Loud Rangers: Legacy!

by Mr ChubbySnorlax619

The Morphin Grid is ever changing and powerful beyond belief. It connects throughout all of time and the entire multiverse. Lincoln Loud was an average boy until he discovered the devastating secret that his sisters and friends are Power Rangers! Eventually, Lincoln meets an injured and mysterious Power Ranger with a bloody legacy. A Ranger who is in dire need of a successor!

3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Arbiter

Disclaimer: I don't own Loud House or Power Rangers; all rights are owned by their respective owners and companies.

---

Lincoln Loud didn't see an awesome day like today ending like this. The past two days have been rough, dealing with his family's newfound drama was bad enough. He then found out some of his sisters and friends were Power Rangers. Literal secret superheroes. Finding that out was beyond shocking, but it also hurt and left him a little bitter. Rightfully so if you asked Lincoln. Anyways, he wanted to unwind and do something fun to forget his troubles. That's why he decided to hang out with Rusty and the rest of his friends all day. He had a real good time but when it finally came time to go home. Lincoln thought it'd be a good idea to take the scenic route and drop by an old hideout of his.

Too bad for Lincoln things never go as planned.

Right now, Lincoln was shaking nervously while staring at the mysterious and scary Power Ranger who called out to him. Lincoln could tell this guy looked like Power Ranger from the suit and helmet, but he really didn't know for sure. For all he knew this guy was some sort of monster in disguise or some wanted alien criminal on the run.

'A bit too late thinking that, I hope this guy is just some hurt Power Ranger that needs help.'

A rather anxious Lincoln slowly made his way inside the cave towards the injured Power Ranger. Lincoln held up his hands nervously to show the mysterious ranger he meant no harm. The injured Power Rangers watched Lincoln as he got closer. Suddenly, the mysterious ranger felt a sharp pain coming from his opened wound located on the side of his stomach! He groaned in agony while placing a hand over the wound!

"ARRGH!"

That caught Lincoln by surprise as he yelped and jumped back a little away from the mysterious ranger. Lincoln looked ready to run at any moment, which is until he looked over to see the injured ranger's wound. The nervous expression and feeling Lincoln had quickly disappeared and was replaced with concern.

"Oh, man." Lincoln softy mumbled. "That doesn't look good."

Lincoln took a look around the cave looking for something. It didn't take long for Lincoln to see what he was looking for. A first aid kit on top of a shelf with some bottles of water. Lincoln quickly walked over to the first aid kit and grabbed it along with a bottle of water. He then walked over to the injured ranger. Kneeling next to the Power Ranger, Lincoln opened the kit and pulled out some heavy-duty bandages and antiseptic spray. Taking a look at the wound, Lincoln grimaced at the amount of blood there was and how deep the wound was.

"Jeez, you're really hurt bad." Lincoln frowned sympathetically. "I don't know if what I have here is going to be enough. I only keep this first aid kit here for minor stuff like scrapes."

The mysterious ranger didn't say anything as he began to cough rather roughly. It took a moment before he stopped coughing. Lincoln kept frowning as he handed the injured ranger the bottle of what he grabbed. The injured ranger took a look at the bottle of water before he gently pushed it away.

"I am afraid that will do me no good, child." The injured ranger groaned weakly. "Why do you help me? I am nothing but a stranger to you child. A rather frightening one given your demeanor I saw only moments ago."

Letting out a sheepish chuckle and smile, Lincoln shook up the antiseptic spray.

"I guess you're kind of scary, but once I saw you were hurt. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. Besides, you're a Power Ranger."

The injured ranger looked over to stare at Lincoln. Since he couldn't see his expression through his helmet, Lincoln had no clue what the mysterious ranger was thinking. Eventually, the mysterious ranger laid his head against the wall with a sigh.

"Long ago, I once held such a meaningless title. Now I have forsaken that title and follow my own path." The injured ranger explained in a bitter tone. "Tell me, are there Power Rangers on this world?"

Lincoln looked surprised by the question and tone of the injured ranger's voice. It sounded like this guy didn't like Power Rangers. This seemed to give Lincoln a bit of unease, but he ignored that feeling and got some more bandages out.

"Yep, a lot of them too. I mean, there are only a few active teams but there are still Power Rangers around. Got a big team of Power Rangers protecting this city and the neighboring city. Now, stay still and brace yourself since it might sting a little. I'm going to clean your wound and then patch it up, okay?"

After getting a slight nod from the injured ranger, Lincoln quickly applied the antiseptic spray. Surprising this didn't get a reaction from the injured ranger. Lincoln simply shrugged and started to bandage up the wound. He had no idea what good it would do though. The wound was deep, and the injured ranger needed proper medical help. There's also one more thing bothering Lincoln.

"Who are you?"

It seemed the question caught the injured ranger off guard as he looked over at Lincoln. A few moments passed before the mysterious ranger finally spoke.

"Like the title Power Ranger, I have forsaken my old name. I chose a new name when I began my mission. I am called… The Arbiter."

Lincoln stared blankly at The Arbiter before he went back to finishing up bandaging The Arbiter's wound. While doing that, Lincoln's expression suddenly turned into a nervous one.

'The Arbiter… now doesn't that sound ominous. I hope this guy is a good guy.'

Upon finishing dressing The Arbiter's wound, Lincoln sat down and sighed.

"There you go, I hope this helps but you really need to get to a doctor or something. That wound is really bad, you need proper help."

The Arbiter looked to see Lincoln giving him a concerned look. All of a sudden, something rather odd happened to The Arbiter. Once he saw the look on Lincoln's face, The Arbiter suddenly thought of a brief and distant memory. It was long ago when he wasn't The Arbiter but a hero. A good man with a loving family, with a wife and child. When he saw Lincoln looking at him like that, it reminded him of his child. His child would give him the same look once he got home from a battle.

"Child, what is your name?"

Lincoln seemed surprised by the question, he then smiled softly.

"My name is Lincoln, Lincoln Loud."

After introducing himself, Lincoln reached his hand out to The Arbiter. He tilted his head a little in confusion, The Arbiter reached out and shook Lincoln's hand. After they were done, both Lincoln and The Arbiter simply sat there. It quickly grew into an awkward silence that seemed to bother Lincoln. Finally, Lincoln decided to break the awkward silence.

"Um, should I go get some help? It looks like you're in no shape to move."

This got a heavy sigh from The Arbiter as he looked down at his wounds and broken armor. He then pulled his head back in a relaxed position.

"While I appreciate the gesture… I'm afraid that will do no good."

Suddenly, Lincoln looked confused before his eyes widened in shock.

"Wait, you're not dying are you?"

It would seem Lincoln got his answer when The Arbiter sighed once more while turning to look at him.

"Yes, I am dying." The Arbiter admitted in a tired tone. "It seems The Morphing Grid has deemed I am unworthy. One would call it poetic justice, after everything I've done."

Upon hearing this, Lincoln looked a little distraught as he got up and started to pace. He had no clue what to do. Should he call an ambulance? How would he explain this, and could a hospital even help him? It sounds like The Arbiter is an alien so could human medicine help him? Should he try and contact Lori, she's a Power Ranger after all which means she could probably help Arbiter. However, how could he explain all this and know she was a Power Ranger? All of his opinions sucked, but Lincoln couldn't just let this guy just die.

It wouldn't be right.

"Lincoln Loud…"

Lincoln stopped his nervous pacing to look over at The Arbiter. The dying warrior gestured the distraught boy to come and sit by him. At first, Lincoln simply stood there looking at The Arbiter with a sad frown. Afterwards, Lincoln walked over and sat down next to The Arbiter. Both just sat there in silence before The Arbiter finally spoke.

"Have you witnessed death before, Lincoln Loud?"

That certainly got a shocked look from Lincoln, he then shook his head.

"I am very old, far older than I should be. Along the way, I've seen death many times. I've lost my loved ones and family to death, all because of two irresponsible Power Rangers that waged a meaningless war. Power Rangers that were not even from my home universe or timeline. Countless died on both sides, especially those who were caught in the crossfire. Innocent people who only wanted to live a good and safe life away from harm. That's why I chose to be a Power Ranger in the first place. To protect those from harm, and for a time I did just that as a Power Ranger. Sadly, like all good things… this did not last because I lost everyone I loved. Upon losing everything and everyone I held dear to me. I decided to kill the ones responsible. However, I did not stop there. I took this device on my chest from one of the Power Rangers I killed and traveled to the universe and timeline they came from. Once there I confront the one responsible for giving those Power Rangers their powers, we talked, and he only gave me meaningless excuses. That's when I decided to take up a new mission… to let the Morphin Grid be the arbiter of my fate. I hoped my torment would end, but I lived and took up my mission. To travel the multiverse and judge the Power Rangers… all of whom I've deemed unworthy."

The Arbiter stopped to look at Lincoln. The young boy looked horrified by what he just heard. Unfortunately, The Arbiter wasn't done speaking.

"I traveled countless universes, met countless Power Rangers. All of whom were just like the ones who took everything from me. I deemed them unworthy… and dealt with them like the Power Rangers responsible for my torment. I do not know how long it has been since I tasked myself with my mission. I do not even know how many I have killed… no doubt too many. Eventually, I met my match, Power Rangers from different universes joined forces and fought me. The battle was intense and long, it didn't take long before they dealt fatal blows. Before the final blow was struck I managed to escape to a random universe which happened to be this one. I somehow pulled myself into this cave, and you eventually found me."

After finished talking, The Arbiter looked over at Lincoln who seemed very troubled and in deep thought.

"Do not feel pity for me, I chose this path, and I am ready to pay for it." The Arbiter said in a low tone. "The Morphin Grid has forsaken me. My wounds are not healing, and I feel my age catching up to me. This was inevitable. My fate was sealed long ago when I decided to kill those Power Rangers responsible. Do I regret it? Perhaps…"

Silence soon filled the cave, both Lincoln and The Arbiter were silent. The injured warrior didn't bother to look at the boy's expression. He knew Lincoln was horrified by what he heard. The Arbiter simply looked over at the cave entrance to see the sunlight was fading.

"What were their names?"

The Arbiter slowly turned to see Lincoln looking at him with a frown.

"What?"

"Your family, what were their names?"

It seemed The Arbiter was taken back by this sudden question. He didn't expect Lincoln to ask such a question. The Arbiter sat there and thought about it, that's when he came to discover something horrifying.

"I… I don't remember." The Arbiter spoke in a trembling tone. "It's been so long since I thought of them. My family… I think I had a wife and a child, a daughter. Why can't I remember their names? Their faces… I CAN'T REMEMBER THEIR FACES!"

Letting out a yell in anger, The Arbiter slammed his fist on the ground with such force his body surged with blue energy! The cave suddenly shook like an earthquake had hit, it caused a few things on the shelves to fall and land on the ground. Lincoln quickly scurried away from The Arbiter with a fearful look. When the shaking stopped, The Arbiter held his head with his trembling hands. Lincoln still seemed wary of The Arbiter, he took a look around the cave to see if anything was misplaced or damaged. The only thing misplaced was a few bottles of water and snacks that fell from their shelves. Suddenly Lincoln spotted something he didn't think he would find again.

"Bun-Bun!"

Walking over to where he spotted the stuffed bunny toy, Lincoln picked it up and dusted it off. He smiled warmly and sighed in relief. He had been looking for Bun-Bun ever since he found out he misplaced it. Guess he really did leave it here after camping out with Clyde.

"What is that?"

Turning around, Lincoln saw The Arbiter looking at him and pointing at the stuffed toy in his hands. That's when Lincoln quickly blushed in embarrassment. He totally forgot about The Arbiter. Lincoln didn't want to tell The Arbiter he still had a stuffed toy, especially at his age. Eventually Lincoln let out a defeated sigh, he then walked over to take a seat next to The Arbiter.

"This is Bun-Bun… he's my stuffed bunny I keep around." Lincoln admitted with an embarrassed look. "I know it's stupid and cringy for a boy my age to keep a stuffed animal, but Bun-Bun has always been there for me. Even when my family and friends aren't there for me, I could always count on Bun-Bun."

The Arbiter looked over at Lincoln with Bun-Bun in his hands. It had been a long time since The Arbiter had seen such a toy. He could recall the faint memory of holding one in his hands, on that fateful day he lost everything. The stuffed toy was burning, along with everything around it. The Arbiter thought of Lincoln's words, especially about those being with you and counting on someone or something. He couldn't remember the last time he could count on someone, he used to think he could rely on The Morphin Grid. Sadly, it looks like that time has ended.

"You… are truly an odd child, Lincoln Loud."

After saying such a thing, The Arbiter expected Lincoln to look hurt or angry. He didn't expect the boy to smile and laugh sadly.

"You aren't the first to say that, probably won't be the last either."

Soon both Lincoln and The Arbiter were quiet again. That is until Lincoln decided to speak again.

"I'm sorry for your family and losing everything."

Turning to look at Lincoln, The Arbiter saw he had a sad frown on his face while looking down at Bun-Bun.

"I don't even wanna think about losing my family or friends. I mean, they might drive me crazy or unintentionally hurt me. But that doesn't mean I don't love them. Trust me, it's hard being the only boy in a family of 10 sisters. Sisters who are all better at something than me, whether it's looks, skill, or being smart. I'm not really good at anything, sometimes it gets to you. Still, I wouldn't trade it for the world. No matter how many times I get hurt or feel like giving up… I'll always love them and be there for them."

Suddenly, Lincoln felt a hand touch his shoulder. He looked over and saw The Arbiter placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Lincoln… throughout my entire journey traveling the multiverse. I've encountered countless individuals, many of whom I thought were no better than the ones who took everything from me. Some probably didn't deserve my wrath. I don't know for sure. However, I can say I've never met someone like you. For someone so young, you are wise beyond your years. You have a kind and forgiving nature, but you are also able to be brave. You approached and helped me when most would flee in fear. You care deeply for your loved ones and hold them close to your heart, even when you face uncertainty or get hurt. I've never seen such love and devotion before in someone so young. If only there were more like you in the multiverse… perhaps things would be different for me and those I've slain. Lincoln Loud… you would have made a worthy Power Ranger."

Lincoln could only look on at The Arbiter in clear shock. He didn't except The Arbiter say such a thing to him. It meant a lot and it pulled a heartstring for Lincoln. Lately, he had been feeling an onslaught of emotions since discovering his sisters and friends big secret, and if he was being honest he felt jealous. Why were they made Power Rangers and not him? It seemed like a selfish and childish thing to think, but it meant a lot to Lincoln. Still, he kept his sisters and friends secret to himself for their sakes because he still cared for them. What The Arbiter said to him really mattered to him, especially since The Arbiter was a former Power Ranger and old warrior who's encountered many people in his life.

Before Lincoln could say anything, something neither Lincoln nor The Arbiter expected happened. A large bright blue swirling portal suddenly appeared at the other end of the cave! Both Lincoln and The Arbiter looked at the portal in absolute shock, what happened next only furthered their shock. Slowly appearing out of the portal were levitating mysterious beings wielding elegant white staffs and dressed in white armor and capes with various colors like red, blue, yellow, pink, green, and black. They slowly floated over towards both Lincoln and The Arbiter, they stopped and levitated in front of them. These mysterious beings looked down at Lincoln and The Arbiter, Lincoln seemed rightfully nervous while The Arbiter looked up at the beings.

"Hmm, so it's finally time." The Arbiter softy acknowledged as he slowly got up with a painful grunt. "Finally, the mighty Morphin Masters decided to appear and cast their judgment on me. I am tired of fighting… deicide what you will."

Neither of The Morphin Masters moved or said a word, they simply looked down at both Lincoln and The Arbiter. Eventually, this caused The Arbiter to get angry as he took a weak but aggressive step towards the Morphin Masters in defiance.

"What are you waiting for! I've waited this long!" The Arbiter yelled in anger. "End my torment! Give justice to those I've killed! Your precious Power Rangers and foolish followers! PASS JUDGEMENT ON MY SINS! KILL ME!"

"NO!"

To everyone's surprise, Lincoln suddenly stepped in front of The Arbiter with arms spread wide open attempting to shield The Arbiter. Lincoln had a fearful expression, yet his eyes were filled with defiance as he faced the Morphin Masters.

"I won't let you kill him!" Lincoln screamed in a fearful yet powerful tone. "I know he's killed people… people that didn't deserve to die! But killing The Arbiter won't bring them back! I don't know the full story and I don't even know what's going on! But I know killing this man won't bring justice to those who died!"

The Arbiter stared at Lincoln in shock, never did he expect this young boy to come to his defense. Especially against beings so ageless and powerful like The Morphin Masters.

"Please, before you do anything. Just know this man has lost everything, he lost his family and everyone because of a stupid mistake. He didn't have to kill the ones responsible for it, and I know what he did after would be considered evil and unforgivable. Traveling the multiverse, killing all those people. It wasn't right, no matter how you put it. But you also got to consider what caused him to do that! He lost everything! I'm not trying to excuse what he did or that it's right because it isn't. Punish him if you need to, but please don't kill him! Lock him away somewhere or better yet put him somewhere where he can get help! I don't know him that well, I only know what he's told me so far. But I do know this man didn't start out this way. He was a Power Ranger, a hero! He had a family and loved them, he became a ranger in the first place to protect them and everyone! I've seen the good in him, the same good I've seen in my Power Rangers! He lost his way and he had no one left to help him. The innocent lives he's taken and destroyed deserve justice… but killing him won't be justice. If you kill him then all of you are no better than the ones who killed his family."

Using the last bit of courage Lincoln had, he stood firm shielding The Arbiter with an unyielding yet nervous expression. The Arbiter still couldn't believe what was happening. This odd yet kind boy that he only just met was now standing up to Morphin Masters, all for his sake. Hearing what Lincoln had said left a profound impression on The Arbiter.

"Lincoln…"

The Morphin Masters remained floating in front of Lincoln and The Arbiter with expressionless faces. That is until one of Morphin Masters, The Red Morphin Master slowly moved closer towards Lincoln and The Arbiter. Lincoln nervously gulped but stood his ground, The Arbiter clenched his hands into fists getting ready to defend Lincoln if need be. When The Red Morphin Master got close enough, he looked down at both Lincoln and The Arbiter with an analyzing stare. He then chuckled a little shocking both Lincoln and The Arbiter.

"You are correct Arbiter… this boy is worthy of becoming a Power Ranger."

Both Lincoln and The Arbiter looked up at the Morphin Master in a mix of shock and confusion.

"Both of you have misunderstood why we have come here. We are not here to kill you Arbiter. We are here to offer you a chance at redemption. The crimes you committed while as The Arbiter are deplorable and tragic, but so is what happened to you. What happened to you and your universe was not supposed to happen. A temporal anomaly occurred resulting in the deaths of your family and innocents from your universe. What happened and what you have become isn't what we or the Morphing Grid had intended for you. Like all other versions of yourself, you were supposed to remain virtuous and noble to the very end surrounded by your family and loved ones. That temporal anomaly resulted in countless death and destruction across the multiverse. We are here to set things right, to give you a chance to redeem yourself and make up for all the unintended damage you have done."

Lincoln still looked caught between shock and confusion by what he was hearing and seeing. All of this was crazy for him to take in. He looked over to see how The Arbiter was handling this. Lincoln saw The Arbiter looking up at the Morphing Masters, he couldn't see his face or expression, but Lincoln could tell this was a lot for him too. The Arbiter suddenly dropped to his knees and began to cough rather violently again. Lincoln quickly walked over to see if he was okay. When the coughing stopped, The Arbiter gave a small nod to Lincoln. He then looked up at the Morphin Masters.

"I don't think you heard me before, I told you I am tired of fighting. Besides, your Power Rangers corrected your mistake already… I'm dying and if I'm being honest I want this. All this death and fighting, I thought I was doing what the Morphing Grid wanted but you told me this wasn't supposed to be my fate. All of it was for nothing… I just want to die and see my family again."

A sad expression appeared on Lincoln's face as he gently placed a hand on The Arbiter's shoulder.

"Arbiter don't say that! If these guys are the real deal then they can probably save your life! Please, you don't deserve to die!"

Seeing the desperate and sad look Lincoln had filled The Arbiter with grief. He let out a sigh then looked over at Lincoln.

"Lincoln, I've grown tired of fighting. Everything I've done until now was meaningless, all the death and grief I've caused. Even if there's a chance of redemption I can't bring myself to forgive what I've done. I know the Morphin Masters could heal me and prolong my life if they wanted, but I don't want that. I only wish to rest and hopefully reunite with my family once more. I don't know if they'll see me as the same before I became The Arbiter, but I wish to see them at least once. And if all that awaits me is oblivion… then so be it."

The look Lincoln had was torn between a look of shock and anger, he wanted to say something to convince The Arbiter to not go through with what he had planned. However, Lincoln had no idea what to say. How could he convince such a broken and tired man filled with regret not to give up? A man who has lost everything and everyone, a man who thought he had found a purpose again only for it to mean nothing at all. There was nothing Lincoln could do to stop The Arbiter from giving up.

"I am afraid you misunderstand us yet again."

Both Lincoln and The Arbiter were surprised to hear this as they look up at The Red Morphin Master. They were also a little confused by what he meant.

"What are you talking about?" Lincoln asked rather confused. "I thought you wanted to give Arbiter a chance to redeem himself?"

"And we do, but we know The Arbiter has grown tired of fighting. His fight is over, and he has earned the right to rest." The Red Morphin Master explained. "We are here to offer him a chance to redeem himself by allowing him to pass his powers and Morpher to another person who is worthy."

Neither Lincoln nor The Arbiter expected to hear that given their shocked expression. The Arbiter quickly realized what the Morphin Masters wanted when he glanced at Lincoln. Soon The Arbiter's shock was replaced with anger.

"NO! I know what you old fools plan to do and I won't allow!" The Arbiter yelled in fury while slowly rising up to his feet. "I won't let you ruin another life with this accursed power and Morpher!"

"Arbiter calm down, you're too hurt!" Lincoln exclaimed with concern. "What are you guys talking about?"

The Arbiter sighed bitterly before he turned to look at Lincoln.

"What they want is for me to pass all my power and Morpher to another wielder. And they want that person to be you."

At that moment, Lincoln felt his knees buckle a little. The speechless expression on Lincoln's face said it all. It took a few moments before Lincoln slowly got the nerve to speak.

"W-what do you mean me?" Lincoln asked with a slight stammer. "I don't really understand what you guys are talking about."

The Pink Morphin Master slowly levitated over to The Red Morphin Master's side. She looked down at Lincoln and spoke in a calming yet powerful tone.

"Child, since the beginning of creation itself. There has been an ancient source of extraordinary power that transcends time, space, and the multiverse itself. This is power is known as The Morphing Grid. For eons, The Grid has shaped the destiny and will of the cosmos, the multiverse, and entire timelines. Even after studying The Morphing Grid for countless lifetimes, we the Morphin Masters barely understand its purpose and mysteries. The Grid is more than a power source, it is something else entirely. Upon discovering The Morphing Grid shortly after the start of creation, we decided to study and learn its secrets. Eventually, we learned the dangers and evil lurking throughout the multiverse and time itself. That's when The Morphing Grid gave us a message. To protect the helpless and all that's good, to create powerful and skilled protectors that would fight evil and darkness itself. These protectors are known by you and others as The Power Rangers."

The expression on Lincoln's face quickly changed into pure shock as he looked up at the Morphin Masters in awe. It was crazy, he was face to face with the ones responsible for the creation of his heroes! The Power Rangers!

"In the beginning, we found it difficult to do this because we needed to see for ourselves if such a thing was possible. To see if a mortal being was able to use the power of The Morphing Grid. After many trials and errors, we discovered a way to make it possible. We forged a coin filled with the power from The Grid, we then created a device allowing the user to morph to gain access to the weapons, tools, and equipment necessary to defend themselves. Not only that but upon morphing the user would be granted extradentary powers and skills in order to help them. With everything in place, we only needed a willing and worthy person to bestow these gifts to. We searched the cosmos tirelessly until we found the perfect candidate, or rather The Morphing Grid found them. When the creatures that crept from the primordial darkness ruled the planet Earth, a hero arose. A defender of the weak, and destroyer of the wicked. A righteous hero… The First Ranger."

The Pink Morphin Master looked at The Arbiter. At first, Lincoln looked confused before a realization hit him. The Arbiter was The First Ranger! The first Power Ranger to ever exist! That means all the Power Rangers like his sisters and friends owe The Arbiter everything. They wouldn't have existed without The Arbiter. Lincoln was speechless as he looked at The Arbiter. The old warrior only sighed and looked down in shame.

"Perhaps long ago that name would mean something to me. Now it's only a constant reminder of my loss and regret. I should have never accepted your accursed power!" The Arbiter growled in anger. "Let this power die with me! I won't let you corrupt another child with your hubris!"

The Pink Morphin Master let out a mournful sigh.

"Sadly, we cannot allow that. For you see, something very terrible is coming. A vile and overwhelming threat that not only threatens this universe but the entire multiverse."

Both Lincoln and The Arbiter were surprised and a little confused.

"What do you mean?" Lincoln asked rather nervously. "What's coming?"

The Pink Morphin Master turned to look at The Red Morphin Master, he gave a nod to his fellow Morphin Master. The Pink Morphin Master looked back at both Lincoln and The Arbiter.

"We do not know exactly. Our vast powers allow us the ability to glimpse into the future, but something is clouding our vision. We only know what we feel from The Morphing Grid, and from the tremors we've felt within The Morphing Grid. The situation is most dire. In our entire lifetime, we have yet to encounter something like this. We decided to converse with The Morphing Gird to see if it could help us. The Morphing Grid gave us only a vision. In our vision, we saw a shadowy figure standing against this overwhelming darkness. This figure revealed itself to be wearing your armor and helmet, Arbiter. The figure then took off their helmet revealing their face… and we saw you, Lincoln Loud. You are the one destined to stand against this darkness, The Morphing Grid has decided this. Which means it must be you, Lincoln Loud. You must become The First Ranger, The Arbiter."

The surprise and slight confusion of both Lincoln and The Arbiter were quickly replaced with pure shock. Lincoln started to sweat rather nervously, his legs felt weak, and he felt like throwing up. The Arbiter had a very different reaction when he snapped out of his shock.

He only felt rage.

"NO! I won't allow this! The Morphing Grid must have made a mistake!" The Arbiter yelled. "I will not let anyone else suffer this cruel fate! I will not let you destroy another person's life! I am not dead yet and I'll fight to—"

Suddenly before The Arbiter could finish, he fell to the ground with a pain-filled groan. He placed his hand over his wound to his side to feel blood seeping through the bandages Lincoln put on. Seeing The Arbiter in trouble, Lincoln ran over to check on him. The look Lincoln had was very grim as he stared at Arbiter's wounds.

"Arbiter… your injuries."

The Arbiter could only sigh as he nodded sadly. Lincoln then helped The Arbiter walk over to take a seat against the wall. Now sitting down, The Arbiter looked up at The Morphin Masters.

"Must it be Lincoln?"

The Red Morphin Master nodded confirming The Arbiter's fear.

"You said so yourself, the boy is worthy of being a Power Ranger. Before coming aware of this looming darkness that threatens us all. We kept a close eye on this boy and his family. His sisters and fellow peers have already been chosen to be Power Rangers, why not him as well? The Morphing Grid already knows his potential. Even you have seen firsthand what kind of person this boy is."

After hearing that, Lincoln seemed surprised. He didn't expect The Morphin Masters to know that his sisters and friends were Power Rangers. He also didn't expect to hear they were watching him along with his family. Sounded kind of creepy. That's when he quickly remembered who and what The Morphin Masters were. Guess it only made sense they would know all this stuff by now. Still, it was a lot to take in.

"Lincoln's worthiness is not what concerns me. I know he would make a fine Power Ranger, perhaps better than any of those that have come before him. It's the unbridled and dangerous power that would be placed on him that concerns me. All of you know the powers and strength The First Ranger possesses. Only a very few can be able to defeat such a powerful force. And that isn't all for I've gained greater powers and strength since becoming The Arbiter and connecting to The Morphing Grid itself. All of this may sound like a dream come true, but it comes with a deep price. The sheer power I gained when becoming The Arbiter almost killed me, even I do know how I survived. If such a thing could happen to me then what do you think will happen when a child tries to do it? How do you know that anyone else can survive it!"

This time The Pink Morphin Master was the one to speak.

"You forced a connection between yourself and The Morphing Grid. A few had tried to do what you did and failed with disastrous ramifications. How you survived is a mystery, even to us. Only The Grid itself knows for certain. Thankfully what we plan to do is far safer than what you did. Using our powers, we will help the transfer between yourself and the boy. His survival is assured in the visions we've seen."

The Arbiter seemed to have calmed down, he looked at The Morphin Masters before turning to look at Lincoln then looking back at The Morphin Masters.

"All of our talks are meaningless. We won't get anywhere squabbling like children. In the end, it doesn't matter what we want. All that matters is what Lincoln wants."

This certainly caught each of The Morphin Master's attention, Lincoln seemed very shocked to see everyone now looking at him.

"Wait, what?"

"No matter what we say, The Morphin Masters and I will never agree on something. I'm too weak to do anything and they won't kill me. The way things stand, we'll be here until I die. None of it matters because, in the end, it's your fate we're discussing. Lincoln Loud… what do you want?"

The pressure Lincoln felt with The Arbiter and Morphin Masters watching him closely was nerve-wracking. He officially felt out of his depth, and that's saying a lot considering all he's been through. Honestly, he wished things were the way they used to be. Back when all he had to worry about was normal stuff. Well, normal for him anyway. Now, look at him, speaking with all-powerful beings not from this world talking about the fate of not just the universe but the entire multiverse. It all sounded like a lousy comic book or cartoon.

Lincoln didn't have the faintest idea of what he wanted. He's heard The Arbiter and The Morphin Masters talk, and he's had time to think but it was difficult to follow along with everything. What he needed is more info before he decides to do anything at all.

"The darkness you keep talking about. When you say it threatens everything in the multiverse, that includes here, right?"

"Yes, this universe especially. Unlike most of the universes in the multiverse, this universe presents the most danger to darkness coming. The Power Rangers here will not simply stand by and let this evil consume their universe." The Red Morphin Master explained. "Many powerful rangers will stand up to this overwhelming evil, but sadly it will not be enough. For they need a leader and hero to rally behind, one blessed with a connection with The Morphing Grid itself. And that one is you, Lincoln Loud."

None of that seemed to put Lincoln's nerves at ease. A look of uncertainty and fear was apparent on his face. Lincoln is a good judge when someone is lying, even a little. After all, he was quite good at it himself. That's why he knew The Red Morphin Master meant every word. How was he supposed to respond to that? His universe, his world, everyone on earth is in danger. His family and friends, everyone, and everything he loves are at risk. None of it seemed real, like a bad nightmare he couldn't wake up from. He may have fantasized about being a Power Ranger, but he didn't actually think it would happen or that the fate of everyone and everything was in his hands!

"Why me?" Lincoln asked closing his eyes with an uncertain tone. "Out of everyone in the freaking multiverse, why am I the one destined to save it? There's gotta be someone else. Someone that's more deserving and actually knows what to do. I'm only a kid, not some fearless leader or a hero!"

Having raised his voice on that last part, Lincoln kept his eyes closed and felt his legs getting weak again. All of this was too much to handle. Just when Lincoln felt like falling apart, he suddenly felt a gentle hand touch his face. He quickly opened his eyes to see The Pink Morphin Master floating only a few inches away in front of him and gently grasping his cheek with her hand. Lincoln looked to see her face, it seemed more like a mask but that didn't mean she wasn't pretty. Her eyes were bright, and he could see them clearly behind her visor, she had the same look Lincoln would see on his mom. A kind and concerned look.

"Dear child, speak of what truly troubles you."

While The Pink Morphin Master tone remained the same, there was a bit of kindness and concern combined with it. Somehow hearing her and feeling her gentle touch slowly calmed down Lincoln. Just enough for Lincoln to sigh and slowly pull away from The Pink Morphin Master.

"My whole life I've never felt special, I've never fitted in. It seems like I've always been lost in the background, especially in my family. My sisters are practically superstars with their special talents and skills. The spotlight will always be on them… and not ordinary me. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate them for it. I still love them with all my heart, but it's hard not to feel a little jealous. What sucks is that I know I'll never be like them, no matter how hard I try. How can I be the only hope for the whole multiverse if I can't even step out of the shadows of all my sisters? You guys and Arbiter are wrong… I am not worthy of anything. Choose someone else, there's bound to someone else."

Lowering his head in shame, Lincoln couldn't bear to look at The Arbiter or The Morphin Masters.

"When you say someone else, you think of your friends and sisters do you not?"

Lincoln slowly looked up at The Pink Morphin Master with a sad smile.

"They were chosen for a reason, it sucked finding out they were Power Rangers. Being lied to by your friends and family, it's like being stabbed in the heart. I get why they kept it a secret. I've seen enough movies and comics to know that's what being a secret superhero is all about. Still, I wish they trusted me more. I don't why they were chosen, but I know they're doing a good job. They've been keeping Royal Woods and Great Lakes City along with everyone else safe. If you need a hero to stop this coming darkness then ask one of them. It's pretty obvious they're worthy and I'm not."

Finally saying it gave Lincoln some relief, but he'd be lying if he felt better. If anything, he felt even worse than before.

"What you say is true, your sisters and friends were chosen for a reason and are worthy of being Power Rangers. However, those reasons they will have to discover for themselves like those that had become Power Rangers before them. Sadly, they are not the ones who will stop this approaching darkness. Not alone at least. They need you. The entire multiverse and Morphing Grid need you. There is no one else."

None of this seemed to convince Lincoln as he sighed.

"That's crazy! There's got to be someone else! There is no way I am the only possible choice here. Pick one of my sisters or friends, or even pick a former Power Ranger. Maybe The Morphing Grid made a mistake and you saw the wrong vision or something."

"The Morphing Grid does not make mistakes, and it did not give us the wrong vision." The Pink Morphin Master firmly stated before her tone became solemn. "Nor was it the only vision we received."

Once again both Lincoln and The Arbiter were surprised.

"What are you talking about?" Lincoln asked with a puzzled look. "What other vision?"

The Pink Morphin Master sighed regretfully as she turned to look at her fellow masters. After receiving a nod from her leader, The Red Morphin Master. She slowly floated in front of Lincoln.

"It would be better if we showed you, for you will only doubt our words even further." The Pink Morphin Master softly explained. "But I must warn you… what you will see is not for the faint of heart."

Lincoln looked even more confused, and a little hesitant on what to do. He slowly turned to see what Arbiter thought. The wounded warrior seemed sluggish yet still wary of The Morphin Master. He only sighed and gave a slight nod to Lincoln.

That seemed to put a stop to Lincoln's hesitation, he still looked a little uncertain, but he gave The Pink Morphin Master a nod. Without another word, she slowly placed her hands carefully on Lincoln's face. Suddenly her eyes started to glow brighter, that's when Lincoln's eyes started to glow too. Lincoln had a shocked expression because of the otherworldly feeling he felt.

That's when Lincoln started to see it.

---

Royal Woods was burning and in complete ruin. The whole city looked like a scene from a freak disaster movie. Everything from the streets to the buildings was either on fire or destroyed. The sky was filled with grimdark smoke coming from the burning city below. The streets were deserted and filled with burning debris and destroyed or abandoned vehicles. In the middle of the town where the destruction seemed to be more concentrated. Lincoln saw a horrifying sight.

The aftermath of an immense battle.

Dead bodies were laid everywhere across the battlefield, what only made this more horrifying was the fact these weren't ordinary people or warriors. All of the fallen were Power Rangers, dead Power Rangers. Looking around, Lincoln was shocked and horrified to see such devastation and loss of life. Power Rangers from so many different teams were scattered around the battlefield. Some looked to even be missing limbs or busted open helmets to reveal their lifeless faces. Bodies weren't the only thing littered across the battleground, it looked like wreckage from massive machines that resembled beasts and robots laid amongst the bodies.

None of this seemed real. How could so many Power Rangers die? Lincoln recognized many of the Power Rangers here. Legendary teams like Mighty Morphin, Lost Galaxy, Ninja Storm, Jungle Fury, and Megaforce. Along with new teams like Beast Morphers and Dino Fury. Heroes and warriors have faced countless threats in the past and somehow prevailed in the end. Sadly, it seems that was no longer the case. What could have done this?

The sounds of fighting could be heard close by. Not far from the graveyard of fallen rangers, a desperate fight was taking place. That's when Lincoln saw a scene from a nightmare.

Lynn Loud in her Red Lion Ranger form and armed with her sword was barely holding off a shadowy figure armed with a shadowy sword. This figure had red soulless eyes as it attacked Lynn relentlessly. Lynn did not look in good shape, the visor on her helmet was broken showing her defiant yet tired eyes. Blood could be seen falling on the side of her face. The fight looked very one-sided, Lynn could only block or parry her opponent's attacks with her blade. Lincoln could only look on in fear and worry, suddenly he noticed something that would forever haunt his nightmares.

Bodies lay across the ground around Lynn and the shadowy figure. They weren't just Power Rangers. They were Lincoln's sisters and friends!

Bobby and Lori looked to have died close to each other, in one desperate act of love. Both died while holding each other's hands, their helmets were gone revealing their lifeless faces. Leni and Luan seemed to have been fighting side by side as their bodies were close to each other along with Ronnie Anne and Sid's bodies. Ronnie Anne's body lay over Sid's body like she tried to protect her from something before dying. Luna died while sitting down with her body hunched over, her right arm was missing leaving what was left a bloody mess. Sam died close to Luna with her head laying in Luna's lap. Both of their helmets were gone, and their weapons could be seen laying on the ground not too far. It seems Luna wanted to protect Sam in her final moments.

Clyde's dead body wasn't too far from the battle, he laid flat on his back with a staff stabbed into his chest. The top of the staff seemed to resemble a Z. His helmet was broken, showing his eyes closed and with blood dripping from his mouth. Next to him were a pair of broken glasses. The body of Stella was laying over a piece of rubble, the visor on her helmet was broken revealing her lifeless eyes. Her shield was broken into two and her sword laying close by. The Green Chameleon Ranger helmet was broken with the visor cracked open. The helmet was close by to a green gloved hand sticking out of a pile of rubble.

The fight between Lynn and her foe raged on until Lynn couldn't block a slash from her opponent's sword. Getting slashed on her chest and causing sparks to fly where Lynn got hit from. The attack caused Lynn to scream in pain, she quickly collapsed to the ground and dropped her sword in the process. Once landing on the ground, Lynn made a weak and desperate attempt to reach for her sword. This proved futile when the shadowy foe kicked Lynn's sword away from her.

"Foolish Power Ranger, not even the greatest of your kind could stop me. Look around you, your fellow rangers have fallen. Your Zords destroyed, your cities have fallen to my forces, everyone you care for will now bow before my might. And this is only the beginning, my might will be felt throughout the cosmos and the multiverse itself. You have failed, Power Ranger."

The shadowy figure spoke in a merciless and cold voice, it almost sounded robotic. The figure's face was obscured in shadow, but its eyes could be seen. You could see the evil in its red soulless eyes. It looked down at Lynn with wicked glee.

"Time and time again, you Power Rangers interfered in my plans of conquest. Even after crossing into a different universe, Power Rangers stood in my way. Now, look at what has become of you, how the mighty have fallen. I will admit, you all but a valiant effort in trying to fight. A foolish and futile effort, but a valiant effort, nevertheless. It is a pity you and the rest of your irritating kind won't be here to witness my glorious conquest. Any final words you wish to share?"

They defeated Red Lion Ranger tried to get up but couldn't find the strength to do so. She slowly took a look around and saw the devastation and loss of life. Lynn closed her eyes with tears close to falling. Her team was gone, her friends and sisters. She failed to protect them. Suddenly, whatever power Lynn had left in her Morpher finally gave out. In a quick flash of red, Lynn returned to her normal form. Her clothes were worn out with cuts and singe marks, she had numerous small injuries like cuts and bruises. Never had Lincoln seen Lynn look so defeated and vulnerable.

Still, Lynn slowly looked up at her foe with one last defiant glare.

"You… won't win. Lisa and the others have left this universe already. Escaping with everyone they can save. They look for more Power Rangers, they'll warn other universes, and they'll stop you! Enjoy your victory creep! Because it won't last long!"

The shadowy figure looked down at Lynn before it started to chuckle rather darkly.

"You poor fool, we already knew you and the rest of your pitiful kind would try to escape my wrath. My generals and their forces will have already intercepted the ones trying to escape. No doubt they are already being slaughtered under my orders."

Lynn could only look up in shock and horror. That's when she tried her best to gather up enough strength to try and lunge at her foe. Sadly, she proved to be too slow as the shadowy figure kicked her to the ground. Lynn struggled as she had her enemy's foot holding her down on the back of her neck.

"A pity you and I aren't there to see the slaughter of your family and all those innocent people. However, I'm sure you can imagine the pain and terror they are going through. I do believe it is time to end this. You fought harder than any other Power Ranger I have encountered. Which means you shall die a quick death. You have earned such small mercy. Farewell, Lynn Loud… the failure."

Slowly raising its dark blade over Lynn, the shadowy figure laughed the more Lynn struggled. While struggling to break free, Lynn stopped and saw a sight that caused her to slowly cry. The helmet belonging to her younger sister, she spotted the green gloved hand sticking out under the pile of rubble. Whatever fight Lynn had left rapidly disappeared. She closed her eyes and let out a whisper.

"I'm so sorry."

Finally, the blade looming over Lynn quickly slammed down towards the defeated Power Ranger.

---

"NO!"

Lincoln cried out in anguish, he pulled away from The Pink Morphin Master as the glow in his eyes quickly faded. Soon tears filled Lincoln's eyes, he slowly fell to the ground and started to cry. He pulled his arms closer toward his chest since he felt close to having a panic attack after what he just saw.

"Lincoln!" The Arbiter exclaimed, he slowly got up and limped over to check on the crying boy. He then looked up at The Morphin Masters before growling in anger. "What did you do to him!"

"I showed him what awaits his world and the entire multiverse. The tragic fate that befalls his family and friends, a fate awaits everyone across the multiverse." The Pink Morphin Master spoke in a rather somber tone. "An evil and overwhelming darkness that will spread across the stars and time until nothing is left. Power Rangers and other heroes will try to stop it, brave souls, that put up a valiant effort. Sadly, it will not be enough."

The Arbiter kept a critical glare on The Pink Morphin Master, he then looked down at Lincoln. It broke the old warrior's heart to see the boy in such a vulnerable and sad state. He slowly placed a comforting hand on Lincoln's shoulder, Lincoln slowly looked up at The Arbiter with a tearful expression.

"Lincoln, what did you see?"

With tears still fresh in his eyes, Lincoln looked down at the ground. Slowly he started to remember what he saw. A ruined city in flames, a graveyard filled with Power Rangers and destroyed Zords and Megazords. His sisters and friends dead with Lynn trying her best to keep fighting but seeing her fail. It all seemed so real like he stood there seeing it all unfold in front of him.

"I… I don't know what I saw. It felt like a pure nightmare, I can't describe it… so much pain and loss." Lincoln whimpered while holding his hand close to his chest. He looked up a The Pink Morphin Master with a scared look. "Is that what's really going to happen? Everything and everyone I love, gone like it never even existed?"

"What you saw is only a possible future, nothing ever truly set in stone. Now you know of the grave threat we spoke about. We cannot force you to become the next Arbiter, that is something only you and your potential predecessor can decide. I am very sorry you must be put into this position. The fate of the entire multiverse and Morphing Grid rests on your decision. If we could choose another, we would. But I am afraid there is no other. What is your decision, Lincoln Loud?"

It didn't take long for Lincoln to stop crying, but the fearful look he had remained. His eyes were filled with uncertainty. What he saw was horrible, something he never wanted to see again. The sheer destruction and loss of life were a nightmare. A nightmare that might be a possibility given what he's been told. How can such a massive decision be up to him? Would choosing to become a Power Ranger even matter? After what he saw happened to all those Power Rangers, people who have stopped galactic and world-ending threats more than once. None of them stood a chance against whatever was coming. Not even his sisters and friends stood a chance.

For a brief moment, Lincoln remembered everything he saw. His sisters and friends, their lifeless bodies and faces. The pure fear and heartbreak he felt when seeing them. Lincoln will never forget that. Nor will he forget what that monster said to Lynn in her final moments. Whatever was coming, it would stop at nothing until it conquered everything and destroy whatever or whoever stand in its way. Lincoln felt very afraid, and rightfully so. A big decision like this with everything and everyone at stake. None of it seemed real, and Lincoln wished it wasn't real. What kind of person would he be if he said no? What kind of brother, son, and friend would he be? Could he just do nothing about it?

"I'm not a hero… and I still don't think I'm worthy of anything. People like my sister Lynn are real heroes and leaders. Probably comes naturally to them. I'm just a geeky kid from a really big family." Lincoln stated bitterly while slowly getting up. He then wiped away his stray tears before looking up at The Morphin Masters. "I still think you all are making a mistake for choosing me. But I don't want that future to happen. Not when I can probably stop it."

Closing his eyes briefly, Lincoln took a deep breath before opening up again. While he still had an uncertain look in his eyes, there was something else there too. The Morphin Masters saw it, The Arbiter saw it too. Amid all that uncertainty and fear, they saw that overwhelming need to protect. Long ago, The Arbiter had that same look in his eyes.

"I'll do it, not because I want to or because I think I'm some destined savior. I won't just stand by and let everyone I love die." Lincoln spoke sincerely, he looked over at The Arbiter. "But before I agree to anything, what do you want to do?"

The Arbiter looked pretty caught off guard by this unexpected question.

"It's pretty obvious you don't like any of this, you don't want to give that power and Morpher to anyone. You want to die… and I don't want that to happen. I only know what you've told me. What you did is horrible, there's no other way to say it. But that doesn't mean you deserve to die. I understand what you lost because I saw the same thing happen to me. My family, my sisters, my friends, and my home. All of it is going to be gone because of what's coming. I don't want that to happen, which means I have to do this. But I won't go through with it if that's what you want. If you want to sit here and die, I'll sit here with you and wait. I promise I'll try and give you a proper burial and bury your Morpher with you. Not a lot of people hike up here and I don't see Clyde and me hanging out here anymore. I'll find another way to stop what's coming. If this is what you want… I won't stop you."

If only Lincoln could see the shocked expression The Arbiter had. It took a moment for The Arbiter to take in what Lincoln said. There were no words to describe what he was feeling at this moment.

"You would truly do that?" The Arbiter asked softly. "You would let me die, and you would honor my wishes? Why would you do such a thing?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to stand by and do nothing. I'll do whatever it takes to stop it from happening. I'll try to warn everyone. They probably won't believe me, even I think it sounds crazy. The only thing I can do is try my best. I'm not going to ask you for help or even beg for it. From what I've already heard, you deserve to rest. You've done enough fighting. What's coming isn't your fight. I know deep down you're a good person, you might have lost your way, but I like to think that a good person is still in there. Like I said, I don't want you to die. But I'm not going to stand in your way if that's what you want. I just hope you don't mind if I sit here with you until the end… if that's okay with you?"

For the longest time, The Arbiter just stood there looking down at Lincoln. It was hard to believe he would meet such a strange yet worthwhile boy in a place like this. In a cave, far from home and dying. Ever since he had chosen this path and became The Arbiter, all he wanted to do is see his family again and rest. Did he deserve such a fate after all the atrocities he's done? The Arbiter did not know for certain. What he did know for certain is that this boy standing before him is truly special. A brave and curious boy with a kind heart and a helpful attitude. A boy that truly cared for his family, friends, and his home. Even in the face of an unknown evil threatening everything he holds dear, this boy stands ready to stop it with no powers, no Morpher or power coin. The Arbiter could see in Lincoln's eyes that he meant every word he just said.

Finally, The Arbiter sighed deeply before looking down at Lincoln.

"I never once thought about what my fate would be as The Arbiter. Truthfully, I only wished to die and get the chance to reunite with my family. When Power Rangers from different universes joined forces to end my life, I felt relief during the end of the battle. I expected to die in battle and pay for what I've done, but it seems The Morphing Grid had other plans. Never once did I think I would end up meeting a person like yourself, Lincoln. Having spent countless years traveling the multiverse, I can say for certain you truly are a good and caring individual. Seeing you here and now, getting ready to face the unknown. It brings back memories of another life before I became the one you see before you. I want more than anything to see my family one more time, but what would they see in my place? I failed to be a husband and father, I failed to be a hero. When I lost everything I became the very thing I once swore to stop. I became the darkness and I've taken many lives, ripped away loved ones from people, and ruined their lives. I see now that I am no longer worthy of being the man I once was."

The Arbiter placed a gentle hand on Lincoln's shoulder.

"I wish I could see through your eyes. To be able to see the good in a miserable being like me. To see something worth saving, I see now that all this time I've been the one that is unworthy. I still don't know why The Morphing Grid let me live and gave me this power, I foolishly thought it was to punish those unworthy of being Power Rangers. Now, I think I know why I lived. I think it's because I was meant to meet you, Lincoln. Out of all universes in the whole multiverse, I was brought here to this very place. And I met you, out of everyone in this world I met the one person I've come to deem worthy. Not only of being a Power Ranger but as a caring and compassionate individual. An individual… I'll let inherit my power and Morpher."

A rightfully shocked expression spread across Lincoln's face.

"What! Do you mean that?" Lincoln asked still in shock. "Hold up, why would you do that? I thought that'd be the last thing you would want."

"It is, I would love nothing better to than let this power die with me. Because this power comes with a heavy price. You'll be different than other Power Rangers, not only will you inherit my Morpher and power, but you'll also inherit the terrible and bloody reputation I've earned. That means you'll have Power Rangers from different universes targeting you. I doubt The Chrono Ranger and the others I've hurt will simply give up until they see my dead body. My enemies will become your enemies. Aside from that, there is no telling what my Morpher and power will do to you. Your age and body will most likely play an important factor in what happens. Whether it's for the fatal or not, you will no longer be the same as you are now. The risks are very dire, I am ashamed to leave you in such a perilous situation. Although it seems you are willing to take such risks given what you've said. If I could, I'd stay and face this coming darkness myself. That way you wouldn't be in this mess. Unfortunately, my fate is sealed… the only thing I can do now is to make sure this accursed power can help you. In the wrong hands, this power could cause unimaginable death and destruction across time and the multiverse."

Slowly pulling his hand away from Lincoln, The Arbiter gave his open hand a sad look.

"The amount of blood on my hands cannot be described with simple words. If someone such as I can fall this far from their path and cause so much pain and death. Imagine what a truly despicable individual can accomplish with such power. Thankfully, I see someone standing before me that is worthy of inheriting my Morpher and power. From what I've seen so far, I believe this great power will be in good hands. It will not be easy, but I know you'll do well. I know doing this will not make up for what I've. Not even a little bit. But If I can die knowing that I've given you at least a chance to stop the evil that is coming, then maybe that man I used to be isn't too far gone."

Closing his hand into a fist, The Arbiter looked up at The Morphin Masters.

"I may not trust you, nor do I think it is right to put a child through all this. Yet I trust Lincoln if what he saw is true. He and everyone in the multiverse will need every advantage they can get." The Arbiter affirmed truthfully in a hardened tone. "How will this transfer work? You spoke of Lincoln's assured survival. Can you please go into further detail?"

The Pink Morphin Master gave a slight nod.

"The entire process is simple and perfectly safe. Using our knowledge and powers given to us by The Morphing Grid we will transfer everything from you to Lincoln. I am afraid because of how long you've been morphed, simply de-morphing and handing Lincoln your power coin and Morpher will not work. The process will begin when my brethren and I circle you and Lincoln. It should go smoothly for both of you, but I am afraid what happens afterwards is unavoidable. You know of what we speak of."

A small sigh came from The Arbiter while Lincoln turned to give him a very sad frown. They both knew what The Morphin Masters was talking about. By the time this is over, The Arbiter will die.

"Will… will it hurt?" Lincoln asked rather softly. He looked up at The Morphin Masters still frowning. "I'll still do it but if it's going to be painful for Arbiter…"

"There will be no pain, we can assure that. When The Arbiter sheds his corporeal form from this existence it will be in peace." The Red Morphin Master declared in a powerful tone. "In light of your service as The First Ranger, we will make sure your passing is painless and peaceful."

It seems this is exactly what Lincoln wanted to hear because his frown turned into a small and sad smile. Although The Arbiter will not be in pain when he dies, it was a small comfort. Lincoln wished The Arbiter didn't have to die at all. The Arbiter himself looked down at the ground looking to be in deep thought before speaking.

"It's more than I deserve… considering what I've done."

In The Arbiter's mind, nothing could make up for what he's done. Ever since beginning his misguided mission. The Arbiter has committed so many horrendous deeds. From killing those he considered unworthy to ruining the lives of those affected by his mission. None of it felt right to The Arbiter. How could his passing be peaceful without pain while he's taken the lives of so many who never got that chance?

Before The Arbiter could think more on the matter, he unexpectedly felt a hand gently touch his arm. Taking a look, The Arbiter saw Lincoln giving him a comforting hand while smiling sadly. Seeing Lincoln's smile slowly brought The Arbiter out of his sulky mood. He looked down at the boy who seems to have changed his life for the better.

"Are you ready?"

The smile Lincoln had quickly become a rather nervous one. A brief look of hesitation gleamed in his eyes. He felt a little shaky and a little sweaty. It looked pretty obvious he was having second thoughts.

"Uh, would you believe me if I said yeah?"

Giving out a small chuckle, The Arbiter shook his head slightly.

"It's normal to be hesitant, I felt the same way when I became The First Ranger." The Arbiter reassured with a sincere tone. "You must gather your courage and persevere through that hesitation. It will not be easy, even more so when you become The Arbiter. But I know that you'll be just fine. You have more courage and resolve than most your age. If you ever feel lost or hesitant, let your heart guide you"

A little bit of uncertainty lingered within Lincoln. However, that slowly changed after letting The Arbiter's words sink in. Taking a well-deserved deep breath, Lincoln gathered up all his courage and resolve to look up at The Arbiter.

"I'm ready."

The Arbiter gave a slight nod, he turned to look up at The Morphin Masters.

"I can't help but feel the irony of what I am about to do. I once confronted a variation of the wizard named Zordon. Before I killed him, I chastised him for his hubris in giving children the power of gods and expecting no consequences. That absolute power corrupts absolutely. Now here I am about to do the same. The Morphing Grid seems to have an odd sense of humor if it planned for all this to happen. Nevertheless, we are ready to begin."

Each of The Morphin Masters nodded, all except for one. The Pink Morphin Master kept a constant look on Lincoln before she turned to look at The Red Morphin Master. He looked at his fellow master with a steady stare before he sighed slightly and nodded. That's when The Pink Morphin turned back to Lincoln.

"Lincoln, before we are to begin. You must know something very important."

This quickly got both Lincoln and The Arbiter's attention.

"While we can assure your survival during the exchange of power with The Arbiter and leading up to the inevitable battle against the coming darkness. What happens afterwards is completely unknown to us. We were only able to see visions of these possible outcomes because of The Morphing Grid. In time we hope our sight of the future will become clearer. Until then you must tread carefully. Not only that but we must also warn you this power comes with a price. Your current body slowly makes changes to become accustomed to the great power you shall hold. We know little of what these changes will be and when they'll happen. Which means you must prepare yourself for these changes. Knowing all of this, do you still wish to proceed?"

By the time The Pink Morphin Master had finished, Lincoln's look of uncertainty reappeared. Pretty annoying and weird they bring all this up now. At least they brought it up, better than finding out later when he least expects it. Lincoln liked knowing he'll live through this crazy transfer of power and everything leading up to this big battle against this great evil he needs to stop. What he didn't like was everything else. Not knowing if he'll be alive after this great battle scared him a little. The talks of changes to his body were less scary but a bit of a bummer.

'Great, and I thought puberty was all I needed to worry about. I can only hope these changes aren't bad or noticeable. On second thought, I might be too busy to care considering I gotta be this great hero and leader to stop this great evil. Now that I'm thinking about that there's one more thing I need to know.'

"Um… before we start can I ask you guys something?" Lincoln asked looking at The Morphin Masters with a slightly confused look. "You said I'm supposed to be this great hero and become a leader of this big army. How am I going to do that exactly? Am I just supposed to go around trying to gather more Power Rangers? Do I tell them what's coming? What if they don't believe me and won't follow me?"

Asking some very good questions, each of The Morphin Masters took a moment to look at one another. Eventually, The Red Morphin Master spoke up.

"What you do is your choice, Lincoln Loud. The Morphing Grid has placed great trust in you, which means you have our trust in you also. Whatever you do or plan, everything will be as The Morphing Grid wills it."

Given his very bewildered look, Lincoln knew it was safe to say none of that answered any of his questions.

'Okay, none of that was helpful and very cryptic. Pretty sure that's the best I'm going to get from these guys… better get this started before I back out.'

Shaking off his bewildered look, Lincoln now had a somewhat prepared expression with a little bit of uncertainty in his eyes that were quickly replaced by pure resolve.

"Let's do this."

Seeing that both Lincoln and The Arbiter were ready. The Morphin Masters gave each other a collective nod, they then looked down at Lincoln and The Arbiter.

"Step forward, then stand in front of each and we will begin the transfer."

Both Lincoln and The Arbiter did as they told. Now they both stood in front of each other with Lincoln looking up at The Arbiter and The Arbiter looking down at Lincoln. Seeing both Lincoln and The Arbiter were in place, The Morphin Masters slowly floated around both Lincoln and The Arbiter before coming to a stop and forming into a circle with Lincoln and The Arbiter in the middle. Their eyes began to glow even brighter as they raised their staffs in the air. Suddenly the tops of their staff began to glow, the color of which matched each of their respective colors. That's when colored energy beams shot from their staffs and collided in the middle above Lincoln and The Arbiter. Slowly a large ray of pure light enveloped both Lincoln and The Arbiter. Lincoln looked around him in awe while The Arbiter took a small look around, next something unexpected happened. Lincoln's eyes quickly glowed, and The Arbiter's visor glowed a bright blue. Electric blue energy started to form around both of them.

That's all they saw before they were met with darkness.

---

The Morphing Grid

Lincoln slowly opened his eyes, and he was met with bright light. Shielding his eyes and squinting them a little. Lincoln's eyes quickly became adjusted to the light. Taking a good look around, Lincoln was shocked by what he saw. No longer was he in the cave, now it looked like he was someplace otherworldly. It was hard for him to describe where he was. All he saw what white space. Like staring at a blank page of a book, it only got weirder since he could feel himself on solid ground.

"If you're wondering, you aren't going crazy."

Suddenly he heard a familiar voice coming from behind him. Lincoln quickly turned around to see The Arbiter standing there. But he didn't look the same. His armor and helmet were no longer black or burnt, now his armor and helmet were red with a little bit of gold and silver. His visor was no longer blue or broken but black and completely fixed. For Lincoln, The Arbiter almost looked like The Red Mighty Morphin Ranger but with a knightly look.

"Um, Arbiter?" Lincoln asked rather unsure. "Is that you? Why do you look like that? And where the heck are we?"

"If I am not mistaken, I think we are in The Morphing Grid or at least how we can perceive it. I feel the energy of it flowing all around us." The Arbiter explained taking a look around. "To answer your other question, this is what I used to look like before becoming The Arbiter."

None of that was what Lincoln expected to hear. His shock only grew while his eyes were filled with awe. This was The Morphing Grid? Lincoln thought The Morphing Grid was simply an unknown force that spreads across time and space. At least that's how The Morphin Masters explained it. He had no idea it was also a place. Lincoln took a good look at The Arbiter with an astonished look in his eyes. The Arbiter had a completely different look and feel than how Lincoln first met him. No longer emitting a fearful or dangerous aura, The Arbiter gave a gallant and comforting warm feeling.

Like a real hero.

"Surprised by my appearance aren't you?"

Quickly snapping out of his thoughts, Lincoln awkwardly chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

"A little bit, I gotta say you look a lot better than in the cave. I had no idea you used to look so much like The Red Mighty Morphin Ranger. I guess it makes sense since you're like the prototype of the Power Rangers."

A small chuckle came from The Arbiter.

"Yes, I think I looked this way to bring small comfort to those I saved and protected. My enemies came to fear my appearance and people rejoiced upon seeing me. Sadly, that was a long time ago."

From out of nowhere, both Lincoln and The Arbiter were blinded by a bright light appearing close to them. Both Lincoln and The Arbiter shielded their eyes, once the light died down. They looked and saw a large swirling portal in front of them. Lincoln and The Arbiter seemed confused by the portal, what happened next neither of them expected. Two silhouettes could be seen from inside the portal, one resembling a woman and the other a small child. A soft and comforting voice could be heard coming from the portal.

"My love…"

The Arbiter suddenly stood frozen in shock. He instantly recognized that voice, it had been years since he last heard it, but he knew it very well. It haunted his dreams ever since he could remember. Slowly reaching his hand out and speaking in a shocked and trembling voice.

"Is that you… my love?"

The silhouette of the woman slowly reached her hand out towards The Arbiter. Upon seeing this, The Arbiter abruptly fell to his knees while looking at the portal. Lincoln rushed over to The Arbiter's side to see if he was okay. After checking on The Arbiter and seeing he wasn't hurt in any way. Lincoln looked at the portal with a puzzled expression.

"Who is that?"

Not taking his attention off the portal and the two silhouettes, The Arbiter slowly got up.

"I think that's my wife and child…" The Arbiter answered with a slight tremble in his voice. "I don't how but I know that voice anywhere..."

Whatever confusion Lincoln had quickly turned into shock as he stared at the portal. How could this be possible? From what Lincoln had learned The Arbiter's family was dead. If that's true then how were they here? All of sudden, Lincoln remembered something The Morphin Masters said about The Arbiter. They said his passing would be peaceful and painless. Maybe this was it?

"You should go to them."

The Arbiter looked over at Lincoln in shock. Lincoln had a sad smile on his face when looking at The Arbiter.

"Isn't this what you wanted? To be with your family again? Go to them…"

He took one more look at the portal and then back at Lincoln. The Arbiter took an uneasy step towards the portal. Before venturing any further, he turned around to look at Lincoln.

"Do I truly deserve it? After everything I have done… why do I deserve this chance?"

Lincoln looked speechless. He didn't know what to say. How could he? None of this made sense. Lincoln felt truly out of his depth. Still, he would do his best to give The Arbiter an honest answer.

"I don't know…maybe you do or maybe you don't. I can't answer that. What I do know is that there is your family, the family you lost. Right there in front of you. If I had lost my family and they appeared right in front of me. Nothing would stop me from running to them and hugging them with all my heart. I can't understand what you're feeling, I don't think I ever will. Not after everything you've been through. What I do understand is that you regret what you did and that's okay, even if it took this long. Does it make what you did right? I don't think it does. But tell me what good will it do to deny this? The only one you're hurting is yourself and it won't make up for what you've done. Nothing is going to change that… you have to let it go."

All that could be heard now is a calm silence. Lincoln gave The Arbiter a sorrowful yet hopeful smile. A few stray tears could be seen falling from his eyes. The Arbiter kept looking at Lincoln before taking an aching glance towards the portal where his wife and child awaited him. Pulling his hand up slowly to his face, The Arbiter sighed and closed it into a gentle fist. He knew what he wanted to do now. But he still needed to do one last thing, something very important. The Arbiter steadily walked over to Lincoln, now both stood in front of each other. With The Arbiter looking down at Lincoln and Lincoln looking up at The Arbiter with tears in his eyes.

Would have thought this would show they'd part ways?

"It's strange… we've only just met today but it feels like I'm saying goodbye to a dear friend." The Arbiter mused thoughtfully. "I hope you won't mind if I call you my friend, Lincoln."

A little chuckle came from Lincoln while he wiped away his tears. Afterwards, Lincoln smiled and presented his hand to The Arbiter.

"I would be honored to be your friend."

Taking a look at Lincoln, The Arbiter chuckled softly before accepting Lincoln's hand and shaking it. Once they stopped, both looked back at each other. That's when The Arbiter noticed something was bothering Lincoln, he could see it in his eyes. Like before, Lincoln had uncertainty in his eyes.

"You remain doubtful, don't you Lincoln?"

Not even having a surprised look, Lincoln could only sigh while nodding.

"Nothing gets past you guys. Yeah, I still don't know if I can do all this." Lincoln admitted with a frown. "Don't get me wrong, being a Power Ranger sounds cool and I was a little jealous of my sisters and friends being ones. To be honest, I can't help but think I'm not cut out for this. Being a hero or a leader."

Thoughts of all of Lincoln's past failures and screwups entered his mind. He's always called himself the man with the plan, always trying to come up on top or do the right thing. Most of the time that never turned out too good for him. Like with bad luck incident or the sister fight protocol or even when he knowingly hurt his sisters by posting videos of their most embarrassing moments. Times where he hurt his family or friends intentionally or otherwise. There have been plenty of times where he's screwed up trying to do the right thing only for it to blow up in his face. He never felt special or talented.

"I'm not like my sisters or friends who are already Power Rangers. They each have their own talents and skills that make them special." Lincoln confessed with a deep frown. "All I got going for me is I'm a decent magician and I screw things up. I try my best, but I'll always mess up. How am I supposed to be a hero or a leader? How am I supposed to save everyone I love and everything I love?"

For the first time since Lincoln could remember, he had no plan. How could he for something like this? He saw what was coming, he saw everyone, and everything destroyed. His family, his friends, and their home. All of it was gone by an overwhelming evil that defeated the Power Rangers like they were nothing. How could he stop that? Lincoln looked up at The Arbiter with a pleading look and hoped to get an answer.

Finally, The Arbiter did something. He got down on one knee getting get close to Lincoln's level, but Lincoln still had to look up a little at The Arbiter. He then gently placed a hand on Lincoln's shoulder and looked him right in the eye.

"I'm sorry to say I can't give you a straight answer. When I first started out being The First Ranger I had no plans on what to do. The Morphin Masters gave me none and only gave me cryptic advice like they did to you. Nothing can prepare you for this kind of life. All I can say is that you can only do what you think is right and follow your heart and trust in yourself. You'll stumble along the way like those that came before you, I know I made plenty of mistakes during my time. Do your best because that is all you can do. If you make a mistake then learn from it and do it again. Those doubtful thoughts will always resurface, and you'll sometimes second guess yourself as I did. But from what I've seen and learned from you, you'll be just fine. It won't be easy, but I know that you're strong and caring enough to become even better than me."

The Arbiter could see Lincoln needed a little more convincing. That's when he decided to give the young boy some wisdom that helped him in the past.

"Lincoln, know that you are never truly alone. Becoming The First Ranger was a lot of responsibility and often overwhelmed me. At times I came home tired and injured more times than I could count. Thankfully, I had my wife and child. My wife would do her best to heal me and was there for me to confide in during my darkest times. My child did their best to cheer me up and would always spend time with me whenever I am at home. Sometimes I talked to my close friends or mentors in my village which greatly helped. On occasion, they would even help me once or twice in battle. What I'm trying to say is that you might feel alone with the weight of the world itself pressing down on you. But remember that you are not alone and remind yourself of what you're fighting for. My wife, my child, and my people were there for me and were the reason I kept fighting. No matter how much I got hurt or made a mistake, I never gave up because of them. I see the same raging fire I once had in you. Most important of all I see the same level of love for your family, your friends, your people, and your home I once had. Which means you will stop at nothing to protect them."

The words The Arbiter was saying to him affected Lincoln greatly. Soon thoughts of his family and friends entered his mind. The good and bad times he had with his family, no matter how bad things got. Lincoln knew things would get better and they did. Feeling the love and support of his parents, despite the chaotic and stressful antics his sisters would cause, Lincoln could say for certain that his love for them would never go away. His friends were an odd bunch, and they would also have their moments where their friendships were tested. In the end, Lincoln would always value their friendships and love them like family. Nothing will ever change that.

Feeling the pressure and hesitation slowly fade away, Lincoln smiled and nodded to The Arbiter.

"Thanks, I know I got a long way to go before I become a hero or a leader. But it helps knowing I'm not alone in this. It's not going to be easy sharing what I know and that I'm some destined savior. That doesn't mean I'll ever give up."

The Arbiter smiled under his helmet and gave Lincoln a respectful nod. Starting to get up and pulling off his hand from Lincoln's shoulder, The Arbiter looked ready to part ways with Lincoln. That is until The Arbiter spoke once more.

"Lincoln, before we part ways will you promise me something?"

Looking a little surprised before smiling, Lincoln nodded. The Arbiter took a glance at the portal again and then back at Lincoln.

"Promise me that you won't make the same mistakes I did. I failed to protect my family, my people, and my home. Resulting in me traveling down a very dark path that I will forever regret. Protect everyone and everything you hold dear to your heart and forever cherish them. Always keep true to yourself, even in your darkest moments where there is no hope in sight. Remember who you are and why you fight. Promise me, Lincoln. Promise that you'll never let the ones you love go or take them for granted. Promise that you always stay true to who you are. A bright boy with a courageous spirit and a loving heart. Make this promise…"

Briefly Lincoln could hear the sheer desperation in The Arbiter's voice. This meant a lot to him. Lincoln could understand why after everything The Arbiter had been through. It should have been easy enough to say he promised, but Lincoln felt a slight bit of hesitation. Could he make such a promise? There's no telling what he would do in such a worst-case scenario like that. Would he be able to keep such a promise? For the longest time, Lincoln stood there in deep thought with The Arbiter's looking at him rather intensely awaiting his answer. Finally, Lincoln began to speak.

"I promise."

A determined and sincere expression could be seen on Lincoln's face. The visor from The Arbiter's helmet reflects Lincoln's face at him. After a few intense moments, The Arbiter's posture relaxed, and he released a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad to hear that." The Arbiter acknowledged with a soft tone. "You are a good boy, Lincoln. In time I know you'll prove to be a better Power Ranger. Remember my words and always stay true to yourself."

Lincoln's expression softened and slowly turned into a sad smile.

"I will… and no matter what you or anyone else may say, you're a good man." Lincoln declared while still smiling sadly. "Now go and be with your family. Leave the rest to me."

An odd and overwhelming feeling overcame The Arbiter. With a sense of pride and sadness, he still felt regret deep in his heart from his past misdeeds. Yet that regret slowly became overwhelmed by this warm feeling. Before today, all The Arbiter had to look forward to was welcoming death with regret and shame. To die alone in some cave, far away from home and everything he loved. Now, here he was standing before the boy that drastically changed his life and was so close to reuniting with his family. All of a sudden, something very odd happened. The Arbiter felt something wet fall down his face. That was when he came to the shocking realization that he was crying. The last time The Arbiter remembered showing such emotion was when he lost everything. Smiling sadly underneath his helmet, The Arbiter looked down at Lincoln.

"Such an odd thing to happen to me. To have my life changed for the better just when it is about to come to an end. Truly I am grateful to have met you, Lincoln Loud. I wish there was a proper way to show my thanks, but I suppose inheriting my power and power coin will have to do. I'm afraid this where we part ways… my friend."

Suddenly, before The Arbiter could say anymore or leave. Lincoln abruptly ran to him and gave him an unexpected hug. The Arbiter looked down in shock to see Lincoln crying and hugging him tightly. Eventually, The Arbiter's shock turned into a bittersweet feeling. With a melancholy smile, the old warrior chuckled slightly while returning Lincoln's hug. Both stood there hugging until it was finally time. Lincoln slowly pulled away with tears still fresh in his eyes with a very somber expression.

"I'm grateful I met you too." Lincoln affirmed with a nod. "Goodbye, my friend."

The Arbiter nodded back, he slowly turned around and could still see the mysterious portal. His family waiting for him on the other side. Gathering enough courage, The Arbiter took a step forward and then took another. Finding himself getting closer and closer to the portal, brief flashes of his past came to The Arbiter. Being chosen to be The First Ranger, saving lives and defeating countless monsters. Returning home to his loving family, eating dinner with them, and tucking his child to bed.

Along with the good memories came the bad. Seeing his village and home in ruins with large Zords and spacecrafts fighting above him as he desperately searched for survivors and his family. Looking over the land he once considered home now an open battlefield, taking a look down and seeing a burning stuff toy. Picking up the toy and holding it close to his heart, on that day The First Ranger died, and The Arbiter was born from pain, loss, and anger. The Arbiter used that anger and loss to justify his crusade which resulted in so much death. In the end, another powerful ranger rose to stop him. The Chrono Ranger, The Power Rangers from Earth 2-18, and countless others he's hurt. They did what they set out to do, they killed The Arbiter.

Finally reaching the portal, The Arbiter looked into it. With bated breath, he closed his eyes and walked through the portal. When he opened his eyes, he was left speechless by what he saw. No longer in a white void, The Arbiter stood on a grassy field with clouds and the sun shining brightly overhead. The warm and slight windy air hit him. Looking around he saw nothing but more grassy fields and the sky in the distance, that is until he found saw a grassy hill with a large and strong tree at the top. That wasn't the only thing he saw on top of the hill. Underneath the tree were two figures waving at him, a figure that belonged to a woman and another figure that belonged to a small child. The Arbiter's heart swelled with overwhelming joy, that's when he slowly walked over to the hill. Along the way, he slowly took off his helmet for the first time in a very long time. With tears in his eyes, The Arbiter walked towards his family. At that moment, when his helmet dropped to the ground. The Arbiter was no more. In his place was a man that had walked out of darkness and found freedom, all thanks to a young boy that will change everything.

Lincoln finally saw the portal close, leaving him alone in the void. An overwhelming silence overcame Lincoln, and that wasn't the only thing. Lincoln hated this. Although only meeting him today, Lincoln considered The Arbiter a friend. Meeting him had changed Lincoln, and from the looks of it, he changed The Arbiter for the better. And that Lincoln could be grateful for. A man that had lost everything was now reunited with his lost loved ones. Thinking that and after seeing The Arbiter enter through that portal with his family waiting for him brought a smile to Lincoln.

"I'm sorry you had to go… but I'm glad you're finally home."

Suddenly, blue familiar energy started to surge around Lincoln. He gasped a little in surprise because he could feel the energy surrounding him, the sheer energy caused goosebumps and his hair to stand on end. That's when the craziest thing happened. Like something from a sci-fi movie, a small coin started to materialize in front of his eyes. When it finally took form, Lincoln instinctively grabbed it. Taking a look at the coin in his hand, he could see it was withered and had taken a beating, but he could still see something engraved on it. Finally, Lincoln was able to make out what the animal was. It resembled a tyrannosaurus rex.

"Is this… a power coin?"

Before Lincoln could do or say anything else, his eyes began to glow a bright blue. That's when the surging blue energy completely enveloped Lincoln, and he only saw darkness once again.

---

Opening his eyes and suddenly gasping for air, Lincoln found himself standing in the middle of the cave completely alone. After taking a few moments to get his bearings. Lincoln looked very confused since he didn't see any of The Morphin Masters in sight. He also felt out of breath, like he had run a mile or got into an impromptu wrestling match with Lynn. Only he wasn't hurt or sore in any way. Suddenly, Lincoln felt something in the palm of his right hand. Pulling his hand up to take a look, Lincoln's eyes widened in shock by what was in his hand. It was a power coin, the same power coin he saw in The Morphing Grid. Slowly Lincoln came to realize just what this power coin is. It had to be The Arbiter's power coin! It may have looked withered, but Lincoln had a feeling this had to belong to The Arbiter. Well, it would seem it belongs to him now.

"Heh, good to know I didn't just imagine of that. I wouldn't want to end up seeing a therapist like Clyde or his dads." Lincoln sighed in relief until he had a troubled look. "Kind of wish I did imagine all that if I'm being honest. I got no clue what I'm going to do."

A small bit of doubt began to take form in the back of Lincoln's mind. But before it could grow, Lincoln remembered The Arbiter's words. All he could is do what he felt is right and do his best, not only that but he wasn't alone. His sisters and friends were Power Rangers too, and there are more Power Rangers. A lot of people he could ask for help. How he would get in contact and convince those people to help was another thing entirely. Lincoln could go to his sisters and his friends, but then he would have to explain how he knew they were Power Rangers and how he became one too. And that was a long and awkward conversation Lincoln dreaded to have. While thinking all of this, Lincoln came to a startling realization.

"Wait... how the heck do I even morph!"

It seems The Arbiter and The Morphin Masters had neglected to tell him how exactly he would morph or give him a Morpher. You know, the first thing you need to be a freaking Power Ranger! Lincoln huffed and looked down at the power coin in his hand, it wasn't pretty, but he was very fascinated by it. The engraving and craftsmanship were remarkable. Whoever created this should be proud since this power coin had been through so much. It almost reminded Lincoln of The Arbiter himself. A pang of sadness hit him once he thought about The Arbiter. He may have been a killer and done terrible things, but Lincoln knew he was a good man. Which means he deserved a proper burial. Looking around, Lincoln did not see a dead body or anything relating to The Arbiter. Not even the blue blood he had been dripping throughout the cave could be seen. A small part of Lincoln was happy there was no dead body, the last thing he wanted was to be traumatized and carry a dead body that he doubt he could even lift. Still, that wouldn't stop Lincoln from honoring his fallen friend.

'First I'll clean this place up a little and then go outside and make something for The Arbiter… it's the least I can do.'

With that set in his mind, Lincoln did just that. It didn't take long for him to clean up since The Arbiter's blood had disappeared and there wasn't much to clean up. He stopped briefly to get the one thing he came here in the first place, Bun-Bun. The little stuff rabbit was now safely back to its owner. Afterwards, Lincoln went outside to see it was now getting late. Which meant curfew was very close. Still, Lincoln needed to do this.

For The Arbiter.

Not having a lot to work with and not knowing much about burials or funerals. Lincoln adapted and did the best he could. Finding a pocketknife in the cave hideout for emergencies, Lincoln decided to make a small memorial for The Arbiter. Not having a lot of options, Lincoln went to where The Arbiter first arrived. The pond wasn't that big or remarkable, but it would be good enough. Spotting an old but strong oak tree close to the pond, Lincoln went and etched some words for The Arbiter. Once he was finished, he backed up to take look at what he etched on the tree. It came out pretty crude and since Lincoln wasn't a woodcarver or anything. Still, it looked readable and that was good enough. The words etched on the tree read "Here Lies The Final Resting Place of The Arbiter, The First Ranger, a hero, a husband, a father, a friend and a good man". Lincoln placed a hand on the bark of the tree and smiled sadly.

"Sorry I didn't come up with something better, I'm not much of a poet. My sister Lucy has that talent in spades. Still, I hope you don't mind this place. Not that many people come by here and it's peaceful, and hopefully, this tree will be here for a long time. I'll do my best to keep my promise, and to be a better Power Ranger."

All Lincoln could hear is the soft wind blowing and sounds of the forest. A little part of him felt silly for doing this, but it felt right. Losing a friend was never easy. Even if you weren't friends for very long, none of it matters when it comes to friendships and bonds. Today Lincoln lost a friend, a man that lost his way but somehow managed to find it again. At least, at the end anyways.

"I'm sorry you had to die… but at least you're with your family now."

Again, Lincoln heard nothing but the sounds of the forest and wind. Pulling his hand off the tree, Lincoln slowly walked away from the tree and headed towards his bike. Soon he picked up his bike and had his helmet on, Lincoln decided to try and stuff Bun-Bun in one of his pockets but could only stuff the toy animal far enough so it wouldn't fall out during the ride. It almost made him regret taking off the small basket one of his sisters placed when the bike was theirs. With no other options, Lincoln decided this will have to do.

Taking a look up to see it was getting late, Lincoln knew he would have to book it back home if he didn't want to break curfew. The last thing he needed tonight was for him to get in trouble and join his sisters in their punishment. After getting on his bike, Lincoln took one last glance at the memorial tree of The Arbiter. He still wished he could have given his friend a proper resting place. Something deserving of a true hero. However, Lincoln couldn't help but think The Arbiter would have had a problem with that in light of his time after falling from grace. Regardless of what The Arbiter would have thought. Lincoln made a promise to himself to someday come back here and do something better for The Arbiter.

"I promise I'll stop by whenever I can. Take care, big guy."

Saying all he needed, Lincoln smiled sadly once more before taking off on his bike. Eventually, the sounds of Lincoln's bike leaving slowly faded away, the sounds of the light breeze and forest were all that remained. Until a slight humming could be heard. Which seemed to be emanating from high above the trees. Soon something strange could be seen. A small hovering drone that had a little camera attached to it.

It seems Lincoln wasn't alone as he thought.

---

The Loud House

In a familiar room that had the lights completely off, where the only source of light came from a laptop placed on top of a desk. Footage of some kind could be seen playing on the laptop. From the looks of it, it was footage from the drone that had been spying on Lincoln. Suddenly the lights turned out to reveal Lisa standing by the light switch by the door. A troubled expression could be seen on her face as she let out a small sigh. That's when she walked over to her desk where the laptop was at. Hopping on top of her stool, Lisa went and turned off the laptop.

"It seems everything is going just like The Morphin Masters predicted," Lisa stated sadly while pushing her glasses up slightly and closing her eyes. "How unfortunate, I hoped that they were wrong."

Lisa had a rather somber look when she opened her eyes. Her thoughts were that of her brother. Just like the rest of their family, Lisa and Lincoln's relationship was rather odd. Lisa considered him and the rest of their family not very intelligent. Which often bothered her on occasion. At times Lincoln would get disgusted, annoyed, or even a little terrified by Lisa and her experiments. Nonetheless, that didn't mean they didn't love each other. Lincoln would always be there for whatever Lisa needed. The only exception is being a test subject for her experiments. She has come to rely on him and loves it when Lincoln makes her favorite snack which happened to be peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Overall, Lisa loved her brother and cared deeply for his wellbeing even though sometimes that wouldn't be the case. Lisa will shamefully admit she hasn't treated her big brother the best. The bad luck incident, the sister fight protocol escapade, and a few other instances being obvious times where she failed her brother. Lisa knew she didn't deserve such a loving and helpful brother like Lincoln. That's why she wanted him to keep him out of all this. To keep him safe.

It was hard enough getting some of her sisters involved with all this already. Lisa regretted sending her sisters and the others out there to fight off Scorpina's evil forces. Knowing they could get hurt or worse. She often cursed herself for being chosen by The Morphin Masters to do this. Lisa remembered the night The Morphin Masters appeared to her in a dream very vividly. It was a little more than a month and a half ago. At first, Lisa simply thought it was just a dream conjured up after reading one of her brother's idiotic comics the other day to try and relieve her boredom. Unfortunately, it proved to be quite real after a rather convincing conversation with The Morphin Masters. They told her to assemble a team of extraordinary individuals that they have chosen to defend the Earth and its inhabitants against a coming evil. Not only that but they gave her the means to create such advanced technology like Alpha 8 and where to find the mysterious yet powerful Kyutama stones. Everything created to aid the Power Rangers was because of The Morphin Masters, from their Morphers to their weapons and equipment. Imagine Lisa's shock to find out the ones The Morphin Masters had chosen were some of her sisters and their friends. After another convincing conversation, Lisa relented and accepted their choices.

When it came time for them to part ways, Lisa remembered one of The Morphin Master's words very strongly.

'Take heed Lisa Loud, one day your brother will answer the call and rise to lead the forces of good to battle a great evil. An evil so great that it will be the death of everything and everyone you hold dear. When the time comes you and your allies must be ready but take care and know the path ahead will be perilous and difficult. More so for your brother than anyone else. Your love for your family and your brother will drive you to protect him, but you must let him follow the path laid out for him. Wherever that path leads… or ends. Farewell, Lisa Loud.'

Before Lisa could ask them to elaborate any further, she woke and found herself in her room. Eventually, she did as she was told and prepared for this coming evil. Lisa sought out her sisters and the others that will become Power Rangers. Of course, she lied about everything. Her discovery of the Kyutamas, handpicking her sisters and the others to become Power Rangers. All of it was a lie. In the beginning, Lisa thought Scorpina, and her forces were the great evil The Morphin Masters had foretold. Now she had doubts given how easy her sisters and the others were able to repel her attacks and defeat her monsters. This means that there was something worse coming and worried Lisa greatly.

"Now… I have to worry about my brother."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Lisa pulled off her glasses and clenched them tightly. Never did she expect to find herself in such a predicament. All of it seemed like one of Luan's bad jokes. Lisa was one of the smartest people on the planet with numerous awards and certificates to prove, but she couldn't figure out how to protect her family and everyone from this coming evil. All she could do is wait and keep a close eye on her team and her brother. None of that sat well with her but what more could she do? She has already prepared Lynn and the others the best she could. Not just that but Project: Z is close to being finished, and Lisa had picked potential mentors for the team personally. She already had Alpha 8 contact them and ask them to come soon as possible. Still, Lisa felt obligated to do more. Even more so with Lincoln not being in this mess.

"Sadly, there is little much I can do, all I can do now is wait and hope for the best."

Saying those words gave Lisa great doubt and worry. She hated this, hated all the lies and waiting. Nevertheless, Lisa decided it would be best to try and forget about it. At least for now. Lisa got off her stool and slowly composed herself by putting her glasses back on. She then headed out to her and left her room to watch some television and await Lincoln's arrival so dinner could be prepared. Yet deep in Lisa's mind, there was a lingering doubt of what's to come. Along with that doubt came a fear of what's coming.

If only Lisa knew how much her fear was rightfully placed. For tomorrow will be only the beginning of the difficult road ahead.

---

To Be Continued

AN: And there we go! Some worldbuilding and setting up what's to come! Sorry for little to no action. This chapter was supposed to be way bigger with Lincoln and the others returning to school and Lincoln trying to figure his newfound powers. Then Scorpina and her forces would attack both cities causing Lynn and the other rangers to be split up and get overwhelmed. Unfortunately, I had to cut it short because my studies are taking up most of my time. I love writing but my schooling is more important, but that doesn't mean I won't stop writing. This means my time to write will only be on my free time when I'm not studying for exams and other stuff. Hopefully, once things calm down I'll be able to make more time for writing but until then this is how it's going to be. I hope you guys can understand and keep enjoying this story. I promise the next chapter will be awesome, and there will be a couple of surprises. Not only that but I'm still commissioning more fanart which I'm posting to my Tumblr and Amino. For Tumblr look up chubbysnorlax619, for my Amino check out The Loud House Amino and Power Rangers Amino where I go by ChubbySnorlax. So be on the lookout for those.

One more thing I wanna talk about, I don't own or create The Arbiter. That honor belongs to the amazing and talented people at Unworthy Productions. You all should check out Power Rangers: Unworthy and the other amazing fan-made series they are producing. Also, be sure to support Power Rangers: Unworthy in any way you can. It's such an amazing series and deserves all the love and support it can get.

Another thing, I'm having trouble coming up with the monsters and Robotrons that will attack in the next chapter. I have ideas but I'm wondering if any of you guys would like to share anything in a review or PM? While I'll still be bringing back old or former villains to be the top bad guys, I'm finding it hard to come up with the monster/robots of the week that the Power Rangers fight. If you have any ideas I'd be happy to hear them. But remember they will most definitely be killed by the Power Rangers. So, just don't expect them to live past their first appearance. Remember Finster's monsters/aliens are pretty straightforward, he molds them from clay and that leaves a lot of possibilities. For Robotrons, Scrozzle uses a Morph-X Key to turn random objects into Robotrons like bikes or game systems. For the Robotrons, I think I like them to be created from real dangerous stuff like military equipment or weapons in general. Whatever you guys come up with remember to add "tron" to the end of their names. It's sort of their thing, also they'll be the only ones to turn big because of Scrozzle's Gigadrones. So, if you have any ideas for monsters or Robotrons leave them in a review or send me a PM.

That's all I got for you guys, be on the lookout for the next chapter after I update my other stories. I hope you all stay safe and have a happy Halloween! See ya!