Chapter 11: Undeniable Proof

"You're alive!" Clare exclaimed as the group entered, "So, did you beat the Dragon Keeper out there?"

"Him and the rest of his army," Nick chuckled.

"…who are they?" asked Clare as she arched an eyebrow.

"Ozu Miyuki and Ozu Isamu," Miyuki said, "This is Mandora Boy, Smokey and Hikaru. Who would you be?"

"I am the sorceress Udonna," said the white witch as she bowed, "this is my assistant, Clare." Clare walked over to shake Miyuki's hand, but stumbled as she walked past the table. She chuckled and finally managed to introduce herself to Udonna's other self and her husband. Merriment was had by all until Hikaru blew into a whistle to break the chatter.

"Everyone," he said as he looked down at the Xenotome, "You have all grown as magicians on this journey, and, as such, I have an offer to make. The Magical Express Travelion waits outside these doors, and, since we have seen the Rootcore and your world, I invite you…Nick, Chip, Madison, Vida, Xander, Udonna, and Clare, to see our world. Travelion boards now. What do you think?"

"That would be AWESOME!" Chip exclaimed.

"I'm in," Madison said.

"If you're goin', so am I, sis," Vida answered.

"I'd like to see your Rootcore," Xander said to Houka, "Must be nice."

"Sure, I'll go," Nick replied, "You have to know where you came from to know where you're going."

"I would be honored," Udonna said.

"Sure, sounds cool," Clare remarked, "So, where's Travelion?"

"Just past these doors," Isamu pointed to the elevator.

The Rootcore became entirely empty. Phineas saw the golden train lift into the sky, as did Toby when he walked out of the Rockporium. Travelion had its destination in mind as it increased in speed until; finally, it blasted across the dimensions and into Platform 0. "We have arrived at the Magic Room, Ozu Family household," Smokey said over the loudspeaker, "all passengers may now exit the train."


The Mystic Rangers watched their step as they exited Travelion's car and walked through the polished wooden double doors into the Magic Room hidden away in the Ozu family home. It was like the Rootcore in its basic design, but much…simpler; more peaceful. Shelves of books lined the walls, and, like the Rootcore, there was a large central table. The wood was lighter-colored than the Rootcore's, and probably was the reason for the atmosphere.

Udonna noticed a small crystal ball perched on a pillow on a desk. An angel-shaped music box was beside it, and various portraits lined the walls, along with the five brooms that became the Sky Hokis and five banners with the appropriate Ranger colors and symbols on them. Mandora and Smokey flew to the table. The mandrake turned on the antique record player beside him and began to sing.

Always in front, the color of bravery and determination, the color red

Blue, pink and yellow following

Pulling along the green color at the end

Smokey and Mandora sang in rousing chorus to the ten young magicians and lifted their spirits after the battle they had just endured.

These five…

Each of them possesses courage!

Together there's no job too big for them to do!

Madison smiled, applauded the singing duo, and raced to the bookshelves. She pulled down a book titled 32 Basic Charms: Spells for Everyday Use and began flipping through the pages. The others took a cue from Madison and began to see what secrets the Ozu library held. A grin crossed Miyuki's face. "Let them explore. Their time here must be short."

Vida became engrossed in The Magic of Music, Xander was reading Spells of Love, Nick was examining Magical Machines and How to Make Them Work For You, and Chip, finally, was buried in Ancient Weaponry: Automatic Swords to Zero-Point Crossbows and Everything In Between. Tsubasa walked over to Chip and snatched the book from his hand.

"I'm not going to let you near that one," he said. A hearty chuckle came from everyone. Madison magically summoned her video camera and began recording everything she saw in the Magic Room. Urara tapped Madison on the shoulder and asked her what she was doing.

"I'm saving this," Madison answered, "I don't know if we'll ever meet you again, so it's best to have it on film so I can cherish these memories forever."

"But…" Urara chimed in, "These things are supposed to remain a secret."

"Everybody!" Smokey called, "Gather around! We're taking a picture, so hurry into the shot!"

Miyuki, Isamu, Hikaru and Udonna were on the top row. The ten magicians took two rows; Clare, Smokey and Mandora Boy just barely managed to squeeze in. Madison's Mystic Morpher, inserted into the old camera, flashed as everyone smiled wildly. "Picture's done!" Smokey said, "Nifty little thing, these phones. Working cameras into them. I'll tell you, magic can do so much nowadays."

"Now that's done with!" Houka said happily, "Why not something for fun?" Houka flipped out the wand of her MagiPhone, pressed a sequence of keys followed by "Enter". Light spiraled outward and over the bodies of the Rangers. "Jijiru Jiruma Majiiro!" said a sprightly Houka. When the light finished circling the bodies of the ten magicians, Vida immediately looked down.

She was now in Houka's clothes. The pink plaid jacket, the skirt, the boots…everything; Houka, likewise, was wearing Vida's outfit, complete with the corset worn above the white shirt. The other eight had undergone a similar change. Tsubasa was the first to comment on his new look.

"I like it," he said, "A little dungeon master-ish, but it works."

"Spiffy jacket," Chip said excitedly, "Did you have to wear leather pants, though?"

"Yay!" Houka cheered, "Jijiru Jiruma Majiine!" Madison moved her hands to her chest to get one last feel of the plaid jacket, and felt it slip away as she returned to her normal uniform. The Blue Mystic Ranger continued to film for a few more minutes until Udonna informed her apprentices of the sad, but eventual news.

"We must return to our own world, now," she said, "Clare has already started on the preparations."

"Yes," Hikaru said, "Everyone must return home at some point or another. While I do not know if our paths again, I hope you remember us. This has been a fantastic meeting."

A Mahou circle had been drawn on the floor of the room. The five Rangers filed into their appropriate place on the seal, and Clare and Udonna took the center spot. Before they left, Miyuki drew her silver MagiPhone and pointed it at Madison.

"Majiine Maji Majuna," she spoke. Madison felt something spark near her shoulder. She looked to Miyuki with a confused look, but the White Magician only nodded and said "It was a necessary precaution." Isamu took his Fire UzaPhone from his pocket and aimed it at the circle holding the Mystic Rangers.

"The time is now," he whispered, "Goolu…Luuma….Lujuna." Golden-red light sparked from the UzaPhone's wand tip. The five Ozu siblings, Mandora Boy and Smokey gathered with Miyuki, Isamu and Hikaru as the Mahou circle shone aglow with light. Blinding radiance spread through the Magic Room, and when it had faded…the Mystic Rangers stood in the room no more. "They're back in their own world," Isamu said contemplatively, "and all is right with the worlds again."


Two days later, Madison had called the citizens of Briarwood out to the Rockporium. Her video camera was hooked up to a large TV Toby had placed between the music racks, and rows of chairs were lined up along the floor. A banner outside read "Magicians in Briarwood? A Documentary by Madison Rocca. One Night Only." Chip, taking tickets at the door, paid witness to one very particular visitor.

"Leelee?" Chip asked.

"Can't wait to see the show," Leelee smirked as she took her seat, "I always knew strange things were going on in this town."

"Sit down and enjoy," Chip nervously chuckled.

Madison pressed the "Play" button on her camcorder. She had been taping Houka and Urara's antics at the Rockporium the other day (which included several uses of magic under Toby's nose) and decided, along with Vida, to present the video to the town as a way to justify recent events. Hikaru's parting words had let them that their meeting with the Ozu siblings would likely never happen again, and their identities wouldn't be composed. Madison had chosen her moments carefully.

The screen flickered on. Madison expected to be showing video of Houka transforming herself into her boombox form, but nothing showed. The video stayed focused on the counter, but showed nothing of Houka. No images, no sounds, not even her shadow. Miyuki's parting words repeated in Madison's mind. "It was a necessary precaution."

"This is SUCH a gyp!" spoke snobby Leelee, "I was expecting to see these 'magicians', but all I get is the counter. If I wanted that, I'd stand here all day looking at YOU losers." The audience stood up and, being led by Leelee, left the Rockporium. Madison agreed to meet up with Vida, Xander, Chip and Nick at the Rootcore that night. She had to think about why her documentary didn't go through.


"The spell Miyuki performed was Majiine Maji Majuna," Udonna explained, "It deleted all traces of them from your video camera. To reveal their identities, in any form, would be potentially damaging to the fabric of the universe." Madison looked as though she was about to cry. Meeting the Magiranger had been the best thing to happen to them. She didn't want it all to go away like that.

Madison opened her Mystic Morpher and saw, still in the camera function's memory, the group picture they had taken with the Ozu family. Madison sent the picture to a magical device that could reproduce any image. The group photo appeared on the device. Madison picked it up and asked Udonna to conjure a frame. She hung the photo just above the table where the five sat for their lessons.

"Even if we don't see them again," Madison spoke, "They'll be in our memories."

"We just have to remember what they taught us," Vida added, "It was good we got to know them."

"Magic, it is a sacred power," Chip began.

Xander continued, "Magic, it is an adventure into the unknown."

Nick stepped up and placed his hands around Madison and Vida's shoulders, while Chip did the same with just Madison and Xander with just Vida. The five, with Udonna and Clare, looked up at the photo hanging above the wall. The smiling faces of themselves, Smokey, Mandora Boy and the Magiranger reflected back at them. Chip could swear he saw Tsubasa wink at him. Nick took a deep breath, contemplated on the image, and spoke the final words of the magicians' creed.

"Magic…and it is a sign…of courage."

THE END