Silence reigned on the boat for a moment as they all absorbed what Doug had told them. The very zord that their children had come to find was around the same island where the Neptune Empire had decided to hold their talks. Was this a coincidence? Was there some plan at work here? Did they even know what they had?
To make matters worse there was no way the rangers could even do anything about it. They were all locked into a battle against a huge dangerous looking chained demon creature as well as the warzord. Although Belle knew that Amy, Will, Melody, Alex and Ellie didn't have zords of their own she was sure they weren't able to just stand idle on the ground. Plus it would take too long for them to get here to get the zord, on top of that they weren't supposed to come to avoid any trouble with them.
"We'll just have to get that zord ourselves." Aladdin announced out of nowhere.
"What?" Adam asked as if he hadn't heard the Sultan of Agrabah right the first time.
"Are you kidding?" Elsa, Queen of Arendelle, questioned now. "How are we supposed to get something that our children should be getting?"
"Is that even possible?" Snow White wondered now. She would have loved nothing more than to be able to give her step-sister and her friends a hand.
"If you can get to the zords I might be able to use these energy signatures to come up with a temporary signal to get the zord to others." Doug said from the still open call. His voice was getting harder to hear, no doubt a combination of being further into sea and the storm itself.
"I think it's worth a shot." Jasmine voiced.
"We can't just abandon our primary reason for being here either." Elsa reminded them all. "I want to help my daughter and her friends just as much as anyone else but to abandon this summit would cause just as many problems as anything else."
"Elsa is right." Aladdin said. "But, they aren't expecting all of us."
"No." Adam mused. "They're not." He glanced out at sea again. "They only need to see representatives for all the kingdoms. I can represent Auradon." He looked to Aladdin and Jasmine. "One of you could represent Agrabah." He looked to Ariel and Eric. "One of you can represent your kingdom while King Triton himself represents Atlantica." He looked to Elsa. "And of course you're representing Arendelle."
"But the rest of us could go and find this zord." Wendy supplemented happily.
Jasmine looked to Aladdin. "You go with the party and find the zord." She said to him. "You may be the Sultan but I was raised from a very young age for these matters. You grew up doing stuff like this, and that might be more valuable."
For a moment Aladdin's thoughts went to his long gone companion, the monkey named Abu. Then he placed that sad nostalgia to the back. "You're right, Jasmine." Aladdin said.
Ariel and Eric exchanged looks as they contemplated what to do. Eric was really the rightful leader of the kingdom, the former mermaid had just married into it. But that is also what made her an asset for the meeting as King Triton was also bringing another one of his nieces, Aquiella the daughter of Arista, with him because around water beings she was able to read their minds. Only Ariel shared that with them. Finally Eric shook his head. "Go with them Ariel." He said. "I've heard the stories you told Melody once you could finally tell her about being born a mermaid, you've had lots of adventures. They need you for this."
"But the meeting…"Ariel started.
"Your father will still be there, Aquiella can communicate anything she senses amiss to him." Eric answered her. "But what's more important is to make sure our children come out of that fight alive."
Ariel's thoughts had to go to Melody for only a moment before she nodded in agreement. "I have to make sure daddy and Aquiella know about this first though."
"We all have to." Adam said. "They need to know what's going on too."
"Then it's settled." Belle said. "We're going after this zord."
The warzord's shoulder mounts opened up and shot missiles at the three battlezords. The Auradon Defender Megazord moved in to take the brunt of the impact with the shield in front that could be formed using Evie's mirror force shield.
With a low growl the chained demon pulled back its right hand and unleashed a huge blast right at them. It slammed right into the Auradon Defender Megazord as if it had no shield and slammed them right into the other two battle zords.
"That was a massive surge of energy." Jane said from her place on the far right on the Auradon Falconbattlezord. "We can't take too many of those if we want to win."
"If we can win." Carlos added softly.
On the ground Jabberwock jumped at Alex and Amy. The two rolled out of the way and Alex released a fireball his way that fizzled out upon contact with the armor. "Well I guess I should have seen that coming." He lamented. "It seems to have fire in its belly after all."
"Let's see if I can cool it off then." Ellie said as she took out a couple of soldiers with her chakram and then turned a beam of ice on Jabberwock though it turned to water upon contact. He had no insides save the fire, which super-heated the metal.
Jabberwock slashed at Ellie but the ice dame took a graceful cart wheel backwards and got ready to try to defend herself again. Melody had jumped in the way and struck with her trident before unleashing a beam of energy the weird insectoid monster
Will took out several of the soldiers before hearing a chuckling behind him. "Now how did you become a ranger anyway?" She asked rhetorically. "I mean you're surrounded by heirs to evil, no matter how disgraceful THEY turned out to be."
From the side Melody glared at the evil fairy as she didn't need to see Amy to know her friend had flinched at the insult, no matter how much she didn't want to feel the sting behind her mother's words.
"And then you have kings, and princes, and princesses and potentially powerful magical users." Maleficent droned on, typically oblivious to her daughter's hurt feelings. "I mean you have Bennie-boo, plain Jane, and Sleeping Beauty the second and the warrior princess." She aimed her staff at him. "And then we have you, the son of some peasant girl. Who are you to stand among them anyway?"
Will gave her a harsh glare. "Not only have I proven my worth to the team, but my mother has proven her worth in her life. We don't need the likes of you trying to belittle us." He said. He cut down another couple of soldiers on that got in his way. "But if you insist on it, I can show you just where my place is compared to you."
"No." Amy said as she came and placed her hand on Will's shoulder. "Don't fall for my mother's taunts." She advised her. "She's good at stirring the proverbial pot but we have to be smart enough to rise above it. Remember, you said it yourself. Both of you, and your sister has well, has proven your worth regardless of your backgrounds and upbringings."
Will had to take a deep breath but was able to realize Amy was right. He had even heard Wendy express her doubts to Cinderella once about that as the two women had very similar backgrounds before Cinderella had married Prince Charming. Cinderella had assured her that her background didn't matter that it was who she was now that made her a princess just like them.
"Only one thing can turn this around." Will said to Amy. "We need to take back the warzord." He frowned a bit. "But we can't leave the soldiers to invade the castle."
"We don't have to worry too much about that." Melody said as she turned to the doors. The guards inside the castle had finally gotten their acts together and were starting to combat the soldiers. She would have felt a little better with rangers at the helm, but they would take what they could get.
Arriving on the island they found it empty. That didn't last long as King Triton emerged from the waves along with a girl about Melody's age with long lustrous brown hair that sill had shades of red in it. It fell across her shoulders in soft waves. Her current form as a mermaid did nothing to hide her ample curves. She immediately looked at her aunt as she hugged her grandfather and said, "You're not staying here."
"What is she talking about Ariel?" King Triton asked with a touch of annoyance and concern, something Ariel had heard all of her life. She hoped she didn't sound like that around Melody so much.
"Daddy," Ariel started. "You, Aquiella, Eric, Adam, Elsa and Jasmine will have to meet the Neptune Magistrate on your own." She looked to Belle, Mulan, Wendy, Aladdin, Aurora and Snow White. "We have to infiltrate the island and find something."
"What are you trying to find?" Triton asked.
"A zord." Belle said now. "On this island. We don't know if they know it's here, if they even care about it or anything like that." She stepped forward now as if trying to get the king of Atlantica to understand. "But the rangers; my children and your granddaughter included, need that zord if they want to win that fight." She pointed to the fight going on at the castle.
Elsa raised her eyebrows a bit inquisitively as she wondered when exactly Mal and Amy had become Belle's daughters as well but didn't say anything. That didn't really matter and somehow she suspected that would mean a lot to the wayward daughters of Maleficent.
King Triton nodded. "I understand. Go, find this zord." He said.
"Keep your mind open aunt Ariel." Aquiella said to the red head. "I'll see if I can find anything in their minds that might help you."
"Can you communicate with others from that far away?" Snow White asked in fascination.
"Only with my family." Aquiella answered. "At least as far as I can tell." She looked to Ariel. "But it's still enough to get you any information that I can find."
Ariel nodded. "Okay then. That would be great honey." She said.
Mulan had her short sword stowed away, Aladdin had his scimitar stored away. "I have this, if anyone wants to try to use it." Jasmine said, indicating the other scimitar. She had not been quite as adept as her husband but was skilled enough.
Ariel reached over and took the hilt. She had held swords before, back when she had collected land items as a mermaid, she once had a grotto full of them which had included a statue of her now husband Eric. "The weight feels different, but I think I can use it if I have too." She decided.
"What about you guys?" Adam asked Belle, Aurora, Snow White and Wendy. "You don't have weapons."
"If we're really lucky we won't need any weapons." Aurora pointed out.
"And if you aren't lucky?" Jasmine asked.
"Then we'll find them some improvised weapons." Mulan assured her. "But let's hope that doesn't become necessary."
"You guys should held out then." Aquiella said to them as she moved some of her hair out of her maroon colored eyes. "I can feel them approaching. The best way to avoid explaining your absence from the proceedings is for you to not be here in the first place."
"She's right." Belle agreed. "Let's go." After only a moment of uncertainty they ended up letting Aladdin start the lead away from the boat and the meeting place.
The Forbidden Demon's hands lashed out, the chains now wrapping around the wings of the Auradon Falconbattlezord and pulled it forward. Then it drove its head hard into the face of the zord, making Jordan and Aziz wobble as they struggled to maintain their balance. Ally and Jane fell off though were able to recover their position quickly.
"Get off of us you googly eyed freak." Aziz hissed as he tried to slam both of the zord's fists into the massive monster. It didn't get any results.
The Auradon Dragonbear battlezord moved in to try to help but Chad brought the warzord in front of them. "I think your little friends should learn how to fend for themselves." He declared as he extended the two blades from the warzord's wrists.
"If that's what ye think then ye have another thing coming to ya." Miranda warned him. "They can take care of themselves just fine."
"And so can we." Mal added with anger in her voice. "It's time you learn that one Chad." The dragonbear battlezord swung at the warzord and the two blades were used to block the attack and then the warzord kicked the dragonbear back.
As the guards started to turn the tide on the soldiers the Will got together with the two remaining rangers, their fire knight and their ice dame. "It's time guys." He said and looked up as the warzord clashed with the Auradon Dragonbear battlezord. "Let's take back from Gregory what he stole from us."
"From you." Alex said with a joking prod to his arm and Ellie rolled her eyes at the bad timing.
"Let's get going then." Melody said. The five of them jumped up into the cockpit of the warzord. From there they could see the Auradon Dragonbear battlezord fall to the ground from the force of the impact. They could see The Auradon Falconbattlezord still tied up in the chains of the demon. The Auradon Defender Megazord was moving into attack but had to hesitate as the demon turned around to use their friends as a shield.
Then there was no more time to watch as the two soldiers noticed them and started to get up. Will and Melody moved in with their weapons and dispatched the two soldiers. That of course was easy part. Now they had Chad, Gregory, Undine's and Marcellus's attention.
"Little witch." Undine spat at Melody as she tried to tackle her.
"I think you're confusing our roles here." The aqua ranger retorted as she used her trident to block the incoming tackle and then slammed her knee into Undine's gut and then pushed her backwards.
"Time to take back what you stole from me." Will said to Gregory as he moved in with his recursive sword. He aimed to slash Gregory out but the rogue gray ranger blocked the attack and then swung back at him.
"You were the one who turned his back on us." Gregory noted. "You were in on the plan."
"I was forced into the plan." Will corrected him. "And even then I couldn't do it because I knew it was wrong." He laughed a bit. "I noticed how far your threats toward my family went by the way. Too scared to actually try anything once you realized how many of us there truly were?" He was not just referring to the Auradon Rangers as it was clear the ranger line was much broader than that.
"Hadn't gotten around to it." Gregory replied curtly. "Besides, your sister still needs time to grow into herself the way that Amy has. I have some time before I have to worry about doing her."
"That is just cold." Ellie stated furiously. "And so by the way are you." With that she unleashed an icy beam that struck Gregory right in the chest, forcing him to fall out of the warzord. "He can pay for those other remarks later and return those powers later."
Undine was trying desperately to get a tentacle on Melody. She didn't seem to care where as a one tentacle brushed at her thigh and another groped at her shoulder blade, though somehow Melody could imagine sharp teeth in the suckers on the tentacles that would dig its teeth into her flesh. Amy moved in with one of her rose lance and slashed both of the tentacles off of her friend and together the two girls just barely managed to kick Undine out of the warzord.
Amy suddenly screamed in pain as a magical arc of energy struck her. She fell against a console. Marcellus prepared to unleash another stream at the rose ranger but this time Melody blocked it with the trident and tried to redirect it at him, specifically the glove he wore that used to belong to his father Mozenwrath but he simply reabsorbed the magic.
Alex was now in front of them and he hurled a fireball at the sorcerer. He dodged it and tried to unleash the magical energy at the fire knight but he drew a fire shield to protect him and the two girls. Melody used that opportunity to zap him with the trident. He growled in pain and that stopped the attack long enough for Alex to bring a tonfa into his jaw and knock him out of the zord as well.
"Are you okay?" Alex asked as both he and Melody leaned down on either side of Amy.
Amy nodded. "Yes, I'm fine." She promised as she stood up and recovered her rose lance.
That just left Chad, who drew the Maledict blade and prepared to fight the five of them by himself. Then for an instant Amy felt a dark presence around the warzord, darker than anything Paradias or even her mother could ever imagine, and for a moment she felt as if he were ready to summon something, and she was deathly afraid of what it might be.
But this time Amy would never know as Will, Melody and Ellie struck together. He raised the blade to block the trident strike and the shield to block the chakram attacks but that left him open to Will's recursive sword and it slashed him hard enough to knock him out of the zord as well.
"Time to take control again." Will declared. Melody and Amy stood on either side of him and placed their iPhones into the warzord's slots, though in Melody's case a lot of it was about being uniform than any real purpose since her powers came from the trident and the aqua gem within it. "Auradon Warzord, now back where it belongs." The green ranger said happily.
Maleficent was not happy, to say the least, when the four former controllers of the warzord came tumbling out.
The Forbidden Demon paced the Auradon Defender Megazord with the chained Auradon Falconbattlezord. Then the Auradon Warzord stepped forward, and with the demon not realizing the true owners had taken the battlezord back, it raised the blades on its arms and broke the chains, freeing the zord.
"What just happened?" Ally asked.
"Will, is that you guys?" Jane called out.
"It is." Will responded with a laugh. "We're finally back in control."
The four Auradon zords turned toward the one standing monster left and were prepared to fight.
"It's not going to be that easy, rangers." Paradias promised. Green light enveloped the area and when it faded Chad the dark knight, Gregory the gray ranger, and Jabberwock stood with the Forbidden Demon, ready to fight.
"The odds just got even again." Jay noted with some dismay.
"The numbers may be the same." Audrey agreed. "But I think the odds are still in our favor."
That belief only lasted a few moments before Chad and Gregory combined their weapons and unleashed a stream of energy at the four zords. Then Forbidden Demon pulled both of his arms back and unleashed a powerful strike at them, sending them falling to the ground.
For just a moment Belle had had hopes that maybe it wouldn't matter in that battle if they found this zord in time as they saw the warzord suddenly change sides. She could only assume Amy, Melody, the Arendelle heirs and Will had succeeded. Then she saw the three new fighters grow. She knew intellectually that one of them was Chad.
"I think I found something." Snow White said. They turned to find she had found a brushy area. She had moved some of it aside to reveal a cave. They could hear the sounds of rushing water from inside the cave but at the moment they could not see any evidence of water.
"Do you think this is what we're looking for?" Wendy asked.
Aladdin nodded. "I think it is." He answered. "Besides, the zord isn't going to be on the island. Wherever it is, it's beneath it."
Mulan and Aladdin worked a moment to clear the underbrush away from the cave so they didn't have to trample their way through it. Belle looked to Ariel. "Any chance you know these caves?" She asked the former mermaid princess.
Ariel shook her head. "I doubt it." She answered honestly. "Granted I broke a lot of my father's boundaries growing up but even I knew better than to get close to Neptune territory without a good reason, and I never had it."
"Then we go in blind." Belle said with a shrug. "We'll make it work." She looked back to the shoreline in the distance where she could still see her children and the ranger team fighting for their lives. "We have to make it work."
And on the shores of the island, Aquiella sat in the waves, moving a small sea shell elegantly between her fingers. She saw her grandfather talking with her Uncle Eric and the former king of Auradon about what to expect. She saw Jasmine staring in the forest, probably wishing she had been able to go with her husband and her friends. And she saw the Queen of Arendelle looking toward the cataclysmic battle going on in her cousin's home town.
And then she felt her body tense in automatic response to her mind. "The Neptune's are here." She announced to them.