RAFFITTY

He had beaten Insu within an inch of her life. Raffitty had spared her only because he needed her gift. The tulpas were an exceptionally useful weapon. He locked eyes with one of them and suddenly found himself lost in thought.

The Rebellion had many members. Raffitty was only one of the leaders. He'd joined in his youth, seeking power from a world which rejected him. The government of Eltar had locked him away at barely fourteen for being the bastard son of one of their officials. His father, a well-respected leader of Eltar, had been quite intoxicated when he forced himself on Raffitty's mother, a young maiden who served him and his corrupt friends. She'd made this story clear before killing herself when Raffitty was nine. His father had been forced to claim him, although he'd insisted the "affair" had been consensual. For the following five years, his father beat him to keep him in line. When Raffitty finally attempted to defend himself, his father had him thrown in prison for assault.

Raffitty had spent five years locked up, being beaten, tortured, and nearly starved on his father's order. It was there, however, that he met a few members of the Rebellion. They quietly befriended him and began to look out for him. By the time he was nineteen, they had turned the boy into a warrior. They helped him get released from prison and set him up with their leader. Raffitty trained endlessly and quickly rose in rank until he was tasked with one last test to prove his loyalty.

Murdering his father, the corrupt bastard who'd done nothing but torture him, had been a test Raffitty easily passed. In assassinating a member of the government of Eltar, he'd immediately become a leader of the Rebellion. He was granted a power almost no one else had been trusted with... Raffitty absorbed the powers of his victims and made them his own. Anyone he killed gave him new gifts or made old ones stronger. As a result, Raffitty was essentially invincible now.

"Raff? Raff... Raffitty! Snap out of it! " Felina said. She shook him back into awareness.

"What?" He demanded.

"You looked at Reflector, you fool. With Insu still recovering, she couldn't stop the tulpa from sending you into a flashback."

"I am not a fool, Felina. Do not forget who is in charge here."

"You are in charge because I allow it. I could slaughter you, Raffitty."

"Cocky little witch."

"It's simply a fact. And I am not a witch. I am a sorceress."

"You are a bitch."

"I have never pretended otherwise."

That was certainly true. Felina had proven to be a thorn in his side on many occasions, but she made a better ally than enemy.

"Did you need something?" Raffitty asked.

"Yes. I came to inform you that the mentors we saw with the Rangers are not presently in town. Like many others, they have been called away to Angel Grove," Felina replied.

"Excellent. Now is the time to strike the young Rangers. They will be defenseless."

"Precisely."

"Report back to me when you discover their locations. We must be smart about this."

"Of course."

As Felina left, Raffitty was certain she had other plans. He'd have to worry about that when the time came.

SCOTT

He had called his new band members to reschedule their first official rehearsal the day before. Now, he sat in the abandoned warehouse he'd decided to squat in until he found a better spot. It was big and had great acoustics. Van sat beside him, the band's unofficial "manager." Chelsea was sitting on top of the speakers, swinging her legs back and forth as she vibrated from her excessive caffeine intake. Scott decided she must be drinking the stuff competitively, because she chugged it down faster and more frequently than he'd ever seen in his life. She also consumed copious amounts of sugar as often as possible.

Freddy arrived, and he wasn't alone. "I found Allie walking home and invited her to come," Freddy said. "Is that okay?" He had his arm hooked through hers, and Scott was pretty sure they were about to become an item.

"Sure," Scott said. "Allie's our first official fan." He smiled at her and she smiled back.

Chelsea popped her bubblegum loudly before shrugging. "So... Are we naming ourselves, or what?" She asked.

"Totally. We've got a pretty broad sound so far, but I'm a big fan of ska, pop punk, and club music, so I was thinking something upbeat or just fun... Any suggestions?" Scott asked.

"Radio Unfriendly?" Chelsea joked.

Scott laughed. "I'm all for embracing the alternative scene, but let's not label ourselves as unplayable."

"Mint," Freddy said.

"That's unusual..." Scott said.

"No. I mean, I need a mint. My mouth's really dry all of a sudden."

"Oh! I have some," Allie said. She pulled out a pack of mints.

"Actually... My mouth's dry, too," Scott said. It was almost like the air was being sucked out of the room.

"Guys... My head's kind of fuzzy," Chelsea said.

Van suddenly stood up. "Something's wrong," he said.

Before he could say more, the building began to shake. "Shit! Earthquake!" Freddy shouted. He grabbed Allie and shoved her under a table, shielding her with his body.

"Scott!" Van shouted.

"Get under something sturdy!" Scott shouted back. He was about to join Van when he realized there was an issue.

Chelsea wasn't moving. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Chelsea, get under something!" He shouted.

Chelsea looked around, suddenly registering his words. "I... What's safe?" She asked.

"A table or desk! Anything strong."

Chelsea nodded. Scott was about to run to Van when something came down and hit his head.

VAN

The earth finally stopped shaking. It hadn't been a normal earthquake. He knew that. Not only had it come after someone sucked out a lot of the air in the room, which affected the others before it hit Van, but after the initial shaking, someone invisible had flung them all around the room. At first, he'd been confused, but then he'd seen Chelsea turn into a blur of yellow light and he'd understood... They'd been hunting for a Power Ranger and must have sensed her. Van hadn't known what she was, but now, it was obvious.

Everyone was buried under debris. Van slowly dug himself out. He was sore, but he'd recover. Freddy groaned from nearby. Van began digging him out. "Freddy! Hang on," he said.

"Allie..." Freddy mumbled.

"She'll be okay," Van promised. Allie was indestructable, but he couldn't exactly explain that to Freddy.

"She was right here..."

"Freddy, I need your help, okay? The others are still trapped. I'm really strong, but I could still use a hand moving all of the debris so we can find them. Can you do that?"

Freddy seemed to snap out of his shock. He nodded slowly. Together, Van and Freddy began digging through everything to find the others.

Please, please let Scott be okay, he silently begged. He couldn't stand the idea of anything bad happening to him. Van had never connected to anyone the way he had to Scott. He was positive he loved him, and he wasn't ready to lose him.

Some of the debris moved. A hand reached up and cleared it away. Allie slowly stood up. "Allie!" Freddy cried. He hurried over to examine her. Allie was covered in dust and dirt from the debris, but she didn't have so much as a scratch on her.

"I'm okay, Freddy," Allie promised him.

"It's a freaking miracle..." Freddy mumbled. "How are you not hurt? Or... Or worse?"

"I never get hurt," Allie said.

"She's got crazy good luck," Van added quickly. He searched the debris, hoping for any sign of Scott.

"Dude..." Freddy said. He motioned toward a hand sticking out of the rubble. It was perfectly still.

"Scott!" Van said in horror. "Guys, help me get to him!"

The three of them began moving debris aside. Freddy stared at Allie. "How are you making that look so easy?" He asked.

"I'm stronger than I look," Allie said with a smile.

"You're amazing," Freddy informed her.

Van finally reached Scott. He pulled him into his arms. The cut on his head was bad, but he was breathing.

"Wake up, Scott... Come on..." Van whispered.

"Where's Chelsea?" Allie asked.

"I'm here!" Chelsea shouted.

"Go help her," Van said. Chelsea was a Power Ranger, but it would look very suspicious if they refused to help her. Besides, Van was furious. How could the Rebellion have attacked like this? Chelsea might be a Power Ranger, but Scott and Freddy were civilians, and he and Allie were trapped in there, too. Sure, Allie was indestructable, but Van wasn't.

Van closed his eyes and willed Scott to heal. He wasn't the strongest healer in the world, but he knew a few basic spells to help. Slowly, Scott opened his eyes.

"Van?" Scott asked. He tried to sit up.

"Don't move. You're hurt," Van said.

"The others... Are they...? I mean... Is everyone okay?"

"Allie's fine. Freddy and I are a little banged up. Chelsea called out for help, so wherever she is, we know she's alive."

"I'm fine," Chelsea said as she, Allie, and Freddy joined them. "I got pinned between a couple of bookcases, and I'm a little banged up, but nothing's broken... Are you okay?"

"I think so," Scott said.

"I'll be fine," Van said. He got to his feet and helped Scott stand up.

"I'm so sorry, guys... The pipes in this place are old... It's probably not up to code. The vibrations from the oncoming quake must have cracked a pipe... That's gotta be why we all felt off..."

"The important thing is we're all okay," Van said. "Let's get out of here." He walked toward the amp to retrieve his bookbag.

By the time he sensed danger, it was too late. The amp exploded right next to him. Van was sure he was going to die, but with impossible speed, Chelsea pulled him out of harm's way just as Scott screamed his name.

Crap, he thought. Van knew he was supposed to tell the Rebellion who Chelsea was, but how could he do that when she'd literally just saved his life?

A life for a life, he decided. Just this once, I'll forget what I saw, Yellow Ranger.

"Are you okay?" Chelsea asked.

"Yes... Thanks to you," Van replied.

Scott flung his arms around Van in relief.

"Hey, look! The instruments survived!" Chelsea said as she looked at them on the other side of the warehouse. "Everything seems fine except the amp... Good thing nothing was plugged into it."

"I have an idea!" Allie said. Then, she looked embarrassed.

"What is it?" Scott asked.

"Never mind... It's silly..."

"No," Freddy said. "Let's hear it. I'm sure it's great. I believe in you, Allie."

Allie reacted powerfully to his words. She literally lit up with power, but no one else seemed to notice. "You do?" She asked. Belief made tulpas stronger. Freddy had no idea what his words actually meant to her, but Van did.

"Of course I do."

"Okay... So I was thinking, for a band name... How about Quake Escape?"

Freddy grinned. Chelsea shrugged. Scott nodded. "I like it," he said.

"It's certainly fitting," Chelsea added.

"Nice, Allie," Van said.

"Great. Everyone, grab an instrument and get outside before there's an aftershock or something," Chelsea said. They did. When they were safe, she said, "I stumbled across a bomb shelter underground behind my house a while back. It should be earthquake-proof. Let's just use that for rehearsals for a while."

"Seriously?" Scott asked. "Very cool!"

"I'm sorry I froze, Scott. We don't get major earthquakes in New York. I'm still getting used to them, and my head was so fuzzy, I couldn't think straight.. Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, and it's cool. I haven't had to deal with them in a while. I almost froze, too." He gave her a quick hug. She let him, which told Van how freaked out she'd actually been.

"So, one of these days, we'll actually, like, rehearse at a rehearsal, right?" Chelsea asked, her sarcasm back on point.

"Absolutely," Scott promised.

Van noticed the bird perched a few feet away. A quick examination told him Lido and Felina were not far. Zuzu had obviously found Lido and told him about Chelsea, but Felina had been the one to cause the earthquake. She was an exceptionally terrifying and possibly sociopathic sorceress who'd been banished from Eltar several millennia before. She wasn't immortal as far as Van knew, but people from Eltar tended to have extremely long lifespans. Felina didn't give a damn who she hurt in her quest for power. If Raffitty wasn't around to keep her in check, she probably would have destroyed most of the universe by now.

Of course it was her, Van thought. Raffitty never would have taken that sort of risk. If anything happened to Van, he liked to think his father would leave the Rebellion, and more importantly, if something somehow managed to happen to Allie, Insu would turn on them. No one wanted to be on Insu's bad side.

"Van? Are you okay?" Scott asked.

"Yeah," Van said quickly. "Just a little freaked out, I guess."

Scott wrapped his arms around him. "I'll make you forget all about it," he promised before kissing him.

"Can you keep it in your pants until you two are alone?" Chelsea asked, rolling her eyes. Then she noticed Freddy holding Allie close to him and rolled her eyes again. "What, do earthquakes make you Californians horny or something? Whatever. I'm leaving before I catch a case of Excessive Libido. Later." She hurried off.

"Note to Self..." Scott said. "Get Chelsea laid."

"You're terrible," Van said with a laugh.

"You love me, though," Scott teased him.

"Yeah," Van admitted. "I do."

Scott raised an eyebrow at that. "Wait... Seriously?"

"You could have died, Scott. That sort of clarified things for me."

Scott kissed him again, more intensely this time. Van savored the sensation of Scott's lips on his. He held him close, not wanting to ever let him go. Van knew the truth... If he hadn't managed to heal him, Scott probably wouldn't have survived. That scared him like nothing else ever had.

"I love you, too," Scott whispered against Van's ear before he kissed him one last time.

"Awwww... You guys are so cute!" Allie declared. She watched them with a big smile on her face as they finally separated. "You're so awesome together! I totally support you!"

Great, Van thought. Insu programmed her as a super ally.

"Support's great," Scott said with a laugh. "What's wrong, Freddy? No rainbow pom-poms to show your support?"

"Love is love," Freddy said. "Support shown."

Scott smirked. "Coming from Freddy, that's practically a parade," he joked.

"Come on, Guys," Van said. "I'll drive everyone home."

VIDA

Reuniting with her team had been great. An impressive number of Power Rangers had turned up to help rescue Tommy. Now, Vida stood having lunch with her sister and the rest of her team.

"My babies are so great," Vida said.

"I'm proud of you for stepping up to mentor them," Madison said.

"They're good kids, Maddie... They needed someone... Although I have had help. Sir Ivan, the guy from the Dino Charge team, showed up because he's convinced my Pink Ranger is the reincarnation of his long-lost love and he's determined to woo her or whatever until she falls in love with him again."

"A knight trying to win the heart of his long-lost love? How romantic! I hope he succeeds." Madison had the goofy, hopeless romantic look on her face that she got so often.

"Speaking of love, how's Daggeron?" Vida teased her sister.

Madison blushed. "He's fine," she said. She looked at Nick guiltily. Madison and Nick had dated for a while, but they'd been broken up for a few years now. Vida couldn't understand why Madison still acted like it was wrong she'd fallen in love with someone else. Daggeron had always been a better match for her sister anyway.

"What about you, V?" Xander asked smoothly. "Seeing anyone special?"

Vida rolled her eyes. "Like I have time for that," she said. She covered her true feelings very well. Seeing Chip again had ignited her old feelings for him, but she refused to act on them. Chip was her best friend. She would not screw that up just because the dork was occasionally undeniably adorable and sweet.

"It's so great we're all here," Chip said. "I missed you guys."

"Dude, I just saw you at the store yesterday," Xander said.

"Well, yeah, you still work with me, but Vida's off being a mentor and Maddie's making documentaries, and Nick's off exploring the world on his motorcycle..."

"Sorry if you feel left behind, Chip," Nick said. "You're welcome to tag along on one of my trips if you like."

"Toby will kill you if you disappear on him. He can't run the store with just Xander and Leelee," Vida said.

"Why not? We were hardly ever actually there when we were active Rangers and the store ran just fine," Nick joked.

"He's not wrong," Xander admitted. "We had to be the worst staff ever."

"But we were fun when we were there," Chip said with a laugh.

"So, is there a plan of action yet, or are we winging it?" Vida asked.

"I think Kira wants to see what we can do first and then make a plan," Xander said. "Of course, I have a plan."

"Let me guess," Vida said. "You're gonna walk up to the bad guys and say, 'Hi, Mates! I'm Xander. Let's talk about this...' " Her accent was dead-on and her teammates all laughed except Xander.

"Exactly. Works every time," Xander said seriously.

"Dude, that literally works none of the time," Nick said. "In fact, it's usually directly followed by someone attacking you."

"I still prefer to seek a peaceful resolution before beating the crap out of the bad guys, alright? Is that so wrong?"

"Yes," Vida replied.

"I think it's sweet," Madison said with an encouraging smile. That was her sister... Always gentle and upbeat.

"Madison, you're too nice," Nick said sweetly. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder automatically. They might have broken up, but they were still close. Vida wasn't sure why the sight of this made her so uncomfortable all of a sudden.

Clare and even Udonna said something's off about him, Vida thought. Still, he'd dropped everything to join them in a battle of Good versus Evil. He seemed just like he always did... Maybe she was being paranoid.

"I'm nervous," Madison admitted. "Most of us don't have our magic... It's pretty locked off because we're out of practice... What happens if we're in a situation where we need it?"

"Hey, no worries," Nick said. "I've got my magic, Maddie. I'm still the team leader. I'll protect you guys."

"Hey, don't forget about me," Vida added. "I'm totally powered up when it comes to magic... And not only does Xander have his magic, but he's got-"

"His charming personality?" Chip suggested.

"The ability to morph," Vida said, rolling her eyes. "He's been an active Ranger again since Operation Overdrive lost their powers."

"Yep! I've got your backs, guys," Xander promised.

"We'll all cover each other," Nick added. "We're a team, guys."

"We're family," Chip corrected him. "And family means no one gets left behind... Or forgotten."

"You dork! That's from Lilo and Stitch," Vida said.

"Your point? It's still true."

Vida tossed a piece of popcorn at him. He opened his mouth and caught it, grinning from ear to ear. God, she hadn't realized how much she'd missed her geek.

As they finished eating lunch, Vida silently prayed to the Mystic Mother that they'd all make it out of this battle safely. Most of the Rangers might be in good spirits, but everyone understood what they were up against.

ANDIE

She was walking near the woods, trying to clear her mind, when some invisible force suddenly shoved her hard. Before she could stop her momentum, she was falling down a hill toward a ledge.

She screamed as she went over the edge. Andie landed hard on the rocks below. Her head was cut and she was having trouble thinking. Her leg was cut badly and she could barely sit up. Standing was out of the question.

Just my luck, she thought. She tried to touch her leg to see if her magic worked on herself, but as she'd suspected, it didn't. Her cell phone had shattered beyond repair. There was no way to call for help.

"Damnit..." She mumbled. Maybe this one time having Ivan around to play knight in shining armor wouldn't have been such a bad thing. Since that wasn't an option, she'd have to try to rescue herself like she usually did.

Andie began crawling to a safer spot. She pulled out her stone and squeezed it. "I don't suppose this thing can summon help?" She mumbled. She closed her eyes. Please, she thought. Please send help.

She felt the energy flow through her. She considered morphing, but she didn't know if that would help at this point. She was losing a lot of blood, and she could barely focus because her head hurt.

She curled up on her side as the pain became unbearable. I'm not dying today, she vowed. She'd made the same promise to herself before, the day she'd run away from her father. She'd survived then. She'd survive now, too.

A bird flew down toward her. Andie thought she was hallucinating at first, but then she realized it was the bird from her vision... Zuzu... The same bird who'd attacked Greg.

She wanted to scream at it to stay back, but something stopped her. Instead, she said softly, "Hello, Zuzu."

Zuzu looked into her eyes. He hesitated before rubbing his head against her face. The act was oddly familiar...

With a determined cry, Zuzu flew off. Andie thought he'd left her to die until a man suddenly began climbing down toward her.

Lido, she realized. Lido, who'd called himself the Executioner and tried to kill Greg. Andie knew she was in danger now.

Lido reached her fairly quickly. She was too injured to move. He looked at her and frowned. "That is not possible, Zuzu," he said. The bird flew toward Andie again, and again, he rubbed his face against hers. It felt like he was trying to comfort her, but Andie also sensed his concern.

"Don't worry, Zuzu," she said softly. "I'll be okay."

Lido knelt in front of her. Andie moved back slightly, even though it hurt. He was too close... He stared deep into her eyes like he was searching for a lie.

Before she realized what she was doing, Andie reached toward his face. She traced the scar on the center of his forehead gently.

Lido stared at her in shock. He moved back slightly before softening a bit. "Daphne... Impossible," he mumbled.

He shook his head. "How did you get here, Power Ranger?" Lido demanded.

She didn't respond. "Zuzu can sense the Rangers. I know what you are. Do not waste our time trying to deny it," Lido said. "Tell me what has happened to you."

"Something shoved me," Andie admitted. "It was invisible, but... But angry. I couldn't stop myself from falling."

"A Power Ranger without reflexes?"

"I have reflexes... I'm just a spaz. Falling's not exactly an infrequent occurrence for me."

Lido frowned as he looked into her eyes again. "It is impossible... Yet here we are." He shrugged before scooping Andie up in his arms like she was an infant and carrying her as he began walking away from the rocks.

"Put me down!" Andie protested.

"You cannot walk in this condition," Lido said practically. Without another word, he swiftly moved through the woods until they reached a small hut. Lido set her down on the floor carefully before he began going through the jars surrounding them. He came back toward her after mixing a bunch of herbs together into a thick gel.

"Stay still," he said. He began rubbing the gel on her head after wiping away some of the blood. He moved toward her leg. Andie automatically recoiled.

"Don't touch me," she said.

"I am not trying to harm you... Daphne," Lido replied.

"That's not my name."

"No... Not anymore." Lido almost seemed sad as he said that. "Allow me to heal you, Daphne. This is hardly the first time."

"What do you mean?"

"You had a habit of getting injured then, too." He rubbed the gel on her leg before she could protest again. It took some of the pain and the bleeding stopped. Lido kept his hands close to the injury, never straying anywhere even remotely inappropriate, and Andie forced herself to calm down. She couldn't get out of this unless she was calm.

"Why are you helping me? You're one of them," Andie said.

"Old habits, I suppose," Lido replied. "You have Zuzu to thank. He was the one who recognized you." He wrapped some fabric around her leg, keeping her wound covered.

"What is it you all want?"

"Justice. We are soldiers of the Rebellion of Eltar. Things are not as they were, Daphne. The government of Eltar has become terribly corrupt, and we must fight their tyranny... Perhaps... Perhaps you might fight with us?"

"I don't know what Eltar is."

"It is our home... It was once yours as well." He looked sad. "I do not understand how you came to be a Power Ranger, but you belong fighting by our side, Daphne... And he would not want you to be our enemy."

"Who?"

"Zell, of course."

At the name Zell, Andie's chest tightened and panic seized her. She stared at Lido, not fully understanding her reaction. She saw the gentle boy from the vision she'd had in class.

"You can't be working with him..." She mumbled. "You were so gentle... Now you call yourself a soldier... What happened to you, Lido?"

He looked at her sadly. "I lost you," he said simply.

"And you chose to work with him?" She didn't know why that upset her so severely, but it did.

"You don't remember this, Daphne, but Zell loved you very much. He was heartbroken when you died... However, no, I am not working with him. Zell has returned, but we have not joined forces. He died before the Rebellion ever formed."

Suddenly, Andie was too exhausted to think. Lido noticed. "Rest, Daphne," he said.

"You can't keep me here," Andie said.

"When you have healed, you are free to go. I will have Zuzu guide you out of the woods... This is my home, Daphne. Please do not reveal its location. I saved you when I should not have. Do me that kindness in return."

Andie nodded. "I won't tell anyone about this place," she promised. Lido might be one of the bad guys, but he'd saved her when he could have simply left her to die. She felt like she owed him.

"One thing... Which color are you?"

"What?"

"I want to know who you are when you are morphed so I can avoid harming you if possible."

"You could just walk away from the Rebellion and not harm any of us."

"That is impossible. Your color. Please. "

Andie sighed. "Pink," she admitted.

"Pink. Very well. Rest, Daphne."

As if his words had power, Andie blacked out.

IVAN

He had to admit, it was good to see his team. Ivan hadn't been gone long, but he'd missed them all terribly. Koda was staring at his burger with the same look of love and devotion that Tyler gave to Shelby.

"This burger... So good!" Koda declared.

Ivan took a bite out of his own. "I must agree, Sir Koda," Ivan said with a grin.

Riley stood up, leaving half of his french fries on his tray. "I've gotta get back. Kendall and I have a great weapon we're working on," he said.

"Ha! I bet mine's better," Shelby said. "It's crazy high tech! You can check it out if you like."

"It's not a competition, Shelby," Kendall scolded her. "This is war. This is about working together to defeat the enemy, not proving whose weapons are better."

Shelby rolled her eyes. "I know," she said.

"And you should take another look at it... I think it has some flaws." Kendall walked away.

"I think she has some flaws," Shelby mumbled.

"Be nice, Shelby," Tyler said cheerfully. "Kendall's right. We need to work together." He kissed her, which prevented her from protesting.

"I'm going to head out," Riley said.

Koda looked at his french fries. "You... Finish that, Riley?"

Riley laughed. "Have at them, Koda," he said, giving them to the caveman.

"You can have mine, too," James said. "Tyler and I have a training session to get to."

"Right! See you later, Shelby," Tyler said, kissing her again. "Let's go, Dad." Tyler had spent years searching for his father, who had gone missing when he was a child. They had only been reunited recently, and it turned out James had an energem of his own, making him part of the very team his son led as the Red Ranger.

Koda looked at James like he'd just given him the greatest gift ever. "Thank you!" He said as James and Tyler left.

"So..." Shelby said. "Who wants to hear about my super weapon?"

"Pass," Chase said. "I'm supposed to be training, too." He finished his meal, probably to Koda's dismay. "Koda, Ivan... You guys coming?"

"Soon," Koda said, hastily eating as much of the food as he could.

"I shall bring Sir Koda," Ivan promised.

"Well, Your Highness, I guess that just leaves us," Shelby said to Prince Phillip the Third, Zandar's current leader of the Royal Family and the Graphite Ranger on their team.

Phillip looked desperate for a way out of that. "Actually, Lady Kira has requested that the Prince train with me," Ivan said, taking pity on him. Relief flashed on Phillip's face.

"Alas," Phillip said. "Another time?"

Shelby pouted. "Fine. I've got to get back to working on it anyway," she said. She stood and walked away.

"Thank you, Sir Ivan," Phillip said.

"It is my sworn duty to protect all members of the Royal Family," Ivan replied. He looked at Koda. "Come along, my friend. It is time to train."

Koda had inhaled everything in front of him, so he didn't protest. Ivan was happy to engage in training. Working with so many other Rangers was interesting, and preparing for battle kept his mind off of worrying about Andie and the others too much.

PIERCE

He was heading home from football practice when he heard someone cry out, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"We know what you are, Power Ranger!" A woman said. It was the same woman who'd insisted on retreating from their first real battle... Felina. She stood in front of a terrified-looking Greg.

Pierce spotted someone else with her. Just from the way his own body reacted to the guy, Pierce knew it was Neptune, and he was heading straight for Greg. Without stopping to think, Pierce morphed. He jumped between Neptune and Greg, giving Greg a chance to get away. Greg didn't run, but he stayed out of the way as Pierce and Neptune battled.

Suddenly, several demonic-looking creatures attacked. "Pierce!" Greg shouted in fear. He couldn't fight them off. "What are they?"

"Dead soldiers of their war," Someone said. "Among other things, she is a necromancer. Stay back, Boys!"

Pierce looked up and realized Amos was there. "Are you really here or is this more projecting?" Pierce asked.

"I'm here. Guard your friend. Take this. It will protect you." Amos handed him a container.

"Salt? Seriously?"

"Now is not the time to question me, Little Fish. Go. Protect the boy, and yourself."

Pierce was not appreciating the peculiar nickname, but he knew he needed to do as he was told. He hurried to Greg while Amos battled dead soldiers from Eltar and Neptune was distracted by the carnage.

"Are you okay?" Pierce asked Greg. He started pouring the salt around them in a circle, feeling like his life had turned into an episode of Supernatural.

"I think... Are you?" Greg asked.

"Yeah... Why did she attack you?"

"Lido's bird apparently told him I'm a Power Ranger. I haven't confirmed it, but it's becoming pretty obvious they believe Zuzu... Thanks for showing up. I'd have been doomed if you hadn't."

"Look, Greg... I know you're not into fighting, but you're a Power Ranger. You can do this. The stone is yours for a reason."

"I'm not special, Pierce. It never should have chosen me."

"Well, it disagrees. Maybe you're more important than you think... Why didn't you morph?"

"I was still trying to deny what I was... Besides, I can't hit her. She's a woman, Pierce."

"She's an evil whackjob who's trying to kill you. That's an exception to the rule."

The creatures who tried to attack them couldn't get by the salt circle. "I'll be damned... The shit works," Pierce mumbled as Greg shrank against him. Pierce shrugged and allowed him to stay there. If it made the guy feel safer, what was the harm?

Amos battled the things fiercely. Pierce hadn't realized that in addition to magic, the Shaman was a warrior. He seemed to pull a sword out of thin air. It was no ordinary sword, which Pierce realized as its blade sliced through the creatures and they screamed as they burst into flames and vanished.

"You are not part of this, Mystic!" Felina shouted at Amos. She drew some sort of wand from out of thin air and it was clear she wanted to attack him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Sorceress," Amos said. He waved his hand and the wand turned into a fish.

Rage radiated from her. "How dare you?" She demanded.

"Like this." Amos waved his hand and the fish came to life and squirmed in her hands. Felina let out a cry of outrage before banishing it.

"Neptune! We're leaving," she said , dragging him away until they vanished in a dramatic poof of smoke.

"Dude... How did you do that?" Pierce asked.

"It was a simple projection... The wand is still a wand. You all merely saw what I wanted you to see. Very basic... Too advanced for you, Little Fish. Maybe when you're all grown up, " Amos said with a chuckle.

"Um... Pierce?" Greg asked.

"Greg, this is my pain in the ass. Pain in the ass, this is Greg," Pierce said.

"Amos," Amos clarified. "Nice to meet you, Noble and Wise Friend of Little Fish."

"Quit calling me that," Pierce said.

"Perhaps when you become a big fish. For now, you are still the Little Fish I rescued from the Sea." Amos paused, seeing a cut on Greg's arm. He touched it and proceeded to rub a bit of salt on it.

"Ouch!" Greg protested. "That stings a bit..."

"Sorry. I have to cleanse out the evil that harmed you," Amos said.

"It's okay," Greg said quickly. "Thank you for helping us."

"Of course, Noble and Wise Friend of Little Fish."

"Greg," he reminded him politely. "Gregory Matthew Arnold, Junior, actually, but... You know... Greg is fine."

Pierce expected Amos to offer up a sarcastic response, but he grinned instead. "This one has the pure heart of a true warrior," he said. "It is very nice to meet you... Greg. Go home, Boys. You are safe for now."

Pierce shrugged, deciding that if nothing else, Greg needed to go home. He led the other boy away.

DARCY

She was sitting on the porch when the bird flew toward her. "What the...?" Darcy wondered. She recognized Zuzu from the battle and was about to pull out her stone when she saw Andie walking toward her. She had a scratch on her head and looked slightly dazed.

"Sis? Are you okay?" Darcy asked, running to her side.

"I wasn't," Andie admitted. "Zuzu found me, and he brought Lido to me."

"Did that bastard hurt you?!" Darcy's hand sparked with fire. Zuzu wisely flew away quickly.

"No... No, Darce. He saved me."

"Wait... What?"

"Something shoved me so hard, I fell off a cliff in the woods."

"A cliff? Jeez, Sis... That could only happen to you. How bad were you hurt?"

"My head was cut badly... Much worse than it is now. And I had other injuries, too. I couldn't get myself out of there... But then, Zuzu found me, and he acted like he knew me... And he got Lido, and apparently told him I was Daphne."

"You're kidding me."

"Lido carried me to safety and made some kind of herbal gel and took care of my injuries. I blacked out at some point, but I'm positive he didn't hurt me... And he let me leave. He even sent Zuzu to guide me home."

"You should have called me."

"Oh... Um... I sort of shattered my phone when I fell." Andie looked nervous. She started trembling as she asked, "Do you think Kyle and Karen will be pissed?"

"My parents know you're spazzy. They'll just be glad you're okay."

Andie nodded, but Darcy saw tears in her eyes. "What is it, Andie?" She asked.

"I broke my cell phone at one of my other homes... My foster father..." She shook her head.

"My parents would never hurt you, Sis. You know that. They love you. As far as they're concerned, you're their daughter."

"I know... I just... I'm sorry."

Darcy hugged her. "Don't be. You have every right to be traumatized. But you're safe, okay?"

Andie nodded, hugging Darcy slightly tighter. When they finally released each other, Darcy sensed someone outside.

"Why don't you get some rest?" Darcy asked.

"I'm okay-" Andie started to protest.

"Sis... Humor me. It will make me feel better."

"Okay," Andie said. "I wouldn't mind changing out of these clothes anyway."

Darcy walked outside after Andie went upstairs. She found Lido easily enough. "You saved my sister, so I'm not going to set you on fire... Yet. Talk fast," she said.

"Bella. Of course," Lido said with mild surprise. "I should have expected that."

"Excuse me?" Darcy asked.

"Belladonna... Do you not remember me?" Lido asked sadly.

"I remember you trying to kill us along with your vampire bird."

"You recognized me?"

"I knew you came with the bird. Mask or no mask... So why were you at our school? Are you really related to Allie?"

"No. She was told to tell everyone I am her cousin."

"What control do you have over her and her sister?"

"That is not important. Is Daphne well now?"

"Andie is fine."

"I only came to see that she made it home uninjured."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you care if she gets hurt? You're one of the bad guys."

"Daphne was my friend once... And because of that, so were you, Bella."

"Quit calling me that."

"Do you prefer Red Ranger?"

Darcy wasn't surprised he knew who she was. His bird seemed to have a talent for identifying Rangers.

"I prefer Darcy," she replied.

"You were Bella then... Belladonna of Eltar, spirited older sister of the gentle Daphne and the wise Ash."

Something stirred in Darcy's heart. She was simultaneously filled with grief and rage. "No," she said, shaking her head.

"You'd do well to remember, Bella. Then you might understand our cause."

"You're the bad guys. That's all I need to know."

"Are we? Can you be certain?"

"Look, I appreciate you saving Andie, but get out of here... And leave Allie alone. She's a sweet girl."

"And you wish to protect her. Yes, most do upon meeting her. Goodbye, Bella. When we meet again, I hope you have remembered." With that, he vanished. Darcy didn't even try to figure out how he'd done that.

Wake up, Belladonna! Wake up before it's too late! A voice whispered in her head.

"Is there a snooze button?" Darcy asked aloud. She was beginning to understand why Andie was reluctant to remember her past lives. The sense of mortal danger was overwhelming, but Darcy knew she couldn't put this off for long.

GREG

He was positive something was wrong. He couldn't put his finger on it, so he took a deep breath and studied his surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place, but something was calling to him.

Greg cautiously walked toward the attic, a place he never really dared to venture. His grandparents didn't want Greg messing around up there because it was dark and packed with who knew what? He was silent as he opened the door.

A box had tipped over. His grandparents were obsessive about keeping things organized and neat, so that was definitely not normal. Greg found himself walking toward the box. He began examining its contents.

There were several notebooks. Greg looked at the strange words written on them and realized they were in another language. He didn't recognize it, and the structure was unlike any he'd ever seen. The final notebook contained a translation key. It would take a while to translate it all, but Greg suddenly knew he had to.

At the bottom of the box was a pocket watch. Greg recognized it from photos. "This was my father's..." He said in shock. He clutched the watch in his hand, amazed to have a direct link to the father he couldn't remember.

As he began putting the notebooks back into the box, Greg noticed a folded up piece of paper that fell out. He unfolded it and was stunned at what he saw.

My Dearest Gregory,

If you are reading this, then I fear something horrible has happened to us. I want you to know that your father and I love you very much. You are a very special little boy and you always have been. Everything we have done in the last two years has been to protect you. Please know that, no matter what happens, you are loved.

Whatever they've told you, please listen to me. What happened to us was not an accident.

Greg stared at the letter. "Not an accident? That's impossible..." He said. He kept reading.

There are very bad people in our town, Gregory. They hide in plain sight, blending in with our community, but they are not human. You cannot trust anyone. They are everywhere. They will come for you... Just as they came for us.

We love you, Gregory. We must trust that when the time is right, you will know what to do. These notebooks contain ancient texts we discovered. This was as much as we were able to copy from the ruins. Translate the text and you will understand more.

Be safe, my beloved son.

Love,

Mom

Greg couldn't stop himself from crying as he read the letter several more times. "It wasn't an accident... Someone murdered them," he whispered. He forced himself to focus as he closed up the box and carefully carried it to his room. He wanted to tell someone what he'd just stumbled onto, but he couldn't. His mother had stated he shouldn't trust anyone, and considering his grandparents had obviously been trying to hide all of this from him, he was pretty sure she was right. For now, he'd have to keep this from everyone... Even his new friends. Whatever this was, Greg needed to figure it out on his own.