Disclaimer: Power Rangers: Ninja Storm is the property of Disney...I do not work for/own Disney, ergo, I do not own Power Rangers
Hunter hit the ground with a loud grunt; This is getting old, He thought as he sat up. Shane was also sitting up, "This is getting old," he muttered.
Hunter snickered, "I was just thinking that." He pushed himself up off the ground and brushed his legs. Instead of the feeling of denim, it was leather, "This is new," he commented, his Ninja training uniform had been changed into an all over crimson color. He looked again at Shane and saw that what he'd thought was Shane's jersey was, in fact, a bright red Ninja training uniform.
"What's going on?" Shane asked.
"I would say that we have been sent into a new dimension," Hunter offered as he held his hand out to Shane. Shane gave him an odd look but accepted the hand up. They looked around, it was a park, manicured, with jogging paths.
"Where are we?" Shane asked.
"I'm not positive," Hunter said quietly, "but I think we've ended up in Jackson's Creek. That's the city near the Thunder Academy. This is the park by the motocross track. We used to race through here before they put up an ordinance against it."
"Look, it Sensei's Pet!"
The two ninjas spun to find them selves facing a man of about twenty four years; he wore a black ninja uniform and had dark brown hair and dark skin. "Michael," Hunter growled.
"Who's this, Pet," the boy taunted, "your boyfriend?"
Shane blinked, "What gives you that idea," he demanded, furious.
"You're with him, aren't you?"
Hunter strode across the ground and punched Michael, "You stupid, arrogant, fat-ass. You don't deserve to be a ninja. That's why they sent you home before graduation. You couldn't accept differences and that got you in trouble. Maybe I used to be scared of you, but I grew up, Michael, and I learned tolerance. You couldn't handle the honor code, and so you were banished from the Academy and the powers locked inside you. You are nothing but a bully, Michael, go to hell."
The man vanished.
"Ok," Shane said, "that was weird." Hunter didn't speak, he stood still for a long moment, head bowed. "You ok, man?" Shane asked, putting a hand on Hunter's shoulder.
"Yeah," Hunter said, "I always used to wish I had the courage to tell Michael all that. He studied at the Academy for nearly a year, but the code never really sunk in with him. He was a bully, and worse. Sensei Omino and the other teachers expelled him after he beat me up. I was protecting Blake. They bound his powers so he couldn't 'streak or call the lightening, and he was sent home."
"Well, you made him vanish," Shane said, "so whatever this place is, it must do something with our minds."
Hunter rolled his eyes, "Great, just what I wanted, to share every secret fear I've ever had."
Shane crossed his arms, "I'm not too happy about it either, Hunter. Look, you know our friends; they're going to bug us about what happened. Let's make a promise, what ever happens here, we won't tell anyone. Not even Sensei, or Blake."
Hunter thought about it, and then offered his hand, "Deal."
Shane took it and shook firmly, "Deal."
A small, sharp something struck Hunter in the head, he lifted his hand to the spot automatically. "Ow," he muttered.
"Wha-ow!" Shane said, he looked around, just in time to see a larger rock just before it hit Hunter's arm.
"What is going on?" Hunter demanded.
"Someone's throwing rocks," Shane said. "Ow!"
Hunter stepped away from Shane, his thoughts whirling; he didn't have any fears dealing with rocks. He looked at Shane, who paled, "What?" He demanded.
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone," Shane quoted. He looked away from Hunter, "My brother said that, the only time he ever came to one of my competitions. He'd congratulated me, and then my parents were there, like a pair of overgrown guard dogs and he said that to them before he left. They started in on how horrible it was, and all that, and I was always struck by that phrase."
"I take it we're talking about the gay one?" Hunter asked, eyes scanning around the area, "Dustin and Tori talked to us about him."
"Yeah," Shane said, "Jon said it. I knew what he meant to; if they were pure and innocent then they could say whatever they wanted."
Hunter paused, "Shane, we got company."
Shane turned to look, and groaned. "Yeah, that's my parents," he muttered as the primly dressed, older couple approached. "Hi dad," he offered.
"Do not talk to me like that," Mr. Clark said, "Not if you are going to stand with him."
Shane looked at Hunter, who tilted his head as if to say, 'your show.' Shane took a deep breath, "Mom, Dad, this is Hunter Bradley, he's a friend from the Ninja Academy. He and his brother Blake came down from a different Academy to study with us."
"That boy is a homosexual," Mrs. Clark said, she shuddered, as if even saying the word was painful.
"So what of it?" Hunter asked, ignoring his own intentions of being silent.
"Son, step away from that boy," Mr. Clark said, "you know what he is."
"Dad, I seriously think that if Hunter was going to- to- take advantage of me, he'd have done so before now," Shane replied, not moving.
"Like I said," Hunter told Shane, "I like guys who motocross. I don't get skateboarders."
"Son," Mr. Clark repeated, his tone harsh, "step away from that boy. Like the other, he is not worthy of your time. He is only pretending to be your friend. Just walk away."
"No." Shane said. "Hunter is a friend I can trust, Dad. He's proven that to me."
"If you are straight you'd walk away," Mrs. Clark said, her eyes getting moist.
"Oh please," Hunter said, "he's gay by association? Mrs. Clark, it don't work that way."
"You will not address my wife, boy," Mr. Clark said.
"It's a free country," Hunter replied.
"I did not fight for it just so a boy like you could steal another of my sons from God's path," Mr. Clark said.
"What part of Shane's straight and I wouldn't want him even if he weren't are you not understanding?" Hunter demanded.
"If you were straight, Shane, you would stand with us," Mr. Clark said.
"Yes, because it makes us better to treat a friend like that," Shane had been standing beside Hunter, but looking diminished by his father and mother's censure. Now, he stood with his chin raised, a look on his face similar to the one he turned on Lothor. "Father," he paused, "Father, I am a Ninja, and although I honor your beliefs as a Christian, and can reconcile Christianity to the Ninja's way of life, in this matter I chose being a Ninja over being a Christian. Ninjas accept each other no matter what. Until it's proven to me that Hunter practices the Dark Ninja Powers, I'm going to stand beside him because he is a Ninja and that is our Law. Students have been sent from the Academies because they can't adapt, accept and work with others for reasons like that. Hunter is a homosexual, but he is also my friend and a Ninja, so I accept that he is homosexual." He glanced at Hunter, "Hunter, I hope, can understand that, because of the environment in which I was raised, I have had trouble handling the information, but I have come to the realization that even if Hunter is gay, he's still my friend, and a Ninja. There's nothing that can change that."
Hunter blinked a few times, and then he realized something, when Shane said Ninja he meant Ranger. "You know I understand," he told Shane, "that's what a Ninja and a friend do."
"If that is your choice," Mr. Clark said, "then you are no son of mine."
"If that is your decision," Shane said, "then I know I made the right choice. I will not abandon my friends, my teammates, just because of a bigot."
The two Clarks disappeared and Shane slumped instantly, "I just, I just called him a bigot, didn't I?" Shane asked.
"Uh, yes," Hunter said, "but you did more than that. You stood up for your belief. Let me guess, you don't do that when you imagine that conversation."
"No." Shane shook his head, "I don't. I can't face them in real life either. I've lost a friend that way. What Jon said, and losing Bryan as a friend, they've made me think that maybe my parents aren't the all-knowing, fearsome people they've always appeared to be."
"So, we've both faced down our worst bullies," Hunter said, "That wasn't bad. What's next?"
"Don't ask that," Shane said, "You'll jinx us!"
The world changed, and Hunter shut his eyes firmly, trees shouldn't do that! When he opened them, they were in the quarry where so many monster battles occurred. "What is with this place?" He demanded, "Is this your nightmare or mine?"
"Both," Shane said, he looked at Hunter, "all the bad fights; they end here."
Hunter nodded, "Glad to know that's not just me." He turned around, "do you think we're back?"
"No," Shane said. "I think this is our worse nightmare, look."
Hunter turned, Lothor stood facing them, smiling, "If it isn't my favorite red rangers." He drawled.
"Crimson," Hunter growled.
"Whatever, I have a present for you boys," Lothor waved his hand, and Mara, Kapri, and Zurgane appeared, holding Tori, Dustin, and Blake. All three were injured, but still struggling.
"Blake," Hunter said, "are you ok?"
"I'm fine," Blake replied.
"Yes, they put up quite the fight, but we overwhelmed them," Lothor said. "And now, they are going to die."
Hunter dropped his wrist, but the usual heavy weight of his morpher was gone. He didn't think of that, instead, he reached out with his senses, summoning the thunder and lightening that was his birth right. He lifted his right hand to hover over his heart for a brief moment, "Power of Thunder," he declared and released the power he'd called.
"Power of Air!" Shane followed.
Lightening crackled through the air and went just past Kapri, who held Blake. Thunder boomed, enhanced by the wind tunnel Shane was creating. Kapri cried out in fright and released Blake, who kicked her in the stomach and ran for Hunter, "Not so fast!" Lothor declared, a bolt of energy hit Blake in his back. Hunter was looking into his brother's face; he saw the life leave his eyes.
"No!" Hunter screamed as his brother fell.
