Why did a Power Ranger have to be so selfless?
It was a stupid question to ask; one Jason knew the obvious answer to. Defense against evil was a Ranger's sworn duty, protecting the helpless and each other. Zordon made Jason and his friends Rangers because he saw that potential within them: the bond they shared. Jason only wished it didn't have to be so painful. Before, a part of him believed he was to blame. Trini got in harm's way because he was in danger; she took the blow that was meant for him. Telling the others he should be the one on the bed instead of Trini was a poor move, for they would be left leaderless and low on morale.
But it sank anyway. Now, Jason was watching over a still figure clad in green resting on one of the beds in the boys' temporary room. The Red Ranger was replaying the events in his head: Tommy denying assistance and urging the Rangers to go out and do what they needed to do, all while a neurotoxin Scorpina injected shut him down from the inside. Jason glanced at his scroll, showing several previous calls from Billy that were minutes apart from each other. Tommy didn't want this to be an obstacle, but it became one nonetheless. Billy frequently paused in his work with Weiss and asked Jason what help he could give Tommy.
Jason's answer was always the same: help Tommy by doing what he wanted from them- what was necessary- instead of slowing themselves down because of him. Jason didn't like it- none of them did- but there wasn't much they could do for Tommy right now. Beacon's medical supplies couldn't counteract the toxin, which fought back against any means to cure it like an animal that did everything in its power to avoid being muzzled.
Tommy would disapprove of Jason just standing there when he needed to be with the others. If he was awake, Jason would say that Tommy was one of them; he was a Ranger just like Billy, Kimberly, and Zack were. He wouldn't give up on him… but what good would he be to him now? Further medical scans had shown the toxin had reached Tommy's brain, doing who-knows-what to him right now. It didn't get much further because… because of something Jason couldn't guess. Billy would know, but the Blue Ranger didn't need any more distractions. Besides, Weiss would talk some sense into him.
Speaking of sense, Jason decided it was time to fill his head with some. With a heavy sigh, he walked over to the door and pulled it open… noticing a blonde figure standing at the hallway's other end. He sighed. "You're supposed to be with your sister." Yang brushed off the words, her eyes locked on the Red Ranger. "Just… wanted to see how you're holding up."
Speaking of selflessness… Jason thought back to a previous conversation. When he and Ruby were trading stories on what drove them to be heroes, there was something Ruby said about how she was raised. "In that case… would you like a word?" Surprise crossed Yang's face, no doubt wondering if she heard that right. "Uh, a word? I guess… I mean, if that's okay with you."
"Ruby told me that you stepped up after what happened to your mother," Jason began, making careful note of Yang's reaction. "Your father was distraught, which meant you had to pick up the pieces by yourself and look after her. That… couldn't have been easy." Yang was silent momentarily until her eyes cast downward and a sigh left her. "It wasn't. But I wanted to make sure Ruby was happy… and safe."
There was that word. Safe. Trini wanted Jason to be safe. Jason wanted to make sure all of the Rangers- all of his friends- were safe. But right now, two of them were out of action. "Why did you want to be a Huntress, Yang? To make sure Ruby's doing a good job at protecting herself?" Yang was taken aback at that question and it took her a second to answer. "Well… n-not really. I mean, an older sister has to look out for the younger one… but I wanted some excitement in life. I wanted to see the world and get wrapped up in all kinds of crazy things."
Jason couldn't resist a smirk. "Does helping kids from another world count as crazy?"
"Oh, definitely," the answer was immediate. "But getting back on track, you could say I'm the kind of person who looks out for everybody. Ruby wants to be the same way, so I guess she got that from me. Then again, she got a lot of things from me." Jason could relate to that. "So… where are you going with this, red?"
"Well…" He looked back at Tommy's body. "Let's just say I've been on both ends recently. As a leader, I look out for my friends. And sometimes, they look out for me. And that can get them…" He didn't need to finish that: Yang instantly knew what he meant by that. "So, I've been thinking… what would Ruby think if you-"
Yang chuckled, one of the last responses the Red Ranger expected from her. "Come on, Jason. My Semblance converts pain into power! Don't tell me you forgot about that!" Now the boy was taken aback this time and he scratched at the back of his head. "Uh, that's not what I-"
"Seriously, though," Yang interrupted. "Ruby would be worried about me just like you're worried about Trini and Tommy. But there's something she knows about me; she knows my Semblance would protect me. I'd be fine in no time. And if not, she knows I'm tough. Nothing brings me down easily and there aren't many things in this world that can keep me that way. And if there's one thing I know about your friends… they're just as tough. Physically and mentally, by the way. Trust me when I say this: when they wake up, it'll be like nothing happened."
"You better be right about that," Jason was met with a confident smile from Yang before he looked back into the room one last time. "Because if you are…" Yang didn't let him finish this time. "Hey, your gang will be back together eventually. But for now, why don't you come with us to help out in Vale? You could use the distraction."
"I…" Her following glance left him with no room for resistance. "Alright… on the bright side, I can be of better help to people I can actually help." Yang motioned Jason onward, the two of them leaving the comatose Green Ranger alone.
…
Tommy was alone.
Alone and- if he understood this right- fighting his very thoughts. Fighting himself. His entire subconscious was out to get him thanks to whatever Scorpina had stabbed him with. When he wasn't getting pummeled and fighting back against the things that looked like his friends, they were spitting out words that hit harder than any blow- real or fake- could ever be.
"Oh, this is all real, Tommy!" roared the false Zack, sweeping at the Green Ranger's legs and driving him into a backflip before the Sword of Darkness deflected a blue lance. Hold on, did he just- "And nothing hurts harder than the truth! Just how 'false' do you think any of us are?!" Ducking under a swing from Billy, Tommy felt Kimberly kick him in the face before Jason elbowed him from behind. Trini rolled away from a high kick and Tommy blocked a combined strike from the fake Billy and Zack.
"There you go again!" Billy snapped, driving the Sword of Darkness down before kicking Tommy away. "Always with the excuses! Always with the lies you keep telling yourself!" What? How could-
Zack plowed Tommy across the face, sending him spinning. "You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" Tommy groaned as he tried to stand up. He didn't understand… were these things that were pretending to be his friends reading his mind? Jason and Trini suddenly charged at him, bombarding the Green Ranger from two sides with sharp slashes. A low leg sweep sent the fake Yellow Ranger tumbling and the Sword of Darkness clashed with the faker's Power Sword.
"We're not reading your mind, Tommy!" he spat. "We are your mind! And we're saying you were never meant to be a Ranger!" Okay, that was just a bunch of-!
"I wouldn't finish that if I were you!" A pink arrow exploded against his shoulder, staggering Tommy. Before he could realize what was happening, a pair of pink legs wrapped around his neck and threw him to the ground, where he rolled away from a black fist. "But then again, we all are."
"Well, if that's true…" Tommy retorted. "Why am I not fighting a bunch of me?"
"Because that would be too easy!" Zack shouted, swiping his ax at Tommy until the Green Ranger grabbed the weapon and slammed his helmet against his opponent's. But instead of reeling away, the faceless helmet staring back at him remained firmly in place. "And you need to learn."
Tommy still didn't get it. "Learn what?" he called, parrying Kim's bow and leaning away from Billy's lance. Trini delivered a spinning kick to the Green Ranger's face, the ground rushing up to meet him. The impact shook him, but it would take more than that to do him in. Taking the sword in hand, Tommy raised his head…
…and froze in shock. He was outside now, surrounded by desert and sky instead of darkness. But the sudden change of scenery was nothing compared to what lay in front of him: a gigantic mechanical feline crumpled in a heap, black marks dotting its chassis and its cockpit ablaze in dangerous flames. Sparks shot off the Sabertooth Tiger Dinozord's body like blood leaking from open wounds.
And resting in the dirt before the destroyed machine was the Yellow Ranger's helmet… with its visor cracked. Tommy could see his reflection in the shattered surface, fear slowly inching up his spine as he took it all in. This wasn't real, he knew it wasn't real… but the sun, the heat, the feeling of the wind blowing on him.
"You weren't there when I needed you," a saddened voice rang out. Tommy's head darted in all directions, but nobody else was with him. Don't freak out, this is a trick! This is all a trick! Don't fall for-
"Don't. Don't do this, Tommy. You can't deny it. All of us needed you back there. But you were too late, just like you were too late to stop Rita. Just like you were too late to stop her from sending us there!"
"Stop it!" Tommy roared at nothing. "That wasn't my fault! None of that was my fault!"
"Why are you always so stubborn? Jason told you not to do it, but you did it anyway. You didn't listen to him, and if you did, none of this would have happened. If you had just stuck to the plan, we'd be on Earth instead of some alien world none of us belong in. If you had just listened…" The fire in the Zord's cockpit grew brighter, spreading to the rest of the machine. "...maybe I would still be alive."
"NO!" A devastating explosion blasted the Sabertooth Tiger Dinozord to pieces, the shockwave sending Tommy flying until he fell on his back. The yellow helmet sailed like a stone until it hit the ground next to him, shattering into jagged pieces as if it were made of glass. Tommy fought to catch his breath and control the sudden shaking… but the sand gave way beneath him and he fell…
Tommy landed hard in a street, the Sword of Darkness landing inches away from his throat. Everything hurt, the pain felt so real… no, he had to stay strong. He had to power through this. None of this was real. None of this mattered.
"Oh no?" spoke another familiar female voice. "Then how would you explain that?"
Tommy looked around him to see civilians gathered on the streets of Vale… all of them looking at him with fear and horror in their eyes. Tommy immediately rose to his feet, holding out his hands peacefully. "Wait! Don't be afraid, I'm not-"
Screams. Dozens of them ringing through the air and burning his ears. Panic as the crowd scrambled away, one of them throwing a rock that bounced off the Green Ranger's head. His breath grew quicker from inside his helmet, and this time it was harder for Tommy to suppress it.
"This is what they do…" He spun around to see Kimberly standing meters behind him. "...when they see something that doesn't belong." Then, quicker than it should've been possible, she drew a pink arrow and fired it at Tommy's face.
…
"Zack… why are we doing this?"
The Black Ranger tossed aside the piece of rubble, his head turning to his partner while he helped a young girl out of the debris. "What do you mean, Kim? We're heroes; this is what heroes do. Would you rather these people be left on their own and suffer?"
"N-no!" the Pink Ranger objected. "Obviously not! But what happened here… it got me thinking." She sent a little boy on his way to his parents before standing to face the Black Ranger. Zack's curiosity was piqued. "About what?" Kimberly was eerily quiet, her face tightened in worry while her eyes darted everywhere but at Zack. She hung her head before whispering in a tone Zack barely caught.
"We don't belong here…"
Zack was ready to object in an attempt to calm his friend, but the words died in his throat. She was right; the Rangers had no place here, but not because this world had plenty of protectors. By trying to stop Rita's spell, the Rangers had accidentally brought their worst enemies to this world with them, where they began a new warpath and placed the people of Remnant in grave danger… and this time, the Rangers failed to stop them.
"They're already dealing with so much…" Kimberly gently whined. "It's bad enough they're plagued by black monsters that want to destroy everything, but now… a Faunus with a Semblance that makes him big just rampaged through Vale, possibly worsening the relationship between humans and Faunus, many people lost their homes, we're lucky not many were killed, and… and…"
"Kim…" Zack cupped her chin and turned her to meet his eyes before she could break down into tears. "I keep thinking about it, too… about both of them. Now, I wanna say they don't want us to mope, but we got hit. Hard. We're all still a little shaky… and you're right. You wanna go home, I wanna go home, we all do. And take Rita and her goons with us so this world has one less problem to worry about."
"But…" Kim whimpered, her eyes looking lost. "How are we supposed to do that… when everyone's not here?" Zack didn't have an immediate answer… so he chose to go with his gut. "I don't know… but here's what I do know. We're not alone here. Ruby and her friends will help us do what we need to do. They've done a great job so far and they won't stop now. It could be a while, Kim… but we. Are. Going. Home." He said it with utmost sincerity and it was enough to calm his friend down. "You're right about one thing. We're a little out of place here, and I don't want to overstay our welcome any more than we need to."
"And… and what about…"
"Kim… they're Rangers. I don't know what Jason would say, but they're strong. With powers or without them. And so are we… because the people here need to know." His message was loud and clear, allowing Kim to stand up and wipe at her face. "Y-You're right. Let's get back to work."
It could have been worse. Kimberly kept telling herself that as she and Zack helped the people get situated. Clearing debris, reuniting civilians with friends and loved ones… Kimberly even found a kid's lost toy; the act cheered her up even more. Kim was so caught up in her acts that she didn't notice Jason and Yang arriving on the scene until she heard Zack greeting them. The Pink Ranger only gave her leader a short wave before turning back to the scene around her. Shattered windows, torn-up streets, a few busted walls… rebuilding wasn't her forte, and it's not like Huntsmen could do everything around here. That was why they partnered up with governments, right? Acting on their own would mean the public would see them as vigilantes or mercenaries looking to get paid for their duties, and real heroes didn't care about-
Kim paused when she looked down a corner. A blue-eyed girl with short brown hair was checking over an unconscious man, with the Pink Ranger's first thought being the civilian was concerned for his safety. Kimberly slowly made her way in their direction with concern on her face, her mouth already open and about to call out if everything was alright. But a verbal response wasn't needed, as the man slowly began to stir when the girl was in the middle of running a hand along a bracelet on his arm. The first groan reached her ears, prompting the girl to look at the man's head…
…and punch his lights out, sending him back to a sleepy state.
"HEY!" Kimberly shouted without thinking. The girl whirled her head towards Kimberly, ripped the bracelet from the man's arm, and took off down the street in a mad dash. The Pink Ranger hurried after the thief, an arrow already in her bow. "STOP! Or I'll shoot!" As far as this girl knew, she was dealing with a Huntress. She'd be smart. She'd throw up her hands once she knew she didn't have a chance…
That, and Kimberly really didn't want to stick an arrow in her shoulder.
The girl didn't listen, though, as she swung off a lamppost and used an overhang as a trampoline, propelling herself to the roofs. It was a task easy enough for Kimberly, who launched to higher ground with a pink trail behind her. Tucking into a roll upon landing, Kim's eyes darted across the rooftops… but the girl was nowhere to be found. Frowning in suspicion, Kim placed her arrow back in its quiver and used the silence for an opportunity.
We've got a troublemaker. Need you up here now.
Maybe Billy had a point about these Scrolls. With any luck, Jason would catch that message and bring him and Zack into the pursuit. But for now, Kim kept scanning the roofs for any sign of the thief. Keeping a steady grip on her bow, the Pink Ranger prowled atop the buildings and looked across the streets if the girl chose to make a hasty getaway. She couldn't have gotten very far: she was a civilian, which meant she hadn't unlocked a Semblance. So coercing her to return the bracelet should be-
A blur of movement followed by something metal slamming against Kimberly's face forced the thoughts from her brain… and also forced her facefirst onto the roof's surface. The Pink Ranger vaulted back to her feet when the object smashed the spot where her head was. Splitting Winged Woe into its twin blades, Kimberly glared at the girl… who was wielding a metal pipe.
Whoever this was, she was persistent.
"You don't need to go to all this trouble!" Kim shouted. "Just drop the pipe, hand over the bracelet, and surrender! That way, we can end this peacefully and nobody has to get-" She was rushing at Kim before she could finish, making the Pink Ranger weave away from each swing until she blocked the pipe with a single blade. A quick jerk of her arm sent the pipe sliding across the roof and Kim was just about to point her other blade at the girl's throat…
…when the girl kicked Kimberly in the jaw and knocked her onto her back. The Pink Ranger collapsed, releasing her blades that fell alongside her. Albeit stunned from the unexpected strike, Kimberly bounded back up with one blade in hand… while the girl was examining the other like an artist admiring a sculpture. The girl ran a hand along its length and a smile donned her lips while her eyes took in every detail she could see. Kim had the nagging feeling that the girl was contemplating stealing the blade instead of the bracelet.
"Okay, that's it!" she snapped, drawing the girl's attention. "I don't know who you are, but I've had enough of you!" The girl said nothing as she gave Kimberly a look and disinterestedly rolled her eyes, snapping into an aggressive stance with the Pink Ranger's blade.
Weird. She didn't look like she could fight.
No. Not the time. Kimberly braced herself when the girl charged at her, nimbly evading each swing and blocking others before throwing a high kick that the girl ducked around. The thief countered by sweeping Kim's feet from under her and the Pink Ranger sprung away from being stabbed with her own weapon. Quickly closing the distance, Kim's next strike was met by a block, leaving both blades locked together. Kimberly narrowed her eyes and growled at the girl who was supposed to be a common street thief. The girl only smirked teasingly in response and vanished in a shimmer of pink that caused Kimberly to squint. Dismissing it as a trick of the light, the Pink Ranger opened her eyes…
…and found herself staring at her own face.
Everything stopped. It was like looking into a mirror, except one side was frozen in shock while the other bore a mischievous grin. Kimberly swore she was dreaming… but this was real. All of it. Her hair, her eyes, her outfit… The new image continued to smile, no doubt taking in her reaction.
It was a whisper when she finally spoke. "...what?"
And then she was down again, with herself standing over her. Her body slammed back into full gear and the Ranger rolled backward, getting into the first stance she could think of with her single blade at the ready. With that same irritating smirk, her doppelganger mimicked the stance perfectly.
Kimberly was starting to regret telling her friends to get here…
…
"You just don't get it, do you?" Tommy rolled away from a volley of arrows before getting into a crouch, cutting down more with the Sword of Darkness until a boot slammed into his stomach. "If you think this world deserves you- deserves your help and your presence- you're making a fool of yourself!" Tommy opened his mouth to retort, but the fake (they were and there's nothing they could say that would change that) Kimberly jabbed him in the throat, reducing the words to a garbled mess before landing another kick.
"You can't hide behind that barrier forever," she snapped, driving Tommy back with an elbow to the faceplate and a swipe of her bow. "You're feeling everything that's happening right now. If that's not real… then you're hopeless!"
The Green Ranger slammed his helmet against the Pink Ranger's, following up with a blast of green energy from his palm. "AI-YAH! I'll tell you what's hopeless! This twisted mind game! As well as being told that my chances of going home are slim!"
"And what about the homes of these people?" the girl shot back. "You think you just get to come over here and wreck them all while you say you're protecting them? Well, they've got plenty of 'heroes' here! And the last thing they need right here… is the invasive kind."
"Invasive?!" Tommy shouted, his sword missing the pink figure by inches. "Rita's the invading one, not us!" The Pink Ranger weaved around and struck Tommy in the back of the head with her bow, followed by a leg sweep that floored him. "We're trying to- urgh!- save them from her!"
"What part of 'saving' is there?" the girl continued. "It was your battle with Goldar that almost destroyed an entire city! And even before that, you think you know what's best! The minute you arrived here, you tried protecting a world that's not even yours!"
"What's wrong about that?!" Tommy growled. "Zordon said it's a Ranger's job to protect the universe! Which is not limited to just Earth! You say you're me, right?! Then you should know that all too well!"
"I do," the girl replied, pausing her attack for a moment. "But here's something we also know: this is not your universe. You have no jurisdiction here. The Power Rangers aren't needed on Remnant… and they're not wanted either."
"There can only be so many Huntsmen to-"
"That's not what I mean," the girl hissed. "Ever since you came here, you've been following your rules in a place that abides by a different set of them. You and the others are playing superheroes in a world where super is normal. Because you come from a world where it's not. And because of that… you think you're better than everyone else."
"A Ranger never lets the power go their head!"
"There is no 'power' here!" Kim shouted as she resumed bombarding strikes on the Green Ranger. "Not the one you know! Whenever you or another Ranger sees somebody who's not a Huntsman or Huntress, you know what you see? Helplessness! Collateral damage! Somebody who would die the second they end up somewhere they shouldn't! You protect people who are capable of protecting themselves one day, thanks to their Aura and the Semblance they will one day unlock!"
"Not everyone here is a fighter!" Tommy shot back, although something in the depths of his mind was saying otherwise. These people had something theirs didn't: protection derived from their very soul. Something that could shield them from harm and enhance their abilities far greater than… than…
"You see it now…" Kim's voice whispered while Tommy's body went still with realization. "You're defending something that doesn't need to be defended. Even now, the Power Rangers protect the Huntsmen and Huntresses of Beacon, who are more capable than they appear. You're all enforcing a rule without realizing it. You don't trust them to handle themselves. You've grown ignorant of their abilities, arrogant of your own, and in the eyes of Remnant's people… you're nothing more than self-righteous brats who think their way is the only way."
"I…" Tommy couldn't find the words. "No… Th-that's not…"
"It's as we said before…" Tommy noticed a visage of the Black Ranger marching out from behind Kimberly, axe held like an executioner. "You don't belong here. And now that you're spreading your influence like a disease, you're dooming this world… and making yourself unworthy. But were you ever really worthy, Tommy?"
Tommy couldn't answer. Everything felt cold, the weight of everything crashing into him. New rules… sticking to the old… nothing here was normal… everyone had Auras that would bring them power… protecting them wasn't right… he didn't belong… his presence here… the Rangers on Remnant was wrong…
"We thought so. And so do you."
The axe swung at his head and everything blurred.
…
Zack's axe embedded into the roof and he hoisted himself up, Jason by his side in no time. Both Rangers gazed over the rooftops of Vale until the Black Ranger's eyes reread Kimberly's message for the fifth time. "Jason… couldn't Kimberly handle a troublemaker by herself?" The Red Ranger just shook his head. "Ordinarily, yeah. But you need to remember where we are, Zack. And what people here can do. My guess is that isn't an ordinary 'troublemaker'. If Kim says she needs backup, then she needs backup."
Zack glanced back down to the street, where Ruby and Yang were busy helping the people. "And those two can take care of things, yeah?" Jason confidently patted Zack on the shoulder. "Relax. It's what they're best at. Now let's go." Zack followed his leader across the roofs, the trek lasting a minute or so until feminine grunts reached the boys' ears. A silent nod from Jason was all Zack needed for the two to charge, leaping across any gaps they came across.
They found Kim a few seconds later, locked in a deadly dance on the roof of a hotel building. And she was fighting… herself? Jason and Zack froze in their tracks, stunned at the sight of a second Pink Ranger holding half of Kim's weapon and matching her every movement. While both girls continued to go at each other, the boys were left seriously confused about what they were seeing. One pink figure threw a high kick that the other rolled beneath, swiping at her feet. The other simply leaped over the swing and nailed her in the chin with a foot. Both of them clashed blades fluidly, with one of the girls blocking a strike from behind before kicking the other back, the blade absorbing most of the hit but sending its wielder stumbling back. A grimace crossed her features before she sprinted in for another attack.
"Jace?" Zack whispered. "What… what are we supposed to do? How do we know which one's Kim? I mean, our Kim?" Jason allowed himself to be honest. "I… I don't know. They look the same, they move the same, she's even got the same quiver and I don't know how that's possible… there's got to be something different that can help us!" Zack worriedly looked back at the girls, repeating Jason's words. Kim wouldn't be happy if she received harm from her friends instead of help, but none of them could just rush in without having an idea as to who was who. For now, the best bet was surveillance on the sidelines.
One Kim grunted while another cartwheeled away from a swing, planting a heel into her back. That Kim shot her opponent a smirk before slashing right at her neck. Brief fear flashed through the first Kim's eyes as she weaved back, dodging each of the swings until her heel caught on a discarded pipe and fell onto her back. The other Kim stomped down on her chest and drove her blade downward, the first abandoning her grip on her own weapon and catching the one pointed at her heart. The girls strained against each other, fighting to keep the blade at bay or push it into flesh. The Kimberly standing above the downed girl had a wicked smile on her face and a devilish look in her eye.
"That one!" Jason shouted, rushing into action with his sword drawn. Thundering across the roof, the sound of his footsteps made the fake Kim round in his direction, but she was too late to act. Jason plowed her away with a kick to the midsection and the blade she held fell to the roof. The Red Ranger stood protectively between the two girls while the real Kimberly wrapped her fingers around her blade's handle, Zack rushing by her side while she reconnected them back into their bow form.
"So, Kim…" he began, staring at the girl that was now glaring daggers at Jason. "When were you going to tell us you had a twin sister?" Kim took Zack's free hand and rose to her feet, exhaling as she did so. "I found her taking a bracelet off of someone. Be very careful with her; she's got a shape-shifting Semblance."
The false Kimberly stared Jason up and down, studying him closely. Another smirk crossed her face… and in a pink shimmer of light, her appearance changed to that of the Red Ranger. The real Jason was visibly taken aback by this, but he only glared at his mirror image.
"Alright, ma'am or sir or whoever you really are!" he shouted while taking a stance. "Time to show you that plagiarism doesn't get you anywhere! HI-YAH!" The red-clad leader attacked his copy, who simply weaved and dodged each attack. His double didn't utter a sound while the real deal added power to each of his strikes with various yells. The copy took a moment to dramatically yawn, the taunt bringing a frown to Jason's face. Spinning away from a swing, the copycat kicked him across the head and the Red Ranger was sent flying into a chimney, reducing it to bricks upon impact. Zack took that as his cue, sprinting for the fake Jason with clenched fists. The copycat sidestepped his double-fisted smash and leaned away from various punches, grabbing an outstretched leg and sending Zack spinning. The Black Ranger landed on his hands and feet, needing a second to get his breathing under control. The fake Jason smirked above him, his arms crossed like a bully looming over a downed nerd.
Zack climbed back up and threw another punch… that the copycat caught in an open palm. Instantly, another wave of pink light washed over him until Zack found himself staring into his own eyes. The double wasted no time in twisting the surprised boy's wrist and kicking him back, and it took all of Zack's strength to keep himself from falling.
"Alright… so you can copy my face," he said challengingly while adjusting his arm. "But can you copy my moves?" His twin quietly raised a brow, as if asking Zack what he meant by that. In response, the Black Ranger let his body take over in fluid, well-practiced dance moves, the music coming to him naturally. His double remained still and silent, a confused look on his face as the real Zack danced toward him and transitioned into a leaping spin-kick.
The initial blow caught the double off guard and he immediately snapped back into combat mode, throwing punch after punch that Zack absentmindedly twisted and bobbed around. Zack was literally one step ahead of his twin, acting like he wasn't in the middle of a fight while he outmaneuvered and confused his twin with hip-hop-kido. Catching a punch from his double, Zack absorbed the blow's strength by making wave-like motions with his arms, redirecting it with a punch of his own once the wave returned to that limb.
Zack's double was about to retaliate when a strong hook from Jason and a high kick from Kimberly grounded him. The fake Ranger slowly got back up, placing a hand on his shaking head. The trio stared him down with weapons drawn, with Kimberly drawing an arrow. "Now show yourself!" she demanded. "And I mean your real self!"
The copy stayed still for a moment, looking over the various weapons in the Rangers' hands. The double appeared to ponder over this… until he shrugged and obliged with another pink shimmer that washed over him, arms spread like a magician revealing the results of their latest trick. Once the shimmer faded, the person who stood before the teens now was a girl with a rather colorful appearance.
Her hair was a mixture of pink and brown, and her eyes were similar colors that matched the locks' halves. A multitude of black beaded necklaces were draped around her neck while she was covered in a white cropped jacket with a pink collar. Beneath that was a brown corset exposing her hips and a pair of brown belts holding brown leather pants in place. Finally, black and white spat styled under knee boots covered her feet while her hands were adorned with black gloves. The girl took a bow with a pleasured smile before her eyes opened with a flash of mischievousness.
"That's a neat little trick you've got," Jason told her. "Handy for stealing, right? You almost would've gotten away with it if Kim didn't show up." The girl shot Jason a teasing smile before patting her hip… and the smile dropped. She glanced at her waist and patted herself over, confusion dotting her features.
A whistle from Zack made her turn in his direction… where the Black Ranger was holding up the bracelet like a trophy. "Not the only one with quick hands, missy," he slyly taunted with a grin. The girl donned an annoyed look and she reached behind her back, drawing… Zack was the one to drop his smile this time, completely puzzled at what the girl now held. "Is that… an umbrella?"
Kimberly was resisting the urge to break out into laughter. "Oh, that's… that is rich! Ha ha! Hey, Mary Poppins! Think fast!" She fired an arrow at the girl… who flashed open her parasol, the arrow bouncing off the surface and clattering to her feet. She proceeded to step on the projectile and snap it in two beneath her boot, shooting Kimberly a satisfied sneer that screamed You were saying?
"Uh…" Kimberly turned to her just-as-confused friends. "Get her, I guess?"
…
"You're right."
He was surrounded by darkness and green mist again, the Sword of Darkness limp in his hand. It hurt for Tommy to admit defeat… to give up. But he knew when he was beaten. He knew fighting this was pointless. He'd been so blind this whole time…
"Of course you were," Tommy looked up to see all five of his friends standing before him, silently judging him beneath their colored helmets. Billy was the one who had spoken, his grip on the Power Lance stalwart as ever. "Your body and soul adjusted to this world, but your mind hasn't. You helped these people your way and look what happened. You failed them, Tommy, just like you failed us."
Tommy wasn't going to deny it this time. He felt like a failure from the very beginning. His powers came from evil instead of good. The others were chosen by Zordon while he was chosen by Rita. Time and again, he was scared he would never be a part of the Power Rangers, that they wouldn't see him as one of their own. He worried that something in some way would make him evil again, unwilling to release him. He feared his friends would turn against him, just like the ones standing before him now. But there was something behind all those worries and doubts they were throwing at him. Yes, the Rangers had unknowingly enforced their policies in a world where no such policies existed. Yes, they had helped civilians despite everyone on Remnant sharing soul protection and soul superpowers, things that made them different than the civilians the Rangers knew. And yes… they didn't belong here.
But neither did she.
"What?" Jason said suspiciously. "What do you mean, she?"
"You're all just figments of my mind, right?" Tommy responded. "You figure it out. Or maybe… I will. All of this is happening because Rita thought banishing us to another world would rid of her us. So here we are in a world that's different from Earth. Different continents, different people, different cultures… and different rules. And you're right, we would have played by Earth's rules and this world wouldn't like that. No one idolizes the Huntsmen the way people back home idolize the Power Rangers. Monster attacks on Remnant have been common here for as long as can be remembered, while monster attacks on Earth only started happening recently. Long story short, everybody would get sick of being protected by us 24/7… and they would've taken it out on the Huntsmen."
"You understand now," Trini said aggressively. "You're unnecessary. And your way of protecting others is having the reverse effect here!"
"Really?" Tommy countered. "Because so far, I haven't seen anybody shout at me or chase me away, demanding to be left alone. And you know why? Because we're still new here. And if we stay longer than we need to, all of that might happen. We'll end up turning the people against each other and we'll realize it when it's too late… or maybe we're so wrapped up in our hubris we never notice it. That's why we don't belong, and that's why we must get home as soon as we can."
"So leave," hissed Kimberly. "And spare these people any more of your damages."
"I can't," Tommy objected. "And you all know why. Blame it on me if you will for interfering with the spell, but we're not the only ones 'invading' Remnant. Rita and her minions are here, too, and they're going to cause more chaos in a day than we will in a year. She'll make the people panic and draw in the Grimm, and all the Huntsmen- professional or otherwise- aren't enough to deal with her and the consequences of her actions."
"Rita created you!" Zack shouted angrily. "She made you what you are! All of this is your fault!" Tommy just turned to the Black Ranger. "Oh, yeah? She was the one who wanted to bring us here, and all I did was try to stop her. What part of that was my fault? The fact that I may have brought her here with us? The fact that I am responsible for the mess she's making? If that's true, then it's a mistake my friends and I are gonna fix. And that includes the girls, too."
"They're students!" Trini roared. "They haven't been fully trained! Rita will kill them, and their blood will be on your-"
"Were we trained to be Power Rangers?" Tommy shot at her before directing the question to the others. "Were we prepared our whole lives for an evil witch bent on taking over our planet? No! We were plucked from our ordinary lives and expected to lay them down! That could've happened to anybody and they'd be scared out of their mind! But us? We were chosen because Zordon saw something in us! In all of us!"
"He didn't choose you," Billy countered. But Tommy was ready for this. "Jason was chosen for his bravery. Billy for his wisdom. Zack for his cleverness. Trini for her fearlessness and Kimberly for her gracefulness. But he chose me in a different way. He saw something in me just like he saw something in all of them, even when I threatened to destroy him. He saw the chance for me to turn over a new leaf. He saw the good nature Rita had sealed away. He knew I was capable of great things as a true Power Ranger, and that was why he chose me the second Jason broke Rita's control over me. The second he broke this."
Tommy held up the hand that held the Sword of Darkness… which, in the blink of an eye, turned into the Dragon Dagger. The Rangers- the copies of the Rangers- all staggered back at the sight while the Green Ranger remained firm. "They trusted me to be part of them. And they trust me now. But you're not them. And no matter how much you look like them, you'll never be them. You're just part of Scorpina's toxin, trying to break my self-confidence and destroy me from the inside!"
They all readied their weapons. "Then destroy you we shall!"
"No," Tommy instantly replied in a calm tone. "I'm not gonna fight you."
"Why?" the thing pretending to be Jason taunted. "Because you know we'll win?"
"Because you're supposed to be my fears and my self-doubts," Tommy answered. "You're every bad thought I've ever had personified. All of my worries, my anxieties, my insecurities about being a Ranger and part of the team. My doubts of what we've been doing to this world. If I fight you- if I fight them- I'll be denying it all. And I'll be setting myself up for being so consumed by it that I lose the will to go on. I'll lose myself… and that would hurt my friends more than anything."
"They won't care!" the visage shouted as he advanced. "You're nothing to them, Tommy! You're going to wither away and never wake up! And they'll be better off without you!"
"Just like you'll be better off without them?" Tommy pointed behind the false Ranger, who rounded to its allies… only to find they were no longer there. It was enough for the hallucination to freeze in place. "What? What did you… you shouldn't… you're not allowed to…"
"This is my mind, isn't it?" Tommy announced, his body emitting a bright emerald glow. "My head, my thoughts, my nightmares. But you forgot one thing… I'm in control here. And you've got no place here."
"NO! You can't destroy me!" the visage screamed as the glow around Tommy's body grew brighter. "We'll always be with you! You can't get rid of evil forever! You'll doom this world and you'll doom Earth! You're not meant to be a Power Ranger!"
"I know I can't destroy you," Tommy calmly replied, the green light washing over the darkness. "I'll always have bad thoughts about stuff. I'll always have doubts and insecurities. Everyone does. That's what makes them human. But I can rise above them. I can be better than what I believe. I know what I've done wrong and I know how I can fix it."
"YOU CAN'T FIX ANYTHING! YOU'RE BROKEN! YOU ALWAYS WILL BE!"
"Maybe… but my friends can always put me back together." The light was enough to swallow everything from sight, drowning his mind in its warmth. "And speaking of… It's time I come back to them. And as for you… go back into your corner and think about what you did." The enraged screams that followed were lost in his ears until they could no longer be heard. Tommy felt himself rise as the light spread throughout his body… and soon, the light was all he could see. Blinking his eyes open, the first thing Tommy saw was a ceiling. The second was a bed he was resting on, a green glow around his body dimming until it could no longer be seen. The pain in his head was gone and he felt refreshed. A part of Tommy had no idea how he had managed to fight off the toxin, but he had a good guess that his Aura was responsible.
Different world, different rules.
"Welcome back, Mister Oliver."
Tommy turned his head to the door… and saw a silver-haired man in green smiling warmly in the archway. The Green Ranger frowned in annoyance at the sight of him. "What do you want?"
"To talk," Ozpin orderly answered. "That is… if you are comfortable."
Tommy wanted to object, to usher the man out. After what he had done, Tommy would have gone without seeing his face again. But the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice… it was enough for Tommy to surrender. He wasn't about to forgive the headmaster anytime soon, but the least he could do was hear him out one more time.
"Alright… let's have it."
…
"Are we seriously fighting a girl with an umbrella?!" Kimberly shouted in the middle of drawing another arrow.
That was a question Jason never wanted to hear again.
Ridiculous as it looked, the girl was surprisingly agile and wielded the pink parasol like it was a deadly weapon. She moved as a blur, blocking and deflecting Kim's arrows before closing the umbrella, catching Zack's ax between the shaft and the blade's edge, yanking the weapon from his grip, and kicking him away. Just as swiftly, the girl reopened the parasol directly in Kimberly's face and smacked her upside the chin with the tool's handle. Jason rushed in from the other side, the girl flashing him an innocent-looking smile before the Red and Pink Rangers attacked from two directions at once.
The girl blocked both of Kimberly's blades with her closed parasol, pinned them to the roof's surface, and side-kicked Jason in the ribs. The girl brought that same leg over her head in a flawless flip and connected it with Kim's skull. While the Pink Ranger collapsed in a writhing heap, Jason rushed in again only to get a faceful of an open parasol, leaning away from an outstretched leg that followed the block. With her enemies stunned in less than five seconds, the girl playful backflipped away and placed the umbrella over her shoulder, a childish smile on her face before she beckoned them forward with a finger.
"And is she seriously kicking our butts?" added an incredulous Zack. The Black Ranger charged in with a swing of his ax, but the girl spun aside and floored him with a roundhouse kick and a chastising wag of her finger. A groan- more embarrassed than pained- left the downed boy. "Please don't tell the others…" The girl stomped down on his head, keeping the Black Ranger from standing. Jason marched towards the girl, who smirked at the sight of his sword…
…and answered by extending a small blade from her parasol's end. Compared to Tyrant, it was more like a needle; but in the hands of somebody that fast like her, she'd make her strikes count. Kim held back on Jason's signal, ready to provide support at any moment while the Red Ranger squared up against the girl. A wicked glint in her eyes betrayed her intentions, leading her to make the first move. Jason found himself caught up in her deadly dance, parrying thrusts and deflecting slices aimed at his throat. Grabbing a foot she threw at his head, the Red Ranger hurled the girl across the rooftop and she landed perfectly. She dashed forward with a thrust pointed at Jason's heart, but the Red Ranger weaved aside, tripping the girl at the last second and making her fall to the roof.
By the time she stood, the first thing she saw was Jason's blade against her throat. All three Rangers cornered the girl at the rooftop's edge, leaving her with limited options. Despite losing her prize, the thief turned to Jason and gave him a sultry wink… before dropping off the roof. Horror crossed the teens' faces and they bolted toward the edge, silently hoping whatever was left of the girl's Aura had spared her from a grisly fate.
Those thoughts vanished when the girl rose into the air with an open parasol, wiggling her fingers as she made her departure. None of the Rangers spoke and only watched the girl's escape in stone-cold silence… until Kim broke the ice. "So… who was that?
"I dunno," Zack murmured. "But is it me… or is anybody else hungry for ice cream?"
…
"As I have said before, Mister Oliver, I have made my fair share of mistakes… some of which were just as catastrophic as my recent one." Tommy hadn't forgotten, and he certainly wasn't going to forgive Ozpin for that… and the man looked like he knew it as well. The Green Ranger kept quiet, keeping those thoughts to himself while he allowed the professor to continue. But Tommy couldn't help but wonder what other errors and bad decisions Ozpin had throughout his life. "But one of mankind's defining attributes is their ability to learn from their errors. They can learn from the past to build a better future. It is these flaws to drive us, Tommy Oliver. You had to have failed at one point to be where you are now."
The boy couldn't argue with him there. "I have enough bad memories… but how do you do it?" He caught Ozpin raising a brow in curiosity. "You're in charge of an entire school and you say you've messed up more times than anyone else?" Something about that didn't sound right. "So why are you still…"
"Optimistic?"
"...I was gonna say 'in charge of training Huntsmen'... but yeah, let's go with that." Tommy thought he saw a smirk on the man's face. "A wise choice, Mister Oliver. And to answer your question… It is one I have asked myself numerous times."
Tommy leaned forward. "You thought you weren't worthy?" Just like him? Ozpin solemnly nodded. "I did. As I said, I have lived a long life. It is a journey filled with self-doubt and worry that I may never succeed in keeping this world safe. For a time, I believed I alone held its fate in my hands."
Was Zordon ever like that before he formed the Power Rangers? Unlike Ozpin, he had an entire galaxy- no, an entire universe to watch over. Who's to say he believed himself unworthy of the position despite all the hope and wisdom he bestowed on his Rangers?
"But one day I realized that protecting the world didn't have to be my responsibility," Ozpin continued. "It doesn't have to be placed on the shoulders of a single man, for the weight is too much to bear. I needed to think beyond myself, to convince others to fight back against the Grimm who plague us. We no longer needed to be afraid of them, for fear was but one of the many emotions they feasted on. We would study them. We would fight them and defend ourselves. And when we could fight no more, others would rise to take our place. These are the virtues the Huntsmen abide by… and now I see, Tommy Oliver, that they are virtues you and your Power Rangers follow as well."
"In our own way," Tommy corrected. "But the people on Earth don't have Auras or the Semblances that come with them. They're totally helpless… and ever since we got here, we've been treating your people the same way. We didn't trust them enough to stand up for themselves one day, to become Huntsmen… which would've brought your plans to a halt."
Ozpin hummed interestingly. "An astute observation. Yes, Huntsmen are a force this world relies heavily upon, and to be deprived of it would be catastrophic. If I may ask, what brought forth this observation?" Tommy didn't think Ozpin would believe him if he said it. "I realized it while thinking some things through. About Remnant, about us… and about our next step."
"Your next step," Ozpin repeated. "You have your own world to protect. I respect that. And I have no intention of keeping you here against your will." Well, that was something they could both agree on. Tommy was already hoisting himself out of bed. "Yeah, well, speaking of leaving…" he turned to the professor with a stern glare. "The minute Trini wakes up, we're leaving Beacon." It was what he said with his eyes that Ozpin noticed the most, and it was something the headmaster knew was coming. Tommy was still upset over the fact that Ozpin kept Rita hidden, even if it was to ensure her wrath would never touch Remnant. As with many things before, he was mistaken. He underestimated the woman, who escaped and attacked Vale… with one of Tommy's friends injured in the process.
This discussion would not be happening if he thought that could be amended.
"I trust your students are recovering well?" Tommy's question brought the man back, bringing a warm smile to his features. "Their Auras are performing splendidly. It won't be long until they're back on their feet… especially Team JNPR. Jaune has told me that he and his team wish to join you once again and aid you until you can return." That was good to hear. But if Auras helped with healing, then why…?
Wait. Tommy could lighten that load on his friends' hearts. But before that, he needed to give Ozpin some parting words. "Thanks for that. But whatever mistake you make next… it better not be as tragic as your last one." The Green Ranger was out of the room after that, leaving the professor alone. The man hung his head and closed his eyes, allowing a single breath to course through him.
"Perhaps… but I fear my first will be the most dangerous of them all."
…
Billy groaned as he slumped backward in his chair. Not because he was bored by the Atlesian technology that Weiss introduced him to- not that he would ever be bored by something such as that- nor the fact that the tracking procedure it took for the craft he and Weiss took a full hour to identify was as fast as a top-speed snail. No, it was the thing that was attached to his mind and refused to let go. It had been a distraction before, but now it was just a sole thought taking up too much space now that all he had to do was wait. The Blue Ranger glanced at the heiress, who was watching the program do its work like a strict teacher.
"Weiss?" The sound of her name was enough to bring her out of her concentration, her icy eyes locked on the Blue Ranger. Billy was hesitant to follow through… she had no idea what it felt like, right? She grew up all alone in this big mansion, adults making her every decision for her and leaving her little time to socialize. It was something a child prodigy back on Earth would've gone through… perhaps it would have happened to Billy himself if his parents were more demanding.
"Have you ever… worried? About your friends?" Billy was expecting a disappointed huff, an eye roll, or a reminder that he should get back to work like Weiss had done the last few times he asked a question regarding friends. But this time, the heiress stayed quiet. When no answer came, Billy was tempted to glance at the instruments again.
"Yes."
Her tone told Billy she was expecting a surprised reaction, as this sounded like something Weiss would find unusual about herself. No doubt she also thought Billy would ask for an explanation, as she kept going before he got the opportunity to speak. "I haven't known them for very long, but Ruby, Yang, and Blake… they're complete dolts and doofuses sometimes, yeah. But strangely… I like that about them. All my life, I've been restricted by expectations and rules and these three are… as carefree as can be. They don't see me as an asset they can use; they see me as a friend. And because of that… they're more of a family to me than my real family is. They've made me feel things I thought I would never experience. It's because of them that I came out of that 'snobby, rich, spoiled brat' phase… even though they still drive me crazy."
Billy could relate. There were times he thought he wouldn't fit in with the Rangers just as he didn't fit in with his classmates. Heck, the only one who could keep up with his so-called "technobabble" was Trini, who often acted as an unofficial translator when the others couldn't understand his words. Despite all of that… he was more than just a valuable partner to them. He was their friend, and they made sure of that every day. "Yeah… I guess I know what that's like. My friends made me feel a little bit better about myself every time I felt I wasn't good enough."
He could practically hear Weiss' smile… until the screen in front of him replaced it. Billy turned to the instrument, where he saw a pulsing red dot on Sanus' northern tip. The icon was accompanied by a set of words: CRAFT LOCATION IDENTIFIED.
His Scroll was already in hand, along with a successful smile. "Gotcha."
…
"So what are we looking at here?" Jason asked with crossed arms, his eyes glued to the blinking light that had to be Finster's stolen airship. Billy was in the process of transferring the data to his Scroll, but that didn't stop him from answering. "Given its position, my best estimate is that they've touched down near a coastal city. I can get Team RWBY briefed, and we can head-"
"No."
The Blue Ranger paused. "No?"
Jason's face was flooded with regret while Zack and Kim were puzzled at their leader's words. "Wh-what do you mean, no?" Kim asked. Jason took a deep breath before continuing. "Team RWBY's… not used to fighting who we fight. The last time they went up against Rita, she wiped the floor with them. And before that, they barely kept up with Goldar and Scorpina."
"Jason…" Zack breathed. "Are you saying we gotta do this alone?"
"We have to," Jason confirmed. "I'm not risking their safety for us, for people they barely know. This is our fight, not theirs. Team RWBY and the other Huntsmen are in charge of keeping their people safe from the Grimm, and it needs to stay that way. We can't do their job for them, and they can't do ours."
A sigh left the Black Ranger. "I think I can see where you're going with this, Jace. I get that they wanna help, but they're out of their league here. We all saw how they couldn't do a thing to Giant Goldar, and Rita could've killed them! I don't like this… but you're right. This is our song and dance."
"What about Tommy and Trini?" Kimberly asked worriedly. "We can't go after Rita and her goons now! They're still-"
"We can't wait!" Zack interjected. "We don't know how long Rita's gonna stay at her temporary hideout, but we've got the upper hand!"
"Fellas, fellas…" Billy butted in, trying to keep his voice calm and collected before things could get more heated. "I don't like the idea of leaving one of ours behind as much as you do, but we all want to go home. This just isn't the time for it. Right now, all we need to do is figure out how Rita wants to conquer Remnant… and find a way to stop her."
"And when we do," Jason realized. "We get her to open the door back to Earth. And we drag her back with us so that she doesn't trouble this world ever again."
"Okay, that… that's a good plan," Kim breathed in relief. "And… I may not have wanted to leave without saying goodbye." Zack sheepishly nodded and awkwardly cleared his throat. "Y-yeah… me too."
"Me three."
Everyone's eyes widened and they whirled around to see the source of the all-too-familiar voice. Leaning against the doorway, a smiling boy in green was watching them with a proud smile. He looked good as new, almost as if his affliction never occurred. How he was standing right there and how he was no longer bedridden rang through the Rangers' confused minds, but another emotion drowned those thoughts away.
"Tommy!" Kimberly attached herself to the Green Ranger with a tight hug and a bright smile. "You're okay!" The smile didn't last long and confusion crossed her features. "You… you're okay? How are you okay? N-Not that I don't want you to be okay, I… uh… I'll stop talking now."
"Hey…" He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nothing can keep a good Ranger down for long. Thought you guys knew that already." Tommy turned his eyes to the others, as well as the screen with the blinking dot. "We're gonna do this, then?"
"Oh, yeah," Zack answered while he pounded a palm. "I am so ready for that rematch."
"Great. I'll get Team RWBY set up and-"
"No, Tommy," The Green Ranger froze at Jason's words. "Excuse me?"
"We all saw what happened when the girls tried taking on Rita," Jason told him. "She almost killed them. Who's to say she won't do it if they go for round two? Right now, they should stay here and keep an eye on the rest of their recovering friends."
"But… they want to help," Tommy interjected, his words met with a serious look from the Red Ranger. "They can help the way they always have; by looking after their own. They're not used to this, Tommy… but we are. Rita's our responsibility."
Tommy remembered himself shouting similar words in Ozpin's face not long before… everything. The Rangers tried to keep Rita at bay, but whatever happened to her- that strange Semblance that boosted her powers- made her stronger than ever before, strong enough to defeat not only the girls but the changed Rangers. None of the teams were able to beat her alone.
"This is for their own good, Tommy," the Red Ranger said in a tone that told him that this was not up for discussion. "The girls fight monsters, not evil witches and their minions bent on conquering planets. It needs to stay that way… or they'll die if they stay by our side all the time."
"But… Jason…"
"Let's go, Rangers," He was already moving out of the room with Zack following him like a loyal bodyguard to a fearless king. Kimberly hesitated for a moment before she left, glancing one last look at Tommy. In her eyes, the Green Ranger saw a flash of worry and suspicion… discarded in the instant she vanished. Only Billy remained behind, turning Tommy towards him.
"Tommy, I… is everything okay? What happened?"
"Billy…" the Green Ranger sighed. "You trust them, right?"
"The girls?" he guessed. "Of course I do! Didn't we say we needed all the help we could get?" Tommy nodded with a saddened look. "You did… so why doesn't it feel like it?"
Tommy ignored the baffled look on the Blue Ranger's face and stared down the hallway, even as Billy hollered for his friends to wait up and hurried after them. It wasn't long until Tommy absentmindedly followed them, his mind still recalling how he conquered those hallucinations. His friends said they trusted the girls like it was an easy answer… but did they?
The Rangers did need help… and the sooner Tommy got them to understand that, the better.
…
"What is it you have called me for, Finster?! And make it snappy! I have an army to build!"
"My dear empress… that is precisely why I have requested your presence," the man chuckled knowingly. "I believe I have procured a substance from your latest soldiers that will prove to be… interesting to you," Finster revealed a small syringe attached to a vial… which held a dark, murky liquid within. Rita raised a brow at the sight of it. "What in the voids is that?"
"A gift," answered Finster, gesturing to a still Beowulf with glowing green eyes and markings. "From the Grimm, and a rather generous one at that. What you see before you is their essence: malignance and destruction incarnate. Your new soldiers are formidable indeed… but do you recall your usual supply?"
"The Putties?" Rita inquired. "That you usually make, need I remind you? Bah! I am more than capable of producing some myself, you-"
"I am not referring to their numbers, my empress," Finster interjected. "But… we remember how the Rangers and their new allies decimated them by the dozens in Vale. It pains me to admit it, but they will not be enough, nor will the Grimm thanks to the Huntresses' knowledge of combating them. If we are to succeed… we will need an advantage. And this…" he proudly held up the syringe with a wicked grin. "...will help us accomplish it."
"What are you…" Rita paused for several moments… until a delighted smile broke out, accompanied by triumphant laughter. "HA HA! Of course! Perhaps there is use for you in this world yet, Finster!" The middle-aged man simply bowed in gratitude. "I simply wish for nothing more, your evilness. Now, would you be so kind as to bring forth the first of our test subjects?"
"With pleasure!" Rita slammed her staff on the ground and conjured a gray pool of liquid that a squad of Putties leaped out of like frogs from a pond. They stood still as Finster approached them, even as he grabbed the first one by the head. "Let's see those troublesome teenagers smash you to pebbles now." Without further warning, Finster jabbed the syringe through the Putty's solid skin and injected the murky substance into its form.
Within moments, the Putty was twitching abnormally before it collapsed and writhed wildly, its frantic vocalizations growing lower and deeper while its body darkened in color. Finster watched on in mad glee while a delighted Rita laughed wickedly, eagerly awaiting the birth of a new minion willing to fight and die for her cause…