Katherine Hillard {Kat} and Tanya Sloan walked down the paved cement path that ran through the Angel Grove Botanical Gardens. "I'm so glad they decided to hold the graduation in the botanical gardens this year," Kat took a deep breath, inhaling all the sweet smells around her, "I just love it here."

"Yeah. It's so heavenly," Tanya bent down to smell a rose.

Disturbing the Pink and Yellow Ranger's peaceful moment, their two boyfriends, Adam Park and Rocky DeSantos, speedily walked by, carrying large folding chairs. "Come on, ladies. We could use some help here," Rocky prompted the two lingering girls, as he looked back for a moment.

"Yeah. We're all here because Mr. Kaplan thought we ditched class after the monster attack at the play. This is SUPPOSED to be our detention," Adam agreed with his 'blue' friend, "So get those butts moving!"

"You would want them to be moving," Tanya retorted.

"Oh, shut up!" the two heard Rocky mutter, as the two boys made their way over to the large gazebo.

"Here, Billy," Rocky handed his three chairs to Billy Cranston.

Billy took them from Rocky and questioned, "Where's Kat and Tanya?"

"Oh, they're coming," Adam replied, giving his four chairs to Jason Lee Scott, "They're making us do all the grunt work, while they just take the time to smell the roses!"

"Hey!" Shannon Kassandra Kaze hit Adam gently on the shoulder from where she was sitting, "If I wasn't pregnant and due any minute, I'd be helping you with you 'grunt' work!"

Adam started out towards the path again to get more chairs, as Jason intervened, "But that's the problem, Shannon. You ARE pregnant and due at any minute. Besides you're idea of grunt work would probably be ordering us around."

Shannon smacked the Flame Ranger in the arm. "Shut up, Jason," she snapped, as she folded a program, "Anyway, wasn't Kim, Aisha, and Trini just behind Rocky and Adam?"

"Look outside and you shall see," Zack Taylor motioned towards the path, where Kimberly Anne Hart, Trini Kwan, and Aisha Campbell were now chatting up a storm with the other two girls; the three folding chairs laying on the ground.

Shannon hit hand on her forehead. "Great," she mumbled, then added quickly, "but us girls do enough work as it is frolicking around spandex! We deserve a break now and then."

"Sure, Shannon," Jason nodded his head, "We're the ones always saving your butts out there."

The brunette smirked in satisfaction. "Whatever, Jason. You just wish it was like that."

Changing the subject, Rocky inquired, "Hey, where's Tommy, Shannon?"

Shannon sighed, rubbing her large growling stomach. "I had a food craving just fifteen minutes ago. Where do you think he went?"

"The cafeteria," Rocky guessed, as Adam came back carrying six chairs.

"Man, are you crazy!" Zack told Rocky, while Adam dropped the chairs to the ground and sat down on another chair, "The food they got over there just might poison her and the baby!"

Adam smirked. "The food is so bad in there, I think Billy should buy some of it and run some tests on the food. I think they're putting some of Tommy's leftover gym socks into some of it," he said, watching Jason set up some chairs behind Shannon.

Billy looked over at the Green Zeo Ranger and shook his head. "No way, Adam. I'm not gonna waste my money on that slime."

"If you think that's bad, don't go NEAR his gym shoes," Shannon shivered purposely, "Yuck! I mean, I love Tommy, but he's gotta clean his act up!"

"Someone talking about me?" Tommy Oliver walked into the gazebo with a paper lunch bag.

"Not you," Jason corrected his best friend, "Your socks and shoes."

Tommy came over to Shannon, gave her the lunch bag, and started to unfold some of the chairs Adam just brought over. "My socks and shoes?" the Red Zeo Ranger asked confused.

"Yeah," Zack answered, "And about how nasty they are."

Tommy was about to say something, when Shannon whined, "Where's the sauerkraut, Tommy?"

"I don't know," he blurted out easily, but then received a glare from Shannon and decided to retrace his steps, "Okay. Let me think. I was in the store. I got the quart of Rocky Road, then I got the pickles, then I went to go look for the sauerkraut, but I didn't find it. So I asked the clerk and she looked in the back, but couldn't find any. So I paid for the other two things and came back here. Happy?"

"No," Tommy's fiancé frowned, "You can't eat pickles and Rocky Road without sauerkraut. Go find some, please," Shannon requested, looking like she was about to cry.

Tommy sighed inwardly and walked out of the gazebo, towards the parking lot. "How can you eat that, Shannon?" Kimberly questioned, as her and the other girls walked into the gazebo, hearing what Tommy had said earlier.

"When you're hungry, you're hungry, Kim," the pregnant girl grinned, as her best friend sat down next to her, "Besides when you're pregnant, you'll understand what I'm feeling. I've been through this once already and I know the tasty cravings from the nasty ones."

"All of'em seem nasty to me," Aisha remarked, sitting next to Kimberly.

"Ahh, that's because I've got the taste for them. You don't," Shannon explained, as the rest of the girls sat down on the chairs the boys prepared.

Jason threw his hands up into the air, as he cried, "There you girls go again. Just chatting you mouths off! Come on and help us!"

"We DID help you," Tanya protested, motioning towards the chairs laying in the middle of the path.

"Jason's right," Billy supported Jason, "All you guys have been doing is getting chairs, leaving them in the middle of the path, and talking. That really helps US."

"So. As it is, we work hard enough in spandex," Trini declared, "You'd think you'd give us a break once in awhile."

"Yeah," Kat sided with Trini.

"You ladies don't do ANYTHING when we're out there beating up on monsters!" Rocky yapped, the stress finally getting to him.

"Well, neither do you guys!" Kimberly barked back, catching onto the wave of stress.

As a heated argument began between the five girls and guys, a sudden shrilling scream of pain from Shannon stopped them short. "EIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

The ten looked to the pregnant Shannon and saw her holding onto her stomach in definite pain. "Shannon, are you okay?" Kimberly queried the brunette.

"Of course she's not okay, Kim!" Rocky snapped, walking over to where Shannon was sitting.

"Well........," Kimberly was about to retaliate, but was cut off by Billy.

"Shut up, the both of you!" he yelled, as he kneeled down next to the heavily breathing White Zeo Ranger.

Soothingly, the Light Ranger asked, "Shannon, can you give me your hand?"

"Yeah," she spoke, her voice lined with pain.

Shannon gave Billy her hand and he held it gently. "AUGHHHHHH!" the guardian screamed again, squeezing Billy's hand hard and sending a surge of pure light energy into the other ranger.

"Guys," Billy whispered, still hanging onto Shannon's hand, as she relaxed for a moment, "We've got a small problem."

"What?" Adam asked his best friend.

Billy was silent for a moment, looking for the right words to use. "Shannon just went into labor........."

"WHAT?!?!"

"You're kidding, Billy?" Zack questioned the blonde.

Billy winced as Shannon squeezed his hand hard again. "I sorta wish I was, but I'm not. One of you better contact Zordon."

"Right," Jason immediately pressed the two buttons on his communicator and spoke into it, "Zordon?"

"Yes, Jason," Zordon of Eltar's voice rang from the device, "What is wrong?"

"We have a gigantic problem," the Element Ranger paused, "Shannon just went into labor and we're here at the botanical gardens."

"Iyaiyaiyaiyai!" Alpha Five went in the background.

The was a silence before Zordon answered, "Keep her calm at all costs, rangers. I will call the Zeo Sprits and they will come and help you. Right now, make sure that no one other than yourselves are in the vicinity. You do not want to arouse too much attention."

"Okay Zordon. Jason out," he turned to the nine other rangers, "Okay people. You heard Zordon. Let's get to it..............."

"Mother, did you REALLY have to visit?" Divatox, Evil Harlot of Eltar, whined in the main room of her subcraft.

A woman turned around and slapped Divatox hard on her bare cheek. "How dare you whine in front of me, Divatox!" she snapped, staring at the whimpering Divatox.

A purple man laid his hand on the woman's shoulder. "Scorpio, do you not think that you are being a bit too brutal to your daughter," he countered Scorpio, mother to the Evils of Eltar.

Scorpio patted the purple hand which lay on her shoulder. "Oh, little brother Ivan. I do not think I am being brutal in any way," Scorpio replied sweetly, "No child of mine is going to whine in my presence like a small inconsiderate baby."

"So I see," Ivan Ooze nodded his head at his older sister's decision, "You have always been my favorite sister. Electra just doesn't seem to possess the sense of style or the brutal hand that you carry."

Scorpio was a brutal woman, being the eldest daughter and second oldest child of Dark Specter and Nemesis, the Grand Monarch of Evil and Queen of Evil, had that effect. Even though, she was a beautiful woman. She had flowing black hair, with red streaks running through it, and fiery red eyes to compliment her hair. She wore a red and black spandex cocktail dress, which was way too short, with a VERY low neckline. Scorpio walked around in high black platform boots, that weren't nearly as high as her youngest daughter's, revealing her long and appealing legs. "Oh, Ivan! You flatter me too much!" Scorpio chuckled, tossing her hair with her hand.

Ivan laughed with his sister for a moment, then immediately turned to Divatox. "Where is Auora, dear niece?"

Divatox, recovering from her mother's blow, told, "Uncle Ivan, she and her son, Elgar, have gone to summon the rest of the family and request grandfather and grandmother's presence. Together we will be able to conquer Earth and its luscious powers."

"Very well," Scorpio clapped her hands at the news, "We must prepare for their arrivals. Ivan, will you please do the honors of accompanying me to Earth, where we may attack the rangers," the villianess held her arm out to her brother.

"Of course," Ivan took her hand and kissed it, "They tried to destroy me once. I have an unsettled score to settle."

"Wonderful," Scorpio snapped her fingers and the two disappeared into the air.

After they left, Divatox stuck her finger in her mouth and made a choking sound. "How sick! My uncle and mother are majorly flirting!"

Ivan and Scorpio appeared in the middle of the Angel Grove Botanical Gardens, no where near the gazebo. "What have you brought us here, Scorpio?" the purple monster inhaled the sweet air, then coughed it up, "It is sickening here!"

"I do not know, brother," the woman answered, then suddenly jerking her head, she sniffed the air, "Can you smell that Ivan?"

"I cannot smell anything! This damned air is too polluted!" her cried, covering his nose with his purple hand.

"But I can," Scorpio smirked, looking down the path from where she stood, "I smell strong, delicious, and powerful Cindarien blood........................"

"Breathe, Shannon, just keep on breathing," Billy coached the guardian as she screamed in terrible pain, squeezing his hand hard.

"I CAN'T KEEP ON BREATHING, BILLY!" Shannon screamed loudly, "GET THIS THING OUTTA ME!"

"Come on, Shannon. Just calm down," Tommy comforted his wife-to-be; He had been contacted right after Shannon had gone into labor and teleported back to the gazebo to be with her, "We don't want any attention that we don't need."

"But it hurts, Tommy," she whimpered, calming down quite a bit.

"I know it does, Sweetcheeks, just hold on. Lady Dimitria and the others are on their way," Tommy kissed her free hand sweetly.

Suddenly, the last thing they needed, decided to make itself welcome.

Tommy's communicator rang and he answered it, "Yeah, Tommy here."

"Tommy, Aisha here. I'm like about a quarter-mile away from the gazebo on the path that leads to it and we got trouble," the Wave Ranger's voice shook with worry.

"What is it?"

There was a eerie silence, until Tommy heard a sickening grunt and a voice saying, "Well, lookie here. I just knocked out that annoying Yellow Ranger from my last encounter with the rangers."

And another voice replying, "Yes. But it looks like she is now donning the Blue Ranger uniform this time around."

Cutting the connection quickly, Tommy cursed silently to himself. "SCORPIO!" Shannon suddenly screamed again.

Taking her hand into his, he queried, "Shannon? What about Scorpio?"

"The second voice," the White Zeo Ranger responded, as her pain passed for a moment, "is Scorpio's. She's coming."

Billy nodded his head. "Yeah. And that first one is the you-know-who, Tommy, who we THOUGHT we destroyed with a passing comet."

"Just what we need right now, Ivan Ooze and Scorpio......................"

"Come here, Ivan," Scorpio hissed to her brother as she hid behind a large bush of daisies.

Ivan made his way over to the bush and inquired, "What?"

Pointing, the villianess whispered, "See those three?"

The purple villain kneeled down next to his sibling and followed Scorpio's finger to where she was pointing. She was pointing at Kimberly, Jason, and Rocky, all bickering over some stupid problem, at least that's what Ivan thought. "Yes, I do. The one in blue used to be the Red Ranger and the one in purple used to be that delightful Pink Ranger," Ivan's voice sung for a moment, earning him a stare from his sister, "But the one in red I do not recognize."

"Listen to their conversation," she motioned.

"Come on, Jason!" Kimberly shouted, "You can't be saying this is all my fault!"

"That's EXACTLY what I'm saying!" Jason cried, "If you and Rocky hadn't been arguing until all hell broke loose, we might not be in this situation!"

"Excuse me?" Rocky butted in loudly, "Why are you blaming me? I'm not the one who went, had sex with Shannon when I was evil, thus making her my WIFE in Cindarien law!"

Jason's eyes flared with madness. "Hey! I was under Zesta's influence and so was Shannon! She made me and Shannon fall in love with each other! She wanted me as a son-in-law and Shannon as her powerful evil daughter! So don't even try putting that one on me!"

As they continued to bicker, a smile fell upon Ivan's twisted face. "This Shannon they are talking about is Artemis!" he yelled quietly.

"Yes," Scorpio nodded her head, "From what I have heard so far, Lady Dimitria has revealed to Artemis that Zesta was not her real mother and Artemis is in a gazebo not far from here, in labor!" she grinned devilishly, "That must be all the Cindarien blood I am smelling."

"How perfect!" Ivan laughed, "We can capture Artemis and take her child from her for our evil causes!"

"Just what I had in mind," Scorpio agreed, "But, first, why do we not take care of these nuisances that are blocking the way to Artemis?"

Ivan nodded his head as he smiled wickedly. "I would love to."

"What are we gonna do?" Billy looked Tommy, as he tried to keep Shannon calm.

"The only thing we CAN do," the Red Zeo Ranger lifted his wrist to his face and spoke into his communicator, "Hello? Liyah? Are you there?"

After a few seconds there was a response. "Yeah," a hissed voice whispered over the communicator, "Liyah, here, Tommy. Why the hell are you calling me at school? It's just a good thing that I'm in PE right now."

"We have a problem," he understated, "Scorpio and Ivan Ooze are here at the gardens looking for us and plus Shannon's in labor over here. We need some Turbo power right now."

"You call that a problem, Tommy?" the leader of the Turbo Rangers scoffed, "Boy, is that an understatement."

"DAMMIT, LIYAH! JUST GET YOUR FREAKIN' ASSES OVER HERE!" Shannon screamed once again, as another wave of pain swept through her.

Tommy couldn't help but chuckle quietly. "What Shannon said, Liyah. Get over here, pronto."

"Sure. We'll be right there," Liyah squeaked as she cut the connection.

"It is really a crying shame her Turbo Rangers will not be here on time, Syryn," a sultry feminine voice mocked.

"Let me guess," Tommy muttered as he turned around towards the paved path to face Scorpio and Ivan, "Scorpio, I presume."

Scorpio folded her arms across her chest, as she stood lazily. "You presume correct, Syryn," she grinned, stepping into the gazebo, "And this is my younger brother, Ivan Ooze. I think you have met before," the villianess motioned to the purple skinned monster, who followed her lead.

The Zeo Ranger stood up from his pregnant fiancé's side and walked slowly towards Scorpio. "Oh, we've met before, haven't we?" his glare darted from her to Ivan.

"Yes, we have," Ivan growled lowly.

As he prepared to morph, Tommy questioned, "What do you two want?"

"Artemis," Scorpio nodded her head towards Shannon, "knows what we want. Do you not, Artemis?"

Shannon nodded her head mutely, as if she was scared by Scorpio.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Billy interrupted, not believing how the brunette next to him was reacting to the presence of Scorpio.

"She is talking about the 'Deal With The Devil', as all of us like to call it," Ivan snapped, then began to explain, "Artemis pledged her service to Scorpio two years ago, in order to save the Cindarien colony, KO-35. The deal was to go into effect the next time the two crossed paths..........And now they have crossed paths."

Billy store at the two surprised, but Tommy's face showed no reaction to the news. "But I thought that deal was terminated once Shannon was KILLED by Divatox and Auora," the Zeo Ranger snapped, proving just how much he knew about the villianess' deal with his lover, "Remember, Scorpio, one of your own blood could not kill her if the contract was to stay in place."

Just as Scorpio was about to open her mouth in protest, Adam, Kat, Zack, Tanya, and Trini came running into the gazebo. "Tommy......................" Kat cut herself off short as she caught gaze of Ivan and Scorpio.

"How dare you interrupt me?!?!" Scorpio cried, spinning around to face the other five rangers, "No one gets away with interrupting me," she growled, as her eyes began to grow a deep pulsating red.

"Get out of the way! She's gonna shoot!" Adam cried, as everyone dived to the grass; barely avoiding two red laser beams shot from the villianess' eyes.

"DAMN!" Scorpio cursed, then turned to her purple brother and whispered quietly, "How about we leave this scene and let your tengas take care of these pests?"

"Of course. You go on, and I will catch up to you," Ivan replied, as his older sister snapped her fingers and disappeared.

As the three Zeo Rangers and two Element Rangers pulled themselves from the ground, they caught sight of Ivan as he spit out a small amount of purple ooze from his throat. "Enjoy!" he exclaimed and disappeared within a crackling purple light.

"What the hell is that shit?" Zack walked up to the purple blob that sat on the grass.

As Trini joined him, she saw in started to expand into a large puddle of purple slime. "Whatever it is, it's growing!" she declared, backing away from it and pulling Zack with her.

Suddenly, the ooze began to take form and turned into twelve huge black birds. "TENGAS!" Billy, Kat, and Adam yelled in unison.

"It's morphin' time!" Tommy called out without warning.

"Zeo Ranger I, Pink!" Kat shouted.

"Zeo Ranger II, Yellow!" Tanya shouted.

"Zeo Ranger IV, Green!" Adam shouted.

"Zeo Ranger V, Red!" Tommy shouted.

"Element Ranger, Wind!" Trini shouted.

"Element Ranger, Nature!" Zack shouted.

"Element Ranger, Light!" Billy shouted.

The seven morphed quickly and began to fight with the huge birds, keeping them as far away from Shannon as possible.

Shannon gritted through her teeth, as another wave of pain surged through her stomach. *TOMMY!* she screamed mentally.

*Hold on, Sweetcheeks* his voice mentally comforted the guardian *Just hold on a little longer.*

Just as she was about reply the ranger, flashes and flickers of white and red appeared in front of her eyes and materialized into Maylonus and Lady Dimitria. "Thanks goodness you guys are here," she sighed, relaxing somewhat from her tense state.

"I would not miss this for the world and you know it, Shannon," Lady Dimitria smiled, as Maylonus and her helped Shannon up from the chair she sat in.

"Besides, we are the midwives for this lovely event. We cannot miss it," Maylonus chimed.

"Midwives?" the pregnant girl questioned, as she managed to walk away slowly from the fight, with the help of the two women, "Don't tell me we're doing this the old fashioned way, Maylonus?"

"Of course," Maylonus nodded her head, "These babies are full blooded Cindariens due to the fact you and Tommy are both half blooded Cindariens. There is no way we are going to let you stray away from Cindarien customs so easily."

Shannon's eyes widened at the word, babies. "Did you say 'babies'?"

Lady Dimitria grinned yet again. "Yes, babies. When you were brought back from the dead, there was more than one side effect. The first was your sped up pregnancy which Zordon immediately detected. The second, which Zordon did not detect, is instead of mothering one child, you are now mothering two children."

If it hadn't been the tingling sensation that came with a teleportation, Shannon would have fainted.

"Tommy!" Zack shouted over to his leader, "Maylonus and Lady Dimitria just arrived and got Shannon to the Power Chamber!"

Tommy turned to look at the Nature Ranger for a second as he spin kicked a tenga to the ground for a moment. "Great! Now, let's pulverize these ooze birds!" he remarked.

Withdrawing his Zeo laser pistol, he began to randomly fire at any tenga he saw. Soon enough, the teenager had all the tengas spooked enough for them to run away from the fight.

The six rangers regrouped in the middle of the shaded gazebo and as they did, seven Turbo Rangers finally came walking into the gazebo; Liyah Hillard and Tamara Oliver helping Aisha walk, Kimberly slung over Justin Stewart's shoulders, Rocky slung over Ryan Park's shoulders, and Jason being carried by Sheryl Stewart, Kerry Taylor, and Camellia Kaze.

"It took you long enough," Adam shot at the seven, while bent over panting.

"Well, excuse us for being good Samaritans," Ryan shot back at his older brother, as he placed Rocky down on a chair and propped him up into a sitting position, so he could begin to revive him, "Do you really think I wanted to carry Rocky on my shoulders? Cam's heavy enough as it is."

"Hey!" the Yellow Turbo Ranger barked at the Green Turbo Ranger, as she helped prop up Jason on another chair and revive him.

Tommy looked to the Turbo Rangers from under his helmet. "What happened to them?"

Sheryl shrugged, as Liyah explained, "We were just coming here to help you guys and we found Aisha semi-conscious. As we got farther down the path, we found Jason, Kim, and Rocky sprawled out unconscious on the ground."

"This lady in red and Ivan Ooze snuck up on me and managed to knock me out when I was talking to you over the communicator, Tommy," Aisha told, standing on her own.

"The lady in red was Scorpio," Billy informed, as the leader shook his head.

"What does that witch want?" the boy mused.

Suddenly their communicators went off. "Maybe that'll answer our questions," Tanya remarked.

"Tommy, here," he spoke.

"Tommy, you and the other rangers must come to the Power Chamber immediately. This is at the appeal of Lady Dimitria," Zordon's booming voice said.

"We're on our way. Tommy out."

With that, now that Kimberly, Jason, and Rocky were conscious, the group of eighteen teleported away in a row of colors.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" was the first thing the eighteen heard ring through the Power Chamber as they teleported inside the structure.

"Shannon!" Tommy cried, as he headed for the staircase in the corner of the room.

"Tommy, please stop," Zordon's voice requested.

The ranger stopped short in his tracks and turned to face his mentor. "Why?" he snapped, a touch of anger lining his voice.

A flash of white appeared and disappeared, revealing Lady Dimitria in her usual white robe. "My lady," Kat, Adam, Zack, Tamara, Billy, Camellia, Ryan, Sheryl, Liyah, Kerry, Justin, and Tommy, all, bowed their heads.

"You must stop, Tommy, because I say you must," Lady Dimitria answered, "And besides, Shannon can wait."

Tommy's anger grew rapidly and he yelled, "What do you mean, 'Shannon can wait'?!?! She's in labor!"

Alpha placed his metallic hand on the enraged ranger's shoulder. "It will be awhile before Artemis gives birth, Tommy. The matter at hand is Scorpio and Ivan Ooze. Surely, they will attack Angel Grove again. You do not possess the power to fend them off forever."

Taking Tommy's place as leader for a moment so his best friend could calm down, Jason stepped up and questioned Shannon's mother, "How will we be able to fend the two off, Lady Dimitria?"

"Very good question, Jason," she nodded her head, as she slowly walked around the chamber, "And I will give you just a good answer to your good question. As Adam, Kimberly, Tommy, Rocky, Aisha, and Billy may remember, when Ivan Ooze was last released on Earth, they went on the voyage for the Great Power that Dulcea, Master Warrior Of Phaedos, guarded, correct?"

Rocky, Kimberly, Aisha, Adam, Tommy, and Billy nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well, now it is time for you to do the same again," the respected Cindarien paused, "But instead of all of the current rangers going after the Great Power, just the current CINDARIEN rangers will go on the quest for the Great Power. And trust me, this is not due to discrimination. This is due to the fact that Dulcea herself is Cindarien and will be able to teach them of their magical abilities that come along with their rich heritage. And also we need some of the rangers to stay here and watch guard over Angel Grove before Scorpio decides to lay waste to it."

As Lady Dimitria continued to speak, Selene, the Silver Katherian Ranger, descended from the staircase. "Many things will be different on this quest for the Great Power, I guarantee. One of those differences will be not actually gaining the Great Power. This quest is meant to challenge your very sprit; To see if you have the courage and strength to possess the power that you are destined for," she finished speaking and turned to Selene, "Do you need something from me, Selene?"

The black haired girl bowed her head. "Yes, my lady. We need your help with Artemis. She is quite feisty, to say the least," a smile spread across the guardian's face.

"So she is," the blue eyed brunette agreed, "I will be up in a moment."

"Of course, my lady," Selene headed back up the staircase.

"Alpha will teleport the twelve of you to Phaedos and there you will begin your quest with only the assistance of Dulcea, and only Dulcea. She will come to your when you have achieved your task," once Selene left, Lady Dimitria approached Tommy and shook her finger in his face, "And you, Tommy, when did you ever dare to yell at me? Think about that," the Cindarien left in a flash of light.

"She sure told you, Tommy," Tamara remarked.

"Oh, shut up."

"Coordinates set for Phaedos," the robot informed, turning to the group of rangers, "Whenever you're ready."

"Ready," Tommy reported.

"Teleporting now," Alpha pressed the teleportation button and twelve colored lights left the Power Chamber.

"Good luck, guys," Kimberly looked up to where the rangers once stood, "I have a feeling you're gonna need it....................."

Dulcea, Master Warrior Of Phaedos, stood near the edge of the Ninjetti Plateau, looking out towards the Neola Jungle, in deep thought.

Ever since the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers came to Phaedos for aid from Dulcea, just a little under three years ago, her life was never the same. After they successfully received the Great Power, the six left for Earth to defend it from Ivan Ooze. But soon after, the Guardian Rangers: Selene, Artemis, Helious, and Apollo, came seeking the wise Cindarien warrior's help. They received it and Dulcea helped them trap Gerigon, Zesta, Evil Enchantress Of Eltar's, fiancé, deep below Phaedos' dirt surface.

But it was the second encounter she had with rangers, the Guardian Rangers, was what changed her life ultimately. Artemis, her real name being Shannon Kassandra Kaze, was the descendant of her sister, the original Morphing Master, Artemis. She bore a great resemblance to Dulcea's sister and she couldn't believe it, although she kept her mouth shut. Dulcea knew if she revealed too much, the young Guardian Ranger wouldn't know the trials her ancestor went through and wouldn't be able to experience them for herself.

After that, she had a peaceful two years to herself, which were like days to her, since she had lived from the time of the Morphing Masters. She pondered on her thoughts for that time period, remembering everything her sister had done to keep her team alive; Even saying 'so long' to her only true love and giving him to another woman, who was her most trusted friend, until she betrayed her. *That will not happen this time. I will not allow it. Syryn and Artemis will love each other forever. Kaia will not intervene with this destined love, I will kill her descendants if that is what it takes* Dulcea told herself confidently.

Turning away from the green scenery of the jungle, she walked to the middle of the plateau and kneeled down next to the fire pit, which was cold. Slowly placing her hand to the ashes, she suddenly mumbled, "Warmth," the warrior turned her head towards the direction of the ocean, "They are coming for their training of the old ways......................."

Flashes of black, red, white, green, pink, yellow, and blue set down onto the rocky shore next to the ocean, on the planet, Phaedos. "Looks just like I remember it," Camellia inhaled the salty air around her.

"Just like YOU remember?" Adam arched an eyebrow at the younger girl.

"Hey, it's not my first time here either," she snapped, climbing over some rocks.

Tommy shook his head and grinned, "Hopefully, this time around isn't like I remember it. I don't want to have to fight tengas unmorphed again."

Billy though back for a moment and remembered. "Yeah. Personally, I didn't like being shoved to the ground by a tenga more than the next person."

"Come on you guys," Liyah motioned towards the reminiscing rangers, "Aren't we supposed to be looking for this Dulcea person?"

"Who died and made you leader?" Kat looked to her sister.

Liyah smirked. "No one did. I was ALWAYS leader."

"She's got a point," Justin agreed with his girlfriend.

Tommy stepped onto the rock where Liyah was standing, dwarfing the Red Turbo Ranger by about six inches. "Come on," he stepped off the rock quickly and started walking forward, "The plateau is this way."

Everyone was about to follow him when a voice interrupted, "No, actually the plateau is THIS way."

They twelve turned to see a woman standing behind them, dressed in a revealing green bikini and holding a long staff at hand. "Dulcea!" Tommy, Adam, Camellia, and Billy said in unison.

She nodded her head to the four. "Welcome back to Phaedos the four of you," she then nodded her head to the rest of the group, "And, for the rest of you, welcome to Phaedos. I am Dulcea, Master Warrior Of Phaedos."

"You're Dulcea?" Ryan was gawking.

"Yes, is there something wrong with that," Dulcea glanced at him quizzically.

Ryan shook his head. "It's just that you look so................." Zack finished his sentence.

"Young."

The warrior threw her head back and laughed. "Did you expect an old lady to be waiting for you?"

Eight heads nodded in the positive.

"I may be old enough to know what Zordon was like in his teenage years, but I am always young. Always," Dulcea repeated, "Besides that, you have come for the training in the old ways. Which means two things: Lady Dimitria has summoned you and secondly, Ivan Ooze and Scorpio have arrived on Earth. Correct?"

"Right," Sheryl agreed.

Dulcea's eyes gazed away for a moment. "Then follow me............................"

"That purple ooze fool," Scorpio devilishly whispered to herself in her chamber on Divatox's subcraft, "He is so anxious to please any one of his powerful older siblings; Especially after that accident with his capture by the Morphing Masters."

Scorpio fell back onto her bed, the only thing between the red sheets and her skin being a thin silk red robe that wrapped her body. Staring up at the ceiling, she smiled wickedly. "Once Father has united the halves of the Crystal Of Blight, I can and will be one with my love," the villianess sighed wistfully at the thought of being able to be held by her lover's arms.

Without Scorpio noticing, a figure materialized from the air in her chamber. "Did someone call me?" a gentle male voice called out from the figure to the red head.

"Love!" Scorpio jumped up from her bed and ran to the figure clad in all black.

"I have missed you also, Scorpio," the man encompassed the woman in his arms, holding her delicately and lovingly.

She removed herself from the hug and looked at her lover. "Why are you donning your armor to visit me, love? I am I really that dangerous?" she seductively questioned.

"Of course not," he denied, "I am wearing my ranger armor because I think it is time to bring the rangers down once and for all."

The villianess gasped, as she came close to him and ran her fingers down the ruby that lay in the center of his armored chest, "Can you not wait until my father has united the Crystal Of Blight, my love?"

"I am deeply sorry, Scorpio, but I cannot," he nodded his head, "You may try to unite the Crystal Of Blight before I begin my plan, but it will probably be too late."

"Then, I will hurry," she insisted, as he began to fade from vision.

"Hurry as quickly as you can, my love," he mumbled before fading out totally from vision.

Scorpio gazed at the spot where he stood lovingly. "SCORPINA!" she bellowed.

The twelve Cindarien teenagers followed Dulcea on the small trek to the Ninjetti Temple. "I will leave you be for a moment. I will return shortly," she told as she left the twelve at the ruins.

"Sure," Tommy called back, walking towards the edge of the plateau that looked out towards the Neola Jungle.

"You okay?" Liyah walked up next to the Zeo Ranger leader.

Tommy looked to the blonde for a moment, the returned his gaze to the jungle. "Liyah, can I talk to you," he questioned, "You know, leader to leader."

"Of course," Liyah responded.

Tommy store straight at the thorn sticking out in the middle of the jungle, the Ninjetti Monolith, as he spoke, "You have the memories of Kaia, right?"

"Right. All of us have our predecessor's memories, well except Tam. She doesn't have them for some reason."

"I think I have that mystery solved. I have Syryn's memories. I guess since Tam's a girl, that's why she didn't have his memories. It'd be kinda weird living with the memories of a guy for her. Besides, Artemis and Syryn were lovers. I don't even WANNA try bringing up a mental image of that."

Liyah giggled. "Me, neither."

"Anyway, do you remember the time we were trailing Dark Specter and he came to Phaedos?"

"Do I ever! He kidnapped me and Aynia and tried having group sex!"

Tommy shook off the nasty mental image. "That's what I'm talking about. It was a little after Artemis had disbanded the Morphing Masters, and I was broken hearted. She refused my love and I was dumbfounded. I thought she loved me, but from that last day I saw her, I saw that she saw me as nothing but another Morphing Master; Another name in the History books. Well, that's what she wanted me to see. What I am trying to say is what Dark Specter said to me before he gave you and Aynia up, has always been with me through the centuries. And it bugs me so much, Kaia, that I just cannot let it go," Tommy was suddenly getting into the character of Syryn.

"Do not believe that bastard," Liyah was also getting into the character of Kaia, "You know what he said was not true, Syryn. You and Artemis belong together like the sun and moon belong together! It was destined to be!"

Just as Tommy was going to say something, Dulcea interrupted once again, "Would you all please line up?"

As Tommy and Liyah were jerked out of their 'roles', they turned to the origination of the warrior's voice. "Dulcea?" Tommy gawked, his eyes met with a surprise.

Dulcea was now wearing a long, velvet green cloak, outlined on the hem and cuffs with gold. As she removed the long cloak and placed it on a nearby rock, it revealed the dirty blonde in a long, silk green gown which covered her whole body. "Yes?" she queried back, as Tommy and Liyah made their way to the row of rangers in front of the fire pit, "Is there something wrong?"

The Red Zeo Ranger quickly wiped the surprise off of his face. "Oh, nothing's wrong."

"Good," she said, taking a small pouch into her hands, "Now, close your eyes," each of the twelve closed their eyes, "and imagine. Let your mind open to the universe and fly freely within the magic that it holds," as she said the words, a fire suddenly flared up in the fire pit.

Pouring some of the contents of the pouch into her hands, she held it to her face and blew it towards the fire. The fire, responding to the powdery magic, flared up into a large magical cyclone for a moment, then dissipated into the small fire once again.

"Wow!" Kerry cried, as she was the first look down at herself.

Kerry, Justin, Sheryl, Ryan, Camellia, Tamara, Liyah, Zack, and Billy were now dressed in Ninjetti garbs of their respective ranger color. While on the other hand, Tommy, Adam, and Kat donned their Zeo Ninja garbs, no alterations.

The teenagers awed over their costumes for a moment, then lifted their heads up to see Dulcea approach Tommy. "Tommy, last time you came to me, you were the Falcon, winged lord of the skies. But now, Artemis has given you your true sprit residing within you, the Tiger, sly and alert always," Dulcea stated, Tommy smiling as she spoke.

Moving to Katherine, she began, "Katherine. It was always believed that your animal sprit would be the cat, was it not?" Kat nodded her head, "Well, that was incorrect. Though, you are a 'cat', your sprit resides with the Platypus, nimble and brisk."

As Dulcea moved to Adam, he cried, "I'm not a frog!"

Dulcea shook her head as a laugh escaped her lips. "Yes, you are not a frog anymore, Adam. Your have become more than the little frog I once knew. Now, your sprit is the Eagle, keen and wise as ever."

Adam grinned, as Dulcea moved over to Billy. "Billy, cunning and swift. Though you now don the color of purity and strength, white, you will always remain the sprit animal of the Wolf, as long as you are Sharena's son."

The master warrior stepped in front of Zack. "Zack, I have but only met you for the first time, yet I can see the laughter and pride that lies within you already. Your animal sprit is the Hyena, joyful and brave."

Zack ran his hand over the gold emblem of the hyena placed on his chest, as Dulcea past him and went to his sister. "Kerry. You are the descendant of Carin, the Pink Turbo Ranger, and she lives on in you as much as you lived in her. Her sharp tongue got her into a lot of trouble, but her ingenious mind would always manage to get her out of the trouble. Your animal sprit is the Coyote, crafty and vigilant."

"Camellia," Dulcea stood in front of Shannon's sister, "You are the descendant of Artemis' younger sister, Aynia, who was the Yellow Turbo Ranger. You carry her sprit within you honorably and gracefully. You are one with honor and grace, Camellia, allowing you to carry on the animal sprit of the Dove."

Camellia smiled warmly, as she ran her hand over the gold emblem placed in the center of her chest. "Ryan. Descendant of Relyn, the Green Turbo Ranger," she paused, "You are shy, yet strong willed. You are a lot like your brother was when I first met him two years ago. Due to that fact, your animal sprit is the Frog," Ryan looked down at his emblem and winced slightly, no one really noticing but himself.

"Justin. Descendant of Pthye, the Blue Turbo Ranger and Youra, the White Turbo Ranger. You are extremely intelligent and also a person full of energy just waiting to be released. Just like your animal sprit, the Dolphin," Justin nodded his head as to except Dulcea's words.

"Liyah. Descendant of the Red Turbo Ranger, Kaia," Dulcea spat the name out on accident, getting her some strange stares from a few of the rangers, "You are very dominant over what you can dominate, and over what you cannot, you chase until you can. You keep going until you get what you want. These attributes give you the animal sprit of the Shark."

Liyah listened to her intently, but when the master warrior finished, she gave Dulcea another strange look. "Sheryl. You are the descendant of both Youra and Pthye, the White and Blue Turbo Rangers. Your stealth and persistence are great attributes to your over all personality, giving you the animal sprit of the Cheetah."

The White Turbo Ranger looked down at the golden emblem centered in the middle of her chest and smiled widely. "And last but not least, Tamara; Descendant of Syryn, the Black Turbo Ranger and the Turbo Guardian. Agile as ever and protective of all of your friends. Just like a mother seal to her children. Your animal sprit is the Seal."

As Dulcea moved away from Tamara and closer to the fire, she continued to speak, "With your animals sprits and new power there is more," she paused, as she began to fade into an aura of white, "Your Cindarien heritage has left you many unforeseen powers. If these powers are used wisely and for their appropriate use, you all will gain something more than you imaginations can comprehend," Dulcea completely faded into the aura and turned into an snowy owl, flying away from the group of rangers.

Tommy and Liyah walked silently through the lush, green jungle until the Turbo Ranger broke the silence that had descended between the two for the last three hours. "Tommy?" Liyah started, as picked up yet another stick off of the ground for firewood later that night.

"Huh?" Tommy was startled out of his thoughts, "Yeah, Liyah? Something wrong?"

"Yeah," she smiled slightly, "It's been too quiet for way too long. Mind if we talk for a little bit?"

Tommy shrugged. "Sure. But let me warn you, I'm not as talkative as Kerry or Tamara."

Liyah pushed a branch out of her way as she walked and talked. "I sorta figured," the blonde was silent for a moment, "Can I guess what you were thinking about?"

"Shoot."

"Shannon," the thirteen year old declared, "I'm guessing your worried like hell about her. After all, she is only in labor, right?"

The Zeo Ranger stopped for a moment. "Good guess," he started to walk again, "After all, I'm only her fiancé and destined lover, right?"

Liyah couldn't help but let out a small giggle. "Right," she slowly replied.

*Wrong!* a voice in her head shouted *You know you and Syryn were always meant to be, Kaia. You've always believed that, Kaia. No use denying your feelings, right?*

Liyah gasped loudly, as she listened to the voice. "You okay, Liyah?" Tommy asked, turning backwards to glance at her.

"Yeah. I'm fine," she boldly lied.

Continuing to walk, Liyah store at Tommy from the behind. *Yum, yum. You know you want to squeeze that butt, Kaia. It's so firm and so tender. Don't you remember the last time you touched it? It had to be at least nine thousand years ago.*

*Yuck! Get out of my head, whoever you are! He's five years older than me, for Lady of the Sun's sake! That would be beyond gross!*

*But it would feel good don't ya think?* the voice questioned somberly.

*NO!* Liyah screamed *I already have a boyfriend and right now, he's just fine, thank you very much!*

*Suit yourself* the voice finally shut up.

Liyah scowled at the voice in her head. Either some one was playing with her mind or her sub-conscious was trying to tell her something she definitely didn't want to hear. "We're here already?" she queried as Tommy stopped in his tracks.

"No..........." he paused, "Something isn't right. I can sense it," the Red Ninja turned to his left then his right, "What is going on here?"

As if to answer Tommy's question, a huge brown boulder monster, with the characteristics of a gargoyle, jumped from the bushes and tackled Liyah to the ground with a grunt. "AHHHHHHHHH!" the girl screamed in pure fear, unusual for her.

"Hold on, Liyah!" Tommy called out to her, yet to be tackled by another one of the rock gargoyles.

Immediately getting off the boy after tackling him, the second monster headed over to where the first one was and helped it pick up Liyah by the arms and legs. "Let go of me!" the Red Ninjetti cried, wiggling in their tight grip.

Ignoring her call, the gargoyles flung Liyah like a rubber band towards a cliff wall directly in front of them. Making contact with the natural rock, a sickening crack was heard and she fell to the ground, still conscious.

Shaking off her surprise, Liyah began to slowly drag herself away from the cliff and towards the jungle; she obviously wasn't able to walk. "I could use some help here, Tommy!" Liyah called, watching the beckoning monsters approach her.

Looking to her right, she saw him holding his head and groaning as he sat up in the dirt.

Liyah eyes filled with fright once she realized Tommy wasn't gonna be able to help her out of her situation.

Ryan's body pulsed with anger as he walked in silence, the sounds of the jungle and the sounds of his brother and Zack's voices filling his ears. *Ah, who cares what they're talking about?* the younger Green Ninjetti muttered inside his head *All I know is that I'm sick of playing second string to Adam. I always get everything of his. Toys, clothes, chores.......Now animal sprits! If he couldn't baby sit Liberty, I was always stuck with the job* Ryan paused for a moment as he kicked a rock out of his way *When Mom was still alive this never happened. But now, even if she's somewhat alive, she still likes Adam over me. Everything Adam does is an accomplishment. Everything I do is like I'm retracing his footsteps again; No really big deal.*

Listening in on Adam and Zack's conversation for a moment, Ryan heard Adam say, "You shoulda seen him when we came back; He was a mess. I mean, he was yelling and screaming and crying, all at the same time. We couldn't get near him without a fight."

"When I first met him, I got the total impression that he was cool, calm, and great at Martial Arts. Then after the whole Green Ranger transformation, he was all cold and mean. It gave me the goosebumps," Zack declared, "Sometimes, you wouldn't think he would do the things he does now before she came along. Especially after he lost her for so long. If I really loved someone like he loved her, I'd of gone cuckoo too."

The two laughed, and the Turbo Ranger returned to his thoughts. *They're talking about me, I just know it* he growled mentally *Sometimes I hate and envy Adam so bad. Don't get me wrong, he's my brother and I love him, but sometimes you just get the urge to want to rip off someone's head. That someone for me would be Adam. He's just so damn perfect!*

"Hey, did you hear that?" Adam questioned suddenly.

"What," Ryan asked; He had been too wrapped up in his thoughts to hear anything, "I didn't hear anything."

"Yeah, Adam. Your ears must be playing tricks," Zack agreed.

Just as the Green Zeo Ninja was about to shake off the noise, a large male lion wandered out of the bushes and in front of the three. "ROAAAAAR!" it bellowed fiercely.

Backing away slowly, Zack mumbled quietly, "I guess you did hear something, Adam."

"I guess I did," he said, staring at the lion as it approached.

Suddenly, all three teenagers thinking things couldn't get any worse, four lionesses roamed out of the green scenery and joined the other lion. "We're in a deep puddle of shit......................." Ryan cursed to himself.

Kimberly fiercely paced up and down the Power Chamber as she heard the yelps and screams that belonged to Shannon, originating from the living quarters; Which was up the staircase in the corner of the chamber. "Kimberly, why don't you go home and rest like the other rangers," Zordon suggested as he watched the petite girl pace.

"That's just it, Zordon," Kimberly looked up to her mentor, "I can't rest. Not until I know the others are okay."

Suddenly the alarms went off all over the room, causing Kimberly to run to the main console. "Looks like there's a disturbance in Downtown Angel Grove," the Purple Ranger remarked, examining the information displayed on the console, "I'm getting a visual now."

Alpha, Zordon, and the Element Ranger all looked to the Viewing Globe and saw four black silhouettes walk the dark streets. As they stepped into the light of a lamp post, the three recognized them as Scorpio and the three entities: Perish, Annihilation, and Demise. "Iyaiyaiyai! What are they doing out at night?" Alpha cried, watching the four villains creep around in the darkness.

"Man! They just don't no when to quit!" the brunette threw her hands up into the air, "Alpha, can you contact the other rangers?"

"Yes, I can," the shiny robot replied.

Kimberly turned to Zordon once again. "Do you have ANY idea what they are trying to do, Zordon?"

"I am sorry to say, that I don't," Zordon apologized, "But it does look like they are up to no good."

"They 're ALWAYS up to no good," the girl chuckled, as five lights set down in the chamber.

"What's up, Kim?" Tanya yawned, as she stretched her arms.

"Scorpio and the entities decided to pay us a little visit," Kimberly nodded her head towards the Viewing Globe.

Rocky sighed. "Just when I was getting ready to finally get some sleep," he muttered, playing with the blue sapphire ring that lay on his index finger, obviously worried sick about his girlfriend; After all he knew what they were facing on the voyage for the Great Power, "It's practically midnight. Why the hell would they be out at this hour?"

The Zeo Power Shifter got nothing but shrugs.

The Eltarian villianess whispered, as she crept among the shadows of the night, "Remind me why must we do this, Annihilation?"

"Because the darkness embraces us like a loving stranger," Annihilation whispered back to Scorpio in her cryptic ways, as she crept along the dark streets, "The darkness is our mother and we are its children."

"And besides, you're the one who wanted to see how Scorpina would fair in her burglary attempt," Perish told bluntly, "So we gave you what you wanted."

Scorpio snarled at the arrogant entity and watched the Angel Grove Museum, which was just in range of their sight.

Two uniformed guards lay at the bottom of the marble steps that lead inside the elegant building; Their eyes wide open, coursing with the poisonous venom that came from the sting of Scorpio's most prized general, Scorpina. "She did a good job of getting inside the museum," Demise complimented, leaning slightly forward to see if she was coming out of the grand building.

Scorpio nodded her head to agree with the head entity, as she saw a black silhouette suddenly move from the entrance of the building and down the stairs; an object held in its hands, glowing an eerie mixed shade of red and blue. "She did it!" Scorpio hissed in delight.

"I don't think so, Scorpio," Perish snapped, nodding his head at six brightly colored lights that set down in front the museum.

As they materialized, the flashes of light revealed two Zeo Ninjas and four Element Rangers. "Damn, those rangers!" the red head cursed, as she watched Scorpina still descend the steps, oblivious to the fact six rangers were at the bottom waiting for her, "We must distract them!"

"Fine then," Demise frowned, "But you owe us our next feasts, Scorpio. This was not part of the plan."

"Of course it wasn't! No one expects the Power Rangers to show up. Although, I should take it into consideration the next time I make a plan," she pondered for a moment, as her eyes glowed red, "Now, get going!"

Responding to the order, the entities faded into the darkness, just as two red lasers flew from Scorpio's eyes and barely missed frying the rangers. "What the hell was that?" the villain heard Aisha mutter, while approaching them.

"Just your run of the mill villianess trying to take over the universe for her dear daddy," Scorpio grinned, getting the rangers attention and making them turn around.

"There you are, Scorpio," Jason mocked, "I see you also enjoy sneaking around in the night as one of your hobbies."

Scorpio's smile widened as Jason tried to insult the daughter of the Great Monarch Of Evil. "Nice try, Jason. But you might want to work on your sense of humor. Maybe they can help you," she pointed behind the rangers, where Demise, Annihilation, and Perish now stood.

Once the rangers turned around, the three entities engaged them in battle right away, giving the evil woman the time she needed for her getaway.

Running up the marble steps, Scorpio practically ran into Scorpina. "Oh, I am sorry, my queen," the assassin who once served Rita Repulsa apologized to her overlord.

"No need to apologize, Scorpina," she hushed her, "I am nothing like Rita. Trust me," she looked down at Scorpina's hands, "You got it did you not?"

"Yes, my queen," Scorpina smiled in triumph, holding the glowing object in her hands up, "It was as easy as seducing a ranger."

"So I see," Scorpio took the object into her own hands and marveled at it, "It is more magnificent than the legend portrays it."

The crystal was a sight to behold, that was true. Shaped like half of a cylinder shape, the clear colored gem radiated with red and blue light. "Scorpina, take a good look at this stone," Scorpio urged her, as she thought about her love, "For you are looking at the stone that will shape and change the lives of villains everywhere. When my father unites the halves of the Crystal of Blight together, both good and evil will bow down to our family line..............................."

"Oh, shit!" Liyah cried backing away from the hideous monsters, "Stay away from me!"

She glanced Tommy's way and saw the ranger pull himself up from the ground. Shaking off his pain, he ran towards her as the two boulder creatures approached her; the Turbo Ranger squirming on the brown floor in obvious pain and fright. "Hang on, Liyah!" she called to her.

"I don't know how long I can!" she screamed back, scooting herself quickly away from the gargoyles.

Using his Zeo Power of Speed, Tommy quickly made his way over to the monsters and stopped in front of them, blocking their path to Liyah. "You can't get to her without dealing with me, boulder boys," he snapped, anger suddenly flooding him; Instinct driving his adrenaline, the teenager drew his hands in front of himself and cried, "Tiger Bomb!"

An apparition of a tiger made of fire jumped from Tommy's hands and made contact with the gargoyles, disintegrating them. "You okay, Liyah?" the Zeo Ranger kneeled next to Liyah's side and helped her sit up against the rock wall.

Liyah winced, as she answered, "No, I think I broke my right leg when he threw me into the wall," she gritted, then cocked her head at Tommy, "Where'd you learn the fire tiger trick?"

"Let's just say that now I know what Dulcea was talking about when she said, 'unforeseen powers'. Here," he placed his hands on her shin and calf, and the Turbo Ranger's leg began to glow with an eerie red light, "This should heal it. Yet another one of my many powers," Tommy teased, as he removed his hands and the glow faded away.

Slowly standing up, she tried walking on the leg. "Yeah, that did it," she smiled towards her savior, who had been standing there watching the girl experiment with her newly healed leg, "Thanks, Tommy. I wonder if I can do that?"

"You probably can. All of us probably can," he returned the smile, as he began to pick up the sticks of firewood that one of the gargoyles had spread all over, "We'd better start setting up camp for tonight. It's already pretty late. Just hopefully nothing else will jump out and attack us."

Liyah walked over, bent over, and began to help the other ranger pick up the sticks. "Hopefully," she agreed, placing the sticks in a neat pile.

Suddenly, as she sat down, Liyah's eyes met Tommy's, and for moment they shared a rather intimate gaze, but Tommy broke it off as he turned his gaze to the pile of sticks.

Liyah frowned to herself. *What was that all about?*

"We'd better start the fire," Tommy rapidly swerved away from what had just happened.

"Yeah."

Tommy placed his gloved hands above the sticks and Liyah placed her bare hands above the pile of sticks. The two began to concentrate and immediately after, the sticks combusted into flames of orange and red. "Wow!" Liyah jumped a bit.

"Yeah, wow," he looked at her fondly and smiled lovingly.

The Red Ninjetti glanced up at the Red Ninja and found her heart softening at the sight of him; Something was happening to the both of them, something strange.

"Kaia," Tommy's lips called to Liyah from across the heated fire.

"Yes, Syryn," Liyah replied him, her eyes, which had now turned from blue to green oddly, scanned over his muscular body.

"Love me."

"Always."

Tommy pounced on Liyah from over the fire and enveloped her in his arms, kissing her feverently. "I've forgotten how much I love the way your lips kiss me, Syryn," Liyah murmured, moving her lips away from Tommy's for just a moment.

Tommy smiled crookedly, leaning in for another kiss. "Have you really, Kaia? Let me remind you some more," he kissed her once again.

Divatox panted as she ran down the corridors of her subcraft, stopping in front of the doors to a chamber.

Pushing the button outside the door, she let herself inside the room.

Looking to the floor next to the bed, Divatox's eyes fell upon a puddle of gelatinous purple ooze, which she identified as her uncle. "Uncle Ivan!" she screamed at the top of her lungs in her scratchiest voice.

The ooze immediately took on form and turned into the being known as Ivan Ooze. "Dammit, Divatox!" he barked at her, brushing himself off, "What the hell do you want?"

"My mother has gone down to the Angel Grove Museum to steal the other half of the Crystal Of Blight!"

Ivan eyed her warily. "Have you been drinking again, Divatox? Because if you have, your mother.........."

The purple haired woman cut him off. "No, dear uncle! I pledge my life to you I have not been drinking!" she tried to convince him, practically pleading to Ivan on her knees, "When you left for your quarters, Mother and Scorpina came in and started scanning for the crystal, which they obviously knew was in Angel Grove. They found it and she sent Scorpina down to steal it from the Angel Grove Museum where it is located! Please believe me!"

Ivan looked into the young villianess' eyes; her pupils screaming out the truth. "Damn her! She's taken advantage of me! She brought me along with her to this 'reunion' as a decoy to her real agenda!" the monster cried, "Come with me, Divatox, to stop her! Your mother will not get away with that crystal! It is and will be mine!"

Divatox just nodded her head and she disappeared in an aura of red, Ivan following her in a jet of purple.

As Ryan cursed, one of the lionesses pounced onto Zack and made him fall to ground. "Zack!" Ryan cried out to the Nature Ranger.

"Don't worry about me," Zack told him, as lioness and him had a staring contest, "Look to your right."

Ryan looked to his right and saw his older brother getting pounced by another lioness and the male lion. The other two lionesses seemed to linger back behind the other two, watching them attack Adam. *Hmmmm, wonder why they're not attacking me?* the thirteen year old thought *On the contrare, should I help Adam or not?*

A smirk lay upon his lips now as the thought of the cruelty of leaving the Zeo Ninja to play with the animals. *Nahhh, couldn't do that. Cam wouldn't forgive me, neither would Justin* Ryan shook his head.

Camellia and Justin were the only other living souls who knew how the Turbo Ranger felt about his brother. Justin knew because he was Ryan's best friend. Camellia knew because..............Well, WHY Ryan had told her about his problem was still a mystery to himself. *She was just a friend I knew I could confide in, I guess* he shrugged.

"Hold on, Adam!" he called out.

"I've been holding on for the last five minutes, Ryan!" the older boy barked back.

*He so annoying* the Green Ninjetti mentally noted, as he drew his hands in front of him, green energy sparking between them. "Lagoon Frog!" he cried, instinct driving his power.

A watery distortion of a large frog jumped from his hands and onto the lions, drenching the four wild cats. Immediately the four lions, growled in surprise and ran off into the green brush. "Thanks, Ryan," Adam brushed himself off, as he got off the ground, "You got some pretty cool powers goin' on there."

"Thanks," Ryan nodded his head in recognition, "Come on. We'd better go help Zack up and start searching for shelter. It's dark already," he pointed to the dark blue sky littered with stars.

"Yeah, we'd better," Adam agreed, as they walked towards Zack.

"This crystal will bring you prosperity, my queen, as well as power," Scorpina explained in her own words as the red head gawked over the gem.

"Oh, yes. Of course," Scorpio agreed, taking her attention away from the glowing rock, "But let us leave now discreetly. I do not want the Power Rangers seeing you. Right now, they do not know of your return to Earth and I would like to keep it that way. I think of you as my secret weapon, Scorpina. You should be grateful for such an honor," she told her general, as she kept looking over her shoulder at the fight between the entities and the rangers.

The assassin's lips pressed together to form a smile, while bowing her head. "I always have, my queen. Everyday I serve you I am grateful."

As she listened, the head villianess finally decided that the rangers were too tangled up with Demise, Annihilation, and Perish to notice herself and Scorpina. "Very good, my assassin. But let us go now. I insist we make tracks and not linger in this battle," Scorpio began to slowly creep down the steps, "Follow me!"

"No, no, no, dear sister," Ivan and Divatox suddenly appeared in front of the two, blocking their path

"I will not let you take that crystal, Scorpio. It is mine!" Ivan cried, his purple hands grabbing for the gem.

Scorpio raised her eyebrow, after she efficiently dodged his hands. "No, is not, Ivan. It is mine, and I will use it to MY advantage," she waved her hand to Scorpina, as she made her way down the steps, "Take care of them, my general. Bring them back to me gagged and tied."

"Yes, my queen," she nodded her head as three tengas appeared with her to fight, "I will show you well."

"Oh, dear brother Ivan," Scorpio mumbled to herself as she walked elegantly down the marble steps, "You are such an ignorant fool. It is a shame you did not change when you had the chance. We could have made a wonderful team."

"Talking to yourself, Scorpio?" a voice interrupted the red head's musing, as she began to walk across the dark street.

"This is the last thing I need right now," Scorpio moaned to herself, then looked up to see the six rangers standing directly in front of her, "Hello, rangers. Excuse me for leaving, but I am not in the mood for a fight."

As the rangers just store, she ignored them and snapped her fingers, causing herself to disappear.

"That was strange," Tanya murmured, nodding her head.

"You're telling me," Rocky agreed, yawning, "But now I'm so tired I could fall over asleep. We'd just better get home."

"Yeah," everyone agreed, but Kimberly who stayed quiet.

"Kim," Jason prodded, "Just go home and get some sleep please. You can't do anything for Shannon and you can't do anything for the others. Just let destiny take its course."

The Purple Ranger folded her arms across her chest and stood her ground. "But.........."

"But, nothing," Aisha pushed, stifling a yawn, "Let's go, Kim."

She let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh, okay," the Element gave in.

Touching their hands to their belt buckles, they disappeared within in their respective lights.

As the sun touched the horizon of the Neola Jungle, Tommy woke up from his dream-filled slumber. "Ummm," Tommy yawned as he sat up and rubbed his sleepy eyes, "Morning already?"

Getting up from the ground, the Red Zeo Ninja heard something moan in content and looked down to see Liyah snuggled up to the place where he was once lying. "Oh, shit!" he cried, arousing the girl in red from her sleep.

"What? What's going on?" Liyah mumbled, rising to her feet from the ground.

Once she was standing steady, Tommy took her by the shoulders and shook her. "Liyah, you'd better answer this question right or else," he ordered nervously.

"Well, if you stop shaking me, I'll answer it," he complied and let go of the younger girl's shoulders, "What's the question?"

As the blonde pulled her long hair into a ponytail, Tommy queried, "Did we.....Well.......You know, Liyah. Did we....................?"

"Do what, Tommy?" Liyah threw her hair over her shoulders in impatience, "Spill it. It's not gonna kill me."

"Didwehavesexlastnight?" he asked in one breath.

Even though the leader of the Zeo Rangers ran his words together, the leader of the Turbo Rangers understood what he said perfectly. "WHAT?!?!? Are you insane, Tommy?" she yelled at him, slapping the older ranger in the arm, "That's like major beyond gross!"

"No, Liyah!" Tommy snapped back at her, "Do you remember anything from last night?"

Liyah shook her head. "Of course I remember last night. We got attacked by some gargoyles, we set up camp, and then........................" she trailed off, the girl's expression becoming grim, "Ohhhhhh. Did we?"

"That's what I wanna know," Tommy shook his head, trying to remember at least something, "I don't remember anything after we kissed."

"Neither do I," Liyah agreed with the other ranger, "Weird," she paused, "But even if we didn't, we can't tell no one about last night. Justin would freak out if he knew, I know he would."

Tommy rolled his tense shoulders for a moment. "Who knows what Shannon would do to me," he muttered, "I might become extinct if she found out. I definitely won't tell anyone, Ninja's word," the Zeo Ninja bowed his head slightly.

Liyah did the same, bowing her head. "Ninjetti's word," she promised.

"This is amazing," Sheryl awed, as she approached the Neola Monolith, Billy not far behind her.

"Yeah, isn't it," the Light Ranger told, looking at the towering rock, "But it looks different somehow."

"How so?" a female voice asked

The two turned around and saw the two Pink Rangers not too far behind them; It had been Kat who asked the question. "Well, there aren't any gargoyles on it," Billy explained, as Kat came up to stand next to him, "Last time the rock gargoyles came to life and started pounding on us."

As the four stood in awe of the Monolith, all the other rangers started to arrive; Until everyone was there, except Tommy and Liyah. "Where are they?" Justin's impatience got the best of him and he paced back and forth.

"Right here," Tommy's voice called from behind them.

Justin turned around to see Tommy and Liyah coming straight towards them; An uneasy space placed between the two. *That's odd* the Blue Turbo Ranger thought to himself, but didn't have the chance to think about the thought any more, as he heard a, "HIYAH!" rip through the air.

Diverting his attention to the sound, the boy and the other rangers were met with a surprise.

Adam and Ryan, the two Green Rangers, the two brothers, were fighting each other with everything they had.

The 'hiyah' came from Ryan as he executed a power kick at Adam's midsection that missed its target. "You wimp! You can't even hit ME!" Adam taunted at the smaller version of himself, as he threw a tornado kick at the other boy's head.

"Shut up, you jerk!" Ryan cried back, dodging the kick from the Zeo Ranger and connecting a step kick with Adam's stomach, "I've been wanting to do this for a hell of a long time!"

"RYAN! ADAM! STOP! PLEASE STOP!" Camellia screamed at the top of her lungs, but got no attention, "We've gotta stop them you guys. We can't let'em kill each other," she declared to the others.

The others nodded their heads in agreement.

Oblivious to the world around them, Adam and Ryan kept on fighting; But both found they were evenly matched. Where Adam had brute strength and was older, Ryan had speed and youth on his side.

"Enough of this!" Ryan stopped fighting and began to draw his hands in front of him, green energy crackling on his skin.

Adam gave a small nod, and did the same as his younger counterpart. "Eagle Inferno!" he shouted, releasing a large apparition of an eagle made of fire from his hands at the Ninjetti.

"Lagoon Frog!" Ryan shouted at the exact same time, throwing his water based attack at the Ninja.

The two watched as their attacks collided and combusted into the air, leaving nothing. "Damn!" Adam cursed to himself.

"Oh, well," Ryan shrugged, and was about to launch himself into a tri-flip when someone grabbed him by the shoulder, "What the............"

The Korean boy didn't have time to finish his sentence as Camellia took his face forcefully into her hands and pressed a long kiss onto his lips.

Adam watched as his brother was enveloped by the Yellow Ranger's kisses. "How pitiful," he grumbled, not noticing Katherine approaching him from behind, "Oh, well. It will be your downfall, little brother."

"Not so fast, Adam," the female ranger stopped Adam, grabbing his face in her hands when her spun around, "I know I'm not Tanya, Adam. But, deal with it."

Looking at her confused, the angry ranger didn't manage to get one word out as the Pink Ranger placed her lips strongly upon his.

"Aughhhhhh," Kerry moaned, holding her stomach, "Anyone got a barf bag?"

"I wish I did, Sis," Zack groaned, watching Kat kiss Adam, "I wish I did right now."

As Ryan and Camellia broke their liplock, Tamara made an very good observation. "Is it just me or do Kat and Adam look like they're enjoying that kiss?" she pointed at Adam as his hands were sliding up and down Kat's butt.

"Uh, Kat," Liyah called out to her sister, watching the older Australian's hands run up and down Adam's back, "I think that's more than enough now."

Kat ignored Liyah and kept kissing Adam. "KAT!" Liyah and Sheryl screamed.

"Oh, okay," Kat sheepishly removed herself from the Green Zeo Ranger's embrace and began to make her way toward the group of her friends

"I'd have to say that that was the most strangest cure we've ever had to get a rid of a spell," Tommy muttered under his breath.

"You're telling me," Billy grinned, standing right next to him.

As they continued to talk amongst themselves, Dulcea suddenly appeared in front of them. "You have achieved what you came here for, rangers. Good-bye and farewell. And good luck with your plight against Dark Specter's family line," with her simple words she disappeared and soon after, the rangers disappeared within their respective lights.

They were finally heading home.

"You think the guys will be back in time for the graduation?" Trini sighed wistfully as she walked down the path through the botanical gardens with Rocky.

"I hope so," Rocky frowned, "I hate being so helpless here. I mean, we can't help Shannon and we can't help the guys on their quest."

Trini nodded her head in agreement as they walked into the gazebo. "Did you two get the robes?" Jason questioned as he unfolded the last chair to be set up.

"Yeah, they're in the back of my car," Rocky answered, sitting down on a chair with the rest of the group, "So, what are you guys doing?"

"Worrying our heads off," Aisha replied, straightening out her blue skirt.

"And sitting down," Kimberly added, playing with her purple friendship bracelet around her wrist.

"I can understand that, there's nothing else to do now," Trini smiled slightly, as Jason sat down in a chair next to her.

As silence descended upon the six bored stiff rangers, Tanya looked off into the distance and saw eleven familiar flashes of light appear in the large field surrounding the gazebo.

"THEY'RE BACK!!!!" she screamed in happiness.

After the eleven rangers arrived back and were tackled by hugs, kisses, and 'welcome backs', they received call on their communicators. "Liyah, here." Liyah answered the page.

"Liyah," Lady Dimitria's glee-filled voice came over the speaker, "may I speak to Tommy?"

"Tommy, here, my lady," the Red Ranger answered.

There was a silence over the connection as cries of happiness could be heard. "Tommy," Lady Dimitria's voice cracked, as it became obvious she was crying, "Congratulations, Tommy. You are the father of twins."

"Ohmigod!" he cried, as everyone else around him began to pat the father on the back, "Shannon! Is she okay, my lady?"

"Yes, she is. She is here waiting for you."

Tommy's shocked expression was a one in a million. "Tell her I'm coming! Tommy out," he cut the connection and immediately teleported to the Power Chamber.

The red flash of teleportation appeared in the Power Chamber and materialized into Tommy, who immediately sprang for the stairs; Taking two every step.

Quickly finding his way to the living quarters, the doors opened in front of him and the Zeo Ranger burst into the room quietly. "Tommy," Shannon whispered exuberantly from her place on the bed.

Tommy store at the mother of his children for a moment. Her sky blue eyes were dull and her face was slightly pale, but other than that she looked beautiful. In her arms, she held the two new additions to their family; Both, a boy and a girl, sleeping peacefully.

He slowly made his way over to his fiancé and sat down on the side of the bed. "Sweetcheeks," he murmured, kissing her on the cheek, "How are you feeling?"

"A little tired, but other than that I'm fine," she replied him, as one of the babies began to stir in her arms, "I named him Sean, Oliver. After............"

"After your adopted father," Tommy finished for her.

Shannon just nodded her head, as Tommy carefully took the baby girl from her arms and cradled the sleeping child back and forth. "Shannon, we should name her Makala," Tommy suggested, meeting eyes with his daughter's big brown eyes for the first time as she awoke, "She looks just like Maylonus."

"Named after Maylonus, I see," she smiled at her lover, "Perfect."

Tommy's lips the top of the Makala's fragile head. "Makala and Sean Oliver. Welcome to our lives and your own......................"

Two hours later, the gazebo the group had been setting up was filled to the maximum with graduating high school seniors, their proud parents, and their siblings.

At the front of the rows and rows of chairs that held the seniors, Billy, Trini, Kat, Adam, Tanya, Rocky, Jason, Kimberly, Zack, and Aisha sat up in the front, listening to the speech being given by the student council president, Bobbie McEarchern. "Where's Shannon and Tommy?" Billy asked Kimberly, who was sitting next to him, as he adjusted his purple graduation gown sleeves.

"Didn't you hear? Tommy and Shannon decided to ditch the ceremony," the Purple Ranger whispered to the White Ranger, "After all where would you want to be: At the Power Chamber, spending time with your newborn babies or here, away from them and listening to a whole bunch of speeches?"

Billy smirked; He had to admit, Kimberly Anne Hart had changed tremendously from that petite, bubbly, valley girl he remembered distinctly as the Pink Ranger. She was more than that now. She was a strong, agile, witty girl who was now the Purple Ranger. "Of course with babies, but whose gonna make that speech that Shannon was going to? Obviously, Kat can't do it. She's valedictorian," the smart blonde pointed out.

"Shannon suggested a replacement when she came down here to tell Mr. Kaplan that she wasn't going to be able to make the graduation," Kimberly managed to stifle a small giggle, "Only Zordon knows why she chose THAT person though. But if Shannon has confidence in that person, so do I. And so does Kat."

"Huh?" Billy's blue eyes appeared confused.

"Just listen," Kimberly motioned to the podium as Bobbie stepped down and Mr. Kaplan stepped up to the microphone.

"Now, the Honors' speech was supposed to be made by Shannon Kassandra Kaze next. Unfortunately though, due to the fact she could not attend the graduation today, Rocky DeSantos will be taking her place," Mr. Kaplan's eyes landed on Rocky, as he began to head up for the podium.

"She chose Rocko?" Billy questioned rhetorically, "Good choice."

As Rocky stood in front of the crowd at the podium, he cleared his throat. "Mmmm," he paused, "Well, I guess you already know why I'm standing here and Shannon isn't. At first when Shannon told me to take her place, I was shocked. Me? Then I remembered Shannon had the longest speech and I freaked. But that girl had faith in me, so I went with it. She even gave me her speech, so I could inspire myself while I was up her talking. What I guess I'm trying to say is, Shannon Kaze is a honorable friend and she definitely deserved this honor."

After he let silence descend for a moment, Rocky then continued, "I've gone to Angel Grove High for the last two years and I've always respected the school and the teachers. That kinda sounds corny, but it's the truth," the Blue Zeo Ranger cracked a small smile, "Anyway, we've all come a long way from when we started going to AGHS. Whether we've been going here from the beginning or just started this year, we've all changed at least a little bit. Matured into what we are now at this moment."

"Hopefully, all of us will carry this 'maturity' and new found 'strength' off to where we end up next. Whether it be here in Angel Grove or all the way around the world, that's our decision. And only our decision. No one can point us down our destined paths and give us little nudges and pushes to get us moving. It's all up to us now. It's all on our shoulders. As if we don't have enough to worry about already," Rocky got a few laughs from the crowd, "To end this speech, I guess I'd better quote Shannon, who put it best, 'Remember your past always, look to the future with an open mind and soul, and take the present at a tempo you can keep up with; Because there's no turning back, just looking ahead'. Thank you," Rocky stepped down from the podium.

As soon as he stepped down, clapping and cheers filled the air for the speech. "Wow," Kimberly awed, "Rocky did a great job."

"I did, didn't I, Kim?" Rocky whispered as he passed by her, walking back to his seat, "Shannon told me you were skeptical about her choosing me. What do you think now?"

While Rocky walked to his seat, Kimberly's mouth was hanging wide open. "Close your mouth, Kim. Before a bird builds a nest in there," the Light Ranger teased, nudging her in the arm.

"Oh, shut up," Kimberly hit Billy lightly in the arm and began to watch and listen to Kat as she began her speech.

"You know we're gonna have some problems," Tommy told Shannon, as he paced around the living quarters, Makala still in his folded arms.

Shannon looked up at her fiancé. "Like what?"

"My parents didn't even KNOW you were pregnant, Shannon," he explained, "We we're going to tell them the day Divatox and Auora killed you. Then you came back and I totally forgot because I was just so glad to have you back."

"So we can tell them now. There's no problem in that," Shannon solved, playing with Sean as he grabbed for her finger, while his mother waved in front of his face, "Unless you think that it's a sin that we've had more children."

"Of course not. But what about the twins? We were expecting only one baby, if you remember," Tommy pointed out.

The White Zeo Ranger just shrugged it off. "Another problem solved," she paused, "Some of Camellia's old baby furniture is in storage back in Summer Springs. We can just bring it here and set it up."

"Do you have an answer for all of my questions, Sweetcheeks? Or are you just telepathically reading my mind?" Tommy threw a grin Shannon's way.

"I don't invade your privacy, Oliver," the Zeo Guardian explained, "Besides ask me any question and I bet this time I won't have an answer for it."

"Fine then," he took up her offer and asked, "When and where are we getting married?"

The ranger looked Tommy in the eyes. "Why'd you go and ask that question, Olive Oil? I know the answer to that."

"Then answer it."

"Some time next month on KO-35," she glanced at the Zeo Ranger, "Please don't say no, Tommy. Mother insisted on it."

"When did you and Lady Dimitria get to talk about this?" he questioned, some what amused Shannon had the answer to his question.

"When I was labor and you all left on your quest to Phaedos," she told, "So? What do you think?"

Just as Tommy was about to reply, Shannon edged in another sentence, "And if you're gonna ask what the hell is KO-35, don't bother. It's a Cindarien colony, on which Mother lives and where the Astro Rangers operate from."

"I wasn't gonna ask that," the Red Ninja retorted, "I was gonna say yes."

"Oh, thank you, Oliver!" Shannon cried quietly.

"Ohhhh," Scorpio marveled at the Crystal Of Blight as it sat on her bed, "What a wonderful way to welcome Father when he comes to help conquer Earth."

Suddenly, the doorbell outside her chamber went off. "Yes, come in," she called.

The chamber doors slid open and Scorpina came into the room; Not in her usual armor, but a in a dark yellow gown that covered her whole body. "My queen," Scorpina bowed, her long jet black hair falling over her shoulders, "I have done as you wished. Divatox and Ivan Ooze now reside in the bilge for trying to abstract you in your mission."

"Very well," Scorpio nodded her head, as she looked up at her prized general, "You have served me well, Scorpina. It is unfortunate that my brother's daughter and my sister's son would dispose of such a great assassin, who has so many other hidden talents."

"Thank you, my queen," Scorpina thanked, then queried, "What is our next move?"

The villianess lifted her head from the glowing gem to look at her assassin. "Our next move? We wait. A good friend of mine has a plan up his sleeve that he is waiting to execute at the right time," Scorpina arched her eyebrow at her mistress, "Trust me on this one, Scorpina. If his plan works, we won't need the Blight Crystal to get rid of Zordon and his pesky rangers. He'll do it for me..............."

Who is this lover of Scorpio's? Who is Scorpio's friend that she claims will destroy the rangers? And will Tommy and Shannon FINALLY tie the knot? Or will the night Tommy spent with Liyah interfere with those plans? Find out in, "In The Eyes Of The Betrayer"