Shane walked slowly among his kata class, making slight adjustments in a student's stance, murmuring encouragement to another, when suddenly a joyful cry erupted from the small group of Earth ninjas a few yards behind him. He turned his head to see Carmen break out of the ranks of Dustin's class, running full speed towards Molly, who was just rounding the corner onto the training plaza. Molly broke into a run herself and the two girls threw themselves into each other's arms, their happy sobs carrying all the way across the open space.
'Carmen is lucky Dustin's teaching today,' Shane thought, amused, as he threw the grinning Earth sensei a look. 'He'll only have her do a three-mile penalty run for lack of discipline.' Smiling, he watched the joyous reunion for a moment longer before he turned his attention back to his class.
Some time later, when Shane's gaze went up towards the meditation pagoda, he saw Molly sitting next to Sensei Watanabe on the stone bench, both of them deep in conversation. Shane continued to coach his students through their exercises, but just to know that she was so near brought a small smile to his face – an expression that did not go unnoticed by his students, who cast each other bewildered glances as to what could have brought about this unusual look on the normally stern face of Sensei Clark.
Molly and Sensei were still talking when Shane finally dismissed his class for the day.
Fatigue…
When Molly finally returned to her room, the slowly setting sun had already begun to create murky shadows in each corner. The talk with Sensei had turned out longer than she had anticipated, but there had been so much to talk about – her time with Sensei Xiang, the progress of her mental powers, the curriculum for her tenure as Elemental Forces teacher, not to mention everything that had been happening in Blue Bay Harbor after she left. Sensei hadn't even made it through the accounts of the first six months when the sun began to set already. Recalling her dinner date, she had excused herself with the promise of continuing their conversation tomorrow.
Now, back in her room, she hadn't taken three steps before, out of nowhere, it suddenly and finally hit her: She was really home!
With a content smile, Molly looked around her small chamber. Home, or at least her own four walls. And with a few feminine touches, this place would be quite homely in no time. A few pictures on the wall, her favorite multi-colored blanket that was still in Carmen's and her old room…
But for now, just to find some clothes to wear for her dinner date tonight could prove difficult. Molly rummaged through her two bags of clothing, pulling out jeans and shirts until she finally found the one nice dress she owned. She spread it out onto the bed, when her gaze fell onto the dial of her wristwatch. Six o'clock already! She plopped onto the mattress, fatigue suddenly pouring over her. She tried to remember the last time she had slept and found that she couldn't. And in less than an hour, Shane was picking her up for dinner. The thought made her heart beat faster. Not the thought of food, but to share it with him. But, God, she was tired!
She looked at her watch again through grainy eyes. 'I can get at least twenty minutes of rest,' she concluded and lay back onto the mattress. 'I'll just will myself to wake in twenty minutes.'
Through the open window came the serene sounds of nature: the soft rustling of leaf-covered tree branches, the chirping of birds…the only signs of human existence were an unintelligible mumbling from somewhere nearby and a soft laugh in reply.
Almost like the monastery…Molly closed her tired eyes. Twenty minutes.
The birds sang again. Molly slept.
When Shane knocked on her door an hour later, she never even twitched.
After a second rapping, he cautiously pushed open the door to find her deep asleep on top of the covers.
He quickly swallowed the pang of disappointment that rose in him while he studied her for a moment.
First the marathon flight from halfway around the globe, then the excitement of coming back to the restored academy, the reunion with Carmen, the long talk with Sensei…the corners of Shane's mouth turned up in a slight smile. All this would have felled me like a log, too.
With a last look at her sleeping form, he withdrew back out into the hallway, quietly shutting the door behind him. There was always tomorrow.
Apologies and confrontations…
The next day Shane was coaching his class through a difficult and lengthy bokken exercise when he suddenly noticed Molly standing under a tree a few yards off, watching with an excusatory smile. He caught her eye and gave her a quick grin, seeing her tense shoulders relax almost instantly.
Molly waited patiently until the drill was finished before she approached the small Air ninja class. She gave Shane a formal bow which he returned, although there was a spark in his eyes as he mumbled, "You look enchanting this morning."
Molly tried not to grin as she looked down at her old red-trimmed leather training uniform. "Enchanting, huh? I don't think anyone has ever called me that before," she mumbled back as she straightened up. Then she cleared her throat, the awkward look from a moment ago returning to her eyes. "Listen, I wanted to apologize for yesterday…"
Shane waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I figured the jetlag probably kicked in." He did not mention his peek into her room.
Molly made a face. "Yeah, it sure did. I just meant to rest for a little bit and the next thing I know it's four in the morning."
"That's ok. I'll take a raincheck."
"How about tonight?" Molly suggested. "I promise not to take a nap this time."
"Deal."
"No. Date."
They exchanged a brief smile before Shane turned to his students.
"Class, I'd like to introduce you to Sensei Taylor. Most of you, if not all of you, will be training with her at one point as she is going to be our new Elemental Forces and Meditation teacher." He shot her a quick glance that said 'Right?'
Molly nodded in affirmation, letting her eyes drift over the assembled ninjas. "It's going to be a pleasure working with all of you."
The perception of a stare just outside of her peripheral vision made her turn her head to find a dark-haired young man peering at her openly from the first row of students. Something about him was strangely familiar…Molly narrowed her eyes, but before she could ask whether they knew each other, the young man spoke up.
"I remember you, you are Molly," he said, his voice suddenly taking on a slightly snidely edge. "'Last in class'."
That detested nickname was a powerful enough gust of wind to instantly lift the fog from Molly's memory. Andrews! She couldn't remember his first name, but she now vividly remembered everything else about the cocky Air ninja who had been in most of her classes during her first few months at the Wind Academy - especially the sneers and sarcastic remarks about her below average performances during physical combat training. Hence the nickname, bestowed upon her by his truly.
She kept her face carefully devoid of any emotion, however, as she turned to him. "That was a long time ago," she replied evenly. "Some things have changed since then."
"But you are an Elementals teacher now?" he exclaimed disbelievingly. Molly immediately sensed the underlying message that said, What could you possibly teach me?
He said no more, but as he stared defiantly at Molly, the unspoken challenge was clear in his eyes.
Shane recognized the look as well and decided to take action. He took a step towards them and folded his arms across his chest. "Sensei Taylor, I believe the class would benefit from a personal demonstration," he said, an even though he never looked at his student, Molly instantly knew what he had in mind. Her hesitation was imperceptible.
"Gladly, Sensei Clark."
Her eyes never leaving Andrews' face, she nodded towards the wooden training sword the ninja student was still holding. "Would you do me the honor of attacking me, please?"
A brief look of confusion came over the young man's face, only to be quickly replaced by a barely concealed expression of complacence as he raised his bokken. The rest of the class backed off until a kind of rough half-circle formed around Molly and Andrews.
For a moment, nothing happened. Molly stood with her feet slightly apart, hands behind her back while Andrews, in classic Air attack position, seized her up with his eyes.
His attack was lightening fast as he first feinted a side sweep, then moved in with an overhead slash that had enough power behind it to take off Molly's head, even with a wooden weapon.
Molly took a deep breath, but never moved. Her only reaction was a narrowing of her eyes – but it stopped Andrews dead in his tracks. The Air ninja's bokken stopped in mid-air as if he had ran headlong into an invisible wall. Not wanting to embarrass himself by having to retreat and try again, he strained against the unseen barrier instead, his lips pulled back in a growl from the effort.
Molly calmly watched him struggle for a moment longer before she brought one of her hands up from behind her back. The dark-haired ninja student was immediately picked up from the ground and flung backwards several feet by a powerful gust of wind.
Murmurs of awe could be heard from the students around her, but Molly ignored them as she strode towards the fallen Air ninja. He had kept a grip on his weapon, but made no move to use it or even get up as she approached him; instead, he simply gazed at her, dazed. Molly held out her hand. "Like I said, Last in class was a long time ago. I've learned a few things in the meantime." She helped him up, then bowed. "I'll see you in Elementals class tomorrow."
When she turned to Shane, his face was unreadable, but his eyes communicated respect and admiration – and more than just a little humor.
"Impressive. It's going to be fun working with you, I can already tell."
"But first we'll eat," she said. "See you later tonight, then?"
"I'll pick you up same time as yesterday– you choose the place to go."
Molly grinned. "Then I already know exactly where we'll be going. See ya later."
The grin stayed on her face while she gave him a parting bow, turned and headed back towards the teacher's dorm.
Although they hadn't overheard the murmured exchange between the two teachers, several mouths nevertheless turned upwards in comprehending smiles behind black leather ninja masks at the lingering glance Sensei Clark cast at the retreating back of Sensei Taylor.
DINNER…Shane looked around the noisy room. "I can't believe I put on one of my good shirts for this," he groaned, steadfastly ignoring the oversized cardboard replica of Ronald McDonald grinning down on them from its spot next to their booth.
Molly just smiled while she shoved some French fries into her mouth.
"You know, I would have taken you to a place where they have tablecloths," the former Red Ranger pointed out, but Molly only shook her head.
"I didn't want tablecloths; I wanted a Big Mac." She took a bite from said burger, closing her eyes in pleasure. "Mmmm. After almost a year of nothing else but bread with Yak butter, rice and boiled roots, this is heaven, believe me."
Shane did believe her.
He nibbled on his own food while watching her surreptitiously for a moment as she relished her sandwich before he said, "So, tell me about Sensei Xiang."
Molly waved a French fry excitedly. "An amazing man, absolutely amazing. I mean, he has got to be a hundred years old, but there was an aura of power around him unlike anything I've ever felt before." She stabbed the air with her fry in emphasis until Shane plucked it from her fingers and popped it into his mouth. She retaliated by snatching a chicken nugget from him.
"He took me hiking once, to his favorite meditation spot high up in the mountains around the monastery, and by the time we reached the plateau I was the one panting and gasping while he wasn't even out of breath. I was so wiped out that he had to chop the firewood for our camp that night. Very embarrassing, let me tell you."
Shane laughed softly, and for a moment Molly laughed with him until she suddenly grew serious again. "But the training with him was hard, Shane. There were times I thought my mind was losing its mind." Her eyes took on a faraway look. "I've learned so much from him, but there was a price to pay. Sensei Xiang…he got into my head, invaded my dreams at night…there was no privacy. At least not mentally." Molly focused back on Shane. "Sensei made it very clear from the start that he did not teach anyone without knowing everything about his students. And that was his way of getting to know me – straight to the source, so to speak. I have never been so mentally naked in my life. It was…disconcerting to say the least."
"I bet," Shane agreed, looking mildly uncomfortable. "When you think that the only genuinely private thing you'll ever have are your own thoughts…"
"Not with Sensei Xiang," Molly smiled feebly. "This was definitely a spiritual journey like no other. But it was all worth it in the end. He taught me things I never thought I could do."
"Well, from that little demonstration you gave earlier, I'd say he definitely showed you some very neat new tricks," Shane quipped, but Molly didn't share his merriment.
"Yeah, well, I'm still not sure if I'm teacher material, though." Her gaze darkened. "I'm still not a ninja. I still can't even properly defend myself in actual combat. If I didn't have my powers, I wouldn't have lasted one second against Andrews this morning."
Shane leaned forward. "But you do have them, and they're what makes you you! Besides, you'll be teaching Elemental Powers; it's not like that's going to involve any physical fighting." The discouraged expression on her face did not lift, however, so he quickly continued. "All right, if it's gonna make you feel any better I'll gladly teach you every close contact defensive move I know," he said, his mouth splitting into a mischievous grin, and this time it worked.
She looked at him, eyes sparkling from underneath long, dark lashes. "I would like that. Very much."
Shane held her gaze, very much aware that they were not talking about martial arts anymore.
Molly's voice was husky as she reached for his hand across the table. "Let's go home."
TBC…