"Power Rangers?" Mimi Idina scoffed. "They don't exist, Mom."
Kat smiled. "Actually, you're looking at two formers right now."
"Three." Kat spun. Pride was leaning against the computer console, smiling. "You didn't think I was going to let you do this without me, did you?"
"But…the twins…"
"Are fine. I left them with your sister. You forget, Kat, I know when you're up to something. So I came here to find you. Imagine how not so surprised I was to find you already here. So, what'd I miss?"
Kay sighed. "They just got here. Our daughter is in the middle of telling us that Rangers don't exist."
"Mom!" Mimi huffed. "They don't exist. They are…what's the word?"
"Fictions de l'imagination." Angel provided. "Figments of the imagination. And Mimi's right."
Kat smacked her forehead. "The one time my girls agree, it's to decide that my history doesn't exist. Lovely."
Anthony spoke up. "Guys, let Aunt Kat talk. They do exist. My father says so."
Miranda scoffed. "Carlos is nuts, Anthony."
"No, he's not!" Derek glared. "Unless, of course, you're saying that my dads are nuts?"
"Guys!" Zhane snapped. "Chill! Now listen. Angel, Mimi, both of your parents used to be Rangers. Tony, yours too. Don't any of you pay attention in history? The pages are strewn with our existence. Miranda, I don't know your parents, but it wouldn't surprise me if they turned out to be formers too. Kat, will you please explain?"
Kat nodded. "Things are being set into motion, things we adults can't fix this time. You five are the hope of our world. I don't know yet what you will be fighting, but you've been selected due to your skills." Kat reached into a steel box at her side. "Your skills, Rangers, are what sets you apart, make you different. They are what allow you to fight the forces of evil without succumbing to them. As I call your name, please step forward and accept your morpher—and your destiny. Anthony, as calm as a horse, but as fierce as a crocodile, the Red Ranger, leader of your team. Mimi Idina, as calculating as a jaguar, as swift as an eagle, the Blue Ranger, the brains of the outfit. Miranda, strong as a dragon, mysterious as a griffin, the calm before the storm that is the Yellow Ranger. Derek, as flighty as a unicorn, but strong as a tiger, stubbornness personified as the Pink Ranger. Finally, Angel, as strange as a hippogriff, fluid and flexible as a snake, the balance in fun and work that symbolizes a Green Ranger."
Each Ranger took their morpher, smiling somewhat. Kat leaned against her husband. "Hmm, like father, like daughter."
Pride smiled. "Mimi takes after her mother. You were always the calm, calculating one on the team. You and Carlos."
Angel smiled at her parents as she put n her morpher. "So why didn't you tell us you were Rangers? Why did you always let us believe they were legend?"
"You wouldn't have believed us. You didn't, till Zhane said something."
"Who else?" Angel was grinning.
Kat giggled. "No one you know, baby girl. You know four members of my team—five, until Uncle Andros passed. You've never met the other three, they still live in Angel Grove."
"Was Grandda one too?"
Kat snorted. "My da? A ranger? Hell, baby girl, he didn't even want me to be one. 'Course, he didn't approve of your daddy for the longest time. Didn't like him that well, either."
Pride feigned shock. "I thought Drac loved me!"
"Come off it, babe, you know he didn't like you. He wanted me to marry someone else, someone more…oh, I don't know…'macho.'"
"Like William?"
"Yep. Of course, once I'd made up my mind…."
"He decided he loved me?"
"Actually, baby, he didn't really like you until after we were married."
"Alert." DECA's voice cut the air, interrupting the mock argument. "Earth is under attack."
Kat nodded. "Right, well, loves, get out there and make your mentors proud."
o0o
Kat and Pride watched the fight through the aid of DECA's veiwscreen. Kat smiled proudly. "They certainly can handle themselves."
Pride nodded, frowning. "They're fighting…what are they fighting?"
"Looks like…zombies, I think."
Suddenly, there was a flash of light. The three formers lost visual contact, but still had audio. The Rangers, however, could only wish they could lose visual. Behind the helmets, all five wore expressions of disgust. As the flash cleared, a creature strode forward. He—it—had a human body, but four extra limbs, sprouting from its chest like a spiders. The face was humanlike, but with red eyes. Behind him strode a fully human male, an expression of hatred upon his hardened face.
The spider-thing spoke, a hard, guttural sound issuing from his throat. "I am Desrip. This is my general, Ergor." Ergor's expression deepened, and he glared—at Desrip? The Rangers? They couldn't tell. Desrip continued. "You, I presume, are the Power Rangers? So weak! How do you like my slaves, Rangers? They certainly like you!"
He laughed, a sound that made even battle-hardened Ergor wince. The general regained his composure quickly, however, and spoke. His voice was soft and melodic—completely opposite of what the Rangers had been expecting. "My lord Desrip, perhaps—just perhaps—we should let the Bloody Prince handle this?"
Desrip nodded. "Yes, of course. Let's give your new recruit a try." The villain and his general vanished.
Back on the Megaship, they regained visual, just in time to see them "Bloody Prince" appear. Kat released a primal scream. "No!"
Pride looked at the screen. "Holy…Dracula's the Prince?"
"Don't worry—ouch—about that!" Zhane was panting. "Help me hold Kat back!"
Pride turned. Kat was fighting viciously against Zhane's hold. "Let go! I have to help him!" Pride put an arm around her. "Kat, listen to me. We can't save him without a plan."
"I have to! He raised me!"
Kat!" Pride's voice was quiet, but firm. "Not without a plan." He looked into her eyes, his green ones looked with her panicked silver ones. After a long moment, she collapsed into her husband's arms, sobbing quietly.
Meanwhile, the team had their hands full. With Mimi and Angel frozen in shock, Dracula quickly gained the upper hand. He attacked spontaneously, without feeling, but with cold calculation. He took down Derek first, then focused his hardened gaze on the Green Ranger, his own granddaughter. Angel was in action immediately, flipping through the air. She was behind him before even his vampire sense kicked in. Feeling no remorse—this thing was not her beloved Grandda—Angel lashed out with a violent roundhouse, and a series of swift punches. Dracula froze, stunned, and Angel continued to advance, forcing the vampire to retreat. With their villain momentarily defeated, the group—led by a somber Mimi, who was supporting Derek, and a furious Angel—returned to the ship.