TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY: 4
Matriarch Gone
Marah and Kapri looked to their trainer standing before their uncle. Matriarchus was a formidably shaped woman. She had large cuffs and broad folds on her tall boots. Her skin was gold and she wore a headdress like a peacock with bronze feathers. Her eyes were bright red and her bronze breastplate was decorated with Medusas head.
'Are you sure this plan will work?'
'Positive, my aid has never failed me' she said with a syrupy tone. 'In fact my aid has already put my plan into action.I have already formed a plan to destroy the rangers!' The doors opened behind her and a shape strode forwards. 'You are aware of who Vypra is.'
'She was destroyed' Zurgane exclaimed. 'Twice!'
'But I'm not her' Vypra purred. 'Address me as Vypra-D for now.in fact whatever form I take I am D.for death, destruction and despair'
'I don't follow' Lothar grunted.
'My ward can take on the appearance of any living thing.and other things as well. not that it's the only trick The Demon possesses.'
Vypra-D curled a finger in her hair. She paused, as her eyes became bright green with black slit pupils. 'Oh my' she said. 'It seems we may have a problem.Rangers!'
'It was only a matter of time' growled Matriarchus. 'We will go and continue. Marah, Kapri, busy the rangers. Demonic-Vypra, attend to that other matter.'
The women nodded and vanished as Matriarchus turned to Lothar. 'Watch m'liege as I destroy the Rangers for you'
'Interesting' Lothar murmured. 'You have initiative'
'Maybe we can get some things done now!' exclaimed Zurgane.
'Yes darling, we will' cackled Matriarchus as she vanished turning into pink and orange ribbons of light around a ball of golden light. She vanished.
***
Greta stepped off the train and looked at her assistant. 'Jason!' she sighed. 'It's all right I can carry my own bags!'
The tanned young man was balancing her luggage on his broad shoulders. She reminded him so much of her son, desperate to be the best, the leader.
'No Greta' he said. 'It's all right'
With her business case in her hands Greta strode along the platform. 'It was very clever of you to think that up, I wonder how that plane was cancelled so abruptly. But the train ride was entertaining.'
'Yup' Jason said as a pair of girls giggled at him.
'You've been a real Angel these past few weeks. And you know I chose you for the excellent work you did in Switzerland. It's a pity you'll be out of your internship in a few months.or so.' Greta stopped and looked over her shoulder, Jason was picking up a dropped bag and getting stared at with dinner-plate sized eyes now in the girls' heads. 'You need to get out more often' she said as Jason caught up.
'I.uhh I know' Jason sighed.
'You've had.what? Two girlfriends in four years? I must say that it's not good for a young man to have such short lived and infrequent relationships.'
'Nah.I wanted to be with someone.but she was spoken for.I haven't seen her in years.'
'Trini?' asked Greta with a smile.
'No.you don't know her' Jason mumbled. With a light laugh on her lips Greta opened her bag and took out a phone. 'I'm just going to call my son.give me a moment'
***
Kimberly Anne Hart groaned as she dragged her wheeled case along. She held her hat down on her head in the wind outside the airport. She was dressed in a red sundress and heels. 'Hey!' she hailed the cab with a rather unladylike whistle. It pulled up and the driver put her bags in the boot.
She sat in and the driver pulled off as she shut the door.
'So' the man grunted. 'You in town for long?'
'Sort of' she shrugged. 'I'm pretty much alone here for now, any good hotels around?'
'There's the Harbour Hotel' the man said. 'Good neighbourhood and four stars.if you can afford it.'
'I can, believe it' Kimberly said. 'I'm here to do work.'
'Really what are you a model?'
'No, I'm a gymnast.okay so I'm also a special FX and make-up artist for the monster movies, which is why I'm here but.you can't leave behind an Olympic Silver and Pan Global Gold.'
'I'm impressed' the man said. 'Here we are' he added as he pulled up at the Hotel and got out. Kim looked at the Hotel. It was big, on a main street like something in New York or another major city, but this was California, even if it was only Blue Bay Harbour.
'Have a nice stay' the Taxi driver said from his seat. Kim waved him away. ((Well, this is a good start))
***
'Idiot!' Matriarchus slapped Vypra-D across the room. 'You lost the Mara- Ishii? Idiot demon.'
Vypra-D picked herself up. 'I did what I could. I sent those Pathetic Kelzacks after the thief!'
'And yet.' Matriarchus sneered. 'The Arcane book is gone.you are useless! Well we can't interfere with the plan now. We must let it run its course'
She glared at her aid. 'Get working, track that book, you're the only one who can! NOW!'
'It's not like they can read the symbols' snipped Vypra-D. Her mistress vanished and left the woman standing in the museum. Her shape shifted again and she turned into a tourist, a short stocky man with grey hair. She put out her hand and a camera materialized. 'Oh well, what can you do?' she muttered.
***
Cam walked down the street. Hunter was on the other side of the road; he glanced at Cam, throwing his eyes in the direction of a petit girl with black hair. Cam shook his head and continued searching. They had set on the search of girls matching the MG (Mystery Gal, as Dustin called her) using Cam's ID program.
'So how does the program work again?' Hunter asked, walking up beside Cam, his hands in his pockets and eyes that were searching for the girl.
'It uses the street camera's to search for the girl using a photo- breakdown. It catches the outline of bone-structure on a person and then matches pigmentation to my micro-cameras picture. Then it sends the collections of most likely back to Ninja Ops and Cyber Cam gives us updates.'
'Great' Hunter said. 'Guess Motocross-ing is out today?'
'Motocross or saving the world.sorry but the less fun wins out' Cam said sharply. He paused. 'Hang on.' he squinted. 'That's her!'
Hunter looked at the girl walking swiftly into the mall. When he looked back Cam was gone. Hunter rolled his eyes and chased after the shorter young man.
***
Kelly tapped the register buttons and looked up. 'JJ!' she exclaimed as the black haired young man entered. His dark eyes regarded her with semi- interest as he walked over to the counter and cracked his gum.
'Hey, Kelly, I totally need a, like, advance on my pay'
'JJ, you already go your pay for this fortnight' he took out a cigarette as she spoke and lit it up. He puffed the cloud into her face and she frowned. 'Knock it off JJ, I'm warning you'
She suddenly realized just how alone she was in the shop. As she slowly sidled towards the heavy wrench she had left under the cash register JJ scowled. 'Just gimme the money Kelly' he grunted.
'No JJ' she snapped. 'In fact.you're fired, get out!'
Her authority did nothing JJ pulled a face of pure anger. 'You just wait! I'll show you once and for all!' he sneered. He twisted and stormed out of Storm Chargers with a scowl painted on his face. Kelly shivered as his words replayed in her mind.
***
The mugger brandished the butterfly knife at the young man. 'Come on give me the wallet little boy' he grinned.
'I'm hardly little' was the icy reply. The boy had brown hair, bordering on black with sharp features and a pale skin colour, his hair was styled into spikes and the steely grey blue eyes darkly glimmered with malice. The man lunged. A firm hand grabbed his wrist and twisted the blade from his grubby tobacco stained fingers. A hand gripped him around the throat and he was shoved and spun in one move. He landed against the wall as the 17-year-old strode forwards.
'This impresses me so much!' the guy said as the thug scrabbled to his feet. A spinning kick knocked the man down again. When he rose the boy grabbed his punch, twisted him around and in a slash slit his throat, blood gushing from the gaping mouth of the wound staining the boys shirt and hands.
'Blood is always so hard to get out.of clothes.not people'
Twisting the handle back over the blade he pocketed it and walked away from the dead mugger.
***
Tori and Blake wandered along the street. No sign of the girl.or at least none that matched Cam's picture.
((It's unnerving to know he has that camera on him at all times)) Tori thought. 'See anyone?' Blake's calm voice brought her around.
'No' she reported.
'Hey.Tori'
She looked at him. 'Yes?'
'I've been thinking a lot about the Astral Ranger.you know how he captured Hunter but still did some good stuff.'
'Yeah?' Tori moved closer running a hand along her bare midriff. It was getting cold wasn't it, or was she just nervous about being so close.she listened.
((Okay, freak her out with the obsession you have about this guy.here goes))
'Well, its like when Lothar controlled us.it was.it felt so awful. Hunter doesn't let on but he's upset about the guy dying.I mean he makes a connection with him and us.'
'Maybe you guys have to just think about it. This guy was after us for something and it was your feelings.for the group and safety of the human race.that stopped you from harming anyone seriously.he tried to blow Kelly up with a balloon!'
She paused and replayed the situation in her mind. She continued. 'The fact is that you have to think long and hard about how you could have helped. It was sudden, Sensei didn't mean to trigger the weird explosion thing.maybe if we'd had more time.'
She was silenced as Blake pressed his lips to hers.
((Oh! Oh my! He's kissing me in the middle of the st---shut up brain)) Tori's brain was switched off as she returned the gentle kiss. Blake held her close with a hand on her hip. Someone whistled but right now Tori was floating on air and didn't care.
'Victoria Hanson!'
That got her back from La-La-Land. Her mother stood behind her hands on her hips glaring with ice blue eyes. 'I assume you are aware that you're in the middle of the street!'
Victoria's eyes drifted up. She winced; her mother was the lawyer in the offices above. Ten to one she'd seen everything.
'Firstly' her mother said. 'You must learn about PDA's. Secondly this had better be a nice respectable young man.'
The woman in the grey business suit levelled a gaze at Blake that he wasn't able to meet despite facing monsters; the blushing ranger was unable to meet the gaze of a mother. 'He is' Tori said defensively.
'Good, well I'll see him at dinner tomorrow, eight.on time.' The woman gave a small gentle smile, like Tori's smiles.
((Killmekillmekillmekillmekillmekillmekillme)) Tori groaned inwardly.
'Yes Mrs Hanson' Blake mumbled.
The woman strode away with a smile and left Blake struggling to remove the crimson in his face.
'Oh man' Tori murmured. 'Sorry about that.'
'Umm.no it's okay.' Blake said. 'I.do.do you, y'know.not want me to go?' 'No I.uh.do you not want to come?' Tori asked brushing a strand of hair back off her face to rest behind her ear.
'No I do' Blake said quickly. 'I.I just don't want.I mean.does this whole thing mean.would you like to start going out--- kind of?'
'Uh.I guess.yeah' Tori said. Then there was an awkward silence.
***
'Nice place' decided Jason. He'd turned down Greta's invite to sleep on the fold out bed in her spare room. He said he'd be fine so she'd called in a favour at the Harbour Hotel, which was actually reasonable rates anyway, but she'd pointed out that there needed to be a room for him.or else.
He put his sports bag down and checked in. It was nice to be in California, for some reason being home hadn't helped. Every turn he'd taken had reminded him of his past problems. Trini was in London with Zack (he was out of the closet and damn happy), she was writing a book about politics, to make the youth-of-today more aware.plus doing a whole lot in the field of Political Analysis. Her speeches had gotten her offers from a lot of senators as a speechwriter. Zack was teaching dance in an academy.
Billy was on Aquitar helping build the place back up after the attack by Dark Spectres Forces. Tommy and Kat had moved in together and were living in Chicago. Rocky was.somewhere doing karate lessons. Aisha and Tanya were working in Africa to save the animals. Adam was studying psychology in Angel Grove but Jason hadn't seen him for a very long time.
And Kim.Kim was nowhere in sight.
Jason gave a wistful sigh and stepped into the elevator.
***
Marah and Kapri didn't get it. They were standing in the middle of the park, Kelzacks kicking over trashcans.it looked like the Rangers were ignoring them. it was grating the nerves Kapri still had left.
To get a point across Marah blasted a tree. 'I swear they're doing this to irritate us!' 'And all the pedestrians have run away' agreed Kapri. 'So three more minutes, then we all go home'.
***
'She's fast' Hunter said as he followed the girl through the mall. She had spotted them and was now sprinting away from them. Cam was ahead of Hunter and focused on catching her.
'Yeah' was all he said.
The group of shoppers bustled out in a solid wall before the girl. 'Got her!' Cam said.
The girl didn't stop running, but rather went at an angle and leapt. Planting a foot on the wall she kicked off and landed on the other side. Cam and Hunter just stared as she leapt over a hotdog cart landed on a bench and jumped onto the roof of the elevator.
'Yeah.got her.' murmured Hunter. They dodged past the shoppers and stormed up the stairs as the girl leapt onto the floor, now people were staring. She ran for the stairs only to be cut off by the pair.
'Hold on' Cam said as she looked at them with fearful eyes. She was wearing a black leather jacket, a pair of low, hip-hugging black jeans and a dark red top. She twisted and ran in the opposite direction. The boys followed. This time she was closer. Her black bobbed hair swinging behind her as she leapt and grabbed the sign outside a natural remedies shop. Swinging on it she let the boys pass under her before landing and running in the opposite direction.
'Whoa!' Hunter gaped. 'That was weird!'
'Come on!' Cam said.
***
Shane and Dustin strode towards Shane's house. 'So dude' Dustin said. 'I totally get why you _like_ skateboarding.but that still doesn't explain how it could, like, ever be better then Motocross.'
'That's easy' said Shane. He never finished the argument. 'Mom?'
His mother waved from the porch and Shane took off to greet her. She uttered a happy and startled little yelp as he hugged her. 'Calm down Shane! Oh my goodness.Waldo! It's been too long!'
Dustin gave a slow grin ignoring his name. 'Hey Mrs C' he said.
'Come inside for some Rice-Crispy Squares and Tang' she said. Shane stared before realizing his Mom was serious. Dustin nodded slowly and followed his friend in.
***
Kelly was in the back. Storm-Chargers was pretty slow today. The door slammed behind her, she froze. The sound of footsteps on the pavement was pretty unnerving. She spun around from putting the trash in the bin and stared. JJ was there, holding a knife.
'Its payback time.Bitch!' he snarled.
'JJ, put the knife down' she murmured as she took a step back. He moved towards her and she realized that she was backing into a dead end.
((Dead, bad choice of words)) she swallowed.
'I needed that money! Where the fuck do you get off not giving it to me?'
((I sign the cheques)) she replied.
'Well now I'm going to screw your life up.'
'Bad idea'
The hand grabbed JJ's arm and the other hand swung up under it to strike the stoned guy in the nose. JJ staggered back nose bleeding as the boy advanced. His hair was brown-blonde and his eyes were bright blue, scarily so.he blocked the right hook JJ swung and snapped a knee into his groin before grabbing the arm and judo tossing JJ to the ground. JJ got back up and found his knife. He slashed again, the guy pulled back and then lunged in with a jump as he snapped his feet out in an aerial double kick. JJ turned to at least stab Kelly. The firm hand planted itself on his shoulder and turned him around. The kick to his ribs slammed him into and off a dumpster.
Kelly was breathing heavily. The shock was wearing off and she wasn't the type to stay down for long. Her hero scratched his neck and strode away.
'Wait!' Kelly shouted. He paused and looked at her.
'Thank you so much! How can I.' she froze in the middle of the cliché. 'Can I thank you somehow?'
'Not in particular' he said with a sharp nod and vanished around the corner into the street.
Kelly looked at the unconscious JJ. Then back at the place her saviour had just left with a shrug she walked into the shop to call the police.
***
TBC
Dustin: (weighing options on hands) Margo.Hazel.Marah.anyone got an extra hand?
Overlord: he still hasn't figured out that Margo is Marah?
Shane: Nope.
Jason: So.do I have a part in this?
Overlord: In a manner of speaking.watch and learn.Oh I am evil
Kim: Yes, that large neon sign over your seat helps
Overlord: Shaddup! Now for my ending it's a modest little.
All: WE KNOW: MWAHAHAHAHAHA.DREAD ONE OUT (They vanish)
Overlord: Nah-ah, no way do you steal my lines and keep your own.(pulls out an evil morpher) NINJA STORM RANGER FORM!
Matriarch Gone
Marah and Kapri looked to their trainer standing before their uncle. Matriarchus was a formidably shaped woman. She had large cuffs and broad folds on her tall boots. Her skin was gold and she wore a headdress like a peacock with bronze feathers. Her eyes were bright red and her bronze breastplate was decorated with Medusas head.
'Are you sure this plan will work?'
'Positive, my aid has never failed me' she said with a syrupy tone. 'In fact my aid has already put my plan into action.I have already formed a plan to destroy the rangers!' The doors opened behind her and a shape strode forwards. 'You are aware of who Vypra is.'
'She was destroyed' Zurgane exclaimed. 'Twice!'
'But I'm not her' Vypra purred. 'Address me as Vypra-D for now.in fact whatever form I take I am D.for death, destruction and despair'
'I don't follow' Lothar grunted.
'My ward can take on the appearance of any living thing.and other things as well. not that it's the only trick The Demon possesses.'
Vypra-D curled a finger in her hair. She paused, as her eyes became bright green with black slit pupils. 'Oh my' she said. 'It seems we may have a problem.Rangers!'
'It was only a matter of time' growled Matriarchus. 'We will go and continue. Marah, Kapri, busy the rangers. Demonic-Vypra, attend to that other matter.'
The women nodded and vanished as Matriarchus turned to Lothar. 'Watch m'liege as I destroy the Rangers for you'
'Interesting' Lothar murmured. 'You have initiative'
'Maybe we can get some things done now!' exclaimed Zurgane.
'Yes darling, we will' cackled Matriarchus as she vanished turning into pink and orange ribbons of light around a ball of golden light. She vanished.
***
Greta stepped off the train and looked at her assistant. 'Jason!' she sighed. 'It's all right I can carry my own bags!'
The tanned young man was balancing her luggage on his broad shoulders. She reminded him so much of her son, desperate to be the best, the leader.
'No Greta' he said. 'It's all right'
With her business case in her hands Greta strode along the platform. 'It was very clever of you to think that up, I wonder how that plane was cancelled so abruptly. But the train ride was entertaining.'
'Yup' Jason said as a pair of girls giggled at him.
'You've been a real Angel these past few weeks. And you know I chose you for the excellent work you did in Switzerland. It's a pity you'll be out of your internship in a few months.or so.' Greta stopped and looked over her shoulder, Jason was picking up a dropped bag and getting stared at with dinner-plate sized eyes now in the girls' heads. 'You need to get out more often' she said as Jason caught up.
'I.uhh I know' Jason sighed.
'You've had.what? Two girlfriends in four years? I must say that it's not good for a young man to have such short lived and infrequent relationships.'
'Nah.I wanted to be with someone.but she was spoken for.I haven't seen her in years.'
'Trini?' asked Greta with a smile.
'No.you don't know her' Jason mumbled. With a light laugh on her lips Greta opened her bag and took out a phone. 'I'm just going to call my son.give me a moment'
***
Kimberly Anne Hart groaned as she dragged her wheeled case along. She held her hat down on her head in the wind outside the airport. She was dressed in a red sundress and heels. 'Hey!' she hailed the cab with a rather unladylike whistle. It pulled up and the driver put her bags in the boot.
She sat in and the driver pulled off as she shut the door.
'So' the man grunted. 'You in town for long?'
'Sort of' she shrugged. 'I'm pretty much alone here for now, any good hotels around?'
'There's the Harbour Hotel' the man said. 'Good neighbourhood and four stars.if you can afford it.'
'I can, believe it' Kimberly said. 'I'm here to do work.'
'Really what are you a model?'
'No, I'm a gymnast.okay so I'm also a special FX and make-up artist for the monster movies, which is why I'm here but.you can't leave behind an Olympic Silver and Pan Global Gold.'
'I'm impressed' the man said. 'Here we are' he added as he pulled up at the Hotel and got out. Kim looked at the Hotel. It was big, on a main street like something in New York or another major city, but this was California, even if it was only Blue Bay Harbour.
'Have a nice stay' the Taxi driver said from his seat. Kim waved him away. ((Well, this is a good start))
***
'Idiot!' Matriarchus slapped Vypra-D across the room. 'You lost the Mara- Ishii? Idiot demon.'
Vypra-D picked herself up. 'I did what I could. I sent those Pathetic Kelzacks after the thief!'
'And yet.' Matriarchus sneered. 'The Arcane book is gone.you are useless! Well we can't interfere with the plan now. We must let it run its course'
She glared at her aid. 'Get working, track that book, you're the only one who can! NOW!'
'It's not like they can read the symbols' snipped Vypra-D. Her mistress vanished and left the woman standing in the museum. Her shape shifted again and she turned into a tourist, a short stocky man with grey hair. She put out her hand and a camera materialized. 'Oh well, what can you do?' she muttered.
***
Cam walked down the street. Hunter was on the other side of the road; he glanced at Cam, throwing his eyes in the direction of a petit girl with black hair. Cam shook his head and continued searching. They had set on the search of girls matching the MG (Mystery Gal, as Dustin called her) using Cam's ID program.
'So how does the program work again?' Hunter asked, walking up beside Cam, his hands in his pockets and eyes that were searching for the girl.
'It uses the street camera's to search for the girl using a photo- breakdown. It catches the outline of bone-structure on a person and then matches pigmentation to my micro-cameras picture. Then it sends the collections of most likely back to Ninja Ops and Cyber Cam gives us updates.'
'Great' Hunter said. 'Guess Motocross-ing is out today?'
'Motocross or saving the world.sorry but the less fun wins out' Cam said sharply. He paused. 'Hang on.' he squinted. 'That's her!'
Hunter looked at the girl walking swiftly into the mall. When he looked back Cam was gone. Hunter rolled his eyes and chased after the shorter young man.
***
Kelly tapped the register buttons and looked up. 'JJ!' she exclaimed as the black haired young man entered. His dark eyes regarded her with semi- interest as he walked over to the counter and cracked his gum.
'Hey, Kelly, I totally need a, like, advance on my pay'
'JJ, you already go your pay for this fortnight' he took out a cigarette as she spoke and lit it up. He puffed the cloud into her face and she frowned. 'Knock it off JJ, I'm warning you'
She suddenly realized just how alone she was in the shop. As she slowly sidled towards the heavy wrench she had left under the cash register JJ scowled. 'Just gimme the money Kelly' he grunted.
'No JJ' she snapped. 'In fact.you're fired, get out!'
Her authority did nothing JJ pulled a face of pure anger. 'You just wait! I'll show you once and for all!' he sneered. He twisted and stormed out of Storm Chargers with a scowl painted on his face. Kelly shivered as his words replayed in her mind.
***
The mugger brandished the butterfly knife at the young man. 'Come on give me the wallet little boy' he grinned.
'I'm hardly little' was the icy reply. The boy had brown hair, bordering on black with sharp features and a pale skin colour, his hair was styled into spikes and the steely grey blue eyes darkly glimmered with malice. The man lunged. A firm hand grabbed his wrist and twisted the blade from his grubby tobacco stained fingers. A hand gripped him around the throat and he was shoved and spun in one move. He landed against the wall as the 17-year-old strode forwards.
'This impresses me so much!' the guy said as the thug scrabbled to his feet. A spinning kick knocked the man down again. When he rose the boy grabbed his punch, twisted him around and in a slash slit his throat, blood gushing from the gaping mouth of the wound staining the boys shirt and hands.
'Blood is always so hard to get out.of clothes.not people'
Twisting the handle back over the blade he pocketed it and walked away from the dead mugger.
***
Tori and Blake wandered along the street. No sign of the girl.or at least none that matched Cam's picture.
((It's unnerving to know he has that camera on him at all times)) Tori thought. 'See anyone?' Blake's calm voice brought her around.
'No' she reported.
'Hey.Tori'
She looked at him. 'Yes?'
'I've been thinking a lot about the Astral Ranger.you know how he captured Hunter but still did some good stuff.'
'Yeah?' Tori moved closer running a hand along her bare midriff. It was getting cold wasn't it, or was she just nervous about being so close.she listened.
((Okay, freak her out with the obsession you have about this guy.here goes))
'Well, its like when Lothar controlled us.it was.it felt so awful. Hunter doesn't let on but he's upset about the guy dying.I mean he makes a connection with him and us.'
'Maybe you guys have to just think about it. This guy was after us for something and it was your feelings.for the group and safety of the human race.that stopped you from harming anyone seriously.he tried to blow Kelly up with a balloon!'
She paused and replayed the situation in her mind. She continued. 'The fact is that you have to think long and hard about how you could have helped. It was sudden, Sensei didn't mean to trigger the weird explosion thing.maybe if we'd had more time.'
She was silenced as Blake pressed his lips to hers.
((Oh! Oh my! He's kissing me in the middle of the st---shut up brain)) Tori's brain was switched off as she returned the gentle kiss. Blake held her close with a hand on her hip. Someone whistled but right now Tori was floating on air and didn't care.
'Victoria Hanson!'
That got her back from La-La-Land. Her mother stood behind her hands on her hips glaring with ice blue eyes. 'I assume you are aware that you're in the middle of the street!'
Victoria's eyes drifted up. She winced; her mother was the lawyer in the offices above. Ten to one she'd seen everything.
'Firstly' her mother said. 'You must learn about PDA's. Secondly this had better be a nice respectable young man.'
The woman in the grey business suit levelled a gaze at Blake that he wasn't able to meet despite facing monsters; the blushing ranger was unable to meet the gaze of a mother. 'He is' Tori said defensively.
'Good, well I'll see him at dinner tomorrow, eight.on time.' The woman gave a small gentle smile, like Tori's smiles.
((Killmekillmekillmekillmekillmekillmekillme)) Tori groaned inwardly.
'Yes Mrs Hanson' Blake mumbled.
The woman strode away with a smile and left Blake struggling to remove the crimson in his face.
'Oh man' Tori murmured. 'Sorry about that.'
'Umm.no it's okay.' Blake said. 'I.do.do you, y'know.not want me to go?' 'No I.uh.do you not want to come?' Tori asked brushing a strand of hair back off her face to rest behind her ear.
'No I do' Blake said quickly. 'I.I just don't want.I mean.does this whole thing mean.would you like to start going out--- kind of?'
'Uh.I guess.yeah' Tori said. Then there was an awkward silence.
***
'Nice place' decided Jason. He'd turned down Greta's invite to sleep on the fold out bed in her spare room. He said he'd be fine so she'd called in a favour at the Harbour Hotel, which was actually reasonable rates anyway, but she'd pointed out that there needed to be a room for him.or else.
He put his sports bag down and checked in. It was nice to be in California, for some reason being home hadn't helped. Every turn he'd taken had reminded him of his past problems. Trini was in London with Zack (he was out of the closet and damn happy), she was writing a book about politics, to make the youth-of-today more aware.plus doing a whole lot in the field of Political Analysis. Her speeches had gotten her offers from a lot of senators as a speechwriter. Zack was teaching dance in an academy.
Billy was on Aquitar helping build the place back up after the attack by Dark Spectres Forces. Tommy and Kat had moved in together and were living in Chicago. Rocky was.somewhere doing karate lessons. Aisha and Tanya were working in Africa to save the animals. Adam was studying psychology in Angel Grove but Jason hadn't seen him for a very long time.
And Kim.Kim was nowhere in sight.
Jason gave a wistful sigh and stepped into the elevator.
***
Marah and Kapri didn't get it. They were standing in the middle of the park, Kelzacks kicking over trashcans.it looked like the Rangers were ignoring them. it was grating the nerves Kapri still had left.
To get a point across Marah blasted a tree. 'I swear they're doing this to irritate us!' 'And all the pedestrians have run away' agreed Kapri. 'So three more minutes, then we all go home'.
***
'She's fast' Hunter said as he followed the girl through the mall. She had spotted them and was now sprinting away from them. Cam was ahead of Hunter and focused on catching her.
'Yeah' was all he said.
The group of shoppers bustled out in a solid wall before the girl. 'Got her!' Cam said.
The girl didn't stop running, but rather went at an angle and leapt. Planting a foot on the wall she kicked off and landed on the other side. Cam and Hunter just stared as she leapt over a hotdog cart landed on a bench and jumped onto the roof of the elevator.
'Yeah.got her.' murmured Hunter. They dodged past the shoppers and stormed up the stairs as the girl leapt onto the floor, now people were staring. She ran for the stairs only to be cut off by the pair.
'Hold on' Cam said as she looked at them with fearful eyes. She was wearing a black leather jacket, a pair of low, hip-hugging black jeans and a dark red top. She twisted and ran in the opposite direction. The boys followed. This time she was closer. Her black bobbed hair swinging behind her as she leapt and grabbed the sign outside a natural remedies shop. Swinging on it she let the boys pass under her before landing and running in the opposite direction.
'Whoa!' Hunter gaped. 'That was weird!'
'Come on!' Cam said.
***
Shane and Dustin strode towards Shane's house. 'So dude' Dustin said. 'I totally get why you _like_ skateboarding.but that still doesn't explain how it could, like, ever be better then Motocross.'
'That's easy' said Shane. He never finished the argument. 'Mom?'
His mother waved from the porch and Shane took off to greet her. She uttered a happy and startled little yelp as he hugged her. 'Calm down Shane! Oh my goodness.Waldo! It's been too long!'
Dustin gave a slow grin ignoring his name. 'Hey Mrs C' he said.
'Come inside for some Rice-Crispy Squares and Tang' she said. Shane stared before realizing his Mom was serious. Dustin nodded slowly and followed his friend in.
***
Kelly was in the back. Storm-Chargers was pretty slow today. The door slammed behind her, she froze. The sound of footsteps on the pavement was pretty unnerving. She spun around from putting the trash in the bin and stared. JJ was there, holding a knife.
'Its payback time.Bitch!' he snarled.
'JJ, put the knife down' she murmured as she took a step back. He moved towards her and she realized that she was backing into a dead end.
((Dead, bad choice of words)) she swallowed.
'I needed that money! Where the fuck do you get off not giving it to me?'
((I sign the cheques)) she replied.
'Well now I'm going to screw your life up.'
'Bad idea'
The hand grabbed JJ's arm and the other hand swung up under it to strike the stoned guy in the nose. JJ staggered back nose bleeding as the boy advanced. His hair was brown-blonde and his eyes were bright blue, scarily so.he blocked the right hook JJ swung and snapped a knee into his groin before grabbing the arm and judo tossing JJ to the ground. JJ got back up and found his knife. He slashed again, the guy pulled back and then lunged in with a jump as he snapped his feet out in an aerial double kick. JJ turned to at least stab Kelly. The firm hand planted itself on his shoulder and turned him around. The kick to his ribs slammed him into and off a dumpster.
Kelly was breathing heavily. The shock was wearing off and she wasn't the type to stay down for long. Her hero scratched his neck and strode away.
'Wait!' Kelly shouted. He paused and looked at her.
'Thank you so much! How can I.' she froze in the middle of the cliché. 'Can I thank you somehow?'
'Not in particular' he said with a sharp nod and vanished around the corner into the street.
Kelly looked at the unconscious JJ. Then back at the place her saviour had just left with a shrug she walked into the shop to call the police.
***
TBC
Dustin: (weighing options on hands) Margo.Hazel.Marah.anyone got an extra hand?
Overlord: he still hasn't figured out that Margo is Marah?
Shane: Nope.
Jason: So.do I have a part in this?
Overlord: In a manner of speaking.watch and learn.Oh I am evil
Kim: Yes, that large neon sign over your seat helps
Overlord: Shaddup! Now for my ending it's a modest little.
All: WE KNOW: MWAHAHAHAHAHA.DREAD ONE OUT (They vanish)
Overlord: Nah-ah, no way do you steal my lines and keep your own.(pulls out an evil morpher) NINJA STORM RANGER FORM!