DISCLAIMER: I do not own Power Rangers or Super Sentai. They are respectively owned by Saban Brands and Toei Company. I do not profit from this story in any way, shape, or form.

Madilyn blinked in surprise as she walked over to the table where Dirk was having his lunch, along with Kira and Tori. While the veteran Rangers were hesitantly eating the rather sloppy looking food that Mia had cooked for them, Dirk was practically shoveling it down, to the point where Mad couldn't help but wonder how he was finding time to breathe between eating.

"...Your friend's got the strongest stomach I've EVER seen," Tori admitted.

"Is it possible he's got a monster inside him?" Kira asked. "It's just, I remember a story Dr. O told me about from a while back, when a monster made him eat nothing but junk food nonstop."

Hearing this, Dirk started to reply, but with his mouth full of food, not one person could hear a word he said. Realizing this, largely due to the grossed out looks of his fellow Rangers, he quickly gulped what was in his mouth down and tried again, saying "Well, yeah, it's a little different from what most people are used to, but it's a lot like the food Ma would make back on the farm. She had to feed a lot of us, plus the animals, so she had to figure out how to cram all the essentials into something quick and easy to make while also being really filling."

"Something tells me I'd really like your mother," Mia suggested with a smirk as she took a seat at the table, having finished serving everyone else and bringing plates for herself and Madilyn. "Hungry, Madilyn?"

"Ehh, I don't think so..." Madilyn replied as she sat down, looking a bit gloomy.

Dirk blinked in surprise, putting his fork down. "...Mad? You alright?"

"Yeah, just..." Mad started to say before looking down at the table, sighing sadly. "This is just NOT the homecoming I was hoping for."

"I didn't know you thought much about coming home," Dirk admitted. "You always seem so happy being in Gaia, being a Ranger, fighting evil..."

Madilyn nodded, rubbing her temple. "I know, I know...I just, I always thought when I DID come back, I'd be back home with my folks, telling them all about our adventures and all the crazy stuff we got into, and see how proud of me and Layla they'd be, and...and I just really miss Mom and Dad."

"I know how THAT feels," Mia acknowledged. "Being a Samurai Ranger, I had to be away from my family for a really long time. Even now, with the Nighlok threat dealt with, I barely ever see them."

"Yeah, I barely ever see my family," Tori added, playing with her food. "I thought it was bad being a trainee at the Wind Ninja Academy, but ever since I became a teacher there? Even worse."

"My music career keeps me away from home a lot, too," Kira muttered. "...You know, I should really give them a call soon, let them know how I'm doing."

"That's actually a good idea," Dirk realized. "Maybe we should call our folks, too."

"And tell them what?" Madilyn asked. "'Hey guys, sorry we haven't said a word in forever, but we're Power Rangers now, and we're about to go to another dimension, please don't worry about us'? That's not a phone call I'm looking forward to."

Mia frowned, watching Madilyn's expression turn sadder by the moment. It was clear she missed her parents, but didn't want to have this conversation over a phone. She couldn't help but feel like there was something she HAD to do about this. However, her face lightened slightly as an idea hit her, and clearly, the same idea was occurring to Tori and Kira, as the three of them exchanged glances while the Gaia Rangers weren't looking.

Dradarius leaned back in his throne, watching a large mirror set in the throne room with the image of a massive force of Blots being brought together in it. Blots, Venom Blots, Mecha Blots, and Giant Blots all stood as a single, united army at the edge of the closest Dark Zone to Everbright. His Dark Generals also stood by, watching the scene unfold, as the picture instead changed to show the exterior of the Ancient Library.

"Our scouts have confirmed that what remains of the allied forces that entered the Dark Zone have gathered within the Ancient Library," Spine announced. "While many were injured in combat, they most likely have Dryad healers speeding up the recovery from their wounds."

"...My lord, if I may?" Arc asked, turning to Dradarius. "The Giant Blots should enter the forest first. With only the Magna Buster as a legitimate defense against enlarged monsters, an assault from them should tire Jowar's powers quicker, making the next wave's job that much easier."

"I'm inclined to agree," Dradarius replied. "Still, keep the smaller Blots close behind. In the meantime, we'd best prepare to join the battle as well."

Arc's eye twitched slightly at this. "...Emperor, about that...I would ask that you send myself and Spine to oversee the destruction of Everbright ourselves."

Dradarius cocked an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"

"I...simply don't see the need for you to dirty your hands any further with this foolish old man," Arc explained, bowing a bit. "Spine and I can deal with this matter without you needing to-"

"Is that concern I detect in your voice, Arc?" Shroud inquired as she stepped out from behind the mirror, looking amused. "Surely you aren't worried your Emperor might fall in battle to a 'foolish old man', are you?"

"Listen here, Blot-Mother," Arc growled, drawing an arrow. "I've had enough of your blatant-"

"This conversation is over!" Dradarius groaned, sounding annoyed as he got up from his throne. "Arc, your concern is unneeded. I will crush Jowar myself, and that is that. The two of you can move ahead to join the battle."

Arc gave a quick bow to Dradarius, putting his arrow away. He turned to face the mirror, giving Shroud a hate-filled look, before he and Spine stepped through it, appearing near the Blots in the image. With them gone, Dradarius turned to face Shroud, looking agitated.

"Must you always get on the nerves of my closest allies?" Dradarius demanded, clenching a fist.

Shroud shrugged, sharpening her claws. "In my defense, there isn't much else to do around here for fun. Not since you got all serious about winning this war as soon as possible. It's taken the enjoyment out of watching Gaia's united forces scramble and flail desperately against us."

Dradarius scoffed, stepping toward the mirror. "You are completely and hopelessly without shame in your deplorable ways."

"I am what I am," Shroud responded simply as Dradarius entered the mirror. "...And you have no one to blame for that but yourself, my love."

Nikki groaned as she felt herself flop back on the mats of the gymnasium. Luckily, the local high school was evacuated while the doors were left open, so going in and making use of the facilities didn't require breaking and entering. After all, that might look a bit bad for her, as a Power Ranger, to be caught committing a felony. Mind you, her and Adam WERE still trespassing, but it wasn't like they were doing it to steal or damage anything. They were using the gym for what it was there for.

"...So what are we on?" Nikki huffed, wiping her forehead.

"17-13, my lead," Adam replied, bent over and panting a few feet away. "You're good."

"Thanks," Nikki said with a smile, getting up and dusting off her red and black gi. "Oh, and thanks for letting me borrow this. Why did you have a spare gi, by the way?"

"I run a dojo in Angel Grove, and sometimes I like to keep a spare gi in my bag in case one of the rookies forgets to bring their own," Adam explained with a smirk.

Nikki's eyes narrowed, putting a hand on her hip in a bit of a mock-hurt stance. "Oh, so I'm the rookie now, am I?"

"You ARE the newest Red Ranger," Adam commented. "At least, as far as I know. Might need to do a double check. It's like we keep popping up everywhere."

"And good thing, too," Nikki noted, walking over to a bench and sitting down on it. "How many disasters do you think were averted simply because a Ranger team was just in the right place at the right time?"

"It's gotta be over a dozen by now," Adam answered, taking a quick drink from a bottle of water. "...You know, sometimes, I think back to when I was teenager, going to school just like this, and then, one day, everything changed, and Zack picked me to replace him as the Black Ranger. Heh, I was so green..."

Nikki grinned, listening intently. "What was that like? The old days? The first Ranger team?"

"Well, first documented Ranger team," Adam corrected. "But, to answer your question, strange. I remember one time we had to fight a monster made out of a television camera. And since then, it's like every insane situation I could've ever thought of has come up. Aliens of all sorts, ninjas, demons, other dimensions..."

"Didn't you guys save Christmas once?" Nikki inquired.

Adam sighed. "TWICE. And after I graduated high school, I was given the chance to pass the torch, and I thought that was gonna be it. But, apparently, once a Ranger, always a Ranger."

Nikki nodded. "So, what you're saying is, don't entertain the idea of hanging up the Morpher anytime soon?"

"...Were you planning to?" Adam asked.

The Guardian of Fire thought about that, looking out the window at the sun. "...You know, I used to. I never asked to be a Ranger. Madilyn was the excited one, but I'd heard some of the stories of past Ranger battles. I kind of have hazy memories of the invasion of Earth years ago. I knew what being a Ranger meant the second I got my Morpher and realized what it was. And when we first came to Gaia, I just wanted to get back here, warn the other Rangers, and let you all take care of it."

Adam looked on, understanding. "...So, what changed?"

Nikki grinned as the answer came to her. "Well, I guess I did. I realized that the problem in Gaia was my team's responsibility. It made me realize, maybe we were, all of us, meant to be Rangers at the exact time we became them. Like, I don't know, destiny or something like that? Like I said, it just feels like every time the worst is about to happen to Earth, a new Ranger team pops up, and the people on it are just the right people for the right job."

Adam smirked, taking another gulp of his water. "Maybe. Or maybe it doesn't matter. Coincidence, fate, what matters most is we do our best when the time comes."

Thinking that over, Nikki smiled and hopped off the bench, taking on a fighting stance. "One more go?"

Adam returned the smile, tossing his bottle and getting into his own stance. After a few seconds, the two charged each other, ducking and weaving around each other's kicks, the two grinning confidently at each other as they gave their all. Still, as focused as she was on scoring a point on Adam, Nikki couldn't help but wonder how her friend was doing with his OWN training...

Patrick took in a deep breath, trying his best to scan the room around him with his ears. He knew his opponent was close, likely about to strike, and that he had to be the first to get a hit in. Finally, his ears caught the sound of a floorboard to his 7 o'clock creaking, and thus he threw a foot out in that direction...only for it to be caught immediately, and for him to find himself being spun in the air and landing on his side on the floor.

"Sorry, felt like you were having some trouble finding me, so I gave the floor a little extra pressure," RJ said, his eyes covered with a purple blindfold.

Patrick growled, slapping the floor. "Darn it, how are you doing blind fighting better than an actual blind man?!"

"Well, I had a blind man teach me," RJ replied with a grin. "Master Swoop. You should look him up sometime. H might have a few tricks he could teach you, assuming you want to learn them, of course."

Patrick scowled, getting up. "Yeah, well, you Pai Zhuq masters have Animal Spirits to help guide you and your actions! The only advantage I've ever had is back in Gaia! Without it...I CAN'T be useless! There HAS to be a way!"

RJ removed his blindfold, holding a hand up as Patrick turned to leave. "PATRICK!"

Pat stopped, feeling the authority in the Pai Zhuq Master's voice. "...You're acting under the mistaken mindset that only members of the Order of the Claw have Animal Spirits inside them. But aren't human beings also animals? Don't we ALL have a connection to the wild?"

Patrick's eyes widened, turning back to face RJ. "You mean...EVERYONE has an Animal Spirit?"

"The Pai Zhuq managed to harness the spirits inside of them," RJ explained, "but they aren't special in that regard, no. The truth is, anyone COULD. Only those disciplined enough to make a connection to the beast within CAN."

Patrick let a hand touch his own chest, closing his eyes and absorbing this information as RJ went on. "As human beings started to evolve and move out of the wild, they found themselves having to rely less on their natural senses. But your Animal Spirit is different. Learning to call upon it should enhance your ability to feel out the world around you, see it without having to see. It's not just hearing, it's everything. It's feeling the vibrations in the ground, breathing in the air around you and filtering through everything in it, smelling the scents around you..."

At this last sentence, Patrick's nostril's flared slightly as he caught the whiff of something coming from RJ. "...I smell... ... ...fur? Like, like a dog's fur. No, a WOLF'S fur."

The Wolf Ranger grinned, patting Pat's shoulder. "And you smell like something that hasn't been seen on this Earth in a LONG time. Your Animal Spirit is ready to guide you. You just need to let it."

Realizing he was right, Patrick nodded. Reaching up to his crystal, the Guardian of Wind held it tight, and though he couldn't see it, he could FEEL himself start to burn with a green flame-like energy that surrounded his body. But this wasn't coming from his Crystal. It was coming from deep inside him, in his soul. And it wasn't just him that was burning. He could feel a similar energy coming off of RJ, only his was purple, and was burning much brighter. It was upon realizing this that he felt the air around him start to shift, as though something were moving at him very fast. Reaching out, he managed to block it, as, sure enough, it was RJ's fist.

"...Now you're getting it," RJ said with a smirk, just before Patrick returned it. "Now, let's do this."

"So, the Blots come from a different parallel world from this one," Doctor K summarized as she and Layla looked over her computer, "meaning their bodies are likely emitting a unique energy signature, probably linked to their own world."

"Right," Layla replied, bringing up a satellite image of the city. "But transmitting a holographic body across worlds and actually moving your physical form from one to another are two different things. Even if you know the right frequency, it's normally not possible to do the latter without outside help, like..."

"A portal," Doctor K finished, booting up a program meant to scan the city through the satellite. "But we've been looking over the city for the past week and found nothing."

Layla nodded, looking closer. "That's because this one's small. REALLY small. Barely even a crack. These cracks have ALWAYS been here, influencing the world in smaller ways up until now, but with things getting worse in Gaia, it's now starting to send Blots through. But if we can track the Blots' movements, figure out where they're coming from, we should be able to find it."

"To what end?" Doctor K inquired. "As I understand it, the Blots, in the natural form, are little more than shadows, far easier to get through small gaps than a human body."

"I'm hoping that, if we can get the Crystals closer to the portal, we might be able to expand it some," the Blue Gaia Ranger answered. "The Crystals funnel the elemental energy from Gaia. If we can get enough energy to pass through the portal-"

Doctor K's eyes widened, getting where Layla was going. "It'll widen it enough for you to pass back through it!"

"Exactly," Layla replied, just as the scan went off and several dozen dots littered the screen. "And lookie here: Scan's caught the Blots. Now we just gotta keep a close watch on what they do."

"You're quite the genius, Layla," Doctor K admitted.

Layla blushed terribly, looking away. "I-I wouldn't say that. It's your equipment that's making all this work."

"But you have good senses," Doctor K noted, "good enough to know how to properly use my scanning program and your Gaian Crystals to find a way back to Gaia."

"Well, don't celebrate just yet," Layla responded. "I just hope we get back soon. The longer we wait, the more trouble Faye could get into, and she's already shoulder-high in it already..."

Doctor K tilted her head, confused. "I would think you would be more worried about the people on Gaia who AREN'T Rangers, who CAN'T stand up to monsters or the like."

Layla sighed, taking a seat. "But Faye...she WASN'T chosen to be a Ranger. She has her powers because, in a rush, my sister did something dumb. She's never been in a real fight before. And now she's on her own, and...and I'm scared of what she's going through."

Doctor K sighed, watching as the Guardian of Water's gaze fell, her hands in her hair, and she started to rock slightly in her chair. Despite having an innate hate and discomfort for situations like this, the doctor from another Earth hesitantly walked over and patted the girl on the shoulder, feeling more and more awkward with each passing second, until her mind came across just the thing to say.

"...You know, I used to think that only someone who matched the exact physical and mental specifications I'd set up could possibly be a Ranger," Doctor K admitted, taking a seat in a chair next to Layla. "And then...one day, someone I'd never planned for or acknowledged could be a Ranger became bonded to one of the Morphers I'd built."

Layla's ears perked at this as Doctor K went on. "He was a bumbling buffoon, in very much every regard. He lacked every essential requirement I could ever think of when it came to being a Ranger...and every single day, he proved me wrong. He proved himself worthy of being a Ranger. And that's when I learned that even the single most flawed person can surprise you."

Layla looked into Doctor K's eyes, seeing a familiar twinkle, and then looked down to see her fiddling with a green ribbon on her left wrist, grinning at this. "...This person wouldn't by chance be someone special to you, would he?"

Doctor K's cheeks brightened a touch, pulling her sleeve down over the ribbon and turning back to her computer. "...'Special' is one word that could be used to describe him, I suppose."

"Hey, Layla?" the two heard Tori ask as she entered the room. She was flanked by Kira, both of them looking a bit concerned.

"...What's up?" Layla inquired, a bit confused.

"We kinda need your help with something," Kira answered. "It's to help your sister out."

Looking down at the empty bottom bunk beside her, Faye knelt down and took a seat on the edge of it. She could still smell Layla's presence in the sheets, and when she closed her eyes, it was almost as if she could feel her arms wrapping around her. She shuddered slightly as a sob forced itself out of her, burying her face in a hand preemptively as she knew tears were soon to follow.

"...What am I doing?" Faye asked herself, reaching down to the Crystal Blast Morpher strapped to her side. "I can't...I can't do this alone."

"Faye?" a kindly voice inquired, Faye turning to face the door as Charles entered the Rangers' bedroom.

"O-Oh, Professor Snyder," Faye stammered, getting up awkwardly. "I was just taking a moment for myself."

"I'm sorry, I would've knocked, but I didn't know you were in here," Charles explained, rubbing his arm. "...Faye, can I ask you a question?"

Faye looked confused for a moment, but nodded, letting Charles ask, "...Can you really feel Layla? And the others? Are you sure they're alive?"

Faye folded her arms, holding herself a little. "I...I can't explain it, but I'm sure that Layla is alive somewhere. If she's alive, then I'm sure the others...I'm sure Drayden is alright."

Charles nodded, looking a bit relieved. "Alright. I just...I'm not usually one for believing in something with no real evidence to back up said belief, but I know that this is a special case, so...I guess what I'm saying is that I'll believe in you, then."

Faye looked back downward. "...So many saying that right now."

"Then maybe you should listen?" Charles advised, surprising Faye. "I know this wasn't a situation you or anyone else asked for, but this is how things are right now, and everyone is giving you their support. And I'm sure Layla and the others would, too."

"I just wish I had that much confidence in myself," Faye explained, looking back to the Professor. "How can everyone be so sure I won't fail them?"

Charles simply grinned. "Well, my dear, like I said before, I don't usually believe in something without evidence to back it up. You've survived quite a few perilous situations, regardless of how, and been a constant source of help for everyone here and for the Rangers. Your compassion and unwillingness to give up are your strengths, and I believe they're strengths that will be a huge help."

Faye smiled at this, giving a small nod to the professor, just before Jowar barged in. "Faye, it's happening! An army of Blots, approaching the forest!"

Hearing this, Faye felt herself start to get scared again. She reached down and grabbed hold of the blaster at her side, her thoughts with the others, but this time, she wasn't wishing they were here instead of her. Instead, she sought their encouragement, their strength to guide her. Closing her eyes, her thoughts on them, she was surprised to instead see, in her mind's eye, the image of the Thunderbird Zord, its eyes locked on hers. Its crystal shimmered in the Morpher, warming Faye's body.

Opening her eyes, Faye looked to Jowar confidently. "...Well then, I guess we should get ready to welcome them."

Drayden looked out over the city as he stood on the roof of the building. He could sense the Blots all around town, but he couldn't isolate them, meaning he had to wait and see if Layla and Doctor K could track them. It was at this point, thinking that exact thought, that he chuckled a little to himself, unable to escape the irony that, an ability that had once terrified him to have, he now wished he had the same level of control over as he had in Gaia.

"Gaia..." he said to himself. "Dad...I hope everything's going alright for you all..."

"Hopefully, you won't have to wait long to find out," a voice declared from the entrance to the roof, causing Drayden to spin around and find himself facing Eric.

"Didn't know the Silver Guardians were known for eavesdropping," Drayden noted, folding his arms. "Or is that more a Time Force thing?"

"I don't really consider myself a member of Time Force," Eric admitted with a shrug, walking over to the Indigo Ranger. "That was always more Wes' thing. I just help out and use their tech."

Drayden scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Ah, I get it, you're the outsider, huh? The loner?"

"It's an old habit," Eric acknowledged. "One I'm always trying to break. Although, here's a question: Why are you out here, contemplating your worries and concerns with nobody, instead of going back inside and talking to your team?"

Drayden blinked in surprise, the Quantum Ranger having taken him completely off-guard with that question. "I, uh...I don't know."

Eric folded his arms on the ledge of the roof, looking out over the city. "Well, lemme guess: Newest member of the team? Having to fit into the pre-established group? Maybe did something kinda awful to them beforehand?"

Drayden rubbed the back of his neck, blushing a little. "...Yeah, okay, you got me. I guess I feel like being a bit of a loner sometimes, too."

"Well, here's a piece of advice: Don't," Eric said as plainly as possible. "No matter what's going on in your life that might make you feel otherwise, you're part of a Ranger team, which means you all need to be there for each other, and that's not just when it comes to fighting monsters, either. Trust me, the longer you wait, the worse you'll feel about all the time you missed procrastinating over it."

Drayden nodded, understanding. "You miss them? Your team?"

Eric sighed. "Well, you know, four fifths of them are from the future, so it's not like we see each other all that often. Usually takes a pretty big crisis to get us all together these days."

Thinking this over, Drayden looked back to the door inside. "...Maybe I SHOULD go back in, then."

Eric nodded, still looking out at the city, until he felt a hand clasp onto his shoulder, turning to see Drayden smiling at him. "I'm just not going in ALONE is all."

"...Punk," Eric said with a grin.

"Bigger punk," Drayden replied, practically dragging Eric back inside.

Madilyn watched as Dirk finally headed up the hall toward her and Layla, leaning back against the wall. "...So, did you call them, or did you just stand around in there for about a couple of hours?"

"...Y-Yeah," Dirk replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not the easiest conversation I've ever had, but...well, I still feel better talking to them."

"So, what did you tell them?" Layla asked curiously.

Dirk blushed a little, looking down at the floor. "I...kinda told them I was enlisted in a government project to help them learn how to grow crops on the moon, and I've been in space the past few months."

"...And they BELIEVED that?" Mad demanded. "How would you even go about doing that? It's the MOON!"

"Actually, little known fact, there IS a breathable atmosphere on the moon," Layla pointed out as the three headed back up the hall toward the office. "Don't ask how it happened, it was some weird thing in the early 90's involving an extraterrestrial dumpster of some sort."

Dirk looked absolutely stunned at this. "...How do more people not know about something like that?"

Layla shrugged dismissively. "I don't know, how are there people that don't believe in aliens after Earth was invaded back in 1998?"

"I know, right?!" Madilyn exclaimed as she opened the door to the office. "What do they think, that it was just guys in rubber sui-..."

Madilyn stopped cold as she looked ahead, the colour draining from her face. Standing before her was a woman with light brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a violet and blue dress, and a man with blond hair and blue eyes, wearing a blue and white plaid shirt and blue jeans. Her throat immediately went dry as her mouth opened, looking for something to say, but found nothing.

"Madilyn...Layla...!" the man said, looking to be on the verge of tears as he grabbed Madilyn in a tight hug, the brunette in violet doing the same with Layla. "Where have you been?!"

"I...uh..." Madilyn stammered, casting a glance at her sister. "How...?"

"I kinda...sorta...gave Kira and Tori our address," Layla admitted, getting an angry glance from her sister while Dirk creeped away with a guilty look on his face. "Well, they said you didn't wanna call them, so...!"

"Girls, where on Earth have you been?!" the woman demanded, looking them both over.

"...Would you believe we were in outer space for a government mission?" Madilyn asked, getting vexed glances, before finally sighing and giving up. "Alright. Mom, Dad, you should both sit down. This is...kind of a long story."

Looking upon the Viewing Globe, Faye and Jowar watched as the army of Blots began to reach the edge of the forest. Giant, towering Blots crossed into the woods first, followed by a massive swarm of shadows, all surrounding Dradarius and his Dark Generals. Jowar narrowed his eyes, gripping his staff in both hands tightly.

"He's no doubt sending the larger Blots in first to draw the fire of the Magna Buster," Jowar surmised, stroking his beard. "He knows my powers are limited, though my recent boost should give me an advantage."

"No," Faye said, surprising the old wizard. "You need to be on the ground, protecting the library. I'll take the Thunderbird Zord to battle the Giant Blots."

"Are you sure that's a wise plan?" Jowar inquired. "You'd be outnumbered."

"I might not be able to form a Megazord, but with the Auxiliary Zord Crystals, I can at least summon help if I need it," Faye reminded Jowar, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You're our best bet at cutting their numbers down."

Thinking this over, Jowar eventually nodded his head in agreement. "...Alright. But be careful up there."

"I will," Faye replied. "And you be careful, too."

"I'll watch his back..." the two heard a gravelly voice declare as Infernios entered the room, his shoulder bandaged up.

Faye looked on, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you sure you've healed up enough?"

"The only thing left wounded is my pride," Infernios replied with a grin, "and I plan to heal that a considerable amount."

Jowar smiled, slapping a hand to Infernios' unbandaged shoulder. "Well met, Infernios. Just try not to overdo it."

"You'd better hurry," Charles declared, looking out the window. "They're starting to get a little closer."

"He's right," Jowar declared, drawing his Light Crystal. "It's Morphin Time!"

Twisting the unicorn horn on his Unimax Staff back, Jowar placed the Light Crystal inside and shut it closed. He then gave his staff a spin before raising it skyward, just as Faye raised her Crystal Blast Morpher up, the two calling, "Guardians of Gaia, AWAKEN!" A series of yellow and violet blasts of energy spun around in the air before coating Jowar and Faye in their light, materializing their Ranger suits.

Madilyn's mother blinked, trying to absorb everything she'd heard over what felt like a couple of hours, but was actually closer to a half hour. "...So, you're Power Rangers?"

"Yeah," Madilyn replied, fiddling her fingers about. "We would've contacted you sooner, but we just couldn't. We were stuck on that other world I mentioned. We didn't get back here until this morning."

"I knew we should've never passed that crystal down to you," Madilyn's father said, an angry tone in his voice.

"Daniel," his wife whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We had no idea what that crystal was, just that it was a family heirloom."

"Yeah, with specific instructions to never be sold, never get lost, and to be passed down to each new generation as they arrived," Daniel retorted. "Martha, how could we have not seen the signs that it was trouble?"

Madilyn blushed hard, looking away. "Yyyyeah, about that? The whole 'never getting it lost' thing? It's kind of back in Gaia, with...a friend."

Martha looked surprised at this. "You left it behind? Why?"

"We were just about to be teleported away," Layla interjected, "and Madilyn...I guess she felt like she needed to keep one Ranger in the game...and I guess maybe it wasn't the absolute dumbest thing she could've done."

Madilyn smiled, looking touched. "You really mean that, sis?"

"Well, it's just as well," Daniel said dismissively. "Now it's someone else's problem."

"...No, Dad," Mad replied, shaking her head. "It's MY problem. That's why I'm going back with the others to finish what we started."

"No!" Daniel shouted, standing up from his chair. "I forbid it! You're my daughter, and I refuse to let you do something this dangerous!"

Madilyn looked shocked. "...'Let' me? I'm an adult now, thank you very much. I've BEEN an adult since I graduated high school and went to college-"

"You STILL live under my roof come holidays!" Daniel reminded her.

"She's not going alone," Layla pointed out. "I'm going too."

"You absolutely are NOT!" Daniel shouted, towering over Layla. "Give the crystal to someone else and-"

"NO!" Layla cried, getting up from her chair with a look of defiance. "It's MY Gaian Crystal, passed down to me by MY family, just like Madilyn's, and it's all she has LEFT of them!"

Daniel and Martha's eyes widened at this, their faces turning ghostly white, keeping silent as Layla, her outburst subsiding, went on. "...I got my memories back. They're...they're kinda mashed up pretty badly with Tina's, but...I know I Madilyn was born Madilyn Mauve, and I know her family died in a fire, and...and I know you guys adopted her, and hid the truth about how Tina was Madilyn's real sister."

"Oh, Layla," Martha stammered, her eyes watering up. "I...We didn't-"

"It's okay," Layla said, looking to her mother. "I understand what you did. I don't necessarily like it, and I don't think I wanna know how long you were planning to wait to tell me the truth, but...but I DO get it. You did it for Madilyn, and...well, I guess maybe for me, too."

Daniel clenched his fists, looking down at the ground. "We just didn't know what had happened, or how to tell you. You just seemed to happy to be with her as your sister."

Layla nodded, taking her father's hand before walking over to Madilyn and holding her hand with theirs. "I know. But...ever since I found out what really happened, I've had a chance to think about what I am, who I was, and who I wanna be. And now that I have that choice, I KNOW, more than ever, who I am: I'm Madilyn's sister. She's really and truly a part of this family."

Daniel nodded, understanding. "...And you're a Power Ranger. Right?"

"Yeah, I'm a Power Ranger," Layla said, an awkward grin forming on her face. "Also...my girlfriend currently has Madilyn's crystal, so I'm DEFINITELY gonna need to go back and help her, whether she REALLY needs it or not."

"You...have a girlfriend...in Gaia?" Martha asked slowly, blushing a little.

"I can vouch for her, Mom," Madilyn said after clearing her throat. "She's actually a really sweet and trustworthy girl."

Daniel thought it over for a second before letting loose a small chuckle. "...Well, I guess if YOU'VE given your blessing, she MUST be."

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Madilyn asked, confused.

"That you wouldn't let anyone interested in me within a five foot radius of me unless you trusted them," Layla answered with a grin.

Madilyn gave a dirty leer, but quickly laughed it off, pulling her sister and her parents into a big hug. And feeling all her family together made everything a bit better. Sure, her first time seeing her parents again hadn't gone exactly as she'd hoped, and there would probably need to be more said later on, but for now, she was at least confident that everything was going to be alright.

Looking over her father's shoulder, Madilyn smiled at Tori, Mia, and Kira as they watched through a window into the office. Deciding to give them some privacy, the three instead turned to the man they'd called upon to bring the Bluestones there: A somewhat large, bald man in a do-rag and a leather jacket with the sleeves torn off.

"Thanks again for doing this," Mia said with a warm smile.

"Well, always happy to help out the Power Rangers," the man replied with a grin. "Still, this is ANOTHER one you guys owe me. Pretty soon, you're gonna have to owe me the chance to borrow one of those Morphers for a day or-"

"Bulk?!" a voice demanded, leading to the group looking to Adam as he entered the area with Nikki right behind him. "Is that you?"

"Adam!" Farkas Bulkmeier cried happily, picking up Adam in a big, goofy bear hug. "Good to see you again, man! It's been years!"

"Yeah...what are you doing here?" Adam inquired awkwardly as Bulk let him down.

"Well, Mia needed me to give some couple a drive here," Bulk answered. "Something about a family reunion?"

Adam blinked, looking to Mia. "...Wait, you two know each other?"

"We go back a little," Mia affirmed. "Bulk's actually been helping to provide supplies for the people here."

"Good thing those two were on the way here, huh?" Bulk pointed out before looking to Nikki, catching a glimpse of her Morpher. "...So, you must be the new kid."

"That's right," Nikki replied. "Are...are YOU a Power Ranger?"

Bulk grinned, grabbing hold of his jacket and holding his head high. "No, but I've SAVED the Power Rangers numerous times throughout my life. One could even make the suggestion that I've risen to a plateau beyond mere mortal men that ha-"

Before Bulk could continue, having taken a step backward, he found himself slipping on an errant banana that must've fallen to the ground while lunch was being served earlier. He pitched backwards, his arms flailing about to try to catch hold of anything to stop himself, and instead fell rear end first into a garbage can, falling to the ground while stuck inside of it. The scene was so over-the-top embarrassing that Nikki could've sworn she heard a fail horn in the back of her head.

Adam shook his head, looking down on the fallen Bulk. "...SO good to know that some things will NEVER change."

"Rangers!" the group heard Doctor K yell, entering the room just as the Bluestones exited the office. "I think I've found the portal. The Blots all seem to be coming from a dead end street on the south end of the city."

Adam nodded, looking to his fellow Rangers. "...Get everyone together. Time to take the fight to them."

"Hold up!" Layla shouted, holding a hand up. "There's one thing we gotta do first! Madilyn, got your hair dye?"

Madilyn blinked in surprise for a moment, but quickly smiled as she realized where Layla was going with this. "ALWAYS, sis."

With a loud garbling sound, a group of about two-dozen Blots suddenly emerged from a thin, black crack in a brick wall at the end of a single street. They were quickly greeted by about a half-dozen more already in the city. With a quick understanding, the group soon turned to make their way up the street, only to find a series of blasts hitting the ground before them.

As the smoke from the blasts cleared, the Blots found themselves facing the Rangers, all unmorphed, with Nikki, Patrick, Layla, and Dirk holding up their blasters. Layla ran a hand through her hair, which now had a few navy and aquamarine streaks to match Madilyn's pink and purple ones. The twelve Rangers formed a long line, taking up the width of the street.

"Is it just me, or do these foot soldiers keep getting uglier every year?" Eric inquired, readying himself. "Even my Q-Rex wouldn't chow down on THESE guys."

"You never had to fight Moogers," Mia pointed out, gripping her Spin Sword.

"Focus, team," Adam ordered, taking a step forward. "It's time to save two worlds."

With a collective growl, the Blots immediately ran toward the Rangers, who merely adopted fighting stances as they prepared for battle, Adam yelling "Let's go to work!"

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Sorry this is a little on the late side, but I kinda decided to work on chapters 2 and 3 at the same time, first writing up the parts I REALLY wanted to get to first before filling in the gaps later. As a result, though, the next chapter shouldn't be a long wait. Also, I apologize if this seems mostly character development with very little action, but that's because the next chapter is the exact opposite: Mostly action with few character moments. Really, I suppose I could've reworked the two into a single chapter, but I decided to keep Always A Ranger at three parts.

I should note that the scene with the Bluestones wasn't my idea, but it was a good one that I decided to go with. I suppose, in the end, this was a scene that eventually HAD to happen with these characters, especially with Layla making it clear she forgives her parents. That said, and this isn't me asking you to vote on this, but just let me know, do you think I should include more moments involving the Rangers' families sometime down the road? It's just that I DO have a couple of ideas on how I could integrate them, but I'm on the fence, and would like some input on my readers as to whether you'd be okay with that idea.

Next time on Power Rangers Guardians of Gaia, the Rangers have to get back to Gaia to stop Dradarius from taking it over, but will the war be over before they can even land a single blow? Find out when Always A Ranger concludes. Ja né!