Roads Less Traveled (But Roads Travel Anyway): Period

By: M14Mouse

Summary: Master Swoop didn't think that it would be so hard to get one person but he was wrong.

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Often, students will take after their Masters. He could see Theo took after Master Hanson. He felt her staring at him from across the clearing and she guided him too. It felt like the same look that Theo gave him when he showed up in his backyard.

Clearly, she was impressed at him as much as her student.

"Master Swoop."

"Master Hanson."

"What do you want with my student? And don't give the ranger excuse because you are talking to one," She said.

"Former ranger," He noted.

"Once a ranger, always a ranger," She shot back.

He knew that she would say that. He didn't want to fight and he didn't have the time for it. From his experience, it is better to be forward.

"Theo's name was on a list of possible students."

He could hear the pause in her voice before she said something.

"Why does that matter? I know that your team doesn't have a blue ranger…"

"When Dai Shi was released, the other teachers took the other students and fled. For their safety, we don't know where they are. When it became apparent that we needed a blue ranger, we started looking. I found a list of possible students that Master Mao either didn't approach or they said no. So, we started approaching them to test the morpher…don't worry, they didn't know. Their morpher is a pair of glasses. We ran into a compatibility issue."

There was a long silence.

"Besides the questionable choice of morpher, compatible issues happen. Cam knows more about it than I do but usually got corrected."

Another pause.

"It hasn't, has it?" She said.

He shook his head.

"No, it hasn't. After Theo, I have five more names on the list. Worst of all, Dai Shi has caught on, he is now following us. He has attacked us a few times in order to get his hands on the morpher. I have only been able to sneak away because Master Phant is acting as a decoy. I can imagine that it won't last for long."

"You're running out of time."

"We are. Can you please ask your student to come with me?"

He could feel her staring at him.

"It will be his choice."

"Of course."

There was another moment of silence but he could tell that she wanted to say more.

"He won't tell you no, Master Swoop. He idolized us when he first started. He grew out of it like most of our students."

"Is there a point?"

"No point. Just an observation. While Theo is a capable fighter and very close to earning his Mastery, don't think for a moment if he is hurt in any way, I will show up and have a conversation with you, Master Swoop. Understood?"

"Crystal."

And just as protective….

-JFNS-

"He wants me to come and try on their morpher? That doesn't make any sense," Theo said.

Tori smiled softly.

"Being a power ranger rarely makes any sense," She said.

It doesn't…even after all these years, she couldn't figure out how they got picked. No matter what that damn scroll said.

"While it would be neat, I can see a lot of issues," Theo noted.

"Oh?" She said with a small smile.

"Aren't ranger team themed? Magic…Ninjas…etc?" He noted.

"True."

"I would be the odd man on that team," Theo said as he shook his head.

"With training…"

"Maybe…I like training but even for me, that might be too much."

"For you to say that…the little workaholic of the class…," She teased.

"MASTER!"

Theo was a bit of a workaholic like Cam. On the same note, just like Cam, has a good group of friends to drag him away for breaks.

She laughed.

"You would make a good power ranger," She said.

Theo shook his head again.

"Maybe…maybe not. Don't think that it would happen. It would make a good story to tell Eric and Tish when I get back."

"Your brother is going to drive you?" She asked.

"Yes, since he has a gig in that direction, and I think a part of him is curious about the whole power ranger thing happening there."

"You told him?"

"NO! I just told him that I was running an errand for you. He asked why you don't email it? I just made an excuse that they didn't have internet access."

She snorted.

Oh, Luan is going to see through that.

"Even if he knows about the whole power ranger thing."

Eric and Connor aren't known to be quiet at all. It's worse when they are caught in a lie. It was hilarious how well Luan took it.

To quote Luan, "Dude, you wore a lot of red."

"It is better to be safe than sorry. I'm just trying on a pair of glasses. It shouldn't take that long,"

"Don't say that…ever. You will jinx yourself."

"If you say so…"

-JFNS-

Once Theo left, Tori could hear footsteps behind her.

"Well…?"

She sighed.

"I think that I'm about to lose my student, Cam."

"It looks like Shane is going to win your bet," Cam said.

"HELL, NO! NO! I'm dragging Theo back to get his Mastery. Blue Ranger or not!"

Cam laughed.

End of Period

Next Chapter: Period II