The five of them sat together for the first time in ages. They gathered in one of the office buildings in the courthouse where Jason ran the city
Jason could feel their eyes all locked onto him, waiting for him to speak. It seemed no matter the circumstances he was destined to lead.
"Trini and I have seen to it that Echo has been comfortably accommodated," Jason said.
"Accommodated?" Zack asked with a frown. "That isn't some orphan girl who just showed up in the rain. They fell through a portal, they could be the start of an invasion."
"She's scared and confused," Jason replied. "She's just a kid, probably around the same age as Julie."
"Don't bring anyone else into this," Zack grumbled. "We need to evaluate the situation with everyone's best interest."
"I am," Jason spoke calmly, "that's why I brought everyone here." He took a deep breath and looked at everyone individually before speaking. "We need to continue Project Energem."
He watched as everyone's face fell.
"Are you sure?" Kimberly asked with a frown. "Especially after Kyle?"
"I'm worried that if we don't make the choice now we won't be able to later," Jason said darkly.
"I agree," Billy said.
"Me too," Zack said. "Whatever you need."
"That's good," Jason said to Zack, "Because I need you to run it," Jason said.
Zack looked like he'd just been slapped, "Excuse me?"
Jason sighed, "After everything that's happened I can't in good conscience continue it myself. Not to mention I've got my hands full as is."
Zack nodded, "It'd be honored then."
"Well if that's settled then I guess we're done," Jason said, feeling fifty pounds lighter.
"Well there is one more thing," Kimberely said. "I'm leaving for a bit."
Everyone turned to Kimberely and Jason found himself speaking first. "Where are you going?" He asked in a tone that sounded more worried than he meant for it too.
"I have a lead on another Energem,"
Jason stared at her for several seconds, after all, he hadn't even been aware that she'd been actively looking for one.
"It's down in South America," Kimberely continued, "And the fact you want to continue the program only further proves to me that it could help."
"Well that's true but…" Jason began, trying to find the right words. "Who would go with you?"
"I will," Trini said flatly.
Jason looked towards his wife and felt even more overwhelmed.
"We can let the boys figure out things here while we try to strengthen the number of potential Rangers," Trini continued.
"I think that's a pretty decent idea," Zack replied.
"I can also see the logic in her proposal," Billy added.
Jason looked at his lifelong friends and resisted the urge to sigh, "Sounds good then, I trust the two of you to figure all of that out. Meanwhile, we've got some Rangers to find."
Six Months Later
Jason entered Zack's office slowly. He couldn't remember another time he'd been called there before.
Commander Taylor sat at his oak desk, a picture of Violet, and his daughter Julie sat atop it. It had been taken on their vacation to Florida a few years ago.
That was the last day Zack had taken off.
"You wanted me here?" Jason asked.
"I woke up to an application on my desk," Zack said quietly. "I have a feeling you can guess from who."
"Look," Jason said, not even having to read the name on it. "She thinks the world of this city. It's all she knows."
"Because it's all she remembers after she fell from that portal," Zack retorted, "A portal that just dropped off the first monster in twenty years."
"Billy's still working on seeing if he can match the signatures," Jason replied.
"Stop beating around the bush," Zack said. "I know you're a politician now but that doesn't mean I can't read you like a book."
"She's harmless," Jason said. "And she just wants to help."
"You don't know that for sure," Zack said. "You want that to be the truth. But the truth is that she's something we know nothing about. We don't know who she is, where she came from, or what her intentions are."
"We've been watching her for six months," Jason replied, "And she hasn't done a thing."
"No news isn't always good news," Zack retorted. "I know what you're doing and it's dangerous. She isn't you're second chance-"
"I don't have time for this," Jason muttered. "I've got a city to run. If you don't wanna let her into Grid Battleforce then don't. But leave Kyle out of this."
After the monster attack, the city's aura shifted. Everyone became quieter, more distracted. They moved like mindlessly and made small talk.
They were all practically zombies.
Everyone was scared. Bryan understood that, but it still bugged the hell out of him.
The Power Rangers were there to save the day, just like they had before. But his team was different, they'd been properly trained, properly outfitted with the most advanced weapons humanity could muster.
Nobody was going to die again.
He got his coffee and sat down, sipping it slowly as he scrolled his Facebook feed on his holo-communicator.
So many people were afraid, posting "ironic" memes, being edgy, pretending like the battle twenty years ago wasn't a big deal. Pretending that the world wasn't almost lost. It was easy for most of his generation because they weren't alive when it happened, they lived detached from the event.
But Bryan didn't, he saw the documentaries, and he understood the price they all paid for peace.
"So how ya' feeling?" Another teen asked and sat down across from Bryan. Corbin was about as gay as you'd expect Bryan's boyfriend to be. Not just gay in the sense that he liked men, but gay in the sense that he was wearing chipped black fingernail polish and a torn t-shirt. He was curly-haired and gorgeous, with a jaw that could cut glass.
"I saw the highlights," Corbin said, "You got your ass kicked."
"Always appreciate the support," Bryan said with a smirk.
"But there's a silver lining," Corbin said, "You looked pretty good in that suit."
"Maybe I'll wear it to bed sometime," Bryan replied.
"I don't know how they'd feel if it came back stained," Julie said as she also sat down at the table.
She then looked at Corbin and Bryan and frowned, "I take it Vic isn't showing."
"He said he's busy," Bryan said.
"Yeah busy seeing how far that mystery girl can bend her-" Julie muttered before being interrupted.
"Can you not?" Corbin asked with a scowl, "You know I'm allergic to heteronormality and I left my EpiPen at home. Besides, jealousy is hella unattractive."
"I'm not jealous," She replied, "I'm just…"
"Incredibly upset that he's giving another girl more attention," Corbin said, "A.K.A Jealous."
"Whatever," She spat and stormed off.
Corbin just smiled, "Thank god she's gone. The table was getting too crowded for my taste."
Echo awoke in a heavy sweat, it clung to her clothes and left her feeling greasy and disgusting.
Of course the dream she'd been having didn't help either…
She shivered and moved to the shower, cleaning herself off and throwing fresh clothes on.
The images remained, refusing to fade from her memory, even as she headed over to the gym where she knew that Victor would be training.
But as she arrived Victor was already throwing everything into his gym bag.
"Hey," She said. "What's up?"
"I've got a meeting," Victor replied. "But if you want I can show you that kata after."
"S-sure," She muttered as he walked off, leaving Echo along and holding her stomach.
Where the sword had plunged through her chest in her dream…
Jealous? Julie asked with a grimace on her face. Don't be ridiculous.
Once Vic got bored of the mystery girl he'd go back to normal and they'd pick up where they left out. He was just captivated by the enigma. He was a simple-minded dude, like most men, and when the glimmer faded he'd come to his senses.
Victor arrived moments later, he sat down next to and Julie's father began to speak.
"So yesterday was a big deal," Commander Taylor said. "But thankfully we were ready."
"You mean Mayor Scott was ready with his big ass sword," Julie said.
"Well yes…" Commander Taylor said, "Nonetheless you three were able to distract the monster before he could arrive. That shouldn't' be downplayed." The Commander sighed, "But I see that we weren't training you all hard enough." His voice took a darker tone as he spoke, "We're going to have to kick things up a notch. Because Jason isn't going to be around to save us forever."
Soon after that, the meeting was closed up, with Commander Taylor instructing them to meet every morning for training drills that he'd developed.
Julie couldn't help but feel a bit excited about it, because that meant that Victor couldn't have his morning meetings with the mystery girl.
"So what are you doing?" Julie asked Victor, "Wanna grab a bite to eat?"
"Maybe later," He replied disinterestedly.
Julie frowned, "Sorry, I didn't realize you were busy."
"It's alright," Victor said, "I just promised Echo I'd show her some kata."
"Okay," Julie said and turned around. She tried not to get so bent out of shape by what he'd just said, but it was hard not to. Because he'd almost ditched those same plans with her to make more time for his little portal friend.
Jason entered Billy's laboratory, where he found the genius bent over looking at a massive computer.
"That posture is gonna wreck your back," Jason joked. "Not to mention strain your eyes."
"Yeah… sorry," Billy said and straightened his spine.
"Don't stress it," Jason said, "You can sit however you want."
"I've been examining the dimensional wavelengths of the two portals," Billy said with his eyes locked on the screen. "It was impossible originally because we didn't have a scale. So I made one."
"How long did that take?" Jason asked.
"Fourteen hours."
"Jesus dude," Jason said. "Are you gonna sleep soon."
"Yeah," Billy replied, "Maybe. Anyway, I was able to properly analyze the portal and I concluded that they're of a similar frequency but they seem to have come from different places."
"So Echo isn't from wherever the monster popped out of?" Jason asked.
"That's correct."
Jason let out a sigh of relief.
"Regardless of that I still can't help but feel that the two events are connected," Billy said. "It's just too coincidental."
"Correlation isn't causation," Jason said. "You taught me that one."
"I know but still… Zordon used to say that you shouldn't underestimate a hunch."
Echo stood by the statue and waited for Victor. She couldn't explain why but she felt safest there. Something about the area just seemed more protected. She'd begun to sketch it, feeling captivated by its powerful stature.
Plus it distracted her from her horrible dream.
While starting at the statue something caught her eye. She set down her notebook and carefully approached it. Under the engraving that had the hero's name on it, and the text that said MAY THE POWER PROTECT YOU was a small golden coin.
"That's the Power Coin Matt used," Victor said as he approached. "They decided to leave it here in his honor."
"What happened to him?" Echo asked.
"He died in the final battle against Rita and Zedd," Victor explained. "He died fighting the Green Ranger."
"Does that make you scared?" Echo asked, "About being a Power Ranger?"
"Sometimes," Victor admitted, "But somebody's gotta do it."
"Ain't that the truth," Julie said as she arrived. "Do you mind if I sit in today?"
"Of course not," Victor said.
But at that moment another portal opened and a monster appeared.
"Seriously?" Julie asked as she raised her weapon, "Again?"
This monster was covered in green and white armor with a bone mask. It raised it's blaster and pointed it at Victor, but he managed to roll away from the attack as he drew his morpher.
"Dino Battery, Charge Up!" The two Rangers exclaimed, "It's Morphin Time!"
The two then rushed raised their morphers and opened fire back.
"I need the artifact," The creature said.
"That again?" Victor asked, "Don't you have any original lines?"
The creature drew a boney sword and swung it at the Ranger, but Victor dove as it flew over his head.
The Black Ranger flanked the creature's side with her sword. Sparks flew as it turned toward her and swung it's sword back. She parried his blade and raised her gun, firing point-blank into its chest.
The creature stumbled back but remained otherwise unaffected.
"My dad made this look a lot easier," Victor muttered.
The monster continued to attack the two Rangers while they both struggled to keep it at bay.
With a powerful swing, it knocked both of them back as sparks poured from their armor.
"Guys we have to hit him with our Dino Blasters," The Blue Ranger said as he rushed to the scene.
"Our whats?"Julie asked.
"What we get when we combine our swords with our morphers," Bryan explained, "Like this." He folded the blade back and attached it to the barrel of the gun.
"Oh wow," Julie said, "That's new."
The three armed their weapons and aimed. Explosions of energy hit the creature and it instantly exploded.
"Hell yeah," Victor said, "Monster extinct."
"Hey Vic," Julie said, "Don't ever say that again."
Victor then demorphed and approached Echo. "Hey, you okay?"
She smiled and nodded.
Victor then looked at Julie and Bryan, "You still want some food?"
"Nah," Julie said with a frown. "You've got your hands full." She then walked off, and Echo might not have been able to tell why she was so upset, but it was blatantly clear that she was.
Victor looked at Bryan who just shrugged, "I'm the LAST person you want to ask about girls."
Jason Lee Scott sat at his desk as the television on his wall displayed an image of his wife Trini.
"How's the vacation?" He asked her.
She rolled her eyes, from the shack in the jungle of South America, "I could ask you the same thing. At least you have indoor plumbing."
"Touche," Jason replied with a smirk.
"Anyway it's going alright," She replied, "We're getting closer to the object every day. Maybe soon we'll have another Energem to add to the collection."
"That will always come in handy," Jason said with a frown.
"How are they holding up?" Trini asked.
"They defeated a monster today," Jason said with a hint of pride.
"Another monster?" Trini asked, "What do you think that means?"
"I'm not sure," Jason replied, "But it's got me a little anxious."
"Keep me updated," Trini said, "And Kimberly and I will keep looking for that Energem."
"Right, I love you."
"I love you too," She said and the communication ended.
Jason leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. What would Zordon tell him to do?
She continued to watch from afar as the target sat with the Red Ranger. They laughed and ate hamburgers. She knew that first contact had to be made soon, but it was impossible with that boy always at her side.
Maybe it was the will of the Grid. Her sensei had often said that the Morphin Grid influenced all life, pulling people into whatever direction was needed to best ensure that life continued.
She then looked down at hand, which held a golden Power Morpher.
Regardless of how she felt she still had a mission to complete, and failure to do so would be more detrimental to her existence than anything the morphing grid itself could throw at her.