Disclaimer: I owneth nothing-ith…

Thankie spankie to all the great reviewers!

SapphireRayne: Yeah, definitely had a debate with my friend who edits these things with me over whether or not "Kira" was one or two sylablles. I guess it depends how you say it. I said one, she said two…great, now I owe her ten bucks…

beldaran05: The answer to that inquiry won't be answered for another chapter I'm afraid, but I hope you'll stick around to find out what happens!

Ghostwriter: Yeah, Conner has superspeed, but that's not all with agility. I'm looking into his reflexes, balance, and sureness of the way he moves. I mean, he can be the Flash but if he's clumsy, it ain't gonna fly.

And everyone else, love you all!

Chapter 5

The Chosen Ranger Hath Cometh

In the reclusive mountains of Blue Bay Harbor, Khyuss glared down at his general in disdain and spewed waves of purple energy at the cyborg.

"Idiotic fool, you had them cornered! How could you let them get away?"

Ivanox kneeled in front of his master, and hung his head, his body quivering from the energy, "My apologies, my Lord. The red ranger took me by surprise. I had no idea he had such power."

Khyuss leaned back against his throne, his face veiled underneath his dark hood.

"Yes, he surprised us all. I assumed he would refuse his destiny, him being so young." The sorcerer's menacing red eyes flashed dangerously, and Ivanox raised his head in hope.

"I will accept this one incident of your failure. Do not make it a common occurrence."

Ivanox bowed low, "Yes, my liege. They will not escape next time." As his general departed, Khyuss hunched forward in thought.

"Yes, my day will come. Those pathetic rangers are only a temporary barricade for the moment. I will wear them down, and then strike my hardest once they are weakened. Chosen ranger or not, they will be destroyed."

xxx

The bright morning sun greeted the red ranger. Groaning, he shifted in the hammock to find an armful of Kira Ford snuggled in the crook of his arm. His eyes widened as he realized the position they were in. Her head lay peacefully against his chest, the waves of golden hair splayed across his upper body, and an arm was flung across his stomach. Smiling, the red ranger removed himself from their embrace and placed the discarded blanket over her sleeping form. Taking one last glance at the tranquil musician, Conner entered the house to prepare for his first day of training.

Kira's eyes fluttered open. Yawning deeply, she stretched and noticed the vacant spot beside her absent of Conner's warm body. The yellow ranger smiled as she remembered the strong bonding experience they shared the previous night. For the longest time, Conner McKnight had been an enigma to here. Before they were rangers, she had known the jock only by reputation: Reefside's Golden boy, solely responsible for the other half of the cheerleading squad, not presently the shade, dying their hair blonde because Conner had stated that was his preference. During their time as rangers, they had all gotten so much closer, learning the intricacies of their counterpart's personalities in the little free time their duty allowed. Conner and Kira spent last night talking, and the musician was taken aback at how much the red ranger opened up to her telling her everything about himself that elaborated all she knew about the jock and listened with rapt attention at all she had to say.

As the red ranger drifted off to sleep, Kira watched him, his face tranquil and impassive, sleep erasing the weight his broad shoulders carried. Feeling safe and comfortable in Conner's arms, Kira laid her head on his chest and, before sleep claimed her, she felt her heart being tugged in a direction that extended the boundaries of friendship. But as sudden as those thoughts surfaced, Kira buried them back under. There was no way she could fall for Conner McKnight.

The yellow ranger entered the kitchen of the McKnight summer home and joined Tommy and Ethan on the center island of the kitchen.

"Where's Conner?" She inquired, gratefully accepting the plate of food offered to her.

"His training today started early. He's down at the academy." Tommy answered through a mouthful of bacon. Ethan quirked a sly smile.

"You and Jockboy looked cozy in the hammock this morning." The blue ranger commented, "Is there something we should know about?"

As expected, Kira choked on her orange juice. Once her coughing fit subsided, the musician glared hazel beams at her teammate.

"I'm giving you ten seconds to retract that question."

Ethan raised his hands in defense, "Hey, c'mon now. I'm just calling it like I see it."

Kira shot him a look, "There's nothing between us." She appealed to their mentor, "C'mon, Dr. O. help me out here."

The black ranger shook his head, "Sorry, Kira. I'm siding with Ethan on this one. There is some serious spark between you and Conner. I mean, do you really think it's a coincidence that every time you're around him, something catches on fire?"

The musician frowned, "But we all know Conner has no control over his power."

Tommy shrugged, chewing thoughtfully, "Well, y'know, they say passion's fiery. Maybe you being around him ignites his passion or, in a sense, the power."

Kira busied herself with her breakfast, the words of the veteran ranger planting seeds in her head. Did Conner harbor secret feelings for her that ignited his power?

xxx

As she wondered those thoughts, Conner, himself, strode into Ninja Ops and found Hayley and Cam hunched over computer modules, ancient writings strewn over their workspace. The café owner acknowledged the ranger and smiled in greeting.

"Hey, Conner. They're upstairs in the main dojo." Cam handed the jock a large bundle.

"Here's your uniform and boots. Put them on before you go up." As the ranger departed, Cam's gaze returned to the scroll in front of him.

"Damn these things." The samurai ranger tapped the roll of parchment, "They are so damn confusing."

"'Where one Great power resides, more will be found. A journey to be made a second time around.'" The techno whiz read aloud. Throwing down his pen, Cam removed his glasses and rubbed his fatigued eyes.

"What the hell does that mean?" Cam sighed, "Why do these things have to be so cryptic and rhyming? I mean, just stating the facts would make this a whole lot easier."

"Wouldn't that defeat the purpose?" Hayley joked as she pointed to the scroll, "Why is the word 'great' capitalized?" She frowned heavily in thought.

"It must be referring to a specific power." Cam commented. Hayley furrowed her brow.

"I think I've heard Tommy mention a something about a Great Power." Hayley observed, "I'll ask him about it."

xxx

Blake stood with his friends, awaiting the arrival of the Chosen Ranger. In the two minutes the thunder ninja had returned to Blue Bay Harbor, he was given the facts of the situation but absorbed little; his mind was too wracked with worry over Hunter's current state to process what was happening. A quick analysis of his blood showed a negative result, and Blake was torn with guilt that he wasn't suffering with his older brother.

The doors of the dojo flew open, and Blake turned to find Conner McKnight situated in the doorway, surveying his surroundings. Immediately, the motocross pro grew skeptical. He expected a seasoned ranger, someone like Dr. Oliver. Seeing Conner walking towards the group, clad in a ninja uniform, discouraged the thunder ranger. His brother's life lay in the hands of a rookie who had less experience than he did. Blake sighed; the fate of everything they knew lay on the shoulders of a ranger barely out of high school who wore his ninja uniform backward. This was not gonna be easy.

xxx

Conner and Shane stood together, the two reds looking out at the peculiar obstacle before them. Conner was strongly reminded of his high school gym class, only elevated 200 feet in the air. The jock scratched the collar of his ninja uniform, now worn correctly, smiling inwardly at the red and gold trim adorning the edges and the fire emblem on his left breast. This was way different from the jeans and t-shirt he normally wore. Shane glanced sideways at the tall teen.

"One of a ninja's greatest attributes is his or her strength in both mind and body. This part of your training focuses on developing those strengths. It is my job to condition your body and sharpen your mind." Shane surveyed the course he designed for Conner.

"This will not be easy, Conner. This part of your training is probably the most exhausting. Tuning the body and mind is not an easy task." Shane grinned, "You will definitely feel this in the morning." Conner nodded gravely as the wind ranger gestured to the course.

"When you're ready."

Conner took a running start and jumped up onto the rope suspended in front of him. Using the muscles gained from the years of soccer, the red ranger hauled himself up to the top. Swinging hand over hand, Conner made his way across a series of wooden monkey bars. The red ranger pushed away the growing fatigue and swung slightly to give himself momentum, back flipping onto a platform below. Scaling up and over the massive rock wall before him, Conner spied the branch elevated just out of his reach. Pushing off the stand, the jock grabbed the branch and propelled himself to land at Shane's feet.

"Fun, wasn't it?" Conner grunted in reply.

"Glad you feel that way. You're doing it another four times." Conner groaned inwardly. Removing the uniform jacket, the jock determinedly set off on the course again.

Four runs and way too many push-ups and sit-ups for him to count later, Conner entered the earth dojo for weapons training. Dustin grinned at him from the center of the instruction mat, two bamboo training swords grasped in each hand. Dustin's smile widened as Conner approached and handed him a sword.

"Okay, dude. This is the class where you learn how to inflict some serious damage." The yellow ranger raised his sword, "When you are in battle, this weapon is your lifeline, your best friend, and your protector. So you sure as hell better treat it with the same respect." Dustin gazed pointedly at Conner.

"It isn't easy fighting with a weapon, sometimes it's damn near impossible. It's even harder to fight well with a weapon. Hell, it took me forever." Dustin grinned, "Unfortunately, we don't have forever. So I'm gonna give you a crash-course in weaponry. Dude, by the end of your training, you'll handle a weapon like it was an extension of your arm." Dustin chuckled as he settled into a fighting stance, sword up in defense.

"All right, dude, let's see what the good doctor has taught you."

The two rangers circled each other, swords raised at the ready. Conner shifted his feet and went on the attack. Dustin blocked the first two slashes before retaliating with a quick thrust. The jock parried downward coming back with an immediate backward swipe. The earth ninja caught the blow and forced the blade upward. Recovering swiftly, the red ranger went on the defensive, circling around Dustin, searching for an opening.

"Concentrate, Conner." The yellow ranger advised. "Keep your focus on your target and be patient." Given the lack of patience he possessed, Conner did not heed Dustin's words. Hoping the catch the wind ranger by surprise, Conner attempted a wild slash. The bamboo sword hit only thin air, whistling over the spot where Dustin's head was seconds before. From his crouched position, the earth ninja flung out a leg, sweeping the Dino ranger to the ground. Pinning his opponent's sword hand down, Dustin stood over the fallen Conner, his training sword pointed at the soccer player's throat. The earth sensei sighed.

"Dude, if this was a real fight, your ass would be a stuck pig roasting over an open fire." Reaching out a hand, Dustin hefted Conner to his feet.

"This isn't some choreographed Hollywood fight, Conner." Dustin instructed, "You can't waste time or energy with big elaborate moves. Every time you attack, it has to be fast and unexpected, giving your opponent no time to think, let alone react." Dustin gestured to his sword.

"The key to winning with a weapon isn't how hard you hit your opponent but how many times you hit him. The only way you can do that is if every strike you make is quick and with a purpose." Dustin sighed, clapping a head on the red ranger's shoulder.

"Not bad, dude. But we have a lot of work to do." Dustin twirled his sword and settled into a battle-ready stance. Flashing an expectant grin at Conner, the yellow ranger raised an eyebrow.

"Again?"

Conner's gaze shifted from Tori to the task in front of him. The red ranger rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the water ranger, his honey eyes expressing skepticism.

"You're kidding me, right?" The hopefulness in Conner's voice made Tori smile.

"Sorry, Conner. No joke. A ninja must always be swift and agile, quick to react and even quicker to strike. You got lucky, the Dino gem granted you half of it, and your soccer training has helped the other half. However, we need to develop your agility." Tori pointed out to the small moat of water, a series of fragile mats forming a bridge leading to the other side.

"You must be able to move will speed and sureness. When your feet move, they must carry your body in total balance. When you can do that, this should be easy. And no cheating by using your Dino powers." Turning from the red ranger, Tori sprinted across the bridge, the only evidence of her journey in the gently rippling mats. Conner gaped slightly, pondering how the water ranger achieved that task.

Gathering up his wits, Conner backed away from the bank, giving himself a running start. The soccer star pushed off, mounting onto the first mat. About a fourth of the way across, Conner felt the surface slip unsteadily to the side. Loosing his footing, the red ranger plunged head first into the murky waters. Flinging his chocolate locks out of his eyes, Conner emerged, spouting a stream of water from his mouth.

"I knew there was a reason I didn't like water." The Dino ranger muttered. Wading to the bank, Conner hauled his water-laden body out of the moat to begin again.

Five tries later, Conner had made little progress. His frustration building to an unprecedented level, the red ranger clambered up on the bank. With each trail and fail, Conner pulled himself from the water, refusing to admit defeat. Tori watched on, her respect growing with each time the red ranger started again. But still, a thought nagged the water ranger. If Conner was not able to master the skills they were attempting to teach him, how would that impact their near future?

Conner dashed into the water dojo where Blake stood waiting, a disapproving scowl adorning his face. Conner skidded to a stop in front of the thunder ranger.

"You're late." Blake bit out, frowning heavily. Conner hunched over, breathing heavily.

"Yeah, sorry. I had to change. My uniform was soaked."

Blake waved away the red ranger's explanation dismissively, "Okay, Conner. Here you learn the defensive strategy that will never fail you even when your weapon does. When you are stripped of your weapon, which I predict will happen often, your hands will become your last line of defense. How long you survive in a fight depends on how well you can defend yourself in open-hand combat." Blake paced in front of the red ranger.

"Hand to hand combat is the trickiest of confrontations. You must always be aware." The navy ranger whirled suddenly, unleashing a tornado kick that parted the strands of Conner's hair as the jock narrowly ducked the blow.

"And always expect the unexpected." Blake eased into a fighting stance, "Okay, Rookie. Let's see what you've got."

Conner, eager to accept his challenge and prove his worth, advanced quickly on the navy ranger. The soccer star lashed out with a sudden right jab. Blake parried the blow, shifting to his left. Catching the red ranger's wrist, the motocross pro forced Conner's arm downward, flipping him head over heels. The jock landed heavily on his back, and Blake hovered over the fallen ranger.

"Rule number one: never attack first." Blake shook his head disgruntled, "You can't just rush into a fight. Always be wary and cautious." Blake motioned for Conner to stand.

"Let's try again." Conner hauled himself to his feet, annoyed at the thunder ranger's blatant aggravation expressed, as if the navy ninja expected he would fail. The assumption fueled the Chosen ranger's determination but also ignited his doubt. What if he didn't succeed?

Sensei Wantanabe kneeled in the main dojo, awaiting the arrival of the red ranger, his senses in tuned to his surroundings. As the Chosen ranger entered, Sensei listened to his feelings. Conner was in helpless turmoil, emotions waging war disrupting the harmony of his life force. Kanoi could sense doubt, frustration, anxiety all coursing through the red ranger's body. These emotions could be quelled with little difficulty, but Sensei could sense one emotion raging through Conner that could only be eased on the jock's own accord: the agony of withheld passion. Of all the feelings a human could experience, love was the emotion that connected everything, allowing a ninja's life force to flow freely. In order for Conner to truly be in tune with his life force and in control of the powers he possessed, he would have to release his passion. Until he did, everything would stay out of balance, and his elemental power would not be able to be harnessed.

Conner kneeled in front of the wind sensei, awaiting his instruction. Kanoi sat quietly, his eyes closed, breathing steadily, and his body at complete ease. In drastic contrast to the mentor, Conner fidgeted, his apprehension causing chaos.

"Close your eyes, Conner, and concentrate. Breathe deeply and relax." The wind sensei's soft voice startled the red ranger. The jock obeyed, trying to push the doubt out of his mind.

"What do you see?"

Conner's brow furrowed as beads of sweat ran down his forehead, his eyes clenched shut, focusing intensely. Tension wrought his strong shoulders, and the soccer star fought to ease himself. As he focused, a single image materialized in his mind, bright against the dark background of his closed eyes.

"A…bird. Like a falcon or something but with fire coming out of his tail."

Sensei's voice drifted to Conner's ears, "What you see is a phoenix, your guardian animal spirit. Listen to what it says, it will guide you. Open your eyes."

A candle lay before the soccer star, its white wick protruding prominently against the deep crimson of the wax. Sensei spoke quietly, the voice floating in the dim light of the dojo.

"Now, Conner, focus you mind. Tap into your powers and light the candle." Conner's eyes drifted shut as he centered his thoughts to the task at hand. But in the confines of closed eyes, the doubt resurfaced, mocking the teenage. Desperation conquered Conner's fragile conscience, and the red ranger could hear the sardonic laughter at his inevitable letdown.

Without warning, a towering inferno erupted, dousing the candle in scorching heat, throwing Conner back with the force. The red ranger lifted himself to his elbows, coughing slightly from the smoke, his attractive features smudged with soot. Sensei sighed. With a slight wave of his hand, the mentor quelled the flames with a gust of wind and gazed at the red ranger.

"Do you know why you weren't able to light the candle, Conner?"

Conner shook his head slowly, "No, sir."

Sensei's kind face smiled gently. This was a challenge the Chosen ranger was responsible for finding himself. It was not his place to tell.

"We'll leave it right there for today. But keep this in mind Conner: When the tortoise retreats into his shell, it is to protect his vulnerable core. However, inside his shell, the tortoise is oblivious to what is around him." Kanoi rose and patted Conner on the shoulder.

"Get some rest. Training starts again tomorrow."

Conner rose, befuddled. Staring vaguely at his instructor, the red ranger exited the dojo, each step piling another layer of doubt on himself. Cam entered the dojo floor and glanced questioningly at his father.

"Do you really think he can do it, Dad?"

Sensei inclined his head, "There is no doubt in my mind Conner is capable of succeeding. But he is suffering, son. Suppressed emotions tear apart all hearts, chosen or otherwise. He must let his concealed passions out."

xxx

The Chosen ranger entered the den of his house, Sensei's words ringing strongly in his mind. If his crush on Kira was way beyond his comprehension, Sensei's obscure analogies to random animals was rocket science. As he made his way down the den stairs, reminders of the exertion of his earlier workouts began to make their painful presence known. Conner winced as his foot left the last stair. Shane wasn't kidding; he would definitely feel this tomorrow.

A loud crash started the three Dino rangers lounging comfortably from their earlier workout. Their heads whirled to find Conner extracting his foot from a garbage can, spouting an excessive amount of curses. Exhausted, the red ranger slumped on the couch between Ethan and Kira. Grinning, the blue ranger clapped a hand on his best friend's shoulder.

"Hey, Jockboy. How'd training go?" As Ethan's hand landed heavily on the jock's shoulder, Conner let out a hiss of pain, agony shooting down his arm. Sheepishly, the computer gamer retracted his hand, sensing the soreness he inadvertently caused.

"That bad, huh?" Dr. O. remarked.

"Mesogog's monsters have nothing on this training regimen." Came the reply from under the pile of arms Conner held over his face.

"What did you do?" Ethan inquired, shocked at the slumped form of his teammate.

Conner's body fell back against the soft cushions of the couch, wishing the pillows would absorb the constant ache assailing his body. The jock groaned and shook his head.

"I don't remember much. All I know is I got my ass kicked from here to next Tuesday."

"Yeah, you look like crap." Kira mused as she peered closely at her best friend, "And what's that on your face?" Kira gently turned Conner's face from side to side.

"Is that…soot?"

With what energy Conner had left, he allowed his head to bob up and down, "Yeah, I had a bit of trouble with the fire exercise Sensei had me do." The soccer star admitted sheepishly.

Dr. O. quirked an eyebrow, "Define 'a bit of trouble'."

Conner's head lowered awkwardly, "Uh, I blew up the candle I was supposed to light." His teammates all shared a look of amusement, and Kira shook with suppressed laughter.

A harsh snicker knifed through the room, "Personally, I'm not surprised. He can barely tie his shoes, let alone light a candle." As the Dino ranger's heads whipped to the source of the outburst, Conner felt his heart plummet to settle in the pit of his stomach. The familiar figure strode towards the group, smiling smugly. With each step towards them, the red ranger felt his heart writhe with another convulsion of agony. The vice grip on the muscle only tightened as Kira's face split into a wide, delighted grin.

"Trent!"

Coming Up:

Conner's hostility towards Trent hits the fan

A pair of baby blues open at last

A mystery surrounds a former ranger

Hokey day, there was the fifth chapter. I'm sorry if its taking long for the journey to happen but I have a lot to cover before we get there. Don't worry, I promise it's gonna get good once I get there. If you noticed, there was a metaphor to a tortise in one of Sensei's speeches. Free sneak peeks at the next chapter for anyone who can guess correctly what I meant by that!

Roxie