Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban

Eva walked quickly down the dark streets, her jacket collar turned up even though it wasn't that cold. She wasn't sure what she was feeling; betrayal, sure, and anger. But that didn't explain the worry that nagged at her gut, the headache pounding against her temples. Something was wrong, seriously wrong. She had a feeling – one she couldn't explain – that the weird orange things she'd seen, that they'd fought, was just the tip of the freakin' iceberg. And, to top it all of, her friends, the only ones she had here, were lying to her. She kicked at the road and muttered curses under her breath.

"Eva."

The voice had her whirling around, and her eyes narrowed, straining through the darkness. "Who's that?" She called. "Who's there?" She fisted her hands. "Come out you orange freaks!"

"They are called Frissons. But orange freaks are a good name for them." Finally, the speaker stepped into the light of the lamppost, and, for a moment, Eva just stared at him, eyes wide, mouth agape.

But god, he was gorgeous. He had dark hair that was a little too long, but it suited him. High cheekbones, beautiful tawny eyes and a full mouth, with a cleft chin and, as he smiled, dimples.

"Who-who are you?" She managed, trying not to stare but failing miserably.

"My name is Dayton," he replied in a calm voice, not seeming perturbed by the way she fisted her hands, the way she shifted her stance warningly. "And I need your help. And the help of your friends too."

"They're not my friends," she spat out before she could stop herself. "I don't have any friends." She eyed him warily. "How do you know my name?"

"I know all about you."

When he took a step forward, she took a step back, and wished she hadn't been so hasty to leave Ris's house. "What are you? A stalker?"

"No." He shook his head. "Eva. I've known you all your life. And you know me."

"No I don't." The denial came quickly, even as a memory stirred in the depths of her mind. But she pushed it back, and concentrated on his every move. "Keep away from me."

"All right." He stepped back but he looked impatient now. "Eva, we don't have much time."

"What do you want from me?"

"What I want from you is simple." He held out his hand and in it appeared a simple silver bracelet lined with blue. "I want you to become a Power Ranger."

For a long moment, Eva stared at the bracelet lying in the palm of his hand. Then his words came crashing down on her. "A Power Ranger?" She asked, then shook her head. "What. No way. They're just…no way. This can't be happening," she muttered and took a step back.

But he stepped forward, that hand with that bracelet in it held out persistently. And, damn, if it didn't seem to be calling to her. She found herself reaching out and taking it before she realized what she'd done. She stared at it for a long time.

A Power Ranger. She could hardly believe it. But she did. For some reason weirder than she could imagine, she believed it. And the bracelet currently burning a mark in her palm wasn't making it any easier.

"Put it on," Dayton said in a soft voice. "And call out; 'Griffin Rider, Ranger Form'. The Power will give you the knowledge."

"Griffin Rider, Ranger Form?" She repeated in a sarcastic voice, only to feel a surge of power from the bracelet flow into her hand. Without thinking, acting only on instinct – hey, it'd worked pretty well up till now – she slapped the bracelet onto her let wrist and held it up, across her chest. The bracelet transformed, into what looked like a watch except with the head of an eagle with a gleaming blue eye. "Griffin Rider, Ranger Form!" Something told her to press the eye. Another surge of power overtook her, only this time strong than the first, coursing through her whole body. A bright blue light engulfed her head, then moved down her whole body. And, when it was gone, she was clad in a blue spandex liked costume, with the head of a crying eagle in white on her chest. White bands circled her wrists, and the top of her boots. Her helmet's visor had the shape of an eagle's beak. She stared through it at the man before her, who looked strangely satisfied. "The griffin has found its rider." He said.

"What?" She stopped admiring the costume to look at him closely. "What do you mean by that?"

"I will explain later," he replied, his voice taking on a grim cast. "After we take care of them."

Turning, Eva found more of the orange thing – hadn't he called them Frissons? – in front of them. And, leading the big headed freaks, was what buy who could have come straight out of the Lord of the Rings. He had pointed ears and long, white hair, but he was dressed in a dark tunic and pants. And, just like Dayton, he was strangely good looking. His eyes had no white; they were completely black, with tiny violet pupils. His nose was long and straight, and he had a thinner face than Dayton, but with just as high and prominent cheekbones. But his teeth, when he opened his mouth, were anything but human. They were white, short and sharp, resembling a long line of fangs. He spoke in a strange voice, a halfway between a hiss and a growl; "so it seems that you will once more hide behind children, Dayton."

"Pleance." Dayton spat it out like it was a curse word. "Children or not, the Spirit Riders will take care of you once and for all."

"We shall see." He stepped back, and held out a long thin arm, crowned with a hand with fingers as long and pointed as the claws on his slaves. "Frissons, attack!"

The orange freaks swarmed forwards, and, if they could speak, Eva was sure they would have been howling. "Couldn't we work this out peacefully?" Eva asked Dayton.

"Pleance does not understand the meaning of peace," he replied grimly.

Behind her helmet, Eva rolled her eyes. "I was being sarcastic."

"Oh." He actually looked surprised – an expression that disappeared as soon as the first wave of Frissons came onto them. "I am afraid I am not too good at sarcasm," he said between punches and kicks.

Eva ducked and kicked at a Frisson's legs, bringing him down before stamping on its head and making it explode. "You're telling me," she muttered before grabbing another before it could scratch her and swinging it into a companion. "How many of these things are they?"

"Pleance has an infinite amount," Dayton replied, bending and letting on fall over his back before his leg whipped out and hit another in the head. "And they will not stop until they have been destroyed or they destroy us."

"Oh great." Eva dodged a low to the head and struck out with a right hook that caught it on its stretched chin. "I'm not a Ranger for five minutes and I've already got a hate club."

Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, the Frissons disappeared. "Okay," Eva said, chest heaving as she turned to look at Dayton. "What was all that about?"

If it was possible, he looked even more grimmer. "I am afraid," he said. "That they will go after the other Riders."

"What?"

"I will explain later. For now, come with me." And with that, he took off at a run, back to Ris's house.