Disclaimer: PRMF and PRNS aren't mine. Original dialogue, characters, and plot lines are mine. Thanks y'all for reading!
Chapter 22: The Light
Aria pushed the stop button on her camera and began the painstaking process of taking footage from her camera to a blank DVD. With this damn prophecy looming over her head this was Aria's only way of expressing herself and reasons for doing what she was doing.
"Hey Ri!" Hunter called bursting in her room
"Oi!" Aria called, blocking her screen from her brother "Knock first!"
"Lecture me later, let's ride!"
Aria laughed and grabbed her moto gear and followed Hunter out the door.
-Briarwood-
-Rootcore-
While Aria was enjoying herself down south the other rangers were gathered in Rootcore waiting for Udonna's presence. They were called for a meeting; the topic however was unclear.
Udonna finally waltzed in with her usual elegance and grace and spoke to each of them individually: Claire, Daggeron, Chip, Vida, Xander, Madison, and finally Nick. She went on to say how grateful she was to have each and every one of them in her life but Nick , as well as the others, quickly realized that this wasn't a random meeting to praise them for their work. This was a goodbye.
"You're leaving too" Nick said flatly
Udonna approached her son and put a comforting hand on his shoulder "I am," she admitted "Somewhere out there is my husband Leanbow. I'm going to find him, and bring him home"
"We'll go with you." Vida tried "We'll call Ari and-"
The sorceress interrupted "No, you're needed here. This is something I must do alone"
Udonna, with one last smile at her son, soon left Rootcore on her mission to find Leanbow. Her family was once again separated.
-Blue Bay Harbor-
-Track-
Blake's time off had finished and was now back with Factory Blue living his dream. And like she promised, Aria was still in town racing alongside Hunter and Dustin. It had been ages since she went riding and was more than happy to represent Storm Chargers once again in smaller competitions and races, just like she did in her Ninja Storm days.
But as always, something was bugging her. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming and something big. After this last lap Aria pulled off to the side and removed her helmet and pulled her morpher out of her bag, double-checking see if anything had come up.
"It's not gonna change if you keep checking it dude" Dustin laughed having pulled up beside her, Hunter followed suit
"I just feel that something's wrong" she admitted
"Why don't you talk to Sensei" Hunter tried
"Nah, there's nothing he can do about it. I thinks it's just paranoia" she chuckled lightly. And that's when the other shoe dropped. Just when she was about to swing her leg over her bike and start riding again her knees buckled under her as she gasped for air. Her eyes were black before she blinked them away.
"Ri!" they both called out to her, reaching to catch her and help her back to her feet
"What was that?" Hunter asked
"Are you okay?" Dustin followed
Aria grabbed her morpher which had just notified her of a dark energy reading in Briarwood and looked to her former teammates.
"I don't know, but whatever it is I need to go back and check it out." She said
"Go, call us if you need help" Hunter said
Aria nodded in agreement and streaked out of sight
"She'll be okay man," Dustin reassured the Thunder ninja "She's Aria" Hunter nodded and went back to the track. Dustin looked back at where his girlfriend once stood and sent a silent prayer that she'll be alright.
-Briarwood-
-City Square-
Aria landed right next to her friends and was bombarded with questions
"Ria! You're back!" Maddie greeted
"I was racing in Blue Bay when I got this feeling." She explained "I don't know how else to explain it, but I thought you guys might have needed the help."
"Well, that's if we can figure out what's wrong" Xander said looking up at the clear blue sky "I don't see any monsters, do you?"
That's when the sky turned a nasty shade of purple and literally spilt down the middle. Aria felt the familiar pull of the dark magic and willed it to stop, her knees slowly giving out. Her brother, Nick helped her up and supported her weight. The ground began to move and soon not one, not two, but ten creatures appeared before them. Each of them laughing maniacally at the screaming humans running for cover beneath them.
"I see ten how bout you Xan?" Aria fired back
"In all my years of magic, I have never seen anything like this" Daggeron admitted.
"That's comforting" she muttered
"Who are they?" Maddie questioned, moving closer to her sister
"People of the surface!" one of them declared "Let me introduce to you, the destroyers of your world!"
"Black Lance!" – a creature resembling a renaissance knight with glowing blue eyes
"Megahorn!" – looked like a little like Rootcore if Rootcore were an actual dragon and demented as hell
"Iron Sculpin!" – a demonic fish and the one doing roll call
"Itassis!" – an Egyptian goddess
"Serpentina!" – a creature with glowing red eyes and snakes for hair. Your modern age Medusa
"Hekatoid!" – a bloated frog looking thing
"Oculous!" – a one-eyed robot
"Magma!" – a creature of lava and rock
"Matoomba!" – a no faced mushroom headed furball
"Gekkor!" - a green Pokémon looking thing
"We are the Ten Terrors of the Underworld!" Iron Sculpin screeched "We have come to punish you! Give us what you hold most sacred! Give us the Light!"
"We gotta stop them" Nick stated, letting go of Aria who was now able to control herself
Without hesitation the five rangers morphed straight into their Legend Warrior mode before leaping into their Manticore Megazord formation. They used one of their strongest attacks on them, but it simply bounced off of the Ten.
"Ha! That was nothing! Take this!" Black Lance mocked and with a slash of his lance the rangers were pushed to the ground and de-morphed at the feet of Daggeron and Aria. The two of them reached down and helped the fallen rangers
"We will have the Light" Iron Sculpin promised. And as fast as they appeared, they were gone. The sky came together again, and all was normal
"The Light?" Nick repeated "What was he talking about? Ria?"
Aria was also truly confused and shook her head at the red ranger. The Xenotome spoke about the Light not who or what the Light was.
-Woods-
Nick was out near Rootcore playing fetch with the grown Fireheart when Aria approached him.
"You know most people have a dog as a pet, right?" she teased "Maybe a cat. Hamster?"
"We're not most people" he reminded
"When did she leave?" she asked referring to Udonna
"Earlier today. Did you know?" Aria shook her head 'no'
Nick looked down and dragged a stray stick through the dirt when Aria noticed something.
"Hi Phineas" she smiled as the Troblin swung down beside Nick. Nick looked beside him and screamed when he came face to face with their friend.
"How do you do that?!" Nick asked, still trying to catch his breath.
"Ninja skills, I'll show you sometime"
Phineas flipped down from the tree and planted himself next to the distraught red ranger "Something on your mind?" he asked sincerely
"No, there's not" Nick lied
"Liar" Aria called out
"Ha, what she said" Phineas agreed and waved at the girl "OH! A flea." He picked the bug off Nick's forehead "Nasty critter, a flea. You know, I once heard two fleas, if left alone, could devour an elephant in 200 to 300 years."
"Is there anything other than a flea story you wanna tell us about?" Nick sighed.
"I gotta side with Mr. Brooding over here" Aria agreed
"Gee, I dunno," Phineas shot back "Is there anything other than 'I'm not thinking about anything' that you wanna tell me?"
"And I'm back with Phineas" Aria announced as she sat in front of her two friends "Talk"
"It's not our father okay?" he admitted, motioning between himself and Aria
Phineas' arms fell and nodded in understanding "Got it. Not aboutdad. Yeah, the dad that you never knew. The dad who saved the magical world not once, but twice. You don't wanna talk about him because you're not thinking about him." The two rangers looked down at the ground until Nick yelled at Phineas in annoyance.
"Hey!"
"Er, better go, I think I hear the lake dwarf calling" the Troblin announced as he got up to leave
"Wait!" the Mystic twins called at the same time, getting up from their spots on the ground. Aria got up and stepped closer to Phineas "Nick, I'm sure, didn't mean to snap at you. He's just in a mood"
"Okay there might be one thing that's bothering me" Nick admitted "The Terrors referred to looking for the Light. What is the Light?"
"Ah, 'The Light'" Phineas repeated "Lemme see, that would be, uh, you"
"Me?" Nick questioned
"What do you mean Nick?" Aria added
"No, it's you two, well, er, it was you two" Phineas corrected scratching his head
"Care to elaborate?"
"Your, uh, - I hate to mention his name again – father was the greatest of all warriors," Phineas explained "And Udonna was once a very powerful sorceress. They, uh...they…uh had a baby – well babies" he corrected motioning to the girl beside him "You both have the potential to be the most powerful wizard, or witch, that ever existed. But since the Dark Side," he paused wiggled his finders at Aria ", y'know. Nick is the last 'Light' we have. You two together is key to destroying the Master"
"And we could really do that?" Nick asked, trying to mask how shaken he was by the news
"Well gee I hope so…otherwise I sewed that hole in my underpants for nothing. Well, have a nice day Mr. Light! Bye Aria!" and with that he was gone
Nick and Aria looked to each other before he broke the silence "No pressure, right?"
"It's just fate, I guess. What I do know for sure is that we can do this. We're gonna win this war and defeat the Master. You and me."
Nick smiled and high-fived his sister. Fireheart then swooped in and dropped a whole tree in front of the two rangers.
"Remind me to wear a helmet next time" Nick laughed before walking past Aria in search of another stick to throw for the dragon. Aria looked solemnly at her brother and sighed. She wondered if maybe that was why she was chosen to be picked for the Child of Darkness. She believed that The Master could've used either one of them. She didn't blame her brother though. She easily could have checked the Xenotome again, but the last time she did that she definitely found out more than she wanted. She didn't need that trauma again. She looked at the dragon head, her friends and teacher sitting inside and thought to herself
'We're gonna win this. We have to…'
-Later-
-Rootcore-
The crystal ball signaled more dark magic in the city, the arrival of the first Terror. Daggeron having been closest to the scene met the Terror, Magma, first.
"You have until the flames go out on the signal tower before I seek my vengeance on this world!" Magma bellowed as he lit the tallest tower in the city on fire. "And nothing you do will stop me!"
The fight between Daggeron and Magma was short. Daggeron's magic over the sun was no use when fighting a creature made of lava.
When the other six rangers arrived Daggeron was struggling to his feet. "Yo, lava boy!" Nick called out "Try and take us all on!"
The six rangers drew their weapons and charged. Xander, the first to reach Magma was knocked back his own axe. Chip, Vida, and Maddie tried to use their MagiStaffs and attack with their combined magics, but the spells easily bounced off of him. Aria, Nick, and Daggeron attacked from all sides. The Solaris Knight caught Magma's arm allowing the twins to attack from behind. However, he was too strong and broke free from Daggeron's hold thus knocking back the red and black rangers. Nothing was working for the rangers. Magma wasn't even breaking a sweat while the team was gasping for air.
"Weak rangers!" he called out to the limping rangers
"Ok, he seems a little tougher than the others we've battled…" Nick admitted, using his sword to help hold him up.
"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet!" Magma cheered as the lava dripping down his body rushed forward and pushed the rangers off their feet. "You have lost your will to fight, so I no longer have business with you. I will go on and plan for the destruction." And with that he disappeared in a burst of flames.
-Rootcore-
"I can't believe we got blasted like that" Nick sighed as he paced a whole into the floor
"Maybe there was something I could have done" Maddie thought out loud.
Vida rolled her eyes "Give it a rest sis, we got our asses handed to us plain and simple"
"Guys…" Nick tried; Aria moved to stand along-side her brother
"Hey, you don't have to be so hard on Maddie" Chip defended
"Guys…"Nick tried a little louder, Aria took a glance around and noticed something was off
"And you can try staying out of it" Vida fired back at yellow
"Hey, has anyone seen Claire?" Xander asked
"NO!" the others minus Aria yelled
"You don't have to bite my head off…"
"Well go look for her yourself!" Vida began another rant until Aria had enough
"Hey!" her voice bellowed over the bickering team "You guys are worse that Blake and Hunter!"
"You sound like a bunch of spoiled children" Daggeron added, slamming the Xenotome closed "We lost"
"We got our asses whooped" Aria mumbled under her breath. Daggeron sent her a tiny glare prompting the black ranger to shut up.
"We are up against an enemy the likes we have never faced before. If we cannot be a unified force, we stand no chance at all. We do not blame each other. We do not take it out on each other."
Aria looked at her team and noticed that Maddie was out of focus. She kept looking down at the ground and picking at her nails. So, while Daggeron was rambling on about teamwork Aria pulled the blue ranger outside and sat her down on a fallen log.
"What's wrong?" Aria asked
Maddie tucked her hair behind her ear "Nothing, just tired"
Aria quirked an eyebrow "You know you can talk to me. We're a team Maddie."
Maddie was silent for a few beats, Aria waited patiently for her to open up.
"I just…" the water mystic sighed "I just don't think I've made my mark on the team. Everyone else has had this big moment that made them a ranger and I…" she trailed off
"I get it" Aria smiled and nodded
"How?" Maddie laughed "You Nick and Daggeron are our best fighters and you've been a ranger before that-"
"I wasn't always a ranger though" Aria reminded "Lemme tell you, my brothers were always the sensei's favorites. I never felt good enough for our teachers. And even after we met the Winds, I still didn't feel like I was enough. Most times I felt like a burden."
Maddie looked at the ground "I just wanna do my part."
Aria nudged her in the shoulder "And you have. Look Maddie don't worry about leaving a mark on your team or whatever. Because you already have."
"Yeah, I got turned into a statue" Aria slapped her on the shoulder "Ow!"
"And I've physically tried to kill my friends." Aria retorted "And got tricked by evil space ninjas…twice. Maddie you are the glue of the team. Now that I think of it Blues usually are." Maddie smiled at the compliment "Don't give up Mads. I think your shining moment is coming soon"
Soon all the other rangers were running out of Rootcore
"He's back in the city!" Nick called "We gotta move"
The two girls leapt from their seats and ran after their team.
-City-
All seven rangers stood before Magma ready for battle.
"It's your turn to feel the heat!" Daggeron called, taking point
"All right, we fight." Magma agreed "But to make this interesting what say we play a little game?"
"Game?" Nick repeated
"I don't like the sound of that" Aria added, her grip on her daggers tightened
Magma sent a ball of fire to a nearby radio tower "Here are the rules, if I defeat all of you before the flame goes out on that radio tower, I win. But even if one of you is left standing when the flame goes out, you win!"
"How do we know we can trust you?" Chip pointed out
"You don't. But that's what makes this game fun. Shall we begin? Or maybe you don't feel like playing now?"
"Count me in!" Nick agreed and punched Code 1 in his lion staff "Fire Storm!" Needless to say, a fire attack did not work on the fire monster.
Xander followed Nicks footsteps "Rockslide!" however, the rocks crumbled to dust from Magma's immense heat
Bored, Magma easily blasted all seven rangers to the ground. "This game is a little one-sided wouldn't you say?"
"I have to do something." Maddie said through a clenched jaw "I am not giving up!"
"Maddie?" Nick called out as the normally timid blue ranger got to her feet
"This game we're playing isn't just about us losing. If we lose, everyone loses. The world loses, and I am not gonna let that happen! Code One!"
Maddie released her tidal wave and was the only attack that did damage to Magma who fell to his knees screaming in pain
"Nice work!" Aria praised rubbing her helmet
"No big deal" she shrugged
"Yes, it was" Nick countered "You saved everyone"
The team congratulated the timid blue ranger as Magma struggled to his feet "Don't think you've won!" he bellowed "All you've done is turn me back to my giant form!"
The rangers wasted no time and quickly turned into their Manticore Megazord. Using their spin attack there was little damage done to Magma.
"You should know by now your attacks don't work on me." He taunted; however, the radio tower's flames were out. The rangers had won.
Magma suddenly grabbed his chest and crumbled before them, a spear had been thrown from the ground and planted itself in the creature's chest. Nick asked, "What's going on?" Magma seemed to accept his fate.
Aria looked at the radio tower "Guys look!" she pointed
"I made the rules of the game, and I lost!" Magma cried
"I can't believe it!" Nick gasped "They destroyed one of their own!"
"The rules of Darkness show no mercy, but you have nine other Terrors to defeat. This is just the beginning!"
And with that, Magma solidified to stone and crumbled before the rangers.
-Later-
-City-
Aria walked with the other rangers throughout the city praising Maddie for her part in defeating Magma.
"You were great Maddie," Chip stated, "I hope you feel like you've contributed to the team."
"Contribution…" Maddie paused with her hands on her hips "Actually, I felt like the whole team." She had this shit-eating grin on her face
"Oh really?" Aria questioned
Maddie then took off running laughing as her team followed close on her heels.
-Later-
-Rock Porium-
Aria walked through the cramped music store before finding the person she was looking for. Aria's project was done and she quickly rushed back to Briarwood.
"Ri!" Maddie exclaimed "What are you doing here? I thought you went back home already"
"Nah, I'm heading back but I had to ask you something. Can we go somewhere private?"
Maddy looked skeptical but agreed and took her to the alley behind the store. "Is everything okay?"
"Oh, it's no big deal I just need a favor" Aria reached into her bag and produced three different DVDs, one in a black case, one in yellow, and the other in clear with just the Mystic symbol on it. "Can you hold onto these for me?"
Maddie looked taken back but accepted them "Uh, sure. What are they exactly?"
"I think of them as contingency plans. Just promise me you won't watch them until you have to"
"And how will I know when I have to?"
"You'll figure it out. Now please promise me you won't watch them. Or tell anyone else."
"Yeah, yeah I promise."
Aria sighed and smiled at her friend and with a quick goodbye Aria ninja streaked back home to the Thunder Academy, leaving Maddie staring at the three DVDs in her hands.
"What are you planning Aria?"
A/N: Thanks for reading! I told y'all imma update more now. REVIEW/FOLLOW XOXOX