Adam waited for the inevitable shock to wear off. Before he settled on this life path he never would have guessed the range of emotions his choice would evoke. It was funny - some people in his family acted like he'd lost his mind; others as if he was going to prison. He understood how deeply blessed he was that his parents and his best friends understood why he was drawn to make this choice.
As he watched the assembled Rangers, Adam made an observation – not one of them responded like the idea of being a priest was crazy. In fact, Kanoi was nodding as if it was what he expected. He caught Adam's eye, and he gave him a glance full of understanding. It was very comforting to Adam, though he didn't know why the opinion of these virtual strangers should matter so much to him. I suppose it's because they're Rangers…so why am I surprised that they get it?
After the initial shock wore off, most of the others wore expressions of interest, as opposed to horror, which was a nice change from the reception he'd received from most of his extended family. Ethan was the first to speak up. "You mean…like a Catholic priest?"
Rocky jumped in before Adam could answer. "No, a Shaolin priest – a monk actually. How cool is that?" Rocky clapped Adam warmly on his shoulder and Adam could feel the strength of his presence. Aisha reached over from her stool and grasped his hand as well. He didn't know what he would've done if either of the two hadn't backed him up. But they responded with support and enthusiasm, as he knew they would.
"Wow," gasped Blake, "like Kung Fu?" Then his expression froze as if he wasn't sure if that was the "politically correct" way to say it.
Adam smiled reassuringly. "Yes, like Kung Fu, Grasshopper." Blake blushed as Adam continued. "I've thought a lot about this choice, and I feel that I need to learn more about myself, so I can better help others. I have much to learn." Now it was Adam's turn to blush; it wasn't easy for him to talk about himself. Aisha and Rocky had no trouble speaking for him.
"You know you'll be a natural." Aisha squeezed his hand gently. "You embody so much of what they're about already. We will miss you though."
A quick expression of sadness flashed across Rocky's face, but was quickly replaced by an enthusiastic smile. "Hey, if we could all stay tight with Aisha when she was in Africa, we can do it again when you're in China."
"You have to go to China, man?" asked Shane.
"There is a Shaolin temple there, it's small but ancient. Being there felt like…" he paused trying to fully express himself, "it felt like home to me. That's where I'm called to go. There are many great dojos here in the States where I could learn martial arts, but I think to really be Shaolin I need to be fully immersed in the spirit of that ancient place."
Everyone became caught up in Adam's soft-spoken but impassioned description of the temple he had visited. Rocky and Aisha had heard him speak of his calling before, but they were just as moved as the rest. All of the Ninjas present felt a response in their souls – maybe none of them was at a place where they could make a commitment like Adam, but they all understood the call, and admired him deeply for answering it.
"Wow," Shane breathed, as Adam finished speaking, "That's intense." A silence fell over the sunny kitchen. The Dino Rangers were simply awed by the career choices of their predecessors; but the Wind and Thunder Ranger's thoughts turned inward, thinking about their own career choices. Hunter caught an undertone of Blake's pensive feelings, but was unable to pursue it because Cam's entrance into the kitchen precipitated some excitement.
Aisha was the first to realize Cam was not alone. She jumped off her stool emitting an excited "Oh!" and ran right at him. But he was not the object of her attention. Cam, not wanting to be in Aisha's way, smoothly stepped to the side and gave her a direct path to the petite brunette who'd followed him up the stairs.
"Kim!" Aisha's enthusiastic greeting would've caused both women to tumble down the stairs if it hadn't been for the sandy haired man right behind them neatly catching them both up in a hug of his own.
"Billy!" Adam and Rocky cried simultaneously as they rushed forward to greet their former teammates as well.
The next few minutes were dedicated to a mini-reunion and introductions all the way around. Cam only grumbled a little bit about having nothing to eat. He was mollified when Rocky whipped up an egg and cheese sandwich for him, but that didn't stop him from shooting Hunter and Shane dirty looks. Billy and Kim both insisted they didn't need to eat because they'd eaten before Cam transported them in.
The gathered Rangers moved from the kitchen to the living room. Conner, Ethan and Kira settled on the floor in front of the love seat occupied by Tori and Shane. Aisha, Rocky and Adam took up the couch. Hunter and Blake brought chairs and settled on either side of the Wind Rangers; Blake was close by Tori's side. Cam took up a position in the doorway behind them, facing the chair Kanoi occupied; Haley brought in a stool and sat near Cam. Kim settled on the floor near Aisha, while Billy sat in the chair nearest the front door. Unconsciously all of the teams deferred to Sensei Kanoi waiting for him to indicate that he was ready begin.
"Rangers, you are all welcome…though I feel somewhat awkward welcoming you into Dr. Oliver's home in his absence. But, if all goes well, he will soon be able to greet you himself."
The Rangers sat mesmerized as Kanoi outlined the situation at hand, sharing the information that had been gathered between Kanoi, Tommy and Haley – Tommy and Dustin's capture, and Mesogog's plan to use Dustin's earth energy to power his machine enabling him to change everything on earth back into the era of the dinosaur.
The Ninjetti Rangers were stunned by the breadth of Mesogog's plan. "So let me get this straight…" Rocky stated as he held up his hands. "This Mesogog's going to use the energy he has harnessed to change the whole planet, so it will be like it was when the dinosaurs roamed the earth?" He looked around to check the expressions on the faces of the people around him, as if to reassure himself that what he was hearing wasn't some giant hoax.
"Yes, Rocky. And, he will have the power to do it if we do not rescue Dustin and Tommy in time." Rocky sat back, speechless, as Kim drew her knees up toward her chest and rested her chin on them wearing a distressed expression. Aisha leaned forward from her position on the couch. "So what do you need us for? You really went out of your way to call us here, and obviously we'll help. But what can we do?"
"Secret weapon time, Sensei," called Ethan gleefully from his spot on the floor near Tori and Blake.
Kanoi acknowledged Ethan with a nod, and then turned his attention to the assembled Ninjetti Rangers. "You all felt Tommy when he called you, but from what you said earlier in the kitchen, you are unaware of how you arrived. The rest of us could see that each of you manifested your presence in the dream construct through the spirit animal that chose you when you were Ninjetti Rangers." This was news to Kimberly and Billy who had missed the earlier conversation.
"You, my friends, are very similar to the Wind and Thunder Rangers, in that you all accessed ninja powers in your terms as Rangers. But unlike them, your ninja power…your Ninjetti power was also linked to your Ranger power. You have been led to believe that that power was lost to you. It is not. You are as able today to call upon your Ninjetti powers as you were when you first received them. It is that power you must call upon now. It is that power that will save not only Tommy and Dustin, but the very earth itself."