Just beyond our world, past the veil of dreams and magic, lies the fairytale realm of Everafter. Here, the legends and fairytales of old are alive and well, living in harmony for countless centuries. However, all that changed when the evil forces of the Marchens invaded, transforming many into mystical Wonder Charms while those that survived escaped into our world. Now, under the guidance of the great wizard, Merlin, a small group of these survivors tap into the power of the Wonder Charms to face the Marchen menace. Full steam ahead, it's morphin' time! Power Rangers: Wonder Force!

The Wolf

On a bench in Red Brook, a strange man relaxed. To the casual observer, this man was a very ominous figure, clan in clothes better fit to a stereotypical yakuza than the attire any normal American person would wear outside of things like Cosplay. He had nondescript pants and a wolf fur coat showing his toned muscles. What really caught the eye was his prominent long scar across the chest, reaching from his shoulder to his waist. It was almost as if the man had survived being cut open. But such a thing was impossible, as no human could survive such a thing.

People walked past him and he cared not, at least until he saw a single figure. Arthur Paperink, and while the boy looked bookish and unassuming the man knew he was the one he sought. He growled out, "There he is, my perfect counterpart. He will make a worthy opponent." The man got up and left in the opposite direction of where Arthur was going. After all, it was unsporting to attack a foe when he was not prepared.

The Wonder Force Rangers chased were engaged in a fierce fight against the Prince Charming Marchen and General Grizzle, the swarming Tin Troopers not making the fight any easier. There had been a lot of drama at school as a new exchange student came in and started breaking hearts left and right. However, Snow had suspected the student was up to something, and she was right. It turned out the new student was the Prince Charming Marchen and was using his power to project the perfect aura of princely charm to cause lovers quarrels and to cause others to fight over him, thus generating mayhem energy.

And now that he had been sprung, he had proven completely charmless by summoning not only an excessive amount of Tin Troopers but also General Grizzle. Even with their weapons already deployed, it was proving tough for the Wonder Rangers. It was then that something strange was heard by the combatants, the howl of a wolf. While the Ever After inhabitants all froze except for sunny, Arthur was merely confused. After all, there were no wolves in Red Brook.

Suddenly miniature tornadoes began tearing through the Tin Troopers, throwing the foot solders into each other. This instantly destroyed the relatively flimsy creatures, and the Prince Charming Marchen let out a scream as a werewolf like creature with a long chest scar pounced upon it, claws and teeth destroying the Marchen Beast, sending the unfortunate human victim to his bed and sending the Prince Charming Wonder Charm flying into Snow's hands.

Arthur fearfully asked Alice, "Is that who I think it is?" Alice nodded, the sheer danger of the being in front of them rendering the normally chatty girl completely mute with fear. Sunny seemed oblivious to just what they were in the presence of and said, "I guess you need to train your new dog better eh Grizzle?"

The Big Bad Wolf, because that was the only thing the werewolf like beast in front of the Wonder Force Rangers could be, growled and said, "I am no one's dog." He punctuated this by turning to General Grizzle and inhaling. Grizzle desperately struggled and yelled "No!" repeatedly, but it was useless. Soon Grizzle was sent flying into the wolf's maw.

This sufficiently shocked Sunny into realizing the blatantly obvious, that this being was dangerous. The Wolf spoke again, "I am the beast that lurks in the Grim Woods. I am the danger that all must fear. I am the savagery of nature and the darkness of Everafter. I am the Big Bad Wolf!" He pointed at Arthur, "And you, Arthur Paperink, are my perfect counterpart. Maybe not yet, but you will be. Let us dance the dance of old, oh bearer of the Red Wolf!"

The Wolf charged, and the Wonder Force Rangers met him. The Wolf's claws could shred steel like it was tissue paper, and his control of the winds made him an even more dangerous threat, it was still five against one. And unlike the Tin Troopers, who simply did not have the strength required to truly make there overwhelming numbers any difference, each of the Wonder Force Rangers was a hero. Arthur had mentally compared it to the way B1 battle droids could do nothing against a jedi. The battle here was nowhere as lobsided as those fights, but it was clear the Wolf was struggling.

Arthur was momentarily confused about that before realizing that this matched up with the tales he knew about the wolf. While fairy tales are not 100% accurate, for obvious reasons, all the tales he knew of the Big Bad Wolf told him that, for all its power, the Wolf was an ambush predator. The tales of the Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood showed this. In both stories the Wolf used his cunning to get what he wanted, and while he was defeated in those tales he got very close to complete victory.

The Wolf realized this as well, and broke off before speaking to Arthur, "Your pack makes you strong Red Ranger. Let's see how strong you are without it!" He began to use his mega inhale once more, but this time targeting the Wonder Rangers. They tried to struggle against the suction, but it was futile. As his friends disappeared into the Wolf's maw Arthur yelled out, "NOOOOOO!"

The Wolf scoffed, "I know you're not stupid Arthur Paperink. You know the stories about me. They aren't dead. Yet." With a cruel smile the Wolf continued, "If you want to see your pack alive again, meet me in an hour in the field at the edge of the woods. The one your mother told you to not go into as a child. Because those woods, just like all woods of danger, are my territory. Your mother did not know it, but she was warning you to beware of me. If you don't show up, I'll have all those in my interior dimension emptied into my stomach. But I know your kind Arthur Paperink, you are far to heroic to let anyone die if you can help it." The Wolf left out a howl then and vanished in a tornado of pure darkness that sent Arthur flying. He demorphed after hitting the ground and did the only thing he could do, retreat to the old Johnson house.

Arthur had just finished explaining the situation to Merlin and Gary, and Merlin sighed, "I had hoped the Wolf would stay out of this conflict. Proof that even the wisest of beings can be foolish." Merlin sat down and for a moment he looked not like a wise old wizard but just a tired old man. He spoke again, "Worry not Arthur, the Wolf has a twisted honor. He won't kill the others until you lose the duel."

Gary spoke up in his blunt manner, "So is this wolf a part of the Marchen Empire or what?" Merlin shook his head, instead deciding to explain to the two boys what the Wolf was, "No, the Wolf has always been a problem. He was once kept mostly in check by his counterpart, the Great Red Wolf. The two represented different sides of nature, the Red Wolf representing the good, such as loyalty and nobility, while the Big Bad Wolf represented the bad such as savagery and the thrill of battle."

Fixing them both with a piercing gaze Merlin continued, "But something happened, so long ago that no one really knows how it happened, except perhaps the Big Bad Wolf. Whatever it was reduced the Red Wolf to a Wonder Charm permanently." Arthur immediately made the connection, "The charm I use." Merlin nodded and said, "Exactly."

Merlin's face went back to its grave expression and he continued, "Without his counterpart, the Big Bad Wolf became the monster recorded in Fairy Tales. He is dangerous, and sadly it is impossible to put him down permanently as long as he is following his role. He is the monster in the woods, and I highly doubt he will ever not be one. The only way he could die is if he truly became not a wolf, but someone's dog. I dread to think what sort of power could command the Wolf's respect, or what desperation could cause the Wolf to willingly obey another."

Merlin gave Arthur a serious look and said, "Go now Arthur Paperink. Save your friends and stop the Wolf. If only for now." Arthur nodded and ran off, leaving Merlin and Gary to wait and worry.

The Wolf grinned as Arthur Paperink came to the field, and barked out, "I knew you'd come Arthur Paperink. Now let us battle!" Arthur nodded and inserted the Red Wolf Charm into the Wonder Force Morpher, beginning the sequence. Arthur yelled out his role call, "The Keeper of the Tales, Wonder Ranger Red!" Arthur also immediately summoned the Whirlwind Blade before charging into battle.

The Wolf's claws and teeth were either dodged by Arthur or blocked with the Whirlwind Blade. The miniature tornados howled out by the Big Bad Wolf were countered by the gusts of wind projected from the Whirlwind Blade. The battle was intense, but with each blow it was becoming clearer that the Big Bad Wolf had the advantage. Arthur was valiant and a ranger, but the Wolf had less morals and a lot more experience and strength.

But Arthur was cunning, and he realized his best chance to win. The answer was in the Wolf's scar, one given to him by the Huntsman in the tale of Little Red Riding Hood no doubt. The tale said that the Huntsman cut open the wolf and freed Red and her Grandmother from the Wolf's belly. He could only hope that the fairy tale was accurate in this detail.

Using his fire abilities to force the Wolf away before charging up the Whirlwind Blade with energy and yelling out, "Maelstrom Slash!" He swung the blade, and a tornado of energy was sent at the wolf. The head of the Great Red Wolf formed from the energy and the winds and bit down on the Big Bad Wolf, making sure to bite in such a way that the scar was opened, freeing the captured rangers (as well as Grizzle).

The Big Bad Wolf let out a maniacal laugh and said, "I knew you'd be worthy! Next time I won't go so easy on you!" He let out a howl as he exploded, banishing the threat of the Big Bad Wolf for the time being. The four freed rangers, each still morphed, got up and Jack let out a woozy, "Bejabbers." Sunny shuddered and said, "That was the single most disgusting thing I have ever experienced in my entire immortal life." Snow, with much disgust in her voice, said, "I need a long, long shower." Alice, in a very grim and deadpan voice, said, "I think we all do."

Sadly, the battle was not over. Grizzle had also been freed, and he roared out, "Yaga! Tin Titans!" Portals to the Grim Woods opened and fully formed Tin Titans marched out. Grizzle escaped through a smaller portal and Arthur sighed saying, "You know the drill." Then in unison the Wonder Force Rangers yelled out, "Summon the zords!"

Arthur called out, "Red Wolf Zord!" An armored red wolf manifested with Arthur jumping into its cockpit. Alice called out, "Blue Rabbit Zord!" A blue rabbit with a clock upon its back and its floppy ears being slightly reminiscing of a bulldozer, Alice jumping into its cockpit. Sunny called out, "Yellow Monkey Zord!" A yellow monkey with a strange head reminiscent of a UFO manifested, and Sunny jumped into its cockpit. Snow yelled out, "Apple Dwarf Zord!" A mechanical apple upon tank treads with a turret protruding from it manifested, and Snow jumped into the cockpit. Finally Jack yelled out, "Cloud Giant Zord!" A black ogre manifested and charged forward while swinging its arms like a jogger.

All the Rangers shouted, "Zords combine!" The Cloud Giant Zord formed the legs and lower torso, while the Red Wolf Zord formed the upper torso, the tail detaching and becoming a sword. The Yellow Monkey Zord became the upper arms while the UFO head became the helmet, now more like the helm of a knight. The Blue Rabbit Zord formed the right forearm, the clock face detaching to become a shield while the arm grabbed the sword. The Apple Dwarf Zord formed the left forearm, the tanks turrets becoming wrist mounted while the shield rested upon it. The Rangers shouted in unison, "Wonder Force Megazord!"

The battle was not very long, as the Tin Titans stood no real chance against the Megazord. Their summoning had mostly been a petty expression of rage by General Grizzle. Quickly the last Tin Titan fell and Arthur gave the victorious call of "End the tale!"

In the Dark Keep's grand bathroom, one shared by the four generals, Grizzle was desperately scrubbing himself in the bath as the shower rained down on him. He kept murmuring the same phrase, "Still not clean. Still not clean."

Outside Fracture pounded on the door saying, "Come on Grizzle, I need to do my beauty routine." If Grizzle heard her he made no indication, merely continuing to scrub and mutter, "Still not clean. Still not clean." Trample came up behind Fracture in the impromptu line and commented, "Annoying on the other side, isn't it?" Fracture responded by hitting Trample with the Cockle Shell Comb Sword.

Author notes

Thanks to Krockman18 for letting me use his ideas and beta reading this. Go check him out on Deviantart, he's great

The big bad wolf has the voice of Shao Khan from Mortal Kombat 11

I gotta say, I am particularly proud of the wolf, because he is my first ever contribution. You see, back when Krockman18 first posted Wonder Force the Big Bad Wolf was intended to be the source of the Red Charm. But I posted an idea for the BB Wolf to be a Deker type villain, and Krockman18 liked it so much that he accepted it, with the Red Charm coming from a lost counterpart to BB that represents Nobility and Loyalty, while BB himself represents Savagery and the Thrill of Battle. Thus began a great working relationship and friendship between myself and Krockman18. At least I consider it a friendship.

BB's human form looks a lot like Deker (cause that guy was a major inspiration for BB), but with a prominent scar across his exposed chest from the time he was split open by the Woodsman during the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood.

The Prince Charming Marchen honestly is just to show how powerful the wolf is, but if you need a visual he looks like the prince monster from Boukenger/Prince Warrior from Operation Overdrive

Sorry if this one isn't that long, I couldn't think of a true b-plot.

Next up is Star Strikers chapter 6