Author's Note: And, once again, we have reached the end of another adventure with everyone's favourite hot-headed Ranger. I'm writing this now because I am supposed to be going away this weekend. So, here's Mystic Fate, Part II.

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban but Mystic Force was created by Disney. Enjoy.

Shout Outs: Big thank you too: zeo3blue for adding this story and/or me to their alerts. Appreciate it mate

Dedications: Would like to dedicate this season to the following: Weathergirl17248, Kiba1278, Heaven's Archer, Kitten9322, Jessfairy88, Pixiescale1185, DJScales, Storyteller222, Grapejuice101, Chinaluv, KOPpolarBear95, Razmend, Taeniaea, Mr-Saviour009, LivendLearn2, Dream Lighting, Sapphire Della Robbia, The Terminator of Serenity, Q537, Nando the Animelover26, Lolsmileyface6, Warlord-Xana, Dueling God, Snake Screamer, Starpower21, Kaia, XoxMountainGirlxoX, Iron-Mantis, DamienVesper, Reika88 and Lizziestrong7135.

Warnings: Rated T for safety.

Mystic Force: Against All Odds

Summary: "I didn't ask for this," "I know, but this is your destiny... this is our families legacy... and our time is now." After the fall of the Lightning Academy and the arrival of the darkness, Rebecca learns that the prophecy has begun and Aliyah is now in great danger.

"Now you will fall. Just like your mother has!" said Black Lance as he advanced on the slightly distraught Rangers. They were each on their knees in the same place Udonna had just disappeared with Sculpin.

Nick growled silently and looked up at the terror with angry eyes. He'd gone pretty much his whole life wondering who his real parents where, and now that he had finally found them, they had been ripped away again.

"Now you've made me mad," he said seethed, straightening up and facing Black Lance. He walked forward, away from his friends and morphed instantly. The power surged through his body like an electrified field.

"Come on!" Black Lance challenged.

Nick drew his sword and pointed it at the second-to-last Terror. "You're going down!" he yelled, charging forwards as his friends watched on, expectantly. Dodging the lightning blasts coming from Black Lance, Nick jumped into the air and slashed his own sword down onto the terror's shield, slicing it in half.

"My shield!" Black Lance cried in dismay.

"Fireheart!" Nick shouted, summoning the dragon to his side.

"Your dragon will not save you this time!" Black Lance swore, firing off more lightning attacks. The bolts didn't even touch Nick as Fireheart shielded him with his wings. Dust blew up all around them, and when it cleared Nick had already merged with the Dragon to create his ultimate form.

Smirking to himself, Nick charged at Black Lance and attacked him without fail. Despite his earlier threats about Fireheart not being much of a threat this time, Black Lance was easily defeated, although he didn't seem to put up that much of a fight.

"You guys want in on this?" Nick asked his friends as he broke all contact with Fireheart, and sent him back to Rootcore.

Aliyah grinned and pushed herself to her feet. "Do even need to ask?" she asked, reaching for her morpher. The others nodded and followed suit. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Magical Source, Mystic Force!"

Instantly morphing, the six rangers left raced forward, each splitting into separate teams and tag-teaming Black Lance one after the other.

Vida and Maddie hit him with a combination of wind and water powers, while Xander and Chip hit him simultaneously with lightning and earth attacks. Leaving Aliyah and Rebecca to pick up the pieces with super charged attacks of light and darkness.

Dazed by the bright lights of Aliyah's attack, Black Lance screamed in agony as he was swallowed whole by the swam of electrified wave of darkness, there was a mini explosion inside the cloud and the terror was thrown backwards through the air.

"Thanks for joining the party!" Nick said as his friends re-grouped around him. The others nodded before they each jumped into the air.

"Mystic Spell Seal!" the seven rangers commanded, forming one giant golden seal. It completely covered Black Lance, causing him to explode from the inside out, as the rangers landed a few feet away with their backs turned on his demise.

Just as soon as Black Lance had been destroyed, the skies darkened and the rangers waited, expectantly, for his giant form to reappear, fortunately it didn't, but the clouds continued to grumble with unrestrained and furious thunder while bright sparks of lighting lit it up.

"What's going on?" Xander asked, looking around.

"There!" said Chip, pointing at something behind the Rangers.

They each turned to see none other than the Master descending from the clouds. He looked even uglier than the last time they had witnessed him.

"It's him." Vida said. "The Master."

The Master laughed as he landed, 30ft high, behind the Rangers.

"Where's Daggeron and my father?!" Nick shouted.

"Right here." The Master answered. He threw out his hand as two brightly coloured orbs flew towards the ground. The disappeared and the two lifeless corpses of Daggeron and Leanbow, still in their ancient mystic modes, landed amongst the rubble.

The Rangers stood frozen, before Maddie's desperate cries broke the silence.

"Daggeron!" the blue Ranger wept, racing forward and falling to her knees beside the Solaris Knight.

Nick, Aliyah and Rebecca, however, were staring at Leanbow's corpse. Nick was the first to react; he dragged his feet towards his father and knelt beside him. Rebecca followed, placing her hand on the back of Nick's neck as tried to hold back his tears. The black Ranger didn't blame him for crying, he had every right to shed tears.

"This can't be happening," said Xander. He had wrapped his arms around Vida as she sank to the floor on her knees. "All we've done has been in vain. Everything."

"Don't say that," said Aliyah. "We're not giving up. This fight is not over. Not yet."

The Master laughed. "Nothing can stop me from bringing darkness and despair to this world!" he said.

"Says the one who truly doesn't understand the true meaning of power," said Aliyah. Her hands had curled into fists and where shaking at her sides. "What could possibly gain by destroying our whole world?!"

"Your world is not my world!" the Master shouted, glaring at the platinum Ranger. He nodded his head and semi-transparent tentacle wrapped itself around Aliyah and pulled her into the air. Several more grabbed her friends and yanked them up too. "Do you want to see what my world will look like?" he asked.

Aliyah gasped as she felt her magic being drained out of her body, her world faded slightly as her head felt woozy and her stomach churned sickeningly.

Rebecca grunted as she was dropped to the sandy floor of a dead and baron wasteland. She looked up as the master squeezed Aliyah tightly within his grasp, before dropping her to the ground along with the others; the platinum Ranger swayed slightly and collapsed to her knees without a second to spare.

"Ali," said Chip, grabbing his friend's arm and wrapping it around it shoulder. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah. I just feel sick." Aliyah answered.

The Master laughed again. "I've drained you of your energy, savior," he sneered. "Your protection spell won't protect you from me."

"It's so dark." Maddie said as Xander helped Chip with Aliyah.

"This is the future of your world," said the Master. "This is no purpose for your species. Once I have eaten all of your magic, you will become a part of the dust that I will walk upon. That will be your one and only purpose."

"We're not done! You haven't defeated us yet!" Nick shouted. "Rebecca, get Aliyah out of here. We'll deal with freak face."

Rebecca nodded and took her sister from Xander and Chip. "Be careful, guys," she warned. "He's absorbed some of Aliyah's magic; he might be slightly stronger than expected."

"We'll be OK." Nick said. "Ready, guys?"

"Ready!" the others nodded.

"Legend Warriors!"

Watching as Nick, Xander, Vida, Chip and Maddie combined their magic to form the Manticore Megazord, Rebecca helped Aliyah into a cavern a small distance away from the fighting; she knew if anything happened in the next couple of minutes that the other Rangers would meet her inside.

~*Against All Odds*~

Tori paced the ruins of Rootcore nervously. It had been sometime since Rebecca and Aliyah had left to help the other Mystic Rangers, and an even longer time since Udonna, Claire, Leanbow and Daggeron had gone to the Mystic dimension to try and help the Mystic Mother, this left her and the other Ninja's to await news.

"Aliyah wasn't kidding when she said Rootcore had been destroyed," said Dustin looking around at the ruins. "Was the fight really that bad?"

Dustin was looking at Shane; the Air sensei was the only person, other than Claire, who was at Rootcore at the time of attack. Even though both Shane and Claire had been found, hiding in a closet after the attack, they had still hard a good portion of the fight, especially the part where both Nick and Aliyah had traded insults.

"Tori, would you stop pacing?" Shane asked. He had already explained to Dustin how bad the fight was he didn't feel like having to explain it again.

"I can't." Tori said. "Why haven't we heard anything? What if something bad has happened? What if they've failed?"

"Not a chance," said Tyler, shaking his head. "This is a Ranger team led by Aliyah, we are talking about. When have you known Aliyah to fail?"

"I thought they were led my Nick?" Dustin frowned. "He is red Ranger, isn't he?"

Tyler sighed. "Does it really matter?" he asked. "Nick and Aliyah are cousins. Their temperament is the same. They are both stubborn and hot-headed..." he gestured around the room. "Rootcore proves that they are not going to go down without a fight. My only worry is that the Master gets hold of Aliyah, he'll consume her magic and her protection spell will fail."

"And?" Tori asked, worriedly.

"She'll die." Tyler answered. He figured it was easier to be honest with the situation. There was no point lying at this point, they each knew what was at stake.

Cam smirked. "You know, for someone who didn't want to be burdened with being a Ranger," he said. "Aliyah surely cannot stay away from the fighting, can she?"

"She is like a magnet." Tori agreed. "OK. So we don't give up hope. But what if they are alive... and need help? How can we help?"

"Right now?" said Tyler. "The only thing we can do is pray they make it out alive."

"What is the Master capable of?" Shane asked.

"Consuming all magic," said Tyler. "Not just good magic, but dark magic too. If the rangers lose their powers, like you guys did; then the only thing that will save them is good magic."

"But they can't do that if the Master has consumed it all," said Dustin.

Tyler nodded solemnly.

Cam and Tori looked thoughtful.

"What if that is the way we can help them?" Tori asked. "What if we can get them a supply of magic that won't dry out?"

"Where are we going to get that?"

"Well, from the people that the Rangers strive to protect, obviously," said Tori. "And us, we may not be witches and wizards, but Aliyah always said that to keep Magic alive all you had to do was believe in it. If we can rally the citizens of Briarwood, somehow convince them that the Magical realm is not somewhere they should fear; then maybe we'll have enough magic to supply the Rangers should they lose theirs. What do you say?"

The other Ninja's exchanged looks and nodded.

"It's worth a shot," they agreed.

Tori smiled. "Tyler and I'll find Phineas," she said. "We'll tell him the plan and see if he can talk to the people in the forest. You guys try and find Toby and LeeLee, get them to do the same in the city. Oh, and call Connor, Ethan, Kira, maybe even Hunter and Blake if you have too. Tell them Aliyah and Rebecca need help, and that they need to get their butts to Briarwood if they want to help."

"Kira's in New York." Tyler pointed out. "But Connor will definitely come. He and Aliyah have plans to go to San Angeles when this is all over, remember?"

"She is going, is she?" Tori asked. "Does she know what it's about?"

"Connor's attending a soccer camp out there. It lasts for a minimum of six months, and he wanted Aliyah to go with him because she's the only other soccer player that he knows; that and she's his best friend." Tyler explained. "Aliyah called him the other night and told him that she'd go. I mean, she may as well, Rebecca wants her to move to San Angeles after Mystic Force anyway."

The Ninja's eyes widened and they all turned to look at Tyler.

"Rebecca wants Aliyah to do what?" they all demanded.

~*Against All Odds*~

Rebecca darted out of the cavern as she witnessed the destruction of Manticore Megazord; she raced to her friends sides as they landed on the sand covered floor and started helping them to their feet and herding them in the direction of the opening.

"C'mon, Nick," encouraged the black Ranger as she tugged her cousin inside.

"At least we're safe," said Chip. He was hunched over, resting his hands on his knees and breathing heavily.

In the corner of the cavern, hunched over with her head between her knees, breathing shallowly, was Aliyah. Her helmet lay beside her while Rebecca's had been discarded also.

"Safe?" Nick repeated. "Are you kidding me? That thing just destroyed our zord, not to mention Daggeron and my dad."

"So that's it?" Vida asked, looking up at Nick. "The great Nick, the red Ranger, is calling it quits?"

Nick ignored her and started to walk away.

"Whoa. Whoa. No. Don't walk away." Xander said, stopping him. "Answer her. Are you giving up?"

"Get out of my way." Nick ordered.

"No, Nick," said Chip. "You answer that."

"Guys, wake up and smell the darkness!" Nick shouted. "We've done our best, and we failed. Look at what he has done to Aliyah. He's rendered her almost useless."

Aliyah gaped at her cousin, before her eyes hardened and she struggled to her feet. Rebecca raced across the cavern to support her.

"Hey, I may be down," said Aliyah. "But I am not out. Not yet. While I can still walk, talk and breathe, there is no way I am giving up the fight."

"We're not match for that thing." Nick argued. "Fine. Yes, I've given up.

"Don't you say that." Maddie snapped from the back of the cave. She had been so quiet that the others, who were staring in disbelief at Nick, jumped at the sound of her voice. "Don't you say that, not you. You have held us together through all of this! You will not give up!"

Nick shook his head and turned away. He could ignore everything the others, especially Rebecca and Aliyah, despite them being veteran rangers, said to him, but he had found a long time ago that when Maddie said something to him he couldn't deny her.

"Listen to me!" Maddie cried, turning him to face her. "Giving up is not an option for you! We are a team, and you are this team's leader! We go on no matter what!"

No sooner had Maddie finished her speech, did the opening to the cave explode open. Red and black lightening rippled over the sides of jagged rocks as the Rangers groaned as they lay sprawled over the floor.

"It is time to finish this meal," the Master rumbled as he walked inside and stood over his prey. "Welcome to your end."

Groaning at the pain that filled her body, Aliyah managed to push herself into a sitting position and survey her friends. Her eyes hardened as she watched them struggle to sit and/or stand, their pained expressions made her hands curl into fists, crushing the sand and stones in her palms.

"Not here," she whispered, clutching her stomach as she got back to her feet. "Not now! This is not our end."

"You are only one." The Master growled.

"And unfortunately for you. The wrong one."

She summoned her light sabre and Lion staff aid.

"Four years, and three Rangers teams has helped me realize that Power Rangers never give up." Aliyah said. "Through the despair and hopelessness, we will continue to fight until all darkness has been diminished. We may fall, and believe that we have been beaten, but we are not down and out until the very last breath leaves our bodies."

The Master growled.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" Aliyah yelled. She felt her magic surge to the surface, her dizziness and sickening stomach disappeared as her helmet reappeared on her head, protecting her from any potential injury that was she was sure to acquire.

"Your life force will be most delectable." The Master said attempting to attack Aliyah with his many tentacles. Fuelled by her desire to protect her friends and the whole world, not to mention her anger at the master for killing her uncle, her mentor, for the attack of her friends and family, and also for the bounty that had been placed over her head years before she was even born, Aliyah was able to cut through all attacks with ease.

Kicking off from the ground, Aliyah sliced through the Master's headgear with her sabre. He stumbled and roared in anger as his armor was destroyed.

"Hey, you, I'm not finished yet!" Aliyah shouted, running towards the master. She stabbed him with the tip of her sabre and tightened her grip as a spark of white light burst from his stomach. "Guys," she called over her shoulder. "Take my hand! We're going home! Quickly!"

Despite being in immense pain, the rest of the Rangers jumped to their feet and raced towards their friend. Nick reached his cousin first, he latched onto her hand and nodded once before turning to Xander, Vida, Chip, Maddie and Rebecca who were behind him. Their hands each grasped tightly onto the ranger in front of them.

"Hold on!" Aliyah shouted as the time and space around them spun rapidly. There was a split second where everything was dark, before an electric shock from the light sabre caused Aliyah to let go.

The Rangers groaned as they shot across the ground. Their suits disappeared as the last of their energy was used on returning them home.

"It worked!" Chip cheered. "We're back!"

"Yeah, but now our magic is gone for good." Nick said, helping a severely weakened Aliyah to her feet. Her legs gave out almost instantly, but she didn't hit the ground as Xander wrapped his arm around her and held her up. She had used up all of her magic and energy in order to bring her friend's home.

Vida looked quickly to Rebecca.

"Is she dying?" she asked, fearfully.

"I don't know," said the black Ranger. "If she had used all her magic, protection spell included in order to bring us back, then she should be dead already. I think her determination to not go down without a fight, or to at least see this battle through, is what's keeping her alive."

"Doesn't that mean she'll survive?" Maddie asked, wondering curiously if Aliyah would still be alive after the Master had been defeated. She was hopeful that they would win, especially with Aliyah's stubbornness encouraging them along.

Again, Rebecca shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know," she repeated. "If she does survive, she'll have to rest for quite a while in order to regain her full energy. She may lose consciousness once the Master has been destroyed."

"Been destroyed," the Master growled as he stalked towards the defenseless Rangers. "If anyone is being destroyed, it is you! Look what you've done to me. You will pay dearly for this."

He growled and threw out his many tentacles, but before they could touch the Rangers, they froze and shattered as a bright blue seal appeared, depositing Claire and the Snow Prince in front of the Rangers.

"What?" The Master snarled.

"Snow Prince?"

"Claire!" Nick gasped. "You have magic."

"Yes." Claire grinned. "Mystic Mother made me a full sorceress!"

The Rangers laughed in relief at the idea of there still being an inkling of good magic left in the world.

"Liar!" the Master growled. "I destroyed the Mystic Mother."

"No," said Snow Prince. "Just before you attacked Mystic Mother, she cast a spell and turned herself into energy."

"A few magic tricks will not stop me," the Master warned. "I will return to the depths and gather my strength."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," said a new, yet familiar, voice.

The Rangers gasped and turned to see Udonna standing behind them. She didn't look at them once, but continued to address the Master.

"It seems your pit no longer exists."

"No longer exists?" the Master repeated.

"What she means is that you no longer have a place to dwell in your darkness," said Itassis as she appeared alongside the white Ranger.

The Rangers eyes widened at the return of eight terrors, bringing with her Necrolai, who, it seemed, had also switched sides.

"Itassis! You're alive!" the Master gasped. "Where is Sculpin?"

"He is no more." Itassis said.

"But I am your Master!"

"Well, this puppet has cut the strings!" Itassis said, firing her club at her former commanding officer. The beam hit him causing him to explode and disappear.

The rangers laughed and cheered, as Nick and Udonna were reunited. Even Aliyah, who was still suffering from loss of energy, had enough to hug her friends, even if they had to hold her up in the process.

"The Master is gone for now," said Itassis. "But he will be back."

"Thanks for the reminder." Aliyah coughed, wincing at the rattling sound in her chest.

"Tell me, white Ranger, why do you shed tears?" Itassis asked Udonna.

"The tears are for our sadness and for our losses." Udonna answered, her voice breaking. She broke out of the hug with her son and looked over to where Daggeron and Leanbow still lay. "I cry for my husband - Leanbow - and Daggeron."

Itassis shook her head sorrowfully. "That is something that I cannot help you with," she said, saddeningly.

"My mom can," said LeeLee as she arrived behind her mother.

"LeeLee!" Necrolai gasped turning to her daughter.

"You can do anything you want, Mom," said LeeLee, encouragingly. "Always could. Do it, Mom! I believe in you."

Necrolai hesitated before turning to the dead. "All right. I will try to revive them," she nodded. She held up her claws, which glowed a bright purple, as two strands of life force detached from her and reattached themselves to Daggeron and Leanbow. There was a sudden explosion of power and light, causing a dust cloud to fly up over the bodies.

As the dust cloud cleared, Necrolai fell to the floor, while Leanbow and Daggeron rose to their feet. Alive and well.

"Daggeron!" Maddie gasped hugging the Solaris Knight as he rejoined her and the others, while Nick and Udonna happily embraced Leanbow, who was more than happy to return it.

"Hey, don't forget about me!" said Jenji, as he bounced into view.

"Jenji!" Vida laughed, hugging the cat.

"Great to have you back, teach," said Chip, shaking hands with Daggeron.

"It's great to be back." Daggeron grinned.

"Look at me! I'm back!" Jenji purred.

However, despite how happy she was to have some part of her family back, Aliyah couldn't help but turn to LeeLee. The blonde was standing over her mother, who was withering around on the floor and rippling dangerously with masses of purple energy.

Bright yellow energy consumed Necrolai, before burst into white sparkles and scattering into the air. In their wake they left a pretty brunette woman, who stood and turned to LeeLee. The older woman opened her arms and embraced the blonde teenager.

"I'm guessing that's Necrolai's human form," said Aliyah.

"As a human," said Xander. "Necrolai is hot."

"Oh, yeah." Vida and Aliyah agreed, laughing at the turn around.

Unfortunately the reunion was interrupted as the ground shook and the Master burst up from the depths. He was once again at Megazord level, but with no magic to control their titan forms, and no energy to summon the tiger and Eagle zords to form the Lightning Megazord, the Rangers were defenseless against him.

"Sorry to interrupt your reunion," he growled. "But your time on this planet has finally reached its end."

"Rangers," said Udonna, looking around at her family. Both old and new. Biological and extended. "Our magic is gone."

"I've got an idea!" said Jenji. "Let's all run, OK?"

Aliyah shook her head. "Not gonna happen," she said. "I'd rather lie down and die, than run and hide."

"Ali's right." Nick agreed. "No more running. I've found my real family. I've found my home. Stay and fight!"

"Yeah!" the other Rangers agreed. "We fight!"

"So be it," the Master laughed evilly. "You are powerless now! My victory is already in hand!"

"We will show the master what real courage is," said Nick.

"With or without magic." Aliyah nodded.

"Without magic, Mystic ones? You are never without magic. You just have to know where to find it." Said the Mystic Mother as she watched them from the magical dimension.

Maddie frowned and looked around at her friends. "Never without magic?" she repeated. "What did she mean by that?"

"Maybe she meant us!" called Toby as he arrived with Cam, Shane, Dustin, Connor, Hunter and half the city of Briarwood behind him.

"Or maybe she meant us!" shouted Phineas as he arrived with Tori, Tyler and half of the magical population behind him.

Rebecca frowned. "What's going on?" she wondered looking at Tyler.

"Tori had a feeling something like this would happen," said Tyler. "So she came up with a back-up plan."

The water Sensei smiled and shrugged. "We figured that you didn't have time to think of a back-up plan while trying to defend yourselves," she said. "So we came up with one for you."

"Look, I spoke to some of the people from the city," said Toby, taking over for the blonde surfer. "And I told them that the forest and those that live there are not the ones for us to fear."

"And I spoke the same truth to those in the forest." Phineas added. "Either we stay the way we were and perish, or we stand together and fight the real evil!" he pointed at the Master.

"Yeah!"

The Master bristled angrily.

"Power Rangers," said Toby, addressing his employees and friends by their identities. "You have fought all year for us. Your magic is used up. Well, now let us give you some of our magic."

"That's right!" Phineas agreed. "You're not the only ones. All of us believe in magic, thanks to you."

Aliyah chuckled as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Hey," said Tori, reaching her best friend. She noticed the tiresome look on Aliyah's face, and worry washed over her as she saw that Aliyah was physically drained. "Are you OK?"

"I will be." Aliyah nodded. "As soon as I get some magic."

"What about after the fight?" Tyler asked, also noticing the look on his cousin.

Aliyah smiled weakly. "If your magic is strong enough, which I know it is gonna be," she said. "My protection spell will kick in. But as soon as the master is gone, I shouldn't have anything to worry about. Things should go back to normal."

"I'll still be prepared to catch you," said Tyler, as he grasped hands with a fairy and Tori did the same with a forest nymph.

"Let's show them! Together!"

"TOGETHER! WE BELIEVE IN MAGIC!"

Sparkles of light, magic and energy scattered into the air as the citizens of Briarwood, the creatures of the forest and the veteran rangers pulled back to reveal the fully energized, and morphed team of the Mystic Force Power Rangers.

"Wolf Warrior!"

"Solaris Knight!"

"White Mystic Ranger!"

"Green Mystic Ranger!"

"Pink Mystic Ranger!"

"Blue Mystic Ranger!"

"Yellow Mystic Ranger!"

"Black Mystic Ranger!"

"Platinum Mystic Ranger!"

"Red Mystic Ranger!"

"We call forth the magic, together as one, united for all time! Power Rangers Mystic Force!" the team called in unison.

The Master snarled as he looked down upon. All he could see was a meal fit for a king, and his victory at hand. "Give me that magic!" he shouted.

"You got it!" the team complied.

The summoned their magic, pulling it from their very cores, and transferring it into the jaws of the giant humanoid-octopus that towered over them.

"I devour it, yet still it comes!" the Master groaned as he found he had bitten off more than he could chew.

"Guys, it's working," said Nick. "Keep going."

Aliyah nodded. "There is no end to our magic!" she said, kicking off from the ground with the rest of the team. With their magic still surging powerful currents into the master's jaws, his whole body started to bulge before exploding into tiny flickering flecks of light.

"Mystic Force!"

~*Against All Odds*~

The Rock Porium was in full swing.

Humans and magical creatures alike covered every inch of the store.

Vida and Matoombo were rocking it out on the turn tables.

Xander was showing the new employees around, while posing dramatically for his friends and other customers, flaunting the fact that he was the new manager of the store.

Chip was surrounded by a couple of cute girls, not just human but also magical fairies and nymphs. He was telling them the story of the time he went up against Necrolai in order to save Vida. Tori, who was standing not that far away with Rebecca and Tyler, giggled as she spotted the now human Queen of the Vampires approach the red-headed male.

"This should be interesting," she said.

"Let's see how he gets himself out of this one," said Rebecca, smirking.

"There I was, face-to-face with Necrolai herself, she cowered."

"Oh, really?" said Necrolai, or Nikki, as she went by now. "Cowered?"

Chip jumped and looked around at the brunette as Rebecca and Tori giggled relentlessly. "Well, maybe not cowered, but she trembled," he tried to quickly correct.

"Trembled?" Nikki asked.

"Uh... broke a sweat?" Chip asked.

"Vampires do not sweat. They glow." Nikki said, grinning at the group of gaggling girls.

Rebecca and Tori's giggles turned to laughs, causing Chip to glower in their direction. Nikki, however, looked like she was enjoying herself.

"Hey, Nikki, uh, we better get to the movies," said Toby, breaking up the fun. "They start in 10."

"OK." Nikki said, winking at Tori and Rebecca as she passed them.

"Have fun." Rebecca called after them. "Oh, that reminds me, I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Tori asked. "Don't tell me you're leaving for Ocean Bluff tonight? You've just finished a battle. Aliyah's still got a week before she and Connor head to San Angeles, the least you could do is stick around for that."

Rebecca smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere," she said. "But there is something I want Aliyah to meet. I'll be right back."

"OK. You better." Tori called after her friend, before scurrying off to find the rest of her friends. Dustin, Shane and Tyler were standing at the front of the store with Connor, they were discussing Connor and Aliyah's trip to San Angeles. "Hey, you see Ali?" the surfer asked, as she joined them.

Shane nodded outside. "She's with Cam," he said. "Said that she wanted to tell him something, but from where I'm standing she just wanted to make-out."

"What do you - oh, lord!" Tori groaned as she looked outside the door and spotted the both Cam and Aliyah lip-locked near her blue van. "Oh, I'm not interrupting them, it's been a good few months since they've seen each other, and she's leaving at the end of the week, so..." she shrugged.

Connor smirked. "They carry on the way they are going," he said. "I'm gonna need a crowbar to separate them, and get Aliyah on that plane."

"They'll have to come up for air at some point," said Tyler. "I mean, yes, Aliyah is a surfer and that also means she's a good swimmer, but she can't hold her breathe indefinitely, and neither can Cam."

Shane smirked and jumped down from the front desk where he had been sitting. "Well, you'll have to let me know how long it takes before they come up for air," he said.

"Why?" said Dustin. "Where are you going?"

"Toby's not the only one with a date, you know," said the air Sensei.

Dustin frowned and exchanged a look with the others. "Dude, you've been in town for nearly three hours, where did you have time to get a date?"

"When he was hiding in the closet with Claire, obviously," teased Tyler. "So you're going to date Aliyah and Rebecca's bumbling cousin, eh?"

"She's cute." Shane defended. "Sue me. Besides, she's the first girl I have liked since Skyla, and I know i'm never going to see her again, I've got to get back out there."

"You know Aliyah's going to tease you relentlessly when she finds out, right?" said Connor. "Are you prepared for it?"

"Not to mention, are you prepared for the protective speech from Rebecca," said Tori. "Claire is her baby cousin, remember?"

Shane nodded. "I'm prepared for the worst," he said. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck, Bro." Tyler and Dustin called as Shane left the Rock Porium. He smiled and nodded at Aliyah and Cam, who had finally come up for air and was returning to the store as he was leaving.

Aliyah frowned and turned to wave him off, but Shane had already kicked into ninja-streak and disappeared in a red and black blur. "Where's he off too?" she asked. "And why is he heading into the forest, everyone is here, aren't they?"

"Not everyone," said Tori. She had never been able to lie to save her life.

"Then who -" Cam broke off as Aliyah grinned evilly.

"Oh, this is too good to be true," the former Light ranger said, rubbing her hands together. "Shane and Claire, really? Oh, dude's in for it now." She laughed.

Connor rolled his eyes. "You're cruel," he said.

"Says the one who is dating Claire's twin," said Aliyah.

"Huh?" Connor frowned.

"Ah, right, you've never met Claire, have you?" said Aliyah.

"No."

"Anyway, Claire reminds me of Krista."

Connor nodded. "Oh, right, well, uh, i'm not dating Krista anymore," he said.

"What? Why?" Aliyah asked.

"Because she accused me of cheating on her," said Connor.

"With who?"

"You."

Aliyah stopped short and stared at her best friend. "You're kidding?" she asked. "What made her think that?"

"Because I asked you to San Angeles with me, instead of her," said Connor.

"Oh, my God..." said Aliyah, rolling her eyes. "Does she play Soccer? No, I didn't think so. Did you tell her you were going to a soccer camp?"

"I didn't get the chance," said Connor.

"Want me to talk to her?"

"No," said Connor. "Just forget it. There are plenty of more girls out there. I'll find the right one someday."

Aliyah shook her head. "Here's hoping this one doesn't have jealousy issues," she said, hugging Connor with one arm. She should have felt guilty that she had been the reason for Krista to break up with him, but she didn't feel an ounce of remorse. "Anyway, where's Rebecca?"

"Behind you," said Rebecca as she returned to the store. Her hand was locked with another, and that hand was attached to the arm of a man none of the others recognized, although, by the way he was holding her sister's hand, Aliyah had a good idea as to who he was. "Aliyah, meet my fiancé, and your future brother-in-law."

The man smiled and held his hand out to Aliyah.

"The name's RJ."

Aliyah forced a smile, but then turned and walked away.

Copyrighted ©

A/N: Before anyone starts to think that Aliyah is being a bitch to RJ, do remember that she thinks Rebecca abandoned her for six years so she could create a new life in Ocean Bluff with RJ. There is going to be a little resentment there.

Keep an eye out for the fourth installment – Secrets and Lies.

Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx

Chapter updated Friday, August 16, 2013 at 04:37pm