"They banned art and self-expression? Just to keep the Grimm at bay? That's a stupid idea! No wonder there was a war…" Jason paid little mind to Billy's ramblings within Beacon's library, where the Blue Ranger decided to spend his time the most. Absentmindedly leaning against the second level's railing and observing the students below either socializing or playing some kind of board game, the Red Ranger felt like he was stuck. Rita was out there somewhere, but her presence in this world wasn't what was bothering him.

The Rangers had told both Huntsmen teams everything they knew about their enemy, and it took Tommy a few moments before adding his experience to the mix. But even with this information in mind, nobody had come close to locating anybody resembling Rita Repulsa. There was no news of a sudden attack by a "mysterious woman", no mentions of gigantic monsters… nothing. This wasn't like Rita at all. She was here for an entire day and did nothing? No announcement? No destructive rampage? No demands to bring her the Power Rangers?

"What are you doing, Rita?" Jason mumbled under his breath. "Are your powers messed up, too? Looking for another way to sow chaos?" This wasn't making any sense, which led him back to her inactivity back on Earth… where she was harnessing the banishing spell.

What if Rita was doing something similar right now? What if she was formulating a method to return? If her magic was gone since it didn't exist here, she would be delayed… which means the Rangers had more than enough time to apprehend her.

But magic was what brought them here in the first place. And if magic didn't exist here… a chill ran through Jason's form as his mind came to a disturbing conclusion. No, they couldn't be trapped. They had a world to protect, a world far from this one. This world was technologically advanced, though, so maybe-

"Wow, what a tradition! I bet that'll make any kingdom think twice about-"

"Hey, Billy?"

His friend jolted from his information-based trance and almost fell out of his seat in his attempts to face Jason. "Oh! Uh, sorry, Jason. I… got a little carried away…" The Blue Ranger adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. "Any word from Ruby and the others?" The Red Ranger regretfully shook his head. "No, they keep coming up short. I don't like this, Billy. Why isn't Rita making a move? It's not like her."

"Oh, I second that," his friend exhaled with a sigh. "Weiss and I have been keeping tabs on the local news, but all we've seen are Faunus protests, new advancements in Atlesian tech- tech I so need to investigate, may I add-, the occasional Grimm attack, and SDC reports. In summary, all in a day's work for Remnant."

Jason had to agree. Things were getting dull fast. Sure, the others were keeping themselves in top shape and Tommy was starting to get the hang of those team attacks Ruby was so proud of. Recently, he'd been orchestrating some sort of aerial maneuver with Kimberly, the Pink Ranger christening the move "Air Raid". But bonding moments and practicing combat tactics weren't at the forefront of Jason's mind, no matter how much he wished it to be so.

Ruby should be lucky. She wasn't in charge of a team that had to fight an evil witch that wanted to take over the world with monsters. Jason almost envied her.

"Pardon me, gentlemen," Both boys turned to a nearby bookshelf, where a middle-aged man with glasses had just finished skimming the shelves. "I apologize for intruding, but I couldn't help but notice that the two of you appear rather… dull unless I am mistaken?"

Billy sighed again. "I decided to kill time here. Not like we can do much else, mister…?"

"Doctor Phineas Steff, at your service," the man politely bowed. "And perhaps I can be of some assistance to you… if you are available, after all. An inactive Huntsman- or Huntsman-in-training- is a terrible thing to waste, wouldn't you agree?" Jason had to admit the man had a point. Blake and Trini were still scouring the location known as Mountain Glenn, which Ruby had told him was a derelict city flooded with Grimm after an expansion attempt went wrong. The Yellow Ranger believed such a place would be perfect for a sinister sorceress to lie low, but occasional texts between her and Jason were wielding little results.

But on the plus side, Jason was improving on that means of communication… not that he would tell anyone. He still thought calling was more effective.

"What do you think, Billy?" he asked. "We could use the opportunity to clear our heads. Even better, we could find a lead… or something resembling one." The Blue Ranger slowly rose from his seat, stretching his arms as he did so. "As much as I'd enjoy looking into Atlas tech, Jace… I'm on board. I'm beginning to get tired of lying around waiting for something that's highly unlikely to be what we're looking for."

"An errand never hurt anyone," Jason added before turning to the other man. "What is it that you need from us, sir?" Doctor Steff cleared his throat before hastily looking around, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Have you heard of the White Fang terrorist organization?" It was a familiar name. Zack had mentioned he had gotten into a scuffle with them, but other than that… "Yeah. They're that Faunus group, right?"

"Indeed. They've been a nuisance to the most dependable dust mining organization Remnant has ever known," The doctor's words made Billy raise a brow. "The Schnee Dust Corporation." The Blue Ranger's response brought a smile to the man's face. "Correct, young Huntsman. Those two have been at each other's throats for years, with those beasts trying to sabotage their efforts and deprive us of our most precious resource. But luckily… I have just the thing that could tip the scales in our favor."

Our favor? Sure, the SDC was reliable, but Jason remembered what Weiss had said about her family's company back at the local headquarters in Vale. From what he recalled, the SDC wasn't exactly perfect, and it was all thanks to her old man. Shady business partners, forced labor, and most of their workers being Faunus. According to Blake and Trini, the human-animal hybrids were victims of prejudice that spanned decades, if not centuries. He wasn't too happy to hear that beings who looked human enough- save for one key difference- were hated and treated like animals. Even worse, he'd heard of similar things back home, where everybody was human with no animal parts whatsoever.

"What do you have for us, sir?" Jason asked before his thoughts could wander any further. The scientist was all too willing to explain as he leaned in close. "The White Fang has been seizing SDC assets. Stealing supplies, intercepting shipments, the works. Their storehouses have been difficult for the public to track down… but not for me." The man pulled out his scroll and set to work. "I'm sending you the location of one such storehouse where caches of stolen Dust are being held. It's just past the settlement of Sumire." The boy's scrolls simultaneously chimed with a notification: a text from an unknown number detailing the storehouse's location. Billy's eyes were alight. "Wait, how did you-?"

"Professor Ozpin provided me with your scrolls' contact information," Doctor Steff explained. "They are academy property, after all." The man's eyes turned back to his scroll, the orbs quickly widening. "My apologies, young Huntsmen, but I must be off. Professor Port is expecting me in his office." Doctor Steff was already walking away before Jason could bid him farewell, leaving the Rangers by themselves again. Jason couldn't quite place it, but something seemed…

"Hey, Jason?" Billy asked. "This may sound crazy, but… is something about that man strangely familiar to you?" Jason just shrugged. "I'm not sure about 'familiar', Billy… but what he gave us sounds legit enough. Wanna go check it out?"

"Maybe…" Billy muttered. "But Team RWBY's still looking for Rita and Tommy's about to start sparring with Team JNPR. Should we recall them?" Jason didn't give him an immediate response. For the past day, the Huntsmen have been their tour guides to Remnant, explaining everything there was to know about their world. And the Rangers have proven themselves more than capable of facing its dangers. After a few more seconds of pondering, Jason turned back to Billy. "Have Zack and Kim meet us outside the tower."

"What about Tommy?"

"I think he needs to sit this one out. At the rate he's going, he's gonna give Jaune's team a run for their money," He shot Billy a smirk. "I'm not gonna stop him anytime soon." The Blue Ranger returned the smile while he made his way out of the library. "Sure thing. Do you wanna call Trini back or should I?"

"I'll take care of it. You get the guys." Trailing behind Billy as they left, Jason managed to call Trini's scroll without any slip-ups. It only took a few seconds for a voice on the other end to come through. "Trini, it's me. We-"

"Whew… good timing, Jason," Trini gasped breathlessly. "We just… we may have accidentally kicked up a hornet's nest. Only… more than hornets." The Red Ranger almost slowed his pace. "You okay over there?"

"Oh, yeah, just… peachy. We lost them… I hope. This stupid city's full of Grimm. Blake's… uh, hey, is it offensive to you if I ask how many lives you have left?" There was a brief silence, yet Jason could barely make out an equally-exhausted voice on the other end… that didn't sound pleased. "I'll take that as a yes, and it was not my fault! Those things must smell like hot garbage to you, too, right?" Another faint sentence from the other voice. Jason thought he heard a faint trace of "lucky to be alive". "Okay, my stealth game might be a little off, but-"

"Trini…"

"S-sorry! We're good, we're both good," There was a sigh on the other end. "But no Rita. It's a dead end. We're heading back now."

"Actually, there's something I need you on board for," Jason explained. "I'll explain when you get here."

…

A half-hour later, the five Rangers trekked through a calm forest with Jason hacking away at any foliage blocking his path. Everyone else kept their eyes peeled in case of a Grimm ambush, but the concern on some of their faces wasn't solely on the creatures of darkness. "Jason…" Kimberly called out. "Are you sure you can trust the doc's intel?"

"Hey, if it keeps the bad guys off our backs…" the Red Ranger replied, brushing past a low-hanging branch. "I'm all for it. We may not be getting close to Rita, but something's better than nothing. Billy, how much farther?" The Blue Ranger quickly glanced at his scroll. "Not much longer. If this place is important to the White Fang, I expect it'll be guarded."

"I still can't believe this," Trini muttered. "We're going up against actual people? This doesn't feel right." Zack placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I feel the same way, Trini. But different world-"

"Different rules, I know," she finished with a groan. "That doesn't mean I have to like them. Jason, tell me we're going easy on these guys." The Red Ranger took his eyes from the path. "The people here may call them monsters, but they're not the monsters we know. If you engage, don't escalate. Animal parts or not, they're still people."

"Yeah, misguided people with a vendetta," Zack added. "Plus, they act like they're celebrating Halloween too early with those creepy masks."

"Guys, hold up!" Kimberly suddenly whispered. "There's some kind of building up ahead. Do you think that's it?" The Rangers approached the edge of a treeline overlooking an expansive clearing. A dirt path off to their right led to a gate within a large metal wall that stretched throughout the clearing, with four watchtowers stationed at each corner. They were all manned by masked figures wielding rifles, and while the Rangers couldn't see much beyond the walls, they managed to make out the top half of a derelict warehouse located at the rear wall.

"Yep," Billy answered, his eyes scanning the defenses. "I think this is the place."

"Um…" Zack's focus was solely on the watchtower guards. "If anybody is thinking about just rushing in, stop thinking about it. Those guys look like they could drop us at any moment."

"You're right, Zack," Jason muttered. "We're not gonna rush in… in fact, we're not gonna do anything." Kimberly met his eyes with a perplexed look. "Um… what do you mean?"

The Red Ranger rose to a stand and eyed the dirt path leading to the gate. "I'm going to have a word with them."

"What?!" Zack shouted as quietly as he could. "Are you crazy, Jace?! Were you not listening to a thing I just said? They-" Jason was quick to calm his friend down before any unnecessary volume gave them away. "These people must have reasons to do what they do. They're Faunus, and the SDC has been using their people as labor. And they're taking it out on all of humanity. That has to mean one thing: they're mad. I don't mean to be stereotypical here… but beasts can be tamed if you understand them."

"Jason, this…" Trini whispered. "This sounds like a bad idea. A stupid idea."

"Maybe…" he quietly responded. "I can show them I'm not a threat. And if that doesn't work, you guys make your move. Besides…" he thumped a fist against his chest. "I'm pretty sure my Aura can take a few bullets."

"Uh, that's one theory I'm not in a hurry to prove," Billy piped up. "Jason, are you absolutely, positively-" The Red Ranger gave him a knowing smile. "Trust me, guys. I'm expecting things to go south, but I can handle this. But when that comes, disarm and subdue. And only disarm and subdue. If what I know about these guys is right, they suffered a lot of bloodshed… let's not add any more."

The other Rangers were quiet for a moment, a silent argument passing through each of their faces until finally settling on Jason. Kimberly was the one to step forward. "If you die… I get dibs on the T-Rex."

"Wha- hey!" the other Rangers silently protested. "Kim, why- no fair- seriously?!" Jason shrugged this off with a chuckle before heading off. "You'll know the signal when you see it, people." His friends quickly bid him luck before he circled around to the path, making sure his sword was secure on his sheath. Hands bare, stance calm… this was on them if they chose to go loud.

Walking down the path like a lone traveler with no clear destination, Jason slowly moved towards the wall and kept his eyes on the watchtower guards. Both of them spotted him within moments, one unhesitatingly taking aim while the other shouted something to somebody past the walls. The Red Ranger stopped once the gates opened, allowing several masked figures to barge out and take position, aiming at Jason like a firing squad.

Jason slowly raised his hands in surrender, his eyes alternating between the tower guards and the squad meters away from him. None of them made a move on him… so far, so good. One more figure emerged from the gates, marching to the front of the squad. This masked Faunus was larger and more muscular than his brethren, with short black hair and black tattoos on his left arm. Unlike the other soldiers, his mask covered his entire face, giving him a more beastly and intimidating appearance.

"Well, well, well…" He began with an amused chuckle. "Look what we have here. You got a lot of nerve, human… it's almost a shame you'll lose it." Jason kept his arms up and hands in plain sight, eying each of the soldiers warily. "You get one chance to explain yourself, or my pals here are gonna fill you with holes."

Jason met the speaker with calm eyes. "That's probably gonna happen anyway, huh?" The big guy just chuckled behind his mask and pointed a finger at the Red Ranger. "A smart one. I like that. So… what's your deal?"

"I've come to give you a warning," Jason explained. "I'm not like most people. I don't like fighting guys who've had a lot thrown their way, so I'm only gonna say this once: surrender the stolen Dust."

A pause from the big guy. "Y'know what? I take that back. You must be stupider than a Grimm if you think we're gonna listen to a human… least of all, you."

"I understand that," Jason answered. "I know your kind, I know humans have been treating you like garbage for years. But I'm not like them. Fighting you is the last thing I want, believe me."

"You're right…" the figure replied. "You're not like them, Jason."

The Red Ranger's arms slowly fell while he tried to keep his cool. "You know who I am." The big guy sternly nodded. "Yeah, that's right. And we know you're not alone. Where are your friends, the… what was it again? Oh, yes. The 'Power Rangers'. Stupid name, by the way."

This was… unexpected. But if the White Fang knew about them already, then maybe… "If you're familiar with us, then you probably know this. We fight monsters, not people. This is your last chance: stand down and surrender the Dust." The muscular masked man was already speaking the second Jason finished his warning. "We already know that you hunt and kill 'monsters', Red Ranger. The two that eluded you said as much."

Jason felt his heartbeat slow down. "W… what?"

"And they said you'd try something like this, too. Playing the hero and acting like you give a damn about lives, even for the Faunus," the man continued with the hint of a growl behind his mask. "But now that we've seen you… now that we know about your existence, you're gonna silence us and spill our guts to ensure we don't spill your secret."

"W-wait, I-"

"Oh, no, Jason. I'm not buying this anymore. You and your other murderers have slaughtered dozens of Faunus already, and those golden-clad ones that escaped you are your undoing. Now… it's time for you to understand how they felt in their final moments of suffering."

Wait, what did he say? Golden-clad Faunus? The two that eluded them?

…crap.

A crackling noise from the watchtowers alerted Jason, who snapped his eyes up to see the two guards succumbing to electric currents. Every White Fang soldier spun towards the treeline, where Zack and Trini were charging toward the gate while Billy and Kimberly were giving them covering fire. Jason drew his sword as the ones in front converged on him, barely catching a glimpse of the big guy as he dashed behind the gates and into the perimeter.

"I want to see all five of them covered in red!" he bellowed in a rage.

…

"Adam!" the breathless Faunus gasped as he burst into the tent. "We… We just received word from the nearby Dust storehouse." The bull Faunus was already rising to his feet while a chameleon Faunus was by his side. "And?"

"It's under attack! By… five colored Huntsmen!"

Adam's hand tightened around his blade's hilt. "It's them. The ones Goldar and Scorpina warned us about. Get a squad ready. Ilia, you're with me." He turned back to the messenger. "You. Where are those two?"

"They're… They're still on that scouting run, sir. Should I-"

"No time. We need to move now." Adam and Ilia made their way out of the tent, the latter barking orders at several White Fang soldiers. As the two Faunus rallied their brethren, they remained unaware of two other Faunus watching from the trees… with one grinning evilly.

"Finally," Scorpina whispered. "We must move swiftly. They won't last long against the Rangers." Beside her, Goldar huffed. "I have half a mind to join them, Scorpina. That way, I can finally-"

"The time to destroy the Power Rangers will come," his partner snapped. "Now… the meeting point. Go before they notice us and drag us along. Let's see what he has for us now." The duo slinked away into the forest, leaving the White Fang scrambling to mobilize.

…

"AI-YAAAAH!" An emerald blast sent Pyrrha sliding back, her shield aglow from the heat. Her opponent was on her in seconds and she kept him at bay, blocking his strikes and parrying a dagger's thrust. Leaping over a sweeping spear, Tommy batted the weapon away and bounded off Pyrrha's shield, landing a flying kick to a charging Jaune's face. The boy fell, leaving a yelling Nora to take his place.

The Green Ranger weaved this way and that to avoid his face pounded, ducking under a swing and sidestepping another. When Nora brought Magnhild down on top of him, Tommy seized the hammer's length and poured his strength into it, allowing heat to flood the weapon.

"Owowowowow!" Nora yelped, dropping the heated hammer and shaking her hands before shoving one into her mouth. She backed off and Ren took the chance to charge in. Tommy evaded StormFlower's bullets before closing the distance, his single blade connecting with Ren's twin weapons. The two green-clad young men angled around each other in their search for an opening until Ren blocked Tommy's next strike and shoved the Green Ranger forward, landing a spinning kick to the head that sent him sprawling. Shaking off the daze, Tommy noticed Ren leaping at him and promptly sent him flying across the practice ring with a fireball.

Jaune attacked next and Tommy weaved away from his sword, the Green Ranger trying to find a way around his shield. Jaune blocked a steady stream of green fire until Tommy got in close, using the shield to vault over Jaune and strike from behind. Jaune spun just in time, meeting the Dragon Dagger with Crocea Mors's blade.

"Surrender?" Tommy asked.

Jaune just shook his head. "Not a chance."

"Break, then?"

"Absolutely."

The two boys broke apart, the blonde immediately doubling over with a gasp while Tommy sheathed his weapon. "Not bad, Sir Jaune of Vale. I have a few notes, but they can wait. How are you feeling?"

"They… weren't… kidding… when they said you were good," the blonde panted. Pyrrha, Nora (who was still tending to her hands), and Ren also calmed, the former giving the Green Ranger an impressed smile. "How long have you been fighting like that?"

"Well, I was a natural at karate and mastered it very quickly," Tommy explained. "Once I moved to Angel Grove, I entered the martial arts expo. That's where I met Jason… and fought him."

"Did you win?" Nora asked. Tommy just shook his head. "Nah. We tied, four to four. He was the town's finest, but I immediately had his respect after that. And then came the whole Ranger business… the guys told you the rest, yeah?"

"As crazy as it sounded, yes," Ren replied. Tommy turned his eyes to the edge of the ring, where four female spectators approached with proud faces. He didn't know how long they had been there, but judging by their faces, Team RWBY had seen all that they needed to.

"You're back," Tommy greeted Ruby. "Anything?" The girl just shook her head with a brief sigh. "No. Your nemesis must be really good at hiding or laying low." That gave Tommy pause. "Well… that doesn't make any sense. Hiding isn't Rita's style."

"Regardless," Weiss groaned. "I, for one, am beginning to get tired of this constant searching. All I found in the Emerald Forest were old ruins and the occasional Grimm… which were easily dispatched."

Blake shared her partner's thoughts. "If she doesn't like hiding, someone would have seen her and she'd be all over the CCTS. What is this person's deal, Tommy? We're getting nowhere!" The Green Ranger was tempted to agree with the Faunus aloud, but frustration wasn't what they needed. And with the other Rangers out on a mission, as Jaune had told him, they could do nothing but wait for them to return so they could learn the bad news.

Well… maybe not nothing.

"I think I got the perfect stress relief," Tommy offered. "Anyone brave enough to go a few rounds with me?"

A hand immediately shot up, its owner's face alight with glee. "Ha! That's my favorite kind of stress relief!" Yang cheered. "Time to see which dragon burns brighter!" Pounding her fists together, the blonde brawler rocketed towards the Green Ranger, who rolled out of the way in surprise. "WHOA! Hey! So we're just getting right into it, huh?!"

"Oh, you know it!" Yang answered, readying Ember Celica and loading fresh rounds. "Betcha your little butter knife can't handle real firepower!" Tommy was slightly taken aback by those words, yet he shot the blonde a smirk. "I'll show you firepower! AH-YAAAH!" The Huntress and Ranger met at close-range, trading punches and kicks alike while everyone else wisely began to withdraw to the stands before things got too heated. Literally speaking, of course.

"Leave it to Yang to jump at the chance of a brawl," Weiss commented, watching the aforementioned blonde throw an elbow at Tommy, who tossed her over his shoulder and countered with an ax kick. "Where's everyone else? We should tell them about our bad luck."

"I saw Jason earlier," Pyrrha answered. "He said he needed his team for a mission." Ruby let out a curious hum as she watched her sister bombard Tommy with explosive shells, the Green Ranger retaliating with forest-green fireballs. "Did he say what kind?"

"No, he didn't. They left a short while ago."

"Well, maybe they're looking for Rita," Ruby suggested. "They're the ones who know her best, after all. But, uh… why wouldn't they wait for us to come back?"

"I don't think that's it," Blake muttered, watching Tommy knee Yang in the side before the Huntress uppercut him into the air. The Green Ranger launched more fireballs from above once he recovered, forcing Yang to retreat from the bombardment. "Lemme call them. If they are looking, they need to know it's a bust at this rate. We need a new strategy." The Faunus pulled out her scroll while Ruby turned her eyes back to the fight, where Yang and Tommy were locked in a grapple.

She couldn't quite place it… but something was amiss here. Rita shouldn't be that hard to find, right? So why were they coming up short?

…

A skirmish was raging within the walls. The only thing standing between the assailants and their objective was a masked militia force that both opened fire on them and engaged them at close quarters with blades. Fending off two attackers with swords, Billy deflected their strikes until he caught the swords on both ends. Twisting the triple-pointed ends, the Blue Ranger snapped the goons' swords in half and sent them spinning the ground with a sweep of his lance. Breaking into a run, he sprinted for a rifle-wielding Faunus and planted his lance in the ground, propelling himself feet-first into the soldier.

Kimberly's wing blades clashed with two swords, the Pink Ranger acrobatically dodging between blocks and swipes. Locking one weapon with her own, Kimberly wrenched the sword out of the soldier's hands and kicked the other down. Undeterred, her unarmed opponent swung at Kimberly, who shot over his head and kicked him in the nape to floor him.

Thundering gunfire rang out from a nearby firing squad, but all their shots failed to hit their rapidly-moving target. Zigzagging between bullets and avoiding trails that licked at her heels, Trini took careful aim and returned fire. Her shots zipped through the barrels of her enemies' rifles, wrecking them from the inside and leaving the staggering White Fang soldiers defenseless. The Yellow Ranger sprinted for another sword-wielding duo, ready to swing at the girl at a moment's notice. Leaping towards them, Trini locked her wrists around one's neck and wrapped her ankles around the other's throat, twirling in midair and causing them to spin with her. She landed on her feet, but they did not and were left a groaning, dizzy mess.

Four sword-wielding goons attacked Jason, who demonstrated that his skill with a blade outclassed theirs. Parrying, deflecting, slashing, he made them all feel like kids with sticks. Jason disarmed one foe and struck him down with an elbow, broke another's Aura with two swift slashes, and shattered another's mask with a horizontal swipe. The fourth Faunus was left quivering in fear, his blade shivering alongside him. All it took to send him running was a Fire Dust-infused swing in his direction. The Faunus bolted as if the Red Ranger would pursue, but Jason only turned away and pressed forward to the storehouse.

Several goons engaged Zack with swords and fists alike, leaving the Black Ranger careful with who he engaged. Grabbing one's sword arm as he swung, Zack punched him in the side before socking him across the face. Another charged only to be grabbed and thrown aside, the Faunus' mask breaking when it hit the ground. Drawing his ax when another sword-wielding Faunus came at him, Zack used his weapon's momentum to send the weapon skyward. Kicking the Faunus away, the Black Ranger caught the sword and used it in tandem with his ax to keep the rest of the blades off him. A breakdancing spin took out all of their legs, grounding them and leaving some too wary to continue.

Tossing away the sword and holstering his ax, Zack's eyes landed on another batch of soldiers taking aim at him… when his pocket suddenly buzzed. Zack barely had time to react when the soldiers opened fire, forcing the Black Ranger to make a run for it. He slid past a parked truck and ducked behind it, leaving Billy and Trini to converge on the charging gunmen… gun Faunus? Whatever.

Zack fished out his ringing scroll, read the name on the screen, and pressed it to his ear. "Blake! What are you doing?! I can't talk right now!"

"I'm sorry, Zack, but we couldn't find Rita," the cat Faunus said from the other end. "Jason said you were going on a mission. What is it?"

Seriously?! She had the urge to ask that now?!

A White Fang rifleman rounded the truck and pointed his gun at Zack's head, but he was downed by a leaping Trini before he could take a shot. "We're trying to get back some Dust the White Fang stole! Jace's idea to kill time! Now would you please-"

"The White Fang?!" Blake's voice was filled with sudden alarm and… fear? "Why are you- where-"

Whipping out his ax and switching it to its shotgun state, Zack shot a goon's sword to pieces before the Faunus could sneak up on Jason. The Black Ranger promptly bashed him in the head with an elbow before turning his attention back to the call. "I said I can't talk right now, Blake!"

"Wait! Where are-" Zack quickly hung up before he could hear another word, turning to his leader with a groan while he pocketed the scroll. "You're right, Jace. Those things are a distraction."

"Or maybe," Billy called, swinging on his lance like a pole to kick away five foes before using the lance to swat a gun out of a soldier's hands. "Some people just have poor timing!" He was off before Zack could retort. The Red Ranger disarmed another Faunus before kicking him away, his brown eyes turned to the large building with an open shutter door.

"I'm going for the warehouse! Cover me!" The Red Ranger broke into a sprint and charged for the doors, leaving the other four Rangers to protect their leader's advance. He reached the building in seconds just in the nick of time, as the last of the soldiers hit the floor alongside his brethren.

But as he fell, heavy footfalls drew the Rangers' attention back to the front gates. The muscular Faunus they had all spotted earlier was marching towards them with two things with him. The first was a heavy gray chainsaw that was already revving up, making the masked Faunus look like a serial killer marching at a group of teenage victims.

The second was backup. More White Fang members stormed through the open gates and charged toward the Rangers. One of the downed soldiers struggled to his feet, holding an arm while turning to the chainsaw-wielding brute. "Lieutenant… the red one… has breached the warehouse."

"Inform the boss," the big guy commanded. "I'll take care of the rest." The White Fang reinforcements moved to surround the Rangers from all sides, swords and rifles at the ready. The larger Faunus joined them, growling at the humans from beneath his mask. The four humans showed no fear as they stared him down, which only strengthened the lieutenant's resolve.

"I'll be sure to deliver you to your instructor in pieces. KILL THEM!"

…

Everyone was holding their own outside from what Jason could hear. That meant he had nothing to worry about. Now that he wasn't under threat, the Red Ranger inspected his current surroundings. The warehouse was home to various shipping containers and wooden crates illuminated by daylight shining in from windows. All of them bore the same insignia and name: a snowflake with the words "Schnee Dust Company".

How the shipping containers were transported here was beyond Jason's guess. And so was the question of how he was supposed to get it out of here. The proper thing to do would be to alert the authorities or contact the SDC to reclaim their property. Jason knew he was here because he wanted to kill time, but… Doctor Steff's previous words and what he knew of the conflict between the SDC and the White Fang rang through his head. Sure, Jason was hungry for action at that point, but something about this… it didn't feel right.

He was in the middle of a war and he had chosen a side despite thinking of the consequences; the Faunus' suffering and the extremely wealthy humans just kicking back and enjoying themselves, uncaring about anything that didn't involve money.

This wasn't right. Zordon had made him a Power Ranger to protect people, not get involved in their wars. And this one was a war he couldn't stop even if he tried; the Faunus were too deep in their hatred to be convinced otherwise and the SDC was just too rich and powerful. Why, then, did Doctor Steff think this was right up his alley?

Was that all he was now? A tool for someone else to use? No… he needed to calm down. He was digging too deep into it. The Huntsmen have a purpose here, to protect humanity. But did that mean only humanity? That couldn't mean… there had to be some people out there who saw more than just the animal parts of a Faunus—people who didn't use them or abuse them for their own means.

People who wouldn't create monsters rather than call them such out of hatred.

A sudden crash forced Jason's own thoughts to shatter back to reality as somebody barged through a top window and rolled atop a shipping container. The new arrival sprinted down its length before somersaulting off, landing perfectly in front of the Red Ranger. Tightening his grip on Tyrant, Jason examined the new arrival.

This one wasn't like the other White Fang soldiers. This one was a red-haired bull Faunus with red-black horns in plain view. His white slitted mask was decorated with red horn-like symbols and he was dressed in black with red detailing. There was a long sheath by his hip, one hand already on it. From what little Jason could see on his face, his mouth was clenched in anger… before it opened.

"Jason. Lee. Scott."

He said each word as if it was foreign to him, yet there was fury in his tone. Already, the Red Ranger was starting to dread just what Goldar and Scorpina had told him: what lies those two spun. Regardless, the young man kept his cool and stared down the man. "And you are?"

The bull person took a step forward. "Adam Taurus. Remember it in your last moments." Shrugging off the threat those words held, Jason allowed himself to exhale in relief and greet the Faunus with a smile. "Adam? Finally, a normal name. I take it you're the boss?"

"Of this chapter," he spat. "Sienna would kill you where you stand… but she'd do it quickly. Mercifully. And that's why I'm here, 'Red Ranger'. I'm here to give you the death you and your associates deserve."

It was probably a lost cause, but he needed to try. Jason held out a hand as if he was trying to calm a mad bull rather than a terrorist leader, keeping his voice low and calm. "Adam… I know you don't have a lot of reasons to do this, but trust me when I say this. I am not your enemy."

The Faunus revealed a crimson chokuto blade in the blink of an eye. "You became my enemy when you killed your first Faunus. And don't try this with me. I can see right through you and your pathetic attempts to save your reputation."

"What Goldar and Scorpina told you about me… about my team… you can't trust them. They-"

"Just like your kind doesn't trust mine?" Adam spat back. "They told me what kind of human you are, Jason. They said you wear red because you love the sight of blood. I despise the Schnee Dust Company because of what they did to me and my fellow Faunus, but you? You and your blind, senseless murder? Just like the humans did when they saw a Faunus for the first time?"

"I know what's happened to your people!" Jason shouted. "And I'm sorry. I am who I am today because I want to stop it! I don't want to be a part of that, I even refrained from killing your men outside! I'm a lot of things, Adam, but-"

"Shut up!" Adam snapped. "You may have won many people over with that tone, but I'm not falling for it! And besides… talking was never your kind's specialty." The bull Faunus readied himself, his blood-red blade glinting in the daylight. Taking a deep breath, Jason took a similar stance…

"I really do pity you," Those were the only words he whispered under his breath before Adam charged at him with a roar, both of their swords meeting in an echoing clang.

…

Back outside, all of the White Fang reinforcements were either groaning on the ground or unconscious, unable to fight anymore. Only one Faunus remained standing, and that masked soldier swung his chainsaw at his targets. Kimberly slid underneath the spinning blade and got to her feet, shooting arrow after arrow at the Faunus.

"I! Am not! Gonna be! A final girl!" She cried with every shot. Each projectile failed to make its mark, as they were blocked by the chainsaw's flat end. The lieutenant moved towards the Pink Ranger but felt something strike him in the leg. Whirling around, he bashed Trini to the ground and swung his chainsaw overhead.

The downed Yellow Ranger spread her legs out just in time, leaving the weapon digging into the ground. Nervousness flashed across Trini's face when she noticed just how dangerously close it was and she rolled backward, taking a few shots at the Faunus' mask. While he staggered from her shots, Trini broke into a run and strafed around the Faunus, continuing to shoot at him with both guns and bring down his Aura. Kimberly followed her lead, shooting a few arrows his way.

While the girls peppered the lieutenant (and annoyed him) from a distance, Billy and Zack engaged from up close. Vaulting over a low swipe, Billy brought a leg down on the Faunus' head and spun to thrust his lance forward. The Faunus simply grabbed the weapon and hurled Billy like a ragdoll, plowing him into Kimberly and knocking them both down. He whirled on Zack next, trading blows with his ax until the Faunus brought his chainsaw on top of it, resulting in a shower of sparks as Zack struggled to hold it at bay.

A few bullets irritated the Faunus enough to turn his attention to a sprinting Trini, who he brought his chainsaw down on. The Yellow Ranger sidestepped at the last minute and kicked the muscular Faunus away… before burying one blade into the chainsaw and slashing outward, its sputtering engine dying out amidst rising smoke.

The lieutenant snarled at the girl and pounded a palm in his fist. "You're gonna pay for that!" Trini just shot him a smirk. "Sure! Will that be cash, credit…" Loading two yellow crystals in her daggers, Trini struck a pose as bright electricity snapped into existence and coated the twin blades. "Or charge?!" She thrust one dagger forth and a sharp bolt burst from the tip, connecting with the sprinting Faunus' shoulder and sending arcs of electricity through his form. He collapsed to one knee while grunting in pain, struggling to keep himself standing… until Billy smacked him in the chin with an upward strike. Both he and Zack stood before the lieutenant, who slowly began to pick himself up. He swung his chainsaw at Billy, only for the Blue Ranger to propel him with his Semblance-fuelled forcefield and knock him down. Turning to Kimberly, Trini motioned for her to get back in there, to which Kimberly nodded and dashed for the bulky Faunus…

…until she tripped and fell flat on her face. "Ow! What the-" Trini was about to ask what happened when something wrapped around her neck and cut off her breathing. Dropping her daggers and grasping at the object, the girl's eyes made out something off to her left. Both she and Kim saw a figure materializing into thin air: another Faunus, this one feminine with dark tanned skin, brown hair tied into a curled ponytail, a black suit covering her torso, a pair of black boots, a single black glove on her right hand and a mask with horns above the slits. She was holding a whip that was currently around Trini's throat, a tool she yanked toward herself.

Trini was pulled forward with a jolt, only stopping when the Faunus drove a foot into her stomach and knocked the wind out of her. Falling onto her back, Trini gasped wearily and fought to regain her breath, only noticing the Faunus raising a leg to stomp her head in the instant she brought it down…

"HI-YAH!" Kimberly kicked the assailant off her friend and she cast a pair of worried eyes her way. "Trini, you okay?!" The Yellow Ranger wheezed a little before ushering a response. "I… I'm fine, Kim." Taking Trini's hand in hers, Kimberly hoisted her friend back to her feet. "Come on, let's…" Trini's next words trailed off when she looked back at her attacker… only to find an empty space where she once stood.

"Wh-where'd she go?" Both girls scanned the areas around them but found nothing save for the unconscious White Fang goons and the lieutenant, who was now fighting Zack and Billy bare-handed. The boys were holding their own, with Zack locking the muscular Faunus in a wrestler's grip while Billy pounded the Faunus' back with his fists. But there was no sign of the-

"AGH!" Something struck Kimberly across the face and she was sent sprawling, drawing a startled gasp from Trini. The second she turned her eyes away from her downed friend, the woman was there driving an elbow into her face. Digging her feet into the ground to keep herself from falling over, the Yellow Ranger whipped out her pistols and fired at the woman…

…but her bullets only made holes in the wall.

"Augh… Trini… what's going on?" Kim groaned, holding a hand to her cheek as she stood. The Yellow Ranger aimed in any direction she could see, keeping her eyes peeled for any suspicious movement. "Kim, she's invisible! She could be any-"

A sharp pain in the girl's back knocked her down, alerting Kimberly as the mysterious Faunus revealed herself again. The Pink Ranger slashed at her with her wing blades only for the Faunus to effortlessly evade each slash. Striking at the girl with her whip, the Faunus wrapped it around Kim's wrist, sent an electric current through the weapon's length, and electrocuted the Pink Ranger, making her scream in agony before the Faunus threw her aside.

Baring her teeth, Trini lunged at the woman and sliced at her repeatedly, the Faunus shifting her whip into a rapier to defend herself. After blocking both daggers, the woman swept out Trini's legs from under her. Despite landing on her back, Trini swung a dagger at the Faunus' feet… but hit nothing but air.

Kimberly was back on her feet and had an arrow ready, keeping her eyes peeled for anything… until her arrowhead was crushed by an unseen force. Revealing herself again, the woman whipped Kim across the stomach and caused her body to shimmer a bright pink color. Gritting her teeth in anger, Kim angrily swung her blades at thin air before a few more whip strikes sent her careening to the ground.

Trini was at a loss. This person was good with stealth. Watching for any movement was useless and Kim didn't have much left in her. A thought crossed Trini's mind while the Pink Ranger struggled against the constantly-disappearing enemy.

Maybe… seeing her wasn't the key to beating her.

The Yellow Ranger fired a shot at the woman, the bullet striking true and disrupting her next strike. The bullet also knocked her mask off her face, sending it clattering onto the floor. The Faunus slowly turned back to Trini, allowing the girl to see her face. There were darker spots on not just the girl's face, but also her arms and legs… almost like scales. Her gray eyes bored into Trini, who simply glared back and spun her daggers before holstering them…

…before closing her eyes. She knew the girl was already slipping back into invisibility, but Trini allowed herself to be surrounded in darkness. Focus… The word repeated itself within her mind. At the same time, Trini recalled everything she had done in Remnant up to this point. The Grimm that she could smell and hear before she saw it, moving and reacting at superhuman speeds without thinking… She knew what she needed to do to win.

Sounds from the boys' fight with the bulky Faunus filled her ears, but that wasn't what she was looking for… no, listening for. It was a distraction that took most of Trini's focus to block out. The Yellow Ranger took a deep breath through her nose, her brain picking apart the various scents she inhaled…

…sweat from the right.

Trini's body moved on its own and she spun on one heel, feeling her extended leg smack against something that grunted in pain. Flashing her eyes open for a moment, Trini saw the girl holding her jaw before giving her a spiteful expression and shifting into nothingness. The Yellow Ranger's vision went dark again, the sounds and smells of the world replacing everything she had seen. Trini stilled her body, her heartbeat echoing in her ears alongside her steady breath. The pulse was a countdown for her, a timer ticking down while the cloaked predator waited for its opportunity to lunge.

Something shifted behind her, over her left shoulder. Now right, closer this time.

Snapping her eyes open and spinning in that direction, Trini blocked the incoming rapier with her forearm and struck the Faunus with her other arm. After being socked across the face, the Faunus grabbed Trini's next punch and kicked her in the midsection. By the time the Yellow Ranger looked back after recovering, she was gone again.

Darkness. The sweet scent of the air and the sound of a steady wind that brushes over her form. Kim quietly asks what she's doing just standing there. Zack matches the lieutenant's growl with his own as they beat each other. Billy grunts as he takes his turn, the Faunus' fury turning on him quickly when he yelps in alarm. Wait. Wait. Wait.

A crackle and something burning. The left.

Trini's hand grabbed the electrified tip of the whip, the current sending a stinging sensation through her arm. Resisting the urge to cry out as her yellow Aura absorbed the lightning, Trini yanked the weapon toward her and plowed her fist into the Faunus' face three times. This time, the girl did not vanish. Instead, she gaped at Trini in disbelief. "How-?"

"Pro tip. Either try not to ambush somebody with a sense-based Semblance…" Trini told her. "...or improve your hygiene habits. Take your pick." The Faunus' eyes widened at that before turning a bright red, swinging her electrified whip in a frightening manner before cracking it against the ground. Lighting up her daggers with yellow lightning in response, Trini struck a stance before both girls charged at each other, both electrified weapons connecting with a sharp buzz.

…

Two fire-coated blades clashed in the near darkness, each one a flurry of blazing movement as they spun and connected against one another. While one kept up an aggressive series of slashes, the other was forced into defensive positions as its owner winced from every close shave and heated sensations against bare skin.

"You know…" Jason croaked out. "I've heard of bulls getting angry when they see red, but this! Is! Ridiculous!" Deflecting each of Adam's attacks with each word, Jason kept on the defensive until the bull Faunus brought both swords down and headbutted the Red Ranger in the face. Rolling away from another slash while shaking off the daze, Jason bounded off a container and punched Adam in the head with his free arm to stagger the Faunus. Their blades locked again and both duelers pushed against each other until Adam broke the clash and delivered a hard swipe at Jason's midsection. While his Aura saved him from an otherwise brutal end, the Red Ranger was sent flying until his back met another container with a loud clang.

An enraged cry alerted him to a now-airborne Adam, who had his sword positioned for Jason's heart. Steeling himself, the Red Ranger answered with a roar of his own and blew Adam back, the Faunus slamming against a wooden crate as the red sonic pulses and unrelenting winds slammed against him. Jason scrambled to his feet and charged for the bull Faunus, who met his enemy with a beastly grimace and vaulted on top of the crate to avoid a horizontal slash that opened a gash in the crate, colored powder spilling from the wound.

Jason swung again at Adam's legs, but the Faunus jumped from the strike that chopped open the top of the box and nailed Jason in the face with a kick. He was on the Red Ranger instantly after that, the two of them connecting their blades over and over. Adam struck hard and fast in a style Jason believed to be iaijutsu, which was best suited for counterstrikes. The Faunus was baiting him, letting his weapon take all of Jason's hits before dishing them back.

Then he needed to get rid of the weapon.

Watching Adam closely, Jason kept testing the Faunus with strikes and parries, waiting for the opportunity to present itself… until Adam lunged with a thrust. Locking the chokuto between his blade and guard, the Red Ranger wrenched it from Adam's grip and sent it flying across the warehouse before lodging itself in the side of a distant container. Before Adam could react, Jason spun and slammed a heel into his stomach to ground the Faunus. The masked horned man groaned and began to sit up… only to find the tip of Jason's sword at his throat.

"It's over, Adam," the Red Ranger announced. "Surrender, and I'll deal with you the proper way. I'm not gonna turn you into the SDC, they've done unspeakable things to you and others like you… but you still can't be allowed to terrorize people." The Faunus said nothing at first, only staring silently at Jason with the occasional breath before finally speaking. "Sometimes… to fight monsters… you need to be a monster."

BLAM! Something from Adam's sudden raised arm hit Jason in the gut and sent the Red Ranger collapsing with a flickering red Aura, almost like a danger alert to inform him of how low it now was. Groaning in pain while clutching the spot he was shot, Jason struggled to his feet and turned back to Adam… who was now back on his feet and holding his sheath, which was now a black rifle. "That's what we both are, Jason."

BLAM! Jason rolled away from the next shot and took cover behind a container door, switching his sword to its rifle mode. "The Schnee Dust Company made me who I am, Jason!" Adam roared nearby. "And the humans who 'trained' you turned you and the others into weapons! But I broke free! And once I'm finished with you…" Jason peeked around the corner before darting back behind cover, a third shot almost blasting his head off. "I'm going to find the real monsters and cut off their heads!"

Jason's only response to that nonsense was him emerging from cover and opening fire on Adam, his shots pinging off metal surfaces when the Faunus bolted behind another container and returned fire. The Red Ranger broke into a sprint while laying down additional fire, sliding to a stop in front of a wooden crate. His new protection didn't have a chance of lasting too long, as another of Adam's shots blasted off a corner. Jason thought fast and tore off the top, fishing out a red crystal before chucking it in Adam's direction. As soon as it landed at the Faunus' feet, Jason took aim…

…and fired, lighting up the warehouse with a red-orange blast. A scream signaled Adam flying out of cover, hitting the floor in a tumbling heap. Loading in a fresh clip, Jason hurried around the container only to find Adam back on his feet. The Red Ranger was about to open fire again when the Faunus shifted the rifle back into a sheath and attached it to the sword lodged in another container, reclaiming the blade.

"Oh, come on…" Jason groaned before charging at the Faunus with another barrage of bullets. This time, Adam was ready for him and deflected each bullet with frightening precision until slipping the chokuto back into the sheath. Jason lunged at Adam with his rifle's bayonet, but the Faunus whirled around and elbowed the Ranger in the back of the head. Jason spun back towards him and aimed at the mask, but the Faunus launched his sword out of the sheath like a missile. The hilt slammed into Jason's lungs and knocked the wind out of him, sending him on his back.

By the time Jason sat up, he found that he was the one with a blade at his throat this time. Coldly standing above him, Adam glared down at the Red Ranger completely at his mercy with a chilling grin of satisfaction. "Do you know how this feels, human?"

"Well… yeah," Jason awkwardly admitted. "It's not like I haven't been beaten before." His brain frantically searched for a solution. True to his word, he didn't want to kill this guy… this victim of human abuse, although he believed some would claim otherwise. And if he did win, all this Dust… it wouldn't end up in the White Fang's hands, but reclaimed by the SDC. And they did god-knows-what to Faunus who mined and processed it…

"I have a question for you, Jason," Adam sneered. "How do you wish to die? Right here, right now, and have the world think you perished a hero? Or should I drag you outside and force your followers to watch… before you lead them to death?"

The Red Ranger spied a blue container with open doors, a proud white snowflake for all to see on the side. The Schnee Dust Company flaunted its reputation while keeping its shady secrets buried in the ice and snow that were just as cold as their hearts. Adam was right about one thing: they made him who he was now, which means they were just as bad as him. Adam was a symbol of their malice and torment upon the Faunus who worked for them and with that in mind…

…Jason was done fighting their war for them. As soon as he was finished, he was going back to fighting Remnant's real enemy and tracking down Rita. But right now, his Aura was low from the fight. There should be enough left for the risky stunt he was about to pull. "Adam… I've got a question for you," he countered with a fierce gaze. "How much Aura do you have left?"

The Faunus scoffed. "Normally, I wouldn't bother answering a ridiculous question like that. But since you're about to die… I may as well tell you that you haven't even come close to depleting it. And that means I have more than enough… to kill you with your own strength." Adam raised his blade with a low growl, his entire form going dark like a shadow. His hair, his outfit, his mask's markings, and his weapon… everything red on him gave an ominous, nightmarish glow. Everything else was starting to grow darker, but Jason's only answer to Adam's words was a relieved breath. "Good."

The Faunus stalled. "What?"

Placing a firm grip on his rifle, Jason held it steady in one hand and took aim… but not at Adam. The Faunus whirled around in shock to see just what the Red Ranger was aiming at: the open container and the stores of packed Dust inside.

"NO!"

BANG!

…

Trini danced away from the Faunus girl's whip, retaliating with a few shots while Kim attacked from up close. Every time the girl drove one of them away, the other would take their place. Such was the case when she whipped Kim by the leg and threw her onto the ground, leaving Trini to get in close in the Pink Ranger's place. Billy and Zack were still tangling with the big guy, who was holding his own with the boys. As soon as Trini and Kim were done with the girl, they'd go and help them.

Trini locked her blades between the Faunus' rapier, the girl glaring daggers at the Yellow Ranger. Trini only glared back and started pushing against the girl… until she caught a whiff of something.

It smelled like smoke from a discharged gun. Freshly-ground powder and the scent of something crystalline joined it… and among them, a scream of fear and denial.

Her body moving independently from her brain, Trini grabbed the Faunus girl's shoulder- no time to savor the sudden confusion on her face- and threw her away from the building… just as it vanished in a combined cloud of red, black, yellow, blue, green, and orange light. The Yellow Ranger's form was swallowed by an overwhelming blast of heat, cold, and too many others for her to identify while a thunderous blast drowned out her scream and threatened to render her deaf. The warehouse was blown apart from the inside, sending pieces of metal and bodies flying like leaves in the wind. Trini swore she heard the other Rangers cry out in surprise as they were flung dozens of meters before the world spun around her and her body burned with sudden pain.

The roaring in her ears was gone in seconds, replaced by a high ringing as she fought to keep herself from blacking out. Trini's body cried out as she forced the muscles in her arms to push herself to a shaky stand, a yellow light flickering in sync with her heartbeat. Similar pulses of light flashed through the rising smoke that clouded the entire area.

"K-Kim!" Trini wheezed, coughing from the smoke as she staggered forward, placing her daggers back in their holsters. "Billy! Zack!" The tip of her foot bumped against something… and she looked down to see the girl Faunus sprawled out before her. The tiny, barely-audible moan her Semblance detected was enough for Trini, who wrapped her arms around the Faunus' own and dragged her away. The process felt like hours, but Trini soon laid the girl against the wall, the Yellow Ranger falling to her knees before her with heavy breaths.

"W… Why…"

Trini turned her weary eyes back to the girl, who looked befuddled and lost with a hint of shock and confusion in her eyes, which were now a bright blue instead of a dull gray. "Why did you…"

Trini placed a careful hand on the girl's shoulder. "Because that's what heroes do." The girl immediately shook her head in denial, her breaths coming out in ragged gasps. "But… no, you're… you're not… you hate us, you… you…" Her eyes were everywhere but on Trini now, prompting the Yellow Ranger to follow her gaze. Zack was dragging the unconscious lieutenant over to the wall and propped his form against the metal surface, wiping at his brow before his eyes landed on Trini. Billy was slowly moving several White Fang soldiers out of harm's way while Kim was doing the same, the Pink Ranger gently checking each of them. When one tried to move only to wince in pain, she carefully set the Faunus down and whispered something to him.

The girl's skin turned green while her hair and spots became as blue as her eyes. "I… I don't understand…"

"Look… I get it," Trini quietly explained. "We humans aren't the best species this side of the galaxy. And the ones here… are no exception. I don't know the whole story, but… I know my people have treated yours poorly. This will probably sound strange to you… but I know how it is." She gave Zack a knowing look. "It's not just you and the Faunus that humans hate sometimes. Maybe not here. But where we come from… humans hate each other every day."

The girl couldn't reply, for she was too stunned to do so. She only stared at Trini not out of hatred or spite… but confusion and bewilderment. "But there are some of us that see people for who they really are. Like you… you've been hurt. All of you. Back home… We help people every day in one way or another. But we don't do it because of some dumb reputation or a public image. We do it… because it's right. And the problem is… the problem is there's too few of us out there. Too few to make a real difference. Too few to stand up because those in power won't hesitate to put us in our place. That's why you think humans are the enemy."

"B-but you are…" the girl whimpered. Trini just gestured at what her friends were doing. "Ask yourself… is this what an enemy would do?" All was quiet, as neither humans nor Faunus made any move on each other. In the latter's case, they were mostly unconscious or stunned to do anything.

The first sound that broke the silence was a weakened gasp that didn't come from any of the Rangers or the White Fang. The four teens spun around to see a figure limping through the smoke before collapsing onto his knees. Soot, ice patches, and all types of colors covered his being, but one color that stood out the most was a darkened red stained by the blast.

"Jason!" Billy shouted, immediately rushing to his side alongside Trini. The Yellow Ranger's eyes turned to the brainiac of the team. "Billy, is he okay?! What happened?!" The Blue Ranger pulled out his scroll and examined an analysis. "His Aura's gone. It must have kept him from getting blown to pieces."

"Jace, what were you thinking?!" Zack shouted. "You could've been-"

"It's not… about me…" the Red Ranger coughed. "The SDC… the White Fang… I dealt a blow to them both… now… nobody… gets the Dust…"

"Jason…" Kimberly whispered. "You know that won't change anything between them. The SDC can make more… and the White Fang won't stop." Their leader just gave Kim a knowing look. "I… I know… but it's… enough… for now…" His brown eyes scanned the destruction all around him. "C… casualties?"

"Banged up and bruised…" Zack told him. "But alive."

Jason allowed himself to smile, his eyes turning to something else close by. "And so is he." Everyone looked to see another unconscious figure not too far away: a figure with bull horns whose outfit was slightly singed and torn from the blast. The girl let out a tiny gasp and made a break for that Faunus, her skin reverting to normal while the Rangers made no move to stop her. Sliding to a halt next to the body, the girl pressed two fingers against his throat and rapidly withdrew with bewildered eyes. Those eyes darted between him and the Rangers, unsure of the situation unfolding around her.

Fishing out a scroll of her own, the girl pressed down on a button and held the device close to her face, waiting for a response. One came within seconds. "Ilia? What happened?"

"I… I need a medical team here immediately," she spoke quietly. "M-multiple injured, including Adam Taurus. The warehouse… The warehouse is destroyed. It's gone… the Dust is gone."

"What about the humans? The… the Rangers, was it?"

The girl froze on the spot, her eyes darting back to the five humans. Their weapons were sheathed and they made no move to grab them. Smiles dotted each of their faces as they looked at the Faunus. If her expression was anything to go off of, each of the Rangers believed this was a sight she was seeing for the first time.

"Ilia? What happened to the Rangers?"

The startled Faunus turned back to the scroll, her voice still a little shaky. "They… they…" Her eyes darted between the humans and the scrolls one more time before focusing on the scroll. "They're dead. They… they were in the warehouse when it went up."

"Dead? Are you sure?"

"I… I'm sure. I-I was lucky to avoid the worst of it. But… but there's nothing left of them now."

"Make sure of it. A team's en route now. If they just so happened to survive, you know what to do."

A sigh. "I do," The girl ended the call and turned her eyes back to the humans… only to see they were walking away. Trini was looking over her shoulder, giving her a farewell wave before they vanished into the smoke… leaving Ilia Amitola lost, alone, and confused amidst barely-conscious Faunus and metal wreckage that was both burning, freezing, and electrified. One such piece of metal at her feet was a charred chunk of a shipping container that had the center of a snowflake in it.

Ilia narrowed her eyes and her skin turned red. The girl was right. She didn't need to lash out like a child throwing her tantrum. She needed to focus on her real enemy… and with that, she drew her rapier and pierced the snowflake with a snarl.

…

With the rising smoke miles behind them, the Rangers hiked through the forest back towards Beacon. Kimberly let out a tired moan from the back. "I'm starting to miss teleporting…" Jason flexed his arm and exhaled in effort, feeling strength returning to it. "Well, you know what I'm gonna miss when we get back? This. Not even five minutes after it broke, my Aura's coming back. And it's working its sweet healing magic."

"Regeneration varies between individuals," Billy told him. "You should be lucky yours is already returning." Jason nodded while rolling a shoulder. "Mph. Guess so… the doc's not gonna be happy that I blew up his stash, though."

"Maybe you could say it was an accident?" Trini suggested. "He wouldn't be bothered by it. The SDC can make more." Jason hummed in reply. "Yeah… but that doesn't mean-" A short rumbling in his pocket interrupted the Red Ranger, who took out his scroll and noticed the caller's name. "It's Ruby." Answering the call, Jason held the device to his ear. "Hello?"

"Jason! Can you talk? Is this a bad time?"

"No, go ahead."

"HA! Told you, Weiss! Now then… where the heck have you been?!" Jason briefly flinched from the shout. "And why did you go on an awesome mission without telling me?! Uh, I mean, us!" The Red Ranger sighed. "Look, Ruby, I like Beacon and all, but I don't like standing around when our nemesis is out there somewhere. I… needed something to keep me and the Rangers busy while you were looking."

"Ugh, that is becoming a wild Griffon chase!" Ruby whined on the other end. "Please tell me you have another plan for finding this Rita person! It's like she doesn't exist!"

"Sometimes, I wish the same," Zack muttered. "I'd just need to worry about exams… which are way scarier than any monster." Stifling a giggle, Jason did his best to focus on the call. "I don't have a plan now, Ruby, but that'll change. We're on our way back right now, and we'll work on one together."

"Oh. Uh… that would work… if we were still at Beacon."

Jason stopped walking. "You're not there? Where are you, then?"

"The settlement of Sumire. That old Atlesian guy told us some Grimm were concentrated around the area… but we're not seeing any."

"Not seeing any yet!" Jason heard Yang in the background. "I swear, if that old coot just sent us out here for no reason, I would've beaten Tommy! He got lucky! Lucky, I tell you!"

"That reminds me…" Ruby added. "Your friend couldn't make it. He got… tied up when he saw Velvet getting teased again."

"Yeah, Tommy's not a fan of bullies," Jason added. "Something we've got in common. You said you were in Sumire, right? I think… we're not too far away."

"I'll check the map… if we have a signal out here," Billy said, his scroll already in hand. Jason just rolled his eyes. "We'll be there soon, so…" Wait, what was that in the background? It sounded like… bells? And why were people shouting? "Ruby? What's that noise?"

"That… is the alarm. Get here as quick as you can!"

The call ended abruptly, forcing Jason to break into a run. "Let's go, Rangers!" Everybody nodded and raced after him, with Kim groaning in exasperation again. "I really miss teleporting!"

…

"Your diversion is failing, Finster. I'm being told that the Rangers have defeated the White Fang! Tell me you have a backup plan!"

"Hush, Goldar. It is already in motion. A Huntress team has proven… troublesome. I had to send them away lest they get suspicious. With any luck, the Rangers will be intercepted before they can return."

"All this trouble keeping them away… your time to do whatever it is you wish to do is running out. And yet you still need to fill us in. What is it about that 'Beacon' place that interests you?"

"Not what, Scorpina. Who. The headmaster is a rather interesting character… but I have spied on a private meeting between him and a fellow professor. There is more to him than meets the eye… and I intend to discover what."

"So why do you have us wait when we need to act now?"

"No need to be hasty, Goldar. Our work is being done for us…"

…

Crescent Rose sliced through a Beowolf's neck before its wielder embedded it into an Ursa's neck. "Keep them away from the buildings!" Ruby ordered, zipping away in a trail of roses. The Huntress sped towards a trio of Beowolves, slicing them to bits and dashing away before any of them realized what happened. Yang caught a charging Boarbatusk by the tusks and flipped it into its back with a yell, leaving it wide open for Blake to cut down. Weiss danced through more Beowolves while an Ursa gave chase, the heiress' glyphs firing white projectiles that staggered the beast until a blast of Ice Dust left it impaled on glacial spikes.

The quartet regrouped as the Grimm disintegrated into black vapor… only for more to replace them with savage growls and glowing red eyes. Dozens more were gathered outside the settlement's broken gates. Facing down the incoming horde, the Huntresses turned their attention to a plan. "Fighting them in the town isn't gonna do us any good," Yang explained. "We gotta get 'em out and make sure they stay out!"

"Weiss, Blake, do what you can to get that gate shut," Ruby piped up. "Yang and I will mop up any more stragglers. Go!" The team broke off in two separate directions, the sisters staying put while the Faunus and heiress were launched skyward via glyphs. Reaching the top of the village wall in seconds, Blake opened fire on the Grimm outside the walls while Weiss used Ice Dust to seal the breach, isolating the Grimm within the perimeter and leaving them at the sisters' mercy. But while the flow of Grimm may have ceased, there were still large numbers of the soulless beasts that threatened to swarm Ruby and Yang, leaving them surrounded on all sides…

…until a rain of explosive and icy arrows blasted and froze the beasts closest to them. Ruby and Yang looked up just as a ponytailed figure in pink landed in front of them with a bow at the ready. "Did somebody call for backup?" Before either of the sisters could respond, colored bullets zipped past them and struck the Beowolves at the front of the horde. Ruby and Yang spun around to see the other four Rangers charging through the town, the people taking shelter within their homes watching the new arrivals in surprise.

The otherworldly heroes took position alongside the Huntresses just as Weiss and Blake returned. "Lucky for you guys," Zack quipped. "These freakshows are too stupid to find the back door!" Ruby gave Jason a thankful nod. "You took your time getting here, didn't you?" The Red Ranger just shrugged before cutting down a Beowolf that jumped at him. "Told you we were nearby! What's the situation?"

"We managed to cut them off, but there are loads of them outside! I don't know how long Weiss' defenses can-" A loud shattering sound broke off her words, accompanied by what could only be described as a demonic trumpeting noise. A massive black elephant-like creature the size of a building rampaged through the remains of the ice wall, followed by smaller brethren and winged beasts with both avian and feline attributes. The teens all froze at the incoming wave… and Zack pointed at the elephant.

"Dibs."

"Well… that one's pretty big," Billy mused. "But we've beaten bigger."

Jason and Ruby stepped forward with weapons ready. "Rangers, Huntresses… time to clean house!" Each hero struck a stance one by one before charging for the nightmarish horde of monsters, engaging them in close quarters. Ruby darted between each beast in a slashing frenzy before twirling Crescent Rose around her to become a bladed storm. Launching himself off a Beowolf, Jason crashed down into another group of Grimm and hacked away at them, loading in a red crystal to deliver a scorching slash of flame that incinerated the pack surrounding him to ash.

Weiss and Billy set to work impaling any Grimm that approached them, with Billy hurling Tri-Pole into an Ursa's neck. As Weiss covered the Blue Ranger's approach, Billy jumped up and grabbed his weapon, using his momentum to separate the beast from its head. After that, Weiss summoned forth a wall of glyphs that Billy ran across, his sniper rifle downing both the Grimm above and below. The last glyph he reached launched him towards an Ursa, which he impaled through the torso.

Trini set Yang up and threw her skyward, leaving the blonde to slam back down in a fiery blast while Trini jabbed her electrified daggers into the ground, sending out an electric current that zapped every foe near her. Perching atop a Creep, Kimberly fired a volley of arrows into the horde before bounding off, planting one more shot into the Grimm's eye. Upon touchdown, Kim split her bow into twin blades and spun through their ranks like a ballet dancer, twirling her blades like ribbons.

Zack ducked beneath a claw and blasted off the Beowolf's head, whistling for Blake. The cat Faunus chuckled Gambol Shroud towards the Black Ranger, who wrapped the ribbon around his forearm and swung Blake around like a wrecking ball. Once Blake had disposed of the surrounding Grimm with her sheath-cleaver, Zack threw her towards a Griffon and the Faunus impaled it through the neck with both blades. Smoothly decapitating the creature, Blake plummeted down and fired as she went.

"EEE-YAH!" Jason slid beneath a Beowolf while slicing off its arm, leaving Ruby to finish it off with an upward slice to the neck. "Any ideas for the big guy?"

"We need to take on the Goliath together!" Ruby shouted. "But we can't do that just yet! Can you tell Kim to focus on the Griffons?" Jason nodded. "Sure thing! Let's get some anti-air!"

"Talons and Teeth!" Trini shouted, the Yellow Ranger facing off against a snarling Creep. Kimberly was by her side in an instant and the two girls slashed wildly at the Grimm like two deadly tops. Kim went high and Trini went low, the Pink Ranger stabbing the beast in the head while Trini ran it through the gut. The beast let out a weakened moan as it perished, leaving the girls stabbing nothing but air. Trini made a break towards Yang and Blake to help them out, with the Pink Ranger moving to follow.

"Hey, Kim!" Jason called out. "How's your skeet-shooting?" The girl's eyes darted upward and she nodded in confirmation. "Let's find out!" Turning her bow skyward, Kim took careful shots that downed any Griffon they hit. One of them swooped towards the Blue Ranger, who kept its beak pried open with his lance as he tried to keep himself from being chomped. Jason hurried over and stabbed it through the neck, throwing it off the boy as it evaporated.

"Billy, what do you say we show our new friends some Dino-Might?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" The two Rangers braced for their next attackers, with Billy skewering a Beowolf that Jason nearly cleaved in half. An Ursa stomped forward and tried to smash Billy, only for the Blue Ranger to notice and throw up Thick Hide's forcefield just in time. Once the Grimm was staggered from the repel, Jason unleashed the full force of King's Call on it, blowing both the Ursa and nearby Beowolves off their feet.

Ruby and Weiss kept Grimm at bay with both Petal Burst and Glyphs, their speed making them a difficult target for the monsters to catch. In the center of their self-made perimeter, Zack and Trini stood back-to-back, blasting at the horde with shotgun and pistols alike. The Black Ranger reached into his Dust supply and retrieved two blue crystals, passing one to the Yellow Ranger. "Furry Frenzy, Trini!"

Trini almost snarled as she crossed her arms. "Let's get wild." A few of the creatures managed to break past Ruby and Weiss' defense, but the Rangers were more than ready for them. Seizing a Beowolf by the arms, Zack hurled it over his head and Trini slashed through it in midair. Twirling after hitting the ground, she drove a leg into another Beowolf's thigh… and fired into its howling mouth, leaving it to suffocate on ice. Zack spun in a circle, sending a cold arc outward that froze another group of Grimm. Both he and Trini proceeded to smash the statues with weapons and bare limbs alike, leaving them nothing but cold chunks on the ground.

Kimberly alternated between shooting down Griffons and slaying any beast that dared approach her, staying near Jason and Billy while Team RWBY kept thinning the herd. These Grimm weren't going down easy, especially after Billy repelled a rolling Boarbatusk and caused it to bowl over some Beowolves. "Stee-rike!"

Kim loaded in a fresh crystal and spun in place, unleashing Wind Dust into a swarm of Grimm. The Pink Ranger resembled a small tornado that lifted even the heaviest of Grimm off their feet with relentless gales, sending them flying through the air and breaking apart when they crashed down. "Is it me, or are these things more persistent than usual?" Jason and Ruby were having similar thoughts as the two red teens cut through a Creep. "Man, it feels like there are thousands of them!"

"But we have to keep fighting!" Ruby shouted. "No matter what!"

"I know!" Jason called back, bisecting a Beowolf. "We need to double our efforts! Yang, you gotta-AUGH!" An Ursa clobbered him from out of nowhere, sending the Red Ranger through a building and depositing him on the opposite street.

"JACE!" Zack yelled moments before a Boarbatusk rammed him from the side. Yang pounced on top of the boar-like Grimm and hammered its skull wildly, the beast bucking around in a frenzied attempt to throw her off. With everyone too occupied to help the Red Ranger, Jason was left alone in the street and inches away from blacking out. Using his sword as a crutch to raise himself, Jason caught the bright red Aura around him flickering. Was he that low already?

Pausing to steady himself, Jason held out his scroll and quickly checked how much Aura he had left. But when he saw the readings… Jason's eyes widened upon seeing that his Aura levels were at the very top! That couldn't be right…

His body pulsed with red light, drawing his attention to something else as he tucked the scroll away. Jason tried to recall what Ruby had told him about Aura; it usually flickered to signal if it was low, like a lightbulb about to short out. But Jason's Aura wasn't flickering… it was flashing. It was flashing in tune to his heartbeat, which was getting faster for some reason. Was it an adrenaline boost? Jason angled his sword close to him, using the metal blade as a makeshift mirror…

…and within his reflection, he immediately noticed that his eyes had gone from brown to a bright red glow.

Wait… there was something else, too. Something inside him. Something… powerful and strong, making its way to the surface. The Red Ranger sheathed his weapon, unsure as to what was happening to him. Whatever this was, he pleaded for it to be useful.

That was when his brain told him one thing: surrender to it. Give in to this new feeling that washed through him like an energy surge. Jason didn't feel like he had much of a choice… so he did.

And light erupted from his being, all of his senses leaving him.

Team RWBY was being backed into a corner by the advancing Grimm. The other Rangers weren't finding a proper opening, as an Ursa snatched Trini from midair and slammed her to the ground. A Beowolf pinned Billy to the ground, gnashing at his face while the Blue Ranger struggled to keep it at bay with his lance. Yang fired blast after blast at the Grimm, screaming in rage while Ruby planted Crescent Rose into the ground and fired at charging Beowolves. "We! Can't! Give! Up!" She cried with each shot. Yang turned a worried eye to her sister… and her lilac orbs widened in alarm.

"RUBY, LOOK OUT!" The silver-eyed girl spun to where the blonde pointed, where a Beowolf was lunging at her with extended claws and an open maw. With no time to yank Crescent Rose out of the ground or speed away, Ruby let out a frightened cry and closed her eyes, waiting for the fangs and claws to dig into her…

…but strangely, it never came. Ruby heard nothing, all sounds of battle were suddenly gone. For a second, she wondered if she was dead, but her elevated heartbeat and frantic breathing put an end to that thought. And that's when a sound finally broke through the silence: a pained demonic howl. Ruby cracked open an eye to see Yang protectively standing in front of her sister… but what she saw past the brawler was simply unbelievable.

It was a creature; one Ruby had never seen with her own eyes. A tall reptilian beast covered in red light and emanating a crimson glow, holding the writhing Beowolf in a pair of powerful bone-crunching jaws. It stood on two muscular hind legs and a strong tail that kept its heavy form balanced. Two tiny arms with two fingers sprouted from its broad torso, and a pair of shining crimson eyes glared at its prey.

Yang, Weiss, and Blake had their jaws on the floor. The other Rangers were just as shocked and stepped back in awe. Behind them, Ruby could see various citizens peeking out of their homes, all of their eyes trained on the mysterious creature. The red creature slammed the wounded Beowolf onto the ground… and crushed its head with a huge three-toed foot before it could rise again.

The massive beast was almost transparent in nature, allowing Ruby to spy a familiar figure just behind its chest. A boy in red lay curled up as if he was asleep, his eyes closed and all features still… while his body shimmered with a bright red Aura. The creature glared at the disintegrating Beowolf beneath its foot and huffed before raising its head…

…and releasing an earth-shaking roar that echoed throughout all of Sumire. Ruby's hands flew to her ears, as did her friends, as the earth-shattering roar carried out across the land. The sound was enough to startle the Grimm, a few of them staggering backward. At the rear of the herd, the Goliath simply rumbled aggressively. After ten seconds, the beast finally ceased and bent its head downwards with a low growl.

"Ruby… are you alright?" The creature's mouth didn't move, but the voice was unmistakable… while a stunned Ruby had to find her own. "J... J-J-Jason?"

"Yeah… it's me."

"Y… you…" Trini struggled to find the words. "You're a dinosaur! Y-you're a freaking T-Rex!"

"I… I don't… how?" Billy gasped. "What happened to you? How did you-?"

"I have no idea," the boy within the beast replied, yet the mouth on his physical form didn't move an inch. "But my Aura just started flashing, my eyes turned red, and I felt something ready to be let out."

"Dude…" Zack finally choked out. "How do you feel?"

The beast rose to a full stand and growled. Only one word was uttered from its form; one filled to the brim with raw, untamed strength.

"Powerful."

The shimmering red dinosaur turned back to the horde of Grimm with a low growl, the ground vibrating with each step it took. Revealing two rows of knife-like crimson teeth, the creature opened its mouth and bellowed challengingly at the black beasts before it. The roar wasn't as loud as the previous ones, yet it was enough to blow over the Grimm like a wind…

…and the monsters responded with a roar of their own before charging for the spiritual creature. With a ferocious snarl, the beast surrounding Jason's form thundered down the street in full charge, colliding with the Grimm and closing its open jaws on a Beowolf. Tearing the monster apart and crushing those underfoot like ants, the spiritual Tyrannosaurus rampaged through the horde with a nigh-unstoppable force. As it bellowed, roared, and tore through the Grimm, everyone else could only watch in sheer amazement.

"Billy," Kim whispered. "Explanation. Now."

The Blue Ranger fumbled for his scroll while trying to keep his breathing in check. "Jason's Aura, it's… it's higher than usual! My scroll can barely get a good reading on it! But I think… I think his Aura manifested into a physical form!"

"What about his Semblance?!" Weiss asked him. Billy turned his eyes away from the device. "You said they can evolve, right? After enough experience?"

"I did. Why?"

The Blue Ranger gestured to the red dinosaur, who had just thrown a Boarbatusk through the air and swatted three Beowolves with its tail. "That… must be it." As if to prove his point, the T-Rex threw off a Beowolf that had leaped onto its face and stomped towards a sprinting group of Beowolves and Ursai. From within, Jason's eyes shot open with a red glow, the beast he commanded reared back…

…and roared with the force of a hurricane, scattering the Grimm like they were nothing with devastating winds and mighty sonic pulses that shook the ground under their feet. It was a force the teens could feel from where they stood. Zack had his hands on his head as the dinosaur resumed its rampage.

"Guys… do you know what this means?!"

"Our Semblances…" Trini whispered like a gleeful schoolgirl. "We've spent all this time harnessing them, letting it come naturally to us. And now that we've gotten used to them, they've grown. They adapted. And now…"

"It's what we saw with Tommy! When he played the Dragon Dagger!" Kim's face broke out into an ecstatic smile. "Guys! We have our Zords!" Despite being overwhelmed by the exciting revelation, Zack was still left confused. "W-wait! How do we… what are we supposed to do?"

Billy's lance was already out and he held a fist high. "Let's find out! Come on!" The Rangers charged into the fray, leaving Team RWBY by themselves. Yang, Weiss, and Blake watched their friends ambush the Grimm and attack with newfound vigor… when Ruby turned to them.

"Well? What are you all waiting for? Get in there!" Grabbing Crescent Rose from the ground, Ruby shot for the horde with a shower of petals. Yang chased after her sister with a propelling blast from Ember Celica, Weiss used a glyph to launch herself forward, and Blake bounded toward the battle with her natural Faunus agility. The majority of the Grimm was distracted by the bright red dinosaur currently tearing through their ranks, leaving them unprepared for the retaliation.

The T-Rex was holding its own despite being surrounded on all sides, ripping and crushing as it went. Grabbing an Ursa in its jaws, the dinosaur bit down hard to crush its skull before tossing it away. Intercepting a charging Beowolf, the bright red beast tossed it into the air and closed its jaws around the Grimm, splitting it in half. Several Beowolves swarmed the dinosaur at once, the savage beasts pouncing onto its legs and torso, where they dug into the Aura acting as the dinosaur's skin. A pained, agitated howl erupted from the T-Rex as it stumbled about, shaking itself wildly to throw off the parasites. Managing to snag a Beowolf's leg in its teeth, Jason commanded the beast to throw it into a growling Ursa and take them both down. That Beowolf scrambled back to its feet instantly, hurling itself onto the dinosaur's head and earning another agonized roar from the creature, its attempts to dislodge the Grimm in vain.

A cracking sound rang through the air, a bullet striking the Beowolf off its perch. More shots followed, each one killing the Beowolves lodged atop Jason's construct. A red blur dashing at inhuman speeds whirled around the recovering dinosaur, its source slashing at the remaining Beowolves between bursts of speed. The flowered trail came to a stop below the beast's head, black ash rising from its splendorous crimson form. A pair of worried silver eyes looked at the creature. "You okay?!"

The Aura-composed creature only grumbled lowly… before extending a tongue that covered a startled Ruby in liquid red saliva from head to toe. "Eeeeewwww!" she gagged in disgust, flicking bits of it off her arms and legs. "You… Why does this feel so real? And gross?! Blegh!"

"If that's how you say you're welcome…" Jason's voice came from the beast. "I'll take it," Ruby swore she saw the boy's body from inside the dinosaur smirking in amusement. The T-Rex didn't waste any time resuming its rampage as it smacked aside an Ursa with its head and sent the bear-like Grimm sailing. Ruby only gagged as she wiped her face with her cloak, dashing off as rose petals to keep more Grimm of the Red Ranger.

Weiss skated through the black horde like a professional dancer while Billy did his best to perform twirling moves of his own. A few electro-grenades and harpoons kept a few of the monsters off the Blue Ranger's back, leaving him to focus only on his current target. Beowolves and Boarbatusks slipped on carefully-placed Ice Dust, where Billy stabbed and sliced them apart. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Weiss using her glyphs to dash in a straight line… and rocks erupted from the ground where Myrtenaster touched them, blocking the nearby Grimm from her position. More immediately circled around the edges of the newly-erected wall.

Billy had just finished spearing a Griffon that had swooped too low when his body began flashing a bright blue, his eyes becoming a similar color. Power and strength surged through the Blue Ranger, though none of it was focused solely on aggression. It felt like too much to call himself invincible, but the rising sensation within him had Billy tempted to claim otherwise. Eying Weiss' rock wall and hearing the heiress' desperate grunts behind it, the Blue Ranger made a break for the barrier and allowed the energy to break through.

Weiss was putting up a good struggle behind it, lopping off heads and limbs while using her glyphs to shield herself from Grimm and launch them away. Too caught up in her solid defense, Weiss failed to notice an Ursa rearing up behind her and smacking the heiress away with a paw. Another conjured glyph halted Weiss in her tracks, the girl immediately cutting down two Beowolves that rushed her from both sides. Icy blue eyes turned to the Ursa, who remained on its hind legs and bellowed at the girl…

…when the rock wall was blown apart behind it. Rubble fell forth and a boulder-sized chunk collapsed atop the bear-like Grimm, pinning it to the ground. The monsters ceased their attack on Weiss, every evil eye directed at the intrusion. A new wave of confusion-laced amazement filled the Schnee as she witnessed a glowing blue quadrupedal animal-esque shape marching through the hole. It bore a circular shield-like frill, a broad tail, and three distinctive horns; two spear-like protrusions above sapphire eyes and a shorter one atop a beaked mouth. The rumbling creature looked down upon the trapped Ursa, who struggled beneath the rubble.

"Excuse me."

The cerulean Triceratops construct marched from its entry point, leaving the Ursa to its fate before taking a stalwart position with spread legs and a lowered head. A heavy exhale left its nostrils alongside a low growl, a pair of sky-blue eyes glaring at the Grimm. A slow gesture of its head told Weiss all she needed to know and the girl hastily moved aside. While the spectacled boy within the construct remained dormant, the dinosaur dragged a front leg along the ground…

…and bellowed a challenge at the monsters before breaking into a thunderous charge. A Boarbatusk barreled for the blue beast with frantic snorts, tucking into a ball and rolling for the dinosaur. The glowing Triceratops connected with the Grimm within seconds, knocking the spinning Grimm into its brethren before diving into the horde. From that point on, Weiss could only make out its shining azure surface and its low roars while Grimm went flying in every direction. A Beowolf jumped for Billy only for it to be impaled on a horn. Others were bashed and battered aside while several Beowolves gave chase. The Triceratops charged for another Ursa and rammed it through the front, its two long horns protruding from the beast's back. Dead before it even hit the ground, the creature evaporated while the Triceratops bellowed in triumph.

The creature barely noticed the Beowolves digging into its semi-transparent blue skin, as its roar called forth a blue shockwave that blasted the attackers off. Those that survived didn't get the message and continued to attack, drawing the Triceratops' ire and leaving them running for their lives as the angry dinosaur pursued with earth-shaking footsteps. A smile crossed Weiss' face before she rejoined the fight, skating on glyphs to keep up with Billy's charging construct.

Yang and Trini struck with fists and blades alike, diminishing the Grimm that converged on them. Uppercutting a Beowolf upward, Yang jumped and pounded it into the ground with a fiery blast. Trini was a flurry of sharp slashes that savagely diced Beowolves and Creeps, and it wasn't until she drove a Creep into the ground with a dagger in its skull did she notice a pulsing yellow light washing over her body.

With that light came a primal urge that overcharged her senses and lit up her eyes with a yellow glow. Something fierce and fast surged through her soul, reaching every nerve and organ inside the Yellow Ranger in milliseconds. Trini's gaze became predatorial as she noticed a pack of Beowolves ganging up on the blonde brawler… and when she smiled in amusement, a deep growl rumbled from her throat.

Yang enjoyed lesser Grimm like these Beowolves; as they were Grimm she could destroy almost effortlessly. But as fun as killing them was, she wasn't so lost in her adrenaline that she failed to notice how many there were. One slip-up and they'd be on her like Zwei if dinnertime was late. The brawler was in the process of smashing one Beowolf to dust when another took the chance to leap at her from behind. Yang spun around only to see the Grimm inches from crashing down onto her…

…when something yellow snatched the Grimm from midair and snapped Yang's attention to a writhing, thrashing mass of black and yellow. Pained howls amidst fierce grows, yelps, and whines filled the blonde's ears while every Grimm nearby seemingly forgot about her in favor of the surprising sight. A great cat twice the size of a car and glimmering with a yellow light was ripping the Beowolf apart, pinning it down with two powerful paws and two rows of sharp teeth, two of them larger than the others sinking into the Grimm's black skin and stained with dark ichor. The feline dug into the Beowolf's nape before ripping its head from its body, leaving its ashen form to disappear beneath its legs.

Yang could only look on in shock as the glowing sabertooth tiger let out a deep predatorial roar, its teeth stained with Grimm blood while a motionless Trini rested within the front of its chest. The yellow construct pounced at the Grimm with a speed Yang could barely track, the feline tearing through the rest of the Beowolves with swiping paws and gnashing teeth. After it violently shook one in its jaws, the beast turned to Yang and snarled at the blonde before charging for its next victim. A smirk crossed Yang's face as she pumped Ember Celica and blasted for a Creep, driving a fist in its ugly face before Trini's tiger leaped atop the Grimm, clawing its groaning face wildly. The beast sniffed the air before bounding off the Creep, tackling a Griffon mid-flight before wrestling the flailing Grimm that flapped and screeched frantically in its attempts to escape.

Blake briefly paused as the roars of Trini's new feline-like form caught her attention, the Faunus unsure what to make of it. All it took for her to get back in the fight was her spinning around to impale a Beowolf through the chin. Zack hacked and blasted at more rushing Grimm, weaving away from claws and fangs until a pack of Beowolves swarmed the Black Ranger from all sides. Blake took notice the second Zack vanished beneath the literal dogpile, but her own attackers left her little chance to assist and she was forced to defend herself. While the Faunus flipped away from a charging creep and filled an Ursa with bullets, Zack struggled beneath the Beowolves pinning him down…

…when his body flashed purple and his eyes became a bright violet all while a strong feeling flowed through him.

Blake had vaulted atop the Ursa and had wrapped Gambol Shroud's length around its neck when a violet blast of light erupted from the Beowolves, sending them flying like ragdolls. In its place was a gigantic purple pachyderm glowing with energy rearing onto its hind legs. The creature had two curved tusks and a long trunk that was emitting a loud trumpeting noise, lush fur covering its body. The very ground shook when it came down on all fours, a pair of violet eyes glaring at the Ursa while Zack's body remained still and motionless from inside. The beast charged with frightening speed towards the Grimm, forcing Blake to leap away before she was slammed and trampled alongside the unfortunate Ursa. The Grimm was crushed underfoot before many more were squashed beneath the beast, its twin tusks smacking away any Grimm in its path. The Grimm converged on the construct, giving Blake the chance to slip away and recover.

Kimberly fired arrow after arrow at the Grimm until a shrill screech made her spin in alarm. A Griffon seized the startled Pink Ranger by the shoulders and lifted its prey into the sky, others chasing after to claim the human as their kill. Struggling in the Grimm's grip, Kim broke her bow into two blades and stabbed the Griffon in the neck, the creature releasing the girl with a pained scream. The Pink Ranger immediately began dropping to the ground below, shooting past the other Griffons as panic started to flood her.

A pink flash waving her body did nothing to calm her, nor did her eyes when they turned bright pink. It was the lighthearted state of mind that filled Kimberly that finally managed to calm her down… and she allowed it to emerge with open arms. Her shining Aura broke through in a spectacular burst of light, shaping itself into a bright pink pterodactyl with wide wings, a crest-topped head, sharp talons, and a beaked mouth open in a high screech. Tucking in its wings, the creature dove towards the horde below just as more Beowolves were swarming the red and purple shapes below. Flying over her friends at breakneck speeds, Kimberly slew two Beowolves atop Jason and snagged two more off of Zack with her claws. Biting off one's head and dropping the other to its doom, the pterodactyl soared through the skies with a pink trail of light, the remaining Griffons doing their best to give chase.

The Grimm's numbers were diminished in mere seconds, unable to compete with the five colored beasts that emerged from the Rangers' very souls. The Tyrannosaurus chomped and tore through the horde with dominant roars, Ruby darting past its feet to cut through more. The Triceratops carved a path through the creatures of darkness while Weiss skated alongside it, none of the Grimm able to stop them. The Sabertooth Tiger rampaged through its prey with ferocious intent matched only by a crimson-eyed Yang that blasted the Grimm to bits. The Mastodon marched steadily through the Grimm with swinging tusks and undaunting stomps, Blake picking off any who tried to fight back. And high above, the Pterodactyl strafed the horde at high speeds, its wings slicing apart even the largest monsters. The pink construct eventually turned to its pursuers and clashed with the Griffons in midair, resulting in a tangled heap of talons and beaks that only it emerged from.

The lone Goliath trumpeted menacingly only to be answered by a crescendo of snarls, roars, screeches, and growls. The elephant-like Grimm charged for Zack's construct, the two pachyderms shoving against each other and locking tusks. The Goliath's powerful feet slid along the ground before a massive shove forced the Mastodon back, an upward toss sending the beast onto its back. Zack struggled to get the construct onto its feet, now vulnerable to the Goliath about to make a finishing blow…

A loud roar erupted from Trini's construct, the great tiger leaping onto the Grimm's back. The Goliath howled and roared in its attempts to dislodge the predator, reminiscent of an ancient hunt deep in another world's past. The tiger sunk its fangs into the Goliath's neck, causing the beast to rear onto its hind legs…

Billy's creature charged forward, running its horns into the Goliath's exposed stomach. Another pained cry erupted from the Goliath before the pink pterosaur swooped down, its velocity giving it enough force to ram the elephantine Grimm onto its side. The wounded creature deprived of a soul groaned from where it lay… and felt the earth tremble beneath it. Helpless before the most ferocious of creatures from a world beyond its own, the Grimm could only look on in a way that made it appear as if it was capable of fear.

The red Tyrannosaurus clenched its jaws around the Goliath's neck and twisted, a sharp snap ringing out through the settlement. The beast beneath it was still, its crimson eyes fading away… before its body followed. Rising black vapor was all that remained of the once-feared creature, its unimpressed slayer huffing as the ashes rose past its face.

All five colored creatures bellowed in triumph, announcing their victory to all of Remnant as both the four Huntresses and the stunned townsfolk of Sumire all looked on. Their cacophony only ceased when bright light enveloped the beasts and shrunk them down… fading to reveal the five Rangers panting in a mixture of relief and exhaustion. A chuckle broke from Zack's throat at the same time a smile donned his face.

"That. Was. Awesome."

"Awesome?!" echoed an excited Billy. "That was incredible! It was like… I could feel everything! I felt like I was a dinosaur! Seeing through its eyes, feeling the Grimm, and…"

A disgusted choke drew everyone's gaze to Trini, where the girl was desperately wiping her mouth and sticking out her tongue. Jason was making similar movements, spitting onto the ground with his face scrunched up. "Uh…" Kim spoke up. "You two okay?"

"Grimm… taste… terrible," Trini choked out. "I'm gonna need a full bottle of mouthwash to get it out…"

"Ugh…" Jason wiped his face one more time before turning his now-brown eyes to Team RWBY. All four girls were looking at the Rangers in sheer wonder, most notably a certain silver-eyed Huntress with sparkling orbs. "Wooow… that had to be the best evolved Semblance I've ever seen! How did you do that?!"

"What, the entrance?" Jason asked. "I got it from this movie I saw last summer."

"You guys were amazing!" Yang cheered, playfully running a hand through Trini's hair until the Yellow Ranger forced herself from the blonde's grip. "I may not know just what exactly you all turned into, but what I do know is that you were monsters out there! A-And I mean that as a compliment!"

"It was impressive," added Blake. "And those things didn't look like real animals, either. Their skin… that was your Aura, right? Aura can't normally do that, it… it should be impossible."

"Impossible? Here?" Billy chuckled. "Given what everyone can do with a Semblance here, that word is about as extinct as the animals you just saw."

"Kim, you said we could use our Zords again…" Zack spoke up. "But that was… different. Very different. They were the Dinozords, yeah… but at the same time, they weren't? And if they're not, then what are we supposed to call them?"

"Um, isn't it obvious?" Trini said with a smirk. "Now that I think about it… 'Aurazord' has a nice ring to it."

"We're so telling everybody back at Beacon!" Ruby squealed in excitement. "Come on, let's-" Before the girl could zip away, Jason grabbed her by the cape and cut her off from leaving. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on! We can't just get up and leave!"

Ruby shot him a glare as her hand touched her neck. "Don't ever do that again…"

The Red Ranger turned his eyes to the townsfolk. "We gotta make sure these people are okay. Their home took a beating today… and as Huntsmen and Huntresses, it's your duty to clean up after your messes, yeah?"

"That's… one way of putting it," Weiss muttered, her eyes turning to the broken gate. "The least we can do is ensure nothing like this happens again any time soon." That was all the teens needed to hear. They split up into two groups; one to repair the outer walls and defenses while the other checked on the citizens' well-being… with some of them all too happy to get up close and personal with their saviors.

…

"You wanted to see me, Profe-"

Tommy paused at the sight of an empty office. There was no sign of the man who had requested his presence: a task Tommy didn't object to since he could do nothing but wait for the others to get back. The Green Ranger had a little trouble finding the elevator in Beacon's CCTS terminals- a room Billy would be in for hours if he came across it, but Tommy could tell this was the right spot. Because what other academic institution would have their headmaster's office as the highest point in the school?

"Uh…" Tommy stepped out of the elevator and into the gray-green circular room. His jade eyes turned to an empty desk in front of a window home to a large clock face. The fact that the whole office was decorated with intricate clockwork mechanisms was more proof that this was the strangest principal's office Tommy had seen.

"Professor Ozpin?" he called out again. "Doctor Steff said you wanted to see me?" Nothing but a gentle ticking answered him. "Hello?" The Green Ranger slowly walked up to the desk straight out of steampunk times, his eyes tracing the room for any sign of the spectacled wise man. The office was quiet… almost too quiet for the young man's liking.

"Professor?" Tommy called one last time. "It's me, Tommy. You wanted to see me, sir? Hello?" The silence that followed this time was enough of a response. The man was late. What could be keeping him, then? Another meeting? Tommy figured he could keep himself occupied in the meantime… but he couldn't just go around and touch things like an irresponsible child. The Green Ranger leaned against the office wall, listening to the sounds of a ticking clock as he sighed in disappointment.

"Principal Caplan doesn't keep students waiting…"

The young man's eyes studied the office. Ozpin must be a real gearhead to have his office smack-dab in the middle of a clock tower. If there was a bell that rang here, it would be devastating on the ears… Tommy's eyes turned to the various gears above and around the room, watching them slowly rotate.

Wait, what was that?

The Green Ranger turned his eyes to the wall opposite of where he had arrived… which housed a second elevator. This was enough to make the young man stand up straight. "What the… two?" he muttered, turning back to the elevator he just came out of. "Why would he have two elevators?" Maybe Ozpin hated stairs?

The Green Ranger quietly approached the elevator and made his way inside, taking note of a gear emblem above it. Maybe instead of wasting time in the professor's office- that would seem rather rude, right?- Tommy could wait for Ozpin outside the tower or in the CCTS terminals. Mentally asking what the harm could be in waiting on the lower levels with a shrug, Tommy pressed the button on the bottom and watched the doors slide shut.

The steady descent was somewhat soothing to the Green Ranger. It helped him think about where to go from here. Team RWBY and the other Rangers were absent and Team JNPR had gone to the library… and none of them had any luck in their mission. Tommy was at a loss. Not only that, but he had questions about why Rita wasn't showing up and causing havoc. Something about this wasn't right. None of it made sense. Rita wasn't the type of person that would bide their time and lie in wait.

The good news was that her minions were probably having the same luck the Rangers were. But blind searching was getting them both nowhere. When everybody got back, they'd have a meeting about what to do next. Perhaps they could coax Rita out of hiding and ensure the people of Remnant were safe from here at the same time…

Yeah, that could work.

The elevator came to a halt, putting Tommy's idea on hold for now. The Green Ranger watched the doors open… but what he saw was not the base of Beacon Tower nor the CCTS terminals. Instead, what lay before the confused Green Ranger was a dark hallway lit only by emerald torches. He didn't know what to think of it… maybe he had gone to the wrong floor?

The young man slowly crept out into the tall corridor, watching the green flames reflecting off his form and the floor. As Tommy walked down the hallway, he couldn't help but feel a familiar tingling in the back of his mind. This place… all this green was bringing back memories.

Bad memories.

To the fall of Zordon and the destruction of the Power Rangers!

Tommy drove the thoughts away, but he knew they'd be back eventually. Wherever the elevator had taken him was giving him serious deja vu. The jade flames of the torches and the perpendicular intersection leading to darkness on both sides were enough to give him the chills… of that place. Rita's palace on the moon, where he'd gotten the Green Ranger powers after being enslaved by the witch. That eerie dimension where he had fought Jason, the trapped Red Ranger unaware of who lay behind the helmet.

He should turn back. Return to the elevator and leave. But as much as he wanted to, Tommy felt his body unwilling to turn away as if he was feeling drawn to this strange place. A hand slowly went to his dagger just in case the unspeakable happened down here: those shadows could hold anything.

But what intrigued the Green Ranger the most was something at the end of the hall. It was a machine, its purpose one Tommy couldn't identify off the top of his head. It gave off a blue glow that contrasted to the dark and the green… and that light illuminated a figure sleeping in a pod. That made the young man rush up to the pod, the number "001" beneath it. Resting peacefully within the pod was a girl with light brown skin, a white tube top, a white skirt, and a scarred face. She looked barely alive; something that brought great concern to Tommy. The boy gently placed a hand on the glass separating him from her.

"Hello?" he whispered gently. "Can… can you hear me?" The Green Ranger slowly pressed his ear against the glass, waiting for a possible response. He waited for a solid thirty seconds, but nothing came. Worried, the boy opened his mouth to try again.

"Yeeeeesssss…"

A response. But not from the girl. Although it was quiet, the sound was enough to make Tommy jump back. "I can heeaaar yoooouuu…"

The boy's eyes shifted to the right, where a second pod lay with another motionless figure. Another woman. Tommy slowly made his way over to that pod and took in the stranger's features. She was a fair-skinned young woman with a lowered tan hood, a red necklace in the shape of an eye, silver shoulder pauldrons, and a short-sleeved brown robe with blue elements on the arms and center.

Tommy inched closer to the woman, reaching out with a cautious hand… when her eyes suddenly snapped open and made him jerk back. The woman's eyes bore into Tommy until her mouth slowly moved. But she didn't speak this time…

…instead, her mouth raised into a devious, wicked grin.

It was a grin all too familiar to Tommy, whose body seized up. His blood ran cold and he felt himself trembling when he realized just who he was looking at. "N-no…"

"I've missed you so much…" hissed Rita Repulsa. "My Green Ranger…"