Somewhere off the coast of Germany, Earth

5 minutes earlier…

Trini couldn't suppress the sense of dread that crept up her spine and the flash of nervousness concealed beneath her helmet. Never before had the Rangers fought Rita Repulsa in person. Sure, they dealt with her monsters and minions on a frequent basis, but Rita was bound to be tougher than any of them. They'd seen what her magic could do, namely as she enlarged her monsters to enormous sizes that would require the Rangers' combined might to put them down, but that was merely scratching the surface. What else could this witch be capable of? She could tell that all the Rangers… well, almost all of them… were having similar thoughts.

But Trini also saw a chance. A chance to end Rita's threat to Earth permanently. The witch was right before her eyes, down in a natural clearing of sorts. Her magic wand aglow, the sorceress was speaking in a tongue Trini couldn't hope to understand, her voice carried on the wind.

"M-mistress…" a small alien that looked like a miniaturized gargoyle spoke up near the cave's wall. "Are you sure this is wise? If performed incorrectly, a spell of this magnitude could-"

"SILENCE, WORM!" Rita bellowed from where she stood in a carved mystic circle, the sound enough to shake the entire cave. "I have spent far too long mastering this incantation, and I will not allow any interruptions! If all goes to plan, those puny Power Rangers will vex us no more!"

"O-of course, Empress Rita," the alien stammered. "I meant no disrespect."

"I thought as much, Finster," hissed the sorceress. "Now leave me be!" The spectacle-wearing alien withdrew, not daring to invoke his mistress' wrath further while the witch resumed her chanting. Trini slinked away from the hole, turning her gaze to the others while careful to keep her voice down. "Jason… any idea as to what she's doing?"

"No clue," the Red Ranger whispered. "Billy, can you get a reading? Do you think she's summoning something?"

"Unlikely," the Blue Ranger quietly answered. "Normally, Rita doesn't summon monsters. That's what Finster's for. But these energy signatures are off the charts; this spell is taking a lot to cast."

"And a lot of time," the Pink Ranger added. "She's vulnerable down there… and she knows it. Look at the backup." Kim gestured to the stony floor around Rita, where dozens of Putty Patrollers stood on guard. Normally, they wouldn't be a problem, but too much at once would overwhelm Trini in a heartbeat. And trying to destroy them all would just give Rita more time to finish the spell.

"Guys… she's bringing in the big guns," Zack whispered, pointing at something else. Trini followed his gaze until her eyes rested on two familiar figures, each covered in gold. One was rather human-like in appearance and wielded a curved sword while the other resembled a massive winged gorilla with a heavy blade. The latter looked impatient thanks to his menacing expression, his eyes darting around the cave.

"I grow tired of this…" he growled. "At this point, I'm wishing those wretched Rangers would show up so that I may be entertained by their demise!" The woman was quick to calm the beast down. "Patience, Goldar… the empress would not have requested our presence if she did not believe Zordon's champions would follow. They will come…"

"Yes, Scorpina…" the beast huffed anxiously. "And when they do, they will die." His bare fist clenched in anticipation, the sight bringing a sinister smirk to the woman's face. From his hiding spot, the Green Ranger rolled his eyes beneath his helmet… or that's what Trini thought he did because of the quiet sigh she heard. "Those two just never learn their lesson…"

"Easy, Tommy…" Jason hushed, the others gathering close to him. "Okay, here's the game plan. Zack, Billy, can you punch a hole through those Putties?" The boys in black and blue nodded simultaneously, Trini already hoping the rock soldiers would be feeling those exact colors soon. "We'll keep 'em off as best as we can."

"Kim, Trini, I'm gonna need you to keep the golden guards busy," Jason continued. "Try and distract them if they go for us." Kimberly was the first to nod. "Right."

"What are you gonna do?" Trini asked hurriedly. Jason turned to look the Yellow Ranger in the eye. "Tommy and I are going straight for Rita. Once the Putty wall is smashed and her bodyguards are taken care of, you're free to join in. Go for the staff. Rita can't be allowed to finish whatever spell she's doing."

"Got it," Trini replied, turning back to the hole to survey the field one more time while Jason checked on everyone else. Rita was at the far end of the cave, an army of Putties and her generals between her and the Rangers. Trini counted at least thirty of the clay creatures, a few of them doing their weird gobbling noises while idling about. She shifted her gaze over to Goldar and Scorpina…

…and froze when she saw a pair of blazing-red eyes glaring right at her.

"RAAAAANGERRRRRRS!" Goldar bellowed, pointing his sword at the teens' position as his roar reverberated throughout the cave. Everybody sprang into action with weapons ready, Jason charging through the wall and reducing it to pebbly chunks. Each of the Power Rangers leaped into the chamber, flipping through the air and landing on their feet. Steeling herself for the coming battle and focusing her senses, Trini twirled her Power Daggers and charged into the fray with a loud cry, leaping at the two golden generals that were all too eager to destroy her…

Now

Something warm and wet met Trini's face, jerking her awake in a matter of seconds. The sputtering teenager groaned amidst the onslaught, pushing out her hands while wincing at the warm breaths on her cheeks. "Okay… okay, down! Down!" Her eyes fluttered open and another exhausted moan left her throat, her groggy words enough to dispel the furry attacker. The tiny dog retreated from Trini's chest, giving the tired teen a moment to rub her eyes with a yawn. When her vision finally cleared, she was met with the sight of a cute little corgi that she couldn't resist smiling at. Trini scratched the little guy behind an ear, the pup hanging out its tongue with another set of panting breaths.

That was a weird dream she had just now; fighting Rita and her minions in that cave. Trini must've been more exhausted than she realized because she barely remembered getting home. Maybe Jason or Tommy dropped her off, telling her mom the convenient excuse of a study session going on longer than intended or watching another of Kim's gymnastics meetings. Trini didn't care much now, because all she needed right now was to lie in bed with her-

Wait a minute… Trini didn't own a dog!

"Wha-huh?!" Now fully awake, a confused gasp escaped Trini and her full attention rested on the tiny black-gray-white tricolor corgi sitting on her lap, a golden pendant of a bone on its neck collar. The pet was not bothered at all by Trini's presence, moving in to bombard the Yellow Ranger with another set of licks. This time, Trini promptly picked up the dog and set him back down on her lap, buying her some time to look around the room.

Trini was quick to register that this wasn't her bedroom back home. First of all, the walls were all white and the room was so… so plain. Kimberly wouldn't approve at all. To the left side of the bed was a vase filled with sunflowers, and there was a window on the right. Outside, Trini saw nothing but trees. The bed she was lying in was also rather simple, there was a circular white rug on the floor, and-

"Hel-loooo!" A cheery voice called out that made Trini nearly jump out of bed. "Sorry about Zwei, he's super friendly! Have a nice nap?" The Yellow Ranger turned her eyes to the door, where a girl that looked about a year older than Trini leaned against the frame with crossed limbs. The first thought Trini had when she laid eyes on her was that she looked like somebody straight out of a swimsuit calendar or a magazine cover.

The girl had wavy blonde hair that cascaded down her back like a cape and had somewhat of a shine to it. A pair of lilac eyes were focused on Trini while a cheeky smirk was on the girl's face. Trini blinked while taking in the girl's attire, which was something the boys back in Angel Grove would've been glued to. A tan midriff-baring jacket, a yellow crop top with what looked like a burning heart on the side, a brown belt with that same symbol over a pair of black spandex shorts, black fingerless gloves with two yellow bracelets, brown knee-high boots with orange socks, one of them pushed down, and a purple bandana around the opposite leg… this girl was dressed to impress, and Trini didn't mean that in a subtle way.

"I… guess?" she finally answered, unable to keep the confusion out of her voice while running a hand through her dark hair. "Where… am I?"

"You're in my home, obviously!" the girl replied cheerfully. "I was out on a late-night drive on Bumblebee when I found you lying in the middle of the road! Couldn't pick a better place to conk out, huh?"

This girl wasn't making any sense, Trini didn't remember being out in the middle of the road. Or being passed out, for that matter. What she did remember was that fight in the cave, but that was about it. What happened after that? Did they stop Rita? Or did-

Trini chased those thoughts away. "Thanks for that… I guess. What's your name?"

The girl was all too happy to answer that with a gleeful grin and pointing a thumb at herself. "Yang Xiao Long, professional butt-kicker and crowd-pleaser! And you are-?" Trini didn't give an instant answer. Yang Xiao Long? What was that, Chinese? Trini had a few Chinese traditions despite being of both Taiwanese and Korean blood. The girl didn't look Asian in the slightest, but Trini threw a smile her way as she lifted off the covers and swung her legs over the bed.

"Trini Kwan."

Yang's smile quickly dropped and her face had a stunned expression. "That's an… interesting name…" Why did she look so confused? Was she expecting something else? Trini discarded those questions while Yang got herself back on track. "Well, anyway, nice to meet ya, Trini! Love the getup, by the way! Know where I can snag a suit like that?"

"Get-" Trini's glance shot downward as she registered the words, and her self-examination quickly showed that she wasn't dressed in her everyday attire. Nor her Ranger suit, because that would've been a nightmare to explain. Where she had expected to see a t-shirt or sweatpants or something like that was a bright yellow catsuit that hugged every inch of her with athletic shoulder pads, elbow pads, and knee pads. A white stripe ran down the outside of each leg and she wore a pair of sunshine lightweight yellow shoes with pawprints on the soles, almost like a free-runner's pair. Trini could still feel her earrings, but there was some kind of jewel inscribed into them… topaz, if she had to guess from her current color scheme. Her hair was also shorter- she had meant to get it trimmed sooner or later- with several bangs covered in yellow streaks. Lastly, Trini spied a necklace laced with teeth (hopefully they were fake) around her throat and a small belt around her waist with tiny ammo clips and holsters for…

"Oop! Almost forgot!" Trini turned her attention back to Yang, who was now standing near the drawer and sliding it open, fishing something out. "You had these with you!" She tossed the objects to Trini, who caught them without even thinking (probably muscle memory). Two yellow hunting knives that looked fit for combat: her Power Daggers, only… no Sabertooth Tiger emblem or short blades on them. Just a single steel blade as sharp as the predator's fangs and yellow hilts with black stripes.

"And this, too!" Trini sheathed her knives before looking back at Yang… and immediately froze where she stood. The blonde was proudly holding up the very last thing Trini wanted to see in a civilian's hand: her Power Morpher, complete with the golden coin of a snarling sabertooth.

Oh, no. Nononono, this was bad, this was bad, this was very very bad…

"What is this thing, anyway?" Yang asked her, oblivious to what immense power lay within it. "Are you collecting fancy jewelry? Or… nah, this looks more like a toy."

"I-it is!" Trini all but blurted out, taking the blonde by surprise. "It's, uh… it's a toy! From… from my…" Come on, Kwan, think of something! "From my favorite TV show! Yeah, I- ah… I've been watching it since I was a kid! Very special…" Please let her buy that, please let her buy that, please let her buy that…

Yang's violet orbs widened in surprise. "Whoa, really?"

"Uh-huh," Trini nodded so fast she felt like her head was gonna pop off. Either that or her face would break from the most innocent-looking smile she could make. "Got up every Saturday morning for it! Heh…" Yang returned the smile with her own. "Guess I'm gonna have to watch it, then! I don't think I've heard of a show called…" She glanced at the morpher for a moment. "'Power Rangers'… but that's about to change! Here ya go!" This time, Trini fumbled to catch the thrown object and just barely kept it from clattering to the floor. Stashing the morpher behind her back, Trini closed her eyes and sighed in relief. That was a close call…

"So, Trini…" Yang spoke up again. "What brings a nice girl like you to Patch?"

Trini took a double-take. "Uh… Patch?"

"Never been here, then," Yang answered instead of elaborating further. "How ya likin' it? Getting away from city life once in a while? Pretty spot for a vacation!" She flashed Trini a wink, to which the Yellow Ranger just stared blankly as a result.

"Um… listen, Yang," Trini managed to say. "I can't stay. I need to meet with my friends and-" She didn't get much more than that out before Yang was right there at her side and a hand on Trini's shoulder. "You got friends? Well, why didn't ya say so?! This mean I get to meet 'em if I help ya?"

"Uh-"

"I'll take that as a yes!" She bounded away and clasped her hands together. "So! What are your friends like?" Trini needed a moment to recover from the girl's extreme energy until she recomposed herself and cleared her throat. "Well, one of them's a girl and the rest are all boys. The girl tends to dress in pink a lot and the boys all prefer red, green, blue, and black. Does that narrow it down, you see anybody like that?"

"Hmm…" Yang paused- finally- and brought a hand to her chin while tapping her foot. "Does the girl in pink have a hammer?"

"...No?" Trini had no idea what brought Yang to that conclusion. A hammer would be the last thing Kimberly would wanna pick up.

"Then I got zilch," came the blonde's answer, much to Trini's disappointment. "But I do know a girl in red. Ruby, my little sister. She's a real bundle of energy, but she's a real sweetheart when you get to know her!"

A real bundle of energy? Trini had a feeling she knew who she got that from…

"So… where is this Ruby?"

"Out, last I heard," Yang replied. "She called me before you woke up and she's on her way back here. We can wait here for her if you want… unless you wanna pass the time."

Pass the time, huh? Trini was okay with that. "Well… what do you have in mind?" Yang went back into thought, studying Trini closely as silence hung in the air… until her face lit up with another smile. "How about we see what you got?"

"On what?" Trini asked, prompting a chuckle from Yang. "You know, you and me! One-on-one! May the best Huntress win!" This was enough to force a knowing smile onto Trini's surprised face like Yang was contagious with positivity. "You? Fight me? You're joking, right?"

"Do I look like the joking type?" Honestly, she definitely did. But Trini wasn't going to tell her anytime soon… in fact, Yang looked like she knew it. "I dunno. I may not look like much, but you'll be on the ground in ten seconds."

Yang replied with a challenging look. "Eager, aren't we? You're on, Kwan. I know just the spot." The blonde strode out of the bedroom without another word, prompting Trini to follow her out into the hallway. Now that she wasn't being assaulted with words, Trini tried to get her thoughts together. If she heard correctly, Yang had never even heard of the Power Rangers; which was both good and sort of bad. Good, because her identity was safe. Sort of bad, because… didn't the whole world know of them? Unless some people didn't watch the news often and thus missed out on the foiled alien attacks that happened literally every week. In that case, where had Trini ended up? An isolated location from the rest of civilization was her best clue given her current whereabouts. The house looked like a wooden cabin in the middle of the woods, suitable for the aforementioned vacation possibility Yang had brought up. No problem, Trini would just ask for directions and she'd be on her way…

…right after she kicked Yang's butt, of course.

"Hey, Dad! Our guest's awake!" Yang's cheerful voice wasn't as surprising this time, but it was enough to bring Trini's attention back to the situation at hand. The staircase she was descending led into a living room, where a muscular blond man sitting on the couch greeted the girls. Trini quickly scanned the room, noting the coffee table in front of the couch, a bookcase, a door to what she believed was a kitchen area and another leading outside, a dog bed whose occupant she could hear running down the stairs, and a stand with… nothing on it? Weird, Trini had expected a TV or-

She remembered the older man just as he spoke up. "Morning! Yang said you needed some beauty sleep. Are you feeling alright?" Trini gave the man a polite smile and nod while stepping off the stairs. Her head may be swarming with questions about the fight's aftermath or where she was, but she didn't need to concern him with that. "I am, thank you. I appreciate the hospitality you've given me, Mister…?"

"Taiyang," he answered, rising to his feet. "But you can call me Tai."

Huh. Another Chinese name. So, should she say "Ni hao" or… no, she didn't think formalities were an option here. "I'm Trini."

"Trini?" Tai repeated while looking over her form. "Hm. Of all the names I've heard, I've never come across one like that." Trini noticed his sapphire orbs latched onto the daggers sheathed at her hips. "Looking to be a Huntress, I take it?" That word gave Trini pause. Huntress… She didn't have the slightest idea what he meant by that, but if these people were unfamiliar with the Power Rangers, they must have had a different form of protection out here. "I guess so."

Tai cocked his head. "Guess so?" Trini immediately realized her poor choice of words and opened her mouth for a reply she wasn't ready to give… until Yang stepped in. "She was pretty much out of it when I found her last night, Dad. No idea what happened to her, but I think her memory got jostled about. But she remembers her name and her friends, so there's that."

She wasn't entirely wrong, Trini had to admit. And speaking of her friends… "Thank you for the hospitality again, Mister Xiao Long, but I'm afraid I can't stay. My friends are probably worried about me by now, and I have no idea where they could be. Is it alright if Yang helps me find them?" The older man was already nodding before Trini could finish. "Of course. That's why she and her sister want to become Huntresses, after all. To help people, whether they're ordinary citizens or other Huntresses like you." He turned to his daughter next. "Do whatever you can for her, Yang. She's a nice kid, just like you."

"Thanks, Dad," she said with a smile before opening the door, allowing natural sunlight inside. She waited for Trini to step outside, the Yellow Ranger ready to do so while opening her mouth to bid farewell to Tai…

"Oh, one more thing, ladies," he quickly added. "If you're heading to town, be careful. There was a Grimm sighting an hour ago." Yang shot her father a comforting wink. "Hey, you know who you're talking to, right? See ya soon, Dad." Tai briefly waved at the girls before the closing door obscured Trini's view of him. The blonde was already bounding off the porch, motioning for Trini to follow. "Plenty of time until my sister gets back. So!" she pounded a palm with one fist and an eager grin. "You ready to do this or what?"

"Yeah, but…" Trini couldn't resist keeping this one inside, her eyes cast on the ground as she stepped away from the door. "Yang, I need to ask you something." The blonde wasn't bothered by the offer and placed her hands on her hips, waiting for what the other girl had to say. "Like…?"

"What's a 'Grimm'?"

The words were out before Trini could stop them, keeping her from re-phrasing it in a less-direct manner. The blonde's smile vanished and her purple eyes flashed with concern, probably drinking in the confusion on Trini's face. Both girls were quiet for a moment, with Trini patiently waiting for an explanation.

"Oh my god, you must have hit your head harder than I thought," Yang finally murmured. "In that case… I'll try not to go for the face. See if I can knock it back into you." She turned and walked off into the woods without another word, leaving Trini with the sinking realization that no explanation was coming. With a heavy sigh, she followed the blonde while her head was filled with more questions than answers.

Patch… Huntresses… Grimm… Trini didn't understand any of it. And two people with Chinese names not recognizing another Asian name? She understood that less. Just where the heck was she? Where were the other Rangers? What happened with their fight? And why did she look like… this?

Well, she didn't have much of an issue with her new appearance. If Trini said so herself, she looked good. The suit was snug-yet-comfortable with no limitations on movement and the shoes felt perfect on her. But her weapons were with her despite not being morphed, and her morpher was safe and sound. Trini only hoped she didn't have to use it with company nearby…

She wished she could contact her friends, but she couldn't let Yang spot her communicator and pry into it. Trini's cover story worked- enough for Yang to accept it without question- and she didn't want to throw it away so soon. All Trini could do was wish they were safe, wherever they were. And Yang… she was concerned for someone she had just met. Did she have that effect on people? A heart of gold to match her sunny personality and bright looks would be just the thing to complete the set.

Yang Xiao Long… what did that translate to, anyway? Trini's Chinese was a little rusty, but that was something she could try to figure out before having their spar. Let's see… Long… that was supposed to be "dragon", right? "Blazing" was certainly a word Trini would use to describe the girl's hair, like a wave of flame erupting from the beast's maw to roast whatever had enraged it. And that muscular build she had… some dragons were pretty powerful, weren't they?

Why would Yang not know a name like Trini's, then? Did she not meet many Vietnamese folks or- The Yellow Ranger halted when her gaze turned back to the blonde, who now faced Trini with balled fists. Looking around, Trini noticed the two girls now standing in a small clearing surrounded by trees and logs, which circled a pale dirt surface they were in the center of.

"We're here already?" Trini uttered quietly, which Yang answered with a nod. "Yep! Ready when you are!" Trini wasn't expecting it this soon… but honestly, she could use the distraction. Besides, there was another thing she picked up about Chinese folklore from a book her family used to have.

The rivalry between the dragon and the tiger.

Spreading her feet apart, Trini calmed her mind and slowly took a stance with open palms and fingers curled like claws. Visualize and breathe, echoed Jason's words, aiding the Yellow Ranger's focus. Taking the chance to observe Yang's positioning, Trini noted the blonde tensing up in anticipation. She was eager and anxious to get started… and that meant she was impatient. Likely to make a mistake. Therefore, she would be the one to make the first move, not Trini. The Yellow Ranger stayed put in her stance, measuring each breath carefully.

Yang was a perfect balance of strength and slimness. She'd be quick in whatever attacks she'd throw at Trini. Each one would be powerful… if Trini let any of them connect. Good thing the key to any fight was to not stay in one place; if she kept on the move she'd have a chance.

Further planning was cut short when the blonde brawler broke into a charge, a fist barreling for Trini. As she expected, the first of Yang's attacks were fast yet strong enough to land powerful hits. The Yellow Ranger swiftly weaved away from each punch until snagging a quick jab and countering by slamming her heel into Yang's chest. The blonde stumbled back a little, taken aback by the power placed into the blow.

Trini went on the attack, hoping to overwhelm Yang's defenses with fast strikes. Her body moved independently as she let the basic forms take control, Yang moving quicker than Trini thought to intercept and block as many hits as she could. After stepping away from a leg that Trini swung at her head, Yang pumped both arms and snapped her bracelets into… a pair of gauntlets.

Not what Trini was expecting, but it'd take more than a hidden weapon to lower her guard from surprise. The Yellow Ranger refrained from drawing her own weapons when she was forced back into a defensive stance, throwing evasion into the mix by cartwheeling away from a punch and landing a palm strike on Yang's side. Both girls continued to trade blows for a while, each searching for an opportunity to shift the fight in their favor until their hands and elbows locked in a tight grip.

"Woo!" Yang gasped in a mixture of surprise and exhaustion. "You're… you're stronger than you look!" Trini let the corner of her mouth lift in an appreciative grin. "Thanks! You too!" She swung a leg out and knocked away Yang's knee, making the blonde lose her footing. Seizing her by the collar, Trini fell backward and used her leg to throw Yang over her, her opponent kicking up dust when she hit the dirt with a grunt.

Trini considered helping her up but disregarded the kind gesture when she noticed Yang getting back to her feet already. The other girl needed a moment to get herself situated, so Trini decided it couldn't hurt for the Yellow Ranger to catch her breath. So far, so good; she was far from rusty when it came to close-quarters combat. Yang, on the other hand, was a natural like she fought someone every day. Trini would ask her about things like that later, though…

"Nice moves. Did your dad teach you?"

"Yeah…" Yang said breathlessly. "But forget me, who taught you? I could barely keep up with you back there! You're like lightning, girl!" Lightning? That was probably the best compliment Trini had heard someone give her. "Well, I learned a few martial arts growing up, but my friend teaches a karate class. I picked up a few tricks from him."

"That's cool…" Yang began until her smile briefly dropped. "...even though I don't know what 'karate' is." Trini raised a brow at Yang in confusion. Just how far off the grid did she live, anyway? Surely, she knew something outside her small woodland home; maybe she trained under different styles. Trini quickly reviewed the blonde's previous tactics. Her primary means of attack looked similar to boxing along with kickboxing though Yang didn't use her legs as much as Trini did. The Yellow Ranger also recognized some muay thai movements in her strikes… but what else did she do?

There was only one answer to that. "Why don't I give you a crash course, then?" Trini requested, resuming her previous stance. Yang immediately registered that the girl was ready for round two, which was enough to restore her energy. A grin plastered on her face and she pumped her arms, springing her gauntlets back into view while marching towards Trini…

…whose nose crinkled with a foul odor.

"Ugh! H-hold on!" She cringed and backed off while Yang paused with a raised brow. "When was the last time you showered?" The blonde blinked as her brain registered Trini's question. "Um, this morning… I didn't work up that much of a sweat, did I?"

Trini had no idea what she had caught a whiff of, but it reeked. She couldn't find the right words to describe it either; rotten eggs or hot garbage didn't fit the bill. She took a breath through her mouth to avoid inhaling more of the stench. Despite focusing her efforts on getting rid of the smell, Trini picked up something faint amongst the sensory onslaught: the snapping of a twig from the treeline. The smell quickly forgotten yet still looming in her nostrils, Trini whirled in the direction of the sound.

"Yang? Did… did you hear that?"

The blonde just ran a hand through her head. "Um… no? I didn't hear-" Another sound, this one audible enough to catch Yang's attention, came from the trees. Trini felt herself go on high alert for some reason, her nerves tensing up and her body posed to act. From what she could make out… something was coming from the trees.

And that horrendous smell was getting… closer?

"Look out!" Yang suddenly cried, both girls leaping away from what Trini thought was a massive shadow crashing through the trees, smashing several apart in a storm of splinters. She hit the ground in a perfect roll and rebounded back to her feet, whirling around with clenched fists. That stupid smell was stronger now, making the Yellow Ranger resist the urge to gag as she looked upon whatever had just burst through.

It was a monster… but not one Trini was familiar with. The sight of it was enough to send a chill up the normally-fearless Ranger's spine, the creature dwarfing her like a monster truck. It was a massive bear entirely black in nature, covered in bony plates and menacing spikes jutting out from its back. Its eyes were burning a fiery red and sinister blood-colored detailing marked its skull. Dark wisps of smoke trailed from its ashen form, with Trini picking up their scent from here.

She now realized what the source of the odor was. And this thing- this abomination- smelled like death.

"What… what is that thing?!" Trini tore her eyes from the howling creature- its bellow rattling her eardrums- and hoped Yang would give her a definite answer. The blonde was climbing to her feet and looked just as surprised as Trini. "An Ursa Major?! Here?"

"Or so what?!" Trini shot back, but the blonde ignored her words while shooting her a knowing look. "Alright, I know this isn't the round two you promised me… but it's good enough! Watch and learn, Trini!" Before Trini could stop her, Yang readied her gauntlets and held them behind her back, the weapons flashing with a loud bang that propelled the blonde forward at high speed.

Yang connected with the monster's head with a loud cry, somersaulting away while the beast roared in a feral rage. The creature broke into a charge, forcing Trini to cartwheel out of the way to avoid getting trampled underfoot. The second she caught her breath, Trini spun around to see Yang fiercely locked in combat with the massive monster, and she appeared to be… punching explosions? Whatever she was doing only agitated the beast, who retaliated with savage swipes that Yang expertly backflipped from. The brawler caught one murky limb before giving it a hard blow, the gauntlet firing into its wrist.

"Whatcha waiting for, Trini?!" she called out as if she was inviting the Yellow Ranger to a game rather than a duel against a black bear monster. "I can't have all the fun to myself, now can I?!"

She had a point. That monster looked like it would crush her into a pulp if she wasn't careful. Yang looked like she was oblivious to the danger this thing could put her in, but Trini knew far better. She fought monsters before with the others, and she knew the risks. But Yang's smile was a dead giveaway. She was toying with this beast and not taking it seriously!

This situation called for a professional! Trini's hand flew to her lower back as her eyes narrowed in determination. The Power Coin within her morpher glinted in the sunlight as she opened her mouth… but her battle cry died in her throat when Trini was struck by a realization.

Keep your identity secret. No one may know you are a Power Ranger.

The girl's expression faltered and the distant sounds of grunting, roaring, and the occasional blast of gunfire faded away as she stared at the one thing that would give her the chance to destroy this monster. This was supposed to be an easy choice, but… but Yang, an ordinary person who had the utter gall to take on a beast like that, was right there in front of her. She couldn't just…

She could run. Take cover behind the trees and morph there. But what if Yang thought she bailed? Should Trini take the risk of fighting unmorphed? No, there was no way she could stand up to that thing while normal! She needed to make her decision fast, because any second now, Yang could get mauled or torn apart or-

"Take THAT! And that! And some of these!"

She was getting cocky. Reckless. She'd slip up eventually, and when she did… she was a dead girl. Trini couldn't leave her, even for a second… so she closed her eyes, ready to step over the point of no return.

Once this was over, she needed to come clean to Yang. It would hurt and the others would probably be upset with her, but she had to do this. It was the only way. A shaky sigh left Trini's lips and she opened her eyes, the ferocious expression of the extinct beast glaring back at her. Telling her what she needed to do to save this girl.

"Sorry, Zordon…" she whispered before snapping back to reality. "IT'S MORPHIN TIME!" Her arms shot out and she pressed down on the morpher, noticing the beast whirl in her direction with Yang pounding at the arm she was now caught in. "SABER-TOOTHED TIGER!"

Trini heard the monster snarl angrily, but she paid it no mind while waiting for the energy to wash over her. In a second, she would be charged up with a power and a force this creature had never seen before. After that, she'd beat the beast down until it was nothing but a smoking heap of cracked bone, utterly powerless to-

Wait… why wasn't she feeling anything?

Trini heard Yang grunt as she was thrown to the ground, the breath leaving her lungs while the huge bear monster lumbered toward the Yellow Ranger with an ominous growl. The Yellow Ranger blinked in confusion and glanced down at her morpher. Why…?

"Huh? Ahem… SABER-TOOTHED TIGER!" Trini roared again, waiting for the energy to flow through her veins and flood her with that otherworldly sensation. Instead, her blood ran cold when she learned nothing had happened… and the bear monster was casting a shadow over her.

"SABER-TOOooof!" The wind was knocked from Trini's lungs when the monster swatted her aside, sending the girl tumbling along the dirt until her back slammed against a tree. A pained groan wrenched from her mouth and the world spun around her while the monster's next roar wracked her ears. The Yellow Ranger fought against the pang of dizziness that threatened to overcome her, catching sight of the beast that loomed over her with an open mouth.

With a sharp cry, Trini rammed a foot into its jaw before kicking it in the nose, temporarily knocking it away. Climbing back to her feet with shaky breaths, Trini held out the morpher once again. "S-Saber-toothed... tiger..." Her voice was a little strained at that attempt… but all she still got was silence, her own gasping breath, and the monster's low growling. The Yellow Ranger glanced at the morpher in shock and utter confusion.

"Come on, come on!" Trini hissed, mashing the morpher's switch repeatedly to no avail. "I need a boost here! Work, you stupid-" Her cry turned into a sharp gasp when a black paw knocked the morpher from her grasp, sending the tool flying into the brush. "NO!" Her body tried to lunge after it… but the monster was faster when another paw slammed her back against the tree. Without hesitation, the monster opened its jaws and dove for Trini's face. Her only option now lost, Trini felt panic swarm her being and she let out a cry of terror, futilely holding out her arms. It wouldn't save her and she knew it, waiting for the sharp fangs to plunge into her flesh…

…which took longer than it should have.

With her frantic heartbeat pounding in her ears and shaky breaths racking her chest, Trini dared to crack open an eyelid to see what made the beast hesitate. Whatever she hoped to see- another of her friends or Yang wounding the beast enough to divert its attention- was less of a predictable outcome than what was really transpiring.

Trini couldn't believe it, but… she was blocking the monster's fangs with her bare hands. The creature was struggling to break through an invisible defense… scratch that, almost invisible, as small pulses of yellow light flared from Trini's palms. The girl still felt the sharp teeth trying to force their way through, but Trini felt as if someone was trying to poke her hands with pins rather than something trying to bite them off. The stunned Yellow Ranger's breathing finally settled as her eyes took in the sight… followed by a thought that slammed her body back into combat mode.

She didn't know why she thought this was a good idea, but the next thing Trini knew, she grabbed the beast's fangs and ripped them from its jaw with a mighty roar that shook the entire forest. Whether it was her or the monster's howl of agony, Trini didn't know or care. The adrenaline coursing through her body didn't stop there, as the Ranger drove a palm into the monster's face with another pulse of yellow light from the hand. The strike that was supposed to be light and quick ended up sending the beast flying halfway across the clearing, where it collapsed with a loud thud in front of a shocked Yang.

Trini could bet that Yang was nowhere near as bewildered as she was, the Ranger glancing at her palms with her brain struggling to process everything. Her eyes trailed to the blonde, mind racing as to what she would say about why Trini was flashing her "toy" to a dangerous predator.

"You have a subconscious Aura field?!" she finally exclaimed in surprised delight, catching Trini by surprise even more. "Oh my god, it usually takes so much training to get one of those! How'd you do it?!"

"I… buh… wha… guh…"

"Y'know what, save it for later! Let's finish this sucker!" Yang shot for the monster with a joyful grin, leaving Trini stumbling to understand everything that had just happened. Her morpher… it wasn't working?! How?! Was it damaged? And what… What was that weird energy just now? She should be bear food right now, and yet… ow, her brain hurt.

Trini scrambled to her feet and immediately sprinted to where her morpher had landed, scooping it up with one hand and looking it over for any signs of damage. It looked fine, so why…

"Trini!" Yang called out, forcing the Yellow Ranger from her thoughts. "I could use a hand here! You can worry about your toy or whatever later! Which, by the way, I don't think this guy is interested in!" Trini was flashed with guilt for a split second; how would she explain this?

No, stop. Help her finish that thing off. You can come clean afterward.

Stowing her morpher away, Trini drew her daggers and broke into a charge, sprinting for the monster faster than she realized. Was it another adrenaline-induced stunt from the- stop thinking about that and fight, Trini!

Trini leaped onto the monster's back and buried her blades into the creature's abyssal skin, the scent of death assailing her from up close. The Yellow Ranger fought the urge to throw up from how overpowering it was from here while also making sure the beast didn't throw her off like a wild bull. Trini stabbed the monster several times for good measure through gaps between its bony armor, grunting with each effort before vaulting off the creature and slashing it across the head.

She did some damage, but now the thing was madder than Goldar. The bear beast swiped at Trini with both front paws, the Yellow Ranger swiftly dodging each strike and bending backward from a swipe that would've taken her face off. Acting on nothing but instinct, she spun away from a slamming arm and pinned that limb to the ground with a thrown dagger, the monster roaring in pain. Trini was quick to shut it up with a spinning kick and a knee to the jaw, but the monster managed to wrench its limb free from her knife and knocked her away with a backhand. Despite being sent sliding along the floor, Trini quickly rolled to her feet without missing a beat. Yang took over from there, barraging the beast with swift punches, somersaulting away from retaliating swipes.

Sliding past the monster to retrieve her other dagger, Trini faced the unholy abomination with a twirl of both weapons… which reconfigured into a pair of yellow handguns. Normally, Trini would've been taken aback by this, but she shrugged that thought aside and unloaded both pistols onto the monster's body like was wielding two Blade Blasters at once.

The gunshots enraged the creature some more and it retaliated with another series of swipes that Trini backflipped away from. She strafed around the monster while laying down fire, Yang doing the same from the other side by firing off high-powered explosive shots. The monster let out an earth-shaking bellow and swung wildly again, catching both girls by surprise and sending them flying.

Yang shook her head with a weary moan while Trini climbed to one knee. What in the world was that thing? She and Yang had given it everything they had and it barely looked scratched! Although Trini spied several scars and burn marks from where successful hits landed, none of them were enough to kill the beast. "We… we're getting nowhere with this guy…"

"Wait…" Yang whispered, helping Trini get to her feet. "I've still got my trump card. Trini… hit me!"

Trini blinked at the blonde, feeling more lost than before. "What?"

"Just do it!" Yang snapped. "Gimme everything you got!" Trini wasn't in the position or state to argue with that… and at this rate, the Yellow Ranger was willing to try anything now that something was wrong with her morpher.

"Okay… but you better know what you're doing! HAI-YAH!" Trini spun on one heel and slammed her foot directly into Yang's gut as hard as she could, the blonde wincing in effort from the strong blow. The bear monster was already charging for the girls and would be on them in seconds. Trini was already scrambling to figure out how her daggers had turned into guns so she could turn them back, ready to dodge when the creature swung another limb at them. Yang, however, didn't move an inch…

…and caught the large paw like it was nothing. Her closed eyes shot open, with Trini seeing they were now a crimson red instead of a calm lilac. Her golden hair was also turning brighter and Trini could feel… was that heat coming off of Yang?

"RRAAAAAAAH!" A roar of both strength and rage erupted from the blonde's mouth when her fist connected with the beast's jaw. The powerful uppercut hit like a freight train slamming against an unfortunate car on the tracks, the cracking sound echoing through the forest. The blow was so forceful that it was enough to send the creature sailing a few feet into the air, a guttural moan leaving its form.

It crashed back down like a big brick, the red light in its eyes growing dim in the head that was now snapped back at a grotesque angle. Trini swore that Yang would've taken its head off if she had put any more effort into the punch… How did she do that, anyway? Was she not as normal as Trini initially believed?

The creature made no move to get back up, its smoky form evaporating into thin air, the horrible stench with it. Trini's hands clung to her knees and she bent forward with exhausted gasps, relieved from the fresh air and wishing she was back in the cabin's bed to rest from all the… all the craziness she had just been through.

"Woo… that was… a heck of a workout…" Yang sighed, wiping her brow of sweat. "Ursa Majors… can take a lot outta ya, huh?" She gave Trini an appreciative pat on the back. "But ya did good, kid… ya did good. You feeling okay, by the way?"

"I'll… be… fine…" Trini barely managed to say. Already, she could feel her depleted stamina slowly returning like she had run a 10K marathon. Speaking of speed, her brain wandered to what had overcome her during the fight. She didn't… she didn't think she could move that fast or react to danger just as quickly. Kimberly was the acrobat of the team, not her.

"Don't worry," Yang told her. "Your Aura will make you good as new in time. You'd take way longer to recover if that Grimm had broken it."

"My…" Trini began, her breath catching up to her. "My what?"

Yang had a look of realization on her face. "Damn, that's right! You're still not all there upstairs…" She helped Trini adjust herself and brushed some dirt off her shoulder. "But hey, you kick serious ass."

"Thanks," was all Trini uttered. The monster was dealt with, but now came the hard part. Yang must've seen her try to morph or at least heard her call out. She'd want to know what Trini was doing with her "toy"...

"You got serious guts, too. What were you trying to do back there, scare it? Pro tip: Grimm don't get scared. Keep that in mind for next time, yeah?" Trini didn't give a response at first, her eyes cast downward and sadness filling her features. What was she supposed to say now? Tell Yang that she's not who the blonde thinks she is? Admit that she doesn't know what a Grimm or Huntress was? Whatever she'd do, Trini might as well end up venting every single question she had in her head, leading Yang to think she was crazy rather than try and help.

The Yellow Ranger took a deep breath, looked the blonde brawler in the eye, and-

"Yaaaaaaang!" A shrill voice cut off Trini before she could get a word out and something tackled the blonde at high speed. It took Yang everything she had to not collapse while she broke out into laughter and hugged the stranger dressed in black and red. "I heard you were fighting something! Am I too late? Did I miss it? Were you…" The girl looked away from the blonde for a moment before sagging in Yang's arms. "Awww, I missed it!"

"Next time, little sis," Yang answered soothingly, giving the girl a pat on the head before setting her down. "I'll be sure to tell you all about it… in fact, I can let her tell it!" She gestured to Trini and the other girl's eyes went wide when she finally noticed the Yellow Ranger. "I found her in the woods. She says she needs to find some friends of hers."

"Hiii!" The girl said with the biggest grin Trini ever saw and a frantic wave. "I'm Ruby, Yang's younger sister! Did she tell you all about me? What did you think of Ember Celica? How-" She caught herself and regathered herself, clearing her throat. "Heh. Sorry. I got excited. What's your name?"

The Yellow Ranger couldn't resist smiling at the girl and held out her hand. "I'm-"

"Trini?"

She froze instantly. That voice. She knew that voice…

With wide eyes, Trini turned in the direction the smaller girl had come from and spotted a boy dressed in red with black detailing. A sword rested on his back and his normally-focused face was lit up in stunned surprise. Trini, on the other hand, was flooded with happiness at the sight of a familiar face.

"Jason!" She dashed up to her leader and wrapped her arms around him in a relieved hug, ignoring the grunt of surprise from the boy. "You're okay! I was so worried!"

"Trini…" he finally spoke. "You look… um…"

"Amazing?" She finished for him while moving out of the hug, twisting her body from side to side. "I never thought I could see myself in a suit like this, but it's pretty nice! It feels really comfortable and I can move around without issue…"

"I was… I was gonna say 'good'," Jason explained nervously. "You look good, Trini."

"Thanks! You look pretty great, too!" She answered happily. "I'm not one for makeovers, but these new looks are awesome! And, um…" Her cheerful demeanor suddenly dropped in a heartbeat as she let out the one question that had been stuck in her mind since she woke up. "What! Is! Going! On?!"

"Ugh…" Jason groaned, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. "You have no idea how long I've been asking that question…" With that finally out in the open, Trini felt a huge weight lift off of her. "Any idea what happened to the others?"

"I don't know," the Red Ranger muttered. "My communicator's not working."

"And that's not the only thing," Trini added. "Jace, I don't know why, but I can't-" The girl cut herself off, suddenly remembering the other two girls nearby. A short glance over her shoulder told her they were still directly behind her, with Yang giving the two teens a smile and a wave. "Uh… do the thing…" she meekly finished.

"Me neither," Jason quietly added. "Listen, we need to find the others as soon as we can… and I think these people can help us. Come on." The Red Ranger approached the chatting girls, the one in black and red- Ruby, Trini recalled- imitating sword swings while Yang watched in amusement until her lilac orbs noticed the new arrivals.

"Hiya!" she said to Jason. "You're Jason, right? Name's Yang! Ruby was just telling me about you! She said you were fighting off a pack of Grimm at a town?"

"That's right," the boy replied warmly. "People were in danger and I had to do something."

"Yeah!" Ruby added with a smile. "Spoken like a true Huntsman!"

"I… suppose so," Trini could tell that Jason was lost thanks to his tone. Yang just chuckled and placed an elbow against his shoulder. "Well, you got the easy part! Your pal Trini and I just went up against an Ursa Major solo!"

Trini didn't miss the deadpanned look on her friend's face. "This big black bear thing that's covered in bones and spikes. Big as a truck, too," she explained. "Plus, it smelled awful. Bleh."

Jason blinked. "Smelled?"

"It's… it's a long story," sighed Trini. Forget explaining her being a Power Ranger to Yang, how was she going to explain everything that happened to Jason? Fortunately, that wasn't what was on her friend's mind when he turned back to the girls. "Yang, Trini told you about our friends, right?" The blonde gave him a nod and wrapped an arm around Ruby's neck. "Sure did! And before you ask, I'm down with helping ya. How else can I repay you for helping my little sis?"

"Hey!" Ruby objected, squirming free from Yang's grip. "I was the one who helped him!" The older sibling just chuckled. "Anyway, we're gonna need more deets about your buddies. Why don't you-" Before Yang could go on, a high-pitch sound that Trini couldn't identify went off from somewhere on Ruby's person, causing the smaller girl to freeze up before patting herself over. Yang just placed a hand on her hip and rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Rubes?"

"I'm sorry! I thought I had it on silent!" Ruby stammered. "Come on, where did I- aha!" The cloak-wearing girl gave a victorious shout while fishing out a small white object. She quickly unfolded it… and donned a joyous smile before tapping it with a finger and holding it to her ear.

"Weiss! I'm so glad you called, I-" Ruby quickly went silent for a moment with Jason and Trini giving each other a confused look. "Uh, hold on, you met who?" More silence. "Well… that's not the weirdest name I've heard. And what is it he asked about?"

"Uh…" Trini whispered. "Jason, what is she…?"

"Oh! Funny you should ask, Weiss… cuz I think we've got some of his friends right here! Where're you headed?" Silence yet again. "Really? Beacon? That's great! See you there!" Ruby lowered the device and put it away, turning to Jason and Trini with a reassuring smile. "Good news, you two! Yang and I are gonna take you to our school! And I promise you, whatever academy you went to… oh, it's got nothing on Beacon! It is the best!"

"That's… great," Trini replied. "But-" A low humming noise cut her off, this time coming from Yang. The blonde retrieved a similar device from her jacket and skimmed over it with an intrigued look. "It's Blake. She says she found someone in the woods. His name's…" She paused for a moment. "Zack? What kind of-?"

"Zack!" Trini blurted out. "That's one of our friends!"

"And I bet that… Wise?" Jason tried only for Ruby to correct him quickly. "Weiss. Weiss Schnee. Please keep your jaws off the ground, she's not fond of being associated with her family's reputation."

Trini had to force back a snicker. "I'm sorry… Schnee?"

"She probably has another of our friends with her," Jason spoke up. "And, uh… I don't mean to intrude, but… what exactly were those little light-square thingies?"

Yang's mouth dropped open in shock. "You never had Scrolls? You have my deepest sympathies, then. You've missed out on so much!"

"Scrolls?" Trini hushedly echoed to her partner. "They looked nothing like scrolls!"

"Yang, tell Blake to meet us at Beacon," Ruby told her sister. "And as for you two, you are gonna be so amazed when we get to Beacon Academy! Come on, we'll take you to the closest port!" The red-hooded girl jogged down the trail and Yang motioned for the Rangers to follow before hurrying after her sister. Jason and Trini did so, but at a slower pace. Once they made sure there was enough distance between them, Jason leaned closer to the Yellow Ranger.

"Trini, there's something I need to tell you," he whispered. "I have no idea where we are… but I don't think we're on Earth." The girl immediately recoiled in surprise. "Wait, not Earth? But… but everything looks-"

"The same? I know," Jason finished for her. "But think about it. We both fought vicious black monsters that are way tougher than the average Putty, my sword turned into a freaking gun for some reason..."

"What? Yours, too?" Trini whispered back before scrambling for something to pick from the weirdness she'd seen. "And Yang… her hair burst into flames and she punched the big monster we fought so hard it went flying! And it was larger than both of us!"

Jason rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Oh, that's nothing. For some reason, her sister can turn into flowers and zoom around the place."

Trini didn't know what to say about that, so she sighed and moved on to the next great question. "Jason… what happened? I remember Zordon sending us to the cave, we fought Rita and her minions, but… everything else is a mess."

"I'm just as confused as you are, Trini, believe me," Jason muttered. "Look, we can sort these things out later, once we've found everyone. For now, let's just go to this Beacon place. After that, we tell them everything."

Trini gasped in shock. "Everything? Jason, we can't! It's-"

"Trini, listen," Jason stopped her calmly. "Wherever we are, it's not Earth. Our morphers don't work. And nobody knows who the Power Rangers are here. Telling Ruby and Yang won't matter, because Zordon's rules don't apply here."

"Are… are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Now let's go find our friends." The Red Ranger jogged to catch up to the girls, leaving Trini behind. The girl sighed and started after him, thinking about his words. Breaking the truth to Yang would still make her feel bad about lying in the first place, but if Jason was right, there wouldn't be consequences. Plus, she needed to find out what happened because she thought she would die without the answer. And if Ruby and Yang could help her find that answer- as well as many others- she wouldn't hesitate to go through with it.

But another world… it still sounded so bizarre. Trini only hoped that when the truth came out, the sisters… the sisters who looked vaguely familiar… could relate.