"… Ninja -"

"No, wait!" Blake yelled, jumping the barrier separating him, Hunter, Cam, and Kali from the rest of their friends. The first thing Kali noticed was that the Dino Rangers were also present, she furrowed her brow as she did a quick head count, curiously wondering where the other three Rangers were if they weren't here. Was there a reason these three travelled together and the others didn't?

"Wait a minute. Blake?" the yellow Dino ranger asked, staring at the group of four as they approached the halted battle. "That's how I know you. You're a Power Ranger."

"Good, 'because we can use all the help we can get," said the blue Dino Ranger, taking a deep breath.

Kali smirked. Maybe they weren't as 'ready' as Xander had said they were. A true Ranger, at least one in her eyes, was prepared for any battle that was thrown their way. But then, they didn't look much older than seventeen or eighteen, and it was their first time on a battlefield, they probably still had a lot to learn.

"We're not here to help you guys out," said Blake, shaking his head. "We stick with our own kind."

"Lothor's shown us the error of our ways," said Hunter, taking a spot in front of Dustin and folding his arms.

"Whoever doesn't follow us, we'll destroy," said Cam, stopping in front of Shane.

A flicker of fear passed between the three Dino Rangers, and Kali couldn't help the pang of sympathy that she had for them. Granted, this was a trick, but she and the others had to make sure that it was a believable trick or Shane, Tori, and Dustin would never believe it when she gave them their power disks.

"This is going to be great," said Dustin, rubbing his hands together.

"Wait," said Kali, drawing her friends attention to her. "First, I have a little surprise for you." She reached into her pocket and retrieved the three Ninja disks for Air, Earth, and Water. She held them out to her friends, a glint in her eyes. "I took these directly from the Abyss of Evil, and even infused them with a little dark magic of my own. They should be enough to eliminate these three, and anyone else that tries to stop us."

"But we already have our powers," said Tori.

Kali resisted the urge to smile. She had guessed that Tori would've been the most suspicious of the trio, and more reluctant to take a Ninja disk from someone other than Lothor.

"Trust me," said Kali, insistently. "These ones are a lot more powerful than what you're currently using. I'm the Hellhound, remember? I can tap into dark magic whenever I want to and use it to infuse and corrupt just about anything I want. The fact that these powers came from the Abyss, just helps things along rather nicely."

Shane, Tori, and Dustin shared hesitant looks. An upgrade in dark powers could be all they needed to take out the Dino Rangers, but how could they be a hundred percent certain that what Kali was saying was the truth?

"Tori, it's me," said Kali. "Would I lie to you?"

Tori glanced from her friend to the power disk, and then back again. Never once had Kali lied to her, and she couldn't think of a reason she would start now. Lothor had said that his plan was to draw out the Hellhound, to turn her completely and use her to take over the world. He knew that they could do that, especially since they were close friends of the Hellhound's guardian, and she'd already proven to do anything within her power to protect them.

Maybe this was just that plan becoming true?

"You better be right about this," said Shane, taking the disk from Kali's palm.

Dustin and Tori followed suit.

"Trust me, you won't be sorry," said Kali.

Clipping their new disks to their morphers; Shane, Tori and Dustin activated them by hitting the buttons just beneath the disks. There was a spark of power and the three were thrown backwards, stumbling over their own two feet, and hitting the ground with a thud.

"Oh, dude, what happened?" Dustin asked, accepting Hunter's hand, and getting back to his feet. "Ah, my bell is seriously rung."

"You okay?" Kali asked Tori.

Tori nodded. "How did we get here?" she asked, looking around. "The last thing I remember…" she cut off, looking to Shane and Dustin.

"Lothor," said Blake, nodding. "He's back."

"Yeah, we know. Sensei told us," said Shane.

"That wasn't Sensei," said Hunter, shaking his head.

"No way, dude, I know Sensei when I see him," said Dustin, patting Hunter on the shoulder.

"No, it's Lothor," Blake repeated.

"Okay, unless it was Lothor dressed as Sensei," said Dustin.

Kali sighed and folded her arms across her stomach. "You're lucky you're cute, Dustin," she said.

Dustin gave her a lopsided grin.

The crunching of gravel caught her attention, and Kali turned to see the three Dino Rangers making their way over. She smiled as she caught the eye of the yellow ranger and nudged the others, causing them to turn around.

"While this is all highly amusing," said the Red Ranger. "Does someone want to tell me what's going on?"

Tori, Shane, and Dustin shared another look before turning their attention to Cam, Blake, and Hunter. All of whom paused and then turned to Kali.

Kali paused as she looked around at them all. "What?" she asked.

~X~

"… Kali managed to teleport us out before the Abyss collapsed on itself," said Cam. He was sitting on a stool inside the Dino Rangers' base. Only an hour ago he, along with Blake, Hunter, and Kali had stood between the Dino Rangers and their own teammates, pretending to be evil Rangers to prevent Tori, Shane, and Dustin from destroying Reefside's protectors.

"To be honest," said Kali. "I think the only reason the Abyss did collapse was because I used magic down there. I told you that I wasn't sure what would happen with even more dark energy."

"I said I was sorry," Cam said. "But, it was the only way we were getting out. Zurgane cut our climbing supplies, remember?"

Kali rolled her eyes. She knew he was right, but the use of dark magic in an already dark place had almost drained her. She had to rest for a good five minutes before they could return to Reefside and stop their friends, and if they hadn't have returned when they did, then they would've been too late.

"So, we faked being on Lothor's side to get you to take the right Ninja disks," said Hunter, looking from Shane, to Tori, and finally to Dustin.

"It's a good thing you guys showed up when you did," said Conner.

"Good thing for you guys," Shane teased.

Kali bit back a smile.

"Whatever, dude," Conner scoffed.

Shane laughed. "Nah, I'm just playing, man. You guys fight like rock stars," he said.

"I, for one, will take that as a compliment," said Kira.

Kali smiled as Anabel nudged her friend's shoulder.

"We're glad you're here," said Dr. Oliver, stepping forward. His arms crossed across the waist. "But now it's time to get down to business."

Pushing herself of the wall, Kali stepped up beside Dr. Oliver and nodded. "He's right," she agreed. "I'm still not sure who opened the abyss, and while that's a scary thought, the idea of Lothor being on the lose again scares me even more. I don't know much about this Mesogog you're fighting here in Reefside, but if the updates I get from the Mystic Realm are anything to go by, he sounds like pretty high maintenance."

Anabel chuckled. "He's definitely not like all the other sickos that just want to rule the world," she agreed. "He wants to revert it back to the age of the dinosaurs and turn all humans into the reptiles themselves."

"Definitely not your garden variety psychopath," said Kali, nodding. "If they team up, and succeed, then everything we've done leading up to this moment will be for nothing. We can't let that happen. Trust me when I tell you that I have seen what a world without light looks like, where darkness reigns supreme. It is not a happy place."

"You've seen a lot, haven't you?" Kira asked.

Kali considered her coolly and then nodded. "I'm the Hellhound," she admitted. "It's kind of in my job description. But if Lothor and Mesogog succeed in wiping us out, then they wipe out my team in Ocean Bluff, too, and the repercussions of that is not something that I wish to think about."

"Then what do we do?" Tori asked.

"Where do we start?" asked Anabel.

Kali licked her lips and looked over her shoulder at Tommy. "We have a serious problem on our hands," she said, "and it's going to take all of us to defeat them."

"Them?" Kira asked.

"You didn't think that Mesogog was going to sit this out, did you?" Kali asked. "Lothor has brought his fight here, to Reefside, to a place where Mesogog calls his. He's not going to step aside and let Lothor be in charge. He'll have a play in this somewhere, even if it's just supplying the man-power and ammunition."

Anabel sighed. "I knew he'd raise his head," she whined. "Why can't my brain just switch off?"

"You've been asking yourself that since kindergarten," said Conner. "We haven't found your off switch yet. Starting to think you don't have one."

Anabel stuck her tongue out at him.

~X~

Over the course of the next few hours, the two teams got to know one another. They talked, they sparred, they talked some more, and they integrated their fighting styles with one another's to make for a more proficient attack against Lothor and Mesogog's forces.

At around 7pm, Kali excused herself from the Dino Base and headed upstairs to Tommy's kitchen. She pulled out her phone and dialled RJ's number, listening to it ring before he answered.

"How's life outside Ocean Bluff?" RJ asked. "Missing us yet?"

Kali smiled and leaned against the kitchen counter. "I'm just checking in," she said. "How's things going? I haven't heard anything on the news about Ocean Bluff in flames, so I'm guessing that everything is okay?"

"Would you really hear anything about Ocean Bluff given the issues you've got going on there?" RJ asked. "Evil Rangers is a big problem, I'd say."

"How do you know about that?"

"Word travels fast."

"RJ…" Kali warned.

RJ chuckled. "Ocean Bluff may not get news coverage in Reefside, Kali, but I get everything here, you should know that by now. I saw on the monitors that Reefside was under attack by evil Rangers. You alright?" he asked.

Kali sighed and run a hand through her hair. "I'm not sure," she admitted. She paused as she heard footsteps and glanced down to see Anabel and Kira coming up the stairs from the base. She pushed away from the counter and wandered into the living room, out of sight and ear shot of the two teenagers as they headed for the front door.

"What's on your mind?"

"I can't stop thinking about the Abyss," said Kali. "Someone powerful must've opened it. But who is more powerful than the Hellhound?"

"Is that a trick question?"

Kali sighed and closed her eyes. "Anyway, this isn't why I've called, how's everything on the home front?" she asked. "Ocean Bluff still standing? The Rangers alive?"

"We're doing great," said RJ. "Today was interesting, to say the least."

"Interesting how?"

"The others got sucked into a game show by the Rinshi."

Kali laughed, despite herself. "What - How did they get out?" she asked.

"You had to win the game in order to gain your freedom," said RJ. "Apparently, the questions were about our stint as Rangers, so far."

"I'm guessing the rules were altered, however?"

"Bingo. Even if the Rangers remembered what had happened, the game was rigged to say they were wrong. Remind me to take game shows off my to-do list."

"They were never really on mine," said Kali. "Neither are talent shows, at least not anymore."

RJ chuckled. "Anyway, we managed to infiltrate the game and win," he said. "And a good thing, too. The Rangers were said to be destroyed if they lost."

"I'm glad everything worked out in the end," said Kali.

Still chuckling, RJ changed the topic. "Any chance on you returning soon?" he asked. "I have a big day planned for the day after tomorrow and need someone to watch the restaurant with Dom and Fran."

"What about Casey, Theo, Lily or Rylie?"

"Casey, Theo, and Lily are coming with me," RJ replied. "And Rylie is on the Gold Coast visiting her father."

Kali furrowed her brow. "Because that's not ambiguous," she said. "But, yeah, I should be back by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. We're just waiting for Mesogog and Lothor to show their hand. I'll send a message when I'm leaving Reefside."

"Cool. I'll see you soon then," said RJ. "And, Kali?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to worry too much, alright?" RJ asked. "We'll figure out who opened the Abyss."

Kali nodded, more to herself than anyone else. "Yeah, I know," she said, sighing. "Goodnight, RJ."

"Goodnight."

~X~

The next morning, Kali entered the Dino Base to find Doctor Oliver and Hayley already awake. The pair were sat in front of the mainframe, sipping coffee, and talking in hushed voices. "Please tell me you two actually slept last night," she said, stepping up behind them.

"We did," said Doctor Oliver. "Hayley got here about an hour ago. You look like you haven't slept," he added, taking in Kali's appearance.

"I did, for a little while," said Kali, taking a seat in the empty chair. "But, due to nightmares of the Abyss, I spent the last few hours before dawn pacing Root core. Oh, by the way, if we should need the assistance today, the Mystic Force Rangers are on standby."

Doctor Oliver nodded.

Kali stared past him at Hayley. "So, what have you been doing in the last hour?" she asked.

"I'm running a search on the Abyss," Hayley answered. "I'm trying to see if there is any residual energy that will tell us who opened it. I'm guessing that's why you were having nightmares?"

Kali nodded. "But, I should warn you, whoever opened the Abyss is probably magical," she said. "I doubt you could pick it up using science and technology. They don't exactly mix well in a normal situation."

"What does that mean?" Hayley asked, although she sounded more curious than offended.

"Just… we have computers at Root core, despite it being a Tree, but they are run off magic not electricity like yours," said Kali. "Ours are designed to pick up magic, yours aren't."

Hayley nodded. "Noted," she said. "But, it doesn't hurt to try. Maybe, when this is all over, you can help me upgrade the systems to pick up magical energy?"

"We'll discuss it later," said Kali. She spun around in her chair, putting the computers at her back, as the other Rangers - both Dino and Ninja, alike - started to file into the base. The teenagers were yawning and stretching, while the Ninja's were awake and ready for action.

Kali watched as Anabel approached the mainframe and sat on the empty space beside Doctor Oliver. She still couldn't believe that the sixteen-year-old kid she had met two years ago was now a Power Ranger.

"How long do you think we'll have to wait before Lothor and Mesogog raise their heads?" Hunter asked.

Cam checked his watch. "It's only 9am," he said. "We could be in for a long day."

"Or, they're gathering their forces and preparing to strike just as the city wakes up," said Conner. "How do we fight them when they do attack? Do we have a plan, yet?"

Kali shared a look with Doctor Oliver. "I have the Mystic Force team on standby if we need backup," she said. "As for a battle plan - putting Lothor down once and for all is my idea."

"How are you going to do that?" Kira asked. "Lock him back in the Abyss?"

"Locking him back up won't do much good now," said Kali. "I have to destroy him. There is no way around it. He doesn't get to walk away from this fight."

"Can you do that?" Ethan asked. "Just straight up destroy a person?"

"You straight up destroy evil every day, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but they're monsters," said Ethan, unsure.

"So is Lothor," said Kali, shrugging. "It doesn't matter whether he looks human or not. Lothor is a monster that terrorises people, and no one should have to go through that."

Anabel straightened. "While I agree with that," she said. "What Conner meant was, do we have a plan on how to attack? Like, are we attacking as one group, individually, or splitting into smaller groups? I mean, I don't think it's going to just be Lothor attacking today. Mesogog, Elsa, or even an army of monsters are going to be at their disposal."

"Not to mention Zeltrax," said Cam.

"And any demons me and the Mystics put away," added Kali. "Maybe I should call them in now, just to be safe." She pulled her phone from her pocket and fired off a text to Nick.

Anabel raised an eyebrow, expectantly.

Kali sighed. "I don't know how today is going to play out," she said. "I guess we'll decide who fights with who when the fighting starts."

"Is that such a good idea?" Trent asked. "What if -" he broke off as the computer beeped, and a small monitor to the left of Kali flickered to life.

The two teams crowded around.

"We're waiting, Rangers," Elsa called, rolling her sword over in her hand. "Meet us at the quarry in one hour, or we storm the city."

The monitor went dark.

Kali took a deep breath. "She's dramatic," she said, turning to Doctor Oliver.

"You have no idea," Doctor Oliver agreed.

"What are we waiting for?" Conner asked, shoving away from the group, and heading for the back of the lab. The other Dino Rangers started to follow.

Kali called for them to stop, which they did, although they were confused as to why.

"The Mystics are on their way," said Kali.

"I thought you said we'd plan how to fight once we are out there?" Conner asked. "Why are you -?"

"We go out there now without the Mystics then we lose," said Kali. "I can't fight the Demons that Lothor has brought with him alone. I could barely fight them with a team two years ago; besides, the more magic we have on our side, the better chance we have of stopping Lothor right here, right now. Trust me."

The Dino's shared looks and then stood down. They had seen the Mystics fight before and had to agree that fighting without them would spell disaster. Not only did they have magic on their side, but they added a level of strength that only two teams couldn't achieve alone, plus, they were Mystic Defenders, and it was their job to defend the Mystic Realm from any threat - big or small.

"We have an hour," said Conner. "One hour. I hope they will be here by then."

"Relax," said Kali. "They'll be here."