CHAPTER ONE: PROLOGUE... THREE YEARS AGO.

JOSH

Josh knew something huge was about to happen. His dad was working on his latest project. Josh had been the one to discover the bizarre alien relic in the park two weeks earlier. He'd immediately called his father over and together, they'd lugged it home. It was fascinating to examine, but neither one of them was certain what its purpose was.

That day, they'd been teleported to a strange facility hidden from sight. Josh had no idea what was happening, but his father didn't seem bothered by it, so Josh followed his lead. Josh's eyes had gone wide with shock as a robot approached them. So had his father's.

"Alpha?" His dad had asked in shock.

"That is correct, Billy," the robot had replied. "I am Alpha Twenty-Six. It's a pleasure to meet you... And you as well, Josh."

"I don't understand," his father had said. "What's going on? Why did you bring us here?"

"That relic you discovered is very important, Josh. It's going to help save humanity... But it's badly damaged. You must work with your father to repair it."

"Alpha, I'll help you. You know I will... But my son's too young."

"This is his destiny, Billy. Only the two of you together can unlock the relic's powers."

"I don't understand."

"The world will soon need the Power Rangers more than ever, Billy. And this generation will be stronger than ever."

"Power Rangers?" Josh had asked, his eyes going even wider. "Dad, what does this have to do with you?"

His father had looked at him and smiled before saying, "Josh, it looks like I'm going to need to tell you a story."

And that was how Josh learned the truth. His father had been the original Blue Ranger. His dad had always been a hero in his eyes, so this wasn't entirely shocking to Josh. Although Alpha had cautioned that the relic was extremely dangerous, his father had agreed to work on repairing it. If it was going to save the world, how could they refuse? They'd worked tirelessly for the last two weeks trying to figure out what the heck the thing was and fixing what they could.

"This is new," his father said as one of the panels popped open. "These markings don't look alien."

Josh looked at it over his father's shoulder. "Those are hieroglyphics, Dad... From Earth. Ancient Egypt, specifically," he said.

"You're right... That's certainly peculiar... See if you can translate them."

Josh drew a copy of the message before sitting down at his laptop. He set to work looking up the information. It didn't take him too long to find a rough translation.

It seemed the relic was a containment device. It could be used to trap the members of an evil army of an entity so wicked, the person who'd etched the warning would not write its name. The slightest crack in the relic would release forces so horrible, the Earth would be destroyed. Josh knew the device had already been cracked when he found it.

"Dad... I think we're in trouble," he said.

"What did you find?" His father asked.

Josh explained. "I think I can fix it. If I do, then when it's time, the Rangers will be able to recapture the army and save everyone," his father said.

He began working furiously, screwing things back together and substituting whatever worked for the damaged parts. He sent Josh out to get them lunch while he continued to work. On his way back, Josh saw Bulk, the son of his neighbors.

"Hey, Little Billy," Bulk called cheerfully. He'd never bothered to learn Josh's name. Bulk didn't live in the neighborhood anymore, but his mother still did, and Bulk visited nearly every weekend with his wife and children, so Josh often ran into him.

"Hi, Bulk," Josh replied. "How's your mom?"

"Mama Bulky's doing just fine, thanks. How's your dad?"

"He's good. Just working on a project. I should get back inside."

"Right. I've got a monster to walk. See you, Kid." The creature beside Bulk was most likely a dog, but it was hard to tell for sure.

Josh walked back into the house and called to his father to come upstairs and eat. They both wolfed down their food, eager to get back to work.

"Can you grab me another screwdriver?" His dad asked. "This one's fried."

Josh saw that the one in his father's hand had partially melted. "Sure, Dad," he replied. He walked to the other side of the basement to grab it for him.

"You know, I think we're almost there," his dad said. "I couldn't have gotten so much done without your help, Josh. You're the best."

"You're better," Josh replied.

His dad smiled at him. "Give yourself a few years, Josh, and you'll be driving circles around me."

Josh returned his father's smile. He was about to reply as he nearly reached him when he saw something start to smoke. "Dad!" He screamed in warning, but it was too late. The relic exploded and Josh saw his father vanish before his eyes in the blast as the force of it knocked him back. He hit his head against the wall and blacked out.

MERKHET

Merkhet cackled wickedly as the house began to collapse. "Take the prison," she said.

"But it exploded, Merkhet... Boom!" Virges replied.

"Fool! Of course there was an explosion! That was the point. But the prison cannot be destroyed. We must hide it where it can never be found."

He grabbed it. "And the threat?"

"He'll remain trapped inside until the one we serve releases him."

"What about the boy?"

"If he lives, his trauma will keep him from his path. He's no threat to us now." She paused, hearing the only master she answered to. "The safe. We must take it with us."

"I don't know, Merkhet. It looks heavy."

"Must I do everything myself? Imbecile!" She waved her hands and the safe shrank small enough to slip into her pocket. Merkhet felt faint. "I am still weak. I must rest... But soon, my little Power Rangers, my time shall come... Take me to the lair, Virges."

With that, they quickly departed.

BULK

The explosion was huge. Bulk spun around and stared in horror as the house collapsed. "What the heck was Billy doing?" He wondered aloud as he pulled out his phone and dialed 911. After hanging up, he suddenly remembered watching Little Billy go inside that house.

"Oh no!" He said. He ran across the street, his heart racing, and began trying to sift through rubble. "Billy! Little Billy!" He called. "Any Billy! Can you hear me? Are you there?" There was no response. Somehow, Bulk knew they had to have been downstairs in the basement.

He pulled away boards and pieces of the ceiling. He sifted through rubble until his hands bled and kept going. Bulk and Billy might not have had a great history, but Little Billy was a nice kid, and he was still so young. He had to save him.

His mother's beast of a dog barked. "What is it, Girl?"

The dog barked again and sniffed at some rubble. Bulk frantically began pulling at it as the first paramedics arrived on site.

"There's a kid here!" Bulk said frantically. "Him and his dad were inside when the house blew up."

The paramedics began trying to help look for any signs of life. They looked doubtful. Bulk didn't care. The kid was still alive. He had to be.

The dog barked again. Bulk moved another board aside and saw a hand that was a little too small to be Billy's. "Little Billy!" He cried. "Come on, Kid. Don't be... not alive. Please?" He started moving quicker, removing as much rubble as he could.

He had it cleared away pretty quickly. He swept the boy up into his arms and pulled him free. Little Billy's eyes fluttered and Bulk sighed with relief.

"Dad..." The kid moaned.

"It's okay, Kid," Bulk said soothingly. "You're alright." He had a horrible feeling that Billy wasn't going to be as lucky.

Little Billy called out for his father again, breaking something inside of Bulk. He knew Mrs. Billy had died from some awful and mysterious disease when Little Billy was about seven. It had just been Billy and the kid after that, and Billy had pretty much cut everyone else off from what Bulk had heard. No one ever figured out what killed Mrs. Billy, and it seemed like Billy suspected it wasn't so natural, but he never found any proof. That kid was his world, though, and he always had a smile on his face when his son was around. It was a real tragedy that the kid had just lost the only parent he'd had left. Bulk worried what might happen to him now.

"Oh my God..." A voice whispered.

Bulk turned around, still holding the kid, who'd blacked out again. "Tommy," he said, realizing who'd shown up.

"What happened?" His still-gorgeous wife Kat asked in that accent that drove Bulk kind of crazy in high school.

"The house blew up," Bulk said.

"Where's Billy?" Another guy Bulk vaguely recognized asked. It was that Asian kid Adam.

"He was in the house," Bulk said.

"Oh God... Billy..." Someone he hadn't expected to see said. "No..." She covered her mouth in horror.

"Kimberly," Bulk said. "What, did someone send out a secret signal to you guys or something? How are you all here?"

They exchanged glances that actually made Bulk wonder if he was on to something. It was just like in high school. They really were a weird bunch.

"Give Josh to me," Adam's wife, whose name Bulk had never caught, said.

"Who?" Bulk asked.

"The boy."

Bulk shook his head. "He needs the paramedics."

In fact, the paramedics had come closer. "Let me see him," one said.

Bulk reluctantly let go of the kid. He watched for a minute before deciding he was safe and starting to sift through rubble where the kid had looked when calling for his father. The people who'd gathered looked at him in confusion.

"What are you doing?" That guy Rocky asked.

"Looking for Billy. Little Billy's okay... We gotta try to find his father," Bulk said. Shouldn't that have been obvious?

The others began helping him sift through the rubble. Even the girls threw themselves into it. Tommy saw him struggling with an especially heavy piece of the roof and helped him lift it up, but there was no sign of Billy.

"Come on, Billy..." A very pretty lady Bulk barely recognized as Tanya said. He hadn't seen her since high school.

"He's not here," Adam's wife said firmly. "You're just hurting yourselves at this point."

"No... He has to be," Tommy insisted.

"Tommy... Billy's not here," she said again.

Tommy stared at her. Kat started crying. Kimberly sank to her knees and cried out, "No... Not Billy... Not like this..."

"Kim..." Tommy whispered. He might have gone to her, but Kat was crying beside him, and he comforted her instead.

"Damnit, Billy, what did you do?" Rocky asked aloud.

"Everyone needs to clear out. It's too dangerous to stay here," some first responder said.

They reluctantly went to safer ground. Kimberly didn't move. "Kim..." Tommy said. "Kim, we have to go."

"Not Billy..." Kimberly whispered again. It was clear even to Bulk that she was in shock. Kat nodded at Tommy and Tommy picked Kimberly up in his arms. She began sobbing as he carried her to safety, the weight of her grief finally hitting her. Bulk hated to see her like that. Kimberly had always been the girl with a smile on her face no matter what was going on in the world.

Bulk looked at the paramedics as they loaded Little Billy into an ambulance. "Will he be alright?" He asked.

"He's hurt badly, but he should survive," the paramedic who'd taken him from Bulk said. "He's a tough kid. That blast should have killed him."

Bulk decided he'd keep an eye on the kid whenever he could. He should have someone looking out for him, even if he didn't know it. He'd be like a secret guardian to the kid.

"You'll survive this, Kid," he said. "You're tougher than you look." He squeezed the kid's shoulder before letting the paramedics leave with him.

TOMMY

Tommy couldn't believe this was happening. He wanted to punch something, but he couldn't because Kimberly was still hysterical in his arms, and even he couldn't console her this time. Billy was dead. There was no coming back from this.

"Why?" He demanded aloud. "Why would Alpha call us and send us here if it was already too late to save him?"

"I'm sure he had his reasons," Adam said.

"It couldn't have been intentional. He must have thought we could help," Kat said.

"How? We're not Power Rangers anymore. Most of us don't have our powers," Rocky said.

"Rangers..." Alpha's voice said as they were suddenly teleported to the new Command Center none of them had known about until that day. "I am so sorry... I was certain there was still time..."

"Well there wasn't!" Tommy shouted.

"Tommy..." Casey said gently. His sister looked at him sadly. "He didn't know."

"She's right," Adam said sadly. Of course Adam took her side. They were married. "Alpha would never hurt us."

"We don't know this Alpha! This could all have been a trap!" Rocky said. "He just teleported us here to tell us 'save Billy! Aye-yi-yi! Power Rangers, reassemble!' Guess what? We're too old for this shit! Well, except maybe for Tommy. You never did learn to walk away."

"Please, Rocky, understand... There will be another team soon... The children will need to be protected and guided," Alpha insisted.

"What children?"

"Your children."

"What? You want my son involved in this now? No way! You just killed our friend! You can't have my son, too!"

"I'm not comfortable with it either," Tanya said.

"No," Kimberly whispered. "Absolutely not."

"Beam us home, Alpha Ninety-Nine or whatever," Rocky said. "We're out. We have a funeral to plan thanks to you."

Tommy understood their reaction, but he also understood destiny... And he had a feeling it wasn't going to be that simple.

TEN MONTHS AGO.

ANGELINE

The kids had been especially cruel that day. Angie closed her eyes and refused to let the tears gathering behind her eyes fall. She felt the familiar energy in her hands and knew she needed to get out of there before she made things worse.

"Watch it, Freak!" One of the boys shouted as she ran by him. Angie had to squeeze her hands into tight fists and bite her lip to keep the energy from exploding at him. Ever since she'd been a baby, Angie had been able to make strange things happen. She hadn't understood it as a child, but now she knew the random bursts of magic somehow came from her. The other kids were right... She was a freak.

She ran to the group home she currently resided in. Angie had been raised between group homes and foster care. Every time a foster family took her in, Angie hoped they'd be the ones to keep her, but no one ever did. She was too strange, too different, and even the kindest of foster families never wanted her. Eventually, at the ripe old age of four, Angie had been branded a "special needs" child. Even the families who were supposed to be willing to help kids like her had returned her almost as soon as they'd taken her in.

She finally started to cry when she was fairly certain she was alone in the garden. That was when the new kid in the group home walked over to her cautiously. She knew him, of course. Josh had only been an orphan for two years or so, but he went to Angel Grove High with Angie. She'd heard this was his third group home.

"Angeline... Are you alright?" Josh asked nervously. He'd never said much of anything to her before.

"I'm fine," Angie said quickly.

"Forgive me, but... You appear to be crying."

"I've got allergies."

"I have antihistamines in my backpack. Would you like one?"

Angie managed a small smile. "You're still talking to me," she said.

"I am."

"Most people don't."

"I find I'm unlike most people... Do you, perhaps, want to talk about what happened?"

"It's nothing... Just kids being jerks to me."

"I'm sorry they were unkind to you... People our age often act aggressively toward others, but it's generally due to their own insecurities."

"You're definitely different, Josh."

"Yes, the moronic masses we attend school with like to point that out to me as well."

"I'm not making fun of you," Angie said quickly.

"I know." Josh handed her a tissue. "Try not to feel too badly, Angeline. That's what they want."

"Josh, come on inside. We need to talk," Ian, one of the head counselors at the group home, said.

"Right," Josh said reluctantly. "Take care of yourself, Angeline. Try to remember that not everyone is a jerk." He walked away.

Angie felt calmer, but she still needed a distraction. She pulled out the Ipod one of her former foster families had been generous enough to let her keep and began watching one of the Monster High movies she'd saved to it. Angie knew the show was stupid, but it was one of the few things that gave her comfort. The idea of a school where weirdos and freaks were embraced and loved appealed to her greatly. It was pretty much what she'd dreamed of for her entire life.

Suddenly, she knew she wasn't alone. Angie looked up and saw a peculiar-looking woman standing before her. "Hello, Angeline," she said. "I am Merkhet. You need to come with me."

"No way, Lady," Angie replied. "I don't go places with strangers."

"My dear child, I know this world has been cruel to you, but you can trust me. I am here to help you."

"Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying."

"I can reunite you with your parents."

Angie stared at her. "I don't have any of those. They left me on the doorstep of an orphanage when I was born."

"There is a great deal you do not yet understand, but the time has come... Join me, and I will explain everything."

Angie wanted to tell this lady she was nuts and to buzz off, but something about her made her shrug and say, "Fine. But if you try anything, I'll hurt you." She could back the threat up. Not only did Angie have magic, but she could fight. She'd taken free Martial Arts classes at the Youth Center for years.

As soon as they were free from the group home's sight, they stepped into some sort of portal. Once inside, Angie spotted a strange half-human half-bird creature staring back at her. "Virges! Bring me the scrying mirror," Merkhet said.

"Yes, Merkhet," the bird replied. He left.

"Angeline... You are a very special girl," Merkhet explained as Virges returned with a heavy black mirror framed in gold. "Your parents never abandoned you... They were forced to send you to Earth to protect you." She mumbled something in another language and two people appeared in the mirror.

"Angeline!" The woman cried out. "Oh, my dear child, can it be true? Have you found us?"

"She's perfect," the man beside her added. "Hello, dearest daughter. It's good to finally see you once more."

"Who are they?" Angie asked in horror. The woman, although dressed oddly, could pass for human, but the man was clearly some sort of monster.

"These are your parents, my dear," Merkhet replied. "Meet Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd."

"This is impossible..." Angie mumbled.

"You're so beautiful," Rita said. "I dreamed of this day... I've missed you so much, my beloved baby girl..."

"You must free us," Zedd said bluntly.

"How?" Angie asked cautiously.

"By destroying the ones who imprisoned us... The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers."

"Power Rangers? There haven't been Power Rangers in Angel Grove since before I was born!"

"They may have been dormant, but they are not gone... And now, their children have come of age."

"My beautiful girl, you must destroy the next generation if we are ever to be free," Rita said.

"Destroy? I am not destroying anyone!" Angie was scared now. Was this real? She could feel it in her soul, but it was too horrible to imagine her parents were the infamous power couple that had tried and failed so many times to destroy the city she grew up in.

"They kept us from you, my girl," Rita insisted. "To protect you, we had to send you away. Everything you've been through is their fault."

Angie paused. Could it be true? "I always dreamed my parents would come back for me," she admitted.

"We have, Angeline. We're here. We love you. Right, Zeddy?"

"What?!" Zedd seemed offended by that.

"Tell our daughter you love her."

"I... Yes. Yes, of course." He didn't say the words, but just hearing it from Rita gave Angie something she'd never had before.

"I'll do it," Angie said. "But how?"

"I shall train you, my dear," Merkhet said. "You'll be ready to stop them in no time."

Angie knew she was in over her head, but if it gave her back her family, she had to try.

JOSH

He wished he'd stayed at the library or the Youth Center. Instead, he was stuck with Ian in the small, too-intimate office where he provided counseling to the residents of the group home. When Ian had reached over and put his hand on his leg to comfort him, Josh had jumped up and fled the room. Maybe Ian didn't mean anything by it, but Josh had seen too much over the last two years to risk it.

He hid in his room. The other boys were still out, so it was probably fairly safe. Josh opened up his laptop and began working on one of the many research projects he threw himself into to keep himself sane.

Suddenly, Josh felt the same tingling sensation he'd felt the day he'd discovered the relic that had killed his father. "Oh no..." He mumbled as his room vanished and he was suddenly inside of the Command Center. "No," he said firmly.

"Hello, Josh! It's so good to see you again!" Alpha said cheerfully.

"No way. Send me back. Send me back right now," Josh said.

"I can't do that, Josh. The world needs your help."

"I don't care. Send me back. You're going to get me in trouble!"

"Trouble? But why?"

"I'm supposed to be in my room. They'll think I ran away. Send me back, Alpha. Right now."

"I don't understand, Josh. You need to be here. It's your destiny."

"Screw destiny!" Josh shook his head. "I'll just find my own way out."

"The only way in or out is to teleport."

"Then let me go."

"Joshua." A new voice was speaking now, and the authority it commanded made Josh turn around involuntarily. "We will make certain they do not realize you are gone. Please, stay. We have much to discuss."

"Who are you?" Josh asked the man who stood before him.

"I am Zordon."

"Zordon?" Josh's eyes went wide. "My father said you would never return to Earth." His father had also described Zordon as some big floating head, but this man was flesh-and-blood and not trapped in the walls of the Command Center.

"I had to. The current threat to humanity is one no one else is prepared to handle. I left my home, and I will most likely never return."

Josh was about to ask for more information, but his anger took over. No matter what his reasons, Zordon was part of the world that had killed his father. "Did you know?" He asked.

"Joshua... I promise you, I did not know your father would be killed. Billy was especially dear to me. When news of his passing reached me, I knew I would need to return to Earth to help you all."

"I'm the only one here."

"You are the first. Alpha will be teleporting the others soon, but I wanted to give you time. I know this is difficult for you."

"You don't know anything, Zordon."

"I know that you are destined for greatness, Joshua. You're going to be just as valuable to humanity as your father was. You are the next Blue Ranger."

Josh shook his head and mumbled, "This can't be happening. I'm clearly experiencing a hallucination brought on by my own fears." He decided to keep telling himself that until this hallucination released him.

KATIE

She was bored, so she decided to annoy her favorite target. "What's up, Saba?" Katie asked. "How are you today?"

"I'm still not yours, Katie," Saba reminded her. Years ago, before Katie was born, her Aunt Casey had fixed the White Tigerzord. Her father still had Saba, and he protected Saba and the Zord. Katie had been "borrowing" Saba for several years now.

Being the daughter of the second Pink Ranger, Katherine Hillard, and the infamous Green/White/Red (was that all of them? No, he'd also been the Black one more recently) Ranger Tommy Oliver, Katie had always known the truth about her parents. For a couple of years now, they'd been preparing her for her destiny as a future Power Ranger, but she'd always known in her heart that she'd grow up to be one someday. The only question was, which color would she be? Between her parents, she could practically inherit all of them.

"Semantics, Saba!" Katie said. "You'll be mine soon."

"I still don't belong to you."

"You know you love me."

Katie began practicing some moves. She loved the way Saba felt in her hands as she trained. Suddenly, just as she was about to charge at a tree, she felt her entire body start to tingle. "Uh-oh..." She mumbled as she teleported out of the backyard and into what she knew must be the Command Center.

"Welcome, Katie," Alpha said eagerly.

"Alpha!" Katie said in excitement. She looked at Saba, still in her hands. "Are you mine now?" She asked.

"Yes, Katie. I believe that I am," Saba replied.

Katie smiled, ready to finally greet her destiny with all that she had.

THORN

He was riding his bike through the park when he heard a soft whimper. Cautiously, Thorn got off his bike and followed the sound. He found a small girl crying in the bushes.

"Are you alright?" Thorn asked her.

"I can't find my mommy," the little girl explained.

"Where did you last see her?"

"I don't know."

"Okay... What's her name?"

"Mommy."

Thorn took a deep breath. This might be slightly more complicated than he'd thought. "What's your name?"

"Zoey."

"Okay, Zoey. Come with me. I'll help you find your mom."

The little girl looked at him skeptically before taking his hand. Apparently, she'd decided she trusted him.

They walked for a bit before the last thing Thorn expected happened... They were attacked by odd creatures he recognized as not having been in Angel Grove in over twenty years. He'd seen old television reports of Putties, but he'd never thought he'd see one in person.

"Get behind me, Zoey!" He said before he began using the training his parents had given to him. He wished his twin sister Sage was with him, but it looked like his first fight was going to be a solo one.

He focused and let his instincts take over. Soon, the Putties had been defeated. Luckily, there had only been four or five of them. He'd have been toast if any more had shown up.

"How'd you do that?" Zoey asked in wonder.

He was saved from responding as a woman came rushing over. "Zoey! Oh, sweetheart! Where did you go?" She asked, scooping the girl up into her arms.

"I was trying to bring her back to you," Thorn said quickly, worried Zoey's mom would think he was kidnapping her or something.

"You're Casey and Adam's boy, right? Your mom fixed my car last Summer. Tell your parents Susan says hello. Thank you for protecting my Zoey," she replied before walking away with her daughter.

Thorn was about to go retrieve his bike when he felt odd. "Oh boy..." He mumbled as he was teleported to what he knew was the Command Center.

"Hello, Thorn," Alpha said. "Your sister should be arriving shortly."

SAGE

She was trying to meditate, but Sage was distracted. Something was wrong with her twin. She could feel it.

Scooping up her backpack, Sage ran toward the park. She got there just in time to see her brother Thorn vanish. "Oh my..." Sage mumbled. "It seems to be time."

Other people might have freaked out, but Sage understood what she'd seen. Her brother had teleported, most likely to the Command Center. She wondered why she hadn't been taken, too. Their parents had seemed pretty certain that both of them had legacies to inherit, but maybe they'd been wrong. Maybe they'd decided they didn't need her to assume the Green Ranger powers... Her uncle Tommy had been the Green Ranger first, before her mom had taken the powers into herself to save both her brother and the powers from the forces of evil. Maybe that job was being given to Tommy's daughter instead. Thorn would definitely fill their father's role. He was just like him.

Suddenly, several creatures Sage recognized as Putties appeared. She didn't even hesitate before she began battling the evil creations. Her parents had told her if Putties ever showed up, more serious trouble was sure to follow. What was going on?

Sage was able to take out the Putties fairly quickly. She'd never felt anything quite like that adrenaline rush. She looked around, making sure no other threat lurked. Then suddenly, she felt what she knew had to be someone teleporting her, too.

She looked around as the Command Center came into her sight. "Sage!" Thorn cried out, flinging his arms around her.

"It's time," her cousin Katie said excitedly.

Sage noticed one other person had already arrived. "Hi, Josh," she said cautiously. Josh didn't look happy about any of this.

"Hello, Sage," Josh replied awkwardly.

"Is this all of us?" Katie asked.

"No," the man Sage knew must be Zordon replied. "There are others. Alpha will bring them soon. You four have already been told the history of the Power Rangers. I'm afraid the others will be in for a bit of a shock."

"Aye-yi-yi…" Alpha added.

Sage wondered who else might be involved. She knew the other former Power Rangers and their children, but there were a lot of them. Which ones had been chosen? It was difficult to guess who might inherit the legacies of their parents. It was even harder to guess which color some of them might be, as several of their parents had switched colors over time, and a couple of them had two parents with possible legacies to inherit.

KENNY

He was working hard on his latest routine on the parallel bars. He'd already worked on the pommel horse for the last two hours.

"Maybe you should take a break, sweetie," his mom said gently.

"I can't, Mom. I have to get this perfect or Coach will kill me," Kenny insisted.

"Okay, but just a little longer, alright? You're pushing yourself too hard."

"Coach says I don't push myself hard enough."

"Your coach is wrong. You're the hardest working gymnast I know."

"Dad thinks I need to step it up."

"Your father was always too hard on himself, and now he's being too hard on you. Don't listen to them, Kenny. You're doing fantastic. Trust me. I would know."

Kenny's mother had once been one of the top gymnasts in the country. His dad had been, too, until he took a fall off of the rings and damaged his back permanently. He'd had to give up on his dreams, and now he lived vicariously through his son.

"Okay. I'll take a break after I finish the routine once through," Kenny said. He began swinging and building momentum. He had this routine down perfectly, but he knew how important it was to keep practicing. It had to be better than perfect if he was going to win the gold, and he knew if he dared bring home a silver, Coach and his father would never forgive him.

He was upside-down when all of a sudden, he started to feel strange. "Oh no…" His mother said suddenly. "Kenny!"

He tried to slow his momentum, but he couldn't. All of a sudden, he was somewhere else. He flew through the air with a cry and landed hard on his butt. "Ouch!" Kenny cried out.

"You didn't exactly stick the landing, there, Kenny," Katie said with a laugh.

"Katie! Be nice," Sage said. She extended her hand to help Kenny to his feet.

"What's going on?" Kenny asked. "Where are we? Josh?" He looked to the person he knew the best other than Katie. Josh was his Godbrother.

"This is going to be difficult for you to accept, Kenny…" Josh began. "I don't think your mother will have told you about any of this."

"My mom? What does this have to do with my mom?" Kenny asked.

"The answers will come shortly," a man with a booming voice said. Kenny spun around and stared at the unusual-looking man. "I am Zordon, Kenny. Welcome to the Command Center."

MADDIE

She was practicing a difficult set of moves and her adrenaline was pumping. "You're doing great, Maddie," Jason Scott told her. Jason was in town visiting his family and had agreed to help out at the Angel Grove Youth Center for the week. He was an old friend of Maddie's mother's, and he'd been happy to work with her.

"Thanks," Maddie said. "Do you think I'm ready for the tournament on Saturday?"

"Oh, you're definitely ready, Kid," Jason said proudly.

"I really appreciate all of your help, Jason! I wouldn't have gotten this good without you."

"You were already great, Maddie. You've got a gift." He gave her a hug. "So, let me buy you something to eat. You've earned it!"

She smiled and started to walk with him. Suddenly, Maddie felt… off. "Jason? I'm… I'm not feeling very well," she said.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked with concern.

"I don't know. I feel like… Like…"

Jason stared at her. "Crap…" He mumbled. "Maddie, come with me." He practically carried her outside and they ducked behind the building.

"What's happening to me?" Maddie asked.

"You were blinking in and out of space… Someone's trying to teleport you, and I think they did it like that so I'd notice and get you someplace where nobody would see it," Jason said bluntly.

"Wait… What? Teleport? What are you talking about?"

Before Jason could answer her, Maddie felt the sensation again, and suddenly, she was in a strange building. She looked around at all of the technology and her eyes went wide. "What the heck? This is so cool…" She mumbled.

"Welcome, Madeline," a strange man said.

Maddie squeaked in surprise as she realized she was not alone. "Hey, Maddie," Kenny said. "Don't worry. I'm just as confused as you are."

"What is this place? It's so cool!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Your answers will come shortly, Madeline."

"It's Maddie, please… And you are?"

"I am Zordon. This is Alpha Twenty-Six."

"Hello!" A robot said.

Maddie gasped. "Wow… Seriously, am I dreaming?"

"No, Maddie," Zordon said. "I promise, you will understand in a few moments… We're only waiting for one more of you."

ZEKE

His usual seat in Detention might have been fairly comfortable, but Zeke was more than happy to leave. He gathered up his things and looked at the woman who ran it. "Bye, Ms. Jarmel. Same time tomorrow?" He asked cheerfully.

"I certainly hope not," Ms. Jarmel replied dryly.

"You know you love me. I keep you employed with how often I'm in this place. I mean, talk about job security!" He blew a kiss at her before running out the door. He threw down his skateboard and started heading toward home.

It wasn't that Zeke was a bad kid or anything… He just got bored easily, and he tended to get into trouble when that happened.

Zeke messed around with a few stunts on his board before he saw something strange. Several weird creatures gathered around him. He was surrounded.

"What the hell?" Zeke wondered aloud. As the creatures came closer, Zeke knew he was about to be in trouble. He started defending himself, kicking at them and throwing punches as he could. He was holding his own pretty well when someone came running over.

"Zeke! Watch out!" Jason shouted.

"Jason?" Zeke asked in confusion as he saw his father's old friend start throwing kicks and hits of his own. He was doing pretty damn well, too.

"Aim for their chests!" Jason told him.

Zeke didn't have to be told twice. He started throwing kicks at their chests, knocking them back. "What are they?" He asked.

"Putties."

Zeke didn't ask anything else as the two of them took down the last of the creatures. "Jason… I recognize those things now," Zeke said when it was safe. "I've seen them in old news broadcasts about the Power Rangers. I thought they didn't exist anymore?"

"So did I," Jason said nervously. "Zeke, something major's going on… I'm bringing you home to your father."

Before he could, however, something started to happen. Zeke had never felt anything quite like it before. "Jason?" He asked. With that, he was suddenly transported to another location. "Seriously, what the hell?" Zeke demanded.

"Zeke. I'm so glad you've arrived safely," a man he'd never seen before said. "I am Zordon. Welcome."

"Can you explain it to everyone now?" Katie asked.

"In a moment… Ah, yes… Here is your mentor."

In a flash of light, someone else arrived, and Zeke was left more confused than ever.

KATIE

She stared in wonder along with everyone else at first. Then, she realized who was standing there. "Dad? Seriously? Of course it's you," she said, rolling her eyes. Her dad didn't know how to walk away from the Power Rangers. Who else would Zordon and Alpha have tapped to be their mentor?

"Hi, honey," her father said with a smile.

"Tommy? What the heck is going on?" Kenny asked.

"Kids, I know some of you are really confused, but allow me to explain what's happening," her father replied. "This is the Command Center for a very special group of people… The Power Rangers."

"Power Rangers? Like, the Power Rangers? Cool!" Maddie declared.

"Yes, Maddie. The stories are true. What you, Kenny, and Zeke don't know is that you've met the Power Rangers before."

"Are you a Power Ranger, Tommy?" Zeke asked in confusion.

"He's, like, every Power Ranger," Katie said dryly. With pride, she added, "My dad is the ultimate Power Ranger. He has been the leader of more than one team, and he's mentored before, too. He always helps when the world is in crisis."

"You knew, Katie?" Kenny asked.

"My parents never hid this from me. I'm proud of my heritage."

"I don't understand. What's going on?" Zeke asked.

"The seven of you have been chosen to be the next generation of Power Rangers," Katie's father explained. "You're different than most of the other generations. You're special because each and every one of you is a legacy."

"What do you mean?" Maddie asked.

"All of you were born to former Power Rangers."

"Wait… My mom was a Power Ranger?" Maddie's jaw dropped.

"Yes. Tanya was the first Yellow Ranger on the Zeo Rangers and Turbo teams. I was originally the Green Ranger, but after my powers were stripped, I became the White Ranger… And eventually, I was the Red Ranger, in the Zeo team, then the first Red Turbo Ranger… Most recently, though, I was the Black Ranger when I served as the mentor to the Dino Thunder Rangers..."

"Wow… That's quite a resume," Kenny said. "No wonder mom's always gone on about you like you were some sort of super hero."

"Your mom's a super hero, too, Kenny," Katie's father explained. "She was the original Pink Ranger."

"Seriously? My mom? The same woman who freaks out if she breaks a nail or wears a color that's out of season?"

"Your mom was amazing. She was one of the fiercest members of the team… And when she left, my wife, Kat, took her place as the Pink Ranger."

"So Katie's a double legacy?" Maddie asked.

"Yes. So are Thorn and Sage. My sister, Casey, became the Green Ranger after I lost my powers. It's complicated… Too complicated to get into today. I'll save that story for later. Adam was the second Black Ranger."

"And… My dad?" Zeke guessed.

"Your father was the second Red Ranger. He was a fierce member of the team, and he had big shoes to fill when he took over for Jason."

"Jason? Jason Scott?" Maddie asked.

"The one and only. He was the original Red Ranger, and the very first team leader before I took over. Jason's kids would have been great Rangers, but they're too young. His oldest is only thirteen, and they live in Tampa anyway. You were all born for this destiny. You are all children of Angel Grove, born and raised here."

"Wait…" Kenny said. "If Josh is here, then…" He stared at Josh.

"Yes, Kenny. Billy was the original Blue Ranger." Katie's father's voice had the slightest hint of emotion in it. Her parents still didn't talk about Billy much. What had happened to him was too devastating. "He was the heart of our team. We would never have made it without him. The experiment that…" He couldn't say it. "What happened to Billy happened because he was trying to help Alpha. He was a hero to the very end. I am extremely proud to have his son on this team."

"I'm not on this team," Josh said harshly. "I didn't ask for any of this, and I don't want it! You guys killed my father!"

"Joshua, please-" Zordon began.

"It's Josh, and I want to leave. Right now. Send. Me. Back."

"Josh, you must stay and learn the rest," Alpha insisted.

"No, Alpha. The Rangers must choose this destiny for themselves. If Josh does not want it, that is his choice," Zordon said. "Send him home."

"Josh, wait. Take this," Katie's father said. "In case you change your mind." He handed him a black pouch.

Josh tucked it into his pocket as he was teleported out of the Command Center. "You're just going to let him go?" Katie asked.

"He'll make the right choice eventually, Katie," her father insisted. "This is harder for Josh than the rest of you. He watched his father die. He needs time." He paused. "As for the rest of you… Here are your power coins." He handed each of them a pouch. "Say the word that's written on the black pouch and you will morph as the power comes to you."

They looked at their pouches and began to speak.

"Dragonzord!" Sage began.

"Tigerzord!" Katie cried out in excitement. She'd hoped she'd be the White Ranger. That meant Saba was really hers now.

"Mastodon," Thorn read aloud.

"Pterodactyl," Kenny said.

"Saber-toothed tiger!" Maddie cried out.

"Cool! Tyrannosaurus!" Zeke declared.

They were all morphed and they looked down at themselves. "Seriously? Great. Of course," Kenny said as he looked at his new outfit.

"Dude... Watching the old clips, I used to have a major crush on the Pink Ranger… But I think that's over now," Zeke said as he began laughing hysterically. "You're not my type, bro!"

"Look, if you think I haven't already heard every single joke about my sexuality and masculinity as a male gymnast, you're wrong. Hit me with your best shot," Kenny replied. "Whatever. I'm a Power Ranger. The color is the least of my concerns."

"So, we have a Green Ranger, a White Ranger, and a Red Ranger," Katie said cautiously. "Which one of us is the leader?"

"I am," her father said with a straight face.

"Dad…"

"I'm kidding. You and Sage as the White and Green Rangers will share the role of team leader."

"What about me?" Zeke asked.

"While leadership is definitely inside of you, you've had no training yet, Zeke. In time, you may also be a leader, but for now, Katie and Sage are prepared for the job."

"What happens now?" Maddie asked. "Do we go out and kick all kinds of butt?"

"Basically, yes. The best way for you to learn is to learn on the job. Today, for the first time in over two decades, Putties have attacked Angel Grove. I'm afraid you guys are going to have to learn as you go, just like we did."

"I'm so in!"

"Me, too," Zeke said.

"It is our destiny," Sage said. "I'm ready."

"I'm not," Thorn said, "but I'm going to try to prove I'm worthy anyway."

"I was born ready," Katie said.

"This is insane," Kenny said. "But I'm in anyway."

"Good… Because there's a major Putty attack not far from the park right now," Alpha said. "Aye-yi-yi! You're strongest together… Without a Blue Ranger…"

"Relax, Alpha," Katie's father said. "They can handle this. They're ready."

Within moments, the six of them were teleported to the scene of the attack. People ran in terror. Katie looked toward Sage. "You ready?" She asked.

"I am," Sage replied.

"Let's do this!"

It started off well enough. They were doing fine. Even Zeke, Maddie, and Kenny seemed to be adjusting to the insanity. Zeke and Maddie both had Martial Arts training and Kenny was in amazing shape because of the gymnastics. Everything was going great… Until something new appeared.

"What the hell is that?" Zeke demanded.

Katie stared at the monster in front of them. "Power Rangers! I am Scattermass!" It declared.

"Scattermass? What kind of a name is that?" Kenny asked.

"A lame one," Katie decided.

It suddenly pointed a weapon at Zeke, who barely dove behind a rock in time as it fired. The rock blew apart.

"Scattermass… It scatters… mass. I get it!" Zeke said.

"Great! Now how do we stop it?" Thorn asked.

"Can we call the Zords?" Sage asked.

"They haven't told us how yet!" Thorn replied.

"I can call the White Tiger," Katie said. They stared at her. "What? I have Saba right here. I've never powered it before, but… How hard can it be?"

"Your father asked that once… It didn't end well," Saba informed her.

"Well, I'll get it right." Katie knew she was taking a risk, but calling in the Zord might be their only chance.

JOSH

He was watching the news when he saw the footage of the Putties attacking the others. He stared in horror. "This isn't your problem, Josh," he reminded himself. Still, he could tell they were in trouble. The Putties weren't so difficult to handle, but when the monster showed up, he knew they were in real danger.

"Come on… Strategize, guys!" He said to the television. "You can't just attack it from random angles… You need a plan."

As the Red Ranger ran at the monster, it nearly blew him up. Josh's heart almost stopped. He knew these kids. They were the children of his father's friends. Kenny was probably the closest thing to a best friend he had. His dad had been Kenny's Godfather. He was out there… And the monster who he was fighting was trying to blow all of them up.

Josh began trembling as he saw his father, seconds before the explosion, there one moment and gone the next… An explosion could do entirely too much damage. There might be no coming back…

"Kenny…" He mumbled. "Damnit. I have to help them. I can't just let them get themselves killed."

He watched for another minute before realizing that the monster was guarding his chin whenever the Rangers tried to attack him. The White Tigerzord was attacking him, and that seemed to buy the team some time, but they wouldn't last long.

"Fine," he said. "Forgive me, Dad…" He pulled the coin out of the pouch and knew what he had to do. His father had explained morphing to him. "Triceratops!" Josh declared. And suddenly, he morphed into the Blue Ranger. "Alright, guys! This one time, I'll help!"

He was teleported to the others. "Katie! Watch out!" Josh screamed as a blast came for her. He knocked her down to safety.

"Thanks, Josh!" Katie said. "I was hoping you'd show up."

Josh began helping them fight. When the monster tried to hit him, Josh forced himself to stay calm and dodge the blast. He had no intention of getting blown up today. He waited for an opening, then jumped into a tree, pulling himself up on the branch and swinging from it hard. He kicked the monster right in the chin.

"No!" The monster cried out. "Not my face!" It fell backward and hit the ground, then dissolved into a puddle of something very gross before their eyes.

"Alright!" Katie cheered. "We did it!"

"Josh did it," Sage said. "You really saved us today."

"How did you know what to do?" Zeke asked.

"Josh is a genius," Kenny said.

"It was nothing, really. I simply deduced that the monster was guarding its chin for some reason, and I took an educated guess that if we hit it just right, it might weaken or destroy him. I'm pleased to see I was correct," Josh said.

"Does this mean you're one of us now?" Maddie asked.

"Of course he is," Thorn said.

"No… I don't know," Josh said. "I don't want to do this… But I'm no longer certain I have a choice."

"We're a team, Josh… And you complete us," Kenny insisted.

Josh sighed. "I'll try," he said.

Suddenly, they were all teleported back to the Command Center. "Well done, Rangers!" Tommy declared. "I'm proud of you!"

"Indeed, you have risen to the occasion," Zordon said. "You are truly worthy of your family legacies. From now on, you will train and learn the ways of the Power Rangers. Soon, you will face a much larger threat than the one you faced today. I intend to make sure you are ready."

Josh had his doubts, but he didn't voice them aloud. He had to admit, it had felt nice to be part of something for once. He might be terrified, but perhaps this truly was destined. He just hoped that whatever threat Zordon had hinted at was one they would be able to survive.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for reading! I hope you liked the first chapter. There's more to come! Any reviews are appreciated.