Author: Jadelyn Tate
Story: Memoirs of a Master
Pairings: RJJ/OC
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: This is set after Can't Win Them All.
"Tori, why is Layla giggling like mad?" Shane asked the water ninja a few days later. Tori shrugged, her lips twitching as the Pui Zhuq student started laughing again for no apparent reason.
"She was astralling earlier, that's all I know," she replied as Dustin came over.
"Why is she laughing?" he asked and they both shrugged. Dustin watched Layla as she broke down in giggles again, Cam scowling as he tried getting her to do the move he was supposed to be teaching her.
"Hey, Layla, what's with all the giggles?" Dustin called. Cam shot the Earth ninja an annoyed look, something Layla took note of through her amusement. She placed a hand on the Samurai's arm, her eyes bright with mirth.
"I'm sorry, Sensei. I was astral projecting earlier and found RJ in some…I'm-alone-in-the-house-lets-party time. Now you're teaching me a move that resembles something I saw him use as he, uh, tried to dance," she explained, giggling again at the end. Cam scowled again and Tori grinned.
"I take it he can't dance?" she asked, amused. Layla snickered, her mind going back to his dancing attempts.
"No, he really can't. Not alone anyway. When he has a dancing partner who actually knows what she's doing, he's usually okay. But without someone to lead…he tends to dance like Sensei Dustin," she shrugged. Cam, Tori, and Shane looked at Dustin who was grinning.
"Sweet!" he enthused and then frowned when the four started snickering.
"What? It was a compliment!" he exclaimed. He suddenly turned to Layla, frowning. "It was a compliment, right?" he asked. She nodded, patting his arm.
"Sure, Sensei Dustin. It was a compliment," she agreed, hiding a smile. Tori shot her a thumbs up which she quickly hid when Dustin turned to her and Shane in triumph.
"See! I can dance!" he exclaimed, not noticing when Layla motioned for Cam to show her the move again. This time she was able to hold her laughter in long enough to perform it. She smiled brightly at Cam, bouncing on her toes as he looked at her in amusement.
"Next one?"
"Sometimes I wonder about my students. Layla wasn't nearly this hard to understand," RJ murmured to himself as he set the table for that night's dinner. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't eat pizza 24/7. Granted, he did eat it a lot, but not as much as everyone assumed. Every night, in fact, he made a home-cooked meal that did not include pizza dough. He grinned at the realization.
"What's for dinner?" Theo asked as he came over. RJ shot him a smile.
"Chops, trees with cheese, mushy mountains, gold nuggets, and rocks!" he replied happily. Theo frowned and gingerly lifted the cover of one of the pots at the table. Inside was broccoli and cheese. Lifting the others he found the "mushy mountains" were mashed potatoes, the "gold nuggets" was corn, and the "rocks" were actually biscuits. Placing the napkin back over the biscuits, he shook his head. With RJ you could never be too sure.
"You have some weird names for things, you know that?" he mentioned off-handedly as he went to go get four plates. RJ just shrugged.
"Weird is a state of mind," he replied back sagely. Theo stopped and looked at him.
"Is there anything that's not a 'state of mind'?" he asked. RJ stood at the table, his hand holding a cheese covered spoon, thinking.
"Pizza," he finally answered as Casey and Lily came up. RJ went back to stirring the broccoli and cheese. Theo rolled his eyes as Lily grabbed the utensils and Casey grabbed some extra napkins.
"So, you got your game back, eh Theo?" Casey asked as they sat down to eat. Theo nodded as one by one the plates were filled and they began eating. RJ absently began humming as the other three discussed that day's battle.
"I know that song! That's from the Lion King!" Lily suddenly blurted out. RJ's eyes lit up and he nodded happily at the yellow ranger across from him.
"Yeah, it's Chow Down from the off Broadway musical. I saw it a few years back—got the soundtrack cause Layla loves music," he replied off-handedly. Lily frowned as Casey and Theo shot each other amused looks.
"Who's Layla?" Lily asked just as RJ took a drink. The three rangers stared at him in surprise as he promptly began choking.
Once his choking fit was over, RJ stared at the three of them in thought. Faintly, he could hear what sounded like amused laughter but judging by the others stares, they couldn't hear anything. Deciding his mind was playing tricks on him (again), he took a sip before answering her.
"Layla was my first and only student before you three. Back when I was still at the Monastery," he said. Lily smiled brilliantly at him.
"Really? Where is she now?" she asked curiously as the boys just watched and listened. They'd learned early on that when they wanted information, it was best to let Lily do the asking; for some reason, he told her more than he told the boys.
"At the Wind Academy, studying the elements. I think," he told her, his eyes closing off. Theo frowned.
"But why isn't she still with you? Aren't Master and students supposed to stay together?" he asked, confused. RJ nodded, looking unhappy. He twitched as he felt a gentle pressure on his shoulder. Without knowing how, he knew Layla was listening in.
"We were separated. Mistress Lin Ta and many of the other Master's didn't approve of my way of training," he explained after deciding on telling them the half truth. Lily made a face.
"That doesn't make sense! Sure, you're ways are unorthodox, but they work! Look at Casey and Theo!" Lily exclaimed. The two aforementioned boys shot her looks.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Casey demanded as RJ's eyes glazed over.
"Oooh, I like her. Better watch out my Wolf; she's the type who will give you sass," Layla's voice whispered, highly amused. RJ made a face.
"Like you?" he muttered and a delighted laugh answered him as the trio squabbled, completely unaware that their Master wasn't paying any attention to them.
"You enjoyed my sass, my Wolf," she reminded him and he smiled in agreement. "By the way, loved your dance earlier," she whispered before the feeling of her presence faded from the area.
Casey, Theo, and Lily stopped squabbling as RJ abruptly turned red. Shooting each other confused looks, they watched as RJ looked down at his food and began eating. Completely ignoring their inquiring stares, he didn't look up again until his plate was empty. Finally looking up, he gave them a bright smile, his cheeks still a bit pink.
"That was good. Eat up you three. Don't want you fainting from hunger during your next battle…or your next shift," he told them pointedly before standing up. He glanced around and settled on Theo.
"Your turn for dishes, Theo," he announced and the blue ranger nodded, deciding not to argue with their puzzling master.
Once he was safely inside is den, RJ sat on the bed and scowled. He could feel Layla's presense again; it was faint but she was still there.
"That was not nice, Layla," he said to empty air. A faint giggle answered him from somewhere by his dresser.
"Maybe, but it was fun," she replied. RJ's scowl faded to a concerned frown.
"Be careful with this, my Vixen. If the Sensei's there catch you…," he trailed off as something rapped gently on his nose.
"Hakuna Matata, my Wolf. The Sensei's don't care as long as I stay safe," she told him lightly. "They said that I can contact you each night if I so wish."
"Really?" he asked, his voice hopeful. Layla presence flickered.
"Yes. We may not be together physically, but we will always be together in spirit. Isn't that what you whispered when they made you move out?" she asked lightly. He nodded, remembering her tearstained face when he'd left. He'd been on the edge of the Monastery grounds; she'd been at the door, staring at him, begging him to come back with her eyes as she cried. He'd hoped she would hear his whisper on the wind and apparently she had.
"Hakuna Matata, my Wolf. You need your rest and so do I," her voice was quiet, instinctively knowing where his thoughts had gone. RJ frowned.
"You're leaving?" he asked dejectedly. He could almost see her nod as she answered.
"Yes. I'm still working the kinks out of this. It's…taxing," she admitted quietly. He smiled softly.
"Then rest. When you can, come back and we'll chat. But don't neglect your learning," he added, smiling when a small giggle filled the air.
"Yes, Master," she teased. RJ smiled as a slight wind fluttered over his eyes.
"Good night, my Vixen," he whispered. Her presence faded as her reply reached his ears.
"Sleep tight, my Wolf."
End Notes: Thanks to Tierra, Blackguard, GinaStar, barfmaster, and PinkRangerV for the reviews!