"These guys sure are ugly," Rocky muttered. "I mean really ugly."

Scorpina laughed. The feeling caught her off guard, like a punch to the gut that knocked the wind out of her.

But she had to admit she kind of liked it.

"Here we are again, darling." Goldar hissed. "Two former partners, on opposites sides of the battle. We hardly even look the same anymore."

"Good," She replied. "Because I think this form suits me better." She drew her morpher and was washed in golden light.

"We could have had the universe," Goldar said. His blade gauntlets fully extended.

Scorpina drew her own saber. "Maybe I still will."

"Let us see who the greater warrior is."

"Gladly."

The two charged.

Meanwhile, Kimberly stood with Skull.

"You look good," He said.

"Huh."

"I think the heat of battle suits you," He replied. "Like some kind of amazon warrior."

"Thanks..." She muttered. She suspected that might be some sort of compliment, and while it definitely confused her.

It also left her feeling slightly flattered.

No time for that though because the Finster mutant was about to charge.

"Alright," Rocky said, "Let's see if we still got it."

The six Rangers and Kimberly each armed their Power Morphers.

"Power of the Wolf!" Richie said.

"Power of the Crane," Jenny said.

"Power of the Ape," Rocky proclaimed proudly.

"Power of the... Frog," Adam said.

"Power of the Bear," Tanya said.

"Power of the Falcon!" Skull said with overwhelming pride.

"Power of the Firebird!" Kimberly said.

The seven Rangers each morphed in a bright flash of color.

The new suits were nearly identical to their original forms, only now their helmets matched the animals they drew power from.

"Now I could've worn this to the moon," the Ape Ranger said excitedly.

Each of the Rangers had katana similar to what Tori used, and they were all keen to draw them.

Finster smacked the ground where the six Rangers stood, and each of them streaked away in bright light.

Conner bashed into Black Dragon, his fists a blur of motion. Trent closed his eyes and called for the feeling that awoke his own power in the first place.

His father… Eric… everyone else who got hurt by getting mixed into this mess.

His Super Dino mode came to life and he joined Conner.

Both of them circled Black Dragon, getting in blows while it was distracted by the other.

And it seemed to be working, with each attack causing more and more damage the enemy.

Finally, Black Dragon had enough and unleashed a roar that blasted the two Rangers back with golden energy.

"I refuse to be beaten by such inconsequential mortals," Black Dragon roared. "I am ascended past the need for mortality. I am climbing further and further towards godhood!"

"I thought I told you to shut up," Conner said and slammed his Tyranno Staff into Black Dragon's shoulder.

The possessed machine turned to attack the Red Ranger. But his arm began to spark. Wild jolts of energy ran down from its shoulder, which hung limply from its side.

"One problem about not feeling pain," Trent muttered. "It's harder to gauge your condition."

Black Dragon held the Sword of Conquest in its working hand and charged.

But Conner moved in front of it, blocking the attack with his staff.

"This is your chance," Conner said. "Finish it off for good."

Trent nodded and grabbed his Draco Sword. His body was a blur as he rammed into Black Dragon, pushing the blade through Black Dragon's armor. The Sword of Conquest fell to the ground as the machine flew forward.

Sparks flew from the wound and assaulted Trent's body through his sword.

But he ignored the pain.

"You may have started from a clone of me," The White Ranger said. "But I'm so much more than you could ever be."

"No," Black Dragon said muttered.

Suddenly Black Dragon began to glow. "If I must parish then you will follow me to the afterlife." He grabbed hold of Trent. "You brought me into this world, and I'm taking you out of it."

Trent tried to pull himself away as the energy being excreted from Black Dragon intensified.

It was only a matter of seconds before it exploded.

"Sorry," A voice said from behind Black Dragon, "But I'm not going to let so much energy be wasted."

A green hand grabbed hold of Black Dragon and began to absorb the energy expelled.

Its grip went slack and Trent fell, seeing that it was Psycho Green holding him.

"That guy is scary tough," Ethan said, touching his broken hand and looking at the green warrior. "We were barely keeping up with him."

"Well he's about to get a lot stronger," Kira muttered, watching as he absorbed everything Black Dragon unleashed.

"Shouldn't we stop him?" Conner asked.

"And let Black Dragon blow us up?" Trent reminded him.

"What are you doing?" Black Dragon asked in a panicked tone.

"Just getting a little snack," Psycho Green said.

Black Dragon screamed as it began to lose large amounts of power, white and gold energy escaped its form and entered the twisted Ranger.

"I've sucked many Rangers dry," Psycho Green said. "But I've never got the chance to suck them up entirely."

He let go of the empty husk that was Black Dragon, white and gold energy ebbed his form.

He lifted the Sword of Conquest and turned toward the four Dino Rangers. "With that pathetic scrap out of the way, why don't you show me what you're made of."

Finster swung his knife-like claws wildly through the air but the Ninja Rangers dodged each one.

"This feels amazing," Rocky said. "Even better than the Zeo Powers!"

"I know what you mean," Adam said, who landed on the ground and flanked Finster with his blade.

"Stay focused," Jenny reminded them. "We're in the midst of our final battle."

"Oh relax," Rocky said. "We're just having fu-"

Before he could finish his sentence Finster swatted him into the wall.

The Falcon Ranger jumped in front of Rocky and parried Finster's next strike. But even then he could see that he was only holding the creature back.

A rush of pink energy shot Finster in the chest and knocked him back.

And Skull turned to see Kimberly holding her blade upside down.

"Good shot," Skull replied.

Kimberly stepped up next to him. "I've had some practice."

"No kidding," Skull said. "I'd heard rumors among the Sentries of a rogue sniper taking them out. Course I didn't believe them."

"Seems a little more likely now doesn't it?" she asked with a sideways smile.

"You could say that," Skull said pushed Kimberly out of the way of Finster's attack.

"You know," Skull said. "Finding you has been the best thing to come of me being an undercover agent."

"Good," Kimberly said, "Now let's make us winning the second best."

let his invisibility take him as he moved through the crowded halls. Tyrannodrones patrolled the halls, keeping a keen eye out for the Black Ranger.

Yet he weaved easily past them.

He ground his teeth, revenge being the sole thing on his mind.

He moved beyond Mesogog's original fortress and onto the makeshift stairs that led to the chunk of Lord Zed's tower that had been summoned on top of it.

There he found the remaining Sentries from the move, sort of just milling around.

"What do you think General Drakkon wanted with that girl?" One of the Pink Sentries asked.

"Beats me," A Yellow Sentrie replied. "But he was taking her up to the Pteracopter."

Dr.O swore under his breath. It was just like Drakkon to escape while everyone else was fighting for him.

He easily slid past them and further towards the top.

***1

"Why the hell are there Sentries here?" Hayley asked. "You said you'd call off the invasion if I came with you."

Hayley said as they stood at the top of the Tower, where a giant hole leading to the other world hung overhead.

"I originally planned on taking them with me once we returned to my world," Drakkon said. "But that was before your version of me decided to pay us a visit."

"So are you just going to leave them?"

"Doesn't matter," Drakkon said. "They're just pawns."

"Everyone is a pawn to you!" Hayley exclaimed.

Drakkon tightened his grip on her arm, powerful enough her bones felt like they could snap. "It's the duty of those with power to curate the lesser beings."

"It's your job to protect them," Hayley said.

"It's all the same," He said and pulled her up the stairs.

"What's your problem?" Hayley asked. "Why are you so entitled?"

Drakkon froze, and despite the growing aggression in his eyes, she felt like any seconds she could stall him were important.

"Before my powers my life was worthless," He said. "I had nothing. My adopted parents wanted nothing to do with me. We moved constantly. Everything was just one disaster after the next. Then Rita kidnapped me and forced me to be her pawn. It was only when Lord Zedd took me in and showed me the truth that I learned the only path to success was through power."

"So what do we have to do with it?" She asked, touching her stomach at the word "we".

"Let me ask you this," He said in a slower, almost patient voice. "Do you believe in destiny?"

Not in the slightest.

"Maybe…"

"Well, I never did," Drakkon admitted, "Until now." He smiled. "Now I can feel it. The gears of destiny. They turn and turn, flowing cycles that course through reality like a river."

Hayley tried to disguise the fact she knew he was going crazy.

"Everything that's happened. My own tamperings with the Grid, your experiments to save my counterparts. They were all pieces of a grand puzzle. A staircase leading to this." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Our son. He is going to be very special. Lord Zedd did things to me. Horrible experiments that plugged me into the grid. They worked but at a cost." He showed his arms and their pulsing veins that almost seemed to glow green. "But my body was the first draft, and the power put in me will transfer to him." His smile was sincere, so much so she couldn't see it as anything other than crazed. "Not only that but the power of the Zeo Crystal, a rock made of concentrated morphing energy is also inside of him. He is destined to be a being of limitless power, and I am destined to train him to be the master of the universe. Maybe every universe."

"That's enough of that," a voice said from the aether.

Drakkon zeroed in on the noise, eyes squinting.

"If I keep having to listen to your ramblings I'm going to go insane."

Suddenly popped in from thin air.

"Ah yes," Drakkon said. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Cut the crap," Dr.O said. "Give me Hayley back.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Drakkon said with a frown. "She has something very important to me."

"So I've heard," Dr.O replied.

Dr.O suddenly burst into his morph and charged, but Drakkon quickly pull him and Hayley away and he drew the futuristic rifle and blasted Dr.O in the chest.

Hayley cried out as his armor melted and his clothes burned.

His armor faded entirely as he fell to the ground.

"I'll have to thank for letting me borrow his technology," Drakkon said with a grin.

Hayley knew she had to do something. Otherwise, was as good as dead.

She suddenly remembered the knife, feeling it's weight hidden in her jacket.

She looked over at Drakkon, saw the blood lust in his eyes, and knew what she had to do.

She carefully unfolded the knife in her pocket, all the while hoping Drakkon wouldn't notice.

"It's a shame things have to end so soon," Drakkon said. "I was hoping we could see who's really the strongest."

"You're just scared you'd lose," said.

"It never hurts to stack your deck."

Hayley took a deep breath.

And she pounced.

As she flew through the air she drew the knife.

And sunk it into his back.

There was a brief moment where everything seemed to lose its sense of realness. The black handle sticking out Drakkon's back, the blood beginning to leak. Things became slow and distorted as he turned to face her, his eyes full of shock and surprise.

Time realigned as he let out a ground-shaking roar. He lunged for her, but Hayley kicked him in the chest and sent him flying backward, causing him to hit the ground and force the knife further into his back.

Unfortunately, it hadn't stuck anywhere fatal.

"You're going to regret that," He muttered in an icy tone.

grabbed for the rifle Drakkon had dropped and leveled it towards the warlord's head.

"It's over," said.

Drakkon merely laughed. "No. I don't think we've even begun."

In a flash, Drakkon's armor appeared. didn't waste a second and immediately opened fire.

But the White Ranger moved out of the way, drawing Saba and slicing the rifle in half.

morphed and drew his Branco Saber, parrying Drakkon's blade.

"Looks like I have one tiny bit of unfinished business before I return to my kingdom," Drakkon said.

"Stop trying to sound so ominous and admit you're terrified," Dr.O said and summoned a black orb of energy that punched Drakkon in the chest.

"Guards!" Drakkon called, "Take Hayley to the copter and prepare for takeoff."

Two Red Sentries grabbed hold of Hayley, despite the fire in her chest she was too weak to fight them as they dragged her away.