Logan opened the door to the school office with intensity. He was angry. Not extremely, but enough to make his face a little red. He entered the cheap air freshener smelling room and looked for the staff member who was supposed to be at her desk. He didn't see her and huffed in annoyance, choosing to lean against the wall next to the uncomfortable chairs. His hand clenched around the yellow slip his teacher had given him, wrinkling it slightly. Logan could hear the receptionist's voice coming from the back of the office, yelling over the phone. He grimaced at that.

"Lo?"

Logan looked down at the office chair on his left. In it sat Patton, kind sweet Patton wearing a black sweatshirt with the hood up and drawstrings pulled. Logan recognized the hoodie as Dee's.

"Patton?" Logan tilted his head in slight confusion. "What are you doing here? And why are you wearing Dee's sweatshirt?"

"I have a headache and ran out of ibuprofen." Patton said, his voice quiet and his eyes squinting. "Dee and I share second hour so he let me borrow his hoodie to keep the lights out of my eyes."

"Oh. Well that was kind of him." Logan said, now attempting to lessen the redness of his face and calm his demeanor. He found it quite easy to be less angry when Patton was nearby.

"So, what are you doing here?" Patton asked.

"Nothing, I just have to give a note to the receptionist." Logan wasn't lying, that's what he had to do.

"Right." Patton nodded, unconvinced. "And the note you have to give Mrs. Sterling is a yellow slip. Y'know the yellow notes students give the office when they have to come in for detention later."

Logan looked away and hunched over slightly, hiding the note away.

"Lo . . . you did not get in trouble." Patton said in an unbelieving tone, he moved forward in his chair and began to examine Logan's face. "Oh my gosh you got in trouble."

Logan sank further into himself.

"Logan Montgomery are you a bad boy now? Oh gosh, first you tell me to take a break from work, now you're getting detention, getting sent to the office, I don't even know you anymore. Ha, are you gonna start wearing leather jackets and ripped skinny jeans now?" Patton's voice was entirely joking but when he didn't speak for a bit Logan looked down at him. Patton appeared to be pondering his last statement with pinkened cheeks. "That would not be a bad look for you now that I think about it."

Logan looked away and back again, figuring he could explain the situation to Patton in the hopes of clearing his name. "I will be doing none of those things Patton." He couldn't help but notice the slightest of disappointment in Patton's eyes, though he figured it was a trick of the light.

"So what are you really down here for?"

"My second hour is AP world government, and every monday we speak on current world events. I usually do not partake in these discussions as I have no plan to be a social studies teacher in the future." Logan began. "However, Juleka had asked Mrs. Willias if she could speak about the LGBTQ+ protective rights that are being threatened across the world. When Mrs. Willias stated she could. Then Zachary Green decided to ask if he could play 'Devil's Advocate' in this 'debate'."

"Ooh." Patton nodded, no doubt understanding how frustrating speaking to a lesser human like Zachary Green truly was. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing." Logan said defensively. "Nothing at all."

Patton gave Logan a look.

"Fine." Logan rolled his eyes, giving in. "I simply explain every logical fallacy in his arguments that I could find. Not a difficult task as there were a lot of them. However, it appeared Mrs. Willias thought I took it too far."

"In what way?" Patton was really getting Logan to speak every time he put on that teasing 'disappointed dad' tone of voice.

Logan crossed his arms further, but he couldn't help the smug look on his face or the slightly proud twist to his words as he said, "I made him cry."

Patton burst into laughter. Not the usual ellegantly adorable laughter Logan was used to, but a wild howl and snort that bubbled up and fell from his mouth. Patton's new untamed laughter was enough to make Logan himself start chuckling alongside him. When the two stopped they sat in a comfortable silence, at least until Patton sucked in a breath and winced from the pain of his headache.

"Oh, Patton I believe I have some pain relief in my bag if you would rather take that than sit here." Logan offered.

"Thanks Lo. That sounds perfect, anything I can do to not listen to her yell at Susan." Patton said, pulling down on the drawstrings enough so that the hood collapsed over his eyes.

"That's who she's yelling at." Logan said, a little astonished. "Why on Earth would she be yelling at your foster mother?"

"I don't know." Patton groaned.

"Here, I can come back with this later." Logan put the yellow slip in his pocket. "You can have the water from my water bottle."

"Thanks." Patton said, a little muffled by the hood now. "I'll just tell Mrs. Sterling I'm good now." Patton stood and walked over to the desk.

He stood there for a bit, trying to get her attention, but in return all she did was wave her hand dismissively and continue her yelling. Patton turned around, facing Logan, and crossed his arms.

"My head hurts too much for this." He said.

Logan was about to say something but he felt a vibration from his phone and grabbed it out of his back pocket.

Roman:

Where r u?

"What is it?" Patton asked curiously.

"A text from Roman." Logan said. "He wants to know where I am."

Patton too looked like her wanted to speak, but then he jumped and reached behind himself to his own phone. "Huh, same here."

The two looked at each other, realization dawning on them at the same time.

"No." Logan shook his head.

"Oh come on!" Patton whisper yelled.

"No." Logan said again.

"You've got to be kidding me." Patton brought his hands up to his face.

"No." Logan said firmly.

"It's only been a few days since Baron Odium!" Patton stomped. "What happened to waiting a week or two! Does the Dragon Witch have no consideration for our mental or physical health?"

"No Patton I don't think she does." Logan sighed. "Come on, let's get you some pain relief and head out."

Patton nodded and started walking out with Logan. They arrived at his locker quickly and Logan spun his combination. He grabbed out the small travel bottle and some water and handed both to Patton. While he did so Logan texted Roman. Roman said the others would go ahead and Patton and Logan would just have to catch up. Logan explained the situation to Patton who nodded in understanding and took the pills. The two quickly left the school and got to the parking lot.

"Can you drive Lo?" Patton asked.

"Uh," Logan looked away, vividly remembering his past driving. "Sure Patton."

Logan got in the front seat of Patton's car and was handed the keys. Patton took off the sweatshirt Dee had given him and buckled his seat belt.

"So, Patton, I feel like I should warn you," Logan stated, starting up the car. "I'm not the best of drivers."

"Aww, Lo." Patton waved the warning off. "I'm sure you're not that bad."

Logan sighed. "If you say so."

Logan started driving off toward the town square. The reaction from Patton was immediate. He tried to cover it up by smiling, but Logan saw Patton's white knuckles gripping the armrest.

"Sorry." Logan cringed, trying not to look at Patton.

They arrived in town square quickly and summoned their armor. The two got out of the car and started heading out. They saw Thomas, Roman, Remus, and Dee standing, watching the breach that had been ripped through the middle of the town square. The civilians around had already run out or been helped out by the others. The local news crew was starting to gather and call more journalists. Logan despised the news crews. He knows it's important that the public has as much information as possible, but too many of the news anchors and journalists would ask invasive questions or get in the way of a fight.

"You two good?" Roman asked.

"Yep, yep totally fine." Patton squeaked an octave higher.

"Oh did Blue drive over?" Remus asked.

"Mhm." Patton nodded.

"Oof yeah." Remus laughed.

Logan looked away in annoyance.

"It's okay." Patton lightly tapped Logan's forearm.

"He's so gay he can't drive." Roman laughed too.

"Guys!" Thomas stopped them. "Something's coming."

Logan turned to the breach. He stared at the orange-yellow rip as it got brighter and brighter. Then the monsters started coming out. One by one they flooded the town square, it all appeared eerily similar to the last time they had seen Virgilius. Logan began to wonder if Patton was wearing off on him too much, he was starting to feel.

The witchlings started their onslaught. Patton left his side to grappling hook himself up a building. Roman charged forward, yelling, ever the warrior. Dee and Remus followed him, a little too gleefully for Logan to not be unsettled-damn Patton and his second hand feelings yet again. However, the two were certainly working the best as a duo out of any of them. Their actions were quick, and while not entirely methodical, extremely effective. Remus, easily the strongest of the team, gave Dee a boost so he could flip through the air and sink his daggers in the back of a Witchling before landing on his feet, turning forward and slashing in front of him. Remus had taken his time to summon his morning star and throw it at the nearest witchling, then run after it, pull it out of the witchling's chest, and go for another.

Logan summoned his own weapon and waited back with Thomas. The lance was balanced well in his hands and he gripped it fiercely, waiting for Roman's signal. Finally, Roman had made his way to the breach and shouted for action. Logan gave Thomas a nod and the two ran into the fray of Witchlings. With Thomas' cover Logan was able to make his way to Roman where the two began attempting to thin out the monsters around the breach.

The monsters finally seemed to be dwindling in numbers and soon Logan and Roman were joined by Thomas, Remus and Dee around the breach while Patton used his bow and arrow to finish off the scattered Witchlings that were left. When it seemed the flow of monsters had stopped Patton joined them down below and Remus had his fun chasing after the last two left.

"Pat, what are you feeling?" Roman asked Patton as he strode over to them.

"Feeling?" Patton asked, breathing a little hard. "Right, uh, oh. Okay, I'm really not sure if you guys understand that this isn't a superpower. Like I can't just stand here and know every feeling everyone around us has. I'm not magic! It's a process of looking at people's expressions, body positions, tensity, and just knowing the person's habits. Ow!"

Logan rushed over to Patton and gently held his forearm. "Is your head okay?"

"Whoa whoa, what's wrong with his head?" Janus asked. "We can't have a Ranger with a messed up head."

"Uhhm I had a concussion!" Remus yelled as he joined the rest.

"We can't have Patton with a messed up head. Your head is already screwed up as it is," Remus made a little whine at the comment. "Oh you know I wouldn't want it any other way."

"Ugh, softie." Remus chuckled, putting an arm around Dee's hips and pulling him close.

"Oh my god we get it! You two are happy and dating and blaaaaa!! Just stop for two damn seconds please. We're literally in the middle of a fight!" Roman exclaimed.

"I don't know RoRo, I think this fight is pretty over. No more witchlings, so far no general, what else is there?" Remus asked rhetorically.

"The breach." Thomas stated pointing to its ominous presence.

"Right, right, right." Remus nodded. "Whatever. There's gonna be like a few more witchlings then we out of here."

"Logan move!!" Patton suddenly shouted, running and shoving Logan out of the way.

Logan didn't see what had happened but he was suddenly on the ground with Patton laying on top of him and he didn't quite know what to do about that. The two sort of laid there for a second too long untilPatton gathered his bearings and hopped up. Not making eye contact with Logan. He did however reach a hand down and help the Blue Ranger up.

"Oh god." Logan heard Roman say.

"What happened?" Logan asked.

"Look." Janus said, pointing to where Logan had previously been standing.

On the cement Logan saw a scorch mark that was all too familiar. The Rangers all immediately went back to back and looked around. Logan was silent and tense, and he wasn't alone. Then the breach started flickering violently. Everyone turned to it, weapons drawn, prepared. They all knew who was going to be walking through that portal. Virgilius.

"Pat, what's the call?" Roman asked. "It's your choice. You ready?"

Patton didn't respond. He gripped his bow tighter and audibly picked up his breathing. When Virgilius stepped out of the orange-yellow breach Logan heard Patton's breathing hitch. Logan himself felt the waves of shock hit him hard. It had felt like so long since seeing the villain and his appearance was sudden. Logan forgot that fighting Virgilius often left him with a sense of uneasy, but now that they were back, it felt like the sense had doubled.

"The plan's on." Patton said.

"Are you sure?" Thomas asked.

"Definitely." Patton summoned his arrow and drew it back. "Let's save them."

The Rangers lept into action. Their goal: restrain or weaken Virgilius enough for Patton to get to him. Roman and Thomas were on restraining duty, Remus and Dee on weaken duty, Patton on staying alive while also talking to Virgilius, and Logan on protecting Patton. Remus and Dee launched their attack before the other two who were engaging with Virgilius. They both threw their weapons at Virgilius who dodged and countered while Roman and Thomas went behind and tried to get close to them. Virgilius however simply went on to teleport from area to area. Logan figured making him weary would be the easiest and most efficient tactic, then Roman and Thomas could restrain.

"Virgilius!" Patton yelled. "We want to help you!"

Logan gripped his spear and made sure he was in between any fire blast from Virgilius and Patton who was multitasking between finding a good vantage point and trying to calm Virgilius down.

"Really we do! We know you're not like the other generals! We know you're good! You don't want to hurt these people!!" Patton called.

Virgilius didn't give an audible response. Only teleported away from the onslaught of attacks that Remus, Dee, Roman, and Thomas were giving them. They reappeared and immediately shot a blast of fire at Patton that Logan jumped in front of and deflected successfully with his lance. Logan saw as Dee's daggers sank into Virgilius' arms and they recoiled in pain, growling slightly and turning their attention to the other four who continued with the plan.

"Listen to us!! Please! I mean it when I say that you have a lot of good in you!" Patton yelled from behind Logan. "Sorry, Lo this is gonna hurt a little." Patton told him, just before wrapping an arm around Logan's waist and pulling the both of them up to the roof of a building.

Logan's feet landed next to Patton's and the two pulled apart.

"Any new feelings?" Logan asked.

"What?!" Patton whipped around and faced Logan who gave him a confused look. "Oh you meant about the fight!"

"Yes." Logan nodded. "Yes I did."

Patton paused. "Something's uhm, I-I don't know how to say this but something about this feels off."

"Isn't that no different than before?" Logan asked.

"No, no, that was an unnatural, weird, jittery, anxious feeling. This is a different kind of off." Patton told him. "This is more like fear. A lot of fear. Look at the way they're holding themself. Their chin is up, their shoulders are tense, they're less concerned with the hood, and their fighting, it's so aggressive. Everything about them is trying to tell me that they have confidence, but for some reason, I don't believe that. Virgilius never tried to give off a false sense of self-security. Why start now?"

Logan looked over the edge to the others who were still locked in battle. They didn't seem to be making enough progress.

"I'm not sure Patton." Logan said.

"I should help the others. This fight isn't going to be over any time soon if we don't wear Virgilius down faster." Patton said.

"Patton, you need to keep yourself safe." Logan reminded.

"Well that's what I've got you for." Patton said, summoning another arrow. "Keep me safe."

Logan couldn't help but stare as Patton's breathing stilled to a careful rhythm, then he saw an opening and took it. The arrow sunk right into Virgilius' leg. The general didn't make a noise, but they did turn to Patton and Logan on the roof and send a large ball of flames careening for them. Logan grabbed Patton and pulled him down, using the ledge to shield him while Logan deflected it yet again. Patton hopped right back up and the two repeated this process several times.

"I think we're finding our groove." Patton laughed from where he sat.

"What?" Logan asked.

"Nothing." Patton nudged Logan with his elbow. "How are they doing down there?"

Logan gave the others a glance, it actually seemed like wearing Virgilius down was working. The fire was less powerful, their moves were sloppier, and while the others weren't doing much better, they also overpowered Virgilius in numbers.

"It's going well, I think you should distract Virgilius again." Logan told him.

"It's not so much a distraction as it is a plea to join us."

"Same tactic, multiple benefits." Logan shrugged.

"Virgilius!!" Patton yelled. "Think of Eddie and Richie!! They left everything they knew!! All to be together, to be truly happy! You can do the same!! You can leave for Earth, you can join us, you can find friends, you can find love!! Just like they did."

Logan looked to Patton, impressed.

"I read that fanfiction." Patton explained. "It was surprisingly good. Ha. Get it? It? Like the book and-"

"Yes I do." Logan stopped him.

"Yeah." Patton giggled. "Hmm, is-is it weird that they aren't talking?"

"It is." Logan said. "At this point in the fight they would have already set up a date with Roman. I haven't heard them speak at all."

"I don't like that." Patton mumbled. "Okay, what are we thinking? I say, get off the roof now, you go over and help the others, then I go in and finish the deal."

"I don't like the idea of leaving your side."

"That's sweet Lo, but not the time for being a romantic."

"I wasn't trying to be." Logan stammered out, he could feel the heat in his ears rising alarmingly fast.

"Effortlessly charming. Of course, why wouldn't you be?" Patton sighed. "Oh well, let's get down there and get Virgilius to join our side. You ready?"

"Decidedly not." Logan said truthfully. "But, I don't have much of a choice. Let's finish this."

Patton nodded and grabbed Logan's waist again, lowering the two to the ground. Logan was once again on the slightly crumbled cement and he surveyed, looking for the best area to strike from. Logan found it and gave Patton a simple hand signal. Patton in return tightened his grip a little on Logan's waist before releasing him with encouragement.

Logan knew he couldn't think of what Patton had said on the roof and before. However, his cursed mind couldn't ignore the little signs, the things Patton had been doing. All the evidence pointed only one way and it made Logan positively giddy at the thought. Using this spur of excitement, Logan charged in, joining the other Rangers. Roman and Thomas were focusing on keeping Virgilius from teleporting while Remus and Dee went on the offensive and continued to weaken them. Logan put his energy towards keeping Virgilius from thinking about where Patton was.

Then an idea formed in Logan's mind. "Red, Black, go after their legs." He told the two.

Without hesitation the two followed directions. Logan knew he had to somehow get Patton to understand his plan without telling him directly, seeing as that would ruin everything.

"Red, Black," Logan got closer to the two and tried to keep his words between the three of them, "you'll know when you get the signal, so when you do you need to run. Got it?"

The two gave Logan an affirming nod and went on. Logan made his way over to Remus and Dee and repeated his instructions. They too went along with Logan's plan. Logan joined them, quickly cycling through ways he can subtly communicate his plan with Patton as he helped with the attack. Logan soon figured they didn't have much time and just went with the first thing that came to mind.

"Pink!!!" He yelled. "It's okay to get angry!!"

No response. Logan didn't have time to turn around and see if Patton understood.

"And sometimes you need to have an explosive outburst to let it out!!!" Logan added. Hoping badly that Patton knew what to do.

"I think I'm feeling an outburst coming up right . . . about . . . now!!!" Patton shouted.

All the Rangers ran in separate directions as fast as they could. Behind him Logan heard a large explosion go off and the air push him forwards, almost off his feet. He continued to run all the way to Patton who still held up his bow, waiting for the dust to clear. When Logan reached Patton's side he turned around, hoping to see the Pink Ranger was successful. The pink dust finally settled, and Logan could practically hear the gasps of every Ranger as they saw Virgilius sitting on his knees. Not fading into dust. Just weak.

"Patton." Logan said, a little out of breath. "Feeling?" He hoped his question got across.

Patton examined Virgilius with precision."They still seem scared." Patton responded shakily. "But there's still something that's off."

"You don't have to do this." Logan told him. "We can just restrain them. We'll find a way."

"No, no, Lo we agreed that this was the plan and it's what I'm gonna do." Patton said, still shaking. "I have to believe that this will work. I believe in them."

"Okay." Logan nodded. "Then I believe in you. You can do this."

Patton ran. He raced over to Virgilius as fast as he could, reaching out. Logan, Roman, Thomas, Dee, and Remus closed ranks, following Patton and making a semi-circle around the Pink Ranger and fallen villain.

"Virgilius." Patton said softly. "Take my hand. We're going to get you out of this. We're going to protect you."

Virgilius didn't move, just looked up, face still obscured to Logan.

"I know this is a lot, but we can't just let you fight like this, fight for her, when we know that you are better than this and better on our team." Patton told him, offering a hand. "We want to be your friend."

Virgilius shifted. Their shoulders readjusted, their back straightened, and the hood fell from their head. Exposing their face to the Rangers. Logan had almost forgotten how Patton described them. Sharp features, sharper expression. Logan couldn't help but feel unnerved. Logan could tell Patton was smiling. Patton thought he was getting to them.

"We're here for you." Patton assured.

Virgilius' hand shot up, wrapping around Patton's neck dangerously tight, choking him. Patton gagged and writhed in the grasp. All the Rangers immediately got back into battle stance, unsure if they should engage. Logan pointed his lance at Virgilius, confused but unafraid. Then Virgilius stood, lifting Patton off the ground with his height and strength alone, then looked over at the other Rangers, sending waves of fear into Logan's neck. He didn't waver however, darting his eyes between Patton and Virgilius.

That was when Virgilius' form began to shift. They lowered in height by a little less than an inch. Their fallen hood became bright green hair, their body took a woman's form, wearing a black corset and boots. Virgilius' expressionless face became hardened and angry, though Logan's first thought was that it was forced.

"Oh shit." Remus remarked.

Astromania, though she was apparently green now, looked to her left, eyeing the hoards of news reporters and journalists. The cameras flashed, taking in the scene. She sighed.

"Humans are terrible." She snarled.

"Put him down!" Thomas yelled at her.

"No, I don't think I will." Astromania rolled her eyes.

"What is with you generals and choking us?!" Remus asked.

"Shut up Remus." Roman snarled. "You let him go!"

"They'll thank me one day." Astromania said, her grip on Patton tightened. "They will thank me."

Logan dared to look at Patton. He was struggling, though he was losing his ability to breath fairly quickly, and was clearly getting weaker. Logan felt a pain stab at his chest as he watched. Logan felt frozen. He didn't know what to do. He just stared, hoping, waiting for a way to get out of this.

"You'll all thank me one day.." Astromania seethed. "You'll thank the Dragon Witch."

She dropped Patton to the ground. The boy collapsed, gasping and coughing. Logan moved forward wanting nothing but to have Patton in his arms. The Pink Ranger weakly reached a hand out to the others, and just as Logan was about to grasp it, Astromania brought the whip she had summoned down around Logan's wrist, then threw him into the other Rangers. Knocking them all to the ground in a pile. Logan hit someone roughly before he was met with the ground, and as he scrambled out of his shock he watched Astromania bring her whip down on the ground, a loud crack exploding from the impact. A breach opened on the cement, glowing bright, and it swallowed Patton and Astromania before closing just as fast as it had opened.

The only thing left of the two in the town square was the echo of Astromania's whip and Patton's final cry of "Lo!!!"

Logan felt sick.