Poison

Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Power Rangers, Ninja Storm, and I'm not making any money from this fic. I also do not own Bruce Almighty (though my dad has it on DVD)

Summary: The sequel to Roses and Thorns. One of Lothor's aliens injects people around Blue Bay Harbour with a toxin which causes people to fall horribly ill, and there is no sign of a cure. When half of the Power Rangers are poisoned as well, it falls to the remaining ones to find a cure as well as hold off Lothor's monsters, despite the fact that none of them has a full team. (All wind rangers, all thunder rangers, etc.) As well as that, Cam is having weird dreams, and Hunter and Lila are finding their 'friends only' rule hard to keep to

Author's Note: Like I said... This is the sequel to Roses and Thorns. If you didn't like that, then you won't like this. CamFan4Ever, I've changed what I've told you slightly. I'm sure you'll see where.

I have not had a good day today --. I had to wait three hours for a coach, and I had loads of pigeons flying really close over my head (close enough to touch!) I need cheering up

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Dustin slid his arm over Cally's shoulders, a little hesitatingly. The violet light ranger seemed to be so engrossed in the movie they were watching that she didn't even seem to notice. Which was just as well, really.

For the past couple of weeks, Dustin and Cally had been tiptoeing around each other. The yellow wind ranger wanted to start over, but it was difficult. Whenever he was with Cally, he couldn't get the image of her kissing someone else behind his back out of his head.

Oh, Dustin knew that Cally was sorry for it. He thought that he'd forgiven her for betraying him like that as well, but he just couldn't push it out of his mind.

Now, though, it wasn't bothering him so much. During their apparent dates, Dustin had kept Cally at arm's length, finding it difficult to touch her, to be close to her. To think of her as his 'girlfriend' again, even though that was technically what she was.

It was getting easier now, though. Dustin would probably never forget what Cally had done, but he was able to push it to the back of his mind more, and just think about what he was doing with Cally.

Cally is my girlfriend.

Dustin hadn't been able to even imagine the words, let alone say them out loud. As if sensing his feelings, Cally had never referred to him as her boyfriend. But their friends all knew what they meant when they said they were spending time with each other.

With the Power Rangers as many as they were, though, there were actually quite a number of hostilities in the group. Never ones which really blew out of control, or put any of their missions in danger, but you knew they were there all the same.

Dustin and Cally were watching Bruce Almighty together. They were at Cally's house, as her parents weren't around, having been captured by Lothor, and the other two occupants of the house, David and Faye, were out together.

Dustin laughed a little as Bruce, on the television, made his own words appear on the prompt screen for his rival, Evan, to read, and made his voice go all funny. Personally, Dustin thought that that would be a cool ability to have. Great way to get back at people who had been mean to you.

"You know, Lothor's been pretty quiet lately," Dustin commented after a few more moments.

"Uh-uh," Cally responded, a sound which could mean absolutely anything.

"I mean, he's probably planning something really big to leave us alone for this long," Dustin continued.

For some reason, Dustin and Cally always ended up talking about Lothor. One or the other would bring him up, and they wouldn't talk about anything else.

Apparently not this time, though.

Cally jumped to her feet, her eyes suddenly blazing. "This isn't fair, Dustin! To either of us! You said that we could start over, but that isn't what we're doing! We're just going through the motions here, and something's got to give!"

She's right, Dustin realised. Something has got to give.

Really, there was only one thing Dustin could do.

The yellow wind ranger pulled the violet light ranger back onto the sofa with him. Wrapping his arms around Cally, Dustin pressed his lips against hers.

This wasn't a gentle kiss. It was a possessive, dominating one. The something was going to give now. Dustin was reclaiming Cally. He was pushing away her betrayal, finally able to forgive her properly.

The yellow wind ranger's hands slid under Cally's blouse, gently stroking her back, feeling her arch a little under his touch. His hands found the strap of her bra, and he hesitated over undoing it.

Things probably would have gone a lot further if Faye and David hadn't chosen that precise moment to walk through the front door.

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Cam opened his eyes, and found himself in a strange garden filled with different kinds of exotic plants which combined together to form a tropical, heady scent which seemed way too real, even though this had to be a dream.

Whoa, the green samurai ranger thought to himself. I must have fallen asleep at the computer again.

The place Cam was in looked a little bit like the images Cam had seen on the computer screen when Cally had gone into that other world, and the whole deal with the vampires had begun. There were some differences, though. For one thing, Cam couldn't see any unicorns around, and they were apparently the guides in the Forest of Feelings.

"Cameron?"

Hearing the unfamiliar female voice, the green samurai ranger turned round, and his eyes widened.

There was a young woman standing behind him, and she was clearly not human. She had long dark blue hair, and huge green eyes. Her skin was light blue and furry, and she had pointed ears.

No way I dreamed something that, Cam thought.

"Who are you?" the green samurai ranger asked, frowning slightly.

The woman gave Cam an odd look. "I'm Lia... Remember?"

Cam looked really confused. "I... don't know you, do I?"

Lia gave Cam a slightly startled look. "Did you hit your head or something, Cameron? Of course you know me! We are engaged to be married."

No way! Cam protested silently. This is obviously a dream!

It seems so real, though. More real than any dream I've had before.

It's still only a dream.

Lia walked over to Cam, and took his arm, looking up at him, her eyes filled with worry and concern. "Cameron, come with me," she said. "It is very bad if you have lost your memory. I will make sure you do not get lost finding the village again." She smiled, but it looked a little strained. "I can understand if you are nervous... I am too. But my friends all tell me that it is a joyous occasion, and that we do not have to be alarmed."

Cam now saw, apparently painted on Lia's forehead, a full circle, and he had to wonder, even though it was a dream, if he had one as well, and what it meant if he did. Then, he looked into Lia's eyes, and felt himself drowning in green pools.

And then Cam woke up, and saw what was on his computer screen.

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Dustin pulled back slowly from Cally. Right then, he didn't care about Faye and David watching him hold Cally. But he did object to making out in front of them.

David stood in the doorway of the living room, staring at his sister and his friend. Faye merely pushed past him, and placed her bag on one of the chairs. She then looked at Cally and Dustin, her hands resting lightly on her hips. "Don't you two have a room for that?"

Dustin laughed lightly, and pressed his face into Cally's hair. "We weren't going to do anything."

"What are you watching?" David asked, entering the living room as well. He looked at the television screen. "Bruce Almighty?"

Dustin nodded, releasing Cally. "You guys want to watch the next movie with us?"

Before Faye or David could reply, all of their communicators went off.

"Guys, it's Cam," the voice of the green samurai ranger said, echoing from their communicators. "I need you to come to NinjaOps as soon as possible. It's really important."

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