AUTHOR'S NOTE: I finally finished Tales from the Rebellion. Lido's origin story, Flight, is the last one. If you want to understand more about Lido's past (as well as a lot of details about Sera, Ash, and especially Daphne, including their deaths and the direct aftermath of those events), please check it out.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
BRIAR
Things went from bad to worse when she regained consciousness. The entire Guild surrounded her. The Witch glared at her like she knew exactly where Briar came from.

Slip into Nowhen... Slip into Nowhen... Slip into Nowhen... She willed herself. As she'd suspected, her various magical gifts weren't working, and nothing happened.

Bourbon had been studying her closely, and Briar knew he was reading her energy. It was impossible to hide energy from him. She also remembered he was a powerful telepath as he eyed her in confusion.

What's Nowhen? He asked her curiously.

The place outside of time, she admitted. Briar knew Bourbon was a spy in the Guild. Maybe he could help her.

He smirked slightly at that. Clever, he replied. I kind of like that.

Bourbon, get me out of here. Please. I don't know what will happen if I die in the past, she thought. If anyone had the right sort of magic to get Briar out of this easily, it was Bourbon.

Who are you? Because your energy feels like two very unexpected people.

My parents are probably exactly who you think they are.

That's not good, Kid.

No kidding. Can you help?

I'll do the best I can, but obviously at the moment, my hands are tied. I can't reveal that power to Jezz. I've been careful not to use it in front of him. It's bad enough the Witch knows about it because she's the reason the Treygan line has it.

Briar knew he was right. If Jezzeff found out Bourbon had Actualization, and the rarer form of it at that, the future was screwed. She tried to take comfort in the fact that Bourbon and Drakaina were there. Neither was evil and they would help her if they could.

She watched the others and mentally reminded herself of what they were capable of. Jezzeff had a ridiculously large number of powers, and there was no telling which ones he'd use on her. He was also a creep with wandering hands.

The Witch would play with her before she outright killed her. She'd want to figure her out, and she might use her as bait for her grandfather. Briar had no doubt he'd give himself up if it meant saving her.

Leigan could infect her with anything from chicken pox to the worst plagues in history, but it was Jonah who scared her more. His chosen magic was sex-based and consent was rarely one of his concerns.

Reyzzo was an out of control incubus, but there was hope for him if he made the right choices. He might not hurt her if she could get through to the humanity people swore he didn't have.

Didi was unpredictable and kind of crazy, but Briar knew she could distract her. Alex was noticeably missing, but his son, Trevor, was there and Briar knew he was completely under Jezzeff's control. There was no telling what he might do.

Ivan Ooze didn't hang out at the Guild's base, so she shouldn't have to deal with him or the Tengus. Ninjor might come by, but Briar wasn't a Power Ranger, so he'd have no interest in her.

Percival might be a threat, but she was still pretty sure she could manipulate him. As she spotted Ivy by his side, Briar realized who must have tranquilized her. Ivy was only a threat if Percival gave her orders or if she thought his life was in danger. The latter was probably why she'd tranquilized Briar.

She didn't kill me, Briar thought. She easily could have. I was distracted... But she's not evil. She knew Ivy could be an ally if she could just get through to her.

The same was true for Dale. Her chest ached as she looked at her oldest brother. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but he was too loyal to Jezzeff and the Witch. She had to save him from this mess. Nothing mattered unless Dale was reunited with the family.

Then, there was Sezzon. Briar knew exactly how he fit into things. She also knew he'd hurt her if given orders, and despite being a bookworm everyone assumed couldn't fight well, he was actually a big threat both physically and magically.

There were two members of the Guild she didn't recognize. Who are they? She asked Bourbon.

Bailey and Reid, Bourbon replied. They're new.

Briar knew their names. She filed that information away for later.

"So tell us, Jayna," Percival began dryly, "who sent you?"

"No one," Briar replied. "I sent myself."

"Jonah, make the girl talk," Jezzeff said.

Jonah grinned sadistically. Briar tried not to cry from fear because she knew what Jezzeff wanted Jonah to do to her.

"Jonah est doux," Bourbon mumbled, covering it with a cough.

"What was that, my friend?" Jezzeff asked.

"Jonah's a douche," Bourbon replied with a casual grin. "Sorry, but the kid's kind of young for sex magic. You know I prefer my girls to be of age. No offense, Jezz. I never judged you, but jailbait's not my thing."

That wasn't what he'd said. Briar knew enough French to understand his words. He picked up French in New Orleans, Briar realized. What he'd actually said was Jonah is soft. As Jonah pinned Briar down and unzipped himself, Briar forced herself not to laugh.

"Jonah, what's taking so long?" Jezzeff demanded.

Jonah hesitated. "I, um... I seem to be having a slight issue."

Leigan burst out laughing at his brother. "It was bound to happen eventually, Little Brother," he said. "You must have depleted yourself."

"It's obviously a spell, Leigan," Jonah snapped. "The child has magic."

"Reyzzo, drain the spell," Jezzeff ordered.

Reyzzo stepped forward. He began trying to drain the magic around Briar but paused. "There is powerful protection magic on the girl," he said, "but not powerful enough to make Jonah unable to perform. If anything, it would have hurt him if he tried to take the girl, but not made him like this... Which is why, no offense, I won't be doing that."

"Reyzzo, you are an incubus. Just drain the spell," Jezzeff insisted.

"Aiyana cast it, with Zell's help, and the help of another Yizak I don't recognize. I'm too closely related to Daphne and my energy comes from Zell's flames. The spell will hurt me if I try to drain it."

"If it wasn't the spell, why can't Jonah get his equipment working?" Didi asked with a giggle.

Percival looked at Bourbon and smiled in mild amusement. He was old enough to remember Rygano's version of Actualization and Briar knew he'd caught on to what his cousin had done.

The Witch started laughing hysterically. "Alright, as amusing as it is to see Jonah unable to get it up, we need answers out of the child," she said after a few moments. "It is my turn to try."

Briar braced herself as the Witch came closer to her. "Tell me your real name, Jayna," she said.

"Jayna Jonaz of Eltar," Briar replied.

The Witch slashed at Briar's right arm with her nails, drawing blood. Briar refused to cry out in pain. "Tell the truth, Brat!"

"I think you're a crazy bitch."

"Flattery will get you nowhere." She slashed at Briar's other arm. "Tell me who you are!"

"Jayna Jonaz."

The Witch used a knife to cut Briar's chest. This did actually make her cry out in pain.

"Tell me your name!" The Witch demanded again as she moved right in front of her face.

Briar spit in her face. The Witch let out a cry of anger before she slapped Briar across the face several times. "Tell. Me. Your. Name!" She screamed as she stabbed Briar four times.

I need to distract her from this before she kills me, Briar thought.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," Briar taunted her.

"I'm the Witch... The Witch, the Witch, the Witch!"

"Sure you are... Evianna."

The Witch's eyes widened and blind rage flashed in them. "That's not my name!" She screamed. She started to beat her, pounding her fists against Briar's entire body. That was still better than her stabbing Briar, but it hurt like hell.

"Witch... Perhaps you should calm yourself," Percival said after a few minutes of this. "If you kill the child, we won't get any answers."

"She may be of use to us," Bailey pointed out. "As bait for whoever sent her."

The Witch hesitated. "Easy, Witch," Dale said soothingly. "Dexter delivered these earlier... More liquor chocolates. I know you enjoy these."

The Witch stopped beating Briar. "Give them to me," she said.

Dale quickly handed her a basket filled with the chocolates. She ate three before she seemed to calm down. "Deal with her," she said before storming off with her candy.

"Tend to the girl. We need her alive for now," Jezzeff said to Dale and Bailey. "Everyone else come with me." He left, and the others followed.

Dale looked at Briar with horror in his eyes. "You're just a kid," he said softly.

"Please... Let me go," Briar begged weakly.

"I can't do that..." Dale started healing her.

Bailey began blending herbs together with a mortar and pestle. He added some sort of oil before applying it to the stab wounds. "This will disinfect them," he said in a factual, disinterested tone. "You shouldn't provoke the Witch. She's a bit unstable."

The pain lessened significantly and Briar knew the mixture wasn't only meant to keep away infections. She also knew better than to thank Bailey for showing her kindness. "You are young," he mumbled as he continued tending to her injuries.

"I'm thirteen," she admitted.

"Oh God..." Dale replied, shaking his head. "You're still a baby... What are you doing here, Jayna?"

"Trying to save someone who is very important to me."

"And who might that be?" Bailey asked in a suspicious tone.

"None of your business."

He shrugged. "Keep it to yourself if you must. We will find out eventually."

"You are recovering well," Dale said gently. "Get some rest and you should be fine. Please try not to upset the Witch. I would hate to see her harm you again."

She wanted to tell him everything right then, but Briar knew she couldn't. Instead, she smiled at him sadly and said, "Thanks for helping me."

Dale nodded as he and Bailey left the room. Still weak from the beating, Briar soon drifted back into unconsciousness.

LIDO
He had been keeping to himself. Lido spent most of his time in the woods with A'Vah, the five-year-old Aviary he'd taken in a year earlier, and his familiar, Zuzu. Andie came and visited him fairly often, but everyone else had taken to leaving him alone, sensing he preferred it that way.

Currently, A'Vah was being watched by Zuzu as Lido wandered deeper into the woods. He paused as he sensed something in the air. It wasn't a threat, but he wasn't alone. Lido turned around and relaxed as he spotted a familiar face. "Amos," he said.

"Greetings, He With the Spirit of a Bird," Amos replied cheerfully.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Lido asked.

"We need to talk, my friend... There is something I must tell you."

"Go on."

"I have mentioned in the past that I knew your real father."

"Yes, I remember."

"I want to tell you about him."

Lido paused. He couldn't deny he was mildly curious about the other half of his heritage, but he wasn't sure why this information was relevant. "Very well," he agreed cautiously.

"His name was Onacona. It means white owl. Like you, he had the spirit of a bird and could communicate with them. He was very large in stature but had an extremely gentle nature. Onacona did not believe in harming others unnecessarily."

"I suppose my title of the Executioner would horrify him," Lido replied.

"That was not your fault. Your father knows that."

"You speak in the present. I was under the impression he was deceased."

"He is, but why should that stop us from having a good conversation every so often? He watches over you, Lido. His spirit has been guiding you for millennia, but for a long time, you were unable to listen."

"I do not communicate with spirits."

"Yet."

"Pardon?"

"You do not communicate with spirits yet. Lido, your father was a powerful Shaman. I trained Onacona myself. That is a part of your heritage you have been unable to touch."

"Shaman must face death and survive. I cannot easily die. You would have to kill Zuzu, and I will not allow that."

"There is another way, my friend. If I put Zuzu into a suspended state, I believe I can get you close enough to death that you can take your Shaman's test."

"Why would I want to do that?"

"I fear it is the only way... You were meant to become a Shaman, my friend. Zell thought he prevented that... And this is what Jezzeff believes as well."

"Your point?"

"We need a powerful Shaman to balance Jezzeff. He is also from a strong line, Lido, and if he figures out how to awaken his Shaman gift, he will become much deadlier than he already is. Our Tribes are sister Tribes. You descend from Stone Hollow's. Jezzeff descends from Stone Canyon's."

"I thought his tie to the Reservation was still unknown."

"I do not know exactly who he descends from, but I recognize the energy of the Tribe in his blood, and it is strong. It grows stronger as he slowly awakens it. All things have a balance, Lido. The Universe does not allow for anything else. I believe you are Jezzeff's balance."

"How is that possible?"

"Jezzeff was born a monster, a sadistic and evil entity hiding as an innocent child who was a powerful force of Good. Everyone believed his lies, even the smartest and strongest of Eltarians. You were born gentle and kind but everyone believed you were evil. Jezzeff chose to embrace his darkness. You were forced to embrace darkness you were never meant to have. You both have pure hearts, Lido. His is pure evil, while yours is pure good. Only the Flames made you evil."

"The Flames changed me, Amos. I am no longer fully pure of heart and I can never be again. My light is restored, my choices are my own, but that darkness left a taint within me."

"Perhaps it is not as hopeless as you make it sound, Lido. You were touched by darkness, yes... As is every Shaman. The problem is you never took your journey. You came back from darkness with help from others, but now, you must do it yourself."

"If I die-"

"Nearly die," Amos corrected him.

"If I nearly die, Andie will go with me. I can't do that to her. It will be too traumatic."

Amos nodded. "You are correct. Your bond to her soul is very strong. If you are dying, she will connect to you. I can try to lessen the trauma, but I cannot block your bond... Only you can do that."

"I don't know how. We can't control it."

"Daphne knew how to block certain things from you. That works both ways, Lido. You can figure it out."

"I don't even know why we have the bond... It has been there since a few months after we met as children."

"In your soul, you know the answer, Lido... And your Shaman's journey will reveal that truth and others to you."

Lido nodded. "Before I agree to this, I need to see her. I must explain what is coming."

"Of course."

"And since Zuzu must be part of this, someone will need to tend to A'Vah."

"I know someone who can tend to A'Vah. He has experience working with a young Aviary."

"I would be more comfortable if I knew the person."

"You do, Lido. You just don't remember. Do you trust me?"

"Somewhat."

Amos laughed. "You protect this girl fiercely, as a father protects his daughter. You are the son of my dear friend and I vowed to help guide you when the time came. Trust that I would never endanger your daughter, Lido."

A'Vah wasn't actually his daughter, but Amos was right. Lido had come to be her father. It was strange to him, but it wasn't the first time he'd cared for a young child. He'd helped Daphne raise Zordon, after all.

"Where is this man?" Lido asked.

"Angel Grove. I can bring A'Vah to him after you speak to Andie," Amos replied.

Lido immediately started walking toward Sir Ivan's house. He sensed Andie wasn't at the Gordon house. He was usually pretty good at tracking her.

When they knocked on the door, Ivan opened it. "My Good Sirs Amos and Lido! To what do I owe the pleasure of thy company?" Ivan greeted them.

"I need to speak to Andie," Lido replied.

"I'm here for you both," Amos added.

"Of course. Come in... M'Lady, we have visitors!" Ivan called.

Andie appeared in the living room moments later. "Lido!" She cried in surprise. She hurried to him and gave him a tight hug. He leaned down as she stood on the tips of her toes so she could kiss his cheek. When she moved away from Lido, she hugged Amos as well, but much less excitedly. Andie disliked being touched sometimes, but she always greeted Lido warmly. "It's good to see you, Amos," she said.

"It's always a pleasure, Andie," Amos replied with a smile.

"Andie... We need to talk," Lido began.

"Of course. What's going on?" She asked.

"I need to know how Daphne blocked the bond of shared sight."

She paused. "That was unexpected. And she didn't... Not intentionally. It only happened when she was around Jezzeff or Zell. When Jezz started..." She paused. Ivan put a protective arm around her shoulder. "When Jezz molested her, she was terrified Zell would blame her, so she wanted to hide it from him. I think her energy combined with Jezzeff's to knock out the connection between the two of you. Then, when Zell hurt her..." She sighed and shook her head. "Daphne was afraid of him, but she was also in love with him. She wanted to protect him, so she used his energy to block the connection... And after Lygus..." She looked at Ivan apologetically. "On some level, Daphne knew Lygus tried to save her from Zell and it got him killed. She loved you so much, Lido. She was afraid of what would happen if you tried to get between her and Zell. So, to protect you, whenever Zell hurt her, she hid behind his energy and blocked the bond."

"I was supposed to protect her," Lido said softly.

Andie automatically reached toward his forehead. He bent down, allowing her to trace the scar on his forehead, something Daphne used to do to comfort him when they were children. It still soothed him.

"You did protect her, Lido. You did everything you could. She wouldn't let you do anything more," Andie said gently.

Lido felt the grief he'd been unable to touch for millennia because of the Flames threatening to overwhelm him. He pushed it back. "Andie, I have to do something, and I need to be able to block you. It would be cruel not to," he explained.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Amos told me about my biological father. He was a Shaman, and Amos wants me to connect to that part of my heritage."

"But... To become a true Shaman, don't you have to...?" She paused.

"He must face death and survive, without help from others," Amos replied. "Lido can't die unless I kill Zuzu, but I can get him close enough to trigger a true test of his power."

"Lido... Do you have to do this?" Andie asked in a soft, nervous voice he knew well. She was also suddenly speaking in Eltarian.

"All is well, Daphne," he replied soothingly in their native tongue. "Amos believes it is necessary to defeat Jezzeff."

"What does this have to do with Jezzeff?" Ivan asked, also speaking in Eltarian. The more he unlocked his memories as Lygus and the more he had to handle Daphne and Oralee taking control of Andie's body, the more he picked the language up.

"Jezzeff is technically a Shaman, too, by blood," Amos replied, stubbornly refusing to speak Eltarian and sticking to English. Since Andie and Daphne were different aspects of the same soul, the words usually translated automatically for Daphne.

"Are you saying Jezzeff has these powers?" Ivan asked, easily switching back to English.

"Not yet," Amos replied. "He is working on figuring out how to awaken them, and once he does, we will need the one meant to balance him to be ready."

"You think Lido is Jezz's balance?" Daphne asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"I am rather certain of it. Daphne, I won't lie; this is dangerous. Lido must be strong enough to survive a very difficult path. I believe that he is. Lido doubts his strength, but you have always had faith in him. I need that faith to be strong enough for both of you right now. Can you do that?"

She nodded. "I shall always believe in Lido," she replied solemnly. "What do you need from me?"

"I need you to leave Andie in control if you can while Lido takes his journey. Sir Ivan will ground her. If nothing else, he can shift her into Isobel mode. That will make it easier for her to handle this... Because we cannot break the bond, I have a feeling you will be experiencing at least some of Lido's journey with him. Andie will need to be very strong."

"She is strong," Daphne replied. "Far stronger than I was."

"That's not true," Lido said. He pulled Daphne into his arms. "You are so much stronger than you know, Daphne."

"As are you, Lido," she replied kindly. "Do what you must. I promise I shall be strong enough for you."

He was still holding her as he kissed the top of her head. He finally released her as he sensed Andie taking control back.

"What about A'Vah?" Andie asked. "Do you need us to look after her?"

"I have someone who can watch A'Vah while Lido takes his journey," Amos replied.

"Birds can only babysit five-year-olds for so long, Amos," Ivan reminded him. Lido nearly argued that he'd been raised by birds until he was eight, but he decided not to. After all, he wanted A'Vah to be looked after, too. Just because an Aviary was more comfortable with birds than people, that didn't mean they shouldn't have people in their lives.

"It's not a bird. I know a human who can watch and entertain the child. Don't worry. A'Vah will be safe and happy in Lido's absence."

"How long will it take?" Andie asked.

"That's up to Lido," Amos replied. "Some journey back within hours. Others take days or weeks. I took seven years, but my case had extenuating circumstances."

"When do we start?" Lido asked.

"As soon as we retrieve A'Vah and bring her to safety," Amos replied. "Andie... Tell your family and your team that you will be away for a bit. Until Lido returns to us safely, you cannot be left vulnerable."

"Well, considering Darcy and Greg told our parents the truth and they even met Tiktah and Aliese, I guess I can finally be honest with them about why I'm disappearing," Andie replied.

"Like Scott's father, the Gordons are good people... They are worthy of knowing your secret. They will protect it."

"I know that now. They handled all of this really well. They aren't even pushing me to see Tiktah and Aliese. They understand it's different for me than it is for Darcy and Greg. Anyway, it's nice to know I don't have to keep coming up with elaborate excuses to explain why I sometimes don't come home."

"Ah, so I needn't call Prince Phillip?" Ivan asked with a smile.

"Not unless you want company when I inevitably freak out and turn back into Daphne," Andie replied. "Sorry in advance."

"Nonsense. You never need to apologize for being any of your selves, Andie. I adore you all."

She smiled and gave him a quick kiss. Amos smiled as he watched them. Lido took a deep breath. She's safe with him, he told himself. Sir Ivan is a far cry from Zell. Lygus always protected her. Ivan does the same. She is not only happy, she is safe. I can support this relationship. They belong together.

Amos offered him a sympathetic smile like he knew exactly what Lido was thinking. Daphne's happiness had always been the most important thing to him. He'd tried to support her relationship with Zell, but Zell had hurt her, and ultimately, he'd killed her, and Lido had been powerless to save her. At least with Sir Ivan, Lido knew Andie would never be harmed. That man had far too much honor to harm a woman, just like Lygus.

I'm happy for her, he decided. For real this time.

In the back of his mind, he heard Celestia whisper, You're jealous. It was just a flash of memory from the day Daphne had married Zell. At the time, Lido had been confused by his good friend's accusation, but he could no longer deny she'd been right. Laby's cousin was very intuitive, especially when it came to matters of the heart, and she'd realized what Lido never did... At some point, he'd gone from loving Daphne as a friend to something more.

Looking at Andie smiling in Ivan's arms as they walked away so she could call home, Lido felt at peace. It was different this time. He knew in his heart that Andie belonged with Ivan and that her smiles were genuine. Had Lygus lived, they could have been very happy together, he thought.

Amos gently patted his back. "She loved you, too," he said. "As a girl, and then as a woman... Her love for you evolved as you helped her raise her son while her husband was frequently away. She loved Zell, but that was largely due to Oralee's influence and the fact that the poor child lost almost everyone else in her life. Daphne did not understand her own emotions, but you were not the only one who fell in love, Lido."

"I don't want to talk about this," Lido protested firmly.

"Too bad. You're about to take your Shaman's test, Lido. Nothing is off limits. They could throw any number of your past traumas at you. You need to be prepared... You would do better to admit it now, before you go into it."

Lido wanted to argue, but something about Amos made him tell the truth. "I loved her," he admitted. "I didn't understand it then... I still don't fully... But Celestia was right. I was in love with her when she married Zell. I think I was always in love with her on some level. It doesn't matter, Amos. She died. Zell murdered her. I couldn't save her, and then I let Zell turn me into the one thing that would make her hate me."

"She doesn't hate you."

"She should."

"You know you couldn't control your actions, Lido."

"I do. That doesn't mean I don't hate what I became."

"Good. This is good. Keep admitting your real emotions and you'll do fine when I nearly kill you," Amos decided cheerfully.

"You make it sound so pleasant."

"It's got to happen one way or another. There's no need to dwell on the horrible side of it. You'll come out stronger, Lido. I know you will."

Lido nodded, but deep down, he wasn't so sure. He'd always had others to guide him out of the darkness. First, Daphne and her siblings, then Celestia and Keizos, and ultimately Sage when she reversed the effects of the Flames. What if he was incapable of finding the light on his own?

LIA SELENE

The first day on campus was always scary, but that was even more true when you were a brand new college professor. Lia was still a little shocked she'd gotten the job at all. She had completed her Master's Degree in English and Journalism while working at the newspaper in Tiger's Bluff. She'd started off writing basic news stories she was assigned, but soon, Lia proved she had a talent for investigative journalism. Other news outlets picked up her stories and before she knew it, she had job requests from much bigger newspapers. She'd even written a few stories for the New York Times. With several awards under her belt, the local university in Angel Grove had jumped at the chance to bring her on as a professor.

"Ms. Selene?" A man asked as he approached her. He had a charming smile and eyes that lit up with laugher. Lia liked him instantly.

"Actually, that's my middle name," Lia replied. "I use it as a pen name. My real surname is Drew-Savers, but Selene is less complicated."

"Hyphenated, eh?"

"My mothers hyphenated their last names when they got married the first time," Lia explained. "They got married again when same-sex marriage was legalized in the entire country."

"I love it," the man replied. "Oh! Manners! Apologies. My name is Professor Muse."

"Muse? That is an amazing surname! Sorry... I'm gushing like some kind of fangirl."

Professor Muse laughed. It was almost musical. "It's especially fitting since I'm a Professor of Music. It's been my name for a lot longer than I've held this job, though." He paused thoughtfully. "I'm supposed to show you around."

"You play tour guide to new professors?"

"Frequently. I'm the friendliest one here, so they usually give me this job because I don't scare off the new faculty."

She laughed. "My mom is a music teacher. She works at Angel Grove High."

"Ah, a fine institution. I lecture there once a year to inspire young musical minds to pursue their dreams. What's your mother's name?"

"Roxy... Roxanne Drew-Savers, really."

"Yes, I believe I met Roxy the last time I lectured there. She's an interesting woman."

"You can say that again, Professor Muse."

"You can call me Colby if you like. I'm not as formal as some of the other staff, Ms. Drew-Savers..."

"Thanks, Colby. Call me Lia."

He smiled. "Lia. Come on. Your office is this way."

"I have my own office?"

"Oh, sweetheart, you are new!" He chuckled. "Full-time faculty members are all assigned their own offices and are required to keep office hours where they are accessible to their students."

"Right. That makes sense. I'm sorry... I've never taught before, aside from giving guest lectures a few times. I honestly expected this to be a once a week gig at first, but they asked me to teach several classes a week."

"Relax. You'll fit in in no time. This is your office," he said, stopping at the door. "If you ever find yourself becoming overwhelmed, I'm just down the hall. Room three-twelve."

"Thanks, Colby. I really appreciate that."

"No problem. I like making new friends."

Suddenly, the ground began to shake. "Is that an earthquake?" Lia asked in a panic. Earthquakes had terrified her ever since she was a little girl. The day her birth parents died, there had been an earthquake, although Lia didn't remember many other details.

"It's alright, Lia. Come on. We need to get under a desk," Colby said, guiding her into her office and pulling her down beneath the desk when she couldn't bring herself to move.

Something strange happened then. A green mist appeared in the office. It covered almost everything. "Is that gas?" Lia asked in alarm.

"No," Colby replied, "it isn't. Cover your mouth, Lia." He pulled off his shirt and handed it to her.

"But-"

"Lia! Please."

His tone made her stop questioning him despite the fact that he wasn't covering his own mouth with anything. He motioned for her to remain under the desk and put a finger over his lips to tell her to stay silent while he moved out into the open.

Lia heard Colby uttering strange words she couldn't understand, but they seemed familiar. She realized someone else had entered the room as well. He was speaking in the same strange language, but his tone was far more menacing.

She peaked under the desk to see if she could figure out what was going on. The man who stood with Colby was sort of handsome, but his skin appeared to be blue.

I'm hallucinating, Lia decided. This is some sort of gas leak caused by the earthquake.

The man pulled out a sword and Lia couldn't bring herself to hide anymore. "Get away from him!" She shouted.

"Get out of here," Colby said to her urgently. He flung something at the floor and, much to Lia's shock, a portal of some sort opened up. "Go, Lia! Now! It will bring you to safety!"

"What about you?" Lia demanded.

"Just go! And don't breathe until you do!"

Lia wanted to stay and fight, but something stopped her. Inside of the portal was a face she recognized. "Uncle Lee?" She asked.

Lee Scott looked up in surprise. Seeing the chaos in the room, he stepped closer to the entrance of the portal. "It's okay, Lia," he said. "Give me your hand. I'll pull you through."

Lia looked back at Colby, who was struggling with the blue man. She wanted to help him, but Lee pulled her through the portal before she could turn back. "Colby... Professor Muse... He's in danger," she said. "I don't know what the heck is going on, but-"

"Lia... I think it's time your mothers and I had a conversation with you," Lee replied. "Do you know who those men were?"

"One was my tour guide. He's just another professor, Uncle Lee."

"I'm not so sure he is... I've gotten pretty damn good at spotting Eltarians over the years."

"El-what?"

"Eltarians. I promise I'll explain everything after I contact your mothers. Hannah and Roxy should be here for this."

"For what? Colby's in trouble, Uncle Lee!"

"Whatever happened back there, Colby wanted you safe, Lia. He made that clear. I'm guessing the portal was his?"

"Yeah... Why are you acting like this isn't extraordinary or crazy? I'm a journalist. I know aliens exist and they especially like Angel Grove... But... To see an attack in person like that... How can you be so calm?"

"I'm calm because it kind of is normal for me, Lia. Let's just say I have a long history of dealing with aliens."

It suddenly clicked. "Uncle Lee... Are you a Power Ranger?" She asked in surprise.

"Yeah, Lia... I am. But I can't tell you anything else until your mothers show up, okay?"

She nodded. She needed time to process that bombshell anyway. "But... Colby needs help," she said.

"I'll make sure he gets it. Just stay with me, Lia. It's going to be alright." To her surprise, he began speaking to his watch. "Alphas! There's a situation at the college... It's Eltarian in nature. One friendly and one not. The friendly one calls himself Colby and needs help ASAP. Also, there was an earthquake and some kind of weird green mist in the air."

"Oh no! How dare they sully a sacred institution of knowledge?" A voice replied. "This is a travesty! An act of treason! A crime so vile-"

"Alpha Three! I appreciate your unusually large vocabulary and aptitude for theatrics, but I'm not sure how long this guy has. You may want to move a little faster."

"For the record, Lee Scott, I can multitask. I have already alerted a team of Rangers to report to the scene."

"Right. Sorry for doubting you, Alpha. Who'd you send?"

"I dispatched the Legacy Rangers. They know the school quite well, as most of them are currently students there."

"Great. Thanks, Alpha."

"You are welcome, Lee."

As he stopped talking to his watch, Lia stared at him. "Uncle Lee?" She asked.

"It's a long story," he replied with a laugh. "Alpha Three's an old friend, but she's a little dramatic sometimes... Or all the time, really. She spent a lot of time in solitude before she met my team. I think this was how she entertained herself." He pulled out his phone and sent a text message.

Moments later, two people appeared out of thin air. "Moms?" Lia asked in confusion.

"Are you alright? Lee said you were attacked!" Hannah said in a panic.

"Hannah, she's fine. There's not a mark on her. Take it down a notch," Roxy replied in a soothing tone.

"You guys... Did you just teleport?" Lia asked.

"Technically, Alpha Three teleported us," Roxy replied calmly. "I guess the cat's out of the bag. Do you think Alpha will make Lia take an oath of secrecy like she made me and your dad do, Hannah?" She laughed.

"What's happening?" Lia demanded.

"Lia, honey... There are some things Roxy and I never told you," Hannah replied gently.

"I kind of figured that out, Mom. So tell me now?"

"Okay..." Hannah sighed. "When we were teenagers, Lee and I were part of a team of Power Rangers."

"Wait... You were a Power Ranger? I would have figured Mama Roxy would be the one fighting off bad guys. You're not exactly violent."

"No, I was just an ally of theirs," Roxy replied. "I figured out the truth," she added with a smirk.

"Our team retired after we won our big battle, back in 1989. You weren't even born yet," Hannah explained. "Last year, when our mentors returned to their proper time, we rejoined the fight. There is so much we wanted to protect you from, sweetheart."

"Apparently, it found me... Do you want to explain it all now?"

"Of course. Come on, let's go somewhere more private."

"Where?"

Hannah smiled. She proceeded to speak into her watch. "Alpha... Send us to Oakhaven please," she said.

The next thing Lia knew, she was moving through space against her will. She almost panicked, but it was over too quickly. Roxy steadied her as they landed. Hannah and Lee had no trouble sticking their landings.

"You guys do this a lot, huh?" Lia asked.

"Back in 1989, not so much, but now? Yes," Lee replied.

Lia looked around at the enormous and impressive property in front of her. "What is this place?" She asked.

"A sanctuary," Hannah replied. "This was our base when we were Power Rangers. It's Alpha Three's home."

"It's kind of creepy."

"Yeah, that's what makes it so great," Roxy replied with a grin.

Lia didn't disagree. There was a certain charm to the place and it provided just enough of a sense of mystery that the journalist in her was eager to check it out. She'd never reveal the secrets of any team of Power Rangers, of course. Lia had a code. That didn't mean she wasn't dying to see their base.

As they entered Oakhaven, Lia had a feeling everything she believed was about to be flipped upside-down.

SAGE

Even though Alpha Three had sent the Legacy Rangers to the college, the Ninjetti team had insisted on accompanying them. After all, they were supposed to be working closely with the Legacy team to teach them how to become Ninjetti.

So far, no one was making much progress in that department. Sabrina and Zeke were getting along like they'd been best friends for their entire lives, but they kept distracting each other. Liza and Carrie were working hard, but Liza was a bit much for Carrie to handle. Sage felt bad for the girl because she was well aware that Liza was an acquired taste. Christian was extremely shy, but he and Thorn were making a decent amount of progress in private. Jessie and Kenny were slowly starting to get along, although Kenny had been a little weirded out by suddenly having a female version of himself running around. Johnny and Josh didn't get along. They would both rather focus on their books than talk to each other. Sage knew they'd need an intervention soon or Josh would never become the Wolf Ninjetti. Junie and Micky were making some progress, but it was extremely slow, like neither wanted to push the other.

Sage, at least, had made a lot of progress with Fred's help. Then again, Sage was used to meditating and connecting to her own spirit. Embracing the Green Jaguar wasn't hard for her. In fact, it felt like it had filled in a piece of herself she'd been missing.

They chose to arrive morphed, because it seemed like a bad idea to give away their identities when most of the Legacy team attended the college. As she heard two people speaking in Eltarian, she searched through the mist. They were struggling, but the one who had obvious blue skin kept losing track of the other one. As the other man played a cheerful melody on his pipe, the blue man became confused. Sage felt oddly giddy as the music continued to fill the room.

"What's with the mist?" Kenny asked.

"I don't know, but stay morphed," Sage replied. "I think it might be toxic if we breathe it in directly."

"That guy's breathing just fine," Zeke pointed out.

"That guy's Eltarian," Josh replied. "It may not effect him the same way it effects us."

"Guys, get down!" Micky yelled.

"Shit!" Liza shouted. She opened up a portal as a bomb came toward them. The bomb flew right through it.

"Liza! Where did you just send that?" Carrie asked in horror.

"Who cares? As long as it's not here," Liza replied.

"Liza!" Sage scolded her.

"Chill. I sent it to the middle of the ocean."

"What about the poor, innocent fish?" Sabrina teased her.

"They were probably going to get eaten by a shark any second anyway. It was them or us. This is a quicker death for them. It's practically a mercy killing."

"You're horrible," Micky said with a laugh.

"You all knew that already. Now, hold on to your asses, because I have an idea."

"Uh-oh. Liza's thinking! Duck and cover!" Zeke shouted.

Suddenly, a second portal opened. This one gathered up the mist and sent it away as the Rangers clung to anything they could to keep from getting sucked in with the mist. "Before you all judge me, that one goes to the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia. It's all burning salt, sulfuric acid, and volcanic rock. It's uninhabitable. The chance of the mist harming anyone there is beyond slim," Liza explained.

"Liza... That was clever," Josh said in surprise. "I didn't realize you paid attention to that lesson in school."

"She didn't," Micky replied with a laugh. "Our parents dragged us there once to gather spell ingredients."

"And you survived?" Johnny asked.

"It's called magic for a reason, Johnny," Liza replied.

"Guys... Can we focus?" Sage asked, motioning toward the two Eltarians who were still engaged in battle. Now that the mist was gone, the musician had to step up his efforts to keep the other one from harming him with the weapons he seemed to keep pulling out of thin air.

"Alright, who are you, and what are you after?" Zeke asked bluntly, startling both men into staring at him.

"Zeke!" Thorn protested.

"What? We need answers. I skipped to the point," Zeke replied.

The blue man began to cast a spell. Sage could feel its power. "Oh no you don't!" She said. She intervened, facing the man directly.

"Foolish child!" The man cried. "I will destroy you!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've heard that before," Sage replied. "Many have tried, none have succeeded."

"Sage!" Fred shouted in warning.

That was when Sage realized the blue man had shifted his focus to an object in his hand. It was a knife. As he drew a bit of her blood, Sage fell into convulsions on the floor. She wasn't in the mood to deal with that, so she quickly had her astral self leave her body.

Thorn ran toward the man, ready to attack him. Christian jumped in the way and whispered something. Suddenly, hundreds of frogs charged into the room. Sage had no idea where they were coming from or if she was just hallucinating. As the man slashed at Christian's arm with a blade, it came off.

"Christian!" Thorn cried in alarm. Johnny quickly knelt beside him. "It came clean off. He'll be fine," Johnny said as he looked at the injury.

"Fine? He lost his arm!" Thorn protested.

Sage stared in wonder as Christian's arm began slowly growing back before her eyes. "Holy shit!" Kenny cried in shock.

"Impossible..." Josh mumbled.

"Christian is the Frog. Frogs can regenerate severed limbs," Johnny replied. "It's actually quite logical."

"That's tadpoles. Fully grown frogs can't do that with arms."

"Well, he's still a teenager, so one might argue he's not fully grown yet."

"But the science-"

"Supports this!"

"It does not!"

"Boys!" Liza shouted, clapping her hands together. "We're still in a battle and Sage is having a seizure. Can you two stop arguing for ten seconds and actually do something useful?"

This effectively stopped the scientific debate. "What the hell did you do to her?" Zeke demanded.

"It's just a little pestilence spell," the man replied.

"You're not Leigan," Kenny said.

"No... But he mentored me," the man replied. "Call me Azt."

"What was that? Call you Ass?" Zeke and Sabrina asked in unison.

"Azt," the man repeated, emphasizing the T sound at the end.

"Is that short for Asshat?" Zeke asked.

"Or Asshole?" Sabrina added.

"Or Assmunch?" They asked in unison.

"I will destroy you!" Azt shouted.

Jessie launched herself into the air behind him and kicked him in the head. "Not if we destroy you first," she replied sweetly as he fell to the floor unconscious.

"Nice," Kenny said with approval.

"Thanks. Is Sage okay?"

Sage stopped seizing, so she slipped back into her body and slowly sat up. "Well, that sucked," she mumbled.

Thorn hugged her tightly. "You scared me," he said.

"I know. I'm sorry," Sage replied. "Warlocks flinging plagues and diseases around might be worse than the ones who fight with battle spells and traditional curses."

The musical man moved closer to them. He began playing his pipes. It soothed something in Sage. "Better?" He asked after a minute.

"Kind of," she admitted. "Who are you? We know you're Eltarian."

"I suppose that was bound to come out eventually," he replied. "I'm Professor Colby Muse... Previously known, many lifetimes ago, as Colby of Eltar."

"How long have you been on Earth, and why should we trust you?" Josh asked bluntly.

"Go easy on him, Josh. He wasn't the one attacking us," Kenny pointed out.

"He says his name is Colby. What kind of name for an Eltarian is that?" Josh argued.

Colby laughed. "My parents traveled to Earth on business often. My mother heard the name here and liked it," he replied.

"I believe him," Carrie decided.

"You don't know much about Eltarians," Josh pointed out.

"No, but I know people, and he's not lying to us. So what else can you tell us, Colby? Why was that man attacking you?"

"He wasn't. He was after the girl." Colby sighed. "I sensed him when the earthquake hit. There wasn't time to warn her."

"What girl?" Sage asked.

"Lia Selene, or Lia Drew-Savers... She was his target. I did what I could to protect her. I sent her through a portal to safety."

"Drew-Savers... As in... Hannah and Roxy?" Sage asked in surprise.

"Roxy's her mother, yes. She told me that much."

"Guys... This can't be a coincidence."

"What does it mean? Why is some random Eltarian warlock targeting Hannah and Roxy's kid?" Kenny asked.

"I don't know... But we'd better start looking into it fast. We caught this one, but that doesn't mean someone else won't come and try their luck at capturing or killing her."

"I don't have answers, I'm afraid. A good friend of mine told me to watch out for Lia when she arrived, so I made sure I was assigned to show her around the university. I didn't expect trouble to find her so quickly," Colby replied.

"Who was this good friend?" Sage asked.

"Me," Amos replied. He smiled as he entered the office. "Oh my... This got messy, didn't it? Is everyone alright?"

"Christian lost an arm, but it came back," Zeke replied casually. "Sage had a seizure from some plague spell or whatever, but she's good now. Other than that, we met an idiot named Asshat and kicked his Azt." He motioned toward the unconscious Eltarian on the floor.

Amos chuckled in amusement. "Yes, I figured he might come. Don't worry. I'll send Azt to Anise and she can throw him in prison where he belongs. Others will come, but if Lia has learned the truth, she is safe for now."

"I sent her to Lee, as instructed," Colby replied.

"Good. We can worry about her again when the time comes, which it will... Now, the reason I came is unrelated to this. Are you up for babysitting, Colby?"

"Babysitting?" Colby shrugged. "You know I love kids."

"And they love you. This child is special, my friend. She is an Aviary."

Colby looked strangely interested then. Sage wondered what he knew about Aviaries. Most Eltarians weren't eager to be around them.

"How old is she?" Colby asked.

"Five. She's rather adorable and her verbal skills have greatly improved in the last year. Her name is A'Vah... She has been being raised by another Aviary."

"Amos...?" Colby sighed, not finishing his question.

"He doesn't remember you yet, my friend. Give it time. Until then, take care of the little one for us."

Colby nodded. "Bring her to my office. I'll cast a spell to clean this one up for Lia, then I'll go to mine. She'll be safe there."

"I know. I'll wait with her until you arrive, just so she doesn't become nervous." Amos paused. "Sage, go see Sam about something to clear your lungs. Pestilence spells tend to linger. The rest of you, drink plenty of water to get rid of any residual mist you breathed in, and get checked out just in case."

"We're morphed," Johnny protested.

"The mist is powerful and highly toxic to people from Earth. Please, take this precaution."

"We will," Zeke promised. "I'll make sure my team and my sis's team are taken care of."

Sabrina grinned. "If you don't get distracted," she replied.

"Pot and Kettle, Sabs!"

Amos smiled again before waving his hand over Azt. The warlock vanished. "Carry on, Rangers," he said cheerfully before leaving the office.

"That guy's kind of weird," Jessie said.

"You have no idea, Jessie," Kenny replied with a laugh. "But he's a good ally to have. Amos knows more about all of this crap than any of us. He's one of the oldest people involved in everything."

"That he is," Colby replied with a smile. "Alright, Kids... Go get taken care of. I'll handle cleaning up this mess."

"Are you sure? We can help," Carrie offered.

"You were exposed to something deadly. I'm fine. Please take care of yourselves."

Sage sighed. "He's right. Let's go get checked out. Sam and Uncle David will make sure we're all healthy," she said. "Alphas... Send us to the Reservation."

PAX

He was beside himself with worry. Briar had been missing for a while now, and there was no telling where she was. The Guild changed locations frequently, and no one knew exactly which base they were currently calling home. As he began pacing back and forth, Carissa sighed.

"Pax! All that pacing is giving me a headache," she complained.

"You sound like our mother," Pax replied as he continued to pace.

"Well, it's true. You need to take a break. You're going to drive yourself insane."

"Briar's missing in the past, Carissa. I'm allowed to go a little insane from worrying."

Libby and Ella returned to the place outside of time together. "Anything?" Pax asked anxiously.

"No," Ella replied with a sigh. "We're trying everything we can think of, but wherever they have her, it's seriously hidden by magic."

Edmund and Kenji arrived moments later with Karone and Bridge. "We struck out," Kenji said. "I can't even sense her aura."

"Wait... Maybe that's the key!" Libby said suddenly. "You read auras. Is that only for people, or can you read the aura of places, too?"

"I can read places, sure."

"Okay... I think we're going about this wrong, trying to search for them or track them. The Guild is probably staying somewhere pretty big... And if you walk around the general area, you might sense the lack of an aura where one should be, right?"

"Well, yeah, but they could be anywhere..."

"They're in Angel Grove," Edmund said firmly. "They won't stray that far away from the action. They enjoy hiding in plain sight."

"So, if we walk around Angel Grove with Kenji reading auras, he's bound to stumble upon the obvious absence of one... Libby, you're brilliant!" Ella cried. Libby blushed slightly at her words.

"It could work," Carissa said. "And it's the best plan we've got... Better than pacing, anyway."

Pax sighed. "You're right. Let's try it... And if we split into two groups, we can cover twice as much ground," he said. "Bridge has the same power as Kenji."

"Yeah, sure, I can help," Bridge replied. "I like your sister. She literally gave me my family. I'm not stopping until we find her."

"Great! We have a plan," Carissa declared. "How should we break up?"

"I'll go with Kenji since Bridge will be with the other group," Karone volunteered. "I'll take care of your kid, I promise."

"I trust you," Bridge replied. "Alright... Carissa, Pax, and Edmund are with me. Ella, Libby, and Kenji will go with Karone."

"Whichever group finds the base first contacts the other," Karone added firmly. "Neither group goes in alone. Understood?"

"Got it," Bridge replied. "Anise, Zell, and Aiyana are also searching, so we'll get in touch with them when we know something."

"I thought Aiyana was focusing on using Shaman parlor tricks," Pax said in confusion.

"She is, but she's mobile. She is only going under when she senses Briar is reaching out," Karone replied. "Zell insisted on physically searching for Briar with Anise, and Aiyana decided she should go with them. I think we have all learned not to question a Shaman who is determined to do something."

"Alright," Pax said. "Let's do this. My sister needs us."

"We'll find her, Pax," Libby promised. She touched his hand soothingly. He managed a small smile in response, although the last thing he felt like doing was smiling.

As they stepped back into time, they split up. A short time later, just as Pax was getting severely anxious again, something came toward them.

"What is that?" Edmund asked in shock. He pulled out his sword.

"Edmund, don't!" Carissa said quickly, gently touching his arm. "It's okay. That's a kitsune. We have them on Eltar."

"A kitsune," Edmund repeated. "The nine-tailed fox from mythology? What would one be doing here?"

"That's my fault," Pax replied with a sigh. "I have an affinity for working with them. When I am upset, they sometimes come in search of me." He knelt in front of the kitsune and began to pet her. "Good girl," he said soothingly. "All is well."

Bridge smiled excitedly. "Pax..." He began.

"Yes, you can pet her," Pax replied, knowing exactly where Bridge's mind had gone. "They're quite gentle unless they have a reason not to be. They are very fierce protectors of those they deem worthy."

"It's so fluffy..." Bridge mumbled as he pet each of the kitsune's tails one at a time.

Edmund hesitated before gently stroking the kitsune's head. She rubbed her head against his hand in response, encouraging more pets. The normally stoic and reserved boy actually smiled like a kid his age was supposed to.

"She's quite beautiful," he told Pax.

"She is," Pax agreed. "Have you come to help us, my friend?" He asked the kitsune.

She suddenly sniffed the air and took off running. "Is that a yes?" Bridge asked.

"Follow her," Pax replied as he began to chase after her. They ended up running for nearly a mile before the kitsune finally stopped.

"Whoa..." Bridge mumbled.

"What is it, Bridge?" Carissa asked.

"There's a very noticeable hole here... I sense the aura of the lot next to it, and the building over there... But there's nothing here, like it should be a big black void. This has to be it."

"Good girl," Pax said soothingly as the kitsune licked his hand. She then stood at attention, ready to go fight by his side.

"How do we get inside if we can't see it?" Edmund asked.

"We rely on our other senses," Pax replied.

Bridge pulled out his phone and dialed a number. Karone and the others got to them seconds later, slipping in and out of time to do it.

"Wait!" Anise said as she joined them with Zell and Aiyana. "You guys can't go in there."

"We have to," Carissa replied. "Our sister's in there!"

"And the Guild doesn't know about you. That's the point of Tempus Force, remember?" Anise asked. "It isn't time to reveal yourselves yet."

"Briar needs us," Pax argued.

"Karone, Bridge, Edmund, my parents, and I can go in," Anise decided.

"Why does Edmund get to go?" Kenji asked.

"Because everyone knows he's a Child of the Flame, and he's Sir Ivan's son. If there's an injustice, Edmund will try to correct it. It's not strange for him to go in, and as long as he doesn't morph, no one will realize he's a Power Ranger. The rest of you, go back to our training area. We'll meet you there afterward."

"But-" Carissa began.

"Carissa, my sweet granddaughter... Briar is already in dire need of assistance. I don't want you and your brother to end up in the same situation," Zell said in a soothing tone. He paused as he spotted the kitsune. She growled at him suspiciously. "Oh my..." He mumbled.

"You missed a few," Pax replied a little coldly. "They went deep into hiding. They couldn't reach Father anymore after you made him forget, but they found me after I was born. By then, their population had grown back to where it should have been to begin with."

"I knew the kitsunes would prevent me from..." Zell paused, looking at Aiyana with pain and guilt on his face.

She gently touched his arm. "Whatever you did, that was not who you truly are," Aiyana said soothingly.

"I slaughtered many of the kitsunes before I went home the night I killed you... I knew if Zordon was in distress they would come, and I couldn't allow them to get in the way... Oh, Aiya... I am terribly sorry."

"Apologize and be emo later, Dad," Anise said. "Save the kid now."

He nodded. "Of course. Children, please do as Anise instructed. Edmund, remain with us. Your gift may prove quite useful tonight." He paused. "Do you despise me for what I did, Grandson?" He asked Pax.

"I want to," Pax admitted, "but I can't. I know what the Witch turned you into. It wasn't your fault, and I have explained that to the kitsunes in my time."

"Thank you. I think I needed to hear that. Go on. Be safe."

Pax didn't want to leave, but he knew Anise was right. If they revealed themselves too soon, everything they had been working toward would be for nothing. He had to believe that Zell, Anise, Aiyana, Edmund, Karone, and Bridge would be able to save his sister. If they failed, he would simply have to break his father's most sacred rule once again and employ time travel until they finally got it right.