Stranger Within Part Two
Down in the Underworld, everyone was celebrating the fact that despite Flytrap's demise, Vida was still under Necrolai's thrall. It was truly a victorious moment, for it meant it was only the beginning of greater victories to be won. With one Mystic Ranger down, it was only a matter of time before the other four met the same fate. Either they would be destroyed or their magic would be used in serving the Master and his darkness. However it ended, it would be another win for the darkness.
"This is truly a glorious day for us! The Pink Ranger remains under my control!" said Necrolai, gleefully.
Morticon seemed especially pleased with Necrolai's success. "Well done, Necrolai! You have done the darkness proud."
Koragg scoffed. Proud? He sincerely doubted that. Necrolai had one Ranger under her power. Just one. It was hardly a victory worth celebrating. The other four were still out there, free as birds and still posing a major risk to the Master's plans of conquering the surface world. And even if Necrolai had succeeded in ensnaring all five of the Mystic Rangers, it mattered not. For Necrolai's methods were far from honorable and in Koragg's mind, they brought shame and disgrace to the Master's name.
Morticon noticed Koragg's disgust. "Koragg, why are you not pleased with what Necrolai has done? As I see it, she just did you a favor. You should be grateful!"
"Grateful?! I think not!" spat Koragg. "There is no honor in Necrolai's ways. What victory can come from dishonorable actions? And even so, Necrolai has won nothing. Entrapping the Pink Witch is one thing, but she has failed to trap the other four, who will punish us all dearly for daring to do this to one of our own. Necrolai is a fool!"
Although neither Morticon nor Necrolai were willing to admit it, Koragg had brought up a fair point. With Vida still trapped under Necrolai's dark spell, the Rangers would be coming down hard on the servants of darkness for retribution. And with their strength as it was, it was more than likely that they would succeed in destroying them all.
Necrolai looked affronted and opened her mouth to protest but Koragg stormed off before she had the chance.
"Pay him no heed, Necrolai," said Morticon. "Koragg knows not of which he speaks. Your actions will lead us to victory and bring us much reward from the Master. Now, go and continue your work at once!"
Necrolai bowed. "As you wish, my lord."
XXX
Meanwhile, after it was revealed that Vida was still a vampire, the other Rangers had acted quickly. After giving Lee-Lee an excuse for Vida's vampirism, they'd knocked Vida out with a sleeping spell and taken her to Rootcore where Chip had made another barrier, trapping the Pink Ranger once more. During the transportation process, Vida hadn't reacted to the sunlight which only further worried the Rangers that Vida's vampirism had taken a worse turn.
Soon afterwards, the sleeping spell wore off and Vida was not only conscious but also trying to persuade her brother and the others to free her.
"Mason, please, I know you think this is necessary, but it's not. I'm fine," insisted Vida. "Please, let me out. I'm begging you."
Mason looked regretful but he was unwavering. "I'm sorry, Vee. But the answer's no. You're staying there until we fix this."
"Fix what? There's nothing to fix!" protested Vida, exasperatedly. "Mason, how can you do this to me? I'm your sister—!"
"And that's exactly why I'm doing this," interrupted Mason. "Ever since we were kids, you've taken care of me and gone to extraordinary lengths to protect me. You've never abandoned me. And that's why I'm going to do everything possible to return the favor and get you back, sis. This time, I'm taking care of you. So, please, Vee, just be quiet and hang in there."
No matter what the cost was, no matter how long it took, Mason was going to find a way to undo Vida's vampirism and get her back. It was no less than what he owed her after the last fifteen years Vida had spent taking care of and protecting Mason. Regardless of their bloodlines, Mason and Vida were family and family never gave up on each other, no matter how bleak everything looked.
Clare, who bandaging a small cut on her finger, walked over to Vida's barrier and looked at Vida with great sympathy and pity.
"Guys, she looks really miserable. Maybe Vida's right. Maybe you should let Vida out," said Clare. "Maybe she'll maintain control." But it was the wrong thing to say for as soon as Vida smelled Clare's blood, Vida's eyes turned red and she bared her fangs as she tried to break free of the barrier to get to Clare, causing the sorceress-in-training to jump back in terror to the safety of Xander's arms, who shielded her. "Or I'm completely wrong and you shouldn't let her out!"
No one disputed this.
"Guys, huddle up," said Natalia. She gathered everyone in another corner of Rootcore where Vida couldn't hear. "I think it's safe to assume that Flytrap didn't turn Vida. If he had, she'd be back to normal by now. Which, unfortunately, means only one thing."
"Necrolai turned Vida," finished Chip. "It makes sense. Back at the club, Necrolai did say that she wanted the Rangers under her control. She said we were all hers and no one else's." Although he hadn't been able to hear it, Chip had read the Vampire Queen's lips when she'd made the mistake of speaking in front of him. "But how can we know for sure?"
"Koragg would know," suggest Xander. "Natalia, Koragg seems to be able to contact you whenever he likes. Have you ever tried doing the same?"
Natalia shook her head. "No. I've responded to him but I've never been the first one to make contact." And nor was she keen on the idea, either. It was difficult enough keeping Koragg out of her head without making it worse by inviting him in. But as the situation was dire, Natalia knew she couldn't afford to be skittish. "But I can try."
Before Natalia could attempt to contact Koragg, however, a familiar voice piped up, "No need. I can help you."
Upon hearing the familiar voice, everyone spun around in shock to Lee-Lee standing behind them. She seemed nervous but unwavering.
"Hi, guys," said Lee-Lee, weakly. "Or should I say, Rangers?"
Udonna's eyes narrowed at the intruder. "Who are you?"
"She's a friend of ours from Briarwood," said Natalia, quickly. "Lee-Lee Pimvare. She's human." Although, privately, Natalia was beginning to doubt if any of that was even remotely true.
"Lee-Lee?!" exclaimed Xander. "How did you get here? More importantly, why are you here and how do you know who we are?"
Xander posed good questions. Lee-Lee, a common human female, shouldn't have been able to find Rootcore, much less know that her friends were the Mystic Rangers. It should've been impossible. But miraculously, Lee-Lee was there and she knew their secrets. This was either going to be a
"Before I answer that, can one of you give me a truth potion or put me under a truth spell?" asked Lee-Lee, timidly. "I've got something important to tell you all. It's going to be hard to hear, but I need you to know that I'm not lying. And you have to promise to hear me out. Please."
Natalia and the other Rangers exchanged wary, puzzled looks but after a moment, they promised to hear Lee-Lee out and then Mason raised his morpher and said, "Dicam Veritatem!"
Lee-Lee was showered in shimmering blue light and then she took a deep breath. "My name is Lee-Lee Pimvare and I'm not what you think I am. My father was human but my mother is Necrolai, the Queen of the Vampires."
To say that everyone was shocked to hear this was putting it mildly. Both Udonna and Clare looked horrified and took defensive stances. Xander choked on air and looked as though the rug had been yanked out from underneath him. Mason's jaw dropped and he was rendered speechless. Chip paled and looked as though he was about to throw up and he unconsciously reached for his vampire stake on his belt.
To know that their friend, someone that they had trusted was blood-kin to the enemy and possibly a double-crosser as well, caused Natalia's brown eyes to glisten with hurt and betrayal but she did not attempt to hurt Lee-Lee. Instead, she quickly regained her composure and said in a calm, controlled voice, "You said you wanted us to hear you out. Speak. Quickly."
Taking the hint, Lee-Lee sat down and began telling her story. "I never knew my father. My mom had him turned into a worm when I was a baby because he tried to betray her. For years, it was just the two of us, scrounging for scraps and barely making it by. But my mom was determined to change all that. She loves me, so she wanted a better life for both of us, so she aligned herself with the Master and even though I didn't inherit her powers, she started grooming me to be her successor. But I didn't want a life of darkness, I just wanted my mom and I to be together and be happy and not hated so much. One day, I snuck out to the Mystic Woods and that's when I saw them."
"Who?" asked Mason, curiously.
Lee-Lee smiled softly. "The residents of the Mystic Woods. I saw how happy they were, how they embraced everyone's differences and how everyone was surrounded by loving friends and family. I would watch them from the shadows every chance I could, wishing I could have that. I wanted a friend, even if it was just one. Then one day, my wish was granted. A really pretty girl about my age was playing on her own and then she saw me and she invited me to play with her. She said she knew who I was, but she didn't care. She said no one should ever be lonely and if I was willing, I could be a good person and I could be her friend. You can't imagine how happy that made me. Finally, someone wanted me and I wasn't alone anymore."
Everyone's faces softened with sympathy at this and then after a moment, they all smiled. Loneliness, even in its smallest aspect, was something they were all familiar with. With the exception of Natalia, they hadn't know the level of rejection and hatred that Lee-Lee had, but they knew how it felt to be alone and how wonderful it felt when they were no longer alone and had someone who cared about them. Knowing this eased away any anger or betrayal they felt towards Lee-Lee.
"What was your friend's name?" asked Clare.
Lee-Lee hesitated but after a moment said, "Aurora."
Both Udonna and Clare looked shocked to hear this.
"Aurora?" echoed Udonna, in disbelief.
"You're sure about that? She was your friend?" asked Clare, in disbelief.
Lee-Lee nodded.
"Why didn't she ever say anything?" asked Udonna, in a hushed, hurt voice.
Lee-Lee looked sad. "I wouldn't let her. Aurora wanted to tell everyone about me, she said they'd listen to her if she vouched for me. But I made her swear not to say anything. I was scared of everyone's reactions. I thought they might still hate me or worse, Aurora would get into trouble for being my friend. She was more than my first and best friend, she was the closest thing I had to a sister. I couldn't let that happen to her."
Udonna's face softened and her eyes glistened with tears. But she said nothing and neither did Clare, who also looked considerably upset.
"Wait, I don't understand. Who exactly is Aurora?" asked Natalia. Her curiosity was piqued and her heart was starting to race. "That's what you called me when we first met at the Rock Porium."
Lee-Lee sighed. "I thought you were her. You look alike and you remind me of her. But if you were Aurora, you would've recognized me."
Would I have? Natalia wondered. She didn't think it was possible that she was a former resident of the Mystic Woods but who's to say that she didn't know Lee-Lee in another life? After all, Natalia had no memories of her life prior to being found on her adopted parents' doorstep fifteen years ago. And bearing that in mind, Natalia was beginning to wonder if it was a coincidence or something more that she'd heard the name Aurora three times now and each time, it seemed so familiar, as though it was something Natalia should've known but couldn't. And if Lee-Lee did know Natalia in another life, then it was possible Lee-Lee had answers to the questions Natalia had been asking for so long.
But as much as Natalia wanted to voice these thoughts, she knew it wasn't the time. Right now, they had to hear the rest of Lee-Lee's story and learn how to save Vida and then enact that plan before it was too late. So, Natalia cleared her throat and told Lee-Lee to continue.
"Anyway, when I was four, the Great Battle broke out and I didn't dare visit Aurora anymore. I'd kept our friendship a secret and I was scared to death my mom would find out. I didn't care what happened to me, but if my mom had known about our friendship, there's no telling what she would've done. She would've used it to her advantage and Aurora would've gotten hurt or worse. My mom kept me out of the Great Battle. I was too young to fight and she didn't want me to get hurt. But I knew, every day, what was happening and I couldn't stop it. Towards the end, my mom sent me to the human world, where I resided with one of her loyal servants. My mom was so sure of the Master's victory but she didn't want to take any risks with my life. That was the last I saw of her for fifteen years. During that time, I traveled a lot and I didn't have friends again. Then I came to Briarwood."
"And then what happened?" asked Xander.
Lee-Lee sighed and fresh tears glistened in her eyes. "A couple days after I met you all, she came to see me. I was happy to have her back. I'd missed her. I mean, why wouldn't I? I don't like what she does, but she's still my mother. She filled me in on the situation and who you all were. She said it was my destiny to be at her side and her door was open whenever I was ready for it."
"Did you accept it?" asked Chip.
Lee-Lee fiercely shook her head. "No. No. I didn't accept it. I told her I wanted us to be together but I couldn't go through with her plans for world domination. But my mom doesn't take no for answer. She said one day I'd accept because whether I liked it or not, I wouldn't find true acceptance in the human world. Even if I don't have Necrolai's powers, I still carry the vampire gene and I'll never be able to change the fact that I'm the Princess of Vampires. I didn't want to believe her and I tried to move on with my life. I got a job, I settled down and I pursued friendships with you guys. And I tried to bury my past."
"That's why you weren't affected when you and Vida went to the club," said Mason, in realization. Lee-Lee's immunity to Flytrap's spell made perfect sense now. "You couldn't be affected and turned into a vampire because you're half-vampire." Suddenly, Mason's eyes darkened with suspicious anger. "Did you know who he really was? Did you know what he and your mom were going to do? Was that why you were so keen to go there and then leave early?"
Panicked, Lee-Lee hurriedly shook her head again. "I swear, I didn't know! I swear, if I had, I would have gotten Vida out of there. I never would've let her get hurt. I wanted to go there for fun and I left early because my boss called me, that's all. I swear it."
It was to Lee-Lee's good fortune that she was still under the effects of the truth spell, otherwise someone would've accused her of lying or working with her mother. But like it or not, Lee-Lee was being honest and there was no denying it.
"I should've told you all sooner, I know. I shouldn't have hidden, but I was scared if you knew who I am, you'd reject me and I didn't want to lose you guys. You're the best friends I've had in years," said Lee-Lee, as tears slid down her cheeks. "But when I saw Vida react to the vampire paint, I couldn't keep quiet anymore. I had to come help. Keeping my secret wasn't worth Vida being lost to my mom. So, I grabbed this bag and I followed you here. I know how to take Necrolai down and break the spell. I'm willing to help Vida. Please, believe me. Even if you all hate me for this, believe me when I say I just want to help."
There was a moment's tense silence as Natalia and the other Mystic Rangers exchanged a silent conversation. Eventually, Natalia stepped forward and broke the silence.
"I'm not happy you kept this from us, but I understand why you did it. I know what it's like to be judged for something you can't control and I wouldn't wish that on anyone," said Natalia, quietly. Her eyes glistened with tears as she thought of the few times her fire magic had been exposed and the harsh reactions she'd gotten for it. "You did nothing wrong, Lee-Lee. And coming here to help even though you feared the worst took real courage. I think I speak for everyone when I say that nothing's changed, Lee-Lee. We're still friends."
When everyone else nodded in agreement to Natalia's words, Fresh tears pooled in Lee-Lee's eyes as she ran into Natalia's arms and the two women shared a tight embrace.
"Thank you," said Lee-Lee, her voice thick with emotion. "You can't know what that means to me."
Natalia tightened her grip on Lee-Lee. I know better than you think. If you only knew, Lee-Lee. They were more alike than people were inclined to think. Natalia had known the pains of great rejection and loneliness before finding the joy of true acceptance, friendship and love with the Rangers in Briarwood. It was something that she and Lee-Lee both shared, but the blond girl had no idea.
"I think I can hazard a guess," said Natalia, as they pulled apart. "Now, you said you had a way to take down Necrolai and save Vida?"
Lee-Lee nodded as she reached into her purse and pulled out instructions for a Dawn Crystal as well as the ingredients required. "I love my mom but I wasn't stupid. I knew someday, I might have to go against her. So I held onto this. It's been said that only a Dawn Crystal can take down the Vampire Queen. My mom's invincible and can't be destroyed unless it's by her own hands, so the effects aren't permanent, but it'll bring my mom down long enough to break her control over Vida forever. I have all the ingredients, we just need to hurry before…"
"Before it's too late?" guessed Mason, paling. "Is that what you were going to say?"
Lee-Lee tearfully nodded.
"Then there's no time to waste," said Udonna, urgently. "We must get to work immediately. Or else, we will lose one of our own."
Suddenly, a fierce wind blew the windows of Rootcore opened and the pouring rain swept into Rootcore. At the sound of Vida's cackling laugh, everyone turned to look and saw that Vida looked exceedingly smug as she redirected the wind, causing the rainwater to wash away the vampire paint barrier, granting Vida her freedom. The entire time that the Rangers had been conversing with Lee-Lee, Vida had been hearing Necrolai's summoning call and had been manipulating the windy storm to grant her freedom.
"Vida, no!" cried Mason. Quickly, Mason froze the rainwater, making a barrier but it did little good as Vida turned into a tornado and not only broke the barrier but sent everyone in the room flying all across Rootcore, rendering all unconscious.
By the time everyone woke up, it was after nightfall and Vida was gone.
XXX
Necrolai cackled in delight when Vida arrived in her lair.
There had been a moment when Necrolai feared that Vida would not be able to answer Necrolai's summons, but the Pink Ranger had proven to be quite the strong and loyal servant, the best that Necrolai had ever had, in fact.
"Good servant," crooned Necrolai, as she stroked Vida's short, spiky dark hair. "I welcome to you to the dark side. You know, you should feel privileged. It's not every girl who gets to serve the Queen of the Vampires."
Vida's face was expressionless as she said in automatous tone, "Yes, mistress."
Subconsciously, Vida was trying to rebel and failing miserably. She was completely powerless and could do nothing but obey. Had Vida been in complete control, she would never speak to Necrolai in such a manner. By now, Vida would have been attacking Necrolai with everything she had and called in for backup. Vida was no one's servant, least of all Necrolai's.
"And being Queen of the Vampires has its advantageous," continued Necrolai, as she paced around the lair. "I can move around openly during the day as well as during the night. And I am invincible. Yes, you are a very, very lucky girl."
Once again, Vida automatously replied, "Yes, mistress."
Necrolai touched a finger to her chin and then she grinned as an idea came to her. Loathe as she was to admit it, Koragg had been right in his opinion about the Rangers seeking retribution. Necrolai had no desire to face that but nor was she a complete fool. If she could not have the other Rangers under her control, then she would dispose of them by means of her faithful servant.
"Your friends will be out looking for you. Tonight, stay here with me and when the morning comes, return to them and give them a gift. These." Necrolai reached into her storage compartment where she kept her important scrolls and tomes and other such magic relics and pulled out a bag of poisoned apples that she had been saving for a rainy day. "Regale the Rangers and the White Sorceress with tales of my defeat so they will not be suspicious and when the moment is right, have them consume the poison. And then return to me. Understand?"
"Yes, mistress."
Necrolai was almost giddy with excited anticipation. If this worked, there would no longer be any threat to the Master's plans. With the Mystic Rangers destroyed, the darkness would at last be victorious and would reign supreme for all eternity. It was the perfect plan. Nothing could possibly go wrong. Nothing!
XXX
Meanwhile, after regaining consciousness it was decided that Natalia, Mason and Xander would look for Vida and try to get her back home before Necrolai found her while Chip, Lee-Lee and Udonna worked on the Dawn Crystal. Udonna had gathered the necessary ingredients and then they'd started. It was a long and tedious process as the making of the Dawn Crystal could not be rushed. The slightest mistake would ruin the Dawn Crystal, which would mean life or death for Vida.
"Purified flakes from a first snow…" murmured Chip, as he sprinkled the white snowflakes into the cauldron as Lee-Lee carefully stirred the mixture. He picked up some dark hairs. "Hairs from a bat's wing." He then dumped a vial of greenish liquid into the cauldron. "Blood from a ghost-vine plant." Chip then grinned. "Listen to me, I sound like a sorcerer."
Udonna affectionately squeezed Chip's shoulder. "You are a sorcerer, Chip. Now, keep working. What's next, Lee-Lee?"
"Half a blind worm's sting and the juice of morning glory petals," prompted Lee-Lee. "Followed by half a bottle of owlett's wing, two cups of lizard's fork, a tablespoon of syrup of rosemary and a whole bottle of silver powder. That's everything, but each ingredient has to be an hour apart so the mixture can stew. Understand?"
Chip nodded and then as per Lee-Lee's instructions, carefully added each ingredient to the mixture an hour apart, allowing it to simmer and stew. Several hour later, the mixture exploded and was no longer brewing. It was time for the next step in the process, which involved adding the light of dawn which would complete it.
Together, Chip and Lee-Lee set up crystals of red, yellow, blue, green and pink on each of the Ranger's symbols on the table and then they aligned several mirrors. When at last, the light of dawn came, the rays hit the crystals, bounced off and hit each mirror before making a final stop in the cauldron. The cauldron and its contents sparkled and shimmered and grew hot with the light of dawn.
Despite the precarious situation, Lee-Lee and Chip couldn't help but exchange excited looks. This was a rare bit of magic most never saw in the lifetimes and more than that, it was sign of hope that things were going to get better soon.
XXX
Back at the Rock Porium, Mason was a nervous wreck.
They had searched all night, looking all over every single inch of Briarwood and the Mystic Woods, asked everyone if they'd seen Vida and had even tried using magic to locate the Pink Ranger but Vida was still missing. They went to Rock Porium to not only provide another cover story to Toby but to also see if maybe, just maybe Vida had shown up. Sadly, Vida hadn't. By now, Mason was terrified the worst had happened.
"What if she left town? What if she was taken?" fretted Mason, as tears slid down his cheeks. A horrifying thought came to Mason's mind and he not only turned pale but also looked as though he was going to puke. "What if Necrolai's decided to dispose of Vida?"
"Hey, hey, none of that. Shh," said Natalia, soothingly. She gently rubbed the back of Mason's neck until he relaxed. She then pulled him into her arms and cupped his face. "You can't be thinking like that. It's not going to do any good. Vida is still out there, I know it. We're going to find her and bring her home, I promise. Do you believe me?"
Mason sighed as he nodded. He closed his eyes and kissed Natalia. "I love you," he murmured. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'll never have to find out," said Natalia, as she tenderly stroked her boyfriend's face. "I love you too. Hang in there, Mason. We'll find her soon. I know it."
"Find who?"
Mason and Natalia broke apart in shock to see Vida approaching them. Her coloring had been restored and she no longer looked vampiric in the least and there wasn't a scratch on her. She was dressed in one of her favorite outfits and smiling. It was as if nothing had happened, that Vida had never disappeared in the first place, which raised Natalia's suspicions immediately.
"Vida!" Without thinking, Mason ran into his sister's arms and pulled her in for tight embrace. "I was worried sick! Are you all right? Where have you been?"
"Bro, calm down, I'm fine," assured Vida, as they broke apart. "I had quite a night, but I'm okay. Really. Everything's good now."
Xander raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Really? Then where were you?"
"Necrolai's lair," announced Vida, casually. "She summoned me there."
"WHAT?!" exclaimed everyone in unison.
Vida had been in Necrolai's lair and walked out without a scratch on her? Impossible! And even if that weren't so, how had Vida broken free of Necrolai's control so suddenly, much less left the Vampire Queen's lair without being caught or in a battle? It didn't make sense. This wasn't right. This was very, very wrong.
"How did you get out of there in one piece?" asked Xander, warily.
Vida's eyes sparkled as she grinned. "That old hag can't keep a good ranger like me down. It wasn't easy but I broke free of her control and kicked Necrolai's butt into next Tuesday. Now she knows better than to mess with the Rangers. But that's not important right now. What is important is that we head back to base and let the others know I'm okay. It's time to celebrate beating that overgrown bat. So, why don't you lead the way, bro?"
Mason agreed and they headed back to Rootcore, but none of them felt like celebrating. Vida didn't seem to be showing any signs of vampirism but none of them could ignore the feeling that something was still very wrong with this picture.
XXX
Back at Rootcore, Chip was pulling a giant, golden three pronged crystal out of the cauldron with a pair of iron tongs. It was quite a sight to behold as the Dawn Crystal shimmered and glowed with the warmth and hope that dawn brought.
"It's beautiful," said Lee-Lee, breathlessly. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was beyond amazing. "You did it."
"We did it," corrected Chip, smiling. "Couldn't have done it without you, Lee-Lee."
As much as Chip wanted to take credit for having created the Dawn Crystal, he knew he couldn't. The only reason they had this beacon of hope was because Lee-Lee had been brave enough to come forward with not only the truth of her origins but also the means of defeating her own mother. Going up against a loved one was no easy feat but Lee-Lee had accomplished it.
"He's right. You should both be proud of yourselves. You've done quite well," said Udonna, proudly.
Lee-Lee beamed under Chip and Udonna's praise and then a yawn emitted from her throat before she could stop herself. It was then that Lee-Lee's tiredness, the droopiness of her eyes and the tired way she moved around.
"Child, you're dead on your feet. Why don't you get some sleep? I have a spare room you can use," offered Udonna.
Lee-Lee looked surprised and then hesitant. "You sure? I don't want to put you out. And besides, I should stay and help. You guys might need me."
Despite her exhaustion, Lee-Lee was still keen on helping. It was an admirable quality but Lee-Lee had done her part and more and her exhaustion wasn't going to do her or anyone else
"It's no trouble. Besides, you've more than earned a rest after all the work you've done," assured Udonna.
"Yeah, she's right. Go get some sleep. You've done enough," added Chip. "I can take things over from here. I'll let you know if we need you or if anything changes, I promise."
Lee-Lee hesitated again but after a little more encouragement from Udonna and Chip, she finally relented and went to take a nap.
No sooner had Lee-Lee departed, a voice said, "Knock-knock!" Then the door to Rootcore opened and all the other Rangers, Vida included, came in.
"Vee!" Chip dropped the Dawn Crystal into Udonna's hands and ran to his girlfriend. He swept Vida into his arms, lifted her into the air and hugged her tight. It should've been a happy moment but when their hug ended, Chip's brow wrinkled in confusion. The embrace wasn't like Vida's embrace. This was wrong. "Are you all right?"
"All right? She took down Necrolai all by herself," said Natalia.
Judging from the look on Natalia's face, it was clear she wasn't buying it and Chip couldn't blame her. Vida had been under Necrolai's spell for days and then just out of the blue, broke free and defeated the Vampire Queen solo? Also, since when did Vida accomplish anything without giving an extremely detailed account of it? It didn't make any sense.
"Why didn't you call? We all wanted to help," said Chip.
"I know, but it was my problem," said Vida, casually as she smirked. "You know me."
Udonna looked wary as she said, "Defeating Necrolai all on your own. That's quite a feat. Must've been quite the battle."
Hoping he was wrong, Chip put another test forward. "Hail Vida, vampire slayer!" Chip did Vida's new pose, praying Vida would mimic it but she didn't even acknowledge it.
"Vampire slayer…" Vida reached into her bag and pulled out a beautiful dark red apple. "…and gift giver. I picked you all a little something. A gift from me to all of you, my best friends in the whole world." One by one, she passed them out to everyone, including Udonna. And then she held her own out like someone holding a champagne glass for a toast. "To the Rangers!"
But no one joined in Vida's toast. Everyone looked more suspicious than ever. Mason actually looked sickened and Chip angry.
"You're not Vida!" said Chip, as he tossed his apple onto the ground.
Vida stared in confusion and then she laughed. "Okay, I think someone's taken one too many blows to the head lately. Of course I'm Vida, Chip. Who else would I be?"
"Then why didn't you recognize the pose?" challenged Chip. "And you couldn't have picked the apples because these apples aren't grown in Briarwood. And you want to know what else? That embrace wasn't Vida's embrace! Drop your apples!" Chip ran to everyone and forced them to drop the produce onto the floor. "This isn't Vida!"
"He's right. Vida would never give me apples when she knows full well that I never eat them because I'm allergic!" added Mason, as his eyes darkened with anger and he furiously tossed his apple onto the stone floor.
Mason had discovered his apple allergy as a child when Vida had split one with him during snack time as children. Mason had had a horrible reaction to the red fruit and Vida had sworn to never bring another apple anywhere near her brother again after that. For Vida to break that vow could only mean one thing: Vida was still a vampire under Necrolai's thrall.
Much to everyone's dismay, their suspicions about Vida proved to be correct when the fallen apples on the floor turned pitch black and then melted like acid, creating quite a dark and disgusting mess and exposing the poison.
Realizing she was caught, Vida ran for it.
XXX
Unwilling to lose Vida again, the Rangers chased Vida through the Mystic Woods and into the city. The chase seemed to go on for miles but then suddenly came to a halt when Vida reached the city square and then Mason called out, "Vida, stop! There's nowhere else to run!"
Vida grinned an evil grin as she faced them. "You are so right! Here they are, my queen!"
Suddenly, Necrolai emerged from a dark seal and cackled. "Good servant. Very good servant. Now, destroy them!"
Vida nodded. "Yes, mistress. Magical Source, Mystic Force!" And with that, Vida morphed and charged at her former allies.
"Chip, get Necrolai. We'll deal with Vida," said Natalia. "Ready, guys? Magical Source, Mystic Force!" This battle was going to be one of their hardest, but one way or another, however it ended, whether they won and saved Vida or lost in more ways than one, it was going to be over after that day.
As soon as everyone morphed, they split up. Natalia, Mason and Xander fought against Vida. Normally, the three of them combined with Natalia's training should've been more than enough to keep Vida contained and under control but with Vida's strength and speed amplified by Necrolai's darkness, the Pink Ranger was proving to be more than a match for the three Rangers. Still, none of them gave up and at the very least, they were succeeding in keeping Vida away from Necrolai.
The battle reached a point when Natalia rolled over and kicked Vida hard, just as Vida leapt into the air to attack from above. She managed to kick Vida across the courtyard, giving Mason opportunity to try and reason with his sister.
"Vida, stop!" begged Mason, as he grabbed his sister's shoulders. For a moment, Vida did not struggle, which gave Mason hope that just maybe, he could get through to his sibling. "Sis, please, stop! This isn't you! Try and remember! It's us, your friends, your brother! I know you can fight this!"
Vida's body briefly went limp. "Mason…?" she whispered.
Mason's heart leapt. "Vee?"
Was it possible? Had Mason gotten through to his sister?
But any hope Mason had quickly went out the window when Vida's body tensed and she delivered a swift and painful head butt to Mason's head before wrenching herself free of Mason's grip and resuming her attack on Xander and Natalia.
"You waste your breath trying to convert me! I am no longer one of you!" declared Vida, as she continued beating her former friends. "My duty is to serve and protect my queen! Hiyah!"
Realizing that he could not get through to Vida and knowing that she wouldn't want to live knowing she was the cause of someone else's destruction, Mason drew his Magi Staff and prayed for forgiveness before launching himself into battle. He had no desire to hold back, but if it meant stopping Vida and Necrolai then there was no choice.
Was this the end of the Mystic Rangers?
XXX
Chip's heart pounded and he could feel his exhaustion begin to claim him but the Yellow Ranger refused to give up as he fiercely fought against Necrolai. He had to keep on going, no matter how bad his injuries were or how tired he was. Vida was depending on him to defeat the Vampire Queen so she could be free. He would not give up. He wouldn't!
As soon as he had the chance, Chip grabbed Necrolai's arm and twisted it back, causing the Vampire Queen to cry out in pain. "Let Vida go, you hag! Turn her back! NOW!"
"NEVER!" screeched Necrolai. She wrenched herself free, punched Chip in the stomach and grabbed him by the throat before tossing him across the battlefield like a ragdoll. "Is that all you've got, Ranger? I'm just getting warmed up!"
Chip angrily clenched his hand into a fist before he took out the Dawn Crystal. "Don't count me out of the fight yet, hag! Look at what I've got!"
Necrolai's eyes narrowed. "What is that?!" she demanded.
"Oh, just your run-of-the-mill Dawn Crystal!" said Chip, smugly. "It may not destroy you forever but it'll destroy you long enough to free Vida!" He laughed smugly as he attached the Dawn Crystal to the tip of his crossbow. "Now, you're going to pay for what you've done!"
Chip prepared to fire, but a surprise came his way when Necrolai enacted her backup plan. "Sorry to spoil your plans!" The Vampire Queen snapped her fingers and then Vida left the battle with the other three Rangers before protectively shielding Necrolai with her own body.
"Stay back! I will not let you harm my queen!" yelled Vida, as she took a defensive stance.
No. No! This can't be happening. Chip hesitantly lowered his crossbow. "C'mon, Vee, get out of the way."
Necrolai gave a smug laugh. "Get him, my servant!"
"Yes, mistress! Hiyah!" Before Chip knew what was happening, he was being blasted with Vida's magic before she proceeded to beat the living daylights out of him. Within moments, Chip was on the ground, powered down and badly injured and Vida was kneeling beside him, her helmet was gone as she wished to look her enemy in the eye before making the final blow.
Necrolai laughed. "So long, Ranger! Finish him off!"
Natalia, Xander and Mason, all of whom had gathered to help despite their extensive injuries and tiredness, could only watch in horror as Vida raised her Magi Staff and prepared to strike but before she could, Chip reached up and touched Vida's face.
"Vee, I know you're still in there somewhere. However this ends, know that I forgive you and I will never stop loving you." Without hesitation, Chip reached up and kissed Vida soundly, pouring every ounce of love he had into that kiss. Even if he was about to be destroyed, Chip refused to go out without making sure Vida knew how much he loved her.
Suddenly, both Chip and Vida were engulfed in bright, healing light and when it faded, Chip was not only healed and kneeling, but the spark, the fire that made Vida who she was, had returned to Vida's eyes and she was looking at Chip with pure love and affection.
"What is this?" screeched Necrolai, horrified. "Servant, destroy him!"
But despite having given the order, Vida did not obey, which caused Natalia and the others to cheer in joy at their victory.
"Vee?" gasped Chip, in hopeful disbelief.
Vida nodded and laughed through her happy tears. "You saved me, Chip."
For a moment, Chip was at a loss to explain how this was possible and then it came to him. True Love's Kiss was said to be the one thing powerful enough to forever bind or break any spell. When Chip had poured all his love for Vida into what he thought would be their final kiss, he had unknowingly saved Vida from Necrolai's dark curse.
Chip smiled as they stood up. "I guess I did."
"Impossible!" screeched Necrolai. "True love cannot break my powers! Destroy him, my servant! DESTROY HIM!"
Remember they still had a battle to finish and a Vampire Queen's wings to clip, Chip and Vida's eyes darkened with anger as they morphed again and took defensive stances.
"Care to do the honors, Vee?"
Vida grinned beneath her helmet as she took the offered crossbow and Dawn Crystal from Chip. "My pleasure. Mess with me, will you, fang brain? Take this! Magi Staff, Power Up!"
The Dawn Crystal in the crossbow sparkled to life with powerful light magic and then Vida fired it at Necrolai.
The result was instantaneous. The Dawn Crystal exploded on contact and not only drained Necrolai's strength but also gravely injured her. Dark magic sparked and spurted out of Necrolai's body as she fell to her knees in agony. Despite this, the battle wasn't yet over and Necrolai proved this by rising to her feet after some struggle and then she charged straight for the Rangers.
"Let's finish this up, guys!" said Mason. One way or another, Necrolai was going down for what she'd done to Vida and never again would she ever dare to put one of them under her dark thrall.
Everyone joined their Magi Staffs together. "Magi Staff, Full Power! Blue Ranger!"
The Rangers' Magi Staffs joined as one and then the spell caused them to spin and power up. All the magic went into Mason's Magi Staff and then he spun it around before tossing it at Necrolai. Within moments, she was engulfed in dark red light that sparked and split like lightning and then she screamed as she exploded into nothing.
"We did it!"
With Necrolai defeated and out of commission for who knew how long and the restoration of Vida's humanity, the Rangers all cheered and shared in a tight group hug while applauding each other's efforts in their victory against the darkness.
"I missed you so much. It's good to have you back, sis," said Mason, as they embraced.
"It's good to be back, bro," said Vida, sighing in relief. After having walked on the darker side, Vida was all too happy to be back on the good one. Never again would she fall into such a dark trap. And also, Vida was more than done with anything vampire related for quite a while, if not forever. "Thanks for not giving up on me, guys. I couldn't have done this without you."
"What're friends for, if not for saving each other?" said Xander, happily.
"No. It's what family is for," corrected Natalia. The Mystic Rangers were far more than just a team of friends who protected the worlds. They were comrades in arms, family in all but blood. And family never gave up.
"And boyfriends," added Chip, as everyone laughed.
Suddenly, the celebrations came to a halt as the ground shook as if from an earthquake and then Koragg came into view, Titan-sized and ready for battle.
"Koragg! What do you want?" demanded Natalia, as she took a defensive stance. As if she couldn't guess. But she was amazed at Koragg's audacity. Was the Knight Wolf out of his mind or did he seriously want a battle after having just witnessed Necrolai's humiliating defeat? "Another battle?"
"What do you think, Red Witch?" growled Koragg. "You five have shown great power and cunning to defeat Necrolai. This is what I have waited for! Uthay Rejor Catastros! Samba Gunitos Equestras!" Koragg conjured a dark seal and bonded with his steed, Catastros, forming his dark Centaur Megazord.
Despite everyone's injuries and exhaustion, the Rangers did not hesitate to meet Koragg in battle. It was the only way to protect the people of Briarwood and beyond. Quickly, the Rangers transformed into their Mystic Titans forms and then into their dragon megazord.
"Ancient Power, Mystic Spell Seal!"
"Dark Magic Spell Seal!"
When the two spell seals were sent out, each spell seal hit their intended target and delivered considerable damage to both parties.
Under normal circumstances, they could've withstood it easily, but that was not the case this time. With the Rangers already injured from the battle with Necrolai, the damage from dark spell seal, the damage was considerably worse this time and in their current state, the odds of them surviving the fight against Koragg were slim.
"Is it just me or does Koragg seem stronger this time?" asked Xander, as he caught his breath. "Or are we at a disadvantage this time because we're hurt?"
"Both," grunted Mason. He closed his eyes and willed the throbbing pain in his head to stop. "How are we supposed to stop Koragg when we're like this? What're we supposed to do?"
For once, Chip led the charge in response. "I say, we keep fighting and we don't give up! We've beaten this freak before, we can do it again! We just need to stand together."
"Chip's right!" said Vida, in agreement. "We fight back and we never surrender!"
"I agree! All for one—" began Natalia.
"And one for all!" said everyone in unison.
No sooner had they said this, the control room became aglow with warm, golden light which not only fully healed all five Rangers of their wounds and restored their power, but caused their Magi Staffs to become alight with a brand new spell. Chip's belief in Vida had caused the Xenotome to grant the Rangers new power, one that they were only too happy to bestow upon Koragg.
"Battle me!" challenged Koragg.
"Be careful what you wish for," said Natalia, smirking as they combined their powers and enacted their new spell. "Titan Megazord, Take Flight!"
Great wings extended from their megazord's back and then a beam of powerful magic shot into the sky, creating new powerful mystic spell seal. Much to Koragg's shock, they took flight and when they emerged on the other side of the mystic spell seal, they were fully infused with the ancient Mystic Titan powers of their predecessors and they launched those ancient powers at Koragg.
But in spite of their display of unity and power, the Knight Wolf had survived although he was barely able to stand and he was also disarmed and no longer bonded with Catastros.
"Impressive," hissed Koragg. "You grow more powerful by the day…but so do I! Our next battle will have a different outcome, that I promise you!"
Once again, before anyone could stop him, Koragg disappeared beneath a dark spell seal.
XXX
Later that day at the Rock Porium, Vida pulled Lee-Lee aside for a little chat.
Vida had been informed of Lee-Lee's actions in making the Dawn Crystal and how Lee-Lee had told the truth of her origins despite her fear of their reactions and Vida wanted to thank the blond girl for all that she'd done. At that moment, Lee-Lee was browsing through a rack of CDs, looking for something new to listen to.
"Hey, got a minute?"
Lee-Lee looked up from her shopping and nodded. "Yeah. Sure." She smiled nervously. "Well, I've got to say, you're looking much better."
"Since I'm not one of your mom's goons?" finished Vida, with a teasing glint in her eyes.
Lee-Lee weakly chuckled and then cleared her throat. "Look, Vida, I'm so sorry. If I'd known about DJ Fly being one of my mom's lackeys, I never would've—"
"It's okay, Lee-Lee, really," interrupted Vida, as she gave Lee-Lee's shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "You didn't know. And besides, Chip and the others told me what you did. You really came through for us and I wanted to say thanks. So, are we still friends?"
Lee-Lee sighed in relief as she smiled and nodded. "The best. So, uh…I've got something else to tell you." When Vida nodded and beckoned for Lee-Lee to continue, she did so. "I've been thinking. I've been on the sidelines my whole life but after what happened with you and my mom, I want to change that. Unfortunately, since I'm not much of a fighter, I'm left with only one option to help."
Vida's heart sank as she realized what Lee-Lee was talking about. "Which is?"
Lee-Lee took a deep breath. "I'm going to accept my mom's offer as soon as she's rematerialized. But only so I can spy on her for you guys, like a double-agent. That way, you can get the heads up on her plans and you'll have a bigger chance of stopping her and the Master. And maybe I can get my mom back when all this is over."
Vida was horrified. "What? Lee-Lee, no. It's too dangerous. You can't go back to Necrolai. What happens if your mom catches you? You could get hurt or worse."
Despite Vida's protests, Lee-Lee was resolute in her decision. "Then I'll deal with the consequences. I know who to call for help. And even so, you can't stop me. I'm going to do this, Vida. I want to help and this is the only way I know how to."
Realizing that arguing with Lee-Lee was fruitless, Vida admitted defeat. "Okay, fine. But you've got to swear to me you'll be really careful. Promise?"
"I promise," said Lee-Lee.
The two women embraced.
Lee-Lee's plan was a risky one but in the long run, it would probably greatly benefit the Rangers. And if Lee-Lee found herself in danger, she could call for help and withdraw from Necrolai. Either way, everything would be okay. They would do everything in their power to ensure this.