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.
The Power of Repugna
Gamma Vile
Long Ago
"It is done," Reaghoul announced as he stood back to admire his work.
"Very impressive," Master Vile agreed as he studied the body. "But have you fixed the flaws?"
"She is as you wanted her, Mater Vile," he assured. "Her mind and body have been restored, and her soul has been cleansed of all traces of purity. She is now all the darkness that Lady Fienna possessed, multiplied a thousandfold. A true wicked queen reborn to take her place at your side as Mistress Vile."
He removed a device and made a show of placing it around the neck of the reborn queen. There was a purple flash before the collar disappeared.
"As with all my work, I provide a guarantee of good service," he announced. "The control collar around her neck at its lowest setting will prevent her from attacking you. Should you wish, you can increase her subservience to the level you desire. She is now your property."
"As she should be," Master Vile agreed. "For too long Fienna was allowed to defy me. She dared to fight against me and paid the price. But, her death was too simple and eternal peace a reward I refuse to allow her. She will not escape me, even in death. And now she will learn the true delights of what it means to be evil. Fienna of Magitopia is dead and gone; Monastra Repugna, the Mistress Vile, will live as my queen until I decide that she has earned her rest. And then she will go to grave knowing all the evil I have caused her to do and spend eternity despairing at what she has become."
The Moon
Present Day
"Ha!" Rita cackled as she watched the battle unfold. "So much for your Putties. The Rangers are still winning."
Zedd however remained quiet, well aware that despite his wife's crowing, they were the ones trapped in a cage. And as far as he could tell, Mistress Vile's creations were having more success than his previous Z-Putties; the Rangers had been forced to pull out all the stops to slow down what was considered little more than grunts. It made him wonder what she could have managed if she decided to create a real monster.
"Oh Rita, show a little faith in your mother," Mistress Vile answered as she watched the Rangers continue to struggle against her constructs. Using their more powerful weapons had allowed them to oppose her Putties, but they had yet to overcome all of her forces. Her constructs were more than simple clay and required more than just a few blaster bolts to destroy. "My little Putties have already forced the Rangers to pull out the big guns. Now let's see what they can do when confronted by the supercharged models."
She nodded as her magic energised the constructs, allowing them to shrug off the Rangers' attacks. She conjured a mirror to check her appearance.
"You know watching them struggle from here is fun, but I think now is a good time to go and introduce myself."
And with that, she disappeared in a burst of black fire and not for the first time, Rita had a feeling that somebody was about to steal her prize. She growled. Earth belonged to Rita Repulsa and anybody who tried to take it from her would find out just how vicious she could be... once she escaped her cage.
Angel Grove
In the past, the Rangers would consider the Putty Patrol to be the weakest foot soldiers that they faced. The Tengas had been fierce especially after Master Vile enhanced them, and the Cogs' metal hides had forced the Rangers to fight harder. Putties in comparison had seemed easy to defeat either by striking a weak spot or fighting them long enough that they ran out of energy and fell apart. The current batch, however, made the Rangers reconsider their previous thoughts. These new Putties not only looked different, but they were also much stronger. Already the Rangers had been forced to use their weapons against them as punches and kicks bounced off their toughened bodies. And despite managing to knock the constructs around, the Rangers were still finding it a struggle to damage their opponents.
"Do you think Rita and Zedd were drunk when they made these?" Blue Zeo asked.
This latest group of Putties were different from those they had faced in the past. For a start, it was clear that they had been constructed from more than just clay and magic. Their bodies were a mixture of clay, mud, tarmac, metal and rock; the street was a mess and now that they had the opportunity to really look at their opponents, the Rangers couldn't help thinking that these Putties had been victims of the explosion and had ended up impaled by debris. It certainly explained their grotesque appearance, but not their increased strength and aggression. It was also clear that while in the past a batch of Putties was almost identical, there were clear differences and deformities in the latest incarnation. And while a few were easily overpowered with a shot from a Zeo Pistol, others required five or six shots before they started to weaken.
The battle was interrupted by a loud whooshing sound and a burst of black fire. A powerful shockwave knocked the Rangers off their feet and when they looked up, they were confronted with the sight of what Tommy at first thought was Rita Repulsa, as she appeared before she had married Zedd. Her face was older, but the family resemblance was clear in the shape of the jawline. Her hair appeared to shift from black flowing locks with emerald strands to mostly grey with the odd patch of white hair. She wore a black bodysuit with gold lining the edges. And her hair was covered by an impressive golden headpiece; her boots were also gold. In her hand, she carried a black wand with red highlights. It reminded the Rangers of Rita's wand, although it was thicker and much heavier. The design was much more ornate. Somehow, they could not imagine anybody throwing this wand out of a window to make a monster grow. Her eyes were cold green that flickered to brown and even blue as she regarded the Rangers with a harsh stare.
"So, you are the Power Rangers," she stated, pretending to take an interest. The surviving Putties had by this time relocated to her side. She absently patted one on the head like an obedient dog. "I hope enjoyed playing with my constructs. I think you'll find they're a little longer lasting than the things Rita and Zedd managed to produce."
"Who are you?" Red Zeo demanded, as his team regrouped. They couldn't let their guard down but used the opportunity to regroup.
"My name is Monastra Repugna," she replied.
She waited, her face turning into a scowl when she noticed that they didn't recognise her name.
"Never heard of me? No matter, perhaps the name Mistress Vile will be more familiar. In the end, all that matters is that I am the one that will conquer this pathetic little planet. And if you stand in my way... I will destroy you."
"Yeah, you're not the first to try," Red Ranger replied. "We defeated them, and we'll soon send you back to where you came from."
Her response was to send a bolt of energy in the Red Ranger's direction. Red Ranger had expected an attack and moved before it could strike. He leapt forward, Zeo V Power Sword swinging at their opponent only to find it blocked as she shifted her wand to intercept. A pulse of dark energy and a softly spoken word was sufficient to send the Red Ranger flying off to land on the side of a building. The other Rangers took that as their cue to attack.
Mistress Vile proved to be a difficult opponent. Unlike some that relied purely on magic for attacking, she was a capable fighter, able to move and deflect her opposition's blows with her wand. At the same time, her magic allowed her to trap the Rangers so that she could deliver painful strikes. She dodged around Pink and Yellow Ranger to confront Blue and Green Ranger before teleporting behind them and striking with a ball of black fire.
"Jiruma Majuna!" she chanted.
A blast of freezing cold air struck the four Rangers, binding them in places as she swung her wand in their direction. The ice that had formed around them shattered as the Rangers were thrown to the ground.
"Magi Magika Electro!" she cried, her words came faster and her tone was not as deep as she spoke the command.
Black lightning shot from her wand, pinning the downed Rangers as they writhed in agony. A smile crossed her face as their screams filled her ears. Unfortunately, her focus on the four Rangers had allowed Red Zeo time to recover and open fire with his Zeo pistol. The shots were blocked by a swiftly summoned shield, but in protecting herself she was forced to drop her attack on the others.
Red Zeo kept firing even though she managed to block each of his shots. His intent was not to harm her but to buy time for the others to get themselves together. He wondered why Zordon had not teleported them away, a bolt of black magic exploded at his feet, forcing him to roll to safety. As he came back up he could see that Mistress Vile's Rock Soldiers had regrouped ready to attack again.
"It seems you still have some fight in you," she acknowledged, brushing a few soot stains from her clothing. "Let's see if you can handle something a little more challenging... Jigen Transfiguro!"
The Putty Patrol exploded, forcing the Rangers to shield themselves from a barrage of stones and boulders. When they turned back, Zeo Pistols at the ready, they found that only one of the warriors remained, transformed and empowered by Mistress Vile's magic. In place of the mashed-up rock and clay, it looked as if somebody had pulled up a section of street complete with signposts and traffic signals.
"Have fun, Rangers. I'll leave you in Lamp Ray's capable hands and come back later to pick up the pieces." She made a vague gesture and into a plume of black smoke.
The Power Chamber
"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!" Alpha exclaimed as he witnessed the appearance of Lamp Ray.
He had been trying in vain to contact the Rangers since the start of their battle, but the surge of dark magic in the area had made communication impossible. Meanwhile, despite being unable to identify any record of a monster known as Lamp Ray being used before, the Power Chamber's computers had been able to scan it and determine some of its abilities.
"It says here that its traffic light eyes are capable of firing energy blasts and that it can use the signposts on its body to cast spells at the Rangers," he read.
It actually stated that the signs would work on anything they hit, but Alpha was working on the assumption that most sensible people would be out of sight by this time. He did briefly check to make certain Bulk and Skull were out of town. All things considered, this was a powerful but limited monster for the Rangers to face. They had faced similar warriors before and Alpha knew that they had overcome such threats. However, their arsenal seemed less effective against Mistress Vile's creations.
While the other Rangers had morphed into battle, Jason had teleported to the Power Chamber. He had been watching the battle alongside Billy after Zordon had refused him permission to join his friends. For some reason, Zordon had been reluctant to allow Jason to use the Gold Ranger powers except as a last resort.
"Maybe I can reconfigure the energy feed between the Power Chamber and the Zeonisers," Billy offered.
The Zeo Crystal was a powerful magical artefact that was too potent to be called upon directly. The Zeonisers Billy had constructed allowed the Rangers to create a small-scale Morphin Grid through which the power could be filtered, using the smaller crystal as a capacitor to store and safely release the energy in safe bursts. Until now Zordon and Alpha had maintained a close watch on the power the Rangers were able to draw since overuse of Zeo energy would put a strain on their bodies and risk serious injury.
Trey had proven that even the Lord of Triforia was not immune to the damage those powers could do. While it was the waters of Aquitar that had caused the issues that had made it necessary to give up the Gold Ranger powers for a time, it was the power itself that had made Trey vulnerable to the effects of those waters. Zordon had been careful to limit Jason's exposure since the young man had taken on the duties of Gold Ranger, realising that direct exposure to the Gold Ranger powers was a greater risk than using a Zeoniser.
So while seeking to increase the protection the Zeo powers offered the Rangers seemed like a good idea, Zordon and Alpha had to be mindful not to increase it too much and risk injuring the young warriors. Despite his good intentions, they were worried Billy might inadvertently injure his friends.
"It's no good, Billy. We cannot adjust the Zeoniser Cyrstals while the Rangers are using them," Alpha warned.
It had been a safety feature installed by Zordon and Alpha to avoid the possibility of accidentally overloading the Zeonisers and leaving the Rangers vulnerable in battle. Unfortunately at this moment that safety precaution put the team at risk.
"How about increasing the power flow of the Defender Wheel and sending it to the Rangers?" Billy asked.
The Defender Wheel used a separate power source and could be overpowered for a short time. Long enough to hopefully allow the Rangers to regain the advantage. So far their five-to-one advantage had kept the monster from causing too much harm.
"An excellent idea, Billy," Zordon agreed. "Alpha, transport the Defender Wheel to the Rangers immediately."
"Yes Zordon," Alpha said as he pressed a few buttons, all the while watching as Green Zeo was taken down by a blast from one of the monster's eyebeams. "Defender Wheel is on its way!"
"Zeo Ranger I - Power Disk!" Pink Zeo called. "Zeo Energy Shield!"
A blast from Lamp Ray's middle eye was sent back to its source, cracking the amber lens. In truth, the only real difference between Mistress Vile's monsters and those used by Rita and Zedd was the amount of power she had given it. While Rita and Zedd preferred to hold back and wear the Rangers down, Mistress Vile did not want to be trapped on Earth fighting a war of attrition. She wanted the Rangers destroyed and the Earth conquered.
The outcome was that while the Rangers had found themselves on the back foot, using their more powerful attacks had evened the odds. Although doing so puts an additional strain on their bodies.
"Hey look!" Blue Zeo pointed into the sky where they could make out Zeo Zord V heading in their direction.
"Zordon must have sent it," Green Zeo guessed.
"The Defender Wheel!" Blue Zeo realised as they noticed an object drop from the Zord's cargo bay.
"Zordon must have realised we were having problems and sent the Defender Wheel to help," Red Zeo agreed. "Let's put it to use!"
"Right!" the other agreed, before taking up guard positions on either side while their leader climbed aboard and activated the systems.
"Defender Wheel activate!" Red Zeo called, flicking the switch to release the wheel at maximum speed.
The Defender Wheel shot forward, unfazed by Lamp Ray's energy blasts. The explosive impact sent the monster to the ground as Red Zeo teleported to his comrades. Lamp Ray was down, but clearly not out.
"Let's take this up a notch and bring out the Zeo Cannon!" Red Zeo ordered.
"Right!"
The Zeo Cannon appeared and Red Zeo opened the loading chamber.
"Zeo V Power Cell, Power Up!" Red Zeo called.
"Zeo IV Power Cell, Power Up!" Green Zeo added.
"Zeo III Power Cell, Power Up!" Blue Zeo cried.
"Zeo II Power Cell, Power Up!" Yellow Zeo stated.
"Zeo I Power Cell, Power Up!" Pink Zeo called as she inserted her cell and slid the chamber closed. "Power Cells charged and loaded. Zeo Cannon: ready for action."
The Rangers hoisted the cannon upwards and took aim at their opponent. The cannon glowed as the cells drained into the firing chamber before being released as a single concentrated burst. Unlike the Defender Wheel, Lamp Ray did not get back up.
The Moon
"Ha, you failed again!" Rita mocked.
Mistress Vile looked unconcerned. If anything, she seemed bored.
"Maybe those Rangers are not as overrated as I believed," she mused. There were many that believed that the defenders of Earth did not deserve the reputation they had earned over the last few years. She had to admit that she had been sceptical that such a limited planet could produce warriors capable of keeping her husband at bay. But clearly, there was more to these Earthlings than she believed and that meant she would have to dispose of them quickly if she didn't want to fall into the same trap as Rita and Zedd. "Perhaps a change of tact is in order." She glanced over and caught sight of Goldar. "And I have the perfect idea."
Power Chamber
"Zordon, who was that?" Tommy demanded as the Rangers picked themselves up. Accelerated healing meant that some of their wounds were already fixed by the time they got back to their feet.
"That was Monastra repugna, the Mistress Vile, estranged wife of Rita Repulsa's father," Zordon announced.
The scanners had been unable to identify her until she had made an appearance. Then the alerts had sounded throughout the Power Chamber and he had realised the danger his Rangers were in.
"Estranged wife?"
"Indeed, the relationship between Monastra Repugna and Master Vile has always been volatile," Zordon explained. "Long ago Master Vile pursued Fienna of Magitopia, seeking to make her his queen. He eventually succeeded through treachery and deception. The two were wed and Rita Repulsa was born, but in the years to come, Fienna managed to see through the deception and sought to escape with her daughter."
Master Vile's obsession with his queen meant that while he hated her, he could not bring himself to destroy her. His forces had pursued her, and his daughter for a long time before he finally caught up with them. There had been a confrontation and after discovering that Fienna had ruined one of his schemes, Master Vile had finally had enough. He had watched as she was executed before taking his daughter away, vowing that in time she would follow in his footsteps.
"After centuries without her, Master Vile came to regret executing Fienna. In his mind killing her had allowed her to finally escape his grasp, something he could not allow. And so he used his contacts to find a way to restore her to life, free from the things that had caused her to oppose him. Monastra Repugna, the Mistress Vile was born in the image of Fienna but without the warmth and goodness that Fienna possessed," he explained. "Since that time it has long been one of his greatest desires to turn her into his obedient queen, a feat he has yet to achieve. Mistress Vile is as devilishly evil as her husband, but refusing to accept her place at his side."
It was a true dilemma for Master Vile. He refused to allow his queen the ability to escape him through death, yet had come to despise her presence. In the end, he had settled on banishing her from his domain until she agreed to offer him her complete obedience. Or in all likelihood: until he believed that she had been granted too much freedom and summoned her back to his side.
"And I thought Rita and Zedd were a match made in Hell," Rocky commented.
"Indeed," Zordon agreed. "Master Vile banished her many times during the course of their marriage, even seeking a replacement. However, his unwillingness to allow her to escape him permanently means he will always recall her to his side. And despite her refusal to acknowledge her husband as her superior, Mistress Vile is bound to him and incapable of causing him direct harm due to the magic that brought her back to life. That is why despite their marital problems they have not tried to destroy each other since Mistress Vile first appeared on her husband’s arm."
Zordon was still unsure of the exact nature of the magic that bound the evil couple. Some had tried to release Mistress Vile from her tether, but all had failed. On some level, the pair wanted to remain united. In truth, it was likely that releasing the enchantments would make her less evil and deep inside Mistress Vile wanted to stay just as twisted and evil as Master Vile himself.
"So, she is the mother of Rita and Rito?" Tanya asked.
"Mistress Vile is the mother of Rita Repulsa," Zordon confirmed. "Rito was believed to have been born to one of Master Vile's other wives, but she has adopted him as her own. I cannot emphasize how cautious you must be, Rangers. Mistress Vile is just as cruel and cunning as her husband, and the power she derives from her own heritage has been increased by their dark union."
"She was tough," Rocky groaned as he stretched. He was certain that one of his ribs had been broken by her wand.
"And so were her Putties," Adam added.
"Zordon, is there anything we can do?" Kat asked. "We could hardly move them until we started using our weapons."
"Mistress Vile is a powerful sorceress trained in some of the darkest and lightest forms of magic," Zordon told them. "As you have seen she can control elemental magic and she has used that ability to increase the power of her constructs. Alpha and I will attempt to increase the energy flow through your Zeonisers to enhance your powers. However you must be wary: Mistress Vile's monsters are a constant drain on her magic and can only remain strong while she feeds them power, but as long as she continues to feed them energy, they will be stronger than those used by Rita and Zedd."
"Is that why she left when she did?"
"I believe so, Katherine. Creating her putties and then engaging with you in battle would have led to a drain on her power. While she would have recovered her strength by the time she returned to the Moon, a prolonged struggle would have left her vulnerable."
"Can we defeat her?" Tanya wanted to know.
"I have faith that together you are a match for any that would threaten this world," Zordon assured her. "Mistress Vile will not be easy to overcome, but she is not as powerful or as well versed in the ways of evil as her husband."
He did not mention that he was aware of a key chink in her magical armour. That was something that the Rangers should not concern themselves with. Although if the opportunity arose though, he would instruct them how to strike a devastating blow against the forces of darkness by reversing one of Master Vile's most wicked acts and potentially restoring one of the universe's most gallant warriors. Assuming of course that he could find the courage to give such an order when there was the possibility it would lead to her death.
"For the time being you should return to your normal lives. Alpha and I will alert you should there be another attack."
The Rangers agreed and teleported away.
End of Part
Author's Note: Villain's Who's Who.
Master Vile - Rita Repulsa's father, ruler of the M-51 Galaxy.
Mistress Vile (Monastra Repugna) - Wife of Master Vile. Mother (adopted) of Rito Revolto. Was once the mother of Rita Repulsa. (It is complicated)
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 brother.
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