MMPRRWBY: A Semblance Of Power

by DareDreamer

Two teenage teams unite in this morphenomenal crossover! The defenders of Earth find themselves far from home when they each awaken in an unfamiliar world, where monsters roam with no Power Rangers to stop them. Thankfully, the confused teens meet new young heroes willing to help them find a way home by any means necessary. But the Rangers will soon discover they are not alone...

22. A Grimm Situation

GRRROOOOAAAAR!

A steel fist plowed the black behemoth across the face, sending tar-like droplets flying like spittle. A bony claw scratched its assailant's face and sparks shot away from the slash marks. The unmissable sight of the Megazord fighting a giant monster in the middle of Angel Grove was nothing new for the townsfolk, but they had a reason to be more concerned than usual. Whatever this abyssal atrocity was, it looked nothing like any previous monster the Power Rangers had faced before. Terrified murmurs rang out amongst the sheltered civilians.

"I've never seen a monster like that!"

"It looks like something out of a nightmare!"

"Is it looking at me? I feel like it's looking at me…"

"Those eyes are burning into my soul…"

"Where did that thing come from?!"

Blackened bellows ruptured the sky and a shadowy mass converged on the Megazord, sharp white claws connecting with metallic hands. The two titans struggled against each other before the Megazord smashed its head against the monster's face and a sharp uppercut cracked it in the jaw. The dark giant lunged with a reared claw, but a sabertooth-shaped foot smashed into its midsection with a thunderous boom. An unholy howl split the atmosphere and an evil hand gripped a dark, inhuman torso. A pair of hellish eyes glared at the Megazord and a screech of demonic fury filled the air, fueling the Mega Grimmzord's desire to tear the mech apart piece by piece.

"Man!" Zack shouted as another hook smashed into the beast's side. "Not only does this guy look like a final boss, he feels like one too!"

"He doesn't belong in a video game!" Trini retorted. "His head belongs in a concert as a stage prop!"

"Speaking of heads," Billy interrupted. "How about we get ours out of the clouds and knock his off his shoulders?!"

The Grimm Megazord threw a punch that was quickly caught by the real thing, leaving the imitator wide open for a fist that decked it across the face again. Metal met bone in a powerful crack that could be heard for miles. "All that black on you and none of it's in your eyes?!" Kim taunted. "How about we fix that?!"

"I second that!" Jason agreed with a pumped fist. "Zack, zap him in the face!"

"With pleasure!"

BRZZZZT! The Megazord's cranial laser struck true, the colored lightning carving into the Mega Grimmzord's mask-like skull. The monster howled in pain and the sound slowly transitioned into rage, its head surging with an orange glow… and it focused into two powerful rays from its eyes that pushed against the cranial laser. Both beams wrestled and shoved against each other, creating a fireworks-like display at the converging point.

"No way!" Trini gasped while Kim grabbed her helmet with both hands. "That is so not cool!"

"Billy! Divert power!"

"Already on it!" The Blue Ranger cranked up some dials, pouring more strength into the laser and pushing back the Mega Grimmzord's energy. A feral snarl left the beast before it reared its back, unleashing a sudden surge that easily overpowered the Megazord, the energy detonating against its head.

"AAAARGH!" Everyone cried out, sparks and smoke flying everywhere while the mech staggered backward. With its enemy stunned, the Mega Grimmzord rushed forward and bashed the Megazord with its horns, pushing it back in a vicious tackle. The Sabertooth Tiger and Triceratops Dinozord dug into the street, but the Rangers' efforts to hold the beast back were in vain as the gigantic Grimm gave the Megazord a hard shove, sending it onto its back with a loud THOOOM!

"Looks like they could use a little backup! Come on!" Tommy shouted, spurring the Dragonzord onward while Team RWBY, Nora, and Ren zeroed in on the massive hulking Grimm that loomed over the downed Megazord. "Hey, not to be a downer or anything…" Nora said without breaking her stride. "But Zordon gave us these cool coins and awesome powers, right?"

"So?" Blake prompted.

"So wouldn't it have been nice if he- oh, I don't know- gave us a giant robot of our own?!"

"That would've been kind of him, yeah!" Yang chimed in, clearing an entire alley in a single leap and hitting the roof rolling. "But do you really think we can manage without one?" Ruby gained considerable distance through quick teleportation bursts, alternating from one building to another lickety-split. "Of course we can! We've got these new powers for a reason, right?!" The female Red Ranger poured her energy into her weapon in mid-stride, similar to what she had seen Jason do not too long ago. Once her scythe was at full charge, she hopped into the air and vanished in a crimson blink…

…that blinked again over the Mega Grimmzord's limb that had a death grip on the Megazord's throat.

"YAAAAHH!" A brilliant red arc swished through her scythe's path as Ruby cleaved through the gigantic limb like a tree, severing it at the elbow before she teleported to another roof. Black tar-like liquid poured out of the wound while an excruciating screech threatened to burst her eardrums from within the helmet. The humongous horror staggered back with a tremendous bellow of pain, its other hand clutching the bleeding stump. The Megazord slowly rose back to its feet, tossing aside the disintegrating limb.

"Nice save, Ruby!" Jason praised, giving his fellow Red Ranger a thumbs-up. "We're finally getting somewhere with this guy!"

The Mega Grimmzord snarled in rage and released the stump that was now bubbling and churning. Everyone turned back and froze when they saw the stump lengthening outward until it ended in a wicked hand, which clenched into a fist with a sharp crunch. The monster growled and flexed its newly regenerated limb.

"Or… not," Kimberly commented.

The black behemoth began to charge forward… but a missile barrage to its back threw off its stride as its body was lit up with explosions. The monster whirled its head with a deep bellow only for one missile to strike it in the face, cutting off its roar in a cloud of fire and smoke. The Dragonzord marched forward, keeping the pressure on as it screeched at the beast.

"What do you guys say to a little tag team?!" Tommy shouted, ramming the titanic Grimm with the Dragonzord's head. The blow sent it stumbling towards the Megazord, who bashed it aside with a fist and drove a knee into its midsection. The two mechs kept up the pressure, barraging the beast with claw swipes, punches, and kicks alike. Each blow overwhelmed the monster… but it also made it seethe with unholy rage. Bony claws scratched the Dragonzord's face and a horned head bashed back the Megazord. A quick blast of its eye laser kept the Megazord down, allowing the giant Grimm to turn its burning gaze onto the snarling Dragonzord.

More missiles were primed in the mech's hands, but the Mega Grimmzord grabbed the Dragonzord's hands and forced the missiles to detonate within their chambers, causing severe damage to the mech and making sparks fly in Tommy's cockpit. "AGH! Lucky shot, pal! Let's see you deal with-!"

The Dragonzord's tail shot for the Mega Grimmzord's head… who swiftly caught the appendage and gripped it tight while snarling at Tommy. Once the Green Ranger realized what was coming, it was already too late. "Oh, crud-!" The Dragonzord was yanked toward its titanic foe before a black fist pounded it in the chest, causing pure power to leak from the wound. Still maintaining a hold on the tail, the Mega Grimmzord started spinning the Dragonzord like a ragdoll before releasing its grip, sending the shrieking Dragonzord sailing through the air. It smashed through several buildings before fading from sight.

"TOMMY!" Ruby screamed in horror, unable to tear her eyes from the dust. "Say something!" The Megazord rose back to its feet, staring down the roaring beast. A shaky voice broke through the comms, coughing weakly amidst a faint flicker of sparks. "Urgh… I'm okay, Rangers… but the Dragonzord's down. It took too much of a beating from that last attack… be careful, guys."

"That thing may have brute strength…" Jason debated. "But it doesn't have as much firepower! Ready the cannons and let's get this guy!" The heavy artillery swung into position and the Megazord charged again, locking fists with the Grimm Megazord before the beast roared in the mech's face.

BLAM! The cannons fired point-blank, staggering the black behemoth and opening it up for a combo of swift punches. After being socked across the head, the snarling monster grabbed a fist and bashed the Megazord's head with its own arm, plowing it across the face before landing a fierce blow to its side. It charged forward to continue its assault, but the Megazord's yellow foot slammed it back. Growling in pain, the gigantic Grimm prepared for another attack… only to be lit up with a storm of pink lightning.

GRRRRAAAARGH! The monster spasmed and shrieked as electric streams shot from Nora's fingertips, the Pink Ranger directing all the energy she could at its massive frame. Weiss blasted freezing energy from her saber, forming a thick layer of ice on the atrocity's feet and solidifying its hands to nearby roofs like glue. Once it was fully immobilized, Nora ceased her attack and allowed Yang to tag in, the Yellow Ranger blasting fireballs at the monster's head while Blake's shadows swarmed up its body like bugs crawling up a human, stabbing and slashing as they went.

The monster howled in rage at the multitude of small attackers, keeping it distracted while Ren and Ruby ran up the arms, the former's blades cutting deep into the beast while the latter tore open a long wound with her scythe. The Red and Green Ranger shot high upon reaching the shoulders, cutting across the monster's enormous face in a crimson-emerald X pattern. The Mega Grimmzord snarled and bellowed loudly as the blackness within overpowered the emerald poison, unable to do anything but struggle against the team's efforts… until it noticed the Megazord charging right at it.

Its eyes burned a bright orange, glowing brighter than stars before bursting outward in a pair of blinding beams. The Megazord responded by whipping out the Mastodon Shield, the pachyderm head taking the full brunt of the blast while the mech's charge was undeterred. Seeing its effort was for naught, the titanic Grimm growled as the shield reared back…

…and blasted its eye lasers at the Megazord's legs.

"AH!" The Rangers cried out as the mech lost its footing, botching the attack and sending it smashing into the street face-first. The others gasped in shock at the sight… until they heard a sharp cracking and squelching from the Grimm's limbs. Sickening rips and tears filled their ears as the Mega Grimmzord gruesomely tore its arms off its frozen hands one after another, leaving only bleeding black stumps behind. Said stumps immediately warped and contorted, elongating into a fresh pair of hideous hands with black liquid dripping off sharp bony fingers.

The gigantic Grimm repeated this pattern with its lower half, tearing its legs away from its frozen feet and generating new ones that pounded the street beneath them. Now no longer restrained, the monster bellowed at every Ranger it saw in an unspoken vow of vengeance while stomping down on the Megazord's neck, keeping the mech downed

"Uh…" Yang gulped. "Anyone else have an idea?"

The Mega Grimmzord swiped its long arms at the rooftops, swatting away several of the multicolored teens while others were forced to leap away to safety. Whether landing on their feet or their faces, everybody turned to see the monster howling into the sky while standing dominantly over the struggling Megazord… until a pair of hands grabbed the beast by the leg, cutting off its roar. The moment its foe looked down, the Megazord pulled out its leg from under the monster and caused it to collapse to the street, but a hard shove from its other foot forced the Megazord back when it attempted to land another punch to the head. The monster growled, irritated at its adversary's persistence and the annoyances that were literally and figuratively beneath it. They needed to be diverted.

Distracted, even.

Staring down the Megazord, the gigantic Grimm snarled as it channeled its mass into its arm and outward, the dark liquid pouring out of its mighty palm and molding into a long, sharp shape. Within seconds, bony fingers wrapped around a blade of darkness, the oversized weapon boasting a piercing tip, a serrated edge, and a bone-sculpted hilt. The monster's evil eyes burned into Team RWBY before raising its new weapon with a blood-curdling bellow…

…and stabbed it into the street, carving a murky muck of midnight into the asphalt with a single swipe. The entire road was swallowed up by blackness, blocking the teens from reaching the Megazord. Ruby refused to let this deter her and prepared to charge, hoping to teleport over the deadly river… but movement within made her pause.

A dark claw burst from the blackness. A head arose, abyssal fluids dripping off. Burning red eyes shone through the darkness as a wave of Beowolves, Ursai, and Creeps all emerged from the Liquid Grimm, bringing unease to the Rangers. "It… it can make Grimm?!" Weiss shouted in horror and surprise. Nora was taking a nervous step back. "Oh no… Beacon didn't teach us about this! Wh-what do we do?!"

"We do what we've always done!" Ruby replied, already dashing for the first howling Beowolf with her scythe at the ready. The rest of her friends charged into battle against the beasts, leaving the largest of them to advance toward the Megazord like an executioner. The mech dodged a swing of its sword and sidestepped a lunge, seizing the monster by its waist and hurling it down the street. Its sinister sword carved another gash into the road, opening up a hellish abyss of darkness that spawned more demons into the city.

A short blast of the Cranial Laser took care of the oncoming wave, but the scales had shifted in the enemy's favor. "Jason…" Kimberly informed. "That thing's bringing in more Grimm! If we don't take it out soon-"

"The whole city's gonna be overrun!" finished the Red Ranger. "Time to up the ante!" The Megazord raised its hand to the sky before Jason shouted out his next command. "WE NEED THE POWER SWORD, NOW!" An enormous blade descended from the heavens, landing in the Megazord's outstretched palm with a brilliant gleam. Lightning trailed from the weapon to the mech's arm; a display of raw power that the black behemoth refused to be intimidated by. A challenging roar erupted from its maw before it charged forward, both weapons clashing against each other.

The impact was enough to rattle the cockpit. "Man, this guy's tough!" exclaimed Zack. The Megazord ducked under a swipe and slashed across the monster's chest, painting the Power Sword black with its blood while it howled in agony.

"Nice!" Trini cheered. "A solid hit!" The Yellow Ranger's celebration was swiftly cut short when a massive fist banged into the Megazord's torso, rattling the cockpit like a bell. The Megazord raised the Mastodon shield in time to block a sword strike and swung again, aiming the blade at the Mega Grimmzord's neck for a swift conclusion…

…but the sword connected with a dark demonic shield that spawned from the monster's free hand, the blade meeting a menacing face with eyes that burned just as bright as any Grimm. A rising knee knocked the Megazord back and the monster brought the defensive armament forward, the frightening face snarling as its eyes gave off a ghastly gleam.

"He's gonna fire! Full power to the shields!"

BRRZZKKT! Two blood-red lasers carved into the mech's chassis, causing sparks to fly everywhere inside and outside the Megazord. Its colossal copy charged with a bull's strength, its horns connecting with the mech in a loud clang and pushing it further down the street. A sharp elbow slammed down on its head before two mechanical hands grabbed the monster's horns, the Megazord ramming it back with a strong headbutt. Grabbing the dropped Power Sword, the Megazord charged for its staggered opponent and met it in a clashing flurry of blades striking each other or their shields.

"We need an opening!" Billy shouted as the Megazord parried a blow and swiped across the Mega Grimmzord's chest. "Let's blast him again!" Jason nodded at the Blue Ranger in agreement and fired up the cranial laser again. "Good call, Billy! Go for the eyes, he can't hit what he can't-"

A murky hand shot for the cockpit and closed around the Megazord's head, shrouding it in darkness… at the exact second the cranial laser fired.

BRAKOOOM! A colorful explosion rocked the Megazord's head, making everyone scream and cry out as another shower of sparks flooded the cockpit. The Megazord reeled back with smoke rising from its head while the Mega Grimmzord pulled back a slightly singed arm and shook the limb. It ominously stomped towards the Megazord, its pilots struggling to get things back under control.

"System backfire!" Billy yelled, his hands flying across the controls. "Backups are critical! Response times reduced by twenty-five percent!"

"It used the laser against us?!" Zack cried. "That thing's smarter than it looks!"

"Switch to emergency power!" Jason commanded.

"We're try-" That was all Trini got out before a massive impact rocked the Megazord, nearly launching everyone out of their seats. The Red Ranger remained firm, gripping his controls as tightly as possible while the monster's roars echoed in his ears. "We're not going down that easy! Zack, cannons!"

"I'm on it, I'm on it!" yelled the Black Ranger, rerouting power to the weapons and bringing them back online. The smoke around the cockpit faded away, giving the Rangers a clear view of the monster swinging its sword at the mech's neck… only for a powerful blast to throw off its strike.

"Now!" Jason called out. "Give him everything you got!"

The Megazord went all-out, refusing to give the enemy a chance to counterstrike. Wild slashes and hard bashes from its shield sent the Mega Grimmzord staggering, and a late dodge caused the Power Sword to chop off its right horn like an ax through wood. While the sharp bone crashed to the street amidst a pained howl, the beast clutched its wounded head before a sharp slash across its mask left a gash on the pale-white surface.

"That looked like it took a chunk outta him!" Kimberly shouted. "Let's get him before he gets up!"

"You want us to tell him what we think of giant goo monsters, huh?" Zack asked.

"Yeah!" Trini approved. "This has gone on long enough!"

"What do you say, Jason?" Billy pondered. "Think he's learned his lesson?"

RRAAAAAARRRGGGH! The beast bellowed in a mixture of fury and agony, struggling in its attempt to rise while red eyes burned into the Megazord. Jason just shook his head. "I don't think so! But maybe this will! Divert energy to the Power Sword! Let's finish this freak!"

"Already on it!"

Crimson bolts shot down the Power Sword's length while the Megazord's eyes rapidly flashed yellow, the mech swinging the blade around to charge up as much power as it could. The sword glowed a brilliant crimson- enough to match the sheer hatred in the Mega Grimmzord's red orbs- while the Rangers held their hands high.

"Lights out, Mega Grimm! AI-YAH!"

Everyone swept their arms downward in a fluid movement, swiping through the air in front of them. The Megazord mimicked their actions and struck true, slicing through the Mega Grimmzord in mid-lunge. An inhuman shriek tore through the air before the energy consumed the monster…

…and violently detonated, swallowing up the beast in a cloud of fire and pure power while the Megazord stood heroically over all of Angel Grove. The force and sight of the blast alerted Ruby, who tore her head away from her friends as they continued to beat back the remaining Grimm. The girl's eyes turned to the Megazord standing before a wall of smoke, taking in the sight like a fan… except a fan wouldn't have looked through the Megazord and focused her gaze on the five multicolored figures within the cockpit.

Ruby smiled beneath her helmet and gave her otherworldly friends a wave of thanks: a gesture Jason returned while the other Rangers appreciated the gesture in their own way. Now that the largest threat was out of the way, the Megazord could provide her friends with some much-needed help with the-

KR-SHUNT! Ruby's hopes were immediately shattered when her silver eyes took in a horrible sight: a demonic blade of darkness bursting through the Megazord's chest and sending sparks flying from the wound. "NO!" She screamed in alarm as the massive mech staggered forward…

…and the smoke dissipated to reveal a wounded Mega Grimmzord looming over its injured adversary. Various pieces of its bony armor plating were cracked, its remaining horn was scratched, several ribs were broken, and a nasty diagonal red scar trailed down its torso with black droplets falling like rain. Its evil red eyes burned brighter than before, the monster's rage now insurmountable.

Within the Megazord's alarm-blaring, badly damaged cockpit with sparks shooting everywhere, the five Rangers were in complete shock and disbelief.

"WHAT?!" Kimberly shouted.

"But we just-!" Trini sputtered.

"Impossible!" Billy gasped.

"How is he still standing?!" Zack gawked.

"Oh no…" Jason whispered with wide eyes… before the monster shoved its sword in deeper and gave it a sharp twist, filling the cockpit with fire and sparks once again as everyone cried out in alarm. "BILLY! Get us moving!"

"I can't! Gyros are offline!"

"Weapons are down!" came Zack's terrified voice.

"And so are defenses!" Kim yelled. "Our shields and armor are toast!"

"Power reserves are dropping fast!" added Trini. "Self-repairs can't keep up!"

The Megazord lurched forward when the Mega Grimmzord gave the mech a hard shove, smashing its head into the pavement. The monster wrenched out its sword and rolled the robot onto its back, revealing a battered helmet with a flickering optic unit and a cracked horn. Desperate to turn the tide in their favor, Jason shoved his controls forward…

…but the gigantic Grimm caught the steel fist and forcefully twisted, snapping servos and severing arm circuits. With an abyssal bellow, the beast stabbed the mech in the upper torso, keeping the Megazord pinned. The mech futilely struggled with a hand on the monster's blade even as it drove deeper into the robot's inner workings, a shower of sparks accompanying the monster's furious snarls.

Ruby took a frightening step back and whirled to her friends, her helmet vanishing from her head. "Guys! They-"

Her fellow Beacon students were still locked in combat with the Grimm… but with every monster they slew, more continued to crawl and rise from the murky pit carved into the street by the Mega Grimmzord's weapon. Griffons and Lancers shot from the muck, packs of Beowolves regained their numbers, and an Ursa Major bellowed once it surfaced, black ichor dripping off its form.

"RUBY!" Yang shouted in the middle of fending off five Beowolves at once. "Why are we standing around?! We need you!" No sooner than she finished her sentence a Beowolf tackled her sister out of nowhere, pinning Yang to the pavement until she blasted her flamethrower down its throat. Blake did her best to evade the Grimm, but a Griffon snatched her from midair and slammed the Black Ranger to the street. A roaring Beringel grabbed Weiss off its shoulder before she could drive her saber deep, smashing her around like a ragdoll before hurling her into a charging Nora. Lancers swarmed Ren on the rooftop and he leaped off a building to evade them… only to land between four Creeps that quickly surrounded them.

"GUYS!" Ruby shouted with rising panic and began to bolt toward her friends… only for a monstrous bellow to make the Red Ranger whirl in the opposite direction. The Megazord's uninjured fist bashed the Mega Grimmzord in the face, but a humongous foot pinned the limb down with a hard slam. Tearing its sword out from the mech's chest, the monster impaled the Megazord through the shoulder, taking that arm out of action. Roaring as loudly as it could in the robot's face with a fury unlike anything Ruby had seen, the monster began to viciously beat the Megazord's head with pillar-like fists, denting the surface and shattering an eye.

"Anybody out there?!" Ruby heard Jason's frantic voice over her wrist communicator. "We- AGH! We're getting beat up hard! The Megazord- GAH! We can't take much more! We need backup NOW!"

"We can't hold them back forever!" Weiss nervously shouted. "There's too many Grimm!"

"Kim!" Trini's voice rang through Ruby's helmet. "Get away from the-GAAAH!"

"Blake! BEHIND YOU!" Yang's cry was swiftly answered by a surprised yelp.

"We need to deactivate!" Zack cried out.

"I can't! It won't respond!" Jason yelled.

"If I'm going down, I'M TAKING ALL OF YOU WITH ME!" Nora roared with all the fury in her heart.

"Where's Tommy?!" Kim screamed. "We need the Dragonzord back up! Somebody help us!"

"Ruby, HELP! We can't-AAAH!"

The world slowed down.

Ruby's brain blocked out every sound but her shaky breathing. To her left, the Grimm were threatening to block her struggling teammates from view as more monsters emerged from the black pit. To her right, the squirming Megazord lay in critical condition before the Mega Grimmzord's relentless onslaught, beating the robot's head so hard it was on the verge of cracking open and exposing the Rangers inside…

As a Red Ranger, you will be tasked greater than anyone else in your team, whispered a memory. There will be times when you will need to make difficult decisions for the good of all. No matter how difficult these decisions may seem… you must trust yourself to choose the outcome you believe is best.

Ruby silently watched Yang disappear under a swarm of Grimm, her yellow-clad arm reaching out to Blake… the Black Ranger clenched tightly in a Griffon's claw and unable to do anything but watch and scream.

Difficult decisions for the good of all…

The sword sank into the Megazord and it let out a dying groan, the remaining light in its eye on the verge of going dark. A fist slammed into the side of its face, battering bits of metal loose.

You must trust yourself to choose the outcome you believe is best…

A Creep smashed through dozens of frozen Grimm and charged for Weiss with an open jaw… but when the Blue Ranger spun to petrify it in ice, an Ursa bashed her aside and sent her saber sliding out of her reach. Weiss scrambled for her weapon but was suddenly yanked back by another Ursa who flung her into a wall.

The outcome you believe is best…

Ruby closed her eyes, seeing both situations at once in her mind. The Grimm overwhelming and overpowering her friends… sparks flying from the Megazord's wounds…

No matter how difficult…

A Beringel bashed Nora into the ground, cracking the asphalt beneath her. A Sabyr tackled Ren to the street, pinning his arms with two powerful paws and baring its fanged maw at the Green Ranger's helmet.

For the good of all…

The Power Rangers flung up their arms, shielding themselves from sudden blasts of smoke while sparks showered their suits. The cockpit's interior jolted and quaked with every impact, the walls around them growing weaker as the monster threw itself at their last remaining means of protection.

You must…

A fist clenched deeply. A calm and steady breath…

Ruby made her choice.

Trust yourself.

Silver eyes snapped open with a revitalized glimmer and she took off running; faster than any normal human could hope to achieve. She bared her teeth in determination and gathered her power, vanishing in a blink of red light.

The Mega Grimmzord loomed over its barely functioning foe, raising both arms over its head with a menacing bellow…

…until the helmetless Ruby Rose appeared atop the Megazord's punctured chest.

"LEAVE! THEM! ALONE!"

The Grimm Megazord paused at the sight of the silver-eyed girl fiercely glaring at the monstrosity hundreds of times her size, but its surprise gave way to another sky-splitting roar that threatened to make Ruby's ears explode. The undeterred teen merely shielded herself from the gales before answering with bared teeth and a low growl, holding her hand to the side. One spectacular flash of crimson lightning later, Wolf's Claw was summoned into her grip with a shining sharp blade. The Red Ranger channeled her energy into the scythe, charging it up with as much strength as she could gather until the weapon looked ready to burst.

Darkness passed over the girl, who snapped her head skyward to see the Demon raising a mountainous fist high. An un-Ruby-like growl tore from the girl's throat as she planted her feet together and shot high into the air… but during her ascent, she drove her blade into the monster's massive chest and carved another scar into its body: a vertical and wider gash than its previous wound that made the Mega Grimmzord howl in sheer agony.

Every Grimm in the vicinity ceased their attack and rounded on the largest of their brethren, abandoning the rest of Ruby's weary friends. The teens all gathered their bearings until everyone's eyes rested on the sight that stunned the Grimm…

Ruby's trail ended at the monster's throat, the girl spinning in midair as she reached the height of her leap with her scythe still ablaze with crackling red energy. That same energy sparked dangerously across the Mega Grimmzord's wound, making it roar in a combination of pain, fear, agony, and rage. Its huge head looked upward and its battered, cracked face met Ruby's ferocious tear-stained expression, both the goliath and girl opening their mouths in a final cry that could be heard all over Angel Grove.

"YYYAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Ruby's scythe sunk into the monster's forehead and discharged red energy across its behemoth-sized body, the girl driving her weapon deeper until the curved blade vanished into blackness. The Mega Grimmzord shrieked louder than ever before as crimson electricity sparked everywhere, overloading it from the inside. Red light beamed from every orifice and broke through the blackness while the smaller Grimm noticed their summoner's pain. Howls of alarm and fury escaped them and the horde rushed towards the dying goliath, desperate to assist.

The Mega Grimmzord howled and screeched as it clung to existence as much as Ruby clung for dear life atop its skull, cracking apart the mask with violent twists of her weapon. More energy seeped from her form into the monster's body, flooding it with immense power. Trying such a tactic on Remnant would be suicide since any attempt at transferring Aura to a Grimm would only result in the Grimm draining the Aura away.

Luckily for Ruby, this wasn't Aura. And the Grimm didn't know how to process the raw energy of the Morphin Grid.

Ruby planted her feet firmly, maintained a death grip on her scythe, and gritted her teeth with silver eyes burning… before giving it one last shove. "HYYYAAAAAH!"

UURRRRAAAAAAGGHH!

KRAK-A-BOOOOM! The ensuing explosion of bright crimson light could be seen for miles, instantly incinerating the gigantic Grimm where it stood. The shockwave traveled outward and the remaining Grimm came to a stop too late, the red blast wiping them clean off the face of the earth in a cacophony of panicked screeches and frenzied roars. Yang, Weiss, Blake, Nora, and Ren shielded their eyes from the explosion, light surging through their vision until it finally cleared…

…and a small figure limply dropped from the sky.

"RUBY!" Yang screamed, ready to charge forth and snatch her sister from midair before she could slam into the pavement. Fortunately, somebody else beat her to it in a blur of movement… and another red-clad figure gently set the unmorphed girl down while his helmet vanished.

The other Rangers hurried to gather around Jason, concern and worry dominating their faces. Ruby's friends quickly joined them, all eyes trained on the unconscious figure before them. "I-Is she okay?!" Kimberly stammered. Billy's bewildered eyes never left the sight. "For once, I don't know! I've never seen such an intense discharge like that before! She must've poured every ounce of power into that strike!"

"Oh, man…" Zack murmured. "That had to be the most insane thing I've ever seen! That was crazy!"

"No…" whispered Trini. "It wasn't crazy. She said she'd help us… and she did."

Weiss, Blake, and Yang anxiously stared at their leader, their silence saying everything for them. The Yellow Ranger took a gentle step forward… and froze when she registered movement.

"Nnnhhh…" A hand slowly reached up to Ruby's face and she woozily arose into a sitting position, rubbing at her forehead in exhaustion before silver eyes blinked open. Her orbs trailed over each of her friends, whose worry slowly faded into relief as she found her voice.

"Did… did we win?"

…

"NNNNNOOOOO!"

Rita Repulsa shrieked as she stormed away from the telescope in fury, cursing to herself in the highest tone her voice could reach. "IMPOSSIBLE! MY MONSTER WAS PERFECT! SUPERIOR! IT WAS THEIR PERFECT MATCH! ARRRRGH! THAT LITTLE GIRL RUINED EVERYTHING! I WAS THIS CLOSE TO ENDING THOSE STUPID RANGERS ONCE AND FOR ALL! THIS CLOSE!"

"My queen!" Goldar hurried after her. "All is not lost! Perhaps we-"

SHABLAM! A powerful magic blast sent Goldar flying across the room until he smashed into a wall, causing Baboo and Squat to recoil in shock and fear. The vile sorceress continued to march away as anger coursed through her wicked being. "Why must teenagers always vex me so much? Why?! Why?! WHYYYY?!"

Scorpina scowled viciously at the planet below. "The spell failed. Just as it did before. If those foolish 'heroes'-in-training weren't swept up, Earth would finally be ours." Finster was no less pleased at the outcome and released a dejected sigh. "We were desperate for an advantage against the Power Rangers and we paid the price for it. In the future, it would be best for us to… how does the saying go? Think inside the box? Venturing outwards has proven too costly."

"Rrrgh…" Goldar growled as he rose to his feet. "For once, Finster… we are in agreement. It was the Rangers who stole our advantage from us simply because they persisted and interfered with the spell the first time."

"We will need to be more discreet next time," Scorpina hissed. "Going down to Earth for scheming is no longer an option… so we will need to find another way."

"Indubitably," Finster replied. "But onto more pressing matters… perhaps we should wait until our empress has… eh…"

"AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!" The entire Moon Palace shook with another intense blast, followed by a shrill shriek. All of Rita's minions were still and silent for a few moments.

"That… is extremely advisable," uttered Baboo. Goldar and Squat silently nodded in agreement while Scorpina remained stern with a closed fist. "Why don't we, uh, prepare a fresh batch of Putties in the meantime?"

Finster sighed. "Perhaps the simple art of creation will be enough to get my mind off of things…"

…

Ruby's question was answered only by warm smiles, proud gazes… and a few rib-crushing hugs from Yang and Nora. "You nearly scared the soul outta me, little sis! Please don't do anything like that again!"

"Yang," Blake rolled her eyes. "She just saved our lives by doing what she did." Ren pried Nora off of Ruby while Yang retreated, wiping at a tear. "Okay, fair point, but… you know what I mean, right?"

"Heh. No promises…"

"Ruby… we can't thank you- any of you- enough," Jason said gratefully. "This Grimm problem could've been too much even for us if you weren't here. Zordon made the right call in making you one of us."

"I'll say!" Nora chuckled… before her laughter solemnly stopped. "Sorry about your robot, by the way."

"Alpha doesn't see much field action," Kim clarified, taking Nora by surprise. "Oh, uh, I meant-"

"The other robot, duh," giggled her fellow Pink Ranger as she playfully smacked Nora on the shoulder. Nora quickly realized Kim was making a joke and resumed her previous attitude without missing a beat. Billy, meanwhile, glanced back at the nearly-wrecked Megazord with Weiss.

"Our Zords are gonna need quite the tune-up after that," sighed the Blue Ranger. "Then again, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Not a problem?" echoed Weiss. "That thing is hanging on by a thread! How do you expect to fix it that easily?"

"Believe it or not, Weiss…" Zack exhaled. "Our big buddy's been banged up way more than I would've liked. It'll be ready for action again before you know it!"

Ruby blinked. "Seriously?"

"Oh, seriously," Trini nodded. "The last time the Megazord took a pounding like that was from Tommy!"

"He did that?!" Yang repeated with bewilderment. "With his dragon robot?"

"Nuh-uh," Jason clarified. "All by himself when he was Rita's puppet. The first time was when he ambushed us in our cockpit and took us by surprise."

"And the second time was when Rita made him the size of a Zord!" Zack followed up, pausing to examine the look on everyone's faces. "Nope, I'm not joking."

"Where is Tommy, anyway?" Ren asked, making Nora perk up in realization. "Yeah, he's missing the victory celebration! What's taking him so-" The peppy girl paused for a moment. "Oh, never mind. He's right there."

True to her words, the Green Ranger was sprinting down the street at full speed towards the other Rangers. A smile broke out on Zack's face as he waved his friend towards them. "Yo, Tommy! Did you catch what Ruby did?! She took out the big Grimm all by herself!"

"It was amazing!" Kim exclaimed. "She saved our-"

The Pink Ranger's words caught in her throat when she spotted Tommy continuing to charge… with the Dragon Dagger in hand.

"...lives?"

"AH-YAAAAH!" The Green Ranger shot into the air in an acrobatic twirl, his weapon glinting in the sunlight. Everyone's heart stilled as their stunned eyes watched him twirl aggressively in midair…

…but instead of landing in front of his friends, Tommy sunk his blade in a Beowolf's skull directly behind the teens! A few quick slashes and a hard kick knocked the monster back into the black pool that covered the street, its evil form splashing back into the murky abyss. A second Grimm began to emerge from the blackness, but the Dragon Dagger put a quick end before it could even begin.

Tommy's helmet vanished from his face, which gave his friends a stern look. "We're not done here, guys!" The pool burst outward as something erupted from its depths: a Griffon that spread its wings before flying off into the city. Tommy whirled to pursue only for the abyss to churn and bubble again. A grunt of annoyance left him and he quickly slashed that emerging Grimm across the throat, causing it to slip back into darkness.

Everyone else snapped back into action and gathered around the tar-like pit: a portal of tar-like liquid that spawned pure malice. Everything that started to emerge was swiftly put down, yet more continued to arise. "Um… did any of your teachers back home tell you about this stuff?" Trini questioned moments before a Lancer burst from the pit with buzzing-mad wings. A few blaster shots from Blake and Zack scorched its body, plunging the insect back down until a shocked Yang gave her response.

"Is… is this where the Grimm come from?!"

"So that's a 'no', then!" Kimberly groaned, shooting an arrow between a pair of red eyes.

"As long as this thing is here…" Billy grunted, kicking down a forming head before impaling it with his lance. "Grimm are just gonna keep coming! Who knows how many popped out while we were celebrating back there!" A sharp slice of the Power Sword severed another head and Jason's Blade Blaster sniped a rising shape at the far end, a dying groan dissolving into bubbles. "And we can't keep this up forever! Anyone have any ideas?!"

Ruby glanced around the black pit, watching Blake slice off an arm that grabbed onto asphalt while Yang set the dark pool alight with flame. Hellish shrieks roared from within and a Beowolf lunged from the blackness, pinning Yang down until she blasted its head off with both gauntlets. But no matter what her friends did to keep the Grimm back, more slowly arose from the murky dark liquid that dripped off their bodies…

Wait a second! Liquid!

A massive shape arose from the pool next, dwarfing the Rangers as Ruby heard the telltale rumble of a Goliath from inside. The beast would be fully formed in seconds… but not if she had anything to say about it.

"Weiss! FREEZE IT!"

Her partner was quick to oblige, her saber glowing a bright blue before she directed a blast of ice-cold energy at the Grimm Liquid. The tar-like substance immediately solidified and froze over, as did the half-formed and emerging Grimm in the process of crawling out. Snarls and roars abruptly ceased as the Grimm were turned into icy statues… including the Goliath, which held its trunk high as ice quickly spread over its form and solidified it in place. The few Grimm who escaped the cold clambered out of the pit and rushed off into the city, scampering like wild animals released from cages.

Weiss slammed her heel against the pavement and the frozen Grimm patch immediately shattered into dozens of fragments, leaving an open and empty hole in the road where the pit of Grimm Liquid once rested. With that final danger neutralized, everyone took a breath of relief. Zack was the first to speak with his hands on his knees. "Whew… that was close."

"Yeah… and now comes the part we usually don't stick around for," Tommy added, turning his gaze to the city. "The cleanup."

Ruby and her friends were all in agreement. The Grimm weren't as big a threat now, but they were still dangerous. Those monsters had to be scattered across Angel Grove now, but tracking them down and eliminating them was what Huntsmen and Huntresses were born to do. She stepped forward to address Jason and Tommy, a plan already formulated.

"The Grimm will have no coordination out there and they'll attack anyone they see. We need to end this quickly… and to do that, we need to split up."

"Normally, that would be the last thing you should do when dealing with evil bloodthirsty monsters," Trini commented. "But then again, nobody in those movies had superpowers."

"We'll take one side of the city and you guys get the other half," Jason agreed. "Let's wrap this up, Rangers! And after this… it's time to find a way home for our friends."

"Hey!" Zack called out to Yang. "I bet we can clear out our half of the Grimm before you guys can!"

"Ha! You're on!"

"Zack!" an annoyed Kim snapped at him. "What did you do that for?"

"Aw, come on! I gotta make this last bit fun, right?"

"Don't forget that the Grimm are still dangerous," Blake reminded him, earning a sigh from the original Black Ranger. "Blake… you really need to lighten up sometime."

"Okay!" Billy said, bringing everyone back on track. "Let's not waste any more time! Everybody meet back at the Command Center once you're finished, affirmative?"

"Got it," Ruby said, turning to give Jason a nod of approval. "See you guys there!" She and her friends hurried off down the street while the rest of the Rangers teleported away, the silver-eyed girl leading the charge with morpher in hand.

"CARMINE WOLF!" She howled, summoning her crimson suit around her form once again and whipping out her scythe. The bright blast of energy was enough to attract the Grimm's attention, making it easier to locate the beasts.

It wasn't too much of a stretch for Team RWBY, Nora, and Ren, even if some of the monsters were giving their all to continue their destructive antics.

"This is nothing!" Yang shouted as she smashed a Beowolf's face into the street. "We'll wrap things up in no time!" Blake slid to a halt beside her, black ichor dripping off her blades. "Seems like it. Without the giant Grimm to rally them, they've fallen back to their standard behavior. They may not be much of a threat to us in this state…" Blake suddenly froze up and her next words put Ruby on high alert.

"No! Wait! Get back inside!"

Ruby spun with a startled gasp, her eyes landing on a group of civilians slowly exiting a nearby store… but they realized their mistake the instant they spotted the Grimm still out on the streets. The group broke out into a screaming panic and those closest to the doors darted back into shelter… but the humans farthest from the building had their escape cut off when a Beowolf slid between them and the door with a snarling maw.

It lunged at the humans, scattering them in every direction. It pinned down a man and reared back to bite down, only for a green dagger to sink into the side of its head. Ren kicked the beast back and Nora helped the frightened man to his feet while Team RWBY changed tactics, hurrying to keep the people safe.

It didn't take too long for the Grimm to dwindle as the Remnantians punched, stabbed, sliced, and smashed the monsters into dust. A Beowolf managed to disarm Nora, but the Pink Ranger grabbed it by the face and channeled lightning through its form, disintegrating the beast to ash.

"Did we get 'em all?!"

Ruby ran a quick count of the shaken civilians. All of them looked safe… until she spotted blackness from the edges of her vision. She spun in that direction, where a pack of Grimm was converging on a single target that darted down an alley.

A woman in a leather jacket and brown hair. It was a figure Ruby recognized immediately. "Oh no… JUNE!"

…

She had been careful since she arrived.

Evil was always an ever-present force. It will always exist no matter where and when. These things- these "Grimm"- were an abomination.

She could handle a few… but this was barely a few. Several had gone after her instead of the other easier targets. She had a feeling as to why.

But she was never one for pure speculation.

He hadn't said much about them. What they were and where they were from, but that was all he knew.

The girls undoubtedly knew more than he did. She saw them coming her way now. This was it.

When this was over, they would need an explanation. One she can't give them here.

She glared at the monsters that surrounded her from all sides, denying them the fear they wanted from her. They thought her helpless like everything else.

The leader- the new Red Ranger- yelled at them to cease. Only a few diverted their attention but the others remained firm, blocking any chance of rescue.

She wouldn't need it.

This won't be easy for them to process. And there was no going back once she stepped over the line.

But then again… she stepped over it once before.

And she will again.

…

There were too many Grimm in the alley, especially for a single civilian. Ruby's heart hammered in her chest when she saw no sign of the woman who had introduced them to Angel Grove. She had to still be alive; the best Ruby could do was stall her intended demise.

"HEY! GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Only a few heads whirled in her direction, crimson eyes burning with hatred. Her friends braced beside her, awaiting their leader's words.

"Weiss, cut them off! Yang, Nora, barrel through! Blake and Ren, don't let them leave! I'll-"

"TIME FOR TIME FORCE!"

"Wha-"

FWASHAM! A pink flash of light erupted from the gathered Grimm, taking them and the Remnantians by surprise. Everyone jolted back in alarm from the brightness until the flash faded… revealing another Pink Ranger standing before the pack in a ready pose. A heart-shaped symbol donned the helmet and chest, but any further details eluded examination when the figure immediately lashed out at the Grimm, slamming fists against skulls and landing strong kicks against chests.

The figure moved fast, weaving away from the monsters and striking where she could. Both hands grabbed a Beowolf's swinging claw and snapped its wrist before the figure threw the monster to the street and stomped on its head. A Griffon swooped in only to be knocked aside by a jumping kick and the stranger cartwheeled away from a rolling Boarbatusk that smashed into a Beowolf, charging for a snarling Creep that she promptly kneed in the jaw.

She landed in a roll and came to a stop before three more Beowolves. The Grimm charged for the woman, who responded by touching something on her wrist… and two pink blades materialized from the device: weapons she swiftly introduced to the Grimm via a flurry of slashes and swipes that reduced them to dust. A few Griffons and Lancers flew in to engage, but the stranger simply combined both blades and hurled them like a boomerang, the sharp whirlwind cutting them all down in seconds. Snatching the blades in midair, the woman split them apart and rushed at an Ursa, stabbing it rapidly in the midsection.

Nobody could find the words to describe what they were witnessing, even as their helmets faded away to reveal stunned and flabbergasted expressions. The woman was making short work of the Grimm without breaking a sweat, utilizing both her blades and an oversized cannon that blasted the beasts to bits with bright pink blasts. Yang was the first to speak… or rather, try to.

"Buh… I… what?! What is happening right now?!"

Ruby shook her head, trying to remember how to breathe. "I don't… h-he said…"

Soon enough, only a few Grimm remained… and despite being weakened, they persisted. The stranger leaped into the air, holding her blades both above and below her while the image of a pink clock face formed behind her.

"TIME STRIKE!"

A vertical slash of both blades connected with the Grimm, creating an explosive discharge of pink energy that vaporized them on the spot. The pink figure landed in front of the blast, her blades vanishing from sight until the smoke cleared, revealing an empty alley that appeared untouched by the Grimm. Silence filled the surrounding area, the Remnantians unable to speak again once the figure turned towards them. She examined each of their expressions for a few short moments until she finally broke the silence.

"Power down."

Another flash and her suit was gone, revealing the same woman everyone had first encountered in Angel Grove… and the same one Ruby had seen running from the Grimm not too long ago. She swallowed nervously, eying both the woman and the strange device on her wrist: one the woman concealed under her jacket's sleeve.

"...June?"

"It's Jen, actually," she corrected in a stern tone. "I'm going to need you all to come with me."

"No," Yang began with a suspicious glare at the woman. "What you need is to give us some answers. First off, how are you a Ranger? Jason never mentioned you!"

"Yeah," Weiss agreed. "He told us he and his friends were the only Power Rangers!"

The woman turned to Weiss with a steadfast look. "They are."

"What?! That doesn't make any-"

"I can't explain everything now," she continued. "Zordon can't know of my presence here… especially another Pink Ranger." That last part was muttered under her breath. "And you can't tell Jason and his team about this; it could have disastrous consequences. What you all need to know is this: you think you've saved this world… but you haven't."

"But… but we took down the giant Grimm!" Nora protested. "Wasn't that enough?"

"No," the woman replied sternly. "It wasn't. What you've done here and now barely scratched the surface."

"And how would you know that?" Ren asked with crossed arms. The woman met him with a glare equal to his. "You think Rita's spell brought the Grimm here… but it was larger than even she intended. She wanted to use them to destroy the Power Rangers, and that's exactly what they'll do if we don't stop them."

"But we did stop them!" Blake countered.

"You did… this time."

"What do you mean, this time?!" Nora questioned.

"I told you, I can't explain here," the woman warned. "My presence in 1993 is already a risk. If you want answers, you're going to have to trust me."

"Alright, June or Jen or whatever your name is," Ruby shot back. "How do we know you're telling the truth?"

"You saw me morph, Ruby," she answered. "That's enough of a truth for you, isn't it?"

The Huntress-turned-Ranger froze. "How… how do you know my name?"

The woman didn't reply this time. Instead, she fished something out of her pocket: a strange-looking remote that she pointed down the alley. She pressed down on a big blue button… and a swirling portal opened up right before their eyes. "This leads to a safe location away from Zordon's eyes," she explained, ignoring their bewildered looks. "If you want answers… follow me."

She turned and strode towards the portal, leaving the confused Remnantians behind. Yang groaned and held up her communicator…

"Don't try it. I jammed them when I noticed you coming. The Mighty Morphin team must not know of this… especially not at this stage in their journey. They haven't even fought Serpentera yet."

Ruby was lost. "Stage in their journey? Serpentera? Ju… Jen, I don't understand!"

The older woman huffed under her breath. "Newcomers always do. But trust me, you'll learn everything soon enough if you come with me. So…" She crossed her arms when she neared the portal, awaiting their decision. "What's it gonna be? And I strongly advise you not to keep me waiting."

The teens gathered around, unsure what to make of the situation. "We're not seriously going to do this, are we?" Yang whispered under her breath.

"She's a Ranger," Nora whispered. "We all saw it."

"But how?" Weiss countered. "Jason said there was only one team: his!"

"Maybe she's on her own?" Ren guessed. "Could Kim be a replacement or something?"

"I don't know…" Blake muttered. "But whoever she is and wherever she came from, she knows something we don't."

"Guys… the least we can do is hear her out," Ruby butted in. "If she's serious about the Grimm… if there really are more out there, we need to get to the bottom of it."

"You may have a point," Ren agreed. "Angel Grove may not be the only place they've hit. If the Grimm managed to spread all over this planet…"

"Okay, that's… that's fair," Yang sighed. "I can work with that. We did agree that we didn't want this world's people to meet the fate ours almost suffered."

"Then let's see what she wants," Ruby finished, causing the group to break up as she turned back to the older woman. "Alright… we're going with you. But you better give us an explanation."

The woman gave Ruby a knowing smirk. "All in good time. Now power down and step through. Transportal tech wreaks havoc on morph signatures."

"Um… how do we power down?" Yang asked… only for her suit to disappear in a flash of yellow light, leaving her in her jacket and cargo pants once again. Nora blinked in confusion at the sight. "Wait, that's it? We just have to say it? That's… kinda lame…"

The woman didn't wait for them, stepping into the portal and vanishing into thin air. Ruby and the rest of her friends quickly powered down and hurried through the rift, curious about what awaited them on the other side. Once the last of them stepped through, the portal sealed into nothingness… leaving the alley calm and quiet as if nothing had ever transpired there.