CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
TAYLOR
He was a little concerned that Dulcea was leading their meeting. That meant something serious was going on. He waited nervously with the rest of the Chosen. He could see the concern in his father's eyes as he tried to smile at him reassuringly from a few feet away. Liza stood with the Legacy team, but it was obvious she wanted to run into his father's arms. Something had freaked her out.

"I had everyone brought here because the time has come for my allies to join us. Children... And Fred... Please come forward," Dulcea began. Several people came toward the front of the crowd. "Everyone, this is the Legacy team from my realm. Most of you met Fred Kelman briefly at Billy and Kimberly's wedding. He acts as the team's mentor but is also their Gold Ranger. Beside him are Junie Oliver, Christian Park, Jessie Scott, Johnny Cranston, Carrie Campbell, and Sabrina DeSantos."

Taylor found himself staring at Carrie curiously. She looked just enough like his mother to freak him out. There was no denying she was family.

Kenny spoke up first. "Is there no Pink Ranger?" He asked. "I heard two traditionally Red surnames."

"I'm Pink," Jessie replied cheerfully. "Kimberly's my mom."

Kenny looked at her in surprise. "Your last name is-"

"Scott," Jessie confirmed. "Mom's married to Jason."

Jason spit out the water he'd taken a sip of. Billy looked a bit horrified. Kimberly started laughing. "I married Jason?" She repeated. "He's like my brother..." She paused. "It's nice to meet you, Jessie... Would you like a hug?"

Jessie grinned. "I'd love a hug, Mom."

Kenny looked a little jealous. Kimberly pulled him into the hug, too. "Looks like you have another sister, Kenny," she said with a laugh.

"You're taking this really well, Kim," Jason said.

"It's interesting to know there's a realm where I'm living a completely different life," Kimberly replied. "And I'm used to weird at this point."

"You should meet 2017 Teenage Kimberly," Dora said. "She's kind of a badass but is otherwise nothing like you."

"I brought the team here after Liza accidentally summoned Carrie to assist her. Ivan Ooze decided to attack her," Dulcea explained.

"Were you hurt?" Zedd demanded.

"I'm fine," Liza insisted. "Ninjor joined in and tried to sever me from the Morphin' Grid. That's how he ended up getting to Jayden... He saved me. There was some kind of dark spell attached... It almost killed Jayden, and he was prepared to take the hit. It would have killed me. But I'm fine."

It was obvious Liza was still slightly in shock, but no one called her on it. Micky squeezed her hand to comfort her and she stopped rambling.

"I was planning to summon this team soon anyway... Mighty Morphin' Legacy Rangers, it is time you embrace your secondary destinies and become Ninjetti Warriors," Dulcea said grandly. "My realm's team has trained extensively and will be able to help guide you on this journey." She paused. "Except for you, Tommy. Your time as the Falcon has ended, yet that is your animal spirit. There is not a Gold Ninjetti in this realm. Micky shall be the White Falcon now."

Tommy nodded. "As he should be," he replied with a bit of pride.

"I suspected this might be why Kimberly and I could not be reconnected to our Ninjetti powers after Ninjor severed them," Billy admitted.

"It's your turn now, Kids," Kimberly said with an encouraging smile.

"There is also a unique Ninjetti in this realm... The Green Ninjetti," Dulcea said. "Sage, your natural gift for spiritual workings should make this transition easier for you despite not having a proper counterpart in my realm. Fred can work with you as needed to help you master this power, since he has no counterpart in this realm."

"What else is different in your realm?" Josh asked curiously.

"Many things," Dulcea replied. "For one, none of the other teams of Rangers exist. Turbo was as far as things went. The second Turbo team never came into those powers because things were resolved before there was a need for them. Rocky also kept his role as the Blue Ranger, so Justin never became a Power Ranger either. Tommy was a twin, not a triplet... Casey was not part of my realm. Because of this, the Green powers were lost, which is why there is no Green Ninjetti. Also, Kimberly never left the team, so she was both the Pink Zeo and Pink Turbo Ranger. Katherine never became a Power Ranger because she did not exist."

"Aunt Kat didn't exist?" Thorn repeated.

"Zell never breached my realm until much more recently, when he put it in Merkhet's head to bring Ivan Ooze here. Until then, our realm was thoroughly sealed off from this one. Zell did not have the ability to cross into it, but Merkhet used her connection to the Egyptian God of Chaos to do it. She thought it was her idea... Of course, it probably wasn't Zell's idea either. The Witch most likely wanted access, and just like she used Elliot to breach the strange realm in 2017, she manipulated things so Merkhet would connect our realm to yours. Anyway, with the Zell you know not existing, his daughter could not exist either."

"So I guess the Chosen weren't a thing either, with Zell not being there," Caleb said.

"Correct."

"Wait... If Zell didn't exist, how did Zordon? Is this like the 2017 realm?" Dora asked. "Is he another angry asshole Zordon?"

"Actually, Zordon is very kind and benevolent in my realm. I should correct myself," Dulcea said. "There was a Zell in my realm, millennia ago. He perished at a rather young age for an Eltarian. The Witch did not exist in my realm. She never got to him. He was the force of Good he was always meant to be. He gave his life to save his wife and son... Daphne and Zordon."

Andie paled. Zordon looked horrified. "He was good?" He asked softly. "The entire time?"

"He was. He almost wasn't... When he lost his beloved best friend, he used his powers to try to save her, just as he did in this realm, but the magic wasn't tainted. It didn't turn him evil or drive him mad, and his parents stopped him. They survived until he was older and told him the truth. When he met Daphne, he recognized who she was, and he mentored and protected her until she was older and the two fell in love. Elgan, Serafine, Ash, Talon, and everyone else he killed lived the lives they were meant to."

"Dude... Your realm sounds like paradise," Zeke said.

"It is a wonderful place, and once the original Rangers completed their mission, there was no need for other teams... Until, of course, the Sorceress released her parents from their prison realm."

Angie shrank slightly. "I have an evil counterpart?" She asked.

"Oh yes. The Sorceress embraced her dark side and has been working with her parents, but she is quite young. I believe she's simply misguided."

"Wait... Are you saying Rita and Zedd are still evil in your realm?" Maddie asked.

"Yes, and quite dangerous. As some of you learned tonight, Goldar is also evil, and he's still alive. He made his way here tonight."

"The Golden Monkey is so going down," Kira insisted.

"If Zell wasn't evil, why are Rita and Zedd?" Josh asked.

"Rita went insane being raised by Master Vile. He kept tormenting her until he broke her mind and the good in her died. As for Lord Zedd-" Dulcea replied. Taylor noticed his father cringe at the use of Lord. "Lord Xylon continued to torment the boy until he stopped caring and decided to take over his father's empire by force."

"If the Chosen never existed, we never met Zordon as teenagers," Zedd said sadly. "I never met Xia... I had no reason to fight, and neither Rita nor I would have had the sanctuary Zordon provided us with."

"Precisely," Dulcea replied.

"Hey, Dulcea... Where's my mom?" Carrie asked. "Everyone else's parents are here."

Taylor felt his chest tighten with grief. Tia stared at the floor. For a moment, no one spoke.

Finally, Zordon took a deep breath. "My father manipulated a bad situation and made it worse," he explained. "He drove Aisha mad. Unfortunately, this led her to do some truly horrific things, and she had to be killed."

"Mom's dead? And evil?" Carrie asked in shock. "Mom's, like, the least evil person I know!"

"Excuse me," Tia mumbled before hastily walking out of the training center.

"I've got her," Brian promised. "Fill me in later." He hurried after her.

"I just don't understand... How could she turn evil?" Carrie asked.

"My father was like an infection back then, spreading to everything he touched," Zordon replied with sorrow in his eyes. "I am terribly sorry about what happened to Aisha. She was a good person. The person who returned to us after all those years was not the one we knew and loved."

"She's good in your world?" Taylor found himself asking. "And... And alive?"

"She's great. We're really close," Carrie replied.

"Can I...? I mean..." Taylor sighed. "Is there any way I can meet her? Just for a few minutes?"

"Taylor, I don't think that's wise," Zordon began.

"Zordon... Please," Taylor said softly. "I just want to know what she was like before..."

"Zordon, it might not be a bad idea," Dulcea said after a moment. "It could help Taylor heal. I could try to arrange a brief meeting soon."

"Really?" Taylor asked. He hated how vulnerable he felt, but he couldn't help it. He'd heard stories from so many people about how great his mother had been, how loving and nurturing and kind she was... He desperately wanted to experience that for himself.

"Yes. I shall look into it soon. I believe this will be beneficial to you."

"Thank you, Dulcea." He resisted the urge to hug her.

"So, should I set up a new safe house for your Ninjetti team?" Kira asked. Taylor could tell she'd realized he needed a subject change to shift the attention off of himself.

"We could just stay with our parents," Sabrina suggested. "I mean, unless it's weird for them."

"If we're here to train our counterparts, it makes the most sense," Johnny agreed. "We'd be living with them, so we could make the most of the time together."

"You and Jessie are certainly welcome at our house, sweetheart," Kimberly said warmly. "It will be good for Josh and Kenny to get to know you."

"Dad, do you have room for an extra kid?" Sabrina asked cheerfully.

"Sure. I'll take the couch," Rocky replied.

"You will not," Zeke said firmly. "Your back can't handle that and you know it, Dad. Lilly can bunk with me and Sabrina can take her room."

"We have a sister?" Sabrina asked.

"Uh, yeah. She's tiny and cute and likes hugs. You'll love her."

"You don't mind sharing your room with a little person?"

"The cuteness and snuggles win me over every time."

"Fair enough. Anyway, nice to meet you, Bro."

"I'm Zeke, and likewise, Sis." The two grinned at each other like they were already old friends. Taylor suspected Sabrina was a lot like Zeke.

"Christian, right?" Adam asked. "You can stay with us. There's a spare room next to Thorn's room."

"Thanks, Dad," Christian replied.

"So... You're Junie, right?" Tommy asked a bit awkwardly.

"Tommy Junior, technically, but pretty much everyone calls me Junie," he replied. "Would it be a problem for me to stay with you?"

"Not at all... You can stay in the basement. It's finished and very comfortable, and it's not a bad space for you and Micky to train together," Tommy replied.

"Fred, you can stay at my place," Sage said. "The attic and basement are both available."

"Thanks, Sage. I appreciate that," Fred replied.

"What about me?" Carrie asked a little awkwardly.

"You'll stay with me," Tanya replied immediately. "I've taken in all of Aisha's kids. You'll always have a home with me, honey."

"Auntie Tanya?" Carrie looked relieved.

"You know me? That's a relief. I guess not everything is different in your realm."

"Aisha still went to Africa," Dulcea explained. "She and Tanya became like sisters. Aisha returned to Angel Grove as an adult to raise Carrie. She knew Carrie would one day inherit her Ninjetti destiny and wanted her raised with her future teammates."

"Well, Carrie, you can take my room. Unlike Rocky, I don't have an issue with the couch. It's really comfortable."

"We have an empty room," Taylor said softly.

"Taylor..." Tanya began.

"She's gone, Tanya. She isn't coming back. There's no point keeping an empty room as some kind of shrine. Besides, Carrie's about her size. Her clothes would fit her." He took a deep breath. "Just let her stay in the room. It's fine." He was lying. It wasn't fine. Tye was dead, and time hadn't made that easier for him to deal with, but he saw no point in putting Tanya on the couch when the room in the attic next to his was empty.

Carrie had the good sense not to ask who they were talking about. "I really appreciate it," she said.

"Whatever... No big deal. Just help Liza figure this Ninjetti stuff out and we're good."

"I upset that girl who ran off, didn't I?"

"It's not your fault, Carrie," Tanya said quickly. "It's just... Your mom's a sensitive subject, and Tia is the oldest of her kids."

Tanner was technically older, Taylor thought. How quickly we disown him... But if we're going in order of conception, Liza was actually the first of us... They just moved her through time so she was born right after Tia.

Taylor sighed. Thinking about his family's unusual dynamic hurt his head if he focused on it for too long.

"So it is settled," Dulcea said. "Everyone has a place to stay."

"Awesome," Jessie said. "We need to go shopping and get some clothes to use while we're here."

"And I need a new skateboard," Sabrina added.

"Dude, you board? Awesome, me too!" Zeke said.

"Badass! Got any good tricks?"

"I've got all the tricks. Skateboarding keeps me almost sane."

"Same here. It clears my head."

"I can lend you one of my skateboards," Chase offered. "I've got a whole collection."

"Dude, you rock! What's your name?" Sabrina asked.

"Chase."

"I'll try to remember, but there's, like, a gazillion of you here. That's a lot of Rangers to keep track of."

"No worries. I get it. My team alone has ten people on it."

"Dude, are you sure that's big enough?" Sabrina teased him. "Maybe you should recruit an eleventh."

"Sabrina, please focus," Dulcea said in a way that implied she frequently needed to use that phrase.

"Sorry, Dulcea! You know me. Short attention span doesn't begin to cover it! I've got serious ADHD."

"Dude, it's like we're the same person," Zeke said with a laugh.

"You're diagnosed?"

"Oh yeah. The shrink took, like, three seconds to diagnose me as a kid. Are you on meds?"

"Yup! Oh shit! I don't have them with me..." Sabrina realized. "Guess I'm going to be a little worse than usual while I'm here."

"I'll just summon them for you," Liza said.

"You can do that?"

"Liza's got mad skills," Zeke replied.

"Thanks, Zeke," Liza said. "Just tell me what I'm summoning specifically and I'll get it here."

"Dude, that is so cool!" Sabrina cried in excitement.

"Can you summon anything?" Christian asked shyly.

"If I find the right spell. What did you need?" Liza asked.

Christian blushed slightly. "There's this stuffed frog my mom got me when I was a kid... I can't sleep well without it."

"That's adorable," Liza decided.

"Who is your mom?" Sage asked. "I mean, if our mom doesn't exist in your realm, who did Dad marry?"

Christian looked toward the last person Taylor expected before very softly saying, "Tanya."

"Tanya?" Rocky repeated. "Tanya Sloan? And Adam?"

"Sabrina, I think your dad broke again," Jessie said.

Adam looked at Tanya a little awkwardly. She laughed. "Well, I'd be a lucky woman. Adam is definitely husband material," she said. "Unlike some of my exes."

"Was that a dig at me?" Jason asked.

Tanya laughed again. "Let's just say I knew you weren't the settling down type when we were a thing."

"My dad, the player," Maddie joked.

"So I have almost-siblings through Dad, too?" Jessie asked excitedly.

"Girl, you have an army through Dad," Maddie replied with a laugh. "Me, Ollie, Lucy, Luke, Vinny, and the Robby Monster."

"I'm an only child in my realm," Jessie said. "This is great!"

"So, to re-cap... The Legacy team is going to inherit the Ninjetti powers, almost everyone on that team has a counterpart or sibling or whatever, Ivan Ooze brought the Golden Monkey back into play and he's meaner than ever, Ninjor almost killed Jayden with his new severing spell and will probably try to use it on someone else, and evil Zedd and Rita may potentially show up and join the party," Kira said. "So, warn the Eltarians who aren't Power Rangers, and warn Rita and her buddies, because seeing Goldar might freak them out, and if they hesitate, it could get them killed."

"I'll get word to Rita," Zordon promised. "She can warn Rito, Finster, and Squatt."

"I'll alert Captain Smith," B'Danna added. "He'll spread the word."

"Cool. Let's get Dulcea's Ninjetti settled in. We'll start training tomorrow," Kira decided. "Tonight, let the kids get to know each other."

"Yes, I believe that is an essential part of this process," Dulcea agreed. "Rest well, Young Warriors. Tomorrow, a new journey begins."

RITO
He was walking home when he saw something that made him stop in his tracks. He was only looking at his back, but Rito would know him anywhere.

"Goldar?" He asked in shock.

Goldar slowly turned around. He frowned at him. "Oh... It's you," he mumbled.

"Goldar, I can't believe it! You're alive? It's so good to see you, Buddy!" He flung his arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Ugh! Get off me, you fool!" Goldar objected, shoving him away.

"What's wrong? How are you here? I... I thought we lost you forever! Wait until I tell Rita!"

"Will you stop your incessant chatter?"

"Why are you acting like this?"

"This is how I always act."

"Goldar, come with me. I'm sure if I bring you to Sage, she can figure out what's wrong with you."

"You're working with a Power Ranger?"

"I'm their ally now. Don't you remember?"

"Traitor!" Goldar attacked him with an enormous amount of force.

Rito heard several cracks and knew he'd broken more than a few bones. He stared at Goldar, feeling both confused and hurt. "Did they turn you in the Flames?" He asked, trying to ignore his pain and help his friend.

"I don't need to be turned. I serve my Master, Ivan Ooze, of my own free will."

"Ivan Ooze? Oh crap... You're not my Goldar, are you?"

"Obviously. Say goodnight, Rito." With that, Goldar stomped on his head and Rito blacked out.

KIZZIE
She knew something was wrong. She could feel it in the air. Kizzie headed toward the source and found something quite unexpected.

Goldar is supposed to be dead, she remembered. Then, she realized his energy seemed wrong. She'd never met him, but she'd seen enough news clips of him to know what he should feel like. He must be from another realm.

She saw the beaten mess on the ground and realized Goldar was going to kill Rito. Not only was Rito their ally, but his death could be enough to send Rita over the edge. Kizzie knew she needed to intervene.

She began casting two powerful spells. The first made it impossible for Goldar to land any more attacks on Rito. The protection spell should work long enough for her to get Rito out of harm's way. The second spell attacked Goldar, sending a blast of energy straight at his chest. His armor might deflect a physical attack, but the magic was able to knock him onto his back very hard.

Kizzie was holding her own against him well enough until she felt a portal open. She felt four energies emerge, and none of them felt friendly.

A spell slammed into Kizzie hard, sending her flying. "Bloody hell..." She mumbled as she tried to regain her wits. She looked up and saw her enemies before adding, "Blimey... This is somewhat problematic."

Rita Repulsa stood in the extravagant ensemble she'd been seen in for millennia before her light was restored. A skinless Lord Zedd was beside her. A teenage girl and a pig monster were with them.

The teenager launched an attack. The energy matched the attack that had hit Kizzie before. She deflected the spell, sending it back toward the girl.

"Lucky shot," the teenager said. "Next time, you won't be so lucky!"

"I've been at this since long before you were born, Luv," Kizzie replied. "Do you really want to do this?"

The young sorceress launched another attack. This one was stronger, but Kizzie easily dodged it and attacked her with a spell of her own. It hit the girl, knocking her against a tree. She was bleeding slightly from her head, but the wound wasn't overly serious. Kizzie didn't want to harm a kid unless left with no choice.

"Mallory!" Rita cried. "You attacked my daughter, you monster!"

"You're calling me a monster? Have you seen your husband, Luv?" Kizzie replied.

"Zeddy! She's giving me a headache!" Rita shouted.

"Then let's dispose of her," Lord Zedd replied.

"You're welcome to try, you bloody wanker," Kizzie retorted. "By all means, show me what you've got."

"Mordant! Attack!" Lord Zedd cried.

As the pig came toward her, Kizzie smirked before sending a fire spell at him. It singed his flesh, making him cry out in pain and cower behind Rita.

"I do enjoy bacon," Kizzie quipped.

"Fine! I'll handle her myself!" Rita screeched. She sent a fairly impressive spell toward Kizzie. She deflected it as Lord Zedd tried to attack. Kizzie dodged his spell and debated whether or not she should call for help.

I can handle these fools, but I need to get Rito to a healer, she thought. Time is of the essence. Perhaps I should call in assistance.

As Rita launched another assault, Goldar got back to his feet. Kizzie was about to cast a distress signal into the sky when she heard Beyonce's Single Ladies very quickly approaching them.

What on Earth...? She wondered.

A car came speeding toward them with the stereo blasting. It was a red Dodge Challenger Demon with obnoxiously shiny chrome plates and black racing stripes on the hood, roof, and trunk. There was nothing subtle about the vehicle and before he even stepped out, Kizzie knew exactly who was driving it.

"Zyxx..." She said with a smile as the car screeched to a halt and the door opened. She knew now that they were going to win this fight. "Nice car," she greeted him.

"You know I always travel in style, Luv," Zyxx replied. The tall, dark-skinned Eltarian had once been a Chapterless member of the Rebellion of Eltar, floating from place to place and working undercover much like Zizi did. Kizzie had worked with him on several missions, but she hadn't seen him in almost a decade.

"Single Ladies? Really, Zyxx?" Kizzie asked with a laugh.

"It's Beyonce, Luv. You're British. You should know better than to question a Queen," Zyxx replied.

She shook her head. "Bloody fool," she said before giving him a quick kiss. "Fancy seeing you here, right now, as I'm under attack. Vision?" She asked knowingly.

"Spoiler alert... We win this one," Zyxx replied with a cocky grin. "Let's get to work."

Together, Kizzie and Zyxx resumed the battle. It didn't take long for Lord Zedd to realize his group was in trouble.

"Come on, Woman! Let's go," he said sharply. He dragged the still-smoking Mordant to a portal. Rita helped Mallory to her feet and hurried with her toward the portal.

Goldar hesitated for a moment before shouting, "Wait for me!" He ran after them and jumped in right before the portal closed.

"So, Beautiful... Wanna go for a ride?" Zyxx asked flirtatiously.

"Later perhaps," Kizzie replied. "First, we need to get Rito some help."

"Ah, yes. I forgot about that. Get in the car, Luv. I've got the skeleton man." Zyxx headed toward Rito and cautiously picked him up. "Kizz, he needs to be stabilized or he won't make it wherever we're going, even at the speeds I can reach in this car."

"I'll work a spell while you drive. We'll take him to Amello. I'll give you directions to the Circle's main safe house."

"Put your seatbelt on, Luv." Zyxx waited until Kizzie clicked it into place before he started driving.

It was lucky the streets were clear, because Zyxx drove at top speed, making it to the safe house in under two minutes. The door opened as the Circle members heard the speeding vehicle arrive. Hezzo, Maegus, Tinny, and Ling came outside.

Hezzo whistled. "Nice car!" He declared.

"She is a beauty," Zyxx replied. "Much like one of my two passengers." He winked at Kizzie.

"Zyxx! Alright, now it's a party! Should I conjure up some festivities?" Tinny asked.

"We need Amello," Kizzie explained. She motioned toward Rito's unconscious body in the backseat.

"Oh my... That looks very bad," Ling said in concern.

"Holy fuck, what did that to him?" Hezzo asked.

"Goldar," Kizzie replied.

"Wait, isn't that idiot dead?"

"This one's from another realm... And Rita, Lord Zedd, their sorceress daughter, and a bizarre pig minion came along for the ride."

"I was afraid this might be an issue," Maegus mumbled.

"Let's get him inside," Tinny said. He helped Maegus move him out of the car and into the house.

"Mel! Get down here!" Hezzo called.

Amello hurried downstairs. He saw Rito and immediately began healing him, not stopping to ask questions.

"Will he survive?" Kizzie asked.

"His injuries are very severe, but his genetics make him stronger than he looks. There's a good chance I can save him," Amello replied.

"Hezz..." Sezzon said softly.

"What is it?" Hezzo asked.

"Eight-nine-nine."

"Fuck. You're sure?"

"Yes."

"What's going on?" Kizzie asked.

"Don't worry about it, Kizz... It's just a piece of a prophecy we were hoping to avoid. It's fine," Hezzo replied.

"Don't lie to me, Hezzo."

"We've got this. Is that good enough?"

"For now." She was worried, but she knew better than to push the Circle for answers. She'd never get them and she saw no point in wasting the energy.

Rito groaned in pain. Amello sighed in relief. "He's past the worst of it," he said. "Someone call his sister. He'll probably want to see her when his mind clears a bit."

"Ling, call the others back... Grayzee too. He can return to Eltar after we talk. Kizzie, Zyxx, you two should head out. We've got Rito until Rita can come retrieve him," Maegus said.

"Ling, get Lillith here, too," Hezzo added. He was one of the few people who still used Angel's real name. "We might need her."

"Is the party cancelled?" Zyxx asked lightly.

"Never!" Tinny replied. "Just delayed a bit. We have business to attend to first. I'll pull a party together tonight. I expect you both to be there."

"With bells on, my friend. Come on, Luv. Let's leave the boys to their business."

Zyxx led Kizzie out of the house. He opened the passenger side door for her before getting in himself. "So, where are you all staying? I'd love to see the gang," he said casually.

"We're on the edge of town," Kizzie replied. "Captain Smith will be pleased to see you. Raff's staying with us as well."

"Yes, I heard about both his death and his resurrection. How is he?"

"Better now that his vizu-induced psychosis is cured. His mind mended after Logan put him down."

"That I hadn't heard. How did it happen?"

"Felina made some regrettable choices on Zell's order. She regrets it."

"Ah, Felina of Eltar... Now that is a complex woman!"

"Indeed."

"And how are the others? Tedius? B'Danna?"

"You know about Rupi and Draze?"

"Everyone heard about poor Rupi, and I saw the attack on the Counsel Building... I wish I'd seen it in time to stop it. I assume B'Danna took losing Draze hard?"

"She doesn't talk about it much, but I can tell she's in pain... And Tedi's worse. Losing Rupi broke him. It's a miracle we didn't lose him, too. I know he's been suicidal. On top of that, he was abducted recently, and I know he nearly died. Tedi won't tell us details yet, but he called to tell us he's safe and staying with Grayzee for a bit."

"I wasn't aware they were close."

"They're apparently twin brothers. We only found that out last year."

Zyxx grinned. "Way to defy color barriers," he said with a laugh.

"Their father was one of the monsters who started the Coalition. Their mum was Grayza Vretiz."

"You're kidding me."

"Yes, we were all rather surprised by that as well. They haven't told many people. I trust you to keep it to yourself. The Coalition may or may not know. The Huntress knows, but she has a very odd relationship with Grayzee and I don't think she's told her people he descends from a nearly extinct Founding Family. It would put an enormous target on his head."

"I hear Grayzee's been assassinating them left and right. I think that ship has sailed, Luv. He's probably at the top of their list of targets."

"They'd be fools to target him. Grayzee's smarter than the lot of them, and he packs one hell of a punch magically."

"Just like you." He winked at her.

They continued talking after that, with Zyxx driving at slightly more legal speeds. Kizzie tried to relax, but something was bothering her.

"Why did you come, Zyxx? What did you see?" Kizzie asked.

"I saw the end of this fight, Kizz... About nine hundred and seventy-six times, I think. Give or take a dozen," Zyxx admitted.

"And how does it end?"

"That depends on everyone's choices... Several roads lead to the combined path that shows us winning, but that path is narrow. If any of the main events deviate from it, we lose... There's only one way we win. The Witch and Jezzeff are playing in time. That complicates things. What works in our favor is that neither of them is quite as good at it as Zell... But the Witch, if pushed enough to actually focus, is skilled enough that it's a problem."

"Are we on the right path currently?"

"Now that I'm here, yes... Because one consistent thing I saw in every future where the Guild loses was me fighting by your side."

"I like the sound of that."

"I missed you, Kizz."

"I missed you, too."

In typical Zyxx fashion, he lightened the mood after that with a joke. The rest of the ride was far more relaxed. Kizzie found herself laughing and smiling just like she always did around Zyxx. Whatever came next, she knew they could handle it, as long as they stuck together.

THE NEXT DAY.

ALEX
He had never really thought about what it would be like to be a father. Sure, he'd assume he and Jen would get married and have kids, but he hadn't considered what that really meant. That was why he'd been more than happy to leave Trevor in his timeline with his bitchy whore of a mother. It was only after he'd joined the Alliance that he wondered about what had happened to his son.

Records showed Trevor was reported missing. Supposedly, he and his friend Claudine had run away together and never been found. Alex suspected something far more sinister had occurred. A little investigating had told him Trevor's mother had sacrificed him in some occult ritual.

He hadn't expected that to affect him. What he felt wasn't exactly grief, but pure rage. How dare someone kill his son? The boy came from him! He was part of him, even if he'd only seen the boy once, the day he was born. It was insulting, just like the fact that his mother had named him after Wes instead of him, using Collins as his surname.

Now he had his son back, but Alex wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to do with the kid.

Trevor wasn't so bad, really. He was very smart, and he was very athletic. His mind seemed to put things together in unique ways before anyone else made sense of them. He'd make a great cop one day. Of course, he was under a loyalty spell to Jezzeff, so maybe that wasn't in the cards for him.

When Jezzeff wasn't around, Trevor was a fairly normal kid. He watched TV and surfed the Internet to kill time. Dale and Didi had both gravitated to him. Dale seemed protective over the younger boy, and Didi just seemed to enjoy having company that was closer to her age. Drakaina was also looking after the kid, and he'd warmed up to her quickly. Her bright smile and friendly nature marked her as the most normal-seeming person in the house, and Trevor wasn't as nervous around her as he was around the others. Alex was relieved she'd taken an interest in the kid because it meant he didn't have to figure out how to take care of him on his own.

"Dad..." Trevor called awkwardly. It was still strange for both of them. Trevor had never had a father, but he had admitted to Alex he'd always been curious about him.

"What's up, Trevor?" Alex asked.

"I drew something."

Alex looked at the sketch Trevor had made. His son had visions, usually in the form of art. He studied the graphic drawing, a smile playing at his lips.

"Who are they?" Trevor asked.

"Our enemies," Alex replied. He was staring at a very good sketch that left no question as to who the subjects were. Cassie knelt on the ground, screaming, as she held Lucas in her arms. It was obvious from the amount of damage to his chest and the vacant look in his eyes that Lucas was dead.

"The girl's pain is overwhelming... She feels so much grief..."

"That's Cassie. She lost the love of her life a while back... The man in her arms is her current boyfriend, Lucas... My former teammate."

"It hurts, Dad... I can't shut it out..."

"You're an empath, aren't you?"

"Yes..."

"Use your shields to block her out."

"I can't. I never learned to control them. My friend Liza used to help me when the empathy got out of hand."

"I'm no empath... I don't know how that works," Alex admitted. "Ask Drakaina. She has a good grasp of magic. She can probably help you."

"Okay... Dad, why are they our enemies?"

"Lucas betrayed me. All of the Time Force Rangers did. As for Cassie, she's standing against Jezzeff. That's all you need to know."

At the mention of Jezzeff, a switch visibly flipped in Trevor's mind. "Then we'll stop them," Trevor said firmly.

"Exactly. Don't worry, Trevor. This vision is a good sign."

Trevor nodded, no longer protesting. Alex smiled as he looked at the picture again. Parents keep their kids' artwork, right? He thought in amusement. I think I'm going to frame this one.

ELLIOT
He'd faced monsters, crazy timelines, and just about everything else, but nothing had ever scared Elliot as much as this did.

Dora sat on the porch looking bored. Elliot cautiously sat beside her. "Hey," he said lamely.

"Hey yourself," Dora replied casually. She smirked at him. "What's up?"

"I, um... I wanted to ask... Do you want to do something normal after training tonight?"

"Normal's not really our thing," Dora joked.

"I just thought it might be nice to go see a movie... Together."

"Sure, sounds like fun. Should I invite Caleb?"

"Actually, um... I was thinking it could maybe just be the two of us? If you're okay with that." He awkwardly stared at his feet.

Dora laughed. "Elliot, are you trying to ask me out?" She asked.

"Not if you're going to say no. In that case, I'm just inviting you to go see a movie with a friend."

She laughed again. "Okay," she said.

"To which one?"

"The date."

He looked up shyly. "Really?"

"Yeah. It could be fun, and you're kind of adorable when you get all awkward." She grinned at him.

Elliot nodded slowly. "So... A date. Together. Tonight."

"Those were the agreed upon terms, yes." She shook her head. "I didn't realize you liked me like that, Elliot, but you don't have to be so shy. We're already good friends. We're just seeing if we might be something more. I'm cool with that."

"Right... So, I'll see you later tonight."

"Will we be meeting at my place or yours?" She teased him.

Elliot relaxed. Dora's sense of humor always made him feel better.

I guess there's no turning back now, he thought. He just hoped the new timeline was one they were meant to walk together.

ERIS
She was watching the Elites carefully. With T'Dania missing in action, it was up to Eris to control them. If she didn't, Percival would take charge, and that wasn't a good thing.

Dexter was currently on Tanzi duty. The feisty Eltarian had proven to be a handful for the others, but Dexter had found a way to put her at ease. As Eris watched them, she realized the Seer must have caught something in Dexter's future that made her trust him. That was troubling. Eris knew she'd need to keep a closer eye on him.

Why? She wondered. So what if he's not committed to the Coalition? I'm not even sure I'm committed to it. What's the point anymore? I did all this because it's what my father built, and I made it what it is today... We are stronger... More efficient... But do I believe in our cause, or was I simply doing what the Witch wanted?

"Are you well?" Tanzi asked in Eltarian awkwardly. Eris hadn't even realized she'd moved closer to her.

"I'm fine," Eris replied sharply. "But you shall not be if you continue speaking to me."

"You just seem... Distraught."

"Why does it matter to you?"

"I do not enjoy seeing people suffer."

"That's the difference between us."

"You are at a crossroads, Huntress. You have a choice to make."

The sound of cackling got her attention. "Dex... Take Tanzi and go," Eris said. "Get to T'Dania's home on Eltar. The Witch has no access without T'Dania's direct intervention."

"Sure," Dexter replied casually. "Are you sure you're alright here?"

"The Witch and I need to have a discussion. Go."

Dexter took Tanzi and headed for the portal to the Eighth District. Eris grabbed a few weapons and headed toward the sound of the cackling.

"You bitch," she said sharply as she spotted the Witch.

"That's Witch, Eris," the Witch replied with a cackle.

"Not today it isn't... Evianna."

"Don't call me that!" The Witch snapped. "How dare you? After all we've been through! I took care of you, Eris! I gave you life!"

"What do you mean?" Eris demanded.

"You were stillborn. You almost died. I made a deal with your darling daddy to save your life in exchange for your mother's. She was probably dying anyway. He slit her throat and I marked you, and that was when you drew your first breath. You have always belonged to me, Eris. And I've taken excellent care of you. You truly became my dearest friend. Zell and Jezzeff are puppets, Eris. You I actually like."

"I belong to no one."

"Silly Eris... You can't escape your destiny. I own you, mark or no mark. Just as I owned Rinton, although he was a teenager when I first attached myself to him. Rinton didn't have a spell on him, but he embraced my influence and became who he was meant to be... And I made you exactly who you were meant to be."

"You took away my free will before I ever drew a breath!"

"I made you stronger, Eris! What do you think you would have done after you killed Tomaz?"

Eris tensed. "Don't bring him up."

"You slaughtered that boy the first time you had sex because you're broken, Eris. Your trauma made you kill a boy whose only crime was loving you and showing you kindness. And you enjoyed it."

"I did not! I was horrified!"

"You would have killed yourself. I saved you. I made you go back home."

"You made me return to my father... You made me stop fighting his orders... It was the spell."

"Yes, and it kept you alive. I taught you to embrace the darkness in your heart. I nurtured you."

Eris had heard enough. She shot the Witch in the face.

The Witch turned intangible just long enough to avoid taking on damage from the bullet. "That seemed uncalled for," she mumbled.

"Get out of here, Witch! I never want to see you again!" Eris shouted.

"Come on, Eris... You're my bestie. BFFs... Best friends forever, right?"

"Not anymore, you manipulative, psychotic bitch!"

The Witch shrugged. "I thought seeing Daddy would remind you where you came from, but apparently I need to go bigger... You killed Klaggo dead. Shall I try the other original leader of the Coalition?"

"I already killed Brezzos once. Don't think I'll hesitate to do it again. I stopped being afraid of him the moment I started to hunt him."

"Maybe I can have Jezzeff resurrect Tomaz... We can play with him together."

Eris shoved a sword through the Witch's chest. She didn't react quickly enough to avoid it, and she let out a cry of pain as the sword sliced through her flesh.

"Mention him again and I will make you regret it."

"Oh, come on, Eris! Where's your sense of humor?" The Witch cackled as she pulled out the sword. "Poor Tomaz couldn't have been that good of a lay that you're still holding onto his memory!"

"Luminoz vazzilio!" Eris cried, putting an enormous amount of energy into the spell. Light burst from her hands.

The Witch screamed in agony. She tried to cower, but there was nowhere to hide. It burned her flesh as she attempted to shield herself from it.

"Impossible!" She screamed. "You're too dark to cast that spell!"

"Surprise," Eris replied calmly.

"No! I know your magic! This isn't something you're capable of!"

"I studied magic extensively on my own, Witch... And I learned a lot of tricks. I just hid them from you."

"I'll destroy you, you ungrateful brat!"

"You already did that. Now, it's my turn to make my own path. Fuck your plans for my destiny, Witch. I'm no one's puppet!" She sent a second attack at the Witch.

"Eris! What are you doing?" Percival asked in horror as he came running into the room.

"Something I should have done a long time ago," Eris replied. "Tell the others our alliance with the Guild is over. And if any of them are on your hit list, happy hunting."

"You can't do this. The Witch is our strongest ally." He flung a shield around the Witch that blocked out the light.

"I'm stronger. You know why? Because I don't fear the dark or the light. This traitorous bitch can be taken down with a powerful flashlight. We don't need her."

"Eris, be reasonable. You two have history."

"We have lies. And I'm done. Time to live in the present." She prepared to shatter Percival's shield.

Percival tried to tackle her. Eris wasn't entirely surprised. She reacted just in time, dodging the attack.

"Percival, you have one chance to make a choice. Either you're with us, or you're with her... And remember, T'Dania won't take kindly to you siding with the Witch."

"We're Treygans. Our loyalty has always been to the Witch. Long before she took a physical form, she guided my father. There is no choice. I am loyal to her."

Eris nodded. "So be it." She shoved a sword through his chest before he even seemed to register she was moving.

Blood shot out of his mouth. "I'm... Immortal," he groaned. His shield shattered and the Witch started to scream again.

"We'll see how well that holds up once Keilah gets her hands on you."

"You wouldn't..."

"Wouldn't what? Turn on my Coalition? Of course not... But you just quit, Percival. You were fairly insignificant to me before. You're less than that now." She smiled sadistically, pulling out her sword before saying, "Good luck out there without us to protect you."

"Ninjor!" The Witch shouted weakly.

She was suddenly teleported out of there. Percival vanished shortly after. Eris carefully cleaned the blood off of her sword, saving the rag so it could be used in defensive spells against both the Witch and Percival.

Mella stood watching her for a moment. "T'Dania will be proud," the immortal child said with an amused smile.

Eris returned the smile. "I didn't do it for her," she said. "That was for me." She shrugged. "Percival is fairly useless anyway. He's too arrogant for his own good. He makes foolish errors because of it."

"I look forward to seeing what comes next, Huntress." Mella walked away.

Me too, Eris thought. She knew she hadn't seen the last of Percival or the Witch, but she'd hurt them both. She'd basically put them on notice that she was done doing things their way. For the first time in her life, she was free to make her own choices, and she was eager to see where those choices would lead.