"Do you know how much trouble you're in?" Alex's mother Sarah said.

Alex sighed. It was like any other day at the Murphy House. Except Alex almost burned his house down. Ever since he developed his powers, he's had trouble controlling the elements. Just yesterday he accidently made his bathtub overflow with water magic. Today however he accidentally set his blankets on fire.

"Mom I can-"

"Alexander Murphy why were you smoking?" She asked.

"Wait you thought I was smoking…of course you do why else would my blankets be on fire." Alex said.

"What else would it be Alexander?" His mother asked.

"Nothing, sorry mom." Alex said. '

"You're going to be sorry. You're grounded mister!"

He sighed and sat on the floor. Just as he thought his day couldn't get any worse his armband glowed. He looked at it curiously. He taped it and a recorded message played. It was Calev's voice.

"Alex where are you man? Demons are attacking the city!" Calev screamed.

"Alex I swear if you don't get your butt over over here I'm going to-" Josie was cut off because the message ended.

Crap. Alex thought about, he was grounded and if his mother found out he left, she would kill him. Then again demons were attacking the city. He had to choose, what scared him more. Supernatural monsters, or his mother. Alex decided his mother, however he figured everyone else in the world would be pissed off, all because he decided to stay in his room.

Alex went over to his window and forced it open. He looked outside and grinned. The one thing he loved about being a ranger, was that his natural abilities increased. He was ten times more agile than before. Alex leaped out of his window and gracefully landed on the ground. Alex looked back at the house and sighed.

"Power Rangers Defenders of the Apocalypse Power Up! Red Humility!" Alex yelled.

"It's official, when Alex gets here, I'm going to kill him. Slowly and painfully, so I can watch the life squeezed out of his body." Madison angrily hissed.

"That was a little vivid." Jaxon said as he blasted demons with his trumpet.

Several demons flew towards them. There too many for him to shoot them all. Instead he grabbed Madison and his silver energy wing shield wrapped around them. The demons tried to claw it and break it.

"Nice try idiots, but it's made up of magic stronger than yours." Jaxon said.

Calev leaped onto of a car so he could get a better aim and blast the demons with his trumpet. They screamed as they turned into ash.

"I'm sure you guys are overreacting, we don't need Alex that bad." Just as he said that he was kicked in the face by a demon. Even though he wore a helmet, it hurt like hell.

"Ow!" He yelped and fell on the ground.

"Still optimistic?" Madison asked.

Just as a horde of demons were going to fly at them, they were blown away by a gust of wind. The others shocked look behind them to see Alex in ranger mode twirling his arms around to generate blasts of wind.

"About time you decided to show up." Owen said.

"Sorry guys I was grounded. Correction I still am grounded, my mom is going to kill me." Alex sighed.

Several demons flew towards them attempting to attack. Alex took his trumpet and fired red blasts at energy at them. The blasts weren't enough power to stop them. Alex put his trumpet back and send over several fireballs.

"You guys really can't take a hint?" Alex sighed.

Josie frowned from inside her suit, while she blasted demons. "Not all of us can shoot fireballs, so can you show up on time?" She asked.

"I told you guys I was grounded." Alex said while he punched a demon in the face. He then spun around and kicked it. Then demon hissed before it turned into ash.

"I think we got majority of them." Jaxon said.

Alex looked up. Several demons were attacking the bridge.

"Sorry Jax, but you're wrong." Alex pointed upwards.

"Another problem we could've solved if you were here on time." Madison hissed.

Alex sighed. "I told you guys-"

"You were grounded!" They all said at once.

Tiana pointed to the daycare. "Bad news guys the demons are also taking over the day care."

"Wow these bastards even mess with children." Josie sighed.

"Demons are attacking the beach too." Calev said.

Eyes went to Alex. He was their leader, they expected him to have some advice.

"Why are you guys all looking at me?" Alex asked nervously.

"Cause unfortunately you're our leader moron." Josie said.

"I don't..it's just...I.." Alex wasn't sure what the say.

To be honest he always had confidence issues. The other kids on the team were older than him, smarter than him, stronger than him. How was he supposed to lead them?

"Don't you have some kind of plan?" Tiana asked hopefully.

Although they all wore helmets, he could see that he was letting her down. Out of all the people on the team Alex hated to disappoint Tiana. Just as he was about to say something he was interrupted by screaming. It was coming from the daycare. Because of his hesitation, the kids were being attacked.

"What do we do?" Madison asked.

Tiana stepped forward. For a minute she glowed with yellow light. Tiana held up her hands and the demons glowed with yellow lights. The same yellow lights her hands glowed with. Tiana yanked her hands backwards and all of the demons flew backwards. Almost as if they were pulled by an invisible string.

"Her angel quality, it's telekinesis. That's going to be useful in the battlefield." Jaxon observed.

"I don't know how much longer I can hold them all. Their weakening me." Tiana groaned.

Everyone held up their blasters, minus Tiana and aimed at the floating demons.

"Power Rangers Defenders of the Apocalypse Trumpet Parade!" They all shooted.

Their rainbow color blasts combined into one blast, turning the demons to ash.

Tiana collapsed, sighing in relief that the strain was over. Alex couldn't help but feel responsible for the whole mess.

"Out of all the dorky names our ancestors could have chosen. They decided to choose Trumpet Parade?" Owen laughed.

"Could be worse." Calev sighed shrugging.

Alex, who was helping Tiana walk since she was exhausted from before shrugged.

"Who knows maybe they had good reason. I'm glad it still worked without Tiana." Alex said.

"We wouldn't need to use the Trumpet Parade, if you weren't a crappy leader and if you were on time. We outnumbered and unprepared." Josie hissed at her leader.

"It's not my fault I-"

"It is your fault! You were supposed to lead us, and you had nothing? If it weren't for Tiana, half of the town would probably be dead." Josie said storming off.

"Damn and I thought I pissed her off bad." Owen said laughing.

He walked over and put his arm around Alex's shoulder. "Forget about Josephine, she'll forget about it. Next time man, just show up on time okay?" Owen said.

Alex nodded. He was sure that Josie would never forget this. Alex sighed and went over to Master Famine.

"Can you teleport me back home? Hopefully, my mom doesn't find out, I've escaped prison." Alex sighed.

"Red Humility, maybe you should talk to your mother. Try to make her she your side." Master Famine suggested.

"Sure I'll tell my mom I descend from ancient warrior angels, and the reason I almost burned the house down is because I have elemental magic coded in my DNA." Alex said sarcastically.

Master Famine frowned. "Why don't you tell her that, it's the truth. Then again my advice might be different to someone in this time period. After all in mortal years I'm older than Lucy."

"You mean Lucy, as in the first human science has found Lucy."

"Yes, is that a problem?"

"Never mind, I'm going home."

He stepped up and vanished in several beams of red light. Alex arrived in his bedroom. He sighed in relief and fell backwards in his bed. He was so happy, to be home. How could he mess up this badly today? It was his fault, he didn't deserve to be leader.

"Look who decided to show up." His mother said glaring at him.

"You found out I snuck out." Alex sighed.

"Yes I did mister. You are grounded for two months!"

"But mom!" Alex said.

"But nothing. Clean up your room." She said before leaving.

Just as she walked out of the door an envelope fell out of her pocket. Alex was going to give back to her, when he saw it was addressed to him.

"Strange, who would send me mail?" Alex asked.

He decided to open it and pulled out a neatly handwritten note.

Dear Caroline.

I don't know if you're getting any of my letters, or ignoring them, but I miss you. I miss when you used to hang out big sis. I'm better now, I have pills and I'm getting my life on track. I miss my son. My little Alexander, I want to see him. To tell him I'm sorry. That I love him. I love both of you, please give this letter to him. My phone number is at the bottom.

941-674-8785

Sincerely Julia Cartwright.

Alex gasped. He wasn't sure how to respond to this. His aunt told him his biological parents were dead. When they died, she raised him. However she became financially unstable and when he was five he was put in the system. Five years later he was adopted by his parents. But his mother was alive, and wanted to see him. But why did she need pills? What was she sorry for? And why did his aunt and his parents hid this from him?

"So your mom drops the letter, you read it and you find out your mom is still alive who you thought was dead. This is better than the reality TV show I was watching when you called." Tiana said.

Alex and Tiana were currently sitting at Rico's a Mexican restaurant, with questionable food. Although with it's arcade and vast amount of computers and TV's, and the fact they had Wifi it was the new hot place for teens. Tiana lazily poked at her nachos. Alex couldn't help but notice, how beautiful her brown eyes looked when… he was getting off task.

"Yep. It took you long to get here, where do you live?"

"Charlie Vallely." Tiana said.

"That's two hours away? And you still came to see me? I feel so touched." Alex joked.

Tiana giggled. "Whatever. Besides I was close by. I had to get some new textbooks, since we're moving to Riverdale High, considering our school was destroyed in a demon attack." Tiana said.

"I'm not sure what to do? If I confront my family, I'm afraid of the answer I might get." Alex said.

"I think you should talk to them first. What if they had a good reason from keeping you from your mom? Family always have a reason for things they do." Tiana said.

Alex sighed. He knew she was right. "Yeah, I'll go talk to my aunt. Thank Tiana. To be honest Tiana, the reason I called you here is for, um, personal reason beside that."

"Oh. Personal reasons. To honest I'm glad to hang out with you too. Josie's a little too bossy, Madison is always trying to do my makeup, Owen is trying to flirt with me, Jaxon rather read a book then engage in a conversation, and Calev, well he has other things on his mind. I like hanging out with you." Tiana said. She then turned away and blushed.

"I screwed up today." Alex sighed.

"How so?" Tiana asked.

"Did you forget what happened today? The team looked at me for leadership, and I couldn't do it. If you weren't there, a lot of people could've been hurt. I don't deserve to be leader." Alex said.

Alex expected her to agree with him, instead she slapped him. "Ouch!" He yelped.

For a shy girl, with a petite figure, Tiana was strong. "Why did you do that?" Alex asked.

Madison and Josie were more of the slapping type, instead of Tiana.

"My mother does that to my brother, when he acts ridiculous. You're too humble. You need to stop doubting yourself about leading, and just lead. You were meant to do this. We all are meant to do this. You were destined to be our leader. Your special Alex, you can do this." Tiana said.

She then blushed and turned away again. Alex realized he was blushing to and stopped.

"It's just I'm not as smart as Jaxon, or as caring as Calev, or as tough as Josie, or as strong as Owen. I'm nothing."

Just as she was about to say something. Their armband made a beeping noise. Alex held up his wrist, and spoke into it like a cellphone.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Town square is under attacked. It's not a demon. Some other creature. We need you now! And this time, be on time Alex." Josie said.

"Let's go." Alex and Tiana got up and ran out of the restaurant.

"Took you guys long enough." Owen said.

"What creature were you guys talking about?" Alex asked.

Owen pointed to a tall humanoid creature with purple skin, grey tentacles, one green eye like a cyclop, and sharp claws. His legs were scaly like a snake.

"And I thought Madison was ugly." Owen joked.

"Why is everyone always picking on me?" Madison grained.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm picking on Alex." Josie said.

"Thanks Josie, nice to know I'm appreciated." Alex said sarcastically.

The demon stepped closer. "Hello Rangers! I'm Octo Knight, nice to kill you all!" He said with a wide smile.

"Either he is a complete moron, or he's playing us."

"Unfortunately I have to kill you and take your armbands, so can we make this quick?" He asked politely.

"He's a complete moron." Josie sighed.

"That's not a nice word!" Octo Knight yelled.

One of his tentacles extended and wrapped around Josie's throat. She gasped, as he yanked her forward. Causing her to flip over and hit the ground.

"You're going to regret that!" Owen hissed.

He aimed his trumpet at her, but it was knocked out of his hands with a tentacle.

"What are we going to do?" Madison asked.

All eyes went Alex. "Not this again." Josie said weakly, as she was still being choked by Octo Knight.

"I have an idea. But you guys need to trust me." Alex said.

"I trust you." Tiana said putting her hand on his shoulder.

"I trust you." Calev said.

"Me too." Jaxon said.

"I don't trust you at all, but I'm losing air, so I guess I'll stick with you."Josie said in between gasps.

Even when she was about to die, Josie was mean.

"Where are you Power Rangers! I just want to kill you! I promise I will kill fast so you won't feel it. Except for Green Chastity, she's really mean."

Josie cursed him out. "She said another bad word!" Just as he was about to slice her with his claws. He was hit by a blast of silver energy. Octo Knight hissed in pain and looked up. Floating there was Jaxon. Alex stood a couple feet away from him using the wind to guide him through the air.

"Hey Octo Nut!" Madison yelled as she fired from behind him.

"Ouch! Stop attacking me when I can't see you. That's not fair when I'm trying to kill you!"Octo Knight Whined.

"Take this for fair!" Tiana said as she blasted him on his left. Then Owen fired on his right.

They were all firing quickly and from different angles to make sure he couldn't use his tentacles on them. It was working. Alex's plan was working, he was thrilled. He could do this, he was a good leader. Out of nowhere a red beam of light shot from the sky and hit the Earth. When the light faded a red scimitar appeared. The blade was made of glowing white metal and the hilt was red. At the top of the hilt was a red gem.

"Woah." He said.

"Red Humility Angel Weapon Activated." A voice said from the heavens

"Now this is awesome." He grinned.

The others were still fighting Octo Knight. "It's time to end this."

He flew up in the air and focuses his energy on his scimitar. Fire he thought. The blade glowed, and became hotter in his hands. Red flames curled around it.

"Flaming Charge!" He yelled as he fell to the earth and used his flaming blade to slice Octo Knight in half.

He screamed as he turned into purple dust.

"Power down!" He yelled as he shifted back into his normal clothing.

"That was awesome." Owen said clapping him on the back.

"Yeah Alex, that was impressive." Calev grinned.

Tiana hugged him. "I knew you could do it." Once she realized what she was doing she pulled away from him.

"Sorry." She said blushing.

Alex blushed too. "Thank you Tiana, for believing in me." Alex said.

"No problem." Tiana smiled.

Josie walked up to Alex. "I'm sorry Alex, I was too harsh on you for what happened. To be honest, I was a bit jealous you were leader."

"It's cool Josie, too be honest I don't what to be leader, but I guess I need to me. We all have our roles on this team, and we need to work together." Alex said.

They all agreed. "So where did you get that blade from?" Madison asked.

"It just showed up during battle."

"I hope I get a badass weapon like that." Owen laughed.

You all will receive your weapons in time. Once your virtue determine you worthy. Master Famine said to them telapticy.

"Wait a minute, he can read our minds? That's private information in my head!" Owen said.

"We know exactly what's in your 'private' brain." Josie laughed.

Once Alex got home he knew two things. His mother is going to kill him, and that he needs answers about his mom. He used his key to open the door and walked in. Sitting at the table was in parents and his Aunt Caroline.

"Alexander Joseph Murphy, where were you?" His mother yelled.

"Why does my mom want to see me after fifteen years, and why are you guys hiding her from me?" Alex asked.

The room grew quiet. Everyone was afraid to answer first, her mother decided to.

"Alex, sweetie you don't understand. We had to do that to protect you from her. Protect you from getting hurt."

"You don't have that right! You're not my real mom!" Alex yelled.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. He ran up to his room and shut the door. He fell on his bed and sighed. What was he going to do.

"Alex sweetie can I come in?" His aunt asked.

He reluctantly opened the door, his aunt walked in and sighed.

"Alex you want to know the truth? You mother...she has mental issues. She was diagnosed when she was five. It grew worse as she got older. Then she met your father, she felt like a normal girl again. She loved him,more than any person can possibly love another human being. When he died, she took it hard. She drank more and didn't take her pills. She ended up..she tried to… she attempted to kill you. You were a small infant, and she put a pillow over your face. I came just in time to push her out of the way, and well you know the rest. I raised you, until you were put in foster care and adopted."

Alex sighed. What could he say? "That's a lot to take in. So when she says she's better. She's been released from the Asylum?" Alex asked.

"Yes, she's been sending me letter demanding to see you. She's trying to take you back Alex." She said.

"I feel like crap. First what happened with my team, and now. I told my mother, that awful insult."

"Alex, she knows that you didn't mean that and that you love her. Alex we all love you." His aunt said as she hugged him.

Alex sighed. He knew he was loved, by his family, by the team, by the world.

Next Time

Calev's past causes him to be distracted.