A\N: *grumbles about plot bunnies*

There had not been Green Rangers in a very long time.

The Power Rangers themselves had emerged purely from war. One planet enslaving another; a war repeated a thousand ways across the galaxy, each time more heinously than the last. But these were the planets of Tallia and Eltar, the sisters who ruled over science and magic with equal prestige. The galaxy was horrified as they turned on each other, and yet more horrified at Eltar's victory.

An intersection was formed of science and magic, spells harnessed into technology. The field of energy which it worked with, neither magic nor understandable, was called the Power, a shorthand name created by engineers more concerned with their work than beauty in naming. And so when a young Tallian found the Power, he had no other name to call it by as he forged new ones.

The first Colors were Red, Yellow, and Blue. The Tallian boy who created Blue knew his lone warrior was outmatched, and so created Black and Purple to stand alongside him. Eltar countered with Violet, although Violet quickly retreated in the name of money, and White. So the Tallian boy crafted the Green Power for himself.

The battles were few and mighty, laying waste to all things, until finally the battle came down to two colors: Zordon of Eltar, White Ranger, and Zedd, Prince of Tallia, Green Ranger. Finally, each collapsing in the ground, the war came to a standstill.

After the first Treaty of Power, many compromises were reached, and many changes were made. Teams of Rangers sprang up and disappeared; the worlds fought and allied and betrayed. But only one thing remained.

Neither White nor Green Powers were to be used again.

It was not written into the Treaty itself, it was simply that the only people who could pass on the Power, at least the first time, were the Rangers who first held them. Zordon refused to choose for his own reasons. There was no one 'pure' enough, perhaps.

Zedd curled his hands around the balcony window. His reasons were far more complex.

Honor. That one word ruled a Green Ranger, and no one he had met, in his thousands of years of travels, had ever had it. Oh, many had claimed it, especially upon learning he was the famed Green Ranger of Tallia, but there was no one who could, in the face of a thousand swords, stand and say, 'no. I will not violate this principle'.

And yet Rita, that stupid witch, had passed it on.

Zedd watched yet again as Tommy Oliver played with his friends. Honor...such an indefinable, complex thing. Such a strange beast. It could be measured only one way. What were you in the dark?

In dark, in light, it did not matter. Zedd was always the same. No matter how much he had learned or changed, the Green Power had never deserted him, and he still felt honored by that. Yet, despite this, Zedd felt the Power...split. It whispered for use, carried him thoughts and dreams of a boy named Tommy.

A son. A thief. Zedd could not decide.

Zedd was more powerful than Zordon could dream. He had watched Tommy constantly. Night, day, anytime Zedd could spare a few moments. And when he watched, he was reminded, forcefully, of others. There, those flashes-himself, a young boy clever enough to escape people who claimed to own him, yet honorable enough to refuse it. There-Zordon, pure and certain of everything, yet always kind, always loving. There-the first Red Ranger, strong and calm.

It had been weeks. Zedd needed to choose. Would he honor Rita's decision, and allow the boy to keep his Color? Or reclaim them for a nobler wielder?

But who said it was his choice?

Zedd smiled. Yes. Yes, perfect-offer the boy a place at his side, and a chance to earn those powers. And if the boy refused...

Zedd had often wondered if Zordon would pass on the White Power if it meant saving a life. If Tommy refused, Zedd might well find out.