Prelude (from the very end of Thunder Strangers part 3):

Sand and rock crunched under Hunter's boots. Water lapped impatiently against the shore beside him, crashing forward in foamy waves then sliding back out to sea. An emerald peninsula jutted out in front of Hunter and Blake, creating a small barrier between them and the misty mountains that loomed mysteriously beyond it. Hunter looked over at Blake, who was walking silently by his side. He returned Hunter's glance and grinned half-heartedly. Hunter sighed. 'Oh, the road ahead,' he thought.

**************

Sitting alone on the small cliff, he stared out over the valley, filled with green vegetation and scattered with birds. He stuck his jaw out and squinted against the angry tears stinging his crystalline eyes. Betrayed. The word ran through his head in a million directions at once. Betrayed... by the one he had put his trust in... most of it anyway. And now nothing was left but anger and hurt. A bird landed on a nearby tree branch. He watched its shadow flutter, distorted against the grass. If only he could have talked to his foster parents a little longer. Why did their apparitions in the Cave of Spirits have to leave so quickly? He sighed irritably.

"Hunter?" the familiar voice came unexpectedly from behind him. Blake stepped onto the cliff. "It was Lothor all along. I can't believe it..."

Hunter looked down at his hands, which were balled into tight fists. He sniffed and blinked the tears away. "I can."

"Well," Blake said, sitting down next to his friend and foster brother, "we could always go to the Wind Rangers."

"Them," Hunter scoffed. "They don't trust us. They don't want to see us."

"You mean YOU don't want to see THEM."

"We don't need help, and we certainly don't need their pathetic attempt at sympathy." Hunter looked up at the scenery which lay before him once more. "They don't know the half of it."

"That's no reason to shut them out, bro. They just want to help us."

"You just have a thing for that blonde chick, don't you? Well? Isn't that it?" Hunter snapped angrily.

Blake said nothing.

"I knew it."

"Bro, we don't have anyone else to turn to! Where else can we go? We can't camp out on this mountain forever!"

"Are you serious? Risk being betrayed AGAIN? Fine! If you want to join them, then by all means, GO AHEAD!" Hunter jumped to his feet and stormed off into the forest. Thunder rumbled faintly in the distance.

Blake sat for a moment longer. Then, sighing, he stood and went after Hunter.

**************

"You're ridiculous!" Kapri laughed. "Sometimes I can't even believe we're RELATED!"

"Well what was I supposed to say? You and Uncle never told ME that Uncle was really the one who killed the Thunder Rangers' parents! That's not MY fault!"

"Oh, silly silly Marah..." Kapri shook her head in mock-pitty. "Of course we didn't tell you! Look how you reacted when you finally DID learn the truth! If we had told you from the start, you probably would've spilled the beans to the Thunder Rangers... accidentally. And we certainly couldn't have THAT!"

"I would not have!!! You should have told me the truth! Even Zurgane knew! And he's not even family!" Marah pointed to herself, "I AM!"

Kapri rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"URRGGG!" Marah screamed in frustration before storming out of the room. She was so angry at everyone! Why hadn't they told her? They could have told her, but they didn't trust her enough? Was that really the reason? Being born into a genetically evil family, Marah's temper was easily aroused, and this made her blood absolutely boil.

"Why hello, Mar-" Zurgane started upon passing her in the hall. Marah just shoved past him angrily and speed-walked the rest of the distance to her room.

Once inside, she sat down loudly and "humphed", resting her chin in cupped hands. She would never forgive them, she thought defiantly to herself. Never never. She'd hold it against them for always. 'That'll show them for lying to me.' She was on the bad team, but she couldn't help feeling a little sorry for the Thunder Rangers. After all, Marah thought with a touch of pride, her sister and uncle had played them extremely well. And something else troubled Marah, slightly, very deep down. Something about the way the Thunder Rangers had been the shining stars of her Uncle's space fortress, the key component in Uncle's evil plans. So quickly the whole ship had turned on them. There wasn't even the slightest hint of hesitation from anyone. It was perfectly normal for them all. Was Marah the only one that hadn't known? The only one who felt a little hesitation? Was she just not smart enough to know the truth? Not evil enough? She'd never fit in. Kapri would always be Uncle's favorite, always the one to do everything right. Marah was younger, only second best in comparison to her sister. She could never do anything right- or better than Kapri, it seemed. Nope, Marah sighed, she would always be the misfit of the family.

*************
ok so that's just a little taste of what my story will be like. basically, the thunder rangers will have to figure out what path they're lives need to take. marah will EVENTUALLY become an ally of sorts. and as for that infamous green ranger that is supposedly going to be introduced to the show later on? well, i've got my OWN ideas about who that will be.... hope no one hates my expanding on marah and making her into my own character. please r&r!!! and no flames! (also, a possible romance in the future... heh. and i might even brave a tricky love triangle on top of that- Blake, Tori, Dustin... maybe)