Punching a Petra Gigas was like punching rocks back home… or so Yang believed because rocks on Remnant didn't move around so much or hit back like swinging punching bags. Granted, she'd never even faced one in the field like this and had to constantly stay on the move, diving away from stony stomps and leaping over swinging arms while bombarding the Geist's boulder body with explosive blasts. A low growl from the Grimm told Yang she had only succeeded in irritating it. The Yellow Ranger rolled away from a two-fisted smash that shattered the ground like glass, priming her gauntlets and firing another volley at the Petra Gigas' head…

…but the golem blocked her shots with a raised arm and slammed a charged fist into the earth, the shockwave rupturing rocky spikes from the ground that would've impaled Yang if she hadn't backflipped away in time. The blonde bent backward, one such stalagmite dangerously close to puncturing her visor. The Petra Gigas lifted a massive foot, looking to turn Yang into a yellow stain on the grass.

"HAWK BLASTER, FIRE!" A scorching beam of red heat connected with the Petra Gigas' face, making the goliath moan as it recoiled with a scalding glow on its head. Its single eye silently turned in Shane's direction, his bird-themed sidearm still smoking. Jayden and Brody had their swords up, the latter taking an uneasy step back. "Okay, we got its attention! What was step two again?"

BRRRZZZZZZK! A violet laser erupted from the Geist's eye, carving through the grass and leaving a smoking trail behind as the three Red Rangers flipped, rolled, and somersaulted away from the beam. Jayden's Fire Smasher briefly blocked the beam before he redirected it with a hard shove, blasting the laser's energy back into the golem's face to disorient it.

"Step two is seeing how well this big hunk of rock can withstand a real firestorm!" Shane answered. "Light it up, you two!" Jayden and Brody's weapons ignited with flame, and they swung in downward slashes while Shane shoved his hands outward, creating a crimson gale of wind that merged with the fire…

Fire and air swirled together, dancing in midair until they fused into a raging whirlwind of heat: a blazing tornado that smashed into the Petra Gigas like a tidal wave against a cliff. The ensuing roar from the elemental storm and the golem could be heard from the academy, leaving the beast's boulder body smoldering and dripping molten rock from the intense heat. The Petra Gigas stumbled briefly until it recomposed itself and deeply bellowed into the sky, letting everyone know it wouldn't go down that easy.

"Sheesh!" Hayley muttered. "It's like a living mountain!"

"How exactly are we supposed to get its face like this?!" Mike shouted. "It could knock any of us out with a single blow!"

"Well, you guys know what they say," Shane answered. "The bigger they are, the harder we need to hit it! BATTLIZER MODE, ENGAGE!" Shane spun up his wrist device and a set of armor flashed onto his body. "TRI-BATTLIZED ARMOR, POWER UP!"

Mike and Cameron nodded at each other before the former reverted his Forest Spear into his Spin Sword, attaching a black rectangular device to it. Both Green Rangers roared their next words in unison. "SUPER SAMURAI MODE!" Two bright emerald flashes acting as one filled Yang's vision, fading to reveal Mike wearing a long white two-tailed cloak with gold trim over his standard green suit while Cameron's armor was gone and his star-shaped visor was replaced with a wing-like design.

Jayden inserted a red disc with shark designs into his sword and Brody swapped out his morpher for a blazing-red bracelet. The two Red Rangers synchronously spun up their respective gear…

"SHARK ATTACK MODE!"

"LION FIRE, NINJA SPIN!"

The spinning discs materialized into a flash of red light that coated the Rangers' forms, decorating them in new animal-themed looks: a long-tailed red cloak and a shark-styled sword for Jayden, and red samurai-esque armor with a lion on the helmet for Brody.

"SHARK ATTACK MODE, READY!"

"OUT OF THE FIRE AND INTO THE FIGHT! LION FIRE RED!"

"INFERNO MODE!" Yang pounded her fists together, causing her body to burst into yellow flames. "Time to evict this Geist from its rock condo!" She blasted for the monster's legs and began wailing on them with powerful explosive punches, but the Geist had no time to intercept the Yellow Ranger thanks to the others all rushing the golem. Jayden lashed out with his shark sword, the weapon stretching insane lengths to bite and rip chunks out of its rocky arm while Mike and Cam carved green gashes into the Petra Gigas' bulky chest with supercharged strikes and slashes. The Samurai Rangers aided Jayden in an assault on the monster's left arm and the Ninja Steel Rangers went for the right arm, vines and chains from their weapons keeping the limb pinned.

Shane shot skyward and landed atop the Geist's head while Dustin and Tori ran up the arms to join him in striking and attacking the monster's one-eyed face. The gargantuan golem groaned and moaned, swinging its limbs in desperate attempts to dislodge the colored pests assailing it. The three Wind Rangers quickly went from attacking to struggling to hold on as the Geist tried throwing them off.

"Rrrrgh!" Dustin growled. "This is why most rocks are supposed to stay still-!"

"We gotta keep it unbalanced!" Yang called out, one of her haymakers shattering the Petra Gigas' knee. "Come on, team! Break this baby down already!"

"I've got the firepower right here!" Brody shouted. "LION FIRE RAPID BLAST!" Devastating fireballs shot from his morpher and smashed into the monster's chest with meteoric impacts, weakening it further. Everyone else struck hard and fast, giving the golem everything. The golem's eyes began to glow a bright violet again, but Shane plunged his blade directly into the light before it could fire another laser beam, forcing a howl of pain from the monster. "Sorry, pal! Laser show's canceled!"

"This is it! Yang, on me!" The Yellow Ranger hurried to Brody's side and locked eyes with him. "Go for the head on three! Ready?"

"Always!"

"Okay! One… two… THREE!" They both shot forward while the three Wind Rangers somersaulted off the Petra Gigas' head, the blinded Grimm unaware of the duo's approach until it was too late.

"LION FIRE PUNCH!"

"RRRAAAAAHHH!"

The pair landed a hard punch equivalent to twenty tank shells, the force blasting the Petra Gigas' head clean off. The golem's body crumbled apart and the purple veins covering the rocks went out like lights. A black spiritual form arose from the Petra Gigas' head that smashed into pebbles against the ground; visible bone-like spikes and ribs covered its midsection. Long, skeletal forearms drooped by its sides and its body lacked a lower half, trailing black smoke from where one should be. The Geist shot its eye around the landscape, searching for something else to inhabit and continue the fight.

"DRAGON PUNCH!" Yang roared, siccing her yellow dragon construct at the phantom with an outstretched arm. The beast bellowed as it quickly closed in on the helpless Geist, snapping its jaws around the ghoul before swallowing the Grimm down its throat… where it slowly and agonizingly dissolved within the dragon's gullet before the spiritual creature faded away.

"Heavy hitters off the board!" Kevin called, turning his Hydro Bow on the remaining Grimm. "Now, to mop up the rest of these-"

AAAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!

Everyone yelped and covered their ears, a horrible and terrifying screech splitting the air around them. The shriek drowned out Yang's own cry, and her eardrums were nearly bursting. Then, the awful noise finally faded, replaced by everybody's groans. Sarah was the first to speak. "Wha… what was that?! Who in their right mind would be out here now?!"

"Can we still help them?!" Mia shouted. "Or are they…"

"Hold up," Yang muttered as she felt a chill in the air. "That… that did not sound human. At all." The Yellow Ranger scanned the nearby Grimm, who made no move to attack and only eyed the Rangers with evil orbs glowing bright purple. Several parted and made way for something Yang could already hear approaching, ominous footprints matching her heartbeat and blending the two sounds.

And when Yang finally saw what was coming… her body went still.

Claw-shaped forelegs, two rear hooves that withered and drained the life from the grass with each step, and curved rib bones covered an equine body while nostrils snorted smoke and everything should have been red and orange with sheer evil pulsed purple. Something tall and limp rested on its back until the creature stopped, allowing that thing to rise like a puppet pulled by strings limply. Long curved horns jutted out from its head, violet light glowed from behind a mouth that appeared sewn shut, sharp spikes jutted down its back, and two long arms with two clawed fingers hung at its sides.

Yang's breath hitched in her throat. "No…"

She and Ruby had heard terrible stories about this nightmare, a nightmare she refused to believe could ever be real. Legends said it was responsible for the destruction of at least three Mistrali villages, leaving death and decay in its wake. Any survivors would remain forever haunted by its soulless shrieks.

The Black Rider. The Ghost That Eats. The Ruler of the Dead.

The Nuckelavee.

"Yeah, that… that's not nightmare fuel or anything," Emily mumbled, although Yang heard her shudder from the demon's spasmodic and twitching movements.

"Um… isn't the Headless Horseman not supposed to have a head?" Calvin asked. Yang had to commend his sense of humor for being intact in a terrifying situation, which made her feel slightly better. Dustin chuckled and brought his hammer from over his shoulder. "Yeah… why don't we go ahead and fix that?"

The boys charged with the speed of the wind, leaving Yang and Emily in their dust as the girls cried out to no avail. Calvin and Dustin shot for the messenger of death with weapons held high, but the creature's arms shot out with frightening speed and snagged them both by the throats, smashing them against each other before slamming them into the ground. A dark and phantasmal neigh alerted the boys to the monster's horse half rearing up, clawed forelegs raised high.

"YOW!" Calvin flipped away, and Dustin vanished underground, avoiding a gruesome fate from the deadly limbs. Landing and re-emerging near the rest of their teams, they stood with the other Rangers, who formed a defensive line, placing themselves between the devil and the academy. Yang took a deep breath at the forefront and steadied herself, tightening her fists.

"Okay, freak," she growled. "Let's do this."

Blake couldn't do this.

She couldn't harm others. Not when the White Fang demanded it from her, and certainly not now, even as they converged on her like violent mobs at the many rallies she had attended since childhood. The Rangers were figuratively powerless against the enraged and furious people who showed no hesitation or mercy, forcing them to retreat to higher ground or escape from those bewitched by the freaky humanoid-looking Grimm.

Perched atop a streetlight while entranced people futilely swung and swiped at her with fists and improvised weapons, Blake dug deep into her mind in a desperate search for answers. When in her life had she heard of a monster such as this? Had she stumbled upon a dark and ominous tale that could at least give her clues about what this Grimm was or how to defeat it? Taking it head-on was suicide… as referenced by the emerald-adorned figure among the maddened masses.

Hold on. One of the Rangers wasn't running. Blake ignored the pounding of objects striking the metal pole as she noticed Rocky standing in the middle of the street, staring down Park with his hood and mask down. "Adam… do not make me do this. If I have to beat whatever this is out of you, I will."

Park's only reply was a feral growl, his now-violet eyes burning with fury. Rocky scowled in response… and rolled up his sleeves, exposing two wrist devices he quickly interlocked together.

"IT'S MORPHIN' TIME! ZEO RANGER THREE: BLUE!"

One flash of sapphire light later, Rocky was covered in a blue suit with a triangular visor, his body in a tight defensive stance. The numerous civilians growled and hissed venomously at the new Blue Ranger… but Adam held out an arm in a silent signal and they proceeded to back away. The man rolled his head around his shoulders before baring his teeth, donning his helmet, and sprinting toward his former friend and teammate.

Rocky met Adam's swift punches with perfectly-timed blocks and parries, leaning back from a high kick before countering with one that would have knocked the Green Ranger down if he didn't immediately rebound and launched himself airborne. Rocky rolled away from the following slam, but he wasn't prepared for a jade-charged fist to connect with his face and send the Blue Ranger careening into a wall. The structure cracked upon impact, and Rocky slumped to the ground, moaning. Only the sound of Adam's charging footsteps snapped him out of his daze.

"ZEO THREE SPINNING POWER PUNCH!" Rocky shot forward while spinning into a ball, building power to land a devastating double-fisted blow to the entranced Green Ranger's chest. The hit floored him against the road, leaving Rocky standing over him. "Come on, Adam. Stay down!"

WHAM! A foot to the face was the Green Ranger's only response and Adam vaulted back up, drawing a pair of green hatchets. Rocky equipped a pair of blue triangular tonfas and braced himself for Adam's next charge, their weapons connecting and scraping against each other. Blake chose not to intervene - hopeful that Rocky could handle this - and bounded to a rooftop before running along it, keeping her eyes peeled for the other Rangers.

She found Aisha first, her mask and hood down, and her shocked expression was in the open air. "This is insane… Blake, please tell me you have something."

The Black Ranger's helmet flashed away, revealing equally worried amber eyes. "I-I'm sorry… I've never seen a Grimm like that. I'm unsure if what it did to those people was a natural ability or something it got from the Grid."

"If we're going to snap them out of it, we need to take it out," Aisha explained. "But…" She said no more, but Blake understood nonetheless—the eyes. One look into them, and they would fall under its control, just like Park. The only strategy Blake could think of was…

…if the creature was snuck up on.

Her eyes narrowed. "I can take care of it."

Aisha blinked. "Are… are you sure?"

"Yes. Just keep it distracted. When Tommy and whoever he brings with him arrive, they need to handle the civilians. Keep them contained and unharmed."

"I… we'll see what we can do," Aisha answered. "Good luck, Blake. And may the Power prot-"

KRSHOOM! The Black and Yellow Rangers jolted when a beam struck the roof behind them, turning to meet the man stepping out. Blake had enough time to recognize Tommy Oliver's older visage… but she didn't recognize the disheartened look on his face and the dullness of his eyes.

A confused Aisha stepped forward. "Tommy? Wha… where are the others?"

The older man gave her an apologetic stare. "There are no others."

Blake fought to suppress rising worry. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"Something about the Grimm has changed," Tommy explained. "They're not targeting civilians anymore… they're targeting us. Rangers. Nobody knows why so far."

"That's not true," Blake countered, quickly putting the pieces together. "When I arrived here, the Grimm were ignoring the locals. They were ignoring me, too… until I morphed. And before I do, they showed interest in only one thing: my Power Coin."

"Your Coin?" Tommy repeated in shock. "Oh no… we may have just stepped on another rung in the crisis ladder."

"If the Grimm are going after Rangers - after morphers - then none of us are safe," Aisha added. "We must take care of this fast and warn the others."

"I couldn't find any others," Tommy told her. "Everyone near my location fell under attack and I only managed to escape thanks to teleporting here. I'm sorry to say this… but we're alone here."

Blake scowled and clenched her fists, glaring at the Grimm, who was human in appearance and nothing else. "No, we're not," She growled as she lifted her communicator to her face. "Blake to all RWBY Rangers! If anyone's available, I need you at my coordinates! If you aren't, take care of your business and get here as soon as possible!"

She cut the transmission and stared at the entranced crowd while Aisha and Tommy hurried to devise a plan. Rocky continued to hold Adam back, and the Bradley brothers looked between the angry mob and themselves. Blake was usually the type to go solo and get things done alone, so it was a shock to even herself that she would suggest the whole team handle this problem, kill the Grimm, and return these people to their rightful minds.

It was the only thing she could think of… and Blake prayed that her last option would be enough.

"Maybe he doesn't have good service out here. That's all I'm saying. It's a jungle, for crying out loud!"

"Ollie, we've been calling him for thirty minutes. We can't wait anymore!"

"Gia's right. Something has to have happened on his end. Do you even know who we're talking about here?"

Tyler brushed a large leaf out of his path and urged the small team onward, which consisted of himself, Gia, Ollie, Kimberly, and Danny. The veteran Pink Ranger nodded in agreement. "Ninjor is one of our oldest and most trusted allies, held in high regard by Zordon himself. Ignoring us would be the last thing he would do."

"Yeah, thanks for that," Ollie muttered. "But are you sure we're even going in the right direction?"

"As someone whose headquarters is also an ancient temple in the middle of a jungle," Danny replied. "I think we'll see the signs. An unnatural cave opening, perhaps. Or maybe a symbol like a lightning bolt carved into a rock… wait, no, that'd be too obvious."

"Billy's intel has never led us astray before," Kimberly reassured. "Don't fret. Ninjor's lair should be just ahead. We'll know it when we see it, trust me."

Tyler suddenly stopped ahead, his body going dead still. Everyone else also paused, all eyes on the Red Ranger until Gia spoke up. "Ty? What is it?"

The young man's face turned back, confusion and worry in his eyes. "Does… does anyone else smell smoke?" Sure enough, a burning scent filled the team's nostrils, sufficient to send their bodies into a full sprint. They charged through the jungle until they broke through the treeline, hurting towards a waterfall with a cave entrance that had dark smoke pouring into the open air. The five humans all hurried into the blackened cloud…

"IT'S MORPHIN' TIME!" Colored light broke through the black, and they re-emerged in their respective Ranger suits, arriving in a chaotic, devastated temple interior with raging flames and shattered stone around them. Flames covered the walls, pillars lay broken and busted, and even statues depicting Rangers in various heroic and battle-ready poses were ruined with either holes blasted through them or heads and limbs missing. One such statue was completely demolished, leaving only the legs behind. Artifacts and forging equipment lay scattered or in pieces, and crumbling rocks collapsed from the ceiling.

"My god…" breathed Kimberly.

"NINJOR?!" Gia called out, flinching when something exploded off to the side. "NINJOR! ARE YOU IN HERE?!"

"NINJOR, WHERE ARE YOU?!" Tyler roared, his head whipping around the scene. "Does anyone see him?! Spread out, we gotta find him!"

"What the heck could have done this?!" Ollie yelled in shock as he vaulted over a fallen pillar. Danny shook his head. "Don't know! But this place isn't gonna stick around for much longer… which means we shouldn't stick around either!" Kimberly hopped atop a fallen pillar and traversed up its toppled length, her breaths echoing in her helmet as she scanned the scene as best as she could… until slight movement near a distant corner caught her attention.

"Guys, over there!" She somersaulted off and hurried over with everyone else on her heels, sliding and hopping over debris as they went. Gia hurried over to a fallen pillar and nearly went white with fear when she saw a metallic blue arm sprawled underneath the column. "DANNY! Help me with this!" The Yellow and Black Rangers grabbed both sides of the column and grunted in effort, lifting the massive pillar and tossing it aside.

Every Ranger froze at what they saw beneath the pillar: a beaten, battered, and broken Ninjor covered in burns and slash marks that gouged deep wounds into his blue armor. One such mark cut across the N symbol on his chest and his right arm had been cleanly cut off at the shoulder, exposing scorched circuits and spark-sputtering wires. His head's movements were weak, and weary groans wheezed from his being even as a horrified Kimberly cradled him in her arms. Everyone's helmets vanished, revealing fear-stricken faces and panicked expressions.

"Ninjor… no! No, please, stay with us!"

"Ninjor, what happened here?!" Tyler stammered. "Who did this to you?!"

Another moan answered him, accompanied by weak words that the crackling and roaring fires threatened to drown out. Everyone had to lean in closer to hear their wounded ally's words properly.

"It's… g-gone…"

A confused Ollie shook his head. "What? Wh-what's gone?"

"Sh… she… sh-she… t-took… it…"

"Ninjor, you're not making any sense!" Gia exclaimed. "Who was here?! And what did they take?!"

Ninjor slowly raised his remaining arm and pointed towards the nearby wall with a shaky finger. All eyes turned to the far wall, which housed glimmering golden Power Coins stretching along the wall, some fallen from their displays or shifted out of alignment. Nothing looked out of the ordinary… until Tyler directed everyone's attention to a small black box lying on the floor, broken open with whatever it held within missing. Danny turned back to Ninjor with bewilderment in his eyes. "Ninjor, we don't… what was-"

An ominous crumbling from above cut him off, prompting everyone to look up in horror… where several chunks of the stone ceiling fell right for the group!

"SHIELD KEY!" Ollie shouted, dashing in with a turtle-like gauntlet on his wrist that took the brunt of the boulders. Gia and Kimberly shot down more with their respective blaster and bows while Danny carefully scooped up Ninjor's badly damaged body. "Hang on, buddy… just hang on!"

"Alpha?! Alpha, do you read?" Tyler shouted into his communicator. "We got him! But this place is coming apart! Lock onto our coordinates and GET US OUT OF HERE!"

"AYE-YI-YI-YI-YI! HOLD ON, RANGERS!"

The Rangers all vanished in bright streaks of light that shot out of the cave… just as a roaring torrent of explosions ripped through the lair and demolished everything inside in a fiery blaze, leaving the rest buried and crushed under massive amounts of rubble.

A black hand struck Yang out of the air and she fell facefirst into the ground, groaning in frustration rather than pain as she struggled to pick herself up. The Yellow Ranger shook her head, calls and yells from her allies mixing with the nightmarish screeches and shrieks from the terrifying and real Nuckelavee. Nothing in the many stories about the Grimm gave Yang even the slightest hint on how to fight or defeat it: the best she could recall was that none had gone up against the demon and survived.

"Come on, Yang…" she growled. "It's not that complicated… just hit the damn thing until it dies. Easy, right?"

A look back at the black beast told her otherwise. Despite its frail appearance, the monster was shrugging off blaster shots and blade strikes that left no lasting wounds or injuries on its composite form. It was also superhumanly fast, able to intercept any attacking Rangers with frightening speed and strike at them before they knew what was coming. A single sweep of its elongated arm swatted away Sarah and Mia while a strong kick from both rear hooves knocked Antonio and Levi almost a mile away.

"It's… just… too… fast!" Hayley breathed out as she dodged, twirled, and leaped over every shadowy arm that lunged at her and her friends. Tori slid underneath one extension and Preston backflipped away, trading his ninja sword for… a wand?

"FREEZE!" He shouted, blasting the Nuckelavee with magical sapphire sparkles that made the Grimm halt in place. Its face was frozen in an ominous moan and its sharp fingers were an inch away from Mike's face, leaving the Green Ranger fighting for breath. Kevin drew back his bow. "Nice, Preston! We finally have a shot at-"

SKREEEEEE! The Nuckelavee burst back into motion, striking Kevin aside and sending Mike flying. Everyone else gasped in horror and Preston staggered back. "WHAT?! How did- that's not-!"

"Plan B! Plan-GAH!" Brody dove aside as the Nuckelavee thundered past, charging through the Rangers and stampeding for the Academy gates. Jayden tried to swing at the beast, but his shark sword snapped through solid air. "Rgh! No! It's headed for the school!"

"Not on my watch!" Yang growled, breaking into a frantic charge while Brody tried blasting more fireballs, his shots falling short from the increasing range. The nightmare was gaining distance, its thundering hooves propelling it further from Yang while its soul-chilling howls brought Grimm to its side. The Yellow Ranger's frustration grew; she'd never be able to catch it on foot…

She had to fight the urge to stop once the realization struck her. It was too fast for her to catch on foot… and Yang pressed down on her communicator with a gleeful grin beneath her helmet before flipping into the air.

KRA-KOOM! A bright beam charged with yellow electricity struck the earth, the crackling lightning giving way to a roaring engine. Yang plopped into the awaiting seat, gripped the controls, and shot across the valley atop a sleek yellow motorcycle adorned with a dragon decal on the front. Orange fires blasted from the decal's mouth and the exhaust pipes, its bellow rivaling the elated yell of its driver.

"YEEEE-HAAAA! THANK YOU, SUMMER LANDSDOWN!" Yang blasted toward the Nuckelavee at top speed, which rotated its torso entirely backward with its eyes and open mouth an ominous violet. Yang flicked a switch on the handlebars, which caused the bike's tires to ignite in a burning yellow blaze before she took the bike into a deep drift, creating a wall of sunny flames between the black beast and the monastery's gates. Once she was finished, her vehicle screeched to a halt in front of the Nuckelavee and the Yellow Ranger's helmet faded away. She wanted the monster to get a good look at the cocky and smug smile underneath while she gave it a daring look from her lilac eyes.

The monsters' heads hissed venomously and the Grimm dragged its clawed foreleg through the ground, their growls matching the rising rumble of Yang's engine. Four pairs of violet eyes stared into a single pair of purple orbs, neither human nor monster breaking contact as they stared each other down. Smoke billowed from the horse's nostrils and the dragon decal on the motorcycle glared as ferociously as its rider, the yellow flames burning bright behind her. The beast slowly opened its malicious maw. Yang tightened her grip on the handlebars…

The Nuckelavee screeched and the motorcycle roared simultaneously, breaking out at top speed and racing for one another. The Nuckelavee stretched out its arms, its clawed fingers opening wide and ready to snatch Yang like a closet monster hoping to grab an unsuspecting child. The Yellow Ranger pressed another button on the dashboard, prompting the bike's side panels to open up and release a volley of missiles at the monster. The projectiles ignited and detonated on contact, leaving the spindly arms to flail about as the burning and shrieking monster was caught alight. Yang shot past the Grimm and sharply turned, racing for the Grimm as its horse half galloped away with a haunting neigh.

"Aw, dude!" Dustin gasped. "She's got some sick skills!"

"Whoa-ho-ho!" Calvin whooped. "Now that's what I call a hot ride!" He slapped Dustin on the shoulder. "C'mon, fellow Yellows, let's help our lady out!"

"Cal, are you sure?" Emily hesitated. "What about-"

"We'll catch up!" Shane cut in as he kicked down a Beowolf. "Once we thin these numbers a little! Just do what you can and keep that thing busy!" Calvin pumped his fist in anticipation before taking out another Power Star with a red center. "Oh yeah! MEGA MORPH CYCLE STAR, REV UP!" He threw the Star before himself, which materialized into another motorcycle in a shower of yellow sparkles.

"SUMMON TSUNAMI CYCLE!" Dustin roared, calling down a third motorcycle decorated with yellow lightning bolts. Both boys mounted their vehicles and revved their engines while Calvin turned to Emily. "Please tell me you Samurai guys have some, too!"

"Nah," Emily answered as she readied her Samuraizer. "We prefer the old-fashioned way! SYMBOL POWER: WAR HORSE!" Emily leaped skyward and swiftly flicked her device, creating a yellow symbol that materialized into a neighing dark-coated horse donned with yellow reins. She landed in the saddle and drew her sword, the metal ringing as it glinted in the sunlight. "Let's ride, boys!"

"YAAAHOOO!" Calvin and Dustin cheered as they took off at full throttle, their wheels kicking up dust behind them. With a snap of the reins and a sharp cry, Emily urged her horse onward… but not before she heard a call from one of her teammates. "Heads up, Em! You're gonna need this!" Mike detached the Black Box from his Spin Sword - powering down from his Super Samurai state - and tossed it to Emily, who caught the talisman and attached it to her own.

"Thanks, Mike! HEE-YAH!" Her horse and the two biker boys charged for the wailing Nuckelavee, which was trying and failing to knock Yang off her cycle or stop the vehicle in its tracks. Yang was driving circles around the Nuckelavee, peppering it with yellow lasers from blaster cannons built into the bike's front, and kept a considerable distance away from those stretchy arms. And whenever the monster tried to flee, she would pursue and stay hot on its heels. The Nuckelavee spun with another shriek and Yang slid directly underneath the beast, firing an explosive gauntlet blast into its underside and earning a unified howl of pain from both heads while she slid to a stop.

"Ya like that, freakshow?! Or is Sunburn too hot for ya?!" The Nuckelavee twitched and moaned again, holding out its arms while its horse half snorted and stomped towards Yang…

"PLASMA BLAST!"

"LASER!"

More yellow bolts slammed the monster in a shower of sparks, causing the upper body to whirl around and howl at two more bikes racing its way. A perplexed and surprised expression crossed Yang's face when she saw Dustin and Calvin on fast approach, with Emily right behind them on a horse. Dustin slid low under a reaching arm and smashed his hammer against the Nuckelavee's knee, making the horse half stagger while Dustin leaped from his bike and cracked the upper body's jaw with a foot before perfectly landing back on his bike and speeding away. Both heads whirled around and screeched, the Nuckelavee quickly giving chase.

"SUPER SAMURAI MODE!" Emily cried, vaulting off her war horse and donning the same white long-tailed coat that Yang had seen Mike previously wearing. The Yellow Samurai Ranger landed on the Nuckelavee's back with her Spin Sword drawn, swatting and slashing at the arms that tried to block, deflect, and swipe at her. The young woman leaned away from the limbs and cut at the upper body's torso, vaulting behind it when both arms tried to grab her. Yang watched with amazed eyes as Emily plunged her sword through the Nuckelavee's back with a cry, but the screeching imp swung around at breakneck speed and smashed her fellow Yellow Ranger to the ground.

"Argh…" she moaned, her helmet flashing away as her horse approached and Yang drove up to her side. "That thing's tougher than it looks… you sure you don't have any ideas, Yang?"

"Um…" Yang's eyes surveyed the Nuckelavee as Calvin and Dustin drove circles around it, their blaster shots doing little more than annoying the monster. She paused once she noticed the spot where the upper body connected to the horse… and stared at her own fist. "Can you three keep it busy? I think I have one."

"You got it! We'll-"

"GAAAAH!" Dustin cried out as the beast's rear hoof smashed into his Tsunami Cycle, sending both Ranger and vehicle tumbling to the ground. Calvin immediately slammed on the brakes and took off in the other direction, continuing to fire shots at the charging and screeching Nuckelavee that pursued him relentlessly. Emily sighed as she rose and pulled out a buckle, opening it to reveal a samurai mask and helmet.

"Been a while since any of us used this on the ground," she muttered before meeting Yang with a confident glare. "Do what you need to do… but don't take too long." Once Yang nodded in agreement, Emily inserted a disc into the buckle, attached it to her Spin Sword, and gave the disc a hard spin.

"SHOGUN MODE! POWER OF THE ANCESTORS!"

Beams of light streaked from the disc, touching all over from Emily's head and her shoulders to her midsection and legs. Once the beams faded with a bright flash, Yang had to keep her jaw from hitting the ground as she saw Emily adorned in traditional samurai-like armor, symbol-styled shoulder pads, the same symbol covering her chest, and her personal symbol acting as a crown atop her helmet.

"We'll buy you some time," Emily stated, slinging herself into her horse's saddle and snapping Yang out of her daze. "Uh, r-right! Sure! Sweet outfit, by the way!" Yang stammered before driving off, leaving Emily to gallop towards the Nuckelavee. Calvin was driving for the monster again as it charged for him, one hand gripping his frog-modeled blaster with a Power Star attached to the back. When the Nuckelavee was close enough, Calvin sharply turned and fired the blaster at the monster's front leg.

"NINJA BLASTER WHIPLASH!" He cried as a long laser beam attached to the foreleg. Calvin picked up speed and drove around the confused Grimm, riding in a full circle to wrap the light trail around the rest of the monster's legs. The horse half whined and struggled against the bonds, prompting Calvin to circle around a few more times to entangle it completely. The wailing horse collapsed in seconds and slowly lifted its snorting head…

BAM! Dustin's Lion Hammer smashed it back into the ground. "Time to break this stupid horse!"

"And that freaky demon rider! HIYAH!" Emily shot off her horse and slashed the Nuckelavee's upper body across the chest, leaving a prominent scar that added to its impalement wound. The Nuckelavee struggled against its restraints and swiped at the assailing Yellow Rangers, unaware of Yang driving away…

…until she turned Sunburn around and took a deep breath. With fire in her eyes, she equipped her helmet and revved the engine before taking off at high speeds, jamming the accelerator as hard as possible. Her motorcycle roared louder than a dragon and even drowned out Yang's rising scream of rage as she charged up all of her power. Her fist pounded another button on the dashboard, causing the entire motorcycle to burst into yellow-orange flames and tear through the valley at comet speeds, blazing past Grimm incinerated by the bike's blowback. Dustin, Calvin, and Emily bailed once they noticed her approaching, giving Yang a clear shot as she used her body weight to pull the bike airborne…

…and ram it into the Nuckelavee's form where its upper body connected with its horse half, throwing in a mighty explosive punch for good measure. True to Yang's belief, the impact was strong enough to completely tear the two halves apart, replacing her roar of rage with a pained and agonized screech. Yang hit the ground rolling while her bike landed upright, a self-guided autopilot system taking over as Sunburn drifted to a complete stop with smoking tires. As for the panting Yellow Ranger, she turned to what remained of the Nuckelavee, ready to see the wailing horse half with a smoking and bleeding back.

The Grimm horse stood alone, surrounded by Yang and her fellow Yellow Rangers. Emily's war horse snorted at its shadowy and monstrous relative while the trio appeared slightly bewildered. Yang couldn't blame them: only someone as badass as her could think of a crazy plan like that and make it work! She retracted her helmet and laughed while spreading out her arms victoriously.

"Thank you! Thank you, you're all too -GLK!"

Something seized Yang by the throat and hurled her into the air, slamming her into the dirt and knocking the air from her lungs. Yang's world became blurry as she slowly lifted her head from the dirt. The first thing she saw made her look higher, then higher still… until all the color drained from her face.

Standing above her was the Nuckelavee's upper body… now with a complete lower body with legs just as long and spindly as its arms. It was staring down at Yang with a sneering, soulless expression, its head occasionally twitching erratically, all while the Yellow Ranger was filled to the brim with horror.

"No… no, that's not possible! I-It shouldn't be-!" She was cut off by the shadowy hand grabbing her throat again and lifting the blonde to its face, hissing ominously and opening its purple maw… before a distant call and blaster bolts fading into its black flesh redirected its attention. The monster hurled Yang directly at the approaching Rangers, with a quick gust from Mia placing Yang back on her feet.

"So! Got a Plan B?!" Hayley asked somewhat sarcastically. For once in her life, Yang was at a loss for words. The Nuckelavee wasn't supposed to be alive right now, and Yang wanted to curse the Morphin Grid for unwillingly giving this demon the ability to live on separate halves. She could only look between the humanoid demon and the equine monster in shock and disbelief, unsure what to do next.

"We're not through yet!" Shane called out, clenching his fist before charging at the Nuckelavee's humanoid half. "You and me, creep! Come on!" The devil answered the Red Ranger's challenge with a screeching howl before scrambling forward on all fours. Shane shot skyward with his sword drawn, aiming to land a solid and clean strike into the monster's skull…

"GYYYAAAAARRRRGGGH!" Shane cried out in pain and suddenly dropped from the air, landing hard on the ground in a shower of sparks spurting from his body. The groaning Wind Ranger's attempts to stand failed him, much to the confusion of Yang and the other Rangers. Yang narrowed her eyes and tried getting a closer look… and what she saw unnerved her further.

Shane's Ranger suit was flickering in and out of existence, red light and sparks bleeding from wound-like cracks spreading across his body. The older man was screaming in agony, unable to do anything but writhe and squirm as he could not rise higher than a kneeling position before doubling over.

"SHANE!" Cameron, Dustin, and Tori hurried over to their friend in a panicked hurry. Yang thought of following them lest the Nuckelavee use the opportunity to attack. But when she turned to both the humanoid and horse halves… the Yellow Ranger was confused to see them both smirking and grinning maliciously like a torturer relishing the pain they inflicted on a poor, helpless victim.

"What… what's happening to him?!"

"His morph," muttered Brody. "Something's wrong with his-!"

"GYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Shane released one final cry before his body burst into a crimson explosion of light, red sparks fading into nothingness before he slumped to the ground in a dazed heap. Dustin cried out in shock while Tori frantically shook her friend's shoulders. "Shane?! Shane, what… are you okay?!"

Exhausted breaths were all that left him. "Urgh… I… I don't… what just…"

Dustin gulped when he turned his eyes back to the demonic pair before them. "Dude, we need you back in. Like now. Judging Yang's reaction, I think that thing is not supposed to be like that."

"All the more reason that monsters should not have powers like these," Cam added. Shane grunted as Tori and Dustin helped him up, glaring at the Grimm with steadfast eyes. "This one won't pull that trick for much longer…" Shane growled before his friends backed away, and he moved his arms once again in their fluid motion.

"NINJA STORM! RANGER FORM! HA!"

He jabbed his arm outward and spun the tiny disc on his morpher, waiting for the energy to rush outward and suit him back up. The disc spun for a little while longer… until it slowed and stopped with not even the slightest trace of red energy. A baffled Shane glanced at his arm in confusion, his friends bearing similar expressions.

"Wh… what? Why… NINJA STORM! RANGER FORM! HA!"

Shane spun the small disc again… only for it to slow and stop again. Everyone stood still in shock and horror, realizing that Shane's morpher was acting like a useless toy instead of a power-granting device. When the older man looked up, Yang saw a mixture of concern, confusion, and fear on his face.

And the humanoid half of the Nuckelavee grinned wider.

AAAAAIIIIIEEEEEEEE!

"GYYYAAAAAAAAH!" Yang's scream was one of many as the air around her rippled and distorted, sending shockwaves that washed over the blonde. But it wasn't the volume that made her cry out; it was her yellow suit fizzling and sparking just as Shane's did. Her suit flickered and spasmed in and out of sight like a dying lightbulb, the energies fighting to stay intact as Yang felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside out. She lost all feeling in her arms and legs and her nerves were on fire, torturing Yang with the most excruciating physical pain her body had ever experienced: a pain that not even her Semblance could have entirely absorbed had she still possessed it.

Yang resisted. She fought as she always did, barely hearing the screams of her fellow Rangers as they, too, succumbed to their suits' strange afflictions. It was a struggle to keep her eyes open, her ears on the verge of bleeding from that horrible screech…

Her lilac eyes shot wide open when she saw them rushing past, answering the Nuckelavee's call.

Dozens of Grimm, many more than the numbers Yang and the others had taken down, charged and swarmed past her and the Rangers… who were utterly helpless to intervene, much to Yang's denial and horror. She tried to move, tried to throw a punch, tried to do something, but it was too much. It was too much, and she crumpled onto all fours as the yellow light spasmed and wavered so fast that Yang was close to becoming blind. Yang could do nothing: nothing to stop the Grimm like a boulder attempting to block a raging wave, nothing to delay them by any means…

…and nothing to stop the Nuckelavee from bashing down the Wind Ninja Academy's wall with its glowing curved horns, blowing a hole in the barrier. Another terrifying screech rallied the creatures of darkness and raised its fist, leaping astride the horse and sinking into its being as two became one again. The only thing Yang had the strength to do was hold out an arm as the Grimm poured and flooded into the school.

"N… noooooo…"

The flickering finally ceased when the awful screeches halted, allowing Yang the sweet mercy of breathing again. The last Grimm darted inside by the time she got to her feet, subjecting Yang's ears to the horrific sounds of snarling mixed with bloodcurdling screams and dying gurgles, all while the other Rangers were horrified beyond belief.

"No! NO!" Tori shrieked while Dustin's hands were on his head. Shane had fallen to his knees, his gaze torn between the school and his morpher. Screams rang through ears and souls while the Nuckelavee turned around, both faces sadistically grinning at the Rangers… before reaching up to the wall with both hands and ripping it down, barricading the hole with debris and sealing the Rangers outside.

The haunting screams left everyone afraid as smoke rose from the Academy grounds. Griffons and Manticores periodically strafed through the air, diving out of sight once they spied potential victims. Shane, Dustin, Tori, and Cam were visibly shaken with tears in their eyes. The Samurai Rangers were silent and pale, but Jayden's fists were clenched and his eyes were burning with anger. The Ninja Steel Rangers couldn't bear to watch or listen, pain written over their features.

And Yang was the one thing she swore she would never be again.

The screams were lodged in her mind and she couldn't bear to imagine what the other side of the wall looked like. The students who were being slaughtered, the masters who were trying and failing to protect them… a dark thought crossed Yang's mind and - for a brief moment - it was a Huntsman Academy under siege. The blonde shook her head to clear the ghastly image, her eyes stinging with tears.

Nobody spoke. The only sounds were the roaring, the screams, and the faint commands to fall back and retreat into the catacombs. Yang could barely meet her allies' gaze. It was a stupid choice; everyone knew it wasn't her fault, right? But their eyes weren't on Yang; they were all on Shane and his morpher as he stared worriedly at it. He spun the device a few more times, but nothing happened.

"What…" Brody whispered. "What do we do now?"

"There's nothing we can do," Shane begrudgingly whispered. "We failed. The Wind Ninja Academy is lost, that thing is leading the Grimm like a general, and… and now…"

Sarah approached the older man and took a closer look at his morpher. "I… I-I need to see what's wrong with this. And why it just… quit on you all of a sudden. Morphers don't just… do that. Do they?"

"Wha-what was up with that thing?" Mike sputtered. "Did its scream just try to short out our morphs?! No monster has ever been able to do that!"

"I…" Yang was at a loss for words. "This wasn't supposed to… it-it's not fair, they…" She sniffled and wiped her face with a frustrated huff. "Those stupid powers… we're supposed to be better than the Grimm! Th-they're pretty much cheating now, and if it's going to keep being like this-!"

"Yang," Jayden's stern voice kept her from saying more. "Warriors are not the ones who always win, but the ones who always fight. You should've known this by now, but these are no longer the monsters you know from your world."

"I… I know, but-"

"Yang…" Emily sorrowfully whispered. "Sometimes… bad things just happen. And there's nothing you can do about them. We lost… plain and simple."

"The best thing you can do is move on, even if that sounds hard," Calvin added. "You did all you could, just like us. Some fights…" He sighed before continuing. "Some fights you just can't win."

"And… this is just the first," Mia murmured. "Isn't it?"

No response came. Everyone knew. To say it aloud right here and now would feel like a bad omen, as if speaking such thoughts would summon the next great disaster right on top of them. Yang didn't know what to do or what to say, even as the faint growls and howls from over the wall replaced the bloodcurdling screams of agony. The Yellow Ranger swallowed it all down and took a step forward.

"You should go."

She froze at Jayden's words. "Wh-what? But you… you need-"

"You've done more than enough, Yang. But this has gotten bigger. That Grimm didn't attack us; it attacked our morph signatures. I don't know what that means, but it could be disastrous in the long run. Especially with what happened to Shane."

"We'll try to work that out with the others," Brody promised her. "Sarah, find a place to take him and see what's up. And Jay… do you want us to stick around? We-"

"Yang's not the only one who's done more than enough," Shane explained through ragged breaths. "Tori… Dustin… Cam… get to the catacombs. Fill me in on survivors… and get them out someplace safe." There was a long sigh as he looked back at the breached academy and the rising smoke, complete with flying creatures perched on the monastery.

"Something tells me there's not gonna be much of those left."

"Alright…" Hayley whispered. "Back… back to business, then. Should we check Summer Cove?"

"Or the Shiba House?" Levi asked. "Please tell me your anti-evil barrier still works."

Yang had to suppress a rising worry when her thoughts flashed to her sister. With any luck, Ruby and the others hadn't yet encountered anything like the Nuckelavee. A quiet breath left her lips and she raised her communicator… which beeped before she could touch it. "Blake to all RWBY Rangers! If anyone's available, I need you at my coordinates! If you aren't, take care of your business and get here as soon as possible!"

"That's your cue," Emily said. "Get going, Yang… and may the Power protect you."

"May it protect all of us…" Cameron prayed. Yang wasn't much of a praying girl, but as she mounted Sunburn, dialed in Blake's coordinates, and drove off into the valley, she hoped the whole team would work to find a way past this barrier. It was a hope that traveled with Yang as the world around her was consumed in a yellow light…

And it died the second the light faded.

"WHOA!" Yang slammed on the brakes and her tires screeched in protest, the bike grinding to a halt in front of… people? Her helmet covered her face just in time, keeping herself from being seen by the crowd in the middle of the street. All of the civilians spun around in Yang's direction, who expected them to gasp in surprise and clear the way for her. Then, she would drive past, order them to find safety inside buildings and…

Weird… why were everyone's eyes purple?

Before Yang could think about that any longer, the crowd did the last thing she expected them to do and they rushed her with enraged screams and savage roars, forcing the Yellow Ranger to slam her bike into reverse. But she couldn't go far, as more people rounded a nearby corner to cut off her path. Yang had no choice but to dismount, abandoning her vehicle and running for it while part of the mob shoved Sunburn to the ground. Yang was surrounded in seconds by the one thing in this world that she could not hit under any circumstances, leaving her frozen for the second time that day.

"Stop! What are you… I'm a Power Ranger! One of the good guys!" The people slowly moved in, their violet eyes burning with a dark glow and their teeth bared in enraged snarls. Improvised weapons of all kinds rested in their hands and others were clenched into fists. Yang looked around for any escape but was cut off from all sides. She couldn't fight back against these people, whatever it was that had happened to them. Not only was it against the Rangers' code, but there was no such thing as Aura here: these citizens had nothing to protect themselves against Yang's explosive blasts, which could blow a single person to bits instead of knocking them away.

Dammit, dammit, dammit, what was she supposed to do now?!

"YANG! UP HERE!"

That familiar voice snapped Yang out of her daze and the Yellow Ranger leaped as high as she could, her powers propelling her through the air before she backflipped and landed on a roof. Her helmet flashed away as she exhaled a shaky breath and rose to her feet. She couldn't tear her wide eyes away from the crowd while speaking to the girl she already knew was standing beside her.

"Blake… what is this?! Wh-what's happened to them?!"

The Black Ranger pointed a clawed finger further down the road. "That happened." Yang turned to look and saw a Grimm who appeared freakier than the Nuckelavee: a humanoid-esque demon shuffling along the street while emitting deep, bone-chilling moans. Its eyes were glowing the same shade as those surrounding it, who stood silently like soldiers awaiting a command from their general. Yang was about to focus her attention on the Grimm when she felt a pair of hands grab her by the face and yank her away, leaving the blonde staring into pools of liquid gold.

"Whatever you do," Blake warned. "Don't look into its eyes. Whatever that Grimm is, it's been hypnotizing people."

"That's… creepy," Yang shuddered before her eyes wandered past Blake, where she saw a woman in yellow ninja garb and two men wearing similar crimson and navy-colored armor. "Whew. Good, some backup!"

"That's Aisha," Blake gestured to the woman who greeted Yang with a nod. "And the Bradley brothers, Hunter and… um, also Blake."

The man in question rubbed the back of his head once he caught Yang's perplexed expression. "Yeah, it was about as awkward as you could expect. Listen, we have a plan, but-" A beeping noise cut him off, drawing his attention to his morpher. "Go ahead."

"Blake… Hunter…"

Both men grew still, and the one who shared the Faunus' name lowered his voice in confusion and worry. "Tori? Uh… is something… what's going on?"

"It's…" Yang heard a sniffle on the other side. "Guys, it's bad. The school is… it's been breached. The Wind Ninja Academy has fallen."

"What?!" Hunter gasped. "No! Is everyone…"

"We… we lost a lot of students," Dustin said, dismayed. "Some masters, too. We're still looking for Sensei Watanabe, Mentor Ji, and Redbot. We can only hope they're safe…"

"But, guys," Cam continued. "Something happened to Shane. His morpher, it just… shorted out for some reason! And he can't power back up!"

"How is that-?!"

"We don't know," Tori answered Blake. "But we need you two here. Now. We… we need to get through this together." The two brothers shared a nervous, sorrowful look before Hunter turned to the two girls. "I-I'm so sorry, but we gotta-"

"Go," was all the Black Ranger told them before they vanished in a pair of dark blue and dark red beams sparkling with electricity. Yang glanced at Aisha, hopeful the older woman could be useful… but that hope sunk when she noticed Aisha sighing to herself. "Not you, too-!"

"I have to admit, I'm not of much help," Aisha admitted. "My ninja powers aren't very strong compared to other Ranger forms. And I used to have the Sabertooth Tiger Power Coin before it was passed down to Minh."

"So… you can't-"

"I can't help you beat that thing," Aisha finished for Blake. "But I can help you distract it and the people so Blake can take it out. Ninjas are masters of deception, after all."

"Oh, so we have a plan! Great!" Yang breathed in relief. "Now all we need are-"

KRA-KOOM! Two red and white beams of light struck the roof, vanishing quickly to reveal two Red and White Rangers who flashed their helmets away. Ruby was the first to greet her teammates.

"Hey, guys! Sorry for the holdup, I waaaaaAAAT IS THAT?!"

Weiss had jolted back with only a fraction of the shock Ruby possessed, the latter jabbing a finger at the Grimm and its followers below. Yang shook her head as she and Blake huddled up with them. "No idea, but it's got this freaky hypnosis trick and made these people attack Rangers! And there's no calming them down!"

"Unless we eliminate it," Blake continued. "But one look into its eyes and someone can get entranced before they can blink." Her amber eyes scanned the rooftop again. "Hold on, it's just you two? Where's everyone else?"

"Occupied, I bet," Weiss guessed. "So if we need to kill that Grimm without it seeing us-"

"Leave it to me," Blake declared as she gestured her head to the nearby woman. "You three and Aisha need to distract the people while I get into position."

Aisha's gaze turned elsewhere. "What about Adam?"

Ruby blinked. "What about who?"

An exploding wall gave Ruby her answer. Two Rangers in blue and white flew out from the dust cloud, the latter's saber dragging through the asphalt to bring him to a stop. The other one groaned and struggled to his feet while a third Ranger stormed out of the hole with twin hatchets in hand. The White Ranger stared down the Green Ranger, who was breathing heavily and shaking with rage.

"Alright… how about we do this on your level, Adam? ZEO RANGER FIVE: RED!" Tommy roared as he held out his morpher, the device bathing him in a red light. Once it faded, he donned a Red Ranger uniform with a star-shaped visor and a short sword, which he quickly used by blocking and deflecting the Green Ranger's strikes. The Blue Ranger hurried in with bladed triangular tonfas and the four girls were stunned as they watched the Green Ranger hold them both back with ease. Tommy backflipped away from a dual slash and braced himself.

"ZEO FIVE FLYING POWER KICK! AH-YAH!" He slammed his feet into Adam and knocked him clean into a wall, which the Blue Ranger smashed him through with a spinning strike.

"Okay, that's green, white, and red he's got?!" Weiss exclaimed. "How can one Ranger have that many colors?"

"What?" Aisha countered with a sly smirk. "You kids never heard of a Master Morpher before? You know, a morpher that lets Tommy access any of his previous powers whenever he wants?"

"Previous powers?" Ruby asked, still in awe at Tommy's Red Ranger mode. "How… how many does he have?" Aisha didn't answer and only stared knowingly at a perplexed Blake. "Uh… what are you-"

"Oh, let's just say that you'll be fond of what else he has in that thing," Aisha dismissed before clapping her hands together. "So, that's Tommy and Rocky keeping Adam busy, and the rest of us are dealing with the people while Blake does her sneaky stuff."

Ruby hummed in acknowledgment. "Alright, if that settles it… let's go, Rangers!" Everyone but Blake shot off the roof and landed on the street below, snapping into fighting poses but refraining from drawing their weapons. Yang gave Blake a thumbs-up, which the Black Ranger returned before disappearing.

"Okay, now remember!" Ruby called as the closest crowd members whirled their violent violet eyes on them. "We restrain and subdue! We do not hurt them… Yang."

"Yeah, yeah, got it, no broken bones or anything, promise," The Yellow Ranger hurriedly stammered, trying to reassure herself rather than her sister. "Oh gods, I'm supposed to avoid punching people in the face… this is already a nightmare."

Ruby kept her focus as the first crazed civilian lunged at her like a zombie, only for his arms to close around open air when Ruby teleported behind him. A sweep of her cape dazed the man and she locked her legs around his chest, driving him to the ground. Another group of civilians charged at her with feral screams, but Ruby blinked away just in time and they all cartoonishly crashed into each other. The Red Ranger reappeared atop their sprawled forms and quickly spotted the mass of stunned people under her feet. "Oops! S-Sorry!" She squeaked before hopping off.

Yang stepped, spun, and weaved away from sloppy punches and wild swings from anything the people could get their hands on. She blocked a baseball bat - the wooden tool shattering to splinters on contact - and kicked out the attacker's legs from under him. Another man tackled Yang from the side, but she rolled with the momentum and turned it against the crazed citizen, jabbing a knee into his back to keep him pinned. A woman swung a metal pipe at Yang with a feral shriek, but the Yellow Ranger caught the pipe in her hand and clenched tightly…

The pipe glowed with heat and the woman staggered back with a yelp before the whole thing melted in Yang's grip, molten metal splattering on the street. A shoulder charge knocked the woman down, but she scrambled right back up with burning purple eyes that made Yang step back. "Ruby… can I just please knock one of their lights out? So that way, I don't have to deal with- YOW!" The Yellow Ranger swerved away from a man who jumped at her from a car and jabbed another in the gut to make him double over. "I promise I won't hit them too hard!"

"You wish to avoid being overwhelmed? Dilemma solved!" Weiss called out, her palms aglow with white light. The heiress thrust her hands out and fired a sub-zero energy beam directly at the street ahead of her, instantly coating it in ice and freezing the feet of anyone standing there. The crowd shifted tactics from attacking the girls to struggling and straining in the frozen trap, some of them trying to pull their legs free or striking at the ice with their improvised weapons.

"That should keep them busy for a bit," Weiss declared.

"Cool. Pun entirely intended, by the way."

Weiss scoffed and rushed off to aid the constantly teleporting Ruby, who wasn't the only one moving at high speeds. Aisha dashed through the pack as a yellow blur, driving some of the mob away while dodging away from anyone trying to grab her. The woman used smokescreens to disorient the civilians and burrowed underground to bypass any blockages in her path, making her a slippery foe to capture, let alone attack. Aisha and Ruby went in separate directions, causing the crowd to split up and give the Rangers much-needed breathing room.

And while they handed the mad crowd swarming them, Blake silently touched down on a roof and slipped into the shadows of an alleyway beneath her, blending in perfectly with the darkness. The Black Ranger steered clear of the open street and slinked through the back alleys, her boots stepping softly as she avoided various objects and debris that could betray her location. Her feline-like agility allowed her to vault and leap over large rubble and slide through tight spaces, her golden eyes glimmering as she followed the foulest scent she could find.

Blake had to resist the urge to cringe and wrinkle her nose, forcing herself to press onward and follow her senses toward that strange humanoid Grimm. The Black Ranger approached a corner and peered around it, keeping absolutely still once she noticed the thing's dark, lean, abnormal frame. It was still and motionless, completely unaware of Blake's presence as entranced victims screaming their lungs out scurried and rushed past it. The former Faunus carefully readied a black blade and stalked toward the demon like a hunter moving on its unsuspecting prey.

Her steps were silent and her breaths were controlled as muscle memory from all her years in the White Fang took over. Her unblinking eyes focused on the Grimm and she drew closer, ready to plunge her blade through its chest and lop off its head before it could even register the attack. She crept closer until she was directly behind the Grimm, drawing her arm back while the thing let out a quiet and eerie moan…

…and wrenched its head backward with a sickening crack.

Blake's heart stopped beating and her blood turned cold all before she could blink. She urged herself to leap, pop a shadow, or turn and run… but she couldn't. She found herself unable to move, her legs locked in place as they trembled from their failed responses to Blake's mental urging. Fear spiked through her system as the thing appeared before her, grasping at the girl's petrified face with its long dark fingers and leaning its ghoulish head towards her eyes that remained pried open. Blake desperately fought to close them, but her trembling amber eyes were inexplicably forced to stay open as the demon opened its wide maw with a ghastly moan and peered deep into her golden irises, breaching the orbs and casting its gaze deep into Blake's soul.

Blake slowly lost all feeling in her limbs, and something alien began gripping her mind. Her frozen body shut down, and panic trumped all other thoughts as she realized her complete powerlessness. Purple spilled into amber, and her open mouth was locked in place. A single tear leaked down her cold face, not even a scream escaping her.

And all went dark.

Ruby, Yang, and Weiss continued to hold their own against the angry mob, with Ruby constantly teleporting away - and throwing in a few teases - Weiss icing up the ground to make her pursuers slip up or freeze in place, and Yang tossing the violent cityfolk aside while making short work of their improvised weapons. The latter dodged a bat that dented a car hood before breaking it like a stick and throwing the wielder across the vehicle.

"You thinking these guys would be getting tired about now!" She yelled as she grabbed a man's arm and tossed him aside, not even fazed as a thrown brick crumbled against her helmet. A quick sweep of Weiss' arm conjured a short ice wall in front of her, forcing the people to start smashing and breaking it down. "Not even we can keep this up forever, Yang! Where's Aisha?! Did the crowd separate her?!"

"Umm… not exactly! Look!" Ruby called from atop a car. Yang and Weiss turned to where she was pointing and found the Yellow Ninja Ranger struggling in Adam Park's grip, knocked loose by a joint effort from Tommy and Rocky. They helped the woman to her feet before the Green Ranger viciously attacked them again, forcing all three veterans to defend themselves against their agitated comrade.

"Alright, that… that's no biggie!" Yang breathed. "Just need a little bit longer here… Blake won't let us down, I know it!"

Weiss grunted as she froze a metal pipe aimed at her face and shattered it to bits before kicking away the civilian. "What's taking her so long, anyway?!"

"You gotta have faith, Weiss!" Ruby shouted while sliding under a lunging man and grabbing his leg to trip him up. "Blake knows what's at stake, so she'll never keep us-GUH!" Something smacked the Red Ranger mid-leap and she collapsed in a tumbling heap, the wind briefly knocked out of her. Ruby lifted her head just in time to see Weiss and Yang call out her name…

…and be blasted in the back with two black balls swirling with shadow-like energy. Her sister and teammate cried out and collapsed alongside Ruby, all three of them groaning and hoisting themselves back up in moments. Their helmets faded away and Yang shook out her luscious blonde locks. "Ow… what was…"

"Where did that…" Weiss muttered before Ruby heard the heiress' breath hitch. "No. Oh, no. No, no, oh gods no…"

"Wuh-Weiss?" Ruby croaked as she slowly turned. "What is…" She and Yang saw it at the exact time: somebody striding through the crowd that parted to make room. Ruby could hear their footsteps from here and she squinted her silver eyes.

They went wide and a gasp left her throat when the figure stepped into view alongside the moaning, shambling Grimm.

A black-suited figure with dark energy swirling between violet-clawed fingertips emerged from the crowd, their movements cold and punctual. Their posture was unflinching, and shadows crept around their suit, swirling and snaking in smoky patterns while their entire body radiated with pure, unbridled darkness. Their cold and emotionless face gazed absentmindedly at the trio standing before her, wavy black hair flowing behind them…

…and glowing violet eyes that glared apathetically.

Ruby's voice died in her throat, Weiss's face turned as pale as her suit, and Yang's eyes looked shrunken as the three girls struggled to comprehend the familiar face. The figure didn't make a move or a sound even as the humanoid Grimm leaned closer to their face and released an ominous moan. Eventually, Yang's voice broke out in a frightened, shaky whimper.

"B…Blake…?"

The shadows around the Black Ranger grew darker. Glowing violet eyes that once shone a brilliant amber fumed with a sudden hatred. Clawed fists clenched and teeth were bared to display the girl's pointed incisors. She drew her arms around herself… before darkness burst from her body and exploded all around her.

"RRRAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!"

Blake roared fiercely with every fiber of savage and primal rage in her being before whirling a pair of predatory purple eyes on the three girls who were once her friends. A low snarl erupted from her throat as the darkness swirled between her palms.

"Blake! STOP!" Yang desperately cried out with raised hands. "We're your-!"

"GRRRAAAAAAARRH!" The Black Ranger fired rapid blasts of dark energy at her former teammates, the shadowy orbs violently detonating against their bodies and sending their screaming bodies flying through the air. They all hit the asphalt again in a groaning heap, the darkness between Blake's clawed fingers fizzling out.

Ruby, Weiss, and Yang scrambled to their feet in a panic, the blonde placing her hands on her head while hyperventilating. "No, no, no, not her, not her…" Blake slinked down onto all fours and growled menacingly, her pupils turning into narrow slits amidst a sea of dark amethyst. Then, at terrifying speeds reminiscent of a cheetah streaking across a savannah, she charged down the street as her body radiated with dark energies. Everyone yelped in surprise and terror, frantically putting up their defensive stances. Ruby's silver eyes were full of horror and disbelief at the sight of her friend, who had no trace of the girl she once knew.

What remained was savage, animalistic fury spurred by the desire to hunt and kill. And the sight of Blake leaping into the air with her mouth wide open in a vicious roar and her clawed fingers shrouded in shadow made everyone's hearts sink deeper.

This wasn't a fight against maddened, Aura-less civilians or an enhanced Grimm. This was a fight against one of Team RWBY's very own. And for Ruby, Weiss, and Yang's sakes, they needed to prevail…

…for if they didn't, their friend wouldn't hesitate to rip them all apart like the ferocious predator her powers originated from.