Author's Note: I suck. Big time. Promised a faster update last time and got caught up in watching and updating my Teen Wolf story. I am soooo sorry.
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban but Mystic Force was created by Disney. Enjoy.
Shout Outs: N/A
Warnings: Rated T for safety
Mystic Force: Against All Odds
Summary: "I didn't ask for this," "I know, but this is your destiny... this is our families legacy... and our time is now." After the fall of the Lightning Academy and the arrival of the darkness, Rebecca learns that the prophecy has begun and Aliyah is now in great danger.
Ignoring the looks she was receiving from the Wind Ninja students, Aliyah continued to follow her sister through the grounds. While being back at the Ninja Academy it was customary for her and Rebecca to wear their standard Lightning Academy uniform, which meant that the Wind Ninja students were able to identify them as Lightning Ninja's.
And, if the looks weren't enough to catch Aliyah's attention, the whispered conversations were.
"Yeah, I heard it was destroyed."
"Then how did they survive?"
"I heard they were the cause of it."
"Nah, it's her. She's the reason the Lightning Academy fell."
"I agree. Everyone here and at the Thunder Academy is saying she is cursed."
"But she's dating Sensei Watanabe."
"He could do better."
"I dunno, dude, she's kinda hot."
"Yeah. Sensei's a lucky guy."
"Oh, shit, she's looking over here."
Aliyah smirked as the group of young students turned away from her gaze. They must have been incredibly stupid if they believed she couldn't hear what they were saying, it wasn't as if they were keeping their voices to a whisper.
"Come on, Ali," said Rebecca. "Keep up. You can terrorize the students some other time."
"Whatever. I still don't get what we're doing here." Aliyah said picking up her pace. She caught up with Rebecca in no time. "Especially since we're not here to visit Shane, Dustin, Tori or Cam."
"You can visit them later."
"Then why are we here?" Aliyah repeated.
"Sensei's agreed to let us use the academy for training. Leanbow is with Nick, which means you get me." Rebecca answered.
Aliyah rolled her eyes. "You want to fight me?" she asked.
"No, I'm here to train you," said Rebecca. "There is a difference."
"Then why don't you train me in Briarwood, you know, where the others can join in? I mean, we are team, aren't we? We should train together."
Rebecca shook her head. "It is time for you and Nick to be trained separately," she explained. "After all, it is you and him that the Master is after."
"OK. But shouldn't that also mean that Nick and I should be together?" Aliyah asked. "If the Master is coming for us both, isn't there safety in numbers? We can also train together, making sure that we both know each other's fighting strategy and everything."
"You will." Rebecca nodded. "Soon. But now, we fight separately."
"But -?"
Rebecca sighed. "Look, Aliyah," she said stopping and turning to her sister. "The Master will be at his full power soon. We must be ready for him."
"Hey, since the connection between Nick and I closed," said Aliyah. "My magic has never been stronger. You know that."
"Convince me." Rebecca said, shifting directly into her Ranger form.
Aliyah mimicked her actions and drew her Mystic sabre. She raised it above her head and darted forward; Rebecca retaliated by lifting her own sabre and blocking her sister's hit, she countered with a slash at Aliyah's side, but was blocked when Aliyah spun her weapon down and slammed it into her sisters.
"The master's strong. You must be stronger." Rebecca coached as she and Aliyah continued to train.
"Ha!" Aliyah grunted as she pushed off from the ground and jumped over her sister's head, kicking Rebecca in the back and sending her rolling across the green, as she landed, Aliyah spun around and reached for Saba who rested on her other hip. "Fire!"
Several brightly coloured platinum laser's hurled Rebecca off of her feet, but the Black Ranger made it back to her feet unscratched.
"Is that all you've got?" Rebecca asked, spinning her Magi staff in her hand. "Eagle Blaster. Fire!"
There was a poof of black smoke and Rebecca's blaster appeared in her hand, she fired several beams of energy at Aliyah, which threw her mid-way across the training grounds.
Aliyah groaned and rolled over onto her stomach, both her mystic sabre and Saba blade lay a few inches away from where she had landed.
"Given up already?" Rebecca asked.
"You wish." Aliyah said, snatching her two choices of weapons and sheathing them. She then pulled her magi staff from her belt and held it into the air. "Magi Staff. Tiger Sais." The Magi staff turned into Aliyah's personal fighting weapons, once that allowed her to fight at close contact with her opponent. "Bring it." She challenged.
Rebecca smirked beneath her helmet and fired her Eagle blaster again. Aliyah blocked the attacks this time with her sai's, and then rushed forward to attack. Rebecca blocked her with her sabre, and managed to deliver a kick to her sister's stomach.
Aliyah stumbled backwards, but didn't fall.
"Ancient power of the Eagle." Rebecca called, twirling her sabre in a circular motion. A puff of black smoke covered the whole weapon and Rebecca used it to slash across Aliyah's stomach.
Aliyah groaned as she was lifted off of her feet and sent hurling through the air. She crash landed and demorphed, just as the entrance to the underground lair, which was known as Ninja Ops, opened, spilling Tori, Shane, Dustin, Tyler and Cam onto the grounds.
"Ali?" Tori frowned, looking down at her best friend.
"Hi," said Aliyah, blowing her hair from her face and pushing herself into a sitting position. She held her hands out to Cam and Tyler, and allowed them to pull her back to her feet. "How's it going?"
"Better question is what are you doing?" Shane said, looking between the two sisters.
Rebecca relinquished her morph and walked over her old teammates.
"What does it look like I am doing?" Aliyah asked, rubbing the bottom of her spine. "I'm getting my ass handed to me by a Lightning graduate and a Pai Zhuq master, and trust me; it is easier than it sounds."
Dustin frowned and shook his head. "Why did you challenge her if you knew you would lose?" he asked.
"I didn't challenge her," said Aliyah. "She challenged me."
"It wasn't a challenge." Rebecca corrected. "It was a training exercise. The end result is simple. You're not ready to take on the Master."
Aliyah huffed and looked away. If what Rebecca said about the Master was true, and he was gaining power quickly, then the only question she cared about was: when would she be ready to take him on?
~*Against All Odds*~
"If I were you, LeeLee, I'd put those down," said Vida as she wandered over towards the blonde. "Aliyah's already paid to have new ones because she broke her last pair, I don't think she'd be too happy if she found out her new pair are broken too."
LeeLee, who had been playing around with Aliyah's reading glasses, quickly took them off of her face and put them back into their case. "How does one break reading glasses?" she asked.
"It's Aliyah." Vida shrugged. "How does she break anything?"
"Hmm. Good point." LeeLee nodded. "Hey, is she OK? I mean, she's been sort of quiet lately, and she's actually been talking to me, rather than threatening to end my life."
Vida smiled and nodded. "She's fine. She's just going through a rough time at the moment, if it freaks you out then tell her, I'm sure she'd be happy enough to stop."
"No. No. It's OK." LeeLee said, shaking her head. "I actually find it kind of nice that she's talking to me, and not threatening to kill me. It's just... It's not her, you know?"
"Yeah, I know." Vida nodded. "But like I said, she's going through a rough time."
LeeLee nodded and silence fell between her and Vida.
"This sucks," said Chip looking away from his game. "We haven't had a customer in days."
"I agree." Xander nodded. "It's put a serious dent in my social life. How am I supposed to pick up customers if there are none?"
LeeLee and Vida rolled their eyes as they exchanged looks.
Maddie, who was standing behind the front counter with Toby, squeaked as a pretty brunette walked in.
"Oh, finally. A customer." Toby sighed. His business had been failing badly in the last couple of days, ever since he had hired Phineas. He had never been one to point the finger at someone, especially a friend, but the people of Briarwood were so terrified of the new employee at the Rock Porium that they refused to enter the building with him there.
Ignoring the lack of people in the store, the pretty brunette wandered over to the CDs and started looking through them. She paused and removed an album from the shelf, but jumped backwards in alarm as Phineas leered through the gap at her.
"Welcome to the Rock Porium. My name's Phineas. I'm here to answer all your musical questions." The Troblin smiled, ignoring the others who were subtly trying to tell him to shut up. "May I recommend something new?" Phineas continued, offering the customer a CD. "The Bulgarian nose-flute orchestra."
The customer screamed, dropped the album in her hand, and rushed out of the door.
"Uh, she must really hate Bulgarian nose-flute music." Phineas said nervously.
No sooner had the customer left, did the Rangers morphers chime.
"Let's go." Vida said, leading the others out of the door.
"Don't worry guys." Phineas called after them. "I'll cover the store. Right boss?" he grinned and pointed at Toby, who merely shook his head and sighed.
~*Against All Odds*~
Itassis turned to the sound of running footsteps and saw that the Rangers had finally arrived. "Rangers," she boomed as they grew closer. "By order of the Master, i'm here to destroy your world."
"And we're here to stop you." Chip said. He rushed forward and waved his Lion staff in a complete circle. "Lightning Bolts."
"Do not interfere." Itassis said obliterating the attack with a simple snap of her wrist. She then snapped her fingers and Chip was thrown backwards as his own attack hit him in the chest.
Itassis laughed, before turning to Vida and Maddie as they rushed in from behind.
"Hey! Over here!"
"You're going down for that."
The twins jumped into the air and aimed a double attack at the terror. Itassis retaliated by holding up her hand and blasting the two backwards.
"Hey!" Xander yelled running in to cover his friends. He was quickly followed by Rebecca, who had arrived with Aliyah in tow. The black and green Rangers fought simultaneously, before Xander was deflected and Rebecca used her Lion staff to attack Itassis with a stream of darkness.
Itassis laughed as the darkness surrounded her but she merely walked through the cloud of smoke, and aimed it back at Rebecca.
The black Ranger cried out as she was blasted off of her feet.
"Vine power." Xander commanded pointing his staff at the terror. Thick roots shot out of the ground and wrapped themselves around Itassis, but they cracked as Itassis cut through them. She jumped into the air and fired her eye-beams at Xander as she crossed his path.
"Stop fighting and accept your fate." Itassis ordered landing a fair distance behind the fallen green Ranger.
"Never." Aliyah yelled jumping into action. She waved her Mystic Lion staff in a full circle and fired it at Itassis. "Dazzler."
Itassis stumbled slightly as the beam of light hit her, causing spots to appear before her eyes.
"Magi Staff, Tiger Sai!" Aliyah added. She jumped into the air and slashed down at the terror for a close and personal annihilation, but was knocked aside as Itassis recovered from her initial attack and cut into her side with her hand.
"I am one of the ten terrors," said Itassis. "You're magic is nothing compared to mine."
The platinum Ranger gasped for breath as Nick jumped over her. He spread his arms wide to protect his friends from Itassis. "I'll show you magic," he said. "Red Dragon Fire Ranger."
Despite the connection between he and Aliyah having closed, Nick was still able to connect with Fireheart nonetheless.
Once combined with the dragon, Nick jumped over Itassis as she fired several lasers from her palm at him. None of the attacks hit Nick, who slashed at the Egyptian terror with his sabers when he landed.
"Impressive." Itassis approved.
"Always."
Pushing off of the red Ranger, Itassis summoned her club and aimed it at the leader of the Rangers. "Try this on for size," she said.
Nick blocked the attack and threw it aside, even though the force of it sent him reeling. He groaned as he hit the ground, holding his side in pain and discomfort.
"Now will you admit your defeat?" Itassis asked standing over the fallen team.
Maddie shook her head as she and the others regrouped around Nick. "No way," she shouted. "You said you were only after knowledge, but you're just a puppet of the master."
"What?" Itassis growled.
"And you don't even have the courage to make your own decisions." Nick added, leaning against Aliyah as she helped him back to his feet.
Itassis hesitated and turned away. "He is right," she murmured, disappearing into a flicker of light.
"Wait!" Nick called.
"Wait? Are you kidding me?" Aliyah scoffed.
"Is he kidding you?" Xander asked. "Are you kidding us? You're usually the one looking for a fight, and you don't want her to stick around?"
"Hey, I'm not total idiot," said Aliyah. "I know not to pick a fight with someone that I can't beat."
~*Against All Odds*~
Rebecca shook her head as she and Shane observed Nick training on the balcony. In the beginning she had been against the Wind Ninja's coming to Rootcore, not because she didn't trust them, but mostly because she didn't want to compromise the base with outsiders knowing about it, but Aliyah had been adamant that her friends could be trusted, and Rebecca knew that if she was ever going to earn her sister's trust again then she would have to start trusting her in return.
"He reminds me of you." Rebecca said, nudging the Air Sensei. "All cockiness, no confidence."
"I thought that was Connor." Shane pouted.
Rebecca shrugged. "Meh, you had it too," she said. "Or need I remind you of the time you believed Dustin and Tori to be the problem behind your failures."
"Yeah, well, I learned my lesson, didn't I?"
"You did." Rebecca nodded. "And so will Nick. But first I need to be sure he is up for the challenge of saving the human population."
Shane rolled his eyes.
Rebecca frowned. "What?" she asked.
"Has anyone ever told you that you worry too much?"
"Quite often."
"You're pushing the rangers too hard, Rebecca," said Shane. "Yes, they are responsible for saving the planet, but no, it is not your job to make sure they are up to par. Sensei didn't intervene with us when we were learning. I'm not saying he let us get on with it, and get our asses handed to us left, right and centre, but he didn't train us to the point of near exhaustion. He let us breathe and work our way around the problem. He didn't breathe down our necks to the point where we had to rebel to get his attention."
Rebecca shook her head. "What are you trying to say, Shane?" she asked.
"I'm trying to say that you're being to overbearing." Shane explained. "This morning, with Aliyah, you were constantly pushing her to practice, practice, and practice. Aliyah's not a practioner, Rebecca, she's a doer."
"I know. But she's going about things the wrong way," said Rebecca. "She's going to get herself killed if she doesn't think things through first."
"Most likely." Shane agreed. "But then again, Aliyah's always run head first in to trouble, she may suffer a few cuts, bruises and broken bones, but she's always managed to survive."
"So you think I should just let Aliyah do things her way, and not worry about the consequences?" Rebecca asked.
Shane shrugged. "We both know that you're going to worry about the consequences," he said. "So whether I say yes or no doesn't really matter. But take it from someone who knows Aliyah longer, she's going to continue to do things her way, whether you like it or not."
"Known her longer? I've known her since the days he was born." Rebecca protested.
"No, you haven't," said Shane. "You knew Aliyah for 11 years. Then for six years you broke off all contact with her, made her believe you were dead. In those six years Aliyah met Tori, Dustin and I, we learned more about her in those six years than you did in eleven. She may be your sister, Rebecca, but you don't know her at all."
Rebecca sighed as she realized that Shane was right. "So what do I do?" she asked. "The only thing I know how to be is overprotective, and that's only because I don't want to lose Aliyah like I lost my parents."
"You're not gonna lose Aliyah," said Shane, reassuringly. "She's too stubborn to stop fighting."
"Speaking of fighting," said Rebecca as she turned back to check on Nick but found him to be missing. She shot to her feet and jumped down onto the balcony from the tree that she and Shane had been hiding him. "Where'd he go?" she asked turning to the Air Sensei.
Shane shook his head. "I don't know," he shrugged. "But he was just here, so he can't be too far away."
"I hope not." Rebecca said. "With the Master's return, Aliyah and Nick are in great danger."
"When is Aliyah not in great danger?" Shane asked.
"Rebecca? Rebec - whoa!" Claire squeaked as she fell forwards. She covered her face with her hands and waited for the impact her body made with the floor, but it never came. Instead she felt arms wrap around her waist and someone set her back on her feet.
Shane maintained a firm hold on Claire as he looked her over for any injury.
"Are you OK?" he asked.
Claire blushed as she looked up at him.
"Thanks," she murmured.
Rebecca smirked as she watched her friend and cousin.
"What is it, Claire?" she asked, hating herself for having to break them apart.
"There's trouble in the forest," said Claire. "Udonna, Leanbow and Daggeron have gone to help. Udonna wants you to go too; it looks like it may be the work of Dark Magic. She would also like you to call the others, if dark magic is at play then it would be better to be safe than sorry."
Rebecca nodded and whipped out her morpher and called the others. She relayed the same message that Claire had just given her, and then turned back to Shane and Claire. "They'll meet us out there," she said. "Unless you two would prefer to stay here?"
"Um. I have work to do." Claire said, pointing over her shoulder. "So, I'll just..." she smiled sheepishly at Shane and rushed back inside, careful not to trip over her own two feet as she scuttled away.
"Cute." Rebecca teased. "Very cute. I suppose you'll want to stay here too?" she asked the Sensei.
"I'm only staying to make sure she doesn't kill herself." Shane answered as he disappeared downstairs.
"I'm heading out." Rebecca shouted down to Claire and Shane, as she walked towards the edge of the balcony. "You two behave now." She petted Cookie, her sister's cat behind the ears as he lounged in the afternoon sun, and jumped over the edge.
A tunnel of black smoke erupted to life beneath her and swallowed her whole, when the smoke disappeared so had Rebecca.
~*Against All Odds*~
Aliyah shook her head as she led her friends into the destroyed village. She spotted Udonna helping an elf picking up fruit, while Leanbow and Daggeron helped sort out the debris; all over the little village fires burned and spread, but they were extinguished when more village folk spilled water over them.
"There are Leanbow and Daggeron," said Maddie.
"And Udonna." Tyler said.
"Don't worry, folks, everything's gonna be OK," said Rebecca, walking forward.
"How can we help?" Chip asked.
Orndir, the elder guardian of the village, stood up and approached the group of humans. "Leave us," he ordered. "You're not welcome here."
"But we're the Mystic Force." Vida frowned.
"Yeah, don't you remember us?" Xander asked. "We're the protectors, who you love and adore."
"I said go." Orndir shouted. "Humans do not belong here. Look around. Look what happened to our village - our home destroyed, our crops ruined." He stopped suddenly, his gaze catching a glimpse of someone behind the group. "He's back. The destroyer has returned."
Aliyah frowned and turned to see what had frightened Orndir so badly. "Nick?" she murmured as her cousin and leader walked towards them.
"Destroyer?" Leanbow repeated. "No, you've got it wrong. That's my son."
Nick smirked, his eyes burning a deep fiery purple. "Like father, like son," he growled. "You guys missed the show."
"Bowen, is this true?" Udonna asked.
"Yeah." Nick answered. "And i'm just getting started."
He clenched his hands into fists and opened them to reveal a burning ball of fire in his palm. He growled, and threw the flaming ball of fire at his target.
Leanbow prepared himself for the impact, but it never came as Aliyah jumped into his path and deflected the fire ball away.
Nick laughed evilly as he morphed. The purple armor of Koragg covering every inch of his body. "I should have known you'd step up and protect the worthless," he growled pointing at Aliyah.
"If anyone's worthless around here." Aliyah retaliated, taking out her morpher. "It's you."
"You fight for the weak." Nick said. "The Master's dark magic has given me more power than I have ever dreamed. I can't believe he gave it up."
"He didn't really have much of a choice," said Aliyah. "We forced him to give it up. We did it because he wasn't evil. He was being controlled by the Master, just like you, Nick. You have to fight this."
"I'm going to fight." Nick nodded. "But it won't be the power I can feel coursing through me at this very moment. If anything, i'm going to fight you."
Aliyah narrowed her eyes and held up her morpher. "You wanna fight?" she asked, morphing quickly. "Then let's fight."
"No, Aliyah," shouted Rebecca. "You're not ready. You have to think this though."
"I'm done over thinking the situation, Rebecca," said Aliyah. "I'm gonna do this one my way. Magi staff, Tiger Sai's."
Her staff split into two separate weapons that Aliyah twirled between her hands. She held them up, crossing one over her helmet, while she held the other across her waist, poised to be thrown at any given moment.
Nick laughed. "The Mystic Force will fall by my sword," he said, jumping at Aliyah, and locking his sword with her Sai. "Starting with the mighty savior."
A purple talisman appeared beneath the two rangers.
"No!" Rebecca shouted pushed herself up and racing towards the pair of them. Unfortunately she didn't make it. The talisman disappeared as soon as Nick and Aliyah disappeared beneath it.
"Damnit!" Vida growled.
"Now what do we do?" Tyler asked, turning to Rebecca.
Rebecca sighed and shook her head. "There is nothing we can do," she said. "Nick - the Master - he came here looking for Aliyah because he intends to destroy her, and then destroy Nick. They are the only two standing in his way of total domination of this planet."
"Technically, they're not," said Tori. "Even if he is capable of destroying Nick and Aliyah, he still has to get past you and the other Rangers," she nodded at Vida, Xander, Maddie and Chip. "I highly doubt you lot are going to go down without a fight."
"But they are the ones with the power to destroy him." Rebecca protested.
"Whether that is true or not," said Cam. "You put too much faith in Aliyah and Nick that you forget that the Rangers are a team. You fight evil as a team, and you take down the Master together. Aliyah and Nick may be the ones who were born into this legacy of power, but they cannot defeat the Master without the help of their teammates."
"But -"
"No buts, Rebecca," said Udonna, soothingly. "Your friends are right. Yes, your sister and my son are equipped with the power to defeat the Master, but they cannot unlock it without yours and the other's help. All this time you have been training Aliyah for the final fight against the Master and you still have not learned that, at the end of the day, it is team work that win's out."
~*Against All Odds*~
Claire squeaked in fear as she sought protection in his Shane's arms.
Outside of their little hiding space they could hear the crashes and yells as Aliyah and Koragg - or who Claire believed to be Koragg - continued to fight. The two had appeared out of nowhere, smashing everything in their attempt to get at one another.
"Who is that guy?" Shane asked.
"His name's Koragg." Claire answered. "The Rangers fought him a while back. He's the alter-ego of my uncle Leanbow, Nick's father. I don't understand how he has returned. He was destroyed by the Rangers when they turned Leanbow good again."
"Well something has happened to make him turn back," said Shane. "I know that Aliyah wouldn't be fighting him if he was anything but good."
Claire frowned. "But doesn't Aliyah have trust issues?" she asked. "I mean, she doesn't completely trust Leanbow as it is, she still holds Koragg over his head and tells him that in order to gain her trust he must prove that he can rise above the things he has done in the past. The misery and trouble he has caused when he was the wolf warrior."
"If Leanbow involuntarily shifted back into Koragg," said Shane. "Aliyah would be the first to fight him, mostly because, as you said, she has trust issues. She'd view his transformation back as a betrayal of her trust and she takes betrayal very seriously."
"I'm aware."
Shane shook his head. "No, you're not," he said. "Have you seen Aliyah at her strongest and weakest moments? Have you seen how ferocious she is when she's pissed off? How cruel she can be? She'll pull out all the stops, and can say some pretty nasty things."
"I've never seen her like that before," said Claire.
"Well I have," said Shane. "It's not a pretty sight. I've felt sorry for Hunter, our former Crimson Ranger, on a number of occasions. He may have let himself in for the abuse when he tried to kill Aliyah, but that doesn't mean he always deserved it."
"But Aliyah grew up with the Mystic Force team," said Claire. "Well, all of them except Nick. She, Vida and Xander are best friends, and she views Chip and Maddie as her younger brother and sister, she's very protective of them. Like a tigress protecting her cubs."
Shane nodded. "Yeah. I've seen that side of Aliyah too," he said. "Just trust me when I say, don't let the mask fool you. Aliyah's a ticking time bomb waiting to explode, and she could do so at any moment. She doesn't trust easily, and she has no idea why."
"She's learning to trust again." Claire said.
"That might be true," said Shane. "But it'll be a long process before she is ever able to trust someone completely. Hell, she doesn't even trust Cam, and he's been her boyfriend now for nearly four years."
~*Against All Odds*~
"I'm through with you." Nick shouted blasting the dragon head above Aliyah. The whole thing exploded and fell towards the ground, causing the platinum Ranger to dive aside to avoid being crushed.
Biting back a growl, Aliyah drew back her Sai and threw it at Nick. He had lost his shield when he had thrown it at her during the beginning of the fight, and therefore had nothing to protect himself with. The sharp point of the Sai hit Nick in the shoulder, causing sparks to fly.
Nick yelled in anger, grabbed the handle of the Sai and threw it back at Aliyah. It flew over her shoulder and embedded itself in the wall just behind her.
"Magi staff!" Aliyah said as the Sai's disappeared and reformed her wand. "Light sabre." The one sided blade appeared in her hands as she twirled it into a circle. "Light sabre, energy orb!" she shouted, slashing through the orb and sending it flying towards Nick.
He cut through it with his sword, and blasted Aliyah with a series of energy balls.
The platinum Ranger was ready for them as she blocked each of them with her sabre, before jumping up onto a higher perch to get a better advantage over him. Nick had been right when he said training was over. This was the real deal, and she needed to prove that she was ready for the final fight.
"Where do you think you are going?" Nick yelled throwing his sword at Aliyah. She dropped down to avoid the hit, and swung her fist at her cousin, punching him in the side of the head.
"This ends now, Nick!" Aliyah shouted, waving her newly formed magi staff at her cousin. "Malorium Orvis," she said as a bright white talisman appeared beneath the pair of them. They both sank down into the ground, leaving a ruined Rootcore behind.
~*Against All Odds*~
Udonna, Leanbow, the Mystic Rangers and the Ninja's shielded their eyes as a bright white talisman appeared on the ground behind them. They had no idea what was about to come through, but they didn't have to wait too long to find out.
"You can't run from me." Nick shouted as the light dimmed, revealing both Nick, who still donned Koragg's armour, and Aliyah, who looked relatively weakened from her spell, standing in the middle of the forest.
The second thing the group noticed was that Nick was disarmed.
"I'm not running from you," said Aliyah, shaking her head. "I'm ending this once and for all."
Nick laughed. "You can't defeat me," he chided. "I harness the power of the Master."
"That may be so." Aliyah nodded. "But what the Master fails to realize is while we on the side of good may have a lot to lose, it is just that, which makes us stronger. It is our desire to protect not just the planet, but our own lives, and that is why evil will never beat us."
She stabbed her sabre into the ground; making it so both she and Nick were unarmed.
"I think I speak for both of us, Nick, when I say that we are tired of fighting," said Aliyah. "Tired of battling. This is why I refuse to fight you anymore."
"Then perish." Nick growled.
Aliyah stood her ground as he summoned his sword from Rootcore. He raised it above his head, ready to cut her through, but still Aliyah made no move to grab her sword and defend herself.
"Ali!" Nick said as he broke through the evil barrier that surrounded him. He knew Aliyah was stubborn in the face of danger, but this was ridiculous.
"I know you're in there, Nick," said Aliyah. "I know you can fight this. I know you're stronger than he is. I've lost too much to the Master already, I won't lose you too."
Nick groaned as a cloud of black smoke surrounded him and lifted into the air. Red eyes glowed amongst the darkness, before disappearing, leaving Nick on his knees panting for breath.
As the evil cloud disappeared, Aliyah fell to her knees beside her cousin and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "You OK?" she asked.
"Am I OK?" Nick repeated. "Are you OK? That was a stupid thing to do. I couldn't control what I was doing, what if I had killed you?"
Aliyah scoffed and shoved Nick away from her. "You're welcome," she snapped as she got back to her feet.
Cam, Tori and Dustin hung back and exchanged looks as Leanbow, Udonna and the rest of the Mystic Force rangers rushed forward to check on their teammates; they'd have their chance to praise and scold Aliyah later, right now they were just happy to see that she hadn't changed in the slightest.
~*Against All Odds*~
"I can't believe you won," said Rebecca.
"Well believe it," said Aliyah.
"But you weren't ready."
"Clearly I was."
Rebecca shook her head. "But this morning -"
"This morning I was playing by your rules," said Aliyah. "This morning I was trying to think about the situation and worm my way out, but when I fought Nick I just went for it. I followed my head and that's what brought me out on top."
"I still don't believe it."
Aliyah smirked and lay into Cam as he wrapped his arms around her. "Think of it this way, Rebecca, if I had waited and thought out a plan, the Master would have got the upper hand and destroy Leanbow, Rootcore and Nick. At least my way, we saved two out of three."
"Two out of three?" Xander asked.
"Yeah. I managed to save Leanbow and Nick," said Aliyah. "Rootcore wasn't so lucky."
"What do you mean?" Maddie asked.
Aliyah looked sheepishly at Nick. "You want to tell them, or should I?" she asked.
"I'm good," said Nick. "Besides, you're on a roll."
Thankfully enough they had reached the dragon tree before Nick or Aliyah could explain what had happened at Rootcore; abandoning their friends, Vida, Xander, Chip and Maddie rushed into the rangers headquarters and stopped dead at the destruction that was revealed to them.
"Oh..."
"... My..."
"...God."
Maddie turned to look at Aliyah and Nick, as they walked in behind her. "I know both of you can be vicious, but this is ridiculous," she said.
"Hey, he started," said Aliyah, punching Nick in the shoulder.
"You challenged me." Nick protested.
"You attacked first." Aliyah argued.
Rebecca sighed and rubbed her temple as Nick and Aliyah continued to bicker. They only stopped when Udonna stood up and shouted at them both to be quiet, she then stumbled, and clutching her chest as a painful expression appeared on her face.
"Udonna," said Leanbow catching her before she could fall.
"Something has happened." Udonna answered. "Something terrible."
A cold wind swept through Rootcore, followed by a burst of snow as the Snow Prince appeared though a white talisman. He collapsed to the floor at the Rangers feet.
"Snow Prince," cried Vida as she knelt beside him.
"I come bearing grave news," said the Snow Prince. "The master has destroyed our realm, and attacked the Mystic mother."
"The who?" Aliyah asked, frowning.
"The empress of all good magic," said Udonna. "Known as Rita in the dark days."
"Whoa, wait a minute," said Aliyah. "Rita? As in Rita Repulsa, the humanoid sorceress bent on intergalactic domination? The same person who was imprisoned on the moon in a space dumpster by the great sage, Zordon. That Rita?"
Udonna smiled.
"So you know do read your Mystic History," she said.
"Uh, no, not really," said Aliyah, shaking her head. "It's just if it wasn't for Rita Repulsa and her quest for intergalactic domination there wouldn't be any Power Rangers, considering she is the one who started the tradition back in 1993."
Udonna nodded. "Yes, but now she uses her powers to fight all that is evil," she explained.
"Her final act of good magic was used to send me here," said the Snow Prince. "So I could warn you about what has happened. There was nothing I could do to help her."
"That's not your fault," said Rebecca. "She sent you here to protect you and warn us. You can't blame yourself for that."
"But I should have helped her." The Snow Prince argued.
"No," said Aliyah. "If she had wanted your help, she would have asked for it. Instead she sent you here so that you could warn us. If she hadn't done that then we'd be in the dark on what had happened, and unaware of how powerful the master truly is. She did the right thing, Snow Prince. You did the right thing."
Udonna clutched her husband's arm tightly. "If the Mystic Mother is gone," she whispered. "No one will be able to stop the master."
"But the Rangers -" said Claire.
Aliyah shook her head. "She's right, Claire," she said. "If the Master destroyed the ultimate form of goodness..."
"We don't stand a chance," said Nick, thinking along the same lines as Aliyah.
~*Against All Odds*~
Rebecca sighed as she wandered through the forest after Aliyah. Accompanying her was Cam, Tori, Shane, Dustin and Tyler. The platinum Ranger had taken off as soon as Udonna had confirmed she and Nick to be correct in assuming they were no match for the Master now that he had eliminated the Mystic Mother.
"Where could she have gone?" Tori asked.
"She wouldn't have gone back to the Lightning Academy, would she?" Tyler asked.
"No," said Rebecca. "She's not stupid. Aliyah knows that she can't survive there. Her protection spell isn't strong enough to protect her from the evil that lays at the academy."
"But doesn't this path lead in that direction?" Cam asked.
Rebecca nodded. "Yeah, but there's a barrier that separates the academy from the forest," she explained. "Aliyah won't be able to cross the barrier, her protection spell will fail and she'll suffocate."
"Let's hope she is smart enough to remember that," said Dustin.
"You know, for a couple of Ninja's, you guys suck at survival tactics," said a voice from above.
The group of six jumped and looked up to see Aliyah hanging from a branch some stories high.
"What are you doing up there?" Tyler asked.
"Thinking." Aliyah answered.
"Well, do you think you can come think on the ground?" Tori asked. "My neck is hurting."
Aliyah reached up and untangled her legs from around the branch, she then let go and dropped some several feet, before grabbing onto a low hanging branch and swinging down. She landed in a cat-like crouch and straightened up.
"Show off." Dustin pouted, remembering the time he had fallen out of a tree while on stake-out duty with Aliyah and Shane.
Aliyah shrugged and leaned back against the trunk of the tree.
"What were you doing up there?" Rebecca asked.
"Thinking." Aliyah repeated.
"About?" Tori asked.
"It doesn't matter."
"If it matters to you," said Cam. "It matters to us. Now's not the time to keep things bottled up, Aliyah. If something is bothering you, we need to know."
Aliyah shook her head. "For the past year, Nick and I have been in constant training so we'll be ready to take on the Master," she said. "And now, just because he's destroyed the Mystic mother, we're not strong enough anymore."
"You were the one who said that you were strong enough." Shane pointed out.
"Just because I said it," snapped Aliyah, "doesn't mean I believe it."
"Then what do you believe?" Rebecca asked.
Aliyah sighed and shrugged. "I - I don't believe that he is stronger. He has a weakness, everything, everyone has a weakness, even the Master of all evil. Lothor had a weakness, Mesogog had a weakness, and the Master has got to have something."
Tyler looked thoughtful. "You might be on to something," he said.
"Talk to me," said Aliyah.
"Well think about it," said Tyler. "What's the one thing that Lothor, Mesogog and the Master all have in common?"
The others shrugged and shook their heads.
"They were all power hungry," said the Lightning Sensei. "You all exploited Lothor's hunger for power and used it against him. Aliyah, you and the Dino Rangers did the same to Mesogog, so why can't you, Rebecca and the Mystic's do the same for the Master? Hit him where it hurts the most."
"And that would be where?" Dustin asked, looking confused.
Tyler sighed. "The Master believes he is the most feared and powerful creature around right now, yes?" he asked. The other Ninja's nodded. "Then exploit his fear."
"I don't think he has a fear," said Aliyah.
"We all have fears, Aliyah," said Tyler. "Even you. No matter how strong you try to hide it, you still have a fear. It's what makes you human."
"The Master isn't human."
Tyler shrugged. "Maybe not," he agreed. "But he has a fear. A fear of losing. A fear of good. As children we fear dark. Anything might be out there. It is the unknown that troubles us, and, ironically, it is our fate to live in the dark."
"Dude, you're not making any sense," said Aliyah. "Stop being all Sensei-like and speak English."
Tyler rolled her eyes. "Basically I am saying it is our natural instinct to fear the dark. Maybe it is the natural instinct of the Master to fear the light."
"So...?" Aliyah said.
"So," Tyler sighed. "You just have to show him how strong the light really is."
"I'm failing to understand -"
"Do not make me hit you." Tyler warned, noticing the teasing smirk on Aliyah's face. "Just go show him who's the most powerful witch of all."
"That's all you had to say." Aliyah grinned, reaching for her morpher as it jingled from her pocket. She snapped it open and Xander's voice called out over the line.
"We've got big trouble in the city, guys."
"On my way." Nick answered.
Rebecca looked to Aliyah and nodded.
"Copy that."
Snapping her morpher closed, Aliyah turned to the others.
"Go," said Tori. "We'll be fine."
"Go back to Rootcore," said Aliyah. "You'll be safe there."
Tori nodded. "Be careful," she warned. "If you die, I'll bring you back and then kill you myself."
"This is me," said Aliyah as she pushed off of the tree behind her. She turned to face it and prepared herself for transportation to the human realm. "When have you ever known me not to be careful... wait, don't answer that."
"Just go."
"Alright, already!" Aliyah sighed touching the trunk of the tree and disappearing from view.
Dustin gawked as Rebecca followed her sister. "Now that," he gushed, "was awesome!"
~*Against All Odds*~
"I will defeat you this time!" Black Lance challenged as he raced through the streets of Briarwood on his chariot. Ahead of him were his targets: The Manticore and Lightning Megazords.
"We're ready, Black Lance." Nick shouted.
"Lightning Sabre! Energy Orb!"
"Legend striker spin attack!"
The burst of flaming energy merged with the energy orb and hit Black Lance. There was a massive explosion, one that blew up the chariot, but Black Lance walked away unscratched. He jumped from the ruins of his chariot and slashed at the two Megazords, causing them to quiver.
"You're not nearly as strong as your parents." Black Lance said, addressing both Aliyah and Nick. He had fought the platinum and black Rangers father once before, he had been the one who had imprisoned him and his fellow terrors so far in the underworld it was near impossible for them to be released.
With the speed of a cheetah, Black Lance continuously attacked the Rangers causing sparks to fly from each Megazord.
"Your world will soon be ours," he said.
"Think again," said Rebecca. "All the other terrors feel by our swords, why should you and Sculpin be any different?"
"Because we follow the Master." Black Lance answered. "We pledged our allegiance to him. He protects us."
Aliyah scoffed and shook her head. "Fine, if you wish to live for the Master then you can die for him too," she snapped.
Black Lance snarled and attacked the two Megazords again, he threw his sword at them, and, like a boomerang, and he attacked multiple times before flying back to his hand.
"We can't take much more of this!" Vida said, trying her best to hold on.
Jumping into the air, Black Lance spun wildly through the air, cutting through the two Megazords and ejecting the seven rangers and sending them crashing to Earth.
The team groaned and struggled back to their feet as Sculpin laughed in distance.
"Rangers!" Udonna yelled.
Rebecca, Nick and Aliyah looked up at the sound of Udonna's voice. They saw her battling Sculpin, before being blasted into the side of a building. She demorphed as she hit the ground.
"At last." Sculpin laughed. "Oh, how the mighty Mystic Force has fallen. There's no one to help you now."
He waved his staff at the Rangers, intending to destroy them once and for all. However his attack missed them and hit Jenji as the genie jumped in front of his friends to protect them.
"No, Jenji!" Maddie cried.
"Come with me, Sorceress." Sculpin growled as he walked towards Udonna. She was too weak to fight him off and could only allow him to pull her up off of the ground.
"No, Udonna!" Aliyah shouted. She pushed herself to her feet, breathing through the pain that riddled her body, and rushed to where her aunt was being held captive.
"Black Lance, rid the surface world of these pesky Rangers." Sculpin ordered as a talisman appeared beneath him.
"Mom!" Nick shouted in vain, falling to his knees in the exact spot the talisman, Sculpin and Udonna had just disappeared.
Black Lance laughed darkly.
"Your sorceress is gone. And now it's your turn."
To Be Continued...
Copyrighted ©
Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Chapter updated Monday, 12 August, 2013 at 03:40pm
