AN: Warning! There are heavy references to selfdoubt in this episode, so read carefully.

Episode 4: Fires of the Heart

It was hot. Jake felt the ground beneath him melting his shoes as he stepped into the world on fire. He couldn't believe someone or something could live here, in this landscape with a dark red sky covered by red patches, as if a dragon had cut through the sky with its wings. There was nothing but mountains of ashes, and Jake could feel his breathing creating warm smoke. His eyes were red, and he felt as if he had a high fever.

The feeling was horrible, and he didn't even know how he was still conscious, but he had a guardian to find, so Jake forced himself to start walking. He noticed the rivers of lava around him and was very careful to jump from one rock to the other. He didn't want to end his adventure falling into lava; the thought of melting almost made him look away in disgust.

"Focus, Jacob," said Jake to himself.

He didn't know where to go, but he figured that the enormous volcano he could see on the horizon was a good place to start, so Jake began to walk towards it. As he walked, he couldn't stop thinking about this world and the guardian.

"It has to control fire, that's for sure," said Jake as he jumped another river of lava. "Maybe it has magic powers of fire? That would be cool… or maybe it's made of fire? It has to be, right? I mean…"

Suddenly, a loud noise distracted him. It was a scream coming from the distance, and Jake couldn't help but notice the anguish behind that sound. It was heartbreaking, but why? Jake took a deep breath and ran towards the volcano, knowing that whatever it was, he had to get there before it was too late.

What if the guardian was hurt? What if I'm too late? thought Jake as he ran, trying to get to the volcano as fast as he could. He was thankful for once for all the times Conner made him run against him because, while he didn't have Conner's speed and Conner didn't have his gem powers, he was still the fastest, and thanks to all the training, Jake almost managed to catch up with him.

He got to the volcano a few minutes later, looking for the source of the scream, half-human, half-animal. What he saw made Jake's jaw drop because in a normal world, that was not possible, and yet, he was looking at it right now.

Then again, he was not in the real world.

Jake saw a giant Firebird with the form of a Bennu, with bright white eyes. The Bennu was covered in dark red feathers, almost black, and from time to time, it emitted a piercing screech that threatened to melt Jake's brain. It was looking down at the bottom of the volcano, where there was some kind of arena and someone was fighting, or trying to. It was surrounded by ghosts covered in flames, but there Jake could see five figures, dark shadows with silhouettes he knew too well, and there was another person, the man fighting… or trying to.

Someone Jake recognized instantly.

"Conner…" said Jake, unable to believe that he was seeing his friend down there.

-L-

Down in the arena, Conner was having a lot of problems. He remembered feeling dizzy and passing out, and then he was here, in the middle of this hell, surrounded by fire and ghosts, his friends and his wife, turned into monsters, talking to him, screaming at him… fighting him.

"Look, I don't know what is going on, but I'm going to find out what happened and save you, I promise," said Conner, taking a step back.

"You are going to save us?" said Ethan's shadow, mockingly. "You are nothing without me, Conner. You couldn't save a fly even if you tried."

Ethan's shadow threw himself at Conner, but Conner turned around, grabbing his leg to push Ethan's shadow away. He had to admit to himself that Ethan's shadow was right. Conner was only the leader he was because he had Ethan watching his back all the time.

"I get it, dude, and you are right," said Conner, avoiding another kick from Ethan's shadow. "Ethan, seriously, stop. This is not you. You are my best friend."

"Friend? I just put up with you for the sake of the world, Conner. You are not my friend. You never were," said Ethan's shadow.

Conner looked at him, stunned by his words. He had to remember that they were being controlled or something must have happened, and yet, it was Ethan's voice talking to him. It had his movements and his power, and… it was exactly like Ethan.

In a moment, Ethan's shadow kicked Conner in the chest, throwing him to the ground several feet from where they were, and he laughed, disappearing to give space to Conner's next contender, Hayley's shadow. Conner got up again, seeing the woman looking at him with her ghostly eyes and a smile on her face.

"Poor Conner. Are you fighting for us? Who asked you to do that?" asked Hayley's shadow, annoyed. "I never needed to babysit a guy like you, Conner, always needing attention just because you are a Red Ranger with the upgrades."

Conner shook his head. He knew what she meant, and there was a time when that's what he wanted, attention and fame. But his time as a Ranger changed Conner into a different man. He learned to trust others and to never give up. He learned about things that he didn't know he needed, and Hayley was always part of it, with her calm demeanor and her smile, always ready to hear his problems.

And maybe that was it. There was always a problem.

"Hayley, I'm sorry. I will do better," said Conner, not willing to even take a step towards her. He would never, ever lay a hand on Hayley. "I will deal with my problems, I swear."

He heard Hayley's shadow laugh, as if she couldn't believe him, and then she disappeared. Conner was dumbfounded, but he could feel his heart beating desperately against his chest, trying to convince his brain that these were not his friends. This was something else, something…

…but they were there, and they were telling Conner everything he hid in his darkest dreams. Conner closed his eyes, trying to get a hold of himself. The burning sensation of his body mixed with the shocking reunion with his friends was starting to get to him.

Isn't it hard, human? Everybody thinks you are expendable, said a voice in Conner's mind.

Conner looked up to see Bennu looking down at him, and he was about to scream when he felt something flying towards him. He barely had time to avoid Trent's shadow before he stabbed him with his dagger. Conner rolled on the ground and got up, looking at his friend's shadow with a smirk on his face as he pointed the dagger at him. It reminded Conner of Trent from the start, the one controlled by Mesogog, and it pained him that Trent was in that situation again. He deserved a break.

"Trent, whatever this is, it's not you," said Conner, raising his hands. "You need to wake up. You can't let yourself be controlled again. I won't let you be controlled again!"

"Controlled? I'm not being controlled, Conner. I'm free," said Trent's shadow, chuckling. "I can be the man you never were, Conner. I will take your place and will be a better leader than you ever were."

Conner got up, angry. Shadow or not, Trent was being his usual pain in the ass, and while they found a common ground in their banter, this didn't look like those days when they finally accepted each other, and this didn't look like the man Conner trusted with his team.

Trent's shadow looked almost happy when Conner tried to attack him, but he simply moved to the side, hitting Conner in the back and making him fall hard to the ground. Conner groaned as he heard Trent's shadow laugh.

"You were chosen by mistake, Conner, face it. Ethan and Kira were rightful owners of their powers, Tommy is a legend, and Hayley is a trusted advisor. What are you? The comedy relief?" said Trent's shadow. "Die soon. I have more important matters to attend to."

Conner looked over his shoulder as he got up, angry with himself and feeling the fear creeping at him. He didn't want to let it win, but he couldn't focus. There were too many hurtful words, too many doubts even after all these years, piled between his time as a Ranger, the loss of his powers, and the day he got them back.

Life is better without this...

"Shut up," said Conner, massaging his temple. "I… that's not true."

Conner took a deep breath and looked around, only to see another shadow coming to him. This time, Tommy Oliver's shadow stood in front of him. He didn't attack or move, and Conner thought that maybe this time it was going to be easier because Tommy was a legend, and he wouldn't let anyone control him for long. He was stronger than that.

"You have no idea how much I regret allowing you to keep the Red Dino Gem, Conner," said Tommy's shadow, making Conner's heart stop as if Tommy had just stabbed him. "As a mentor, I expected a more prepared Ranger, someone worthy of Jason's power, and what I got was… you, a baby that wanted all the focus on him."

"That's not true… Dr. O, you know I work hard. You taught me there were more important things than myself," said Conner, his voice breaking slightly at the angry sound of his mentor's voice. "You… can't think like that."

"Why? Look at you. You didn't even want to be a Power Ranger in the first place, and now you think you are some kind of hero? You are no one, Conner. You can't compare yourself to anyone else, and you can never be what I expected you to be," said Tommy's shadow, looking down. "You disappoint me."

"Dr. O…" said Conner, watching him disappear. "Wait! I can do better!"

Conner fell to his knees with his eyes closed. A part of his brain knew this wasn't real, and yet, the words told to him were breaking him piece by piece, turning his heart into dust. He was unworthy of his power. He didn't deserve Ethan's friendship. He used Hayley to fix his problems. He took Trent's rightful place, and now he disappointed Tommy.

He was living a nightmare.

"No more…" whispered Conner. "Please, no more…"

"No more… what a pathetic loser," said a new shadow, the only one Conner knew too well that would break him completely. "I don't even know why I married you."

Conner looked up, tears in his eyes as he saw Kira's shadow walking towards him. She was unarmed like Tommy's shadow, but her expression of anger told Conner she was not here to help him. If anything, she was here to make everything worse, and she would. So Conner took several steps back, burning his palms on the hot ground as he stayed on the ground too long.

"What's wrong? Can't you face your wife?" asked Kira's shadow as she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt to stand face to face. "Can't you tell me you realize now the failure you are, Conner? Don't worry, it's not necessary. I knew from the first moment I saw you."

She let him go, throwing him to the ground and then kicking him in the face. Conner didn't fight her. He couldn't, shadow or no shadow, real or fake, it had Kira's voice, and he loved her too much to hurt her. He could feel tears running down his eyes as she looked down at him with so much anger that he felt the weight of her ghostly eyes crushing him.

"You can't even speak now? Good, because I don't want you to," said Kira's shadow. "I should have never married you. You were not the man I wanted and certainly not the man I needed in my life. Thankfully, I can fix that mistake easily."

Conner continued watching her as Kira's shadow conjured Conner's Tyranno staff. He had nothing to say to her words. She was right, he knew that, and yet, when she said 'yes' and they got married, he felt stupidly happy, and he truly believed she was happy too.

But as a human, there were moments when he had doubts, and she just voiced them all.

"Once you are gone, I will finally be free," said Kira's shadow.

She raised the Tyranno staff over Conner's chest as he closed his eyes and prepared for the end. This was it, he knew, because he would not fight Kira even if it was her shadow self. While he didn't want to die, if this was his time and his choice, this is how he wanted it to happen.

If his team had to take his life, let it be Kira to put an end to it all.

"No!"

-L-

Jake didn't know what was going on, but he was sure of one thing—those things were not his friends or his uncle Tommy. For some reason, Conner believed they were a twisted version, and Jake knew him well enough to know that Conner would not fight them.

Which left him with one choice. Jake got up and looked at the morpher on his wrist, feeling the power radiating from it. This was the moment to use it. He had to save Conner. Jake nodded to himself and, channeling his power, called for his transformation.

"Lion Ranger! Activate!" screamed Jake.

Jake felt the power overwhelm him as he saw the armor cover his body. His new Power Ranger armor was incredible. The armor was predominantly white, symbolizing purity and strength, with intricate gold accents that highlighted its regal nature. The helmet featured a fierce lion face design with black and white elements, giving it a visor-like appearance. The headpiece included a mane-like structure, reinforcing the lion theme and adding a majestic touch. The chest armor was adorned with a prominent diamond-shaped emblem, similar to the one in Tommy's Green Ranger armor, symbolizing strength and bravery. The armor was elaborately designed, showcasing intricate patterns and gold accents that enhanced its grandeur. The shoulders were reinforced with gold accents, providing additional protection and a commanding presence. The gauntlets and boots were decorated with golden linings, offering both strength and style. These pieces were designed for agility and durability, ensuring Jake could move swiftly and strike with precision.

Jake looked down at his new suit, feeling the power coursing through him. He marveled at the definition of the white and gold colors in the suit and how light it felt. It was almost as if he was wearing his civilian clothes, yet he felt invincible.

"Alright," said Jake, preparing himself. "Time to save Conner."

Jake jumped, noticing he was faster, like a lion, and had no problem jumping all the way down to the arena in a few seconds. It had to be part of the suit, but it also reminded him of other times when his mind was fuzzy, and all he could feel was the power inside him. But he had to push those thoughts away for later because, right now, his focus had to be here.

Jake ran, and in a couple of movements, he kicked the Tyranno staff away from Kira's shadow hands and grabbed Conner, throwing him over his shoulder. Conner was hurt and in no state to fight. While Jake felt like he could take on the shadows, he could feel Bennu's eyes on them.

This is not your fight! Leave! You shouldn't be here!

The Firebird made another chilling sound, making the shadows of the Dino Rangers appear again, surrounded by ghosts of fire. They were ready to attack, and while Jake could take them out, he wondered why Bennu was so angry.

"Maybe this is not a challenge for you, master," whispered the Snake in his mind. "Maybe it is a test for the Tyranno."

Jake hadn't thought about that, but it made sense. After all, he was here to save the guardians, and he had the feeling all this was connected. But he didn't have time to think as the shadows started to close in on him. Jake sighed; they had to get out of here for now. He scanned the area quickly and soon saw an opening that would lead them to an area behind the volcano. Bennu wouldn't see them there, and maybe there was some place they could use to hide for now.

Jake didn't hesitate and ran towards the area, jumping over the spirits, carrying Conner without problems. In this armor, Conner felt light as a feather, and Jake wondered if he was even physically stronger than before. But his thoughts were quickly interrupted by a big problem in front of him.

There was a big jump from the arena to the other side of the volcano, and Jake had never jumped that far. He looked around for any way to cross, but it seemed there was none, and eventually, the dark shadows of the Dino Rangers caught up with them.

"You can't run, dear godson," said Tommy's shadow. "Give us Conner and leave this place."

Jake took a few steps back. He wasn't going to give Conner up.

"Jake… you have the abilities of a white lion now, use them," whispered Bastro in his mind.

Jake nodded to himself, understanding what Bastro meant. He turned around to face the big space between him and the other side.

Jake took a deep breath. He had to trust his new powers. "Here goes nothing," whispered Jake, and then he ran towards the edge and jumped. To his surprise, he landed safely on the other side. He looked over his shoulder, seeing the shadows could not follow him because Bennu couldn't see from his spot in the volcano. Jake chuckled.

He heard Bennu scream but couldn't pay attention to it now. Jake continued running towards the cave he could see not far from where they were. They would be safe there, and hopefully, he would be able to talk to Conner and help him in this challenge.

-L-

Cave

It only took a few seconds to get to the cave, and when Jake dragged Conner inside, he felt a wave of calm invade his senses. This place was the opposite of outside. The cave was vastly different; the rock was cold to the touch, and the cave itself was dark, giving them some relief from the suffocating feeling of the rest of this world. Jake put Conner on the ground and then looked around. There was water coming from a small lake inside the cave.

Jake looked at Conner, still lost in his nightmare, and with a sigh, he noticed the burns on Conner's palms. They weren't too bad, but they should sting, and yet, Conner was not making a sound. It made Jake hurt his friend, but he knew he had to take care of the burns, and they didn't have anything but that water around. So Jake moved Conner's hand to the water and then looked at him.

"Sorry, this may hurt a bit," said Jake.

Conner didn't make a sound when Jake put his hands in the water. To his surprise, Jake saw the water was actually healing the burns. It was as if this place was some kind of healing cave where they could rest, or maybe…

Jake got distracted when Conner slightly moved, and he realized that he was still wearing his new suit, so it was probable Conner didn't even know who he was. Jake chuckled as he took off the helmet, leaving it on the ground beside him, and put a hand on Conner's shoulder, making him look up.

Conner's eyes flickered, recognizing the young man in front of him. "Jake?" whispered Conner, as Jake nodded with a big smile. Conner looked at him for several minutes, and then, before Jake could stop him, Conner threw himself at the white Ranger, hugging him tight.

"Please, tell me you are normal," whispered Conner.

"I am normal, but now I'm sure I'm faster than you are and way stronger," said Jake, taking a step back to look at his friend. "How are you feeling?"

The comment made Conner chuckle as he rested against the cold rocks behind him and took a deep breath. That encounter with his team, or whatever that was, was brutal, but Conner felt that here, in this place, he could think a little bit more clearly.

And yet, their words still haunted him.

"I don't know. I was fighting an army, and then I was here," said Conner, looking towards the entry of the cave, where he could see the world in flames. "I tried to find a way out, but I couldn't see anything, and my powers weren't working. And then, those shadows appeared, and… what was that? What did that bird do to them?"

Jake looked at him with sympathy. Conner was obviously affected by the words those shadows said about him, and while Jake knew the truth, Conner looked completely devastated. Jake sighed. He never thought he would have to retell the story again after he told Tensou, Kendall, and Chase, but now Conner was here, and along with Jake, he was the only Ranger able to fight for now.

"Conner, that was not your team," said Jake carefully. "Those shadows, I don't know why they are here, but I can assure you they are not your team."

"No? What do you mean?" asked Conner, confused, and then he smiled, hopefully. "Did you see them!? Are they okay!? Where's Kira!?"

Jake looked away, trying to find an easy way to explain what happened to Conner. He knew Conner would be as devastated as Jake was when he first saw it, but he couldn't hide it from him. Conner would find out eventually. Besides, Jake had a plan.

Jake put a hand on Conner's shoulder and looked at him with a mix of sadness and seriousness. "Conner, during the battle I fell into the water with Emperor Malkor. We won, but… when I got back to the shore, everyone was unconscious. My team, yours, our family, all of them. They were gone."

It took a full minute for Conner to understand what he meant, but once he did, Conner felt the world crashing down around him. He pushed Jake's hand away and got up, his heart beating furiously in his chest as he tried to push away negative thoughts. He couldn't think… he couldn't…

"All of them?" said Conner, his voice breaking with how hard he was trying not to start sobbing. "Gone? No, that's not… Jake, that can't be true."

"Conner," said Jake.

"I can't do this," said Conner, feeling dizzy. "I can't… my team is everything, and Kira, I can't live in a world without Kira. Jake, I can't…"

Jake quickly approached him, putting his hand on Conner's shoulder again to stop him and bring him back to reality. He understood his feelings too well. His friends and family gone, and a world without Gia in it wasn't something Jake wanted to experience. But there was something they could do. They could bring them back.

"Conner, hey, look at me," said Jake, forcing Conner to look at him. "I know it hurts, but I'm working on it. I have a plan."

"A plan? What plan?" asked Conner, still lost in grief.

"The Rangers had their energy drained by someone called the Dark Ranger, and if we defeat him, we can bring them back," said Jake, who little by little saw Conner paying more attention to his words. "Your team, Kira, the Rangers, all of them are resting inside Zeo Crystals now. It will keep them alive until we can get their energy back, and for that to happen, I need you, Conner."

Conner seemed to think about his words for a moment, but then he just looked down, and Jake could almost feel him give up.

"I'm sorry, Jake. I don't think I can help you," said Conner. "I don't have my powers here, and even if I had them, I… I'm not strong enough."

"What?" said Jake, stunned by Conner's words.

"Without my powers, I'm just plain old Conner, and I can't… I'm not Dr. O, Jake. I can't help you," said Conner.

"Woah, wait a minute, that is not true," said Jake, forcing Conner to focus on him. "You are not Uncle Tommy, but you are Conner McKnight! You taught me to play soccer when I was a kid, you led the Dino Rangers. You have the Triassic Power, and you are married to Kira Ford!"

"Jake…"

"No, I'm not letting you believe those words!" said Jake, surprising Conner with his anger. "Remember when I was a kid and I met you and your team? I was serious, disciplined under years of Ranger study, and you… you taught me to have fun. I'm Jake because of you, and you are a good Ranger. You know how I know that? Because I heard Uncle Tommy talk about how proud he was seeing you turn into a man he knew could lead the team. I saw his eyes sparkle with pride when he mentioned you, and I saw my dad's smile because you got his power. I saw Ethan, Trent, Hayley. They see you as a leader, and I know you know this too. Conner… you know Kira loves you. You need to believe that."

Conner looked away, trying to win the fight between his own insecurities and Jake's words. It had been a long time since he felt like this about himself. He used to be proud of who he was, but then these people came around and made him care, and now Conner was a mess—a good mess sometimes, but still… He closed his eyes, trying to think, and all the while, he felt Jake's hand on his shoulders, giving him time to process his words.

He wanted to, so bad.

"Sometimes…" said Conner, finally releasing his fears. "Sometimes I think this is a dream. I've been so happy all this time despite the hardships that there are times I believe I'm going to wake up and everything will be gone, and I know it's silly, but I don't want to lose this, you know? Everything I am, everything I want to be, it was because of them and Kira… Jake, she's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I don't even know how I got so lucky."

Conner looked at his hands, as if that confusion just hit him full force, and Jake realized this may be something that Conner had in his mind for some time and had never wanted to tell anyone, probably not to worry anyone. Jake chuckled.

"I know how you feel, Conner. I didn't understand at first, but then I found my team, and I don't know what I would do without them. And you know how I felt about Gia, but that is exactly why we need to keep fighting. We are the only chance they have to come back," said Jake, smiling at Conner's dumbfounded expression. "Your team is waiting for you to rescue them, our friends need our help, and your wife, Conner… I bet if she were here, she would have knocked some sense into you by now."

Conner chuckled despite himself. Jake was right. If the Rangers were trapped and they were there, they had to help them. He had the power to help them with his Dino Gem and his Triassic Power. He could do this with Jake. He was going to do it.

"You are right, kid. I don't know what I was thinking," said Conner, shaking his head. "I know the path I walked with Ethan, Trent, Kira, Dr. O, and Hayley, and recently with Kimberly too. I know who I am and who I want to be, and if you say we have a plan to bring the Rangers back, you bet I am going to help you achieve it."

"That's the Conner I know!"

Jake laughed, and both men hugged, sealing their commitment. It was going to be hard, and first, they had to find a way to get out of this world, but for now, they could rely on each other for the journey, and that was a giant step ahead. Jake breathed, relieved, and took a step back. That's when he noticed Conner was looking at him curiously. The white Ranger looked down at his armor and then back up at Conner with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Weren't you the Black and Green Ranger last time I saw you?" asked Conner.

"Well, you remember I had another power, right?" asked Jake, and Conner nodded, intrigued by this new development. "That power is Bastro, the white lion, and he is Zordon's beast form. He's been with me since I was a kid, and he is the reason I was supposed to become a Ranger. When I secured everyone, I traveled to Eltar, Zordon's home planet, and got the Bastro Morpher, which allows me to become the White Lion Ranger."

Jake pointed to himself while Conner looked at him surprised and at the same time, feeling as if he had heard that name before.

"Zordon? Wait…" said Conner, realizing where he heard the name. "Dr. O's Zordon!? But he was dead!?"

"That's a long story I can tell you later, but there is something else you must know," said Jake, getting serious. "I was sent here to get the help of my guardians to fight the Dark Ranger, and I believe that Bennu is one of them, but for some reason, I think he is connected to you or you to him."

"Connected? What do you…?" asked Conner, and then stopped, rolling his eyes. "Is this one of those things I won't understand but that happen because somehow, I have the Triassic Power?"

"I guess so, and I believe it was Bennu testing you when he sent Kira and the others to you," said Jake. "But now that you know the truth, you should be able to face them, right? And you won't be alone. I'll be there with you."

Conner nodded, looking at his wrist. Maybe that's why his powers didn't work here, but he was going to find a way, no matter what. If Jake needed the Bennu and Conner was connected to it, that bird was going to help Jake, one way or another.

"Very well," said Conner, grabbing the Bastro Ranger's helmet to give it back to Jake. "Let's get Bennu's help."

Jake nodded, putting back the helmet, and this time, with Conner leading, both Rangers prepared to step outside the cave and put an end to this test that Conner was determined to pass. Because there is no one in this life or world that has more burning desire to save his family and friends than Conner, and if Bennu wanted to use them against Conner again, this time Conner would not be scared.

-L-

Fire World

Jake could sense the change in the atmosphere once he and Conner went back to the arena. Bennu was still looking down at them, and as soon as they appeared, he projected the shadows again, this time followed by several ghostly figures in flames, probably made to stop Jake's interference.

Conner stopped as soon as he saw the shadows of his team in front of him and looked at them with a determination he didn't have before. Now that he knew those words were only his fears and doubts, he was ready to face them, thanks to Jake's help.

"I'll take care of them," said Conner, pointing at the shadows. "You make sure the flame ghosts don't get to us."

"Got it."

Conner nodded and felt Jake running towards the ghosts. In one strong swipe, Jake took down three ghostly figures, and his fight started, dragging the rest towards the other side of the arena while Conner took a step forward, facing Ethan's shadow first.

"What's wrong, Conner? Need my help again?" asked Ethan's shadow.

Conner didn't speak and waited until Ethan made the first move, trying to bring him down fast. Conner blocked Ethan's attack with his arms and kicked Ethan in the stomach to get some space between them, but Ethan wasn't going to give up. He ran towards Conner, jumped at the last second, and tried to strike him in the head with his weapon. Conner saw it coming and was able to grab Ethan's weapon with his hands, feeling the deep cuts in his palms. Conner ignored the pain and used his full strength to throw Ethan's shadow away from him, taking advantage of Ethan's shadow being in the air.

Ethan's shadow hit the ground while Conner turned around and looked at him.

"You are right, Ethan. I always need your help," said Conner as Ethan's shadow got up, looking at him as if he was paying attention to his words. "Remember when we started to hang out together? You were the only one patient enough to not give up on me when we had to study. You trusted me, you always did, and I'm sorry to be a pain in the ass, but I'm always going to need that trust, Ethan. You are my Blue Ranger, my friend, and the person I always ask to watch my back. And while it may not seem enough, I promise I will do the same until my last breath."

Ethan's shadow looked at him for a long moment, then Conner noticed the weapon in Ethan's shadow's hand disappear, and the shadow smiled at him.

"I know, Conner," said Ethan's shadow. "I'm counting on you."

Ethan disappeared, and for the first time since he got here, Conner felt relieved. It seemed that the only way to win was to admit his fears and mistakes. He could do that now because he was different from who he was when he became the Red Ranger. Determined, Conner waited for his next challenge.

"You are bleeding."

Hayley's shadow voice brought Conner back to reality when he saw her standing in front of him with a serious look on her face. Hayley was not a fighter, but she was someone Conner underestimated a big part of his life, and he wanted to change that.

"I know. Don't worry about it, Hayley," said Conner.

"Don't worry about it? Where did you get so confident?" asked Hayley's shadow. "All I remember is the crybaby who came complaining about his Ranger duties."

Conner chuckled. "You are right, I complained a lot, didn't I?" asked Conner, taking a step closer to her. He remembered, especially when he almost gave up his chance to be a Ranger and he remembered all those times Hayley gave him an encouraging speech or a meaningful look. "And you are always there, ready to listen and give advice. To be honest, you are a Godsend, Hayley, and I never thank you enough for all you do for me and for the team. You are there for us in and out of Ranger business, and you never complain."

Hayley's shadow nodded when Conner finally reached her and took her hands in his. "That's going to change, Hayley. I know you are somewhere else right now, but I promise I will give my best to help Jake, and I'll remember your words when I feel the world crumbling around me. I will be a Power Ranger with no excuses."

Hayley's shadow smiled finally and raised her hand to caress Conner's cheek. "You are more powerful than you believe, Conner. Trust your heart. It never failed you before, and it won't fail you now. And don't worry, we are fine, and we will see each other again."

Conner smiled as Hayley's shadow disappeared and took a deep breath, feeling another weight lift off his shoulders. He was doing this, he was conquering his doubts, and there were only three people left to face. Conner was ready for the next challenge when suddenly, he heard the wind change and barely had time to avoid the sharp edge of Trent's shadow's weapon as he tried to stab Conner.

"I can't fully take the lead if you don't die, Conner. You could at least make it easy and step aside like a good boy," said Trent's shadow.

"And what makes you think I would do that? You want my place? Come and take it yourself," said Conner.

Trent's shadow was stunned for a moment, but he quickly smiled, running towards Conner. Trent's shadow had weapons while Conner was disarmed, but that didn't stop Conner from using his quick thinking to block Trent's shadow's kick, pushing him away to give Conner enough room to jump over Trent's shadow when he intended to attack again. Conner landed right behind Trent's shadow and elbowed him in the back, turning around quickly to kick him to the ground.

"Too much for you, mighty dragon?" asked Conner.

Trent's shadow growled while Conner walked towards him, but suddenly, Trent's shadow used his camouflage powers to disappear, stopping Conner as he tried to locate him again. He could not believe he hadn't thought these things would have their Dino powers too.

"At least you could fight fair. I have no powers!" screamed Conner.

Trent's shadow appeared again, behind Conner, ready to stab him, but Conner grabbed his arm and turned around, both man and shadow standing face to face. One looked serious, the other furious. From the side, Jake could feel the tension. After using his strength to create a small earthquake on the ground that swallowed more of the ghostly flames, he tried to run towards Conner but stopped when he saw Conner raising his free hand towards him to stop Jake.

"This is my fight, Jake. Let me have it," said Conner.

Jake wanted to help, but he understood. Despite his desire, he knew this was Conner's challenge, and he should only help if things got critical. He also knew about the history when Trent and Conner were constantly fighting each other and the lack of trust between them. Even if that's in the past now, it was still somehow part of Conner's doubts, and it worried Jake.

And yet, because Conner asked him to, Jake took a step back, focusing again on the ghostly flames as Conner did the same with Trent's shadow. Conner put a hand on Trent's shadow's shoulder, and surprising him, Conner headbutted him, forcing them apart for the second time.

"Bastard!" screamed Trent's shadow.

"You said that before," said Conner with a smirk. "Now, are we fighting or not?"

Trent's shadow screamed before launching his attack. During the fight, he and Conner threw punches and kicks at each other, reminding Conner of all the times they fought when Trent was under Mesogog's control and even a few times when he wasn't. Conner chuckled when he received a punch. He missed those days a little.

He blocked the next punch and tried to grab the weapon Trent's shadow was using, but Trent's shadow was fast, and Conner felt a sharp pain in his shoulder where he was stabbed with the weapon. Trent's shadow looked at him, anger present in his voice.

"You never deserved them. I should have been the leader," said Trent's shadow.

Conner could feel the hot pain in his shoulder, and yet, he did something unexpected. He hugged Trent's shadow, moving the shadow's face towards his injured shoulder.

"You may be right, Trent. You should have been the leader. You are a better fighter and sometimes, a better person," whispered Conner gently. "Somehow, I am that lucky bastard you always believed I was, and I got the Red Gem and the Triassic Powers. I got the team and the mentor, the advisor and the lover, but in the middle of all of it, I got you."

"Me? I want you dead!" said Trent's shadow, trying to get out of Conner's embrace.

"You know, I'm tempted to believe that's true even in real life," said Conner, chuckling. "But yes, I got you, and that's good because with you, I got someone that can lead and protect my team when I'm not there. You, Trent, are the man I want leading Ethan, Kira, and helping Dr. O and Hayley. You are the bastard I need on the front lines because I have to go help Jake, and I don't know what's going to happen out there, but if somehow you come back before I do, I trust you to keep the people I love the most safe."

Conner took a step back to look at Trent's shadow and saw him less angry. His weapon had disappeared from Conner's shoulder, and while it was painful, it did feel a little better, or maybe it was because Conner wasn't paying attention to it. He was focused on Trent's shadow, who was smiling at him.

"I will lead them for now, Conner, but don't ever give up. They all need you, and while I consider you a pain in the ass, I need you too. So use that power you have and don't let anyone stop you from coming home, alright?" said Trent's shadow.

"I promise."

Trent's shadow nodded and disappeared, giving Conner a moment to gather his thoughts before he saw another shadow. Tommy's shadow was looking at him, still angry, and yet he didn't move. It felt as if he was watching all the previous interactions and was waiting for Conner to speak. Gathering the courage Conner barely showed when it was only him and his mentor, he took a step towards him.

"Dr. O, I may not have been your choice, and I was nothing like you imagined a Red Ranger should be, but this life, this job, this family taught me to expand my knowledge, and you are to blame for all that," said Conner with a soft smile. "It was your vision of always doing the right thing, even when it was hard, and your desire to protect others that made me want to better myself. You taught me to care for others, you taught me about compassion, trust, and respect, even for your enemies. You taught me everything I know, and right now, facing a challenge I still don't understand, I promise you I will do my best to be there for Jake and keep him safe."

Tommy's shadow looked at him, not moving, and for a moment, Conner wondered if maybe he was going to leave like that. But then he saw the shadow get up and walk toward him with firm steps. Conner stood there frozen, unable to move until Tommy's shadow reached him and hugged him, surprising Conner.

"My only disappointment is that you don't fully trust in your potential, Conner. The Red Dino Gem and the Triassic Power are yours for a reason, and I believe they chose the best Ranger to wield their power. But you need to believe it too," said Tommy's shadow.

"Dr. O…"

"You will keep your promises, Conner. I know the Ranger I mentored too well for his own good, and I know you will save us. You and Jake and any ally you find in your path, you can do this. We all believe in you, and when you feel lost, look inside your heart, because that's exactly where we will be, cheering for you."

Conner nodded, feeling like a little kid being lifted by his father and watched Tommy's shadow disappear with a smile. He didn't realize how much he needed those words until then, and once he heard them, he couldn't stop a tear from running down his cheek.

"I won't fail you, Dr. O," whispered Conner.

"Are you sure about that?"

Conner was already aware of who would be waiting for him when he turned around. If not because she was the last one of his teammates, it was because her voice carried him towards her like a magnet. He turned to look at Kira's shadow. She didn't have the Tyranno staff with her, and he could almost feel she was not here to attack him.

Which was good, because he would not fight her.

"I'm sure, Kira, and I won't fail you either," said Conner, walking towards her to caress her shadow's face in his hands. "God knows I failed you enough times before we even got together, but not this time… I won't lose you to whatever this is."

"But you are scared," said Kira's shadow. "You want to be there for Jake, but you don't understand what is happening or what happened."

"That's very true, babe. I have not a clue, and I'm terrified because I finally achieved all I wanted in life. I had the campus, I had friends, family, I was a hero, and most importantly, I had you," whispered Conner, looking into the ghostly eyes of the shadow. "I lost all of that now, and I don't even know if we can get out of here, but that kid… he trusted me to help, Kira, and I have to bring you back. I won't spend the rest of my life without you."

Kira's shadow looked at him for a long moment before raising her hand and stroking his cheek tenderly. It was almost like having the real Kira there, and for a moment, Conner forgot they were trapped in a world of fire and his wife was somewhere else, sleeping inside a Zeo Crystal.

"I married you because I knew the man behind these fears and worries. I know you worry about your impact on our lives, but have you ever thought about what you did for us? You tried to stand up for Ethan when a bully tried to get to him, but you also gave him the space to grow and face his challenges himself. You made Hayley's local a little bit more popular when we started to meet up there because the popular golden boy was going there. You trusted Trent despite your doubts and your gut feeling, and once we knew we had to save him, you stopped at nothing to bring him to our side. You reminded Dr. O about his time as a Ranger when he saw you wield the legacy of his best friend's powers, and you were there for baby Jake, teaching him to play soccer," said Kira's shadow, showing him a soft smile as tears ran down her cheeks.

"And you stood there by my side, Conner. You trusted my talent, cheered for me, went everywhere with me even before we got together, you were my biggest fan. And now, even separated, I can feel you with me, just as I need you to feel me with you."

"I do, Kira," said Conner, now openly crying as he closed his eyes. His forehead touched her forehead, and he took a shaky breath. "Wait for me. I would hate to miss one of your concerts."

He heard her chuckle, and then Conner opened his eyes to watch her smiling at him. He knew it was time, but he tried to keep her there, but she slipped through his fingertips as he looked at her disappear.

"I love you, Conner. Stay strong."

Kira's shadow finally disappeared, and Conner fell to his knees, whispering his love and feeling his heart breaking as he was finally left alone without doubts but feeling completely empty. That's when he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Jake there, kneeling beside him.

"Are you alright?" asked Jake, worried as he took off his helmet.

"No, but I will be," said Conner, giving Jake a smile. "We are bringing them back, no matter what."

"That's what I wanted to hear, but first… we need to know how to get out of here," said Jake, looking around. "Any ideas?"

Conner was going to answer when they noticed that the world of fire had gone silent. Conner looked up only to get Jake's attention towards the volcano. Bennu was not there anymore; there were no chilling screams or sense of desperation. It was hot, but it seemed that even the temperature of the world had gone down a bit.

"What is going on?" asked Conner.

"You have conquered your fears, Conner McKnight."

Conner and Jake both turned around to see an animal standing behind them, looking at Conner. Bennu, much like a mythical firebird, was radiating with an aura of shimmering, golden flames. Its feathers were a dazzling array of reds, oranges, and yellows, blending seamlessly as if they were made of pure fire. Each time it flapped its wings, sparks flew off, illuminating the dark red sky. Its eyes burned with an intense, bright light, conveying both wisdom and a sense of eternal rebirth.

"I am Bennu, and my power has served a purpose for thousands of years until one day, someone trapped me here, taking from me the chance and desire to protect the Universe and twisting my thoughts into despair and anger until you have come to my realm and reminded me why I should keep fighting," said Bennu, lowering his head towards Conner. "Take my power, Conner McKnight, and become the Firebird Ranger, burning with the desire of bringing his loved ones back home. I offer you my power and my soul to protect now the one we were chosen to keep safe, the White Lion Bastro, in exchange for your commitment and your passion."

Conner looked at Jake, amazed by the creature in front of them. He couldn't believe he was getting access to a new power, but as he touched the head of Bennu, a flash of his Ranger form appeared in his mind, and Conner smiled. This was the power he needed to protect Jake and bring the Rangers back. He was sure of it.

"Very well, Bennu," whispered Conner. "I will use your power to protect Jake and protect the Universe."

Bennu closed his eyes, and the creature started to glow in a red and white light that transformed its figure into a morpher that flew towards Conner. The Red Ranger, grateful for the power, took the morpher in his hands and put it on his wrist, a symbol of his new mission.

"Amazing…" said Jake. "You got the power and it seems it healed your wounds. We did it!"

"We did, Jake," said Conner, hugging the young man. "Now, let's see if you can do something about getting out of here now that everything seems calmer."

Jake nodded and, focusing his energy, he extended his hand to open a second portal. He looked at Conner, unsure of what they were going to find next, but knowing that together, they could face anything. All they had to do was believe in themselves.

They won't fail the Rangers. That wasn't a choice.

-L-

SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room

The silence was deafening, except for the few sobs coming from the area where the Dino Thunder Rangers were watching the sequence of Conner getting his new powers and everything he went through to get them.

"Sometimes he doesn't realize what he means to others," said Trent, looking down. "He's so full of doubts he doesn't realize he saved us time and time again. We all saved each other at some point. Hell, he never gave up on me once he understood I was being controlled."

"He didn't change much over the years," said Kat Manx with a sad smile. "Conner did what he promised. He protected Jake the best he could, but there is much more he was part of, like the technology course here at the academy named 'Ethan's Secret' or the opening of the most popular cafe in the city, named 'Hayley's Heaven.'"

Ethan and Hayley shared a look of surprise while Kat Manx showed them a few pictures of both accomplishments. There they could see Conner put everything he learned from them into practice, teaching and entertaining others just in the same way Ethan and Hayley would do.

"There is also a music course here," said Sky, looking softly at Kira. "It's mostly for non-Rangers, but anyone who wants to learn how to play an instrument, sing, or even compose can go there. He wanted everything you love to be there for the day you came back, and he kept it, Kira. They all did."

Kira nodded, with a shaky breath. It was such a Conner attitude to create those classes to remember them that she didn't know if she could ever step into one of them. He kept saying he didn't want a world without her in it, and she is forced now live this life without him. And yet, as much as she wanted to be angry at him, all she could do was love him more.

You did it. You saved us and… no matter where you are now, I still feel you with me, thought Kira, touching her wedding ring tenderly. I will always feel you in my heart.

Tommy, who was the only one that was still silent, looked at Cruger as the man approached him. He gave Tommy a small notebook, and when Tommy opened it, he saw several notes, some from Tommy's old notebooks and others from Conner. Tommy looked up, slightly confused, while Cruger smiled down at him.

"Conner was a teacher here. He taught the youngest cadets about the story of the Power Rangers and their importance in the galaxy," explained Cruger. "He wanted the new cadets to be prepared for challenges ahead, just like you did with him and his team."

Tommy looked at the notebook again, passing his hand through the words written by the boy he saw become a man. He was truly his legacy, far more than any other Ranger he had seen before, and Tommy could not be prouder of him.

"Thank you," whispered Tommy.

Cruger nodded, allowing Tommy to hide his face in Kimberly's shoulder as he went back to the SPD Rangers. The Dino Rangers would need time to recover, but they needed to show one more event before finishing the day. He looked at Syd, and the Pink Ranger nodded, taking a step towards the table.

"There is still a few parts we need to see…" said Syd, looking at the Samurai Rangers. "This is one of them about a past only a few of you know. These events will reveal the full story and bring some unpleasant memories, but it is necessary in order to obtain Jake's last guardian that helped him defeat the Dark Ranger."

The Samurai Rangers and Mentor Ji felt the tension as Syd started the recorder, showing a dark forest where the canopy was so dense that only slivers of moonlight pierced through, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. The trees loomed tall and imposing, their branches twisting and reaching like skeletal fingers. There was palpable stillness, broken only by the occasional rustle of unseen creatures and the distant hoot of an owl. It seemed a place where time felt suspended, and the unknown lurked just beyond the next tree.

"This is the Dark Forest and where Mike appeared."