The Falcon's Eye
Out in the woods, Sofia and Madeline were continuing their Protector training with Chrysta.
"You payin' attention, Princesses?" Chrysta asked. "Because inside my hand is one of the most powerful Protector tools you'll ever use."
Chrysta opened her hand, revealing a strange-looking key.
"That teeny little key?" Sofia frowned.
"This is a Necessi-Key." Chrysta announced. "And it's a life-saver. I can't tell ya how many times I've been running for my life, about to get trampled by a cyclops, when I take out this little number, and..." She used the key to trace a glowing purple outline of a door on the tree in front of her, and pushed it open. "Instant door!"
"Amazing!" Madeline gasped as Chrysta flew through it.
"You can make yourself a magical door whenever and wherever you want." Chrysta declared. "But it only lasts a couple of seconds." She pointed out the tree, which had returned to normal.
"Can I try?" Sofia asked.
"Thought you'd never ask!" Chrysta chuckled, handing Sofia the key.
"Go for it, Sof!" Madeline urged.
Sofia used the key to make a door in a large rock behind her. The "door" vanished as Sofia entered the dust left behind it.
"Before you go through, you might wanna-!" Chrysta started.
"Whoa!" Sofia yelped, falling into the stream behind the rock.
"Take a look at what you're steppin' into!" Chrysta chuckled.
"Good point." Madeline admitted. "Can I try now?"
"Sure, Madeline." Chrysta nodded. "Your number one trainer will show you how it's done!"
Meanwhile, within the Protector's headquarters, the rogue Crystalmaster, Prisma, was sitting in a jail cell.
"Oh, this is so unfair." She groaned. "I'm stuck in here, with the key to my escape so close, but so far!" Across from her cell, a key was kept in a glass container. "It's as if they're taunting me!"
Prisma heard a squeaking noise, and saw a rat outside the door.
"A rat"? She frowned.
"Whatchya in for?" The rat asked.
"A rat that can talk!" Prisma gasped.
"That's not all I can do." The rat declared. "Whattaya think of this?" The rat turned into a skunk. "Ya like this one?" He became a rattlesnake. "And check out my favorite!" He turned into a bat.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" Prisma asked.
"I'm Twitch, and I'm a Strangeling." The creature announced. "Which means I can change into whatever sneaky little critter I want." He returned to his rat form. "Who are you?"
"I am Prisma." Prisma declared. "Wait a minute. You can change shape! Can you turn into something really tiny?"
"Oh, yeah! The teeniest!" Twitch nodded, turning into a worm.
"That's absolutely perfect!" Prisma smiled. "Oh, Twitch, I have a very big favor to ask of you."
"Ask away." Twitch declared. "I can handle the biggest favors."
"You see that pretty locket over there?" Prisma pointed. "Locked up in that big, mean safe?"
"Yeah, so?" Twitch asked.
"That is the Locket of Vor, and it is supposed to be oh, so powerful." Prisma revealed. "It might be powerful enough to get me out of here."
"It looks like it's locked up real tight." Twitch noted.
"It is." Prisma nodded. "But it has a crystal lock. My sister and I used to design crystal locks just like it. All you need to do is slip inside the safe's keyhole, then I can tell you how to unlock it."
"Why don't I just unlock your cell?" Twitch suggested.
"Those infuriating Protectors put a metal lock on my cell." Prisma scowled. "And I know nothing about metal locks."
"Alright, let's go get that locket of yours, then." Twitch crawled over to the safe, and climbed into the lock.
"Inside, you should find three tiny crystal levers!" Prisma called.
"Oh, yeah, they're here!" Twitch confirmed.
"Push the first one up, the second one down, and the last one in!" Prisma instructed.
Twitch did as instructed, and the safe opened. He climbed out of the lock, took on his rat form, and grabbed the Locket. He then brought it over to Prisma.
"Oh, the Locket of Vor!" Prisma smiled. "Oh, thank you, Twitch! I promise I'll share whatever powers it gives me!"
Prisma put the Locket around her neck and opened it, revealing a gold and green colored face within.
"At last, I am free." The face declared. "What powerful creature has made this so?"
"Why, that would be me!" Prisma grinned.
"But you have no power." The face noted.
"No need to rub it in!" Prisma growled. "My power was taken from me! That's why I need your help to get out of this tower. So go ahead, work your magic!"
"I am a piece of jewelry." The face pointed out. "I cannot break down walls. The power I can grant to you is the power of knowledge."
"Go on..." Prisma urged.
"I know where you can find..." The locket project an image of several magical objects. "The Wicked Nine."
"The Wicked Nine?" Prisma grinned. "Were those even real?"
"Nine powerful magical items, spread across the Mystic Isles and the Ever Realm." The Locket continued. "Each once used by history's most devious villains."
"That's Jafar's staff!" Prisma glanced at one. "And Ursula's necklace!"
"There are those who know where to find one or two of the Wicked Nine." The Locket announced. "But only I know where to find them all."
"And you're going to tell me, right?" Prisma asked.
"Oh, yes, my dear." The Locket smiled. "With my help, you will gather these precious objects, and bring them to me. And then we shall make history. With but a few magic words, I shall harness all of their power, and give it to you." She projected an image of Prisma as a Crystalmaster. "A great and mighty version of you."
"Ooh, now that's a good look for me!" Prisma grinned. "With that kind of power, I could easily break out of here!"
"You will be able to do far more than that." The Locket pointed out.
"Oh, yes." Prisma nodded. "Only... I can't leave. I can't get the Wicked Nine."
"But your favorite Strangeling can!" Twitch turned into a bat again.
"You would do that for me?" Prisma asked.
"Oh, yeah." Twitch nodded. "I've been waiting for a powerful master to serve, and you are it!"
"Thank you!" Prisma beamed. "Thank you both!"
"The first of the Wicked Nine is called the Falcon's Eye." The Locket revealed. "This gem is hidden inside a sword once used by the wicked warrior Shan Yu against a hero named Mulan. The sword can now be found in the marketplace of Wei-Ling."
"Not for long." Twitch grinned, turning back into a rat and leaving.
"Go, Twitch, go!" Prisma declared, closing the Locket. "And don't come back without that gem!"
As Twitch departed, two winged Proector entered the prison. Prisma hid the Locket.
"Wait, what's going on here?" One of the Protectors gasped. "The safe's been opened!"
"The Locket, it's gone!" The other realized.
"I don't think she had anything to do with it." The first Protector glanced at Prisma.
"We must alert the other Protectors!" The first one declared.
The two ran out of the prison.
Back in the Ever Realm, Chrysta received a message from Vega.
"Chrysta, Sofia, Madeline." Vega declared.
"What's up, chief?" Chrysta asked.
"I have bad news to report." Vega frowned. "There's been an escape."
"Not Prisma?" Sofia gasped.
"No, the Locket of Vor." Vega told her. "It's missing."
"But it was sealed up tight in a safe." Chrysta pointed out.
"We fear someone has stolen it, and plans to use it to track down the Wicked Nine." Vega revealed.
"What's the Wicked Nine?" Madeline asked.
"Powerful objects that were once used by big-time villains." Chrysta declared.
"If all nine are brought together, they can bring the owner unspeakable power." Vega continued. "We only know where some of the Nine are. We are sending Protectors to stand guard over those, and to catch anyone who tries to steal them."
"Looks like today, I'm gonna show you girls how Protectors catch a bad guy!" Chrysta smiled.
"Great." Sofia nodded.
"So, which one are we guarding?" Madeline asked.
"The Falcon's Eye, in Wei-Ling." Vega announced. "It is a gem hidden inside this sword." She showed them the sword, with the gem hidden within the handle.
"We know Wei-Ling." Sofia smiled.
"Yeah, our friends live there." Madeline added.
"Go quickly, and keep the Falcon's Eye safe." Vega declared.
Shortly after, Chrysta and her students were walking through the Wei-Ling marketplace.
"Is it always this crowded?" Chrysta asked.
"It must be market day." Sofia mused. "They hold one here at the palace once a month."
Madeline saw a familar sight nearby.
"That's where the sword is!" She pointed.
"We found it, alright." Chrysta nodded. "Now we gotta make sure to catch anyone who tries to steal it."
As they walked toward their objective, Twitch, in bat form, watched.
"They've got Enchantlets!" He realized. "They must be Protectors! I gotta make sure they don't spot me..."
Twitch turned into a rat and followed them.
"I've seen pedestals like this that hold valuable objects." Chrysta announced. "They almost always have some kind of trap built in."
As they approached the pedestal, the floor around it started descending. Golden ornaments on the pillars nearby spun as it did so.
"Ah-hah!" Chrysta smirked. "I knew it!" She moved to one of the gold ornaments and turned it, bringing the floor back up. "So all we have to do is set the trap..."
"And whoever tries to steal the sword will fall right in." Sofia finished. "That's incredible, Chrysta!"
"I know something else we can do to catch the thief." Madeline declared as she spotted June and Jin. "Ask our friends for help."
"Good thinking, Maddie." Sofia smiled. "June! Jin! Over here!"
"What are you doing?" Chrysta frowned as Sofia and Madeline ran over to their friends.
"Hi, Sofia. Hi, Madeline." Jin smiled.
"Oh, where are our manners?" Madeline declared as Chrysta joined them. "Chrysta, this is June and Jin."
"We're on the look out for a thief!" Sofia told them.
"Shhh!" Chrysta hissed.
"Oh, right." Madeline nodded. "Someone might be trying to steal an important jewel, and -" She whispered.
"Madeline!" Chrysta growled. "You can't just tell these kids what we're doing!"
"These aren't just any kids." Sofia countered. "They're our friends. And they might be able to help."
"Yeah, we know everyone in Wei-Ling." June nodded.
"Thank you, but this is Protector business." Chrysta refused.
"I don't see how them helping us could be a bad thing." Madeline protested.
"Me neither." Sofia nodded.
"Princesses, who here are the trainees?" Chrysta frowned.
"Us." Sofia and Madeline chorused.
"And who is the trainer?" Chrysta urged.
"You are." Sofia and Madeline sighed.
"Sorry guys, but I think you'd better go." Madeline declared.
"Okay." June declared. "Let us know if you change your mind."
"We're around if you decide you need help." Jin added as they walked away.
"Sorry about that girls, but we gotta stay focused." Chrysta announced. "Come on, follow me."
"Gather round, everyone!" Kai the talking panda stood before a crowd.
"Who is this character?" Chrysta frowned.
"That's Kai." Sofia revealed. "He's one of our friends too."
"Time for a one-panda dance party!" Kai started dancing. "Go, Kai, go, Kai..."
"Of course he is." Chrysta sighed.
"Now's my chance!" Twitch smirked.
"Go, Kai, go, Kai..." Kai kept dancing.
"Ah-hah." Chrysta smiled, ducking behind some statues and pottery. "Princesses, I managed to find us the perfect hiding spot. It offers plenty of cover, so we won't be seen, and it's got a great view of the sword so we can see who's coming or going."
"Go, Kai, go, Kai..." Kai sang as he danced into view.
"That is, it would've been a great view if it wasn't being blocked by a dancing panda." Chrysta frowned.
"We'll ask him to move." Madeline declared.
"Oh, and Princesses? Please don't invite him to help us." Chrysta urged.
"We won't." Sofia nodded. "Promise."
Sofia and Madeline made their way over to Kai.
"Go, Kai, go, Kai..." Kai sang.
"Hi, Kai." Madeline smiled.
"Cool dance moves." Sofia added.
"Princess Sofia! Princess Madeline!" Kai hugged them both. "Oh, how I have missed you!" He picked them up and kissed them on the cheeks.
"Thanks." Madeline groaned as they slipped out of his embrace.
"We missed you too." Sofia added.
"It's just that right now, we and our friend Chrysta are doing a little project." Madeline declared.
"Ooh, what kind of project?" Kai asked.
"We can't really tell you right now." Sofia answered.
"But maybe I can help?" Kai sang.
"I'm sure you could." Madeline nodded. "But the thing is, it's something we need to do on our own."
"And if you could dance a little to the side... over there?" Sofia requested. "That would really help us out."
"I can do that, and keep a beat at the same time!" Kainodded.
"Thanks, Kai." Madeline beamed. "You're the best."
"Later, girls!" Kai smiled, walking away. "I love market day! So many people, and so many dances to do for them!"
"That's right, don't get any help from that dancing fool." Twitch chuckled from around a corner. "The less people who are on the look-out for me, the better." He turned into a skunk and ran up the stairs.
"Don't worry, we didn't tell Kai anything about protecting the Wicked Nine." Sofia told Chrysta as she and Madeline rejoined her.
"And we should have a clear view now." Madeline added.
Just then, the trap activated again.
"Look!" Chrysta pointed.
"Let's go!" Sofia urged.
They raced up the steps.
"Now let's see who our jewel thief is." Chrysta declared.
They looked down the pit to see Twitch down below.
"A skunk?" Chrysta frowned.
"You don't think it could be trying to steal the sword?" Madeline asked.
"No." Chrysta reset the trap. "But as you can see, girls, there are always surprises when you're on a job."
"That was a close one." Twitch whispered as he scampered away. "I gotta create some kinda diversion so I can do my sneaking in peace..."
"Chrysta, what should we be keeping an eye out for?" Sofia asked.
"Some kind of wicked wizard or warrior." Chrysta shrugged. "And probably wearing the the stolen Locket of Vor."
"So they're lookin' for a bad guy wearing a locket?" Twitch mused. "I think I can give them that."
Twitch turned into a bat and flew toward a stand selling jewelry.
"Rings! Bracelets! Lockets!" The woman running it called. "All the finest quality."
Twitch landed on top of the stand and inspected a locket.
"'Finest quality'? Not so sure about that." He scoffed. "But they'll do."
Twitch grabbed a couple of lockets and flew over the marketplace. He dropped one locket, which a bearded man picked up and put on.
Twitch then turned into a rat again, and climbed up the structure above the sword. He then jumped down, landing on the pedestal.
"Just keep your eyes peeled." Chrysta instructed her students. "And if a thief shows up, we'll be ready." She then spotted the man who had picked up the locket. "Girls, look! He's wearing a locket!"
"And he's headed toward the sword!" Madeline realized.
"Stop that man!" Chrysta yelled as they rushed out from behind their hiding place. "He's a thief!"
Two men grabbed the bearded man, holding him long enough for Chrysta and her students to arrive.
"Hold it right there!" Sofia ordered.
The man tilted up his hat, revealing a familar face.
"Emperor Kwan?" Madeline gasped.
"Ah, princess Madeline. Princess Sofia." Kwan bowed. "How nice to see you."
"Oh, we're so sorry to bother you, emperor Kwan." Sofia apologized. "We didn't recognize you."
"Please, do not apologize." Kwan chuckled. "I always enjoy a quiet walk through the market. You never know what you will come across. Why, just now, I found this beautiful medallion on the ground. And you know what they say about finding medallions on the ground: 'Hang them from your neck, and enjoy many compliments'."
"It's... lovely." Madeline said awkwardly.
"Well, I'm off to enjoy the many compliments coming my way." Kwan smiled as he walked away.
"Sorry!" Sofia apologized to the crowd. "False alarm. Nothing to see here! Move along!"
Twitch tried to remove the handle of the blade, but was having problems. He finally managed to unscrew it, and grabbed the Falcon's Eye underneath. He then scampered off, carrying the gem in his mouth. As he ran, he passed Kai.
"Hmm, a rat holding a gem." Kai noted. "You don't see that every day."
Twitch turned into a bat and flew upwards.
"And... you really don't see that every day." Kai mused.
"Okay, flying outta here with this heavy gem is not gonna work." Twitch, struggling under the gem's weight, landed on a roof. "Good thing I got a million other plans."
Twitch turned into a monkey and scampered across more roofs.
"There's no way the emperor could be trying to steal the gem." Sofia told Chrysta.
"We made a mistake, Chrysta." Madeline added.
"Maybe." Chrysta nodded. "Or somebody wanted us to think he was the thief so we would be distracted, while they-" She gasped mid-sentence, noticing something.
Chrysta and her students walked over to the pedestal, finding the sword with the handle removed.
"Someone's tampered with it!" Chrysta realized.
"Did they get the gem?" Sofia asked.
"Yes." Chrysta frowned. "And I don't see any footprints. Just animal tracks."
"Well, that's because an animal took it." Kai chuckled as he approached them. "It was the craziest thing: A rat running around with the gem!"
"Why didn't you stop him?" Chrysta yelled.
"Huh?" Kai frowned. "Was I supposed to?"
"Yes!" Chrysta growled. "That's the whole reason we're here, to stop a jewel thief!"
"Well, I didn't know that." Kai pointed out.
"We were going to tell you." Madeline admitted. "But our trainer wouldn't let us."
"Oh, alright. Maybe I should've listened to you about that." Chrysta said reluctantly. "Tell us more about this rat!" She told Kai.
"Ooh, he had a cool diamond pattern on his chest." Kai recalled.
"We saw the same thing on that skunk!" Sofia realized.
"And he still had it when he turned into a bat." Kai declared.
"The rat turned into a bat?" Chrysta asked.
"Uh-huh." Kai nodded.
"Then it was probably that skunk, too." Chrysta surmised. "I think we got us a Strangeling."
"A what?" Madeline frowned.
"It's a nasty little critter from the Mystic Isles." Chrysta revealed. "It can change into different animals."
"Which way did it go, Kai?" Sofia asked.
"Thataway!" Kai pointed.
"A Strangeling is going to be impossible to find." Chrysta frowned. "It could be anywhere, or anything."
"Well, maybe if we get our friends, we could- never mind, forget it." Madeline sighed.
"Maddie..." Sofia frowned.
"Now, girls, I should be listening to you." Chrysta admitted. "I thought since I was the trainer, I could be the only one with good ideas. But it's time to listen to yours. In fact..." She turned to Kai. "You wanna help us, big guy?"
"Absolutely. What's the plan?" Kai smiled.
"Girls?" Chrysta urged.
"Let's start by getting more back-up." Madeline grinned.
Before long, June and Jin had been invited to help.
"Okay, does everyone know their part?" Sofia asked.
"I search the gardens while you search the market." June nodded.
"And I give Kai an overhead view." Jin added.
"And if anyone sees an animal holding a gem..." Madeline started.
"Give a shout, and alert the others." Kai finished.
"Right." Chrysta smiled. "That means we all gotta listen up!"
Jin climbed into a kite big enough to hold him and followed Chrysta into the air. From above, they spotted Twitch in his monkey form, and gave chase.
Chrysta: It's time to stop a thief
From dishing out the grief
So keep an eye out
Yeah, Yeah
Keep an eye out
As Chrysta reached the garden, she met with June.
"He's over there!" June pointed to a small bridge.
Twitch fled once again, with June and Chrysta followed.
Chrysta: I finally learned the truth
We work better as a group
So keep an eye out
Yeah, yeah
Keep an eye out
Twitch managed to evade them as he left the garden. They found Kai, and joined him in dancing.
"Look, by the bloom blossom!" Kai pointed.
Twitch smirked, as he fled once again, the others in pursuit.
Chrysta: I'm guessing this here Strangeling
Didn't realize he'd be tangling
With a team of friends
Gonna get that gem
Kai, Sofia, Madeline and Chrysta tackled Twitch, who turned into a rat and scurried away into the sewers.
"He turned into a rat!" Sofia declared.
Kai lifted up the manhole, and Sofia and Madeline followed Twitch through the tunnels.
Chrysta: Listen up to what friends say say say
Together we can save the day day day
We've got him five to one, one, one
His dealing days are done, done, done
If we just listen up
If we listen up
"There!" Jin pointed, as Twitch popped out of another manhole.
Jin tried to grab Twitch, but he was too fast. Kai reached for him, but he ran toward another manhole. This time, Madeline popped up and grabbed him. But he turned into a bat and flew away.
"He's in the market!" Jin declared.
As Twitch flew toward the market, he dropped the gem. He followed it into a pot, changing back into a rat. Kai picked up the pot, but Twitch ran off.
Chrysta: The tips are coming fast
This critter is outclassed
Stay on the lookout
Yeah, yeah
On the lookout
All: We're on the lookout
The group seemed to have cornered Twitch. But as they leapt to grab him, he turned into a bat again and flew off. He once again dropped the gem, and returned to rat form to carry it on foot.
Chrysta: He can turn into a bat
But he'll always be a rat
So keep an eye out
Yeah, yeah
Keep an eye out
All: Keep an eye out
As Twitch ran into a store, Chrysta had the others go in different directions.
Chrysta: I'm guessing this here Strangeling
Didn't realize he'd be tangling
With a team of friends
Gonna get that gem
As Twitch appeared in a window, Chrysta flew up to surprise him. Twitch attempted to flee across a clothes line, but Sofia chased after him.
"Go, Sofia, go!" June cheered.
All: Listen up to what friends say, say, say
Together we can save the day, day, day
We've got him five to one, one, one
His dealing days are done, done, done
Chrysta: If we just listen up
All: If we listen up
Chrysta: We gotta listen up
All: So listen up
Listen up
As Twitch neared another window, Kai popped out, scaring him with a roar. Kai then used the clothesline to launch Twitch into the air. Chrysta and Jin tried to catch him as his flew up, but missed. After Twitch landed on the ground, his pursuers cornered him.
"Stop." Madeline ordered. "Give back that gem!"
"Yeah, that's not gonna happen!" Twitch scoffed.
Twitch ran through a small gap in the wall.
"It's too tall!" Sofia examined. "I can't- yes, I can!"
Using her Necessi-Key, Sofia created a door in the wall, surprising Twitch on the other side.
"Way to go, Sof!" Madeline cheered.
"You think you can stop me?" Twitch smirked. "I'm the greatest, the fastest, the best!"
Twitch fled once again, and the others gave chase.
"Down the alley!" Jin declared.
As Twitch entered the alley, he found himself with no way out. Madeline used her Enchantlet to snatch up the gem.
"No!" Twitch yelled.
"Ha! Got it!" Madeline grinned."Who are you?" Sofia asked.
"Apparently not the greatest or the fastest." Twitch admitted. "But I am the sneakiest!"
Twitch rushed over and grabbed Sofia's Necessi-Key. He then fled down the streets.
"Come back!" Madeline yelled.
Twitch fled through another gap, vanishing from sight.
"You got the gem." June pointed out.
"Yes, but the rat got away." Sofia declared. "With a Necessi-Key."
"That's not good." Chrysta frowned.
"But the important thing is we have the gem, right?" Madeline asked.
"Right." Chrysta nodded. "And at least now we know who's after the Wicked Nine."
"Chrysta, I think we should take the gem to the other Protectors for safe keeping." Sofia suggested.
"That's a very good idea." Chrysta nodded. "One of many you've had today, trainees."
"Thank you, trainer." Sofia and Madeline beamed.
"Let's get going." Chrysta declared.
"Bye, Sofia!" Jin waved.
"Bye, Madeline!" June added.
"Thanks for your help!" Chrysta waved. "We mean it!"
"Bye, Chrysta!" Jin smiled.
Meanwhile, Prisma was disappointed by Twitch's failure.
"How could you get my hopes up and then return without the gem?" She scowled.
"Prisma, when life closes a window, sometimes it opens a door." Twitch smirked, holding up the Necessi-Key.
"Is that a Necessi-Key?" Prisma gasped.
"Only the shiniest best Necessi-Key you've ever seen!" Twitch announced.
Prisma made a door in the cell wall.
"At last, I'm free!" She cheered.
"Yes, free to realize your true potential." The Locket declared. "To gather the Wicked Nine, and gain unlimited power."
"Yes!" Prisma nodded. "And not even those pesky princesses, Sofia and Madeline, will be able to stop me!"
Prisma climbed out of the "door" and climbed down the outside of the tower. Twitch turned into a bat and followed her.
Not long after, Chrysta and the girls stood before Vega.
"I don't understand." Madeline frowned. "Now Prisma has escaped from the Terrible Tower."
"We believe she may be behind the Locket of Vor's disappearance." Vega declared.
"And behind the creature we saw trying to steal the Falcon's Eye?" Sofia gasped.
"Yes." Vega nodded. "But thanks to you, it is now safe with us."
"Maybe we should bring the other Wicked Nine objects back here too?" Madeline suggested.
"Yeah." Sofia nodded. "At least the ones we know where to find."
"That is an excellent idea, girls." Vega smiled.
"My trainees have lots of good ideas." Chrysta said proudly. "And from now on, I'm gonna listen to every one of 'em."
Vega contacted her comrades.
"Protectors, go forth and retrieve the Wicked Nine." She instructed. "Bring back as many of them as you can find."
"Girls, we have some work to do." Chrysta announced.
"Let's go!" Sofia and Madeline chorused.
As the Protectors set out on their mission, Prisma continued on her own path, holding up the Necessi-Key in triumph.