Disclaimer: My first venture into the Power Ranger Fandom. I do not own Power Rangers other than my OC's. There will be slash in here. You get to guess whom! There is also the element of time travel and there will be flashback chapters (just as a warning if things get confusing). Obviously I have no BETA so I apologize for any grammatical mistakes in advance. WARNING: SLASH (BOYXBOY) in this fic. Griffin will be traveling back in time to when the Thunder and Wind Rangers have already become a Team and Cam has already gained his Samurai Powers.

~ Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Hurricane Chronicles ~

QUICK RECAP

Quick blurb about the Bradley Brothers

Hunter has a dream about Kim

Weird phone call

Hunter's response

~ Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Hurricane Chronicles ~

Dustin had reached the cave near the peak. The journey had been difficult, but if that was what it took to save his friend, it would be worth it. He relied solely on his given abilities, personal or ninja related. This was more than just a test; it was also a quest to aid Griffin.

Anyone with strong magical energy (space villain or Power Ranger) would be attacked by the zombies that guarded the treasure hidden within the cave right off the bat. One could easily hide an item there if that was their only intention. Retrieving an item was another story. His given element however gave him an edge, as he was able to escape their radar until he approached the cave by popping in and out of stone, dirt, clay, etc in a random pattern.

When he approached the summit he was surprised to see the zombies had failed to continue their onslaught. The brunette was glad as he could he had drained a lot of his energy by fighting them off. Sensei Watanabe warned him of the task so it was with a heavy heart he left the others behind without a word. Hunter knew he was leaving ahead of time, but just not where.

Dustin entered the cave, which surprisingly lined with torches on one side of the cave wall. As he walked further and further into the belly of the cave they illuminated themselves. The straight path led to a dead end with an old wooden chest lying on the cave's floor. Two shiny and pristine looking yellow daggers lay across the top with a tarnished golden coin in between the blades.

As he tried to move the coin (which he knew would most likely be booby trapped due to his love of Indiana Jones and similar movies) a yellow light flashed in the cave and all the torches went out.

"Who dares interrupt my slumber?" asked an angry feminine voice.

"I have been sent here by Sensei Kanoi Watanabe of the Wind Ninja Academy."

"That does not answer my question for that is your purpose, not your identity. I shall ask once more. Who dares interrupt my slumber?"

"Dustin Brooks, Yellow Wind Ranger!" he said with an air of confidence (but with no arrogance by the way).

"You have passed the test."

"WHAT!" Dustin face faulted.

The cave once more became illuminated slowly from the opening toward where he currently stood.

"You first went for the coin instead of the daggers. It was too tarnished for you to assume it was important. The daggers were in excellent condition to aid your quest but you still chose the coin. Why?"

"It is not right to take the weapons of the fallen unless they are passed down explicitly. Isn't that right Trini Kwan former owner of the Power Daggers, Saber-toothed Tiger Power Coin, and the Saber-toothed Tiger and Griffin Zords?"

The lights were fully illuminated and the spectral form of the (non morphed) Yellow Mighty Morphin' Power Ranger stood before the Yellow Wind Ranger.

"How did you know it was me? No one knows about my team outside of the Angel Grove Rangers."

"You would be surprised. Someone decided to make a comic book about your team, which I read while growing up. It may not have revealed YOUR identities, but it gave basically everything else almost as if an insider created it."

The former Yellow Ranger was surprised how prepared this individual was.

Dustin had still many thoughts on his mind, but there was one thing annoying him above the rest.

"Give it up. And dude step out of the shadows. I know you're there Sphinx."

"Touché Waldo. I believe Siren and the blonde brat were correct. You are not as dumb as you make people think. You made this easy for me. Little Waldo you wasted all your energy getting up and made my task so easy. Thanks again. I will just take these and be on my way."

"Not so fast! You are not getting these items Sphinx!" Dustin said jumping in front of the items.

"And who's going to stop me? A little lion all by yourself?"

"It does not matter what you think. I must help Griffin on his quest. Even if it means I have to die to keep those Power Daggers and the Saber-toothed Power Coin away from the likes of evil. This is your last warning leave or I will have to use force."

"Have to use force?" cackled the evil Yellow Ranger. "When has a Power Ranger ever believed in using peaceful means to get anything done?"

"Logic and reason are the first weapons that any Ranger uses. Violence is only used when necessary and when one resorts to it honor must be upheld. I have no other choice and you are determined to walk out of here with what is not rightfully yours."

"What can you do? Your power of Earth will only cause a landslide and this cave to cave in. You are no match for the power of Lightning," he said gathering a blue ball of lightning in his hand as he charged for the brunette.

"Dude what part of the ground absorbs lightning do you not get?" Dustin asked summoning a ball of earth.

The entire thing would have been in Dustin's favor if the pair had not been in their present location. The Yellow Wind Ranger was only able to do so much to shield himself from the onslaught of the ball of lightning.

"ENOUGH" shouted the spirit of the former female Yellow Ranger. "This does not concern you Sphinx. Leave now or your identity and those of the others shall be revealed now. You may have been able to use the stolen Mystic Morphers but you will not wield my Powers."

Her lightning quick movements made quick work of the evil Yellow Ranger, as he was no match for the seasoned female warrior.

"This will not be the last you will see of me little Waldo."

"ITS DUSTIN!!!"

"This is only the beginning. We will succeed. Today is only a small loss. We shall meet again," he said before he vanished in a swirl of lightning.

"Dustin are you ok?" asked the former Yellow Ranger, who de-morphed after Sphinx's departure.

"Its times like these I appreciate my Ranger gear."

"I must applaud you for protecting my daggers and coin. You have realized what many Rangers forget. Violence is not the only option in many situations. What is it that you seek?"

"This is going to sound confusing. My new boyfriend is Hunter, the Crimson Thunder Ranger. Well Hunter's son Griffin has come from the future. As I am sure you already know, he has come back in time to retrieve the Mystic Morphers and complete the prototype one his father gave him as its his only shot at matching them power wise."

"My spirit may not be still living in this world, but I am aware of many things as you have guessed. Knowledge spreads no matter how hard one tries to suppress it. Ripples are created in time."

"And it is not surprising you are… after all your are a former student and one of the greatest warriors of the Elemental Ninja Academies… Lady Tora of the Fierce Earth Element… err well at least that's who you were in a past life" Dustin said the last bit in a sheepish manner. "Errr well I think."

"You do not know what you are speaking of!" she claimed.

"Give it up. I know you're not Trini Kwan."

'Trini' smirked, and instantly Dustin knew a major headache and a completely unbelievable and farfetched tale were in store for him.

~ Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Hurricane Chronicles ~

"Hold on. I'm so confused. How can you be Lady Tora AND Trini?"

"I'm not."

"But you said they were your daggers and coin."

"They were, but not in the manner you are thinking of."

"Let me try."

"Before the Elemental Schools were separate entities, they were part of a bigger picture. Before there were Elemental Schools there was a different System. Originally there were three types of students in each of the Ninja Academies. Those that specialized in Weapons based of the powers of the Power Coins. Those who specialized in Elemental abilities. And those who harnessed their inner beasts. Each school specialized in an element, an art, and a general type of animal. The Wind Academy focused in Wind, the use of fans and bows, and harnessed avian-based powers. The Thunder Academy focused on Thunder and Lightning and the use of staffs and nun chucks, with the later being used as a conduit for their elemental abilities. They used insectoid type spirits. The Water Academy focused on aquatic animals, the Power of Ice and Water, and utilized spears and whips. Next the Fire Academy focused in the use of swords and lances, reptilian spirits, and the power of Fire. And finally the Earth Academy specialized in Feline sprits in tandem with the Earth Element. Unlike the other Academies we did not specialize in a specific type of weapon though the majority relied on axes and hammers. I preferred my daggers as you can tell personally over those two types of weapons."

"Ok."

"The Power Coins were created for the five Element Schools. But they were not in those forms in a sense. As the Power Coins were not used by my comrades yet the were. For the Power Coins are forged by a being Named Ninjor. Each generation has a new set forged, but the same metal has been used since the beginning. The Original Coins were melted down to their pure states when the Original Warriors perished to prepare for the next battle as the Powers rarely transfer from one individual to another. It happens rarely, but it is possible. Trini's coin comes from my own, which came from those that came before me. Those daggers however were mine. My daggers and the Pink Ranger's bow are the only weapons that remain from my era."

"Why do only those weapons remain?"

"I do not know. The matter is irrelevant."

"The daggers were used in tandem with several powers and animal spirits over the years, but they always remained with a Yellow, whether male of female. The bow remained with Pinks for the power of Pink rarely transcends away from the powers of Wind or the rare case of Wood. It is however troubling what has transpired to the Lines."

"What do you mean by Lines."

"That was just me losing my train of thought. I have been alone and left with the task of guarding this cave for so long that I have a lot to think about."

Dustin knew she had made a slip up, whether intentional or not, but he had an idea now to help Griffin.

"Dustin your duty is to your school and to your pupil. Your quest in the coming months shall be arduous. Return to your Sensei and ask him to open the Forgotten Scroll. It will tell you of what is to come. The fate of the world is in the hands of your pupil" Lady Tora said in all of her spectral glory.

"But…"

"Time repeats itself and warriors are called upon time and time again. Some spirits are forced to take up more than one Power. Sometimes several warriors are called from the same family."

"I understand." Dustin truly understood where Lady Tora and Trini began and ended. It was all beginning to make sense. It was completely confusing, but in his mind it was starting to make sense. He had a feeling he knew how the two warriors were connected, and it had given him a new idea.

~ Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Hurricane Chronicles ~

Time had past quickly outside the cave. While Dustin and Lady Tora's conversation continued, Dustin was still confused by many things, but knew better than to ask for answers, as it was his task to solve them on his own. Before he knew it, it was time to depart and say his final words to the spectral warrior.

~ Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Hurricane Chronicles ~

"You are a fine Yellow Ranger Dustin. You are heart that keeps the team together. Being a male Yellow Ranger does not make you any less of a hero. Cherish your time with Hunter and live life to the fullest. I have accomplished many things, but there is one thing I regret most of all."

"What is it?"

"Like my descendant and successor Trini, I never confessed my love to my comrade whom I worked beside on and off the battlefield. I never had the courage to tell them that I love them back. I had the courage to kill to defend my family and friends yet I was too timid to tell him. For unlike you and Hunter who had the courage to become a couple, we were too scared to lose what we already had."

"I am very sorry."

"Thank you. I do not sense an ounce of pity in your voice, which is good as a Ranger will appreciate sympathy but should not accept pity. Just remember there is power in Three."

And with her final message Dustin found himself at the base of the Mountain of Lost Ninja in a flash of yellow light.

'Thank you, I know what I must do' thought the Lion.

'Be safe and do not change. Your pure heart is what will lead you to greatness' thought the spectral warrior. 'Finish what Trini and the others before you began. Only you have the power to do so Young Lion' Lady Tora thought to herself before she returned to her slumber. She would awaken again if destiny called her to do so.

~ Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Hurricane Chronicles ~

Dustin was still kind of confused by the whole ghost thing, but he had seen much weirder things as a Ranger. He was just glad that he had caught up on his History before he had set out. For in the past few weeks, unbeknownst to the others, Dustin was making the most of his free time preparing for the mission he knew he had to undertake. He had several dreams that pointed him toward the Mountain of Lost Ninja.

Sensei Watanabe confirmed his fears and prepared him for his departure. Dustin did not like how things were happening, but he had no other choice in case things made a turn for the worse. The Yellow Wind Ranger was the only one who could possibly set out and complete the task before him.

There was a reason deep down he was chosen, but Dustin had yet to find the answer.

However the answer was inside him the entire time.

~ Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Hurricane Chronicles ~

Author's Note

How did you like that? Aren't you glad to figure out why Dustin left? And what happened while he was gone?

Sorry it took a while but I had a lot of midterms, and some didn't come out as well as I expected and hoped for. The next chapter (chapter 6) of The One I'm Waiting For is up too! I am feeling generous so this is going up a couple of days earlier because a lot of people reviewed last chapter! Keep up the 5+ reviews per chapter and they will most likely be out every week plus or minus a couple of days.

Fine, I didn't answer those questions completely, but I did start to get the ball rolling. More answers will come out eventually, but for now be glad that Dustin is still alive and that he has found a way to help Griffin.

It's a complex back-story, but I am using it to tie MMPR (Ninja), Ninja Storm, and Jungle Fury together. HINT HINT!!!!!!!!!

-Griffin