Episode 11

Seeing Green

Zeke practically skipped up the stairs, beaming as he reached the second floor and spotted Abbey by her locker. He'd got them! He was worried for a while that they were going to miss out, but a lucky break had let him scoop them up at the final second. Now he couldn't wait to let Abbey know.

She was going to be so excited!

Spring in his step, Zeke reached the row of lockers and leaned against them, waiting patiently for Abbey to close the door and see the beaming grin on his face.

"Good morning," he declared as the metal door shut. Abbey almost jumped, surprised by Zeke's sudden proximity and overly energetic demeanor.

"Oh!" she gasped. "Zeke, you scared the daylight out of me. You shouldn't sneak up like that."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, stepping back to give her space as Abbey's elegant poise returned, guiding a stray strand of her long red hair behind her ear.

"It's okay," she said. "I just didn't expect it. I'm guessing there's a reason you're in such a good mood?"

It was taking almost all of Zeke's effort not to blurt it out in one, overwhelming blather, let alone bounce on the spot with all his contained excitement. Any second, he was going to tell her, and Abbey was going to freak!

It was going to be awesome!

"So," Zeke began. "You know how we heard about that old, cheesy sci-fi marathon, right? And we talked about how it'd be a cool thing to do for our annual movie night?"

"Over at the old theatre?" Abbey nodded, although her tone was turning more curious and cautious than welling with realized excitement. She probably wasn't letting herself hope, or even believe it could be possible. "But we couldn't go. They sold out before we could land tickets."

"Or…" Zeke grinned, whipping up his phone to show the confirmation screen. "Did they?"

Abbey's eyes bulged, jaw-dropping as she realized what she was showing him. "Oh my god! You managed to get some?"

"I totally managed to get some."

It had taken him plenty of wheeling and dealing, not to mention just tracking down someone willing to trade. Zeke's comic collection was certainly a lot smaller now, but it was worth it. Definitely, worth the night out they were about to have.

Oh yeah, Zeke; who's the best?

"When'd you manage to get them for?"

"Tonight," Zeke explained. "I figured, seeing as you don't work at the Hub on Fridays anyway, we could get a bite straight after school and then grab seats? I know you hate sitting too far back, and up the front's not great either, so we'll have our pickings if we show up early enough."

Just the two of them, enjoying an afternoon, laughing themselves silly, side-by-side in a movie theatre; just like old times. But as he said it, Zeke watched Abbey's face fall from elation to guilt, wincing as she shied away and suddenly avoided his gaze.

"Tonight?" Abbey repeated. "As in, the night of today?"

"That's usually what 'tonight' means, yeah."

"Oh, Zeke," said Abbey sheepishly. "I can't make it."

Wait… what?

"Wha… what do you mean you can't make it?"

"I offered to help Miguel with his Global Studies report," Abbey explained. "He's worried about falling behind and really wants to stay on top of things this year."

"Right," said Zeke, already feeling himself fading from the conversation as the world around him muffled into the swirling spiral within his head.

Because of course, Miguel had asked Abbey to help him.

Of course, she said yes.

Of course, it'd be tonight.

And of course, it would be more important than spending time with her best friend.

"I'm sorry," Abbey apologized, eyes growing wider with her guilt.

"I just… I thought we had plans," Zeke sulked.

"I know," she admitted. "I guess after you couldn't get tickets, I didn't think we were doing anything. I should have checked before doubling up. I'm sorry."

It was a fair point, but not one that made Zeke feel any better. He guessed he hadn't really come up with an alternative when the original plan fell through. It wasn't fair of him to expect Abbey to keep the time free if she didn't know why. But still, it didn't have to be a total loss.

"Could you catch up with him tomorrow?" Zeke suggested. "I've only got the tickets for tonight, so if he's happy to do it later we could still go."

But again, Abbey winced, hissing in as her guilt continued to pile. "I'm volunteering at the Hub tomorrow, and then after that, I'm helping at the youth center."

"Sunday then?"

"Meeting to do my group paper for Modern Lit and then serving at the Soup Kitchen in the evening."

Wow, she really didn't have the time; for him at least. Zeke was pretty sure if there was some sort of "emergency" with Miguel, then time would magically appear in Abbey's schedule. Seeing his disappointment, Abbey slouched lower, eyes dropping in shame as she realized that she'd let him down.

"Hey," she said. "It doesn't have to be a total loss. You could still go; maybe Erika would want to go with you?"

Oh yeah, cheesy old sci-fi movies definitely seemed Erika's vibe. And she definitely didn't seem the type to sit and snark under her breath at every part she thought was stupid. Yeah, that sounded really fun.

"She's probably busy with Val," Zeke shrugged. "To be honest, I was kind of hoping to see it with you. It would be like our old movie nights; like old times."

"Zeke," Abbey replied awkwardly, as if she didn't know what to say, or how to say it. "We haven't done that since we were kids."

It used to be a tradition. Once a month, in their elementary years, they'd go to each other's house and have a movie marathon. Back then, they'd thought it was the best: they got to stay up late and watch the scary ones that their parents didn't like. In those days it was just the two of them, and it felt like it was just them against the world. At least, as against the world that a pair of privileged grade-schoolers could be.

But that was before they got older. Before it became weird to stay the night; before their days got busy with school and volunteering. Before they'd become Power Rangers.

Before Miguel.

"I know," Zeke said sadly. "I just thought it would be fun. We don't hang out like we used to … I just… I really busted my butt trying to get these tickets and…"

"Zeke," Abbey said softly, pained regret beginning to twinge from her voice. "I didn't ask you to do that."

"I know. I guess… I just thought… I wanted…"

She looked away just as quickly like she knew what Zeke was trying to say but didn't want to hear it. His heart sunk, panged like it was softly torn and wound as Abbey wordlessly ended the conversation. Maybe it was for the best.

How could he even find the words to tell her?

That Zeke thought she was incredible. That he wanted to spend all his time with her and just listen to her laugh while watching her smile. That when they were apart, all Zeke would think about was when he'd next get to see her, and how excited he was every time he got the chance.

That he'd felt this way for years, and all this time, standing right by Abbey's side, and she didn't even seem to notice.

That he'd kill to have Abbey look at him the way she looked at Miguel. Just for a second.

"I have class, sorry," Abbey said suddenly, looking down at the floor and pertinently not at him. "Good luck with the tickets."

Then she walked away without another word, hurrying past before Zeke could even say goodbye. Watching her walk away, all Zeke wanted to do was shrink into the corner and find a place to hide before the rest of the school showed up. Instead, he just stood there, wallowing in everything he couldn't bring himself to say.

Alone.

"Welcome back."

"Don't read into it, it's not like it'll be a regular thing or anything."

"When you said it the first time, I believed you. But this is your fifth visit this week."

Lena shrunk deeper into the chair, feeling the sullen stubbornness dig in further as Granger retorted with his stupid "facts." So what if she was talking to the enemy for advice? It wasn't like Ender was being any help.

Sit back and wait for orders.

Xaviax isn't mad, he'll bring you back in.

Don't you worry your pretty, little head.

Like he wasn't enjoying her humiliating stint on the sidelines. Ender was so transparent, he was a window. Just thinking about his sniveling, snickering face roiled fresh rage inside her; he was the last person likely to give Lena helpful advice.

But on that same notion, Lena knew that she wouldn't get the answers she was looking for from Xaviax. She knew what she was to him; a tool, a weapon, a product of his creation. He'd brought her back for a distinct purpose: the destruction of the Power Rangers. He'd have no interest in her inquiries, nor much patience for any existential musings. At worst, Xaviax could consider such questions a defect, ordering her deletion to be replaced with a less inquisitive model.

No; it was better that Lena found the answers on her own. Once they no longer plagued her, she could pursue her goal with fresh clarity. But finding them on her own had proven to be a fruitless endeavor, and instead only sent her in circles of petty acts and the worst of all feelings.

Regret.

Why could she even feel it? What possible function could be served by programming her with the capacity for remorse? And yet, every time Lena saw Miguel, she felt a twinge in her chest. A remembrance of how things used to be, of how simple things once were.

It was as if, for a brief instant, she'd had a life of her own, separate from her mission. That while at the school, she wasn't Mileena, just Lena; the moniker she'd taken to infiltrate the Rangers that she'd slowly allowed to become her default. Even at the time, Lena couldn't explain why felt so at ease around him Miguel. At how being just another person to him had felt so… normal.

At first, Lena had dismissed it as a facet of her programming, a modification made by Xaviax upon her return to assist in her function. It certainly made ingratiating herself with the Rangers easier; when around them, she could be as she was with Miguel. In those times, she was just Lena, a regular high school student from out of town. Nothing else, no one else.

And then she blew it all to hell.

She'd always known the time would come, when she would reveal herself and twist the knife in their backs. But Lena hadn't expected to be left with the fallout. With the Rangers still standing afterward to resume their daily lives. Without her.

And to make it all worse, that panging Lena felt when she saw Miguel was starting to sting whenever she saw the Rangers together, laughing at something trivial and insignificant.

And she wanted it gone.

"You're a means to an end," Lena said coldly. "You might not have noticed, but this school isn't exactly well-resourced when it comes to counselors, let alone ones adept at understanding my… situation."

Granger simply shrugged, jotting something in his notebook while seeming unaffected by the jab. Lena hated how he did that, accepting everything she said so readily, without judgment. She almost preferred it when he was expecting her to kill him.

But now, as Granger sat there with patient interest without a single hint of concern, Lena was the one who felt vulnerable.

"The fact that I'm even here it all is ridiculous," she said. "If the old Mileena knew that one day she'd be sitting in your office, seeking guidance from her mortal enemy…"

"Actually," Granger interrupted. "That's something I wanted to talk to you about. The last time we knew each other."

"What about it?"

"You keep talking about 'the old Mileena', or 'the last Mileena'."

"So?"

"So," Granger clarified. "Usually, when people refer to moments from their past, they talk like it happened to them directly. "I did this" or "When this happened to me". But you don't, you talk like it happened to someone else."

What… no she didn't… she…

And just like that, any lingering shame and bravado vanished, like they'd been spirited away to leave her confusion bare. Because she did talk like it was someone else.

Was it someone else?

"Why do I do that?" Lena asked slowly. "Why is that important?"

Slowly, Granger leaned back into his chair, softly exhaling through his nostrils as if trying to find the thought himself. Or the words with which to explain it.

"Sometimes," he said. "People refer to their past in the third person as a way of disassociating. It's their way of putting distance between themselves and what happened. Sometimes it's out of shame, a way of avoiding responsibility within themselves. Sometimes it's because they feel they've changed, that they're so far from who they were before that they may as well have been."

But that was ridiculous, Lena wasn't ashamed of who she'd been. She had been Mileena, Gideon's trusted general, the mortal enemy of the Power Rangers who had nearly felled them several times. She had been reborn, yes, but her mission remained the same. There should be no reason to feel separated from her past life. Not unless…

"Because it was someone else," Lena realized. "Or… at least, sometimes it feels that way."

"How do mean?"

Motherboard, where to even begin with that?

"I don't know how to explain it," Lena said. "I have all of Mileena's memories; I know what she did, what she felt, what she wanted. But… none of it feels like it actually happened to me."

Granger nodded, head bobbing quietly as he contemplated her words but said nothing in reply. After a while, his silence grew maddening.

"So?" Lena demanded. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

He said it so casually, without a single hint of shame, an admittance that Lena could only presume should result in the revoking of whatever qualification he had.

"You don't know?" she spat. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"We're kind of in uncharted territory here," said Granger while having the absolute audacity to start chuckling at his own confession. "Resurrected programs, implanted memories; they don't exactly cover this in Psyche 101."

"So, you've got nothing? Great! This is a waste of my time!"

She was about to rise and storm out, but there was something in Granger's expression that caused Lena to stay. It wasn't anger, it wasn't a command; it was a calm acceptance that while the answer was unknown, it wasn't the end of the journey. Instead, Lena slowly relaxed her shoulders and settled back into the chair, waiting for whatever considered response Granger was formulating.

"No matter what you're here to do now," he said, "regardless of where it came from, or who first told it to you, the path you're on is your own to choose. Maybe you are the same Mileena that I fought against fifteen years ago; maybe you're someone new and just have her memories. But both answers boil down to the same thing. Who that person was is in the past. What matters now is what you want to do with your future."

"Are you saying I should just abandon who I used to be?"

"I'm saying that it's up to you whether who that was even matters," Granger clarified. "Is she the one defining your destiny, or you?"

It was only later, wandering the halls and collecting her books for fourth period that Lena realized that she had left the session without uttering her usual warning of Granger's demise. That his assessment of the old Mileena had left her with a strange, lingering sense of discomfort, twisting and unsettling as it echoed over and over in her mind.

Was she a rebuilt program, or an updated copy?

Did it even matter?

Was she beholden to all her past self's failings, or did her many upgrades make her immune to her predecessor's folly?

And were her conflicted feelings about her mission to destroy the Rangers a sign of something greater?

Stupid Granger.

Stupid former Red Ranger!

These sessions were a waste of time; every meeting just left her with more questions than she'd gone in with, and each answer only led to more confusion. And yet, Lena knew that once she'd spent two days of the weekend mulling over their last conversation, she'd just the same be standing by Granger's door on Monday.

Eager to find more questions.

Going to the Hub was a mistake.

Erika was out anyway, working her shift and not in a position to hang out. Thankfully it had come up naturally in conversation at lunch, saving Zeke the embarrassment of having to ask for unavailable company, and in hindsight, that should have been his signal to just head home. An evening in his room, fiddling with programs on his computer instead of wallowing in self-pity would certainly been preferable to what he ended up enduring.

But instead, Zeke had decided to punish himself, to hang around the Hub in hopes that Abbey's "study session" with Miguel ran short. But as he sat there, listening to the tunes of Electro-Head jamming from the stage, watching the two of them laugh and giggle from the other side of the room as the foam of his late fizzled to flat, Zeke realized just how stupid an idea it actually was. The way the two were carrying on, he wouldn't have been surprised if Miguel knew even less about Global Studies than when he started.

And yet, Zeke couldn't bring himself to walk away. Watching as Abbey leaned close and looked up at Miguel hopefully with her beautiful green eyes, thoughtlessly twirling with her hair as he recited back the part she'd just explained. Noticing that every example she pointed to always seemed to be on the far end of the page, necessitating a far reach across Miguel that brushed her arms against his chest.

Abbey certainly never acted like that when helping Zeke study. Once, he'd almost flunked ninth-grade history, and Abbey had spent weeks tutoring to help get him across the line. And each time Abbey had just sat back with a reasonable space between them, her book in front of her, and Zeke's in front of him, going through section by section until he had it down. Miguel probably just forgot his book.

Why didn't he ever think of that?

"You know, when people plan on torturing themselves, they usually just sign up for the gym," said a voice behind him. Zeke looked up to see Erika leaning over a nearby table, barely even acknowledging him as she cleared the dirties onto a tray.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zeke said, switching Erika's mood from faint disinterest to offended, active attention.

"Please," she scoffed. "I've been hanging around you guys for three months and I have a pair of eyes. You're totally hung up on her."

Zeke slowly hung his head, suddenly becoming a lot more interested in the cold, and ignored coffee in front of him as Erika softened and wandered closer to his table.

"I really am pathetic, huh?" he said

"Listen," said Erika, following an awkward pause that betrayed her uncertainty at consolation. "I know it sucks, and I know that it's not what you want. But you're not doing yourself any favors by sitting here and wishing for something different."

"Easy for you to say," Zeke grumbled. "You've got a girlfriend."

"Wow," Erika mocked. "Real healthy attitude you got there. You know what? You're right, there's nothing girls find more attractive than moping after your best friend."

"Don't you have some tables to clear or something?"

Erika looked like she was about to give him some other kind of cutting remark when a shrill voice suddenly pierced across the café.

"Hell-ooooo?" Whitney called from her seat, expectant fingers snapping above her head. "I ordered an extra-hot late, like, four minutes ago. If I wanted it cold I'd have asked for it iced."

Knowing full well what was about to happen, Zeke leaned back in his chair as Erika's eyes flared.

"Oh, I'll give her extra hot," she decided, completely abandoning her conversation with Zeke and making a B-line for the counter. Zeke couldn't help but chuckle; he imagined Whitney would need a rad-suit once Erika was done putting the cup in the microwave.

A few minutes later, following the beeping of buttons and the whirring of the machine, Zeke got a chuckle as he watched Whitney get exactly what she asked for. With a seething hiss, she scooped her bags, calling for Deryck to follow before pointing a withering glare at Erika on the way out.

A momentary reprieve, but it was not enough. By the time Zeke cast his gaze back to the table with Miguel and Abbey, he realized they'd all but abandoned their study. In the intervening time, they had ordered a snack and were now chipping away at a single slice of apple crisp on the plate between them. Because of course, they'd decided to share.

Miguel seemed to be struggling at the division, gasping in exasperation as the pastry refused to evenly split. Zeke would have taken some satisfaction at the struggle, were it not for one, tiny problem.

Abbey, apparently, found this hilarious. Every time that another unintended chunk would fall from the crust, Abbey burst into a fresh fit of giggles. It didn't matter how messy Miguel's cutting was, her soft lips seemed only to smile wider every time their snack was hacked further and further from its original shape. By the time Miguel had given up, sheepishly looking at her with the crisp nothing but a mangled pile of crumbs and stuffing, Abbey was beaming back with sweet endearment. The two gazed at each other and smiled, deciding instead to pick away with their tiny forks while returning to their charade of study.

Great. Now desert was ruined for him too.

Zeke finally reached for his drink, almost squirming as he knocked back the well-cold and bitter milk, and was about to flag down Erika for another when the screen on his communicator flashed.

No rest for the wicked, it seemed.

All across the room, the Rangers locked eyes, a silent signal to gather, and Zeke rose from his table as Abbey and Miguel hurried to pack up their things. Over at the counter, Erika made for Dirk, asking for an early end to her shift. Lucky things were so quiet.

Moments later, the four teens had gathered out the back of the Hub, huddled together as Erika opened the com-line.

"We're here, Hilary," she confirmed. "What's the problem."

"Looks like Xaviax is hitting up Main Street," Hilary explained. "And it looks like… well… maybe you should just see for yourself."

The holographic display burst from the screen, giving the four of them a view of the dismayed shopping district. People were running, screaming, and fleeing for their lives when suddenly the couple on the feed were consumed by a flash of light. The footage cleared, they'd vanished, and as Hilary's camera moved closer, the four Rangers gasped at what they saw.

Lying in the ground, where the couple had been standing and in a complete replication of the victims, were two miniature people, bodies frozen and rigid.

They were… dolls.

"Hahaha!" a feminine voice declared. "Nothing like getting all dolled up for a night on the town!"

The feed spun, focusing in on a large, humanoid figure. Her shape was slender, dressed in a strange, bulky purple garment that nonetheless showed off her feminine figure. Her face was nothing but a white mask, her sinister expression seemingly painted against the shiny, hard surface. Just like a doll.

"Dolls?" Erika groaned in disbelief. "Seriously, who comes up with these things?"

"We need to get down there," Abbey gasped.

"You're right," Miguel agreed. "Those people need our help."

Sure, when he says it, it's heroic, Zeke grumbled to himself. When I say it, it's obvious.

Erika shot him a look, clearly reading his disgruntlement and warning him to cut it out. Not the time, not the place.

"Whatever this Dollface is up to, we better put a stop to it fast," she said. "We're on our way, Hilary."

"Be careful, we don't know what other tricks she can pull out of the box."

Erika cut the com, stepping forward with her wrist held high as her Morpher flashed into view. "You guys ready?"

Zeke and Abbey snapped out their keycards, all three other devices appearing as the four Rangers stood in line. "Ready!"

"Server Force! Login Access!"

The light burst through the alley, consuming the teens as the Morphing Grid took hold to imbue their bodies with power. Burning into the evening sky, the flashes heralded the materializing suits, energizing their limbs as they became encased within the weave. As the helmets formed around their heads, visors locking before their vision and lighting up their display, the Rangers launched into the open, rushing out the city's rescue.

It was quite the scene that met them. The ground was littered with toys, all of the innocent people transformed by the monster's horrific ability. Standing in the middle of the collection, Dollface turned to greet them, her expressionless, porcelain face meeting their eyes with sinister intent.

"And here they are," she scoffed. "The main attraction. Someone new for me to toy with."

"You need to change all these people back," Abbey warned.

"You can do it now," Erika agreed. "Or we can make it happen the hard way."

"Sorry, I have a no-returns policy," Dollface giggled. "But if you like, you can take it up with management."

A green light engulfed the street, dropping a fresh group of Cyberdrones all around them, accompanied by the heavy sound of clanking boots as ArcKnight dropped down with them.

Great, just what they needed.

"Late-night night shopping!" Dollface shrilled. "Everyone's invited!"

The Rangers snapped into fighting stances, instinctively pulling closer as they examined the scene unfolding around them. Dollface, ArcKnight, and far too many innocent people for the Cyberdrones to harass. They needed to split up, to divide and conquer. Which no doubt was their enemies' plan all along.

"I'll go up top," Abbey decided. "Try and get a good vantage for my bow."

"I'll come with you," Zeke decided quickly. "I can keep the Cyberdrones off you while you line up a shot."

"We need you down here," Miguel retorted. "With that monster and ArcKnight down here, we're going to have our hands full."

"And if they swarm to stop Abbey from giving covering fire, then the rest will rest will pin us down as badly!"

"Zeke," Abbey suggested. "I really think that…"

But Zeke ignored her, fuming as he stepped closer to rebut Miguel. "We need to keep them off of her, she's our best shot at clearing this quickly."

"Which will mean nothing if we get pummeled down here."

"You're the big-shot Dark Ranger, manage it!"

"ENOUGH!" Erika's barking order snapped them back, all three heads spinning around and staring at the Red Ranger. "Miguel, get on ArcKnight, force him back, and then double around on Dollface once he retreats. Abbey, take on those Cyberdrones. If you can get high in the sky, good, if not, do what you can from the ground. Zeke, cover me while I go for the plastic."

Her voice was stern, like a scolding schoolteacher glaring at a pair of naughty children.

"Got it?" It wasn't a question; it was a command. "Good; go!"

The team split, lunging in their ordered directions to engage the foe on all fronts. The Red and Yellow pair launched forward, soaring over the mincing hordes of Cyberdrones to leave Miguel and Abbey to hold the rear. Most of them anyway, their boots had barely touched the ground when a fresh group rushed in, a writhing mass of metal limbs standing between them and the monster.

A fact that Dollface clearly reveled in.

"Here to play?" she cackled. "You know it's rude to exclude others."

Zeke and Erika pressed back-to-back, eyes scanning the wall of henchmen for an opening. None existed, and with Miguel and Abbey tied up behind them there'd be no hope of easy reprieve. If they wanted a gap, then they'd have to make one.

"Ready to play a little rough?" Erika asked him, her Security Saber already unfolding in her hands.

"You bet!"

Zeke whipped out as the two of them lunged, diving into the center of the mass to begin grinding toward their target. Sparks flew in all directions, bursting as the blades carved across the robots' armor, goons dropping one after the other as Zeke and Erika felled them, blow by blow.

Behind them, Miguel leaped back, curling into a backflip and landing as ArcKnight unfurled a blast of energy from his sword. The black boots rebounded off the wall, whiplashing across the street and out of reach from the warrior's follow-up.

"We keep running into each other like this," he chuckled as ArcKnight spun around in fury. "Is there something you're trying to tell me, ArcKnight?"

In no mood to jest, ArcKnight growled as he readied his blade to strike again. "Only that your demise will slow and painful."

"Slow, huh?" Miguel decided. "No wonder you can't catch me."

With a furious war cry, the armored warrior lunged, sword swinging wide as Miguel ducked beneath. Twisting in midair, he brought around the Dark Saber, the blade slicing the backs of the armor as the knight howled in pain and stumbled.

But not far enough. Thinking his enemy down, Miguel landed in a crouch, taking a moment to breathe while assuming ArcKnight was more heavily wounded. Big mistake. Gritting through the wound, the warrior spun around, the razor tip of his sword jutting out for a bullseye on Miguel's chest. Instinct was all that saved him, his arm swatting up to bat away the blade as this time he was the one to stumble.

And then suddenly Miguel was the one on the back foot.

ArcKnight wasted no time, following up with a furious assault that Miguel could barely keep at bay. In the space of a heartbeat, the tables had flipped, and now the Dark Ranger was doing all he could to stay in the fight.

Off to the side, Abbey was having her own struggles, abandoning any plan to use her bow as the Cyberdrones came from all sides.

"Boys, boys," she warned, panting between her taunts as she swerved past another blow. "You need to learn to take turns."

One of them was charging from her right, another at her left. Abbey saw the chance and took it. Her feet skidded as she spun, reaching and grabbing before leaning back. Clutched in the glove of her hand, the Cyberdrone to her left was yanked forward, jolting along with its own momentum as the Blue Ranger reefed it into its comrade. The faceplates met, clanging as their limbs whipped past each other and the henchmen dropped to the ground.

It wasn't much, but it was the opening she needed.

"Can't play nice?" Abbey decided. "Then you all need a time out."

Thinking, fast, she vaulted high, pistol drawn and blue light flaring as she rained down on the Cyberdrones beneath. The blasts seared downwards, booming into blazing balls of fire that sent the flailing in all directions.

Flipping over, Abbey landed beside Zeke and Erika, the two having made some headway with a long way still to go.

As Abbey reached them, Zeke whipped around, watching as the Cyberdrones were diverting from the chaos to keep the Rangers at bay. Abbey had been able to clear the ones behind them, but partly because they were thinning to pile on Erika and Zeke.

Up ahead, Dollface was skipping through the street, firing her strange, transformative beam at the fleeing civilians.

"We're getting nowhere here!" Erika snarled.

"I'll deal with these creeps," Abbey insisted. "You go stop her transforming any more people!"

Zeke ducked beneath a blow, smacking back the Cyberdrone before his own reassessment. There were still too many drones, and while Abbey was keeping up, the best she'd be able to do was hold them off. Erika was a heavy hitter, if she landed a good blow she could stop Dollface in her tracks. But there was no way Abbey was going to cull the numbers without help.

Together, they might stand a chance. Back to back, side by side.

A dynamic duo.

Just like old times.

"I'll help you out," Zeke decided, only for the Blue Ranger to shake her head immediately.

"No, I've got this," she insisted. "Go help Erika!"

"But…"

"Zeke, just go!"

Abbey didn't give him more time to argue, leaping forward and striking down a charging bot to make an opening for two to lunge. An opening that wasn't going to last. Hissing in, Zeke did as he was told and launched into the air, following the Red Ranger's trail in hot pursuit of the monster. Too late, Dollface had found her next victim, and Zeke's heart froze with guilty indecision as he saw who it was.

Having stormed out of the Hub earlier, Whitney must have elected for some retail therapy. Now with Deryck in tow, she'd run out of a nearby shopfront and right into the path of the monster.

"Those sales must be to die for," Dollface decided. "Although if those are your normal shoes, I can hardly blame you for switching."

For all of Whitney's many, many faults, none could ever call her a coward. Self-absorbed? Selfish? Rude? Sure.

But there was nothing she had in greater abundance than guile. The girl stopped, face twisting from shock to fury as Deryck stumbled back.

"Uh… Whit…"

But the blonde snapped up her hand, silencing her companion as she stepped toward the monster. "Oh, you're one to talk. When you're parading around in that dress? Where are you going, a debutante? And hasn't anyone told you that purple is so last season?"

"Well, you're a really bad-mouth Barbie, aren't you," Dollface snickered. "Bet the boys think you're a real doll…"

By the time the porcelain mask was glowing, Whitney had realized her mistake, and by then it was far too late. Zeke and Erika were still too far away to save her as the purple glow burst from the expressionless face. Deryck stumbled back in horror and could only Whitney scream as the light consumed her. And then, in a flash, Whitney was gone.

Zeke and Erika's feet hit the ground, skidding to a halt as they stared at where their classmate had stood. Lying on the ground, in a complete replication of her outfit, was a small doll that looked exactly like Whitney.

"Now," Dollface decided, turning her attention to the cowering Deryck. "I believe every Barbie needs a Ken…"

"Hey!"

Erika and Zeke lunged, Security Sabers slicing down as Dollface leaped from harm. Landing between the monster and her victim, the two Rangers switched to their Power Weapons and glared Dollface down.

"Grab the doll and go!" Erika barked at Deryck before turning her attention to their enemy. "As for you, you're going to pay for what you did here."

"I hope you're not expecting cash," Dollface giggled. "Because I've only got plastic."

As Deryck meekly crawled to scoop up his shrunken friend, the two Rangers lunged; Zeke upfront with his shield raised and ready. Taking the initiative, Dollface surged to meet them, her hand curling into a heavy fist that slammed against the surface of the barrier. Even fully braced, Zeke felt himself relent to strength, stride slowing as his knees bent to take the blow.

But stronger than expected or not, Dollface's swing at the shield meant the plan was working. It meant Erika had room to move. With all focus on Zeke, the Red Ranger launched herself high, axe head glowing and ready for the strike. Dollface only saw her just in time, shifting away as Erika landed and kept up her assault. Dollface dodged and shifted, swerving past every attack as every one of Erika's strikes cleaved closer and closer. The monster was running out of room, and Erika's assault was closing in.

And then Zeke heard a boom from behind him.

While her effort was valiant, Abbey had not been able to make a sizable culling in the Cyberdrone numbers. Now, many were running rampant, moving outwards to surround and use their numbers to keep her contained. Her Security Saber was doing work, but without the room to use her bow, Abbey's work was well cut out for her.

And then Zeke saw them, eyes widening and heart seizing as a row of Cyberdrones rushed together and aimed their blasters.

Abbey!

Zeke moved without thinking, launching himself from position to shield his best friend from the coming onslaught. But Abbey was already moving, head twisting around to see the firing line and vaulting upwards as the shots went wild.

Now Zeke was the one committed, running headfirst into the blaster fire with no way of retreating. He skidded to a stop, braking in a desperate crouch to slam down the shield and brace. The bolts bounced off the surface, those that missed him dancing on the ground behind and booming into a shower of sparks. As the smoke began to clear, Zeke rose, and Abbey landed gracefully behind him, pistol flaring as an expert shot blew the Cyberdrones to pieces.

"Zeke?" she gasped. "What're you doing here?"

"I came to help…" he tried, even as he realized how foolish have sounded.

"I didn't need you to do that," Abbey angrily replied. "You need to help…"

Erika!

Behind them, the Red Ranger had Dollface cornered, backed up against a building as she readied her axe for a final strike; but it wasn't an advantage to last.

"So aggressive," Dollface chuckled, "I bet you were the child who threw her toys from the cot."

"Favorite pastime," Erika snarled. "I used to take off their heads."

With a mighty roar, her axe cleaved in to give Dollface nowhere to run. Nowhere back, at least. With a cackle, the monster spun, twirling from harm as the weapon crashed into the brickwork. Overcommitted, Erika continued onwards, staggering as she tried to redirect and Dollface swished behind her.

"Do me a favor," she decided. "Be a doll, and wait right there for me?"

Too far away to deflect, Zeke could only watch in horror as the mask began to glow, Erika barely turning in time as the purple glow slammed into her body. A burst of flame was unleashed as the light connected, a bright flash of crimson flaring through the glare as Erika disappeared completely.

"No!"

"Zeke, wait!"

Zeke vaulted forward, desperate to save the friend he'd so foolishly abandoned. It was only a second later that he realized his mistake. Barely a second later, Zeke's face locked eyes with the monster's eerie, expressionless mask.

"You too?" Dollface snickered as she turned to face him. "I guess you would make a good boy toy."

The face glowed, and fully committed, Zeke braced himself for what was coming. The same beam had hit both Whitney and Erika and now he was falling victim to it too. Suddenly something grabbed his wrist, as a forceful squeeze tightened like a vice and yanked him from harm's way. Like he'd been whiplashed by a bungee, Zeke gasped as he saw who had jolted him to safety.

Abbey!

With barely a second to react, she'd launched herself after him, putting all her effort into changing his fate. And doing so, taking his place.

For a brief second, they locked eyes through their visors, and then Abbey vanished in the same purple blast that had taken the others. Just like Erika, a ball of fire surged outwards, a light periwinkle flash bursting through the bright as suddenly the glow subsided. Zeke hit the ground, rolling back to his feet to stare in horror at what lay in Abbey's place.

Her Ranger suit was gone, demorphed into her civilian clothes as her eyes stared statically at the evening sky; transformed into a doll, just like all of the others.

"Much better," Dollface decided, looking upon Zeke with a look of particularly sinister glee. "Now she can walk, talk, and do whatever you please."

"Zeke!" Hilary warned him through the coms, "You need to get out of there! I'm still reading vital signs off Abbey and Erika, they're okay. But you're way outnumbered and we can't lose anymore Rangers!"

Zeke's eyes shot helplessly at Abbey's frozen form, and then to the corner where Erika had fallen. They were helpless against Dollface's attack. And it was all his fault.

"But.. Abbey… and Erika…," he began to stammer.

"Zeke, you can't help them if you're an action figure," Hilary ordered. "Get out of there now!"

"You thinking of running, Yellow Ranger," Dollface taunted. "Or maybe you could hang around? There's an idea I've been toying with."

"How about I give you something to play with?"

A dark shadow launched across the evening air, flashing past and slashing as it crossed the monster's path. Dollface shrieked, stumbling back and hissing with fury as the Dark Ranger skidded to a stop and spun to level his saber in her direction. With barely a nod, he flicked a look a Zeke, a signal to follow his lead.

Zeke was no longer in the mood to complain or be petty. Hand snapping to his waist, Zeke whipped out his Security pistol and aimed at his foe.

"You can go for one of us," Miguel warned. "But you can't go for both. What's it going to be?"

Beside Dollface, ArcKnight staggered up to her, almost limping as he tried to quickly reach her.

"The tide is turning," he warned her. "We need to retreat."

"Fine," the monster decided. "But don't go away, boys. You can't leave me without a full set."

With a flash of green, the two of them vanished, spiriting away the remnant Cyberdrone forces to leave Zeke and Miguel alone in the street.

"Abbey!" With no threats remaining, Miguel bolted to where Blue Ranger had fallen, kneeling to pick up the doll and stare at her shrunken, rigid form. Heart racing, Zeke did the same at the corner, looking down to see that Erika too had been demorphed and reduced to a twelve-inch fashion doll.

Two Rangers down, and no idea how to help them. And as Zeke stared around the wreckage of the street, a sinking realization panged from within him.

Everything, all of this. It was all his fault.