A/N: A quick thank you to Warlord Xana who pointed out that following some recent edits, I inadvertantly posted chapter 4 as chapter 5 (posting it twice) by mistake. The problem's now fixed, hope it didn't put anyone off.

Just another quick word. Some have been posting spoilers in their reviews. While I understand this is being done so that I have the information to write this fic, several people do not yet know these things about the season, so this is just a polite request that if you ARE going to give me spoilers (which I appreciate by the way) please feel free to send them in a PM just so they aren't the public forum. All comments are gratefullly received.

RJ and the others were gathered in the hotel for dinner, but unusually for RJ, he wasn't in the mood to eat. By now Lily was almost two hours later than she said she'd be and they hadn't received any kind of word for her. It was so out of character for her that RJ was becoming a little concerned. He paced the room, stopping every now and again by the window, looking out to see if he could see some sign of her.

"She's a big girl RJ." Casey said half-jokingly. He was a little concerned himself, it wasn't like her not to contact them if she was getting sidetracked, but he could see RJ was worried and was trying to keep the situation light hearted.

"She's never late." He replied. "I'm going to look for her."

Almost on cue, the door to their suite opened and Lily staggered in. Her clothes were dirty and roughed up, her hair was out of place and she hobbled in an ungainly manner that informed them she'd been in a fight recently, a fight it looked like she'd lost.

"The phantoms have been revived." She informed them as RJ rushed to her side, putting his arms around her. "One of them showed up at Master Phant's place."

"Are you alright?" He asked her. "What happened?"

"Master Phant said his name was General Snapper." She informed them. "We fought for a while, but he was too powerful. He was way more powerful than anything we've ever faced. I failed him; I failed all of you..."

"Calm down Lily." RJ compelled her, comforting her in her moment of torment. He knew she was always her own harshest critic. "Just tell us what happened."

"He laid me out." She told them. "When I came to, Master Phant was gone. I think Snapper took him."

"Theo, Casey, go and check on Master Swoop." RJ instructed, getting his coat on. "Dominic, come with me."

They left the room, leaving Fran and Camille to tend to Lily's injuries. RJ hoped he was wrong in his suspicions, but if he wasn't, then the phantoms were gathering the Masters for some reason. He just hoped they weren't too late.

Back in the fortress, the three defeated masters were brought before Dai Shi in chains. The phantom beast generals forced them to their knees and into a low bow.

"This is the only way you can get us to bow to you Dai Shi." Finn hissed aggressively, struggling against Scorch's grip. "What do you want from us?"

"Oh I just wanted you to see me winning the beast war first hand." He replied in a casual drawl. "Of course, why just watch when you can be a part of it?"

"You must be starting to believe your own hype." Swoop responded in a sarcastic laugh. "I have no idea how you got the phantoms to obey you, but they'll be destroyed just as surely as you will in the end."

"They obey me because unlike Jellica, they know which horse to back if they want to win. Your faith in the cubs is misplaced." He sneered. "You know how easily they defeated one of the Rangers, don't you Phant?"

"Lily will come back!" He snarled. "And when she does, she'll bring the Rangers with her and then..."

"Then the phantoms will destroy all five of them." He interrupted. "Put them in position."

The phantoms hauled the struggling masters to a nearby wall where they attached them to the wall with heavy shackles.

"You know, despite being spineless, and being an invertebrate I mean that literally, Jellica had a pretty good idea." He mused as Whiger brought out a couple of stands, setting them in place before them. He swaggered over to them, beginning to place the eyes on the stands. "Having my own team of Rangers might just be what I need to tip the scales."

"You're as deluded as you are evil Dai Shi." Swoop snapped, struggling against his restraints. "We'll never work for you."

"Something tells me you'll think differently soon." He replied, pulling aside some drapes, allowing the star light to shine through the eyes and into the masters. They all writhed in agony as power surged through them, burning through their muscles like an inferno. Before long, the ritual was complete. Where the masters once stood, three Rangers clad in white body suits now stood, each trimmed in the colour of their respective animal spirits. They snapped the chains from their wrists with ease, stepping forward and taking a knee before their new master.

"Soon it will be time to reveal my latest weapon to the Rangers." He mused. "Until then, what do you have for me? I wish to test the power of my Rangers myself before I set them loose."

"My first beast is called Sonimax." Whiger informed him, calling forth his boar creature.

"Sonimax?" Dai Shi sneered. "He sounds like a stereo."

"My lord, he commands the spirit of the wild boar." Snapper informed him. "He also controls sonic..."

"Just set him loose on the city." He replied dismissively. "He'll serve his purpose. In the meantime, I'll get my Rangers ready for battle."

Theo and Casey arrived at Master Swoop's house finding the grounds in ruin. Clearly there had been an epic battle recently. Going inside, Theo rummaged through the wreckage finding a scorched war fan. He presented the damaged weapon to Casey.

"It looks like Swoop's been taken too." He remarked. "I think we should call RJ."

Casey pulled out his solar morpher, activating the communications link. "RJ, Swoop's been taken too."

RJ though was already standing in what was left of Finn's house and workshop. He pulled his communicator to his mouth as he sank into a chair.

"Dad's gone too." He whispered in a defeated tone, devastated by the loss of his father just as they were beginning to mend bridges. "They're all gone."

"It looks like they took all of them." Theo replied. "What for?"

"I don't think it'll be long before we find out." RJ stated sagely. "Make your way back to the hotel room. I'll meet you there."

Back in the hotel, they assembled in the main room of their suite, gathering their thoughts.

"Why would they take the masters?" Lily asked, removing the ice pack from the large red welt on her forehead. "They aren't even involved."

"They are to Dai Shi." RJ answered her. "They're as much a part of this as we are just through being Pai Zhuq masters. We're all involved. From now on no one goes anywhere alone. Not even you Fran."

"Me?" She shrieked.

"Dai Shi knows you have power over your animal spirit." He replied. "From now on, he'll probably consider you a target. He won't want to take chances taking you lightly."

"What can we do about the phantoms?" Theo asked. "We can all see what they did to Lily."

Just then their morphers bleeped, announcing another attack in the city. RJ flicked on the TV, switching to the local news to find Sonimax tearing up downtown.

"I guess we get to test our combined strength against a phantom sooner than we intended." He remarked. "Guys, it's time to go."

Back in the fortress, Dai Shi was testing his strength against his new Rangers. One by one they attacked him with a fury unlike anything he'd ever known. The power of the eyes had not turned them into slaves, just as he wanted. Mindless drones would be defeated easily. Instead it had made them susceptible to his suggestion while heightening any negative emotions they had to their intended targets. He finished his training session by dumping Phant on his ass for the umpteenth time.

"You are all strong." He remarked. "You all remember why I summoned you?"

"To destroy the Rangers!" They chorused together.

"Maybe I should get you to clarify your motives." He mused. "Would you care to elaborate?"

"My son has never respected me!" Finn snarled, thrusting his fist through a concrete pillar. "If he will not respect me in life, I'll force him to respect me in death!"

"Theo thinks he has all the answers, yet he goes behind his friend's backs to see me." Swoop muttered as he rose from his seating position. "I will show him how duplicity is rewarded."

"Lily abandoned me for her lover." Phant roared, snapping to his feet. "If she wants to be with the wolf master so badly, I'll send them both straight to hell to be with each other forever!"

"There are two other Rangers to contend with." He reminded them. "Do not forget the tiger or the rhino."

"They will feed the worms as surely as the others." The Black Ranger commented. "When they have been dealt with and you are victorious, the world will tremble at your feet Dai Shi."

"That sounds appealing." He remarked. "Go to Ocean Bluff and observe the battle, but do not act until I give the word." He gave them an evil smirk. "Let Sonimax show what he was made of."

In Ocean Bluff, Finn, Swoop and Phant teleported close to the site of the battle as the Rangers struggled against Sonimax.

"They are not worthy of our attentions." Phant sneered, seeing them being dashed to the ground by an attack. "If one as weak as the glorified pig can hand them their asses so easily..."

"Just watch old timer." Finn interjected. "The fight isn't over yet."

The five Rangers assembled in the central plaza, hauling themselves to their feet painfully. Sonimax was by far the most powerful creature they'd faced. RJ took the point position at the front as they faced off against him.

"Guys, this is a tough one." He remarked.

"We have to combine our power!" Lily stated, taking over the point position. "This is for Gabby and Master Phant. Charge on my command. NOW!"

They five Rangers surged towards Sonimax as he tried to blast them down again, though their combined energy was too much for him. Dashing aside his attack, they ploughed through him, destroying him in a massive explosion. Or so they thought.

Sonimax revived and grew to massive size, towering over them.

"Like we've never seen that before." Dominic sneered. "Time for the zords?"

"Jungle Master Megazord!" Lily, Casey and Theo chorused as they adopted the formation.

"Wolf Pride Megazord!" RJ snapped, joining them.

"Rhino Steel Zord, Warrior Mode!" Dominic boomed, slipping inside his zord. "Ready to give up?"

"Not likely!" Snapper announced as he arrived on the scene in massive form. "Feel the force of my Rinzin Power!"

"Rinzin Power?" Theo asked aloud. "Why does that not sound good?"

Suddenly a massive energy wave flared up, kicking the Rangers and their zords clean across town. Snapper laughed as he saw them scattering so pathetically.

"Leave them." Dai Shi ordered, seeing the scene of devastation in a viewing image from his fortress. "Let's see what the Spirit Rangers can do."

"But my lord..."

"Do not question me Snapper." He interrupted coldly. "You came to me for guidance remember?"

Snapper backed off, teleporting both himself and Sonimax away from the battlefield.

The Rangers pulled themselves to their feet and dusted themselves off as they turned their attention back to the battlefield, seeing Snapper and Sonimax disappearing without explanation.

"Why did they just fade out?" RJ asked as they assembled. "Why not press the advantage?"

"I think they might have something to do with it?" Casey chipped in as a lightning bolt struck the ground, heralding the arrival of the Spirit Rangers. Observing them carefully, it became painfully obvious to each of the Rangers who they were. The one rimmed in Cyan had a crest atop his helmet like that of a shark. The one trimmed in green's helmet was patterned after an elephant while the Black Ranger's helmet had huge bat-like ears on his helmet.

"Dad?" RJ asked weakly, seeing them advance.

"Do not dare to call me that." The Shark Ranger snarled as they pulled into a guard. "No son of mine could be so pathetic! I shall destroy you simply to chlorinate my bloodline!"

"Master Swoop, you have to fight this!" Theo implored him. "You're stronger than this, please!"

"Maybe I've been on the wrong side all along young jaguar." He snorted dismissively. "You always were a pathetic, second-string pupil. I wasted so long trying to teach you. Now I'll realise my full potential."

"Master Phant, you can't do this!" Lily screeched, looking to the Elephant Ranger. "What about your family? What about Gabby?"

"She was as pathetic as you were Yellow Ranger." He sneered. He began mocking her voice. "Oh, I'm blind, I'm going to cry...Oh Look, My boyfriend's a werewolf I'm going to cry...Oh dear I've been kidnapped. What am I going to do, something useful to get myself out of this? No, I think I'll cry!"

Lily felt the rage boiling in her as he mocked her, her fists balling tightly. She brought her head up to make her eyes meet with his through the visor of his helmet.

"You can't be Master Phant." She hissed, tears rolling down her cheeks. "He could never be so cruel. I don't know who you are, but if I have to face you I will."

"As if it would matter cub!" Swoop replied as they began circling the Rangers. "We will destroy you. I just hope we leave enough of you behind to present a suitable tribute to Dai Shi."

"I don't want to do this dad." RJ commented as they lined up, preparing to morph. "But if this is the only way, then I have to do it."

"Jungle Beast, SPIRIT UNLEASHED!" They chorused together.