Author's Notes: Again, loving writing my OTP Zedd and Rita. Now after being married for so long, it fascinating watching the old episodes and seeing them go through their rocky first year. The last half of season 2 shows them struggling for power in their new union, and everyone seems to think that Rita needs to ask permission from Zedd to do anything. That's definitely not what Rita intended. The thing is, their power struggles over each other never seem to work. Rita always undercuts Zedd's and Goldar's misogyny, and Zedd refuses to be ruled by the witch who supposedly put him under a spell. Their fights are pretty epic. But throughout season 3, they seem to be settling into their new relationship, relying on each other and even supporting each other, far before the end of the love potion in The Potion Notion. That's when they have the greatest success against the Rangers, and even after that it seems more like they're a team who genuinely care about each other, despite the fact that they still like to bicker. I wanted to play around with that far more: the expectations before marriage versus the reality after. Also, I got to write an alien wedding, and that was super fun.

Reviewer thanks: The-Chibi-Poe (The wedding arc is a bit of a mess, but I LOVE the scenes with Zedd and Rita. They're so much fun.), The-Knight2000 (Yes, we're getting to the Green Ranger, but… WEDDING!), Ghostwriter, Mirajane92 (Rita is my fav), GothamPowerKaiju (Oh, I'm having so much fun with Goldar. The thing is, especially in season 3, Goldar is much more tied to Zedd than Rita, even trying to end the spell she has over Zedd. I had to figure out how to work that into my fic with the relationship dynamics I've already established.), bleedredstars (Maybe I should make Zedd sparkle…), Notepadhalffull (I'm a 33-year-old woman with a Ph.D. I also am sitting next to a shelf full of Zords and PR action figures, partway through a full viewing of all the seasons of Power Rangers, and neck deep in a years-long PR fanfic. I have no chill about Power Rangers, and my age does not disqualify me from obsessing over a "kids' show." Never surrender your passion, no matter what people say "grown women" are supposed to do. And now that I've gotten off my soapbox… evil Green Ranger stuff is coming, don't worry), KLR (Thank you for the running commentary! Those are my favorite reviews), and dan (Oh, I have absolutely no chill at all about the Power Rangers comic series. And, like, it's kind of creepy, but there are some scenes from the comic that feel just like my fanfic. I think it's a combination of zeitgeist and the types of story beats that were already there, just waiting to be explored. But, yeah, I'm collecting every piece of art and wishing I had the money for variant covers.).


Brighter Paths

Book 4: The Wedding

Chapter 16: The Ceremony

Goldar woke to squeals in the corridor. Babboo and Squatt were shouting something, but Goldar couldn't make it out. He growled softly. If the fools woke Lord Zedd and incurred his wrath, which was formidable even in his weakened condition, it would be on them.

He'd fallen asleep slumped over his desk, his armor cutting into his skin in the odd position. He got up slowly and stretched, his back and shoulders cracking as he did so. He squinted at his notes from last night; they were now gibberish. He balled them up and threw them in the trash, deciding that what he needed was a long shower.

He was somewhat refreshed and ready for another drudge of a day when the squealing again passed his door. He opened it. Sure enough, Squatt and Baboo were running full-tilt down the corridor, singing some unfamiliar song.

"What are you fools doing?" Goldar growled at them. "Do you want to wake him up?"

Squatt and Baboo stopped, turned to look at Goldar, and giggled. Actually giggled, hands over their mouths and casting glances at each other, like they were sharing a secret.

"Lord Zedd is awake!" Squatt shouted, giving a little skip.

"And that's not all!" Babboo rejoined. Before he could elaborate, however, the two looked at each other and dissolved into giggles again, running down the corridor as they did so.

Goldar stared after them, bewildered. They'd actually had more freedom since Lord Zedd's convalescence. Why were they so happy about the waking of the man who had threatened them with torture and death? Had they finally snapped?

Goldar was sure that Finster might have better answers, but if Lord Zedd was indeed awake, Goldar knew he had to report in immediately. Lord Zedd might want a progress report for the time he'd been asleep. Even if he knew everything that had gone on (and he usually did), he insisted on hearing it in Goldar's words.

Goldar trudged up to Zedd's throne room and was pleased to see the room wasn't red. Not even pinkish. That was good; that meant Zedd was happier, without a trace of anger or even frustration. He must be in good health, with a plan in development.

"My lord, I…" Goldar began, announcing his presence. His words died in his throat.

Lord Zedd was standing at the balcony, and next to him was Empress Rita Repulsa, one hand grasping her wand, while the other was currently being held gently by Lord Zedd's chrome-encased fingers.

"Yes, Goldar?" Lord Zedd said as the silence stretched. "You have something to report?"

Rita said nothing. She merely looked at Goldar, her face unreadable. She pulled a bit closer to Zedd and watched Goldar, as if to gauge his reaction.

"N-nothing to report, my lord," Goldar said finally, his voice shaky. "I am pleased to see you in better health."

Lord Zedd turned to regard Rita, who smirked at his gaze. "I have my fiancée to thank for my return to health. Love does wonders, does it not?"

Love. Fiancée. Love. Goldar felt a trickle of sweat run down his face. Fiancée. Love.

"Come now, Zedd," Rita finally spoke, her voice sharp with amusement. "We are not being kind to Goldar. He was asleep during our new developments." She flashed her left hand at Goldar, who could only gawk at the silver and red ring flashing on her finger. "Don't you wish to congratulate us on our impending nuptials?"

"C-congratulations," Goldar said weakly. "Lord Zedd… E-empress Rita."

She smirked at Goldar's obvious discomfort, but Lord Zedd didn't seem to notice. "We already have the two fools preparing the ceremony, but I wish for you to make sure they stay on task and prepare something befitting the occasion. The Wizard of Deception, Rita's old teacher, has agreed to officiate, and we shall have some of the better monsters in attendance."

Goldar felt himself going slightly mad. "My lord… Empress… when is this ceremony to take place?"

"Why, tonight," Lord Zedd said. He turned back to Rita. "And for our honeymoon, we will finally lay waste to the Power Rangers and all they hold dear."

Rita laughed. "A man after my own heart."

As the two started to lean closer, Goldar quickly excused himself and left the room just short of running. He was sure that their next move would send him irrevocably into pure insanity.

He didn't stop until he got to Finster's lab, dodging Baboo and Squatt as they made another run down the corridor, giggling madly. Finster was carefully lining up clay models, which Goldar supposed were to be the wedding guests.

"Finster, have you been dosing my food with any hallucinogens?" Goldar said, his voice sounding shaky.

Finster's expression was as unreadable as Rita's. "I'm sure you're referring to the return of Queen Rita and her betrothal to Lord Zedd. If that is the case, it's not a hallucination. It's completely real."

Goldar leaned heavily against the doorframe. "There must… there must be something. Some sort of trick, or spell. The last time those two met they nearly killed each other. I was there. I…" His next sentence died in his throat. He had, in fact, destroyed Rita's power source in an attempt to save her from dying in the fight. It had destroyed him inside, and it still haunted him. The action still lived in the cold glances Rita gave him now.

"It is a political move," Finster said, continuing with his arrangement of the clay models. "With their powers and galactic holdings combined, they will have a far better standing in the Alliance of Evil. Lord Zedd can provide raw power, while Queen Rita brings discipline and respectability."

"Lord Zedd said they were in love," Goldar repeated. "We're not talking about a political marriage. We're talking about two bitter enemies suddenly eloping. It doesn't make sense."

Finster regarded him coldly. "So it's a change in the status quo that doesn't benefit you. I know that isn't what usually happens, but you're going to have to get over it. Your position will not change, after all, and the rest of Queen Rita's followers now have her protection, myself included. You do remember how many times I was tortured."

There was something behind Finster's words, something implying that he knew exactly what was going on. He'd probably helped Rita do it. But it did not seem as if he was going to share anything with Goldar.

"Watch yourself, old man," Goldar growled. "If Rita is getting in over her head, it won't take long for Lord Zedd to figure it out. I won't be able to protect you. And you weren't tortured near as many times as you could have, thanks to me."

Finster drew himself up. "I believe you'll want to start calling her Empress again, if you value your life."

Goldar left in disgust. He knew something was going on… something dangerous. Something that would eventually get a good many of them killed. And, at present, there seemed to be little he could do except help prepare a wedding. He'd just have to keep his eyes and ears open for the present.


Tommy and Adam slowed to a walk as soon as they hit the beach behind the house. Rocky, Billy, Kimberly, Aisha, and Aaron were all gathered on the beach, spreading towels and setting up lounge chairs.

"You were gone most of the morning," Kimberly said, slathering on some sunscreen. She tossed it to Tommy. "You guys get lost?"

Tommy and Adam looked at each other. "A little bit," Adam admitted. "There was a detour that threw me off."

"Just in time for lunch!" Rocky said. He was lighting up a charcoal grill while Aaron fished around in a cooler. The grill flamed up more than it should, and Rocky took several steps back.

"Do you like your hot dogs blackened or burned to a crisp?" Aisha joked.

Aaron frowned and shook the bottle of lighter fluid. "You're only supposed to use a little, Rocky."

"It's fine, see? All good," Rocky said, finally inching closer as the flames went down. "Okay, dog me."

Aaron tossed a packet of hot dogs to Rocky, thankfully unopened, since Rocky dropped it on the first catch. Rocky wiped off the package, pulled it open, and arranged the contents on the grill.

Tommy sat over by Billy, who was busily drawing on a notepad. At first it looked like he was sketching the ocean, as he kept looking up every few minutes, but a quick look at the drawing showed communicator schematics.

"Working on upgrades?" Tommy said.

Billy paused before looking up, finishing a notation. "Affirmative. Aisha pointed out that we couldn't wear our communicators if we went into the water, so I'm working on some options for waterproofing. I believe some Aquitian technology might be useful."

"This is a vacation, remember?" Kimberly said, sitting so she could lean against Tommy. "We're supposed to be relaxing."

"I am relaxed," Billy said. "Drawing schematics is very relaxing."

In the meantime, Aaron had shooed Rocky away from the grill, so Rocky and Aisha were tossing a beach ball at each other. Adam collapsed on a lounge chair; his run had gone on far longer than he was used to.

After several minutes, Aaron announced that the food was almost done, so Tommy and Kimberly set up a folding table for the food. Pretty soon, they were all eating hot dogs and chips and drinking water, sheltering under beach umbrellas from the beating sun.

"I must say, I'm quite surprised that you all decided to take this vacation," Aaron said. He was dressed in a polo shirt and khakis, which was apparently as casual as he could dress. "I would think… superheroes would need to stay on alert."

Adam looked down, suddenly intent on carefully picking through his bag of chips. The rest just looked uncomfortable. They knew Aaron hadn't taken the news that Adam was a Power Ranger too well, but he hadn't confronted the rest of the team yet.

"The Earth and the surrounding space is being constantly monitored by our Command Center," Billy said. "Communicators and teleportation allow us to respond to any threat instantaneously."

"If we spent every second on alert, we'd never get to live our lives," Kimberly said through a mouthful of hot dog. "I mean, we're still teenagers."

"Yes," Aaron said pointedly. "You are."

Tommy sighed. Ever since Aaron had shown up, he'd been preparing for this. "Mr. Park, we've been doing this for a long time. Adam, Rocky, and Aisha already proved themselves before they got the powers. I can't say we're always safe, because who are we kidding, but we're protected by the power. There's not a lot that can take that away."

"And what about the times when you've been defeated?" Aaron said. "I've been reading up. What about the evil Green Ranger? What about when the entire town surrendered to Zedd?"

Tommy fell silent, his stomach turning to ice at the mention of the Green Ranger. He knew he'd have to share more about his foray into evil with the other Rangers soon. Much of what had happened was public knowledge, and it would be better coming from him. Still, he didn't think this was the correct time.

"We've always gotten back up," Kimberly said. "We have more than the power… we have each other. We're not just superheroes. We're a team. And we're not going to let anything happen to Adam." She smiled. "And I guess Rocky and Aisha are fine, too."

"Oh, thanks," Rocky said. "I'm so glad I'm not going to get abandoned."

The atmosphere became less tense and, having eaten, the teens ran for the surf, bringing the beach ball with them. Tommy dragged Billy along before he could go back to his notebook.

Aaron watched the teens play as he slowly cleaned up, his eyes narrowing. His eyes flashed red as he received instructions.


As soon as she left the throne room, Rita found she could breathe easier. Everything was happening so quickly, and in ways that she had not predicted. She gripped her wand, comforted by the familiar weight. It was always warm, slightly warmer than her hands. Its energy washed over her; she had not realized how powerless she'd felt until she had it back.

Still more comforting was the sight of her old throne room, the telescope still pointed to Earth. The room was dusty and had a general air of neglect, but she supposed she could change that. She waved her wand, and the dust and cobwebs were instantly sucked into space.

"Everything still proceeding according to plan?" The Wizard of Deception emerged from the shadows.

"Perfectly," Rita said, her hand running over the rail on the balcony. "Love is apparently unpredictable. I was not expecting a marriage proposal."

"You did well to accept," the Wizard said. "Your initial plans would have drawn too much attention. Lord Zedd is too well-known in the Alliance to be disposed of unnoticed, and you now have a powerful ally."

Rita laughed bitterly. "I wonder if my father knew what would happen to his daughter after he sent her away. He's never approved of rulers like Zedd, ones who conquer and destroy rather than govern."

"And what does your father have to do with any of this," the Wizard said. "You are your own woman, after all. Marriage will not change that, by the way."

Rita smiled. "You're quite right. How goes your progress on Earth?"

"I've placed the brother of one of the Rangers under a spell. Since he's acting as their chaperone, he'll be able to lead them wherever we choose, and then we'll have them trapped." The Wizard chuckled. "You might consider them a wedding present now."

Rita frowned. "A brother as chaperone. None of them have brothers that are old enough to be chaperones." She aimed her telescope at Angel Grove, the move a familiar reflex. "Where the hell are they?"

"They're on vacation, Rita, and calm down," the Wizard said. "Just hone in on their power signatures."

Rita forced herself to calm down. She was out of practice. She let her telescope focus on the familiar power signatures... but the faces she saw of teens playing on a beach were not familiar at all.

"Those aren't the Power Rangers," Rita said. "Whom have you enchanted, anyway?"

The Wizard didn't answer, but Rita didn't need him to. The telescope had shifted to show her the familiar faces of Tommy, Billy, and Kimberly. She was wondering why only half of the Rangers were playing with three unfamiliar teens when it clicked. These were the new Rangers. They had transferred their powers to new warriors.

At that moment, she felt intensely the months that had been stolen from her life. The war had continued without her. Tommy had kept on being a Power Ranger—Scorpina had told her that he had somehow gotten new powers after his green powers had finally failed for good—and Jason, Trini, and Zack had left the war to these three new faces. The Rangers fought Lord Zedd, just as they'd fought her. None of it had made a difference.

Her anger burned as she watched her enemies play on the shore. Her former servant. Three who didn't even know who she was. And two who had defied her again and again. They were whole, happy, and healthy, unmarked by the war raging around them.

That would change, she decided.

She pressed a panel next to the balcony. "Finster, as soon as you can, report to the old throne room. I want a report on the new status quo… and especially these new Rangers."

The Wizard of Deception melted back into the shadows. While Rita obsessed over these children (soon to be taken care of, thanks to his own designs), he had business with the real power. Namely, a certain interdimensional being named Zordon.


Tommy and Kimberly ran down the beach and around a rock wall. Aaron had gone back up to the house with Billy for more towels and a garbage bag, so they weren't going to squander their few chaperone-less minutes.

"I swear Frank thinks it's the eighteenth century," Kimberly groused.

Tommy didn't respond as she followed up the comment by kissing him soundly. She pushed him against the rock wall, and he held her as their hands started exploring.

They didn't get very far when they heard someone yell "CA-CAW CA-CAW." It took a minute to realize that they were hearing Rocky in what he probably thought was a pretty subtle signal. Tommy and Kimberly pulled apart quickly and smoothed down their clothes, casting about for some reason to be there.

They spotted a cave and started toward it, picking their way over the suddenly rocky beach. They were just now hearing the voices of their friends approach.

"So this is where you two ran off," Aaron said. He was followed closely by Rocky, Adam, Aisha, and Billy. "Kimberly, your parents told me to keep an eye on you and…"

Kimberly gave a wide-eyed, innocent expression. "What are you talking about?"

"Yeah," Tommy said, glancing at the cave. "We were just about to come get you guys. Did you know this cave was here, Rocky?"

"I guess I've never checked this far out," Rocky said. He grinned. "Wanna go exploring?"

Aaron crossed his arms, regarding the two who were still looking at him innocently. It seemed like he wasn't taking the bait, until…

"We'll need flashlights," Aaron said. "And no one leaves the group. Who knows if this cave is safe?"

They were about to head back to the house for supplies, when Billy started pulling flashlights out of his backpack. They were small, but when he turned one on in the cave entrance it shone brightly.

"My own design," he said. "They won't run out, not even if we were to turn them on for several months." He handed them around.

Aisha squinted at Billy's backpack, which was now back on his shoulders. "What's all in there…?"

"Yay, spelunking!" Rocky said. He started pushing everyone in, accidentally shining his flashlight in a few faces. "Ya know, it's weird… you'd think I would have known about a cave here."

As the six Rangers and Aaron cleared the cave entrance, a force field silently closed after them. The cave, which didn't really exist in their dimension, disappeared except for a single archway representing the entrance.


Zordon and Alpha did not notice the sudden disappearance of the Rangers, so intent were they on their very dangerous experiments.

"I have the components I need to establish a connection to this dimension once I move to the next one," Zordon said. "Alpha, do you have the frequency that I will be using?"

"Yes, Zordon," Alpha said. "Oh, ay-yi-yi, I wish we would do more testing first."

"We have a limited window of opportunity," Zordon said impatiently, "and we have done as much testing as we can. It is now the time for action."

Privately, Alpha wondered if the impulsive, hormonal teenaged Rangers were somehow rubbing off on Zordon. His time sense had shifted to the more immediate, the day-to-day. It would explain why he was rushing to escape a dimension he'd been locked in for centuries.

"Please double-check the failsafes, Zordon," Alpha said desperately, "so you can return to your dimension if things go wrong."

"I have already done so. Do not worry, Alpha. I know what I'm doing."

Tommy, Alpha decided. This was particularly Tommy's fault. But Alpha did not voice his concerns. "Initiating sequence, Zordon. Good luck."

While Alpha fretted, Zordon approached the doorway that had just appeared in his dimension. He looked back at the dimension that had served as his prison for so long, cheered by the fact that if all went well, he wouldn't see it ever again.


Goldar watched as the Putties strung garlands decorated by roses and other, more exotic flowers from the ceiling. After the first decorating disaster, Goldar had given Squatt and Baboo some ribbons to play with in a corner. The Putties were far more adept at hanging decorations, though Goldar had to keep a sharp eye on them. One Z accidentally activated could destroy the whole room.

Goldar was supervising Putties—clay automatons to be used in war—as they decorated Lord Zedd's chamber of command—a room that had served as the site for the destruction of worlds—for a wedding between two people who by all rights should be killing each other. Life was weird.

Something bumped into Goldar's elbow, and Goldar turned to see bright candle light. Some wax burned his skin, and then hardened. A very familiar monster made of candles.

"Finster," Goldar called out. "Don't bring the monsters in yet. This thing alone could set the whole place off if it got too close to the Putties."

"I can't keep them in my lab. They have to go somewhere," Finster snapped.

Crowded in the doorway were some of Finster's most successful monsters: Candleman, Slippery Shark, Pop Star, and Dark Samurai. Goldar wondered if Lord Zedd was planning on resurrecting some of his own monsters. He shuddered at the thought of the Greek gods; surely he wouldn't bring them back.

"Well, they can't stay in here," Goldar said. "Is there anything useful they can be doing?"

Finster bit back a retort at the sight of Rita teleporting into the throne room. Her hair was back in cones, now with gold ornaments and black lace entwined with her hair in an intricate design. She wore a dress of dark purple, the customary wedding color for her part of the galaxy.

"Well, this is becoming quite lovely," she said. She looked over at Goldar, Finster, and the monsters. "What's the problem, then?"

Goldar ground his teeth. He felt like hitting… well… everyone. "Empress Rita, this room will cease to be 'lovely' if those monsters stay here."

Rita laughed. "Oh, is that all. I have a job for them. After all, my wedding gift to Zedd should have guards." She stared at the blank looks. "The Power Rangers, of course. You boys have been so involved in wedding plans, you don't know that I've trapped the Rangers in another dimension, with the new Black Ranger's brother under a spell to help keep them there." She smiled at the monsters. "What do you think, my pretties? Feel like chasing after some Power Rangers while they can't use their powers and can't escape?"

There was a general commotion of assent, and the four monsters disappeared at a flick of Rita's wand.

"My empress…" Goldar said, trying to process what Rita had just said, "do you think a surprise attack against the Power Rangers without Lord Zedd's knowledge is the best idea?"

Again, Rita gave Goldar that cold look she seemed to reserve only for him. "Why, we wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. Besides, you forget, Lord Zedd loves me. We're about to get married. We're partners, and I don't have to ask him permission for anything."

With that, Rita teleported out, leaving Goldar with wedding preparations and an uneasy feeling. He looked at Finster and, for a fleeting moment, he was pleased to see that same uneasy feeling on the old man's face as well.


"This cave makes no sense," Billy said quietly.

Aisha turned. The others hadn't heard him. Rocky was too busy cracking jokes, occasionally being shushed by Kimberly who pointed out the possibility of sound affecting the stalactites around them. "What was that, Billy?"

Billy had been making notations in his notebook, trying to diagram the cave. He also had a compass, and Aisha again wondered what all he had in his backpack. "This cave… Given our direction and the distance we've traveled we should be directly under Rocky's house."

Aisha frowned. "But the house has a wine cellar." She rolled her eyes, remembering Aaron pointedly locking the door and threatening them with dire consequences if they teleported down there. Did he think they'd been planning a drunken orgy? "Are you sure you're reading that compass right?"

Billy offered the compass to Aisha, along with his notations. Aisha was pleased that she could start to understand Billy's chicken scratch writing now, although he seemed to be using a shorthand that she wasn't familiar with. "Okay, so the beach is down a slope and about 400 meters away from the house, so if we…"

She stopped and stared. The compass had just spun, without warning. "Billy…" she said nervously.

As Aisha and Billy stared, the compass started spinning wildly. The glass covering cracked, and Billy immediately shut the case over it. "Dammit," he whispered, "that was my dad's."

They looked up and realized they'd been left behind by the others.

"I don't like this," Aisha said. "This is starting to feel more and more like a trap."

"Agreed," Billy said. He glanced behind them. He realized what he'd taken for the sound of water was actually now clearly footfalls coming behind them, too heavy for any human foot. "We must catch up with the others."

Aisha tapped her communicator, deciding to make it easy on themselves. "Tommy, come in. We…" She realized that her communicator wasn't even staticky. She tapped it again, but nothing came of it.

Billy tried his, but to no avail. "I doubt this has anything to do with water damage," he said. "We'll have to catch up with them quickly. We won't be able to communicate with Zordon or teleport out of here. There must be some kind of interference."

"Be careful," Aisha said. "We're still in a cave, whether it makes sense or not. It's gonna be really easy to trip over something if you're not paying attention."

The sounds behind them got louder, so they picked up the pace, Billy stowing his broken compass in his pocket.

After a few meters, Billy looked behind him, and then yelled involuntarily. He grabbed Aisha and shoved her against the cave wall before a gout of flame burned past them.

"No time to catch up," Billy said. "We have to morph now."

They pulled out their morphers, hoping they could make the transformation before the mysterious monster attacked again, and Billy shouted, "It's morphin time!"

Nothing. They stared at their morphers, now useless in their hands.

"We can't morph… why can't we morph?!" Aisha yelled.

"No time," Billy said, his voice clipped in his fear. "We have to run now. Come on."

The two launched themselves into the darkness of the cave, their flashlights shaking on the ground in front of them as they concentrated on not falling. They had to get out of this passage so they could get out of the monster's direct path.

"Hey, ow!"

Aisha realized she'd run smack into Adam, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. Billy immediately stopped and started to help them up.

"Stop horsing around back there!" Aaron called. "It's dangerous in here!"

"Monster!" Aisha was able to get out. "We can't morph, communicate, or teleport. It's right behind us."

"There's a monster in here?!" Rocky said.

"Guys," Billy said, "it's Candleman."

Somehow that made Tommy and Kimberly get even more scared. "Guys, we gotta run! Keep up with everyone and don't let anyone fall, but move!"

They ran, and not a moment too soon. Aisha felt the heat behind her as the monster got closer. Aaron started falling behind, not being as athletic as the teens, but Adam grabbed his hand and wordlessly pulled him along.

They were just starting to slow down when Tommy took a sharp right into an almost-hidden cavern and started to pull each of them in as they ran. They all went completely silent as heavy steps and a bright light went past the little crevice that opened into the corridor.

The Rangers and Aaron sagged against the wall, their hearts beating furiously against their chests. Tommy kept a lookout. "I don't see anything else, but everyone needs to keep it down. We can maybe retrace our steps and get out of this cave system if we know Candleman is far enough away."

"Candleman?" Rocky said.

"We've fought him before," Kimberly said darkly. "It's tough, too. The fire attack can breach our Ranger shields, and the monster's wax can harden instantly and glue you into place."

"It's not just a monster," Aisha said. "Billy's compass broke, right after he was saying that cave can't really exist."

"A place that can't exist, no morphing, teleportation, or communication… Sounds like we're in another dimension." Tommy's voice was tense, and he kept looking through the opening. "Rocky, that could explain why you didn't know about this cave."

"So I was right," Aisha said. "This is a trap of some kind."

"What are any of you even talking about?" Aaron cut in, still winded from their run. "What do you mean, this is another dimension? We're in a cave on the beach near Rocky's house."

"That's what our perception was," Billy said. "However, in actuality Zedd must have opened another dimension, another plane of reality that coexists with our own plane of reality, but is entirely separate and can only be accessed through portals. The cave entrance must be some kind of portal."

"So we need to get back to it," Rocky said. "Like, right freakin' now."

"It may not be that simple," Tommy said. "But we've still got to try."

Aaron got up and tried to block the door. "We can't go out there with that… monster, or whatever it is… on the loose. I'd have to answer to your parents if you kids got killed."

Tommy crossed his arms. "Mr. Park, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to follow our lead. We're in another dimension pursued by a monster, so that means we're in charge now."

"You kids can't even morph! What are you going to do against the monsters?" Aaron said. "Half an hour ago, you were just teenagers playing on a beach and trying to sneak away to make out!"

"Doesn't change the fact that we're Power Rangers," Tommy said quietly. "And you're going to have to lower your voice if you don't want the monster after us."

Tommy and Aaron glared at each other, and it was becoming pretty obvious that they were going to have to physically move Aaron from the door by whatever means necessary.

"Aaron… please," Adam said. "You can yell as much as you want later, but we need to move now. Why does it matter who's in charge?"

Aaron seemed to sense the atmosphere in the room. He reluctantly moved from the crevice… only to reveal a row of teeth.

Adam grabbed Aaron and pulled him further into the cavern. The rest jumped back as well as the monster, now in the shape of a shark, snapped at them. It was slightly too big for the opening, but it was slowly slipping past the rock walls.

"Come on!" Aaron yelled, pushing toward the back of the cavern. "We can get out this way!"

He led them past a blind curve where the cavern opened up into a larger cavern. They ran across, knowing that it was just a matter of time before the monster caught up to them.

They heard a crack, and a blue floating monster suddenly appeared in front of them, causing them to skid to a halt. They ran to the right, only to be blocked in by another monster that was holding a large jar.

"Guys?" Adam said weakly. "I think we're surrounded."

Sure enough, the group of seven were surrounded on four sides, caught in the middle of a large cavern. The Rangers took up defensive poses, trying to shield Aaron, but they knew they were severely outmatched, even if they had been able to morph.

The monsters, however, did not seem interested in attacking. Merely keeping the Rangers where they were.

"Candleman…" Tommy said slowly, "Slippery Shark, Dark Samurai, and Pop Star. Mind telling us what's going on?"

"Oh, our lips are sealed, Rangers," Dark Samurai said. "Much like my jar, though I can remedy that."

"I'm sure they're burning to know," Candleman said.

Slippery Shark grinned at them. "You might say they're waiting on 'fins and needles'…"

"Okay, can it with the puns," Kimberly said. "And that last one didn't even make sense. What does Zedd want with us, already?"

The monsters looked at each other and laughed. Or, at least three of them did. Pop Star merely floated in place, looking uninterested in the whole proceedings.

"You'd best be cautious, Rangers," Dark Samurai said. "You're in no position to make demands. Given that you can't morph, and that you're stuck protecting a civilian…"

"You're being kept for a specific purpose, a purpose which you will soon face," Candleman said. "In the meantime, we will not hurt any of you or your civilian, as long as you don't try to escape or fight us."

They were silent, still crouched in defense positions. They all shot nervous looks at Tommy, who was staring straight at Candleman.

Tommy finally straightened, holding his hands in front of him to indicate he didn't plan to fight. "We'll take that deal, as long as the civilian goes free."

"Tommy, we can't…" Rocky began.

"Stand down, everyone," Tommy said, his voice hardening. "We don't have much of a choice, after all."

"You've become wise, Tommy," Candleman said. "We can let the civilian go after we take you all out of this dimension. He wasn't part of the deal, anyway."

"Fine," Tommy said. "Where do you want us?"

One of the cavern walls hollowed out, and Slippery Shark and Dark Samurai marched the Rangers and Aaron over to it. As soon as they cleared the edge, a force field buzzed to life. They were well and truly trapped.

"Much to do, Rangers," Slippery Shark said gleefully. "Unfortunately, you'll miss the ceremony, but there's much to be done after."

With that, Slippery Shark, Candleman, and Dark Samurai disappeared, leaving Pop Star on guard.

"Well, great," Rocky groused. "That's just great. Now all we have to do is wait for the monsters to finish us off, and we can't do anything about it, because then they might hurt us."

"And my brother," Adam pointed out. "Tommy… thank you."

Tommy took a low, slow breath, and then flashed a glare at Aaron. "Kim, Rocky… hold Mr. Park against the wall."

They reacted instantly, even as everyone gaped at Tommy. Kimberly twisted Aaron's arm around his back, while Rocky held his shoulder and other arm against the wall.

"What the… what are you doing?!" Aaron yelled.

"Tommy, what's going on?" Adam advanced toward his brother, but Billy held him back. Aisha looked like she wanted to get involved, but she wasn't entirely sure what to do.

Tommy didn't answer them. Instead, he turned to the force field, where Pop Star was advancing on them. "Pop Star, this doesn't concern you. We're not attacking you, and we're not escaping. We made that promise, remember?"

Pop Star regarded him coldly, and then retreated, nodding slightly.

Tommy turned again to glare at Aaron. He was glaring back, while Rocky, Adam, and Aisha gaped at him. Kimberly and Billy's expressions were unreadable, as they trusted Tommy's judgment even when they didn't understand it.

"Now…" Tommy said slowly, "Mr. Park. How did you know there was more than one monster?"

Aaron stopped struggling against Rocky and Kimberly and simply stared at him. "What are you talking about? Let me go."

Tommy shook his head. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. There when we were hiding from Candleman, you mentioned monsters. Plural. Then you yelled so the second monster could find us, and hid him until he could prevent us from leaving."

"I wasn't thinking," Aaron said. "I was scared, I don't know what I said."

"And yet you knew there was a passage in the far side of that first cavern," Billy said. "You led us away from Slippery Shark to here, but you hadn't left the front part of the cavern."

"What's going on?" Adam said in a weak voice. "What are you guys talking about? Aaron, what are they talking about?"

Aaron was still glaring at Tommy. In that moment, he barely looked like himself. He was usually cool and detached. Even when he got angry with Adam after he'd revealed his identity, it was always with a certain amount of reserve and restraint. Now, though… his teeth were bared, his eyes blazing, and every vein seemed to stand out from his skin. And, as they watched, his eyes flashed red.

"There it is," Tommy said with a measure of satisfaction. "Okay, Mr. Park, all we want is a little information. We need to know who put you under this spell."

"Wait, Aaron's under a spell?" Aisha said.

"He managed to lead us here," Tommy said evenly. "Or, at least, create conditions where we'd discover the cave on our own. So who put you up to it?"

"Well, it was obviously Zedd," Rocky said, his voice strained from having to hold Aaron in one place for so long.

"Somehow, I'm not sure," Tommy said. "I mean, if that's true, he sure did pick a weird batch of monsters. Billy, Kim, notice anything weird about the monsters we're facing?"

Kimberly's eyes went wide. "They're all Rita's!"

"Some of Finster's best," Tommy said. "But from what I hear, Zedd barely tolerates Finster's presence. Now why would Finster's monsters suddenly go chasing us around another dimension?"

Rocky and Kim looked at Aaron, who was starting to shake. They realized he was laughing silently, his eyes flashing completely red and staying like that.

"I will give you credit, White Ranger." The voice wasn't Aaron's. Aaron's mouth was moving, but the voice… or was it voices? It was like many voices at once, and the tone in all of them was silky and mocking. "I heard you were smart, but the experience is far better."

Tommy squinted. "And you were pretty good at leading us into a trap. We didn't see it coming at all. So, who are you? I'd like to put a name to the person who beat us."

Aaron laughed again. "Oh, you're not beaten. If you were beaten, we wouldn't still be playing these little games. And my name will give you little enough information, though you may as well have it. I am the Wizard of Deception."

"What have you done to my brother?!" Adam yelled, and again Billy had to hold him back, this time Aisha helping him.

The Wizard regarded Adam coldly through Aaron's eyes. "Your brother was convenient, Black Ranger. He will be unharmed: I have no investment in hurting one who is only tangential to the war. It's not even my war. I'm only doing this as a favor."

"A favor to whom?" Kimberly said, renewing her grip on his wrist.

Aaron grunted in pain. "Whom do you think, Pink Ranger?"

"Someone who would target us," Kimberly said. "Someone who would work with Finster. Someone who wanted us captured but unharmed, as of yet. And then there's that ceremony…"

Aaron, or the Wizard through him, chuckled. "Oh, you're very clever, too. Yet what has happened is so beyond your expectations that I will simply tell you… not that it will do you any good. I captured you for Empress Rita Repulsa, as a wedding present for her intended husband, Lord Zedd."

Aaron twisted out of Kimberly's grip, as she'd slackened her hold in shock, and pushed Rocky away. No one made a move toward him, astounded as they were by his pronouncement.

"Y... you… the fuck you say?" Tommy's voice was barely over a rasp.

Aaron smirked. "I thought that would take the wind out of your sails." He sighed. "I'm leaving this host now, as I have other places to be."

He gave one final laugh, and then Aaron slumped, falling hard to his knees on the stone floor.

Adam ran to him, easing him onto his back. "He's unconscious, but he seems to be okay." Adam's voice shook. "Do you think he's okay?"

"We'll get him back to the Command Center as soon as we can," Kimberly reassured him. "I think he's all right, but we'll make sure."

The rest were staring at Tommy, whose face had gone whiter than his shirt.

"Rita…" Aisha said slowly. "That was who you fought before. And it makes sense if these were all her monsters."

"It doesn't make a damn bit of sense," Tommy said weakly. "Not… not one bit."

"Well, I mean, they're both evil," Rocky said, shrugging. He was leaning against the wall, trying to act like he hadn't just been shoved off casually by his math teacher. "Them teaming up has gotta suck, but…"

"Rita didn't leave voluntarily," Tommy said. "She was beaten and imprisoned by Lord Zedd. Just because they're both evil doesn't mean they're not mortal enemies. So, no… it doesn't make sense."

Kimberly looked like she was about to say something, but then thought better of it. "Tommy, we have other things to worry about. While Rita's busy getting married, her pal the Wizard of Deception is preparing to offer us up to the happy married couple on a silver platter."

"You're right," Tommy said, shaking his head. "We've got to figure some way out of this."

"We're pretty well trapped," Rocky pointed out. "I mean, unless…"

"We play cards!" Aisha said, cutting a glare over at Rocky. With her back turned to Pop Star, she motioned him to shut up. "Billy, you must have something in your backpack."

"Of course I do," said Billy. He pulled off his backpack, and then rummaged through it for a deck of cards. Only those watching very closely could see that he palmed something else, and then positioned himself very close to the force field.

Comprehension dawned on Rocky's face. "Right! Everybody know how to play poker?"

The Rangers, minus Adam, who was still watching over Aaron, gathered together for a loud game of poker. Loud enough to cover the sound of Billy experimenting with the force field.


Zordon found himself in a barren wasteland. It was neither hot nor cold, and the very air seemed to lack substance. He was disappointed; he'd hoped to feel the elements after centuries of nothingness.

Still, it was someplace different. Zordon breathed in the insubstantial air deeply. This would not be his only new dimension. After he established contact with Alpha, he could calculate a jump closer to his home dimension. He contemplated joining the Rangers on a beach in San Francisco, seeing their surprised faces as clearly as if they were right in front of him.

He began calibrating his machine. "Alpha, do you read me? I've successfully made my first dimensional jump. Alpha, please respond."

There was a crackle of static, and then he heard Alpha's voice faintly. "Ay-yi-yi, I hear you, Zordon. Sending new coordinates now!"

Zordon smiled and stretched. His old dimension allowed freedom of movement, but somehow it wasn't the same.

"Enjoying ourselves, are we?"

Zordon jumped and whipped around. He hadn't been expecting anyone; that was why he'd picked this dimension as his first one. At first he couldn't make out the figure. He was making the jump into this dimension himself, apparently without mechanical aid. Zordon tensed, ready to grab his machine and bolt if he needed to, though he had no idea where he'd go.

As soon as the figure materialized completely, Zordon recognized his black robes and fiery face. "The Wizard of Deception," he said speculatively. "Have I strayed into your private dimension? If so, I apologize, though it could use a bit more life in it."

The Wizard held up his wand, and Zordon immediately held his hands up defensively. The Wizard chuckled. "You've certainly strayed, though I have no idea where we are. I'm merely here to collect you."

"Collect me…" Zordon tensed, knowing he would have to defend himself after being centuries out of practice. "And for whom will I become the universe's most over-rated present?"

"To Empress Rita Repulsa, on the day of her wedding to Lord Zedd."

At the words, Zordon laughed. He couldn't help it. His guard slackened, but the Wizard was too taken aback to take advantage of his lapse.

"Have you finally become unhinged in your imprisonment, old man?" the Wizard said.

Zordon tried to control himself. "I fear not. Merely a bit of irony. The one day I choose to attempt an escape from my prison is exactly the day Empress Rita chooses to make her return."

The Wizard also seemed to find this amusing. "There's a theory that states that coincidence doesn't exist, that we are all drawn through life by the invisible strings of Fate."

"If that were the case," Zordon said, suddenly sober, "I have reason to believe I am not fated to die today."

"Then let's see if we can overcome Fate, then," the Wizard said, raising his wand.

Zordon narrowed his eyes and began to concentrate his power. He only hoped, if things went wrong, he could get one last message to Alpha… and to the Rangers.


Lord Zedd paced nervously, not even noticing the decorations surrounding him. Squatt and Babboo were in the corner with their musical instruments. The monsters were lining the walls, Pop Star having recently joined them. Putties waited on the sides to set up for the reception.

"Where is that no-account Wizard anyway?" Zedd grumbled. "Is he waiting for a written invitation? Goldar! Explanation!"

Goldar had been standing to the side, prepared to run in just in case something went wrong. And so very many things could go wrong. The fact that little had gone wrong so far made him even more nervous, so the Wizard's lateness actually served as a relief. "My lord, Empress Rita said she lost telepathic contact with the Wizard some time ago, which means that he's in another dimension presently.

"Well, we have no time for wait for him," Zedd said. "Rita will simply have to take her old teacher to task after the ceremony. Bring in Finster… He's qualified by the Alliance to officiate, I believe."

"Yes, my lord," Goldar said. Before he could leave, though, he saw Finster stumbling into the room, obviously pushed. He supposed he and Rita had been waiting just outside the entrance.

"Finster!" Lord Zedd exclaimed. "So kind of you to join us. Now begin the ceremony immediately."

Finster looked taken aback to be treated with some modicum of politeness by Lord Zedd. Still looking uneasy, Finster took his place at the balcony and opened the book that had been placed on the railing.

"Goldar, you must escort the bride now."

Goldar ground his teeth at Lord Zedd's words, but complied nonetheless. He walked to the entrance and held out his hand. "Empress Rita Repulsa, your husband awaits you."

He was surprised to see Rita look nervous, so nervous that she forgot to give Goldar that cold look. Her dark purple gown seemed to float around her, as if enchanted… which it probably was. But it also could not hide the fact that she was trembling. However, her grip on Goldar's hand was firm and steady, and she seemed to come to some kind of resolve. "Then lead me to him," she answered the formal give-and-take.

Music swelled as Squatt and Baboo launched into a love song from Rita's homeworld. Rita seemed to float across the throne room, barely prevented from lifting into the air by Goldar's hand. Lord Zedd watched them, waiting next to Finster, and a sudden explosion of noise signaled that one of the monsters had actually burst into tears. One of Finster's embellishments, perhaps.

With the utmost formality, Goldar transferred Rita's hand to Zedd's and bowed to them both. He stood to the side, holding a misshapen piece of metal at the ready.

Finster cleared his throat, unnerved as attention suddenly focused on him. "The union of marriage transcends all barriers, all boundaries, all other loyalties. Two become one, equal pieces of a new entity. The exchange of vows, the forging of new metal, and the meeting of minds merely formalizes the intent. By agreeing to wed one another, the two agree to share in all of life's joys and sorrows. In this union, to each other, you are neither empress nor lord, but equal partners for the rest of your days."

At Finster's nod, Lord Zedd began the rehearsed words. "I, Zedd, join myself to Rita Repulsa, for the rest of my life."

Rita opened her mouth, and at first no sound came out, but then she tried again. "I, Rita, join myself to Zedd, for the rest of my life."

The language was not flowery or poetic. It was ancient, with a power all its own. Even before the more magical portion of the ceremony, all in the room could feel the bonds being formed as if they were a physical presence.

"Then let this union be formalized by the forging of new metal," Finster said, "which will act as an outward symbol of the union, and will help further bind the minds and hearts of these two."

The misshapen piece of metal had been struggling against Goldar's hand since Lord Zedd had begun his vow, the magic awakened in it by the words. Goldar opened his hand and let the metal go. It floated above Zedd and Rita and elongated, forming rings on both sides. The metal could sense what was needed to each pairing, and so for Zedd it attached itself to one of his chrome finger-joints, becoming one with his protective metal frame, while for Rita it merely formed a band matching her engagement ring. The metal did not detach until both rings were formed on the couple's hands.

The two gasped, the mental connection having been made. This part of the ceremony was entirely unnecessary for two magic-users, as they could already communicate telepathically, but that just made it all the more startling for the two, as their mental connection was forced.

"Then let the universe know of the union of Empress Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd!" Finster finished, putting down the book.

The monsters cheered, Goldar lending his voice so he wouldn't call attention to himself, and Squatt and Baboo broke into another song, this one unfamiliar and possibly from Earth. Zedd and Rita, however, did not acknowledge any of what was going on around them. They did not embrace or kiss as was common in more primitive ceremonies. They had already made the most intimate connection they could, and now they seemed to wondering what to do now.