CHAPTER 29 - DECISIONS

"Trigger."

The seventeen year old looked up from where he was talking with his second, watching as Connor Street and his second, Striker, walked over.

"Street," Trigger said, motioning for the two to take a seat. "Ain't seen you or your boys around anywhere for awhile. Not since that day everyone says you died and a Power Ranger brought you back."

Connor smirked. "I didn't die, I just would have without Dragon. But that never happened."

Trigger laughed. "So you don't know the identity of any Power Ranger huh?"

"No one knows the Power Rangers' identities. Just like no one knows that they're based outta my territory, no one knows how they show up like they do, and they ain't never had anyone outside the visible Ranger team help them out in nothing."

"Course not. So what didn't they ask you to do here, bro?"

"Someone is offering you a job, since I vouched for you. What would you say to you and yours taking some shifts watching monitors in exchange for a safe place to stay. The safest place, really."

"I'd say with everything we owe that someone, we'd do it without any exchange offered. I'd also say you heard about last night."

Connor said nothing as there was no need for an answer. Trigger smiled and asked, "When and where?"

"Get your shit together and I'll-" Connor cut off as his communicator chimed. He glanced down, relaxing when he saw it was a call for a meeting. "If nothing comes up, I'll be back to take you there tonight."

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No one said anything for a long moment after Tommy finished speaking. Finally, Jason said, "Less than a minute is better than that over an hour away school where Zordon wanted to send you. I can't say I like the idea of you being half a world away with Zedd here but we all know the trial and error method you've been having to use to learn your magic is dangerous too. After all, I don't think what you did to that candle of Rita's would be a good thing to try around … anything you wanted to survive. And we wouldn't survive you taking a month long nap and leaving us to face Zedd alone. So school's good. The Dino Team supports you."

The other Dino Rangers, remembering vividly the fear following Tommy's collapse that day, emphatically stated their agreement. The two Thunder teams watched this and, though they had no idea what Jason was referring to, the emotions showing in the original team was more than enough to make them all agree as well.

With that taken care of, Harry pulled a small box out of his bag and sat it on the table. He glanced at Tommy questioningly and Tommy nodded. Harry opened the box and pulled out another box that appeared the same size along with several scrolls which he passed out to the other Rangers.

"Turns out Harry's rich," Tommy said. "As in there's no way we could spend this in several lifetimes even if it never made a penny of interest kind of rich. So we decided that now that we have the means to do so, Rangering is a paying job. The scrolls Harry handed you detail your new accounts and how to access it and they'll keep a running balance for you as well. There's a card with it that will work like a regular credit card anywhere or you can write how much cash you want down on the scroll and it will appear in that box there. And don't argue this," he said, cutting off several of the teens before they could make a sound. "Every one of this world's military forces pays the soldiers something. We all know how battle screws up schedules so it's not like you could easily get another job somewhere. I know some of you don't need the money but you're still doing the job and deserve it. The rest of you … we've all done enough of the shit required to survive. None of us will have to do that again."

The arguments died, the Rangers opened their scrolls and began reading. The meeting over, Harry headed up to his room to rest. Tommy picked up Saoirse and teleported out.

Appearing in the canyons, Tommy set off walking with no destination in mind. It came as no surprise that when he stopped walking and paid attention to his location, he was at his usual cliff side spot. He sat down, Saoirse moved to his lap.

"This has been an exceedingly long day," he hissed softly to Saoirse. "I hate shopping. Too many people crowding around you, too many possible points of attack."

"If you hate it so much, why did you go? Harry would not complain," Saoirse pointed out.

Tommy shrugged. "He asked it. I'll enjoy reading the books we bought anyway."

After so much time living with Tommy and Harry, Saoirse had grown used to many human concepts. As such, she responded, "You spent money on books? Will you be hurt?"

"No. Turns out Harry's parents left him a fortune when they died. We'll never have to worry about money again."

"Good. Can I hunt those men that left their scent on you?"

Tommy glanced up, hoping Zedd wasn't listening at this moment. "It's over, Saoirse, just forget it," he finally said before changing the subject. "I've found someone to help me learn magic without having to leave Earth. You and Harry will come with me."

Saoirse said nothing to this statement and they fell silent, both enjoying the quiet and lack of others.

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Lord Zedd leaned back in his newly recreated throne thinking of what he'd just heard. Tommy was planning to learn magic from someone currently on Earth. Zedd hadn't heard of any others anywhere near this world, yet it wasn't unthinkable that a lone being had chosen to disappear to such a world and managed to hide his presence. If Tommy had met this being today, it would also explain why Zedd had been unable to find the young warrior until now. Zedd had no doubt that he could break such a protection and find this teacher if he wished. Or he could take advantage of Tommy's current isolation and bring the boy here before he could leave.

Zedd watched as Tommy fell asleep still in the canyons, his snake familiar growing more alert, guarding the boy against any dangers. The perfect protection for the child, Zedd thought. A protector that is completely loyal to the boy, lethal against most species, and biologically incapable of resisting me.

Turning his thoughts back to the idea of Tommy's training, he thought, I could easily stop the training from taking place yet if I do so, that will only mean I must start with the basics. I see no harm in letting another handle the rather onerous parts so I may concentrate on the more important aspects once I do claim him. With or without such training, the ending is foreordained. An increase in his knowledge only makes it all more interesting. He stood, headed to his quarters. I should test him perhaps a month or two into his training.

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Continued - Let me know what you think. Review