The Morphin Grid
Tatsuya swears he has seen something like this in one of the many anime he watched in the past.
For some reason, Tatsuya is naked and floating in this place that looks like a bad mushroom-induced hallucination, and given the fact that he doesn't remember eating any mushrooms before coming here, it means they were good ones.
"At least there is this conveniently placed light covering me". Tatsuya says with a sigh as he looks at said light shining over him at waist level. "But what is this place?"
"The Morphin Grid". A feminine voice speaks.
Tatsuya looks at where the voice is coming from, and his theory on mushrooms only gets more credibility, because in front of him is his ranger suit, except with larger hips, thick thighs, and more volume on the chest area, a lot more.
"This dream just gets weirder and weirder". Tatsuya comments, looking at his ranger costume head to toe, unconsciously touching his chest to make sure it's not his reflection nor a perfect replica of himself. "At least I hope it's a dream".
"This is no dream, Takamiya Tatsuya". The ninja steel red says, grabbing Tatsuya's hand with both of theirs and placing it on the helmet where the cheek is supposed to be. "See, I'm as real as you are."
"I see… I SEE!!!" Tatsuya says, his whole face turning red as he retrieves his hand and uses it to cover himself. "DON'T LOOK. TURN AROUND… AND ALSO, CLOSE YOUR EYES."
-Linebreak-
Opening - (Trip (Innocent of D) - Larval Stage Planning)
(As the music starts, the sun becomes black, the blue sky turns red, nature is on fire, and the ground begins to shake as a dark figure approaches with heavy footsteps. Tatsuya is in his Ninja Steel costume, with Rias and her Peerage right behind him. Tatsuya draws his Ninja Star Blade and uses his Element Star Fire to summon its flames. Rias uses her power of destruction. Issei enters his balance breaker form. Akeno is flying above them with lightning sparking in her hands. Kiba readies his sword. Koneko punches her left palm with her right hand. Asia joins her hands and concentrates on using her sacred gear. Once ready, they all charge against the approaching figure.)
(The title screen appears as: Highschool DxD: Ninja Steel.)
Majiwariau sen to tooku yobikakeru sora. (Tatsuya and Issei are surrounded by Quantrons, making the former draw his morpher and the latter his sacred gear.)
Juuji no shita de mau senritsu no koe. (The sky turns black, and huge red eyes shine with malice.)
Yowasa nado kimi ni misetaku nai kara.(Flashes of Rias and her entire peerage in their combat gear appear.)
Kaze wo ukete furikitte susume. (Under the gray sky, Tatsuya is in his Ninja Steel costume with his arms crossed, looking at Kuoh from a distant cliff as the rain falls.)
Shoudou wo tokihanate! Kakemeguri tsumoru ishi. (Rias uses her power of destruction against Riser while Akenoand Yubelluna attack and evade each other with their magic.)
Sono me wo wasure wa shinai. (Kiba engages Karlamine in a swordfight while Koneko fights hand-to-hand against Siris.)
Kioku wo yurasu DrawxDelete ashita ni kaeru ima wo. (Asia is on her knees, healing Issei, who refuses to stay down, facing Riser as he laughs at them.)
Mata rinne suru tomoshibi sotto hoho wo tsutau kurenai. (Tatsuya, fully Morphed, stands his ground as a shadow appears in front of him, growing bigger to the point that the sun is entirely blocked. The ranger attacks without hesitating.)
(As the instrumental continues, we see Tatsuya napping in the shadows under a tree. Cut to Issei and his two pervert friends running from the kendo club as they chase after the trio with their wooden swords. Asia is watching the chase with worry, while Rias and the others smile. Cut to Sona with the full student council right behind her, her arms are crossed, and her eyes are looking at Tatsuya's sleeping figure with indifference before lightly kicking him, making him wake up and sigh at the sight before his eyes return to the blue sky, watching as a red bird flies in front of the sun.)
-Linebreak-
"Pffff… AHAHAHAHAHA". Ninja Steel Red doesn't remember the last time she genuinely laughed and had fun like this. "You're cute. Has anyone ever told you that?"
"My mom, my aunts, my grandmothers". Tatsuya says, face still red, hands still covering him. "Now turn around, and close your eyes! PLEASE!!!"
"Okay, okay". Ninja Steel Red obeys and does as they are told. "There, happy now?"
"A little". Tatsuya says. "What is this place? Who are you? Why am I naked? You can stop when I tell you to."
Shaking their head in amusement, Ninja Steel Red takes a deep breath.
"This is the Morphin Grid." Ninja Steel Red says. "A multi-dimensional energy source accessed by the Power Rangers. By establishing a link, an individual's cellular makeup is instantaneously uploaded to the Grid, allowing them the knowledge and powers that come with it."
Tatsuya's reaction is a deadpanned stare, while three dots slowly appear above his head, one after the other.
"Did that robot put you up for this?" Tatsuya asks with genuine concern for the ranger.
"It's basically an energy field that surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together." Ninja Steel Red says.
"Oh, I get it". Tatsuya nods, crossing his arms and closing his eyes in understanding. "Why didn't you just say that from the start?"
"*sigh* Moving on. My name is Rhian, the Red Emissary". Rhian says.
"Red Emissary?" Tatsuya tilts his head to the side in confusion.
"Yes." Rhian nods. "Emissaries are ethereal entities who represent the Morphin Masters."
"Emissaries? Plural? And who are these Morphin Masters?" Tatsuya's eyes widen at the information, wondering how much that stupid robot left out of his foolish story.
"There are six Emissaries, counting me. The others are Blue, Yellow, Green, Black, and Pink". Rhian says, feeling nostalgia as familiar faces run through her mind. While she explains to Tatsuya about the emissaries, a genuine smile graces her lips while doing so. "As for the Morphin Masters, they are ancient beings that live in the Morphin Grid and protect it from various threats. They actually are the ones who granted those powers to you in your fight."
Tatsuya just shakes his head since it is too much to process. He was supposed to come to this new universe and stop evil, plain and simple. Now he is mixed in a plot involving ancient powers, ethereal beings, which is enough to make him wonder how long until aliens get involved.
"Let's go to a simpler topic". Tatsuya says, shaking his head in an attempt to avoid a headache. "You still haven't told me why I'm naked."
"Pfff… well, dear Red Ranger". Rhian says, her voice drowning in mockery. "The Morphin Grid didn't drag your body here, only your consciousness, because you thought this was some anime hallucination or the afterlife, and people apparently go there naked, your mind has made you manifest yourself here the same way you came to the world." Rhian turns around and looks at Tatsuya. His clothes had returned after she finished speaking, but his face was still flustered from being naked and learning he was the only one to blame. Rhian's reaction is just a mischievous smile. "Nice jacket."
"Thank you". Tatsuya says shyly, noticing the sarcasm and mockery in Rhian's tone, but too embarrassed to be bothered. "I won in a carnival back in America?"
"Really?" Rhian says. She knows the boy is confused and doesn't want to overload his head, so she decides to engage him in talk until he is more relaxed. "I thought those things were scams disguised as games."
"They are". Tatsuya nods as the memory of the day he won the jacket floats in his mind. "I'm just that good".
"Ooh?! How so?" Rhian asks, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at the bold testament made by the teenager.
"The guy cheated, yet I still won". Tatsuya says, confident and slowly forgetting what transpired since he arrived there.
"Is that so?" Rhian says. "Wanna tell me about it?"
Rhian isn't actually interested in the story, but as his guardian, it is part of her duty to be supportive of him, no matter the task. If hearing a story about how he won a jacket will help him and make him feel better, then it is a task she will happily follow through with.
Tatsuya then starts to explain how he won his jacket. Stars appeared in his eyes with excitement for sharing this story, which he cherishes so much.
On that day, Tatsuya was in America with his family. His father took them to the local carnival, where he was sure his son would get out of sight as soon as they entered, and leave him and his wife alone for a few hours. Tatsuya didn't waste time on any of the attractions or in the amusement park of the carnival, going to the games' booths instead. The first booth was the classic shoot-the-duck; it was rigged with ducks too heavy to be knocked out by the shots of the toy gun. Tatsuya liked a challenge, but those games offered none. The trick was to use all the bullets at the same time at the same spot, and for a trained ninja like him, it was easy. One win and one giant teddy bear later, Tatsuya went to the hoop-throwing game, snatching a clean victory on his first try and winning himself a brand-new pair of sunglasses. Win after win made the teenager just start giving away his spoils of victory to the people watching him, until he saw it.
The red leather jacket he is currently wearing was being displayed like a trophy, because it was. It hypnotized Tatsuya just by standing there motionless, and the boy knew he had to win it. It was his destiny to wear that jacket and look cool while doing so. Wasting no time, he took the money out of his pocket and slammed his hand holding it at the booth's counter. It was the easiest yet most rigged game of the park, hitting the five stacked bottles, which of course, were cemented into each other and full of sand inside, with a simple battered baseball.
The way Tatsuya won that game was both smart and the perfect way to pay the host with the same coin. The rules were simple: knock the bottles down with the ball. Tatsuya, with a cheeky smirk, asked the host if that was the only rule. When the host confirmed, Tatsuya asked the same question from a different angle, asking if it didn't matter how the bottles fell as long as the ball was used. When the host confirmed once again, Tatsuya threw the ball with precision, and the leg of the stand holding the bottles ripped like paper when it was hit on the weak link, causing the stand to fall with the bottles. It was to no one's surprise that the host got angry and didn't like the result. Tatsuya just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, saying that he followed the host's own rule, and it was not his fault that the host did not specify what couldn't be done or what methods weren't allowed.
When the host went on to throw a tantrum, Tatsuya didn't help himself by demanding the jacket, making the man's face and eyes turn red in anger, but before he could say anything, the teenage pointed his finger to the fallen bottles, showing the sand falling from their mouths and how they were still attached to each other despite falling in the ground. Then, Tatsuya showed the host he had recorded everything, and if he didn't receive his rightful jacket, the police would be called and have the video delivered to them. Swallowing his pride and anger, the host conceded and gave the jacket to Tatsuya, who put it on the moment he grabbed it. Giving a two-finger salute to the host, Tatsuya turned around and went to look for his parents, barely holding himself in excitement and wanting to show them the new addition to his wardrobe. On that night, the host would be contacted by the authorities. Tatsuya had still sent the video to the police since the man was scamming other people as well, instead of just the Japanese boy, and they deserved justice for being tricked, the reason he didn't do the same to the others was because despite their games being rigged they still accept defeat, and the people who didn't win anything got the prizes from Tatsuya, and there was no one stopping those people from making their own recordings.
"That's how I got the jacket". Tatsuya says, smiling the whole time.
"That is a nice story". Rhian tells him, a bit of jealousy running through her body as she longs for those simple times to come back.
"Did you like it?" Tatsuya asks.
"I did". Rhian nods.
They both share a smile, but after a few seconds, Tatsuya realizes this isn't a social meeting and feels embarrassed for changing topics out of the sudden just to talk about himself. Scratching the back of his head, the Japanese teenager goes back to their talk, hoping he wouldn't change the subject to more talks about his 'achievements'.
"So… Rhian". Tatsuya says, trying to find the right words. "You said you are an Emissary, and that you represent the Morphin Masters. Can you tell me everything? What are they, and what do they do? What does representing the Morphin Masters entail, and how did you become an Emissary?"
"Well. You see, thousands of ye-" Rhian started her explanation, but was stopped abruptly by Tatsuya, who grabbed her and shut her mouth with his hand.
"No. Nononononono." Tatsuya says, his eyes twitching as if some PTSD attack was starting to kick in. "I'll not go through one of those anymore. Try again."
"*sigh* Okay". Rhian let it pass; she knows how much of a headache that robot could be, and given how it messed up royally when recruiting Tatsuya, she couldn't blame him for being anxious when hearing those words. "In a distant past. My friends and I were Power Rangers, just like you. But not just any Power Rangers, we were the first team to be formed, but for you to understand how the Rangers came to be, you must understand the Morphin Grid. How it's connected with everything there is. The accession of Morphin Masters. The formation of the first Power Ranger team, and how Emissaries were formed."
Taking a step back, Rhian lifts her left arm forward, opening her hand and letting her palm face up. Like magic, images start appearing above her hand, showing a strange world that looks like Earth, but there is only one mass of land and one ocean.
"This is Planet Sullet. The first and most advanced civilization in the universe was born on it". Rhian's tone shifts, gone were her light-hearted humor and carefree attitude she had with the teenage ninja, replaced by seriousness and focus on the story she is telling. "The Sulletian people theorized that life and evolution were not an event that happened by chance and specific circumstances, but a gift that was given by something, or someone, to each planet so life can be born and changed."
"The Morphin Grid?" Tatsuya says without thinking while looking at the images as they change with Rhian's explanation, showing the Sulletian people. They have a humanoid appearance, standing on two feet, but their skin is blue, and their hands have only three fingers.
"Correct". Rhian nods, proceeding with her explanation, and making the image change again, this time showing a laboratory with many Sulletians studying and discussing the same topic. "The Sulletian theorized that all life and evolution were gifts given to the universe by the Morphin Grid. To prove that theory, they created a machine that would harvest the energy from the Morphin Grid and use it on the test subjects, which were the native animals from Sulletians, three reptiles, and two mammals. The expected result was to see if they would evolve, and if they did, they would be released on a world with no dominant species and see how well they could adapt, and where their place would be on the food chain. The reptiles were the first to be tested."
The animals being displayed were strange, yet somehow Tatsuya could've sworn he'd seen them before. The first reptile looked like a Komodo dragon, but its scales were smooth, and its front arms were short. The second reptile seemed like a rhino with three horns, but it had a condor-like beak, and feathers around its neck like a lion's mane. The third reptile was a hawk-looking creature with scales, four claws in the front of its feet, and two on the back. As the experiment proceeds, Tatsuya's eyes widen at what becomes of the animals, and how it could change everything.
"They… they are… Dinosaurs!!!" Tatsuya yells in surprise.
"Yes, they are." Rhian's answer seems disinterested, unaware, or ignorant of what this means to human history. "The first reptile became what humans know as a Tyrannosaurus Rex, the second became the Tryceratops, and the third became the Pterodactyl."
Tatsuya then remembers what Rhian just said: after the procedure was complete, the animals would be released into the wilderness of a planet with no dominant species. This means that the Sulletians had chosen Earth as their testing ground. The dinosaur age didn't happen because of evolution, chance, and natural selection. It happened due to the curiosity of alien scientists who used Earth to advance their research. The entire Mesozoic era and every discovery made by Earth scientists related to it only happened because aliens picked a random planet for their studies.
Tatsuya doesn't know how to react to this information. To know that a mighty species such as the dinosaurs only existed because alien scientists were tinkering with life, it shatters him to the core. The teenager starts to wonder how many other species were designed by the Sulletians, and if humanity was one of them, what does that make Tatsuya?
'Am I just the result of an alien science project as well?' Tatsuya's breathing is shallow, and his eyes can't even see what is in front of him anymore.
Rhian takes notice of the boy's state and closes her hand, making the images disappear. She goes to him and gently puts her hand over his shoulder.
"You are real," Rhian says with sincerity, her voice gentle and her eyes fully determined. "I know this is a lot to take, Tatsuya, but I can assure you humanity was never lab rats. Please, believe me."
"I need to sit down". Tatsuya says, sitting on the 'floor' and catching his breath, wishing there was a cup of water in this place to calm his nerves. "I… I just found out dinosaurs were never a creation of God, or nature, or evolution, or whatever… To know such marvelous creatures were…" Tatsuya grinds his teeth in anger and gets up, yelling in Rhian's face. "No one should have that kind of power! Tinkering with creation out of a whim so that you can see what comes out of it?! That's immoral! They weren't curing diseases or improving the lives of their people. They were playing God! And whenever someone does it, everyone else pays the price."
"They do!" Rhian says matter-of-factly. She takes a step back and locks her eyes on Tatsuya's, agreeing with everything her protégé is saying. "And they did".
Tatsuya takes a few deep breaths while Rhian only watches, knowing that what will come next will make him even more furious.
"Rhian… I'm sorry I yelled at you". Tatsuya looks at her apologetically and bows his in out of regret. "I know it's not your fault."
"It's okay". Rhian says.
Tatsuya, with his back straight again, shakes his head as a response to her words. "No, it isn't. I'm sorry."
"Let's just continue". Rhian says, giving Tatsuya a small smile before opening her hands and showing the images again. The other two mammals who were tested now appeared. "A meteor hit Earth, and a mass extinction happened, followed by an ice age. Seeing mammals evolving faster than other species, the Sulletians decided to introduce their two remaining subjects to the environment, hoping one of them would become the new dominant species."
Seeing what the animals turned into makes Tatsuya surprised once more, but also even more angry, for he also knew what those two creatures were. "The sabertooth tiger and the mastodon?! Those bastards."
"Ethical morals aside, their plan failed again". Rhian says, her words making Tatsuya smile.
"The arrogance of men, or aliens in this case, is to believe they are in control of nature, not the other way around". Tatsuya crosses his arms and nods in satisfaction.
"Indeed. Mother Nature sent a meteor to end the Sulletians' experiment with the dinosaurs, then she sent her other creation to stop the invasive organism." Rhian says.
"Humans!" Tatsuya says.
"Yes. Humans became the dominant species on Earth. Not only did the Sullentians' experiment fail, but nature proved it could do something they could not: give sentience to an entire species through the morphin grid while their best scientist couldn't do it to a single animal," Rhian says. "Needless to say, it was a humiliating defeat for the most ancient and advanced race in the universe."
"Well, nature does have a habit of teaching humility to arrogant people". Tatsuya says, full of sarcasm.
"*sigh* Unfortunately, there are those who are too stubborn, with egos too big, and pride too fragile to let it go". Rhian says, her voice and eyes seem tired as the images change again, this time showing a completely sterile room with white walls and just a small window on one of the sides. In contrast, the center of the room has eight pillars, four on the ground forming a square and four in the ceiling atop the pillars in the ground, they are all bent towards the center of the square, holding some type of glass orb that is pulsating like a living being, glowing red with energy inside, blue static crackling on the outside, and yellow soundwaves coming seconds after the static.
"This is the part where all goes wrong, and everyone pays the price, isn't it?" Tatsuya shakes his head in disappointment. Fiction and real life have taught this lesson to humanity many times, but they never listen or learn from it.
"*nods* The next step to the Sulletians was to drain energy from the morphin grid on a large scale. Think of it as a nuclear reactor, but bigger, more powerful, and-" Rhian can't finish, what comes next is hard to look at.
Tatsuya then ends it for her. "More dangerous."
Rhian just nods and lets the teenage ninja see it for himself. The scientists are observing the data in the computer coming from the energy spikes in the reactor; a seismograph is right beside it, and is showing no increase in seismic activity. The drain power is set to 10% and the reactor is shown to be stable. One of the scientists looks at the data and another at the seismograph, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, they increase the power to 20%. When nothing else happens, the scientists grow bold and increase the power to 50%, but still no changes. Once it reaches 100% of power, they all hold their breaths, the procedure is still stable, and the experiment seems like a complete success. Their serious expressions turn into smiles and relief. They all get on their feet and closer to the small window to observe the reactor as it generates more and more energy from the Morphin Grid for them. The Sulletians cheer, happy for the progress they made and the doors this experiment will bring to their people. Hugs and handshakes are traded as it seemed nothing could top what they achieved.
While the Sulletians' scientists are distracted by their apparent success, they don't notice the small increase in seismic activity shown by the seismograph, small enough for the common people to see but noticeable for any scientist with a real degree. The seismograph pins then start shaking, and the readings increase at a slow pace. It is not until the first quake comes that the scientists notice. Confusion starts to appear in their faces, as if this shouldn't have happened, and they couldn't be wrong, but the second quake comes as if to say into their faces they were. When the third quake starts, panic surfaces in their hearts, as they go to see the seismograph, its pin is shaking like crazy, and before they can make an excuse that absolves them and their research, the data spikes of the reactor also start to change.
All but one scientist goes to the computer to observe the new data the reactor is giving. The one who didn't go reaches the window, the red energy inside the reactor is now black, the sparks crackling on the outside are now pink, the yellow soundwaves are green. The Sulletians' scientists wanted to harvest the infinite energy of the Morphin Grid, and they managed to, but they made a big mistake. The Morphin Grid chooses the individual, not the other way around, in their eagerness and arrogance to get the energy; the scientists didn't consider what would happen if they managed to do so, and more.
The seismograph is the first to go when the fourth quake starts; the machine just stops shaking, and steam comes out of it. The computer with the data spikes crashes, but the screen is still displaying a frozen image, then its CPU shuts down with a bang, and the screen explodes in the scientists' faces, making them only stare with their mouths open as smoke comes out of the broken monitor as it's on fire. The scientist who was watching the reactor was the most shocked and scared of them as he watched cracks being formed on the reactor sphere.
CRACK
The sound was loud and rough to the ears, making the other scientists come to the window and see for themselves. Grown men shouldn't pee on their pants, but all the scientists did so when the first crack appeared on the sphere, for they know what will happen if it breaks, and what it means to the research, their reputation, and to their planet.
CRACK
Fear was clouding the scientists' minds, but not enough to lead them to inaction. Immediately after the second crack appeared, they ran to their stations and started the de-powering process of the reactor. With the computers down, they had to carefully manage the equipment manually to make sure no mistakes were made.
For all the anger Tatsuya is feeling watching the scene unfold, he can relent some of it as he sees these scientists go to the reactor with no protection gear despite the dangers, knowing their deaths are a small price to pay if it avoids a catastrophe.
Tension can be felt by Tatsuya despite being just a watcher observing events long past. The scientists were sweating with nervousness while their bodies trembled in fear as the reactor slowly shut down. Letting go of a breath he didn't know he was holding, Tatsuya observes as the scientists share his relief and go to each other to calm themselves from their fears and shaking bodies, handshakes and hugs are exchanged out of relief as tears flow out of their eyes, as they had never experienced such fear in their lives.
Their relief doesn't last long; despite the reactor shutting down, the scientists made a grave mistake in their calculation, and an unpredictable result occurs. The moment the reactor had reached 100% it created a permanent bridge between itself and the Morphin Grid, becoming self-sustained and independent from the equipment that managed it. Seconds later, the tremors return, and more cracks appear on the reactor.
Tatsuya can't see what happens next inside the lab because the image has changed, and started showing the whole planet from space. Before he can ask Rhian why the sudden change occurred, the whole planet literally explodes, unlike a grenade, though, where the shrapnel flies away in random directions, the 'shrapnel' that were once landmasses stand floating in the void, distant from each other yet still close enough to be put together like a jigsaw puzzle, but this puzzle would never be solved, moments after the explosion, the pieces of land get sucked into what was once a reaction, now, a full black hole that will one day consumes the entire galaxy.
Tatsuya has no words; he only watches with wide eyes and an open mouth. His heartbeats are so loud that one could listen to them if they pay attention due to how silent the place has become. Taking shallow breaths in an attempt to recover from the shock, Tatsuya steps back, almost slipping over his own feet, but thanks to Rhian holding his shoulders, he doesn't fall as she helps him stay put.
"All those people…" Tatsuya doesn't want to finish the sentence. He closes his eyes and shakes his head before taking another deep breath and looking at Rhian, still holding him, with false hopes that everything was fine at the end.
Rhian shakes her head to stop the boy from deluding himself. "Do you want to take a moment to rest?"
Tatsuya covers his face with both hands and groans. He feels exhausted after just learning that an entire planet was destroyed because a few scientists got too curious and wanted to play God. Seeing that feeling pity won't do anything helpful, he shakes his head and gathers every amount of determination he has.
Tatsuya looks at Rhian with focus and nods his head. "Continue!"
Rhian follows Tatsuya's requests, letting go of him, taking a step back, and continuing from where she left off. She raises her hand and makes the images appear once more. This time showing six figures dressed in white armor very similar to Rhian's ranger outfit, but with a medieval design on them. All of the armors were almost identical; the only difference between the six figures is that each one has a different color cape on its back and a sash around its waist, with the males wearing pteruges while the females wear skirts.
"Six Sulletians survived the destruction of their planet". Rhian starts as the images change to the one wearing the red cape. "These six were chosen by the Morphin Grid because of their humble hearts and willpower to become the Morphin Masters and enforce the Grid's will. There were the Red Master, Blue Master, Yellow Master, Pink Master, Green Master, and the Black Master."
"Good to know there was still humility among the first and most advanced race". Tatsuya says. Knowledge is a gift that should be shared and used for good, but if one lets ego get ahead of the greater good, the final result will always be the same. This is a belief Tatsuya will always carry with him.
"With the reactor's explosion, the Morphin Grid, which before that point existed only in a higher-dimensional plane of existence, became permanently connected to the physical plane of the entire multiverse. This is why it created the Morphin Masters, to make sure its power could never be used and abused by those who wanted to use it for evil". Rhian says as the images change, showing each of the Morphin Masters fighting against many creatures (who can only be described as monsters) at different times and different places.
The Black Master is fighting on a desert planet against a weird skeleton with two horns, using some armor made of bones. The Yellow Master is in some kind of pre-historical jungle against a reptilian monster with shining yellow eyes, red eyebrows-like skin above the eyes, and five spikes at the end of its long head. The Blue Master's opponent is a fat robot with fat cheeks and belly, wearing some kind of crown over its head, while on a planet that seems to be entirely made of machinery. The Green master's fight is in space against a giant rock monster with exposed veins that look like lava rivers. The Pink Master, however, is fighting not on a battlefield, but in a computer; her opponent is some type of virus, showing itself as a red light, just like 2001: A Space Odyssey. The final Morphin Master, the Red one, is fighting inside a palace on some moon against the scariest monster of all, in Tatsuya's opinion, a skinless red humanoid with its brain exposed, wearing an exoskeleton and holding a silver staff with a huge letter Z at the top.
"I assume these creatures are the 'evil' that tried to use the Morphin Grid for their nefarious ends?" Tatsuya asks. He looks at Rhian and receives a nod in response, already knowing that would be the Emissary's answer, and turns his attention back to the images. "They are brave, but protecting the Grid and fighting against these creatures means they have to manage two jobs at the same time; it never ends well when it happens".
"Correct". Rhian says. The image shows the destroyed planet once again. "The Morphin Masters realized that as well and came up with an idea. To recruit a small group to fight against those who wanted to use the Morphin Grid for evil in their place, while they would guard it as a last line of defense."
"So. The recruits became the sword, and the Masters became the shield, so to speak". Tatsuya looks at the destroyed planet, then at Rhian, earning a nod from her, making more questions pop up in his head. "How did they do it?"
"The planet's fragments". Rhian says. The images change again, showing one of the largest masses of the destroyed planet. "When the Sulletians' planet was destroyed, it became the physical place with the highest connection to the Morphin Grid in the universe. The Red Master then had an idea: to use the planet's energized fragments that weren't sucked by the black hole as some sort of catalyst for others to harvest the powers of the Morphin Grid and use them to defend it."
Tatsuya immediately understood what the Red Master's plan entailed and looked at Rhian with stars in their eyes. "This is how the Power Rangers were created?! They used the planet's fragments and somehow 'carved' them into the power sources, like the ninja star I used in my Morpher, to allow them to draw power from the Morphin Grid!"
"Precisely". Rhian smiles and nods at her apprentice, feeling somewhat proud that he guessed without much trouble, and spared her of another long explanation. With a gesture, the images change to five gold coins, each one with a different animal stamped on it. "As a reminder of their past, each Morphin Master carved a coin from one of the minerals that were left from the planet, with the animals they first tested imprinted on it. The Red Master created the Tyrannosaur coin. Yellow, the sabertooth. Blue, the Trireropts. Black, the mastodon. Pink, the pterodactyl."
Noticing one was missing, Tatsuya asked the question Rhian knew he was going to make. "What about Master Green?"
Rhian shows the coin created by the Green Master; instead of an animal, it has some type of three-pointed claw carved in it.
"The Green Master didn't feel comfortable making a coin based on the experiment that led their species to extinction, even if it was to be a reminder of their mistake. Instead, she created a coin based on one of the many legends of her people, and created her coin based on what your people call a dragon".
"Wicked". Tatsuya says, imagining for a moment what a dragon Power Ranger would look like. "What happened next?"
"A group of teenagers with attitude was chosen to be the first generation of Power Rangers". Rhian says proudly as memories of a Red Ranger with the power of the Tyrannosaurus fought against many monsters with its sword, always coming on top.
Rhian then shows the first Power Ranger team. Their outfits were almost the same; the ranger color plus a white-colored rhombus on their chests and backs, white gloves and boots, with the helmets being the only exception, with each one based on the animals of their power coins, and adding the fact that the Green Ranger had a gold shield on his chest and shoulders.
Tatsuya feels like a kid in Comic-Con who doesn't realize the heroes on display are just actors hired for the gig, except here the heroes are real, and despite not knowing what their feats are, the teenager knows they did amazing things. Rhian smiles, proud that her successor is willing to follow her example. Despite Rhian not being a ranger anymore, Tatsuya is now the successor of the Red Ranger legacy, her legacy, one which she is sure he will make her proud, and maybe even surpass her.
'I know you will do great things, Tatsuya. You just have to believe in yourself, and never give up.' Rhian's thoughts are interrupted by her apprentice, making her daydream come to a stop as she regains her focus on the subject. "I'm sorry Tatsuya. I was a little distracted. Could you repeat?"
"Well, you explained to me the Morphin Grid, the Morphin Masters, and how the Power Rangers came to be". Tatsuya says, raising a finger at each point he mentioned. "But there is still the matter of the Emissaries. How did they come to be, and how did you become one?"
Rhian shows images of herself and her Power Ranger team again. This time, they are fighting a woman with white hair tied in a weird way, making it look like two big horns. The next image Rhian shows is more to feed her ego than to help her successor; it shows her using the Tyrannosword against a gold-armored monkey monster. Tatsuya's eyes would've been mistaken for flashlights by how they were glowing with excitement at the fight.
"After my friends and I were chosen by the Morphin Masters, the evil witch, Rita Repulsa, arrived and wanted to use the Grid for her own ambitions". Rhian says. She looks at Tatsuya and smiles warmly at seeing the boy admiring her heroism. Shaking her head with amusement, she returns to the story and changes the images again. "Rita was a persistent adversary. She found out about an artifact connected to the Morphin Grid, the Zeo Crystal, and wanted to use it. Doing so would grant her access to the Grid and give her the same power the Morphin Masters had".
More images are shown, including one of a giant robot fighting against a giant monster. Tatsuya is about to scream, but Rhian stops him by raising her hands and shaking her head. There were too many fights during her time as a Power Ranger, and telling him about every one of them would take hours, so she tells him to wait until she is finished with her story, then he will be allowed to ask more questions.
"During our journey, we meet many allies, but also many new enemies," Rhian says with a serious tone. "Too much destruction to keep track of, but always trying our best to triumph over any obstacle. In the end, we managed to defeat Rita and lock her in a prison that she will never escape from. Once our victory was achieved, the Morphin Masters saw that good vs evil is a cycle that will always repeat, and the peace we have is just the calm before the storm. To make sure there would always be a force of good to keep the balance, they decided that a new Ranger team should be made every time a new evil arose. But due to their responsibilities as the last line of defense of the Morphin Grid, the Masters decided to create the Emissaries and give them the task to choose those who are worthy of being Rangers, and guide them in their journey, just like they did with my team and me".
"And they chose your team for the job?" Tatsuya asks.
Rhian nods and shows an image of her and her team in their Emissaries outfits, always changing by the second into another outfit from different teams.
"After we proved ourselves, the Morphin Master gave us a choice: to become the Emissaries or to return to a normal life since our mission was over". Rhian stops showing the images for good and takes a heavy sigh before proceeding. "Being an Emissary was not an easy choice. We had to leave everything behind: Family, friends, homes, but it was for the greater good."
"Do you regret it?" Tatsuya asks. By seeing into her eyes, he already knows the answer, but the question should've been left without saying.
"No". Rhion says as memories run through her head. With a little shake of her head, she wipes the sadness away and looks at the teenage ninja with a smile. "And seeing who I have as my successor is proof that I made the right choice".
"Thanks". Tatsuya says, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment, before a sudden realization comes to his mind. "Actually, I have a question… or many really".
"Ask way". Rhion nods her head.
"Well, after this whole explanation, it feels like I was chosen by the Morphin grid". Tatsuya says, letting Rhion respond with a nod to make sure they are seeing each other eye-to-eye. "Then, if I was chosen, what was the purpose of that crazy robot who called himself a god?"
"… Argh, that crazy fool did it again". Rhion groans as a headache attacks her mind. She pinches the bridge of her nose as she can only guess what the machine did to Tatsuya. "Let me guess, he caused a flood in your house, and the toaster fried you alive."
"No, and that was very specific". Tatsuya says with concern. His death was cartoony aesthetically but very much a horror scene in reality, so he doubts that a person getting shocked to death by electricity had a pleasant experience.
"I'm sorry for whatever may have happened to you, Tatsuya". Rhion says with an apologetic tone and expression. "That robot's name is actually Alpha-0. After being exposed to the Grid, he achieved sentience. Needless to say, he went mad with it, and for some reason, he believes he is a cartoon character who happens to be a robot ghost from Christmas past that came from the future. Still don't know where that came from."
Tatsuya nods, believing it is better not to tell Rhion about Aqua Teen since there was a chance she would wipe his memory and make Alpha-0 look after other robots to take as a template, such as Hal 9000. 'That is a thought I want to avoid.'
However, before Tatsuya could proceed with his questioning, something clicked inside his head, and after learning what that robot really was, he couldn't stop himself from letting anger boil inside him.
"Wait a minute, then what the hell was that cartoonish death I went through?" Tatsuya yells as memories of the event flood his mind. "Seriously, was that necessary?!"
"No". Rhion says with a frown, anger in her voice but not directed at Tatsuya. "He was supposed to go to you and talk, nothing more, nothing less."
"Wonderful". Tatsuya says while throwing his arms in the air. "I'm trapped in another dimension, probably forever. Meanwhile, back in my old world, my family is grieving over something that could be avoided".
Rhion stands still and says nothing. She couldn't blame the tantrum being thrown by the teenager; he lost his old life for nothing. Taking a deep breath, she just waits until Tatsuya calms down, which may take a while; she had distracted him from the fact that he was in another dimension away from everything he knew, but he was bound to be aware again sooner or later.
Given the fact that time and space mean nothing in this place, it is impossible to determine how long Tatsuya has been throwing a (justifiable) tantrum. Rhion decides to intervene before the teenager does something that will hurt himself. Lowering her head to avoid a blind punch thrown by the ninja, she puts her hand on his shoulder. It seems to calm Tatsuya as he stops himself and looks Rhion in the eyes.
"Feeling better?" Rhion asks, calmly.
"Not really," Tatsuya responds dejectedly. "I'm sad, or scared, or desperate. Heck, I can choose which."
"I know."
"I was killed for a stupid reason." Tatsuya's voice gets pinched.
"I know."
"I lost everything. My family, my friends, my home." Tatsuya says as his eyes narrow.
"I know."
Tears start coming out of Tatsuya's eyes. "Then this robot comes in, and then I'm in another universe, I'm fighting a monster, I'm a ranger, I'm learning everything I know is a lie, and then…"
Rhion hugs Tatsuya tightly. The boy lets out a scream as the tears drop from his eyes, as all the emotions he has been holding since he arrived come through all at the same time. Rhion just stands still, holding the boy, knowing he will fall if she lets go of him. Seeing Tatsuya in this state makes old thoughts resurface inside her mind, about how choosing teenagers to be Power Rangers instead of adults may have drastic consequences for said teenagers further in their lives. Unfortunately, the decision isn't up to her, nor the Morphin Masters. It is up to the Morphin Grid, and like nature, one cannot control the Grid, nor understand it fully, only accept it as it is.
Once Tatsuya is calm again, Rhion lets go of him, slowly. She grabs him by the shoulder and looks in his eyes. At first, Tatsuya avoids contact, but he relents and looks back at Rhion.
"Feeling better?" Rhion asks with a motherly tone.
"I guess". Tatsuya's answer is still a little dejected.
"It's difficult. I know." Rhion says. Tatsuya tries to look again, but she grabs his chin gently and makes him look back at her. "But everything is possible for the Grid, believe me".
Tatsuya nods, and Rhion smiles at him. She takes a step back and sighs, relieved that the boy is back to normal for the time being.
"I know things are confusing right now". Rhion says. "Lots of things are happening around you. You have lots of questions. Time seems to be running amok while everything around you seems like a monkey party."
"That's putting it mildly". Tatsuya says, there is a little hint of sarcasm in his tone that makes the corner of Rhion's lips go up a little.
"And I promise everything will make sense". Rhion says, back to her focused demeanor. "I know you feel like the weight of the world is hanging over you, but rangers are never alone. You gave me, and there is someone else waiting for you once you wake up".
Tatsuya's eyes widened once he heard that. His thoughts go back to Rias Gremory. He felt unconscious before making sure the place was safe after the monster was defeated, meaning he unknowingly and unwillingly put an innocent girl in danger and weighed her down by being unconscious, and forced her to look after him.
Rhion sees right through Tatsuya and intervenes before he has a panic attack.
"The girl is fine". Rhion says, making Tatsuya look at her. "Rias Gremory, I mean. I saw what happened after you fell. She is fine. Worry about yourself for now."
"She is fine?! Oh, thank God". Tatsuya breathes in relief. "Sorry, I guess I was worried."
"It's okay". Rhion says. "But I didn't mean her when I said someone was waiting for you."
"Then who?" Tatsuya asks curiously.
"Your mentor and guide". Rhion says.
"I thought you were my mentor and guide?!" Tatsuya says.
"I am, but I'm more of a spiritual kind; this one is a physical one, who will teach you the ways of the Power Ranger and turn you into the leader you're meant to be for your team". Rhion says with conviction.
"Leader?! There's gonna be more Rangers?" Tatsuya asks.
"Of course," Rhion nods and smiles at Tatsuya. "I told you Rangers are never alone. There are four other teenagers like you in Kuoh just waiting for the Morphin Grid to choose them, although they are unaware of it."
"I see". Tatsuya nods and ponders over the matter. "But leader?! I don't think I'm leader material."
"You are. You'll see". Rhion smiles as she watches her apprentice go through what every leader of the Power Rangers before him has gone through as well. "Once you wake up, go to the Shinre at Himejima Estate. There is a girl there called Akeno, who will take you to your mentor. Once you've met each other, every question you have will be answered."
Tatsuya takes a deep breath and nods at Rhion.
The 'sky' starts to crack, literally, making both look above, one with curiosity, the other with certainty.
"Our time is up". Rhion says. "I wish you good luck, Tatsuya. Red Ranger and leader of the Ninja Steel Power Rangers."
"Wait!!!" Tatsuya yells while everything around him starts to fade. "This mentor. Who are they? What's their name?"
Rhion gives Tatsuya a confident smile. They both are just heads floating and disappearing right now, but she still has enough time to answer one final question.
"He is a ninja, just like you". Rhion says. Before disappearing, she gives the name of the one who will guide Tatsuya in his journey. "His name… is Ninjor!"