He replaced the clutch cable and snapped the side cover back into place, reaching for the towel over his shoulder out of habit. Shane's skateboard clattered in the background, and the sound of rolling wheels on asphalt meant he'd successfully landed whatever trick he was trying on the curb. With another skate demo coming up this afternoon, he was spending more time on his board than on his feet.

Dustin stood up, hooking the cable back up to its lever before glancing at the clock through the shop window. He didn't really have time to clean the filter before his dad arrived, so he'd better quit while he was ahead. He was just reaching down for the solvent pan when he heard a sharp snap that meant Shane had jumped off and caught his board in his hand.

"Hey Cam," Shane called, and Dustin pulled the towel off his shoulder again as he turned. Sure enough, there was Cam, strolling down the sidewalk toward Storm Chargers as though he came by every day.

"Hey man!" Dustin greeted him enthusiastically, but something in the back of his mind seemed off. "Don't see you here much! What's going on?"

"Hey, guys," Cam said with a smile. "Just out getting some fresh air."

"Think maybe the city is the wrong place for that?" Shane asked, dropping his skateboard back on the ground when Cam didn't mention an impending attack.

"Actually, Blue Bay's air quality is pretty good right now," Cam said mildly. "The ozone's down for the week, and the cold front has blown some of the smog away."

"Yeah," Dustin put in, "but, you know, not as good as some other places. Where there are trees, and lakes, and waterfalls and stuff?"

"I see trees and lakes and waterfalls every day," Cam reminded him. "I could use some variety every now and then."

Shane flipped his skateboard over the curb again, landing it smoothly and coasting to a stop a few steps away. "You should come to my skate demo this afternoon," he said, not as though he expected Cam to agree.

Cam hesitated, then surprised them both by replying, "I'll think about it."

Dustin exchanged glances with Shane, but by then Cam was continuing, "I think I'll just take a look inside. See you guys later."

"Sure," Dustin agreed automatically, and Shane echoed him. As he watched Cam wander into Storm Chargers, though, he frowned after him. "Dude, you notice anything weird about Cam today?"

"You mean the fact that he's here or the fact that he said he might come to my skate demo?" Shane said with a grin. "I guess Sensei hasn't quit ragging on him to get out more."

"Yeah," Dustin said slowly. Through the window, he saw Cam's slow pace come to a complete halt as he put his hands in his pockets and looked around. Thinking of neglected homework and missed dinners, he had to admit, "My dad probably wishes I wasn't out so much."

"I hear that," Shane agreed. His attention was back on his board, and Dustin threw his towel over his shoulder again and collected the solvent pan.

"I'm gonna take this inside," he offered, and Shane waved absently at him.

The door was propped open, which was lucky since he didn't really want to let go of the pan with either hand. Cam had found his way into the work area where Hunter was replacing the top end on his bike, and he seemed to be settling in for an actual conversation. As Dustin made his way toward the back room and the sink, he wondered what the two of them had to talk about. Maybe Hunter had broken something at Ops?

It wasn't until he was disposing of the cleaning chemicals that he realized what was different about Cam. He tipped the pan up against the edge of the sink and went back for another look. Standing in the doorway to the back room, he could just see Cam's back leaning against the edge of the counter. Wearing his multi-colored shirt.

Dustin frowned to himself, turning back to the sink and hanging his towel over the side as he washed his hands. Cam hadn't worn anything but green and white even before he'd been a Ranger, and it seemed strange to start now. Dustin wore yellow alternatives, even brown or black when he was going to be doing something messy or just needed a change. But he didn't wear anyone else's Ranger color.

Cam was wearing green and red, a combination that was questionable even aside from the whole Ranger thing. Colors meant something to the Rangers. They always had, if the comic books were anything to go by... and he was sure they were. So why would Cam suddenly be wearing Shane's color?

Maybe it was an authority thing? Red was usually the color of the leader, and Cam did have as much experience as all of them put together. He coordinated most of their plans, their battles, even sometimes their training. If he and Shane ever disagreed--well, Dustin wasn't totally sure who he'd follow.

That was what Sensei was for, he supposed.

He finished with the pan and set it by the back door to dry, threw his towel in the rag pile, and washed his hands again. His dad could be here any minute now. He'd better get his bike put away before he ran out of time.

Blake was coming in to the shop just as Dustin was going out, and he greeted the Navy Ranger absently. The sidewalk in front of Storm Chargers was still empty except for Shane... he heard Blake greet both Cam and Hunter, and he turned to catch another glimpse of them before he backed through the door. The three of them had clustered around Hunter's bike, looking at something Dustin couldn't see, and he smiled to himself.

Funny how the brothers had "adopted" Cam. Like he wasn't part of the Winds, so he might as well be one of them. He wouldn't have expected Cam to get along any better with the Thunder Rangers than he did with students at his own Academy, but somehow he seemed to.

They looked strangely happy together, Blake leaning around Cam to point at something and Hunter with his arms crossed, hovering protectively over his bike. Cam's street clothes looked a little out of place in the middle of their "Shockproof" racing gear, but his shirt almost matched Hunter's jersey. It was Blake's dark blue that was the only--

Wait. Rangers did sometimes wear each other's colors, didn't they. After all, Tori wore navy almost as often as turquoise these days. Just because he didn't do it himself... that was how you'd always known who was together in the comic books. Rangers who were dating wore each other's colors.

Just then, Hunter motioned for Cam to come around the other side of his bike. Cam circled obediently, and Dustin wouldn't have even noticed if he hadn't been watching so carefully. As Cam stopped beside Hunter, in the lightest, most casual of gestures, Hunter's hand brushed against the small of his back.

It could even have been an accident, but it wasn't. Just like that, Dustin knew: Cam wasn't wearing red at all. He was wearing crimson.

"Hey, Dustin!" Shane yelled to him from the street, and he turned around to see his dad waving as he made his way up the sidewalk toward the shop.

He waved back, joining them outside as Shane explained the details of the afternoon's skate demo. His dad promised to try and make the next one, then asked if they could check out Storm Chargers' glove selection before they headed for the airport. After all, they were here... Shane stayed behind on the curb, and they went inside to take advantage of Dustin's employee discount.

Of course, then his dad had to be introduced to everyone inside, which was fun for all sorts of different reasons. His father enthusiastically claimed to know everything about his friends, which earned Dustin an annoyed look from Cam, a shrug from Blake, and an expression of unwarranted horror from Hunter. He could only imagine what Hunter thought he might be telling his dad.

"Not everything," he said hastily, as his dad turned away. "I promise."

Hunter's expression of relief was comical. They all made appropriate noises of understanding, but as Dustin turned to follow his dad he heard Blake mutter, "I could tell him 'everything'."

This was followed immediately by "Ow!" and Dustin wondered whether it had been Hunter or Cam that hit him.