Note: This chapter happens during the 'Shane's Karma' episodes.
Kaze was now totally surrounded by nearly a dozen wooden block, human size training dolls, that came to life as soon as he walked to the middle of the cave room. He looked around him and he was quite out numbered, from 10 to 1.
'This is gonna take awhile...' thought Kaze as he glanced around.
Then the wooden block dolls started to move towards him. Seeing that the fight has started, Kaze quickly ran forward and did a sideways kick on one of the dolls, then quickly turned around and switch legs and kicked another one. Then he quickly turned around and punches one that was coming up behind him with his right fist.
"OWWWWW!" shouted the storm ninja as he pulled his fist back and started to shake his hand about from the pain.
Immediately the wooden block dolls started to advance even closer, so quickly Kaze started to kick out at them in all different direction, pushing them back a bit. He then ran forward and did a quick jump and kick down two of them that was in front of him. The storm ninja placed his hand on one of the fallen dolls and did a cartwheel flip, right over them. Others started to follow him so Kaze quickly turned around and ducked and sweep kick another one down. Then he jumped into the air and roundhouse kick another.
The ones that were knocked down just lift themselves up again and started to go after the white ninja again.
"By this rate, it's going to take me forever to get out of here. I know I'm not suppose to use this sort of fighting technique but its the only thing to do." and Kaze grabbed hold of the scarf that was around his neck and pulled it off of him.
The storm ninja held on near each end of the scarf and stretched it out in a crouching sliding like stance. As the wooden block dolls starts to move in on him, he bunched up the scarf in his right hand and ran forward. He jumped into the air and launched the scarf at one of the dolls. The scarf stretched out with him still holding one end of it and the other end thrust forward and hit a doll in front of him. He then pulled back the scarf again and launched it out again and hit the same doll at the same spot as before and this time the scarf broke through and the doll shattered into pieces.
Once the ninja landed, he quickly swings his scarf around with tremendous force and energy and the scarf sliced three of them in a row sideways, right in half and pieces of wood was flying everywhere. He then turned around and swings the scarf right down the middle of another one, destroying it totally.
Getting rid of five of them, the other five manage to get close to attack him. Two dolls swung their arms at him, right at the sides and he quickly blocked with his arms. He took a couple of steps back and started to shake his arms a bit from the force of the attacks. Then another two started to kick at him and he manages to dodge them. The last one tries to punch him and Kaze quickly ducked and got away from them.
The storm ninja then swing the scarf to one side making it stretched out a bit and quickly started to twirl his arm in a circular motion. Doing that, it made the scarf twisted up and with one quick pull and smoothing it out with his other hand, the twisted up scarf stiffened and became a staff.
He then grabbed hold of the middle of his scarf staff and started to twirl it above him with his two hands and did a couple of short jumping twists. As he did that, he managed to hit them as the went knocking them back a bit. Then placing his staff straight up onto the ground, he pushed himself off and swings around in a 360 circle, kicking each one of the dolls as he stepped on them.
Once Kaze landed he swung his scarf staff around and hit one of the dolls with all his strength and destroyed it. Then turned around and swung his scarf around again and destroyed another that was behind him. Another doll came running up at him and taking hold of one end of the scarf pole; he thrust it forward and stabbed the wood figure in the torso. Once the pole was in, he started to push the doll back and slammed it against a stone column and using some extra power he stabbed the scarf pole right through its body and column all together.
The last two wooden block dolls ran up behind Kaze and as the white ninja turned around he was surprised and quickly reacted. With quick thinking making his hands into fist leaving only his index and middle fingers out and together, he thrust his fingers forward. As the two dolls was right in front of him, both hands hit a point on each of the doll's chest. The dolls stopped in their tracks and a few seconds later they shattered into splinters.
Remembering the one that was stuck to the stone column by his scarf staff, he turned around and grabbed hold of the end of it. With a quick twist, he unravels the scarf staff back to normal and with one quick pull, the last doll exploded into pieces.
Kaze looked around him and see the mess of broken wood pieces everywhere, all over the floor. Seeing that was it, he wrapped his scarf back around his neck, like it was before. He then bend down a bit and started to breath heavily from a bit of tiredness and he rubbed his arms and legs from the bruises he got from the fight.
"I'm wasting time here, I better get going. I wonder what Hunter and the others are doing right now?" Kaze wondered.
The storm ninja took one last look around the room and started to head for the exit door to the next room.
Back at Ops...
The rangers were still there after their battle with Zurgane's new zord. Cam was sitting at the computer trying to figure things out and Hunter was standing behind him watching. Tori, Dustin and Blake were sitting on the table waiting.
"Maybe now will be a good time to contact sensei." stated Hunter as he patted Cam on the shoulder.
"I've tried already, whatever is interfering with Shane's morpher and contacting Kaze, is keeping us from reaching my dad too." sighed Cam as he kept on working on the computer.
"Hey I'm sorry that your birthday got messed up." Dustin said to Tori.
"I know, it's nobody's fault. Except maybe Lothor's." answered Tori with a look.
"Hmm. Maybe we should go get our stuff from the beach." suggested the earth ninja.
"Yeah, our day off is pretty much over now." Blake agreed.
"We'll be back Cam." the crimson ninja said as he and the others started to leave.
"I'll call you if anything else happens." replied Cam as he kept on working.
"Later." the water ninja said as she was the last one to leave.
Kaze eventually walked out another cave tunnel and arrive in another cave room that seems to be the last, seeing there was no other exit. There was a stone pathway on the ground that stretches across the room to a platform. To the platform was a series of a dozens steps of stairs, in order to get to it. Around him was loosely scattering of large trees with fresh green leaves growing in water that was not so deep. It was like a bridge that stretches across a river of trees growing out of it. The ceiling of the cavern was broken in places that let the sun shine in giving it a mystical atmosphere.
Kaze started to walk across the stone pathway with water surrounding him, all but careful not knowing what could happen at anytime. He managed to get across without any trouble and stepped onto the stone made platform on the other side.
Carefully he walked up the steps of stone and arrived at the top platform of this stone like island. On the top there was a large cherry blossom tree with full blossoms, growing near the end of this stone footing. In front of the tree was another smaller tree that grew out like a podium with a few leaves, hold up a container.
The container was octangular shape, quite shallow and was made out of some sort of dark colour wood. There was a beautiful cherry blossom tree design on the cover with Japanese style borders and box was polished to shine.
The storm ninja walked towards the box but before he could reach out and touch it, a voice stopped him.
"Stop! Who are you and what are you doing here, in this cavern."
Kaze stopped where he was and looked around to see who was talking to him and he saw no one. The voice itself was a female voice, which is young and quite soft.
"My name is Kazel Anido. I came here to retrieve the power that was suppose to be put here a long time ago." answered the storm ninja
Then suddenly something caught his eyes and he turned towards the large cherry blossom tree. Slowly emerging from the large trunk was a woman who was thin and pale, with dark lavender hair that was worn in a Japanese hairstyle that was held together with a stick of a cherry blossom. She had red eyes and her face was pale like the rest of her and blood red lips that contrasted her looks.
She was wearing a white kimono with cherry blossom designs on it with lavender trimmings and the sleeves were quite loose and the gown touched the floor. Around her waist, tied was a huge red bow with the ends flowing to the floor. The weird thing was that there were tree roots growing out from under and from the gown and into the floor.
"I am the guardian spirit that guards this power. You are not allowed to have it, unless you defeat ME!" the spirit shouted.
The spirit raised her arms and thrust her hands forward and the treetops behind Kaze exploded. Leaves from the trees were flying everywhere and she pulled her arms and hands back and the leaves started to fly towards her and she gathers them up in her hands. She then thrust her hands back out again and launched the leaves out and they flew through the air like darts.
Kaze quickly launched himself into the air twisting himself sideways, flying backwards as the leaves flew right pass him. He landed in a kneeling position, back down on the stone pathway about midway. Pieces of his hair were on the ground around him and there were cuts all over his body, totally ruining his ninja uniform.
"That's it!" the storm ninja stood up and took out his crest and it enlarges and becomes the Storm Morpher.
"Shogun Storm, ranger form!" "The power of storms." Kaze called out as he morphed.
Not impressed the spirit put her hands together in a ninja stance and from her back, tree branches grew out in a fan like manner. She then bends forward and put her arms back out to the sides and the branches shot out like arrows.
Kaze pulled out his sword and quickly jumped into the air flying and slash all the branches that were coming right at him, away. The storm ninja landed back on the top level of the platform where the spirit was. A bunch tree roots from under her shot through the ground right at Kaze. The white ninja launched himself into the air twirling as the roots shot out of the ground, right after him. He quickly twists himself and did a jump kick right at the spirit but she just raised one of her arms to block it. Then she thrust out her other arm and it changed into a tree branch with multiple branches coming off of it and thrust it right at the shogun ranger. The white ranger quickly rebound of the arm and started to twirl backwards and landed back down on the stone pathway.
The spirit walked to the edge of the top of the stairs and thrust her palm right at the ground. A trail of cherry blossoms shot out of the ground and raced down the stairs and towards Kaze. The ranger quickly charged up his sword with white energy and swings it right down onto the ground, creating another trail of dust, which raced towards the spirit. The two attacks met at midway and a explosion was created as they hit each other.
The shogun took a couple of steps forward and quickly jumped flipped into the air and swung his sword right down at the spirit but she moved out of the way. The white ranger landed swings his arm around at her but she blocked it with her arm. Kaze quickly turned around and kicked her right in her torso and sends her back a bit. He then ran at her and did a back flip kick, kicking her in the chin and while still in the air he did a roundhouse kick.
The spirit was knocked back to where the cherry tree blossom was and she placed her hands together in a praying position. She then pulled them apart in opposite directions, one going up and the other going down. Her arms stretched all the way out and she swung them in a circular motion in one direction and cherry tree blossom petals started to follow them. She then moved her hands back together and thrust them out like doing a fireball motion. All the cherry tree blossoms flew at him in a bundle in a long trail.
Kaze quickly caught hold of the attack with his right hand and using his power of air, he manages to guide the attack around him and launch it right back at the spirit. Surprised with the counter move, she was blasted with her own attack. Kaze then dashed forward and held his sword out in front of him and ran through the falling flower petals. He stopped right in front of the spirit with the tip of his blade, at her neck.
"Aren't you going to finish me off?" stated the spirit as she looked at him.
Kaze sighed and pulled his blade away from her and slides it back into its holder, on his belt and his visor opened up.
"I'm only here for the power, not here to kill someone." the ranger answered her.
The spirit looked at him hard and then smiled and nodded her head. She turned around and walked to where the podium was and she picked up the box. She turned back towards the ranger and walked back over to him and held out the box.
"Here."
Kaze just looked at her, a bit confused and not trusting her.
"Kazel Anido. You are a great warrior, both as a ninja and as a power ranger. You are kind hearted and fight for the side of good. I can't think of anyone else better to give this power to keep than you. Just promise me that you will find someone that is destined to receive the power and will use the power rightly." said the spirit.
"Don't worry, I will and I thank you for trusting me to keep this power safe." Kaze bowed and took hold of the box under his left arm.
"Now go, a friend of yours is in trouble."
"Who!"
"Use and follow your inner ninja senses and you will find them."
The spirit bowed and then started to slide backwards, back towards the large cherry blossom tree. Once she was at the trunk, she faded away and disappeared back where she came from. Kaze took a look at the place around him and realise the place was absolutely beautiful, like a place where you see in a dream.
'I bet it would be more beautiful at night. I got to show Hunter this place sometime.' thought Kaze.
The white shogun started towards the stairs and down them and headed to the exit and left the place. After going back through the two rooms before and through the long tunnel and up the stairs, Kaze ended up back outside.
Closing his eyes, Kaze started to concentrate and after a minute or so he sense an energy source somewhere in the forest. Opening his eyes, the white ranger in a streak of white bounced towards the direction of energy.
Shane had manage to find Skyla again and had morphed and was battling with the shark like alien, Vexacus. Shane was fighting him the best he can but was eventually was knocked down and Vexacus was ready to strike him with his sword. Then out of nowhere Kaze came jumping in and kicked Vexacus away, knocking the bounty hunter to the ground.
"Kaze!" Shane said in a surprise.
"Go! Get your friend out of here!" Kaze shouted.
"Thanks dude! I owe you one!" helping Skyla up, she and the red wind ranger got out of there.
Vexacus was up again and was getting annoyed with humans interfering.
"Another one of you? You humans are getting to be pests." the alien commented.
"Oh yeah? Well you aliens are getting annoying, sharky."
"You have no idea who you're up against, so I suggest you shut your big mouth."
"I'm not the one with a big mouth around here."
Vexacus screamed and rushed at Kaze with his sword, which the white ranger blocked with his own. Kaze then pushed him away and turn around and kicked him, then lift himself into the air and double kicked him in the chest. Then the ranger back flipped and pushed the alien away from him. Kaze landed and was exhausted from the fight with the cave spirit from before.
The bounty hunter ran at him again and swing his arm at Kaze and the ranger blocked it and jumped into the air and roundhouse kicked him. Kaze then powered up his sword, did a full body turn and slashed Vexacus.
"Shogun Slash!" and the alien stumbled back.
"Enough playing around. Sorry, I would love to stay but I can't. So see ya! Ninja Smokescreen!" and with an explosion of white smoke the shogun ranger was gone.
"This isn't over yet!" growled the bounty hunter and he disappeared into his ship.
Kaze was running through the forest still holding the box he got from the cavern, hoping to find Shane and the girl he was with. Eventually he caught up with them and saw that the girl looks like she was about to die. He stayed back in the nearby trees to give them some room.
"Its time, we will be mended together forever. By the power I pass onto you, your responsibility is yours. Use it wisely." stated the girl.
Kaze watched as a ball of energy formed in the girl's hands.
"Goodbye Shane." and the girl fell dead.
Her body disappeared in a flash and became a bird of fire and with a flap of its wings, it transferred a ball of energy into Shane's morpher changing it a bit. Then she started to slowly fly in upwards into the sky.
"Goodbye, Skyla." said Shane sadly.
The red ranger watched as the firebird floated away, he then stood up and decided to go after Vexacus.
From the trees nearby, Kaze watched sadly at the scene before him and know that Shane was hurt and sad that the girl who is an alien as well, died. Kaze also guessed by the look of things that Shane might have feelings for the girl, whom he knows now is named Skyla.
In a haste decision, Kaze quickly formed an white energy ball in his free hand and launched it at the firebird that was floating away. The ball was the same kind of ball that the old ninja master of the Wind Ninja Academy used to send Lothor into space back then. Immediately it trapped the spirit essence of Skyla and quickly flew back into the shogun ranger's palm.
Once the ball was safely in his hand, Kaze turned around and started to walk away.
Back at Ninja Ops...
The rangers had just returned from defeating Zurgane and his new zord, and Shane defeating Vexacus with his new battlizer mode power.
"Hey, you alright?" Blake asked Shane.
"Yeah, I feel kind of bummed." sighed Shane sadly.
"You miss her don't you?" asked Tori.
"Yeah, I guess I do." the red ninja replied.
"She will always be with you Shane. Her power lives through you for all eternity." said sensei.
"Thanks sensei."
"Yeah but can we talk about the battlizer. How sick bro!" stated Hunter, changing the subject.
"Yeah that was the ultimate rush or what man." added the navy ninja.
"Yeah its pretty sick." the air ninja grinned.
"You all did well in my absence, I'm proud." appraised sensei.
"Pity it had to happen on someone's birthday." stated Hunter as he turns to Tori.
"Hey no worries, there will be more right?" she laughed it off.
"Hey guys, you're back."
Tori, Hunter, Shane and Blake turned their head and see Kaze walking in and just stared at him gawked, eyes wide in surprise. His ninja uniform was ruined, there were cuts everywhere showing some of the skin underneath. The large cut on his arm was showing and there was dried blood on the wound and there were little cuts on his face and his hair was all rivalled up.
"Dude! What happened to you?" asked Shane.
Kaze walked up to the other and stood in front of sensei.
"Nothing much, just a little scratch I got from the mission." answered Kaze.
"A little scratch? You're bleeding." stated Tori.
"I told you, you should have us go with you." said Blake.
"Are you okay?" Hunter asked worriedly seeing his boyfriend hurt and wrapped his arms around the white ninja's waist and pulled him close.
"I'm fine, its nothing serious." the storm ninja answered.
"Was your mission successful?" asked sensei.
"It was."
"Then you should go get some rest and next time Kaze, let us help you."
Kaze nodded and rested his head against the hollow of Hunter's neck. Before anyone could asked what was so important that Kaze would risk his neck for, a shouted was heard.
"Hey! The day's not over yet!" shouted Dustin.
Everyone turned their heads to where Dustin was coming from, including Kaze and saw him coming out with a lit up birthday cake along with Cam.
"Well, well, if it isn't the orange ranger." stated Tori.
Dustin's face was totally a orange colour, except for his eyes where it was covered by a shape of a pair of sunglasses. Dustin looked and saw Kaze's body and was surprised with wide eyes.
"What happened to you dude?" asked the earth ninja.
"I could say the same thing to you. What? Are you changing your ranger colour?" asked the storm ninja amused.
"Ah, ha, ha, ha ha. Uh yeah, Cyber Cam is going to be cyber toast next time I see him."
Cam saw Kaze and was wondering what happened to him too.
"Okay, what happened to you?" Cam asked Kaze.
"Just a little scratch from the assignment I was on."
"A little scratch huh? I'll go get the first aid kit." and Cam walked away.
"So Dustin, you manage to buy another cake this late?" asked Blake.
"Actually we found this cake in the fridge in the kitchen." the yellow ninja answered.
Everyone looked surprised and confused except for Kaze who just smiled. Everyone turned towards him and looked at him.
"Alright, I admit it. I was the one who made the cake and left it in the fridge. I felt bad for missing your birthday Tori, so I decide to make you a cake to make up for it." sighed the storm ninja.
"You're sweet, thanks." smiled the blue ninja.
Cam came back with the first aid kit at that time.
"Got the first aid."
"I'll take that, thank you!" and Hunter took the kit from Cam.
"Make a wish." and Dustin held up the cake to Tori.
With a deep breath, the water ninja blew out all the candles.
"Yeah! Alright!" everyone cheered and clapped their hands and did a group hug while Tori grinned.
Later...
Everyone was all around Ops eating cake. Cam was at his computer with the three wind rangers around him, while Blake, Hunter and Kaze was sitting at the table. Blake was sitting there eating while Hunter was cleaning up Kaze's wounds and Kaze was feeding Hunter and himself cake. Kaze had his ninja uniform off and was now wearing only shorts with his t-shirt off, showing his lean muscled body.
"You know, you should tell you her how you feel about her." Kaze said suddenly.
"What?" Blake stopped eating and looked at the storm ninja.
"He's right little bro. Even though you two went on a few dates, we all know that you're in love with her. This way you two can go to the next level of your relationship and started acting more like girlfriend and boyfriend kind of thing." stated Hunter as he continued to clean up his boyfriend's wounds.
"The older and wiser brother. Besides I can't tell her, what if she doesn't feel the same way." stated the navy ninja, can't believe he was having this conversation with his brother and his brother's boyfriend.
"Look at it this way. What if she does feel the same way which we all knows she does and if you don't tell her now, you may miss your chance if something happens like someone else getting to her first?" putted the white ninja.
"You don't know unless you try. Besides if you won't tell, we will." the crimson ninja smirked.
"You wouldn't." Blake looked at the couple.
"You think?"
"Don't you dare!"
"Do we?" added the storm ninja who smirked was well.
"Fine!" Blake said finally with a groan, giving up and stood up.
The thunder ninja walked slowly over to Tori and tapped her on the shoulder and the water ninja turned around.
"Um Tori, can I talk to you?" Blake started nervously.
"Sure." she smiled and the two heads towards a corner to talk.
"What you want to talk about?"
"I need to tell you something." the navy ninja was sweating a bit.
"Okay...what is it?" Tori said slowly.
"I know that we just went on a few dates and I was wondering where we stand." started Blake.
"Where...we...stand?"
"Yes because I want to tell you that since the first time we met..." the navy ninja took a deep breath, "I'm in love with you."
Tori looked at him for a minute, can't believe what she was hearing with her heart thumping fast.
"Really?" she finally asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Yes, Tori..." Blake swallowed as his heart started to beat quite fast, "I love you with all my heart."
Tori smiled and tears started to form at the corner of her eyes.
"I love you too." the water ninja said softly with a joyful voice.
Blake just couldn't believe she just said that and his mouth turn up to a grin. He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly pulled themselves close to each other. Both of them leaned forward and their lips touched each other's, closing the distance between in a soft kiss. The soft kiss then became a more passionate one where tongue intertwined a bit. After awhile they had to pull apart to breath and they looked at each other and smiled.
"At least my birthday wasn't all bad." the blue ninja said as she rests her head against Blake's shoulder.
"So what was your birthday wish?" asked the younger thunder ninja.
"You." she answered.
Then suddenly the new official couple started to hear whistling, wolf and catcalls from the others, which they forgot that was still there watching them. Tori buried her face into Blake's shoulder from embarrassment while Blake just smiled and tighten his arms around her.
Finished another chapter, so what do you guys think of this one? Anyways, read and review please!