Disclaimer, I do not own Power Rangers or Teen Wolf
A/N Interlude/prequal for the next story, just a simple one-shot.
Stiles crept through the forest carefully, ears straining. There were ninjas around, and Stiles wanted to finish the course without getting tagged again. He knew Marci was already out, had seen her go down in a fountain of water, but he hadn't seen Karyna in a while and after spending four years chasing the girls through the academy, not knowing where his air ninja was concerned Stiles.
In the five years since leaving Beacon Hills, Stiles had changed. He'd filled out and reached what was likely to be his adult height of an inch short of six feet. He'd also become less clumsy and more focused thanks to his training.
The soft sound of leather on wood caught Stiles's attention and he carefully turned. An Air Ninja was flying towards him and Stiles dove, tumbling out of the way and coming up to his feet in a defensive stance. He spared with the air ninja for a moment, recognizing his opponent by his hazel eyes and fading black eye. He grinned under his facemask and feinted, quickly leaving Henry sprawled on the ground.
They'd never been friends, not after that first week at the Academy, but Stiles found that competing with Henry had done wonders for his concentration. It was a bit of a joke that you either loved Stiles at the first meeting or you hated him, and two years of drifting between partners had labeled him as difficult to get along with. Why nobody had thought to pair him up with Marci earlier, Stiles still wasn't sure. Ever since Marci had helped him with his first panic attack, he'd been friendly with the girl.
Stiles darted through a group of trees and jumped, flipping over a stream and the two water ninjas lying in wait.
They'd thought he'd settle with Robin, he remembered. And it was true that Robin was his closest friend at the Academy, but they'd never managed to create a good balance. Then Robin and Greg had been paired up for an exhibition for a new class and everyone knew they were right. Their third had been in the new class, something that had taken about a day to figure out, and they were finally on their way to graduation. Stiles had suggested Marci to the head Earth Ninja, Valerie, as a way to supplant a new round of students. Marci tolerated her triad, but they weren't what they could have been, and Stiles rarely made good impressions.
When no one listened to him, Marci and the new Water ninja they presented him with and switched places for an exercise and it worked. Marci's twins had adopted the shy Water ninja and refused to let him go while Stiles and Marci worked through five Air Ninjas before Karyna had snarked her way into their group and never left.
A puff of air sent Stiles careening left, just avoiding an ambush by three earth ninjas. Spotting the flash of red that indicated the end of the course, Stiles picked up speed. Five years running around the ninja academy had added speed and stamina to a history of lacrosse training and running for his life.
Stiles cleared the last group of trees and bushes and pelted up the slight hill, and moments later Karyna was running beside him. They hit the last trap side by side and Stiles laughed out loud as they fought their attackers. He knew they would make it, because that was what he did. Whether it was a training game or an alpha pack, Stiles made it through to the other side, and he dragged his friends with him.
Sure enough, they pushed through the gathered ninjas and Stiles took Karyna's hand as they stepped over the finish line, both of them raising their hands in victory. "Good job Peter," Karyna said, kissing Stiles's cheek.
"Right back at you Tink," Stiles said.
Marci came pelting up from across the line to hug Stiles, "I'm so sorry. I completely missed that ambush until I sprung it."
"It's okay," Stiles said with a laugh. "Don't worry about it Wendy. You'll remember it and do better next time."
"Stiles, Marci, and Karyna," Sensei Watanabe said as he approached them.
"Sensei," Stiles said with a respectful bow.
"You have done well today," Sensei said, "you are a credit to your training and soon you will graduate." Stiles tried not to grin, but gave it up as a bad job. "You are aware of the tradition of a teaching year. It would be a credit for the Academy if you would consent to teach for the next year."
Stiles blinked and looked at his friends. Karyna nodded, "Sensei, we would be honored to pass on the knowledge that was given us. I admit, we have spoken of after the academy and our hopes, but I don't think any of us realized the future was so soon."
"Thank you," Sensei Watanabe said. "Sensei Clarke will speak to you about undertaking the work." He stepped back and moments later a hawk was soaring back to the Academy.
"Oh my God," Marci said, hugging Karyna, "we've done it!"
Stiles laughed and hugged his friends. It had been a hard trip in the way that learning something new always was. He tried hard not to sigh at the thought of having one more year before he had to return to Beacon Hills.
After they finished hugging, Stiles glanced around for their teacher. Sensei Sam was standing to one side of the finish line with a smile. "Congratulations," he said. "It's been an interesting time teaching you three."
"Aw, you love us," Stiles said.
"Well, you're not graduated yet," Sam replied, "but you are at liberty for the rest of the afternoon."
"Awesome," Stiles said. "I'm going to shower and go into Blue Bay. Maybe Robin will give me a ride."
"It's Thursday," Karyna whispered to Marci. "It's not a coffee date day."
"It's not a coffee date," Stiles said as they headed for the Academy.
"Sure you are," Marci said, "keep telling yourself that."
It wasn't a coffee date, because that implied that he was meeting someone and he wasn't. He just happened to get coffee at the same time as someone he knew. They didn't even share a table. He was usually working on something for college and the other person usually was reading a book. They didn't have much, if anything, to say to each other. They'd never really had a friendship, or even a positive acquaintanceship. They only had mutual friends and preferred to keep it that way.
Stiles changed into civilian clothes and headed out. He didn't find his friend Robin, however, instead running into Dustin. "Hey man," Stiles said, fist bumping the other Earth Ninja.
"Hey Stiles, heading into town?" Dustin asked.
"If I can find a ride," Stiles replied. "How are you doing, it's been a while."
"Working," Dustin said, "I'm working to develop holograms for security systems, and it's kind of awesome."
"How are Kit, Kasey, and Peanut doing anyways?" Stiles asked. After meeting Dustin's son Peter, Stiles had found it difficult not to remember Derek's uncle, and so had started calling the then four-year-old Peanut instead.
"They're doing good," Dustin replied, "Hunter and I are being run ragged, but they're good. I wanted to talk to you though, if you want, I could give you a ride into town."
"Sure," Stiles said, "I'll leave Robin a text to let her know. I'm supposed to meet her over at her parents' place."
"You aren't dating, right?" Dustin said.
"No," Stiles said, "her dad and I are experimenting with some adjustments to a beer recipe and it should be ready for tasting tonight. If it comes out right, we're planning to make it part of the list."
They headed for the entrance to the academy, "What list?" Dustin asked.
"For the brewpub," Stiles replied. "Karyna, Marci, and I decided we wanted to open a brewpub when we leave the academy. I think we're going back to Beacon Hills."
"Are you okay with that?" Dustin said.
"I am," Stiles said, "talking with everyone was a big help. I'll probably always have nightmares, but it's not like it was." That first semester had been hell as far as Stiles's nightmares, not just memories, but actual dreams based off his worries about Beacon Hills. His dad's constant updates and later word from Lydia and Danny had helped though.
"Well, we're all a phone call away if you need us," Dustin said as they passed through the hologram.
"That hologram you're working on," Stiles said, reminded of an old question, "would it be anything like the waterfall?"
"It's inspired by," Dustin said, "but the waterfall is more than just a hologram, it's infused with magic. I want the absolute realty of the waterfall, I don't need the portal."
"It's a misdirection," Stiles said, "not a gateway."
"Exactly," Dustin replied.
"Well if you ever need a beta tester for one, after we get back to Beacon Hills, call me up. I think I could find a use for it."
"I'll do that," Dustin said.
They reached the visitor's parking lot and climbed into Dustin's car. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Stiles asked.
"Well, when I first met you, I though you would be a perfect choice," Dustin said. "The team's been talking about passing on the power, keeping the morphers active and all. When I met you, I thought you would be perfect. There's only one problem."
"What's that?" Stiles asked, trying not to think of anything.
"You don't have the potential to be a yellow ranger for all that you channel the Earth," Dustin said.
"Okay," Stiles said slowly.
"Yellow Rangers have certain qualities that aren't predominant in you," Dustin said, "I talked with a friend of a friend. If you had a morpher, you'd be a Purple Ranger. Purples are mystics and psychics."
Stiles grinned and snapped his fingers, creating a hallow of multi-colored lights, "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."
"Well, as I was saying, I wanted you for myself, but that's not going to happen. I would have just listed you as a presumptive Purple and left it. That's what I wanted to tell you, that I think you'd make an awesome candidate and I'm recommending you."
"That's awesome," Stiles said.
"You're going back to Beacon Hills, probably, and that makes me worried," Dustin said.
"Why, I can handle myself," Stiles said feeling a flare of the old resentment.
"I know that," Dustin said, "but Stiles, you know the differences between humans and werewolves better than I do. There's every chance that if you go back and rejoin your old friends they won't change. Because you heal slow, and you aren't as strong as they are. That's physical differences between two species that Earth isn't full prepared to alleviate. There's another option though."
"What kind of option?" Stiles asked.
"We're working with Eltare to perfect something," Dustin said, "it's basically a weak morpher that can channel the Grid. It helps advance healing, increase strength and durability, and it can help prevent possession."
"Sounds promising," Stiles said.
"I can pull some strings and get you and your team cadet morphers if you want."
"I'd have to talk to the others," Stiles said. "I'm not the Alpha you know."
"Yeah, I know," Dustin said as he slowed down. "Have fun on your date."
"Not a date," Stiles retorted as he slid out of Dustin's car. "Catch you later."
"Take care of yourself," Dustin replied.
Stiles headed into the coffee shop, eyes tracking to the left as he breathed in the wonderful mix of chocolate and coffee that filled the air. Ethan was sitting at his usual table, reading a book. He barely looked up when Stiles came in, but Stiles saw enough to see his shoulders relaxed.
Meeting Ethan in the coffee shop wasn't a date. They weren't dating, or even really friends. It was just acknowledgement of a shared past and a quiet remembrance of a man who had died to prove he was a good one.