Miguel's mood hadn't improved by the time he finally made it to the lab. Stuck in the boring, windowless room of the detention hall, Miguel had been forced to sit through an hour of mind-numbing boredom before at last, his jailor set him free.

He'd sent the others a message to let them know, but they weren't able to hang around and wait. Ray and Hilary wanted to see them, and the others had no reason to linger other Miguel's prolonged punishment. He knew full well that they could fill him in later, and so the trio had set off to the museum while he remained behind.

Now they were off getting key information, maybe even something that could help them defeat Xaviax, and Miguel was left behind.

Again.

They barely even registered as the elevator doors signaled arrival, Abbey and Zeke huddled together as they stood behind Hilary's wall of screens while she and Ray filled them in.

"So," Hilary explained to them. "Once we retraced our journey through the tunnels and overlapped it with the existing city map, this is what we found."

Hitting a key, the two diagrams on the screens converged into a crisscross of lines that intersected at a single, blinking point.

"That's the old powerplant," Abbey realized. "You think that's where they're hiding out?"

"Not sure," Ray admitted. "But it's definitely connected. From what we can see, they jumped us right as we stepped over the boundary. Even if it's not their main base of operations, they're up to something down there."

"Could that be what they were up to with ElectrEel?" Zeke asked. "We know he was using the electricity grid junctions to amp himself up. Could that be connected to the maintenance tunnels?"

"Maybe," Hilary conceded. "But right now, we just don't know enough. We wanted you to know what we'd found because it wouldn't be fair to keep you in the dark for too long. But we also don't want any of you going near those tunnels. Not until we know more."

"Should probably reinforce that for Erika," Zeke chuckled, only for Abbey to smack him across the arm as a warning.

"I heard that!" Erika's voice suddenly sounded over the com. For a moment it soundly like a sharp rebuke, an angry hiss at Zeke's jab. But then her voice lightened, almost laughing in a giggle as she added, "But that does sound like something you'd need to tell me."

"So do you have any way of narrowing it down?" Abbey asked, "A way of figuring out which of the tunnels they're using?"

"I'd hoped that maybe I'd recognize more while I was down there," Ray admitted. "But honestly it's all just a maze of concrete."

"You weren't captured by Xaviax for very long," Abbey noted. "Miguel spent longer there. Maybe you could ask him when he gets here?"

"I'm here now…"

All four spun around, almost surprised to see Miguel behind them. "Oh!" Abbey realized. "Sorry, we didn't hear you."

It was just so easy for them, to keep going without him, and could Miguel really blame them? They were a team already, long before he'd picked up his Morpher. He had power, sure, but they were already a well-oiled machine. Miguel was just along for the ride.

It was only then that Miguel realized that he hadn't told them the reason for his detention, why Goodson had caught him wandering alone in the halls. It was because he'd rushed off to handle Lena on his own and gained nothing to show for it. Nothing but time on the bench for the next week, while the other three carried on without him. And they would, because they didn't need him.

"I, uh, just got out," Miguel said nervously. "You…ah… think there's something going on with the tunnels?"

"Ray and Hilary went and checked it out," Zeke explained. "Some Cyberdrones jumped them."

"When you managed to escape," Hilary asked. "Was there anything that you remembered seeing? Anything that stood out?"

Miguel thought back, face scrunching as he tried to remember his own journey through tunnels. But being honest, most of it was a blur; a panicked jumble of images and fear as he jumped between floors and corridors.

"No, sorry," Miguel admitted. "I don't really remember much at all."

"But you managed to find a way out!" Zeke said sharply. "Can you remember at least some of the turns you took?"

"I used my powers," Miguel admitted. "I Wisped around a lot. Honestly, I'm not even quite sure how I got to the pier."

"Great," Zeke groaned, throwing up his hands in frustration. "Some eyes inside Xavaix's hideout, and they can't tell us anything."

It was just like before, a ringing inside that started screaming, a burst that was forcing its way out, one way or another. Just like with Principal Goodson.

"Hey, screw you, man!" Miguel retorted angrily. "I didn't ask for any of that. I was lucky to get out at all!"

"I think maybe we need to take a step back," Ray said quickly, calmly stepping to place himself between Miguel and Zeke. "All of us have had a long day, Hilary and I included. I think all of us will be thinking clearly after a bit of sleep. Take some time to think about it, and mull it over tomorrow. Maybe we'll come up with some ideas."

Great, so now he was making the team worse. Good going, Miguel.

Nodding, Zeke and Abbey reached down for their bags, both giving him looks of uncertainty. To be honest, Miguel wasn't sure what he wanted either. Zeke was scraping at nerves, and he doubted that was going to improve. Abbey would help, but the last thing he wanted to do was explode at her. To make things worse.

He'd done enough of that already.

Maybe Ray was right, maybe he did need to cool off.

"I'm going to hit the training room, before going home," Miguel decided. "You guys have a good night."

He turned to the elevator and left them behind before any of them could stop him. In hindsight, he should have waited, at least long enough for them to tell him it was occupied. As the doors dinged open, Miguel stepped into the room to see Erika standing in front of the punching bag.

So that's where her voice had been coming from.

Dammit, he'd wanted to be alone. But either because she'd heard him, or because he'd announced his destination while he was downstairs, Erika turned to see him, leaning against the punching bag and gesturing welcomingly.

"Need to blow off steam?" she asked.

Again, Miguel said nothing, somewhat mystified by the Red Ranger's offer. In his time at Lakeview High, Miguel had to admit that he still hadn't really got to know Erika. Most of his time was spent with Abbey, and from memory when he'd first met the group Erika had been on the outs with them. He'd always felt wary of her, and stories of her sudden, angry outbursts were well-whispered throughout the halls of the school.

But then, there was also that time at the rocks, right after she'd knocked him senseless and freed him from Xaviax's control. She'd sounded angry, furious even, all while maintaining a façade of cold indifference towards him. And yet, through all of that, there was something else that Miguel had caught, the slight hint of something glinting through Erika's air of anger.

Understanding.

Maybe that was something he needed right now.

Shrugging, Miguel stepped over toward the bag, Erika having already turned back to give it her full attention.

"So," she noted, "you went and got detention."

She lined up her hand against the bag, fingers outstretched for the tip to brush against the vinyl before curling them back into a first. Then she snapped it forward, tapping against the surface before pulling and cursing beneath her breath.

"Yeah," Miguel admitted. "I know, I screwed up. I shouldn't have let Goodson get under my skin. And now I've benched myself."

He didn't know what to expect. If it were Abbey, she'd be telling him it was okay, forgiving him for another stupid mistake. Ray would be saying something sagely or digging deeper with his simple, yet strangely insightful questions. But Erika did neither of those. Instead, she gave a nod of acknowledgment before returning her attention to the bag. She swung again, only this time she hesitated, a flinch accompanied by the same cursing before lining up to try again.

"I'm the last person allowed to pass judgment at getting thrown in detention," Erika admitted. "For a while there, I wondered if Goodson was going to give me some kind of twisted loyalty card."

That one made Miguel chuckle. "What do you think they'd have offered with your tenth detention?"

"Probably more detention," Erika admitted as she once again returned her attention to the bag. "Look, I don't need to say it; if a monster attacks the city while you're in detention, then you're no good to us. You know it, I know it. There's no point dwelling on it. Besides, it wasn't really Goodson that made you angry."

There was something about the way she said it, so matter of fact and nonchalant, that Miguel was taken aback. How could she know? How could she possibly know what was going through his head? Just like how now she'd seemingly predicted his confusion, barely glancing from what she was doing before continuing.

"Listen," said Erika. "I am a master of screwing up. Like, if they handed out diplomas for it, I wouldn't need to be in school. But it also means that I've kind figured of a few things out. Or… started to. Either way, it means that I know a scolding is the last thing you want to hear right now."

Again, her fist cracked into the bag, earning another frustrated hiss as she lined up to go again.

"Sure, but…" Miguel tried to reason, but any excuse he could muster simply sounded false.

"I've spent enough time screwing things up because I lost my cool," Erika went on. "And do you want to know what I eventually figured out? Or… okay, that I needed to have it explained to me?"

Miguel shook his head.

"Every time I flipped my lid over something small, it was actually about something else," she said. "Maybe it was something minor, something barely connected. But every single time it was because something else was already eating at me, and I was just…ignoring it. And every time I did that, I was just making it worse."

Miguel certainly had plenty to be angry about before Goodson saw him. Lena, giving him the runaround again. Himself, for falling into an obvious trap and getting jumped by the Cyberdrones. And even… the team?

It wasn't their fault. They'd been at this together for a while, they worked together so well. And yet, it felt like he was always on the outs whenever they made their plans. They'd figured out a solution to ElecrtrEel without him, and even today Ray and Hilary happily briefed them about the tunnels. It was like they didn't need him.

He was finally something, something good. But it wasn't needed.

"You've got nothing to prove, you know," said Erika, as if reading his mind.

Again, Miguel was about to reply, to ask how she could possibly know. But instead, Erika just chuckled and went back to the bag.

"We weren't chosen for this; just three kids in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. "We're honestly just making things up as we're going along. Were we doing fine before you showed up? Sure, but we weren't doing great. So, while you're doing time in detention, we'll manage. But everything will become a hell of a lot easier once you're out."

And once more she took a swing, flinching as in frustration and lining up again.

Finally, Miguel's curiosity got the better of him. "What're you even doing?"

"I'm trying to swing in my fist, and stop it right before it hits the bag," Erika replied, jabbing again to crack her knuckles against the vinyl. "I've got to find the balance between commitment and reservation to meet in the middle and stop."

"But why?" Miguel wondered. "Wouldn't you be better working on your power?"

"Trust me, I don't need any more practice punching," said Erika. "But there are plenty of times where not doing anything's just going to make things worse. Power's got nothing to do with it; it's the control that I'm working on."

Control. Moderation. Practice.

Maybe that was what he needed more of.

"Listen," Erika decided. "I get that you're used to doing things on your own. And I know it might sound a bit rich coming from the girl who jumped the gun and left everyone behind last week, but you need to remember that you're part of a team now. And that goes for more than when we're fighting monsters. If you're in trouble, we've got your back. But we can't help if you don't tell us."

With a final breath, Erika steadied her waist, winding back to deliver another blow. This time, her elbow locked straight as her hips rocked and pulled it back. Her fist stopped midair, nudging the material of the bag.

Her closest one so far.

Turning to him with a grin, it was soon accompanied by a knowing look.

"All of… this," Erika said, guesting to the training room housed above their command center. "It might show you all things that you wish weren't there, but it also shows you how to deal with it. But it's not some 'one, done, learned lesson in a week' kind of deal. It takes time, it's going to mean falling back and failing. Trust me, I've done it plenty. But even a shuffle is a step forward, and maybe it's worth reminding yourself of that sometimes."

Miguel didn't even know where to start. Barely two months ago, he'd been beginning at Lakeview, a new kid with a fresh slate. New town, new family, new life. And now all of a sudden, his life was fighting robots and monsters with people who knew far more about it than he did.

But Erika was right, just as Ray had been when the two had talked in the darkness of Xaviax's prison cell. He'd never find trust if he didn't give back any himself. If he tried to do everything alone, then that was all he'd be. And he'd never feel like part of the team if he just kept them all at arm's length.

Ray and Hilary.

Erika and Zeke.

Abbey…

But of course, he couldn't exactly help them out while he was stuck being bored out of his mind in detention. Still, Miguel supposed it meant plenty to think about.

He nodded slowly, moving to the door before turning and looking back at the team's Red Ranger, already preparing herself for another try at the bag.

"Hey, Erika?" he called back quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

And she looked back and smiled, a slight softening of her face that assured him of her sincerity. "Any time."


School came around the next day, the same dull grind that they moved through with more habit than intent. The same routine that by now they could probably follow in their sleep. Some of them of them probably were. The Rangers met in the morning, as usual, reconvening for recess and lunch, before at last, the final bell announced their freedom and the four of them met up to enjoy their end of the day.

Three of them were enjoying it at least.

Miguel still had detention.

They bid him farewell, promising to save him a seat at the Hub and that they'd have a drink ready for him when he was done, before setting off down the road for their usual hangout.

"I hope he's okay," Abbey worried as they began to walk away from the school.

"He'll be fine," Zeke replied. "It's just detention, and he's just sitting in a hall. It's not like they're making him scrape gum off the bottom of desks."

That last comment clearly triggered a memory, and he shivered and gagged at the mention.

Erika couldn't help but roll her eyes in amusement. Smooth, Casanova. Not that she suspected that diminishing Abbey's concern for her crush was going to do much of anything when it came to changing her feelings. One day he'd get it. Hopefully.

"He'll be okay," Erika decided. "We had a good talk yesterday; he's just working through some stuff."

The other two stopped in their tracks, looking at Erika with amused, almost mocking looks of disbelief.

"You? Talked about your feelings?" Zeke scoffed.

"And gave advice too?" Abbey snicked. "How very… leaderly of you."

"What can I say?" Erika shrugged, taking the high road for what felt like the first time in her life. "I've grown."

But she was robbed of her chance to gloat and celebrate as their watches beeped a warning. The three checked around for eavesdroppers before Erika pulled the communicator closer, Abbey and Zeke huddling around as she opened the line.

"You've got three of us, Hilary," she replied. "What's going on?"

"We've got a bug in the water supply," Hilary explained. "And by that, I mean Xaviax sent a monster to attack the treatment plant."

"You think he's doing something to the water?" Abbey realized.

"Well, it's either that, or he's got a common-good interest in public infrastructure."

"Got it," said Erika, "We're on our way." She shut the line, reaching into her pocket and retrieving her keycard as the other two did the same. "You guys ready?"

"Ready!"

Their Morphers flashed to their wrists, all three winding back as they readied the cards for activation.

"Server Force! Login Access!"

They rammed the cards through the slots, primary-colored light bursting from their wrists and consuming their bodies to imbue them with power. The suits enwrapped their limbs, strengthening their bones as the Morphing Grid connected and brought their powers to life. As the helms sealed around their heads, visors flashing across their vision and locking into place, the three teens were already moving.

The trio launched themselves from the beam of light as it touched down, somersaulting the final stretch and landing side-by-side. Gathering together, they stared down the hideous monstrosity that stood along the edge of the dam.

Green and purple, its body was longer, and more slender than others they'd fought. A long wide tail extended from behind, and from beneath the arms, rows and rows of claw-like mandibles lined in pairs all the way down her torso.

"Oh," it groaned, a sly, feminine voice. "They told me you'd eventually show up. Primary colors are just toxic for my complexion."

"Multi-armed and a bug," Zeke noted. "We get to bust our greatest hits."

"I can assure you," the monster replied. "That I, Toxillica, am one of a kind. Anything else you've seen is just a watered-down imitation."

Any other taunt she was interested in uttering, Toxillica held back, barking instead a command for the Cyberdrones to engage. The Rangers leaped forward, bounding into the fray to engage the henchmen as the monster remained uninterested. As the battle erupted before her, Toxillica turned heel, wandering deeper into the Water Plant as the Rangers grew further entangled.

"You can deal with me, or stop the Cyberdrones," she laughed. "Guess you'll have to pick your poison!"

"Guys, ignore those Cyberdrones," Hilary warned them. "I don't know what she's up to, but I can't imagine it's good."

"Probably something about poisoning the well," Erika reasoned, ducking beneath a strike to hammer back with her sword. "And getting away from these things is a little easier said than done!"

But they needed to try. Because if they didn't tilt the scales soon, Lakeview was about to have far bigger problems than a few renegade electronics…


Miguel's heart jumped as he saw the screen on his watch start flashing, the surefire sign that Hilary was calling the Rangers. And he was stuck in here.

Waiting.

The room was practically silent, nearly empty save for himself and two others.

Whiney sat in the far corner, decidedly far from where passersby in the hall could look in and see that she was in detention, grinding at Miguel's ears with her nail file. Deryck, meanwhile, was sitting slouched in the chair in front, equally strategically placed. He had chosen a spot closest to the bin, and now was ripping pages from his workbook, folding them into triangles, and flicking them at the basket. The entire floor around the container was littered with his handiwork while the bin was yet to receive any of it.

Daring a look at the clock, Miguel watched the ticking hand heave itself to twelve, marking another minute gone by.

Forty-seven more to go.

Great.

At this rate, Miguel doubted he'd be any help to the Rangers at all, even if they did still need it when he finally got out. By then, he was certain that the boredom would have squashed his brain into mush. Over at the desk, Mr. Hernandez was passing the time with a newspaper, leaning back on the chair as he perused the sports section.

Miguel looked up at the clock.

It had barely been thirty seconds since his last check.

He'd changed his mind. This wasn't just unfair. This was some kind of cruel and unusual form of torture. There just had to be something in the UN charter forbidding this kind of treatment.

For a moment, Miguel considered sneaking out. There was no way Hernandez was actually keeping track of them, and Miguel had way more important places to be. But even if that were true, Miguel just knew that with his luck, he'd run into Goodson in the hall, or his absence would be noticed later and make the whole situation even worse. No, he needed to sit this through, to just grin and bear it. And when all of it was done, then Miguel could be someone the team could rely on.

Finally, another minute down.

Forty-six to go.

He almost going to scream.

It was only then that a movement outside caught Miguel's eye. Someone was by the door, not quite at the frame, but peering in from the corridor. Slowly, Miguel turned his eyes in the direction, only for his jaw to almost drop. All of a sudden, every ounce of his effort surged into not reacting as he saw who it was that watched him.

It was Lena.

She stood with her bag slung over her shoulder, fiddling with the edges of her white jacket as she stared at Miguel with a strange expression. Not smugness, not fury, but confusion.

And hurt.

It was probably just one of her mind games. Rolling his eyes, Miguel turned away, looking intently as Deryck's millionth failed shot at the bin. It was certainly the only thing interesting happening in this room. The clock kept ticking, its rhythm punctuated by the grinding of Whitney's insistent filing, ticking away at an agonizing pace as his sentence crawled toward its end. Still nowhere near close enough.

Finally, Miguel broke, flicking his eyes back to check the hall and seeing that Lena had vanished.

Good.

At least that was one less thing for him to worry about, and Miguel made a mental note to later tell Hilary and Ray of Lena's strange behavior. They fought her once, long ago. Maybe they could make sense of it.

Forty-two minutes to go…

He hoped the others were okay. Erika had said they could handle it, but truth be told, Xaviax had been stepping up the pressure recently. If Miguel hadn't been there to keep ArcKnight busy last time, he wasn't so sure the team would have managed ElectrEel as easily. He needed to get out, to help them, even if it was just clearing away the Cyberdrones.

He just wanted to help…

Suddenly there was a blaring, a shrieking coming from the speakers that jolted him back to the moment. Whitney slipped, scraping the file across the front of her nail and squealing in horror at her ruined manicure, while Deryck toppled, his chair falling from the two legs he was swinging on to send him clattering to the floor.

"Fire," Hernandez said gruffly, with a matter-of-fact resignation as he folded his paper and rose behind the desk. "Everybody out."

He sure didn't seem that concerned. Deryck and Whitney didn't need telling twice, bolting from the room as Miguel scooped down to collect his things. Seconds later, he was out in the hall, watching as the two other teens scattered and Hernandez slowly lumbered behind to lock the room.

He stared down the hall, knowing where the marshaling point would be, but realized that now it was his chance for freedom. He knew what he should do, go where he was meant to, and wait patiently for the alarm to finish.

But that wouldn't help his friends.

Erika was right, as long as Miguel was in detention, he was useless to the team. Now he had the chance to reach them, and he had to take it. Any other consequence he could wear later.

Miguel bolted, skidding around the corridor and summoning his shadows, Wisping further down the school in case Hernandez decided to follow. Skidding around a corner, he was just about to summon his Morpher and call on Hilary when suddenly, he stopped. Lena was standing in his way.

Miguel's fists curled tighter, feet shifting his weight as the two stared each other down. Perfect. He'd had barely made his way out to help his friends, but now it seemed Lena had no intention of letting him reach them. But he wouldn't fix the problem by being angry, by relenting to the screaming reflex deep inside him. Miguel didn't have time for a fight, not when his team needed him. He needed to play it smart.

"This really how you want to do this?" Miguel sneered, bracing for some venomous, cutting reply.

"You always think I'm up to something," Lena scoffed. "Can't I do something out of the goodness of my heart?"

"You'd have to have one to do that," Miguel replied. "And last I checked, robots don't."

Again, just like out in the parking lot, Lena seemed to flinch at his words, a momentary flicker in her shields that vanished just as quickly. Her brow darkened, an angry scowl twisting at her lips as Miguel braced himself for her onslaught. So, it looked like they were doing this again. Raising his fists, Miguel readied for the horde of Cyberdrones to descend upon him once again. Only this time, they didn't.

Instead, Lena simply stepped aside.

"Can't very well destroy the Power Rangers if you aren't all there to die," she said dryly. Then, noticing his look of skepticism, she added. "Now go on, unless you want me to destroy you here and now."

With no time to look the gift horse in the mouth, Miguel took the chance and bolted, racing right past Lena and rushing out of the school. She made no attempt to attack as he passed, allowing him through with tricks or fine print. Moments later, Miguel whipped around the corner, leaving Lena in the dust and bolting into the open air. Whatever her game was, he could figure it out later. Right now, his team needed him.

Miguel's Morpher had already flashed to his wrist by the time he reached the rear lot, opening the comline and pleading Hilary was there.

"Hilary, I got an early mark," he explained. "Where do you need me?"

"Miguel?" Hilary's reply was as grateful as it was shocked, quickly filling him in as he raced for the outer gates. "They're at the water plant. Xaviax's sent some bug lady to poison the well, and the team's all clogged up with Cyberdrones."

"I'm on my way!"

He leaped over the threshold and took off down the street, holding his Morpher to his lips as he hit the activator and cried "Server Force! Login Access!"

Hold on guys, I'm coming!

The shadows swirled, the burst of energy reaching him and spiriting him away downtown. Moving through the light, the suit materialized around Miguel's body, the crimson visor locking place as the Dark Saber appeared in his hands. Morphing complete, he lunged into the air, arriving at the Water Plant to see the team completely surrounded.

Time for a helping hand.

He landed on the concrete and immediately wound back, power coalescing on the sword as he saw his track and locked in. The energy surged, building intensity as he hurled himself forward, propelled by the power of the Grid. The sword connected, slicing into the Cyberdrones with a deadly Shadow Strike, their chest plates bursting as the blade carved across them and them scattering across the ground. The other Rangers could only stare in confusion, looking over to where Miguel had skidded to a stop as the last of the Cyberdrones dropped.

"Miguel?" Abbey realized as the three rushed to him, her own tone as shocked as Hilary's. "What're you doing here?"

But Erika refuted her companion's remark by placing an affirming hand on Miguel's shoulder. Their visors locked, and the Red Ranger gave him a simple nod of understanding. "It doesn't matter, what matters is that he's here now."

"Hilary said you've got a bug problem," Miguel confirmed. "I'll hold the fort here, you guys go exterminate."

"Are you sure?" Zeke asked him, "Those were a lot of Cyberdrones they just threw at us."

"I know," Miguel agreed, spinning around to put himself between the team and the entrance. "Xaviax should have sent more."

Before him, those who had withstood his initial onslaught were starting to regroup, readying for another assault.

Good luck with that.

Miguel lunged, giving the others no time to argue as he launched himself to block the Cyberdrones' path. The Dark Saber flashed up, clashing with their swords as he weaved between their numbers, every moment a graceful duck or dodge as their weapons hit empty air. Striking away a blow from above, Miguel saw an opening, vaulting upwards and backflipping before landing behind to plant his boot into the rear of another. It tumbled into its allies, all of them scrambling to get around the flailing weight slamming into them.

Just the window he needed.

With the Cyberdrones distracted, Miguel bent his knees, letting the power gather once more as the Dark Saber began to glow. Unleashing it all at once, his body flashed through them, a singular, energized strike that cleaved the androids' chests from their legs. The severed pieces clattered to the ground, and Miguel cast a cursory look over his shoulder to see the last pair of smoking legs stumble a few steps before crumbling.

One problem down.

"Hilary, Cyberdrones are dealt with," he confirmed. "How're the others doing?"

"Well, if you're free…"

Miguel launched into the air, somersaulting over the building and landing on the roof. Below him, right along the narrow surface of the dam wall, the three other Rangers were locked in combat with the monster. Erika had closed in, axe glowing hot as she swung for the kill. But the Giant Centipede was ready, miniature rows of arms jutting out just as the Red Ranger closed in, catching Erika off guard and slashing against her suit with a burst of sparks. The Ranger went soaring, Zeke and Abbey jutting to her side for protection.

"Careful now," Toxillica warned. "You should always stay away from toxic friends."

The rows of mandibles glowed, tips a violent purple that warned of an impending attack. And all three Rangers were right in the firing line.

"Oh no you don't!"

Miguel lunged from his perch, Dark Saber raised and ready as he cleaved down on Toxillica's carapace. The sword sliced into her, searing against the green armored plating as the monster screamed in pain and spun toward him in sudden shock.

To late!

Her attack fired, spits of purple energy peppering out from her row of limbs as Miguel dived and rolled from harm. He landed beside the Rangers, the other two helping Erika to her feet as they stared down the monster.

"Thanks for the save," she grinned.

"Any time."

"She's distracted now," Zeke realized. "Should we take our shot?"

"I've made some modifications to the De-Frag," Hilary confirmed. "You should be able to slot in the Dark Saber for extra power."

"Well, you heard her," Abbey decided. "Want in?"

Miguel grinned at the invitation. "You bet!"

"Then let's put it together!"

The trio moved first, the axe flipping around and clicking atop the shield, the bow attaching up front to level the target. With the space now free, Miguel placed the Dark Saber on top, locking it in place as the cannon whirred with fresh, energizing power.

"De-Frag Blaster!" the team announced together, huddling around and bracing. "Dark Mode!"

Stumbling in place, Toxillica looked in horror to see the barrel pointed at her, side vents and gauges glowing and ready to blow.

"Oh great!" she realized. "This job was such a poisoned chalice!"

"FIRE!"

The cannon boomed, a twisting helix of primary colors curling around a ray of black. Like a blazing drill, the energy bore right through Toxillica, the monster screaming as the shot expanded into a flaming boom that tore her to pieces from the inside. The fire burst in all directions, a giant explosion that heralded the steaming rain of the shattered monster, and the Rangers retracted their weapons to look at their work with satisfaction.

"Now that's some pest control," Miguel decided as the team cheered in triumph.

But their battle wasn't over, and moments later, a green light split down from the sky. It drew the pieces together, glowing as they reassembled and began to grow. The Ranger dived, lunging from harm as Toxillica's rejuvenated, giant form rose from the waters of the dam and slammed a spiny leg into the concrete.

"Uh-oh!" she cackled. "Looks like somebody's poisoned the water hole!"

"Hilary?" Erika asked into the coms. "You got the Zords ready?"

"You know it, sending them now?"

And then Erika shot Miguel a look, knowing understanding shared between the obscuring visors. "All of them?"

"On their way!"

The vehicles roared in the distance, shrieking tires and screaming engines heralding the arrival of the mighty machines. The Rangers leaped into the air, soaring into the cockpits and engaging to merge as Miguel's Shadow Cycle drove in line to join them. The legs formed, the streetcar forming the chest and head, while the jet flipped down the reinforce as the helm and armored plating. Then the arm folded, collapsing into the body of the Zord as Miguel's Bike pulled back into a wheely before launching into the sky. The Wheels shifted, folding ninety degrees as the vehicle took a vertical angle, gears whirring as the connector emerged from beneath and connected with the main body.

"Dock sequence complete!" Erika confirmed as Miguel's chair shifted into the main cockpit, taking a console beside the others.

"Cyber Security Megazord, Dark Mode!" the team declared together. "Online!"

"Trying a new look?" Toxillica mocked. "Didn't anyone tell you that black so last season?"

"What can we say?" Abbey shot back with an encouraging nod toward Miguel. "We're fans of the classics."

Water crashed like waves as the Megazord's feet hit the lake, splashing up against the shins as they readied for the bout.

"Guys, be careful," Hilary warned them. "Those spines look super toxic. You blow her up in the water then that poison's going to spread right through the city's water supply."

"Then we better dry her off first," Erika decided as she looked back at her team. "You guys ready?"

"Let's do it!"

The Megazord thundered forward, water parting like crashing waves as they closed in on the monster. Toxillica cackled as the Rangers engaged, a full row of spiny legs unfolding from the chest as the mecha closed in. As the Megazord lunged, swinging high for a downward punch, Toxillica sidestepped, grabbing the fist as it thundered down and reeling them in. Pulling them tight, the spiny limbs sunk into the metal, armor screaming as they pierced through and latched on tight.

"Hi there," Toxillicad snickered. "I thought we could get to know each other."

"Sorry," Miguel replied. "You're just too clingy."

He hit the button on the console, the emergency reflex button that slammed the knee forward. The limb cracked into Toxillica's torso, shifting them back to earn some space from the reeling limbs. Then Miguel grabbed the throttle and revved it, diverting all power to the wheels on the left arm.

The bike wheels started spinning, whirring on the central axis into a singular, circular saw. The wheels crashed in, the Megazord swinging its shoulder to bring the shearing ring down on the latching claws. Right through them.

Toxillica screamed as the claws were rent from her body, stumbling back in fury as the Megazord tore itself free.

"We've got to hand it to you," Erika snickered. "Looks like we really disarmed you there."

With their enemy off balance, the Cyber Security lunged in again, fist snapping in and grabbing hold, motors grinding as the machine moved into a spin and hurled her. With a heavy motion, the Megazord twisted around, throwing Toxillica over its shoulder and past the dam wall. Out into the open air.

"Time to finish this!" Erika decided.

"Right!" Miguel looked down at the controls, seeing the left arm flashing. With glee, he pressed down on the command, confirming the use of his Sord as the wheels spun into a saw once more and this time began to glow.

"Cyber Dark Shutdown!" The team called together. "STRIKE!"

With a mighty heave, the Megazord swung its arm, the energy unleashing from the wrist into an enormous spinning blade. Still airborne, Toxillica was helpless, flailing feebly as she watched her demise surge toward her.

"No! I don't want a taste of my own poison!" she shrieked, remaining arms quivering as the surging blade connected with her body. The blinding saw sliced right through, a clean cut that separated her legs from her torso. Moments later, the energy blast exploded, consuming the severed pieces of the monster that immediately followed suit. The flames combined, swirling into a display of blazing orange light that basked the water's edge.

Satisfied with their work, the Megazord turned, slowly making their way from the water, the city safe for another day.


"Circle motion, people! I want to see myself in those windows!"

Goodson's voice echoed through the afternoon air, wandering past the detained teens as they moved up and down ladders, passing buckets of soapy water up and down as they slowly lathered the glass. Like a dispassionate drill instructor, Goodson stood behind them, stone-faced as her mirrored sunglasses shimmered in the sun.

"Ms. Goodson," Whitney complained. "I really don't see what possible benefit there is in making us do menial labor. I mean, doesn't the school pay people to do this?"

"It's an interesting point, Miss. Camden," Goodson reasoned, unable to hide the hint of amusement from her voice. "Perhaps that's something you should think about the next time you copy a paper about child labor from the internet?"

Miguel couldn't help but chuckle as he squeezed the soapy water from the sponge. Knowing Whitney, she'd probably copied her paper on irony as well.

Unable to regather the detention students following the fire alarm, Goodson had rescheduled detention for the next day, and having clearly decided that Hernandez's supervision was inadequate, had taken over the duty herself. Miguel had to admit, at least climbing up and washing windows was a considerable step up from a mind-numbing room with nothing to do. He wandered back to the hose, emptying the bucket and turning the tap for a refill when suddenly he heard a voice behind him.

"Hey," Abbey smiled. "Want some help?"

Surprised, Miguel spun around, eyes widening as he saw his three friends standing behind, all dressed in clothes suitable for cleaning. "What're you guys doing here?"

"We figured detention would go a lot more quickly if you had some company," Erika reasoned.

Behind them, Zeke nodded, clearly there under some form of protest, but present and willing nonetheless.

"Are you guys sure?" Miguel asked. "I mean, surely you've got better things to do."

"We do," Zeke agreed, earning an elbow to the ribs from Erika before adding, "but we're a team. And that means having each other's back."

"And if that means helping wash a few windows," Abbey decided. "That seems like the least we can do. I mean, hey, it's an easy way to hang out with friends."

She reached beside him for another bucket, brushing past and meeting his eyes. Those sweet, alluring eyes that drove Miguel mad sometimes. And as she did, she smiled, and her lips almost melted him on the spot. He still had a lot to make up for, but he was getting there; bit by bit.

And then, maybe then he'd be worthy of her.

"All right then," Miguel decided, nodding to the ladder leaning against the far-end wall. "I was just about to take the one down the end."

Grabbing their gear, the four teens moved toward the windows when suddenly they heard an air-piercing shriek. Having been clearly sick of helping clean the school, Whitney had deputized Deryck to do her share before becoming enthralled with her reflection in her compact mirror. What she hadn't considered was the location, the reflective glass catching the sun and refracting it toward the wall. Right where Deryck was cleaning.

The football player cried out as the focused light flashed his eyes, arms waving in all directions as balance abandoned him and gravity sent him toppling from the ladder. The boy fell, landing dazed on the grass and staring into the air as his bucket of soapy water went flying. Oblivious to the chaos she'd caused, Whitney simply stood there, admiring herself as the bucket flipped above her and dumped its contents.

Right on top of her head.

"DER-YCK!" she shrieked, spinning around in fury to see him lying on his back. "I can't get my hair wet! I just washed it! And this jacket is dry-clean only!"

From the edge of the wall, the four Rangers took one look at each other and burst into laughter, watching as Whiney stormed off, shoes squelching and bemoaning having to take dry clothes from lost and found.

Yeah, Miguel decided. He'd get there, he just needed to give it time.

It would be easy, now that he had friends by his side.


Ray watched from his office window, chuckling at Whitney's accident and smiling as he saw the team grow closer together. They were getting there, slowly, bonding and growing together to become stronger with each passing day. Hilary had noted in the tunnels how much it felt like old times, but to Ray, it was watching those four teens flourish as a team that truly brought him back.

Just a day earlier, he'd almost gone up to give Miguel a pep-talk, but it turned out Erika had known exactly what the boy needed to hear. They were learning, and more than likely would soon no longer need him.

Exactly as it should be.

Closing his laptop, Ray began packing his bag as someone knocked quietly at the threshold.

Strange, it was unusual to get walk-ins after school hours. Most students had something better to do than drop by the counselor's office. Still, Ray hadn't left yet, and he wasn't going to turn down a chance to help a kid in need. A notion that he was about to regret, unprepared for what awaited him as he strode over and opened the door.

It was Lena.

Ray's whole body tensed, twitching back as she looked up at him with stony disdain. But whatever reason she was there for, it wasn't a fight.

"Oh, don't give me that," Lena scoffed, barging past him into the room. "If I was going to destroy you, I'd have done it already."

"By all means, come in," Ray replied dryly.

"You can lower your guard," Lena told him lazily. "I'm not here to fight. As much as I wish, it'd certainly be simpler. No, I'm here because I need something."

"Then what do you want?" Ray was in no mood for games. Mileena had already jumped him once before, and now she had him cornered in his own office. Whatever she stated, he did not feel inclined to believe it. And yet, that's exactly why he found she said next so surprising.

"I thought it'd be obvious," Lena replied, half growling and half withdrawn with an air of discomfort. "You're the Guidance Councilor; I require guidance."

Oh….kay

Nodding suspiciously, Ray cautiously moved toward his chair, sitting down and reaching for a notepad while gesturing to the seat opposite.

"All right then, Lena," he decided. "What guidance can I give you?"

For someone who'd voluntarily shown up at his door, Lena certainly carried an aura of sufferance, and she almost petulantly threw herself into the chair like she'd been mandated by the court.

"I'm trying to understand something," she admitted. "And I don't think my regular company would be much help."

"Are you telling me that Ender and ArcKnight aren't super in touch with their feelings? Really, I'm shocked."

"Good, you do see my problem." Lena's tone seemed almost relieved, not a single hint of irony or awareness of Ray's dry sarcasm.

"So, what can I help you with that they can't?"

And then Lena asked the last question that Ray would have ever expected. "Why do people care so much about having friends?"

Ray was almost taken aback, shocked at a seemingly simple question for which he realized had no simple answer. Where was he even going to begin with that? It was all he could think to ask, "How do you mean?"

"Everybody's always going on about each other," Lena scoffed. "My friend this, my friend that. You were a friend. You betrayed me. I just don't see why everyone cares so much."

"Friends are important to us," Ray reasoned. "They're bonds we make with others, connections that we choose to form. They hold us up when we can't stand on our own. And then we do the same for them."

Lena rolled her eyes. "Sounds like you're leaving yourself wide open," she decided. "I don't see what the big deal is."

Hmmmm…

Ray reached for his glasses, resting them on the bridge of his nose before clicking a pen to begin scribbling a few notes. "All right, my turn."

"Oh no," Lena replied. "That's not how this works."

"Actually, that's exactly how this works," Ray replied. "I can't comment on what I don't know about. You want guidance, then you get questions."

Lena hmphed deeper into her chair, a sulky signal of consent. "Fine. Ask away."

"Why do you care?"

Her defensive scowling vanished in an instant, dropping into confused shock as her eyes began to quiver. "I…I don't…"

"Would you really have come here if that was true?"

"I…I…"

"What's brought this on?" Ray pressed. "Why do you suddenly want to know why people care so much about friendship?"

"The Dark Ranger," Lena snarled suddenly, eyes briefly bulging as the words had escaped before she realized. Her composure returned instantly, shields returning as she went back to her defensive offerings. "He's bugging me. Every time he sees me, he acts like a growling attack dog. He wants nothing to do with me, and it's affecting my judgment."

"The other Rangers aren't exactly your biggest fans either," Ray reasoned.

"I know, that's why it's so infuriating!" Lena replied. "I don't know why it affects me so much, getting nothing but anger from Miguel. I mean, if anything he should be grateful. He has power because of me. Everything he can do is because I helped him."

She used his name; that was interesting. She'd been coldly referring to Miguel as only the Dark Ranger, but as Lena's emotions took hold she reverted to a more familiar appellation. Ray had a suspicion, but for the moment kept it to himself. What he was curious about, was whether Lena thought it too.

"You also took away his free will," Ray pointed out.

Again her guard dropped, defiance vanishing as suddenly Lena's eyes quivered with a mixture of sadness and shame. "I didn't know Xaviax was going to do that."

"No," Ray agreed. "But you didn't stop him either. And when given the chance, you used it too."

Hanging her head, the girl slowly nodded in concession, sinking deeper into the seat as she began to stare out into emptiness.

"Lena," Ray asked her sincerely, "who are your friends?"

Lena's jaw dropped as if every cog inside her head was churning in search of an answer she didn't have. When at last she replied, her voice shook with sunken disappointment. "I don't have any, not… not really…"

"So, you weren't friends with the Rangers?"

"No!" her answer blurted out, a defensive insistence that sounded a little too protesting. Which Ray took as a sign to keep digging. "I mean," she continued. "They were a mission. I was to infiltrate their group, learn their weaknesses, and strike when the time was right."

"And what about Miguel?" Ray asked. "Was he part of the plan from the beginning?"

"I didn't even know Miguel until I showed up here," Lena replied, rolling her eyes like the answer was obvious. And it was, just not in the way she thought. "It just turned out that he was the perfect candidate for the Dark Ranger."

"And how'd you find that out?"

"I spent time with him, I had to do something while the Rangers were out parading in their spandex. And he kept me sane, one person that my mission didn't focus on… It was nice…"

Her sentences were slowing, with pauses between words as if Lena's brain was shifting focus mid-thought. As if she was slowly starting to realize.

"I… I didn't have to be anyone else around him, because he wasn't part of the mission. We were just… there." Then her eyes widened slowly, looking back to Ray in horror. "He… was my friend…! And I betrayed him…!"

Then Lena's eyes snapped up, a stern, defiant expression that snatched away a response before it could form.

"I'm not in love with him," she insisted.

Ray couldn't help but be taken aback. He hadn't planned on going there, not yet anyway. "O…kay…"

"I know what you're thinking," Lena continued, ferocity refusing to simmer. "In any of your movies or media, whenever someone says that have complicated feelings it means that they're in love. But that's not what this is. It's… different…"

And just like that, the fire died down again, Lena's eyes glazing as she stared into the distances, lost in her own contemplation. Ray believed her, there was something about the straining in her voice that was different from the refusal of a growing crush. There and then, the exact nature of her feelings didn't matter to Lena. That was nothing compared to the fact that she was feeling them at all.

From his seat, Ray watched as Lena's bold posturing slowly melted away, drifting like leaves in the fall as she truly began to comprehend what she had done. No arrogant smirking, no taunting. At that moment, Lena wasn't the proud warrior hellbent on the Rangers' destruction. She was just a scared, teenage girl, trying to make sense of the world.

"The Rangers accepted him back with open arms," Lena said with a hint of bitterness that betrayed her lingering envy. "Why can it be all fine for him, while I'm stuck like this? Feeling like this?"

"When Miguel was free of Xaviax, he owned up to what he'd done," Ray explained. "And the others did the same for the part they played. It's not a perfect partnership, but they're rebuilding trust. But that can only happen if they're willing to accept the consequences of their actions."

Slowly, Lena began to nod, a slow acceptance of Ray's explanation as it churned about in her mind. And then, clearly deciding she'd had enough, she rose from the chair. But now her demeanor was different. Far from angry or forceful, it was calm and contemplative.

"Thank you," Lena said. "You've given me much to think about."

"Just doing my job," Ray replied.

She walked to the door in a slow, almost drifting motion as if somewhat still in a daze. And then Lena stopped, turning back to deliver a warning. "And don't think that just because I needed your help, that I've suddenly stopped spending every waking moment plotting to destroy you and your precious Rangers."

"Hadn't even crossed my mind."

"Good."

She turned to leave, only for Ray to suddenly add. "Lena?"

She paused the threshold, turning in curiosity to hear what the Counsellor had to say.

"If you have any more questions," Ray offered, "my door's always open."

Lena turned away with a flick of her head, a defiant humph as she vanished back into the hall. But as Ray sat there, looking back at the brief bullet points he'd made from the impromptu session, he noted that it wasn't a 'no'.


NEXT TIME

Jealous of Abbey and Miguel's growing bond, Zeke begins treating both with a cold shoulder. But when a monster attacks, the divisions in the team only grow, and Zeke's attitude throws the whole group into chaos. Meanwhile, Lena's self-reflection leads to more counseling sessions with Ray, causing her to question the very nature of her existence. Can Zeke learn to put aside his jealousy for the sake of the team? What will Lena realize as she begins to delve deep into the warrior she was before? And who is it that Ray and Hilary are visiting in a top-secret, military prison?

For answers to these questions, and more, find out next time on

POWER RANGERS

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