AUTHOR'S NOTE: The past Laby is about to face in this chapter ties directly into the one-shot in Tales from the Rebellion called Ruthless (chapter 31). Check it out for the full story. It's going to play a big role in this fic, but as always, I'll explain anything you need to know to understand this fic. If you like Laby, I do recommend it (if you can handle broken Feels, because OMG, my heart still hurts after writing it) because unlike most of the Rebel stories where Laby is featured but not the main character, that one-shot is mainly about him. Alright, onto the next chapter!

CHAPTER FOUR
ANISE
She'd pulled everything together fairly quickly. Anise entered the safe house and found the kids, Karone, and Bridge sitting around looking a little bored.

"I promise things are about to get interesting," she said.

"Welcome back," Bridge replied cheerfully.

"Thanks, Bridge. Okay, so the reason I asked the kids to stay is that I had an idea... And the Universe decided to allow it."

"That's a bit cryptic," Karone said.

"The six of you worked incredibly well together, like it was destined... Only it wasn't. In the current timeline, there was no reason for you to come together. I'm going to throw a wrench into that timeline."

"Yes!" Briar cheered. She immediately blushed at her own outburst. "Sorry, it's just... This is where I was hoping you'd go with it."

"Briar, I hope you understand that-"

"I'm too young. I know. It's okay. I have my own part to play. Go on, Anise."

Anise nodded. "Fighting people who are manipulating the timeline requires that we change things, too, in ways they can't see coming. I think you're the perfect group for that."

"Anise... With all due respect..." Karone said nervously.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to protect them, Karone. I promise," Anise replied.

"Protect us from what, Prime Minister?" Edmund asked politely, clearly trying to contain his curiosity.

"From the danger I'm about to ask you all to put yourselves in," Anise replied. She pulled out a wooden box. An hour glass was carved on the outside. She opened it to reveal six different morphers.

"Watches?" Ella asked.

"Oooh, yay! Bling!" Kenji joked.

"They're not just watched," Anise clarified. "These six time pieces are actually morphers. You're about to become Power Rangers."

"Wait... We can't stay here," Pax protested.

"Pax, Carissa, I promise when this is over, you'll return at the exact point you left, along with Briar... But you're here for a reason. I think this is it."

"Pax, she's right," Carissa said. "We made a conscious choice to change things when we helped save Karlton and Pasha. We have to see this through to the end."

Pax sighed, but he stopped protesting.

"Your team is called the Tempus Rangers," Anise continued. "You will do all of your training outside of the timeline. I have to find you guys a mentor. I can't ask Jeirmi... He's still grieving his sister, and he needs Eloise with him, but there are others who are good at traveling through the timeline. Leopold, maybe... I'm still working on that, so for now, I'll look after you guys myself. Now... Follow me. Bridge, Karone, you can come, too. You're the only outsiders who are allowed to witness this." Anise opened up the timeline and held it so everyone could follow her through.

"Wow..." Bridge said as he took it all in.

"I know it's a little overwhelming at first. Just stay here. If you move too far, I'll lose my grip on you and you'll be lost in time."

"That doesn't sound scary or horrible at all," Karone mumbled.

Anise handed Ella the wristwatch with the red band. It had a crescent moon drawn on the center of the clock's face and the traditional hands of a clock ticked away.

"It's beautiful," Ella admitted as she placed it around her wrist.

"Ella, you showed incredible leadership skills yesterday. I am certain you'll make an amazing Red Ranger," Anise said.

"You mean I'm not Pink like my mother?" Ella asked in surprise.

"You are your mother's daughter, Ella... But you're also your father's. Leo was a courageous team leader. I know you'll be the same."

Karone had tears in her eyes as she looked at her daughter with pride. "You can do this, Gabriella," she said. "Your father would be so proud of you."

Ella was clearly trying not to become emotional at those words. "How does it work?" She asked.

"It's simple enough... Press the face of the timepiece and say, 'Tempus Force, Red! Ha!' That's it," Anise said, showing her the exact motions her body would need to make to activate her morph.

"Alright... Tempus Force, Red! Ha!" Ella mimicked her motions. Suddenly, a red suit appeared on her body. There was an hour glass at the center of her chest. The shield over the helmet's eyes was shaped like an infinity symbol. Anise admired the suit, proud of the design, before she moved on.

"Pax," she said. "You are brilliant and very mature. You remind me so much of your father, who shall remain nameless for now. That said..." She handed him the pocket watch. It had a blue face. A bunch of stars were etched onto the back.

Pax nodded, tracing the stars with his thumb before taking a deep breath. He pressed on the pocket watch's face before saying, "Tempus Force, Blue! Ha!" His suit was identical to Ella's except it was in the shade of blue that served as the official color of Eltar.

Anise smiled, proud of the nephew she'd only just met. She turned toward his twin, pulling out a locket that housed a timepiece. She handed it to Carissa.

Carissa opened the locket and admired the details. The face was purple. The outside of the locket had a sun etched onto it.

"Carissa, you are full of magic and are an eternal dreamer. I think Purple will suit you well," Anise said.

"It's my favorite color," Carissa admitted. She pressed on the face of the timepiece. "Tempus Force, Purple! Ha!" She cried before transforming into the Purple suit.

Anise moved on to Edmund. "Brave Sir Edmund... You are exactly like your father. You were born to be a Power Ranger," she said. "We don't have a Gold Ranger on this team, but the fearless nature you possess would make you an ideal Yellow Ranger." She handed him a yellow sundial on a matching yellow wristband.

"I shall do my duty with honor," Edmund replied humbly. He put on the sundial, pressing on the face. "Tempus Force, Yellow! Ha!" He morphed into the Yellow suit. "Extraordinary..." He said softly.

"Libby... I know you've been through a horrible shock, but you showed the strength of your heart and made the right choice despite your mother," Anise said. "You have the pure heart of a Pink Ranger."

Libby took the necklace Anise handed to her. It was an hour glass which housed pink sand. "Thank you for believing in me," Libby replied softly as she flipped the hour glass over and let the sand fall for a moment. She squeezed the hour glass. "Tempus Force, Pink! Ha!" She transformed into the Pink suit.

Finally, Anise turned to Kenji. "Kenji, you think outside of the box, much like your father," Anise began. "You proved you are brave and clever today, and you adapted to a crazy situation incredibly well. You're going to make an amazing Green Ranger."

"Aw, baby's first Ranger color!" Bridge said, wiping away a tear of pride. "I started off Green, too," he added.

Kenji grinned. "Awesome! Let's do this!" He said enthusiastically. He took the wristwatch with the dark green band. The face was also dark green, and the digital numbers bearing the time appeared in a lighter shade of green. "Tempus Force, Green! Ha!" He cried with joy as he morphed into the Green suit.

Anise smiled. "Perfect," she decided.

"Now what happens?" Ella asked.

"Now, we practice for a bit. I'm going to get you guys used to being outside of time, and I'll teach you some physical combat. This way, when I find your mentor, I can tell him or her where you stand and what you need to work on. Karone, Bridge, I'd love it if you guys would help me train them for now."

"I'm in," Bridge replied.

"Me, too," Karone agreed.

With that, Anise began the first ever training session for her Tempus Force Power Rangers. This will work, she told herself, but she had a feeling something terrible was coming very soon.

LEX
Training with Tazzan had been tough. Training with Tazzan and Dulcea was on a whole other level. She was fierce and didn't coddle anyone. As she worked with the various teams of Power Rangers and tried to prepare them to handle the inevitable fight against Ninjor and, more than likely, Ivan Ooze, the first thing they learned about Dulcea was that she had no patience for sarcasm or snark and was quick to put anyone that talked back or goofed off on their asses. Despite this, Lex kind of liked her. Her no-nonsense attitude might be just what the Power Rangers needed.

He was walking home when he sensed a change in the air. Super, Lex thought. What now?

An arrow shot past his head, but it wasn't aiming for him. Instead, Lex heard someone cry out in pain. A body fell beside him.

Lex stared at the Huntress as she watched him. "Are you going to shoot me?" He challenged her.

"That would be a waste of a perfectly good arrow," she replied. "It can't kill you, and it's not time to hurt you yet. Don't worry. Your turn will come soon." She smirked before vanishing.

Lex knelt beside the perfectly still form on the ground. Gently, he flipped the person over. He didn't recognize him, but he still tried to save his life. The man looked human, but Lex sensed magic hiding the Eltarian blood in his veins. He clearly had one parent from Earth, but another was definitely Eltarian. His energy was muted but Lex could still sense his power.

"It's no use," Lex said sadly. "He was dead the second the arrow met his heart." He was pretty sure the man had bled to death almost immediately.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Grandpa!"

Lex recognized the voice. He looked up and saw Luke and Lucy Scott, Jason's twins. Luke had spoken, and he covered his mouth in horror now.

Lucy moved closer to the body until everyone's favorite lawyer, Sellie Klein, stopped her. "Stay back, sweetie," she said. Sellie was Lucy's legal guardian. In the last year, Lucy had started getting closer to Jason and her brothers, but her life had been complicated before their reunion and there was still occasionally some tension between her and Jason.

"Luke... This was your grandfather?" Lex asked gently.

"Yes," Luke replied. "I... I didn't even know he was in town. He was probably planning to surprise us."

"I'm sorry, Kiddo," Lex said sympathetically. He hid the body with a labyrinth. That made Lucy smile. Now that she'd finally learned not to fear magic, she was kind of obsessed with all the different types there were. The more rare a magical gift, the more it excited her.

"Was that... Was that an arrow?" Luke asked.

"The Huntress?" Sellie guessed.

"Yeah. I thought she was here for me, but apparently not. I don't get it... Why would she target Luke's grandfather?" Lex asked. He left Lucy out of it. He'd learned the girl only acknowledged family once she decided to accept them.

"Martin Brent was Becky's father," Sellie explained softly, watching Luke to make sure he wasn't going to snap. "He's a Yizak, but I was pretty sure the majority of the Eltarians weren't aware of that. Martin had no idea where he came from."

"What's his tie to the Yizak line?"

"He was Zell's grandson... Anise's son."

"Oh shit," Lex mumbled as his eyes went wide with shock. Lucy giggled.

"Oh shit indeed," Sellie echoed. "I think the Huntress just started World War Three."

"I... I need to tell my dad. And... And Ollie," Luke said. He rapidly began rattling off a To Do list.

"Luke, honey, breathe," Sellie said gently.

Lucy stopped giggling and hugged her twin tightly. "I'm sorry you're hurting, Lukey," she said. He hugged her back, no longer rambling but clearly in shock.

"Call Jason," Lex said. "I'll call my dad and ask him to contact Anise."

"You could go through Tazzan," Sellie pointed out.

"Tell Tazzan another Yizak was murdered? No thanks. I don't feel like facing his wrath for delivering that message."

"Fair enough. Come on, Kids. We're going to go back home until your dad can get there."

Luke was too numb to argue and Lucy was too worried about him to protest. When Sellie and the kids were gone, Lex called his father.

He became concerned when Laby didn't pick up. After ensuring his labyrinth would hold and Martin's body was safe and remained hidden, Lex headed home.

Three labyrinths surrounded the house. "What the hell?" Lex wondered. "Dad! What's going on?" He asked. When he received no answer, he began to work his way through the labyrinths, but he knew it would take him a while to get by all three. His father's magic was millennia old and his labyrinths were significantly stronger than Lex's. He had his work cut out for him.

"Shit," he mumbled. "I guess I'm calling Tazzan after all."

His dad obviously needed him, but Anise had a right to know her son had been murdered. He needed to ensure word reached her sooner rather than later, before the Coalition proudly flaunted their latest victory in her face.

"What is it, Lyle?" Tazzan demanded as he arrived minutes later.

Lex cringed. "For the millionth time, Tazzan, no one calls me that," he protested.

"Be glad I bothered to learn your name at all, Lyle Lexington. I could have given the bunch of you numbers and been done with it."

"Look, there's no time for this... My dad's locked himself in a bunch of labyrinths. I need to help him. You need to know something and it's going to piss you off, but what else is new?"

"Out with it."

"Martin Brent is dead. The Huntress killed him."

"Who?"

"He was Anise's son."

Now, Tazzan seemed to understand. His face turned even angrier than usual. He vanished without a word.

"You're welcome," Lex mumbled. Still, he'd done his part. He shifted his focus to trying to reach his father.

LABY
His mind was at war with itself. After nudging his memories so he could recover everything he'd known about the Boys, his head was killing him. It was like something else had shifted, something he hadn't realized was there.

Flashes hit him, but they went too quickly for him to understand them. He saw London. He caught glimpses of Nigel and his Chapter of Rebels, as well as Andru Treygan and the Scottish Chapter. He saw Nigel's stoic younger brother, Rez, smiling and laughing...

That's not right, Laby thought. Rez doesn't do that. He's all business all the time.

He couldn't blame him. Rez had survived the horrific attack that destroyed Eltar's Eighth District. He had plenty of reasons to suffer from PTSD. Still, the happy images in Laby's mind seemed so real. He was positive he'd seen them before.

A girl looked at him from a garden, her eyes full of mischief beneath a proper British exterior. The sight of her made Laby's chest ache. He realized she was the source of Rez's joy. He also realized she reminded him of Serafine.

Miss Jeanie... Rez's voice said in the distance.

"Jeanie..." Laby repeated aloud. And then, it hit him like a speeding bus. "Jean Marie Mills... Jeanie!"

The grief was overwhelming. He couldn't remember everything, but the emotions were there. You gave yourself up to a demon to save her and she still died, his mind taunted him. And so did he.

Laby saw a flash of a handsome boy leaning against a fence and smirking at him, his arms crossed over his chest.

Peony for your thoughts, Laby? He asked, offering Laby a peony from the garden.

"Ben..." Laby whispered. That was when he began to hyperventilate. "Ben... My God, Ben... I f-forgot... I m-made myself forget..."

He sank to his hands and knees, too overwhelmed to function. Ben... Jeanie, he thought. He'd begged Trerry to make him forget them. He couldn't live with his failure, or his crippling grief, or the knowledge that...

"Garron..." Laby mumbled. "That son of a bitch! I'm going to kill him!"

Of course, he couldn't kill Garron. Technically, Garron wasn't alive. Sakura, the Soul Reaper who'd resurrected Elgan, had created a gigai for Garron to inhabit. It was a temporary form that allowed others to interact with him, but the Soul Society had control over it. If Garron stepped out of line, they'd destroy the gigai and send him back to the Afterlife where he belonged.

"That motherfucker," Laby said. Garron had known the twins were going to die. He hadn't warned Laby and the others. He'd written them off as unfortunate but necessary casualties. He hadn't considered how much losing them might break Laby.

I failed them, he thought. I failed Jeanie, even though I traded myself to a fucking demon to try and save her... She still died. And Ben... Ben...

He wanted to scream. Ben had been terribly human, but he made Laby laugh, and he was handsome and kind and surprisingly understood Laby better than anyone had in far too long. Laby had broken every rule of the Rebellion and fallen in love with his mark, blowing his own cover and telling him the truth.

And it got him and Jeanie killed, he thought. Why didn't I just lock him in a labyrinth like I wanted to? He would have been safe.

He'd known he'd lose Ben to old age entirely too soon, but that still would have given them decades together. Instead, after mere months, Ben had been killed by his own father, and Jeanie had followed shortly after.

Killed by their father... Just like Jaybert killed Tiffani, Laby thought as fresh pain overwhelmed him. Man, I have the worst luck with potential in-laws...

He couldn't breathe. He hadn't felt grief this severe in ages. He wanted a drink, but he refused to manifest liquor in his labyrinth. He hadn't meant to lock himself in one, but it was soothing. He sensed at least two more had wrapped around the one he was in. His emotions were making him lose control of his powers.

Laby knew he needed to function, but his heart hurt too much. It was almost like it was all happening again.

Peony for your thoughts? Ben asked again.

"I m-miss you, B-Ben..." Laby said softly. "I'm s-sorry."

A single peony bloomed beside him. Laby was confused, but he supposed his subconscious had created it to comfort him. After all, he controlled everything in his labyrinths, even if he didn't do it consciously.

As Lex finally broke through the last labyrinth, Laby's strength shattered. He started crying. His very confused son hugged him.

"Dad... Dad, what is it? What's wrong?" Lex asked. "Did something happen? Are Darcy, Greg, and Andie okay? Is it Stone? Or the Sisters? Or Rhanna?" He was starting to list every person Laby was still close to. Before he could get to Captain Smith or Raffitty, Laby stopped him.

"Everyone's fine," he said. "I just remembered something I asked Trerry to block from me. I'll be okay."

"That's a lie. Talk to me, Dad."

"I'm the parent. I'm supposed to take care of you."

"I'm immortally sixteen, you're fifteen. I win. Talk to me."

"It's complicated, Lex. I... I l-l-lost someone. I d-didn't handle it well."

"Who was it?"

"I can't, Lex. Not yet."

"Alright... How can I help?"

"You already helped, Kiddo," Laby replied. "Thanks for coming in after me."

"It wasn't easy."

"I know... Sorry about that."

"It's okay, Dad. I'm just worried about you."

Laby felt guilty. He loved Lex. He hadn't known about him, but his mother had been a close friend of his. After finally reuniting with his son, Laby had struggled to figure out how he was supposed to be a parent. Mostly, he protected Lex and tried to be a friend to him, but he was afraid to let the kid in too much. He lost everyone eventually. Lex was immortal, but not as immortal as Laby. In theory, he could still die, and that terrified Laby. It was why he'd always avoided even the idea of having kids. He couldn't handle knowing he'd inevitably lose them one day.

He knew he had to function. He also knew he had to face the past. When Lex finally decided he was calm enough to be left alone, Laby began to prepare to take a trip.

He picked up his communication stone. The Rebellion might be disbanded, but the spelled stones still worked. He tapped it twice before saying, "Nigel!"

The British Rebel smiled at him pleasantly. "Hello, Laby. It's so nice to hear from you," Nigel said politely.

"I remember, Nigel," Laby replied.

Nigel, to his credit, understood immediately. "Oh, Laby... How can I help?"

"I need to come see you guys... After making a stop. Is that okay?"

"You shall always be welcome in our home, Laby. I look forward to seeing you."

"Thanks, Nigel. I'll be in touch." Laby ended the communication.

With that, he headed out of the house. He found his target about ten minutes later.

Garron greeted him with a pleasant smile. "Hello, Laby," he said. "To what do I owe the visit?"

Laby couldn't stop himself from sucker punching Garron in the gut. This made him double over. Laby went for his groin and felt mild satisfaction when Garron cried out in pain. Apparently, it still hurt if you kicked a gigai in the nuts.

"Laby... Laby, what's wrong?" Garron managed to ask.

"I remember, you son of a bitch," Laby replied.

"Remember what?" Garron demanded as he narrowly avoided another strike from Laby.

"London. 1912. The full story."

Garron hesitated. "Laby... That was a long time ago," he said softly.

"And I hated you so much for it, I quit the Rebellion... But you guilt-tripped me by using my parents and their dream, so I made Trerry hide my memories... It was the only way I could keep working with you and still live with myself." He shook his head. "They mattered, Garron. Ben and Jeanie mattered."

"I know they did... I was all business back then, Laby. I did not see them as people, just pawns in a much bigger game."

"And me?" Laby asked. "Was I just another chess piece? Because you never considered what losing them would do to me."

"Laby, I'm-"

"Don't you dare say you're sorry, Garron. It's a lie."

"If it makes you feel any better, Trerry locked me in his mind torturing me with my worst memories for a week and a half in your defense."

Good old Trerry, Laby thought. That's a real friend.

Aloud, he said, "You deserved it."

"I know I did... I regret many choices I made while I was alive, Laby. Listening to Zydia and gunning down school children is at the top of that list. That mission in London is also one of the things I regret. Even if I viewed it as necessary, involving you and not preparing you for the inevitable was cruel."

"If the Rebellion hadn't been disbanded, I'd quit again," Laby said. "Since I can't do that... Stay out of my life, Garron. I never want to speak to you again. I know Sakura brought you back to give you a second chance, but you don't deserve it. She should have brought your first incarnation back instead. At least Tezzos had honor."

"Laby, please let me make up for my actions. Give me another chance."

"You've had enough chances. Rot in hell, Garron of Eltar." With that, Laby turned his back on Garron and walked away, refusing to look back.

ANISE
Her grief was extreme. Anise had sent her son away to protect him. After she'd discovered where he was, she'd taken time to train his grandchildren, Luke and Lucy, and she'd gotten to know his daughter Becky's other sons, but she hadn't approached Martin. She'd never told him the truth because she didn't want her father or anyone else to target him, and now, the Huntress had assassinated him. She couldn't process that.

After thanking Tazzan for telling her the news, she'd stepped outside of the timeline. That was the only place where she felt safe enough to break down and weep for the son she'd never get to know.

It surprised her when her father joined her. "Anise..." He said softly.

She looked up at him. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Tazzan came to me."

"Seriously? He hates you."

"He does... However, he cares deeply for you, and he felt you needed your father. He put his emotions aside very briefly to tell me what happened and that I should go to you. Then he stormed off in typical Tazzan fashion."

Anise laughed slightly. "I'm kind of touched he cared enough to do that," she admitted.

"I am so sorry for your pain, my dear daughter... Is there any way I can help you?"

"I don't know," Anise admitted. "I gave him away to keep him safe... But once you killed his daughter... I should have reached out to him. And I know I should hate you for killing Becky, especially in front of her kids, but right now, I'm too tired to hate anyone... And Tazzan's right. I need one of my parents, and I can't put this on Andie. She's seventeen. It's not fair to her. So I guess I'm stuck with you."

He didn't look as offended as she'd expected. "I regret killing Rebecca," he said softly. "I fear her fate was sealed because Ollie had to follow the path of the Chosen, however, I despise myself for it. After all, the girl was my great-granddaughter... My kin. And more than that, she was innocent."

"I made a mistake not going to my son," Anise said. Suddenly, something occurred to her. "So I should fix it! If I just warn him, he'll at least stand a chance... And I can finally meet him as an adult."

"Anise-"

"It wasn't that long ago. It's an easy enough jump."

Her father looked at her with sympathetic eyes. "Anise, my dear... Please do not make my mistakes."

She hesitated. "He's my son," she said.

"I know, just as I know how powerful your grief is. Sometimes, we cannot change the fate of those we love. I stuck Eltar in an endless loop of one day trying to save my precious Oralee and in the end, it was not enough. As painful as it is, I know she was meant to perish, and trying to save her only prolonged her suffering. Do not damn your son to an endless cycle of dying, Anise. Grieve him. Do what you must... But trying to alter time will only cause further harm to him and to you. You made your choice in the past, but perhaps you can make a different choice with his children. Other than Rebecca, they still live. Perhaps it is time you meet them. That is the best way to honor your son... Protect his loved ones. Please, my dear... Be better than I am."

Anise was stunned. "You have changed," she said softly.

"I learned these lessons the hardest way I could. I want to spare you that path," he replied.

Suddenly, Anise knew what she needed to do. "I started a new team of Power Rangers," she said.

The subject change clearly confused him. "I see..." He replied.

"They're going to train outside of the timeline."

"How unique. I suppose it's the best way to surprise Jezzeff and the Witch."

"They need a mentor."

"Senator Leopold would be an excellent candidate."

"Leopold's good... But no one knows how to exist outside of the timeline like you do."

"I suppose I could offer him a few tips."

"Dad... I want you to be their mentor."

"Me? Anise, are you mad? No one will accept that."

"Very few people will know."

"I am unfit to mentor Power Rangers."

"You mentored the Chosen."

"I betrayed the Chosen."

"You won't do that this time. I trust you."

"Anise, I am honored you trust me, but this is illogical."

"Look... You were the best mentor on Eltar back in the day. You excelled at nurturing kids who were new to their magic and enhancing the powers of those who had a better foundation."

"Yes, generally so I could use those powers to my benefit."

"The point is, you were really good at it. You also enjoyed it even when there was nothing for you to gain from it, no matter what you claim. You were born to mentor kids, Dad. And, no offense, but Mom is right. You're emo. You need a sense of purpose. Getting you out of the house to play mentor would be a pretty good start."

"This is madness."

"Exactly. No one would think I'd ask you to do this, but you're actually the best man for the job. It's perfect and no one will see it coming."

He sighed. "You're not going to let this go, are you? How do you know I won't betray you or alter the timeline in negative ways?"

"Because you just talked me out of doing exactly what you would have done a year ago. That's enough proof for me. Come on, Dad. Isn't it time you found a new purpose in life besides moping and living in seclusion?"

"Alright, Anise," he agreed. "For you, I will try to make this work."

"Great. I'll introduce you to them tomorrow. As for tonight..."

"Tonight, we shall grieve together, my daughter," he said. He opened up his arms. Anise willingly moved into them, allowing herself to cry as she accepted that she couldn't change Martin's fate.

OLLIE
Emotions were hard for Ollie sometimes. He'd been strong for his brothers as Sellie broke the news of their grandfather's death to them. His father had been devastated... So much so that he'd called Rocky and gone to an NA/AA meeting, leaving Ollie in charge of his little brothers.

Luke had only allowed himself to cry after Robby and Vinny went to bed. Ollie had held him and comforted him until he'd cried himself to sleep.

After their father came home, calmer and ready to be there for them, Ollie had snuck out of the house. He was wandering the streets alone, trying to get his head on straight. He wasn't even sure what to feel.

He sensed someone watching him and spun around, ready to fight.

"Be calm, Young Warrior," Dulcea said soothingly. "I was simply concerned for you. It is rather late, and you are rather young."

"I'm old enough," Ollie replied.

"What troubles you, Oliver?" She asked.

"My grandfather was assassinated today," he replied numbly. It seemed pointless to lie about it. "The Coalition somehow found out he had Yizak blood, even though very few people are supposed to know that. The Huntress shot him... He didn't even know he was half-Eltarian. We never told him after... After my mom died."

She softened. "I'm sorry for your losses, Oliver. Perhaps you can draw strength from your grief."

"Been there, done that. That's how the Chosen roll. We suffer and it makes us stronger."

"I believe you can find peace, my young friend. But first, you must allow yourself to feel."

"There's no time for me to break, Dulcea. I'm the leader of the Chosen. They need me to be strong, and so do my brothers, and my dad, and-"

"Slow down... You are strong, Oliver Zachary Scott. You have already proven that. Grieving does not make you weak. Being able to process your emotions properly will only make you a stronger warrior. Do you understand?"

"I guess so."

"Come with me." She led him away, not giving him a choice. Soon, Ollie found himself in what was clearly a sacred space.

Dulcea lit a fire. "Embrace your emotions, Oliver... Be they sorrow, rage, or other," she said. "Watch the flames dance and release those emotions as you see them form in the fire."

He was skeptical, but Ollie tried to do as she asked. Soon enough, his thoughts took on a physical form. He watched them and felt them flow through him. He began to understand what they meant.

"He's dead," Ollie whispered. "Just like my mom... Killed because of a bloodline he knew nothing about. It isn't fair!"

"Go on, Oliver," Dulcea encouraged him. She put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"It never stops. Even when we had a break, we knew they'd be back... All they do is destroy, and we keep fighting. We have to. We stay strong, no matter how much things suck, and we don't give up. And I'm okay with that. I really am... But my dad's first reaction was he wanted to get drunk. He didn't do it. He reached out for help and went to a meeting, but it was still his first impulse. So what happened? I had to pick up the pieces and take care of my brothers... But who the hell is supposed to pick up my broken pieces?!"

Dulcea made soothing sounds as she kept the fire going.

"It's always, 'Be strong, Ollie... Your brothers need you, Ollie... Your dad needs you, Ollie... The Chosen need you, Ollie... The world needs you, Ollie...' Well what if I need someone just this once?" He shook his head before shouting, "He was my grandfather, too!"

"Let this out, Oliver. You have a right to your pain," Dulcea said soothingly. "Feel it and release it."

Ollie let out a scream of grief. It seemed to fuel the fire. After a minute, the flames began to die down as Ollie struggled to catch his breath. Finally, the fire went out.

"Do you feel better?" Dulcea asked gently.

"Actually... Yes," Ollie admitted. "Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me. I am here to help all of you." She smiled at him kindly.

Suddenly, a commotion came from nearby. Ollie and Dulcea exchanged a glance.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Trouble, no doubt," Dulcea replied. "You have been through a trauma tonight, Oliver. I understand if you need to sit this fight out. It does not make you weak or any less honorable."

"No," Ollie replied. "I'm okay, Dulcea. Let's do this."

She nodded, looking pleased with his choice. They headed toward the source of the noise. Ollie's eyes went wide as he spotted Ninjor standing over a motionless body in a cloak. Several creatures surrounded him.

"Tengas?" Ollie whispered aloud.

"I fear not," Dulcea replied. "Those are Tengus, which means Ivan Ooze sent them here."

Ollie looked at the motionless figure as Ninjor raised a ritual sword into the air. Without stopping to overthink it, Ollie summoned his sword and ran toward Ninjor, keeping what would have surely been a fatal blow from connecting with the figure.

He looked closer and realized who was on the ground. "Keeper..." He mumbled. The mentor of the Dino Charge team was still breathing, but he was unconscious and didn't look like he was doing very well. "Dulcea!" He called.

"I shall alert his team," Dulcea promised. She did this before she began dueling against the Tengus. Ninjor focused on Ollie.

"I'll sever your tie to the Morphin' Grid, Little Boy!" Ninjor taunted him. He seemed confused when nothing happened.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not a Power Ranger," Ollie replied. "I'm Chosen. Our powers come from our blood and our strength comes from our trauma, and I'm pretty fucking traumatized!" With that, Ollie put every ounce of his grief and pain into battling against Ninjor. He knew he'd only be able to hold him off for so long, but at least now he was positive that Ninjor couldn't block the powers of his team.

CHASE
He sat on his bed, clutching his favorite photograph of Riley, and fought back tears as he thought about his fallen teammate. It wasn't like when James had died. He'd felt horrible for Tyler and furious with Shelby when the weapon she'd been bragging about for days got infected by Venjix and killed James. He'd struggled to understand how James could die when he still had his Emergem, but according to Kendall, Venjix had been able to disrupt the energy of the room just enough to leave everyone vulnerable. They'd been lucky no one else had been killed.

Shelby's death had only bothered him because it hurt Tyler. She'd thrown a tantrum after everyone except Ivan turned on her and she'd lost her connection to her Energem. Not long after, she'd killed herself just to hurt everyone else. Her spirit had admitted as much when Sage's friend Dean manifested her and forced her to face her former team. Chase hadn't wanted her dead, but he didn't grieve her. After everything she'd done, he couldn't.

Zenowing had surrendered his Energem to keep Ivan from doing it to save Prince Phillip. It had been a horrific but honorable death. Chase hadn't spent much time around Zenowing, but he did appreciate his sacrifice.

Riley was different. Riley was Chase's best friend. He'd been turned evil against his will. As Riley began to fight the Flames, Andie had found a way to restore his light. His Energem had reappeared, but another Ranger of the Flame, Damon, had kicked it down a hill before shoving a sword through Riley.

Chase hadn't had time to grieve. They were still in battle, after all. Now, the grief was hitting him all over again. When his communicator went off, Chase nearly ignored it.

"Chase!" Koda called. "Keeper hurt! Ollie and Dulcea only ones there."

Chase sighed, putting the photo down. "I miss you, Riles," he said. Then, he took a deep breath and said, "I'm coming, Buddy."

AJ was standing beside Koda when Chase joined them. The Alphas immediately teleported them to the scene. "Where are the others?" AJ asked.

"We're right here," Tyler replied as he arrived with Kendall.

Prince Phillip arrived next. "Oh my..." He said as he looked at the Tengus. "I believe it might be Morphin' Time."

"No!" Ollie shouted. "Ninjor will try to sever your ties to the Morphin' Grid!"

"Who needs to morph? We've got other talents," Tyler said. "Miss Morgan, get to Keeper. You're the best chance we have of saving him. Prince Phillip, you're with me. We'll cover Kendall and make sure she has a chance to help Keeper. Chase?"

"AJ, Koda, remember what we've been practicing," Chase said.

"Yes! Good plan," Koda decided aloud.

"Be careful, Chase," AJ said. He was her legal guardian, and the two were very close.

"Don't worry, Kiddo. I've got this," Chase said with more confidence than he felt. He suspected AJ saw right through his reassuring smile.

"Where's Sir Ivan?" Ollie asked.

"That's a good question," Tyler replied. "Prince Phillip, did you call him?"

"I may have neglected to do that as I was teleported here," Prince Phillip admitted.

"I'll do it," Chase said. He quickly used his communicator to contact the Knight. "Ivan, we're in trouble," he said. "Keeper's severely injured. Kendall's trying to help him, but it's bad... Bring Andie if you can... But don't morph. Just have the Alphas teleport you guys."

"We shall be there promptly, Sir Chase," Ivan promised.

Chase was forced to focus on the battle as Ninjor came toward him. Ollie was bleeding severely from his shoulder.

"You okay, Ollie?" Chase called.

"Super," Ollie replied dryly. Chase decided the sarcasm was a good sign.

"Hang in there. We'll get you some help," Chase promised.

Kendall rushed to Ollie. "I've done all I can to stabilize Keeper," she said. "This wound is deep, but not fatal. I'll stitch you up."

Chase decided to pretend he was on his skateboard as he battled against Ninjor. If he did that, it was easy to confuse him and dodge his attacks.

How long can I keep this up? He wondered. He missed Riley, but that didn't mean he wanted to be reunited with him on the other side any time soon.

Keep fighting, Chase, Riley's voice whispered in his mind. He thought he'd imagined it until he heard, Help is coming... I promise.

Just like that, Riley was gone again, but Chase was positive he'd been there. He was watching over them.

We'll win this fight, Riley, he promised. He was determined to keep that vow.

TRERRY
He was on Eltar when he heard it.

I refuse to lose another teammate! Ivan thought.

Trerry was curious and kind of worried, so he listened closer.

Keeper's going to die, Kendall thought. There's nothing I can do.

We're going to win, Riley, Chase thought. I promise I'll keep fighting.

We are outnumbered, Prince Phillip thought. We shall go down fighting.

Shit! AJ thought. Tyler's bleeding really badly.

Owwww... Tyler was barely able to think. Zigged. Should have zagged.

We fight. We win. We eat burgers, Koda decided.

Andie! Ivan thought. His terror was obvious. That was enough to make Trerry move. He quickly took a portal to Earth and ran toward the battle.

The first thing he noticed was Andie lying beside Keeper. Her nose was bleeding and she was unconscious. She had a very deep gash in her side. Keeper looked like he'd only just regained consciousness, but he was trying in vain to protect her. Trerry suddenly realized who stood over them both.

Jezzeff was smirking at Andie as she continued to bleed out. Keeper moved in front of her protectively.

Trerry studied the other threats. The Tengus were chaotic things with simple minds. He smiled as an idea popped into his head.

Suddenly, the Tengu Warriors began to move in perfect unison. They waved what passed for their fingers, flapped their wings at the right moment, wiggled their butts, and finally clapped their hands together before repeating the sequence over and over again.

"Ninjor... What are those fools doing?" Jezzeff demanded.

"I believe it is called The Funky Chicken, Jezzeff," Ninjor replied. Suddenly, he cried out with delight. "And... And I simply must do it with them! It is enchanting! It is exhilarating!"

Trerry struggled not to burst out laughing as he took control of Ninjor's mind, too, making him join the dance.

The Dino Charge Rangers, Keeper, and Jezzeff all watched this in confusion for a moment before Jezzeff turned his attention back to Andie and Keeper. Just as he was going to go for his sword, Trerry slipped into Jezzeff's head and made him slap himself extremely hard.

Jezzeff stared at his own hand in confusion for a moment. Trerry made him slap his other cheek. "Why on all of Eltar did I do th...? Trerry!" Jezzeff shouted as realization dawned on him.

Trerry emerged from the shadows. "Hey, Jezz," he replied cheerfully. "How's it going?"

Jezzeff ran straight at him. His sword met another. Trerry wasn't at all surprised to look up and see Ivan standing beside him.

"Thank you, my brave young friend," Trerry said. He might have only met Ivan in the last year, but he'd been incredibly close to his past life, Lygus. The precocious boy had been a dear friend and was practically like his younger brother.

"Of course, Sir Trerry," Ivan replied.

The Witch and several others arrived. At the sight of the dancing minions and Ninjor, the Witch burst out laughing.

"Well played, Trerry," she said in genuine amusement.

"Imbeciles..." The Huntress mumbled in disgust.

"Oooh... They're pretty good at that!" A girl with pigtails said in delight. "It looks like fun."

"Not now, Didi," Jezzeff scolded her harshly. "There is work to be done!"

"There's always work to be done," Didi replied, rolling her eyes.

As all of this was going on, someone lurked nearby. He moved with extreme precision and went straight for Ivan. Trerry reacted a split second before Ivan did and jumped between them.

"Tadd..." Trerry whispered in surprise.

Tadd looked at him in confusion before he attacked again. Trerry knew instantly that he didn't know who he was.

That bitch, he thought. What did she do to him? As the strongest telepath in the Universe, Trerry's memories had not been affected by Zolan's spell.

They battled for another minute before Trerry put the thought in Tadd's mind to back down. He heard Koda cry out in pain and saw AJ hit the ground too hard as the Witch sent an attack at them both. Kendall was bleeding. Tyler was still injured. Andie remained unconscious.

The other Chosen had arrived. Tammy was yelling at Ollie for not calling them in sooner as she tried to protect him. He was still fighting, but with an injured shoulder it wasn't easy. Angie was trying to use a spell to heal him.

Taylor knelt beside Andie, focused entirely on trying to heal her. Tia was casting powerful spells to counteract the Witch. Caleb was dueling against someone Trerry knew had to be an incubus just from the way he moved and radiated energy. Both were holding their own well enough, but Caleb was starting to struggle.

Caleb! Embrace the dead, Trerry thought at him. An incubus feeds on life. He won't be able to drain you.

Got it, Caleb replied. He seemed to grow stronger after a minute. The incubus frowned and stopped trying to drain him. Instead, he focused purely on the physical battle. Caleb was better with his sword, and he managed to hurt him.

Ready... Aim... The Huntress thought with delight.

Trerry realized what she was up to. He dove in front of Keeper, ready to take the arrow she'd loosed, when something strange happened. No pain came. Instead, time seemed to slow down for a split second as something appeared in Trerry's right hand.

"What the...?" Trerry wondered.

Somehow, he knew what to do. Seconds after he touched it, Trerry transformed into a suit of silver. He was confused, but the suit protected him from the arrow.

"Shit," the Witch mumbled. "Why'd you have to go and ruin our fun? Oh well. Come on! Retreat for now!" She grabbed Ninjor and dragged him to a portal as he continued dancing. The others left. Only the Tengus remained.

Brian smirked. "Anyone in the mood for some roasted chicken?" He asked. He unleashed an attack, setting them all on fire.

"Zenowing?" Koda asked Trerry in confusion.

"Not exactly," Trerry replied, just as confused.

"My Good Sir Trerry..." Ivan said in wonder. Andie was finally conscious and was leaning on him for support, but she looked like she was going to be fine.

"The Silver Energem has returned," Keeper said softly.

"Our team has been unbalanced with three of the Energems not attached to Power Rangers," Kendall said. "This is certainly a step in the right direction."

"Wait, what? Guys, I'm happy to help in a fight, but I'm no Power Ranger," Trerry said with a laugh. That was absurd.

"I beg your pardon, my friend, but the Energem disagrees with that assessment," Ivan replied.

"The Energem chooses the Ranger, Trerry," Tyler said. He looked better as he began recovering from his injuries. "You proved yourself today."

"I wasn't aware this fight was a job interview," Trerry replied dryly. "I live on another planet, guys."

"So did Zenowing," Chase replied. "He came to help when we needed him, and he died a hero... We grieved his loss, but Kendall's right. Our team is broken. It's time to start putting it back together. Welcome to the team, Mate."

"It is an honor to have you join us," Prince Phillip added.

"I didn't agree to this," Trerry protested.

"Trerry... My most honorable friend..." Ivan began. "We need thee."

Trerry sighed. "Alright," he agreed. "I guess I'm in."

"Yay! I'm not the newest team member anymore," AJ said with a grin.

"Trerry welcome," Koda said. His stomach growled, making him frown. "Koda hungry."

Trerry laughed. "Finally, an easy problem to solve. Burgers?" He asked.

Koda grinned. "Good idea!" He declared.

"Oliver Zachary Scott, if you ever run into battle without us again, I'm going to kill you!" Tammy declared.

"I'm sorry, Tam," Ollie replied. "I'm okay, I promise... Come on, Chosen. Let's get pizza. I'm starving. Dulcea, come with us?"

Dulcea smiled. "I suppose sustenance would be beneficial," she agreed.

"Pizza's fine, but what happened to burgers?" Taylor asked.

"I think the Dino Charge Rangers need to bond with their newest team member," Ollie replied.

That kid is wise beyond his years, Trerry thought.

"He's right," Andie said. "I'm tired anyway, Ivan. I'm going to go home and crash."

"M'Lady, I should escort you," Ivan protested.

"I'll take her," Tia offered. "I can open a portal right to her bedroom."

"Thanks, Tia," Andie replied. She kissed Ivan. "Take care of Trerry," she said softly.

Trerry smiled. "Alright, let's go eat," he said to the team he'd just somehow joined. "You guys can fill me in on whatever I need to know while we do. I was an Eltarian Rebel for years, so group battles aren't foreign to me, but I have to admit I'm not sure how to do the whole Power Ranger thing."

"Don't worry," Tyler said encouragingly. "You'll fit right in. We're not exactly a normal team."

"Normal's overrated," Trerry replied. He followed his new teammates through a portal that led to Amber Beach.

"This is our base," Kendall explained. "There's a restaurant at the museum, but we'll stay in the secret base and order in tonight. There is much you need to learn."

"Sounds like a blast," Trerry replied with a shrug. He wasn't entirely sure he belonged there, but looking at the peaceful expression on Ivan's face as Trerry held his Energem, he knew this was the right call. He'd always battled beside Lygus. Finally, they had a chance to do it again. He was surprised to realize how much he took comfort in that.

This isn't exactly how I imagined tonight going, he thought, but it feels right. He took a deep breath and tried to wrap his mind around the fact that he had just become a Power Ranger.