"Audrey!" She heard from behind her. For an instant she felt a moment of panic, thinking it was Chad somehow on campus coming after her again. But when she turned she saw Jay coming toward her and she relaxed. "Hey, where you going?" He asked.
"I'm on my way to design 101." Audrey answered. She didn't think she'd ever be doing clothes design professionally but she had agreed to take the class with Evie and Lonnie. Mal had bowed out of it thanks to her, Jane and Jordan studying with Fairy Godmother on magic. Not something they do in a normal schedule but exceptions were made for them because of the power ranger's thing, it was simply labeled as an extracurricular activity. "What about you?"
"Heading to gym." Jay said. "It's softball week starting today." He shrugged. "It's not tourney but that's okay."
"Have they decided to do about Ch…the vacant spot?" Audrey asked him. She found it was kind of hard to mention Chad's name.
Jay shook his head. "Not yet. The problem is most of the guys that want to be on the team have been for a while." He replied.
Audrey nodded in understanding. "So, um, parent conferences are tomorrow and they'll be staying on campus for that time." She said to him. "I, kind of guess that your parents won't be here, and they have this thing…kind of get together beforehand tonight…I, was wondering if you wanted to come with me." She was clearly nervous about basically asking him out.
Jay had already heard about it. He knew Mal was going with Ben, Belle and his father. Evie had said something about hoping Doug would ask her to go with him and his father. He didn't know what was going on with Carlos though. Still the invitation from Audrey startled him a little but he recovered himself quickly, "Um, yeah. S-sure why not." He agreed just as nervously. No ideas he had about dating involved meeting her parents right off the bat but he decided to take what he could get.
"That's great." Audrey said with a smile. "Ben can help you find something better…I mean more formal if you'd like…I, I'm helping Mal with that, Lonnie and I, I mean." She was still having a hard time with this and she didn't know why. She hadn't had this problem when pursuing Ben. "Evie too if she wants it."
"Cool." Jay said, because he wasn't sure what else to say. "So, uh, I'll see you after class then."
"Okay." Audrey said. "Later." They found it hard to pull away for a moment but the warning spell snapped them back into action.
Jay met Ben at gym class. He hesitated a moment but then stepped up. "Hey, Ben." He said.
"Hey man." Ben said with an easy smile. "What's up?"
Jay rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I…I, kind of want to ask you a favor, for the parent conferences..." He started nervously.
"He asked you to help him get ready for the conference dinner?" Mal asked Ben in amusement as they walked to the library an hour later. "I mean I'm doing it because I'm dating the king of Auradon, I have to look the part to the best of my ability rather I want to or not, but he doesn't have to."
"He is going with Audrey." Ben said simply. "I mean theoretically if something happened to me Audrey might very well be in line for the throne." He leaned in a bit toward Mal. "But personally I think if he really does like her he just wants to look like he belongs by a princess's side."
"He doesn't need to change for that." Mal replied dismissively. "And Audrey has to know that if she asked him in the first place."
"And you don't have to change either." Ben reminded her gently as he stopped her and made her face him. "That isn't why I fell for you."
Mal smiled just a bit. "Okay, I see your point. It's not about having to; it's about feeling like we should, to do our best for those we care about." She relented and leaned up to brush his lips with hers. "You're more understanding than you give yourself credit for, Sir Ben."
"Doug still hasn't asked you out yet?" Carlos asked Evie as they walked with Lonnie.
Evie shook her head. "Not yet." She tried to shrug nonchalantly but it was a bad imitation of not caring. "I guess maybe he doesn't like me that much after all."
"Oh, no. He's totally into you." Lonnie told Evie dismissively as she waved her hand. "He's not asking you because his father and his six uncles are out of town but he's afraid to say anything to you because he thinks you'd feel like he was just trying to save face. You know, the idea that some people still look at you as 'villain kids'."
"But doesn't that mean he can't be at the conference dinner?" Carlos asked.
Lonnie nodded. "Afraid so. I never understood why but those are the rules." She said. She looked now at Evie. "But my parents will be there." She said. "If you want Evie you could come with me, at least you can see what it's like."
"What about Carlos?" Evie wondered.
"Jane's mother is headmistress. She and Jane have to be there." Lonnie said. She looked to Carlos. "I think she thinks you wouldn't want to go with her." She revealed to Carlos. "Her confidence has grown a lot since this started but she still doesn't feel it outside of dangerous situations."
"Find her and ask her then." Evie said. "Ask to accompany her."
"You think that's okay?" Carlos asked.
Almost as if they had rehearsed it Lonnie and Evie answered, "Absolutely."
"And I'll talk to Doug later; let him know that I know he's not ashamed of me, that some things just happen." Evie said. "I want him to know it's him I care about and not about what it seems he can do."
Lonnie laughed. "Always a good policy."
"See you later then." Carlos said and ran off.
He found Jane making some last minute adjustments in the command center. He leaned against the doorway. "Don't you ever do anything but work?" He teased her.
For the first time she didn't even look in his direction. "We have to be as prepared as possible." She replied simply.
"I get it." Carlos agreed. "So, does that mean you don't have time to show a poor isle boy the glories of the dinner pre-conference?" He asked.
Jane turned, barely concealing her shock. "You…you want to go with me?" She asked, seeming a little surprised.
Carlos nodded. "I'm doing you a favor." He teased. "Adding some excitement into what sounds like a dreary affair. You deserve to have some fun after all, not more monotony." He came toward her. "So how about it, want to risk taking a rebel into order?"
Jane laughed and stepped up to him. "Sure, I think I'll take that risk." She said easily. She then leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, making him blush. "Two hours." She added and then brushed past him to get ready.
Two hours passed quickly and everyone showed up tuxes and dresses. Mal's one off shoulder dress made Ben blink twice, especially since it seemed rather sparkly too. Lonnie wore a simple sequined pink top and a pink and white skirt that came below her knees, but as she put it she was not 'dressing to impress'. Evie wore a dress very similar to what she wore at the coronation but the fabric was very shimmery and in certain light almost seemed to shine fully. Jane wore a magnificent white dress that looked very much like the one Fairy Godmother had given Cinderella so long ago. Audrey meanwhile had basically left the pink behind in favor of her new color; red. She wore a red gown with a slit up the right leg.
Mal couldn't resist laughing when she saw Jay's draw drop for a moment. Then she turned to see Belle and her husband approaching. Both of them hugged Ben and congratulated him again on how well he had done so far. Then Mal was taken by surprise when Belle gave Mal a hug. "It's good to see you again Mal." She said.
"Um, thank you ma'am." Mal managed to get out.
"Fairy Godmother has told us how much you've done since the coronation." Adam said to her with a fond smile. "For Auradon and for Ben."
"Did you talk to Doug?" Lonnie asked Evie as she took a few potato skins from the buffet table.
"I did." The blue haired girl responded. "I told him it wasn't his fault that his dad had to go with his uncles, and it's no reflection on him. I even told him I'd hang out with him in the student lounge tonight but he told me I should see what this was like." She reached for a crème puff. "He had to work with Aziz on a history project anyway."
Lonnie nodded. "Jordan is working with Ally on that same project. On top of that her parents Sultan Aladdin and Queen Jasmine are busy in Agrabah anyway, a diplomatic function with another neighboring city." She said.
Audrey meanwhile took Jay's hand. "I have to say you look dashing in that tux." She said flirtatiously. "Very becoming."
"You look really great in that dress." Jay said with a smile. "Really pretty…I mean, princessly."
"I don't think that's a word." Audrey said with a laugh. "Of course I guess it's better than being a pretty pink princess or whatever it was that I heard Mal once say she called us when you first found out you were coming here."
"That's all Mal." Jay tried to protest and they both laughed again.
She then led him over to her mother Aurora and her father Phillip. Both of them embraced their daughter, with Aurora taking a moment to pull Audrey to the side to ask her something. Jay suspected somehow despite the lack of official details released she knew Chad had been starting to hit her daughter. After a moment he saw Aurora kiss Audrey on the cheek and the two came back. "Mom, dad, this is Jay. He is Jafar's son but don't hold that against him. He really is a great guy."
"Hello Jay." Aurora said to him, and he swore again that maybe she knew exactly what he had been doing to help Audrey feel better lately. "It's very nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you young man." Phillip said. "I'm glad to see that you and your friends are living proof that the sins of the parent do not have to drop to the children."
"Thank you, sir." Jay said. He looked now to Aurora as well. "I'm honored to meet you two as well." Because he couldn't think of anything else to say at that moment he added, "You have a very nice daughter," He elbowed her a bit. "Even it if takes a bit to draw that side out." That made her laugh a little.
Evie received a text and looked to Lonnie. "Doug just texted and said that he saw Paradias's soldiers in the window." She said.
"Wonderful." Lonnie said. She quickly texted for her other five team mates to meet them by the buffet table. She saw Audrey look at her iPhone and then politely excused themselves from their parents. Ben told his parents that they had business to attend to; it was easier since they knew about his son and his friends being rangers. Carlos was able to easily get away as well and Jane went with him.
As soon as they were together Evie reiterated Doug's text to them. "I hate to say this but we're not exactly dressed to fight right now and if we take the time to change we might be too late." Audrey pointed out.
"This is one of the reasons I prefer simpler clothes." Mal noted pointedly and then looked to them. "We don't have a choice but to try."
"Once you leave this room, transform." Jane advised them. "Your suits should protect your clothing from most of the, I guess messy is the word, effects of fighting. I'll grab mom and we'll see if we missed something on the scans."
"Thanks for that." Audrey said. "At least I won't mess up this dress. It's brand new."
"I'd hate to see that dress ruined too." Jay chimed in.
"Okay fashion connoisseurs." Mal said. "If that's the case let's get going before people wonder where we went." They slipped out the doors, took out their iPhones and input their numbers and transformed. Ben summoned his sword and shield to transform. They then ran off toward the student lounge.
The figure in the shadows watched them leave. "Excellent." The voice, belonging to a man, said happily. "You've taken the bait." He then went to one of the windows and placed his hand on it. Slowly fog seemed to envelope the building.
Not knowing what was happening in the conference building the seven warriors showed up to find a few dozen soldiers but made short work of them. "We all didn't have to come out here apparently." Carlos said with a laugh.
"What were they doing out here anyway?" Mal wondered as she looked around. "Why would Paradias even want the students, let alone send only soldiers to acquire them?"
"Do you think this was a diversion M?" Evie asked her friend.
"Could be." Mal said reluctantly. "Let's head toward the command center and see what Jane found out."
They made their way to the command center and instead of powering down they removed their helmets and set them on the consoles. "Did you find anything?" Carlos asked Jane.
"I don't know." She answered. "There is some weird readings on campus. I thought our sensors should have warned us in advance but I've got nothing."
"Really strong magic might bypass all of our technological blockades." Fairy Godmother replied. "Though I don't know who could possibly wield such magic. In theory even I couldn't do so if I were evil."
Then the view screen flickered and showed the conference hall enveloped in fog. Then what seemed to be an elderly man in red robes appeared in front of the building. "Greetings again, Power Rangers." He said.
"Who are you?" Lonnie asked. "What did you do to our parents?"
"Your parents are safe for now." The man said. "If you want to keep them that way you better meet me in front of the conference hall." Then the screen went blank.
"If I didn't know better I'd swear that was an older version of Red Magi." Evie noted reluctantly.
"Maybe you guys aren't the only ones whose parents showed up for a visit." Jay suggested grimly.
"We've never met his father, if he has one." Mal said suspiciously. "But there's no way that could somehow be Red Magi, could it?"
"I guess there's only one way to find out." Ben said. "Which we have to do anyway if we want to keep our parents safe."
The seven warriors made their way quickly to the conference hall and found their opponent waiting for them. "Hello Rangers. It's so nice to see you again." He looked to Ben. "And hello to you king of Auradon. Are you needlessly putting your life on the line or do you now possess powers of your own?"
"How are you back here?" Mal asked. "And…how did you get so old?"
"What makes you think you've seen me before?" The old man questioned.
"You're Red Magi." Mal stated simply. "I can tell that.
"I guess there's no fooling you, daughter of Maleficent." The man that the purple ranger said was Red Magi. "But I have changed, I've aged." He floated upwards into the air. "Even I don't quite know how but when you destroyed me part of my essence remained in this." He held up his wand. "Somehow a huge amount of time passed for me and I was exalted."
"Dude, you're an old man." Jay said with a smirk as he summoned his scimitar. "I wouldn't say you were exalted, more like petrified." He jumped up to attack the old man but hit a force shield and sent him flying to the ground.
"That is where you're wrong. From now on you can call me the Crimson Sage." He said. "And you can surrender to me."
"Like that's going to happen." Audrey retorted.
Crimson Sage laughed. "Then give me your best rangers."
They all were kind of uncertain after seeing what happened to Jay but knew they had to try it. Carlos worked to flank him as Ben tried to attack him. Crimson Sage easily deflected the knight but that was what they were going for. He had played diversion so that Carlos could get behind him, then he and Lonnie tried to double team him only to discover that the force shield protected him all around.
"Okay this is so not good." Mal reflected as she started to pace their opponent. He seemed to be waiting for her attack eagerly. The purple ranger didn't quite know what to do. He was so intent on the purple ranger however that he again didn't seem to notice that Audrey was moving behind him.
She was hoping that his force shield wouldn't be able to block something as small as an arrow. It was a small chance but one they had to take. As he watched Mal, the red ranger lifted her silver bow and released an arrow, aimed straight at his wand.
There hope was in vain as the arrow struck the shield, but instead of just bouncing off as Jay, Lonnie and Carlos had it instead seemed to release a wave of energy all around. It struck all seven warriors hard to the ground.
"I feel like this guy is stronger than he was last time." Evie said. She hadn't even been able to try to deflect that right back at him.
"With age comes experience kids." Crimson Sage said with a laugh. "That time period made my magical powers strong, stronger than anyone could hope to match. Even when I was a young caster my powers rivaled that of Maleficent. Now I am stronger than her."
Mal wondered if that was true, what would happen if that test were ever to come to pass. Not that it mattered since she was pretty sure her mother would ally with this man anyway. "I don't know about that one." She said anyway.
"With that magical experience also comes knowledge." He said. "And now we come to this." He motioned to the fog enshrouded conference hall. "You see, this spell is being used to hold your parents in place. They don't know what is going on. But by the same token if I die the spell will fade…with the hall and everyone inside of it. If I release the spell in a certain way, it will take your parents with it."
Audrey let out a gasp as she realized what she was hearing. Lonnie's arm shot out to grip hers as if she were trying to stop herself from losing her footing. Ben tensed completely and his sword slipped from his grip.
"That's just low." Mal stated darkly. "Let them go."
"I will, as long as you surrender." He replied. "What do you say rangers?"
Jordan found it hard to study. She couldn't understand why the soldiers had shown up in the first place. They might have realized her and Doug were there and wanted them use against the rangers but she didn't know why that would really matter. She also suspected that if it came down to it some of them could fight back against the soldiers. Aziz was a good example of that.
"You seem lost in thought." Ally observed as she looked at the genie girl. "Are you alright?"
"Sure, just kind of tired." Jordan said with a shrug. She looked at the blonde now. "Say I know why my dad can't be here, he's with Aladdin and Jasmine in Agrabah." She nodded a bit toward Aziz. "Which is why he's here too. But where is your mom?"
"As weird as this might sound, she was asked to come back to Wonderland. Something about an emergency of some sort." Ally answered. "I don't quite know if I should be worried about hearing this or not."
"I'm sure it's nothing major." Jordan tried to reassure her but she was caught with a disturbing thought. Has Paradias or Sermaya somehow made it into Wonderland, or is there some other threat that we don't know about?
Then the doors burst open, followed by the shattering windows moments later. In trumped over a dozen of the soldiers. They quickly had their blade arms out and positioned themselves around the room. They were followed in moments later by the dark knight, who Jordan and Doug knew was Chad.
"Keep calm everyone." The dark knight suggested with some amusement. "If you cooperate all of you will get out of this alive and well." Jordan hid her frown. She found she seriously doubted that. The question she asked herself is what should she do now?
"Then we surrender." Mal said without hesitation. That seemed to surprise everyone, especially her chosen siblings.
"So you say." Crimson Sage said with a laugh. "But you will have to prove it." He formed a box and opened it. "Your iPhones are the center of your powers. Turn them off and give them to me." He looked to Ben. "Your shield and sword on the ground, young king." He added.
"Guys, we can't do this." Carlos said. "Auradon is depending on us."
"Our parents are in there Carlos. Other students who aren't a part of this war are in this." Ben said as he set his shield by his sword. "They're innocents. We have no choice but to do this." His armor faded away now.
Lonnie powered down, followed by Audrey a moment later.
Evie bit her lip. She sighed just a bit and powered down.
"We have to do this, bro." Jay said as he could see the look in Audrey's eyes. He powered down.
"We can't do this." Carlos repeated.
"They're our parents Carlos!" Audrey snapped automatically. "We love them! You guys might not have had that on the island but we have it here, and we can't make that sacrifice!"
Carlos was about to protest again. Mal knew realistically he was even right about what he was saying. Realistically their sacrifices would be a small price to pay if they could stop Paradias from his ultimate plan. Yet, she knew exactly what her Auradon friends were talking about. "Carlos," She said softly. "Stand down." Mal then powered down herself.
The shield and sword levitated up and around the box. Mal was the first to place her iPhone in the box, followed by Audrey and then Jay. Carlos hesitated, still clearly not okay with this but he realized he was in the minority here. He then placed in his iPhone. Evie and Lonnie followed moments later.
Crimson Sage laughed and closed the box. He then floated up in the air and placed the box with shield and sword on the top of the conference hall. "We gave you our powers, let everyone go." Mal said venomously.
"Oh, right." Crimson Sage said. "About that…I lied."
"No, you said you would." Audrey said despairingly. She tried to approach the conference hall and slammed into a field. "You said you would." She repeated despondently.
Mal came over and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Time to regroup." She said softly to her second in command. "This isn't over."
Audrey nodded but felt as if it were. They went to the command center, the three Auradon teens sitting down dejectedly on the bench. Carlos went up to the consoles but didn't really know what to do.
Mal stood behind Ben and started to rub his back gently. "We will find a way to undo what he did." She said. "We'll get your parents back."
"Yeah, of course we will." Ben said. He tried to sound confident but it was obvious that he wasn't feeling it either.
Audrey wasn't so keen on trying to be hopeful right now. "How?" She asked, near tears. "We gave him our powers, not that they were working anyway. If he wants to kill them, he kills them. If we find a way to kill him, we kill them. I don't even know if Jordan's magic is strong enough to help now."
Jay came over and placed her hands on Audrey's shoulders. "Calm down." He said softly. "We'll figure it out. We will free them and stop Crimson Sage."
"I'm eager to hear how we're supposed do that." Lonnie said softly. "It seems like he holds all of the cards."
"He wouldn't if we hadn't given up our powers." Carlos said. "Which we shouldn't have."
"They weren't our parents Carlos." Mal said softly. "We weren't the ones who would lose everything."
"Look, I agree that you guys did the right thing even though Carlos was also very right too." Jane interrupted, despite the fact that her mother was the only parent safe on campus right now. "We have to find a way." She turned toward one of the consoles. "Look, we already know that Crimson Sage might be strong magically, but I think if we can get by the magic we can stop him."
"How?" Lonnie asked again. "We don't have the magic to counter him, not even with Jordan."
They were interrupted by the sound of alarms. The view screen showed the dark knight and the soldiers holding the students in the commons. "Just wonderful." Jay said. "Not what we needed on top of this sage stuff."
"Because things didn't seem bleak enough." Evie added. She looked at Lonnie, Audrey and Ben's expressions. "Or hopeless enough."
"Things aren't as hopeless as they seem." Fairy Godmother said. She had remained silent as she watched the team work through this dilemma. "There is one other hope." She looked to Jane. "You."