So yeah, got a fair bit through writing again, and made it through about four chapters in one day since it was my day off. So here's a new chapter that I've had planned for some time.

I hope you like it!

Chapter 16: Latent Potential

The lunch rush was finally dying down, and the four Rangers, plus Fran and RJ, were finally able to slow down.

"Rangers, your lunch is ready!" Fran announced as she walked into the kitchen where they were all standing.

"Do you really have to announce it to everyone?" Theo grumbled irritably as he looked up from the dishes he was putting into the dishwasher.

"Ah she's just excited," Ari laughed as she leaned against the wall, watching them. It was her day off, and she had gone down to grab something to eat. "And I did offer to cast a memory spell to make her forget but the overall vote was to let her remain knowing," she added. Fran's smile dropped.

"Wait...what?" she blinked.

"You voted against your own idea," Theo frowned.

"That's because I don't mind Fran knowing," Ari replied. "I was just offering a suggestion. Besides, this way we don't have to keep lying to her," she smiled as she grabbed the board that Casey had shovelled her pizza onto.

"Can we go back to the bit about casting spells and making me forget stuff?" Fran asked.

"Don't worry Fran," Casey laughed as he lifted another pizza to bring out. "You'll get used to Ari...actually...you won't," he told her, laughing as he walked outside. Fran looked to Ari, baffled, and the Gold Ranger smiled brightly.

"He's probably right," she nodded in agreement, turning and walking back up the stairs.

"Can someone explain the spell thing?" Fran called as Lily and Theo walked back into the restaurant as well.

Upstairs, Ari sat on the sofa with her book, eating her pizza as she read up on the history of the Order of the Claw. RJ had several books on it, and she had started reading them shortly after their return from the Spirit World. She was curious about the Beast War and the Masters who had formed the Order of the Claw long ago.

"Hey Ari," the girl looked around as Casey walked up the stairs. "There's someone here asking for you," he told her. Ari's smile dropped in confusion, and she stood up.

"Who is it?" she asked, setting down her book. Casey stepped aside, and there were loud, fast footsteps.

"Ari!" before she could react, she was grabbed by someone in a tight hug, and cried out as she was hauled off her feet. "It's been forever! I missed you!" her attacker wailed. Those that worked in the restaurant below appeared, watching in slight alarm as Ari was swung around like a rag doll.

"It's not been that long Zoe," Ari sighed. "Now can you please let me go before I puke?" she groaned.

"I'm never letting you go again!" Zoe declared, maintaining her hold around Ari's waist, but lowered her to the ground.

"I missed you too," Ari couldn't help but laugh, hugging the Moon Ninja back.

"You know, a guy could get jealous that his wife doesn't react the same way when she sees him," Ari heard Hunter comment with an amused tone.

"A guy would know when he's not loved as much," Ari smirked. "What are you guys doing here anyway?" she asked.

"I haven't seen you in ages, and I have someone here for you to meet," Zoe told her, finally releasing her to pull her over to Hunter, who was carrying a small bundle in his arms. "Ari, meet our daughter," Zoe grinned as Ari blinked rapidly.

"Please don't break her," Hunter smirked as he carefully handed over his daughter to Ari, who moved her arms to hold her in a comfortable position.

"She's so tiny..." Ari stared down at the infant, who had a mop of blonde hair and stared up at Ari with bluish-green eyes. "What's her name?" she asked. Hunter sighed heavily.

"Annie," he told her. Ari quirked an eyebrow at his reaction.

"Her name is Annabelle," Zoe scowled at her husband. Ari snorted before she could stop herself. "Not you too!" Zoe complained.

"Annabelle? You gave your daughter an old lady name," Ari giggled, making Zoe glare at her.

"Finally, something we agree on," Hunter grinned.

"Hey, Annabelle is a great name!" Zoe argued.

"Yeah, for an old lady. Next time, I get to name the kid," Hunter told her.

"You keep it up and next time you'll be the one birthing it Hunter, I swear to god," Zoe growled at him.

"I'd be glad to, if it means I can name our kid something normal," Hunter argued back. Ari grinned, letting Annie grab her finger as she reached out.

"Hah!" Zoe scoffed loudly. "This coming from the man who stubbed his toe this morning and howled like a wolf! I'd like to see you survive 11 hours of childbirth!" she poked him in the chest.

"Oh Annie, you're screwed," Ari told the infant with a laugh, walking away from the bickering pair.

"Just what's wrong with the name Annabelle anyway?" Zoe demanded.

"It's an old lady name! Or one of those creepy dolls," Hunter exclaimed as the others, who had been watching the entire thing, approached Ari. Lily cooed over the baby, holding out a hand. Annie grabbed her finger tightly, making Lily beam.

"I'm pretty sure my sister had that doll," Ari mused.

"Oh shut up Ari," Zoe grumbled.

"So you guys are Ninjas like Ari?" Lily asked after Zoe and Hunter stopped bickering.

"I wouldn't say 'like Ari'," Hunter smirked, and Ari frowned at him.

"Yeah, I'm better," she told him. Zoe rolled her eyes as she tucked Annie back into her pram.

"One day you two will get along," she grumbled. "And agree on more than just my daughter's name," she sighed.

"So does that mean you guys were Rangers too?" Casey asked, making them look up in surprise.

"Rangers? What?" Zoe blinked in confusion. "Wait, Ari, you were one of the Ninja Rangers?" she gasped in shock. Casey's smile fell and he looked alarmed. Ari put a hand to her face.

"No way, that was five years ago," Hunter dismissed it lazily. "You would have been 15, that's-" before he could finish, he was forced to dive aside as Ari tossed an energy ball at him. "Enough of those!" he complained as he scowled up at Ari. Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Yes, they were Rangers as well," Ari chose to ignore him and turn to the slightly alarmed people beside her. "The Silver Moon Ranger, and the Crimson Thunder Ranger," she explained.

"Am I the only one still confused?" Fran raised a hand. "Ninjas? Rangers as well? What is going on?" she asked, completely baffled. Ari chuckled, patting her shoulder.

"I have a lot to explain," she admitted. Fran just blinked rapidly.

"Easy," Zoe chuckled. "You'll make her brain explode if you tell her everything at once," she warned.

"There is a lot," Ari agreed.

"I still can't believe that dad asks you to go to the Pai Zhuq Academy, and you end up a Power Ranger again," Zoe laughed as the three walked through the park.

"Zoe, I went to school and became a Ranger. I'm honestly not surprised at this point," Ari laughed. She stretched as she walked, enjoying the sun that shone down over them. "I can't get over how little she is," Ari looked down at Annie, who was fast asleep, tucked in under a deep red blanket. She gripped a silver wolf plushie that Ari had gotten her before she was born.

"Not that little," Zoe shook her head. "She was big when she was born, and she's growing so much she's grown out of almost everything we got her," she sighed.

"Guess she's gonna get Hunter's height, not yours," Ari teased.

"Wouldn't be difficult to be taller than Zoe," Hunter commented, and earned a punch from the Moon Ninja. He grinned, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close, stopping her from walking on. As she turned to him, he leaned in and kissed her.

"Bleh!" Ari stuck out her tongue as she leapt away from them. "I'm so sorry Annie, you're gonna be warped so early," Ari sighed to her.

"It doesn't matter how old you are, you're still the annoying little sister," Hunter sighed as he pulled away from Zoe.

"I'll agree with her being annoying," Ari stopped dead, her eyes widening. They looked around to see Minos and Camille standing in front of them, smirking.

"Who are these freaks?" Hunter frowned.

"Uh, meet Minos and Camille. Loyal subjects to Dai Shi," Ari gestured to the pair.

"Minos huh?" Zoe scowled as she stood beside Ari. "The creep you were telling me about?" she asked. Ari nodded. Minos' smirk grew.

"You told her about me? I'm flattered," he chuckled.

"Hunter, get Annie out of here," Zoe told him in a low voice.

"Oh sure, just because I can't Morph," Hunter grumbled, pushing the stroller away. Zoe shot him a glare.

"And who are you?" Camille raised an eyebrow as she studied Zoe. The young woman, only a few years older than Ari, seemed like a normal person, with her glasses sliding down her nose and her long hair tied back, she seemed just like a new mother.

"Oh, you'll see," Ari chuckled, earning a frown from the Chameleon. She grabbed her Morpher from her pocket, and slipped them on. Zoe grabbed her Morpher from her bag and tossed it aside as she returned it to her wrist. "Ready?" Ari called.

"Sunglasses for a Morpher? Really?" Zoe raised an eyebrow, and Ari frowned at her. "Sorry. Ready!" Zoe called.

"JUNGLE BEAST, SPIRIT UNLEASHED!"

"CELESTIAL STORM, RANGER FORM, HA!" both Minos and Camille were taken by surprise by Zoe Morphing as well.

"With the Agility of a Sparrow! Jungle Fury Gold Ranger!"

"Power of the Moon!"

"Another Ranger?! Since when?!" Camille demanded with a shriek.

"Since like five years ago dude," Ari rolled her eyes. "You should really get out more," she commented.

"Five years...oh god, I'm old!" Zoe groaned. Ari patted her shoulder sympathetically.

"Take a look sis, she ain't Pai Zhuq. That symbol, it's a Ninja thing," Minos gestured to the Moon symbol on Zoe's suit.

"At least one of you is well educated," Zoe commented, before Minos and Camille called on their armour and leapt at the two Rangers. Minos called on his hammer and raised it to swing at Ari, who dodged and kicked him in the lower back. Nearby, Camille and Zoe fought, with Zoe easily avoiding Camille's Sai without calling on her own weapon.

"You know quite a few different Rangers, it's strange," Minos commented as he turned and slammed his hammer to the ground. The shockwave made Ari stumble, but she quickly righted herself in time to dodge his swing. She leapt over it and jabbed her fist into his chest, before spinning out of the way of his counter attack.

"What are you even doing here Minos? Where's your stupid monster?" Ari asked him as she crouched low to avoid his next attack.

"He's probably in the city right now, terrorising more innocent civilians," Minos smirked back. Ari leapt over his head and kicked him away, before pressing a hand to her helmet. "Guys, we've got a problem!" she called through the com-link.

"Ari? What's going on?" RJ responded quickly.

"Minos and Camille attacked us in the park, but we have it handled!" Ari hurled an energy-ball, clipping Minos in the face and knocking him to the ground again. "But there's a monster in town!" she warned.

"I'll send the others there now," RJ replied.

"I'll meet them there!" Ari told him, ending the communication before ducking to avoid Minos' hammer.

"You're awfully confident that you and your friend can chase us off," Minos commented.

"Of course I am," Ari replied. "Me and Zoe have been partners for years," she told him. Minos laughed, and suddenly leapt into the air, raising his hammer over his head, he let out a yell and slammed down hard on the ground. Ari overbalanced, falling to the ground. Nearby, she heard Zoe do the same.

"You fight together, you can die together!" Minos told them.

"Not a chance!" Ari shouted back. "Call to the beast inside! Uncage the Sparrow!" Ari began to glow with a golden aura, and her Sparrow burst from her chest, flying through the air and slamming straight into Minos. He struggled with it for a moment, but it glowed even brighter, and Minos was thrown back. The Sparrow chirped, before disappearing as Minos growled from the ground. "Give it up Minos, you're not going to beat me," Ari warned as she got to her feet.

"No!" she looked around at Zoe's scream, and her eyes widened in horror. Camille kicked Hunter into a tree, and the Thunder Ninja sank to the ground with a groan, winded and unable to move.

"Well well well, a human infant," Camille lifted Annie from her stroller, and instantly the baby began to wail, having been disturbed from her sleep.

"Leave her alone!" Ari snarled, calling on her Jungle Blades.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Camille waved one of her Sai, and Ari hesitated. "Not while I'm holding a baby. Or pointing this at him," She held the Sai out towards Hunter. Zoe summoned her Lunar Bow and pulled back on the string, aiming at arrow at Camille. "Is your aim truly that good, Silver Ranger?" Camille laughed. Zoe lowered her bow, her eyes stinging.

"Camille..." Minos got to his feet.

"Judging from the father's moves, this baby is descended not only from a Moon Ninja, but a Thunder Ninja too," Camille commented as Annie wailed loudly. "Such a child will grow to be very powerful," she mused, looking down at Annie.

"Let her go," Zoe demanded, her entire being shaking with anger. Not only was her husband being threatened, but her baby, who was only a few months old. She was going to rip Camille apart.

"Camille, she's just a baby," Minos told his sister. "She is of no use to Dai Shi," he warned her.

"Not yet, but raised to follow him without question, she may be," Camille replied.

"No!" Zoe raised her bow again, but Camille held Annie up to shield herself. "I'm going to make you into a handbag, I swear to god," Zoe vowed.

"You'd have to stop me to do that," Camille replied mockingly.

"No," they looked around as Ari lowered her weapons and released them. They hit the ground with a clang, before disappearing. "Annie's just a baby, she has no power yet," she told Camille. "But me, I'm a fully trained Ninja in complete control over my power of the Sun. Not only that, but I'm a Mystic Warrior, one of the two born of the magical realm," Ari demorphed and pulled off her Solar Morpher. "Take me instead," she told them.

"What? You?" Camille laughed. Minos darted over to her, muttering in her ear.

"Think about it sis, she is infinitely more powerful than that baby will ever be," as he got close, Annie's wailing died down, and she stared at him. "Not only is she mature in her skills, but she is also one of the Mystics. Dai Shi has been coveting her powers since he found out," Minos hissed to Camille. "He, and the Overlords, will favour her over a wailing infant," he told her.

"Hmm..." Camille looked down at the baby, who began to wail again. "Fine," she agreed. Minos walked over to Ari and grabbed her wrist, forcing her to drop her Morpher, and yanked her over as Camille set Annie back down.

"Ari no!" Zoe cried, raising her bow again.

"Try it and I kill him," Camille warned. "You are not the only one with good aim," she told the Silver Ranger as she aimed her Sai at Hunter, who was still unconscious.

"Zoe, it's fine," Ari grinned at her. "I'll be fine," she insisted.

"I very much doubt that," Camille told her. "Your Master may have been able to get away, but you won't," she told the Gold Ranger. Ari just glared back defiantly at her, and they disappeared.

Dai Shi rose to his feet as Camille and Minos walked back into the throne room, shoving Ari in ahead of them.

"Well well, the Gold Ranger. What an honour," he bowed mockingly to her.

"You evil guys are all the same," Ari rolled her eyes. "Theatrical idiots," she stared him down coldly. Dai Shi gave a chuckle.

"Arrogant to the end, little bird," Dai Shi walked towards her.

"I fail to see what is so fascinating about this little girl," Jellica sighed, standing beside Carnisoar as they studied Ari. "All I see is a child with a pathetic animal spirit who has been a thorn in our sides since she started," she dismissed. "Nothing like the Master you brought forward last time," Ari stiffened at being called a child, but didn't react other than that.

"My lady," Minos bowed his head to her. "She is one of the legendary Mystics from the Magical Realm. She possesses powerful magic," he explained.

"One of the Mystics?" Carnisoar walked over and studied Ari up close. She just looked bored. "Impossible," he shook his head.

"No, it's true," Dai Shi confirmed. "She does indeed possess powerful magic. I have witnessed it first hand. It will definitely come in useful," he smirked. "Minos, take her to a cell while we discuss this. And excellent work to you both," he praised. Camille beamed, while Minos didn't react. He grabbed Ari's arm and yanked her away, leading her down the corridors before shoving her into a cell and slamming the door closed behind her.

"Better than some places I've been imprisoned in," Ari shrugged, looking around the small cell.

"Why'd you do it?" she looked back at Minos as he couldn't help but ask the question that had been bugging him. "Why'd you give yourself up?" he demanded, standing close to the door.

"Same reason RJ did. To give someone else a chance," Ari replied, walking over and looking up at the man. "Annie's just a baby, there was no way in hell I was going to let you take her," she said. "Nobody should have their child taken from them..." Ari muttered, looking away.

"Speaking from experience?" Minos raised an eyebrow.

"What about you?" Ari didn't answer his question, instead she looked back up. "Why'd you back me up and take me instead of Annie?" she asked. Minos frowned. Blue eyes met green for a moment, before he turned away.

"Because a crying child would not have pleased Dai Shi as much as a Mystic," he told her coldly as he walked off. Ari watched him with a frown.

"Uhuh. And people say I'm a bad liar," she muttered to herself, and stepped back, looking around her cell.

Lying on her back as she stared up at the ceiling, Ari then sighed.

"Alright, that's enough time," she got to her feet, brushing the dust from her clothes, and walking over to the cell door. She began to examine the lock, listening out for anyone who was coming to gloat at her capture, while also keeping note of how long she had before the next sentry came along.

The door swung open, and she smirked. "Gotta love being a Ninja," she chuckled, stepping out and looking around. Shutting the door behind her, Ari cast a spell, creating an illusion of herself sitting on the ground. She then hid behind a pillar as a Rinshi guard bounced past, glancing in briefly before hopping on. Emerging from her hiding place, Ari hurried along through the corridors that she remembered being pulled through earlier.

Hearing footsteps, Ari groaned and looked around, before leaping up, grabbing onto the side of a pillar and hoisting herself up.

"Come on, before we're found out," her eyes widened in surprise, and a small group hurried into view. "The cells are this way," RJ whispered to the others.

"But you won't find who you're looking for there," they jumped and whirled around as Ari landed lightly. "Unless you're here to save someone else?" she grinned.

"Ari? What are you doing?" Xander rushed over to her. "You're depriving me of a dashing rescue," he grinned, and she rolled her eyes.

"You took too long," she replied, and looked to the others. "Really? All of you showed up to help?" Ari grinned.

"Zoe was kinda panicked when she called," Mack grinned, his Tracker attached to his belt.

"And I'm a Rescuer, it's in my blood to help," Tyzonn smiled at her. "I also happened to be visiting," he added.

"And you never said anything?" Ari looked horrified.

"I would have, had you not gone and gotten yourself captured again," Tyzonn smiled, making her go red as the others laughed quietly.

"And I just happened to be around when Xander freaked out too," Nick smirked.

"Zoe has me on speed dial for Ari-emergencies," Kira shrugged. Ari frowned at her.

"Ari-emergencies? Really?" she grumbled.

"You do get into trouble a lot," Hunter smirked at her. Nick snored in amusement, earning a glare.

"Oh shut up. You can't even Morph," she grumbled, and Hunter frowned.

"You don't need to keep reminding me," the Thunder Ninja sighed. RJ looked around carefully.

"Well, now that that's settled, we should leave, before-"

"Before what?" they spun around as Camille appeared from nowhere. "Before the party can start? That's rude," she smirked, and Minos appeared from behind a pillar.

"Just who I wanted to see again," Hunter growled as he glared at Camille. "We have a score to settle," he told the chameleon, who smirked back.

"As do we," Minos stared Xander down.

"We really doing this now?" Ari sighed.

"Do you have a choice?" Dai Shi taunted as he walked into the room.

"Guess not," Ari shrugged, and RJ handed her her Solar Morpher. "Thanks," she grinned to the Master, and slid them on. "Ready guys?" she called.

"Ready!" Dai Shi frowned as all but Hunter and RJ stood together.

"DINO THUNDER, POWER UP, HA!"

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!"

"OVERDRIVE, ACCELERATE!"

"JUNGLE BEAST, SPIRIT UNLEASHED!" the group Morphed into their respective suits, taking Dai Shi, Minos and Camille by surprise.

"Ptera!"

"Strong as a tree! Green Mystic Ranger!"

"Forceful as fire! Red Mystic Ranger!"

"Kick into Overdrive! Red Ranger!"

"Kick into Overdrive! Mercury Ranger!"

"With the Agility of a Sparrow! Jungle Fury Gold Ranger!"

"They're all Rangers?!" Camille gasped in alarm.

"And you're gonna regret messing with us! Drive Lance!" Mack called on his weapon and leapt at her. Camille snapped her fingers, and Rinshi poured into the room to intercept Mack's attack. Ari tossed Hunter one of her Jungle Blades, and he took on the Chameleon that had tried to kidnap his daughter. She, along with Dai Shi and Minos, called on their armour to help protect them.

"How sweet, that so many would come to save you," Dai Shi snickered as he approached Ari. "Only to perish with you," he declared. Ari rolled her eyes.

"You're deluded," she told him. "Jungle Master Mode!" she called on the new power, and her suit changed. As she took on Dai Shi, Minos swung his hammer, which slammed against Xander's axe.

"I was hoping to fight you again, Green Mystic," Minos commented as he stepped back, swinging his hammer back so it rested on his shoulder.

"You know this creep?" Nick asked as he stood back to back with his friend, fighting off the Rinshi with his sword.

"Unfortunately," Xander nodded with a sigh. They then pushed away from each other, and Nick sent fire out to destroy the Rinshi around him as Xander swung his axe down hard. Minos blocked it with the handle of his hammer, and winced at the strength behind the blow.

"It really is interesting fighting someone with your own animal spirit," Minos chuckled, kicking Xander back.

"Drive Detector!" Tyzonn swung his weapon and knocked Camille's Sai out of the way as she hurled them at Hunter.

"Thanks," the Thunder Ninja nodded to the Mercurian, who grinned back under his helmet. Behind them, Ari kicked Dai Shi into the wall, and her golden aura surrounded her.

"Call to the beast inside! Uncage the Sparrow!" she released her animal spirit, who attacked Dai Shi repeatedly. He cried out in pain, and as Camille tried to help him, she was knocked to the ground by Hunter.

"Enough of this foolery!" Dai Shi roared furiously as he got back to his feet. His own aura began to surround him, and he called on powerful energy that he channelled into his hand.

"Guys, get back!" Kira shouted as she demorphed.

"And cover your ears!" Ari realised what she was going to do, and the group darted away. Minos got back to his feet, having been clipped by Xander's axe, and narrowed his eyes in confusion. Kira let out a powerful scream, and the remaining Rinshi turned to dust instantly as Dai Shi, Camille and Minos were thrown back into the wall, crying out as their armour shattered and they put their hands to their head.

"Let's go!" RJ called, and the group made a break for it.

"Next time you get captured," Mack started as he demorphed. "Make it a little more convenient, would you?" he asked Ari, who rolled her eyes.

"I'll get on that," she told him dryly.

"Ari, you better get going, the other three are in town fighting the Rinshi but they're going to need you to form the Megazord," RJ turned to her, covered in dirt and dust from fighting in the temple. He rubbed his shoulder, and Ari frowned slightly, but nodded.

"On it!" she took off as the other past Rangers demorphed as well. "Thanks for the help guys!" Ari shouted over her shoulder.

"She never changes," Kira chuckled, resting her hand on her hip as they watched Ari streak off to the next battle.

"Unfortunately," both Hunter and Nick smirked.

"This is ridiculous!" Casey yelled as he dodged the monster's attacks easily using his Jungle Master Mode. The greater power trumped the Rinshi, and all three were easily avoiding it. "We should be helping Ari!" he shouted to his team-mates.

"She'll be fine!" Theo shouted back to him, striking the monster across the chest. "It's Ari, she's always fine!" he told their leader.

"We need to stop this Rinshi from destroying the city!" Lily shouted. "Ari can handle herself long enough to do that!" she told the two, backflipping and using her jets to fly through the air. "So let's destroy this monster and save our friend!" the Yellow Ranger cheered.

"Yeah!" both Casey and Theo yelled in agreement, rushing the monster together. They slammed the monster with their weapons, and with a shriek he went flying through the air. A golden blur then slammed him back to the ground hard, and the three Rangers gasped. "Ari?!" Casey yelled, unable to believe he was seeing the Gold Ranger there, Morphed and ready for battle.

"Sorry guys, you were a little on the slow side in rescuing me, so I got some help from elsewhere," Ari teased.

"Sorry Ari...this guy is a little tougher to take down than we thought," Lily apologised, making Ari laugh.

"I'm kidding!" she told her friends. "The city is more important," she reminded them. "So let's finish this guy off!" Ari cheered, and the other three cheered in their agreement. The monster groaned, staggering as he managed to get back to his feet, only for Lily to shoot past, striking him. Theo followed, then Ari struck him from another angle, and finally Casey hit him, destroying the monster.

"This power is incredible!" Casey laughed as he looked down at his hands. "I just can't get used to it!" he admitted.

"It's kinda awesome," Ari giggled. The enhanced powers reminded her of her Legendary Mystic Mode, which had been lost when the Master had devoured their magic and almost destroyed them. The four looked around as the monster reappeared, growing. "That..is not so awesome," Ari sighed.

"Let's go!" Casey called to his team. They nodded, calling on the Animal Spirits gifted to them by their Spirit Masters.

"You won't defeat me again!" the monster roared as the four Zords faced him. Below, Minos and Camille stood watching.

"Let's just see about that!" Theo called, and his Antelope Spirit leapt at him, headbutting the Rinshi and making him stumble back, directly into Ari's path. She spun, slamming him with the tail of the Squirrel.

"Batter up!" she yelled as the Rinshi was knocked through the air, directly into Casey's Gorilla Zord's path.

"Oh yeah!" Casey laughed, striking the monster with his powerful fists.

"Fire!" Lily's Penguin Zord flew through the air, blasting the Rinshi with powerful shots.

"Let's put them together!" Casey called.

"Animal Spirits unite!" the four combined their Zords to form the Jungle Master Megazord, and the Rinshi cried out as the powerful Megazord delivered a finishing blow that destroyed him.

"Just how does she know other Rangers?" Camille wondered aloud. Minos didn't speak, looking up at the Megazord as the four Rangers cheered at their latest victory.

"You can let me go now..." Ari sighed as Zoe hugged her, wailing dramatically.

"I wanted to help you! But Hunter insisted on going even though he doesn't have any powers anymore and I didn't want to leave Annie after what happened but..."

"Is this going to be a regular occurrence?" Theo asked with a raised eyebrow as Zoe rambled on tearfully.

"Has been for years," Kira told him with a grin.

"Help me..." Ari sighed.

"Come on, here, Annie wants you," Hunter managed to pry his wife away from Ari.

"I just can't believe it," Fran was staring at them all. "You're all past Power Rangers?" she asked for what seemed like the millionth time. She couldn't wrap her head around it. Especially Kira, who was gaining fame rapidly for her music. Fran herself had been a fan for two years.

"Yep," Nick nodded with a grin.

"And you all came to help Ari," Fran blinked multiple times in confusion.

"Because she's a nightmare for getting herself into stupid situations that involve needing rescue," Hunter grinned as Zoe cooed over Annie.

"Not that much!" Ari argued.

"How about the time that Lothor kidnapped you and Cam and imprisoned you on his ship that was due to explode?" Zoe looked up with a raised eyebrow.

"That wasn't my fault!"

"Or when you ran off to help Shane that time and nearly got killed by Vexacus for the first time?" Hunter added.

"Or when you ran off to help Hunter and nearly got killed by the Gem of Souls and Vexacus?" Zoe shot her husband a glare.

"That was your husband's fault!"

"Or when you and Trent got captured by Mesogog?" Kira grinned as Ari grew steadily redder.

"Again, not my fault! Mesogog wanted evil Trent and I got caught up in it!"

"How about when V captured you when she was possessed by Necrolai?" Xander grinned. Nick snorted.

"Not you too!" Ari whined.

"And when we got trapped in the Underworld?" Nick reminded her. "And the time you ran off to save Matoombo and nearly got killed by one of the Terrors?" he added.

"Nick, you're a jerk."

"Oh! How about when you got captured by the Fearcats so they could use your power to free the others stuck in the mirror?" Mack reminded her with a smile. "Or the time they captured you and Ronny?" he added.

"Or when you and I ended up in Crazar's dream world?" Tyzonn smiled.

"You guys seriously suck," Ari grumbled, folding her arms and pouting childishly.

"Wow, you are really unlucky," Casey laughed, earning a glare.

"Wait...so Ari..." Fran was now staring at the Gold Ranger. "You've been a Ranger before? You're the...you're the Mysterious Gold Ranger?" she asked in shock.

"I hate that name," Ari grumbled. Fran gaped at her in alarm. "Anyway guys, thanks for the help. I could have gotten out myself, but the help was appreciated," she smirked to her friends.

"You're still a brat," Nick told her.

"I'll agree to that," Hunter smirked.

"Anyway Ari, there's one more thing now that you're safe," Zoe walked over to the glowering Ranger.

"What's that? Beat me up for being reckless again?" Ari sighed.

"Nope!" Zoe grinned, and before Ari knew it, Annie had been bundled into her arms. "Thank you for keeping our daughter safe," she smiled at the Gold Ranger, who's cheeks burned in a deeper blush.

"Yeah. It kinda reinforced our decision," Hunter spoke up, standing beside Zoe.

"Decision?" Ari looked up with wide eyes.

"Yep! We want you to be Annie's godmother," Zoe smiled. Ari's eyes grew wider, and she looked down at the tiny baby in her arms. Annie opened her bluish-green eyes, and blinked up at Ari, reaching out and grabbing a lock of her hair. Ari stared back, stunned at the new responsibility she had been given, finding it strangely more daunting than her role as a Ranger.

Finally I introduced Annie! I was meaning to for a while, and finally managed to do so!

I hope you liked it!

Please review!