AH/AY: Hey! I didn't have school too early this morning either! That's how I reviewed yours so early!
Mz. Daydream: You love the love potion idea huh? You might not after tomorrow's chapter! Sorry you have to wait another day so see what I mean!
Arwennicole: Okay, I've already written the end, it's set in stone, or rather hard drive. So even if they did make another wish I wouldn't go back and change it. Sorry, that's just how I am. So, you had better hope they don't go make another wish, or you'll be sad. Also, I'm glad you liked the pillow thing, I almost had to cut it.
DizneeDol: Actually, not much A/A happens in this chapter, but a lot of it happens next chapter, so check back tomorrow!
Phantom Rogue: ... If I say anything concerning your review I'll give away major plot points. Thus, I will just say that I hope someone guesses about Phantom's name too! No one else even mentioned it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Note: Okay, this chapter is longer than usual so that tomorrow you can read a lot of A/A-ness. Today, there's not so much, just filler that I had to add because of my own silly ideas and wants. Also, someone better guess about Phantom's name! I am very disappointed in you people! I'll even give you a hint: Cassie wanted to be a singer, much like another young woman whose name started with a "C." And although Cassie never mentioned opera music, she would probably be good at it. Huh? Huh? Come on, my mother knows why I named him Airek! You guys can figure it out! His namesake's movie came out last December! You have to be able to guess it now! Come on, five bunny points! Bunny points!
Okay, I'm done now. Just read the story.
Be Careful What You Wish For…
Chapter 11 - News
Reptos was running through the forests of Phaedos, searching as he always did for Dulcea and the powers she protected, when he smelled something he had never smelled before: people, seven of them. He raced after the scent. These could be the Rangers he was told of….
ooo
"Are you sure Carlos is here?" Justin asked. The team, along with Ecliptor was walking through the dense Phadoesian jungle and had yet to see any signs of life.
"This is the planet Rita and Zedd were sent to conquer," Ecliptor said. "It stands to reason that they would keep him with them."
"Then where is everyone?" Cassie asked. "Shouldn't we have met troops by now?"
"Dulcea is a shape shifter," Phantom said. "She, along with Zordon, was one of the original Rangers. I have been told that she was on a solo mission and was losing. Her zord was dying, her enemy was going to destroy an entire planet, and she had reached too deep into the Power and lost too much, she was dying. She paid a great price to save that world: she bonded with her zord, merged with it fully."
"What was her zord?" Zhane asked quietly.
"No one knows, and those that do will not tell. But you can be assured that she is somewhere in these woods, in her zord's animal form, watching and waiting."
This statement caused everyone to begin looking over their shoulders for an animal that might be the legendary warrior in disguise. They were not given much time to do this however, since a giant lizard monster jumped out at them just then.
"For future reference," Jeff yelled over the creature's snarls, "I don't think this is Dulcea." He quickly dodged a slash made at his chest and summoned his sword; there was no time to morph fully.
Karone was thrown back into one of the trees and slumped down between its roots; she would not awaken soon. Zhane took personal offence at that and began attacking the creature in earnest. It evaded some of his attacks, choosing to taunt him by taking most, its thick skin protecting it from being injured. Cassie and Phantom stepped in to help Zhane, but all three were soon thrown back as well.
"He must hit very hard," Justin said, his voice taking on a monotone quality, "to knock them all out."
"Ya," Jeff agreed, "he must." He morphed quickly as Ecliptor and the creature sized each other up, then the two should-be enemies attacked together.
"Stop!" Justin yelled after a few moments of impressive swordsmanship.
"Why?" Ecliptor grunted as he tried to push the creature back.
"I think that's Carlos!"
"What!" Jeff cried as the creature pushed him back into a tree.
"What makes you think this is your friend?" Ecliptor asked, sounding out of breath for the first time since the Rangers had met him.
"His fighting style, it's Carlos' but with alterations. I assume those came from the new body."
"So how do we fix him?" Jeff asked.
"I am Reptos," the creature said, jumping away from his foes.
"That's Carlos' voice," Justin said.
"Carlos?" Jeff asked.
"I am Reptos."
"Do you have any idea who we are?" Justin asked, gesturing from himself to Jeff.
"Rangers. I must kill you."
"Why?" Jeff asked.
"You have invaded my dreams, try to trick me. I must kill you to stop them."
"We can't enter other people's dreams," Justin said. "If you're dreaming of us, it's because your subconscious is trying to remind you of your past."
"What past?" Reptos asked warily.
"You're one of us, a Power Ranger. We were captured and you were given to Rita and Zedd."
"No!"
"Carlos?" Cassie's voice was weak, but cut through Reptos like a knife. "Carlos, it is you. You're alive."
"I am Reptos."
"That's fine," Cassie said as she drifted back into sleep. "You'll always be Carlos though."
No one quite knew how to take this new turn of events. Four Rangers were still unconscious, Justin, Ecliptor, and Infinity were all unwilling to fight Carlos even if he was a monster, and Reptos/Carlos was having too much of an identity crisis to move.
Just then a white owl came out of the sky and landed on Reptos/Carlos head. There was a strange flash of light and then Carlos stood where there had been a monster. The owl had taken off once more, though it seemed to be tired from the work. Carlos looked around at his friends and Ecliptor, all were as shocked as he was.
Phantom slowly rose, cradling Cassie in his arms, as did Zhane and Karone.
"Apparently," Phantom said, "that was Dulcea. She used a great deal of her power to fix you. She couldn't before because Rita and Zedd would just change you back and you'd know what she was hiding as."
"Let me guess," Cassie said. "She spoke to you telepathically?"
"She is Eltairian, like me, it made it simpler."
"So," Zhane said, "you were the monster?"
"Ya, sorry about that, I didn't know what I was doing."
"Don't worry," Karone said, rubbing her back. "As long as you're also Carlos, I'm happy."
ooo
"So, Justin's a cyborg, Cassie was a statue, and now we have to go save T.J. and Ashley?" Carlos asked. He had just wolfed down three waffles, half a pizza, and two chocolate sundaes, saying that "being a giant lizard monster really takes it out of a guy."
"Not in that order," Jeff said.
"How many times must I tell you-?" Ecliptor began.
"I am not leaving my little sister with that evil prince, end of story."
"Ashley is safe with Galactus," Karone said. "And the longer she's with him, the more chance we have of Galactus turning good."
"Or Ashley turning evil," Jeff muttered.
"What are the odds of Ashley actually turning evil?" Cassie asked, holding up a hand to keep Justin from answering.
"She was in the last reality."
"But," Carlos said, "and I'm just guessing since I don't remember, she was brainwashed there and she was nice to Andros, even helped him figure out what to do."
"It doesn't matter," Justin said. "We need Ecliptor's help to save T.J. and if we go for Ashley first he'll just warn Galactus and sabotage us somehow. We go for T.J., Ecliptor leaves, and we figure out what to do from there."
"Fine," Jeff muttered, seriously wishing that he had just flown to Vega 3 on his own when he'd heard about Ashley.
ooo
"You are very lucky Galactus," Dark Specter said as he drank his wine that night at dinner, "Ooze, Mondo, and Zedd have all lost their Rangers, yet yours seems utterly devoted to you." As if to prove his point Ashley began running her fingers through Galactus' striped hair.
"Yes," Galactus purred, tickling Ashley's chin, "the others all tried to use their Rangers as weapons or torture them in some way, why wouldn't they want to escape? But my Yellow Ranger is completely enamored with me, I doubt she will ever wish to escape."
"What kind of love potion did you use?"
"The slowest acting one I could find, that way she wouldn't know it was happening and fight against it. It was a while before I could reap the rewards, but the wait was worth it." Galactus bit back a wince when Ashley pulled a bit of his hair. He had to admit though, she was doing a wonderful job of fawning over him, considering that at the moment she despised him.
Dark Specter laughed. "Yes, I hear Rangers are quite enjoyable companions, as long as they're not trying to kill you."
"I assure you," Galactus said warily, "they are."
"Do not worry, my son! I can tell that you are all she sees. If only Ooze had not lost his Ranger, I could have asked to borrow her…."