Disclaimer: I own a cat, not the Power Rangers
A/N: This is a few days after the last chapter.
Blake had decided that Hunter wasn't going to attempt to punish him anymore than he had before, which was a good thing. Even though he now knew that his brother had stayed out in that storm to make sure he wasn't hurt, Blake didn't think he'd be sleeping easily for a while. When his brother was in the mood, he could be vindictive. Blake then shook his head, his brother had been sick, and now needed to get back into shape, that was the important thing. For a brief moment, he thought of today, his birthday, then turned his mine to thinking of ways to keep his brother from overworking without making him mad.
Those thoughts in his head, Blake hurried into the cafeteria for lunch, planning on driving his brother insane while taking care of him. "Happy Birthday!"
Blake jumped, and looked up to find some of his closest friends at the Academy waiting for him, with Sensei Omino, Leanne and Hunter right in the middle. Hunter was smiling, one of his rare, eye touching smiles and Blake smiled back. "You know," Hunter said, crossing his arms, "you're a Ninja, did you really not notice anything today?"
Blake grinned, "I was trying to think of ways to keep you from overworking yourself. It's hard to be creative."
Hunter laughed and slung his arm over Blake's shoulders, "Why don't you just blow out the candles? I'm starving."
Blake blinked at the cake waiting for him, with the number 16 on it. He grinned as he counted the sixteen candles that burned brightly. He looked up, at his friends, and something clenched. Friends, family, yeah, but someone was missing, a face that he saw sometimes, and yet could never remember. He leaned over the cake and thought, Where ever she is, who ever she is, let her be happy. And let us meet soon. Then he blew out the candles.
"All right," Hunter said, pushing his brother into a chair, "I'll serve the cake, you open your gifts."
"No you don't!" Leanne said, "You'll cut everyone the most miserly pieces you can get away with and eat the rest. I'll cut the cake."
"I said I'd serve it. You cut, I hand out," Hunter replied.
Blake smiled as the first gift came to him, while his brother bickered, he ripped the paper and opened the box to find a new Ninja suit, in black and navy. "All right," he said, "my old one was getting tight across the shoulders."
Hunter frowned, "I thought you were getting fat, Blake," he said, in a teasing tone.
Blake stuck out his tongue, "It's all muscle and you know it!"
"I don't know," Chris said, leaning over to poke Blake's arm, "You look a little jiggly."
"Muscle, with a little baby fat," Blake replied defensively. If he wasn't careful, he'd put on weight, so he was rather defensive about his body.
Hunter, seeing this, slung his arm around him, "Just a little, but then, you are my baby brother." He punched Chris in his shoulder, "You, on the other hand, don't have that excuse. Haven't you been working out lately?"
"Yes," the Thunder Ninja replied, "may I have a slice of cake please?"
"I'm not sure you should have cake," Hunter replied, passing a plate to Sensei Omino.
Sensei took the plate and handed it to Chris, "I do not enjoy chocolate," he said, "so you may have this piece."
Laughter and cake was shared as Blake opened the small pile of gifts, including a new helmet and riding gear. Finally, they were done, and Hunter hadn't given him something. As the other people left, including Leanne, who told them that she had to get back to college for class the next day, Hunter dropped his arm over Blake's shoulder, "I saved my gift for last," Hunter murmured, "Come on." He steered Blake to the shed where they kept their bikes.
Blake opened the door, turned on the lights and froze. In the area reserved for his bike was a gleaming, navy blue bike with silver lightening bolts on it, he walked forward, "Oh," he said, running a hand over the seat, then he turned to look at Hunter.
"It's yours," Hunter said with a smile, "I didn't think Sensei would appreciate tire tracks all over the Academy buildings."
"No, I would not," Sensei Omino said from the door. He held a beautifully carved wooden box. "Hunter, Blake, there is another thing which must be done today." He stepped inside and closed the door behind him, "You are both over the age of sixteen, old enough to go on Ninja missions as your parents did, and so, old enough for these." He opened the box to reveal to devices, "These are the Thunder morphers and they are now yours. I have trained you for this, to become the Power Rangers."
"Sensei," Hunter said, "I thought, but Rangers…" He appeared to be as stunned and shaken as Blake felt. The brothers exchanged looks, and no less confused, but slightly more confident, they turned to Sensei.
"The Power Rangers have always tried to keep their presence absent from the media, making most tales seem false, but they are real, do not doubt. Hunter, you will become the Crimson Thunder Ranger, and Blake, you will become the Navy Thunder Ranger. To access that power, you must simply say 'Thunderstorm Ranger Form'." Sensei said. Hunter reached out and took the morpher with his symbol on it, followed by Blake. They fastened the morphers to their wrists while Sensei watched. "As Rangers, you will have access to two great battle machines, called the Zords."
"Let's not do that," a dry voice drawled, "and I'll take your Rangers off your hands Omino."
Blake found himself looking at a man in a mask, dressed in the oddest clothes, "Lothor," Sensei began, but Lothor threw his hand forward, lightening struck Blake before he realized what was happening, and then he only saw darkness.
