Disclaimer: Power Rangers and all related indicia belong to Saban. The bad guys in this fic are taken from the Bible. Revelations, to be precise. Guy Tanaka is a character of my own creation, and neither he, nor any of the other non-created characters in this fic or any other of my fics, are not meant to represent real people. Any similarity with other persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Author's Note: This is Fic One in my Quadruplet Fics. This fic takes place on the same timeline as the other three fics, "Long, Hard Summer," "Fall From Innocence," and "Dead of Winter." All timelines will be resolved in "Dead of Winter," so if you have unaswered questions at the end of this, they'll be answered eventually, I promise. The idea for these four fics come from one of Stephen King's finest collections, "Different Seasons." Thank you, Ellen, for putting up with me. 8^) Happy reading, everyone.

Hope Springs Eternal
by Jeremy Ray Logsdon

The church was agonizingly empty. The only immediate light she saw was from rows and rows of red candles. However, the light traveled far in the dark room, and she was able to see everything she needed to.

Katherine dipped her fingers in the large marble basin standing in the center of the aisle, just inside the church. She crossed herself quickly and knelt, briefly, beside a back pew. Then, standing up, she straightened her dress and walked to the back of the church.

She entered the closest confessional and solemnly knelt before the window. The wooden door slid opened, and Katherine crossed herself again, saying, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It's... it's been... too long since my last confession. About six weeks."

"What troubles you my child?"

"I was intimate with my boyfriend," she said softly.

"You aren't married?"

"No."

"How intimate?"

"Pardon, Father?"

"How intimate were you with your... so-called boyfriend."

So-called? "Not- we didn't- we didn't actually engage in sexual intercourse," Katherine murmured.

"Oral sex, then?"

This is NOT right. "Yes, Father, forgive me," Katherine said hurriedly.

"So," the priest said, and suddenly his voice was changed. No longer gruff and quiet, it was female and demanding. "Little slut can't keep her legs together, eh?"

Katherine peered through the wooden grating separating the two halves of the confessional booth. On the other side sat a female silhouette with softly gleaming red-amber eyes.

Screaming, Katherine stumbled out of the confessional. The female with the glowing eyes parted the curtain on her side and stepped out. She had long hair that was truly an even mixture of gold and red, a beautiful golden strawberry. She wore a red gown, embroidered impeccably at the hem with silvers and golds. At her side hung a red scabbard, holding a broadsword with a hilt speckled with rubies. She placed two fingers in her mouth and whistled once, loud and shrill. Immediately, a gaping mouth of flames opened in mid-air, and a gorgeous, red stallion strode out.

A whooshing sound behind made her turn, and she saw a similar mouth of fire, only white. A white horse with a white-haired rider dressed in white armor trotted out. To her left, a black fire portal flamed open, and a black horse with a black-haired rider dressed in a black suit galloped out, sliding to a halt beside Katherine. The white horse moved up next to her, and she suddenly felt the red horse nuzzling against the back of her neck. The horse's warm, puffy muzzle slid down the side of her face and forcefully turned her gaze to the right.

There, the animated skeletal remains of a horse stood in wait, without a rider. The deceased animal looked at her expectantly, as such was possible without eyes, and it pawed the ground with one skeletal roof.

"We need a Pale Rider," the woman in red said. "We've chosen you."

August 18, Monday
With a scream, Katherine sat up in bed, clutching the sheets tightly to her chest.

"Huh?" her sleeping partner mumbled lazily. She turned to see Tommy still lying against her side.

"Wake up," she snarled, elbowing him.

"Wha- It's the middle of the night," he returned, turning on his side.

Katherine however, was already out of bed, getting dressed. "Tommy, I'm going to St. Nathan's," she told him. "Please wait until I get back?"

"You're going to church?" he asked, trying to sit up in bed. He fisted his eyes and then looked at the alarm by the bed. "It's six thirty!"

A realization suddenly came to him, and he sat fully upright, a look of shock on his face. "Oh dear God, I fell asleep here. My mother is going to kill me!"

"I need to go to confession," Katherine insisted. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Okay?"

"All right," Tommy said nervously, lying back down. "I'll wait."

Tommy sat at the counter in Katherine's kitchenette after having cleaned up in her bathroom. His mind was literally awhirl with everything that had transpired in what seemed like the past few minutes.

He didn't have a clue how it even happened. The previous night's events seemed to have arisen all on their own. He wasn't upset about them; actually, he would been quite pleased to have had much more happen than what did happen. Well, at the time, anyhow.

But Katherine, though... He almost wished it hadn't happened, just because he knew how much she treasured her personal innocence. Now while he still considered them both virgins, he wasn't sure if she would. And that was going to bother her. She had already taken off to go to confession. The only thing he had to be grateful for was the fact that he had instigated nothing. For everything that had happened, they shared equal blame.

The telephone ringing snapped Tommy out of his reverie. He stared numbly as the phone continued ringing. He had almost answered it, but he wasn't even supposed to be there. And if it was his mother calling....

After the fifth ring, Kat's answering machine kicked in. Her chipper voice announced, "Hi, this is Kat, and you've just called my new personal phone line. Yay for me! Anyhow, leave a message, and I'll get back to you."

Immediately following the beep, an authoritative voice announced, "Tommy, I know you're there. Pick up!"

Just as quickly, Tommy scooped the receiver up. "Jason?!" he all but shouted into the receiver.

"Young man, you had better explain yourself," Jason threatened.

"Bro, it's not what you think," Tommy said quickly. "Well, I guess it is what you think, only not nearly as far as what you think."

"Why did you spend the night?" Jason asked, still sounding a bit hot. "Your mother called me at eleven thirty last night. You'll be pleased to know I covered for your sorry butt-"

Tommy promptly let out a relieved sigh.

"-, but next time you're gonna get romantic with your girlfriend, let me know in advance."

"Yeah, listen man, I didn't mean to put you in a position like that," Tommy apologized.

"I know," Jason said, his voice at a more normal tone now. "Listen, if you, or Kat, need to talk-"

"Full account, bro, I promise."

"For once, that honestly isn't what I meant," Jason told him. "After this past summer, I know Kat as well as I know you now, and whatever did happen, she's probably going to be wishing it didn't happen."

"Yeah, we've, uhm, we've talked about this before," Tommy said. "It's just... we were finally alone, and we haven't seen each other in so long... How are you and Emily handling things?"

"Emily and I have talked about it, often and in detail. We know exactly how far we, or she, anyhow, is willing to go, and we go no further. And it's not easy sometimes. It wasn't easy last night. But we believe that this way is going to work out for the best."

Tommy glanced at the bathroom as the shower turned off. "She's out of the shower, bro."

"Talk to ya later, man."

"Thanks for covering for me."

"Don't sweat it. I'll call you before we leave."

"It was just a dream, Katherine," Sister Mary Helen said.

"It was so vivid, though," Katherine sighed. "I could feel the red horse's skin against my face." She traced her fingertips down her cheek idly.

"Katherine, if the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse do come to Earth, they're going to appear on a much larger scale than just in your dreams," the nun told her calmly.

"I know you're right," Katherine returned, smiling. "Thank you, Sister."

"You can thank me by sending us postcards from your trip."

"Deal."

"Here we are, Miss," the chauffeur said to Kimberly as he opened the door.

"Thank you," Kimberly said warmly, taking the offered hand to get out of the back of the limo.

"Welcome, Kimberly," an attractive, muscular, Japanese man greeted. He was standing next to their private jet. "My name is Guy Tanaka, and I'll be your host on this global romp."

"Nice to meet you," Kimberly agreed, shaking his hand. "Anyone else coming?"

"You're the last to arrive," Guy said, "and we're still early. We don't have to be in Brasilia for another twenty-some hours. But as soon as we get your bags on the plane, we'll be in the air."

"Did you guys see that kitchen?!" Jason cried happily.

"Welcome to your home away from home, unless we're in a hotel," Guy said, escorting Kimberly into the plane.

"Wow," she sighed. "This is nice."

"This is only like the second time I've flown," Rocky murmured. "That time we went to Australia, and now..."

"Jets are the safest form of travel, Rocky, and this is, though a bit on the small side, technically a jet," Billy said. "Perfectly safe."

"I can't wait to get to Australia," Katherine grinned. She was kneeling in a seat backwards with her elbows propped up on the head rest. "I'll have time to see my family, right?"

"Absolutely," Guy promised. "As soon as we get in the air, I'll give you the full run-down of the whole trip. All thirteen weeks of it."

Somewhere over Mexico
"We'll be finished on November 22, which is a bit later than we had initially hoped for," Guy said. "Now we'll be spending two weeks in Brasilia, Brazil, first. You've each been assigned a continent. Essentially, it'll be yours. You'll take the lead at the Press Conference."

"Poster Boy," Jason quipped.

"Exactly. Rocky, you're up first for South America. After South America, we hop over to Africa for three weeks. Billy's, that's you. Australia, another three weeks. I think we can guess who gets Australia. Japan, two weeks. Jason, you're Japan. And we finish up in England, three weeks, with Kimberly. On November 22, you head back home, and hopefully out of the spotlight for a while."

"And when we get home, we got full scholarships, right?" Rocky asked.

"You bet. And the Highlights of our trip... South America-"

"We're still meeting the Spice Girls, right?" Jason interrupted.

Brasilia, Brazil
August 20, Wednesday
"What exactly do you serve as?" Jason asked as he and Guy walked down the hallways of Hotel Ashbury in Brasilia. The two hadn't yet had a chance to talk much, as Guy had been busy pulling strings. Their hotel reservations had been lost, and things were just now starting to calm down.

"Oh, a little bit of everything," Guy said. "I'm fluent in six languages, for starters. I studied culture in college, so I'm able to move within all of the places we'll be visiting. In addition to that, I was chosen over the other potential guide candidates based on my age and my interests. I have the most in common with you guys. I can serve as a sparring partner, for one thing."

"Oh yeah? What-?"

"Sixth degree black belt in Shotokan," Guy said. "Plus some other stuff, dabbled here and there."

"I'm impressed," Jason admitted. "Care to gimme a shot later? I have a hunch you could teach me some things."

"And likewise, I'm sure," Guy agreed. "Yeah, that'd be great. I need to take Rocky and Katherine to a cathedral for a film segment here in a bit, though. The live one isn't until this weekend, but we have some documentary stuff to film."

Jason opened the door to their suite, allowing Guy to step in first. "Did you guys see that pool?" Kimberly asked, gesturing at the open door leading to the balcony. "It's huge!"

She was wearing a pink two-piece with a pair of denim cut-off shorts. "Uhm, Guy, there aren't any, like, cultural things that could get me arrested, are there?"

"You could probably swim topless at this hotel and nobody would say anything," Guy answered. "American hotel. You'll notice that a lot of the staff speaks near-fluent English."

Billy emerged from the bathroom in a pair of dark blue trunks. "Will you swim topless?" he asked. "I am."

"Funny, smart guy," Kimberly shot back. "You wanna come with, Jase?"

"Yeah, I think I will," Jase said, hurrying over to his bed to dig through the as-of-yet unpacked suitcase. "I'll catch up with you later, Guy."

"Rocky, Kat!" Guy called. "You guys ready?!"

"I had darn well better get some sun while we're here," Katherine insisted as she stepped into view. She was wearing a suitable pink floral "church dress," though she looked like she much would have preferred to be in a swimsuit on her way to the massive pool that would have put the Olympics to shame.

"You'll have tonight to swim," Guy promised. "If you think this place is fun now, wait 'til the sun sets."

Katherine sat lazily on a pew near the back of the church, watching as Rocky, dressed church-wise in a blue suit, walked about the church with a microphone and a camera crew following him. They had filmed just a few moments with her in the picture, and she had quickly been discarded. She was trying to think up some way to get out of the cathedral and back to that beautiful swimming pool.

"Dear, would you like to come with me?" a small, old nun asked suddenly, startling Kat from her stupor.

"You speak English," Katherine said with a smile.

"Your friend is going to be filming something for his documentary in the rectory, soon, and I need to get it ready. There are some very unusual things in there, and it occurred to me that you might like to see them."

"I'd love to, thanks," Katherine grinned, standing up.

"There is a candelabra in that chest," the nun, Sister Agnes, said, gesturing loosely at the other side of the room. "Would you please get it out and light it? There are matches for the candles. You may go ahead and light it. Oh, I just remembered something... I'll be right back, dear."

Katherine smiled as the nun left and turned back to the side of the room she had gestured toward. She saw an old black chest beneath the counter, which she pulled out with a grunt. It was heavier than it looked. After fiddling with the lock for a few moments, she managed to get it open. Inside, there was a silver candelabra with four rounded cups instead of candles.

"It must burn off of oil," Katherine realized as she pulled it free. She lifted it carefully to the counter and set it down just as gently. She quickly retrieved a paper towel from a nearby bench and wiped the candelabra down.

Each of the four oil holders was a different color. Red, black, white, and one that was semi-translucent glass. It wasn't particularly attractive, nor was it ugly for that matter, but it didn't strike her as something worthy of being filmed. It was just a candelabra. A quick search produced oil, which she carefully poured into the four cups. A wick in each floated gracefully to the top. She found the matches and struck one, touching it gently to the wick in the red bowl.

With a slight hiss, the wick flamed to life. However, to her surprise, the flame glowed a pleasing shade of red. She had been expecting the typical orangey-yellow, not cardinal red. As she touched the match to the black bowl's wick, a similar hiss sounded. Much to her surprise yet again, the flame was black.

"Now I'm impressed," she announced to the empty room. It can't be the oil, that's all the same. Must be the wick. Chemicals, or something. Hurriedly, she touched the flame to the white bowl, and as she expected, the flame was a pure, snow white. "Beautiful." However, the match had finally burned too close, and she shook her hand, extinguishing the flame before it touched her hand.

Just as she was about to light another candle to light the wick in the clear bowl, a frantic voice cried out, "Katherine! Stop!"

Katherine spun around, gasping, as the little nun hurried across the room in what seemed to be three bounds. Licking her thumb and index finger, she pinched each of the three burning flames out. "Did I do something wrong?" Katherine asked in horror.

"That was the wrong candelabra," Sister Agnes said sternly. "I'm terribly sorry, it was my own fault. Please, hurry and bring me some holy water."

"Holy wate-"

"Please, hurry!" Sister Agnes cried again with more urgency.

By the time Katherine returned with a white marble bowl filled with holy water, the candelabra had been put back in the chest. As soon as Sister Agnes saw her, she took the bowl from Kat and dipped her fingers in it. Urging Katherine to bend down, Sister Agnes made the image of a cross on Kat's forehead, saying something in what Katherine presumed to be Portuguese.

"What did I do?" Katherine asked, more than a trifle shocked.

"Dear, you did nothing inherently wrong," Sister Agnes said. "I just guided you wrong, and you lit a candelabra that was never meant to be lit. Did you light the Pale Wick?"

"The Pale Wick?"

"The wick in the clear bowl."

"No, just the red, black, and-" Katherine paused suddenly. "And the white bowl. What was that candelabra?"

"Katherine," Guy called from the doorway, "we're ready for you upstairs if you wanna join us."

"Go, dear," Sister Agnes sighed. With heavy steps, Katherine followed Guy out of the small room, confused and shocked about what had just happened.

Katherine started a bit as Kimberly was dumped, shrieking, into the pool. Jason and Rocky, still holding the lawn chair they had dumped her off of, shared high-fives as the shocked-awake Kimberly tried to clamber out of the pool.

"Kat, you seem out of sorts," Billy said as he swam up to the side of her pool float.

"I'm just thinking," Katherine answered. "Something weird happened at the church today. I think I freaked a nun out."

"Social norms are different here, Kat," Billy told her. "You probably just committed some minor social faux pas. Don't sweat it."

"You're right," Kat agreed, sighing heavily.

"Could I compel you to teach me how to dive?" Billy asked, propping his elbows up on the float.

Katherine looked up at the high dive. The pool was mostly empty, and there was no one near the diving board. "Yeah, I guess I could do that," she said with a smile.

"It's a world of power, Katherine," the woman in red said. They four of them were standing in the center of the dimly lit church. She slipped a comforting arm around Kat's shoulders. "You can't even imagine what we have..."

"So much more than what Rita could offer you," the white-haired man added.

"I don't want any of that," Katherine growled.

"Oh, yes you do," the red woman said as though she were speaking to a disobedient child. "Everyone does."

"We all have the capacity for evil or good, Katherine," the black-haired man added.

"You just happened to start out on the wrong side," the beautiful woman said. "But you've tasted the darkness, Katherine. And you liked it."

"We all do," the White Rider remarked.

"Just think about it," Red Rider said gently. She brushed the back of her fingers down Katherine's face. "You don't have to make a decision tonight. We'll get back to you, soon..."

Somewhere over the Atlantic
September 2, Tuesday
"And that's when I wake up," Katherine said.

"Wow," Kimberly muttered, scrunching her face up. "That's creepy."

"You've been having that dream for how long?" Jason asked.

"That's actually just the second one," Katherine answered, leaning back in her seat. "I dunno what it's even about. The same three people. There weren't any horses this time, though."

"Did you maybe see a horror movie recently that bothered you?" Guy suggested.

"Oh no, I love scary movies," Katherine said quickly.

"Katherine, a lot of people have recurring dreams," Billy said. "It's just that yours happen to be nightmares, which always wake you up in the peak of your dream. That means you remember almost all of the details, which most people usually lose because they don't wake up in time. They'll end soon enough."

"Sounds like the Four Horsemen," Rocky mentioned.

"Trust me, that was the first thing I thought of," Katherine sighed.

"The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are not after you, Katherine," Billy said. "When they come back, they'll have bigger things to take care of."

"As do we," Guy interrupted, tapping his clipboard. "Billy, we're going to film a lot of Pyramid stuff. Do tightly enclosed, dark places make you freak out or anything like that?" With no answer forthcoming, Guy said, "I'll take your silence as a no."

Katherine was able to put her dreams behind her, and she enjoyed their time in Africa to the fullest. She even tagged along with Billy and Guy on private time when they went to see "Lucy" in Hadar, Ethiopia. Before they knew it, there time in Egypt was over, and they were off to chilly Australia.

Sydney, Australia
September 24, Wednesday
"Geeze Louise, it's cold here," Kimberly grumbled as she stepped off of the private jet.

"It's early spring, here," Katherine answered. "Must be having a cold snap."

"I can't imagine celebrating Christmas in the summer time," Rocky remarked, jumping out onto the tarmac.

"Like we have a White Christmas in Angel Grove?" Jason asked sarcastically.

"Not having warm weather at Christmas was one of the hardest things for me to get used to in Angel Grove," Katherine remarked. "It was great having warm weather at Christmas. We could go outside and have our traditional Christmas barbecue... We'd go swimming lots of times the day after Christmas. It was great."

"Could that tall, gangly thing be my granddaughter?"

Katherine turned suddenly and cried, "Grandpa!" She tore off across the pavement and ran right into the arms of a large grey-haired man. After sharing a tight hug, Katherine stepped back a bit and said, "Grandpa, these are my great friends, Kimberly, Rocky, Billy, and Jason. And that's Guy. Everybody, this is my grandpa."

"Call me Jacob," he offered. "Let's get everybody rounded up and we'll head back to the farm. Your grandma is dying to see you again."

The Hillard Ranch was located just outside the neighboring city of Wollongong. Cattle and horses grazed together in the sparse winter grass in the rolling fields. A gigantic flock of chickens were scratching in front of a chicken house, and an old-ish woman in a pale blue dress was tossing feed out to them.

"Grandmum!" Katherine called out the window as their truck rolled up the drive.

"Katherine?" Louise Hillard asked, turning up. "Katherine!" The chickens exploded in noise as Louise burst through them, running out of the chicken yard and down the beautiful, sloping lawn.

Kat pushed the door open and ran to her grandmother, nearly slamming into each other as they hugged.

"Is that our little girl?" another female voice asked.

"Chessy!" Katherine cried happily, letting the third woman into the hug. Chessy was a middle-aged lady with had a smile that could melt anybody's heart.

"That's Chessy," Jacob offered. "She helps us with some chores around the place. We ain't as young as we used to be."

"I am going to love this country," Jason remarked, climbing into the back of the truck to start handing their luggage out. "Such a cool accent! I wish I had an accent."

"Trust me, pup, you do have an accent," Jacob told him.

"I came to Australia to hear one thing," Rocky commented, taking his duffel as Jason tossed it to him, "and if I don't hear it-"

"G'day mate," Jacob said with a grin.

"Ahh," Rocky sighed. "Now I can die a happy man."

"Now who are all these handsome people?" Louise asked. "Are you boys big eaters?"

"Yes ma'am," Rocky said with a grin.

"Well we had best get some breakfast in your bellies," Louise offered. "Now stop standing around like the ground is gonna break if you move funny and make yourself at home."

Long after everyone else was practically bursting, Rocky and Guy were still eating Louise's renowned biscuits, sausage gravy, bacon, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, ham, and what Billy suspected was hand-squeezed orange juice. "I'm moving in," Jason announced, sighing heavily as he leaned back in his chair.

"We're always glad to have more mouths to feed around here," Louise said with a smile.

"And more hands to tend to the farm work," Jacob added.

"You can help milk the cows," Katherine decided. "Tonight at five, right, Pop?"

"And tomorrow morning at five a.m.," Jacob said.

"We'll have our camera people here at four thirty to get a shot of the city kids doing farm stuff," Guy said with an almost obnoxious grin.

"Oh, I nearly forgot!" Katherine cried, sitting up tall. "Sir Barney?!"

"He's waiting for you, Kat," Jacob told her.

"Great!" she said excitedly, tearing out of the house.

"Sir Barney?" Billy asked.

Katherine ran her palm down Sir Barney's neck, feeling his muscles quiver beneath her touch. "I'm so glad you remember me," she said softly. She let his chestnut brown mane drift between her fingertips, eliciting a soft whinny from her favorite horse.

"Whaddya say, boy?" she asked, placing her foot in the stirrup. She swung her leg up over his back and sat proudly in the saddle. Chirping at him and squeezing with her legs, he eagerly trotted out of the stable and down the barn lane.

Before she knew it, Katherine and Sir Barney were running as fast as his legs could carry them through the rolling hills of the Hillard Ranch. Both rider and horse knew where they were heading.

The chilly wind whipped through her hair, but Katherine barely paid it any heed. She was going to the place where some of her happiest, childhood memories were born.

As they headed into the copse of trees, Katherine slid off of Sir Barney. From her vantage point, she could see all of the Ranch. "Stay there, Sir Barney," she said. When she was younger, she honestly believed that Sir Barney could understand everything she said. Truth be told, she still believed he could.

She clambered up her favorite tree, while her horse looked up at her from below with a look that could have been perceived as humor. The tree didn't seem as large as it was when she was a kid. Even so, the tree still towered far over her when she stopped at the first large branch to look.

And as soon as she did, her heart stopped. Far off, she could see a black horse with a man in black clothing sitting atop. To his right, a red horse and red woman rider. To his left, a white horse and white rider. "Oh God," Katherine gasped. Suddenly, the three horses took off running, spurring Katherine to hurry down the tree.

"Come on," she urged, taking Sir Barney by the halter and pulling him out of the copse of trees. Running beside him, she leapt up onto his back, clucked her tongue, and squeezed him with her legs. He sensed her urgency, and his trot turned into a gallop. The wind no longer felt chilly but bitterly cold as it whipped her hair all around her head. Her heart felt like a chunk of ice throbbing in her chest, and her throat ached from her desperate, open-mouthed breathing.

All she could hear was the sounds of Sir Barney's hooves beating against the ground. She had no idea if the three riders from her dreams were still after her, but she couldn't dare take that chance. She knew if she opened her eyes, she would be opening them just in time to see the woman in red right beside her, ready to... do whatever it is they wanted to do.

She finally managed to force her eyes open, just in time to see Sir Barney race into the barn. Plumes of dust rose up from the ground in his wake, and as he approached his stall, he quickly slowed down. Katherine sat up taller in the saddle, looking around. Breathing as hard as if she had just run across the Ranch with Sir Barney on her back, she looked around and saw nothing. She slowly walked down the center of the barn, looking around. And then, she felt a strong hand land on her shoulder.

Screaming, Katherine spun around, only to earn a scream and startled look from Chessy. "Good Lord, girl!" Chessy cried, pulling her hand back quickly.

"Sorry, Chessy," Katherine apologized, pressing her hand to the center of her chest. Her heart beat almost painfully. "You just startled me."

"Yeah, I kinda gathered," Chessy said, now with a wry grin on her face. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Katherine lied. Her knees felt like rubber, and there was a butterfly circus in her stomach. "Uhm... Chessy? Are there any other... riders on the Ranch? Some people you all have working for you that I don't know about?"

"There certainly aren't, Miss Katherine," Chessy answered. "Are you through with Sir Barney?"

"For the time being," Katherine said. Chessy began to remove Sir Barney's saddle, and Katherine grabbed a brush to smooth his coat.

"I assume you've missed your friend?" Chessy asked as she continued to strip down the horse.

"Oh yeah," Katherine said with a smile. "I never did find a horse in the states as good as Sir Barney."

"I'd wager you never will."

"Are you sure that aren't any people out riding today?" Katherine asked.

"You know your grandfather doesn't let people play on the ranch," Chessy said as though the mere idea were ridiculous. "What happened out there today?"

"Just an overactive imagination, I guess," Katherine relented.

Somewhere over the Indian Ocean
October 17, Friday
All too soon, their three week stay in Australia was over. Katherine never did see the mysterious horsemen again, and after a while, she was even able to enjoy herself and have a few nights of restful sleep.

Their live telecast from Sydney ended up having the highest ratings of either of the prior two. Considering that all had been quite well received, the wheels inside the entertainment industry began to turn. By the time they actually left Sydney, they received the news that a movie chronicling their adventure was in preproduction.

"I bet you we won't get a penny of it," Kimberly muttered, turning through the page of her Nordies catalog.

"Of course we won't," Billy answered. Sitting next to her, he was idly thumbing through a notebook of hand-scribbled physics formulae. He was absolutely astonished at all that Justin and Trini had come up with in an attempt to build their slider.

"We did sign that release form," Jason reminded. Wearing naught but a pair of red gi pants, he was taking advantage of the smooth flight. Guy, dressed likewise in black pants, was sparring with him, and giving Jason Scott a run for his money. It wasn't something he was used to.

"We are getting full scholarships," Rocky said. He was sitting at a table near the back of their private jet, enjoying the benefits of their full kitchen.

"Besides, it isn't really fair we should take advantage of this situation," Billy added.

"If you say so," Kimberly muttered.

"They've already cast us," Katherine said. "Jason Scott will be played by Mario Lopez."

"Why Mario Lopez?" Jason asked. "Do I look anything like him?"

"Well, you're both really muscular," Kimberly said, "and you both look for opportunities to take off your shirts."

"Billy Cranston will be portrayed by young actor Matt Damon," Katherine read.

"Oh wow!" Kimberly cried. "He's really cute, Billy!"

"Oh yay," Billy said noncommittally, still looking through the physics problems before him.

"Alyssa Milano will be stepping in to fill the shoes of Kimberly Hart," Katherine said, grinning at her friend. "She's really pretty, Kimberly."

"Sam from Who's the Boss?!," Kimberly giggled. She flipped a page of her catalog enthusiastically.

"Rocky DeSantos," Katherine started.

"All right, the good stuff," Rocky said through a mouthful of club sandwich.

"-will be played by none other than the Boy Wonder, Chris O'Donnell," Katherine read. Looking at Rocky, she said, "It's a stretch, but it'll work. Okay, now about me." Clearing her throat, she said, "Casting for Katherine Hillard has been a bit harder, seeing as it is difficult to find an actress who can perform an authentic accent. Although she's British, Baby Spice, a.k.a. Emma Bunton, has been approached for the role. Also being considered are Melissa Joan Hart, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Alicia Silverstone, although no one has been cast at press time..."

"Baby Spice," Kimberly said, tipping her catalog to Kat. "She'd be a good one."

"She's a Brit," Kat announced, already giggling. "I am an Aussie, but I suppose it'd be better than being played by a Yank with a bad accent. Oh wait, there's more.

"Casting for the five Angel Grove teens turned world news overnight has been particularly troublesome, as it is rather difficult to cast five extreme stereotypes. Agents in LA were faxed photographs and a very vague, yet accurate, physical and personality description of the five teens."

"Stereotypes?" Rocky asked. "Not again."

"Why must everyone insist on stereotyping us?!" Kimberly cried.

"Within a few hours, a nickname had been unofficially assigned to each member of the quintet. Jason Scott is the Shirtless Karate Guy. Rocky DeSantos, a.k.a. the Bottomless Stomach, can be found eating something fattening. Kimberly Hart, the Shopper. You will probably find her at Macy's. Billy Cranston can probably be found doing some type of Calculus problem. It's no surprise that he's been dubbed Einstein. And Katherine Hillard is the Innocent One." Katherine slowed down as she read, "She can probably be found with pink lipstick in her pockets, a sucker in her hand, and the delightful naiveté of a child." She looked at her lollipop before tossing it to the nearest trash can. Jason and Guy paused in mid-move, completely still before Jason retrieved his shirt and sat down in a nearby seat.

"It was physics," Billy grumbled as he set his notebook on the floor. Kimberly dropped her catalog atop it. Rocky set the sandwich on his plate and pushed it away.

"It could be worse," Guy said slowly.

"Yeah," Kimberly finally agreed with a nod. "We could have made the Worst Dressed List."

Tokyo, Japan
November 1, Saturday
Katherine stepped into the currently empty diner, holding the massive list of food requests in her hands. The six were about to head out on the last leg of their journey, the trip to England, but before they left, they had to have one more meal from the fabulous Gumbel's Diner, a small diner with a staff fluent in both Japanese and English and food that could even put Ernie's to shame.

"Hello, Ms. Hillard. How can I help you today?" the usual busboy asked.

"You know us," Katherine answered, handing him the list. "We're big eaters."

"Have a seat and I'll have this out to you in just a moment," he answered. Smiling her thanks, Katherine turned away from the bar and moved into a window booth.

"Hey Kitten," a sickeningly sweet female voice called. Katherine looked up, just as the woman in red sat down beside her in the booth. With a gasp, Katherine stiffened. The men in black and white sat down opposite them.

"Try unclenching for a change," the white man sighed.

"Who are you?" Katherine asked.

Scowling, the red woman tapped her index finger against Katherine's forehead. "You aren't this stupid, Katherine," she insisted, tapping her with each word. "Think about it.

"She knows who we are," the man in black said. "She's just too afraid to admit it, even to herself."

"We're the Three Horsemen of the Apocalypse," the red woman whispered in Kat's ear. "Just call me Pestilence."

"Famine," the man in black greeted, waving his hand and smiling warmly.

"War's my name and my game," the White Rider added.

"There are... four... horsemen," Katherine said softly.

"Very good," Famine said, nodding.

"Pale Rider, fourth horse," Pestilence said. "The 'original' wasn't freed."

"If you had lit that final wick, we wouldn't be bothering you right now," War sighed, shaking his head sadly.

"But you didn't, and we need a Pale Rider," Pestilence whispered. She was so close to Katherine her breath was hot in her ear. "We choose you."

"I think I'll pass," Katherine said, immediately trying to scramble over the top of the bench. Pestilence, however, grabbed her by the shoulder and slammed her back down into the seat. She produced a red-hilted Sword and slid it onto the table before her. Katherine took the none-too-subtle hint and did as Pestilence requested.

"We'll convince you," Famine said. He picked up a fork and handed it to Pestilence, who accepted the offered utensil.

"Now just concentrate," Pestilence said, holding the fork out before Katherine's face. "Just muster up some of your energy, and direct it at this utensil. Bend it with your mind."

"Mortals can't do that," Katherine answered simply.

"They can with a little push," War told her. He lifted his hand up in the air, all of his fingers folded down except for the index and middle. A subdued ball of white energy appeared around his fingertips. Famine did likewise, differing only in that his energy was black.

"Can you feel us probing in your mind?" Pestilence asked. Katherine tensed even more as she felt one of Red Rider's hands slide up her back and through her golden hair. "You can feel it, I know you can. Now just direct that energy outward..."

Trembling, Katherine stared at the fork held before her. "I can't-," Katherine started to answer.

"DO IT!" Pestilence bellowed in Katherine's ear.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Katherine screeched. Instantly, the window next to them shattered, raining blue fragments of glass down onto them. A chain reaction was set off, and each window shattered. On the table top, each fork, spoon, and butter knife leapt into the air as they were forcibly bent. All around the diner, utensils bent suddenly. A television mounted into the wall exploded in a boom of fire, leaving black scorch marks on the ceiling.

Somewhere over Asia
November 1, Saturday
This time, Katherine didn't scream. She just jerked as the nightmare reached its crescendoed peak. Her eyes darted around frantically, and she calmed only when she realized she was safely in their private jet.

"Katherine, you okay?" Kimberly asked, sitting down beside her. Kat turned to see Kimberly's warm, shining eyes directly locked onto hers, and she instantly felt better. The dream already felt farther away.

"I've just been having the same bad dreams," Katherine said. "S'stupid, I know."

"Recurrent dreams aren't stupid," Kimberly told her. "Remember when we had those dreams about Nadia? If we hadn't paid attention to them, then it could have turned out a lot worse. They still about those three people on horses?"

"I finally figured out who they are," Katherine answered.

"They're real?"

"Sort of. They're the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Well, three of them. They don't have a Pale Rider, and... you know how when you dream, as soon as you wake up, you start to forget about it all of a sudden?" At Kimberly's nod, Katherine continued. "It's like that, but I'm pretty sure they're implying they want me to be the Pale Rider."

"This is like in the Bible?"

"Yeah. The Pale Rider rides a Pale Horse. I remember seeing a skeletal horse a long time ago. That was back before we even left home. No skeletal rider, though." Sighing, she added, "Something about candles, or something, too. I don't know. It's so stupid. It's obviously just an ordinary dream. If it was supernatural in origin, I should be able to remember more than this."

"Maybe it's because we've been traveling so much," Kimberly suggested. "You know, I've heard about things like this happening to people. Some people kind of lose their mind when they travel a lot."

"Thank you, that's very comforting," Katherine said with a grin.

Laughing, Kimberly reached out and slapped her arm, saying, "That's not what I meant and you know it. I just mean that when we get back home, things will calm down and you'll stop having the dreams. In two and a half weeks, we'll be home..."

"That's a nice thought, huh?"

"Besides, you can't lose your mind too soon," Kimberly told her. "The Spice Girls concert here in just a few week. The photo shoots..."

"Rocky and I have an audience with a Pope this Tuesday," Katherine remembered. "I'm very excited about that. Maybe that's where all of these dreams are coming from. I'm just nervous."

"There ya go," Kimberly said, patting her on the hand. "Now c'mon, let's go get something to eat before Rocky cleans out the kitchen."

November 4, Tuesday
Vatican City
Katherine was still full of nervous energy as the helicopter carrying herself, Rocky, and Guy flew away from Vatican City. She had just had an audience with the Pope. It was still too weird for her to even believe.

However, as the helicopter banked across the city, Katherine's attention was drawn to one building in particular. Standing on the roof were three people, each wearing red, black, or white. She took a second, harder look, and just as fast, they were gone.

"Rocky?" Katherine asked. "Have you ever had the feeling you were being stalked?"

"Not... really," he muttered. "Why?"

"No reason, I guess," she answered.

November 15, Late Saturday night
London
"I can't believe I'm this nervous," Jason said, shaking his head.

"Is Ginger Spice single?" Rocky asked, looking around.

Before anyone could answer him, the door to the Green Room opened. Guy stepped in, saying, "Guys, meet the Spice Girls."

As the five, grinning, cheerful women entered the room, Kimberly was quick to say, "Your concert was awesome."

"I'm Rocky," Rocky said eagerly, stepping up to Ginger Spice.

"Call me Geri," she returned with a grin.

"I know this is a really weird thing to ask," Rocky said, "but-" Without saying another word, Geri leaned over and gave him a noisy smack on the cheek. Actually blushing, a rare event for Rocky, he managed to say, "Thank you."

"I'm sorry, everybody, but we aren't going to have as much time as we thought," Guy said. "We only have three hours to do the Photo Shoot."

"Because we have to hustle ourselves off to the States," Mel C., Sporty Spice, commented.

"We'll do the Group Photos first," Guy said. "After that, you'll be split up into twos for your individual shots."

"What are these pictures going to be used for, anyhow?" Billy asked.

"Oh, some will be placed on the internet with our heads airbrushed on naked bodies," Victoria, Posh, commented.

"The rest will be used for promotional stuff, both for the Spice Girls and yourselves," Guy answered. "Okay, you'll be split up thus-wise."

"I don't think that's a word," Ginger answered.

Guy paid her no heed and continued, "Ginger and Rocky."

"Yes!" Rocky shouted, pumping a fist in the hand. As soon as Ginger flashed him another smile, he once again resumed his perfect embarrassed-little-boy impersonation.

"Jason and Scary," Guy said. "Billy and Sporty. Kimberly and Posh, and Katherine and Baby. Let's split up."

"These photos look great," Guy said, passing them out among the group.

"It's a shame we didn't have anymore in common, eh?" Sporty asked, elbowing Billy in the ribs playfully. While all of the others had managed to share something in common, Mel C. and Billy's photo layout consisted of highlighting their differences. Their mutual favorite photo consisted of Billy in a muscle tank, reading a book, and Melanie, decked out in full-nerd gear, on an exercise bike.

"Now that is a cool photo," Scary Spice said with a broad smile. Jason was holding a dirty hockey mask in one hand, while Scary stood with one arm around his shoulders and a Freddy Krueger glove splayed across Jason's chest.

"Scary," Jason grinned.

"Is this not the cutest picture you've ever seen?!" Baby Spice cried, holding up the prized Emma/Katherine photo. The two blondes held each other in a full-bodied hug, both wearing pig-tails and each with equally innocent grins.

"I am so glad you decided to play me in the movie," Katherine smiled.

"Rocky, you're looking at my breasts in every picture!" Ginger complained.

"Not this one," he said, holding up a picture. In said picture, Geri was standing behind Rocky with her hands across his eyes.

"Here Rocky," Posh offered. "You'll like this picture."

As soon as he took the photo, his mouth dropped open. "Oh dear Lord," he sighed.

"Which one is it?" Kimberly asked, looking over his shoulder. As soon as she saw it, she grinned mischievously. The photo showed Kimberly and Victoria sitting on a red velvet couch, bare-shouldered and leaning back to back with a black shroud draped loosely across their bodies.

"That is a really good picture!" Ginger agreed, looking at it.

"Are you actually naked," Rocky asked in a husky voice.

"From the waist up," Kimberly answered.

"Can we take a picture like this?" Rocky asked, looking at Geri hopefully.

"Sure," she said with a shrug.

"Yes!" he cried happily, jumping up.

As Rocky hurried off to the photo room, Geri leaned over to Victoria and Kimberly. "We were actually wearing strapless bikini tops," Victoria answered to her unasked question.

"Kat, Emma, we need to take a few more," Guy announced as he stepped into the room. "Some of yours were overexposed."

"Ready Aussie?"

"Ready Brit."

"And that's why I wear shoes with fifteen-centimeter platforms," Baby said. "I'm short."

"Smile," the photographer called. The two blondes flashed him with grins just as the camera flashed. "All right, I think that'll do it. I'll be back in a minute."

Guy hurried into the room with a cellular phone. "Katherine, phone for you," he said.

"I'll see you later," Emma told her, patting her on the biceps. Katherine smiled as she hurried up to Guy, taking the phone from him.

"Hello," she said sweetly.

"Hi Kat? This is Kim. I know this is stupid, but I stepped outside to get a breath of fresh air, and the door locked behind me. Would you please come let me in?"

"Sure, but why didn't you just have Guy do it?" Katherine asked.

"Because I stepped out through the door in the women's dressing room," she answered. "No Guys allowed in there."

"All right," Katherine said with a grin. "Gimme a sec."

She emerged from the back room of the changing room, stepping out into the brisk night air. "Kim?" she asked, holding the door open with one hand. She had expected to see the petite Pink Ranger waiting for her, but the parking lot behind the building was empty. "Hello?"

Suddenly, the door was wrenched out of her hands with such force it yanked her out of the building. It slammed shut with a bang, and she found herself standing outside.

"Katherine," the White Rider greeted, standing between her and the closed door.

She screamed and backed away, only to bump into Famine, the Black Rider. "We finally caught up with you," he said, locking his arms into hers.

"Who are you?!" Katherine cried.

The red-dressed Rider, Pestilence, stepped into view, still holding a cellular phone. "Three-fourths completed," she answered.

Katherine suddenly drove both elbows backwards and lurched forward with all of her weight. She broke free of his arms, and spun in a quick circle, executing a strong kick to his chest. He grunted and fell back a bit, but as she turned to run, she found herself facing a sharp sword. In a guarded move, she twisted her hand, producing her morpher.

"Ah ah ah," Pestilence taunted, pointing her sword at Katherine. "Mortals shouldn't fight demons."

"Zeo Ranger I, Pink—Butterfly!" Katherine shouted. Pink light quickly welled up around Katherine, and she was morphed in her Pink Ranger armor. "How about Power Rangers?" she asked, balling her hands into fists and dropping into a defensive stance.

Famine grinned and stepped forward. In his hands, he held a set of black balance scales. He held them in front of Katherine, demonstrating that they were perfectly balanced. Then, he placed his free hand on the left side of the scales and pushed them down. Immediately, Katherine's form broke, and her arms hung limply at her side.

War, the White Rider, scooped the Pink Ranger into his arms and threw her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Where?" he asked, looking at Pestilence and Famine.

"There," Famine suggested, pointing at a nearby building.

"Is ten stories enough?" War asked.

"Headfirst, it will be," Pestilence decided. They promptly turned into three pin-points of light, red, black, and white, and streaked up to the top of the brownstone building where they rematerialized.

War stood Katherine up, holding her by the waist so she wouldn't crumple up and fall to the ground. "Demorph," Famine ordered, "and don't morph again."

Katherine's body glowed pink, and as the light faded away, she was left standing in her normal clothing. "Wake up," he demanded.

Instantly, her fogged eyes cleared, and she looked around at the trio. "No!" she cried, attempting to run, but War held her still.

"Relax," Pestilence told her. She pulled a pale grey cloak from somewhere and pulled it down over Katherine's head. She forced Kat's arms through the sleeves and pulled the hood up over her head. Numbly, Katherine looked down, seeing faint pink runes stitched around the hem and wrists of the garment.

"You won't feel a thing," Pestilence said, wrapping a comforting arm around her waist and escorting her to the edge of the building. "Until you hit the ground after I throw you off this building."

So saying, she grabbed Katherine with both arms, holding on to her tightly. "NO!" Katherine pleaded, lashing out with her arms and legs. Pestilence ignored the screeching young woman in her grip and walked closer to the edge, stepping up on the edge of the building. "PLEASE!" Katherine screeched.

"Sure thing," Pestilence agreed, and with that, she tossed Katherine over the side of the building. She leaned over, watching as the young blonde free-fell to the hard ground below.

Time seemed to be moving in slow-motion for Katherine. The wind that rushed up past her whipped the long grey cloak about her body. Her eyes widened as the ground rose up faster and faster to meet her. A thought occurred to her, and she stretched her right arm out, giving her wrist a quick turn. Her morpher materialized, but before she could activate it, she slammed into the ground.

There was no pain, just a sudden, over-whelming darkness.

The three Riders appeared beside Katherine's prone body. A misshapen halo of maroon stretched out around her, but then, it just disappeared. Katherine sat up, and she promptly changed appearance. The flesh beneath her skin disappeared, and her skin shriveled and shrank until it was just barely stretched across her skeleton. Her face was gaunt and bony, and her skin was no longer a healthy shade. Instead, it was brown with decomposition. Katherine was gone. Death had arisen to take her place.

Four horses trotted up to the quartet. Red rider mounted her red steed, black on black, white on white, and Death, the empty shell of Katherine Hillard, climbed atop her skeletal beast of burden. The quartet could not have looked more different had they tried. Famine was dressed in a black suit, Pestilence in a red dress, War in shining white armor, and Death, little more than a skeleton, wore the grey cloak.

"Now... what exactly is the protocol?" Famine asked, straightening his tie.

Death attempted to speak, but she found that death had stripped her of the capacity of speech. "You'll get used to the silence," Pestilence said soothingly. Death nodded.

"We bring about the downfall of the Earth, of course," War answered.

"How dear, how?" Pestilence asked, laying her sword across her horse's back.

"There are evil forces working to claim Angel Grove as we speak," War said.

"We shall begin our own war here," Pestilence realized.

"Yes," War agreed with a smile. "We defeat the remaining Power Rangers here, first. And then..."

"The world, right?" Pestilence smirked.

"Well," War said. "I was just thinking Europe, for the time being. But yeah, we can take over the world."

"Katherine?!" Kimberly called, hurrying into the suite she shared with her. Glancing at Kat's bed, she saw a human-sized lump under the covers, and she gave a happy sigh. Sticking her head back out the door, she called out to her friends, "She's just in here, guys."

"Tell her not to disappear on us like that again," Jason said sternly.

"All right, I'll chew her out real good," Kimberly said sarcastically. "Good night, fellas." She closed the door and crossed over to her own bed, sitting down on the edge of it.

Katherine gave a soft moan and turned over in bed, still covered. "It's been quite a trip, huh?" Katherine asked.

"Tell me about it," Kimberly agreed. "Where did you disappear to tonight, anyhow? You freaked everybody out. Emma thought she had done something to make you mad."

"No, I just got really tired," Katherine commented. "I hope you told her as much."

"Yeah, I didn't really figure you were mad at her," Kimberly said. She opened her dresser drawers and rummaged until she found a pink nightgown. Draping it over one arm, she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

"Hard to believe we'll be home soon, huh?" Katherine added.

"Yeah, really," Kimberly agreed. "It's been a blast, though. It was great seeing my mom again. I just wish she'd move back to Angel Grove."

"You could always move to France," Katherine suggested.

"No way that's happening," Kimberly muttered through a mouthful of toothpaste.

"I just had another one of my nightmares."

"Aw man," Kimberly sighed before spitting in the sink. "What was this one about?"

"I dreamt they threw me off of a building to kill me and make me the fourth horsemen," Katherine answered.

"Scary," Kimberly agreed. "Hey, do you remember what everybody used to say when they were kids?"

"How if you hit the ground in a dream you'll die?"

"Yeah," Kimberly said with a grin as she washed her mouth out. "Did you dream you hit the ground?"

"Yep. It hurt, too," Katherine answered. "But it isn't true. I didn't die."

Kimberly quickly pulled her shirt off and pushed her shorts to the floor, stretching her tired muscles as she did so. She unclasped her bra and let it fall to the ground before picking up her nightgown. "Man, it's been a long day," she complained. "I think you had the right idea after all."

"When time is our press conference?" Katherine asked.

"Not 'til like Wednesday," Kimberly answered. "We're having it outside, too. Should be fun." She pulled her soft pink shortie nightgown down over her head. "But if I get up before noon tomorrow it will be too soon."

She turned off the bathroom light and started to her bed, when Katherine interrupted with, "I hate to be a bother, but would you bring me a drink? I'm not feeling very well all of a sudden"

"Sure, no prob," Kimberly answered. She turned back into the bathroom and soon emerged with a glass of water. She walked over to Katherine's bed and set it on her nighttable. "There you are, Kat."

She was halfway back to her own bed when she was overcome with a bad sense of dread. "Kat?" she asked, turning back to her bed. I hope she isn't too bad sick... Kimberly hurried over to the bed, a bit unsettled to see the lump so still and unmoving, even after she had just addressed her directly.

"Kat?" she asked. Finally, she reached out and grabbed the covers, pulling them back a bit.

"Boo," Pestilence taunted in her own voice with a grin, sitting straight up in bed.

Kimberly screamed and stumbled back as Pestilence lashed out with her sword. "Kimmy scared?" Pestilence asked in a perfect impression of Katherine's voice. She threw the covers off of her body and got out of bed.

"Who are you?!" Kimberly demanded.

"Just call me Pestilence," she answered, standing up to her full height.

"Where's Katherine?" Kimberly growled.

"Perhaps you'd like to meet her," Pestilence offered, just a moment before she thrust forward with her sword.

Kimberly dodged the blade and promptly placed her strength into a side kick that struck Pestilence in the ribs. She kicked up, attempting to knock the sword from her grip, but Pestilence held tightly to the weapon. She spun around with her arm extended, and Kimberly just narrowly avoided the lethal blade.

She took off running, darting out of the bedroom and into their suite. Pestilence, still standing beside the bed, saw a bright pink flash shine through both doors leading to the bedroom. Kimberly emerged from the door next to the balcony, clad in her Pink Ranger armor. "Let's try evening up the stakes," Kimberly suggested.

"Nah, that's no fun," Pestilence remarked. Famine stepped out of the bathroom, holding his balancing scales in one hand. The closet door beside Katherine's bed was kicked open, and War stepped free. Death stepped in from the balcony.

"Katherine?" Kimberly asked, one hand coming up to shield her mouthplate in shock.

"She can't talk anymore," Pestilence said. "But she sure can fight."

Kimberly wrenched her attention off of Pestilence just in time to see Death barreling for her with her scythe held high. Kimberly yelled and ducked, the scythe passing over her head effortlessly. Death spun the scythe in her hands, slamming the wooden end into Kimberly's helmet.

The Pink Ranger moved her hands quickly, holding tightly to the scythe. She ran backwards, out onto the balcony, and leapt up to the railing. With a hard toss, she literally hurled Death off of the balcony. Footsteps sounded below, and she looked over, seeing Death riding up the street on her skeletal horse.

"It isn't over, Kimberly," War said.

"It's just beginning," Famine promised. The three remaining horsemen disappeared in flickers of red, white, and black light.

The sound of hoofbeats reached her, and she turned back to look at the street below. Death was rejoined by the other three horsemen, all on horseback. Despite the sense of dread the scene instilled in her, there was something inherently WRONG with it.

The reality of the situation descended upon her, and she backed up into her suite, shutting the doors behind her. She sat down on the edge of her bed and promptly demorphed. Her suit just disappeared, raining to the floor in a faint shower of pink light. "Kat," Kimberly muttered sadly.

The next morning
Billy stretched and moaned beneath the covers, sighing happily. Man, but that was a comfortable bed. However, the sun was peeking through the windows, and he didn't feel right staying in bed. They had had a late night, though. It was nearly one a.m. when they returned from their photo shoot.

As he sat up, he noticed two things right away. One, his contacts were filthy and needed cleaning. And two, Jason had a companion.

Surely Emily didn't come here last night, Billy mused to himself. Jason and Billy were both pretty frank with each other when it came to their relationships, and Billy was almost positive that Jason was a virgin. Regardless of whether Jason or Emily were willing to move on to a new level for their relationship, he certainly couldn't imagine them sleeping together with his bed just a few feet away.

When he got to the side of Jason's bed, he realized it wasn't Emily. "Jason, you have a Kimberly in your bed," Billy said.

"Huh?" Jason asked, rolling over. Evidence of a good night's sleep was present on his chest. The crease marks from the sheet ran all over his skin. "A Kimberly?"

Kimberly yawned and sat up. No longer dressed in a pink nightgown, she was wearing a pink shirt and cotton shorts. "Sorry for crashing," she said apologetically, rubbing sleepless-red eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Jason asked, dragging both palms down his face.

"I was afraid to sleep alone," she answered truthfully. "No way, no how."

"Oh-kay," Billy murmured, sitting down on the foot of his bed. He idly scratched his chest through his tanktop, still too sleepy to fully grasp the situation.

"Why?" Jason asked.

"Katherine is dead," Kimberly answered simply, "and I think she wants to kill me."

"She's dead?!" Billy cried, jumping to his feet. He hurried over to the door leading into Kim and Kat's suite.

"Billy, don't!" Kimberly protested, following him.

"See," Billy sighed, pointing at Kat's bed. A human-sized lump lay beneath the covers. "You must have dreamed it."

"No," Kimberly insisted. "That is exactly how the red woman fooled me last night." Billy started over to the bed, and Kimberly tried uselessly to hold him back. And she didn't dare follow him.

"Kat, wake up," Billy beckoned, reaching out to touch the covers.

They were suddenly thrown back, and War sat up in bed. "NO!" Kimberly screamed.

War thrust his fist out, and a white bow appeared in his hands. He slammed it into Billy's stomach, who was so shocked at not seeing Katherine there he was very literally thrown across the room.

"Pterodactyl—Crane!" Kimberly cried, not caring if Guy saw her morph. Pulling her own bow out of her pocket dimension, she pulled back on the string and concentrated, producing an arrow of pure energy. "Leave him alone!" she demanded.

"What do you want with us?" Billy asked. A quick glance revealed he was already clad in his Blue Ranger armor.

"For now," War said, idly strumming the string on his bow, "nothing. But be warned... We are here, and we will not rest until you are defeated." His voice was almost hypnotic, and he spoke with great enunciation. "Not only you, but everything... We shall reign triumphant. It's only a matter of time." He then disappeared, casting only a faint, white glow.

"Oh my God," Guy murmured from the doorway. Jason, standing in the door, turned to see their companion looking into the room with a look of disbelief. "Kimberly? Billy?"

"We need to talk," the Blue Ranger sighed.

"I mean... I had heard rumors, but I never really thought that...," Guy mumbled. He was absolutely astounded to learn that his traveling companions were five of the Power Rangers.

"We can't stress how imperative it is that you keep this secret," Billy told him.

"Major important," Kimberly said.

"No problem," Guy assured them. "It's safe with me. But... Katherine?"

"She was killed," Kimberly answered. "We're dealing with demons, so it may not be permanent... But..." Sighing, she closed her eyes and lowered her head to the table.

"I bet this all goes back to that damn candelabra she lit in Brasilia," Guy theorized. "The nun was really disturbed about that. I never could get a straight answer out of her about what the deal was, though. I wish I could go talk to her now, though."

"Why don't we?" Billy suggested. "I'll take you there, teleportation..."

"Time difference?" Rocky reminded.

"Only about three hours," Guy said. "Nuns surely wake up early on Sundays. You can really get us there?"

"Yeah," Billy said. "Get dressed and we'll go."

Brasilia, Brazil
"Of course they aren't the real horsemen," Sister Agnes sighed. "Do you honestly believe the world would still be standing if the actual Horsemen of the Apocalypse had been freed? Besides, the White Rider is to imitate the Messiah. The demon posing as War imitates no such thing."

"Then what are they?" Guy all-but snarled, following the tiny nun from one room to the next. "Katherine had dreams about them before she let that damn candelabra so you can't blame it on that."

"Have you ever once considered how arrogant we mortals actually are?" Sister Agnes asked. "We think that the way we observe the world must be the way the world works. It doesn't. Time isn't always linear; we just observe it that way."

Guy's eyes opened in utter and complete shock. Of all the things he had expected the nun to tell him, a conversation bordering on quantum physics was not one of them. "What exactly do you mean?" Guy asked, furrowing his brow.

"They are mimic demons," Sister Agnes told him. "Originally a quartet. They have been captured in that candelabra since the 1500's when a local priest exorcised them.

"They pretended to be the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," she continued. "That's why the candelabra looks as it does."

"If they are only three, then how did they get Katherine?" Guy inquired.

"Demons can be yanked from hell by humans fooling with things they have no business fooling with, or they can be coaxed from hell by other demons," Sister Agnes said. "But possession is hard. It's one of the hardest things an immortal being can attempt. Avatar, though..."

"What do you mean?"

"Dead things don't put up much of a fight," Sister Agnes said flatly. "When Katherine was killed, a fourth demon could be called into her body. Probably the very demon that had been trapped in that candelabra. It looks quite different, now."

She pointed to a horribly rusted candelabra, sitting on a shelf in the rectory. "It's looked like that since late last night," she told him.

"Why did they have to kill Kat?"

"They couldn't light the wick, so they needed a vessel for Death. Katherine is that vessel."

"What do they want?" Guy asked.

"What do all evil things want?"

"I don't guess I know."

"Death, war, famine, and pestilence," Sister Agnes told him. "Does it really need to be spelled out any further?"

"Did you learn anything?" Billy asked as Guy stepped out of the convent.

"Nothing good," Guy grumbled. As the two hurried off to the same back alley that they had teleported in to, Guy mused, "We're gonna have to come up with a cover story for why Kat won't be at the Press Conference when we have it. We need to call her family."

"Not yet," Billy said firmly. "We aren't totally sure if Kat is dead. She still might be... in there, somewhere. We don't have a body; we have no proof she is dead."

"You know her family better than I do," Guy relented. "If you all agree with it..."

"Ready to go back?"

"Ready." Billy reached out and touched Guy's arm as he activated his communicator. The two melted into streams of blue and white light, and they promptly lifted up into the air and darted to the Northern Hemisphere.

Much to the Rangers' relief and terror, the horsemen didn't return for several days. As they did their daily things about London, they never knew what to expect. Not once, however, did one of the horsemen show up to terrorize them. They were able to effectively hide the absence of Katherine until Wednesday night, at the Press Conference.

November 19, Wednesday
11:28 p.m.
Kimberly was currently speaking calmly into a microphone. Billy, Jason, and Rocky were seated behind her, and the official story was that Katherine was in bed with the stomach flu.

"In conclusion," Kimberly said, "we've really enjoyed this chance to view the world and all she has to offer. We thank the city of Angel Grove for giving us this chance to experience it first hand, to bring foreign cultures to those who wouldn't otherwise have the means to experience them, and we thank everyone we've come across on this journey for being so hospitable to us. Katherine, make sure you get well soon."

"And... we're out!" someone called from outside the camera's view.

"I'm gonna teleport back to the hotel," Jason whispered to Billy and Rocky. "Kat's family have probably called by now."

Sure enough, as soon as Jason rematerialized in their darkened suite, the phone was ringing. "Hello?" he asked, snatching it from the receiver.

"Jason?" Lisa Hillard asked.

"Hello Lisa," he greeted. "I guess you're calling about Kat."

"Why didn't she answer?"

"We disconnected the phone in her room so she could get some rest," Jason lied. "She's pretty wore out, but the doctor said she'll be fine. She's on some antibiotics right now, but she'll be fine."

"Can I talk to her?"

"No, actually you can't," Jason said. "Sore throat. She can barely squeak. I can deliver a message in the morning, though, if you like."

"Just tell her we love her, please?"

"Sure thing," Jason promised. "Take care, Lisa."

"You too, Jason."

Jason dropped down onto the bed after he hung up the phone. He hated lying to Katherine's mother so blatantly, but the only other option was to tell her that her daughter was dead, or possessed, or both. "What are we going to do?" Jason asked the empty room.

"Would somebody walk me into my room?" Kimberly asked nervously, standing in the open doorframe.

"You're still afraid?" Rocky asked. "We haven't even seen 'em since-"

"Dare I say duh?" Kimberly shot back. "We've had two attacks in here."

"Kim, there's nothing in here," Rocky said, flipping on the light as he stepped into the room. "See, the bed is empty."

Kimberly peered into the room, satisfied to see that the bed was empty. Rocky stopped beside the bed and patted the smooth surface. "No demon in the bed. See?"

Before he could say anything more, two hands grabbed onto his ankles. Rocky fell straight back to the floor, landing hard on his elbows. "Rocky!" Kimberly screamed.

Rocky yelled as he was yanked under the bed. "NO!" he shouted forcefully, grabbing onto the bed with both arms.

"MORPH!" Kimberly ordered, leaping into the air. In midleap, she was transformed into the Pink Ranger. She landed behind Rocky and hooked her arms through his, carefully pulling on him.

With a loud grunt and a great deal of concentration, Rocky morphed, bypassing the longer merged Zeo/Ninjetti morph. He promptly transformed into the Blue Zeo Ranger, and as soon as he was, Kimberly began to pull harder.

Jason and Billy both ran into the room, simultaneously morphing with shouted cries. "I'll go protect Guy!" Billy offered, backing out of the door to go find their Japanese tour guide.

Pestilence suddenly leapt out from beneath the bed, and Rocky shot backwards, slamming into Kimberly and knocking her into the wall. As the red rider leapt to her feet, she drew her sword and slashed it at Jason.

"Power Sword!" he cried, summoning his own weapon. The two red Swords clashes, sending red sparks out at contact.

Rocky suddenly cried out in pain. He looked down at his chest, seeing a few sparks glancing off of his armor from the contact. Death swung her scythe at him again, but this time, he ducked the weapon. "Katherine!" Rocky shouted. "Stop!"

As she swung her scythe again, he grabbed onto the wooden handle with both fists. A quick but fairly gentle side kick knocked his former teammate aside, slamming her into the wall. For a split second, he feared she would literally crumble apart, but the walking corpse of Katherine Hillard remained unfazed.

Jason suddenly got the upper hand, as he knocked Pestilence's sword out of her hand. She drew her arms back as the weapon clattered to the floor. "Your move," Jason challenged, pointing his Sword at her chest.

"Death," Pestilence said simply. She snapped her fingers, and the two female demons disappeared in red and grey light.

The next morning
Cardinal red light flashed in the room as Tommy rematerialized in a shower of red energy. "Where was she and why did you lie to Lisa?" he said forcefully.

It wasn't until he asked the question that he realized that something was off-kilter. In the double bed before him, five people were crammed into it. Kimberly, Jason, Billy, Rocky, and their guide, Guy, were all sleeping together. "Wake up!" he snapped.

All at once, the five were moving about and voicing objections. Kimberly, previously trapped in the middle between Jason and Billy, crawled across Guy and promptly fell to the floor. "Tommy?" she asked, looking up at him.

Tommy quirked his eyebrows at the miskempt group. Despite having just woken up, and the general disarray of the situation, all looked rather alert. "Where was she?" he asked again.

"She just came down with a stomach bug," Guy answered.

"I want to see her," Tommy insisted.

"You can't," Billy interjected.

"Very contagious," Kimberly agreed, nodding.

"Katherine!" Tommy yelled, turning around in a circle. It was then that he noted that all doors leading into and out of the room were barricaded shut with heavy furniture. "What is going on?"

Jason crawled out of bed and walked over to Tommy. He placed a calming hand on one of Tommy's shoulders and said, "Tommy, if you've never trusted us before, trust us this time. Katherine is going to be fine, but we have to handle this our own w-"

In a sudden move that shocked a scream out of Kimberly, Tommy slammed Jason into the wall, both hands knotted tightly in Jason's tank top. "I've already asked once. Don't make me ask again."

"No," Jason said firmly. He placed his hands on Tommy's and pulled them off of his chest.

"Oh God, somebody's gonna die," Kimberly groaned, covering her eyes with both hands.

Tommy's face remained locked in stone, and for a moment, he didn't say anything. "No?" he asked back in the same tone Jason had used on him.

"Tommy, we were with Katherine through nearly a hundred different dimensions," Jason told him. "We aren't going to leave the London of our world without her. You have to trust us."

"Then she is in trouble," Tommy said as calmly as he could manage, his eyes glinting with white hot anger. "And I'm going to help. Tell me what's wrong."

"And that's the whole story," Billy finished.

"Guys, we've got trouble," Rocky said, rushing into the room. Clutched in his hands was a red sheet of paper. "I just found this."

"What's it say?" Jason asked.

"Just an address," Rocky answered, "but I have a bad feeling."

"I'll go check it out," Tommy volunteered. "Morphed."

"I'll come with," Rocky answered. "I know where this. It's a park."

"It's Morphin Time!" Tommy shouted.

"Zeo Ranger III, Blue—Ape!" Rocky cried.

"Zeo Ranger V, Red—Falcon!" Tommy invoked, just before the two teleported away.

Cardinal red and royal blue light landed in the English park, producing the two Zeo Rangers. "Do you see anything?" Tommy asked, looking around.

"Nothing," Rocky said. He paused for a moment, and then said, "But I hear something."

"Hooves," Tommy realized.

"Guys, we're gonna need backup," Rocky said into his wrist.

The four horses were suddenly running at them from the east. "There!" Tommy cried, although Rocky had already heard it as well.

Famine held the scales in his hand high over his head. Death's scythe arched high over the horse's neck. Pestilence's sword was stuck straight up in the air triumphantly. War, at the far right of the group, held a white bow in his right hand and a quiver of arrows draped over his left shoulder.

"Katherine," Tommy sighed, watching his recently deceased girlfriend riding toward him on a skeleton horse.

"That isn't Katherine," Rocky said sternly. "It's just something using her body." He readied himself for the fight about to come.

Three streaks of colored light shot through the sky, upon landing producing Billy, Jason, and Kimberly. The three were already clad in shiny armor, and save for the discrepancies between their armor and the lack of colors, the five looked every bit the part of an impressive fighting force.

"Theology tells us that it's impossible to physically destroy a demon," Billy said. "Don't be afraid to fight Death. We aren't going to injure Kat."

"You better be right," Tommy warned. And then, suddenly, the horsemen were upon them.

Someone, who Jason could not have said, delivered such a powerful kick to his abdomen that his feet literally flew off of the ground. When he landed on his back, he promptly found himself staring into the smiling face of the black rider, Famine.

Jason skittered backwards, climbing to his feet in the process. All around him, a fight was raging, but his attention was stuck to Famine. The black-haired rider stuck his left hand out, his scales balanced evenly there. Jason's arms fell limply to his side, and he stepped out of his defensive stance. Famine placed his hand on one of the scales, pulling down on it. Jason was suddenly completely under his control.

"Very good," Famine remarked woodenly, putting his scales away. "Now, take your helmet off."

Jason did as he was told, letting his shiny red helmet fall to the ground. Famine pulled a small dagger from the inside of his jacket. "Slit your throat," he ordered, placing the razor in the hypnotized Ranger's hand.

The Red Ranger brought the razor up to his throat and slid it across the flesh. However, even in stand-by mode, he was not an ordinary mortal, and the sharp razor didn't leave any mark on his skin.

"Demorph," Famine ordered.

"NO!" Tommy yelled, launching himself at the duo. His booted foot collided with Famine's side, and the black rider fell away. Jason's eyes promptly sparked back to life, and he jerked, startled to find he had temporarily lost control with reality. He threw the razor at the ground and promptly gave a silent "back to action" command, placing himself in full Ranger mode.

"Famine can hypnotize!" he warned as he drew his Sword and went after the demon.

Kimberly and Rocky, meanwhile, were battling with War. The white-armored demon delivered the full brunt of his bow into Kimberly's chest with an astonishing force, knocking the petite Ranger backwards and onto her back.

"Zeo Arm Blades!" Rocky ordered, summoning his weapon. He leapt into the air, his triangular weapons tucked against his sides. As he passed by War, he brought both down across War's chest. War shouted out in anger, falling backwards.

"Power Bow!" Kimberly cried. From her kneeling position, her weapon appeared in her hands. With lightning fast reflexes, she fired an arrow of pink energy at War, eliciting another cry of pain from him. His white stallion rushed past him, and he promptly mounted the steed, running off through the park. As soon as he was a short distance away, he and the horse disappeared into a white outline.

"YES!" Kimberly and Rocky shouted in unison, sharing a double high-five.

Billy, however, was not fairing so well with Pestilence. As he brought his Power Lances against her weapon, her sword changed into a snake. The red serpent crawled around the twin weapons, binding them together. Billy gave a shout and tossed his weapon to the ground. As the Power Lances disappeared in a blue glimmer of light, her snake turned back into a sword. She rolled to the ground, scooped the weapon up, and brought it around in a full circle beneath Billy's feet.

The Blue Ranger cried out in surprise as his feet lifted up in the air, and a sharp grunt escaped him as he slammed into the ground, back-first.

Pestilence, still holding her weapon, leapt to her feet. She raised the sword above her head, about to attempt to plunge it into Billy's chest. Suddenly, pink arrows streaked through the air and embedded in her left arm. Pestilence gasped and halted her attack, looking instead at the damage done to her.

"Leave 'im alone!" Kimberly ordered, lowering her bow to her side. Rocky hurried over to Billy and helped him to his feet.

"You hurt me!" she protested, pulling the weapons out. Scowling angrily, her eyes began to glow a bright reddish-amber. Twin beams of fire shot from her eyes, striking the ground beneath Billy, Kimberly, and Rocky's feet. Turf exploded outwards, and the three Rangers were lifted into the air.

As soon as Rocky landed, he pulled his Zeo Pistol free and fired a shot where she had been standing. However, through the dust in the air, he could see her already riding away on her horse.

Tommy quickly found himself facing down Death. "Katherine," he said softly. Though horribly mutated, the face beneath her grey hood was undeniably that of his girlfriend. Hair that was considerably paler than it had been the last time he had seen her peeked out around her face. No longer luxurious and beautiful, it now looked like the hair of a corpse.

Death swung her scythe at Tommy, who nimbly ducked the curved blade. "Kat, don't do this!" he protested, holding his hands up before him defensively.

As the scythe came at his midsection, he called on his Power Sword. The two blades struck, locking them both in place. Death withdrew her weapon, jumping back a few feet. Famine rushed to her side, holding his own side with one arm. Jason had managed a few lucky strikes, apparently. "Let's get out of here," Famine told her.

The black and skeleton horses rushed up to them, and they both mounted with the greatest of ease. The horses ran off in unison, and as soon as they had traversed a short distance, they disappeared in black and grey light.

"They're like cowards," Rocky realized. "As soon as we start to get the upper hand, they bolt."

"I didn't realize it was physically possible to injure a demon," Kimberly mused.

"These aren't ordinary demons," Billy told her. "They're using physical bodies to attack us. That's all we're injuring."

"And they'll be back as soon as they've healed themselves," Jason added.

"Just how are we going to get Katherine back?" Tommy asked nervously.

"Maybe religious intervention?" Rocky suggested. "Like an exorcism."

"Guys, we're starting to draw a crowd," Kimberly said, noticing a few people staring at them from a distance. "Let's get back to the hotel." In five streams of colored light, the Power Rangers teleported away.

November 21, Friday
With Billy, Jason, and Kimberly in one bed, and Tommy, Rocky, and Guy in the other, the six all managed to sleep in the same room. Though the attacks weren't regular, there had been too many centered around Katherine's bed for anyone to brave sleeping in the girls' suite.

By first sunlight, they were all awake. Guy was a notorious early riser. When the sun came up, he woke up, no matter how much or little sleep he had gotten the previous night.

"Does anybody mind if I go take a shower?" Tommy asked, stifling a yawn. They were currently waiting for room service to bring up some food. He ran his hands through his longish locks, grimacing.

"Yeah, go ahead," Guy told him. "Just stay within screaming distance."

Tommy closed his eyes and leaned against the back wall of the shower, letting the hot water stream over him. His muscles felt like knots, but this was slowly relaxing him. "Kat," he murmured softly. "We'll get you back... I'll get you back. I promise."

"Food's here, Tommy!" Jason called from the bathroom door.

"Okay, I'll be out in a sec!" Tommy shouted back. He turned off the water and opened the door, grabbing the towel from the towel rack. However, just as he brought it to himself to dry off, he realized he had a companion.

"Kat?" he asked in disbelief, frozen in place.

It was her. She was standing before him, dressed in that horrible grey robe with the pink embroidery around the edges. But it was Katherine, not Death. She smiled at him lovingly from beneath the hood, a bit of a red blush coming to her cheeks. "Here, Tommy," she said, handing him a brown bathrobe.

He dropped the towel and slid into the bathrobe, not paying even the slightest attention to his nudity. "I can't believe you're here," he muttered, stepping up to her.

She opened her arms and took him into a hug. Her hands ran through his wet hair as she smiled. "Your hair does grow fast," she said softly. "It's a whole lot longer than when I saw you at the end of October."

"It'll be down to my shoulders by Christmas," he said.

"The length I want it."

"Yeah," he agreed. He moved toward her to kiss her, but she kept a hand on his chest, holding him back.

"Tommy, you're in trouble," Katherine told him.

"Trouble?"

"They want you, too," she said. "A fifth horseman, and they've selected you. By next dawn, you'll be Perversion, the Brown Rider."

"Perversion?" he asked, lifting one eyebrow. He looked down at his brown robe, eyeing it curiously.

"You have to go to Angel Grove," Katherine said. "Hurry there. It's the only way you'll be safe."

"I can't go home without you," he told her. "How can I get you back?"

"You can't," she said hurriedly. "Death is permanent, Tommy. It'll take a once-in-a-lifetime miracle to get me back. Tommy, if you love me, go to Angel Grove where you'll be safe."

"There is a way you can have her back," Pestilence said from behind Tommy. He spun around, and suddenly, everything changed. No longer was he in the bathroom; now, he stood in the middle of a lush green forest. The Red Rider stood a short distance from him, flanked by two horses, one red and one brown. "You can be with Katherine. Just join us."

Tommy jerked awake, startled as hot water rushed over him.

"Food's here, Tommy!" Jason called from the bathroom door.

"I- I'll be there in a minute," Tommy stammered. Leaning back against the shower stall wall, he ran his hands over his face. "A nightmare," he mumbled to himself.

"Enjoy your shower?" Kimberly asked as Tommy stepped out of the bathroom.

"Truthfully, not really," Tommy said as he sat down at the table.

"Would you believe I fell asleep in there and had a nightmare?"

"Nightmare?" Billy asked. "What about?"

"Katherine, brown horse, Perversion, stupid stuff," Tommy said. "I didn't like it, though."

"Katherine was having nightmares, too," Jason said. "About the horsemen."

"They told me I would become the fifth Horseman by next dawn, I think," Tommy told them.

"There has to be some way to beat them," Guy said. "We're in one of the biggest cities in the entire world. Today, we'll find out how to get Katherine back."

"We leave tomorrow," Jason commented. "We can't go home without Katherine. We just can't."

"I've got a good feeling about today," Rocky said. "We'll get her back. I know it."

11:57 p.m.
"I've got a bad feeling about this!" Rocky cried, just before Death slammed the Blue Zeo Ranger face-first into the pavement.

They had literally spent the entire day, going through liberties, talking to priests, rabbis, nuns, and other holy men, and praying for a miracle. Guy was still looking, and the others would have been as well, had it not been for a sudden attack.

Pestilence was delivering a beating to Jason. Tommy ran to help his friend, but she pointed one hand at the Red Zeo Ranger. A ball of fire shot from her hand and struck Tommy in the midsection, throwing him backwards into a street lamp.

"Where's Famine?!" Kimberly shouted, looking for a window into the fight.

"Right here," Famine called. She turned to see Famine riding up on his black horse. Siting in front of Famine was Guy, who currently had a razor held to his throat.

"Guy!" Kimberly cried.

"Don't do anything he says!" Guy shouted.

"Silence!" Famine ordered.

The fight slowly broke apart, as Pestilence, Death, and War turned to look at their companion. "We make a trade," Famine offered. "Tommy for Guy. We-"

Famine paused, however, and a look of confusion crossed his face.

"Do you hear something?" Pestilence asked, looking up at the sky. Death's skeletal horse trotted near her, and she climbed atop the steed so as to have a slightly better vantage point.

Suddenly, from the west, a golden wave of light was rushing toward them. It passed through everything, buildings and people alike. "What is that?" Jason asked, turning to watch as the light swept past the horizon.

The light seemed to be coming from the general direction of the west, but it was moving everywhere. It moved along the ground, but it also lit up the entire sky. The few stars visible were temporarily obscured, as the light moved closer. Suddenly, the first tinges of light swept past them.

Immediately, Famine, War, and Pestilence screamed. Their horses whinnied frantically. The leader ring of light had already moved past them, but another, stronger blast of light soaked them. "NOOO!!!" Pestilence screamed angrily.

Jason, just a few feet from her, watched in disbelief as she began to disintegrate before his eyes. Her body turned to red sand, holding its shape for a moment, before it spilled to the ground. Her red dress fluttered in the air for a few moments before it drifted to the ground to lay atop her sand remains. Her sword hit the ground with a thud.

War and Famine turned into white and black dust, respectively. Famine's horse turned to dust as well, and Guy fell to the ground, landing roughly on his feet as black dust continued to rain down around him. Famine's empty black suit fell behind him, and he picked it up in confusion. As he moved it, black dust poured from the sleeves.

The light swept past Death. The skeletal horse disintegrated beneath her, and she fell to the ground. Grey sand billowed up around her, and sparkling pink light shone from beneath her hood. The scythe fell from her hands, clattering to the ground before lying still.

And then, the light was gone. It could still be seen moving along the Earth, and, incredibly, flowing out into space.

"Katherine?" Tommy asked hopefully, turning to death.

Slender hands reached up to the grey hood and pushed it back, revealing a very human face surrounded by beautiful, golden hair.

"Tommy?" Kat asked in disbelief. She was still kneeling in a pile of grey dust from Death's horse. "What's going on?" she asked further, looking at her grey robes.

"KAT!" Tommy cried happily, demorphing as he threw himself at her. He scooped her up from the ground, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She returned the gesture, a great deal more bewildered but more than happy to return the hug to those strong arms. Tommy gave a happy whoop and spun in a circle, lifting her feet off of the ground and sending even more grey dust everywhere.

"Tommy, what's going on?!" Katherine cried as she laughed.

He stopped spinning, still holding her in a full bodied hug. "I've never been so happy to see you in my life," he sighed, filling his hands with her hair.

"But... what happened?" Katherine asked. "The horsemen. Are they-"

"They're gone, Kat," he said.

"How?"

"A once-in-a-lifetime miracle," he answered with a smile. "I love you, Kat..."

A long of surprise filled her face, soon to be replaced with a look of great pleasure. "I love you, too," she returned.

"Guys, where did that golden light come from?" Guy asked.

"Maybe Zordon or Alpha knows," Kimberly theorized. As she demorphed, she reached for her communicator.

Silence.

In blue and red flashes of light, the three remaining Rangers demorphed as well. Each tried their communicator, hearing absolutely nothing.

"Not even static," Billy muttered. "That's... very weird."

"Zordon, Alpha," Rocky said into his wrist.

"Maybe the light broke them?" Jason suggested.

"Perhaps," Billy said, though his tone plainly said he didn't suspect as much.

"No teleportation, either," Kimberly realized. "Not anything. Billy..."

"I don't know," he said. "Let's try and call Angel Grove."

"I saw a pay phone just down the street," Guy offered. "I've got my phone card in my wallet."

"I'll go get us a cab to get back to the hotel," Jason offered, running off to another street to hail a taxi.

"You guys coming?" Kimberly asked.

"We're gonna walk back to the hotel," Tommy said, helping Katherine out of her grey robe. She found herself wearing the same clothes she had worn when she was thrown off of the building.

"I've never seen the sky this color at midnight," Katherine mused as she wound her fingers through Tommy's. Concentric circles of golden light filtered out through space, almost looking as though the Earth had been blest with Saturn's rings.

"I wonder what it looks like from space," Tommy thought aloud.

"You could always ask Rita and Zedd," Katherine said with a grin. Tommy flashed the same grin back at her, and Kat rested her head on his shoulder as they continued to walk down the empty London streets, already putting their experience behind them.

End