Whispering Voices
The night was dark and quiet as Koragg stood alone in the forest.
Though the environment was tranquil and serene, he kept his guard up and his sword at the ready, expecting his enemy to attack at any moment. When the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, Koragg raised his shield and not a moment too soon, for the Red Ranger leapt out of the shadows and she launched an attack onto Koragg. He deflected the Red Ranger's attack with his shield and sent her flying but Natalia angled her body in such a way that instead of falling to her doom, she gracefully landed on the forest floor.
Koragg and Natalia charged each other. Despite Koragg's greater battle experience, Natalia was his equal match if not his better as she dodged or countered every punch and kick Koragg delivered. Finally, Koragg drew his weapon. The Red Ranger possessed prowess in hand-to-hand combat but Koragg was the better warrior when it came to weapons and would surely win this part of the battle.
"Prepare for the sword!" declared Koragg.
Natalia quickly drew her Magi Staff and transformed it into a sword, whereupon she and Koragg charged at one another again. Sparks flew as their blades met each other. Koragg performed a spinning kick which Natalia avoided by ducking down at just the right moment and then she barely kept Koragg's sword from harming her in time.
Koragg pushed against Natalia's sword. "You may as well give up, Red Witch! For this time, I will be victorious!" He did not wait for a reply before swinging his leg up, kicking Natalia hard under the chin and sending her across the forest.
Koragg charged at Natalia, expecting his victory to be swift and glorious but a surprise came Koragg's way when Natalia not only got up just in time but also delivered disabling blows to Koragg's knees and chest, before disarming him, leaving him helpless to her mercy, if any.
"I summon the power of the phoenix! Ignis Phoenix Surgere!" There was a great burst of light and Natalia's body was engulfed in great fire that took the form of a phoenix and then she blasted Koraag with all her might. When the light faded, Natalia stood proud as the victor but Koragg had been destroyed.
Koragg angrily swiped at the enchanted water, refusing to see anything more.
For some time, the Knight Wolf had been desiring battle against the Red Ranger and decided to see if there was at all a way to defeat her by means of the Futures Pool. The Futures Pool was a dark pool of water in the Pit which the forces of darkness used to foretell their futures. It was how the Master had learnt of the Light and what actions to take against the fallen princess. It had been quite useful once, long ago but now it was only infuriating Koragg and proving his suspicions about the level of danger the Red Ranger posed to be correct.
"Watching what lies ahead for you in the Futures Pool, Koragg?" said Necrolai, mockingly. "Was that the Red Ranger I saw destroying you? Defeating you, yet again?"
Koragg looked up and his fist clenched with anger at the sight of the Vampire Queen spying on him. "The Pool shows many futures, hag!" spat Koragg.
Necrolai cackled. "Perhaps you will be destroyed in every future!"
It was the wrong thing to say as Koragg let out an angry growl, grabbed Necrolai by the throat and hoisted her up several feet into the air before pinning her to the wall of the cave.
"I should rip off your wings and feed you to the Hidiacs!" he snarled.
"Let go of me, you imbecilic oaf!" choked Necrolai. Koragg's grip on her throat was so tight that she could barely speak. "Or else you won't hear my idea to defeat the Red Ranger! Or is your demise the only future you seek?"
Koragg paused in consideration for a moment and then released Necrolai. She fell to the floor onto her knees and gasped for breath for a few moments until she stood up again.
"Thank you. Now, as I was saying. I've been watching the Rangers for quite some time and I've noticed that for such a powerful leader, the Red Ranger has quite the insecurities," said Necrolai. "The poor child thinks she's found a home and more in the city but she keeps expecting the other shoe to drop. So, it'd be such a shame if those insecurities were exploited, if you were to get inside her throats, say with this—" Necrolai took the Snow Staff from his hanging place and tossed it to Koragg, who caught it with ease. "—the Red Ranger would easy pickings for you."
"Yes, she would be." Normally, Koragg would never think twice of accepting one of Necrolai's eyes but this time, the Vampire Queen's idea had merit. If Koragg were to get inside the Red Witch's mind, rid her of her confidence, make her doubt her place with the other Rangers or better yet, persuade her to join the darkness, the rewards would be great. Either way, Koragg would win, for Natalia would either be destroyed in battle or better yet, an invaluable ally for Master.
"The Red Witch's powers are great but even she won't be able to stop this," murmured Koragg, in satisfaction.
XXX
Back in Briarwood, Natalia was in a very good mood and it showed as she hummed along to the music playing on her iPod while she read the latest edition of Motorcycle Queens. And who could blame her for being so happy? For the first time since her parents died, Natalia had a home where she truly belonged, the best of friends she'd ever known, control over her powers and a purpose for them, a good job and better yet, a wonderful boyfriend who loved her as much as Natalia loved him. What could possibly be better? Everything was perfect.
"Hiyah!"
"Gah!" Natalia was startled out of her musings when Chip appeared from behind a wall of cardboard boxes. She glared daggers at him as she yanked her red and black earbuds out. "Chip! How many times have I told you—?"
"I say, most incredulous lady, you're standing in my moat," interrupted Chip, with a heavy English accent. It was then that Natalia noticed that he was using a fresh, out of the packaging toilet plunger for a sword and was wearing a paper hat for a crown. He was playing one of his little fantasy games again. "You'll most likely be devoured by a crocodile."
"Saltwater or freshwater croc?" asked Natalia, hesitantly as she held up her hands in a surrender position.
Taken aback by Natalia's question, Chip dropped the accent and stammered out, "Uh…freshwater. I-I think."
Natalia grinned as she touched her finger to her chin. "Oh, then it is my lucky day. For I know firsthand—" Quick as whip, Natalia playfully snatched up Chip's 'sword' and began 'swimming' on through his moat. "—that it's the saltwater croc that is more dangerous to man. So, I'll just swim on through." She winked at Chip and moved onwards.
"Wait. How the heck did you know that?" demanded Chip.
"Animal Planet," replied Natalia, not looking up from her magazine. Natalia's late mother had loved animals and the two of them would often stay up late watching Animal Planet specials to learn more about them. There had once been an hour long special on crocodiles that had stuck with Natalia ever since, mostly because of their power and because she'd needed the info for an oral school report when Natalia was twelve years old.
Natalia's face lit up with a smile when she heard her boyfriend, Mason's voice. She shoved her magazine under her arm and she looked up to see him trying get Vida's attention as the Pink Ranger bounced along to the CD in the music player.
"Hey, Vee. Vee!" Mason grabbed his sister's arm, finally getting her attention. "I want you to listen to this CD. It's really cool."
Vida shook her head as she continued bouncing to the music. "Not now, Mace, I'm in a groove!"
Not one to give up, Mason took out his morpher and cast a spell that swapped out the CDs. Within moments, Vida was dancing in an entirely different way to the CD Mason had given her.
"Wow, bro, this bumps!" exclaimed Vida.
Mason laughed. "I told you." Mason turned around and beckoned for Xander and Natalia to join them at the DJ stand. "Hey, Xander, Lia, come check this out. It 'bumps.'"
"No can do, Mason." Xander licked a small manila envelope shut. "I'm doing the cash for Toby. He asked moi to make the bank drop for him. Xander placed the envelope into a large, multicolored wrapped box and then walked backwards a few steps, not noticing Natalia until the two of them collided. "Ow! Oh, jeez. Sorry, Lia. You okay?"
"I'm fine," said Natalia. She dusted herself off and picked up her magazine and the envelope, which had $1000 scribbled on the back in permanent marker. "A thousand bucks? Sweet amount of cash. But I should warn you, you might want to make that say 'property of the Rock Porium.' That inscription says 'steal me!'"
Xander looked a little sheepish as he took the envelope back. "I'll take that under advisement, boss." He tossed the envelope into the box. "See ya."
Natalia waved at Xander and then joined Mason and Vida at the DJ table. After putting down her magazine and her iPod, she took a set of headphones and put them on as she closed her eyes, allowing herself to be whisked away into the funky music that was being played. It wasn't long before she fell in love with it as it had a great beat that made Natalia want to dance.
"Sweet," said Natalia, as she shuffled her feet to the music. "Awesome beat. It makes me want to go hit a club or something."
"Should we hit a club on our next date?" asked Mason, with a teasing glint in his eyes.
Natalia laughed as she shook her head. "Not on your life." Night clubs, however fun they were for some people, weren't really Natalia's cup of tea. "Maybe we should—"
You're not wanted, Natalia. Natalia hissed in pain as Koragg's voice rang out in her head, clear as a bell. He spoke with such certainty and force that his words almost sounded like they were truth. You're not wanted anywhere. Your own birth parents abandoned you. Why should these people be any different? Leave before it's too late.
Judging from the looks on their faces, Mason and Vida clearly hadn't Koragg's voice but they still seemed concerned by Natalia's pain.
"Natalia, are you all right?" asked Mason, worriedly. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just a voodoo pain," lied Natalia, as she slipped off the headphones. Did I really hear Koragg's voice just now or was I imagining it? I'd better not say anything just yet. What if they think I'm crazy? Acting quickly, Natalia cheerfully said, "Well, that was awesome but I'd better get to work. Toby asked me to unload the delivery truck. I'll see you for lunch, Mason?"
Mason nodded but still looked worried as Natalia headed off to begin the day's work.
Natalia knew she probably should've told someone she heard Koragg's voice but she didn't want to raise the alarm until she had more information. For one, Natalia had researched telepathic spells and discovered they were extremely complex and required an extraordinary amount of power, power she didn't believe that Koragg had. And even if he did, how could he possibly know about Natalia's birth parents? Second, for all Natalia knew, it was just a side-effect from one of Clare's backfired spells and would pass. Or it was possible she was just still tired and imagining things. Either way, she was about to speak up quite yet. But more than that, Natalia didn't want to say anything because it would mean telling the Rangers what Koragg was saying and that meant admitting her deepest, darkest secrets regarding her past as well as her feelings about her place in the Rangers' lives.
I'm a soldier's daughter and the Red Ranger. I can take care of myself, she thought to herself. If I'm wrong, if this really is Koragg messing with me, then I'll make him regret it. I've done it before. I can do it again. Besides, it might just be a one-off, nothing to concern anyone else with.
But the situation did not improve. The more the day went on, the more Koragg's voice rang out loud in Natalia's head. Over and over again, he pushed at her to leave, poking at deep insecurities and reopening old wounds that Natalia had thought closed. When it neared the time for lunch, Natalia was almost finished unloading the delivery truck and she was about ready to scream or tear out her hair in frustrated anger.
You think these people care for you, that the Blue Ranger loves you, but you're wrong. You still a stranger to them. They do not trust you and as soon as you make the smallest mistake, they will turn on you, said Koragg.
"Shut up!" she hissed, as she clutched her head, willing the pain to stop. She didn't want to hear anymore. She wanted Koragg to be quiet. It wasn't true, none of it was true. The Rangers trusted her, they'd accepted her as their leader and their friend and Mason loved her. They would never turn on her. They were her allies, her friends and her family.
You are not their family, Natalia. You are nothing but a weapon for them to use so they don't have to fight. Nobody truly wants you here for yourself and nor does anyone truly trust you, hissed Koragg. Leave now while you still can, before they make you leave.
Natalia clenched her teeth and willed herself not to start a fire in anger. "It's a lie. You don't know them. You don't know me. So, shut up and go away!"
"Who go away?"
Just like that, the pain stopped and it was quiet in Natalia's head as she spun around to see Lee-Lee standing behind her, decked out in expensive boots, a flowing skirt and a brand-new black and silver leather jacket, and looking puzzled.
As no one else was around and Natalia didn't want to be seen as a looney talking to thin air, she held out her cell phone.
"Uh…the telemarketer yutz who keeps calling me. The moron can't take a hint that I'm not buying what he's selling," she lied.
Thankfully, Lee-Lee not only bought the story but she also changed the subject, which was quite a relief for Natalia's anxiety.
"Well, speaking of buying, check out my new leather jacket," gushed Lee-Lee, as she gave a little twirl, showing it off. "Call me shallow, but I thought yours was so cool that I just had to have one of my own. What do you think?"
"It looks nice on you," said Natalia, as she stacked up some more boxes on the dolly. "Definitely your style, Lee."
Lee-Lee beamed. "Thanks, Natalia. So, I know you're busy right now, but I was thinking that later…" After making some apologies to Mason regarding his shyness, Lee-Lee had done a complete one eighty and turned herself around for the better. She genuinely wanted friends and now that she no longer acted like a brat, Lee-Lee proved herself to be a decent person. She was friendlier and more considerate and never passed up a change to hang out with the Rangers. "…when you've got some time, we could go for a ride on your bike and show off our jackets together. What do you think?"
Natalia absently nodded. "Sure, Lee-Lee. How about—ow!" Natalia fell to her knees in horrible, white-hot agony as Koragg spoke to her again, this time with more force.
You've kept secrets from your teammates, Red Ranger. How do you think your 'friends' react if they knew the truth about those secrets? They would leave you in the dust, forsaken and unwanted as you truly are, stormed Koragg. Not even the Blue Ranger would love you.
Lee-Lee looked terrified and worried as she placed her hand on Natalia's shoulder. "Natalia, are you okay? What's happening?"
Natalia shook her head as tears glistened in her eyes and she gasped, "Get Mason. He's inside."
Right at that moment, Natalia didn't care how weak or pathetic she looked. She just wanted Mason and she wanted him now. More than that, Natalia needed Mason desperately. She needed him to take her into his arms, hide her away from the world and make everything better. Natalia didn't care what Koragg said about Mason, it was all lies, Mason was a good man and she trusted him with her life and her heart, which spoke volumes about their relationship.
Lee-Lee wasted no time running into the Rock Porium and a few minutes later, Mason ran out, looking worried. Without a word, Mason knelt down beside Natalia and held her tight in his arms, stroking her hair and rubbing her back as she buried her face in the crook of Mason's neck. Eventually, Koragg's rantings ceased and the pain stopped. Natalia shakily pulled away from Mason's embrace and wiped her face clean of the tears that had fallen with a handkerchief Mason offered.
"Thanks," she said, hoarsely.
"No problem." Mason's blue eyes were bright with worry. "What was that? What's going on?"
Natalia sighed as they sat down in the back of the delivery truck. She was caught, so there was no point in lying and even so, she didn't want to.
"Koragg's talking to me, in my head," she confessed.
Mason's eyes widened. "How?"
Natalia shrugged. "I don't know. Dark magic boost from his boss, maybe? Or maybe he's using Udonna's Snow Staff?" She'd been thinking it over and had concluded that Koragg's telepathic spell could only have been performed if he'd gained an outside boost. Magic from the Master or Udonna's Snow Staff seemed the only logical scenarios. "I don't know, but Koragg's been doing it all day and it hurts, it really hurts. With the way he's been talking, I think he's trying to get under my skin."
Mason's brow wrinkled. "What's he saying?"
Natalia sighed again as she looked at her hands. "That I don't belong here, that nobody trusts me, that you'll turn on me at first chance and that you don't actually love me," she admitted. "Koragg says I should leave now before the other shoe drops and join him."
The expression on Mason's face changed from worry to a mixture of horror and outrage. "What?! That's a lie! Koragg—"
"Mason, I know," Natalia interrupted, quickly, as she grabbed Mason's hand. "I know. But the thing is, Vida and the others don't know what happened to me before I came to Briarwood and there are things about my past that I haven't told anyone, not even you." Loathe as she was to admit it, Natalia did have some secrets she was keeping close to her chest, secrets only her parents had known and taken to their graves.
Mason wrapped his arm around Natalia's shoulder, pulling her in close. "That doesn't matter to me. I know you have secrets but everyone does. You can tell me when you're ready. And even so, there's nothing you could say that would change my mind about you. I love you."
Natalia smiled softly. "I love you too." But then her smile faded and she pulled away from Mason. "But Mason, I'm scared that Koragg's right. I mean, people I thought I could trust and trusted me, have turned on me. I don't want that to happen here, not now that I feel like I finally have real friends and a life here. I'm scared."
Natalia was happy for the first time in so long. She didn't want that taken away. What if there was some truth in Koragg's words? It was a fair point that Natalia was not only a stranger to Briarwood but also that her friends knew very little about her as she was still learning to get past her anxieties and let others get through the walls she'd built up.
Mason's eyes softened as he kissed Natalia's head. "That won't happen. I won't let it."
Natalia smiled again at her boyfriend's compassion but then looked serious. "Can we keep this between us? I don't want the others to know about it, any of it. I'm their leader. I don't want to be seen like this, like I'm weak." Maybe it was her pride or her shame talking, but Natalia felt that as the leader of the Mystic Rangers, she had to maintain a certain profile. She had to be strong and keep the team together no matter what. This would only demean that.
Mason looked as though he wanted to argue but the look on Natalia's face persuaded him otherwise. "Okay, I promise I won't say anything, but only if you promise me that you'll talk to Udonna if this gets worse. Deal?"
"Deal," promised Natalia. Deciding there had been enough angst for one morning, she changed the subject to a more pleasant matter. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. So, what say we finish this up real quick and check out that Italian place for lunch?"
Mason smiled as he nodded.
XXX
Meanwhile, back at the Rock Porium, Lee-Lee was watching Natalia and Mason from a window. She'd been worried when she saw Natalia collapse like that, but now she felt relieved when it looked like Natalia was going to be okay thanks to Mason. Heaving a sigh of relief, Lee-Lee took out her smartphone and switched on the crime show she was currently binging on and slipped into her pocket so she have some entertainment while she shopped. While she was shopping, Lee-Lee spotted an envelope on the floor out of the corner of her eye. Noticing the new inscription which read,
Property of Rock Porium
Lee-Lee decided whatever was in envelope was probably important. She flagged down Toby, who was going to his office to fill out some paperwork and handed it into him. Thinking nothing more of it, Lee-Lee resumed her shopping and half an hour later, went to the checkout where Xander was working.
"…and thank you for shopping Rock Porium," said Xander, laying on the charm for a pretty female customer ahead of Lee-Lee. "Come back anytime." When the customer left, Xander greeted Lee-Lee. "Lee-Lee, lovely to see you. And how're we fairing this fine afternoon?"
Lee-Lee giggled. She wasn't taken in by Xander's charms but she did find him cute, in a dorky kind of a way. "Lovely. And speaking of which, I'm surprised you didn't get that cute girl's phone number. If I didn't know any better, I would think she was flirting with you."
Xander's face lit up. "You think so?"
Lee-Lee nodded and then resumed her show while she waited for Xander to come back.
Less than two minutes later, Xander returned, looking disappointed but not defeated. "No luck?"
Xander shook his head. "She has a boyfriend but I refuse to give up. Is this all you got?" When Lee-Lee nodded, he quickly rang her up and then just as he was handing Lee-Lee her receipt, Xander noticed the TV show playing on her phone. "What're you listening to?"
"Oh." Lee-Lee pulled out her phone and showed Xander her crime show. "It's the new crime series. It's wicked awesome. You should totally watch it. My favorite character is Lia, the thief who does inside jobs. No one ever suspects her and she gets away with everything. She's so cool."
"Neat," said Xander.
After a few more minutes of small talk, Lee-Lee waved good-bye and headed out.
XXX
As soon as Lee-Lee was gone, Xander suddenly became very nervous.
All the talk of crimes and thievery caused him to remember that he hadn't made the bank drop yet. He reached into the box where the money envelope was, only to become alarmed when he didn't feel it. A quick search of the box also turned up nothing, causing Xander to become extremely panicked. The money was gone. It wasn't where Xander had left it, which meant only one thing, someone had stolen it. But who?
Xander had changed the label of envelope. Who could've known the envelope contained any money, much less a grand just by looking at it? The only ones who'd known about the bank drop money had been his fellow employees. But none of them were thieves. Xander had known them since childhood. He knew they were better than that. They wouldn't have taken it. Or would they have? After all, there was one person that Xander didn't know as well as the others. Suddenly, Xander's mind flashed back to what Natalia had said.
"A thousand bucks? Sweet amount of cash. But I should warn you, you might want to make that say 'property of the Rock Porium.' That inscription says 'steal me!'"
Had it just been a coincidence that Natalia had suggested changing the label on the envelope? Or it had been something else entirely? After all, just because Natalia had magic and was his team leader didn't mean it spoke volumes about Natalia's character. What did Xander really know about Natalia anyway, other than she was new to Briarwood, used fire magic, rode a motorcycle, was a military brat and was now dating Mason? When he looked at it properly, Xander realized that he didn't really know Natalia at all.
I don't want to go accusing Natalia like this but what choice do I have? realized Xander. She's the only one with the motive, the means and opportunity. She's got the skills for this, I mean, I saw her whip out a grenade and knockout gas quicker than I can blink when I first met her! And what do I really know about her anyway? Nothing.
The more Xander thought it over, the more sense it made to him. There was no getting around it. The money was gone and unless Xander had misplaced it, which he was quite certain he hadn't done, Natalia had stolen it.
Needing to talk someone about it and get some help, Xander took his lunch break at Rootcore where he filled Mason, Chip and Vida in on the situation. After his lunch date with Natalia, Mason had decided to do a little reading at Rootcore while Natalia went for a walk in the woods. Unbeknownst to Xander, Mason was becoming angrier with every word that Xander said as the Blue Ranger was not only concealing it well but also waiting for the right moment to give Xander a piece of his mind.
"…Look, I'm not saying for sure that it was Natalia, but I know I didn't take the money and I know you probably didn't take it either," said Xander.
Vida's eyes darkened with anger. "What do you mean 'probably' Xander?"
Xander looked to Mason for assistance in calming down Vida as he usually did but Mason just folded his arms across his chest and remained stony faced, forcing Xander to act alone.
"Calm down, Vee, I don't mean anything," said Xander, quickly. "I just know that none of us could have taken the money. Chip was playing, you and Mason were at the DJ stand but Natalia doesn't have an alibi. Plus, does no one find it a little too much of a coincidence that right after she suggests changing the label on the envelope and that she comments on needing the money, that it just vanishes?"
Xander paused for a moment to let this sink in. It didn't take long before both Vida and Chip began to look uneasy, as though they were starting to agree with Xander's logic.
Chip, who was practicing a levitation spell and flying high into the ceiling, hesitantly asked, "Are you sure you didn't just misplace the envelope?"
Xander shook his head. "I put the envelope in the box and now it's gone. Trust me, someone stole the money and as much as I hate to admit, there's no one else but Natalia who had the motive, means and opportunity. I mean, I've known you guys since I came to the states. I know you wouldn't steal from Toby. But how much do we really know about Natalia, anyway? I mean, the girl's gorgeous and great in battle but she does keep things close to the chest, doesn't she?"
Chip and Vida began to murmur in agreement and that was when Mason lost his temper.
"This is insane!" exploded Mason, furiously. His blue eyes, which were normally so calm and kind were now like stormy seas. "I can't believe you're even considering this! You misplace the money and instead of looking for it or admitting to your mistake, you're blaming Natalia? So, she's new and keeps things to herself. Who cares? That doesn't mean she's a thief. And even so, you don't have a shred of proof beyond circumstantial evidence, because if you did, you'd be telling Toby or the cops instead of trying to convince us of your faulty logic! Admit it!"
Xander's jaw dropped and he was rendered speechless, as was everyone else as Mason never lost his temper like this, not even when Chip had accidentally spilt banana milk on Mason's new camera when they were kids.
"Look, Mason, I know she's your girlfriend and all, but you've got to look at the facts," began Xander. "Natalia—"
"Is our leader and our friend!" interrupted Mason, coldly. "She was chosen as such for a reason, if you can recall. She puts her life in our hands every time we go into battle because she trusts us. She may keep things close to her chest, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't care or that she's on the wrong side. So, let me repeat that you have no proof whatsoever that Natalia stole the money and for you to accuse her like this or for the rest of you—" Mason shot dirty looks at Vida and Chip, who both looked away from Mason's angry gaze. "—to listen to this garbage and believe it, and talk about it behind Natalia's back is not only disrespectful and disgraceful, both as individuals and as Rangers. Think about that before you go shooting your feet off."
Without waiting for a reply, Mason stormed off in disgust, leaving Xander and the others to think about what they'd done.
Vida whistled low. "Wow. I didn't know Mason had it in him."
Chip lowered himself to the ground. "Guess even Mason's got a dark side." He sighed. "But Mason is also right. We don't have any proof that Natalia stole the money. So, why don't we at least search the store and call the bank before pointing fingers? I mean, maybe Natalia made the bank drop for you. Did you consider any of that?"
"No," admitted Xander. In his haste to accuse Natalia of thievery, Xander hadn't thought to search the store or call the bank to make an inquiry. "All right, let's go back to the store and check it out. I'll call the bank, see if Natalia made the bank drop or not."
If the money turned up, then Natalia didn't steal it. If the money showed up at the bank, then the deposit had been made, hopefully, to the right account. But if none of that happened, then Natalia had to be the thief. No matter how it ended, Natalia's guilt or innocence would be proven.
XX
Meanwhile, Natalia was outside sitting on a rock, rubbing her temples to ease off the residual pain of the splitting headache she'd gotten thanks to Koragg's meddling.
While on her walk, Natalia had run into Udonna and told her everything. Unfortunately, the White Sorceress was unable to fully block Koragg's telepathic invasion but she had been able to make a potion that would keep the worst of it at bay. The pain was dulled down considerably and Koragg would not be able to learn anymore of Natalia's secrets than he already had, which was more than Natalia had hoped for. But it still left much to be desired.
"Excuse me, but that's my rock, you know."
Natalia nearly jumped out of her skin but then relaxed when she saw it was just Phineas, chuckling.
"Oh, jeez. Phineas, it's just you."
"'Phineas, it's just you,'" echoed Phineas, feigning offense. "Love the way you say it. Makes me feel almost wanted."
Natalia scooted over, giving Phineas a place to sit as he plonked down beside her. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry. I'm just having a rough day." The pain her head aside, Koragg's stinging words were really starting to get at Natalia.
"Excellent! We'll compare bad days!" said Phineas, eagerly. "I'll go first! Well, I woke up and was immediately attacked by a mouse."
Natalia bit her tongue to keep from laughing. "A mouse? Attacking a big, ferocious troblin like you? I don't believe it."
Phineas beamed at Natalia's compliment before shrugging his shoulders. "Crazy, I know, but it's true. And you know what's also true? The mouse won the fight. Anyway, so next up, when I was washing my rather ample nose in the river, a fish bit it. So, I swam after it and bit it back." That time, Natalia did laugh but instead of being offended, Phineas just laughed right with her. "I know, right? But—and here is your most important lesson of the day—did you know that a fish can swim away from a giant waterfall and a handsome troblin will sink like a stone? To my surprise, I survived but I got a crab in my pants. Not fun, let me tell you that. Then—whoa, are you okay?"
Natalia was not reacting in any way to the rest of Phineas' story as she was being attacked again by Koragg. Though the pain was dulled down, it still hurt like the devil and it didn't help that Natalia's mind was starting to be plagued with images she hadn't seen since her old nightmares as a child.
Why should they trust you, Natalia? You don't even trust yourself, you never have! hissed Koragg. What's more, you have no memory of anything prior to being found when you were five! You were abandoned, pure and simple. Probably because your magic made you a danger to yourself and to others! What's worse, you failed to save the lives of those who took you in when you had nothing! Why should anyone trust you knowing that?
Natalia did not reply as she was hit with her old nightmare images. She saw herself as a little girl with an unfamiliar older man and a young boy about her age. It was a storming night as Natalia and the boy ran for their lives while the older man tried to protect them as he did battle against a dark creature who sought their demise.
"Koragg, enough!" hissed Natalia. She forced herself to stand as she closed her eyes and tried to stop Koragg's unwanted presence in her head by concentrating hard. "Get out of my head!" Suddenly, Natalia's eyes lit up like fire as she envisioned a burning phoenix, which burnt Koragg and sent him out, at least temporarily.
Natalia sighed in relief as she slumped against the rock. This is just the beginning. But how much more can I take before I have to admit defeat?
"Okay, you win the bad day contest," said Phineas, throwing up in his hands in defeat. He looked at her with concern before offering his hand to squeeze. "Want to get some stickleberries? They always make me feel better."
Natalia chuckled as she took Phineas' offered hand. Oh, Phineas, you're the best. For someone who didn't fit in, Phineas sure knew how to be a good friend. "Tell you what, let's get both stickleberries and some strawberries. Sound good?"
Phineas eagerly nodded as they walked off to the berry bushes.
XXX
Meanwhile, Koragg was doing battle with Morticon, who was throwing a temper tantrum at being trapped down in the Pit. Morticon was swinging his blade, trying to hit Koragg but the Knight Wolf kept blocking each and every blow with incredible ease, displaying his strength and skill as a warrior in battle.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" roared Morticon. "I know you have a plan to defeat the Mystic Rangers, Koragg! You can't leave me down here! I AM A WARRIOR!"
"Then ACT like it!" snarled Koragg, as he subdued Morticon. He was not at all impressed with Koragg's behavior and it was no wonder, for Morticon was hardly acting like the noble warrior he claimed he was. "Look at yourself, Morticon! You're acting like a child! Such behavior is hardly befitting a warrior! Now, stop this at once before you anger the Master!"
Morticon growled in anger but did not dispute Koragg's point. "Very well. But you must find a way, a spell—anything to get me out of here!"
"I told you," growled Koragg. "I don't yet have enough power to do so! But I will, mark my words."
"You had better," hissed Morticon.
XXX
Back at the Rock Porium, Xander was having an even bigger panic attack than before.
Xander had called the bank and discovered that while no one matching Natalia's description had made any deposits at the bank and nor had there been any money deposited into Toby's bank account, Natalia's innocence still had yet to be proven. So, they all were searching the store from top to bottom, all except for Mason who'd disappeared when he'd heard a vehicle pull up outside. Whether or not they found the money would ultimately prove Natalia's guilt or not.
But after nearly an hour of searching every possible inch of the store except for Toby's office, which was locked from inside, the search proved to be fruitless. The money was nowhere to be found, which only confirmed Xander's suspicions. And whatever doubts Chip and Vida had had were gone now as they were also convinced of Natalia's guilt.
"Guys, look, we've checked everywhere. The money's gone," said Vida. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together. We need to confront Natalia, now."
"I think she's outside. I thought I heard her bike pull in," said Chip.
Xander sighed. "Let's get this over with."
With some reluctance, the trio trudged outside to Natalia's usual spot under the tree. She was standing by her bike, looking upset as she had an indistinguishable conversation with Mason, who was leaning against the tree with his arms folded across his chest.
"Hey, guys," said Xander. He took a deep breath. "Look, Natalia, there's a thousand dollars missing from the store and—"
"I know. Mason told me," interrupted Natalia. Remarkably, she didn't sound angry at being accused of theft, but she did look upset and disappointed. "I didn't want to believe it, but you guys proved me wrong. You actually think I stole the money. Let me guess, it's because you guys have known each other all your lives, so you can easily vouch for each other because I'm new, I'm the most likely suspect. Is that it? What, I just charmed my way into your lives so I could rip you off?"
Xander had the gall to nod while Vida maintained eye contact and Chip just looked sheepish.
"Yeah, well, that just about covers what we were thinking," admitted Chip.
"Wow." This time, Natalia did look angry as she mounted her bike. "I knew all this was too good to be true. I knew it. I can't believe I deluded myself into thinking you people were my friends or that I might actually have a life in Briarwood. Guess I know better now, don't I?" She slipped on her riding gloves and put the key into ignition. "Well, I don't need friends like you in my life, so we'll just stick to a professional relationship from now on. Good-bye and good riddance!"
Before anyone could stop her, Natalia slipped on her helmet and rode off.
Mason glared at his sister and friends. "Congratulations, guys. No, real great work! You broke her trust and drove her off! Are you proud of yourselves now? Because I'm not." If anything, Mason was ashamed and deeply disappointed.
Vida winced and even Chip looked a little guilty but Xander stood his ground.
"Mace, are you kidding me? Did you not see what happened?" said Xander, beckoning to the empty road Natalia had driven on. "Natalia just took off. She didn't even deny it! If that isn't proof of her guilt, then what on earth is?"
Mason threw up his hands in exasperated agitation. "All right, you know what? Fine. Be a stubborn, narrow-minded imbecile if you want. I am going to stand by my leader and my girlfriend. And I'm going to tell Toby about all this. Excuse me."
Xander's face lit up in alarm as he chased after the Blue Ranger. "Mace, wait! Mason!"
XXX
Natalia zoomed alongside the backroads of Briarwood, letting herself be whiskered away into the sounds of her motorcycle's roaring engine and the feeling of the wind through her hair. It eased away the anger, sadness and disappointment she was feeling. When Mason had warned her of Xander's ludicrous suspicions, Natalia hadn't wanted to believe it, she'd wanted to believe that her friends trusted her and knew her better than that but when Xander had started talking about the money, Natalia's worst fears had come true. One mistake, a mistake she wasn't even responsible for, and suddenly Natalia was a pariah. Again.
It was Natalia's own fault. She'd been the one foolish enough to think she could actually have a life free of judgment, where she was trusted and people cared. Well, Mason cared, that much was true, it had hurt deeply to learn that the others didn't share in Mason's views, that they'd automatically believed the worst about her. And for what? Because of some inconsequential money that'd disappeared, that anyone could've misplaced. If they were that quick to distrust her, then perhaps Koragg's words had been true, perhaps Natalia had never been trusted or liked in the first place.
You see? said Koragg, smugly. You don't have any friends, not really. And you're a fool if you think the Blue Ranger warned you out of love. He just wanted you to suffer like they did. After all, everyone always lies to you, don't they?
"Enough is enough!" yelled Natalia. Any sadness she felt was gone now, replaced with pure rage. She'd had it and she wanted it to end. "What do you want, Koragg?"
Come to the beach and find out.
"Fine!" Despite knowing it was a trap and she should call for backup, Natalia didn't care. She wanted to deal with Koragg immediately and she wasn't about to call Vida, Xander and Chip in for backup after the way they'd acted and nor was she going to put Mason on the spot to make him choose between her and those he'd known his whole life.
When Natalia arrived at the beach, she found Koragg arriving via a dark seal.
"I am here, Red Ranger!"
Natalia stormed over to him, one of her fists was on fire and the other was behind her back. "You son a—! You manipulated them and me, didn't you!" Though she knew it was a stretch, part of Natalia wondered if the reason Xander and the others had been so quick to accuse Natalia of theft was because he'd done some trick.
Koragg shook his head. "I did nothing but speak the truth! No one trusts you. No one wants you, except for me. Why suffer alongside fools when you can have all that you ever dreamed of by joining the darkness and serving as my apprentice? You'll never be unwanted or cast out again and you will have more power than you could ever dream of!" He extended his hand. "What do you say, Red Witch?"
"What do I say? Well, first, I say…" Natalia pulled out the pin from the grenade she was holding. "Catch!" Natalia tossed the grenade and it exploded in Koragg's face, doing considerable damage and sending him flying across the beach. "I say that no matter how the others treat me, I'd sooner destroy myself than join you. But if it's a fight you're looking for, Koragg, if it'll get you out of my head, then so be it!"
Regardless of Natalia's place with the Rangers, no matter if they ever trusted her or were her friends, Natalia would never align herself with the Master and his forces. Especially not after all they'd done both to her world and Udonna's. Natalia was no traitor, no matter what kind of tempting rewards it might offer her.
Despite Koragg's injuries, he seemed pleased with Natalia's initiative and drew his sword. "Then let us fight, Red Ranger. Hiyah!"
The two of them charged at each other and began fighting. Koragg blocked Natalia's fiery spinning kick and then she performed a somersault to dodge Koragg's blade. She then drew her sword and the sound of metal hitting metal as their swords met each other. Concentrating hard, Natalia set her sword alight with white-hot fire and swung it at Koragg, slicing his chest armor and sending him down onto his knees, but the fight was far from over as Koragg swung his legs, knocking Natalia down. He then grabbed her by the ankle, spun her around and tossed her across the beach and onto the rocks. Whereupon, Koragg's sword glowed with dark magic, which he swiftly swung in Natalia's direction, hitting her.
Natalia landed painfully on the beach rocks and clutched at her now fireless sword for support.
"You are not as formidable an opponent as you once were," sneered Koragg. "Your powers are weak! You are talented, yes, but you have not yet learned to harness your magic! Your defeat will be swift, Red Ranger!"
Ignoring the pain shooting through her body, Natalia shakily stood up. "You should know better than to underestimate your opponents, Koragg! Sana Ignis!" Natalia's body was engulfed in healing fire, restoring her to peak health, which shocked Koragg.
"What?!" he hissed, shocked.
Not one to waste time, Natalia summoned up the strength for another spell. "Phoenix Ignem Gladio!" Phoenix fire blazed through Natalia's sword and when she swung it at Koragg, there was a devastating blaze that heavily burnt him and sent him straight into the cliff wall, breaking a good chunk of the stone in the process.
"You are powerful, more than I expected," said Koragg, sounding impressed. In spite of his injuries, Koragg refused to surrender and he attacked Natalia with his sword yet again. "You will be defeated, that I promise you!"
"Don't make promises you can't keep, wolf boy!" spat Natalia.
XXX
Back at the Rock Porium, Toby was nearly finished with his empty DVD case tower extraordinaire. It just required one last case and the tower would be completed.
"Hey, boss?"
Startled, Toby let out a yelp and accidentally knocked over his tower. Huffing in annoyance, Toby turned around to see four out of five of his overpaid, underqualified employees behind him. Mason looked irritated but the others looked guilty if not a little upset. Toby knew that look all too well.
"Oh, something's going on. I can see it on your faces. You've got something to tell me that you don't want to tell me," said Toby.
"Actually, I do want to tell you. It's these three—" Mason glared at Xander, Chip and Vida. "—and Xander especially, who don't want to tell you."
"Oh, is that so?" Toby crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Well, you're going to have to tell me. No, don't. No, tell me. No, don't. No, tell me." The flip-flopping went on for a few more minutes, causing great confusion among his employees until Toby finally reached a decision. "Tell me how you lost the thousand dollars you were supposed to drop off."
Everyone's jaws dropped in shock, unable to explain how Toby knew this and then as if by magic, Toby produced the manila envelope containing the money.
"That blond friend of yours, Lee-Lee, found it on the floor and turned it into me," said Toby. "Now, guys, I may be your boss, but I would also like to think that I'm a friend of yours. So, why didn't you just tell me about the money sooner?"
Mason smacked Xander's shoulder and beckoned for him to speak. Xander was the one who started the whole business, he could be the one to explain things to Toby.
"I thought Natalia stole the money," confessed Xander, weakly. It sounded so pathetic when said aloud now that he'd learnt how foolish he'd been to jump to conclusions.
Toby stared at Xander like he had lobsters crawling out of his ears. "Natalia? Are you kidding? That girl's as honest as the Stones are classic rock! What made you think Natalia took it?"
"Well…"
Mason's morpher went off and he took the phone call. "Hello? Udonna. What is it?" Mason's tone of voice went from curious to horrified. "She's WHAT?! Alone? Where is she? Okay, we're on our way. We'll be there as soon as we can." He hung up his phone. "Toby, I'm sorry, but do you mind if we leave a little early? Someone's got a heaping plate of crow to eat and Natalia is having a night wolf issue that she needs our help with."
Xander, Chip and Vida's eyes widened in alarm at the implication of Mason's words.
"Sure, go right ahead," said Toby, understandingly. It wasn't hard to guess that Xander's suspicions had caused a rift that needed to be mended. "Go kiss and make up."
"You're the best, Toby!"
XXX
Under the overpass at the beach, Natalia and Koragg's battle had reached a standstill.
The two of them stood several feet apart from each other, both exhausted and injured from the battle and waiting for someone to make the next move. After a few moments of encircling each other like wolves, Koragg made the first step. He drew his sword back.
"And now, Red Ranger, you will meet your destiny!" declared Koragg. He raised his sword to strike but Koragg's sword was blasted back by a bolt of yellow lightning. "No! What is this?"
Much to Natalia's surprise and relief, Mason and the others were running towards her, fully morphed and their weapons drawn.
"Hang on, buddy! Hiyah!" Xander leapt into the air and plunged his Magi Staff into the ground, setting off an explosive earthquake that blew Koragg away.
"Natalia!" Mason ran to Natalia's side and looked her over. "You're hurt! How bad is it?"
"I've had worse, don't worry." Natalia could easily heal herself later but now wasn't the time. Right now, they had bigger issues to worry about. "What're these guys doing here? I thought they didn't trust me."
"We deserved that and more. We're really sorry about what we did," said Xander, guiltily. "We know you didn't steal the money, Natalia. I never should've accused you in the first place."
"You're our leader and our friend," said Vida. "And quite possibly my future sister-in-law, but that's not the point. The point is, we were wrong and we should've known better."
"It was Xander's fault," added Chip. "Actually, it was all of our faults. We should've just asked you or talked to Toby before letting our imaginations run away with us. It was stupid of us to do that."
Although she was willing to forgive, Natalia wasn't willing to pass up the chance to have her say. "Yeah, it was. And you should've thought of that before!" She was unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice and she continued to speak with firmness so they would know she wasn't relenting. "What you did really hurt me, in more ways than one. I know I keep things to myself but my life hasn't been easy and it's hard to me to get close to people when stuff like this happens. But it cannot happen again. Guys, if we're going to be a team, if we're going to be friends, we can't go making accusations without evidence of any wrongdoing. We need to trust each other and have each other's backs. If you can't do that, then we can be a team, much less friends. Am I making myself clear?"
Everyone nodded and then they became alarmed as Koragg returned, healed of most of his injuries and ready to resume the fight.
"Now that you're all here, I shall finish this!" Koragg leapt into the air. "Uthay Rejor Catastros! Samba Gunitos Equestras!" Koragg conjured a dark seal and bonded with his steed, Catastros, forming his dark Centaur Megazord.
Having left them no other choice, the Rangers transformed into their Mystic Titans forms and then into their dragon megazord. Whereupon, they fired at Koragg but he blocked the dragon fire and then his sword met Natalia's as he leapt up into the air.
"No! You will never defeat me!" Koragg opened his shield. "Wolf Attack!"
After narrowly dodging Koragg's Wolf Attack, they focused their full power onto Koragg, not knowing that they were playing right into his hands, for despite his injuries Koragg had a trick up his sleeve. He'd been waiting for the Rangers to use their greatest attack for he had prepared a magic theft spell so he could have the magical energy needed to free Morticon.
"You celebrate too early, Rangers. For now, I have a new power and soon I will have yours as well! Uthay Mijor Ultimatas!" A dark seal appeared and Koragg and Catastros's formation increased, they joined as the centaurus wolf megazord. "The time has come to take this fight to the next level! Dark Source, Evil Force!" There was a great flash of dark magic that left Natalia and the others weakened and then a giant ball of magic, their combining magic, left them and went straight into Koragg's hands.
"Guys, we can't combine! He took our magic!" exclaimed Natalia. She felt a twinge of fear. Now that Koragg had their combining power, he could very likely destroy them and win.
"I shall use your own magical powers against you as I summon the evil Morticon from the Underworld!" declared Koragg. He crossed his arms and then another dark seal appeared. "Rise, Morticon! Rise!"
"No!" cried Natalia. She recognized the name from Phineas' story all too well. Morticon was a monster they hadn't faced yet, one with great dark magic. In their current state, did they really stand a chance of defeating him?
From the dark seal, came Morticon, cackling happily at his newfound freedom and what was worse, he was the same size as the others on the battlefield. "Free at last! Now that I am released from that dark cell, I shall rule this dimension as the greatest, most powerful warrior of all time!"
No, no, no, this can't be happening! This is bad! Natalia needed a way, some spell or another to protect her friends before Morticon destroyed them all. But what?
"Let's finish this, Koragg!" declared Morticon. "Destroy them!"
Acting quickly, Natalia dismounted from the dragon zord and stood protectively in front of her friends as her sword met Morticon's just in time. Morticon's strength was great and in her current state, Natalia barely had the strength to keep Morticon's sword at bay.
"I don't care who you are! I will not let you hurt my friends or take this world!" growled Natalia.
Morticon made a mocking, cruel laugh. "You speak as if you have any choice! Hiyah!" Morticon took advantage of Natalia's weakened state and disarmed her before grabbing her by the throat and tossing her across the battlefield. Her friends cried out for her but in their weakened state, they could do nothing but helplessly watch.
"Dark Magic, Spell Seal!" yelled Koragg. He cast a powerful dark spell seal which not only further injured Natalia but also left her vulnerable and unable to fight back against Morticon, who held his dark blade to her throat.
"How does it feel, Mystic Rangers? This will be my finest hour, the day I succeeded in destroying the leader of the Mystic Rangers herself!" said Morticon. "Koragg, join me for the final strike!"
But instead of joining in, Koragg actually refused. "My work is finished. The Master will be pleased."
Satisfied with Koragg's answer as he'd wanted to savor the victory for himself, Morticon was pleased. "Have it your way, Koragg!" Morticon drew back his sword and prepared to strike.
But a surprise came the dark ones' way. Natalia's treasured pendant could not been seen in her Mystic Titan form, no one noticed that it was glowing brightly or that it was boosting Natalia's magic. But what was seen was Natalia's eyes glowing brightly like red fire and then suddenly, her entire body was engulfed in its fiery phoenix form, sending Morticon back before he could strike, healing Natalia and giving her the power she needed to act. She leapt into the air and cried out, "Phoenix Fire Counter Spell!"
A burning red, mystic spell seal with phoenixes appeared beneath Morticon's feet, reversing Koragg's spell and forcing Morticon back to the Underworld.
"Koragg, do something!" begged Morticon.
Koragg, who was in a state of shock, did nothing but stare. "That's impossible. How could she counter my spell?" Such a feat was great, if not amazing, but also supposed to be impossible for anyone except for those of exceedingly great power and skill. "I don't know how you did that, Mystic Ranger. But I will find out. And do not think to celebrate your victory, for I have your Megazord power now!" Koragg cackled as he disappeared back to the Underworld before anyone could stop him.
XXX
Later that day, Natalia drove her motorcycle and parked it outside the restaurant where she was meeting her friends for dinner. As means of apology, Xander was paying for their evening meal at one of Natalia's favorite restaurants. And speaking of whom, Xander and the other Rangers were waiting just outside the restaurant.
"Hey," said Xander.
"Hey," said Mason.
"Hey," said Vida.
"Ho," joked Chip, making everyone laugh.
Natalia took off her helmet and smiled softly. "Hi, guys."
Xander returned the smile and then looked serious. "Look, I know we hashed most of this out on the battlefield but I feel like I didn't really get a chance to apologize. So, I'm really sorry, Natalia, for ever jumping to conclusions as I did. It was wrong of me."
"Chip and I are also sorry for ever thinking that you could do such a thing," added Vida. "We promise we won't ever do it again."
"It was Xander's fault," added Chip. He looked confused as everyone laughed. "What? It was."
"And I should also apologize," said Mason, looking at Vida and the other two guys. "Whether or not it was justified, I still said some pretty nasty things to you guys. And for that, I'm sorry."
"And I'm sorry too," added Natalia. Looking back, even though it hurt, she could see why they could have thought the worst of her. But she intended to fix that. "I shouldn't have let my pride get in the way. I should've told you when I first started hearing Koragg's voice. And I should start being more open with you guys, it's just…" Natalia sighed. "I've spent so long keeping people at arm's length that it's not easy for me to let people get close. I want to change that, but is it okay if I take a little time?"
Everyone nodded understandingly.
"Absolutely. Take as much as you need," said Xander. "There's no rush."
"When you're ready to talk, we'll be here to listen," added Mason, with an affectionate smile.
Vida and Chip nodded in agreement and then they all began trailing inside into the restaurant. Natalia promised to follow in as soon she secured her bike.
As soon as the coast was clear, Natalia reached into her purse and pulled out one of her most treasured possessions, a beautiful silver music box with rubies and amethysts. Slowly, she twisted the key and then a lone tear slid down her cheek as the music played its soft, comforting yet haunting melody. What Koragg had said about Natalia's past had been true. Natalia didn't trust herself because she didn't know herself. Fifteen years ago when she was but five, Natalia had been found on her adoptive parents' doorstep with no memories as to who or what she had been prior to that.
The music box along with the necklace Natalia always wore and the clothes on her back had been all that she'd been found with. For years, Natalia had wondered if the pendant and music box meant she'd been loved and was lost or perhaps that she'd been abandoned for something she did or because of her powers. But she had no way of knowing for certain as she'd never been able to track down her birth parents. And while the Russells had been good people, wonderful and loving parents that Natalia had loved with all her heart, she'd always had a yearning to know the truth of her origin.
"One day…" she murmured, as she returned the music box. "One day, you'll know. And maybe one day, so will I."
Someday, Natalia would be ready to tell the others everything, but not yet. Not yet.