Legal Disclaimer: The Power Rangers belong to Saban or Disney, not me. I'm not making any profit from this story. I have borrowed from Ellen Brand: Rosa DeSantos, Tasha Young, Franklin Park and Trevor Park. Thanks also to Ellen for the three spirit animals of her characters. I own Vadaei, [that's pronounced VAY-di-I,] the Phaedos Powers and their bearers, Mistri, Geneva, Calcia, Edy, Asharani, Karei, Vedi, Dalila and Bambi. These nine characters cannot be borrowed, as I'm using them in a story for publication. They are protected under international copyright law. I also own Niamh Ralin, Kalika Alinir, Fleure Vahala, Dylan Jalaz, Libby Kiyria, Paige Perkins and Kira Watana. Those seven may be borrowed, but drop me a line, okay? Resemblances between characters and real people, dead or alive, is purely unintentional. This story comes after The Job in the series The Circle Draws Inward. This is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America. Cameo appearances are welcomed.
Note on Quotes: I have borrowed quotes from: Power Rangers: The Movie, Ninja Quest Part III, and Hogday Afternoon Part II. If it ain't from one of those three sources, it's from one of my own stories.
Terminology: Rangers is everyone. Ninjetti is all empowered as Ninjetti. When morphed into the Ninjetti suits, the reference is [Colour] [Spirit] Ninjetti. Therefore, Pink Crane Ninjetti is Kim. Morphed or unmorphed, the Avatar Ninjetti [[Morphin or Thunder] morphed being Ranger Powered] are called by first name. Unmorphed, or with helmets off, all Rangers are referred to by first name. [Colour] [Team Specific] Ranger refers to the morphed Ranger in battle. Therefore, Pink Zeo Ranger is Kat. In the same sense, Pink Zeo Ninjetti is Kat using her Ninjetti Powers as a Ranger.

The Bear
by Mistri, Cho's Observer

August 7th, 1997.

Bulk, David, Skull, Rosa, Tasha, Justin, Franklin, and Fred were on Phaedos.

"Skull, you are the Rabbit."

"Bulk, you are the Lion."

"David, you are the Tiger."

"Rosa, you are the Kestrel."

"Tasha, you are the Badger."

"Justin, you are the Mouse."

"Franklin, you are the Orca."

"And Fred, you are the Horse."

Dulcea went through the ritual quickly, knowing that every minute was dangerous. Divatox might attack at any time. And a quick trip to the Monolith, showed Skull, Bulk and David in armored versions of their Ninjetti suits, styled in their primary colour and white for Bulk and David. Being White Ranger, Skull was styled in white and black; wearing also the shield of the White Thunder Ranger. And the Turbos were in armored versions of their Turbo costumes. However, the little yellow and black box was replaced by a diamond, in which was set their coins. Like the Zeo females, Rosa and Tasha's diamonds were silver. Like the Zeo males, Justin, Franklin and Fred's diamonds were white, their Power Morphers adorned their belt buckles. Morphed to their full adult height, they examined their costumes briefly before teleporting out.

~*~

Back on Earth, Phaedos were working methodically around the bridge of the NinjettiMegaShip.

"I find it so remarkable that we're tracking each and every villain, when we're stationary," said Asharani. "Why do we do it? We'll never get anywhere in time to help."

"Because we do," replied Geneva. "It's how we've lived."

"Diva's released a plague of Piranhatrons," mentioned Edy. "Get the Turbos on it."

"Zordon's bouncing their teleport there," responded Karei.

"Good news," said Vedi, coming in. "The best I was able to do was ten miles out of Angel Grove, next city is Mariner Bay, as you recall, to ten miles away from Mariner . . . Long story short, we've got the land." Dropping what they were doing, they gathered around Vedi.

"Luckily, the road hugs the coast," replied Vedi. "But forty miles north south, about a fourth of a mile from the road, all the way west east to the outskirts of Silver Hills . . . about fifty miles. Twenty hundred miles square. And we've done it with much less."

"And the road connecting Mariner and Angel is a fourth of a mile from our boundary?" asked Mistri, clarifying.

"Yes, going north, a fourth of a mile from our west boundary," answered Vedi. "And B . . . we've got a good site for the Morphin and Zeos. I'll tell them tomorrow."

"Good job," said Mistri. "Let's get working."

~*~

August 8th, 1997.

"Oof!" snarled Franklin as he slammed into the ground. It was seven in the morning, and Franklin was getting a workout by battling the daily run of Piranhatrons. All around him were the other four Turbos, each also getting their own workout.

"If this is what it means to be a Power Ranger . . . " said Tasha. "Then anyone who wants to be a Power Ranger is insane!"

"It's not that bad," said Rosa, a whirling blur of pink. "Oh, did you hear? Skull and Kim, David and Edy are going on a double date together."

"Interesting," said Justin. "Skull must have grown up a lot." He dispatched his last Piranhatron with ease.

"Come on," said Fred. "Let's go get something to eat at Ernie's." The others agreed, and off they trooped. At Ernie's, they quietly informed him of their troubles and he handed them the first aid kit.

"You guys can handle it?" he asked.

"Damn straight," Tasha responded. "It's no harder than weaseling out of dish duty."

"So long as you know what you're doing," said Ernie, winking. "by the way, just how many are there now?"

"Three, two," said Justin, quietly.

"Thirty-two," repeated Ernie. "Whoa. Have there been any indications as to when the swelling may stop?"

Fred adjusted his cap. "Karei did say something about how the predictability of increasing was not open to discussion, being as that they didn't know who could become fixated on gaining a prize."

"I'd trust their opinion," said Franklin. "But Edy said something quite interesting. The return of Thunder and Morphin signify something big . . . Even though they switched to ninja," he explained, substituting ninja for Ninjetti; "The fact remains that for a brief time, the Morphin and Thunder were active." Even though no one was around, they were still being security conscious.

"Why would two powers return, if there was no need?" mused Ernie.

"Exactly what Asharani thought," replied Rosa.

~*~

It was late afternoon for a young lady in Kenya. Aisha Campbell was working away with a tame lion, as Ashala drew near.

"Come on, girl," Aisha sighed. "Can't you at least explain where you hurt?" But no answer was forth coming from the lion.

"Child, you must stop," Ashala said gently. "If you wear yourself out, then you will no longer be any use."

"I know, Ashala!" said Aisha. "I just feel so useless, now!"

"What do you mean, child? Is it to do with the Rangers?" Aisha had told Ashala everything, knowing that Zordon would not mind, due to the whole saga of the Zeo Crystal. She had had to explain where Tanya had gone, and it had seemed easier to tell the truth.

She nodded. "I feel ever more and more that I am needed, Ashala. That my place will remain open for me until I claim it. And I should not hesitate to claim it too late."

"Then you should go, Aisha my bear," said Ashala. "You are fierce and unstoppable, and if it is as you say, you should go." Aisha smiled faintly, that time on Phaedos flashing back. "Your promise matters to me no longer, dear. That was a promise I would never have made you make, had I known. But you were chained to your promise, as long as you held the power."

"Too true," returned Aisha. "But thanks to giving my Zeo Crystal to Tanya, these feelings are not as clear as they could be. With the Power, intuition and foresight were heightened. And now without it . . . " She shook her head.

"But did not Zordon say to Trini, Once a Ranger, always a Ranger?" reminded Ashala. Aisha nodded, her mind thinking.

"He and Dulcea also said as much for us to believe that the Ninjetti Power would remain with us forever."

"And you seem to think that is not true?"

"When MasterVile turned back time, we couldn't morph. We never knew why, but it was because the Monolith was prior to its activation. When time returned to normal, the Monolith was deactivated. We had no Ninjetti Powers," recited Aisha. Ashala turned around and began leading Aisha back to the village huts. "You see, this is what happened. Ivan destroyed the Power but not the Coins. We went to Phaedos for the Great Power. We came back, set aside the NinjaZords as replacements for a later date. Enter Rito, who destroyed the Coins and ThunderZords but not the Power. So Ninjor gave us the Power back through new coins."

"Child, I think you know in your heart what you must do. Now you just need to know it in your mind," replied Ashala.

~*~

Author's Note: This explanation thus places MMPR:TM within series continuity, although it is noted that it DID take place outside of series continuity. Yes, I know that by using the Ninjetti, I was obviously assuming it did, but there it is, AN explanation putting it within continuity.

~*~

Aisha slept restlessly that night. Her sense of duty to both the tribe and to the world ate away at her, as she wondered what she was to do. But still she did not know what she was to do. She finally got up about three in the morning and hiked off to a great rock plateau that she usually went to when she wished to think. It was a very private place.

Once she was there, she began to think.

Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger.

The Bear is dormant. A voice she did not know.

"What do I do? I'm not a Ranger with Powers anymore!" Aisha yelled. Her own voice sounded quite small and unconvincing.

I am Ninjor! I am pure of Heart, Body, Mind and Spirit! Join with me now as I become one with the Power of Ninja!

A tear trickled down her cheek.

I have often called on the power of my personal talisman when I am unsure.

"But it's not where I belong," Aisha said. "It may have been at that time . . . but it's no longer where I am meant to be. I just don't know where I am meant to be in what capacity. Let's face it," she sighed.

"I'm not doing any good here. I've tried my best to stop the plague, but I cannot. Ashala's released me from my promise, so I can leave. I should leave, I feel that I am needed. But without Power, what use am I?" She sat on the edge of the plateau, noting a medium sized crack filled with dirt. She toyed with the idea of getting the dirt out. It was doing something, so she began.

Her mind wandered, and so when she was finally done, it took her a minute to realise she held a grime stained coin. "Hmm," Aisha muttered. She began to work at it, and in surprise when she had cleaned most of the dirt off it, she noted the symbol of the Bear on it. Oh my God . . .

"What does this mean?" Aisha muttered. She got up wearily. The hike up to the plateau, which was three miles straight up had been quite difficult, due to her lack of sleep. She misstepped and began the descent straight down to the ground below.

Aisha, you are the Bear, fierce and unstoppable.

Once more, as they had been all day, the thoughts went through her mind. Whereas they had eaten at her, causing her uncertaincy, now these thoughts brought her peace. Still holding the Power Coin of the Bear, she righted herself to land on her feet and brought her hand out straight, thumb, index and middle fingers holding the Coin. She had dropped a mile by now and had achieved maximum acceleration downwards.

"Here goes nothing. Ninjetti! The Bear! Power Up!"

Aisha entered a yellow energy storm, so it appeared. The Coin faded from her hand. Her Ninjetti suit was on her within the second, and then slowly her suit began the transformation to armor. As soon as it was fully formed, she hit the belt buckle, and teleported to the plateau's top. She was styled in yellow and silver. She kept her helmet on out of habit, and quickly thought again.

I guess my decision's been made . . . but I wish I could stop the plague as well! As she finished, a thought from out of nowhere came to her. The Yellow Ranger of Phaedos is a healer. She would grant you the power to stop this plague this once, if you would?

Oh, please! Aisha, begged. Her hands began to sparkle with yellow light, and holding them over the plague affected lands, she sent a yellow wave of energy outwards. And another. More came until Aisha demorphed involuntarily.

It is as you wished. Rest now, and your powers will be available to you once more. Aisha hit a brand new communicator on her left wrist, not knowing where it might have come from, and teleported to just outside the village's sight, to begin the walk back.

Almost immediately she found Ashala.

"The plague is ended, Great-Aunt Ashala," Aisha said solemnly. "And I must return to Angel Grove. My powers are back."

"I am pleased for you, my bear. You have succeeded in all three of your quests, then." Noting Aisha's blank look, she elaborated. "Your Zeo quest, you found your SubCrystal and returned time to normal. Your plague quest, you beat the plague. And your Ranger quest, you now know where you must be and that your Powers were always with you."

Another thought came to Aisha's mind, unbidden. All that was needed was time, and the Ninjetti would have returned of it's own volition.

"Thank you, Great-Aunt Ashala. For everything." And Aisha turned to her family's hut, to plan her return to Angel Grove.

~*~

August 15th, 1997.

Aisha stretched as she hopped out of her seat to get off the plane. Fortunately, her parents had no problems with returning to Angel Grove, especially since the plague had been broken.

Her friends didn't know of her return, and she was glad of that. She was also grateful for the fact that whenever she morphed, the Power Chamber apparently did not register her. This enabled her to effectively plan out a surprise for her teammates. As far as she had determined, both from what the Power told her and what she had found out about the teams back home, she had concluded that she must be one of the Thunder Avatar Ninjetti. As soon as she had drawn that conclusion, she had seen a big crystal. The White Tiger, Black Lion, and Blue Unicorn had been 3-D. And the Yellow Griffin had become 3-D.

So her main plan was to simply wait until she knew that the Rangers were fighting, and go and help them. Other than that, she had no clue. She really didn't know what she wanted to do with her life. At one time, working with animals had been her passion. Not that it wasn't anymore, but working endlessly on the plague and having no results had dimmed the passion she had felt. She still wanted to help, she just wasn't sure if it was to be her life's work.

She was jolted out of her thoughts as the car parked outside their new home. The Campbells had asked some old friends of theirs to make sure their furniture and such was in the house already, and so Aisha headed upstairs to unpack and rearrange the furniture accordingly. Luckily, most of the house was organised in such fashion that they decided to leave it, to save having to do it.

"Mother! I'm just heading down to the Juice Bar!" she called out.

"Alright," said Nicole. "I assume you want to surprise your friends?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at the outfit Aisha wore. All her features were obscured. "When can I inform people of who we are?" Suddenly, Aisha's communicator beeped.

"Uh . . . I'll let you know!" Aisha dashed off and once secluded, began listening to the convo.

"Rita and Zedd have sent down almost a hundred Tengas." That was definitely Zordon.

"Well, we Avatars had better get on it." A voice Aisha couldn't place.

"Ninjetti! The Giraffe!"
"The Crane!"
"The Wolf!"
"The Eagle!"
"The Jaguar!"
"The Rabbit!"
"The Lion!"
"The Tiger!"

"The Bear!" Nine Ninjetti appeared in the warehouse district, Yellow Bear Ninjetti grateful that for at least this battle, her coin was not visible to the others. Needless to say, the others were startled at the appearance of another Ninjetti.

Alpha in the Power Chamber was chittering 'ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!' over and over, whilst Zordon informed everyone that as long as this Ninjetti was on the side of good, they could not determine their identity. To which Calcia replied that if they were evil, they wouldn't be Ninjetti.

But the eight Ninjetti were grateful for the assistance of another Ninjetti, even if they didn't know who it was. And she seemed to be quite capable, kicking and punching her way through the swath of Tengas alongside everyone else. When they had dispatched the last Tenga, Red Jaguar Ninjetti looked around, hoping that was it. It appeared so, and he approached the Yellow Bear Ninjetti.

"Thank you," he said. "Your assistance was much appreciated."

"Quite welcome, Jaguar," she responded. "But my need is to speak with Zordon of Eltar."

"Very well." He raised his wrist. "Zordon, the unknown Ninjetti wishes to see you. May we bring her?"

"Certainly," replied Zordon. The Yellow Bear Ninjetti tapped her wrist and teleported off, quickly followed by the others. When they reached the Power Chamber, the Yellow Bear Ninjetti was looking around the place, clearly shocked. The others demorphed as she examined the place.

"Whoa, this place has seen some è oh my god." She had seen the Ranger suits behind the glass. And she turned around, and saw Zack, Kim, Billy, Trini, Jason, Skull, Bulk and David. "No way. Bulk and Skull could not be Rangers! Impossible! Three things I know. The sun rises in the east. It sets in the west. And Bulk and Skull can not be Rangers."

"We trust you with our identities," cut in Billy, calmly. "You can trust us with yours."

"Billy, you are the Wolf, cunning and swift. Agile Kimberly, light as a feather, you are the Crane," recited Yellow Bear Ninjetti. "And you, Tommy, you are the Falcon, Winged Lord of the sky. And I know you're not Tommy, but you look enough like him."

Kimberly and Billy strained to see past the Ninjetti suit, knowing that voice.

"And I am the è " she started, and dropped her hood and mouth mask.

"Bear, fierce and unstoppable!" cried Kim and Billy together. "Aisha!!!!" She morphed out of her suit, hugging Kim and Billy. "You must fill me in on everything that's happened since everyone's letters stopped coming."

"Welcome back, Aisha," rumbled Zordon. "You will be pleased to note that Tanya has been a wonderful Ranger in your stead."

"Wonderful," Aisha said, dryly. "You thought I would think I had sent you a hopeless person and would need to reassure me? I'd've come back myself if I'd thought for one moment Tanya wouldn't've cut it!"

"But why are you back?" asked Kim.

"I think that you'd best get everyone here, explain the changes to me first and then I can fill you in on my half," replied Aisha. Billy nodded and sent out the call. Within three minutes, all the Rangers were there, and explanations of the changes since the assumption of the Zeo Crystal were commencing.

"So let me see if I understand this," said Aisha after everyone had finished explaining, going back over points and generally confusing Aisha a lot more than necessary. "Jason took and lost the Golden Zeo Powers. Then along came the Morphin Avatars, due to the Morphin Crystal. Then you nine Ancient Ninjetti turn up, hoping to see us Ninjetti. Then along came the last four Zeo Rangers. Then Edy, Adam and Trini got to go back hundreds of years. Then the Turbo Rangers came along and then the Thunder Avatars."

"Um, right," said Tasha.

"Why the bloody hell didn't you just say so!" Aisha demanded. "Oh well. As for me . . ." And she quietly explained everything as she saw it as to how and why she came back to Angel Grove.

When Aisha finished, there were a few nods around the room, and finally Calcia spoke firmly.

"Aisha, what you told Ashala about MasterVile was incorrect."

"What do you mean?" Aisha asked, interested.

"When he turned back time, it was only on Earth that time reverted to the past. Everywhere else was still at the point of 'now', but Earth was at the point of 'then'."

"So why couldn't we morph?" asked Rocky.

"Because the Monolith grants the Power of the Ninjetti, which is spiritually and human energy focused. We said that the Ninjetti becomes a part of you, and would have returned of it's own volition. Aisha is the only real example of that, seeing as how Kim and Billy got new Powers, and Tommy, Adam and Rocky assumed the Zeo Crystal," Calcia continued.

"The Ninjetti Power works on a basis of altering your human energy pattern to the slightest degree so that if you would have the need, you could morph without access to your morpher. The Ninjetti suit is a good example of that, in that a simple thought will place you in your Ninjetti suit. However, we choose to to voice that thought as 'The Hawk' in my case," added Mistri.

"But to access the Ranger, you need your Morpher. The surge of Power is regulated and controlled. To morph without it, is to invite that Power into you with no barriers, which will likely kill you. With the Ninjetti, you no longer have that problem, so long as you morph Ninjetti, because your human energies, which are part of the Ninjetti Powers in one sense, have changed," said Asharani.

"Your human energies changed as you gained the Great Power, because the Ninjetti suits are spiritual, and do not rely on the energies. The Ninjetti Ranger relies on the human energies and the spiritual connection of your spirit animal. So when MasterVile turned back time, you were younger, in bodies that were before you quested," said Dalila.

They fell silent, and so they began to think it out for themselves. Justin looked up after five minutes and said, "So, if they were in bodies that hadn't quested, their human energies hadn't changed, so they didn't have the Power of the Ninjetti. But they would have had their spirit animal still, and thus their Ninjetti suits . . . cause that's a connection to the spirit, and their spirits hadn't changed . . . right?"

"Half right," said Bambi. "The thing about the spirit animal is theorectically correct, I would say. We, reverted to our childhoods, would likely be able to have enough control of mind to have our Ninjetti suits. But you as children, likely would not. Which is largely due to the difference in upbringing between the cultures."

"Then I really only have one question," said Jason. "Why haven't you corrected us on this point before?"

"Was the Ninjetti our main source of Power?" asked Geneva.

"No," answered Jason.

"Is it becoming our main source of a secondary Power?"

"As far as I see, yes."

"And has it not returned of its own volition? To one ensnarled between the timestreams?"

"I guess so."

"Pray tell me then, why we would not correct you." No answer was forthcoming and Geneva nodded, as if she had expected that much.

"Then please do not hurry us," said Edy. "Everything will be sorted as time passes."

~*~

Aisha snuggled into her bed that night, glad of the chance to rest. But of course, as she was about to fall asleep, her communicator beeped. Groaning, she sat up and responded. "Aisha. What's the problem?"

"Aisha, please report to the Power Chamber immediately," said Alpha. Sighing, she grabbed a jacket and pants, slipping them on before teleporting out. She arrived in a streak of canary yellow.

"Yes, Zordon?" she said, stifling a yawn.

"Aisha," rumbled Zordon. "There has arisen a most disturbing fact to light."

"What do you mean?" asked Aisha warily.

"When you stayed in Africa, as we have seen, your Ninjetti Powers returned to you, as the Phaedos Rangers proclaimed," Zordon began. "But there have been startling revelations regarding your powers."

"What do you mean?" she asked, nervously.

"Although your quest was to a different place, as with the other Rangers, it was to the same time as it was then, not a different time. This has had unforeseen affects upon your powers." Aisha was starting to worry. Zordon didn't often sidestep the issue, unless it was news he really didn't want to be the giver of.

"Please, just tell me," she implored.

"Your powers are slowly becoming unstable. At the moment, your powers, unless we find a way to reverse the problem, will fail you July 7th, 2004. However, each time you morph or use your Ninjetti suit, the process is speeded."

"Why would staying in Africa cause this?" she asked.

"Because you stayed in Africa, Aisha," began Zordon; "your parents had to be with you in the six years that were just a few seconds for us. In the days before we repaired time, your parents decided to move to Africa, thus allowing you to 'meet them' there as you journeyed on your Zeo Quest."

"Yes?"

"You broke Time into two," Zordon said. "That effect upon the timestream has affected nothing except your powers. As far as we can tell, it will affect nothing, except your powers."

"Why?" asked Aisha, beginning to feel tiredness creep up and up on her.

"Because the Zeo Crystals, in repairing Time, eliminated timestream problems for people's memories and timestream locality, between Kaura and Herao. It is rather complex in the how and whys, and I will not explain it here."

"Kaura and Herao are that which I split Time into?" queried Aisha.

"Precisely," answered Zordon. "But it could not stop the return of the Ninjetti, and it seems that it did not return overly late or early, so I am told. But with the return of the Ninjetti came this problem between the two."

"I'm understanding most of it . . . but which is which?"

"Kaura is displaced time," said Zordon. "As far as I have been able to determine, with the information provided by Bambi, when you split time, what was split into Kaura, has slowly been shuffled back into Herao."

"And once that is completed, the two won't exist, right?" said Aisha.

"Except it will not complete," replied Zordon. "Your connection to the Grid was warped and twisted between the two times. I cannot find when everything will return to as it was, never having experienced this before."

"Lemme get this straight," said Aisha. "Because Tanya and I swapped places, Time, which ran as one functioning stream, split into two. As time has passed, it has begun to repair itself, by moving whatever was moved into the displaced time Kaura, back into normal time, Herao. Herao by itself doesn't exist in and of itself. Everything will fix itself, excepting my connection to the Grid, which has been warped and twisted between the two times. And my powers as they stand, will fail because of this. On July 7th, 2004, no less. But morphing will speed this process up, and I assume it is because of morphing drawing upon my connection to the Grid."

"Indeed it is as you have said, Aisha," replied Zordon.

"In a normal, functioning timestream, there are two types of times," came a voice. Aisha whirled around. Geneva stood there, twirling her Flame Staff. "Chronos, or clock time. And the second is kairos, or specific eventful moments. Often associated with a higher deity. For us, it is St. Teresa of the Little Flower. Who is not a deity, but the spiritual guide of the Ninjetti."

"You know," said Aisha. "I'm going to go home and get some sleep." She tapped her communicator, and teleported out in bright yellow. Alpha looked at the readout they had on her powers, and noted that the date was closer. 11:24:57 pm, July 6th, 2004.

"So, it is just not morphing," said Geneva. "As long as her connection is not used actively, then the decline is steady. When she uses her connection the decline is erratic."

"If we can figure out what she is doing when her connection is used actively," said Alpha. "We can perhaps figure out what we are to do about it!"

"Nothing Ranger related," snapped Geneva. "Teleporting, morphing, Ninjetti. There's only one way to fix her problem, and that's to fix Time itself. And I don't think we have enough time, let alone the resources to do it."

The End... for now...