Chapter 2
UNDONE

I would fall asleep
only in hopes of dreaming
that everything would be like is was before
but nights like this it seems are slowly fleeting
they disappear as reality is crashing to the floor

-------

Nick watched her completely crumble before his eyes.

Her breathing became heavy and tears sprang up, staining her face with every drop more painful than the last.

"This can't be right…" Madison kept repeating, shaking her head in disbelief. Vida…

Nick put an arm around her and pushed her away from the Xenotome, "It'll be okay Maddi. We'll stop all of this from happening and everything will be fine."

As Nick was trying to reassure her, Madison's head shot up, "No. He's going to win." Her voice sounded flat and completely lifeless. Her face looked numb and expressionless as her tears stopped flowing.

Nick didn't know what to do but this situation was going from bad to worse as Madison left his embrace and walked over to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Doesn't matter." She didn't even look back; her voice sounded so empty.

Nick pulled out his morpher and snapped it open, a spell came to mind; perhaps the only thing he could do at this moment to make things better.

He uttered the spell and pointed his wand at Madison's back just before she was completely out of sight. She fell backwards and hit the floor. Nick ran over quickly and helped her sit up, "Are you okay?" He asked her as she started blinking profusely.

She looked drowsy and her eyes fluttered shut. His spell was supposed to alter her memory so she wouldn't remember what she read in the Xenotome. Nick was worried the spell might have not worked right. He leaned against the wall and held Madison in his arms, for the first time that night, he realized how tired he was.

He only meant to rest his eyes for a few minutes before he was gonna drag Madison up and get her home. She started to stir in his arms, and his eyes flew open at once.

"Maddi? Are you awake?" Nick noticed, from the corner of his eye, that the sun was starting to come up.

Madison looked around the room with confusion, "I'm at Rootcore? What am I doing here and on the floor…" Nick pulled her up as she tried to smooth back her messy hair that was all in her face now.

"What do you remember?" Nick asked, a little nervously.

"Um, I was racing you…here? I think and I…it's all a blur really..." She stood up carefully and walked past Nick as she massaged her temples. "My head hurts even trying to think about it."

"We need to get home." He was walking out the door with Madison dragging her feet along side him, still apparently very sleepy.

Nick sighed and hoped he did the right thing.

------

Later that day, Madison was sitting on a rock examining her video recorder. She closed the LCD screen and frowned..

My next video project will be about…

"I got nothing." Madison was worried.

She was in the park with her friends all scattered around playing football.

"Hey, Madison! Why don't you get out here and join us?" Xander yelled out in between tackles. Madison shook her head and said, "No thanks!"

"What are you afraid of Maddi?" Nick yelled back as he gracefully caught the ball and ran across the touch line. He looked up with a satisfied grin on his face as Madison got annoyed by his teasing, "Afraid of what? You? Please." She laughed and hoped off the rock she was sitting on. "Fine. I'm in." She said as she threw off her sweater revealing a pale blue tank top.

She ran up to the rest, and put her hands on her hips, "So who's team am I on?" Xander pointed at Vide and Chip. "They need a helping hand," he explained. Vida threw the ball at his head but Xander moved out of the way before it hit him.

"Lets play," Madison ran over to Chip and Vida.

Xander has the ball and starts running, with Chip right behind about to tackle him when he quickly throws the ball at Nick. But Madison quickly intercepted the pass and disappeared down the field to the touch line. Nick was after her but couldn't get to her in time. "SCORE!" Vida yelled from behind as Madison crossed the line, and did a little victory dance. "Oh yeah!"

Nick stopped and watched Madison dance around him, "I'm good! I'm good!" She sang at him.

As she came around in front of him, Nick grinned at her and she stopped, "What…?"

Nick leaped and tackled her to the ground, "Hey! That isn't very nice." Madison screamed.

He just laughed as she shoved him away, "You really surprise me sometimes…" he said simply.

Madison looked up with a shy smile, "I'm gonna head off. I've got some work to do on my film project."

"What is this new one about?"

"I'm not exactly sure yet. In fact… I think I'm at a loss for ideas right now," Madison said looking a little discouraged. She walked over to the rock she was sitting on earlier and grabbed her camera and sweater.

"How do you normally get inspiration to make your films?"

"I watch movies. Lots of movies… "

"There's that new film playing at the cinema this afternoon, if you're not too busy we could go check it out." Nick said as he walked beside her.

"You sure you wanna come?" Madison asked, looking over at him with a half smile.

"Yeah, let me just head back to the Rock Porium for a bit and I'll meet you there around 3pm."

Madison smiled happily and nodded in agreement. "It's a --deal." She was inwardly appalled when she almost said "date".

------

Nick was working at the cash register when LeeLee walked in and looked over at him. He sighed and braced himself for another confrontation with this annoying pain in the...

"Nick! I heard you're going on a date with Madison," Nick arced an eyebrow and looked confused.

"It's not a date." Nick clarified.

"Whatever. I just thought you'd like to know that Madison changed her mind and doesn't know how to tell you," LeeLee had a careful look in her eyes as she fed Nick this lie.

Nick blinked a couple of times, seemingly surprised at what he was hearing.

"She doesn't want to go with you, to this film thing, because she thinks you're boring and just no fun." LeeLee finished saying, happy that Nick looked visibly annoyed.

"I'm the boring one?" Nick couldn't believe it.

"That's what she said. She really can't trust you to be honest."

Nick laughed, "She can't trust me? Well, I'll save her the trouble and not even bother going."

LeeLee smiled even more, "Yes, Nick. I think she definitely deserves that."

Nick was fuming, but went back to work anyway. LeeLee turned on her heel and walked out of the store with a big satisfied grin on her face.

------

Madison stood outside the cinema, waiting for Nick to show up. The day just got hotter by the second and she was boiling in the heat.

She leaned against the wall, and held her camera close to her. Suddenly, an idea came to her, she smiled slightly at the thought that crossed her mind. She glanced at her watch and saw the film was a half hour into its airing.

"Where is he?" Madison said, feeling annoyed that he was so late.

"Ugh, forget it." She turned and started walking home, not in the mood to watch a film anymore.

Her morpher went off, "Madison, I need you at Rootcore as soon as possible." Udonna's voice sounded very urgent. Madison wanted to ask why, but the line was cut.

She sighed dreading the thought of seeing Nick after he blew her off like this.

A few minutes later, Madison arrived, slowly walking in hoping the bad news she knew she was gonna hear wasn't so terrible. Bracing herself, she gathered with the other rangers and listened as Udonna explained what the Council of Magic had decided on what to do concerning The Master.

"The Master was released using very powerful magic; a kind only Dragons possess. The Council have detected powerful dark energy in the Underworld prior to the release of The Master. I informed them of Nick's vision and the idea of bringing back The Burning Times is unimaginable," Udonna was about to go on, when Chip interrupted, "What exactly does that mean?"

"Endless Fire that covered the earth for a millennium during a time when Dragons ruled the world. The Master plans on destroying everything all at once. The only way to acquire enough power to unleash the Endless Fire would be to commence a sacrifice by the 3rd moon of the Winter Solstice."

"The chosen ones…" Madison whispered suddenly as if remembering it without even knowing what it meant. Udonna's head snapped up, "Child, how did you know about that?"

Nick couldn't believe it. His spell was wearing off already.

Madison just looked over at Nick and frowned, "I don't know…"

Nick ignored her stare and that, surprisingly, didn't take much effort.

"Yes, Madison. The 4 are the only people, that if in the hands of The Master, will be able to unleash the dark power to bring forth the Burning Times."

Udonna walked towards the Xenotome and closed the book.

"I have a mission for you all."

Nick walked up to Udonna and listened carefully as she split them into smaller teams and told them where to search for the Chosen Ones.

"Vida and Xander, you two head out now," Udonna instructed as she walked past them.

"Chip and I will--" Nick began to say before Udonna interrupted him, "I need Chip to stay here and help me with a new spell. You will go with Madison and return as soon as you find what you are looking for."

Nick sighed as he saw the pointlessness of even trying to argue with Udonna. He walked out of Rootcore, without looking back at Madison. "Lets go," was all he managed to say before he was out the door.

Madison frowned, Why is he acting like this? She thought to herself as she walked out of Rootcore.

Udonna stood in front of the Xenotome and noticed a dulling light shining from it. She opened the Great book and studied the page it flipped to; The faces of the Chosen Ones stared back at her. Vida's face looked different, somewhat distorted. Udonna frowned as she saw the blurring increase. "What is happening?" She quietly whispered.

"What's that?" Chip asked.

Udonna slammed the book shut.

"It's nothing." Nothing at all.

------

The woods were quiet that evening, and Nick was stomping threw like an Elephant on heat.

"Hey, wait up," Madison urged as she ran to catch up, but he kept on going as if he didn't hear her.

Madison put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, "What is wrong with you?" She asked furiously.

Nick turned around, with what looked like a permanent stamp of frustration on his face as he said, "I would tell you if I actually trusted you. Since I don't…" he snapped at her.

He was annoyed and just turned his back on her and kept walking.

Madison just stood there, absolutely stunned. "You don't trust me?" She yelled out at him, willing him to stop and explain.

"What have I done to make you think that?" She came up to him and her voice sounded more serious than ever.

"I was actually wondering the same thing about you earlier today. But what's the use in even asking. It's not like you're gonna tell me the truth. No, instead you'll just wait for someone else to come along for you talk about me behind my back…" Nick was rambling, and Madison was barely following what he way saying.

"I never said anything behind your back," Madison was beyond confused at this point.

"You see, you're lying. Just forget it Maddi. I don't have time for this." Nick started to turn away again, but Madison caught his shoulder and pushed him back.

"I've never lied to you Nick. Never. If you actually think I'd do something like that…" Madison trailed off, still stunned by this whole conversation.

Nick calmed down a bit and saw the confusion in her eyes. "But LeeLee said you--"

"LeeLee told you what?" Madison demanded.

Nick, looked down trying to remember everything that was said, "She mentioned you not wanting to go to that film with me because you thought I was boring…" Nick explained as he watched Madison's eyes grow bigger with this stunned look on her face.

"And you believed her!" Madison said before he could finish speaking.

Nick just stared at her, "I…" He was at a loss for words.

Madison nodded, and walked away not knowing what to say to him.

"Maddi wait…" Nick said, as he turned to look at her.

She didn't wait.

Flowers are blowing in the wind
and I can see the sun
setting on the hill
it's almost gone and the
hills are greener than I've ever seen
and this feels too real to be
just another dream