Ruby and the rest of the newly arrived Rangers could only describe the condition of the city of London in one word: chaotic. Rubble and debris covered the streets, and the roads were torn up in some places. Fire hydrants were spewing into the sky, buildings had chunks taken out of them, and black smoke threatened to blot out the sun. The air shook with explosions and monstrous roars, the sights and sounds unnerving them.
"It's… just like the breach… right?" Jaune stammered while trying to maintain his composure. "Right? Tell me it's just like the breach, please…"
"The Grimm don't sound very spread out," Pyrrha noticed, her ears tuned to their cries. "It sounds like they're focusing on one part of the city… and according to Alpha's intel, they could be swarming that lone Ranger."
"Then we better not waste any time," Blake concluded, her voice firm with determination. Everyone took off down the street, their steps purposeful, following the destruction and the screams until they caught the familiar monstrous figures ahead of them. Bewolves were scaling buildings, Griffons perched on rooftops, Sabyrs and Boarbatusks were trying to break into cars with screams coming from inside them, and an Ursa slowly turned in the team's direction with an ominous glow in its eyes. But the Rangers, undeterred, pressed on, their unyielding bravery shining through the chaos.
"Yoo-hoo!" Yang called out. "Anyone ready for a rainbow of hurt?!" That was when she noticed everyone's eyes on her. "Come on, rainbow? As in the colors?"
"Yang…" Blake sighed with a hand to her helmet's faceplate. "Black isn't a color you can find on the rainbow."
"Or pink," Nora added. "Or silver. Or gold. Or white, for that ma-"
"Okay, I get it!" groaned the Yellow Ranger. "Geez, you try to spice things up one time…" The crowd's snarls and roars ended her disappointment and Yang snapped into a battle-ready stance with everyone else. "Alright, let's do this!"
"RWBY RANGERS, ON ME!" Ruby roared, nobody bothering to glance back at the gigantic multi-colored explosion that reached several stories high behind them. Everybody charged once the colors faded into orange fire and black smoke, closing the distance and engaging the Grimm with everything they had. Ruby hacked and slashed at the monsters, spinning her scythe like a baton until she plunged it deep into an Ursa's torso and bisected its upper body. Weiss skated down the roads on an icy trail beneath her feet and blasted beams of sub-zero temperatures from her palms, reducing her attackers to sinister ice sculptures everyone set on smashing to pieces. Their unity was their strength, and they fought as one, each Ranger demonstrating their unique combat skills.
A bellowing Ursa forced Weiss to change tactics and the White Ranger broke off from a thrown car, conjuring a rising icy spiral while tossing snowball-like orbs at the Ursa. Too peppered by the freezing projectiles to retaliate against Weiss, the Ursa was oblivious to the White Ranger manifesting a giant icicle at her ascent's peak… and by the time it looked up, Weiss came crashing down on top of it. Without looking back at three Beowolves charging at her, Weiss clenched her fist and caused a field of ice spikes to erupt from the road, skewering the beasts instantly.
Blake moved fast and bounded off debris, slashing at Grimm with her blades and ensuring no claw came close to touching her. The Black Ranger was a blur as she danced between the beasts, striking at weak points and thrusting her blades between bone plates. She quickly brought down a low-swooping Griffon and tore off its wings with her claws before sinking them into its eyes. A Boarbatusk charged towards Blake like a mad bull, making the Black Ranger handspring away…
…and Yang's firm grip met the curved tusks. The Yellow Ranger stood strong before she flipped it head-over-heels with a yell, landing a hard blow to its exposed midsection. A strong elbow strike snapped a Beowolf's arm like a black stick, and she curb-stomped it to the ground. However, another Beowolf wasted no time closing its jaws around Yang's left arm. The Yellow Ranger yelled in pain and anger before pointing her hand down its throat and pulling the trigger, allowing her flamethrower to roast the beast's insides. The Beowolf shrieked and yowled, releasing Yang's limb as fire and smoke poured out of its body.
"And that's why you're supposed to wait once it's cooked!" Yang growled, a solid haymaker breaking the Beowolf's jaw.
Nora plowed into an Ursa with a lightning-fused shoulder charge and followed up with an upward swing that bashed its head backward. The Pink Ranger noticed Ren sprinting towards her and gave him a quick boost off her hammer, sending the Green Ranger sailing towards the stagger beast. Landing carefully amidst its spiked back, Ren plunged his daggers into the Grimm's throat and swung his body around, slicing off its head like an unscrewed lid.
"We should be lucky," he commented. "The Grimm in this area aren't enhanced with Morphin Grid energy…"
He whirled on an incoming Griffon… until a golden spear skewered it out of the air. Its thrower hurried over to retrieve the weapon, finishing the winged creature off with a sharp smash from her shield. "I know what you're going to say, Ren…" Pyrrha acknowledged, slashing a Beowolf across the chest and jabbing another through the upper jaw before kicking it away. "But why don't we focus on one crisis at a time, shall we?"
"Crisis? This? No way!" Jaune laughed, his sword sinking through the skull of a downed Boarbatusk. "I mean, sure, Grimm attacks are always bad news, but I wouldn't call this catastrophic!" The sight of a charging Ursa didn't faze the Silver Ranger, who sliced off an arm and blasted its head clean off with his shield's built-in cannon. "We'll have this place cleaned up in no time!"
"Not just us! Look!" Yang pointed down the street where several Grimm were turning down an intersection. They quickly faded from sight and were replaced by bright red-orange flashes, the all-too-familiar shrieks and howls that signaled their ends, and lesser bodies sailing through the intersection while covered in flame.
"That has to be the Ranger," Weiss guessed as the team dispatched the last of their attackers. "And from the sounds of things… do they really need our help?"
"We should at least meet up with them regardless," Blake suggested. "I mean, what kind of Ranger could deal with so many Grimm alone?"
"Remember, they might not stay that way for long!" Ruby said with a determined voice. "Let's go, guys!" Everyone followed her lead and turned left at the intersection, barely avoiding a roasting Beowolf carcass smacking into the asphalt. They were met with a thick smoke cloud covering the street like a dark curtain, bright blasts and howls echoing from within. A Sabyr collapsed outside the cloud only to be dragged back in almost immediately, its yowls fading into a rush of heat.
"Woo…" Yang breathed, examining the smoke and burning Grimm bodies that slowly vaporized into ash. "I like their style, but… this feels a bit much." A sense of unease crept up Ruby's spine as she took in the destruction. From what she could see and hear, this was a Ranger with fire powers… and they were being a little reckless as they battled the Grimm single-handedly. Bits of the road, building walls, and toppled vehicles were covered in flames, and a fireball shot out from the smoke cloud so fast that Jaune barely had time to block the projectile. Ruby heard the Silver Ranger release a breath of relief while the Grimm noises slowly died down from the stranger's efforts.
"Weiss? Um… you wouldn't mind taking care of all this when we're through here, would you?"
There was a humph from the White Ranger. "I'd loathe being the team's living fire extinguisher… but whoever this is is just careless! It's like they have no regard for their surroundings!"
"Take it easy, Weiss," Pyrrha whispered. "We're just gonna talk to them. It could be someone new to being Power Rangers, like us. Let's lay it on them gently." The team slowly approached the cloud as all sounds of fighting within went completely silent, their stances ready in case this stranger mistook them for more enemies to incinerate.
"Uh… hello?" Ruby called out. "You alright in there? It's all clear… for now…"
Rather than a voice asking who was out there, the team heard faint footsteps coming from the smoke, and all eyes peered at the shrouding wall. A shadow made itself known through the thick, dark cloud, dragging something behind it. Everyone glanced at each other, unsure what to make of the situation or how to best inform the newcomer that they were causing as much damage as the Grimm.
All thoughts went still when the figure marched out of the smoke, a pair of orange boots crunching against the pavement. Eyes widened beneath helmets and quiet gasps left mouths as the group- Ruby in particular- got a complete look at the stranger: another Red Ranger with a bird-styled helmet, the golden beak harnessed to a tip over the visor while flames and feathers melded together so precisely that it was impossible to determine where one began and the other ended. The Ranger's crimson suit was covered in orange tints and black ash-like swirls that danced across the spandex surface. Gold cuffs covered the wrists while enchanting flame-like designs danced across the Ranger's arms and legs, giving the Ranger a dazzling display of bright reds, yellows, and oranges that one could find in even the most minor flames. Finally, the glint of a gold coin around the waist drew Ruby's attention… and on closer inspection, she could faintly make out the depiction of a great bird rising from a fiery pit.
Ruby could feel the coin's power from here. It was incredible, to say the least.
"It's… a red one," Blake's awed voice brought her out of her ogling. "Just like you."
A weak and faint gurgle turned everyone's gaze to what the Red Ranger dragged behind them in one red glove tipped with orange claws: a badly bruised and burned Beowolf with its red eyes slowly dimming out, wisps of smoke wafting from its roasted form. The Red Ranger slowly turned to stare at the wounded animal and raised it by the scruff, peering into its darkening eyes…
…and the monster suddenly erupted into flame! Terrible shrieks and howls ravaged the team's ears as the Grimm helplessly flailed about in the stoic Ranger's grip, swinging its claws wildly while the raging fires ate away at its being. The burning beast was roasted in mere seconds, its form withering away to ash and dust that the Red Ranger flicked off their clawed fingers. Their head slowly turned back to the team, its bird-like visage staring into them intensely while the Ranger remained motionless on the ruined street.
"Two words," Yang whispered. "Hard. Core."
"Alright…" Pyrrha added. "Not a rookie, then…"
"U-uh…" Ruby gulped before she reached up to her face and detached her helmet from her head. She tucked it under her arm and waved her free hand at the other Red Ranger. "Hi! Hi, hello, f-fellow Red! We, uh, thought you needed some help over here…"
The Red Ranger said nothing. Not even a single sound as they stared directly at Ruby.
"Oookaayy, I guess you didn't want help after all!" Ruby said with an awkward chuckle. "But, uh… you may have gotten a little carried away. The good news is nobody seems to be hurt. So…" She gestured at the burning buildings and roasting rubble. "Let's just take care of this and get you back to the Command Center. There's a big problem that requires every Ranger's attention, so why don't we-"
Pain.
Right in her gut.
It happened so fast that Ruby felt it after her back skidded along the pavement. She opened her mouth to cry out in pain, but it was stopped when a boot slammed into her throat and turned it into a choking cry. Ruby's ability to breathe became a struggle as it pressed deeper… and as she looked up, her silver eyes widened in horror as she saw the other Red Ranger standing over her, a blazing red-orange sword in their hand, ready to strike…
"NO!"
A pair of yellow arms locked around the Ranger's waist and they were suddenly hurled away, leaving the face of Ruby's horrified sister looking down on her. "Ruby! A-are you…"
She couldn't find the words to respond, her own shock catching up to her as both sisters stared at each other with confused expressions. They couldn't bring their faces to change, even as Yang helped Ruby to her feet. As the sisters saw, everyone else had the same stunned, bewildered, and surprised faces that all focused on the lone Red Ranger… who continued to glare silently with curled fists.
"Hey!" Jaune shouted. "Why did you… we're on the same-!"
The Red Ranger rushed up to him with amazing speed, seized Jaune by the throat, and smashed his face into the pavement all in one fell swoop before kicking him away like a ragdoll. Pyrrha hurried over to help the dazed Silver Ranger while everyone else surrounded their attacker, Nora baring her teeth fiercely. "Alright, I don't know what your deal is or why you're acting like a big jerk…"
"But you made the biggest mistake in your life," Yang snarled. "By hurting my sister." Blake and Weiss stood at the ready with clenched fists while Ruby steadied herself, the Black Ranger staring down the Red Ranger. "Who are you?!"
Again, the Red Ranger said nothing. All they did was slowly spread out their arms, beckoning the eight Rangers surrounding them. Everyone gritted their teeth and re-equipped their helmets… before charging in with a unified roar of determination.
The Red Ranger swatted away kicks from Ren and Nora before kicking Ren back and nailing both Nora and a charging Pyrrha with a leaping blow. Blake twirled in with a high kick, only for the Red Ranger to grab her leg and slam her into the pavement. Ruby landed a spinning kick on the Red Ranger's head, but it didn't deter them enough for Yang's follow-up. They deflected the Yellow Ranger's punch and smashed their knee into her helmet before a hard uppercut knocked Yang onto her back. Ruby engaged them again with Weiss, but the Red Ranger matched their strikes and threw their legs out from under them. Weiss tried to stand, but a solid punch kept her grounded.
Jaune rushed in to throw a haymaker, but a clawed glove grabbed his fist and the Red Ranger bashed his helmet hard enough to rattle the blonde's brain from inside. Once a sharp kick made him clatter to the ground, a quick leg lock around Pyrrha's throat brought her down. Everyone returned to their feet with winded breaths, taken by surprise yet far from defeat.
Ruby sneered and held out her hand, summoning Wolf's Claw into her grip with a flash of red lightning. Everyone else equipped their own weapons and surrounded the Red Ranger again, who replied by creating a pair of red-orange blades in a fiery puff. They stood readily, waiting to see who would make the first move. All eight Rangers surrounded them, ensuring they had no easy means of escape.
But Ruby already knew that escape was the furthest thing from their thoughts. She wanted answers about who this Red Ranger was and why they attacked them, and she was going to get them one way or another. She twirled her scythe intimidatingly and rushed at the other Red Ranger with a high-pitched war cry. Her friends followed with matching intent, their weapons ready to strike.
And the Red Ranger was ready for them.
They moved faster than anyone expected, weaving and dodging strikes while flipping through the air and slashing at parts left exposed. They spun over a low swipe from Ruby and nailed her with a kick to the helmet before bobbing from Yang's punches and deflecting Weiss' saber strikes. The Red Ranger wrapped an arm around Yang's limb and head-butted her in the helmet, disarming Weiss with a flick of their blade and downing her with a sharp backhand. They were even fast enough to intercept Blake's pounce, seizing her clawed hands before slamming the Black Ranger into the asphalt.
Blake took the Red Ranger by surprise by sharply extending her legs, nailing them in the lower jaw while she rebounded and struck with her dark blades. Sparks flew from her initial scrapes, but the Red Ranger quickly brought up their defenses and met Blake's blades with theirs, both of them moving like blurs as everyone else surrounded them. They moved unnaturally fast until the Red Ranger slashed at Blake's leg, unbalancing the Black Ranger for a hard kick that sent her flying through a car windshield.
Yang roared angrily and blasted fireballs at the Red Ranger while Nora, Ren, Jaune, and Pyrrha engaged the Red Ranger next. The fireballs connected against their form but showed no signs of slowing down, blocking Jaune's sword to deflect a fireball with their bare hand and redirect it into a building. Weiss immediately began dousing the flames while the rest of the team surrounded the Red Ranger, avoiding hammer swings and spear thrusts while parrying green knives and deflecting a silver sword.
The Red Ranger swiftly disarmed Ren and kicked him away before driving Jaune's sword to the ground and leaping atop his head, kicking off the Silver Ranger and shoving his face into the asphalt. They leaned away from an overhead hammer smash and hopped atop Nora's weapon, flip-kicking her in the face before leaping after the Pink Ranger, stomping down on her throat to keep her pinned.
Something caught the Red Ranger's attention and they shot out an arm, catching a gold shield before Pyrrha knocked them off her teammate with a jumping kick. The stranger alternated between dodging and deflecting Pyrrha's spear strikes, twisting away from a swing and slashing the Gold Ranger across the side. Pyrrha grunted and spun to meet her opponent, but the Red Ranger seized her by the head and threw her into a wall like a ragdoll.
"Urgh… it's eight on one!" Yang growled. "How is this not working?!"
"Whoever this is, they're stronger than we thought!" Ruby surmised while Blake brushed bits of glass off her body. "Then what? Should we call for backup?"
"Not quite," Weiss countered, observing the crimson-clad warrior throw Ren through a window before delivering a hard blow to Jaune's shield, the force enough to make the stalwart Silver Ranger stagger. "This Ranger isn't holding anything back. Neither should we."
"Ditto," Yang huffed. "Screw tactics, I'm just gonna hit 'em so hard they'll be knocked out of their morph!"
"Not the best plan, but it's all we have!" Ruby agreed. "Everybody, get-"
The breath left her throat and her feet lifted off the ground as something barreled into Ruby at full force. Her teammates were a mile away; all Ruby could see was the other Red Ranger with a clawed glove around Ruby's neck and flames firing from their feet like jet boosters. Adrenaline spiked through Ruby's system as she beat down on the arm before whipping out her blaster and firing point-blank into the Red Ranger's face. An irritated snarl- the first sound she heard the newcomer make- accompanied a slight flinch and a shower of sparks before punishment came in the form of the Red Ranger smashing Ruby into the pavement and dragging her through the asphalt, digging a long and narrow trench in the road.
It took all of Ruby's strength to plant a foot into her opponent's chest and throw them over her, both Red Rangers grinding to a halt in the middle of an intersection. Ruby could hear her breath echoing in her helmet and caught glimpses of her heads-up display flickering from the damage: perhaps it was this world's equivalent to running low on Aura. Exhaustion and fatigue threatened to take hold, but Ruby slowly managed to pick herself back up while her opponent was already on her feet. Ruby took a shaky stance, her breath quickening as the other Red Ranger ominously marched towards her with clenched fists…
…until they jolted in place, glancing down at an icy patch welding their foot to the street.
A polar-white stream struck the Red Ranger dead-on, engulfing them in ice while its white caster skated around on a glacial trail, freezing mist shooting from her palm until the Red Ranger was concealed in a cold prison. Weiss slid to a stop by Ruby's side, their helmets retracting to reveal the former overcome with worry. Ruby didn't give her the chance to speak, assuring her teammate with a confident nod that was enough to calm her.
Thunderous booms and pillars of light signaled everyone else's arrival, all rushing into formation around their leader while Nora sighed in relief. "Glad that solves any separation problems…"
Yang turned to the frozen Red Ranger. "I'm gonna skip any puns about stopping this guy cold for once. They're a real loose cannon."
"Agreed," Blake added. "I say we get rid of the Power Coin and bring them in for questioning. They have some explaining to do." Weiss strode towards the frozen figure, her eyes locked on the belt. "I'm on it. Consider it their punishment for…"
The White Ranger froze mid-step when her eyes rested on the Red Ranger, and her ears picked up the sound of crunching and dripping ice. The stranger's body emitted a red-orange glow, causing the surrounding ice to dissolve, crumble, and melt away. Heat surged through their form, weakening the cold casing around them.
Weiss gritted her teeth and re-equipped her helmet, blasting the Red Ranger with another sub-zero energy beam as she advanced. The ice quickly re-hardened, but only for a second as it slowly started to melt again, the Red Ranger's body glowing brighter with a rising heat. Weiss directed more energy into her efforts with each step, intensifying the beam until she gave it everything.
The Red Ranger only glowed brighter, melting and breaking the ice as quickly as Weiss re-froze them. In sheer desperation, the White Ranger slammed her hands against the Ranger's frozen helmet and yelled in effort, pouring every ounce of her power into keeping the stranger frozen. Layer after layer fought to replace those dissipating into liquid…
…until a clawed hand surging with heat broke free and snagged Weiss by the throat, cutting off her cries and lifting the White Ranger high. The stranger squeezed tightly, bearing their silent gaze into Weiss as a scorching glow covered her neck, prompting a rising scream of pain from the White Ranger.
"RAGH!" Yang charged forward and bashed the Red Ranger back with a hard blow, the latter digging their feet into the asphalt while Weiss dropped to the street. The heiress clutched her burning throat, Blake and Ruby rushing to her side while Yang stared down the crimson-clad warrior that wasn't hesitating to hurt- or do worse- to her sister and her friends. Her lilac orbs were filled with rage and she pounded a fist into her palm, ready for anything the Red Ranger could throw at her.
"Bring it, you heartless ba-"
FROOOSH! Devastating flame jets burst from the Red Ranger's hands and swallowed Yang up in a heartbeat, much to the shock and horror of her friends. The Red Ranger continued their assault for a short while until finally ceasing…
And the dragon-themed Yellow Ranger stood completely unharmed, her helmet bearing into her opponent while flames dissipated from her body. She merely brushed off her shoulder and primed her gauntlets before drawing back her arms.
"My turn."
Yang fired her gauntlets and took off at rocket speed, colliding into the Red Ranger mid-charge. Yang slammed her enemy against a wall and wailed at them with fast punches. The Red Ranger caught a punch aimed at their head and landed their own blow against Yang's midsection, striking Yang several times before throwing her into a toppled car. Yang buckled from the impact but quickly rose to her feet… before a fireball struck her in the shoulder and she grunted in pain.
The Yellow Ranger quickly blocked, dodged, and deflected each fireball the Red Ranger threw or kicked in her direction, accompanying her attack with swift acrobatics. Yang retaliated by blasting her own fireballs, but the Red Ranger either weaved away or caught them bare-handed before flinging them right back at Yang. The Yellow Ranger went on the offensive, rolling away from fireballs and closing the distance with a lunging haymaker…
But the Red Ranger sent her dozens of feet into the air with a powerful kick and rocketed after her in hot pursuit. Yang quickly fought to get her bearings when she saw the Red Ranger loom over her with clawed fingers at the ready, her adversary wrapping them around her neck while the flames from their feet kept the enemy airborne. Yang struggled fiercely against her foe's grip, ramming a knee into her gut and smashing her helmet against the Red Ranger's face.
The Red Ranger simply tossed Yang upward and shot after, bombarding her with scorching sword strikes and flaming claws all while they moved too fast for Yang to keep track. After striking her with a wild uppercut that knocked her further into the air, they swooped in front of her with a fist charged with orange heat, delivering a powerful punch that knocked Yang back to earth.
KRABOOOM! The Yellow Ranger cratered the road upon impact and kicked up a cloud of debris that stretched as high as the surrounding buildings. When the dust settled, Yang was on the verge of motionlessness, yet her morph remained intact as the Red Ranger moved to finish her off with a lit palm…
"CALL TO THE BEAST INSIDE! RELEASE THE PANTHER!"
GRROOOWWWWRRR! A purple construct tackled the startled Red Ranger halfway across the crater and a giant pair of jaws closed around their midsection, making the Ranger grunt in pain before Blake's Panther Animal Spirit shook them in their mouth like a chew toy. After biting down several more times and earning more pained snarls from the Red Ranger, the Animal Spirit threw the Ranger out of the crater and bounded after them with a feral growl.
The dazed Red Ranger was yanked back when the panther grabbed them by the leg, dragging them over the street and thrashing them around until their back hit the pavement. The spirit lunged for the Ranger's neck, but a pair of clawed hands intercepted the jaws and fought to keep them pried open while the Ranger beat at its forelimb with a leg. The crimson warrior slammed the panther's head into the road and vaulted onto its neck, readying a blade…
Blake was there in a flash, kicking the Red Ranger off her companion and leaping off the panther's neck to come down in a spinning-bladed flurry. The Red Ranger did a handspring to avoid Blake's strike, but the Black Ranger and her growling panther construct converged on her simultaneously. They slipped away from Blake's blades and slid underneath the lunging panther, nicking all four of its limbs with their blazing blades and toppling the spiritual beast. They leaned, ducked, and hopped over paw swipes before striking at the next swipe, earning a howl of pain from the beast while the Red Ranger incinerated each of Blake's shadows and caught the real Black Ranger in an explosive blast from beneath her feet.
A cross slash to the launched Black Ranger slammed her into the ground, leaving only the snarling beast behind. The Red Ranger whirled on it just as it pounced at her, driving both swords into its midsection and prompting a pained yowl before she slashed outward. A low moan left the construct's throat before it vanished into nothingness, its purple essence flowing back to Blake's battered body. The burning blades dissipated from the Red Ranger's grip and they turned to find their next target.
"YYAAAAAHHH!" Nora came flying in from above, her hammer alight with pink lightning. The Pink Ranger crashed down on top of the Red Ranger with a tremendous blow that kicked up dust, giving everyone a chance to gather around and move in on the Red Ranger's downed form…
…but when the dust cleared, all they saw was the Red Ranger holding back Nora's hammer with a single palm, not fazed in the slightest.
"What the-?!" That was all Nora got out before a pyrokinetic punch sent her flying several meters, leaving the Red Ranger standing tall as their bird-styled helmet glared into each of their opponents: a silent question asking who was next.
"Your evil ends here!" Jaune bravely bellowed as he charged in, engaging the Red Ranger with several slashes that they swiftly blocked and parried with their blades. They drove Jaune's silver sword downward and bashed their helmet against his face before moving back a fist, prompting him to raise his shield. Rather than strike, the Red Ranger slid beneath his guard and hit from behind, snagging Jaune's arm and knocking the sword from his grip when he attempted to counter. The Silver Ranger struck them across the head with his shield and kneed them in the torso, quickly switching his shield to its cannon mode…
But before he could fire, the Red Ranger grabbed his arm and knocked out his leg, turning his armament on his own teammates and opening fire with explosive blasts of silver light. The struggling-to-recover Nora was hit dead-on, Ren dove for cover, and not even Pyrrha's shield could fully protect her from a shot that sent her flying down the street. The Red Ranger was far from done, forcing Jaune's arm to aim in Team RWBY's direction next…
"NO!" He howled, punching them in the head as hard as he could. The Red Ranger slammed him into the ground and stomped on his head, keeping him pinned. The stranger took Jaune's sword and raised it high, but a golden arrow lodged into their shoulder and interrupted their strike. Pyrrha charged in with several more shots that the stranger blocked and deflected, the one in their shoulder vanishing when Pyrrha rammed a charging knee into their torso. The Gold Ranger swapped her bow out for her spear and shield and engaged the Red Ranger, sparks flying every time the golden spear connected with the silver sword. A flick of her wrist disarmed the stranger of her friend's blade following a clash, forcing the Red Ranger to equip their own blades to defend against Pyrrha's assault.
The stranger leaned away from an upward swing, hopped over a leg sweep, and jumped over a shield bash to kick Pyrrha from behind. The Gold Ranger tucked into a roll to reduce the impact and brought her shield up to block a two-bladed swing, jabbing the Red Ranger with the butt of her spear. Her enemy staggered back a few feet and gathered flames in their palms…
Pyrrhs quickly countered by raising her shield, which radiated a blinding glow of golden light. The enemy cringed at the sight, botching their chance to throw the fireballs and leaving them to snuff out. Pyrrha retook advantage, alternating between jabs and shield strikes until the Red Ranger grabbed her spear and bashed Pyrrha's helmet before yanking it away. Pyrrha had no time to recall the weapon back into her hand when the Red Ranger seized her by her shield arm, held a palm up to her head…
…and blasted a stream of deadly flame directly in Pyrrha's face!
"AAAAAAH!" The Invincible Girl screamed as the fires scorched her from all over, leaving her smoking and glowing with heat before the Red Ranger dropped her as if she were nothing. The Red Ranger glared at her in disappointment, but it didn't last long as something sharp sliced into their side. They whirled around furiously, spotting Ren in a sleek stance.
"Don't try anything," he said sternly. "You're already down."
The Red Ranger glanced at their side, where a green mark indicated the dagger's successful contact. Ren remained still, patiently waiting for the poison to spread and for the Ranger to drop. At best, it would make them power down, but at worst… well, he wasn't happy about that thought, but whoever this was was showing no restraint or mercy in attacking his friends. They needed to be eliminated, either temporarily or permanently.
Hopefully, the other Rangers would understand that…
The Red Ranger wobbled for a bit, the poison slowly taking effect… but what they did next confused the Green Ranger. Their palm bristled with heat, and they slapped it against the mark, hissing in momentary pain. A few seconds passed, and they pulled their hand away…
…revealing no trace of the mark or the poison.
Ren's eyes widened under his helmet. "What?"
BAM! A fist slammed him into the ground before he knew it and the Red Ranger was above him, their other fist glowing brightly. Ren thought fast and executed a handspring just as the explosive blow touched down, cloaking in midair and savoring the Red Ranger's confusion when they whirled in his direction, only to find nothing. The stranger whipped their head around in every direction; fists clenched in anger.
Green mark after mark swiftly appeared over their suit, every attempted blast hitting nothing but air. A low growl left the Red Ranger's throat before scalding heat enveloped their body, slowly burning away the poison and cauterizing the wounds that breached their suit's protection. The Red Ranger knew they would be wasting their time and energy blasting aimlessly in every direction, so they decided for a different approach and engulfed their hands in powerful flames.
But instead of releasing them, the Ranger spun on their heel and sent out a thick cloud of smoke that surrounded them like storm clouds. Before long, they noticed the smoke shifting unnaturally against the winds. That shifting picked up rapidly, trailed only by a suppressed coughing fit.
Flames shot from their feet and The Red Ranger blasted off at rocket speed, snagging the invisible Ren and smashing him against a wall hard enough for him to decloak. Several sharp blows to his face, followed by a smashing knee to his chin, staggered him, and the Red Ranger lifted him over their shoulders and slammed them against the pavement.
"STOOOOOP!" Ruby screamed at the top of her lungs and flew for the Red Ranger with her scythe held high, bringing it down at a moment's notice. She didn't want to do this: they're a Ranger just like her, they were supposed to be working together against the Grimm, but they weren't going to stop hurting her friends-!
The scythe stopped an inch from the Ranger's helmet, and Ruby's stunned gaze noticed clawed fingers wrapped around her weapon's shaft. She could almost see the Ranger's eyes through their helmet, but she didn't get a good look in before she fell victim to a headbutt and a kick that knocked her away from her weapon. Ruby scrambled to her feet quickly while the other Red Ranger struck the scythe into the pavement, standing between the weapon and Ruby as if daring her to retrieve it.
Ruby Rose never thought she would ignore a weapon's call, but there was a first time for everything.
"YAAAH!" She rushed at the Red Ranger and pummeled them with a flurry of punches, throwing in a solid kick for good measure as her body took complete control. She unleashed everything the Morphin Grid had given her physique, moving faster and hitting harder than she ever could back home. It was enough to surprise the other Red Ranger, leaving them no room to defend themselves as Ruby wildly wailed at them…
…until she grabbed her foot and threw her onto the street. Ruby's brain rattled in her skull and she felt something sharply tug at her cape, yanking her into the air before she was smashed against the pavement again. The Red Ranger repeated this action twice before spinning in place, hurling Ruby right into a car and crumpling its left side.
The other Red Ranger was on her in less than a second, hitting her with a point-blank flaming punch that obliterated the car to scrap and sent Ruby flying a quarter mile. She tumbled hard against the pavement before colliding with a street sign, knocking it to the ground and leaving her woozy while her helmet flashed away upon impact. Everything in her body hurt all over and sparks showered off her body as her morph struggled to stay functional. She struggled to sit up, dust and debris falling from her form. The sounds of distant battle reached her ears and her blurred vision saw the Red Ranger grabbing a charging Yang by the fist, wrenching it back, and bashing her into a building with another fiery punch.
An icy beam intercepted a stream of flame intended for Blake, Weiss straining to keep the wildfire at bay. But all it took was a massive increase in effort for the Red Ranger's fire to overpower Weiss' cold stream, consuming her and Blake in a scorching wave. Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren all lunged at the Red Ranger and fought to bring them to the ground, but their efforts were for naught when a scorching shockwave blasted them all away.
They weren't going to hold out much longer. Ruby didn't know how much time she or her friends had left, but there was only one hope now. She slowly raised an aching and shaky arm, pressing her communicator's button.
"Alpha… Jen… Tommy… d-does anyone… copy?"
…
"So… let me get this straight," TJ spoke up, his gaze focused on the frozen image of a massive Grimm dragon with purple eyes locked in combat with the Mystic Rangers. "That thing is the cloud we saw in Angel Grove?"
"And you're saying it absorbed Morphin Grid energy?" Alyssa added that Jen nodded in reply to both her and the other gathered veterans. "Correct. And as you all witnessed in the footage, it can transfer that same energy to other Grimm, including those it spawns."
"So," Carter sighed. "That answers the question of what's keeping their numbers high."
"Yeah," added Tommy. "But it gets worse. According to Alpha's readings, that thing is still absorbing more Morphin Grid energy. Each of his scans is larger than the last."
"And it has been building up over time," Alpha continued. "While looking into this creature, I discovered its physical structure dates back to 1993."
Summer stepped forward with shock in her eyes. "How is that possible? Tommy, I thought you said your team destroyed every Grimm in Angel Grove back then?!"
"We did," the Green Ranger answered before rubbing the bridge of his nose with two fingers. "Ugh… none of this is making any sense. I know we couldn't have missed one."
"Angel Grove was the only place hit, yeah?" TJ questioned. "If Mighty Morphin cleaned it up, then what gives?"
"I'm having Wes and Billy look through the Grid for clues about that day," Jen informed him. "And given how dangerous the situation is becoming, Zhane has offered to contact the Aquitar Rangers for further assistance."
"And I will keep tracking that dragon to see where it arrives next!" Alpha promised. "You all saw how the Mystic Rangers fared against it. We can't afford to attack it this instant."
"But we also can't ignore it, Alpha," TJ countered. "We need to do something soon because if it keeps drawing power from the Grid…"
"We'll figure something out," Tommy confidently announced. "We always do. We're Power Rangers, and no matter how much the odds are stacked against us, we find a way to come out on top. And why? Because we have each other."
"And sometimes, that's more than enough," Jen agreed. "Tommy and I will get as many people working on this dragon as possible. Terra Venture, the GSA, NASADA, the Lightspeed Aquabase, Doctor K, Grid Battleforce, they're the ones that'll worry about this. As for the rest of us, we need to step up our game to beat these enhanced Grimm. And trust me, you will encounter them eventually. Sooner or later."
"So if we can't fight it yet, we can at least keep it from making more of a mess," TJ summarized. "I'm okay with that." Carter was lost in thought, but a knowing smile crossed his face.
"Me too," Summer agreed before Alyssa nodded. "We'll get the word out to every Ranger in the field. Thanks, Jen."
"Good. Now-"
"Alpha… Jen… Tommy… d-does anyone… copy?"
Everyone spun to one of the Command Center's consoles as a familiar voice cut through the base. Jen was the first one there to access the channel. "Ruby? What's the situation in London? Is it clear?"
"No! It's not clear, it is very not-AAAH!" The sound of an explosion came through the comms and her breath became rapid for a brief moment. "W-we need help! NOW!"
"Ruby?!" Tommy shouted in alarm. "Ruby, it's Tommy! What's going on over there?!"
"It… it's a- JAUNE, LOOK OUT!" There was another explosion and a loud cry before the sound of a crumbling wall filled the Command Center. "It's the Ranger that we were supposed to help out! Th-they're ATTACKING us!"
"A Ranger?" Summer echoed. "We didn't send anyone to London, did we?"
"Well, I did detect somebody's signature," Alpha explained. "It was one Ranger against an approaching army of Grimm, so I assumed they needed assistance!"
"They beat the Grimm like they were nothing!" Ruby hurriedly explained. "And now they're doing the same to-GAAAH!" Something crashed on the other end, and Ruby was hyperventilating again. A roar of rage that could have only belonged to Yang filled the comms. "We've been giving it all we got, but-"
"Do you know who it is?" Jen firmly asked. "What do they look like? What color is it?"
"R-Red! It's a Red Ranger! Th-they've got a bird helmet, clawed gloves, blades… GAH!" Another explosion tore through the other end, followed by a sharp crackle. "Fire! They've got fire powers! And they don't seem to care about collateral damage!"
Carter marched forward and turned his eyes to Jen. "I'm going." The look told her it wasn't up for debate. The veteran Pink Ranger simply nodded before turning back to the comms. "Listen to me, Ruby. I'm sending a team to your location now. Hold on as long as you can… and keep them from turning London into a pile of burning rubble."
"HURRY!" That was all she got out before another explosion rattled the comms… and her scream was cut when the transmission ended. Tommy, Jen, and Carter were already on the move, with everyone else starting to follow them.
"No," Jen ordered firmly. "I need you all to get back out there and keep the Grimm busy."
"One Ranger is beating eight," Summer countered, a determined look in her eye. "Ruby and the others are losing. Badly. We all know what one evil Ranger can do to a whole-"
"Yes. We do," Jen interrupted her. "Which means it's time to call in the reserves." She turned and stormed out without question, leaving the other veteran Rangers to their duties. Carter was confused as they walked. "Reserves? Jen, what are you-"
She ignored his words and accessed her communicator, opening another channel. "Commander, do you read?"
"Affirmative," answered a gruff voice.
"We have a Rogue Ranger in London. I repeat, a Rogue Ranger in London. Eight Rangers are being overwhelmed and property damage is already high. I could use your squad for this, given your experience."
"About time."
"I'm not being generous, commander," she retorted. "If it weren't for Wes, you wouldn't be here. Your presence has the high risk of-"
"Have some faith, Scotts," the voice on the other end calmly assured her. "I'm more than prepared after last time."
Tommy's eyes radiated with confidence, quickly recalling the voice's owner. "Trust me, Jen. He's not wrong."
"You already know why you can't take my word for it," the voice said. "So take it from him."
"Fine… but tell them to be cautious. They can't be widely known to civilians yet."
"Acknowledged."
Jen switched the communicator off and kept up her stride with Tommy and Carter at her side. "It's morphin' time…"
…
Burning debris littered the streets of London and battered buildings hung on by a thread. Vehicles were reduced to scrap piles, flames licked at the remnants, smoke filled the sky, and an orange glow painted the city blocks in a hellish light. Minutes ago, the streets were roaring with action… but now, all was silent as six bruised and ash-covered human figures lay still and unmoving. Their discarded Power Coins rested like forgotten objects close by, some buried in debris while others lost their shine, the only glow being the reflection of distant fires.
Pyrrha was slumped against a wall, minor burns covering her body and her red hair illuminated in the flames. An unconscious Jaune was sprawled out in a small crater, dirt and debris littering his still body. Nora lay across the top of a crumpled car; the vehicle completely caved in while her Power Coin was dropped onto the road below. Ren was deposited nearby, pinned beneath a trash can while a snapped power line sputtered out sparks.
Blake's motionless body lay beneath a shattered window, glass shards spilled around her. A singed and scorched Weiss was sprawled out nearby, small burns covering her pale skin. Yang lay broken and bleeding, drops of red liquid leading to her unconscious form while bruises stood out from all over. Light from a distant explosion washed over the blonde's messy hair and beaten face… and a seventh figure collapsed to the street while her morpher bounced and slid away. A barely audible moan left Ruby Rose's throat as she opened a pair of tired, dim silver eyes. Blood trickled down the side of her face, the coppery scent mixed with the awful stench of smoke. Dirt, ash, and grime dotted her clothes and tiny whimpers of pain wracked her battered body even more.
Desperation sunk in, and the girl meekly crawled forward, aching hands gripping the asphalt as she dragged herself towards the morpher that was so close yet far away. She needed to do something… she needed to make sure this person didn't hurt anyone ever again… she needed to-
"Gck!" Something closed around Ruby's throat and squeezed hard, lifting her off the ground and turning her around. The girl struggled to breathe and clawed helplessly at the arm holding her aloft, the fierce and ruthless Red Ranger silently staring through that empty helmet. Tears leaked from Ruby's eyes with every choke, her life flashing before her eyes while she watched the Ranger slowly summon their blade.
No, this couldn't… this wasn't how it was supposed to… all she wanted was to be a hero… to make her mom proud… and now, she never would…
A quiet sob left Ruby's throat as the hand clenched tighter, the world slowing down as the Red Ranger drew their blade back…
KRACHOOM! KRACHOOM!
A bright pink blast shot the blade from their hand and the second struck them in the chest, unceremoniously dropping Ruby to the ground as she gasped for air. The Red Ranger staggered back and whipped their head up, prompting the weakened girl to glance behind her…
…to see a helmetless Jen Scotts holding her oversized pink cannon, its barrel smoking.
"Red Ranger!" she called out in an authoritative tone. "You're under arrest! De-morph immediately and turn over your morpher! That is a direct order!"
They didn't respond, remaining silent as ever as they examined the older Pink Ranger before her, who motioned for Ruby to move aside. The girl slowly but painfully obliged, scooting away from the scene until she reached Yang's unmoving body. The Red Ranger glanced at the retreating Ruby but turned back to Jen as she called out again.
"Red Ranger! This is your final warning! Power down and surrender your morpher! Do it…" She pointed her cannon directly at the stranger with a grimace. "...or I'll take it from you." The Red Ranger went still at those words, motionless as their defeated opponents for ten seconds… then clenched their fists and launched forward, their body ablaze like a torch.
Jen rolled out of the way and equipped her helmet, firing off a few shots that the flying fireball of a Ranger skillfully avoided before zeroing in on her. Jen swapped her cannon for her Chrono Sabers and charged forward, leaping over the Red Ranger's fiery form and striking them in the back with a single swipe that brought them crashing to the street. They scrambled back to their feet in moments and charged furiously, their own blades drawn. Jen's expert defenses met their furious slashes and swipes. The woman danced around the Red Ranger, who leaned and dodged a few swipes until Jen threw two kicks and bounded away from a close-range fire blast, firing pink lasers from her sabers that rained down on the Red Ranger.
A faint groan drew Ruby away from the skirmish and she scrambled over to the source. "Y-Yang…"
"Ruby…" her sister groaned. "I'm sorry…"
"No, they…" Ruby croaked before gathering her voice. "They're too strong for us. None of us stood a chance. B-but look. Now…"
"There! Over there!"
"I see 'em! Get the others up and grab their morphers!"
Somebody rushed over to the sisters, and Ruby was never more relieved to see a dragon-helmeted Green Ranger. "Ruby! Yang! Are you two alright?!"
"W…we gave it all we got…" Yang moaned. "But they're just so… so…"
"Oh, man… You guys are hurt badly," Tommy breathed. "What'd that guy do to you?" Ruby was asking that question herself, along with many others. Why was that Ranger so strong? Where did they come from? Her brain was hurting as much as her body.
Ruby saw Jen slam against a wall to the brink of collapse from the corner of her eye. Fortunately, she vaulted off just as the Red Ranger charged at her, resulting in them plowing right through the wall. Jen fired several cannon blasts into the hole before the Red Ranger rocketed out, taking Jen skyward before throwing her onto the street. Tommy exhaled anxiously and spun back to the red-clad figure gathering the rest of Ruby's weakened and badly injured friends. "She needs help. Can-"
"I got them, Tommy. Go."
He was off without hesitation, sprinting towards the fight with Dragon Dagger in hand. Tommy arrived just as the Red Ranger landed a high kick to Jen's chin and blasted her away with a flaming palm. The Green Ranger gripped his dagger tightly and jabbed a finger at the stranger. "HEY! You like picking on Rangers, huh?! Well, why don't you pick on me?!"
The Red Ranger whirled in his direction… and froze, taking in the sight of his suit, coin, and weapon. Tommy didn't bat an eye at this: friends and foes knew him well, considering his reputation. Still, he wasn't expecting the Red Ranger to suddenly clench their fists and heave their chest while their body shook and trembled all over…
…but that didn't mean he wasn't expecting them to charge right at him at full force. He weaved away and shot out an arm, grabbing them by the leg and slamming them into the pavement. They kicked at his face and leaped to their feet, slashing rapidly at the Green Ranger while he blocked with his blade and deflected his blows. A sharp jab to their face left them open to a spinning somersault slash and a strong kick that knocked them back a few meters.
"AH-YAAAH!" Tommy charged forward with a spinning drill kick that broke through their block and sent them onto their back, although their quick rebound told him they were far from done. The Red Ranger stood with anger in their stance. Good. That meant their attacks would be too uncertain and all the more easy to-
Wait… they were glancing over his shoulder towards Ruby and her friends. Fire burst to life in their hands and- before Tommy could react- launched a rapid volley of fireballs directly at the weakened teens who were all too defenseless…
"NO!" Tommy dashed forward at high speeds and slid to a halt, ready to take every projectile head-on. The ensuing heat and glow made everyone flinch from the shower of sparks and screams to come…
…but all they saw was a bright, blinding light behind their closed eyes.
"TIGERZORD! WHITE RANGER POWER!"
Everyone heard several slashes ring out and the many blasts the fireballs made on any nearby objects. Ruby was the first to open her eyes… and when she cracked them open, they immediately widened at the figure that stood before them. It was no longer a man in green but a man in a sleek-white suit with a tiger-themed helmet and a long saber with a tiger head at the hilt. The Red Ranger appeared just as stunned at the man before her, now backed up by Carter pointing his V-Lancer at his target.
"Tommy?" Weiss whispered in confusion and awe.
"I'll explain later," he promised. "But none of you are in good condition to join us after the beatdown this Ranger gave you. And I know you dislike following this order… but stay down. We'll handle this."
"You? How?!" Jaune gawked. "That guy wiped the floor with all eight of us!"
"Which means you think we're easy pickings, right?" Jen said to the Red Ranger. "After all, what's three more for you to defeat?" The Red Ranger said nothing, which was getting on Ruby's nerves now. At least saying something would make Ruby see them as less of a bad guy… but not that much. However she'd do it, or whenever it came, she'd get payback for this defeat one way or another.
"Well, I have news for you," Jen continued. "They were all novices and the three of us are experienced Rangers. Still think this is going to go your way?" The Red Ranger clenched their fists and marched forward with menacing intent, looking ready to prove the woman wrong in so many ways…
"FREEZE! HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"
They stopped in their tracks, prompting Jen to smirk under her helmet. "And in case you are, some of us are well-versed in bringing in dangerous people like you." The Red Ranger slowly turned around and set her sights on the voice who dared call them out. Ruby and her friends leaned to get a better look…
…and they saw five young adults in uniform staring down the Red Ranger. They were all dressed in dark colors, but each of their uniforms had signature colors and badges that Ruby struggled to make out from this distance. She couldn't tell what kind of symbol was on them… but was it her, or did they look like a dog?
"Last chance, pal," warned the dark-skinned young man in red before he glanced down to their waist. "De-morph, or we will use lethal force."
The Red Ranger responded by rolling their head on their shoulders and summoning their blades into their hands. It was enough of an answer for the team, who whipped out black-and-white devices and held them steadily before opening them up.
"Ready?!"
"READY!"
"SPD EMERGENCY!"
The open devices projected images of tactical-esque numbered suits, which materialized onto the team while helmets donned with red blaring lights flashed onto their heads. Once they were all suited up, the newly-morphed Rangers struck a ready stance as colored explosions went off behind them.
"SPACE PATROL DELTA!"
Tommy pointed his saber at their shared unknown enemy. "Rangers! ATTACK!" He, Jen, and Carter charged while the new arrivals sprinted for the Red Ranger, their leader opening fire with twin laser pistols. The Yellow and Pink Rangers backed him up by covering fire with rifles while the Green and Blue Rangers rushed in with those same weapons in melee mode. The shots sparked when they made contact with the mysterious Red Ranger, who powered through the bolts and met all of her attackers with great fury.
They fended off Carter's V-Lance and Jen's Chrono Sabers with frightening speed, keeping the blades away from her body before the stranger swept low with burning blades, driving the new Blue and Green Rangers back. A scorching spin slash broke their guard and downed them, giving her time to engage Tommy and clash blades with his saber. She drove his guard to the side and spin-kicked the White Ranger across the head, lobbing fireballs at the incoming Red Ranger. He slid underneath while continuing to fire, finishing with a charged shot that sent them into the air. They recovered with a sharp spin and deflected incoming laser fire from the two girls, retaliating with a storm of fireballs.
"Z! Cover!"
"Way ahead of you, Syd!" The girls broke away from the incendiary hailstorm before the Red Ranger came down in a burning shockwave, blasting Tommy, Jen, and Carter away. The rebel aggressively engaged their similarly-colored target, who alternated between swift blows and close-range shots. The enemy lit themselves ablaze to absorb the crimson lasers and transferred the energy into their weapons, swatting the shooter away with a sharp slice. He was sent flying for a short while, but the Blue Ranger snagged him before he could crash into a wall and pulled his leader behind an overturned car.
"You picked a heck of a last mission, Jack!"
He scoffed. "Lucky me… this one's a tough customer, Sky."
The Blue Ranger popped out of cover to lay down fire with his rifle… but within five seconds, a fireball blasted the car to metal bits and floored him. The Ranger groaned as he sat up, waving away the smoke. "Yup. The evidence checks out."
The rogue Red Ranger twirled and flipped away from laser fire, striking Carter's face with a foot before blocking Tommy's saber and blasting him away. They ran up to Syd and Z as they charged with DeltaMax Strikers at the ready, downing both girls with a heavy split kick. They were about to continue their attack when a shadow passed over them… and they spun, using their blades to slice an airborne car right down the middle, the vehicle's heated halves collapsing on both sides.
The nearby Green Ranger was still. "Uh…"
She rushed him at high speeds and sent him sailing skyward with a fiery uppercut, launching into the air in hot pursuit to land an overhead flaming kick. The Green Ranger came back down in a hard crash, a crater forming on impact. The Red Ranger held their blades high, ready to finish him off.
"DELTA BLASTER COMBO MODE!" A highly concentrated blast struck them in the side and Jack leaped in, landing a hard kick that drove them away from his partner. Sky slid into the crater, helping Jack with sapphire shots before helping the Green Ranger to his feet. "You good, Bridge?"
"Urgh… barely," he moaned. "It's like the A-Squad all over again…"
"Come on, guys!" Tommy called, slashing a white energy arc the Red Ranger powered through. "Don't give them an opening!" They dodged a V-Lance jab and bashed Carter in the face, but Jen slashed their hamstrings and brought them to their knees. Tommy took the chance to land a jumping kick that downed the Red Ranger, who growled under their helmet and started to rise…
…only to have various blasters pointed right in their face. Carter's V-Lancer, Jen's V5 cannon, and the DeltaMax Strikers aimed directly at the Red Ranger's helmet while Tommy stared down at her. "It's over. Now power down and-"
He stopped short when his eyes fell on the Ranger's waist, specifically, the glint of what rested there. "What? Is that a…" he trailed off before drawing his saber and pointing it at the Ranger's face. "Okay, pal, give it up! Who are you?! How did you get a Power Coin?! And why didn't it reject you?!"
"Wait… a Power Coin?" Carter echoed as he and Jen moved to take a closer look. True to Tommy's words, a golden coin rested over the Red Ranger's belt. It depicted a bird in flight with widespread wings, the creature surrounded by rising flames as it rose from a burning abyss.
"That looks like… a phoenix," muttered Sky. "Commander Cruger told us about Power Coins and other morphers during training, but he never mentioned anything like this!"
Jen moved her cannon closer to the Red Ranger's face. "Where did you get that?!" The Red Ranger only glared, clenching her fists in a silent promise. At this point, the Pink Ranger was having enough. "Carter, the helmet. Jack, ready the contain-"
BAWOOM! They thrust their palms outward, instantly blowing everyone back with a fiery shockwave. The Red Ranger climbed to her feet as everyone else was sprawled on the street, locking eyes with the frightened Ruby Rose.
The Red Ranger jabbed a clawed finger at the silver-eyed girl before slowly sliding it across their throat. Before anyone could do anything else, they raised a clenched fist to the sky…
KRA-FOOSH! They vanished in a pillar of burning red light, leaving nothing but smoke and ash behind. Nobody said a word as the chaotic scene around them died down, smashed buildings and wrecked vehicles accompanying small fires and debris. Carter eventually tuned into his morpher and initiated a call with somebody, but Ruby and her friends were too lost in their thoughts to listen to him. And they were filled to the brim with questions about this mysterious Red Ranger with the powers of a phoenix.
And amidst those questions was one they already knew the answer to. The Ranger hadn't spoken a single word, but their final message was clear.
They were far from done with the RWBY Rangers. And it was only a matter of time before they crossed paths again.