The thing he liked least about fighting evil space aliens was the weird feeling of deja vu. It didn't help that they were the same evil space aliens he'd fought before, either. It also didn't help that some of those same "evil aliens" were fighting on their side now. He saw Marah and Kapri double-teaming their old minion Bopp-A-Roo, and he wondered if the girls were really the only "good" aliens who had fought for the wrong side.

After all, it wasn't like Bopp-A-Roo had been doing anything wrong. Just walking down the street, really. And, you know, maybe incinerating the odd trashcan.

Marah went down, and Kapri got to her before Dustin could. The sisters fought together really well, especially considering that he didn't think they trained together anymore. Shane and Cam had had the idea of recruiting other ninjas to help them keep Blue Bay Harbor's evil alien population in check, and Dustin had naturally thought of the two people who knew them even better than the Rangers. He had offered to train Marah, and Cam had taken responsibility for Kapri.

Maybe Marah and Kapri met and practiced together on their own, too, but if they did he didn't know when they fit it in. They were on an accelerated track because of their previous ninja experience, which basically meant that they had to take all the regular first year classes plus more. They were also weirdly social for people who'd spent most of the last year on a spaceship. They seemed to be involved in almost everything that went on around campus.

He dove out of the way of a blast from Bopp-A-Roo's training wheel, letting Cam and Mei Lien cover for him while he tried to figure out the plan. There had to be one, right? They always had a plan, determined by whoever arrived on the scene first... but this time, that had been Hunter. Hunter had never been first before. Maybe he didn't know that he was supposed to be coming up with a plan.

Whoa... Dustin spun around on Marah's other side, coming to stand between her and Kapri as they got ready for another charge--and waited. Usually their "teams" would take turns attacking and defending, keeping their target off-balance while the first person on the scene organized everyone. But this time, Cam and Mei Lien were holding Bopp-A-Roo's attention pretty well. It looked like they might actually be able to take him out by themselves.

Tori and Kyle charged the alien from behind, and that was the end. Between the four of them, they piled on the power until Bopp-A-Roo keeled over where he stood. As he crashed to the ground, Dustin caught a glimpse of Hunter on the other side of the street. The Thunder ninja was watching the fight with his arms folded across his chest, doing nothing to help and not looking too worried about it. It was kind of a creepy look he had, actually, like back when he and Blake had been evil and all they cared about was watching the Wind Rangers fail.

There hadn't been any explosion. Dustin got it before Cam did, and he lunged forward to yell to the nearest ninjas. "Guys! Get back!"

Bopp-A-Roo burst to his feet with a rush of scorching air and flames that surrounded him like a tornado. That was totally uncool, a low blow from an alien that shouldn't even have that much power without Lothor to reinforce him. Marah managed to fling a shield past Cam and Mei Lien--her evil ninja training came out at the best times--but Tori and Kyle were caught in the blast and thrown back.

The fire was lifting upward now, the funnel growing and lengthening until it towered above them and Dustin suddenly realized why. Shane was standing on the roof of Storm Chargers. Arms crossed, he mimicked Hunter's position on the ground below, watching the flames arc into the sky. Bopp-A-Roo wasn't controlling that fire anymore.

Dustin lifted his hands and threw all of his power at their weakened enemy, drawing the killing blow in a fight that had never been fair. There was no question, no hesitation once the battle began--he was a ninja and he defended his friends. But afterwards... afterwards, he thought about what they were doing, and what it really meant.

Everyone moved in, and he was glad to see Tori back on her feet as they encircled the place where Bopp-A-Roo had been. The flames were disappearing quickly, leaving nothing but heat and a fading outline on the pavement. When the last trace vanished, Shane said under his breath, "Let's go."

They weren't supposed to speak when they were out in public in their ninja gear. They definitely weren't supposed to use each others' names. They were already violating ninja rules by revealing their existence, but even Sensei had agreed that Lothor's leftovers had to be dealt with. This was the best solution they'd come up with so far.

It wasn't until they were back at the academy that Dustin reached up to tug his headgear off, and all around him the rest of the former Rangers and ninja helpers were doing the same thing. "These things make my hair so flat," Marah was complaining to her sister.

"Your hair is always flat," Kapri answered, which wasn't true.

"It is not!" Marah exclaimed. "It has a natural wave! Not like your hair."

"My hair," Kapri began, and then Dustin was distracted by Tori talking over them.

"Nice timing, Shane," she said, giving him a grin after she'd made sure Kyle was okay. "Way to play hero."

"Yeah, dude, thumbs up for the pose," Kyle chimed in, suiting actions to words.

"Sorry I was late." Shane flipped his headgear over in his hand, taking the ribbing good-naturedly. "My bro's company sent me off with a package that needed delivery confirmation, you know?"

"As long as you know what's important," Cam put in dryly, holding out his hand to Mei Lien. He winced as she turned it over, head down as she stared at it. "Careful."

"Dude, did you get hurt out there?" Dustin wanted to know. "Marah was pretty fast with that shield." He saw her beam out of the corner of his eye.

"No, it was before that." Cam didn't look very happy to suddenly be the center of attention, but he'd kind of asked for it. "Got my arm twisted in that stupid wheel when we went in close."

"You shouldn't have interrupted my attack," Mei Lien murmured without looking up.

Dustin glanced over at Tori, who had raised her eyebrows. They just looked at each other, waiting to see if Cam would snap back at her. He would have done it to any of them: come up with some sarcastic comment about their abilities if they'd dared suggest he'd done this to himself by getting in their way.

"Yeah," Cam agreed absently, watching her prod his wrist. "I learned my lesson."

"You gonna be okay?" Shane asked. "I hate to bail on you, but I've gotta get this confirmation back before someone calls the other place looking for me."

"I have class," Tori agreed apologetically.

"Me too," Kyle and Kapri said at the same time.

"You know, here at the academy," Kyle added. "Not at college."

"Yeah, and it's like, so important that we're there on time," Kapri reminded them.

Cam looked up and found them all looking at him. "What, are you waiting for my permission?" he demanded. "Go. Get going, all of you. I'm not writing late slips."

Kapri and Kyle didn't need any more encouragement, but Tori and Shane waited a moment longer. "Feel better, okay?" Tori said, with a worried look that Cam wouldn't have put up with from anyone else.

"Take care of him," Shane told Mei Lien, clapping her on the shoulder.

Cam just rolled his eyes. "I'm fine," he informed them. "Go home. And guys? The first person to send a sympathy card gets substitute teacher duty for two weeks."

He would argue it until there was no one left to argue with, but Cam secretly liked to have people make a fuss over him. She was sure of it. Otherwise he never would have let the remaining ninjas follow him back to Ninja Ops, and he wouldn't have let her bandage his wrist in full view of everyone present. Like her, he yearned for attention and would never, ever admit it aloud.

"You know, dude, you're gonna have to lay off the computer for a while," Dustin remarked.

Cam rolled his eyes but he kept his arm still while she folded the end of the bandage in half and wound it across his palm. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Dustin."

"Oh..." Dustin hesitated, as though that hadn't even occurred to him. "Right. Sorry."

"Oh, but that means you'll have time to come to our talent show tonight!" Marah exclaimed. "Since you won't be working or anything!"

Cam lifted his gaze and caught Mei Lien's eye. His disbelieving look made her smile a little, but she kept her attention on his wrist. She didn't need to make any enemies on campus, especially not one who was related to Cam.

"I'll keep that in mind." Cam laid on the sarcasm, but Marah didn't seem to notice. She just clapped delightedly and turned to Dustin, reminding him that he absolutely had to be there or the music just wouldn't be up to standard.

"There," Mei Lien said quietly, taping the clips in place so they wouldn't catch on anything. "You probably will be able to type... just don't overdo it."

"Who, me?" Cam gave her an innocent smile, and it made her feel warm inside. "Thanks, Mei Lien."

He held out his hand and wiggled his fingers experimentally, but before she could repeat her warning Hunter muttered, "Any of us could have done that for you."

It was the first thing he'd said in her presence since he'd told her to skip the fight. She glanced at Cam, not sure he wanted her to defend herself, but he was frowning in Hunter's direction. "What's got you in such a mood?" he asked bluntly.

Hunter's gaze flicked to her. "I'm just saying, it's not like she's a field medic or anything."

"Yes, she is," Cam countered, surprising her. "She was certified three months after she came to the academy." She hadn't known he knew that.

"I thought you were the one who wanted to let her do her job," Cam added, and she gave him a sharp look. He wasn't complimenting her after all. He was just needling Hunter.

"Hey, if I'm not needed around here just say so," Hunter snapped. "I've got stuff to do."

Dustin and Marah fell silent as he stomped out of Ninja Ops, and Cam's mutter was loud enough to be heard by everyone who remained. "I don't know what his problem is."

If that was true, Mei Lien thought, then he didn't know Hunter as well as he thought he did.