Mommy Dearest Chapter 11
Title: Mommy Dearest
Author: Solarbaby
Disclaimer: All I own is the plot.
Words: 1712
Summary: The ring begins to take effect and we bring in Daddy.
Spoilers: Some for Blind Leading the Blind.
Notes: This chapter is set after Pushed Towards the Edge. Here is the answer to a question I’m sure many of you have been wondering, who’s the daddy? I hope you like the answer!
Chapter 11
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“It is not flesh and blood but the heart that makes us fathers and sons.”
-Johnann Schiller
It was dark by the time RJ, Lily and Theo arrived at Master Swoop’s home. The dark house loomed creepily in front of them and Lily couldn’t help but shudder. “Are you sure this is the right place?” She whispered to RJ.
He sent her a nod and tightened his grip on the arrow. RJ stepped ahead of the two and raised a hand to knock, only to have it swing open. He blinked through the dark as Master Swoop sent him an amused look.
“RJ, Lily, Theo.” Master Swoop said in way of greeting and paused, waiting.
RJ held up the arrow. “We need your help.”
Master Swoop nodded and stepped back, allowing them to enter. The inside of the house was just as dark as the out and he led them into what might have been the living room. Taking a seat, Swoop held out his hand. The arrow was placed in his hand as RJ and the others took a seat. Swoop frowned as his fingers danced over intricate carvings, tugging at his memory. An image flashed through his mind’s eye.
He could see the arrow as clear as day as he tried to tug it from where it was imbedded in the tree. Shaking his head, Swoop gave it one final tug and went stumbling back slightly. He held up the light arrow for him to see better and smiled as he recognized the unique signature.
Swoop’s hand tightened around the arrow as he felt his heart clinch. “Where did you get this?”
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Sorani opened the door to the darkened room and grinned. Quiet snoring caused her to let out a giggle that she covered up. Slipping inside, she left the door open so could make out the sleeping figure.
“Casey!”
She took a flying onto the bed and landed on her brother’s stomach. His eyes snapped open as he tossed the woman off. “Hey!” Sorani bounced down beside him.
“Sorani?” His voice was rough with sleep as he blinked at her. Casey watched her grin before groaning. He grabbed the comforter and pulled it up over his head. “Go away.”
“No way.” She yanked on the covers, something catching her eyes. “Ooh… pretty.” Grabbing his hand, Sorani pulled his hand up to the light to examine the ring. She frowned as she reached up to touch it, only to get the hand yanked back. “So, you ready to go?”
Casey frowned at her. “Go where?”
She laughed at him. “Back to where ever it is that you’ve been for the past few months. Mom told me to come wake you up and tell you to get ready.” Sorani sighed and pouted. “You just got here.”
“What are you talking about?” He rolled his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.” Casey paused and thought about JKP and his friends, momentarily stumped as to why he wasn’t going back. Then he shrugged and turned back to his sister.
Sorani squealed. “Really?!” At his nod, she launched herself at him and latched her arms around his neck. ”Yeah!”
“Good. You’re happy. Can I go back to sleep now?”
She nodded and bounced out the room, giggling.
Casey just groaned and buried himself back under the covers.
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“Scorpina!”
Dai Shi stomped toward the hybrid, who was in deep conversation with one of her daughters, and was startled as he realized that she was genuinely smiling. He blinked before shaking it off.
“Yes.” Scorpina kept her voice pleasant and became amused as Sorani sent the human a disturbing look.
“You’ve brought someone into my temple.” His voice was flat, unamused. Camille stood at his side, smirking.
Sorani giggled and clapped her hands. “Big brother’s come home!”
That gained startled looks from both Dai Shi and Camille. “You’ve found him?” The two looked intrigued.
“Of course.” Scorpina replied.
Camille stepped forward, only to flinch when Sorani turned to watch her. “You’ll be leaving then.”
The assassin raised an eyebrow to observe the two. “Don’t sound so upset.” Sorani took a step towards the chameleon, who scrambled back a few steps. Scorpina turned back to Dai Shi. “We’ll be out of your hair soon.” She laid a hand on her daughter, who’d been slowly advancing on Camille. “Come on, Sorani. Let’s go.”
As Scorpina and Camille headed away, Sorani turned to look back at Camille. ‘Later.’ She mouthed.
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“Daddy! Daddy!”
He looked up to see his son shoot across the grass, his youngest daughter hot on her brother’s tail. A laugh escaped him as she tackled the boy and they ended up wrestling on the ground. “Alright, that’s enough.” The two continued to struggle. He gave a sigh and plucked Casey off of Sorani. Both of the two were giggling and he shook his head. “You both are far too much like your mother.”
“Put me down!” Casey squeaked as he tossed his son over his shoulder. Sorani laughed even harder.
“Okay.” He loosened his grip slightly and the boy began to slide down his back.
Casey let out a shrieking laugh, half-heartedly protesting as he felt himself fall, the decent stopping as felt hands tightened on his calves.
He chuckled. “I thought you wanted me to let you down?”
“I don’t want you to drop me!”Casey could help but laugh as he felt himself start to swing back and forth.
“And what, may I ask, are you three up to now?”
He turned around and grinned as he saw his wife approaching. She held their oldest, Dallina, in her arms. “Nothing.” He replied as innocently as he could.
Scorpina sent him an exasperated look and Dallina giggled and twisted in her grip, wanting to be put down. She sat her daughter down, who immediately bounced over to join her sister on the grass. “I’m sure.”All she got in response was a peak on the cheek from her husband.
Casey poked his head around his father’s waist. “Hi, Mommy.”
“Casey, why are you hanging on your father’s back?” She asked, looking down at him.
Her son answered with an innocent look, eerily reminiscent of his father’s. “Daddy says it’ll give me a new pars- pres- parpt--.”
“Perspective.” He finished for his son.
“Per-spect-ive on life.” Casey sounded out the word, trying it out on his tongue. He frowned and repeated the word again.
Scorpina shook her head. “Put him down, Marcus.”
“Yes, madam.” A sheepish look crossed his face as lifted his son back over his shoulder and placed him on the ground. Casey replied by swaying uneasily before launching himself at his sisters.
He shook his head and look at his wife. “They get this from you.”
“Of--.”
“Master? Master?”
Master Marcus Swoop was startled out of his trance by the sound on the feminine voice. He turned toward the sound and caught a whiff of Lilacs and Cheetah. Lily. His grip tightened on the arrow, bending it slightly.
“Are you alright?”
He recognized the sound of his newest student’s voice as it joined Lily’s. Theo. Swoop could tell by change in temperature that one of them lightened some on his unused lamps while he was lost in his past. “I’m fine.”
“Well, anyways, that’s what happened. And we’re hoping you can help us find out what happened to Casey.” Lily’s voice was soft, as if she was afraid of startling him again.
Casey. Swoop sat down on one of the chairs. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t recognized him. That they’d been around each other and neither of them knew. A small part of his brain commented that Casey might have recognized him and decided to ignore him. He hadn’t really thought of how his son-- his son-- had avoided him the few times he had visited RJ and the rangers. Before it had never really registered, this Casey hadn’t been cold but he hadn’t been warm either, treating him with indifference. It didn’t bother RJ or Theo, so he’d figured it was just how the cub was.
But the boy wasn’t just an aloof cub anymore. He wasn’t just one of RJ’s students. This was his son. His son. He realized with a start that he knew almost nothing about the boy, only what RJ and Theo had said to him in passing. Swoop didn’t even know what he looked like, whether he grew up to look more like his mother or… him.
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
He heard the concern in Theo’s voice. “Yes, of course.” Swoop took a deep breath and began. “I do recognize the poison and I recognize the arrow as well.”
“Really? Then where did it come from?”
Swoop gave a small smile at the sound of her voice. “The poison was a powerful hallucinogen created from a plant grown on a planet called Darcon. It’s powerful and if too much is used it’s fatal.”
A pregnant silence fell over the room. Swoop didn’t need to see to tell that that they had gone pale. If what they had said were correct, they had a reason to be worried.
“Fatal?” RJ’s voice shook.
He nodded. Swoop felt alarm rise in his chest at the thought of losing his son again.
Theo broke the silence that had once again befallen the room. “What about the arrow?”
Swoop let his fingers trace the familiar pattern on the arrow. “I recognized the signature on the arrow immediately.” He swallowed hard. “Have you ever heard the name Scorpina?”
“She was a friend of Rita Repulsa’s who tried to destroy the original power rangers.” That was RJ.
“The arrow on the signature is hers.” Swoop let out a breath and continued. “She was my wife.”
Tension filled the room as there was the rustling sound of people shifting uncomfortably.
“You were married?” Lily was the one to speak. Her voice cut some of the tension but it was still there, humming in the air. “But why would she go after Casey?”
Master Marcus Swoop let his hand trail up to the chain hanging from his neck. As he tugged at it, he knew that the gold and silver twined band hanging from became obvious. The band was warm and its familiarity comforted some of the panic that had been rising in his chest.
“Because he’s our son.”