This has been an idea stuck in my head for about a year or so, inspired by fanart from a song of the same name as this oneshot.

I'm getting pretty bad writers block with Beast Morphers at the moment, and I've been writing other things that don't feel like an obligation to write (maybe I'll post them one day too) but I finally had enough inspiration to finally finish writing this. I started it at Christmas, but then things got rather hectic and my writing kind of just became non-existant.

I hope you like it!


Teddie's lungs burned as if they were on fire, but she kept running as desperation fuelled her steps. She weaved around the trees with ease, even as she barely looked at them.

"Get back here!" her words were more pleading than anything, as her dark eyes remained focused on the tiny creature that was flying away from her. Teddie cursed, forcing herself to keep going, all while the tiny Faerie giggled.

"Not much farther to go!" she called over her shoulder, not slowing, but also not speeding up. Even through her panic, Teddie knew she was being led somewhere. She didn't know where, but it didn't matter.

Finally the Faerie stopped; her tiny, dainty figure swaying in the breeze. What mattered to Teddie, however, was the white Gemstone she held. It seemed massive to her, hanging from a black cord. The Faerie grinned, showing off her sharp, perfectly white teeth; her black eyes on Teddie as the girl gasped for breath. "Come on, the fun is about to begin!" the Fae giggled.

"Wait, stop!" Teddie pleaded, but the mischevious magical creature just laughed and passed through the tree. "I hate these things," she complained, but gave chase. As soon as her fingertips brushed the hard bark of the tree, she felt a tugging sensation in her stomach. Teddie didn't fight it, and was pulled through, following the Fae.

When the tugging sensation stopped, Teddie's boots hit rough, uneven ground, and she stumbled forwards away from the tree. As soon as she steadied herself, Teddie became aware of the heavy, stifling magic in the air. It was heavier than anywhere in the human world, Teddie knew this for sure.

The Faerie had led her back to the Magical Realm.

Teddie looked around, not recognising the area she had been lured to.

"Hello?" she called, looking for the Faerie who had stolen her Energem. To her frustration, there was nobody around, and the magical creature didn't respond. "Come on…where the hell did you go?" she wondered, taking a few steps as frustration bubbled in her chest. Her hand lifted instinctively, going to where her Energem should have been, and Teddie grasped at air.

After a moment long enough to bring stubborn tears to her eyes, Teddie finally heard the giggling again. As she whirled around, she heard footsteps as well, and froze as their owner came into view.

Heckyl hadn't even considered that someone else would be in the strange forest that the bizarre little creature had led him to. He was focused only on the little thief, whose strange abilities had somehow made his own powers completely useless.

He definitely didn't expect to see Teddie standing between the trees, wide-eyed and frantic. And judging from her own stunned look, she hadn't expected to see him either.

"What are you doing here?" Heckyl was the first to speak, tone wary as he wasn't able to stop himself from going rigid. He, just like Teddie, couldn't help but think of their last encounter, backstage of the concert hall.

At his words, Teddie lost the stunned look. Her brow furrowed and her lip jutted out in a defiant look that almost made him smile.

"What are you doing here?" Teddie challenged. Before he could come up with a reply, however, the Faerie giggled.

"I brought you both here so that we could have some fun," she declared, before there was a flash of light that made the two cover their eyes quickly. When the light faded, the Faerie stood taller than both, her red hair twisted in a braid down her back, and she wore a long pink and white flowing dress.

"Fun?" Heckyl repeated, looking both confused by the sudden transformation, and annoyed about being dragged out into the forest. Teddie looked irritated, unhappy with the events as well.

The Faerie laughed again, and held up her sharp-nailed hands. Both stood straighter, losing their irritated looks, as they found Teddie's Energem and Heckyl's pocket-watch dangling from her fingers. Her black eyes shone as she took in their reactions.

"Such interesting trinkets you both carry," her voice was light. "One treasured, one feared but desperately needed. If you can show me something as fun as the last time you fought over this…" she looked at the White Energem. "Then I shall return them both to you," the Fae decided.

"What, you want us to fight?" Teddie asked, baffled.

"No, dearie," the Faerie giggled and shook her head.

"Then what?" Heckyl asked, just as confused. The Faerie winked at him.

"Figuring that out is half the fun, sweetheart," she said, taking him aback with the affectionate name. There was another flash of light, and she returned to her much smaller self. "So, get started! Show me something fun!" the Faerie demanded with glee.

"Enough of this," Heckyl rolled his eyes, deciding that he'd humoured her long enough. He raised his hand, willing the power that was always flowing just under his skin to come to life. Teddie, recognising the gesture, took a step backwards and raised her hands to defend herself, while the Faerie's smile grew. However, nothing happened. Looking down at his hand quickly, Heckyl's eyebrows furrowed as his powers seemed to fade the more he called on them.

"You'll find this place a touch more stifling," the Faerie teased, amused by his attempts. "Even a Mystic would find themselves hard-pressed to use their magic here," she giggled.

"Magic?"

"Wait, what are we-" as both spoke up together, she winked and vanished entirely. Teddie cursed, throwing her hands into the air. "Just great. I don't know who is going to kill me first for this," she declared in a loud complaint. Heckyl turned to her.

"Who - or what - was that thing?" he asked. Teddie lowered her hands, her expression grim as she put aside the conflicting feelings she had. Instead, she gave a grim smile.

"That was a Faerie. They're usually harmless, but if something catches their interest…" Teddie shrugged as she trailed off, feeling helpless. "Guess we managed to catch hers," she murmured, turning and walking back to the tree she had stepped through.

"What are you doing?" Heckyl followed her; too many questions on his mind to remember that they were enemies.

"Trees are your passage," Teddie's idle response left him with another question. However, when she pressed her hand to the tree, nothing happened. "Except when they aren't. Come on," she muttered, closing her eyes as she tried to focus her magic. To her dismay, there was no response. "Wait, what did she say? 'Even a Mystic would find themselves hard-pressed to use their magic'," Teddie repeated, seeming to forget she wasn't alone as she thought about it.

"Was that some sort of clue?" Heckyl asked, and she looked up at him, her own frustration obvious.

"Yup," she sighed heavily. "It's why none of our powers are going to work here. We're in the Cimmeron Forest; one of the most dangerous places in the Magical Realm," Teddie realised, dread settling in her stomach. No Energem, no powers, and no way to contact her friends or family.

"Okay, Teddie," she jolted when he put his hands on her shoulders, looking weary. "Let's pretend that I'm not from your world. Can you explain that in simpler terms?" Heckyl requested, flashing a smile that made Teddie's stomach squirm. She pulled back quickly as it hurt her chest.

"Look," Teddie took a breath. "We're in a different realm; the Magical Realm, which lies parallel to the one that you and your lackies have been attacking," Teddie gave a smile so mocking that it made Heckyl's eyebrow raise. She then fished two hairties from her pocket, starting to tie her hair up into its usual twintails style. "Magic is far stronger in this Realm; it's a way of life. But this place?" Teddie sighed. "It's incredibly dangerous. Magic here is so dense that it messes with your senses. Only vicious monsters have worked out how to traverse it, and everyone else avoids it because the magic in the air blocks out everything else," she explained, gesturing around her after she finished tying her hair up.

Teddie's worry was obvious, as she'd heard plenty of horror stories about the place, especially from her parents. Even in her most rebellious moments, she'd never thought about venturing into the place.

"Interesting place for a…Faerie…to strand us," Heckyl muttered, casting a look around.

Teddie closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry. This was ridiculous. She had no idea how to get through the forest, and she was there with someone she had hoped she wouldn't have to see again, at least until she was able to get her feelings into some semblance of order. She had two choices, and she didn't like either of them.

"We need to work together," her words surprised them both. Heckyl then snorted, looking derisive. "Look, I like the idea as much as you, but the only way that we can guarantee that we get out of this nightmare, is by working together," Teddie bit, her tone harsher than he'd expected.

"I don't need your help," Heckyl sneered at her, arrogant. Snide had been oddly silent since he'd arrived in the Forest, but without his pocket-watch, the only way he could communicate was by forcing his will to overpower Heckyl's. He looked down at Teddie, who was frowning at him. He didn't like the look on her.

"So you think you can traverse a completely different realm?" Teddie challenged, almost sneering back at him. "You think you can avoid the swamp-sand, fight off the Bor-Beast without any powers? Avoid the bottomless pit and whatever other monsters are using this place as a shortcut to where they need to get to? All while keeping your bearing to get out of the Cimmeron Forest? And last I heard, the Sand Snakes around the Rhino Nexus are particularly vicious after their charge was awoken," Teddie's words were pretty much nonsense to Heckyl, but her heated frustration had her in his face as she easily held his gaze.

Heckyl didn't speak as she remained in his face. He didn't need her. At least, that's what the thought in the front of his mind insisted. And he certainly didn't want to work with a Power Ranger, of all people. Even if he was drawn to her. Especially because he was drawn to her.

But the voice in the back of his head spoke up. Teddie was right. He had no idea where he was, while Teddie seemed to know exactly what was going on. And he needed his pocket-watch back.

"Fine," the quiet agreement took the fight out of Teddie. Her surprise was obvious as her eyes widened, and he almost smirked at the reaction. "We work together, until we get out of here and get our things back from that creature," he told her. Teddie nodded, a determined look crossing her face.

"Sounds good," she agreed.


Neither Teddie nor Heckyl spoke as they walked through the forest, both uncomfortable and trying to keep their bearings. So tense, Teddie couldn't even bring herself to hum under her breath to stop the quiet. Her nerves were frayed, as on top of trying to find her way out of the Cimmeron Forest, the heavy air of the stagnant magic pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe.

And then there was Heckyl. Having him beside her put her even more on edge. As much as she wanted to trust him, and Gods, how she wished she could trust him, Teddie knew it was impossible. But because of that, she was also on alert, just in case he decided that getting rid of her was worth having to take the chance of traversing the Cimmeron Forest alone.

Teddie then jolted, snapped out of her thoughts, as they moved too close together and her hand brushed his. Heckyl drew back as if burned, looking surprised as Teddie stared up at him. Quickly she cleared her through and kept walking, her head lowered. He watched her for a moment, idly rubbling his hand, before he followed.

The two had been walking for the better part of two hours before they finally stopped at Teddie's request. She groaned as she took a seat at the base of a tree stump.

"The next time, I'm going to bring my bike," she grumbled, massaging her leg.

"Is this a frequent occurrence for you?" Heckyl asked, leaning against a tree as he folded his arms.

"What, magical creatures stealing my stuff and leaving me stranded in the worst place bar the Underworld?" Teddie asked dryly. She then got back to her feet and brushed herself off, knocking away a dead leaf that clung to her shorts. "Or someone stealing my Energem leading me to end up in a forest?" she asked, straightening up to meet Heckyl's gaze.

"What?" he looked amused at the comparison. "Waiting for an apology?" Heckyl mocked her. Teddie lifted her head, standing taller and ignored the blush that rose at his mockery.

"Please. I know better than to wait on something that's never going to happen," she fired back, walking over to him. Her words caused a strange twinge in his chest, and Heckyl didn't speak as Teddie stopped in front of him, watching him suspiciously.

"What?" his question was defensive.

"Snide," Teddie's simple tone made him tense. "Is he going to make an appearance?" she asked warily, having been wondering about his alter-ego for a while.

"I…I-" Heckyl stumbled over his words, before his gaze hardened. He drew himself up taller, standing over her as his eyes narrowed. "I fail to see how that's any of your business," he told her coldly. Some of Teddie's wariness faded, and he saw the sadness in her face.

"You're right. It's not," she agreed. Watching him for a moment. He held her gaze, and his expression softened. His hand twitched as if trying to rise up, before Teddie sighed. "Forget I asked. Sorry," she turned away and took a few steps so that she could take a deep breath.

As Teddie inhaled deeply, it helped clear her mind somewhat. Her feelings hadn't diminished even slightly, and it frustrated her. It felt like a betrayal to her team, but she was still drawn to Heckyl, even if she refused to act on it again.

Teddie's mental berating ended abruptly when she was suddenly shoved hard from behind. Her feet initially didn't move, as if she'd been held in place, before they came free and Teddie stumbled, falling to the ground with a cry. She winced as the stones and twigs scratched at her hands and knees.

Anger bubbled inside of her at the rough treatment, and she rolled over to fight back. "Are you kidding me? You-" Teddie stopped as she looked up at Heckyl, horror silencing her.

"I'm guessing…swamp sand?" he asked, his tone oddly casual as he looked down at the ground he was sinking into. His boots had already vanished under the dense mud.

"Y-yeah," Teddie scrambled to her feet and looked around for anything that would help. Cursing, she turned and ran off, and just for a fleeting, almost terrifying moment, Heckyl thought she was abandoning him, leaving him to struggle alone. Instead, she tugged at some trails of ivy clinging to trees. "Gods, I hope this helps," she muttered, running back over.

"What is it with you and the local flora?" as the sand went up to his knees, Heckyl couldn't resist the snarky comment. Teddie just rolled her eyes, wrapping the end of the ivy around her wrist. She gave a hard tug, and it stayed strong.

"I'm trying to help you, genius," she bit, grabbing his arms. As he grasped her instinctively in response, Teddie began to pull him, digging her heels in as he pulled with her.

"Aren't you Rangers supposed to give…I don't know…words of encouragement when helping people?" Heckyl asked, his voice strained as he tried to pull his legs free.

"I'll encourage you to shut up for once," Teddie retorted, holding her own against his barbs, and Heckyl almost laughed.

For a long moment, it seemed useless, until at long last his legs started to come loose. Teddie gave a rough tug, yanking him with all her strength as she dug her heels into the hard ground, and there was a loud sucking sound as Heckyl finally felt his legs come loose. Both gasped, and Teddie fell back at the sudden lack of resistance, bringing him with her.

Both breathed heavily, staring at one another as Teddie was on her back, bracing herself on her elbows as Heckyl balanced over her, still holding onto her arms. Neither spoke as the close proximity after the swamp sand scare made them reluctant to part.

As Teddie swallowed, Heckyl's gaze moved to her lips, but as he started to move, he caught himself. Immediately he released her and pushed himself to his feet, aware that his heart was racing. Clearing his throat, he offered his hand. Teddie's eyes widened.

"Thanks," she murmured as she grasped it, and got back to her feet. He didn't answer, releasing her hand as soon as she was steady on her feet and turning away. Teddie let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding, letting tension escape from her shoulders. As she did, she looked down at her legs, which were now filthy. "Oh, gross," she complained, lifting her leg to try and wipe the wet sand and mud off.

"I second that," Heckyl muttered, aware of his own filthy clothes. He glanced around as he heard Teddie giggle, and smiled faintly. Catching himself, he shook his head. "We should keep moving. I'd rather be out of this place before nightfall," he started walking in the direction they'd been headed, and Teddie jogged after him.

"We're in the Magical Realm. How can you be sure that there even is a nighttime?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows at him. Heckyl gave her a droll stare in response.

"A place as miserable as this? I'm surprised it isn't eternally dark," he retorted, earning another laugh from the young woman. Again it made him smile.

"Hey, this miserable place is my heritage," Teddie said indignantly. She then paused. "Well, not the Cimmeron Forest, but the Magical Realm is," she sniffed, looking offended. Heckyl arched an eyebrow at her.

"Well it certainly explains a few things," he told her. It was a surprising revelation, but at the same time, it seemed to make sense. He'd seen her do things that no other human he'd seen was capable of. And there was the matter of her parentage.

"Like what?" Teddie challenged in a mix of curiosity and wariness.

"If I can tell that you're strange for your kind, then you must really be strange," Heckyl replied. "It certainly explains the powers, and I suppose it also explains that bizarre personality of yours," he sniffed.

"There's nothing wrong with my personality," Teddie sounded affronted this time, stopping to plant her hands on her hips. "I'm just fun," she said simply. He shot her a smirk over his shoulder, before he continued to walk without a work. "Hey!" Teddie chased after him, not missing how pleased he looked with himself. She huffed.


The two lapsed into a strangely comfortable silence as they continued to walk through the Cimmeron Forest. Neither had a clue if they were going in the right direction, but Teddie hoped that they'd find either a landmark she recognised, or some kind of friendly magical creature that could help.

Gods, she even wished Phineas would pop out of the bushes like he was so inclined to do.

"Why is the air so stifling here?" Heckyl complained, tugging at his collar and undoing the button in hopes of finding it easier to breathe.

"It's the magic," Teddie pushed her hair from her face. "This place is heavy with it. Nobody's ever really understood why, and cause the magic lures in dangerous creatures, nobody is able to figure it out," she sighed, feeling it weighing down on her. It was sapping her strength and making it harder to walk.

"It's infuriating," Heckyl complained, growing more frustrated by the minute.

"Tell me about it," Teddie had to agree, pushing her hair from her face once more as it to her sweaty forehead. She grumbled under her breath at it. Hearing his quiet hum, Teddie looked up at him, just in time to see Heckyl speed up. She followed, seeing that the trees ahead spread out and stopped. Hopeful that they'd reached a way out of the Cimmeron Forest, the two made their way past the trees, and stopped.

"What the…" Heckyl stared up at the massive tree in the distance. "What is that?" he asked, baffled.

"It was the Rhino Nexus. It housed the Rhino Zord for a long time," Teddie explained, but she wasn't looking at it. Instead she was looking around the plains warily.

"Was?" Heckyl repeated, looking down at her. He saw the wary expression, and frowned, casting a look across the grassy fields in front of them. Nothing but lush grasslands were spread out in front of them, with trees in the far distance.

"The Rhino Ranger for the Jungle Fury Rangers claimed it before I was born. There's no power left here," she said quietly, and Heckyl hummed thoughtfully. Had she not said this, he might have considered returning here when he got his bearings, to see if there was anything worth scavenging.

"Wait," he double-took after a moment. "Jungle Fury Rangers?" he repeated. Teddie nodded. "How many of you Rangers are there?" Heckyl asked, baffled. She gave a quiet laugh.

"More than you'd realise," she said. "Come on. This isn't the right way, and while there's no power in the Nexus, the Sand Snakes are nasty and have been real bloodthirsty since Grizzaka destroyed the Alpha," she turned away, and Heckyl decided not to ask who Grizzaka was.

"Well then, what way do we go?" Teddie was unable to hide her surprise when he asked this. He didn't seem to consider it strange, just meeting her gaze with a tired resolve. She bit her lip and folded her arms as she thought about it.

"There's no point going back the way we came, so I think…that way is our best bet. There's a village to the south of the Cimmeron Forest, and failing that, if we're lucky we'll stumble across Master Phant," Teddie considered.

"Honestly Teddie," Heckyl pushed his hair back. "You could say any random combination of words, and it will make as much sense as that," he told her honestly, and Teddie couldn't help but laugh.

"Who says I'm not already doing that to sound more confident than I am?" she asked, and he paused. He eyed her suspiciously as Teddie looked innocently back at him. As Heckyl opened his mouth to ask, the ground began to shake. The two caught hold of one another instinctively, steadying themselves.

"Why doesn't that fill me with confidence?" Heckyl said quietly. The two looked around as the shaking grew worse.

"Sand Snakes! Run!" Teddie took off, dragging him along by the hand. He started running as well, glancing back as the trees behind them were ripped from the ground by something tunnelling under the ground straight towards them. Increasing his speed, Heckyl was now the one pulling her along, just trying to get away from the creature.

Teddie cried out suddenly, and her hand was wrenched from his suddenly as her world suddenly tilted. Heckyl stopped, whirling around to see that the Sand Snake had emerged from the ground, and what looked like a tongue had wrapped around Teddie's ankle, pulling her back towards it. "Get off me, you grotty bugger!" she shouted as she struggled, grabbing a rock and throwing it. For a moment, it stopped pulling, and Teddie scrambled to try and free herself. However, its grip tightened, and she was pulled towards it again.

A crackling sound caught her attention, and she looked up just in time to see blue energy arc over her head and slam into the worm. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as the energy cut through the magic in the air. There was a squealing noise, and Teddie was freed as the Sand Worm was driven back.

"Don't say I don't do anything for you," Heckyl's voice was right by Teddie's ear, and he was suddenly hauling her to her feet and dragging her away from the creature as it withdrew. Heckyl didn't stop moving until he was certain that the Worm wasn't chasing them, and finally stopped to set Teddie down.

Both breathed heavily, and Teddie pressed her back to the tree she was beside as she kept her eyes closed. Her heart was pounding heavily, and she couldn't stop shaking.

"I'm going to pull that Faerie's wings off with my bare hands," she muttered, before looking up. "Hold on, you used your powers," Teddie realised, staring at the man who was very close. His eyes widened as realisation dawned on him.

"I did," he confirmed, lifting one of his gloved hands. He tried to channel the energy again, but it faded as quickly as his adrenaline was. Heckyl cursed, not understanding.

"I guess with how quick everything happened, it was just instinctive," Teddie considered quietly. "You saved me. Thank you," she said quietly, and Heckyl stared at her wordlessly. Both were suddenly reminded of their first encounter, when he pulled her off the road out of the way of a truck.

Neither spoke, and for a moment time seemed to freeze. Then they were kissing, and neither seemed inclined to stop it. Teddie's back pressed back up against the tree again, her hands holding onto his coat as Heckyl's hands went to her face, tilting her up towards him.

Then, as abruptly as it started, it ended, and he took a step back as he let her go, and Teddie released her hold on him just as quickly. She put her hands to her mouth, breathing heavily, before she sank to her knees.

"Why does this keep happening?" she groaned. Teddie just wanted to cry. She was a Power Ranger, for crying out loud, and yet when it came to Heckyl, any strength she had just vanished. And she hated that even now, she just wanted to kiss him again.

When Heckyl suddenly offered his hand, bumping his fingers against her forehead, Teddie looked up. Tears lingered in her eyes as she took in his own awkward look.

"I don't know," he admitted quietly, just as confused. 'Maybe Snide was right. She is a weakness,' he thought to himself, before Teddie took his hand. Her hand was much smaller than his, making her seem almost fragile as she straightened up.

A foolish thought.

He cleared his throat as he pulled Teddie into a standing position. "We need to keep moving," Heckyl pointed out.

"Yeah…" Teddie was quiet; something he found didn't suit her in the slightest.

"You said that way, right?" Heckyl pressed. He didn't know why he was trying to coax Teddie out of the reserved state she had fallen in, but he tore his eyes from her to glance in the direction he vaguely remembered her pointing in.

"Uh…" Teddie blinked, trying to remember what she'd said before the Sand Snake had attacked them. "No," she shook her head. "This way," there was more confidence in her voice, and he smiled faintly at it before he caught himself.

"Then let's get moving. Like I said, I'd rather not idle here until nightfall. This place is unbearable enough during the day," Heckyl complained as he immediately started to head in the direction she'd gestured towards.

"And like I said, how do you know that this place even has nightfall?" Teddie asked innocently. Heckyl shot her a dubious look, yet there was uncertainty behind it as he now found himself unsure of if she was messing with him.

Neither chose to acknowledge how he was still holding onto her hand; their fingers entwined.


Teddie had come to the conclusion that she hated the Cimmeron Forest almost as soon as she'd discovered where the Faerie had led them to. The thick magic hung in the air so heavily that it was hard to breathe, and both she and Heckyl were soaked through in sweet as they found themselves taking more and more breaks.

Though he was worn out, Heckyl found that his mind was clearer than ever. Without Snide's constant lingering presence or his frequent interruptions, he was able to think clearly.

Which made Heckyl nervous. He couldn't remember a time before Snide; he didn't even know if there was a time before Snide. And that dark haze that usually surrounded his emotions was fading, allowing him to feel more clearly too.

And he didn't like that. It was too much, especially considering his current situation. As time progressed, he found himself feeling more and more uneasy.

"Heckyl?" the man jumped, snapped from his thoughts as Teddie spoke for the first time in a while. "You alright mate?" she asked, and once again Hecky found himself thrown off balance by the question. Teddie was the only one to ever ask him this. To show him concern and compassion even now, when she was in a similar position. It defied all logic for Heckyl. He just couldn't understand her.

"I'm fine," he answered, finally letting go of her hand. 'She's a weakness,' Heckyl told himself firmly as he increased his pace. It was what Snide told him after he'd lost the White Energem. It was all he could think.

Teddie caught up to him, not speaking, and Heckyl glanced at her again. He then frowned. 'You were able to use your powers in this hell because of her,' the thought surfaced before he could stop it, and it was enough to give him pause. Heckyl then shook his head. 'She's still a threat. Her Energem is what I need. She's exhausted, more than me. When we finally get out of this place, I'll take it from that damn creature for myself,' he decided, trying to be firm in his resolve.

Why then, did that thought fill him with such an unpleasant feeling?

"Wait," once more, Teddie caught his attention. She'd grabbed his shirt sleeve - his coat had long since been removed - to stop him.

"What's wrong?" Heckyl asked without thinking. He then winced. Great, the concern was contagious.

"Something's in the trees about," Teddie's voice was barely a whisper, and Heckyl had to fight a compulsion to instantly look up. "It's huge, whatever it is," Teddie said, almost not even audible.

"What do we do?" Heckyl whispered back, his blue eyes meeting her brown ones as he deferred to her. He'd long since accepted that she knew this place far better that he could hope to. Teddie hesitated, unsure. When she didn't answer, he frowned deeper and looked around. A plan began forming in his mind. "I've got an idea," he seized her hand once more and pulled her along. Heckyl led her through a part where the trees weren't as thickly clustered together, hoping that whatever was above them would struggle with less trees around.

For a moment, he thought his plan might actually have a chance. Then Teddie gasped.

"Watch out!" a shadow fell over them as she shouted, and the two barely managed to get out of the way of a large sticky string of web that flew by. It hit a tree with a disgusting squelching sound, but neither spent long examining it. There was then a rumbling thud, and the ground shuddered under their feet.

"What the-" Heckyl started, stepping back as they found their way blocked by what he could only describe as a massive black spider. Teddie cursed.

"Borbeast," the one word held a glimmer of recognition - one of the many threats Teddie had listed about the place, and he had to assume that it what the creature was called.

"Any suggestions on how to beat a…Borbeast?" Heckyl asked as they didn't move. The creature breathed low, washing over them and making them grimace at the stench. Teddie glared at the monster, frustrated. She was tired, and just wanted to go home. She was sick of the Cimmeron Forest.

"They're fast, and those webs will stop you moving, but they're not overly strong. We might be able to overpower it," Teddie suggested, and found she almost smiled at his incredulous look.

"Without our powers?" he asked, filled with doubt. Teddie shrugged.

"It's a long shot, but it's all we have. Besides…" she turned back to the heaving beast. "Relying on powers instead of ourselves just makes us all the weaker," Teddie recited what Ari had once told her. Teddie finally understood what she meant.

"Uhuh…" Heckyl sounded dubious. He couldn't question it, however, as the Borbeast grew impatient and gave a snarling roar, showering them in spittle. It lunged at the pair, who split apart to dodge it. There was a painfully loud crash as it rammed a tree, which came crashing down onto the monster. "I suppose it isn't terribly bright," Heckyl considered, watching as the Borbeast thrashed around in an attempt to get out from under the tree.

"Something we can use to our advantage, I guess," Teddie called over. They moved again as it finally recovered, slipping out from under the tree to spit more webs at them. They barely managed to avoid them, hiding behind the trees. "Take this!" Teddie darted out as it passed by her, and she kicked out to sweep several of its leg's out from under it. The Borbeast let out a shriek as it tumbled to the ground and flailed, turning towards Teddie. As it did, a heavy branch cracked over its head, smashing across several of its beady eyes. Heckyl raised the branch he was wielding to hit it again, only to be kicked backwards.

A cry escaped him as his back slammed against a tree, forcing the air from his lungs in one burst. "Heckyl!" Teddie shouted in horror as he slid to the ground, coughing violently.

'Move, move already,' Heckyl tried to force his weary body back up as he continued to cough. As he finally started to rise, something wet and sticky slammed into Heckyl, forcing him back against the tree. It pinned him in place, and no amount of struggling broke him free.

The now half-blind creature snarled, turning its good eyes on him as it snarled furiously, deciding he was the more important of the prey there.

"Leave him alone!" Teddie's scream was accompanied by the rumble of the ground shaking so violently that Heckyl was amazed she'd stayed standing. The Borbeast was thrown several feet away as trees burst out from the ground under where it had been standing, growing tall as Teddie's hands glowed with magic. Heckyl could only stare as she waved her hand, and more flora began to sprout around the Borbeast, which was on its back flailing. Before long, it was completely restrained, vanishing inside the bushes, and the magic faded as quickly as it came. Exhausted, Teddie staggered, gasping for breath as she barely managed to remain on her feet. For a moment, there was silence.

"Now why didn't you do that earlier?" Teddie looked up at the exasperated question, and narrowed her eyes.

"You're welcome," she grumbled, forcing her weary body over to approach Heckyl. She took a look at the webs restraining him, before smirking. "It's a good look for you," she teased. Heckyl rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Mind getting me out of it?" he asked, and Teddie's giggle made him smile. She began pulling at the threads, slowly freeing him, but as she pulled his hands free, there was a loud tearing sound behind her.

The Borbeast, even more furious, shrieked as it ripped its way free of the bushes and vines that Teddie had grown. It turned, and Teddie's eyes widened. "Might want to get out of here," Heckyl warned, but Teddie shook her head.

"Not till you're free," she said, so adamant that it made his eyes widen. The Borbeast started to charge forwards, still snarling, and Heckyl caught Teddie's waist to pull her backwards into him as his hand lit up blue. The hairs on Teddie's arms stood on end at the close proximity to the energy, before Heckyl fired the energy out like a bolt. It hit the Borbeast in the face, making it rear back, jerking violently as it fought against it.

"Enough!" another voice rang out, taking them by surprise, before pale yellow light fired through trees, turning the Borbeast to stone.

"Well, that's helpful," Heckyl muttered, his powers fading as they turned to look in the direction that the new magic had come from. Both stared as a tall anthropomorphic Sphinx walked into view, adjusting the glasses perched on her nose.

"Lady Itassis?" Teddie couldn't believe who she was seeing. The Sphinx-like Terror turned and bowed to her.

"It has been a long time, Althea Bly. I have not seen you since you were very young," she commented, and Teddie winced at the use of her proper name. "Though I must confess, the Cimmeron Forest is not a place I would ever have considered for our reunion," she considered. Teddie gave an awkward laugh.

"Before that…" Heckyl's voice was right by Teddie's ear and his hand was still on her waist as he held her to him tightly. "Mind getting me out of this?" he complained, reminding her that he was still stuck in place.

Once Heckyl was free, the two approached Itassis, who waited patiently as she examined the now stone Borbeast. Heckyl stared up at the Terror, whose glowing blue eyes sent a chill down his spine.

"Now that your…companion is free, perhaps you can give some answers on just why you would come here?" Itassis asked as Teddie whispered a quick introduction of her to Heckyl.

"A Faerie," Teddie answered simply, yet the sigh Itassis gave in response could only be described as weary. "She stole something from both of us, and left us stranded here," she explained. Itassis lifted a clawed hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, pushing her glasses up.

"I should have known. Fae-folk are insatiable when they find something that piques their interest," Itassis shook her head. "I will help, but in return I would like an answer from each of you," she requested, which made Teddie smile.

"Like with the Mystic Force," she said, having heard the story of the Mystic Force Rangers explaining the true source of their power. Itassis gave a nod, while Heckyl just looked confused. "You okay with this?" Teddie asked him.

"Whatever helps us get the little flying rat," Heckyl shrugged his agreement, and both looked up at Itassis. She hummed appreciatively.

"Before I arrived, I felt powerful Earth Magic that could almost rival the Earth Mystic himself. Your magic, Teddie. Something that should have been impossible to conjure in these conditions," Itassis started, her attention on Teddie. She remembered her conversation with the Mystic Force well, her curiosity having been caught by Xander, whose desire to save Ari had clashed with his suspicion of the Terror. "Just how did you manage to defy that stifling pressure to draw on your magic?" Itassis asked. She watched as Teddie's filthy face flushed, and her eyes darted to the man standing close to her.

"Heckyl was…in danger," Teddie quickly looked at the ground as even her ears turned red. "I wanted to help. My magic just came instinctively," she explained quietly. Itassis hummed. "But when my mind caught up, the magic started to fade," she added, recalling how quickly the magic had begun to fade. If it hadn't, she might have been able to restrain the Borbeast better.

"Interesting. Only those who spend many a moon in this forest are usually able to withstand that pressure to keep their bearings and use their magic effectively. Myself and Phineas are two of those few," Itassis commented. Teddie kept her head lowered, aware of Heckyl's gaze on her. "And you," Itassis turned her attention to Heckyl, studying him curiously.

One glance at the man and she knew he was a stranger to the Magical Realm, yet he wasn't human. There was something peculiar about him, and she wanted to know. However, that wasn't what they'd agreed on, so she put that to the side for now. "That power of yours I witnessed wasn't magic, that much is clear, but it comes from a similar place deep within, correct?" Itassis asked. Heckyl shrugged, unsure. He had no idea how the power came to him. Like with Snide, it was a blur. "How did you tap into its strength against the Borbeast?" she asked. This time, it was Heckyl's turn to look flustered, and at first, he didn't answer. But he knew he had to give an answer if they were to get out of the Forest.

"I wanted to protect Teddie," he muttered, and Teddie lifted her head to stare at him. He met her gaze, though looked awkward. "Snide was wrong. You don't make me weak. You make me stronger and I…don't understand it," Heckyl sighed, running a hand through his hair. Teddie just smiled and took his hand.

"Me neither, but I don't…I don't think you're truly evil," her words made his eyes widen. Neither heard Itassis hum curiously at the statement. Heckyl tried to pull away, but she held on tightly. "You've been changing over the course of the day, without Snide around. You saved me, twice, and you put yourself at risk," she pointed out as he stared, unable to deny it.

That only scared him more.

"She is correct," they looked at Itassis as if they had forgotten that she was there. "There is darkness in you, boy. But it fades, almost like you were one of us," Itassis mused thoughtfully.

"'Us'?" Heckyl repeated.

"One of the Ten Terrors, the most powerful servants of the Master Octomus," Itassis explained, so casually it was like she was commenting on the weather. "Hand-picked by the Master himself and bathed in dark magic; only Matoombo and I were able to escape that fate," she said, leaving Heckyl with more questions than answers. "You have answered my questions, and so I will do as I agreed and help you," Itassis raised a hand and snapped her fingers.

The sound echoed despite the muffling presence around them, and was accompanied by a tingling sensation. For a moment, nothing happened. And then there was a giggle.

"Oh, why does it have to end?" there was a flash of light, and the Faerie appeared once more, floating in the air. "I was having so much fun watching!" she complained, but looked delighted as they glared t her.

"Return their stolen trickets, Fae. Your kind owe more than a few favours," Itassis warned, her tone cold.

"Fine, fine," the Faerie waved her off almost dismissively, and gave a sigh. She waved her tiny hands in front of her, muttering quietly. The White Energem, and Heckyl's pocketwatch appeared in front of the pair. "I hope you had as much fun as I did," the Faerie giggled as Teddie grabbed her Energem and gave a sigh of relief.

"Less fun than I'll have pulling your wings off," Heckyl growled as he shoved his watch back into his pocket. She just laughed at his threat.

"I'll make it up to you by returning you to your correct paths," they frowned, not understanding what she meant. "You'll return to where you should be, far from this place. Perhaps you'll remember this, perhaps you won't. But you'll be on the right track," she smiled.

"Wait, what? I don't want to forget this!" Teddie protested, and Heckyl's grip on her hand tightened as he found he felt the same.

"Trust me," the Faerie seemed oblivious. "You'll be fine," she insisted with another giggle.

"More Fae tricks. I suppose I will be dragged into this also?" Itassis guessed, weary once more.

"Of course. Can't have you knowing things that they don't. We'll make it up to you, of course," the Faerie told her with a smile. "We will assist you with your research on this place," she offered, and Itassis recoiled.

"I'd rather forget it all," she retorted, and the Faerie burst out laughing at her honesty.

"But it's not fair…to make us go through all this? And then just forget?" Teddie's voice shook in frustration as she turned to look up at Heckyl. "Forget us?" she whispered.

"Trust me," the Faerie repeated. "You two make quite the team. Something tells me that you won't be apart for long," she winked. Teddie tried to argue, but was cut off when Heckyl put a hand to her cheek and leaned in to kiss her.

Despite Itassis and the Faerie being right there, Teddie leaned into the kiss, squeezing his hand. Heckyl then pulled back, and gave a faint smile. Teddie couldn't help but smile back.

"Fascinating…" Itassis murmured.

"What a great ending! Now, to send you back where you belong!" the Faerie began to glow, and everything went white.


Teddie's entire body was stiff and sore as she pushed open the door to her home in Amber Beach, calling out a greeting.

"Hey Ted," Chase called, his mouth full of food. Ari immediately swatted him.

"You're home late," Ari commented as Teddie kicked her boots off. "Everything okay?" she asked. Her green eyes were as sharp as ever as she took in her daughter's tired and dirty appearance.

"I'm fine," Teddie answered "Sorry for being home so late. I went for a hike in the woods and got a little lost," she said, which made everyone at the table frown at her words. Teddie was not an Earth Mystic, but a trained Earth Ninja. Of all the places to get lost, a forest seemed the least likely.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Arianna asked, and Teddie turned to her with a smile.

"You know what? Somehow, I am," she said honestly. "Guess getting lost was cathartic," Teddie laughed.

"Uhuh," Ari leaned back in her seat. "Go grab a shower. There's dinner for you in the kitchen," she said, and Teddie's stomach rumbled in anticipation.

"Great, thanks," Teddie hurried up the stairs.

"Is something the matter, Ari?" Ivan saw Ari's thoughtful expression. Ari glanced up, and her cheerful attitude returned.

"Nothing wrong, just a mother worried for a kid coming home late," she shrugged. She had a suspicion that a magical creature lurking in the woods had messed with Teddie's sense of direction, but having focused her senses, it seemed nothing was wrong.

"Have you had any luck finding the Silver Ranger?" Olivia asked, and Ari was diverted back to her current worry.

"Nothing yet, but there's no giving up," she grinned, and they nodded, agreeing with her, as everyone remained completely oblivious to the events that had taken place.


Honestly I'm very self-indulgent so anything that allows me to write more Teddie and Heckyl I will do.

No promises on when Beast Morphers will return, I've been getting back into the swing of writing for Ryne, but I start a new job tomorrow so who knows what my mindframe will be like.

I hope you liked it!

Please review!