Somewhere off the coast of Germany, Earth

10 minutes earlier…

"Woo!" Zack cheered, hopping in place near the pile of pebbles at his feet and smiling under his helmet. "What a workout! Smashing those guys doesn't get any easier than that!"

"Stay focused, Zack," Jason's stern tone cut through his celebratory mood, the Red Ranger already on the move. "I'm getting the feeling that was just a warm-up." Zack was inclined to agree with him there; there weren't as many Putties as he thought guarding that cave. Any more would have been suspicious… or suspicious-er? Was that even a word? Whatever, all Zack needed to know was that Alpha was right on target: the Rangers had teleported to an island beneath notice between the Netherlands and Denmark: a landmass barren of any sentient life with a hole carved into the cliffside that met the beach they all stood on.

"Rita's somewhere in there," Tommy muttered as he stared into the dark opening. "I can feel it. Everyone ready?" The other Rangers nodded as they neared the cave entrance, the natural doorway almost beckoning them inside. Jason and Tommy took the lead with Kimberly and Billy carefully following them. Covering their flank, Trini and Zack were the last ones to step out of the light, the Black Ranger almost vanishing into the shadows.

Trini already had her daggers drawn, her body tensed like the predator she was based off. Zack didn't blame her in the slightest, they could be walking into a trap for all he knew. It would be right up Rita's alley for the witch to throw a dirty trick at them… or in her case, a monster. That they would beat into the ground.

Dang it, Zack was getting ahead of himself again. He wasn't going to fight a monster, he reminded himself. He was going up against Rita Repulsa herself… somehow, that didn't make him feel better. And the fact that the Rangers were creeping through a dark cave that descended deep underground did nothing to soothe the rising worry. It took consideration that Zack wasn't alone in this- that the Power Rangers would defeat Rita just as they did her monster minions- to calm the Black Ranger's nerves.

Zack wasn't keeping track of how far- how deep the Rangers were hiking, but he could feel the tension in the air between them. His tight grip on the Power Axe was making his fingers feel as white as his gloves made them look and Zack could hear his breathing from within his helmet. No doubt the others felt the same way; they were going up against the big bad boss. Of course, it was natural for them to feel nervous. The good news was that whatever doubts they must have had was not at the surface: their careful movements and readied weapons told Zack they were itching for a fight.

Head in the game, Taylor.

He reviewed the plan one more time: find Rita, take out her guards, and take her down. It sounded simple when spoken, but Zack knew better. But the sooner they stopped her, the better. Checking and rechecking his focus, Zack adjusted the grip on his weapon and picked up the pace, keeping up with the others…

…until both a raised fist from Jason and a distant voice made him freeze. Zack had no idea what the voice was saying, but he knew enough from just listening to it. It was chanting; a language Zack didn't recognize. He didn't need to know the words anyway, for he knew who was speaking. A bright glow shone from gaps in the rocky wall, allowing the Rangers to get a closer look at what they were about to get themselves into…

Now

"Ugh…"

Zack's head was spinning like he had literally broken from a breakdance. Actually, everything was spinning, and the only time Zack felt that way was when his Zord got battered around. Everything was also darker than his Ranger suit until Zack registered his eyes were closed. It took longer than he would have preferred to crack them open, his sight slowly returning in a blurry mess.

Zack shook his head, hoping to relieve himself of the dizziness swarming his mind. He blinked several more times until his eyes focused, revealing his current position in… a hole carved into the ground. When did that happen? He must've fought Rita and her goons with the others… too bad he didn't remember it. If he had clocked that space witch in the jaw, he wouldn't have allowed himself to forget it.

The last thing Zack could remember was what presumably led up to the fight. The dark cave, the reality of the situation settling in… what came after that was blank. Now, Zack saw trees and other foliage instead of rocks and walls, sunlight and birdsong replacing cold silence and dripping water.

"Woo…" Zack breathed. "Must've been a heckuva fight…" The Black Ranger raised his arm and switched on his communicator. "Zack here. Everybo-" Zack paused when he saw brown skin instead of the black covering of his suit, but his now-unmorphed status was the least of his worries. Not only had he been knocked out of his morphed state somehow, but Zack was wearing something different than his usual getup. The Black Ranger was now donning a violet neck scarf and a black-gray zipper vest with short sleeves, a black turtleneck hugging his chest beneath the outer layer. On what skin the vest didn't cover up, Zack spied something running down the length of his broad arms… something long and hooked.

Zack pulled his arm in for a closer look and his eyes went wide. It was… a tattoo? Of an elephant tusk? When did he-? A quick glance at his other arm showed the same result; an image of an elongated pachyderm trait running down the length of his arm. "Oh, man… Mom's gonna kill me if she sees these." Zack whispered, hoping that the things were temporary. His attention shifted to the rest of his appearance: a pair of dark leather pants with purple stripes running down the legs (quite snazzy, if Zack said so himself) and heavy black boots that would've looked better on a hiker. Or were those combat boots? He thought his kicks worked well enough without any support.

There was also a belt on Zack's waist, filled with… he wasn't sure if he was seeing this right, but those small rimmed cylinders marked with different colors couldn't be what he thought they were, could they? Protective casings covered each of them, probably to make sure no stray hits didn't detonate them. But what use would Zack have for… for shotgun shells? The only gun he ever touched was his Blade Baster! Well, that and the Power Axe's Cosmic Cannon function…

The thought of his weapon turned Zack's thoughts to his gear. He hadn't lost them in whatever it was that happened, had he? A hand flew to his lower back, his mind pleading that it was still there… yes! A triumphant surge of relief flooded Zack when he felt the morpher in its rightful place and he allowed himself a satisfied exhale. That breath was turned short when the Black Ranger felt a different weight on his back, a weight that made him rather curious. Searching for a grip on the object, Zack extracted it…

…and was met with the Power Axe. Only… it didn't look like the Power Axe. The shaft was way longer than it was supposed to be, resembling a barbarian's weapon or a hunter's tool. It still had its single blade, but the Mastodon emblem was missing and the blade was composed of metal that glinted in the sunlight. Still, the axe was long enough for Zack to wield it effectively. He gave the weapon a twirl to test it out, feeling its weight in a single hand. He shifted to both hands next, doing his best impression of a baseball player as he swung at the air.

Alright… maybe Zack could work with this. The only question now was if it still had its Cosmic-

He didn't know what he did next, but whatever it was- had he touched something?- instantaneously transformed the massive weapon into a more powerful form. The axe's blade folded inward to become a stock, the shaft became thicker, the handle shifted into a close-range barrel and the grip repositioned itself to become a forearm. Before Zack knew it, the axe had transformed into a heavy-duty shotgun that looked like it packed a punch.

"Whoa…" the Black Ranger breathed. "Okay, that's… that's cool!" A smile broke out as he examined the new firearm, adjusting to the weight. "Can't wait to try this bad boy out! The others have gotta check out this upgrade!" Zack paused once again. The others… he almost forgot. He needed to find them sooner rather than later. The Black Ranger gave his shotgun a little twirl, the motion prompting it to return to its axe form before holstering the weapon and setting out into the forest.

Zack could tell he had quite a ways to go, so he decided to kill some time by trying to get ahold of the other Rangers. That proved to be futile, as something was wrong with his communicator. None of his calls were reaching anybody. Maybe a bad connection… or something had happened to the others. If it was the latter, he hoped everybody was alright, but Zack made a note to have Billy look over it once the gang was back together.

As to where he was, Zack could barely place it. Did their fight take them to the European countryside or somewhere else? The Black Ranger was just as confused about his new look, though he barely complained about it. He had to admit, he looked good in this… but where did it come from? And what happened with his weapon? The Power Axe wasn't supposed to change like that for its Cosmic Cannon… if it still was the Cosmic Cannon. The Black Ranger had questions, but having to deal with a bunch of them at once would get him nowhere. He needed to tread carefully and address each one separately. The first: find the others. Scratch that, find anybody that could tell him where he was.

Hold up… there was a black column rising into the sky off in the distance, towering over the treetops. Smoke, which meant one of two things. Trouble or a campsite. Either way, that meant people for Zack to talk to. The Black Ranger broke into a light jog just in case the former was true; that way, he could get a little warmup if he was rusty. But he shouldn't be rusty, he just went toe-to-toe with Rita… right? So how come he couldn't remember a-

Stop it, Zack! Friends first, then… literally anything else.

The smoke trail originated from a clearing; one littered with tents, weapon racks, and a campfire. The sight lifted a weight from Zack's chest when he registered the peaceful sight. He felt relaxed at this chance to stride into the camp, have some calm introductions to the residents like he was a wandering traveler, and probably grab a bite before getting what information he needed and bidding them farewell. Zack made himself presentable by smoothing himself down and making sure his weapon was stashed to complete a non-threatening presence. Clearing his throat, the Ranger started moving into the camp…

…when he noticed somebody emerging from one of the tents. He couldn't make out the details, but the stranger was dressed in black and white with a mask over their eyes. The Black Ranger immediately ducked out of sight; something didn't look right about him. From his hiding spot behind a bush, Zack spied other figures entering the camp, all of them with weapons. Some had swords and others held rifles, but they all wore masks that covered everything but their lower faces. Another feature they all shared was a symbol Zack noticed on their backs: the head of a red animal- a wolf, if he had to guess- with three crimson slashes behind it like a bloody wound.

Great. This camp was filled with bad guys. What a day this was turning out to be.

Some of them were talking now, but Zack could barely hear what they said as he formulated a new plan. He could still try to talk to them- after giving them a good beatdown, of course- and if that didn't work, he could search the place. But if he found absolutely nothing about his friends, then he needed to get out quickly. A part of Zack's brain was telling him that this wasn't worth it. What if they didn't know anything?

No, he had to try. What was it Jason said? The smallest chance of victory is enough of a reason? Well, in that case, Zack would take any chance he had of finding his friends. The Black Ranger turned his eyes back to the camp, observing the masked strangers. Some sat around the fire while others patrolled the perimeter with rifles in hand. During his reconnaissance, Zack did a double-take when he spotted one of the guards. Was it him, or was that a wolf tail swaying between his legs?

Nah, it was probably a cheap prop or something. These guys were very focused on a theme. That guard was getting close to Zack's hiding spot, so he had to think fast. Stealth wasn't much of his thing, but he had an idea for getting this party started. The Black Ranger kept low, waiting until the guard was right in front of him…

Zack sprang from the bushes and locked his arms around the masked man's throat, cutting off a sudden gasp of surprise. In that same movement, he hurled the man towards the campfire, sending two more men and the coals scattering. The others quickly realized what was happening and shouts rang out, the figures scrambling for their weapons.

"Human! We're under attack!"

"It's just one Huntsman! Surround him!"

The Black Ranger cracked his knuckles and smirked before putting up his fists. "Sorry to crash the masquerade party, fellas, but I seem to be lost!" he quipped, bouncing on his heels as the masked men swarmed him. "Anybody know a good rest stop? Or a gym? Actually, scratch that! Cuz you look like the perfect punching bags!"

"You just made a big mistake coming here," one of the men snarled, approaching Zack with a blade. "Now we'll make sure you never leave!" The swing came just as Zack predicted, allowing the Black Ranger to catch the man's wrist and jab him in the face. "Glad to be the guest of honor, then!"

The other hooded figures rushed Zack like a pack of wild dogs, hoping to overwhelm him with numbers. Zack had bad news for them, though, numbers were his specialty! Zack parried multiple blows and struck back with his own, staggering some of his attackers while keeping light on his feet to avoid the blades. A right hook knocked one enemy down, a swift elbow to the back of another's head made him fall flat on his face, and an uppercut made another stumble into one of his masked compatriots.

Zack had to hand it to himself; taking Jason's karate classes paid off in more ways than one. He didn't think he could give this much of a beatdown unmorphed, but these were ordinary people, not Putties. If he could beat them all without morphing, that'd be something worth bragging about… not that Zack bragged about anything, of course. He was a chill dude.

Some masked enemies had the gall to go up against the Black Ranger with bare fists, but their lack of martial arts was their undoing. One of them tried to tackle Zack only to receive a knee to the gut and an elbow to the back. A quick split kick nailed two foes in the face, almost enough to knock them unconscious. More of them came at him with swords and spears- who did these guys think they were, cavemen?- prompting Zack to answer this tactic with his trademark skill.

"More on the floor, huh? Then let's move it!" Zack broke down into wavy movements and quick steps all while motioning for his now-confused enemies to come at him. Two of the strange figures looked at each other in bewilderment while others tried to comprehend what the intruder was doing now. "Is he… is he dancing?" asked one. Another shook his head and held up his sword. "He's playing with us! He thinks we're a joke!" He attacked with wild swings that Zack fluidly weaved away from, dropping into the splits to avoid a swipe that would've chopped off his head. The second the man looked down, Zack kicked out his legs from under him and sprang back up.

"Takes two to hip hop kido! Let's go!" Zack swatted away the following limbs that came at him and knocked away a sword, jumping away from a low swing and smashing an enemy over the head with a fist. Two more smooth kicks kept the next attackers at bay and a breaking spin took care of those too close for comfort. Zack locked his legs around another enemy's throat and spun, taking his foe with him to the ground.

The man with the fake wolf tail wildly swiped at Zack, the Black Ranger hopping back from the blade until he caught his enemy's wrist and smacked the weapon from his grip. Being disarmed didn't stop the dude and Zack had to admire his persistence while avoiding whiffed strikes. Catching a kick thrown to his midsection, Zack tossed the limb upward and watched the attacker flail about before face-planting into the ground with a groan.

"I know a good way to recover from that, if you're interested," Zack calmed himself down now that the masked men were all lying on the ground in beaten, bruised, possibly-unconscious heaps. The Black Ranger walked over to the masked man, examining his fake tail with a shake of the head. "And dude, if you wanna intimidate somebody, try wearing something other than a stupid-"

"OW!"

Zack immediately retreated, his hand flying from the appendage. He'd meant to take the dang thing off, but the pained yelp the downed enemy gave him made some gears turn in his head. If that hurt him… if it wasn't coming off, then…

"You… you disrespectful piece of filth… treating all of us like dirt, just like the rest of your kind…" The man growled, slowly raising himself to his feet while baring his teeth in rage. "We've spent years suffering because of you… and we've had enough…"

"Th-the tail… it's…" Zack was struggling to find the words. "It's real? Who… who are you?" The man… no, the animal-man was staring Zack down like a wild beast, heavy breaths of rage filling the air. "I'm the monster you say I am!"

"No, wait! I didn't say-" It was too late. The animal man rushed Zack with a furious roar, causing him to drop his explanation. The Black Ranger swiftly weaved away from a punch centimeters from his cheek and rammed his elbow into the figure's face with a loud crunch, the mask shattering to bits from the blow. The wolf-man thing collapsed onto his back, a final gasp leaving him before he blacked out. From there, the only breaths came from Zack as he surveyed the defeated group of hooded masked figures. Hurrying to the unmoving body of the nearest figure, Zack tugged down the hood and removed the mask, revealing a human-looking face… save for the carnivorous fangs in its mouth. Another figure had ram horns hidden beneath the hood while a third had fingertips fashioned like claws.

"Animal people…" Zack finally uttered, now standing alone in the camp. "I just fought animal people… what… how… I gotta be dreaming this, right?" The Black Ranger pinched himself on the arm, waiting for something that never came.

"Not dreaming…" He took a deep breath before placing his hands on his head. "Okay, Zack… just calm down. You did not land on the island of Dr. Moreau or whatever." Still, those tails and horns and other stuff… They were so real. What kind of people were they? Did he end up on a whole planet full of them? Where…

The Black Ranger shook his head; to dispel the thoughts rather than deny them. It doesn't matter, he needed to focus on his friends. What was he going to do after… that's right! Search the place! Find a clue or-

Something rustled within the foliage, alerting Zack out of his thoughts as he spun around with axe in hand. "W-who's there?!" he called out without thinking… before chastising himself. He was on edge again, no doubt because of what he had just discovered. He was probably seeing things… maybe it was just the wind.

Movement again, this time a dark blur among the trees. He saw it only for a split second, and it was already gone by the time he turned in its direction. "H-hello?" Zack held his axe in a defensive position while he scanned the treeline. "Somebody out there?" There was no response but the wind… which did nothing to comfort him.

Was it another group coming to check on the site? Zack couldn't hide what he had just done, the bad impression for all to see. He just needed to take control of the situation and calm things down. The Black Ranger steeled himself before holstering his axe, closing his eyes, and taking another deep breath.

"Listen, whoever's there… I don't want to hurt you."

That was when something cold pressed against his neck, something that turned Zack's blood just as chilly. A small black blade hovered inches from his throat, ready to slice at a moment's notice. "If you did…" someone whispered, a voice eerily quiet and reserved. "You'd already be dead."

"Wait, wait!" Zack instinctively pleaded, holding up his palms. "I mean you no harm! I… I need help. Please…" He expected whoever was holding him captive to brush those words aside and continue threatening him. "I'm not stupid," the stranger replied. "But you definitely are if you thought the White Fang could help you."

"Ah…" Zack had no clue what this "White Fang" was, only that it was without a doubt the name of the group he had just fought. The group of animal people. "...rookie mistake?"

"'Rookie mistakes' like that are bound to get you killed," the voice hissed. "You should be lucky you had enough skill to fend them off. But… I'm impressed. And I'm not somebody that impresses easily." The blade slid away and Zack slowly lowered his arms while trying to catch his breath. "And I do not get curious easily, either."

The Black Ranger turned around and was met with the visage of a girl around his age that would've made Bulk and Skull rethink their potential harassment. A pair of golden eyes studied the teen, purple eyeshadow around the rims. She wore a white sleeveless undershirt beneath a black buttoned vest, white shorts with zippers on each leg, and black low-heeled boots with stockings that changed from black to purple when they reached her ankles, an emblem of a white flower on both thighs. But the most surreal piece of the girl's attire was the black bow atop her crown of midnight hair, something that looked out of place if she was trying to frighten him.

The blade that Zack was at the mercy of earlier rested in her right hand, a black ribbon on the hilt. And… wait, was that a trigger? Why would a tiny sword need a trigger? The girl's finger rested near it as if she would not hesitate to shoot Zack (shoot him?) if he tried anything she found hostile. "You didn't look at those Faunus with disgust or rejection," she stated, her voice low with intrigue. "You looked confused. Worried, even. Who are you?" Faunus? Was… was that what those people were called? Zack had to abandon that thought when he remembered the goth girl had asked him a question.

"Uh… I'm Zack," he responded with the best smile he could muster. The girl cocked a brow at him in confusion- was it him or did her bow just twitch?- and silently stared at him, her golden eyes almost burning into the Black Ranger. "What kind of name is that?" she asked suspiciously. Zack wasn't sure how to answer that. It was a perfectly normal name… maybe she hadn't heard it often?

The girl suddenly shook her head. "Forget it. You made a stupid move, 'Zack'. Now that you attacked this camp, you put a target on your back. And the White Fang isn't the forgetful or forgiving type." He was inclined to agree with that, as he needed to get out of here before more of those… Faunus, she said? Before more of those Faunus found out he had beaten up their pack. Now, if he had outright killed them, that would be a different story…

"Yeah, I… I don't intend to stick around," he finally told her. "Listen, I need to find some people. Do you know if there's a… I don't know, a town or something I can go to? Where someone can help me?" The girl took a moment to think this over, her amber eyes cast downward. It didn't take long, but a faint smirk crossed her lips when she turned back to him. "Actually… you found that someone."

Zack needed to make sure he heard that right. "Wait, hold on, you can help me? Uh… no offense, but you don't exactly look like the helping type. You're more like a… brooding loner, I guess."

"I have friends that can help you with whatever it is you need," the girl said. She looked like the type of person that didn't have or need friends, so that was another surprise. "Don't worry, you can trust them. It took me a while to do that. Follow me." She was walking out of the camp before Zack could say another word, leaving him lagging behind until he finally caught up. "Y-you serious? You're really gonna help?"

"Of course," she replied. "I saw how you dealt with the White Fang. Not bad… for a student. Although your fighting style is… unusual. Did you come up with it yourself?"

"Hip hop kido?" Zack echoed. "Yeah! I mean, a friend of mine taught me the basics, but those bits are my personal favorite." The girl said nothing this time, leaving Zack alone to his thoughts. He didn't want to stay with them for long lest he loses his mind from all the questions he had, so he chose to focus on one for now.

"So, um… miss-"

"Blake."

Blake? Wow, that was… a fitting name for a girl like her. "Blake… where are we going, exactly?"

"To Beacon," she answered. "It's not that far from here. As soon as we're out of the Emerald Forest, I'll contact my friends to meet us there." Beacon… Zack was unfamiliar with a place by that name, or an Emerald Forest for that matter. He opened his mouth to ask Blake another question but decided against it. He'd just end up annoying her with how many he had… would he? Despite her exterior, she seemed kind enough. Maybe it was worth a shot, so he chose his next one wisely.

"These… Faunus…" Zack began, earning the girl's attention. "I… I can't say that I know too much about them." Blake just sighed. "I wouldn't be surprised. Throughout history, they've been seen as a lesser race. Before the Great War, they suffered… and even though they've been granted citizenship in the kingdoms, most humans don't see them as equals."

Great. More questions about things Zack didn't understand. "So… they had enough, then?"

"That's an understatement," Blake told him. "After the war, the Faunus were given a whole continent for themselves. Some accepted it… others saw it as a slap in the face. They banded together into the White Fang, a revolutionary force. It was meant to be a voice for the Faunus… but peaceful protests turned into violence and they became a terrorist faction."

Animal people rebelling against humans… had Zack time-traveled into the future or something?

"You can check out Beacon's library for more," Blake said, sounding a little eager to change the subject. "In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled. Beowolves tend to hunt in this part of the forest."

That does it, Zack was going straight for answers after finding the other Rangers. Right now, though, it felt kinda nice to have met a new friend… a creepy-yet-awesome friend. "Okay, Blake… lead the way."