Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. They belong to the current copyright owner. No money is being made from this piece of fan work.
Author's Note: The character Mistress Vile has been a part of my series for some time now. I have long had her enter as the mother of Rita Repulsa and the estranged wife of Master Vile. In this story, I have changed her character a bit based on the comic book series by Boom Studios. I found parts of Rita's backstory surrounding her mother intrigued me and the character of Reaghoul from Dino Fury was a suitable means to create a villain I can almost feel sorry for. The final inspiration for this however comes from the most recent issues of Boom Studios' comic and the introduction of Mistress Vile, which is the look I have gone for in Monastra Repugna's initial appearance. The opera glasses she uses to see long distances are taken from Rita's appearance as Mystic Mother.
On a final note, I have held for some time that Rita's role as Mystic Mother is hereditary. The woman that gave birth to Rita Repulsa was the Mystic Mother of this reality. As for Junior... his fate will eventually be discovered, but not in this story.
Timeline note: This story is set immediately after the events of "Blue
Ranger Gone Bad".
The Queen of Gamma Vile
Gamma Vile
Long Ago.
The rise of Master Vile had been a hot topic of conversation for some time. How the villain had emerged from nowhere and managed to crush the protectors of the M-51 Galaxy had been a mystery, but with the fall of Gamma Vile, his hold over one of the most magical territories in the cosmos had been secured. It had drawn the attention of enemies, competitors, and potential allies. Many had thrown themselves at the feet of the now highly regarded villain as they offered their services in return for some reward.
However, despite the countless warriors that had thrown themselves at his feet, promising that their prowess in battle could only enhance his new empire, Master Vile had been unimpressed and refused to grant them a position at his side. So many would have been surprised when he had sent out a summons, requesting the presence of an unusual mercenary, one whose skill set was rarely needed by those of the evil persuasion.
When he had heard the offer, Reaghoul had decided that he did not need any reward Master Vile could offer. As a powerful magic user himself, there was very little Reaghoul could not accomplish given time and power. He had known immediately that there was little chance that Master Vile would be willing to pay the fee for his services.
Still, Master Vile had been persistent in his requests and had turned away several powerful warlocks, insisting that his task required an expert in a field where Reaghoul excelled. That had been enough to finally persuade Reaghoul to visit Gamma Vile, even if just to satisfy his curiosity about what task he could perform that Master Vile could not.
"You wished to see me?" he asked upon appearing inside the throne room, much to the consternation of Master Vile's attendants. It was not acceptable behaviour for hired help to show themselves in without an appointment.
If he was insulted by the lack of courtesy, Master Vile chose to hide it. Instead, he concentrated on the matter at hand.
"Yes, I have need of your talents," the villain explained. "Your assistance with a - family - would find you well rewarded."
Reaghoul had to admit he was intrigued. He had been expecting to take part in some scheme or other, but this was an invitation to take play a part in Master Vile's personal life. He found himself wondering just what task would cause the villain to seek him out.
"If this is about your son..."
He had heard about the failed ritual that had taken the life of Master Vile's eldest child. It had been a botched attempt to increase his power and prove his worth to his uncaring sire that had seen the young fool consumed by the dark powers he had unleashed. He had been fortunate that Master Vile was well practiced in the arts of darkness and had been able to preserve his ravaged body long enough for healers to reverse some of the effects. Now despite being the eldest of Master Vile's children, he would never be accepted as the heir of the M-51 Galaxy, a role that would now fall to Vile's daughter: Rita.
"No, he is not the reason I called you," Master Vile assured him. "Despite his foolishness, he will recover. And when he does, I will set him to work somewhere that he will not cause further embarrassment."
It was a role that would earn the son a reputation that would one day restore his standing in the court of Gamma Vile's elite. Not to mention it would get him away from the M-51 Galaxy and prevent him from causing problems with Vile's schemes.
"I summoned you to help me with another problem, one that has troubled me for some time," Master Vile confided as the senior courtiers ushered those that they did not feel deserved such an insight into their lord, out of the throne room. "As you know, Junior's mother did survive his creation and so I found a new queen: Rita's mother. It was not the evil union I anticipated and recently we found ourselves on opposite sides of the battlefield. Fienna made some unfortunate choices that have led to her premature demise. Now I find myself regretting my decision to end her life."
Master Vile was a being that had learned to exist without regret. In his time he had committed countless atrocities and been forced to destroy allies, friends and even family in the pursuit of his goal. So when he had left his estranged wife to die in the exploding depths of a Master Forge, he had believed that any feelings he had on the subject would relate to the loss of the site of great power and not the loss of a woman he had grown to hate during and after their marriage had ended. She had been a thorn in his side, continuously acting against his authority. But then she had had the nerve to try and keep his daughter from him, the audacity to belief that she could stand in his way of turning the heir of two of the most powerful magic users in the cosmos into a weapon.
But, as time passed and his anger over their last confrontation dimmed, he came to realise that he did regret killing her. Not because he loved her or some other ridiculous reason. No, his regret stemmed from the fact that even in death, she had defied him. He had done unimaginable things to her and despite his best efforts, he had been unable to break her. Death had been an escape, not a punishment. And now she slept peacefully in the afterlife, secure in the knowledge that her final act had protected their daughter from his schemes.
Regret gave way to anger and then determination. Fienna was his wife and she would not escape his wrath just because she had been killed. He would revive her and she would take her place as his queen as he had always planned. She would submit to his will and give him her obedience. She was his property and would never be allowed to rest until he said so.
"When I left her to her fate, I expected that she would be completely consumed by the explosion. However, that was not the case and I wish for your assistance to reverse her condition... Behold!"
He waved his hand at the space next to his throne, causing a large wooden box to emerge. It did not take a genius to realise that this was a coffin. With another wave, the lid flew open, offering a peak at the content.
"If my offer was of any interest to you, step forward and see the task for yourself. If you are not interested, then leave and I will find somebody else."
A part of Reaghoul warned him that this was a bad idea. Deep inside he understood that whatever Master Vile desired would push the limits of dark magic. And yet a part of him could not resist the urge to look and see. And so he stepped forward and peered inside. And when he did so, he gasped in shock.
"Is this real?" he asked, not daring to believe what Master Vile was asking. "I heard that there was nothing left, not even a hair after you..."
"A moment of weakness on my part meant that I could not simply allow it to be destroyed," Master Vile assured him. "I have come to realise it was a lapse on my part to ever consider disposing of it. It belongs to me, and I will not allow it to escape me... not even in death. I have been told that this is your speciality..." He looked up. "Can you, do it?"
"If you are asking me whether I can bring life to the contents of this box... then yes, of course, I can. I am a necromancer after all."
And any necromancer with more than a few decades of experience could achieve such a simple task.
"But can you bring all of your skills to bear?" Master Vile pressed. "I want you to use all of your powers to revive it as it should have been, untainted by its previous weakness and without losing anything in the process."
That was the difficulty. Reanimating the dead was a dirty business and often only resulted in zombified corpses running amok. Reaghoul was more refined, his skills allowing him to reclaim more than just the body; with the correct preparation, he could reunite the body mind and soul of the dearly departed, creating something close to the original. However, he knew now that Master Vile sought something different, something more twisted than Reaghoul's usual service.
"To revive the body, reunite it with the mind and purge the soul is a delicate process," he finally declared. "It will be... expensive."
"I can pay whatever you desire," Master Vile promised, sitting back on his throne, his eyes locked upon the coffin and its occupant. "I will grant you whatever you demand. Just be sure that you are thorough. My daughter has been ruined by the taint that once turned her mother against me. I will not tolerate its presence in my court."
Reaghoul nodded, taking his time to examine the corpse, mentally assessing the level of decay and the breakdown of magical channels that had occurred despite Master Vile's preservation attempts.
"I will need time and ingredients, at your expense," he finally announced. "I will also need a place to work and some donors."
"The people of Gamma Vile are at your disposal," Master Vile proclaimed.
Reaghoul shook his head. "I require a - less polluted source," he explained. "Find them for me and I will be able to begin. Seven should be sufficient."
Master Vile nodded and glanced at his chief of staff. The underling bowed and scurried away to make the arrangements. Within an hour, messages would have been sent to bounty hunters across the neighbouring galaxies, promising a substantial reward for those that could secure the needed specimens. Master Vile suspected that by the end of the week, he would have had enough responses to allow Reaghoul to conduct his task. It would certainly allow the necromancer to be as meticulous as he wished.
"I will have chambers prepared for you," Master Vile promised. "I will summon you when your ingredients arrive."
Reaghoul bowed, showing the respect he had gained during their meeting. There was no doubt in his mind that Master Vile was one of the most twisted, ambitious, and evil beings he had ever met. He just hoped he would be successful in the task the Ruler of the M-51 Galaxy had set him because he feared what would happen should he fail.
"Just one more question, Master Vile: if I am successful what will become of your new wife?"
Master Vile chose not to answer that question.
Earth
"A mirror, right?" the impostor asked.
As soon as he spoke, he knew it was a mistake. Even Kimberly would not make things that easy, more likely it had been something only the true Billy would know. 'Damn!' He'd been so busy fighting the real Billy that he had not paid enough attention. She had tricked him, using some stupid hologram project Billy had supposedly been working on earlier, not a mirror. How was he supposed to know when Zedd had never told him that?
"Wrong, it's a hologram." Kim said with a superior grin.
Billy shook his head, trying to clear it while the clone pushed him off. How did Kimberly get his hologram, anyhow? He'd just used it. Not that he was complaining. She had used it to discover he was the real Billy and not some clone. Now they would make the fake pay for his mistake and send a message to Zedd about the uselessness of trying to create false Rangers.
"It's Morphin' Time." Tommy called. In seconds, the Power Rangers were lined up, facing the clone, their weapons levelled and at the ready.
The Blue Ranger raised his blade blaster. "Your masquerade is over," he said. "You picked the wrong Ranger to replicate!"
Billy fired his blade blaster. The impostor dodged it skilfully, but the other Rangers opened fire alongside their comrade. Luckily his suit had been created from the power of the Morphin Grid and was just as resilient as that of the real Blue Ranger. The blasts damaged him, ripped into his suit, but the natural protection prevented them from causing more than a few bruises.
"All together," Billy suggested.
The Blue Ranger picked a spot on one shoulder and fired, the others quickly joining with him to create a single, powerful burst of energy. A small hole appeared in the fabric, hardly a great result considering the energy they had poured into their combined fire. But it was enough to break the protective aura created by the Power; it was enough dislodge the mask that hid his wicked soul.
The clone screamed, consumed by the Power as it started to run wild through his body. The powers of the Morphin Grid were not to be trifled with and the powers used to create Rangers should never have been touched by evil. The Power escaped him, shredding him as it did so and leaving him vulnerable to the Rangers' next shot. He was not foolish enough to remain and used the explosion as cover to return to his master on the Moon.
Teleporting was painful, almost unbearable, but just as the Power could not be perverted, the powers he had received upon morphing could not be prevented from working while he was morphed. Ranger healing intensified by the magic of Lord Zedd had already started to heal him by the time he had vanished. Still the shock of teleporting was too great and he passed out.
He came around seconds later when he felt a sword probing his side. He pushed it away weakly... his shoulder was still damaged no doubt due to the power the Rangers had blasted at him. At the time his body had been pumping with adrenaline. Now his body had returned to a more reasonable state, the pain was back in force. Reluctantly he opened his eyes.
Fangs and red eyes filled his bleary vision. He jumped and tried to back away but he was already up backed up against the wall. Goldar's ugly mug was not something he wanted to wake up to on a regular basis. He realised that he was in normal clothes, not the uniform he had been wearing. And the power coin he had hoped to obtain was gone too. 'Lost during transit no doubt.' No, not gone he realised as he felt a thin wafer of metal in his pocket. In retrospect that was all he could have gained. He wasn't holding onto the morpher at the time they transformed. Power morphers were easy to build for those with a genius level of intellect and some imagination; a working power coin was another matter.
Goldar scratched his head. This was something new. Typically a defeated monster came back in pieces or in the case of Zedd's monsters just didn't come back. Granted, the replica appeared wounded, but it was just strange enough that he summoned Lord Zedd.
"Master..." Goldar droned to his leader," We might be able to reuse this one."
The replica's face contorted into a scowl. He didn't appreciate Goldar using him to score points with Lord Zedd, especially when it was his existence on the line.
Lord Zedd looked at the monster before him, puzzled about how it had survived the onslaught with only minor damage. It was a huge surprise to see him there when he knew the statue had been returned to the foolish girl who crafted it.
The replica blinked. Was it really possible that he was alive? He remained silent though, aware that Lord Zedd was standing less than two feet away. He should, he thought slowly, try to do something to convince his master to spare him, but what? Zedd was not known to forgive failure, look at how he had banished Rita. He could sense his impending doom and shivered, trying dizziness and the pain from his arm.
Zedd chuckled. "Well, my plan may not have completely failed after all." He kicked the clone, which made no real effort to avoid the blow, not wishing to aggravate his master into more drastic means of showing his displeasure. "Yes, a most interesting turn of events."
"What?" Goldar thought he understood. "How do you want him punished, my lord? Perhaps some time in the Caves of No Hope."
Lord Zedd shook his head in disgust at Goldar's stupidity. "We don't want to kill him, you moron. Not now. In spite of his failure, this clone could still prove useful. The question is whether he values his pitiful life?"
"Please master," the clone begged. "I can still be useful. I know things about the Rangers. I know how Billy thinks; I know how the Zords work."
"Fool!" Goldar growled. "The mighty Lord Zedd is too important to listen to your pitiful pleas."
"Silence, Goldar. This creature was made by Rita, he is bound to be flawed." He held the tip of his staff beneath the clone's throat, inching it closer until it drew a thin bead of blood. "Interesting, Rita's creations do not bleed." He leaned forward so the grill on his head was touching the clone's chin. "Prove yourself useful," he challenged.
The clone reacted on instinct, grabbing the staff and using it as a pivot to take Zedd off his feet. He spun; catching Goldar before the titan could draw his sword and tried to grapple him to the ground. But Goldar was not in Zedd's employ for his classic good looks and charm. He was there to provide a little extra muscle as he demonstrated by pitching the clone away from him. The clone looked up to see both Zedd and Goldar standing above him, their weapons drawn. His hand tightened around the wafer of power coin in his pocket.
"What is that?" Zedd demanded, spotting the movement.
Goldar wasn't subtle in his attempt to find out. His powerful foot slammed into the replica's wrist and forced the fist to open.
"So, you can fight and you have a piece of a power coin," Zedd mused. "With Goldar's assistance you may yet prove useful."
That was when the walking banshee that was Zedd's wife decided to make an entrance.
"Zeddy! What is that doing here?" Rita demanded.
"Our little clone has come back to us my wicked wench," Zedd laughed.
"Good, he can help Finster in his laboratory as raw material." Rita never could see the bigger picture. She stared at the clone for a while, recognising the Super Putty used in manufacturing the original figure. Where had that girl found Super Putty anyway?
It was no surprise that her comment led to another of the hearty marital debates that had proven increasingly popular during their wicked union. More violent too as the twisted duo pointed their wands at each other, preparing to cast the next particularly nasty curse in their spouse's direction. And just as Goldar had dutifully attracted the ire of both participants with an unneeded comment about Rita, the palace shook violently, forcing their little squabble to end.
"What was that?" Zedd demanded.
"Somebody just landed on the far side of the palace," Finster told him with a slight frown. Anybody capable of generating that much energy was also capable of controlling it. To create such a disturbance on purpose was extremely bad manners. And despite being evil, Rita and Zedd did try to preserve some sense of good behaviour.
"It had better not be somebody trying to usurp my claim to Earth," Zedd grumbled.
"If it is we'll just point them in the Rangers' direction, let them destroy him and then pick off the Rangers while they're exhausted," Rita cackled. "What are you standing there for, monkey boy? Go and see who it is."
"Yes, my queen," Goldar replied as he slunk out of the throne room, eager to escape his angry superiors.
"If we're lucky whoever it is will take one look at Goldar and run," Rita remarked, although her laughter ceased abruptly as Goldar flew back into the room and crashed to the floor.
"The next time you look at me like that, I will turn you into a wall ornament and use you for target practice," a voice echoed from the corridor outside as Goldar groaned.
"Who dares..." Zedd started to demand. His words were cut short as a sudden burst of flame blinded him and a sickly pleasant smell spread around the room. Thick smoke pooled around the newcomer, lifting like curtains to reveal their uninvited guest. "Who are you?"
Before him stood a tall black-haired woman. Her long braids trailed behind her like a cloak, parting in places to reveal the odd patch of emerald to show through. In places the illusion had failed to hold during her journey, allowing a few grey locks to stand out. Her gaze was cold as she looked around, taking in the various henchmen, Goldar and finally Rita and Zedd. She did not seem impressed.
"I heard you were wasting your time with that wretched planet Rita," she remarked after a while as she found her way to the balcony and stared down at the Earth. "I had hoped that some time away and a little perspective would have broadened your horizons, but you are as stubborn as ever. A trait you clearly inherited from your parents although given your frequently reported temper tantrums you have little of your mother's restraint."
"Well, I didn't get anything from you!" Rita snapped. "You disgusting..."
The woman turned and lazily pointed toward Rita. A bolt of purple lightning left her fingertips and Rita let out a short yelp as she was thrown back into the throne behind her.
"Don't make me wash your mouth out with something unpleasant. Whether or not you choose to acknowledge it, your father has made it clear that I am to be respected for my position... if not our relationship. You would do well to remember who you are talking to Rita Repulsa."
"Enough!" Zedd growled before turning to his wife and helping him up. Nobody was allowed to hurt Rita without his say-so. "Rita, who is this woman and why should I not just stick her in a dumpster and throw her into space?"
"Because if you so much as think about it, I will prove that there are things more painful than little flaying spell you encountered," she snarled before looking at him curiously. "seriously, how could a demon as old and experienced as the infamous Zedd fail to notice such a powerful magical forcefield? I heard rumours you had started to lose your touch when you married Rita, but I think you lacked the sense to begin with and have just been able to hide the truth until now. Well Rita, introduce me to this worthless meat sack you call a husband."
"Zeddy," Rita squeaked, noting that while Goldar remained moaning on the floor, the rest of her underlings had had the sense to bow down. "This is Mistress Vile, the Queen Consort of the M-51 Galaxy.... She is my father's wife."
"So, this is your mother?" Zedd asked, confused. As far as he was aware, Rita's mother had been Master Vile's second wife and had been hunted down as a traitor when Rita was a child after she sided with Zordon. It had been a big scandal at the time when the wife of one of the most powerful villains in their part of the universe had fled Gamma Vile and put an end to a plan Master Vile had been working on for centuries. There had been some talk that her father had remarried but official sources had denied it.
"No," Rita replied.
"Yes," the older woman corrected. "You can deny it if you want to, Rita, but you can't change the fact that you emerged from this body."
Rita made a noise that clearly showed what she thought of that idea. "You're not my mother! My mother was Fienna of Magitopia, a traitor to the M-51 Galaxy and my father executed her for her crimes long before he married you."
"And then he found he missed her dearly and decided to bring her back using some very questionable dark magic," Mistress Vile continued. "After which his new wife suffered a nasty accident involving a family pet and here I stand as his queen once more. You really should learn not to speak ill of the dead, child... especially when they're standing right here."
Rita's expression changed from disgust to absolute hatred and Zedd wondered what Mistress Vile had done to earn such a look. It was obvious there was more going on than a disagreement between parent and offspring.
"My mother is dead!" Rita growled. "And if I ever found out she was alive, I'd destroy her myself! After what she did to me..."
"For you," Mistress Vile corrected. "Although, it is something I have come to regret. I was not in the right frame of mind at the time... something Master Vile has corrected now. And alas there is no way to change what I did so we'll just have to live with my mistake... or I could erase the result..."
She let the threat hang, enjoying the look of fear on her daughter's face.
Zedd promised himself he would find out the truth once the woman was gone. Clearly something had happened and it was a sore subject for his wife, something he could find ways to make her even more miserable.
"My mother is dead," Rita insisted before explaining to Zedd. "Despite what you might hear from the M-51 Galaxy, Master Vile has married four times and this is his most recent wife. My father decided that she would make a good queen for some reason." It was obvious that Rita had never approved of the match.
"Still deluding yourself after all this time are you, Rita?" Mistress Vile asked with a sad shake of her head.
Rita had been very young at the time Fienna had died and witnessing the death had scarred her. Her father's manipulation had been so successful that she had come to hate her mother as a traitor, using the knowledge the sorceress had died in part for protecting her daughter from Master Vile's evil as a means of dulling the pain. She was therefore unable to accept that Master Vile would ever forgive Fienna, and would never accept that he would want to resurrect and marry her again.
"Your father has explained thing to you so many times and yet you still seem unable to grasp the truth. No matter, you know who I am in your heart, black as it is. Now, come and kiss your mother."
"You are not my mother!" Rita snarled. "My mother is dead."
The woman shrugged in response as she went back to studying the Earth. "Master Vile would disagree. Or do you really want him to explain it to you, again? He might despise me and seek to make my existence as miserable as possible, but he would never be without me."
"Spare me the family drama," Zedd snarled before turning to Rita. "I don't care if this is really your mother or your father's concubine, I refuse to have your family leaching off us. It's bad enough I have to put up with your worthless servants. Why is she here anyway?"
"Can't a mother come and see her daughter and meet her new husband?" Mistress Vile asked. "Afterall we were not invited to the wedding. Not that Master Vile would have attended; he never seems to venture far from Gamma Vile without good cause."
It was true. Master Vile's conquest of neighbouring galaxies and the slow expansion of his empire meant that he rarely left the confines of Gamma Vile without a reason.
"I'm surprised he didn't make an exception in this case given your choice of husband; you know how much he likes to dictate such important decisions. It's a shame he isn't here... I so desperately wanted to show him some of the magic I've been learning."
"If you want to see him that badly, why not return to the M-51 Galaxy??" Zedd demanded.
"Because she was exiled," Rita crowed. "Ha! Daddy grew tired of her constant defiance and banished her from Gamma Vile!" Rita crowed. "She's not allowed back in the M-51 Galaxy." Her rant paused as she considered the implications of that statement and her expression turned fierce. "That means you're no longer under his protection anymore. He won't punish me if I attack you. He will probably divorce you when he hears that you turned up here and bothered us anyway."
Mistress Vile laughed.
"I always knew you had a sense of humour somewhere behind that miserable exterior," she said. "Divorce me, really? Oh Rita, I already told you there is no such thing as divorce in the court of Master Vile. You don't think your father would ever allow me to escape him... again, do you? You never did understand your father and his 'loving ways'. Master Vile would never grant me the freedom of divorce; In his mind, we are bound together until the day one of us perishes... and even then, there's no guarantee that our bond would be broken."
"I would be happy to test that theory," Zedd threatened as he held up his staff. He really did not like this woman and after only recently reclaimed their position on the Moon, he was not prepared to let somebody else take over.
Green energy that crackled around her and the feeling of raw power stopped him from saying more.
"I would welcome the challenge Lord Zedd, although I doubt that you could provide much in the way of entertainment. And before you reply know this: I am Monastra Repugna, the Mistress Vile; Empress of the Dark Cosmos, and ruler of the Ten Worlds," she announced proudly. Her cold eyes fixed on Zedd's staff, which he now lowered. "And despite my daughter wishing it were otherwise, there is no possibility that Master Vile would allow anybody to harm me with the exception of himself, of course. Now, stand down so I can at least get the chance to meet the man who married my 'beloved' daughter." She regarded him coolly. "I fail to see what she found so attractive about you, but perhaps beneath that hideous appearance, there are hidden depths."
She turned her attention to her daughter, who had been levelling her own wand.
"I wouldn't delude myself if I were you, dear. You were never a match for my magic and you lack your father's cunning. Besides, despite your little fantasies, my relationship with your father remains on good terms. Master Vile and I simply decided that a little space would be good for us, nothing more. Your father is an extraordinarily evil creature, but even he could only entertain me for so long. And after a few aeons, domination of the M-51 Galaxy can be so dull; there are only so many rebellions you can crush before it gets monotonous. Don't mistake my absence being anything more than a temporary thing. There is no possibility that it will become permanent. We still speak, it's not like your father wants me dead; he learned the hard way that he desires me around... just not necessarily close." As she spoke, the emerald energy turned black between her fingertips. "One day I hope I shall be able to show your father just how deeply I feel about him and all he's done to -- for me. He is not the same man I called husband anymore and I am not the woman he declared unfit to be his wife. We've both had our little... changes since those days. New friends in low places, new outlooks... that sort of thing."
There was a fondness in her voice, but her eyes were cold.
"You on the other hand have not changed one bit, young lady. You are just as disrespectful as an adult as you were as a child. And your dress sense is an embarrassment to respectable witches everywhere. I know you had access to some of the best robes available... after all, I was the one that claimed them from the corpses of their previous owners. At the very least you could have restyled your hair."
"Enough!" Zedd boomed. "I don't care about your marital woes or my wife's appearance. And I have no interest in meeting Rita's relatives."
"Oh, he's a grumpy one," she remarked. "Don't worry Zedd, I'm just passing through and thought I'd stop off. I'm planning on starting a little empire in the far corner of this little galaxy. You needn't worry though; I'll allow you to keep this planet... if you can ever conquer it that is. I was just on my way to inspect my new fortress when I heard about your wedding and wanted to meet the man that had stolen my daughter's heart." She studied him before raising an eyebrow at her daughter. "I can see that your potion-making skills have improved a little since we last met. The potion will wear off, but the effects are almost permanent. Interesting... perhaps the rumours about the Earth are true. Be careful Zedd: if she is like her father, you might find that heart of yours turned into potion ingredients without a second thought."
Zedd growled, but she ignored him, choosing to let him have his anger for the time being.
"Anyway, there I was on my way to my new fortress when I heard from a friend about your union and since I wasn't invited to the ceremony, I thought I'd drop in and deliver my wedding gift personally. And once that is done, I will be leaving... after I've had a chance to catch up with my daughter and her new husband. Don't worry, I'm sure we'll be the best of friends."
Zedd snorted, earning him a disapproving look. His dislike for this woman only increased the longer she was in his presence. So far his marriage to Rita had not been a great success and he was certain that involving her family would end up causing him trouble.
For her part, Mistress Vile ignored him. He was unimportant as far as she was concerned. If the spells she had sensed on him were an indication, then he was little more than another of Rita's little underlings with the honour of sharing Rita's bed.
"So, Rita, the time I heard about you was over ten-thousand years ago, despite my instructions for you to write. What have you been up to that stopped you carrying out the order of your queen?"
"She got defeated by Zordon and thrown into space dumpster," Goldar blurted out, earning a sharp look from Mistress Vile and a look of absolute hatred from Rita. He shied away from the first and returned the second with a disgusted sneer of his own. "Still not learnt to instil discipline in your followers, Rita?"
"Quiet monkey brain," Rita ordered, ignoring her mother's jab. "I might have been imprisoned, but I did trap Zordon in a time warp."
"Oh yes, I heard about that," her mother said with a touch of emotion showing. "Using one of the spells in my old magic book if I recall. I'll let you in on a little secret about that spell sometime, but let's keep that for another time. I remember now: your little war with Zordon ended in some sort of disaster with your forces either defeated on the battlefield or fleeing for their lives, and you somehow managed to strike back at poor old Zordon when he wasn't expecting it. I was distracted at the time, but... that was very well done. I knew your father was happy about something for a few centuries until he discovered Zordon was not as dead as we all hoped."
She waved her hand and an image of Zordon as he had looked before the end of the war appeared before her.
"Ah Zordon.... He was a fine man. So caring and noble. Handsome too, I recall. He had this aura that made you want to follow him, safe in the knowledge that he would protect you with his life. Such a wise and wonderful man; how I wish he still had a neck so I could throttle him. What you did to him was wicked Rita, evil beyond words. You didn't even grant him the certainty of death, instead leaving him to suffer all this time. I admit I was never so proud of you as the day I heard of your cowardly vengeance."
She took a moment to compose herself at the thought of Zordon's fate and to enjoy the look of surprise on Rita's face. Her daughter was not used to hearing compliments from her parents and it clearly confused her. This was why Mistress Vile resolved to praise her more often just to see that discomfort.
"And so you spent ten thousand years in a prison designed to make you reform and you not only managed to get released, but did so without the change in attitude your jailors desired. A fine achievement. And how did you build upon that success? As far as I can see the only thing you have achieved since your return is living on this rock attacking some backward planet. Why? I've heard the stories about Earth, but is it really worth all this effort?"
"Zordon is there," Rita answered. "He set up a Command Center on the planet. He's protecting it."
"And if Zordon believes that the planet is worth his personal protection, it must be of strategic importance," she surmised. "Although I have no idea why it would take so long to deal with him. You've had almost three years. How hard can it be to blow up an Eltarian Citadel with him inside?"
"It's not that simple," Zedd interjected. He was keen to save face despite enjoying the discomfort of his wife. "Just ask your husband - if he will allow you close enough. We were lucky to uncover a weakness in the Command Center's defences before the Machine Empire showed up, but Zordon had a failsafe in place. Besides, it's not Zordon that has stopped us. This would is protected... they have Power Rangers."
"Power Rangers you say, as in fully energised and armoured Rangers? Now that is something I did not expect." There were plenty of worlds with teams of Rangers to protect them. Most Ranger teams were trained soldiers with the ability to draw a small amount of energy from the Morphin Grid to enhance their bodies and weapons. Energy drawn directly from the Grid was dangerous, so they could only draw upon a small amount. Very few Rangers could be considered fully empowered and capable of drawing on the full potential of the Morphin Grid. "Even so, how can a small team of Rangers hope to stand against the daughter of Master Vile and her husband? It makes no sense unless you really have lost your edge. I imagine they are nothing special and the only reason Earth has them is that Zordon is here; he did always love his little Power Coins. Your failure is becoming a joke and I will not be embarrassed by the galactic gossip mongers. Now, either conquer this planet or move aside and let me show you how it is done."
"You arrive here -- in my palace -- and try to tell me what to do? I am Lord Zedd, Power Rangers are nothing to me!"
"Their continued presence says otherwise."
That had been the last straw. Zedd had finally lost his temper. "I've had enough. You do not come here and insult me. Putties, remove this old hag from my sight!"
A group of ten Z-Putties appeared before him, supercharged with a bolt of energy from his staff. As he did so he recalled that increasing the power of his monsters while they were in battle was something he had stopped doing shortly after his arrival on Earth. He wondered why.
"Putties? You don't really call these things Putties, do you?" There was amusement in her voice as she took a closer look. "Sure, they're made of clay, but you haven't shaped them and they're not even cooked properly! The only thing holding them together is the spell you placed in that seal on their chests... that can be broken with a direct impact. These things wouldn't stand a chance against anything more powerful than a small child. You haven't actually tried to use these things to conquer Earth, have you? You have! No wonder you've failed so often." She stopped so that she could study the nearest Z-Putty up close. "You've just transfigured clay into humanoid shapes. These are not Putties, they're barely golems. This is an insult to monster makers and magic users throughout the galaxy. You know if you had used some quality clay and possessed a hint of skill in shaping it, that little spell of yours might have worked. Nice plan Zedd... poor execution. Please, tell me you do not send these things into battle."
"Of course not!" Zedd snapped. This woman knew she was annoying him and seemed to enjoy making him twitch angrily.
Still, he was not angry enough to stop his Z-Putties from advancing on the wretched woman. Against Rangers they were useless, something Zedd had come to expect. However, against a witch like Monastra Repugna, a woman not used to the trials of regular combat, he expected them to be successful. They advanced on her while she watched with mild interest. When they pounced, she turned to look at Rita.
"I never thought I would be so disappointed in you child. It's bad enough that you decided to use those mass-produced clay abominations, but then you allowed him to think for a moment that these things would ever accomplish anything. It's a disgrace. Do you even understand how to make a Putty, Zedd? Are you even capable of constructing a real golem?"
"Of course I can!" Zedd snorted as the first Z-Putty made contact with her arm.
"Really? I doubt it because if you really understood such thing you should have realised that the loyalty of such creations is dependent upon their creator binding forcing the clay to bow to their will before bringing them to life with magic." she explained. "You see it's very important to magic sure that the clay is subservient before infusing it with magic because if you fail to do so... any magic user with sufficient power and a little skill can overpower your spells and change their loyalty."
Her eyes flashed green and a moment later the Z-Putty glowed the same colour before returning to normal. She smirked as it solidified, the shell breaking down rapidly as it crumbled into dust. A second stepped towards her only to start bubbling rapidly as she forced it to boil.
"Without bending the clay to your will and without the small enchantments I'm sure you overlooked because I know Rita's little machine never applies them... all you have managed is to animate some clay. And once your magic is replaced with mine, that clay is then mine to manipulate. To the unskilled general, like my beloved daughter, Putty Patrollers are a useful resource. Loyal, numerous and expendable. A positive boon on the battlefield unless they encounter someone like me without the correct spells in place. I am powerful enough to override the pitiful amount of magic that gives them life and turn them to my service. And while any fool can create a Putty Patroller given the right tools... I find it it is better to just use the clay as my weapon."
She reached down and scooped some of the molten clay that had been the second Z-Putty. She closed her fist, squashing the clay into a deformed ball.
"Now a real magic user who knows what she is doing can accomplish so much more. Rita was taught to make Putties by her father as an apology for destroying her doll house, but he only learnt the skills in passing and was never really interested in it as an art form; Master Vile doesn't need to create monsters when he can breed them. Her brothers lacked the skills to learn the arts of working magical clay altogether. I, however, learnt from the best: my grandmother. Rita can make something that resembles a Putty Patroller and perhaps even conjure up the odd monster. I can build whatever I desire out of any element I desire and make it do anything I want providing I have sufficient quantites. Watch!"
The rough ball bubbled into a perfect sphere, which came to life in her palm. It rolled to the ground and started to spin like a top. Suddenly, it jumped into the air and formed a giant blade, which severed one of the heads from the closest Z-Putties. When it landed, it leapt again, although this time it nearly split in two. Two smaller balls formed with blades of their own, joined by a very fine fibre of material connecting the two. Two more Putties were cut in half by the smaller spheres, and then the balls spun around each other, hitting some more. After reforming quickly, the ball then threw a projectile about the size of a golf ball, at incredible speeds at the dense group of the Z-Putties, striking the "z" spot with ease. Several were destroyed in this way as the projectile ricocheted around, and Mistress Vile seemed to smile ever more gleefully as the sphere mercilessly slaughtered the few remaining foot soldiers.
As she turned her hand, the ball reformed back into a perfect sphere and calmly rolled back to her waiting palm. Around her, she could sense Rita and Zedd's unease at the power she had displayed. Although it took all her willpower not to show the effect such a display of power had on her. This form of magic was draining when she didn't use her wand. Creating and sustaining golems was even more exhausting, which was why most would use machines to infuse them with magic. Still, if it had made Zedd aware that she was not to be fooled with, then the exertion was worth it.
Rita looked over the crumbled remains of the Z-Putties wondering why she had never learnt to use her skills to this level. With that sort of power, her battles against Zordon would have turned out differently. Of course part of that reason was because it had meant learning from a woman she had loathed.
Mistress Vile meanwhile had turned her attention elsewhere.
"Scorpina dear! If I had known you were here, I would have visited before. I heard you had been banished from Lord Zedd's sight."
Mistress Vile had always had a soft spot for Scorpina. In fact of all her daughter's so-called servants, Scorpina was the only one she would attempt to start a conversation with. Scorpina was a fine warrior and although never trained in magic, a skill Mistress Vile believed could have benefited the female Edenite, she was underhanded, deceptive, cruel... all the things a good warrior should be.
"With you on her side, I am surprised Rita has taken so long to conquer this little world." She emphasised the word little, not believing that Earth was a worthy target. After all, its population was primitive and weak. As slave labour, they would be useless. As far as materials went there was very little of value to be found on Earth, at least for a powerful witch like herself.
"She has been as useless as the rest of these fools," Zedd complained.
"I see. So she has been allowed to operate as she sees fit, using all the skills at her disposal and without you interfering?"
"Once," Goldar answered. "Lord Zedd allowed her the honour of destroying a Ranger and she failed, just like Rita."
"And how many opportunities have you been given Goldar?" Rita asked, displeased by the titan's continued interruptions. "Scorpina has at least managed to hold her own against the Rangers. And she survived that Ultrazord."
"If... if you please Mistress Vile," Finster managed. "We have all been unlucky. The Rangers of this planet do not possess the experience of some teams, but with Zordon's guidance they have managed to take advantage of our monsters' weaknesses."
"Ah yes, Finster," she drawled. "Ever the practical one. And how are your monsters these days?"
"Not good, my lady," Finster answered honestly. "The Power Rangers have an extraordinary amount of success against my creations."
"I see. Well, that is to be expected. You are afterall an artist, Finster; a creator of beautifully monstrous beings, a true practitioner of chaos. As a monster maker, you far surpass my skills. But you were not born a conqueror. Your monsters like you lack the desire to triumph, not the skill. Allow them to rampage on their own terms and I bet they would decimate those Rangers." She gave him a warm smile, which from her still made those watching shiver before turning to the next couple of misfits. "And Squatt and Baboo... still here I see."
"Hey, great to see you," Squatt greeted while Baboo just looked nervous.
Mistress Vile sighed. "Just the same as the last time I saw you... I had hoped there would be some hint of why my daughter chose to allow you to serve her. But I suppose even the best villains have to endure incompetence to achieve greatness. In your case Rita, it would seem that exposure to failure has stripped you of whatever reputation you earned before your imprisonment. Since your release you've become a joke." She looked at Zedd. "And it's only gotten worse since your marriage."
"If you think you can do a better job defeating the Rangers, be my guest," Zedd snapped and immediately regretted his words. He disliked this woman and wanted her gone as quickly as possible. Now because of his big mouth, he had practically invited her to move in.
"Tempting offer, Zedd," she said quietly, flashing him a brilliant smile. "You realise of course if I do so I will insist on claiming the Earth for myself. It might be worth it just to see you fume. Perhaps, I'll give it some thought in a decade or so if you're still here. I have better things to do than sort out my daughter's mess and I'm sure the two of you can work something out if you put your heads together... or perhaps not given your record."
Once again Zedd reminded himself that he did not want to bait the woman into staying. She had certainly set a new record with him. Usually, Zedd didn't make up his mind about how much he hated somebody until he got to know them. But Rita's mother had made enough of an impression in the short time they had spent in each other's company that Zedd knew that he thoroughly loathed the old witch.
"Still, I suppose I had better see what all this fuss is about," Mistress Vile decided, summoning a pair of opera glasses. She held the glasses up to her eyes and looked toward the Earth. "Show me the Rangers the guard this planet!"
She watched as her magical sight closed in on a group of teenagers relaxing after a hard day of school and saving the planet. She sneered as she overheard their discussion about some money raising event they needed to prepare for in the coming days.
"Is that it?" Mistress Vile asked as she lowered her glasses. "They're children! I honestly fail to see how those Rangers could have defeated you so often," she continued. The left side of her face twitched as she attempted to sneer at her son-in-law. With her magically altered face though it looked more like she was winking at him. Zedd recoiled in disgust; beneath the glamour, Mistress Vile looked old enough to be his grandmother. She ignored his reaction and continued. "You have the power to destroy this planet, you have more monsters than is healthy and regardless of how you act, you seem to be a powerful wizard... for a halfwit. So far as I can tell, you have everything you need to ensure victory."
"Then why does he keep on failing?" Rita whined.
"Some are destined for greatness, Rita," she said sagely. "And some are doomed to be utter disappointments. Such a shame that fate was not on your side."
"Why you..."
"Quiet Zeddy, getting worked up will not help you," Rita crooned.
"Yes, Zeddy," Mistress Vile mocked, "getting worked up will certainly not help you defeat the Power Rangers. Nor will it help your marriage if you choose to attack me. I am more than capable of defending myself and there's nothing worse for a marriage than your spouse dying on you... according to Master Vile. I suggest you use whatever passes for a brain in that skull-less head of yours to stop worrying about me and find a way to conquer this pathetic world before I decide to do it for you. I won't allow this embarrassing little funk of yours to continue too long. Think up a sufficiently evil scheme and execute it successfully or I might just have to take you up on your offer and try running things around here for a while."
"You have no right," Zedd answered.
"Oh Zedd, when will you learn? Might makes right! Besides, you invited me."
Zedd was faster than she had expected, his staff raised, and an energy bolt loosed in her direction before she had the chance to finish. But he was not fast enough, and she disappeared in a column of flame before the energy connected, only to reappear a moment later.
"That was a cheap shot Zedd," she growled. "I'm almost impressed you thought of it."
Her right hand flexed, and her own wand appeared. It resembled her daughter's wand, but far more ornate with heavy dark wood intermingled with gold and other precious metals. It looked heavier too, easily a match for Zedd's staff. Gold plates covered parts of her body as her hair shrank back to be replaced by a dark cloak.
"I think that is the first time I've actually believed you to be a capable villain. Well done. You failed of course... as always."
Her words had the desired effect and Zedd attacked, unleashing another bolt of energy before charging in, using his staff as a weapon. She blocked the blast easily and deflected his staff. The battle that followed caused her to reconsider her first impression of Zedd. He was a capable combatant, skilled in the fighting arts and the use of battle magic. He was vicious, relentless and merciless in his attacks; it quickly became clear he had no interest in merely subduing her.
Unfortunately, she was not prepared to lose their little match just to feed his ego. A pulse of magic blocked his staff before it could strike her. A second jolt sent him flying away. She was surprised to see him recover, her eyes narrowing at the familiar fighting style. Then as he moved to attack again, she unleashed her power, sending bolts of purple energy at him.
Zedd cried out as his mother-in-law electrocuted him mercilessly before allowing the barrage to cease. When she did, Zedd struggled to remain upright as his legs threatened to collapse under him. She allowed him a short reprieve before unleashing a fresh assault, determined that she would put him in his place. And if he survived the experience... he was stronger than she believed.
She turned on Rita, knowing that Zedd would not have acted if her daughter had wanted him to stop. Rita for her part looked nervous as her mother raised her wand and the younger witch was subjected to the same torment as her husband.
"Congratulations," Mistress Vile said as she lifted the curse and scanned the throne room for further threats. She noted that Scorpina had already subdued Goldar as the titan was preparing to come to his master's aid. She chose not to punish him. The rest of Rita and Zedd's underlings did not appear overly concerned at the fate of the master and his wife. "I was going to leave the two of you to figure out a way to conquer this world, but now that I've defeated you, I claim this planet as my prize. I guess that means I'll be sticking around for a while, Zeddy."
"You can't do that," Zedd protested. "The Alliance..."
"Oh, you mean your little bagsy attempt?" she asked. "That little ruling that means only you can attack the Earth at this time because you happened to defeat and vanquish Rita? Well, according to the rules, since I defeated you both in combat, I can claim those rights. That makes Earth my planet now... you can either accept that or I will have to dispose of you both. Which will it be?"
"You wouldn't stand a chance against those Rangers," Zedd warned. "And I will not just allow you to take over."
"So be it," she hissed. "I suppose the two of you will just have to take a time out."
Another bolt and both Rita and Zedd found themselves hurled to the far side of the chamber, a cage appearing to secure them in place. She heard Goldar growled and sent Scorpina a silent command not to interfere as she faced off against the henchman. That Goldar was supposed to be a trained warrior meant very little against her magic and in under a minute he was lying broken on the floor.
"I should destroy you, you gold-plated fool," she whispered. "But you might still prove useful. Know this: if you attack me again, I will end you."
She left him groaning on the stone floor. The combat had actually proven quite exciting.
"Just so there is no misunderstanding," she said, glancing at each of her daughter's henchman in turn. "This planet is mine now and I will not be stopped by Zordon or his little soldiers. Do any of you have a problem with that?"
Zedd shook his head and she turned to ask her daughter the same question. Rita reluctantly shook her head. The underlings just dipped their heads in submission while Goldar seemed unaware of what was happening.
"Wonderful," she smiled before banishing her wand. She kept her new appearance. "I really wanted to avoid any unpleasantness. And if you behave yourselves, I might feel generous enough to share the glory. It's time someone showed you kids how to conquer a planet."
End of Part
Author's Note: Villain's Who's Who.
Master Vile - Rita Repulsa's father, ruler of the M-51 Galaxy.
Monastra Repugna (Mistress Vile) - 4th Wife of Master Vile. Step-mother of Rito Revolto.
Somehow the mother and step-mother of Rita Repulsa. (It is complicated)
Grengall Aka Junior - Master Vile's eldest son. Half-brother of Rito Revolto and Rita Repulsa. Missing and presumed dead.
Rita Repulsa - Master Vile's daughter, space witch and wife of Lord Zedd.
Rito Revolto - Master Vile's second son, Rita Repulsa's half-brother.
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