PLEASE VOTE: Who should Hunter end up with? Take just a moment to vote in this poll at the top of my profile page. Remember, you can also make your opinion known by reviewing. Currently, Cam is leading, though I have to say that, personally, I didn't really want to do that pairing... But I'll go with whoever the most votes go to.
rogue-ranger .deviantart .com (take out spaces) Go there and see all kinds of crazy stuff, including some really awesome Dustin pics!
Author's Notes: I re-watched the episode The Wild Wipeout to get another sense of how the other versions of each character act. Also, it's a fun episode. I don't focus much on Hunter in this chapter. In fact, the person I focus on the most is Dustin. So, yes, still not sticking solely to Tobi's perspective. I hope this style is working out.
Oh, and Ghostwriter pointed out that it wasn't clear that Circuit had been put in a new body. I've tried to make it clearer in here, but, yes, Circuit was an owl, but all that was left was a memory panel when he sacrificed himself, so he now has a golden moth's body (thanks to Goldwinger). Also, I don't write the summaries of the previous chapters just for fun. They help not only remind you of what happened last time, but also sum up any important stuff that you might have missed or might not have been clear. As always, please let me know not only what you like and want to see, but also if anything is not clear. Thanks!
A recent review by abovetheodds made me start to look back through some previous chapters and I started noticing a lot of little errors here and there. Now, I was just skimming random chapters, so I can only imagine it's worse than what I found. My proofing process is simply me typing up what I wrote in my notebook, so obviously it leaves errors. I want to know this: Have I improved? Are there less errors in more recent chapters than previous ones? Also, do you think it's worth going back through all the chapters to fix the errors?
Attention Reviewers! Please let me know if you have already voted in the Hunter poll so that I do not double count your opinion on this pairing. Thanks!
Thanks Ghostwriter for not only the review but also pointing out the whole Circuit being an owl thing. I've tried to make this clear in the author's note (see above).
Thanks YellowPrincess for all the praises for the last chapter! Strawberry is my favorite fruit flavor for ice cream besides cherry. I didn't really do anything with Hunter/Tori in here because I dealt mostly with Dustin, Tobi and the evil rangers. I really don't know how the poll regarding who Hunter should end up with will turn out, so you never know… Anyway, I have to apologize in advance for what happens to Marah in this chapter…
Thanks griffin blackwood for your continued reviews and encouragement! I figured you'd appreciate a little "brotherly love" in the last chapter. I guess we'll have to see who Hunter ends up with. I'm willing to do a three way with Hunter, Blake and Tori. I have a plan for the chapter after this one to bring TZ Dustin and Hunter together, but then I have to deal with TZ Dustin's "issues" first. It was fun to do things with the alternate versions of characters (like Alyssa) while it lasted…
Thanks Ruon jian for your love of the last chapter! I'm glad that I was able to create good character interactions. As far as TZ Hunter, I tried to reveal a bit of his personality in this chapter. Again, I try to base their personalities on the episode The Wild Wipeout. The difference, though, is that the evil rangers can change and evolve more than the good rangers. And, lastly, you got those Dustin in Heat updates you asked for, but I'll see if I feel inspired to write more smut.
Thanks FinalJudgement for the all caps encouragement! I needed it when trying to come up with this chapter. And, yes, Tobi's background is vital, especially since the chapter after this I plan to reference it at least a couple times. As for Tori meeting a guy named Tori, you're right that she's nice, so that kind of limits the effect. Plus, I can't have her fall for the guy because (while it would be strange) it would really complicate things. I hope things aren't too complicated as is…
Previously in Parallel Realities Ninja Storm:
Hunter still loves Dustin, but wants him and Tori to be happy together. While discussing his feelings with Tori, the two almost kiss. Blake witnesses this, but Tori assures him that she cares for both brothers. Meanwhile, Dustin and Tori have pizza ice cream and lick each other, resulting in clean faces but messy shorts. Goldwinger has Perry make a mechanical moth to replace the mechanical owl Circuit and he and Ryan convince the Bradley brothers to share a public display of affection. Meanwhile, Hunter convinces Cam that the overthinking green ranger might not be as heterosexual as he initially believed. After saying their goodbyes, alien Power Rangers land and make it so that Tori can morph into the gold Power Ranger. And, as the rangers leave with Destiny, Skyla, Cam's mother, grumpy Sensei and the new Phoenix Zord, Geo hops onto the departing Zords, forcing Marah and Kapri to follow as the group are transported back to their dimension...
Parallel Realities Ninja Storm: Chapter 33 (Back With A Vengeance)
The park was quiet and strangely empty when a sudden flash of light filled the sky. A red Hawk Zord immediately flew out from the light, followed by a blue Dolphin Zord, gold Moth Zord, gold Phoenix Zord and lastly and largest, the massive Thunder Megazord. And, with the Zords now in the center of an eerily similar park, the vortex to the dimension they had just come from flickered closed. They were home.
The occupants of the various Zords streaked to the ground, looking around.
"I for one am glad to be back," Tori was the first to say.
"So am I, but check it out," Shane said, drawing the group's attention to a Zord battle in the distance.
"So that's the Zord fight Goldwinger was talking about," Cam commented.
"Dude, the Zords are fighting… each other?" Dustin asked, still holding Destiny in his arms.
In the distance, their home dimension's Thunder Megazord and Wind Megazord were fighting against each other in the rock quarry outside the city.
"Rangers, look!" Circuit in the form of a gold moth said, gesturing with a wing toward the city.
The others squinted to see something large stomping through Blue Bay Harbor.
"It looks like an enlarged alien," Cam's mother suggested.
"Why are these guys fighting each other instead of Lothor's monster?" Blake asked.
"I don't know," Cam replied.
"Why would the alien attack the town?" Skyla asked Shane.
Shane cocked his head to the side, grinning. "I guess there's a lot left to explain."
Suddenly Goldwinger's Moth Zord began to glow behind them. Then, as it flickered and sparkled, it vanished. When it was gone, its absence revealed three figures standing behind it.
"Marah?" Dustin asked, approaching her, Kapri and Geo.
Marah offered him an embarrassed look.
"See, like, Geo ran off and we followed," Kapri quickly explained.
"I didn't want you to go," Geo added.
"He missed you," Marah offered, watching Dustin in a way that said she missed him too.
Tobi looked between the two and couldn't help but sigh silently.
"Looks like your cousins get into trouble in any dimension," Shane commented to Cam with a sideways grin.
"We're your cousins?" Marah asked, approaching Cam.
"Well, technically…" Cam began.
"Maybe you'd rather these were your cousins instead," Hunter suggested.
Cam looked at him for a moment. "Yes, alright, you're my cousins," Cam agreed, making a faint groan as Kapri skipped over to him.
"I always wanted a smart cousin!" Kapri cooed. "You are the smart one, right?"
Cam covered his face, shaking his head while Shane and Hunter couldn't help but chuckle.
"Of course he's the smart one," Marah told her.
"Poor Cam," Tori whispered to Tobi.
"If they start singing again, I'm sending them back myself," grumpy Sensei warned.
"They sing?" Cam's mother asked her husband.
"Picture cats being slowly tortured," he explained from atop her shoulder.
"Hey, our singing isn't that bad," Marah insisted.
"Yeah," Dustin agreed, looking at the others for backup.
"Uh, let's just get this thing moving," Shane interrupted. "Cam, I'm guessing we need to take back Ninja Ops first?"
"Yes, that would be the best plan," Cam agreed, "especially with our counterparts being busy." He gestured toward the Zord battle.
"Rangers, we should not neglect Lothor's monster," Sensei spoke up from atop Cam's shoulder. "Some of you should engage it while Cameron restores control of Ninja Ops."
"We'll do that," Hunter immediately offered, nodding to his brother.
"Shane and Tori," Sensei addressed, "use your Zords to assist Hunter and Blake."
The two nodded. "Yes, Sensei."
"Can I help?" Circuit offered.
"Actually, yes," Cam agreed.
"What about me?" Dustin asked.
"You can help Circuit and me take back Ninja Ops," Cam offered. "I'm not sure what the other you has set up and I may need your help."
Dustin grinned widely. "Dude, I'm like super good at helping." Then he looked down at Destiny. "What about the others?" he asked, bobbing his head toward Marah, Kapri, Geo, Skyla and Cam's mother. "We can't leave them here."
"They might turn into hostages," Shane added, holding onto Skyla.
"I'll take them… someplace," Tobi offered. "Maybe that sporting goods store you guys were in when I first came to this dimension. I'd never been there before that day, so I'm pretty sure my sister and her friends don't know about it."
"Storm Chargers. Yeah, Kelly's awesome," Dustin agreed, grinning at Tobi. "She'll help."
"Dustin, don't you think that's a bit much to ask of her?" Tori suggested.
"It's not like… permanent," he pointed out. "They're not moving in."
"I'll just try to keep them out of trouble," Tobi said, taking Destiny from Dustin.
"Good luck with that," Hunter commented.
"Actually, Tobi," Cam spoke up. "I was hoping you could provide a… distraction just in case my entering Ninja Ops alerts them."
"You want me to keep them in their Zords?" Tobi asked. "How?"
"You have a Zord," Cam suggested.
"But what if he's hurt?" Tori immediately interrupted. "Those are our Megazords."
"Don't worry," Cam assured her. "The armor of the Phoenix Zord should withstand anything they throw at him. Besides, I don't plan on taking that long."
Dustin put an arm around Tobi.
"I'll be okay," Tobi promised them. "After all, I'm a Power Ranger and the only one who can morph until the others demorph."
"So true!" Dustin agreed, offering Tobi a high five.
Tobi handed Destiny to Marah and returned the high five.
"Dude, that's how we say we love each other," Dustin whispered to Shane.
Shane raised an eyebrow. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Rangers, assume your positions," Sensei ordered, somersaulting onto Cam's mother's shoulder opposite grumpy Sensei. "I will lead the others to Storm Chargers."
"Be careful, dad," Cam told him.
"You too, be careful," Skyla told Shane.
"I'll be fine," Shane replied, offering her a hug before she joined Cam's mother.
"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form!" Tobi declared, immediately morphing into the gold ranger.
"Dude, I still think that's so awesome!' Dustin cheered.
"You're not the only one!" Tobi agreed.
"This is your first mission as a Power Ranger," Hunter told Tobi. "Good luck."
"Thanks," Tobi replied.
"Yeah, go kick their butts!" Dustin cheered before noticing the others giving him odd looks. He ran a hand through his wavy hair. "I mean, like go distract them," he offered.
Tobi patted Dustin's arm. "I love you, Dustin."
Dustin stared at Tobi's helmet as if willing himself to have x-ray vision. "I love you too, TZT."
Tobi stared at him from behind his helmet.
"What?" Dustin asked.
"It's just that I've been waiting my whole life for this moment," he explained.
"When you became a Power Ranger," Dustin realized. "Yeah, I know. I felt the same way."
"More than that," Tobi told him. "I've been waiting my whole life for you to tell me you love me." He then nodded toward Dustin before streaking up into the Phoenix Zord.
Dustin just watched him go with glossy eyes.
"You okay?" Tori asked him.
"Yeah," Dustin replied. "I should have told him a long time ago."
"You didn't know how you felt yet," she pointed out.
"Nah, I think I always knew…" he whispered.
Tori glanced at Hunter, but he just looked to his brother before the two streaked up to their Megazord.
"Let's go," Shane told Tori, who just nodded before entering her Zord as he entered his.
"When we reach the city, please do not speak," Sensei warned grumpy Sensei.
"Afraid he'll stick his little foot in his mouth?" Cam's mother suggested with a laugh.
"Guinea pigs do not talk in this dimension," Sensei explained.
Cam's mother and her husband exchanged glances. "Their loss," grumpy Sensei commented.
"Do guinea pigs wear clothes here?" Skyla asked.
"Ah, good point," Sensei agreed, looking to his counterpart.
"There is no way I'm going nude!" grumpy Sensei protested.
"But don't you have fur?" Marah pointed out.
"Maybe they could be stuffed animals," Geo suggested.
"Oh! And stuffed animals wear clothes!" Kapri added.
"Why do I get the feeling there's no way this is going to work?" Cam's mother asked herself as the group set out.
Meanwhile, Cam turned to Dustin. "We'll streak to Ninja Ops and you'll enter first."
Dustin nodded. "Uh huh," he agreed, watching the Phoenix Zord as it took off.
"Ready?" Cam asked, watching Dustin's gaze.
"Yeah," Dustin agreed, turning back to him and smiling.
The two streaked off as the remaining Zords headed toward the city, where the giant alien was stomping around.
Tobi found piloting the Phoenix Zord easy, but it was a good thing that he didn't need to use weapons because that part he wasn't sure about. He'd have to ask Cam later. His dimension's Dustin might also know. He briefly wondered if that Dustin would turn good and, if he did, what that would mean to him. After all, that was the Dustin he'd known the longest. But that wasn't the Dustin he loved.
He shook off his thoughts and dove down, tilting sideways and passing right between the two fighting Megazords. As expected, they paused to watch him. Then, unexpectedly, the two Megazords that had been battling each other only moments before, both began attacking his Zord together.
Tobi found himself spinning back toward the ground from a sudden impact, but he quickly managed to regain control before—blast!—a beam of electricity from the Thunder Megazord hit his Zord. He needed those weapons about now. He didn't want to hurt them on the off chance that they turned good and because his sister was probably in there somewhere, but he wanted to at least keep them from beating up on his new Zord.
As a sword from the Wind Megazord slashed down on his Phoenix Zord, Tobi aimed for the ground and pressed a random yellow button.
Instantly, the ground under the Megazords began crumbling, causing the two massive metal machines to lose their balance and fall over.
And, with that, he knew he'd found at least one distraction. His first mission as a Power Ranger was going smoothly so far.
Meanwhile, Dustin and Cam streaked to Ninja Ops, where Cam motioned for Dustin to enter first while he stayed behind with Circuit. As Dustin descended down into the dimly lit room, it seemed empty and there certainly weren't any alarms blaring or anything like that. "Cam," he whispered, raising his morpher. "I think it's—"
Just then, Cam entered the room from another entrance.
"Hey, how'd you do that?" Dustin asked, looking from Cam back to the main entrance he'd just come from.
"Do what, D-Man?" Cam asked. "So, you guys done playing around because I just found a sick DVD collection."
Dustin just stared at him. "Oh, I get it," he realized. "Cyber Cam."
"Is that your new nickname for me?" Cam asked curiously.
Dustin scrunched up his face in confusion until finally it sunk in. "I, uh," he mumbled. "I'll get the others."
"Cool, man," Cam agreed. "I'll look for popcorn. No movie time without popcorn."
Dustin nodded, agreeing with this Cam's logic before running back out the entrance. Once he was on the surface, he looked around. "Cam?" he whispered. "Dude, where'd you go?"
"He's over here," Circuit offered as Cam emerged from behind the debris that still littered the surface around Ninja Ops.
"What did you find?" Cam asked. "Did it need your handprint to enter?"
"Nah, dude, it's all open for business," Dustin explained, "and check this out: The other you is there."
"Is he alone?" Cam asked.
"Yeah, he's just like getting popcorn because obviously you can't have movie night without popcorn," he explained.
Cam just stared at him.
Dustin gave him a worried look. "Dude, don't tell me you don't like popcorn."
Cam blinked at him. "I like popcorn just fine, but was he morphed?"
Dustin snapped his fingers. "No," he admitted. "You think the others aren't morphed either?" He immediately called, "Ninja Storm, Ranger Form!" but he didn't morph. 'Aw, man."
Cam removed the amulet from around his neck and it immediately enlarged. "Samurai Storm, Ranger Form!" Instantly, he morphed and turned to Dustin. "Now let's take over Ninja Ops."
"Who are we taking it back from?" Circuit asked.
"There are going to be two of each of us in this dimension," Cam explained. "I'm hoping the programing I added to your memory panel will keep you loyal to us."
"I'm loyal to the Power Rangers," Circuit offered. "Is that good enough?"
Cam sighed. "I hope so." He glanced at Dustin, who seemed to be thinking something. Before he could ask, Dustin spoke up.
"Can we watch a movie and have popcorn when we're done?" Dustin asked. "That'd be sweet. Kinda like a reward, you know?"
Cam glared at him from behind his helmet. "Let's stay focused here."
"Oh, yeah, right," Dustin agreed. "Ninja time!"
"Right," Cam replied as the three entered Ninja Ops.
The combination of the Thunder Megazord working in tandem with the Hawk and Dolphin Zords was keeping Lothor's giant monster on its toes, but the big nosed creature kept focusing its attacks on the two smaller Zords, gradually wearing them down.
"Guys, you think we can combine without Dustin's Zord?" Hunter asked from inside the Thunder Megazord.
"It's definitely worth a try," Shane said as his Hawk Zord was whipped around by a massive tentacle.
Several mechanical clanks and whirling sounds could be heard as the two smaller Zords began combining with the lager Megazord's arms. It wasn't much, but it gave the rangers the added power they needed. That is, until a giant gob of snot shot out of the monster's oversized nose, temporarily blinding the Megazord and leaving it open to being wrapped up in the monster's tentacles.
"We're being crushed like a soda can, bro," Blake commented.
"Tor, spray the thing and you'll get that gunk off and distract it," Shane suggested.
"Oh it," Tori agreed, spraying water from the mouth of her Dolphin Zord.
The creature stumbled backward and, the Megazord's view now clear, it took aim and shot lightning at the monster. Before the thing could recover, the Megazord used its opposite arm and attached Hawk Zord to shoot a ball of fire at the overgrown monster.
The battle wasn't over, but they had at least managed to turn the tables and that was defiantly something.
Kelly was doing inventory, since the store was pretty much empty due to the fact that a rogue monster was attacking the city, when she looked up to see a group of what must have been the strangest customers she had yet encountered. And she dealt with extreme sports enthusiasts, so that was saying something.
Two of them had long hair (one cotton candy pink) and looked like hippies. In front of them was a small boy trying to wear a dog as a hat. Behind them stood a young woman who looked like she might be into hiking and maybe even had a legitimate reason to be there if not for the fact that next to her was an older Asian woman with two ginea pigs in robes, one on each of her shoulders.
"Can I… help you?" Kelly asked slowly.
The group then turned to look at the woman with fuzzy shoulder pads. But, she decided to turn to one of the guinea pigs. She opened her mouth, as if about to ask it a question before stopping herself. "We just needed a place to hide out," she finally said.
"Oh," Kelly replied, "from the monster. Doesn't one of you have a house?"
"It's in another dimension," Marah explained.
Kelly stared at her blankly.
"She means it was… crushed by the big alien out there," Cam's mother suggested.
"Alright," Kelly agreed, eying them suspiciously, "but you can only stay until the store closes. Then, all I can do is recommend a good hotel."
"Thank you," Skyla said, obviously sincerely meaning it.
Kelly led the group over to an alcove with seats and a television.
"Do you get the sewing channel?" Kapri asked.
Kelly stared at her. "This is an extreme sports store. We get extreme sports channels."
"I didn't know you took up sewing," Marah cooed.
"I just started," Kapri explained excitedly.
"We should sew something together!" Marah announced.
"At least they're not singing," grumpy Sensei mumbled before stopping himself.
Kelly stared at the robed guinea pigs. She could have sworn that one talked. Shaking off the event, she turned to leave her guests. "If you need something, I'll be doing inventory."
"She seems nice," Skyla commented.
"Oh, yeah, super nice," Marah agreed. "Kind of like these seats. Aren't they super comfortable?"
"Yeah, they are. They're totally groovy!" Kapri agreed happily as Geo set Destiny on the seat while he sat on the floor.
"I know I'm not supposed to talk," grumpy Sensei said quietly, "but can I at least blast them with a fireball?"
"Self control is prudent at this time," Sensei told him.
"Yeah, good luck with that lasting," Cam's mother commented.
Kelly passed by again, staring suspiciously at the motionless guinea pigs in robes. "Did I…" she began before stopping herself. "Nevermind." She then walked off again.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Marah asked Kapri.
"Unicorn quilt!" Kapri declared.
"And it will have a rainbow," Marah added.
"Of course!" Kapri agreed. "Like in the song The Happy Unicorn."
"The happy unicorn, prancing and dancing, happy happy unicorn," Marah began to sing. "Ah! My hair's on fire!"
"Those aren't the lyrics," Kapri complained.
"No, my hair's really on fire!" Marah explained.
Cam's mother and Sensei looked at grumpy Sensei. "What?" he asked. "Like you didn't want to do the same thing?"
The two chose to remain silent, instead turning back to watch as Geo looked around for some water. When he didn't find any, he climbed up onto the seat, stood on his toes and held Destiny over Marah's head. "Come on, Destiny!" he urged. "Pee on Marah!"
Skyla decided to help, but quickly found she had no idea how to put out a fire. "I'm sorry," she offered sheepishly.
"Is something burning?" Kelly's voice asked At first, she thought the hippies might be smoking marijuana due to the unusual odor, but instead she found one of the two hippies on fire. Acting quickly, she grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed Marah down.
Marah stared at her damaged hair. "You think Tobi can fix this?" she asked.
"I hope so!" Kapri agreed.
Just then, Destiny finally peed on Marah.
Kelly put the fire extinguisher back and walked off to get a mop and some air freshener, mumbling to herself, "Dustin, you better have a good excuse this time. 'I forgot' ain't gonna cut it, not today." She then began spraying the room with air freshener and handed one of the groups' member's the mop. She then went back to doing her inventory, trying to ignore the one she handed the mop to asking what it was and what to do with it.
Dustin, Circuit and a morphed Cam entered Ninja Ops together and looked around. The other Cam was no longer in the main room. "He's looking for popcorn," Dustin whispered.
"Do you think you can take him on your own while I check on my computer?" Cam asked.
"Of course!" Dustin assured him. "Besides, Circuit'll help."
"I'd rather have him keep a lookout," Cam replied.
"I can do that," Circuit agreed.
"I'll set your communications frequency to my morpher," Cam told the mechanical moth. "Also, I want to add an EM disruptor I built."
"I can't seem to find my back panel release," Circuit commented.
"You're in a new body," Cam explained. "You know as much as I do about it. We'll figure this out together. Dustin," he began, turning around. Unfortunately, Dustin was gone.
Dustin found the other Cam in a small storage room and tried to use ninja stealth to sneak up on him, but Cam just turned around, smiling and clearly happy to see Dustin. "How much popcorn you think we need?"
"Uh," Dustin mumbled.
"I'm thinking a bag each just to be safe," Cam said. "Can't have too much popcorn."
Dustin nodded. After all, there really was no such thing as too much popcorn.
"And lots of butter," Cam added.
"Totally," Dustin agreed. "It's not popcorn without the butter."
"True dat," Cam replied, grinning.
The moment Cam turned back around, Dustin decided to grab him from behind.
As Dustin wrapped his arms around Cam, though, this very different Cam just gave him a surprised grin. "I didn't think I was your type, D-Man."
Dustin froze, puzzled.
"You're kinda cute, for a dude," that Cam continued, "but I prefer babes. Like Tori, she's totally babalicious."
By this point, Dustin had unknowingly almost completely released his grip on Cam.
His loose hold allowed Cam to spin around and face Dustin. "Well, let's get this over with, I guess," he told Dustin.
"Get what over with?" Dustin asked.
"The sex, man," Cam replied. "It's all about sex, isn't it? I mean, no way we're getting serious."
"Uh, yeah, no way," Dustin mumbled, blinking as Cam began stripping. "Wait! No!" he said, shaking off his confusion. "I, uh…" He looked around for something to tie Cam up with. Spotting some rope, he grabbed it.
"Oh, bondage," Cam realized. "I'm down with that."
Dustin grimaced before tying an all too willing Cam up.
Back in the main room of Ninja Ops, this dimension's Cam removed his helmet and set it next to the computer as he glanced over at Dustin reentering the room. "How'd it go?" he asked.
"Uh, next time maybe you should tie him up," Dustin replied.
Cam gave him an odd look before turning back to his computer. "Okay," he said slowly. "Anyway, it looks like Tobi's distraction is working." The screen displayed the Phoenix Zord spinning around the two Megazords.
"I knew he could do it," Dustin commented, "but why doesn't he take them down? When it was a Dragon Zord, it was super tough." On the screen, the Phoenix Zord's wings began to glow with flames as it flew near the Megazords' feet, trying to trip them.
"Despite what they did and how they treated him, I think he still cares about the friends and the sister he grew up with," Cam suggested.
"Oh," Dustin mumbled. "You think he still likes… the other me?"
Cam looked at Dustin. "No, Dustin," he assured him, "I don't. At most, he might not hate him, but he loves you. Trust me, I know this for a fact."
Dustin gave him a surprised look. "How do you know?" he asked.
Cam tried to suppress a sigh. "I know more about love than you probably think. I'm not… heartless."
"Dude, I always knew you cared," Dustin told him. "You just don't like to show it."
"Maybe I don't know how," he mumbled to himself.
Dustin leaned over and hugged him. "I'll teach you," Dustin promised.
Cam flushed and fidgeted. "Um, the others could use my help with Lothor's monster."
Dustin released his grip. "Is it safe to leave Ninja Ops since I still can't morph?"
"I've created a numeric access code," Cam explained. "Besides, it doesn't look like the other versions of us know about the Samurai Star Megazord, probably because my counterpart doesn't have a Zord back in the other dimension. I'll be able to remotely monitor Ninja Ops from my Zord."
"Oh, that's cool," Dustin commented.
"How securely did you tie up the other me?" Cam asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Super tight, dude," Dustin replied. "I learned how to tie knots in summer camp one year and I got this awesome yellow path that said I was an expert at knot tying."
Cam started at him for a moment. "I'll take your word for that," he said, "since it looks like the other you permanently deleted the Cyber Dustin that I had running before we left and I'd feel safer if you bring the others from Storm Chargers to here. Plus, I have a feeling my cousins may already be driving Kelly crazy."
"Dude, what could they do in like half an hour?" Dustin asked seriously.
"Let's not think about that," Cam said, putting on this helmet and calling, "Follow me, Circuit."
Dustin shrugged before nodding. "Good luck, Cam!"
"Thanks," Cam replied as a door opened to the underwater Zord bay and he walked through it, Circuit hovering close behind.
Dustin then waved before leaving Ninja Ops.
Dustin entered Storm Chargers and looked around. The place was quiet and looked empty. "Marah?" he called out. "Kelly?"
"Dustin!" Kelly's voice cried as she emerged from the small lounge area holding a map and wearing gloves. "Where have you been?"
Dustin grinned, nervously running a hand through his hair and trying to come up with an explanation more believable than being thrown into another dimension, battling evil Power Rangers, meeting alien Power Rangers and using a Zord belonging to a big gay butterfly to get back.
She just stood there, arms crossed, and waited.
"Sorry, Kell," was what he finally said.
"That's it?" she asked, an unexpected edge in her voice. "Dustin, you know you're more than just an employee to me. You're like a little brother. But I am still your boss and you're not making this easy for me. Anyone else would have fired you the first few times you disappeared without an explanation." She stared up at him with piercing yet concerned eyes while he fidgeted nervously. "Dustin, is there something you want to tell me, something that I need to know to make me okay with you, Hunter and Blake's vanishing acts?"
"Uh," Dustin fumbled nervously. "I really wish I could tell you, Kell. Really, I do."
She watched the emotions playing out in his eyes. He wasn't lying to her. That much she knew, but he still wasn't being completely honest with her. "Do you trust me?" she asked.
His fidgeting arm movements became more pronounced. "I trust you, Kell. You know I think you're an awesome boss, but…" The look in his eyes was truly pained. "I… can't tell you."
She looked down, sighing. "Fine then," she mumbled. "You can get started helping me clean up. You wouldn't believe the customers I had earlier."
Dustin looked around. "Yeah, where'd they go?"
"I had to kick them out," she explained. "When one of them wanted a cup so she could… make milk, that was the last straw." She cringed, leaning against the mop's handle. "That was after their dog peed on the floor and one caught on fire. I swear they even had talking… nevermind."
Dustin's eyes went wide.
"With the strange things I see on a semi regular basis, sometimes I think it wouldn't surprise me in the least if you and your friends were the Power Rangers," she commented.
Dustin's eyes darted around nervously before he forced a laugh. "You think I could be a Power Ranger?"
"You underestimate yourself, Dustin," she replied. "I think you'd make a good Power Ranger. The yellow one, of course."
"Uh, yeah," he mumbled. "So, where'd the customers you talked about go?"
She looked at him oddly. "I don't know." She paused. "You don't… know them, do you?"
"Yeah, sorta," he admitted.
"Dustin, I don't want to tell you who you should choose as friends, but—" she began.
"Sorry, Kell, but I gotta find them," Dustin interrupted, spinning in his tracks and running out the door.
"Dustin!" she called after him. When it was clear he wasn't returning, she groaned loudly, staring at the mop in her hands. "Should I fire him?" she asked it. She looked up, rolling her eyes. "I'm talking to a mop. That's it, I need a vacation."
Tobi was flying his Phoenix Zord around the two Megazords when the two massive machines both paused in their failed attempt to bring his Zord down. As he made another pass, he noticed a figure appear on top of the Wind Megazord. It was the red ranger, his dimension's Shane.
Tobi set his Zord into a hover mode and hesitantly climbed out, standing on the surface of his Zord.
"What's the deal?" his dimension's Shane called out. "Who are you and why are you here?"
Tobi paused. He couldn't say that he was just there to distract them because that would mean the distraction would be over pretty quickly.
At that moment, his dimension's Hunter emerged from the Thunder Megazord. "Maybe he's just here for the same reason we are," he suggested.
"Come on, gold ranger," Shane growled. "Why you here?"
"I'm here… to bring you down," Tobi finally said. It was certainly what he felt like he should be doing anyway.
The two shades of red rangers began laughing hysterically. "Oh, that's a good one!" Hunter laughed.
Suddenly Tobi's sister emerged next to Shane. "I recognize that voice," she accused. "Tobi?"
"No way is that your bro," Hunter immediately argued. "He's messing with us."
Tobi fumbled around until he found how to open his visor. "It's me, Tobi," he told his sister.
Then the other Blake appeared next to his brother. "Looks like you got played, Tori," he called. "You do have a twin bro in this dimension too."
"And he's the Gold Power Ranger," another voice said. Tobi turned to see the Dustin he grew up with standing next to his sister and Shane atop the Wind Megazord. "He's got a tough Zord too," Dustin added, nodding approvingly, "fast, maneuverable, thick armor."
"Told you you'd like it here," Hunter called over to Dustin.
"Yeah," Dustin agreed. With his visor closed, it was hard to read his emotions.
"And, if this Tobi was on the outs with the other rangers here, then he must be cool," Blake concluded.
"My brother's a Power Ranger," Tori told him. "Of course he's cool."
"Thanks, Tori," Tobi called, "but the reason his dimension is better than the other is that it's protected by good Power Rangers, rangers that don't fight each other while an alien attacks the city."
"We're just having fun," Hunter explained.
"And Lothor's toys don't mess with us," Shane added.
"Who's side are you on?" Blake asked.
"I'm on the side of… my friends," Tobi answered.
"We trapped your friends back in our old dimension," so you're all alone," Shane pointed out.
"You're wrong about that," Tobi told him. "They're back and so am I."
"What do you mean, so are you?" Tori asked her brother.
"I'm the Tobi you all teased and picked on, the Tobi you called a wimp," he explained. "You thought I was helpless and… so did I. But, not anymore. Now I'm the Tobi who became a ninja and a Power Ranger and even defeated Zordon. And I'm the Tobi who's going to help you stop being punks. I'm going to help you change, like I did."
"Help us!" Blake mocked.
"He can't be my brother, the same…" Tori mumbled.
"Like that wimp could defeat Zordon," Shane told her.
"Forget that," Dustin interrupted, drawing their attention back to the city. "At least one part of what he said was true. We're not the only Power Rangers here. Look."
The others turned to see the Samurai Star Megazord joining the other Zords that were attacking the giant monster. "We have to get back to Ninja Ops!" Shane shouted.
"Shane's right," Dustin said quickly. "Leave the Zords."
As the rangers near Tobi streaked off, his sister lingered for a moment longer while he raised his morpher and called, "Cam, the distraction's over. They're headed for Ninja Ops now! Watch out!"
"Thanks, Tobi," Cam's voice answered. "I'm sealing it remotely, but Dustin's still down there. He's bringing the others from Storm Chargers."
"I'm on it!" Tobi replied, looking up and noticing his sister still watching him from atop the Megazord.
A sudden explosion drew his attention to the distance, where this dimension's Power Rangers had apparently just destroyed the enlarged alien. "Dustin?" he called into this morpher.
"I'm here," Dustin's voice greeted him.
"Where are you?" Tobi asked.
"I'm between Storm Chargers and the woods and…" His voice trailed off for a moment. "I kinda lost Sensei, Marah and the others."
"You… lost them?" Tobi repeated.
"Yeah," Dustin admitted. "Kelly kicked them out and they're just… gone."
"I'll help you look," Tobi offered, "but first the other Power Rangers are going to try to get into Ninja Ops and our friends are going to try to stop them, meaning I'm headed there."
"I'll meet you there,' Dustin immediately offered.
"No," Tobi insisted. "I… don't want you hurt. Since I'm morphed, I'll be okay, but I'd feel better if you were safe."
"I get it, dude, but you know you need Awesome Dude," Dustin argued. "And I worry about you too. You've got my back and I've got yours too."
"Alright," Tobi relented, a smile curling up on his lips, "but stay with the others behind me."
"Sounds like a plan!" Dustin agreed. "See you there. I love you, TZT!"
"I love you too, Dustin," Tobi said softly, then lowering his wrist. When he looked up, his sister was still watching him. "I know what you're wondering," he told her, "and I'm still your brother, but I'm not the same person I used to be." He then streaked down toward the ground.
By the time this dimension's Power Rangers and Tobi passed through the waterfall portal to the remains of the Wind Ninja Academy, the other dimension's Power Rangers, all morphed, were waiting for them. They were standing over the hatch leading down into Ninja Ops and their Dustin looked like he was working on a way to crack whatever security this dimension's Cam had managed to put in place.
Tobi's sister, still morphed, emerged from the portal behind him and watched as Tobi stood protectively in front of his unmorphed friends. "If you're still my brother, you'll join us," she told him.
Tobi looked to the unmorphed Tori before turning back to his sister. "I'm standing by my friends."
He sister sighed. "One thing hasn't changed. You're as stubborn as ever. You betrayed me then and you're just doing it again."
"I just know what's right," he told her. "Maybe I always did."
She looked to her morphed counterparts and shrugged. Tobi noticed the morphed Dustin clench his fists.
"Looks like a repeat of last time," the morphed Hunter said with a smirk.
"We're morphed, you're not," the morphed Shane added.
"One of us is morphed," the unmorphed Shane pointed out.
"And he can take all of you by himself," a voice announced as Tobi turned to see Dustin exit the portal. Before Dustin had a chance to react, Tobi's sister grabbed him, her morphed body easily overpowering him.
"Let him go," Tobi ordered through clenched teeth.
"I just want you to be honest with me, little brother," his sister told him.
"I won't lie to you," Tobi growled. "Just let him go! Dustin, are you okay?" he asked in a much gentler tone.
"Yeah, TZT, I'm fine," he grunted out. It was obvious that the grip around him was too tight, though.
"Why did you have to come back?" she asked her brother. "You're obviously happy with them. And I meant it when I said I wanted you to be happy."
"We couldn't let you and this dimension's Lothor destroy the place," he explained. "How is what you're doing any better than what Zordon did?"
"We're nothing like those Power Rangers," the morphed Shane growled.
"Yeah, we're just having fun," the morphed Blake added.
"That's why you were secretly making Zords," Tobi realized, looking at the morphed Dustin, "for fun?"
"I don't expect you to understand, Tobs," that Dustin replied.
"You were working on making Zords?" Tobi's sister asked, surprised.
"Yeah, I told him our parents were giving us Zords," the morphed Hunter explained. "We thought we could have some fun."
"That was supposed to be a secret," the morphed Blake told his brother.
"I have my reasons for telling Dustin," his brother replied with a smile toward the morphed Dustin.
"Did any of you even think about using our Zords to take down Lothor's monster?" the unmorphed Shane asked.
The morphed rangers looked at each other.
"I expected more from you," Tobi mumbled, watching the morphed Dustin. "Or maybe I just hoped for more."
The morphed Dustin just stared back at Tobi from behind his helmet.
"So, Tobi," his sister spoke up, "maybe it's time for you to finally tell him how you feel. But which Dustin do you love?"
"I knew he was a faggot," the morphed Shane commented.
Tobi felt a defensive surge run through him. He felt nervous admitting his feelings outloud to the rangers he grew up with, whereas he felt fine admitting his feelings to this dimension's rangers, even though he hadn't known them as long. Maybe it's because they never teased or made fun of him. But, when he looked into the caramel brown eyes of the Dustin in his sister's grip, he didn't feel any hesitation in admitting, "I love the Dustin you're holding."
"So, after all these years, you can finally let the truth come out," she said, "but it looks like those feelings you hid changed… just like you."
"Not really," Tobi explained. "There was always something about Dustin." His eyes wandered to the morphed Dustin near the entrance to Ninja Ops, "but it was always missing something. It was… incomplete. With this Dustin," he said, gesturing to the Dustin in his sister's arms, "it finally felt right. From the very first moment I met him, I knew this was the Dustin I always loved."
His sister watched him for a moment longer until the morphed Dustin interrupted her. "Are you still with us, Tori?" he asked in a sharp tone.
She suddenly released the unmorphed Dustin and tossed him toward her brother. "Yeah, I'm still with you," she answered. "Let's take them down," she added, but most of the force was gone from her voice.
"This'll be fun!" the morphed Blake cheered.
"Not much of a fair fight," the morphed Shane commented. "The only morphed one is a wimp."
Tobi held Dustin protectively behind him. "You've all called me that for long enough!" he shouted.
"Only because it was true, Tobs," the morphed Dustin commented, taking up a fighting stance. "Let's see if that's changed." He then dove toward Tobi and, at the last minute, disappeared into the ground in front of him before emerging behind him.
Tobi was prepared and send a wave of energy out from his body, sending the morphed Dustin skidding across the dirt.
The morphed Shane couldn't hold himself back from joining in and ran toward Tobi, who just jumped up, watching Shane pass below him before kicking Shane into the dirt near the morphed Dustin.
"Alright!"the morphed Hunter said excitedly.
"Don't go all gold on me, bro," the morphed Blake warned.
"Gotta respect awesome when you see it," the morphed Hunter told him.
"I see it every day in the mirror!" the morphed Blake replied, earning him both a laugh and a high five from his brother before the two attacked Tobi, kicking from each side.
Meanwhile, Tobi's sister turned to the unmorphed Blake, who promptly took up a fighting stance. "You wouldn't want to hurt me, would you?" she mocked. "Not after what we did together." She looked over to the unmorphed Tori and let out a short laugh.
"You came between me and the girl I… care about," he told the morphed Tori.
"I just gave you what you wanted," she told him. "Don't tell me you didn't like it."
Blake hesitated. "Yeah, I liked it," he admitted, "but I thought…"
"You thought what?" she asked.
"I thought it was more than just sex," he finished.
It was her turn to hesitate. "I was just getting off, just like you."
"Not just like me," he argued. "There's more to a relationship than sex."
"Since when?" she asked, diving toward him. Her kick was stopped by her unmorphed counterpart.
"Mind if I cut in?" the unmorphed Tori asked Blake.
"Yeah, we got your back, bro," Hunter added, joining his brother and Tori.
"I like these odds," the morphed Tori declared. "Shall we?"
"Let's," the unmorphed Tori agreed, sidestepping to avoid a kick before landing one of her own. The two unmorphed thunder brothers quickly joined the fight, but, against a morphed body, their attacks had little effect.
Nearby, a morphed Dustin approached his unmorphed counterpart. "I bet you go down easy, loverboy," he accused, springing toward the unmorphed Dustin.
"Not gonna happen, dude," the unmorphed Dustin replied, jumping aside.
"Dustin!" Tobi called out, knocking the morphed thunder brothers over with a wave of energy. "I think it's time we teach these guys how to surf the way I told you. They might have thick heads, though, so we'll have to pound the lesson into them."
"Oh, I'm with you," Dustin realized.
Suddenly small slabs of earth rose up underneath each of the morphed rangers and, as the earth moved beneath them, it was like they were surfing on the dirt. Of course, they ended up surfing right into each other, their morphed bodies colliding with such force that it sent them sprawling out in the moving dirt.
"Now I'm just mad!" the morphed Shane growled, getting up.
Tobi used a wave of energy to keep them down against the dirt.
"I hate to take away your opportunity to get even with your old friends," a voice interrupted, "but I think it's time we evened the odds." Tobi looked over to see the still morphed Cam and Circuit emerge from the nearby portal.
"Getting even?" Tobi mumbled. Is that what he was doing?
"Circuit, now," Cam called and the mechanical moth hovered over the group and emitted a flash of light. Suddenly every ranger, including Tobi and Cam demorphed.
"What happened?" Tobi asked.
"It's an electromagnetic field destabilization pulse set specifically to temporarily disable the morphers," Cam explained. "I figured it might come in handy, especially since only I know how to fix the morphers."
"Good thinking, Cam," the unmorphed Shane congratulated.
"Now that things are even, I see someone I want to take down," Hunter commented to his brother while gesturing toward his previously morphed counterpart.
"You put yourself down too much, bro," Blake told him.
"You're reading way too much into this," Hunter warned.
"Like with ice cream flavors?" Blake suggested.
"Yeah, just like that," Hunter agreed before the two took on their counterparts.
"Aren't we missing our Cam?" Tobi's sister asked her friends as she dodged an attack from this dimension's Tori.
"He's a little tied up right now," this dimension's Dustin commented as he landed a kick directly in the chest of his no longer morphed counterpart.
Tobi leaned over his dimension's Shane after having just knocked him to the ground yet again. "So, do you still think I'm a wimp?" he asked.
Rather than answer, Shane suddenly kicked Tobi off of him and into the two Dustins.
"Are you okay?" Tobi asked the nearby Dustin.
"I'm fine," Dustin answered coldly, glaring at him.
Tobi quickly turned to the other Dustin. He must have momentarily gotten them mixed up.
"I'm fine too, TZT," the other answered.
Tobi turned back to the first Dustin. "Why didn't you ever tell me you liked me?"
"Who says I like you?" Dustin replied.
"You had a Cyber version of me that you were having sex with," Tobi told him. "You said you knew how I felt about you, so that could have been me, the real me."
The Dustin in front of him's cheeks flushed. "I… I never felt anything for you," he quickly stammered out. "It was just sex. I didn't want the… complications."
"He didn't want to be made fun of," the other Dustin spoke up, "then he'd be treated like you were."
"That's it, isn't it?" Tobi realized. "You saw how I was treated and you didn't want to be put through that. Everyone likes you and thinks you're cool and you were afraid to lose that."
"I'm not a coward!" the Dustin in front of him snapped.
"I never thought you were…" Tobi mumbled. "I guess I was wrong. I wanted to see something in you that wasn't there. At least now I found it." He glanced back at this dimension's Dustin.
"I had to go back for my robot," the Dustin in front of him suddenly whispered to himself.
"You what?" Tobi asked, but before he could receive an answer, a pair of voices echoed through the battlefield.
"Enough!" the voices called authoritatively. The fighting paused as the group turned to see Cam's mother with the two Sensei's, one on each shoulder. Beside her was Skyla and Geo as well as Marah and Kapri. That is, two Marah and Kapris. The evil space ninja versions of the two girls were tied up and being held by the to hippy versions of them.
"Rangers—all rangers," Sensei addressed, "my fellow guinea pig has something to say."
"Here it comes," Cam's mother commented to herself.
"Quiet!' grumpy Sensei told her before addressing the others. "It seems that I was… wrong about… some things." His wife cleared her throat. "Alright, a lot of things," he admitted. "Obviously, Tobi is anything but weak and is not only a ninja but also a Power Ranger." He glanced at his wife. "Cam's mother and I are… working out our differences." She offered him a smile and he continued. "And Power Rangers should only use their powers for good."
"What a joke," the other dimension's Hunter laughed.
"I don't expect you Thunders to understand," grumpy Sensei continued, "but, Shane, surely you, a fellow air ninja can see the… errors of our old ways."
The other dimension's Shane crossed his arms before admitting, "Maybe, but it goes against everything you taught us."
"And it doesn't sound fun," the other dimension's Blake added.
"There is more to life than fun," Sensei offered.
"Maybe that's it," this dimension's Dustin suddenly suggested. He was standing over by the two Marah's, examining hippy Marah's hair. "Maybe they need like hobbies and stuff to blow off stress instead of like blowing stuff up."
"You think they just need hobbies?" this dimension's Blake asked questioningly.
"I was thinking of taking up skateboarding," the other dimension's Hunter spoke up.
"That's lame!" the other dimension's Shane argued. "Now, motocross, I think I can get into that."
This dimension's rangers exchanged looks.
"What's the deal with the two sets of Marah and Kapri?" the other dimension's Blake asked.
"Oh, they tried to kidnap us," hippy Marah explained.
"Skyla like warned us before they even attacked," hippy Kapri added. "I think she's psychic."
This dimension's Shane gave her a surprised look, a smile curling up on his face.
"I think it's just good hearing," Skyla suggested.
"Right," he said with an affectionate nod.
"What happened, Marah?" this dimension's Dustin asked hippy Marah, concerned.
"Oh, my hair caught on fire and then Kelly used a fire extinguisher on me and then Destiny urinated on me," she explained.
Dustin's eyes went wide, his nose crinkling.
"I only wanted Destiny to pee on her to put out the fire," Geo justified.
"Uh, right," Dustin mumbled.
"You know, maybe I'll cut my hair," Marah suggested, turning to Kapri.
"You can't!" Kapri argued. "You have beautiful hair!"
"Thank you, but I think I can pull off a shorter hair style," Marah said.
"That's true," Kapri agreed. "Look at the other you."
"Ew, short hair," space ninja Marah mumbled.
"Who'd have though we'd be beaten by ourselves?" space ninja Kapri asked.
"I did!" space ninja Marah replied. "See, I had this dream and I was literally beating myself up. Of course, that cute yellow ranger was in it and—Did you notice there's two of him now? Maybe I'll have a chance with at least one."
"Shut up!" space ninja Kapri yelled.
"Hey! You can't talk to me that way," space ninja Marah protested. "Wait till I tell uncle on you!"
"Hello? We're tied up, remember?" space ninja Kapri pointed out.
"Oh, yeah, I forgot," space ninja Marah realized.
"It's a good thing we're not annoying like these versions of us," hippy Marah commented.
"Yeah, they're nothing like us," hippy Kapri agreed.
"I like us just the way we are," hippy Marah declared.
"So do I!" hippy Kapri agreed happily.
The two then held hands and danced around.
"I think I'm going to be sick," grumpy Sensei complained.
"Control yourself, Kanoi," his wife warned. "For your students, at least."
"Oh, yeah, them," grumpy Sensei replied, mumbling, "Ingrates."
Just then, the hatch to Ninja Ops opened and the obviously untied Cam peaked out. "Yo, D-Man, where'd you go?"
"I thought you were an expert knot tier," this dimension's Cam told Dustin.
"Maybe he got a patch for being an expert knot untier," Dustin suggested.
The other Dustin seized that opportunity to streak past the emerging clueless Cam and down into Ninja Ops, sealing the hatch behind him.
"D-Man, what're you doing?" clueless Cam asked.
This dimension's Cam sighed. "Circuit, summon my Zord remotely. I'll control Ninja Ops from in it."
But, as the green Samurai Zord flew overhead, it started firing down on them.
"That was fast," Cam cried, rolling aside. "He's already cracked the code and I left the Samurai Zord configuration program open."
"Dude, why's the other me so pissed?" Dustin asked as he launched a chunk of earth toward the Zord.
"Cam, how much do you like your Zord?" Tobi asked, raising his hands and projecting an energy barrier.
"That's not the only problem," this dimension's Shane called.
Nearby, the Wind Megazord and Thunder Megazord landed with a strong vibrating thump and began stomping closer.
"Time to cut our losses and bail," the other dimension's Blake told his brother.
The other dimension's Hunter grabbed his dimension's Cam by the arm. "Come on, Cam, we're out of here."
"Stop!" Tobi yelled just as his dimension's Shane blew out a gust of air, sending this dimension's rangers all tumbling over.
"Mom?" the other dimension's Cam asked as his dimension's Hunter drug him off.
Tobi's sister gave her brother one last look before disappearing into the portal with her friends.
"We have to go after them!" Tobi shouted.
"I need to get into Ninja Ops," Cam insisted as a barrage of attacks came from overhead.
Meanwhile, Tobi was doing his best to block the Zords' attacks while Dustin used large rocks to go on the offensive.
"I think he's trying to scare us away from Ops," Shane suggested while helping Skyla and the others up.
"Cam, we'll be back," Tori told him, pulling him toward the portal.
Cam just nodded as the group was forced to retreat.
"What's with this Dustin?" Hunter asked his brother.
"I think… he's jealous," Blake whispered back, gesturing toward the Dustin next to Tobi. "It makes people do stupid things."
Hunter gave his brother a slight glare.
"Just saying," Blake replied as they left with the others back through the portal.
"TZD is going down," Dustin said angrily as he and Tobi were the last two still on that side of the portal.
"We'll get him," Tobi told Dustin, trying to calm him with a pat.
"But he hurt you," Dustin told him.
"I know," Tobi replied, "but I don't think he did it on purpose. He just… doesn't know how to express his feelings."
"Do I?" Dustin asked, suddenly concerned.
Tobi smiled up at him. "Yeah, Dustin, you do. You have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met."
"Thanks, TZT," Dustin replied, kissing him on the lips before pulling away. "I know I hurt you too. I want to like make up for that."
"You already have, Dustin," Tobi assured him. "Trust me, you already have."
A nearby explosion brought them back to their departure. "Yeah, let's go," Dustin said, grabbing Dustin's hand.
The two then left through the portal and joined their friends.
To be continued...
Author's Note: For some reason, when I was doing this, the other Dustin ended up sort of the villain in here, but please feel free to throw out some ideas for what you want to see next. He just has some "issues" to work through. What would bond the two groups of rangers? Or should they be forced back to the other dimension? According to a previous poll, of the other Power Rangers, people only really wanted the other Dustin to stay. Then, after the following poll paired Tobi up with Dustin, I assumed that people wanted Hunter to end up with the other Dustin. However, as of when I am typing this, no one has voted in the poll for Hunter to end up with that Dustin. So, I'm playing out some ideas in my head, but I'm open to new ones.