CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
JEIRMI
He awoke with the worst headache he'd ever had. For a split second, he couldn't remember what had happened. Then, it all came flooding back.
"Eloise!" He gasped. "Ellie... Ellie? Are you here?" He tried to get off the bed.
"Whoa! Easy there, Friend," a boy said as he gently stopped him from getting off the bed.
"Eloise... Is she here?" Jeirmi asked desperately. The last time he'd seen the woman he loved, Zell had slashed her throat and tossed her into the place outside of the time line.
"I'm afraid not... You were badly hurt, Jeirmi. Our youngest Rebel, Tiffani, found you and called for help."
"How do you know me?"
"Laby identified you. I'm Draze, a friend of his."
"Laby's here?" Relief flooded through Jeirmi. At least he knew someone in this strange place.
"Yes. I'll get him for you. Just stay on the bed. You're healed, but you need time to adjust." Draze left to find Laby.
A couple of minutes later, Laby entered the room. He had a pretty young blonde girl with him who smiled at Jeirmi reassuringly. She placed tea in front of him before handing Laby a strange can of some sort of beverage labeled coca-cola.
"Thanks, Tiff," Laby said, which told Jeirmi this must be the girl Draze said had found him.
"Should I leave you guys alone?" Tiffani asked.
"That might be better. Thanks, Beautiful." Laby gave her a quick kiss on her cheek, causing the girl to practically glow with happiness. She left the room smiling.
"It's damn good to see you, Jeir," Laby said.
"Laby... What year is it? And where on all of Eltar am I?" Jeirmi asked.
"That's the thing, Jeirmi... You're not on Eltar. This is Earth."
"Earth..." Jeirmi repeated. "How long have I been gone?"
"A long time... It's 1989, Jeirmi. Several millennia have passed." He motioned toward the cup of tea. "Drink some tea. You were dehydrated when we brought you here. Mama Ama hooked you up to saline to help, since magic can't really heal dehydration."
"Who's Mama Ama?"
"Amareese, this Chapter's Sorceress. She takes care of all of us, so I call her Mama Ama. She's great."
"Chapter? Laby, what is this place?"
"Welcome to the Rebellion of Eltar," Laby said grandly. "We fight corruption in the government. We started with Eltar, but we've branched out."
"You joined the Rebellion?"
"You know about the Rebellion? We're after your time."
"I saw them every once in a while as I journeyed through the time line. They're dangerous criminals, aren't they?"
"Some of us... But there are a lot of good people in the Rebellion, Jeir. Your sister and best friend included."
"Wynter and Ace?" Jeirmi asked in shock.
"They're on Eltar, but yeah, they're part of the Rebellion."
"You're not really one for starting revolutions, Laby... How did you get involved in all of this?"
"My parents were Founding Members... I hung around just because I needed to be close to them... I still wasn't handling losing the siblings." He didn't name them, but he didn't have to. Jeirmi knew which siblings he meant. "I might never have gotten overly involved at all, but then our government ordered the slaughter of a hundred and fifty peaceful protesters... My parents included." Laby stared at his feet. "I was the only one who walked away."
"My God, Laby... I'm so sorry," Jeirmi said in horror.
"Yeah. Me, too." Laby shrugged. "That's what happens when you're immortal. I don't even know how many bullets were in me by the time I blacked out... Felina saved me." He downed his drink like it was liquor, but Jeirmi knew Laby didn't like to drink alcohol. This strange beverage still seemed to comfort him. "Anyway, this isn't about me. What happened to you, Jeirmi?"
"It was the Great Wizard... He's corrupt, Laby."
"We know," Laby reassured him. "He's also been dead for millennia. Zordon destroyed him."
"Zordon... Incredible." Jeirmi shook his head. He knew Zell would be back, but he also knew he could only tell Laby so much without destroying the time line. "He realized we caught him in the act of 'disposing' of a prophet. He knew what Eloise and I could do... So he slit her throat and tossed her outside of the time line. He attacked me... It's blurry, but I think I hit my head... And then he tossed me into the other end of the void." He took a deep breath. "I have to find her, Laby. She's dying."
"How can I help?"
"I need to track her. I... I can't lose her, Laby."
"I get it."
"The blonde? Tiffani?" Jeirmi guessed.
Laby's eyes went wide with shock. "Tiff means the world to me, but she's only fifteen, and she's my Chapter Head's daughter. I helped raise that girl. I would never cross that line."
"You're fifteen, too," Jeirmi reminded him.
"Well, yeah, but... I mean... I'm immortal. It's different."
Jeirmi could tell just by how Laby had looked at Tiffani that he was lying to himself. He might never have looked at her like that before, but his feelings were changing.
"Well, if not her, then who?" Jeirmi asked.
"You know who, Jeir," Laby said sadly.
"Ah. Sera... Of course. Forgive me," Jeirmi replied. Their love had been deeper than romance. They'd been best friends connected on a spiritual level. He should have realized that was who Laby was referencing.
"Anyway... I'll help you find Ellie, Jeir. Just tell me what you need."
"Food... I'm starving, and if I try to jump through time like this, I'll collapse."
"Your wish is my command! Follow me." Laby led Jeirmi to a large dining room. Tiffani sat at the table flipping through some sort of publication. The pages were filled with pretty people in what Jeirmi assumed were stylish clothes.
Draze was also at the table, sitting beside an intense-looking girl who was playing with a set of throwing knives. She polished one before flipping it through the air and catching it. She tossed a second one and let it impale the table with a loud thud.
"Ugh! Do you, like, have to do that at the dining room table, B'Danna?" Tiffani asked as she jumped nervously. "It's totally freaking me out!"
"Oh, I totally do," B'Danna replied, mocking her tone as she rolled her eyes. "If you don't like it, go read that trash in your room."
"Why couldn't you be a normal teenage girl?"
"First of all, I'm not a teenager."
"You are by Eltarian standards."
"Second, I have a brain and it's not rotted by hormones. That's why."
"Be nice, Bea," Draze said patiently. "She's not trying to say you're stupid, Tiff," he added.
"No, I'm not," B'Danna replied. "I'm just sick of the general stupidity of the teenagers of this planet. I hate high school." She looked up as she noticed Jeirmi and Laby. "Look who's finally awake..."
"He's hungry. Lunch is on me. What do you guys want?" Laby asked.
"Pizza," the three teenagers universally agreed.
"What is... pizza?" Jeirmi asked.
"Oh, I am so glad you asked, my friend!" Laby said with a laugh. He picked up some sort of device and began speaking into it.
"How are you feeling now, Jeirmi?" Tiffani asked sweetly.
"I'm better, thank you," he replied. "I suppose I owe you a debt for finding me and getting me help."
"Of course you don't. It was the right thing to do," Tiffani said, waving off his words with her sparkling blue fingernails. Looking into her eyes, Jeirmi saw that there was more to her than she let on. Playing a carefree teenager might come naturally to the girl, but he sensed a hidden strength to her. She was not as ditzy as she wanted people to think.
Amareese, her husband Flekt, and their Chapter Head, Jaybert, joined them for lunch. Jaybert eyed Jeirmi suspiciously the entire time. Finally, he said, "Your love is in the future, about thirty years from now."
"Jay... How'd you know that?" Laby asked in confusion.
"Garron called. He had a vision," Jaybert replied. "It is urgent we get Jeirmi out of this time as soon as possible."
No one questioned this, but Jeirmi did. Something in Jaybert's tone told him he was lying. "Thank you, Jaybert," he said. "I appreciate your help."
When they separated, Jeirmi followed Jaybert. What he discovered made him gasp softly. Jaybert was speaking casually to a vizu... And to someone else.
"Kill him before he can escape, Jaybert," Zell was saying. "Jeirmi is a dangerous threat to us all."
"I understand..."
"As for what else I require of you... I am sending someone back in time to try to prevent something important. Her name is Divatox. She will most likely fail... However, in the unlikely event that she succeeds, she will require your assistance."
"If you know she will fail, why send her back?"
"I need her to guard something for me. I'm sending it with her. That is her true mission, although she does not know this. She must hide it securely in the past, where no one will seek it. Her death shall ensure it remains hidden by her own life force."
"You plan to kill her?"
"If she fails, I will not have to. However, should she succeed... Yes. I shall destroy that slither of her soul to ensure these items remain hidden. She must become the gatekeeper, and only her sister will be able to get past that gate."
"What are they?"
"That is not for you to know, my boy."
Jeirmi caught a glimpse of the future as they spoke. A ridiculously dressed woman he assumed was Divatox stood holding a box. It was elaborately carved with ancient Eltarian markings. The box radiated with power.
Back in the present, Jeirmi sensed someone coming toward him. He barely dodged an attack from Jaybert.
"You insane monster," Jeirmi cried. "You're working not only with a vizu, but with Zell? I will tell Laby of your betrayal!"
"You would not dare upset the time line, Jeirmi," Jaybert replied. "The slightest change could be devastating."
"I don't care. Laby has no idea how much danger he's in."
"I won't harm Labyrinth. He shall fight at my side. I have seen this."
"That is unlikely. Jaybert, you're not thinking rationally. Your mind is clouded by that vile creature!"
"My mind is perfectly fine, Jeirmi. Now... To handle you..." He tried to decapitate him. Jeirmi attacked him with a defense spell that sent him flying backward. "You have Sorcery? Excellent," Jaybert said. He began to cast a spell.
Jeirmi knew Jaybert's magic was not overly strong yet. Whatever he needed to do to gain more power, he hadn't succeeded yet. Jeirmi could handle him.
They battled back and forth for a short time. The office was sealed magically and Jeirmi knew no one could hear them struggling. He sent his strongest attacks at the traitor, hoping to buy himself a chance to escape. If he could move forward in time slightly, he could warn Laby and his friends what was coming.
As he geared up for another attack, a sword pierced his flesh. Jeirmi let out a cry of agony as he looked down to see the sword impaling his side. He knew the injury was severe.
The office door swung open, causing Jaybert to look up in surprise while Jeirmi stumbled a few feet back.
"Can I have some money to go to the mall? I, like, totally need new shoes," Tiffani said before taking in the scene before her.
"Tiffani... Run... Get Laby," Jeirmi croaked out. Her blood tie to her father must have given her the power to get by the seal on the room.
Tiffani stared at her father. "What's going on?" She asked.
"He attacked me, Daughter. I defended myself," Jaybert lied smoothly.
"Like, oh my gosh... Really? Are you okay?" Tiffani asked in horror. Jeirmi felt devastated, knowing he was not going to make it now. More importantly, if he died, who would save Eloise?
Tiffani frantically checked her father's injuries. She touched his blood with horror in her eyes before whispering, "Dormizez arlow."
To Jeirmi's shock, Jaybert collapsed unconscious on the ground. Tiffani rushed to Jeirmi's side. "Are you okay?" She asked.
Jeirmi stared at her in confusion. "You attacked your father..." He whispered.
"It's just a sleeping spell combined with a mild memory charm. He'll forget everything that just happened in this room... Oh my gosh, Jeirmi, that looks really bad... I'll get Amareese-"
"No. There's no time, Tiffani. Your father is a traitor. He's working with the Great Wizard of Eltar and with a vizu. You're all in danger."
"What?" She asked, her eyes wide.
Suddenly, time flew by him for an instant, and Jeirmi knew Tiffani's fate. "Oh God... Tiffani, you have to leave. Your father will kill you."
She paled a bit even as she tried to stop the flow of blood coming out of him. Then, she took a deep breath. "Why does he do it?" She asked.
"You die protecting a girl... Veronica."
"Ronnie?" She shook her head. "Jeirmi... Let's say I'm making the choice to leave. What happens if I do? Can you see it?"
Jeirmi focused. With his injuries, flashes of time hit him uncontrollably. "Yes," he admitted.
"If I leave, what happens to everyone else?"
"Laby goes with you... And..." He sighed. "They die, Tiffani. All of them. Your Chapter, Ronnie, someone called the Phantom Ranger, and a group called the Wildcats. Laby needs to be here, but the need to protect you makes him walk away..."
"But if I stay... They survive?"
"Some of them. But... You die a horrible death."
She had tears in her eyes, but she nodded. "Then I'll stay. I'll drink a potion to help me forget, and I'll see this through to the end... To protect my family."
"Tiffani... You can choose a different path."
"And if I tell them the truth and we confront my father sooner, what happens?"
Jeirmi saw the alternate time line in his mind. In it, Jaybert still slaughtered everyone except Laby, who killed him instead. "There's no stopping this," he said with a sigh. "Even if we warn Laby, Zell will interfere and make sure you all die. He wants Laby vulnerable. But if you leave, you can survive..."
"At the expense of others who aren't meant to die," Tiffani said. "I can't do that, Jeirmi. Playing with the time line is too risky. I won't damn others to a worse fate just to save myself. I need to be here. If... If I'm meant to die, then I should."
Jeirmi looked at her with respect. "I can see why he loves you," he said.
"Why who loves me?" Tiffani asked.
"Laby," he replied with a small smile.
Tiffani brightened at that. "I knew there was hope," she said with a laugh. She looked at his injury and her expression turned serious. "Don't take the sword out. You'll bleed out faster. Let me stabilize you."
"How?"
Tiffani pulled a medical kit out from beneath Jaybert's desk. She started to pack gauze and bandages into his wound around the sword.
"You're remarkably calm, Tiffani," he said softly.
"I'm not the greatest fighter. First aid is something I'm good at. This is how I contribute in emergencies," she explained.
He nodded. "Thank you."
"Can you make a jump without killing yourself?"
"I can try."
"Okay. Good luck, Jeirmi. Go save yourself so you can save the woman you love."
He smiled at her. "Take care of Laby for me. He's a great guy."
"I will." She kissed his cheek. "Go on. You're running out of time."
Jeirmi knew she was right. Closing his eyes, he stepped out of the time line. He aimed for a date that called to him three decades later. With the last of his energy, he jumped back into time and prayed he'd live long enough to find his love.
JAYBERT
He was sick and tired of waiting for Zell's return. His newest vizu friend had told him Zell was still recovering from the attack on the base. Although he could no longer summon the vizu who'd worked with him in the 1980s thanks to Laby locking it in a tiny labyrinth made of mirrors, Jaybert found this new vizu to be a decent companion. The visions it granted seemed to be accurate. That was why, when Jaybert saw Tiger's Bluff in his mind, he knew he needed to return.
The last thing he expected when he returned to the town he'd once called home was to find a familiar and unwelcome face lying on the ground in a pool of blood. "Jeirmi..."
He mumbled. "I wondered what became of you... How did you sustain such deadly injuries?" He looked at the weapon in his side. "I do believe that is one of my swords... How curious. I don't remember stabbing you..." He noticed the way the wounds were packed. "Tiffani..." He snarled. "Curse that weak child of mine! She must have interfered..."
He examined the wounded time traveler. "I suppose it's time to finish you off," he said. "Great Zell will be pleased if I end your life."
He was about to pull the sword out of Jeirmi when his vizu squeaked in warning. Jaybert looked up and saw two teenagers approaching. One was clearly Eltarian. Her blue skin stood out against her bright red hair. Her eyes were glowing white.
"We're close... I can feel it," she said to the boy who walked with her.
"Mena... Something's wrong," the boy said as he visibly tensed.
"What is it, Greg?" Mena asked. Her eyes stopped glowing and focused on trying to see in the darkness of the woods.
Jaybert realized who the teenagers were now. He'd heard people referring to Ash's current incarnation as Greg. Mena was Zordon's cousin, the daughter of Rey, Eltar's former Prime Minister.
He decided he might as well kill a few of Zell's enemies for him. "Hello, Children," he said, stepping out of the shadows.
Greg automatically stepped in front of Mena protectively. "Who are you?" He asked.
"My name is Jaybert, of Eltar," he replied casually.
"Jaybert... The one who killed Laby's Chapter of Rebels?" Greg asked in horror.
"They were my Chapter. I was in charge, not Labyrinth," Jaybert corrected him.
"You monster..." Greg whispered.
"I'll take that as a compliment." Jaybert chuckled before manifesting a sword.
Mena automatically took a step back. Greg, to Jaybert's surprise, pulled out a sword of his own. "Stay behind me, Mena," he said.
"It's adorable how you protect her... Sadly, it is for nothing." Jaybert kept his eye on Greg's sword as he lunged straight for Mena. He was startled as he fell through a hole in the earth.
In a rage, Jaybert let out a cry of pain and frustration. "You'll pay for that," he told Greg.
"Keep talking and I'll fill in the hole," Greg replied.
"You're bluffing. You're not a killer." Jaybert closed his eyes and levitated out of the hole. "But I am." He quickly flung a spell at Greg.
"Greg!" Mena cried, knocking him to the ground and absorbing the blow. She began to twitch violently on the ground.
"Mena! No!" Greg shouted. He knelt before her protectively, raising his sword.
"It's not your fault, you know... You're just a boy," Jaybert said. "You simply haven't the power to protect her from me. You're helpless and cannot save her."
Something changed in Greg's eyes. "Never again..." He said in a voice that was distinctly different from his own. Then, the earth began to shake. Holes opened up around Jaybert, leaving him nowhere to run.
"How are you doing this?" Jaybert demanded.
"I'm not," Greg replied. "Ash is."
The earth continued to shake. Jaybert could hear people in the houses closest to the woods panicking. "Fool! You'll bring the whole town down!" Jaybert cried as he struggled to remain on his feet.
Greg seemed to realize he was right. Instead of stopping, he called the earthquake closer, keeping it to the woods alone. Jaybert hadn't expected the boy to have that sort of control.
Magic was his only hope of survival. Jaybert began trying to focus despite the shaking to cast a powerful spell on Greg, or Ash, or whoever he must to put an end to this earthquake.
GREG
"The earth is shaking! What great fun!" A new voice that was inappropriately cheerful said.
"Hold onto your asses, Lads!" Another chimed in.
"Or you'll fall on them and I'll laugh mine off," a third added.
Fifteen strangers approached as a group. Greg was highly confused, but he continued focusing on trying to control the earthquake despite his injuries.
The owner of the second voice was a rather large, rather round man with an amused grin on his face. He looked at the severely wounded man Jaybert had been standing in front of and laughed. "Well, I'll be Goddamned... Jeirmi of Eltar! There are some surprises left in this world." He laughed.
Greg looked at the man in horror, realizing he was Eloise's missing love. He's going to die, he thought. That wound is too severe... Maybe Pierce or Andie can help...
"He appears to be in quite a state," the cheerful man said with a bit of concern, although he was still smiling.
"Amello, it had better be you," the third man said to another. "He's mortally wounded. No one else can save him." The man who must be Amello rushed to Jeirmi's side and began healing him.
"The Circle..." Jaybert hissed. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"We were bored and fancied a trip to Earth," the cheerful man replied with what Greg suspected was an infectious grin under normal circumstances.
"It's lovely this time of year," a fourth man added.
"All the leaves are brown..." The large man sang.
"All the leaves are brown..." The cheerful one and five others echoed in perfect harmony.
"And the sky is gray..."
"And the sky is gray..."
"Happened for a walk..."
"Happened for a walk..."
"On a Winter's day..."
"On a Winter's day..."
"I'd be safe and warm..."
"I'd be safe and warm..."
"If I was in L.A..."
"If I was in L.A..."
"California dreamin'..."
"California dreamin'..."
"On such a Winter's day!" They finished in unison.
Greg stared at them in confusion and disbelief. Had they really just burst into the Mamas and the Papas in the middle of a battle? And how had they kept their voices so even as they sang while the ground beneath their feet was shaking?
That's probably not the important question here, Greg thought as he continued to stare at the unusual men he assumed were Eltarian Rebels.
"I really don't like you guys," Jaybert mumbled.
"Even Branz? Come on, Jaybert, everyone likes Branz! Even Zell," another man said. He radiated with magic and Greg sensed he was one of the group's leaders, probably along with the sarcastic one who'd threatened to laugh if the others fell. He motioned toward a guy Greg assumed was Branz, who'd been one of the ones singing.
"Enough of this nonsense!" Jaybert declared. He raised a magical attack and launched it at Greg. It didn't hit him. Instead, the more sarcastic leader stood in front of Greg and absorbed the attack. It did absolutely nothing to him.
Greg was terrified as he realized how powerful and dark that man's energy was. He protectively remained in front of Mena, shielding her as she continued to seize.
"You're going to have to do better than that, Jaybert," the man said. "A lot better."
Jaybert was obviously furious. "Some of you are on my side! Why are you interfering?" He demanded.
"Our loyalty is to Zell," the other leader replied. Greg's heart sank. Maybe these usual Eltarians had simply come to bring him and Mena to Zell themselves. "It is not now nor shall it ever be to you, a man who would not know loyalty if it hit him on the head repeatedly." He held Jaybert's gaze as he added, "We know what happened to your Chapter, Jaybert... And many of us were rather fond of them."
Several of the men seemed to unanimously decide to cast spells at Jaybert at once. His vizu squeaked in warning and tried to catch Greg's eyes.
The large man proceeded to quickly step on the vizu, repeatedly squishing its head. "Oi! Pretty boy! Got a mirror?" He asked the more sarcastic of the two apparent leaders.
"Is that even a question, Tinny?" The man replied. He manifested a large golden hand-held oval mirror and passed it to Tinny.
"Bye, bye, Bastard," Tinny said cheerfully as he shoved the mirror in front of the vizu. It let out a cry of outrage before vanishing.
"No! You'll pay for that!" Jaybert shouted. He tried to attack Tinny.
"He's kidding, right?" Tinny asked with a hearty laugh. He easily deflected Jaybert's attack.
"Well, he does suffer from vizu-induced madness," a man who'd been busying himself by playing with every single animal in the woods said practically. More animals came toward him.
"Oh, kitty!" The cheerful one cried. "Who's a cute little kitty cat?" He approached a jaguar cub who'd appeared.
"That is not a house kitten, Ling," the sarcastic leader pointed out. "It's a jaguar. Leave it alone."
"It's still cute... Aren't you?" Ling asked as he moved to pet the animal.
"Ling... No," the other leader said calmly, shaking his head and smiling kindly.
The one who seemed to communicate with the animals pet the jaguar cub in silence. As soon as Jaybert attempted to move, however, he let the cub go. It ran straight at Jaybert, tackling him to the ground and obviously ready to make a meal out of him.
Cursing, Jaybert opened a portal and vanished. The cub vanished with him. "That loser couldn't even escape properly," the sarcastic leader said with a laugh.
"Bye, Kitty," Ling said as he waved in the direction the jaguar had been in, still smiling brightly.
"Well, that was fun, Lads! Now, to handle the others..." A man who stood in a way that told Greg he was some sort of Martial Arts expert said. He'd seen Darcy and Pierce assume similar stances.
"Right you are, Davi," the other leader said.
The earth was still shaking. Greg wanted to pull back his magic, but the earthquake had grown too powerful. That was when another of the singing Eltarians knelt on the ground and calmly touched it. The earthquake stopped. The man gently touched Greg's arm. He felt instantly grounded.
"You have earth magic..." Greg said in surprise.
"I do," the man replied. "I am Hudzon, of Eltar... It is good to see you have returned to us, Ash."
"It's Greg now," Greg corrected him. "Gregory Matthew Arnold Junior, but, you know... Greg is fine."
Tinny laughed. "He must be a hoot at parties!" He joked.
"Be kind, Tinny," the leader said. "Greg... I am Maegus. Allow me to assist your friend." He motioned toward Mena.
Greg was nervous, especially since Maegus had claimed he was loyal to Zell. "No," he said. "Stay away from us."
"There's no time for this, Kid," the sarcastic leader said. "The Prime Minister's daughter is going to die if we don't break the spell. Now, if you don't care if your little girlfriend dies, fine, but we do."
"Hezzo, please, the boy has every reason not to trust us," Maegus said.
"I saved him from getting hit by a death spell. Is that not reason enough?" Hezzo asked.
"Death spell..." Greg repeated numbly.
Ling cautiously approached him. "It's alright, Friend. We are here to help," he said soothingly with the smile still on his face. "Tell me... Is Daphne safe?"
"You... You knew Daphne?" Greg asked.
"Oh yes, very well. I was one of the few friends Zell allowed her to have. I helped her smile return after she thought Anise had perished. I am Ling." He smiled at Greg cheerfully. "Actually, here... To help you keep us straight." He closed his eyes and snapped his fingers. Stickers that said, Hello, my name is... appeared on each of the men.
Hezzo growled. "Ling, you know I hate it when you do that!" He protested. Greg read his name tag and failed to cover a laugh as he realized it said Hezzo's name was Cranky.
Tinny snorted before bursting into the jolliest laugh Greg had ever heard. "Well, he's not wrong," he said between fits of laughter.
Hezzo rolled his eyes. He tapped the sticker and his proper name appeared.
"May I assist the Prime Minister's daughter?" A man identified as Vrennius asked.
Looking at Mena, Greg realized she was in bad shape. "Alright," he said reluctantly.
Vrennius knelt beside Mena and waved his hands over her body. The spell instantly broke. She slowly opened her eyes, staring at the men with confusion.
"Greg? What is going on?" Mena asked.
"Mena of Eltar! Such a happy moment to see you alive and well!" Branz declared.
"Who are you guys?" She asked.
"I'm so glad you asked," Maegus replied grandly. "We are the Circle of Eltar, a unique Chapter of the Rebellion."
"You're Rebels?"
"We got bored after Zordon killed his dear old dad and decided it might be a fun way to kill some time until he returned," the one identified as Grayzee replied.
"I'm afraid I do not understand..." Mena said.
"That makes two of us," Greg added.
"We're an unusual group of mostly strangers who came together under Maegus and Hezzo's leadership to form a secret society bent on destroying Zell," Sezzon explained patiently. "We come from all walks of life... We have Sorcerers, Wizards, and Warlocks within the same magical circle."
"Warlocks?" Greg pictured the Warlock and tensed. "Aren't Warlocks evil?"
"Yes," Hezzo replied coldly. "Well, except for Ling, but he doesn't count. He sucked at being a Warlock. His magic was incredibly strong, but he never used it to harm others. Now, I, on the other hand, slaughtered innocents for fun from the time I was an infant."
"So... You're evil?" Greg asked, trying to keep up.
"According to my destined path, yes. Extremely evil. The thing is, unlike the Great Fake who cannot love anyone like a true force of evil, no matter how hard I tried to deny it, I did love exactly two people... Ling here is one of them. Zell murdered the other... And that pissed me off, so I decided to change my destiny and do the last thing he'd expect and become a force of Good. I couldn't take him alone. No one can. So I took Ling and went to Maegus and asked him to help us form the Circle. We spent the next two centuries or so plotting and working to destroy the bastard... We were finally ready when news reached Eltar that Zordon had killed him before we had the chance to."
"Rotten luck, that," Branz said.
"Ruined all our fun," Danzel added.
"So we just hung around and partied for a bit," Tinny said.
"Until we found the Rebellion. We still party, but we also pass time by helping take out other corrupt assholes who wield their power over those too weak to defend themselves," Hezzo finished.
Amello pulled the sword out of Jeirmi. He sat up with a cry of alarm and Greg was certain he would bleed out, but his wound instantly healed instead. "There's a good lad," Amello said gently. "Easy now..."
"When am I?" Jeirmi asked. It might have been an odd question, but since he was a time traveler, it made sense. "I have to find Eloise... Please, she's mortally wounded-"
"She is safe," Mena said quickly, reassuring him. "You are in the right time. Sage, our Shaman friend healed her... You would probably know her people as Mystics. Anyway, she's in Angel Grove. It's a few hours away."
"She's alive?" Jeirmi asked.
"Very much so... And she alerted my friends and our mentor to the fact that we had the wrong set of morphers... I know the right set is here, in this town, but I cannot seem to actually locate them. My power is to find things, and it never fails, but they seem to be cloaked..."
"Medira..." Sezzon said softly.
"Yes," Mena said in surprise. "I was Medira."
"I am pleased to see you and Ash have been reunited." He smiled peacefully.
"Cloaked, you say? Well, then, lead us to where you sense them and we'll break the spell," Nee said practically.
Mena nodded. Greg hesitated. "Mena... Are you sure we should trust them? If those morphers fall into the wrong hands..." He began, even though he was pretty sure the unusual men were trustworthy. It was one thing to work with them, but letting them near a set of morphers might be risky.
"I feel their intentions are pure, Greg. And I need help," Mena replied. "Besides, they've proven themselves by stopping Jaybert." Greg stopped protesting, but he clutched his stone in his hand in case he needed to morph. He felt in his gut that the Circle could be trusted, but he still needed to be prepared in case he was wrong.
MENA
She led the way to the empty lot she was drawn to. Mena stared at it curiously. It was overgrown and looked like no one had touched it in decades.
"There is an energy here..." Danzel said nervously. "It's not much... Just an echo of a spirit not at rest. She is very angry... And she is not whole. Most of her is in another time, and as a result, neither part can cross over... Much of her was destroyed by a pure energy that struck her dead..."
"Is she speaking to you?" Maegus asked.
"No... Echos can't interact with others... I just sense what happened here."
"Who was she?" Mena asked, although she already suspected.
"The space pirate... Divatox," Danzel replied.
Greg and Mena exchanged a glance. Mena tapped into her powers, her eyes glowing white as she felt the energy of the morphers more than ever. "They're here," she said, pointing to a spot in the ground.
"I'm on it," Greg said. He moved to dig a hole with his magic.
"I wouldn't-" Maegus cautioned. The ground sent Greg's energy back at him, knocking him through the air several feet.
"Greg!" Mena shouted in alarm.
"Do that..." Maegus finished as Hudzon casually made a bush bloom in just the right spot to catch Greg as he fell back to the ground.
Hezzo and Tinny burst out laughing. "Are you alright, Lad?" Tinny asked between fits of laughter.
"I appear to be uninjured..." Greg said after a moment of examining himself. "Thank you, Hudzon."
"No problem," Hudzon replied with a smile.
Mena hugged Greg to reassure herself he was really okay. "What happened?" She asked.
"The morphers seem to have some sort of barrier spell on them," Greg replied. "As soon as I tried to make a hole in the earth, it attacked me."
"It's a kinship spell," Sezzon said. "A powerful one, most likely formed upon the death of Divatox. Only her kin can breach the barrier."
"Divatox has kin?" Greg asked in surprise. "Who?"
"Dimitria," Tinny replied casually. The others turned to look at him. "I might have dated both of the twins at different points in time over the years," he added with a sly grin.
"Who haven't you tried to seduce over the millennia, Tinny?" Hezzo asked, rolling his eyes.
"Mena here, for one... I don't go for jailbait... But call me in a few years, sweetheart." He winked at her.
Greg looked pretty offended, but Mena laughed. "Sorry, but my heart belongs to Greg," she told him politely.
Tinny grinned. "Of course it does. As well it should... Ash and Medira got a raw deal."
"Alright, so where is Dimitria?" Maegus asked.
"No one's seen her in ages," Tinny replied. "Tracking her down might be a problem."
"We don't need her," Danzel said softly.
"We don't?" Greg repeated.
"I can try to use Divatox... If I can summon the part of her that died in the present instead of this broken slither here... She can break the barrier."
"Go for it, Lad," Hill said. "It's our best shot of helping the kids."
"Right." Danzel took a deep breath. Mena felt incredible magic filling the area. Suddenly, a very annoyed woman appeared in front of them.
"Ugh... Not here," she mumbled. "The sight of my greatest failure... Why would you bring me back here?" She demanded.
"Hello, Divatox," Danzel said. "My name is Danzel... I know part of you is trapped here, and has been for the last thirty years. I would like to set you free."
She considered this. "You're Eltarian... The last time I worked with Eltarians in this town, they betrayed me and left me to die. Why should I trust you?"
"Those who betrayed you are dead, Divatox... Laby killed Jaybert after Jaybert slaughtered most of the others, including his daughter."
"Little Tiffani? That's a shame. She had great fashion sense." She shrugged. "Did Laby survive? He was irritating, but at least he sort of seemed to care about me occasionally."
"He survived, and then vanished for three decades... The problem is, Jaybert is back. He was here in this town, but we scared him off."
"So you're not friends of his?"
"Certainly not," Hezzo chimed in.
"Let me help you, Divatox. I can free you from here, so you can finally move on," Danzel said.
She sighed. "Move on? I'm dead. You can't fix that," she said.
"We can't," Jeirmi said suddenly. "However, Zell is using you, Divatox. Your death seems to have sealed something away from the people who oppose him... He knew when he sent you here that you had to die to achieve it."
She stared at him. "What?" She demanded. "The box... Damn him! That bastard said he was giving me a chance to survive! He promised he would reward my loyalty!"
"He lies, Divatox. I think you know that." Danzel let his words sink in.
Divatox cursed. "What do I have to do?" She asked.
"You have to renounce your loyalty to him... You must choose to set things right, Divatox."
She nodded. "He betrayed me. I have no loyalty to him whatsoever. If working with you takes away some of his power and messes up his precious plans, I'm in."
"Divatox..." Mena said cautiously, causing the woman to look at her. "I am Mena, of Eltar... Daughter of Rey, the former Prime Minister... Zell locked away my team's morphers, and he used your death to do it. I feel strongly that if you connect to me, the morphers will reveal themselves, breaking the barrier, and freeing your soul."
"Ugh... Another Power Ranger. I hate your kind... But I hate him more." Divatox sighed rather dramatically. "Fine, fine, whatever it takes..." She reached toward Mena and touched her.
Mena felt instantly cold, as though ice had been poured over her entire body. Still, she did not break the connection. She allowed Divatox to mix her energy into her own and directed it toward the location she knew the morphers were buried. "Greg... Prepare to open the hole," she told him cautiously. She focused all of Divatox's energy on the barrier. It began to take a physical form, and she could see it starting to crack.
Danzel looked at the barrier and began speaking in Eltarian. Mena recognized the necromancer's summoning spell and watched as it connected to the other part of Divatox. The broken slither seemed to slowly come toward her until it rushed into the rest of Divatox. The impact of it knocked Mena to the ground. Divatox screamed before she began to laugh.
"Finally!" She cried out in joy. She seemed almost alive again, but Mena knew she was still just a manifested spirit. That didn't stop the space pirate from trying to attack Mena, who was still trying to get back on her feet.
Hezzo threw up a barrier of ice around Mena. Danzel grabbed onto Divatox and said, "Not so fast." He whispered something.
Divatox vanished with a cry of, "You can't blame a girl for trying!"
Hezzo pulled his barrier down. Mena was shivering. Tinny wrapped his very large coat around her, which helped her warm up almost immediately.
"Are you okay?" Greg asked. Mena realized he'd successfully dug the hole in the earth.
"I'm fine," she said. She walked over to the hole and laid on the ground before sticking her hands into the earth. She had to put half of her body into the hole before she finally felt the box buried within. She pulled it up as Greg kept her from falling into the hole.
The box was bronze and had intricate symbols carved onto it. Mena read the Eltarian words inscribed on the outside. "Mythical Guild..." She read aloud. She looked at the animals carved on the top of the box and understood. These morphers were each connected to powerful creatures associated with mythology on Earth. The box glowed as Mena traced the name of her team and she knew that these were the right morphers after all. The energy was different than the Ranger Guard morphers had been, and she knew somehow that although Zell had hidden them away, he couldn't taint them. While the morphers of the Ranger Guard were made purely from Eltarian magic and energy, this new set came from Earth.
"Are you going to open the box up?" Greg asked.
"Not until I'm back with my team," she said. "We all need to be present."
He nodded, seeming to understand.
"Well, that was productive!" Maegus declared. "Alright then... Branz, Grayzee, off we go, Lads... Time to join the Alliance!"
"The Alliance?" Mena asked.
"But you said you're on our side," Greg added.
"Oh, we are, Friend," Grayzee said reassuringly.
"But Zell doesn't know that," Branz added.
Maegus smiled. Then, he approached Hezzo. "Hezz... It's time to return this to its proper owner. You know what to do," he said. He handed a ring to Hezzo. Mena could feel the power on it.
"You're trusting me with what may be the most powerful ring in existence?" Hezzo asked with a devilish smirk.
"You're the only one I can trust to make sure it is returned to him. Protect it with your life."
"I promise," Hezzo said seriously. "Good luck, Brother. Be safe."
"You as well. See you on the other side." Maegus led Branz and Grayzee away.
"So... Do you know any good spots to eat around here? I'm famished," Ling said casually.
Mena looked at Greg, still clinging to the box of morphers. "Has anyone ever told you that you guys are a bit strange?" Greg asked the Circle.
"Strange? Us? Never," Tinny said with a smirk. "Come on, Ling. I'll lead us to a nice meal. Davi-"
"I'll guide the children and Jeirmi back to Angel Grove," Davi said stoically. "Meet me there after you've all eaten." He looked at Mena, Greg, and Jeirmi. "Come along... The sooner those morphers are in Angel Grove, the better." He led the way, and Mena, Greg, and Jeirmi followed. Mena hoped they were finally back on the right path.
CALLIE
She was finally conscious. At first, she wasn't sure what had happened, but soon, the attack on the base came back to her. "Sharon..." She mumbled. She looked around. She was in an unfamiliar room. "Great. Where the fuck am I?" She wondered aloud.
"Safe," a voice responded. "For now."
Callie was startled to see Astronema standing in front of her. There was no denying who she was, even if she looked different. "What do you want from me?" She demanded.
"Look, Kid-"
"Don't call me kid. It's Callie."
"Fine, Callie... You were rescued from Zell's base when it fell apart. You could have been left for dead, but Scarlet took pity on you and made sure you got out of there alive."
"Where's Sharon?"
"Sharon's fine. She's downstairs. You're at the safe house some of us are living in. It was deemed I'd be the best one to handle you if you decided to become a problem."
"I want to see her. Now."
"You don't get to make demands, Little Girl. Not here."
"Look, Astronema-"
"Karone."
"Just let me see Sharon, alright? She's probably freaking the hell out."
"She was... We reassured her no one's going to hurt her. Mostly, she's just been worried about you. You've been unconscious for several days." Karone paused. "I'll let you see her, but you need to behave yourself, alright?"
"Fine, whatever."
"There's a bathroom down the hall. Take a shower and wake yourself up. Then come downstairs. There's food. You're probably starving."
She was, but she didn't admit that. Instead, she shrugged and walked down the hall to the bathroom. She quickly took a shower, once again appreciating the sweet shampoo she found. This one was lavender-scented. It calmed her nerves. When she stepped out of the shower, she found fresh clothes waiting for her. She quickly got dressed before heading downstairs.
Sharon looked at her with obvious relief. "Callie! You're awake!" She cried. She ran toward her and hugged her, much to Callie's surprise. Callie relaxed after a moment and hugged her back.
"I'm fine. Are you hurt?" She asked.
"No... I was a bit scraped up, but they healed me days ago."
"We need to get out of here, Sharon. Great Zell's probably waiting for us to return to him. I can feel him..."
"Callie... What if we stay here?"
"We can't. We don't belong with these people, Sharon... And Astronema's dangerous."
"Her name is Karone, and she's actually been quite lovely..."
"You don't know the things she's done, Sharon. Onyx was full of legends about all of the trouble she caused. She's as dangerous as Mistress Cheetah..."
"Please, Callie... They're trying to help us. They knew my mother."
"Look, I don't want to leave you here, Sharon. I could just leave and go to Zell, but you need me."
"I do need you... Which is why I want you to stay."
"I can't."
"Callie... Please... Just... Give it a try? For me?"
Callie sighed. "Fine. But the second things go sideways, I'm getting us out of here. Do you understand me?"
Sharon hugged her again. "Thank you," she said. "Now, eat. The food's delicious."
Callie realized two people were watching them as she began to eat. "What are you looking at?" She snapped.
"She reminds me of Karone when she was still Astronema," one said with a laugh. "Sorry, Callie. We don't mean to stare. I'm Zhane. This is Andros, Karone's brother. You'll meet my sister, V, and my daughter, Zoey, later. And Ella's probably around here somewhere with Little Leo. They're Karone's kids."
"It's good to see you're awake," Andros said politely, although he seemed weary of her.
Good, she thought. At least one of them is smart. She might have agreed to stay, but that didn't mean she trusted them or was on their side. The minute she had a chance to get through to Sharon, she'd get them both out of there.
LOGAN
Returning to Angel Grove had been terrifying. Logan wasn't ready to face the team he'd betrayed, but they didn't seem to be holding it against him. In fact, everyone was going out of their way to make him feel better about what had happened.
"Freddy..." Logan said as he finally faced the final member of the team besides Mena who he hadn't seen yet. "I'm sorry... I... I didn't know what I was doing..."
Freddy shrugged. "Okay," he replied casually.
"Really? That's all you're going to say?" He asked.
"Yeah," Freddy replied. He offered Logan his hand. Logan awkwardly took it and accepted the handshake before Freddy gave him a quick "man hug."
A rather unusual girl with red hair approached him. "Hi, Logan," she said. "It's good to see you're not off trying to destroy the world with Zell." She smiled brightly.
"Um..." Logan replied in confusion.
"Oh, right! I'm Eloise. I'm here to help." She was about to leave when the front door to the house opened. Mena stepped inside first, followed by Greg.
"Mena found them, Gram!" Greg announced.
"Excellent news!" Lady Eleanor said as she joined them. "I'm pleased to see you've returned to us safely, Gregory... Mena."
Logan looked at Mena with guilt in his eyes. "Mena... I'm-" He began.
"Hush. There's no need," she promised him. "I know that was not you, Logan." She gave him a hug.
Someone walked in cautiously behind her. Eloise squeaked in surprise. "Jeirmi!" She shouted. She ran at him and flung her arms around his neck, then jumped into the air and wrapped her legs around him, too. She kissed him before sobbing into his shoulder.
"Oh, thank God..." Jeirmi said softly. He held her tightly for a minute before easing her back toward the ground. "I thought... I thought I'd lost you..."
"I'm okay. Sage saved me. I fell right at her feet! How great is that, right?"
"Excuse us, please," Mena said politely. She motioned for the team to follow her into another room. Greg let them go without him, but Lady Eleanor followed. Mena presented an unusual box. "I thought we should be together when it was opened," she explained.
"Incredible..." Lady Eleanor said as she examined the box. "You are truly gifted to have found this, Mena. I can tell it was well guarded."
"When Zell sent Divatox back in time, he sent her back with our morphers. He did it with the intention of her dying. Her energy sealed this box so no one could retrieve it, but Greg and I met some Eltarians who helped us use Divatox to get the box... That's a long story I'll get into another time. Anyway, who's ready to open it?"
Nessa smiled. "I am so ready. I'd normally be the one to do it myself as the team leader, but Mena, I think you should have the honor," she said.
Mena nodded. "Here goes," she said. She cautiously opened the box. Incredible power began to flow through the room. The coins inside were each carved with a mythological creature. The team studied them for a minute before Mena cautiously took one out of the box. "The Sphinx..." She said aloud. The coin turned blue as she held it in her hands. A peaceful expression came over her face.
Nessa reached forward next. "The Chimera," she said. The coin turned red. Nessa grinned.
Van reached into the box next. "The Pegasus," he said. He stared in wonder as the coin turned yellow.
Allie reached in next. "It's the Unicorn," she said with a grin. The coin turned pink. "I love unicorns..."
Freddy reached into the box. He pulled out a coin a bit nervously. "The Gryphon," he announced. The coin turned black. He nodded, seeming to be pleased with the energy he felt.
"Logan... It is your turn," Lady Eleanor said.
Logan hesitated. After everything that had happened, was he even worthy of being a Power Ranger anymore? Having a morpher had led to all of the trouble to begin with. "I..." He shook his head.
"Logan... You're one of us," Nessa said firmly. "This is the right path."
He nodded. Taking a deep breath, he reached into the box with a trembling hand and pulled out the final coin. "The Phoenix," he said. He shook his head. Not only was it a fire symbol, but it represented so many things he personally related to he could hardly deny it was the right coin for him. It turned white in his hand.
"Children... It is time to make this official," Lady Eleanor said.
Nessa nodded. "Right. Here we go," she said. She inserted her coin into the first morpher and declared, "Mythical Guild, Chimera!" She morphed into a red uniform with a chimera over the center of her chest.
"Nice..." Freddy said with approval.
The others followed Nessa's lead, each morphing into the appropriate color and displaying their mythological creature over their chest. Finally, when it was Logan's turn, he took a deep breath. He was terrified, but he knew he had to try.
"Mythical Guild, Phoenix!" He cried out. Suddenly, the energy of the Phoenix flowed through him. It seemed to heal something inside of his heart, and finally, Logan felt a little bit of peace as he morphed.
"Yes! That's what I'm talking about!" Nessa proclaimed.
"It's good to be back," Mena agreed.
"This is different than it was before... It feels... More natural, if that makes sense," Van said.
"Yeah," Freddy agreed.
"Logan... Are you alright?" Allie asked gently.
He nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I think I am." He smiled as the team dropped their morphs in unison.
Lady Eleanor watched them with approval. "Excellent," she said. "Now we can resume training and get back on track."
"Or, like... We can celebrate and adjust and, you know, relax for a little while," Nessa suggested. "We just got our proper powers, Lady Eleanor. Give us a day?"
Lady Eleanor considered this before nodding. "I suppose you do need a day to adjust to being back together and having new powers," she said. "I'll make lunch." She headed off in that way that only a grandmother with a mission to feed people could.
Logan took a moment to look at his team and process everything that had just happened. They were together, alive, and still a team. They accepted him and had forgiven his betrayal. Now, he simply needed to forgive himself. Clutching the Phoenix coin in his hand, Logan prayed he would find the strength to let go of his past and embrace the future.
CAPTAIN SMITH
He hadn't expected to walk outside of his Chapter's current home and find a bloody form on the porch, but that was exactly what greeted him. Captain Smith hurried to the man who lay there clearly nearly death.
"Tedius!" He shouted. "Someone needs assistance!"
Tedius hurried outside. Kizzie and B'Danna followed him. "Sir? What's happened?" Kizzie asked.
Captain Smith and Tedius carefully flipped the man over. "It's Wu," Captain Smith replied.
"Wu's quite the warrior... Who could have done this to him?" B'Danna asked in surprise.
Tedius was already trying to heal him. "Where is the rest of his Chapter?" Kizzie asked. "If their Captain is in this condition..."
Captain Smith had a horrible feeling he already knew the answer to that question. "The only people who stood a chance of catching Wu off-guard were his own," he said softly. "Kizzie... Contact Vitella immediately. Tell her Wu is in critical condition, and there appears to have been a mutiny."
"Of course, Sir," Kizzie said, hurrying inside to do as instructed.
"You think his own Chapter did this to him? Why?" B'Danna asked.
"The Shanghai Chapter was reluctant to declare a side... It was clear Wu wished to join Vitella and the Rebellion, but his people resisted... He would never have let them betray the Rebellion without a fight," Captain Smith explained. He looked at Tedius. "Will he survive?" He asked.
"I believe I can heal him," Tedius replied. "He is gravely wounded, but he made it to us in time."
Captain Smith nodded. He took Wu's hand in his own. "Stay strong, Azzerwu," he said.
Vitella arrived a short time later. She looked horrified as she watched Tedius continue trying to heal Wu. "You believe it was his Chapter?" She asked Captain Smith.
"I do. Wu is one of the fiercest warriors in the Rebellion. It would take much to catch him by surprise. Only those he trusted could accomplish this so thoroughly," he replied.
"He is stable," Tedius said. He looked pale.
"Go rest, Tedi," Captain Smith said. "Thank you for your help."
"Of course," Tedius replied. He stood on shaky legs. B'Danna automatically helped support him and guide him back inside.
Wu sat up slowly with a slight groan. "Ah," he said. "It worked. Good."
"Azzerwu... Tell us what happened," Vitella said gently, kneeling beside him.
"Mutiny, Vitti," he replied sadly. "I stand firmly with the Rebellion... Unfortunately, my Chapter disagreed with this choice. My Lieutenant, the Sorceress Britterra, organized an attack against me. They believed they killed me, especially after Lang and Lun were finished with me." Captain Smith knew Lang and Lun were Shanghai's tactical experts, a pair of brilliant siblings. "I used the last of my energy to open a portal and come here... It is probably best they continue to believe I perished from their attack for now. They seemed quite determined to end my life. Nedezzo hesitated, but in the end, even he went with Britterra... Which means Zell now has a powerful healer on his side, at least once they find their way to him." He sighed. "I'm sorry, Vitti. I tried to stop them."
"You did the right thing," Vitella said firmly. "In the end, your only chance of survival was coming here. I'm just grateful we didn't lose you today."
"Do you believe the others remain in Shanghai?" Captain Smith asked.
"No. I think they planned to head to Greece. Word has it the entire Greek Chapter has defected," Wu replied.
"Damn them..." Vitella mumbled. "Those fools are going to get themselves killed, along with the three from Rome who defected." She shook her head.
"You may remain here, Wu," Captain Smith said. "We offer you sanctuary. Unless you would prefer to stay with Kyoko in Tokyo or Chung in Seoul?"
"I'll stay here for now. I appreciate your offer," Wu replied. "If my Chapter is coming here, I need to remain local so I can help stand against them."
"I'll be calling in the others soon anyway," Vitella said. "I'm also going to recall some of the Eltarians not currently on Earth. The Rebellion needs to stand together as one if we are going to defeat this enemy."
"We await your instructions, Vitella," Captain Smith said respectfully. "Wu, you should come inside and rest. Vitti, if you'd like to join us for the evening, I can have Kizzie order some food."
"Unfortunately, I need to get to work on contacting everyone," Vitella replied. "Some other time, perhaps."
"Of course." He gave her a hug before allowing her to leave. Then, he turned to Wu. "Whatever you need, my friend, I am here for you."
"Thank you, Captain Smith," Wu replied. "I'm afraid I do not know what that is currently."
Captain Smith nodded. "I understand. For now, let us focus on feeding you so you can regain your strength." He led Wu inside, understanding entirely too well what it was he must be feeling.
BAX
He was definitely enjoying living it up with the Greeks. Unfortunately, he knew they'd need to find Zell eventually. Still, for the first time in ages, his head felt clear. He watched Zizi swaying to the music in the club and smiled to himself.
She's beautiful, he thought. He should have become determined to put a move on her and get her in bed, but he wasn't. It was strange, but Bax had become oddly attached to Zizi since they'd been in Greece. He didn't want to hurt her... He just wanted to spend time with her.
Suddenly, an image flashed through his mind. Bax was confused by the vision of a house on fire and a baby girl who appeared to be dead from smoke inhalation. He watched as a boy pulled the infant into his arms and used the power of Air to breathe life into her. To the boy's shock, the girl was revived.
Suddenly, the girl grew older. The boy watched her with joy in his heart, loving the little sister he'd adopted after her entire family was killed in the fire. Although he was a good person, his heart had turned darker as Zell began paying too much attention to him. He began serving him, initially believing Zell was a force of Good and feeling honored he had taken such an interest in him. Then, slowly, the truth became clear. Zell was evil, and the boy was his loyal follower.
The vision shifted again. This time, the boy, now a man, stood in a room, holding a weapon as he watched the sister he loved so much.
"Zutan... You are frightening me," the girl said softly.
Zutan looked away from her eyes, unable to face her. He sighed. "Go, Rosemary," he said. "Leave this place... Do not return until the morning." He shoved the knife away from his body before kissing her cheek.
"Zutan?" She asked in confusion.
"Just go, Little One... I love you. That is all you must know." He sent her away, knowing he would never be as strong as Zell because the one thing he could never do was harm that little girl.
Bax found himself looking into a mirror. Zutan stared back at him and said very clearly, "Don't make the same mistakes again, you fool!"
Suddenly, Bax snapped back to the present. He gasped in shock as too many emotions hit him at once that he couldn't understand. The only thing he knew now was that, somehow, he had been Zutan, who happened to be one of Zell's most infamous and loyal followers back on Eltar. He'd been the one to betray Talon, leading to Zell killing him, even though Talon was supposed to have been one of his dearest friends. He'd done many horrible things, the sort of things Bax often did himself... But looking at Zizi, he suddenly wished he hadn't done any of them, including the way he'd treated Liza. That made no sense... Why should Zizi get to him like that? Trembling, he stared at her.
Is it possible? He wondered. He knew what he felt looking at her now, but it made no sense. Sweet, gentle Rosemary had been nothing like Zizi, at least not while Zutan had been alive. He knew somehow that Rosemary had met a horrific end at the hands of the man she married, another of Zell's people. Maybe that had changed her and made her determined to come back strong. Rosemary had been the one thing that kept Zutan from being completely evil. She'd pulled him back from the edge a number of times... And now, looking at Zizi made Bax want to change. Zizi, who had saved his life more than once even though she obviously disliked him, almost like she couldn't help herself... On some level, maybe she was feeling their connection, too. He couldn't deny the obvious.
"Shit..." He whispered aloud.
Don't make the same mistakes again, you fool! He heard Zutan's words echo in his mind.
"Too late..." Bax mumbled. He finally understood why Zell had resurrected him, and why he kept him around even though he seemed to have no use for him. Zell didn't want Bax by his side... He wanted Zutan. And Bax knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Zutan regretted his choices in life. Bax had never regretted anything evil he'd done before, but now, he wondered if Zutan was right. He'd made evil choices at nearly every turn and he'd ended up dead at Stone's hands. Had it really been worth it?
"Bax? Are you okay?" Zizi asked as she joined him. She looked genuinely concerned.
"Yeah," he said, plastering a casual smile on his face for her sake. "I'm fine. Wanna dance?"
"You think you can keep up with me?" Zizi teased him.
"I know I can." He took her hand and led her back to the dance floor, forcing himself to ignore everything racing through his mind. If what he suspected was the truth, neither one of them would be safe.
THE NEXT DAY.
TAMMY
She was desperately trying to forget what day it was. It depressed her that she'd decided not to celebrate her birthday, but she still stood by her belief that it was wrong to ask everyone else to drop everything just to acknowledge it. She headed to training and was surprised to see that the room was dark.
Suddenly, a spotlight appeared aimed toward the back of the room. Tammy looked at it confusion as music began to play. She knew that song. Still, what happened next was the very last thing she expected.
Ollie came out of the shadows, making the most dramatic entrance possible with that parlor trick. He proceeded to begin to sing along. "You're insecure... Don't know what for... You're turning heads when you walk through the door. Don't need makeup to cover up. Being the way that you are is enough... Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you... Baby you light up my world like nobody else! The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed. But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell you don't know, oh-oh, you don't know you're beautiful. If only you saw what I can see, you'll understand why I want you so desperately. Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe you don't know, oh-oh, you don't know you're beautiful! Oh-oh... That's what makes you beautiful!"
Tammy stared at him in shock. That was when his backup came out and began to join in on the song. Brian and Caleb began dancing around him and singing backup vocals where appropriate. Tammy couldn't help but smile and her light began filling the room. She noticed the Power Rangers, the rest of the Chosen, and even the Rebels they'd come to know in the room. Her mother and brothers were there as well, along with Bulk, Lieutenant Stone, Professor Phenomenous, and basically everyone she knew and loved the most currently in Angel Grove.
"So come on, you got it wrong... To prove I'm right, I put it in a song... I don't know why you're being shy and turn away when I look into your eyes... Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you... Baby, you light up my world like nobody else, the way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed... But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell, You don't know, oh-oh, you don't know you're beautiful... If only you saw what I can see, you'll understand why I want you so desperately. Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe you don't know, oh-oh, you don't know you're beautiful! Oh-oh... That's what makes you beautiful! Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na... Baby, you light up my world like nobody else. The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed. But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell you don't know, oh-oh, you don't know you're beautiful. Baby, you light up my world like nobody else. The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed. But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell, You don't know, oh-oh, you don't know you're beautiful. If only you saw what I can see , you'll understand why I want you so desperately. Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe you don't know, oh-oh, you don't know you're beautiful... Oh-oh-oh, you don't know you're beautiful. Oh-oh, that's what makes you beautiful!"
As everyone else began to applaud, Tammy nearly burst into tears from both joy and laughing too hard at her goofy teammates. "Oliver Zachary Scott... Did you really do this?" She asked.
"Happy birthday, Tammy," Ollie replied.
She flung her arms around him, giving him a kiss. The rest of those present proceeded to burst into an enthusiastic chorus of "Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday, Dear Tammy... Happy birthday to you!"
"You guys..." Tammy said through tears.
"We love you, Tam," Ollie said. "And everyone wanted to make sure you knew it, today especially."
"I love you guys, too," she said softly. She still missed her father more than she could express, but for the first time since she'd lost him, Tammy felt complete and genuine happiness. She knew in her heart that her father was there, too, probably laughing his butt off at Ollie's expense. She smiled at the visual, finally feeling at peace for just a little while. Ollie might not know it, but he'd given her exactly the gift she'd needed.
THE NEXT MORNING.
IVAN
Things were nearly back to normal. Although Riley was still missing and the team was very worried about him, they took comfort in the fact that Miss Morgan had returned to them. She seemed to be adjusting well enough.
The team headed out to patrol as a unit. Andie was with them, staying close to Ivan. He certainly didn't mind. Everything seemed to be in order until, rather suddenly, a man approached them.
Ivan did not recognize him, but something seemed off about him that he couldn't quite explain. "Pardon me," the man said politely. "Would any of you happen to know where Captain Smith is residing? I've come to join the Rebels," he said.
There was nothing that seemed untrustworthy about the man. Aside from the rather harsh scar that went straight over his eye and made it clear he was half blind, the man looked like any other Eltarian they'd come across, and he was very calm as he spoke. However, Andie tensed beside Ivan, and that was enough for him.
"That depends, Sir," he said. "Who might you be?"
"Forgive me for not introducing myself. I'm part of the Rebellion, of Eltar. I was looking for my old friend so I could lend my efforts to the fight against Zell."
His voice was reassuring. "Of course," Chase said. "The Rebels are-"
"Don't," Andie said sharply.
"What?" Chase asked in confusion.
"You still lie incredibly well, Jezz," she said softly.
The man turned to look at her. "Daphne..." He said in surprise. "I... I did not expect you to be here."
"Go back to hell, Jezzeff," Andie said with a lot more fire than Ivan had expected.
Ivan automatically pulled out his sword at her tone. Tyler and Chase looked like they were both ready to tell the others to morph. Koda glared at Jezzeff as he sensed he was a serious threat.
"Daphne... I don't understand. We were friends... You and I were basically family," Jezzeff said. He looked genuinely hurt. Ivan almost felt sorry for him.
"Family doesn't betray each other and get each other killed... I didn't know it then, but I feel it on you now. I know the things you did... I know you're the one who told Zell what Sera and Ash were up to! I know what you've done. I feel the lives you've taken... You killed your own best friend!" Andie cried out. Ivan realized her element of Spirit must have connected her to the information somehow. "How could you kill Vee? He was a good man... He defended you!"
"Daphne, sweetheart, I could never betray your family... Sera and Ash were two of my dearest friends," Jezzeff insisted. He reached toward her to try to comfort her. Andie began shaking violently.
"M'Lady... Allow me to handle this fiend," Ivan said as he stepped between them.
"I don't get it... What's going on?" AJ asked.
"I do believe that this man is a traitor who works for Zell," Kendall replied.
Suddenly, Katherine appeared. She smiled at Jezzeff before looking at the others. "Oh good. I'm not too late to join the fight," she said. Suddenly, an army of monsters appeared.
"Since when does Kat have her own army?" Chase asked.
"Who cares? It's Morphin' Time!" Tyler said.
The team quickly morphed. Andie did not. She continued to stare at Jezzeff, seemingly torn between being Daphne and being herself. "M'Lady... Stay behind me," Ivan said. "I shall protect thee."
Jezzeff attacked one of the monsters before it could reach Andie. Ivan was confused by the turn of events, but he didn't let that make him drop his guard. "Get your team out of here," Jezzeff said. "I'll hold her off."
It was convincing. Good God, it was convincing... But the look on Andie's face told Ivan everything he needed to know. This man could not be trusted, no matter how well he lied.
"Stay back!" Ivan commanded him. He presented his sword in front of him.
Jezzeff finally dropped the act. He smiled as he pulled out his own sword. As his team faced off against Katherine and the monsters, Ivan's duel with Jezzeff began. Ivan was stunned by how gifted the man was with his sword. He'd never faced an opponent so incredibly skilled before.
"He's Terridian's nephew," Andie said shakily. Ivan knew she was struggling to keep Daphne from taking control of her body. "You can't beat him with a sword, Ivan. No one can."
Ivan knew that Terridian had been the greatest swordsmith in the history of Eltar. If he'd trained the boy himself, that explained his impressive skill. It was rare anyone was better with a sword than Ivan, but it seemed he'd met his match.
"I shall fight with honor," Ivan declared, because he knew he needed to keep Jezzeff away from Andie no matter what else happened.
They dueled for a bit. Ivan managed to get one very good hit in, which seemed to shock Jezzeff for a moment. In that instant, Ivan looked at his team to make sure they were all still holding up alright.
AJ and Koda battled close together, handling a very aggressive pair of monsters well. Chase and Tyler were tackling a group of three monsters who kept changing their tactics and trying to defeat them. Kendall stood close to Zenowing, obviously nervous but fighting confidently with him. Prince Phillip came closer to Ivan, raising his own sword in solidarity.
"My Prince, this opponent is far too dangerous," Ivan said. "I cannot allow you to risk your life here."
"Sir Ivan, with all due respect... I am not leaving your side in this fight," Phillip said firmly.
Ivan knew better than to argue with him. Together, they fought Jezzeff. He grinned, seemingly pleased with this new development.
"A bit of a challenge. How refreshing," Jezzeff said. He proceeded to prove that fighting two of them at once wasn't really any challenge at all as he shoved his sword into Phillip. His morph failed, but it did stop the sword from piercing his flesh.
"My Prince!" Ivan shouted. He was filled with rage as he aimed his sword at Jezzeff's legs. He swept them out from beneath the surprised Eltarian and knocked him to the ground. "No one harms the Prince of Zandar!" He declared.
Jezzeff took a moment to catch his breath as Ivan held his sword perilously close to the man's throat. Then, he laughed. "Nicely done," he said. "I suppose I am a bit rusty. After all, I've been dead for several millennia."
"Dead..." Ivan repeated.
"Oh, yes. Did I forget to mention that? Garron's toddlers were sent to execute me after I killed Vee. Raffitty's apparently dead and gone, but he was never the issue anyway... It was Captain Smith who ended my life, so I thought I'd pay him a visit." He laughed before jumping up with impossible speed and trying to decapitate Ivan.
To Ivan's great surprise, his head did not roll. Instead, an arrow pierced Jezzeff's chest. He stared down at it in confusion before looking up to see who had dared to shoot him.
Andie stood beside Ivan holding her bow steadily on Jezzeff with a second arrow ready to go. "Don't. Move," she said firmly.
Ivan smiled. "Thank you, M'Lady," he said softly.
"Anytime," Andie replied.
"You're not the girl I remember," Jezzeff said as he pulled the arrow out. He bled, but it was obvious he was immortal and he began healing quickly.
"Damn right I'm not," Andie replied.
"How interesting... And unexpected," he said like he was mildly amused. "Until we meet again, Sweet Daphne," he added with a dramatic bow before he vanished into thin air.
"Are you okay?" Andie asked Ivan.
"I'm well," he promised.
"Prince Phillip?" She asked as she knelt beside him.
"It's nothing serious," the Prince replied. "I simply got the wind knocked out of me."
She nodded. "Come on. The fight's not over yet," she said. She proceeded to morph.
The fight moved quickly after that. Together, the Dino Charge Rangers and Andie were able to defeat the monsters easily. Despite this, Katherine didn't seem discouraged. "They were useless anyway," she said. "These were the few monsters from Onyx who fled while Lily, or Mistress Cheetah, or whatever the fuck she's going by now was busy attacking Eltar. They had enough sense to realize they'd never defeat Anise, let alone Zordon if he showed up, and they came to me seeking sanctuary in the Alliance. I don't need them."
Katherine zeroed in on Ivan then. "My father will be very pleased if I destroy you," she informed him.
Andie stepped in front of him protectively. "Don't take another step," she told her. "Or I'll kill you myself."
"Oh, come on, Step-Mummy. Don't be like that," Katherine said with an evil laugh. She was about to send some sort of spell toward Ivan when she suddenly tensed and looked confused. She tilted her head to the side. "I think I'll teleport to Ethiopia... I hear it's lovely..." She said in a trance-like state. Then, she vanished from sight.
"What the...?" Tyler asked what everyone else was probably thinking.
"You're welcome," a man said pleasantly as he approached them. He grinned.
"Another Eltarian... Are you a friend or a foe?" Ivan asked cautiously.
"I'm the Eltarian who just slipped into Katherine's mind and inspired her to go on vacation. The name's Trerry." He seemed very casual until he suddenly looked at Ivan and froze. "Lygus?" He whispered.
"I beg your pardon, Sir?" Ivan asked in confusion. He wasn't sure why the name sent such a chill through his entire body.
Andie looked horrified as something seemed to hit her. Ivan knew the look well. It meant Daphne had remembered something, and whatever it was had upset Andie deeply. "No..." She whispered.
"M'Lady? What troubles you?" Ivan asked as Andie tried to back away from him. She stumbled and he steadied her automatically.
"Brave Sir Lygus... My God... It is you..." Trerry said softly, shaking his head as he watched them.
"I... I have to go," Andie said.
"M'Lady, wait!" Ivan said as she took off running.
"You should let her go," Trerry said gently. "Hey, Caveman... Follow her and keep her safe please?"
Koda nodded after a moment. "Koda protect," he promised Ivan seriously before chasing after Andie.
"My Good Sir, I do not take orders from you, especially when it comes to my beloved," Ivan protested to Trerry.
"She needs space... I'm afraid I may have accidentally upset her," Trerry replied. "Right now, she needs time to process what she just realized because I stupidly blurted that out."
"What, exactly, did she realize?" Ivan demanded.
"Let's start over... As I said, I'm Trerry... And once, a very long time ago, you were my dear, brave, noble young friend... Lygus of Eltar."
"Are you mad? I am not Eltarian. I am Sir Ivan, Knight of Zandar."
"And long before you were Sir Ivan, you were Sir Lygus... Noble Peacekeeper and fierce protector of a certain little girl you formed an attachment to when she saved your life by healing you." Trerry paused. "Let me guess... Zell's been hell-bent on destroying you in particular, right?"
"Yes, because Andie and I are together but he still views her as Daphne."
"It's not only that, Sir Ivan... You see, although they met when she was seven and he was eleven, Lygus vowed to protect Daphne. He kept that vow the best he could and became her dear friend... And when he realized Zell was hurting the girl, he vowed to put a stop to it. Daphne tried denying it. She was fifteen and terrified... But Lygus knew the truth. He asked me and our other friend to help save the girl, but before we could... Lygus vanished. I knew what really happened to him. Zell murdered him for interfering and getting too close to Daphne. And unfortunately, I think Daphne figured that out before she died... And Andie's probably feeling her guilt and grief over that loss."
"It isn't her fault..." Ivan whispered as the horrible reality set in. He wanted to deny it, but in his heart, he knew Trerry was telling him the absolute truth... And it explained a lot, including why Zell wanted him destroyed and why Andie had risked her life to keep him from being turned evil in the flames. Daphne had promised Lygus she would protect him from his greatest fear, turning evil as his own father had. "She kept her promise..." He whispered. "And now... It is my turn to keep mine." No matter what else happened, he would protect Andie from Zell. This time, he would get things right.
"Come with me, Sir Ivan," Trerry said. "I'll help you remember, and then you can go to Andie."
Ivan nodded numbly. He'd go with Trerry and unlock his past... Then, he'd find Andie and help her process it. This was the last thing he'd expected, but he felt like a fool for not seeing it coming. He took a deep breath and decided he would not be blindsided again.
