Poison

Chapter Seven

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

Author's Note: Hey all. Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I have a project currently going on, and it's been taking up all of my creativity. Also, I'm not so sure these characters are very good

Replies to reviews:

Jorgitosbabe: Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you liked it . Here's the next chapter

garnetred: Well, you'll find out more in this chapter . I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and thanks for reviewing

Cally froze, feeling the dread like a hard lump in her chest. "Faye…" she began.

"Remember, you can't get mad at me," the orange light ranger responded.

"Faye, don't you remember what happened when I did use it?" Cally demanded, starting walking again just so that she wouldn't look really stupid to people who were on the opposite side to the ear she was holding her mobile up to. And, also, so that she was less likely to give anything away about her being a Power Ranger. "You, Blake, and Lila were exhausted."

"Cally…" Faye began.

"Faye, it scared me," the violet light ranger interrupted her friend. "Please don't make me do this." She sounded pathetic, but she didn't care. If it was at all possible, she wanted to get out of using her catalyst ability. It really wasn't fun, and was more trouble than it was worth, being dangerous to herself and her friends.

Faye was silent for a long moment. Then, finally, "I don't think that there's any other choice, Cal. I'm sorry. I'd prefer otherwise as well. It wasn't much fun to have all of my energy yanked out of me like that."

"Faye, I'll think about it," Cally said after a moment. "But I'm not going to make any promises. If there's any other way, I'd much prefer to take that."

"I know," Faye sighed. She paused, then asked softly, "How are you holding up, Cally? I mean, Dustin's in hospital, and you've pretty much lost your ranger abilities, at least for the time being."

Cally heard what Faye was not saying – she was worried about whether Cally was going to lose it again. The violet light ranger was somewhat touched by her friend's concern, but it bothered her as well that Faye seemed unable to really trust her not to try and take her life again.

I suppose I can understand her feelings, Cally thought with a sigh. To a certain extent, she's right. I can't just stop feeling depressed. It doesn't work like that. But I'm getting there.

"Cally?" Faye sounded worried.

The violet light ranger pulled herself out of her thoughts. "Sorry," she responded. "I guess I'm all right. I mean, I am worried about Dustin, and, without my ranger abilities, I feel like I'm missing a part of myself… But I'm trying to cope with it." Cally hesitated, then continued, "I met Dustin's mother at the hospital. I didn't know what to say to her, though. I'm not like you, Faye. I don't know what to say to try and make people feel better."

"No, you're you," Faye replied. "And that's enough, Cally. No matter how much you may feel otherwise."

Before Cally could say anything to that, Faye had hung up.

Cally looked at her mobile, and then put it away with a soft sigh.

"Bro, are you going to be all right if I go to Storm Chargers and help out there?" Hunter asked, standing in the doorway of his brother's room.

The navy thunder ranger looked up, his eyes dark with pain and with dark circles under them. He clearly hadn't slept much the last night, if at all.

Hunter could understand how his brother felt. They had gone through that pain when their parents had been murdered. Hunter had wanted to spare his brother from feeling that pain again, but he now couldn't even try to spare his brother some of the pain by sharing it with him – Tori had been Blake's girlfriend.

The fact that Tori wasn't actually dead didn't count for anything. She might as well have been. She was in hospital, and Cam was trying his best to find anything that could help her, but the green samurai ranger wasn't having much luck.

Blake wiped at his eyes, and slowly nodded. "I'll be fine," he mumbled. He wanted to cry more, but he felt like he had no tears left. His eyes were gritty and felt dry.

"Are you sure?" Hunter asked with a worried frown. "I don't mind staying here with you if you'd rather not be alone." The crimson thunder ranger was extremely worried about Blake.

"Yes, I'm sure," Blake replied. "Just go. And give Kelly my apologies, please."

"Sure," Hunter said. He watched his brother for a few more moments, then, with a soft sigh, he walked out of the room.

After a few moments, Blake heard the front door bang, clearly indicating that Hunter had just left.

Blake knew that he should probably do something to take his mind off of the situation with Tori, but he didn't really feel like doing anything. He was too worried about Tori, and about Hunter, to a certain extent. Something was attacking the people of Blue Bay Harbour, and it meant that no one was safe until the attacker was identified, at the very least.

Blake gave a soft sigh. It wasn't just the fact that a lot of people were being poisoned. Cally had been attacked by a strange black ranger, and her morpher had been all but destroyed. It was quite possible that there could be other attacks by the dark ranger, especially if they were working for Lothor.

Blake suddenly heard a loud bang coming from downstairs. He didn't immediately worry about it, thinking that it was perhaps Hunter coming back in because he had forgotten something.

However, Blake thought that he should probably go down, in case Hunter needed any help. Besides, he could always go with his brother to Storm Chargers. Just so that he had something to do.

Blake got off his bed, and made his way downstairs and into the living room, where he could hear someone moving around.

There was a black Power Ranger standing in the middle of the room. As Blake entered, the ranger turned round, raising gloved fists.

Blake dropped into a fighting stance.

As far as Dustin was concerned, he and Tori were the only full beings around. He hadn't seen any others. It didn't really bother him, though. It was enough for just him and Tori to be there.

Tori still seemed to be having problems adjusting to the transition, though. She had wanted to go and see the couple who had once been her parents. Dustin had agreed, hoping that the sight of them would be enough to 'shock' Tori into properly adjusting to what she was now.

It had worked to a certain extent, but Tori was still having problems.

"I don't understand how you can just accept this change so easily," the former blue wind ranger said with a frown. "Don't you care about the others? They were our friends, before."

"They're different," Dustin answered with a shrug. "We're not like them anymore. There's no reason for us to care."

Tori hesitated, and then sighed. "I suppose you're right," she admitted, her voice soft. "It feels… odd to watch them, knowing that they are only halves. But are we the only ones like this?"

"I'm pretty certain that we're not," Dustin replied, even though he had just been wondering the same thing. "The others are probably all in their own little groups. We're not the only ones."

Tori nodded slowly, and then sat down on the ground next to Dustin. The two former Power Rangers looked at each other for a moment, and then one of them moved, and their lips met.

"Hey, Hunter," Lila said as she walked into Storm Chargers behind Peter, who was apparently looking for some more equipment for his bike.

The crimson thunder ranger had been moving some boxes around, but he then walked over to Lila, having finished for the time being. "Hello," he replied.

"How's Blake?" Lila questioned.

"Sad," Hunter responded, shrugging slightly. "He misses Tori."

"Yeah… I think I can understand how he feels," Lila murmured, watching as Peter spoke briefly to Kelly.

Hunter gave Lila a slightly startled look, but then lowered his head slightly. He guessed that Lila was thinking of when he and Peter had been turned into vampires. It wasn't really the same, though. He and Peter hadn't been really close to death – only changed drastically.

"Hunter…" Lila began.

Hunter looked at the silver silk ranger. "What is it?" he wanted to know.

Lila bit her lip slightly, then, "You'll be careful… Won't you?"

"Sure," Hunter replied. He then jerked a bit as his communicator went off.

Read and review, please!

Erk… Sorry if it doesn't make much sense. I'll try to do better next time, promise!