Behind a Waterfall on Arturus

 
     “Afraid?”  Jenny could barely get the word out.  How could someone as bold and powerful as Darkonda be afraid?  “What could you possibly be afraid of?”
     “I have the distinct feeling that something will happen soon,” Darkonda explained.  “Something that will render me unable to protect you.”
     “I don’t understand.  What’s going to happen?” Jenny asked.
     “I don’t know exactly what,” Darkonda replied.  “All I know is that it will happen during a great battle.”
     “So you’re afraid that you’re going to die?”
     “No, I’m not afraid of death at all.  I still have several lives left.  It’s just that this battle might drive us apart.”
     “I don’t believe it,” Jenny said.  “You swore that nothing would drive us apart.”
     “Now don’t get me wrong,” Darkonda said.  “Although we might be physically separated, I’ll always love you.”
     “I think I get it now.  You’re afraid for me, aren’t you?” Jenny asked.
     Darkonda nodded.  “I’ve never felt fear like this before.”
     Jenny thought for a moment.  Now it all made sense.  Darkonda had saved her too many times to even count.  If something should happen again, he wouldn’t be there for her.  This is what terrified Darkonda.
     “So, what now?” Jenny asked.
     “I wanted to spend some more precious moments with you,” Darkonda replied.  “I brought you here because I wanted to relive some moments of our past.  Does this setting ring a bell?”
     “Yes!  When you and I were on the run from Scorpius, we hid behind a waterfall.  Too bad I was knocked out the whole time.”
     “It didn’t matter to me.  I love to watch you sleep.”
     “Well, I’m awake now,” Jenny said.  “This time, we can actually go deep.”
     “I thank you for allowing me to carry you,” Darkonda said.
     He grasped her hand and kissed it gently.  Suddenly, he jerked at her arm, pulling her against him.  He splayed a hand across her back, kissing the nape of her neck.  Jenny sighed.
     “There’s nothing like making love in the heart of a crisis.....”

***
Devil's Palace Throne Room

     “Oh, how sweet!” Black Shadow gushed as he watched the couple through a cloud that hovered in the throne room. “That’s right; get your last thrill while you still can.”
     “Will you attack them?” Astronema asked.
     “No.  In the middle of a beautiful love scene?  That wouldn’t be very tactful, would it?”
     “I guess you’re right.”
     Dr. Clash entered the room.  “Excuse me, Black Shadow, but the preparations have been made.  Shall we proceed?”
     “Not yet.  Our guests haven’t arrived yet,” Black Shadow said.  “I’ll have the citizens bring Spinal to me.”
     “But Spinal just left the colony,” Astronema protested.
     “No problem.  I can coax him back out.  However, it’ll be more difficult since he’s trained under Canis Lupus.”
     Black Shadow put his fingers to his head and began to concentrate.....

***
Spice Rack Dining Room

     Back on the Spice Rack, Vegeta was telling the others a very entertaining story.  The Spices were sitting around the dining table.  Arbin and Gazelle stood at the wall, and Spinal was resting on the floor.
     “No one has ever been able to reach that power level,” he explained.  “But I intend to be the first.  Someday, I will get there, and I will become the first and only Super Saiyan!”
     Yamcha dropped face-down on the table.  Chiaotzu stared at Vegeta blankly.  Pico yawned.  Spinal was fast asleep.  Arbin and Gazelle stood, both tapping a foot.  Jeice drummed his fingers on the table with a disgusted look on his face.  No one spoke.  After a moment of silence, the Cryptkeeper imitated the sound of a cricket chirping, which caused the others to snicker.
     “Well?  Doesn’t anyone have any thoughts?” Vegeta asked.
     “All that power and you’re still thirsty for more?” the Cryptkeeper asked.
     “How do you know that you’re not a Super Saiyan already?” Chiaotzu asked.
     “Vegeta, you don’t even know if it’s possible!” Jeice said.  “The whole thing is a myth, a legend!”
     “It’s a legend that sucks donkey bars,” Pico added.
     “I’m surprised that you can control the power you’ve got,” Jeice said.
     “And why is that?” Vegeta asked.  “You know that you’re just as powerful as I am.  Besides, some of my power was lost along with my tail.”
     “I’m physically larger, so I have more space for my power,” Jeice said.  “Plus, I’m not striving to gain any more.  Unlike you, I’m satisfied with my power level.”
     Spinal woke up suddenly.  He looked around, then sighed.
     “Spinal, my friend,” Vegeta said.  “What do you think of me becoming a Super Saiyan?”
     “What’s so super about it?” Spinal asked.
     “Spinal, I thought that you were my friend!” Vegeta whined.
     “Is that why you tricked me into seeing the full moon with you so that you could turn into a giant beast and whisk me away?”
     “Grr!!” Vegeta growled.  “Do you want me to become a Super Saiyan or not?”
     “What’s so great about it?” Spinal asked.  “I mean, once you become a Super Saiyan, then what?”
     “Then I will become supreme ruler of the universe!”  Then Vegeta cracked up evilly.
     “I suggest that you make a change of plans!” the Cryptkeeper called over Vegeta’s laughter.
     Vegeta stopped laughing.  “What!?”
     “You see, there is no supreme ruler of the universe.  And we, the Spice Club, are out to make sure that the statement remains true.”
     “So if you still want to pursue that goal, you can leave and become our enemy,” Pico said.  “That wouldn’t bother me a bit.”
     “Hallie, what do you think?” Vegeta asked.
     Hallie looked up from her notepad.  “Huh?  I’m sorry.....were you saying something?”  She held up the notepad to reveal a drawing of herself and Piccolo.
     “Hallie and Piccolo forever?” Vegeta read aloud.  “Women!”
     Suddenly, Spinal grabbed his head.  “Oh no!”
     “Spinal, what’s wrong?” Jeice asked.
     Black Shadow had gotten through.  “You’re all right, Spinal,” he said.
     “I’m all right,” Spinal said with a blank expression.
     “You must go down to Arturus,” Black Shadow instructed.
     “I must go down to Arturus,” Spinal told the others.  Then he quickly left the room.
     “Spinal, wait!”  Jeice ran after the skeleton warrior.
     Once they were gone, the Galaxy Rangers entered the room.
     “We still can’t find what’s causing the demon thing!” Kai complained.
     “I still say that it’s the food,” Pico said.  “Think about it; the first guy we saw transform was eating a hamburger.”
     “There’s only one way to find out,” Mike said.  “We have to test it.”
     “Well, I’m not about to eat it,” Pico said.
     “Then I will,” Mike said.
     Leo looked at him.  “Mike....are you sure?”
     “It’s the only way,” Mike told him.  “I’d rather turn myself into a demon than see you turn into one, little brother.  If I do become a demon, make sure that I don’t hurt any of you.”
     “Oh, don’t worry,” Vegeta said with a grin.  “We’ll do whatever it takes.”
     The Spices looked at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking.
     “Vegeta, that will NOT be necessary!” the Cryptkeeper said.
     “Wish me luck,” Mike called as he and Leo left the room.

***
Arturus

     When Spinal arrived on Arturus, Black Shadow released his hold on him.  Jeice rushed over to him.
     “Spinal!”
     Spinal turned to face him.  “Jeice.....what happened?  What am I doing here?”
     “I was about to ask you the same question,” Jeice said.  “Hey look, that guy looks familiar.”
     As soon as the words came out, Goku grabbed Spinal from behind.
     “Goku!” Spinal cried.  “What are you doing?”
     Goku let out a demonic laugh as he disappeared with Spinal.

      “Spinal!” Jeice gasped.  “Goku!  I’ve got to get back!”
     He teleported out of the colony.

***
Devil's Palace Throne Room

     Meanwhile, Goku and Spinal ended up in Devil’s Palace.  They stood in front of the throne, where Black Shadow waited patiently.
     “Ah, Spinal!  I’m so glad that you’ve accepted my invitation,” he said.
     “What are you talking about?” Spinal asked.  “I did nothing of the sort!”
     “Well, you’re a bit early, so we’ll have to keep you locked away until the wedding,” Black Shadow said.  “Valmore, take him away.”
     “Where do you want me to take him?” Valmore asked.
     “Anywhere within the palace.  But make sure he’s restrained; I don’t want him getting hostile.”
     “No!  Let me go!” Spinal screamed.  “Come on, Goku; snap out of it!”
     Black Shadow looked up upon hearing Goku’s name.  “Silly name....”
     “Let’s go, you little brat,” Valmore said as he dragged Spinal away.
     “I wouldn’t let Spinal miss this at all,” Black Shadow told himself.  “Well, it usually takes forever to prepare to a ceremony, so I’d better get started.”  He stood up from the throne.  “Come on, Koko; I could use your help.”
     He walked out of the throne room, and Goku followed, taking uneven steps.

***
     Down on Arturus, behind a waterfall, Jenny and Darkonda were still igniting each other with flames of desire, enjoying the fleeting moments of passion, which Darkonda feared would be their last.  As Darkonda kissed Jenny’s soft lips, he slid his hands underneath the back of her shirt, gently caressing the smooth flesh of her back.
     “Ohh....” Jenny moaned as a chill ran down her spine.  What was it about this warrior that made her tingle at his slightest touch?  Though she was incapable of giving love (or she thought she was), she melted against Darkonda, digging her fingers into his back as if to rip him apart.  Darkonda only yearned to draw her even closer.
     Unfortunately, Jenny’s ring beeped, startling them both.
     “Why does this always happen?” Darkonda sighed.
     “I don’t know.”  Jenny opened up her ring.  “Okay, what now?”
     She heard Jeice’s panic-stricken voice on the other end.  “Jenny, it’s Black Shadow!  He’s taken Spinal!”
     “I thought that Spinal was back at the ship,” Jenny said.
     “He was, but....well....you’d better meet us here.  Then we’ll talk.”
     “All right; I’m on my way.”
     “Wait!” Darkonda cried.  “Before you go, I have something to give you.”  He handed her a box.
     “What is it?” Jenny asked.
     “Open it and find out,” Darkonda instructed.
     Jenny opened the box and pulled out a small snowglobe.  There was a little figurine of Darkonda inside, wearing a Santa Claus hat.
     “Wow.....where did you get this?” Jenny asked.
     “I made it myself,” Darkonda told her.  “Do you like it?”
     “I love it.  Thank you.  Well, I’d better go; my friends need me.”
     Darkonda gripped her hand and kissed it gently.  Jenny then pressed on her ring and teleported away.
     “I must gather my wits,” Darkonda thought.  “No harm will come to her; I’ll see to that.”

***
Spice Rack Bridge

     Jenny returned to the Spice Rack, and Jeice told her his story.
     “It was just awful!  Goku just grabbed him and disappeared!  It all happened so quick, I couldn’t do a thing about it!”
     “Okay, slow down, Jeice,” Jenny said.  “Start from the beginning.”
     “Well, we were just sitting around when Spinal got a headache and went down to Arturus,” Jeice explained.  “That’s when Goku grabbed him.”
     “Oh, it’s the link!” Jenny cried.  “Black Shadow must have used the link to lure Spinal out!”
     “What is this link?” Zhane asked.
     “Spinal has this mental link with Black Shadow,” Jenny said.  “They read each other’s thoughts and feel each other’s emotions.”
     “Man, that’s awful,” T.J. said.
     “Tell me about it,” Damon agreed.
     “I wonder how Leo and Mike are doing?” Kendrix said.
     “And what are they doing?” Jenny asked.
     “Mike is testing the food on Arturus,” Kai said.  “Pico thinks that it’s the root of the demon thing.”
     Jenny’s eyes widened.  “Mike is sacrificing himself?”

***
     Meanwhile, Mike and Leo dropped by Sock-Hop Land and looked around.  The place was a total mess; cups, plates, straws, napkins, and food were all over the floor.  The brothers walked over to the main refreshment counter where they spotted Goku’s Indigestion Inducer.
     “This looks like a good place to eat from,” Mike said.
     “Mike, if you don’t turn into a demon, you’ll end up with a heart attack,” Leo said.
     “Don’t worry,” Mike assured him.  “I’ll be fine, regardless of what happens to me here.”
     He took a hamburger from the plate and ate it.
     “How is it?” Leo asked.
     “Tasty,” Mike commented.  “Want some?”
     “Uh, no thanks.”
     “Well, that should be enough.  Now we wait.”
     So the brothers sat and waited.  After a few minutes, they felt a cold breeze.
     “Whoa, what was that?” Leo asked.
     Mike was blinking hard.  “Am I seeing things?  Maybe it’s the food!  Do my eyes deceive me?”
     “It’s the ghost of Magna Defender!” Leo exclaimed.  “I see it, too!”
     Indeed, the spirit of the dead Magna Defender approached them and extended a hand towards Mike.
     “You will carry on the work I began,” he said.  “You will become the Magna Defender.”

     “Who, me?” Mike asked.
     “Yes, you,” Magna Defender replied.  “You’ve proven yourself to be noble and honorable.  This is your destiny.”
     A strange device appeared on Mike’s wrists, similar to the Rangers’ morphers.  Mike examined both pieces carefully.
     “Farewell, my friends, and good luck.”  With that, the ghost vanished.
     “I can’t believe it,” Mike said.  “I’m actually going to become the Magna Defender!  Boy, will Zika be surprised!”
     “I think you’re going to become a demon first,” Leo said.
     “Are you sure?”
     “Mike, what’s big and green and follows you wherever you go?”
     Mike thought for a moment.  “A stray Christmas tree?”
     “A demon tail!” Leo cried.
     Mike looked back to find a tail protruding from his rear end.  “So it was the food!  Leo, you’d better get back and tell the others.”
     “But...”
     “No buts; just go!”
     Leo stepped back and teleported out.  Mike clasped his hands together, waiting for the rest of his transformation.

***
Devil's Palace Private Chamber

     Meanwhile, Black Shadow was in his private chamber preparing for the wedding.  He sat in front of a table that was against the wall, facing a large mirror.
     “Just think, everyone will be present, including the Spices!” Black Shadow gushed.  “No doubt the Spices will show up.  That’s why Spinal is here.  They’ll come for him, won’t they, Koko?”
     Goku nodded.  Black Shadow took what looked like a fuzz ball and tapped his face, leaving a white powder.  Suddenly, he coughed.
     “Ugh!  Wrong powder!” he exclaimed.
     He dipped his hands into a bowl of water and splashed his face to get the powder off.  Then he dried his face with a towel.
     “And if Jenny dares to ruin this ceremony, she will pay dearly,” Black Shadow continued.  “I don’t think that she can afford to pay the price.  I’ll make her suffer.  Okay, back to the wedding; there’ll be eating, dancing, having fun.  ‘Til death do us part.  What do you think, Koko?”
     Goku nodded again.
     “That’s great.  You’re such a good boy.”  Black Shadow picked up a razor and handed it to Goku.  “Here, would you sharpen my horns for me?”
     Goku took the razor and began shaving the horns near the tips.
     “I’d do it myself,” Black Shadow admitted.  “But I can’t get a good grip on it.  I’d have to hold it upside down in order to do it.”
     He took a bottle of purple mouthwash and sipped a mouthful.  After a minute, he spit it out at the mirror.  He took the towel and wiped it off.
     “You can never be too clean for a special occasion, can you?” the dark lord babbled.  “I don’t know where this powder came from.  Hey, easy on the horn, will you?  By the time you’re done, I won’t have any horns left.  Here, start on the other one.”
     Goku moved over and began sharpening Black Shadow’s other horn.  Black Shadow took an empty cup and filled it with water.  He began drinking as he waited for Goku to finish the job.  When Goku was done, Black Shadow filled the cup again and handed it to him.
     “Here, have a drink.”
     Goku took the cup and stared at Black Shadow, looking confused.
     “Go ahead, drink up.”
     Goku still stood.  Black Shadow sighed and stared at the mirror again.  A moment of silence passed the room.
     “Okay, forget it,” Black Shadow finally said.  “Just drop it.”
     Goku dropped the cup.  Black Shadow turned to face him.
     “I meant the subject, not the cup.  Now, let’s see what Valmore has done with our guest of honor.”  Black Shadow stood up and began to leave the room.  “I can’t blame you; if I’d eaten an Indigestion Inducer, I wouldn’t be able to consume anything either.”
     Black Shadow and Goku walked out of the room.  They found Spinal in the throne room.  He was bound by the wrists and suspended from the ceiling.  The little guy was struggling desperately as Astronema stood under him.
     “I take it that he’s ready?” Black Shadow asked.
     “Yes, he is,” Astronema replied.
     “No!  I’ll never be ready!” Spinal screamed.  “I don’t want to see your stupid wedding!”
     “Oh, but you must,” Black Shadow told him.  “You see, Astronema and I are quite fond of you.  We wouldn’t let you miss this for the world.”
     “And who is this guy?” Astronema asked.
     “This is Koko,” Black Shadow said.  “Koko, meet Astronema, my bride-to-be.”
     “His name is Goku!” Spinal corrected him.
     “Goku?  Ah, hell with it.  I like Koko better.  Don’t you, Koko?”
     Goku nodded.
     “He’s nothing but a puppet!” Spinal cried.  “He’ll agree with anything you say because he’s under your power!”
     “Come on, Koko,” Black Shadow said.  “Soon Spinal will tire of his bleating, but I’m not going to wait.”
     He and Goku went to finish their preparations.

***
Spice Rack Simudeck

     Meanwhile, Pico and Vegeta were sparring in the Simudeck.  Pico proved himself to be much more challenging than Cassie.  Vegeta punched Pico to the ground, then leaped up to stomp on him.  Pico quickly rolled aside, then tripped Vegeta with a leg sweep.  When Vegeta got up, he threw an energy blast, but Pico rolled behind him.  Vegeta spun around and struck the turtle in the chin with his knee.  As Pico hit the ground, Vegeta stood over him and extended his hand.  Without even thinking, Pico took Vegeta’s hand.  The sneaky Saiyan tossed Pico into the air and fired a massive energy blast.  Pico’s eyes widened as the beam of light rushed towards him.......

 
 
 
 

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