Ruby had idolized Huntsmen and Huntresses her whole life, dreaming of being the heroes straight from the stories she heard. Sure, being on the path to becoming one herself was exciting enough, but who would have thought a group of kids from another world would prove to be just as impressive as they were?! Ruby still couldn't believe how the Power Rangers had adapted to Remnant as fast as they did, but she knew their stay wasn't permanent. Good thing she saw her adventure with them as another step towards her goal…

…so where the heck were they?

Ruby had just finished winding down from that relief effort to Vale- where she may have been met with an unpleasant memory or two- and was ready to help the Ranger with their next step. But something was wrong: she couldn't find them anywhere on Beacon no matter where she looked. She had spent about ten minutes looking for her new friends- getting worried when she had no luck- and called her friends together to see what was going on.

"Hey, have you guys seen the others?" Her sister was the first to answer with a shrug. "Not recently. Why?" Blake's brow furrowed suspiciously. "The last time I saw them, they were going to see what Billy and Weiss had found out about Rita's followers. Are they still there?"

"They should be," Weiss replied. "Maybe they're waiting for us." She gestured for her friends to follow her, leading them to the computer room where she and Billy had tracked down the location of Finster's stolen airship. The girls were expecting to see the Rangers huddled up, in the middle of forming a plan, or patiently waiting for them.

But all they saw when they arrived was a room with idle computers and empty chairs.

"Um…" Yang said. "We're missing something, aren't we?" Ruby was just as stunned, her silver eyes scanning the room as if one of their new friends was hiding somewhere waiting to surprise them. A puzzled Weiss was scratching her head with confusion in her icy blue eyes. "I… I don't understand. We had the location, so… so there's only one reason they can't be here."

Yang spun to Weiss with wide eyes. "You… you're not implying they ditched us, are you?! That doesn't… why would they… they wouldn't do that! Right?" Ruby had to admit her sister had a point. The Rangers weren't the kind of people who would just up and leave their allies. There had to be something else… "Maybe they were in a hurry?"

"No," Blake shot her down. "They still would've let us know. And…" She paused to check her Scroll. "And none of them have contacted us." Her amber eyes darted back to the device as if she were expecting a message to come through any second. But nothing came, leaving the Faunus' orbs to drop in disappointment.

"None of this makes sense," Ruby pondered aloud. "If they purposely left us behind… why would they?"

"I believe it is because they do not trust you."

The girls turned around to see a familiar figure standing in front of the door, his eyes watching them closely beneath his glasses. Ruby still didn't get it. "Professor Ozpin… What do you mean, they don't trust us? Have they been… pretending to be our friends this whole time?"

"Not the way I see it," the man answered. "If anything, the Power Rangers' relationship with you is anything but treacherous. They listen to you and work well with you… but there is something they fail to recognize. They appreciate you as students and friends, but they don't see how capable you are in battle."

Yang stepped forward. "What makes you say that?"

"Because one of their own confessed as such to me," Ozpin explained. "You will be pleased to know that Tommy Oliver has miraculously recovered from his affliction, although how remains a mystery to me." This news swept through the girls, who lightened up with surprised gasps and smiles. Ruby was the one to speak amidst the sudden joy. "So, he's okay? Is he here?"

"Unfortunately not."

And just like that, it was gone. The silver-eyed girl was about to lament on Tommy departing with his friends- and without Team RWBY- when Weiss spoke up. "Hold on, you said he 'confessed' it to you? What did he say?" Ozpin took a steady breath and hung his head solemnly. "You already know these six young heroes hail from another world. But our world and theirs are vastly different from one another. You are well aware of Auras that exist within anything that has a soul… but on Earth, no such thing exists."

"Does that mean…" Ruby gulped as she feared the worst. "Nobody on Earth has a soul?!" Weiss promptly smacked her upside the head. "No, you dunce! It's just…" Now she was the one at a loss as she contemplated her next words. "How do I explain this? Souls obviously exist there, but Aura does not? How does that even-"

"Mister Oliver has explained that the citizens of Earth have nothing to protect them from harm," Ozpin continued. "They are completely powerless and vulnerable to harm. Also, Remnant has dozens of Huntsman teams and many more training to join their ranks, yourselves among them. But on Earth… one single group is tasked with protecting that world."

"Didn't they say something like that earlier?" Yang recalled. "That they were the only ones who could save their world?" Ruby nodded in remembrance. "Yeah, they did… but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Just as this 'Earth' is strange and foreign to us," Ozpin spoke. "Remnant is- in the Rangers' eyes- an alien environment they are not suited for. These people have never heard of Auras, Dust, or Semblances, although the Rangers have adapted to utilizing them. But, as Mister Oliver has told me, they look at you and the people of Remnant… and they see what they see in the citizens they protect. Powerless non-combatants doomed to get themselves injured or worse."

"Wait… they…" When the realization hit for Yang, her eyes flashed red. "They think we don't have what it takes?! That's why they left us behind?!"

"They were concerned for your safety, Miss Xiao Long," Ozpin calmly assured her. "When you last fought the Rangers' enemies, you were badly defeated because you didn't understand them the way the Rangers do. Perhaps they fear that- if you follow the Rangers into facing them a second time- it will not end well for you."

"But they know we can fight," Ruby protested. "We've fought alongside them before! We know what to expect from Rita now!"

"The Rangers have been fighting her longer than you have. Whatever you know about her, the Rangers know more. And because they are the only heroes with great power on Earth, they believe they are the only ones capable of successfully defeating her. They believe they are doing this for this world's safety… but they are wrong. Remnant is not a helpless world, and they must see that if they are to succeed."

"If Tommy knows all this…" Weiss murmured. "Why doesn't he just tell his friends?"

"They're blinded," Blake pieced together. "The Rangers are trying to sacrifice themselves for us, to make sure Rita is their problem alone… but she became our problem the minute she ended up here."

"Precisely," Ozpin smiled with a nod. "Rita is a shared threat to you both, and the only way you can defeat her is together. The Rangers are familiar with this concept, but again… they are alone. They fight well as a team, but they have no experience fighting alongside another team. It is up to you to give them that experience."

"We will, Professor," Ruby promised him. "But all we need to do is find them before they get themselves into trouble. Weiss, do you remember where Rita's minions are?"

"Even better," the heiress smiled, holding up her Scroll. "I downloaded the coordinates. We should get going as soon as we can." Everybody was about to agree before Ozpin raised his hand. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I have a final announcement to make: Mister Oliver was not the only one to receive a full recovery."

Ruby's eyes were bright. "Wait… do you mean…"

The headmaster stepped aside, allowing four new arrivals to enter: a revitalized Team JNPR who naturally greeted their sister team. Ruby almost tackled Jaune with a hug, Blake and Ren shared a satisfied smile, Weiss sighed in relief at a bold Pyrrha, and Yang clasped Nora's hand in hers while both girls grinned devilishly. "Where's the golden guy?!" Nora shouted. "When I get my hands on him, I'm gonna break every bone in his body!"

"Not if I do it first," Yang shot back.

Ruby pulled away from Jaune. "If you're okay, then everyone else-?"

"They'll be fine, Ruby," he reassured. "But for now… we've got some friends who need us more than they realize."

"Okay… it should be just through here." Billy led the way with Scroll in hand, his gaze periodically alternating between the screen and the forest ahead of him. The Blue Ranger took careful care in ducking under branches and brushing away foliage while Jason hacked at anything that he came across with his sword. He noticed a small black bird- Was it a crow or a raven? He could never tell.- flying away as he approached the tree it rested on, but he paid it no mind.

"You said it would be a base," he said for clarification. "From their 'Great War'," He heard a hum from Billy, which was all he needed to hear. The Red Ranger was half-expecting his friend to dive into a detailed history lesson about what he had learned about the conflict, but the young genius kept his focus on their destination.

"Jason…" he heard someone mumble from behind them. "I don't know about this." Jason looked over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of a worried Kimberly with a hand on her arm. She didn't need to say what was wrong, and not because her face would explain what her voice couldn't. Jason already knew what was on her mind…

…because it was on his not too long ago.

"Hey," he whispered, taking Kim's chin in his hand and lifting her head to face him. "We've been a five-person team before." Her face lowered again. Jason immediately knew that was the wrong thing to say. "Listen, I… I wish Trini was here, too. But we don't have time to wait for her. She'd want us to keep Rita from terrorizing this world… and that's what we're gonna do."

That did the trick… barely. Kimberly only gave Jason a silent nod before the Rangers kept trekking through the forest. A few minutes passed until Tommy spoke up from the rear of the pack. "Hey, Jace… you're sure we can handle this alone?"

He rolled his eyes and sighed under his breath. Not this again… "Tommy, we've been over this. I know this is their world, but these are our enemies. They're trained to fight the Grimm, not evil aliens that want to conquer the planet. This isn't their fight."

"It is," Tommy countered almost eagerly. "They've been with us since we got here, and they-"

"And they've been paying the price for it," Jason finished. "Listen, I hate having to do this to them, but it's the only way." The sad tone in his voice was enough to give Tommy pause and the Red Ranger turned away before his friend had the chance to say anything else. Jason's mind was swarming with what Ruby and the others would think about this… but he would not let them get hurt by Rita or her goons again. They needed to stick to what they were best at… and the Rangers would stick to what they were best at.

It was better that way.

Jason didn't know how long had passed until he and Billy broke through the last of the vegetation, revealing a derelict military base donned with the symbol of Vale… and nature. Buildings were covered in greenery and defense fortifications were worn down. A large building Jason assumed was the headquarters stood proud over the other buildings, its fading green colors and proud emblem of twin axes within a wreath oddly fitting well with the vines and leaves growing all over it.

"Billy," Kim asked. "How long ago was this war?"

"Eighty years," came the instant answer. "So a run-down place like this would make a perfect hideout." Zack's eyes landed on something nearby and the Black Ranger temporarily paused. "Yeah… they seem to think so." Jason followed Zack's gaze and spotted an Atlesian airship parked behind an abandoned armory, which he immediately recognized as the craft Rita's minions were using.

That was the proof he needed of their presence.

Kim already had her bow drawn. "Okay, how are we doing this? Do they know we're here or are they lying in wait?" Jason brought a hand to his blade. "I don't know… but let's be careful. Follow my lead." He silently crept towards the headquarters, with everyone else following just as stealthily. The headquarters' doors were weak against their hinges, allowing the Rangers to easily push them open and slip inside. All was dark save for the occasional sunray seeping in through windows or holes in the roof, painting the abandoned headquarters. Aside from the tattered green banners that proudly displayed Vale's emblem and the eroded meeting table in the center of the room, there wasn't much to the base's interior…

And that meant very few places for an ambush.

Light suddenly broke through the shadows, the sudden change making the teenagers with attitude flinch in surprise. Their eyes didn't finish adjusting to the abrupt change when a voice rang out nearby. "Greetings, Power Rangers. We have been expecting you." Blinking through his daze, Jason focused his attention past the reactivated lights towards a balcony in front of what looked like a commander's office. Standing on that balcony were three familiar figures: a man in white with a devious smile and arms behind his back accompanied by two sneering golden Faunus.

Zack blinked. "Expecting us?"

"Of course!" laughed Finster. "Did you think I didn't realize you were using this world's technology to track our craft's position? I perfected it long before you unevolved ingrates ever did!"

"Hey!" shot an offended Billy, a cry Finster brushed off. "But I digress. On another matter… what did you hope to achieve by coming here?"

"The poor things," Scorpina mocked in a soothing tone. "They think they still have a chance." Goldar huffed from Finster's opposite side. "If there's one thing I will never understand about humans, it's their stubbornness." Scorpina hummed in agreement. "You're hurt, Rangers… you want to end this quickly. But you came here alone, and alone you will be in your final moments. If you have any thoughts of victory, it would frankly be better if your new friends were with you."

"They're no match for Rita," Kim retorted. "We're leaving them out of this."

"Oh, no. It's not going to be that easy," Goldar growled. "Because when we're through with you, we'll find those irritating little girls… and slaughter them before your eyes. The last things you will hear will be their screams of agony and their pleas for mercy… and it will be your final failure."

"And speaking of failure, the wounds of your last one are still fresh," Scorpina hissed. "We defeated those pathetic children this world looks to as 'heroes', we terrorized its people, and most importantly…" her mouth lifted into a devilish grin. "...we killed the Yellow Ranger." Shivers ran down everyone's spine at the reminder of that grim memory, a reaction Scorpina chuckled at. "Oh, yes, little Rangers… you're grieving. You're hurting. You wish to see your dear friend again…" Her tail slithered upwards and its stinger pointed at the teens. "Wish. Granted."

"Make no mistake, Rangers… we will ensure you are delivered to Miss Kwan," Finster added. "But first… why don't we add a little more suffering to your already-cracked wills? My newest associates will gladly carry out the task." Something about that last sentence made Jason pause, and he was about to ask Finster what he meant…

…when the windows behind the scientist burst in a shower of glass! Dark humanoid figures leaped out while doors were thrown open, similar shapes scrambling out. The Rangers were surrounded in seconds, struggling with what to make of the strange figures around them. With a hand on his sword, Jason kept his eyes on the one that had landed on all fours before him, bits of glass on the floor around it. The being was human-like in shape with dark murky skin and sharp bony fragments emerging from the surface like sharp rocks jutting out of the ocean. Similar plates covered their limbs and torsos in armor while their hands were covered in bony protection. Menacing claws and talons extended out of fingers and toes, sharp enough to tear through flesh with ease.

Jason heard a deep rumble from the creature. It raised its face, revealing a pair of glowing green eyes behind a familiar-looking bony mask with jade markings. The mask-like face remained expressionless at first… until it hardened with a snarl.

GRRRAAAAAARGH! The humanoid creature roared with fury, unveiling two rows of wicked, dagger-like teeth. Its brethren followed with more screeches and howls, circling the Rangers like a pack of hungry wolves stalking a wounded deer. The teens' horrified eyes locked on the creatures and Zack rapidly switched between the monstrous figures. Their movements were erratic and wild, and their arms were waving like crazy, just like-

"Holy crud, those things are Putties!"

"What?!" Kim echoed. "But then how-"

"Yet another bold achievement of my creative genius, my dear Kimberly," Finster explained as if he were a professor addressing students. "On Earth, the empress's Putty Patrollers have proven to be of no challenge to you. They outnumber you ten to one at times, yet you decimate them into dust effortlessly. Whereas here, the Creatures of Grimm are vicious, unstoppable beings of pure evil with enhanced strength and aggression. And they have proven to be mere fodder to Huntsmen, be it highly-experienced warriors or student trainees."

"So…" Tommy had to fight the urge to cringe at the sight of the abominations before him. "Lemme guess. You combined the two to get an edge over us? Well, it won't work, Finster!" Billy had to agree with the Green Ranger, but there was something about these creations that bothered him. "But… the Grimm's eyes and markings… they're usually red! Why are they green? Did you do that?"

"Not at all, Mister Cranston," Finster continued. "You see, the Grimm are savage and uncontrolled. They are beasts with no master to maintain control and dominion over them… until now. The coloration you see before you is my queen's doing. Thanks to her spell, we now have a pack of Grimm willing to serve their empress… just as you once served her, Green Ranger."

"Spell?" Tommy repeated with a scowl. "You're lying! Magic doesn't exist here!"

Finster raised a brow while Goldar scoffed beside him. "Oh? How humorous, Mister Oliver… because the only lie I see is what those naive folktales have told you! I understand enough of your world and its culture, so tell me this. Here we are in a world that exists as a mere reflection of your 'fairy tales', and they do not believe magic- a fantastical concept- is real here?! Oh, the irony is enough to kill…"

"Speaking of killing…" growled Goldar, the Faunus drawing his sword. "I grow bored of this banter. You will serve as fine test dummies for our newest soldiers, Rangers! Grimm Putties, ATTACK!"

REEEAAAAAGH! Terrifying howls erupted from the abominations' maws before they charged at the teens like demons bent on devouring their souls. The Power Rangers snapped into action, diving into their familiar routine in a heartbeat. Kimberly dove, cartwheeled, and backflipped away from swiping arms, firing a few arrows into her attackers' heads. While two were downed instantly, the third remained standing after an arrow was deflected by bony head plating, shrieking at the Pink Ranger before continuing its attack. Splitting her bow into blades, Kimberly chopped off the Grimm Putty's arm and it screamed in pain at the stump. The Pink Ranger took off running, slashing it across the chest to shut it up.

Zack decapitated one of the creatures with his ax and jumped atop the meeting table, kicking down another that tried climbing up after him. The Black Ranger switched to his weapon's shotgun mode and blasted at the swarming monsters. One's head was blown to black bits. Another had a hole blasted in its chest before slumping over with a dying groan. A snarl made Zack spin around and shoot off the hand of another. While the Grimm Putty wailed, the Black Ranger bashed the thing on the head… just as another lunged for him and pinned him on the table's surface. The creature gnashed its teeth at Zack while he struggled to hold it back, suppressing the nauseous feeling its breath brought forward. He grabbed the Grimm Putty's throat, shoved his weapon in its mouth…

"Chew on this, you ugly-!" BLAM! The table was stained black with Grimm blood.

Holding another back with his lance, Billy ducked low and threw his enemy over his shoulder before turning his attention to a few more. Catching one's hand in Tri-Pole's tip, he rotated the end to sever the hand before spinning around and running it through the torso. Yanking the weapon out, Billy twirled the lance and cleanly cut off a Grimm Putty's head mid-sprint. Another charged at Billy, who grabbed him by the neck and slammed the Blue Ranger to the ground. Two mace-like armaments formed around its hands and the roaring monster brought them above its head.

A red sword shot out from its chest before it could smash Billy's ribs, followed by the blade bisecting it in half and its separated corpse dissolving into nothing. Jason was on the move before Billy could thank him, slicing and shooting at the fused monstrosities. Loading some Fire Dust into Tyrant, he took a moment to shoot at a Grimm Putty, the combustive ammo blowing it to kingdom come and leaving no trace behind.

Tommy stabbed his dagger into another's neck before slicing out its throat, reconfiguring his weapon into its heavy-duty pistol form and blasting another in the head. Three swarmed Tommy from all sides, but all it took to repel them was a blast of green fire courtesy of his Semblance. The trio of monsters shrieked and howled like mad, their limbs flinging like crazy until they were reduced to ash.

Goldar growled as another of the creatures was bounced back by the forcefield of Billy's Semblance. "Finster… you said that these-"

"Ah, ah, ah," the man quickly silenced him. "Wait for it…"

Kimberly kicked a Grimm Putty back and took a graceful stance with her blades. The beast stared her down with a low growl, its green eyes glowing… and its hands transformed into a pair of long, white blades. A hellish screech escaped its maw before it lunged at Kimberly, who was forced on the defensive as she deflected the natural (or unnatural?) weapons away. One came dangerously close to her legs, but the Pink Ranger hopped back and delivered a flip kick that sent the Grimm Putty into the air. She fired an arrow into its chest for quick measure and the creature collapsed.

But instead of disintegrating, the Grimm Putty slowly rose back to its feet… and used one of its arm blades to slice the arrow lodged in its chest.

"Um…" Kim gulped. "That's new…"

Zack leaped off the table to deliver a flying kick to one's head. While it staggered in a daze, the Black Ranger spun to another coming his way and swung his ax at its head. The Grimm Putty raised a bony arm that blocked the weapon's strike, with not even a dent in the hard white surface. A menacing snarl escaped its throat before it punched a confused Zack across the jaw with its other fist. Shaking off the blow, Zack rolled away from another fist that pounded the floor and vaulted back to his feet, charging for the Grimm Putty. Much to his surprise, the black beast easily blocked and deflected his strike until a strong spinning kick sent him spinning to the ground.

Zack had to roll away from a stomp directed at his head. "Okay, this… this may be harder than I thought!"

Billy kept two enemies at bay, striking them with his lance and stabbing at them. One of the Grimm Putties grabbed Tri-Pole's shaft and yanked Billy towards it, flooring him with a punch to the face. Billy quickly swept out the Grimm Putty's legs and smashed a fist against its bony mask, but left himself wide open to the second Grimm Putty that tackled him to the ground. It took all of the Blue Ranger's strength to keep the abomination from clawing his face off, with a sharp kick driving it back.

Tommy lobbed fireball after fireball at the Grimm Putties scrambling towards him, engulfing several of them in jade flames. Among the burning beasts, one of them persisted and marched up to the Green Ranger with flames harmlessly licking off its bony armor. Tommy threw a fist at that creature, who simply caught his hand, twisted his wrist, and slammed him to the ground. A second one approached Tommy and grabbed his legs while the first Grimm Putty seized the boy's arms, both of them pulling in opposite directions. Fighting against his straining muscles, Tommy locked his limbs around his enemies' necks and spun, taking them to the floor. A fist to the face downed the one in front of him, but the second Grimm Putty was on Tommy like a ravenous zombie. The Green Ranger smacked his fist against its head until the creature weaved away from the next punch… and sunk its teeth into his arm.

"ARGH!" Tommy growled in pain, his emerald Aura flaring alarmingly before he tossed the monster away and shook his aching wrist. He didn't understand… the Putties were nothing, the Grimm couldn't match their experience… "Is it me or should we be having an easy time with these things?!" A few creatures surrounded Kimberly, who used her Semblance to shoot herself into the air with a pink trail in her wake…

…only for one of the beasts to leap after the Pink Ranger and slam into her midair! They both hit the ground hard, the Grimm Putty biting down on Kim's shoulder. A pained yell accompanied a flickering of pink light around the girl's body before she kicked it away and scrambled back to her feet, a hand instinctively resting on her shoulder. "Something's not right! These things are…"

Jason swept out a Grimm Putty's legs and buried his blade in its chest, yanking Tyrant out to see five of the creatures charging at him with deranged shrieks. Remaining firm at their approach, the Red Ranger took a deep breath before unleashing an earth-shaking bellow in their direction. The ones in the back were blown off their feet while some in front clenched their heads in agonizing pain. Jason kept up the pressure on his voice… until something bashed him in the back of the head, bringing his roar to an abrupt halt as he fell to the floor.

Jason spun onto his back to see a snarling Grimm Putty that was changing its boulder fists into blades, which proceeded to drive into Jason's face. The Red Ranger managed to catch the limbs before they could touch his eyes, struggling against the monster's efforts to stab him through the skull. The blades were this close to blinding him when Jason slammed his foot into the Grimm Putty's chest. With his grip still on its arms, Jason stood up and turned the tables on his adversary, twisting the creature's arms around and impaling its white face with both blades. It was dead before it hit the ground, prompting Jason to look around and see who needed-

His vision was swarmed. Pain from everywhere. He realized it was a bunch of monsters all coming at him. He tried to fight back, reach for his weapon, or roar at them, but a dark hand clasped his throat and squeezed tightly. Jason was surrounded by darkness, white masks with eerie green light, bony bits, and many, many sharp teeth and claws.

Couldn't… breathe…

Everything was hazy. The darkness was all around, creeping into his vision. A face right in front of him was leaning in close, exposing a gaping maw with razor-sharp teeth. No…

No, this couldn't be it.

The face was gone, pushed aside by… yellow?

A new, stronger grip on his throat. The darkness had lifted, but air struggled to return to him. Wait, no… that wasn't yellow. That was-

"I don't want your final moments to be by their hands, Red Ranger," boomed the familiar voice of Goldar, a gleaming gold sword in hand. "I fully intend to kill another Ranger… but before I do, I want to show you something." There were noises and movement behind the Faunus, and Goldar must have spied Jason's attention on them because he directed the Red Ranger to face it.

Finster was still up on the balcony, but his drone and Scorpina were pacing in front of… his friends, all bound and restrained by Grimm Putties. They were all beaten and bruised, their Auras doing a slow job at healing them and Billy's glasses hanging loose off his face. Scorpina's tail slithered dangerously under Kim's chin, the tip ready to strike at a moment's notice. The drone also had its weapons ready, targeting sensors locked on Tommy. Zack had the most amount of Grimm Putties holding him down, and his struggle resulted in them smashing his face into the floor and growling warningly.

"Once again, Power Rangers…" Goldar announced loudly for everyone to hear. "You have failed. Now Zordon will realize the mistake he made after so long. And soon… the leaders of this world will learn a similar error. Weak, over-emotional, anxiety-filled children are not worthy of being champions! And they never will be!"

"You only say that because you always see the downsides!" Tommy shouted before Scorpina backhanded him across the face with a scoff. "Ugh! Such blatant choices for one's last words…"
Goldar only chucked at the Rangers' predicament. "If only you had those girls with you… perhaps then you would have given us more of a challenge. But it wouldn't make much of a difference, anyway."

"I am going to savor the looks on their faces when they see your bodies when we come for them," Scorpina hummed. "As well as their delightful screams when we tear them apart."

The mere thought of it sent a shiver down Jason's spine. All this time and work in keeping Team RWBY away… and it wasn't enough. Instead of them going after Rita and her forces, Rita's goons would go after them… and slaughter them. Once they were done with the girls, they'd move on to other parts of this world until it was theirs.

"No…"

Goldar raised a brow. "Did you say something, Jason?"

"I… said… NO!" It was hard to talk with a giant hand around his throat, and every word left Jason even more breathless. "You won't… you won't… take this… world…!" His declaration made Goldar raise a brow in surprise until they narrowed with a menacing growl. "Even now, on the brink of death, you still believe you can triumph?! PATHETIC!"

"Yeah… well… we're a whole lotta stub-urk!" The grip around his throat tightened and he could all but feel the snarl that erupted from Goldar. "I have had ENOUGH of this bothersome blathering! Once no one remains to oppose us, we will deliver your corpses to our queen! Starting with yours!" The Faunus drew his blade back, preparing to run Jason through just as he had done for-

Vrrrrrrrr…

Scorpina and Goldar paused, turning their heads towards the open doors and the distant sound coming from within. The latter growled in annoyance and tossed Jason away, leaving the Red Ranger gasping for breath. "Who dares interrupt me?! I'll see them torn limb from-!"

VRRRRROOOOOOM! Something roared through the open doors and swerved into a startled Scorpina, bashing her against the wall and leaving a dent behind. It spun just as fast with a screech, smoke rising from a whirling rear wheel before it rammed Goldar head-on. Gripping the front of the vehicle- a gray motorcycle now that it could be properly identified- the Faunus clenched his eyes shut and roared, heaving the vehicle upward and sending it crashing to the floor. Milliseconds before it crashed, its rider flipped off the seat…

…and landed perfectly, revealing a dark-haired girl in a yellow bodysuit and a similarly-colored streak running through her short locks. She rose slowly, glaring Goldar down with balled fists. Once everybody realized who they were looking at, eyes went wide and jaws hit the floor. But none of them were as flabbergasted as Goldar.

"What? I… you… this can't be!"

The girl spread her arms. "And yet, here I am."

Kim leaned forward, the Grimm Putties releasing her as their jade eyes turned to the newcomer. High above them, Finster raised his glasses while wearing a stupefied expression. A stunned Billy adjusted his glasses to get a better look, Tommy blinked in disbelief, Zack rubbed his eyes with an elbow, and Jason clambered to his feet just as a name escaped his lips.

"Trini…?"

"The Yellow Ranger lives?!" Scorpina roared in equal parts rage and disbelief, her furious eyes burning into Goldar. The other Faunus was still stricken with shock… until anger crossed his features and he readied his blade with a growl. "I don't know how you survived, girl… but this time, I will make your end MUCH MORE PAINFUL! GRAAAAAAGH!"

Trini had already broken into a sprint when Goldar charged, both of them running at full speed until the Faunus swung his sword. Trini dropped at the last second, sliding on her knees as the blade harmlessly passed over her face. Sliding between Goldar's legs, the Yellow Ranger was ready for when the general spun around. Propping herself up on her hands, Trini kicked Goldar in the chin before locking her ankles around his neck and twisting her body, sending his armored form to the floor with a loud crash. An enraged cry alerted the girl to her second attacker, who was lashing out with a tail and a barbed whip.

The girl leaped over a lash and brought down a leg in a split kick, but the Faunus stepped aside and swung her blade at Trini's neck. The Yellow Ranger rolled backward and popped back into a stance, eying Scorpina as the growling Faunus charged with killing intent. Trini's Semblance worked overtime to evade each attack faster than a normal human would be capable of. Weaving away from a stab aimed at her heart, Trini slammed a foot onto Scorpina's tail, pinning it to the ground before grabbing the length and yanking the Faunus towards her. A sharp punch to the face made her stagger, but a following kick was caught by a clawed gauntlet and the sneering Scorpina threw Trini across the room. The Yellow Ranger landed on her feet with pistols drawn, opening fire on the shrieking Grimm Putties converging on her.

The first of them to approach shrugged off the bullets and brought a clawed arm on Trini, who blocked the limb with her own and shot two more Grimm Putties with her free arm before smacking the weapon against the one she pinned back. Throwing it to the floor and shooting another before it could reach her, Trini switched one pistol into its dagger form and stabbed the snarling monster through the skull.

A distant scream made Trini's head snap upward and she backflipped away from a golden tail that stabbed into the ground. Scorpina lashed out with her whip only for the Yellow Ranger to dodge the deadly weapon and rush up to Scorpina, rolling beneath a lash to kick her into the air. The Faunus attempted to strike with her whip in midair, but Trini swiftly weaved away, grabbed the weapon's length…

…and pulled hard, sending Scorpina crashing to the ground. A beastly bellow drew the Yellow Ranger's attention to Goldar, whom she promptly charged towards before leaping up to his face and connecting her knee with his jaw. The bigger Faunus was stunned by the blow and he turned to face the Yellow Ranger with a sinister growl…

…until Zack plowed into him from out of nowhere. The other Rangers, inspired by their teammate's return, were fighting back against their captors with revitalized strength. Tommy joined Zack against the struggling Goldar while Kim and Billy converged on the startled Scorpina, whose desperate and frantic attacks did little to keep them at bay. Jason was left to dispose of the last remaining Grimm Putties, each of his swings packed with ferocity. Trini was quick to join him, both teens slashing at shooting at the beasts. A dagger swipe infused with Lightning Dust caused a chain reaction that spread to five foes, electrifying them until the current blasted them to ash. Jason slashed a Grimm Putty across the chest and sliced another's throat out, leaving it to choke on black ichor. He had another in his sights that would soon receive a faceful of Fire Dust.

The Red Ranger was about to shoot when his side suddenly erupted with a stinging, burning sensation. Blue lasers smacked the ground in front of him, forcing him to deflect as many shots as he could with Tyrant. One reflected laser burned a hole through a Grimm Putty's skull, which fell to the floor before dissipating into vapor. Trini was a blur as she rolled, cartwheeled, backflipped, and somersaulted away from the blasts, returning fire as she went.

Her bullets connected against the walkway, where Finster was popping in and out of cover to shoot the Rangers. Combined fire from both Jason and Billy forced the scientist to duck down, where he snapped his fingers and pointed at the teens. A white drone hovered out from his position, descending on the teens while its sides opened up to reveal concealed machine guns. Jason and Trini broke into a run as the machine unleashed its ammo on them, but the teens' retaliating shots did nothing against a shimmering forcefield that flickered with each bullet it stopped.

Goldar had just kicked away Tommy when Zack threw himself atop the Faunus' neck, locking his arms around his throat. A howl of rage escaped Goldar as he struggled against the Black Ranger's throat, causing the drone to abort its attack and swivel in a new direction. A small line shot out from its underside and latched onto Zack… and before the Black Ranger could notice it, an electric current ran through the line and zapped every nerve in his body. Zack could do nothing but scream and quiver until Goldar grabbed him, threw him over his shoulder, and beat him down relentlessly.

"AH-YAH!" Tommy rushed at Goldar with his fists engulfed in green fire, raining thunderous blows on the general's golden armor before throwing a burning kick at his face. The Green Ranger twirled his palms around and thrust them forward, blasting a green fireball that knocked Goldar off his feet. Before Tommy could follow through, the drone fired a series of missiles he was forced to flee from. Zack- still recovering from the taser- was less than fortunate as the explosions sent him flying. A purple Aura flashed across his body when he hit the ground. The drone quickly changed targets and fired more missiles at Billy and Kim, the former pinning down Scorpina's tail with his lance while the latter dueled against the Faunus' blade.

Kim backflipped away from the blasts while Billy grabbed his weapon and took off running, using Ice Dust to create a temporary wall for cover. It did him no good, as two missiles blasted the ice wall to pieces and took a bite out of his Aura. Finster leaped down from the railing and opened fire on the Rangers, blasting them with lasers and staying on the move. A stray arrow from Kim headed right for his torso… but his drone quickly brought up a Hard-Light Dust shield around the scientist, leaving the arrow to break on contact.

Jason glared at the drone and moved to open fire… but the machine beat him to it, swiveling around and blasting him with its machine guns. The Red Ranger stumbled before running and returning fire as best as he could, his efforts useless against the pursuing machine. Some of the bullets struck him in the back, making him cry out and tumble to the floor. The drone hovered over his downed form, reloading its weapons and preparing to land the killing shot.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jason saw a yellow figure running up the wall and leaping off.

"RAAAAAAAH!" Trini came down on the drone and pierced its chassis with both daggers, sending the machine into a frenzy. Bullets flew everywhere as it jerked in all directions in a desperate attempt to shake the Yellow Ranger off. Everyone scrambled away from wherever the bullets flew until Trini stabbed the drone a few more times. The machine let out a dying boop before crashing to the ground, its lights going out while its weapons ceased firing.

Fear briefly flashed across Finster's face until he turned his weapons on Trini. But the girl was faster and shot the pistols out of the scientist's hands before anyone could blink. Now completely defenseless, Finster gulped and awkwardly chuckled to himself. "Eh… heh heh… wh-what is it you humans say? Eh… y-you wouldn't hit a man with glasses, would-"

POW! A fist to his face sent the man sprawling and he clutched his nose with a pained whine. Trini shook out her hand above him with a smirk. "Oh, I definitely would. And also… you're not actually a man. Loophole." Finster struggled to his feet while Goldar and Scorpina joined him, both Faunus glaring daggers at the Rangers. The teenagers with attitude stood together, earning a hiss from Scorpina.

"Enjoy this victory, Power Rangers… it'll be your last."

"Our empress has an army," Goldar growled. "And once it is at full strength, nothing will stop us from conquering this planet! Not you, not the Huntsmen, and certainly not those idiotic children they mistakenly believe to be one of them!"

"And once this world is ours…" Finster warned, wiping his now-bleeding nose in disgust. "Yours is next." And with that, the trio turned tail and fled further into the base. With the threat passed- for now, at least- everyone allowed themselves to relax… and direct their attention to the one thing that stood out the most. Laughter and sobs of relief rang out as the Rangers all huddled around Trini and embraced her. They hugged for what felt like an hour, but they separated after a few minutes.

Zack was the first to speak up. "I thought you-" Trini silenced him with a finger on the lips and a shake of her head. "No. No, you didn't," she said with a smirk. It was one spread to everyone else, with Billy wiping his forehead. Jason was the next to speak. "I… I-I knew you'd wake up, yeah… but-"

"Your Aurazord," Kim whispered. "Our minds are transferred into them or something like that. That's why we see what they see and feel what they feel. So… how did yours not… you know…" The Yellow Ranger only replied with a sigh and another chuckle. "I… I don't know where to start. You guys know Remnant is super weird, right?"

"Oof, that's not the half of it," Tommy breathed.

"Well… I've got something that's gonna make things even more weird."

"That's… debatable," Billy piped up. "What can beat soul superpowers, animal people, and monsters that are fought every day?" Trini paused after that question, but not from hesitation. Jason noticed her face was focused and in deep thought… like she was trying to figure out how to explain something. "I guess I should start from the beginning…"

It hurt. More than any pain Trini had felt in her life. Even Goldar's oversized blade didn't come close to touching her body, Trini felt as if her torso was being ruptured and torn apart while something burst from her back. This pain was all she felt for a while… until she felt nothing.

She felt like she was floating. She didn't know for how long. Minutes? Hours? Days, even? Trini mustered the strength to open her eyes and she saw only white. White above her, white all around her, and white beneath her. The white underneath her feet gave Trini the illusion of standing on nothing, yet she didn't feel like she was falling.

The Yellow Ranger rose to her feet, her eyes silently scanning all the nothingness. "Hello?" The call echoed… but nothing responded. Her voice sounded eerie in this place, almost like a-

A chilling thought struck Trini to the core and memories flashed through her mind. Rooftops, a snarling feline, a red beast helpless before a gold giant… and a massive sword. Her voice nearly broke when she next spoke. "No…" The girl glanced down at her hands, checking to see how real they were before dread enveloped her mind. Painstakingly slow, the Yellow Ranger drifted her hands to her chest…

…which was intact. There was no visible wound or damage, but it wasn't damage Trini was concerned about. This place, all this white, signs like that could only mean… no. Trini couldn't be dead

…could she?

But if she was… what about her friends? How would they… could they go on without her? Would Team RWBY still support them? And what about…

Wait… Ozpin.

He lied to them. He kept Rita a secret. She escaped and led her forces to Vale, where Trini was… did he do this to her?! Did the professor somehow cause this?! If he had just been honest from the start, then Trini wouldn't be stuck in this-

A scent in the air. Something… foul. Something malicious. And something close.

She wasn't alone here. The Grimm? No, she knew their smell. This one didn't stink as much, but what she caught from this scent was undeniable. She smelled raw, pure evil. And it was… standing right behind her?

Something sniffed and growled right on cue, sending a breath of air on the girl's back. A chill ran up Trini's spine, but the girl forced herself to remain calm and steady. Gently balling her fists, the Yellow Ranger slowly turned around… and found herself face-to-face with a purple dragon ten times her size! The beast had four powerful legs decorated with wicked talons, a pair of enormous wings torn with holes and held by frayed membranes, and two spindly horns sat atop its eerie skull-like head. Empty eyes bore into Trini's skull and nightmarish fangs were on full display while violet wisps rose from its being. It looked like it could devour Trini whole in a single gulp, a monster no mere human would be brave enough to face.

But evil monsters were Trini's specialty.

"HI-YAH!" Trini kicked the dragon right in its lower jaw and sprang into action while it roared in surprise. The Yellow Ranger broke into a run and kicked out a foreleg, staggering it enough for her to land a flurry of blows on its head. She only retreated when the monster snapped its jaws at her, drawing her daggers…

…but grabbed empty air instead.

Trini barely had time to comprehend her weapons were gone when the monster's mouth was right before her. The Yellow Ranger grabbed two of its teeth and strained to hold the maw back, her feet digging into the ground that wasn't really ground. She managed to push it back just a little and dove out of the way when the monster's head came down on where she once stood. Trini then launched herself onto its back, taking care to avoid the bone-like spikes on its body before running up to its head and grabbing onto its spiral horns.

The monster roared with a force that shook her soul, yet Trini held on firmly and leaned from side to side in hopes of disorienting it. The angry monster's response to that was to spread its hideous wings and take flight, forcing the girl to hold on for dear life as she was sent shooting through the empty space. It was like a roller coaster with no safety measures whatsoever, with the dragon flying in random directions to try and shake her off. Wild motions with his body and head were ultimately too much for the girl, and a flick of the monster's head flung the Yellow Ranger off.

Trini bounced off the ground hard and rolled to a halt, her mind dazed and body wracked from the tumble. The Yellow Ranger struggled to her feet, glaring at the beast with burning eyes. She had half a mind to unleash her Aurazord and show this creature who the real predator was. The dragon landed in front of Trini with another abyssal roar, ready to close its mouth around her. The Yellow Ranger bared her teeth in the face of its gigantic maw, ready to call upon her inner beast and-

"STOP!"

All of a sudden, light burned Trini's eyes and she yelped in pain, the sounds of the dragon's howl reverberating in her ears. Trini fought the stinging sensation away as fast as she could, like looking at the sun one too many times. It was a full ten seconds before Trini's vision returned… and when it did, she witnessed another creature hovering before the black beast.

It was another dragon. But this one was bright with shining eyes and a winding body like the Chinese creatures of legend. Its presence was powerful and omniscient; a power Trini could feel just by looking at it. A long mane of sun-like hair ran down its massive length, ending in a plume at its tail. Wispy strands Trini could only identify as whiskers protruded from its face, waving in the absent breeze. It hovered dominantly over everything, and the dark dragon snarled at the sight of it before cautiously backing away.

"What…" it spoke in a booming voice. "...is the meaning of this?"

The dark dragon growled aggressively. "She ATTACKED me!"

"I-I attacked you?!" Trini found herself saying. "You were the one who was gonna eat me!"

The dark dragon whirled on her with another growl. "I was about to do no such thing! But now that you dare to strike me, I will see that your soul will-"

"Enough, brother." spoke the bright one. "This one is… lost. Confused. I can sense it."

Trini paused. "...brother?"

The dark dragon calmed itself. "So… she does not know. Perhaps she is… uneducated in the legends?"

"We shall see," said the light dragon, its shining eyes landing on Trini. "Speak, mortal. Tell us your name." The Yellow Ranger was still processing what was happening right now. Two giant dragons that could talk, and they were… brothers, apparently. "Um… hi," she finally said with a raised hand. "I… I'm Trini. Trini Kwan."

The dragons were silent as they soaked in her words. "Interesting… you appear Remnantian. Why are you here, Trini Kwan?"

"I'm, uh…" Her eyes turned to the dark dragon. "Before I answer that…" she pointed to the beast. "You're not… evil, are you?" The creature responded with a snort, almost as if he was insulted. "Evil? I am beyond such meager concepts, mortal. If I were you… I'd choose my next words cautiously."

"Um…" Trini took a step back. "Are you sure you're not evil? Because you have that whole… thing going on," She gestured at the draconic form, earning another irritated snarl from its form. Before it could speak again- or move to eat her, whichever came first- the light dragon slithered forward.

"Forgive my brother, Trini Kwan. Our relationship with mortals is a… complicated one. Especially with those who doubt us. But you do not doubt us. From what I sense in you… you do not know of us, do you?"

"N-no?"

"Very well," he said, retreating. "We are the creators of this realm. We sculpted the world of Remnant and many others. We breathed life into countless worlds and gave rise to many species. My brother and I are protectors of a great balance: a balance between order and chaos, a balance between the holy and the unholy… a balance between life and death."

Trini blinked. "You're… gods, then?"

"Precisely."

"And while we appear to be so," spoke the dark one. "My brother is not the incarnation of all that is good… while I am not the incarnation of all that is evil." It spoke that last part like a final warning. "Yes, there are times when we disagree, but we made a compromise eons ago. It was from that compromise that we created your kind… but very few have entered this realm."

Trini looked at the space around her. "Realm? Wh-where am I, exactly?"

"This is the realm between life and death," explained the god of light. "You are not dead, Trini Kwan… but you are not alive, either. Your soul is at a crossroads. Your fate is uncertain."

The god of darkness inhaled deeply. "You carry the scent of your arrival, mortal. Your mind and your soul are here, yet your body remains in the living world unharmed. This is… troubling."

Trin gulped. "What do you mean, troubling? I… I can go back, can I?"

"That is for us to decide," the god of light answered. "We will say whether you return to your home in Remnant… or if your soul should move on."

"Our decision will not be a quick one," warned the dark brother. "Remnant has proven to be a complicated word, our creations there are incapable of-"

"Uh, hold on a second!" Trini interrupted. "There's something you need to know. Remnant… isn't my home." The two dragons paused, their stances curious and surprised. It was the light dragon that leaned in close. "Not your home, you say?"

"Be cautious, brother," growled the dark dragon. "This would not be the first time that-"

"As I am painfully aware," his sibling interrupted sternly. "I agree that we must proceed carefully… but if what this one says is true, then there is more to her than it seems." He rose to a full height and stared down at the Yellow Ranger. "If Remnant is not the world you hail from, Trini Kwan… then what world do you call home?"

Trini stepped forward and cleared her throat. "My home planet is a world called Earth."

Silence from the dragons again. It was longer than the last one. The dark one tilted his head while the light one stared off into the abyss in deep thought. The situation was starting to feel awkward, so Trini tried to break the ice. "Do… do you know that planet? You made it, right?"

"Of all the worlds we have created, Trini Kwan…" the god of light declared. "None bear that name."

What? But that could only mean…

Trini quickly put the pieces together and recalled a previous conversation. Billy was right! That spell had taken the Rangers to a different universe! She contemplated telling the others… but to do that, she needed to get back to them. The girl looked back at the dragons, catching the last bits of their conversation as she was drawn from her thoughts.

"That should not be possible, brother. We have given birth to all that exists. A being claiming to originate outside our creations…"

"Then there is only one other place she could have arrived from. But no human naturally exists there," the dark dragon finally noticed Trini staring at them. "Would you care to explain, mortal, how you entered this realm?"

The Yellow Ranger took a deep breath. "Well… it's kind of a long story."

She told the gods as much as she could: that was a warrior known as a Power Ranger sworn to protect the planet Earth from the evils of Rita Repulsa. She told the dragons of her friends, their many battles, and their latest encounter with the witch… and she didn't forget the spell intended to send them away to somewhere the Morphin Grid could not reach. She watched their faces as she spoke, observing their reactions and intrigue while they listened to her tale. Trini recapped everything that had happened to her since her arrival in Remnant, from the new friends she made and the fluctuating powers to Ozpin's mistake in hiding Rita… and getting impaled by Goldar's giant sword.

"And now here I am, telling my life story to a pair of dragon brother gods in a void of nothingness," she concluded, the words directed more to herself than the deities. The brothers absorbed her words and pondered them silently… until the god of light's body lit up in a tremendous flash that made her shield her eyes again.

When Trini's vision returned, the god was standing before her in the shape of a man with a pair of luminescent antlers. His brother stood behind him, watching the girl with his empty eyes. "This revelation that worlds exist beyond those we have created… it is the subject of a great pondering. But you speak wise words, Trini Kwan. If this sorceress is as powerful as you say, she could jeopardize all we have built."

The dark dragon snorted at his brothers' words but did nothing more.

"You are not my creation, but I will allow you to remove the foreign danger. Your soul will be returned to your body, Trini Kwan, for you have perished unnaturally. Complete your quest and return yourself, your friends, and your enemies to your proper homeworld. Only then will the natural balance of things be restored."

"What about you?" she asked him. "You're concerned that Rita will threaten everything you made. Aren't you going to help?"

"We will return you to Remnant," spat the god of darkness, as if that was obvious. "Nothing more. Nothing less." Trini turned to him with an inquisitive look. "Because Rita is my problem, right? Since none of us are from here?"

Another silence. "...yes." Was it Trini, or did the dragon's face look slightly surprised before answering? "Deal with the witch and leave, before either of you cause any more harm to this reality."

"You must return to your homeworld as soon as you are able…" said the light brother as the world began to grow brighter around Trini. "I fear your prolonged presence will have dire consequences for Remnant." The light swallowed the Yellow Ranger in seconds and she was left floating again, drifting aimlessly in the void…

"GUUUUH!" She shot up in an instant, breathing heavily while her heart hammered in her eardrums. Trini felt like she was waking up from a bad dream, and her new surroundings- she was lying in her bed in the room she and Kim shared- would have made her think so. But those beings… they seemed all too real.

Did Team RWBY know about them? Or would they dismiss the dragons as myths and folktales? Trini shoved the thoughts aside and turned her focus to her friends. She needed to let them know she was alright; they had to be worried sick about her. The Yellow Ranger tossed the covers aside and grabbed her weapons from the nightstand, hurrying out of the bedroom without missing a beat.

"And that's about it. Team RWBY told me where you guys were and headed there as fast as I could. And from the look of things… I couldn't have timed it any better."

The others could barely believe everything they had just heard. But after everything they'd seen so far, it seemed natural to believe it at this point. Two brothers who created everything in the universe. This universe, now that Billy's theory was proven correct. Kim awkwardly ran a hand through her hair. "So, uh… you're okay? H-how did it feel… you know, coming back to life?"

Trini rolled her eyes. "Weren't you listening? I was never actually dead. Just… stuck, I guess. That's what they said. But still… it was a lot." The Yellow Ranger looked over the scene. "What were you doing out here alone?" Billy sighed at the question. "We had to do something about Rita and we… we couldn't exactly wait for-"

"No, not that," she politely stopped him with a curious glint in her eye. "Why didn't you bring the girls?" Her friends hesitated at that question until Zack broke the silence with a sigh. "Trini… I'm gonna be brutally honest here. Team RWBY can't help us."

Her eyes went wide while Tommy hung his head. "What?"

"You remember that they went up against Rita back at Beacon," Jason reminded the girl. "They didn't stand a chance against her. If they went on longer than they did, she could have killed them. And we can't let that happen again."

"So… so you just bail on them?!"

"We're not 'bailing', Trini!" Jason explained. "Ruby and the others… they're not trained for fighting powerful evil witches like Rita! The Grimm is their thing, not this! They're not used to fighting people…"

"But they're still good at it," Trini interjected. "Don't you remember our first bout with Goldar and Scorpina? Sure, we may not have won, but they held their own against those two. They do fight monsters, Jason… but do you think that's all they go up against here?"

"Well… it's not like we've gone up against other people," Kim butted in. "Isn't that against the Ranger rules or something?"

"That's…" Tommy spoke up. "That's the problem, guys."

Zack turned to the Green Ranger with a puzzled look. "What problem?"

"The problem you haven't realized you're having," A new voice answered, making everyone turn to the building's doors. A group of eight teens stood by the entrance, all of them locking eyes with the Rangers. A unique set of silver orbs landed on Jason, who couldn't find the words to use in this situation. Everyone else, on the other hand, was focused on the new additions.

"Nora?" Kim whispered as she took in the sight of Team JNPR. "You guys aren't… I-I didn't think you'd recover so quickly!" Jaune solemnly nodded at that. "Yeah… that's what we need to talk to you about."

"Jason…" Ruby began while Trini turned to her leader. "We know why you're doing this." The Red Ranger struggled to come up with a response. "Ruby, please, we have to do this alone. I don't like leaving you and your friends out, but-"

"But you look at us and you see your people," Blake countered, to which Zack replied with a chuckle. "Uh, well, we don't exactly have people with animal parts, so I don't see the-"

"You come from a world that doesn't have Aura or Semblances," Weiss said. "Nobody has what you have back there. But here, everybody does… and you still treat them like people who don't know what they're doing." The Rangers went silent until Kimberly tried to speak up. "Y-You do know what you're doing! We don't… think bad stuff about you-"

"And yet you leave us out," Ruby finished. "Yeah, your worst enemy beat us, but that doesn't mean we're not worthless. We're not useless, we're not deadweights to you… and I want to prove it." Billy took a step forward with wide eyes. "Deadweights?! N-no, we… we left you behind because we-!"

"You wanted to do what was best for us," Weiss answered for him. "I respect that. But standing around doing nothing isn't what's best for us. Being out there in the field is. It's what each of us has trained for." Blake kept the chain going as soon as Weiss finished. "And something like this isn't what you're used to."

Jason didn't know what she meant by that. "We've gotten used to Remnant fine-"

"No," Blake corrected him. "You're used to fighting as a team… but not with a team. In your world, you guys are the only ones capable of fighting a threat like Rita. You've never fought alongside anybody like you."

"But us?" Ruby added. "Well, let's just say we've had experience coordinating with other Huntsman teams… in training. Not too long ago, there was this big swarm of Grimm that attacked Vale, and it took all of us, CFVY, and our professors to beat them!"

The Rangers didn't know what to say about that. All this time, it was just them against evil. Just them and nobody else. They relied on each other and trusted one another like family, but outside the box… they were alone. Six teens against an evil alien force. It was overwhelming to think about, sure… which was why none of them bothered to think of it that way.

"And ever since you came here…" Ruby continued. "You thought it was just business as usual. You're fighting your war in our world… but we've chosen to defend our home. Even from her."

"You don't understand," Jason interrupted. "Rita almost killed you…"

"Easy," Ruby replied. "We just leave her to you. After all, she's your enemy. We'll just help you get there. Besides, you all saw how well we did against those two gold Faunus. I promised to help you, and I don't want that to be thrown away. So please, Jason… trust us to help you." She was looking at him with pleading silver eyes… and much to Jason's surprise, Trini and Tommy were wearing matching looks.

Jason, Billy, Kim, and Zack were the only ones still confused. "I… I don't… we're not forcing you to stay out of the way… are we?"

"We are," Tommy admitted. "And by doing so, we're keeping them from doing what they need to do. You heard them, Jace… fighting is what they live for. A single loss doesn't mean they've gotten bad at it." The Red Ranger blinked at his friend's words. "Wait… how do you know that? How long have you known that?"

"Let's just call it a self-realization," Tommy answered. "When I woke up… Ozpin was there. He wanted to talk, so… I did." He didn't miss the other Rangers' reactions, save for Trini who remained calm. Wary eyes shot to RWBY and JNPR while nervousness flashed across their faces. "I told him everything about what we were doing… that we were robbing them of their duty. Unintentionally stealing their jobs since we're used to doing this solo."

"He told them," Trini finished. "And I overheard them talking about it. I wanted to let them know that we do trust them. We just need to show it more. And there's only one way we can do that." Silence filled the room once again as Jason looked between his team and the others. The Rangers were in a quiet conversation with each other, with Billy deep in thought as usual while Zack and Kim locked eyes. The Pink Ranger looked the most worried out of all of them, and Jason faintly heard her whisper to the Black Ranger about the consequences behind good intentions. Before long, Jason turned his eyes back to Ruby.

"You're right, Ruby… we've been fighting alone for so long. So long that… that the thought of fighting alongside anybody else is… almost impossible. There aren't any Power Rangers aside from us, so we… we'd never even think of a world where so many teams share the same goal. And a world where anyone could become a hero just because they have some… some kind of soul-shield or whatever… you tell that to anyone on Earth and they'd think you're bogus!"

Ruby made no move to stop him as he continued. "And here we are now, in a world that makes absolutely zero sense, with monsters and superpowers everywhere. A world straight out of a comic or a book or a movie or anything like that. I'm so used to reality… my reality, where natural powers don't exist, and I assume it's the same deal here. But from what I just heard… by doing what I always do… I'm doing more harm than good. I'm fighting everyone's battle for them like a glory-seeking showboat. And what's one of the rules Zordon told me? Never use your powers for personal gain… and in your eyes, that's exactly what I did."

The Red Ranger closed his eyes and sighed. "I've tried so hard to understand your world… and no matter how much I learn about it, I don't think I'll ever learn enough… and that's why I- why none of us belong here." There was an uncertain pause. "And if we stay here… apparently, we'll end up doing more damage. To the very concept of Huntsmen. I guess what I'm trying to say is… we are gonna need your help to get home. By our side. We're not that good with fighting alongside other teams, but…"

Ruby just smiled. "What are you talking about? You guys worked well with us! If anything, you're fast learners!" This caught the Red Ranger by surprise. "Really? But… but that was just the Grimm, not-"

"Hey," The girl said calmingly. "Rita may be too dangerous for me and my friends, but her minions and the Grimm? We can handle them with no problem… just as the Power Rangers can handle anything she throws at you. Without you, she'd already have your world. And we're going to need both of our skill sets if we're gonna get through this. So… Do you trust us, Jason?"

Another silence, this one longer thanks to the Red Ranger looking between his friends and the Remnantians before coming to a confident conclusion.

"I do."

A smile donned the silver-eyed girl's face. "That's what I wanted to hear. Now, first things first… we need to find where your crazy evil lady and her buddies went." Tommy had an awkward look on his face. "Well… about that… we may have hit a dead end with this place." Everyone looked around the base for any sign or clue they could use to move forward… until Billy's eyes landed on Finster's destroyed drone.

The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk. "Not quite…" Before anyone could ask what he was up to, the Blue Ranger hurried over to the ruined machine and set to work on it, prying open a panel and fiddling with the circuitry within while placing his Scroll beside it. The boy carefully pulled out a USB cord and inserted it into his Scroll's port, lines of code flashing across the screen.

Everybody gathered around the Blue Ranger as he worked, Weiss staring curiously. "I didn't think Scrolls could be used for hacking."

"Neither did I," Billy admitted. "Almost wasn't sure this would work for a second."

Jason watched the technical words and symbols he couldn't hope to understand race by. "Are you looking for something, Billy?" The Blue Ranger didn't answer him immediately, but he muttered to himself as he dove into the drone's code. "Access memory core… hm, these firewalls shouldn't be too much of a problem… and bingo! Let's see… now for the right… here we go!"

After a final tap on his device, Billy placed the Scroll face-down on the floor and stood back. A projection lit up from the Scroll, revealing a visual recording beginning to play. The first thing the teens saw was the familiar figure of Rita Repulsa holding her staff proudly with a wicked grin on her face… and the second thing they noticed was a band of Grimm all gathered around her, bowing their heads with glowing green eyes.

Yang's jaw almost hit the floor. "Ho. Ly. Crap."

"Heeeey…" Nora mused. "Aren't Grimm supposed to have red eyes? And how come they're not tearing her to shreds?" Pyrrha stepped forward with concern. "Because she's just done the impossible, Nora. Look at the Grimm… they're bowing to her. Whatever Semblance she has… she's using it to control the Grimm."

"But…" Blake protested. "Nobody can do that! The Grimm can't be controlled!"

Pyrrha turned to the Faunus. "Nobody here. If we thought this woman was powerful before…"

"Yep, she's all yours," Ruby quietly and hurriedly murmured to the Rangers with fear in her eyes. "Your enemy, you fight her, end of story." The six Rangers all stared at their nemesis fiercely, with Jason being the first to speak. "So, she's gathering an army." What other depths could her magic go to here?

Somebody else walked into the frame, holding a syringe. Finster carefully inserted the tool into a Beowolf's neck, the monster barely reacting to the intrusion as the needle drew out Liquid Grimm. The drone rotated as the camera followed its master to a Putty Patroller, where he jabbed the needle through its clay neck and pushed the murky substance inside. No sooner than the liquid entered did the Putty's idle warbles cease… and it began to twitch and spasm uncontrollably. The stone soldier exploded with frantic garbles and noises as it flailed about, its exterior becoming darker in color. Before long, the Putty was consumed by blackness and sharp white protrusions emerged from the murky substance covering it. From the protrusion that now covered its face, a pair of green lights snapped into existence and a fang-filled maw opened up with a low growl.

"Join the others," Finster instructed. The creature complied with a hiss and shambled off to where more transformed Putties awaited it. Another normal Putty hurried forward: the next subject for Finster to mutate with Liquid Grimm. Team RWBY was aghast at the sight while the Rangers remained stoic.

The recording panned back to Rita, who was now joined by Finster and Scorpina while Finster extracted more Liquid Grimm from a compliant Creep. "Our strength grows, my queen…" Goldar spoke. "But it is not enough to conquer this world."

"I am aware of that," The woman reminded him. "But I have a plan to instantly add more of these monsters to our cause. And to do that… we must relocate. This structure is old and abandoned, but it won't take long for our enemies to get suspicious if I hypnotize any Grimm nearby."

"What do you suggest, my liege?" Scorpina asked. Rita wore a smirk before she gave her reply. "There is an isolated location north of here. An island. One of great significance to the history of this world… and it shall be the beginning of the end. Finster?"

"Of course, my queen," the man nonchalantly began as he injected another Putty with Grimm Liquid and began its transformation. "They call it the island of Vytal. It is well-known for being where the Great War came to an official conclusion. Each of the four kingdoms negotiated and declared peace, and those negotiations spawned the concept of the Huntsmen Academies."

The Rangers didn't miss the shocked expressions on the Remnantians' faces. They would've reacted the same if one of Earth's historical landmarks was threatened, and given the importance of this Vytal place, they could've picked no better target.

"It was where one war ended… and it will be where another begins," Rita explained. "Now, see to our newest minions. I must see to-" The witch was interrupted by a Beowolf sniffing the air and growling like a protective guard dog. The commotion drew the two Faunus' attention and made Finster cease his work. Rita knelt before the Grimm and whispered some hushed words to it… before her face scrunched up in irritation.

"The Rangers. They're close." Goldar and Scorpina needed no further instruction as they marched out of the camera's view and drew their weapons. Finster, meanwhile, turned to his empress. "Bring me the containers. I will gather as much of the substance as I can. Retreat when you can… but introduce those insolent infants to your newest creations first, Finster."

"It will be my absolute pleasure, my empress," the man bowed before Rita slinked out of view, her hypnotized Grimm eagerly following her. Finster spun on his heel and started following the rest of Rita's minions… before his eyes landed on the drone and frowned. "I thought I told you to stop that! End recording!"

The projection turned black shortly after those words, leaving the teens to dwell on this new intel. "They're going to Vytal?" Jaune muttered. "Wh-what are they going to do over there?" Ren wore a stern look as he surveyed his team. "Nothing good. Whatever it is, they'll have a force strong enough to invade all of Remnant. I don't know how she'll do it, but we're not going to let that happen."

"Then we take the fight to Rita," Tommy finished. "Together. If we get there fast enough, we might just be able to stop her from gathering more numbers." Jason nodded before turning his attention to Team RWBY. "Alright then. I guess it's time we see what you're really made of. We do this right, my friends can get to Rita and we can all go home."

"So, this is it, then?" Weiss realized. "You're up and leaving just like that?" Zack looked uncertain as his eyes met the heiress. "Wish it wasn't so abrupt, but… windows of opportunity don't stay open long." Kim crossed her arms beside him. "Rita surprised us back at Beacon… but this time, we're turning the tables. She's not getting that army, and she's not getting your planet."

"And if there's one thing we're good at," Trini added. "It's keeping planets out of the hands of evil conquerors." Billy nodded in approval. "It's like our job at this point!" The Rangers' enthusiasm was enough to bring a smile to Ruby's face. "So… we'll work on a plan while we get there?"

"Well, so far, that plan consists of 'beat the bad guys and make Rita take us home'," Jason answered with a shrug. "But we'll work out the smaller details on the road. Now, who's up for stopping a mad sorceress from adding another world to her collection?"

Yang pounded a palm into her fist. "Just tell me what to hit!"

With their next goal now in sight, the Rangers and Huntsmen vacated the base as quickly as possible… but not before Blake gave Trini a teasing smirk. "So… how many lives do you have left?" All she got from the Yellow Ranger in response was a chuckle and an eye roll. "Plenty!" She sprinted for the front doors with the Faunus at her heels.

"Are the samples prepared, Finster?"

"As requested, your evilness! No matter how many Putties you conjure, we now have more than enough Liquid Grimm to transform them into savage monstrosities! And soon enough, they and your entranced servants will be more than a match for those problematic youths."

"I do not mean to sound impatient, Empress Rita," Goldar butted in. "But you have yet to explain just how you intend to sway more Grimm to our side." The wicked witch sneered at her servant and slammed her staff against the floor. "Oh, that's what makes it exciting, Goldar… I don't have to explain through words. Now, feast your miserable eyes as I enslave all evil who gazes upon my power! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Channeling all of her vile magic into her staff and giving its tip an ethereal emerald glow, Rita charged up to her maximum before thrusting her staff upward. The magic exploded outward and blasted through the ceiling in a brilliant jade column of light that stretched to the heavens, allowing itself to be seen for miles.

"Come to me…" Rita hissed. "COME TO YOUR QUEEN! GYAHAHAHAHA!"

Far away, a lone Beowolf prowled the woods until the green beam exploded into existence, instantly alerting the Grimm. The monster growled and whirled towards the beam with extended claws… and seconds after its crimson orbs landed on the beacon, the Grimm's eyes slowly turned from red to green as it fell under a terrible spell. With the call all but irresistible, the Beowolf bounded towards the beam at full speed.

Herds of Grimm were bewitched when they saw the brilliant beam of light. Airborne Griffons and Nevermores changed course the instant their red orbs became green and roaming Goliaths shifted their migration path. One by one, various Grimm from snowy tundras and scorching deserts noticed the beam's call, with the inhabitants of Remnant confused and concerned with what they witnessed.

Humans and Faunus, military and civilian, bandit and revolutionary, all were curious and slightly frightened by the massive green pillar that reached high into the sky. They did not know whether it was a warning, a threat, or a cosmic phenomenon. None were aware of its evil call…

…none but one.

Red eyes narrowed at the emerald beam, the pull intoxicating even to her. Pale fists clenched at her sides and her startled servant took a few steps back in shock. She, meanwhile, glared at the enormous green pillar and immediately realized what it meant… along with who had cast a spell of such grand scale.

"There you are…"

"M-my queen? What is-"

"Prepare everyone we have available. It is time I show this interloper their grave errors... personally."