about the yellow wind ranger, but one couldn't really blame him. Dustin had, after all, been responsible for his brother's condition now.

"I found out that Hunter isn't really dead," Cam answered.

Blake stared. "What?"

"Your brother isn't really dead," Cam explained to Blake. "He's not exactly alive... But he isn't dead, either. He's trapped between the living and the dead."

"You mean... There's a way to bring him back?" Blake wanted to know.

Cam nodded. "I was explaining that to Dustin," he said. "But I only got as far as telling him that someone had to go to the Cavern of Lost Souls. Before I could say anything else, he had shot off."

"Typical Dustin," Shane muttered. "Never thinks of the consequences of what he does."

"How can Hunter be brought back?" Blake demanded.

"Well, it seems to be something to do with certain tasks," Cam answered. "Or, rather, tests."

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Dustin found himself on a grassy plain in a place he didn't recognise.

Where am I?" Dustin wondered out loud.

"In the spirit world," a female voice behind the yellow wind ranger answered.

Dustin turned round, and blinked in surprise as he saw a small white cat sitting on the ground behind him. "Who are you?" he asked.

The cat flicked her tail slightly, looking bored. "I'm the keeper of the spirit world," she answered. "Its guardian."

"Am I dead?" Dustin wanted to know.

The cat slowly shook her head from side to side. "No," she replied. "Don't you remember what you came here for?"

Dustin blinked slowly, feeling something tug at his mind. But, when he tried to reach for it, it had gone. "No..." he replied. "I don't remember why I'm here. Do you know why I'm here?"

The cat swished her tail slightly from side to side. "No," she answered. "Why don't you try and remember? It had to have been important. Live mortals don't come into the spirit world very often."

Dustin concentrated for a few moments, then slowly shook his head. "No, I can't remember," he said. "I'll have to try and think later."

"Mortals cannot stay in the spirit world for very long," the cat told Dustin. "If they try, they turn into wraiths."

Time limit? Dustin again felt a tugging at his mind, but, yet again, he couldn't remember what it was. "What's your name?" he asked.

The cat blinked slowly. "My true name would tie your tongue in knots if you tried to pronounce it," she answered. "But you may call me Alessa."

Dustin flashed a smile. "Hi, Alessa," he said. "My name's Dustin. What did you mean by people turning into wraiths if they stay here for too long?"

Alessa yawned, then got up and padded over to Dustin. "Those who are not truly dead may not stay here for long," she explained. "It upsets the balance. They become without form. Pick me up," she ordered imperiously. "I will travel with you for a time."

Dustin laughed a little, and then bent and picked up the cat. "Ok," he said. "Where should we go?"

Alessa blinked. "Don't you know?" she asked.

Dustin frowned a little, and then shrugged. "Ok," he said. "I pick... this way." And he started walking.

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