The Nexus

Retinax groaned out in pain as he was thrown against the stone walls by a blast of red lightning from The Master Org's wand as those two damned Duke Orgs, Artilla and Helicos, who should be helping their superior just laughed at him and his pain. When he'd first came stumbling into the Nexus, one clawed hand covering his ruined eye, they'd seemed to share some concern for their fellow Org like they rightly well should have, but the Master had ordered them to back off and said he'd take care of their General. As it turned out, taking care of meant punishing him for his failure.

"YOU IMBECILE! YOU COMPLETE AND UTTER GUTLESS EXCUSE OF AN ORG!" Thrax roared, his entire body glowing a furious blood red like color. "I sent you to do one simple task, take down a squad of Putrids and destroy, or at least create enough havoc that the populace would start to have doubts about the Royal Sister's leadership, and you failed to do that! Now they're more sure then ever of their Kingdom's solidarity because of your failure!"

"Master, please! Have mercy!" Retinax pleaded and another blast of lightning struck him, this time in his eye, which was damaged beyond any normal means of repair. "If those two Rangers hadn't shown up, I would have carried out my orders! Hell, I almost defeated the Magna Defender!"

"Funny, that's not how it looked to me..." Helicos snickered. "Seems to me, he and his partner had you on the ropes. How's that eye of yours holding up by the way?"

Had Retinax not been so wracked with pain, he would have picked up his axe and removed the Duke Org from the face of existence entirely.

"Yes, Helicos is right, it seemed to me that despite it being his first day on the job, the Magna Defender caused you, YOU, one of the most powerful Orgs in history to come scurrying home to me like a kicked puppy." Thrax commented and blasted his servant again before wrapping him up in chains of lightning and lifting him up to the ceiling and dropping him to the floor with a powerful throw, cracking the ground beneath where Retinax hit.

"Are you now starting to get the point, or do I have to teach you some more?" Thrax asked sarcastically, hoping severely that this piece of worthless trash who'd had his time already and failed one too many times in his previous life still hadn't got the point.

"Yes... Master." Retinax groaned out in pain. He knew he'd failed, and he knew he deserved the punishment for failure. Thrax smirked and finally laid his wand next to his throne leaving Retinax to suffer a little while longer and reflect on his failures. He'd heal him, but just not right now. Suddenly, Thrax's horn glowed, along with Retinax's and Helico's and Artilla's as well. The two Duke Orgs and Thrax smiled, as they knew what this meant.

"There's a new Org spirit on the rise. Go find him and make sure HE does HIS work properly." Thrax smirked as Artilla and Helicos bowed before he let out a shout.

"Turbine Org, get in here!" He roared, and from another cavern, the Turbine Org and killer of Grape Vine emerged and bowed down to his Master.

"What do you want of me, Master Org? Your wish is my command. My only desire is to serve, after all." He requested and Thrax smirked. Good. It was always nice to have a loyal, but dumb servant around who couldn't tell when he was being used.

"Go with them." Thrax ordered, gesturing to Artilla and Helicos. "Make sure that everything goes to plan. While I'm quite sure the Rangers won't be able to handle this new Org nor those two, as I have learned, it is always best to have an alternate plan in place in case everything does go sour. Between the four of you, the Rangers won't be able to stop me this time..." Thrax chuckled darkly and all three Orgs bowed and left the cavern with Thrax turning his throne, and back to Retinax and to a chessboard. On that chessboard, were figurines. One was the black king, Thrax, and the other, the white king, Princess Celestia. Both sides' respective other chess pieces were their warriors. Thrax, his Orgs. Celestia, her Rangers and the Royal Guards.

"Now... Who will make their move next?" He mused to himself in thought. "Me, or that Princess? I'm verrrry interested in finding out for myself."

Then, Thrax had a thought and a smile came to his face. Maybe Retinax hadn't failed as badly as he had thought.

"Maybe I can make something of this fiasco. After all, if it seems like the Rangers are the only ones able to protect Celestia and her precious kingdom, the populace will loose faith in her and her sister either way, therefore I win anyways and can start taking over. Not just the kingdom, my grand designs are far bigger than that after all..."

Canterlot Castle: Celestia's Private Quarters

Princess Celestia tossed and turned in her sleep restlessly, lost in memories of a time long ago, back when everything was well with the world. Back when before the humans turned on them, back before... HIM. And then it came, like it always did whenever she was drawn back to those memories.

"You like this, Pony-Bitch?"

"P-Please stop! Please!"

Celestia's mane unconsciously ignited into a burst of flame at the multitude of emotions she felt. Rage, pain, shame and sorrow and disgust she'd felt at taken against her will. Thankfully, Celestia had long ago charmed her bed against fire spells as this little flame-out had happened before. It always happened with this memory. Then, in her dreams things went completely black all around her, before she could see THEM. Each and every face she'd murdered, the kind souls who deserved none of it. They taunted her, saying it was all her fault, and the worst thing about it was that is was true. She had murdered those poor souls, without mercy in cold blood. And it horrified and disgusted her down to her core.

"No... No... NO! Please, have mercy! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Celestia screamed out in her sleep and her shouts were loud enough for Luna to come running into her room, her personal sword in her hands but when she saw her big sister curled up in the bed sobbing, Luna dropped it to the floor, the blade clattering against the marble floor while Luna pulled her sister into a hug and whispered calming words into her ears as Celestia sobbed.

"It's okay... It's okay... I'm here now, everything will be alright." Luna whispered. When Luna was just a young pony and she had nightmares, it was always Celestia who came to her to give her comfort. But now Celestia had been having these nightmares for who knew how long, probably for at least since Luna had been banished to the moon and whenever they happened, she was the one to return the favor. Suddenly, Celestia's eyes flashed orange instead of their usual pink and she shoved Luna backwards with a telekinetic blast.

"Yes, everything will be alright... As soon as Robert's done and dealt with." Solar Flare snarled and Luna found herself backing away from her sister's counterpart until she felt a hard substance against her back. Solar Flare levitated a golden and navy blue sword off the wall and pointed it directly at Luna's heart. Suddenly, Celestia took control once again and once she realized what she had been about to do, dropped the sword in horror and pulled her sister into a hug.

"Mystic Mother above... I-I can't control her! You've got to get away from me, or better yet, lock me up in Tartarus so deeply that'd I'd never escape! I'm dangerous Luna, I can't be around anypony or anyone!" Celestia whimpered in fear only for Luna to look at her firmly.

"No, I'm not doing that to you Celly." Luna stated firmly and in a tone that left no room for arguments, using her childhood nickname for her sister in the process to state how determined she was in her stance. "I would never do that to you. You're not dangerous, only Solar Flare is. And I promise you this, WE WILL find a way to get her under control... Together, like we always have. We're sisters, and we must weather this together."

"Thank... Thank you..."

Ponyville:

Sunset sighed to herself as she walked through the streets of her home away from home. She had known Robert would not take it well when the secret was finally unveiled, but she hadn't known it would be this badly. He was FURIOUS, and all of his thoughts were focusing on not just dethroning Princess Celestia, but murdering her outright. He was in no mental state to be out and about among the streets of Ponyville, or anywhere else for that matter. He didn't trust anypony or anyone aside from her or Princess Shayla, seeing as how they were the only ones willing to state the truth to him. For that reason, Princess Shayla had decided it best not to let any of the other Rangers on the Animarium for their own safety, as it was a pretty reasonable guess Robert might attack them for being loyal to Princess Celestia.

As she wandered aimlessly through the streets of the small town, she found herself walking into Rarity and Zephyr's shared Boutique/Barber Shop. Rarity took notice of her distressed state at once.

"Something the matter dearie?" Rarity asked kindly.

"It's... It's about Robert." Sunset said sadly, a tear going down her face. "He knows... Knows about everything Princess Celestia and Commander Hurricane's forces did to his species."

The Boutique went completely silent. Zephyr, who was combing Lyra's mane, dropped both his jaw and his comb in shock and whispered "Oh dear Mystic Mother..." while Bon-Bon, who was watching and waiting her turn for her mane to be styled couldn't find any words to say. Sparkler, who was trying on a leather jacket that Rarity had made for her, muttered "Oh no..."

"And I assume that's when he punched you?" Rarity asked sadly, noting her friend's bloody nose. Rarity was glad Twilight wasn't around to see this, as she'd go running to Celestia at once.

"...Yeah. Stings a bit, but I suppose I deserve it for keeping a secret this big from him for so long." Sunset replied sadly.

"So where is he now?" Rarity asked curiously and in concern for her friend.

"Somewhere safe, so he won't go right up to Princess Celestia's castle and get himself killed. His mental state is... dangerous." Sunset admitted.

"Yes, probably best dear. You made a wise choice." Rarity told her friend, laying a hand on her shoulder. Then everypony heard a familiar but unusually saddened voice from behind them. They had been focused on Sunset and Rarity's conversation that they had not taken notice of this new arrival.

"The situation with Celestia is more complex then it seems at first glance." Luna's voice put in and everypony turned to her. But something was off. Luna's voice was not coming from her mouth. Sunset and Rarity quickly realized she was speaking telepathically.

"What... What do you mean?" Rarity asked in curiosity. Luna sighed sadly.

"The Celestia we know, and the one Robert knows, they are one in the same and yet not at the same time."

"Okay, now you've lost me." Sunset stared.

"What I mean to say is, well... You all know very well I had two facets of my personality? The one you see before you now, and the one formed from my darkest desires and thoughts, Nightmare Moon."

"So... You're saying we're dealing with something similar?" Rarity asked with dawning realization at what the Princess of the Night was getting at. Meanwhile, everypony was watching the three mares seemingly standing around doing nothing in confusion.

"Yes and no. While in my case it was my own jealousy and you could tell the two apart and Nightmare controlling me completely, with Celestia... It's something else. Solar Flare, her own dark side was formed in a different way, and is more subtle, so subtle in fact you cannot tell who is who, and she influences Celestia's desires. Just earlier I overheard her ask me and the Royal Guard to keep an eye on Robert to make sure he doesn't do anything.... untoward shall we say and when he does, capture and kill him." Luna explained and both Rarity and Sunset covered their mouths in horror. Now everypony was really confused. What could be so horrible that it would garner a reaction like that?

"Oh... This is bad. We've got a split personality, but we can't tell which personality is in control at any time unless Solar does anything obviously her!" Sunset whispered before she looked directly at Luna, her gaze drilling into her. "Nothing like that's happened yet... has it?"

Sunset was severely hoping she was wrong, but Luna's expression said it all.

"Earlier this morning, she tried to stab me in the chest with Celestia's personal sword, the Blazing Sun. I... I don't even feel safe in my own castle anymore!" Luna sobbed in shame before Rarity put an arm around her. Seeing their beloved Princess of the Night break down with no obvious explanation was extremely confusing, and yet worrying at the same time.

"Then you shall stay here in Ponyville, under an alias. There's an inn nearby, goes by the name of the Prancing Pony. Disguise yourself, give yourself a new name and Solar will never find you while a solution to split the two is found." Rarity stated and Luna smiled weakly.

"T-Thank you..." Luna whispered before she vanished in a flash of blue light.

"She does love her entrances and exits, doesn't she?" Sunset joked weakly and gained a few chuckles out of that before her expression turned serious.

"I'll go to Twilight's, explain the situation and we'll find a solution, fix this mess and get our Celestia free from that monster." Sunset stated firmly before running out the door, a new purpose filling her very body. It was a good thing she left when she did, as after she'd left a creature that could only be described as a walking camera stepped in.

"Heh, perfect. With my wide angle lens, I'll get all of you all at once! Now watch the birdie!" Camera Org said and his camera lens extended and with a click, all of the ponies inside the Boutique had vanished, as if they'd never been there in the first place...

The Animarium: Training Grounds

Robert, panting and sweating hard punched and kicked at a punching bag set up on a tree branch before, as he imagined it to be Princess Celestia, with a powerful chi energy infused punch, he knocked it off its hanger and punched a hole right through it sending it flying next to a whole heap of punching bags, all with the exact same extent of damage done to them. Robert's tank top and jacket had been tossed to the side.

Celestia, I swear you'll pay for this, that I can promise you." Robert snarled to himself before taking out a bottle of water and raising it above him and let its cool refreshing liquid rush over his sweaty form and down his chest.

"For the record, I'm so sorry for what's happened to your kind." Princess Shayla said softly from behind him and Robert whirled around to face her.

"If you were truly sorry, you'd let me go down to Earth and do what must be done." Robert growled out.

"And if you did that, what would be the result?" Shayla asked him firmly. "Death and the total extinction of humans on Earth?"

"Well, at least I'd die for my beliefs and show that bitch what the human race can do when they really try. Hell, even if she kills me I'd be the one with the last laugh." Robert chuckled darkly. "But I can handle her. She's just an arrogant bitch who needs to be put in her place."

Princess Shayla didn't like the way he was talking. His arrogance and foolhardy courage, it hid another emotion. Despair, a despair deep enough to do something suicidal.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you leave." Shayla stated and Robert took a fighting stance.

"Well... If that's the case then I'll have to go right through you if needed." Robert told her and Princess Shayla took out a Crystal Saber of her own, a green crystal inside it with a little bird inside that.

"I've had multiple Orgs try and kidnap me before and in every case succeed, did you really think after four attempts I wouldn't have learnt how to defend myself?" Shayla asked and even as Robert charged at her and threw a right cross, Shayla grabbed ahold of him by the arm and threw him behind her. Robert picked himself off the ground and tried a flying kick but Shayla raised her Saber and blocked the kick before kicking Robert in the stomach and sending him flying backwards into a tree.

"I'm sorry Robert." Shayla thought sadly to herself, before her personal guardian, a giant deer with mostly green fur with a golden chest and belly with silver antlers along with purple eyes appeared and it's antlers glowed golden before Robert found himself pinned to the tree by miniature versions of those very same antlers. Try as he might, Robert wouldn't be able to break free and Shayla knew it. The Deer's magic prevented it.

Meanwhile, down below in Ponyville, Sunset rushed towards the Golden Oaks before screams reached her ears and she turned to see ponies fleeing from the Camera Org before they vanished into thin air as the Org snapped a photo of them.

"And now you're next. Oh, what a honor it'll be to snap a photo of the Princess of Empathy and have her soul in my collection. The Master Org might even make me a Duke Org!" He exclaimed excitedly.

"Sorry, but that's not going to happen if I have anything to say about it." Sunset said, pointing her hand right at the Org. For now, speaking with Twilight would have to wait, there were more current matters to worry about. She reached for her Growl Phone and began her morphing call.

"Legendar-

But before she even got through the first word, there was a clicking sound and Sunset's whole world was enveloped in white...

(To Be Continued...)

Author's Notes:

Okay, so now things start to really heat up. As you might have guessed from the chapter title, a new Power Ranger is about to awaken, and I think we all know who. Meanwhile, The Master Org/Thrax sets out with a new plan to try and undermine Celestia's rule, and has already got one of the Rangers in his clutches, right when she was going to Twilight's to try and figure out how to split Celestia/Solar Flare. And as you might expect, things will only get worse from here... Next time...

"It's Morphin Time! Legendary Wild Access!"