Author: Jadelyn Tate
Story: Memoirs of a Master
Pairings:
Disclaimer: I own Layla, Mistress Lin Ta, and this idea. I own nothing else, I do this merely for fun, not profit
Summary: RJ remembers his first student and how he ended up owning a pizza parlor.
Author Notes: I told myself I wasn't going to do another fic right now, what with planning Cosmic, writing Broken Wings and Kith & Kin, and making graphics but do I ever listen to myself? Nooooooooooooo.

With you as company
I left all I knew and found
A better part of me, yeah
- "Until You" by David De Lautour

RJ stared at his students in amusement. Theo, as usual, was completely clean. Casey and Lily would have been clean as well if it weren't for the fact the were soaked from the suds of the dishwater. Nearby Fran smiled in amusement. Absently noticing an unusual tension from his blue ranger, RJ stepped fully into the room.

"We're sorry RJ, we just...," Lily began but was cut off by Casey.

"It was my fault. I threw water first," he told him. RJ's lips twitched as the yellow ranger shot her red teammate an annoyed look.

"I don't care. You two both clean it up," he told them before smiling at Fran. "Why don't you head home? These two can clean the rest of the place."

Fran smiled at him and gratefully headed to the clean up room he'd installed after the "birthday party from hell." Smiling, RJ turned to Theo and motioned he could leave too. The blue ranger didn't say anything as he quickly went upstairs. As RJ watched the red and yellow rangers wipe themselves off before going to clean the rest of the kitchen, his mind wandered back a time when he'd been in the exact same situation back at the monastery.

"RJ!" Layla yelled as he jokingly flicked her with water. RJ just grinned wolfishly as he cupped his hand into the sink in the monastery kitchen and flung it at his student. Layla stood there, covered in suds, glaring at him. As RJ laughed, her eyes narrowed and without warning the youngest master the monastery ever had, found himself soaked. Gingerly, he wiped the water from his face and shot his student a look. Layla just grinned, the sink hose held tightly in her grip.

"What is going on in here?!" Mistress Lin Ta asked as she came in. RJ turned to her as Layla abruptly dropped the hose and bowed. He did the same, though with less awe and respect than his student. Mistress Lin Ta had been one of the most vocal at his hearing the other day and for that he held a grudge. He knew it was against the teachings and he should let go but she had never been very fond of him and he knew it and so the feelings of betrayal and hurt remained.

"I apologize Mistress. I was instructing my student in her punishment of cleaning the dishes for her transgression this afternoon and we…lost ourselves." He told her briefly, his usual surfer personality disappearing as always when confronted with another Master. Mistress Lin Ta stared at him coolly.

"You are a Master now, Richard. Act like it," she ordered. Ignoring his face at the use of his first name, she turned to Layla.

"Clean this mess up and report back tomorrow. Even if your Master forgot his place, you should not have," she scolded before turning on her heal and leaving. RJ sighed as Layla shot a dark look in the direction Mistress Lin Ta had left. He gingerly made his way over to her and gave her a hug. She buried her face in his chest as she sniffled.

"I'm sorry, my Vixen. She's taking her anger at me out on you. It's unfair," he whispered as his hand massaged her hair. She stepped away, wiping her eyes.

"Why is she so angry at you? You've done nothing wrong; I'm one of the best here!" she exclaimed angrily. RJ didn't reply; he simply grabbed a cloth and began wiping up the water.

RJ shook his head of the memory. He'd never had the chance to tell Layla why the Masters and Mistress's had been so angry with him. It wasn't something he could explain to her without changing their entire relationship. So he'd never told her. And after he'd been informed that he would no longer be Layla's Master, he'd left without saying goodbye. Now, all he had of her was his memory, the necklace she'd made him, and the pizza shop they'd jokingly planned during one sleepless night.

"RJ?" Layla asked quietly. RJ's eyes snapped open and he looked across the meditation table at Layla.

"Yes?" he asked, knowing from her expression that meditation was the last thing on her mind this full moon.

"Do you think I could get a job outside of the monastery one day?" she asked quietly. RJ knocked his head to the side.

"Many of us have normal lives outside the monastery, my vixen," he replied. She frowned, biting her lower lip.

"What if I want to open a pizza shop?" she asked in a challenging sort of tone. RJ smiled.

"Pizza is good. How would you decorate it though? To make it stand out?" he asked quietly. Her face lit up.

"A jungle theme! There would be vines everywhere and jungle animals hidden in all the nooks and crannies," she told him excitedly. He chuckled.

"And what would you call this jungle pizza place?" he asked, his eyes catching a soft movement on the edge of the clearing. He ignored Master Mao as he smiled indulgently at his student.

"Jungle Karma Pizza!" she giggled. RJ smiled, amused.

"Because Karma is…" he started and Layla finished for him, nearly bouncing in her seat.

"…the cycle of life animals and humans are both subject to!"

"Besides life and death," he reminded her and she nodded.

"Besides that," she agreed.

RJ smiled as he looked around. He'd done his best to make Layla's dream a reality. The only thing missing was Layla herself.

"Hey RJ, can I ask a favor?" Fran asked as she came out. He shrugged.

"Sure, what do you need Frannie?" he asked, using the nickname his three new students had given her. As usual, a dull flush spread from her neck up; she still wasn't used to the automatic friendships she'd gained the last few weeks.

"Can I catch a ride home? My car broke down yesterday," she asked embarrassedly. RJ looked around and then through the kitchen.

"Sure, they can handle cleanup," he smiled at her and she smiled brightly back. RJ resisted the urge to chuckle—some days she reminded him so strongly of Layla it was uncanny. The two left, RJ getting into the drivers seat of the delivery truck. As they left, Fran started babbling about the day. He looked over at her, remembering the first day they'd met.

The pizza parlor was fairly quiet, despite it was the middle of lunch hour. He'd only opened a few days before and so far, word of mouth hadn't traveled very far—mostly he just had a small amount of high school students who came by every so often during their lunch hour. Today, however, was Saturday and the only customers were two families with little cubs.

RJ heard the door open and turned with a bright smile.

"Welcome to Jungle Karma Pizza, what is your karma urging you to get today?" he asked, bouncing. The small woman in front of him smiled shyly, looking around.

"Pizza?" she asked innocently. RJ smiled.

"Well you've come to the right place!" he handed her a menu and she took it with a quiet thanks. As she sat down at the bar area, her smile lit up when she saw what was on the menu. Within minutes, he was making a small personal pizza for the girl who became his greatest promoter.

"What's your name?" he asked curiously when she finally left four hours later. She started, blushing.

"Fran?" she whispered, as if a question. RJ smiled.

"Well come back anytime Fran," he told her enthusiastically.

So she did.

"RJ? You okay?" Fran asked worriedly. RJ shook himself from his memories and saw that they were in front of Fran's house. He smiled at her.

"Just remembering when you and I met," he told her. She blushed, proving that some things never changed.

"That was a while ago," she observed and he nodded.

"I'd only just opened," he agreed. She smiled.

"Good night RJ. And thanks for the ride," she told him before slipping from the car. He waved and headed back to JKP and home.

Once back, he made sure Casey and Lily were progressing without more food or water fights before heading up to his personal den. Inside, he grabbed the only picture he had of Layla. Brown hair cascading down her back, her cheeks a bit chubby but bright with energy, and her green eyes twinkling, it was obvious she was happy as she clung to RJ. As always, RJ chuckled at the bemused expression on his own face as he looked down at her. Master/student portraits usually were calm, quiet, and formal; he and Layla would not have been able to pull that off if their lives depended on it. As he stared at the portrait, he remembered the last time he'd heard Layla's name out loud.

"RJ," the quiet voice brought RJ a stop. Slowly turning around, he was shocked to find his former Master standing behind him, dressed in crimson and black outfit. He looked around; the rest of the customers were in their own world, even Fran as she talked animatedly with a professor from the local college who'd wandered in. He gave his order pad to his new employee, Rebecca, and led Mao to the back. As they settled in the loft, RJ couldn't help but feel wary. Master Mao hadn't spoken to him since RJ had told him he was leaving the monastery.

"Layla has left the Pai Zhuq," he told him without preamble. RJ froze.

"What?" he asked, confused. Master Mao sighed.

"She recently discovered from one of our older students, Jarrod, that you were forced to severe ties with her by order of the Masters. She was angry and hurt. She informed me before she left that things need to change at the monastery or we're going to start losing more students. I learned from Master Kanoi of the Wind Academy that she has requested to continue her training there as a mixed student. He and his sensei's agreed," he explained sadly. RJ swallowed but didn't say anything. He'd learned long ago that the best way to receive knowledge from Master Mao was be quiet and patien and right now he wanted to know everything.

"The Masters are upset and a few of them are angry and blame you. We had hoped she would lead the newest generation in protecting the Chest," he admitted. RJ smirked.

"So she was the best we had," he realized and Master Mao nodded.

"It was something that particularly irked the others—despite their misgivings, you were the best teacher we had," he agreed. RJ smiled, pleased.

"Now, we must find three new students. Two in particular are extremely promising. I have misgivings on the third but I suppose we'll see how he does in the long run," he sighed. RJ raised an eyebrow.

"Thank you for the information on Layla but why did you come and tell me. The others will probably be upset," he pointed out. Master Mao nodded.

"Indeed, they will. However, I have a need of you," he told him, his face turning serious. RJ straightened; Master Mao had never said one way or the other how he felt about RJ and Layla but he'd always treated RJ well. If he could help, he would.

"What is it?" he asked worriedly.

"I have a belief that something will happen, that Dai Shi may escape his confinement. I need you prepared to fight him if this comes to past," he told him in a quiet voice. RJ swallowed.

"Why not tell the other Masters?" he asked carefully. Master Mao stood up and began pacing.

"They believe that we are safe, that there is no way Dai Shi can escape while we watch over those guarding him. They are so…stuck on the old ways, as your student once said, that they cannot fathom anything going wrong. I fear they will be useless to us if Dai Shi does escape. You, young Master, know that anything is possible and will have the strength and ability to see the Guardians through whatever may come if I cannot," he told him. RJ stood up, face calm though inside he was near dancing. Finally, a Master who trusted him!

"What can I do?"

RJ sighed as he heard Casey, Lily, and Theo talking animatedly in the living area. A bouncing sound made it obvious they were playing basketball.

"This wasn't what I was expecting, Master Mao. Getting three new students?" he sighed and gently placed the picture back on the table by his bed and grabbed his meditation mat. After the trip through memory lane today, he needed some quiet mind time.

"Think of it as your chance to prove Mistress Lin Ta and the others wrong, my Wolf," a quiet voice whispered across his face. RJ's eyes snapped open and he looked around wildly.

"Layla?" he breathed, not daring to hope.

"I'm so proud of you," the voice ghosted by again. RJ swallowed a lump.

"I'll prove that I was an okay Master. I'll make you proud, Layla," he whispered.

"You already have, my Wolf."