It had taken all day to get out to Dr. Oliver's cabin in Rocky's car, but Rocky and Alpha were grateful for Dr. Oliver's knowledge of the area; they had been able to leave Angel Grove without being detected.

Even though he was a little afraid of the dark, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief as Dr. Oliver drove the car into a garage hidden by bushes and fences that was attached to the cabin. Alpha had powered down because he didn't enjoy car rides, so Rocky had remained awake to keep an eye on the sleeping Aisha.

"Rocky, you'd better carry Aisha inside," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice as he turned the engine off and looked at Rocky, who was sitting in the front passenger seat with Aisha asleep in his lap. "Alpha?"

There was silence and then Alpha, who had been in the backseat, quickly powered up, "Ai-yi-yi-yi!" he whined in an anxious voice. "I can't believe Zordon is faking being dead and Zack stayed behind to protect Trini's body! If your instincts were correct, someone is sure to find that Zack is alone there!"

"Zack is a courageous boy," Dr. Oliver replied as he got out of the car and helped Alpha maneuver out of the backseat. He then watched as Rocky carefully got out of the car with Aisha in his arms. "Okay, so we need to go to the basement where you and Aisha can get some rest and where I can talk to Alpha."

Rocky immediately looked confused and Dr. Oliver gestured to a door that was camouflaged into the wall and only had a small handle, "This is a very old house that I think was around during times of unrest," Dr. Oliver explained as he opened the door and quickly hustled them down the stairs.

Dr. Oliver quickly closed and locked the door before hurrying down the stairs after them, "Wow," Rocky said in an awed voice as he saw that the basement was like a mini apartment and that there was a small video phone in the far corner, near the kitchen area. A smaller room held several beds and the room next to it served as a bathroom; the front room served as a living room, dining room, and kitchen.

"Go and get some rest, Rocky," Dr. Oliver said in an anxious voice. "Alpha, we need to talk…"

Not daring to argue with the one who had just rescued him, Rocky gently carried Aisha into the small bedroom and quickly tucked her into the bed closest to the door. He then went over to the next bed and quickly got under the sheets, not bothering to take his shoes off. He then stared at the ceiling silently.

"You are now ready to meet Ninjor," Dulcea said, turning to the gate as it opened. "Follow me."

Keeping their hands joined, Jason, Kimberly, Adam, Malcolm, Laura, Tommy, and Billy followed Dulcea into a large room that contained ancient looking décor that included a large vase on a small table near the gate and a small podium with a square altar on top of it was in the middle of the room with a large bowl-like firepit on top of it. Ancient paintings of various animals decorated the walls and the star symbol was etched into the altar.

Dulcea gave all of the Rangers a serious, but reassuring smile.

"Ninjor, I have brought seven," Dulcea said as she gazed towards the large vase. "They are prepared."

An amused chuckled suddenly filled the room and suddenly, the room was bathed in light and there was a loud banging sound. The light faded and a blue robotic-like being was standing at the head of the altar.

"I am Ninjor," the being said as he came around the altar. "I am the Master of the Ninjetti Temple."

Ninjor silently walked over to where the Rangers stood and he eyed each of them carefully, "All of you are tired and thin," he said in a firm voice. "Bruised either in body, heart, or mind; how on Earth do you expect to take on these powers and accomplish the task of saving Earth from Ivan Ooze, children?"

"Before we came here, we were the Power Rangers," Tommy replied in a confident voice. "We may have lost our powers, but we still have the courage in our hearts and are still willing to be a team."

Ninjor was silent for a moment and then looked at Malcolm's arm in a sling and the bruises on Laura's arms. He then looked very sharply at both Tommy and Adam before looking directly at Dulcea.

"The fire will heal your physical wounds and bestow upon you powers granted by the spirit animals that are deep inside each of you," Dulcea stated in a compassionate voice as she picked up a small bowl beside the vase, walked over to the altar, and filled the firepit with a sandy dust. "Even after you have these powers and have used them for good, you must rely on each other to completely recover."

Ninjor clapped his hands, "All of you gather around the altar and join hands," he said in a commanding voice, knowing he should speak with Laura, Tommy, Adam, and Malcolm later while Dulcea should speak with Jason, Kimberly, and Billy. "The fire of time, trial, and hope for the future will reveal your spirit animal and give you powers associated with that animal which you need to defeat Ivan Ooze."

After quickly exchanging looks, Tommy swallowed hard and moved into position on Ninjor's right side and Billy quickly stood next to Tommy; Jason stood next to Billy and Adam stood next to Jason, still deeply shaken by the piercing look Ninjor had given him; Laura ignored the trembling in her weak body and slowly moved into the circle next to Adam and Kimberly quickly took her place beside Laura. Malcolm swallowed hard and took the open spot next to Laura, his hope for peace very strong.

"Excellent," Ninjor said as the Rangers joined hands. "Dulcea, prepare the fire and feed it."

Dulcea nodded, smiled, and waved her staff at the firepit. Almost immediately, a blazing fire appeared and flamed so high that it almost touched the ceiling; it was so bright that it was nearly blinding.

"Your animal spirits will give you strength and abilities that have fought to get free for years, but have never been able to because of difficult circumstances that have served as barriers," Ninjor said as the heat in the room increased and a fiery gold dust filled the room. "Now that you have faced these barriers and have accepted them into your lives, your animal spirits can break free into your hearts."

The light and heat of the fire and the dust engulfed the Rangers and a moment later, all of it faded away to nothing and seven figures now stood at the altar; they were clad head-to-toe in white, blue, red, black, yellow, pink, and orange ninja outfits. Gold coins with various animals adorned their chests.

"Tommy, you are the Falcon Ninja Ranger," Dulcea said as the Rangers broke apart and stood back from the altar in a row near the wall. "The falcon has been in your heart and its courage has guided you to rise above your past to embrace a better future. As you utilize your new powers, remember to always think carefully when making choices, for every choice has a consequence. Focus on goodness always."

Fighting the urge to cry, Tommy nodded and removed his hood and face covering, "Billy, you are the Wolf Ninja Ranger," Dulcea said as she moved to Billy. "You have been taught well by your past and now you should share your knowledge with others. Teach by example and help others to find their path."

Billy smiled, his thoughts quickly drifting to his mother's last words to him as he removed his hood and face covering, "Jason, you are the Lion Ninja Ranger," Dulcea said in a gentle voice as she moved on to Jason. "You are a natural born leader and you carry great courage in your heart that you show each day in the choices that you make. You possess a gentle heart, swift thinking, and a balanced mind."

Jason couldn't help but smile at those unexpected comments as he silently removed his hood and face covering, "Adam, why do you look so solemn?" Dulcea asked as she moved to him and he sighed.

"How are frogs important?" Adam asked as he touched his frog symbol. "Where or what is my place?"

Dulcea smiled tenderly and kissed Adam's cheek, "While your past has left you very guarded, it will also make you stronger as you move forward," she said in a gentle voice. "You are the Frog Ninja Ranger; you carry understanding and patience that many could not. Your place is with those who care about you."

Adam managed a small smile and silently removed his hood and face covering, "Laura, you accepted this opportunity placed before you even though it required faith and sacrifice," Dulcea said in a gentle tone as she moved to Laura. "You have become the Eagle Ninja Ranger; you possess a very divine spirit and you have a protective instinct when it comes to those you care for. Your heart is very strong; rely on it."

Trying hard not to think of what she had given up in becoming a Ninja Ranger, Laura nodded and quickly removed her hood and face covering so not to pass out, "Kimberly, you are the Crane Ninja Ranger," Dulcea said in a gentle voice as she moved on to Kimberly. "You are very agile and light on your feet; you also have a lot of compassion and love for those around you. Seek wisdom through good opportunities."

Kimberly smiled, nodded, and removed her hood and face covering, "Malcolm, you are the Tiger Ninja Ranger," Dulcea said as she moved to Malcolm and gently placed her hand on his cheek. "You have shown admirable courage in the face of great tragedy; the spirit of kindness and compassion is very great within you and you desire to make honorable choices even if they are hard or bring you pain."

Malcolm nodded and removed his hood and face mask, suddenly noticing that his sling was on the floor.

For a moment, Dulcea stood there with her hand on Malcolm's cheek as she gazed into his eyes and then, collecting herself, she removed her hand and stepped away, "Rangers, does anyone know you are on Phaedos?" Ninjor asked as he suddenly lifted a small crystalline ball above the table and set it in the firepit. "I ask because it seems someone from Earth has sent an emergency message to you."

"Uncle Frank and Alpha know," Tommy replied in a worried voice. "What does the message say?"

Ninjor sighed and gazed at the crystalline ball as a fading image of Dr. Oliver appeared in it, "Rangers, we have had to evacuate the Command Center," Dr. Oliver's static filled voice said. "Zack stayed behind to protect Zordon and Trini's body, but I have escaped to my cabin with Rocky, Alpha, and Aisha…."

The message suddenly faded, "The signal must have faded," Ninjor commented as he put the crystalline ball back in its hiding place. "We must proceed with discovering your gifts and Zords so you can return to Earth and save it."

"Well, that's it," Dr. Oliver said with a sigh as the signal faded from the video phone that Alpha and the Power Coins were connected to. "Alpha, are you all right? I used quite a bit of your power to do that."

Alpha nodded and quickly disconnected himself from the video phone, "I hope the Rangers got the message and I hope they come back soon," he replied in a worried voice. "I worry for Zordon and I worry that Zack got himself captured by choosing to stay behind at the Command Center to help us escape."

"Do you think Zack is okay?" Rocky asked, suddenly coming out of the bedroom. "I'm worried."

Dr. Oliver looked at Rocky, "Did you have a nightmare?" he asked, seeing the exhaustion in Rocky's eyes.

"It was a bad one," Rocky replied. "I started having memories of my time trapped under Zedd's spell and I started having thoughts about what would have happened to me if Malcolm hadn't broken the spell."

Alpha sighed and walked over to Rocky, "You weren't responsible for what you did then," he said, trying to console the distraught human. Rocky, however, sighed and wandered over to the sitting area.

"Has Aisha woken up yet?" Dr. Oliver asked, trying to take Rocky's mind off his nightmare.

Rocky shook his head, sat down on the couch, and pulled a blanket off the back of the couch over him to keep himself warm, "It should have been me to stay behind, not Zack," he said in a toneless voice as he gazed at the floor. "Zack's already been through so much; being under Rita and Zedd's spell and all…"

"You were under their spell too," Alpha replied in a worried voice. "Nobody should have had to stay…"

Scoffing, Rocky stood up, "I'm going back to the Command Center and turn myself over to Rita and Zedd in exchange for Zack," he said in a trembling voice. "I shouldn't have left him there…I have to go…"

"No, you don't!" Dr. Oliver shouted, suddenly seeing a shade of grey in Rocky's eyes. "Alpha, grab him."

Even though Rocky bolted towards the door that would lead to the garage and outside, Alpha was just as fast and quickly restrained Rocky, "He still has aftereffects of the spell on him!" Alpha whimpered as he dragged Rocky away from the door and forced him into a cushioned chair in the corner of the room.

"Please, I have to get my punishment from Lord Zedd and Lady Rita for abandoning them!" Rocky yelled, helpless against Alpha's restraining strength. "Please, Alpha, I'm not worth saving! Zack is worth…"

Not wanting to wake Aisha, Dr. Oliver grabbed some soft restraints from a cupboard under the sink and hurried over to where Rocky was sitting, "Whenever Tommy had the urge to hurt himself or run away when we first got this place, I'd sit him in a chair and put these on him so he wouldn't hurt himself or me while we talked about his feelings," Dr. Oliver said in a gentle voice as he carefully tied Rocky's legs to the chair legs. "Now, I want you to tell me what on earth you're referring to; what spell?"

"A while back, I was captured by Zedd and Rita along with Aisha, Adam, Zack, and Skull," Rocky replied in a hollow voice, avoiding Alpha and Dr. Oliver's concerned gazes. "I was put under a spell and forced to serve as a Dark Ranger to try and destroy the Power Rangers. I was seen as a misfit and whenever Rita or Zedd called, they whipped me hard and allowed Goldar or Zedison to beat me up in fights. I was so angry about it that I took it out on the other Rangers and I always picked on Malcolm to feel better…"

Dr. Oliver frowned, "Were Adam, Aisha, or Skull ever whipped?" he asked in a worried voice.

"No, Adam and Aisha were viewed as strong people and Skull was too much of a coward to do anything but what he was told," Rocky replied in a quiet voice. "I was the last to fully give into the spell and I would occasionally refuse to do something. After a lot of fights and whippings, I finally obeyed them…"

Rocky winced, suddenly feeling pain in his back, "Is my back bleeding again?" he asked in a wary voice as he leaned forward to try and offset the pain. "Sometimes the cuts will break and bleed for a bit…"

"Let's see," Dr. Oliver said as he rolled Rocky's shirt up and saw the deep whip marks on Rocky's back.

"Take THAT, you weakling!" Rita yelled as Rocky found himself shirtless and hanging from a large ceiling hook by his wrists, which were chained together. He felt a sharp whip strike his back several times.

Rocky moaned, but couldn't even look down at Rita because his eyes were swollen shut from tears he had shed as he watched his friends succumb to the spell. Rita cackled and continued to whip him.

"Rocky…Rocky…Rocky, come on," Rocky suddenly heard as a metallic hand touched his forehead.

Rocky opened his eyes and saw that he was back in the bed he had used earlier and that he was lying on his side facing Aisha with his a restraint around his wrist that was tied to a lamp. A large blanket was over his body and Alpha was standing next to the bed. Dr. Oliver was also there, kneeling beside him.

"You went into shock and passed out when I touched the cuts on your back," Dr. Oliver explained in a gentle voice, deeply unnerved about the cloudiness in Rocky's eyes. "I want you to rest for now, Rocky, and when the Rangers come back, I want you to talk to Zordon about what's happened to you, okay?"

Rocky suddenly felt very exhausted and felt his eyes slowly closing, "…Alpha, I'll stay here and you go see if you can contact the Rangers again," Dr. Oliver said, worried that if he left the room, there would be nobody to take care of either Rocky or Aisha if they woke. "It's a longshot, but we have to try again."

"What If Rocky has another fit from the spell? Alpha asked, deeply concerned. "He could hurt you."

Dr. Oliver sighed, suddenly looking very patient, "He won't," he replied in a patient voice. "Trust me."

"I'll go try again and then I'll see if I can use any of the power from the Power Coins to give Aisha and Rocky a little strength," Alpha said as he left the room. "Do you need anything, Doctor Oliver?"

Dr. Oliver shook his head, "This whole experience has made me lose my appetite and I probably won't get it back until this crisis is over," he replied as Rocky's eyes closed. "I hope the Rangers return soon."

"Black Knight, keep up!" Katherine snapped as she led Zack into the damaged Moon Palace and into the throne room where Zedd and Rita lay unconscious on the floor. She waved the wand at her parents.

Rita woke immediately and was relieved when Kat zapped the Ooze off her mouth, "Mother, I have retrieved the Black Knight and Zordon of Eltar is dead," Katherine said as she handed the wand back to Rita and helped her to her feet. "The Command Center is in ruins, but I was banished from Phaedos."

"Banished from Phaedos?" Rita asked as she caressed her staff. "Why did you even go to Phaedos?"

Katherine bowed, "I went to try and destroy the Rangers, but only deaged the Yellow Ranger with the Orb of Doom," she replied in a respectful tone. "However, the Rangers are receiving help and they now have seven Rangers united. A woman named Dulcea banished me from trying to harm the seventh…"

"WHERE IS MY SON?!" Zedd yelled as he slowly got to his feet. "Ah, Black Knight, welcome back!"

Completely helpless, Zack bowed himself before Zedd, "Father, Ivan Ooze has Zedison under a spell that has gone unnoticed," Katherine replied as she hurried to the telescope. "Zedison is badly injured."

Letting out an angry grunt, Zedd slowly made his way over to the telescope and Katherine respectfully stepped aside. He gazed through the telescope at Angel Grove and saw hordes of brainwashed adults destroying sources of electricity to give Ooze power. He then saw Ooze using a large flute to thrash Zedison, who was lying on the ground with blood on his sliver ninja outfit and trying to fight back.

"NOBODY PUNISHES THAT BOY EXCEPT ME!" Zedd roared, his fury with Ivan's evilness increasing.

Rita's eyes widened and she hurried past the Black Knight and shoved Zedd aside, "I AM GOING TO TEAR THAT PURPLE SLIMEBEAST APART!" she roared after seeing how her precious son was suffering.

"Rita, I will rescue Zedison," Zedd said, suddenly feeling his strength returning. "You deal with Ooze."

Rita looked as if she wanted to argue, but merely turned to Katherine, "Go back to the Command Center and wait for the Rangers to return," she said in a menacing voice. "I will deal with Ivan Ooze myself."

"Take the Black Knight with you, Katherine," Zedd said, seeing that Rita's determination was strong.

Katherine nodded and she silently took the Black Knight's arm, "When the Rangers return, use the Orb to make them suffer the same fate as that Yellow Ranger," Rita said in a menacing voice. "Now go."

"Yes Mother," Katherine replied as she bowed and departed with the Black Knight in tow.

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