Thunder Storm, Pt. 1

“That’s weird,” the other man says as they continue walking. He calls something to the others and they all head back to their vehicles, someone shouting, “See ya,” as they go and the two keep on. He gestures behind him at the ground they’ve been working. “We’ll fill them back in tomorrow.”

He pauses, then takes off his cap and tosses it on the counter. “Do you follow motocross?”

Blake laughs a little. “No, it’s nothing like that. Look, part of being a rider is spreading the word of our sport, you know, getting people to come out who never would and all. I promise you, you’ll totally be into it.”

Familiar music plays and equally familiar mountains are shown, then a group of uniformed ninja leap onscreen, shouting and grouping together as they prepare to fight. Three masked ninja step up before them (we all know who they are), and they rip off their masks, revealing themselves for any who didn’t know as Dustin, Shane and Tori, head teachers now at the Wind Academy.

“Thank you,” Shane says flatly. “All right, before your next lesson I want you guys to think about what just happened here. You all need to consider your commitment to ninja training.” He stares at them a moment. “Class dismissed.” He turns and walks away.

xxxxxx

Cut to the three teachers walking through the woods. Tori looks over at Shane as she ducks under a tree bench. “Shane, you kinda sounded like Sensei back there.”

“Yeah, well speaking of Sensei,” he says, changing the subject. “Wasn’t he supposed to meet us here?”

“Think he forgot?” Dustin asks.

Tori pauses. “When has he ever forgotten anything, ever?”

“Hey, check it out,” Dustin says, pointing.

They walk over to a large scroll hanging from a tree and Shane reads the strange writing. “Tori, Shane Dustin. Go to the highest point at Blue Bay Harbor.” He pauses. “Meet me there at sunset.”

Dustin continues. “Do not speak of this matter, until I have spoken to you.”

“You don’t look so hot.” Dustin comments. “I mean—no offense.”

Sensei smiles a little. “None taken, Dustin.”

“So what’s up?” Shane asks.

“He’s back,” Sensei answers, staring out at the ocean again. They all stare at him quietly and finally he turns. “Lothor is back.”

They all look at each other a moment. “Wait, Lothor can’t be back,” Dustin says.

“Yeah,” Shane agrees. “No way.”

“We saw him disappear into the Abyss of Evil,” Tori states.

“If Lothor’s really back,” Dustin says. “How are we gonna fight him with no powers?”

“Cam has been saving these for just such an occasion,” Sensei says. He holds out his hands and a box appears in them. “Shane. Tori. Dustin. It is with a heavy heart that I must give you your new Wind Morphers.” He opens the box and they each take their morpher. “A dark cloud has descended upon us. And it is time for you to resume your duties as Power Rangers.”

“Like Blue Bay Harbor must be destroyed,” Shane says in a low voice.

“Why stop there?” Tori asks, smirking a little. “I want the whole country.”

“And then the world,” Dustin adds.

Sensei tosses the box aside and grins. “That’s what I was hoping you’d say!” he says in a much different, accented voice. He waves an arm and transforms into Lothor. “I never thought I’d say this, but it’s a pleasure to see ya’ll!”

“And it’s our pleasure to serve under you,” Shane says.

“Music to my ears!” he shouts happily. He laughs and the camera pans over the cliff, to where the true Kanoi is lying, bound and gagged out of sight.

xxxxxx

Cut to a scene of the Wind Academy, then to Cam walking through the gates. “Cam!” a voice shouts, and he stops, rolling his eyes slightly.

“Hey!” Kapri calls as her and Marah run to his side, all smiles as they hang on his arms. “Who’re you looking for?”

“Don’t you guys have ninja homework?” he asks.

“Yeah, well we finished cause it was like, really easy,” Marah explains.

“Yeah,” Kapri confirms.

“Look,” Cam says, backing away. “Just go and, contact your, inner ninja.” He starts to walk away.

They follow. “Hey, you wanna talk about this?” Kapri asks. “We’re family, remember?”

“Yeah,” says Marah. “We’re totally here for you, Cousin.”

“Fine,” Cam relents, stopping. “Look, my father hasn’t come back yet and I’m—” he shrugs slightly. “A little worried. Ever since that whole guinea pig thing . . . I like to know where he is.”

“Cam,” Marah says. “Your father’s like a really great sensei, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“Yeah,” Kapri says. “And hey, you got us in the meantime!”

Cam smiles, almost laughing. “Very comforting,” he says. He backs off and gestures behind him. “Now if you’ll excuse me.”

He walks away and Marah turns to Kapri. “You know what, he’s so gonna get those worry lines!”

“Totally,” Kapri says.

“Ew, gross.”

“Yeah.”

xxxxxx

Cut to a sign saying “Motocross”, then Cassidy and Devon walking together at the action games. “So, Cass,” Devon says. “Tell me again why we’re here? I mean, not that I’m complaining.”

“To get an interview with Blake Bradley,” she says, smiling to herself. “He’s like the biggest thing in Moto-toss.” They pass a few guys, who turn and watch her appreciatively.

“Cross,” Devon corrects. “Cass, it’s moto-cross.”

“Yeah, whatever,” she says. “Mr. Cormier says I have to be edgier. And this is as edgy as it gets!”

“Yeah, well that’s true,” Devon agrees.

“Hello,” Cassidy says as they approach the man at the entrance. “I have a press-pass.” She holds up the pass around her neck. “I’m Cassidy Cornell, you might have seen me on the Reefside news.”

“Well,” the man says. “Your name is not on the list. And if your name is not on the list, you have to pay like anybody else.”

“What about, those guys?” Cassidy asks, gesturing behind him to Conner, Kira and Ethan. “How did they get in?”

He turns and looks at them. “They were on the list.”

xxxxxx

Conner, Ethan and Kira walk through the crowds happily, Trent is not with them. A voice comes over the speakers. “All right, folks. We are ready to start the first 125 moto.”

“Let’s get over there,” Ethan says. “I don’t wanna miss the start.” They jog off to the track.

Blake sits on his bike with the other riders and puts his helmet on, already grinning. They all prepare as the voice says, “The 30 second board is up.” The gates go up and they all start the engines as the man holds up the 5 second board. “And the gate is down!” he shouts as they release and the riders start off. “And they’re off!”

He continues excitedly as the race progresses, finally ending with Blake crossing the banner first. “And Blake Bradley wins again!” The crowd bursts into cheers and Blake laughs as he takes off his helmet, reveling in his win.

xxxxxx

Meanwhile, Cam walks through the forests looking very worried as he looks for his father. “Dad!” he calls. “Tori? Dustin! Shane! Are you out here?” He sees a torn scroll hanging from a tree and goes to it slowly, then kneels and looks at some purple slime on the ground. “What’s this?” he asks quietly, fingering it. Then a look of realization comes over him. “This was at the Abyss of Evil,” he says. He pauses a moment, then looks up. “The school!”

xxxxxx

A huge explosion goes off at the Wind Academy, and the students look on as Lothor and two followers walk forward. Marah and Kapri look at each other in horror and the rest of the ninjas pull out their weapons, yelling as they prepare to battle them.

“So nice of you all to be here to greet us,” Lothor says, approaching them.

“Uh-oh,” Kapri says.

“I thought you were—” Marah begins.

“Gone?” Lothor cuts in. “Destroyed? History?”

“Well . . . yeah,” she admits.

“Sorry to disappoint, girls,” he says. “But I’m back in black. And needless to say, I’m in a mood.”

“Yeah, like that would have changed,” Kapri jokes.

“Never could keep your mouth shut, could ya?” Lothor says, and her smile fades.

“Who are they?” Marah asks, looking at the two monsters beside him.

“New friends I made down in the depths of the Abyss,” he says. “They don’t say much, but they fight like the dickens.”

There is a huge blast and the three Wind Ninjas appear, kneeling before the crowd. They look up, then stand slowly and walk steadily to the others.

Marah and Kapri smile in relief and run up to them. “Thank goodness you’re here!” Marah exclaims. “Look—Lothor!” She takes Dustin’s arm and Kapri takes Shane’s, but the rangers brush by them.

“We know,” Shane says, stepping up on the platform with Lothor and the others. “Isn’t it great?”

“Huh?” Kapri asks. Her and Marah stop and stare as the rangers stand beside Lothor.

“Capture them!” Lothor orders.

“Gladly,” Shane says. “Ready?”

“Ready,” the other two answer. They all raise their morphers and give the call. “Ninja Storm, Ranger Form—Ha!”

They morph and take out their swords. “Let’s get ‘em!” Shane shouts. They run at the students and begin to fight, and Marah and Kapri run away quickly.

The rangers fight off the students easily, and Lothor’s new friends join in, firing blasts and causing explosions to go off everywhere. The group of ninja students stagger together and face Lothor, who brings out a container. “Time to bottle up my troubles once and for all,” he says, taking the cork out. He laughs as the students are enveloped in a cloud of smoke and disappear into the container.

“Power down,” Shane says, and they demorph.

“Going someplace, girls?” Lothor asks as Marah and Kapri sneak by.

They start to protest quickly and rush forward. “We’re family,” Marah says.

“Only by marriage,” Lothor says.

“Y-y-yeah, but . . . we can help!” Kapri says.

“Yeah,” Marah agrees.

“Like you did last time?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Marah says with a smile.

“No!” Kapri cuts in. “No, no. Seriously, uh, we’re ninjas now and we can, totally kick butt.” She raises her fists and Marah strikes a pose, hitting her. “Ow.”

“Well,” Lothor muses. “You might have a point there. All right, you’re in.” They transform into their old clothes. “But only on a trial basis. One screw-up, and you’re gone.” They nod and he turns to the rangers. “Well, now that that’s taken care of, on to bigger things.”

“All right,” Dustin says.

“What about the others,” Shane says. “Cam will be looking for us.”

“Exactly,” Lothor says. “And when he finds you, it won’t be very pretty, will it?”

Tori smirks. “No, it won’t.” They all laugh a little, and Marah and Kapri join in nervously.

xxxxxx

Haley sits in front of the computer at the lab, as usual, typing away. Tommy comes over. “Haley, it’s late. You should go home and get some rest.”

Haley ignores this. “There it is again,” she says, staring at the screen. She points to a place on the map of California shown. “The energy is radiating from this point here.”

“Blue Bay Harbor,” Tommy says. “That’s where the Ranger Ninja School is.”

Haley shakes her head slightly. “I’ve had some correspondence with Cam Watanabe. But they discontinued the ranger program after Lothor was destroyed.”

Tommy pauses. “I hope you still have that number.”

xxxxxx

“It has to be,” Cam says. “Who else leaves purple slime in his wake?” (They continue walking and some people pass by, letting us know that Hunter just appeared in a flash of light on a populated street.)

“You reach the others?” Hunter asks.

“They’re not responding.”

xxxxxx

Blake and Kira walk together at the park, Ethan and Conner behind them. “So,” Blake says, nudging Kira a little. “What’d you think?”

“It was awesome,” Kira says.

Blake smiles. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She smiles back.

Conner straightens. “Let’s deal with these fakes.”

“Trent, you stay here with us,” Tommy says. “This is just the kind of opportunity Mesogog would take advantage of.”

Trent nods. “Right.”

The other three step back. “You guys ready?” Conner asks.

“Ready,” they answer, then all say together, “Dino Thunder, Power Up—Ha!”

xxxxxx

The three ninja rangers walk slowly through the street, others behind them, and the dino rangers leap onscreen. “That’s far enough!” Conner says. The ninjas stop. “You must be lost,” Shane says. “Cause I know we didn’t invite you.”

“Maybe you forgot,” Ethan says. “You’re supposed to beat the bad guys, not be the bad guys.”

“Good, bad,” says Tori. “What’s the difference? It’s all about power.”

“I guess we’re gonna have to fight them,” Conner says. They take out their weapons.

The ninjas stand still as a group of kelzacks run at the others, and slowly walk towards them. Then they join the fight. Kira pauses during a slight break in her fight with Tori. “I don’t want to hurt you!” she says.

“Your mistake!” she says, taking out her sword and hitting Kira with it, sending her flying.

Dustin and Ethan fight atop a car, Dustin avoiding every swing, and it isn’t long before Ethan flies back too, hitting Kira. Conner and Shane go at it, and one of Lothor’s “friends” shoots a blast at them, nearly hitting them both, but they jump out of the way and don’t miss a beat as they continue battling.

Conner holds out for a while, but Shane gets a blow in and Conner flies back, hitting a cart and landing on the ground with a grunt. Shane laughs as he watches, then readies his sword and runs at him again.

Cut to Cam and Hunter standing up high somewhere, watching the fight intently, and Blake transports in beside them. Hunter smiles as they clasp hands. “Blake. Am I glad to see you!”

“I got here as fast as I could,” Blake says. “What’s up?”

“We got trouble,” Cam says. “Big trouble.” They all step up to the railing and watch silently as the rangers fight each other.

The dino rangers group together tiredly. “They’re too strong,” Conner says.

“We need to regroup,” Ethan says. Kira nods and they turn, running off.

The ninjas laugh as they watch. “That’s right,” Shane says. “You’d better run!”

xxxxxx

Back at Tommy’s house, the rangers sit helmet-less on the steps, with Tommy before them. “The important thing is, that you guys are okay,” Tommy says. “And that we learned something.”

“What it’s like having our butts kicked?” Conner asks.

“I don’t know, Kira,” he says. “That’s what we need to figure out.”

xxxxxx

Mesogog and Elsa are watching the Ninja Rangers on the screen at their base. “Evil power rangers,” Mesogog says slowly. “The irony of that is almost, too good to be true.”

“Where do they come from, my lord?” Elsa asks.

“An excellent question, Elsa,” he says. “Wait. Freeze that picture.” She does so. “Kelzacks.”

“Who brought them to the party?” Elsa asks.

“Lothor,” he states.

“Lothor? He’s a fool. A buffoon.”

“Yes,” Mesogog agrees. “But one that could prove most useful. Find him, and bring him to me.”

“Yes, my lord,” she says, standing and walking away.

“Reefside,” he says. “Is about to get a whole lot more interesting.”

xxxxxx

Back at the lab, Conner stands and walks to Tommy. “Why don’t we just, use our dino zords and kick their ninja butts?” The others follow him past Tommy. “I don’t get it.”

xxxxxx

In a cave offshore somewhere, Lothor sits on a stone throne, fires burning all over in the dimly lit room. “Well,” he says. “That was quite a sight.”

“It was brilliant,” Shane says.

“You truly are a strategic genius,” Tori says.

Dustin comes over, smiling. “I can’t wait to face the dino rangers again.”

Lothor turns to his nieces. “What about you girls?” They start babbling and he cuts them off, silencing them. “Now I have to take a power nap,” he says. “Leave me.” They nod and run off.

Elsa walks in slowly. “You’re gonna need more than a nap to beat the power rangers. Lucky for you, my master is willing to help out.”

Shane stands behind her and leans into her ear. “How did you get in here?”

“This is a private lair,” Dustin says.

“Back off, buddy!” she shouts in his face. “If you know what’s good for you.” He steps back slightly and she turns to Lothor. “Mesogog doesn’t mess around with amateurs.”

“You don’t know who you’re messing with,” Tori says.

Lothor holds up a hand. “Wait, Tori.” He stands and walks up to Elsa. “Mesogog has sent us his messenger. The least we can do, is listen to the message.”

xxxxxx

TO BE CONTINUED . . .


				*Power Rangers Unlimited* *Thunder Storm, Pt. 1*



	Home