CHAPTER NINETEEN
LAUREN
She had spent as much time as she could sitting at Jayden's side as he remained unconscious. Staying there wasn't productive. She sighed and said, "I'll fix this, Little Brother. I love you." She kissed his forehead before releasing his hand and standing. "Emily... Could you stay with him for a bit?" She asked.

"Of course," Emily replied. She was already holding Jayden's other hand.

Lauren teleported out of the Command Center and headed into the woods. "Answers..." She mumbled. "I need answers. I can't just sit around helplessly doing nothing. Ninjor must be stopped."

Rather unexpectedly, someone appeared in front of her. Lauren quickly realized it was Casey. She bowed her head respectfully to the Goddess of the Underworld. "Hello, Casey," she said politely.

"Lauren... Trouble is coming," Casey began.

"It must be serious for you to appear to me," Lauren replied.

"There is something I need you to do. Listen carefully... There is a spell you must learn. You are the only one capable to doing this."

Lauren had heard that before. She tried not to think about the training that had consumed most of her life.

"I understand. What is the spell?" She replied seriously.

"It's a fire spell, Lauren... One created long ago by a young woman who could see the future and knew a great evil was coming," Casey replied.

"How will I master it?"

"Go see M'Telda."

"The Mad Sorceress? Eloise's mother?" Lauren asked in surprise.

"She is the spell's creator."

"I don't understand. M'Telda is alive and well. Why can't she cast the spell herself?"

"Because she was meant to create it, but not to cast it. She has been waiting for the right person to show up so she could guide them." Casey paused thoughtfully. "You have always been destined for greatness, Lauren. This path is yours to walk alone. It won't be easy, and it will be extremely dangerous. The choice is yours. You can walk away and refuse this destiny."

"I don't walk away from destiny," Lauren replied. "I am a Samurai Ranger. I honor the path I'm meant to walk and follow it dutifully."

"I had a feeling you'd say that." Casey smiled. "There is one other thing, Lauren... I have a message from your father."

Lauren tensed. "My father?" She repeated.

"He is incredibly proud of you. He still watches over you and Jayden, and he couldn't be more proud of you both."

Lauren felt tears in her eyes but didn't let them fall. "Thank you for telling me that," she said stoically.

"Go on, Lauren. M'Telda will recognize you when she sees you."

Lauren nodded. She headed to the edge of town where M'Telda, Grace, Eloise, Jeirmi, the baby, Lola Freyst, Imogen, Leopold, and Tazzan resided.

When she reached the door, she took a deep breath before raising her hand to knock. "Don't bother," a voice said. "Come with me."

M'Telda of Eltar was an intimidating woman who rarely bothered with unnecessary pleasantries. She probably got along very well with Tazzan. Lauren had never met her before, but she knew exactly who she was. She followed her to the back of the house.

"You have a lovely garden," Lauren commented as she looked around.

"We grow our own spell ingredients," she replied. "It cuts out the possibility that our shopping list will raise any eyebrows. Now... You clearly know who I am, Red Samurai Ranger, but we have not had the pleasure of meeting."

"I'm Lauren, Ma'am."

"Yes, Shiba Lauren of the noble Shiba Clan of Japan. I'm aware."

It had been a long time since anyone had greeted her using the proper practice of Japan, with her family name first. She and Jayden were not technically Japanese by blood, but many generations of their family had been born and raised there.

"You knew I would be the one to come here?" Lauren asked.

"I know many things, Shiba Lauren. And I am pleased this is the path we are on. The other options were not nearly as worthy. You are an impressive young woman."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"M'Telda."

"M'Telda," Lauren corrected herself.

An energy pulsed nearby. "Give me your hand," M'Telda said. Lauren offered it to her and was startled when M'Telda made a cut with a ritual dagger. She touched Lauren's blood to the energy. Then, she cut her own hand and added her blood to the mix. A portal sprang to life.

"A blood portal?" Lauren asked in surprise as they entered it. She soon found herself in an elaborate ritual room.

"No. A DNA portal. It requires more than a simple blood match. Only exact DNA gives one access. I just added yours in. You will come here for our training from now on. It will take you time to master this spell."

"You mean I don't have to stay until I have perfected it?"

"Goodness, Child, who would do that to a person just to teach them a spell? Being locked away around the clock is no way to live. It should only be done for safety, when there is no other choice."

"I had a very specific destiny. It involved my complete dedication to mastering one very powerful Kanji."

"You will be learning several of those now."

"Your spell is Kanji-based?"

"I translated my spell into many different magical systems. You work best with Kanji, so that's what we're going with."

"How did you learn about Kanji?"

"I have been on Earth for many, many millennia, Lauren. I spent a great deal of time in a number of different places before I settled down in the United States. This world is full of magic if one knows where to look. I enjoyed Japan. It is a beautiful country." She paused thoughtfully. "We should begin. After I've assessed your level of expertise, you may return to your brother for a bit."

"Thank you, M'Telda. I promise I won't let you down."

"I see the future, Lauren. I already know that." She offered her a reassuring smile. "If you fail, it will be because I failed you, not the other way around. We will have strayed off of the very narrow path we must walk to succeed... So let's make sure that doesn't happen."

Lauren nodded stoically. She took a deep breath before saying, "Let's begin."

JEZZEFF
He hadn't felt this much pain since he was a little boy. His mother had routinely beaten him, often so brutally it was a miracle he'd survived. Her vizu-induced psychosis was severe, and Jezzeff had usually been the target of her fits. It had started before he was old enough to remember, and it had continued until the day Zell had put the psychotic bitch down. To Zell, Jezzeff had been a terrified, broken little boy who needed to be rescued from the monster who'd left him half-blind on his ninth birthday. The truth was, it was Jezzeff who'd been born a monster, and that beast was already slowly waking up in the child. His mother was simply trying to stop him before he could grow up into the evil man the vizu had shown her so many times that it eventually broke her mind.

What the strange Soul Reaper had done to Jezzeff had affected him more than he expected. He'd cut him open, pulled out pieces, and put him back together differently. It had taken a while to heal the worst of the damage and to regrow the organs the lunatic had stolen. Jezzeff knew one thing for sure... His immortality spell was truly powerful. If this hadn't killed him, nothing would.

He'd wanted to replicate the spell Serafine had put on Laby, but that was impossible. Still, it seemed like he'd come very close. Most immortals would have died after all he'd endured.

"Help! I need help!" A voice called frantically from outside of the house. Jezzeff was still a bit weak, but his curiosity got the better of him and he slowly made his way downstairs.

Drakaina opened the front door and looked genuinely shocked by what she saw. "Percival... What happened?" She asked. She immediately guided him into the house.

Jezzeff saw the extent of his injuries. "Dale!" He called.

Dale came running into the living room. His eyes widened at the sight of Percival. So did Bourbon's as he followed behind him.

"Jesus Christ, Percival..." Bourbon mumbled.

"Jozzuah?" Percival asked in confusion.

"I used to be. Sit still. Let me help."

"You... You joined the Guild?"

"Jezz is an old friend." Bourbon looked at Dale. "It'll go faster if we work together. Are you up for this?"

"Of course," Dale replied. "He's our ally."

"What the hell happened to you, Percival?" Bourbon asked as he and Dale worked on healing him.

"Keilah," he replied weakly. "It seems the Huntress tipped her off to the locations of all of my safe houses. She found me and broke through my wards. I barely escaped with my life."

"The Huntress betrayed you?" Jezzeff asked.

"She attacked the Witch and told her she was no longer her ally. I attempted to assist the Witch, so she turned on me. If Ninjor hadn't pulled us both out of there, I'd be dead and the Witch would be in even worse shape."

"Is the Witch alright?" Dale asked.

"Eris cast an incredibly powerful spell for light... One she shouldn't have been able to cast. It burned the Witch severely, but Ninjor promised to summon Didi to cloak her in darkness so she can recover. I returned to my safe house to retrieve something and that was when Keilah arrived."

Bourbon looked genuinely concerned. He cares about Percival, he realized.

Percival got me away from Aphell, Bourbon replied, and Jezzeff remembered that Bourbon was a powerful telepath and his own psychic shields were currently down because he was so injured. Aphell rescued me so he could abuse me himself. Percival was better to me. He offered me a sanctuary from Aphell and Freyst, but the price was that I become his personal assassin. Zell got me out of that deal, but I guess if I have to pick a cousin to actually kind of care about, Percival's a better choice than Aphell.

Sorry, Friend. I didn't mean to pry.

It's fine. I didn't have to answer. Bourbon winked at him.

"Thank you, Jozzuah," Percival said. "I'm feeling better now. And who is your friend?"

"I'm Dale," Dale replied awkwardly.

"Thank you for your assistance, Dale. Don't be so nervous. I have no reason to harm you."

Jezzeff suddenly saw the fear in Dale's eyes. He frowned before saying, "Drakaina, get Percival settled into a room. You'll be safe here, Friend. Rest and recover. Dale, come with me."

Dale obediently followed Jezzeff to a more private space. "What's wrong?" He asked the boy. He'd learned from Zell that it was important to at least pretend to care when his minions were upset... At least the minions who he needed to manipulate to keep them loyal.

"What do you mean?" Dale asked.

"It's clear you're frightened. What has you so concerned?"

"Percival Treygan is infamous... He is powerful and has done many things... I just..." Dale bit his lip as he looked at his shoes.

"You're worried he's going to hurt you," Jezzeff realized. "Dale, no one will harm you on my watch. You're very important to me. I'll keep you safe."

"Aphell had certain habits, Jezzeff... Percival is the next brother in the family line."

"Percival is many things, Dale. He is extremely dangerous... However, unlike Aphell, there are lines he will not cross. He is not a rapist. I know you went through things as a child, but I promise no one here will harm you."

The way Dale looked away from him again told Jezzeff all he needed to know.

"Someone already has," Jezzeff said softly as he understood the truth. "Tell me what happened, Dale. I'll handle it. The Witch and I promised you safety from that sort of thing in exchange for your cooperation. I will keep that promise."

Dale shook his head. "I'm fine," he lied.

Jezzeff took his hand. As he had hoped, that triggered a vision. He soon had his answer. Jonah was abusing the boy, and he had been for quite some time.

"I'll put a stop to it," Jezzeff reassured him. "You won't be alone with Jonah anymore." He wouldn't kill or even attack him. He didn't especially care if Jonah forced himself on people for his sex magic rituals. Jonah was doing important work for Jezzeff... But he could keep him from using Dale for the rituals. That seemed like a fair trade. Besides, he needed Dale to remain on their side. He was the key to everything.

"Thank you, Jezzeff," Dale said softly. "I appreciate it."

"Of course. Go rest. I'll have Trevor call you down for dinner."

He headed upstairs slowly, his muscles aching from the effort. As he spotted Leigan and Jonah, he frowned. "I need a word with your brother, Leigan," he said.

"Of course, Jezzeff," Leigan replied, leaving them alone.

"Jonah, I understand you have been using Dale for some of your rituals," Jezzeff said. "That ends now. Are we clear?"

Jonah looked at him in surprise. "Why does this matter to you, Jezzeff?" He asked. "Dale is very powerful. He gives my spells an extra boost of energy, and he's a handsome fellow."

"He's a frightened boy and I need him to trust me."

"He's a legal adult, both on Eltar and Earth."

"Barely, Jonah. And he's been through a lot. Pick someone else. Anyone else. Just not Dale."

"Why is he so special to you?"

"He is my first Child of the Flames. He's remarkably powerful, and I know you figured out who his parents are."

"Zordon is obvious. I have my suspicions about his mother as well. He is quite the warrior. She'd have been impressed with his skill in battle."

"Keep it to yourself, Jonah. The last thing I need is for anyone to figure out his full heritage."

"I understand. Now, I have something for you, Jezzeff... The first descendant you should target."

"I'm not strong enough to kill anyone yet."

"You can handle him, and his death shall give you strength."

"Who is he? Go on and tell me."

"There are an abundance of Scott descendants to choose from to give you access to Dimitri's powers. The Scott men reproduce like rabbits, leaving many offspring wherever they go. The one I have chosen for you has some training in magic, but not enough to be an issue for you, even in your current state."

"Is he here in Angel Grove?"

"No. He lives in a nearby town. I can bring you to him."

"Do I need to be concerned that Oliver will show up?"

"I doubt it. This man is fairly estranged from most of his family. He hasn't known for very long that he is a Scott, and he was so upset by the news that he refuses to have anything to do with anyone except the brother he already knew he had. He's isolated, Jezzeff, and his twin is focused on the war. This is your best opportunity to begin the process of recreating the Chosen within yourself."

"Very well. Take me to him. I must gain more power. I'm still not fully recovered." Jezzeff grabbed one of his favorite swords.

Jonah opened a portal. Together, they entered it. They emerged on a strip of beach. A man sat by himself on the porch of a house. He was fast asleep in his chair and a magazine had fallen out of his hands and onto the porch beside him. A large straw hat hid most of his face from view.

"Where are we?" Jezzeff asked.

"Blue Bay Harbor," Jonah replied. "The man went to school here as a teenager, and although he flunked out, he returned to the city as an adult because he enjoyed the beauty of it."

"What is his name?"

"Eric. Eric McKnight."

"McKnight... As in Conner and Denni?"

"Yes. He is Conner's identical twin brother. They never knew their true father's identity until Denni's heritage came out. Eric was furious their father was not the man they'd grown up with. He wants nothing to do with the Scotts and won't acknowledge them as family. He barely even talks to Conner anymore. The two weren't overly close to begin with. Eric hasn't been the same since he flunked out of Ninja school. He came to resent his twin because Conner's life has been full of success."

"I do sense a great potential for magic within him... He simply lacks the ability to focus." He nodded. "Well done, Jonah. This should work."

Jezzeff approached the sleeping man. Eric snored peacefully, blissfully unaware of the threat coming toward him. That was when a car pulled up and a little girl jumped out and ran toward the porch. She couldn't have been more than five. Jezzeff hid from sight and watched her.

"Daddy!" The girl squealed in delight before jumping into Eric's lap and waking him up as the car drove away.

Eric smiled slowly as the child ripped the hat off his head and put it on her own. It was far too large and seemed to swallow her head entirely.

"Judy? Judy! Where could she have gone?" Eric asked playfully.

The little girl giggled as Eric continued to call for her. He finally began tickling her, making her cry out in joy.

"Did your mom run off already?" Eric asked.

"Uh-huh. She says just cause I have to be here, that doesn't mean she has to," Judy replied.

"Good to know she still hates me. That's okay. We're gonna have fun today, sweetie," he promised. He paused. "Go inside, Judy. I'll be right in."

Judy headed into the house. To Jezzeff's surprise, Eric walked straight over to where he was hiding. "Show yourself," he said firmly.

Jezzeff approached him with his sword at the ready. "Greetings, Eric McKnight," he said politely.

"Who the hell are you? Get off my property or else."

Jezzeff impaled Eric before he could react. Eric struggled to remain standing as Jezzeff used the blood he'd spilled to draw a symbol on the center of Eric's forehead. He then cut his own wrist open and put a significant amount of Eric's blood into his wound. The blood burned for a moment, but soon, power surged through Jezzeff. Eric's potential for both shadow magic and spell work flowed through Jezzeff as it bonded with his body. Eric stared at him in horror before the last of his energy left him. As his life force became Jezzeff's, he completed the spell, changing the energy so it could never be returned to Eric. There was nothing of that man left. Now, every latent power Eric McKnight had possessed belonged to Jezzeff.

"Shall we go, Jezzeff?" Jonah asked.

"Wait. We should bring the little girl with us. After all, I wouldn't want to traumatize her by leaving her here all alone to find her father," Jezzeff replied.

Jonah smirked at him. "Right. I'm sure that's your reason for wanting to bring her with us." He shrugged. "I have no problem with this. Go comfort her and work that silver tongue until she agrees to come with us. I'll be waiting for your cue to come get you."

Jezzeff headed inside. As Eric's magic pulsed through his entire body, he smiled. Everything was going perfectly.

BRIAR
She's arrived too late to save Eric McKnight. Briar sighed, but she knew his fate was now sealed. She focused on a different task instead.

"How did you do that?" A little girl asked as Briar stepped back into the time line and appeared to come out of thin air. The child's eyes were wide in wonder.

"Judy, right?" Briar asked.

"Uh-huh. Are you magic?"

"Yep! Want to see another trick?" Briar asked as she realized Jezzeff was about to walk in the front door. Judy nodded eagerly. Briar smiled and took her hand before slipping out of time with her.

"Whoa! Where are we?" Judy asked.

"Technically, nowhere... Or nowhen, at least."

"No-when?" Judy repeated in confusion.

"It's what I call this place, because there's no time here. I'm a friend of people who know your Uncle Conner, Judy. I'm going to take you to see him."

They moved until they could see the outside of the house Conner, Denni, and Ethan shared. Kira stood there struggling to restrain Conner. Briar temporarily put Judy into a trance while she waited to see what happened next.

"Conner, calm your ass down and tell me what's wrong!" Kira demanded.

"Something happened... I have to go. I can run there in no time-" Conner was rambling.

"Should I taser him?" Ethan asked.

Kira glared at him. "What did I tell you about tasing other Power Rangers?" She scolded him.

"It was one time, Kira! It was an accident! And it's not like Doctor Oliver didn't deserve it."

Denni whacked the back of Ethan's head. "Thanks, Kid," Kira said. "My hands are a little occupied keeping your dad from going AWOL."

"Happy to help," Denni replied with a laugh. Then, she turned serious. "Dad, talk to us. You're not going anywhere until you do."

"Eric. I have to get to Eric," Conner replied.

"Your brother? I thought you guys weren't close anymore."

"We're identical twins. Even if we don't talk for months, I still feel him. But now... I don't. I don't feel anything." He stopped struggling and looked at Kira with lost eyes.

Kira's face said she knew exactly what his words meant. She shifted from restraining him to hugging him. "Conner..." She said gently.

"I don't... I don't feel anything, Kira. I don't... I just... Don't. It's like the connection just... Broke. It's silent. I'm numb."

"I'll shadow travel to him," Denni offered. "I'm sure he's okay." She didn't sound sure, but she was obviously trying to calm her father down.

Briar sighed. She stepped into time with Judy in her arms. "Don't," she said. "It's too late."

"Who are you?" Kira asked in confusion.

"What did you do to my niece?" Conner demanded. He was about to lunge at her in anger when someone stepped in.

"She means no harm, Conner," her grandfather said softly. "She brought the child to safety."

"Safety from what?" Conner demanded, looking like he might try to kill Zell.

"Conner, stop it. If Zell says the girl's not the enemy, I trust him," Kira said firmly. "Talk, Kid... And fast."

"Judy's okay. I put her into a trance to keep her from hearing you guys talking," Briar explained. "I got her out of the house before she could see what happened... And before Jezzeff could kidnap her."

"Jezzeff? Jezzeff is at my brother's house? I have to get there! I have to protect him!" Conner said. "He's an idiot! He needs me to keep him safe! I have to go-"

"Conner... I'm sorry. I tried to get there in time, but destiny changed, and I wasn't allowed to save him."

"Save him? No, no, he's fine-"

A new presence arrived, and Briar was tempted to flee before he noticed her. Crap... Crap, crap, crap, I am so busted! She thought.

Zell stepped between Briar and her father subtly. "Zordon, my boy... What brings you here?" He asked as Briar tried to make herself as invisible as possible.

"I suspect you already know, Father," Zordon replied. "Conner, it is clear you know something has happened. I'm afraid Jezzeff and a Warlock named Jonah found your brother. They attacked his very life force. I'm terribly sorry, but Eric did not survive. I wanted to tell you in person and let you know if you need anything, I am here."

Conner's legs gave out on him then. He sat on the ground sobbing. "I can't breathe..." He said.

"Dad, I'm so sorry," Denni said. She hugged him. He held her tightly and sobbed into her hair.

"I... I have to call our mom... And Jason... And-"

"I'll handle the calls, Conner," Ethan promised. "Just worry about your mom. That should come from you."

"Judy... I need to call Judy's mom... I..."

"Conner... Breathe," Kira said as she knelt beside him. "We'll get you through this."

"Wake the child, Briar," Zell said softly.

Briar broke the trance. Judy ran into Conner's arms. "Uncle Conner! Uncle Conner!" She cried excitedly before pausing. "Why are you sad?"

Conner hugged the little girl as Denni shifted slightly to make room for her. He held them both, clearly trying to calm himself down.

Briar was just about to make a break for it when her father turned toward her. "Have we met?" He asked softly.

"Nope," Briar replied. "Gotta go!"

"Wait... Who are you? What is your involvement in all of this?"

"Um... I refuse to answer on the grounds that I might incriminate myself!" Briar replied with her best grin. That usually melted her dad's heart, but of course, that was when he actually knew she was his little girl.

"You're very young... Please, don't go. If you're part of this, you should have our protection."

He's attached to me and doesn't have any idea why, Briar realized. I have to go before he realizes who I am to him...

"I'm fine, really," Briar insisted.

Suddenly, she heard Zell cry, "Vizzexel thromble hye!" An incredibly powerful magical shield sprang up around everyone just as a blast of dark magic came their way. The attack bounced off the shield.

"Oh shit!" Kira cried as she spotted the attacker.

"Ninjor! Stop this at once," Zordon demanded.

"Sorry, Zordon. That's not part of the plan," Ninjor replied. He hit the shield three more times. It started to crack. Zell began to strengthen it, but Briar knew he couldn't keep that up forever.

Briar watched as her father stepped outside of the protective shield defiantly. "Zordon, no," Zell protested.

"If you want to harm my Rangers, you're going to have to go through me," Zordon said firmly.

"Your offer is acceptable," Ninjor replied.

"Zordon!" Kira cried as Ninjor flung a spell straight at his heart.

Briar ran in front of her father, put her arms out, and caught Ninjor's spell in midair. It was incredibly powerful. She held it with trembling hands, knowing she'd be unable to destroy it or hold it indefinitely.

"Impossible!" Ninjor said in anger and shock.

"Quite possible, actually," Briar replied. "Just maybe not that great of a plan... Um, Guys? The thirteen-year-old with serious impulse control issues didn't exactly think this one through," she admitted. "Any ideas?"

Zell looked at Zordon. "Shield," he said.

Zordon nodded and took over keeping the shield strong. Zell grabbed one of Briar's arms and began helping her control the spell.

"Let go, Briar," he said.

"But..." Briar began. The power of the spell was already causing her some harm. It was a death spell, and she knew it would kill her if she didn't release it.

"I can absorb it. Let go," Zell said again.

"It's a death spell!"

"My dear child, do you know how many times Hezzo flung death spells at my head simply because he was bored when we were young? I know how to handle this."

"But it's dark magic! You finally got all of the dark magic out of you! What if this turns you again?" Her nose began to bleed.

"Light and dark are not the same as good and evil, my dear. It is about the choices one makes. I will not use this dark energy to harm others. I shall be fine. You are already beginning to fade. Let me help you."

She could tell he wasn't sure of his ability to remain good if he took in the spell. He was obviously nervous. Still, as more blood flowed from her nose, her grandfather looked into her eyes and once again said, "Let go, Briar. It's alright."

She couldn't keep holding onto the spell without killing herself, so Briar finally released it. Zell immediately began to absorb it. Briar watched in horror as he took the dark magic into himself.

He was trembling violently, struggling to convert the spell into pure energy. It was obviously painful, but he was trying to keep himself focused.

"Oh no..." Ninjor mumbled. "This won't end well." He quickly fled into a portal.

Zordon let the magical shield go and hurried to Zell. "The spell is... Very powerful," Zell said. He looked at Zordon with sorrow in his eyes. "Forgive me... I had to do this. It was the only way."

Zordon hesitated. "What do you need, Father?" He asked.

"If the spell affects me negatively... If you sense even a hint of darkness taking control of me, then end it... Before I can cause any more harm."

"What? No!" Briar cried.

"Father, I... I cannot do that. Please do not ask me to," Zordon said softly.

"I understand, my dear boy... It is asking far too much of you. My apologies. Perhaps Topaz..."

"Knock it off, Zell," Kira said firmly. "No one's killing you."

"The dark magic is overwhelming me, my dear Kira. I won't be able to keep my mind clear for much longer," Zell replied.

"You're always so dramatic, my friend Zell," Kira said, rolling her eyes. She grabbed his hands before draining the spell out of him. "You all might want to cover your ears now," she added. "Right now."

Briar realized what she was going to do and immediately did as she said. Everyone else followed suit except Conner, who was covering Judy's ears instead.

"Silenzzon!" Briar cried, sending the silencing shield to wrap around Conner and temporarily deafen him to protect his ears.

Kira's eyes turned completely black as she pulled the last of the death spell out of Zell. She raised her hands into the air, palms to the sky, and unleashed a scream that was more powerful than any Ptera scream Briar had ever heard before. The spell shot into the air before shattering. The scream obliterated it.

Kira's eyes returned to their natural shade. She collapsed onto her hands and knees as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Kira!" Denni cried, hurrying to her side.

"I'm okay," Kira said after a moment.

"What the hell was that?" Ethan asked.

"Not what," Kira replied. "Who. That was all Anya. I didn't even know I knew how to do that until she took the wheel."

Briar saw the incredible sadness in her grandfather's eyes as he said, "Thank you, my dear friend."

Kira nodded. "Anytime. You're not martyring yourself on my watch, Buddy." She paused. "So who's the kid?"

Briar felt the familiar, comforting touch of her father's hand on her shoulder as he studied her. He silently cleaned the blood off of her face before saying, "I'd like the answer to that as well... You saved my life. I should know your name."

"Her name is Briar," Zell said before Briar could think of a lie. "As for anything more... Briar comes to us from the future, Zordon. Trust me when I say it is best you don't ask for further details."

Zordon sighed. "Very well," he said. "Thank you, Briar. I owe you a debt."

"Trust me, you don't," Briar replied. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat... Just maybe with a plan to handle the fallout next time."

"Zordon..." Conner said softly. "I need to go to my brother... To handle this."

"Stay with your niece, Conner," Zordon said. "She needs you. I will ensure Eric is protected and the situation is handled both safely and respectfully."

Conner looked broken as he nodded. "Okay," he agreed. "Judy, Denni, come on inside the house."

"Uncle Conner, where's Daddy?" Judy asked.

Conner looked completely lost. Kira knelt in front of the girl. "We're going to talk about that soon, Kiddo," she promised. "Right now, how would you like some strawberries?"

"I love starberries!" Judy replied in excitement.

Starberries... My God, she's still so little and innocent... Briar thought. And now she has to grow up without a father... Jezzeff really needs to die.

"How'd you know that?" Denni asked Kira.

"They're Eric's favorite, too," Kira replied, trying to keep the sadness out of her voice. She was still smiling, but her eyes showed her grief. Briar knew Kira and Conner were incredibly close, so it wasn't surprising she'd gotten to know Eric pretty well over the years.

"Ethan, can you call Jason for me? Let him know what's going on. I'll call Doc O after I get Judy settled," Kira said.

"Like I told Conner, I'm on it," Ethan promised.

Kira scooped Judy up in her arms and carried her inside the house. Conner looked at her with gratitude in his eyes before he and Denni followed behind them. Ethan walked away with his cell phone in his hand.

"Do you have somewhere safe to stay, Briar?" Zordon asked.

"I do," she replied. "I should probably head back there."

"Allow me to escort you."

"I kind of can't... But, um... Zell can take me if you're that worried." She had to be careful not to call Zell Grandfather.

"He knows your location?"

"Zordon..." Zell said softly.

"Do not question the time traveler," Zordon said with another sigh. "I know... I'm just concerned for her safety."

"Briar is quite good at getting herself out of trouble, but do not worry. I shall see her safely home."

"Thank you, Father," Zordon replied awkwardly. "Be safe, Briar." He looked like he wanted to hug her, and after everything that had just happened, she was tempted to allow it, but in the end, Zordon simply bowed his head respectfully before the Alphas teleported him away.

"My dear granddaughter, please do not try anything so reckless again," Zell said when they were alone. "You have great power but it is still maturing. You need more training. You could have been killed by that spell."

"If my father dies, I'll never be born anyway," Briar pointed out.

He didn't argue because it was the truth. "Come. I should check in on the Tempus Rangers."

Briar nodded, slipping her hand into his and feeling much safer. She broke down for just a moment as she realized how bad things had nearly turned. "I love you, Grandfather," she said softly.

He wrapped his arms around her protectively and she finally calmed down. "I love you, too, Sweet Girl," he replied. "You did well today, saving that child. I'm proud of you."

Briar knew just how major it was for him to admit he loved her aloud, especially in that time period. "You connected to your future self," she guessed.

"I did. I love all of my grandchildren, but you are especially close to my heart. We share an understanding of one another."

She smiled. "We have a really strong bond," she confirmed. "Wait... You said all of your grandchildren. Does that include...?"

"I remember Dale, my dear," he confirmed. "And I understand why you are working so hard to save him."

Briar smiled in relief. "So you'll help me, right?"

"I'll help you," he promised.

RHANNA
She was jogging along the river when she sensed something odd. Concerned, Rhanna followed the energy until she spotted the problem.

Leigan was towering over someone who had begun coughing violently. It only took Rhanna a minute to recognize the woman.

Hayley, she thought. Why the fuck is the King of Pestilence and Plagues targeting her?

Hayley was still coughing. Blood began to come out of her mouth. "Hey, Asshole!" Rhanna shouted. As soon as Leigan looked at her, she kicked him in the chest.

Leigan was stunned enough that he stumbled backward and landed on the ground hard. Rhanna followed her previous attack up with a kick to his head, which caused him to curse in Eltarian. She didn't have a sword on her, but she didn't really need one. She could just kick Leigan's ass using hand-to-hand combat instead.

He began trying to cast a spell, so Rhanna hit him with a spinning roundhouse kick that left him too dazed to finish what he'd started.

Hayley began to cough up more blood, Rhanna decided it was time to finish Leigan off. She grabbed him by the neck and slammed his head against the wall. Leigan fell unconscious. He was immediately teleported away.

Hayley stopped coughing up blood. She took several rapid breaths as she tried to regain control of herself.

"Are you okay?" Rhanna asked as she knelt beside her.

Hayley nodded slowly. "I think so," she replied.

Rhanna wiped off the top of her water bottle before passing it to Hayley. "Drink," she said. "You need it more than I do."

"I think I'd prefer something a little stronger than water right now," Hayley joked before drinking. "Thanks, Rhanna. I owe you."

"No big... Why was Leigan after you, anyway?"

"He said the Dino Thunder Rangers are vulnerable and it was a good time to take another strike at them by killing me... I'm not sure what happened. I should call them."

"Take care of yourself first. Let's get you somewhere safe."

"Such as?"

Rhanna shrugged. "Fuck it. Come back to my place on Eltar. I can keep you safe until you're a little stronger."

"You know, I usually don't go back to a woman's house until at least the third date," Hayley joked lightly.

I knew she wasn't straight! Rhanna thought. "I thought you Earth lesbians all brought U-Hauls on the second date," she replied with a smirk. That was a popular running joke in the gay community on Earth because lesbians sometimes moved very quickly toward cohabitation after meeting someone they liked.

Hayley laughed. Her smile lit up her eyes. Rhanna couldn't deny she was attracted to her. She hadn't really dated since losing Adina millennia ago, but random hookups to stave off loneliness were definitely something she engaged in.

She helped Hayley to her feet and held her hand as she crossed into the nearest plane of existence. Hayley's eyes widened in surprise as Rhanna kept moving, not letting go of her hand as they crossed through several more realms.

"It's so... sparkly here," Hayley said as they entered the next realm.

"This is the Faerie Realm," Rhanna explained. "And I swear to God, if those hyperactive little motherfuckers throw glitter at me one more time, I'm going to kill a bitch."

Hayley's eyes lit up in amusement again. "Does that happen often?" She asked.

"Let's just say there's a reason I try to avoid this realm. Unfortunately, it's the realm closest to Eltar, so it gets me there the fastest. I'd prefer to get you to safety as quickly as possible."

Soon enough, they made it to Eltar. Rhanna realized she was still holding Hayley's hand even though it was no longer necessary. She reluctantly released it.

Her house wasn't far from where they entered the realm. Rhanna quickly got Hayley inside. "Make yourself comfortable," she said. "I've got a tea Vagris blended that should cure any lingering illness Leigan left in you."

"Did he know you'd need it?" Hayley asked. "I only know he has Earth magic. Does he also have visions?"

"No, Vagris isn't a Seer... He just knows I'm a bigger bitch than usual when I get sick, so he makes sure I always have a pretty good stash of this tea," Rhanna explained with a laugh. "But if you ever need a combat magician and Davi's not around, Vagris is gifted with that, too."

"Good to know... Thank you for bringing me here, Rhanna," Hayley replied. She sat down on the couch as Rhanna headed into the kitchen. She grabbed a bit of the tea and began boiling water.

She brought the tea to Hayley, who took it and said, "Thanks... It smells great."

"It tastes even better. Tea's not really my thing, but this stuff is good," Rhanna replied.

"So, this is Eltar... I have to admit, I never imagined myself traveling to another planet."

"Remind me to show you around sometime after you've checked in on your friends."

"It's a date," Hayley replied with a dazzling smile.

Rhanna couldn't help but smile back. "Just try not to get abducted or attacked again before I have the chance."

"I'll do my best," Hayley replied with a casual laugh. Rhanna noticed the way her eyes and nose scrunched up slightly when she was amused.

Goddamn, she's adorable, Rhanna thought. She'd never had a crush on a woman from Earth, but she supposed there was a first time for everything.

"Mmm, this is good," Hayley said as she sipped her tea. "And trust me, I have very high standards," she added in a playful tone.

Is she talking about tea or women? Rhanna wondered. "Do you now?" She replied in the same tone Hayley had used.

Hayley's smile was nothing short of flirtatious as she looked into Rhanna's eyes. "Absolutely," she said.

I can roll with this, Rhanna decided. She might not be looking for love, but flirting with Hayley was kind of fun, and she definitely wouldn't mind if things escalated a bit. That thought brought a smile to her face as she sat with Hayley and made casual small talk.

ANTONIO
He was working on the device he'd discovered, trying to figure out what it was. Antonio couldn't deny he was distracted. After all, Jayden had been severely injured. He was still unconscious, and until he woke up, they didn't even know if Zordon would be able to reconnect him to the Morphin' Grid. Antonio hated to admit it, but he was terrified. Jayden had certainly had his fair share of close brushes with death in the past, but this was different.

"Focus, Antonio," he scolded himself as he worked. He had to figure this thing out. There was nothing he could do for Jayden, but this he could do something about. He began working harder, and suddenly, a blinding light burst from within the device. It wasn't just its natural glow, but something far brighter.

"Yikes! No one told me I'd need sunglasses for this," Antonio mumbled as he found a way to turn it off.

Something began to hum. Antonio realized it was coming from inside of the device. Confused, he lifted it up to his ear.

"Help!" A voice called. It sounded distant, and Antonio wondered if he was hallucinating.

"Help!" The girl shouted again. "Let me out!"

He blinked in surprise. "Someone's trapped in this thing!" He realized. He paused, wondering if the person was good or evil.

Only one way to find out, he decided with a shrug.

"Hello?" He called.

"Not so loud!" She complained.

"Oh... Sorry... Uh, hi. I'm Antonio. Who are you?"

It seemed like a fair question, but she didn't answer him at first. "Did the call drop or something?" Antonio mumbled.

"I can't tell you who I am," she said. "Let me out, Antonio. Please."

"Sorry, but until I'm sure of what side you're on, I can't do that."

She started to cry and Antonio suddenly felt terrible. "Don't do that," he said in a slight panic. "I'm sorry. Just tell me who you are and I'll find a way to free you."

"No one," she said softly. "I'm no one."

"What do you mean?"

"If I tell you, something horrible will happen. I can't do it, Antonio. I'm sorry."

"Wait..." Her tone alerted him to something. "Do you know me?"

"Yes... But you don't know me. Not anymore." She sighed. "Forget it. Maybe this is better."

"Look, Miss... I want to help, okay? My gut says you're not evil. So tell me what I need to do."

"I don't know. I... I didn't think I'd survive."

"Survive what?" She didn't answer.

Help her, Antonio, Mentor Ji said in his mind. You are the only one who may be able to figure this out.

Since when do you have so much faith in my mad skills, Mentor? Antonio replied.

He could practically see Mentor Ji rolling his eyes. Focus. There isn't much time.

Who is she?

I don't remember... I only know that I should, and that it's very important you help her.

Then I will. I promise.

Antonio took a deep breath. "Don't worry, Chica. I'll figure this out," he vowed.

"If anyone can, it's you," she replied.

Antonio smiled. It was nice to know someone believed in him. One way or another, he was determined to figure this out and free his mysterious new friend.