Variations of SPD Part Four

Chapter 16: The Return Of The Ninjetti

“The white light streams down to be broken up by those human prisms into all the colors of the rainbow. Take your own color in the pattern and be just that.” -- Charles R Brown --

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." -- Helen Keller --

- -

“POWER RANGERS TO THE COMMAND CENTER!” Kat’s voice announced over the P.A. System, sending the base into alert.

The five Rangers rushed from their rooms where they’d been resting and headed for the Command Center at breakneck speed. When they arrived, the five found Kat and Anubis arguing while Anna watched in smug satisfaction.

“She is not a Ranger! She is not to go on the battlefield, Dr. Manx! Do I make myself clear?” the great blue dog barked.

“Crystal, Commander,” Kat hissed at him. She wanted Anna where she could monitor her, and having the girl in the Command Center wasn’t an option. The feline scientist had her suspicions that not everything was as it appeared with the brunette cadet.

“Rangers, suit up!” Anubis ordered them. The five moved quickly, joining him in a line before his desk.

“Ready?” Aaron called.

“READY!” the others answered.

“SPD EMERGENCY!”

Instantly the six were morphed and heading out. Anubis took one of the Jeeps while the Rangers hit the access tubes to their Delta Runners.

Anna stood back and carefully monitored the situation, or tried to. Kat had already told her to stay back. ‘Better watch yourself, Dr. Manx. No one’s going to stand in my way, not even you!’ Anna wickedly thought while glaring at Kat’s back.

- -

“Welcome back,” Ninjor announced when the seven of them reappeared in the main room of the Temple Of Power.

“Ninjor, Dulcea said the others were in trouble,” Jack started, his body tense and ready for battle.

“Vampra’s sent more Tenga warriors, a new monster, and the only general he has on Earth to destroy New Tech City.”

“Then we have to get home,” Brian responded. The other five smiled at the White Ninja’s words, knowing he seemed more at home in New Tech now than ever before.

“What about Zords?” Z asked. “The others are using the Delta Runners, and I don’t think our powers are compatible with the SWAT Fliers.”

Ninjor held up his hand to silence the ensuing agreements from the other Rangers. “Your Ninja Zords have already been activated, all you need to do is call them,” he assured them, before continuing with a new piece of information. “You also now have the ability, morphed, to teleport anywhere you like. All you have to do is touch your morphers and think of a destination.”

The six Ranges looked down at their belts, where their morphers were, in quiet shock. “What about these crystals?” Sydney wanted to know, even as she removed hers from her morpher.

“They are your link to the Great Power, and the Morphin’ Grid. Never let them out of your sights.”

“They’re like the Power Coins?” Brian murmured his question, referring to the story he had heard from Ninjor about how the original Rangers of Earth had first become Rangers.

“Yes, but much more powerful. Should they fall into evil hands, it would spell certain death for you all,” Ninjor warned them, his voice a deadly whisper. “The Crystals are far stronger than the Power Coins, but they are also far more fragile.”

The six couldn’t help but to nod, not one of them brave enough to say a word. “Ninjor,” Syd started, reaching out to hug the blue warrior. Time was short and their friends were in trouble, they needed to get home.

“Take care, all of you; do not forget the lessons learned. If you should need me, don’t be afraid to call,” he told them, taking Syd’s hands into his when he stepped back from their embrace.

“Just call? And you’ll hear?” Z wanted to know.

“Yes. We are connected, forever, through the Power of Ninja. Good luck, Rangers, for the coming battles will not be easy, nor kind.”

They nodded before grouping together. “You guys read?” Jack grinned.

“Ready!”

“BACK TO ACTION!”

- -

“ALLY!” Brett called out in horror as Delta Runner Five was kicked like a soccer ball by the monster they were facing.

“Allison, come in!” Anubis called over the communications line directly into Delta Runner Five.

For several tense seconds, no response came from the Pink Ranger. When the reply came, albeit filled with static, the team sighed in minor relief. “I’m alive...pinned under...controls.”

“Kat, Delta Runner Five is out of commission! We need help!” Aaron radioed back to base. “I’m afraid we have none to send,” Kat told him, hit the console beside her with her palm. “The Delta Base MegaZord is still offline and your morphers haven’t been upgraded with the SWAT technology yet, so we can’t access the Fliers.”

“So basically we’re sitting ducks?” Travis demanded to know, his voice filled with barely contained anger. “How about getting Ally out of Delta Five?”

There was some mild cursing coming from the base’s communications line. The Rangers would have chuckled at Kat’s colorful words as she yelled at someone but they were engaged in battle and worried about their teammate. “It’s not safe for the rescue squads to go in just yet. I’m sorry.”

Alana slammed her hand against the console in front of her. “Where the hell are the others? WE NEED THEM!”

“Guys! Look!” Ally’s voice was stronger over the communications line she shared with the others. When the Rangers looked up, six figures were standing on the roof of a building not far away.

“No way!” Travis grinned.

The six figures stood together long enough to get the attention of the monster that was fifty stories high as well as that of the General controlling him.

“WE NEED NINJA ZORD POWER NOW!”

“NINJA TIGER ZORD!”

“NINJA PANDA ZORD!”

“NINJA PEGASUS ZORD!”

“NINJA SPHINX ZORD!”

“NINJA PHOENIX ZORD!”

“NINJA DRAGON ZORD!”

Once the call had been made, a great rumbling was heard in the distance. Looking to the left of the figures, everyone saw six machines headed their way. Nodding to each other, the six figures made the super leap from the building to the zords.

Z slid into her cockpit first, marveling at the advanced technology of her zord. “Holy cow!” she grinned, reaching out to grab the controls. “Ninja Tiger Zord, online and ready to roar!”

Bridge chuckled when he heard his girlfriend and then felt his jaw go slack when he got a good look at his cockpit. It seemed to the Green Ranger as if Zord had been molded to him. “Ninja Panda Zord, systems ready to rock!”

Jack shook his head at his friends even as he slid into the cockpit of his Zord. Who’d have ever thought he’d end up with a flying horse? Grinning, he hit the communications button. “Ninja Pegasus Zord is all a go, can we get this over with?” he called when he finally caught sight of Delta Runner Five.

“Ninja Sphinx Zord, online, systems are a go,” Sky responded, feeling at ease as he grabbed the controls of his Zord.

“Ninja Phoenix Zord, geared up to fly,” Syd grinned, her Zord slicing through the afternoon sky.

“Ninja Dragon Zord chilled and ready!” Brian called, his Zord towering over everyone else’s.

All six of them hit a series of buttons, allowing the computers to chime together, “MegaZord sequence activated!”

The Panda zord folded up, all four appendages slipping into place in the torso. The Tiger and Sphinx zords folded down on top of their legs, with the front legs fusing together and the back legs fusing together. The two zords attached themselves on either side of the Panda zord, forming arms. The Pegasus zord followed suit, his legs fusing together. Jack’s zord locked in under the Panda, creating the waist legs of the MegaZord. The wings came off and with a burning of the propulsion thrusters, the wings attached to the back of the Panda, giving the MegaZord wings. Finally, the Phoenix folded her wings together and the belly shifted up, revealing a face, before locking down on top of the Panda zord.

“Ninja MegaZord!”

The junior A Squad watched on in shock as the sequence was finished before turning their attention to the White Dragon, which was currently folding in on itself and making minor transitions of it’s forelegs and back legs, the dragons’ head folding down to reveal a more human looking head. In an instant, Brian’s Zord had transformed itself into its own MegaZord. “Ninja Dragon MegaZord ready for battle!”

Once the MegaZords were formed, Jack called over to Brian. “Take the Dragon Zord and see if you can help Ally while the rest of us take out this pain in the ass!” Jack commanded the younger Ranger.

“You got it!”

Within ten minutes, the Rangers had contained the Monster, now shrunk down to normal size, and Ally was being rushed back to the Academy’s infirmary, thanks to Brian righting her zord, allowing the rescue squad to get in and help her.

“Welcome back, guys,” Aaron greeted, his team staring at the senior A Squad in quiet shock when the two teams arrived back at the Command Center.

“Sorry we didn’t get back sooner,” Z told them. “Things got a little hairy for a while for us.”

The four nodded. “Jack, go ahead and head to the infirmary,” Anubis told the Red Ranger. Jack nodded his thanks and headed out, still morphed. “Congratulations on your successful trip.”

Sky, Bridge, Z, Syd and Brian nodded their thanks and smiled. “Power down!” Sky commanded. The five did so, leaving them to face their teammates and their commanding officer.

“So?” Travis asked, curios as to what had happened to them.

“I’m the Tiger,” Z proudly announced.

Bridge grinned. “The Panda.”

“You already know I’m the Dragon,” Brian laughed.

Syd smiled. “And you know I’m the Phoenix.”

All eyes turned to Sky, who stood there staring at them, one eyebrow arched, before he let loose a smile. “The Sphinx, and Jack ended up the Pegasus.”

Alana looked thoughtful for a moment. “That’s weird, you all ended up with creates from mythological stories.”

“The Panda and Tiger are mythological?” Aaron questioned his girlfriend, who nodded.

“In Chinese culture, yes. The Sphinx is Egyptian, the Pegasus Greek, and I believe the Dragon and Phoenix have been featured in most cultures.”

“Welcome home, Rangers,” Kat announced upon entering the Command Center, a smile on her face and relief in her eyes and heart at seeing her friends.

“Kat!” the newly arrived home Rangers called in greeting.

Sydney stepped forward, her hand going to Kat’s forearm. “How’s Ally?”

The feline scientist smiled serenely. “She’s stable. She suffered a concussion, a broken wrist, and some burns. Jack and Dr. Felix are with her now. She’s going to be laid up for a few days, until the bone regenerator has a chance to fix her wrist. She’s also going to have to spend a few hours under the laser for the burns.”

“Were they as bad as Sky’s?” Syd wanted to know, remembering with startling clarity the burns Sky had suffered some months before.

“No. Her skin around her broken wrist and the area at the back of her head are tender, but her suit kept out most of the damage.”

Sky reached over and took Syd’s hand when a small shudder moved down his spine. “She’s lucky then,” he quietly commented.

“She is. Now, you all need some rest, doctor’s orders.”

“Dr. Manx is right. Dismissed!” Anubis barked.

The team saluted and then moved to leave the Command Center, only to be stopped at the doors. “Welcome back,” a new voice sounded.

Z growled, while Bridge restrained her and Brian stepped in front of her. Syd squeezed Sky’s hand a little tighter, while Sky sighed in frustration.

“Anna.”

“You looked good out there,” she grinned seductively at Sky, stepping toward the Blue Ranger with an obvious sway to her hips. “The Sphinx suits you, Blue Boy,” she told him, running a finger down the middle of his chest before walking past him to speak with Commander Cruger.

Sky shook his head and rolled his eyes before he brought Syd’s hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles before letting her tug him out of the room. “That one’s cruising for a bruising, isn’t she?” Alana muttered as the team exited.

- -

“Jack,” Ally’s soft voice called when she opened her eyes and saw him sitting next to her bed, holding her hand.

“Hey,” he whispered, rubbing his lips lightly against the knuckles of her uninjured hand.

“You’re safe,” she murmured, her eyes closing briefly with a stab of pain from her injuries.

Jack looked pained. “I am. I am so sorry I didn’t get him in time to keep you from getting hurt.”

Carefully, she disentangled her hand from his and cupped his cheek. “Jack, it’s all part of the job description, remember?”

The Red Ranger nodded but remained silent. After only a few seconds, Jack closed his eyes and simple relished the feeling of her hand touching his face. He hadn’t realized until he’d had that dream on his journey just how much she meant to him, what she meant to his sanity and his willingness to keep going.

“Jack?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you going to tell me or not?” There was amusement in her voice that warmed him.

“Pegasus.”

The Red Ranger opened his eyes and found his girlfriend grinning up at him. “And the others?”

“Z’s the Tiger, Bridge is the Panda, you know Syd and Brian’s, and Sky ended up the Sphinx.”

The Pink Ranger laughed softly. “Guess we should start calling you Fly Boy now, huh?” Jack just rolled his eyes at her.

“Visiting hours are over,” Dr. Felix announced. The pair were startled but nodded.

“I’ll sneak in to see you later,” Jack murmured, kissing her softly on the forehead before he left the infirmary.

- -

“Home sweet home,” Syd sighed when she and Z plopped down on the couches in the Common Room. Bridge and Sky were over at the food synthesizer getting all of them something to eat.

“All I want is my bed, and a hot shower,” Z moaned, stretching sore muscles.

“I want Sky’s bed and a shared shower,” Syd giggled, causing Z to wrinkle her nose.

The Yellow Ranger made a gagging sound. “Gross! Do you mind, I don’t need to hear about your sexual adventures!” Z dodged the throw pillow that Syd lobbed at her. “Anyway, where’s Brian?”

Sydney titled her head up and kissed Sky on the cheek when the Blue Ranger sat beside her and handed her a bowl of chicken salad. “Bed. I tucked him in about twenty minutes ago. He was too pooped to stay awake.”

Z nodded and smiled her thanks at Bridge who handed her a hamburger and a basket of fries. “I can’t wait to get down to the Zord bay and check out those new zords in greater detail!” Bridge gushed around a mouthful of his sandwich. Z shook her head at him, taking a bite of her dinner, while Syd arched an eyebrow and Sky just rolled his eyes. “What?”

“Bridge, how about we get some sleep first? Tomorrow, you and I’ll drag Boom to the Zord bay and look at them, ok?” Sky suggested, trying to calm the Green Ranger down.

Bridge nodded enthusiastically. “I have one question,” Syd started, her tone thoughtful.

“What’s that?” Z wanted to know.

“If we’re active Rangers again, how are we going to keep teaching?”

The others looked surprised and thoughtful at her question. After pondering that question, none of them could come up with a suitable answer.

- -

--The Command Center--

“Well?” Viper asked over the communication channel that was open in the darkened room.

“They’ve returned. I believe the best time will be to strike during the next battle.”

“No. Let them wait, let them get comfortable. Then we strike when they least expect it.”

“Of course. Give the Master my regards. Anna out.”

As Anna moved from her place at the console, a slim figure moved from the shadows, watching her with narrowed green eyes. “I knew we couldn’t trust you,” the figure hissed in anger. Stepping up to the console, the figure typed furiously, trying to get a trace on the line Anna had used.

“Hey Kat! There you are!” Boom called out, bounding into the room.

“What do you need, Boom?” Kat grumbled at him while she continued to type at a furious pace.

“What’s wrong?” Boom asked suddenly, instantly catching on to Kat’s bad mood.

“We’ve got a traitor in our midst and I’m trying to prove it.”

Boom looked startled and sputtered, “Who’d betray SPD?”

Kat snapped her eyes to his face. “I don’t have enough hard evidence to tell you that, only suspicion.” Turning her gaze back to the computer, she cursed when the computer froze. “DAMN!”

“Kat?”

“Anna.”

Boom nodded, realizing that Kat’s naming the possible suspect didn’t surprise him all that much. “So we’ll start keeping our eyes on her.”

“It’s not just that. She worries me, in other ways.”

“Syd?”

For a moment, Kat felt surprise blossom bright in her. She hadn’t expected Boom to follow her line of thinking that clearly. “And Sky.”

Again, the blonde haired gadget tester nodded. “So we keep our eyes on her. Carefully.”

A surge of pride shot through the feline scientist. Boom had certainly grown up in the last few years, just like the Rangers. “Boom, do you feel like going undercover for a while?”

Boom grinned. “Absolutely. You know I’d do anything for the gang.”

“Good. Meet me in my office in the morning. And don’t tell anyone.”

The blonde haired man nodded, watching a million emotions float across Kat’s face. He swallowed hard, knowing he was possibly in over his head now.

- -

Sky’s eyes shot open, a searing panic filling his chest. He’d dreamt Sydney had gone head to head with Anna, who’d been wielding great power. And all he’d been able to do was watch on, helpless to stop it.

“Sky?” Sydney murmured, shifting her body closer to his. Her head was on his chest, one hand curled over his heart. Her body was fit close to his, one of her legs intertwined with his.

Sky sighed in relief and kissed the top of her head, his arm tightening around her waist. A surge of desire filled him, causing his body to tighten in places, painfully reminding him that his beautiful girlfriend was sleeping with him, the thin silk of her nightgown and the cotton of his boxers the only things separating them.

“What’s wrong?” Sydney’s sleepy voice asked. Sky grinned when her lips began pecking kisses to his chest.

“Bad dream,” Sky murmured, wondering absently if Syd had read his mind.

“No, you’re projecting, and you flinched in your sleep.”

Sky suddenly felt guilty for not trusting her to keep the promise she made on Phadoes. He rationalized that no damage had been done, but he still had issues.

“You know, you should be able to read my mind too,” Syd whispered.

“Huh?”

“It’s a Ninjetti thing, or at least that’s what Brian told me. You should be able to read my mind too.”

“Really?” Sky asked, surprised.

“Go ahead,” Sydney smiled lazily, closing her eyes and snuggling close.

Sky was quiet for a few seconds, thinking over her words. “How?”

“It’s easy,” Syd told him. “Clear everything else out of your mind, and then focus on me.”

The Blue Ranger did as he was told, his mind grasping onto the power that now filled him, the same power that linked him to her, his attention focusing solely on her.

I love you, Schuyler, and I will do everything I can to earn back your trust.

Sky felt tears well in his eyes before he blinked them back. He trusted her more than any other, he’d just been disappointed and hurt that she hadn’t told him about this new part of her when she’d first discovered it.

I’m so sorry.

I love you.

“Sky,” Syd whispered.

Gently, Sky rolled them over so that he was hovering over her. “Yes?” he prodded softly.

“Make love to me,” she whispered back, arching up so she could kiss him.

Sky’s sole focus was her. I love you his mind relayed to her. Her response was a wave of love that brought tears to his eyes.

- -

“Bridge?” Z murmured, waking up in her boyfriend’s bed, alone.

“I’m right here, Z,” Bridge called from where he sat at his desk.

The Yellow Ranger sat up, pushing the green and yellow checkered comforter off. Sleepily, Z crawled to the end of the bed and stared at him. Bridge had his feet propped up on the bed while he played with a slinky. Seeing the look on Z’s face, Bridge set down his toy and opened his arms to her. Scrambling off the edge, Z climbed into his lap. The Green Ranger wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him while she lay her head on his shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” Z yawned.

“Can’t sleep.”

“I keep having weird dreams.”

“I know,” Bridge murmured, kissing her forehead. “You were projecting.”

“Sorry.”

Bridge watched on as Z slid into a deep sleep. He felt protective and protected, in love and loved, all at once. Carefully, the Green Ranger got to his feet, carried Z back to bed, and then crawled in with her. Once he had her pulled close to him, he began to drift off. “I love you, Z,” he whispered into the quiet darkness.

- -

The incessant ringing of the phone woke Sydney. An irritated groan was emitted by Sky, who buried his face in her hair. Heaving a sigh, Syd stretched and grabbed Sky’s cordless phone from it’s cradle on the nightstand.

“Hello?” Syd growled into the receiver. She happened to spot the numbers on the clock – it read seven o’clock.

“Sydney?” Jen’s voice floated over the line, making the Pink Ranger rethink her morning attitude.

“Good morning, Aunt Jen,” Syd yawned.

“Honey, is everything ok? Rocky and Aisha called us and told us that you’d gone on a mission. Is everything alright? Are you both ok? How about that others?”

Sydney took a deep breath to calm herself before she set out to calm Sky’s mother. “Everything’s fine. We got in late last night. Can we call you back later this morning? It’s a little early and Sky’s still asleep.”

“Oh lord,” Jen muttered. “I’m so sorry. I forgot you don’t get up until seven thirty most mornings. Call us when you get up, and don’t forget to call your parents too.”

“Of course, Aunt Jen. Goodbye.”

“Get some more sleep, Sweetheart.”

Sydney punched the off button on the phone and sank back into the covers and Sky’s arms. “What did my mom want?”

“To see what’s been going on. Uncle Rocky and Aunt Aisha called them but didn’t give them details. I told her we’d call back later. Go back to sleep,” Syd yawned.

Sky didn’t answer; he merely nuzzled the back of her neck and drifted off.

- -

Z couldn’t help but to grin. She was practically sleeping on top of Bridge, so she felt every muscle, every plane of his body, including the throbbing of his erection against her stomach. Even though they were separated by the cotton of his pants and her shorts, it made her fell loved and desired.

“Good morning,” Bridge yawned, his hands stroking up her back, underneath her night shirt. He tried not to let her know he was embarrassed about his erection pressing against her, but he was too content to do anything about it beyond that.

“Good morning. Sleep ok?”

“Better after you got up and fell asleep against me in the chair,” Bridge teased.

“Sorry,” Z mumbled.

“Don’t be, I didn’t mind. Hungry?”

“Yeah. You?”

“My stomach’s grumbling.”

The two chuckled then crawled out of bed. “Bridge?”

“Yeah?”

“You might want to get a handle on yourself before you go downstairs,” Z teased, leaning forward to kiss him softly even as she nudged the growing bulge in his sweats with her knee.

Bridge groaned and pulled away from her, looking down into the eyes he loved so much. “I’m gonna go take a shower, meet you at the stairs in five?”

“You got it,” she murmured, kissing him again before she headed through the bathroom to her room.

- -

When Bridge and Z entered the kitchen, they stopped short, their eyes on a sleeping Jack, who was sitting at a chair at the kitchen table, his arms folded on it, head resting on them. “What time do you think he got in?” Bridge asked.

Z shrugged and quietly crept the last few feet to kneel next to Jack’s chair. “Jack?” she whispered, nudging the Red Ranger softly.

“Hmm...wha?” Jack mumbled sleepily.

“Go to bed,” Z ordered.

“Can’t. Got go work.”

Z grinned. “No you don’t. It’s Saturday, we can handle work. How’s Ally?”

The Red Ranger sat up and yawned. “Stable. Dr. Felix is letting her go to her room later tonight.”

“Let Bridge help you upstairs. Collapse, sleep, call us when you get up.”

Jack nodded half heartedly. Bridge shook his head and helped Jack up the stairs. Once the boys were out of the room, Z moved to the stove to start on breakfast.

- -

“Commander you wanted to speak with us,” Sky announced when five of the junior members and four of the senior members entered, all dressed in their uniforms, raring to get on with their duties.

“Yes. Because of this new threat, I’d like to step up the training of lower level cadets. The training everyone is receiving now will not be enough. Ninjor has sent a list of suggestions for you to use in the training of the cadets.”

The nine of them nodded. “When do we start?” Aaron asked.

“Today. Everyone is meeting you out on the mud course. Here’s what I expect, make sure you get the point across.” Anubis had Kat hand over data pads with Ninjor’s suggestions and his own wants in the changing of the training techniques. The Rangers all looked down, eyebrows raising in silent shock.

“Sir?”

“Those are your orders. Dismissed!”

“Yes sir!”

- -

The cadets seemed to cringe when the nine A Squad Rangers walked onto the training field. The junior members looked ready for a fight while the seniors looked ready to train them to exhaustion.

“Atten-hut!” Sky barked. As the senior most member of the team, he was to lead in Jack’s absence. Once the cadets were quiet and paying attention, Sky stepped back and let Alana and Z run the role call. Once everyone was accounted for, Sky stepped forward again.

“Due to recent events, Commander Cruger would like to step up your training. Due to the intensity of this new training, some of you may be demoted to a lower squad until you catch on. Cadet Drew’s going to explain the new training.”

Sky nodded to Syd who moved forward from her spot next to Z and Aaron.

“We have a new threat to Earth, one that required the senior members of A Squad to retrieve new powers on a distant planet. To that end, Commander Cruger wants all cadets, Ranger track or not, to intensify their training,” Sydney filled them in. “If you can’t handle it, you’ll be switching squads until you catch up. You’ll be spending more time in the simulators with A Squad, you’ll be expected to run the obstacle course faster – you need to shave at least a minute and half off your best times. Weapons training will also be touched upon. Dr. Manx and Boom are developing new weapons as we speak. You’re going to learn how to use these weapons. Understood?”

“Yes ma’am!” the group answered.

“Good. Cadets Landors and Parker will be rejoining us over the next few days, they are to be shown the same respect, understood?”

“Yes ma’am!”

Nodding, Syd stepped back in line. “Alright, first task is mud course. Your times are on a clipboard, you need to shave at least fifteen seconds off today,” Sky announced as the group moved toward the start of the course.

“Junior A Squad will be stationed throughout the course, and Cadet Oliver and I will be running with you. If you need any medical assistance, do not hesitate to ask. Cadets Drew and Delgado will be at the end to record your times. Go ahead and stretch, Cadet Carson will let you know when you can start.”

That said, Sky quietly said something to the others before he and Brian stretched out.

- -

“Hey,” Ally greeted with a smile when Jack entered the infirmary.

Jack grinned at her and leaned down to peck a kiss to her lips. “Hi. Feel any better?”

“Loads. My concussion wasn’t as bad as they thought. One run under Kat’s laser and the burns are gone, and another day or two and my wrist will be back to normal.”

Jack nodded and leaned in to kiss her again. “Our next day off, you and I are going away somewhere, ok?”

Ally smiled at him. “Sounds like a plan. Where are the others?”

“Out on the mud course with half of Delta Base. Cruger ordered intensified training for all of us.”

“Fun. Jack, can I tell you something?”

The Red Ranger looked confused. They were dating, of course she could tell him anything, didn’t she know that, he thought. “Of course, what’s wrong?”

“While you guys were gone, something happened.”

“What?”

“I don’t have proof,” Ally told him, making sure he understood what she was about to say was just speculation. “But Anna said something odd the other day. I was half asleep after a battle, so maybe I was dreaming, but I could have sworn she knows something about Vampra.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at his girlfriend. “Have you told anyone else?”

“No. Without solid proof, I didn’t want to accuse her of anything.”

The Red Ranger nodded. “Don’t say anything, to anyone. I’ll check into it.”

Allison’s reply was a yawn and her eyes closing as a new round of pain meds kicked in.

- -

“How come they don’t have to run the course like the rest of us?” a female cadet complained, jerking her shoulder in Syd and Z’s direction. Brian and Sam weren’t too far from them, shaking their heads.

“How long did it take you to run the mud course, Marissa?” Sam asked her, amusement evident.

“Fifteen minutes.”

“Considering the course is two miles long that gives you two, seven and a half minute miles. Syd and Z have trained enough to run this in ten flat. That’s two five minute miles,” Sam told her, ticking off his points with his fingers. “You can’t get much faster than that. The record for the course, so far, is eight and a half minutes, total.”

Brian grinned. “And Sky’s the one who holds that record. As Rangers, they’re training is already fifty times more intense than yours. Running the mud course a minute and a half faster isn’t going to do them any good. Even the Commander thought so, which is why they aren’t running with us.”

Marissa glared at them then brightened when Sky approached the group. The two boys rolled their eyes. “Yes sir?” Sam asked as they saluted. Marissa joined the salute belatedly, making Sky arch an eyebrow.

“Brian, Sam, head in, wash up. You’re going with us to meet with the Commander.”

The two boys saluted again before running back toward the base. Marissa was left standing with Sky, grinning shyly. “Cadet Reed?”

“Yes sir?”

Sky smirked at her. “Good job on the mud course. Cadet Drew said you shaved thirty five seconds off your time. That’s the best so far. Keep up the good work.”

“Thank you, sir. Striving to match Cadets Drew and Delgado’s times, sir.”

“Admirable, just be careful. They’ve been training for over a year, intensely, you won’t catch them that quickly.”

“Understood sir.”

“Good. Dismissed.”

Chapter 17: Halloween Tragedy

"Never part without loving words to think of during your absence. It may be that you will not meet again in life." -- John Paul Richter --

- -

“I can’t believe Halloween is next week,” Z announced, sitting down on the couch with Bridge. The five of them had just gotten home from the Academy and were relaxing in the living room.

“Do we have any ideas what we’re going as?” Jack asked. “I heard A Squad got put in charge of the party.”

“We did. Syd, Travis, Alana, Ally and I are on the decorating committee. Costumes though…don’t know,” Z grinned, looking to Sky.

“Not a clue,” Sky responded, shifting a nearly sleeping Syd in his lap.

The others looked over at their Blue and Pink Rangers in worry. Sydney and Brian, with a bit of help from Bridge, had been trying to help the rest of them adjust to their telepathic powers since they learned they all had the ability to speak, mind to mind. It hadn’t been the easiest of experiences for Sydney, especially since she was still learning how to use her new abilities as it was without adding everyone else to the mix. Because of all of that, Sky had been protective of her, even more so than usual.

“I know what I want to go as,” Sydney sleepily told them. “Ms. Raya’s helping me with my costume.”

Z grinned, knowing the owner of Rain would make Sydney sparkle more than she did on an everyday basis. “What are you going as?” Jack asked Syd.

“A fairy princess,” Syd grinned. “My costume is pink, white and blue.”

“Any ideas for the rest of us?” Z asked.

“Jack could go as Robin Hood,” Syd teased, snuggling against Sky, her face buried in his neck.

“What’s Ally going as, Jack?” Bridge wondered out loud.

“I think Cleopatra, but I’m not sure.”

“Then you should go as Marc Anthony,” Sky grinned. Jack shot him a look that had the Blue Ranger chuckling.

“I’m not wearing a toga, sorry. Besides, if Syd’s going as a Fairy, what are you going as?” Jack shot back, hoping Sky wouldn’t have a come back.

Sky just grinned. “I have an idea, but it’s a secret. We’ll see if I can pull it off in the next week. What about you, Z?”

The Yellow Ranger looked deep in thought before her face fell. “Like I said, I don’t really know. I do have an idea, but it might depend on Bridge.”

The brown haired Green Ranger raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend’s slightly pleading tone. “Why do I suddenly not like the sound of that?”

The other three started laughing at the expression on Bridge’s face and the answering one on Z’s.

- -

He stood at a console, his tiny hand held computer connected into the mainframe of the base’s computers, hoping to fix the mechanical glitch for the store room doors when he heard voices around the corner.

“Lord Vampra has issued your orders. During the holiday festivities, you are to strike.”

“Tell Lord Vampra it will be done. The Dragon and Phoenix will be his.”

“Good. Your payment shall be the Blue Ranger, to do with as you please.”

He stuck his head around the corner and watched her smile wickedly down at the device in her hand, which was displaying a holographic image. “And the destruction of SPD will be complete.”

“Yes. Do you need any...help?”

“No. I can accomplish this faster on my own. Where shall I meet you?”

“Very well. We’ll talk again when your mission is complete.”

His eyes widened as he pressed himself closer to the wall where he was hiding. He remained hidden even as she snapped the device shut and strode down the darkened hallway, her destination unknown.

“I’ve got to tell Kat!” he muttered to himself even as he went the opposite direction and made a bee-line for Dr. Manx’s lab.

- -

“Wow!” Bridge and Jack announced before whistling at the decorations that had been placed in the gym. Thanks to Kat, Boom, Syd, Travis, Alana, Ally, and Z, and of course all the lower level cadets that volunteered, they had a fun house, a haunted house, midway games, a space for dancing, and a huge costume contest.

“Wow is right,” Alana sassily grinned, approaching the pair of senior officers. “Whatcha think?”

“You guys rocked this out. I think this is gonna be the best Halloween party I’ve ever been to!” Jack laughed, and then eyed Alana’s costume. “Nice dress, by the way.”

The junior Yellow Ranger nodded her thanks. She was dressed in a red and yellow sequined and feathered dress in the same style that had been worn as the Flapper’s of the 1920’s. Around her neck was a red and yellow feathered boa. Her feet were adorned in red high heels, and a yellow headband, complete with feather, kept her hair back from her face.

“Nice of you to show up,” Aaron laughed, coming up to them. He was wearing a black suit with red pinstripes; a fedora with a yellow feather, black shoes, and in his breast pocket was a yellow handkerchief. “Let me guess, Marc Anthony to Ally’s Cleopatra and a hunter?”

“Right,” Jack grinned. “At least about me, I still haven’t figured out Bridge’s costume.”

“Robin Hood,” Bridge told them, watching the three stare at him in confusion. “Z thought it’d be too obvious for me to go with a green costume, so we researched Robin Hood movies, and we came across one with this really cool actor named Kevin Costner. His uniform was a white peasant shirt, brown vest, pants, and boots. So that’s what I went with.”

“Sometimes, your logic amazes me Bridge,” Alana laughed.

“There you are!” a twinkling voice sounded, causing the group to turn their attention toward Ally, who came over wearing a spectacular gold headdress and white robes, looking incredibly like Cleopatra. “Jack, you make a spectacular Marc Anthony. Good thing Sky suggested it to me when we started looking for a costume for you.”

The Red Ranger grumbled under his breath about bossy freaks in blue that were gonna get beat up before he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, kissing her cheek softly. “So, is everyone here but Syd and Sky?” Z asked, approaching the group. Her hair was held back away from her face with simple hair combs. Her costume was a beautiful, medieval style pale yellow dress with an empire waist and long train.

“Z, you look wonderful,” Jack grinned at his little sister. “I think we’re missing Brian too.”

Brett and Travis, dressed as Dracula and a court Jester respectively, joined them a few seconds later. “Kat, Boom, and the Commander are coming down from the Command Center in a few moments.”

“You were saying,” Aaron pointed as the trio in question entered the gym. Commander Cruger looked like King Arthur, complete with a crown and the Shadow Saber by his side in place of Excalibur. Kat and Boom both looked like they’d stepped out of the old films in the Star Wars series; Kat was dressed in a costume similar to one worn by Padme Amidala – a deep blue dress with navy blue crushed velvet coat and her hair pulled back in a unique gold clip while Boom was dressed in the uniform of a Jedi Knight just like Anakin Skywalker.

Commander Cruger looked at all of them gathered together before asking, “Where are Cadets Tate, Drew and Oliver?”

“Sky went to pick up Eric and Taylor’s daughter, Melissa, and Brian’s upstairs helping Syd last I checked,” Z grinned. “They should be here soon.”

The moment Z’s words were heard by the others, they turned to the entrance of the gym, where Sky and his cousin stood. The young lady was dressed in a beautiful renaissance dress of blues and whites. What surprised the group though was Sky’s costume.

Sky wore light blue tights, with black boots, a pair of dark blue shorts, a dark blue tunic over a white peasant shirt with a dark blue cape over that, and a silver crown tilted just so on his head that it made him look dangerous instead of dorky. At his side was a play sword, almost the same length as Commander Cruger’s saber.

“I never thought I’d see the day when Sky Tate would be wearing tights that weren’t part of his Ranger uniform,” Jack shook his head.

“Funny, Jack, really funny,” Sky grumbled, while Kat began giving the Rangers their assignments for the activities. “Z, have you seen Syd?”

“She hasn’t come down yet,” Z told him before turning to pay attention to Kat, who was telling her she was in charge of the costume contest.

“Holy shit!” Aaron’s words echoed among the group gathered when Sydney and Brian arrived. The younger sibling was dressed in a white ninja uniform that was reminiscent of his actual uniform. The outfit was sans the traditional hood and mask, but Brian had a headband. He had also forgone the gloves, leaving his hands bare so he could grip things better.

However, it was Sydney’s outfit that surprised them all. The Pink Ranger wore a two piece bikini in light pink with a fitted body suit of see through white gauze under it. The bottoms had strips of light pink, dark blue, and white gauze attached to it in layers. Each of the strips shimmered in the light because they were covered in silver sequins and glitter. On her back, two beautiful wings rested, each done in see through gauze with sequins and glitter decorating them. Her feet were adorned with lace up ballet shoes in the same light pink as the suit, and nestled in her bangs against her forehead, was a crystal and silver tiara that shot pink and blue fire when it caught the light. Her hair was partially pulled back into a ponytail and curled, while the rest of it hung down her back in golden waves and her face was decorated to look like a she wore a butterfly mask in soft pink and blue make up and glitter.

“Oh wow!” Ally grinned as Brian led his sister toward the group. None of the lower level cadets had shown up yet, so the team was taking their time soaking in Sydney’s costume.

Most of the team turned to look at Sky, and saw that he was just as amazed by Syd’s costume. “I take it she never showed it to you?” Alana teased, nudging the older Blue Ranger.

“Like I said, she got ready here, Z did her hair, I heard about the costume, just hadn’t seen it,” Sky rambled, his eyes locked on the woman he loved more than life itself. She looked like a fairy princess, looked every inch the princess she was meant to be. Their eyes had met halfway across the room, locked, and continued to say more than anyone could possibly say to either of them.

Sydney offered a serene smile when she and Brian stopped before the group. Brian said hello to everyone before moving over to stand next to Melissa, who was his date for the night. Syd remained where she was, quiet, her eyes on Sky and no one else. Bridge, Z and Jack grinned at each other, knowing their teammates were lost in each other – the beautiful fairy princess and her handsome human prince.

“You two look spectacular standing there together!” Kat grinned at them, finally breaking the silence.

“Thank you, Kat,” Sydney smiled. “You all look wonderful yourselves.”

The others grinned their thanks. “Well, here comes everyone,” Jack announced as cadets began to file into the gym.

“Sydney, you and Bridge are in charge of the midway games,” Kat told her, watching her nod before turning to the White Ranger. “Brian, you’re with Sky in the fun house.” With that, Kat walked away to make sure the Dee Jay was ready.

“I’ll meet you over there,” Brian mumbled to Sky, before taking Melissa’s hand and leaving the Pink and Blue Rangers alone in the middle of the dance floor.

“You look very handsome,” Sydney whispered. She felt a little self-conscious with the way he was staring at her so intently.

Sky just continued to stare, his mouth moving before he realized what was coming out. “You take my breath away.”

The Pink Ranger smiled at him before bringing her hands up to cup his face. Leaning forward, Sydney stood on tip toes and kissed him softly, hoping not to smudge makeup on him. “I love you.”

Sky felt his heart soar at her words. It was moments like this, he thought, that made life worth living. “I love you too. Save a dance for me?”

Sydney’s grin was impish. “Only one?” she teased. “I’m afraid you’re the only one I want.”

The Blue Ranger smiled down at her. “I can’t argue with that. See you in a bit?”

“But of course. Maybe we can really have some fun in the fun house later,” she wiggled her eye brows suggestively. Sky let one of his own arch up in question, a look Sydney had seen on him countless times before and it still made her laugh.

“Beautiful Princess, are you suggesting I take advantage of my position as keeper of the fun house and get naughty with you?”

Twinkling laughter ensued. “Maybe.”

“I love how your dirty little mind works, Milady.”

A second round of laughter was drown out as the music began to blare and Bridge’s amused call over their link for Sydney to hurry startled them both. Another kiss was shared before they went their separate ways.

- -

“Well?” a static-filled voice called out from a small device in her hand.

“I’m almost set,” her voice ground out. “It’s going to be utter chaos when I unleash my powers, so I want to be ready with the trap before hand.”

- -

Brian was just finishing a walk through the fun house when he heard Sky’s call over their link. TROUBLE! The White Ranger ran the last couple of steps out of the fun house and found himself frozen in place.

Anna was floating about five feet off the ground, her black leather body suit hugging her curves even as reddish-black power wavered around her. The mere sight caused Brian’s stomach to roll as he realized just what was happening.

Bridge, Z, Jack and Sky were positioned below her on the gym floor in a circle, surprised at what was happening. Sydney, he noticed from the corner of his eye, was running from the midway games, her eyes flaming pink as she ran.

Oh Shit! Brian let float across their link, his comment bringing the others back to reality.

NOW! Syd ordered, her command followed without question.

“NINJA RANGER POWER!” the six called as one. The other cadets scattered back while the junior A Squad created a perimeter around their senior counterparts. Aaron’s look held with each of them, warning them to only morph on his command.

“Anna, what the hell are you doing?” Sky barked, anger rolling off him in waves. “What exactly to you think you’re gonna get?”

The woman in question merely smiled at the Blue Ninja. “A fight.”

“Then you’re gonna get one,” Z growled. Jack shook his head at her while Bridge let his calmness seep into her.

“Destroying you, Elizabeth, would be a pleasure, but it’ll be more fun to watch you suffer. Vampra wants the keys to the Morphin’ Grid, and I want what was promised to me. So, Sydney, Brian, if you’ll be so kind as to come with me, Lord Vampra would like to speak to you, and Sky, you’ll be coming with me, Lover.”

Sydney’s blue eyes burst into pink flames that were visible even through her hood. “Like hell,” Sydney muttered, bringing her hands together, power building around her.

Bri, I need your help, she shot at her brother, who merely gave a nod. “PHOENIX FIRE!” Sydney cried out loud, seconds before Brian’s attack was announced.

“DRAGON’S ICE!”

A thick wall of ice went up between Sydney and Anna, and Brian and the others. “What the hell are you doing?” Sky hollered at Brian. “Syd needs our help!”

“I’m buying us some time!” Brian yelled back, before concentrating on keeping the wall of ice sustained. “You have attacks, use them!” Jack, Z, Bridge and Sky looked startled before they quickly dug down deep for the power that sang through their blood.

“TIGER’S ROAR!” Z’s voice lifted, the familiar sound turning into a supersonic roar as it echoed away from her.

“PANDA QUAKE!” Bridge commanded, the gym suddenly rocking as if an earthquake had hit the building.

“PEGASUS WINDS!” Jack’s voice came next, an unknown gust of the most powerful winds instantly whipping through the room, but they didn’t effect any of the cadets or Rangers adversely.

“SPHINX FLARES!” Sky’s voice was shaky as it came next, his worry for Sydney filtering through his attack, making the neon blue light that burst from his body take on a strobe-like effect.

The wall of ice that Brian had lifted disappeared in a foggy haze, revealing Anna hovering over Sydney’s prone form. “SYDNEY!” Sky’s voice seemed to rip from his throat with such force that the Blue Ninja choked on the rawness left behind.

“Syd!” Z chirped, her eyes wide even as a blast of pink colored flames shot up from Sydney’s body, forcing Anna up and away from the Pink Ninja. Once the flames died down, Sydney struggled to her feet, her chest heaving and her energy just about depleted, leaving her helpless to what happened next.

Anna saw the momentary lapse in Sydney’s defense and took advantage. “Vampra wants you, Phoenix, and will reward me well for you!”

“NO!”

Cornflower blue met navy blue as Syd’s head shook back and forth in denial. Sky’s eyes closed when pain coursed through him, Anna’s power having slammed into him when he jumped between her and Syd. His back was on fire like it had been only once before, but he didn’t pay it any attention. His only thought was that she was hurt. “Syd?”

Tears fell, forgotten. Blonde curls shook even as her head moved, her hood having disappeared. “No.” Lips began to tremble. “No.” Her chest heaved more with each breath. “SKY!”

“I’ve failed,” Anna growled when the others began closing in on her, only to have her lips morph into a smirk. “Well, maybe not totally failed. Come, come, Schuyler, I have plans for you!”

Sky’s eyes widened while Sydney pushed to her feet and started to cross the ten feet separating them. Their fingers barely touched when Sky’s body disappeared. “Say goodbye, Sydney,” Anna sneered.

“SKY!”

Those gathered watched as Anna and Sky disappeared, and then silently stared on as Sydney collapsed to her knees, the rest of her Ninja uniform flashing away to reveal a torn and tattered fairy costume. Z reached out for Jack’s hand and was pulled into his arms for a tight hug, while Bridge and Brian raced to Sydney’s side, the two gathering the Pink Ranger into their arms, her scream echoing in the silent gym, breaking all their hearts. “SCHUYLER!”

- -

The shrill ringing of the phone woke Wes from a dead sleep. Groaning, the former Red Ranger untangled himself from his wife and snatched the receiver off the nightstand. “Collins here.”

“Wes.”

Anubis’ voice shot Wes right out of sleep and into full alert. “Anubis?”

“You need to come to New Tech. It’s urgent.”

“I’ll be there in an hour.”

“Of course.”

Wes felt his throat clog before the line went dead. Something was wrong, terribly wrong, if Cruger was calling him to the Academy. “Honey?” Jen’s sleepy voice questioned.

“Jen, get up and get dressed. Something’s happened,” Wes ordered, his voice taking on the rough, leader tone it had so often during their second stint as Rangers.

The former Pink Ranger struggled to sit up, her fear filled eyes going to her husband’s. “Meet you downstairs in ten.”

- -

Katherine smiled when she opened the curtains in their hotel room and found Jason still sleeping soundly. Their late night flight to New Tech to surprise the Rangers for Halloween had left him a little more tired than normal. More often that not, she mused looking at the clock that read seven thirty, her husband had been up for at least two hours already.

The blonde haired former ballerina frowned when Jason’s cell phone began to ring insistently. Shaking her head, she skirted around the bed and snatched up the device from the night stand. The caller ID screen read Doggie, making her heart jump into her throat.

“Hello?” she asked, answering the phone.

“Katherine.”

“What’s wrong Anubis?”

“You need to come to New Tech.”

“We’re already here, what’s wrong?”

“Then you need to come to the Academy. It’s urgent.”

“We’ll be there within the hour.” Kat frowned when the phone started to beep, announcing the other end of the line was no longer in use.

“Who was it, Kat?” Jason’s voice scared her from her thoughts.

With a hand on her chest, Kat glared at him. “Get up and get dressed. Something’s going on.”

Jason’s dark eyes met his wife’s brilliant blue ones, silent communication going on between them before both of them jumped up to get ready.

- -

Dr. Felix shook his head after withdrawing the needle from Sydney’s arm. After Bridge had carried her into the infirmary, it had been decided that she needed to be sedated. Even now, accommodations were being made to move Sydney to the house shared by the senior members of A Squad.

“How is she?” Anubis asked, entering the dimly lit room.

“She needs rest, and I’m recommending a leave of absence from duty for at least the next few days until we see how she reacts.”

Anubis nodded. Kat had said pretty much the same thing not more than fifteen minutes before. “Of course. You’ll be sure to check up on her?”

Dr. Felix nodded. “Cadets Delgado, Carson, and Landors have been informed that they are to keep a watchful eye on her until I arrive to check on her.”

“Good.”

“COMMANDER CRUGER TO THE COMMAND CENTER!” Kat’s voice echoed through the base, seconds before Anubis turned and strode quickly from the infirmary.

Chapter 18: Missing Blue

"Love heals when pain's too much to bear. When you reach out your hand. And only the wind is there." -- "Love Heals" by Jonathan Larson --

“There are so many things I'm not sure of in life, but with all certainty at this very minute, all I know is that I miss him.” -- Unknown --

“There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief.” -- Aeschylus --

- -

Z stood in the hallway, arms wrapped around her waist, rocking back and forth on her heels. She could hear Sydney crying through the door of Sky’s room, heart wrenching sobs that stole the Yellow Ranger’s composure away. It sent eerie déjà vu tingles down Z’s spine. They had been through this before, but it had been Syd’s own doing, not her getting kidnapped the last time, at least not until much later.

“She still locked in there?” Bridge asked when he and Jack stopped in the hallway after having come up the front stairs.

Z just nodded before she threw herself into his arms, burying her face against his shoulder. Her heart broke for the woman who was her sister in everything but blood, and worry washed over her for her missing brother. “Bridge, take Z downstairs, I’m going in to talk to her.”

The Green Ranger nodded and began to lead Z away even as Jack phased through the wall into Sky’s room. The scene he was faced with broke the Red Ranger’s heart into a million pieces.

Sydney was lying across Sky’s bed, his pillow clutched to her chest, the blankets pulled around her to form a cocoon. Jack caught sight of Sky’s uniform jacket laying on the Blue Ranger’s desk chair, suspicious stains on the front. He knew those spots were from Sydney’s tears. Taking a deep breath, Jack moved over to the edge of the bed and sat down next to her.

“Syd,” he ventured, his voice as calm as he could make it.

“GO AWAY!” she screamed the order at him, her face buried in the covers, which muffled the sound.

The Red Ranger reached over and put his hand on her shoulder. When her tear filled blue eyes looked up at him, Jack had to swallow the hard lump that had formed in his throat. She looked lost, but more importantly, it looked as if she were broken. “Come here,” he whispered. In an instant, Sydney was up and in his arms, her body wracked with sobs. “Shh. I know,” he whispered in her hair, holding her tightly as he could without hurting her.

“I miss him, Jack!” she hysterically cried. “I miss him so much! He’s only been gone a few hours and it feels like my heart’s been ripped from chest!”

Jack did the only thing he could think of, he rocked her back and forth, knowing that holding her and giving her physical reassurance that he was there was all he could offer. “Sydney, we’re going to get him back. I promise.”

- -

“You’ve dealt the Rangers a blow,” Vampra hissed, his eyes narrowed at her. “I’m impressed. I hadn’t thought they were as intertwined as they are. For this accomplishment, you may keep the Blue Ranger, and do as you see fit with him.”

“Thank you, my Lord,” she responded, bowing before him.

“However,” the Vampirus monster grumbled. “You failed to bring me the Dragon or the Phoenix. For that, you must be punished. VIPER!”

Anna looked on with fear but said nothing. Two of Vampra’s henchmen held her still while Viper lashed out with a laser powered whip. Anna didn’t cry out when the whip bit into the skin of her back, nor did she buckle under the repeated blows. Instead, she bit down on her lip until it was over.

“I’m impressed. A lesser woman would have cried and begged for mercy,” Vampra hissed at her.

Anna eyed him, trying not to show that her back stung like hell. “I made a mistake, I know how to accept the consequences.”

Vampra nodded. “Viper will accompany you back to Earth, to make sure you don’t fail this time.”

“Of course.”

“Good. Then leave my sight.”

- -

He felt like he was dreaming. The familiar weight on his shoulder told him that Sydney was with him. Content, he sighed and tightened his arm around her shoulders.

“SHIT!” he screamed, the searing pain that rushed through his torso and back into his shoulder ripping him from his dream back to reality. Opening his eyes, he realized he was chained to a stone wall in a semi-lit room. “Damn it all,” he cursed, the battle coming back to him. Anna had been poised over Sydney’s body, her eyes and body glowing an unnatural red. And then he’d jumped between them, not content to sit and watch the woman he loved harmed by his former flame.

“Enjoying your stay, Schuyler?”

“Anna!” he hissed.

She came into view then. Her long brown hair seemed to float around her even as the navy blue leather skirt and halter top fit against her skin like a glove. What struck him the most was the ice blue eyes that were glowing with red power.

“What? Did you actually expect that lame brained, blonde haired, slut you like to bang to be here to rescue you already?” she taunted, sashaying toward him.

Sky’s eyes narrowed in on his one time love interest. How he could have missed the evil that so obviously dwelt within her was beyond his comprehension. “Syd’s going to kick your ass from here to Eltar and back, you can count on it.”

“You have such confidence in the little SPD Princess,” she sneered. “She couldn’t have possibly changed that much since I left. She always thought she was better than everyone else, and she hated work. I highly doubt she can defeat me.”

The Blue Ranger chuckled. “That’s the Syd everyone saw on the outside. It’s just not the real Syd. That’s not the girl who’s struggled to understand the death of her birth parents, and it’s not the one who’s kicked ass the last year and a half as the Pink Ranger.”

Anna eyed him, watching the emotions on his face, and began plotting. “Oh really?”

“You don’t know Sydney, Anna. You don’t understand what’s at the heart of the woman I love, that’s why you’re going to fail. She’s going to come here, she’s going to get me out, and she’s going to kick your ass.”

“That may be true, but you never understood me either, none of you did. Not my ambition, my drive, you never understood that to get what you want, you’ve got to take it. You should have been Red Ranger, Sky. Not that fraud Cruger put in charge. Just as I should have been Yellow Ranger, not that street rat.”

Sky shook his head. At one time, he’d thought that too. That was before he knew Z, knew Jack, and saw that Z was meant to be Yellow Ranger and that Jack was the better choice as Red Ranger and leader. Jack had made them gel; he’d only pissed everyone off. “A year and a half ago, I’d have agreed with you, but not now. I was meant to be blue.”

“We shall see,” she told him, a wicked smile on her face.

Sky eyed her, wondering exactly what she had in store for him. Sydney! he thought, closing his eyes and focusing on the image of her even as Anna stalked out of the room.

SKY!

- -

The scene before her eyes broke her heart into more pieces that it already was with the disappearance of her son. Sydney was curled in Sky’s bed, the covers still wrapped around her, her arms still clutching his pillow. There were tear stains on the current Pink Ranger’s face that spoke of her most recent crying jag. “Want me to come in with you?” Wes asked, his voice cracking as he got a good look at what the previous night’s events had done to Sydney. If anyone had had any doubt that the Pink Ranger was in love with his son, then seeing her this way would have corrected that thought quickly.

“No,” Jen’s voice was breathy. “She needs a female ear. Besides, you and Sky look too much alike, it’ll only make her cry more if she sees you.”

Wes nodded before leaning forward. He cupped Jen’s cheeks and laid his lips over hers. “I love you. We’ll find him and bring him home, soon.”

“I love you too,” Jen sighed, her eyes going to his. “I know we will, we don’t have any other choice. When Katherine gets here, send her up.”

“Will do.”

Turning away from her husband, the former Time Force Pink Ranger entered her son’s room, and crept toward the bed where his heart and soul lay, broken and alone. “Sydney?”

There was no response. Jen saw that the petite blonde was staring off into space, eyes not focused on anything in particular. Carefully, the brunette crawled onto the bed and pulled Sydney’s head into her lap. Her fingers shifted through the once bright blonde curls as she stared at the younger woman in worry. “Sydney?”

One tiny hand came up, fingers locking with Jen’s. It was then that the elder Pink Ranger realized why her younger counterpart hadn’t answered. Sydney was silently speaking with Sky.

Its ok, Aunt Jen. Talk to him, Sydney whispered to her own mind.

Sky? Sydney?

Mama, Sky’s voice seemed to resonate in her head, making her eyes water.

How?

Ninjetti have the ability to speak to one another, mind to mind. Sky reached out to me, and because we’re both in such an emotionally charged state, it made up for our lack of practice, Sydney explained to her aunt while she tried to keep the link with Sky strong.

Jen seemed to heave a sigh of relief. If Sky was talking to Sydney, then he must at least be ok for now. Honey, are you alright? she asked, though she was scared of the answer.

For now, I am. I’m sorry Mama.

For what?

Worrying you and Dad.

Jen fought back a flood of tears and smiled when Sydney squeezed her hand. Baby, don’t apologize. This isn’t your fault.

Tell Dad I love him.

I will.

I love you, Mama. Take care of Syd for me.

Love you too, Baby Boy. I promise, I’ll watch over her.

Jen let go of Sydney’s hand, knowing the connection was about to break. She saw the fresh tears on Syd’s face and instinctively knew her son was telling his beloved that he loved her and that he’d find his way back to her. When Sydney’s heart-rending sobs hit Jen’s ears, the brunette knew the connection between lovers had been broken.

“Oh Sydney,” Jen murmured, smoothing the hair from the blonde’s face. “He loves you so much, he’ll find his way back to you.”

“I...miss...him!”

“I do too,” Jen whispered, her hand continuing to stroke Syd’s forehead and cheeks. The former Pink Ranger smiled sadly when Sydney drifted off to sleep, and felt her throat clog when she looked up and caught sight of the hazy pink cloud hovering next to the bed. “Oh my God!” Jen gasped, her eyes fixed on the cloud that was slowly taking on a human form.

“Hello Jen,” the long unseen person greeted upon coalescing into a standing figure.

“Kimberly,” Jen gasped.

The pink dressed apparition grinned. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” A quirky grin, one that was oh so achingly familiar, was shot in Jen’s direction.

“Too long,” Jen replied, struggling with what she was feeling. She and Kimberly had become practically best friends before the original Pink Ranger had died. If there was one thing Jen had learned during her stint as a Ranger the first time around, it was to make sure that you told the people you loved how you felt about them. “I miss you.”

“I know, the feeling’s mutual,” Kimberly told her, moving to kneel next to the bed so that she was eye level with Sydney’s sleeping form. “Is she ok? The Crane and the Phoenix told me she was distressed.”

Jen just nodded, her eyes going back to Syd’s face. “Sky’s been taken, so she’s a little freaked out.”

It was Kimberly’s turn to nod. “Understandable. The last time Zedd kidnapped me, Tommy just about flipped out, according to the others. I can only imagine how she’s feeling, especially if she’s anything like her father.”

The former Time Force Ranger just stared at Kim, her face a mixture of happiness and pain. “Where’s Tommy? I thought you two were attached at the hip?”

Kim chuckled. “My guess is, probably with Sky.” The Pink Ninja watched Jen breath a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Jen.”

Jen looked startled. “For what?”

“For being there when Sydney needed help, for watching over her, for accepting that Sky loves her and vice versa.” Reaching out, Jen tried to take Kim’s hand. Because the Pink Ninja wasn’t completely there, Jen’s hand went through hers. “Here,” Kim murmured quietly. Carefully, the pair moved their hands so that they were palm to palm.

“Kimberly.”

“I know, Jen, I know. Take care of them.”

The former Pink Ranger choked back the tears when Kim started to disappear. “Thank you, Kimberly.”

“For what?” Kim asked, confused.

“For everything.” Two simple words, but they conveyed so much between the two Pink Rangers that nothing else needed to be said.

“Tell the others hello for me.”

Jen wiped away the tears that had fallen despite her attempt to hold them back and watched as Kim’s form completely blinked away. “Goodbye Kim.” Looking down, Jen noticed that Sydney still slept soundly, ignorant to what had happened just then.

- -

He could see the white light even with his eyes closed. It startled him enough to open his eyes to see what was going on in the cell around him. He felt shock rippled through him when he saw, standing before him, dressed in the familiar white Ninja uniform, was Tommy Oliver. “Dr. Oliver?”

“Long time no see, Kiddo,” Tommy grinned down at him, kneeling quickly so Sky wouldn’t have to stare up at him. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m ok,” Sky responded, not phased in the least that he was talking to a ghost. “My shoulder’s killing me.”

Tommy nodded. “Everyone’s worried about you.”

Sky swallowed hard at the comment. “Syd’s ok though, right?” the Blue Ranger asked nervously.

“Physically, she’s just worn out. Mentally, she’s numb. Emotionally, well, let’s not go there.”

“Uncle T?”

“Yeah?”

“They’re planning something.”

Tommy nodded. “Keep your head up, Sky. This is going to test you to the core.”

“Wonderful.”

- -

“What is your plan, Anna?” Viper hissed as the pair lounged in a room off the bridge of the ship.

“I was just thinking, the Dragon and the Phoenix are much too powerful to take on, head to head, but if we weaken them...” she let the statement hang in the air while she watched Viper’s face.

The minion considered the plan of action before grinning deviously. “It has merit, but how do you propose to wear them down? Rangers are not the easiest of opponents to get the better of.”

“They are when you use one of their own against them,” Anna grinned. “I want Sky, but as long as he remains as he is, he won’t be mine, but if I can turn him, use his own insecurities and emotions against him...”

Viper laughed maniacally, his eyes taking in the leather clad woman he was with. “Then you have the perfect weapon to nab the Phoenix, and the Dragon.”

Chapter 19: Disbelief
 
“Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.” -- William Ellery Channing --

“If it were not for hopes, the heart would break.” -- Thomas Fuller --

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.” -- Martin Luther King, Jr. --

- -

“Hello Sky,” a soft voice whispered in his ear. It sounded vaguely familiar, filled with softness and just a twist of erotic.

“Mmmm...Syd...”

“WRONG!” Anna screamed, jolting Sky into consciousness. The Blue Ranger blinked rapidly while Anna continued to throw a fit a few feet away from him.

Swallowing hard, Sky struggled to hide his thoughts and feelings, allowing the seasoned warrior to come out. “What now?” he groused at her.

Anna’s chest heaved with her ragged, angry breathing. “We’re heading back to Earth,” she teased. “But before we get there, you have to change.”

Sky’s natural instincts kicked in, allowing him to deduce she didn’t mean he had to change his clothes. No, she had something much more horrific in store for him, and he didn’t want to think about it one bit. “You can’t make me hurt my friends. I refuse.”

Anna grinned. “I can make you do anything, lover. GUARDS!”

Four Tengas, Viper and some weird looking alien dude dressed in black leather and chains came rushing in then and unhooked him from the wall. The Blue Ranger took the opportunity to try and fight. It only took a minute for him to break the Tengas’ hold on him. Just as he rushed at the door, a blast of power slammed into his back.

Sky let out one dreadful shout before he fell to the ground, unconscious. “Take him to the chamber, strap him to the chair, and start the machine!” As her henchmen dragged Sky from the room, Anna turned to Viper and grinned. “He’ll be reprogrammed by the time we get back to Earth.”

“Can you guarantee his reprogramming if he meets up with that blonde, pink-pain-in-our-side?” Viper sarcastically shot back at her.

Anna’s whole face changed to devious. “Oh, I’ll more than guarantee...I’ll stake my life on it.”

- -

“Have fun Blue Ranger,” the goon in leather and chains laughed after placing the helmet on Sky’s head. As the Blue Ranger came to, he was assaulted by images of Jack comforting Syd, of Jack being Red Ranger and of scenes of Syd and Jack making out, and making love.

“See what’s happened in your brief absence?” a sultry voice asked. “Already they betray you – he has the woman who was supposed to love you forever. All she’s ever wanted was a Red Ranger, just like her father.”

Sky tried to close his eyes, to block out the images he knew weren’t true, but the sounds of Syd crying out Jack’s name while the Red Ranger made love to her continued to tear at his heart and soul. “No…no…NO!”

- -

Bridge rubbed the palm of his hand over his heart when a burning sensation started. At first, the Green Ranger thought it was heart burn from lunch, but soon, he realized it was anything but.

Boom started calling out to Bridge, but the Green Ranger couldn’t hear him; his own voice was wringing in his head. SKY! Bridge clenched his eyes closed and felt the power of the Panda explode around him.

- -

Z smiled fondly as she watched over the younger cadets training on the mats behind the base. The yellow Ranger was just stepping forward to correct the stance of a pair of fighters when she felt the burning in her chest. Z never realized she’d fallen to her knees, nor did she hear the cadets calling out to her. All she knew, all she felt was the burning and then the explosion of power from the Tiger. Then everything went black.

- -

Jack sighed and pulled the body next to him closer. He and Ally had gotten into a water fight on their run through the park in the center of the town and now the two of them were resting under a tree, drying off. Jack felt the odd sensation in his chest, right over his heart. He gasped when it intensified. The Red Ranger didn’t hear his girlfriend cry out his name, nor did he feel her hands shaking him. All he felt was the punch of power from the Pegasus.

- -

The weight machine clanked every time he did a rep. The gym was silent save for that constant noise. The young man sitting on the bench, lifting weights, was oblivious to the world around him. For the first time in a long time, he felt an emotion he never wanted to feel again, and he still hadn’t figured out why he was feeling it.

Every time he thought of Sky, he felt sort of empty inside; he didn’t like the feeling one bit. It’s not like there’s any love lost, Brian thought to himself. The only ones who miss him are Bridge, his parents and Syd.

The White Ranger sighed, his heart breaking as the image of his sister collapsed in the middle of the gym floor, screaming Sky’s name, flashed before his eyes. Even if he hadn’t been so closely linked to Sydney, he’d have known she was hurting just from the look on her face. Bridge had been the only one to be able to calm her, and even then it had been only long enough to get her to the infirmary. The sight of his sister struggling while Dr. Felix and Kat sedated her still haunted him.

God, Sky and I were just joking about Thanksgiving and what to get Syd for Christmas, he thought. For the first time since he’d arrived in New Tech City, he hadn’t felt that all consuming animosity between himself and the Blue Ranger when they’d been running the fun house on Halloween. They’d actually laughed and joked and teased each other like they were real friends.

“Hey! Really original costume!” Sky teased when the Blue Ranger neared the fun house.

“I thought it was,” he grinned. “Who would think one of us would dress in our Ranger uniform?”

Sky just laughed. “True. That really your Ranger uniform?”

He just shook his head at the condescending yet joking tone Sky asked the question in. “No. Good likeness though. What about you? I never would have pegged you as a tights kinda guy?” he teased, nodding to the blue tights Sky was wearing.

The Blue Ranger glared, but did so with a smirk. “Yeah, well...”

“Oh the things love does to a man,” he chuckled.

“You just wait, when you get a girl you find yourself in love with, I’ll tease the heck out of you about doing stupid stuff for her,” Sky shot back, reaching out to ruffle his hair as he prepared to make the first walk through the Fun House.

“NOT!” he laughed as he walked through the door.

Brian shook his head and started another set of reps. It had barely been a few days, and things already seemed vastly different. Not a bad thing, if Syd wasn’t so upset, he thought sourly. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but Sky had definitely been trying to be nice. Their conversation and the afternoon they’d spend together from a week before came back to him and made him feel horrible for thinking it would be better without Sky around.

“You busy?” Sky asked, knocking on the partially open door to his room.

He looked up and saw the Blue Ranger leaning against the door jam, dressed in sweats, an old t-shirt, a Detroit Tigers cap snugged down on his head and a sports bag slung over his shoulder. “Not until five, why?”

“Feel like going outside?” Sky asked casually.

“Why?” he asked, suspicious of the Blue Ranger’s motives, as always.

Said Blue Ranger grinned at him. “Ever play baseball before?”

He shook his head. He knew what baseball was, thanks to lots of channel surfing, but he’d never played. “Can’t say that I have.”

“Then let’s go,” Sky urged, grinning wider.

“Sky, I don’t know how to play,” he’d argued, despite how much it pained him to admit he couldn’t do something, especially to Sky.

The Blue Ranger shook his head. “Which is why I’m going to teach you. Put on a pair of grubby sweats and a shirt you won’t mind messing up. I’ll be downstairs, waiting in the lobby.”

Brian blew out a breath when he felt himself get shaky at the memory. He and Sky had spent all day out at the baseball diamonds. The Blue Ranger had taught him to pitch, hit, and to catch, all before they’d taken a break to eat the lunch Sydney had packed them.

He was still amazed at how much he and Sky had to say while they’d sat there enjoying the picnic. The Blue Ranger had told him about what it was like growing up the son of billionaires, let alone former Rangers. For someone most people thought was stuck up, Sky, Brian discovered, was pretty down to Earth. The younger Ranger attributed that to Sky not getting his way in the beginning of the Red Ranger situation the year before, and because of all he’d been through with Syd and his teammates.

Shaking his head, Brian began concentrating on his work out. He was mildly startled to feel the burning sensation in his chest. When he heard the mournful roar of the Dragon followed by an influx of power, he cried out as if he’d been electrocuted. Just as Sam and Kat entered the gym and called his name, the world went black.

- -

Blonde hair lifted gently in the breeze. Blue eyes were closed against the glare of the sun. Cotton candy pink painted toes wiggled briefly in the foamy surf. Memories swam through the troubled mind of the woman standing on the deserted beach. How many times had they come here, for business and pleasure, in the last three years? Too many times to count, she thought, fighting back the despair that was bright as fire inside her. Arms wrapped around her slender waist, Sydney turned to head back to her car. As she trudged through the sand, she felt an odd burning in her chest. Shaking her head, the Pink Ranger absently rubbed a hand over her chest. It was then that she heard the cry of four animals, felt the power rocket from her own animal spirit and then she saw it. Standing right in front of her, tinged in blue light, was the Sphinx.

“Young Phoenix.”

“Sphinx.”

“My bearer is in trouble, Sydney. She’s trying to deceive him.”

Sydney smiled sadly. “It takes a lot to deceive Sky, he very rarely believes anything without proof.”

“Beware, Phoenix, all will not be as you remember it when you meet him next.”

The burning in her chest became noticeable again when Sphinx blinked out of existence. As Sydney fell to her knees, then her stomach, she never saw the others racing down from the parking lot, shouting her name.

- -

“How is the reprogramming coming?” Anna asked the leather and chains wearing man. She’d found him several years before on the planet Onyx. He was a relic of Dark Specter’s reign, but he was an excellent bodyguard and spy.

“Mistress,” he answered, not turning to look at her. “He stopped struggling about a half hour ago. He’s only moaned a few times since. I think your slid show is a success.”

“Good. When the treatment is finished, take him to my rooms and let him rest.”

“Do you think that’s a wise idea?” he questioned.

“Let me worry about that. I need someone I can trust watching Viper for a while.”

“Of course.”

- -

“Viper?”

“Sire, I think it may be best to dispose of her sooner rather than later,” Viper spoke into the device in his hand. “She seems bent more on playing with her reward than getting you what you asked for.”

“I trust your judgment. Do as you see fit, but do not mess up my carefully laid plans, or I will make you regret it!” a voice hissed through the device.

“Yes Sire,” Viper murmured, his mind projecting the image of Vampra killing him to the front of his thoughts.

“Good. Report back in five days.”

“Yes Sire.”

- -

She was dreaming. She knew she was dreaming. In her reality, Sky was gone, captured by Anna several nights before during the Halloween party. But here he was now, standing in front of her, staring at her with such hatred and loathing that he made her skin crawl. It was even worse than the time when Wootox had taken over his body and had leered at her suggestively in the confines of her room.

“You dare come to me after you’ve betrayed me?” he hissed angrily at her, his arms folded over his chest, his blue eyes burning with his power, the same power that he was just discovering he held within.

The blonde haired woman stared in shock after she made sense of his words. “Betray you? Sky, when and how did I betray you?” she frantically asked. “I love you!”

“Don’t play innocent with me, WHORE!”

Tears of shock stung her eyes, but she ignored them. “Sky!”

“Don’t Sky me!” he growled in warning. “Go back to your Red Ranger! Go back and whore yourself to him! And remember, I will kill you when next we meet!”

“SKY!” Sydney screamed, sitting up in bed, her breathing labored, tears streaming steadily down her cheeks. The vile taste of her dream lingered in her mouth while fear turned to shock. Sitting at the foot of her bed was a gently blue giant who was becoming as familiar to her as her Phoenix. “Sphinx?”

He nodded, and then to Sydney’s astonishment three birds – two colored in pink and one in white – appeared. “Crane? Falcon? Phoenix?”

“He needs your love, and your understanding, now more than ever, Sydney,” Crane spoke softly but clearly, making sure her bearer’s daughter understood her words.

“He called me a whore,” she murmured, the pain of his glare still resonating through her. “He said I betrayed him.”

“She feeds him lies,” Falcon spoke to her, his voice soothing and fatherly.

Sydney implored them with her eyes. “Why would he believe such a thing?” she softly cried to them.

“Like you, he’s human, Sydney. She’s played to his feelings of not being worthy,” Crane explained to her.

The Pink Ranger looked confused. “Not worthy of what?”

“Of being Red Ranger, of being with you,” Phoenix finally spoke up. “He has insecurities, Sydney, just like you, and she’s playing to them. It’s your job to break through the lies and show him the truth.”

“Tell me what to do.”

“It’s not that simple,” Falcon told her, his heart breaking when his bearer’s daughter looked at him with anguish-filled eyes. “We must hit him from all sides, but you and Sphinx must work together. You’re going to have to exploit any opening you’re given.”

Sydney nodded. She understood that it could be a while before she gets him back. “A piece of advice,” Crane murmured soothingly. “Don’t let him see you and the Pegasus alone together, it’ll only make your attempts to free him harder.”

“Alright,” Sydney murmured, Sky’s words about her whoring herself to the Red Ranger coming back full force. Crane’s advice explained so little, and yet, so much.

“We’ll be in touch,” Falcon said just before he and Crane disappeared. Phoenix and Sphinx remained, each quiet but staring at Sydney intently.

“And what about you two?”

“Are you going to be alright?” Phoenix asked, her polished reserve dropping. The mythical bird looked sad and worried about her bearer.

Sydney swallowed hard, Phoenix’s worry undoing her tenuous control of her emotions. “I miss him the way I missed you – there’s a piece of my heart missing – only this time, it’s so much larger.”

Phoenix nodded her head in understanding. “I’m always here if you need me.” That said, the pink bird disappeared, leaving Sphinx sitting quietly with Sydney.

“I have a present for you,” he told her, his eyes closing. As he blinked out of sight, Sydney fell into a deep sleep where she dreamed of happier times.

Chapter 20: Drastic Changes
Dedication: *winks* To all the fans out there – LONG LIVE SYD AND SKY!

An: And yes, I know what you’re gonna say – You all hate Anna with a passion! I know, I know!

"Just when you think things can't get any worse, they do. I've learned that life is like hour glass sand. Sooner or later, everything hits rock bottom, but all you have to do is be patient and wait for something to turn everything back around." – Unknown --

“Love is the greatest feeling you will ever have, yet it is also one of the greatest sorrows. There is so much suffering, but then there are times when the crying, pain, and heartache is worth it. Those moments are perfect, they are right. Those moments make all the suffering worth while. It's those moments we should live for." -- Unknown –

“Don’t dwell on the past, don’t dream of tomorrow, live the moment like it’s all you have, because really, that’s all any of us have.” -- Pink-Green-White-4ever --

- -

The Command Center was abuzz with activity. Three members of the Senior A Squad sat around the holo-computer being briefed by Dr. Manx while the five members of Junior A Squad stood around the room at various consoles, each monitoring the security of the city, planet, etc. Anubis sat at his desk, quietly overseeing the activity. He noted grimly that neither the Pink nor White Ninja Rangers were present. He knew Brian was still recovering from the backlash of power from the previous day. The White Ranger had taken the brunt of the storm of power his sister had unknowingly released.

Sydney was a different matter. Since Sky had been taken, she’d been walking around in an emotional daze. “If you knew it was possible, why didn’t you warn us?”

Jack’s raised voice brought Anubis’ attention back to the four people in the center of the room. The three Rangers – Jack, Bridge and Z – looked upset while Kat looked guilty.

“Because I didn’t have enough proof to officially bring it up. Boom had just overheard her, without solid evidence, I could have lost my job over such an accusation,” Kat argued her point.

“Instead, we lost Sky,” Z shot back. “Syd’s walking around like a fucking zombie and Brian’s in the infirmary; which means we’re now down three Rangers instead of one. Thanks.”

“That’s enough!”

The room went deadly silent at the shouted command. All eyes went to the entrance to the Command Center. Standing there, dressed for duty and looking decidedly tough, was Sydney. The Senior Pink Ranger strode in, took her place at the computer next to Z, and turned her attention to Kat.

“Syd?”

“Look, Kat’s right. We all knew something was up, and still, we ignored it. No matter whose fault it is, Sky’s still gone. Our main objective is to get him back. Kat, do we have any idea where he is?”

Anubis watched with quiet pride as everyone else went back to what they’d been doing and the Rangers reigned in their emotions and got back to business. He knew as long as his Rangers had something to focus on, they’d be able to get through yet another difficult period in their lives. After all, it was all part of being a Ranger.

- -

“Feeling better?” her sultry voice floated across the room to the waking occupant of her bed.

Blue eyes blinked away sleep while hands came up and fingers combed sleep tousled brown hair. “I think so. What happened?”

“You were hurt. We fixed you up.”

Confusion crossed his features. “How?”

She smiled, a devious glint to her eyes. “The A Squad Rangers. They were trying to convict you of war crimes that were made up. We just barely managed to save you.”

His eyes narrowed. His dream came back to him full force. The little blonde whore begging and pleading for him to believe her had him choking back the vile taste betrayal. “When do we get back to Earth?”

Anna smiled a purely feminine smile. “We’re almost there, why?”

“Because I have a score to settle.”

“Of course, Lover, of course.”

- -

Wes walked off the back patio and found Jen sitting on the steps of the gazebo, staring at the roses she’d planted nearly twenty-three years earlier. He could fee the vibrations of emotion coming off his wife. Ever since her duel encounters at the kids’ house, she’d alternated between sad, happy, worried, and utterly determined.

“Want to talk about it?” Wes asked, sinking down on the step next to her.

“There’s nothing to talk about. You know how I feel, because you feel it too,” Jen murmured, leaning against his shoulder. “You know, it was so much easier when we were Rangers. We didn’t have to feel so helpless, we could do something about the situation,” she sniffled slightly. “Our son is missing and I feel lost and helpless and I hate feeling like this.”

“Honey, you use to worry the hell out of me when we were Rangers. This situation is nothing new for me. I’m just as worried about our son as I was about you,” he told her, slipping an arm around her shoulders and holding her close.

They sat in silence for a long time, watching the sun begin to set. “We should invite Sydney over, try to cheer her up,” Jen suggested finally.

“That might be a good idea, as long as it doesn’t backfire on us,” he told her.

“I’ll call over there tomorrow. I know Z said something yesterday about her going back to active duty this week.” Wes just continued to hold her, hoping to ease both their pain, even if just a little.

- -

He stared out the window down at the blue, green and brown marble that was Earth. They’d arrived a few hours before and were planning their attack strategy. “Why don’t both of you just shut up!” Sky roared, spinning away from the window to face them.

Anna and Viper stared at him in quiet shock. Sky had been moody but silent most of the trip. He’d said very little to even Anna after he’d woken up. To have him snarling at them was new. “Sky?”

“You both underestimate this team,” he calmly told them. “They’ve already been through much together, an outright attack isn’t going to work.”

Viper looked irritated but knew Sky probably had a point. “What do you suggest, since you know them so well?”

“Undermine their trust and loyalty in each other. Make them see the Pink and Red Rangers for what they really are – a whore and a thief.”

Anna smirked while Viper debated. Both knew Sky had part of a good point, but they also both knew that the Green, Yellow and White Rangers knew something Sky didn’t – Sydney and Jack hadn’t ever betrayed him. The trio of Rangers would never lose faith in their two friends.

“Sounds like you have a plan,” Viper started.

“I have the start of one. I’m going to go work out the rest of it,” Sky muttered, striding from the room while the other two stared at his back.

- -

“You betray your heart and your soul’s twin,” a familiar voice announced as Sky performed a kata he’d been working on for weeks.

“You know nothing,” he angrily replied, eyes closed.

“We know you better than you think, young one,” another voice told him.

Sky opened his eyes and found himself face to face with a blue wolf, a pink phoenix and a blue sphinx. The Blue Ranger’s eyes narrowed in on the Pink bird. “You’re not welcome here.”

“You have no say in the matter of me being here,” she pointedly told him. Her body grew a little brighter as her anger flared. “I go where my soul’s twin goes. It is you, who doesn’t belong here.”

Sky glared, crossing his arms over his bare and sweaty chest. “And just where do you think I belong?”

Phoenix perched on Sphinx’s shoulder, stared straight into Sky’s eyes and spoke. “You belong with she who is your other half.”

“I have no other half; the one I thought was my equal is a whore and a liar.”

“You’d best watch yourself, young one,” Wolf finally spoke. Anger was evident in his voice. “Anna has fed you lies. In your heart, you know the truth.” Sky stood silent, staring at him. “She still wears your ring. If she wanted Pegasus’ bearer, don’t you think she’d have taken it off by now?”

Sky’s eyes were a little less hard and his jaw dropped a little. “You lie.”

Wolf narrowed his gaze at Sky. “The next time you see her, check for yourself.”

The Blue Ranger had no time to react before the Wolf and Phoenix disappeared, leaving Sphinx staring at him. “What?”

Sphinx just stared before he closed his eyes and glowed with power. “I have something for you, use it wisely.” When the mysterious spirit was gone, Sky found a weapon – a gun of some sort – lying on the ground. It was blue and silver in color and bore the insignia of a Sphinx.

“Very nice,” he grinned to himself.

- -

Her first instinct when she got home was to just curl up in his bed and sleep until she could forget the world around her, to forget the pain and sorrow, to leave the empty, hollow feeling in her heart behind while she remembered happier times. Instead, she decided to do something constructive – she was going to clean. She had the house to herself – Jack had taken Ally out for dinner and a movie and Bridge and Z had gone down to the ice rink to skate for a while. It was hard to believe that in three weeks, Thanksgiving would be upon them. It would be her first in almost 5 years that Sky wouldn’t be there to celebrate with her.

As much as she hated to admit it, she wanted to have her family around her this year, both old and new, to remind her that all was not lost, that there was something still there to keep fighting for. What’s more, with her family near her, it would give her the strength she had stolen from her in his absence; the strength she so desperately needed to continue the hard fight to get him back. How either set of her parents had ever managed to get through the numbing grief was beyond her.

Shaking her head, she quickly changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top and began dusting her room. In the week since Sky had been taken, she’d closed everything and everyone out, refusing to accept that he was gone. Her cadets had suffered from her lack of acceptance, her friends were hurting from watching her wallow in her hurt, hell even Sky’s parents were feeling it. It had to stop. It wasn’t a hopeless situation. She knew that, accepted that. So they had a hurdle to get over, what couple didn’t?

The one thing that had really pissed her off, and was the thing that had snapped her back to her old self was that he spoke of her betrayal and yet, he was the one betraying everything they’d stood for, everything they’d worked hard to preserve, to create. He must have seriously kept his fears and insecurities from her if Anna was able to play on them well enough to turn him against everything he believed in.

Her eyes stung with tears as she looked down at her right hand and stared at the ring that rested there. The promise ring he’d gotten her a few months ago. She hadn’t taken it off, not once, since he’d slipped it onto her finger after they’d made love for nearly four hours straight one night. It was her only tangible link to him now, and to the promise they’d made each other. She promised herself one thing – if nothing else, she’d make him see that she hadn’t betrayed him the way he seemed to think she had.

“Ok, enough moping. Time to get busy.”

- -

The call came early in the morning, at that time where day and night meet, when all of them were just drifting off to sleep. The Junior members of the squad had been called first, and then Anubis issued orders for the senior members to be called in.

When the group of five arrived, they found a battalion of Tengas running around, trashing buildings and being a general nuisance while three figures fought the advances of the junior Rangers.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Z hissed when the five hopped out of the two vehicles and caught sight of their teammates getting their butts handed to them on silver platters.

“Fight now, ask questions later,” Jack ordered as they joined the melee.

“Welcome to the party!” a familiar voice had them sliding to a stop. Five pairs of eyes shifted to the three figures standing tall before the younger, more inexperienced Rangers, who were lying at their feet.

“Oh God!” Sydney gasped, eyes widening as she took the oh-so recognizable stance and uniform of the man standing in the middle of the trio. “Sky?”

“Well, well, Lover, look, it’s your former whore,” Anna laughed, leaning against Sky’s shoulder, one arm wrapped around his back while the other was curled against his.

Z, Bridge, Brian and Jack looked at Sydney, briefly, to judge her reaction. The Pink Ranger stood there, her eyes filled with tears, but those eyes no longer held the same sad expression they had the entire week before. No, this time, they held a look of annoyance and determination.

“Whoa, Sky, man, what the hell’s gotten into you?” Jack asked, turning back to his friend and second in command. “Syd’s not a whore, that’s a really nasty thing to say.”

Blue eyes that usually held a look of amused annoyance now held nothing but contempt and murder when they locked onto the Red Ranger. “You dare speak to me? You thief! You’re nothing but a street rat, one who took what was mine by right! You don’t deserve being Red Ranger! And she never deserved me! Now the two of you can rot in hell together for all I care!”

That said, Sky brought up his hand and muttered, “Sphinx Flares!” Blue flames shot out of his fingertips. Z multiplied herself, darting out of the way while her clone was fried to a crisp. Jack allowed the flames to faze through him while Brian threw up a wall of ice, protecting himself and Bridge. And then there was Sydney, who didn’t move as the flames licked at her uniform. She’s got more spine than I gave her credit for, he thought as she let the fire swirl around her. And that’s when he had a moment of shock. Sydney had all but absorbed his power, added some of her own, and stood before them all a column of fire.

“How is that possible?” Viper hissed in alarm.

Sydney smirked at his words. “Lesson number one, fight fire with fire,” the Pink Ranger replied, her voice coming out less than sane sounding. Before the others had time to blink, Sydney’s hands had come up and she was shooting pink fire at the trio before them.

Viper and Anna rolled away from the Blue Ranger, who barely managed to brace himself and absorb the pink power being thrown at him. “How dare you try to burn me, you little wench!” Anna hissed, extending her hand to let her own powers slam their way toward Sydney. They never made it.

“DRAGON’S ICE!” Brian called while he and Bridge rushed forward toward Sydney. The wall of ice shot up between Anna’s powers and Syd, protecting the Pink Ranger by absorbing the impact and shattering into thousands of tiny shards. “Bad form, Anna, bad form,” Brian muttered at her.

Sydney and Sky continued to pit their power against each other, but they both realized that it was futile. Their power, the source it came from, was evenly matched to the other. Neither one of them could win the way they were going. “Time to play with my new toy!” Sky called out, grinning as he mentally called his new weapon to him even as his ninja uniform morphed into his Ranger suit.

Jack, Z and Bridge shot each other looks when the nifty looking blue and silver gun appeared in Sky’s hands. What the hell is that? Z’s startled question floated out between them.

This can’t be good! Jack responded seconds before blue flames shot out of the gun. “SPHINX FLAME THROWER!”

“SCATTER!” Jack commanded. The four senior members dove off in different directions while the junior Rangers, who had finally gotten to their feet, back pedaled as fast as they could. Sydney was standing entirely too close to Sky to do much of anything but thrown up as much of her own power between her and his new toy.

“SYDNEY!” Brian yelled out to his sister, watching in horror as the blue power from Sky’s weapon encased the Pink Ranger in a column of blue tinged light that all but blotted out her form. “NO!”

“Awww, look, the little whore’s brother is worried about her!” Anna laughed, moving to stand next to Sky while Viper looked on in shock that the Blue Ranger would actually do that to his former love.

The trio was startled back several steps when Sky’s flame thrower ran out of power and the blue column exploded outward, away from Sydney. The Pink Ranger stood with her arms raised to the night sky and the hazy outline of a giant pink Phoenix surrounding her. If none of them knew better, they’d say that she looked ready to fly like the bird that was her animal spirit.

No one moved until Sydney’s head dropped to her chest and her body collapsed to the pavement below. “SYD!” Jack called out to her, pushing up from his position on the ground and racing toward her.

“I think it’s time to go, Lover,” Anna muttered, still astonished by Sydney’s display of power.

“I think Anna’s right,” Viper spoke, shaky that the Pink Ranger had been able to take that much power.

“Very well,” Sky growled. “Take care of your whore, Red Ranger, for next time we meet, I will not hesitate to destroy either of you!”

The Rangers watched the trio and the Tengas disappear in a haze of black power before their attention turned to Sydney, who was curled in Jack’s arms, unconscious. “We need to get her back to base, so Dr. Felix and Kat can take a look at her,” Bridge broke the silence.

“Let’s move!” Aaron called out, the Rangers scattering at the younger Red Ranger’s command.

- -

Brian stood back by the door, watching Dr. Felix and Kat get Sydney situated into a room in the infirmary. Z, Bridge and Jack were in the Command Center with Commander Cruger debriefing their commanding officer about the night’s events. The junior members of the squad were in their various rooms, trying to get some rest. Dark brown eyes were focused on the pale, beloved face of his sister. She did a fucking number on him, Brian thought of Anna and Sky. There was no way in hell, he knew with certainty, that Sky would ever voluntarily do that to his sister. He knew that to be true the same way he knew that he needed air to breath and food to eat to continue living. If there was anything he’d learned over the last couple of months, it was how much Sky loved Sydney.

“Are you alright?” Kat asked, moving to stand with him.

The White Ranger remained silent. There was something, just out of his reach, that told him he needed to do something, seek some answers, to help get the Blue Ranger back. “I’m fine. Tell the others I’m going to be gone for a few hours, but I’ll be back.”

Kat looked confused until she watched, with wide eyes, as he disappeared in a column of white light. “Oh boy.”

- -

The temple grounds were shrouded in darkness. The crickets could be heard in the bushes, and the occasional night bird chirped. The stillness, the peace that he’d lived with for so long was startling to him now. Shaking his head, Brian set off for the inner sanctum of Ninjor’s temple.

Barely lit torches hung in sconces on the walls and flared as he walked into the center of the room. Ninjor was nowhere to be seen, nor did the White Ninja hear his mentor. The large bottle like object that was Ninjor’s personal quarters sat on the table at the far end of the room.

Taking a deep breath, Brian pooled his power inside of himself and announced his arrival. “What brings you, young Dragon?” Ninjor’s sing song voice echoed through the room seconds before the Master Ninja appeared.

“I come seeking your help, Master Warrior.”

Ninjor cocked his head to the right and stared through his visor at his young apprentice. “Go ahead.”

“I need to know all you can tell me about Vampra, and I need to know how to undo whatever Anna’s done to Sky. Please, I need your help.”

The blue ninja considered the request. There was nothing he could do to help his young charge free the Blue Sphinx, but he could tell him everything he knew about Vampra. “Brian, I know nothing of how to help you help Sky. That has to be done by your sister, and your sister alone. Vampra, however, I can tell you. The best people to talk to about him are the Priests of the Morphin’ Master Council. When Dulcea and I encased him in the form he is now, we did so with little knowledge of him. All help we had was from the council. I can tell you, he’s a mad man, and if he is allowed to touch the great power, he could very well destroy the balance between good and evil.”

“How do I find the council?”

“They live, in silence and secret, on Eltar, home of Zordon, mentor your parents. There is a man on KO-35, a man named Debo, he’s the only one other than Lerigot of Liaria that I know can access the dimensional gateway between our system and Eltar.”

“Thank you.”

Ninjor nodded. “Be careful, be very careful. Debo is a hard man to find, and harder still to convince to get involved unless he sees fit. Good luck.”

Brian bowed before the Master Ninja before disappearing in a column of white light. Ninjor shook his head and turned to the two figures standing in the dark corner of the room. “I had thought I’d see you this night.”

“We wouldn’t want to disappoint,” the female laughed, lunging forward to throw her arms around Ninjor in a hug. “Hello old friend.”

“Old friend?” Ninjor sputtered, pulling back to arms length and staring down at the pink clad figure. “I am not old, my Crane, merely a seasoned veteran like yourself.”

“Of course. He’s hurting.”

“And so is Syd,” the third figure spoke, his arm snaking around the pink dressed woman beside him.

“Yes, my Falcon, both of your chicks are hurting, but they will find their way. They always do,” Ninjor told them. “I have faith in their abilities, but more importantly, I have faith in their hearts. They will pass this challenge, just as they’ve passed others.”

“With you guiding them, I worry less,” the man in white spoke, smiling. “Until later.”

Ninjor nodded and bowed in formal goodbye as the pair vanished. “They will succeed; they are far too much like the two of you not to.”

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