Discliamer: I don't own Power Rangers.

A/N: Please don't hate me...I'm not all that good at action scenes. Did you know that they don't actually have a cohesive attack to deal with monsters in Mystic Force? It was...weird. Also, Chip is not Chip here...sorry, but I put it to him being zoned out on archery.

The monster was very strange looking, Chip thought as he and Xander leaped from their Mystic Racers. They had found the monster waiting at the courtyard in front of city hall. Madison and Vida had already morphed, and Nick was nowhere in sight. The monster had an almost human build, if one discounted the square box on top with the white tragedy mask. "Four Rangers," it said, in a haughty British accent, "I thought I would rate more than that." It laughed, "But of course, your red ranger can't morph can he?"

"What do you know about that," Vida snapped.

Chip put his hand on Vida's shoulder, "It wasn't Clair, V," he said, turning his head away from the monster. "It was a servant of the Underworld." He spotted Nick; he stood in the entryway of city hall, half hidden by a column as he watched them.

"How do you figure?" Vida asked.

"You think Claire wouldn't notice two Nicks?" Xander asked, exasperated.

"Enough chit chat," the monster announced, and attacked. Beams of light flew from its fingers, too fast for Chip, or any of the Rangers, to dodge.

Chip groaned as he picked himself up, he hoped he didn't bruise too badly. The doctors would have a fit. "Whatever you did to our friend," Vida said, "we'll fix it."

"How," Madison asked quietly.

"Destroy it," Vida said coldly, "Magistaff, wind power!"

The magic created winds sent the monster staggering back.

"Magistaff," Xander said, "axe mode."

He struck the ground with the axe and knocked the monster onto its back.

"Magistaff," Madison said, and sent a high powered jet of water at the monster just as it began to stand up.

"Magistaff," Chip said, "crossbow mode." As he lifted the crossbow, he felt a very familiar peace settle on him, the endless moment of target and arrow that had helped him lead his team to archery championships two years running. Then it was gone as the lightning danced all over the monster.

"Foolish Rangers," the monster cried, "it's my turn!"

More of the light beams, this time, they turned into ropes. Chip struggled as they wrapped around him, ignoring the pain as they contracted, but unable to stop his cry of pain as he was thrown into Xander.

"Hey!"

Chip looked up after he'd rolled off Xander.

Nick stood behind the monster, anger and hatred twisting his features until they were almost unrecognizable. "You," the monster said, "What do you want?"

"A fight," angry Nick said, stepping past his reflection. "You got me from behind the first time."

"You won't even be a challenge," the monster said.

"That's what you think," angry Nick said, and charged the monster.

Hands caught Chip, "Hold still."

Chip looked up, and found the second Nick kneeling behind him, "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Cutting you free," Nick replied, he glanced at the one-sided fight between his counterpart and the monster. "I didn't have anything to do with that, by the way. He decided to attack on his own."

"Right," Chip said, just as his ropes went slack. "Thanks Nick, now get back, we can handle it from here." He shrugged the ropes off and drew his staff, pointing it at Xander. "Mathis kidorum," he said, and the ropes vanished.

"Thanks mate," Xander said.

The girls were freed in short order, just in time for evil Nick to be banished by the monster. "Now what?" Chip asked.

"How can we destroy him?" Madison asked.

"Maybe if we put our staffs together," Xander said, "and blast it with our combined magic, that'll be enough."

"It's as good a plan as any," Madison said.

"Fine," Vida agreed.

"Let's do it," Chip said.

They turned to the monster, "Now it's our turn," Xander declared, holding up his staff. "Ready?"

"Ready," Chip replied in unison with Vida and Madison.

"Mystic Force," they declared, putting their staffs together, releasing their magic in a multi colored beam.

It struck the monster, pinning it in place, after a moment, the monster wailed loudly and exploded into its component pieces. "Yes!" Vida said.

"All right," Chip said, jumping up and down.

"We did it," Xander declared.

"Nick!" Madison cried, spinning around. They all turned to find Nick leaning against the column he'd been behind earlier with a strange look on his face as he slid down the column.

They ran over, "Are you ok?" Xander asked.

Nick huffed a laugh, "I was split in two by a monster, half of me got beat up by said monster and then I was put back together, how do you think I feel?"

"Let's get you back to Rootcore," Chip said, "and patch you up."

"Not yet," Nick said, he held his hand out, "we aren't done yet."

Xander pulled Nick to his feet as Chip turned around, just in time to see the spell shield appearing. "They never give up," Vida said.

"Neither do we," Chip countered.

xxXXxx

Nick found him outside the dragon's mouth later on. Chip had brought his archery kit out and set up a target. "Hey," Nick said after Chip had fired another arrow.

"Hi," Chip said, knocking another arrow.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry," Nick said. "What I said earlier, it was uncalled for."

"It's ok," Chip replied, firing. "You weren't exactly yourself you know."

"But still," Nick said, "I was wrong and I shouldn't have said it." He stepped around to where he could look Chip in the eyes. "My parents are very religious, and I'm not, at least, not any more. I don't buy into homosexuality as a sin, at least, I told myself I wouldn't. Not after what happened." For a moment, Chip thought he saw pain, fear and grief in Nick's eyes, but the emotions were gone before he could be sure.

Chip put his hand on Nick's shoulder, carefully, "Nick, its ok. We all have things we aren't proud of, or that we don't like to think about. I don't blame you for what you said under that spell. If you really need me to say it, then I forgive you."

"Madison told me," Nick said, "about your cancer."

"She said she would," Chip replied. "I'm sure she also told you that I don't talk about it."

"She did," Nick admitted, "I just, I wanted to say that I admire you. Most people would have given up the first time."

Chip grinned, "I guess it just proves I'm too stupid to know when to die." He took an arrow from his quiver, "Now, if you don't mind, I have practice. There's a competition in a few weeks and I am not going to cost my team the meet."

"Sure," Nick replied, stepping out of the way. "I didn't know you liked archery."

Chip shrugged as he knocked the arrow, "It's one of the few times I feel settled. Usually, my mind's going so fast that it's hard to focus, but when I'm shooting, all that matters is the target and nothing else intrudes. I have to go home soon, and I know it's going to be a mad house so it's nice to have some peace."

"Yeah," Nick said, softly, as if he was talking to himself instead of Chip, "Peace."