Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. They belong to the current copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of fan work.
Author's Note: The character Mistress Repugna has been a part of my series for some time now. I have long had her enter as the mother of Rita Repulsa and the estranged wife of Master Vile. In this story, I have changed her character a bit based on the comic book series by Boom Studios. I found parts of Rita's backstory surrounding her mother intrigued me and the character of Reaghoul from Dino Fury was a suitable means to create a villain I can almost feel sorry for. The final inspiration for this however comes from the most recent issues of Boom Studios' comic and the introduction of Mistress Vile, which is the look I have gone for in Monastra Repugna's initial appearance. The opera glasses she uses to see long distances are taken from Rita's appearance as Mystic Mother.
On a final note, I have held for some time that Rita's role as Mystic Mother is hereditary. The woman that gave birth to Rita Repulsa was the Mystic Mother of this reality. As for Junior... his fate will eventually be discovered, but not in this story.
Gamma Vile
Long Ago.
The rise of Master Vile had been a hot topic of conversation for some time. How the villain had emerged from nowhere and managed to crush the protectors of the M-51 Galaxy had been a mystery, but with the fall of Gamma Vile, his hold over one of the most magical territories in the cosmos had been secured. It had drawn the attention of enemies, competitors, and potential allies. Many had thrown themselves at the feet of the now highly regarded villain as they offered their services in return for some reward.
However, despite the countless warriors that had thrown themselves at his feet, promising that their prowess in battle could only enhance his new empire, Master Vile had been unimpressed and refused to grant them a position at his side. So many would have been surprised when he had sent out a summons, requesting the presence of an unusual mercenary, one whose skill set was rarely needed by those of the evil persuasion.
When he had heard the offer, Reaghoul had decided that he did not need any reward Master Vile could offer. As a powerful magic user himself, there was very little Reaghoul could not accomplish given time and power. He had known immediately that there was little chance that Master Vile would be willing to pay the fee for his services.
Still, Master Vile had been persistent in his requests and had turned away several powerful warlocks, insisting that his task required an expert in a field where Reaghoul excelled. That had been enough to finally persuade Reaghoul to visit Gamma Vile, even if just to satisfy his curiosity about what task he could perform that Master Vile could not.
"You wished to see me?" he asked upon appearing inside the throne room, much to the consternation of Master Vile's attendants. It was not acceptable behaviour for hired help to show themselves in without an appointment.
If he was insulted by the lack of courtesy, Master Vile chose to hide it. Instead, he concentrated on the matter at hand.
"Yes, I have need of your talents," the villain explained. "Your assistance with a - family - would find you well rewarded."
Reaghoul had to admit he was intrigued. He had been expecting to take part in some scheme or other, but this was an invitation to take play a part in Master Vile's personal life. He found himself wondering just what task would cause the villain to seek him out.
"If this is about your son..."
He had heard about the failed ritual that had taken the life of Master Vile's eldest child. It had been a botched attempt to gain the power to prove his worth that had seen the young fool incinerated by the dark powers he had conjured. He had been fortunate not to die as a result, but he would never be accepted as the heir of the M-51 Galaxy, a role that would now fall to Vile's daughter: Rita.
"Junior is not the reason I called you," Master Vile assured him. "Despite his blunder, he will recover. And when he does, I will set him to work elsewhere."
It was a role that would earn Junior a reputation that would one day restore his standing in the court of Gamma Vile's elite. Not to mention it would get him away from the M-51 Galaxy and prevent him from causing problems with Vile's schemes.
"I summoned you to help me with another problem, one that has troubled me for some time," Master Vile confided as the senior courtiers ushered those, they did not feel deserved such an insight into their lord, out of the throne room. "As you know, Junior's mother died during his creation and so I took a new wife, Rita's mother. Recently we have been having issues and she made some unfortunate choices. Now I find myself regretting my decision to sentence her and wish for your assistance to correct the damage. Behold!"
He waved his hand at the space next to his throne, causing a large wooden box to emerge. It did not take a genius to realise that this was a coffin. With another wave, the lid flew open, offering a peak at the content.
"If my offer was of any interest to you, step forward and see the task for yourself. If you are not interested, then leave and I will find somebody else."
A part of Reaghoul warned him that this was a bad idea. Deep inside he understood that whatever Master Vile desired would push the limits of dark magic. And yet a part of him could not resist the urge to look and see. And so he stepped forward and peered inside. And when he did so, he gasped in shock.
"Is this real?" he asked, not daring to believe what Master Vile was asking. "I heard that there was nothing left, not even a hair after you..."
"A moment of weakness on my part meant that I could not simply allow it to be destroyed," Master Vile assured him. "I have come to realise it was a lapse on my part to ever consider disposing of it. It belongs to me, and I will not allow it to escape me, whether by death or any other means." He looked up. "Can you, do it?"
"If you are asking me whether I can bring life to the contents of this box... then yes, of course, I can. I am a necromancer after all."
And any necromancer with more than a few decades of experience could achieve such a simple task.
"But can you bring all of your skills to bear?" Master Vile pressed. "I want you to use all of your powers to revive it as it should have been, untainted by its previous weakness and without losing anything in the process."
That was the difficulty. Reanimating the dead was a dirty business and often only resulted in zombified corpses running amok. Reaghoul was more refined, his skills allowing him to reclaim more than just the body; with the correct preparation, he could reunite the body mind and soul of the dearly departed, creating something close to the original. However, he knew now that Master Vile sought something different, something more twisted than Reaghoul's usual service.
"To revive the body, reunite it with the mind and purge the soul is a delicate process," he finally declared. "It will be... expensive."
"I can pay whatever you desire," Master Vile promised, sitting back on his throne, his eyes locked upon the coffin and its occupant. "I will grant you whatever you demand. Just be sure that you are thorough."
Reaghoul nodded, taking his time to examine the corpse, mentally assessing the level of decay and the breakdown of magical channels that had occurred despite Master Vile's preservation attempts.
"I will need time and ingredients, at your expense," he finally announced. "I will also need a place to work and some donors."
"The people of Gamma Vile are at your disposal," Master Vile proclaimed.
Reaghoul shook his head. "I require a - less polluted source," he explained. "Find them for me and I will be able to begin. Seven should be sufficient."
Master Vile nodded and glanced at his chief of staff. The underling bowed and scurried away to make the arrangements. Within an hour, messages would have been sent to bounty hunters across the neighbouring galaxies, promising a substantial reward for those that could secure the needed specimens. Master Vile suspected that by the end of the week he would have had enough responses to allow Reaghoul to conduct his task. It would certainly allow the necromancer to be as meticulous as he wished.
"I will have chambers prepared for you," Master Vile promised. "I will summon you when your ingredients arrive."
Reaghoul bowed, showing the respect he had gained during their meeting. There was no doubt in his mind that Master Vile was one of the most twisted, ambitious, and evil beings he had ever met. He just hoped he would be successful in the task the Ruler of the M-51 Galaxy had set him because he feared what would happen should he fail.
The Moon,
Present Day
Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd were having another one of the hearty marital debates that had proven increasingly popular during their wicked union. More violent too as the twisted duo pointed their wands at each other, preparing to cast the next particularly nasty curse in their spouse's direction. When just as Goldar had dutifully attracted the ire of both participants with an unneeded comment about Rita, the palace shook violently.
"What is that?" Zedd demanded.
"Somebody just landed on the far side of the palace," Finster told him.
"It had better not be Gasket trying to take revenge for his parents," Zedd grumbled.
"If it is we'll just point him in the Rangers' direction, let them destroy him and then pick them off while they're exhausted," Rita cackled. "What are you standing there for, monkey boy? Go and see who it is."
"Yes, my queen," Goldar replied as he slunk out of the throne room, eager to escape his angry superiors.
"If we're lucky whoever it is will take one look at Goldar and run," Rita remarked, although her laughter ceased abruptly as Goldar flew back into the room and crashed to the floor.
"The next time you threaten me I will turn you into a wall ornament," a voice echoed from the corridor outside as Goldar groaned.
"Who dares..." Zedd started to demand. His words were cut short as a sudden burst of flame blinded him and a sickly pleasant smell spread around the room. Thick smoke pooled around the newcomer, lifting like curtains to reveal their uninvited guest. "Who are you?"
Before him stood a tall black-haired woman. Her long braids trailed behind her like a cloak, parting in places to reveal the odd patch of emerald to show through. In places the illusion had failed to hold during her journey, allowing a few grey locks to stand out. Her gaze was cold as she looked around, taking in the various henchmen, Goldar and finally Rita and Zedd. She did not seem impressed.
"I heard you were still wasting your time with that wretched planet," she remarked after a while as she found her way to the balcony and stared down at the Earth. "I had hoped that some time away and a little perspective would have broadened your horizons, Rita, but you are as stubborn as ever. A trait you clearly inherited from your father."
"Well, I didn't get it from you!" Rita snapped. "You disgusting..."
The woman turned and lazily pointed toward Rita. Rita let out a short yelp as she was thrown back into the throne behind her.
"Don't make me wash your mouth out with something unpleasant. Whether or not you choose to acknowledge it, your father has made it clear that I am to be respected. You would do well to remember who you are talking to."
"And just who is she talking to?" Zedd demanded. "Rita, who is this woman and why should I not just stick her in a dumpster and throw her into space."
"Because if you so much as think about it, I will prove that there things more painful than that little forcefield you so stupidly allowed to flay you," she snarled.
"Zeddy," Rita squeaked, noting that while Goldar remained moaning on the floor, the rest of her underlings had had the sense to bow down. "This is Monastra Repugna, the Queen of the M-51 Galaxy and Master Vile's wife."
"She's your mother?" Zedd asked, confused. As far as he was aware, Rita's mother had been executed for treason when she was just a baby. It had been a big scandal at the time when she had run off and joined the opposition.
Rita made a noise that clearly showed what she thought of that idea. "She's not..." A look at Mistress Repugna had her change her mind. "She's my stepmother. My father decided to marry her after my mother's death." It was obvious that Rita had never approved of the match.
"Still deluding yourself after all this time are you, Rita?" Monastra asked. "No matter, you know the truth in your heart, black as it is. Now, come and kiss your mother."
"You are not my mother!" Rita snarled.
The woman shrugged in response as she went back to studying the Earth. "Master Vile would disagree. Or do you really want him to explain it to you, again?"
"Great, just what we need: more of your ridiculous family come to leach off us," Zedd snarled. "As if your brother was not bad enough. At least your father had the decency to make it a short visit."
"Master Vile was here and I missed him?" Mistress Repugna asked. "How intriguing; he never seems to venture so far from Gamma Vile. What could have drawn him here? Such a shame I missed; I so desperately wanted to show him some of the magic I've been learning."
"If you are his wife, why didn't I meet you when we were staying with him?" Zedd demanded.
"Ha! Because Daddy grew tired of her and decided to banish her from Gamma Vile!" Rita crowed. "She's not allowed back in the M-51 Galaxy." Her rant paused as she considered the implications of that statement. "You're not under his protection anymore. He will probably divorce you when he hears that you turned up here.
"Divorce? You think your father would ever allow me to get away from him... again?" Repugna asked. "Oh, Rita, how little you understand your father and his 'loving ways'. He would never grant me the freedom of divorce. We are bound together until the day we die... and even then, there's no guarantee that our bond would break."
"I would be happy to test that theory," Zedd threatened. He really did not like this woman.
The green energy that crackled around her and the feeling of raw power stopped him from saying more.
"I would welcome the challenge, Lord Zedd. Although I doubt that you could provide it. And before you reply, know that I am Monastra Repugna, Mistress of the Dark Cosmos and sworn enemy of all that is good," Monastra announced proudly. Her cold eyes fixed on Zedd's staff, which he now lowered. "And despite my daughter wishing it were otherwise, there is no possibility that Master Vile would allow anybody to harm me. Except himself, of course. Now, stand down so I can at least get the chance to meet the man who married my beloved daughter." She regarded him coolly. "I doubt her father approved; he prefers suitors that can at least keep their skin."
She turned her attention to her daughter.
"I wouldn't delude myself if I were you, dear. Your father and I decided that a little space would be good for us, nothing more. Master Vile is an extraordinarily evil creature, but even he could only entertain me for so long. And after a few aeons, domination of the M-51 Galaxy can be so dull; there are only so many rebellions you can crush before it gets monotonous. But don't mistake my absence being anything more than a temporary thing. There is no possibility that it will become permanent. We still speak, it's not like your father wants me dead; he learned the hard way that he can't live without me." As she spoke, the emerald energy turned black between her fingertips. "One day I hope I shall be able to show your father just how deeply I feel about him and all he's done to - for me. He is not the same man I called husband anymore and I am not the woman he declared unfit to be his wife. We've both had our little... changes since those days."
There was a fondness in her voice, but her eyes were cold.
"You on the other hand have not changed one bit, my girl. You are just as disrespectful as an adult as you were as a child. And your dress sense is an embarrassment to witches everywhere. The least you could have done was to restyle your hair."
"Enough!" Zedd boomed. "I don't care about your marital woes or my wife's appearance. What are you doing here in my palace?"
"Oh, I'm just passing through," Monastra responded. "I'm planning on starting my own little empire in the far corner of this little galaxy. You needed worry though; I'll allow you to keep this planet... if you can ever conquer it that is. I was just on my way to inspect my new fortress when I heard about your little victory over the Machine Empire and wanted to meet the man that had stolen my daughter's heart." She studied him before raising an eyebrow at her daughter. "Hm, seems that it was likely the other way around. Be careful Zedd: if she is like her father, you might find that heart turned into potion ingredients without a second thought."
Zedd growled, but she ignored him, choosing to let him have his anger for the time being.
"Anyway, there I was on my way to my new fortress when I heard from a friend about your victory. And then I found out that my daughter had gotten married and nobody had mentioned it to me. I was a little miffed at Master Vile about that. So, since I wasn't invited to the ceremony, I thought I'd drop in and deliver my wedding gift personally. And once that is done, I will be leaving... after I've had a chance to catch up with... "
Zedd snorted, earning him a disapproving look. He seriously disliked this woman who had invaded his home without an invitation. He could not stand the idea of relatives turning up and refusing to leave.
For her part, Mistress Repugna ignored him. He was unimportant as far as she was concerned. If the spells she had sensed on him were an indication, then he was little more than another of Rita's little underlings with the honour of sharing Rita's bed.
"So, Rita, what have you been up to for the past ten millennia that stopped you from at least writing?"
"She got defeated by Zordon and thrown into prison," Goldar blurted out, earning a sharp look from Mistress Repugna and a look of absolute hatred from Rita. He shied away from the first and returned the second with a disgusted sneer of his own. "Still not learnt to instil discipline in your followers Rita?"
"Quiet monkey brains," Rita ordered, ignoring her mother's jab. "I might have been imprisoned, but I did trap Zordon in a time warp."
"Oh yes, I heard something about that," Monastra said with a touch of emotion showing. "I remember now: your little war with Zordon ended with your forces surrendering and you somehow managing to strike back at poor old Zordon when he wasn't expecting it. I was distracted at the time, but that was very well done. I knew your father was happy about something."
She waved her hand and an image of Zordon as he had looked before the end of the war appeared before her.
"Such a noble and caring man. Handsome too if I recall. He had that aura about him that made you want to follow him. Such a lovely person; the sort of man you just want to throttle for the sake of it. And what you did to him was wicked beyond words. You didn't even grant him the mercy of death... I'm so proud."
She took a moment to compose herself at the thought of Zordon's fate and to enjoy the look of surprise on Rita's face. Her daughter was not used to hearing compliments from her parents and it clearly confused her. This was why Mistress Repugna resolved to praise her more often just to see that discomfort.
"And now you are stuck here on this rock attacking some backward planet, why?"
"Zordon is there," Rita answered. "He set up a Command Center on the planet."
"Besides, Earth is not an easy planet to conquer," Zedd interjected. He was keen to save face. "Just ask your husband - if he will allow you close enough. They have Power Rangers."
"Power Rangers, is that all? There are plenty of other worlds out there with teams of Rangers, powered or otherwise. And most of them are not worth conquering." Monastra answered. "I imagine the only reason Earth has them is because Zordon is here. He did always love his little Power Coins. Still, that is no excuse for incompetence. If you cannot manage things, step aside and someone else can deal with it."
"You arrive here - in my palace - telling me how to deal with those Rangers?" Zedd was furious. "Putties, remove her!"
"Putties, you still use clay for monsters?" There was amusement in her voice as she asked. "Oh my, you went all out to create your own forces Zedd," she added sarcastically as she took in his poorly modified Z-Putties. "Please, tell me these are not your normal foot soldiers."
"Of course, they're not!" Zedd snapped. This woman knew she was annoying him and seemed to enjoy making him twitch angrily.
Still, he was not angry enough to stop his Z-Putties from advancing on the wretched woman. Against Rangers they were useless, something Zedd had come to expect. However, against a witch like Monastra, a woman not used to the trials of regular combat, he expected them to prove useful. They advanced on her while she watched with interest. Only when they pounced, did she act, turning to look at Rita.
"Didn't you teach your husband that these Putties are little more than golems?" she asked.
"I know that" Zedd snorted as the first Z-Putty made contact with her arm.
"Then you should have foreseen this outcome," she told him.
The first putty solidified as it touched her, the shell breaking down rapidly as it crumbled into dust. A second stepped towards her only to start bubbling rapidly as she forced it to boil.
"To the unskilled general, like my beloved daughter, these Putties are a useful resource. Loyal, numerous and expendable. Anybody can create a Putty Patroller given the right tools; Monster-Matic, or energy from a staff; it is the same thing in the end. Both methods make equally inferior Putties."
She reached down and scooped some of the molten clay that had been the second Super Putty. She closed her fist, squashing the clay into a deformed ball.
"Now a real witch who knows what she is doing can accomplish so much more. Rita learnt how to make Putties from her father, but he only learnt the skills in passing. Her brother lacked the skills to learn the arts of golem-making altogether. I, however, learnt from the best: my grandmother. Rita can use clay to make Putty Patrollers and perhaps the odd monster. I can make it do anything I desire. Watch!"
The rough ball bubbled into a perfect sphere, which came to life in her palm. It rolled to the ground and started to spin like a top. Suddenly, it jumped into the air and formed a giant blade, which severed one of the heads from the closest Z-Putties. When it landed, it leapt again, although this time it nearly split in two. Two smaller balls formed with blades of their own, joined by a very fine fibre of material connecting the two. Two more Putties were cut in half by the smaller spheres, and then the balls spun around each other, hitting some more. After reforming quickly, the ball then threw a projectile about the size of a golf ball, at incredible speeds at the dense group of the Z-Putties, striking the "z" spot with ease. Several were destroyed in this way as the projectile ricocheted around, and Monastra seemed to smile ever more gleefully as the sphere mercilessly slaughtered the few remaining foot soldiers.
As she turned her hand, the ball reformed back into a perfect sphere and calmly rolled back to her waiting palm. Around her, she could sense Rita and Zedd's unease at the power she had displayed. Although it took all her willpower not to show the effect such a display of power had on her. This form of magic was draining when she didn't use her wand. Creating and sustaining golems was even more exhausting, which was why most would use machines to infuse them with magic. Still, if it had made Zedd aware that she was not to be fooled with, then the exertion was worth it.
Rita looked over the crumbled remains of the Z-Putties wondering why she had never learnt to use her skills to this level. With that sort of power, her battles against Zordon would have turned out differently.
"Hey Mom!" a cheerful voice called as Rito entered the chamber.
"Rito dear," Monastra greeted as a genuine smile appeared on her face. "Come and let me have a good luck at you. Are you eating properly? You're practically skin and bones."
"Without the skin," Goldar muttered.
"And Scorpina! If I had known you were here, I would have visited before."
Mistress Repugna had always had a soft spot for Scorpina. In fact of all her daughter's so-called servants, Scorpina was the only one she would attempt to start a conversation with. Scorpina was a fine warrior and although never trained in magic, a skill Monastra believed could have benefited the female Edenite, she was underhanded, deceptive, cruel... all the things a good warrior should be.
"I admit that with you on her side, I am surprised Rita has taken so long to conquer this little world." She emphasised the word little, not believing that Earth was a worthy target. After all, its population was primitive and weak. As slave labour, they would be useless. As far as materials went there was very little of value to be found on Earth, at least for a powerful witch like herself.
"She has been as useless as the rest of these fools," Zedd complained.
"And how often has she been allowed to prove herself without you interfering?"
"Once," Goldar answered. "Lord Zedd allowed her the honour of destroying a Ranger and she failed, just like Rita did."
"And how many opportunities have you been given Goldar?" Rita asked, displeased by the titan's continued interruptions.
"If... if you please Mistress Repugna," Finster managed. "We have all been unlucky. The Rangers of this planet do not possess the experience of some teams, but with Zordon's guidance they have managed to take advantage of our monsters' weaknesses."
"Ah yes, Finster," Monastra drawled. "Ever the practical one. How are your monsters, my old friend?"
"Not good my lady," Finster answered honestly. "The Power Rangers have an extraordinary amount of success against my creations."
"I see. Well, that is to be expected. You are an artist Finster, a creator of beautifully monstrous beings, a true practitioner of chaos. As a monster maker, you far surpass my skills. But you were not born a conqueror. Your monsters like you lack the desire to triumph, not the skill." She gave him a warm smile, which from her still made those watching shiver before turning to the next couple of misfits. "And Squatt and Baboo... still here I see."
"Hey, great to see you," Squatt greeted while Baboo just looked nervous.
Monastra sighed. "Just the same as the last time I saw you... I had hoped there would be some hint of why my daughter chose to allow you to serve her. But I suppose even the best villains have to endure incompetence to achieve greatness. In your case Rita, it would seem that exposure to failure has stripped you of whatever reputation you earned before your imprisonment. Since your release you've become a joke." She looked at Zedd. "And it's only gotten worse since your marriage."
"If you think you can do a better job defeating them, be my guest," Zedd snapped and immediately regretted his words. He disliked this woman and wanted her gone as quickly as possible. Now because of his big mouth, he had practically invited her to move in.
"Tempting offer, Zedd," she said quietly, flashing him a brilliant smile. "I'll give it some thought. I have better things to do than sort out my daughter's mess and I'm sure the two of you can work something out if you put your heads together... or perhaps not given your record."
Once again Zedd reminded himself that he did not want to bait the woman into staying. She had certainly set a new record with him. Usually, Zedd didn't make up his mind about how much he hated somebody until he got to know them. But Rita's mother had made enough of an impression in the short time they had spent in each other's company that Zedd knew that he thoroughly loathed the old witch.
"I suppose I had better see what all this fuss is about," Mistress Repugna decided, summoning a pair of opera glasses. She held the glasses up to her eyes and looked toward the Earth. "Show me the Rangers the guard this planet!"
Angel Grove
The plane soared high above the skies of Angel Grove. On the ground below, citizens of the city awaited the arrival of the Angel Grove High School skydiving team. The benefit Jump-a-Thon was being held to preserve the Angel Grove Observatory. It was a success, as the whole city had turned out for the event.
Inside the plane, Rocky DeSantos whooped loudly. "I can't wait!" he yelled. "This is going to be awesome."
"Easy, Rocky! We know," agreed Katherine Hilliard, Kat to her friends. "It's a new experience."
Tanya Sloan looked out the window. "Forty-five seconds till the drop zone. Are you guys ready?"
The others nodded and continued to make their final checks. For some this type of thing would have been too daunting but compared to some of the things these youths had done it was easy. They were the Zeo Rangers: sworn defenders of the planet Earth and currently enjoying themselves, taking advantage of the warm weather.
Tanya gestured toward the door of the plane. "Well, lead on, flyboys!" she said to her male teammates.
Rocky shot her a mock glare and pulled open the door. He looked out into the open air and began to feel his resolution shrinking. "Ladies first," he smiled.
"Why thank you, kind sir," Tanya replied. Then as she jumped through the open door she yelled: "Let's do it!" she yelled, jumping out of the plane.
"On your tail!" Adam Park jumped out the door.
"Banzai!" Rocky cried as he jumped out.
"Come on, Tommy," Katherine said. She flashed him a quick thumbs-up. "See you down there!" She dived out of the plane as if she were at a swimming competition.
Tommy looked down at his friends and for a moment felt at home. Here in the air, he could imagine himself as the protector of the whole city and in a way, he was. In his career as a Ranger Tommy had been fortunate to pilot the Falcon Zord, Phoenix Zord and the Red Super Zeo Zord, all of which came with excellent flight capability.
~Time to show them my stuff,~ he thought as he grabbed his board. Then he paused, frowning. It seemed as though he had played this role before, he just couldn't remember where. He shrugged and threw himself out the door. He'd worry about it later.
Tommy and the others were spinning and flipping before manoeuvring into their positions, forming a circle. They had been practising since they had learnt about the jump, substituting their Karate classes to practice. But despite all the practices, this was the first time they had had a chance to try it for real. They held together long enough to move into position and listened to Adam as he counted down to their next move.
"Break!" ordered Tommy.
The five teens released their hands as they broke through the clouds. They pulled their ripcords, and five parachutes burst into the sky, blue, red, green, pink and yellow against the blue sky. They circled in the air a few times and played a quick game of follow-the-leader before they were back on their mark. Then they aimed for the red target bull's-eye below and heard the announcer's voice as they came lower.
"Here comes our first arrival: Rocky DeSantos from Angel Grove High. Will he make it?"
Rocky made a few brief adjustments to his course and touched down perfectly. "Woohoo!" he exclaimed. The high he felt wasn't quite the same as morphing, but it had his adrenaline pumping.
"Adam Park, coming in now." Adam managed to hook one foot inside the target as he landed. "Another perfect landing! They're two for two! Can they make it three for three?"
Katherine waited for Adam to land before altering her approach. As the announcer spoke, she raised her legs, "Here's Katherine Hilliard," and dropped onto the centre. "Yes, they can, a third perfect landing from the Angel Grove High team! Nice landing!"
"Thanks," Kat giggled.
"Tanya Sloan is next. They're four for four now!"
Tanya cleared out of the way quickly to give Tommy room. She exchanged high-fives with Adam and Rocky as the red-clad parachutist approached.
"They're really hot today!" the announcer said.
"Yeah!" Tanya agreed.
"Now, it's Tommy Oliver coming in. Hmm, it looks a bit wide but..." Tommy deliberately set down early and relied on momentum to carry him and his board over the line. As he did so the announcer said: "He nails it! Incredible, they are five for five! Amazing, the Angel Grove Observatory will be grateful to its skilled high-schoolers today."
"Way to go, team!" Rocky exclaimed as the five jumpers celebrated.
"Hey guys," Richie said as he approached. "Great work."
The original plan had been for several of the Rangers' friends to join them in the air, but the Rangers had been so busy with other concerns they had been unable to make the arrangements. Still, Richie's absence from the jump didn't stop him and some of Angel Grove's younger students from giving their friends a warm reception when they landed.
"Yeah, you guys were fantastic," a young girl named Tasha giggled, hugging Tanya and Adam.
"You can join us next time," Kat whispered as if reading her mind and making the young girl smile excitedly.
After accepting congratulations from a number of Angel Grove's citizens, as well as the Jump-a-Thon's coordinator, Rocky, Katherine, Adam, Tanya and Tommy decided to call it a day.
"Hey, Ernie's is serving a free dessert with lunch," Adam said, deciding to change the subject.
"LET'S GO!" Shouted Rocky as he took off.
The others laughed and then followed in hot pursuit. They strapped on kneepads and helmets and put on their rollerblades.
Together, they raced through the streets of Angel Grove, taking every possible detour they could to prolong the ride and the fun. They were still pumped up from their victory and the thrill of skydiving and executed all the stunts they could think of - within reason, of course. Their enjoyment showed when Adam gained momentum and somersaulted through the air. The others jumped high into the air as well, with Rocky managing a back-somersault and a full layout before landing. He would later explain that it was an accident. Out of consideration for others, they chose to take the stairs; their trip suddenly turned rough as their blades lacked shock absorbers.
"Shortcut!" Tommy yelled, jumping a concrete ledge into a construction site. The others followed him, each one landing squarely on his or her feet. They rode up out of the construction site and back onto the street, across from Ernie's Juice Bar
Rocky tore through the doorway, eager to find food. Some had referred to him as the human stomach, but that was wrong and a great injustice. True Rocky could clear a refrigerator in less than half an hour, but so could most teens if given the right food and an opportunity. The life of a Power Ranger used up a lot of energy in addition to the increased food demand of the average teen.
"Settle down Rocky. Just because it's a huge party, doesn't mean you have to scream." Tanya admonished.
Tommy smiled. Rocky was the spirit of the team. Some thought him an idiot - usually those who didn't just assume he was simply a walking stomach - but those who knew him understood it was just the way he was. Rocky was an innocent, young man who enjoyed the love of life that only children can appreciate. He was also very capable, as anyone who had underestimated him in the past could testify.
When they sat at a table, Ernie soon came over and took their order.
"Six hamburgers and ten orders of fries please," Adam said.
Tanya looked at Adam, puzzled, "Ten orders of fries?"
Jason and Tommy chuckled. Rocky tried to look innocent but couldn't stop laughing. When he saw Tanya's face, he sobered long enough for the three men to say in unison: "I'm hungry."
Everyone laughed at that.
"Is that it?" Mistress Repugna asked as she lowered her glasses. "They're children! I honestly fail to see how those Rangers could have defeated you so often," she continued. The left side of her face twitched as she attempted to sneer at her son-in-law. With her magically altered face though it looked more like she was winking at him. Zedd recoiled in disgust; Mistress Repugna was old enough to be his grandmother. She ignored his reaction and continued. "You have the power to destroy this planet, you have more monsters than is healthy and regardless of how you act, you seem to be a powerful wizard... for a halfwit. So far as I can tell, you have everything you need to ensure victory."
"Then why does he keep on failing?" Rita whined.
"Some are destined for greatness, Rita," she said sagely. "And some are doomed to be disappointments. Such a shame that fate was not on your side."
"Why you..."
"Quiet Zeddy, getting worked up will not help you," Rita crooned.
"Yes, Zeddy," Mistress Repugna mocked, "getting worked up will certainly not help you defeat the Power Rangers. Nor will it help your marriage if you choose to attack me. I am more than capable of defending myself and there's nothing worse for a marriage than your spouse dying on you... according to Master Vile. I suggest you use whatever passes for a brain in that skull-less head of yours to stop worrying about me and find a way to conquer this pathetic world before I decide to do it for you. I won't allow this embarrassing little funk of yours to continue. Think up a sufficiently evil scheme or I might just have to take over and try running things around here for a while."
"You have no right," Zedd answered.
"Oh Zedd, when will you learn? Might makes right!"
Zedd was faster than she had expected, his staff raised, and an energy bolt loosed in her direction before she had the chance to finish. But he was not fast enough, and she disappeared in a column of flame before the energy connected, only to reappear a moment later.
"That was a cheap shot Zedd," she growled. "I'm almost impressed."
Her right hand flexed, and her own wand appeared. It resembled her daughter's wand, but far more ornate with heavy dark wood intermingled with gold and other precious metals. It looked heavier too, easily a match for Zedd's staff. Gold plates covered parts of her body as her hair shrank back to be replaced by a dark cloak.
"I think that is the first time I've actually believed you to be a capable villain. Well done. You failed of course, as always."
Her words had the desired effect and Zedd attacked, unleashing another bolt of energy before charging in, using his staff as a weapon. She blocked the blast easily and deflected his staff.
The battle that followed caused her to reconsider her first impression of Zedd. He was a capable combatant, skilled in the fighting arts and the use of battle magic. He was vicious, relentless and merciless in his attacks; it quickly became clear he had no interest in merely subduing her.
Unfortunately, she was not prepared to lose their little match just to feed his ego. A pulse of magic blocked his staff before it could strike her. A second jolt sent him flying away. She was surprised to see him recover, her eyes narrowing at the familiar fighting style. Then as he moved to attack again, she unleashed her power, sending bolts of purple energy at him.
Zedd cried out as his mother-in-law electrocuted him mercilessly before allowing the barrage to cease. When she did, Zedd struggled to remain upright as his legs threatened to collapse under him.
She turned on Rita, knowing that Zedd would not have acted if her daughter had wanted him to stop. Rita for her part looked nervous as her mother raised her wand and the younger witch was subjected to the same torment as her husband.
"Congratulations," Repugna said as she lifted the curse and scanned the throne room for further threats. She noted that Scorpina had already subdued Goldar as the titan was preparing to come to his master's aid. She chose not to punish him. The rest of Rita and Zedd's underlings did not appear overly concerned at the fate of the master and his wife. "I was going to leave the two of you to figure out a way to conquer this world, but now that I've defeated you, I claim this planet as my prize. I guess that means I'll be sticking around for a while, Zedd."
"You can't do that," Zedd protested. "The Alliance..."
"Oh, you mean your little bagsy attempt?" Monastra asked. "That little ruling that means only you can attack the Earth at this time because you happened to defeat and vanquish Rita? Well, according to the rules since I defeated you both in combat, I can claim those rights. That makes Earth my planet now... you can either accept that or I will have to dispose of you both. Which will it be?"
"You wouldn't stand a chance against those Rangers," Zedd warned.
"Do you really think I care about a bunch of Power Rangers?" she demanded. "This planet is mine. And I will not be stopped by either the Power Rangers or Zordon. Do you have a problem with that, Zeddy?"
Zedd shook his head and she turned to ask her daughter the same question. Rita reluctantly shook her head.
"Good, that makes things easier," she smiled before banishing her wand. She kept her new appearance. "Baboo, go and prepare a room for me and a suite for my companions. We'll be moving in."
"We?" Rita asked.
"I told you I was striking out on my own," Monastra explained. "You didn't think I would do so without finding some help did you? Watch carefully from here on, Rita, and I'll show you how to conquer a planet."
Power Chamber
"Alpha, have you found anything yet?" Zordon asked.
"Negative Zordon," Alpha replied. "I can find no trace of the Machine Empire's return."
"Have you detected any more abnormal readings from the Moon?" Zordon asked after a moment's thought. There had been a strong surge in dark energy earlier, but the scanners had been unable to confirm which faction was responsible. While Mondo and Machina shied away from magic, Gasket had been known to find ways to use it in his creations.
"No Zordon," Alpha answered after a brief check. "Everything is back to normal."
Zordon frowned although it was difficult to notice given the severe distortion created by his plasma tube. The Power Chamber's sensors were usually extremely sensitive, yet in the last few days, they had picked up several unexplained anomalies and failed to pinpoint the source. Although he was prepared to explain it away as the result of planetary movements, it seemed unnerving.
Things had been too quiet for too long. After the Machine Empire had been vanquished, it had been expected somebody would have moved in to replace them, but for some reason, they had held off.
"Ai-Yi-Yi, somebody just unleashed a massive amount of dark energy inside the Lunar Palace," Alpha said as the computer beeped. "The computer does not recognise the source."
That was unusual. He would have expected a would-be conqueror to attack immediately. He wondered if it were simply Rita and Zedd planning something. He gave that possibility a few seconds thought and then dismissed it. Zedd had been growing weaker since his marriage to Rita, causing Zordon to speculate that the witch had used a love potion and messed up his magic as a result. Even their combined might did not come close to the massive surge the computer had reported.
Zordon knew from experience there was little he could do except wait and hope that whatever the threat, his Rangers would be up to the challenge. For some reason though, this time he felt particularly on edge. This was more than just another of Zedd and Rita's schemes. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that the Rangers were in for their greatest challenge so far. For in his mind if that sort of power had arrived and not already attacked, it was likely making certain that Rita and Zedd would not intervene. And any villain powerful enough to subdue Rita and Zedd at the same time would be extremely powerful.
The Moon
"So, the Power Rangers are busy eating and I want to get their attention..." Mistress Repugna mused. "Is there a ritual I should follow here, or do I just throw a few energy blasts until they decide to investigate?"
"Normally we would send a monster down to draw them out and then throw in some Putties and maybe Goldar to assist," Finster told her helpfully.
"Really? Seems a little dull, but if that's how this is supposed to work, I suppose I can go along with it this time." She summoned her wand and used it to summon the clay from earlier, before turning up her nose in disgust. "Really Finster, where did you get this from? It's mouldy."
"It's the leftovers from the store cupboard," Finster explained. "The preservation charms failed while we were away, and I haven't had time to find a fresh supply yet."
Repugna shook her head. There was no way she would lower herself to using such shoddy materials when she wanted to make an impression. She would find a use for the diminished clay later. In the meantime, it was fortunate that her skills allowed her to manipulate more than just one medium.
"Fine, let's see if we can find something a little closer to Earth," she decided, aiming her wand at the street outside the Youth Center and sending forth a torrent of magic. "Evil spirits shape the earth, rise up, take shape, my will to serve!"
The Rangers were enjoying their food and company when an explosion shook the Youth Center.
"Everybody, take cover!" Ernie warned and the assembled teenagers obeyed.
"Come on guys, we need to check this out," Tommy urged even as the Rangers slipped into a back room. "Zordon, what's going on?"
"Rita and Zedd have sent a new squadron of Putties to a nearby location," Zordon replied.
"That explosion was just to send down some Putties?" Tanya asked.
"I guess they still haven't recovered their Tenga stock after the battle with the Machine Empire," Adam supplied.
"I have detected an unusual amount of power surrounding these Putties," Zordon warned. "You should show extreme caution when confronting them."
"I guess that means we morph," Tommy supplied. "Rocky, we clear?"
Rocky took a quick look around, checking through the door to make sure they were well away from the other teens.
"All clear."
"Then, It's Morphin Time!"
"Zeo Ranger I - Pink!"
"Zeo Ranger II - Yellow!"
"Zeo Ranger III - Blue!"
"Zeo Ranger IV - Green!"
"Zeo Ranger V - Red!"
They teleported the short distance to where the Putties were causing trouble, not realising that these Putties were not like those they had confronted before.
"Ah, there they are," Mistress Repugna proclaimed as she watched the Rangers arrive and the Putties attack. "I bet they've never had this sort of a reception before."
Indeed, the moment the Rangers had arrived the Putties attacked. And these were not the traditional smooth grey-skinned Putty Patrollers that came from the Monster-Matic. Nor were they the lighter grey variety enhanced with Zedd's magic at the cost of their stability. Mistress Repugna had used her magic on the ground beneath Angel Grove's streets. Her magic pulled at the various materials and shaped them into something almost humanoid.
"Now, let's see how they handle my Putty Patrol."
The first thing Adam realised upon arrival was that he was flying backwards across the street, having been on the receiving end of a Putty fist. He groaned as he picked himself up, asking himself what Rita and Zedd had been feeding them. As he braced himself for a rematch against his rapidly approaching foe, he noted the other Rangers were not faring much better.
These were not the Putties that the Rangers had faced in the past. For a start, they towered over the Rangers. They were heavier and as the Rangers swiftly discovered, their bodies were much harder.
"What did they make these guys out of concrete?" Yellow Zeo asked as her foot bounced off one of the Putties.
"They never used to be this tough," Rocky assured her as he repeatedly kicked at a nearby Putty, only to hurt his foot.
Indeed, Rita and Zedd had stopped using Putties following the arrival of Rito Revolto and the Tengas he had gifted them. The battle between their forces and the Machine Empire to grab the failing powers of the Gold Ranger had seen most of the Tengas destroyed and it appeared that despite breeding attempts, Rita and Zedd had yet to rebuild their numbers.
"We need to take this up a notch," Blue Zeo declared as he was swatted aside by another Putty. "Zeo Power Punch!"
His punch was a success in that it took a chunk out of the Putty he was facing. Unfortunately, it was only a tiny piece that broke away and aside from a small step, the Putty seemed unaffected as it returned a punch of its own, staggering the Blue Ranger.
"Zeo V Power Sword!" Red Zeo called.
He energised his personal weapon and attacked a group of Putties. It appeared that despite being stronger than previous incarnations, they were not invulnerable as the Zeo Power Weapon quickly sliced through the hardened bodies.
The other Rangers followed their leader's example, using their own Zeo Power Weapons to take down the rest of the Putties. As they did so they were aware of how strong their foes had become if they needed to use weapons, they normally reserved for monsters against them.
The Moon
"Ha!" Rita crowed. "Your Putties failed just like ours."
Zedd however remained quiet as he watched the battle unfold. The Rangers had been forced to pull out all the stops to slow down what was considered little more than grunts. It made him wonder what Repugna could have managed had she actually created a monster.
"Oh Rita, have a little faith in your mother," Mistress Repugna answered as the Rangers continued to struggle against a few remaining constructs before reaching a decision. "This was only a warm-up. Now the real fun begins."
"Where are you going?" Rita demanded.
"I'm going to introduce myself," came the reply. "After all, I do want those Rangers and Zordon to know I am here. Even if it's only so I can see the look on that old fool's face when I destroy him."
She vanished in a burst of black fire
End of Part
Author's Note: Villain's Who's Who.
Master Vile - Rita Repulsa's father, ruler of the M-51 Galaxy.
Monastra Repugna - Wife of Master Vile. Mother of Rito Revolto. Was once the mother of Rita Repulsa. (It is complicated)
Junior - Master Vile's eldest son. Half-brother of Rito Revolto and Rita Repulsa. Missing and presumed dead.
Rita Repulsa - Master Vile's daughter, space witch and wife of Lord Zedd.
Rito Revolto - Master Vile's second son, Rita Repulsa's brother.