A/N: Wow, so I only thought I was back after the last chapter. I pretty much disappeared from the internet entirely. I'm here for now though. If any of my old readers happen to pay attention and notice this update, thank you tons for sticking with me. I really apologize for the long delay. Yeah things got really hectic. That goes for my cousin as well. I'm not sure when she will be updating. So as far as the chapter goes, we have the six new rangers on Phaedos and now we have discovered six of the former rangers have been taken there.

Reviews:

Lavonne Adams: Sorry I didn't update soon enough. I hope you're still reading though.

GinaStar: I'm sorry, where did I lose you?

riverkirby: I'm glad you liked it before I disappeared. I hope you are still reading too.

ThePink1 at Reefside: I was actually trying to be secretive about that where they were.

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers. I do own all of the characters in this fic who are not affiliated with Power Rangers though.

Chapter 23: Quest for the Ninjetti - Part IV

Angel Grove

Alexis walked from the gymnastics studio back to her home. As she walked, she thought of Audrey. She knew Audrey lived somewhere in California, but she wasn't sure where. She really wondered if this gymnastics school would compete against Audrey's, because one thing was certain. No matter where Audrey Evans lived, she would continue to compete in gymnastics.

So Alexis had met three of her four future classmates. She was curious as to what the other one was like. They seemed a little weirded out that this girl missed practice, but then again, the coach wasn't there either. She couldn't help but wonder if they were related. This girl wasn't a coach's favorite, was she? She scrunched her nose. She better not be, Alexis coveted that position and anyone who stood in her way would be taken down. This, she had no doubts of.

As she reached her home, she walked across the lawn toward the front porch. As soon as she reached the porch, her keys dropped and Alexis was gone in a streak of white light.

Command Center

"Whoever it was couldn't have left Billy could they?" Zack asked, attempting to crack a joke. He was half serious though. If Billy was there, he could probably locate the others on the viewing globe.

Trini looked up at the mention of Billy's name. "What's that?"

Jason smirked slightly at Trini's reaction. Of course if anything would bring her out of the daze she had been in for the past couple of hours it would be the name of her life long crush. "Zack was just saying that if we had Billy here he could help locate the others."

Trini nodded a little. She may not be as good with the controls in the command center, but she had learned quite a bit from Billy during her short time as a ranger. "I'll see if I can do anything. It's better than sitting here idle." With that, she stood up and walked over to the controls, hoping she could find something.

Plateau on Phaedos

Tommy, Rocky, Adam, Billy, Aisha and Kimberly finally made it to the plateau and looked around. In all the years it had been since they were there on their Ninjetti quests, the place hadn't changed. Perhaps there were more corpses of failed travellers, but in general it looks all too much the same.

The increased number of corpses unsettled Kimberly a little bit. She couldn't help but think the reason they were brought there was because something went terribly wrong with their chosen team.

Tommy glanced over at Kimberly. He noticed she looked a little discouraged and he walked over to her. If anyone could read Kimberly Hart it was him, even after all these years apart. "Hey Beautiful, what's up?" he asked her as he pushed a piece of her hair out of her face.

She smiled faintly and crossed her arms. "I'm just a little worried about them," she said softly, looking out off the plateau. Three of the six out there were her own students. She knew another though he hadn't been one of her students, he had certainly spent enough time at the studio waiting on Audrey.

Tommy nodded and hugged Kimberly tightly. "I'm a little worried too, you know. Trent and Conner have become something like sons to me."

Kimberly hugged Tommy back, thankful for the comfort. She held on tightly for as long as she could. "Are we sure they were ready for this, Tommy?"

Tommy nodded. "I'm sure they will get through this."

Kimberly bit her lower lip gently. Oh how she hoped he was right.

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Aisha and Adam stood together on the other side of the plateau. It felt so weird to be back there after so many years. Aisha kept stealing glances over at Kimberly and Tommy, just like she had in the command center. There was definitely more going on between those two than they were letting on. More than likely there was more going on between them than either of them realized.

Rocky and Billy stood about half way between the other two pairs. Billy looked somber and Rocky was trying to joke him out of it. It wasn't working for some reason though. Billy had someone else on his mind. Someone he couldn't shake, but he was willing to bet was extremely worried about them. He hoped she was worried about him.

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As the six teenagers continued on their quest, they continued talking among one another. Alana and Audrey talked this time, while Trent and James talked and Conner and Mallory.

"Do you think it would bother you..." Alana trailed off as she tried to find the best way to word the question she wanted to ask her best friend. "If I were to develop a crush on someone... say an ex-boyfriend of yours?" she glanced at her best friend nervously, not sure how she would react to that.

Audrey smirked a little. Since Mallory and Audrey had already been discussing Alana and James' possible attraction to one another, the question really didn't surprise her. "Alana, I know you have a thing for James."

Alana bit her lower lip as she gave her best friend a pleading glance. "I didn't mean to..." she glanced ahead at Trent and James. "There's just..."

Audrey smiled. "It's fine, 'Lana, really."

Alana gave Audrey a questioning look. "Really? You don't mind?"

Audrey shook her head. "I think it's cute. Besides, I have Alex. Well... I might have Alex." She was still unsure where the two of them stood. She really liked him and that kiss told her the feeling was mutual...

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Trent became more and more wary as he walked on. Something told him he might not return home from this one. He glanced back at the girls. "The yellow one..." he said nodding over to Alana and Audrey. "is she your girlfriend?" he smiled a little thinking of a yellow one who had been on his mind a lot lately.

James looked back at the two girls and shook his head. "Alana likes to flirt a lot. I doubt she's actually attracted to me." he laughed a little. "Besides, the pink one is my ex."

Trent raised his eyebrows. The two had seemed close, but he wouldn't have pegged them as a couple - past or present. "Okay man, whatever you say," he sighed softly as Kira entered his thoughts once again.

"Someone on your mind?" James asked him curiously. He didn't really want to overstep his bounds with the guy who was going to be the leader of this team, but that sgh definitely sounded like a girl on the mind sigh.

"Yeah, actually there is," Trent answered. "There's a girl I had a crush on in high school," he glanced back at the yellow clad girl behind him. "She likes yellow too."

It was James' turn to raise his eyebrows. Did Trent just tell him that he had been through something like this before?

Trent noticed the raised eyebrows and smirked a little. "Dr. Oliver, the man in black back at that command center?" he asked, hoping James would know who he was talking about.

James nodded after a moment. "The one who likes Kimberly?"

Trent laughed and nodded. He had gotten that much about the woman dressed in pink. Her name. "Yeah him. Well he was my high school science teacher. Anyway, Conner," he pointed back to the red and blue clad people in the back. "A guy named Ethan and a girl named Kira became power rangers a few years back. Before long, Dr. Oliver joined them, then..." he sighed. He really hated this part. "I became an evil ranger. I fought the other four, but then eventually my dad broke the gems hold on me and I joined the team."

James shook his head. "That's some story man."

Trent laughed. "Yeah, maybe one day I'll give you more details."

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"Are you telling me you've done this before?" Mallory asked, her eyes wide.

"Well, not this, exactly," Conner replied, gesturing to the planet around them. "But yes, I've been a power ranger."

Mallory shook her head. "Before today I've never even heard of power rangers before," she laughed a little.

Conner nodded. "Believe me, I was in your shoes once," he answered her. "When Kira, Ethan and I found the gems, we were really freaked out by the whole thing."

Mallory nodded. "I'm a little freaked."

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it."

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"Welcome back," Kimberly and Tommy turned to the direction of the voice. There stood Dulcea. "It's good to see all of you again." She walked around the plateau, gesturing all of the former rangers to gather around her.

"Dulcea, what are we doing here?" Tommy asked her, a worried tone in his voice.

"Don't worry, my Falcon, your teenagers are safe," she smiled at the six before her. "You picked a wonderful set of teenagers to embark upon this quest."

Kimberly sighed in relief as she stood next to Tommy. They were safe. "But why are we here?"

"My agile Crane, you are here because you are being called to mentor the kids you sent here," Dulcea answered her. "Each of you still has the power of your animal spirit within you. Now you will use these to a new level. A level you never knew possible. Last time you were here you were just learning. Now you are teaching."

As she finished that last word, each one appeared once again in their ninjetti clothes. "You will not fight this time, your time fighting is done." She gave Tommy a knowing smile. Yes, she knew he had once again taken up the role of a power ranger more recently.

"What do you mean a new level?" Aisha asked her, confused.

"You will soon find out, my Bear."

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A/N: I know it's short, but there are things I'm not ready to disclose to the next chapter. The next chapter will end the Quest for the Ninjetti series. I think... lol Never hold me to my promises.