A/N: I wound up splitting this up because there are two different story arcs spawned by the end. I totally made up the stuff about Kelly's mom because I needed an excuse. Read for understanding. I hope you like this, my third chapter in 24 hours, which is a record. I actually meant to write a Stars chapter, but this just kind of exploded out of me. Hopefully I can get the Stars chapter written tomorrow.
Disclamier: I do not own Power Rangers, and I do apologize to any Jim Hanson fans, I don't own his muppets either, it was just the first thing I could think of.
Hunter strolled casually into Storm Chargers to start his shift; Dustin was at the counter and Shane in his usual corner. "Hey man," Dustin said, cheerful as ever. "You haven't seen Tori have you?"
"As a matter of fact," Hunter smirked, "I have. I suggest you steer clear of her for a while, she is going to be mad."
"What did you do?" Shane asked.
"Cam locked her in a closet," Hunter replied, "the same closet that I had just locked Blake into." He shrugged, "He was doing that male-mating-dance and it was getting on my nerves. Since I do occasionally enjoy having a younger brother, I just threw him into a closet. Then I told Tori where he was. Cam locked her in the closet. We're either going to be missing a blue, or be congratulating a new couple in a few hours."
"Dude, that's so wrong," Dustin said, "she is going to kill you."
Hunter rolled his eyes, "Love to see her try. The only thing more annoying than the whole Blake-Tori love saga is the way Shane goes cross eyed every time I walk into a room." Shane coughed, but Hunter ignored him, "Seriously? I checked him out a long time ago and what he got, I don't want. The emotional baggage is just a little bit more than I'm looking for. Give me a nice blond with something upstairs and the ability to enjoy motocross and I will die a happy man."
It was amusing to see Shane become more flustered by the moment, Hunter realized; especially when he'd dismissed Shane's attractive face for his emotional baggage. He wondered if it would have the fringe benefit of killing Shane's ego trip as well. Just then, Kelly came out of the back room, half in tears. "Hunter, Dustin, Shane, I have to close the shop," she said. "My mom's sick and I have to go to LA for a week. Dustin, you can run the shop tomorrow, I know you can handle it, but I just can't handle worrying about the store tonight."
"No problem Kel," Dustin said, laying a hand on Kelly's shoulder, "I'll take care of the shop. You just go take care of your mom. If I run into trouble, Hunter and Blake will be here, and if the worse comes, we can take Shane and Tori on temp like last time."
Kelly hugged Dustin, "You are a very special person," she said.
"People tell me that," Dustin replied, "now go pack. Hunter and I will do a shut down. I know where the half-day signs are, I'll put them up. Don't worry about Storm Chargers at all; Hunter, Blake and I will take care of everything."
Kelly wiped her eyes and smiled, "Thank you." She turned and went out the back.
Dustin turned, "Kelly's mom has breast cancer, it keeps acting like it's going into remission, but then it comes back. She's had a double mastectomy, but she's not getting better. Kelly takes it hard every time her mom goes into the hospital, but we can handle the shop. We just act like Kelly's at the track or something. Also, we run on half-days when she's in LA, but Kelly pays us for a full day's work. Usually, we take Shane and Tori on temp when Kelly has to go, but we may not have to, what with you two being on the payroll."
Hunter nodded, "Let's close down then," he flicked a glance at Shane, "that means you have to leave, Shane."
Shane rolled his eyes and didn't move.
Hunter and Dustin worked in sync to bring the shop down to its closed status, and finally, they put up a sign that Dustin produced: 'Store Closed Due To Family Emergency; Storm Chargers Will Run On Short Days Until Further Notice.' Then they left, heading for the beach by common consent. Shane didn't seem to be paying any attention to Hunter, and Hunter returned the favor, after all, Dustin chatted enough for both of them. They had just reached the beach when screams broke out. "Shit," Hunter growled.
An ugly monster stood on the beach, surrounded by kelzacks. "Dude, if a frog and a pig had kids, do you think they'd look like that?" Dustin asked.
"They'd be cuter," Shane replied as the three took defensive positions.
The beach emptied quicker than even a sudden storm could achieve, and the trio nodded to each other. "Ninja Storm, Ranger Form!" Dustin and Shane cried.
"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form!" Hunter called.
Morphed, the three spread out to keep the monster from drawing a bead on them as a group. The monster pointed at Shane, "You will be first!" He cried, in a voice that sounded like Ms. Piggy with a frog in her throat.
Dustin laughed, and Hunter had to chuckle, "As you wish," Shane muttered and launched a kick at the monster.
"What was up is down for you, spin and turn and bleed and burn. Through the portal of time begun, take you back to the world undone!" The monster cried, and a violet pink light enveloped Shane.
Hunter stared as Shane disappeared, "Shit, Cam; monster on the beach. It's done something to Shane, he just disappeared," Hunter called into his communicator.
"Tori, Blake and I will be there soon," Cam replied.
Hunter nodded and drew his Thunder Staff, "Hey, Pinky, try this on for size," he called, and charged.
The monster began his chant, and Hunter shot lightening from his staff, disrupting the creature's concentration. "Hunter, Dustin," Cam said, his tone stressed, "we have a problem."
"Can it wait?" Hunter demanded.
"No. I lost the key to the equipment closet."
Hunter swore with a vehemence he usually reserved for Zurgane, and then the world turned a shade of pink that reminded Hunter of Pepto Bismal.
