RWBY Rangers: Remnants of the Grid

by DareDreamer

The Earth is under attack once again: this time from creatures that almost brought another world to its knees! Just when they thought their fight was over, Ruby and her friends must morph into action against a Grimm invasion that threatens to overwhelm Earth! With many more Power Rangers standing by their side, they must unlock hidden powers to defeat this threat... and another.

15. Scattered Pieces

Blake's life was shrouded with darkness for as long as she could recall. It came before her earliest memories and stood by her side, never leaving her wherever she walked. She learned to coexist with it, to hide in the darkness and remain unseen to avoid unnecessary attention. The darkness was her greatest weapon.

But it was also a double-edged sword, acting alongside and against her.

Whenever Blake ran, the shadows chased her. When she hid, they always found her. When she slept, they surrounded her. Blake often dreaded the consequences of attachment, of what the darkness would do to those she dared to approach…

And now, those nightmares had been made real.

Blake could still feel it lingering in the depths of her mind like a suppressed emotion, elongating fingers cusping her brain. She swore she saw purple in her eyes every time she saw her reflection… or worse, saw that ghoul standing behind her until it vanished upon direct eye contact. Blake stayed away from the shadows that once concealed her, as if it were right there, waiting to jump out.

It had entangled her limbs with dark threads and submerged her thoughts in a void, unearthing the primal aggression hidden within her. It consumed Blake's identity, leaving behind merely a savage creature in her form and unleashing it upon her friends. Yang, Ruby, Weiss… Blake wished to erase the memory of their horrified faces as they reacted defensively against her.

It got worse when that creature had enthralled Yang and Weiss as well. Weiss had become cold and emotionless like the many statues lining her manor's halls. Yang was forced to become a constantly erupting volcano of destructive rage, wishing to destroy the sister she vowed to cherish and protect.

Blake initially wanted to slip away and be alone for a bit quietly. Part of her felt compelled to comfort Yang, just as the blonde once consoled her. However, witnessing Yang's devastation after rejecting her Power Coin made Blake uncertain whether the brainwashing or the unfamiliar woman affected her the worst. Perhaps both had targeted Yang's most vulnerable spot: her emotional core instead of her resilient surface. To be forced to battle your sister without restraint, only to feel powerless against a formidable enemy who accomplishes what you couldn't…

If Blake had to be honest, she was feeling similar. Not as hard as Yang was taking it and not as hard as Weiss, who insisted on remaining by Blake's side. The monochrome duo sat silently in the Aquabase's barracks, which was eerily quiet for reasons Blake wished to forget. The emergency situation that required all hands on deck seemed impossible to shelve away for a later time. Blake was uncertain she could act if she were called upon: could there be another hypnotizing Grimm out there? Could there be as many as the other Grimm species she had already seen?

Blake and Weiss exchanged silent glances, their eyes replacing their mouths' work. The heiress was a mirror, her features etched with the same regret and worry. They were right to be anxious, Blake surmised. Both of them had come to Beacon to escape something or someone, afraid of what they might become if they had chosen not to leave.

What that Grimm did to them opened the door to those frightening possibilities.

"Reinforcements are still an option, yeah?" Blake and Weiss turned to the distant voice.

"Well, I just heard from Zhane that the Aquitians made planetfall over an hour ago."

"An hour?! So then why…" A pause accompanied the lack of footsteps. "No. No, don't tell me…"

"R.I.C. found them unconscious in Nevada. And powerless."

"Dammit, Syd, I told you not to tell me!"

"Alright, Vesper's got sarcasm. Noted."

Blake and Weiss peered past the bed they sat on, where a white-haired woman was leaning against a wall with her face buried in one hand. Another woman with makeup and curly blonde hair was sitting on a lower bunk, dressed in a police uniform with pink colors. The former sighed. "Okay, so that's… who else has this maniac gotten?"

"From what I could tell from the reports," the pink-clad woman said as she inspected a blaster drawn from a hip holster. "The first was Lauren Shiba, from the Samurai team."

Vesper blinked. "First her and then Ruby? So what, she's got a vendetta against female Red Rangers?"

"The commander calls it 'eliminating the competition,'" Syd answered. "And so far… let's see, she also got the Magna Defender and turned the Robot Turbo Rangers into scrap metal. We managed to get Eric out just in time."

"Alright, so we can't send Rangers after her, or she'll drain them dry," Vesper paced back and forth. "But we can have some of our allies try to slow her down-"

"Ves, are you crazy?!" Syd shot from her seat in disbelief. "Did you see what she did to Ninjor, a non-Ranger? If she goes up against someone like the Blue Senturion or Sentinel Knight, she'll tear them apart!"

"Argh, I know!" the Black Ranger moaned. "I just… I don't know, wanna do something about her! This Grimm infection is killing the Grid, but she's out there blowing everything up like a deranged psychopath and people are telling me there's nothing we can do about it?!"

"That's not what you're sworn to do."

"Yes! Exactly! So glad that some-oh." Vesper stopped when she finally noticed Blake's presence, the ex-Faunus stepping out into the open while Weiss awkwardly waved from behind her. "Uh… w-we're not interrupting anything, are we?"

Syd shook her head and holstered her blaster. "Not at all. In fact, we need an interruption from all this sitting around." Her eyes glanced at the monochrome pair. "But, um, if you wanna get back in there… I'd like to know if you're feeling alright."

Blake subconsciously rubbed her arm. "Honestly… we've been struggling lately." This piqued Syd's attention and she leaned in closer. "Struggling? With what?"

Vesper hummed with a slight smirk. "Huh. Guess your profile checks out, rich girl. Selfishly spoiled to team player, and these two aren't even your team." The words made Weiss perk up, icy blue eyes darting to the Pink Ranger. "Um… come again?"

Syd met Weiss' gaze. "Let's just say my relationship with the B-Squad started a little… rocky thanks to my family being all high and wealthy. I cared only about myself for the longest time." Blake crossed her arms, amber eyes glaring into Weiss from over her shoulder.

"Doesn't that sound familiar…"

"I… um, y-yes, but moving on!" Weiss frantically dismissed. "I also detest staying idle, but our recent encounter with the Grimm has left… some scars."

"There was this Grimm none of us had encountered or learned about before," Blake continued. "It was… human in appearance. And it could… hypnotize people." She noticed Vesper growing stiff as if her fellow Black Ranger knew what Blake would say next. "A single look into its eyes was all it took. It enthralled entire crowds of people into becoming aggressive… feral… attacking anything and anyone with no remorse. I tried to sneak up on it, but it was ready for me."

"It took control of Blake," Weiss finished for her. "Then me… and then Yang. And it made all of us attack Ruby as if she was our worst enemy instead of our best friend."

Blake noticed Vesper close her eyes and turn her head away. Syd was shaking her head in disbelief. "That's… awful. But Ruby saved you all, right? I mean, you two aren't trying to kill us right now."

Blake groaned and rubbed her forehead. "But its touch. I… I can still feel it in my mind… like it's out of my reach. Never really gone, waiting for me to slip up. And what it made me do…" She held out her palm, dark energy swirling around it. "I-I just think… what if I lose control… and hurt them even more?" It wasn't how she always thought of it, but it was still out of her control. She had always dreaded them and him finding those she now grew to cherish… but what if that was her? What if it happened and Blake herself was directly responsible?

She would have to run. Again. She would need to stay away from people lest the poison in her veins show itself and destroy them.

"That's… concerning, Blake…" the Pink Ranger muttered. "But I don't think-"

"Syd," Vesper spoke up, her eyes dim and focused. "Let me handle this."

After a few seconds of confusion, the other woman backed down, leaving the other Black Ranger to address Blake. "You're concerned about any… aftereffects? Permanent changes?" Blake wordlessly nodded. "And… what it will mean for your friends?" Blake did not answer this time… and a sigh left Vesper's lips.

"Well… I guess Syd and Weiss aren't the only ones with common ground here."

Blake blinked. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"You've heard of brainwashed Rangers, yeah? People that were eventually freed, evil turned good?"

"Um… yeah."

Vesper crossed her arms. "It wasn't always like that, kid. In a few cases, it's been the opposite… and Rangers were turned against their teammates. And you're looking at one of those rare cases right now."

Blake sat up, golden eyes wide. "That… happened to you?"

Vesper ran a hand through her head. "Something like that… okay, this is probably gonna sound… strange for you two. But maybe you can understand, Blake?"

"I… I can try."

"Alright, well…" Vesper needed a moment to collect herself. "The Hyperforce Rangers were on a mission to track and apprehend a group of individuals that had betrayed Time Force. And during that mission, we got… sidetracked. My team was searching for a way to repair our ship. We alerted an entire robot army and our backs were against the wall. We thought things couldn't get any worse… but then one of their generals took an interest in me."

"Why?" asked Weiss.

"Because he knew something about me that I didn't," Vesper solemnly answered. "But I was having doubts about my position on the team at that point. I told my Blue Ranger, Eddie, that I was adopted and felt that I didn't belong. I felt that I was different… and that general, Kilobyte? He revealed it in the worst possible way."

Blake had the strange feeling she knew where this was going even if she didn't have the specifics. "He… mind-controlled you, didn't he?"

Vesper shook her head. "No."

"No?"

He didn't mind-control me, Blake," the woman clarified. "He hacked me."

Weiss paused. "Hold on, hacked you?" She scoffed. "That's not possible; you can't hack a human being! That's just for machines!" Vesper silently stared at the White Ranger almost emotionlessly and hung her head low before turning back to Blake.

"That's the thing… I'm not human."

Blake perked up. "Huh?" Thoughts of her Faunus identity seeped into her thoughts, but Vesper's next words quickly diminished them. "I was never human… I was an android. And Kilobyte revealed it to my team by infecting me with a dangerous malware: the Venjix Virus."

Blake and Weiss fell into a shocked silence, the former unable to take her eyes off the other Black Ranger. Given how Vesper was acting, Blake had already suspected that she had been turned against her team… but the fact that she wasn't even human or organic in the first place racked her mind more than that Grimm's hold on her did. It was difficult for Blake to keep her focus on mind control and the potential consequences. Vesper seemed to know it, too.

"This lethal programming almost made me kill Eddie and nearly stripped away my identity. It made me ruthless, merciless, a slave operated by ones and zeroes."

That was a sheer contrast to the animalistic rage and beastly savagery Blake had felt.

"It took a while for my friends to purge the Venjix Virus from my systems. They had to insert themselves into my mind, but that's another story. Once I was clear… I still didn't feel like myself. Everything I knew about my life was in question, and I wasn't even sure who or what I was anymore."

Blake could relate to that, as her hand absentmindedly traced the spots where her cat ears once rested.

"Long story short, I was… messed up. I was afraid of reverting into a killing machine and wondered if I could ever be normal. Sometimes, I still feel that way, but… I don't let it get the better of me."

"Well, at least you have someone to relate to," Syd whispered reassuringly. "I mean, there's like, one or two Rangers that were also robots once?"

Vesper smirked again. "Yeah… there's that. But Steel already knew he was one, so…" Her eyes darted back to Blake and she caught herself. "Um, sorry, I'm getting off track a little…"

"As alarming as that story was," Weiss told her. "We're not entirely surprised. After all, we know an android ourselves. Ruby told us about her."

"I'm gonna save that for later," Vesper dismissed. "Where was I again… right! Mind control and stuff! Not the best, obviously, and it messes you up big-time… but what you're talking about, Blake, about it still being there? You're sorta right."

Blake's face fell.

"It's the memory that's still there," Vesper explained. "The feelings and emotions that came with it. Look, getting over it wasn't easy for me, even if I was dealing with an existential crisis on top of that. It never is, but you know what helped me out?"

Blake and Weiss looked at her expectantly.

"Eddie and the other Hyperforce Rangers. They still saw me as one of them, an indispensable part of the team. Rangers always look out for one another; it's our whole deal. To them, I wasn't just a machine. I was their friend. Vesper Vasquez, Hyperforce Black. Ruby wanted nothing more than to get you back, and she was dead-set on doing it."

"You two are her friends more than anything else," Syd added. "And if she were here right now, she wouldn't even think about what happened with you. Because she knows you're still the same. Yes, the memory's always painful, but it's just that: a memory."

Blake wished she could agree with Syd, but she had a point. She was free from the Grimm's hold, but she still had something else holding on. The good news was that it couldn't reach her here… but it would return when she returned to Remnant. If these Rangers powered through the pain together, then maybe…

Maybe.

"I guess it comes back to what we heard you discussing before," Weiss said. "Worrying about the past is never helpful. We need to worry about the future."

Vesper cringed and placed a hand on her forehead. "Nooo, why did you go and remind me…"

Weiss froze. "Um… you do understand what I meant?"

"Yep…" Syd sighed. "And you know what? I'm gonna check on the commander. I know he, of all people, has to have something-" The door to the barracks swished open before the Pink Ranger could finish, revealing someone that made Blake's eyes go wide.

Syd, on the other end, immediately stood at attention. "Doctor Manx! Sorry, I wasn't-"

"At ease, Drew," chuckled the woman, a pair of feline-esque ears nestled within her hair. "And how many times do I have to tell you, Kat is just fine."

Syd cleared her throat. "Right. What's up?"

"An assessment," the woman explained. "Commander Cruger and the B-Squad are assembling for an analysis of the Rogue Red Ranger. He wants to determine any possible flaws in that stolen Power Coin. Ninjor is still undergoing repairs, but I've been informed that he'll be back to full functionality soon. Hopefully, he'll tell us all he knows about it: it could be the key to bringing that Ranger down."

"Roger that. I won't be long."

The woman nodded before stepping out of the barracks… and the first thing Syd and Vesper noticed was Blake's bewildered expression. "How…" She struggled to find her voice before pointing at the door. "H-How come she gets to have cat ears and I don't?!"

The two veterans amusedly chuckled before Syd spoke up. "Well, first off, you have to be from her home planet."

"Home planet?!" Weiss echoed, her blue eyes wide. Vesper picked it up from there. "Yeah, you'd be surprised how many Rangers are aliens. I mean, my Red Ranger's one of them!"

"But…" Weiss sputtered. "But I saw him in Angel Grove and he looks so-"

Vesper chuckled. "Human? It's unbelievable how many species look that way. Still can't wrap my head around it…"

"Urgh…" Blake moaned. "Speaking of heads, mine feels like it's gonna pop again." The two women took that as their cue, with Syd already turning to the door. "Better not keep the squad waiting, then. See you all out there!" Vesper followed her out, leaving Blake and Weiss alone once again.

The White Ranger moaned. "And I thought one world aside from Remnant was complicated enough…" Blake nodded with her head in her hands. "Tell me about it… let's just find the others so I don't have to keep thinking about it." She rose from the bed and headed for the opposite door with Weiss in tow…

…which opened to reveal a long-haired blonde behind it.

"Oh, jeez, sorry! Didn't know it was occupied…"

Blake's train of thought derailed. "Yang…"

Weiss stepped forward. "Are you… feeling okay? From what we saw in the medical bay…"

She waved it off. "D-Don't worry about it, girls. I just needed… some time to think. But any chance you've seen Ruby around?"

Blake and Weiss shared a glance before shrugging their shoulders. "No, we… haven't seen her since the cafeteria," Blake replied. Yang said nothing at this and moved aside to let them walk out. "Probably just needed some time to herself, too. But I think she's had long enough. Now, come on, we need to have a chat with her."

The trio headed down the corridor, hoping to plot a proper course of action soon…

…

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

One second, Ruby Rose was standing in the Command Center, everything going haywire around her while her communicator was acting all crazy. The next, the world around her shattered to pieces, and she was sent falling through a colorful void, the light racing past her at incomprehensible speeds. Up and down lost meaning; her voice drowned out in the roaring rush, and everything spun around her. Ruby swore she would go blind from the multitude of colors that bombarded her from everywhere and felt like her molecules would come undone…

…but only several seconds later, she hit solid ground.

"OOF!" Ruby's brain rattled in her skull, and she coughed from the ensuing dust cloud that kicked up from the impact. It took her a few moments to gather her bearings and maybe a little longer, thanks to the dirt she had to spit from her mouth. Once Ruby finally got to her feet and shielded her eyes from the overhead sun, she cracked her silver orbs open…

…and saw nothing but sand all around her. Sand that was mixed with… junk. Lots and lots of junk: scrapped cars, ruined machinery, and discarded crates stripped dry of supplies. The sun blazed above, making the horizon hazy. Ruby couldn't distinguish much from the effects but spotted faint skyscrapers in the distance. The girl was already beginning to feel sweat dripping down her brow from the overhead sun, which told her she had to get moving unless she wanted her skin to be as red as her clothes.

With a gentle sigh, Ruby flipped her hood up and trudged across the sand, sneaker prints trailing behind her. The trek was lengthy, with the looming cityscape inching agonizingly close with each passing minute. Even though Ruby's face was shielded from the sun, she could still feel the heat washing over her. But she had to keep going. Maybe someone in the city would tell her where she was, yet the growing fatigue from her journey made Ruby want to reconsider.

How did Vacuans deal with this, anyway? How did they make a living with what they had with all this sun and heat?

Ruby paused. Speaking of what one had, she quickly checked herself over to see if she had lost anything in that fall. The girl patted herself all over, feeling the communicator on her wrist, her morpher holding her Power Coin on the back of her waist. Then came her pockets, where she felt something odd around her hip. She glanced downward in confusion, spying a bright red holster on her right thigh.

Ruby stuck her hand in and retrieved its contents: a small red blaster matching the colors of her Ranger suit. Although unsure if she was supposed to be surprised, she could recall several Rangers using such sidearms while unmorphed. The Rangers that had found her and returned her to the base must have wanted her to have a precaution if she found herself in another daunting encounter like-

No. Stop. Please don't think about that. Think about finding out where you are and how you can get back.

Ruby shook her head frantically and rolled up her sleeve, brushed some wayward particles off her communicator, and lightly tapped it. "H-hey, Alpha? Are you there?" There was no immediate reply, and Ruby waited a few extra seconds before pressing down again. "Alpha, if you're hearing this… could you please bring me back to base? And if you can't… could you at least tell me where I am?"

Still nothing. Ruby sighed as she kept moving and switched channels, not bothering to look at the approaching city. Maybe she'd reach it faster if she didn't pay too much attention. "Hey, Yang? I don't know if you're still… upset over whatever that was, but… I could really use some help right now."

There was no answer, just like before. Ruby sighed dejectedly and mumbled to herself, "Alright, she's still sulking, then…" She adjusted her communicator, hoping to reach Weiss next…

"…twenty sec…"

"Huh?" Ruby whispered from the faint voice within the status buzzing. She focused on dialing and adjusting, trying to get a clearer signal…

"...minutes north… one degrees… five sec…"

"Hello? Hello?! Is anyone there?! I can barely hear you, where-"

"...utes wes… sig… orig… broad…" No matter how much Ruby tried to zero in on the signal, only a loud static buzz remained. She smacked her wrist in frustration and turned her eyes forward, finding herself at the city's edge. Ruby steeled herself and wiped her brow before stepping on a ruined cracked road.

The city was desolate and abandoned, with no people in sight. Buildings were decayed and decrepit, shells of their former selves. A still silence hung over Ruby, no wind to break it as she quietly strode down the ruined street. The girl absentmindedly pulled her hood down, her eyes taking in the surreal and unnerving state of the city.

"Uh… hello?"

Ruby was met with silence. Dead, eerie silence. She frowned suspiciously before clearing her throat.

"HELLOOOOOO!" Her voice carried for miles. "ANYBODY HOME?! I THINK I- G-GAAAK!" Ruby suddenly doubled over, her throat burning and chest aching. The girl coughed and choked on something she failed to pinpoint, the uncomfortable sensation lasting for half a minute.

With a final wheeze and a hoarse gasp, Ruby rubbed her throat and took in ragged, shallow breaths. What was going on here? Where was everyone? Did the… did the Grimm get them? Oh no, why was Ruby so stupid to raise her voice?! She might've attracted an entire city full of-

Movement in a dust cloud that shrouded the street ahead brought Ruby out of her thoughts. The girl shrank back in surprise, a hand drifting to her morpher on her waist. Her eyes locked on the cloud, ready to roar the necessary words when the beast burst out…

She saw a silhouette march into view. Something that… looked like a person! Ruby relaxed and released a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. "Oh, whew, finally…" She waved an arm over her head. "Hey, hi! Over here! Um, could you help me out, please? I think I'm lost and… and…"

The shape emerged from the dust… and Ruby immediately saw it was not human. Nor was it a Grimm. Instead, the figure looked entirely mechanical: a white body decked with copper parts, a nut for an eye, and something resembling a screwdriver in its hand. It emitted a faint whirring and buzzing noise as it locked its sights on Ruby.

The girl's heart skipped a beat when it pointed the screwdriver at her head, the tip glowing a dangerous crimson.

"GYAH!" Ruby yelped and dove to the side, the ensuing bolt zipping past her head. She spun and bolted for a nearby alley, only for another volley from the corridor to send her sprawling back. More whirring and bussing assailed her ears as another of the machines came marching out of the alley, its weapon trained on Ruby.

Another burst from a building door. More assembled on the rooftops. Motorcycles sped down the street and shifted before Ruby's eyes, transforming into more robots that took up battle positions. They moved fast and surrounded Ruby in seconds, staring at her with calculating eyes that sought her termination. The girl had nowhere to go.

Correction: she had nowhere to go but through them.

"Alright, you walking scrapheaps or whatever you're called! IT'S MORPHIN TIIIIYYYYAAAAAAAAH!" The world around her fractured again, the city and the robots replaced by another swirling void of color. Ruby tumbled head over heels as she fell at speeds she swore were faster than before. Everything raced by faster than Ruby's mind could follow…

…and the void spat her out just as harshly as the first time.

The air left Ruby's lungs and she was sprawled out on the ground, a weak moan leaving her lips. Overhead sunlight assailed her eyes again, but Ruby quickly noticed her surroundings had changed. She had gone from an arid desert and a ruined city to a lush, green jungle filled with birdsong and tall trees.

"Um…" Just like before, Ruby felt hopelessly lost. She was left to wander the wilderness with no clear destination, and her eyes focused on the unfamiliar landscape. A far cry from the forests of Patch from her childhood, Ruby brushed aside oversized leaves and stepped over tree roots. She contemplated calling her friends again, already touching her communicator.

A small rustling off to the right drew Ruby's attention. She noticed some plants shifting from an unseen disturbance. Ruby slowly moved in for a closer look, her ears picking up strange chittering noises. The girl knelt and gently brushed the leaves aside…

…where a tiny shivering field mouse stared up at her.

"Aww…" Ruby chuckled. "Hey there, little guy…" She reached out a hand, but the little mammal released a small squeak and backed away in alarm. "No, no, hey, it's okay…" Ruby soothed. "I'm not gonna hurt you. No need to be scared…" She giggled to herself. The mouse stared at her briefly before turning and scurrying away as fast as its little legs could. Ruby stood up and took a few steps back, watching the mouse depart.

"Wow… he's in a hurry. What's got him so-"

SKRREEEEAAAAH!

Ruby let out a high-pitched yelp alongside a shrill screech that broke the silence. She whirled around with a racing pulse, spotting a fallen log with something standing on top of it. A small reptilian creature almost as big as Ruby glared at her with savage eyes, a rumbling hiss escaping a jaw filled with razor-sharp teeth. A pair of three-fingered hands with dagger-like claws flicked anxiously, a scaled tail stood at attention, and each of its feet was adorned with a curved toe claw that looked like it could dig deep into anything… or anyone.

Ruby's silver eyes were blown wide open and she visibly gulped as the creature stepped off its perch with a low growl, its body poised to strike. Her shaky legs carried her backward for a few paces until another warning snarl made Ruby jump out of her skin. Another creature growled dangerously at the girl, its talons and teeth in clear view. Both animals prowled dangerously around Ruby, their hisses and growls joined by distant noises just like it.

A third creature stormed from the foliage. Another leaped out from over a rock with expert agility. It gnashed its teeth at Ruby, only for one of its packmates to snap at its face and hiss in warning. The quartet had Ruby surrounded, all hunkered low and ready to pounce at any moment. The girl's heart was beating like mad and her nerves felt shot. Ruby had no idea what these creatures were or what she was supposed to do against them. Her mind screamed at her to run, but the way these things moved told Ruby they seemed faster. They'd catch her in seconds and rip her apart if she tried that.

Her hand brushed against her hip… and she got an idea.

Ruby steadied herself, keeping her bright orbs focused on the animals. She relaxed her body, remembering how it felt to use Crescent Rose as the unfamiliar predators prowled around her, waiting for the first move. Ruby envisioned snow around her, bloodthirsty Beowolves in their place…

Ruby heard the ground shift from behind, a hiss growing into something more…

BLAM! She drew her blaster in one swift motion and pulled the trigger, striking the creature in the chest mid-pounce. A shrill shriek of pain filled her ears as its writhing body hit the dirt, a hot burn mark on its scaled belly. Two more pounced at her, colliding with each other in a tangled mess of claws as Ruby dropped to the splits and rolled away, blasting the last one in the face.

She popped back to her feet and pumped the trigger at their feet, stopping either of them in their tracks as red lasers kept them at bay. Ruby yelled her best battle cry while shooting into the air, making some of the predators flinch in alarm. The first one that appeared snarled in agitation as her shots drowned it out, all four darting and scampering into the brush with frightened chirps while Ruby continued to fire.

"THAT'S RIGHT, SCRAM! SHOO! GET OUTTA HERE!" Once Ruby was sure they were gone, she holstered her weapon and wiped her brow with a sigh of relief. Leaving those animals to lick their wounds, Ruby urged her heart rate to drop to normal levels…

…but something made it stop beating entirely.

The world around her trembled and vibrated, a pulse Ruby felt down to her bones. Pebbles jolted from their resting places, and a flock of birds flew over the trees, squawking in alarm. Dread crept up Ruby's spine, and the fear returned tenfold as she slowly turned around, seeing foliage part amidst snapping and crunching sounds.

A tremendous beast much larger than the earlier animals emerged from the trees, a gargantuan head looming over Ruby while two broad and powerful legs nestled into the forest floor beneath them. A low rumble emanated from its massive maw and air billowed from its nostrils as it stared inquisitively at the girl. Something about it seemed awfully familiar… Ruby could barely recall seeing something just like this, but all red and glowy.

No, this was not the time to reminisce. The creature took another step, its primeval eyes glaring into the girl's soul before its mighty jaws opened… and Ruby spun on her heel and darted off at a great sprint.

She did not stop to look back, already feeling the ground shake with each colossal footstep. Ruby ran through the jungle in a panicked frenzy, unwilling to stop for anything with the monster right on her heels. Its growls and rumbles reminded Ruby of its constant presence, making her wish she had her Semblance right now for a more hasty esca-

"GYAH!" Her foot caught on a stray root, and Ruby tumbled to the ground, left in a stunned daze. This didn't last very long, as her woozy eyes snapped wide open, and a panicked scream left her throat. The beast was stomping closer, and its growls were much deeper now. Its teeth were getting dangerously closer.

Ruby whipped out her blaster and aimed with a trembling arm. Hopefully, she could still scare this thing off…

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! The lasers connected with the monster's snout, prompting the large beast to recoil and whine in pain. It stepped back and shook its smoldering head, growling in discomfort before snapping its eyes back to Ruby, eyes that were now full of rage.

Ruby's heart sank when she realized her stupid choice.

GRRROOOAAAAARRR! The beast bellowed louder than an airship engine and higher than thunder, its jaws expelling a foul-smelling wind right in Ruby's face. The girl flinched and tried not to breathe in the stench, her communicator blinking and flashing once again. The large animal reared back while the terrified Ruby crawled backward, her life and friends flashing before her eyes.

Every kid back home was afraid of being eaten. Ruby never realized that fear would be made real from something that wasn't a Grimm.

"No! NO! NOOOO!" She shrieked and threw up her arms as the animal's maw lunged forward… but her screams continued as the whole world distorted around her and she fell away from reality.

…

It was the only thing Jaune could think about.

They failed. He failed. This was the second time he had gone up against that ruthless Red Ranger with his friends and the second time she had beaten them within an inch of their lives. This defeat hurt worse than the last because that woman had left an impression so deeply burned into Jaune's mind that it may have been branded there.

Jaune had arrived too late to help. His whole team was occupied with their previous assignments. When he had finally answered Blake's call for reinforcements, he had teleported into what felt like hell itself. An entire city was decimated and consumed by flames; dozens had been turned to ash and dust, and the one person responsible for it all was proud of the chaos and destruction she had caused.

He tried to fight, to avenge the fallen, and to make sure no more lives were lost to this maniac. They all did. But she was too much, too powerful, and she made sure they knew that. She didn't hesitate to gloat about it right to their faces, either. Jaune was the only one to land a lucky blow: after the woman had withstood Nora's lightning storm and incapacitated Ren, he had acted on sheer determination to keep his last team member standing.

He thought he had turned the tide… but was horrified to learn how wrong he was. As gruesome as it was to have to cut off the woman's arm, the revelation that she could grow it back was even more horrific. She was utterly unstoppable.

So what chance did Jaune have if or when he unfortunately crossed paths with her again? How can you stop someone who claims it to be impossible? It would be like trying to fight a wildfire with a water bucket. Jaune was outmatched here, unable to stop her from causing more havoc and taking more lives…

…which was what she was doing right now. The monitor Jaune stared at in one of the base's common rooms was locked on the woman's energy signature, showing Jaune the warpath she was marching down. Jaune asked himself why he was doing this for the twentieth time. Sure, he was watching to find some kind of weakness, a vulnerability, something… but still, why was he doing this to himself? Why was he bearing witness to this madwoman kill…

Well, it wasn't exactly civilians this time. First, it was a horde of Grimm she had torn apart with nothing but blades and bare hands. The weapons slashed and cut like hot knives through butter, easily taking out monsters that Jaune and the others had struggled against as of late. The Red Ranger had ripped off limbs, stomped heads to mush, and burned up a Wyvern's wings by flying through them, paying no mind to the monster crashing to the ground.

But her excessive use of power and the destruction it wrought also made this woman a target for this world's armed forces. A massive military force of soldiers, armored vehicles, and aircraft—all bearing the insignia of a red, white, and blue flag—had the woman surrounded in the center of a burning metropolis, voices calling out for her to stand down and surrender.

Less than a minute later, it was a drastically different scene. Most of the vehicles were burning wrecks, and aircraft had littered the roads with their ruins. Whatever order and tactics the infantry had possessed were reduced to frantic bullet sprays and widespread panic. The woman crashed down to earth and dug her heels into the pavement, sending three men flying from the impact. Bullets bounced and ricocheted off her crimson suit while her eyes burned with fury, her helmet materializing over her face before she rushed forward. Every punch she landed knocked men away or utterly obliterated them. She threw others over her shoulder like they were nothing and melted their weapons down in her grip.

The woman smashed a soldier into the ground and kicked him away like a ball, sending him through a window. She caught a rocket in her grip and threw it into a tank cannon that swiveled in her direction, lighting it up in a huge fireball before snapping a rocket launcher in half and bludgeoning its user's face. She struck her next target with a flaming kick and threw another soldier into a burning wreck before he could react. Another unloaded everything he had, screaming in desperation as his bullets harmlessly connected with her suit.

Jaune paused the footage before the woman could finish lunging at the soldier, exhaling a quivering breath as he set the remote down. He couldn't watch anymore… and there was nothing to find. These people were helpless, but Jaune already knew his presence there—his attempts to save them—would prolong the inevitable. He buried his head in his hands with a heavy sigh, unwilling to look at that woman or what he had seen on her face seconds before her helmet shielded it.

She was smiling.

Smiling… what kind of sadistic lunatic would find joy in slaughter and happiness in collapse? It made no sense! Everything about this woman was wrong, not just how she used her powers but her very being. And she had made him fail… again.

Maybe he was destined for it. Maybe… he wasn't meant to be a hero—just a weak twig amongst the strong branches of his family tree.

There was a gentle presence on his shoulder. Jaune already knew who it was.

"Hey," Gods, he sounded as pathetic as he felt.

"Hey yourself…" Pyrrha whispered solemnly. "I… never thanked you for saving my life, did I?"

Save. The word added weight to his heart. He may have been too late to save those people, but…

"Would it… would it have made a difference?" he mumbled as he removed his hands from his face. "If we had gotten there in time?"

There was silence before Pyrrha answered. "I wish it did." Their eyes turned to the paused image of the Red Ranger striking the vulnerable soldier. "That woman… she's different."

Jaune blinked. "I… I don't understand, Pyrrha."

"She fights like she's thrown the rulebook out the window, disregarded any means of training, and just… settling for hitting as hard and fast as she can."

"No, that's-" Jaune almost raised his voice and had to pause for a moment. "That's… not what I mean," Pyrrha said nothing, her eyes silently focused on him. "I don't understand her, Pyrrha. As a person."

"That's relatable," she hummed. "None of us know anything about her."

"She's not just a murderer," Jaune added lowly. "She's an anarchist… who wants to watch everything burn around her. She kills… she destroys… and she… she's proud of it. She didn't deny what she did to those people. She… she just rubbed it in our faces… all with a damn smile on her face."

Pyrrha looked horrified and disgusted simultaneously. "Gods, Jaune, that… what kind of person would look at it that way?"

"Maybe the kind of person who isn't a person at all," He growled, sitting back on the couch with his arms crossed. "She's a monster, Pyrrha, just as soulless and heartless as the Grimm. And every time we try to bring her down, she beats us down and shows us that I…"

He froze again. "Th-that we… are just a bunch of failures with death wishes…" He slumped forward in his seat, his head hung low. He remembered thinking Beacon would change that. Then he thought this would change that. But be it Huntsman or Power Ranger, Jaune feared he could never escape what he always would be.

Pyrrha's hand clutched his. "Jaune… none of this is on you. Or me. Or any of us. We lost… but that's not because we're failures. We lost because for the first time in our lives… we found something none of us could have prepared for. Something stronger, something faster… and something that knows how to hurt us the most."

Jaune looked at her. "Then how are we supposed to beat it?"

Pyrrha hesitated, her green eyes glancing away. "I… don't know."

His heart sunk deeper at those words. Him not knowing what to do was a familiar feeling… but hearing it from Pyrrha? A well-renowned student who graduated at the top of her class before coming to Beacon? It felt… wrong.

A lot of things have been wrong lately.

"Jaune…" The whisper of his name beckoned him to look at her. "You once told me your greatest secret. You were so tired of being such a 'lovable idiot' and a 'damsel in distress' that you were willing to do anything to prove yourself otherwise… and you did it by entering Beacon through fake transcripts."

Jaune cringed at the unpleasant memory. "What about it?"

"I'd like to tell you mine."

His head shot up again, eyes blown with a sudden intrigue. "H-huh? But-"

"Just about everyone knows who I am," she continued. "Pyrrha Nikos, the Invincible Girl from Mistral. Prodigy. Champion. Cereal mascot." He couldn't help but snicker at that. "Whenever they see me or hear my name, they think of how utterly unstoppable I am in battle."

Pyrrha released a quiet breath before looking Jaune in the eye. "I wasn't always like that."

Jaune blinked as the words washed over him. "Wha-what do you mean?"

"When I was still a student in Sanctum," Pyrrha quietly explained. "One of my combat professors noticed my talent and potential. I was besting everyone in spars, but he saw something in me that I didn't. So one day after classes… he had me go up against him privately."

Jaune struggled to process the words. A student sparring with a teacher? Where was she going with this?

"I managed to hold my own against him and had him on the defensive," Pyrrha explained. "And just when I was about to land the finishing blow… his assistant froze me in place with Ice Dust, which allowed him to deplete the last of my Aura."

"What?!" Jaune gasped. "But you… why would… I don't-"

"I was furious," Pyrrha continued. "When he told me the fight was rigged to ensure my loss. It was an outrage to me because I thought if I was going to be a Huntress, I wasn't supposed to lose. My demands for a rematch were refused, and he said I needed more training. Not for here…" She gestured to her body before lifting a finger to her head. "But for here."

Loss and confusion covered Jaune's features.

"Yes, I was a great student with the makings of a great warrior," Pyrrha continued. "But I was also… too cocky. Too proud of myself. I entered every fight thinking victory was guaranteed. It made me reckless and short-sighted; I leaped before I looked. My professor conducted this forged fight to teach me something when I thought there was nothing more for me to learn."

"What was it?" Jaune asked.

Pyrrha gently smiled with a reminiscing gaze. "He told me, 'Pyrrha, you won't be fighting just Grimm as a Huntress. You'll be fighting other people… and sometimes, those people will do whatever it takes to defeat you. Some can play dirty, others can outsmart you, and others will be more powerful. You will lose one day, Pyrrha, as you have lost here. All of my students will, as will every Huntsman and Huntress in every kingdom. The sooner you accept this possibility, the inevitability of defeat, the easier your journey will become.'"

"Easier?" Jaune asked. "How is seeing defeat as okay supposed to make things easier?"

Pyrrha chuckled. "That's what I asked him. He reminded me to be more mindful about myself and not take my talents for granted. He wished for me to enter each fight knowing I would either win or lose and not just allow victory to be my only option. Because those who strive to always win… those who deny the very idea of defeat…"

Her gaze turned to the frozen footage depicting the phoenix-themed Red Ranger. "...then defeat is all they will know in the end, for they will learn nothing from constant success. If I hadn't fought him, Jaune… I wouldn't have learned anything. I wouldn't be the person you know me as today. I could've turned out exactly like her: brash, overconfident, and rubbing my victories in everyone's faces. Rushing into every battle and always coming out on top every time."

She turned back to him. "And if you always won… if you weren't who you are… then you would see everyone you come across as someone to dominate, too."

"You… do you really believe that?" Jaune whispered. "I-I mean, Ruby told me that as a leader, I'm not allowed to fail!"

"Failure is as certain as the sunset, Jaune," Pyrrha told him reassuringly. "A lot of people don't see that. Ruby doesn't because her idea of a hero is someone who never loses… and certainly not Yang, who believes punching her problems will solve everything."

Jaune briefly paused, lost in thought. "Do you think… that they'll get it?"

"Maybe not right away," Pyrrha admitted. "That woman defeated us so badly that they're probably still in shock. Ruby's probably recovering from seeing her beliefs shattered right before her while Yang's struggling about how some issues can't be resolved by brute force."

She looked back at the screen. "But this woman… she's the one who's taking it the hardest. I'm willing to bet she's never, ever lost a single fight a day in her life. And she's desperate to keep it that way. She's scared of losing, afraid of facing failure so much that she's trying to push it away. Strong in body… but frail in mind."

"So… you think we may have a chance after all?" Jaune said with rising hope in his heart. "You think we can beat her?"

"Not with our current tactics," Pyrrha noted. "She's expecting force: expecting a straight-up fight because she knows she outclasses us there. Think about this, Jaune… what did she do to defeat us before?"

A part of him still didn't want to think about that. All the fire, all the chaos, all the death… and the way woman smiled throughout it all…

Wait.

"She… was taunting us," he muttered. "Toying with us. Playing with our emotions and our insecurities… spitting at our ideals and dreams until we got so angry, upset, or traumatized that we slipped up. She hurt us, Pyrrha."

The redhead nodded stoically. "Right. So we need to hurt her back. We need to find what makes her vulnerable and exploit it."

Jaune smiled. "So… we have a plan now… I guess I can work with that," he whispered bashfully. Thanks, Pyrrha."

She smiled. "And thank you."

Jaune quickly avoided his gaze, trying to hide a rising blush. "U-uh, right, so… vulnerability. That's, uh, what I was trying to find here." He snatched up the remote, which he would have hesitated to touch again. "There's been no signs of any so far, but-"

"Whoa-ho-ho, look at you guys!" Somebody chuckled proudly, making both teens turn around in surprise. "Strategizing and picking yourselves right back up so soon? Wow." An older man strode into the room and placed his elbows on the couch, satisfied eyes alternating between the Silver and Gold Rangers.

Jaune slowly raised his hand. "Hey, Tommy… Pyrrha was helping me out here."

"We may have a solution about this new Red Ranger," she added. "We're thinking we can defeat her the same way she did us, so we're gonna relay that to the rest of our friends."

Tommy patted her on the shoulder. "Ha! Glad to know someone's got the right idea on how to take care of…" He suddenly stopped there, his eyes wide in realization and his body frozen. Jaune and Pyrrha were puzzled. The former was about to ask what was wrong when the veteran Ranger addressed them with a quiet question.

"Hold on, did… did you just say 'her'?"

"O-oh, yeah, that!" Jaune realized. "Ruby told some Rangers after that talking sword asked for you…"

"But we saw her face," Pyrrha added. "This Red Ranger is from Remnant… but we don't know who she is."

Tommy turned his attention to the screen and nodded to Jaune. "Play it." His voice was surprisingly stern, but the boy had no room to get distracted. One button press later, all eyes were on the woman as she resumed her attack, slamming the soldier against a jeep and knocking him out cold.

Bullets pinged and bounced off her suit, making her helmet snap in the direction of another man unloading his pistol at her. Given his rugged face and unflinching eyes, Jaune had to guess this man had experience. A commanding officer, perhaps? He pulled the trigger until the weapon clicked, at which point his brow furrowed before he tossed the gun away…

…and retrieved a knife from its holster, holding it in a ready position.

The Red Ranger was silent. Jaune could almost see her smirking devilishly under that helmet, amused at this man's continued attempts to resist. He probably knew he was doomed anyway, yet he was determined to go down fighting. It was rather admirable in Jaune's eyes but foolish in hers.

For this woman, it would be nothing but entertainment. If he lived, it would be because she allowed it. Jaune, Pyrrha, and Tommy watched as the Red Ranger materialized a single blade and marched toward the man, who dodged her swings and struck with swift slashes and sharp jabs. The knife sank into her body more than once, the woman barely flinching as any entry wounds were sealed up in seconds. She leaned away from a swipe aimed at her throat and headbutted the man's face before kicking him against a downed helicopter, pinning his arm with a leg and twisting her ankle to make the knife slip from his fingers.

He showed no fear as he stared coldly into the woman's helmet. "You'll never win." he spat with a disapproving growl. "You're outnumbered. By us, by the Rangers… hell, even by those damn monsters. This whole planet is your enemy, and it won't stop until you're finished."

"I know," she whispered, flames whooshing around her helmet. Once the fires faded, Jaune could see that wicked smirk clear as day as the woman glared triumphantly into the defeated man's eyes. "Which is why I'm going to burn everything off its face so I can rebuild it."

Jaune heard Tommy's breath hitch from behind him. "My god… it's her."

The boy looked over his shoulder, confused once again. "Wait, Tommy… you know her?"

"It… it can't be…" the man muttered. "Th-the island, we… I… h-how did she…"

"So go ahead. Let them come. Let them try to stop me," she hissed with a savage grin. "And when they try, let them meet the same fate as the Rangers that have already tried, the Grimm that are nothing but ash at my feet, and your kind with the worst excuse for an army I have ever-"

BANG! Something zipped into the side of the woman's head and she hit the road hard, her limbs limp and unmoving. Jaune, Pyrrha, and Tommy all jerked in surprise as they observed the woman's motionless body, blood seeping from a small hole in her head. The commander removed himself from the wreckage with ragged breaths and clutched his aching arm, turning to a distant building where the trio made out a slight flicker of light…

…and touched his other hand to his ear. "Target down, soldier. A damn fine shot. Stand by and wait for evac."

"Yes, sir. That bullet was for all our boys."

"We won't be losing any more proud men to this… distraction. Now we move on to the real- URGK!" A burning blade erupted from the commander's chest, much to the trio's horror. Everyone looked behind him while he glanced back with wide, shocked eyes… where the seething woman stood with fire in her eyes, a free hand plucking the crumpled bullet out of her healing forehead.

"You… hurt me," she stammered in equal parts shock and disbelief as she stared at the bullet. "That… that hurt. You worthless, weak little nothing, that HURT!" Her disbelief exploded into rage and a scream of raw anger exploded outward, her blade bursting into flame and incinerating the commander to ash in seconds.

"NO ONE CAN HURT ME!" She howled, casting her hellish gaze on the nearby building and throwing a fireball at the faint glint. One explosion later, a scream of agony accompanied a burning, writhing form that fell to the road. The woman stood with a heaving chest, the desperation in her eyes dimming down while she looked over herself… and touched the spot where the sniper's bullet had struck. No trace of the impact remained, as if the shot had never occurred. The woman closed her eyes and steadied her breath.

"No one." It was all she muttered before she vanished into a pillar of fire. Jaune and Pyrrha turned to each other with a knowing look, the latter's lip curving upward. "Well, Jaune… I think you found what you were looking for."

He rose from the couch, determination coursing through him. "Come on, we need to find the others. Tommy, where-"

Both teens paused when they noticed the space behind the couch was empty. The veteran Ranger was nowhere to be found. Pyrrha blinked in confusion. "Where… where did he go?"

"I don't…" Jaune quickly shook his head. "That doesn't matter right now! Ruby and the others need to know about this!"

"Right!" Pyrrha nodded as she hurried after him. "The sooner they know, the better our chances at stopping her!"

…

"GYYAUGH!" Ruby smashed against a wall and slumped to the floor. The girl quietly bemoaned how she happened to end up in such a position. Not even ten seconds had passed since the colorful void had spat her out, and she was already under attack in some kind of observatory. She hadn't even had the chance to morph, and she still couldn't… not when some trail of purple lightning had wrapped around her ankle and flung her across the room.

"Didn't your mommy tell you not to sneak around other people's homes?!" a voice roared as Ruby slammed against the floor. "It's very rude, ya know?! Just like how rude you're being right now!" Ruby was suddenly dragged back along the floor and flipped head-over-heels, faceplanting in front of the voice's source like a ragdoll until more energy trails wrapped around her body and hoisted her up as if Ruby was a puppet.

Ruby had to resist the urge to gag as she was positioned face-to-face with somebody she could only describe as the definition of the word "disgusting." A violet-skinned man with skin ridges on his head and a pair of horns forming a goatee glared into her with a twisted smile. He was draped in purple robes with a large collar, bracelets adorned with red and green gems covered his arms, and unmanicured nails on his creepy-looking hands - one of them producing the electric streams keeping her aloft - would have made Weiss faint at the sight.

"I gotta say, I did not expect Angel Grove to have such a pretty little face among the kiddies," he cackled, running a free hand along Ruby's cheek and making the girl wince. "Lemme guess: I hurt your widdle feelings when I brainwashed your parents, and you decided to be the sweetest girl in the whole wide world - ew - and ask me nicely to stop. Is that it?"

Ruby's nose burned from an awful smell that assailed them when the man leaned in close, her stomach heaving violently. "I-I don't…" she choked out. "...have any idea… what you're talking about… or who you are. I'm just… trying to get back."

"Get back?" The man echoed before he burst out into wild, mocking laughter that unsettled Ruby to her core. "WELL, THEN YOU SHOULDA THOUGHT OF THAT EARLIER!" He jerked his hand upward and slammed Ruby against the ceiling before smashing her back to the floor, laughing maniacally while throwing the girl at everything in sight. He released Ruby in the middle of another toss, the girl's aching body colliding with a wall back-first and slumping in a daze.

"Seriously though, toying with you is fun and all…" the villain giggled. "But I've got an agenda to get to. Now, should I brainwash you or do away with you? Decisions, decisions…"

Ruby propped herself up on her elbows with a weak moan… and when she placed her left arm in front of her, she noticed her communicator pulsing and flickering. Her silver eyes widened in realization before falling flat, the villain too busy giggling evilly to notice.

"Oh no…" she moaned.

Right on cue, the world collapsed inward and Ruby plummeted through the void again. Her desperate attempts to right herself amidst panicked yelps and quickened breathing were all for naught. Lights flashed before her eyes, colors shot past her, and the cosmos itself moved faster than light.

The void vanished seconds later and Ruby felt herself tumbling down a slope, grunting and groaning while kicking up dust. She rolled to a stop with her face down in the dirt, which she promptly spat out and wiped off her tongue. The girl slowly rose to her feet while brushing off her clothes, noticing her new outdoor environment.

She was now in a canyon bordering a lake, a massive hill cresting over the horizon. Ruby paused, her silver eyes full of suspicion as they darted around for signs of trouble. She seemed to be in the clear, so she began counting off on her fingers.

"Okay… no killer robots, no reptilian animals that wanna eat me, no gross goo guys…" She took a deep breath and sighed before marching forward. "Please have someone who can help me, please have someone who can help me, please, please, please…"

Ruby stopped again upon hearing a distant commotion near a cliff edge. With that as her only lead, the girl jogged over and followed the sounds… and stopped short at what she saw once she reached a high ridge overlooking a clearing.

She released a relieved breath at the welcoming sight of five Power Rangers. Ruby would have called out for help, but the colored heroes were occupied. They were locked in combat with freaky-looking multi-limbed rock monsters, which smashed and crumbled apart with each powerful blow landed upon them. The Red Ranger leaped over one and materialized a sword from his hand, putting it to good use by slicing stony bits off one of the monsters.

"YEEE-HAAAA!" The Black Ranger hollered, his cobalt-clad companion going high and jumping across the monster's heads. "Whoa, this is so much better with armor!" He touched down before another bouldery beast and delivered three hard kicks to its midsection, driving it back.

"Come on! Bring it on!" Ruby turned her gaze to the Yellow Ranger, who twisted a rocky arm and pummeled its owner before using raw strength to hurl it into another monster. Ruby smiled at this, thinking of how her sister would react to this one.

Those thoughts vanished when she noticed the Black Ranger rip off a stone-shaped head. "Hey, heads up!" he called, smashing it onto another monster. The quintet fought fiercely, moving faster and striking harder against the earth-shapen enemies that outnumbered them ten to one.

Ruby felt conflicted at this point, her eyes turning to her morpher. Should she intervene and tip the odds in their favor? Punching rocks were more up Yang's alley, and these five held their own more than Ruby thought. The Yellow Ranger practically ran across several monsters while the Blue Ranger flipped over another and nailed two with both elbows. The pair plummeted down into a chasm, but more continued to emerge in their place.

Ruby exhaled, her mind made up. "Okay, I'm going in! IT'S MOR-"

Red light flickered and crimson flashes pulsed erratically.

"Wha-no!" She wailed, hammering her communicator with a fist. "No, no, no, not now! Not now, they neeEEEEEP!" Her hand smacked the device as hard as she could, causing the device to erupt in a red light and forcing Ruby to shield her eyes. Everything around her faded away.

When Ruby's eyes blinked open, she was no longer in a canyon.

Instead, her jaw dropped as she found herself in a massive dome with a canopy that gave her a clear view of twinkling stars. Asteroids loomed in the distance, ships gracefully glided through open space…

…and dozens of people in grey uniforms were staring at her.

Ruby froze up, and her heart stopped beating, the many eyes drilling deep into her as tiny, hushed whispers reached Ruby's ears. The way they looked at her made her anxiety skyrocket, and Ruby had half a mind to spin on her heel and bolt.

"Hey… are you okay?"

Ruby slightly jolted and turned to the quiet speaker: a girl with dark hair, the ends dyed green. She looked just as curious as the other people, but Ruby could see concern in her eyes. "U-uh… I-I… um…"

The other girl's eyes darted away to the crowd and softened a little before she grasped Ruby's hand and led her away. The two walked down a hallway until the green-haired girl checked their surroundings. "It's a little much, isn't it?" she whispered.

Ruby nodded, still a little on edge. "You… you can help me, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," she answered. "But before I do… I'm gonna need to know some things. Like who you are and how you teleported here instead of the Nexus Hall."

Ruby had to focus her mind away from the unfamiliar words. "I'm Ruby. And I'm… hopelessly lost."

The girl smiled comfortably. "Well, Ruby… you came to the right place. Name's Sage."

Ruby paused to get a good feel for the name. "Sage… you're a Ranger, right?"

"Eh, sorta," she shrugged. "More like Ranger-in-training."

Ruby did a double take. "In training? What…" Her eyes trailed off. "Wh-where exactly am I?"

"Don't worry, you'll be safe here," the girl answered. "This is the Ranger Academy, my home away from home."

Ruby bawked. "Ranger… Academy?" Had institutions just like Beacon been established in the thirty-year gap? And in outer space of all places, where Remnant's people haven't been able to access? Ruby's mind was awash with questions and possibilities students could accomplish here and whether this place was similar or vastly different from Beacon.

The other girl, Sage, must have noticed her mind-blown expression, given her amused chuckle. "I know! Pretty amazing, right? But I think a proper tour will have to wait! You said you were… lost?"

"Y-yeah," Ruby stammered. "You see, I'm a Ranger, too. I came from Earth, and it's in big trouble right now." The green-haired girl blinked perpexedly at those words and shook her head with a groan. "Ugh, that place again? Come on, evil forces everywhere; there's like a gazillion other worlds for you to terrorize! What's the deal?!"

Ruby cleared her throat. "Okay, long story short, something happened to my communicator-slash-teleporter thingy, and now it's gone haywire! I keep warping from place to place, and I can't get it to bring me back!"

Sage's face went pale. "That… sounds bad. Can you take it off?"

"Maybe, but what if it goes crazy again and teleports away?!" Ruby shouted. "I'd be stuck!" Sage held her hands up in a calming manner. "Whoa, whoa, easy there… that won't be a problem. You say you're from Earth? One of our shuttles could take you right back home."

Ruby swallowed before muttering under her breath. "Well, it's not really my-"

"Tell you what," Sage continued. "Some folks in the Blue Campus can look at your teleporter and see what's wrong with it. How often do these jumps happen?"

"It's completely random, so I don't-"

BRZZKT! Red light spasmed across the wristwatch-like device and its lights flickered wildly, earning a startled shriek from Ruby. "Oh god, it's happening again!" Sage flinched from the crimson energy, her eyes wide with panic and alarm. "GAH! Can you shut it down?! Redirect it?! Anything?! Wait, let me-"

"No, stay back! You could-!"

FWASH! The communicator exploded with crackling energies that warped everything but Ruby, shifting and distorting her surroundings into colorful blurs. Her ears rang and stars burst behind her eyelids. The energy was like an explosion: loud and sudden one moment…

…then still and silent the next.

Ruby's eyes snapped open. "Sage? Sage?!"

There was no answer, for Ruby was alone once again. The academy was replaced by snow under Ruby's feet and evergreen trees stretching to the night sky. The girl shivered immediately and yanked her head over her face, hoping to shield herself from the cold as best she could. She started walking, hearing the snow crunch under her shoes and hoping that moving could keep her warm. Her eyes turned to the dark sky above.

"Great," she muttered. "Just great. The stupid thing kicks me somewhere else the second I learn where I am!" Ruby was tempted to rip the communicator off her arm and toss it into the snow. It was a good idea since it looked like she was back on Earth. It was not the method she preferred, but she would take it. The trees matched, the stars and snow matched, the broken moon looming high above provided a nice light to ensure Ruby knew where she was-

WHAT?!

Her head had never snapped up so fast. Sure enough, there it was. The moon had been blown apart, a massive hole within the satellite while chunks hovered nearby. The deep, jagged scar was enormous and took up most of an entire half. The sight made Ruby feel detached from herself. No, she couldn't be… there was no way…

She looked down at herself, still wearing her Earth clothes instead of her dress and blouse. It took her more than a little while to calm her breathing and steady her racing heart, but every time she looked at the moon, she felt she was…

Ruby had never felt more homesick.

She trudged through the snow, eyes cast at the white powder covering the ground. She walked through a memory where she would take a well-known trail to a deeply cherished destination while dealing with unwanted visitors. Her eyes scanned the trees as if those visitors or something resembling them would ambush her from the darkness at a moment's notice.

After a few minutes of hiking, Ruby emerged from the tree line, where her eyes settled on another sight that shot through her heart. A lone cabin stood alone and quiet in the snowy wilderness. Ruby briefly saw a kind, loving family: smiles on the parents' faces, joyous laughter from the kids, a blonde girl playing with a tiny toddler, a proud yellow-haired man standing off to the side… and a gentle silver-eyed woman scooping them both into her arms.

A distant sound made the family vanish. Lights heralded the arrival of a car that slowed to a halt. The door swung open and its driver stepped out, heading to the cabin's main entrance. Ruby didn't know what compelled her to hurry after the driver, who unlocked the door and opened it with a call of "I'm home!"

Ruby neared a window and peered inside, her vision obscured by some blinds. The person stood in the open doorway, their features shrouded in shadow. "Why are all the lights off?" Ruby saw movement as the stranger crept inside, their head focused on something above a fireplace. "What the… oh no…"

The person stepped into the light. Ruby saw the face of a girl with dark hair draped over her shoulders. She was wearing a green jacket with pink stripes trailing down the sleeves. Her brown eyes were wide with worry, and the keys she held looked like they were about to fall from her grip.

"...MOM?!"

The girl burst into a hurry, her head whipping around every corner of the cabin. "Mom?! Mom, where are you?!" The poor teen was so engrossed in her search that she didn't even notice Ruby by the window, who contemplated showing herself and offering help. Sage did it for her, so why not return the favor for… wait, what was she doing? Why did she stop?

She was returning to the fireplace now, her steps light and curious. Ruby watched the girl peer into a space where a brick was missing and slowly reach inside. Ruby couldn't identify what she retrieved from the space, but her face was stunned and fascinated as she brushed it off. The girl stared at the object silently for a moment before her chest heaved with a gentle sigh…

…and she gently kissed on the device.

The object brightly pulsed, and the girl recoiled in surprise as a green light washed over her, through her arms and shoulders, until the glow died down. A stunned exhale left the girl's mouth, and then her mouth raised in a smile. Ruby heard a quiet gasp and a shaky breath… which was followed by a sniffle.

"I'll find her," the girl whispered. "For you, Dad…"

Ruby's heart ached for the girl. A teenage girl living in a cabin in the woods with a lost parent… just like her. Ruby rose from her quiet perch and started moving to the front door. What this girl needed was some solace from a kindred spirit, then help her find her mother and-

"DRAGONZORD!"

FWA-SHAM! The entire cabin exploded with emerald light, surprising Ruby. She scrambled back to the window and glimpsed inside… where the girl stood in full Green Ranger garb, a replica of Tommy's suit. She looked over herself in awe and amazement, every inch of her body alive with power.

The green glow returned, engulfing the girl in its glow… and launched upward, shooting away from the cabin and streaking toward the shattered moon above. Ruby staggered back in shock, her silver eyes trained on the jade trail until it touched down on the lunar surface.

Ruby was so engrossed at the sight that she almost failed to notice the world exploding with wild energies and crackling red light.

…

The Aquabase's bridge was bustling with activity, computerized beeps and personnel chatter filling the central command room. None of the faces matched the one Yang, Weiss, and Blake were looking for. The blonde's shoulders sagged. "Damn… she's not here, either."

"And she's still not answering her communicator," Weiss added, giving her wrist device a small tap. "I know she told me she wasn't hurt, but… it's the only reason I can think of that could make her cut herself off like this."

"Give her time, Weiss," Blake whispered confidently. "The sensible thing to do would be to wait for her. She'll come to us when she's ready." The heiress pondered her friends' words while Yang relaxed with a sigh. "I still think she shouldn't be alone right now…"

"Mister Grayson, sir? I think you'll wanna look at this."

The three girls turned to a nearby console, where a technician waved over the veteran Red Ranger. Curious about what this could be, Yang led her teammates over as Carter approached the technician's station. "What is it?"

"I'm getting some weird sonar readings," the man answered, pointing to a dark circle with a green line constantly rotating across its surface. Deep pings resonated with each dot the line passed over. As everyone stared at the dots, they noticed they were growing in number and size, accompanied by a pair of big blobs.

"Is that a glitch?" Blake asked.

"I've already run a diagnostic scan," the technician replied. "Whatever it is, it's no malfunction. Probably a pod of whales or something…"

A puzzled Yang turned to the bridge's viewport, her lilac eyes peering into the murky depths as she approached. She pressed her hand to the glass and saw nothing but the dark sea stretching out in all directions…

…until a pair of purple lights broke the darkness.

The pair was followed by another… then another… followed by several more lighting up quickly.

Yang staggered back, her breath hitching. "Um… guys?!"

Everyone on the bridge gazed outward, their eyes bulging open and their jaws hitting the floor. Anything they carried fell at their feet and seated personnel snapped from their seats. The purple lights drew closer and brighter until the witnesses could identify some shapes moving through the murky water. A pair of undersea beasts with enormous serpentine bodies slinked fluidly through the sea, sporting large wings with violet membranes, bone-scaled underbellies, spiked spines, and large external skulls with glowing purple gills trailing down their necks.

Trailing them was a swarm of monstrous marine life with black bodies and glowing violet eyes. Creatures resembling squids, sharks, eels, and whales emerged from the deep sea, swimming straight for the Aquabase with deep bellows and echoing moans that vibrated through the water.

"Grimm…" Weiss turned pale.

Carter bolted for a red button on the wall and slammed a palm against it, plunging the entire bridge into a flaring red light and a constantly blaring alarm. Everyone on the bridge scrambled into a frenzy, shouting amongst one another and hurrying to specified positions.

"CODE RED. CODE RED," an automatic voice boomed in sync with the wailing alarm. "PERIMETER BREACH DETECTED. ALL HANDS TO BATTLE STATIONS. CODE RED. CODE RED."

"Carter Grayson to Captain Mitchell and all Lightspeed Rangers!" The veteran Red Ranger yelled as he rushed out of the bridge. "Get everyone you can, we're under attack! I repeat, we're under attack! This is not a drill! Initiate all emergency procedures!"

"Yang! Weiss! Come on!" Blake cried out, her morpher already in hand. "We gotta help!"

"B-But Ruby-!"

"No time!" Weiss objected. "But she'll have to come to us! Now move, you brute!"

With no time to argue and the alarm blaring in her ears, Yang shook her head and sprinted after her teammates. She spared one last look at the approaching Grimm horde, where she saw the serpentine beasts' maws crackling with violet lightning and ominous roars that reverberated across the ocean.

Yang could only hope her sister would join them in time.

…

Ruby was starting to get tired of this. Getting stuck at square one and undoing any progress she had made in getting back was proving frustrating. If only she were adept with tech besides weapons like her beloved Crescent Rose…

Ruby settled down and observed her surroundings for the umpteenth time. She had appeared in a grimy, run-down alley that had seen better days, with trash and old newspapers scattered around while graffiti covered the walls. She didn't want to spend longer here than necessary, so she headed to the alley's exit, which showed her a barren, quiet street.

It wasn't as quiet as Ruby thought when she peeked out and spotted a motion of activity. Relief soared through her at the sight of a familiar-looking Black Ranger wielding an axe locked in combat with a pair of Putties.

"Zack!" There was something off about him, though. He looked woozy and dazed, yet not enough to keep him out of action as he kicked a Putty in the face. The monster crumbled to clay bits from the hit, and he immediately whirled on the other one…

…until a sudden roar and something bright surprised him and Ruby. Ruby flinched as her eyes noticed a pair of lights blaring from another alley. The roar died down to a low rumble she recognized as a high-powered vehicle engine. A shape rose from the vehicle and marched toward Zack.

Ruby rubbed her eyes in disbelief at the odd man who appeared. Like Zack, he was dressed entirely in black and sported an unusual mask adorned with pointed ears. A dark cape billowed behind him, but what captivated Ruby the most was the emblem on his chest: a bat-shaped insignia.

"Put down the axe!" he growled with a demanding hand gesture. "Now."

Zack's only reply came amidst weary breathing. "I know… what you are," he growled back, smacking the last Putty with the flat end of his axe as it came up behind him. "You're one of Zedd's monsters!"

The masked man scowled intimidatingly while glaring at the Black Ranger. "I have no idea what Zedd is or what 'monster' you think I am," he declared, his voice deep. "But you seem disoriented. The way you're carrying yourself suggests a number of injuries. You may have a concussion."

He took a broad step forward until he was looming over Zack. "I'm only going to ask you one more time to put your weapon-"

"No," Zack defiantly spat before he leaped airborne, the Power Axe held high above his head. "I won't let you attack this city!" The man was ready for his attack, blocking the axe with a dark gauntlet but leaving himself open to a sudden blow to the side. Ruby watched in shock and confusion as he swiftly matched Zack's blows before grabbing the Black Ranger's arm.

"You're clearly confused."

"Huh?"

"But we'll deal with that…" The masked man slammed Zack against the hood of his car, pinning him in place. "...after you're no longer a threat." Seeing her friend in trouble, Ruby's hand shot to her morpher and her mouth opened up…

"HEY!"

Her eyes whirled to several beams of light that were pouring down, depositing five more colored figures to the scene with weapons drawn. Ruby was left stunned as the rest of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers snapped into action against the stranger.

"Let go of our friend," growled Tommy.

Ruby had no idea what was going on here, but Zack needed help from whoever this creep was. Her morpher was out in a flash and she darted out of the alley, rushing for the masked man as he braced for the Rangers coming his way.

Ruby didn't get the chance to call out the words before the world around her burst in front of her face. "AAAUGH!" Everything cracked and went white, sights and sounders melded together, the city blurred and shifted…

…and Ruby's foot caught on something that sent her crashing to the ground, knocking the wind out of her and ruining her heroic moment. Moaning from an injured body and a wounded pride, Ruby picked herself up for what felt like the millionth time.

"L… Let Z-Zack go, you big scary…"

Ruby wrenched her eyes open and she gasped in horror. She was still standing in a city… but the only problem was that she was standing in what was left of a city. Roads were ripped up, skyscrapers were either ripped apart or tilted dangerously, and debris and rubble were everywhere. There was barely enough space for Ruby to move around: one wrong move and she'd be trapped under the industrial wreckage.

"Wha… wh-what…" she whispered, horrified. "Wh-what happened he-"

SKRREEEEOOOOOOONNNNKKKK!

Ruby shrieked in alarm and doubled over, her hands flying to her about-to-burst ears as a terrible roar caused the wrecked city to tremble and quake from terror. A tremendous gust of wind from behind threatened to blow Ruby away, her hood snapping over her face from the gales. The girl struggled to get it out of her face before she pulled it back, turning to look behind her just as fast.

And no sooner after she looked back… she looked up. Her gaze shifted higher and higher until she was close to falling on her back, her jaw hanging open from a sight that reflected from her silver eyes.

The Megazord stood tall and dominant, locked in combat with a gigantic lizard-like creature responsible for laying waste to this once-proud and mighty city. It emitted terrible roars and snarls as it dodged the mech's punch and grabbed onto its arm, sinking its teeth into the metal. The Megazord's free fist pounded it right in the snout and the monster stumbled back with earth-shaking steps. It roared in anger before drawing itself back, the spiked dorsal plates along its back humming to life with a bright blue glow…

Ruby shielded her eyes from the intense sapphire blast that erupted from its mouth, its glow on par with sunlight. The Megazord's Mastodon shield was the only thing that kept the mech from melting down to slag, although the robotic warrior was sent sliding a few feet back from the enormous ray. The mech thrust the shield forward, redirecting the blast back at the beast and stunning it. The ground rumbled from its charging stride and the air cracked from the fist that smashed against the monster's head in a devastating uppercut. The beast howled in pain before raking its claws against the Megazord's chassis, ending in a vicious tail swipe that bashed the mech away.

The monster stomped forward with another roar, its dorsal plates aglow again as the mech rose to its feet… but before the colossal conflict could continue, the world fractured and destabilized before Ruby's eyes. She cried out in alarm again as everything distorted and swirled, her body weightless for another brief moment.

"NOT AGAAAAIN!"

The joyride ended just as fast as it began, with Ruby landing right on her rear end and pain shooting through her. With another uncomfortable moan and a tender hand rubbing her hindquarters, she got back to her feet and shook the daze from her head.

"Ow… I don't know how many more hard landings I can take…" If she still had her sweetheart and Semblance, now would have been a good time to execute landing strategies.

Let's see… she was in another city now, this one perfectly fine and not at all a ruined heap of metal and concrete. She stood atop a night-lit rooftop, the city below alive with light. She noticed some of those lights were different from the rest because these ones were coming down from above and landing atop another building across from her.

It was the Mighty Morphin team, already clad in their colorful costumes. Ruby just needed a way to reach them and she would finally be back with her friends. Alpha must have finally found her morph signature and sent them to intercept her! But Ruby needed to hurry. She didn't know how much time she had left before-

"A rooftop," The Yellow Ranger's voice abruptly ended Ruby's sprint. "Why is it always a rooftop?"

Ruby lost the ability to blink. What… But… No, it couldn't be…

"Look at the bright side, you can almost see the Statue of Liberty from here."

Why… Ruby's mind had to be playing tricks on her. Something was very wrong here. Was… was that Trini? And why did Zack sound so young again? This wasn't right… none of her teleporting shenanigans made any sense before, but Ruby was randomly jumping from place to place! Right?!

Or… was this something else? Something… more?

"We're sure we're in the right spot?" Ruby heard Jason ask, and Billy nodded in response. "Alpha said this is where he picked up Tommy's energy signature."

Kimberly scanned the area with clenched fists. "Great. If he morphed, he must be in-"

KA-KWOOM! A nearby wall exploded outward, and the Green Ranger was thrown outside with the rest of the shattered solid surface. Kimberly spun in horror. "-DANGER!" She finished with alarm in her heightened tone. Ruby watched everyone else rush up to him, Jason's next words spilling out in surprise. "Tommy! Are you okay? Is Rita-"

"Oh, look…" an unfamiliar voice called out. "Somebody called for backup."

Ruby's eyes flicked to the newly-formed hole in the wall and her body grew still. Not from fear or shock but from confusion from four figures emerging onto the rooftop. The only thoughts Ruby had when she saw them…

…was that they had to be the weirdest-looking Faunus she had ever seen.

A quartet of humanoid turtle creatures with green skin and thick shells, each with individual weapons and colored masks around their eyes, stared down the Rangers. The one that wore a red mask smirked expectantly. "Heh. Good," it muttered, tense and itching for a fight.

The one in orange's face lit up in awe. "Donnie, quick… take a picture."

Ruby couldn't see the Rangers' faces, but the way they were just as still told her that they had difficulties comprehending the creatures standing before them, too. Billy was the first to speak up, his voice full of curiosity and a hint of disappointment. "Huh… ninja tortoises."

"Finster must be running out of ideas," quipped Zack.

Jason steeled himself and readied the Power Sword. "Alright, let's do this." The humanoid turtle with the blue mask spotted the weapon and drew two katanas from its shell. As each of the Rangers readied their weapons, the others whipped out their own: the red one yanked out a pair of sharp sais, the purple one brandished a long and broad staff, and the orange one expertly twirled a pair of nunchucks.

Ruby watched both sides charge at each other, battle cries carrying across the rooftop. The second they collided, her communicator burst with unstable energy again. The girl screamed in surprise as everything around her was swallowed up and shattered. Her body fell and floated simultaneously as existence itself rushed and howled around her.

"GAAAAAAH! WHHYYYY?!" The crackling lightning and pulsing energies drowned out Ruby's scream during her tumble, everything racing by her at lightspeed. The cosmos around her picked up speed, propelling her through the void…

"OOF! GAH! OW!" Ruby hit the ground hard and rolled to a stop, her muscles and nerves aching. Her wrist communicator coughed and sputtered out red sparks until the device finally died down with a quiet beep, catching Ruby's attention through her cracked-open eye.

"Ugh… n-no more…" she squeaked painfully, unable to find the strength to stand. For now, Ruby rolled onto her back and stared at the sky, resisting the urge to ask herself where she had ended up now. Uncontrollably teleporting from one place to another, some filled with danger and others far from what she initially expected… how long was this going to happen? Was Ruby stuck like this forever?

Would she… never see Yang again? Her team again? What was the point of a team without a leader? And what would Team RWBY be without… well, Ruby?

Ruby sat up, her gaze settled on her lap. Whenever she tried to find someone to help her, they would be gone from her reach as she was pulled elsewhere. Warping all over the place endlessly… it was sheer torture for Ruby. She just wanted it to stop and to see her friends again. All she was supposed to do was find something to help her against that evil woman! Was this because of the Grimm infection across the Grid? Was this the Grimm fighting against her, ensuring she could never help her friends and keeping her away long enough for everyone to lose and die?

Ruby's heart fell, as did her dwindling hope, while a tear trickled down her face. She was no help to anyone stuck like this… and her choice might have doomed this entire world. Billions would die all because she couldn't let go of what that woman said, her haunting presence driving Ruby to do what she failed to realize was the stupidest-

"HEY! You! What are you doing out here?!"

Ruby yelped and shot to her feet in a flash, whirling to who had spoken. "GYAH! S-Sorry! So sorry, I just… just…" Ruby's voice trailed off at the sight of the person who found her. It was a Black Ranger, that much was certain…

…but something was different about him. Something was wrong. Like Zack's suit, the Black Ranger donned a pachyderm-shaped helmet and a black-and-white diamond pattern. But this Black Ranger looked and sounded nothing like Zack. Ruby spied a mastodon insignia on his shoulder and white pouches covering his chest and waist. And instead of a single-bladed axe, this Black Ranger held a dark assault rifle in a well-trained grip.

"You're out past curfew, kid," he spoke with authority. "I'm gonna need to see some ID."