The meeting had gone well. Udonna and the others believed their story and have agreed to help them. But what help a group of powerless sorcerers can give is unknown. So for now the four Powerless Rangers have been left to their own devices. They have gone their separate ways for now. They have seen much and have much to think about.

The Village of Rootcore is very much a refugee camp. Those who were lucky enough to escape Briarwood have been forced to live in the woods they once feared along side creatures that were the stuff of nightmares. But even here life goes on. It is Xander who first discovers this. He has walked aimlessly through the village lost in thought. His mind drifting from Ranma, to his friends, to his family, and everything in-between. But after a few minutes of walking he comes upon an open area within the village. He smiles as his eyes come to rest upon a small group of children running around kicking a soccer ball. Human boys and girls run around with the children of the forest. Their laughter and shouts fill the forest and for a moment it seems like color has once again returned to this world. He takes a deep breath a lets out a sigh of relief. "At least some things haven't changed," He says with a smile.

"Some things shouldn't change."

Xander's eyes go wide and he whips his head to the left. "Ranma! I didn't see you there!" There sitting at the base of the tree is Ranma. If not for the fact that he were blind it would seem that he was watching the children.

"Humph, that makes two of us."

Xander blinks in confusion before smiling and laughing. "I guess that's true." He turns his eyes back to the kids. "It's good to see that with everything that's going on kids still run around and have fun."

Ranma nods. "That's the way it should be."

"You're right." He nods in agreement. There is a moment of silence between the two before Xander speaks again. "Udonna said that you've been hurt since the fight with Imperious." Ranma nods. "Why won't they heal?"

"I did something I wasn't supposed to do. This is my punishment."

"But when we fought Mordicon, our Ranma used the Neko-ken, and he got better."

"This is different."

"How?"

"The Neko-ken is a forbidden technique. What I did was beyond forbidden."

"Beyond forbidden?" Xander mumbles. He closes his eyes and thinks back to their last battle. "In our last fight Ranma did something. He used a fireball that was so powerful that it burnt his arm even through his armor." He turns his head to Ranma. "Will that heal?"

Ranma nods. "Probably. If he used what I'm thinking he used." Ranma looks down at his arm. "Tenka Shunmetsu Koukyuu Dan."

Xander thinks for a second. "I think that's what he said. I can't be too sure. You, er He didn't want to talk about it."

"That attack is beyond forbidden too. But since he only used it once and not at full power he'll heal."

"Then why won't you heal?"

"Because… I used it at full power."

Xander shutters. "Wow. That fire ball was huge, I'd hate to see full power."

"It's not something… ," Ranma stops talking and falls forward in a fit of coughs.

"Ranma!" Xander is at his side immediately. "Ranma are you ok?" It takes a moment, but Ranma finally recovers. He and Xander push him back against the tree. "That was," Xander's eyes come to rest on the spot Ranma was cough on. "Blood?" His eyes go wide, and he turns back to Ranma.

His breaths come in gasps. He quickly whips the blood from his lips. "Don't worry about it." He spits out more blood.

"Don't worry about it? You're coughing up blood for heaven's sake! You must have internal bleeding somewhere!"

"Keep your voice down!"

"Does Udonna know about this?"

"No!" He grits out the words. "I don't want to make the others worry about it when there ain't nothing that can be done!"

"Nothing that can be done?" The words take a moment to fully register in Xander's mind. But when they do he gasps. "You mean?" Ranma nods. "You're dying?"

Ranma uses the tree to force himself up. "It's the price I'll pay for what I did."

"The price! I don't know what that means but there has to be something… "

"There's not a damn thing that we can do. My body wasn't ready! If I'd had a couple more years I could've handled it no problem!"

"But… "

"No buts!" Ranma rips off his sunglasses and steps up to Xander. His sightless eyes bore into Xander. "I gave up my eyes, my arm, and every move I make hurts like Hell. And you know what? I'd do it again in a heartbeat." He points to the kids. "Look at those kids!" Xander turns his head, secretly grateful to look at something other than Ranma's scarred covered eyes. "If I hadn't fought the way I fought Imperious would have won and those kids wouldn't be able to do anything like that! I'm not just fighting for my friends. I'm fighting for everyone! And if I don't fight, who will? I don't have the luxury to get tired or to take a day off. There is no easy way for me! Never has been! And every time I think about giving up it's things like this," He points at the kids. "That give me the strength to keep going." Xander turns back to Ranma. "I'll defeat Imperious. I'll probably die doing it. But I'll defeat him. And when I do kids like these won't have to live in fear." Ranma puts on his sunglasses and heads back towards the center of Rootcore.

Xander can only stand there in stunned silence, his mind replaying Ranma's speech over and over again.

It is near sunset when the four Powerless Rangers regroup at Rootcore. "How was your walk Xander?" Chip asks.

Xander thinks for a minute for answering. "Enlightening."

Chip arches an eyebrow but before he can ask Xander what he means Claire runs outside. "Good news guys!"

"What is it Claire?" Madison asks.

"We might have a way to send you back to your home!"

"Really?" Vida exclaims. "How?"

"Come inside so we can explain."

"So how do we get home?" Xander asks.

"If we're right, and at this point it is a big if, there is one way to get you home," Udonna begins. "You said that in your world Jenji was taken by Imperious, correct?"

Xander nods. "Yeah the bulldog and the yeti took him."

"Fight-O and Fifty Below," Korrag corrects him. "Imperious probably made a wish."

"What kind of wish?" Chip asks.

"We don't know for sure," Daggeron admits. "But it's obvious that it had something to do with you four and your Ranma."

"That's why your Ranma started acting strange when the color was taken from your world," Udonna takes up the explanation. "You see whatever power is sleeping within Ranma probably had some sort of reaction to the wish. Though we're not sure what happened to Ranma or exactly what sort of affect, if any, his power might have had on the wish."

"But how does knowing this get us home?" Maddie asks.

"If it was a wish that brought you here, you can go and have the wish revoked," Udonna explains.

"How do we do that?" Xander asks.

"You go to the Tribunal of Magic." Korrag rises. "Come, if we are to do this we must ask quickly. We do not know when Imperious will attack again." He walks outside with the others in tow.

"So how do we get to the Tribunal of Magic?" Chip asks.

A roar is their answer. "Fireheart!" The all exclaim. Madison takes a step forward but halts when the dragon growls at her. "He doesn't know us. We raised him from an egg."

"Not here you didn't," Ranma says. Fireheart lowers his head and sits it gentle on the ground at Ranma's right side. Ranma pats the dragon's head. "Udonna, Claire, and myself raised him. He's going to take us to the Tribunal of Magic."

"Us?" Xander asks. "You're coming too?"

Ranma nods. "I'm coming to keep the four of you safe."

"That's why this must be done quickly. Ranma, Fireheart, and Korrag are the only things protecting Rootcore from Imperious," Udonna explains.

Ranma nods. "I'll send Fireheart back as soon as I can." Fireheart lowers his body and Ranma hops on. "Come on, lets get going!"

The four of them move towards the dragon. "Wait!" Leelee calls as she runs up. She pats a medically bag. "Can't forget this!" She hands the bag to Madison. Leelee stares up at Ranma for a minute. "Be careful."

"Aren't I always?" Ranma asks with a smirk.

Leelee smirks. "No, you're never careful."

"Then lets not change what works."

"This place is so dark," Vida notes.

"The trees look dead," Madison adds.

"This is the world Imperious created." Ranma stands at the head of the dragon. His head scans the horizon.

"What are you doing?" Xander asks.

"Keeping watch… .Or something like that," Ranma answers.

"How do you do that?" Chip asks. "I mean you move and act like you can see." He thinks for a second. "Is is your magic? Wait, wait, wait! I know! It's some kind of super secret martial arts thing, right?"

Ranma nods. "The martial arts thing." His head snaps up and whips back behind them.

"What is it?" Xander asks.

Ranma grits his teeth. "I really don't need this now." His armor suddenly appears.

"I don't see anything," Chip strains his eyes. "Wait, wait, wait! I do see something. It's moving… hmmm… oh yep it's Necrolai." He nods. "Definitely Necrolai."

Vida's eyes go wide. "It is Necrolai."

The vampiress flies up along side the dragon. "Well, well, well look who it is." Her eyes flash purple. "I've come to take back what's mine, Black Ranger!"

"What's she talking about?" Maddie asks.

"Never mind that." Ranma hands Chip his sword. "Hold onto that for me."

"Huh? Sure, but don't you need it?" Chip asks.

"Not in this kind of fight." The visor portion of his helmet glows red. "Fireheart, make sure they make it to the Tribunal's dimension safely then get back to Rootcore." Cracks begin to form on the Ranger armor.

"Your armor! It's cracking!" Vida yells.

"Get to the Tribunal's dimension! I'll meet you there!" Flames begin to swirl around his left arm. "Tenka Shunmetsu Koukyuu Dan!" He calls out as he dives off the dragon.

"Ranma!" The others call out as they fly away.

"Fireheart! We have to go back!" Madison yells out. The dragon roars out as he flies away. "No! We can't leave him!" Fireheart spews fort white hot flames from its mouth cause the dimensional doorway to open.

"Where are we?" Vida asks.

"Looks like a desert," Chip answers.

"Great detective work there Sherlock."

"Fireheart, you have to take us back!" Madison pleads with the dragon. "The fall alone could have killed Ranma." The dragon cocks its head to the side and gives the former Blue Ranger an odd look. "Please just… ," She stops speaking when a hand settles on her shoulder. She turns her head slightly. "Xander?"

Xander nods to her before turning to Fireheart. "Thanks for the lift Fireheart. Now you need to get back to Rootcore."

The dragon nods before lifting off and taking to the sky. "Wait! Don't go Fireheart!" Madison calls after the rapidly disappearing speck. She runs after his for a minute before dropping to her knees. She turns back to Xander in anger. "Why did you do that Xander? Ranma just dove off of Fireheart in the middle of no where! We have to get back to him."

Xander waves her off. "He'll be fine."

"He'll be fine? How do you know that?" Maddie yells.

"Because he said he'd be fine." He turns and begins to walk away. "And I trust him to keep his word."

"I'm tired," Chip says as he sits in the sand.

"Same here," Vida mutters. "Walking around all day and then having to fight those other freaky sand warriors."

"At least we're going in the right direction," Madison says.

"And we got this key," Xander pockets their price for having defeated the sand warriors. He yawns and stretches. "Lets get… go… ing… Oh man."

"Hmm?" Chip looks up. "What's wrong Xander?"

Xander extends a shaking hand and points behind the group. The others look and gasp. Standing on a sand dune behind them is Ranma. His shirt is gone and his left arm hangs lifeless at his side. Blood is running freely from his arm and back. "What did I miss?"

One spare shirt and a Hell of allot of bandages latter. They are once again on the move. "What happened to you?" Madison asks.

"I fought Necrolai, and I beat her," He answers. "She won't be coming back."

"Must have been a tough fight, you were all beaten up," Vida notes.

"It wasn't."

"Then why were you hurt?" Chip asks.

"It's the price I pay for using that power."

Xander sighs. "Lets just leave it at that." He squints his eyes looking off in the distance. "What's that?"

"Not sure. But it's definitely magical," Ranma answers.

"Doors? Wonder where they go," Chip mutters.

"Why don't we find out?" Xander tosses the key to Vida, who's nearest to the doors.

"Might as well." She turns the key and opens the first door.

"Everyone hold on! Country section's in the back of the store. Sorry, but we're mostly Rock n Roll. Where are my employees? I could really use some help here!"

"Look, it's Toby!" Madison yells out.

"Yeah, and it looks like he could use some help!" Vida smiles.

"Lets go guys, this is our way home!" Chip takes a step towards the door.

"Wait!" Xander yells out. "I don't think this is right."

"What do you mean, Xander?" Chip asks. "This is our way home!"

"Is it? We didn't come all this way to just go home. We came here to see the Tribunal," Xander explains.

"But Xander, that's home! All we have to do is walk through. It's easy!" Madison says.

Xander's eyes go wide. "It's too easy! We go back like this we'll never know how we got here. And we may never find out what happened to our Ranma!" Xander turns his head towards Ranma. The Black Ranger nods his approval.

The others stop in their tracks. Madison hangs her head. "He's right."

Vida sighs. "Well goodbye easy way." She closes the door, which turns to sand. She places the key in the second door and opens it.

"What happens now?" Chip asks.

"We move forward," Ranma says as he enters the door.