Previously in Parallel Realities Ninja Storm:
Sensei Omino attacks Sensei and Skyla, claiming Sensei tricked and betrayed him, but then an identical Sensei appears, claiming to be the real Sensei Watanabe. But, when he asks the others to help him kill Sensei and Skyla, they realize he's not really Sensei Watanabe. And, as he reveals himself to be Lothor, he knocks Omino, Leanne, Sensei and Skyla unconscious before having Slob Goblin trap them in stasis and returning to his ship. Meanwhile, Tobi again dreams of climbing a string to get to Dustin before awakening to find that Waldo cut his hair to be differentiated from the Dustin Tobi lost. Goldwinger contacts them and brings over the other rangers as well as grumpy Sensei, Cam's mom and space ninjas Marah and Kapri. The group tracks down Sensei and releases him from Vexacus, who is killed in part by Zurgane. Sensei is reluctant for the rangers to kill Zurgane, so they return to Ninja Ops. Sensei says he can talk to Dustin's spirit if Tobi gives him his morpher. Sensei then claims Dustin's spirit is lonely and wants Tobi to leave his body and join him. Between this and the revelation that his sister, Waldo and Sensei are responsible for stopping his energy drain and separating him from Dustin, Tobi becomes upset and it is revealed that Sensei is actually an imposter and is Lothor. Lothor activates Sensei's morpher, corrupting the morphing matrix and knocking five of the rangers unconscious before attacking the others. But grumpy Sensei manages to give Tobi his morpher and, after Marah and Kapri refuse to join their uncle, Lothor teleports away with Cam's morpher and a threat that Tobi will regret this. Realizing now what his dreams meant, Tobi morphs and follows his connection to Dustin up into space before it's too late...
Parallel Realities Ninja Storm: Chapter 48 (United We Stand)
Tobi shot up into the air, leaving his sister and the others behind. His whole body glowed so brightly from the use of his powers that his gold suit itself shined like the sun. As he flew higher where ice crystals would have formed, instead a trail of fire arced behind him as he left the atmosphere and rocketed into space.
He had been focusing so hard on that invisible cord that he had his eyes closed, but as he sensed himself getting closer, he opened them. The light from his eyes reflected off the inside of his visor, but he still saw Lothor's ship.
Not even bothering to slow until the last moment, his morphed body blasted straight through the bottom of the hovering space fortress, shooting through floors like a bullet through tissue paper, until he reached the room that held the trapped ninja students and rangers.
Air gusted toward the hold in the floor he'd come through and debris was sucked through it and out into space.
As a chunk of metal flew off a wall, he grabbed it, his morphed body easily catching the heavy object, and he placed it over the hole. Then, sliding his gloved hands along the edges of the metal, he melted it into the floor, sealing it.
He looked around as the ship's air filters equalized the atmospheric pressure. The bubbles that held his friends and the ninja students floated overhead. At this range, he no longer even needed to concentrate in order to sense Dustin.
His instinct was to free him first, but he wasn't sure if Dustin's energy loss would stop even with him there because of what his sister and Waldo had done. So, he'd need to free Shane and Tori first. But what if Dustin wasn't strong enough to use his power of earth on himself?
His thoughts were interrupted by Motodrone entering the room and hastily pressing a button on a wall panel.
Tobi was about to approach the alien when a force field flickered and formed around him and he ended up colliding with it, the impact knocking him over. He stood and sent a wave of energy out around him, but the force field held.
"Don't bother," a voice announced as Lothor stepped into the room, Shimazu scurrying behind him. "You didn't give me much time to prepare," he continued, "but at least I had the stasis field ready from when I freed Omino and... had a little fun with him." He chuckled at the memory. "And now, something I've been looking forward to all month. I'll make you watch as I free and then kill each and every ranger one by one in front of you. It's my understanding you can't heal anyone without touching them. What a pity."
Tobi growled and sent another wave of energy out, which again had no effect on the force field.
"Hmm, which to start with," Lothor pondered, staring up as if picking out his favorite candy at a candy store. "Start with your beloved yellow ranger or save the best for last?" He scratched the black nob on his chin as he debated.
Tobi continued to send waves of energy out, but he held part of himself back because the last thing he wanted to do was blow up Lothor's ship the way he had blown up the Mountain of Lost Ninjas back in his old dimension.
"Anticipation can be an effective form of torture in and of itself," Lothor continued.
"Sir," Motodrone interrupted.
"Not now," Lothor barked, waving a hand. "Ah, I know just who. Somehow, after my little deception, it seems fitting to kill my brother first."
Tobi risked a slightly stronger wave as Lothor approached the panel Motodrone was already facing.
"Sir, the force field is draining the energy core too quickly because of the gold ranger's attacks against the field," Motodrone explained.
Lothor glanced over his shoulder at Tobi and growled before reaching into his pocket and handing Cam's amulet to the alien. "Here, the Samurai Amulet is also a source of power. I had hoped to finally get another chance to harness its powers, but first things first."
Motodrone placed the amulet over an exposed energy port and the amulet immediately expanded, forming the Samurai Cyclone Morpher. Energy then began flowing into the panel and the force field began to glow green.
Lothor grinned as he stared up at the bubbles overhead. Then, pressing a series of buttons, one of the bubbles flew down and popped, dropping Sensei onto the floor. "Hello, Kanoi," the evil space ninja greeted pleasantly.
"Lothor," Sensei breathed, standing.
"What, no fond 'I missed you, brother'?" Lothor asked.
"You are no longer my brother," Sensei assured him.
"Tisk, tisk," Lothor scoffed. "So that's your excuse for turning me in all those years ago?"
"I turned you in because you were using dark ninja powers to try to unlock the energy from—" Sensei began, before noticing the Samurai Cyclone Morpher sitting atop the panel.
"That's right," Lothor gloated. "I've already won." He then sent a blast of energy out from both hands.
Sensei anticipated this and flipped aside, sending a wave of fire toward Lothor, who dissipated it with an invisible wave of energy.
Tobi noticed that the wave Lothor sent out looked remarkably like the waves of energy he sent out, only one direction and without the flash.
"You could have become a powerful ninja if you had continued your training," Sensei said, sliding sideways and sending a gust of air at Lothor.
"Ah, but I did," Lothor replied, kicking Sensei, who stumbled only briefly. "I never really felt like training to be an earth ninja suited me, despite what the testing said."
Tobi paused in the middle of releasing another wave of energy. Though his twin had been an air ninja, Lothor had trained to be an earth ninja, like Dustin. Like Dustin... That reminded him of when he had battled with Dustin against Vexacus. Reaching back, he pulled out his Phoenix Axe and began slashing against the force field, causing it to spark with each impact.
"You always had a lust for power," Sensei said, backflipping to avoid Lothor's attack.
"Not just power," Lothor argued, raising his hands, "but revenge." He then sent a massive wave of energy out that threw Sensei back, and no sooner had the ninja master regained his footing then Lothor blasted him back with an energy beam, sending him tumbling to the ground. Lothor then approach and stood over him. "Goodbye, brother," he said with a smirk.
Tobi didn't want to have to kill Lothor, but that was the only thing he could think of doing from within the force field, so he closed his eyes and focused.
"There's another way", a voice said in his head.
His eyes shot open as a realization came over him. If he could tear someone's life force apart and burn them from a distance, maybe he didn't need to touch someone to heal them. Even that night when he killed Zurgane on the beach, he felt the instinct to ignite and encourage the alien's life force, not tear it apart. So, he closed his eyes and focused.
Lothor laughed as he prepared to finally kill his twin brother, when suddenly Sensei's body glowed and the ninja master flipped up, knocking a surprised Lothor backwards.
Sensei then sent a barrage of fireballs toward Lothor. That is, until Motodrone blasted Sensei back while the space ninja recovered and blasted Sensei too.
The combined attacks caused Sensei to land roughly across the room.
Tobi continued to attack the force field as the room began to vibrate and an alarm blared.
"What's happening?" Shimazu panicked.
"The energy from the amulet is incompatible with the ship's energy core," Motodrone announced, studying the panel. "The ship is going to explode."
"Then stop it!" Lothor demanded, grabbing the morpher from off the panel. It immediately returned to its smaller size and Lothor held it by its string.
Tobi sent another wave of energy out while also slashing his axe. The combination caused the force field to begin to flicker.
"Sir, the gold ranger's attacks and the amulet's energy have made the core too unstable," Motodrone explained. "There is nothing I can do this time."
Lothor growled before barking orders. "Shimazu, get my DVR. Motodrone, get the last of the aliens and kelzaks to earth. It's time to finish plan E." He then pulled out his PAM and pressed a series of buttons while the aliens left the room. "Even if you somehow survive," Lothor said, turning back to Tobi, "you'll still watch the others die." He then dangled the amulet as he waved with one hand and grinned at Tobi while shooting Sensei one last time with this other hand.
Tobi concentrated just as Lothor teleported off the ship and, as he did, the string attached to the Samurai amulet dissolved and the amulet fell to the ground just as Lothor vanished.
"Sensei!" Tobi called as he again concentrated on healing the ninja master.
Sensei looked around and began to stand as the room vibrated.
"The ship's going to explode!" Tobi shouted. "We've got to save the others. Pull the lever in the middle of the panel on the wall"
Sensei nodded before approaching the lever and pulling down. All the while, the room continued to vibrate.
Flash! Instantly, a crowd of ninjas appeared, filling the room and surrounding halls.
"Shane," Skyla breathed, running to the newly freed air ninja.
"I'm here, Skyla," he replied, holding her.
"Leanne," Blake noticed, surprised.
"Where are we?" a ninja student asked.
As the others assessed the situation, Tobi immediately spotted Dustin laying unconscious on the ground and could tell the energy drain was continuing. He concentrated on healing him, but the effect was limited because the drain just continued. "No one morph yet," Tobi called. "And someone help break this field."
Skyla looked up from Shane's chest and said, "Just destroy the panel." She pointed toward the wall.
Omino looked at Sensei. "I am sorry for earlier, Kanoi," he said, before sending an arc of electricity toward the panel, causing it to explode.
"You are forgiven, old friend," Sensei said easily.
The moment the force field around Tobi dissolved, he streaked to Dustin's side, where he demorphed and touched the unconscious brunette. He could feel their connection, but Dustin's energy loss continued. It was like only their spirits were still connected, but their bodies were severed, meaning the earth ninja's body was still dying. "Shane, Tori," he called. "We need to combine our elements. But Dustin's too weak. If only Waldo were here..."
"I can borrow his power," Skyla offered.
"Oh, right," Tobi realized, nodding toward the others.
"I will focus on controlling your energies," Sensei said, also kneeling.
"You can borrow Dustin's powers?" Shane asked, kneeling next to Skyla.
"I can do a lot more than that," she assured him, adding, "now that I have you."
The room shook violently and they were nearly knocked over.
"Hurry," Tobi called.
"I'll see if I can stabilize the energy core," Cam offered.
As Shane, Tori, Skyla and Tobi focused, energy from the four rangers enveloped Dustin's body, causing it to levitate briefly before—Flash! He fell to the ground and opened his eyes, gasping.
Tobi wasted no time in hugging his boyfriend tightly. "Dusty," he breathed, crying. He was so relieved that the separation of their feelings barely mattered anymore. He had the love of his life back and in his arms and that alone made him feel just as complete.
"TZT," Dustin whispered back. He paused, shifting. "Why can't I hear your thoughts?"
"We will be able to again," Tobi assured him, pulling away from their hug to look into his golden brown eyes, "but it's going to take work."
"I believe in you," Dustin whispered, kissing the blond softly on the lips.
Tobi smiled into their kiss as he ran his hands through Dustin's wavy hair. "I believe in you too, but most of all I believe in us."
The earth ninja reached up and brushed one of the sun ninja's tears away from his cheek just as the room shook again.
"Right," Tobi remembered. "We need to get everyone off the ship before it explodes."
"I can't stabilize the energy core," Cam announced as he reentered the room. "And it looks like the rest of Lothor's goons have left, taking the transport chips with them."
"Tobi, how did you get here?" Tori asked.
"I flew," he explained as he reached down and picked up the other Cam's amulet from off the floor.
"You can fly?" Hunter asked, surprised.
"I wanna fly!" Geo protested.
"Can any of the zords reach space?" Tobi asked.
"I can summon the Dragonforce Vehicle remotely," Cam said, morphing and immediately pressing buttons on his wrist. "It's on its way."
"Okay, everyone let's go!" Shane called, leading the group out of the room and through the halls.
"Wait," Skyla said, pausing outside the main bridge.
"Cam, get the others to safety," Shane said.
Cam nodded and continued forward.
"This way," both Senseis called to the ninjas.
Tobi and Dustin followed Shane and Skyla onto the main bridge and looked around.
Skyla bent over, retrieving her morpher and Sensei's from atop Lothor's throne. "He was in such a hurry," she noted, putting on her morpher.
"Let's go," Shane told her as the room shook and a wall panel exploded. "Tobi!" he called as only Dustin began to join him and Skyla.
The blond was standing in front of Lothor's viewscreen as he raised his wrist. "Tobi to Waldo," he called. "We have the others and we're getting them to safety, but we've got a problem."
"All of them are okay?" Waldo's voice replied. "Can we speak to them?"
"We're okay, bro," Dustin called as he returned to Tobi's side, "but we don't have time because the ship's about to explode."
"Then get out of there!" Lia yelled.
"Let him talk," Cam's mom scolded.
Tobi took a breath, still staring at the screen, which was displaying views of several different cities, not just Blue Bay Harbor. "I know what Lothor's Plan E is. E is for Enlarge. He's enlarged at least a couple dozen or more aliens. Get the remaining zords ready."
"Tobi, we can't hope to take on that many," Waldo pointed out.
"Do what you can," Shane told Waldo, also now standing next to the blond. "We're on our way." He then nodded to the others and the four left the bridge.
Boom! The ship began to explode around them as they made it to the Dragonforce Vehicle.
"There you are," Cam called, waving them over. "It's a tight fit, but get in."
As the last of the ninjas boarded the vehicle, it blasted its way straight out of the side of Lothor's ship, the space fortress exploding behind them.
"Everyone hold on!" Cam yelled just as Lothor's ship's energy core finally exploded, destroying the rest of the fortress and creating a massive fireball and shock wave in space.
The wave collided with the Dragonforce vehicle and the navigational panel exploded, sending the vehicle into freefall toward Earth.
"I'll see if I can slow us down," Shane offered.
"Air ninjas," Sensei addressed. "Focus your powers on slowing our descent through the atmosphere. I will aide in focusing our combined efforts."
"Is there anything you can do?" hippy Kapri asked Tobi.
Tobi looked at Dustin. He tried to put his thoughts into his boyfriend's mind, but it took so much effort.
Dustin looked at him. "I heard that," he replied, smiling and kissing the blond. "Okay, dudes, listen up," he called. "Earth ninjas, focus on making the ground below us soft."
"Some rain might help," Tori offered.
"And a little thunder and lightning should scare off anyone in the area," Blake added, moving to stand next to his girlfriend.
Outside the vehicle, gusts of air and torrents of water slowed the descent while lightning flickered around. At the last minute, the ground raised up in a soft upward mudslide and the vehicle skidded and splashed to a stop in the woods outside the waterfall portal to the remains of the Wind Ninja Academy.
The group exited the cramped vehicle and looked around to find Waldo, Lia, space ninjas Marah and Kapri, grumpy Sensei and his wife, and the other dimension's rangers all approaching.
"It's about time you showed up," Lia said, walking up to Cam.
"I was a little held up," he replied.
She caught him off guard by hugging him. "I love you, Cam. Don't you dare ever let me think you're dead again."
"I'll, uh, try not to," he said, hugging her back.
"I thought you died," Waldo said, approaching Hunter.
"I didn't," Hunter assured him, hugging the brunette and running a hand through his now shorter hair. "What happened to your hair?"
"Long story," Waldo mumbled into the blond's neck.
This is a lot harder than before, Dustin's thoughts said as they entered Tobi's mind.
"We'll make it work," Tobi assured him, leaning up to kiss the earth ninja. Can you feel how much I love you?
"I don't even need our connection to feel that," Dustin replied before realizing, You thought I was dead. He pulled back to look at the sun ninja.
"We thought Vexacus blew up Lothor's ship," Tobi explained, "until Lothor pretended to be Sensei."
"Like Invasion of the Body Snatchers," Dustin realized, echoing his words from when Lia had pretended to be Tori and Tori was controlled by Mindzine.
"He tried to use my love for you against me," Tobi continued. "And it almost worked. Thinking you were dead..." he took a breath. "It was so tempting to join you, but I... I couldn't."
Dustin hugged him. "It's okay, TZT."
"I just love a happy ending," Goldwinger sniffed as he sparkled back into the dimension.
"It is not an ending yet, Goldwinger," grumpy Sensei told the alien.
"Wait," Tobi realized, pulling away from Dustin. "Goldwinger, go back to our dimension and get Mayor Lothor and as many aliens as you can and bring them here."
"What are you up to?" Lia asked, approaching with Cam.
"I have a plan," Tobi answered her before turning back to Goldwinger, "and I think Mayor Lothor and the others still owe me for saving our old dimension."
"Yeah, TZT, the hero!" Dustin declared, grinning.
"I hear that!" Hunter agreed, giving Dustin a high five as he approached with Waldo.
"Hey, dude, you cut your hair," Dustin noticed.
"Yeah," Waldo nodded, glancing at Tobi.
"So, what's this idea?" Cam asked.
"I got this," Dustin said, winking at his boyfriend. "We get the other Lothor and the other aliens to replace the evil ones of them here."
"And maybe the aliens here will listen to Mayor Lothor," Cam added, nodding. "Assuming he can act."
"But you said many, if not all, of the aliens are now enlarged," Waldo pointed out.
Tobi nodded, thinking. "Tell Mayor Lothor. He might have an idea. If nothing else, we could use some help."
"Anything for you and your studly friends," Goldwinger agreed, looking around before addressing Cam and adding, "Speaking of studly..."
Cam groaned before he even said anything more and Lia patted his back.
"You see, I have this favor to ask," the alien continued. "You know, the other Hunter and Cam are a couple."
"So we've noticed," Cam replied.
"Well, since you're smart, and also a Cam," Goldwinger continued, "I thought you could help yours truly come up with a way to get into that studly sandwich. I could be Hunter and Cam's fabulous sex toy."
The others just stared at the alien for a moment.
"Can we talk about this after we get reinforcements?" Cam finally said.
"Well, alright," Goldwinger agreed, "but don't forget you promised to help me fill their sandwich." He then vanished in a puff of gold dust.
"I didn't—" Cam began to protest, but the alien was gone. "—promise," he finished with a groan.
"So, the other you has a thing for the other me," Hunter teased.
"Let's just see what we can do with Ops," Cam mumbled, turning toward the waterfall.
"I'm with you," Waldo offered, joining the samurai.
Tobi looked around and found the other dimension's Cam and handed him his amulet. "Sorry about the missing string."
"Thanks, fairy elf dude," Cam replied, taking the Samurai Amulet. "You're one cool dude."
"Yeah, for sure," Dustin agreed, holding Tobi's hand and squeezing it. He didn't know if he could feel it, but he sent his love.
Later, inside Ninja Ops, Tobi rested his head on Dustin's lap while Cam and Waldo worked on repairs. The earth ninja ran his hands through the sun ninja's blond hair. Tobi could only feel Dustin's fingers against his scalp, not what it felt like to the brunette.
"Maybe it's best this way," Dustin suddenly said.
Tobi sat up. "What?"
"I mean, it sucks we can't share our thoughts as easily as before," he continued, "but you died because I wasn't there. It was... a weakness." He frowned and looked down.
Tobi hugged him tightly. "You're my strength, Dustin. Never ever forget that. Yes, it was painful, but even when I thought you were dead, what helped me bear the loss was thinking of the time I had with you. You are worth any pain or weakness."
Dustin concentrated and it was faint, but Tobi felt a warmth flow through him. "I love you," they both whispered.
"Sensei Omino led a group of ninja students to survey the situation in Blue Bay Harbor," Sensei said as he descended down into Ninja Ops. "There are several enlarged aliens and more aliens that are not enlarged as well as a large number of kelzaks. Are the morphers ready?"
"No," Waldo groaned, climbing out from under a panel. "I can't purge Lothor's energy. Only Cam, Tobi and Skyla will be able to morph."
"Dad, he's your brother," Cam said. "Do you know how to combat this dark ninja energy he used?"
"I am sorry, Cam," Sensei apologized, "but studying dark ninja powers was forbidden and I know very little about it."
"If it's dark power, how about light power?" Dustin suggested. "Like, Tobi's power of sunlight?"
"It's not that simple, Dustin," Cam said with a sigh.
"Wait," Waldo interrupted. "Let him try."
Dustin grinned at the other earth ninja and patted his boyfriend's shoulder.
Tobi stood and Cam led him to an exposed energy panel.
"I know Ops is already trashed," Cam told him, "but try not to blow anything else up." He smiled to show he wasn't completely serious or at least that he trusted the sun ninja.
Tobi nodded and placed his hands on the energy panel. Immediately energy began flowing from his amulet into the core.
"It's working," Waldo declared.
"The Sun Amulet is a power source," Cam realized. "Of course. Okay, that's enough, Tobi."
The blond removed his hands and stepped back, where he was slightly caught off guard by Dustin hugging him from behind.
"He's purged the matrix," Cam explained. "Who wants to test it?"
"I'll do that," Dustin offered, smiling at his boyfriend as he called, "Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Earth!" and morphed into the yellow ranger.
"The energy graphs are stable," Waldo noted.
"More than that," Cam realized. "Tobi has maxed out our energy reserves."
"Is that good or bad?" Blake asked.
Cam glanced at Waldo. "It means we may be able to try something we were working on before."
"Which is?" Tori asked.
"He's saying we may all be able to morph at once," Waldo finished.
Cam nodded. "We segmented each morphing sequence."
"And I combined some of your energies," Waldo added, "so our suits may be different colors if both dimension's rangers are morphed."
"I can live with that," Lia agreed.
"Excellent work, both of you," Sensei congratulated. "First, Hunter and Blake, form the Thunder Megazord. Shane and Tori, the Hawk Zord and Dolphin Zord from the other dimension are in the zord bay. Tobi, you have a zord as well. And, Cameron, leave the rest of the work to Waldo and take the Samurai Star Megazord. Together, take on as many of Lothor's aliens as you can, but if you are in danger, be ready to fall back and keep in contact. We will send reinforcements as soon as we are able."
The others nodded before morphing.
"What about me," Dustin asked, still morphed.
"Yeah, what about the others," Shane added, now morphed, but still holding Skyla.
"Follow me," Sensei said, heading toward the exit to the surface.
Shane hesitated.
"I'll be okay," Skyla assured him. "I can morph now."
"You morphed?" he repeated.
"Are you mad?" she asked hesitantly.
He smiled. "No, I could never me mad at you."
"Rangers," Sensei called from the stairs.
Shane hugged his girlfriend before joining Tori, Cam, Hunter and Blake as they headed toward the zord bay, but Tobi decided to follow Sensei and the others.
When he emerged on the surface, he saw that the ninja students were no longer milling about, but were standing at attention in groups. They no longer looked like students at all. They looked like an army.
"I know you are all anxious to return to your families after your long time in captivity aboard Lothor's ship," Omino was addressing the groups of thunder ninjas, "but this is the moment you have been trained for, the moment when you are being called on to protect and defend the Earth."
"And you will not be alone," Sensei added, moving to stand next to his fellow sensei. "The Power Rangers will be fighting alongside you."
"Sensei Watanabe is correct," Omino agreed. "Leanne," he called.
As his daughter approached, the other dimension's Blake said, "Hey babe." She gave him a confused look before continuing.
"I had hoped to be farther along with your training," Omino told her, "but there is no longer time." He then pulled out a silver morpher and handed it to her.
She took it hesitantly, disbelief clear in her eyes.
"Together we will lead Team Omino and I will train you as we go."
"Thank you, father," she replied, attaching the morpher to her wrist.
"Each team of ninja students will be lead by one ranger," Sensei continued to address the students. "Your team leader will designate the name of your team and be your contact with the other teams as well as home base, in this case Ninja Ops." He reached down, pulling up his sleeve to reveal his morpher. "I will head Team Watanabe," he said as he activated his morpher and, with Shane already morphed, became the White Ranger. He nodded toward the other rangers, who also morphed.
Lia looked at her purple suit and commented, "At least I didn't get brown."
Leanne also morphed, becoming the Silver Ranger.
Sensei approached the other dimension's rangers. "We will need a way to differentiate you from your counterparts here when giving orders."
"How about Awesome Blake," the other dimension's Blake suggested. "And the other me can be Lame Blake."
"How about hair on fire Blake?" grumpy Sensei warned.
"Kanoi, control yourself," his wife insisted.
Sensei thought for a moment. "Team Crimson and Team Navy," he said, pointing to the other dimension's Thunder Rangers. "Team Red and Team Green," he continued, pointing to the other dimension's Shane and Cam.
The others shrugged in agreement. Their suits retained at least some of their original colors.
"What about us?" space ninja Marah asked.
"Stay with the boy and the dog," grumpy Sensei ordered.
"And be left out of a fight?" space ninja Kapri said.
"We'll stay with Geo and Destiny," hippy Marah offered.
"Ooh, do we get our own team?" space ninja Marah asked.
"Yeah, it's called Team Dork," space ninja Kapri replied.
"But, if it's our team, doesn't that make you a dork too?" space ninja Marah pointed out.
Cam's mom laughed to herself as Kapri groaned.
"I guess I'll be heading Team Awesome," Dustin told Tobi, taking his gloved hand in his own.
"And I guess I'm supposed to be helping the others in their zords," Tobi replied, though he made no effort to move.
"What's wrong?" Dustin asked, concerned.
"It's so hard to leave you," he explained, "especially after I thought you were dead."
Dustin held their morphed bodies together. "I'm right here, TZT."
"I know," Tobi whispered. After a moment, he pulled away until only their gloved hands were still connected. "Without the Gem of Souls, we can't let anyone die."
"We won't," Dustin promised.
Tobi nodded
Dustin squeezed his hand. "Good luck, TZT." He then raised his hand for a high five.
Tobi returned his high five and whispered, "I love you too." It wasn't that he had heard Dustin's thoughts, but he knew Dustin was thinking it.
"We are now ready," Omino called as the rangers stood in front of their respective groups. "We may be outnumbered, but our combined training and ninja powers will ensure that we will prevail."
"Today, Lothor will finally be defeated," Sensei finished for his fellow ninja master.
There were cheers of agreement from both the students and rangers.
"And so it begins," Tobi whispered, giving Dustin one last look before he left. As he did, he felt a faint sense of something. Concentrating, he realized it was encouragement from Dustin. He smiled and sent encouragement and love back.
Tobi flew his gold Phoenix Zord toward the city center, where he fond the other zords taking on three enlarged aliens, the Thunder Megazord taking on one, the Samurai Star Megazord taking on another, and the Hawk and Dolphin zords teaming up to take on the third.
Even before he noticed it approaching, a fourth enlarged alien threw what looked like a sticker toward Tobi's zord and suddenly the gold ranger found he had lost control and was being thrown wildly through the air. Somehow the alien was using the sticker to control his zord from a distance.
The Phoenix Zord collided with the Samurai Star Megazord, knocking it into the alien it was fighting.
Tobi fought to regain control before placing his hand on the palm-shaped panel and concentrating. He was able to dissolve the sticker on the outside of his zord and, as he regained control, he turned toward the approaching alien with what looked like a foot on its face.
Shooting forward, the Phoenix Zord blasted a beam of light at the enlarged alien, causing it to skid backwards and smash into a building.
Tobi concentrated on dissolving some of the debris as it fell on the city below. He knew he needed to stop this before anyone was hurt. So, he flew down toward the alien's feet, its own foot face looking down in surprise.
Then, a wave of energy threw the alien into the air. The gold ranger concentrated on holding the alien up as he pressed random buttons while facing the ascending alien.
No sooner had it produced another sticker then it was gone. Tobi wasn't even sure if it had been destroyed or simply shot out into space.
His thoughts were interrupted by Skyla's voice coming through his morpher. "Team Skyla here," she called. "We're outnumbered and need backup if possible."
"Got it," Waldo's voice came through. "Team Omino, move toward—"
"We're on it," the other dimension's Hunter interrupted. "I mean, Team Crimson is closest and already in kick-ass mode."
"Closest?" Waldo asked. "You're supposed to be near city hall."
"Yeah, we didn't stay there," came the reply.
Waldo growled. "I don't have sensors here," he snapped. "I'm writing a program that depends on me knowing where each team is. If you move without telling me, I can't coordinate backup with other teams and that screws everything up."
"I get it. You don't need to bag on me."
"D-Man's just stressed, Crim," the other dimension's Cam chimed in.
"You are doing well, Waldo," came Sensei's voice. "Perhaps it would be prudent if each team called in with their current positions."
As each team listed off their locations in the city, Tobi listened for Dustin's location while flying back toward the continuing zord battle.
He arrived just in time to fly behind the Thunder Megazord before it was knocked into a building. He managed to right the megazord, but he wasn't fast enough to stop Tori's Dolphin Zord from crashing straight through a building.
He again tried to dissolve the debris before it reached the city below. But, as he did so, that was when Dustin called in his team's location and, looking around, Tobi noticed that his boyfriend and the earth ninjas were surrounded by a huge number of kelzaks. Raising his wrist, he called, "Team Dustin, move back toward the edge of the street."
"Got it, TZT," Dustin responded, looking up from within his yellow power ranger suit as he and the ninja students basically cornered themselves.
Tobi then tilted his zord and flew down the street sideways, his zord's flaming gold wings burning and throwing kelzaks in every direction.
"Awesome, TZT!" Dustin cheered as he and the ninja students took on the remaining kelzaks.
Tobi flew back upward and shot a beam of light at a large alien with angry eyes and headlights surrounding its head that was attacking the Thunder Megazord with a sword. The alien skidded backwards just as Tobi's zord shook violently.
He looked around in time to see the Hawk Zord and Dolphin Zord falling to the ground and sparking. "Tori! Shane!" he called into his morpher.
"We're okay, Tobi," Tori's voice replied through what sounded like gritted teeth. "Inflatron threw our zords into yours."
"And you have one tough zord," Shane added.
"Shane, Tori," came Cam's voice, "you'll need to combine with the Thunder Megazord."
"Can we call on the power discs to do that without Ops?" Shane asked.
"The back-up power discs are stored under the holographic portals in the zord bay," Cam explained before grunting as his megazord was hit. "Waldo, can you—"
"I'm already on it," Waldo interrupted. "Hunter, Blake, I'm sending you the power discs."
"Got 'em," Hunter replied.
But, as the Dolphin and Hawk zords combined with the Thunder Megazord, the angry-eyed alien had time to charge its massive sword before swinging it forward. Cam's Samurai Star megazord was busy with Inflatron, the same alien with balloons that Tobi had seen them fighting back when Dustin chose Hunter. So, swooping between the alien and the combining megazord, Tobi sent a wave of energy out from his Phoenix Zord that bounced the electrified energy the sword emitted right back at the angry-eyed alien, causing it to stumble and spark.
By this point, the transformation was complete and the newly formed Hurricane Megazord blasted the alien, causing it to explode in a massive fireball.
A grunt came through Tobi's morpher, along with the sound of tumbling debris.
"Which team was that?" Waldo's voice asked.
"Dad?" Cam called.
"Sensei?" Waldo addressed, but there was no response. "Team Miko, Team Watanabe's last position was Main Street, near 4th. Are you still closest?"
"Yes, but no thanks to Kanoi here," Cam's mom replied. "I was thinking about getting a leash."
"Let's just go find the other me," grumpy Sensei groaned.
Meanwhile, the two megazords were attacked by exploding balloons that caused them to fall over.
Screams came through Tobi's morpher as Sensei Omino's voice called, "Team Omino calling in. We have injured ninja students and civilians. Our location is the corner of Foster and—"
"We found your version of Kanoi," Cam's mom interrupted. "He's trapped and unconscious. You two, help us move this."
"This is exactly why I wanted to avoid zord battles, especially in the city," Waldo complained. "Tobi, I guess you're our medic."
Tobi had been helping the other zords attack the remaining two enlarged aliens when he heard this. "Just tell me where they are," he replied.
"Tobi, it's not safe down here," Lia's voice warned.
"Don't worry," Tobi assured her. "I don't need to leave my zord." Then, closing his eyes, he focused on sensing the areas Waldo told him until he found Sensei, the ninja students and the civilians. Starting so many healing sparks made him momentarily dizzy as his amulet recharged his powers.
Smack! Suddenly the Phoenix Zord was thrown into a building, its hard metal exterior slicing straight through and emerging on the other side.
As Tobi fought to regain control, a third enlarged alien stomped its way over. It grabbed a firetruck that had been heading to a fire started by the explosion of one of the enlarged aliens and threw the vehicle at Tobi's zord, missing but colliding with cars on the freeway leading out of town.
Spinning around, the Phoenix Zord shot a blast of sunlight at the alien. But, at the same time, one of the aliens near the megazords fired on the freeway full of traffic trying to escape the city. The concrete collapsed, sending cars tumbling onto each other.
"Tobi," Waldo called. "I'm getting reports form the other teams of casualties all over the city."
"I'm on it," Tobi replied, again concentrating.
Crash! The Phoenix Zord was knocked around as a scream came through Tobi's morpher.
"Marah?" the other dimension's Blake called, but there was no response.
"Tob—" his sister's voice began before a series of explosions were heard.
Tobi again tried to concentrate as fires erupted across the city, but his zord was once again knocked around by yet another enlarged alien. "I can't concentrate to heal them. I'm going to have to land."
"We'll keep these guys busy," Hunter offered from within the Hurricane Megazord. "Do your thing."
As the two megazords occupied themselves with the enlarged aliens, Tobi flew his zord over to where Dustin and his team were and knocked kelzaks aside to clear himself a path.
Hopping out of the Phoenix Zord, he joined his boyfriend.
"I really wanna kiss you right now," Dustin said, grabbing his hand.
"You're not the only one," Tobi agreed, before calling, "Stay close." Then, as Dustin and the ninja students clustered into a circle, he sent a wave of energy out, knocking the surrounding kelzaks back.
But, no sooner had he done this then an alien that had not been enlarged approached and shot electricity at the ninjas.
"Marah's hurt bad," came the voice of the other dimension's Blake.
"This is Leanne," another voice chimed in. "My father is also injured badly."
"And I can't get a response from team Lia," Waldo added.
Tobi sent another wave of energy out. "I don't have time for this," he said, raising his wrist. "Waldo, I need cover to concentrate."
"Got it," Waldo answered. "All available teams converge on Main Street and form a perimeter around Tobi."
Several voices agreed as a series of colors streaked into view and began to form a circle around the gold ranger.
Dustin nodded to the earth ninjas and they joined the forming circle.
Now free from distractions, Tobi concentrated. There were so many people and so much life force that it was hard to focus on healing them all. So, instead he went one by one.
Meanwhile, the kelzaks and regular-sized aliens in the city had caught on that this was the part of the city to be and began attacking the wall of power rangers and ninja students surrounding Tobi.
Zap! An alien shot at Dustin, but the yellow ranger slipped underground before emerging below the alien and knocking it over.
The silver ranger streaked forward before the alien could regain its footing and slashed at it with a bladed staff. A group of kelzak furies tried to jump her, but she vanished, appearing behind them. She seemed momentarily surprised by this as if she hadn't even intended to vanish, so the ninja students with her knocked the kelzak furies into each other.
When Dustin and Leanne returned to the line of ninjas, what looked like hundreds of kelzaks were now surrounding the circle.
"No one crosses this line," the other dimension's Shane growled, pulling out his hawk blaster while nodding to the others.
"No problem," the other dimension's Cam agreed.
This only seemed to encourage the kelzaks, which charged forward, weapons drawn.
Although the rangers blasted them back with their own weapons or elemental powers, some still crashed into the wall of defenders. The line held, but the rangers and ninjas were forced to turn to physical attacks as the fight became too close for distance weapons and elemental powers. Though, hand to hand combat turned out to be a form of fighting most of the ninja students excelled at.
Suddenly the ground shook violently, knocking them all over, including Tobi and breaking his concentration.
"What the—" the other dimension's Hunter began.
"It's another enlarged alien," Skyla said as the others regained their footing.
Just then, a huge alien with a drill for a nose flew out of the ground, knocking both megazords over and sending pieces of the street and parked cars falling over the city.
The rangers and Tobi blasted the incoming debris overhead while also firing at the kelaks and aliens on the ground.
"We need a team at the freeway," Waldo's voice called. "Can any—"
Boom! Another explosion rocked the city as an enlarged alien blew up right next to the freeway, causing the remaining structures to collapse.
"Tobi, I'm getting more casualty reports," Waldo continued, "including fatalities."
"It's pretty bad out there," Lia said as she joined the circle. She had blood stains on the legs of her suit. "Keep it up, little brother."
"I'm trying," Tobi said through gritted teeth as sweat ran down his forehead within his helmet. He found it easier to find and focus on those he knew because he recognized their life force, but there were so many civilians and ninja students also in need of healing.
"Can't anyone else help?" Dustin asked as he knocked a couple kelzaks into an alien.
"We are helping, Dustin," Sensei said, arriving and using his white hawk blaster to shoot at the kelzaks, causing them to fall over, their bodies smoking.
"We're getting somewhere," the other dimension's Blake called, gesturing to the piles of kelzaks around them, "thanks to me."
"And thanks to us," space ninja Kapri added as she and Marah joined the others.
"I see you finally got off your lazy ass," the other dimension's Shane commented.
"You mean my fine ass?" Kapri asked.
"I just said that one time!" he growled.
"And I'll never let you forget it," she gloated.
"Thanks for healing Marah," the other dimension's Blake offered.
"Yeah, thanks TZT," Dustin added.
"Did you hear that?" Marah cooed. "They care about me."
"They just don't want to hear you complaining," Kapri argued.
"I don't—Ow!" Marah began as a kelzak hit her. "Hey! Stop it!"
"See my point?" Kapri commented as she blasted an alien with ice.
At that moment, Tobi fell to his knees.
"TZT!" Dustin cried, starting to approach, but the gold ranger waved him off.
"There... are just... so many... injuries," he said, still concentrating. He could feel sweat covering his body under his suit.
Skyla streaked to his side, touching his arm. "I'll try to help," she whispered, before streaking back to the battle and healing some of the injured ninjas while forcing kelzak furies back with a wave of energy.
"TZT, remember when I was dead and you were mind controlled?" Dustin asked.
"Why do you want him to remember that?" Lia snapped.
"Everyone...was healed...at once," Tobi realized, still straining, "when Lia threw...the Gem of Souls at me."
"Regrettably, we no longer possess the Gem of Souls," Sensei commented while blasting kelzaks back with white-hot fire. "It was finally destroyed when we brought you back to life."
"And neither of you are leaving your bodies to combine your powers," Lia warned. "I'll see to that."
Boom! Suddenly an explosion caused the building near the group to collapse. The air ninjas tried to deflect the debris but several students were crushed, along with dozens of kelzaks.
"Ah!" Lia screamed as her lower half was crushed by a chunk of the building. Her suit absorbed most of the impact, but her bones were still fractured.
Overhead, an ambulance was thrown by, its sirens whining before it smashed into a building, severely injuring and possibly killing those inside the vehicle and building.
Tobi tried to focus on healing his sister again, but there were also all the civilians. He healed a family just before a fire ignited a gas leak from their car and it exploded. He tried to save the civilians in the ambulance and the ninja students trapped by debris, but there was so much suffering. He felt himself reaching out and grabbing at the ground to try to stay balanced.
Dustin knelt next to the gold ranger. "This is too hard for you, TZT. We have to try."
"But...you can't leave your body," Tobi grunted, still on the ground. "We'd need...the Gem of Souls."
"I don't think we need it," Dustin continued.
Tobi looked up at the yellow ranger.
"The gem like bonded us," Dustin explained, "but it was us that healed everybody you..."
"I almost killed," Tobi finished.
Dustin nodded, lowering his voice. "We could of got pregnant."
"And we brought Condortron to life," Tobi realized, adding, "after we made love." He could feel Dustin trying to send him a series of thoughts and he knew his boyfriend wanted him to make sense of those thoughts the way he always said he did, but their bond just wasn't strong enough.
There was an image of the beach, when he made Dustin's body with Waldo's help. There had been a shock wave creating life there too, just like outside Ninja Ops. If they could bond their bodies again, maybe...but how? He opened his visor to look at the yellow ranger. "You want to have sex right here?"
Dustin opened his own visor to reveal flushed cheeks. "Um..."
Even without reading his mind, he knew his boyfriend was picturing it, the other rangers and ninjas around them trying not to look as their naked bodies united in the middle of the street, climax after climax bringing them closer.
A cry interrupted the two and Tobi looked over to see Cam's mom and a ninja student burned by an alien attack.
That was when he remembered the living room of Dustin's house that night Mrs. Brooks wanted to have a Twilight Zone marathon. He had told dusting to feel and their bodies, even their heartbeats, became one.
"I know what to do," Tobi said, taking Dustin's gloved hand and placing it on his chest while raising his left wrist. "Waldo," he called, "we're going to try recreating what happened that time I was being mind controlled."
"It better not involve leaving your bodies," Lia warned.
"No, don't worry," Tobi assured his sister.
"You're going to try creating a shockwave to heal everyone at once," Waldo realized. "Sensei?"
"Agreed," Sensei replied before calling, "Ninjas, focus on your elements. That should help spread the wave farther."
"Thunder ninjas, do the same," Sensei Omino instructed.
Then, holding Dustin's gloved hand tightly to his chest, Tobi said, "Feel."
Immediately, the yellow ranger knew what his boyfriend meant.
The two concentrated, ignoring the sounds of explosions and fighting around them.
Thump! Thump! Tobi could hear Dustin's heartbeat and feel the blood flowing through their veins. Combined, their powers created life. They had turned a metal robotic bird into a living, breathing creature and using their combined powers to increase their sexual stamina could have made one of them pregnant. So, they focused on their powers, on sensing the elements of life within each other. It was almost like healing each other, but healing their bodies and their spirits. And, as a gold glow began to form around the two, that was when he felt it.
Even before he heard any of Dustin's thoughts, he felt Dustin's presence, not as something outside himself, but as a part of him, the same way he'd feel his own arm or leg. And, as their pulses synchronized, they became one.
Flash! A wave of energy exploded out from the two.
"Now!" Sensei shouted.
And, although the wave knocked everyone over, the rangers and ninjas focused on their elemental powers. This energized the wave, making it grow until its upper edges were higher than the tallest building in the city and its outer edge continued on well past the city's edge.
Everywhere the wave touched, it healed injuries, energizing the healthy, and grew a variety of plant life, whole trees sprouting from the tiny weeds between sidewalk cracks.
When it was over, even those heavily burned and with broken limbs were completely healed.
On the freeway, families once trapped and injured ran on foot out of the city. Even the elderly felt rejuvenated.
And, as Tobi and Dustin looked around at the rangers and ninjas as they stood, they found themselves in a field of flowers that had once been a road. There was even a car stuck up in a tree that had sprouted beneath it.
"That was quite remarkable," Omino stated as Sensei helped him up.
"You mean, awesome!" the other dimension's Cam corrected.
"I have not felt this energized in years," Omino continued, dusting off his hands.
"We're not the only ones," the other dimension's Hunter added, gesturing around.
The kelzaks and aliens that had once been injured, even those crushed by the falling buildings, were all healed and full of energy.
"Just great," Lia groaned as a hundred kelzaks descended on the ninjas.
I missed this, Tobi thought, feeling Dustin's heart swell with love as the yellow ranger held him.
The moment was interrupted by two ninja students being thrown into them. With their connection now complete, they each felt the impact against the other.
You healed them, Dustin thought. You can take them out.
Tobi nodded and the two closed their visors before joining the rangers and ninjas in battle.
Lia blasted several kelzaks back with a torrent of water while grumpy Sensei and Cam's mom teamed up with some ninja students against a frog-like alien.
The other dimension's Hunter and Cam seemed to really be enjoying throwing kelzaks around while the other dimension's Shane and Blake took their attacks more seriously, especially Shane, who was blasting everything that moved.
"Focus your energy into the Thunder Saber to charge it," Omino instructed his daughter.
The silver ranger held her weapon out, focusing before the surface glowed with electrical energy.
"Now aim and release," Omino continued, "but remember electricity arcs."
She nodded before swinging her staff, an arc of electricity sending at least a dozen kelzaks falling over and twitching in the newly grown grass.
Space ninja Marah had to jump aside to avoid the arc before blasting some kelzaks Kapri had already hit, her power of fire thawing the kelzaks her sister had just frozen.
"Hey!" Kapri complained. "Watch where you're aiming."
"Your attacks would be more effective if you combine your elements," Skyla said as she dodged attacks.
"Do you think she's right?" Marah asked.
"I doubt it," Kapri argued. "It's not like she's psychic."
Marah gave her an odd look.
"Well, okay, so she is, but—" Kapri groaned.
"Let's try it," Marah said, combining her attack with her sister's.
The combination of fire and ice created a funnel of steam that blasted kelzaks back.
"If anyone asks, this was my idea," Kapri said.
"Was not," Marah argued.
Skyla patted their backs before touching Sensei Omino. She then raised her hands and sent out an electrified funnel of steam created by borrowing all three of their powers.
"That's just showing off," Kapri complained as the sisters continued fighting together.
Meanwhile, Tobi and Dustin were fighting alongside each other in perfect synch while Sensei backflipped into one kelzak while blasting another.
"Tobi, you and Dustin managed to heal more than just the civilians and ninjas," came Cam's voice through the gold ranger's morpher.
"Dude, we noticed," Dustin defended, "but we can take 'em."
"I'm not just talking about down there," Cam continued.
"The enlarged aliens too," Tobi realized.
"And there's more where those came from," Shane's voice chimed in.
Tobi looked up to see at least a dozen enlarged aliens approaching the city.
"We'll be okay down here," Dustin assured him, sensing his boyfriend's worry.
The gold ranger stepped back hesitantly, waiting to see how strong the wave of dizziness would be, but nothing happened.
This time, when a series of thoughts came from the yellow ranger's head, Tobi was able to read them all and sort them out.
You always made sense of my thoughts, Dustin thought, even before you could read my mind.
Tobi smiled as understanding dawned on him. He had used part of his body to make Dustin's body before, but this time that hadn't been necessary. That meant they could stay connected even over a distance without losing strength.
Just then, a large truck came bounding down the flower-covered road, driving backwards, its speed and size knocking the huge crowd of kelzaks in its path out of the way.
Both the yellow and gold ranger dove aside, just as the truck stopped and the back, facing them, opened and an orange ranger stepped out.
"Waldo?" Tobi realized.
"I thought you could use the tsunami cycles," the orange ranger declared, removing a gun and blasting kelzaks back. "Plus, since I've sent the last of the power discs, I'm out of things I can do from Ops and decided to use the Mobile Command Center."
The other dimension's Shane, Hunter, Blake and Cam, along with Lia approached as Waldo instructed them briefly on how to use the bikes in the truck. "The crimson cycle was rebuilt and so no longer has a flight mode," he told the other dimension's Hunter.
"So, which of us gets the yellow tsunami cycle?" Dustin asked. Tobi could sense the hope in his thoughts.
"That'd be you," Waldo replied. "I'm going to try to tie Cam's laptop and the Mobile Command Center's computer into the city surveillance grid to actually be able to see where every team is."
As Dustin hopped onto his bike, Tobi couldn't help but grin behind his helmet as he felt the surge of excitement his boyfriend felt, followed by determination. He missed this connection and it made leaving his boyfriend hard.
"So, it's a dark orange," Tobi commented, gesturing to Waldo's suit, "almost brown, like dirt. I'm guessing that's yellow and...crimson?"
Waldo nodded as he looked around before blasting a hole in the street with his gun and then dragging a cable toward it. "I needed some part of Hunter with me," he explained as he worked. "When I finished segmenting the morphing energies, I thought he was..."
"I know," Tobi finished. "And I get Lia's purple, but why's Sensei's suit white?"
"Green and red are complimentary colors," Waldo replied. "They cancel each other out."
"Then why not black?" Tobi asked, confused.
"That's pigments," Waldo corrected. "Energies are photonic, just like white light is all the colors. Every color is there in sunlight already, but we don't see them together."
"All the energies," Tobi began to realize before his morpher beeped.
"Tobi, where are you?" came Cam's urgent voice.
"I'm on my way," Tobi shouted before giving the battle with Dustin and the other rangers on bikes blasting away at a seemingly endless amount of kelzaks one last look and returning to his zord.
Eight enlarged aliens had the Thunder Megazord, still combined with the Hawk and Dolphin zords, and the Samurai Star Megazord surrounded and were knocking them against each other. Tobi entered his zord and flew around the two megazords, the burning wings of the Phoenix Zord knocking the aliens back.
Bang! Tobi's zord rocked wildly as he was again attacked before being thrown into the side of the Thunder Megazord, its thick gold armor causing the much larger zord to spark.
"We're outnumbered," Hunter called.
"And they're using us against each other," Tori added as the two megazords once again collided.
"I'm surprised Lothor hasn't shown up yet to gloat," Blake commented.
"We're going to have to try to combine," Cam announced.
"Is that possible?" Shane asked while he aimed the Thunder Megazord's arm and used his Hawk Zord attached to its wrist to fire on two of the enlarged aliens.
"We'll find out," Cam called. "Tobi, it's experimental, but I attached a power disc slot to the console in your zord."
Tobi looked around the cockpit. "It's wires are exposed. Are you sure it's finished?"
"Just grab the power disc below it, put it in, pull, and turn," Cam instructed.
Tobi shrugged before opening the small container below the unfinished panel addition and removing a gold disc. Then, inserting the disc into the center of the slot above it, he reached his gloved hand in and pulled out before turning the panel, causing the power disc to descend into the zord, but also causing the panel to break off in his hand.
"Um, I don't think it—" he began before his zord started vibrating.
Outside, the Phoenix Zord flew toward the two megazords as they paused and started transforming. The Samurai Star Megazord separated into pieces and combined with the Thunder Megazord just as Tobi's zord tilted its wings back and combined, forming the head of the new Phoenix Megazord.
"Wow," Tobi breathed.
"Yeah, Cam," Hunter agreed.
"Waldo helped," Cam explained.
Shane chuckled. "Since when are you modest, Cam?"
"Guys, let's get to work," Blake called, drawing the group's attention to the enlarged aliens surrounding them.
The combined megazord was much stronger and no longer being thrown into another zord, but it was still heavily outnumbered. And, as Tobi could see clearly from his new vantage point on its head, even more enlarged aliens were approaching.
"Looks like Lothor noticed your little light show down there," Hunter commented.
"It's up to us to keep them from the others on the ground," Tori added.
"Let's do this," Shane called as the megazord swung a fist and knocked an enlarged alien into another.
An alien directly behind the megazord extended long metal claws and scraped into the megazord's back, causing sparks to pour out. But then the megazord backflipped into the alien, spinning it before kicking it to the ground and toppling a building in the process.
"Okay, I've hooked into the city's surveillance grid," came Waldo's voice. "There are more enlarged aliens approaching the city."
"We've noticed," Hunter grunted as the megazord was knocked around.
"I see one coming in from the other side of town too," Waldo continued. "That part hasn't been fully evacuated yet. Teams Crimson and Green, join team Navy and get those people to safety."
"I've got it," Tobi called as he tilted the controls and the megazord's phoenix head turned around to face the enlarged alien approaching in the distance. Then, opening its beak, the head fired a concentrated beam of light at the alien, forcing it back and causing its body to smoke until—
Bang! The megazord was knocked to the ground.
"Tobi!" Cam called. "Our screens display what the Phoenix Megazord's head sees. We need you to face forward."
"Oh, sorry," Tobi apologized as the megazord regained its footing and blasted two enlarged aliens back with fire. "I'm not used to this."
"It's fine," Tori said. "Just remember, we're a team. We need to work together."
"Right," Tobi called, focusing on the enemies surrounding them.
"We need more teams to the west side," the other dimension's Hunter called. "We're not stopping the big guy over here."
"Hey, you saying we can't handle it, bro?" the other dimension's Blake asked.
The megazord faltered for a moment as Tobi felt a sudden surge of fear from Dustin. What's wrong? he thought.
"The alien, it's headed to our houses," Dustin called.
"Waldo, do you know if our neighborhood has been evacuated?" Tobi yelled.
"It looks like a traffic jam blocked the exits," Waldo replied. "I'm still seeing civilians. I can't tell if your parents are there."
"If our parents," Dustin corrected.
"Don't worry, I'm on it," Lia announced. "And I'm taking the water ninjas. We're only making this plant monster down here stronger with our water anyway."
"We'll take it from here," Cam's mom said as grumpy Sensei and several air ninjas began attacking the regular-sized plant alien on the ground with fire.
Dustin, help her, Tobi urged.
"I'm joining you," Dustin called.
"So am I," the other dimension's Shane growled.
"Understood," Waldo said as the three rangers raced toward the enlarged alien on their tsunami cycles, blasting up at it as they went. They were followed by several ninjas running on foot.
"Keep it occupied," Lia ordered, jumping off her blue cycle and running through the still smashed front of the Hanson's house. She looked around before calling, "Our house is clear."
"I'm going to check on Porter and my...Shane's family," the other dimension's Shane announced before streaking off just as Lia returned to her cycle.
"Crim, look out!" the other dimension's Cam yelled, jumping off his green cycle to throw himself into the other dimension's Hunter. The two, along with the crimson cycle, went skidding across the street, but the green cycle was crushed by the enlarged alien's foot.
The vibration from the stomping alien caused a row of houses to collapse.
"Our parents are at my house," Dustin called.
"Shane—Red," Lia corrected, "meet us at Dustin's house." She then streaked to Dustin while the other dimension's Hunter, Blake and Cam used the ninja students to try to distract the enlarged alien.
Dustin emerged from the ground in the front yard of his house holding his mom. Behind him, the house had collapsed. "They're trapped," he told Lia. "I can only get them out one at a time. Get her to safety." He then sank back into the ground.
"You," Lia yelled at some of the ninja students, "get the civilians out of her." She turned to Mrs. Brooks. "Go with them."
Dustin's mom nodded before looking up in horror. The enlarged alien was headed right for them.
Lia raised her sonic fin and tried to keep the alien back with sound.
Just then, the other dimension's Shane arrived and immediately sent a wave of air toward the alien.
Beside them, Dustin emerged with his dad before returning to the ground.
Lia looked from the crushed house up to the enlarged alien. "It's like that day five years ago," she commented, mostly to herself.
"But this time I saved Porter," her dimension's Shane said.
She looked at the red and black ranger before raising her wrist while shooting a torrent of water with her opposite hand. "Waldo, we need more help here." When she didn't hear a response, she called again, "Waldo."
But then the orange ranger appeared at her side, looking up at the alien overhead. "I can't believe our Sensei said Tobi was weak and we treated him that way too," he said, emotions clear in his voice. "But he saw his house collapse on your mom and he ran into the house anyway." He paused. "I just ran."
"This isn't like last time," the other dimension's Shane growled as Dustin emerged with Mrs. Hanson.
"No, it's not," Waldo agreed, raising his arms and sending chunks of dirt and street flying up toward the approaching alien.
The other dimension's Cam, Blake and Hunter also joined the three in trying to keep the alien back, while the ninjas led the civilians out of the neighborhood.
"How long, Dustin?" Lia asked as the yellow ranger emerged with Mr. Hanson.
"I still need to get Maya and Ali," he said, reentering the ground.
The rangers focused their attacks, but the alien still managed to take another step forward, this time smashing the Brooks' car. They were out of time.
"We need reinforcements to—" Waldo began just as the alien's foot raised, ready to stomp the Brooks' house into the ground.
But the foot was stopped by what looked like a massive spider web forming around it. The web was being created by a regular-sized spider-like alien, who was using buildings to secure the web to the enlarged alien and keep it in place.
Dustin emerged from the ground with both his and Tori's younger sisters, Maya and Ali, before looking up. Using his boyfriend's memories, recognition dawned on him.
"Madame Pinweeble," Tobi realized while he and the others continued to attack the aliens surrounding the Phoenix Megazord.
"What?' Shane asked.
"She's a seamstress from my old dimension," the gold ranger explained. "She made Dustin's Awesome Dude costume. If she's here, then—"
Suddenly a pair of energy beams, one of them pink, came from the ground, hitting the enlarged aliens surrounding the megazord.
"The Golden Guardians and the Pink Protectors," Cam recognized.
"Reinforcements," Tobi agreed as an electrified net shot at one of the enlarged aliens.
With the help from the ground, the megazord was able to get the upper hand and pummel the aliens.
On the ground, the rangers and ninjas were joined by aliens and kelzaks from the other dimension taking on aliens and kelzaks from this dimension.
"This is gonna get confusing," the other dimension's Hunter pointed out.
But, as they tried to make sense of the fighting, a gold moth zord appeared in the sky over the city. On top of it stood Lothor holding a microphone and a mouse-like alien with satellite ears.
"Attention enlarged aliens," Lothor called, his voice amplified to travel across the city, "I, Lothor, your leader, command you to proceed immediately to the quarry located at the eastern edge of the city and wait there for further instructions."
The enlarged aliens paused before complying and walking toward the quarry.
"It worked," Lothor said, before stopping himself. "I mean, very good. Carry on."
As the aliens from the city met up with the aliens who had been about to enter the city at the quarry, a field formed around the couple dozen enlarged aliens. Then, one by one, they began shrinking down to regular size.
"It looks like we gave Goldwinger the time he needed," Cam commented.
"Is that all this was," Tori asked, "buying time?"
"That's not what I meant," Cam corrected.
"Let's just get down there and help out," Tobi interrupted.
The rangers then streaked down to join the others on the ground, Tobi running to his boyfriend's side.
"Our families are safe," Dustin assured them as the gold ranger hugged him, "and the ninja students are getting all the civilians out."
"Thank you," Tobi whispered.
"Someone called for backup?" a familiar voice said as Ryan approached with Frax, Eric and Wes.
"Thank you for coming," Sensei said, approaching. "And thank Goldwinger for us too."
Eric looked around. "I'm sure he's sprinkling his fairy dust around here somewhere."
"Frax," Dana called as she ran up.
"Doctor little sis," Ryan greeted.
"Were the Scrolls of Diminishment successful in combatting the effects of the Scrolls of Empowerment?" Frax asked.
"Yes, we're shrinking them now," she answered. "But we do still need help. Alyssa doesn't want to admit it, but we need the Golden Guardians to help us secure the eastern half of the city."
"Eric, Wes, see to it," Frax ordered.
"Kiya," grumpy Sensei addressed as the gold moth zord descended. "I'd recognize my real brother, even with the stupid costume."
"Well I hope I convinced—" mayor Lothor, dressed as space ninja Lothor began, just as—zap!—a purple blast hit him from behind, knocking him off the zord.
Grumpy Sensei streaked up to catch his brother, but quickly realized his small size didn't allow that. Fortunately for both, his wife caught them.
"Thank you, Miko," grumpy Sensei began. "But what was—"
As the group looked up, the real space ninja Lothor was flying through the air and seemed to be holding something in his hand.
"So this is the Lothor we are here to help defeat," Frax realized before ordering, "Open fire!"
Overhead, Lothor just waved a hand, reflecting the attacks back on the group below.
"Ah!" Tobi cried as Dustin was hit.
"Hold your fire!" Shane yelled as some of the ninja students were also hit.
"You've lost, Lothor," Hunter told the hovering space ninja.
"I'm afraid you're wrong about that," Lothor told him. Then, pressing a button on the device in his hand, a bubble appeared over city hall.
As Lothor looked over toward the bubble, the others followed his gaze and saw who was inside.
"Goldie!" Ryan shouted.
"Goldwinger!" Tobi called, concentrating on a way to free the alien, but Cam had already streaked toward the trapped Goldwinger.
That was when Lothor pressed another button.
Boom! Suddenly Goldwinger exploded, throwing Cam to the ground, where he was instantly demorphed.
"No!" Ryan cried as the explosion spread like a tear through the sky, raining gold dust down as it went.
Buildings were torn in two and the ground shook as it cracked open. Countless kelzaks and even ninja students were instantly vaporized and some of the rangers were demorphed.
"Dude, what's happening?" Dustin asked, diving out of the way as the sky cracked open.
"He made a rift between the dimensions," Tobi realized.
"It's my fault," Lia said, jumping away from the crumbling street. "I never should have told Lothor about where I came from. I just wanted him to bring the others. I didn't know he'd do any of this." She then streaked off to find Cam.
"None of us should have helped him," Waldo agreed, "but we were different people then."
Hunter streaked to his boyfriend's side and took his gloved hand in his own. "We all make mistakes. Believe me, I know."
"But the rift will destroy both dimensions," Waldo continued before the two were forced to streak away from the growing crack.
"All teams, fall back," Sensei Omino ordered.
"Since when does Lothor want to destroy the world?" Shane called, grabbing Skyla and nodding to the air ninjas.
"I have no intention of being the ruler of a nonexistent world," Lothor announced. "You all already know how to seal this."
"He wants me to permanently exhaust my ability to morph in order to save both worlds," Tobi gasped.
"And he knows you'll do it," Dustin realized. "TZT, you can't!"
"Even that won't be enough," Waldo said.
"What are you saying?" Hunter asked.
"He's right," Cam agreed as he streaked over with Lia. "Last time, he used pieces. This time he used...a whole body." He winced, not just from pain, but from emotions. As annoying as Goldwinger had been, he deserved better. "The rift is too large," he continued. "Lothor expects us all to sacrifice our morphing powers."
"My nephew's exactly right," Lothor said, laughing.
"And we don't have a choice," Tobi finished. They had amassed an army of ninjas and Power Rangers and even had reinforcements from his dimension, but in the end, it looked like Lothor was still going to win.
To Be Continued...
Author's Note: The second half of the epic final battle is coming up, followed by an epilogue and, yes, the end. *cries* I'm so sorry for yet another long delay but death and illnesses came up, along with other things. I hope to finally finish this story that I started five and a half years ago. I will have a lot to say at the end of the story in the author's notes, so for now, thank you for reading and please leave feedback if you are able. I love hearing new ideas as well as constructive criticism. This story has been such a journey for me. Also, I'd like suggestions for what you'd like to see in the last chapter that will follow the battle. Any lose ends that need tying up? Please review and tell me. Thank you!