Hunter couldn't believe his eyes.

Empress had actually smiled?

He blinked and then smiled himself.

They had taken a walk and were still wandering about. The forest around the destroyed academy was nice. It was peaceful and it gave Hunter a sense of tranquility.

He'd also found out that "Empress" wasn't her name. She didn't know her name, not since Lothor had discovered her. She had a severe case of amnesia. Most of her attacking techniques came from her muscle memory.

Other than that, she had no idea what she was doing.

Suddenly, Empress' eyes became wide and she looked up and away from Hunter. She seemed to move in her own world and Hunter saw fire sprout from her hands before he looked back at him, fear in her eyes.

"Empress?"

"Please, don't follow." She jumped into the air and used the fire to consume her body. When it broke away from her, it looked almost like something out of a movie. She was still smoking, but there it was, her Ranger uniform. "Stay," she whispered.

Hunter saw Cam shoot overhead, grabbing Empress and the duo vanished over the horizon. Hunter couldn't stay!

-Blake-

"What's the alarm sounding for?" he asked, pushing aside the door.

He stopped when he saw the screen. Dustin and Shane had just barged in.

The trio gawked at Hunter.

There he was, in downtown, fighting the two estranged Rangers. He wasn't holding his own, but he was trying.

Blake felt something, deep inside of him, knowing that Hunter was holding back. He didn't see Hunter use the Thunder Staff in it's many forms. His fear of leaving Tori's side was starting to be outweighed by the safety of his brother.

He looked back, just then, and saw Tori still in her coma-like sleep. Her fever was getting worse. Her body was starting to sweat it out, or it seemed, but her stray hair still stuck to her face and neck. It was almost too much to bear.

Blake was going to have to make a choice, and one that he wouldn't want to make.

"I'm sorry, Tori." He gritted his teeth as Dustin's foot vanished around the corner. Blake bowed to Sensei. "Keep an eye on her, please. I don't want the shock to set in. I-"

"I'll watch her." Sensei smiled. "Go, take care of what needs to be done."

Blake made fists before he stood up and ran out of sight.

Sensei sighed and looked at Tori. "If only we could unblock your mental block, Tori."

-Hunter-

He went flying into a pillar and felt something crack in his ribs. Hunter slumped to the floor, the feeling of blood coming to his eyes. He shook it off as sparks exploded all over his vision, blurring him.

Hunter was trying to recall being hit on the head or how he ended up airborne again.

"Ninja Blade!" Dustin struck down the Kelzaks. He threw his arm out and grabbed Hunter's arm, swinging him around and onto his knees.

Shane went zooming overhead, blowing them away. He landed lightly on a small ledge before twisting around. He pulled out his own Ninja Blade and prepared to attack the Kelzaks. Shane wasn't going to hold back.

"Wait!" Hunter yelled, but Empress had already jumped in the way.

She grabbed Shane's blade and threw it out of his grip before she took hold of the back of his uniform. She spun about and threw him to the side. Empress turned to the Kelzaks. "Quickly, carry out your task!"

They dispersed and Hunter got to his feet.

"Wait! Don't attack her!"

Blake came crashing down in flashes of lightning, striking down at Empress, whom rolled to her left, away from the attack. Blake wasn't going to listen to Hunter, and that much became clear when he cut Empress right across the lower torso. She stumbled back, but then cartwheeled away as Cam intercepted.

"Stop it!"

Dustin grabbed Hunter's arm. "What's with you? Why are you defending her?" he yelled.

Hunter pulled away. "She's just confused. If we can just reach her, we can change her!"

"For what? The worse?"

"Dustin has a point, Hunter. What could she help us do? She's already taken out Cam and Tori." Shane blew Empress away from Blake, who was panting. "She's not one of us, she never will be."