It was your normal typical day in Angel Grove. The sun was shining with all the warmth of a California summer afternoon. There was a light breeze blowing that stirred up the sweet scent of flowers. The sky was perfectly clear, a deep shade of blue that was almost identical to the uniform of Rocky DeSantos, the Blue Ranger. Forming underneath that uniform, however, were several fairly large bruises that were making him think more of being black and blue than being the Blue Ranger.

"Would someone please get this thing to stop throwing me around like I'm a sack of potatoes?" he yowled, kicking King Mondo's latest creation as hard as he could and wincing as it's talons began to bite deeper and deeper into him.

"On it, Rocko!" Billy twisted the Zeo V Power Sword around and slammed it straight into the creature's right arm with enough strength that it dropped his friend.

Rocky rolled away from the creature and back up to his feet, wincing and struggling to keep himself from passing out, that thing had hurt, and it didn't look like it was going to be stopping it's attack any time soon. Adam and Tanya were both being thrown back from it, and Kat was just now getting back to her feet from where it had tossed her before grabbing onto him. "Oh, man, what next?" he wondered. "Billy, got any ideas?"

"I was about to ask you the same question," the Red Ranger groaned, limping over to stand with the others. Okay, Cranston, you're the brains of this outfit, so what do we do next? The good old 'straight on' approach damn near took us all out. It doesn't have any weaknesses I can build something to take it out with.

He took a good look at it as it stood there and mocked them. It obviously wasn't the greatest strategist in the world, since instead of attacking them it just laughed at them. Then again, I'm not going to complain. Hmmm. ...we haven't tried the Zeo Blaster on it. . .I wonder. . .he touched the side of his helmet gently and whispered into the communications device built into it. "Alpha, what's the most vulnerable spot on that thing? Preferably one that can cause the whole thing to be taken out by the Zeo Blaster."

Cogs appeared at the creature's command, and Billy groaned deep in his mind. This is the last thing we needed. Well, Mondo bringing his fat machine butt down here would be that. . .but we could've done without this too. "Billy," the small voice of Alpha came over the helmet radio. "The monster's most vulnerable area is just over it's left chestplate."

About where the heart would be roughly. Poetic. "Zeo Blaster ready!" he was very glad he'd taken the time to pull all their Zeo weapons into a Zeo blaster for the first time a few days earlier. It had proven to be a mighty weapon. The other four had their weapons ready in seconds, and all that remained was for his Zeo Sword to join in. . .he was all ready. . .

When the monster slammed into him, knocking him to the ground and drooling all over his helmet. "This," Billy grunted, trying to get the thing off him, "is the part of the job I hate!"

"We've got to get that thing off him!" he heard Tanya shouting. Okay, now we know who took over as 'stating the obvious' person, he chuckled mentally to himself. "Hey, wait, who's that?" Huh?

Billy couldn't see what was going on, but the next thing he knew, someone or something had knocked the monster off of him and he heard an explosion. Then, a gloved hand entered his field of vision, and he looked up to see someone looking back at him. Broad-shouldered, wearing a uniform he'd never seen before, with a strange sort of trifold symbol on the helmet, they helped him to his feet. "Who are you?" Billy asked, staring at the strange Ranger as his own team came closer. "I'm Billy."

The voice was none he recognized, but he felt he could trust the person anyway. "I am the Gold Ranger."

"They said they were the Gold Ranger," Billy glanced up at the tube where Zordon resided. "But I've never heard of them before. Where do they come from?"

THE GOLD RANGER IS THE HEREDITARY DEFENDER AND KING OF TRIFORIA, A PLANET VERY FAR FROM HERE, RANGERS, Zordon told them. I AM UNCERTAIN OF THE PRECISE IDENTITY OF THE CURRENT MONARCH, BUT WILL BE CONTACTING THEM IF I CAN TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON. IF THIS GOLD RANGER IS INDEED THE LORD OF THAT PLANET, THEN THEY ARE A TRUSTED ALLY AND FRIEND. WE MUST SPEAK WITH THEM AGAIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Billy closed his eyes in thought. "They showed up when we were in danger. That's not going to make Mondo happy. We're going to have to keep our eyes peeled for him, her, whatever."

"And when we do meet them, I want to thank them," Kat said, taking Billy's hand gently. "I owe them a favor."

The look the two of them shot each other was more than enough to make them both blush, and every one else in the room start to cough and fan themselves jokingly. It broke a great deal of tension that had begun to build up, and Rocky shook his head. "Do you guys need a room or anything, or can you contain yourselves for our sakes, at least?"

The blush on both the Red and Pink Rangers' cheeks grew even deeper, and the Blue Ranger couldn't help but keep it up. "Watch it there, Billy, you're going to be the red-skinned Ranger if you keep it up. . .and Kat, you don't look quite as good in blush as you do in pink!"

It's possible he would've been saying even more, if Adam hadn't quietly leaned over to rescue his friend and leader by whispering into Rocky's ear something only the Blue Ranger heard. Whatever it was, Rocky went first white, then red himself, and took a deep breath. "Um, nevermind," he whispered. "Um, shouldn't we be looking for the Gold Ranger or something?"

Everyone laughed, and Tanya leaned over to the young man she'd started dating just recently. "What did you say to him?" she wondered. Adam raised an eyebrow mysteriously, and only smiled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Billy asked, chuckling. He had an idea that Adam `had' something on Rocky, and if it was going to keep his friend from teasing them, then so be it! "Oh, never mind! I think we've got a few things to do."

As they started scanning for Gold Ranger, on the off-chance whoever it was would be visible to their instruments. Billy's mind was already ticking over what would happen when {he refused to think if} they got in contact with the mysterious Ranger. He couldn't shake the feeling something very important would be beginning.

It had been three weeks since the Gold Ranger had made their first appearance, and had since proven to be completely undetectable by the instruments of the Machine Empire and the Power Chamber. Billy had racked his brains almost to death trying to figure out a way to find the stranger and talk to them. Zordon hadn't been able to get through to Triforia, but he hadn't stopped trying. None of them had.

Then it happened. Out of literally nowhere, it happened. The Gold Ranger appeared in the Power Chamber, practically falling over himself when he did so. He demorphed, revealing himself to be not one, but three people. Zordon informed them that the Triforian race was a trifold one, three minds normally united as one in one body.

"The attacks have destroyed my unity," Trey of Triforia, as he named himself, told them. "And my body will soon fail along with it. I must choose someone of Earth to pass the power to. Only Earthlings and Triforians have ever been able to wield the Golden Powers. You, Red Ranger of Earth, must choose who will be given these powers. I trust you."

Billy blinked in shock, not quite certain just what was happening here. "You've got to be kidding!"

"No," Trey shook his head, it was obvious that he didn't have much strength left. "And you must hurry. There is little time left. I beg of you, Billy Cranston, choose swiftly, choose wisely, and choose well."

Billy couldn't deny the request of another Ranger. It was a sacred honor that he had taken on that first day when he himself had become a Ranger, confirmed when he had taken on the identity of Zeo Ranger V, Red, in Tommy's place. He took a deep breath. "I'll find someone," he swore. "Someone good. Someone decent. Someone honorable, compassionate, kind. Someone who would make the perfect Ranger."

Even as he spoke the words, he knew who he had to choose. The only logical choice, at least to him. He turned to Zordon and told him who he had in mind. "Are they available?" he asked.

It only took his mentor a moment to scan Angel Grove, and then he nodded. YES. THEY ARE IN THE YOUTH CENTER RIGHT NOW, ALONG WITH THE OTHERS. THEY HAVE BEEN REMAINING TOGETHER, DEALING WITH RECENT EVENTS.

Billy nodded; he remembered seeing them together. It hadn't quite felt right to talk to them, not because they weren't Rangers and he was, but because . ..he wasn't even sure why. But he was going to change that. Once this was dealt with. "I'll be right back," he said. I hope they say yes. Because if they don't, I'm going to be right back where I started from, and I don't think Trey has that kind of time.

Jason Lee, Zack Taylor, and Trini Kwan were all in the Youth Center that day. Jason and Zack were sparring, while Trini practiced her kung-fu in the same corner she'd been in that day when they were picked to be the Rangers. Me, Jason, Zack, Billy, and Kim, she thought, biting her lip at the thought of the first Pink Ranger. A tear trembled in the corner of her eye as she remembered her fierce and proud friend. They had shared so many memories, long before Zordon had entered their lives, long before they had been responsible for the defense of the world. They had been best friends.

Then Tommy had come along, and Kim had fallen heart-shatteringly in love. Trini had been glad for her, and had missed her at the same time, as the Pink Ranger was slowly taken away by love. She didn't mind, however. Trini was in love herself. She was in love with Billy.

That had changed, of course. All things did with time. Now she cared about him as friend, even if they hadn't spoken much lately. She had seen the way he had changed lately as well. He had matured in ways she had never expected him to. He had fallen in love with Kat, the new Pink Ranger. Both of them were going on with their lives.

"Trini?" she stopped suddenly at the sound of her name, and turned to see Billy there, looking nervous. "Trini, I really need to talk with you."

"What about?" she was expecting anything but what he told her.

"We need you to be a Ranger again."

Quickly he explained what was going on, the situation with the Gold Ranger and his lowering powers. She had her choice made, however, the moment he said that she was needed again. "I'll do it," she decided. "But why did you ask me, and not Jason or Zack?"

Billy smiled. "Because you're my best friend. I trust you with everything, including these. Besides, I think those two are busy," with his eyes, he indicated the two former Rangers who had stopped sparring by now. They were talking with two girls at the bar, one of whom was the new waitress Ernie had hired, Emily. The other was Zack's old love interest, Angela, who it seemed was much more interested in the "Zack returned from Switzerland" than the Zack who had tried so hard to win her heart before.

"Let's go," she smiled. "It doesn't sound like your friend has too much time."

They were back in the Power Chamber just in time it looked like. The Treys were fading fast, but made his way to their feet just as they appeared. "Thank you, Billy," Trey of Wisdom said softly, grasping his Golden Power Staff out of nowhere. "What is your name, young lady?"

"Trini Kwan," she replied, coming to stand before him.

"Do you take this power out of need to protect your planet, and swear to return it to Triforia when the next of my blood arises who shall take care of it?" Trey of Heart requested.

She nodded firmly. "I do."

Trey of Courage was next. "Then I do bless and give you with the Power of Triforia, the Power of the Gold Ranger. May the Gods of my people and yours bless and keep you and yours, Trini Kwan, with the sacred power and wisdom."

She reached up to take the staff, and as her fingers wrapped around it, she could feel the power infusing her with life and light and power beyond what being the Yellow Ranger had ever given her. She smiled as she took the staff from Trey of Courage, who collapsed suddenly. "Thank you," was all he said before his three forms shimmered, and vanished.

WE WILL SEND WORD BACK TO TRIFORIA, Zordon said sadly. HE WAS A BRAVE WARRIOR. BUT IN HIS PASSING, WE ARE MADE THE STRONGER BY THE ADDITION OF THE GOLD RANGER. WELCOME, TRINI KWAN. WELCOME HOME.

Perhaps for the first time since she had left for Switzerland, as she looked around at her new teammates, Trini also felt as if she really were home, too.

THE END?