Masquerade
(A/N: I know you were probably all expecting Koragg's Trial but after a lot of consideration, I decided that an episode that simply rehashes the past wasn't going to fit in with my story. So, by using elements from one of my favorite Sailor Moon episodes, I whipped up this instead. Enjoy.)
It had been two weeks since the reversal of the dark wish and the Tribunal of Magic's granting of the Legend Warrior powers to the Mystic Rangers. In that time, the forces of darkness had gone into hiding while they regained their strength and made their next plan of attack. Now that the Rangers were far stronger than before, the Master's forces needed to make sure they were strong enough to take down the Mystic Rangers and live.
At that moment, Imperious was in one of his infamous foul moods as the Master had woken up from his rest and was demanding to know who was responsible for the recent failure, so he could decide who to punish. And as per usual, Imperious was attempting to shift the blame from himself and onto Koragg.
"…and so you see, Master, it is Koragg and not I who has failed you. He allowed the Rangers to get their Legend Warrior powers," finished Imperious. "We could all be living like emperors if it weren't for Koragg's actions!"
Koragg growled but did not take his eyes off the Master and nor did he attempt to move from where he was kneeling.
"I have failed no one, Master. How could I have known the Tribunal of Magic would grant the Mystic Rangers their new magic, much less prevented it? And it was not my decision to deal with the Barbarian Beasts, much less capture the Rangers' genie and make the dark wish. That was Imperious' plan, his plan that did not succeed! Therefore it is Imperious who has failed you and not I! If it were not for me, those Barbarian Beasts would have destroyed you! Anything that I have done was performed in loyal service to you, Master, which is more than I can say for Imperious!"
Imperious turned away to glare daggers at Koragg. "Why, you miserable little—!" But then the dark wizard fell silent when the Master gave his response, having made his decision.
The Master's decision was surprising and neither Koragg nor Imperious were the least bit pleased with the Master's ruling. Now that he'd heard both sides of the story, the Master had decided that Imperious was to blame for his foolish plan and Koragg was not at fault, but there wouldn't be any kind of punishment, yet as the Master was granting Imperious another chance. However, there was a clear warning that such leniency would not last much longer. And with that, the Master closed his eye and returned to his slumber.
"It seems we must put up with one another for a little bit longer," said Imperious, disgustedly.
"So it would seem," said Koragg, growling. He gripped the hilt of his sword but did not unsheathe it, as though he was barely restraining himself from using it on Imperious right then and there. "But I would watch yourself, Imperious. I feel your time here will not be for much longer."
Imperious nearly popped a vein and lightning sparked out of his fan. "Why, you wretched little—!"
"My lord!" interrupted Necrolai, as she made her way into the room. She had in her hand the day's newspaper. "I do apologize for interrupting what I'm sure would be a most entertaining battle, but this was brought to my attention. And I believe you'll want to take a look at it yourself."
Imperious scowled as he snatched the newspaper from Necrolai's hand. "This had better be good, Necrolai! I was just about to—oh my!" Imperious' mood changed from angry to delight in the blink of an eye as he read the headline of the newspaper. "Oho! This is the best news we've ever had! More than that, this could be what we've been looking for! You've done well, Necrolai."
Necrolai grinned as she bowed. "I aim to please."
Koragg scoffed as he snatched the newspaper from Imperious and examined it. "Do not get ahead of yourselves. We have yet to confirm that any of this is true or that it's what we've been looking for. We need to be absolutely certain."
"I do hate to admit it, my lord, but Koragg is right. We need to investigate this as soon as possible," admitted Necrolai, grudgingly.
While it seemed as though what they sought after the most was finally within their reach, they had to be careful. For as it was said, if something seemed too good to be true, it probably was. They needed to be a hundred percent certain that this was what they thought it was before they presented their findings to the Master. He could be forgiving at times, but even the Master would never forgive a mistake of this magnitude if he knew about it.
Imperious brushed aside their concerns. "Oh, bah! There is no need to worry. For what else can we be but right? Necrolai, go prepare yourself. You've a party to get to this evening!"
Necrolai bowed again. "As you wish, my lord."
"I'll be there as well. I want to see if this for myself," said Koragg.
The Knight Wolf's tone gave no room for argument, so none was made. There was work to be done.
XXX
Back on the surface world, the black starry night sky was fading away and was replaced shades of orange and gold and then light blue as the sun began to rise in the distance, marking the beginning of a beautiful new day. A lovely dawn indeed.
As she had done every day for sixteen years, Udonna arose with the sun and left her bedchambers to watch the sun rise. As she walked towards the balcony, her thoughts drifted, as they usually did, to her long-lost daughter. Her beloved Aurora. It had now been sixteen years since Udonna had last seen her precious child. Sixteen very long years of being apart and never knowing what fate had befallen her child since Aurora had been sent away for her own protection.
True, Phineas had left Aurora in the safety of the human world, but that had been so long ago when Aurora was but five years old. She would be twenty-one by now. So, who could say for certain where Aurora was now, much less her current situation? What did she even look like now? Was she tall? Fair? Just the opposite? Was Aurora alive, happy and healthy? Had Aurora been taken in by a good family and loved like she so rightly deserved? Or had she been alone and forsaken for the past sixteen years? Did Aurora remember Udonna and Leanbow or had Aurora been cursed with amnesia as Mason once had been?
Tears stung Udonna's eyes, but she fiercely wiped them away. She couldn't afford to think like that. Every night since Phineas had confessed what he'd done, Udonna had prayed for Aurora's safety and every night, Udonna had felt a sense of peace. Aurora might be miles away, but she was protected and Udonna refused to believe Aurora was anything but loved and cherished, wherever she was. She had to believe it. She had to have hope. For if Udonna lost hope, she would truly have nothing.
Udonna took a deep breath to steady herself as she then opened the door to the balcony and stepped out, only to stop in her tracks when she saw Natalia already sitting on the balcony swing. Judging from the position of Natalia's luggage, which was just a foot away, it was clear that Natalia had been there since the previous night at least.
At the sound of the door opening, Natalia turned her head and smiled when she saw the White Sorceress Queen. "Morning, Udonna."
"Good morning, Natalia," said Udonna, as she sat down beside her. "When did you get in?"
"Midnight last night. I sat down to look at the stars for a bit and then I guess I must've crashed out here, because the next thing I knew, it was daybreak," said Natalia, as she rubbed neck to relieve the stiffness. "What about you? What're you doing up so early?"
"Rising with the dawn's an old habit of mine," said Udonna, smiling. "But that's not important right now. How was your trip?"
The previous day, Natalia had taken a trip to visit her parents' graves as it had now been a full year since their deaths. She'd declined any offers of companionship, saying that she needed to make the journey alone so that she could finally make her peace and move on. Natalia had sworn she wouldn't be gone more than a day and she'd kept her word, but just to be on the safe side, Daggeron was there to cover for Natalia's absence in the event of an emergency and she'd taken the day off from Rock Porium. Every base had been covered.
Natalia smiled just a little. "It was emotionally draining but at the same time, good. I'm always going to miss my parents and some days will be hard, but I feel like I'm finally able to move on. I feel okay. Really okay."
Udonna nodded understandingly as she squeezed Natalia's shoulder. She smiled inwardly when Natalia snuggled up close as Natalia had been like a daughter to Udonna ever since Natalia came to Briarwood.
"I'm glad to hear it. I know that this hasn't been easy for you," said Udonna, gently.
"It would've been a lot harder if I hadn't come to Briarwood when I did." Natalia sighed softly as she gazed at the still-changing sky. "I can't believe it's been six whole months. So much change in so little time."
"For the better or the worse?" asked Udonna, half-teasing.
This time, Natalia smiled broadly as she replied, "The better."
Udonna smiled back as she held Natalia close in a one-armed hug.
They continued to watch the sun rise and talk until Natalia's wristwatch beeped, reminding them of the time. Natalia was due at the Rock Porium in an hour and she had yet to unpack her luggage or groom herself for the day or even have breakfast. So, with some reluctance, Natalia said good-bye to Udonna and went about her business for the day and Udonna did the same.
Unbeknownst to Natalia, the Red Ranger's date book had fallen out of her leather jacket pocket where a certain sorceress apprentice could find it and said apprentice would notice a particular date and inscription circled in red ink.
Not long after Natalia left for work, Daggeron made his way into Rootcore, carrying the morning newspaper and looking anxious.
Udonna's brow wrinkled with concern at the look on the Solaris Knight's face. "Daggeron, what is it? What's wrong?"
"I was on my way back from escorting Nehir to his place of employment when I saw today's headline at the newsstand. Have you seen it?" asked Daggeron.
"No. What is it?" asked Udonna, curiously.
Daggeron placed the newspaper on the table and read the front page story aloud.
PRINCESS DAWN, HEIRESS TO THE KINGDOM OF BIJOU TO VISIT BRIARWOOD
"'The final mystery of the century will be unveiled tonight! Princess Dawn, age 21, adopted into the Royal Family sixteen years prior and heiress apparent to be queen of the jewel capital of the world, the kingdom of Bijou comes to Briarwood bearing a jewel never before seen in public—the world's most sacred and most precious jewel, a secret treasure of the kingdom of Bijou, tonight at the masquerade ball held at the Bijou Embassy.'"
Udonna turned paler than the whitest of snow as she realized what Daggeron was saying.
Dawn. The meaning of Aurora. And this girl was not only the right age as Udonna's daughter but she was also adopted and in possession of a great treasure which had been concealed from the public eye for many years. This could quite possibly be Aurora, Udonna's missing daughter.
Daggeron's face softened as he squeezed Udonna's shoulder. "I know this is a shock, but we need to stay focused. If Imperious' forces have seen this—"
"They might think that this girl is my daughter and that her treasure is the Mystic Crystal," finished Udonna. She looked both horrified as well as hopeful. Was it possible that this visiting princess was Udonna's missing child and the girl's treasure the Mystic Crystal? Could this mean that Udonna might finally be reunited with her daughter? "Is there a picture?"
"No," said Daggeron, regretfully. "According to my research, Princess Dawn shuns the media like no other princess has. Photographers are forbidden from attending her public events except for the one happening tonight."
Udonna's heart sank and she sighed in disappointment. Another obstacle they had to overcome. Would there be no end to them?
"How do you want to handle this?" asked Daggeron. "What do we tell the Rangers?"
Udonna was quiet for a moment as she considered the best course of action to take. This could not be ignored and nor could it be rushed. The stakes were quite high here, which meant they had to handle this delicately or else they would lose everything they'd been fighting for and more.
"We'll tell the Rangers the bare minimum." Udonna knew that she was perhaps being a little unreasonable, but she was not prepared to reveal her daughter's identity to even the Rangers quite yet. "In the meantime, prepare a testing jar and a magic detector. We need to be completely sure that this girl and her treasure is what we suspect. And even if we're wrong, she must be protected from Imperious and his forces."
Daggeron nodded. "As you wish, Udonna."
XXX
Later that afternoon, Udonna called an emergency session with Clare and the Rangers.
None of them had any idea what this was about as there hadn't been the slightest hint of any dark magic activity for a fortnight. Nor could they understand why Udonna and Daggeron looked so worried, for as far as they knew, there was no reason to be concerned in the slightest.
"Dad, Udonna, what's wrong?" asked Mason. "Why've you called the meeting?"
"We've called this meeting because a situation of the utmost urgency's arisen. I assume you've heard about Briarwood's international visitor?" said Daggeron.
"Hard not to. It's all over the news and there's one road blockade after another," said Xander. "And everyone's talking about it. Why do you ask?"
Udonna sighed before blurting it out. "I need you to attend Princess Dawn's masquerade ball this evening and perform a test on her and her family's treasure."
Everyone looked at Udonna as though she'd lost her marbles. Which, given the order she'd just issued, wasn't all that far-fetched.
"I'm sorry, what? You want us to just waltz into a heavily secured foreign embassy and perform a test on a famous princess and her family's treasure?" said Chip, slowly. "Even if that were even remotely possible, why would you want us to do it?"
Realizing she should've phrased the command better, Udonna cleared her throat and regained her composure. "You're right. I should've explained that better." Udonna took a deep breath. "Do you all recall how I spoke of the Mystic Crystal when we first met?"
Unsure of where this conversation was going, everyone nodded.
"It's a gemstone of untold power that's been handed down through Leanbow's family for generations as only those of his bloodline can wield its power. It was supposed to have been lost after the last war with the darkness. Why?" asked Vida.
"Recently, we've uncovered information that suggests that the Mystic Crystal isn't entirely lost, that it's in the hands of a princess who's been missing for quite some time. That princess might very well be this Dawn of Bijou and her treasure could be the Mystic Crystal," explained Daggeron. "Unfortunately, we don't know if it's true, yet. Which is why we need you to investigate as quickly as possible. And it's also highly likely that Imperious has made the same connection we have."
"In which case, the sooner we get to the embassy to protect this girl, the better," said Mason.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Even if this particular princess and her treasure weren't what they were looking for, Princess Dawn needed to be protected in case that Imperious or one of his goons showed up at the embassy.
Natalia checked her watch. "We've got four hours until the party tonight. That should give us plenty of time to prepare. I assume you have something we can use to test our theories?"
Daggeron nodded and pulled out a small rectangular jar with a tiny hair inside along with a shard of white quartz on a chain.
"Take a sample of Princess Dawn's hair and place it in the jar. If it matches this hair sample, then the jar will glow. And if this princess's treasure is the Mystic Crystal, then the quartz's detection spell will notify you at once. Understand?"
Natalia nodded and passed the items to Mason, who pocketed them.
"Uh, question." Xander raised his hand. "How the heck are we supposed to get past security? They'll be triple-checking everyone who walks in with an invitation and we don't even have invitations."
"Mason's glamour spell could forget invites. Either that or we use a compulsion spell on the guards," suggested Vida.
"Good idea. We'll probably have to do the same thing on Princess Dawn in order to do the tests," said Natalia. Exposure was not an option. And as Princess Dawn was unlikely to grant the Rangers' her consent to go near her without her bodyguards in accompaniment, let alone perform magical tests on her and her family's treasure, stealth was their only choice. "We should also split up to cover more ground. One group will keep an eye on Princess Dawn and the other will stay on the ground floor to protect the civilians if one of Imperious' goons show up."
Everyone nodded in agreement at this. It seemed like a solid, if not their best plan.
"Wait a second. Hold up, guys. Do we even have any clothes for this shindig?" asked Chip.
It was a fair question, for if they were going to blend in with the guests at the ball, they were going to have to look the part.
Clare's face brightened immediately. "We used to have all kinds of parties and dances before the war. I think there's tons of clothes left. We can easily fix them up for the ball."
Everyone sighed in relief at this. One less hurdle to cross.
"Great. That leaves just one problem," said Natalia, looking embarrassed.
"And that would be…?"
"I can't dance! All right?" Natalia blurted out. "I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb."
While most girls Natalia's age were dancing their Friday nights away at school dances and the like, Natalia had never once learned how to dance, preferring to spend her weekends working on motorcycles with her father or watching animal documentaries with her mother. It had always suited Natalia just fine. But ballroom dancing? That was another can of worms entirely.
Xander nearly doubled over in laughter. "Finally. Something our brilliant leader can't do. Ow!"
Natalia had swatted the back of Xander's head.
Mason smiled kindly at his girlfriend. "You won't stick out like a sore thumb, Lia. I can teach you how to dance if there's time."
Natalia smiled gratefully at her boyfriend and was about to reply when she saw what time it was. "Thanks, but there's no time. We have only three hours left to get ready for the ball."
And with that, everyone spent the next two and a half hours getting ready for the ball. Within time, Mason, Xander and Chip were all dressed in similar black tuxedoes with different boutonnieres and masks.
Mason had a red rose in his boutonniere and he wore a sea-blue mask framed in gold with a shining sapphire in the center.
Xander's boutonniere held a green-colored carnation and he wore a mask of emerald green framed in silver with a dark green emerald.
Finally, Chip's boutonniere consisted of a small yellow lily and he wore a gold mask framed in black and a yellow topaz.
The tests were ready, they were dressed, their transports were prepped…all that remained was for the girls to come down so they could leave for the ball.
"Girls, come on! We're going to be late!" called Xander, impatiently.
"Hold your horses, Greenbean! We're coming!" came Vida's agitated reply.
A few moments later, Natalia, Vida and Clare descended from Natalia bedroom and the sight of them took the boys' breaths away.
Natalia had forgone her trademark high ponytail for an elegant bun with loose curls on either side of her temples, and she was wearing a shining red V-neck satin gown with a mermaid-style skirt and black gloves and her treasured necklace. A blazing red and gold phoenix mask rested on her face.
Vida's spiky hair was nearly combed and her colored highlights were filled in, and she wore a sleeveless dark pink and silver satin, ankle-length dress with a sweetheart neckline and a pink and silver beaded choker. Her mask was in the form of a pink and black butterfly with silver glitter.
Finally, Clare's hair was in a shining braided bun and she was gowned in an emerald green satin dress with an illusion neckline and embroidered shining white pearls. She wore a shimmering blue and green peacock mask.
"Well?" prompted Clare.
"How do we look?" asked Natalia. There was the tiniest hint of nervousness in her tone.
"You look absolutely beautiful," said Mason, as he tenderly kissed Natalia's hand, making her smile.
Chip nodded in agreement as he held out his arm for Vida to take. "Gorgeous, Vee. Gorgeous."
Vida grinned in response before kissing Chip's cheek. "Flatterer."
Xander tenderly cupped Clare's face before gently kissing her. "Perfect. Simply perfect."
Clare nearly blushed. "Thank you."
The sound of Udonna clearing her throat interrupted the moment. "You all look divine. But you mustn't be late. Go, quickly."
Everyone nodded in agreement before taking off to the embassy. They had a ball to attend and more importantly, a princess and her treasure to protect.
XXX
At the embassy, the front lawn as well as the inside of the building itself was filled with all manner of guests. Royalty, nobility, gentry and even high-ranking diplomats and politicians as well as a number of reporters and photographers. Thankfully, slipping past the security guards was an easy feat thanks to Mason's spell work. Once that was done, they slipped inside the beautifully decorated building where the guests were scattered about inside.
"Holy crap. It's like being in a fairytale," said Chip, in awe.
"Chip, we practically live in a fairytale!" said Xander.
Just then, Mason's phone went off. "What is it, Dad?" There was a moment's silence as Mason listened to Daggeron's reply. "Understood."
"Let me guess, there's dark magical energy here?" said Vida, as Mason hung up.
Mason nodded. "Udonna couldn't get a lock on it, but it's definitely in the building."
"Then we should split up. Vee, you and Chip go upstairs. Xander, you and Clare sweep through the east and west wings. Mason and I will work here. Anything happens, you either hide or Ranger up before notify the others immediately. Understood?"
Everyone nodded and then split up for their assignments.
When everyone had left, Natalia decided to ascend the flight of stairs nearest to her and check out the ballroom. For reasons she couldn't explain, she felt drawn towards it and when she reached her intended destination, she swung open the doors and stepped inside. It was a stunning beautiful room with masterfully carved archways, stained glass windows and polished dance floor. An orchestra was playing the most beautiful of music, men and women were all dressed in the finest tuxedoes and ball gowns that money could buy as they laughed and chatted while sipping champagne or dancing in waltzes across the dance floor.
So beautiful, thought Natalia. She couldn't explain it, but she felt oddly at peace with the situation. As though she was familiar with the setting and it was where she belonged. That doesn't make any sense. Why do I feel like this?
As if in answer, Natalia inhaled sharply as she was suddenly hit with images she'd never seen before. She saw herself as a little girl, surrounded by beautifully dressed people in masks and costumes as they celebrated and danced the night away. She herself was dancing with a boy around her age, dancing with a boy whose handsome eyes she couldn't stop gazing at, eyes that seemed so familiar.
Natalia jerked her head back and clutched at her chest as her heart pounded. She was back in reality, but she needed to remove herself from the situation for a little while. Quickly, Natalia scanned the area for a backdoor and soon spotted an empty balcony.
Without hesitation, Natalia ran for the balcony and then leaned against one of the stone pillars. She removed her mask, closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try and steady her nerves while also figuring out what had just happened back there.
What the heck was that? Natalia wondered. Those images…they felt just like my nightmares, except they weren't scary. They were familiar like I should know them, but I don't. Not really. Was what I just saw a flashback to my forgotten past? It seemed ludicrous but at the same time, it did make a bit of sense. But if that's true, then who or what was I in my past life? Was I a…
"Natalia?"
Natalia was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of her boyfriend's voice. She looked up to see Mason standing in front of her looking concerned.
"There you are. I've been looking all over for you. All you all right?" asked Mason.
"What? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I just…I just needed some air," lied Natalia. "It was stuffy inside."
If Mason noticed Natalia's hesitation or detected her lie, he didn't comment on it. Instead, he held out his hand for her to take.
"Well, since we're at a ball and look the part, would you do me the honor of a dance?"
Natalia hesitated. She was hopeless at dancing and they were supposed to be on duty, but what was the harm in just one dance with the man she loved?
"I shall," she said, with remarkable confidence as she slid her hand into Mason's.
Mason smiled as he proceeded to lead Natalia onto the dance floor. Once there, he held her right hand in his before placing her left hand onto his shoulder and then slipping his hand onto Natalia's slender waist.
"Just follow my lead," whispered Mason, as the musicians began playing a waltz. "Step back when I step forward and…one-two-three, one-two-three."
And with that, the Blue and Red Rangers began to waltz across the ballroom floor. Much to Natalia's immense surprise and relief, she found herself not needing Mason's instruction, for she was dancing just beautifully with astounding grace.
Mason smiled at Natalia as he twirled and dipped her. "You dance like a princess. But I thought you said you didn't know how?"
Natalia smiled back as she tenderly kissed Mason. "Looks like I was wrong."
On the outside, Natalia was smiling but on the inside she felt both thrilled and startled, if not a little panicked as she waltzed across the ballroom with Mason. How am I doing this so well when I've never ballroom danced a single day in my life? And why does this all feel so natural and familiar, like I should know it but I don't? What's happening to me?
Still, in spite of her questions and fears, Natalia couldn't deny that all of this, dancing with Mason and the ball itself, felt so right. As though a place like this was where Natalia was meant to be or something of the like and she hadn't known it until now. Had she been in a situation like this once before she lost her memories so long ago? Natalia wished she knew. All she did know was that for a moment, she was blissfully happy with the man she loved and for the moment, everything was perfect.
XXX
Meanwhile, Princess Dawn was retrieving her family's treasure from the safe.
Princess Dawn truly looked like a fairytale princess with her stunning midnight-blue ball gown that was embroidered with gemstones, making it sparkle and shine like the starry night sky, her golden hair and emerald green eyes, high cheekbones and slender figure, and she was also said to be the picture of sophisticated grace and virtue. A paragon of duty and compassion, just as a princess should be. But still, despite all this as well as the fantastic party downstairs, Princess Dawn was not happy.
For one, she had horrible social anxiety and detested having to speak in public alone. But as her parents were attending to some urgent matters in Bijou, poor Dawn had no choice but to present her family's treasure alone. And for another, she felt second-best in comparison to her family's treasure, as it seemed to be the focus of everyone's care and attention.
"Treasure, treasure. That's all anyone talks about," grumbled Dawn, to herself as she held the heavy locked chest to her torso. "It's bad enough I have to do this alone! But now it's like all anybody cares about is this stupid treasure and nobody cares for me."
A dark chuckle from Dawn's newly hired bodyguard, a Miss Regina Pimvare, caused a shiver to go down Dawn's spine.
"What's so funny?" asked Dawn, as she turned to face Miss Pimvare. A moment later, Dawn shrieked at the top of her lungs as she witnessed her 'bodyguard' change from a beautiful dark-haired woman to a hideous, black-eyed fanged creature with wings.
"It's true. I don't care much for you at all. In fact, I'd sooner see you dead and claim your Mystic Crystal for the Master, Princess Aurora! Now, hand it over!"
"Aurora? Mystic Crystal? I don't know what you're talking about!" said Dawn, terrified as she backed up into a corner. What was this hideous creature babbling on about? Dawn had never even heard of the Mystic Crystal, much less possessed it! And who was Princess Aurora? Not her! "Who are you?"
A growl emitted from the hideous creature's throat. "Don't lie to me, brat! Surely you remember me, Necrolai the Queen of the Vampires? You and your wretched kind defeated us during the Great War and hid away your magic treasure to protect it from us. But you've failed, for now it belongs to its rightful owner, the Master of All Evil! Now, HAND IT OVER!"
Dawn still didn't have the slightest idea what this hag was speaking of. She then yelled at the top of her lungs, "You're insane! GUARDS! GUARDS!"
Suddenly, the door burst open and three people dressed in different colored uniforms that Princess Dawn didn't recognize burst into the room.
"Hold it right there, Necrolai!" said the man in yellow.
Necrolai growled again. "Rangers! Oh, curses! You leave me no choice! Specter, take the girl and her treasure and go!"
Before anyone could react, a black and green shadow monster with piercing red eyes appeared out of nowhere and took possession of Dawn. When Dawn looked up at her audience, she was no longer herself, but a result of the foul beast's dark power, as was evident by her now red eyes.
"No one else shall have the Mystic Crystal!" Dawn's voice was distorted as though it was both her and the monster within her speaking. "OUT OF MY WAY!"
And with that, Dawn shoved all three Mystic Rangers down like a stack of dominoes as she burst out of the room, leaving the Rangers to fight off Necrolai.
XXX
Back on the dance floor, Natalia and Mason's brief dance was interrupted when Clare burst into the room, looking panicked.
"Guys, Ranger up! Necrolai's here and her monster's taken the princess!" said Clare. "We don't know where she went off to."
"I think I do. Look!" Natalia pointed to the entrance where Princess Dawn was making herself known by running through the room whilst carrying her family's treasure. "We can't morph here with so many witnesses. So…SECURITY! OVERE HERE! SECURITY!"
Right on cue, at least four men from the security team appeared and tried to take control of the situation, but they were helpless before the possessed princess, who tossed them across the room like rag dolls.
Dawn then chuckled evilly as she thrust out her hand and shouted out, "Anyone who dares to try and stop me will offered as a sacrifice to the Master!"
Suddenly, the entire room became enveloped in dark magic that began draining the life out of the party guests, forcing Natalia, Mason and Clare to retreat onto the balcony. Natalia and Mason then proceeded to morph into their Ranger forms. No sooner had they done this, Dawn appeared and attempted to throw the chest to a badly injured Necrolai, who hovered just a few feet away.
"Guys, get Dawn to safety. I'll handle the bat," ordered Natalia, quickly.
Mason and Clare nodded.
"Give me the Mystic Crystal, Specter!" ordered Necrolai. "It belongs to the Master!"
"Think again, hag! Flamma Aeterna!"
While Clare doused Dawn with a paralytic herb and Mason pulled Dawn to safety, powerful white-hot fire shot out of Natalia's wand, severely burning Necrolai and shooting her out of the sky. Within moments, Necrolai was on the ground below, unable to fly until her wings healed.
They were then joined by Chip, Vida and Xander, who proceeded to duke it out with the Vampire Queen while Mason and Natalia faced off against Dawn, who was still possessed and apparently powerful enough that the paralytic herb had already worn off. The shadow monster proceeded to blast its enemies while they barely managed to dodge and counter the attacks.
Well, this is just perfect. How're we supposed to save the princess when we don't even know how to exorcise the monster inside of her? thought Natalia, as Mason countered one of the shadow monster's attacks with a water spell and momentarily froze it. Creatures like that despise the light and anything remotely good, I know, but it's not enough to just know it. We need light in its purest form to beat this thing.
Natalia was then hit by one of the shadow monster's dark magic attacks, causing her to power down. Then suddenly, the shining light of the full moon seemed to gather onto the center gemstone of Natalia's necklace and she felt a familiar surge of power course through her body. She not only felt her strongest, but she knew at once what was happening and she finally realized what it was that was triggering such power.
Without further ado, Natalia directed the powerful magic at Specter. Powerful white light shot of her necklace and not only fully exorcised Specter, it also destroyed him completely. Leaving Princess Dawn in a heap upon the balcony floor.
"How did you do that?" asked Mason, in awe.
Before Natalia could explain, Necrolai tossed Chip, Vida and Xander onto the balcony and then cast a powerful virus spell on them. Within moments, everyone there was paralyzed, unable to move as they were hit with wave upon wave of horrible, agonizing pain.
"I knew it was wise to save that little trick. It should take care of you wretched brats once and for all," said Necrolai, as she climbed up onto the balcony. "And now, I'll claim the Mystic Crystal for the Master once and for all!"
Before Necrolai could grab the chest, however, an unexpected Wolf Attack came out of nowhere and beat the Vampire Queen back.
"Stop, Necrolai!"
Like magic, no pun intended, Koragg appeared out of nowhere and stood between her and the secret treasure chest.
"What do you think you're doing, Koragg?" demanded Necrolai. "How dare you stop me in our moment of triumph!"
"There is no triumph to be found here, hag! Not like this!" snarled Koragg. He grabbed her by the throat and tossed Necrolai into a pillar before she could protest.
What Koragg did next shocked everyone there. Koragg split open his shield, but instead of another Wolf Attack, the eye of the shield sucked away the virus spell, freeing the Rangers.
"Traitor!" screeched Necrolai, furiously.
"I am no traitor! I act with honor in service of the Master! The virus leaves them unable to defend themselves! There no honor in this defeat," said Koragg, sternly. "We shall win with honor or not at all, filthy hag!"
"You and your stupid honor!" snarled Necrolai. "Well, we'll see what Imperious and the Master have to say about this when I report to them!"
And with that, Necrolai vanished through a dark seal and then Koragg did the same before any of the Rangers could demand an explanation.
Everyone was confused as to what had just happened, but none more so than Natalia. In spite of having fought the Knight Wolf on countless occasions and having been inside Koragg's mind as he'd been in hers, Koragg often puzzled Natalia to no end and this was the most puzzling of events. Koragg served the Master but fought with honor. Koragg stole Udonna's Snow Staff yet he permitted Udonna to escape when Udonna had been captured. Koragg tormented Natalia but spared her life. And there had been so many times when Koragg could've destroyed the Mystic Rangers but he'd never once tried to actually finish them off. Koragg was a walking contradiction.
"Hey, guys, Princess Dawn's okay, just knocked out," said Clare, interrupting Natalia's thoughts. The sorceress in training was holding the unconscious blueblood in her lap. "But she won't be like this for long. We should do the tests while we still can."
"Mason? Vee?"
"On it."
While Mason plucked a tiny hair from Dawn's head and placed it inside the jar, Vida picked the lock on the chest and opened it up. Inside the chest was a two thousand carat diamond that had been cut in the shape of a rose. It was truly magnificent.
"Well, don't leave us in suspense. Tell us. Is that it? Is that the Mystic Crystal?" asked Chip, eagerly. "Is she the princess Udonna's looking for?"
Vida held the quartz over the diamond but nothing happened. And nor did anything occur when Mason shook the jar containing the hair samples.
"No. It's a spectacular gemstone but it's not emitting the slightest ounce of magical energy," said Mason, disappointedly. "And her hair sample doesn't match the one Udonna gave us."
"Meaning she isn't the princess that Udonna was looking for," said Vida. "And this isn't the Mystic Crystal. This was a wild goose chase!"
"Vida!" said Natalia, sharply, making the Pink Ranger fall silent. "We saved her life. That's all that matters. Now, let's clean up this mess. You all know your assignments, now go!"
The others nodded as they set about their work.
Mason, Xander and Chip managed to remove any residual dark magical energy from the embassy, cleaned up any messes and performed a memory modification spell to ensure that none of the guests remembered what happened. Natalia and Vida took care of Princess Dawn by carrying the girl and her treasure back to her bedchambers and performed a similar spell to ensure that she also forgot the trauma of the event.
When all this was done, the party resumed and when the time came, Princess Dawn's shyness seemed to have vanished and she presented her family's treasure with the grace and confidence a princess like her should. It was as though nothing bad had ever happened that evening, which was just as well as some things were better left forgotten.
XXX
Meanwhile, back in the Underworld, Necrolai had wasted no time in informing Imperious of what had happened at the ball. While they knew from their spying that Princess Dawn was not Udonna and Leanbow's daughter and nor was her treasure the Mystic Crystal, it did not make Koragg's actions any less unforgivable in the eyes of Imperious. And if that wasn't enough, the Master had awoken again and he was presiding over the argument like a judge at a trial.
"Master, you have heard us all. And now I offer up my magic as we stand before your judgment." Koragg reached into his chest and removed his magic. It hovered in the air as Koragg and his accuser knelt down in respect for their sovereign.
"Master, you saw it yourself though my powers. Necrolai could've destroyed the Rangers if it weren't for Koragg's so-called honor. And my plan with the Rangers' genie could have also worked if it wasn't for this backstabbing wretch's honor," said Imperious, as he glared daggers at the Knight Wolf.
"Yes, my honor. My honor is the cornerstone of my very being," said Koragg, with a passion none had ever heard him use before. "A warrior without honor cannot be trusted to serve and protect you at all costs. Imperious has proven that he is evil, yes. But without honor, can he really be trusted?"
Outraged, Imperious opened his mouth to argue but then the Master began to speak, forcing the dark wizard to fall silent as Imperious and Koragg rose up.
Much to Imperious' fury, the Master not only chose to let Koragg's actions go unpunished but the Master also returned Koragg's magic to him.
"My magic has returned!" said Koragg, smugly. He then turned to Imperious with such anger than tendrils of dark magic emitted from his clenched fists. "Again you have failed to get rid of me! Now, watch your back, you dishonorable waste. Your time here will not be for much longer!"
For once, Imperious decided not to provoke Koragg's anger and chose instead, to retire to his own chambers for the night.
When Imperious had gone, Koragg decided to go train in the forest. However, he hadn't taken more than a few steps when the residual energy of the virus he'd taken from the Rangers, sparked around his body and attacked his mind. Suddenly, Koragg's mind was plagued with images of himself without his customary armor holding a little girl with all too familiar eyes and he felt feelings that he'd never felt before, concern and love. But love and concern for whom? The little girl whose name Koragg did not know and face he did not recognize?
What's happening to me?
XXX
Later that week, Natalia parked her bike outside of the Rock Porium.
Today was supposed to be Natalia's day off from work, but Toby had called and said he needed some extra help due to an emergency. Natalia had found herself unable to refuse but still felt a sense of disappointment as today was not only Natalia's day off but it was also her twenty-first birthday and she'd made some plans. Plans that she would have to postpone now as work always came before pleasure. Duty called, as per usual.
Natalia frowned when she noticed the sign on the Rock Porium read 'closed' instead of 'open' as the store should've been open by now and the inside of the store was also completely dark. What the heck was going on?
Natalia hesitantly opened the door and stepped inside the Rock Porium, not knowing what to expect, but certainly not expecting the lights to suddenly come on and for there to be a loud shout that scared her half to death.
"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Natalia nearly jumped out of her skin but then relaxed when she saw that not only was the Rock Porium decked out in birthday decorations consisting of paper phoenixes and streamers and balloons in Natalia's favorite colors, but everyone she cared about was there in awesome party clothes. Mason, Vida, Chip, Xander, Lee-Lee, Udonna, Daggeron and even Jenji and Phineas under the disguise of a glamour spell. There was also a stack of beautifully wrapped presents from everyone and a tasty-looking refreshment table consisting of red punch, chocolate cupcakes and a stunning birthday cake in the shape of a phoenix.
Mason swooped down on Natalia and kissed her cheek. "Happy Birthday, Lia."
"Thanks," said Natalia, smiling. She was shocked that all this was happening but at the same time, really happy. "But how did you guys even know today was my birthday?"
Clare looked sheepish as she held up Natalia's datebook. "I might've found this and noticed a certain date. Why didn't you tell us your birthday was coming up?"
This time Natalia looked sheepish. "Honestly? I kind of forgot all about it until a few days ago and then I didn't want to trouble you all with such short notice." With everything that had been going on over the past six months, Natalia's birthday had been the last thing on her mind. Until, however, when she'd checked her date book to make sure she was free to visit her parents' graves and realized that her birthday was almost upon her. Embarrassed that she'd forgotten her own birthday and not wanting to bother anyone with it, Natalia decided not to say a word.
"Oh, Natalia, you're no trouble at all," said Lee-Lee, as she dished out the punch to everyone in the room. "Now, what do you say we get this party started?"
"That sounds great. But before we get started, there's something I'd like to say to you all." As the room fell silent, Natalia took a deep breath. She was deeply touched by everyone's actions there and she wanted them to know just how much they all meant to her, which meant she had to get this little speech just right.
"Six months ago, I was…well, I was lost. I was used to wandering all over creation, never getting close to people and I was so alone. But then I came to Briarwood and met the most extraordinary people who broke down my walls and helped me find what I thought I'd lost forever. I want to thank all of you for welcoming me into your lives, for giving me a family again and for making this one of the best birthdays ever." Natalia raised her glass. "To family."
Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together as they murmured in unison, "To family."
So much had changed in such a short span of time, but it was a change that Natalia gladly welcomed. She had a home, a good job, love, a family in her group of friends. What could possibly be better?
A/N: Please, review!