CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
BRIAN
He'd felt it when Jezzeff gained the powers of his Chosen line. Brian had immediately panicked. Since his mother and Minh were still safe and standing beside him, he'd called his father. Both of his younger sisters were accounted for and perfectly fine. After talking to them to reassure himself they really were safe, Brian started to wonder who Jezzeff could have possibly killed. Quintus had a lot of descendants, but they were scattered across the globe. It could be anyone.

The answer came the following morning. He woke up to the sound of his mother sobbing. Brian jumped out of bed and raced downstairs. Minh was right behind him. They'd both insisted Minh stay with them until she was able to return to her realm. After all, she was family.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Minh asked.

"Lieutenant Stone called," Trini began.

"Who was it, Mom? Who did Jezzeff kill?" Brian asked tonelessly. He could be emotional later. His mom and little sister needed him to be strong.

"Sylvia's husband came home late last night and found her in the garden," she replied. She started sobbing again. "The weapon left the same exact mark as the others he stole the powers from. It was definitely Jezzeff."

"No... Not Sylvia!" Minh cried in horror. "He'll pay for this!" She stood up and looked like she was about to morph then and there.

"Easy, Spunky," Brian said.

"But it's my fault! I stopped him from killing Mom, but I didn't even think about the possibility that he'd go after Sylvia."

"Minh, this isn't your fault. Jezzeff's a monster who won't stop until he's gained the powers from all of the Chosen lines. And I didn't think about Sylvia, either." He sighed. "Look, I want to grab my sword, set it ablaze, set myself ablaze, and burn every ounce of evil out of Jezzeff right now, but it won't stop him. Taking him down is going to take everyone. Going rogue will only get us killed."

"You can set yourself on fire?" Minh repeated.

"Oh, yeah! It's a sweet trick! Want to see?"

"Bu! Not in the house," his mom said firmly.

He cringed at the use of his birth name. "Sorry, Mom," he said.

"Bu?" Minh asked.

"It's a family name. I legally changed it when I started college, but Mom still uses my birth name sometimes."

Minh sighed. "We can't just let him get away with killing Sylvia," she said.

"We won't," their mother promised. "Jezzeff will pay for everything he's done, but your brother is right. Running off on your own won't be enough to stop him. He's not a typical enemy."

"What do we do in the meantime?"

"We train," Brian replied. "We get stronger. And we do everything we can to keep each other safe until we're ready to stop him once and for all."

TOMMY
Zordon had warned him about Kat. He'd even agreed to meet with her. It didn't matter. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight of the woman he'd loved so much standing in front of him, alive, well, and apparently not evil. She walked toward his house with Zell beside her.

Part of him wanted to run to Kat. Another part wanted to run away. Instead, he stood in place staring at her and trying to process what his eyes were seeing.

"Tommy!" Kat suddenly screamed in warning. Her voice was another shock to his system, and he didn't react.

Kat ran to him, leaping into the air and gracefully catching a sword's blade between her hands as it came down toward his head. She shifted and kicked the wielder backward.

"The New Coalition will place Tommy Oliver's head on a pike!" The woman with the sword declared. She wore a cloak, but the hood had fallen back in her struggle against Kat. Her blonde hair and youthful appearance didn't seem especially threatening, but the malice in her eyes told Tommy not to underestimate her.

Zell wrapped a protective shield of magic around Tommy and Kat. "Not today, my dear," he replied.

"Then I will settle for yours, Zell Yizak!" She shouted in response.

Tommy had to admit the girl had guts. She tried to attack Zell without hesitating. He calmly dodged her assault. She was fast and determined, but Zell managed to keep just enough distance between them to prevent her from harming him.

"Perhaps we can discuss this. What is your name, my dear?" Zell asked patiently as he dodged another strike.

"I am Heather, of Eltar! Daughter of Mavis and Madralyne of Eltar, who Hanry Yizak condemned to death," she informed him before attacking again.

"My cousin is an honorable man, Heather. He would not sentence someone to death easily. He despises executions."

"I was twelve years old! Yes, my parents broke the law, but I still needed them, and he took them away from me! Aphell Treygan would have put me in an orphanage and probably sold me to the highest bidder, but I ran away. I survived on my own for years until the Coalition recruited me. And now, I will destroy you to punish your cousin!"

This time, Heather attacked with magic. Zell deflected the attack, but she only grew more determined. Other New Coalition members began to appear.

"I have to help him," Kat said.

"Kat..." Tommy began. "Kat, you saved me."

"Of course I saved you. In my realm, we're still married. I love you very much, Tommy." She smiled at him warmly before saying, "Now, will you help me save my father?"

Tommy nodded. "Let's do this. It's Morphin' Time! Allosaurus!"

"Gold?" Kat asked as he morphed. "Well, that's one color my Tommy hasn't claimed yet!" She laughed before adding, "Pterodactyl!"

It was strange seeing Kat morphed again, especially in this form. For the most part, that had been Kimberly's Ranger form. Still, as he felt the power flowing through her, he knew it was right.

They moved closer to Zell, Heather, and the New Coalition members. Together, Tommy and Kat began fighting against the cloaked figures. It was strange to battle with Kat again, but it was also comforting. Tommy had missed sharing Ranger adventures with her.

Heather finally managed to attack Zell successfully. She slashed his arm with her sword. He didn't cry out in pain, but Tommy could tell she had hurt him.

Kat focused on Heather, attacking her fiercely as Tommy held off the others. Heather took a kick to the head that visibly left her seeing stars.

Heather glared at Kat before finally saying, "This isn't over!" She snapped her fingers three times and her allies followed her into a portal.

"Are you both alright?" Zell asked.

"We're fine," Kat replied. "You're hurt!"

"It's just a scratch, my dear," Zell reassured her.

Tommy frowned. "You're losing more blood than you think. Come inside. I've got a first aid kit," he said as he looked at the gash on Zell's arm. He led Zell and Kat to his house, trying not to think about how strange it was to allow either of them inside considering the past.

Kat cleaned Zell's wound up as Tommy prepared to stitch it closed. When he was done, Zell nodded at him a bit awkwardly. "Thank you, Tommy. That was kind of you," he said.

"You did a lot of harm to my family and friends, Zell, but you were under a spell," Tommy replied. "I of all people understand what that's like. Your spell just lasted a lot longer than mine did." He paused. "Besides, Kat and I were separated, but we never got divorced. Technically, you're my father-in-law."

Zell looked uncomfortable, which actually made Tommy laugh. "My point is that you've proven you have changed, and I refuse to hold your past actions against you," he added.

"I did not expect such understanding from you... After I led your daughter down such a dark path... I am sorry for that, Tommy. Katie was extraordinary. Had I been in my right mind, I would have steered her toward the light."

Tommy tensed. "I believe you," he finally replied. "I miss my daughter more than I can express, but I understand it's complicated. I wish it hadn't gone the way it did, but I have to move forward. We've still got a battle ahead of us. The best way to honor my daughter is to fight with everything I have to make sure nothing like this ever happens again."

"What was she like?" Kat asked.

Tommy looked at her sadly before replying. "She was a lot like me... I kind of made her my tiny sidekick. She followed me everywhere. I adored my little punk." He felt tears in his eyes.

"If it's too painful, you can stop," Kat said gently.

Instead, Tommy pulled a photo album he tried not to look at anymore off of the nearest bookcase. He opened it up to a picture of Katie smiling mischievously before she'd ever become a Power Ranger.

"She was beautiful," Kat said.

"She really was," Tommy agreed. "The thing is, I never set boundaries with her. I let her get away with too much, even though you tried to stop me. My Katherine might have been evil, but she was right about me not parenting enough. I was Katie's best friend more than I was her dad."

"You're the same way with JJ, our son in my realm. Fortunately, that hasn't resulted in too many issues, but I'm definitely the tougher parent." She smiled at him, and Tommy melted slightly inside. He'd missed the Kat he'd known before everything fell apart, and this one was so much like her.

Is it all a lie with her, too? He wondered. It didn't seem possible, but then again, he'd never believed his wife could be evil either. He tried to keep his guard up, but it was hard when she smiled like that.

As they continued talking, Zell joined in occasionally. It was incredibly awkward, but it was also oddly comforting. He was able to speak honestly without Kat accusing him of cheating on her or doing God only knows what else. It felt good to be able to have a conversation with her.

I wish this was my real life, Tommy thought. But I can't go back to that. In this world, it was only a lie.

He forced himself to keep some perspective as they continued to talk.

TORI
It felt amazing to be back. She was training again and spending time with her teammates. Dustin was still clinging to her a little like he feared she'd vanish if he left her side for too long, but Tori didn't mind that much. She'd missed him, too.

Blake was also by her side every chance he got, but Cam and Hunter were trying to give her some space when she needed it. Currently, Blake was sitting beside her as she watched the water ebb and flow at the beach.

"Tor... Are you okay?" He asked.

"What?" She asked as she was startled out of her thoughts.

"I asked if you're okay. You seem a little bit lost."

"I'm fine, Blake," she lied. It wasn't that she was upset or lost in her darkness or anything, but she felt different. The truth was, even with her light restored, Tori wasn't the person she'd been before. She was good again, and she could feel, but she couldn't ignore the new part of her that had awakened. She knew the darkness now. She'd touched it intimately, and it would always be part of her on some level.

"You can talk to me, Tor. I'm here," Blake insisted.

"I know you are," she reassured him. "I just... I need a little time to clear my mind. I think I'm going to go surf."

He nodded, taking the hint that she needed to be alone. "Go on. I'm going to head home for a bit."

Tori headed to the water, getting on her board and losing herself in the familiar act of surfing. Soon, instead of feeling lost, she found herself in the rhythm of the waves. She felt more alive than she had in a long time. Surrounded by her element, Tori finally made sense of everything going on in her mind.

When she finally returned to land, Tori was much calmer. She was surprised to see Hunter walking along the beach. "Hey," she called.

He looked up and nodded at her. "Hey," he replied.

"What brings you here?"

"I needed to get away from the others for a bit."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah... Sometimes I just get overwhelmed. I did a lot of really bad things when I had the Flames in me, Tori. I hurt people. I killed people... I was the worst of the bunch. The Flames made me vicious, and I enjoyed hurting people. My light was restored, but it doesn't change the things I did. It doesn't bring back the people I killed." He looked away from her.

Tori realized he had tears streaming down his cheeks. She wiped them away with her fingers, not even realizing she kept her hands on his face after the tears were wiped away.

He understands, she thought. Hunter knows that empty, evil place... He still has that piece of him that he has to live with, too.

Before she stopped to think, Tori leaned toward him and kissed him. Hunter tensed in surprise for a second before he kissed her back. It was like his flames touched the flames that had resurrected her and they merged as one. Dark magic flowed through them both but didn't turn them evil. They were still light, but the broken pieces of each of them seemed to fit perfectly together.

Hunter deepened the kiss, and Tori eagerly accepted this new intensity. She had never considered kissing Hunter before. He was Blake's brother, and Tori and Blake had dated on and off for so long is was surprising they hadn't gotten married. She loved Blake and would never hurt him, but...

Hunter understands me in ways Blake can't now, she realized. And I understand him. And when he kisses me... She forced herself to stop thinking, surrendering to the bliss of their kiss.

When they finally broke apart, they were both out of breath. "Jesus Christ..." Hunter mumbled.

"Appealing to a higher power for forgiveness?" Tori asked lightly.

"No... But I think I saw God when we were kissing," he replied with a smirk.

"Hunter... I've never felt anything like that."

"Neither have I, and I've kissed plenty of pretty girls. This went so much deeper. It almost felt..."

"Right?"

"Right," he agreed with a sigh. "I would never hurt my brother, but I can't deny how that kiss made me feel."

"I wouldn't hurt him, either... But Blake and I are not currently a couple. We were broken up for a while before I died, and we haven't gotten back together. If we're honest with him, I think he'll understand... Maybe."

"Okay. No more kissing until we talk to Blake."

She was slightly disappointed, but she knew he was right, and she refused to risk hurting Blake by sneaking around. "Agreed," she replied.

Hunter nodded. Then, he said, "I think we'd better go see him sooner rather than later."

Considering she was still thinking about how it had felt to press her lips against his and be wrapped in his arms, she knew he was right. "I think that's a good idea," she said.

Hunter had walked to the beach, so Tori gave him a lift in her car. They drove to the safe house. When Blake let them in, he greeted them both with warm smiles.

Am I a monster for doing this? Tori wondered. It would be one thing if it was anyone else, but Hunter is his brother.

"What's going on, guys?" Blake asked as they remained fairly silent.

"Blake, we need to talk," Tori began. "You know how much I love you, right?"

"Of course I do."

"The thing is, I'm different now. The Flames changed me, and even having my light restored didn't fully fix me. I don't want to hurt you, but-"

"You're in love with Hunter."

Tori's eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"Tor, I'd have to be blind not to see it. The two of you started getting closer as soon as we got you thinking straight. And Hunter, I know you. With the way your eyes light up when Tori enters a room, it's pretty obvious you have feelings for her. It's okay, guys. You are the two people I love more than anything, and you've both gone through hell. If you guys can find peace in each other, then that's amazing. I want that for you."

"But you love her, Blake," Hunter said.

"I'll always love Tori, but we aren't a couple and haven't been in a couple of years. It's okay with me if you two want to be together. As long as you're still my brother and Tori's still my friend, I'm good." He kissed the top of Tori's head. "Thank you for being honest with me. I knew this was coming, and honestly, the only thing that matters is that you're alive, Tori. That's all I need."

She hugged him tightly. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"I'm sure," he promised.

Hunter smiled as Tori released Blake. "I guess we didn't have to worry about this so much after all," he said with a laugh.

"Not even slightly," Blake replied. "Come on. Let's order some lunch."

JY
He watched from the shadows as Reyzzo stumbled out of the house he currently resided in. The poor guy was obviously starving. Jezzeff had probably drained him again. It was clear Reyzzo was trying not to harm anyone, but he wouldn't be able to resist for long.

Jy inched closer to the struggling incubus. Before Reyzzo could find an innocent victim, he walked up to him and placed his hand over Reyzzo's chest. Reyzzo looked like he was going to attack him, but Jy began sending energy into him before he could.

"You're like me," Reyzzo mumbled in surprise as he gained some control of himself.

"More than you know," Jy replied.

"What do you mean?"

"I guess you could call me your brother."

"You're Bartello's?"

"No."

"But you're an incubus. Serafine wasn't a succubus."

"Sera's not my mom."

"Then how are we brothers?"

Jy smiled charmingly. "Hi! I am Jylazian of Eltar. Call me Jy. I am also a Child of the Flames from the original generation."

"That's impossible. Zell killed all of us except for Elliot."

"See, I was different. Zell created me from two energies he had stored away. All he knew was they brought him comfort after Zolan was arrested. He couldn't recall why because the owners of the energy had been erased from everyone's memories."

"You're Braydee's," Reyzzo realized. "Who is your mother?"

"I don't actually have one of those. I have the distinction of being the only Child of the Flames created from two fathers."

"Ezzex?" Reyzzo guessed, obviously sensing the pyrokinetic and telekinetic powers Jy possessed.

"Yes indeed."

"Why didn't Zell kill you?"

"He almost did. When the Witch made him track our poor, unfortunate siblings down, he did find me... But he looked into my eyes and couldn't bring himself to go through with it."

"Why were you so special?"

"Because I wasn't created to protect him from the Witch, Reyzzo. I was created to protect him emotionally. He would call me to him when he felt lost and broken. I was his comfort."

"Did he have sex with you?"

"No, never. It wasn't like that. Zell just found my energy soothing to be around. He made sure I was hidden away, safe from all of the corrupt people on Eltar. He told no one the truth about me. I was raised by two very loving and attentive adopted parents, a daughter of Jinnifer Farmell and a son of a very noble Senator. They couldn't have children of their own. Unfortunately, they died when I was fourteen. It was an earthquake. The house collapsed while we slept. Because I'm an incubus, I survived."

"Zell?"

"No. I thought it was a legitimate natural disaster, but a Seer told me a gifted liar used a spell to kill them."

Reyzzo's eyes widened in surprise. "Jezzeff? But why?"

"Zell adored my adopted parents. I think targeting them was an act of rebellion on Jezzeff's part, but he also did it to test his gifts. Zell frequently dropped buildings on his enemies. Jezzeff wanted to see if he could pull off that level of magic."

"So what happened?"

"Zell put me into hiding. He gave me a ridiculous amount of money and bought me a house on Earth, where no one would ever think to look for me. Then, when the Witch started having him slaughter his Children of the Flame, he came to see me... I was happy to see him. I adored Zell as family. And it was my complete trust that got through to him. He looked into my eyes and couldn't hurt me. He told me my eyes reminded him of something he couldn't place. I have Braydee's eyes. He was the youngest of the Prophecy Boys, and Zell had a soft spot for him. Anyway, he cast a very powerful spell to erase me from his memories and to relocate me and my house somewhere random in the future. The spell ensured no one would question a teenager on his own or the sudden arrival of a new house. Of course, modern people were pretty confused by my ancient currency, but I sold it to collectors and made enough money to last until I adjusted and got my new life together. Poor Zell knocked himself unconscious just to protect me with that doozy of a spell, but it worked."

"It must have been nice to have him care about you," Reyzzo said with obvious jealousy.

"He cared about all of us, Reyzzo. He was just too psychotic under the Witch's spell to show most of us. For the record, I'm sorry for what you've been through. It's fucked up."

Reyzzo sighed. "Why did you come help me?"

"Because we're brothers, and it's time I meet my birth family. My dads and my brothers. My cousins, too."

"Cousins?"

"The new generation of Children of the Flames."

"You know I'm working for Jezzeff, right?"

"I know you don't actually want to work for him. You're doubting your choice but feel trapped. I'm here to help."

"There's a spell on me."

"You mean the loyalty spell to Sezzon? Oh, I broke that when I fed you my energy."

"You did?"

"Yup! I absorbed it and blasted it apart. Reyzzo, it's time you learned how to be a better incubus. You've barely scratched the surface and you never learned to feed on things other than life force. I can teach you a lot." Jy paused before he smirked and dramatically sang, "I can show you the world... Shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me, Princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?"

"Did you just call me Princess?"

Jy laughed. "Dude, have you never seen Aladdin?"

"Who is Aladdin?"

"Oh wow. Apparently, in addition to teaching you to be a proper incubus, I'm also going to have to introduce you to Disney and other amazing pop culture."

"I never said I'd work with you."

"Do you have a better offer?"

Reyzzo sighed. "No," he admitted.

Jy clapped his hands together in excitement. "Then it's settled! Come with me to my place and we can get started."

"I can't just leave. Jezzeff will find me and kill me."

"The way he keeps stealing your energy, he's going to kill you anyway. Come on, Reyzzo. Just give me a couple of hours?"

"Alright... But this had better not be a trap, or I'll kill you myself."

"That's the spirit!" Jy replied cheerfully. He took Reyzzo's arm and immediately traveled to his home. "Welcome to Casa de Jy, Brother! This is going to be interesting!"

GIA
She hadn't actually returned to Earth. Gia was spending time with the Eltarian Peacekeepers, training and learning to control her combat magic. It was Rygano and Levi who finally took her aside.

"My dearest Gia," Levi began, "it is time for you to return to your friends."

"I'm not ready yet," Gia replied nervously.

"You are ready," Rygano said gently. "Your training is complete. You mastered your new gifts remarkably quick and know how to use them responsibly."

"But what if I hurt someone? What if I turn evil again? How can I face Jake and Troy?"

"I understand your struggle," Levi replied stoically. "I lived as Azzian for millennia. I still struggle with being Levi again, however, I am doing my best to adapt."

"I guess you have me beat," Gia admitted. "I was evil for, like, ten seconds compared to you."

"That doesn't mean your journey is an easy one, Gia. With that said, however, you belong with your team. They need you."

"Is something wrong?"

"I sense trouble headed their way," Rygano replied. "Troy and Jake are in danger."

Gia's chest tightened with anxiety. "Point me at the monsters," she said. "I'm ready."

"We know you are," Levi replied. "Use this portal. It will bring you right to their location."

The portal opened. "Thank you both," Gia said. She gave them each a quick hug before diving through the portal. When she emerged, she was in the woods where Noah had died and everything had changed.

Troy was standing by himself, examining a strange old sword. Jake was nowhere in sight. "Hey, Troy," Gia said gently.

"Gia?" Troy asked in confusion. "What are you doing here? Are you okay? What's going on?"

"I'm me again," Gia replied, "and I'm here to kick some monster ass."

Troy's eyes filled with tears. "You are you," he said. He hugged her tightly. It felt so comforting to be in his arms that Gia teared up a bit herself.

"I'm sorry, Troy. I'm so sorry for what I did, and for what I said. I didn't mean any of it," she said.

"I know, Gia. It's okay," he replied. "How did you find me?"

"The leaders of the Eltarian Peacekeepers told me you needed my help. You're in danger."

"No one's here except for us."

"Think again," Heather said as she stepped into view.

"Back off, Bitch!" Gia said as she stepped protectively in front of Troy. "You're well aware of what I do to Coalition members who piss me off."

"Try anything and I'll kill you before you can blink."

"Challenge accepted." Gia launched a combat spell as she spoke calmly, thinking the words in her mind instead of reciting them aloud. Learning that technique meant that now her opponents didn't know what attack was coming.

Heather was blasted through the air. She let out an undignified shriek before summoning wind to catch her and slow her descent. She landed safely and glared at Gia.

"Go, Go, Samurai!" Gia shouted. She morphed and began using Kanji and combat magic together.

Heather was visibly stunned and uncertain how to counter both attacks at once. She focused on Troy instead.

"SPD Emergency!" Troy cried. He phased out of a physical state just long enough to dodge Heather's attack. She tried again, so he went with, "Go, Go, Samurai!" He cast a Kanji to block her.

"SPD Emergency!" Gia added. She cloned herself, surrounding Heather with a dozen copies.

"Would you two make up your fucking minds about which team you're on?" Heather demanded. She hit one of Gia's clones so hard it knocked the rest out.

"Sure," the real Gia replied. She looked at Troy.

In unison, they shouted, "Go, Go, Megaforce!"

Before Heather could figure out what to expect, they attacked in perfect sync, knocking her unconscious. It seemed like they'd won until someone else approached.

"I hear this one is important to you both," Daneena said. She had Jake in front of her like a human shield. "I suggest you surrender, Gia. Otherwise, your little boyfriend will perish!"

Anzella also revealed herself. The sadistic warrior smirked at Gia. "If you want, I will remove his male anatomy so you can keep it as a souvenir."

"Let him go, you skanky bitches!" Gia shouted.

"That's not very polite," Daneena chastised her.

"Fuck polite. If you touch him, I'll show you why the rest of the Coalition fears me!"

Gia attacked Anzella, so Daneena started to cast a spell on Jake. "Dezzahmas Melinguzz!" Gia cried, instantly shattering the spell Daneena had formed.

The Eltarian stared at Gia in shock. "Impossible! My magic is too powerful to destroy so easily!" She cried.

"When your trainers and an original Treygan and an original Yizak, you pick things up quickly," Gia replied calmly before attacking Daneena with a fierce kick to the chest.

"Gia..." Jake mumbled.

"I'm here, Jake. It's really me," she replied. She hugged him tightly as Troy watched their backs.

Heather woke up. Seeing two of her allies down, she grabbed them and opened a portal to escape.

Jake started to cry. "Nosh's dead, we lost you, and Troy broke, and I... I haven't processed any of it. I just shut down. I was so scared for you, Gia."

"I'm okay, Jake. I'm sorry it took me so long to come back." She kissed him, and suddenly, Gia knew everything would be okay.

RYGANO
He was very surprised when T'Dania showed up at his front door with a woman he did not know.

"Grandmother..." He greeted her nervously, standing in front of Levi in case she tried to attack him.

"Hello, my beloved grandson. Fear not. I am not here to harm your beloved."

He was still nervous as he asked, "Then welcome, Grandmother. Who is your guest?"

"Your aunt." T'Dania smiled brightly. "This is Wisteria, my beloved daughter I thought was lost forever. Thanks to the intervention of Sakura Ishida, I found my sweet girl and we were finally reunited."

"You never mentioned a daughter," Rygano said in confusion.

"That is because she was conceived and born while the Nozann Army held me hostage. I recently learned that the man who discovered her alive after the Rebellion's attack and sent her to safety was, in fact, a child of Zekiah Yizak... Just like my daughter."

Levi looked at the girl for a moment before asking, "She is my sister? I have only known brothers."

"She is Zekiah's daughter, born before any of his sons. I fear it is rather complicated, but your father did not force me to have his child. I blamed him for many things, including the death of my twin sister, but he was not his father. He did not revel in violating innocent women and children. Zekiah was a good man, but I came to despise him for killing my sister. I believe I was unfair to him. I cannot reunite father and daughter, but I thought introducing her to you would be a start. You are, after all, the eldest surviving son of Zekiah, and you are the beloved of my grandson."

"You've accepted us?" Rygano asked in shock.

"I see how you fight for him. I see the joy he brings you. I know of his record before his demise at his brother's hands and his subsequent enslavement to our family. We Treygans have put the poor boy through enough. Yes, Rygano, I accept your relationship." She paused. "Despite being Azzian, Levi found my daughter gravely injured and dying. He stabilized her and brought her to safety, hiding her where those who might harm her would never think to look. You did not know it, Levi Yizak, but the girl you saved was your older sister."

"Hi," Wisteria said shyly. "It's nice to meet you both. I owe you my gratitude and more, Levi."

"As Azzian, I was meant to destroy the enemies of the Treygans, but I found you... I knew you had risked your life to save innocent children. I couldn't bring myself to leave you to perish," Levi replied. "You owe me nothing... Sister."

Wisteria smiled at his words. "I look forward to finally knowing you, Brother."

"Come inside," Rygano said after a moment. He guided them into his and Levi's safe house, deciding to trust them and praying he would not regret it.

LAUREN
With Diamond joining the training sessions, Lauren had quickly progressed in mastering her Kanji. M'Telda was visibly pleased. She continued to mentor and encourage Lauren and Diamond, sometimes bringing little CJ to watch. Her granddaughter had a habit of slipping out of the time line at random, so Eloise was always nearby just in case her little one tried to escape.

Jeirmi kept to himself unless Eloise needed him or Ace came by to try and coax him into hanging out for a bit. He was a very stoic man in general, and apparently ever since the Coalition had killed his younger sister it had only gotten worse.

Lola, Imogen, and Leopold sometimes came by to help train them, and Tazzan often visited his grandson Leopold, so it wasn't odd to see him on the property as well.

Grace lived on the property, but lately she was almost always with Plurri. The Elite Counsel was now working for Anise, which kept them all pretty busy.

It was nice to have so many people around as she trained. Lauren had been hidden away from human interaction for most of her life, and she'd really been worried that would happen again as she mastered this Kanji, but M'Telda was determined to do things differently.

Currently, Diamond and Lauren were alone together. Of everyone, Lauren had grown closest to Diamond. They were together for up to thirteen hours a day, and they had bonded over their intense training sessions. Lauren found that she really enjoyed Diamond's company. It was nice to have a partner to work with, and Diamond had many interesting stories to share of their life on both Eltar and Earth. Lauren found she could listen to them talk for hours without getting bored or even realizing how much time had passed.

I used to talk to Kevin like this, Lauren thought. It was strange. It had been so hard for her to let anyone in at first, but Kevin had ultimately started to get through to her. Just when she'd become confused by what she felt for him, he'd sacrificed his life to save another. Lauren had pretty much given up on letting people in at that point. She had duties to perform, and that once again became her sole focus.

Now, however, she found herself letting Diamond in. She told them things she'd never told anyone before. She admitted how lonely and difficult her childhood had been. She spoke of the hopes and dreams she'd had as a little girl, and of everything she'd given up to master the Kanji that ultimately failed. She spoke about her feelings, and how confused she was by basic human interaction at times because she'd been raised in isolation.

"You know, it's terrible to say, but sometimes I envy my brother," Lauren admitted aloud as she found herself thinking too much.

"It's not terrible," Diamond replied with an encouraging smile. "You lived very different lives."

"I know Jayden didn't have it easy, but he had Mentor Ji. Mentor made sure that Jayden got to experience the world outside of being a Samurai sometimes. He taught him to play the guitar. He let him have a friend who wasn't part of our world at the time. He let him play games, and let him walk around in the real world. He fed him ice cream!" Lauren started laughing sadly. "Jayden's childhood wasn't normal by any means, but at least he got to be a kid sometimes. I never did. I'm happy he had that... It's just, sometimes, I really wish I'd had it, too."

She looked at Diamond for signs that they were judging her for such a terrible admission, but all she saw was compassion.

"Lauren, you should have been able to have that," Diamond said soothingly. "It's not right that you were denied such basic experiences. It's normal to be a little bit jealous in this situation." They paused. "I was jealous of my siblings for a long time. They were raised together. They had each other, and they had a father who loved them. I never had that."

"Will you ever tell them the truth?" Lauren asked.

"I probably need to... It's going to come out, and my brother and cousins should hear it from me. It's bad enough I was never able to tell my sister. It's just going to be difficult. They know me. I have been in their lives, but never as family. I don't know how they will react, and I don't want to hurt them by revealing shocking family secrets."

"You should tell them," Lauren said gently. "Family is a gift, and siblings are stronger together."

"Thanks, Lauren. I know the right thing to do, but I think I needed to hear it from someone outside of the situation."

"Of course... Shall we return to training?"

"Actually, I think I'm going to head out for the day. The sooner I get this over with, the better."

Lauren nodded. "Good luck, Diamond. I'll see you tomorrow."

Diamond gave Lauren an unexpected hug before they left. Lauren found herself smiling as the memory of their touch lingered. It was nice to have someone she felt close to besides the Samurai Rangers.

DIAMOND
They were incredibly nervous as they approached their younger brother. He was in his office looking over paperwork when they arrived.

"Diamond?" Hanry asked in surprise. His face lit up with a bright smile as he added, "How wonderful to see you! It has been a very long time." He stood up and hugged them.

"Hello, Hanry," they replied, enjoying the comfort of his embrace. "We need to talk."

"I suppose this is not a social call then. Very well. Have a seat, my dear friend."

"There is something I have kept from you, Hanry... Something I should have told you, Helene, and the others long ago."

"Alright, I'm listening. What is it?"

"My father, as you know, was of Earth. He was not a good man, and my conception was not a consensual act. He took me from my mother and made her forget I existed. I was raised on Earth among the Mystics. He was cruel to me, but they were kind. Still, I had to run away. I did not find my mother, Hanry, but I found my younger siblings. Our mother had perished in childbirth. They knew nothing of my existence, but they were happy, and I did not want to change that."

Hanry hesitated. "Diamond, what aren't you saying?" He asked.

"My younger siblings are twins. My sister has since perished, but despite being stillborn, my brother is alive and well."

He stared at them. "You are my sibling?" Hanry asked as he processed the impossible news.

"I am... Little Brother." They smiled nervously. "I didn't want to upset you by revealing our mother had suffered so much before you were born."

"You should have told me, Diamond. I have always held you very dear to my heart."

"I'm telling you now in the hopes that we can have a relationship as siblings going forward."

"This means I am not the eldest of our generation after all."

"No, that would be me. You, however, make a much better head of the family."

"Technically, the eldest surviving Yizak before we learned Levi is alive was Tazzan's father, Treygott, but given Zell's actions, Treygott wishes to have very little to do with representing the family. He barely admits he is part of it." Hanry paused thoughtfully. "I suppose your heritage explains why I was always so attached to you. I know some Eltarians were unkind to you, but I wish to formally recognize you as my family. Will you accept that?"

"I would like that, Hanry. It might be nice to finally be part of a family."

He smiled. "My granddaughter, Keilah, is meeting me for dinner with my children. Come join us."

"I'd be honored."

"I am uncertain how to introduce you... I respect your differences and adore you regardless, so I apologize if this is offensive, but what is the proper term for an aunt or uncle with no gender?"

Diamond smiled. "I actually really appreciate that you asked me that, Hanry. It shows you really do respect and accept me, not that I ever doubted it. Anyway, on Eltar, there isn't a term yet, but I like the sound of the Earth term, Auncle."

"Then Auncle Diamond you shall be," Hanry agreed. "Allow me to gather my things while we wait for Keilah to arrive. She still will not allow me to go anywhere alone."

"That's for the best. It isn't safe yet."

They made pleasant small talk as they waited for Keilah together. As they spent time with their younger brother who finally knew the truth, Diamond felt a peace they had never realized they needed.

SAKURA
After spending time with Thorn and Sage, Sakura had decided she needed to set something right. She stood now in a tomb meant to trap evil holding the ashes of the cousin she had never gotten to meet.

Katie's soul appeared when Sakura called out for her. She wasn't at peace, and she looked at Sakura in both confusion and annoyance. "What do you want?" She demanded.

"To fix another of Sage's messes," Sakura replied. "I'm your cousin, Katie. My name is Ishida Sakura."

"You're Japanese?"

"I was raised in Japan, but I found out I'm actually Korean and Native American."

"Wait... You're Adam and Casey's?"

"Thorn, Sage, and I are triplets. It's complicated, but we are. I know why you're here and what this place is. As much as I dislike Sage, I understand why she interred your ashes here. At the time, it was the only way to protect everyone. But now, there's another option."

"There is?" Katie asked. "And what is it?"

"I'm a Soul Reaper, Katie. Because of that, I have the power to cross you into the Soul Society where the likes of Jezzeff, the Witch, and even Zell can't touch you. I can perform a Konso, which cleanses your soul and resets your memories. You could start fresh."

"Why would you do that for me?"

"Because I know someone who really wishes you could have been saved, and I think you deserve a chance to get things right."

"Who? Is it my dad? Is he okay?"

"Your dad is safe, Katie. He's very protected. But no, he isn't the one I was talking about. Tommy and Thorn really wanted you to be saved, but this person isn't related to you. He tried to believe the best in you even though he was a victim of the worst. And he's become my friend. I like him because he never lost his sense of sarcasm and humor, even in death."

Katie paused. "Mike..." She whispered.

"Yes. Mike has become a Soul Reaper. No one knows that, but I'm telling you because once I perform the Konso, you will forget."

"I killed him. He can't possibly want me to cross into his realm."

"He wants you to find peace, Katie. He still believes there is good buried deep inside of you. I think he's right, and you deserve a chance to prove it."

Katie considered this. "Mike still believes in me?"

"He does. He's a good soul, Katie. And if granting you peace brings him and Thorn peace, that's reason enough for me to try."

"Sakura..."

"Yes?"

"Tell Thorn I forgive him."

"Do you mean that?"

"I killed Mike and Ji... I broke Jayden, who I genuinely loved... Zell had me all screwed up in the head. But if I killed Kenny... That would have been so much worse. I protected Kenny from bullies for years, and then I tried to murder him. Thorn did the right thing when he stopped me, and I know it was hard for him. So yes, I forgive him. I forgave him as soon as my mind cleared enough to think straight."

"Then I'll tell him that."

"And Mike... Tell Mike I'm sorry. He was the only one who stuck by me when I broke up with Jayden. He deserved so much better... I hate that I killed him."

"I'll pass it along. Anything else?"

"Just... Tell my dad I love him? And that I'm sorry for being such an asshole."

"You've got it. Are you ready?"

"I'm ready."

Sakura used her Zanpakuto to perform the Konso. Katie's expression turned peaceful as she whispered, "Thank you." Then, she vanished.

Knowing Katie's ashes no longer had any tie to her soul, Sakura decided to remove the urn from the tomb. "Tommy should have the option to keep these or move them somewhere he can visit," she decided aloud.

She left the tomb and headed to Tommy's house, but before she could get there, she ran into trouble.

"You have taken something I intended to make mine," Jezzeff said as he stepped out of the shadows.

Knowing Jezzeff had recently paid Ichigo's little sisters a visit, Sakura was in no mood to humor him. She attacked him immediately, but he seemed to be expecting that, and he dodged the blow. She used magic to send Katie's ashes into a pocket realm until she could retrieve them.

Coalition members seemed to emerge from thin air, surrounding them. "Too scared to face me alone?" Sakura quipped. Members of the Guild also joined them.

"Hardly," Jezzeff replied. "I simply know that where one Power Ranger goes, the rest are not far behind."

As the Coalition began to attack her, Sakura fought back. She was holding her own, but more kept coming. She knew she needed backup.

"Alphas, send my team to my location!" Sakura said. "I've got Jezzeff, the Guild, and the Coalition after me."

"Ay-yi-yi!" Twenty-Six replied. "We read you loud and clear, Sakura. Help is on the way!"

Moments later, the rest of the Justice Fury Rangers appeared. Ichigo immediately zeroed in on Jezzeff, pulling out his Zanpakuto for what would surely be a hell of a sword fight. Uryu fired Reishi arrows at anyone who appeared to be a big threat. He'd found a way to tweak them to harm certain types of living people so they could be effective in their Ranger battles. Chad began physically fighting the Coalition members, calling forth the power in his arms. Rukia and Orihime focused on protecting the other members of the team, with Orihime deflecting attacks with her powers and Rukia focusing on using Kido.

Toshiro reached Sakura's side as one of the Coalition members tried to impale her while she focused on another. He froze the man as he glared at him.

"Thanks," Sakura said as she used a fire attack on the woman coming up behind Toshiro.

"Same to you," he replied.

"Ichigo!" Orihime cried as Sezzon hit him with a spell that left him severely wounded and bleeding on the floor.

"Orihime, can you reach him?" Sakura asked. "Toshiro and I will cover you. Try to heal him."

"Of course," Orihime replied. They began making their way toward Ichigo, but Uryu stopped them.

"Wait," he said. "Look at him."

"His hollow is coming out," Sakura realized as Ichigo began laughing maniacally. Sometimes, if Ichigo was wounded enough, he lost control of his hollow side. The hollow was nearly unstoppable, but it was dangerous to let him out because he'd go on a killing rampage if left unchecked.

As he began slaughtering the nearest Coalition members, the hollow continued to laugh. "This is fun," he decided.

"We need to stop him," Toshiro said. "The damage he'll do outweighs the good."

"White!" Sakura called, addressing the hollow by his name. "Go left!"

White smirked at her before doing exactly as she'd instructed. He took down a good chunk of the Coalition while Sakura followed behind him, catching the ones he'd missed before they could flee.

"What is happening?" Jezzeff demanded.

"It appears that particular Power Ranger has another state in which he becomes a much darker entity," Sezzon replied.

"I thought you said you researched them, Sezzon!" Jezzeff snapped.

"I did. I underestimated his power. I was certain my spell would debilitate him."

"Your arrogance will be your downfall," Rukia declared as she gracefully landed in front of them. "Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" She used the Zanpakuto attack expertly, and Sakura watched in mild amusement as Sezzon and Jezzeff both froze in place, encased in ice.

"Oh shit..." Zutan mumbled.

Sakura knew Zutan was undercover and not actually evil, but she couldn't risk blowing his secret, so she sent a mild fire attack at him and hoped he'd be able to dodge it.

Zutan wrapped a funnel of air around himself and rose into the sky before the attack could harm him. "We need to get out of here," he shouted.

The others seemed to agree. The Coalition members began to flee. Zutan and the rest of the Guild followed. Jezzeff and Sezzon remained frozen in ice.

Ichigo pulled off his hollow mask and returned to normal. He shook his head. "You're the only one the hollow listens to," he said to Sakura.

"White likes me," Sakura replied with a laugh.

"Should we shatter Jezzeff and Sezzon?" Uryu asked.

"I'm in," Chad replied.

"I don't think it will do much," Toshiro said. "Jezzeff would reform, and Sezzon has several tricks up his sleeve. He would most likely survive."

Ichigo slashed the ice with his Zanpakuto as he yelled, "Bankai!" It shattered, and so did the people encased inside.

"Ichigo, as Toshiro just pointed out, that won't kill them," Rukia said.

"No," Ichigo replied, "but I bet it still hurt like hell."

"Jezzeff deserved that," Sakura said, understanding Ichigo was still furious about what happened with his sisters.

Some of the pieces of the frozen Eltarians began to rapidly reform. They were still frozen, but as Jezzeff's body appeared, it suddenly turned to fire.

"How is he doing that?" Orihime asked.

"The powers of the Kwan line," Sakura replied. "Brian can turn his body into flames."

Jezzeff emerged as the ice melted away. "Bankai!" Sakura shouted. Jezzeff was still on fire, but her Zanpakuto was fire based and might cancel out his attacks. As her Bankai took its form, Jezzeff fled in what was probably a PTSD-induced panic attack caused by the night the Soul Reapers had repeatedly taken turns using their Bankais on him.

"Nice," Toshiro said with approval.

"What do we do with Sezzon?" Uryu asked.

"Leave him for now," Sakura replied. "I sense he's still alive, but it will take him a little time to fix the damage Rukia and Ichigo did to him. Let's get out of here. I have to return my cousin's ashes to my uncle."

"I'll go with you," Toshiro offered. "Everyone else can head home."

They didn't protest. As they had the Alphas teleport them away, Toshiro turned to Sakura. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," Sakura replied. "I didn't know Katie in life, but I think she learned something in death. I sent her to the Soul Society. She'll get to start over without the burden of her past dragging her down. I'm hoping she'll make better choices this time."

"You have started acknowledging your birth family as your blood."

"There's power in family, and Thorn needs me. Besides, my dad's not so bad. I actually really like him."

"I'm glad you're starting to heal this part of yourself, Sakura." He squeezed her hand. "I'm proud of you."

She smiled. "Thanks. Now, if I can successfully learn to tolerate Sage, you can be really proud."

She retrieved the urn from the pocket realm and started heading toward Tommy's house. She was relieved to have Toshiro by her side, because she wasn't sure she was ready to fully embrace her birth family on her own yet.

As soon as Tommy saw the urn, he panicked. "What's going on?" He asked.

"It's okay," Sakura reassured him. "I cleansed Katie's soul, Tommy. She is in the Soul Society now, where she can get a new start... But before she moved on, she asked me to tell you something."

He visibly braced himself. "What was it?"

"She said to tell you she's sorry for being such an asshole... And that she loves you."

Tommy started to cry. He cautiously took the urn into his arms and held it. "I love you, too, Punk," he said softly.

"She's going to be okay now, Tommy," Sakura said gently. "Are you?"

"Knowing she is, yes... Eventually, anyway." He paused. "Thank you, Sakura... For the message, and for bringing her home to me."

Behind his grief, Tommy held a bit of peace in his eyes, and Sakura knew she had done the right thing.