Hey this is just a little story that's been bugging me for a while. Maybe you can guess the inspiration for it. It's a three-part story, originally meant to be a two-parter but it grew! Anyway, here's Part 1 for you to enjoy. Read and review, you know I love to hear any feed-back and ideas you guys might have!
"That's it. I've had it." Hunter snapped at Shane. He seemed really mad.
"What did I do?" Shane asked him.
Hunter didn't answer, just stormed out.
"What did I do this time?" Shane appealed to the others. He turned to Blake, irritated, "What the hell is the matter with your brother?" he asked. "This isn't the first time he's done that this week. He's in a serious bad mood."
Blake shrugged, "I don't know. He's been having arguments with me over the slightest things lately."
Training was postponed. This was the third time in as many days that Hunter had walked out on them. Even his brother couldn't talk to him without Hunter getting mad or seriously annoyed. He was being impossible.
Later that day the four of them, Blake, Tori, Shane and Dustin, were sitting in Storm Chargers when the news came on.
"It appears that a large storm in due to hit Blue Bay in the next few days," the Newsreader said. "The storm, nicknamed 'Charley' is due to reach us late on Friday afternoon. Viewers have been warned to…"
Blake looked up sharply, it all clicking into place. "Oh my god," he whispered.
"What?" the others asked him.
"Come on, we've got to get to Ninja Ops. I've just realised what's wrong with Hunter. I'm such an idiot, I should have known sooner."
Puzzled they followed him back to Sensei and Cam. Blake refused to say anything more until they were all gathered together.
"I've found out what's wrong with Hunter," Blake said to them, with a slight smile on his face, "Don't worry, it's nothing serious."
"Nothing serious? Despite him having all those enormous mood swings and snapping at everyone?" Shane said in disbelief as he'd been on the receiving end of most of Hunter's explosions.
"Hush," Tori said, "So, what is it?"
Blake grinned, "P.T.T," was all he said.
He was met by blank looks from the other rangers. "P.T.T?" Cam asked with raised eyebrows, "Care to elaborate?"
"Pre-Thunderstorm Tension," Blake explained. "A week or so before a big storm Hunter starts getting mood swings and stuff, just like he's been having. It's weird I know, but it's because…" his brow furrowed in thought, "we use raw energy as our power, it's in our blood, and before a storm it is building up in the atmosphere as much as a week before the storm actually breaks. Hunter once said it feels like someone's got a hand around his brain and is squeezing – like a permanent pressure headache."
"No wonder he's moody," Tori remarked.
Blake sighed, "It's always affected him more than me – I get mine all at once just before the storm breaks. He gets his way before."
"Why does it affect him so much and not you?" Dustin asked, confused.
"Hunter's always been the sensitive one," Blake said with a completely straight face, then grinned at the looks of disbelief on the others faces. "I'm joking right! I don't know why, neither did our old sensei or our parents. We've just accepted it. I get mine right before the storm hits and Hunter gets his in the days running up to it. And it's not just mood swings." Blake shook his head, "It's gonna get a whole load worse before Friday."
"How much worse?" Sensei asked. Blake shrugged, but before he had the chance to explain further the computer beeped with the news that another of Lothor's aliens had been sighted.
"Great," Shane said, "Who wants to contact Hunter?"
There were no volunteers. The way he'd been recently, there was no knowing how he would react. Shane sighed, "I'll do it then. Shane to Hunter?"
There was a pause then, "What is it?" Hunter sounded normal.
"Meet us down on the beach; we've got one of Lothor's idiots to deal with."
"No way!" he sighed,"Ok, I'll be there. Hunter out." There was a hint of annoyance in his tone. The others exchanged looks.
"Be careful rangers." Sensei said as Tori, Dustin, Shane and Blake made to leave.
"Always are Sensei," Dustin called back as they streaked away.
They met up with Hunter on the beach. The alien was standing in the water, "Well if it isn't the power rangers, come to have a splash around," it greeted them as they lined up on the beach.
"Let's morph," Shane said.
Hunter rolled his eyes, "No shit Sherlock," he muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" Shane turned to look at Hunter.
"Nothing," he replied, "Let's get this over with."
There were cries of: Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, Ha! and Thunder Storm, Ranger Form, Ha!
But, while the others morphed without a problem, something completely unexpected happened to Hunter. Just as he went to activate his morpher a bolt of crimson thunder jumped to it from his finger. There was a loud explosion and Hunter was thrown into the sea. Crimson thunder played across his body, causing the water around him to hiss and bubble. The alien had no chance as shock waves ran through its body, frying it and causing it to explode in a shower of sparks. Finally the boiling sea calmed down and a very shaken looking Hunter crawled onto the shore. He was steaming slightly and crimson thunder still danced over his skin.
Hunter stared at his now-smoking morpher, "Cam is so not going to be happy about this!" he groaned.
The others stared at him, "Good job no one else was in the area," Tori remarked.
"Well that's one way of getting rid of a monster," Shane said lightly, going to give Hunter a hand up.
"I don't think that's a good idea…" Blake began, but just as he said it Shane reached down the grab Hunter's arm. There was an audible crack and Shane was thrown backwards.
"Owch," he moaned, clutching his hand where he had touched Hunter. "What happened?"
"Static electricity build up," Blake said knowledgably. "Give it a sec to wear off."
"I'm ok," Hunter said, getting to his feet, the thunder had faded and his face was ashen. "Just a little shaken up I guess. That's never happened before."
"We'll speak to Sensei, he might have some ideas. You've never had P.T.T since we got our morphers,probably 'cos there hasn't been a storm here since we arrived. There was no way of knowing how your body was going to react now our powers have grown." Blake said sensibly…