**************** Planet Phadoes*******************

The wind howled cold and lonely across the dust filled ruins. Dulcea, master warrior of Phadoes, tried hard not to frown but her frustration was growing. She had been unable to reach Ninjor for weeks through mental connections. That wasn't like him. Ninjor had always been there at least some of the time in his own way. For him to not come to any of her meditative callings would indicate something horrible had happened.

He wasn't dead. She could feel that his energy was still in the universe but she couldn't reach him.

Dulcea could only hope that the swan had been able to deliver her warning. Ivan Ooze was coming, she was sure of that. From the gathering storm clouds of her visions, it was no longer a question of if but when. She often saw the falcon there fighting the dark that seeped like living liquid tar and behind him a crane, frog, bear, wolf and ape.

But it was the two other forms that seemed to turn the tide. The swan she knew. It was that girl who had been here. But the other form... it kept changing, sometimes dark and deadly, but other times she could see it become another form... a spirit of wisdom and intelligence. A spirit so very familiar.

Standing, Dulcea stretched and rolled her shoulder. Her arm had just finished healing from her run in with Scorpina. Two key pieces were in the hands of evil.

In a glimmering instant Dulcea was in her owl form. She had no choice, she must leave her plateau, even if that was certain death to do so...

She must make the long journey to earth. She must warn them.

********************* Goldar's ship*****************

The golden lion-ape leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the energy from his medical laser fix the wound upon his bare and hairy chest. That Elgar, Goldar cursed, he would make him pay and Scorpina would pay as well. That little minx had nearly cost him his life.

Going out like a weak babe was not the kind of end he desired. Perhaps that is why Tommy had not ended Goldar then and there when he had the chance. Of course the new pink ranger had been in danger at the time but given there history, it had been a surprise to Goldar.

He had no affection for Tommy but still... it was strange. He didn't care for any feelings that challenged his views of life.

Goldar sighed deeply. He was out of money, the tengu were dead, or at least too few left to be of any use, Rita and Zedd gone. For once he had no plan or place to go. Revenge would never come if he starved to death out in space.

With a grumble Goldar set the automatic course. There was only one monster in the universe that had the means and perhaps the will to help him.

Finster...

************************ Divatox's submarine**************************

"What do you mean he's still not talking?" The queen of mean yelled.

Rygog and Eldar shuttered. "Well Auntie D, we kinda..."

"He's been a bit too beaten." Rygog offered. "Unless he heals up some, he won't be able to tell us anything."

"You two morons! If only you had actually brought me a power ranger. Ugh! That was such a good plan and you messed it up. You always mess everything up! I should keel hall you both!"

Porto spoke up. "Actually the plan still could work. I've been monitoring the rangers. They are often at this community center."

"A what?" Divatox scrunched her nose.

"A place where humans gather and hang out." Porto explained.

"Belch humans! but fine I'll give you losers one more chance. Bring. Me. A. Ranger!" Divatox screamed as Elgar and Rygog vanished from sight.

************************* Command center *******************

Billy pushed a few buttons. "Okay, that should do it. Teleporting now."

"Welcome back!" Katherine greeted brightly as Kimberly and Adam reappeared. "Did you find the key?"

"Right here." Adam replied holding it out.

"Excellent work both of you." Zordon praised. "Alpha, put the key into storage. We cannot risk evil getting it."

"Ai Yi Yi right away Zordon."

Kimberly was the first to notice Billy hadn't greeted them. "Billy?"

He gave her a soft smile. "Welcome back." But his words were hollow, missing the warmth usually there for his dearest friend. Something was different between Kimberly and Adam. He wasn't sure what it was but something was new. Like a spark that leads to a fire or a single rain drop before a storm. He could feel it from the top of his horn to the bottom of his hooves.

He didn't like it and the burning pain on his neck from the collar was what brought him back to his right mind. Kimberly was his mistress, he need to remember his place. Billy shook his head, no they were friends, they were family, not master and servant... what was happening? Why did his mind feel so foggy?

No one seemed to notice as Billy's state of mind. As Adam and Kimberly told all about what had happened. "And we need to find a wizard named Lerigot. Have you heard of him Zordon? Quagmire said he could help us. That he could cure Billy."

"Ai Yi Yi! Of course! Lerigot is a good friend of mine. I should have thought of him sooner. I'm so sorry Billy, Kimberly. Ai Yi Yi!" Alpha 5 put his head in his hands.

"Send a message to Lerigot right away Alpha. We must do everything in our power to heal Billy and Kimberly."

"Wait, what?" Billy asked, his mind returning to the present on this new information.

Kimberly blinked. "Billy, weren't you listening?"

"No sorry I zoned out." Billy blushed.

"We've got a lead on a cure for you and Kim." Adam said with a smile.

"Isn't that great Billy?" Katherine added, "You can be human again."

Billy flexed his hands. "Human again? I'd like that." But even as he said the words he felt the lie roll off his tongue sweet as sugar. Did he really want to be human again? Scorpina had been right, the power, the darkness just under his skin, the twisting pleasure in his heart, the way serpentera still called to him.

Human was the last thing he wanted right now. He knew feeling this way was wrong but with every hour that passed, more and more of his humanity slipped away as more and more monster took over this body. Only Zedd's magic kept the darkness in check. During the day he could fight it but at night... nights were getting harder and harder to bare. Billy decided to change the subject. "How are you feeling Kim?"

She smiled, a smile Billy hadn't seen in a long, long time. A spark of pink energy dancing in her eyes. "I feel amazing Billy. Every since Quagmire put this necklace of time sand around my neck, I've actually felt like myself. You know like I felt over a year ago before we failed."

"Time sand?" Billy was curious as he moved to take a closer look at the glass orb full of golden sand around his friends neck. "Kim, would you let me run a few tests on this?"

Kimberly shook her head. "No, I'm sorry Billy but I promised never to take it off. Quagmire said something really bad would happen if I did but he didn't elaborate more then that in rhyme."

Billy simply nodded and dropped the subject but for some reason...

He really wanted that necklace...

******************* Command center****************************

"Geez, have you guys never set up a tables before?" Bulk asked as the Bear and the Ape set down another table. "You've got these way to close together." Bulk said, putting on one table to adjust it as Skull and the Wolf ranger brought in the chairs on a cart.

"Don't worry Bulk, we will get it all sorted before the meeting." the young wolf ranger replied.

Bulk sighed, "Yeah I know. Sorry." He said with a glance towards Aisha and Rocky.

Aisha nodded, she had come to learn that Bulk was very much like herself. Standoffish but not unkind and certainly not uncaring. He just has a different way of showing he cared. In her opinion Bulk and Skull were an important part of there 'family'.

Rocky wasn't really listening to the others. His ears were training on the conversations around them. Electing a new mayor of Angel grove seemed like such a silly thing to be worried about but people needed leadership. People wanted security. Someone to help when the rangers were not around. Rumor was that Ernie was going to be voted in. Whether or not the juice bar owner wanted the position was another matter.

Sharp hushed words caught Rocky's attention.

"I can't believe he talks to the rangers like that!"

"I can't believe they let him. I mean, if anyone else dared talk like that, the rangers would put them in there place. Remember last week when James tried to order the white ranger around?"

The other male nodded. "From the way the falcon ranger reacted I thought James was dead meat for sure. But those two are trashy nobodies! Yet the rangers don't do anything about them!"

"And pretty ugly too. Must have been mine workers in the castle." There was stiffed laughter. "But if I was a ranger, I would command respect. Like the white ranger does." There was a growl in the man's voice

The other agreed. "Me too."

Rocky turned and locked eyes with the men. The looked away and quickly left the juice bar floor. Rocky sighed. It was always something. Sometimes he imagined that he ran away from all of this. This overwhelming stress and responsibility. While he never regretted becoming a ranger, sometimes he actually missed the mines on the moon. When it was just him, Adam and Aisha.

"Falcon ranger!" someone yelled as voices of greeting and praise preceded Tommy's entrance. Rocky smirked under his hood as Tommy nodded and replied to the greetings and flattery. His chest a bit puffed up with pride. It was funny in a way.

"What's going on here?" Tommy asked once he was close to Rocky.

"The community is voting on a mayor for angel grove. Whomever they choose I am sure will want to meet you falcon." Rocky replied. "At the very least to thank us."

Tommy let his eyes glance over the room. "We have done a lot for them but..."

"But what?"

Tommy turned to Rocky. "Does it ever feel like we haven't done enough? Like we need to do more?"

Rocky shook his head. "I don't know how much more we could do. Not without grinding ourselves down physically and mentally so much we wouldn't be of use to anyone. We're already pretty worn out as it is Tom...er... Sir." Rocky quickly corrected as a group of people passed by them.

Tommy simply nodded. "When does the vote start?" He asked after a moment.

"In three hours. Most of the preparations are done. Just a few more tables and chairs need to be set out."

Tommy nodded. "Why don't you and the others take a break until the vote? I can hold things down here."

"I... yes, thank you." Rocky gave a nodded and moved to talk to Aisha who was still arraigning tables with Bulk. Once Justin got back with the rest of the chairs they would head out. Perhaps he was more tired than he thought if Tommy was dismissing them to go rest.

A nap sounded amazing right now.

************** Store room************************

"You okay Justin?" Skull asked quietly. They were alone in the back storage room.

"What do you mean?" Justin replied.

Skull shrugged. "You just seem so sad recently. You had more energy to ya when we were on the moon."

Justin felt the tears prick at his eyes. "I'm...okay." he meekly replied.

Skull immediately dropped to his knees bringing his lanky body more at level with the short blue ranger. "Hey, what's the matter? Are you hurt?"

Justin shook his head no but still sniffed and sobbed behind his ninja mask.

"Then what is it? What's wrong? Is someone being mean to you?" Skull asked. "If so Bulkie and I will bop them good."

Justin tried to stop himself but the words and tears flowed quickly from his mouth. How everything was changing. How the other rangers, except Adam, seemed to view him as a dumb kid. How lonely he was and how neglected he felt. The nightmares he had and how he had no one to talk to. No one even close to his age to interact with, as all the kids that hadn't been killed had been made into toys and were dead now. He was a burden to everyone and he tried not to think about it but...

Warm arms wrapped around him. "Hey... It's okay. I know being a ranger can't be easy but if you ever want to talk or hang out or just feel normal again. I'm here for you. Bulk is too. We're not rangers, we're not heroes, but we will always try an understand."

Justin rubbed at his eyes. "I don't know..."

"Would it be easier to talk to me, if you thought about how I was before, when we first met?"

Justin nodded. "Yeah, I don't know why but toy you felt more like my friend then the real, human you does. I'm sorry. I shouldn't say things like that."

Skull simply smiled. "It's okay. I'm not mad. Sometimes I miss marionette me too."

"Really?" Justin asked brightening up.

"Oh yeah. Doll me didn't get hungry, or tired, or hurt. Besides the fact I was made of wood it really wasn't so bad." Skull laughed slightly. "Come on let's finish with the chairs."

"Okay!" Justin jumped into action, his sorrow forgotten for now.

Skull was glad of it.