Chapter One. Nothing Important Happened Today.

"A more kind and friendly person I have never known," Danni said, stood at the makeshift podium at the deck of the Silver Gyarados. "When I first met her, she was welcoming. She was... Nice. I knew her through Duo, but that's not important."

"She's really not going to miss a chance to take a swipe at me," Duo muttered, into Xavier's ear. "Part of me wishes that..."

"Shush!" Crane exclaimed with a harsh whisper, looking back at them. "Show some respect."

For once, Duo didn't bother to come back with a reply. It wasn't about him and Danni, the stuff that had happened between them over six months ago. Although part of him was still annoyed about the way that she insisted on upholding the grudge against him. It was about Paige, their fallen friend who had perished in the escape from the Coppinger Aerial Platform.

"I know that I speak for everyone when I say that she'll be missed," Danni finished. "Our lives will never be the same again."

"Amen to that," Nahir said, as the yellow SDI ranger stepped down from the podium. "Jeez, why did it have to be her?"

"I guess we'll never know," Mitzi commented. "Too bad that we couldn't give her a proper sendoff."

"I don't know," Ryan remarked. "This is..."

"Got to agree with him," Scott said. "I mean... It's not about how we bury her. It's about how we remember her."

"Crane," Katie called, looking over at him. "You want to say a few words about her? About her memory? Eulogise her?"

"All the rest of us did," Duo pointed out. "Even though the story of when I first met her is viewed by some as inappropriate."

"It was a bit inappropriate for a funeral," Chip said. "I mean..."

"I don't think I've ever done anything inappropriate," Duo said. "What was wrong with this?"

"So, I mean, I gotta tell you that..." Duo Roronoa said. "You're incredibly hot, and..."

Paige Martinez looked at him.

"Yeah, I know." She replied. "So... kindly go away. I've got better things to do. Like wait for my Pikachu and Clefable to be healed."

"Oh come on." He urged. "I could give you the time of your..."

There was a cough, and the two of them looked up to see a tall man in his mid twenties, wearing a red vest and grey slacks stood above them. With him, was a woman about the same age, with red hair and blue eyes.

"What's up?" Duo asked.

Paige rolled her eyes, before going back to her magazine.

Crane smiled.

"Excuse me." He said, holding up the briefcase. "But can you just take a look at this?"

"No, you're right," Danni said, scathingly. "There's nothing wrong with that at all."

"Are you really going to stay mad at me forever?" he shot back. "Because I don't think that..."

"Anyway!" Crane quickly interrupted. "I think I might say a few words."

As he began to stride up towards the podium, he shot a look at Katie. One that implored her to keep Danni and Duo away from each other as much as she could.

"Paige," he said, shaking his head. "Oh, Paige. I can't believe that you're gone. You were special, no doubt about that. We only knew each other for about a year, but there are so many good memories. Some that stick in the mind more than others."

"How's it going up there?"

Looking down to her, Crane pulled himself out of the Rapidash Zord hatch, his fingers covered in oil from messing around in there.

"Well, the zords are more or less fixed," he said, climbing down the ladder to the floor of the chamber under Mount Hielo. "Individually. Putting them together might be interesting. I might check that out this afternoon. I've also managed to fix some of the wiring to ensure that if needed to be, one or more of the zords can be called without the respective ranger there. Auto pilot, I believe it's called. I wouldn't send it in to battle, but it would be handy for forming the Megazord."

Wiping his hands down on an old rag, the red ranger took the offered flask that Paige offered him.

"Thanks," he said, gulping down a mouth full of hot coffee. "Needed that."

"Ah, I just thought I'd bring you it round," she admitted. "Given that you're the only one who knows how to fix the Zords..."

"It's not really something that can be taught," Crane said, sounding slightly guilty. Something that quickly vanished moments later. "Don't worry, if it could then you'd all be out working on them right now. But, thanks for the drink."

Putting the flask down next to the small table, he made to go back up the ladder. Before hesitating and turning around to look at Paige.

"Unless you feel like going for a sandwich. I'm quite hungry actually."

"I..." he said, his shoulders dropping. "I guess I never really told you how much I cared about you. Every time I got close to, some crisis ended up arriving."

"That wasn't the best part," she said, bitterly. "I was left to live with my grandmother and my three older sisters. My grandmother wasn't... She was ill a lot at this point. And, my three wonderful sisters decided that they'd rather have the easy life. And, that I'd be suited to a life of slavery. Fetching and carrying, that was my childhood. Being used as a source of cheap labour by the only family that I had. So, that's why I wasn't happy to see her."

"Explains a lot of things," Crane replied, slipping his hand over to rest on hers. Hoping that she'd draw some comfort from it. "So, why did you ask me to fake being your boyfriend?"

She let out a sigh, he could tell that it was a struggle for her to keep it together.

"When... When I was growing up, they used to beat me. Taunt me. Tell me how nobody would ever love me. Guess a part of me didn't want to see the look on her face when she inevitably found out. Thanks for doing that for me. I really..."

"It's no problem," he said. "Just glad that I could help you out. I don't think that you've got anything to worry about right now."

"Well, thanks again," she replied, craning her neck to look him in the eyes. "You bailed me out of something that... Well, I didn't want to give her the satisfaction."

"Nobody ever does," Crane told her. "Anyway..."

Taking his hand away from hers, he started to get up.

"See you when I see you."

"I... All I can say is that I'll never feel the same again about anyone else," he finished. "But, it wasn't to be. In other circumstances, we might have been. But, that's not important right now. All that matters is that you rest in peace."

Taking a step down from the podium, his face said it all about how he was feeling. A stricken mixture of anger and total despair, the occasion really causing him visible anguish.

"Anyone else?" Lance wondered, looking across the deck. "At all?"

"Just me."

As Dorlinda stepped forward from the back of the room, a wreath in one hand, he placed it down on the podium. Starting to speak aloud, managing to keep more composure than Crane had.

"My people have a saying," he said. "The end is only the end if you accept it as such. Just because Paige has gone physically, doesn't mean that she has to be forgotten. Remember her and she will live forever."

Bowing his head slightly, he began to reach for the wreath.

"Dorlinda," Crane said. "Our decision is to toss that wreath into the ocean as a mark of respect for her. Forever floating as a sign of her memory. Will you do the honour?"

"Of course," the Lord of Time replied, closing his hand around the item. "Rest in peace, Paige Martinez."

Striding to the edge of the cruise liner, he took a deep breath, before dropping it over the side.

"We'll always remember you."

As the fifteen people present watched it splash down into the water, the combination of the wind and the tide started the process of taking it away. Far across the surf, gently floating into the distance.

"So, I guess that you guys are all released from duty," Katie remarked, as the twelve rangers sat in one of the bars aboard the Silver Gyarados. "The G-Force and SDI teams have been broken up. For one reason or another. We've emerged from the ashes..."

"Hey, if you ever need the help," Scott said. "Don't even hesitate to ask for some retro aid."

"I'm sure we won't," Duo commented, with a smirk.

"But, either way," Katie continued. "I've told Bill to swing by Johto and Sinnoh. This is a fast boat. If you want to go back to your own regions, then this is the best time for you to do it."

"I suppose I might go in and see the folks," Mitzi remarked. "If nothing else, see how much they've changed. The last few days got me thinking about how life's too short to hold grudges."

The only reply to that was Danni letting out a sound of derision, Duo rolling his eyes.

"We'll come to Sinnoh first," Xavier remarked. "By my reckoning."

"Great, I'll go then," Chip said. "Got to say that it's good to be free of all that expectation. All that pressure. As much as I enjoyed it while it lasted, it's kind of a relief now."

"We'll get off there as well," Andrew replied, gesturing to himself and Danni. "I'm sure that we can welcome the new start in a new region."

"Well, I was born there," Danni remarked. "So..."

"Ah well," the gold SDI ranger said. "Doesn't matter."

"So, that's five of you," Nahir mused. "What about you, Crane? Where are you going from here?"

"Honestly?" he replied. "I have no idea. It's something that I have to figure out."

"We're about to dock in Sinnoh," the voice of Bill through the intercom said, a slight yawn following it through. "So, can anyone about to get off please head for the exit?"

"Okay, let's go for it," Chip said, as he, Andrew and Danni began to get up and go for the exit. "Man, a year's gone so quickly."

"Hey, Chip," Mitzi wondered. "What's your best memory of the time in G-Force?"

"Errr...?"

"And, look whose back," Darkia crowed, seeing him reappear on the rooftop. "Didn't think that you had it in you to do that to your own sister. How did it feel, doing that to her?"

"Shut up, I saved her!" Chip shouted.

"Did it feel like you were going to be truly alone again?" Darkia taunted, ignoring him. "To think that she wouldn't be around any longer. Just like your parents..."

"Not cool, Darkia!" Chip screamed, bringing out his Thunder Lance. "You've crossed the line."

Even as the attack came towards him, the General leaped backwards out of the way. The building thundering under his weight as he crashed against the cold surface.

"You ever think that your parents would be proud of you?" the monster continued. "I saw it all in her head. Can't even stop me. Poor little ranger, all alone in the world."

He evaded another attack, delivering a powerful kick into Chip's body. The attack enough to send him reeling away.

"What would they say if they could see you here. Having your ass kicked. You think they'd be proud to call you their son. You're all alone, and nobody is coming to save you."

"That's not entirely true."

Gasping in shock, Darkia turned to see where the voice came from, only to be hit in the face with a barrage of petals. Courtesey of Mitzi's attack. The sudden velocity of the move enough to send him staggering back towards the edge.

"Metagross Bullet Punch!" Scott yelled, throwing himself forward. His gloved fists glowing with a silver light as he landed several lightning fast punches into Darkia.

"Chip, do it!" Mitzi shouted.

Dragging himself up to his feet, Chip looked at Darkia with fury. Only disguised by his helmet.

"I think they would be proud to call me their son," he replied, angrily. "Manectric Volt Tackle, now!"

With a primal roar of anger, he threw himself forward, his entire uniform surrounded by the crackling glow of electricity. The force enough to send Darkia screaming over the edge.

Taking a step back away from the drop, the yellow ranger suddenly felt sick to his stomach at what had just happened. The way Darkia had gotten to him.

"You okay?" Scott asked, coming over to him. Mitzi did the same, putting her arm around his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm coping," Chip admitted. "Damn Darkia."

"Dorlinda filled us in on what happened," Mitzi said. "That was a terrible thing to do."

"And, one day, Darkia is going to pay," the yellow ranger snapped.

"He did end up paying," Chip remarked. "Just a shame that it wasn't us."

"You're welcome by the way," Luke commented, smirking. "Thanks to us for doing your job for you."

"Eventually," Duo remarked. "Didn't you lose a stack of Megazord's in the process?"

"Yeah, okay," Danni said. "Because you've never had a Megazord trashed before."

"All the G-Force Zords are still in the Time Hole," Mitzi pointed out. "They were repaired. We used them to battle virus mutants in Hoenn."

"Heh, you know what I remember about that day when Darkia attacked your sister?" Danni asked, looking at Chip.

"Well, that plan was a bust," Darkia growled, sat down on the couch. He could see Pura sat across from him, Chimzor next to her. "So much for doing something different."

There was one other being in the room, sat drinking from a bottle of water.

"That plan was moronic," Chimzor commented. "Try to turn the yellow ranger's sister against him... That seems to be both cliched and..."

"I don't think it was a complete waste."

The fourth voice in the room caught Darkia's senses. Hoping just for something. For anything that could put a sheen on the failure.

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking over to her to see what she was trying to imply.

Leaning back in the seat, Danielle Tanner grinned at him.

"Well, I think that they trust me more than ever now," she said, resting her arms behind her head.

"I think that brings back memories of my own," Andrew remarked. "Because... I did some things that I'm not proud of."

"Which nobody blames you for," Nahir pointed out. "We discovered that you were a good person. Someone to trust, someone to rely on in a time of crisis."

"Even if we did get off to a rocky start," Luke said, sarcastically.

"Who are you?" Danni demanded. "And, where did you get that armour?"

"I am the Apprentice of the mighty and noble warrior, Zork," the Apprentice replied. "And, as for the armour, I stole it from right under your noses."

"Then, I guess we've got no choice but to take it back," Xavier snapped. "Hand it over, and we won't destroy you as we do so."

"You want it back," the Apprentice snarled. "Then, come and get it."

Not wasting any time, Xavier leaped forward to attack, going into a flying against the Apprentice. Only for the opponent to completely block it, grabbing the red rangers leg and hurling him back to where he had came.

"Are you okay?" Katie asked, trying to help him up.

"That looked like it hurt," Luke commented. "Is he really as strong as he looks?"

"Yes, on both counts," Xavier groaned. "He's a tough one. We have to work as a team here to do this. Otherwise, we've got no chance."

"Don't we do that normally?" Nahir asked, sarcastically. "Okay, let's go and get him."

Taking out their swords, the five of them began to circle the gold ranger.

"You think that you can defeat me with greater numbers?" the Apprentice demanded, dropping a hand down to his waist. "Dragon Staff!"

Bringing the weapon out of its holster, he extended it out to its full length. A staff, with a Dragonite's head and body at the top, the rest of it a thick spike. Holding it with the handle behind the body, he began to keep a wary eye on the rangers.

"He even stole the damn weapon," Luke complained. "That's just unfair."

"In battle, you make your own parity," the Apprentice replied. "Now, are we going to do this, or are you going to complain about it all day?"

Before any of them could reply, he smashed the business end of the weapon down into the ground.

"Earth Strike!"

At the bellowed command, a huge shock wave rang out through the concrete, strong enough to throw all five rangers down to the ground.

"Yeah..." Andrew said. "Not my finest moment. I think that came later. There was a part right towards the end of my time with SDI that I cherish."

"Let me guess..." Katie remarked.

"So, is everything okay?"

Looking around to the sound of the voice, Andrew saw Danni coming over to him, a hesitant expression on her face. He'd come out onto the roof to think things through, clear his head after the traumatic experience from earlier. Yet, part of him had expected her to come, another part of him secretly relieved at the sight of the yellow ranger.

"Yeah," he replied. "I feel great. Didn't know you were there."

"Surprised you didn't sense me with your empathy," she remarked, coming to lean against the railings next to him.

"Normally I might have," he admitted. "But, I think those days are gone now. Probably forever."

"What do you...?" she started to ask, before it dawned on her what he had meant. "The sword? It took your empathic abilities?"

"Looks like it," he said. "Guess I'm human again. Fully. Drained all that demon right out of me. Whatever I was in the past is gone."

Rolling her eyes, Danni let out a tsking sound.

"No, it isn't!" she replied, only a trace of anger in her voice. "Honestly, have you learned nothing while you've been with us?"

"Just a few things," he answered, with a grin. "Most of what I..."

"There's more to you than the part that was demon," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "We didn't take you to our hearts because of your ability to annoy the crap out of us with your empathic abilities. If we saw the demon part of you... We accepted you. We didn't have a problem with it, unless you were picking private information out of us. That was annoying. But, we got past it. We didn't care! I didn't care."

"I know you didn't," he replied, smiling at her. "Sometimes, you get some interesting insights from those private thoughts."

"So... How long have you known?" she asked, not looking surprised.

"Known?" Andrew replied, the smile growing wider. "Known what?"

"How I feel about you," the yellow ranger groaned. "That you knew full well."

"A while," he said. "Started to sense it shortly after the incident with Vulvoir. Not that I'm not flattered."

"Then how come you didn't act on it?" she wondered. "Most guys in your position..."

"I thought I'd wait for the right moment to go on it," he said, quietly. "Just wondering and waiting when that would be."

"So, this is your idea of the right moment?" Danni asked. "Terrific."

"Nah, it's mainly my thought that we're not going to make it through this alive," he said. His words dead serious. "I'm through with the secrecy. It's a terrible idea. So, Danielle Tanner. You're awesome. You're smart, you're funny, you're beautiful. You've got that crazy extreme side of you which jumps off cliffs. Something that terrifies me, the very thought of it. But, if I had to do it with you, it wouldn't seem so scary. Because, I finally realised how much I cared about you when Misteria nearly killed you earlier. I guess what I'm trying to say is..."

"I love you," she replied, the smile crawling out across her face. Unable to believe her luck, what he was saying to her. "Really?"

"If we're going to take on this final battle," he said, still serious in his voice. "Then, I thought you should know."

For once speechless, Danni felt him reach out to take her hands, his head coming down to place his mouth against her. The moment filling her with hope, with passion. With jubilation. It didn't take long for her to start to return the gesture, time slowing almost to a halt.

"Anyway, time is of the essence," Danni said, quickly. "So..."

"Hey, Danni?" Nahir asked. "What's your favourite memory of when we were with SDI?"

"Errr..." she replied, her face contorting into deep thought. "Let me think..."

Knocking at the door, Danni was surprised by how quickly it opened to reveal Joe stood there. An annoyed look on his face.

"What do you want?" he asked, sighing as he did so. "The last time I opened my door to you, it almost got blown off and my house nearly burned to the ground. Destroying a stack of priceless artefacts in the attic."

"Yeah, that's kind of why I'm here," she replied, gesturing to the box under her arm. "I wanted to apologise."

"Really?" Joe asked. "Nah, it's okay. You don't have to. I can rebuild. Make it better than ever. What's in the box."

"Well, after we destroyed Cryscaptor," Danni replied, with a smirk. "These were supposedly destroyed so don't let anyone know about them."

Reaching down and yanking the lid off, she held the contents up to the light. Revealing the five crystals that she'd acquired after the demon had been destroyed.

"Hopefully, we're even now," she said, handing it to him. "Plus, you've got to restart that priceless collection somewhere."

"Danni, you didn't have to do it," Joe replied, exhaling sharply. "I was in shock earlier. I didn't expect you to show up on my doorstep and I thought that was the only reason you were there."

"What, I couldn't come and see my brother?" Danni asked. "I've been... I've missed you the last few years. Any chance that we can just forget about that disagreement."

"What disagreement?" Joe said, holding out his arms. A gesture that she returned with a hug, the two of them holding it for a few seconds.

"You want some help redecorating?" Danni wondered, looking up at the mansion. "I've got some free time."

"Other than that moment that Andrew described," she said. "That. Reconnecting with my brother."

"Bet I know what your worse moment is," Duo commented. "Your least favourite memory..."

Rolling her eyes in anger, she picked up a glass to throw at him. Only for the black ranger to step aside and turn invisible. The yellow SDI ranger silently snarling in anger at his callousness.

"Hey!" Katie demanded. "What did I say about powers for personal gain?"

"To avoid getting hurt seems like a good reason," Duo replied. "So, there..."

Shaking her head in anger, Danni strode out of the room. Andrew quickly following her. Offering a quick wave to the rest of the rangers, his old friends, Chip soon followed them.

"I'll miss those guys," Xavier remarked. "We've had some good times with them."

"Yeah," Luke said. "We did."

"So, Scott?"

Looking up at Xavier, the silver G-Force ranger raised an eyebrow to see what he wanted.

"Yeah?"

"What are your outstanding memories of your time as a ranger?"

"Well," he replied. "If you really want me to go into detail, then..."

"Are you sure that you're okay?" Mitzi asked, having followed him to his apartment. He couldn't help but nod, grinning at her concern.

"I'm fine, Mitz," he said, leaning against his wall. "Just had the strangest hallucination while laid on your couch. One where Crane didn't come here and..."

"Yeah, sometimes I wonder about that," she mused. "It could be more peaceful, but there's something that I would miss about the whole thing."

"What's that?" the silver ranger asked, holding a grin as he spoke. "The whole transforming into a brightly coloured costume thing?"

She rolled her eyes, before stretching up onto her tiptoes. Her face was barely centimetres away from him.

"I'd never have met you," Mitzi said, her voice quiet.

"Well, you might have done," he replied. "Admittedly, the chances would be less, but..."

He tailed off, looking pointedly at her.

"What did you want to ask me?" Scott asked, folding his arms. "You said that you'd tell me when I came round. Now's your chance. Just you and me. Nobody else's here."

Suddenly going slightly red, Mitzi swallowed deeply, as she tried to find the way to say it.

"Okay," she said, slowly. "I didn't want to ask you anything. Actually, I more wanted to tell you something. But, with the whole Shadow Force thing, it killed the mood."

"Know what you might mean," he replied, smiling.

"I wanted to tell you how I feel," the green ranger said, suddenly growing in confidence. Now, her face was millimetres from his. "Feel about you."

"You saying what I think you're saying?" Scott asked, surprised. And, in true fashion, the surprise manifested into a grin.

A grin that would have grown, had she not kissed him. Only replaced by surprise.

"Also," he continued. "There was when I first got my powers. That was quite good. Apart from the nausea and the not knowing who I was."

"I sort of remember that," Crane commented. "That wasn't a great time, at all."

"Damn." He muttered. "Can't kids have anything better to do than break into abandoned buildings?"

He walked over to the window, and closed it.

Scott sighed, before seeing the small silver box upon the hard wooden floor.

"What is that?" He asked, walking over to it.

He took a deep breath, before kneeling down and picking the box up.

Scott examined it, seeing no outstanding marks on it. He then placed it on a nearby table and started to pull the box open.

Inside, was something that looked like a wristwatch.

"Strange." He said, picking it up. "What is this thing, and why is it here?"

He held up his wrist, and placed it around the skin, before fastening it.

Almost instantly, he felt a strange sensation pass through him.

"What the..?" Scott shouted, looking around the room, frantically.

He shook his head, finding nothing out of order, before looking at the watch.

Scott did a double take.

What had once been a watch, was now a long piece of plastic and metal that looked like a Beldum.

"What is that?" He asked, seeing a set of buttons upon it.

Scott reached down and pushed one of the buttons...

Before something exploded inside his head, knocking him out cold.

"You attacked us after that," Duo pointed out. "And then..."

"Well, I joined the team," Scott said. "And..."

"Wow," Ryan commented. "All of this is so... Wow, that's all I can say. Hearing about all of your adventures is fantastic."

"To be fair," Luke remarked. "They didn't seem like it at the time. Nostalgia is a great thing."

"You know what I remember very fondly?" Mitzi asked. "It's not either of those, but rather..."

"Well, as much as I like hearing the nice things about me," the pink ranger said with a smile. "We muddled on through it, and we're stronger for the adversity. Besides, Scott distracted him while I cut his tongue off."

"One thing I don't get," Duo wondered. "Why did a combination between a Treecko and a Swalot have a tongue like that?"

"Now, you're just splitting hairs," Paige told him. "We're superheroes. How often do things make sense."

"Amen to that," Crane replied, as Duo let out a grin.

The source of which was revealed, as a Treecko charged over to them and hopped onto the table.

"Where did that come from?" Mitzi wondered, slightly surprised by the sudden appearance of the lizard like Pokemon.

"Hey," Scott replied, coming over. "Found this Treecko wandering around outside as I was coming in. Looked to be wild, so I drove it in here to see if you wanted it as a replacement for the one that we blew up."

"Well, that's kinda sweet," Paige remarked.

"You sure that doesn't have a trainer?" Mitzi asked, the five of them watching the Pokemon sniff at the air.

"Nah, at least nobody was claiming it," Scott replied, the Treecko looking over to him with interest.

"Okay then," she said, smiling at him. "Thanks, Scott, I appreciate it."

"No problem," he replied, sitting down at the empty seat.

As soon as he did so, the Treecko clearly smelled something in the air, his nostrils twitching. Then, he jumped down off the table, streaking towards Paige. And...

Both Duo and Scott burst out laughing at the sight, while the pink ranger looked annoyed at the event.

"Well, looks like we're back to normal," Crane said, grinning.

"Hey, I'd forgotten about that," Duo remarked. "Being swallowed wasn't a nice feeling."

"You're not wrong," Mitzi said, before the old speakers above them began to crackle into life.

"Here we are," Bill announced. "Good old Johto. Anyone who wishes to get off here now can."

At the sound of the voice over the Silver Gyarados' intercom, Mitzi and Scott got up. Both ready to leave.

"I guess this is the end of it all," Scott commented, as the two of them made to walk out. "Stay in touch."

"We will," Ryan said. "Count on it."

Heading up to the top deck, the seven remaining rangers watched the silver and green G-Force rangers head off into the main area of Olivine City. Turning to wave them off, that being their final sight of them before they vanished into the crowds.

"Now, it just feels like we're alone again," Nahir commented, sadly. "But, in a way, that's a good thing."

"We can find those artefact's now," Luke said. "Once we get back to Verger."

"So, have you decided where you want to go yet?" Lance asked, looking over at Crane. Dorlinda walking into the room, yawning slightly.

"Actually, I want to go back to the future," Crane said, instantly looking over at the Lord of Time. "Apart from some wonderful friends, there's nothing else for me in this time."

"Oh thanks for that," Duo remarked, in mock hurt. "What are we..."

"He said apart from some wonderful friends," Xavier pointed out. "Were you listening at all?"

"I drift in and out," Duo admitted. "So..."

"We got that," Ryan smiled. "Are you sure, Crane? I mean..."

"Crane," Dorlinda said. "Are you sure? Once you go back to your own time, it will be very difficult for you to return to this time should you wish to do so. This is not a decision that you should go into lightly."

"My mind's made up," Crane insisted. "I want out of here. Everything I see reminds me of her."

"You really were in love with her, right?" Katie asked. "We're all feeling for you. Because..."
"I know," Crane said. "Look, you guys are all awesome. I'm sure you'll do a great job of doing what you have to do. But, I need to get out of your hair. Do us all proud. Everyone who has fought for the region."

Taking a step forward, Dorlinda placed a hand on Crane's arm.

"Last chance," he warned. "Otherwise..."

Seeing the look on the red G-Force rangers face remain steadfast, the two figures instantly vanishing away into thin air.

"So," Katie said, seconds after the two of them had vanished. "Where do we go from here? What now and...?"

Before she could finish, Dorlinda appeared back out of nowhere. Reaching into his pocket to take out a package.

"Wait, I found this outside," Dorlinda said, tossing the brown envelope towards Katie. The new red ranger catching it in one hand, a look of surprise on her face as she did so. "It's addressed to you, so..."

Looking down at it, Katie saw her name written across the surface of it. Feeling it, she quickly noted that it was heavy. Also realising that it rattled when she shook it.

"Are you going to open it?" Bill asked. "See what it is?"

"Why not," she muttered, ripping it open. Tipping it upside down onto the desk, the nine people present in the room saw a strange white rock fall out onto it.

"Is that...?" Xavier started to ask, in surprise.

"It is," Lance confirmed, looking over at the item. "Although, who would...?"

"And why?" Luke asked. "Something is strange here."

Even as he finished speaking, the NeverMeltIce began to hover up off the desk, a chilling white energy beginning to rake across it.

"What the..." Duo shouted, struggling to figure out what was going on in front of them. "That's not..."

"What's happening?" Nahir yelled, as the energy within the stone began to form a shape in the middle of the room. "This isn't natural!"

Only Bill remained impassive, a look of glee upon his face as he watched the shape take form. Starting with the bones, it quickly became clear that a person was being created in front of them. The bones suddenly became muscle, the muscle being covered with skin, and some parts of the skin being masked by clothes.

As the transformation finished, the nine people present looked at the strawberry blond in front of them. From the pink stripes in that hair, to the hazel eyes to the white long sleeved shirt with the twin pink stripes on the arms.

"Impossible!" Lance roared, taking a step back in shock.

"Paige!" Nahir shouted.

"Paige?" Bill asked. "So this is..."

"Blondie!" Duo exclaimed. "What the..."

Author's Notes.

Fooled ya... Red herring and all.

Hee hee hee...

Anyway, thanks for all the reviews in Wrath Of The Coppingers. I know that the bad guys didn't appear, but...

Actually, if you include Wrath Of The Coppingers as one long episode, this is the one hundredth chapter/episode of the Poké Rangers Verger saga. Hence the flashbacks, the story so far. Also, I thought it a fitting way to say farewell to all the other rangers who have fought to try and save the region.

Anyway, some of it might be disjointed, but I hope you can look past it and keep reading. It will get better. A lot better.

Next chapter is entitled Blond Spectre. I think it might be explanitory where that comes from. And for the first time in a while, I can write preview below, again.

Also, the new credits will appear in the next chapter.

Ah, thanks for reading.

Don't forget to review. Please. I'm starting to do something different as a change from this chapter on. Something that others have done, but... Anyway, Bill will reply to reviews today. Something I'm trialling.

Chapter Two, Blond Spectre, Preview.

Paige: What the hell happened to me?

Bill: You're a ghost.

Paige: You're joking, right?

Dennis: What happened to us?

Noland: We can't stay like this.

Dennis: This creature shall be our eyes and ears. Arise, Soulguzzler.

Coming soon.