Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, Doctor Who or JLA. They belong to their respective copyright owners. Most of the dialogue in this chapter was taken from Power Rangers Universe issues 1 and 2 by Boom Studios.

The First Rangers

There was a mistaken belief that the Morphin Masters had found a way to extend their life expectancy and lived for billions of years as they had researched the Morphin Grid and its secrets. That was not true. Even the greatest scientific minds failed to resolve the inevitable breakdown of the body due to time. Instead, they had concentrated on extending their lives as much as possible, allowing the eldest members of their race to survive for up to a million years before succumbing to old age. After that, the capture of their mental imprints allowed those who passed on to preserve their wisdom for future generations.

And while the Morphin Masters' study of the Grid had lasted billions of years, much of their time had been spent isolated from the passage of time inside protected bubbles of reality. They skipped thousands of years at a time without ageing as their research evolved, returning to reality now and then so that they remained anchored to their dimension; bad things were reported to happen to those who stayed isolated too long. For centuries at a time, the Morphin Masters would disappear and then return, leading those who came to worship them to believe that they just kept to themselves.

Still, children were prized by the Morphin Masters, due to their diminished number. The price of an extended life span had been the inability to sire children of their own. Those wishing to be parents had to leave the protected spaces and allow their bodies to reconnect to the passing of time. Only then could they bear offspring.

That was why the thought that five of their children were even thinking of confronting the monstrous being invading Galaxy A4 would have terrified them. Unfortunately, the parents were safe within the confines of the Morphin Grid while their children faced a fight for their lives against the invading army.

---

Frontier Lab, Planet 0117, Galaxy A4
Long Ago

They were called Spectoids, living beings corrupted by Dark Specter and twisted to become his mindless slaves. Once infected with his evil a being would develop a skin of lava to protect them from those that might resist. They also became infectious, a mere touch sufficient to spread the corruption from one being to the next, easily enslaving more Spectoids for their master. And since there were no limits to the life forms they could corrupt and add to their number, Spectoids came in all shapes and sizes from the various planets they had already conquered to reach this point.

At that moment, the Spectoids were zeroing in on their target: the Proto Arch inside Frontier Lab. As the monsters grew closer to the Lab, five teenagers were huddled around the semiconscious Morphinaut.

"Wait, are you telling me this guy is radiating Grid energy?" Aleia asked.

"How is that even possible?" Phiro added. "He doesn't have a Morphin Heart. How was he not ripped apart?"

"His suit must have protected him," Orisonth mused, before noticing how close the invaders were. "We don't have time right now. We need to move. Grab the Morphinaut, we'll take him with us to the teleport site. I can destroy the Proto Arch remotely; I hate to see it go… but better than it falling into the wrong hands."

The others agreed and after grabbing the Morphinaut, the group headed back toward the teleport site.

"C'mon, we need to hurry," Orisonth urged, well aware that the Morphin Masters would take drastic steps to protect the Grid from darkness. "If we don't hurry these things will cut us off."

"Heavy," Phiro grumbled as he hauled the Morphinaut to his feet. "Do we have a way out?"

"The main path is blocked," Rhian observed. "Options, anyone?"

"East Promenade," Orisonth suggested.

He stopped, suddenly realising that it was already too late and that the monsters had them surrounded.

"Wait," Phiro said as the teens debated what to do. "Does anyone hear that? That sounds like… Whendi!"

Sure enough, he had heard correctly as the giant and extremely loyal pet broke through the enemy line and landed a giant foot on one of their pursuers.

"What is she doing?" Phiro asked as another Spectoid was plucked from the ground and flung into the air.

"She's panicking," Phiro realised as Whendi's large tail smashed into two more of their assailants. "Wait — give her space, she'll --"

Sure enough, Whendi like many animals turned violent when threatened. She attacked the monsters, scattering them as her large jaws hurled them into the air.

"Hey, what's that?" Aleia asked pointing.

"The lava… it's… moving?!" Orisonth exclaimed as he spotted the movement that had caught Aleia's attention.

"No!" Aleia exclaimed, realising that Whendi was between them and the lava.

"We have to move," Rhian said, spotting a path to freedom that Whendi had cleared. "Phiro, I'm sorry, we can't help her now."

"I'm so sorry, Whendi," Phiro whispered as his pet was engulfed by the lava. He was shocked to see that she survived despite being mutated by the substance. "M… maybe she's okay?"

"Less optimism, more running," Telosi said, realising that their chance to escape was rapidly running out. The monsters had reached them and if they were capable of overcoming Whendi, a group of teenagers stood little chance.

However, the day seemed to be full of surprises. Nobody expected the monsters to grab the Morphinaut and scream in pain as the Grid energy clinging to his body vaporised them. Even more surprising was when that same energy cured Whendi of the corrupting influence of the lava and returned her to normal.

"I think…" Phiro began, "I think whatever that stuff is, it doesn't like Grid energy."

"Well this guy is soaking in it," Aleia observed.

"Then maybe this guy can help us after all," Telosi said.

"Yes, because he's been so helpful up to this point," Rhian snarked.

The Morphinaut moved slightly, causing a few stray pulses of Grid energy to strike the ground.

"Huh, they are terrified of this guy," Telosi said as the monster halted their approach and then pulled back.

"It must be the energy," Orisonth said.

"Doesn't matter if it's the energy or his cologne," Rhian said. "If this guy scares them and gives us a way to get to the teleporter, we'll take any opportunity they give us. Everyone, behind Phiro! Phiro, lead the way!"

The other did as they were told, moving in behind Phiro who hoisted the Morphinaut up on a shoulder and moved forward, allowing the Grid energy to obliterate the monsters and clear them a path to the teleporter.

"I take it back... even unconscious he's pretty useful."

C'mon, one last push!" Orisonth urged as they reached their destination.

At which point, their sleeping ally decided to wake up.

"Dark… Specter…" the Morphinaut murmured as he looked up at the sky.

There was power in names. The Morphin Masters knew that there were beings within the Morphin Grid whose name when invoked could grant power to their rituals. But this name was different: instead of empowerment, the name caused the teens to shudder.

As they entered the building, they realised that they were not home free as they had hoped. More of the monsters filled the space, drawn to the equipment.

"What are they doing?"

"They're overloading the archway. They're trying to rip it open," Orisonth realised.

"We've got to stop them," Phiro said. "Ori, you're the closest; see if you can stabilise it long enough for us to get through. Contact your brother and have him ready to teleport us. We'll distract these... things."

Ori didn't argue and headed to the teleporter. Once there it was a simple matter to activate the communicator.

"Ori?!" Kartor asked. "Thank the stars. Now why in… Wait, are you still there?!"

"We…" Orisonth began.

"Please tell me…" Kartor tried to say, but the transmission was garbled, a result of the wild energy within the Grid. "… reached the teleporter… can't hold it open forever…"

"Kartor," Orisonth said in a panicked tone, "they're taking over the arch. They're going to get through!"

"They?!" Kartor exclaimed as realisation set in how dire Orisonth's situation had become. "No! Get out, Ori, leave now!"

"But my friends…" Orisonth protested.

"Just get through!" Kartor urged. "We'll figure something out! Ori, please… come home… please… Ori?… Ori?!… where… going?!"

"I can't leave them, Kartor," Orisonth said.

"What?" Kartor asked. "Why?… What are… doing?!"

"I can't leave them," Orisonth repeated, "and... I can't let those things get through."

Orisonth jumped down onto one of the conduits. He had studied the construction of the teleport technology and was aware of the safety systems built in. He had also gleaned that those same safety systems could be used to sabotage the archway. As he threw the switch, reversing the polarity of the archway he pulled hard on the cooling ducts to trigger the self-destruct sequence for the teleporter.

"Ori, we love…" Kartor began, but the transmission was cut off as the teleporter exploded.

"What happened?" Telosi asked as Orisonth rejoined them.

"I'll explain later," Orisonth promised. "We need to find cover!"

"We got a plan?" Telosi asked.

"Yes, well, some of one," Orisonth said.

"Wait, where's…" Aleia asked, realising that one of their group was missing.

The answer came as a monster exploded, destroyed by the Morphinaut who was back on his feet and wading through one monster after another.

"The teleporter?" the Morphinaut asked as he rejoined the group.

"I… it's shut down," Orisonth admitted.

"Good," the Morphinaut said. "You made the right choice. The Grid must be protected."

"Yeah but now we're stuck here and those things are everywhere. Any bright ideas where we can hide?" Telosi asked.

---

I am the Morphinaut. My real name has been forgotten over many generations. Children look at my photograph but have no idea what I was really like. And now I return to find that the protection of the Morphin grid and those within has fallen upon the shoulders of children.

Making the right choice is not easy, but in that moment those kids showed that there were still some willing to do the right thing to protect the Morphin Grid and existence from the darkness. And perhaps for the first time, since I destroyed the Proto Arch and trapped myself in that hellish existence for all those years, I felt confident that there was a way to defeat him.

Even as we ran away from the monsters, even as they regrouped and turned toward us once more, I could believe that we could find a way. First though: we needed to find a safe place to hide...

---

"School; really?" Telosi asked. "After all the time I spent avoiding class, you want me to hide out here?"

"The lab is heavily shielded," Orisonth explained. "It's one of the safest places we can get to right now."

"Well, let's get in there," Rhian said. "And then when we're safe, maybe this… fossil… can tell us what's going on."

"I am right here you know," the Morphinaut grumbled.

"Um guys, banter later, we're about to have company," Telosi warmed as more monsters appeared. "And they're bigger than the last lot. Run!"

"Telosi, help me with him…" Rhian instructed but trailed off as the Morphinaut disappeared.

"Wait, where'd he go?" Telosi asked, looking around.

There was a strange feeling and the Morphinaut reappeared, fighting against two monsters. With a punch he destroyed them. He lashed out with a kick, taking down another and then threw two of them into each other. A nonchalant backhand sent the last Spectoid flailing into a wall.

"How did you that?" Phiro asked as the Morphinaut came to a halt and almost collapsed.

"Spent billions of years stuck in the Morphing Grid," the Morphinaut said.

"You're unstable," Orisonth realised. "Grid energy is mutagenic and destructive. And you've been exposed to it for so long, I doubt even that suit could keep all of it out. With that much energy in you, you're lucky you weren't torn apart upon exiting. I don't even know whether you're actually in there anymore. Your body might have been transformed into energy and that suit is the only thing keeping you together."

"That's... disturbing," the Morphinaut agreed, suddenly feeling his age. "But, it's not a priority right now."

Orisonth nodded. They needed to survive. Then they could worry about the Morphinaut or even take him to the Morphin Masters for help.

"I need to run some tests to see how we can use that energy," Orisonth declared. "Telosi, can you search for food?"

"Okay," Telosi answered. "But what's the greater plan here? I mean, we can't hide here forever. This place is crawling with those... things… and so far our only source of defence is a maybe-not-alive guy. And has everyone forgotten the big question of how we're even going to get out of here?"

"Telosi, behind you!" Rhian shouted as a monster approached Telosi.

"No," the Morphinaut yelled. With an effort, he reached out and grabbed the monster by the throat. "I'm done running."

"Pl… ease," the monster said as the Morphinaut's grip tightened.

"Wait!" Aleia said, placing a hand on the Morphinaut's shoulder to restrain him. "I think there's someone in there."

The Morphinaut loosened his grip slightly. Not enough to allow the creature to escape, but enough that he would not choke whatever lay within. The Grid energy burned away the monster's lava skin, revealing a human beneath beneath the surface. It was a fae Telosi recognised.

"Xev?!" Telosi asked as the last of the corruption was burned away.

"How did you do that?" Orisonth asked.

"Pure Grid energy is a representation of everything Dark Specter fears," the Morphinaut explained. "It purifies everything it touches. He can't stand to be around it. It's antithetical to his nature and cancels out his power."

"Telosi," Xev sighed as he was finally freed from outside control.

"I've got you, brother, I promise," Telosi said.

"If this Dark Specter is incompatible with the power of the Morphin Grid, why is he trying so hard to access it?" Rhian asked.

"He doesn't want the power," Morphinaut answered. "The Grid is more than just energy, it is a gateway to every location in existence. Dark Specter was trapped inside a dimensional prison on the far side of reality. The Grid is a stepping stone for him, allowing him to re-enter the universe."

"Re-enter? Just who is this guy?"

The Morhinaut sighed and told them everything he had managed to learn during his time trapped in the villain's presence.

"Before the beginning of existence, there was a force... darkness left over from the destruction of whatever came before. It lived on through the creation of the new reality, corrupting those that emerged as the first life forms. It was the same corruption that led to the rise of the Dark One in the early days of the universe; the Dark One absorbed the essence of this entity, but it was reborn as the Dark One's child. Make no mistake: it might refer to the Dark One as father but, the evil of Dark Specter surpasses even the Dark One himself. In the past Dark Specter was bound by a vow of loyalty, but that changed when the Dark One's power was broken; Now, I suspect that should he choose to free his father it will be only so that he can eliminate a potential rival."

"Okay," Rhian concluded, "not a nice guy."

"But still," Orisonth said, "who's to say he'd survive the trip through the Grid? His troops seem to have a pretty bad reaction to even a small amount of energy. There's no way he could survive the trip."

"He may be willing to chance; after being confined for so long the chance of freedom might be worth the risk," the Morphinaut offered. "Especially as he knows that even if he fails to escape... his presence would corrupt and perhaps even destroy the Morphing Grid."

"But that would assume he is incapable of finding another way out," Orisonth argued. "He was there long before you discovered him and he endured the years you were trapped there. I bet by now he's had the opportunity to come up with an idea or two... like maybe taking possession of somebody that could survive the journey and using them to… Oh no, we need to get to the lab now!"

---

"You okay?" Telosi asked as he helped his brother to stand. "Not feeling monster-y anymore?"

"I'm okay, I think," Xev answered slowly, shaking his head and frowning. "I'm me... I think. But he's not gone. I can still hear him in my head. He's not giving up trying to control me. Even now he's offering me... things to get me to help him."

"And if he found someone willing to help..." Telosi realised. "We need to warn the others."

---

"So this Dark Specter," Phiro began as he watched Orisonth and the Morphinaut. "There's no way he could get the Proto Arch online, right?"

Orisonth shrugged, not sure how to respond.

"I'm going to try to tap into the planetary sensors. Get an idea if any more of those forces are coming.

"Argh!" the Morphinaut cried out as his body began to spark erratically.

"What's wrong with him?" Xev asked as he and Telosi rejoined the group.

"The energy isn't supposed to be in this dimension," Orisonth replied. "It's starting to break down and getting more unstable the longer it stays outside. And the greater the concentration the more volatile it becomes. He just happens to be the greatest concentration of Grid energy in the vicinity and right now he's the only thing keeping it under control. But, he's losing coherence; we have to stabilize--"

"My Proto Arch," the Morphinaut hissed. "You managed to get it back online just enough for me to slip through. If Dark Specter's forces discover my lab and if they figure out how to finish your work…"

"He can't possibly know it exists," Orisonth protested.

"It's not worth the risk," Xev reasoned. "You don't know what it was like being controlled by him. Dark Specter won't stop."

"Xev," Telosi said, "it's okay, you're free now."

"And it was Grid energy that did it," Xev said. "But if Dark Specter succeeds… nothing will be able to stand in his way."

"His forces are still out there," Telosi said. "I can't lose you again."

"I'm overflowing with enough power to hold them off," the Morphinaut stated.

"You can barely stand," Phiro replied. "You're in no condition to hold off an entire army."

"I can hold them off long enough for you all to join your families," the Morphinaut said. "It would not be difficult to change the Proto Arch to portal you to wherever they went."

"And then what?" Telosi asked. "We just leave you behind?"

"Then I blow my lab up," the Morphinaut said.

"Unacceptable," Telosi replied.

"Or…" Orisonth said slowly having considered the matter. "I think there's a way to stabilize your energy and get you back on your feet."

"How?" the Morphinaut asked. There was genuine curiosity in his voice.

"By sharing it," Orisonth said. "Every scan indicates you've been inundated with every spectrum the Grid has to offer. But by bombarding you with the spectrometer here…"

"Smaller words for the rest of us, Ori," Telosi said.

"…Right," Orisonth said. "If I use this machine to initiate an energy surge using our Morphin Hearts. I think we can use their crystalline structure to siphon off the excess energy that's currently ripping you apart."

"That was more words, but okay," Telosi said.

"You asked for smaller, not less," Orisonth replied.

"This is risky," the Morphinaut said. "The energy could destroy you if you're wrong. I can buy you time, distract the horde — you should make it if you run."

"I was the one who endangered us with the Proto Arch," Orisonth said, "and Phiro is right, you're barely keeping coherence. I know I can do this. Let me fix it, please. They're stuck here because of me. I have to try."

"Fine," the Morphinaut said. "What do I have to do?"

A short time later, they were ready to begin.

"Are you all sure about this?" Orisonth asked his friends. "We could very well burn to a crisp, or…"

"We're sure, Ori, promise," Rhian said.

"Remember how you told us that adding protonium in the lab definitely wouldn't explode on us?" Aleia asked. "We trusted you then; we trust you now. It will be okay."

"Didn't the protonium explode?" Telosi asked.

"Minor detail," Aleia said.

"Besides, that happened after we were done with it," Orisonth added.

"I could use a pick-me-up anyway," Phiro added.

"On my signal then," Orisonth said as each of them removed their Morphin Heart and held it out.

"Go!" Orisonth said.

The teens removed their Morphin Hearts and placed the circular crystals into the machine, holding them in place. Grid energy swirled around the Morphinaut in an explosion of colours — black, pink, blue, yellow, red, green, purple and white; each of the teens found themselves glowing with coloured energy, each a different colour. There was a blinding flash and the teens found themselves clothed in a colourful suit… In later days they would decide that they had become Power Rangers.

"It… it worked," the Red Ranger said. "Stylish."

"You mean it looks amazing," the Pink Ranger said. "Feels amazing too."

"Can't argue with these changes," the Yellow Ranger added.

"These suits are incredible," the Green Ranger said.

"Okay, but what happened to our actual clothes?" the Black Ranger asked.

"My working hypothesis is that the Grid energy transformed our clothing at the molecular level…" the Blue Ranger began to explain before noticing that their Morphin Hearts had also changed.

The Morphin Hearts were one of the greatest works by the Morphin Masters up until this point. Energy extracted from the Grid was compressed and condensed into a solidified form. The resulting crystal pulsed with a low level of Grid energy on a frequency that provided the wearer with a low-level energy field. When in contact with Grid energy, the Morphin Heart safely disrupted the flow of the wild energy, making them wash over the user. But now, the nature of their Morphin Hearts had been permanently altered as they were connected to the energy of the Morphin Grid. The Rangers had unknowingly reached out to the Sacred Beasts that resided inside the Morphin Grid and the beasts had offered them their protection and power.

Rhian's had taken on the image of the red dragon, while Telosi's had been etched with the symbol of the green lion; Phiro's carried the mark of the yellow griffin and Aleia's bore the striking etching of the pink firebird. Orisonth stared at the image of the blue unicorn while Xev's Morphin Heart carried the symbol of the black pegasus.

"You morphed them into something amazing," the Pink Ranger said.

"Warning," the emergency broadcast system announced. "Atmospheric breach! Please head to your nearest shelter immediately. Warning. Atmospheric breach! Please head to your nearest shelter immediately."

"Huh," the Morphinaut said, distracted by the noise. "All this time and they can't even upgrade the emergency broadcast system. Something is coming."

They stepped outside to find the sky was burning brightly.

"We're hours from dawn," the Pink Ranger said as they stepped outside, noticing the light.

"That's no sun," the Morphinaut said, and they saw a face in the sky.

"Is that Dark Specter?" the Blue Ranger asked.

"No," the Morphinaut replied. "He is still imprisoned and lacks the strength to transfer his body. He can't even generate an avatar to walk around… for now anyway. Whoever it is will be here on his behalf, and they will be a force to be reckoned with. With those suits of yours, you should now be able to reach my lab. Go and modify the Proto Arch to become a simple portal. You can use it to get across the galaxy while I hold them off. But once you get through, you must destroy the Arch. Dark Specter cannot escape."

---

In the beginning, there were two dimensions: one of matter and the other of energy, which was known as the Grid. As the physical realm grew, the Grid expanded, weaving in and out of the other dimension, locking in the potential for life and magic.

And while the material realm was forced to comply with laws of nature, the Grid remained free of such restrictions; inside the Grid distance meant nothing and time was something that could be ignored. It was how the Morphin Masters had existed for so long without ageing. Even on the cusp of the Morphin Grid, they skipped through the centuries, often unaware of how time beyond their view was moving on.

Within the Grid, creatures were waiting to be asked for their aid and willing to lend their power. One day, those sacred beasts would be considered the source of power for Rangers across the universe. But for now, they were not the only source available. Instead, the teens drew their power from the entirety of the Grid, calling upon the infinite possibilities of powers that could one day exist.

For now, the whole of the Grid was available to them... if they could handle its power.

---

The Power Rangers fought their way through a dense crowd of Spectoids, each group fiercer than the last. As they did so they noticed the number of opponents was growing smaller with each new batch, but the strength and size of their opponents increased.

"Rhian, what's the plan?" the Green Ranger shouted as he sliced through a monster with his sword.

He wore a sleek green jumpsuit with minimal bulk. He had a green scarf around his neck, white boots and gloves. On the white belt around his waist, he had a buckle inlaid with the creature etched upon his Morphin Heart. His helmet was bright green with a distinct white arrow-like shape pointing downward across the visor area. The visor in comparison was dark and rounded to hide his face.

"Yeah," added the Black Ranger, fending off another wave.

His suit was similar to his brother's costume, differing only in the shape of the visor and the colour. His belt was also adorned with the image of the creature from his Morphin Heart. "These suits are killer, but who knows how long we can keep this up!"

"I'm working on it!" the Red Ranger, replied, striking down another monster.

Rhian's costume was vibrant and dynamic, featuring a bold red bodysuit with sleek black accents on the shoulders and sides, giving it a modern, streamlined look. Her helmet was red with a black visor shaped like the stylized eyes of a bird. A sharp white beak design sat at the centre of the visor. Around her waist, she wore a white belt with a prominent buckle, which bore the emblem of the red dragon. Her gloves and boots were white, each accented with red trim, while a slight shimmer to the material gave the costume a polished feel.

"Anyone else feel... that?" the Blue Ranger asked. "It's like a heavy feeling in your head… like you're slowly sinking…"

Orisonth was wearing a brilliant blue bodysuit that shimmered like crystal. It had a mesmerizing effect. The helmet was also blue with a faceted design, resembling a cut gemstone, and a dark, angular visor that framed Orisonth's eyes; a silver mouth plate completed the helmet, giving it a sharp, refined look. The silver belt embossed with the emblem of a unicorn upon its central buckle added contrast to the vibrant blue of the suit. The gloves and boots were silver with blue accents.

"There's more of them," the Morphinaut warned, his voice tense.

"That's our cue to leave!" the Blue Ranger yelled.

"They're blocking our path!" Rhian shouted as more monsters emerged.

"Wait! I think I've got this… SPINNING POWER PUNCH!" The Blue Ranger surged forward, unleashing a devastating blow that cleared their path.

"I know we're supposed to be getting away," the Pink Ranger said, summoning a gleaming sword from nowhere, "but I feel like I could do this all day!"

"New moves, new skills, new knowledge of weapons?" the Black Ranger mused as an axe appeared in his hands. "Looks like the Grid gave us everything we need!"

"Too bad it didn't give you a better sense of humour," the Green Ranger quipped.

The Red Ranger stepped forward, a Power Sword materializing in her hands. "I'll hold them off! Go!" She slashed at a monster, but as it caught the blade, her suit suddenly flickered, disappearing and then reappearing along with a new weapon in her hand. The power surged through her, but it was too much; she dropped to her knees, overwhelmed by the energy.

"No!" the Yellow Ranger cried out, a sonic wave bursting from his helmet, vaporizing the monster. "I… I don't know what that was."

Yellow Ranger's costume featured a striking yellow bodysuit with a bold white emblem across the chest, with angular wings extending over the shoulders. The helmet, a vivid yellow, was designed with a visor shaped like a sleek beak, giving it a sharp and intense look. Silver trim outlined the visor, adding a clean contrast. The matching yellow gloves and boots kept the overall look cohesive, while silver accents and geometric details on the arms and legs added an extra level of sophistication. The sonic screech appeared to be a part of the suit's abilities.

"A little warning next time?" the Green Ranger groaned, clutching his ears as they helped each other to stand over the remains of the monster.

"We can't stay here!" Rhian ordered, realising that it would not take long for reinforcements to arrive. "We have to go!"

"Go, I'll hold Dark Specter's forces back while you get to the Arch!" the Morphinaut offered.

"What? Are you crazy?" the Green Ranger asked. "You have a death wish?"

"I just want to get you all home," the Morphinaut replied. So much had changed since he had been away, but family was important and he could not see them separated from theirs.

"Now acceptable!" the Pink Ranger exclaimed. "We don't leave friends behind."

Pink Ranger wore a streamlined pink bodysuit with sharp black and white detailing across the torso. Her helmet was bright pink with a smooth, black visor shaped like angular sunglasses, bordered by silver trim for a striking outline. Her white gloves and boots stood out against the vibrant pink, while black accents on the shoulders and down the torso added further contrast. Subtle silver and pink embellishments along the legs gave the suit a polished, powerful finish.

"Besides," the Blue Ranger added as he struggled to keep his feet moving, "we don't know how long these suits will hold out with all this unstable energy."

It was clear that even with their new powers, this was going to be a very long walk. And as they staggered away from the clearing, they never noticed they were being followed.

End of Part