A/N: This fic is a gift for MzDany, who is expecting her second child almost any day now and soon won't have time for much reading. Hang in there Dany, and big hugs! I hope you like it! Many thanks go to Hagar for the beta, especially on short notice. Both of you have kept me from forgetting what great fun Ninja Storm was.
This is also part of the 'five things' challenge. I hope everyone enjoys!
Hunter and Blake (shortly after 'Return of Thunder')
Sensei looked up at the sound of two muffled voices and recognized Hunter and Blake in the shadowy figures near the doorway leading outside. They were standing close together, apparently arguing about something, and glancing his way once in a while. If not for the nervousness of those glances, Sensei might have feared a repeat of their first entrance to Ninja Ops.
Blake gave Hunter a shove, pushing him in the direction of Sensei's habitat. "Go on!" he hissed, just loudly enough to be heard.
"Me?? Why do I have to go first?"
"You're older. You start."
Hunter turned, saw Sensei watching, and planted a very fake-looking smile on his face. Teeth clenched, he reached behind him and dragged his brother along as he approached. They reached the habitat and both bowed respectfully.
"Hunter? Blake?" Sensei prompted. "Do you have something you wish to discuss?"
"Yes, Sensei," Hunter said. "We want to apologize for the way we acted. We're sorry we fought the Wind Rangers for so long."
"Yeah, and we're sorry we tricked Tori to get inside here," Blake added.
"And sorry we kidnapped you and tried to destroy you."
"No apologies are necessary," Sensei said calmly. "You can't help what you did while you were being controlled by Lothor and Choobo."
"Yeah, well, but..." Blake glanced uncomfortably at his brother. "Actually the 'destroying you' part was before they brainwashed us."
"Ah, yes, I forgot. Lothor told you that I was responsible for your parents' deaths. I imagine Lothor can be very persuasive; undoubtedly he captured you when you were children and too young to resist his influence," Sensei said comfortingly.
"Um, no. It was when all the ninja academies were attacked, just a few months ago."
"I see. You must not have known he was the one responsible for the attacks, then. Perhaps he blamed someone else and pretended to rescue you."
"Well - no, we knew he was the one who attacked us."
"You knew that he had taken your Sensei and your classmates captive?"
"Yeah."
"You knew he is evil and treacherous and wants to destroy all Earth ninjas and take over the world?"
"Sure, we knew that."
"And you believed him when he told you I had destroyed your parents?"
"Well, yeah. Why wouldn't we?" Blake and Hunter both looked puzzled.
Sensei could think of at least a dozen reasons without even trying, but he said nothing.
"Anyway, sorry about that." Blake brightened slightly. "But the next time we tried to destroy the Winds, we were brainwashed!"
"That's right," Sensei said encouragingly. "I've been meaning to ask you how that happened."
"We decided to sneak onto Lothor's spaceship again," Hunter explained. "To look for weaknesses."
"Yes, Tori told us that much. You were supposed to call for backup before launching any attack."
"Well, yeah, but Choobo had said he was switching sides, and he told us Lothor was asleep, so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to get him!"
"Choobo. And you believed him."
"Yeah," Blake said. "Anyway, it turned out Lothor was awake all the time!"
"So you were outwitted. By Choobo," Sensei said, his head starting to ache. "Well, at least you were able to overcome his control of your minds."
"Yeah, we did! Until they zapped us with another beam and we went under again."
"But we came out of it again-"
"And you got hit again-"
"Only 'cause I shoved your butt out of the way, Bro-"
"And then you got that mind-control steam goo all over you and went berserk again and tried to kill me-"
"Don't remind me!"
"Yes, Blake, you should refrain from reminding Hunter of that episode," Sensei said as he began to feel dizzy from the effort of keeping all of the Thunder Brothers' destructive rampages straight. "I'm sure you've both learned your lesson."
"Yeah! Like Lothor said, never trust an evil space ninja!" Blake said as Hunter nodded in agreement.
"Ah. And since Lothor said it, I'm sure you believe it."
"Yeah! ... Huh?"
"Never mind. You have both come through an extremely difficult and confusing time, and have made the right decision in the end. As I said, no apologies are necessary."
Grins lit up the dark and blond Thunder Rangers' faces, and they bowed again before turning to go. Sensei watched them leave, allowing himself only a small sigh as he considered the prospect of two new Rangers who seemed unusually susceptible to evil brainwashing, mind control, and plain old-fashioned lies. But, after all, there was a bright spot in all of this. Dustin was no longer the official airhead of the team.
Cam (shortly after 'The Samurai's Journey')
"Is something troubling you, my son?"
Sometimes it was convenient not having a human face that would show unwanted expressions. Admittedly, Sensei's current body was not entirely the form of a guinea pig - he could stand upright, wear his robe, and express himself verbally, facially, and by body language - but it was unlikely that Cam could see the wariness he felt as his son's sharp eyes examined him.
"I wouldn't say I'm troubled. Just curious about something." Cam crossed his arms and looked down at the desk in Ninja Ops where Sensei stood, his own face giving little away.
"If it's about how I never told you about Kiya before-"
"No, Dad. Not that I really buy that story about how your brother no longer exists because he was banished - in fact, I'd say Lothor very much exists."
"I referred to the fact that he is no longer my brother, not that he does in fact exist in a different form."
Cam waved a hand impatiently. "That's just semantics. No, it's something else."
Sensei folded his paws inside his sleeves and answered in his best wise mentor and father voice: "And what is that, my son?"
"Well..." Cam moved slightly into a more relaxed posture. For an instant a twinkle of humor brightened his eyes, but his voice was serious as he continued, "It was pretty strange meeting you as a teenager. You weren't exactly what I expected."
"And what was it you expected?" Sensei prompted when Cam stopped with what seemed almost a smug expression.
Cam was grinning now as he leaned forward and pointed a finger. "Don't you know what I mean? Back then, you acted like any regular teenager - except maybe a little more arrogant. The attitude, the way you talked; it was nothing like the way you are now. Even your voice and speech patterns were different."
Sensei found himself wishing his offspring was not quite so observant. "Did you expect a younger version of the Sensei Watanabe you know now? It is simple, Cameron. I have grown older, and more experienced. Naturally, I have changed."
"Changed that much, even your voice? No, I didn't expect you to be exactly the same, but come on." Cam's grin widened. "It's all a routine, isn't it? The whole Asian wise man bit."
"Bit? I do not understand, my-"
"You know: the philosophical sayings, the air of quiet authority, even the tiny hint of an accent. Admit it, Dad; you were running an academy for ninjas, and you wanted to impress the students."
"Not true," Sensei said with great dignity. "I do not need such trivial means of winning respect."
"I don't know - kind of looks like it to me," Cam said with a smirk.
Sensei sighed. Cam was right, in part, and perhaps it was time for a small demonstration. For just a moment he discarded the tones and manner he had adopted so many years ago and spoke the way he had in his youth, or rather the way he might have spoken as an adult if not for his brother. "So do you want me to sound like this? No disguises, no Asian wise man 'bit'. How do you like it, Cam?"
As Sensei had known it would, a look of utter horror had wiped the amusement from Cam's face. He took a step backwards, staring. "Uh, okay," he said. "I was kidding, but - wow." He shook his head. "Man, it was like Lothor was suddenly in the room. You sounded exactly like him!"
"We are twins, after all." Sensei had returned to what had long been his normal voice. "After his disgrace I preferred to resemble him as little as possible, and that desire helped shape the way I am now. In our ways of speaking, in our manner, as well as in our ways of living, Lothor and I traveled very different paths."
"Maybe that's why he wears a mask? Because he doesn't want to be reminded of the resemblance either?"
"Perhaps. If that is true, I am grateful not to be forced to see it myself."
"I understand." Cam's smile returned, as he continued in a more gently teasing tone, "But maybe part of it was that you didn't think you'd impress your students with your great wisdom if you talked the way Lothor does?"
Sensei inclined his head solemnly. "That might be within the realm of possibility."
"I should probably make a speech about being yourself and not being ashamed of what your brother turned out to be - but I won't." Cam made a face. "If you sounded like that all the time, the rest of us would be jumping out of our skins every time you opened your mouth. Knowing Shane and Hunter, one of them would probably blast you by mistake."
Sensei templed his paws and bowed slightly. "You speak wisdom, my son."
Cam returned the gesture with only a slight twist of amusement to his lips. "As do you, my father."
Lothor (not connected to any episode)
"Was a little fresh air too much to ask?" Sensei asked rhetorically.
He didn't expect an answer from this room in Lothor's spaceship - not from gloomily dark walls, a locked door, and the controls to the teleportation device that had brought him here. Certainly not from the cage he had been unceremoniously dumped into by the Kelzaks that had captured him. He had expected no answer at all, and jumped as a voice spoke from behind him.
"Yes, brother, fresh air is too much to ask when it means wandering alone outside the Ninja Academy grounds in your present rather helpless condition." Lothor stood looming over the cage, a sneer and a glint of cruelty all that were visible from behind the mask pulled over his face. The sneer widened into a grin as Sensei glared at him. "I'm afraid that expression is not very impressive on a hamster," he remarked.
"I'm a guinea pig, not a hamster."
Lothor waved a dismissive hand. "Whatever. The important thing is that you're my prisoner. Without you, how long will your precious Rangers be able to put up a fight against me?"
"Long enough to stop you. Cam is quite capable of guiding them."
"Ah yes, my nephew. A real chip off the old blockhead. Too bad my monster didn't succeed in turning him into an insect; he could keep you company."
Sensei drew himself up to his full height, which was regrettably only inches. "Mock me if you must, but you won't be laughing long."
"Brave words, for a man - ha ha - in a cage." Lothor stepped closer. "But don't worry, I'll make sure your time here is comfortable."
"I will never be comfortable as long as I am in your presence," Sensei retorted.
"Ah, such hostility towards your own brother."
"Don't remind me."
Lothor's voice dripped with sarcastic sorrow. "You wound me. And I thought we could use this opportunity to get to know each other again. To put the past behind us."
"Release me and I'll consider it."
"Regretfully, I can't. But look, I've provided everything you need for a very long stay with me." He pointed to the back of the cage, where several small boxes were stacked. "Plenty of hamster chow."
"I'm a guinea pig."
"Whatever. The bed from Kapri's old dollhouse. Sorry it's not in very good shape." He sighed reminiscently. "She used to love destroying those dolls and their furniture. Good times."
"Hmph." Sensei crossed his paws and looked pointedly away.
"I considered an exercise wheel, but decided that would be insulting. But I didn't forget entertainment." When Sensei ignored him, Lothor went on, grinning as he held up one hand to show several tiny magazines pinched between his thumb and forefinger and moving the top of the cage aside enough to drop them in. "There you go - a complete set of Playhamster Magazine."
Sensei spared only a disdainful glance for the pile of brightly colored covers, featuring several female rodents in provocative poses. "I'm a guinea pig!" he repeated indignantly.
"Whatever. As long as we're having this friendly family chat-"
"Is that what we're doing?"
"Yes. I've been a little out of touch, being banished into the outer reaches of space and all." He continued in a falsely pleasant voice, "How's Mom?"
"Fine."
"Be sure to say 'hi' for me. And Dad?"
"Okay."
"Aunt Tami?"
"Haven't heard from her lately."
"Uncle George?"
"All right, I suppose. Thanks to you, I'm too busy to go to every family get-together."
There was a thread of malice under Lothor's tone as he paused and then asked sweetly, "And your wife, pretty little Miko?"
A surge of anger brought Sensei around to face his twin. "You know very well that she died years ago!" he snapped.
Lothor's eyes widened innocently. "What? And no one invited me to the funeral?"
"Even if we could have located you, you would not have been welcome at that time or any other. Do not pretend that you care about the family you dishonored, Lothor. You are no longer a part of it, you are no longer my brother, and I do not wish to hear the name of my wife shamed by being spoken by your lips again!"
All the mockery had vanished from Lothor's face as his eyes turned hard and furious. "Very well, Sensei Guinea Pig. Since we have nothing to discuss, I will leave you to enjoy your self-righteousness in solitary splendor!"
The door slammed and the lock clicked. Sensei waited for a minute or two to be sure he was alone. "Kiya, my brother, anger always did make you foolish," he sighed - and leaped up, flipping in midair as he somersaulted through the small gap Lothor had so carelessly left at the top of the cage. It took only seconds for him to find the control that activated a teleportation beam back to Earth.
"Dad? Is that you?" Cam called from his computer station.
Sensei breathed a small sigh of relief that he had managed to get back into their base, past his son, and into his habitat without being seen, and hopefully without anyone noticing that he had been gone. It was embarrassing enough to have been captured so easily - he didn't want to have to repeat anything of his conversation with Lothor.
"Yes, Cam, I'm here. In my usual place, as usual."
Cam got up and stretched, then glanced at him more closely. "What have you got there?"
"Got?" Hurriedly, Sensei stuffed the copy of Playhamster he had grabbed on his way out of Lothor's cage behind his back. "Nothing, my son. Nothing at all."
Tori (after Sensei Switcheroo)
"No."
"But Tori, this would be challenging and enlightening for both of us."
"I don't think I need that kind of enlightenment, Sensei."
"Shane and Dustin did it."
"I'm not Shane or Dustin. There's a little difference between them and me."
"If you are referring to the fact that you are female, I have hardly noticed."
"Gee, thanks a lot."
"However, your gender is precisely what would make this experience new and different for me."
"You mean that's what would make it weird and pervy!"
"Please?"
"No! No means no! I will not switch bodies with you, Sensei!"
Marah and Kapri (just before the end of 'Storm Before the Calm')
"I want to be the Purple Ranger!"
"It would so clash with your hair! I want to be purple; you can be pink!"
"But pink is such a stupid color!"
"Girls, many of the greatest Power Rangers have been pink-" Sensei interrupted. Neither Kapri nor Marah showed any sign of hearing him.
"And those uniforms - they're so plain! Yuck!"
"Those are the uniforms the Wind Ninja Academy has been using for a hundred years-" Again, both of them ignored him.
"Well then, I'm going to be an air ninja, like Shane, so I can wear red."
"And I'll - I'll be a water ninja! I always liked blue!"
"Like Tori? She's such a fashion disaster - but that should suit you!"
"You're mean! Sensei, Kapri's being mean!"
At least they were looking at him now. Sensei took a deep breath. "Girls, if I could get a word in..."
"Oh all right, be the Purple Ranger if you want. Like I care."
"Goody! And maybe I'll be an earth ninja, like Dustin. He's awfully cute in yellow."
"Girls! Be quiet, now!" Sensei gave them his best stern look as both Kapri and Marah faced him with guilty and even fearful expressions and then quickly looked down. Too late, it occurred to him that Lothor had probably spoken to them in much the same tone, that they had had good reason to fear him, and that with their background they were not to blame for their lack of the proper values.
"We're sorry, Uncle Sensei," Marah said in a small voice.
"It's all right," he continued soothingly. "But we need to get a few things straight. First, you are applying for admission to the Wind Ninja Academy. You have not yet been accepted. Second, even if you are admitted do not assume you will ever become Power Rangers. Third, students are assigned whichever element is their strongest talent. Fourth - the uniform is not optional, and represents a proud tradition." He glanced at Kapri. "And fifth, no pink wigs or hair dyes are allowed."
"Aw..."
He held up his hand. "No protests. You wish to enter the Academy, don't you?"
"Yes, Uncle Sensei," they chorused.
"Then you must behave accordingly, and look the part of serious students."
There was a calculating light in Kapri's eyes as she asked. "But we're family, Uncle. Can't you make an exception?"
"I'm not at all sure that your being my evil twin's alien ex-wife's brother's daughters qualifies as a close family tie. But it doesn't matter. If I did not make exceptions for my own son, none will be made for you."
"Yes, Uncle Sensei."
"Remember, you are no longer evil space ninjas. You must learn to live by new rules if you are to succeed in life."
"Yes, Uncle Sensei."
"Very well. With all that said and understood - I have reason to believe both of you have a good deal of intelligence and ability hidden beneath those - ah - exteriors. You are accepted into the Wind Ninja Academy."
"Ooh, thank you thank you thank you-"
He cut off their grateful babble with a wave of his hand. "You may thank me by being good students. And now you may go."
At least they made a proper bow before turning to leave his office. He might have been happier if he had not heard them talking as they went, but their voices were quite clear before they faded with distance.
"I'm going to hate wearing those uniforms. All of them look alike - all red or blue or yellow. How boring."
"Hey, I have an idea! We can make the trim pink and purple! Much more interesting, and when we get to be Rangers we'll already have our colors!"
Sensei sighed. At least the coming year would not be dull.