AUTHOR'S NOTE: Given the state of the world we live in, I feel the need to add a trigger warning before I continue... This chapter contains content that is meant to be disturbing and horrible, including extreme violence that involves children at one point. I realize that can be a very difficult subject for people, so I felt the need to give you all fair warning.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

LIDO

He listened as Garron and Raffitty detailed the plan. They would take an unsanctioned portal to Eltar, and Raffitty would get them into the Counsel Building. He knew every inch of that place. It was simply a question of when they would act.

"Where is your assassin boy?" An unexpected voice asked. Lido spun around along with everyone else.

"Zydia, my dear! How have you been?" Garron asked pleasantly.

Zydia moved quickly, pressing a knife to Garron's throat. "Don't call me dear," she said sharply. She moved back slightly and removed the knife.

Garron chuckled in amusement. "I have missed your antics, Zydia," he said.

"Answer my question, Raffitty!" Zydia demanded.

"Neptune is away," Raffitty said. Neptune had been abducted before Felina could fully wipe his memories. That meant trouble, especially since Felina had realized he was starting to remember his life before the Rebellion.

"Oh really? What business does he have in New York and why wasn't Captain Smith informed of his visit?"

"New York?" Raffitty frowned. "Lido, take Felina and retrieve him. Kill anyone who stands in your way. I shall inform Bob you're coming."

Lido nodded. He knew B'bodian Smizek well. The Eltarian had come up through the Rebellion at the same time as Raffitty. The two were close friends, and both had risen to power quickly. Captain Smith, as he was known on Earth, was incredibly respected in the Rebellion and no one who crossed him ever survived.

"My brother informed me he sensed Neptune in one of the other realms, but he's definitely in New York," Zydia said. "How could you lose him, Raff? We need him!"

"Neptune is deeply loyal to us," Raffitty said. "He will come when it is time, regardless of whether or not Lido and Felina have retrieved him."

"You're certain of that?"

"Absolutely."

She nodded. "I cannot stay long. Murgano, Letez, and I have an attack planned for later today... One of our problems brought one of yours when he returned."

"Is that where the Pink Ranger vanished to?" Felina asked. Her voice was still a bit scratchy from being attacked. Felina had healed some of her injuries, but she was still recovering.

Lido tensed. Was Daphne in danger? "The Pink Ranger from our town went and offed herself... I always knew she was pathetic... But it brought our Rangers back together, and yes, your Pink one is with the Knight of Zandar. The boys are gathering some of our pets and then, we will attack. Perhaps we'll handle her for you, since you can't seem to get rid of her!"

Felina tried to lunge toward Zydia. Lido automatically grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. Raffitty stepped between the women.

"Enough!" He said firmly. "Lido, Felina, leave now. Find Bob and assess the situation. If possible, extract Neptune and bring him home. If not, report back to me."

Lido nodded. He wanted desperately to go to Amber Beach and protect Daphne, but he had to hope the Knight and his team of Rangers could get the job done. He had been given a direct order. It would be unwise to defy Raffitty.

"Zuzu, come." Lido called. The phelinx flew into the room and perched on his shoulder.

"Can you transport yourselves?" Raffitty asked Felina.

"It would be an unwise use of my power at this time," Felina admitted.

Raffitty nodded. "Insu!" He called.

Insu nervously entered the room. "Yes?" She asked.

"I need Portellus."

Insu closed her eyes and her portal making tulpa appeared. It opened a portal and Lido helped Felina step through. She was going to slow him down with how injured she still was. Lido suspected Raffitty was sending Felina with him purely to keep her out of his hair. Until she was fully recovered, she was fairly useless to him.

"Captain Smith has a strong healer, correct?" Lido asked.

"Rupi probably has technology that can assist me, " Felina said, understanding why he was asking. "And Tedius has incredible healing magic. His touch can mend nearly any wound, even fatal ones, in minutes."

As they arrived outside of an extremely tall building overlooking a large park, a bewitched doorman greeted them pleasantly. "Good day! Are you visiting someone today?" He asked.

"We are here to see Captain Smith," Felina replied.

"Very well. I'll see if he's available... But first... Identification?"

"Bizzeh mada alebastes," Felina replied. That translated roughly to Hail to those who resist!

The doorman nodded. "Very good! Names?"

"Felina and Lido."

The doorman looked at Zuzu affectionately. "And your pet?"

Lido nearly swung at the fool. It was Felina's turn to stop him. "Zuzu is not a pet," he said sharply.

"The human knows no better," Felina reminded him softly.

Lido frowned. "His name is Zuzu," he said.

The doorman smiled and picked up a phone. "Captain Smith," he said, "You have visitors... Felina, Lido, and Zuzu... Yes, Sir." He looked at them. "You may go upstairs now. Captain Smith lives in the penthouse suite." He called for the elevator. Lido groaned internally. He despised elevators. They were unnatural. This one had an operator, and Lido could imagine no fate worse than spending several hours a day inside of such a small space. He stepped inside and tried to ignore the sense of being trapped as the elevator rapidly moved up the shaft.

He practically ran out of the elevator as the doors opened up. The penthouse suite they stood in was impressively large, and one wall was made entirely of a window. Lido looked at the view of the park and relaxed slightly.

"Cental Park West," a voice said proudly. "It's stunning, isn't it?" The man who'd long-ago assumed the public identity of Captain Bob Smith smiled at them warmly. "Lido. It is excellent to see you... And my dear Felina as well!" He gave them the formal Eltarian greeting before adding the official Rebellion greeting.

"Captain Smith," Felina said. "It is always a pleasure."

Captain Smith studied her and sighed knowingly. "Sophie..." He said. "That explains why Neptune is here."

"Sophie?" Lido asked.

"She comes from a realm that is adjacent to ours. She's an enhanced human married to Captain Rogers. We don't directly interact, but I know her reputation. She's the only one with the power to fry Felina like this... Kizzie!"

An African-American woman with an afro and very fashionable clothing appeared. "Yes, Captain?" She asked in a British accent.

"Be a dear and escort our guest to Tedi. I believe she may require his services."

"Of course. Straight away, Sir." Kizzie gently led Felina away.

"She's still so deceptively meek," Lido observed. Kizzie might be completely submissive to her Captain, but she was one of the deadliest Rebels Lido had ever met. She'd been with Captain Smith since the sixteen hundreds, when the people of her British village had burned her Eltarian mother at the stake for witchcraft. Her father, an African man from Earth who was living in London with the Prince he'd been sworn to protect, had died from a broken heart immediately after. Kizzie had been fourteen at the time. Captain Smith had discovered the budding Sorceress on trial for witchcraft and had rescued her. She'd been with him ever since, and had grown into a powerful force few could reckon with. Not only was Kizzie skilled in magic, but she had trained extensively in every fighting style known on Eltar and Earth.

"Yes, she is a delight," Captain Smith said fondly. Although Kizzie was powerful, Lido knew that had nothing to do with why the Captain had rescued her. Beneath his deadly exterior was a good man who genuinely cared about certain people. He'd have helped Kizzie even if she was powerless, simply because she was still a child.

"We will help you retrieve Neptune," Captain Smith said.

"Why would this girl take him?" Lido asked.

"I don't know... But you know the prophecy, Lido. Perhaps she's trying to reunite the brothers."

"What could she have to gain if she's not part of our realm?"

"Sophie is burdened with a need to do the right thing. She's married to the most moral man ever to walk the Earth, so that's not entirely surprising."

"You like her husband?"

"I admire him and respect his principles. He is not so different from us... When he sees government corruption, he puts a stop to it. He is a good man. As such, I would prefer we not harm his young wife... Besides, I suspect Sophie could destroy most of us with a snap of her fingers. Let's not give her the chance. "

"Understood... How do you propose we retrieve Neptune?"

"When the time is right, we let him return to us. If we activate the programming, he will come on his own. You and Felina should stay for dinner. If Tedius has healed her enough by then, you may return home, and you have my word that we will bring Neptune to the battle."

"Do you know when they plan to move?" Lido was nervous. This was going to be a slaughter. It wouldn't have bothered him before, but now...

What would Daphne think if she knew? He wondered.

"Zydia and Garron are in charge on the timing," Captain Smith replied. "We shall know only when they give the order."

Lido nodded. This plan was too important. They couldn't give out too many details in case someone had a change of heart and betrayed them by trying to warn the Eltarians. He would just have to be ready to go, like everyone else...

PIERCE

He was sitting in Vida's living room when she walked in with someone he didn't know. Both women were laughing casually. The stranger wore jeans, a You Won't Like Me When I'm Angry t-shirt with Hulk on it, and sneakers. Her long brown hair was pulled into pigtails and she studied Pierce from behind glasses.

"Hi!" She said cheerfully as she extended her hand. "You must be Pierce. I'm Sellie."

He hadn't expected that. "Stuffy" definitely didn't describe the woman before him. "You're a lawyer?" He asked.

"I prefer the title of Avenging Attorney, but yes, I'm a lawyer. Degree and all." She grinned.

"I'll give you guys some privacy," Vida said before walking away.

"So, first of all, I'm here to help," Sellie said. "Sophie explained your situation to me. I already have an Order of Protection for you pending a hearing. You have some options, Pierce. We can try to emancipate you, although I'm not sure that's your best choice. We can try to get custody to any number of responsible adults in your life who can be trusted, including Sir Ivan, Vida, or Chip. I'm also told you have a Shaman who looks after you. He may be the best option. Also, we can wait and see how your brother does with recovering from everything, and maybe go with him if he's okay. He is legal, so it's possible, but I think that's our last option. Frankie will probably need time before he can be trusted with you. Anyway, the important thing is you're not going back to your parents. Any questions so far?"

Pierce blinked at her. "You're really a lawyer? A hotshot lawyer who never loses? I mean... You're wearing an Incredible Hulk t-shirt!"

"Hey, don't hate on Hulk! That make Hulk sad!" She joked.

Pierce was positive he was being punked. There was no way this woman could stand up in court against his father. "You know what? I'm good. I don't need a lawyer... I'm just going to go home-"

"I can't let you do that, Pierce. I know you're scared, but I promise I can help."

He sincerely doubted that, but he shrugged. "What do I have to do?" He asked.

"Just tell me the truth."

He knew he'd only be able to tell this stranger some of it. "My dad's got a temper. He beats me up. Some of it's been healed, but I have some older injuries that will probably show up on x-rays. And then, there's this..." He lifted up his shirt slightly to reveal severe bruising on his side. His father had gotten to him before he'd gone to Toddy's.

Sellie looked horrified as she examined the bruises. "What a bastard..." She mumbled. "He'll never touch you again, Pierce. I'll make sure of it. We just need this documented with a doctor... And the other abuse-"

"No," Pierce said firmly.

"Pierce-"

"There was no other abuse and if you push it, I'll deny it." There was no way in hell he was letting the community know he had been through that. He couldn't... Just the idea made his chest hurt. "I'm going for a walk," he said. He stormed out of the house and headed to the woods. Once there, he began trembling. He sank to the ground, pulled his knees to his chest, and tried to calm down.

A while later, he sensed company. He looked up and saw Darcy. "Rough day?" She asked.

Pierce pulled Darcy down beside him. He kissed her before he could stop himself, needing to feel her. Darcy didn't seem to mind. She returned the kiss, and it began to intensify. Before he knew it, Pierce had her on her back. She slipped her hands beneath his shirt, running her nails lightly over his flesh. He wanted this... He wanted her... Needed her...

Pierce jumped away as Darcy caught his bruises. "Pierce?" She asked breathlessly. "Are you okay?"

He couldn't lie to her anymore. He lifted up his shirt to reveal the bruises to her. "Courtesy of my father," he said numbly.

"Pierce... My God... I'll kick his ass myself..."

He kissed her again. "Don't," he said. "Just... Be here... With me."

Darcy nodded. They resumed kissing. Darcy was careful not to hurt him as she touched him. He was aggressive as he moved his hands over her body and she let him take the lead. He needed to connect to her. He was nearly in tears as his desperation took control of him.

Darcy kissed his chin. "Tell me," she whispered. She moved her mouth to his neck, making him gasp.

"He hurts me," he whispered back. "More than just the beatings... I want to forget, Darcy... Please..."

She brought her lips back to his. He couldn't understand why she wasn't disgusted by him. "I'm here," she promised. He nodded, finally able to focus purely on her.

They made out for a while. Pierce wanted more, but he forced himself to hold back. This was Darcy. He couldn't just use her. He cared about her...

When they finally broke apart, he just lay on the grass holding her. Having Darcy curled up on him, her head against his chest, was soothing. "Thank you," he finally said to break the silence.

"There's no need for that," Darcy said. "It wasn't a pity make-out session, Pierce. I wanted to kiss you."

He nodded. That made him feel better. "I wanted to kiss you, too," he said.

"Clearly," she teased him.

"Not just now... I like kissing you, Darcy... After the first time, I kept thinking about it, but I know you pretty much can't stand me, so-"

"I started changing my mind when I realized there was a lot more to you than the arrogant asshole you want everyone to see."

"I'm not good enough for you, Darcy."

"I'm the only one who gets to decide that." She sat up and looked into his eyes as she helped him sit up, too. "I want this, Pierce... Whatever this is, I like it."

He nodded. "So... Are we... Something?"

"We're something."

He liked the idea of that. He was screwed up in the head, and he was ready to completely snap, but if he had Darcy by his side, maybe he would have a reason to keep trying to be okay.

AJ

She had set up a picnic in the cemetery. Her aunt would probably have heart failure if she saw the food, but AJ wasn't going to eat most of it. The sandwiches were for her parents.

"I took first place last night," AJ told the headstone in front of her. "I hope you guys were proud of me." She touched the inscription, tracing the names of both of her parents. They'd been dead for two years, but sometimes it still didn't seem real.

"I nailed my floor routine, but the bars were even better." She took a few bites of celery and frowned. Man, I miss pizza, she thought. Although her parents had insisted she have cheat days when she ate things like burgers and spaghetti, her aunt took her training much more seriously, convinced that if AJ ever hoped to become an Olympic gymnast, she'd have to completely avoid eating unhealthy food. Hell, there were times when she didn't feed her anything substantial at all.

Suddenly, AJ heard a strange noise. "Hang on, Guys," she said to her parents. She walked toward the sound and spotted something alarming. Three people dressed in black with blue face masks stood nearby. The alarming part was the large number of creatures who stood by their side. AJ had never seen anything like them before, but she knew they were bad news. She realized they were watching a group of mourners at a funeral. Something made AJ hide in the shadows to keep an eye on them... Her instinct said trouble was coming.

IVAN

The service had been lovely. Ivan hoped that, whatever happened next, both his team and Shelby would finally find some peace. The cemetery cleared out, leaving only the Rangers in the area. As they began walking away, Tyler hesitated.

"Are you alright, my good Sir Tyler?" Ivan asked gently.

"No," Tyler admitted, "but I'll keep trying to get there."

Ivan nodded. He turned to find Andie standing very close to him. "Ivan... Something's wrong," she said.

Ivan immediately became more alert. He searched for any possible threat. All was quiet... Until a monster ran toward them.

Tommy looked stunned. "Goo Fish?" He asked. "What the hell is he doing here?" Another monster jumped out. "Skelerena? Hate Master? What's going on?"

"Uncle Tommy?" Sage asked.

"These are all old monsters of Rita and Zedd's!" As more familiar faces appeared, Ivan realized they were in serious trouble.

Andie grabbed his arm. "Ivan, look!" She said as she pointed toward a familiar sight.

"Eltarian Rebels!" Ivan confirmed.

"Did they follow us?"

" 'Tis difficult to tell with the masks, but I do not believe they are any of our usual enemies."

As the fight intensified, a smirk played at Tommy's lips. "Guys," he said, "it's Morphin' time!"

AJ

She saw the fight as it began. AJ hadn't expected the group of mourners to suddenly turn into the Power Rangers, but she watched in awe as they changed form, one at a time, until all of them were ready to fight.

As one monster after the other was destroyed, the woman who seemed to be in charge cackled. "I have an endless supply of minions," she said. "You'd be surprised who you meet when you spend enough time on Onyx."

More monsters appeared. The female Green Ranger screamed out, "Koda!" AJ watched in horror as the Blue Ranger was attacked so badly that his suit disappeared. The boy was clearly hurt. He looked at the monster who was ready to attack him again. AJ saw something in his eyes... Not fear, but perhaps the courage to accept how screwed he was.

She didn't know what made her do it, but seeing as how none of the other Rangers could seem to get near him, she used one of her tumbling routines to quickly position herself in front of him. She continued using kicks and flips to defend both herself and the Blue Ranger... Koda, AJ remembered the girl shouting.

The female Green Ranger and one of the Gold Rangers finally made it closer to them as AJ kicked the monster in the chest and it turned to dust. "Do you know her, Uncle Tommy?" Green asked.

"I don't recognize her," Gold admitted as the freaks attacking them pulled back slightly.

AJ turned to Koda. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah... Koda okay," he said. "Thank you."

Suddenly, something appeared in AJ's right hand. "What the...?" She asked. She opened her hand up and looked at the glowing pink crystal-thing.

"Kendall! Look!" Koda called.

The Rangers hurried to them. "'Tis the Pink Energem!" The other Gold Ranger said with surprise.

"Who are you?" The Purple Ranger asked.

"My name's AJ... What's going on?" AJ asked.

"You're the new Pink Dino Charge Ranger, AJ," the Black Ranger said. AJ noticed he had an accent.

"Me?" AJ asked in confusion. "Look, there's been a mistake. I could never be a Power Ranger."

"You'd be surprised what you might be capable of," Purple said. She studied AJ for a moment before saying, "Besides, anyone would be an improvement."

"Damn, Kendall," the male Green Ranger said. "We're at the girl's funeral."

"Technically, the funeral is over, and I won't pretend Shelby and I were best friends just because she made the choice that she did."

A strange creature in a cloak appeared. AJ jumped at the sight of him, ready for another fight. "That Keeper," Koda said. "He okay. He protect us."

AJ nodded and tried to relax. "Take this, AJ," Keeper said. He handed her something.

"That's your morpher," Black said. He dropped his morph and held his. "Watch me... And then do what I do, but with the words I tell you to say. Oh, and I'm Chase, by the way. You've got great timing. It's nice to meet you." He held the morpher in front of him and said, "Dino Charger Ready! Energize! Ha! Unleash the Power! Parasaur! Power Ranger, Black!" He morphed.

"Whoa! That's amazing!" AJ said.

"You're the triceratops, and your color is obviously pink," Chase explained.

AJ shrugged. This was crazy, but if the Power Rangers asked you to join them, you were supposed to accept, right? Besides, the bad guys looked like they were getting ready to attack again.

"Dino Charger Ready! Energize! Ha! Unleash the Power... Triceratops! Power Ranger, Pink!" She declared. The shock of the power rushing through her almost floored her, but Koda steadied her as he morphed again.

"That was beautiful," Chase said proudly.

"Welcome to our team, Miss AJ," the Graphite Ranger said. He bowed, as did the team's Gold Ranger.

"Nice," the other Gold Ranger said with approval. His niece nodded in agreement.

"Guys, I hate to hose our buzz, but... Look who's back!" The male Green Ranger said.

As the monsters began to attack worse than ever, AJ tried to focus on the fight. "Stay close," Koda said. "Koda protect."

AJ didn't mind following that order. She was scared out of her mind... But part of her was also excited. This certainly hadn't been how she'd expected her day to turn out, but it was definitely an interesting twist.

IVAN

Even with their unexpected new team member, the Rangers were severely out-numbered. "This is bad," Andie said. "What do we do?"

"Stay by my side, M'Lady," Ivan said. "I shall let nothing harm you."

"I'm not afraid of getting hurt," Andie clarified. "I just wish we'd planned for this... I mean, do Ranger funerals usually get crashed by monsters?"

"In my experience, no... Although the wedding of Lady Kimberly and Sir Billy was... We didn't let that stop the festivities, however." He smiled at the memory. That had been quite an experience, and it was one of the only happy things to come out of the battle.

Ivan heard a familiar melody playing and realized Sage was calling the Dragonzord. It was something she could do without the use of the Dragon Dagger, but sometimes, she used it anyway.

"Man, that brings me back every time," Tommy said fondly. Then, he called his own Zord.

"Good idea," Tyler said. "Time to call Rexy."

"Indeed," Ivan agreed. His team began calling their Zords. Even AJ summoned her Zord, so Ivan assumed Koda had shown her how to do it.

Andie let out a startled cry as the Zords arrived. "What are these things?" She asked.

"Our Zords, of course," Ivan said.

"Is this a Ranger thing? Why don't we have Zords?"

That was an excellent question. "Remind me to ask Lady Vida that when we return... For now, however..." He lifted Andie into his Zord. She protested the act for a moment, until Ivan joined her inside and she took a look around. Her eyes went wide with awe.

"This is amazing..." She mumbled.

Ivan smiled to himself. "Indeed it is," he agreed.

The battle went quickly after that. The Rebels fled as they realized the monsters were no match for the Zords. Unlike Rita Repulsa and the former Lord, Zedd, the Eltarians had no interest in making these monsters grow, and simply left them to be destroyed while they escaped. There were no Megazords. The battle was won.

As the Rangers found themselves back on the ground, they dropped their morphs. The new Pink Dino Charge Ranger looked completely stunned by everything that had just happened. "That was... Oh my God, did that really just happen or am I hallucinating?" AJ asked.

"It real," Koda said with a smile. Obvious affection for this new Ranger showed on his face and Ivan wondered if his friend was showing signs of his first crush.

"You did well, Lady AJ," Ivan said grandly. "It is an honor to fight by your side. I am Sir Ivan, Knight of Zandar."

"Knight?" AJ repeated.

"And I am Prince Phillip the Third, member of the Royal Family of Zandar," Phillip added.

"Prince? What's next? Are you going to tell me you're the King, Koda?"

"No, Koda not King," Koda said with a laugh. "Koda caveman."

AJ stared at him. "I am so confused..." She mumbled.

"Allow me to clarify," Kendall said. "I'm Miss Morgan... Or, I suppose you can call me Kendall... I'm getting used to that. I run a museum which is also our base of operations. That's Tyler, our team leader. Chase already introduced himself."

"I'm the token Kiwi," Chase said cheerfully.

"Kiwi?" AJ asked.

"Chase is from New Zealand," Sage clarified.

"I'm Riley," Riley said. "Just Riley... Not a Prince, a Knight, a Caveman, a Kiwi, a team leader, or a museum director." He smiled at her and it made AJ smile back.

"Zenowing is our last teammate. He's not from this planet, and he's not here right now," Kendall said.

"Oh, right!" Riley said with a laugh. "I'm also not an alien."

"Good to know," AJ said.

"Lady AJ, I would like you to meet Lady Andie, of Stone Hollow. She is part of another team of Rangers we call the Stone Warriors," Ivan said. "You share a color."

"Extra teams... That explains the duplicate colors," AJ said.

"I'm Sage, leader of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Legacy team," Sage said. "We're a team made entirely of second-generation Power Rangers. Well, except for-"

"Me," Tommy said dramatically. "Hello, AJ. I'm Tommy Oliver." He paused, waiting for her to react.

"I'm sorry," AJ said after a minute. "Am I supposed to be impressed by your name?"

Sage burst out laughing. "Okay, I kind of love you!" She declared. "Stick around, AJ. You're good for him!"

"Tommy's from the original Mighty Morphin team. He's been a leader of more than one team of Rangers and has been part of several. He's the most prolific Ranger in history," Kendall explained. "Recently, he became part of the Legacy team as the Gold Ranger, but he has been the Green, White, Red, and Black Ranger on other teams."

"Wow, um... Are you aiming for all the colors or something?" AJ asked.

Sage laughed again. This time, even Tommy joined in. "Kidnapping Tommy Oliver is on every bad guy's bucket list," Chase said. "And the running joke is that every time he gets kidnapped, he gets made into a Power Ranger again."

"The last time, we were taking bets on what color he'd be when we got him back," Sage added.

Koda's stomach growled loudly. "Koda hungry..." He said sadly.

"Koda's always hungry," Chase teased him. "That said, let's go back to the base and order food. Battles make me hungry, too."

Everyone started to follow him, but Ivan noticed Tyler hanging behind. "I'll catch up, M'Lady," Ivan said to Andie. She noticed Tyler and nodded, leaving with the others. "Sir Tyler?" Ivan called gently.

Tyler looked at him with sad eyes. "We just buried her, Ivan," he said.

"I know it was an inappropriate time for the attack-" Ivan began.

"It's not just that... We just buried her and we suddenly have a new Pink Ranger? I mean... We don't know this girl. How are we supposed to trust her?"

"We always trust the Rangers the Energems choose."

"Sometimes, the Energems are wrong." He shook his head.

"Tyler... She was a fine Ranger for a time. She was part of this team. It was only when she became too arrogant that she began to loose the qualities of a true Power Ranger. This girl, however, seems like an excellent candidate. She saved Koda's life without knowing him or any of us. She risked her life without hesitation. We must give her a fair chance."

"I gave Shelby a chance... And my father is dead because of it."

"You have every right to your anger, my friend... But AJ is not Shelby."

"I know... But she's got the same suit, and the same weapons, and the same Zord, and it's really hard to get past that."

"I understand... It was a bit unnerving to see the Pink Ranger back in action at Shelby's funeral... But the Universe must maintain a balance, Tyler. If AJ came to us now, there was a reason... And we need to see where this road shall lead us."

Tyler nodded. "I'll give her a chance," he promised. "I just... I need some time."

"That is only natural. Come, my friend. Let us get something to eat."

"I think I'm just going to go home for the night. Please apologize for me?"

"Of course. Be well, Sir Tyler."

"Thanks, Ivan. You, too." Tyler walked away. Ivan hoped his friend would be alright. He took a deep breath and tried to smile before hurrying after the others.

THE NEXT DAY.

PIERCE

He was still refusing to tell anyone except Darcy the whole truth. He didn't offer her details, but just the fact that he'd hinted at his father's sick behavior was enough. Pierce knew she understood.

"Pierce?" Sellie called. He snapped to attention.

"Sorry," he said. "What?"

"I want you to meet a friend of mine. This is Doctor Hope Crocker. The Rangers affectionately call her Doctor Hope."

Pierce looked at the doctor. She was young, but not alarmingly so. She radiated an incredibly soothing energy and he couldn't really understand why, but she calmed his nerves. "Hi," he said awkwardly.

"It's nice to meet you, Pierce," Dr. Hope said. "Sellie thought you might handle me documenting your injuries better than a random doctor." She showed him a camera.

"Right. Fine, whatever." He started to lift his shirt up, wanting to get it over with.

"You don't have to strip for me," Dr. Hope said with a kind smile. "Not yet anyway. Let's just talk for a bit. Do you have any questions?"

"No... Not really."

"I know this is hard for you. I promise I'll try to make this part as easy as possible." She started talking about random things, trying to get Pierce talking. He was surprised when he began replying casually, relaxing more as she cracked jokes and told him about her troublemaker of an older brother and the mischief he liked to get into.

By the time Dr. Hope started to examine him, he barely noticed. She explained that she wasn't just a doctor, but was a Witch who was trained in healing magic, among other things. As she kept talking, Pierce focused on her voice and not on the fact that she was taking photos of his injuries.

Sellie's cell phone rang. She looked at it and said, "Give me a minute..." She walked away.

"Pierce... Is there more?" Dr. Hope asked.

Pierce tensed. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"You admitted to the physical abuse, and the mental abuse... Having all of the facts would be better than only having some."

Pierce shook his head. "It's pointless to lie to you, right? You're like Amos."

"I'm not going to force you to tell the whole story, Pierce... But I think you should. It will help you heal, and it will help your case."

"I can't, Doctor Hope. I can't let that get out."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm not scared... I just don't want people thinking I'm some little bitch who let his father..." He let the sentence trail off.

"Pierce..." She looked into his eyes. "What your father did to you doesn't make you weak, or pathetic, or a bitch as you put it... The fact that you survived all of that proves how strong you are."

"I don't feel strong right now," Pierce admitted.

"But you are. Trust me. Most people wouldn't be standing after everything you've been through... Just consider letting us include the rest of the abuse in your case, Pierce. That's all I'm asking."

"It's my choice?"

"It is."

He nodded. It was nice to know he still had a say in his own life. "I'll think about it," he agreed, "but right now, no."

Dr. Hope nodded. "That's good enough for me."

Sellie walked back in. "That was Sage," she said. "Apparently, there's a new Dino Charge Pink Ranger. She's seventeen and Sage gets the feeling her family is an issue... Looks like I may have another case. Want to help, Hope?"

"Sure," Dr. Hope agreed.

"Great. Are you two done here?"

"For now..."

"Pierce, if you need anything, we'll both have our cell phones. Call. I mean it."

He nodded. "I'll be okay," Pierce promised. As the unconventional lawyer and the doctor who used witchcraft left, Pierce knew it was true. No matter what happened, he'd survive it. He always did. Still, he didn't want to be alone, so he called Darcy. With Andie not due back until the next morning, Darcy was happy to come keep him company. For now, that was more than enough.

THE NEXT DAY.

NEPTUNE

He'd agreed to try anything to break his programming. When nothing worked, Sophie had reluctantly explained that electrocution was the only other option. Neptune... Frankie... had begged her to find another way, but she was out of options, so he finally agreed.

Sophie targeted the part of his brain that seemed to be the most active when he blindly fell back into being loyal to the Rebellion. It should have worked. In fact, at first, he thought it had... Sophie was nearly ready to let him go home to his brother. But then...

It is time, a voice whispered in his mind. Return to us, Neptune. This is what you were born for... This is your greatest mission. You must return.

The emotions he'd been feeling were still there, but he couldn't make sense of them. The mission played through his mind and he knew what he had to do. With effort, he turned the knowledge off and shifted his mind back into being Frankie.

"I have to go home," he said desperately. "I know you're trying to help me, but I can't stay here anymore."

Sophie frowned. "How are the homicidal urges?" She asked.

"Gone. You broke the connection, Sophie... But I have to leave. I can't stay here anymore. Please... " The desperation in his voice was convincing.

Sophie nodded. "I won't hold you against your will... But if you need help, reach out to me. I'll come get you."

Neptune was relieved. He knew Sophie didn't fully trust him, but he also knew that, being from an outside realm, there was only so much she was allowed to interfere. She'd already done more than she was supposed to by taking him from Raffitty.

When Sophie opened the portal to let him cross back into his realm, he waited until he knew she was gone. Then, he found a tourist not paying attention to his cell phone. He smoothly grabbed it from the man's bag and kept walking. Don't do this, his mind whispered. Go to Coney Island. Get some cheese fries at Nathan's... His mind turned to Chelsea, and for a split second, that was enough...

Pain shot through his mind. He let out a cry of agony, but no one even looked up. New Yorkers really are jaded, he thought.

You have a mission! His mind reminded him. He dialed a number Raffitty had forced him to memorize in case of an emergency.

"Captain Smith's telephone," a beautiful British voice answered.

"Kizzie. This is Neptune, of Raffitty's squad, reporting in. I am in urgent need of your assistance," Neptune said.

"Relax, Luv," Kizzie replied soothingly. "We've been expecting your call. Where are you?"

Neptune looked at the signs around him. "Sixty-second and Lexington," he replied.

"That's not far at all. I'll send Tedi and Rupi to retrieve you straight away. Stay where you are, Luv. Everything will be fine now. We'll leave for Eltar after we get a bit of food into you. You must be famished."

He was. Sophie had fed him, but when his lust for blood flared, he always ended up starving. "Thank you, Kizzie," he said. He hung up and waited for Tedius and Rupi to arrive.

RAFFITTY

"Where the hell is Lido?" Zydia demanded as she looked at everyone in the room.

"He's on some sort of vision quest or whatever," Raffitty replied with a frown. "He insists on going on those every so often so he and Zuzu can recharge... But I can't get in touch with him no matter how hard I try."

"Raff... We need him," Tegus said with concern.

"Unfortunately, we don't have him. Felina's even tried sending birds to find him, but they return saying they can't."

"He's the Goddamn Executioner, for fuck's sake!" Zydia protested. "If a massive attack on Eltar isn't the time for him to be here, what is? If you keep losing your people, I'm going to start doubting your leadership skills, Raffitty!"

"Enough, Zydia," Garron said firmly. "Lido is older than any of us. If he needs to recharge, there's nothing we can do about it. Captain Smith has Neptune. That's more important. We'll be fine."

"Are we through with the petty bickering amongst ourselves?" A woman asked as she entered the room.

Zydia's eyes went wide and she fell silent. "The Alchemist!" Garron proclaimed happily. "And the Warlock! Excellent to see you. I was so worried you would decline my invitation."

"This is too important to miss," the Alchemist replied. She and her male companion, the Warlock, were two of the oldest, fiercest members of the Rebellion. They resided in Angel Grove, their own tiny chapter of the Rebellion. No one heard from them much and they didn't tend to play well with other Rebellion members. No one even seemed to know their true names.

"Alchemist... Tell me, please," Felina said with an unusually soft voice. "How is he?"

"The Great Wizard continues to recover under our care," she replied. "At this rate, he shall return to full strength within months, if not sooner."

"I still don't see why you're helping him," Zydia said. "He's deadly."

"He makes a powerful ally and he is now in our debt," the Warlock replied.

"You seem to be forgetting what he did to his last allies... The Chosen."

Raffitty agreed with her on this issue, but he kept his opinion to himself. There was nothing to gain from potentially upsetting the Alchemist and the Warlock.

"Hush, Zydia," Garron said. "The adults are speaking."

Zydia looked like she might attack him. Felina barely covered her laughter. Raffitty shook his head. "Enough of this. It is time. Let's get this done. Felina... The portal."

Felina nodded. She opened up a portal which transported them directly to Eltar. Raffitty spotted the others waiting outside of the barrier to the Counsel Building.

"Raff!" Bob greeted him pleasantly.

"Bob." Raffitty smiled. He gave his oldest friend a hug. Raffitty was probably the only person alive who called Captain Smith "Bob." They had been through a lot together over the years. "How have you been?"

"I'm doing well. I hope you are as well?"

"Yes. Thank you for retrieving Neptune."

"Of course. It was my pleasure."

"Neptune. Status!"

"Ready," Neptune replied. His eyes were vacant and Raffitty knew he was fully under his control.

"Excellent. Let us begin." Raffitty sliced his hand open and touched a secret part of the barrier with his blood. It opened immediately, recognizing his blood line as one that had once been part of the Government of Eltar. The Rebellion members silently headed inside, each ready to complete their part of the mission. It was time for the greatest attack Eltar had ever seen.

FELINA

They each had their assignments. Felina, Kizzie, Morda, and Rupi were to detour from the initial attack. They stood now outside of the maximum security prison where Eltar kept its worst criminals... Murderers, rapists, violent thieves, captured Rebellion members awaiting trial, those accused of treason, and anyone awaiting execution.

"Go on, Morda," Felina said.

Morda nodded. She snapped her fingers,and suddenly all prisoners inside of the prison began escaping. Felina cracked a genuine smile. "Well... So much for their maximum security," she said with a laugh.

Rupi and Kizzie were equally amused. As the four Rebels stood outside, Felina used her powers to gaze at the chaos within the building. The prisoners easily overpowered the unsuspecting prison guards. One by one, the guards were slaughtered until only the prisoners remained alive. As they emerged, it was Kizzie's turn to shine.

"Prisoners of Eltar!" Kizzie proclaimed grandly in her delightful accent. "We are the Rebellion. Our mission is to cause the collapse of the corrupt government of Eltar, as well as every corrupt government body. We share a common enemy. Join us, and seek justice against those who have imprisoned you! Pledge your loyalty to the Rebellion which has freed you! Or... Return inside, and be left to rot in your cells. The choice is yours."

The vast majority of the prisoners dropped to one knee, bowing their heads. A few stubbornly refused. "Morda, if you will kindly handle those who resist," Kizzie said softly. Morda snapped her fingers, returning them inside. A large number of newly loyal Rebellion members remained. "Rupi. Arms," Kizzie instructed. He began passing out weapons.

Felina stood in front of one of the new recruits. "Not this one," she said firmly.

"We need every body we can get," Rupi reminded her.

"His body belongs to me."

Rupi swallowed nervously as Felina radiated power. He moved on. Perhaps he's not as dumb as he looks, she thought.

Felina stared at the man kneeling before her. "My Lady, I am loyal," he promised.

"Your only loyalty is to yourself," she said sharply.

The bastard was confused. He didn't recognize her. "Raise your head and look me in the eye!" She demanded.

He did as she instructed, then slowly seemed to recognize her. "Felina?" He asked in wonder.

"Hello, Father," she said with as much venom as she could infuse a single word with.

"Look at you! You're all grown up! And so beautiful..."

Rage ran through every inch of her at his words. Once, they would have caused panic, but Zell had made her stronger. "By Eltarian law, your sick perversions are not punishable by death. In truth, they may not have even jailed you for every day you continued to draw breath, had Zell not intervened on my behalf and insisted your crimes were, at the very least, worthy of life in prison... I have good news, Father! Your sentence has ended." She raised all of the hatred she had felt for this bastard since she was a little girl into a single energy ball. She waited for realization to dawn in his eyes.

"No... Felina, please! I have repented! I have changed!" He begged.

"A creature like you shall never change," she said before releasing the energy. He screamed as the pain hit him. It was over too soon for Felina's liking, but she refused to waste any more time on him.

"You alright, Luv?" Kizzie asked with genuine concern.

Felina nodded. "I have waited far too long for that. I'm wonderful. Come. Let us go and do what must be done, " she said. She led the way. Kizzie followed with Rupi, Morda, and their new soldiers.

NESSA

She was watching kids on a field trip filter through the hallway of the Counsel Building. Nessa remembered taking field trips on Earth. They'd been the best part of school. She smiled as she spotted her Aunt Talia, one of the teachers accompanying the children.

"Where's Byron?" Nessa asked.

"Oh no! Has he run off again?" Her aunt asked in horror. "Malbyron! Malbyron, come here this instant!"

Nessa took pity on Talia. "Come on, Byron," she said. "Show yourself, you little monster!"

Giggling gave away her little brother's location. "Here I am!" Byron said cheerfully as he came out of hiding.

Nessa scooped the eight-year-old up in her arms and ambushed him with tickles. He let out a squeal of protest. "Stop, Nessie! Stop!" He cried.

Nessa put him down and said, "Behave, Monster. Aunt Talia has twenty-one other demons to watch in addition to you. Be good for her, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed.

Nessa kissed his forehead and sent him back to her aunt. She began to walk away, but stopped at the end of the hall when something made her turn back around. Suddenly, a deafening sound rang out. The children began screaming. Nessa tried to run toward them, but someone grabbed her and pulled her into a room.

"Let me go!" She screamed.

A hand clamped over her mouth. Nessa nearly bit the person, but realized it was her father as he spoke. "Shhh... Stay here. Do not move, Marinessa. We are under attack."

"Dad, Byron's out there with Aunt Talia!"

"I know. Stay here, Marinessa. I mean it."

She nodded. Her father headed out, gun drawn. After another minute, the sound of gunshots stopped. So did the screams. Nessa couldn't just hide without knowing her family was safe...

They're just kids... Innocent kids... Nessa thought in horror. She searched the room for anything that might be useful... A weapon, maybe, or a first aid kit. She dug through drawers until she found a gun.

"That'll do," she decided aloud. She checked to make sure it was loaded before leaving the room.

The children were all dead. She knew that before she even reached them, but she still checked every last one of them for a pulse. Talia had so many bullets in her, she was nearly unrecognizable. It was obvious she'd tried to shield her students from harm. Nessa forced back tears as she realized Byron was still clinging to Talia's skirt. She felt sick. How could this have happened? Where was her father? What the hell was going on?

More screams echoed down the hall from the Senators' offices. "Mom..." She whispered. She began running toward the offices, praying she wasn't too late.

Most of the offices were empty, and Nessa assumed many of the Senators had fled at the sound of gunshots, but when she checked her mother's office, she saw the worst thing possible.

"Mom... Mom!" Nessa screamed as she pulled her into her arms and tried to stop the flow of blood pouring out of her mother's chest.

"Nessa..." Her mother whispered. "Go. Get to safety. It's... The Rebellion..."

"I just have to stop the bleeding..."

"Nessa... I love you, Baby... Be strong."

"Mom, stop... You're going to be fine."

"I... I love you..." Before her eyes, her mother released a final breath. Her eyes were still open. Nessa was crying as she gently closed them.

Dad... I have to find him, she thought. Her father was literally all she had left. She pulled herself together, because there was nothing she could do to change what had already happened. "I love you, Mom..." She said. Then, she stood up, gripping the gun tightly, and walked out of the office knowing she'd never be willing to step foot inside it again.

NEPTUNE

He knew that as soon as the attack started, his target would hide. He was high profile and they would never risk his safety. Neptune, however, would be the last one they expected to attack. After all, he was human. His genetics would not set off any of the alarms meant to detect hostile Eltarians. They would never see him coming until it was too late.

Neptune stood outside of his target's office for a moment. He made sure his gun was ready before he entered the office with the gun aimed straight at his target.

The man stood up looking as dignified as one could when facing their imminent demise and calmly asked, "What exactly is it you are seeking today?"

"Justice, Prime Minister," Neptune replied coldly. Then, he pulled the trigger.

RAFFITTY

He had ignored most of the chaos and carnage around him as he headed to his destination. Raffitty had insisted on handling this one himself.

Venris Freyst had been the Mayor of Eltar for many millennia. He was set to retire in mere weeks, and his replacement had already been elected. To some, killing this man might seem pointless, but to Raffitty, it was everything.

The Mayor tensed as Raffitty used his own blood to deactivate the security lock on his office. He slipped inside. He closed the door behind him and stared the frail old man in his face. He'd gained many wrinkles, but his eyes were just as cold and calculating as Raffitty remembered.

"Venris." He filled the word with venom.

"Raffitty. Of course. I should have known," the Mayor said confidently. "Why have you come, Boy? Are you expecting to walk out of here alive?"

"I am not afraid to die for the cause, Venris."

"That is Mayor Freyst to you!"

"I see you still enjoy throwing your power around. Tell me, Mayor... Do you still enjoy torturing young boys as well?"

The Mayor looked nervous now. "I never tortured you," he said.

"You were his best friend, you son of a bitch! You knew what he was doing! You knew and you did nothing! And when I was in jail, you took pleasure in beating me yourself."

"It was simply done to keep you in line when you got into trouble-"

"And standing by while the other inmates attacked me? Turning a blind eye to that just as you turned one to my father's abuse? You saw the shape I was in! You knew they were especially cruel to me because of whose son I was! You knew it all, and still, you did nothing!" Raffitty was waving his gun around as he spoke. The Mayor watched him nervously. Raffitty looked him dead in the eye and said, "I'm not going to shoot you, Mayor."

The Mayor let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, my boy... I regret failing you now, Raffitty. I was only trying to do my duty."

Raffitty nodded. Then, he said, "I was a child, Venris. I was gentle by nature, and I was terrified. I was defenseless."

"Raffitty-"

"You made me into what I am, Venris. You and my father and every last one of the corrupt sons of bitches in the Eltarian government. I want you to understand that everything that's happening here today is your fault. Do you understand that?"

The Mayor must have seen something in his eyes. Terrified, he nodded and stuttered out, "I-I'm... I'm sorry... I t-truly am..."

"Do. You. Understand?" Raffitty demanded again.

"Yes! Yes, I... I understand."

"Good." With that, Raffitty began pounding his fists against the old Mayor's body. He felt his bones cracking easily, which only fueled his rage. "How does it feel to be completely defenseless?" He demanded. "How does it feel to know that I have the power to either save you or damn you straight to hell?" He kept hitting him even though the Mayor stopped trying to defend himself quickly. He lost track of what he was doing, fueled completely by the rage of the terrified, weak boy he'd once been.

"Raff..." He vaguely heard a voice calling. He ignored it, pounding the bastard's face again and again. "Raffitty! Raff! Enough."

A gentle hand touched his shoulder. Raffitty froze, all of the rage suddenly leaving his body. He looked up at the person beside him in confusion.

"It's over, Raff," Bob said gently. "He's dead. You finally got the bastard."

Raffitty nodded, then looked down at the bloody, unrecognizable mess that had once been the Mayor of Eltar. "I owed him that," Raffitty said softly.

"I know." Bob reached his hand toward Raffitty's and helped him stand up. "Come. There is still work to be done."

Raffitty glimpsed at his handiwork a final time before taking a deep breath and putting his emotions aside. He followed Bob into the hallway, ready to finish what they'd started.

MENA

The gunshots had been a shock. Mena spotted the people wearing the familiar uniform of the Eltarian Rebellion and quickly made her way to one of her favorite secret passageways. She took it directly to her father's office.

The door was partially open. She pushed it open the rest of the way and let out a startled cry. "Father!" She shouted. She rushed to his side, grabbing the jacket from the back of his door to try to put pressure on his chest wound. The bullet had hit him in the center of his heart.

"It was Neptune," he said.

"I'll make him pay! Father... Father, please stay with me..." She put more pressure on his chest, praying it would help.

"Mena... My daughter... You must go."

"I will not leave you!"

"You must! You are the only one who can get everyone to safety... Take the unsanctioned portal in the basement. I know you know where it is hidden. Please... No one else can save these people, Mena. I am counting on you... I need you to do this."

"Come with us!"

"I cannot, my dear daughter... I will only slow you down in this condition."

"I don't care!"

"Mena... Please. You can save these people, and it is your duty as my daughter to do that."

Mena was sobbing, but she nodded. He was right. Everyone would die if they didn't get out of there. "I'll come back for you with help," she promised.

He squeezed her hand weakly. "Mena... Get to Zordon... On Earth. He will help," he said.

"Are you sure? He hasn't seen me since I was little."

"There's no time to explain... He is my cousin, Mena. I'm sorry I kept this from you, but it was for your safety." He coughed up blood and Mena struggled not to panic. "Zordon will protect you, Mena. He is the only one who can help you now. Go to Earth... Take as many people as you can and go to Earth."

"Father..."

"Go now, my sweet girl. Make me proud, like you always do."

Mena knew she had to leave. It was the hardest thing she had ever had to do.

As she walked through the halls, she struggled to find survivors. There were still shots being fired. Mena was in tears as she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She nearly screamed when she realized it was Nessa.

"This way," Nessa said. She was holding several guns.

"Nessa, where did you get those?" Mena demanded.

"Some were in the offices... I took this one off of a Rebel I shot." She admired one gun in particular.

"You shot someone?"

"I shot a few someones. Especially the two bastards who bragged about shooting the kids."

"The kids? Oh no, the field trip!"

"They're down the Eastern corridor. None of them made it."

"But... But wasn't-?"

"My brother's gone," Nessa confirmed numbly. "My aunt and mom, too... I have no idea where my dad went. He told me to hide in an office. As usual, I didn't listen to him. Come on. We have to keep moving. They're everywhere."

"I don't understand... How did they get in?"

"Unsanctioned portals, I'm guessing."

"Security should have detected the breach... They detect it every time Greg shows up."

Nessa sighed. "You're right... Which means someone in the Eltarian Guard was in on it."

"The Guard wouldn't work with terrorists!"

"The Rebellion has spies everywhere. You know that, Mena."

"But... They all love my father, and... And..."

Nessa softened. "Oh, Mena... I'm so sorry," she said.

"He's not dead... But he's close, and he... He made me leave to get people out..."

"Then that's what we're going to do. Come on... Let's find the survivors."

They passed countless bodies before finding a group gathered close to the basement. Six security officers stood there, along with eight of the twelve Senators, a few of the clerical staff, and the Mayor Elect.

As four armed Rebels stormed toward them and started shooting, Nessa tossed some of her weapons to the unarmed security officers. She began shooting back at the Rebels who attacked.

"Mena! Get the passageway open!" Nessa screamed.

Mena didn't hesitate. She opened it up and ushered the terrified survivors through. "Nessa, come on!" She yelled.

Nessa tried to reach her, but a bullet tore through her shoulder and another ripped through her chest. "No!" Mena screamed. She tried to go to her, but one of the security officers shook his head.

"Go on," he said. "Get them to safety." Mena watched a bullet hit him in the center of his forehead right after he hit the button that would seal off the passageway.

Mena wanted to scream or cry, but she couldn't do that. These people were terrified and they all needed her help. She took a deep breath. "The portal is this way," she said. She led them through the passageway to the forbidden portal.

There were less of them now. Four security officers, all eight Senators, the Mayor Elect, and three members of the clerical staff were the only ones who'd made it through with Mena. She tried not to think about her best friend and father, both critically wounded and left behind.

She opened the portal and began putting in a general location. They had to get to Earth, but she had no idea how to find Zordon. As she started to put in a location, a Rebel burst into the passageway. Without stopping to think, Mena grabbed one of the security officer's swords and shoved it straight through the Rebel's heart.

Mena nearly shoved everyone through the portal before she sealed it. Somewhere safe, she thought. Bring us somewhere safe.