DIVATOX

Everything was going according to plan. For once. Divatox smiled at her reflection. "You're perfect," she declared. All she needed to do now was...

The sound of the doorbell startled her out of her thoughts. She shrieked slightly in surprise. Divatox took a deep breath to compose herself before walking to the door. She opened it cautiously and saw a little boy standing in front of her. "What do you want?" She snapped.

"Trick or treat!" The boy cried cheerfully.

"What? It's not even Halloween... I don't think..." Divatox frowned. She knew of the Earth tradition of Halloween after spending so much time on the planet, but she wasn't entirely sure when it was.

The boy giggled before transforming into a rather attractive teenager. "You're Eltarian... And not a child," Divatox said aloud.

"I am any age I wish," the teenager said with the same mischievous grin he'd had as a child. "Technically, though, I'm eternally a teenager. My name is Laby."

"Laby?"

"Short for Labyrinth. I come here on behalf of our mutual acquaintance."

"And who might that be?"

"The Great Wizard of Eltar."

Divatox stared at him. "You know Zell?" She asked in surprise.

"I do. I was but a boy when we first met on Eltar, millennia ago. He tracked me down rather recently and asked that my friends and I look out for you."

"Your friends?"

"We are a small chapter of the Eltarian Rebellion. At Zell's request, we shall consider you our ally."

"Alright... And what is it that you can do?"

"I am a Trickster. My abilities often come in handy in unexpected ways. The others have a variety of skills. You'll be allowed to learn more as you meet them. Until then... This device can connect you to me in an emergency." He handed her a banana.

"This is a banana!" Divatox objected.

"A sacred banana! Show some respect! It is a powerful tool!"

"It is?" She began to examine it thoroughly, wondering what magic it must possess. She hoped she hadn't offended it. She didn't feel like getting destroyed because she'd been so dismissive.

Laby cracked up. "Man, you're easy! I was just messing with you, Deevs!" He shook his head. "Here. This is a communication stone." He handed her a black stone the size of her fist.

"Right! I'm not falling for another trick! Give me the real communication device, or I swear-"

Laby pulled out a stone of his own and tapped it with two fingers twice. "Divatox," he said firmly.

Divatox jumped as her stone vibrated in her hand and came to life. She looked at it and saw Laby's cheeky grin staring back at her. "Oh... Wonderful. Thank you," she said, trying not to give in to her instinct to attack the teenager. Zell must be testing her by sending this fool to her.

"To answer it, just tap it twice and say 'bezi.' To disconnect, tap it twice and say 'fini.' Think you can handle that, Deevs?"

"Of course I can. And stop calling me by that horrid nickname!"

"Yeah, that's probably not going to happen. Your name's a mouthful. See you soon... Deevs." Laby walked away.

Divatox slammed the door in frustration and let out an angry cry. "This is what you send me to work with?" She demanded. "I hope you know what you're doing, Zell..." She sighed and began focusing on taking over the world again.

LUCAS

He was enjoying working as a cop, but the 1980s were strange. The weapons they used were ancient and he had to remember he needed to blend in. That wasn't always easy when you were from as far in the future as Lucas was. Still, he did his best.

His partner, Reggie, was looking bored when a call came in on the radio. "Unit Seven-three-two, we need you!" The dispatcher said. "We have a ten-nineteen in your vicinity. I repeat, we have a ten-nineteen in your vicinity!"

"Show us responding," Reggie said into the radio. He looked at Lucas. "Finally, some action! Let's go."

Lucas couldn't agree more. He began driving, and reached very high speeds very quickly. They found the stolen car they were searching for easily, and Lucas chased the criminal, enjoying himself as the guy tried to out-drive him. He began putting his skills to the test, speeding up and doing stunts the police cruiser probably wasn't designed for.

"Holy shit! You're insane!" Reggie declared as the car took a sharp turn at full speed but somehow didn't flip.

"I've got this," Lucas promised him. He continued speeding, defying the laws of physics and never losing control of the car. They wove in and out of traffic. Lucas refused to give up, and ultimately, he caught up to the suspect. He finally turned the wheel sharply and put them right in front of the suspect.

The guy slammed on his breaks and finally got out of the car, throwing his hands up in surrender. "You, Sir, have the right to remain silent!" Lucas said. He continued reading him his rights as he handcuffed him.

Reggie was still staring at him as Lucas put the suspect in the car and began noting the time and some of the details of the arrest on his paperwork. "What?" Lucas asked.

"My man... Where did you learn to drive like that?" Reggie asked in shock.

Lucas laughed. "Let's just call it a hobby of mine. Come on. Let's bring this guy in." He got back into the car, so Reggie followed his lead, and Lucas took off toward the precinct, forcing himself not to speed too much this time.

LEE

The big game was coming up without him. Lee frowned as he watched his teammates hurrying to practice. Ronnie walked by in her cheerleading uniform. She paused when she saw what he was looking at.

"Hey... Don't be so hard on yourself, Lee," she said, knowing what he was thinking.

"They're already forgetting about me, Ronnie," Lee said with a sigh.

Ronnie rolled her eyes. "Like, I'm so sure," she teased him. "Lee, you're the best guy on the team. They're nothing without you... And you'll be back in no time!"

"I hate this."

"It's totally unfair!" Ronnie agreed. "I mean, like, your prank was, like, totally radical. Literally the most tubular thing I've, like, ever seen! You should not be punished. Principal Drew, like, totally needs to take a chill pill!"

"I appreciate the support, Ronnie... But I might have gone too far with this one," Lee admitted. "Like, I should have stopped at seducing two cheerleaders," he added with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood.

Ronnie's smile faltered slightly. "Totally," she said with a forced laugh.

Lee realized he'd upset her. They weren't an official couple or anything... Ronnie and Lee were two of the most popular kids in school, and neither believed in dating exclusively... But it was becoming more and more clear that Ronnie wasn't interested in dating anyone else. Lee cared about her. He'd been best friends with the twins since they were all five years old... He loved Ronnie with all his heart, but was he in love with her? He couldn't be sure. Lee had always been pretty wild, but if he ended up settling down for anyone, it might be Ronnie.

He pulled her closer, wrapping her in his arms, and Ronnie relaxed. That lasted for about thirty seconds before they heard cursing and Lee released her.

Roxy came running down the hall, her lip bleeding. She wasn't crying, but she never did in public. Lee could see the fear in her eyes. "Rox, what happened?" He demanded.

"Go to Hell!" Roxy snapped.

"Roxy, stop... Calm down and tell me who hit you," Ronnie said, grabbing Roxy by the arm.

Roxy flinched and Lee spotted the bruise forming where Ronnie had touched her. "I'm fine," Roxy said harshly.

Lee pulled a tissue out of his pocket and gently approached Roxy before putting it to her lip. Roxy didn't fight him. "Rox... Talk to us," Lee said softly.

"It's nothing... Thanks for the tissue," Roxy replied. She had taken the venom out of her voice.

"Where are you, you fucking dyke bitch?" A voice called from around the corner.

Lee got between the hockey player and Roxy. "Pete, back off," Lee said harshly.

Pete was part of the same circle as Lee and clearly thought he'd be cool with whatever he said. "Lee, man, I offered to fix her... This freak turned down a date with me. Can you believe that shit? She'll kiss girls but she'll turn me down? She needs a real man to set her back on the right path."

"Let me know when you find a real man and we'll talk!" Roxy snapped at him.

"Bitch!" Pete tried to lunge at her.

Lee was about to step in when someone else did. "You like hitting girls? I like hitting assholes!" Kaylen said, swinging her baseball bat at his stomach. Pete doubled over and vomited.

"You guys okay?" Kaylen asked the twins.

"Yeah," Roxy said.

"You hit him!" Ronnie said in horror. "With a bat!"

Kaylen shrugged. "He hit your twin sister. You're welcome."

Pete got up and tried to attack Kaylen from behind. Lee threw him up against a locker. "Don't you dare," he said harshly.

"Lee Scott!" An all-too familiar voice shouted in horror. "Release Mr. Craft this instant!"

"They attacked me, Sir! That psycho Kaylen attacked me with a baseball bat!" Pete said.

"You really just admitted to getting beat up by a girl? Loser," Kaylen said.

Principal Drew sighed. "Again, Miss Carter?" He asked sadly.

"Principal Drew, Sir, Kaylen didn't do anything wrong," Lee said quickly. "Pete hit Roxy. When he tried to attack her again, Kaylen stopped him."

"Is that true, Miss Savers?" Principal Drew asked.

"Yes, Sir," Roxy said. She took the tissue away from her lip and showed him her injury. "Pete attacked me. Lee and Kaylen were just protecting me."

The Principal nodded. "I see... Very well. Come with me, Mr. Craft. I'll need to call your parents."

"But Sir-" Pete protested.

"There is no excuse for a boy to put his hands on a girl. I don't want to hear it." He led Pete away.

Kaylen looked at Lee. "Thanks for the save, but I would have been fine," she said.

"No problem. I just told him the truth," Lee replied. "Pete deserved what he got. Come on, Rox. Me and Ronnie will take you to the nurse to get cleaned up."

"I just want to go home, Lee," Roxy protested.

"You should get checked out."

"It's a busted lip and some bruises. I'm fine, but I want to go home."

Lee nodded. "I'll take you," he said.

"You've got detention for eternity, remember? And Ronnie's got cheerleading. I can get myself home"

"I could, like, skip practice if you need me to," Ronnie offered. This was a true mark of how much she loved her sister, because cheerleading came before nearly anything else in her life.

"Don't," Roxy insisted. "I'm okay. I'll see you at home later." She walked off before they could stop her.

"I've got baseball practice," Kaylen said. "See you later." She left.

"Why would she see you later?" Ronnie asked. "Tell me you're not, like, messing around with that grody, tacky, psycho."

"Who, Kaylen? No way. She's just a friend, Ronnie."

"Good, because your babies would, like, totally come out beating the crap out of all the other babies in the hospital."

Lee rolled his eyes. "I have enough crazy in my life with you, Ronnie," he teased her.

She brightened a bit and gave him a quick kiss before saying, "I need to get to cheerleading. Have fun in detention."

Lee watched her walk away before heading to detention. He took the seat that was becoming his new home and waited for Cassie to arrive.

LABY

He was getting bored. That tended to happen when Laby was alone for too long. He liked to keep moving, and spent a lot of his free time playing pranks on people.

Just as he began plotting ways to mess with Jaybert, the leader of his chapter of Eltarian Rebels, he got distracted by two people walking in.

"I cannot stress enough how much I despise high school!" B'Danna complained. She tossed a backpack on the floor in frustration. "Why couldn't our cover be college kids? At least they have some level of intelligence!"

"B'Danna, the younger we start, the longer we can stay in one place," Draze reminded her gently.

"Draze, I turned one-hundred-and-nineteen last month! I am sick of pretending to be a teenager!"

"You'll age eventually, Bee Dee," Laby reminded her. "You're not immortal... Eltarians just age slowly."

"You're not the one stuck in high school... I wish I could shapeshift."

Laby had met B'Danna and Draze at Woodstock during the Summer of 1969, hiding among the flower children. They'd been on the run, moving from place to place with only each other to rely on since they'd met on Eltar at the age of fourteen. Laby had introduced them to the Rebellion so they didn't have to be alone anymore. He liked them both, even if B'Danna was a bit high-strung. She was also a fierce warrior, and he respected that. Draze was gentler and kind by nature, but he was also exceptionally brave. He could hold his own in a fight.

"Yes, high school..." Jaybert said, entering the room. His power radiated off of him, making B'Danna and Draze automatically stand up straighter. Only Laby was unaffected by their leader. He might not flaunt it, but Laby possessed a great deal of power himself. "Tell me, have you found the threat yet?"

"You mean the... What did you call them? Power Rangers?" B'Danna asked. "We haven't identified them yet... Are you sure Zordon sent them? No one has seen Eltar's Great Sage in quite some time."

"He is like his father, able to operate outside of the traditional timeline. Zordon is most certainly behind these children acquiring powers. The Great Wizard stated their mission is to stop Divatox, but he had no doubt they would seek us out should they discover we exist. We must be prepared."

Amareese entered the room then. She was an Eltarian Sorceress and was married to Flekt, their weapons and tactical expert. "Mama Ama," as Laby liked to call her, was a good soul who took care of the other Rebels in a maternal way.

"I have their identities," Amareese announced. "They came to me while I was in a trance... Lee, Kaylen, Serena, Austin, and Hannah... And their mentors are Cassie and Lucas, both from the future."

"Lee... Lee Scott? Holy shit..." B'Danna said.

"You know him?" Jaybert asked.

"Everyone knows him. He's the most popular boy in that school," Draze replied. "There's only one girl named Kaylen... She's a bit crazy, but also pretty popular, mostly because everyone fears her."

"I think Serena's that genius girl who's always getting picked on," B'Danna added.

"And the other two?" Jaybert asked.

"There are a few girls named Hannah at the school."

"She's Pink... Look for a kind, empathic soul, probably a very gentle girl," Amareese said. "These are the qualities I sense in her."

"There's a Hannah in my math class who fits that description," Draze said. "She's probably the sweetest girl in the school... She's on the quiet side, so I don't know her well... She got detention for sneaking a kitten into class, though , so she stands out in my mind."

"Okay, so that leaves Austin... I don't think I know an Austin," B'Danna said.

"Wait, I do," Tiffani said as she joined them. "That new kid who's always walking around with a guitar is named Austin. He's kind of gorgeous and hard to miss."

"Tiffani, you are late," Jaybert said disapprovingly.

"Sorry, Dad," Tiffani said with an apologetic shrug. "I had cheerleading practice."

"I have asked you to call me 'Father' many times, Daughter. I dislike the casual way the children of Earth address their elders."

"Right. Sorry, Father," Tiffani said seriously. "Anyway, why are we talking about Austin?"

"The boy is a Power Ranger. I need the three of you to keep very close watch over these teenagers, as they may pose a serious threat to our mission."

"I'm happy to watch Austin closely," Tiffani said with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"Lee Scott's a Ranger, too," Draze said. "Isn't he one of your friends?"

Tiffani's eyes went wide with surprise. "Lee? Yeah, we're cool... He's in some weird not-relationship with my 'big sister' on the squad."

"Big sister?" Laby asked. The half-human daughter of Jaybert was his only child as far as Laby knew, and her young mother had died in childbirth, so she didn't have any other kids.

"When freshmen join the cheerleaders, sophomores are supposed to adopt them and ease the transition. Ronnie adopted me. She's great."

"Ronnie's a flake," B'Danna said with a roll of her eyes.

"But she's got a good heart," Draze added.

"I prefer her sister. Roxy doesn't take anyone's bullshit. I respect her."

"Focus on the Rangers, not the others," Jaybert said. "You must put a stop to them before they become a problem for us."

"Of course, Jaybert," Draze said respectfully.

"We'll handle them," B'Danna promised.

Tiffani remained silent. The girl was only fifteen and Laby knew she wasn't the perfect warrior offspring Jaybert wanted her to be. No matter how much he trained her as an Eltarian soldier, Tiffani was still just a normal teenaged girl at her core. Her human side was simply too strong to fully extinguish in favor of her Eltarian blood.

"Laby, did you seek out Divatox?" Jaybert asked.

"I did. She's eager to work with us," Laby replied.

"Excellent. And do you find her to be a useful ally?"

"Not really, but I guess it can't hurt to have her help. I wouldn't trust her with anything overly important. For one, she strikes me as a bit of an idiot, but for another, I'm sure she'd betray us in a heartbeat to save herself."

"Understood. Please arrange a meeting. I would like to know who we have agreed to work with."

"Of course." Laby sensed things were about to get a lot more complicated for all of them, but maybe that meant they'd finally be interesting.

HANNAH

She was heading to Oakhaven through the woods when she heard something unusual. Hannah ducked behind a tree to watch the figure who stood furiously practicing fighting moves. She realized the girl was Roxy, and she seemed very upset as she attacked the air.

"Roxy?" Hannah called softly.

Roxy jumped and looked like she might attack her, but she stopped herself when she seemed to register who she was. "Hannah?" She asked in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Taking a shortcut... Are you okay, Roxy?"

"I'm fine... Just working off some frustration. I told my sister and Lee I was going home, but I needed to let off some steam first."

"You know Lee?"

"Since we were five. I guess you know him, too? You're not one of his worshippers, are you? Because I think you have more sense than the airheads who stalk him."

"I've known who he was for a while, but we hadn't actually been introduced until... We, um... We met in detention." She couldn't exactly tell Roxy that she and Lee were supposed to save the world together.

Roxy laughed. "I know Lee's been sentenced to eternal detention, but why were you there? You don't exactly seem like the sort to cause trouble, Hannah."

"I rescued an injured cat and snuck her into class in my backpack."

Roxy smiled with obvious amusement. "Wow, way to rebel, you bad girl," she teased her. Then, she softened. "That's actually really sweet. You're a good soul, Hannah Ramos. I respect that."

Hannah felt herself blushing. "So... You seemed upset," she said, desperate to change the subject.

"I had a run-in with an idiot hockey player."

"Is that where the cut on your lip came from?" Hannah asked in horror.

"And the bruises on my arm... But I'm okay. Lee got involved to help me, and Kaylen went all 'Meet My Bat' and fucked him up pretty bad... That was kind of funny, actually."

"You know Kaylen, too? She was also in detention with me that day."

"Kaylen's popular-adjacent, like me... We aren't directly members of the crowd, but we get invited to all the parties and treated like we are anyway. Kaylen scares people, so she's like the enforcer for the popular kids. And I'm Ronnie's twin, so she insists on including me in things. Ronnie was born to be popular. I couldn't care less."

Hannah found herself touching Roxy's injured lip with her thumb. "Does it hurt?" She asked as Roxy inhaled sharply.

"Not much," Roxy replied, studying Hannah with an unusual look in her eyes.

Hannah took her hand away, not wanting to cause Roxy any more pain. "Why did he hit you?" She asked.

Roxy shrugged and stared at her feet. "He doesn't like rejection," she said.

"He did this because you wouldn't go out with him?"

"He did it because he knows I've kissed girls, but I won't kiss him, and he can't accept that."

Hannah was surprised. "So that's true?"

"What, that I kiss girls as easily as I kiss boys? Yeah, it's true. I'm the class freak, but I don't care what people think. I like boys, but I like girls, too." Roxy looked like she was ready to storm off.

"Roxy... I'm not judging you. I just thought it was a rumor. You're not a freak. You might be different, but so what? I can tell you're a good person, and that's all that matters."

Roxy shook her head. "You're deluded if you think I'm a good person. Ask Mary sometime."

"Mary is out of line. You gave me chocolate... You must be one of the good guys." Hannah offered her a sweet smile.

Roxy smiled back, and it reached her eyes. Hannah was thrilled. "You're not like the other people in this town, Hannah Ramos... Thank you." She kissed Hannah's cheek. Hannah was relieved Roxy seemed to be okay now. "Can I walk you to wherever you're heading?" Roxy asked.

Hannah knew she couldn't let Roxy walk her to Oakhaven, but she struggled to come up with an excuse to refuse. The last thing she expected was for one to present itself.

Several Pirahnatrons appeared and surrounded them. "Holy shit!" Roxy cried. "What are these things?"

Hannah needed to morph, but that wasn't an option with Roxy there. "Roxy, run!" Hannah said.

"Are you nuts? I'm not leaving you! Get behind me, Hannah. I can fight."

One of the creatures attacked Hannah, pulling her away from Roxy. "Hannah!" Roxy shouted. She ran straight at the thing and kicked it hard in the chest, knocking it away from Hannah.

"Roxy, stop! You'll get hurt! Just go!" Hannah shouted.

"Not! Happening!" Roxy shouted as she continued to fight. Hannah did the only thing she could and tried to help. Her fighting skills weren't great yet, but she had to protect her friend.

A minute later, a few people arrived. Beneath the morphed warriors, Hannah knew Serena, Austin, and Lucas were there. Kaylen joined them shortly after. Finally, Cassie and Lee showed up.

Austin knocked two monsters away from them before stopping to bow to them in a very chivalrous manner. "Ladies," he said. "Are y'all okay?"

"We're good," Hannah promised.

"Get her out of here!" Lee said softly to Hannah as he got closer to them, motioning toward Roxy.

Hannah took Roxy's hand. "I think they have this handled," she said. "Let's go."

"This is insane!" Roxy cried, but she didn't protest when she saw that Hannah was bleeding through the left sleeve of her shirt. "Shit... Are you okay, Hannah?"

"I think so," Hannah replied.

"Come with me. My house isn't far. I'll take care of your injuries." Roxy led her away from the chaos.

Within five minutes, they reached a house. Roxy led Hannah inside, took her upstairs to a bedroom, and sat her down on the bed before vanishing. She came back with medical supplies. Without saying another word, she began patching Hannah up. Hannah was used to having to take care of her own injuries. This was a comforting change of pace.

"Do you feel better?" Roxy finally asked when she was done.

Hannah nodded slowly. "Thanks, Roxy," she said.

Roxy hesitated for a moment. "Hannah... There are bruises on your arm," she said softly.

"I guess I shouldn't have tried to fight," Hannah said quickly. "I'm awful at it."

"They're too faded to be from today."

Hannah struggled to think of a good excuse. "I'm really clumsy," she said with embarrassment.

"You must be," Roxy said. It was clear she was suspicious, but she didn't push any further. "Come on... I'm starving. I'll make us something to eat."

"Okay," Hannah agreed, grateful for the change of subject. She followed Roxy downstairs and hoped her team was alright.

SERENA

This was the first time they'd tested their abilities in the field as a team. Serena sat calculating every move they'd made as she replayed the battle in her head.

She'd been surprisingly sufficient in battle as the Pirahnatrons attacked them. She didn't like being touched, so when any of them got too close, her reflexes kicked in and she hit them and kicked them until they'd all gone down. She realized at some point that a strategy would make this easier and began trying to focus on where they were in relation to her and the others. A plan formed in her mind, and she executed it perfectly. She even gave instructions to the others, and their attacks improved as well. Lee and Kaylen were both quite competent in a fight, and they took her suggestions surprisingly well. Lee was disciplined and clearly knew what he was doing, while Kaylen was wild, unstoppable, and highly adaptable. Austin was a little less skilled, but he picked things up quickly, and once Serena started calling out opportunities to him, he was just as good as the others.

Cassie and Lucas might not seem to get along very well, but they fought well together and even they listened whenever Serena saw something they did not. She had never had an issue with correcting authority figures before, so why should she start now? They didn't seem to mind, unlike so many of the adults in her life.

Now, they stood together with no more threats in sight. Serena was feeling pretty good about things. She hadn't expected to be useful in a fight at all, but she knew she'd helped in ways the others couldn't. She actually did bring something to the team.

"That was radical! We kicked butt!" Lee proclaimed.

"You guys did amazing," Cassie said. "I'm so proud of you!"

"For our first real test, I think that was pretty good," Lucas agreed.

"Good? We were amazing," Kaylen corrected him.

"Thanks for the tips, Serena," Austin said. "They were really helpful. How'd you figure all of that out, Darlin'?"

"It was simple mathematics and physics," Serena said practically. "Once I took into account where everyone was in relation to each other, the calculations became much simpler."

"You did really well, Serena," Cassie said with a smile.

"Thank you." Serena stared at her feet, not liking all of the attention.

"So, I wanted to take you guys on a journey today, but I didn't get the chance," Cassie said, changing the subject much to Serena's relief. "I need to tell you something." She pushed the button on her communicator. "Alpha, bring us to you."

Suddenly, everyone was teleported to Oakhaven. Serena was still trying to get used to that, but she didn't think she ever would. She couldn't understand how Alpha was able to move them through space. There had to be a scientific explanation, but she couldn't figure out what it was for the life of her. She'd have to investigate it more thoroughly when there was time, because not knowing was going to drive her insane.

Cassie pulled out something, distracting Serena as a tiny hologram appeared. The message that played sent chills down her spine, especially as the tiny Power Ranger's fear became clear in the end. Everyone was silent for a moment when the message was over.

"Who is he, Miss Cassie?" Austin finally asked.

"That is my very dear friend, the Phantom Ranger," Cassie said. "I can't tell you his real name because I don't know it, but back when I was around your age, he saved my friends and I on a few different occasions."

"Why don't you know his name? I mean, this guy could be anyone," Kaylen said.

"His true identity had to be kept a secret... I think he would have told me eventually, but we didn't see each other anymore after I lost my Ranger powers."

"You lost them?" Lee asked in confusion.

"Eventually, every Ranger has to grow up. I actually did time on the Astro team, too, but after we won our big battle, it was time to give up our powers and live our lives." Cassie had an unusual expression on her face, but Serena was bad at reading emotions, so she wasn't sure what it meant. "Zordon restored my powers for our recent battle."

"Can you tell us about your team? I mean, it might help if we knew more about things like that," Lee asked, his curiosity obviously growing stronger.

Cassie sighed. "Sure," she said. The team listened as Cassie began telling her story.

CASSIE

She hadn't expected to end up talking about this, but the kids had the right to know. "Alright, so... Once upon a time, many moons ago... Or, more accurately, sometime in the near future... I got on a bus," she began. "I was singing along to a great tune obnoxiously loud because my headphones were on and I got lost in the music. Anyway, all of a sudden, this jerk interrupted my groove to point out how loud I was being." She grinned at the memory. "That 'jerk' ended up being my best friend."

The kids watched her with anticipation, so she continued. "We ended up at a rest stop, and I was just goofing around with him when we heard trouble. TJ, the boy I'd met, ended up running into the middle of the chaos, so I followed him and the bus left without us. It turned out that Tommy Oliver was about to get kidnapped, as usual." She laughed. Lucas cracked a smile, too, because he knew exactly how often the bad guys liked to kidnap Tommy. "We ended up saving Katherine, the Pink Turbo Ranger at the time. Ultimately, we helped Kat and Tommy, and eventually met all of the Turbo Rangers... I'm skipping details, but they don't matter much anymore. Eventually, it was time for the older Rangers to retire and move on. Justin, who was newer and significantly younger than even TJ and I, stayed on as the Blue Ranger. TJ took Tommy's role of Red Ranger, and I took over for Kat. Ashley became the Yellow Ranger, replacing Tanya, and Carlos took over for Adam as the Green Ranger." She tried not to think about the fact that Carlos was gone. It still hurt.

No one said anything, so Cassie continued to tell the story. "Ash was a royal pain in my ass. She was this pretty, popular cheerleader and I was a rock and roll kind of girl. Surprisingly, the two of us eventually got really close, probably because we were the only girls on the team. TJ was our leader, which he was pretty good at during the Turbo days. Justin was our resident genius. He was twelve and smarter than all of us put together. Carlos and Ashley were sort of a thing for a while... These details probably don't matter, either, but... Well... It just explains the dynamic. Anyway, we trained under Dimitria and Alpha Six. We fought against Divatox and her band of merry morons just like you guys are doing now. We did really well for a while, but then Divatox literally blew up the Command Center. It was traumatic and we thought all hope was lost, but Justin helped us go into space to put a stop to everything. He didn't come with us... Justin had just gotten his dad back, and he was still a kid. He needed to stay here, so he retired, and we went from being the Turbo team to being the Astro team under the leadership of Andros. It wasn't the smoothest transition. Andros was the Red Ranger, and the leader, so TJ became Blue and he had a hard time no longer being in charge. Now, TJ meant the world to me, but I'm not going to lie. He turned into an asshole for a while. Still, our team came together, and we ultimately did defeat our big bad... Astronema, who was actually Karone, Andros' missing kid sister. That's a story for another day, but Andros saved her. Anyway, we also had Zhane, the Silver Ranger. Oh, and Carlos became the Black Ranger because there wasn't a Green Astro Ranger..."

"Cassie... Why don't you tell them some of the battle details?" Lucas suggested, seeing how badly she'd started rambling.

"Right! The fun part," Cassie said. She told them stories of some of their bigger battles. The kids were clearly hooked. She knew she'd have to have them fill Hannah in later, because she didn't think she could tell this story twice.

"So how come you're the only one who came back to stop Divatox?" Kaylen asked the dreaded question. "Where's the rest of your team?"

Cassie stiffened. Lucas watched her with concern. She sighed. "Well, Carlos died a few months before the rest of us came together again... It wasn't Ranger-related. He'd had a pretty rough life, and he was a bit of an alcoholic. TJ tried so hard to help him... TJ had addiction issues, too. He'd ended up on and off drugs for a while, but I helped him finally get help and he'd been clean for years. Anyway, Carlos wouldn't accept help. He just gave up on things, making excuses about how it was too hard, and how he was just a screw-up. He'd done that even as Ranger, honestly. I loved Carlos, but he had a tendency to quit when things got too hard. He just didn't have confidence in himself or his abilities. Adam tried to help him with that, and it nearly got him killed, but that did make Carlos knock his shit off for a while. Regardless, we lost him in the end... Around the same time, Ash ended up with a massive head trauma... She has amnesia. She doesn't remember ever being a Power Ranger... She doesn't remember any of us... The only thing she remembers, thank God, is her daughter Jodi. That bond was one that didn't easily break. I was trying to take care of Ashley for a while, but Zordon needed me to come back here..." Cassie took a deep breath. "Justin's still in the future. He was really traumatized by his time as a Power Ranger... He was too young, you know? Anyway, he has really severe anxiety and stays out of things for the most part, although he came back to help save Tommy... If Justin hadn't been there, we would have lost." She stopped speaking, not ready to say the rest.

"And the other guy? Your leader?" Lee asked. "Why isn't he here?"

Cassie stared at the floor. "TJ didn't make it," she said sadly. "He gave his life so Justin and I could continue in the battle and save Tommy."

"I'm sorry," Lee said, apparently realizing he'd hit on a very serious subject.

"It's okay. You guys deserve to know the truth."

"You loved him," Austin said softly.

Cassie was surprised. She looked at him. "Yes, Austin... I did," she admitted. "TJ was my best friend, and we dated on and off for years. I broke up with him because I couldn't stay with him when he was getting high all the time... I knew I had to let him go if he stood any chance of realizing he needed to get his life together... But he did. He got sober, and the two of us always found our way back to each other. He was everything to me... And we'd sort of just become 'on again' when we went into the battle."

"I'm so sorry, Miss Cassie..." He said. "That's horrible."

"TJ gave his life for what he believed in. He was a true hero in the end, and I have to honor that... I have to keep fighting."

Even Kaylen looked sympathetic. "That sucks, Cassie," she said. "Really. It's so unfair. You lost almost everyone."

"I did... Andros and Zhane are still around, though. They're back on KO35, their home planet. And Justin's still in Angel Grove, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Anyway, I'm okay, guys. I miss them so much it hurts, but I'm here partly for them. If Divatox wins, the future will change. We could all end up dead... Or worse, we might never even meet each other." That idea broke her heart. She didn't know who she would have become without TJ and the others in her life.

You can save them, she thought. You can leave them a message... Warn them about the battle... Warn Carlos he's going to die... Warn Ashley she'll lose her memories... Warn TJ... Tell him not to do it. Tell him your life isn't worth more than his...

She shook her head. She couldn't focus on this right now. "Cassie... Are you okay?" Lucas asked softly.

"I'm fine," Cassie said. "So, guys, we need to start hunting for the clues the Phantom Ranger left for us. Who's up for it?"

"I'm in," Kaylen said.

"Me, too," Lee added.

"Heck yeah! It'll be an adventure," Austin said.

Serena frowned. "How are we supposed to find these clues?" She asked. "He left us nothing to go on except that they're in this state... California is a very large state. In fact, it spans over-"

Before Serena could rattle off every statistic she knew about California, Cassie cut her off. "We'll follow our instinct. Lucas found this by accident... The Universe will lead us where we need to go."

"That isn't practical!" Serena protested. "In fact, it's a horrible plan."

"Serena... I know this is hard for you to understand, but sometimes, you have to be willing to take a chance. This is one of those times."

"But-"

"Have a little faith, Darlin'," Austin said casually. "We can do this."

Serena frowned even more, but she stopped protesting. Cassie wished she could make this easier on the girl, but she knew there wouldn't be any way to do that until they found clues she could follow on a logical level.

"Where do we start?" Lee asked.

Cassie pulled out a map and closed her eyes before pointing to a spot. "Apparently, six miles East of here," she said with a grin. "Alpha, send us here, please."

"Certainly, Cassie," Alpha agreed. She sent them off, and Cassie hoped she had picked the right spot.

AUSTIN

He loved a good adventure. As soon as they arrived at their destination, Austin began searching for anything that seemed out of place. There was nothing obvious, so he stopped thinking and just began walking around.

It didn't take him that long to find something unusual. "Check out these flowers, y'all," he called. "I've never seen anything like this before!"

Serena frowned as she examined the flowers. "These aren't native," she said.

"I don't even think those are from Earth," Lucas said. He used one of his future devices to scan the flowers. "I'll send them to Trip for analysis."

Austin followed the path the flowers formed, leaving the others still looking at the first group of them. He found himself in a cave standing beside a waterfall. It was beautiful, and it distracted him until he saw a faint blue light flashing. He knelt down and picked up the package the light was attached to.

Inside, there were several pieces of paper. "I found something!" Austin called.

The others hurried into the cave and looked at what he'd discovered. "What is all of that?" Lee asked.

"It looks like some kind of document, but I can't understand the words."

Lucas took it from him and he and Cassie examined it. "That's not English," Cassie said.

"No, it's not even an Earth language," Lucas replied. "I think it might be Eltarian, but I'm not positive. I'll need to get it analyzed, like the flowers. Jen might recognize it. She's pretty good with foreign dialects."

Austin found a note at the very bottom of the package. "Wait... This part's in English," he said. He read it aloud. "My Dearest Cassie... Guard these documents with your life. They will explain much. I wish I had time to tell you what they say, but I fear it would take too long. Good luck, and keep searching. Your Friend, the Phantom Ranger."

"So, does your buddy always send you on scavenger hunts?" Kaylen asked lightly.

"No, but I'm very good at them. Lucas, scan these and get them to Jen. Maybe once it's translated, we'll get some answers," Cassie said.

"I'm on it," Lucas said. He began using his device to scan the documents.

"Good work, Austin," Cassie said with a bright smile. "We'll figure all of this out in no time if we keep finding clues that quickly."

"I'm happy to help," Austin said cheerfully. He was relieved to see Cassie smiling. She'd seemed pretty broken when talking about her former teams, and he was worried about her. Cassie nearly always had a smile on her face, but beyond that, Austin could see the same sorrow in her eyes that he knew haunted his own. Her grief was clear, and so was the guilt she felt.

"Does that mean we can go home?" Serena asked.

"Yeah, I think we've done more than enough for today," Cassie said. "Can someone fill Hannah in?"

"I'll give her a call in a little while," Lee said. "I want to check on Roxy anyway and make sure they made it to her place safely."

Cassie nodded. "Thanks," she said. She pulled out her communicator. "Alpha, send us all home please... I'll see you kids tomorrow."

They all teleported away. Austin landed a few feet from his front door. He hurried into the house, knowing his aunt wouldn't be home yet. Austin put his school supplies and his guitar down before he began cooking dinner. It would be nice for his Aunt Suzy to come home to a home-cooked meal, and Austin enjoyed cooking. It kept him focused and calm.

By the time he'd finished, Suzy walked into the house. "Is that food?" She asked, smelling it. She smiled at Austin. "Austin, you're the best!" She hugged him. "I'm starving! How was your day?"

"Oh, you know... Just full of the usual," Austin said casually. He hated lying, but at the same time, maybe this was his new "usual" now. "How was yours?"

"Relatively uneventful. Tomorrow will probably be total chaos, because that's how it goes." She grinned. "This is great," she added as she took a bite of the lasagna Austin had prepared.

"I'm glad you like it," he replied cheerfully. He began eating his own food and had to agree it had come out well.

"Did you learn anything interesting in class today?" Suzy asked.

"Not really, but that's okay. The important thing is I'm getting an education, right? And I actually, you know, went to class today."

"Good boy. Keep that up!"

"I'll do my best." He smirked.

"Did you write any good songs today?"

"I didn't write anything new."

"That's not like you. You're always working on something. Are you okay?"

"I am, but I was kind of... Busy today." He wondered what Suzy would do if she found out he'd become a Power Ranger and was busy trying to save the world. He imagined she'd have heart failure, and decided it was a good thing they weren't supposed to tell anyone.

"Well, don't work too hard, okay? All work and no play makes life boring."

They continued making pleasant small talk after that and Austin tried not to think too hard about the other clues the Rangers needed to find. He knew they didn't have a set end date, but the fear in the Phantom Ranger's voice told him they were running out of time. Whatever was coming, Austin knew it would most likely be showing up sooner rather than later. He just hoped they'd be prepared when it did.