Before they could blink, Lauren and the Nylok had disappeared from their locations before landing with a hard thump on a solid stone surface.
Their arrival hadn't been the smoothest, their bodies were tangled together making it difficult to stand up. A few hundred metres away from a small property, sitting on a bed of clouds. The gothic pillars reminded Dayu of a small temple or shrine, a fitting place for the mistress of light magic, "The fuck?", Lauren began. Almost instantly Dayu looked down and shrugged, "Huh, that was unexpected".
"So is the house on a bed of clouds", Lauren shrugged, "one thing I've learned since being a Power Rangers, you just have to go with the flow".
The house began to glow softly, almost inviting the two to visit, "Maybe we should see if someone's home", Dayu urged, "this place".
Agreeing with Dayu's suggestion, Lauren walked path towards the property. As they got a little closer, they noticed there was no door, "How are we going to get inside?" Lauren asked.
"Shhh", Dayu cut in front of Lauren, "I think I hear voices".
Lauren too could hear some noise coming from inside the property, only it wasn't what she expected to hear from the home of the Mystic Mother. There were two distinct voices, a raspy, deep male voice and a shrill, screechy female one. Evidently the woman wasn't overly impressed with the man, "What have I told you about leaving your stuff lying around the kitchen Zedd?"
"You're one to talk", the man identified as Zedd countered, "if I trip over your staff one more time-"
"You'll do what radiator face", the woman spat in response.
The man snorted in reply, "Honestly woman that wasn't a clever insult when it was factually accurate". The teo looked at each other nervously, slightly uncomfortable by the ongoing argument between the couple, "Now, perhaps you should focus on something more important like greeting our guests waiting outside".
"What guests?" the woman shrieked. They was a pause and Lauren and Dayu couldn't make out the continued conversation inside. Suddenly there was a flash and the duo found they had moved from the exterior of the property to the interior. Standing in front of them was a middle ages Asian woman dressed in a flowing white robe and elaborate headdress. Next to her was a slightly older man with greying hair and a blood red robe, "Welcome", the woman greeted with a much softer tone then she used when the teens were eavesdropping, "I am the Mystic Mother and this is my trusted adviser-".
"And hen-pecked husband", the man snorted.
"Can it would you", the woman snapped before turning her attention back to the two women, "as I was trying to say, this is my trusted adviser and husband, Zedd".
Something twigged inside Dayu's mind at hearing the man's name, "Zedd, as in Lord Zedd?" she asked, "one of the primary enemies of the original team of Power Rangers?"
A small grin appeared on Zedd's face, "Good to see my notoriety still lives on", he stated, "my days as the Monarch of Evil are long behind me", he added jovially, like he was talking about going to the shops, "nowadays I devote my time to research and aiding my darling wife with her duties as the Mystic Mother".
"Which basically means he spends all day sitting on his backside", the Mystic Mother snorted.
"Like you've got a busy schedule", Zedd snorted, "how many times does your crystal ball need monitoring anyway?"
The awkward feeling had returned for thw duo, what had caused the Mystic Mother had smmoned them, now they were witness to a domestic argument, "Have we come at a bad time?" Lauren asked, "I assume you know who we are?"
"Of course my dears", the Mystic Mothers replied warmly, "anything to assist the growth of good magic". She turned to her husband and switched to her nasally voice, "Zeddy, do something useful and fix our guests some drinks". She looked around the room, which was an extension of the misty atmosphere from the outside, "And make this place a little more homely would you".
Zedd sighed grumpily as a large silver staff with a stylised Z appeared in his hands, "It's days like this which make me miss Goldar". A crack of lightning temporarily blinded the nyloks as the room turned into a large, comfy looking sitting room. Two large chairs were at one end of the room with two sofas flanking the area, "Make yourselves at home", Zedd added before turning to his wife, "your usual bitter tea Rita my dear", he added in jest as he magicked up several pots of teas and coffee for the centre of the room.
"Rita?" once again Dayu's mind was working, "Rita Repulsa?" the Mystic Mother sighed in annoyance, "how did you become the mistress of all good magic?"
"Aren't you a smart one", Rita grumbled, "it's an interesting story but that's not why you're here today is it?"
"No", Lauren began, "why did you call us here?" Both Rita and Zedd looked at each other. Rita took a slow, deliberate drink from her china tea cup before answering, "I thought there was something familiar about you", she began, "We see much of us in you".
"We were like you once, bitter and full of hate", Zedd picked up the story, his earlier argument with Rita long forgotten.
"You?" Lauren asked sceptically, "I've heard about the infamous Lord Zedd, I wouldn't have thought we had things in common".
A sad smile passed over Zedd's face, "When we were evil were shared something in common with you, the Power Rangers, vengence against them can be intoxicating.
"The same can be said of light too", Rita added, "peace and tranquillity is a noble goal but they can be a path to dangerous inaction. Perhaps that's why magic chose me to be the Mystic Mother, only someone who's known true darkness can appreciate true light".
"Forgive me for wanting to step out of my brothers shadow", Lauren replied dryly.
Zedd snorted, "I like her", the former Emperor of Evil said to his wife, "but I refer you to my earlier comment, Your still wondering why i summoned you".
The Dup thought for a moment until Dayu spoke up, "It would be nice to know"
"Well ", Rita began, "I'm sure by now you've noticed Dayu is human". Rita's staff appeared in her hands and the orb in the centre slowly powered up to show the duo some more images, the two women looked closely but didn't quite understand, that was until the images of power rangers appeared, "The Power Rangers?" Lauren stated in confusion.
"That's not possible", Dayu added, "I can't be a Power Ranger."
"Someone hasn't read up on their Ranger history", Rita shook her head, "evil rangers is almost a tradition".
"One you unwittingly started", Zedd couldn't help but snip at his wife, "also remember what I said about balance, if one side becomes too powerful then it will automatic try to balance the odds".
"By creating a new set of powers?" Lauren asked, "Can we really do that?"
Zedd nodded, "It can, I will caution you though, this sense of balance will work for both sides".
"We've noticed", Dayu sighed,
"Then there's no time to lose", Rita stood up and grabbed her staff,
Lauren though wasn't so sure, "Hang on a second, just how are we to become these rangers?".
"To where the Power Rangers began, Angel Grove", Rita answered, "as to why we're so sure there's a new power out there", she looked at the husband and smiled, "experience tells us that if the bad guys have gotten a power upgrade, the Power Rangers will inevitably find an upgrade of their own". In conjunction with Zedd, the pair cross their staffs, "and it will be nice to be on the right side of this for once".
Before the duo could protest a portal opened underneath them and they were spirited away to Angel Grove. The moment the duo disappeared, Rita's knees gave out, "I thought they'd never leave", she commented weakly.
"Are you certain it's him", Zedd asked with concern, "he hasn't been seen in over twenty years. Maybe Zordon's energy wave cleansed his existence from the universe".
"No", Rita replied firmly, "I would recognise his evil energy anywhere". She struggled to her feet and dropped heavily into a chair, "Someone has called on the dark powers of Dark Spectre once again".