Crimson Rising Chapter 44: Soul Divide, a power rangers fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers. Saban and Nickelodeon own them. I also don't own any song lyrics used.

AN: Here's chapter 44! Enjoy and let me know what you think! Thanks to all the great reviews too and here's notes to those individuals:

flp2: Glad you like the story!

Guest: Glad you're enjoying it.

Alex Cook: The zeo suits will be staying the same as they were in the series

garnetred: Thanks, glad you like the addition of Skull.

JemiSmitchie4ever20: So glad you like it! :)

fallingstar22: Thanks, glad you're enjoying and that you like the new zeo team.

MMPRFansince93: Yep, there's big trouble on Phaedos. Sorry you don't care for Skull as a choice, but I wanted to do something a little different and I always thought there was a lot more to him than what we saw.

TommyOliverMMPRFan: Yep, now is the time to reverse the curse.

RHatch89: Thanks, glad you like the new team.

Harry2: Glad you're enjoying it.

Alex B. Goode: Glad you like it :)

Crimson Rising

Chapter 44: Soul Divide

Far underneath the twisted lies and schemes
They're killing us, killing us inside
Stop standing next to me
You stain the air I breath, made everything unclean
Make up your mind today
Burnout or fade away, you're nothing more than dust
Pull back the veil, pull back the veil, pull back the veil
Soul divide, soul divide, soul divide, soul divide

Song: Soul Divide

Artist: Eyeshine

Phaedos

Dulcea smacked two more Tengu birds away with her staff, as the foot soldiers continued their onslaught. Ninjor fought beside her, darting around them with his Ninja speed. But suddenly a blast threw them back. Ninjor rolled over a boulder and Dulcea hit a rock wall. She crumpled to the ground and tried to regain her bearings, but Thrax wrapped his hand around her throat, lifting her off the ground.

"My Master has ordered your demise. Your son has killed Lord Ooze's warriors, but has suffered no loss of his own. That is about to change," Thrax hissed, as he threw her to the ground. She coughed violently, but stared up at him with defiant stormy blue eyes...the same eyes as her son.

"You are no better than slaves to Ivan Ooze. My son will be that monster's end," Dulcea said with vehemence. This earned her a kick in the stomach from Toxa and she rolled several feet.

"When I lay your corpse at his feet, it will take the fight right out of him," Toxa hissed.

"You're wrong, young one. You strive to please your father...to earn his love, but he's not capable of such emotion. You will never be anything more than a tool for him to use until he decides you are no longer useful. He'll dispose of you with the trash," Dulcea warned.

"Shut up witch!" Toxa hissed, as she pointed her blade at the vulnerable woman. She smirked evilly, as she prepared to bring her blade down. She would enjoy slicing her up. As she raised her blade, preparing to thrust it down into her enemy's chest, a fireball hit her hand. She cried out in agony, as she tried to put the flames on her limb out now, while she watched her prized sword melt. Normal fire wouldn't be able to melt the metals that made her sword, for they were some of the strongest in the universe. But the weapon was no match for Phoenix fire and it was now just a puddle of liquid metal on the rocky ground. Hunter's feet landed solidly on the ground and his visor opened, adding another pair of stormy blue eyes glaring at her.

"Get away from her," Hunter demanded. She growled and held her damaged limb in her hands, as it dripped with ooze. He smirked.

"You're making a mess. You should get that looked at," he said smugly. With her good arm, she howled in rage, as she launched a ball of purplish black energy at him. But her eyes widened in fear, as his own crimson fire energy consumed her attack like nothing. It was unreal. Not so long ago, he had been no match for her, but his powers were growing at an unprecedented rate. Her father was right for wanting to lock him away in the Fire Pits. Because there was no one that could actually destroy him...no, he would have to be imprisoned...unless she destroyed this pitiful planet with him on it. She glanced to the side, only to see Thrax fighting the other ninjas. He had been able to overpower Ninjor, but the crimson ranger's team was proving to be a match for him. She raised her communicator to her lips.

"Do it," she said simply. Suddenly, the ship that they had come on fired a huge blast that hit the planet. It sent them all crashing to the ground. Violent winds whipped around them and the entire planet shook like it was coming apart.

"What the hell did you do?!" Hunter demanded. Toxa cackled evilly and Thrax shoved Shane and Dustin away, before joining her.

"That blast is burrowing its way to the planet's core. I'd say you have about five minutes until this planet is nothing but space dust!" Toxa hissed.

"Coward!" Shane spat.

"You can't defeat us, so you're going to destroy the planet? Weak dude," Dustin said.

"Oh make no mistake, yellow ranger. I would have no difficulty defeating you and these other weaklings. But I know the crimson ranger just can't simply be killed. But I'd like to see even the mighty Phoenix survive a blast like this. Better say your goodbyes to your lover now, blue ranger, because we both know you certainly can't survive," Toxa said smugly, as she and Thrax disappeared. Hunter helped his mother to her feet.

"You all must go now!" she said urgently.

"I'm not leaving without you!" he called back.

"Sweetheart, you have no choice! If I leave with you, then I'll die anyway! Go!" she ordered.

"Not yet. Are you guys ready?!" he called to the new zeos.

"Yeah, we're with you bro," Zack called back, as he nodded to his team.

"Hunter, are you sure about this?" Justin called. The crimson ranger shook his head.

"I'll be fine! The energy won't hurt me!" he insisted. The zeos concentrated on their crystals and they started to glow. It was then that Hunter didn't really know what the next step was.

"Focus the zeo energy into a sphere, just like you would bend your fire and thunder energies," a ghostly voice said.

"Father..." Hunter whispered, as he felt the Phoenix spirit stir in him. Hunter's entire body glowed, as the zeo energies hit him and the glow quickly faded, as he molded the energy into a multicolored sphere.

"The zeo energy can hear you call. Tell it everything you want it to do," Zander instructed.

"Everything? It's kind of a tall list," Hunter replied. He heard the voice chuckle.

"The zeo crystal is very powerful in his natural form. No request will be too great," Zander told him.

"I want Master Vile's curse to be lifted from my mother," he said simply. He watched in amazement, as the energy shot out and snaked around Dulcea. She gasped, as she felt very hot for a split second, before the energy receded. There was no physical difference, but Hunter didn't doubt that it was done.

"You'll need to be on Earth for the energy to lift the barrier Ooze has placed around it and unfortunately it cannot stop this planet's destruction," Zander warned. The energy left Hunter and returned to its new bearers, just as hoards of foot soldiers were dispatched onto the planet.

"She's trying to keep us here until the planet explodes," Cam realized, as the planet shook violently again.

"Then we've got work to do," Hunter replied, as he nodded to Zack and his visor closed.

"It's Morphin Time!" Zack called, as the five of them put the zeonizers together for the first time. As a team, they had mutually decided to shorten their morphing call.

"Zeo I, Pink!" Kapri called.

"Zeo II, Yellow!" Marah called.

"Zeo III, Blue!" Justin shouted eagerly.

"Zeo IV, Green!" Skull said, a little uncertainly.

"Zeo V, Red!" Zack called with authority.

The new zeo team stood strong and leapt into battle beside the ninjas.

Twin yellow streaks darted around the Tengu birds, causing them to get dizzy. Dustin and Marah appeared and called their weapons, before charging the foes. Dustin and Marah swiped the Lion axe and Zeo nun chucks through their various enemies.

Justin, Tori, and Blake charged the Ooze men, weapons ready. Blake's Thunder blade was alive with navy electricity, as he swiped it through the disgusting foot soldiers. Tori sliced her way through with her dolphin blades and Justin used his zeo tonfas against the Burmites. But time was not on their side and the planet began to give way beneath them.

"Carly, can you send the zords? This place is coming apart!" Blake called into his communicator.

"The Phoenix carrier is almost there," she informed him.

Skull sliced through the Tengus with his zeo hatchets and launched into a flurry of kicks and punches. Once the enemies were dispatched, he took a moment just to stare at his hands in awe. He had never felt so energized, nor had he ever possessed this amount of coordination, much less fighting ability.

"Pretty amazing, isn't it," Cam mentioned, as he sheathed his Samurai saber.

"I guess I get what Adam said about the power telling you what to do. I thought he was crazy and I was going to hear some voice," Skull replied.

"No voice, just instinct," Cam explained quickly, as they attacked.

"Pink Power Shield!" Kapri shouted, as she plowed right into a flailing ooze henchman. Shane fired his hawk blaster at rapid pace, picking off the enemies and made their pathway toward the approaching Phoenix carrier zord. But the ground beneath them was quickly giving way.

"Shane...we're trapped," Kapri said.

"Not for long," he replied, as he activated his battlizer. Grabbing her around the waist, they went sailing into the air toward the massive zord.

Zack felt the power course through his veins for the first time in fifteen years, as he swiped the zeo power sword through the Tengus. He glanced to his side through his star shaped visor and watched Hunter make several lightning fast swipes with the Phoenix saber, before sheathing it on his back. The Ooze men around him fell to pieces and Zack used his fast footwork to avoid the crumbling planet beneath him. The red zeo ranger grabbed the grappling cable that Kapri threw down and sailed onto the zord. The others and Ninjor waited for him and Dulcea. Hunter activated his wings and put his arm around Dulcea's waist.

"If it didn't work, then know that I love you," Dulcea told him, in case the curse was not broken. He shook his head.

"It's broken...I know it is," he assured her, as they sailed into the air. Once they were aboard, Marah and Kapri piloted them away from the planet, just as it exploded in a brilliant array of fire.

"I'm sorry Mom, I know that was your home. I shouldn't have allowed them to destroy it," Hunter lamented. But Dulcea only smiled, as she turned to them. She had not changed at all.

"My home is with you, my son," she replied, as she pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"It worked..." he said in awe, as he hugged her. Tori hugged her next and Dulcea put her arms around them both.

"I hate to interrupt, but Ivan has a couple of his Ecto Morphicon's trashing Reefside. If you guys take dispatch the Hurricane Megazord from the carrier zord, you can be back much faster," Carly reported. Hunter nodded.

"Then we'll see you guys back at the base later," Hunter replied, as he hugged his mother again.

"Be careful!" she called to the six retreating ninjas.

"Hey Carly, what about the zeo zords?" Zack asked.

"Sorry Zack, the zeo zords aren't operational yet, but we're working on it. And Trey took the super zeo gems back to Triforia years ago. We're not sure where they are right now," she said regrettably.

The six of them slid down the eject tube of their respective color and landed in the cockpit of their zords. The launch hatch opened and the six zords floated out into space.

"Hurricane Megazord Transformation Initiate!" Hunter called, as the each dropped their power discs into the slots and the transformation began.

"Navy dragon…warrior mode!" Blake called, as his zord folded into the warrior version, reminiscent of the same kind of transformation the red dragon thunder zord had once gone through and looked very similar to the red warrior mode, just now navy and chrome in color. The Lion zords reared back on its haunches, folding into one leg, while the Lion head and attached to the shoulder of the navy dragon warrior. Cam's snow leopard reared back onto its haunches as well, forming the other leg, as the navy dragon warrior's legs slid into the more powerful legs. Tori's dolphin zord slid over the other arm, forming the right arm of the Megazord. The hawk zord docked and formed around the head, its wings giving a helmeted appearance, much like it had when forming the Storm Megazord of old. Finally, Hunter's Phoenix circled and docked, the bodice fazed inside the zord, becoming the cockpit. The head of the Phoenix appeared on the chest of the Megazord, while the wings locked into place on the back. The six of them converged into the main cockpit with Hunter. He punched the thrusters, jumping them to hyper speed and they soon arrived back on Earth.

Reefside

Sparks spewed violently from the Ninja Megazord and Rocky yanked the control yokes to keep them from crashing into a building. Their opponent was a nasty Ecto Morphicon in the likeness of a large lizard.

"Dammit, this little bastard needs to die," Rocky curse, as he steadied them.

"Hey Billy..." Tommy said, but the blue ranger cut him off.

"If you're going to ask about the shields, don't, because you won't like the answer," Billy snapped, as he tried to deal with his sparking console.

"Well, the power sword isn't option considering that little F'er ate it," Adam reminded.

"Let's try an energy blast. The wolf and the bear zords both have them," Aisha suggested.

"We're leaking power like crazy. We don't have the power needed," Billy retorted, dashing her hopes, as the Megazord shuddered violently again. The lizard creature snapped at them with his jaws and bit the arm of the Megazord. Sparks exploded inside the cockpit, as they tried in vain to keep control.

"That little shit just crushed the ape zord," Rocky said, clearly personally offended.

"Guys...here he comes again!" Kimberly cried, as the creature's jaws attempted to snap at the head of the zord where they were.

"We need to evacuate," Billy said.

"And let him turn his attention to the city?" Rocky questioned.

"We're no good to anyone dead," Tommy agreed. As the lizard's jaws prepared to make another snap at them, he was suddenly hit with several large boulders that seemed to come out of no where.

Dustin laughed, as he used the colored hand consoles in their Megazord cockpit that were designed to channel their elements.

"Dude...I'm rocking his world," the goof quipped, as his teammates groaned.

"Well, I think it's time to wash him away," Tori replied, as she channeled her element and hit it with a tidal wave, pushing him far away from the other damaged Megazord.

"Thanks guys...you saved our butts," Tommy called.

"No problem," Hunter called back.

"Time to put him on ice," Cam said, as he channeled his ice powers through the green ovals on his console. Icy tendrils reached the creature and froze it in place. It roared angrily and struggled, the ice cracking as he flailed. But Hunter placed the Phoenix saber into its slot and then used his consoles to channel his fire power. The saber lit with flames and made several calculated swipes. The Ecto Morphicon fell to pieces and exploded in a fiery blaze.

"You guys get the Megazord back to the zord bay. We'll help the Dinos," Shane said, as they maneuvered the Megazord through downtown. Several blocks down, the Dino rangers battled Syrus, who was piloting his own massive zord. It was grotesque shape and obviously made with top of the line zord technology.

Sparks filled the cockpit of the Megazord, as they toppled to the ground, tossing Conner, Kira, Ethan, and Trent around violently. The others compensated in their individual zords, but each lacked the combined fire power to do much damage.

"Jason, I'm sending you a data disc. Slip it into the Brachio's console and let it download. We've figured out the configuration that will allow the Brachio, Stego, Ankylo, and Para zords to combine into a new Megazord," Hayley stated. Jason picked up the disc, as it appeared on his console.

"Thanks Hayley," he replied, as he slipped it into the slot.

"Let's bring 'em together!" Jason called, as the Brachio opened up and transformed into two legs, while the neck became the head and center of the torso The Stego became the rest of the torso and tail, while the Ankylo and Para zords folded into the arms. A battle helmet finished the Megazord. Syrus swiped his sword at the Megazord, but the Stego tail whipped him, disarming his zord. The Ankylo arm came down on his zord hard, crushing the cockpit. Syrus growled from inside his smoking cockpit, as the two Dino Megazords initiated their finishers. Syrus' zord went down in flames and he ejected.

"He's not getting away this time," Conner growled, as he ejected and went after him. Jason followed him, as the two cornered the shaken alien in the park.

"Sorry freak face, you're not getting away this time," Conner snapped. Syrus scoffed in amusement.

"Please, I've been in the mercenary business since before you were born, brat," he hissed. Conner smirked beneath his helmet.

"Then I hope you can keep up, old man," Conner retorted, as he charged with his Tyranno staff ready. Syrus met him and his blade clanged against the red Dino ranger's weapon. The seasoned warrior kneed Conner in the abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. He took full advantage and kicked him in the chest, sending him sailing hard into a tree.

"You have guts for trying to go against someone like me, kid, I'll give you that. But now it's time to add your helmet to my collection. It'll be quick, I promise," Syrus goaded. Conner grit his teeth beneath his helmet and the Triassic shield appeared in his hand.

"You're deluded if you think I'm anywhere near defeated," Conner growled, as he got to his feet. Syrus scoffed.

"Figures you'd call that armor to protect you. It won't be enough against me," he hissed.

"You're one to talk, freak. You're hiding behind your own armor," Jason interjected. Syrus smirked.

"Ah, gold ranger, I have heard of you. You made a laughing stock out of the once great Chimerian warrior, Goldar, and helped thwart the once all powerful Machine Empire. I guess I have you to thank for my black market cog technology," Syrus boasted, as his minions appeared to wreck havoc in the park. Screams of innocent bystanders could soon be heard.

"Conner...go take care of the metal heads," Jason ordered. Conner didn't argue and hurried off.

"So you want a real fight?" Jason asked.

"I would certainly like to size you up. I once feared Goldar like most in the Universe. But I remember the first time he visited Onyx after losing several times to you. You're lucky that he was turned to space dust, because he would have wanted revenge after the joke you turned him in to. I decided that one day I'd like to spar the ranger that managed that," Syrus stated.

"I got better over time and Goldar didn't. It's as simple as that. But if I'm going to fight you without armor, then I expect the same from you," Jason retorted. Syrus smirked and ripped his mask off, revealing a human looking face, framed by shoulder length, greasy brown hair. His pointed teeth set him apart from humans in a terrifying way, but Jason decided he looked less intimidating once he tossed the armor away.

"Weapons?" he questioned.

"Hands and feet. I know you can fight with a sword. I want true hand to hand combat," Jason replied. Syrus frowned slightly, but agreed and tossed his sword away. Jason canceled his morph and dropped into fighting stance, before keying off and charging at the other man. Syrus was a master swordsman and clearly a decent fighter, but Jason was formidable in this raw form. Syrus met and blocked his fury of kicks and punches, but the gold ranger landed several good hits, throwing his opponent to the ground. As suspected, the seasoned assassin grabbed his weapon out of habit and swung at Jason. Seeing as he broke the no weapons or powers agreement, Jason disappeared from sight, leaving Syrus swiping at the air.

"That's pathetic. You didn't even last two minutes before reneging on our deal," he goaded.

"I'm a mercenary. I don't make deals, I just kill," he growled, as he slashed at the ranger. Jason back flipped away and in a flash, his ranger armor reappeared. He met Syrus' blade with the Brachio staff and their weapons clanged together with lightning fast strikes. But Syrus saw that he would not be given the chance to be victorious. The other rangers, fresh from their successful zord battles, descended into the park to rid it of the foot soldiers that were running a muck. The tornado that now sucked up the ooze men and the fire that incinerated the burmites caught his attention quickly. He glared at the ninjas, as they arrived. He saw the female one in blue unleash a huge wall of water directly at his cogs and reduce them to a pile of sparking scrap metal.

"Those were expensive, you little bitch," he growled, as he knocked Jason away.

"My heart bleeds," Tori spat in return. But he saw the bigger threat approaching, Phoenix saber in hand.

"Your luck has run out, bounty hunter, because I'm not letting you get away this time," Hunter stated. Syrus knew he was in no position to take on the Phoenix ranger, but his quick thinking would save him today.

"Sorry Phoenix ranger, but I'm no idiot and I don't plan on taking you head on," he said, as he turned his head to Tori.

"You, water ranger, however will eventually repay me for the damages to my foot soldiers. And I always collect my debts, one way or another," he sneered at her.

"You're done..." Hunter growled, as he charged. But Syrus looked up into the sky and his body glowed with energy.

"Sol Xaar!" he called in a language none of them understood. But it wouldn't matter since sunlight was suddenly blinding them. They covered their visors with their arms and Syrus darted away, but not before momentarily grabbing Tori's arm and smirking evilly at her now opened visor. She whimpered when she tried to even open her eyes, but she felt his hand on her and his smelled his sickening stench. He chuckled, as he glared at her. She was fascinating, as he found most strong women to be.

"Oh yes...you'll pay," he threatened, before he let go and disappeared, just as the effects of his attack dissipated.

"What...the hell was that?" Shane asked.

"A solar attack. Syrus used his energy to intensify the rays of the sun to blind all of you momentarily so he could make a clean escape," Zedd explained, as he descended from the Dragonzord.

"Coward," Hunter growled, as they canceled their morph and their vision slowly cleared.

"Haven't seen him in a while," Jason mentioned, as he looked up at the Dragonzord above them.

"It took a while to extract him from the bay after so many years, but he's still in good shape. Hopefully I'll be more useful in the next battle," Zedd mentioned.

"So how did he do that thing with the sun?" Dustin asked curiously.

"An energy technique, not unlike how you bend your elements. However, he has much less skill with it. He uses it more like a parlor trick when he's in trouble. His kind love a good a cheap shot," Zedd responded, as his gaze rested on Tori.

"What did he say to you?" Zedd asked, as all eyes rested on Tori.

"I'm fine, he was just making threats since I turned his cogs into a pile of scrap. I can handle him," she replied.

"Just be careful, he doesn't play fair," Jason warned.

"He seems to have a target on you both. He's a bounty hunter so he doesn't usually make his conquests personal. But when he does...he goes for blood," Zedd warned them.

"When you go after one of us, you go after all of us," Hunter said.

"He's right," Tommy agreed.

"Yes, I don't think Syrus is our biggest worry. There is something else you all need to see when we get back," Zedd mentioned.

"You're just full of good news today, Uncle," Blake quipped. Zedd smirked.

"It's a gift," he joked.

"Hayley, do you have a lock on us? None of us have the energy to deal with Gorbin's lap dogs today," Cam said into his communicator, as they saw the GAMA guardians arriving on the scene.

"I've got a lock. Stand by in three," she replied, as they were whisked away.

Ranger Ops

Upon their arrival back to the base, Dulcea greeted them with the others and Hunter was happy to finally see her free.

"Uncle said that there was something we need to see?" Hunter asked, as Zedd moved to the main console.

"Play the transmission," he told Carly. She nodded.

"We picked up the hail. It wasn't encrypted and we were meant to see it," she warned, as she pulled up the Duronians appeared on the screen, all dressed in elaborate battle armor with flowing capes. The central figure wore a golden crest on his chest, no doubt signifying his position of some importance.

"Greetings, Power Rangers of Earth, I am Xanetakos, King of Duronia. As we speak, my Royal Fleet is en route to your pitiful little mud ball. Your streets will run red with the blood of innocents for your crimes against the crown, Phoenix ranger," the King growled.

"You have taken my sons from me and now I shall take everything and everyone you love as well. Then you will spend eternity in the Fire Pits! The element you control so well will become your prison!" The King hissed, as the transmission went dark.

"Another evil entity wants my guts on a stick," Hunter deadpanned.

"What else is new?" he quipped.

"Wait...I thought the Duronian's worked for Ivan Ooze. They aren't allowed to do anything without getting orders from him," Tori reminded.

"I'm glad someone pays attention to my stories," Zedd quipped, giving his nephew a sideways glance.

"Relax...so Ooze has sent his goon patrol after me. We'll protect the Earth, no matter what," Hunter insisted.

"Except that he hasn't ordered them to do anything, sweetheart, I'm certain of this. The King is so furious that he is finally acting on his own," Dulcea said wearily.

"But...this could be good for us. If Ivan Ooze is warring with the Duronians, then we can use that to our advantage," Jason stated.

"Jason is right. Now that their King is taking action, there could be dissension in Ooze's ranks among the Duronians," Tommy added.

"Perhaps, but rangers are first and foremost their enemy. Especially the one that slayed two of their crown prince's," Zedd reminded.

"And if Ivan thinks his power could be undermined, then he might take drastic measures," Dulcea said.

"We'll be ready," Hunter replied firmly, as Tori slipped her hand in his.

Ivan Ooze's Spaceship

"Worthless fools!" Ivan ranted, as Thrax, Toxa, and Syrus cowered before him.

"You were supposed to make sure they stayed on the planet while you blew it up! Instead you left and gave them more than enough time to escape! With Dulcea no less!" Ivan ranted, as he tortured them.

"And you bounty hunter, give me a reason to keep you around! You promised results and the only one you've killed was Kamdor's worthless little minion!" he screamed at Syrus.

"They are more formidable that I anticipated, but I will defeat them, I can assure you, My Lord," Syrus said firmly. Ivan scoffed.

"Like I haven't heard that one before," he quipped. His rant was about to continue, but Xinshing's second in command, Jaxxis, entered the Throne Room and bowed deeply.

"I'm afraid I have rather troubling news from my home planet, Sire. The bridge intercepted a transmission from the Duronian Royal cruiser that was aimed at Earth," he stated, as he handed the recording to Toxa. She got to her feet and slipped it into the console, bringing the face of King Xanetakos up on screen.

Ivan's eyes glowed purple with rage.

"He may be King of my birthplace, My Lord, but my loyalty lies with you," Jaxxis insisted.

"And how can I trust that when it seems that your race has betrayed me?" Ivan retorted.

"Not my race, My Lord, just our King. We have prospered under your rule for centuries and now our own King has committed treason against his crown. He must be dethroned," Jaxxis stated. Ooze smirked.

"Good answer," he quipped.

"I have a detachment of soldiers waiting, My Lord. On your orders, I will take a ship and blow the royal cruiser to space dust," Jaxxis stated.

"As amusing as that would be, I think I shall allow King Xanetakos to reach Earth. That fool will be killed by the crimson ranger as easily as his sons were. Then we shall swoop in and capture him," Ivan decided.

"My Lord, if I may ask, how do we dispose of the crimson ranger? Any damage we inflict is nullified when he heals," Jaxxis said.

"Yes...capture is the only option. Then we must waste no time in taking him to Duronia. The Fire Pits are the only place that can contain him," Ooze stated.

"Then we can let the rangers eliminate the King and then finish them as well," Jaxxis stated.

"Exactly," Ivan responded.

"Now all of you, get out of my sight," he ordered. They obeyed and left him alone on his Throne.

The Beach, outside the Legacy Compound

No one wasted the small amount of downtime and took to the beach during the waning daylight hours on the island. Hunter smiled, as he watched his mother sit with Zoe in the sand. She had taken to the little girl almost immediately and Zoe to her. It made him wonder what might have been if his father hadn't died when he was a baby. His mother would have most certainly had more children. It was obvious on her face how much she was enjoying being around Zoe and the other little ones. He looked out at the ocean and saw Tori trudging in from the ocean with her board underneath her arm.

"She is quite talented," Dulcea mentioned. Hunter smiled.

"She's amazing," he agreed, as he sat down in the sand beside her. Dulcea smiled at him and put her hand on his. Hunter smiled and put his arm around her. His family was complete, but in the back of his mind, he wondered for how long. He knew he had to protect them no matter the cost.

"Go on out there. Zoe and I'll be fine here," Dulcea urged. Hunter smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Thanks Mom," he said, as he waded through the water to join the woman he loved.

The White House

The newly minted President, once Vice President, watched the recording carefully, his face void of any emotion.

"Adele is right. I'm David Trueheart and my brother is Tommy Oliver, the white ranger. The planet is in good hands with him at the helm and I know words about him being evil have been tossed around. But he's not evil by any stretch of the imagination. The people that want you to think that are just trying to control you through fear," David insisted.

"He's right. We're here to tell you that we are all better people having known some of the rangers. I personally wouldn't be the successful business man that I am without the zeo rangers. They gave me the confidence I needed to pursue my career dreams," Raymond added.

"And don't forget how the Space rangers revealed their identities to save us all from Astronema. You didn't condemn them then and you shouldn't condemn the rangers that came before and after them," Adele continued.

"The footage shown to you of Hunter Bradley killing the President is only part of the story they're telling. We have the rest of that footage and it shows you why Hunter had no choice to do what he did," Cassidy said. Gorbin switched the television off and turned to the former Vice President.

"Sir...the rangers are still a threat. We cannot allow them to continue their vigilantism as they have in the past," Gorbin insisted.

"They are the only thing preventing our destruction," Vice President Shaw stated.

"I realize that, Sir, but that is why they must join our efforts. Combined, we could end this threat, but you should be their Commander in Chief," Gorbin said.

"They put their lives on the line without compensation and have saved this planet more times than we can count. The President allowed you a lot of control, that which I never agreed with. You may command our special forces, but we will allow the rangers to do what they do best. It's become clear that they are this planet's only hope," the Vice President stated. Gorbin sobered and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Very well Sir," he said reluctantly, as he left the Oval Office. As he walked down the hall, he brought his cell phone to his ear.

"Proceed with the plan. President Shaw has unfortunately decided not to side with us," Gorbin stated.

"That's unfortunate...for him. You know what to do," the voice on the other end said.

"Yes Sir," Gorbin responded, as he hung up.