Chapter 1

Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers or the musical Into the Woods. Not for lack of want.

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While there were many things vital to running and maintaining a Ninja Academy, many aspects imperative to teaching and passing along decades of honored tradition, Kanoi could not help but feel that the most crucial part of his duties as Head of the Wind Academy was the process of recruiting.

All academies had there own selection process, specified to their needs and standards, and the Wind Academy was no different. Students were selected based on previous martial arts experience (while whatever training they had received would not compare to the difficulty level of the Academy in the slightest, it would be to their advantage to have some kind of familiarity with defending themselves); athletic abilities (if they were incapable of jogging a few miles without complaint they would not be suited for the ninja lifestyle), affinity towards an element (earth, air, or water), and of course their overall temperament and character (to ensure there were no repeat incidents like that of his- of Lothor).

The age of the candidates varied based on the circumstances. Those who chose to completely dedicate themselves to the academy raised their children there, grooming them to be the next generation of teachers, if they so chose to be. As for outsiders, the Wind Academy started considering them when they turned sixteen, so that training would carry on through their last two years of high school, if they were successful. It wasn't enough time to master ninjutsu, but it would give them ample opportunity to, as they say, "get their feet wet". That is, to learn the basics about defending themselves and to at least begin to understand their special connection to their particular element. If after they graduated High School they wished to continue their training here, they were more than welcome to stay.

Because they would need a firm grasp of the basics, selection and training of new students began in the summer. It also served to eliminate any other distractions they would normally face during the school year.

Secrecy was also of great importance (another solid reason to evaluate each possible student-to-be's character). To stay hidden in the shadows was the ninja's way, and the forced seclusion allowed themselves to be unaffected by the will of the outside world. Modern society would not understand them; they did not "fit in" to their perception of reality. Kanoi's predecessors had taken that weight from their shoulder many years ago, something that Kanoi and every Sensei that ever followed him would hold to.

That was why all knowledge of the Wind Academy and all its teachings must be kept to the student and the student alone. Family, friends, and acquaintances must never become aware of the true nature of the Academy. As far as they were concerned it was a simple dojo in the woods where basic hand-to-hand combat was taught, (pamphlets had been made to support this false story, to make the transition easier).

There were thirty positions available, ten for each element, give or take (now that the previous class of ninja's had graduated basic training) and were he able to Kanoi would go out and scrutinize and hand pick every one of them. Unfortunately his position demanded too many responsibilities for him to be allowed the time to do so, so instead the teachers of this new bunch (senior ninjas who had almost completed their studies) would be the ones to go out into the world and search for prospective trainees. Not only did they have the necessary free time, they would also specifically search for students who had a connection to their particular element.

Kanoi had faith in them; he had overseen their training from day one, watched them grow as not only a team, but as individuals.

He had no favorites (his position had conditioned him against it) but he could admit to having a certain fondness for the bunch; and if the teenagers they selected were anything like them, if they had any of their courage and perseverance, Kanoi knew the academy would be fine.

In short, he would trust their selections as though they were his own.

The teachers, Ian (water), Victor (air), and Teagan (earth), had each managed to fill at least half of their quota with confirmed students after searching for five months, (Ian with seven, Teagan with eight, and Victor, ever the picky one, with five), but the summer was only a month away and they needed to find (three, two, five) in order to continue the Wind Academy's prosperity.

Kanoi had already called Victor in to have a conversation about his standards, forcing the head sensei to lecture his student on the simple brilliance that was imperfection.

If the teenagers Victor picked already met all the qualifications perfectly there would be no point in inviting them to partake in the Wind Academy tradition. Yes, there were certain protocols to be followed; but these teenagers were…clay, once they came here they would be sculpted into fine art, but they would not begin that way. The quality of the clay still had to be good, but if it was already made into a masterpiece then why bother with it at all?

Kanoi loathed having these conversations; especially with one of his fav… especially with one of his more treasured students, but air ninjas were the leaders and at the rate Victor was going, five teams would have no one to lead them!

When they began training the students would be divided by their elements to learn the basics, but once the school year started up again the academy would place them into squads of three, with one student from each element. This system forced students who may have considered themselves "lone wolves" to interact with their classmates, and it gave students who might be shy the opportunity of friendship.

As a squad they learn teamwork, effective communication, and trust, but as it stood five of the squads would be unable to do so because of his one stubborn teacher.

It appeared that someone did not fully recall his imperfections when he was a novice.

Kanoi was more than happy to remind him.

…To think in one month the Academy would be flooded with new talent; eager to learn and willing to participate in a foreign lifestyle, their enthusiasm as contagious as a yawn, filling the quiet and almost deserted courtyard with energy and noise. Only one month before thirty students (Victor be willing) began to lose their ignorance of this hidden Academy.

Kanoi was prepared.

His teachers, nervous, but confident.

Despite minor setbacks, it was as good a beginning as any other.

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Endnotes:

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! H-eeeeeeeeeeeeey! Hey all you people who read all the way to the end!

Thank you!

I would like to begin by saying that yes, there are OC's in this story, but only because they are necessary. There are no extra characters provided for us in the series so I invented a few to teach the classes. I feel you should know that I'm not the biggest fan when it comes to using OC's and I will try to keep as much of the focus on Shane, Dustin, and Tori as I can.

Speaking of whom, we will see more of them in the next chapter, I just wanted to get all the background information about the selection process out of the way before we moved on to them.

I guarantee you, future chapters will be longer.

Until next time.