CHAPTER FIFTEEN
T'DANIA
She sensed the change in Gia as soon as she saw her. T'Dania was immediately enraged. "Oh, my poor child... This was not what I wanted when I stopped Percival from killing you," she said.

"You wanted me to be your weapon," Gia replied. "You got that."

"No, my darling... I wanted you to be our ally... Of your own volition. I never would have taken the choice from you."

"The Huntress made me stronger. I don't feel pain anymore. All I want is to kill."

T'Dania sighed as she gently stroked Gia's hair. "I will help you seek justice for those you lost, Darling Gia... And I will find a way to return your freedom."

"I am free... Freer than I've ever been. Nothing can hurt me now, T'Dania. I'm finally strong enough."

"Strength is not the absence of pain, my darling. It is the ability to persevere and achieve your goals despite that pain."

"Do you feel pain?"

"Every day of my life. I simply channel it into working toward my goals."

"The Flames would fix you... You're already powerful. You'd be truly unstoppable."

"No, Gia. The Flames do not fix anyone. They destroy them and leave behind a sad shell with only an echo of who that person once was." She sighed. "It's alright, my darling. You are still extraordinary. I will ensure you're taken care of." She walked out of the room.

The person standing in the hallway was a Treygan. She knew that instantly. What startled her was the rest of his energy.

"You're Rygano's..." T'Dania said softly.

He looked surprised. "Yeah, so they tell me," he replied. "I'm Bourbon. You must be T'Dania." He offered her his hand.

T'Dania took it and held it for a moment. She knew then that she was correct. "Your mother is Eris," she said.

"That's also what they tell me. She's not really happy about it, but I'm still alive, so I guess I should be grateful."

"I will not allow any harm to come to you, sweet boy... Your father was always quite precious to me."

"Um... Thanks, I guess."

"Go on. Your mother and I need to have a discussion."

Bourbon seemed to realize he shouldn't argue. T'Dania headed into the next room. She spotted Eris sitting at her desk.

"Hello, T'Dania," she greeted her. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"You turned Gia," T'Dania said bluntly.

"She never would have joined us. It was the only way to recruit her."

"I intended for her to join us of her own volition. If she chose not to, then so be it."

"The Power Rangers will come for her. At least this way, she shall fight at our side."

T'Dania shook her head. "You still misunderstand so much, Eris. I can let that error in judgment go, however... There is something I cannot."

"What would that be?"

T'Dania looked her in the eye as she replied, "Rygano."

Eris flinched slightly as she felt the rage coming off of T'Dania.

"You violated my grandson. My sweet, gentle, precious Rygano," T'Dania continued.

"I... It was before we met," Eris replied nervously. "I would never harm someone you cared for."

"Rygano always had a pure heart. Why would you target him? Why would you put my poor grandson through hell?"

"I don't know," Eris replied softly. "I suppose I wanted to prove he was just like his brother."

"Rygano was nothing like Rinton. I loved them both very much, but I know what Rinton became. It was Rygano who remained a good man. And you caused him harm!"

Eris visibly shrank. She would never show fear or weakness to anyone else, but she knew what T'Dania was capable of. T'Dania had always been good to Eris. She'd treated the girl with kindness, and she'd acted as a mentor to her. In some ways, she filled the mother role in her life that had always been vacant. The fact that she was furious with her had turned Eris into the terrified abused girl she'd once been.

T'Dania sighed. She tried to soften her tone as she asked, "Why did you allow him to live? You never do."

"He wasn't like Rinton... He... He cried the entire time. He never gave in and just enjoyed it like the others always do in the end. And he could have hurt me. He could have fought back. He had the power... But he didn't even try. He wouldn't lay a hand on me, physically or magically. I knew he'd never tell Rinton because he was too ashamed... Too broken. So I let him live." She shook her head. "I don't know why I attacked Rygano. It was unlike me to target someone whose twin was as powerful and protective of him as Rinton was. It was foolish, and I never act foolishly. I just felt like I had to."

T'Dania couldn't continue to be furious when it was clear Eris didn't fully understand her own actions. She had been broken since long before they met, and currently, she reminded T'Dania far too much of the misguided child she desperately wanted to save from herself.

"You allowed my grandson to live. That alone is why I am not going to slaughter you today," T'Dania said. "Do not ever cross Rygano again, Eris. And protect your son with everything you possess."

"I am grateful you didn't just destroy me," Eris began. "But I'm not mother material, T'Dania. Bourbon is fully grown and can take care of himself. I didn't know about him. It seems I tried to kill him at birth and my brother intervened. He's not a burden to me now because he does not need a mother, so I decided he may continue to draw breath."

"A child is never a burden, Eris. That boy is a gift. You may not have intended to conceive a child, but he exists through no fault of his own. A child needs their mother, no matter how old they grow."

"You abandoned your own children, like B'Danna. I thought you would understand."

"I was a loving mother once, Eris. I adored Rizdan and Mozzo with everything I had..." T'Dania closed her eyes as she silently added, And my beautiful Wisteria... No one knew about her. The only man who had known she'd lived was long-dead. T'Dania would always guard that secret with her life, even though her little girl was dead now.

The Rebels saw to that... That's why they must pay! T'Dania thought. Every last one of them must perish!

"T'Dania?" Eris called gently, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"The war took my sons from me... The other children I had were meant to prove they could survive. I wanted them to survive, Eris, but some weren't strong enough, and a few were as evil as their fathers, so I was forced to put them down. Only my darling B'Danna survived and proved worthy," T'Dania replied. "You have a chance to know your son... Don't throw it away. He exists for a reason, Eris. Take this opportunity and I will let the rest go."

Eris nodded nervously. "I'll try. I can't love him, T'Dania. I don't possess that ability. But I suppose I can at least attempt to know the boy."

"That's good enough." She stepped out of the room, leaving Eris alone. There was something else she needed to take care of anyway.

B'DANNA
She wasn't entirely surprised when T'Dania approached her as she was training in the woods. B'Danna had been waiting for her to pop back up on her.

"Hello, my darling," T'Dania greeted her warmly.

"I'm not interested in what you're selling," B'Danna replied harshly. "Leave."

"Just give me a moment, darling. I wanted to check how you're doing."

"I'm fine. Nice chat. Bye."

T'Dania tossed a ball of fire at her. B'Danna gasped and put her hands up. Water immediately manifested and put out the fire.

"Excellent!" T'Dania cried in delight. "I knew you'd be a natural!"

"Are you insane? Newsflash, Lady. Flinging fire at me is not the way to win me over," B'Danna informed her.

T'Dania laughed softly. "I suppose you have a point. I'm sorry, my darling. Allow me to make it up to you. I've been looking into your history. I know what your heart desires more than anything else."

"I seriously doubt that."

"I can bring him back, B'Danna."

She tensed. "Bring who back?" She asked cautiously.

"Draze."

In one smooth, swift motion, B'Danna pulled out a dagger and pressed it to T'Dania's throat. T'Dania didn't even flinch. "Go to Hell, Bitch," she snapped.

T'Dania teleported and reappeared a bit further from B'Danna. "I'm serious, darling. He meant the world to you. Despite being mixed up in the Rebellion, the boy proved time and again he was pure of heart. He gave his life to save my daughter's. Why wouldn't I save him?"

"We were both part of the Rebellion."

"You were children. You were both in a tough situation and the Rebellion offered you a way out. I cannot fault you for accepting it."

"Why should I believe you can bring him back?"

T'Dania smiled. She waved her hands and a fire appeared. She began chanting in a language B'Danna guessed was from B'Deston. Suddenly, a body appeared. B'Danna didn't recognize the woman, but she had clearly been tortured before having her throat slashed. T'Dania knelt beside her and touched her forehead gently. Quickly, her injuries vanished. B'Danna was startled as the woman's chest began to rise and fall and she awakened looking entranced.

"Who is she?" B'Danna asked.

"A brave young woman who was unjustly killed many millennia ago on Eltar. She deserves a second chance at life, so I am giving it to her," T'Dania replied. "I cannot tell you her name until she's stronger, my darling. Her safety is at risk."

"She was dead for millennia? How did you resurrect her without a sacrifice?"

"I am a true necromancer, my darling. My power is strong. I don't always have to slaughter an innocent to resurrect someone. I only do that when it's absolutely necessary." She paused. "I won't kill anyone to bring back Draze. He's too pure for that. It would be simple, my darling. This young woman suffered greatly and endured many severe wounds before she perished. She's been dead for a long time, yet I resurrected her in a matter of minutes. Draze perished far more recently, and it was only one wound which claimed his life. I could fix him in mere seconds... I can give him back to you."

"What would you expect in exchange?"

"Work with me, my darling... Join me. I am your mother. I want to get to know you. Your cooperation is all I desire."

It took B'Danna a minute to force herself to say, "Forget it. I don't trust you."

T'Dania sighed. "Perhaps one day you will," she replied. She gathered the confused woman she'd resurrected in her arms. "Shhh, my darling... You are safe now. No further harm shall come to you," she said as the woman came out of her trance and started to panic. With that, they vanished.

B'Danna started running, unsure of what else to do as her emotions overwhelmed her. A storm brewed in the air, following her as she ran. She ended up very deep in the woods and finally collapsed on the ground, pulling her knees to her chest.

She wasn't entirely surprised when Captain Smith knelt beside her. "Easy, B'Danna," he said soothingly. "Breathe... Just focus on calming your breathing."

She tried. The lightning and thunder slowed down and vanished, but it continued to rain.

"I'm sorry, Sir," B'Danna said softly.

"It's alright, B'Danna. Why don't you tell me what upset you?"

"T'Dania... She wants me to join her, Captain. She proved to me she can resurrect people almost as easily as she breathes, and then... She offered to bring Draze back if I work with her."

Captain Smith looked incredibly sympathetic. "I see," he said. "What did you tell her?"

"I refused, Captain. I am loyal to you, and to the Rebellion. I am a soldier. I will never betray you, Sir... But... For just a moment... I was tempted." She couldn't bear to look him in the eye as she said, "I want him back, Sir... I would do anything to have him back. I would give up my own life without hesitating. I know he would hate it... That he'd tell me not to give in to her... He wouldn't want me to agree to her terms. But that was the only reason I told her no... Because I want him back, Sir. I want him back so much." Tears formed in her eyes. The rain got heavier and the wind picked up. She shook her head. "I apologize for my weakness."

"B'Danna... I know what Draze meant to you. It's completely understandable why you would be tempted. Loving someone enough to do anything to protect them isn't weakness." He sat beside her as the rain poured down. "If she made me that offer about Carolena or Marie, I do not believe I would have had the strength to tell her no. I am incredibly proud of you, B'Danna... And Draze would be, too."

B'Danna couldn't help but cry then. It was so rare an occurrence for her, but she had to release the pain she'd been holding back since Draze's death. She wept beside  Captain Smith, who knew not to try to hold her but who remained patiently by her side as she let everything out. Finally, the rain stopped as her tears did.

Captain Smith stood up and said nothing as he offered her his hand. B'Danna took it and allowed him to help her to her feet. They walked back to the safe house in silence.

HAYLEY
She was testing out some of the latest tech she'd been working on for the Power Rangers. Hayley now split her time between Reefside and Angel Grove, but she had started spending more and more time in the latter because Kira preferred she stay close. Given she'd been kidnapped and tortured by Katherine a little over a year earlier, Hayley understood why Kira was so concerned.

The sight of a teenager with a lot on his mind caught her attention. Hayley instantly shifted into mentor mode. After all, back in Reefside, helping teenagers was kind of her specialty.

"Is everything okay, Elliot?" Hayley asked as she walked toward him.

Elliot smiled too quickly. "I'm fine," he replied. "Just a little distracted."

"You know what helps when I'm distracted? Talking about what's going on in my head." She smiled at him.

"It's not a big deal..."

"Elliot, I see kids every day who are dealing with a lot of different things. I'm pretty good at giving advice, and I'm even better at just listening. I promise, whatever you say will stay between us."

He paused. "I have a weird problem," he admitted.

"I love weird problems. They're my favorite," Hayley replied cheerfully.

Her smile seemed to put Elliot at ease slightly. "I'm sort of in love with someone," he admitted.

"That's not so weird," Hayley replied gently.

"We fell in love in a future I lived through that will never happen."

Hayley's eyes widened slightly. "You should have led with that," she said with a laugh. "So, I'm guessing she has no idea and you don't know how to tell her?"

"Exactly. So I'm just stuck feeling all of these emotions, and I have all these memories, and my reality is completely different from hers."

Hayley sensed there was more he wasn't saying. "What else is going on, Elliot?" She asked.

He hesitated, but finally sighed. "I lost her, Hayley... In the other timeline... She died. They killed her, and I couldn't save her... She didn't wake back up... She always wakes back up..."

Realization dawned on Hayley then. "It's Dora?" She asked.

He nodded. "I'm so scared I'm going to lose her again... I know we're just friends here, but... I still love her, Hayley. And I can't stop panicking that they're going to kill her. Jezzeff wants descendants from Chosen bloodlines who aren't Chosen... The Grant line is small. Dora, Caleb, and Caius are the only ones we even know about. Well, there's Maddie, too, but it's severely diluted in her by all of her other bloodlines."

"You've been carrying the weight of all this by yourself for all this time?" Hayley asked.

Elliot nodded sadly. "I couldn't tell anyone. They're all stressed enough... I've only admitted it to one person because he figured it out, and he told me to make a move, but... I'm still scared. I think the only reason I told you is because we barely know each other and you're kind of easy to talk to."

"I get that a lot. Look, Elliot... This is a tough situation. It's only natural you're scared. The thing is, love is scary. In fact, it's terrifying. That's part of what makes it so great. I lost my spouse a couple of years ago. It was really hard on me, but I'm so grateful for the time we had together. There are no guarantees in this life. People die every day, even when they're not involved in a battle of Good versus Evil. You can't let the fear of losing someone keep you from living your life. Trust me, if I had a second chance to be with my spouse, I'd take it. Nothing would stop me, even if we only got to spend one more day together."

"I'm sorry," Elliot said softly. "I didn't have any idea you lost your husband."

"I never said it was my husband," Hayley replied with a sad smile.

Elliot's eyes widened as he caught on. "Oh, um... I'm sorry. I just assumed..."

"It's fine, Elliot. Most people do because we live in a heteronormative society where a husband-wife dynamic is assumed to be the default unless otherwise stated. I don't broadcast my sexuality because it's really no one's business. Only Tommy and the Dino Thunder team actually knew about my wife. And Katherine, which makes her assumption that I was secretly sleeping with Tommy of all people that much more ridiculous." She laughed, shaking her head.

Elliot paused thoughtfully. "You're right, just like Alternate Zack was... I can't waste this opportunity... But how am I supposed to do this?"

"How does anyone start a romantic relationship?" Hayley replied. "Ask her out on a date, Elliot. Dora has hobbies and interests. I assume you know what they are. Plan something fun, sweep her off her feet, and if it's meant to be, the rest will happen naturally."

He smiled, finally looking calmer. "Thanks, Haylee. I really appreciate you listening to me. You're right... Nothing will happen if I don't at least ask her out."

"No problem. Guiding teenagers to the choices they need to make is kind of what I do. Good luck, Elliot."

A woman with short, dark hair and a leather jacket came toward them and smiled at Elliot. "Sorry I'm late, Kiddo," she said. "I got caught up in Eltarian drama helping Anise out."

"It's okay, Mom," Elliot said with a peaceful smile. "We just finished up a pretty insightful conversation."

Elliot's mother paused, looking at Hayley. "You're one of the Power Rangers' tech geniuses, right? I've seen you around, but I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Rhanna."

Hayley smiled warmly at Rhanna. "It's nice to meet you, Rhanna. I'm Hayley," she replied.

"I don't know how you got this boy to smile, Hayley, but you're a miracle worker," Rhanna said with a laugh. "I was just about to take him to lunch. Would you like to come with us?"

Hayley decided she'd done enough work for the time being, and food didn't sound like a bad idea. "Sure, I'd like that," she replied. "Just let me pack up my tech."

Rhanna automatically started helping Hayley clean up. Elliot began carefully loading everything into Hayley's trunk as they packed each item away.

"Hop in," Hayley said when they were done. "Just tell me where I'm driving."

Elliot climbed into the back seat. Rhanna hesitated slightly.

"Are you okay?" Hayley asked.

"I'm not big on cars sometimes," Rhanna admitted. "I was in a crash millennia ago on Eltar, and occasionally, the memory sneaks up on me and I get a little anxious. I'll be fine, but I need a minute."

"We could walk if you prefer. I don't mind," Hayley replied with a patient smile. "It's a nice day anyway."

As Rhanna looked into Hayley's eyes, she visibly relaxed a bit. "I appreciate that," she said, "but I'm fine. I never let fear get in my way. I just needed to take a minute to get a grip and calm down." She opened the door for Hayley. "After you."

Hayley couldn't help but grin as she got into the car. Rhanna got into the passenger seat, buckled her seatbelt, and looked at Elliot. "Okay, the kid's securely buckled. Your turn, Hayley," she said.

"I never drive without my seatbelt," Hayley replied as she buckled herself up. She started driving. After a few minutes of casual small talk, Rhanna seemed to fully relax. They found an Italian bistro soon after and headed inside to eat.

Hayley was pleased with her decision to join Elliot and Rhanna for lunch. It was nice to relax and do something normal for once. She felt more at peace than she had in a long time.

THREE DAYS LATER...

TROY
He'd joined the search efforts for Gia. So far, no one had found any trace of her. They'd held Noah's funeral, which Troy had barely registered. He was still in shock. Noah was dead. His mind refused to accept it, and yet his heart was breaking. He hadn't been this broken since Emma and Orion had died.

Troy had barely spoken to Nessa. She'd brushed off his pathetic attempt at an apology, promising she understood, but things were still awkward between them. Nessa was trying to be supportive, but she was spending most of her time comforting Jake.

He sensed Gia before he saw her. Troy spun around and saw her glaring at him. He knew what was wrong with her energy, but he didn't want to admit it.

"Hello, Troy. Fancy meeting you here," Gia said with venom in her voice.

"Gia... Oh God... I can help you. I'll fix this," Troy replied.

"Get over yourself, Spidey-Troy. You don't get to play the hero this time with your Super Shaman powers. I don't need fixing. I'm perfectly fine."

"Gia-"

"I want to kill monsters. Nothing's changed except my targets... Because now I know who the real monsters are."

"Gia, please, let me help you," Troy begged. He reached toward her.

Gia snapped Troy's arm in half before tossing him against a wall. He hit his head and heard something crack, but he remained conscious. He was in shock as he stared at her while blood dripped down his head.

"You don't get to touch me, Troy. You're a fucking fraud," she said.

"What?" He mumbled in confusion.

"You're the reason Emma and Orion are dead! You were off trying to play Super Shaman and saved Zordon instead of taking care of your own team! It's your fault we lost them!"

Troy flinched at her words. He'd told himself that several times, especially right after they'd died. He couldn't stop the flashback that overwhelmed him as Gia continued to taunt him.

"Don't worry, Troy. I'll put an end to your suffering. You won't have to live with the knowledge of what a useless failure you are anymore!" Gia shouted. She came toward him with a sword. Troy barely noticed.

"Gia! Stop," Jake said suddenly as he stepped between them. He hadn't really spoken in the last few days except to ramble in his shocked state, but seeing Gia now seemed to have brought him out of it.

"Oh look... It's Useless Megaforce Ranger Number Two!" Gia replied. "No wonder people make fun of us! Kira's right... All we ever did was mimic the powers of others... Well, I've got my own powers now! Wanna see?"

"I loved you just the way you were, Gia," Jake replied softly. "And I still do. No matter what happens, I'll always love you."

"Love this," Gia replied. She flung a combat spell straight at him.

"I don't think so," Nessa said firmly as she appeared and deflected the spell.

Gia simply cast a stronger one. It knocked Nessa into Jake, which was probably the only thing that kept her from slamming into a wall headfirst and dying from the impact. Jake groaned but looked mostly uninjured. Nessa had slashes across her body as if she'd been attacked by several swords at once.

As Gia tried to cast a third spell, someone shouted, "Vizka! Andramoz fiennez!"

Gia looked dazed for a moment as her spell misfired and hit the wall behind her. The building shook from the impact.

"Easy, Lass," Maegus said soothingly. "That's a wee bit advanced for someone who's only had combat magic for a couple of days." He opened a portal.

Davi stumbled through the portal looking mildly confused but not especially alarmed. "Ah... Hello, Maegus. I was wondering why I suddenly fell through a portal," he said pleasantly as if this was not particularly unusual.

"Sorry, Lad. We've got a bit of an emergency here," Maegus explained apologetically.

Gia was back on her feet and furious. She sent a spell straight at Maegus. Without missing a beat, Davi jumped in front of him and deflected it.

"That's pretty advanced," he said in surprise. "Did she always possess combat magic?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Maegus replied. "She radiates with the Flames. Jezzeff must have turned her and granted her the power."

As Davi continued deflecting spells with ease, he sighed. "She's a natural, which means she was meant to have this magic. It must be in her blood somewhere. The question is, how did she master the incantations so quickly?"

"I'm thinking it was a knowledge spell," Nessa replied weakly.

"Hmmm... That would explain it. Still, knowing the incantations and having the training to use the spells are two different things. She's got to build up to these advanced spells or her body will break down, and her mind might go along with it." Davi paused. "Maegus, I think our dear Nessa might need Amello's assistance."

Maegus frowned as he looked at her. "Right you are, Lad. I'll summon him and tend to the boys. Their injuries are not as severe. Can you hold Gia off?"

"I can do this all day," Davi replied with a grin.

"Okay, Captain America," Branz said cheerfully as he arrived with Hezzo, Ling, and Tinny. "Just try not to harm the girl. This isn't her fault."

"Don't worry, Branz. I have the discipline to deflect and counter Gia's attacks without causing harm to her," Davi promised. "I sense she has the potential to be incredibly gifted in combat magic, but she lacks the full understanding that only comes from years of training."

"Fuck you and your condescending, sanctimonious ass!" Gia shouted as she attacked again. Davi easily deflected it.

"Now that's just not nice," Ling said with a slight frown. He smiled again as he added, "I don't find Davi's ass condescending or sanctimonious at all."

Tinny laughed heartily. Hezzo shook his head. "You're so literal sometimes, Ling," he said with a laugh of his own.

"Like that time Grayzee shouted duck at you and all you wanted to know was where the ducky was after Hezzo knocked you to safety," Branz teased Ling lightly.

"I enjoy animals," Ling replied with a shrug.

"So does Keet, but he knows the difference between look at the pretty ducky and duck or get your ass beat," Hezzo pointed out.

"Ah, don't listen to 'em, Lad," Tinny said. "You're fantastic. We should all be so pure and innocent." He conjured two shots of Jack Daniels, toasted Ling, downed his shot and said, "On second thought, I take that back. Keep the purity for yourself. I like being naughty."

"Yeah, with everything in a skirt regardless of her relationship status," Branz chimed in.

"That was a bit problematic the first time we went to Scotland," Hezzo added.

"I thought some of those men were rather pretty," Ling replied. "I really can't blame Tinny for flirting with them."

"And even the lads couldn't resist all of this," Tinny added proudly, gesturing toward his round belly. Troy had noticed that Tinny's charismatic personality and confidence always sucked people in. No one seemed to care that he was a very large man who was often loud and borderline obnoxious because he was the life of the party wherever he went. Women especially seemed to find him irresistible.

With the Circle's distracting banter, Troy hadn't noticed Amello's arrival. Maegus had healed Jake, but he sat with Troy now.

"You'll be alright, Lad," Maegus said soothingly.

"Nessa... Jake..." Troy mumbled.

"Jake's fine, Troy. And Nessa's with Amello. She's going to heal right up."

For a moment, Troy was calmer. Then, more people arrived. "Found her!" Ziggy declared cheerfully.

"Everyone, stay back," Hezzo said firmly, instantly taking control as the RPM team, Tenaya, and Doctor K arrived. "Don't get any closer. She's been turned. You all need to get out of here."

Gia had other plans. She was aiming a combat spell at Davi, but just as it looked like she'd use it on him, she flung it at Tenaya instead. Davi tried to deflect it, but there was no time. Instead, Dillon jumped in front of it.

If he'd been morphed, he might have been safe, but the spell hit Dillon directly in his chest. He fell to the ground and lay there motionless.

"Dillon!" Summer screamed. She immediately turned toward Gia looking homicidal.

Tinny wrapped his arms tightly around Summer, keeping her from attacking Gia. She thrashed against him violently, but he wouldn't release her. She kept fighting, and all Troy could think was how much that reminded him of how Gia would have reacted.

Gia... Gia, who might have just murdered a fellow Power Ranger in cold blood.

Tenaya knelt beside Dillon with tears in her eyes. "No..." She whispered. "Oh God, please, no..." She clung to her brother's body as she sobbed. The tough-as-nails woman never broke down. Troy knew now that Dillon was definitely dead.

Doctor K stood staring at the scene in obvious shock. Ziggy shook his head. "He's fine," he said. "It's Dillon. He's fine. Come on, Dill... Get up, Man. It was funny at first, but you're scaring us. Get up!"

Gemma covered her mouth in horror. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

It was Flynn who surprised Troy. He ran straight at Gia looking like he was going to tear off her head with his bare hands.

Seeing his team in turmoil, Scott took control. "Flynn... It's not her fault," he said firmly as he grabbed his teammate and stopped him from attacking Gia.

"She killed Dillon, Scott!" Flynn protested angrily.

"That was the monster the Flames created, not Gia. She's still in there, Flynn. We have to help her."

Ziggy started laughing from his spot beside Dillon then. "Help her?" He repeated. "Help her? I'll help her right off a cliff!"

"Ziggy..." Doctor K said softly.

He turned toward her, still laughing like a crazy man, but as soon as he saw the single tear on her cheek, he broke down and fell to his knees.

"Dillon..." He sobbed. "She killed Dillon... Dillon's dead, K..."

"I know," she replied. She stroked his hair soothingly as he cried.

"He's my best friend... He's... He's Dillon... We survived Venjix, and Zell, and the Alliance, and everything else, and now in a split second he's just... Just dead?"

"Shut up, Ziggy!" Summer suddenly shouted. "Just shut up!"

"Summer-" Scott began.

"Let me go, Tinny!" She started fighting even harder.

"I wish I could, Lass, but you'll only get yourself killed," Tinny replied.

"I don't care! Let go of me!"

"That's it, Summer. Embrace that rage," Gia taunted her. "Love is weakness! It's rage that makes us strong!"

"You're going to stop speaking to Summer now, Gia," Ling said calmly.

Gia suddenly stopped talking, looking slightly confused as to why. Ling slowly approached her. "Easy, Gia... We're just here to help," he said.

"You can't help me," she replied with amusement. "I just killed a Power Ranger!"

Troy knew then that it had been deliberate. "You attacked Tenaya because you knew Dillon would save her. You manipulated all of that... You wanted to kill Dillon," he said slowly.

"Look who caught on!" Gia said with an exaggerated round of applause. "Dillon was a survivor. They don't die easily. But of course he'd sacrifice himself for his beloved sister."

"You bitch!" Summer cried.

Tenaya slowly released Dillon's body. She stood, looking at Gia. "I want to hate you, Gia, but I can't," she said. "I know what it is to be turned into a monster by something evil. I know this isn't your fault, just like nothing I did while being controlled was mine. It's not too late. We can help you."

Gia hesitated. Troy could sense how much she was struggling with herself. That was when the Huntress swooped in.

"You have done well, Gia," she said with a smile. "Come with me now." She led her into a portal and they vanished before anyone could stop them.

"Damnit..." Hezzo mumbled.

"We'll get her back, Hezz," Ling said firmly.

Summer was still struggling against Tinny. "It's alright, Lad. Let her go," Maegus said.

Tinny released Summer. She looked like she might run off, but Scott wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so sorry, Summer," he said.

She stopped fighting as she knelt beside Dillon. Her eyes filled with tears as she stroked his head. Troy's heart broke for her and for the rest of the RPM team.

"Summer..." Troy began.

"Don't," she replied softly. "Tenaya's right. It's not Gia's fault. That wasn't Gia."

Nessa was still in Amello's arms. "Is she alright?" Troy asked.

"She's healing," Amello promised. "I'll get her somewhere safe so she can rest and finish recovering."

"Thank you, Amello."

Jake sat in silence, staring at Dillon. "Jake... We need to go," Troy said softly.

"He's... He's dead..." Jake mumbled.

It was obvious Jake was back in shock. Troy forced himself to focus as he took his hand. He was still the team leader, if you could call him that when he only had one team member left. He'd be damned if he let anything happen to Jake.

"It's going to be okay, Jake," he lied. Nothing would ever be okay again. "Let's go home for a little while, okay?"

Jake nodded slowly. Troy led him away from the others. Branz chased after them. "I'm just here to make sure you two make it home safely," he said.

"Should I have tried to resurrect him?" Troy asked softly.

"No, Lad. You were injured pretty badly. You weren't in any condition."

"So I was just useless. Again."

"Troy... You are far from useless."

Troy didn't reply. Instead, he focused on keeping Jake calm as they walked back home in silence.

SAKURA
The more she thought about their last encounter, the more Sakura realized something was off about the Huntress's energy. It took a little while, but she finally realized why.

"I have to know," she decided aloud. She went to find the Huntress.

Eltar's most prolific serial killer tensed at the sight of her. "Keep that bankai away from me," she said firmly. "We are not doing that again."

"I'm just here to talk," Sakura replied.

The Huntress paused. "Alright, I'm curious. What is it you wish to discuss?"

"Do you have any really old scars you can't explain?"

The Huntress looked mildly amused. "I have many," she replied. "My childhood was not exactly a pleasant one."

"This one would radiate with magic randomly, and when it did, your thoughts would either change or vanish all together."

The Huntress frowned. "I have one scar like that, on my back. It's been there for as long as I can remember. I assumed my father gave it to me as a toddler."

"It wasn't your father, Eris... It was the Witch."

She shook her head. "That's ridiculous. The Witch is my oldest friend."

"You're not a fool, Eris. I want you to think about what I'm saying. The Witch put a spelled scar on Zell that gave her so much control of him he murdered Elgan. He killed the brother he'd fought so hard to protect just because she pressed on the scar. And Elgan was far from the only one he killed just because something in his mind insisted they had to die. He could never come up with a logical reason if you asked him why, just that it was necessary. She controlled him."

"The Witch doesn't control me. I am no one's puppet. I kill because I enjoy it. I torture because I like being in control and proving those men are just like the others."

"And there's never been someone you targeted that made no sense to you afterward?"

She tensed. "Damnit..." She mumbled. "Damn that traitorous bitch! How could she? How did I not see it?"

"If you've had that scar as long as you claim, you were way too young to understand, and that spell made you loyal to her."

"This is what I get for trusting someone."

Sakura suddenly shoved the Huntress to the ground. She restrained her in a way where she couldn't escape as her face and stomach were pinned down. She found the energy of the spell and clung to it with everything she had.

"Let me go!" The Huntress screamed. "Stop it! Release me!"

Sakura could feel her panic, but she knew she couldn't stop. The Huntress thrashed against her, struggling to free herself as Sakura fought to break the spell.

This is a risk, but I need to trust my gut, Sakura thought. "T'Dania! T'Dania Treygan, I need your help! Help me hold her down so I can free her!"

T'Dania appeared then. She looked mildly concerned as the Huntress continued screaming and struggling in pain and terror.

"Hush, my darling," T'Dania said soothingly as she stroked her hair with one hand and held her in place with the other. "This is necessary, Eris, but I won't let any harm come to you. The ones you see are not the ones holding you in place. It is safe."

Sakura finally ripped the spell off of Eris, causing her scar to reopen and bleed severely. T'Dania quickly touched it and healed it. The scar vanished entirely, just as Zell's had.

"Shhhh, Eris... You're alright, my darling. It's over now," T'Dania promised her.

The Huntress slowly regained control of herself. She hastily wiped away a tear that had dared to escape before clearing her throat. "I don't like to be pinned down," she said.

"I'm sorry," Sakura said quickly. "I realize you've been through something severely traumatic, but I had to catch you by surprise or the Witch would have stopped me from breaking her spell."

The Huntress nodded. "I understand," she replied. "I suppose I should thank you, Sakura... I shall deal with the Witch."

"Not yet, Eris," T'Dania said firmly. "You aren't ready, and if she learns you are willingly turning against her, she will not hold back. We will deal with Evianna soon enough, I promise."

"Did you know she marked me?" The Huntress asked.

"I suspected. You are extraordinary, Eris... Yet you allied yourself with the likes of Jezzeff and the Witch. You're far too clever to willingly follow such incompetent fools."

She nodded, then turned to Sakura. "I hope you understand I am still a killer... I didn't always do it just because she wanted me to. I'm not suddenly going to sing Kumbaya with the good guys just because you broke the spell, Sakura."'

"I know that, Eris," Sakura replied. "But now, you have your free will back. The spell can never be reactivated. I made certain of that. You're free, and when you make a choice going forward, you'll know it was truly yours."

The Huntress nodded. "Alright," she replied. "As long as we're clear."

"Eris... I have one request. Let Gia go."

"We turned her, Sakura. She's a monster now. If I unleash Gia on the world, everyone will suffer."

"Keilah can help her."

"Jezzeff knows Keilah can reverse his Flames spell. He and the Witch tweak it every time they use it so it's different. She can't rely on what she thinks she knows."

"Then leave the spell for her."

"The Coalition can use a warrior like Gia. She's very impressive. I would be foolish to set her free."

"Gia's human, Eris. She's not Eltarian. Her body will break down if she can't release her emotions."

"Her only emotion is rage."

"That rage once helped her process her pain. Now, she can't feel the pain, but it's still there. If you don't let her go, this will kill her. Her body will slowly shut down from the stress." Sakura hesitated. "I gave you your free will back. I'm hoping you'll make the right choice."

"Are you trying to use guilt on me?" The Huntress laughed.

"No... I'm just hoping if someone believes you can do the right thing, you'll start to believe it, too."

The Huntress rolled her eyes. "You sound like Grayzee... I'll consider it, Sakura. I need time. This is a big decision."

"I understand. Let me know when you've decided."

"Fine. Until then..." She opened up a portal and left.

T'Dania remained. "So you're a Soul Reaper, correct?" She asked curiously.

"I am," Sakura replied.

"You would be able to tell me if someone is dead, correct?"

"In theory."

"Good. I've been searching the Underworld for someone, but I can never find her."

"What's her name?"

T'Dania hesitated. "I am trusting you. Don't make me regret it," she began. "No one alive knows she existed. I told her father I killed her at birth... It was better for her. I had to protect her, Sakura."

"I won't tell anyone. Who was she?"

"Wisteria... Her name was Wisteria. She was my daughter, conceived as part of the war crimes the Nozann Army committed against me and so many others... Her father was Zekiah Yizak."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "That's why you hate him," she realized.

"It's rather complicated, actually, but that's part of why I hate him and his entire filthy bloodline... Regardless, I sent her away to keep her safe. A very good man took her to a sanctuary planet. When I was finally ready to face her, it took me forever to track her down. It turned out she made her way to Eltar in search of her unknown birth parents... She never learned who we were, and five years before I first went to Eltar, she was killed." She paused. Sakura could see the pain in her eyes as she continued. "The Rebellion of Eltar attacked the hospital to kill one man... Just one corrupt man... Many fled, but my sweet Wisteria remained behind to save the patients in the children's ward. She got all of the children out through a portal just before an explosion claimed her life. She's revered as a hero on Eltar. They created a plaque to her and everything... But a plaque won't bring her back. They say there was nothing left of her. I searched for her soul, but I cannot find her in the Underworld. I vowed that day to hunt down the entire Rebellion of Eltar and kill every last one of them." T'Dania paused. "Garron gave the order... He didn't care how many innocents might be harmed as long as they succeeded in killing their target. I will make him suffer. He descends from a monster. I vowed to destroy his bloodline, but I spared two little girls... I could not slaughter his ancestor's innocent daughters. Garron was born because I showed those girls mercy, and he took my daughter from me. I will not make that error again." She manifested a portrait in front of Sakura. "This was what she looked like. Her portrait hung in her home, and there were others on Eltar."

Sakura studied the portrait of a girl with the pale blonde hair many Yizaks possessed, the extremely pale skin of the Treygan line, and unique yet beautiful purple eyes. Something about the girl was familiar.

"I'll search for her," she promised. "And I'll find the answer for you." She had a feeling she already knew the answer.

"Thank you, Sakura," T'Dania replied softly. "I just want to find her... I've searched for so long..."

"Just do me one favor... Stop hunting former Rebels until I find the answer."

T'Dania frowned. "They do not deserve mercy, Sakura."

"Just for now? I will get you an answer as soon as I can. Until then, please take a break from slaughtering them."

"Only until you find the answer."

"That's all I ask."

"Very well. I expect to see you soon, Sakura." With that, T'Dania left.

Sakura stared at the painting some more. "If you add purple tips to the bottom of her hair and modernize her clothes... She looks just like her..." She mumbled.

It was too strange to be a coincidence, but what the hell were the chances that T'Dania's long-lost daughter was actually connected to the person Sakura had been before she'd been killed and become a Soul Reaper?

"And the plot thickens," she said, shaking her head. Sakura had a feeling the answers she was about to find were going to leave her with more questions than ever.