I planned on updating this last night, but thanks to the outages it had to wait until today.
Hope you like it, this one was a lot (hence the word count...)
Chapter 7: Fireheart
Every time Carvallain set foot in the human world, worry made his stomach churn. As he passed through the tree across the road from Rock Porium, he gave a quick glance around to make sure that nobody had seen him.
"You really need to stop looking like you're going to be struck down for simply setting foot in this world," he glanced over his shoulder as Titania materialised. A rainbow hue was fading from around her, changing her outfit from her Mystic uniform to clothes more appropriate for their location.
"The stories I heard as a child tell me I would be," Carvallain retorted, adjusting the grey jumper he wore over a white shirt and dark jeans. Titania laughed, patting his arm as she passed and crossed the road with the light, floaty steps that he was used to from her.
"I'm certain that your uncle only told you those stories so you wouldn't go sneaking off to see what it was like," she said. Carvallain didn't reply as he instead adjusted his headphones and followed her across to the music store where their friends and teammates could usually be found. Titania just grinned wider, knowing that he couldn't help but agree.
"Alrighty! Work the beat, work the beat!" Xander's cheers made the two non-humans slow as they stepped into the shop, taking note of what was going on. The Green Ranger was sitting on a wheeled chair, rolling back and forth, while the others were all standing in a row sorting the stock in front of them. "Stocking doesn't have to be boring!" Xander's encouragement fell on deaf ears as they shot irritated looks at him.
"What is going on?" Titania asked curiously as they stopped beside Nick.
"We're organising the new stock that just came in. Well, most of us are," the Red Ranger shot a glower at Xander, before going back to the records in his hands.
"Sometimes I wonder who the leader of our team is," Carvallain confessed as Xander spun in the chair, waving to the pair in a welcome. Titania indicated behind him with a small smile, and the young man turned again. He couldn't stop the yell of surprise when he found himself staring at a cardboard cutout of an older man with long black hair and heavy makeup who seemed to be yelling. Toby then peeked out from behind it, looking a little startled, and Xander's shoulders slumped.
"It's you, boss," Xander let out a breathy laugh, embarrassed as Carvallain and Titania didn't hide their laughter. He carefully got to his feet in what he seemed to think a subtle move.
"Nice work, Xander," Toby didn't seem to notice that he'd been messing around in the chair. "I like the way you've got everyone…working!" he exclaimed, a little surprised at the sight. He often wondered why he had hired the group of friends, who spent more time messing around than actually working. "You are a born leader!" he told him. Xander's chest puffed out with pride.
"Hear that guys? Born leader," he stressed with a wide, overconfident smile. Maddie laughed as Vida and Nick rolled their eyes. Chip just shot an exasperated look at Titania and Carvallain, who were still laughing.
"Who is this?" Titania approached Toby, her head tilted as she studied the cardboard cutout of the hunched man in a studded leather jacket. Toby turned to her, looking almost offended.
"Who is this?" he demanded. Her head still tilted, Titania gave a nod. Spluttering in disbelief, Toby looked at the rest of the group. Xander and Carvallain looked confused as well, and the others weren't entirely paying attention. "Guys! Jake Bonebreaker!" he gestured eagerly to the cutout. Again, he received nothing but blank looks. "The man who put the 'metal' in 'metalhead'. Lead guitar and vocal of the metal mega classic, Hairy Hatchet!" Toby exclaimed.
"What a foul name," Carvallain shuddered at the mental image behind the band name.
"That's heavy metal for you," Nick muttered. When it was clear that none of them had heard of the band that Toby loved, he gave a weary sigh.
"Okay. Your lesson: play it, like it. Class dismissed!" with that, Toby strode off to his office and shut the door.
"Does that apply to us?" Titania wondered, looking at Carvallain as he drifted over to her.
"I would hope not," he murmured, still staring at the cutout of Jake Bonebreaker with a look of mild distaste. "I don't think my uncle would approve of me listening to music by someone known as 'Bonebreaker'," Carvallain confessed, and Titania giggled.
"All the more reason to try it," she told him, and he shot her a look of exasperation.
"Guys, who wants to take care of the king of metal?" Xander asked, gesturing to the cutout.
"Not me," Nick answered instantly without even looking up.
"Me either," Maddie had a similar look of distaste on her face as she looked up at it. "He's older than my dad," her words made Vida laugh.
"I got things to do," the Pink Ranger then said as she gestured to the pile of records in front of her that she'd been organising.
"Sorry, heavy metal makes my nose bleed," Chip shrugged.
"And don't even look at us. We don't work here," Carvallain reminded as Xander cast a look in his direction. The young man huffed in irritation.
"Fine! I'll do it myself. Like everything else around here," Xander grumbled, turning back to the cutout. Vida pulled a face at him as Titania cocked her head.
"I seem to recall that being the opposite of what really happens around here," she said quietly to Vida, who didn't bother to suppress her snort.
"No kidding," the Pink Ranger agreed. Titania huffed, resting her hands on her hips.
"You humans are so confusing," she complained. Vida just grinned and patted her on the head. Hearing Xander's quiet mutters, Carvallain turned back to the Green Ranger just in time to see him cast a spell. There was a gentle brush of magic that caught all of their attention, just before a shout rang out.
"Hello, Cincinnati!" their eyes went wide when they saw the cardboard cutout had come to life.
"Oops…" Xander gulped as he stared at the man. "That's a slight magical malfunction," he muttered.
"You mixed up the animation spell with the levitation spell," Carvallain said, arms crossed as he sounded unimpressed. "You really need to work on your incantations," he scolded as Xander laughed weakly. As the cardboard cutout looked baffled about his sudden arrival in the shop, their Morphers suddenly chimed.
"Rangers, there's a very strong dark magic presence in your area," Udonna warned them urgently.
"We'll go," Titania said, already heading to the door.
"Not alone," Nick stopped her, even as he glanced at Jake Bonebreaker. The man was rocking on an air guitar, oblivious to their conversation. "We can't all split on Toby…V and I will join you," he decided. The team nodded. "You guys help with…heavy metal boy," Nick laughed as they hurried out, leaving Xander, Chip and Maddie to handle the cardboard cutout come to life.
Following the direction that Udonna had pointed them in, the four Rangers ran through a car park until they picked up on the faint presence of evil lingering. As they left the view of the street, there was a flash of their own magic as they changed from their normal civilian clothes, into their Mystic uniforms.
"That way, it's Necrolai!" Carvallain heard the Vampire muttering to herself, and led them down another path. As they reached the area, they all stopped when they found the place was deserted.
"Nothing down here but a taxi…" Vida frowned as they barely gave the car a look over. "I thought you said Necrolai was here?" she asked Carvallain, turning to him. The Silver Ranger was quiet, listening out for any sign of the Vampire. He could still feel the trace of dark magic, but he couldn't figure out where it was coming from.
All four jumped when the taxi suddenly started to move, despite there being no driver behind the wheel. The bonnet lifted, and the taxi began to change form until it was a monster that loomed over them.
"Steady," Nick warned as Vida took a step back in alarm.
"I suppose that is the source of the dark magic," Carvallain murmured. "Shapeshifters are always a hassle," he complained. The insectoid monster then roared loudly at them and lunged, starting to fight the four with pure strength.
Titania gave a cry as she was knocked to the ground, and Nick pulled her up before landing a kick that barely even made the monster move. As all four were shoved away, they grabbed their Morphers and flipped them open.
"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" they Morphed, but even that wasn't enough to gain the upper-hand against the monster. The cackle of laughter caught Carvallain's sharp ears as he hit the ground, and he turned to see Necrolai watching with an old scroll in her hands.
"Stop!" he pushed himself up, only to be hit by the same burst of magic that hit the other three, and they fell in a heap.
"Necrolai!" Vida growled as she glared up at the one responsible for the attack.
"Who else?" she taunted as the monster laughed at the sight of the four on the ground. "And I believe you've met my friend," Necrolai sneered. She glanced at the monster, who immediately charged in to continue the attack.
"Guys!" Titania grabbed her Morpher to reach out to the others as Nick, Vida and Carvallain got back up and continued to fight. "We could use some help out here!" she warned. Not wasting time, the Black Ranger shoved her Morpher away and rejoined the fight.
"Pathetic," Necrolai mocked Vida as she held her wrist tight enough that it made her wince in pain. With a wave, she threw her aside, and dodged Titania's attack. "Is this the best you can do? How did you manage to overpower Morticon and Koragg?" she wondered idly, kicking Titania back.
"We don't give up!" Vida shouted, and Necrolai hissed a curse when the Pink Ranger managed to land a punch that made her stagger backwards.
"She's right," Titania held out her hand, and rainbow lights shimmered around her as she threw out a bolt of offensive magic. However, Necrolai easily blocked it and retaliated, knocking both of them to the ground again.
"Fae magic against me? Please. Your power doesn't hold a candle to mine. It's nothing compared to those creatures I've fought before," Titania glared up at her as Necrolai laughed. Nearby, Nick and Carvallain went tumbling to the ground as the insectoid monster overpowered them as well.
"There they are!" to the relief of the Rangers, their backup arrived not long afterwards.
"Hold it!" Xander shouted, and Necrolai turned to look at them.
"Time to end this party," she decided. She gave a sharp whistle, and the growling monster spun around to look at her. In an instant, it changed shape, reverting into a taxi. "Deliver the map," Necrolai ordered as she tossed the old parchment into the back seat.
"That's just crazy!" Vida exclaimed. With the shriek of the wheels spinning, the taxi monster took off, speeding away. The Rangers started to give chase, turning their backs to Necrolai, and the Vampire didn't hesitate to launch a volley of magic at them. The Rangers cried out in pain, crashing to the ground from the force behind the attack.
"That's nothing compared to the power I'll soon have," Necrolai warned, turning on her heel. With a shriek, she flew off.
"More power?" Titania gasped.
"Let's go after her!" Nick shouted, but the moment he was on his feet, Xander suddenly grabbed his arm and forced him to stop.
"Wait!" he told him, and the horror in his voice made them all pause instead of going after the Vampire. "We've got another problem," Xander warned, gesturing up. Their eyes went wide as they saw themselves looking at a camera pointed at them, the red light flickering telling those from the human realm that it was recording everything.
"Smile…we're on camera," Maddie gulped.
Udonna gave a disapproving shake of her head as she and the Rangers watched the footage they had magically connected to, seeing not only the fight, but Nick, Vida, Titania and Carvallain Morphing. They'd managed to delete it from the computer systems it had been saved to, leaving them with the only copy.
"Humans love to make things more complicated with all those toys," Fáfnir complained. The Dwarf was watching too, almost looking amused until Udonna shot him a warning look.
"You must protect your identities at all cost," Udonna scolded, making the Rangers wince. "This tape could put us all in danger," she reminded as the tape looped.
"Wait, what was that?" Maddie asked. When they all looked confused, she stepped forwards and used her magic to start the recording from the beginning and zoom in on Necrolai.
"That's the parchment that Necrolai was carrying," Carvallain remembered the old scroll the Vampire had been holding. "The one she sent off in the taxi," he said.
"It looks like a map," Nick considered as the footage zoomed in even more on the parchment that Necrolai was looking over.
"Wait," Titania took several steps forwards to stare at it. "That writing…it's Old Fae!" she exclaimed.
"Indeed it is," Udonna nodded. Titania waved her hand, letting her Fae magic flow as she copied what was on screen to create a replica in front of them. Udonna lifted the paper, studying it curiously, and inhaled.
"Oh my…" she breathed as they all gathered close. "I thought this was lost…it's the map to the Fireheart!" Udonna exclaimed. Fáfnir sucked in a breath at her words.
"The Fireheart?" Chip's eyes lit up. "No way!" he grinned, before pausing. "What's the Fireheart?" he asked curiously. The other Rangers hid their amusement.
"A legend that Dusk told us about," Titania started at the name that Fáfnir spoke.
"My father told you about it?" she asked him. All of them were quiet, aware that Dusk had been the previous Red Fire Mystic.
"That's why the map is written in Old Fae," Fáfnir nodded. "He told us that it was a source of tremendous power, one that had to be protected until the time was right. He never told us where he left the map," the Dwarf sounded almost awestruck as he peered up at the map in Udonna's hands.
"What kind of power?" Chip asked, eyes bright. Fáfnir shrugged.
"No idea. Dusk never told us anything else about it. Never even told us how he knew about it, or how he got the map in the first place," he answered. Chip sighed.
"If the map is in written in Old Fae, maybe it's some kind of Faerie power?" Xander suggested, glancing to Titania as she stared at the map wordlessly.
"But now Necrolai has that map," Carvallain pointed out with a frown.
"Then we need to find it, before Necrolai gets her scaly little hands on it," Vida hissed, pressing her fist to her open palm. Udonna let out a shaky breath.
"That won't be easy," she warned, studying the map. "It says that you must traverse the Cimmerian Forest," Udonna's words were grave. Titania openly flinched, and Carvallain hissed a curse as even Fáfnir looked unhappy at the idea.
"That's alright," Xander said, not seeming to notice their reactions. "We like forests, don't we guys?" he asked. Most of the other Rangers nodded, not showing any fear. Fáfnir cleared his throat, and shook his head when they glanced at him.
"This one is unlike any you know," Udonna's warning was quiet and grim. "Imagine your worst nightmare-"
"That's easy!" Chip piped up brightly. "My mom puts my Morpher in the dryer, and the next time we Morph my uniform is really tiny!" he exclaimed, earning snorts of laughter from the others from the human realm.
"Enough!" Udonna's sharp tone startled them into silence. Chip's smile vanished as he stared at the almost angry look on the Snow Sorceress' face. "You are about to begin the most dangerous journey that you have ever undertaken. Your path will be filled with unimaginable danger; evil creatures, ravenous demons!" once she was satisfied by the nervous looks on their faces, Udonna gave a nod. "Now go. Remember, returning with the Fireheart will not be your success - your success will be to return at all," she warned them.
"Never thought I'd have to go near this place again," Fáfnir complained as he trudged through the dirt with surprisingly fast strides for someone of his size. With his speed, he was easily able to lead the Rangers towards the Cimmerian Forest. He had offered to take them to the border of the forest, knowing the way best.
"What's so bad about it?" Vida asked him, glancing to the former Earth Mystic as she hopped over a fallen tree. The Dwarf slowed to a stop, not turning around for a moment.
"There's this legend. A story of a man, a Prósopo-"
"A what?" Chip interrupted. Fáfnir shot him an incredulous look.
"You're being trained by one, lad," he pointed out, which only made their confused looks grow.
"I thought…" Nick started, and trailed off. He'd never wondered about who Udonna was, past the powerful Sorceress thing, at least.
"She was human? Typical humanoid reaction," Fáfnir snorted.
"Fáfnir," Carvallain's voice was warning as he saw the insulted scowl flash across Nick's face.
"Prósopo are similar to humans. Udonna and Penelope, and a lot of the inhabitants of the Woodland Village, are Prósopo," Titania spoke up softly. "They share your lifespan, but they tend to be more resilient, stronger and faster, with a deep connection to magic," she explained, and they nodded slowly.
"Anyway," Fáfnir cleared his throat. "There was a man named Draven, a powerful Wizard. He lived in a small kingdom as adviser to the King, but he craved power and often sequestered himself in his tower in his studies to become stronger. When he learned about the magic of Artificing, he became obsessed," his voice was rough.
"Artificers are rare, with the ability to infuse their creations with magic," Titania spoke up again to elaborate further. "Draven was one of the first…and it gave them a bad name," she said, her smile twisted.
"What did he do that was so bad?" Maddie asked curiously.
"And what does it have to do with the Cimmerian Forest?" Nick added.
"Getting there," Fáfnir waved a hand. "His initial experiments were going too slowly, so he began to absorb magic from those he deemed as…lesser beings," his expression was dark, and the rest of the Rangers started to understand the grim looks on their faces.
"Dwarfs, Elves, Faefolk. Goblins, Orcs, pretty much anything that wasn't Prósopo, was fair game to Draven," Carvallain had his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against a tree.
"At first it seemed to work. The artifacts that he was creating were powerful, meaning he was powerful. Too powerful," Fáfnir sighed as he ran a hand through his beard. "He couldn't control it. All that magic from different sources, fuelled by pain and greed, it exploded out. Levelled the entire kingdom," horror washed over the Rangers at the story.
"That's what created the portals between our worlds," Titania spoke up again as a hush fell over the group. "The explosion was so great that it tore the very fabric between our worlds, and left magic within your world. It's why the Master wants your world as well as ours," she explained.
"It was so great that it left magic unpredictable for a very long time. Races were wiped out, civilisations fell or were set back centuries," Fáfnir shook his head. "And the site of the explosion left stagnant magic in the air, so heavy it feels like a heat weighing down on you. That site became the Cimmerian Forest," they each sucked in a breath at his words.
"Stagnant magic? What's that?" Xander couldn't contain his curiosity. Fáfnir's eyes glittered at the question.
"The most dangerous kind of magic. Neither good nor evil, it simply lingers in the air and suppresses all energy around it. At least, it was, until the Master tried to turn it evil," Fáfnir said gravely. "It was one of the biggest battles that we faced. It's where Morticon…" he trailed off, glancing warily at Carvallain. The Elf's hands were clenched into fists.
"It's where my father died," he said shortly. Maddie reached out, putting a sympathetic hand on his arm. Carvallain glanced at it, and offered a faint smile of thanks.
"As the Master predicted, the battle did have an effect on the magic there, but not in the way he expected," Fáfnir looked uneasy now. "All that death, the damage of battle, it turned the stagnant, neutral magic into Necrotic magic," Carvallain couldn't stop the shudder running through him at those words.
"Death magic," Titania whispered. Fáfnir nodded.
"Even most dark magic practitioners don't mess with Necrotic magic. It's too unpredictable, going against the laws of magic. The few who have, found their lifespans drastically shortened," Fáfnir then gave a smile that was far too cheery. "And that's where the map to the Fireheart leads you," he gestured with his thumb. "That way," they all looked quickly in the direction that he was pointing. "Good luck," with that, the Dwarf began to walk in the opposite direction.
"You're not coming with us?" Vida asked, her voice trembling despite herself.
"Not a chance, lass," Fáfnir snorted. "I was there in that battle," he glanced over his shoulder at them. "Be careful. I told you that story for a reason. Keep your wits about you," he warned, and continued walking.
"Great…" Nick huffed, unable to deny his heart was beating faster at the idea of walking into such a terrible place.
"Nowhere to go but forwards," Titania patted his arm.
"Right," he nodded. Nick started to lead the way forwards, feeling the temperature of the forest starting to change. There was a strange weight to the air, just as Fáfnir had said, and something about it had his instincts begging him to turn around and walk away.
"This isn't…so bad…" Chip managed to say, before pausing as he saw the sign nailed to the tree that read 'GO BACK! Cimmerian Forest Ahead'.
"I'm not looking forward to this," Maddie muttered as they ignored the sign and kept walking. Nick held the map in his hand, looking around.
"Me neither," he muttered, still fighting that feeling that danger was all around him.
"I am," they all looked at Xander as he strode forwards, a cocky grin plastered on his face. "I'll take the lead on this one. I know how to read maps pretty well," he said confidently. Nick eyed him warily.
"Are you sure?" he asked, wondering if Xander had just dismissed Fáfnir's story.
"Like Toby said," Xander grinned, his chest puffed out once again. "I'm a born leader," he bragged. Nick shrugged.
"Okay, it's all yours," he allowed, handing over the map. Xander's cocky grin only widened with excitement at the chance to show off. Turning away, he looked down at the map to work out where they were and where to go next.
"Okay…Team Xander! Onward!" Xander eagerly began to walk, and the others followed without a word.
The further into the Cimmerian Forest the group travelled, the more they felt the weight of magic weighing down on them. Unlike the gentle warmth of good magic, or the icy cold of dark magic, the Necrotic magic that plagued the lands was heavy and almost humid, making sweat cling to them. The seven barely spoke, simply following Xander's path and keeping their eyes open for any of the monsters that Udonna had warned them about.
Even Xander paused at the skeletons they passed, which were monstrous in appearance and had obviously been lying in the dirt for a very long time ago.
"This is my kinda place," Chip gave a breathy laugh as he stared at the skeletons. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, and he almost enjoyed the shiver that ran down his spine the more he looked at it.
"It sure isn't mine," Maddie muttered.
"Let's keep moving. I'd rather not find out what had the strength to take out a Minotaur like that," Carvallain told them, levelling a warning look at Chip to not fall behind. Despite his awe, the Lightning Mystic nodded. A groaning sound overhead earned their attention, and Maddie slowed.
"Okay…what was that?" her voice shook with her fear.
"The trees," Titania couldn't deny her amazement as she looked up at the trees that grew so thickly that the sky was barely visible through the foliage. "The magic is so thick that it's embedded itself in their roots. The poor things," she whispered, her dark eyes shining. Titania then swallowed. "Don't touch the trees if you can avoid it," she warned quietly, and they nodded, none of them about to argue.
"Just keep going," Nick called over his shoulder to them, aware that Xander was charging ahead and barely looking back at them. As they kept walking, Carvallain glanced over his shoulder at the sound of a twig snapping nearby. He frowned, but kept walking silently. The sooner they found the Fireheart, the better.
The nervous quiet continued for a while, with Xander and Chip seeming to be the least effected by their surroundings. Xander kept marching forwards, occasionally veering in a different direction while muttering to himself, and Chip was still staring wide-eyed at everything around him.
"Whoa!" Xander called suddenly as he raised his hand into the air. He stopped so abruptly that Vida walked straight into him, almost knocking him over as they all tripped over each other.
"Next time, just say stop," Vida growled as they recovered. "'Whoa' is for horses. I don't see any horses here, do you?" she demanded. Xander flushed, and nodded.
"Okay, I got it," he laughed nervously, and looked back down at the map in his hand. Carvallain then hissed for them to be quiet. "What's-" before Xander could ask, they all heard the rapid rustling around them.
"Do you hear that?" Maddie breathed, her heart racing.
"I wish I didn't," Titania gulped. The group drew closer to one another carefully.
"I've had a feeling that something's been following us since we started," Chip admitted nervously. "I didn't want to say anything because…I always think something's following us," his words almost drew a laugh from Maddie.
"Something has been following us for a while," Carvallain warned in a low voice. "It's kept its distance until now, I assumed whatever it is was simply curious about us," he said carefully, looking around for whatever it was that was approaching. With the rustling all around them, and his senses overcharged from their location, it was hard to tell where it was even coming from.
Then a figure suddenly flipped to hang upside down in front of them, making all seven jump a foot in the air. Realising that it was Phineas, the team let out a sigh of relief and their shoulders slumped.
"It's only Phineas," Nick breathed, heart slamming against his chest.
"Oh, it's only the Rangers," Phineas drawled, offended by Nick's words. It made Maddie laugh, relieved to see a familiar face in the terrifying forest.
"What are you doing here?" Titania asked the Troblin.
"Well-"
"Sorry, Phineas," Xander stopped him before he could start talking. He waved the map in his hand. "Important mission. Don't have time for a visit," he said. With a grunt, Phineas launched off the tree branch and landed on his feet easily.
"Tell you what, seeing as you asked so nicely, I'll take you through the forest," he offered with a warm smile.
"Maybe we should let Phineas lead," Nick suggested as they all turned to Xander. The Green Ranger had lost his grin and was going pale.
"Having someone who knows this forest is better than following a map," Titania pointed out, eager to get through the woods as quickly and as safely as possible.
"I like them! They know what they're talking about," Phineas spoke brightly - too brightly for someone wandering the Cimmerian Forest. "I know this forest like the back of my ha-" Phineas stopped as he stared at the back of his hand. "Oh! Lucky me, new wart!" he beamed.
"We don't need any help," Xander forced the cocky grin back to his face. "I know exactly where I'm going," he insisted. He looked down at the map for a second, taking a deep breath, and gestured in another direction.
"Okay!" Phineas called as he watched them walking off. "No problem! Have a nice day!" he shouted after them. "Just sorry that I'll never…ever see you again…but hey, have fun!" only Carvallain's sharp Elf ears caught the Troblin's warning, and he let out a sigh.
Titania watched Xander as they kept walking, noting his pale face. So focused on the map and leading the way, he didn't notice he was being watched, and his smile faded almost immediately as they left Phineas behind.
"This is bad…" she whispered to herself.
With the sky barely visible, it was hard to stay aware of the time, but it felt like hours had passed as the Rangers traversed the dangerous Cimmerian Forest. The sweat was now rolling down them, and dirt clung to their faces and clothes as they continued to trudge along. A fog had descended on them, making it harder to see where they were going.
"Hey! Hold up!" Nick shouted as he jogged forwards to catch up with Xander. "Excuse me, leader?" Xander finally stopped and looked around at the Red Ranger. "We're going in circles. We've passed that tree stump like three times," he gestured to a tree stump that was covered in moss.
"He's right," as Xander scrambled to say something, Titania spoke up. She gestured to the small pile of stones that had been balanced beside the tree stump. "I found that stump familiar the last time, so I left a marker," there was almost an apology in her gaze as Xander's eyebrows furrowed.
"Admit it, we're lost," Nick said, which only made a stubborn look appear on Xander's face. He scowled at Nick.
"We are not," he said stubbornly, and tried not to wince at how childish it made him sound.
"We are too," Nick argued, tired of walking and too on edge to let him continue to charge ahead blindly.
"We are not," Xander refused to back down, not breaking Nick's gaze even as Carvallain suddenly cleared his throat.
"I believe we should address the topic of our current location at a later moment. We may or may not be lost, but…" the Elf gestured downwards. "We are certainly sinking," his words made them all realise with a start that while they had been standing watching Xander and Nick argue, they had slowly been sinking into what they had thought to be mud.
"It's Swamp Sand!" Titania gasped. It was already up to her knees, and the others weren't faring much better.
"Everybody Ranger up!" Xander shouted. They each grabbed their Morphers, shuddering at the slimy cold muck that was dragging them down.
"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" they shouted, but nothing happened. Their Morphers remained lifeless, and the Rangers remained unmorphed.
"Great, our Morphers don't work out here!" Chip realised with a groan.
"It's the Necrotic magic," Carvallain huffed as he started to force himself towards what looked like solid ground. "It smothers all other magic. We're on our own," he said, grabbing hold of a root to try and yank himself out.
"This is disgusting," Titania complained. Her small stature had her at a disadvantage, and she was getting dangerously low by the time she managed to get to the side for Nick to yank her out. She slumped onto the side, her body shaking as it adjusted to being on solid land again, and they managed to pull themselves out.
"Let's re-evaluate," Nick said as all of them breathed heavily. "Take out the map," he told Xander, whose eyes widened. Having almost completely submerged, he'd lost track of the map. Looking around quickly, he saw it slowly sinking into the swamp sand. With a loud squelch, it vanished.
"No…" Xander groaned as Nick cursed.
"Great!" the Red Ranger threw himself backwards in frustration. Now, on top of being lost, they had no way of telling where they were going.
"Who needs a map?" Xander spoke louder as he tried to get to his feet. "I looked at that thing a million times! It's all up here!" he insisted, pressing a fingertip to his temple.
"And that's supposed to make us feel better?" Vida growled at him. Xander didn't reply, almost falling back into the swamp sand.
"It's all we've got," Titania managed to get to her feet, flicking her hands. Mud splattered everywhere as she did, making her grimace. The mud was freezing cold, making them all start to shiver. "We have to keep going forwards. Necrolai can't be allowed to find the Fireheart," she said, helping Maddie to her feet.
"Titania's right," Nick sighed, pushing himself up as well. "We have to keep moving," he told them. The others nodded, weary and cold, but got up and continued to move.
What little morale the team of seven had before the swamp sand was now long gone. Lost in a dangerous forest and following Xander, the others were entirely silent as frustration made their tempers boil dangerously close to the surface.
The mud was starting to dry out, but they were no less uncomfortable as it only made them stiff and itchy. Now, on top of the mud, they were having to push their way through cobwebs that clung to every available surface.
"I am never going to feel clean again," Titania complained under her breath as she pulled cobwebs from her hair. As she did, she eyed them warily. "Please don't be what I think you are," she whispered.
"Are you alright?" Carvallain asked her, hearing her whispers. Titania shook her head, brushing her hand on her mud-caked trousers.
"None of us are going to be until we get out of here," she pointed out. Carvallain huffed out a sigh, knowing that she was right. Her dark eyes lingered on Xander, worry gnawing at her. When she saw him stop abruptly, the Fae tilted her head and moved forwards. "Are you alright?" she asked, before seeing what he was staring at.
A fork in the road. And judging by the panic that he was desperately trying to mask, Xander had no idea which route to take.
"Now where?" Nick groaned as he saw the fork in the road. Xander inhaled deeply, his gaze darting from one path to the other.
"It's that way," he decided, starting to turn left. He hadn't even taken two steps in that direction, however, when Phineas suddenly appeared once again upside down and made all but Carvallain jump. The Elf hid an amused smile, having been aware that he'd been following them the entire time.
"I wouldn't go that way," Phineas warned, still upside down as he crossed his arms over his chest. He then flung himself off the branch, flipping through the air to land on his feet with his hands raised over his head. "Only took me a couple of years to realise that landing on my feet was easier than landing on my face," he grinned, revealing several rows of wickedly sharp teeth.
"Maybe now is a good time to ask Phineas for his help?" Maddie suggested gently. The stubborn look flashed across Xander's face.
"We don't need anything! We are fine!" he insisted. The others sighed heavily at his stubborn refusal.
"He's right," Phineas' agreement confused Xander. The Troblin was nodding with a thoughtful expression. "You don't need anything, because very soon, you're going to be eaten by a Borbeast," he warned simply. Titania hissed under her breath, looking at the cobwebs still clinging to her filthy clothes.
"Of course a Borbeast would make this place its home," she said quietly.
"But hey!" Phineas raised his hands and stepped away from them. "Once again, have a nice day," he smiled at them.
"He's just trying to scare us!" Xander shook his head, desperately trying to pull them back to his side.
"Even if that were true," Carvallain spoke up, idly brushing at his trousers as if he expected to be able to dust off the thick layer of mud dried into the fabric. "As you no longer have the map, I feel that Phineas and his concerning knowledge of this place is the smarter, safer option if we are to succeed in returning," he said simply, and sighed as he saw the look that flashed across Xander's face. "It is nothing against you. There is simply too much at stake," Carvallain told him, and walked over to Phineas.
"I'm going with Phineas too," Nick spoke up, following the Elf with a shake of his head.
"Me too," Vida agreed.
"I trust you, Xander," Titania started, meeting his gaze as she saw the desperation cloud his eyes. "But if there is one creature I would rather avoid coming face-to-face with, it's a Borbeast," she offered an apologetic smile, and started to follow Vida.
"I'll make a deal!" Xander blurted the words out before he could stop himself. Titania froze, her eyes going wide, and Carvallain hissed a curse as his hand twitched towards where his sword normally lay. He'd left it behind, too afraid that he'd lose it in the forest.
"Have you lost your mind?!" he demanded, taking an angry step towards Xander.
"It's fine," Titania spoke, stopping Carvallain where he stood. The other Rangers looked equally wary, and even Phineas didn't dare to speak as Titania turned to Xander. "You want to make a deal?" she asked him, and somehow, despite the stifling presence around them, a faint shimmer of rainbow light flickered around Titania. She didn't notice as she kept her gaze locked on the Green Ranger. "Be sure now, because you can't break a deal with a Fae," she warned, her voice harder than they'd ever heard from the usually cheerful young woman.
"Y-yes," Xander managed to force the word out even as his heart slammed against his chest. "Come with me," he requested as Titania watched him, standing between him and Phineas.
"That's all?" she tilted her head.
"Specifics," Chip hissed. Xander's eyebrows furrowed, but he didn't look away. "You need to be specific with a Fae bargain," the Lightning Mystic warned him. Xander swallowed.
"I want you to…accompany me through the rest of the Cimmerian Forest. Until we find the Fireheart," he managed to say, and could have sworn he saw a flash of approval on Titania's face. For a long moment, she stood entirely too still.
"How do I become stronger?" Titania had blurted out the question before she could stop herself, addressing Penelope. The red-haired woman had looked up in surprise from the healing potions she was brewing. "My magic…it's not strong enough," Titania lifted her hands to glare at them. "I know I need to practice, and I am, but it feels like I'm lacking, and I…" she took in a shuddering breath. "I can't let my team down," her words were a plea to the woman who had raised her in the aftermath of the Great Battle.
"Titania…" Penelope whispered, before letting out a sigh. She rose to her feet and walked over to the delicate Fae, who had tears in her eyes as she waited for some kind of answer from her. "First of all, you could never let your team down. Your strength comes from your heart, and your courage," Penelope told her, putting a hand to her cheek. "You need to believe in yourself," she told her.
"But my Fae magic…" Titania whispered as the tears broke free and ran down her face. "I couldn't free Maddie when she was turned to stone, I couldn't find Nick in the dark dimension. What kind of Fae am I, if I don't even have that kind of power?" she asked, almost desperate.
"My dear little spark," Penelope bent down to rest her forehead against Titania's. "You are stronger than you believe. You just need to give it time," she assured her, before drawing back and smiling. Seeing that Titania didn't look fully reassured by her words, Penelope hummed. "You've never made a true deal before, have you?" she asked, surprising the Black Ranger.
"Not…really," she shook her head. She teased the other Rangers, often taking something in payment for a question or something she'd helped with, and her nature meant she always repaid them for anything they did for her, but there were no true deals she had made.
"Perhaps you should start with something small there, and see how things go," Penelope suggested. Titania cocked her head, looking thoughtful.
Blinking, Titania pulled herself of her memory with Penelope, and walked over to Xander. When she stood in front of the much taller human, she grinned at him; a devious look that somehow suited her perfectly.
"We have a deal," she told him, holding her hand out. Too desperate to have at least one of them follow him, Xander grasped her hand quickly. Again, Titania didn't notice the flicker of her magic that shimmered around their hands. Her grin widened. "I'll tell you my price after we get out of this place," she told him.
"Rookie mistake," Chip shook his head. "Always find out the price first," he muttered, but only Maddie, who stood beside him, and Carvallain, heard him.
"You better not regret this, Xander," Carvallain warned. "Because there's no breaking a deal with the Fae-folk," he said, angry that he'd been so desperate that he'd made a deal with Titania.
"Guys, come on," Vida called to Chip and Maddie, who were still standing between the pair. Seeing that they hadn't fully moved yet, Xander tore his gaze from Titania and looked over at the two.
"Guys, I know where I'm going!" he insisted as they started to walk over to where the others stood with Phineas. When neither looked convinced, Xander glanced at Titania, and an idea came to mind. "Okay then! I'll cover your shifts for two weekends at Rock Porium, if you stick with me," he offered. Instantly their interest wavered.
"You're bargaining work hours in the middle of the Cimmerian Forest? You truly have no shame," Carvallain huffed. Titania hid her amusement behind a cough. Maddie just sighed.
"Make it three," she bargained.
"Deal," Xander nodded. "Chip?" he looked at the red-haired young man, who nodded.
"Deal," he agreed just as quickly. "I always wanted to see a Borbeast anyway," Chip grinned as Xander started walking, and Maddie and Titania followed.
"If you knew what a Borbeast really was, you really wouldn't," Titania warned over her shoulder.
"He better not get my sister killed," Vida muttered as Phineas started to lead them away as well.
"I'm surprised she went along with his offer," Carvallain admitted as he stepped over a fallen branch. "Maddie always seemed the smartest of you all," he said. Neither Nick nor Vida looked offended, knowing that he's right.
"That's the power of a free weekend," Vida only shrugged.
While Phineas led Nick, Vida and Carvallain in one direction, Xander continued down the path he had chosen, insisting that they were close even as the fog grew thicker around them and the trees blocked out even more sunlight.
"It's not much further!" the Green Ranger insisted as he charged forwards, squinting to see through the fog. He stopped as abruptly as the others as they heard a loud shrieking sound in the distance that echoed all around them.
"Was that a Borbeast?" Maddie whimpered, looking at Titania. The Fae was pale under the mud, her dark brown eyes wide.
"Let's just keep moving," she chose to say instead of answering, and gave Xander a gentle shove to get him moving again. He snapped back to attention and kept moving. Titania, Chip and Maddie followed, staying quiet even as Xander continued to urge them on.
After a while, the fog started to lift and the magic grew less stifling, allowing them to take the first full breath since setting foot in the Cimmerian Forest. With that breath, some of the tension faded, and Xander's eyes lit up.
"Guys look! I think we made it!" he exclaimed, charging forwards. They followed quickly, making sure they didn't lose sight of him as they hoped that he was right. When he spotted a clearing in the trees, Xander let out a laugh of delight. "See gang? Team Xander comes through safe and sound," he said as he put his arms around Chip and Maddie. Titania frowned. While the stifling magic was less intense, it still lingered. As she looked around, she spotted more cobwebs around them.
"Wait!" she gasped, running forwards. As they turned to her, a shriek came from above, similar to the one they'd heard before. Titania reached the other three just in time for the Borbeast above to spit a thick, strong webbing at the group. Crying out as the web covered them, the four were pinned to the rough grass under them.
"Xander…what exactly is your definition of safe and sound?" Chip groaned as the three humans struggled in the webbing they were trapped in.
"Any bright ideas?" Maddie asked as she yanked at her arm, but it was nothing like the normal cobwebs she was used to. The more she struggled, the tighter its hold seemed to be on her.
"Save your strength," Titania warned as she stayed wedged under the thick webbing beside Maddie. "Borbeast Web is one of the strongest materials in this realm. You have to unravel it, not break it," she said as she fidgeted, trying to find a loose strand to break free.
"That thing is going to eat us before we can untangle this mess," Chip groaned, still struggling. The Borbeast was slowly descending on them, drool dripping from its mandibles, ready for its next meal.
After Phineas had led Nick, Carvallain and Vida to the edge of the Cimmerian Forest and vanished back inside, the three Rangers had managed to find a way down the steep cliff. With careful steps, it was only when they reached the bottom that they allowed themselves to breathe in relief.
"I don't think I'm ever going to feel comfortable again," Vida shuddered. Her skin was still crawling even now, when they were free from the Cimmerian Forest.
"I am in full agreement there," Carvallain rubbed his arms, creating flakes of mud that fluttered around him. "I can understand why it's off limits to most," he said.
"Come on," Nick called over his shoulder, already scanning their surroundings. "We need to find the Fireheart," he reminded. They joined the search, trying to find something that stood out against the grey of the cliff base.
"Now that we're out of the Forest, it should be easier to call on our magic again," Carvallain pointed out as he looked around carefully. "And easier to detect. The Fireheart is hidden by Fae magic, so keep watch for anything unusual," he explained.
"Over there!" Nick was the first to spot the glimmering gold that surrounded what seemed like an ordinary pile of rocks. They hurried over, and the golden light grew stronger. "Think that's it?" he asked.
"It's worth a shot," Vida told him, ready to find the Fireheart and go home.
"There is indeed Fae magic here," Carvallain stared at the glowing golden light. While it looked and mostly felt different to Titania's magic, there was still a similarity that convinced him that they had found their prize.
"Well, let's see if you were right about it being easier to call on our magic," Vida said, grabbing her Morpher to flip it open. Instantly the feeling of her magic filled the air as she transformed into a pink-hued tornado, almost sending Nick and Carvallain flying as the power of the tornado smashed through the protective barrier around the rocks. "Yes!" Vida cheered as she returned to normal and saw the rock with a strange golden symbol.
"A little warning would suffice next time," Carvallain said as he adjusted his shirt. Vida ignored him and ran over to the rock. She tugged at the golden metal that protruded, but it refused to budge. "The writing is in Old Fae…unfortunately it is not one of the many languages I had to learn as a child," the Elf folded his arms.
"I'll take it from here," they looked at Nick, who had drawn his Morpher. Sensing what he was going to do, the pair backed off quickly so that Nick could use his Fire magic on the rock. As the temperature around them rose to levels uncomfortable for Vida and Carvallain, the rock started to melt, revealing a strange metal tube that was untouched.
"Hot stuff," Vida laughed as Nick cut off his spell. After checking to make sure the tube wasn't hot, Carvallain lifted it and hummed.
"A Fae protection case. There were a few left around Rootcore…this is newer than the Old Fae writing would suggest," he commented.
"Forget about that, what's inside?" Vida asked eagerly. The Silver Ranger resisted rolling his eyes, and instead used a small burst of magic to open the case. When the top came off to reveal a rolled up piece of parchment, he tipped it out into Vida's waiting hands.
"The secret of the Fireheart," her eyes were lit up with excitement as even Nick and Carvallain couldn't deny their eagerness to see what it was.
Before they could do anything, however, they were blasted by a volley of dark magic missiles that exploded and threw them into the side of the cliff. Vida gave a cry of horror as the parchment was knocked from her hands.
"I'll take that!" Necrolai flew in to catch it with a laugh, swiping it from the air before landing. "Fireheart is mine!" she declared as she landed, and threw out a hand. "Hidiacs!" at her shout, the foot-soldiers appeared from above and started to charge in to fight once more.
Titania let out a frustrated hiss as she desperately tried to find a loose strand to break free of the Borbeast's trap. Knowing they were unable to move, the giant spider-like monster was taking its time to descend on its meal.
"Guys…this is all my fault," Xander moaned, helpless to do anything but stare up at the Borbeast.
"A little late for that," Maddie growled, still struggling despite Titania's warning that it was useless. "It's not like you can make up for it," she huffed.
"At least he's willing to admit his mistake," Titania mused, almost idly as she continued to pick at the sticky webbing.
"And he could at least volunteer to be eaten first," Chip grumbled as he managed to turn his head just enough to glare at the Green Ranger.
"If that's what you want!" Xander blurted, and groaned again. "I just thought I knew everything. I should have listened to Phineas," he berated himself for his mistakes. As if on cue, a familiar figure leapt through the trees and landed by their heads.
"It's never too late for that," Phineas grinned as he stood over the four.
"Phineas!" Maddie smiled with relief at the sight of their Troblin friend. He grinned wider at them, before lifting his head to look at the Borbeast.
"Yoo-hoo! Uh…spider! Come and eat me!" he offered, holding out his arms as if in invitation. "You know what they say, 'once you've tasted Troblin, other food will be a problem'!" he sang as the Borbeast screeched at him. "Sorry guys, I'm not a great rhymer…especially at this…timer," he giggled at his own joke as they sighed.
"Jokes, now?" Maddie groaned.
"Best time for jokes, in my opinion," Titania said, resigning herself to watching Phineas. The Troblin had turned his attention back to the Borbeast.
"Come on! Over here! Come try a rare delicacy; Troblin Tartar!" Phineas taunted the Borbeast, who was continuing to screech at him as it ambled closer. It finally leapt off the massive web it had made, and landed heavily enough to send a shudder through the hard ground. Phineas began to flip away, laughing and jeering as he led the Borbeast away from the Rangers.
"Is he going to be okay?" Maddie asked, worried for their friend.
"He'll be fine," Titania reassured her, before there was another loud crash and rumble a short distance away. "Phineas is smarter than he seems," she reminded them, before there was a second rumble. After a few moments of quiet, they heard the low, heavy footsteps of Phineas running back over to them.
"Hey," he greeted the four still stuck together. He then tilted his head, looking over the webbing before he started to pick at it.
"Phineas, will you lead us?" Xander asked as they felt their bindings start to come loose.
"Sure, Xander," Phineas beamed happily at him for the question. "It would be my honour," he said, and pulled another thick piece of web free.
"How did you get rid of it?" Titania asked curiously as she felt her arm become free.
"A not-so-bottomless pit," Phineas' answer made her laugh.
By the time Phineas led the four out of the forest, the battle was in full swing. Nick, Carvallain and Vida had Morphed as they fought Necrolai and her shapeshifting taxi monster.
"V!" Nick shouted as the Pink Ranger was thrown to the ground by Necrolai, and he and Carvallain ran to help her up. Necrolai laughed as she watched, assured of her victory.
"Hey!" they looked up quickly at the arrival of the rest of their team, who had Morphed and were ready to join the fight.
"You made it," Nick sighed, glad to see them safe.
"Thanks to Phineas. Xander almost got us eaten," Titania piped up. The Green Ranger shoved her, and she laughed.
"Sis!" Maddie called out to Vida, glad to see her after the terrors of the Cimmerian Forest, but worried after seeing her fall. Vida nodded to her, before standing taller.
"Let's show this overgrown bat what we're made of!" she shouted. The others cheered, and the battle resumed. Nick, Vida and Carvallain focused the shapeshifting monster, pushing it back as the others challenged Necrolai to stop her from interfering.
"Magi Staff, Tornado Power!" Vida shouted as she held up her Magi Staff and channelled her magic through it. Lifted off her feet by the tornado that formed around her.
"Magi Staff!" Carvallain lifted his own weapon and sent a barrage of silver-hued magic to break through the monster's defences. It roared in pain, staggering backwards and almost falling over.
"Fire power!" Nick followed up, not letting the monster have time to recover from the powerful strikes that the two had landed, and with a powerful final strike, he cut through its thick armour.
"That cab's busted," Vida grinned wildly, but it was wiped off her face by the sudden chill in the air that accompanied dark magic. Their eyes went wide as the monster reformed and grew much bigger, earning all their attention.
"Time to go Titan!" Xander called as Necrolai backed off. Casting their spell, the seven Rangers transformed into their massive Titan forms to fight the shapeshifting monster. It returned to its taxi-like form, racing towards them as Nick landed on the hood and caused it to swerve.
"A little help? The metre's running!" he shouted over his shoulder to the rest of the team.
"The what?" Titania asked, not understanding his reference.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Carvallain shook his head in exasperation at Nick's choice to make quips in the heat of battle.
"How about we shoot to score?" Vida asked as she transformed into her ball form. Nick cheered, leaping off the taxi to deliver a powerful kick to the ball. It slammed hard into the taxi, forcing the monster to revert back to its normal self.
"Alright!" Vida cheered as the monster lay stunned on the ground, giving them time to group together.
"Titan Megazord Formation!" the team used their magic to combine their Titans into their powerful Megazord form, determined to finish the battle. Trying to get in close, the shapeshifting monster roared and charged in. With a powerful swing, their Sabre carved through the ground and create a burst of rocks and debris that caused the monster to overbalance and fall over. "Mystic Spell Seal!" they held their hands over their consoles, charging up with magic.
"You're toast!" Nick grinned as the monster roared and exploded once again. The team cheered, glad that one of their battles was over. From the ground below, Necrolai was unaffected by the loss of the monster as she held the parchment in her hand and smirked.
"Time for me to get back to the pit," she decided, having seen enough.
"Give me that!" however, before she could escape, Vida had launched herself at Necrolai from above and managed to grab hold of the parchment. The two struggled furiously as Necrolai shrieked angrily, and there was a loud tearing sound before Vida fell backwards, barely landing on her feet.
"Whoops," she gulped, staring at the torn paper in her hand.
"Sis!"
"Are you alright?" the others reached her, and their eyes went wide as they saw the torn parchment in her hand.
"Look what you've done!" Necrolai screamed, glaring hatefully at Vida. Knowing when to cut her losses, the Vampire turned on her heel and flew off with a screech.
"Well…at least we have half of it," Maddie managed to say, trying to look on the bright side.
"Yeah…whatever it is," Xander added. They all peered closely as Vida opened the parchment, revealing a strange drawing that none of them could understand.
"I bathed more times last night than I had done all month, and I still don't believe I'll ever feel clean again," Carvallain complained to the other Rangers as they stood in Rock Porium the next day. Udonna had been relieved to see them all back in one piece, even if they had returned with only half of the mysterious parchment.
"Tell me about it," Vida grumbled, still feeling phantom muck clinging to her. "And someone used all the hot water," she glowered at her sister, who didn't look the slightest bit remorseful.
"You didn't almost get eaten by a giant spider," Maddie reminded her.
"And you did not have to follow Xander," Carvallain pointed out, making both Nick and Vida laugh as Maddie went red.
"I think I got scammed…three weekends off was not enough," she complained, and their laughter grew. Chip nodded his agreement, before pausing.
"Hey, what price did you give Xander in the end?" he asked Titania, who was studying one of the records that they had been sorting. Her eyes shone with devious amusement at his question, but before she could answer, the cardboard cutout of Jake Bonebreaker landed beside her.
"I'm really sorry, everyone," Xander apologised as he balanced the cutout carefully. "I guess part of being a born leader, is knowing when to follow," he allowed.
"I guess it's not a total loss," Maddie teased him. "You learned from this, Xander," she said, making it clear that she'd forgiven him. Xander's grin returned, before he suddenly sneezed.
"What the-" the other Rangers jumped away from the burst of rainbow of glitter that exploded from Xander's nose, and Titania gave a devious cackle.
"And that would be the price of bargaining with a Fae," she laughed as the other Rangers backed away in fear of getting glitter all over their clothes.
"I just swept up…" Nick complained, glaring at the glitter that now covered the ground and furniture, shimmering in an array of colours. "You couldn't have made him pay some other way?" he asked Titania, who shrugged.
"I was going to go easier on him," she said, and looked at Xander as he sneezed again. "But then he almost got me eaten by a Borbeast, so I upped the price," Titania smiled sweetly as Xander glared at her.
"The glitter is making me sneeze even more. I'm going to be covered in it for the rest of my life!" he exclaimed, and Titania laughed even harder. Her delight, and his discomfort, made the others start to laugh too.
"Good luck," Nick grinned, pressing the broom into Xander's hand. "Because I am not cleaning up this mess," he told the Green Ranger.
"G'day mates!" they turned around at the greeting called, and their eyes went wide as they found themselves staring at the real life Jake Bonebreaker. "My tour bus broke down, so I though I'd kill some time in here while it's getting fixed," he told them with a grin, before spotting the cardboard cutout. His eyes lit up. "Hey! Handsome lad, ain't he," he grinned as they laughed.
"You have got to meet our boss! He's your biggest fan," Vida told him, making Jake's smile widen.
"Toby! Guess who's here!" Nick's shout drew Toby from his office. The man pushed the door out to look. "Jake Bonebreaker!" he pointed to the man, but Toby only huffed.
"I'm not falling for that again. I've got work to do!" he gestured to the phone before slamming the door shut, confusing Jake.
"What?" he asked, not understanding. Xander just sneezed loudly, sending out another cloud of glitter. This time it caught the others, clinging to them.
"Now I really am never going to be clean again…" Carvallain sighed.
Some very fun changes in this chapter. I said I went hard on worldbuilding for this story, and I meant it!
Let me know what you think!
Please review!