The Wrath of Kublah Khan, The Secret of Disney's Eternal Inkwell

Synopsis: Continuing from "The Darkest Hour". Evil Toon-hater Kubla Khan seeks to destroy the source of Disney Magic, the Eternal Inkwell. The Power Rangers and their compatriots must stop him before all Toon Power is eradicated. Meanwhile, Helen Henny-Cheese discovered that she is pregnant.

Chapter 1—Sulking in the Shadows

Kubla Khan grumbled in the shadows. So much of his life, he had been a magician, loved by many and revered by other illusionists for ages. Since street magicians like Chris Angel had become more popular, his sleight of hand had become obsolete. Kubla was also old and his latest acts had become overtaken by toons. He had begun to loathe and abhor toons for robbing him of his one source of income. Their youth seemed to have no bounds. Through intensive research, he came upon a mystical object known as The Eternal Inkwell. This Inkwell belonged to none other than Walt Disney himself. The mystical object had given its creations eternal life as well as eternal youth. It was a literal fountain pen of youth. He sought to break the Inkwell once and for all using the remainder of his power. He knew that once he had absorbed as much power as he could, he would shatter the Inkwell forever, thereby destroying the creations that had been tied to it.

‘This way, I will be the only immortal residing in Florida. Those left alive will be forced to hire me for entertainment because all the other toons will have literally bit the dust.’, he thought to himself, rubbing his hands together. He would have to consult the Necronomicon and begin the ritual for summoning Chernabog. It would cost him his soul, ultimately, but given his current condition, he felt he had absolutely nothing left to lose when it came to his vendetta against the cartoon world.

Chapter 2—Demons Wearing Human Disguises

Chernabog’s deal had been signed, sealed and delivered. Kubla felt much better and began deploying his personal demons to retrieve the Inkwell for him. He had about 6 of them, each of which could mimic a person’s patter, walk cycle and personality. These demons were masquerading as guests to Disney World and thanks to his research, knew exactly where the Inkwell was being hidden. Rey, however, felt very strongly that something awful was about to occur.

‘Finn, I don’t feel so great...something bad is about to happen.’, she said, rather cryptically. Her clairsentience had allowed her to sense that the ‘guests’ weren’t what they seemed.

‘I know others we can contact, like Baymax and the Big Hero 6. They will prove most effective in stopping these miscreants, whatever they are planning to do.’, Threepio stated. He walked over to a videophone booth, sat down and dialed a number.

‘Jason here. Holy mackarel !’, Jason exclaimed, not expecting to see what he deemed a fictional character clearly living, breathing and responding to his consternation.

‘Firstly, kind Sir, I am a very sophisticated robot, not a mackarel.’, C3PO retorted, unamused. Rey cleared her throat and walked in front of the view screen, Finn following close behind her. Poe had been watching the demons in human skins mascarade and make trouble but he had been following them from a distance. He had enlisted the help of Sora and his friends, knowing that if anyone knew about a demon’s weakness, it would have to be Sora and Kyrie.

Chapter 3—With a Little Help From their Friends

Herman contacted the Justice League as well as the Avengers. They figured the Rangers would need all the help they could get. Even European cartoons were getting in on the excitement, like Asterix, Obelix, Tin Tin and Snowy, the Totally Spies, Marvin Mystery and a whole slew of toons from Toontown.

They had all come thanks to Prohyus lending his Warpgate Magisword as an assist to bridging the gap between Riboflavin and Angel Grove. He then used it to transport all of them to Disneyworld in a flash. Old and new toons were prepared to battle and in Toontown, they could use their imaginations to craft weaponry of their own liking. Chuck E. didn’t know why, but he had chosen a pizza knife to wield as an armament.

‘Woah, would you looka dat !’, Pasquale exclaimed, clearly impressed. He did the same thing implementing only the power of his imagination and fabricated a round pizza cutter on the end of a long bo staff.

‘Let’s see any scum-sucking demons try to get past ol’ Pasquale !’, he said. Jasper wasn’t one for fighting and Munch was more preoccupied with frequenting gift shops for treats but Pasquale reminded him it wasn’t the time for gnoshing on junk food.

Merida had caught one of the demons red handed. There were 5 more to go and the lot of them were very well disguised. They had to act quick before the Inkwell was discovered and 2 of the covey was growing closer to their prize.

Chapter 4—Let Me Make a Proposition

As providence would have it, the 2 demons slipped past security somehow and used their heat vision to locate the sacred inkwell. All of a sudden, they were blocked by Merlin and Genie.

‘Get back Jack ! This is authorized territory. In other words, you ain’t allowed.’, Genie scolded.

The demons inched ever closer. Merlin raised his staff and slammed it down into the ground, causing a ripple of shockwaves and crackling lightning to shoot everywhere.

‘None ! Shall ! Pass !’, he bellowed in a deep tone. The demons were afraid for once, seeing what Merlin’s true power was. Genie then came up with a devious idea. One so twisted he feared that at one time, maybe he had been villainous after all. It was more likely for a jinn like him to be crafty, so he didn’t dismiss that notion one bit. Like Hermes, he could have his mercurial temperament.

‘Look, ashen and sullen, as much as it sucks to be you, I’ve got an idea. Let me make a proposition to you. I am sure, knowing you, you’ve brushed up on your homework. I hear that if you drink from the Inkwell, immortality is given to you !’, the genie postulated. The demons started to chat in their own native hellish tongue and then they began to bicker, roasting each other with fire and brimstone from their fingertips. Some of it was getting too close to the bureau where Walt had worked when he was alive. Merlin, irritated, put out the fires and cleared his throat.

‘Could you speed it up ? I’m not getting any younger.’, he kvetched.

‘We’re goin’ as fast as we can !’, one of the demons fired back, a nasty forked tongue poking out between his overbite. He sneered and prestidigitated a straw, hooked it into the Well and began drinking.

He became overzealous and started drinking too much liquid. The second, his brother, wanted a bit of that action himself so he poked holes in his elder brother’s straw. The two were bickering, arguing and fighting until they had drunk too much ink and then vanished. The Well, interestingly enough, returned to its original fullness and potency.

Merlin dusted off his hands and puffed out his chest.

‘Genie, we really need to work together more often.’, he said.

‘The day’s not over yet, Gandalf. We still need to stand watch.’, he mentioned, teasing Merlin a little. Merlin didn’t mind the monquier. In fact he felt it dignified and intimidating.

Chapter 5—Reporting to Khan

Khan had been waiting, gathering his strength for the precise moment to infiltrate the sacred bureau when 4 of his demons reported to him.

‘What happened ? Why are there only 4 of you left ?’, he barked.

‘Erm, no real way of knowing, um, Sir.’, one peeped. He was smaller than the others, a bit on the scraggly side and bow-legged. Despite his appearance, he was just as vile as his brethren, who were all taller and much scarier than him.

‘Rigor is right. Pain and Suffering were the ones that went to seek the Well first but, they haven’t returned.’, Gaul said.

‘Yeppareeno. Roger wilco, over and out. I personally think that they were destroyed. I don’t sense their vile presense anywhere. They’re done. Guess they’re permanently in Tartarus now.’, Gangrene voiced.

‘I can make more of you, easily. Those two buffoons were expendable, loyal as they were. Yes, those two idiots will be missed but it seems now I have to ‘little red hen’ this operation. Hmmph.’, Kubla said, drawing his cowl around his emaciated form dramatically.

‘Phttph. What a diva.’, Rigor murmured in discontent.

Chapter 6—Khan Brews an Army

With the power that he had received from Chernabog, Khan raised his talon-like hands to the sky and began to chant. From the very depths of Hades, demons of all shapes and sizes came to join him. He even drank some of the elixir that he had left over and it renewed him. The potion would inevitably wear off, but for now, he had the vitality, strength and endurance of a teenager.

‘Now, all I have to do is get my knotty claws on that Inkwell. Demons, forward !’, Khan bellowed. On a litter, much like the emperors of old, they carried him forward. He was certain that in his revived form, he could use his magic at full force, which meant all the pieces were firmly placed in his favor and currently, the chess game was his to win.

Chapter 7—Defend the Inkwell !

‘Stay at the ready everyone. I have a really, REALLY bad feeling about this.’, Obi Wan said. The Gauls, Asterix and Obelix stood by in fighting stance, ready to ‘thrash’ at a moments notice.

‘This shouldn’t be any harder than licking those garish Romans !’, Obelix said.

‘Don’t count your chickens, Obelix.’, Asterix reminded him, ever the voice of reason. Obelix knew his small friend had a point, and thanks to the reproval, remained cautiously optimistic.

From the west, a vast dark, thundering mass bounded toward the heroes.

‘At the ready !’, Kenai called. Merida strung her bow and arrow and aimed directly at her target. She had gotten so good at archery that she could hold two or three arrows and shoot them all at once.

‘Let’s see him try and snatch our Inkwell now !’, Anna said, igniting her palms, prepared to shoot fire at the enemy.

'We're all weaponized over here too !', Minerva said.  Each of the Warriors had new weapons and upgraded armor, all of which were lightweight and aerodynamic. One by one, the demons began attacking and only one of them, Behemoth, had gotten to the Inkwell. He, however, couldn’t smash it.

‘What is your problem, you nincompoop !’, Khan screamed, irately.

‘It was too beautiful to smash.’, Behemoth countered. The heroes and heroines were too busy fighting among each other to notice that the Inkwell was in Khan’s now youthful hands.

‘Besides, I heard from the protector of the vial that drinking its liquid can give you immortality...’, Behemoth relayed. Greedily, Khan snatched the bottle and began guzzling its contents. The Warriors immediately stopped what they were doing as if time had slowed to a halt. None of them could retrieve or wrest the vial from Khan’s gnarly hands. He had drunk all of the ink…

Chapter 8—What’s...Happening...To...Me ?!

In his zealotry, Khubla Khan began to shrink incrementally. He began reverting from an old man into a 30 year old, then a teenager, a pre-teen, a 7 year old and then a baby with the power of speech.

‘None of you warned me...’, he squeaked as he morphed into a mote and then, finally, nothingness. He wasn’t even a thought. Even the notion of him had been completely forgotten. Since he had been the origin of the demons, they were gone as well as the thoughts of them as well. As for the Inkwell, it came hurtling down to the ground but thankfully, Hermes caught it in the nick of time.

‘They don’t call me ‘Speedy’ for nothin’,’ he said, puffing out his chest boastfully. Of course, he did this to show off a bit to Aphrodite, who, strangely enough, was impressed. In a bold move, she took the God in her arms, bent him backward seductively and gave him the loudest smooch the world had ever heard.

‘That’s for being my Hero. Don’t let Hephaestus know.’, Aphrodite said, with a wink. In a drunken stupor, Hermes handed the vial to Icarus, who in turn, gave it back to Mickey. At last, true celebration could begin.

Chapter 9—Bella Note

The streets were illuminated with Christmas lights in the shape of butterflies and dragonflies for the summer season. Mulan, Crickee and Mushu were out catching fireflies and laughing. Helen and Chucky were savoring a long meal together after their victory.

‘Funny. This time we didn’t even have to do anything to win. That...whatever his name did himself in.’, Chuck E. stated.

‘It’s stranger I can’t even think of his name. Must’ve not been important. Oh ! That reminds me, I have something exciting to tell you ! I waited until this precise moment to give you marvelous news !”, Helen said, barely able to keep herself contained.

‘Well ! What is it, Helen ? Spill !’, Chuck responded, inquisitively.

‘I’m pregnant. The doctor says it’s twins but I’m still very early along in my pregnancy.’, Helen said.

‘No way ! That’s so awesome !’, Chuck said, bewildered, bemused and euphoric.

Clarabelle Cow-Goof, who was nearby, began to geek out.

'Oh my gosh So that's what happened when you guys snuck away during our cruise to Castaway Cay !', she said excitedly. The two lovers chuckled. They knew if they tried to reign in Clarabelle’s gossiping it wouldn’t do any good. Besides, her gossip was never malicious and she never meant any harm in spreading rumors.
‘So ? Do you know when you are due ?’, she asked, nearly bouncing up and down. She could barely keep still.
‘The OB said we’ll be having our chise in them in February.’, Helen relayed, snuggling Chucky’s arm. Chuck blushed lightly and added,
‘I, honestly, can’t wait to meet our little ones. I know it’ll take a while but Helen and I already planning the babys’ room.’

Epilogue

Although life resumed it’s ‘normal’ pacing, Chuck and Helen were busy preparing themselves for their little ones. It would take until February for them to arrive but they kept themselves busy with training as they waited for Charles Entertainment Junior and Amelia Amusement Entertainment floated happily in Helen’s womb. Training regimens were lightened for Helen and Chuck but for everyone else, sparring was as rigorous as ever. At the end of any day, of course, they always went to sleep and dreamed of what waited for them tomorrow.

To Be Continued…