Just beyond our world, past the veil of dreams and magic, lies the fairytale realm of Everafter. Here, the legends and fairytales of old are alive and well, living in harmony for countless centuries. However, all that changed when the evil forces of the Marchens invaded, transforming many into mystical Wonder Charms while those that survived escaped into our world. Now, under the guidance of the great wizard, Merlin, a small group of these survivors tap into the power of the Wonder Charms to face the Marchen menace. Full steam ahead, it's morphin' time! Power Rangers: Wonder Force!
Neverland Nights
The school auditorium was abuzz with activity as the preparations for the production of the play Peter Pan were well underway. Among the many students helping were the Wonder Force Rangers, each there doing what their skill set was best suited for. Arthur was making sure everything was as accurate to the story as was possible. Snow was organizing the people hard at work on physically building the sets and props and such. Jack and Sunny were hard at work carrying heavy things, as their strength lent itself well to the menial task of lifting things. Gary used his own stout strength to steady ladders, while Alice clambered up said ladders to hang hooks and things from the rafters.
Snow was commanding all the students admirably, although Sunny and Gary were both rather bored. Neither would normally be here, but Gary was trying to prove he had turned over a new leaf and Sunny was bribed with the promise of bananas. As they all worked with the constant background noise of Snow ordering people around and Arthur babbling about the story of Peter Pan, Sunny had to silently wonder if the Marchen Army had to endure something like this.
Unbeknownst to Sunny, the Marchen Generals were enduring something like what he was, minus the physical labor that helped to distract the god from the speech of his friends. General Crusher was giving a presentation on his new plan, and his droning voice combined with the very advanced and long words to result in one of the most boring presentations possible.
Of the generals, only Madame Oshka was still conscious, and she was slipping. The rest of them snored as boredom induced sleep took them. Baba and Yaga had been the first to fall, but Fracture and Trample were quick to follow. Grizzle lasted the longest because he treated it as a physical challenge, but he was unable to resist the call of slumber. Madame Oshka only resisted as long as she had due to her courtly experiences, but even she had a limit.
Crusher noticed this, and slammed the Hull Crushing Saber on the table, shattering it instantly. The loud sound startled the others awake, with Grizzle yelling out, "Monosodium Glutamate!" Crusher tsked a few times and said, "I guess I'll just have to start all over again." General Crusher then found the weapons of his fellow generals at his throat, ready to strike. With a haughty dismissiveness of her minions antics, Madame Oshka gave a simple order to General Crusher, "Summarize your plan in simple terms."
Crusher sighed but relented, "I have a theory that certain elements that make up Mayhem Energy could be used to create a more concentrated version of the power source. In this case, I plan to use sorrow, and if my theory is correct then we can get a lot more Mayhem Energy for a lot less effort on our part." The generals lowered their weapons, mollified for now.
Crusher anticipated the next concern the generals had, "And before you say anything, I know that you guys won't want to focus on sorrow. But if my theory is correct, then all elements of Mayhem Energy can be made into the theoretical high energy variant. We'll all find something we're happy with." The generals left at that point, with Grizzle grumbling, "Why didn't you say that before?"
Crusher ignored the brute, and instead turned to the powerful magical artifact that had been constructed as soon as there siege of Red Brook had begun. A great work of divination in the form of a magic mirror, this artifact allowed the generals to see who would be tempted into taking the corrupted charm, not knowing their own fate. As Crusher gazed into the mirror, he saw his target and smiled, "Oh this is perfect."
Just outside the auditorium where the rangers were hard at work, the actor playing peter pan was having problems. He had just gotten off the phone with his father, who had never really accepted his desire to be an actor. The father had just confirmed he wouldn't be coming to his sons debut as Peter Pan. He slumped down, wishing he could make his father understand, desiring parental approval from both his mom and dad.
A voice spoke to him, "I can grant your wish." The boy turned around to see a small nutcracker with a little medal at its feet. The toy spoke again, "Just take the charm, and it will all be yours." The slight magic that all the generals could use to influence others into taking the charm was at work, not enough to force a person to accept, but enough to compel them to. Sure enough the actor took the charm, and the transformation occurred.
As the new Marchen Beast formed, Crusher assumed his true form and cruelly said, "Let the experiment begin."
The rangers were mingling with the other students when suddenly General Crusher and a new Marchen Beast burst through the door. The Marchen Beast resembled the traditional elfin stature of Peter Pan, albeit with an overly sparrow like build. Its arms were covered in feathers, the head was like that of a sparrow, and at the bottom of the green tights it wore were a pair of boots adapted to the clawed feet of a bird.
Crusher arrogantly crowed, "Ah, so nice to have so many test subjects for my experiment. Don't worry, your parents are the ones who will be hurt by this!" The Marchen Beast took to the air with a magical shining of its boots, and he shouted, "I am the brilliant tale of the ever young lad! And with my Shadow Cutting Saber I will make you sleep forever and a day!" The attack caused panic in those present, allowing the rangers to sneak away and morph.
The Wonder Force Rangers quickly charged, and Crusher just chuckled, "As if I didn't factor you rangers into this elaborate equation." Crusher snapped his fingers and a host of Tin Troopers manifested, and he charged alongside them to fight the rangers. All the while the Peter Pan Marchen attacked the innocents, stealing there shadows and rendering them comatose.
Recognizing the threat, Alice used her acrobatic antics and the heads of the Tin Troopers to try and attack the flying beast, but sadly even with the length of the Clock Buster Hammer she was too short to get a hit in, especially with the Peter Pan Marchens speed. Any time an attack got close, the Marchen Beast would expertly dodge out of the way, exploiting the fact that it could fly. Eventually Alice started to fume and yelled out, "Stay still so I can wail on you!"
The Marchen Beast laughed and said, "Never, and so long as I have my Pixie Dust Boots, you can't catch me!" Crusher sighed and said, "Don't reveal that your flight isn't natural you doof!" The Marchen Beast looked chastised and said, "Sorry, but it won't matter sir! After all, I'm done!" The rangers gasped as they saw that the Marchen Beast spoke the truth, for all who had not managed to escape were currently unconscious, there shadows taken by the evil flying around and rudely celebrating.
Jack was enraged by the mockery of the Peter Pan Marchen, in part because of how it remind him of how he had acted upon slaying the giant Blunderbore. With his rage overpowering his cowardice, he leveled the Beanzooka and attempted to blast the flying prat out of the sky. The flying beast dodged and proceeded to pull one eyelid down and sticking out his tongue in a universal manner of taunting.
General Crusher seemed tired of his own monsters antics and said, "Come on you, lets proceed to phase two of the experiment. See ya later Rangers!" He then vanished in a puff of smoke, while the Peter Pan Marchen flew away. The rangers demorphed and did the only thing they could by alerting the adults and calling 911.
Two days had passed, and the rangers were feeling pretty helpless. There was no sign of the Peter Pan Marchen, and while there classmates conditions had not deteriorated, they weren't getting any better. The only way to save them was to destroy the Marchen Beast, and it seemed like the Marchen Beast was hidden deep in the Dark Castle.
School was canceled for the time being due to so many students being rendered catatonic (though Gary had managed to escape that fate by pure luck), and with two days gone Snow had decided the Wonder Rangers had waited long enough and had begun to plan an assault upon the Dark Castle. Arthur had let Snow take the lead on this, for she was much better at planning than he.
The planning had been done on the first day out of school, and now it relied upon Merlin to open a portal into Ever After. Upon bringing the plan to the old mage, he smiled kindly and said, "We don't need to do this." Seeing the rangers confusion he elaborated, "Crusher has based his experiment on a false premise. Soon he will have the Marchen Beast attack once more. We just need to wait."
Snow fumed, "unless we get confirmation of that in the next thirty seconds, I am using my official authority as Queen of Ever After to make you open the portal!" Just as Snow finished talking the Marchen Detector program Dorothy set up began to blare. Snow seemed mollified by this indicator of the Marchen Beasts return and Arthur yelled, "Come on Rangers! We have people to save!"
As the Wonder Rangers were planning there assault on the Dark Keep, Crushers own plan was coming undone. He had been dragged before Madame Oshka by Grizzle and Trample. The psychopathic man-cub that was Grizzle was especially eager to see his rival get punished. Oshka arrogantly spoke, "it has been two days since you went to the mortal realm. Where is the bounty of energy you promised us?"
Crusher forced himself free and said, "I did not promise anything. I merely said that if my experiment was a success. But I prepared for this eventuality. The Peter Pan Marchen can command anyone whose shadow he has stolen. Observe."
He motioned to the Marchen Beast, and he pulled out the Lost Boy Baton, and directed Grizzle to begin hitting himself with the Home Run Blood Bat. Crusher started to childishly mock Grizzle, "why are you hitting yourself? why are you hitting yourself? why are you hitting yourself?" Oshka boomed, "Enough!" The Marchen Beast stopped and Grizzle woozily said, "Thanks boss." Oshka looked disdainfully towards the bear like being and then asked Crusher, "Why did Grizzle not go into a coma like the children did?"
Crusher nodded respectfully and responded, "Like much of Ever After, it is narrative based. Since grizzle here is narratively more important that some civilians, and that combined with his power means he can't be harmed by the stealing of his shadow. I think the rangers would be completely immune to the whole thing due to there connection to the Morphin Grid, so I didn't try it." Madame Oshka nodded and pointed, silently ordering Crusher and the Peter Pan Marchen to go and gather mayhem energy, which they obeyed.
A host of Tin Troopers and mind controlled teenagers wielding the blades of tin troopers wrought havoc upon the town of Red Brook, with people running in fear. The rangers rushed forward and confronted the leaders of this host, General Crusher, and the Peter Pan Marchen. Arthur called out, "Its morphin time!" and the rangers did so, and they began the roll call.
Arthur shouted first, "The Keeper of the Tales, Wonder Ranger Red!" Alice went next, "The Monarch of Wonderland, Wonder Ranger Blue!" Sunny was next, "The Great Sage conquering the West, Wonder Ranger Yellow!" Snow White went then, "The Fairest Princess, Wonder Ranger White!" Last but not least was Jack, "The Slayer of Giants, Wonder Ranger Black!" All together they shouted, "Full steam ahead! Power Rangers Wonder Force!"
Crusher yelled out, "Attack!" and the battle began. As Snow and Arthur dueled Crusher and Sunny destroyed the Tin Troopers, Alice and Kack put there plan into action. As the Peter Pan Marchen flew around, Alice hit it with the time field, slowing it down. The Marchen Beast was confused and in a slow motion voice asked, "What are you doing?" Then Jack leveled the Beanzooka and the Marchen beast realized what was going to happen he let out a slow motion, "Oh no!" and desperately tried to escape by making swimming motions while in flight.
This gesture was futile, and the Beanzooka struck true, instantly destroying the Pixie Dust Boots. As the monster fell Arthur jumped and slashed it with the Whirlwind Blade, heavily damaging the weak monster and destroying the Shadow Severing Sword and the Lost Boy Baton. As the monster hit the ground, all the shadows stolen by the Peter Pan Marchen were returned to there owners, causing the teens to awaken and run away once they were aware of the situation.
Without any way to defend itself and severely imjured, the fight was practically over for the Peter Pan Marchen. As it got up it heard the Rangers shouted in unison, "Wonder Force Blaster!" The Rangers combined there weapons, the Beanzooka formed the main barrel, the As-You-Will Staff and the Whirlwind Blade form the stand and trigger respectively, and the Mirror Shield and Clock Buster Hammer form the outer casing.
The blaster charged up, the Mirror Shield glowing a brilliant gold and the clock faces upon the Clock Buster Hammer ticked until both hands reached the twelve, which on both were replaced with the phrase "Times up." The Rangers shouted in unison, "Fire!" A beam of golden energy shot towards the, and the image of a wolf appeared in the beam, the energy and the claws delivering a fatal blow.
Crusher saw the way this was going and yelled out, "Baba, do your thing!" A portal to the Grim Forest opened and Baba eagerly skipped out. To the Peter Pan Marchen she said, "You gotta eat well to grow big and strong" before shoving the Eat Me Cookie into its mouth and leaving along with Crusher. Steam shot from the Marchen Beasts mouth as he grew giant. The Peter Pan Marchen shouted out, "I just got my growth spurt!"
Seeing the threat the rangers called out, "Summon the Zords!" Arthur called out, "Red Wolf Zord!" An armored red wolf manifested, Arthur jumping into its cockpit. Alice called out, "Blue Rabbit Zord!" A blue rabbit with a clock upon its back and its floppy ears being slightly reminiscing of a bulldozer, Alice jumping into its cockpit. Sunny called out, "Yellow Monkey Zord!" A yellow monkey with a strange head reminiscent of a UFO manifested, and Sunny jumped into its cockpit. Snow yelled out, "Apple Dwarf Zord!" A mechanical apple upon tank treads with a turret protruding from it manifested, and Snow jumped into the cockpit. Finally Jack yelled out, "Cloud Giant Zord!" A black ogre manifested and charged forward in a manner reminiscent of the Red Ape Ninja Zord made by Ninjor in times long past.
All the Rangers shouted, "Zords combine!" The Cloud Giant Zord formed the legs and lower torso, while the Red Wolf Zord formed the upper torso, the tail detaching and becoming a sword. The Yellow Monkey Zord became the upper arms while the UFO head became the helmet, now more like the helm of a knight. The Blue Rabbit Zord formed the right forearm, the clock face detaching to become a shield while the arm grabbed the sword. The Apple Dwarf Zord formed the left forearm, the tanks turrets becoming wrist mounted while the shield rested upon it. The Rangers shouted in unison, "Wonder Force Megazord!"
The Peter Pan Marchen arrogantly said, "Good luck beating me cause I can fly! Again!" With no delay the Wonder Force Megazord fired the apple core missiles, once more destroying the Pixie Dust Boots, and rendering the Peter Pan Marchen helpless. The Ranger struck fast and quick yelling out, "Final Strike! End the Tale!" The energy slash destroyed the Marchen Beast, sent the innocent lad to his bed, and had the rangers claim the Peter Pan Charm.
Despite the hick-up given by the Peter Pan Marchen, the schools production of Peter Pan went very well. Gary's performance of Captain Hook was well received, as was Snows as Wendy. But the real star of the show was the actor who played Peter Pan, who got a standing ovation, even from his father.
Author notes
Thanks to Krockman18 for letting me use his stuff and for beta reading. Go check him out
Nothing else I can really think to say here, except sorry for the long wait.