Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.

Chapter 49 – Legendary War

Every team of Rangers was called in, the Command Centre filled to capacity. Trey, who had only earlier that day given his powers to Jason, returned to Earth to reclaim them and join the fight, hoping his daughter didn't give birth while he was gone. Every single one of them were on edge, all morphed with their helmets removed as they all talked above each other in the hope of being heard, until Kira put a stop to it.

"Fucking hell!" the Dino Rangers cried, turning to their teammate after uncovering their ears, hoping they wouldn't have hearing damage.

"What did we tell you about warning us before using the Ptera Scream?!" Trent demanded.

"I tried, but no one could hear me." She returned. Save for Connor, who was looking quite smug having seen her intentions through their bond and covered his ears accordingly. "Alright!" Kira spoke up, not having to yell as everyone was now silent. "We all know everything's gone to hell. Thrax launched his attack when we weren't at all prepared for it; we all thought our former enemies would show up and then he'd attack, not the final two enemies and his attack all happening on the same day." Kira took a deep breath to calm her nerves and also think of the fastest way to say what needed to be said, for as they stood here talking, their enemies had free reign over the entire planet.

"Our plan is quite simple." Connor picked up for her. "We can't let the battle continue like this, too many people will get hurt and die. Kira and I are gonna pay a visit to Thrax-"

"No!" Practically everyone in the Command Centre cried, those loudest naturally being the more inner Ranger family.

"It's not up for discussion." Kira stated firmly. "But to ease your mind we have no intention of using our power at this precise moment. But you'd better get used to it!" She added when her family breathed easier hearing that. "The final battle's here, the prophecy's going to be fulfilled and our power's going to be used one way or another."

"Our plan, is to call a ceasefire." Connor continued. "We're going to scare Thrax into calling off his forces until tomorrow when we'll meet him, and anything he wants to throw at us, in some remote location far from any living beings."

"Alpha's going to work on finding the perfect location."

"Already on it!" The robot replied.

"What if he doesn't call off his forces?" Tommy asked, knowing that to be a distinct possibility, or at least he thought so, apparently Connor and Kira did not.

"He will." Kira said with certainty. "He knows Connor and I have the power to end him, and if he wants to live to fight another day, he'll do what we say. We may not intend to use our power today, but we won't hesitate if he forces our hand." Connor nodded and for the first time, both of them were in complete agreement about the use of their power.

"So what do we do until then?" Orion, the new Megaforce Silver Ranger, asked from his spot standing off to the side with his team, ironically under the picture of their team that had been added when they first got their powers, and then changed when Orion joined the team.

"You hold them off as best as you can." Kira said. "Return to your cities, or makeshift cities," She amended for S.P.D. and Lost Galaxy. "And fight them like always. Just know that you're not trying to destroy them, but minimize the destruction."

"Once Thrax recalls them head home. Spend time with your family, your loved ones." Added Connor. "I don't need to tell you that this may very well be the last time you see them."

"You have an ultimate power that trumps anything, and you're saying we might die?" Jake asked, the Megaforce Rangers understandably knowing the least of what was going on, they were the newest team, and didn't know the other Rangers very well after all.

"We have an ultimate power, but the outcome of the battle isn't certain." Kira said. "We could still end up destroying the universe, rather then saving it."

"What do you say we try not to do that?" Mike suggested.

"We're trying, don't worry." Connor said.

"Alright guys, let's move out!" Kira decided to get things moving again, not liking that the longer they talked, the more deaths or injuries there were going to be. "Alpha will contact you later tonight with the time and place for the battle tomorrow." With a nod the Rangers replaced their helmets and teleported out, hoping that this would be their second to last battle ever, followed only by the big one tomorrow. Kira and Connor were the only two who remained though they didn't do so for long. Thrax had made his parents' old Moon Palace his base of operations and it was there that the two teleported, directly into the throne room, taking the three arch-villains by surprise.

"You!" Rita cried reaching for her staff.

"We're not here to fight, we're here to talk." Connor said.

"Well then I suppose we should thank you for making things easy for us." Zedd sniggered, only to be forced back by the Cheetah and Lion as the Animal Spirits made an appearance.

"Meet Nala and Simba, our Animal Spirits, and the ones who will not hesitate to destroy you if you don't do exactly as we say." Kira introduced.

"You said you weren't here to fight." Thrax said from his place on Zedd's throne, though they noticed that the Z that they knew had been carved into the stone at the top had been replaced with a T.

"That's right, and there isn't going to be a fight. A fight implies it coming from both sides." Said Connor from his own place standing next to a giant, glowing Lion Spirit, Kira standing next to her glowing Spirit as well. "We have the power to destroy you. If you don't do as we say, we will destroy you, no fight involved."

"We're keeping things simple cause innocent people are dying." Kira added. "So here's what you're going to do. You're going to call off your forces, call off every single villain you resurrected, and the ones you didn't, like whoever the arch-enemy of the Megaforce Rangers is. We will then meet you tomorrow, all of you, and anything you want to throw at us, for the final battle."

"Do as we say, and do it right now, and you'll live to fight another day. Don't, and we'll destroy you now."

"You're Power Rangers." Thrax sneered at the name. "You can't destroy us, can't destroy those who were once good."

"Usually we'd agree with you." Kira said, looking Thrax straight in the eye and glad that she and Connor had decided to come un-morphed for it meant he could see how serious she was. "But we're talking about the fate of the universe and, at minimum, billions of innocent lives lost. You're delusional if you think for one second that we're going to put the lives of three people who are trying to bring about that destruction above the billions of innocents."

"Having met the true Rita and Zedd, can't say they'd disagree with us." Connor added. Thrax sat there for a moment thinking about his options but obviously eventually decided that they weren't bluffing.

"Fine." He growled. "I'll call them off and the battle shall take place tomorrow. Now get out of here before I change my mind."

"Not until Alpha confirms your forces have retreated." Kira said. "I mean, if you lie we could always just come back, but that's a waste of our time. Call them off, and when Alpha confirms it we'll call off our Spirits. And let me tell you, they're practically begging us to set them free." Another moment passed as Thrax thought things through but ultimately he did as they said. He disappeared from the Moon Palace, reappearing a few minutes later with the news that he'd called the evil villains off. Moments later Alpha's voice carried through the room from their communicators saying that Thrax hadn't played them and the villains were in full retreat. Kira and Connor barely afforded Thrax a nod before they teleported out arriving back at the Command Centre. It didn't take long for others to arrive as well, all the Rangers from the Originals to Space gathered at the Command Centre.

"It'll really be over tomorrow." Adam muttered. "For good or bad it'll all be over."

"Connor and I will do everything we can to ensure it won't end badly." Kira promised her family. "We may have big heads but we're not arrogant enough to say there's no chance it'll go badly."

"You guys will be fine." Kim said reassuringly.

"We hope so." Connor muttered.

"Alright." Jason spoke up, moving off of leaning against the consoles. "I love you guys, but if this is my last day to live I want to spend it with my daughter." No one argued, knowing they'd see those in this room at least once more on the way to battle tomorrow, and so they wanted to spend what could be their last hours with their children and significant other. Hugs were given all around, a few tears were even shed, but nothing else was said until it was just Kira and Connor left alone in the main room, having waved her parents off, and Alpha having quietly retreated.

"I wonder what he'd say if he was here." Kira murmured, looking at what once was Zordon's energy tube.

"He'd be so proud of you." Connor said, wrapping an arm around her, Kira melting into his embrace as the two sought comfort from the other.

"He'd be proud of us." Kira corrected. She looked around the room, staring up into the faces of every Power Ranger to ever exist. "He'd be proud of all of us. He chose five teenagers to protect the world, not knowing if it would work, if it would be enough, if they'd be able to make a difference, and look what it's turned into. Seventeen teams of Rangers, more if you count people passing on their powers. We're guardians of so much more then just Earth. We're guardians of the universe, of time and space. S.P.D. is even up on this wall," She pointed to the picture that had their five futuristic friends smiling down at them. "And they're not technically a Ranger team yet. We can't let this end badly." Kira turned to Connor and looked up at him with terrified, heartbreaking eyes. "Too much is riding on us. Worlds rely on us, our friends and family, the lives of billions if not trillions of innocent people are all dependant upon us, and what we do with our power tomorrow."

"I don't know about you but I intend to use it to save everyone." Connor said.

"It's not that easy."

"Why not?" He asked. "Why can't it be? We know who we are, we know what we're capable of and incapable of. And I know that we're incapable of letting Thrax win. We can say that there's a thousand different factors at play, that it's not simple and there's little hope all we want, but when it comes down to it, it is simple. It all depends on what's in our hearts. And I know what's in them. We will come out of this on top, Kira." He turned to her and held her still teary eyed face between his hands. "There's many reasons we will succeed, but let me give you the only one there is no chance of you arguing against: losing just doesn't mean the deaths of billions of innocents, it means your death. And so long as I exist that's not going to happen. Give me whatever excuse you want, but I dare you to tell me truthfully that I won't be able to stop you from dying." She couldn't, he knew she couldn't. There were many uncertainties in life, in fact it's been said that the only certainty in life is that we will all one day die, but whoever said that was wrong. They'd never had a true mate bond and the powers of the universe at their fingertips. Connor wouldn't let her die, there was no doubt in her mind of that, and since she wouldn't be dead, she knew they'd win, for like he said, he knew their heart, and they weren't capable of letting all those people die if there was breath in their body. And that gave her hope that it was as simple as he said, and that everything would turn out alright.

-C/K-

The following morning found Kira and Connor sitting outside the Command Centre watching the sunrise. They'd returned home for a very brief hour, ensuring Eric knew they loved him then heading over to the McKnights' household and doing the same with Connor's parents and twin, who'd been told by the Ninja Storm team to go home and spend time with Connor. Afterwards, they'd spent the night under the stars just basking in their love for each other, deciding that if there was ever a night to be cheesy and sickeningly lovey dovey then this was it. When the entire sun could be seen over the horizon, though it was by no means high in the sky, the two went back inside to prepare for the battle. Alpha had located the perfect spot for it to take place, in the field at the bottom of a rocky cliff, which would even be difficult to reach for the Rangers, if it wasn't for teleportation. It was far from any cities and a minimum of fifty miles in any direction from the nearest house or outcrop of civilization; Alpha did a sweep and there wasn't even a remote cottage in the middle of the woods, let alone anything bigger.

Kim and Tommy were the first of the others to arrive and shortly thereafter the inner Ranger family began to trickle in, having all unspokenly agreed that they'd meet up here before heading into battle, though the other Rangers would teleport directly there. It was agreed that ten o'clock would start the battle, it being late enough for the sun to have fully risen and also for those with kids to get them up and to a safe place and to also say goodbye; those from the Originals to Space had said their goodbyes earlier after dropping all their kids off one by one at either Bulkmeiers or the Youth Centre, Alpha's protection being still in place. However, in true Ranger fashion, things didn't go as planned. As ten o'clock approached, the alarms blared throughout the room and the Viewing Globe lit up to reveal Thrax, flanked by every arch-enemy and minion, and thousands of foot soldier, they'd ever fought, all standing in the middle of Angel Grove Park.

"So much for having the battle far away from civilization." Ashley muttered, staring at the image of her sister-in-law who, even though she was Astronema, Queen of Evil, was flanking Thrax. There was no doubt that he'd done something, added to her brainwashing, or whatever power he'd used to resurrect Astronema kept her under his control for there was no other way that she'd follow him instead of lead the attack herself.

"Our hands have been tied. Thrax took our threat seriously but he's still gunning for control." Kira said.

"At least he chose the giant field in the middle of the park." Said Rocky. "I mean, I guess with this many people he didn't have much of a choice space wise, but that park is huge, so long as they don't grow big we should be able to contain the battle easy enough."

" 'Should' being the key word there." Adam muttered, the others knowing he was right.

"Let's get going." Said Jason. "Alpha, contact the other Rangers, have them meet us there."

"You got it!" He replied, but didn't immediately turn to the control panels. "Just…be careful." He practically begged. "I-I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you…to my family. Oh aye yai yai!" Kira gave him a watery smile as she came forward to give him a hug, closely followed by every other Ranger; giant group hugs usually weren't their thing, but this day was far from usual.

"We love you Alpha." Kira murmured. "Whatever happens today know that. And thank you for having been our friend. We couldn't ask for a better one." Those near enough to hear Kira's whispered words nodded their agreement. After a few moments everyone pulled apart and hit their Morphers, not bothering with the usual morphing call and dance. With unpractised synchronization, usually to be had only with each individual Ranger team, not interchangeable between them, the Rangers all arrived at the park at once, including those who had not been in the Command Centre. They all stood spread out across the field, each team falling in line behind their Red Ranger who in turn fell in line behind the Ranger team that came before them, leaving the Originals at the front, save for Kira and Connor, who stood in their Jungle Fury forms and led them all. It was silent as they stood there facing their enemies and Kira and Connor took that time to let Nala and Simba out, throwing their bond wide open like it hadn't been since they learned to control it.

"I love you." Kira said in their combined consciousness, never taking her eyes of Thrax.

"I love you." Connor returned and they both then fell into fighting stances, this being the cue for the others as well. A near deafening battle cry was heard from all ninety-nine Rangers, which itself was the cue for their enemies to brace themselves. The Rangers no longer hesitated and charged. They split up by team and took on their own villain and his or her minions while Kira and Connor took on Thrax. This set-up, while logical, proved a bit problematic for some. The Dino Thunder team, for example, was down three Rangers, Kira and Connor not only morphed as Jungle Fury Rangers but taking on Thrax while Tommy was morphed as the White Ranger and fought Rita and Zedd, leaving only Ethan and Trent to fight Mesogog, Elsa and Zeltrax, and the horde of Tyrannodrones. As such, it became clear pretty fast that this wasn't going to work, and so Tommy went to join his former students, though he remained as the White Ranger, for while those powers weren't created with Mesogog in mind, there was no form more powerful then the one using your Animal Spirit, and right now, the Falcon was out in full force.

The Rangers fared well against their enemies, their desperation to stop any further bloodshed and destruction fuelled their determination to win, just like it always did when it came to the final battle, and this was certainly the mother of all final battles. But while they weren't losing, it was a stretch to say they were winning, and so Kira decided to do something about it.

"Let's take it up a notch! Claw Booster! Jungle Master Mode!" Casey and Theo followed suit, as did many others.

"Super Dino Mode!"

"Metallic Armour Power Up!"

"Lights of Orion Activate!"

"Super Samurai Mode!"

"S.W.A.T. Mode!"

"Legendary Source Mystic Force!"

"Super Samurai Mode!"

"Super Mega Mode!"

Every Ranger who had a power up used it and the battle seemed to get better, so much so that it was thought that another powerful attack might, while not finish them, turn the battle fully in the Rangers' favour.

"Let's put it together! Power Blaster!" Jason called, setting off all other Ranger teams.

"Zeo Blaster!"

"Turbo R.A.M. Cannon Mode!"

"Spiral Sabre Booster Mode!"

"Quadro Blaster!"

"Transdagger Star Formation!"

"Rescue Bird!"

"Vortex Blaster!"

"Jungle Sword!"

"Thunderstorm Cannon!"

"Z-Rex Blaster!"

"Canine Cannon!"

"Legend Warriors United Formation!"

"Drill Blaster!"

"Claw Cannon!"

"RPM Enforcer!"

"Five Disc Octo Cannon!"

"Super Mega Cannon!"

Some of these weapons should have been impossible to form, like, again, the Dino Team who only had two Rangers morphed, the others not in their Dino forms and unable to call on those weapons, but Alpha proved to be one step ahead of them as always. When they needed the blasters, those weapons that should have been inaccessible appeared, Alpha telling them that he'd accessed them remotely much like their Zords. He added that he was only able to do so because they all, at one point or another, had handed over their Morphers so he could get a reading on them as well as their powers, so he was essentially tapping into their individual Ranger powers directly. None of them really listened to that explanation however, for they were all too happy that it was possible to really care how.

"Ready!" Every Red Ranger cried together. "Aim!"

"Fire!" Jason finished for all of them. The blasts were sent but were not nearly as effective as they'd hoped, some of them wondering if their enemies were merely luring them into a false sense of security. One of them decided to find out, though inevitably others followed suit.

"Red Battlized Ranger!" Andros cried, knowing Battlizers to often be even more powerful then their combined blasters.

"Red Armoured Ranger!" Leo followed, setting off the others.

"Trans Armour Cycle! Armour Mode!"

"Mega Battle Blue!"

"Mega Battle Green!"

"Red Battle Warrior!"

"Mega Battle Activate!"

"Animarium Armour!"

"Battlizer Mode Engage!"

"S.P.D. Battlizer! Sonic Mode!"

"Fire Heart! Red Dragon Fire Ranger!"

"Red Sentinel Ranger!"

"Strike Rider!" While not technically a Battlizer, Casey's specialized motorcycle had the same super powered attack as the Battlizers and they'd take all the help they could.

"Shogun Mode! Power of the Ancestors!" Normally Battlizers were reserved for Red Rangers, a fact lamented by most of the other Rangers, however Lightspeed created Mega Battles for the Blue and Green Rangers, which while not full Battlizers, were certainly a significant power upgrade, much like the Strike Rider. The Samurai Rangers, however, surprised them all, being the first, and so far only, team to all have a Battlizer, Mia, Emily and Lauren also making history in being the first female Rangers to have a Battlizer,

"Battlizer Missiles! Fire!" Andros called it, all other Reds, Lightspeed and Samurai Rangers, following their lead. These were arguably the Rangers most powerful attacks, and it had been just what their enemies had been waiting for. Apparently the Rangers weren't the only ones to have strategized, for in synch, each arch-villain raised their staff or whatever weapon they had and caught the Battlizers' power. This trick had been used many times before, by both Ranger and villain, but never was it thought to be a possibility for an attack as strong as those that came from the Battlizers.

"No way!" Tommy cried.

"Brace yourselves!" Kim shouted, knowing their own attacks were going to be sent right back at them, and they weren't disappointed. The powerful blasts hit the Rangers right on, there being nowhere for them to run or hide. The Battlizers were the first to disappear, closely followed by any powered up mode any other Ranger had. They hoped, in vain, that they wouldn't lose their morphs, but they were never that lucky. As their Ranger powers left them, Thrax proved once again to be a formidable opponent and leader, for once again their enemies worked in synch to absorb their Ranger powers. One thing the Rangers seemed capable of doing in synch well enough to match the villains was groan in pain from their places lying on the ground, their bodies throbbing from the impact of the attack as well as from any movement that jarred broken bones or dislocated shoulders, and the multitude of cuts and bruises. While not unharmed by any means, the Rangers knew that had they lost their Ranger powers before that attack they couldn't have survived it.

"I have your Ranger powers." Thrax practically cackled in glee. "Victory is mine! You are powerless to stop me!" This did not sit well with any of them, though especially with Kira and Connor, who knew Thrax was wrong. The hard determination that had set in before the battle only multiplied now, as it seemed that it really was completely up to them, as the ones of the prophecy, and the ones with The Great Power.

"No." Kira said to Connor. "That's wrong. It's not only down to us. Ranger powers or not, we're all still the guardians of the universe."

"We all still have power." He agreed. Kira's eyes hardened as she forced herself to her feet, her body protesting this movement, or any movement, but she ignored it as she addressed Thrax and every villain that stood before her.

"My mission is to bring you back!" She said forcefully. While this did not apply to every villain, many of them had once been good and she'd be damned if she didn't bring them back to the light. "And I promise you! I'm going to do it!" She shouted, mainly to Thrax, looking at him with an unprecedented combination of compassion for who he was supposed to be and the life that was taken from him, and also hatred for what he'd become.

"Don't make promises you can't keep Powerless Ranger!"

"We may not be Power Rangers anymore, but The Great Power lives! Inside us!" She forced herself to let go of her arm, which hurt the worst, and brought her other arm across her chest to cover her heart. "I am Kira Oliver! With the Spirit of The Great Power, the Cheetah!" Knowing now was the moment for standard speeches, Ranger style, as they were technically in the middle of a battle they were kept short, but also that there was nothing 'standard' about this day, Connor got in on it too, his mate's emotions fuelling his as he stood up beside her and stared Thrax down.

"There's nowhere you can run or hide that we won't find you! So prepare to pay for what you've done! I am Connor McKnight! With the Spirit of The Great Power, the Lion!" Not to be outdone, the Originals too got in on it.

"We humans have one thing you machines, demons, monsters will never have! A heart! I am Kimberly Oliver! The Crane! Winged Lady of the Skies!"

"We swore to protect this Earth, this galaxy, this universe! And we will not stop fighting until we have taken our last breath! I am Tommy Oliver! The Falcon! Winged Lord of the Skies!"

"We will overcome any obstacle you throw at us! And you will never win! I am Trini Scott! The Bear! Cunning and Fierce!"

"The forces of ages gone by flows through us! We will not let you destroy our world! I am Jason Scott! The Ape! Smart and Strong!"

"We are defenders sworn to fight! And we will erase your evil from existence! I am Billy Cranston! The Wolf! Stealthy and Sure!"

"You will never take us down! And we will never give up! I am Zack Taylor! The Frog! Courageous and Clever!" The only eight Ninjetti left in the universe, save for Dulcea, stood up together as one, allowing their Animal Spirits out, the miniature glowing versions swirling around them as The Great Power washed over them, and they found themselves in their Ninjetti robes.

"With the might of the Sacred Animals, we summon The Great Power! Ninjetti!" While the other Rangers saw no need to make individual speeches, they certainly saw a need to declare themselves as those eight had. Trent and Ethan were actually the next ones up, coming to stand next to the Ninjetti Warriors.

"Dino Thunder!" They struck their poses and allowed the power of their Gems out, a similar, though admittedly less impressive, light show appearing.

"Zeo Power!" After those Rangers, Trey joining Adam, Rocky and Aisha, everyone fell in line behind them.

"Aquitar Power!

"Turbo Power!"

"Astro Power!"

"Lost Galaxy!"

"Lightspeed Rescue!"

"Time Force!"

"Wild Force!"

"Ninja Storm!"

"Space Patrol Delta!"

"Mystic Force!"

"Operation Overdrive!"

"Jungle Fury!"

"RPM!"

"Samurai!"

"Megaforce!"

As each Ranger team stepped forward, their powers manifested around them, even for those who had no powers outside of their Ranger forms.

"Once a Ranger!" Kira and Connor cried together.

"Always a Ranger!" The Originals answered and all ninety-nine of them standing in one very long line, glad that their line wasn't any longer then their enemies', came together as one; one voice, one power, one team.

"We call forth The Power! Guardians of the universe! Together as one! United for all time! Power Rangers!" The explosions that took place behind them surprised them, though they didn't let it show. Usually the explosions were the cause of the run off power that took place while they morphed, and when they teamed up, the number of Rangers accessing the Morphing Grid at once made the run off power physically manifest itself in the form of the explosions that took place. This time, however, they were not morphing, not accessing the Morphing Grid, or so they assumed, and so had no readily available explanation, though at the present moment they didn't really care.

"Alright guys." Said Kira, not yelling and yet somehow being heard all the way down the line. "Let's do this!"

"Right!" Ninety-eight voices rang out as the Rangers once again charged their enemies. Being un-morphed they were greatly underestimated, which allowed for the battle to turn in their favour until their enemies showed some of that brain power they had earlier when taking their Ranger powers away. Then, it was essentially a free for all with each Ranger fighting their hardest, but none of them truly expecting to come out of this alive. Kira and Connor were the only ones who still held out hope, still having their ultimate power, but they had to be able to use it, which was proving difficult. Their power only manifested itself in one of two ways: either one of them was in grave, immediate danger, which while technically true now had not reached that level of desperation, or when they tried to use it, but it wasn't as simple as pressing a button and watching the show, it took time, they had to concentrate, two things Thrax was not allowing them to do. Then, the tide turned.

"You've lost Kira!" Thrax snarled, sending a powerful blast her way and hitting her dead on.

"Ahh!" Kira couldn't help but yell as she went flying, landing hard on the hard ground.

"Kira!" Connor cried, trying to make his way to his mate, but was not making much headway against the number of Thrax's Putties, especially when they were joined by Rita and Zedd's Putties as well as the two arch-villains themselves, they having left the Originals busy with Goldar, Rito, Tengas and yet more Putties.

"Give up now." Thrax said as he advanced on Kira who lay there unable to force her body to get up. "Call on your power, use it to serve me and-"

"Not a chance in hell." Kira growled, not caring what his 'and' would have been.

"So stubborn…" Thrax muttered as if lamenting what he must now do.

"You should give up Kira." Rita screeched, her and Zedd having joined their son while leaving Connor to the Putties. "Your pitiful attempt to save the universe has failed!"

"And now you'll never find your precious Zordon-" Zedd had barely gotten the word out when his son hit him with a blast of energy, though it wasn't very powerful.

"Quiet." He told them.

"What…?" Kira asked, completely confused. "Zordon's gone!"

"Didn't you know?" Rita gloated.

"I said be quiet!"

"What does it matter, Thraxy?" His mother asked in her sickeningly screechy voice. "She's about to die anyways, what's she going to be able to do?" Kira hoped Thrax gave in, he seemed to be thinking about, and luck was on her side, Thrax having apparently inherited his parents' penchant for gloating and so nodded to his mother to continue.

"When my wonderfully evil son revived us, he had to go straight to the source."

"What are you talking about?" Kira demanded.

"We wouldn't have been destroyed if not for Zordon, but neither would we be here now if not for him." Zedd said.

"I don't understand…"

"That meddlesome old fool was even meddling in death!" Thrax said. "His sacrificing himself was an act of pure love and it placed a seal around those he destroyed. The seal was impenetrable and could not be broken so long as his sacrifice remained."

"You mean that because Zordon sacrificed himself to destroy all evil, his power kept that evil from returning?" Kira asked. "If his sacrifice, his death, remained, so long as he was dead, that evil could never come back? So you had to bring Zordon back to life to bring that evil back?"

"Look Zeddy, the power brat isn't as dumb as she looks!"

"But she's still an easy target. Just like when she was a baby." Zedd answered, raising his staff and sending another blast at Kira, sending her flying again though she'd not been able to stand yet.

"Say goodbye Kira!" Rita shrieked as she, Zedd and Thrax all raised their staffs.

"Kira!" Connor roared, the desperation to save his mate having grown enough for his power to flare outwards, destroying the foot soldiers he fought and transporting him directly in front of his mate.

"Another power brat!" Zedd snarled, seeing Connor's power still radiating off him, none of the villains were willing to fire while it was still visible.

"Get used to it!" Connor snapped before turning to his mate, knowing the same thing that Zedd, Rita and Thrax did, that for now his power wouldn't allow them to hurt him or his mate. "Kira are you alright?"

"Yeah…" She gasped unbelievably, though it was enough to reassure Connor somewhat though his power remained. Kira and Connor had forgotten about Rita's warning, the one they'd been given when they met up with the Mystic Force Rangers, but Rita had not. She chose that moment to cast her dark magic in the hopes of corrupting their bond, and the prophecy, while its power was still visible, but far from full strength.

"Not for long!" Thrax yelled triumphantly as the dark magic reached the two and the golden power the surrounded Connor disappeared. The two gasped, feeling the evil magic enter their bodies, and Kira cried out in pain, her hand going to the mark that still graced her left hip.

"What's happening?" She demanded.

"I don't know." Connor answered truthfully. The two remained there for a few moments, it taking that long for them to remember Rita's warning, as well as determine what her dark magic was doing.

"It's trying to destroy the good." Said Connor. "To destroy everything that's good about our bond and replace it with only the negative side."

"That's why this thing is burning for the first time since when we first bonded nearly ten years ago?" Kira gasped out.

"It's gotta be." Connor answered. He turned to face Rita who, alongside Zedd and Thrax, was standing smugly merely watching the two, not trying to attack at all. Their brains were working enough to find this odd, now would be a perfect time to finish them off, and yet they did nothing. Then a thought hit Kira.

"Connor…what happens if this doesn't stop?" She asked. "If Rita's dark magic is making it so the bond thinks I'm disobeying you or something, what happens if we can't make it see that it's wrong?" For they couldn't. Unlike before where they could talk to Simba and Nala, their connection with their Spirits was lost.

"You die…" Connor breathed, seeing where she was going with this, and also why their enemies weren't attacking, thinking it was a more fitting end for their own bond to destroy them. Just as suddenly as the dark magic had come upon them, the solution came as well. Alpha was at the top of his game, monitoring everything and everyone, and having been informed months ago, alongside their family, about this possibility, so he'd taken the liberty of teleporting to them the orb the Mystic Mother had left them, the one containing her good magic meant to counter her evil self's dark magic.

"Yes!" Connor said, reaching for the orb, and somehow knowing what to do, he smashed it. The Mystic Mother's good magic surrounded them, forcing the darkness back. Kira stopped withering in pain as their bond returned to normal and her mark stopped burning, and Connor practically sobbed in relief seeing she was alright.

"No!" Thrax growled. Seeing his plan was foiled, all three sent a blast their way. While Connor was also hit, he hadn't been hit twice within the last few minutes and so it was Kira who took the brunt of the damage

"Kira no!" Connor cried, seeing her eyes were closed and she lay there unmoving. "Babe…speak to me!" Nothing happened for a moment and Connor feared the worst, being too distraught to search their bond, but eventually Kira groaned and opened her eyes.

"I told you…" She coughed out. "Not to call me babe!" She had indeed said so many times. Connor's habits as a teenager, to call nearly every girl who wasn't a child or his teacher's wife and friends babe, had not manifested with Kira till she'd reached her physical maturity, but they'd learned his habit had not gone away in all those years, at least not until Kira put a stop to it.

"How touching." Rita sneered, not liking that Kira still wasn't dead. "Together Zeddy?"

"Of course my poisonous flower." He answered as they raised their staffs once more, this time crossing them for a double attack. Connor, however, was not going to allow that to happen. Knowing Kira to be incredibly weak, and knowing this attack, should it hit, would likely be the end of her, of both of them, his power came forth once again, the golden power enveloping him as he stood, enraged, and faced the villains.

"Leave! Her! Alone!" He roared, ensuring each word was clearly heard. His roar, however, wasn't merely his own but was joined by the Lion as the Animal Spirit, in all his giant, glowing glory, burst forth.

"Woah! Simba!" Connor muttered, never having seen his Spirit appear this strong before.

"Ninjetti or not, prepare to be destroyed!" Zedd said.

"Bring it on radiator face!" Connor fell into a fighting stance and took on all three villains at once. While he was certainly powered up, the Lion was not in the mood to patiently try and bring them back to the light, wanting to destroy them for what they'd done to his mate, and so Connor did not unleash that power, knowing that no matter what they did, or how mad he got, none of this was ultimately their fault, the evil surging through them being the cause of it all. As such, his attacks weren't really powered up, and he and Simba weren't in harmony in their goals, and so when three powerful blasts came his way, he was knocked back hard.

"Connor!" Kira cried. While not terribly injured, Connor was doing all he could to hold the Lion back from destroying the villains, and so was unable to defend himself properly as they came upon him once more.

"One less Red!" Rita cackled.

"No!" Kira cried. "Connor!" Her own roar was mixed with the Cheetah's, her Spirit taking its turn and making its appearance. While Connor's Spirit had been impressive, and still was, not having disappeared back inside him, the Cheetah was spectacular. The golden light that shone from Nala and Kira was so bright that not a single person got away with not covering their eyes. The power burst forth from her in a golden ray of light, not unlike Zordon's had been, and destroyed every foot soldier there. The Rangers could feel their injuries heal, and Ranger powers return to them, as the light hit them, leaving them at full power, though not a single one of them was in any doubt that that power would not be needed.

"Her power…" Kim murmured and she and Tommy got closer, though still stood back somewhat, the battle having come to a stop when Kira's power was released.

"This is what Dulcea told us about." Tommy said. They thought they'd seen it when she and Connor restored Earth after Venjix, and that had certainly been a not un-significant portion of their power, but it was nothing compared to this.

"Leave him alone!" Kira growled, her power flaring once again, all minions either being destroyed or returned to who they truly were. Connor came forward then and stood beside her, neither Rita nor Zedd nor Thrax doing a thing to stop him. He reached over and grasped her hand, smiling softly down at her as the Lion joined the Cheetah.

"It's over!" Connor said. "Your evil will not plague the universe anymore!" Together, the two mates summoned all of The Great Power, the golden light growing around them and expanding outwards not as a thin ray of light, but a giant orb with Kira and Connor at the centre of it.

"Help me Zeddy, don't let it get me!" Rita cried, unknowingly repeating what she'd said sixteen years ago. The other villains didn't even have time to remark upon it, let alone try and escape, before the power hit them and they disappeared from view, though the Rangers remained. When the power hit, it was as if they were transported to another dimension, one of pure light and goodness, for there was nothing around, the park had disappeared, as had the sky and the ground beneath their feet to be replaced by that burning golden power, which had taken on a softer hue and was more white then gold. They saw each other, and they saw Kira and Connor but no one else. Suddenly two forms materialized, taking the forms some of them recognized as Rita and Zedd as they were meant to be.

"We're sorry." Rita spoke. "We are so sorry for all the trouble we have caused you and yours."

"It's not your fault." Kira said as both she and Connor walked forward, a third form appearing in their joint arms.

"Thank you." Zedd spoke almost reverently as he took a baby Thrax from the two of them.

"You will be returned to your lives before all this." Said Connor. "You will never forget what has happened here, nor will the world forget this one."

"But there will be no harm done because of what has happened these last months." Rita and Zedd smiled their thanks as the light surged once more, taking them away and back to wherever it was they'd been living. The Great Power then receded, heading back into Kira and Connor as the world of light disappearing and the Rangers found themselves back in the field. Slowly they regained their bearings as the power continued to recede, the Lion and Cheetah returning to their partners and being the last fragments of The Great Power to disappear, the light disappearing into the crests on their chests right before the two collapsed, neither moving or making a sound.

"Kira! Connor!"

A/N - So there you have it, the final battle and Kira and Connor's ultimate power. Explanations and epilogue to follow.

You may recognize some lines as being identical, or very similar, to what other Rangers said in various seasons, I freely admit I took lines or ideas from various seasons, namely Time Force, Wild Force and Mystic Force.

This chapter (and the next one) was originally different. I wrote the majority of this chapter (and the next one) long ago while still working on the first fic and I had an all Ranger morph, cause that's what they do during team ups and this is the mother of all team ups. However, to have them all morph took four pages and you'll notice that having them call on the Battlizers and combined blasters wasn't exactly short, so imagine that, but four pages long and you can see why I took it out.

I also had every Ranger either say something and/or say their name and Ranger designation (taking this idea right from Wild Force) but that took even more pages, so I left it to Kira, Connor and the Originals, then the Ranger teams as a whole, which also wasn't exactly short as it is in the chapter, let alone how I originally planned it.

I bore you with these details solely to explain (probably unnecessarily) why two pretty important aspects of team ups and final battles, seen in almost all seasons of Power Rangers, are missing.

Review please!