Author's Notes: At last, the long awaited continuation of the story! Hey, at least it didn't take 8 months! And at last we get to see the first part of Lothor's evil plan. This is more of a build-up chapter to the real action in the next chapter. Yes, we're approaching the end of the story, but there's still a lot more left to happen. No, no, it's not over yet! If you've been with Parallel Realities Ninja Storm this far, you know to expect the unexpected!
Review Comments:
Thanks griffin blackwood for complimenting my sandwichmaking skills! ;p Also, thanks for continuing to stick with all my other stories too! I've only been watching PRS off and on, so I don't know a whole lot about the series, but maybe I'll take a look. I didn't get any notice of anything new from you in my email, so I don't know if the alert isn't working or it's not posted yet. I guess it's probably that you're waiting since you like to be done or pretty far along first.
Thanks YellowPrincess for your sweet review despite me making you wait so long! I'm really sorry to make you so mad! Hopefully you're not quite as mad with me this time. I mean, it's like what, 4 months? Ugh, okay, so that's still not good. I'm so sorry! It's kind of hard to get back into this story. I never should have taken that break from it a year ago. Had I just kept going, I think I could have finished it a long time ago. Well, I can't change the past. Anyway, I try to include lots of different things in here that I think you'll enjoy, but I also focus on Lothor's unfolding plot. I guess we'll see what you think… *crosses fingers* And I'll try to be better about the next chapter…
Thanks witch20 for the encouragement! I'm glad you like the story and I hope you're not too upset about it taking so long again.
Thanks LadySociopath009 for another great pep talk! ;p I missed our short talks too, but I sort of fell out of sync with the story and it's still hard to get back into the feel of it. It seems like it has so much emotional depth in some of those earlier chapters that it's hard to get back. And I'm relieved you're so understanding and, yes, that made perfect sense. I'd hate to become one of those authors who just stops. It seems like I see that a lot on stories I subscribed to. And, I mention the Psychic Rangers briefly in here. In fact, I had to come up with a planet name and so I looked through the list of Power Ranger planets on The Morphing Grid but I didn't think any of them fit, so I just made one up based on the letters ESP. Again, thanks for the encouragement and hopefully the next chapter will come sooner. Hey, 4 months is shorter than 8, so we're getting there! Next time 2 months? We'll see!
Thanks Ghostwriter for the praise! Glad you're still following this story and still enjoy it so much!
Thanks Rye Lee for all the reviews and welcome to the PRNS review team! And, of course the story's been different than you expected. Most of the time I had no idea what I was going to do next so I surprised myself! ;p Sure, it makes it confusing sometimes, but at least it sounds like you still enjoy it in the end. And I'm glad you like all the coupling possibilities, since I love to mix things up. Since you just now joined the story, this update probably doesn't seem that long, but the next update might not be as soon. Just a warning…
Thanks Aqua786 for your super long review! Where do I start? First off, welcome and thanks for reading my story! Glad you got into PRNS and I totally agree about the hot guys! And, okay, so some parts do sound like Goldwinger (yes, you got the name right), but I like Goldwinger! I think everyone was sort of "boo Tobi" at the beginning, but then his character developed over time and people started to sympathize with him, so I totally understand. As for a sequel, I'm having enough trouble finishing this one, so I'm not going to rush into a sequel just yet. Though…I admit that I have a very interesting idea for a sequel. It would take place during Dino Thunder but still follow the Ninjas and have some major twists. That is, if I ever get that far. Oh, and don't worry, you didn't miss anything in that month. I made sure nothing major happened so that no one missed anything. The month gave Lothor a chance to plan things out and prep his Megazord. Um, as far as the characters having flings (like Hunter/Tobi or Waldo/Tobi), we'll see… Let's just say that I have something planned out in the next few chapters that might make one of those a possibility… But I won't spoil it for you! And I'll update Dustin in Heat as well! Anything else you want? ;p Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Previously in Parallel Realities Ninja Storm:
Dustin's mom offers her support of Dustin and Tobi's relationship and Dustin's sister discovers they can communicate telepathically. Hunter and Waldo become closer, though Blake is slightly jealous before Hunter convinces him to call Tori. Back at Ninja Ops, Cam confesses his love for Tobi's sister, who takes on the name Lia. Meanwhile, Skyla uses her psychic powers to discover more about the origins of the pink morpher she found in the woods near the remains of Shimazu and Condortron. Later, Goldwinger contacts the group and needs help rounding up evil rangers. The other dimension's Shane, Hunter, Blake and Cam leave with space ninjas Marah and Kapri and grumpy Sensei and Cam's mom. And, with Lothor stuck in space, the remaining ninjas enjoy a well deserved month long peace and quiet. But, a month later, after Vexacus betrays Lothor but is outmatched, Lothor forces him to become a tool in the capture or destruction of the Power Rangers. We also learn that Lothor has spend the month completing a Megazord that he plans to power by combining the pieces of the Gem of Souls that he has with those that the rangers have…
Parallel Realities Ninja Storm: Chapter 43 (Lothor's Revenge)
Vexacus stood in front of the viewscreen on the bridge of Lothor's ship, watching the scene from a month before, when he had been warned off the planet by the Power Rangers. "I will have my revenge," he growled at the screen as he rubbed the device that Lothor had attached to the side of his helmet.
"Trying to learn from your failures?" a voice suddenly interrupted the alien and he quickly turned to see Lothor entering with Choobo.
"Just considering…strategies," Vexacus answered, watching his leader with silent contempt.
Lothor approached, patting the alien's shoulder. "Good, because failure isn't even an option." He glanced at the device on what he thought was Vexacus' head and chuckled to himself before suddenly stopping and staring at the screen.
"Yeah, that's my favorite part too," Choobo announced as the screen showed the rangers all sucked into the compartment on Choobo's back, except for Tobi and Skyla. "You want me to make some popcorn?"
"Shut up," Lothor snapped, not looking away from the screen.
"But do you want me to make popcorn too while I shut up?" Choobo asked.
Lothor chose to ignore this comment as Vexacus leaned closer, studying the space ninja. "What do you see?" he asked.
Lothor blinked, stepping back. "By now you've probably figured out that's a bomb stuck on your ugly face," he explained, still looking lost in thought. "And don't bother trying to remove it, as you can't." He turned to face Vexacus. "My plan was simply to destroy you and the rangers together with a simple press of a button, but that's become a last resort. I want the Power Rangers captured, all of them, my nieces included." He paused, smiling. "All but one, that is."
"Who?" Vexacus asked.
"The gold ranger," Lothor replied, turning back to the screen and watching as Tobi struggled on the ground while Skyla protected him. "Somehow he's connected to the yellow ranger that Zurgane killed and he brought back to life. When they're separated, he's weakened and helpless."
"And easily defeated," Vexacus finished.
"But not by you," Lothor snapped, turning back to the shark-like alien. "He will be mine to deal with…in my own special way." He took a breath and, for a brief moment, Vexacus thought he saw weakness in the space ninja and the glimpse encouraged him. "Zurgane may have failed me too many times to count, but he was my most loyal general, the only one I could trust… I thought I could trust my nieces…" He slammed a fist down on the controls in front of him, stopping the video before it could reach the part where his nieces betrayed their own uncle. "This is all that bratty blond boy's fault. Had he never come to this dimension, everything would be different now. My nieces…Zurgane..." He growled. "No, a quick death is too good for him." He turned quickly to glare at Vexacus. "Understood?"
"He's proven to be extremely powerf—" Vexacus began to argue.
"Understood?" Lothor repeated.
"Understood," the shark-like alien relented and Lothor smiled, turning toward the exit.
"Is it popcorn time?" Choobo asked as the space ninja passed him.
"No," Lothor quipped. "It's time to go. Everything is now ready. The Power Rangers will never know what hit them."
"And neither will you," Vexacus whispered, following his leader and Choobo. "You won't be the only one fulfilling your need for revenge today."
"There," Waldo said, as he and Cam sat in front of Ninja Ops' main computer console. And, although it was becoming increasingly less and less common as time went by, the rest of team was elsewhere in the room, sparring. "That should expand the DNA search radius to finally cover the entire planet."
"You bounced the signal off foreign weather satellites," Cam realized, studying the screen. "But…still nothing. No form of alien presence anywhere."
"I was kinda hoping we'd detect something by now," Waldo continued.
"Yeah," Cam agreed. "We've been getting more and more out of practice since we set up the field around the planet. Even my father's become a little lax with training."
"There hasn't really been a need for training," Waldo pointed out.
Cam shrugged. "It just doesn't feel right."
Just then, Sensei hopped over to the two and studied the scans onscreen. "I agree with you, son," he spoke up. "Lothor has been far too quiet this past month. Also, I will endeavor to increase your training regimen."
"Maybe Vexacus killed him and took over," Waldo suggested.
"You don't think Lothor's finally given up or possibly even thought better of things and just…left?" Cam asked, not even really believing himself.
"Alas," the guinea pig teacher sighed. "Despite Tobi's continued hopes for my brother's redemption, I am certain that is the last thing he would do. This prolonged silence can only mean one thing."
"That our field has trapped him in space permanently?" Waldo offered.
"Sadly, no," Sensei replied. "It can only mean that he is planning his biggest attack yet."
"It does seem suspicious he hasn't tried to break the transport inhibiting field or just fly a ship down here," Cam agreed.
Waldo tried not to groan. It figured that Cam would take his father's side, but the field had been such a good idea and there hadn't been a single attack. Sure he was getting a little bored, but the last time they had went up against Lothor, they had all nearly died. He couldn't go through that again.
"When his attack comes, I fear it will be well coordinated," Sensei added.
"It's not like we've been slacking off here," Waldo insisted. "Cam and I have increased the field's strength and expanded our sensor scans."
Cam could sense some of the tension and defensiveness in Waldo's voice, so he added, "Waldo's right. The only way anything could slip past is if it were ionicly phased to the exact inverse of the field," Cam explained, "and the amount and type of energy necessary for that would be more than even our morphing grid could provide. It would have to be something like…" He thought for a moment. "The gem of souls," he realized. "That's why Vexacus wanted the pieces we have."
Sensei nodded. "And why my insistence on keeping it here was a wise choice."
"Hunter told me you threw the rest of the pieces into the ocean," Waldo recalled.
Cam sighed. "I had thought that was all of them."
"He didn't mean to lie to you," Waldo defended his boyfriend.
"I know," Cam admitted. "Besides, if Lothor somehow found those pieces, why would he be after the pieces we have? What would he need all that power for?"
"Let us hope we do not find out the answer to that question," Sensei stated. "Now, you two should continue your training." He gestured his tiny hands to the sparring ninjas crowding the rest of Ninja Ops. "After all, I have been 'lax'."
Waldo stared at Cam, who groaned.
"I know, I asked for it," Cam admitted.
"Lia still not going easy on you?" Waldo teased.
"Never," Cam agreed.
"I don't expect that'll ever change," Waldo said, patting Cam's shoulder. "I kinda like a challenge myself."
"She's definitely a challenge," Cam agreed, turning to watch Lia sparing with Tobi. "And I also enjoy a challenge." A grin curled up on his lips.
Just then, a beeping sound came from Circuit and the mechanical moth hovered over to the computer.
Shane was the first to stop sparring with Skyla when he heard the noise. "Is Lothor finally attacking?" he asked.
"What?" Kapri asked, turning just as Marah was throwing a punch.
"I'm so sorry," Marah apologized.
"For what?" Kapri asked, confused.
"For hitting you," Marah explained.
"I thought you were tapping me lightly to get my attention," Kapri replied seriously.
"Where's grumpy Sensei when you need a snide comment?" Lia mumbled.
"Lothor isn't attacking," Cam announced as the ninjas gathered around the computer. "It's a message coming through Circuit."
"You almost sounded like you wanted Lothor to be attacking," Tori joked, patting Shane's side.
"Shane's right," Dustin defended. "It's been like forever since he tried anything."
"It feels weird is all," Shane added.
"Sometimes I'd rather face Lothor than that freaky butterfly," Blake commented, drawing their attention to the screen just as Goldwinger's image appeared.
"Goldwinger, we were just talking about you," Lia greeted, jabbing Blake's side while Tori stifled a laugh at her boyfriend's expense.
"Ah, my friends, I've missed you too," Goldwinger greeted.
"Let us talk," a voice growled offscreen.
"Alright, alright," Goldwinger agreed, fluttering offscreen as the other dimension's rangers appeared.
"We caught them all," the other dimension's Shane said simply.
"You apprehended all the escaped Power Rangers?" Cam asked.
"Piece of cake," the other dimension's Hunter agreed, high fiving his dimension's Shane.
"So, does that mean you're coming back here or…" Cam began, trailing off.
"You guys need help over there?" the other dimension's Blake offered. "Because we're seriously unstoppable. Especially because I'm part of the team."
"You mean because I'm in charge," his dimension's Shane argued.
"Lothor hasn't shown his ugly face around here since you guys left," this dimension's Shane explained.
"Not even a kelzak," Hunter agreed.
"Dudes, we gots plenty of the those over here," the other dimension's Cam commented. "Want some?"
"Uh, that's alright," this dimension's Cam told his counterpart. "So, for the time being, it looks like both dimensions are safe."
"There's something I never thought would happen," Tobi commented, earning a nod from the others.
"In that case," grumpy Sensei announced, hopping onscreen with his wife, "we'll stay here until you need us."
"Or if you need us," Lia added.
"Like that'll happen," the other dimension's rangers laughed.
"What about the other us?" hippy Marah asked, approaching the screen with Kapri.
"And go back to our uncle?" space ninja Kapri scoffed onscreen. "This Lothor lets us get away with things our uncle would never let us do. He's such a pushover."
"He lets us have so much fun!" space ninja Marah agreed, clapping her hands.
"Go easy on him," hippy Kapri pleaded.
"Whatever," space ninja Kapri waved a hand dismissively.
"You guys can come here and visit," Cam's mom offered onscreen. "You know, keep the kids in line."
"I can keep them in line just fine by myself," grumpy Sensei argued.
"I can see that," she replied, visibly rolling her eyes. "That's why Cam blew up the computer."
"He blew up my computer!" Waldo shouted.
"Aw, it was so cool!" the other dimension's Cam announced. "It was like kaboom! Poof!"
Waldo groaned.
"Don't blow a gasket D-Man," the other dimension's Hunter assured him. "Kapri fixed it."
"Yeah, she's full of surprises," the other dimension's Shane said with a smirk, pulling the pink haired space ninja to him.
"And you're just full of it," she joked.
"You know you like it," he growled.
"Maybe," she said, grinning.
Waldo looked at Cam, who just shrugged.
"So, you coming?" the other dimension's Cam asked.
"Um, thanks but…" Tori began.
"Yeah, we aren't in a hurry to get back there," Hunter said, making a face. "Not the best memories."
"Not the best memories?" Goldwinger started to ask, fluttering back onscreen.
"Tell you what, if Lothor continues to keep quiet, we might visit," Cam offered. When he noticed the looks on the others' faces, he mouthed the words 'I'm being polite.'
"We can get some pizza ice cream," Tobi and Dustin agreed.
"I am getting a taste for human milk," Blake agreed, winking at Tori.
"It is not going to happen again," she told the younger Bradley. "Marah and Kapri just talked Lia and me into it that one time."
"We'll make you some more!" hippy Marah and Kapri offered.
"Um…thanks, but I'm okay," Blake mumbled.
"You're always welcome here," Goldwinger insisted.
"Thanks, Goldwinger," Cam replied.
"And…other me," the other dimension's Shane interrupted. "Tell Porter… tell him I…" He looked like he was struggling to find the words.
"You love him?" Shane suggested.
The other dimension's Shane cringed. "Tell him he's alright," he snapped. "That's all."
"Will do," Shane agreed, smiling.
"Trust us," Lia whispered to Shane, "that's more emotions than I've ever heard from him."
"Besides anger," Tobi added, his sister nodding.
"Later, dudes," the other dimension's Cam hollered, waving onscreen.
"Remember to use my little mechanical moth friend to keep in touch," Goldwinger added as the group once again exchanged goodbyes before the screen went blank.
"Both dimensions are safe," Tobi commented quietly to himself.
Dustin just nodded.
"So, who wants to watch the motocross nationals with us?" Blake asked. "We might not have won the regional competition, but…"
"That's my fault," Waldo confessed.
"It's not like any of us were up to par after our fight with Vexacus," Hunter offered, comforting Waldo. "Besides, it gave us more time to practice for the US Action Games. We'll definitely sweep those."
"Even I'm getting motocross down," Tobi bragged.
"You have all Dustin's memories," Lia pointed out. "I think that's cheating."
He hit her playfully.
"So, watcha say?" Blake asked.
"Me and Skyla have a nice quiet evening planned," Shane said, grinning at his girlfriend. "In fact, I think we should start now," he added, taking Skyla in an arm.
"I sense we'll have a good time," she said playfully.
He stared at her for a moment. "You made a joke."
"I've been practicing," she explained.
"Maybe we can practice together tonight," he said as the two left.
"So, anyone else?" Blake asked. "Motocross nationals only comes once a year."
"That's tonight?" Tori asked. "Our families are having dinner together."
"Right," Dustin remembered. "My dad's in town. He…hasn't met Tobi yet." He bit his bottom lip nervously.
"I'm sure he'll like our brother," Tori offered.
"He better," Lia added, making a fist pounding motion.
"You're both going?" Blake asked.
"Our parents already know about the whole other dimension thing," Tori explained. "Even I was surprised by how cool they're with the whole thing."
"The only part we're not sure about is how Dustin's dad will react to everything," Tobi added, sending his boyfriend comforting thoughts.
"What about you?" Hunter asked Waldo. "Are you going?"
"Uh," Waldo replied, running a hand through his hair as he watched Tobi and Dustin. "It'll be weird enough without me. I'd just make things more…complicated."
"They're your parents too now, dude," Dustin insisted.
Waldo blinked. "Yeah, I know. It's just… You know how your—our mom reacts to things."
"She'd freak out," Dustin agreed, nodding. "But we can't keep swapping places all the time. We have to tell her sometime."
"I know that your parents kicked you out back in our dimension," Tobi told Waldo, "and that's why you stayed in Ops, so you probably think you don't need a family since you got by alright without one. But—"
"Tobs, I have a family," Waldo corrected, smiling at him.
"Right," Tobi agreed, smiling back.
"So, you wanna join our little family viewing of the motocross nationals?" Hunter asked.
"Sure," Waldo agreed.
"Can I watch too?" Geo begged.
Hunter glanced between Waldo and Blake. "I guess a Bradley Sandwich is out of the question then."
Blake glared at his brother.
Tobi winced as Dustin's mind drifted to exactly what a Bradley Sandwich with Waldo in the middle would look like. "Come on, Dustin," he interrupted his boyfriend's thoughts. "Let's go."
"Sure, TZT," Dustin grinned, blushing. So that Bradley Sandwich wasn't hot? he thought.
Not really my taste, Tobi thought back. I'd prefer a Dustin Sandwich. He supplied an image to go with the thought.
"Yeah, let's get back to my bed—er, my house," Dustin agreed, quickly leading his boyfriend off.
"Can I have a Bradley Sandwich?" Geo asked.
Hunter looked at his brother, nervous.
"Hey, don't look at me," Blake argued. "You started the whole Bradley Sandwich thing."
"Trust me, one day I'll get you to agree to one, bro," Hunter insisted.
"You two aren't talking about what I think you're talking about, are you?" Tori asked.
"Pretty much," Blake groaned. "Just because we're close doesn't mean we should share someone—share another ingredient."
Lia watched Tori look between the two Thunder brothers, first from the brunette and then to the blond, and decided to fan her sister's face with her hands. "Yeah, that ain't gonna happen," she said, dragging Tori away.
"I wasn't picturing it!" Tori insisted as her sister hurried her off.
"I was thinking of a Tori Sandwich myself," Blake whispered.
"That makes two of us," Hunter agreed, high fiving his brother.
"I'm amazed she likes either of you, let alone both," Cam commented the moment the two Toris were gone.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Blake asked defensively.
"Girls appreciate maturity," Cam explained simply.
"I'm mature," Blake insisted.
"Not as mature as your older bro," Hunter argued.
"Older, but not wiser," Blake countered.
"Yeah, you're a real wise ass," Hunter threw back.
"So that makes you just an ass," Blake replied, laughing.
"Yeah, a fine piece of ass," Hunter bragged, smirking.
"So true," Waldo, Cam and even Blake all agreed before staring at each other.
"Mmm," Hunter murmured. "Anyone else getting a craving for fruit salad?"
Blake once again glared at his brother while Cam and Waldo continued exchanging looks.
"We are!" Marah and Kapri exclaimed together. "We're starving!"
As Hunter looked bewildered, Blake decided it was time for a facepalm.
"So, cousin, are you going to watch motocross with us?" Marah asked.
"Us?" Blake repeated, but the hippies ignored him.
"Um…" Cam mumbled. "Actually, Lia wants me to join her at the Hanson's and you know I can't argue with her."
"That means more fruit salad for us!" Kapri cooed.
"We can't all leave Ninja Ops, can we?" Waldo asked Cam.
"It is alright," Sensei said, hopping over. "Circuit and I will continue to monitor the field."
"Thanks, dad," Cam said sincerely.
"However, beginning tomorrow, I will be increasing your training regimen," the guinea pig finished.
Cam and Waldo just nodded.
"Better make tonight count," Blake commented.
"I have an idea how to make it memorable," Hunter teased.
"And I thought Lothor was scary," the younger Bradley groaned.
"Lothor's not scary," Geo insisted. "He probably ran away."
"I hope you're right," Marah said.
"We all do," Cam agreed, glancing at his father.
Lothor stared at the collection of multicolored morphers and matching crystals on the wall of Vexacus' ship as Choobo entered and Vexacus checked the ship's instruments.
"Ooh, pretty," Choobo said, reaching for a crystal.
Lothor slapped the alien's hand away. "Where did you get these?" the space ninja asked.
"Just some…souvenirs from Esparia," Vexacus commented dismissively. "You wouldn't have heard of it."
"I was in space a long time before finally being able to return to Earth for revenge," Lothor corrected. "So, you destroyed the Psychic Power Rangers?"
"The six of them never saw it coming," Vexacus chuckled. "So much for being psychic."
"I only count four," Choobo commented.
"Five," Lothor corrected, "though I'm amazed you can count beyond two."
Vexacus spun around in the pilot's seat and stared at the wall. "The pink morpher and power crystal is missing," he noted. "It must be that fool Shimazu. I heard him compliment your neice's hair color before. He must have taken it when you ordered us to team up."
Lothor turned to glare at the alien. "Then I certainly hope you did a thorough job disposing of your 'teammate'," he growled.
"Even if the Power Rangers found the morpher, they would never be able to operate it," Vexacus argued. "Not unless one of them is psychic."
"You better hope you're right," Lothor commented, "for your sake." He pulled out a device from his pocket. "I have only to press a single button."
"Hey, you found your PAM," Choobo noticed.
"Not quite," Lothor replied dismissively. "This replacement Personal Alien Manager was hardly easy to come by, but it does have an added feature." He looked at the bounty hunter. "Now move aside. I'm flying this contraption."
"It's my ship," Vexacus pointed out. "I built her and I will fly her."
"Since I integrated the fragments of the Gem of Souls into the engine and only I know how to use them to get us through my nephew's field undetected, I'll fly," Lothor corrected, shoving Vexacus aside and sitting in the pilot's chair. "Too bad you didn't install a couple more seats," he added while familiarizing himself with the controls. "This may get a little rough and I'd hate for you two to be…uncomfortable." He chuckled as he started the engine and turned on the shield that was tied into the gem fragments.
Behind the space ninja, Vexacus grumbled something unintelligible as the ship took off and prepared to pass through the transport inhibiting field around the planet without being detected. The two aliens were promptly thrown against the walls with a loud thud, causing Lothor to laugh harder.
Dustin and Tobi paced back and forth in the Hanson's kitchen. They were trying to reassure each other, but instead their combined thoughts made their connected worries mix and overpower them.
"You two are even making me nervous," Lia commented.
"Come on, guys, everything will be fine," Tori reassured her brother and best friend.
Just then the doorbell rang.
"That's him!" Dustin squeaked. "Should I hold your hand or would that like be too obvious?"
"I'll get it," Ali said, chuckling and shaking her head.
"Do you think I should mention I'm into motocross too?" Tobi asked as Tori's younger sister left the room. "You know, as a bonding thing."
"Or maybe I should just come out and say I fell in love with him when we were trapped in another dimension by the other us," Dustin suggested.
"I don't know about that one," Lia advised.
"It looks like time's up," Tori said as footsteps could be heard approaching the kitchen.
"Dad, I'm in love with Tobi Hanson, Tori's twin brother from another dimension," Dustin announced just as someone entered the kitchen.
But, to their surprise, it wasn't Dustin's dad. It was Cam.
"What are you doing here?" Lia asked.
"You told me to come," Cam reminded her, looking confused.
"And you listened to me?" she asked.
"Of course," he replied flatly.
"Ah, the reliable one," she sighed. "Cam, you're just who we need right now to calm these two down."
"Um, I'll try," he offered, still confused.
"Are you two still pacing around in here?" Mrs. Hanson said, entering the kitchen with her husband.
"We're about to eat," Mr. Hanson added.
"But what about my parents?" Dustin asked.
"They called to say they're running a little late and wanted us to start without them," Mrs. Brooks explained, opening the oven.
"Didn't Ali tell you?" Mr. Brooks asked.
"No, she didn't," Tori said, eyeing her sister.
Ali shrugged. "Hey, it was too much fun watching them," she explained.
Tori sighed while Lia high fived Ali.
"Hey!" Tobi protested.
"All's fair in love and war, little brother," Lia stated. "Now, I'm thinking of popping up from under the table and going with the evil twin thing. What do you think?"
"Definitely," Ali agreed.
Tori groaned and followed the others into the dining room.
"I'm just going to make a quick call before we eat, Cam whispered to Tori, who nodded.
"Power Ranger stuff?" Ali whispered.
Tori nodded, putting a finger to her lips as she joined her sisters.
Geo cheered while sitting directly in front of the tv at the Bradley brothers' apartment. Onscreen, motocross bikes were tearing up the track, dirt flying everywhere. "See that, Destiny?" he asked the dog in his lap. "I'm gonna be just like that when I grow up. I'm gonna be all vroom!" He then pretended to ride a bike around the living room. Poor Destiny was the bike.
Marah giggled while reaching for some popcorn, only to discover an empty bowl. "It looks like we're out of popcorn," she realized.
"I'll help make more!' Geo volunteered. "I know how!"
"Okay, let's go," Kapri agreed, her and Marah leading the boy toward the kitchen.
"I don't know about you, but I think we could have beat these guys easily," Blake commented once it was just him and Hunter on the couch with Waldo between them.
"Yeah, they don't look very fast to me," Hunter agreed. "And their moves aren't anything special."
"They don't compare to your moves," Waldo grinned, throwing an arm over the blond's shoulder.
Blake rolled his eyes.
"Hey, I saw that," Hunter scolded. "You're just jealous."
"Am not," Blake huffed. "I'm over that now."
"I'll have to ask Tori about that," Hunter replied skeptically.
"Come on," Waldo interrupted. "You two are brothers. Enough with the arguing."
The two frowned.
"Now kiss and make up," Waldo continued, trying to hide a smile.
The two stared at him.
"Sorry, it was kinda hot that one time," Waldo explained. "But, if you don't have the courage to do it, I understand."
The two brothers glanced between each other and the earth ninja.
"One last time?" Hunter suggested, smirking.
Blake thought for a moment. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"
"Probably," Hunter said, "but that's never stopped you before. You tend to regret everything you do with your mouth."
Blake sighed, rolling his eyes before reluctantly leaning forward. The two moved their faces toward each other, closing their eyes until…
Waldo stuck his head between the two and the Thunder brothers kissed him on each side of his face.
The two promptly opened their eyes as Waldo chuckled.
"You tricked us," Hunter realized.
Waldo just shrugged. "Don't think I didn't figure out what the whole 'Bradley Sandwich' thing was all about. I'm a genius, remember?"
Blake pouted, crossing his arms. "You two are made for each other."
"Oh, come on, bro," Hunter urged. "It was just a peck. We've both kissed Tori and even Tobi on the lips."
"Yeah, that was weird," Blake agreed.
"Look, I'm sorry for tricking you guys," Waldo said, using Dustin's memories to make his infamous puppy dog eyes.
"You're forgiven," Hunter said, kissing his boyfriend on the lips before looking over at his brother. "So, about that Bradley Sandwich…"
"Strawberry and blueberry jam with peanut butter in between," Waldo commented.
"You really have been paying attention," Hunter laughed. "Whatcha say, bro?"
"Alright, you're forgiven," Blake agreed, adding, "but that doesn't mean we're gonna have a threesome."
Hunter leaned over, whispering to Waldo, "Play along." Then he said, louder, "I guess there's no point in seeing who's the better kisser, since we all know I'd win."
"That's true," Waldo agreed, leaning into Hunter. "Strawberry's my favorite flavor anyway."
"Hey, I didn't even kiss you on the lips," Blake argued. "It doesn't count."
Waldo turned his head to look at the younger Bradley over his shoulder. "You really think you could…wow me?" he asked with a smirk to rival Hunter's.
Blake let out a low growl before pulling the earth ninja to him and attacking his lips with his own.
Waldo whimpered as Hunter ran a tongue along his jaw line while the younger Bradley kissed him vigorously.
When Blake pulled back, he started to ask, "How was th—" but his brother trapped his lips with his own.
"You're right, Hunter," Waldo commented between the two kissing brothers, "a Bradley Sandwich is filled with awesomeness."
"Where's the sandwiches?" Geo yelled, suddenly bounding into the room with Marah and Kapri.
"Popcorn's ready!" the girls announced, setting down two bowls.
"Popcorn goes great with sandwiches," Hunter teased, grinning at his brother.
"This never happened," Blake said, picking up a handful of popcorn and throwing it at his brother.
Waldo soon found himself in the middle of a popcorn fight.
Destiny barked as Geo joined the fun and Marah and Kapri debated over whether to stop the fight or join in. Eventually, they decided to join.
"And the second moon," Skyla explained, lying on her back on the couch in Shane's living room while the air ninja sat on the floor beside her.
"The red one," Shane added.
"Right," Skyla replied, grinning. "It would pass through the planet's rings every night, sending a shower of pink and gold dust scattering across the sky. It was beautiful."
"Yeah," Shane agreed, staring at her.
"Now, do you want to practice jokes again?" she asked, sitting up.
"Nah, I like this," Shane said, taking a seat beside her on the couch.
"You could tell me more about this planet," she urged.
"Not much more to know," he shrugged. "You've seen most of it. Maybe with Lothor on vacation, Sensei will let us go camping. The stars are really clear away from the city."
"As clear as in space?" she asked.
"Well…" he chuckled.
"You should get that," she suddenly said, gesturing to the phone.
Just then the phone rang.
He grinned, reaching over and picking up the house line. "Yeah?" he asked casually.
He heard a scoff from the other end of the line. "Typical," a voice muttered.
"Who's this?" Shane asked.
"You should answer, stating clearly, 'Clarke residence,' Shane," the voice continued.
"Porter?" Shane replied. "Dad and mom aren't home."
"Which is why you felt as though you could slack off," his brother accused.
"If I take a break, it's because I deserve one," Shane argued, feeling defensive.
"You mean, from your hard life of skateboarding?" Porter asked. "When are you going to grow up and—"
"Did you call for a reason?" Shane snapped.
"Yes, I did," Porter replied. "Tell our parents my flight's just now boarding, so I should be there in a couple hours."
"Great," Shane groaned just as Skyla took him by the arm, turning him until the two made eye contact. She seemed to be telling him something without speaking. "Listen, Porter, I'm…sorry," he finally said. "I look forward to seeing you again. I…I love you." She smiled approvingly at him.
There was a long silence on the other end of the line before his brother finally spoke up. "I love you too. I only want you to live up to your full potential. And, thank you for saving me the last time I was in town. Up close, the Power Rangers didn't quite live up to their reputations."
"Um, sure," Shane mumbled, remembering the day that he was morphed and both he and the other dimension's Shane had went to save their brother, but his unmorphed counterpart got there first and Porter had assumed that was him.
"See you soon, Shane," his brother said before hanging up.
Skyla patted Shane's arm and he smiled, pulling her into a kiss.
She threw her arms around his neck before pulling away suddenly.
"What's wrong?" he asked, holding her face in one hand. He could see the worry in her eyes.
She shook her head. "Just a feeling," she replied.
He suddenly became serious. "Your feelings are never wrong."
"Just that…" she concentrated. "Something's going to happen…someone's coming," she realized just as the front door opened and Shane's parents arrived home.
He laughed to himself. "And here I was worried it was Lothor." But, as he met his dad's glare, he saw a look that put Lothor himself to shame.
Vexacus and Choobo were lying on the floor of Vexacus' ship, groaning in pain. It had been a rough trip, but Lothor didn't seem to care. "Are we finally on Earth?" Choobo choked out.
"Yes," Lothor said, opening a compartment near the controls and pulling out the fragments of the Gem of Souls while studying the computer readouts. "And, thanks to me, we weren't detected at all."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Vexacus grumbled, pulling himself off Choobo. "Let's go."
"No," Lothor stated firmly, putting out a hand. "You two will stay in the ship. Knowing my nephew, he's probably scanning for alien DNA. The ship will keep your life signs shielded, but I happen to be human. In fact, my DNA will actually help me complete the Gem of Souls." He opened the door and began to exit, but then stuck his head back inside. "I'll let you know when it's time to use the holograms."
"Holograms?" Choobo asked as the door closed behind Lothor. "Are those graham crackers with holes in them?"
Vexacus just grumbled to himself. "Soon," he whispered. "Very soon your time will come."
Sensei was meditating in front of his bonsai when a beep sounded from the main computer of Ninja Ops. "It's Cam," Circuit announced as the guinea pig hopped over, pressing a button.
"I'm just checking in," Cam said, his face appearing onscreen.
"A sensible course of action," Sensei agreed, "however there is nothing to report."
Cam let out a sigh of relief.
"So, how is your dinner going?" the guinea pig asked.
"It's just now starting," Cam replied. "Dustin is nervous about talking with his father, but I suspect he'll understand and respect what his son has to say."
"It is the duty of a father to at least make an effort to understand his son," Sensei nodded. "I hope I have offered you the same courtesy."
Cam couldn't help but grin. "You have," he agreed before looking over his shoulder. "They're sitting down now, so I better go."
"I will let you return to your friends," Sensei stated. "Circuit and I will continue to monitor the field."
"Thanks, dad," Cam said before his image vanished from the screen and Sensei hopped back over to his bonsai to continue his meditation.
But, as the guinea pig closed his eyes and began to let his consciousness wander, he felt his brother Lothor's presence. It had never felt so strong, not even in his deepest meditative states.
Boom! A sudden explosion causes Sensei's tiny eyes to shoot open. He saw Circuit's metallic body spark and explode as it crashed into the main computer. It had been struck by something powerful. Just then, a purple blast caused the computer to explode.
Without even having to think, Sensei knew what was happening and hopped into action, diving his tiny but powerful body toward the intruder.
Lothor stood just inside Ninja Ops, chuckling. "It seems being your twin brother has finally paid off," he said, dodging right to avoid the guinea pig. He made a tisk sound, adding, "Using a DNA scanner was not the best security precaution on my nephew's part. Now, I have waited a long time for this moment, to finally fulfill my revenge. All those years in space, amassing an army…Today's the day you die, brother."
"I had suspected you were planning something," Sensei explained while diving to attack his brother.
"It's not like I'd just give up," Lothor chuckled before being knocked backward by the guinea pig.
"Tobi had thought you might actually change," Sensei said while dodging a blast of purple energy that crashed into the wall with a huge explosion.
"The gold ranger," Lothor growled at the words. "But that's not why I'm here. Hand over the fragments of the Gem of Souls you possess."
"I do not know of what you speak," Sensei lied, faltering mid jump. The Move left him open to be hit on the arm by a blast. He spun backward, hitting a wall.
"You were always such a bad liar, Kanoi," Lothor quipped, following the guinea pig's eyes to the bonsai.
The space ninja shot out a blast of purple energy and the bonsai burst into flames. Then, walking over to the charred remains, he dug in the dirt, pulling out a bag and opening it. Inside were the remaining pieces of the Gem of Souls. They had been hidden in plain sight under Sensei's bonsai.
"And now it's complete," Lothor mused just as something hit the back of his head, causing him to fall over, the pieces falling from his grasp.
"You will not win," Sensei called, diving toward the pieces.
But, as the guinea pig did so, he was left open to a blast from Lothor.
The beam hit the tiny creature full force and his body spun mid-air before finally falling to the ground to be buried in the rubble.
Meanwhile, Lothor picked up the pieces and dusted himself off. "It seems I've already won," he commented, studying his PAM, pleased to see that the field around the planet was now down. In fact, all of Ninja Ops was down. Then, raising his communicator to his mouth, he simply said, "It's time."
To be continued...
Author's Notes: Dum dum dum! Oh! The drama continues! What will happen next? I'll give you a clue: action ahead! Oh, and more drama. Review and tell me what you think and also what you want to see! Also, was the Bradley Sandwich scene too much? I just can't help myself sometimes…