In all honesty, it was a beautiful sight. A brilliant contrast of the red earth, the vibrant blue sky, and the white cotton clouds that trailed along the dome of the heavens as if they were strokes of a paintbrush.

Usually, Anthony Monroe was one to appreciate the beauty of nature. Mostly, it was due to the influence of his girlfriend's passion for the experience of nature, whether it be camping, rock-climbing, scuba-diving, or whatnot. But this was different. His eyes were blind to any simple beauty.

Never before had such a weight pressed upon the young man's shoulders. His life had always been one of little worry, and even less responsibility. True, his mother was a Power Ranger, and both his parents had careers demanding leadership abilities. But in all honesty, he never expected to be thrown into a position of leadership.

Will thought he was perfect for the role. So did everyone else, apparently. Everyone put their hopes in him, as if he had somehow deserved their faith. Four dear friends put their very lives in his hands...

..and he had already failed one.

A cold that he simply couldn't shake off rushed through his body like a river. He had never experienced failure to such a degree. His life was filled with sporting championships, academic scholarship, and the respect of his peers. Surely, that wasn't enough to prepare him for the trials of leadership. He realized quickly that all his achievements paled in relation to his failure.

He was only a Power Ranger for a matter of hours, but he had already let down Micah Oliver.

The youngest of the Power Rangers, and therefore probably the brashest, was at the mercy of one of the most powerful and deadly creatures the Earth had ever seen. And with him was the unwitting costar in the current drama: a young man who probably had never even heard of the Power Rangers before. He was the one fortune deemed the keeper of the powerful magic of one half of a mystical arrowhead, which forced him into a supernatural world against which he had no defense.

One young boy, and one innocent bystander. And if he didn't find them soon, they'd pay for his mistakes with their lives.

"Are you sure you're my son?" said a gentle voice, tearing through the bitter silence of his thoughts, "I mean Jeez... I'm never one to brood! You certainly don't get it from my side of the family."

The statuesque Red Ranger turned around, and glanced at the petite Gold Ranger standing beside him. She had her arms folded over her chest, mocking his dramatic pose perfectly. And although he couldn't see it, he was certain she wore a pensive frown as well.

Despite everything that weighed on him, he still felt light enough to crack a small smile.

He knew it must have been hard for Kimberly to come to grips with the reality of his existence. Even though he was from an alternate reality, surely the experience of meeting one's adult son was jarring for the bright-eyed girl... especially considering the fact that his father wasn't a man for whom she had any romantic feelings.

Still, she was amazingly good at getting past any discomfort she felt in his presence. As always, she made it her mission to reach out to her teammates, whoever they might be.

"Maybe it's not genetic," Anthony responded after a long silence, "Maybe it's the curse of the Red Ranger."

Kimberly sighed, shaking her head. "Well, I suppose it won't do me any good to assure you that this isn't your fault, right?"

"Right."

She shrugged. "Not surprising. I don't think I was able of convincing anyone of that. So, let's try another approach."

She grabbed his arm, leaning his head to her. "I'll tell you a little secret. One that took both Jason and Tommy a while to grasp."

Anthony perked up with interest. "What?"

"You may be the leader, Tony, but you're not the Lone Ranger. Don't think that you have to alienate yourself from the others, or that you make all the decisions, and therefore must face all the consequences. The other Starlight Rangers may be subordinate in the chain of command, but that doesn't make you responsible for them. The Power Rangers are more of a democracy than a dictatorship. You don't make all the decisions."

"But-"

"Let me finish," she argued, letting him stand aright. "Think about it, Tony. Do you come up with all the ideas? Do you ever force your teammates to take a course of action that they don't condone? Would you do such a thing?"

Anthony was silent for a moment. "No, I wouldn't," he decided.

"Then what makes you entirely responsible?"

"It was my idea..."

"..and Micah agreed to it," Kim pointed out, "and none of the others objected, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Therefore, it was a sound plan. True, it didn't go too well, but you realize that Micah, as well as the others, were prepared for this circumstance. If he didn't want to go off alone, he would've said something."

"Still-"

"Let... me... finish," she groaned, "It's true that there's a chain of command in the Power Rangers' organization. It's the only way to really establish order. But just because Tommy's the leader, doesn't mean he always takes the lead. And just because Billy is our advisor, doesn't mean he always does all the advising. We're a team here, not an army troop. There aren't any real orders. There are suggestions."

Kim stepped back, smiling beneath her golden helmet. "We all have roles to play, but they aren't absolute. True, you are a figure of respect for the others... but don't let that become too burdensome. Then, how useful to the others will you be, if you let the burden of leadership create a wall between you and your friends?"

Anthony remained silent, marveling at Kimberly for a moment. She was surprisingly wise in the ways of leadership. It only made sense, because her pivotal role amongst the Power Rangers was as a confidant and emotional pillar. She was most likely used to dealing with Tommy's emotional problems, as well as Jason's before him.

She had a convincing argument. Perhaps leadership shouldn't weigh quite so heavily. Of course, it's certainly a position that can't be taken lightly... but he shouldn't run the risk of elevating his station so far beyond that of the others, that they feel like soldiers under his command rather than friends and teammates.

Anthony blinked in surprise when he noticed a sudden movement in the corner of his eye. He turned around, trying his best to get another look at whatever being hid behind a lone tree on the mountainside.

"What is it?" Kimberly inquired, following Anthony's gaze.

His eyes narrowed. "Uninvited company," he whispered, slowly reaching for his powerful sword. He then held it with both hands, and it began glowing with fiery energy. "Draco, do your thing!"

"Leave it to me, Red Ranger," the dragon's head replied.

Kimberly watched in naked amazement as the talking sword sailed through the air, launching itself at the hidden enemy.

"He's so much like Saba," Kim whispered. The sword released bright, flaming energy behind a boulder, forcing several Putties to disclose their presence.

"Terrific," she groaned, "Viper Putties."

"There're more of them," Anthony commented, looking another way. A total of six deadly creatures stepped forward, closing in on the pair of Rangers in two clusters.

"Draco!" Anthony commanded, holding up his hand. The sword stopped firing at the lithe Putty and returned to his partner's grasp.

"Three each?" Kimberly inquired, balling her fists.

"Right," Anthony said, "I'll take these three."

"Good luck!" Kimberly called, as she watched the Red Ranger from the corner of her eye. Gripping his sword tightly, he charged at the oncoming trio. "He's a bit pumped," she commented to herself. She then turned her attention to the three Putties that faced her.

"Ha!" she cried, flipping in their direction. They waited for her eagerly, but succumbed to the flurry of kicks and punches she assailed them with. After she had successfully stunned the three enemies for a moment, a smug grin crossed her lips when she surveyed a rather large boulder, just barely holding onto the cliff above.

"This is too easy," she whispered under her breath, focusing her attention on the boulder. Suddenly, the boulder was pushed by the force of her telekinesis, and began rolling in the direction of the Putties. They didn't manage to move before the boulder crushed them into piles of ash.

"Strike!" Kim shouted. She then glanced at Anthony, who was still fending off all three Putties. She gasped in alarm as she saw a Putty splash Anthony's arm with the corrosive venom. He shrieked in pain, dropping Draco and watching in horror as the steaming liquid began slowly eating through his uniform.

Before he could recover his bearings, one Putty reached out and grabbed his other arm. Suddenly, a thick black fog began to form around the Putty, and slowly crept onto the Red Ranger's arm.

"Tony!" she called, holding up her arm, "THUNDERBOW!!"

A flash of bright lightning heralded the appearance of her mighty bow. She leapt closer to the scene, knocking away the two other Putties to buy her some time.

She held her breath as she aimed her weapon. She pulled back the drawstring, creating a focus of electrical energy. She realized full well that there were only centimeters between the Red Ranger and the opposing Putty.

Without giving another thought to the consequences of her missing her target, she released the drawstring. The lightning bolt crackled as it sailed through the air, and struck the attacking Putty directly in the upper arm. His arm severed from the rest of his body, and the separated appendage collapsed into dust, releasing the Red Starlight Ranger from its grip. Anthony stumbled back, obviously shaken by the attack. He watched in amazement as the Putty's arm began to regenerate.

"Oh, no you don't," Kim whispered menacingly, aiming once again. This time, the bolt struck the creature directly in the face, exploding upon impact. Unable to heal from that mortal wound, the Putty shriveled and decomposed.

Anthony's entire body trembled as he reached for his fallen sword. While he mustered all his strength to his goal, Kimberly leapt to face the remaining two Putties.

Anthony felt something build in the core of his being as he clutched Draco tightly. For an instant, the pain in his arm had subsided and the weakness in his body evaporated, allowing him to steadily rise to his feet.

Unbeknownst to him, his entire body was glowing with a faint ruby haze.

"Kimberly," he huffed, "Stand... back!"

Kimberly swirled to face the Red Ranger, and was alarmed to see the power building around him. Still, she took heed to his warning, and flipped out of harm's way.

Once she was out of the line of fire, Anthony gripped his weapon with both hands. The silver edge of the sword was now pulsating with red energy.

"STARBURST!" he summoned, holding his sword above his head.

The sound of the flaming attack assailed Kim's ears like a rocket launch. Vibrant red and white energy poured from sword, creating a sphere of pulsating power. Anthony then swung his sword in the direction of the Putties, and the energy obeyed his command. It bolted through the air in their direction, exploding as it made contact.

For several moments after the devastating onslaught, both Kimberly and Anthony stared in amazement at the smoking hole where the Putties were standing.

"Th...that was amazing!" Kimberly gasped, hurrying to the side of the Red Ranger. He gasped for breath, sheathing Draco slowly, "What was that?"

"I don't know," he confessed laboredly. His legs then went numb beneath him, and the pain in his arm returned in full flaming force.

Kimberly was quick to catch the dazed Red Ranger, who had lost the strength in his legs. She slung his uninjured arm over her shoulders, gazing at him worriedly. "We're going to the CAC," she decided, "I'd better take a look at that venom burn."

About a half a mile east, X-Ranger One hovered off the ground, a magnetic field surrounding his body. The silver glow around his body looked like the energy of the full moon, casting gentle, ethereal light about the area.

Below him, the Blue Starlight Ranger gazed in amazement at the power the Silver Ranger seemed to command. It was so characteristically different from any energy signature she had witnessed in her own world.

It amazed her how far the two timestreams diverged, even only a few months after the separation of the two realities.

"I'm not seeing anything," Zack sighed, descending from his vantage point. He landed beside the Blue Ranger, and marveled at the fact that she was three inches taller than himself. Although she couldn't see his eyes, Regina could feel he was staring at her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Not really," he answered quickly, stepping away from her and continuing his search on foot, "Um... how tall are you, anyway?"

"Almost six feet," Regina answered, following his lead.

"Wow," Zack said, "you certainly must not get it from Aisha. She's kinda short herself."

"Well, although my mother is short, she has tall family members. Also, my dad is over six feet. I guess they grow 'em big in Kenya."

"I'll say," Zack said, and the pair continued to walk along the rocky wasteland. "So," he continued, "do you still live in Africa then?"

"My family does," Regina answered, "but I'm going to school in the States."

Zack nodded with interest. He then paused in his walking, and turned to the Blue Ranger. "How did your parents meet?"

"They both were in the same biology class in college," Regina said, pausing beside the Silver Ranger. She could tell his questions were building to something.

"In college, eh?" Zack repeated thoughtfully, "So then, it's probable that our Aisha, from this time period, has never met this guy before, right?"

"That would make sense," said Regina, a smile of amusement hidden by her sapphire helmet.

"And therefore, if she doesn't move back to Africa to go to school, she probably never will meet him, right?"

Regina's smile widened, as she recalled how Zack and Aisha had reacted to the revelation of her parentage. She slowly approached the Silver Ranger, and gently laid her hand on his shoulder. "Don't give it another thought, Zack. Frankly, I very much doubt this world's Aisha will even meet Edward Drew. In my reality, she didn't return to America to finish up high school. You have nothing to worry about."

"Hey," said Zack nonchalantly, "who's worried? I'm just making conversation."

"Sure," muttered Regina sarcastically.

Before Zack could make a reply, the bumbling warble of Putty Talk suddenly came into earshot. He whirled his head around frantically, trying to find the source of the sound.

His eyes widened as a squad of Viper Putties suddenly climbed into view, surrounding them. The two Rangers immediately fell into fighting stances, standing back to back.

"How about we drop this discussion?" Regina recommended, yanking her twin axes from her belt, "Right now, we have other things to take care of."

"Piece of cake," said Zack, holding his palms together and building a magnetic field. He then pointed both palms towards the closest Putty, and the wave of magnetic energy crashed into the creature, sending it hurtling into a wall of rock.

"Nice trick," Regina commented, "The Zack Taylor I know can't do that."

"That's because the Zack Taylor you know isn't an X-Ranger," Zack said, creating a bubble of magnetic force around both him and the Blue Ranger. The Putties scratched and smashed into the bubble, but they could not penetrate it.

"So now what do we do?" asked Regina.

"There's no need to put ourselves in danger," Zack replied, as the bubble slowly began to rise into the sky, "Do you have a long-range weapon?"

Regina frowned beneath her helmet, glancing at her Gemini Axes curiously. "Well, I'm not sure..."

"Of course you do!" said the unicorn head atop the left ax, the voice startling the Silver and Blue Rangers both, "Artemis and I can launch energy beams from our mouths."

"You really should ask us what we are capable of doing before we go into battle," Artemis commented wryly.

Regina arched her eyebrow, pointing her axes downwards. "I'll never get used to this," she sighed.

"They actually remind me of my Power Ax," Zack commented absently, "Well, except for that whole talking thing."

He shrugged, holding out his hand. At his mute command, the Lance of Light appeared in his grasp, the twin prisms at both ends sparking with energy. "When I say 'now', let loose with your axes. Hopefully, these guys can't take too much of an energy barrage."

The Silver Ranger glanced down through the silvery surface of the magnetic sphere. By this time, the bubble had risen a few yards over the heads of the Putties, who slinked about patiently for the Rangers to return to battle.

"Now!" Zack said as the force field vanished. He still managed to magnetically hold them off the ground, and they released their energy and arrow attacks on the hapless creatures. Two of the Putties managed to dodge the shower, and both released steaming streams of acid into the air. Zack immediately responded by releasing his magnetic hold, and the two Rangers fell gracefully to the ground. The Putties were quick to pounce at them.

"Hey!" Regina cried, warding off a Putty by slamming its head with Ares, "How about a little warning next time you plan on dropping me like a bad habit!"

"I'll keep that in mind," huffed Zack, thrusting his lance into the stomach of the other Putty. Soon, the last Viper Putty crumbled to dust, leaving the two Rangers alone on the rocky terrain. Whereas Regina wasn't even winded from the exertion, Zack was leaning on his lance to remain standing.

"Hey," Regina said with concern, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," he huffed, "I guess holding magnetic fields is more draining than I planned. I've never actually tried that before..."

"Can you walk?"

"Sure," he answered, "just give me a sec."

With a deep exhalation, the Green Terran Ranger glanced up at the rough surface of dense rock that stretched high into the sky. At the top of the plateau, only one of the many rock formations on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, was the destroyed remains of the Command Center. Buried within this very plateau, where evil will never find it, was the Central Access Complex.

And somewhere in this hazardous terrain were two hostages, being held captive by the mysterious forces of evil.

"Okay," said Adam, shoving his ivory boot into the crevice formed in the ancient rock surface, "do you see anything, Brittany?"

"No," she answered, a frown forming underneath her yellow helmet. She hesitantly reached upwards, grasping a protrusion in the rock face. She bit her lower lip with exertion, and pulled her body up with her trembling arm.

Brittany was a rather talented athlete, but she had never, ever gone rock climbing. Even with the advanced protection of her Starlight Powers, she couldn't get the thought of the distant ground out of her mind.

Her teeth dug further into her lip in a desperate attempt to bite back her discomfort, as well as her worry for her missing teammate and his uncle. Thinking about them was only distracting her, and she wouldn't be able to do Micah or David any good if she were dead.

A surprised yelp escaped her lips when a cloud of pebbles and dust descended from above. She narrowed her eyes, gazing up the cliff wall to a large protrusion only a few yards ahead of her.

"Someone's up there," she whispered, pausing her ascent. Adam halted beneath her.

"Are you sure?" he answered. Just then, a wave of larger rocks began plummeting in their direction.

"Adam?" she shrieked in panic, pushing herself flat against the rock surface in an attempt to dodge the falling debris. One rather large rock pounded her on the shoulder, loosening her grip.

"Hang on!" he ordered, releasing the rocks he clung to. Almost as soon as he began falling, a gust of powerful wind held him steady. He then streaked up along the rock face, grabbing the immobile Yellow Starlight Ranger along the way, and carrying her to the precipice from which the debris had originated.

"Putties," Brittany growled under her breath, as she and Adam made contact with the ground.

"Again?" Adam sighed, folding his arms, "I don't know; these confrontations always seem... anti-climactic."

He held out his right hand, and his Wind Shield materialized in a flash of verdant energy. Brittany reached to her belt and pulled out a foot-long pole. She held it at arm's length, and magically it extended into a full-length javelin, complete with a golden griffin head at the top.

In silent unison, the two Power Rangers moved in to confront the half a dozen Viper Putties, each Ranger moving into the center of the precipice and moving outward.

They fought back to back, insuring that no Ranger was caught unawares.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Brittany huffed, plowing the sharp end of her javelin through the midsection of a Putty, "Are you gluttons for punishment?"

"There must be a reason for this," Adam hypothesized, blocking a stream of the corrosive venom with his shield, "Putties are usually sent as a distraction."

"That's exactly what they're doing," Brittany responded, smacking a Putty beneath the chin with her javelin, "And they're getting to be a pain in the-"

Suddenly, one Putty slipped passed the whirling fury of the griffin javelin, and grabbed the Yellow Starlight Ranger's arm. She was about to yank herself free, when suddenly a flowing, diffuse gray energy flooded around her body. She froze in place as the cloud enveloped her, flashing with sparks of yellow from time to time.

"Brittany!" Adam shouted, holding out his shield at arm's length. The thick black spiral design on the green and silver surface began to spin, creating a cyclone of powerful wind to spill forth directly at his opponents. All three Putties he faced tumbled off the narrow cliff, shattering as they continually collided with the grim mountain wall.

Adam quickly spun around, and delivered a forceful whip kick to the Putty holding Brittany hostage. The Putty stumbled to the ground before it quickly vanished from the plateau. The two remaining Putties vanished as well, leaving Adam and Brittany on the dusty protrusion.

No sooner did the Putty Patrol vanish that Brittany collapsed into the dust, panting heavily.

"Are you okay?" Adam inquired, kneeling beside the fallen Yellow Ranger. She nodded, gripping Adam's hand and allowing him to pull her to her feet.

"I'm... just so dizzy..." she breathed.

"We'd better get back to the CAC," Adam advised, "and figure out just what that thing did to you."

Brittany made no argument, and the pair vanished in columns of yellow and green energy.

A smirk crossed Umbriel's thin lips as he stepped away from his lifelike globe, the heavy skirts of his pitch robes sweeping along the cold stone floor of his Lunar Palace. He seemed to float along the floor, and rose up the marble steps to reach his large throne. He had just taken a seat when in flashes of energy three Viper Putties appeared before him, standing at attention.

"Lord," said Rito, who standing stiffly beside his master at all times, "shouldn't the other two Putties return to Earth?"

"Yes," the Shadowed One reflected, casting his empty gaze at two of the Putties. They then vanished, leaving only the center one still awaiting his master's decree.

That one Putty actually succeeded in the task Umbriel had sent dozens of Putties to accomplish: to channel the energy of a Starlight Ranger through the Tib'lika. It was a special energy-siphoning cloud, which made it easier for the Viper Putties to collect the necessary information and store it in the recording crystals they were designed with. One Putty had almost absorbed the energy pattern of the Red Ranger, but it was destroyed by the interfering Gold Ranger before the necessary data could be stored. However, the Yellow Starlight Ranger was not so quick to escape the iron grip of a Viper Putty, and the data was eventually assembled.

"I must examine this crystal," Umbriel announced, "and then I will be able to deduce whether the Starlight Rangers are of any consequence. The remaining Putty Patrol will stay on Earth, and will do their best to delay the Power Rangers from rescuing Goldar's captives."

"Master, if we brought the captives to the Moon..."

"...then the Power Rangers will attempt to rescue them, which would lead to a premature battle against them," Umbriel pointed out, "At this point, I am not interested in whether these two humans are reunited with their allies. I want to understand the mysteries of the arrowhead, and from what I have witnessed, Goldar has so far managed to extract some very useful information from the Green Starlight Ranger."

"Goldar succeeded?" Rito remarked, his calcium brow rising, "Now I've seen everything."

"There is much you have yet to see," Umbriel assured, reaching his hand to the lone Putty. The clay creature crumbled to ash, and a small crystal floated into Umbriel's crooked fingers. "I must continue my preparations, before I can confront the Power Rangers. Without the remainder of the M'Kraan Crystal, I am nowhere near full power."

"So, what shall I do to help you, Lord?" Rito inquired humbly, lowering himself to one knee.

"It is time for me to extrapolate the Rangers' strength. Therefore, I will need to provide them with a challenge that will test them to the limit, but will not inform them of my arrival. Surely, if Zordon were to discover I have returned to Earth, he will do his utmost to watch my every move, and try to steal from me the M'Kraan Crystal when I attempt to recover it from its hidden location."

"Send me, Lord," Rito volunteered, "With the power you have granted me, I am sure I can best them all."

"Do not kill any Terran Ranger," Umbriel stated emphatically, "I still must decide the best strategy for separating the human from the crystal within. Instead, force them to show you the extent of their abilities. Also, confronting them is necessary. The Rangers are surely expecting the appearance of the 'Monster of the Day.' They might feel something is amiss if that expected battle does not occur, and we do not want them to suspect anything. From their perspective, Rita and Zedd should still be ruling the Moon."

Umbriel then rose to his feet, and carried the small crystal shard with him. "Prepare yourself, Rito, and make sure to keep your identity a secret. If the Rangers discovered who you are, they will detect the vast change to your person. Remember... they must not heed any change. You are just one of Finster's creations. Do not give them any information about my arrival."

"Your will be done!" Rito saluted, hefting his large ax over his shoulder. He then hastily left the throne room, leaving the Shadowed One alone.

"I will understand the power of the Starlight Rangers, and the Terran Rangers as well," he pledged, gazing into the swirling crystal he held, "Then, I will recover my majestic M'Kraan Crystal from the location where Zordon of Eltar would have least expected it: right under his very nose."

He smirked once again, gazing out into the darkness of space. His gaze dropped to the floating gem of Earth, with patches of white clouds slowly casting through the high atmosphere.

"Oh, perfect globe of Earth," he reflected, "Zordon's little pet project, and chosen station for his battle against me. Also, a wonderful ball of rock, complete with a heavy iron content, allowing her to hide my M'Kraan Crystal without fear of its vast power being detected. Who would think to search the deep beds of Earth for it? The perfect locus for both Zordon and myself to stake our powers... and the destined locus for my final victory over the Terran Rangers, Zordon, Roma... and Destiny herself."

A heavy silence hung over the Blue and Black Terran Rangers, who dutifully examined the lower caves on the rock face on the eastern end of the rugged search area. In fact, not a word was exchanged between them during their entire search, or in the Central Access Complex prior to their mission.

A great deal of discoveries had occurred in the CAC earlier. And quite a few buried fears erupted.

For Jason, he was almost overwhelmed with suspicion. The suspicion made him feel quite guilty, but he couldn't shrug it off. Ever since he knew Katherine Hillard, he had detected the feelings she had towards his best friend. Fortunately, she had gotten over it. Or at least, he thought she had.

Now, he wasn't sure. Perhaps, the only reason why Katherine even dated him was because of the fact that she couldn't have Tommy. And now, with the discovery of a reality in which she did marry Tommy, perhaps that notion re-ignited feelings she had placed on hold, because of their unlikelihood.

Did he still have to compete for Katherine's heart? If, for some reason, something happened to sever Kimberly and Tommy's relationship, then what would happen? Was Tommy her first choice?

He didn't want to think about it. He didn't even want those thoughts to occur to him. But he couldn't prevent it. He wanted badly to just trust in Katherine. If they were meant to be, then they'd be together.

But, it didn't seem like they were meant to be after all.

For Katherine, similar feelings gnawed at her. She couldn't get the image of Brittany Lee out of her mind.

The Yellow Starlight Ranger was quite beautiful, with soft yet strong features. Her mother was surely remarkably pretty as well.

She couldn't help but wonder, what would happen between them? It was obvious that Brittany was older than Micah. Therefore, it's safe to assume Jason was the one to marry before her and Tommy. And on the other hand, Anthony was older still. So, it seemed that Kimberly had married Anthony's father first, sufficiently ending any possible future relationship with Tommy. And then Jason married this Emily Stanton, and lived happily ever after.

So, she wasn't Jason's first choice. And she wasn't even Tommy's first choice. She was the left-over.

For the first time in quite a while, Katherine found herself questioning Jason's motives. Only hours ago, she was certain that Jason would never break her heart, as so many before had. Perhaps her luck with love was finally about to change. But now, she wasn't so sure. After all, he was involved with Alexis first, and he never even mentioned that relationship to her. Katherine almost felt that, if the Purple Ranger hadn't returned to Angel Grove, Jason could have strung them both along.

Jason and Alexis had something, until Katherine stepped into his life. Just when would Emily step into his life? It wasn't a question of "if", in Katherine's perspective. No, it was only a matter of time until Jason met his true love. And then, his feelings for Kat would just melt away, just like his feelings for Alexis.

She never really thought about marrying Jason: they weren't even really "official." But still, knowing that Jason would meet Emily left Katherine cold. And the fact that Brittany expected Jason to already know Emily meant one more disconcerting thing: he'd meet Emily soon. Perhaps she'd transfer to Angel Grove High. Or perhaps she'd always been there, and he just hadn't met her yet.

It was fate. Jason was going to meet Emily. And of course, he'd fall in love with her. Why wouldn't he? She'd surely have the same character traits that Brittany's mother has. The basis for their attraction would still exist.

Perhaps she was more into sports. Perhaps she had more in common with Jason. Perhaps she was more attractive, intelligent, or even confident.

All in all... she was a better match for Jason than Kat was; and that grim determination left Katherine feeling cold.

And so, the pair continued their search, their voiceless thoughts occupying their minds completely. In fact, they were so distracted that they never heard the dim mumblings that surrounded them.

The first clue to their danger was when a spurt of dense venom splashed Jason's raven helmet.

"Ah!" he cried in alarm, falling backwards as his vision was instantly veiled.

"Jason?" Kat called, hurrying to his side. She gasped when she saw the steam pouring from the helmet, indicating the corrosive venom was eating through the armor.

"I... can't get it off!" Jason shouted, prying at the latches. His fingers were trembling with panic, making it quite difficult for him to operate.

Katherine pushed his arms away, and tried her shot at freeing the latches while not touching the streaming venom. She bit her lip when she noticed the drops moving progressively closer to Jason's neck.

"Dammit!" she shrieked, "the latch melted!"

Pursing her lips with determination, her Ice Daggers appeared within her clenched fists. She pried open the latch with one dagger, and yanked the deformed from his head. Jason collapsed to the ground completely, panting heavily and gripping the dust with his trembling fingers.

His lip still quivering, he looked up to see two Viper Putties standing right in front of him.

His eyes narrowing, he dug his fingers deeper into the ground. Suddenly, a pillar of earth sprang up beneath the two Putties, tossing them into the air and off the edge.

Jason sighed with relief, and pulled himself into a sitting position. He glanced at his melted helmet, still steaming from the toxic venom. He then espied Katherine, who was facing four Putties. Her moves were frenzic, as she blocked attacks with both daggers, as well as tossing the occasional offensive kick.

One Putty managed to poke through her impressive defense, and landed a powerful jab to her solar plexus. Katherine grunted as she lost her footing, and fell to the ground.

Before another blow could be dealt to the dazed Blue Ranger, powerful seismic waves plowed into the four Putties, simultaneously vibrating all of them until they shattered into dust. Moments later, the helmetless Black Ranger was at Katherine's side. He gently supported her back with his arm, and pulled off her helmet.

Her face was flushed and moist with sweat, but she seemed unharmed. Jason brushed her unruly flaxen curls from her face, and gazed at her worriedly.

"Are you okay?" he inquired.

She didn't answer verbally. Instead, she continued gazing into his eyes.

They both saw it.

The fear. The questions. The dread.

The love.

They both understood how the entire situation effected the other.

No words were uttered as Katherine leaned forward, and embraced Jason tightly, leaning her forehead on his broad shoulder. Jason wrapped her with all the comfort his strong arms could afford.

They remained silent, each one leaning upon the other for support. No words were uttered. No words were needed.

At about the center of the cliffs, the Pink Starlight Ranger stood, holding her hands to her helmet. The Red Terran Ranger stood beside her, grasping his Flame Saber tightly as he visually combed their surroundings for the fourth time.

"I... I think I've found something!" Rebecca exclaimed, her eyes opening beneath her helmet, "I sense... OW!"

Rebecca suddenly collapsed to her knees, clutching her torso painfully. Tommy knelt beside her, and tried to break the trance she seemed to be trapped in.

"AH!" she shrieked, this time her hand flying to the small of her back, "Please, no more..."

"Rebecca!" Tommy shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her violently, "Snap out of it!"

The shaking broke the empathic connection, and Rebecca's eyes flew open beneath her rose helmet. The pain subsided, but the anguish still beat at her temples.

"Micah's in tremendous pain," she whispered, hugging her trembling arms to herself, "It was so overwhelming, I couldn't break the empathic link!"

Tommy's face paled beneath his helmet. "Where is he?" he demanded.

Rebecca cast her gaze towards a nearby cave, and took the tall Red Ranger by the arm. "Come on," she ordered, "it's this way."

Tommy let the petite girl lead him, until they reached the cave. It's mouth was rather small, but nothing could be seen except a blanket of darkness.

"This must be it," said Tommy, "Let's go."

As soon as the pair stepped into the cave, Tommy heard a footstep from overhead. Acting on sheer instinct, Tommy dove into Rebecca, knocking her a few feet from where she was standing. Both Rangers landed with a thud closer to the cave mouth. Right were Rebecca was initially standing, a steaming stream of venom splashed to the earth.

"Get going!" Tommy commanded, retrieving his fallen saber, "I'll take care of this."

Rebecca nodded, racing into the dark mouth of the cave as the Red Ranger gazed at his eight opponents with flaming fury in his heart.

The young Pink Ranger felt his fury and frustration. She almost pitied the Viper Putties that dared face him in such a passionate state.

She continued racing into the darkness, until the entire absence of light forced her to take cautious steps. After feeling around in the dark for a while, the sounds of shouting helped her find her way through the dim cavern. A little further into the cavern brought the faint light of torches, sending a trembling illumination into the tunnel.

She paused her movement as soon as she rounded a corner, and could bear witness to the horror she empathically felt.

She found herself just outside a small chamber, with three large torches flickering ominously, and an iron cage propped against the far corner. Inside the cage was David, who was yelling at Goldar furiously. Goldar, meanwhile, was gripping a black leather whip, circling the dangling form of Micah Oliver. He hung limply from straps dropping from the ceiling, and swayed in the faint breeze. Only remnants of his cotton shirt hung on his shoulders, neck, and waist, while deep, criss-crossing scars marred his tender flesh. Blood dripped onto his stained jeans, and tears continued to flow down his cheeks in steady streams.

Rebecca felt her stomach wretch when she absorbed Micah's condition.

"Stop, dammit!" David roared, tears of frustration wetting his own eyes, "Can't you see he's out cold? He can't tell you anything now!"

Goldar snarled, and walked toward to the young man. David shrank a bit from Goldar's glare.

"I don't care," Goldar sneered, "He is a Power Ranger. That in and of itself is reason enough for me to kill him. Slowly."

"You said you would only hurt him if he didn't talk," David argued, this time from a safer distance within the cell, "What more could you possibly want from him?"

Goldar responded with a toothy grin. "No, my mission is complete, Human. This is just a bonus."

The fierce canine laughed deeply, tossing his whip casually over his shoulder. He then turned back towards his prey, but the laughter died on his lips when he saw the petite form of the Pink Ranger, standing at the narrow entrance to the deep cave.

"Well," Goldar growled, "if it isn't the Pink Ranger. I told you we'd finish our little encounter."

He then dropped his whip, and unsheathed his mighty golden long sword. "Do come in."

Rebecca then steadily walked into the small chamber. However, as soon as she entered the bright torchlight, a shock passed through her system. She cried out in alarm, falling to her hands and knees.

Moments later, she recovered. She blinked in surprise when she realized what the shockwave had done.

Her uniform was gone.

Her eyes widened.

"Heaven's Gale Starlight Power!" she called, rising to her feet, "HEAVEN'S GALE!!"

Goldar laughed deeply at the wide-eyed girl. "Don't bother. Within this chamber, your powers are muted... Rebecca Mitchell."

Rebecca frowned as the creature laughed mockingly, pushing the dangling Green Ranger who hung just beside him like a pendulum. "Yes, your little friend Micah told me everything. Who you are, where you're from, why you're here... even who your parents are. I practically had to whip him just to shut him up!"

Rebecca's brown eyes narrowed, and she stood erect. She then moved closer to Goldar, and fell into a fighting stance. Goldar's laughter only increased.

"You are really brave, or really foolish, little girl," Goldar gasped, "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

Rebecca's gaze remained steadily transfixed upon the stalwart warrior. "Funny," she said evenly, cracking her knuckles, "I was about to say the same thing to you."

"OW!!" Anthony moaned, pulling his arm away.

"Jeez, Tony," Kimberly sighed, grabbing his wrist again, "you're such a baby!"

Anthony tensed once again as the soaked cotton patch was placed upon the red rash that broke out on his right arm. He pursed his lips together tightly, his nose wrinkling with pain as the burning liquid seeped into his skin.

"How's he looking?" Adam asked, glancing over the Gold Ranger's shoulder.

"Only first-degree acid burns," Kim responded, picking up a roll of porous medical wrap from the cart of first aid supplies, "This liquid will dissolve the venom, so it won't eat any further. It'll heal by itself pretty quickly."

She smiled warmly at the Red Starlight Ranger. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Anthony frowned, examining his patched arm. He then flexed the muscle, and smiled slightly. "Thanks."

Kim nodded, and watched as Anthony hopped off the cot. He then glanced over at Billy, who was studying something on his terminal.

"So, what about my uniform?" he inquired.

"Power Ranger armor usually restores itself," the genius responded, "The next time you morph, your glove and sleeve will be as good as new."

"And, what about that weird power influx I experienced?" he continued, "Did you see that?"

"Yeah, we did," Alexis answered, folding her arms, "It looks like you Starlight Rangers can focus your power into a really big boom. Pretty handy, if you ask me."

"I wonder why Mr. Mitchell didn't tell us we had this ability," Brittany commented, raising her head off the med-unit. Aisha, who was busy examining her, gently pushed the Yellow Ranger back down.

"Jeez," she muttered impatiently, watching the blue light that passed over her forehead, "why are you guys so parental?! I told you, I'm fine!"

"We need to make sure," Rocky answered, glancing at the screen connected to the med-unit, "Well, whatever that smoky mist was, it didn't leave any permanent effect on you. The dizziness faded?"

"Yeah... half an hour ago," she muttered, finally being allowed to sit up.

"And to answer your first question," Billy called from across the room, "maybe Mr. Mitchell didn't know that you would have this energy-channeling ability. From what Anthony described, it seems to have been sparked by adrenaline. It almost reminds me of Cloud's Omni-Slash attack..."

"What?" Adam asked, frowning.

Billy shook his head dismissively. "Never mind. Empty analogy."

Suddenly, the shriek of the alarm claxons sliced through the chamber, startling everyone present.

"I'm picking up a focus of powerful dark energy," Tanya announced, tapping on the keyboard, "Here... I'll put it on the Viewing Globe."

The assembly encircled the large sphere, and gazed at an enlarged, ebon-armored knight, brandishing a powerful battle ax. His entire visage was hidden behind an iron helmet, with the exception of a crimson glow penetrating the small eye ports.

The creature laughed deeply as it marched through the cliffs, shaking the entire area with each gargantuan step.

"Right on time," Alexis stated, pulling her morpher from her pocket, "Zedd and Rita have upped the stakes."

"Let's roll," Kimberly said, as she and Adam took a stand beside Alexis, "Billy, can you let the others know we're headed into a Zord battle?"

"But Micah..." Anthony protested.

"We'll keep looking," Brittany suggested, hopping off the med-unit, "We don't have Zords anyway."

"I'll contact the others," Tanya offered, activating the communications relay, "but I doubt they need me to tell them about this bad boy. He's practically on top of them."

"Thanks," said Adam as he and Kim strapped on their helmets. Alexis held her morpher at arm's length, and her eyes narrowed.

"Purple Ranger Power!" she commanded. In a brilliant pulse of purple light, Alexis transformed into the single remaining Mighty Morphin Power Ranger. A second carrier wave teleported all three Rangers out of the underground headquarters, and straight into their respective zords.

With one eye on the Viewing Globe, which still displayed the strange armored monster the Rangers had gone to confront, Tanya activated the general communicator, signaling both the Terran Rangers, as well as the Starlight Rangers, whose communicators were compatible with the CAC's current technology.

"This is Tanya," she said into the microphone, "Can everyone read me?"

^Regina here.^

^Kat too.^

^Jason three.^

^Zack's reading ya loud and clear!^

^Tommy checking in,^ Tommy said in a strained voice.

"Guys, we have an emergency," Tanya announced, "There's a mean looking monster in your general area, and Kim, Adam, and Alexis have gone to fight it. She will certainly need backup."

^So that's what all that shaking's about,^ Zack commented.

^But, what about Micah?^ Regina inquired.

"The Starlights can-"

^Actually, Rebecca and I are on to him,^ Tommy announced, ^I'm right outside a cave, and I've been fighting Viper Putties. Rebecca went in ahead of me, and since she's not back yet, I think she found him.^

"Terrific!" said Tanya, "Then the rest of the Terran Rangers join the battle, while the Starlights return to the CAC ASAP."

^Why can't we keep looking for Mike?^ Regina argued, ^Tommy and Becky could use our help!^

^We can handle it,^ Tommy replied, ^Tommy out.^

^Let's get to the zords!^ Jason cried over the communicator.

^Right!^ said the voices of Zack and Katherine, as they deactivated their communicators.

^Um, Tanya?^ said Regina quietly, ^why didn't Rebecca answer?^

Rebecca Mitchell heard the six tone signal ring in the background. But in the foreground, she could hear her heart beating. The pulse was steady, and a bit quicker than usual. Her muscles tensed, and adrenaline poured into her system. It was much like when she was in training at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, when Wolverine would recreate a battle against some alien creature for Rebecca to practice her skills on. She was ready.

Goldar suddenly pounced at her, brandishing his mighty golden sword. Rebecca effortlessly rolled out of harm's way, and struck Goldar's knees, causing the seven-foot canine to crash onto the ground only feet away from the heavy stone wall. Goldar growled angrily, and leapt to his feet before Rebecca could attack again. This time, Goldar attacked smarter, tossing golden fireballs from his magical sword. Rebecca continued a series of handsprings, evading the fireballs cleanly. As soon as Goldar seemed to figure out the pattern of her movement, she suddenly shifted in the opposite direction. It was as if she could read Goldar's thoughts.

"Stand still!" Goldar bellowed furiously, swinging his sword at her wildly. Rebecca evaded each swing, but suddenly she lost her footing, and fell onto her back. Goldar grinned menacingly.

"Now I've got you," he muttered, lifting his sword into the air. He notice the faint smile that tugged at her lips.

"No. I've got you!" she replied, pushing off from her hands. Her heels plowed into Goldar's abdomen, pushing the mighty beast backwards. Rebecca rose to her feet, and struggled to heft the large sword Goldar had dropped. It was almost as long as she was. To Goldar's surprise, she managed to lift the heavy blade, and rested it at the base of his chin, being careful to stand to his side to avoid his deadly feet.

"You're not half bad," Rebecca commented, "For a monster, at least."

Goldar frowned, daring to life his head defiantly. But Rebecca pushed the blade against his azure fur, and he shivered as the tip penetrated his skin. He gazed at her with eyes of fury as black blood trickled onto the edge.

"Don't try anything stupid," she commented, "I know how to use this thing."

Goldar smiled confidently. "I doubt it, Girl. It is a magical sword."

Rebecca reflected his knowing grin. "Someone once told me that a weapon is a weapon," she replied, gripping the hilt harder. To Goldar's astonishment, the tip of the blade began to glow brightly. Before he could move, a ray of golden energy streamed out of the blade, striking him in the face. He screamed in pain before his entire body went limp upon the dirt floor. Rebecca then raced towards Micah, struggling to grip the weighty sword. She winced when she saw the garish wounds up close.

"I'll get David first," she said to her friend gently, running to the cage. David smiled his thanks.

"Step back," she commanded, lifting the broad sword over her head. She thrust it down in one swing, severing the metal of the lock. David pushed the gate open easily, and regarded the petite girl in front of him.

"Wow," he commented, "you're pretty good."

"Well, I've been trained by some of the best warriors on Earth," she responded as she walked towards Micah. She paused when the sound of footsteps approached from the obscure tunnel.

"The Putties are dust," the Red Terran Ranger announced, stepping into the chamber. He was visibly surprised when he saw Goldar lying unconscious on the ground. "You did that?" he asked Rebecca.

"Yes I did," she replied. She frowned slightly when Tommy managed to enter the chamber completely without demorphing.

"I don't understand," she whispered, gazing at Tommy in puzzlement, "why are you still morphed?"

"Why aren't you morphed?" the Red Ranger inquired.

"Goldar said something about muting my powers," she answered, "For some reason, it's not effecting you, though."

Tommy was about to question her further, until his gaze fell upon the limp, slender boy hanging from the ceiling behind her. He swallowed forcefully, slowly walking towards him. He winced when he realized just how deep the wounds were.

He was completely speechless as he approached the boy. He saw his own features in this child, although he was fairer in complexion than himself. Still, somehow he could almost feel the connection between them.

He never recovered his voice, as he stared at the boy in mute horror and amazement.

"Let's get him down," Rebecca said, breaking the stony silence. She lifted Goldar's sword over her head. "Get ready to catch him," she advised.

Tommy nodded blankly, wrapping his arms around Micah's waist carefully. He felt the boy's flesh tremble when his arms came in contact with the swollen scars.

"p...please..." Micah breathed, his lips barely parting. Tommy felt his eyes sting at the pain trembling through the boy's body.

"Relax, Micah," Tommy whispered, as gently as he could, "I won't hurt you."

Tommy could feel the boy's muscles relax slightly, and he managed to firmly grip him without too much pain.

"...help me, Dad," Micah whispered, his voice slightly stronger, "please..."

Tommy bit his lip beneath his helmet. "I'm here now," he assured the trembling child, "I'm here."

He then nodded at Rebecca, who heaved the sword through the air, cutting down the leather chords that still chaffed the boy's tender skin. Micah collapsed completely into Tommy's arms.

"sorry..." Micah continued to breathe dreamily, "...wasn't strong enough... failed you..."

"You didn't fail," Tommy assured him, stroking the back of his head as he slowly walked out of the cave, "You didn't fail me."

Both Rebecca and David watched in silence as the Red Terran Ranger carried the delirious boy out of the chamber. Rebecca sniffled, wiping the tears that poured from her eyes.

She couldn't believe how gentle Tommy was... to a son that shouldn't even exist in his frame of mind.

"Who... is that?" David inquired, gripping Rebecca's shoulder.

"That is the one who will guide you to your destiny," she responded quietly, "I guess he didn't even see you!"

She smiled weakly, taking his hand. "Come on, let's get out of here."

As the Eaglezord swayed helplessly through the air, Alexis silently prayed in gratitude that her zord was equipped with a seatbelt. Still, the dizzying effects of being hurtled back and forth by the gargantuan monster take their toll, preventing the Purple Ranger from even forming a coherent thought.

It was mind-numbing to think that the armored creature was able to actually catch her Zord in mid-flight, pluck it out of the sky, and whirl it around like a discus.

Shaking her head to force herself to concentrate, she glared at her viewscreen. The fierce knight with reflectant armor continued to laugh as he spun on his heels, carrying the Eaglezord with him. Finally, he released the zord from his vice-like grip, sending it flying through the air, directly towards a rather large, intimidating cliff. Alexis frantically tried to regain control of the zord, but it was useless. Thankfully, instead of smashing into the cliff of rock, the Eaglezord plummeted into a thick blanket of soft snow. Alexis blinked in surprise at her miraculous rescue, and flipped on her communicator.

"Thanks a million, Kat," Alexis panted, trying to catch her breath.

^Think nothing of it,^ the Blue Ranger replied from the cockpit of her zord, ^The gang's all here!^

^Get your bearings, Alexis,^ Jason said over the speaker, ^The rest of us will fight this... thing.^

"Just, give me a minute," Alexis breathed, changing the view of her screen. The snow that covered the front of the zord was replaced by a posterior view. Alexis grinned when she saw the Alligator, Rhinoceros, Hawk, Cheetah, and Thunderbird Terrazords regroup.

^Anyone else sustain damage?^ Jason inquired.

^Not really,^ Zack responded, ^We just couldn't do anything once he grabbed a hold of Alexis. But now that she's free...^

^...leave it to me!^ Kimberly finished, the Thunderbird climbing into the air. Pulsing ruby orbs followed the small yellow bird as it soared into the atmosphere. Beneath the occluding helmet, a wide, frightful smile appeared.

"Going somewhere?" the monster inquired in a surprisingly powerful voice. He raised his powerful ax into the air, and large black razors, each one about eight feet in length and three in girth, materialized at the sharp tip of the weapon and sailed at the Thunderbird like a rapid-fire machine gun. Kimberly did her best to avoid them, sometimes destroying the razors in mid air with a few well-placed lightning bolts, but she couldn't avoid them all. One collided with the tip of her golden wing, embedding itself in the metallic feathers. The force of the razor's flight edged the Thunderbird into a dizzying spin, but Kim quickly regained control.

"Now he's done it," the Gold Ranger huffed, "Thundernet, activate!"

Streams of crackling lightning fired from the forehead of the Thunderbird, encasing the knight in a cage of electricity. Rito laughed deeply, hefting his ax over his shoulder. In a morbid cloud, he vanished from within the cage, only to materialize a few yards outside of it.

"Is that the best you can do, Kimberly?" he mocked, tossing his helmeted cranium back in laughter.

Kim's eyes narrowed as she redirected the course of her flight. "How does he know my name?" she wondered.

"Adam!" Jason ordered, watching in his monitor as the Thunderbird steadily retreated to safe distance, "You take the high rode, and I'll take the low road!"

"Got it!" the Green Ranger replied, the Hawk streaking at the obsidian warrior. At the same time, the Rhinoceros charged at the sleek villain like a rabid bull, its sharp silver horn gleaming in the sunlight. Rito crouched slightly, and then somersaulted into the air, easily clearing the Rhinoceros while at the same time avoiding the Hawk. He landed behind them with amazing grace, especially considering the obvious weight of his suit of armor. Not wasting a moment, he spun around completely, his arching ax firing several dozen razors at both zords simultaneously. The Rhinoceros sustained minimal damage, but it was forced back into a cliff. The Hawk was forced to land, to prevent crashing.

"My turn!" Katherine declared, the Alligator spinning around. The large tail, lined with sharp "scales", rammed into Rito's legs, tearing through his heavy plated armor and knocking the creature on his back. Rito growled more with anger than pain, and then glared at the Alligator with intense crimson fury.

"Not bad," Rito conceded, rising to his feet. To Kat's horror, the gashes in the monster's sleek armor closed up before her eyes, not even leaving a hint of a dent. Rito bent his knees, and then launched himself into the air. The Alligator barely managed to duck, but as soon as Rito landed, he surprised Kat by throwing a powerful snap kick, his dense heel striking the Alligator in the neck, and piercing the hull of the zord. Then, Rito swung his ax around, and released a flurry of razors, all aimed at the head of the Alligator. Kat screamed as the thorns sliced into the aquamarine body of the zord, some even penetrating through the hull into the cockpit.

"Kat?" Jason shouted in horror from within his slightly battered Rhinoceros, "Kat, answer me!"

Alarms were screaming inside the Central Access Complex as the Red Terran Ranger materialized. However, the distraught Ranger ignored the sounds of the alarms, hurrying to the med-unit in the corner of the underground technological hub. The other teenagers present were all quick to react as Tommy laid the unconscious boy onto the cushioned cot as gently as he could.

"Oh my..." Brittany whispered, her hands flying to her mouth. Regina gasped deeply, swaying as if she would faint. Anthony was quick to support his girlfriend, and hesitantly the three elder Starlight Rangers approached the med-unit.

Tommy was standing woodenly beside the cot, gently brushing the boy's feathery bangs from his flushed face. His other hand was tightly gripping Micah's.

It was truly a touching scene.

"Step back," Tanya ordered sternly, pushing passed the petrified Starlight team. She activated the sensors on the med-unit, and calibrated the internal scanner.

"Broken bones?" Rocky inquired, quickly reaching Tanya's side.

"Looking," she answered, gazing at the small screen. An image of Micah's ribcage appeared, and as she altered the focus of the blue beam, the image shifted.

"He's in pain," Tommy said blankly.

"I'm on it," Aisha announced, filling a small needle with clear fluid, "This'll help him sleep."

The former Green Terran Ranger moved towards the boy, and injected his shoulder with the serum.

"Rocky, his skin-" Tanya started.

"Got it," he interrupted, tapping at the keys, "Dermal regenerator set."

"Is he okay?" Brittany whispered, glancing at Billy. The mentor of the Terran Rangers was still at his terminal, watching with a blank expression as the medical team raced to treat Micah as best they could.

It was amazing to Billy how quickly they all caught on to the use of the enhanced equipment in the CAC.

"I... I don't know," he confessed, "Tanya?"

"No broken bones," she breathed with relief, "No internal injuries. His neck has been injured though, and his shoulders are practically dislocated. The ties on his ankles and wrists dug deep, and cut the flow of blood to his hands and feet. But there's nothing here that we can't fix easily enough."

Brittany closed her eyes, and sighed. Regina smiled weakly and clenched Anthony's hand.

But Tommy was still motionless.

"Tommy?" Aisha whispered, grasping the Red Ranger's shoulder, "Can you hear me?"

Tommy responded by raising his arms, and slowly pulling off his helmet. He let his chocolate hair spill around his shoulders, and lifted his chin.

His haunted, bloodshot eyes startled all present.

Tommy's lips parted, but no words came out. He couldn't put into words what he was feeling. The shock, horror, and anger was so overwhelming, he couldn't even think clearly. So, he remained at Micah's side, letting tears fall from his eyes.

Just then, two columns of energy heralded the arrival of Rebecca and David.

"What took you guys so long?" Brittany inquired, giving her friend a tight hug.

"I just had to fill David in on what's going on," she responded, "He knows everything now."

Rebecca then glanced passed the Yellow Ranger. Her smile fell when she saw the huddle surrounding the med-unit. "Micah?"

"He's going to be okay," Brittany assured her, "There's no permanent damage."

Rebecca then released the breath she was holding.

David then stepped out from behind Rebecca, and moved towards the crowd of people. His eyes narrowed with curiosity as he caught sight of Micah's slumbering form. Although his wounds were numerous, he put faith in the Yellow Starlight Ranger's assurance that they would heal.

He then set his discerning gaze to the Red Terran Ranger, who remained at the side of the med-unit. His dark eyes widened as he absorbed the features of the hero that earlier were hidden by his crimson helmet.

True, Rebecca had informed him about Tommy Oliver, their blood connection, and even their mutual destiny regarding the arrowhead. Still, gazing at Tommy's face wasn't too different from looking into a mirror.

David quickly recovered from the surprise, and moved closer to the Red Ranger. He hesitated a moment, realizing that the Ranger was already in a disturbed frame of mind.

Still, he had waited so long to discover his destiny. He couldn't wait any longer.

"Tommy?" he said quietly, laying his sturdy hand on the young man's shoulder. Tommy frowned slightly at the unfamiliar voice, and turned around to see its origin.

Slowly, his reddened eyes widened.

"David?" Tommy whispered, his shock causing him to drop Micah's hand.

"You guessed it," he finished, smiling warmly and extending his hand, "and I can't tell you how glad I am to finally meet you."

Tommy recalled the image of David Trueheart he had seen on the screen earlier, but he couldn't prevent the shock from plowing through his system.

He never knew he had a brother. As True of Heart had promised, the arrowhead segment did lead him to the greatest discovery of his life.

Tommy shook David's hand, his lips curling into a smile. He then pulled his brother closer, and wrapped him in a tight, heartfelt embrace.