On a clear sunny in the Mystic realm, Claire was picking berries and other flora for potion making. Skipping along the woods with her basket, without a care in the world.
" OK let's see. Beetlesbane. Check. Slugroot. Check-" "Heads up! Coming through!" Nick and the others shouted as they zipped past Claire who barely had time to duck, on their mystic racers. " Sorry!" Once she dusted herself off, she gave a slight pout frown up in the air.
" They really should put those traffic light things out here. Now what else...Oh hollyflower petals!" Unfortunately, bees started to surround the bush. Being her opportunistic self, she thought this was a good opportunity for magic practice. With a quick spell, she could easily transport some flowers right into her basket….. assuming if it will work the first time.
" Come to mama. Um Borum ...Florum Xylocopa!" just her luck, that only made the bees angry and start to come after her. She scrambled to swap them away while she was hastily saying a spell to repel them.
" Ah! Shoo! Shoo! Re-Repolic Ortim!" The bees ceased their onslaught.
"Maybe I'll just say I couldn't find the hollyflower petals…" she said a little sheepishly. " What's next? Ah, Stickleberries" she started picking when the ground suddenly started to shake.
The rumbling sound was so loud it sounded like thunder… and it felt like it was coming towards her. She walked around the bushes to have a better look. A giant object came speeding towards her direction. It was underground and hastily uprooting the dirt around it like a drill in a tunnel.
In a panic, Clare started running the opposite direction, dropping her basket in the process. Despite how fast she was running, the thing was faster, it was right on her heels when a sudden "Look out! " shouted at her and a mysterious person pushed her out of the way of the thing's path. She shrieked as she hit the ground, but safe away from the thing. While spitting out grass and coughing from the dust it made, she quickly whipped her head around to see who saved her, but no one was there.
" What was that?"
" Ugh and here I thought our armies had already destroyed the majority of the Mystic Force. Yes, we've accomplished instilling more fear in the people of the realm again and making our presence known to Human realm, but the main issue still stands: those brats are still alive!" Necrolai growled, coming up to Koragg and Morticon in their pit layer. Koragg huffed.
" The ancient power had to go to someone, but those children are of no threat. Just like the others they will be crushed in due time" Koragg said confidently.
" And while you two debate that, I'm seeing to it that they don't!" as if on cue, the pit started to rumble. " What in the five hells was that?" Necrolai shrieked
" That would be the Hydra Worm" the mechanical warrior answered.
" The creature that dug this enormous pit?"
"Precisely. It is only a matter of time before it breaks through to the surface"
Necrolai hummed with approval.
"Briarwood will crumble from below…" she paused, "…unless the rangers figure out a way to stop it" Morticon grinned wickedly.
"I've thought of that as well. They will be far too busy dealing with one of my creatures. Mucor!" Out of one of the cave entrances came a grotesque green and black drooling general. Green gook seemed to pour out of every part of him, so much so that you couldn't make out a face except for a big-lipped mouth.
"It's time for you to be useful" the creature let out a wet growl in response.
The rangers where still flying high and fast in the skies, whooping and cheering as the wind pushed past their helmets. At this point, they were just racing each other with Nick in the lead but Vida catching up to him.
"Try to catch up, Pinky!" He teased.
"Hey! No one calls me 'pinky!" she fired back. The others just laughed while cheering Vida on.
The pink and red were head-to-head now, still throwing teasing insults. Nick almost ran into a tree giving Vida the lead. Before she could really celebrate, Chip zoomed past her laughing like a manic shouting "Yellow, baby! Yeah!"
They all zipped around the Rootcore tree one more time until a white sparkling flare shot up in the sky. It was Udonna's signal racer training to end.
"Dismount!" Nick said everyone jumped off the racers, demorphed halfway, and landed surprisingly gracefully on the ground near the Snow sorceress. The racers transformed back into brooms landing right into the ranger's hands.
"I am SO glad I learned to do that, cause that is fun!" Kevanni said. "Yeah, it is! I just love that rush!" Vida agreed still feeling the adrenaline high. Nick silently agreed being used to riding his motorcycle.
"Tsk your such an adrenaline junkie" Maddie playfully poked her sister.
"Very good, Rangers" Udonna smiled "but that's enough mystic racer practice today" .
"Aw come on, just one more lap around the forest?" Vida whined, "I'm just getting warmed up! I wanna see what this bad boy can really do!" "I'm afraid not. It's time for elementary incantations" their mentor stated.
"Oh boring!" Chip and Vida said simultaneously. "Pfft what are you guys like, ten?" Kevanni snickered.
"Well, I think it sounds interesting" Maddie quipped, Kevanni nodded in agreement. Vida just rolled her eyes. "Ah yes my sister, ever the nerd" she teased, Maddie just stuck her tongue out at her.
"Y'know, it occurred to me, the racers are amazing and all, but since were Power Rangers, do we get a bunch of cool other stuff?" She asked Udonna. "Yeah! I mean no one's more excited than me to finally get to wear a cape" Chip added.
Xander snorted "What'd ya mean finally? If I remember correctly, you used to come to school with a pillowcase pinned to your back"
"Yeah, well that was a long time ago"
"That was your graduation, mate" Everyone laughed, and Chip blushed a little. "Well, anyway, Vida's right. We're like official superheroes now. Where's the rest of the vehicles, weapons, and gadgets that we get?"
"The Xenotome holds the spell codesthat can unlock magical powers beyond your imagination"
"What are we waiting for? Let's bust it open, load the codes and get the goods" Vida said eagerly.
"It doesn't work that way, Vida" the Pink mystic groaned. "Yeah, Vida. You gotta do heroic stuff first. You know, earn them. Superhero 101, and Chip you read comics, right? You should definitely know this" Kevanni stated.
"She is correct. Only through heroic deeds can you then unlock these new abilities"
"Hmm…yeah that's true" Chip said scratching his chin as he thought about it. "Wait, how do you know that, Keve? You read comics too?" Chip looked at her with anticipation. "Uh what? N-No nope I haven't! I mean I've watched a number of superhero movies, and and I had an old friend who was really into comic books and stuff, so I got it from them!". The rangers looked at her confused, wondering why she was acting so frazzled.
"That was weird" Xander commented, watching Kevanni sort of speed walk ahead. The others continued to walk at a normal pace, except for Vida and Chip. They sneakily stayed behind the others, talking in hushed voices
. "When the time is right? I don't wanna wait that long" Vida moaned.
"Me either" Chip agreed, "there's got to be a quicker way to earn those codes"
Vida gazed in no particular direction, trying to think of a plan "Oh I've got it. Come on. Well catch up with you guys later!" Chip agreed as they both scurried off into a different direction.
"Ugh there's so many incantations. How's my brain supposed to fit in all this information?" Xander whined reading over one of the many books at Rootcore. The four were reading different books at the center table, Maddie was standing behind Nick holding one of the books.
"I gotta admit, reading isn't really one of my strong suits. Well…anything other than fiction" Keve added.
"Why don't I help you with that?" Maddie asked mischievously as she pointed her morpher wand directly at him and read a spell.
Cranior Magnus Xander's head grew to a cartoonishly large size. Nick and Keve started to laugh.
"Now you have lots more room" Maddie said chuckling herself. "And I though he had a big head before" said Nick laughing
Kevanni ended up snorting, which made them laugh harder.
Xander looked only mildly amused, "Haha very funny, Maddie. Now, if you don't mind?" She shrunk his head back to normal.
In the middle of their laughing fit, she didn't realize she put her hand on Nick's shoulder. The moment she noticed; she quickly removed her hand at lightning speed. Nick only noticed when she moved it, taking a moment to look at her.
"Oh, sorry I didn't mean to" she said sheepishly.
He just smiled softly, "It's ok. I don't mind".
The two stared at each other for a moment before shyly and hastily going back to reading.
Xander was watching this exchange with a not so hidden smirk, neither of the two seemed to notice.
OK so I'm not imagining things. Maddie's got a little thing for our fearless leader.
Kevanni though, just stared at them blankly, with a hint of something else but it quickly left her face as she went back to reading.
"Clare, didn't I ask you to gather some Stickleberries for this protection potion? " Udonna asked while stirring a huge cauldron, adding strange ingredients to it.
"Oh sorry, I did have a big basket of them, but I accidentally dropped it when I was attacked by a giant worm" Clare told her apologetically, Udonna looked at her slightly taken aback.
"Giant worm?" She nodded.
While they were talking, Nick and Kevanni both curiously turned around, listening in on the conversation.
"Well, I think it was a giant worm. Didn't really see it because it never surfaced. Then this freakish looking… gnome or troll, pushed me out of the way and saved me".
"Did you see who it was" asked the sorceress.
Clare raised her arms and flopped them down to her sides for emphasis "No! He left before I could thank him too!"
"This is troubling" the two rangers listening silently agreed.
As for Vida and Chip, the "good idea" for getting spell codes, was to sit on a busy street corner next a wooden and paper stand, with a big sign that said "Heroes 4 Hire" on it.
A kid selling lemonade next to them, told them that they looked too old to be doing this, which Vida responded by telling him to beat it, not needing the competition. The kid and Vida immaturely stuck both their tongues out at each other.
"So…. How do you figure we get more spell codes from the Xenotome?" Chip asked.
" Udonna said that we really did unlock the code. So, I say all we gotta do is perform a bunch good deeds, you know little ones, and we're golden. We might not be able to get any of the big guns, but at least think we can get something" She explained, Chip just shrugged with approval.
Then a lady came walking up towards their stand, "Hiya, ma'am, you don't happen to have any heroic deeds that need doing, do you?" Chip asked cheerfully. The lady looked a little bit confused.
"Well, as a matter of fact, I do" she answered simply.
The next hour or two was just a montage of tiring, and practically comical tasks that the two Rangers did. They were less heroic, and more everyday menial. Such as picking up trash, washing dogs, or raking leaves. By the time they were done, they were messy, sweaty, and tired.
"Whew what a day!" Chip started stretching, "Yeah, no kidding. I don't know how many heroic deeds I can take" Vida groaned.
"Me neither. Ha, you smell like wet dog" he teased her. She glared at him "Can it. Not like you look any better. Hey, let's see how many spell codes we've got!" She said excitedly. Chip nodded as they pulled out their morphers.
"Nothing?" Vida said as she and Chip looked at each other confused.
Meanwhile the others had gone off to work after spell studying. Right now, the Rockporium employees were on break.
"Vida and Chip never showed. Where do you think they went?" Nick asked walking in a random park with Xander and Maddie.
"I dunno. Though my sister had that crazy look I her eye, which usually means trouble" Maddie said, Xander nodded and mouthed an "Oh yeah" in agreement.
"You haven't even seen trouble yet!" said a sharp threatening voice. Necrolai suddenly swooped down and appeared before them. The three instantly got defensive stance.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Nick snapped at her. Nercolai grinned menacingly.
"I am Necrolai. Mistress of the underworld"
Great another one!
Before any of them could jump into a fight, Xander stepped up. "Hey guys step back. I'll just try to reason with her" he put his hands up toward her direction.
" Uh Xander I don't think that-"
"Hi I'm Xander. Maybe we can come to some sort of agreement without fighting it out? You seem like a reasonable….bat woman"
"You wish!" Necrolai growled and shot him with dark energy, the blast promptly knocked him over into his teammate arms.
"You think you would've learned your lesson from the last time" Maddie said.
"Well, it never hurts to try diplomacy". After they help their friend up on his feet, they charged her.
They all started off their moves they learned from training. Punches and kicks went flying as the bat female kept countering with her own moves. She then fired another blast of dark energy at them, making them narrowly jump out of the way.
"Ok. Time to take it up a notch" Nick whipped out his morpher, the others nodded and followed suit.
"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!"
Xander was the first to attack, attempting to do a flip kick but getting pushed back. Maddie and Nick went in for a combo attack. They tried hit after hit, but only did minimal damage. After a few minutes of kicking and punching and dodging, Xander tried to get her with the impact of his ax, but she suddenly turned into twister of bats that flew up out of the way.
She materialized in the air and flew fast towards them shooting them with more energy. The energy hit the ground in front of them and then from their backs distract them.
Before the Rangers could really react with their backs turned, she swooped down and grabbed all three of them and lifted from behind into the air. "Let's go for a ride, rangers!" Necrolai maniacally laughed as she was bombarded with "Let goes!" and "Put us down!". She kept the struggling rangers in her grip and flew fast speeds particular direction outside the city.
Kevanni was heading back to work from her break, drawing a design in her sketchbook when saw a strange flying object.
"What the...?" following it with her eyes.
As it started to pass over her head, without warning, her vision suddenly just zoomed in into it. She could now see the object clearly, only it wasn't an object. It was some sort of cackling bat creature dragging her morphed friends through the air.
"Oh! Oh no no no! I'm coming guys!" She quickly whipped her head around frantically to look for a hiding spot.
Luckily, she found a shady tree nearby, and luckily there weren't many people around in her proximity.
"Magical source, Mystic force!" She called out morphing into her uniform. She snapped her fingers calling her mystic racer, climbed on frantically and chased after them. She quickly dialed her phone to call the others.
"Vida! Chip! Guys I need back up! The others just got well….bat-napped!"
A few minutes earlier at Rootcore, Chip and Vida, rushed to the Xenotome. "Really? nothing!? Aw man, I thought we'd at least get something?" Vida complained.
"Yeah, this sucks" Chip huffed equally frustrated.
Udonna was in the background, stirring another potion. She looked at the two curiously. "What are you doing?" she asked. The two Rangers looked at each other, kind of sheepishly, then Chip answered.
"Well… We were kind of sort of hoping to get spell codes faster" He started to fidget under Udonna's gaze. "Yeah we thought if we could do at least a few deeds, we'd e able to get some codes from the Xenotome, but uh…heh… no luck"
Their teacher sighed and gave them a soft smile, "I thought we discussed this subject earlier" she said. "Yeah well, I guess we just got impatient. Too caught up in the idea of getting cool new powers" Chip added.
"It is all right. You are young and people your age often like things to come quicker then those most. As long as you learned your lesson to have a bit of patience. Your new abilities will come when you need them the most"
They were about to respond in agreement when their morphers rung. Chip picked up the phone and while Vida and Udonna went over to see the crystal ball which was flashing.
"What's the problem Kevanni? … Wait, they've been what!?"
"Chip you need to come see this!" Vida called to him.
"Alright we'll see where you are in the crystal ball. We'll be there ASAP!" he ran over to the crystal wall with the others.
"Look at that thing! Its massive!" The pink ranger said. "How are we going to stop it?" Yellow asked fearfully.
"I'm not sure. There's only two of you and you've hardly mastered your ranger powers" Udonna said honestly.
The two looked at each other and then back at the crystal ball concerned, "Are you scared?" Udonna asked.
"No it's just…" Vida answered, not taking her eyes at the crystal wall, "I'm totally scared. My goosebumps have goosebumps" Chip added.
Vida huffed defeated, "OK I'm a little freaked"
"Good. I would be worried if you weren't. Fear lets us know our limits and so we can eventually surpass them"
" Yeah, but we gotta help. Maddie and Nick…"
"and Xander and Keve"
"Go then you have no time to lose. Remember, real heroes are made in the face of danger" Udonna said.
Chip got sort of a crooked bright smile on his face "Well… If there's anyone I rather be possibly pulverized with, it definitely be you, V" he told her confidently.
She smiled back at him "Right back atcha" she said fondly as they looked at each other.
The look turned into an affectionate gaze. A gaze that held of unsaid feelings from both. The two momentarily lost in each others eyes. Chip prayed wasn't being to obvious at how much he truly longed for the young woman next to him.
Man, I really wanna kiss her right now
The snow sorceress cleared her throat smiling, which seem to snap the two of them out of their trance.
"Ready?" Said Vida.
"You know it!" Chip answered.
"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!"
Vida and Chip flew fast on their racers towards the giant monster. They saw Kevanni on hers trying to put a dent in the big slobbery thing with diamond shards. They barely made a scratch as while the monster kept trying to swat at her.
"SPIT THEM OUT, YOU SLIMY FREAK!"
" KEVANNI" Vida called out to her as she rode up to them.
"What took you guys so long? I've been trying to at least put some hurt on this thing but he's so freaking huge!"
"Sorry got uh… held up! Where are the others?" Chip asked
"That gross thing swallowed them! I've been trying to figure out a way to get em out!" She screeched.
"WHAT?" Pink ranger cried. Maddie!
Kevanni looked at the creature again and then turned her gaze back at her companions. An idea struck.
"Wait wait! Got an idea! Vida can you use your fairy wings to make that sucker sneeze?"
"Yeah!"
Vida jumped off her racer and summoned her fairy wings to fly. She flew right over the monster and sprinkled her fairy dust on his face. He instantly huffed and puffed and then sneezed out the other rangers.
It was a long drop, but Kevanni caught them with the one her shields and lowered them safely. The others met them on the ground. "You guys ok?" Vida asked as they tried, scraping off the guck off their uniforms.
"Oh, just dandy!"
"Fine but I'm covered in monster muck"
"Ew ew I'm so glad our suits cover all our skin"
Up in the air, Chip aimed his crossbow at the slimy creature, "Alright, Ugly! Time to get shocked and dropped!" He fired a powerful blast of lightning hitting the creature dead on. It gurgled in pain.
"Great job, Chip!" "Yeah, nice work!" "Nice shot!" the others praised Chip.
"Just doing our job, right, V?"
"All in a day's work" she replied high fiving him
Unfortunately, Chip's blow didn't knock hin him over completely, and Mucor just got back up hungry as ever.
"Crap he's back up again!" said Vida standing in a battle stance with everyone else.
"I don't know how we're gonna beat that thing but at least we're all together" Kevanni added, Nick stepped forward readying his sword.
"Come on, Rangers!" They all called forth their powers to try and take on this giant thing, when suddenly a glowing gold light shined at the top of their staffs.
"What's this?" Xander asked what everyone was thinking.
"I don't know, but something feels different somehow" Madison wondered, but something seemed to click in Chip.
"Wait! I know what this is! It's a new spell code!"
"Really!? Aw sweet!" Vida cheered.
"Well all right, let's see what it can do!" Nick rallied while the other rangers collectively answered a resounding 'Right!'.
Together they shouted the new spell.
Galwit Mysto Prifior!
In an instant, huge magic circles appeared above them. The circles slowly descended over their individual forms, transforming all of them into giant mechanized titan zords.
"Mystic Griffin!" Kevanni decked out in silver and mostly violet armor. Her zord had a feminine shape with claw paws for hands and two violet outstretched wings making up her chest plate.
"Mystic Minotaur!" Xander was the tallest zord. Sporting a green and silver armor what the head of bull top of his person.
"Mystic Sprite!" Vida was the smallest of the zords with a feminine figure. Donning a pink and silver armor, she had too long bendable straps in the back that unfolded into fairy wings.
"Mystic Garuda!" Chip's armor mostly consisted of yellow with bits of silver. his head was shaped like a bird and his arms were too giant yellow wings.
"Mystic Mermaid!" Madison donned deep blue and silver armor with a figure like the other ladies. Her headpiece had a curved point in the middle of her forehead. And her legs could transform into a mermaid tale.
"Mystic Phoenix!" Lastly Nick, like Chip's and Kevanni's, consisted of his solid red color. His headpiece was a helmet with two wings on the sides.
Despite their different and unique designs, each of the zords had the Mystic 'M'shape on their fronts.
"ANCIENT POWER! MYSYIC TITANS!"
They all quickly marveled at their new ginormous forms. Mucor tried to shoot a giant slime ball at them, but Chip quickly reacted and shot a lightning attack right back at him.
"Nice one, Chip!"
"Hey guys check this out! New move: let's play ball! " Vida transformed herself into it sphere with her wind power encasing it.
After that, it was a series of passing her along. Xander caught her in one hand, then threw up and hit her with the side of his axe, Madison came out of a lake nearby and smacked it with her tail, Chip caught her with his winged limbs and did a spin throw, Kevanni launched herself in the air and did a volleyball smack with one of her claws, and lastly, Nick jumped up and flip kicked her straight at the monster.
All their elemental powers were combined in the 'Vida' sphere, which created one devastating attack. Mucor didn't stand a chance as he scrambled to block it but to no avail. He exploded on impact. The rangers cheered for their victory.
" So….Freaking….AWESOME!"
The rangers were heading back to Rootcore, still coming off the high of using their new powers. Well….. more like Chip, Vida, and Kevaani were.
As they entered the dragon mouth, Nick discreetly sought out Udonna to speak to her. Afterward he just discreetly exited the wooden fortress.
"I still cannot believe we did that! That was absolutely incredible!" Chip said. "I know! That was waaaaaay past cool!" Kevanni hi-fived Chip for like the fifth time, not that he minded because he gave it right back, the two of them laughing like maniacs.
Vida's equally happy expression shifted into little frown watching them. Udonna smiled at her student proudly.
"I am immensely proud of you, Rangers. You've only scratched the surface of unlocking your true powers, but this was one major step in the right direction" she told them fondly.
"So, the green freaks gone so it's all good in the woods for now?" Maddie asked.
"Let's hope so" the Xander answered, "we don't even know if that's the same creature that attacked Clare"
"Nick is investigating that" the sorceress told them.
The red leader was indeed investigating the spot where Claire said she saw the creature. He was crouched on the ground examining the uprooted dirt, when he heard a noise in the bushes.
"Hello? Is someone there?" He asked cautiously.
He got up and started scoping the area. He slowly went to the bush, where he thought he the sound and moved some of the branches out of the way. Suddenly, a face appeared right in front of him, making him back startled.
The other being jumped back just as startled as he was. He got out the bushes to reveal himself.
He was scraggly looking…..man? Nick guessed. Although he wasn't sure he was one, because his face was structured in a very gnarly way. He could see he had long sharp teeth, wildly bushy eyebrows, big nose, messy beard, and a mop of brown hair under a raggedy wool hat. It's clothes were strange combinations of mixed matched patterns that clearly have worn out their wear by the holes and tears.
Despite all the different woodland beings Nick encountered so far, he had never seen anybody like this guy before.
"Stay back!" Nick commanded getting in defensive position. The two males started slowly circling each other.
"You stay back!" He said back in a semi- raspy voice.
"I said it first!"
The creature sniffed himself and drew back quickly a bit in disgust. "Heh so you did" he said simply, "you're not from around here, are you?"
"No… Not really" Nick answered still cautious.
" I thought so. I've seen mup toads with prettier faces" the guy turned to one side, talking to… an imaginary companion? This guy was really odd.
"Um…. excuse me! Hate to interrupt your… conversation, but what are you doing here?" Nick asked.
" He wants to know what we're doing here. Well, I don't think you should tell him!" The creature told his imaginary friend. The red mystic was getting more and more weirded out, that he was starting to think that this guy wasn't really a threat.
Just as a the guy was explaining to his 'friend' why he shouldn't talk, the giant worm from before suddenly emerged out of the ground, swallowed the creature up in one gulp.
Just as it went back down below the ground, the worm spit him out high in the air before he landed flat on the ground. Nick winced as he landed and went over to help the poor guy.
"Holy- Oh man! Hey, are you alright?" he asked dusting him off.
"You… You saved me!"
"Um not really"
The worms rumbling started inching their way closer to them. "Give me a hug!" said the guy.
"Hey uh we can talk about this later, I'm just kind of busy right now!" Nick said hastily and started to run away from it as it followed. He quickly ran and dialed his morpher phone.
"Hey guys, I think I found what I was looking for! Or more like it found me!"
He ran and ran, cape flapping behind him until he found himself in a clearing.
The creature surfaced again, and Nick narrowly escaped getting knocked back or perhaps eaten by the creature. He quickly morphed readying his sword, preparing for a fight.
It burst out of the ground, revealing the giant worm. It was truly monstrous creature, with a face that was just a big hole chasm with layers of sharp teeth and pincers. It charged at Nick. He trying to block it, but its sheer weight was too much for him to hold back and he was knocked over sword flying out of his hand.
He tried to get up, but the wormed moved too fast and it seemed that it would get him. Luckily, Xander's axe hit it right on the end of its mouth in the Nick of time, it screeched in pain.
" Thanks man, I owe you one" Nick told his comrade who helped him up.
"No problem, mate"
The others came rushing behind them checking to see if Nick was ok and praised Xander on that hit.
" Guys I don't think we should celebrate just yet" The Kevanni said, stepping back a little.
The giant worm brought itself fully out of the ground and revealed not one, not two, but at least six different identical heads connected to one long body still in the ground.
"Man, that thing is ugly!" Vida commented.
" and I think we just made it mad" added Nick.
" How can you tell?" Chip asked incredulously. Yellow quickly, whipped out his morpher as it made the same ringing sound from before.
"Hey we got a new spell code!" He said pumping his fist.
" Well Udonna said that our Titan mode had more power" Madison commented.
" Alright! Let's see what they can do!" Nick shouted and the others gave a rousing 'Yeah!" in response.
Galwat Mysto Prifior!
The giant magic circles from before appeared over them, transforming them into their titan mode.
"Mystic Titans: DRAGON FORMATION!" they yelled and unison, exception of Nick. Who stood in his Titan form watching us the others fuse together to create a giant powerful dragon.
"How cool is that!?" He shouted excitedly.
Knowing what to do, he jumped high with a 'Woo -hoo!'in the air, doing a flip and landed on the dragons back. He continued to cheer as he and dragon-formed friends attacked the worm.
Udonna and Claire watched from the crystal at Rootcore.
They saw that Nick struggled for a second to find his balance on the Dragon.
"Hang on tight, Nick" Udonna said.
"You can do it guys!" Claire cheered.
The new rush of power between all of them made Nick's senses on fire. Feeling his friends power from thier fused dragon form exhilarated him. More than being on his motorcycle or even his racer.
"Let's bury that worm!" They flew towards the worm and sliced some of the heads with dragon's sharp wings. It screeched and shot blasts of dark energy from its mouth.
"Right back attcha, ugly! FIRE BLAST!" Nick commanded as the dragon shot out its own powerful blast of fire. It hit the monster worm dead on and number of its heads fell to the ground.
There was only one left.
The Rangers finished it off with another dragon fiery blast combined with Nick's own flaming kick. The worm was completely incinerated on impact. The Dragon Rangers, with Nick on top, landed gracefully back on the ground.
"Incredible" Nick said in an awestruck whisper.
"So, these are stickleberries, huh?"
Nick was back in the woods, this time gathering plants for the potions. He offered to collect the rest of the ingredients for Claire for the rest the day, in which she gave him a big bear hug. He just wanted to be nice and to learn about some of the flora and fauna he may need for future potions.
Currently, he made the mistake of tasting one of the Stickleberries. Not even a second later, he instantly spit it out disgusted. I gagged as he tried to spit the remnants from his mouth.
I don't think I wanna know what potion or spell requires those things!
"Better pick some more" as he reached in the bush to pick some, the freaky looking guy, who talks to himself, form before suddenly popped out from the bush, scaring the life out of Nick.
" You gotta stop doing that" Nick told him trying to catch his breath.
" I've been looking everywhere for ya" he said, arms stretched out waiting for a hug, "I wanted to thank you for saving me!"
Nick casually looked him up and down and gave him an awkward smile. " Well uh… to tell you the truth, I don't think I saved you so much as that monster just spit you out" he told him sympathetically.
The guy dropped his arms down dejectedly. "Rat feathers! Even that hideous beast rejected me! I don't belong anywhere!" He whined.
Nick briefly frowned. I get the feeling he thought to himself.
"Not even in a worm's stomach!" The guy continued. Despite his distress, he brought up a hand for Nick to shake.
"I'm Phineas" he introduced himself, and Nick a little hesitantly, shook his hand back.
"Nick"
The two casually walked through the forest. Nick was still collecting plants while Phineas chatted away.
"You see…" Phineas started, "I'm a Troblin" Nick kept walking, but turned his head slightly towards his new friend to show he was still listening.
"That is the unfortunate result of the union between a troll and a goblin. Both sides hate me"
Nick stopped walking and turned to Phineas to give him another sympathetic look, "Oh wow... I'm sorry" he told him.
Phineas shrugged. "Yes. Either side is not really known for their affection. So I wander the forest… on my own". The red mystic couldn't help, but to truly sympathize with Phineas. He spent enough time alone over the years to have thoughts of loneliness and just to wander around, trying to find a place where he'd just….fit in.
He was trying think of something to say to encourage the Troblin, then he remembered one of the reasons he came out here.
" Well um actually, one of the reasons I came out here was because you saved a friend of mine earlier today, and I wanted to thank you"
"Aw shucks! You're welcome! It was no big dea-Oh!" the Troblin suddenly stopped his thought as he looked down in Nick's basket with wide eyes.
"What?"
"Are those Stickle berries!?"
"Yeah… do you like them?"
"Who doesn't! Can I have em'? Pretty please?" Phineas asked, fidgeting in his place like an antsy toddler.
"Uh sure" in less than the second he gathered them all in both hands and just gobbled them down with loud obnoxious noises. "I guess I can always pick some more" Nick chuckled.
The two kept on walking and talking through the forest. "Oh, I must warn you, young warrior. This forest… is filled with danger".
Nick almost snorted. "Tell me something I don't know! My friends and I are up against Nercolai and Koragg. Can't get much worse than that"
"Yes. Yes it can"
Nick hadn't noticed when Phineas suddenly stopped in his tracks behind him until he said that. What surprised him was the Troblin's shift in tone.
Now, Nick hadn't known this guy for very long, but to hear him go from a sort of go lucky goofy guy to almost deadly serious in an instant, unnerved him. He turned the face him with a concerned expression, to find Phineas with an equally concerned expression, if not more so.
His rigid body language showed only one thing: fear.
"You still haven't faced…him yet"
" ' Him?' Whose him?"
"Oh, I dare not speak his name. I don't want any bad omens to follow me. All I can say is that he is known as the supreme master of the underworld. The one above all dark creatures in the down there. Pure evil"
The young man could only stare at the Troblin, letting the information he was told sink in.
The red Mystic Ranger eventually parted ways with the Phineas. His nervous expression not changing all the way back to Rootcore.
As he came through the dragons, mouth entrance, he was greeted by Udonna.
"Oh Nick, you've returned" she said with her usual soft smile, thanking him again for going on that errand. He dragged his feet walking up to her and gave her the basket.
Being perceptive as she was, Udonna noticed his demeanor.
"Nick? Is something the matter?" She asked in her calm voice. Calm as it was, it carried enough to the ears his comrades, who were all studying around the table. They raised their heads curiously to look at the two. The same for Claire, who stopped stirring the cauldron she was mixing.
Nick got a little uncomfortable with everybody suddenly staring.
" Um….Well…" he hesitated.
"It's all right. Whatever it is, you are free to ask"
He wasn't sure if he should share this information with the others present, he didn't want to freak them out. He realized, though, that they would eventually find out one way or another.
"Who is the Master?"
Udonna visibly stiffened.
Her eyes slightly widened, with a feeling of lingering dread washing over her.
"The who?" Vida asked bluntly in background.
Udonna sighed deeply, " I'm sorry, young ones. I didn't want to burden any more with this information until you are much stronger. But I feel now it would be a disservice if I keep this from you"
It took her a minute start to start explaining, the others just waited patiently for her to start.
"His name is….. Octomus" she said darkly. Claire visibly winced while the rangers all shiver up their spines for some reason.
" The dark lord over all the underworld. A demonic creature. He led the first attack on our world twenty years ago. It was a long winded battle that lasted for days. Our leader managed to seal the master back in the underworld along with his generals. Many of my comrades…close friends…. fell that day…."
There was pregnant pause.
"I'm so sorry" Madison said softly. Udonna gave the blue Mystic a grateful smile with a twinge of sadness.
"Evil's a real piece of garbage, isn't it? Said Chip.
"Yes, it truly is, Chip. Unfortunately, I can only assume the reason that the Morlocks would dare to even raise their heads from the underworld…. is due to the prophecy of the Light"
"The Light?" Xander asked.
"Yes. Shortly after the Xenotome revealed to me that you six Warriors would be chosen to fight evil, another one soon followed. One that foretold the coming of the Light, an entity of good magic that will be so powerful they will destroy the rising darkness"
"Wow… That does kind of sound huge. With this Light help us defeat evil? Do you know where we can find it?" Kevanni asked.
" I surmise that it will be of great help to you all, especially if it's destiny is to destroy the darkness. Unfortunately, I have no idea where it can found. Nor do I know if it is an it, it could be a person. But I do know that the darkness has probably sensed it as well, and will try everything in their power to conquer both our realms before they or it has been found"
"Then make sure to find it first" Nick declared. An aura of determination radiated off of him.
His eyes flashed a fiery red with specks of brilliant yellow.
The other Rangers agreed.
" RAAAAAGH! HOW DO WE GET RID OF THOSE PESTS?"
As usual, Morticon was steaming mad at their latest defeat.
"Calm yourself, Morticon. There will be another day. Although I am impressed by their growing power. Perhaps they will be a worthy challenge in the future after all" said Koragg with a hint of excitement.
" WORTHY OF-"
"Look! Down below! Is that…" Necrolai pointed to an opening in the ground. A bright red light shining through it.
"Yes. Master…" Koragg said in awe and immediately knelt into a bow.
"BOW DOWN TO OUR MASTER, YOU FOOLS!" The mechanical warrior ordered throughout the lair. Every being in that pit bowed their heads in honor of the appearance of their Lord.
"ALL HAIL TO MASTER!"
Through the opening, with deep growling noises, revealed one small part of their trapped master.
One ginormous sickly red eye staring from the void.
OK, finished with code busters. Sorry for the delay. I got to get better about updating.
I appreciate this episode for Chip and Vida, because it kicks off what type of relationship these two have in the season.
I'm thinking it might've been a little early, but I wanted to bring up the subject of the Light. I felt the show should've mentioned that a lot sooner, because when he was revealed it kind of felt a little out-of nowhere. So, I'm going to build up on it a bit with the characters and I thought it'd be fun to make it into a prophecy.
As I was writing this, I was reminded of when the first time I watched this episode. I didn't have TV growing up and the Internet was still sort of developing so I couldn't watch any episodes yet. I also didn't really get invested in Power Rangers until I was 12. That's when I got around to watching this season and a majority of the others.
I'mma tell you right now though, even as a preteen then, the whole imagination of what the Master looked like down there freaked me out and excited me. I mean in previous seasons we've seen the big bads fully and we knew what they looked like, but this one (Unless watch Sentai) you had no idea. That's another thing I appreciate the season for, is was its mystery.
Anyway, enough down memory lane, onto the next chapter! Please leave reviews!