Images Scattered to Bits (Rita)

[Rita Repulsa]

Rita frowned at him.

"It was not my fault. Tommy was under my control. The Sword of Darkness focused the spell of control I had on him. The Red Ranger destroyed my spell. Then I tried to take the powers back but again they ruined my plans by giving the coin to the Red Ranger. Sure you may have stopped his green ranger powers in the end but you just finished what I started. You should have gotten rid of Tommy or turned him evil. Even without ranger powers he would have been a great ally. But you let him get away and Zordon turned him into the white ranger and he became even more annoying!" said Rita.

She clutched her head as she could feel one of her headaches coming on. Then she paused as Zedd trailed off as if thinking about something. He seemed to remember something.

"Finster sent you here? That means you willingly came after me. Are you starting to believe me now?" asked Rita.

She paused as another idea came to her. She stood up walking up to him.

'"There's only one thing to do. Make you fall in love with me all over again. We spend time together, go out on dates. You may have forgotten but your heart hasn't. What do you say? If you really don't feel anything for me after a few weeks I'll give you a divorce and won't bother you. If that's what you want." said Rita.

This might be her last chance to get him back. She just hoped he'd take it.

[Deleted]

“Finster sent you here? That means you willingly came after me. Are you starting to believe me now?”

All Lord Zedd was starting to do was feel more confused than ever before. Loathe to admit it though he was, Rita was right about one thing – if this most recent echo was to be believed, he had indeed gone after her of his own free will. Even if he couldn’t understand why.

“There's only one thing to do.”

Oh, this ought to be good.

Zedd listened to Rita’s suggestion in silence. Her line of thought was that if they spent more time together, this would get him to fall in love with her (again). He took a minute to contemplate this decision. While he still found the notion of being in love with Rita to be laughable, it was clear that he had put some sort of value on her that he hadn’t originally. It was mystifying, and Zedd wanted to know the reasoning behind it. Besides, she was probably his best option when it came to restoring his memories.

Reluctantly he answered, “Deal.”

This had better be worth it.

[Rita Repulsa]

Rita remained quiet as he was thinking. Then he agreed to her deal making her smile.

"Thank you. I'll promise not to bring up the old times unless you want me to. We can start with a clean slate. You fell in love with me once. I know you will again." said Rita.

She smiled at him with a grin.

"Would you like to try a date now? We could just grab something to eat from the kitchen? And just talk like we are now. Or we can wait another day." said Rita.

She didn't want to pressure him too much. Not that he agreed to date her she wanted to make him happy. Although with his temper she was sure he was bound to snap again eventually.

[Deleted]

I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you, my dear, Lord Zedd thought with a smirk.

“A clean slate,” was all he said, hoping that his voice sounded more enthusiastic than he really felt.

“Would you like to try a date now? We could just grab something to eat from the kitchen? And just talk like we are now.”

Eating was automatically out of the question for Zedd. Eating would require taking off his mask and showing his face, something he simply didn’t feel like dealing with at this late hour.

Speaking of, what time was it, anyway? He looked past Rita to a clock on the mantle. Ten minutes past twelve.

I might as well get it over with.

Returning his attention to the witch, Zedd replied, “Why not? Sleep doesn’t seem like much of an option right now. Besides, it appears you and I have a lot to discuss, Rita.”

He went into the kitchen, assuming Rita would follow.

[Rita Repulsa]

Rita smiled at him. If there had been a way to share her memories with him she would have. But well he probably wouldn't believe her anyway saying she was tricking him somehow. So she would create new memories with him.

"Yes. A clean slate." said Rita.

She paused and followed him to the kitchen. She guessed he wasn't going to eat so she quickly grabbed some ingredients and just made a quick sandwich. She did miss the food they used to eat. After all they were aliens. She still wasn't used to eating Earth food although some of it was pretty good. She grabbed a glass of water and sat at the table. She was glad he agreed to it. It didn't take her long to finish the sandwich as she was hungrier than he realized. She'd had a light dinner and that had been hours ago. She sipped from her water and paused realizing she had no idea what to do.

They hadn't had time to really go on a date before they'd gotten married. They'd tried to destroy the rangers and eventually had gone on their honeymoon. But they had spent pretty much all their time together fighting the rangers. The only break they had was in her father's kingdom but even that was well awkward having to stay there. At least for Zedd. He'd left the first chance they got taking her, Finster, Goldar, and Rito to the moon to take over the empire. And once they'd done that well Divatox and later Astronema had taken over attacking the Earth giving them more time to hang out together. But they were already in love then. This might be harder than she suspected.

"How was your day?" asked Rita.

She mentally smacked herself. What a lame question. Although it was a start.

[Deleted]

How was your day?

If Lord Zedd still had eyebrows, they would have risen to the very top of his head. What kind of ridiculous question was that? True, he couldn’t think of an alternate icebreaker at the moment, but still! It was the question you asked when you had nothing else to say. Still, the warlord had agreed to this ridiculous venture and so he would have to play along.

“It was an average day, apart from the idiocy of that pint-sized king I’m forced to share a room with,” Zedd tapped his metallic fingernails against the table in annoyance. The warlord wasn’t used to having to share anything, much less a bedroom, and he didn’t like it one bit. Looking at Rita, he couldn’t help feeling a touch resentful. “I suppose you get one to yourself, being a leader. Which is a story I for one would like to hear.” It wasn’t a request.

Though Rita had finished her sandwich, the scent of it lingered in the air and was able to permeate Zedd’s mask. His stomach growled in response.

[Rita Repulsa]

Rita nodded listening to him.

"I'm sorry you have to share with an annoying roommate." said Rita.

She paused when he said he had one to herself and she nodded.

"Yes. It was easier to be alone. The first few nights I hardly got any sleep. I was so used to you being next to me. I realized how much I took for granted." said Rita.

She paused stopping realizing she was doing a clean slate.

"Sorry. I said we were doing a clean slate. But promise me one thing. If you end up not feeling anything for me after we try this for a few weeks. Will you still be my friend? Or at least can we be civil to each other? Every insult you throw at me hurts. I could handle us being friends if I had to. But I don't think I could go back to you hating me." said Rita.

She paused as he asked how she became a leader and she nodded.

"It all started in Ask That Guy's army. This army used to be over there. And most of the people here started there. There were a few who joined this army like you after the split. But Facilier and I quickly made a pact to try to take over. We included Malachite, and many others in the rebellion. We got really close but we still lost. We took some captives they had and fled. And formed a new army here in the circus with Facilier, Malachite, and I as the founders of the army. Facilier's the commander. I'm second in command and Malachite's third in command. That's it basically. We've recruited other members who joined us and now we have to fight two armies instead of one. But it's worth it." said Rita.

She paused with a grin realizing he was hungry. She turned making another sandwich out of habit and handing it to him.

"Look. Just eat. If you don't want to take your mask off then use that spell to turn yourself human." said Rita.

She then began sipping her drink waiting for him to eat.

(ooc: i figure he could possibly do this only for limited amounts. would explain thrax's existance to me anyway. since he was originally human once. and could just use his human form in countdown destruction if you wanted to do this.)

[Deleted]

“I don’t mind if you bring up the past occasionally,” Lord Zedd reassured Rita. “How else am I supposed to get my memories back?”

“Promise me one thing.”

Zedd listened to Rita’s plea and felt his disbelief mount. The Rita he knew was – or at least seemed to be – used to the insulting remarks he threw at her and his other minions. It was the price of failure, and of working closely with him in general.

“Of course I will.” The lie came easily enough. Perhaps too easily.

Once that had been taken care of, Rita told him how she had become a leader of this army. When she had finished, Zedd couldn’t help but feel impressed. Forming a secret alliance and staging a coup – that certainly didn’t sound like the work of the witch he had once banished.

“A remarkable story, Rita. I never would have thought you capable of such a thing.”

Had he been underestimating her?

Zedd was given little time to consider this possibility. Rita had given him a sandwich and was telling him to eat. For a moment, Zedd was tempted to refuse just to be contrary, but a second growl from his stomach betrayed him. He gripped his staff a little tighter, mentally reciting an almost-forgotten incantation. Seconds later, a dark-haired human male sat in his place, his face showing the effects of an energy drain.

It wasn’t often that Zedd used this particular spell. Its effects were brief and with the drain on his powers, it was more trouble than it was worth. Still, it had its advantages. Wordlessly, he took the sandwich from Rita and began to eat. As soon as he had finished, the spell faded, and he was Lord Zedd once more. He looked at the witch and realized that she was probably waiting for some sort of praise.

“Thank you, Rita,” he managed to say, feeling yet another piece of his pride shrivel up and die.

[Rita Repulsa]

Rita smiled at him.

"Alright. I'd like that. You know if you like I could allow you access to my memories. Maybe you'll remember something. Even if it's just the feeling or a few words. Like our wedding day. Or our son. Or blowing up the Machine Empire." said Rita.

She chuckled as she really enjoyed that. A shame they'd been rebuilt although it had taken a few months for that to happen. She smiled as Zedd said he'd be nice to her and she nodded believing him.

"Thank you. We used to insult each other all the time when our plans failed. But we never really went too far." said Rita.

She smiled at the praise.

"A lot changed those past few years with you. We were both powerful sorcerers separately but together we were even more powerful. We destroyed the rangers two sets of the rangers powers together and nearly stole the Zeo Crystal. If Goldar and my idiot brother Rito hadn't ruined our plans we'd be ruling the Earth. Right now Dark Specter's favorite Princess Astronema is attacking the Earth." said Rita.

Rita smiled watching Zedd eventually give in and eat. He briefly turned human and she couldn't help admiring his physique. She loved Zedd in his monster form but she couldn't deny his human form was attractive as well. She turned away hoping he didn't notice. She smiled as he thanked her for the food.

"Your welcome." said Rita.

[Deleted]

Lord Zedd nodded. “I wouldn’t mind seeing that again myself,” he remarked, referring to the decimation of the Machine Empire. This memory accessing was something he would have to consider with caution. Rita might try and use it to plant false memories in his head. Speaking of Rita, she seemed to have believed that he would be friendly to her should this scheme fall through. That was a relief – he didn’t need her to question his motives.

How is mocking me to my face not going too far?

Zedd didn’t say as much out loud, merely continued listening to his former servant’s reminiscing. When she mentioned a name, Rito, there was an inexplicable burst of annoyance from the back of his mind. A walking, talking skeleton who’d come to give a present and never left. It figured that such a creature should team up with Goldar to stand in the way of his conquest of Earth. “Typical.”

It didn’t take long for Zedd to feel a pair of eyes looking at him. He briefly looked in Rita’s direction and sure enough, the witch was watching him with a certain amount of… appreciation. Zedd was able to keep his smirk under wraps while the spell was in effect, but once he had changed back to his normal self, all bets were off.

Trying and failing not to sound smug, he asked, “Is there something you want to share, Rita?”

[Rita Repulsa]

Rita grinned and chuckled.

"Yes. Destroying them was a lot of fun." said Rita.

She paused as he didn't seem to answer accessing her memories. She paused then realized another way.

"Our lives were made into tv episodes here. Perhaps if you don't want to trust my memories you could watch some of them. They don't show everything we did but enough to help you remember something maybe." said Rita.

She heard him speak about Rito and she smirked.

"My brother wasn't the brightest warrior we had. Of course neither was Goldar. I think Scorpina was probably the best out of the three of them. A shame you scared her off when you showed up. I think Goldar said she returned to help you once and then left again. A shame she didn't stick around more." said Rita.

Rita paused seeing he'd caught her staring and blushed.

"I love you Zedd. In your regular form or human form. I find them both attractive. I'm not going to deny that. But I don't want to make you uncomfortable either." said Rita.

[Deleted]

Lord Zedd briefly joined in with his former servant’s laughter, his mind occupied with the newly revitalized image of the Machine Empire’s destruction. It was a glorious image. He stopped when he heard Rita begin to speak again. She talked about their lives being made into a TV show, a concept that intrigued him. If their various schemes had really been chronicled for the world to see, he would be able to watch them and find out just what went on after he fell into the Sleep of Oblivion. Namely just how in the name of wickedness Rita had managed to convince him to marry her.

“I like that idea,” Zedd remarked thoughtfully. “I like it a lot. Where could we find episodes of this TV show?”

Rita was talking about her brother and the rest of their lackeys now. When she was finished, the warlord found himself nodding in agreement.

“I managed to get Scorpina back for one mission just after Jason, Zack, and Trini left for Switzerland,” he confirmed. “She was supposed to seduce the new Black Ranger and lure him away from the others.” He put a hand on his face and sighed in disappointment. “It very nearly succeeded too.”

Zedd’s frustration faded as soon as soon as he got a look at Rita. The witch’s cheeks had turned an interesting shade of red. Hidden by the mask, a smirk crossed his face. He found himself wondering, if such a simple comment could make her blush, what she would do if pushed a little further.

“You don’t have to worry about making me uncomfortable, my dear.”

Straightening up, Zedd took Rita’s face in his hand and stroked her flushed cheeks with his skinless fingers. Within seconds, a bizarre feeling came over him. There was something… familiar about this gesture, something about it that pleased him, and not the possibility that it could get a reaction out of Rita.

He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

[Rita Repulsa]

Rita nodded glad he liked the idea.

"I think online somewhere. They have them on dvd I think. But they cost a lot and I doubt we have the money. But I'm sure someone in this army knows enough about computers to help us find the episodes." said Rita.

Rita nodded listening to him as he talked about that meeting.

"I remember hearing about that. Scorpina left after that mission and was a bounty hunter for awhile. She helped my father and brother keep our son safe in the M-51 Galaxy while we took care of the Machine Empire. Once we took care of them Thrax came to stay with us. I wish I had pictures of him. For some reason they didn't talk about our son much on the show from what I've heard." said Rita.

She paused as Zedd took her hand and she blushed again at his touch. She'd really missed him being this affectionate towards her. She smiled at him as he spoke again.

"Alright. But if you're sure." said Rita.

She paused with a grin an idea coming to her.

"Would you care to dance Zedd? We used to dance a lot. Maybe it will help you remember. And even if it doesn't it'd still be fun." said Rita.

[Deleted]

Lord Zedd nodded at Rita’s words. He had seen all manner of creatures since arriving in this place. Surely one among them was skilled in operating technology.

“We could always steal them, you know,” he remarked idly. “But that would probably attract too much attention, and we wouldn’t know where to look.”

Zedd listened to Rita talk for a while longer. A good chunk of it was information he already knew, though he found himself listening that much harder when she mentioned Thrax – the concept of having a son was intriguing to the warlord – and she commanded his full attention when he saw her blushing harder at his touch. She even smiled at him.

“Would you care to dance, Zedd?”

“I feel like celebrating! Shall we dance, my dear?”

“Yes,” Zedd replied after a pause. “I would.”

He took one of Rita’s hands and wrapped an arm around her waist, getting them both in the position to tango.

[Rita Repulsa]

(ooc: Kind amusing. Rewatched the potion notion and they implied the antidote did nothing to zedd implying he loved her all along. perhaps the love potion just awakened feelings he'd buried or not realized he had. xd)

Rita chuckled.

"I suppose you're right. Or whip up some kinda of spell to conjure them here." said Rita.

She paused at the realization he'd find out about the love potion. And in his current state of mind what if he wouldn't want her for trying that? She would make sure to show him both episodes back to back the one she put the potion on and the one Goldar tried to break the spell with. She couldn't lie to him. She just hoped he would forgive her. She smiled as he agreed to dance with her. She grinned as he took her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. With how close they were it felt just like old times as they began to dance.

"It's been awhile since we danced. And you're still as wonderful as I remember." said Rita.

She grinned as they kept dancing losing herself in the moment.