SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
By the time Cruger, the Original, and Zeo Rangers came back to the meeting room, they could see the other Rangers chatting with the SPD Rangers and Kat Manx, all of them sharing stories about their past, like when Jake and Conner taught Z and Jack to play soccer or when Mike taught Sky to create small toys with wood, resembling the other Rangers' zords.
It made Cruger feel like home, and it had been some time since he felt somewhere near a true smile reaching his lips. He pointed to the Rangers to take their seats before he took his place near Kat Manx and the objects. He could see that Bridge was back in his place near Gia and the Megaforce Rangers with Z by his side, Sky and Syd were holding hands sandwiched between the Dino and the Samurai Rangers, with Kira and Emily beside them, and Jack was standing near Kat Manx and Alpha-5.
"I'll see we are all ready to watch the next part of these memories," said Cruger, and everyone nodded, looking at the three objects glowing softly on the table. He put a hand over the recorder, and once more, the Rangers were transported to another time inside the walls of the academy.
As soon as they saw the gym, both Sky and Bridge chuckled, remembering this day clearly. "This happened soon after you came to live with us. We were so bad."
"I could not stand too many people," said Sky, pointing his finger at Bridge. "But this guy was determined to be my friend, and Uncle Jake took the matter into his own hands to help us understand each other."
"That was funny," said Cruger, looking at the memory with a smile.
-L-
SPD Academy (2015) – Gym
Watching his students practice the stance he had just taught them, Jake smiled, it took time to learn the perfect balance to allow their bodies to be comfortable with the movements. As his father and Tommy taught him early in his life, Jake was trying to teach the kids that they would never win a fight without proper posture. Thankfully, they took the class seriously, and as he watched them, he could see most of them were excelling, especially Skylar, who was mastering the stance at a surprising speed. Bridge, on the other hand, seemed to have more trouble getting everything right, and Jake chuckled as Bridge almost fell face-first if it wasn't for Skylar grabbing him at the last second.
"Look at that… are our kids getting along?" asked Conner, approaching Jake and looking at the kids.
"Maybe? It is hard to tell. Skylar is a very serious kid for his age, and Bridge is the complete opposite. Look, it looks like my boy is pestering yours," said Jake, scratching the back of his head. "I never had problems making friends, except Mason and a few other guys that liked to pick on me and Noah, so I'm not sure how to deal with this."
"Let them find their path," said Conner, putting down his books. "I remember that Ethan and I had to work together for a few weeks before we could speak to each other properly. You know Kira and I didn't get along at all, and you know my deal with Trent. It takes time to understand each other, and Skylar has gone through a lot."
"You're right. I just wish we could do more," said Jake with a sigh. "He is a kid. He deserves to be happy, you know? Have a normal life."
Conner nodded while Jake watched Bridge trying to tell a joke to Skylar and failing miserably when all he got in response was Skylar using his shield to keep Bridge away. Jake shook his head when he heard Mike chuckling on the other side.
"You know, I remember a time when Kevin and I were tied up and had to manage a way to work together," said Mike, watching the two boys. "Kevin did comment we acted like kids, so maybe…"
"Of course! That's a great idea!" said Jake. Mike and Conner looked at him, curious. "There is an exercise I was planning to help them gain a better balance, but if we apply it to teams of two, not only will they gain balance, but they will also understand teamwork! Thank you!"
He was going to run away, but before he got too far, Conner stopped him, worried. "Are you sure? It could end up in a fight."
Jake nodded. "They will still need time, like you said, but if they understand they can achieve more by working together, then there is a chance we can speed the process a little bit." Conner took a deep breath, letting him go. He was still worried, but he trusted Jake and knew the young White Ranger would know where to press and where to slow down.
"He will be fine," said Mike, catching Conner's attention. "I've been in a world with not many to trust before. It takes time, but Bridge will do him good; he has Jake's spirit."
"Right…" said Conner, and then he looked at Mike's sword. "Hey, do you have some free time? I think we could train a little, your sword against my fire arrows?"
Mike smiled, accepting the challenge. "Loser buys lunch for the kids, all they want." Conner laughed, nodding. "Challenge accepted, Samurai."
Both Rangers walked away while Jake approached his class and separated them into pairs, making sure to put Skylar and Bridge together. Then, he asked them to tie one of their hands together and smiled, seeing the kids having trouble even doing simple things like sitting down.
"I know it's complicated, but we are going to try to do the same exercise like this," said Jake, pointing at their tied hands. "Physical strength is important, but you need to balance it with partnership. Every Ranger has someone else that shares their abilities or their powers, partners as we call it."
"Do you have a partner, Commander Scott?" asked one of the kids, and Jake nodded, looking proud as he spoke. "I do. My partner is Gia Moran, she's the Yellow Megaforce Ranger, and we both share earth power. Our combined attack can create an earthquake, and our weapons balance each other in defense and attack."
"Wow… she must be very strong," said another girl, and Jake nodded. "Oh, she is. Here, let me tell you a secret, she is the only person that can bring me down with a word."
The kids looked at each other, surprised, and some of them were already murmuring since they didn't know someone as strong as their Commander could be defeated. Jake let out a soft laugh and then helped his students get comfortable as they tried to reach their stances together. There was a clear effort, and Jake nodded, happy to see they were understanding the assignment as he could see the kids talking to each other, guiding each other to reach the stance—all of them except two.
"Just follow my lead," said Skylar, clearly frustrated.
"I would follow it, but you go too fast!" said Bridge, also frustrated.
Jake looked at them trying to do the stance and losing balance, ending up on the ground. He took a deep breath. It wasn't going to be easy, but Jake thought he saw the problem and determined to try and make them see the same thing he was seeing. He walked towards them and helped them to get up.
"Having trouble?" asked Jake with a soft smile as he brushed the dirt from their training shirts. Skylar was wearing a blue one, because he said it was the same color as the sky on his planet before the machines got there, and Bridge was wearing his usual green shirt. Once they were clean, Jake looked at them.
"I don't know what's wrong, papa," said Bridge, looking down. "We try and try, but we can't understand each other."
"That is the problem," said Jake, signaling Rico to continue helping the other cadets while he sat with Bridge and Skylar. "Sometimes, people have a hard time expressing themselves to others. You, Bridge, are too energetic for Skylar, and you, Skylar, are too serious for Bridge. You two need to find common ground."
"How do we do that, Commander?" asked Skylar, curious about the prospect of learning something new. Jake took a moment to think. He couldn't really relate this problem to himself, but he could use what he knew of others to explain what he wanted to convey to these kids.
It took a few moments, but finally, he came up with an idea. "Talk to each other. Believe it or not, you are here for the same reason."
Skylar looked at Bridge, who had gone silent, thinking as his papa had told him. Then, he nodded, looking at Skylar with a new determination in his eyes. "Papa found me in a ship from the Dark Ranger here in Eltar," said Bridge, his voice cracking with the memory of those days before he met Jake. "My planet is gone, destroyed by the Dark Ranger and his army, but papa… papa made me feel safe, and your papa and Uncle Mike too. Here is home, and I just wanted you to see it like I do, Skylar."
For a long moment, Jake stood there, watching them. The sincerity in Bridge surprised even him, but it also reached Skylar, who spent a long moment thinking. He didn't know about Bridge, as Conner wanted them to get to know each other from the beginning, but seeing someone like Bridge go through something similar must have sparked something in Skylar because he nodded, extending his free hand to Bridge.
"I apologize, Bridge. I wasn't aware of your story, and I understand what you want to say. It's just… it's going to take time for me to get used to a life where I'm not expecting someone to betray me," explained Skylar. "Would you be willing to work with me as I navigate this new life?"
"Of course!" said Bridge, smiling brightly.
Jake chuckled. It turns out all they needed was a little push, and he was happy they seemed more in tune, so he coughed to get their attention. "Very well, want to try those stances again?"
Bridge and Skylar nodded, and this time, when Jake got up, he saw the kids more synchronized. They still had problems, of course, but this time, instead of getting angry, he saw them working through their problems, instructing each other, and working together. Jake smiled.
He was about to say something when his morpher went off, and he heard a message from Alpha-5. It seemed confusing, but it was clear something was going on, so Jake approached Rico and spoke to him, letting him know he had to bring Jordan to finish the class before he left to find Conner and Mike so they could see what was going on.
But if his gut feeling was right, it seemed another attack had occurred.
-L-
SPD Academy (2015) – Command Room
Once they got to the Command Center, Jake, Conner, and Mike were surprised to find images of the Phantom Ranger and Ninjor in a cell as a replica of Divatox was presented in front of them, claiming victory as her army chanted her name.
"Lion Ranger! You and your friends come to me now and I will set these two free! If not, I will claim their lives!" said Divatox, laughing while her army clapped, chanting for the Phantom Ranger and Ninjor's fall.
Jake watched Alpha-5 work the controls of the Command Center along with Kat Manx while Anubis walked towards him, looking confused. "Are those your allies?" asked Cruger, and Jake nodded, worried for his friends.
"These are Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger. They helped the Rangers. Ninjor created the power coins that allowed my parents and the other Rangers to morph for the first time, and the Phantom Ranger assisted the Turbo Rangers many times… how did that replica manage to get to them?" asked Jake.
"We are not sure. It seems they were in the Desert of Despair," explained Alpha-5, and Jake nodded, still worried. "Of course, Uncle Tommy did say Ninjor went back after they became Zeo Rangers. Maybe the Phantom Ranger was called to help him, seeing that none of us was around…"
"Alright, any idea of how to get there?" asked Conner, and Kat Manx sighed, pointing at another camera. "We can teleport you to the desert, but we don't have an exact location, so you will have to find the path to Divatox yourself."
"We can work with that," said Mike, adjusting his sword. "When are we leaving?"
"Now. If she doesn't see you soon, she may do something drastic. The reports we have on her said that while she prefers other methods, she is capable of using bombs and a great enemy, so be very careful, Rangers," said Cruger.
"We will be," said Jake, looking at his guardians. "Ready?"
Both Conner and Mike nodded, and together, the three ran towards their ship. The path to the Desert of Despair was clear now. All they had to do was get there before it was too late for Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger.
-L-
SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
As they saw the Rangers teleporting, TJ, Justin, Carlos, Ashley, and Cassie got up. Since Andros managed to fix their Turbo morphers, they were able to morph into Turbo Rangers again, but they didn't have them with them. Not until Jack walked to them with a briefcase; inside, there were the Turbo Morphers, ready for them.
"Jake asked for them to be sent to him so Kat Manx could create replicas for their classes," explained Jack, looking at the objects. "We have been looking at the small notes you took, Ashley, and the materials Cassie detailed, and we reinforced them a little bit. I know you are Space Rangers now, but if you need the Turbo power again, we made sure they won't break."
The Space Rangers and Justin nodded, taking the morphers that made them Power Rangers one more time and attaching them to their free wrists while the objects started to show signs of corruption. Andros, who was behind them, nodded at them, giving them his full support as they were going to face danger without him one more time.
"You have the necessary power to complete this mission," said Andros, taking his wife's hand and looking at all the Rangers. "Go help them and make sure that Dark Ranger regrets what he did to us."
"You can count on us," said Ashley, stroking his cheek tenderly. "We will be ready."
"Rangers, the corruption is growing, we need to go," said Z.
The Turbo Rangers took a step back from Andros and shared a look full of determination. It was their time to help Jake, Conner, and Mike and to make sure that this replica of Divatox and her army didn't defeat these Rangers like she almost defeated them.
-L-
Desert of Despair (2015)
Jake had heard a lot about this place, but he had never been here, so he was confused when they were dropped in the middle of nowhere with not much but their own instinct to survive. Thankfully, Conner was able to take an aerial look, but there was nothing as far as he could see. Wherever Divatox was, it wasn't near their current location.
"There is a sandstorm coming," said Conner when he came down from the sky. Jake nodded and looked at Mike, whose eyes were closed, listening for any sound that could come. When he opened his eyes, he gave Jake an annoyed look. "Nothing."
"Guess we have to resort to old ways," said Jake, kneeling on the ground. Earth was his element and Gia's, and Gia, being the smart and resourceful woman she was, had taught him enough to give him the power to sense any movement, also thanks to his training with the Ninja Rangers, he could also use wind, lightning, and water to sense where Divatox could be.
Jake closed his eyes, allowing the energy to take control of him as he used a stance Shane had taught him many years ago and that he had perfected with Tori, Dustin, Blake, Hunter, and Cam's training years later. He started to sense the movement on the ground, almost as if they were steps. Then, he heard water running somewhere far away, and the wind was whispering to him along with the soft sparks of lightning in the distance, allowing him to understand that maybe the sandstorm brought more than sand towards them.
Jake opened his eyes while Conner and Mike looked at him in silence, waiting for his lead. The White Ranger got up and showed his golden eyes before he pointed in a direction in front of them. "Let's go."
Conner and Mike didn't discuss his choice and followed him deep into the desert and directly towards the sandstorm. They were prepared for anything, but Jake seemed determined to follow his path. Unfortunately, the trip could take a long time, and Jake was aware Divatox was never a patient person, so he needed to move fast. While Conner could fly, he and Mike would have to walk, or maybe…
"Hey, Bastro," said Jake, stopping for a moment. "Is there any way we can get where we need to be faster?"
"I believe so. Focus on your Turbo legacy and claim the power passed from one generation to another," said Bastro in his mind.
Jake nodded and made a movement with his wrist as the key to activate the device appeared in his other hand, also white. Bastro's morpher was the same, but it seemed that Jake could use the key to unlock the power of the Turbo Rangers now, and Jake chuckled, almost feeling the power.
"Shift into Turbo!" screamed Jake. Conner and Mike saw that Jake didn't take a stance as his White Lion Ranger form first; instead, his whole body glowed white as a ghostly white lion roared, and his armor started to cover his body.
The armor was predominantly white, which enhanced its clean and high-tech appearance. It had intricate designs and metallic accents that added to its sophisticated look. Large, rounded shoulder pads provided both protection and a commanding presence. The chest plate featured a circular yellow emblem at the center, suggesting a core power source or insignia, with a red triangular emblem below the waist, adding visual contrast and possibly indicating rank or unit designation. Heavily armored with additional yellow circular elements on the knees, it enhanced both defense and design aesthetics. The armor on the limbs was sleek and mechanical, hinting at advanced articulation and movement capabilities. The suit had various panels and joints that suggested cutting-edge technology and craftsmanship. It looked like it could be used in combat or other high-stakes scenarios.
Behind him, Conner and Mike looked impressed as Jake seemed to get bigger in size to accommodate his Turbo armor. It wasn't like anything else they had seen before, but when the White Ranger turned to them, he didn't seem to be in any pain.
"Wait for it," said Jake. He took a defensive stance, and to Conner and Mike's surprise, Jake turned into a jeep big enough to carry both Conner and Mike inside. The Bennu and Green Wolf Ranger took a step towards the car, worried for Jake, but the White Ranger lit up the car's lights, indicating he was fine. "I'm fine! This is the suit transforming! I'm inside using the basic armor! Get in so we can go!"
Conner and Mike shared a look as the doors opened, and they could see Jake was in a basic armor. Parts of the armor were connected to the rest of the car, confirming the car was the rest of Jake's armor that had adapted so they could drive towards their location.
"Dude…" said Mike, getting into the car. "This is… what are you? A Transformer?"
"How can this happen? You can adapt part of your armor into a jeep? You don't even know how to drive yet!" said Conner, also jumping in.
Jake chuckled and closed the doors before driving towards their location. It was faster and more comfortable than walking all the way to Divatox and her army. "I know, it seems I can adapt to the situation," said Jake, looking at his car. "Wait until I show this to Noah, he's going to flip."
The Rangers drove towards Divatox, now more comfortable and prepared to face the new challenge awaiting them.
-L-
Desert of Despair (2015)
Even with Jake's jeep form, it still took an hour to reach a location that seemed an oasis. The Rangers, aware this was where Divatox could have Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger, hid far enough so Divatox couldn't hear them. Once Conner and Mike got out of the car, Jake turned into his Turbo Ranger form.
"Looking at the bright side, your parents won't need to buy you a car, ever," said Conner, and Mike chuckled, nodding.
"Enough with the car jokes, focus," said Jake, trying to hold back a laugh as they looked towards the oasis. There, they could see Piranahtrons patrolling the area. They could also see Rygog guarding Divatox, who was laughing as Elgar threw fruit at the cell where Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger were trapped, with General Havoc encouraging him. They were all here, as predicted.
"Alright, how do we do this?" asked Jake, thinking. Mike tilted his head, looking at the cell before speaking. "If you create a distraction, I'm sure I can cut the bars of the cell and get Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger out."
"I can take the General and Elgar," said Conner, looking around. "Pushing them out of the oasis and facing them in the desert will give me a lot of advantage."
"True. Then I take Rygog, Divatox, and the Piranahtrons," said Jake, looking at Mike. "Focus on getting them away from here and make sure they are fine. Both Ninjor and the Phantom were captured to lure us out. We can't lose them."
"We won't," said Mike. "Ready?"
Both Rangers nodded, and spreading his wings, Conner flew towards the area, glowing fire red as he transformed into the Firebird Ranger. Mike did the same, holding his sword as green light engulfed him, allowing him to become the Green Wolf Ranger.
Jake watched Divatox notice Conner at the same time the Firebird Ranger flew towards General Havoc and Elgar, grabbing them and throwing them far away from their original locations. She got up, quickly ordering her Piranahtrons to get to the cell, but Jake was ready. With a powerful jump, the White Ranger landed in front of them. In his Turbo Ranger form, Jake was bigger than his enemies, and he had to look down to see the Piranahtrons take a step back and look up at him.
Jake couldn't help but notice he did look like a transformer as he prepared to fight.
Not far from them, Mike moved in silence, his steps bringing him to the cell where he saw Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger looking at Jake's new form. With a quick movement of his sword, Mike freed both allies, cutting the bars of their cell before they even noticed him.
"Green Wolf Ranger," said Ninjor.
"You know who I am?" asked Mike, surprised.
"Tales of you, the Firebird, and the White Lion reached us, and Divatox has been planning how to defeat you since she took us prisoners," said the Phantom Ranger, and Ninjor nodded. "Is that truly Jacob?"
"It is," said Mike, watching Jake throw Piranahtrons to the other side of the oasis. "C'mon, I have to get you to safety."
The Phantom Ranger and Ninjor nodded when a new group of Piranahtrons armed with bombs appeared out of nowhere. Divatox laughed from where she was commanding her army against Jake. "You didn't think I was going to let you go that easily, right!?"
Suddenly, the Piranahtrons started to jump all over Jake. Others threw bombs at Mike, Ninjor, and the Phantom Ranger, and even General Havoc and Elgar threw them at Conner like guided missiles that followed the Firebird Ranger.
"Explode!" screamed Divatox, and at her command, all of them exploded at the same time, surrounding them in smoke.
-L-
SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
The initial shock of Jake's transformation quickly changed to worry when they saw Divatox launch her attack on the Rangers. Corruption was taking over, and it was time for the Rangers to travel. Without losing any time, with TJ taking the lead and Justin joining the team, the Space Rangers nodded at each other before they disappeared along with the SPD Rangers. Andros took a deep breath, with Zhane's hand on his shoulder and Karone taking his hand. He looked at his wife and friends appearing in the Oasis with the SPD Rangers.
"They will be fine," whispered Karone.
Andros nodded, but that didn't ease his worry. Yet, there was nothing he could do this time. He had to trust them, the SPD Rangers and Jake, Conner, and Mike. They could do this… they could win.
-L-
Desert of Despair (2015) – Oasis
When they appeared in the Oasis, the Turbo Rangers were already seeing their past coming back as Divatox had prepared traps for the Rangers. They were fighting against their enemies, but it was complicated to fight against someone who could outnumber you so easily, had bombs, and on top of that, continued her plotting as the Rangers did their best to eliminate the threat.
But that's why they were chosen to be Turbo Rangers. TJ assessed the situation quickly and nodded to himself. "Carlos, Ashley, Bridge, and Z, go assist Jake. There are too many enemies for him. Cassie, you and I along with Jack and Sky will help Conner. The bombs General Havoc and Elgar have also had some sticky substance that is giving Conner some trouble. Justin, you go with Syd and Commander Cruger and help Mike get the Phantom Ranger and Ninjor to safety," ordered TJ, and then he raised his morpher. "Ready!?"
"Ready!" screamed the Rangers. "Shift into Turbo!"
"SPD Emergency!" screamed the SPD Rangers.
Separated in teams, Syd, Cruger, and Justin didn't take long to land near Mike as they used their blasters and swords to take care of a group of Piranahtrons, freeing the path for Mike to guide the Phantom Ranger and Ninjor to the reinforcements. Once together, Mike stood back-to-back with Cruger while he looked over to Syd. Justin was on his other side, acting as a shield for Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger.
"Long time no see, friend," said the Phantom Ranger, and Justin nodded, getting ready with his blaster. "Same, Phantom. What's the plan here?"
"Open a path for us to get out of this Oasis," said Mike, looking at Syd. "I've got an idea. Since you and I make a good team, how about you fire at them? I'll give you an extra boost with Masamune." Syd wondered what he meant until she remembered something and nodded. "Let's do it like Jake did with his team in their Super Megamode."
Mike chuckled and nodded. Right beside him, Cruger and Justin prepared to follow them, and together, Syd and Justin stood side by side, firing their blasters. As the lasers flew towards the Piranahtrons, Mike and Cruger sent a combined slash that hit the Piranahtrons and defeated the whole army with one strike. Mike chuckled as he took a more relaxed stance and looked over at his team.
"Very nice. Is he teaching you that?" asked Mike, looking at Syd. The Pink Ranger shook her head. "You will."
Mike looked at her for a few moments, hit by the familiarity he could sense around that girl, but his thoughts were interrupted when Justin touched his shoulder to get his attention. "We have to get out of here," said the Blue Turbo Ranger, knowing well that it was better if Mike didn't ask any questions that couldn't be answered.
Mike nodded, and he and Justin went to guide Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger while Cruger put an arm around Syd's shoulder. "You will do what you want to do soon, Syd," whispered Cruger. Syd nodded, and together, they walked behind Mike and Justin, their side of the mission complete.
-L-
Not far from them, Conner had trouble flying around or even using his arrows with all those sticky bombs being thrown at him. He had to admit, these guys were smarter than he thought, so he was relieved when he saw TJ and Sky firing their blasters at the last two bombs thrown at him. Right after, Jack and Cassie jumped into action, engaging in combat with General Havoc and Elgar, respectively. As he flew down, Conner was received by his son and TJ, while not far from them, Jack kicked General Havoc, sending him to the ground, and Cassie did the same with Elgar. But when the monster recovered and tried to grab her, she fired her blaster at his chest, sending him to the ground near General Havoc. They quickly reunited with TJ and Sky, who were trying to take care of the sticky substance covering Conner's armor, but it was Cassie who, with a simple look, was able to determine the problem.
"You need water; it will take care of the problem," said Cassie. "I think I saw a lake at the Oasis, but… will it affect your powers?"
"Nah, this fire needs more than water to be extinguished," said Conner. Then he looked over to see General Havoc and Elgar getting up. Conner pointed at them and then at Cassie and TJ. "Can you take care of them while Sky helps me?"
"Sure," said TJ, as Cassie got her blaster ready. "You bet," said Cassie.
Conner nodded, and Sky helped him get to the lake while TJ and Cassie jumped into battle. The two Turbo Rangers combined their attack when General Havoc tried to attack Cassie, but she knelt down just in time as TJ jumped, hitting the General with a powerful kick while Cassie fired her blaster at Elgar, and the two fell down again.
Cassie and TJ nodded at each other when Elgar surprised them by throwing bombs at them. Luckily, Sky appeared just in time to cover Cassie and TJ with his shield, while Conner created his fire arrows and made the bombs explode close to Elgar and General Havoc, defeating them and making them disappear.
Conner and Sky high-fived each other when Conner flew down, and then they were received by TJ and Cassie, who also congratulated them. The team was soon met by Mike, Syd, Cruger, Justin, Ninjor, and the Phantom Ranger. They were about to look for Jake, Ashley, and Carlos when suddenly, an explosion took them by surprise. Then they saw a car, driven by Divatox, and Jake's jeep form driving behind her with Ashley, Bridge, Z, and Carlos on top of it.
"That can't be good," said Cassie with a sigh. TJ nodded, worried, and Justin shook his head. "It is Carlos and Ashley taking over the mission. I'm not sure what we expected."
"C'mon," said Cruger. "We need to follow them as far as we can."
The Rangers nodded, and with Conner flying over their heads, they followed the trail the two cars left behind, wondering how crazy this last part of the mission was going to be.
-L-
The plan was different at the beginning. They wanted to ambush Divatox and Rygog, but that never worked for them, and now they were in the middle of a chase. Jake was doing his best to control the car, but the constant bombing was not helping, and he worried they were going to crash. Outside, on top of the car, Carlos and Bridge were trying to fire at Divatox's vehicle, and Ashley was getting impatient.
At least, until she got an idea.
"Jake! How about a boost of energy!?" screamed Ashley.
"What's on your mind!?" asked Jake. Ashley was pretty smart when it came to cars, and she did a lot of maintenance on the Turbo zords, so if she was thinking of something, he trusted her with whatever came to her mind.
"Combine our zords with this form! It will give you the Turbo of the Dune Star and the Desert Thunder, and we can catch up with Divatox!" said Ashley.
"Hey, that's a pretty good idea!" said Carlos, and Ashley nodded. "Jake, can you do it!?" In his cockpit, Jake looked up, confused. "Weren't the zords destroyed by her!?"
"When Andros repaired the morphers, he also repaired the zords!" said Z, trying to hold onto the car. "They can call them again!"
"I've been doing maintenance, papa! They are good to go!" screamed Bridge.
There was a moment of doubt. Jake wasn't sure of all his capacities, but he couldn't let Divatox get away. Part of the energy she was using was stolen from these Rangers, and Justin himself wouldn't wake up without it, so he didn't have much choice. Jake took a deep breath.
"Alright!" said Jake, opening his eyes. "Do it!"
Ashley and Carlos shared a look before they called for their zords, and Jake took a deep breath, feeling the pressure in his body as he mentally commanded his armor to adhere to the new zords. Slowly, he felt the tires from Ashley's zords adhere to his car form, making his jeep form taller and switching his form sightly. It was uncomfortable, since the armor was part of him, and Jake could feel the change in his body, but he tried not to make any painful noise. Then, the front of Carlos' zord combined with the car, turning the lights into laser beams that now appeared in Jake's visor with a target in mind.
"Done!" said Jake, showing the great effort it was taking him to keep this combination running. "Be ready to fire, together!"
"Ready!"
At the same time and completely focused, Bridge, Z, Ashley, and Carlos fired their blasters while Jake did the same using his advanced car-armor. A combined laser beam of yellow, green, and white light hit Divatox's car with her and Rygog inside and sent it flying, but the impact was so strong that it disappeared before it hit the ground again.
It was over, and Jake finally let out a breath as he allowed the Turbo zords to separate from his car armor and leave. Then, he stopped the car, allowing Bridge, Z, Ashley, and Carlos to get off. Finally, he adopted his Ranger morph, but he lost the Turbo morph quickly, as the effort took a toll on him and Jake fell to his knees.
"Papa? Are you alright?" whispered Bridge, preventing Jake from hitting the ground as he helped him. Jake nodded, his now White Lion Ranger armor in place as he used Bridge for support. "I'm fine, Bridge. I'm just not used to being some sort of Megazord."
"It was impressive. I don't recall you ever telling us you could do this," said Z. She and Bridge guided Jake to sit down as he smiled, thankfully.
"I doubt I could have done it without Auntie Ashley's quick thinking or Uncle Carlos's assistance," said Jake, looking at them. "It's good to see you."
Carlos walked towards him first, taking off his helmet and putting a hand on Jake's shoulder while he knelt beside him and Z. "Hi buddy. I see you keep changing colors, and now you can even turn your armor into a car."
"I've always been open to surprises," said Jake, chuckling. "How are you?"
Carlos smiled softly. "I'm fine, thanks to you, Conner, and Mike." Jake was about to ask more when he saw Ashley taking off her helmet and kneeling in front of him, beside Bridge. She had a serious expression, and that's when Jake remembered Kendall.
"Auntie, I promised Kendall…" started Jake, but Ashley stopped him. Slowly, she took Jake's helmet off so they could see his tired face, and she stroked his cheek gently, smiling at him. "I know, and I want to thank you for leaving her with my mother. She's safe because of what you three are doing here, and I couldn't be more thankful for that."
Jake didn't say anything, but he could feel his eyes watering when Ashley hugged him, and then Carlos joined them. It made him feel all this was worth it and his choices were the right ones, despite the challenges. Beside them, Bridge and Z shared a look and a smile, knowing how much this would matter to Jake.
It was then, after a moment of silence, that they heard steps and saw the other Rangers coming towards them. Bridge could feel himself start to disappear as the corruption had been cleaned, but he saw the Turbo Rangers hugging his papa and felt his chest warm with the clear bond between them.
Cassie reached Jake first, hugging him tight and then looking at him. "Remember to look around you. Use the tools at your disposal, and if you have trouble, there is a detailed diary that I left with Kendall before our battle against the Armada." Jake nodded, and Cassie let him go with a smile before Justin came crashing into Jake, hugging him close.
"Now I'm going to have to buy a white jeep, and it's your fault," said Justin, joking, and Jake laughed before Justin patted him on the back softly. "I know you are busy saving the Universe and all, but take a break from time to time, ok? Don't give them a chance to see you tired."
"I promise," said Jake, and then Justin took a step back as TJ finally looked at him. The Turbo Red Ranger had always been a reference of leadership for Jake, so his input was important to him, but when he saw TJ smile, Jake felt lighter.
"You have shown great leadership, Jake. Despite the craziness of your plans, you always manage to complete the mission, and you look after your people," said TJ, pointing at Bridge and the SPD Rangers. "I couldn't be prouder."
"Thanks," said Jake, his voice cracking from the emotion. TJ walked to him and hugged him, taking a moment to rely on this faint touch as he saw himself disappear. "Everyone is proud of you, Jake. You three are worthy, never doubt that."
Jake nodded as they all finally disappeared with one last look at the three Rangers, leaving them in the desert with Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger, who stood solemnly at Jake as he finally let a tear run down his cheek. Conner and Mike shared a look before approaching the young man, hugging him to give him support.
It was hard, but at the same time, it was worth it—all of it. And as long as they believed that and had a reason to fight, they would never give up.
-L-
SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
Once they appeared back in the meeting room, a heavy sense of sadness took over the room as Ashley practically ran to her husband, hugging him tight as tears fell down her cheeks. Carlos and Justin stood together, their sad faces showcasing the impact of seeing Jake, Conner, and Mike once again. TJ and Cassie held hands, supporting each other as they knew the fate of the three Rangers.
It was hard and unfair, but at least this way they had time to say goodbye.
"Rangers, while I'm not sure of our influence on these memories, I'm sure the Jake, Conner, and Mike we saw were given a boost of energy thanks to you," said Cruger, trying to lessen the pain they all felt. "You may not have been here in presence, but you were always there with them, in every step."
The Rangers nodded as they watched the image of Jake, being held by both Conner and Mike, disappear from the desert after saying goodbye to Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger. Seeing this, Justin looked at them, confused. "Do you know what happened after we left?"
"Ninjor and the Phantom Ranger are in the old Command Center. They rebuilt it, and from there, they kept in touch with Tensou and with us. Occasionally, they go to Earth or come here, but they stay there most of the time," explained Jack.
Justin nodded, but seeing the heavy tension in the Rangers, Cruger and Kat Manx shared a look, and finally, Kat Manx decided to stop the images, smiling softly at the Rangers. "We should leave this for today. You all need to rest."
The Rangers did not discuss this, and one by one, all the teams left the rooms, guided by Bridge, Sky, and Syd as they talked about Jake's new transformation and the powers of the three Rangers in general. Jack stood behind Z, Cruger, and Kat. He was deep in thought, serious, and Cruger noticed.
"What's wrong, Jack?" asked Cruger.
"I was wondering… why can't we remember Jake using that form or how is it that we don't know about these memories we can travel to and the corruption? I know we weren't always present but we should remember things like this."
"I've been wondering the same," said Z, crossing her arms over her chest. "There is something else going on here that Jake, Conner, and Mike didn't want us to know yet."
Cruger and Kat Manx nodded. Obviously, they also thought the same, but they couldn't find a reason why that was necessary unless there was a new challenge and they were getting them ready. In that case, it meant their peace would be over soon.
They needed to be ready for whatever that could mean.