Disclaimer: Buena Vista owns the Power Rangers. "Sk8er Boi" is by Avril Lavigne from her album, Let Go.
Timeline: immediately after "Storm Before The Calm part#2".
Author's note: I can't believe it's done. 13 episodes, 13 stories, 13 songs, in 13 months. thanks Starhawk. :)
by Adrienne Sekitou
Too bad that you couldn't see
See the man that boy could be
There is more than meets the eye
I see the soul that is inside
"Dustin."
"Dustin. Have you heard a thing I've said?"
To be completely honest, Dustin hadn't heard anything Cam had said. He was a little distracted. Which was, well, way understandable.
It had been a hectic day to say the least. Tori, Shane and he had graduated high school that morning, and the ninja academy that afternoon. It had made for some interesting excuses. What with trying to get away from friends and family on one of the biggest days of their lives.
A little hard considering they couldn't just say, "Hey, Mom, I gotta run. Sensei will be really mad if I'm late again. Especially to graduation. 'Cause ya know, ninjas aren't supposed to be late. And uh, you didn't hear that ninja part."
Yeah, a little hard. But they'd managed so far.
It was a smaller graduating class than normal for the Wind Academy. Sure, the classes usually weren't that large, but six was way smaller than normal.
And all of them had technically graduated early. But that was 'cause Sensei had put them through constant way intense training so they would always be prepared for whatever came their way, ninja-wise and Ranger-wise.
And Tori, Shane, and he had accepted teaching jobs at the Wind Academy. Which was, well, a really big deal too. 'Cause the new students had just arrived and now they had to go meet them.
And, well, there was the whole Marah thing. How he hadn't heard from her since the final battle with Lothor.
And so yeah, he was a little distracted.
Presently he was adjusting the belt on his teaching robe. He'd always liked the cool belts on their student uniforms. The teachers' training uniform didn't have belts, but the dress robes did. He wondered if he could get away with wearing the robe's belt with the teacher's training uniform. Probably not. But it was a thought.
What was he supposed to be doing again? Oh yeah, Cam had asked if he'd been listening. And he really couldn't remember if he'd answered.
"Um, sorry, dude! What did you say?"
Cam sighed, like someone who just knew it was going to be a long day. Or year.
"I was trying to tell you what Marah said up on Lothor's ship. But if you're not interested…"
Dustin didn't know what to think at first. Cam mocking was one thing. Teasing was another. And he just wasn't sure whether he was serious or not.
"What? You talked to her?" Gee, overeager much? He was so giving their secret relationship away. But did it matter who knew now? And if anyone, Cam had a pretty good idea anyway.
Cam just rolled his eyes. Dustin knew that Cam and the Thunders had helped Marah and Kapri get off the ship before it blew up. Dustin had practically pounced on Cam for info just minutes after Lothor had gone back into the Abyss. Well, after the whole lost Powers realization anyway.
But Cam hadn't told him that they had talked! Like a conversation or something. While the ship was blowing up around them? He realized, much to his amusement, that that sounded like something Marah would do.
"What did she say?" he asked when he'd calmed down. A little. He thought about scowling at Cam's amused expression, but he was really just too curious to know what had happened.
"She wanted to know if you were still mad at her," Cam finally said. He wasn't looking at Dustin. Instead he watched the ground ahead as they walked along the now deserted Academy path.
"Uh, oh…," Dustin stuttered. Somehow he should have expected something like that. Marah wasn't exactly the most secure person. So yeah, she so would have been worried he'd be mad after that Zord battle. He liked to think she had more faith in him than that. But who was he to judge when his own faith had faltered in those final days?
Cam went on though, as if Dustin's muttered syllables had been enough of an answer.
"She wasn't talking about Beevil, was she?"
Well, that one he for sure didn't know how to answer! Yeah, he didn't know if their friendship was a secret anymore, but this was way sudden.
He knew the answer to the question, of course. She hadn't been talking about Beevil. But there was little else he'd figured out about it all. And he knew if he admitted the not-Beevil-ness, then there would be questions about the rest.
And he hated admitting even to himself his previous doubt.
He had doubted. He hated that he had, but he had. After the fight with Marah, Kapri, and Shimazu, he'd been a little lost.
Dustin had spent half the night sitting there at Blue Bay Point. Well, it had felt like half the night. But Waldo had a better sense of time than Dustin did apparently. 'Cause he had started whining and nudging his arm at just the right time. Any more moping and Dustin would have missed curfew.
So, moping done, he had started home, Marah's dog following along behind him.
The moping was done 'cause he just couldn't not trust her. The Zord fight had been bad. Really bad. And he had doubted. But he kept hearing her words.
He kept hearing her say that she didn't mean it. That she didn't want to do it.
And he believed her.
Dude, he really believed her.
There was a time when he wouldn't have. Like early on after the Beevil mess, when everything was still all new and touchy and stuff. If the Zord fight had happened then… well, he probably would have thought she was a bad guy for sure.
But now? After months of hanging out, getting to know each other, and friendship? Yeah, he just couldn't not believe her when she said she didn't want to do all the evil things she was doing.
Which was why he was so upset that he had doubted her that night. He'd always told himself, and her, that it all didn't matter. He liked her for her. The way she was, not the way she thought she had to pretend to be.
But when the fight had gotten way serious, he'd doubted.
Every time he said something, he somehow ended up doing the opposite. He'd said he'd never push her to choose between good and evil. And then he had, by trying to make her leave Lothor's ship when things got dangerous. He'd said it didn't matter to him which her was real, and that he trusted her. And then he'd doubted though she'd begged him not to.
These relationship things were kinda hard, ya know?
So he'd gone home and thought about it all, Waldo sleeping at the foot of his bed. It took some getting used to, giving up part of your bed like that. But the dog was so well behaved and Dustin didn't really mind. He actually thought he'd miss Waldo when he went back to Marah. 'Cause she was so coming back. He had believed that.
He'd believed. 'Cause he'd thought about it that night. And most of the next day. And yeah, he hadn't been in the best of moods. 'Cause he was trying to figure it all out. He did trust her, but he was getting tired of the two sides.
He'd realized during all his ponderings that it wasn't just that there were two hers. There were two hims too. There was the him that was her friend, who trusted her and loved spending time with her. Then there was the him that was a Ranger, who had to pretend he didn't like her and had to fight her every other day.
If she was half as confused as he was, he knew why this whole mess was so hard for her.
So he hadn't been in a good mood. And he did kinda go off on some stupid thing about the oil. But everyone had been so short-tempered lately. He didn't feel alone in his frustrations. They were all upset. Just about different things.
The Action Games had been a great distraction for everyone. And something like a dream come true to compete in. Which of course meant according to the comic book rules, Lothor had to spring his big bad final attack not just during the games, but at the games.
The rest had just, well, happened. Thanks to Cam, he knew Marah and Kapri were safe. And Sensei had told them that his nieces were enrolling as transfer students at the Wind Academy. Dustin just hadn't seen them. Okay, so it had only been a week. But they were supposed to be moving in on campus and everything. And he hadn't seen them anywhere.
They should be with the new students though. The new students Cam had just checked in, and that were currently waiting in the courtyard.
Dude, he was so nervous.
He saw Cam was looking at him now. He couldn't tell if he was still waiting for an answer to his question or not. But Dustin offered him a smile and hoped that would be enough. Not yes, not no. Just kinda, well, him. Like he'd forgotten the question. Which was not something unusual for him.
And it did seem that it was enough for Cam. 'Cause he nodded, and as they topped the hill, Cam turned back to face the other Rangers -- ex-Rangers. That was going to take some getting used to.
The new students were gathered over by the fountain, while the ex-Rangers and Sensei stood at the path's end. Among the talking students, Dustin saw the two women in uniforms with unusually colored trim.
Marah's was trimmed in orange. He knew it had something to do with her old school. She had explained it all to him once. It was some complicated ethic-y thing, about dark and light and magic and things. Not something space-ish like he had expected.
She saw him, and hesitated for just a moment. Then she took a breath and started toward him. Dustin looked around and found he had been left behind. Sensei and the others were headed toward the teaching platform.
He didn't move to follow them though. It wouldn't be the first time he'd gotten in trouble for being late. And he was sure it wouldn't be the last.
Marah was standing in front of him now. And he so could not concern himself with anything else. She was wringing her hands in front of her. And he couldn't help but remember that was how this had all started. She had been walking along the track, crying and twisting her hands just like that, when he'd dove in to save her from the approaching bikes.
He hadn't known who she was then. But as he looked at her now, he knew he would never have that problem again.
She looked like she wanted to say something. But she didn't. She never had the chance.
Looking back later, Dustin couldn't say who had hugged who. He just knew one minute they had been nervously staring at each other. The next they were in each other's arms. And he didn't mind at all.
They didn't need to talk. But he knew they would. Later.
And about the things that mattered. 'Cause a lot didn't any more.
There didn't have to be two hims and two hers. They could just be, well, them. Dustin and Marah. Friends.
And maybe more.
Maybe. Hopefully.
They pulled away from each other, and shared a smile.
"Do you want to come to my house later?" he asked suddenly. Strange thing to say the first time seeing her after multiple life and death battles for the fate of the entire world. But, well, some things mattered, and others didn't. And they were all that mattered right now. "My parents would love to see you again. And I know Waldo is anxious to be with you."
Her face lit up at the mention of her dog's name. "Waldo!" she said excitedly. Then she remembered to actually answer his question.
"I'd like that. Thank you," her eyes crinkled as she smiled up at him. "How does Sensei feel about animals on campus?"
"Oh, he's totally cool about it. Animals are a big Wind Academy thing. And well, he used to be one for a while there." Dustin finally shut up before he started just totally babbling.
They impulsively hugged again before they knew they would have to head back to their different groups. He opened his eyes, and saw the others watching them. Dude, guess their secret was out now after all.
Tori looked happy, a smile spreading across her face as she leaned on Blake's arm. The Thunders, well, they had their own issues. But they looked kinda shocked.
Cam just looked smug. Which was kinda normal for him. Sensei just nodded in that wise all-knowing way he had. Dustin reminded himself to ask Sensei if there were any Academy rules about students and teachers. And, well, you know.
Kapri looked surprised. So did Shane. He also looked suspicious. But Dustin knew that was just Shane trying to look out for him. He'd see soon enough.
They all would.
They didn't have to hide anymore. They could have a nice, normal, relationship. Or as normal as two super-powered ninjas could have.
And that's all he really wanted. That they could be themselves with no more lies and secrets. Life was complicated enough already.
He just wanted their happy ending. Star-crossed lovers happy in the end.
They'd earned it.
The comic book rules said so.
Can I make it any more obvious
We are in love, haven't you heard
How we rock each other's world
THE END
parting shots:
so that's it. the end. it was tons of fun. thanks so much for everyone that came along for the ride. :)
I have debated a sequel series, but am completely undecided. I may not have any more NS episodes to follow. but Avril does have a 2nd album now, and there is the NSDT team-up to work toward. grin
thanks to Red, for the pics for my site. It made everything just that much cooler and perfect to have the ep title up there like that.
thanks to TJ who called to find out how the series was going, no matter where in the world he was at the time.
thanks to Sugarplum for early sugarplumming and endless enthusiasm.
and thanks to Starhawk for everything always. :)