Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and all related characters; Bedazzled is owned (I think) by 20th Century Fox. I, however, own Brendan, Cindy, and Marlene—do not take them without my permission.

Continuity: Sequel to "The Replacement," which was an alternate ending to "There's No Business Like Snow Business." References made during this story suggest that the meat of it takes place during "Inner Spirit," etc., which would have to mean that the events of those episodes occurred AFTER "A Season to Remember" even though they aired before. (And to me, it makes more sense to have the latter immediately follow "There's No Business Like Snow Business," since it was established to already be winter in that episode and Christmas is right at the start of the season.)

Personal Affairs
Prologue
by MegaSilver

Rito and Goldar greedily eyed the plates of yummy goodies on the counter of the kitchen in the Angel Grove Police Station. Just as Rito was about to attack a tray of orange-cinnamon-nutmeg cookies, he felt the hand of a coldhearted cop on the back of his neck. "OW!"

From behind, Farkas Bulkmeyer grabbed the both of them and pulled them up so he could glare at them. "All right, you two. You heard what Lieutenant Stone said, right?"

"Ack! Yes!" screeched Rito.

"He said Skull and I were to guard these treats at all costs. And that means if anything happens to them, he'll kill us. And if we're dead, who'll be around to feed you?" He darted his gaze back and forth between the both of them. "HUH?"

"Euh… no one!" whimpered Goldar.

"That's right!" Bulk released his grip. "So what are you going to do while I go help Skull set up the ballroom for the Christmas party?"

"Guard the treats?"

"EXACTLY!" Bulk shouted. Noticing a comparatively smallish brownie on one of the plates, he snatched it, popped it into his mouth, turned and marched out of the kitchen.

As soon as the door slammed shut, Rito cowered in the corner. "Oh, Goldie, how are we ever gonna live through the afternoon?"

"Simple: don't eat the treats, nitwit!" Goldar snarled.

"But I'm a skeleton! I don't hold in food; that's why I'm always hungry!"

"Quit your whining!"

Suddenly, the room went dark. Lightning and thunder shot back and forth and a portal opened, through which stepped Master Vile. "Indeed, quit your whining!" snarled the evil patriarch. "And what do you think that's been like for your parents? You know, most children have quit being poop machines by age twelve!"

"GAAAA!" screamed Rito and Goldar, not recognizing the towering figure before them.

"Goldar, save me!" whined Rito.

"No, I need to be saved myself!" Goldar whimpered.

Master Vile slammed his cane down on the floor. "Shut up, both of you! Shame on you both, acting like spoiled children at this terrible hour! Have you no respect for your fallen sister and mistress? Rito, have you any idea how upset your mother and I are?"

"I don't even know who my mommy is!" Rito protested.

"Enough of that!" snarled Master Vile. "There will be a funeral service tomorrow afternoon and you will both come with me at once to prepare!"

"No!" protested Goldar. "We're police pets! If you take us with you they'll list us as kidnapped!"

"You? Earthlings would make an effort to look for you? I'm beginning to wonder why the likes of myself would even have bothered. We're going, now!"

Lady Vile was the spit and image of her daughter, albeit a trifle more aged—although one must take into account that she hadn't had the benefit of a magic facelift mask—and with a somewhat lower key style of dress and hair. When her husband arrived back at the palace with their son and his comrade in tow, she was blowing her nose and wiping away tears, but at the sight of Rito's milksoppy antics she quickly forgot her sorrows and stood up, infuriated.

"I can't believe this!" she snapped in a voice less shrill but more scratchy than Rita's. "Rito, you ought to be ashamed of yourself! I have always taught my children to act in a proper, orderly evil fashion. You should know better than to have any truck with infantile mischief making. What is your problem?" When her son only trembled in response, she kicked him in the shin and stared sharply at Master Vile. "Do they even know what happened?" Not waiting for a reply, she grabbed the two idiots by the necks and shoved them into the next room, where a wake was being prepared.

"AAAUGH!" Rito jumped back. "It's a live body!"

"No, you moron!" Goldar whacked him upside the back of the head. "It's a dead body!"

"It's… it's Rita!"

"Rita?"

The two slowly approached the coffin and beheld their fallen sister and Empress, head neatly resewn onto the corpse. At the sight of her lifeless form, their memories were returning.

All those summers as kids, suffering under the humiliating effects of the spells she learned with her free time…

Ten thousand years in the dumpster with her, then betraying her to the boss…

Surprising her with Tengas for a wedding present…

Getting whacked with her staff every week after failing to destroy the Power Rangers…

"WAAAAAAA!" The two comrades embraced each other and sobbed, stopping only when they noticed Lord Zedd looking over them at his late wife.

"My Lord." Goldar bowed before his Emperor and took his hand. "I was rarely on good terms with her. But I am deeply sorry about your loss."

Zedd jerked his hand away and said nothing. He didn't glow. He didn't even growl. He just stared at the two for a few moments before walking away.

TO BE CONTINUED…