********************* Rita's chambers***************************
"Here it is my queen."
"Finster! What took you so long? Give that to me!" Rita took the dark bluish black bottle from Finster and pulled off the cork. She turned it over and watch a liquid of the same color, drip into the fog on her floor. The cooling blue mist covered and changed the white fog. Now she could only hope Zedd wouldn't notice.
"I also brought another potion my Empress. This one to temporarily enhance your already supreme radiance and charms."
Rita quirked her lips, at least Finster had been polite about calling her unattractive, as she took the golden perfume bottle and sprayed it all over herself. "Thank you Finster. Excellent work as always."
"I live to serve you my empress."
The door to her outer chambers opened with a bang and she could see Zedd red glow heading towards her throne. "Out the back Finster. Quickly." Rita commanded.
Finster hurried to a passageway in the wall, only to bump into Baboo and Squatt already hiding there. "What are you do doing?"
"Shuuuush! They'll hear us!" Baboo warned.
"You want to know just as much as we do what's gonna happen." Squatt added in a whisper.
Finster sighed. He was not usually one for spying but perhaps this one time. It would be alright to make an exception.
***************************Billy, Kim, Adam and Justin's room****************
For a moment, no one moved. One breath, a single heart beat past, then something loud clattered to the floor as Billy leapt over the bed, grabbing Adam and sending them both to the stone floor. "Get off her! Get the HELL away from her!" The punch was thrown before Billy realized it. Adam was only able to block half of the blow that hit his face.
"Billy! Stop it! Let him go!" Kimberly shouted, pulling at the blue rangers shoulders. "He didn't do anything wrong!"
Billy seemed unable to hear Kimberly as he grappled with a struggling Adam. "I didn't hurt her!" Adam tried to gasp out. Billy was deceptively strong! Billy was still throwing punches, seemingly trying to crack Adam's skull on the floor.
"Don't you ever fucking touch her! Kimberly is MINE!"
Justin was held back by Bulk and Skull from intervening as he called pitifully from the bed. "Adam! Billy don't! Please!"
Kimberly's kick connected with Billy's head. It didn't take Billy down, but it dazed him enough for Adam to struggle out from Billy's grip and put some space between them.
Billy blinked, rubbing at his head. When he focused again, Kimberly was between him and Adam in a defensive stance. Her eyes were hard, ready for battle, but held such a sadness. For a moment those sad eyes brought him back to his senses. "Kim?"
"Billy, what's gotten into you?" Kimberly asked but still not dropping her stance. Billy was so much taller and stronger than she was but she would protect Adam and the others as best she could for as long as she could.
She watched in distress as the confusion and gentleness on Billy's face melted away a moment later. Replaced by his own battle ready hardness. "What's gotten into me? What about you Kimberly! These are strangers. None of them are our friends and let you let them be so familiar with you? Let them touch you?"
"Billy stop it! First off, they are my friends, just like you are and secondly there was a spell. Zedd was here and..." Kimberly tried to explain what had happened.
Billy interrupted, "Oh so I see how it is. Lord Zedd I can understand submitting to but this... You're just a whore Kimberly. Nothing but a common prostitute."
Kimberly's stance dropped as she began to sob. Billy's words stung at her deeply. When she was in middle school her mother accused her of the same thing... when it turned out her mothers fiance number 2, had more interest in Kimberly than in her mom.
It had been Billy who kept her safe, made sure she always had a safe space to sleep next door or shower. It was Billy who had hack his phone and had him arrested before that man could ever act on his desires.
Adam felt his blood boil. "It's not like that! We didn't...I would never..."
"Shut up slave. I'm going to get back to work on Seperntera. You know, like, how I've been sacrificing for you Kimberly?" He mocked her, how she talked when deeply upset. "But... " He stalked closer to her. "You are mine Kimberly. Don't you ever forget it." He whispered darkly at her. "Mine!"
Billy turned, stomped out of the room and slammed the door.
Kimberly sank to the floor and cried.
***********************Rita's chambers**********************
Rita put on a smile as her husband approached. "Zeddie darling!"
"Don't you darling me! What' the meaning of this?" He held a folded sheet of paper in his hand.
"What is it?" Rita asked coyly. Though she knew full well what it was.
"Don't play dumb my queen. Its your formal declaration of divorce." Zedd hissed.
Rita grabbed the sheet from him and read it, pretending it was her first time seeing this. "Why Zedd, don't tell me you've fallen for a childish prank? This is a joke from my little brother Rito. He's such a brat sometimes. He likes stirring up trouble."
Zedd growled, flashed red but then eased back into cooler tones. "I don't believe you."
Rita turned with a flurry of her dress putting a few steps between them before turning back. "If I wanted a divorce. I would have told you myself Zedd. Not made up some grand lie. If you don't believe me. Contact Dark Spector. Though if it were me, I wouldn't want the master of evil knowing I fell for a childish prank."
Zedd took a moment to think. There was no way Rita would be telling him to contact Dark Spector unless she knew it would make a fool of him. Though this could be a buff but... it did not seem like one at the moment. There marriage had always been rough and without the power rangers to focus on it was downright fraying.
"Now Zeddie if that's settled I have news."
"What news?" he asked.
Rita grinned devilishly "News of the power rangers."
*************************Hallways of the castle************************
"Get out of my way!" Billy screamed, sending putties fleeing left and right. Those who were too slow Billy would punch or kick. It never even registered to him they were crumbling to dust from his fury.
He felt strong, and burning with fire. So when Goldar turned the corner, he didn't even flinch."Tell Lord Zedd I want t speak with him."
"Worm! Who are you to order me? I...Ack!" Billy's kick stopped Goldar from talking, wind going out of the monster.
"I'm in no mood to argue. Tell Zedd I want to speak with him."
Goldar opened his mouth to fight back, to pull his sword and threaten but something stopped him. Humans always had an energy about them. Unique and special to each one but something about Billy's energy wasn't right.
Goldar dropped his head to hide his smirk, he had seen that look before, on Tommy when Rita controlled him. "Right away Billy." He said before hurrying off.
Goldar had called him by his name. Billy knew for some reason that should mean something but...
He just couldn't think right now.
**********************Zedd throne room*******************
Zedd sat upon his throne. Billy had asked to see him. Using his gaze of sight, Lord Zedd could see the human seemed quite upset, angry even. The putties who always awaited outside the door, told of the screaming argument Billy and Kimberly had. Zedd knew the moment of change was coming.
And it was about time. Human hearts, take far too long to corrupt, naturally. No wonder Rita always relied so much on spells and magic.
A black velvet box rested on the arm of the throne. It seemed to pulse and whine. "Soon, very soon now." Zedd assured, petting the box, settling down whatever was inside of it.
There was a knock on the door, and with a wave of his staff, the doors opened and in walked Billy. Not afraid or meek, no this Billy was a force to be reckoned with.
"You requested an audience Billy?" Zedd said, taking in the once good ranger, who bowed before him.
"My lord. I have worked hard on Serpentera, I have kept my word, I have obeyed your commands. I need..." Billy trailed off. Why as he here? What had he wanted?
Lord Zedd could hardly contain his excitement, but in a calm voice he pushed the human. "You need?"
Eyes that were once bright and blue as the summer sky, now were as cold as the winter seas. Billy answered his lord.
"I need power."
Zedd had a smile in his voice. "Then behold Billy. The power of darkness!" Zedd opened the box and a dark wind, thick like smog, wrapped around Billy. He had no time to react or think. A moment later he was morphed. No longer in blue and white but blue and black. The power coin no longer gold but as dark as midnight in the deepest mountain.
"Tommy is coming. He's coming to destroy me. He's going to take your precious Kimberly away. What will you do, My Nightmare Ranger?"
Billy's hands flexed into fists. "I will kill Tommy Oliver..."
"Then go and prepare."
***************************Billy, Kim, Adam and Justin's room****************
Adam reached down for Kimberly. "Kim?" But she pushed to her feet, ignoring her friends calling her name she rushed to the tiny balcony past her swing. She screamed to the stars, tears rushing down her cheeks. "Tommy! Please! Help Us! Tommy! Tommy!" She screamed and shouted until she collapsed sobbing hysterically, curling into a ball.