Author's note: True, this is your chapter. ;P

Crimson-Ranger: thank you! I do try and make her as un-annoying as possible.

footychick: Glad you're still enjoying it.

BlackNightWolf04: Really? Sister/brother? You think? I do aim for that occasionally, but Iwasn't especially in this story...

One more chapter to go, guys!

3: And scared a civilian

"Tori!"

The Rangers crashed into the battle, giving Tori time to get back to her feet. "You OK?" Blake asked quickly.

"Yeah. This guy packs a punch!"

Around the courtyard, half way between the Rangers and the Alien-of-the-week, Taran watched quietly. The civilians CyberCam had warned them about seemed to have escaped, except for one teenager crouching behind a bench.

Taran wandered over and leaned on the back of it. "Hi." she said after a minute.

The girl jumped, hitting her head, and tried to back away. Just then, a blast from the alien landed behind them, cutting off her escape route.

"Who're you?" the girl demanded.

"Taran. Who're you?"

"True Adele…you should probably duck."

"Nah, the Rangers are dealing with it."

Clearly across the courtyard came Hunter's yell, "Taran, duck!"

Taran dropped to her knees, scooting under the bench to join True. "True, huh? Like in that show where she relives days? Her brother in that is cute. So's her boyfriend. What do you think?"

"What are you doing?" True demanded.

"Taking your mind off the attack." Taran answered, in her best 'well, duh' tone of voice.

"There's an alien standing ten feet away and you want to take my mind off it?" True demanded. "Just let me out of here!"

"Yuh. About that." Taran lifted her head above the back of the seat.

"Stay down!" one of the Rangers yelled, backed up by an explosion nearby.

"Oh." True's voice had gone very small.

"Yeah, but don't worry. The Rangers'll totally save us." Taran grinned.

True blinked. "Are we safe?"

"Pretty much." Taran glanced out across the courtyard again. "Um…don't freak, ok?"

"Ok…" True replied hesitantly.

The ground in front of them humped up, as though something were trying to break through from underneath. After a minute, it blocked their view of the courtyard. Turning, True realised the same thing had happened behind them.

"What was that?" she demanded.

"Protection." Taran answered. "Don't bother." she added, watching True push against it. "No one's getting through until the fight's done."

True sighed. "Tru Calling?" she said resignedly.

Dustin sighed as the Alien finally blew up, glancing across to where he'd last seen Taran. The ground all around the bench was disturbed, and he almost panicked until she stuck her head up. "Hey, uh…Rangers…is it safe yet?"

"No." Cam said sharply.

" 'Kay. Let us know." And her head went back down.

"Cam, your friend's weird, dude."

"She's not my friend, Dustin, she…there we go."

The Alien had just reappeared, several stories high now, and Dustin grimaced and looked to Cam again.

"CyberCam?"

"Yeah, yeah, do this, do that…" CyberCam grumbled, sending them the Zords.

True flinched at an explosion nearby.

"I thought you lived here." Taran teased gently. "I'm only passing through and it doesn't bother me."

"Yeah, but you're really weird."

"That's true, True…sorry. Sorry, totally unintentional."

"Doesn't bother me any more."

"I suppose you'd get used to it eventually." Taran agreed.

"What kind of name is Taran, anyway?"

Taran shrugged. "My kind. It's…sort of inherited."

"I inherited a clock from my aunt." True said vaguely.

"That's nice." Taran agreed.

"Hey!" Shane's voice came from outside their bolt-hole. "Hey, you Ok in there?"

"Yeah…" Taran leaned forward as the ground returned to its' original shape. "Is the alien gone?"

"Yeah." Shane helped her up, and Dustin leaned past her to help True. "The Power Rangers blew it up."

"Good for them." Taran said, grinning. Turning, she added, "True, you Ok?"

"I'm alive, anyway." True said with a shrug. "Listen, thanks for your help, but you're really weird."

"I know." Taran agreed cheerfully.

"Are you all right to get home? Can we call you a cab?" Shane asked.

"No, thanks." True turned and hurried away.

"Bye, True!" Taran called after her.

"Was there a point to that?" Cam asked, coming up behind her with the others.

"Yeah. Now there's no way she'll connect any of you with the Rangers." Taran informed him. "Hi, Tori."

"Uh—hi." Tori answered; she obviously had no idea who Taran was.

"Perfect." Taran murmured. Looking at Cam, she added, "I have to go now."

"Aww, so soon?" Cam said dryly. "Please don't. Stay and baffle everyone some more."

"Love to, but there's stuff I have to do." She looked around at the others. "It was nice to meet all of you."

"It was…well, it was weird." Dustin said, smiling.

"I have that affect on people." she agreed. "Um—Cam?"

"Yeah."

"Be…" she hesitated, glancing around the group again, before continuing, "Watch your cousins. They're not what you think."

Cam's eyes widened and then narrowed in thought; everyone else just looked confused. "I'll…keep it in mind. Thank you."

She smiled again, and then she turned and walked away.

"Who was that?" Tori asked, once she was out of sight.

"That was Taran." Cam said, turning and starting to head back towards Storm Chargers. The others followed him.

"Yeah, but who is she?"

"She's…an old friend."

"Thought you said she wasn't your friend." Shane pointed out.

"She…I've know her all my life. Friend's maybe not the right word. She does…basically what she did today. Shows up, confuses everyone, and then vanishes."

"I thought you said she was younger than you." Hunter pointed out.

"She is…it's complicated."

"Yeah? She's younger or she's not, dude." Blake said quietly.

"Fine. Taran's younger than us, but Taran's just a personality. Thariin, the actual person underneath, is much, much older than we are and she's been helping all the Ninja Academys since they were founded. Better?"

Tori glanced around; none of the others seemed to have followed that. "Uh—maybe we'll take your word for it, Cam." she suggested.

He glanced at her. "Maybe you better." The tone didn't match the words, though, and she caught the quick tilt of his head—acknowledgement?

She glanced at her watch. "Uh…Dustin, didn't Sensei want you for that extra training?"

"Oh, dude!" He caught her wrist, staring in dismay at the time. "Give me a ride?"

"Yeah. Only 'cos I have to go anyway. Cam, you want a ride?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

She nodded easily. "Sure thing."