Disclaimer:\I don't claim to own any of Power Ranger, nor am I affiliated with it in any way.
It was a beautiful day in the woods. There was just enough cloud that no one would get sunburnt, a gentle breeze swaying the branches and birds shone like stars high in the sky. This struck Clare as odd because it was the wrong time of year for phoenixes but she did not dwell upon it, pleased as she was to be living in such a wonderful world. It was as though the pocket dimensions she used to play in had become real and the once dreary mystic wood had become vibrant and full of life. Chip had described the change by comparing two places named 'Lórien' and 'Mirkwood' but she had no idea where or what they were and nobody considered it worth telling her.
But Clare had another reason for being so cheerful, for her inauguration was coming up, where she would finally receive her wand and staff. She was really looking forward to it. Technically she was already a sorceress but she longed for her own wand greatly. Plus, her ascension had been under extreme duress and she secretly feared she would not have gained it had the world not been about to end. So she was looking forward to her birthday in a way that she had not done for many years.
She came to the edge of the wood and looked to the city down below. Ideally, she thought to herself, she should have walked directly to the city but the woods had been so cheerful she had gotten distracted. Still, it never did anyone any harm to walk downhill so she set out down the road, earning some unusual looks from passing motorists.
While strolling her mind turned to the long list of things she still needed to acquire. Some were certain to be easy while some were going to be harder than breaking into the pit. Where, since the great evil uprising, would anyone produce (and export) magically enhanced party poppers.
About ten minutes later she reached the outskirts of Briarwood and started looking for what she needed. The city did not seem to have a market of the sort she was accustomed to and asking locals where the bazaar was only caused them to laugh. Well, laugh or try to sell her something she was quite sure was not legal.
During one such encounter she met Chip, when he jumped of the roof of a nearby building landing in front of her. With his crossbow in hand he stood ready to fight the dodgy dealers but instead of fighting they sprinted away, leaving all the goods they were peddling behind. He quickly searched through them and shook his head.
"Not the one."
Clare tapped him on the shoulder and smiled sweetly.
"Were you looking for something Chip?"
He looked at her for a moment before answering.
"Someone is smuggling explosive potions out of the Elf Village. These crooks however were just your everyday back alley scoundrels."
Chip then proceeded to call Briarwood police and asked them to remove the contraband from the street. He then turned back to Clare.
"So what were you doing here anyway? This is not a part of the city most people visit."
"I was trying to find someone to tell me where I could find the bazaar, but nobody will tell me."
Chip tried really hard not to laugh and for a while succeeded but then realised he would have to say something back.
"The shopping district, as it's known, is a mile further into town. You don't get actual bazaars here. What are you looking for anyway?"
Clare, who had been distracted by trying to find the way, had almost forgotten her shopping list but she quickly remembered.
"Four bakers' dozen inflatable balls, a hundredweight of pork, five bushels of what was supposed to be ale but Daggeron recommends something which happens to look like it because he doesn't want to leave that much alcohol around Xander..."
"And how were you planning on carrying this?"
Clare thought for a second. She really hadn't planned that far forwards. Her face fell and Chip seemed to her to be trying say something.
"You know Clare, you could always um, er, um..." He stammered. Then his eyes focused on something behind her and his voice turned commanding. "You, stop right there."
Clare turned around just in time to see another shady character throw his bag away. This time however, there was a terrific explosion, of a magnitude only normally reached when zords and giant monsters fought one another. Out of the smoke a monster emerged, covered in a thick leathery substance and with knives for fingers.
"I'll get back to you Clare, for now the shops are in a straight line down there." Chip told her and started walking toward the monster.
Clare went in the direction he suggested and just about heard his legendary morphing call as she walked off. About five minutes later she met the other rangers running the other way.
"Clare." Snarled Vida as she ran past.
"Don't mind her." Came Xander as he followed seconds later. "She can't take a joke."
"It really wasn't that funny Xander." Called Maddie as she brought up the rear. She then looked at Clare and added "Even Phineas and Toby weren't laughing.", before racing on by. Clare barely knew Toby, but he seemed the sort that could laugh at anything.
Finally after much walking which Clare felt certain was nearer to a league than a mile, she beheld for the first time the main entrance to Briarwood Shopping Mall, complete with fake gilded streamers and flanked by draped flags carrying a red smiley face on a silvery background.
She started looking vainly for a chime or knocker and was quite perplexed when she couldn't find one. After observing other people for a while she realised that you were supposed to just walk right in and filled with curiosity and excitement, Clare entered a mall.
An:\Now in theory I do have a draft of the next chapter written. However it requires me to write from the perspective of a girl, in an American Shopping Mall, whose never seen one before. Since I am neither a girl nor American, I am having to constantly redraft it. Even so, I apologise in advance for how that is likely to turn out.
On a related note, please tell me if I've left any British words or phrases in any sentence spoken by a surface dweller.