The breach was nothing compared to this. Ruby had never seen so many Grimm in one place before, and she wasn't afraid to admit she was nervous. Just the tiniest of mistakes and they'd be on her in a blink. The Huntress-in-training had half a mind to make a run for the tower and barricade the doors… but she couldn't do that. Her friends needed to go home.
The same friends that had just used all of their Auras to make a 50-foot-tall knight decked out in five different colors and were now fighting an armored gorilla Faunus with a growth Semblance. It was something straight out of a Mistrali manga, but Ruby wouldn't allow that to be a distraction despite it being right there, as high as the tower itself. The best she could do was handle the Grimm with her friends… not that the Rangers needed any help. From what she could see, they were handling Goldar fine on their own while Tommy had his dragon construct bombard aerial Grimm to keep his friends covered.
Trusting the Rangers to handle themselves, Ruby twirled Crescent Rose and launched herself at the nearest Grimm: an Ursa Major clawing against Weiss' dome-like Dust shield while Blake and Yang maneuvered into position. Ruby immediately flew atop Weiss and swung her scythe at the beast's head with a loud cry…
A thunderous crash filled the sky behind them as a bellowing Goldar tackled the Aura Megazord at full force. Everyone struggled to hold him back before Trini firmly planted her right foot behind her. The limb she commanded followed her lead and dug into the ground, ensuring the colored colossus remained standing. Gritting his teeth, Jason shoved his head forward and the Megazord's helmet clanged against Goldar's, earning a snarl from the giant Faunus and leaving him wide open to a wide hook from Kimberly. The pink arm smashed against the Faunus' visor and made him stagger backward, stunned but far from out. Shaking his head, Goldar pounded his chestplate and roared again, the sound extending for miles.
"GRAAAAAAGH! I HAVE BESTED YOU BEFORE, LOATHSOME INFANTS! AND I SHALL DO SO AGAIN!" The golden giant charged at the rainbow-colored knight, both of them meeting in a strong grapple. Despite the immense strain each of the Rangers felt to hold his heavy mass back, Jason gave a cocky smile within the colossus' chest. "I DON'T THINK SO, GOLDAR! ONE WIN AND YOU'RE BRAGGING?"
"SOMEBODY'S FULL OF HIMSELF!" Zack echoed, enraging the Faunus further. "GRRRR! TAUNT ME ALL YOU WISH! LET'S SEE YOU DO SO AFTER I RIP THIS CREATION APART PIECE BY PIECE!"
"YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO TRY, MONKEY MAN!" Trini shot back. Kim and Zack pushed forward with all their might, shoving the golden-clad knight backward. Fighting to keep himself from falling over, Goldar snarled beneath his visor and clenched his fists, releasing a deep growl as he circled his rainbow-colored opponent like a predator waiting to strike. The Aura Megazord slammed a fist into a palm and cracked its knuckles, silently daring the Faunus to make his next move.
The two titans strafed around each other like boxers, waiting to see who would strike first. Goldar was the one to do so as he lunged at the Megazord; Kim and Zack grabbing the Faunus' outstretched arms until clawed fingers were inches away from scratching the Aura-composed red helmet. Jason shoved his head forward again, and the resulting clang of solid Aura against metal staggered Goldar back. Kim threw a jab, but the Faunus stepped away from the punch and positioned himself behind the mech, slamming a double fist into the knight's pink pauldron to drive it down. The Rangers all cried out before the Aura Megazord's hands broke up the earth to catch itself.
The prismatic knight shook its head to shake off the hit, every pair of eyes seeing dozens of red-eyed Grimm surrounding the eight Huntsmen students. Their tactics and teamwork were paying off as many of the creatures fell to their combined efforts. Ruby took a break from burying Crescent Rose in a Beowolf's back to shoot the colored colossus an assuring look.
"DON'T WORRY ABOUT US," Jason told her. "WE'LL HANDLE HIM! JUST KEEP THEM BUSY!" A thunderous bellow shook the sky again, causing the Rangers to whirl their heads around. The Aura Megazord followed their lead to see Goldar looming over them, raising an enormous foot to crush the titan's head into the earth. Trini immediately shot her leg out, the knight kicking with its right leg and landing a direct hit between Goldar's.
"ARGH!" Goldar growled, stumbling away and placing both hands over his crotch, giving the Aura Megazord the chance it needed to rise again. Zack followed through with a strong uppercut; a blow Goldar noticed too late. The black fist plowed through his hastily prepared guard and knocked the giant Faunus back, angering him some more. Another bellow erupted from his throat and he charged at the Megazord at full speed, ramming into it hard enough to knock it off its feet. The titan crashed down in a cloud of dust and the impact shook the earth, staggering Huntsmen and Grimm alike.
They didn't let that stop them. Pyrrha lunged a howling Nora off her shield and she crashed back down like a meteor while Ren and Jaune covered each other's backs. Blake spun Yang around on Gambol Shroud, the blonde brawler smashing into any Grimm close to her before the Faunus threw her toward a Death Stalker. Blake then broke off into a run, shooting and slashing at random enemies while using her Shadow clones to evade those who tried ambushing her. Tommy's dragon strafed through the sky, burning Grimm with every attack run it made and leaving the demons to incinerate into ash.
Off in the distance, a gold vambrace intercepted a black arm before a giant bracer smashed against a red helmet. That arm swung back and rattled the knight's visor before Goldar seized the colossal construct by the shoulders and tossed it to the ground. A thunderous quake followed the knight's contact with the ground and Goldar positioned himself atop his downed foe, grabbing it by the torso and rearing his head back.
"NGH!" Zack and Kim shot their arms and grabbed Goldar's head, pinning his skull in place. Everyone twisted to the side and the Aura Megazord slammed the giant Faunus headfirst into the dirt before standing up and giving him a hard kick from a yellow boot. Goldar grunted as his enormous form tumbled across Vytal's valley, crushing some unfortunate Grimm beneath him. Pounding the earth and rising to his feet, he charged at the Aura Megazord with clenched fists and an untamed fury.
A red scythe pierced a Creep through the back and Ruby landed atop its length, firing a shot that propelled her backward into a Grimm Putty that impaled it through the chest. Another shot sprang Crescent Rose upward, reducing the monstrosity to sliced bits. Using the momentum to plant her sweetheart into the ground, Ruby fired a shot that blasted off a Beowolf's arm, a second that did the same to its head, and a third that cut down a shrieking Grimm Putty intent on ripping her to shreds. Another of the fusions charged in from her right, prompting the girl to spin towards it and pin the monster to the ground. After dragging Crescent Rose to separate it in half, she buried her blade into a Beowolf's torso and flung it upwards with another shot. Finally, the girl positioned her weapon atop a Grimm Putty's shoulder, making the monster freeze in place.
It only had a look of realization- as if comically learning it had made a fatal mistake- before it was ultimately beheaded with a final shot. Satisfied with her work, Ruby twirled her sweetheart around and planted it by her side, a smile on her face. Her victory was short-lived when another hellish shriek alerted her to more of the supposedly never-ending horde. Speaking of which, Ruby noticed all of them had red eyes now. Whatever Rita did to them didn't last… but just because they were back to normal didn't mean things were going to be easier.
A white blur passed through the first of the humanoid Grimm, whose head promptly fell off while Weiss flicked ichor off Myrtenaster. The heiress spun to face the rest of the group with a ready pose, dashing through the closest one in the blink of an eye and severing an arm. Quickly lopping the remaining limb the monster swung in her direction, Weiss decapitated it as punishment and delivered a flurry of quick jabs to a third victim. After a final stab through the skull ended it, the white-clad girl loaded in fresh Dust cartridges and swung at the next batch, a fiery arc roasting all but one Grimm Putty that crouched beneath the approaching literal heatwave. Weiss was quick to deal with the survivor by stabbing Myrtenaster into the ground, generating a patch of ice that froze the Grimm Putty before a wicked claw could come close to her face.
A startled cry drew Ruby's attention to a Sabyr pinning down Yang, her sister struggling to keep the jaws at bay before a volley of shots from Gambol Shroud distracted it enough for Yang to kick the beast away. "I'm not gonna lie…" Yang commented before wrapping an elbow around a Grimm Putty and swinging around, nailing another in the chin with her boot before blasting the first one through the face. "This is kinda fun!"
Weiss rolled her eyes. "Of course you would think that."
Blake made quick work of the Sabyr by wrapping her ribbon around its legs and stabbing it through the nape, using her momentum to slice off its head and land perfectly near her teammates. "I wouldn't get my hopes up. There's still way more Grimm than we can handle out here." Her bow flickered and she promptly fired a shot behind her, stepping aside to make way for a crash-landing Griffon that Ruby finished off by striking it in the head. "As long as we hold out long enough for the Rangers to go home!"
The sky shook again right on cue. Everyone rounded on the source to see Goldar plowing a fist across the Aura Megazord's helmet before he followed through with a fist to the side. A pink arm grabbed his next fist and a blue leg ascended, slamming into the giant Faunus' midsection. The Megazord closed the distance quickly, but Goldar spun and redirected the prismatic knight's momentum, forcing the titan to dig its feet into the ground to come to a controlled stop. It only ceased its path when it collided back-first into the tower, causing the structure to quake.
Atop that structure's balcony, Salem watched the bout like a ruler atop its throne overseeing two fighters in an arena. The combatants' Semblances were extraordinary if she did say so herself. And the multicolored colossus… Salem wasn't one to impress easily, but the mere thought of multiple Auras- multiple souls- intertwining for a greater purpose…
The witch discarded the thought. That was what Ozpin would think if he was here to witness this. Yet another of his praised beliefs about unity and perseverance. She sighed, the sound audible despite being drowned out by explosive blows raining harder than thunder, enraged roars that could shake mountains, and clanging metal like the forges of old. More children that never realized their true status as assets instead of "heroes". Which begged the question: if not Ozpin, who did they answer to?
Salem threw away that thought as well. Whoever they were, they weren't her problem… much like the pretender she still had bound. Speaking of which, she could still hear this "Rita" whining like a spoiled child who was denied their desire.
"Not fair, not fair! Why do bad things always happen to awful people?"
She had to resist the urge to scoff. Why did they always have to be so dramatic?
"My lady…" Watts spoke up hesitantly. "A-are you certain that remaining idle is the best course of action?"
The witch threw him a glare from the corner of her eye. "Do you doubt my word, Arthur?"
"Uh, n-no!" He tripped over his words. "I-I meant no disrespect, my queen, but…"
"Then hold your tongue. My plan does not call for violence… and it will not for some time… unlike her."
This caught her prisoner's attention. "What?! You just… wait? How does one conquer a world simply by doing nothing?!" The simplicity of it all was disgusting, but Salem did not grant Rita the honor of turning to face her. "Because I possess what you lack, Rita Repulsa. I was born in shadow… and in shadow, I remain."
The titan's fist smashed the golden Faunus upside the head before doing the same on the other side, sparks flying from each blow. The bellowing behemoth caught the next blow and seized its opponent by the neck, slamming it into the tower's balcony and obliterating it. Salem temporarily vanished from view before reappearing in a cloud of black smoke, now facing her prisoner like a queen looking down upon a common criminal.
"Success comes from three factors," she explained. "Foresight: the act of planning and compensating for every possibility. Discipline: ensuring your followers carry each command to the letter, rewarding those that succeed and punishing those that fail. And most importantly… patience. A concept you have none of."
Rita snarled menacingly at Salem, but she showed no reaction. "I am patient. I bide my time. I place great care and thought into my actions, placing seeds here and there. I work from the shadows; never reveal myself unless I see no other alternative. But you… you are reckless. Unhinged. Chaotic. You show yourself too easily- too quickly- and announce your intentions in the most obvious manner. You allow the world to mobilize against you. You do not plan, you do not predict, and you do not adjust. That is why you fail, Rita Repulsa… and that is why you will always fail."
She turned away, allowing whatever retort Rita threw at her to wash over her form. Her followers kept a careful guard over the pretender and her minions while she resumed spectating the battling giants.
The Aura Megazord caught a golden fist before ramming a hook into Goldar's face, raising both fists over its head. Goldar immediately interrupted the attack by ramming the rainbow-colored knight at full force, locking his arms around the titan's midsection while the startled Rangers cried out in surprise. Zack brought his elbow down, the black limb pounding against Goldar's armor. Billy followed through with a knee, the sapphire leg ramming the giant Faunus backward.
Seeing as how he was getting nowhere with his fists, Goldar growled in anger. "RRRRGH! PLAYTIME IS OVER, CHILDREN!" The Faunus reached behind his back and drew his golden blade, now just as massive as he was with its surface glinting in the sunlight. The Aura Megazord paused at the sight of the weapon, each of the Rangers not batting an eye at the golden sword.
"IT WOULD BE RUDE TO JOIN IN, WOULDN'T IT?" asked Jason. His friends were quick to agree and all of them moved their hands to the left. The Aura Megazord did the same, closing a fist around empty air near its left hip. Once it had a firm grip, everyone slowly pulled their hands out…
…and the Aura Megazord did the same, the five combined Auras generating something within its fist. A shining hilt materialized between the fingers before forming a gleaming crossguard at the top and a prismatic pommel at the bottom. As the hand moved away, the Aura worked to create a long, shining blade illuminated with all five of the Rangers' colors. A pointed tip emerged at the end once the weapon was fully drawn from its invisible sheath, revealing a spectacular longsword of pure soul energy. Holding the brilliant blade tight, the knight got into a battle-ready stance.
As always, Goldar made the first move by roaring and breaking into a charge. He swung his blade at the Rangers, who moved their arms into a defensive position. The Aura Megazord blocked just in time, colored sparks flying from the connecting blades. Everyone held back against the roaring Goldar's push until they all shoved forward, throwing Goldar off before pressing the attack with a mighty swing of their own. The Aura-composed sword struck the Faunus' armor in a shower of sparks, its wearer howling in pain.
The golden general attacked again, keeping the Rangers on the defensive as the two knights engaged in a fierce duel, two enormous swords striking against each other and their wielders' armor. Locking the Aura Megazord's blade in his own weapon and driving it down, Goldar rammed an elbow against the knight's visor and staggered the combined construct. A following swipe sent colored sparks flying from the knight's midsection and Goldar ducked beneath a retaliating swing, maneuvering around the colored colossus and punching it in the head when the Rangers spun in his direction. Everyone yelled out from the sudden pain in their skulls, but Jason bared his teeth and the Rangers rose to a stand. The Aura Megazord lifted itself off its knee and tightened its pink fingers around the massive gleaming blade while its enemy stomped forward to re-engage.
Gripping the blade's length with one hand while keeping the other on its hilt, the colored colossus caught Goldar's sword and drove it away before hammering him with its weapon's pommel. An upward slash cut across the Faunus' form and the Aura Megazord charged forward with a stabbing motion, but Goldar weaved away from the blade and smashed his fist into the knight's crimson helmet. A strong shoulder charge threatened to knock the Aura Megazord off-balance, but the Rangers managed to keep their titan standing and charged at Goldar, the golden and colored blades connecting in a brilliant flash.
Again and again, the swords clashed in thunderous blows and sparks lit up the sky like lightning. It was like a storm conjured by two warring giants, a titanic duel that could be both seen and heard for miles. Neither guard was easily broken as Goldar and the Rangers swung, blocked, and parried with great precision and timing. However, it didn't take long for the teens to realize the stalemate and opt for a different approach. So when Goldar swung at them again from overhead, all five humans moved in unison. The Aura Megazord caught Goldar's sword and used the blade's momentum against it while moving to the right, its red helmet smashing against Goldar's head before the giant Faunus registered the tactic. With the Rangers' opponent stunned yet again, Billy raised his leg and kicked outward, prompting the knight's blue leg to knock Goldar off his feet.
Dozens of Grimm were crushed beneath Goldar's mass and the ground trembled, nearly causing the Remnantians to lose their footing. The downed giant grumbled like an earthquake while shaking off the blow… until he froze, catching a glimpse of the paused Huntsmen and Huntresses that were ants to him at this state. Hoping to settle for easier victims, Goldar raised an enormous fist that sent the kids scattering once they realized his intentions.
SHAKOOOM! A bright beam of multiple colors smacked into Goldar's form before he could pulverize the students, making him emit a pained howl as the rainbow ray pushed him back a few feet. Everybody spun around to see the Aura Megazord blasting the beam from its forehead, keeping the Rangers' enemy at bay long enough for the Remnantians to get some distance.
"EAT CRANIAL LASER, KING KONG!" Zack bellowed over the ray's hum, the Aura around himself and his friends channeling into the behemoth's head to combine into the colored stream. The golden-clad Faunus raised a bracer to block the beam until it finally died out, allowing him to climb back to his feet with a primal snarl.
"SO WE'RE DOING TRICKS NOW? THEN IT'S MY TURN!" Whipping out his blade and configuring it into its cannon form, Goldar bombarded the Aura Megazord with explosive shots that rivaled small mountains in size. Each blast- magnified in force and impact as they were in size- rattled the students' ears and shook the remaining Grimm to their core, the monsters howling in pain and rage. The students cringed and covered their ears, feeling themselves shake alongside everything else as the bombardment thundered against the Aura Megazord so effectively the colored colossus was concealed in the ensuing smoke.
Once all of his ammo was expended, Goldar lowered his smoking cannon and gave a low victorious growl. All eyes were trained on the dissipating smoke… and what lay behind it made Goldar pause again. A colorful crest shield held by the knight's black arm gleamed in a combination of colors, a symbol of five prehistoric beasts inscribed in its incorporeal state. The Aura Megazord stood tall and unharmed by the explosive volley, banging its radiant blade against the defensive armament in a challenging manner. The resulting clangs rang like a church bell before the knight stood in a defensive pose, bracing for the roaring golden mass rushing at the warrior again.
The Aura Megazord blocked a high strike with its shield and swung at Goldar's midsection, creating another shower of sparks before its blue leg slammed into its opponent's gut. Using the window of opportunity, the knight charged forward and shield-bashed the Faunus in the face, knocking him to the ground again. The shield dissipated into nothingness as the Aura Megazord stomped over Goldar's downed body, raising its sword high…
SKRRAAAWGH! A pair of hideous black talons sank into the knight's shoulders, interrupting its finishing blow and staggering all five Rangers, pain shooting through their bodies. The Aura Megazord's head spun to see its ambusher: the Wyvern Tommy's dragon had supposedly dealt with not too long ago. The surprise attack caused the knight's sword to vanish into colored sparkles, leaving the behemoth thrashing and struggling against the draconic Grimm that was now biting into it and digging its talon into a firm grip.
"Oh no…" Tommy muttered, realizing he needed to work fast. Phasing into his Aura Dragonzord and taking full control, the Green Ranger took to the skies and flew towards the Wyvern. Goldar chuckled as he rose, eyeing the Rangers' predicament while the students all looked on in horror. "GRIMM! FINISH OFF THOSE-HUH?!" He didn't get to finish his statement when he noticed the horde below was converging on not just the Aura Megazord… but also Goldar himself. "WHAT?!" He roared as the red-eyed demons threw themselves at his legs and tore at his armor while flying Grimm assailed his upper body. "RRAAAGH! YOU DARE?! ALL BEASTS WILL BETRAY THEIR MASTERS WILL BE PUT DOWN!" The gigantic Faunus swung his arms like a man fending off insects, swatting at the flyers and kicking at the ground Grimm while crushing a few underfoot. Teams RWBY and JNPR had a chance to catch their breath as they watched the Grimm change targets, recognizing the two giants as the largest threats.
"So what now?" inquired Nora. "Should we pick off the stragglers, or…"
"They can handle this," Ruby replied, placing Crescent Rose over her shoulder. "Let's hold back and let our Auras recharge." Blake nodded in approval. "Plus, none of those Grimm stand a chance against either of them. That… and we won't need to worry about a giant Faunus smashing us to paste for a few seconds."
"He couldn't do that even if he tried!" Yang barked. "Not when an honest-to-gods knight the size of a mountain has our backs!"
Zack and Kim reached behind their backs, allowing the Aura Megazord to grab the Wyvern's talons and slam the dragon Grimm into the ground. Trini stomped downward and the knight followed her lead, smashing the Grimm's head into the ground to keep it from rising. Zack pulled his arm back for a downward punch… only for the Wyvern to lunge at the Aura Megazord and snap frantically at its head while the knight struggled to hold it back. The draconic Grimm kept up its offense, threatening to overpower the Rangers as its jaws got dangerously close.
A green mass swooped in at the last second and bashed its head against the Wyvern, knocking it off before unleashing a stream of emerald flame. The screeching Grimm hastily withdrew, yet circled back around for another attack. "Aw, and you were doing so well without me!"
"FROM DAY ONE," agreed Jason. "YOU WANT IN OR WHAT?"
"I'll take a shot at Goldar. You five go for the dragon. You're a knight, after all. Isn't slaying dragons what they do?" A pause. "Uh, not every dragon, mind you."
"THE OLD SWITCH DANCE PARTNERS ROUTINE!" Kim realized. "NEVER FAILS!" The green dragon made a break for Goldar while the Aura Megazord charged to meet the incoming Wyvern. The golden Faunus had just obliterated the last of the Grimm when Tommy's Aurazord collided with his helmet, talons scratching at the metal while he growled in annoyance. Tommy flew off to avoid Goldar's swiping arms, blasting him with fireballs before zipping away from retaliating sweeps.
"AAARGH! GET BACK HERE SO I CAN CRUSH YOU, GREEN RANGER!"
The Wyvern swooped in with talons raised and wings spread, but the Rangers were ready for it this time. The Aura Megazord lunged out with a pink hand and grabbed the Grimm's throat, reducing a deep roar to a strangled cry. The knight's black fist pulled back before smashing against the Wyvern's head like a piston pounding at metal, striking at the dragon's eyes to cripple its vision. A fourth blow sent the dragon crashing to the ground and it slowly raised back up with a growl, whirling at the prismatic titan…
…but a humongous sword of pure Aura ran the beast through the torso, the edge stained with black blood while the creature gurgled in alarm. The Aura Megazord raised the blade through the rest of the Wyvern, vertically bisecting it before separating its head from its mangled body like a lumberjack cutting down a tree. The disintegrating remains of the beast were slowly swept away by the wind, leaving the knight to stand triumphant until turning to its next opponent; who had just seized Tommy's Aurazord by the tail and smashed it back-first against the island's surface.
"HEY, GOLDAR!" Jason roared amidst the colossus' charge. "PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE!" The Aura Megazord shoulder-charged into the Faunus with the force of a freight train, knocking him down for the umpteenth time. The green dragon circled the knight just as a sigh emanated from its form. "SERIOUSLY, JACE?"
"OH, COME ON, BILLY! IT'S A CLASSIC LINE!"
"CEASE YOUR INCESSANT PRATTLE!" Goldar swung a fist that the Aura Megazord ducked under, countering with a punch to the gut and a close-range forehead laser. Despite being staggered, Goldar spun around the knight when it threw another punch and slammed a golden elbow against the back of its head, delivering a mighty dropkick that sent the colored colossus onto its face. The Rangers moved their limbs to stand… only for Goldar to roll the Aura Megazord onto its back and begin pounding its spiritual-esque armor with the mighty force of his fists.
Greatly outmatched against a foe of such giant scales, Teams RWBY and JNPR could only watch in horror as Goldar pummeled at the colossal knight, swatting at Tommy's dragon Aurazord whenever he tried to intervene. The massive Faunus raised both fists for a final blow…
SHRAAAAK! A multicolored beam of light burst from the Aura Megazord's head and hit him right in the face, making the giant general howl in pain and clutch his superheated visor. The prismatic titan rose back to its feet, holding up its fists with the sounds of clanking armor.
"THAT ALL YOU GOT, GOLDAR?"
ROOOOAAARRRR! His reply was that of a savage bellow before both behemoths locked arms in a grapple, fighting to overpower the other. While the students looked on in a mixture of awe at the bout and worry for their friends, the second group of spectators from within the tower observed the clashing colossi almost stoically. Watts brushed a hand against his chin in thought. "Your Grace… the Faunus is showing an astounding level of rage and hatred towards the children."
"Yeah…" Hazel muttered. "And we all know what that means. Should we intervene?"
"No," came the immediate response. "You have an interesting point, Watts. Not only is the Faunus' anger on such an extraordinary level… but take heed of the titan. Five Auras- powerful Auras- all combined into a single source…" The corner of the witch's mouth lifted in a knowing smile. "If they are indeed students… then consider this their greatest test."
True to Salem's word, the Grimm still present on the battlefield below had all but abandoned the students and were now surrounding the two giants from all sides. After a sharp uppercut drove Goldar back, the Aura Megazord spun to the horde and the Rangers concentrated their aura into another devastating laser blast. The beam incinerated dozens of Grimm by the seconds before they could get close, carving a path through the horde and disintegrating even the largest of the monsters.
"EXCUSE US!" Trini shouted in exasperation. "BUT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGHT HERE!"
"DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT TOO MUCH," Zack reminded her. "THEY'RE LIKE ANTS TO US RIGHT NOW!"
"LET'S JUST FOCUS ON TALL, GOLD, AND UGLY OVER THERE!" Kim reminded the group.
"AGREED!" Billy hastily replied. "OUR AURA'S SLOWLY DEPLETING BY THE SECOND! IF EVEN A SINGLE ONE OF US HITS ZERO…"
"THEN WE BETTER FINISH THIS FIGHT FAST!" Jason continued. "GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT, GUYS!"
"RIGHT!" His friends simultaneously echoed, focusing their power to summon the knight's sword once again. Goldar was already advancing with his blade drawn and the Aura Megazord braced for contact. But instead of blocking Goldar's attack, the knight weaved away from a swing and slashed at the Faunus' armor, earning a pained growl and a golden bracer to clutch the mark… with a golden Aura flashing around his gigantic form.
Jason raised a brow. "HUH. I GUESS WE'RE BOTH LOW ON GAS."
"GRAGH! I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH STRENGTH IN ME TO FINISH YOU WORTHLESS RANGERS FOR GOOD!" Switching his sword back into its cannon form and loading fresh ammunition, Goldar unleashed devastating blasts at the Aura Megazord, which made short work of blocking some shots, deflecting others with its shield, and slicing others out of the air. The Rangers focused their Aura into a single strike, blasting another beam of bright light from its head. Sliding underneath the stream, Goldar kicked at the knight's legs and caused Trini and Billy to lose their footing. Rather than hit the ground, everybody focused their current momentum into a short roll and repositioned behind Goldar with the knight's sword drawn.
Trini and Billy broke into a run to propel the knight forward once more. Goldar howled and swung wildly only for the Aura Megazord to duck low and slam a pink fist into the same mark its sword made earlier, causing another pained roar and another golden flicker to emanate from Goldar's giant mass. Zack drew back the Aura Megazord's black arm, materializing its massive shield before smashing the defensive construct against Goldar's face with a mighty bang. The giant Faunus screamed in pain, his visor dented from the heavy blow.
The shield was swapped out to allow the knight to grip its sword with both hands, every Ranger feeling the weight of the massive weapon they held. Goldar was staggering like a chopped tree about to fall, his Aura flaring up and flickering dangerously. The stunned Faunus struggled to keep himself upright, let alone attack again. Everybody readied themselves…
"HAAAAAAAA!"
A unified cry rang out as the Aura Megazord lunged forward, its sword piercing Goldar directly through the chest and out the back. The gorilla Faunus howled in pain and agony as the last of his Aura shattered like glass, consuming him in a bright flash. The knight's blade dissipated into colored sparkles and the colossus reached out with a pink hand, grabbing Goldar's now-shrunken form, his Semblance rendered moot from a depleted Aura.
"MAYBE NEXT TIME, BUDDY," Jason quipped before the Rangers drew their arms back and chucked Goldar's unconscious body into the tower. The Faunus smashed through a window and collided with a wall, dropping to the floor alongside the still-incapacitated Rita and her minions. Salem's minions stared at the defeated general in stunned silence while the witch remained unmoved… even when Rita's angry orbs landed on her. Whatever words she was about to spit at Salem were blocked by the witch's retort. "Silence, imitation. This battle is not over yet."
Leaving Rita to seethe and mutter curses under her breath at the insult, Salem turned her gaze to the sea. Back at the valley, the Aura Megazord stood still and tall, the construct relaxing itself from the bout. The Grimm had also dwindled, leaving the Huntsmen and Huntresses time to catch their breath... though not for long as the few remaining Grimm rushed toward the students.
"WELL, THAT WAS FUN," Kimberly sighed. "BUT I THINK WE'VE OVERSTAYED OUR WELCOME." Her friends didn't argue with that, voicing their agreement. Jason, however, paused to run a post-battle check-in. "AURA'S HOLDING. HOW'S EVERYONE ELSE HOLDING UP?"
"GOT A LITTLE JUICE LEFT IN ME," Zack reported.
"SYSTEMS STILL NOMINAL… FOR THE MOMENT," Billy piped up.
"A LITTLE TIRED, BUT NOTHING I CAN'T HANDLE," Trini said. "YOU'D THINK BILLY AND I WOULD BE TUCKERED OUT FROM CARRYING YOU GUYS."
"I DON'T THINK IT WORKS LIKE THAT," chuckled Kim. "BUT I'M STARTING TO RUN LOW."
"YEAH," echoed Zack. "WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT PUNCHING WOULD TAKE A LOT OUT OF YOU?"
Jason's face rose in a gentle smile before he turned his body in perfect synchronization with his friends, guiding the Aura Megazord toward the tower. Everyone was about to take a step when the waves off in the distance oddly churned unnaturally, catching the attention of heroes and villains alike. The Rangers grew curious, every pair of eyes trained on the shifting sea… that slowly rose and split to reveal darkness.
Tommy's Aurazord hovered in place, its glowing eyes wide. "What the…?" Down below, the Huntsmen and Huntress stood in silence, unable to turn their gaze away from a towering black form. Casting a shadow over the land, water fell from the beast's body like a curtain pulling away, unveiling a bipedal kaiju-like Grimm with exposed ribs, a dolphin-like head with razor-sharp teeth and six yellow eyes, bones resembling dorsal plates jutting out its back, and four gills on each side of its neck. Four humanoid limbs and a long tail came into view as each of its six eyes glared at the Aura Megazord…
…before it released a deep, guttural growl that shook the air.
"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" Zack moaned in half-annoyance and half-shock. "THEY HAVE GIANT GRIMM?! THEY DIDN'T TELL US THEY HAD GIANT GRIMM!"
"UH…" Trini gulped. "YOU GUYS WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, RIGHT?" The Rangers looked expectantly at the two teams below… and Ruby only gave them a sad, apologetic look while shaking her head. "That's… that's a Leviathan! Beacon didn't tell us about them!"
"Maybe they're saved for upperclassmen?" Yang guessed. "I-I have no idea where to even start with a Grimm that huge!"
"THEN YOU'RE LUCKY WE DO!" Jason countered. "COME ON, RANGERS! ONE LAST MONSTER TO MASH AND WE'RE HOME FREE! LET'S DO IT!"
"YEAH!" cheered Kim. "BRING IT ON, GRIMMZILLA!" The Rangers moved in unison, puppeteering the Aura Megazord into a bold charge toward the snarling monster coming ashore. Zack and Kim drew back their right arms and swung as hard as they could, sending a pink fist hurtling at the creature's head the instant it lunged. BAM! The very sky cracked as the limb smashed the Leviathan's face, earning a pained roar from the Grimm as it staggered to the side. The giant Grimm moved in again only to receive a downward black fist to its upper jaw. As soon as it fell, Trini drew her leg back and swung it forward, sending a yellow foot into the Leviathan's midsection and knocking it onto its back with a thunderous quake.
Billy and Trini placed the Aura Megazord's legs on both sides of the Leviathan to keep it pinned down and gently lowered themselves, setting the colored colossus atop the gargantuan Grimm. A pink fist grabbed the beast's throat before a black fist hammered it across the face several more times. The Rangers continued their beatdown, unaware of strange energy building up within the snarling Grimm…
FRSHOOM! A stream of orange electric fire blasted the Aura Megazord directly in the face, causing everyone to cry out in pain. The knight retreated with both hands clutching its head, giving the growling Leviathan time to rise. "ARGH…" Zack groaned amidst his recovering friends. "OF COURSE IT HAS A MOUTH LASER…"
The Aura Megazord rose back to its feet and turned towards the approaching Leviathan… but Jason saw movement from the corner of his eye and noticed Ruby frantically waving her arms in a panic. The head turned to the girl, who hurriedly pointed a finger to the colored colossus' left side. Everybody turned to look…
…just in time for a humongous claw to scratch the Aura Megazord across the face! The knight hurried to keep this new attacker at bay and struggled to keep a pair of snapping jaws away: the jaws of a second Leviathan. Shock poured through the Rangers as they tried to fend off the new arrival while the first Leviathan moved into position with earth-shaking steps: a predator scanning its weakened prey.
The pink fist bashed the second Leviathan away at the exact moment the first charged at the Aura Megazord, slamming its head into the colored colossus' side. It took every ounce of willpower in Billy and Trini to keep the titan standing, but it was showing signs of weakening thanks to the Rangers' Aura depleting after their lengthy duel with Goldar. The prismatic titan took a few steps back when its sword and shield materialized into its hands, the two Leviathans closing in with snarling visages. "THIS… THIS DOESN'T LOOK GOOD," Zack groaned. "HOW MUCH LONGER CAN WE KEEP STANDING?"
"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS," Jason stated. "WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THESE GUYS FAST BEFORE WE HIT EMPTY!" The Rangers moved the Aura Megazord into a valiant charge, blocking the Leviathans' electric streams with its shield before redirecting the energy at one's head to stun it. Quickly bashing it aside with the shield, the knight spun on the other kaiju-sized Grimm… which caught the blade in its mouth and bit down, snapping the weapon in half and causing it to disintegrate into nothing. The Leviathan whirled on the Aura Megazord with its jaws wide…
A green fireball blasted it in the face, driving the beast away with a low groan just as Tommy's dragon flew overhead. Weaving away from the electric beam that cut through the air in its attempts to strike the Aurazord out of the sky, Tommy dove for the beast and shot another fireball at its eyes, earning a pained roar from the beast. Abandoning the Aura Megazord and swatting at the green Aurazord like a fly, the Leviathan backed off while its partner took its place and closed in on the knight. With no time to thank their friend for the save, the Rangers drew the knight's sword arm back…
"AAAAAAAGH!" Everybody screamed in pain when a massive pair of jaws closed on the limb, their Auras flickering dangerously. The knight looked behind it and saw a third Leviathan had ambushed them and was now sinking its teeth into the Aura Megazord's armor. The Rangers threw their heads backward, the knight's helmet smashing against the Grimm's bony forehead and urging the creature to release them.
"THREE OF THEM?!" Zack cried out. "WE JUST WANT TO GO HOME, IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK?!" The knight took a shaky step forward… and its pink arm began flickering, glitching in and out of existence before the rest of the titan shimmered violently like a malfunctioning machine. Kim cried out in pain and exhaustion alike. "N-NO! GUYS, I… I'M F-FADING! I-I CAN'T-!"
The Aura Megazord stumbled and faltered to a knee like a wounded warrior on its last breaths, its entire form fluctuating on a critical level. All of the Rangers groaned as fatigue started to take over, the last drops of their Aura vanishing. Weak, helpless, and outmatched, the Aura Megazord could do nothing as the Leviathan trio surrounded the titan like sharks. On the ground, Teams RWBY and JNPR looked on in horror while the villains watched the intriguing sight closely.
Panic began flooding Tommy. "No…" He needed to do something! His friends needed…
Wait… thinking of his friends…
That's it.
"JASON… WE… CAN'T… GO ON!" Billy gritted his teeth and tried to focus his Aura… but to him, it felt like watching water slip through his fingers as the energy was draining away.
"NO…" Trini gasped in despair. "WE… WE WEre so… close…" The Yellow Ranger's eyes slowly started to droop as her voice collapsed into weary, exhausted wheezes. Zack and Kim weren't able to keep concentrating their Auras at this rate but fought a futile battle to keep whatever strength they had left in them into rallying both themselves and their friends. "TRINI?! TRINI… STAY… with…"
"I'M… SORry, jace…" The Red Ranger barely heard the Black Ranger's apology through his hazy mind and ragged breaths. He could feel the Aura Megazord starting to slip away under the shadow of the three beasts looming over them… and he felt like his own soul- his essence- was withering away with it. Jason could feel himself growing weak and pale by the second, his heartbeat slowing down… his eyes going dim… and his breathing difficult.
Darkness as tall as mountains. Evil eyes bearing into fading colors, and…
and…
…
…green?
Something shot past the shadows and spread in all directions, flooding and pouring into the Aura Megazord- filling the Rangers' very souls- with everything it had. It surged through each of the Rangers' bodies like an injection and they snapped open their eyes with a gasp of awakening, their hearts going from slow to racing in an instant. Everything grew bright both inside and out, the witnesses shielding their eyes from the sudden light.
The Leviathan trio hissed and retreated like vampires fleeing from sunlight… if sunlight was composed of six colors that shone like an aurora borealis. With newfound strength and restored power, the Aura Megazord rose higher and higher until it stood tall over the island of Vytal. Beings both bearing a soul or lacking one took in the sight of the colored colossus…
…which was now donning a set of green armor over its multicolored body. Emerald armor covered in scales ran down its arms and legs, spiked vambraces and knee pads provided both offense and defense, and a green dragon head sat atop the helmet, enclosing the visor between a giant pair of jade jaws. Within the knight's torso- which now glowed red, blue, black, pink, yellow, and green- Tommy Oliver rested in the very center, parallel to each of the other Rangers in their respective positions.
"YEAH, TOMMY!" Zack cheered with new enthusiasm. "THANKS FOR THE SAVE, MAN!"
"I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE FOR!" Kimberly laughed triumphantly.
"THAT WAS… WAY TOO CLOSE," Jason sighed in relief. "THANK YOU, TOMMY."
"ALWAYS HAPPY TO GIVE YOU GUYS A BOOST!" the Green Ranger replied. "I DON'T CARE WHAT GETS IN OUR WAY, BUT WE'RE ALL GOING HOME! BUT FIRST… LET'S SHOW THESE CREEPS SOME AURA MEGA DRAGONZORD POWER!"
"YEAH!" Everybody cheered, the prismatic titan striking a combat pose while the three Leviathans bellowed in anger and converged on the colored construct. Thundering towards the beasts in response, the titan tackled the first one it met and slammed it into the ground with a force that knocked the Remnantians off their feet. Rising off its foe, Billy puppeteered the knight into raising its leg and brought it down on top of the Leviathan's head with a sharp crunch. Wounded but not yet dead, the Grimm howled and moaned in agony while its comrade charged up another beam…
…which struck the green armor covering the colossus' black limb, the reinforced Aura putting up a solid defense against the ray. Kim shot out her arm and the pink limb squeezed around the Leviathan's throat until its roars devolved into a choke. Trini brought up her knee and the leg slammed into the Leviathan's chin, staggering the giant Grimm. The Aura Mega Dragonzord slowly turned to the third hissing Leviathan, a massive multicolored sword appearing in its hand. The Grimm charged at the Rangers, who poured their recharged Aura into the knight's weapon…
…and unleashed that energy in a single strike that cleaved through the Leviathan easily, consuming the giant Grimm in a spectacular explosion of multicolored light. Turning its attention to another Leviathan, the knight blocked a claw with its sword and backhanded the Leviathan across the face, the vambrace's spikes shredding off bits of bone and black flesh alike. Roaring in pain and anger, the Leviathan spun to bite down on the titan… but received a blade through its open mouth, the weapon protruding from the back of its skull. Yanking it out and allowing the Leviathan to fall with a thud before disintegrating away, the Power Rangers stood firm against the last remaining Grimm.
The beast bellowed, the sound shaking the island before its eyes and gills began to glow a deep orange. Aware of what was coming, the Rangers harnessed their Aura and focused the energy toward the titan's head, bringing forth a combination of the energy found in each teen's soul. Both behemoths unleashed that power simultaneously, a stream of electric orange fire clashing with a rainbow beam of six colors in a brilliant display the students could not look away from. The Leviathan desperately tried to press the attack, but the Aura Mega Dragonzord's beam proved far greater than its own and easily surpassed the stream, enveloping the wailing Leviathan in light and color…
…leaving nothing but empty air remaining when it vanished.
Faint as they were, the victorious cheers rising from the Huntsmen reached the Rangers' ears. Smiles donned their faces as they finally caught their breaths, silently looking at each other before turning to the students. Two thunderous steps rang out as the prismatic titan positioned itself to look down at Teams RWBY and JNPR, whose heads turned skyward with joyous smiles.
No words needed to be said between either party. To the students, these six people their own age had just conquered a battle even high-ranking Huntsmen would struggle with. No team had ever been able to accomplish what they had just done: eliminating not just one, but three Leviathans almost as if it was an easy task. Because it was; a common occurrence back in their home. It was a testament to never backing down or surrendering against insurmountable odds, something all Huntsmen- mostly a silver-eyed girl- wanted to aspire to.
For the Rangers, the two teams of students reminded them of themselves when they were first chosen. Unaware of their true position and uncertain of their responsibilities yet determined to do what was right. They had a long road ahead of them- a road even the Rangers had just started- and they were willing to tackle anything that came their way because they had each other. Because that was all a team needed in the end; their true source of power was not from a soul or a gold coin.
"Good luck. To all of you." Ruby finally spoke with proud eyes, eyes that stared right through the titan and focused on the pilots within. Jason smiled back at the young girl. "YOU TOO, LITTLE ROSE."
Everybody else said their farewells before turning to go their separate ways: Teams RWBY and JNPR hiked back into the forest. At the same time, the Aura Mega Dragonzord directed its attention to the lone tower, stomping its way to the structure. The Rangers didn't waste a second, shoving a fist through the roof before tearing it away as if it was paper, waiting to see Rita Repulsa's shocked face as she realized she was beaten again.
What the Ranger didn't expect to see was their enemy bound by creepy Grimm-like hands, with Finster and Scorpina in similar situations as they stared helplessly at the colossus. Goldar was the only one unrestrained given how he was completely unconscious and showed no signs of stirring from his defeat. That wasn't the only thing that surprised the Rangers: what made them truly pause was the fact that their enemies weren't alone.
Two men- one more muscular than the other- and another scorpion Faunus stared at the Aura Mega Dragonzord with intrigue on the mustached man's face, concern on the brute, and a low, unhinged growl from the Faunus. Lastly, a woman solemnly stared at the titan as if she were admiring a statue, her appearance looking freakishly similar to a…
"UM…" Kim broke the silence. "WHAT ON EARTH AND REMNANT COMBINED IS THAT?"
"IS THAT A GRIMM?" Zack asked. "A HUMAN GRIMM? HOW IS THAT-"
"WHATEVER SHE IS," Jason declared. "IT'S NOT GONNA STOP US."
"On the contrary," she spoke calmly, much to the surprise of the Rangers. "This world is mine… and no force- not even you- will be able to stop me."
Tommy was the one to respond with narrowed eyes. "WANNA BET?"
"YEAH…" Billy agreed. "WHY DON'T WE DO REMNANT ONE LAST FAVOR, FELLAS?"
"FINE BY ME," Trini complied. With determined faces, the Rangers lifted their arms and the prismatic titan they commanded slowly raised its right arm high into the sky, looming over the tower. The two men and the Faunus took a cautious step back… but the woman didn't move an inch. If any of the Rangers dared to get a close look at her, they would have seen the woman glance back at Rita for a moment… before lifting the corners of her mouth in a satisfied smirk.
KRATHOOM! The Aura Mega Dragonzord's fist slammed into the tower with the force of a wrecking ball, pulverizing the woman in a single smash and reducing the floor to a splintered crater. The fist lifted off the impact zone, revealing nothing but a mangled mess amidst broken floorboards with only a single white broken-fingered hand peeking out from the rubble. With that out of the way, the Rangers extended the titan's arm and focused once more.
Each of the teens slowly slithered through the knight's form as if flying through open air, its visage slowly vanishing into nothing. Gathering each of their Auras back into their bodies, the Power Rangers emerged from the Aura Mega Dragonzord's outstretched palm, making a smooth exit onto the tower floor as if emerging from water. The second they touched down, their eyes landed on the three strangers while the Grimm hands around Rita and her minions disappeared. The scientist and the Faunus collapsed onto their knees while Rita remained lying on the floor, seething at the Rangers… who ignored her for the time being.
"Leave," Jason commanded with a stern Tommy by his side. "Now." Zack stood mere inches away from the muscular man, who dwarfed him in height. The Black Ranger cracked his neck fearlessly, unafraid to throw down with the brute who silently stared back. Billy locked eyes with the mustached man, his lance already drawn. The male scorpion Faunus hissed venomously at Kimberly and Trini, the two girls standing shoulder-to-shoulder as they dared him to make a move.
The Faunus was seconds away from pouncing when the mustached man lifted his hand. "Very well. This fight is yours. You have prevailed… for now." He gave Jason a warning look before turning on his heel and striding out of the room. The muscular man never took his eyes off the Rangers and scowled at them before marching off with heavy stomps. The Faunus hesitated, looking back and forth between his allies and enemies until he clutched his head with a seething moan of despair. He, too, followed the humans but shot the Rangers a glare, slashing a finger across his throat while baring his teeth.
Now that the strangers were gone, the Rangers set to work on rounding up the foes they knew too well. Billy carried Finster over to Rita while Trini held a seething Scorpina at knife-point, forcing the Faunus onto her knees. Zack dragged over Goldar's body and deposited him with the others before everybody surrounded the evil space aliens. Jason and Tommy crossed their arms and stared down at the defeated Rita.
"You're done here, Rita," Jason said sternly. "You're not going to terrorize this planet anymore. Now send us home!"
"I'd say you had plenty of time to get that spell working properly," Tommy added. "For when you wanted to leave us here. Well, that ain't happening." Rita gave no response to the Rangers as she glared at each of them… before expectantly looking past the Red and Green Rangers. Her face fell within a few seconds before her face scrunched up in anger again.
"Well?!" she snarled. "What are you waiting for?!"
Puzzled, Jason and Tommy looked over their shoulders to where the woman lay battered and broken. Her fingers twitched one last time… before the limb vanished in black smoke. The boys made eye contact, trying to make sense as to why Rita was talking to a corpse before literally shrugging it off and turning their attention back to the witch.
"You're gonna take us back to Earth," Trini stated in a tone that said this wasn't up for debate. "Right here. Right now."
"And no funny business," Kimberly added. "From any of you." Her hand shot up to snatch a golden scorpion tail from stabbing her in the face, establishing a firm grip on the limb while its owner snarled in discontent. A sigh left Finster's lips and he slowly raised his arms… but none of the Rangers noticed a silent motion from his head that caught Rita's attention. The witch locked curious eyes on the scientist, who quickly glanced downward at his coat…
…where vials of dark liquid lay stashed in his pocket, barely visible to the teens.
As always, Finster never ceased to come through in his experiments. The moment Rita's eyes landed on the supply of Liquid Grimm, an idea started sprouting. So, that self-absorbed woman who refused to die thought she was just a mindless conqueror who made ramshackle plans doomed to fail, eh?
Rita wished she could see the look on her face if she learned of this new scheme. Then, she'd finally learn just who the better witch was. But first… her enemies needed to be none the wiser. Turning back to the Rangers, Rita put on her best scowl and hissed in defeat. "Why must you idiotic infants always ruin my glorious plans of conquest? I've tried taking your world so many times that I believed a change of scenery would finally make up for that stubborn planet! And still, I almost had this world in the palm of my hand and you repelled me!"
"Because that's what we do," Zack boldly answered. "You're not taking any more worlds, Rita Repulsa. Zordon wanted us to make sure of that."
"You fools!" Rita snarled. "Don't you understand? This world isn't part of the universe! It's not under your protection! And yet you deprived me of my staging area!"
"In other words, you cheated," Billy replied. "And cheaters never win the game."
"Even on accident," Jason added. "Look what banishing us got you, Rita. And this isn't our playground anymore. So why don't we step back over the line and go to where we really belong?"
Rita only groaned before readying her staff, outmatched and her strength weary from her prior duel with Salem. "Fine. But know this, Power Rangers. Once I'm finished with you, I'll be back for this world. It- like all worlds- will be mine."
Trini rolled her eyes. "I've never been one for empty promises."
Rita never thought she had to quell the urge to zap someone into oblivion, but here she was doing just that. If this would work, she needed to let them think they had won. Ancient scriptures began to leave her lips and her staff hummed with a bright glow, the words coming to her easily as she recited the incantation.
Jason and Tommy stared at the sorceress with suspicious looks. "If you try anything…" the Green Ranger started to warn before Kimberly intervened. "It's Rita. She's obviously going to try something." They were right to believe such a thing, of course. Young as they were, the Rangers were smarter than Rita would've initially thought. The only upside was that they didn't know what Rita had in mind.
It would be far too late when they did.
The final words she spoke caused her staff to consume the tower in a bright flash of light, consuming everyone in sight. The Rangers were swept up, thoughts of finally going home filling their minds before they vanished… but the light didn't vanish with them. The glow spread beyond the tower, washing over the valley and spreading further across Vytal…
…
"I'm gonna miss those guys," Yang said with a reminiscing sigh. "They were really fun to hang out with." Ruby agreed with her sister's words as everyone else voiced their thoughts. A part of her wished their departure wasn't so rushed so they could have a proper farewell: Jason wished for the same thing, in fact. But given what they both did, long goodbyes weren't an option. No wonder Ozpin hated them, given what she heard from Beacon's staff was true.
"So what now?" asked Blake. "We go back to Beacon and things return to normal?" Weiss and Pyrrha both thought that was the logical answer, but Ruby felt like things would never be normal after that. Well, not as normal as before, but the memories she had of the Power Rangers would linger… and she probably wouldn't have the chance to meet up with people like them again. That fact would undoubtedly be the worst part of this ordeal.
The shadows moved with red amidst black. Silver eyes snapped to attention and the abrupt halt in Ruby's movement drew the others out of their thoughts. Ruby ignored the voices asking what was wrong until a pack of Beowolves and Ursa emerged from the treeline, surrounding the students like thieves ambushing a convoy. Crescent Rose was out in a flash, its intimidating blade glinting in the sunlight. Ruby didn't need to look at her friends to know their own weapons were drawn. A smile crossed the girl's face, the command to attack so close to escaping her lips.
Ruby didn't get the chance. One moment, the Grimm paused and noticed something that quickly got the students' attention. The next moment, Ruby turned around to see a massive wave of bright light rushing for them like wildfire. The next moment, the startled yells of her friends faded into nothing as they were all swept up… and Ruby felt herself blacking out.
…
Her head hurt… what happened? How long was she out? Did… did everyone handle the Grimm without her? The brightness gave way to a deep darkness that filled Ruby's vision and mind. A tiny groan left her throat and she squinted as her consciousness slowly returned, light burning through the blackness of her closed eyelids.
Her silver eyes slowly blinked open, revealing a blurred image of blue sky, white clouds, and a shining sun that she immediately flinched away from lest her retinas burn up. The girl shook her head to clear away the haze, feeling something rough under her-
HOOOOONK!
"GYEEP!" Ruby yelped as an ungodly bellow assailed her ears, her body bolting into a sitting position before her hands flew over her ears. Now fully awake, Ruby spun her head in the loud noise's direction… and found herself face-to-face with a pair of headlights. She barely had time to squint from the brightness when another noise cut through the air.
"HEY! Get outta the road, you stupid kid!"
It was then that Ruby realized she stood directly in front of a car, its not-too-happy driver leaning out the window and glaring daggers at the girl. Ruby didn't know where to start: how had she ended up-
"What are you, blind? I said, get out of the road!"
"S-sorry!" Ruby darted aside as if she had been zapped, her voice breathless and confused. She barely heard a complaint about "kids these days" as the vehicle drove off, leaving her alone in… where was she, anyway? Ruby blinked at the sight of a dry environment filled with sun-baked rocks and a few plants amidst sandy ground. A warm sensation was already building up and Ruby subconsciously wiped the sweat from her brow… but a strange coloration over her arm made her pause.
Her sleeve was red instead of black; one of two sleeves on a red hoodie with black lines down the sleeves, a silver rose emblem on the back, and underneath the hoodie was a white top with that same emblem in red. She saw a pair of black track pants with a pair of red lines running down the outer legs, a black skirt with red trim, and red sneakers with black laces and soles down below… which was another sign that something wasn't right.
"Ngh…" somebody groaned, directing Ruby's attention to a nearby figure with golden hair that glowed in the sunlight. "Where… is this Vacuo? How…"
"Yang?"
Lilac eyes blinked open. "Ruby? What… what are you wearing?"
"What am I… what are you wearing?" Ruby redirected the question, silver orbs surveying her sister's figure. A yellow-orange jacket was draped over Yang's shoulders with a pair of aviator sunglasses stashed in the left pocket, the article unzipped to display a yellow crop top that bared her midriff. The jacket's sleeves depicted a lengthy visage of a yellow dragon with a serpentine body, the head spewing out a stream of flame on the right sleeve while its tail ended on the left. Orange fingerless gloves and yellow bracelets covered Yang's arms and a black leather belt held up a pair of tan cargo pants that extended down to brown hiking boots. "This is… a little weird," Yang muttered as she looked at herself. "Nothing against the new look, but… we couldn't have changed that fast, could we?"
"Yang, something's not right here," Ruby added. "Wh-where exactly are we? We've never been to Vacuo, but I don't think this looks like it. It's supposed to be a little more… desert-y?" Yang scanned her surroundings with a puzzled look. "I'm just as lost as you, Rubes, but here's something I do know: somebody's out of her element."
"Hilarious as always," came an unamused voice. Ruby turned around to see Weiss Schnee a few feet away, dressed in something a little too casual for her tastes. The heiress wore a white blouse with blue wind-like detailing and a blue snowflake symbol on the back, the two colors blending perfectly like a blizzard. A polar blue skirt rested at her waist and white thigh-high stockings descended to white-blue heels. A sapphire wristwatch rested on her right arm and a snowflake-shaped hairpin was nestled within her arctic curls that were now unbound from her normal ponytail, hanging down to her waist much like Yang's sunshine-colored mane. Finally, earrings with sapphire gems dangled from her ears and glinted in the sunlight.
"All jesting aside, what in the name of Remnant just happened?!" Weiss exclaimed. "Did anyone else see that strange light?!" The two sisters nodded in confirmation. "It's the last thing I remember," Ruby piped up. "We were on our way back to Beacon when it-"
"Yeah, I got that!" Weiss stopped her right there. "But instead of Beacon, we wound up… wherever this is. Where's Blake?"
"Ngh… h-here," A drowsy voice called out. The trio turned in the voice's direction… and froze with wide eyes. Blake had just finished walking up to them and rubbed at her weary eyes, which now sported purple eyeshadow around golden rims. A black t-shirt rested on her figure while a pair of midnight leggings with violet stripes and ripped holes in the knees hung on her legs. The leggings vanished into black hi-top sneakers with purple colors while her fingernails were painted black. Blake held out her hands to examine the polish, taking note of black wrappings trailing up her forearms.
"What… I-I didn't-" The girl's golden eyes turned to her friends, finally noticing their still and silent forms. Their pause was long and uncomfortable as they awkwardly glanced between one another in a wordless conversation: a conversation whose contents were lost on Blake.
"Uh… guys? Why are you looking at me like that?" Ruby shifted her gaze away and mumbled something while Yang blinked in rapid succession… as if she were in disbelief. Blake narrowed her eyes at the brunette who was now shying away. "What was that, Ruby? I didn't hear-"
Wait. Come to think of it… why was it so quiet all of a sudden? Blake curiously lifted a hand to her head…
…only to feel nothing but hair.
"H-huh?" She reached up to the other side where her other cat ear rested but felt emptiness in its place. It finally dawned on her in seconds and sent a pang of panic through her system. "No… no no no no no, this isn't… I-I gotta be dreaming, right? Right?!" The desperate look she threw at her teammates was only answered by nervous faces and a small cringe from Yang. "Y-yeah, we… didn't know how to break it to you-"
"But your ears are gone!" Ruby blurted out the undeniable truth, earning her a hurried slap on the arm from Weiss. A dreadful moan escaped Blake as the truth sunk in, not just for the loss of her ears but also her diminished senses of sight and smell. She hid her face in her palms while Yang moved closer, wrapping an arm around the Faunus-turned-human in a supportive manner. "What have I done to deserve such a fate?"
"None of us have the faintest idea as to what happened," Weiss explained. "But maybe we should look around and find out where we are." The presence of a road was a good sign, as it had to lead somewhere like a town. But the distance was anybody's guess. Ignoring her sister's gentle words to keep Blake from hyperventilating, Ruby scanned the scene for any more signs of-
"Wait, over there!" somebody shouted nearby. Ruby saw two more people approaching; people she recognized instantly but not their outfits. Nora Valkyrie bolted at full speed towards the other girls, now dressed in a white top with pink lines and pink shorts with a white trim that was held in place by a white belt with a pink heart. A bright pink unzipped hoodie draped over her shoulders and the tips of her hair were dyed a similar color. Knee-high socks decorated in pink and white stripes led down to a pair of pink sneakers with white laces. She all but crashed into a startled Weiss, a flurry of questions drowning out all other noise.
Mere paces behind her, Lie Ren looked lost. He wore a green jacket with a pristine design and a black-gold trim on the sleeves. Beneath that was a black long-sleeved shirt similar to what he usually wore. His light tan pants had been swapped out for a pair of black jeans that led to green converse sneakers. The magenta streak on the side of his hair was now an emerald line, something he examined in half-concern and half-intrigue. He didn't dwell much on his new appearance for long, as he turned back to a still-speaking Nora.
"-and something looks weird with Blake. Did you get your hair done or something?"
A small dejected groan left the ravenette as she subconsciously grasped her arm. "Uh, l-look, Blake…" Yang interjected. "Being human isn't all that bad-"
"But I lost what makes me… well, me!" she countered. "A piece of me is gone, Yang! Gone! Just like that! My entire identity, stolen!" Those words made Ruby suspicious. Despite not gaining or losing anything, she felt a little… weird. It was hard for her to explain, but she felt like she was missing a piece of her as well. Something on the inside felt strange, like an odd sensation in her very soul. She patted herself to check if everything was okay on the out-
Oh no…!
Now, it was her turn to panic as she frantically searched her body with silver eyes the size of dinner plates. "AH! Wh-where is she? Where is she?! Where's my sweetheart, where-"
SMACK! "Get a hold of yourself, you dolt!"
Ruby rubbed her stinging cheek and let out a small whine. "Ow… b-but Crescent Rose is missing!" A curious Weiss glanced at her hip just as everyone else noticed something absent. Yang looked over her bare arms and checked her bracelets, only to discover that they were ordinary accessories with a disappointed frown. "Ugh, great. No weapons! Do we at least have our Scrolls?" Weiss searched over her person until she felt something in her pocket. The corner of her mouth lifted in a smile as she fished out a familiar device, holding it up proudly to the others before unfolding it. "Finally, we can get our bearings and-"
ERROR. INSUFFICIENT DUST.
Her words devolved into a startled sputter. "Wh-what? B-but I… this shouldn't be possible!" She tapped the Scroll and pressed some of the buttons only to get the same result. The device acted like it was completely out of charge, much to the heiress' shock. While she was left to deal with the handheld device, Yang noticed something else amiss with the group. "Hey… Nora and Ren? Where's everyone else?"
Their reactions told Yang they never realized it until now, both students searching the area for any sign of their teammates. "Hello?!" Nora called out. "Jaune?! Pyrrha?! They were with us, right?!"
"They were," Ren replied. "I didn't see any sign of them… but wherever we are, maybe they are, too. Maybe we'll run into them later… I just hope they can handle themselves."
"To be more specific," Yang corrected. "One will probably try to keep the other from killing himself. But yeah, those two will be fine. As for us… we need to find out where the heck we ended up."
"Uuuuhhhh…" Ruby slowly whispered. "I think I just found the answer."
The silver-eyed girl was staring at something that caught everyone else's attention: a sign at the side of the road, which led to a bustling city off in the distance. The city looked nothing like Vale or Vacuo, and neither Mantle nor Mistral had such an environment. But when everyone took a closer look at the sign… they all went still in realization.
"You have got to be kidding me," Weiss exasperatedly stuttered.
Welcome to…
ANGEL GROVE
Population: 376,000
Elevation: 241 ft
HOME OF THE POWER RANGERS