Disclaimer: Power Rangers does not belong to me.
Chapter 6: A Few of My Favorite Things
"Hmmm, it definitely sounds like Nick, Chip and Vida are under the spell of Love Potion #9," concluded Udonna inside Rootcore after Xander had begun to disclose some of his friends' oddly amorous adventures of that afternoon.
"What's Love Potion #9?" asked Xander.
"It's a powerful perfume created by a monster named Ms. Chief," described Udonna. "When the perfume is sprayed on a person, they immediately fall head over heals in love with the next person they see."
"That explains a lot," chuckled Xander. "Anyway, Love Potion #9 doesn't sound so serious. It's not like the perfume will do any real damage, besides causing a few people some major embarrassment," he added, picturing Vida's reaction upon hearing she'd almost married Phineas.
"On the contrary," responded Udonna, her voice growing concerned. "There is only a short time to reverse the spell of the perfume before its effects become permanent."
"Oh no!" groaned Xander in horror.
"What's wrong?" asked Udonna, immediately on edge.
"Vida," said Xander. "She's on her way right now to marry Phineas!"
"Vida's getting married!" repeated Claire, entering the room. "Oh, I just love weddings! I'm have to use my magic to make her something real special. Maybe an invisibility cloak made from snail shells and a goat's bladder. Or self-cleaning soap out of a dragon's toenails and a witch's warts. Or…"
Xander was about to cut in that nothing good would come of Claire using magic with witches warts – or her using magic at all – until he shook his head hard, once again having to remind himself that Claire's sorceress abilities were not the point of all this. As much as the idea of Vida married to Phineas forever tickled Xander pink, the green Mystic Force ranger knew he had to do everything in his power to break to love spell she was under. After all, he knew Vida had always done the same for him whenever he was in trouble.
"Udonna," began Xander. "How can the effects of Love Potion #9 be reversed?"
"The only way to break the perfume's spell is to present the bewitched with the thing they truly love most in this world," explained Udonna.
"Got it," confirmed Xander, knowing instantly what to do. "Don't worry, Udonna. No harm will come to the other rangers. I promise."
"But wait!" wailed Claire, seeing Xander run out of Rootcore. "I wanted to give you my wedding gift to take to Vida," she complained as she held a humungous, dragon toenail clipper in her hand.
But Xander had already exited, carrying Vida's backpack with him. He thanked his lucky stars he knew his way to Phineas's dwelling by heart. Reaching for his Mystic Morpher cell phone, Xander next dialed the only friend he knew who was in love under purely natural causes.
"Hello?" answered Madison, who sounded to Xander like she'd been crying.
"Hey Maddie, it's me," said Xander. "Look, Nick and Chip are under the spell of one of Morticon's monsters."
"Oh thank goodness," responded Madison with obvious relief in her voice, to which Xander didn't need any explanation why.
"Glad to know you're so happy your friends are in trouble," said Xander teasingly.
"I didn't, I mean, I don't…" stuttered Madison, not sure how to express how glad she was Nick actually wasn't in love with Leelee.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," continued Xander. "But we've got more problems. Vida is under the spell too, and she's about to get married. To Phineas!"
"You're joking!" replied Madison, bursting into loud laughter before realizing the current situation. "Ohmygosh wait, you're not joking. What do we need to do, Xander?"
The green Mystic Force ranger proceeded to divulge all the information Udonna had told him about Love Potion #9 and how to reverse the perfume's love-casting powers.
"I'm in the woods already, so I'll go after Vida," said Xander when he finished his explanations.
"Maybe I should go after Vida," objected Madison. "After all, she's my sister. I think I would know what she truly loves."
"We don't have time," countered Xander. "We have to present our friends with the things they love most in the world soon, or the effects of Love Potion #9 will become permanent. You're in the Surface World right now, so you go get to Nick and Chip the thing they each truly love. Think you can handle it, Maddie?"
"Don't worry," reassured Madison. "I can take care of myself. And of rescuing Nick and Chip. But Xander, do you know where to find what Vida truly cherishes above all else? I mean, how well do you really know my sister?"
"Maddie, you and Vida are both my best friends, and…" Xander paused, swallowing his pride. "And you two mean more to me than any other girls I've ever met."
"Xander…" replied Madison, truly touched.
"I promise I won't let you or Vida down," swore Xander.
"And I'll return Nick and Chip to normal, don't you worry," said Madison, confirming her end of their plan. "Call me when you've got Vida back safe and sound. Then, all five of us together can go after Ms. Chief."
"Got it," concurred Xander. "Oh, and Maddie?"
"Yeah?" responded his friend.
"I'm…" Xander hesitated, searching for the right words as apologies were not his specialty.
"You're…" urged Madison.
"I'm sorry," pushed out Xander. "I know you were upset earlier in Rock Porium when you saw Nick acting so in love with Leelee. You really needed someone to talk to, and I just ran out. I apologize for only thinking about what I was interested in at the time. I should have been a better friend to you."
"Apology accepted," replied Madison, who was always eager to forgive. "Now, let's just forget about it, and get our friends back."
"Vida and I will talk to you soon," said Xander, finishing their conversation on an optimistic tone.
Xander knew it wasn't a matter of how he would save Vida. For whether Madison believed him or not, Xander really did know Vida well enough to realize what she truly loved more than anything in the world. Xander prayed though that he still had enough time to get it to her before she walked down the aisle… with Phineas.
Next Chapter (7): Stop the Wedding!
A/N: Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews, y'all! The support really means so much to me.
Maddick shippers, hold on a little longer. The chapters focusing on that pair are coming up VERY soon, and I promise some very romantic moments!