This story is a collaboration between Cmar and MzDany. While it is action/adventure, it also contains slash, in the form of Wes/Eric and Cam/Hunter. It's based on background events in MzDany's C/H slash series and Cmar's 'Red Fire' slash series.
MzDany and Cmar want to thank everyone for reading this and hopefully enjoying it. A big thanks for your wonderful reviews; they mean a lot. We would also like to thank each other for betaing! This has been that rare creature, a truly enjoyable writing teamup. Maybe we'll do it again sometime.
There will be a one-shot followup to this involving Hunter and Eric, called 'Playing With Fire'.
"Since Lothor himself admitted that he would have been blown up on Mesogog's island if not for Frax, Time Force has agreed with us that it would not be interfering with history to make sure he never escapes again. So..." Alex held up the container Eric had provided. "We could still freeze him for you, along with shrinking him."
"No," Sensei replied. "I agree with Cam that leaving him frozen for eternity seems cruel. Instead, he will have the opportunity to learn the error of his ways. I even have the perfect place for him to live - a certain small habitat I occupied for a time myself."
Wes smiled along with the others, although privately he thought dooming the evil ninja to a lifetime at hamster size was even more cruel.
"Then I guess everything's taken care of, thanks to Eric for providing an appropriate enclosure for you to take him back in."
Lothor glared out at them. With an outraged expression, he grabbed onto the bars and shouted in a small but angry voice, "You call this appropriate? A birdcage? You put the master of evil space ninjas in a birdcage?"
"Thank you for the loan, Eric," Sensei said solemnly as he took the cage from Alex and set it down on the sand. "I will return it."
"Don't bother. It's a spare - and he looks right at home in it."
It was dusk on their familiar beach, as the two teams prepared to say goodbye. The ninja and samurai Rangers would be heading back to Blue Bay Harbor, while his former teammates and Alex would return to their own homes a thousand years in the future. That was a separation Wes had become used to over the last four years, and yet once again he hated to see them go.
The ninjas came forward together to bid their farewells, lead by Sensei, who had streaked in from the Wind Academy after the battle. There was a round of handshakes, thanks, goodbyes, and good wishes before they retreated a little and watched as the Time Force team approached Wes and Eric. Katie was first, hugging Wes with her usual bone-crushing strength and shaking Eric's hand. Then Lucas and Trip. The three faced them, smiling with a hint of sadness.
"Bye, Wes. Bye, Eric," Katie said simply.
"Yeah. Or maybe we should say 'so long'," Trip said. "I have a feeling we'll see each other again."
"We do seem to wind up in this time a lot," Lucas agreed.
"I don't want to wish for trouble, but I hope so," Wes said.
As they moved back, Jen and Alex, holding hands, took their places. "It was good to see you again, Wes," Jen said.
"You too." Wes smiled. "The two of you look happy. I'm glad it finally worked out."
"So are we." Alex held out his hand to Wes and then Eric. "And I hope the two of you are just as happy as we are." Eric looked more self-conscious than anything else, but he mumbled a thank-you.
Wordlessly Wes and Jen looked at each other before she stepped forward and they hugged tightly, the memory coming back to him of that hug on the beach, the first time they had said goodbye, when he still believed himself to be in love with her. Her smile was a little shaky as she let go, took Eric's hand, and to everyone's surprise - especially his - kissed him on the cheek, and started for the ship at Alex's side, their teammates behind them.
"Hey!" Trip had turned back. He grinned at the Ninja Rangers. "By the way? I just thought I'd mention that recharging your morphers for this fight had a side effect. You see, the crystals consist of self-sustaining and auto-reinfusing components."
A round of bewildered faces looked back at him. Only Cam wore the beginnings of a comprehending smile. Trip scratched his head. "Well, you see, it's like one of your twenty-first century car batteries..."
"I think what he's trying to say is," Cam interjected, grinning at the green-haired alien, "the Wind and Thunder Rangers are back in business. Permanently."
"Yeah? We're Rangers again, for good?" Expressions of delight broke out on all the once - and again - Wind, Thunder, and Samurai Rangers.
"According to Time Force Command, having more Rangers in this time period will help to neutralize all the interference by time travelers that's happened, so they're willing to leave your morphers active," Trip added.
"Hey!" Hunter called as the Time Force Ranger started on his way again. "I don't suppose you can whip up a new set of zords for us, too!"
There was laughter as Trip grinned, waved, and ran to join his team. Then there was silence as they all watched the little ship start up, rise into the air, and dart swiftly into the dark swirl of the timehole that opened for them. It contracted when they were gone, and disappeared, leaving only an empty sky behind.
The crunch of footsteps on the sand pulled Wes's attention back to the beach, and to the ninja Rangers, Shane in the lead. "I guess it's time for us to get going too," the red Ranger said. "Thanks, guys, for everything."
"Yeah, dudes, you were awesome!" Dustin beamed at them. "We should get together and do this again sometime!"
"Well, maybe not the part with us getting kidnapped and held prisoner," Tori said with a smile. "But I hope we see you again."
"If you come visit you can play with our pet!" Dustin said, with a grin and a nod at Lothor.
"Dustin!"
"Sorry, Sensei."
Blake wrapped an arm around Tori's shoulders as he shook hands with the two of them. "Thanks for looking out for my big bro. Hope he wasn't too much of a pain in the-" He dodged, laughing, as Hunter swiped at him.
Sensei was next, offering a handshake to Eric. As they touched, he paused, looking down and then turning Eric's hand palm up and holding it between both of his. His brows contracted slightly in concentration. "Interesting," he said after a moment. "I sense a very rare elemental ability in you: the power of fire. Dangerous and sometimes destructive, yet most effective when handled carefully. Perhaps someday you could find the time to take training with us, and develop it."
"Uh... maybe. Thank you, Sensei." Eric stared at his own hand as if expecting it to burst into flame before remembering to bow.
"Do you sense anything in me?" Wes asked, grinning, as the older man took his hand next. "I wouldn't mind being able to throw lightning bolts or something."
"Just the power of a kind heart. Not to be taken lightly, for it may command the hearts of others."
Restraining the impulse to say something about Zen masters and inscrutable sayings, Wes nodded. In another moment Shane, Dustin, Tori, Blake, and Sensei had moved away, and stood waiting for their two remaining teammates.
"You know," Cam said, "Now that we have our powers back, anytime you ever need our help, just call. We'd be happy to return the favor."
"Frax was really our problem," Wes protested. "If it hadn't been for him, Lothor would have been toast months ago. The way I see it - you did us a favor."
"Drop by the academy any time. We'll give you a tour."
"Maybe you could use a few ninjitsu lessons, too," Hunter said, with a smirk at Eric.
"Yeah, right. If anyone gives lessons, it'll be me," Eric growled.
"You can demonstrate how to get your butt kicked."
"In your dreams, kid."
"Well..." Hunter's face became serious. "I owe you one for helping me get Blake, and Cam's dad, and our friends back. You were great. Thanks." He stepped forward, arms out.
Eric made an 'oh, jeez' face but allowed himself to be hugged, even patting Hunter on the back as Cam and Wes chuckled. Just loudly enough for the three of them to hear, he said, "Okay, okay. But you have got to stop coming on to me like this."
"We'd better get out of here before you two give me and Wes something to be jealous about," Cam said, taking his lover's hand firmly before Hunter could retort and tugging him away. "Besides, we've got some hotel reservations to make, don't we?"
"Right! A weekend at Disney, bring your own ride." Hunter turned back to wave as Cam grinned. "Bye, guys. Don't be strangers."
"Bye."
"See ya."
Cam's voice was just loud enough to carry to them as he remarked to Hunter, "What do you know, you might actually have made a friend."
"Don't push it."
They re-joined their team, and on a wordless cue, the Wind and Thunder ninjas bowed. As the two remaining Time Force Rangers returned the bow, Wes couldn't help but notice that the six teens, in their black leather uniforms with respective color trims and their morphers proudly strapped onto their wrists, were indeed an impressive and handsome group. Wes instinctively knew they had made new friends for life here.
A few seconds later, Wes and Eric were watching a rainbow of streaks disappearing in the distance as the echoes of Dustin's voice shouting, "Last one's a rotten egg!" faded from the ocean air.
They turned to each other, faces beginning to be shadowed in the dusky light, and joined hands as they started back to their cars. "So, you and Hunter," Wes said teasingly.
"Not my type. He needs to learn not to get mad at every little thing... What's so funny?"
"Oh, nothing." Wes looked at the sunset. "It's too late to go back to work."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Probably too late for me to catch up with Dad for that business dinner."
"You could give it a try."
"I think I can survive without it. Yeah, the way I see it, we have all night."
"For what?" Eric was starting to smile.
"I believe we have unfinished business."
"Really? What?" Eric slung an arm around his neck.
"When we get to your house, I'll give you a reminder."
"Well, okay. On one condition. We hide the cars in the back, turn off the phones, and disconnect the doorbell. Just in case."