Sarah rushed to school that morning and nearly stumbled off her hover board as she arrived. She picked it up quickly and hurried in, racing past Victor and Monty who were trying to work together to create the greatest science fair project yet. Sarah had heard of the Summer Cove Science Fair and before her father died she wanted to participate. Now, it was too late to register. Fortunately, she had more important business at hand.
She ran into the school and down to the Ranger Base. She almost made it when she spotted something in the corner of her eye down the music hallway and stopped herself. Looking down, she spotted Levi speaking with Principal Hastings.
"Excellent! Then it's settled," Principal Hastings said with a smile. "I'll get the paperwork ready for the end of the day and we'll make it official. Congratulations, Mr. Weston."
"Please, just call me Levi."
Principal Hastings nodded her head and headed off, smiling to Sarah as she walked past. Sarah gave a quick nod and flashed a smile before she rushed over to Levi with a questioning look on her face.
"You're early," she said. Levi lifted his shoulders slightly and then glanced into the music room.
"I was just walking the neighbourhood when Principal Hastings bumped into me. Offered me a job."
"Seriously?" Sarah asked.
"I was at the store," Levi said. "Next thing I know, this woman is calling me down. I thought she was just a fan so I was ready to sign and autograph but then she asked if I wanted to work in the school."
"And you accepted?"
"It'll make it easier to hang around," Levi nodded. "Apparently it's perfect timing. Your music teacher just went on a leave and there was no one to fill the position."
"Principal Hastings apparently has a habit of hiring the first semi-qualified person she sees," Sarah said, recalling the story that Hayley had told her of how Mick wound up teaching Shop Class.
"Semi-qualified? I'm a real musician. I'm sure there's a thing or two you could learn from me."
"Have you ever tried looking after a room full of teenagers?"
"I play concerts with thousands of people and hold their attention."
Sarah snickered and rolled her eyes, "Good luck, Levi. I've got to go."
"What? Where?"
Sarah reached into her bag and pulled out a small box. She showed it to Levi.
"I took your advice and got back in my garage," she said. "Built this last night, since I had a bit of free time."
"See, I inspired you. I inspire crowds. What's so different in teaching?"
"Again, good luck, Levi. See you at lunch!"
Sarah gently pat his arm and then raced off, leaving Levi shaking his head and laughing off her warning.
Once Sarah finally made it to the Ranger Base, she dumped her bag in the corner and set her hover board down gently. Then she tossed the small box in the air and watched as it transformed into a large holographic map. Brody, Hayley, Calvin, Mick and Redbot gathered around, looking at her invention in awe.
"What is this?" Mick asked, examining it carefully. Sarah smiled.
"It's Summer Cove! I figured this could help us spot monsters a little more quickly. It scans the city, looking for anything unusual, like monster DNA or spells or… anything that doesn't make sense, really, and tells us where to go. I figured it's better than waiting until we run into trouble."
"This is great!" Brody smiled, admiring the map of the city and the detail Sarah had put into her work, "So you're back to inventing?"
"The Holo-clones may not have been my best idea," Sarah said. "But I wasn't going to let one mistake tear me away from my father and my passion."
"Glad to see you're back to yourself," Hayley said. "And I'm sure this will come in handy."
"And the signals are all encrypted," Sarah assured Mick, who was still examining her map while stroking his chin. "Everything I invent from now on will have some security measures in place, just in case they do fall into the wrong hands. Earth might not be as advanced as other planets, but I've learned that doesn't mean we can't offer Galvanax something."
"As far as technology can take us, sometimes it's the more primitive inventions that are best suited for the job," Mick said, finally giving Sarah and approving smile. "And this is a great idea. A time saver, for sure."
"A life saver," Calvin added and Sarah felt herself smiling. She had been living with the guilt of all the lives her last invention had caused. She knew there was nothing she could do to fix that mistake, but knowing her technology would now prevent even more heartache for people offered some consolation. "The faster we arrive to a battle sight, the sooner we stop the monster, the less destruction they cause."
Preston suddenly rushed into the base, breathing heavily as he arrived and nearly dropping his hat in his hurry.
"Guys! Guys! You'll never guess who our new music teacher is!"
"Levi?" Sarah asked with a bit of a smirk. Preston nodded his head as he doubled over to catch his breath.
"Can you believe it?"
"Wait. Levi is our music teacher?" Hayley asked. "Like, for real?"
"For real," Preston nodded.
"Can Principal Hastings do that?" Calvin asked.
"I guess so," Mick answered with a little shrug. "That's how I'm here."
"Is it her job to make life easier for us, or just a coincidence?" Hayley asked. "So far, everyone that's part of this Ranger stuff who doesn't attend the school works here."
"Uh, I don't," RedBot reminded her, holding a hand up.
"You're… different."
"Maybe you can teach a robotics class," Brody teased him, but RedBot seemed to grow excited at the idea.
"Oh, really? That would be amazing! There is so much you humans still have to learn about the powers of technology."
"Uh, guys, as fun as that would be, we do have class to get to," Calvin reminded everyone.
-Ninja-Steel-
"You want to do what?"
Shane nervously rubbed the back of his neck. He knew this was asking a lot.
"Indefinite leave," he said. Cam looked to him in complete disbelief and then started to pace Ninja Ops.
"You have three classes a day. A thousand students."
"Dustin and Tor can handle them," Shane stated.
"You want to give them both an extra five hundred students each?"
"Cam, it's family."
"We all have family, Shane. I can't ask the others to do that indefinitely."
"Look, I just found out the man my sister married used to pay for a hooker and had a baby with her," Shane said. "Now that woman is asking about my niece and… there's some other stuff and… I really think I need to be with them right now."
"And I get that, Shane, I really do, but when you became a sensei you made a commitment to the Academy, to your students, to all of us. My father…"
"He would have agreed that family comes first," Shane reminded Cam. "And you're a lot like him, you know."
"Have you spoken to Tori and Dustin about this?" Cam asked. "Are they okay with it?"
"Well, see, I only just decided this last night and… well, I was hoping you could tell them."
"Shane!"
"It's for the good of the planet," Shane insisted. "Trust me."
"Babysitting your niece is for the good of the planet?" Cam asked. "Oh, you have to explain that one."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"I thought you trusted me."
"I do."
"So then you have to believe me."
"Shane…"
"Cam, you know I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important. I'm the responsible one."
"Tori is the responsible one."
"Fine, then I'm trustworthy."
"Tori is the trustworthy one."
"Fine, then I'm the reliable one."
"Tori is…"
"Then whatever I am…"
"You're my only air Sensei," Cam said. "Without you, I have a thousand air ninjas who are going to be set back in their training indefinitely. Is what you're doing really more important that the training of all your students?"
"Yes," Shane nodded, his confidence in his answer never wavering, even as Cam examined his face.
"Okay, go before I change my mind," he said. Shane smiled brightly and rushed into hug Cam.
"You're the best, dude! I promise, you're not going to regret this!"
"I am already," Cam sighed and adjusted his glasses as Shane rushed out. "How you did this, father, I'll never know."
