Ninjor had been waiting for this moment for nearly a year. He had felt the death of Zordon, and it had pained him greatly. But he, like many of the Morphin Masters of old, was not permitted to interfere. Not until a group had proven themselves to be worthy of The Power, and he had begun to worry that no group ever would. It had only been a year of their time, but it had always been before that when one group of Rangers fell, another would step up instantly to replace them.
But Earth was a young world, and they had not yet learned the old ways. Still, the group that currently lay before him was a good group. They were damaged, but still strong. Each and every one of them had proven that they were dedicated to overthrowing the overlords who had conquered their world. They were more than deserving of the right to call themselves Power Rangers.
"Welcome!" he called in his deep, booming voice. The Rangers, or the soon-to-be Rangers, all began to stir, and he watched as they sat up, eyeing him warily. "Do not be alarmed, I am not going to hurt you. I am Ninjor, the keeper of the Temple of the Ninja Power, and a friend and compatriot of Zordon of Eltare."
"Who?" the one destined to be the Red Ranger asked suspiciously, as he got to his feet.
Ninjor sighed. "Zordon is the fallen mentor of Earth's original team of Power Rangers," he explained to them. "Sadly, he is no more. But you have all shown that you understand what it is to be the Power Rangers, and to fight evil. If you accept this power and responsibility, then you too will be Power Rangers."
The five warriors exchanged glances, and then nodded.
"Please stand in a circle around me and raise your arms," Ninjor requested, and they did, matching motion to his words. He handed each of them a Power Coin in turn, pocketing the last one for himself. It was a shame, but none of them would be able to use that coin, not as long as the true holder of the coin still lived.
"I shall guide you in your quest for knowledge and power. Older than time itself - man has always known the calling. Light of the light, strength of the soul, ignite this eternal power inside of me. I am Ninja!"
Ninjor watched with pride as five brilliant flashes of color exploded along the way, leaving the five teens dressed in the outfits of the Ninjetti. They were not the traditional uniforms of the Power Rangers, although they could become so when it was necessary. Their eyes opened, and they glanced down at themselves, and Ninjor knew that this team could hold the key to stopping the evil that had enveloped the earth.
"I am pure of heart, body, mind, and spirit. Join with me now as I become one with the power of Ninja. Your journey is complete. Now it is time for you to claim your destiny. You now possess the power of Ninja deep within your souls. Come and learn of your new gifts."
Adam stepped forward, claiming his place as the leader of the Power Rangers. "I am the ape, mighty and strong! We are one!" He placed a red gauntleted hand on the ape symbol on his chest, bowing at Ninjor.
Aisha stepped up next, and a yellow light surrounded her. "I am the bear, cunning and fierce!" Her voice was filled with pride, and Ninjor felt a sense of rightness – this, at least was the way that the universe was supposed to have gone. This was something that Aisha was born for.
Then Gene stepped forward, although his voice shook. "I am the wolf, silent and sure!" He didn't sound quite as sure, and Ninjor could sense some doubt coming from him, some sense that he did not deserve to be wearing this color, even though Ninjor could tell that he would make a fine Blue Ranger.
Angela stepped forward, tears running down her cheeks. "I am the frog, courageous in spirit!" Ninjor could see her mind drift, and sensed that she was thinking of the man who had been the Black Ranger before her. But she was truly courageous, and she would be a fine holder of the Power.
Rocky was the last one to step forward. "I am the falcon, just and able!" There wasn't much emotion coming from the new White Ranger, just a fierce determination.
"Congratulations, Power Rangers," Ninjor told them. "You will have a few problems that have not been encountered by earlier Rangers. You will not be able to summon the NinjaMegazord, as you will be unable to complete the transformation without the Crane."
"We could probably find a Pink Ranger," Adam said, although he didn't sound convinced. "Veronica, maybe?"
Ninjor shook his head. "Nay, Red Ranger. The Pink Power Coin will only work for one person, and she still lives in captivity on the moon."
"Kimberly is still alive?" Gene asked, before Ninjor's words had time to register with any of the other Rangers. "We need to find her!"
"You must!" Ninjor agreed. He handed the Pink Power Coin to Rocky, who slipped it into the folds of his uniform. "But I have faith in you, my team. Now you must leave my temple and get through the barrier. From there, you should be able to teleport back to your homes."
"Thank you, Ninjor," Adam said. His team followed him out, and Ninjor smiled as best he was able. Hopefully this was the beginning of the end.