Children of the Stars

Scene: Harvard University; March 2025; 9:30 a.m. EST

The sound of music disturbed the peaceful silence within a small but cozy apartment on the Harvard campus in Massachusetts. The lone young man hid his face under his cotton blankets and moaned quietly.

"Snooze," he muttered weakly, his voice muffled slightly by the thick sheets. The alarm didn't respond to his voice command.

Oh, I forgot, he reflected, grudgingly poking his head from beneath the warmth of his blankets, I deactivated the Snooze command when I 'snoozed' all morning last week, and missed my Business French class...

The young man sat up, and rubbed the sleep from his vibrant aqua-blue eyes. He weakly climbed out of bed, and stretched his arms and back as a morning routine. He then steadied himself on his weary feet, and slowly walked to the bathroom.

"Shower," he commanded, "Pre-programmed water temperature."

The shower in the bathroom obeyed, and the young man undressed and stood under the warm water, soaking his curly caramel hair and sun-bronzed skin. Once he was done showering, another voice command stopped the flow of water, and a drawer from behind him automatically pulled out from the wall, revealing a thick bath towel. He dried off his hair, wrapped the towel around his body, and stared at himself in the mirror over the bathroom sink.

"I look half-dead," he said to his reflection. He took out a battery operated razor, and shaved off the overnight stubble on his face. Then, he brushed his teeth, wrapped himself in a bath robe, and stepped out of the bathroom back into his bedroom.

"Any messages?" he asked aloud, digging through his dresser for something to wear.

"One recorded message," said a voice from his personal computer on the large oak desk, "Time recorded: 8:22 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Sender: Regina Drew."

"Play," he commanded, pulling his head through a classic red and white Harvard sweatshirt. He tucked the bottom into his indigo denim jeans, and took a seat at his computer. At the click of a button, the blank screen converted into the image of a beautiful African-American young woman, with a long, dark ponytail and twinkling hazel eyes. She was wearing a wetsuit and a life jacket. The scene behind her was a set of breath-taking cliffs.

^Mornin', Tony!^ she greeted warmly, ^As you can see, it's me, Regina. I'm at the Grand Canyon, and I can't talk long, because I'm about to go white-water rafting! Too bad you couldn't come with me, but I'll see you soon. I'll be getting back to campus tonight. I'll call you when I get in.^

The girl then blew a kiss at the camera, and the screen went blank. Anthony Monroe smiled to himself, as he glanced away from the computer screen to the computerized photograph that had a permanent home on his desk. The image was of him and Regina at Great Adventures last summer. He pressed the button on the bottom of the frame, and the image was set in motion. On the screen, he saw himself holding Regina's hand, and together they leapt into a large wave pool. Once their bodies crashed into the deep water, the image was obscured by a spray of pool water, sprinkled with sunlight. As he watched the scene forever captured on film, his thoughts trailed to Regina Drew, and how their life-long relationship grew from friendship to so much more.

Anthony had known Regina nearly his entire life. Regina was only one year younger than he, and their mothers had been close friends since high school. His first clear memory of Regina was when he was a young boy, watching a wedding ceremony from the front row. Regina was the flower girl, and Anthony remembered watching her march down the isle, with her hair held up in a mass of curls with yellow roses and white beads. In truth, it was the first time Anthony regarded a girl with something other than the disgust common in young boys.

Anthony didn't see Regina again until three years later, due to the fact that Regina and her family lived in Africa. In 2012, Regina and her mother Aisha Drew visited the Monroe family for an entire week, and Anthony remembered how much fun he and Regina had playing sports. Anthony was tall for his age, but Regina was actually taller than he. Regina was the only person Anthony knew who could beat him in basketball. Consistently.

Regina and her family visited the United States every Christmas and during the summer, and each time, Anthony was excited to see her. The tradition continued, and the two children became closer and closer. But Anthony was confused about his feelings for Regina until this past September, right after he had finished moving his things into his new apartment on the Harvard campus. Then, there was a knock on the door, and his then-roommate Robert opened the door. Robert was stunned into silence when he gazed at the young woman at the door, and when Anthony looked to see what was happening, he was stunned too. Regina just looked more radiantly beautiful each and every time Anthony looked at her. He was so surprised when he found out that Regina was attending Harvard as well, and since then, they'd been an inseparable couple. Now, half a year later, they were still together, and their relationship was strong as ever.

"Television," Anthony said, rising to his feet, "CNN news."

The large screen television obeyed his command, and turned on the news. Anthony began tying his sneakers as he absently listened to the report.

^And this just in,^ said the elderly anchorman. The anchorman looked at the paper passed to him for a few moments, not uttering a word. His eyes were wide with alarm, and Anthony looked up at the screen curiously in response to the prolonged silence. The anchorman finally regained his composure, and turned back to the camera.

^We... we at CNN have just gotten word... that the Terran Power Rangers, the world's greatest defenders, have... perished on their recent mission into space.^

Anthony's large eyes shot open in alarm, and he jumped to his feet and stared at the screen in utter shock.

^Yesterday evening, the Terran Power Rangers journeyed into space in their colossal Terra Megazord, in order to deflect a dangerously large meteor that threatened to collide with Earth. We have here... exclusive footage of the catastrophe on satellite recording.^

The anchorman faded, and the image of a massive meteor filled the screen. The Terra Megazord was holding its famed Terrasword, and approached the meteor, preparing to slice it in half. But when the energy channeling through the blade was released, instead of pouring out towards the meteor, it channeled back into the zord, and caused the machine to explode.

^The explosion managed to destroy both the Megazord and the meteor. Remains of the zord have been located, but no bodies have been recovered, nor have any signs of life been found. More as it develops...^

"T...television," whispered Anthony in a trembling voice, "Off."

The television turned off, and Anthony sat down on his bed, his eyes watering. He just sat there for a few minutes, mute and motionless, until the computer screen came to life by itself.

"Receiving Electronic Message," said the computer, as the screen cleared. Anthony turned towards the computer, and saw an image of a middle-aged man with graying blonde hair and flooded aqua eyes.

^Tony,^ said the man, ^It's me. Please, pick up.^

Anthony stood up and took a seat at the computer. He activated the video camera propped atop his computer monitor, and looked at it blankly, his eyes spilling over.

"Dad," he said quietly.

^Tony, I've sent a private plane to pick you up. It should be arriving in about an hour. Please be at the airport, ready to come home.^

"Dad," Anthony said, trying to keep his voice from cracking, "Is it true? Is Mom really...?"

^I... I don't know, Son,^ he admitted, ^I just don't know...^

Scene: Mercerville, New Jersey; March 2025; 9:45 a.m.

Inside a comfortable split-level ranch in the relatively quiet town of Mercerville, a rather tall, slender young boy was busy doing a routine of push-ups. As he exercised, his chestnut brown chin-length locks flew up and down, and his dark eyes shone with determination.

"Twenty three, twenty four, twenty five!" he breathed, rolling over to lie down on his back. He crossed his arms over his chest, and prepared his body for a round of crunches.

"One, two, three..."

"Micah?" called a gentle voice, knocking on the door, "Are you awake?"

Micah frowned, halting in mid-crunch. He knew that voice, and it could only mean one thing... his parents had left again.

"Of course I'm awake," he snapped, his hurt building and being released in the form of anger, "I'm doing my exercises!"

"Mike? Open the door, please!"

"When I'm done!"

"You, young man, have to start listening to me," the woman sighed, "Now, open this door!"

Micah growled under his breath and rose to his feet. He unlocked the door, and immediately went back to his crunches. A tall brunette woman of about forty years followed him into his room.

"How long have you been exercising?" she asked, noticing the sweat on his gray t-shirt.

"An hour," he muttered.

"Don't you think you've done enough?"

"No," he said with a frown, "Dad exercises more!"

"Your father is an adult," she pointed out softly.

"I know, Aunt Mandy," said Micah, "but if I want to be a martial arts master, and leader of the Power Rangers, I have to stay in shape."

"Who has ever heard of a thirteen year old Power Ranger?" asked Emandia Trueheart, helping Micah up, "Now come on, I made pancakes."

Micah followed his aunt downstairs and into the kitchen, where his uncle David was busy reading the newspaper and drinking a cup of coffee. On the other side of the table, Micah's nine year old brother Devon was enthusiastically consuming pancakes. Micah sat down beside his uncle, and David smiled down at him.

"How's it going, Champ?" he asked. Micah just looked up at him.

"So, where are Mom and Dad this time," Micah asked flatly, "The U.N.? The White House? Another solar system?"

Young Devon glanced up at his older brother inquisitively, muttering an incomprehensible question through his full mouth. Mandy's eyes narrowed, and she threw Micah a meaningful glance.

"They both had important meetings to attend," she said, her gaze shifting between the boys as she set a plate of pancakes in front of Micah."

"They didn't even say goodbye," Micah said bitterly, "They never say goodbye. They just leave, and they never even tell me they're leaving. I guess I'm just not important enough."

Devon shook his head emphatically, swallowing a long sip of milk to clear his mouth. "Mom and Dad work very hard to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads," he quoted.

Micah groaned. "More like to keep a planet under our feet," he muttered under his breath.

Devon didn't hear his brother's comment, but David was within earshot. He locked his penetrating gaze on the oldest Oliver boy, and rose from his seat. "Micah Samuel Oliver, may I speak to you for a moment."

Micah cast his eyes to the floor as he followed his uncle out of the kitchen.

"Micah's in trouble! Micah's in trouble!" Devon chorused cheerfully, his mouth full of pancake. "That's enough, Devon," Emandia said humoredly, turning on the kitchen television, "Now, let's finish breakfast and watch television." Micah ignored his little brother's merciless taunting, and took a seat on the living room couch beside his uncle. He carefully kept his chocolate gaze inclined to the floor beneath him.

"What's gotten into you today?" David asked gently, "You know better than to talk so freely about your parent's role as Power Rangers. Devon doesn't know about them yet."

"I know," Micah whispered.

"Now, when did Tom and Kat tell you about their secret?"

"Last year."

"And why?"

Micah sighed. "Because they thought I was responsible enough to keep the secret, and mature enough to accept it."

David nodded. "Are you trying to prove them wrong?"

Micah remained silent, folding his hands tightly in his lap. "No, Uncle David, it's just that--"

Suddenly, Emandia hurried into the living room, panic widening her deep brown eyes. David rose to his feet.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's on the news," Emandia said faintly, "Th.. the Power Rangers are... dead!"

"What?" David demanded, walking past his wife to the kitchen. He stood at the entrance to the kitchen, where Devon was seated at the table, his huge eyes focused on the television screen with rapt attention.

"...and the wreckage is being searched as we speak, so we can find out the cause of this terrible tragedy," said the anchorwoman, "To repeat, the Terran Power Rangers' robot, the Terra Megazord, has been destroyed by a mysterious and unexplained explosion. The Power Rangers are presumed dead."

"Oh my God," David muttered quietly, leaning against the wall weakly.

"Wow," Devon said numbly, "I thought the Power Rangers were robots or something."

Micah remained seated on the couch. He couldn't even muster the strength to rise to his feet. "No," he whispered hoarsely, his fists balled tightly and rivers of rage pouring from his dark eyes, "No. No! NO!!"

Scene: Angel Grove California; March 2025; 7:00 a.m. (Western Time)

A woman dressed in a black business suit busily brushed her short sandy blonde hair. She glanced at the clock beside her bed, and frowned.

"I'm going to be late," she lamented, rolling her twilight- blue eyes, "There's a faculty meeting at seven-thirty, and I still have to finish grading a few quizzes before second period!"

After stepping into her pumps, she grabbed a pair of earrings, and snapped them on as she walked out her bedroom door. She hurried into the kitchen, and hastily grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl on the table.

"Mom!" came a cry from behind. Emily Lee turned around, and fixed her gaze on her daughter. The latter was dressed in her canary yellow bathrobe, and her short, dark brown hair was dripping from her morning shower.

"Good morning, Brittany," Emily greeted, kissing her daughter on the cheek. Brittany shook her head, and gave her mother a wry smile.

"You always tell me to make sure I have a balanced breakfast in the morning," Brittany chided, "And look at you!"

Emily laughed. "Your notion of a quick breakfast is a can of Diet Coke! At least there are vitamins in a banana!"

Brittany giggled, and turned on the coffee maker. "Where's Dad, anyway?" she asked, searching through the cupboard for a coffee mug, "Is he already at the station?"

"I doubt it," Emily sighed, "He and the other Rangers went on a mission last night. I haven't heard from him."

"What's the great emergency this time?"

"A meteor heading for Earth," Emily responded, grabbing her purse, "It's probably on the news."

"Might as well check," Brittany said, turning on the television. She quickly turned it to CNN.

^... and there is no trace of the Terran Power Rangers,^ the commentator stated, ^The Megazord has been reportedly reduced to cinders, and the Rangers did not contact the UN building, as they usually do when a mission is complete. The Rangers are therefore presumed dead.^

Brittany's large blue eyes were wide, and her hand flew to her mouth. Emily stopped short, her hand on the front doorknob. She dropped the banana and her purse, and sank to her knees.

Ever since Emily first learned her husband Jason Scott Lee was a Power Ranger, she dreaded this day. He was always hungry for adventure and danger, and Emily knew that some day, whether as the Black Terran Ranger or the captain of the Angel Grove Police Force, he'd be critically injured... or even killed. She tried to prepare herself for this moment, since she knew it would happen eventually. After all, one man can only cheat death for so long. But no matter how much she tried to prepare herself, she couldn't fathom living out the rest of her life without him.

"It's a lie!" Brittany growled angrily, "It takes more than an asteroid to kill the Power Rangers! Dad's fine... and so are the others!"

Brittany's voice was uncertain, and she closed her eyes tightly, forcing back tears. She stood still, not moving from her position in front of the television. Emily glanced at her oldest child, tightly clenching her sandy blonde bangs.

"Brittany?" she whispered, her voice cracking.

Brittany didn't respond.

Scene: Bay City, Texas; March 2025; 9:00 a.m. (Central Time)

"NO!!" screamed a teenage girl, her head leaping from her pillow. She buried her tear-stricken face in her powder blue bed sheets, her dark hair cascading around her face. She shook violently and wept in silence, until her mother... a serene, beautiful Asian in a yellow nightgown... entered the room.

"Becky?" she said, sitting down beside the sobbing girl, "What did you see?"

Rebecca Mitchell looked up at her mother, her almond shaped mahogany eyes pulsing with an unnatural blue light. Rebecca then forced her eyes shut, and buried herself into her mother's shoulder.

"I... I saw the Power Rangers," he sobbed, "screaming in pain. They... they were trapped, and surrounded by fire, and explosions, and... and... darkness..."

Trini looked alarmed, but she continued stroking her daughter's hair gently. "Honey, it was only a dream."

"It's never only a dream!" Rebecca shrieked, pulling away and staring up at her mother, "Is it? Ever since I was twelve, the visions I see are real! They're real!"

Trini sighed, and once again collected her oldest child in her arms. It was certainly a challenge raising a girl like Rebecca, one that was gifted with mutant powers. Rebecca was a empath, who was especially good at sensing the pain and anxiety of others. This constant exposure to painful emotions had often brought the fifteen year old girl into depression. After spending over a year learning about her mutant powers at the Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters in New York, Rebecca came home happy and cheerful again. But now, it was the cries of her family's friends that tore through her sensitive mind, and it threw the child into a fit of sobs.

Trini held her daughter close, doing her best not to cry herself. She knew from experience that her daughter's "visions" were always true. And hearing that her dear friends since high school may have perished wasn't something easy. But, Trini's first duty was as a mother, and she had to help her daughter cope with her sorrow before she can focus on her own.

After a full five minutes of weeping, Rebecca rose her head, and wiped the tears staining her red cheeks. She looked up at her mother's pained onyx eyes.

"Where's Daddy?" she asked. Trini sighed.

"The CAC," she said, standing up, "He would never let the Power Rangers go to battle without monitoring them. Get dressed, Becky. We're teleporting immediately."

Scene: JF Kennedy Airport, New York; March 2025; 12:00 pm EST

"Daddy," said a short, slender young girl, her huge aqua eyes shining with tears, "When will Tony be here?"

The middle-aged man glanced down from the window, and made eye contact with those pained pools of color. They were the perfect mirror of his own.

"Any minute now, Kirsten," he said, "Any minute now."

Kirsten nodded, and continued to stare out of the window of the airport, watching as numerous planes flew in and out. She remained silent, leaving her father to his thoughts.

Trevor Monroe has had a life filled with both infinite joy and grievous sorrow. As a young man, he attended the University of Florida, and worked with Coach Gunther Schmidt in the preparation of some of the world's finest athletes. That was when he met an energetic, beautiful, funny young woman with enough inherent joy to bring a smile to the most depressed individuals on the planet. She was Kimberly Anne Hart, one of America's best chances of winning the gold in the 1997 Pan-Global Games. Although Trevor wasn't really a shy young man, and had a great deal of difficulty trying to win her heart. Especially over the first few months. Trevor could tell that Kimberly had a love, back home in California. When he learned that Kimberly returned to Angel Grove permanently, he tried to forget about her charming smile and enthralling laugh. But, he didn't have much success getting over her, and when she finally returned to Florida in June, he was more excited to see her than he ever was. But it wasn't long before Kimberly changed. She was suddenly chronically sad, and angry at the world.

As it turned out, the reason why is because she had a quarrel with her long time boyfriend, and it didn't end well. Trevor tried to be there for Kimberly, but it wasn't his place to interfere. Eventually, Kimberly found her smile again, and enjoyed spending time with Trevor. One starry evening in August, Trevor admitted to Kimberly for the first time what he felt for her almost since day one. And from then on, they were an inseparable couple. The following morning, Kimberly broke the final cord tying her and her former boyfriend together. Both Trevor and Kimberly found happiness, and their love managed to survive Trevor's post-graduate education at Harvard University, as well as Kimberly's schooling in France. Once their careers were settled, they married, and lived happily ever after. Or so they thought.

One evening, in the month of February in 2009, Trevor was lying in his and Kimberly's king-sized bed, going over some information for an important case the following morning. While he read, he barely noticed a strange, surreal golden light, emanating from Kimberly's walk-in closet. Trevor investigated the phenomenon, and was sucked through a magic portal, leading to a strange, dark place, devoid of gravity, and filled with multi-colored flashes of light. While he was there, he felt his body slip away into oblivion, but it was saved at the last minute. It was saved by a non-corporeal being called Onslaught.

Trevor had no memories of the following years. He had no idea just how many years had passed. But during this time, Trevor played host body for the villain Onslaught, forming the Multiversal tyrant Solar. As Solar, Trevor managed to nearly kill the Power Rangers, as well as super heroes from alternate dimensions, namely the Spectrum Force and the Sailor Scouts. He was finally saved in the year 1997, by his wife Kimberly and a team of younger Power Rangers. It was then that Trevor learned his wife has been a Power Ranger since high school.

Once Trevor returned, everything returned to normal. Trevor and Kimberly were happier than ever, and Trevor watched proudly as his son Anthony grew into a young man. About two years after his return, he and Kimberly had their second child, named Kirsten Monroe. Kirsten had her mother's delicate features, and her father's magnificent, endearing aqua-blue eyes. They lived as a happy family, and Trevor smiled as time passed, and his children grew up. Trevor didn't even mind the fact that he was technically growing old alone, since his wife, being protected by the Power, didn't show the signs of aging typical of a woman of forty-plus years. Trevor was happy, and satisfied with his life. But, that would all come crashing down, this chilly March morning.

When Trevor heard the news of the Power Rangers' deaths, he immediately called the airport, and asked his private pilot to fly the family airplane to pick up Anthony from Harvard. He then quietly entered Kirsten's room, and told his angelic daughter, as gently as he could, about her beloved mother's untimely death. Kirsten burst into tears right then and there, but Trevor was glad to see her cry. Trevor knows how much his children loved their mother. Only he could love her more.

"Uh, excuse me, Mister Monroe?" asked an attendant, tapping his shoulder, "I was sent to tell you that your plane is arriving. Follow me, and I'll take you two down to the landing site."

Trevor nodded mutely, and took the hand of his youngest child. Together, they walked through the terminal, and down onto the paved runway. Trevor glanced up at the sky, and saw the small white plane descend. Kimberly had wanted to purchase a plane, so the family could go on vacations together. She even attended flight school, and earned her license unbelievably fast. She flew a plane as if she were flying it for years. Once Trevor learned of Kimberly's time as a Power Ranger, he finally understood his wife's amazing skills at flying planes, as well as riding motorcycles. Kimberly bought the plane herself, and nicknamed it "Thunder." Trevor never had the desire to pursue a pilot's license of his own, so he hired a pilot for when he needed to use the plane. This was one of those times.

The plane landed on the runway, and pulled up to where the people were waiting. The door lowered, and a young man descended the stairs, with his head bowed down, and a duffel bag flung over his shoulder. He didn't look up until he was standing right in front of his father. He looked up, and the two men of equal height looked at each other for a moment. Then, they embraced, without saying a word. Their matching, expressive eyes said all that was worth saying.

Once they broke, Anthony hugged his little sister. Kirsten, who was eleven years old, was less than five feet tall, so the 6'2" young man had to bend down. Then, the family walked away from the airport, towards the street, where a black limousine was awaiting them. A rather stout man with a mustache and a suit opened the back door for the family, and then closed it behind them and took a seat in the front.

"Home, Miles," said Trevor, "Please."

Miles nodded, and the car pulled away from the city, headed for the suburbs. Anthony pressed a single button on the door, and a smoky glass screen came up, separating the driver from the passengers, and allowing them to speak freely.

"What happened, Dad?" asked Anthony.

"I really don't know," said Trevor, "Late last night, at about eleven, your mother's communicator went off. I was with her, and I heard Will Mitchell say that there was a dangerously large meteor heading towards Earth. It wasn't large enough to destroy the planet or anything, but it would've separated in the atmosphere, raining down a shower of meteorites. So, to prevent any damage to either people or property, the Power Rangers boarded the Megazord, and flew off. It wasn't a particularly dangerous mission. That's why this is so surprising. The Megazord managed to take the heat of the Sun, and the magical attacks of villains for years, but it couldn't take its own energy? That doesn't sit well with me."

"What are the reporters saying?" asked Anthony.

"The Megazord has been reduced to ash, practically. The pieces that were substantial fell towards Earth, and disintegrated in the upper atmosphere. They aren't even looking anymore. There's nothing to find."

Soon, the limousine pulled up at the grand mansion which had been the home of the Monroe family for nearly twenty years. The family stepped out of the car, and Trevor knocked once at the door. The aged housekeeper opened the door, and smiled up at the family.

"Senor," she said, "you had a telephone call, from a mister William Mitchell. He said to come visit him at your convenience."

"Thanks," said Trevor, as he ascended the stairs, followed closely by his children, " Take the rest of the day off, Anita. We'll be leaving momentarily, and we won't be back for awhile."

Anita nodded, and watched at the family disappeared into the master bedroom. Anthony and Kirsten watched as their father rummaged through Kimberly's rather large jewelry box. Inside were all kinds of gold, silver, and precious gems, but one thing stood out. It was a shiny yellow and silver watch, but instead of a watch, there was a microphone on the top, with several buttons. Anthony looked at the device, surprised.

"Mom had an extra communicator?"

"Not really," said Trevor, strapping it onto his wrist, "This is the older communicator she used when she was a Power Ranger in the 1990's. When the team was reinstated in 2006, Will made a whole new set of more advanced communicators. The old ones still work, though, and all the Rangers kept them in case of emergency. Will, do you read?"

^Hello?^ came a soft voice, ^Trevor, is that you?^

"Trini! What's going on? Anita said Will left a message?"

^Yes. We've been trying to contact the families of all the Rangers. At least, the family members who knew they were Rangers. We have some information that you really should hear. Do you have Anthony with you?^

"Yes, and Kirsten as well."

^Good. We're regrouping as many as possible here. Teleporting now.^

With that, Trevor, Kirsten, and Anthony vanished in streaks of white light.

Scene: Angel Grove, California; March 2025; 9:00 am (Western Time)

He felt his heart pounding in his ears relentlessly, yet he didn't pause for a moment. His weary pale blue eyes remained focused upon the shimmering center of power that filled the small closet with an aura of pure silvery-white energy.

That focus of power was the Zeo Crystal. The mysterious crystal shard that housed energy unlike anything else in the universe. That crystal had given the Terran Power Rangers abilities far beyond any human, and even beyond any other team of Power Rangers.

It also exacted a terrible price.

Swallowing hard, he pressed the initiation sequence. Narrow threads of tinsel connecting the Zeo Crystal to five small objects began to crackle with colored light. There were currents of green, blue, yellow, pink, and red light. The light continued to crackle, illuminating the five objects, all lying in a pentagonal shape around the Zeo Crystal.

Suddenly, the light in the room intensified to the point that the entire room flooded with rainbow light. The man quickly shielded his weary eyes with his protective goggles, and watched indifferently as the energy died. Once the room was back to its dim lighting, he pulled the protective lenses from his nose, and pressed the bridge tightly.

"It worked," he sighed, exhaling the breath he didn't even realize he was holding. Trembling fingers began typing at a small keyboard, with alien symbols rather than letters. The computer screen flashed, revealing images to the man and foreign characters. He chewed his lower lip absently as his entire attention focused upon the images on the screen.

"...prodigious," he whispered.

The Central Access Complex was more crowded than it had ever been. Still, it was deathly quiet, as if the structure itself were in mourning. The large group of people stood in a semi-circle around the main desk, looking around at the incredible hub of the Power Rangers' communication and data analysis. While most of these people had been here before, it was still so disconnected from their daily lives to leave an impression. After all, they weren't Power Rangers. They were merely people emotionally tied to members of the Terran Power Rangers, and in many cases, their children. Their legacy.

Trini Mitchell, the former Yellow Power Ranger and ally of the Terran Rangers for years, sat at a desk, tapping her fingers against the hollow metal nervously. She finally sighed inwardly, and turned around to face the audience she had summoned. Before her stood a band of individuals she'd known for a while. Decades, in some cases.

All the way to the left stood Emily Lee, her eyes still red from crying. Of all the spouses of the Power Rangers, Emily was always the least comfortable with her husband's role as a Ranger. His entire life, Jason seemed to face death in the face. Emily shook slightly, as if shivering from an inner cold at the realization that Jason couldn't outrun death forever. Beside her was her athletic, slender daughter, with vibrant blue eyes that were the very mirror of her mother's. Brittany was mostly still, passing her steady gaze across the entire room, observing the reactions of everyone else. Most of the time she watched her younger brother Andrew, who's hand was tightly squeezed by his mother, and his other hand occasionally brushed away the tears that escaped the wall of anger he constructed after learning of his father's fate.

Standing beside Andrew were David and Emandia Trueheart, the brother and sister-in-law of Tom Oliver, the leader of the Terran Rangers. David and Tom met after high school, but they shared a bond that only brothers can. The devastating news of the Terran Rangers had shaken David to the very core. He leaned weakly against a computer console, cradling his heavy head with both hands with his glasses hanging from his neck. Emandia stood vigilantly beside him, massauging his back in an effort to calm her husband, while trying not to feel intimidated by the awe-inspiring Central Access Complex in which she had never been before.

Devon Oliver, the youngest of the two Oliver boys, sat on the floor of the CAC, sniffling quietly as a river of tears continued to flow ceaselessly. While everyone else in the CAC were previously cognizant of their loved ones' occupation as Power Rangers, he never knew the truth. Now, the truth slapped the boy in his face, brutally yanking away from him the parents he had never truly known or understood.

Sitting beside his younger brother, fulfilling his role as the protective and comforting elder sibling, was Micah Oliver. The tears of loss had long since dried, but his large dark eyes remained moist... with tears of anger. Anger at his loss. Anger at the world's loss. Anger at his parents, for leaving him and Devon behind. Anger at everything, and everyone.

Next was Angela Taylor, the wife of Zack Taylor. After years of remaining emotionally detached from Zack's advances, Angela finally realized she was actually in love with the energetic athlete she'd known from youth, and they married only four years ago. Angela's usually perfect features were haggard and pale, as only the death of a loved one could cause. She stood apart from the other mourners, not seeking the comfort of group misery. Instead, she remained several feet away from the assembly, gnawing on her lip anxiously while she gazed at the dazzling diamond solitaire she wore on her left hand, coupled by the gold and platinum band she received on the day she vowed to love Zack until death do them part. With tears shining in her eyes, she reflected on her life in disgust, wondering what took her so long to realize she had fallen in love.

Nearest to Angela were Alexis and Rocky DeSantos. Both were former active Power Rangers, who were forced out of the team due to injuries. They were wed in 2013, and they held their eleven year-old son Luke between them. Out of the three DeSantos members, Alexis wore her grave, unfeeling expression. Her husband watched her face carefully, knowing full well that the more pain and loss Alexis felt, the less it showed. Now, her calm was almost terrifying him.

During her lifetime, Alexis had lost a great deal. She lost her powers. She lost her sister. Her family fractured in a devastating divorce. She learned to bear it by pulling all the pain within. Rocky knew it wasn't healthy for her, but she managed to come out of each tragedy a little stronger.

Silently, as he thought about how he'd never see his best friend again, he wished he had her resilience.

Next in the semicircle of despair was Tanya Park. Tanya had moved back to the United States from Africa in 2008, and married Adam two years later. During their time apart, Tanya could only perceive the lack of fulfillment in her life. She realized that all the achievements in the world couldn't compare with finding true love. Now that she was separated from her soul mate, all the mature, emotionally stable woman could do was silently pray that things weren't as bad as they appeared. When it came to Adam, Tanya was optimistic... almost to a fault.

Sitting on a nearby table, rocking herself slowly in an effort to bring her stirring emotions under control, was Regina Drew, the eldest daughter of Aisha and Edward Drew. Although neither of her parents were Terran Rangers, she was very close to all of them. Still, despite her familial familiarity with all the Rangers, she couldn't help but feel she was intruding. She didn't belong here, to witness the intense grief displayed quite plainly by those who had lost beloved parents, adored spouses, and cherished siblings. Yet, while she felt slightly awkward, she knew that her place was among this union. She was invited by Will to attend the information session, and she would find out everything the former Power Ranger had to say.

On the same table, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling blankly, was Anthony Monroe. Unlike the others, this wasn't the first time he had lost a parent. When he was just a boy, his father Trevor disappeared inexplicably for two years. During those torturous years, he felt the hole in his heart at every milestone he reached. Every preschool art project he couldn't show his father. Every holiday that seemed empty without his presence. Every time he saw his friends with their fathers. Every time he caught his mother sitting up late at night, clutching her pillow while still sleeping on her side of the bed, as if Trevor would return in the middle of the night.

Nearly every day reminded him of his loss. And now, with the loss of his mother, Anthony could only reflect on how it felt the first time, and shudder. Trevor, on the other hand, didn't allow himself to reflect upon what life would be like without his beloved wife. He knew he couldn't deal with that. The shock of the tragedy was too great. It was almost impossible for the reality of the matter to sink in. Instead, he focused his entire attention on Kirsten, doing his best to comfort his daughter and assure her that the future wouldn't be as bleak as it seemed.

By attending to Kirsten's pain, he could ignore his own. For the moment, at least.

Finally, keeping her large brown eyes steadily focused on her mother, was the young mutant empath Rebecca Mitchell. She remained quiet and observant, choosing not to participate in the grieving, but rather to separate herself from it. It was also clear that she was putting effort in distracting herself from the pool of sorrow that inundated her. Her empathic senses would surely drown her in angst.

"Where's Will?" Tanya Park said, breaking the barrier of silence, "I thought he was the one who called us here."

Trini rose to her feet and folded her hands behind her back. "He's working on a project at the moment," she explained, "He asked me to fill you guys in on the situation while he finishes up."

"So... what happened?" Micah whispered, his gaze trapped at the ground beneath him, "Are they really... gone?"

Trini took a deep breath, and paused for a moment as she collected her thoughts. "I'm going to cut right to the chase. We've all seen the news clips, and heard of the destruction of the Megazord. They're all true."

Everyone remained in an icy silence, as all their hopes of seeing their loved ones again shattered. Trini gave her audience a chance to let this information sink in.

"What happened is that the power transmitted into the Terrasword lashed back, frying the controls, and eventually leading to the destruction of the Megazord. Now, you're probably asking yourselves how this could possibly happen, and so I'll tell you. The Terra Zords operate in conjunction with the physical as well as emotional health of the Terran Rangers. So, if the Rangers are sick, then the zords are, in effect, sick. That's what happened."

"The Rangers were sick?" asked Alexis, "What do you mean 'sick'?"

"Let me explain," Trini stated, activating the screen on the main computer across the CAC by remote. Everyone turned their attention to the image, which was of the day the Terran Rangers first received their powers. While some of these people were witnesses to the historic event, most only knew of it through stories.

"When Zordon, the original mentor of the Power Rangers, first gave them the Zeo Crystals, he explained that the Power would coarse through their veins, by means of the heart, which is where the crystal was kept. The Power protected them in many ways. It gave them the ability to tap into the experience and power of the Morphin Grid, as well as pilot the Terrazords. It also managed to keep the Rangers' cells from deteriorating so quickly, which is why they don't look as old as they are. The problem is, over time, the constant presence of the Power began to have averse affects on their physical health.

"Zordon said that only someone who was a Power Ranger before has the bodily defenses necessary to absorb the power of the Zeo Crystal. He also chose the six Rangers most capable of dealing with the power. But he never intended them to remain Rangers for so long. It began to weaken them, and the Zeo Crystals began to draw on their life force. Having such a power source in one's body for so long has taken its toll."

"So, in the end, it was the very Power that made them heroes that killed them," said Rocky solemnly, "I can't believe it."

"Don't believe it," said Trini, turning off the screen, "They aren't dead. Yet."

Everyone looked at Trini in shock as she lead the group to the location of the med-unit. Lying on six cots were the Terran Power Rangers, dressed in the clothing they had worn before their tragic final mission. Their ageless faces seemed peaceful, as if they were sleeping soundly. Hovering not far away was the completed Zeo Crystal, with all six shards expanded to their full size of about a foot in length.

"Will and I first removed the Zeo shards, and then placed them in stasis," Trini continued, "The stress of the explosion seriously drained their powers. They are weaker now than they've ever been. We had to put them in stasis to save them from dying."

The group crowded around the slumbering Terran Rangers, and looked down at their loved ones with tears in their eyes. Regina turned away, confusion written on her mocha face.

"Is there any way to cure the 'Power poisoning', as it were?" she asked.

"There's one chance, although it's a longshot," Trini answered, casting her almond gaze towards a small door along the far wall, "I think Will is really the one to go into this."

As if on cue, William Mitchell, the Terran Rangers' most trusted and depended ally, stepped out of the sliding door Trini had looked at. He passed a white handkerchief over his moistened forehead, and walked through the dense audience without so much as a greeting. He stood beside the main computer, and leaned against the large console for a moment.

"How much did you tell them?" he asked his wife.

"I had just gotten to your plan for saving the Rangers."

Will nodded, and briskly tapped in the commands that brought up another image on the computer screen, showing a rotating stone arrowhead, greatly magnified from its real size. David looked at the digital display in surprise.

"What does the arrowhead have to do with anything?" he asked.

"I've done a bit of research, and I've discovered that the arrowhead that you and Tom rejoined has impressive healing powers. It may be able to cure the Rangers, and restore them to health."

"Great!" said Micah excitedly, "Dad and Uncle David gave me the arrowhead years ago! It's in my room. I'll go get it."

"That won't work," said Will grimly, "I've calculated that the arrowhead's healing powers fade over time. The point of maximum power is when the two halves are joined, but from there the power decreases. It's been over twenty years since David and Tom met, and joined the two halves. By now, the power remaining in the arrowhead probably couldn't heal a paper cut."

"Then it's hopeless!" cried Emily in frustration, "There's nothing we can do!"

"Not quite," said Will, "What we need to do is travel back in time to a specific point, when Tom and David reunite the two halves. Then, if we bring the united arrowhead here, we can save them."

"Time travel?" asked Trevor, "As in through the Multiverse? I know for a fact that humans cannot travel through the Multiverse without some kind of protection."

"That's true," said Will, digging into his jeans pockets, "and we have something."

Will stepped towards an empty lab table, and laid out five gold, circular objects, each about twice as large as a silver dollar, with designs etched in their faces. The outline of each design was in a signature color: blue, green, red, pink, and yellow.

"Oh my God," Alexis gasped, leaning over to get a closer look, "Are those Power Coins?"

"Almost," Will responded, "but they shall serve a similar purpose. A few years ago, when the Terran Rangers were reactivated, I began a full sweep of the data banks. That included running through a detailed history on how exactly the different Power Rangers were created in the first place. I found it very interesting reading, since understanding the power behind the Power Rangers gives me a better ability to restore them if they are ever compromised.

"Now, what I found the most interesting was the original White Ranger, the White Tiger Ranger. Remember, the seven original coins... red, blue, pink, black, green, yellow, and purple... were created by Ninjor thousands of years ago, and the six Ninja Ranger coins were created by Ninjor in conjunction with Dulcea and the Great Power. But the White Ranger was created by Zordon himself, right in the Command Center."

"Really?" Rocky whispered in amazement, "I didn't know that."

"You joined the team after the White Ranger was already the leader," Trini pointed out, "but the original five remember it well... when Tommy was introduced as the new White Ranger. Zordon and Alpha had worked on their secret project for weeks, trying to make a Power Coin that would work with technology compatible with the Power Rangers and their Thunderzords."

"Yes," Will picked up, "Zordon also created the Thunderzords for the Power Rangers after the Dinozords were incapacitated by Lord Zedd. Now, here's the theory I developed after reviewing the history files: Zordon was given the Power Ranger coins and Dinozords from Dulcea and Ninjor, and he in fact helped create them. However, he also had with him the basic plans for a new team of Power Rangers, that included the White Ranger, the Thunderzords, the White Tigerzord, and Tor the Carrier Zord."

"Amazing," Emily muttered in awe.

"Wait, wait, wait," Alexis grumbled, shaking her head furiously, "That doesn't make any sense! If Zordon had the specs for a new Ranger team all along, then why hadn't he ever created this new team of Rangers?"

"When?" Billy challenged, "The original five were fine with the powers they had, until the Green Ranger came along. Zordon's signal with the Command Center was lost, so we didn't have his guidance throughout that ordeal. By the time he came back, we had figured out who the Green Ranger was, and how to stop him. So the five Rangers became six. When the Dinozords were destroyed, the Power Coins were still fully operational. Time was of the essence, so creating a whole new team, with brand new zords, would have taken more time than we had. So Zordon took a few shortcuts, by altering the specs for the Thunderzords so he could use the parts from the Dinozords. Since he used the mainframes of the Dinozords, he managed to link the Thunderzords to the Power Coins, thereby creating this new arsenal much quicker than simply tossing out the coins they already had. When Ivan Ooze came along, Zordon was incapacitated and the Command Center was thoroughly destroyed. He wasn't capable of creating the new team of Rangers... he didn't have the strength, nor the equipment. Instead, he sent us to Dulcea and Ninjor, so we could get a new set of Power Coins. Those coins, coupled with the Ninjetti powers from Dulcea, managed just fine until we were transformed into children. We were too young to be Power Rangers, and since the entire timeline was thrown out of whack, everyone's ages were thrown off. It would have been dangerous to make a team of Power Rangers then, considering time didn't actually move backwards. Instead, we were de-aged. Everyone was especially fragile to magical power, since we were all pumped with enough magic to make us seven years younger. That's why Zordon resorted to calling upon the Alien Rangers. Since the time spell was focused on Earth, the rest of the universe was unaffected. And finally, once we had the Zeo Crystal, Zordon was able to create an even more powerful team of Rangers with that. So the backup team he had planned was never used. Until now.

"Okay, everyone here who was alive during the early 1990's can remember the Power Rangers, and the White Ranger," Will continued, "He looked different from the others. His uniform was different and he had a weapon with artificial intelligence. He was more powerful than the other Power Rangers put together, which is why Rita and Zedd wanted him out of the way more than anyone else. Often he took on a monster all by himself, while the rest of the team did something else. That's because his powers were different. When we became Ninjetti, Dulcea and Ninjor used the template of Zordon's White Tiger Ranger to create the White Falcon Ranger. So, the White Ranger wasn't a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger. Zordon never told us this... but the White Tiger Ranger was a Starlight Ranger."

Will then gathered the five discs, and lifted up one with red etching on the surface. "This is the Red Dragon Starlight Ranger." He then picked up another. "This is the Pink Firebird Starlight Ranger." He reached for the blue badge. "This is the Blue Unicorn Starlight Ranger." Then, the yellow disc. "This is the Yellow Griffin Starlight Ranger." And finally, the green one. "And this is the Green Lion Starlight Ranger."

There was an audible gasp from the entire group, who were simply amazed by this long-held secret finally brought to light.

"So the reason why the White Ranger was tougher than the others... is because his powers came from a different source?" Alexis recapped.

"Exactly," Will said, nodding.

"But... but... the Thunderzords are now obsolete!" Rocky pointed out, "I mean, Rito Revolto managed to destroy the Mega-Thunderzord. These powers don't hold a candle to the Zeo Crystal."

"You can't judge the Starlight power based on the Thunderzords," Trini highlighted, "Remember, Zordon compromised the initial plans of those zords, by using the parts from the Dinozords in order to make them faster, and to make them compatible with the Power Rangers on active duty. So, in effect, the Thunderzords weren't the Starzords. They were more of a hybrid between the pure Starzords, and the Dinozords. Then, when Zordon created the White Ranger, he had to make his zord compatible with the Thunderzords. So the Tigerzord was a Thunderzord too, but closer to the Starzord than the others were."

"You're right about one thing, though," Will admitted, "the Starlight powers aren't as potent as the Terra powers. The specs Zordon had created would have made a team stronger than the Ninja Power Rangers... but not that much stronger. However, since I've been working with the Terran Rangers for so long, and I've studied the Starlight powers thoroughly, I've figured out how to make them far more powerful than Zordon's would have been. Still, they won't be quite on par with the Terran Rangers, but they are much closer."

"The genius strikes again," Alexis commented, a grin crossing her lips, "So tell us, Will... how'd you do it? How'd you surpass Zordon?"

"The Starlight Rangers gain power from the stars. Zordon's sketches allowed them to harness the powers of the stars in general. However, I've discovered that they'd be far more powerful if they only drew power from a particular star... the closest. The down side is that the Starlight Rangers are now forced to be planetary Rangers. Just like the Aquitians need Aquitian water to gain strength, the Starlight Rangers need to be within our solar system. The further they get from the Sun, the weaker they get. However, to make them more powerful, I figured it'd be worth the sacrifice. After all, the Starlight team are defenders of Earth.

"I also went a step further regarding their power source. Each Ranger will draw power from a particular aspect of the Sun. The Sun contains different layers, with different elements and different energy levels. Different power sources makes the team more diverse."

Will then grinned proudly. "And finally, I took a chance. Even after I programmed the coins, I still needed to give them a jump start. I decided to use the Zeo Crystal. As it turns out... it worked! And now that there is some of that mysterious Zeo power in the coins, they're energy levels have peaked even beyond my expectation. And they're ready."

"This is so incredible," Regina whispered, watching as Will stepped away from the table, and sat down at the central computer. "How did you do all of this?!"

"Well," Will admitted with a slight grin, slipping a mini-disc into the disk drive, "I can't take that much credit. I didn't come up with this strategy over night. I've been working on the Starlight project during my free time since I first discovered the full record of them. That was only about six months after the Terra team was reinstated."

Rocky shook his head in amazement. "You've worked on this project for nearly twenty years?!"

"Hey, Will likes to be prepared," Trini quipped, standing behind her husband and draping her arms around his shoulders.

"Okay, I've made a CD containing all the information on the new Starlight team," Will highlighted, typing on the keyboard, "This includes weaponry, zords, their power source, and how these different aspects can be modified to their fullest potential. Unfortunately, I've had difficulty in recreating the White Tiger Ranger, due to the fact that Zordon had already created a White Tiger coin, and that coin was lost. So for now, we have five Starlight Rangers, each powered by a Starlight Disc, and a different force of the Sun."

Will stopped typing, and an image appeared of five Rangers, two on the top and two on the bottom, with the Red Ranger in the center. Each Ranger wore a spandex suit and helmet of their signature color, along with a white vest, white boots, and gloves. The entire uniform sported gold trim, including a gold bar stretching down the white torso of the suit, and connecting to the golden belt. Finally, each Ranger had a golden badge on his chest. The badge was the Starlight Disc.

"Since there is no White Ranger yet, there are five spots on this team. That means we need five new Rangers. Fortunately, this power doesn't require the previous membership on a Ranger team, like the Terra team does. So, anyone can become a Ranger. Now, Trini and I have been thinking about this ever since the Terra team ran into trouble, so I'll tell you whom we've chosen. Of course, you all have the right to back out."

Will then pressed another key, and the Blue Ranger's space flashed. The image enlarged until it filled the entire screen, and the Ranger began turning. Captions flashed at different abilities this Ranger had. Also, to everyone's surprise, a white miniskirt with gold hem appeared.

"The templates for the uniforms are flexible," Will explained, "So all the female Rangers can have a skirt... unless they don't want one, of course. This Blue Ranger draws power from the solar flare, which is an arc of plasmic energy exploding from the surface of the Sun. She will pilot the Unicorn Starzord... once they are finished, of course... and her weapons are the Gemini Axes, named Ares and Artemis."

Will then signaled to Trini, who walked towards the lab table and picked up the golden badge with the blue etching. "As usual, the Blue Ranger will be the brains of the team. Someone who is cool headed, intelligent, and logical. Someone who is willing to take orders, but prepared to voice her opinion fearlessly. As you can see from the screen, we've decided to make this Blue Ranger female. Regina... do you accept the honor and responsibility of being the Blue Unicorn Starlight Ranger?"

The young woman blinked in astonishment, her mouth hanging over slightly. Then, her lips pulled into a smile. "Well, I don't think people tend to call me cool headed and logical... but if you think I can pull it off..."

"Modesty also tends to be a trait of the Blue Ranger," Rocky quipped, casting a side glance at Will. Will shrugged innocently.

"This is so incredible," Regina whispered, accepting the badge from Trini and cradling it in her hands as if it were an egg.

"Next up is the Yellow Ranger," Will continued, pressing another button. The image of the Blue Ranger shrunk to the size of the others, and the Yellow Ranger zoomed in, and began spinning slowly so all could see the lemon yellow uniform, tastefully trimmed in gold, with a small white miniskirt matching the Blue Ranger's. "The Yellow Ranger will draw energy from the corona, the heated ion aura that glows around the sun. She will pilot the legendary Griffin Starzord, and her weapon shall be the Javelin Erith. Just like Trini, Aisha, and Kimberly before her, the Yellow Griffin Ranger will have a fierce spirit, that shines through whenever the stakes become too high for her natural gentility. She is the soul of the Power Rangers."

"She is Brittany," Trini concluded, holding out the yellow badge and smiling at the Lees' oldest child, "If she accepts, of course."

Brittany pressed her lips together tightly, her body almost trembling in excitement as she took the badge. She gazed at the design intensely with her wide blue eyes, briefly reflecting upon the legacy she was about to continue. The fourth in a series of brave, strong women, with innocence and a love of life, coupled with the fierce determination to protect what she loved. Like a lioness, circling the den of her cubs.

"I'll be the best Yellow Ranger I can be," she stated firmly, stepping back to her mother and hugging her tightly. With tears in her eyes, Emily returned the gesture, leaning her chin on her eldest child's head.

"The Green Ranger draws power from gravity, which is the force that keeps our entire solar system circling the sun. That makes gravity his signature power as well. Also, he will pilot the Lion Starzord, and wield the Dagger Sampson in battle. The Green Lion Ranger will be the surprise powerhouse of the team, to help balance the odds when the forces of Evil seem to hold all the cards. His nobility and strength of character fuel him when he faces danger, and his bravery is second to none."

"Since the first Green Ranger was Tommy, it seemed only fitting that his son continue that legacy," Trini affirmed, handing Micah the badge. "I'm sure you'll do your best to carry on the legend."

Micah stared at the badge in astonishment, his dark eyes wide and his forehead wrinkled. "Me?" he whispered blankly, "You want me to be a Power Ranger?"

Trini nodded, smiling warmly at the boy. "I know you'll be the youngest Power Ranger this world has seen, but you have a maturity that reaches far beyond your years. You were raised on stories of heroes, but you also know the darker side to the Power. Your parents, both loyal Terran Rangers, have brought you up well. You deserve this badge, and a role on this team."

Micah's eyes glassed over slightly, as he accepted the disc. He then took a deep breath, and cast his gaze towards the medical station, where both his parents laid comatose. "I'll make you proud, Mom... Dad," he vowed, "I'll make you proud."

"The Pink Ranger is energized by the fierce heat of the solar winds, which reach far beyond the actual star as ions are released," Will continued, changing the screen to view the Pink Ranger, "She will pilot the high-flying Firebird Starzord, and her weapon will be Edana, the crossbow. Like both Kimberly and Katherine, the Pink Ranger continues the station of being the heart of the team. Her natural compassion and empathy for all living beings, including her friends, helps her stand fast as the emotional pillar of the team. This is an essential role, since the pressures of heroism are great indeed, and group cohesion and emotional strength are vital to the success of the Power Rangers."

"We thought about it," Trini said, picking up the pink badge and gazing at the carving, "and we decided that there's only one person with enough empathy to fulfill this role to its full potential. Becky, your mutant powers give you an edge in determining the emotional needs of the Rangers, and of citizens as well. Also, you've shown great strength in your training to get your powers under control, and while you trained in Xavier's institute, you also tempered your body as well as your mind, learning a variety of stealth and fighting skills that will certainly come in handy on this mission. Becky... you were born to be a Power Ranger."

Trini leaned over to her young daughter, and kissed her forehead. "Just be careful out there."

Rebecca smiled widely at her mother, and then cast a reassuring smile to her father. "I can handle it," she said firmly, "Especially with this great team of Rangers to stand by my side."

"And finally, Billy said, rising from his seat after altering the image once again, "we come to the Red Ranger. The leader of the team. He will draw strength from the actual nuclear fusion that takes place within the star, which creates the energy that keeps this system alive. He will pilot the Red Dragon Starzord which, just like the Thunderzord, can shift between Warrior Mode and Dragon Mode. His weapon is the trusted broad sword Draco, who will impart his own intelligence and experience whenever asked."

"The Red Ranger will have to face something that the rest of the team rarely does... the burden of leadership," Trini highlighted, "The lives of these four youths will be in his hands. Leadership proved to be withering to both Jason and Tommy. They bore it well, but whenever one of the Rangers was hurt seriously, the guilt ate at them from within. Leadership is never an ability you are born with. It is something you will develop with time. Still, we've decided that Anthony has the right heart attitude. His friendship and older-brother role will be vital to this position. And with the support of the other Rangers, he will certainly blossom as the third Red Ranger."

Anthony bit his lip, staring at the badge without ever reaching for it. His aqua eyes almost screamed with uncertainty, as he glanced around the room, at all the faces that waited for his answer. He then locked his eyes on the badge, swallowing hard.

In all his life, he had never considered becoming a Power Ranger. In fact, he didn't even really want it. If his mother had never been a Power Ranger, then his father Trevor never would have been lost for two years, turning into the villain Solar. It was the Zeo Crystal that sent him into the Multiverse.

He knew that the Power Rangers had many sacrifices to make, including even the possible sacrifice of their loved ones. Their cause was just, to be sure... but could he do it? Could he deal with having the lives of these four individuals... including the love of his life, one of his best friends, and two kids that looked up to him like an older brother? These weren't just friends... they were like family to him.

Could he handle the weighty responsibility that would sit entirely on his shoulders.

Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around slowly, and gazed into Regina's wide hazel eyes. They weren't pleading. They weren't even asking. They were gentle and supportive... just like they always were.

Then, his decision was made.

He reached out, and accepted the badge Trini offered. He gripped the badge in his fist, and nodded.

"I'll do it," he said.

Frankly, he didn't trust the lives of these cherished people with anyone else.

Everyone stepped back slightly, and Anthony, Regina, Brittany, Rebecca, and Micah congregated in the center of the void. They all held up their badges to the sky, and they each flashed in colored light.

"Look into your hearts," Will advised, "The Power will teach you all you need to know."

Rebecca closed her eyes, her smile widening as the pink pulse on her Starlight Disc intensified. She then opened her eyes, revealing a faint pink glow shining from her deep brown irises.

"Heaven's Gale Starlight Power!" she cried, her voice echoing through the silence. The light from her disc erupted in a wave of glowing pink energy, bathing her with power and infusing her with energy to the very core of her being. The light then tightened around her body, until it became a second skin. When the intensity faded, the light had transformed into the form-fitting metallic salmon uniform, complete with shimmering pearly white sleeveless tunic and short miniskirt, matching gloves and boots, and an elegantly styled pink helmet, with skillful gold etching around the opaque facemask in the design of a bird. Finally, her badge relocated from her hands to her chest, and a bright pink and gold crossbow was attached firmly to her belt, with a head of a firebird and the bow styled as wings.

"I... can't believe this is happening," she whispered, staring at her hands.

Brittany then closed her eyes, digging deep into her soul for the fiery yellow light that represented her new power. She managed to tap into that, allowing her mind to be flooded with rich energy. Her eyes opened, and her mouth moved, shouting out words she simply knew were the key to her destiny. "Corona Wash Starlight Power!"

The wave of energy struck her, molding itself to her body to create the perfect protective shell. Brilliant canary yellow spandex stretched across her body, along with the white chest and skirt, hemmed with gold. Her Starlight Disc enlarged, and placed itself firmly on her chest. Her helmet glimmered with the gold design of a griffin, and from the holster on her golden belt hung a collapsed staff, with a griffin's head on the top.

"This... this is so intense!" she breathed.

Micah chewed on his lips, his eyes focused on his green Starlight Disc with uncertainty. Finally, he took a deep breath, and closed his eyes tightly. For a few moments, he was silent, as his face wrinkled with frustration. But finally, a peaceful expression melted his worry, and his eyes opened, glowing faintly with green energy. He had found what he was looking for.

"Graviton Rush Starlight Power!" he shouted at the top of his voice. A flood of green poured out from the badge, bending and shaping itself to fit Micah's slender form. It then flashed, the energy transforming from liquid to material. The emerald-hued uniform reflected the dim lighting majestically, and the Starlight Disc flashed slightly. His uniform was identical to the girls', minus the skirt. The emerald and gold helmet sported the design of a bold lion, and from his belt hung a sharp dagger, with the head of a lion with its eyes closed.

"It's so unreal," Micah said in awe, his hands blindly exploring his helmet as if to see if it were really there.

Then, Regina squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out the outside world as she searched for the power within.

"Solar Blaze Starlight Power!" she called. Suddenly a dam burst, releasing blinding neon blue waves from the disc and down her arm. The energy molded around her body, transforming into the brilliant sapphire armor of the Blue Unicorn Ranger. Her uniform matched the others, with a short pearl miniskirt. Her helmet bore a stylized unicorn design, and from her belt hung two axes, with the handles in the shape of unicorn heads.

"...wow," she gasped, completely at a loss for words.

After a few more moments of gazing at his teammates, Anthony turned his attention to the golden disc he cradled in his palm. He felt the eyes of all the other Rangers, as well as the onlookers. Everyone was waiting for him to take the honor he had accepted.

Closing his eyes, he searched for the crimson flash within. When he found it, his mind occluded everything except three words.

"Starburst Starlight Power!"

His deep command summoned the flood of energy to cloak his body in its radiance. Crimson tides whirled around his body, folding until it created a body cast. Once again, energy transformed into matter, and the brilliant crimson waves became the brilliant crimson armor of the Red Dragon Ranger. His helmet was designed as a dragon, and his golden belt carried an intimidating broad sword, with the head of a dragon on its hilt.

"I've... never felt so alive before," Anthony affirmed, looking around the room.

Then, Will moved closer to the newly-formed Starlight Ranger team. "I wish we had more time for you to accustom yourselves to this new power, but every second is costly. You five will take this new power, and travel back in time to a point just before the first meeting of Thomas Oliver and David Trueheart. They will borrow the arrowhead, just long enough for me to save the Terran Rangers, and then return it."

"Did you find this dimension yet?" asked Rocky, "I remember the Multiverse is nearly impossible to navigate."

"Well, about sixteen years ago, as you remember, Kimberly went back in time to the year 1997, with the help of the mutant Nate Grey. I still have the coordinates of that dimension, but since sixteen years have gone by, I do not know just when the portal will take the Starlight Rangers. I think I've isolated the specific energies of the arrowhead halves, though, so it won't be after they were united."

"But, wouldn't they be stealing the arrowhead from the past Rangers?" Luke DeSantos said quietly. He then kept his inquisitive gaze on Will, who stared at the boy in amazement.

"The arrowhead will be returned to them expediently," he assured.

"But Luke has a point," Brittany stated, "We're asking these Terran Rangers to give us the united arrowhead. You said that the peak healing energy occurs right at the union, so they will permanently lose that maximum healing capacity. They might not be willing to give it up."

"It's our only chance," Will said, sighing, "I know we're asking a lot, but we can only hope for the support of our fellow Power Rangers in this time of crisis."

"It's our best bet," Anthony said, tugging on his glove and tightening his hand into a fist, "So Mr. Mitchell, when we get the arrowhead, how do we get back home?"

"I'm glad you asked," Trini answered for her husband, holding out a red and silver communicator, "This communicator will keep you all in contact, as well as emit a beacon through the Multiverse. Presently, the computer doesn't read anything, because they aren't turned on. When you are ready to come home, press the gold button, and the beacon will be sent. It should take about half an hour for the beacon to reach the CAC. Take care, Starlight Rangers."

William and Trini handed out the wrist communicators, and stood back. Will placed the Zeo Crystal beside the Terran Rangers as before, and then took a seat at his desk. After a few minutes, a black portal appeared in the center of the room.

"Goodbye, Starlights," Will called, turning from the computer to gaze at his creations, "and mmay the Power Protect you."

The Starlight Rangers said goodbye to their families, and leapt through the portal, one by one. Once all five were gone, the portal closed.

"There's nothing more we can do," said Will, "at least, until they return with the arrowhead."

Scene: Angel Grove, California; March 1997; 11:00 am (Western Time)

A large black hole irised open upon the roof of Angel Grove High. Out of that hole fell five figures, draped in skin-tight, colored armor. They rose to their feet, and looked around at the scene below.

"Good," said Anthony, the Red Ranger, "I don't think anyone saw us."

"I wonder if they'd recognize us," said Micah, the Green Ranger, "I mean, Will didn't tell us whether or not this universe has a team of Starlight Rangers. It's not entirely impossible."

"It's highly improbably, but I'm sure we'll find out soon," said Regina, the Blue Ranger, "After all, we have to find David Trueheart and Tom Oliver, and most likely when we find Tom, we'll find the Power Rangers, no matter which incarnation they may be."

"Where are we anyway?" asked Rebecca, the Pink Ranger, looking down at the relatively quiet yard surrounding the building.

"We're at the school," said Brittany, the Yellow Ranger, "This is Angel Grove High! I'm a senior here back in our time."

"Great," said Anthony, "then you'll be able to navigate the place. Okay, gang, we'd better split up. Some of us will find Tom, and the others will find David Trueheart. Uh... Micah, do you know where your uncle lived in the year 1997?"

The boy rubbed the chin of his helmet with his white-gloved hand. "Uh, I think he still lived at the reservation," he said finally, "But, I'm not sure."

"That's a good place to start," said Regina, "Micah, you should go find your uncle. You'll recognize him better than the rest of us. Becky, you go with him. You can try to scan for David with your psi powers."

"That's a good plan," said Brittany, "The rest of us all about high school age."

"Should we go morphed?" asked Rebecca.

"Nah," said Anthony, "It'll only attract unwanted attention. But, if you run into trouble, don't hesitate to morph. I don't want to take any chances."

The five Starlight Rangers waited until the coast was completely clear. Then, they leapt gracefully off the roof to ground level, and hid inside a cluster of trees. After a bright flash of light, Anthony, Regina, and Brittany walked towards the school, while Rebecca and Micah ran the other way.

"Keep in touch!" Anthony called, "Every half hour! Don't forget!"

Rebecca waved, and the two youngest Rangers were out of sight.

Anthony, Regina, and Brittany walked into the double doors, and were surprised by the large number of students filling the hallway.

"I guess it's between classes," Brittany observed.

"Then this is the perfect opportunity for us to find Tom," Anthony responded, "Okay, ladies, split up, and keep an eye out for Tom Oliver. If you can't find him, look for one of the other Rangers. Try not to talk to them, just watch them. Contact the rest of us before you do anything else. Clear?"

The two girls nodded, and they separated. Regina walked down one hallway, lined with chatting students and lockers. As she passed, nearly ever male student stopped what he was doing to gaze at the mysterious six foot tall young woman, with an exotic beauty that demanded attention. Regina felt everyone's stares, and wrung her hands nervously. Her intense discomfort serving as a distraction, she accidentally bumped into a young Asian man with dark, curly hair and a green T-shirt. She knocked the books from his hands, and they both nearly fell to the ground.

"Oh, gosh!" she said nervously, bending down to pick up the books, "I'm so sorry..."

"No harm done," he said, picking up the rest. He then looked at the girl curiously.

"Have we... met before?" he asked, "You seem familiar..."

"Uh, I don't think so," she said, looking away from his dark eyes, "I... I don't attend this school."

"So, why are you here?" asked Adam, rising to his feet. Regina followed.

"Visiting," she said, "Uh, look, I have to go..."

"Maybe I can help you find who you're looking for," he offered. Regina considered this. "Do you know a Tom Oliver?" she asked. Adam blinked.

"Tommy Oliver? Yeah, he's one of my best friends. He has gym class now, down the hall, to your left. I'm Adam, by the way."

Adam extended his hand, and Regina looked at him in alarm. Oh my goodness, I didn't even recognize him!

"I'm Regina," she said, "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," he said. He then looked past Regina, and saw a tall, dark girl dressed in yellow, frowning at him. Adam turned a little red. "Uh, I have to get going," he said finally, "Bye."

Adam hurried away from Regina, and stood beside his girlfriend, Tanya Sloan. Tanya, who was usually of friendly demeanor, wore a frown that chilled blood.

"Who is that?" she asked Adam.

"Her name's Regina," Adam explained, "She bumped into me, that's all."

"Oh, right," Tanya said, "I'm sure you didn't notice she's got the body of a swimsuit model, eh? And that outfit doesn't leave much to the imagination."

"Really?" asked Adam innocently, taking Tanya's hand, "I hadn't noticed."

Together, they walked down the hall towards their next class.

Meanwhile, just down the hall, Anthony Monroe was busy trying to make sense of the rough map of the school he picked up at the main office. Once in a while he glanced up, and watched the students walk past him. He keenly noticed that many students looked at him curiously, especially the female population. Anthony disregarded the attention, and continued on his way. He stopped beside the bathrooms, and flipped the map around in frustration.

"Am I looking at this the right way?" he muttered to himself, "Twentieth century two dimensional maps... I'll never understand them!"

"Are you having trouble?" asked a perky voice. Anthony lowered the map, and gazed down at a pair of doe-brown eyes, framed with long, dark lashes. Anthony barely stifled a gasp when he realized who he was looking at.

"Ma--" he started, but quickly caught himself before making a fatal mistake. Kimberly looked at him in confusion.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"Ma... math," Anthony recovered, "I was wondering where the math room is."

Kimberly smiled, and shook her head, "You're gonna need to be more specific. There are lots of math classes here. Are you a new student?"

"Yeah," Anthony breathed, "I'm a new student. Just got here from New York." Well, it's not a total lie...

"Oh really?" she said, "That's great! I always wanted to visit New York. Never have, though. I'm Kimberly, by the way. Kimberly Hart."

"Hello," he said, rather uncomfortably. Kimberly frowned a little.

"That's you're cue," she said good-naturedly.

"Cue?"

"To tell me your name!"

"Oh, okay. I'm Anthony."

"Do you have a last name?"

"Monroe," he said, and then instantly regretted it.

"Oh, really," she said, staring at his features even closer, "I know a guy named Monroe. He goes to school in Florida. His name's Trevor. Are you related?"

"Nope," he said, backing away from Kimberly's gaze. He only ended up with his back to the wall.

"It's funny," Kimberly continued, "Now that I think about it, you kinda look like him. Except for the eyes..."

Before Kimberly could further analyze the situation, a ringing came from Anthony's wrist. Both he and Kimberly were surprised to hear the six-tone signal.

Will never changed the sound the communicator makes?! Anthony thought, rolling his eyes in frustration, Now I'm in trouble...

Anthony looked down at Kimberly, and noticed that she was covering her wrist with her hand.

"Uh, I'd better get going. Nice to meet you, Anthony."

With that, Kimberly hurried down the hall. Anthony sighed in relief, and then ducked into the men's room.

She must've thought it was her communicator ringing, he thought, raising the device to his mouth, "Hello?"

^Tony? It's me, Regina.^ "What's up, Gina?"

^You're not going to believe this, but I bumped into Adam Park!^

"I believe it," Anthony said, "I bumped into, of all people, my mother!"

^Really? What are the chances?^

"Well, it's a small high school after all. Man, she just wouldn't leave me alone! I think she's figured something out. She knows my name--"

^You told her your real name?^

"It just slipped! Anyway, when my communicator went off, she left. I think she thinks her communicator went off."

^That's bad, Tony. When she finds out no one paged her, she'll know where that sound came from. You'd better avoid her completely, Tony.^

"I'll try," Anthony sighed, "What about you? What happened with Adam?"

^I didn't even know it was him until he introduced himself. I asked him which class Tom has now. He said gym. I figure the three of us could go down to the gym, and meet up with him. We just have to figure out how to go about doing this, without revealing too much about our future. We probably should try to keep the other Rangers out of this, to keep the situation from escalating. We'd better handle this delicately.^ "Good point. Let's touch base with Brittany before we do anything else."

Brittany was wandering down the halls, looking at the room numbers in surprise. She found her way to the second floor, her forehead wrinkled in confusion as she searched for the stairs to the third floor. She stood still and pondered the design of the school when a young Mexican American man tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hello," he said, "I don't think I've seen you before. You new?"

Brittany nodded, and turned around to see a tall redheaded girl standing beside him.

"Welcome to Angel Grove," she said, "I'm Alexis Darling, and this is my friend Rocky DeSantos."

"Friend?" asked Rocky, arching an eyebrow. Alexis giggled.

"Okay, slightly more than friend."

"Oh," said Brittany, "hello. I'm Brittany."

"Well, what are you looking for?" asked Alexis.

"The stairs."

"They're right behind you," said Rocky, pointing to the stairs she just ascended. Brittany shook her head.

"No," she sighed, "not those stairs. The stairs that lead to the third floor. The computer labs, observatory..."

Brittany stopped when she saw Alexis and Rocky exchange bewildered looks. Brittany looked around nervously.

"There is no third floor," said Alexis, "There are only two floors at Angel Grove High."

"Oh, really," said Brittany with a nervous smile, "My mistake. Well, that explains why I can't find my classes! Well, see ya, and thanks for your help!"

Before either of them could say anything, Brittany hurried down the stairs, and leaned against a locker, catching her breath. By now, most of the students had gone their ways, and the bell rang.

I don't believe this, Brittany thought to herself, How could I have forgotten that the third floor wasn't added until 2001? Sheesh, I'm not thinking! That was close...

Brittany sighed, and walked down the quiet hallway. Without warning her communicator beeped, and echoed down the hall. Brittany cringed as the loud echo filled the empty hall.

"Excuse me," said a slender man in a navy blue suit, with an obvious toupee, "what was that noise?"

"Noise?" asked Brittany innocently. The man nodded.

"The noise. It sounded a lot like... a pager."

"Oh," Brittany said in relief, "a pager! Yeah, that's what it is, just my pager. Uh, sorry it's so loud--"

"What's your name, young lady?"

"Brittany."

"Well then, Brittany, you should know that pagers aren't permitted in school. Come with me, please."

With that, the principal of the school, Mister Caplan, stepped towards his office, and held the door open. Brittany's shoulders slumped as she walked past him, into the foreboding office of authority.

I just do NOT believe this is happening!

Meanwhile, Kimberly stood in the corner of the hallway, tapping her chin in thought.

"So," she whispered into her wrist, "you didn't contact me, Billy?"

^Negative,^ he said, ^Did you speak to the other Rangers?^

"Yes," she sighed, "Something's fishy here, Billy."

^Really?^

"Do me a favor? Could you hack into the school's computer files, and find out if there's a new student here at Angel Grove high? His name's Anthony Monroe."

^It'll take a second,^ Billy said, the sound of typing in the background, ^Anthony Monroe, eh? That name sounds... vaguely familiar.^

"I know what you mean," said Kimberly, "I know I've heard that name somewhere before. I just can't place it..."

^Perhaps your telepathic powers are at work, giving you the feeling of deja vu?^

"I suppose that's possible," Kimberly thought aloud, "But it's never happened before..."

^I have the results. According to the school's files, the last new student to enroll in Angel Grove High was Alexis, in late January.^

"That's what I thought," she said, nodding, "Thanks, Billy."

^Do you think I should I tell the other Rangers about this guy?^

"Not yet. I'll find him first, and ffind out who he really is, and what he's doing here."

Meanwhile, out on the moon, a lone figure stood on a cliff. He remained silent, his hands clasped and the long sleeves of his black gown obscuring them from view. He looked at the Earth, the shining blue gem floating in a sea of black nothingness. He then looked towards the stone castle standing in a crater not far from him on the face of Earth's only natural satellite. He began his journey, and took his time walking to the castle.

After all, he had all the time in the world.

Right outside the city limits of Angel Grove was a small block of land, nestled in the dusty, rocky site foot of the cliffs edging the Pacific Ocean. Here, this tiny piece of history remains mostly unblemished by the passage of time. True, the basic look has changed... animal skins have been replaced by denim jeans, and the open fire has been replaced by a stove. Still, the outside changes did little to affect the heart of the people. The bronzed natives, who had occupied this territory for generations, looked at the world with a wonder and deference that most Americans simply didn't feel. The pace of life was slow, for there was no reason to live each moment in expectation of the next. The people were friendly. Nature was respected, not disturbed.

That was how the ancient tribe had always lived. Separated from the "modern" world around them, understanding the infinite purity of a simple life.

Despite the fact that he was now nearly thirty years back in time, miraculously he felt right at home.

"This is amazing," Micah whispered, standing at the threshold of the Native American reservation, "It looks exactly like it does in our time!"

"That's not really too surprising," his companion Rebecca commented, futily holding down her long dark hair against the strong mountain winds, "I'd bet these lands haven't changed much over centuries. Thirty years isn't really that long."

Micah shrugged. "Considering I'm only thirteen, it's pretty long to me."

Rebecca Mitchell smiled, walking ahead of her friend and into the village. While the people regarded the two visitors with surprise, they were still quite polite and courteous. The passersby smiled, nodding their heads slightly in greeting as they went about their business. Finally, one young woman stepped forward, her flowing hair casually held in a braid hanging over her left shoulder, and a curious glint in her bottomless black eyes.

"Excuse me," she said hesitantly, "but are you two youths from a great distance, searching for someone?"

Micah and Rebecca both startled at the woman's insight. Micah blinked, fixing her with a powerful stare. "Um... how did you know?"

She smiled, biting her lip slightly in excitement. "My instructor, the Shaman of our tribe, told me to watch for you. I am to bring you back to him now."

Still perplexed, Rebecca and Micah closely followed the woman to a tent, which stood out drastically compared to the small houses that housed the majority of the tribe. Rebecca leaned closer to Micah, bringing her mouth close to his ear.

"The powers of the tribal shamans are so mysterious," she whispered, keeping her eye on the back of their guide, "It's not quite like psionic abilities. It's more like it's drawn from the world around them, rather than within themselves. I can see a faint aura of energy around this woman. It's not much, but she's clearly learning how to tap the energy of the world around her."

"My Aunt Mandi talks about that kind of stuff a lot," Micah whispered back, never moving his dark gaze from the young woman in front of them, "Actually, I think she dabbled a bit in the mystical arts of the tribe before she married my uncle."

The young woman turned back to the teens behind her, and pulled open the only tent in the community. She stuck her head into the darkened tent, and fixed her eyes on the elderly man, with feathers and leather cords entwined in his flowing snowy hair. She cleared her throat, causing the man to awaken from the meditation that had occupied his attention.

"I found the young travelers, Shaman," she announced.

The man smiled, nodding his head. "I knew you did, Emandia. Please, let them in."

Emandia nodded, and rose from the crack in the tent. Her brow wrinkled slightly with discomfort as she noticed the astonished expressions on the two youths' faces.

"Y...y...you..." Micah stammered, his eyes wide with alarm.

"Your name is Emandia?" Rebecca finished for him.

Emandia blinked. "Well, yes," she answered, frowning slightly, "Why do you ask?"

Rebecca then smiled quickly. "Oh, it's just a coincidence. We both know someone named Emandia, and it's not really that common a name."

Emandia's smile returned. "Well, that certainly does sound like a coincidence, doesn't it?" she remarked, waving the two into the tent, "The shaman is ready to see you now."

Emandia then walked casually away from the tent, clearly intent on performing her other duties. Micah watched her departure, still speechless from the surprise. Finally, Rebecca grabbed his shirt collar, and forced him to lock eyes with her.

"Snap outta it, Mike," she said briskly, "We've got a job to do."

"That's just so... weird!" Micah gasped, "I didn't even recognize her!"

"It'll get weirder, when we encounter the rest of our parents," Rebecca reminded him. She then let go of his collar, and stepped into the tent. "Are you coming?"

Micah quickly followed his petite companion into the tent. Together, they looked around the small area, lit with a small lantern seated before an old man crouched near the back of the tent. The flickering light sent moving shadows over his visage, clouding much of his features and filling the chamber with an eerie aura. Micah swallowed hesitantly as he took a seat beside Rebecca. While Micah was clearly uncomfortable in his present surroundings, Rebecca wasn't at all rattled by it. Instead, she was entirely calm and collected.

Once thing she learned from Professor Xavier's school was to never show fear.

"So," Rebecca said casually, "Emandia tells us that you've been waiting for our arrival."

"I have," the shaman said, leaning closer to the children. His proximity brightened his features somewhat, revealing a gentle smile.

Micah calmed down a bit.

"If you knew we were coming, then you probably know why we're here," Rebecca hypothesized, clenching her hands together.

"I do," he responded, "I saw it in a vision, Child of the Stars."

Rebecca blinked at the comment, her mouth hanging open slightly. "Why do you refer to me that way?"

"You are quite inquisitive," the shaman said, "unlike your friend. Do not be afraid or disquieted, Son of Falcon. You are among family in this tribe."

"How... how did you know?!" Micah gasped, his astonishment never ceasing.

"You should not be so surprised," the shaman declared, "yet you are. You are not familiar with the ways of your people. You are much like the Falcon. He has many doubts about his destiny, yet he too will listen to my voice."

"This is amazing," Rebecca whispered, her gaze focused on the wiseman in awe, "You are so insightful, Shaman."

"And you too have insight, child," he said, gazing into Rebecca's eyes sharply, "I sense... a power within you. A second sight, that most do not have."

"Yes!" Rebecca answered, "That's right."

"So, wait," Micah muttered, waving his hand, "back up a second. If you know the Falcon, then do you know his brother?"

"Of course I do," the answered, nodding, "When the time is right, the two will be united, and the power will be theirs."

"Sir, we must find David Trueheart," Rebecca said, "I know this isn't the time you had chosen to bring the two brothers together, but-"

"I know," the shaman interrupted, "I am to guide you to him, for the power of Unity is needed."

"So, where can we find David?" Micah asked impatiently, "We're running out of time."

"You are headstrong," the wiseman decided, "and you must heed my voice. Your stubbornness will bring you woe."

Micah frowned angrily, rising to his feet. "I don't need this," he muttered, storming out of the tent.

Rebecca watched the Green Ranger's abrupt departure in astonishment, and then turned back to the shaman. "I... I'm so sorry for my friend's behavior..."

The shaman smiled. "He is young and headstrong. You, however, are aged beyond your years. You have patience he lacks. You will have to teach him that patience, if he will succeed in the mission assigned him."

The shaman then reached forward, and took Rebecca's hand. "Follow the falcon, Child of the Stars. The falcon will lead you to your goal."

"This is odd," said Goldar, turning away from the Repulsascope, "Those two children... seem familiar to me."

"Why are you watching them anyway?" asked Rito Revolto.

"I saw them appear from a Multiversal hole!" yelled Goldar, impatient of Rito's simpleness, "I thought for a moment that Zedd and Rita had managed to return, after being tossed into the Multiverse by Solar." He shivered unconsciously at the thought. "But they haven't. Five teenagers appeared, and they were dressed in Power Rangers uniforms."

"Power Rangers from another dimension?" Rito groaned.

"I'm going to follow them on foot," Goldar determined, stepping briskly off the balcony, "Those five kids came here for a reason, and I want to know what it is."

With that, Goldar rose his sword into the air, and vanished in a cloud of golden energy. Rito smiled and sat down on the throne.

"Aahh," he said, stretching his bones, "This is the life! So why does Goldar always sit in the throne? No one elected him leader!"

Just then, a strange black mist seeped into the throne room through the cracks in the wall opposite the throne. Rito was so surprised he fell off the throne he was sitting on, and drew his sword defensively. The mist swirled upon itself, and smashed into the cold stone floor. It began to spiral upwards, and a dark energy sparked within the confines of the smoke. The energy stretched and coiled, forming the figure of a man.

He was tall... about six and a half feet in height. Limp grayish-black hair hung from his head, brushing his shoulders, and his hairline started high on his scalp to give him a sloping forehead. His skin could be likened to solid alabaster, ivory in color, and smooth save for a few wrinkles marring his forehead, the area about his closed eyes, and the skin below his narrow lips. A dark, rich black robe covered his entire body, the loose folds making it impossible to determine the musculature of the figure. A golden metal collar enclosed his long neck, and stretched to cover his shoulders. A blood red gemstone sat at the bottom edge of the metal shield, just in the center of his chest.

The figure took a deep breath, throwing his head back slightly. He then exhaled, his eyes slowly opening... revealing empty pits of fathomless void. A cold smirk pulled at the corners of the thin line of his powdery lips.

Rito stumbled back slightly, the sight of the empty crevices and wicked grin causing a wave of fear to erupt even in him. He swallowed, trying to regain composure.

"Who... who are you?" he asked, his sword still held forward.

Thin, coal black eyebrows lowered, and small black sparks flashed within the empty caves of his eyes. Rito stepped back in surprise as the being approached.

He stepped past the flabbergasted skeleton, and stood at the balcony of the palace. From his vantage point, he could see the blue orb of Earth perfectly.

A sudden breeze passed through the throne room, and Rito felt an intense chill. The breeze wove through the being's gray hair, and caused the skirts of his heavy onyx robe to flap slightly. The breeze was first invisible, but soon it took on a grayish hue.

"I am here on business, Rito Revolto," the being said, his voice low and menacing, "I plan on staying for an indefinite length of time, for I have goals on Earth."

He then turned around, casting his empty gaze on Rito. "I shall be frank. I have no need of your abilities. I have watched you, and determined you to be a mere simpleton. The only benefit you could possibly afford me is a familiarity with these humans called Terran Power Rangers. However, if you become a nuisance, I will not hesitate to be rid of you."

Rito's intense fear gave way to anger, as he gripped his sword tighter. "Who are you?!" he demanded.

"You will serve me," he said, extending his arm. The thick sleeve gathered, revealing long, withered fingers with shaggy nails. Black sparks flashed, creating a bolt of black lightning that wrapped around Rito in a web of dark energy. Rito gasped, dropping his sword as the power seeped into his bones.

He screamed, falling to his knees as the tint of his bones darkened... from dusty white to the deepest of black. Also, his guerrilla armor vanished, leaving the skeleton clad in a black metallic armor, complete with helmet that draped over his skull.

A piercing red light emerged from the holes that served as the skeleton's eyes.

Impossibly, the hard calcium bone of his mouth stretched... into a smile.

"I... I feel so..." he said, in a steady yet awed voice. There wasn't even a hint of the mumbling foolishness that had characterized his speech just moments before.

"Consider it my gift to you," the Dark One said flatly, descending the few steps of the balcony, and taking a seat on the throne. He folded his narrow fingers again, the sleeves dropping over his hands immediately. He held his head high, and gazed down his narrow nose at his new servant. "I have granted you Power, Rito. Your magical skills have increased dramatically, and so has your intelligence, speed, and balance. You are no longer the bumbling idiot that posed such a disgrace to your family. You shall serve at my right hand... at least, until you lose your value in my eyes."

Rito nodded, lifting his sword. He rose to one knee, bowing humbly, feeling a thick black cape brush against the floor as he leaned forward. "That shall not happen, Lord."

The flat expression on his face once again gave way to a sinister smile... far more fear-inducing than his neutral face.

"See that it doesn't."

Right outside Angel Grove High School, Regina Drew and Anthony Monroe met in the parking lot. It was packed with automobiles, but devoid of onlookers.

"Where's Brittany?" asked Regina, looking around the lot quickly, "Did she contact you?"

"No," said Anthony, worry knitting his brow, "I guess I should contact her. It's been too long."

Just as the leader of the Starlight Rangers pulled his wrist to his mouth, the tone of his communicator sounded.

"Anthony here," he said into the microphone, glancing at his companion to listen in.

^Tony? It's me, Micah. Becky and I are at the reservation.^

"Did you find David?" asked Regina.

^We're working on it. An old Indian shaman told us to follow the falcon to find David. That's what we're doing now. I'll call back as soon as we find something.^

"Good," said Anthony, "Tony out."

"So, now what do we do?" Regina sighed, leaning against a nearby car. Anthony pressed a sequence of buttons on his communicator, and brought it closer his mouth.

Inside Mr. Caplan's office, the principal scanned through various files on his personal computer, his eagle eye darting from the screen to the young woman sitting across his desk. The other occupant of the room kept her ice blue gaze to her lap, her slender fingers wrapped around her bare wrist. She kept glancing at the clock, and at her communicator, which was sitting on his obscenely neat desk.

"What did you say your name was?" asked the principal, a puzzled frown wrinkling his brow.

"Brittany Lee," she answered quietly. Mr. Caplan grimaced as he scrolled through the roster.

"What grade are you in?" he asked.

"Mr. Caplan, Sir," Brittany sighed, impatience making her restless, "I don't attend this school. You see, I was just visiting-"

"Visitors must sign in at the main office," the principal interrupted, lifting his hard gaze to hers, "and they aren't allowed to use pagers here, either."

At that moment, the shrill beeping sound of the communicator echoed through the silent room. Mr. Caplan's eyebrow rose, and he folded his hands over his chest.

Despite herself, Brittany shrank under the glare of authority.

"Sorry," she whispered, leaning back into her chair in an attempt to hide from the principal. Mr. Caplan sighed, and reached towards the watch.

"And how do you turn this contraption off?" he demanded, staring at the microphone curiously, "Funny... this isn't anything like any pager I've ever seen. There's no screen for the phone number of the caller to register..."

"It's actually a... prototype for a new kind of pager," Brittany stated, sitting up, "My friend Billy Mitchell designed it-"

"Ah," Mr. Caplan said, a small smile of pride melting his fierce expression, "Billy Mitchell. One of the finest young men I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. So, you're a friend of his?"

Brittany nodded, a smile spreading on her lips. "Yeah. Our families go waaay back."

Brittany then swallowed, and looked away from Mr. Caplan sharply, toying with a lock of her dark hair. "Mr. Caplan, I'm terribly sorry the pager went off in school. Billy's still working out the bugs. I thought I had turned it off, but it still rang. I can't figure out how to mute the ring! And I didn't check into the main office when I got here because I've never been to this school before. I was kinda wandering around when the pager went off, and you found me."

Brittany then looked back into Mr. Caplan's eyes, her most sincere expression lighting up her eyes and face. After a moment of silence, Mr. Caplan sighed in defeat, and laid the watch on his desk again.

"I'll be right back," he said, rising to his feet, "I'll get you a visitor's pass. What did you say your name was again?"

"Brittany Lee," she repeated, watching as he walked out of the office. She then sighed in relief, and immediately reached for her communicator. After another quick glance around to make sure no one was within earshot, she activated the communicator.

"Anthony, this is Brittany. Do you read?"

^Brit!^ came a voice in answer, ^Where the heck are you?^

"I'm in the principal's office, Tony," she sighed.

^Why?^ asked Regina's voice.

"Well, Mister Caplan heard my communicator go off. I explained it was my pager, and he called me to his office. Sheesh! What kind of Nazis don't allow students to have pagers in school?"

^Remember, this is the twentieth century,^ said Anthony, ^The rules are different here. So, what did you find?^

"I'll come tell you," she said, standing up and walking to the door. She swore under her breath when she realized the secretary was standing right outside.

"I guess he considers me a flight risk or something," she said, quietly closing the door, "Guys, I'm teleporting out."

^Brittany, if you use the teleport relays of the CAC, you'll alert the Terran Rangers to our presence," Regina warned.

"Sheesh, Gina, you make it sound like we don't want to encounter them. Maybe instead of seeking them out, we should make 'em come to us," Brittany responded wryly, pressing the buttons. She instantly vanished in a column of yellow light.

In the Central Access Complex, the home base of the Terran Power Rangers, Billy sat at his desk, his feet propped on the wooden surface and his head leaning backwards. He chewed on a pen, squinting at the ceiling as his mind worked its wonders.

Billy was completely determined to remember why the name Anthony Monroe sounded so familiar.

While he focused on his mental search, the computer on Billy's desk came to life. Billy nearly stumbled to the ground in reaction to the sudden alarm signal that sounded from the screen. He then quickly recovered himself, and stared at the screen.

"Curiouser and curiouser," he muttered to himself, "According to the transport logs, someone used the transporter to leave Angel Grove High minutes ago. It's not the teleport signature of any of the Terran Rangers, though. I've never seen anything like it before..."

Just then, the alarms screamed to life. Billy leapt from his seat, and turned on the Viewing Globe. He saw an image of Goldar, hiding behind some rocks, peering at two teenagers.

Billy frowned in disgust.

"Just what we need," he groaned, stepping away from his computer, "Goldar has decided to pay us a visit."

He then squinted, staring closer at the two youths on the screen. They seemed completely unaware of Goldar's presence, as they continued their journey through the rocky terrain of the desert west of Angel Grove.

"Why would Goldar tail these kids?" Billy asked himself, folding his arms, "I'd better get some Rangers over to that area, before I find out."

"Okay," Aisha declared, slipping a fresh tennis ball from her pocket, "Thirty serving Love."

"Oh please!" Zack groaned from across the court, "don't even try it!"

"Try what?" Aisha asked innocently, casting a mock-confused glance at her tormentor.

"Psyching us out by constantly repeating the score," Zack answered, bending his knees and tightening his grip on his racket, "Can you believe her show-boating, Jay?"

Jason shrugged at his doubles partner. "You have to admit, she's got a wicked serve. Neither of us have been able to return it!"

"And you won't either!" Tommy called from beside Aisha. He then grinned at his partner. "Okay, Aisha, let 'er rip!"

Aisha beamed wickedly at Zack before tossing the bright yellow ball into the air. Her arm hung behind her back, and with the force of a bullet, sliced into the air in a smooth motion. The face of the racket slammed into the soft ball, forcing the small sphere in the direction of the net. It sailed just over the net, smacking the dark green court just within the small white box on the opponents' end and sailing directly at Jason. Jason raced like the wind towards the ball, and bit his lip as he hit the ball with a powerful forehand swing. He managed to make contact with the ball, but instead of sailing over the net again, the ball flew blindly out of bounds, and into the neighboring court.

"And Aisha Campbell scores another ace!" Tommy declared, quickly high-fiving his partner. He then smiled at Jason and Zack, who were both seething at the lost point. "So, how's the Humble Pie today?"

"Stop talking like you have anything to do with it," Zack called back, "Your racket hasn't touched the ball this service!"

Jason began to chuckle as he chased down the wayward ball. "I don't think Aisha needs a partner to wallop the two of us, Zack."

Jason stopped right outside the neighboring court, where four other classmates were engaged in a heated volley. Finally, the point was finished, and one of the players retrieved the extra ball from near their net.

"Did you lose something, Jason?" she asked, tossing her thick ebony hair over her shoulder as she held up the guilty ball.

"Sorry, Angela," Jason said, catching the ball she threw at him, "but none of us can seem to hit Aisha's serve right."

Angela shrugged her eyebrows as she fixed her gaze on Aisha, who was still engaged in a shouting match with Zack. At this point, both athletes were hovering at the net, their voices high. While the two were involved in a heated debate over tennis skills, anyone could see that the argument wasn't truly serious.

It was especially obvious when Zack conceded superiority to his opponent, and ended the dispute by accepting Aisha's peace offering: a gentle peck on the lips.

Angela's lips curled in disgust for a moment, before she returned to her own match.

"If you two are finished now, we can get back to the game," Jason sighed, tossing the retrieved ball to Aisha. She caught the ball easily, and walked toward the back of the court in preparation for her next serve. But before the ball left her fingertips, the sound of a nearby communicator snapped her focus.

Tommy glanced around quickly to make sure no one was watching. Fortunately, the tennis courts were spread out enough for no one other than the four to have heard the signal. Tommy then nodded to Zack and Jason, and the four congregated at the center of the court.

"What's up, Billy?" the leader of the Terran Rangers inquired.

^It looks like Goldar has decided to grace us with his presence,^ Billy's voice said over the communicator, ^He's just outside Angel Grove, near the Native American tribe reservation.^

Tommy frowned deeply. "What could he possibly want there?"

^Whatever it is, it has something to do with two kids. He's following them pretty closely.^

"We'd better get over there," Jason decided, "before Goldar makes his move."

^I'll coordinate your wrist-teleporters to Goldar's location. Once you're free and clear, Zack, Jason, and Tommy can morph and head straight into battle. Aisha, you can come here to the CAC and give me a hand. Since you four are in gym class, I figured it would be easier for you to skip class.^

"We're on our way," Zack said, watching as Tommy deactivated his communicator, "So, how do we get out of class?"

"Easy," Aisha said with a grin, "Zack, I'm going to serve the ball to your backhand. Pretend to twist your ankle or something."

"Got it," he responded, as the four returned to their stations. Aisha narrowed her eyes as she aimed her serve carefully, causing the ball to skid just along the white line that marked the edge of the court. Zack scrambled to return it, but lost his footing and fell to the pavement.

"AH!!" he screamed, clutching his ankle in agony, "MY FOOT!!"

As classmates gathered around the moaning sufferer, Aisha and Tommy moved closer together.

"He's such a ham," Aisha giggled.

In an intense display of cloudy gold light, Goldar materialized within the throne room.

When the light faded, the warrior was stunned at the sight before him.

The room had changed entirely. The rough stone walls and floor were replaced by black marble tiles, giving the chamber a more polished, regal feel. A strip of thick black carpeting stretched from the entrance of the chamber to the throne, which now sat atop a trapezoidal platform of about four feet in height, each layer a one-foot thick slab of marble slightly smaller than the previous, to create ascending steps. Atop the platform, on either side of the golden throne, was a golden torch stand, with a pulsing black flame blazing ominously atop each. And finally, in the corner of the throne room just beside the large balcony rested a huge globe of Earth, hovering about two feet off the ground, and spinning slowly on an angled axis, just like the planet itself. Goldar stepped closer, and realized with awe that it was in fact a miniature display of Earth, complete with liquid rivers and oceans that coursed along the surface.

It was like nothing he had ever seen before.

He growled under his breath.

"Welcome back, Goldar," said a slightly familiar voice. Goldar spun around in reaction, and his jaw dropped yet again. A tall knight, dressed in reflectant black armor, had just entered the altered throne room. A crimson flash lit his empty eyeholes, and he rested his long black ax on the ground, placing both his hands at the top of the hilt. The creature flashed a crafty smile.

"Rito?" Goldar whispered in bewilderment.

The skeleton nodded. "The new and improved Rito Revolto."

Rito laughed deeply, lifting his ax and swinging it onto his shoulder. He then approached Goldar with a slow, easy stride. "Like the new décor?"

"What in the name of Evil happened here?!" Goldar demanded.

"Lord Umbriel happened."

At that moment, a swirling stream of black smoke appeared above the soft velvet pillow on the new golden throne. Goldar's attention was fixed on the cloud of arcane energy, as it twisted and molded into the tall, intimidating form of Umbriel.

At the arrival of the creature, Goldar felt the temperature of the room drop by at least twenty degrees. Even the hardened canine warrior shivered.

The aura of the being's cold power was intense.

Still, Goldar wasn't prone to cowering. In fact, he had grown quite comfortable in his newly-acquired role of leader.

"How dare you take over my palace?!" Goldar barked furiously, brandishing his golden sword.

Umbriel's empty gaze was cold and blank, almost as if he were in another world. His hands were again hidden beneath the flowing folds of his black robes, and his head was straight and defiant.

"Answer me!" Goldar roared.

Although it was impossible to tell, Umbriel's gaze shifted slightly, fixating on Rito. Rito felt the attention, and discerned the unspoken order.

More swiftly than even Goldar could react, Rito swung his mighty battle ax around, smashing it into Goldar's heavy sword and fiercely disarming the stunned warrior. He followed up the swing with a massive kick to Goldar's chest, causing the canine to fall on his back. Rito placed an armored foot on Goldar's stomach, and rested the sharp ebony ax tip at the base of Goldar's chin.

"Traitor," Goldar growled under his breath.

"I don't recall ever being loyal to you," Rito remarked, malice in his tone, "In fact, considering I am Rita's brother, I should be the heir to her and Zedd's throne."

Rito's frown melted into a sinister grin. Goldar quickly realized he preferred the frown. "I was too dense to see your assumption of my power before," Rito whispered, "but now my eyes have been opened."

To punctuate the statement, the eerie light in the core of Rito's eyes flashed brighter. Goldar unconsciously shivered again.

"I shall be brief," Umbriel stated, his deep voice quiet yet penetrating, "I have no need of you, Goldar. Also, I have no reason to trust you. I have watched you, and I have discerned that you have abandoned every master you have ever served. You betrayed Rita when Zedd arrived, you betrayed Zedd when Ivan Ooze arrived, and the instant Zedd and Rita vanished, you left them for dead and took the throne."

Umbriel's eyes narrowed. "It is in my best interests to simply eliminate you now."

Umbriel nodded his head slightly, and Rito raised the battle ax high.

"Wait!" Goldar shrieked.

Rito stopped, feeling the approval of his Master.

"I... I have fought the Power Rangers for years," Goldar said, panting heavily, "I'm indispensable to anyone intending to conquer Earth!"

Umbriel's flat expression deepened into a slight frown. "Firstly," he hissed, "I have no interest in this mud-ball. My only concern is the M'Kraan Crystal. And as for the Rangers... I have Rito to inform me of everything I would need to know regarding them. And I can be assured of his loyalty to me."

"Sorry Goldie," Rito smirked, preparing to lower the ax yet again.

"However..." Umbriel decided, "I am sure I can find some use for you. At least for the time being. I don't want the Terran Rangers to know of my arrival yet. There is more information I need to collect."

"Such as?" Rito asked, "I can do it as well as Goldar ever could!"

One side-angle glance from Umbriel promptly silenced the skeleton.

"Return to Earth," he commanded, "and get me what I desire." His eyes narrowed. "Information."

"I can't believe we're doing this," Micah grumbled, wiping the beads of sweat that dripped from his hairline. He paused, lowering his aching body onto a rock that sat on the parched land. He squinted as he stared up at the brilliant blue sky, with the merciless sun glowing fiercely at its apex.

"We can't stop," Rebecca called, keeping her eye on the hovering bird while she approached Micah, "If we lose the bird, we'll never find David."

Micah rolled his eyes. "Do you really think that bird is leading us anywhere?" he muttered, running his hands through his sweat-soaked hair, "We've been climbing this stupid cliff for fifteen minutes, and there's been no sign of human life up here. Ten to one that falcon is just flying to his nest or something."

Rebecca sighed, tossing her hands on her hips. "Okay, I don't need to be an empath to see you were shaken by what the shaman said to us."

Micah shrugged noncommittally. "He can keep spurting his prophecies," Micah groaned, "I'm not gonna let him bother me."

Rebecca nodded, turning back towards the falcon. "Whatever you say, Mike." Her eyes narrowed, and she placed her hand over her eyes to protect her vision from the glare of the midday sun. Her expression quickly brightened. "Hey Mike! The bird's descending!"

She then broke into a run in the direction the bird was flying.

"Hey!" Micah called, pulling his weary body off the boulder, "Wait for me!"

Micah hastily caught up with his companion, and together the teens raced down a dusty hill in hot pursuit of the falcon. The falcon released a shrill cry before landing on a tree branch. An excited grin crossed Rebecca's lips as her gaze panned the immediate area, and she grabbed Micah's arm urgently.

"Mike, I think we found what we've been looking for."

Squatting on the dusty earth just below the tree was a young man with flowing chocolate hair. He paused his activity of searching through a backpack to gaze at the screeching bird above his head. He kept watching as the bird fixed him with a meaningful stare.

The young man's confused stare was broken when he heard footsteps nearby. He rose to his feet, brushing the dust from his jeans and T-shirt, and watched as two young teenagers quickly approached him.

"Wow," he said when they were within earshot, "what are you kids doing up here? These cliffs can be pretty dangerous, and from the look of it, this kind of hiking isn't what you're used to."

Micah answered only with heavy panting. David's smile widened as he pulled a leather canteen from his bag. He reached out to Micah, offering the canteen.

"Thanks, David," Micah gasped, accepting the water and taking a long sip. David's eyes widened in surprise at the young boy's comment.

"I'm sorry," David said, staring a bit closer at Micah's face, "do I know you?"

Micah grimaced slightly at his own indiscretion, and turned to Rebecca. The latter chewed on her lower lip slightly, and turned her gaze to David.

"No, you don't know us," she replied, "Well, at least not yet. We came to the reservation to find you, and the tribal shaman told us to follow the falcon."

David frowned thoughtfully, gazing up at the perched bird once again. "If my dad guided you to me, then it must be pretty important."

Micah's jaw hung open in shock. "The shaman is your father?"

"Well, my adoptive father," David explained, putting his backpack on again, "I never knew my real parents. I was orphaned, when I was really young. Actually, that's the reason why I'm up here."

"Are you on a vision quest?" Micah inquired.

David nodded, drawing his hand beneath his shirt collar. He slowly pulled out a leather chord, with a half of a stone arrowhead hanging like a pendant. "All my life, I've had this arrowhead. My father always told me it would lead me to my destiny, but that's all the information I've ever been able to get about it. I've been on a few vision quests, but I've never been enlightened about it... or my real family. Last night, my father told me that my destiny's path would appear to me before the next sunset." He grinned at the two children. "I guess that's what you two are here for."

Rebecca shook her head in disbelief, and wiped the sweat from her face slowly. *This is amazing, Mike,* she transmitted telepathically, *Is it possible that we were destined to come into this reality and unite the arrowhead? It seems like this shaman has been waiting for us for years.*

He certainly knows about my dad, Micah responded, so he could have brought the two together already. I guess, maybe, you're right. We were supposed to enter this universe, and therefore our influence is necessary for the destinies of the Rangers to unfold. It's like one of those weird paradoxes on sci-fi movies!

*That certainly makes our presence here a little less troublesome. If we were meant to come here, then maybe we don't have to worry too much about altering the time stream. Our influence on this reality is important. I guess...*

"So," David said, interrupting the telepathic conversation, "if you two really are here to show me my destiny, let's have it. Do you have the answers? Do you now what this arrowhead means?"

"We do," Micah said, looking the taller man in the eye, "That arrowhead is a powerful medallion, containing a great deal of magical power-"

"Is that a fact?" growled a menacing feral voice, "Now, what kind of power does this arrowhead contain?"

The three teenagers turned around urgently as the armored beast Goldar step into sight from behind some nearby boulders. Rebecca and Micah instantly fell into defensive stances in front of David, who stood dumfounded at the sudden appearance of such an unearthly abomination.

"The arrowhead, Children," he grumbled, the sunlight bouncing off his polished sword as he slowly waved it threateningly.

"You don't scare us," said Rebecca sternly, narrowing her dark eyes. She then stepped forward slightly, raising her chin defiantly towards the monster. "Mike," she called over her shoulder, "get David out of here, and call for backup."

Micah gazed at Rebecca, blinking with indecision. "Can you take this guy by yourself, Beck?"

Rebecca glanced at him darkly.

"Okay, dumb question," Micah sighed, grabbing David by the wrist. He then led him away from the battle.

"By the might of the stars," Rebecca whispered, a golden badge appearing on her chest, "Heaven's Gale Starlight Power!!"

Goldar growled in surprise and disgust, and shielded his crimson eyes urgently as a blinding mist of pink energy erupted from the Starlight Disc. He managed to open his eyes once the light faded, and his brow furrowed when he saw the unfamiliar Pink Ranger standing before him, her hands held proudly on her hips.

Despite her small stature, this Pink Ranger seemed to exude a rare form of confidence that made her far more intimidating than Goldar originally perceived.

The ancient canine warrior grinned as the Pink Ranger removed her hands from her hips, and whirled her arms in an impressive display before finally settling into a fighting stance.

"Just a slip of a girl," he muttered, slowly approaching. Rebecca braced herself for the oncoming dose of lethal strength, her hand lowering to the holster where her crossbow was firmly attached.

Inexplicably, before he was within a yard of the Pink Ranger, Goldar stopped in his tracks. He touched his forehead, releasing a low grumble. Finally, he fixed Rebecca with a cold glare and a wicked grin.

"We shall finish this soon," he declared as his form disappeared in a bright golden cloud of energy, "I promise you."

Rebecca blinked in astonishment, and turned around full circle in search of the monster. Finally, she relaxed her battle stance, and threw up her arms in confusion. "What was that all about?" she pondered aloud, her frown deepening. She gasped in surprise when, without warning, twelve menacing green Putty Patrollers materialized out of thin air.

Her eyes narrowed when she noticed the white Vs on their chests. They were clearly a few specimens of Finster's deadly Viper Putties. Rebecca's confused frown melted into an almost predatory grin, and she once again fell into a prepared stance.

Meanwhile, not far away, Micah and David ducked behind a large boulder for cover. Micah was fiddling with his communicator, while David peeked out to watch the fight.

"You guys are the Power Rangers?" he asked, turning back to Micah.

"Sort of," he responded, "It's complicated. Anthony, are you there?"

^What's up, Mike?^ a voice replied.

"We found David, but Goldar attacked us! We could use some help!"

After a short pause, Anthony's voice returned. ^Hang on Mike. We're on our way!^

Anthony turned to Brittany and Regina, who were both frowning slightly.

"What the hell is Goldar bothering Micah and Rebecca for?" Brittany seethed, folding her arms. She had voiced the question that was on the minds of all three of the elder Starlight Rangers.

"Whatever the reason, we've got to move," Anthony said, pushing off from the car he was leaning on, "This'll be our first fight as Power Rangers. We've gotta be very careful not to underestimate our opponents. Goldar and the Viper Putties are extremely deadly, and I'm sure they eat amateurs for breakfast."

Regina creeped closer to Anthony, and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Try and keep positive," she advised, "If Will didn't think we could handle combat, he certainly wouldn't have made us Power Rangers!"

"She's got a point, Tony," Brittany affirmed, glancing quickly around the parking lot, "The coast's clear."

"Then let's morph," Anthony declared, the badge on his chest suddenly appearing, "Starburst Starlight Power!"

"Corona Wash Starlight Power!" Brittany shouted.

"Solar Blaze Starlight Power!" Regina cried.

The three teens were engulfed in bright columns of light, lightweight armor molding around them and infusing them with the power of the legendary Power Rangers. Immediately after the morph, the three Rangers followed Micah's signal to the heart of the battle. They appeared on the dusty desert cliff just feet away from Micah and David, who were still crouching behind the boulder.

About twenty yards away, the Pink Ranger was fully engulfed in a heated conflict, mercilessly pounding on the army of Viper Putties.

"Keep David safe, Micah," said the Red Ranger, his hand moving to his sheathed sword, "Once he's out of harm's way, come give us a hand!"

"You got it," said Micah, leading David away from the fight. The Red, Yellow, and Blue Starlight Rangers immediately raced towards the battle, and arrived on the scene just in time to see Rebecca balance her crossbow on her left forearm. She braced herself, and a powerful beam of pink and silver energy shot from the bow, plowing into the three Viper Putties in the line of fire.

"Nice shot, Edana," Rebecca commented, directing her praise to the handle of the weapon.

"Expect nothing less from a seasoned professional," a female voice responded, its source being the stylized silver firebird head atop the weapon, "I've been designed to be the u