RC9GN Two Ninjas

15-year-old Emma Brooks was skating through the halls of Norrisville high looking for her locker, number 421, on her first day of freshman year. Eventually finding the locker she seated her skateboard in the locker and locked it then headed off to her first class of the day, English.

She sat in the back corner, put her earphones in with her grey hoodie which she got from one of her best friends, covering her green eyes, and waited for the class to begin. When the students started slowly filling the room she sat up and started paying attention. Two boys, her best friends, entered the room arguing about which Grave Puncher game was the best. The answer was the third one, obviously.

There was a purple-haired boy, Randy who was her best friend, crush, and next-door neighbor. He was with her shorter redhead best friend named Howard. The two made their way over to her and sat down at the desks next to her and continued their argument. Until Emma cut in with her opinion and reasoning, getting them both to stop talking and think about what she said.

Five minutes later the teacher walked in Introduced himself as Mr. Bannister, and started marking the roll. Then they got on to the lesson “I want a 500-word essay about what you did on summer vacation starting NOW” he yelled. Emma goes to start when she hears whispers.

“Hey Cunningham, Brooks, lemme copy off you” the red hair boy whined “Howard we can’t turn in the same essay” was Randy’s reply “why not? We had the same summer” Howard replied “not exactly, remember I went to New York for two weeks then after that it was the same, we just played Grave Puncher for the rest of the summer” Emma interrupted him.

Howard continued to whine until a shoe hit him in the back of the head accompanied by the demand “NO TALKING” both came from the teacher. Which got him to shut up, Emma on the other hand found the whole thing rather funny and gave a small giggle. Which got an amused look from Randy and a fake hurt one from Howard, she started on her essay.

Name: Emma Brooks

Grade 9

Title: What I did on my summer vacation.

Emma, her father, and her seven-year-old little brother Nathaniel, had been on a holiday to New York for the first two weeks of the summer holidays. But finally, she was home. She had just finished unpacking her bags when she looked out her window to see a tall, cute boy with purple hair and Sapphire blue eyes, her age sitting at the desk in the house next door. It was Randy, one of her best friends since preschool, and her crush. He looked up from whatever he was doing and gave her a small smile and a wave. Emma smiled and waved back then shut her blinds as her father called for her from downstairs to help set up for dinner.

Emma didn’t return to her room until after dinner, quickly grabbing her PJs and going to have a nice hot shower. When she returned there was an ancient blue and black box on her desk while her window was open just a crack. Emma cautiously stepped closer and closed the window, looking out there suspiciously she saw a creepy dude slinking away then turned and opened the box...

Nothing happened, ‘well that was anticlimactic’ she thought, Emma looked in the box and to her surprise, there was a mask and a book the same colors as the box they were in. On top of the contents, there was a note that said. You are the Kunoichi of Norrisville, you fight alongside the Ninja as partners to protect the city. ‘So cool’ she thought “I can’t wait to tell the guys,” she said to herself then read the rest of the note P.S you can’t tell anyone. ‘Well that’s wonk’ she thought as she lifted the mask out of the box and examined it before deciding to put it on.

A blue light flashed as she was lifted into the air and her body was wrapped in a skin-tight suit. Emma ran over to the mirror to see her cool transformation. She was wearing a blue and black suit with a blue scarf that was tied loosely around her neck and waist. As she saw herself she thought ‘so Bruce, man’. She did some flips and tricks before clearing a space on her desk and lifted the book out of the box then sat at the desk and opened it to start reading.

Before she knew it Emma was falling inside the book. It was beautiful and mystical until she landed on her face. Emma got to her feet, dusted off, and looked around “wow” she whispered. ‘I’m in a book,’ she thought, completely ignoring the throbbing pain in her face. She was shaken out of her thoughts when a booming feminine voice filled the space. “Hello Kunoichi, I’m the Nomicon, the Ninja and Kunoichi book of guidance and wisdom” Emma spun on the spot looking for the voice but she saw nothing. “So take a seat” the voice spoke again. On command and in shock, She sat.

“I have a story to tell you. For 800 years Norrisville high has been protected by a Ninja and Kunoichi every four years new heroes are chosen. It is the sacred job of the Ninja and Kunoichi to protect the people of Norrisville. Now the responsibility has been passed to you. Remember you are not allowed to tell anyone.” Said the voice before a giant gust of wind pushed her into the lake Emma woke up with her head on her desk and placed the ancient book in her bag and for the rest of the summer played games with the boys.

And now I’m remembering that I can’t tell anyone, so it’s probably not the best topic to do my essay on. Emma realized and started to panic and to make matters worse Mr Banister started walking around collecting papers. When the teacher was a desk away she started to tear her sheet to shreds only stopping when Mr Banister was standing at her desk with an open hand.

Emma placed her shreds in his outstretched hand causing him to look down at her unimpressed “and what’s this supposed to be” he asked “Umm.... My commentary on the fleeting nature of summer” she replied nervously “oh, nice use of the metaphor” he said “Aced it” she cheered fist punching the air. “I’ll give you a B” Mr banister corrected “Bced it” she cheered again not noticing that Randy had copied her actions.

“Ok, class dismissed” called Mr Banister and everybody left the room. Emma was the last to leave, she rushed to catch up with the two boys who had sat next to her. When Emma saw them not too far ahead of her, she called out “Hey, wait up you two” the boys stopped and turned to face her. She sped up when they stopped. The boys both had different looks on their faces, Randy looked as if he had seen an angel and zoned out. Howard, who looked a little bored nudged him out of his daze “how are you Brooks” Howard asked “I’m good, how do you think you went to your essay?” she asked “crap” Howard answered “I got a B” Randy a little proud of himself “me too” Emma said.

The three of them headed to the cafeteria when Bucky ran out in front of them being chased by Bash both yelling something about wedges causing the three of them to shiver. Then Randy spoke up “hey we’re all good for later this afternoon,” He asked “oh yeah I’ll be there, considering I live right next door” she replied. “Yeah, I’ll be there,” Howard said.

Howard seemed to be thinking about something but it didn’t take long to find out what because he snapped “can we talk about the Ninja and Kunoichi situation” he demanded “Ninja and Kunoichi situation” Emma stuttered out nervously “there is no Ninja and Kunoichi situation” Randy finished equally as nervous “exactly, the no Ninja and Kunoichi situation. We have been here for two days now and we haven’t seen these guys once” he snapped, not noticing the nervousness of the others.

“Well, they probably only show for a monster or a robot attack” Emma answered with the other boy nodding in agreement “yeah what she said” he agreed “why aren’t you madder about this, we’re there number one fans” Howard yelled “well it’s not like they can just smoke bomb on by for a meet and greet” Randy countered with then mumbled under his breath “or can they.”

In the cafeteria, Randy had just gone to the bathroom and Howard had just licked his plate clean and called out to him “Cunningham, I know you are in the can but if don’t want me to eat your potato lumps just say so” in a singsong voice then reached across the table only have his hand slapped away from the plate Howard looked up “hey what the cheese, Brooks” Howard complained, “not your food” she replied while eating her sandwich. He went to grab Randy’s food again “what did I say, Howard?” Emma sighed and shook her head.

Howard was grumbling when a red cloud appeared in the middle of the cafeteria with a yell of “Smoke Bomb” Revealing the Ninja on the end of their table. ‘What the cheese is he doing?’ Emma thought as he started to speak in a deep heroic voice “hello students it is I the NINJA” he called throughout the cafeteria Howard had climbed onto the table “finally, yes NINJA, hey cork it, Cunningham, the Ninja just showed up” he called out behind him like a little kid on Christmas morning.

Ninja was showing off with punches and flips until finally, he said he had to leave. He was just about to smoke bomb away when Emma and Howard grabbed his legs “no wait!” They cried out together. The Ninja looked down at his two best friends, one who happened to be his crush, in confusion. “Our buddy has been dying to meet you since we were kids. Please just hang out until he gets back” Howard went on. “Yeah, he’ll only be a little while we promise″ Emma continued.

The Ninja was touched that his best friends would do this for him but he couldn’t wait around for someone he knew wasn’t going to show up. “Aw that’s really cool of you two, but I can’t, I must go,” he said as the door was burst off its hinges by a giant mix-matched monster “I wouldn’t be so sure about that” Emma mumbled then dashed off to the bathroom to transform.

She was looking for the monster and her new partner when she got a text from Howard in the group chat that said ‘the Ninja’s totally getting p’wned’ which caused her to laugh. She sprinted around the corner only to have the said Ninja fly into her and push them both down the stairs. She groaned as she heard him groan “aw man I am getting p’wned” “I’ll say” Kunoichi said getting up. There was a crash and the monster jumped down the stairs, the Ninja only just getting up in time. They were running from the monster when he said “so you want to do the introductions like now or later”

“LATER” she yelled back as he led them to the boys’ bathroom he ran in but she had stopped right outside the door. He walked back to the door “what are you stopping for” he said “dude it’s the boys’ bathroom, if it escaped your notice I’m a girl” Kunoichi said pinching the bridge of her nose. “No, it didn’t escape my notice. I know you’re a girl but what I also know is that that thing is chasing us and it’s better if we hide together while we figure out how to deal with it. AND HERE IT COMES, COME ON!” He said back and grabbed her hand and pulled her into the bathroom.

They hid in the last stall and heard the monster crash its way into the bathroom and destroy every door. It was making its way toward them. The monster punched open the door to the stall they were hiding in and Kunoichi didn’t know what was going to happen but she wasn’t expecting to hear her partner say “we weren’t hiding from you if that’s what you think” causing the monster to roar. “Um, I think you made him mad,” Kuniochi whispered to her partner as the monster entered the stall and totally beat them up.

They both managed to sneak out of the stall then the bell rang and they both knew they had to make it to class “now what?” Asked Ninja, voicing the question in both their minds, Kuniochi looked around quickly before the monster realized what was going on. She saw a pole and used it to lock the door. She then turned to her partner and gave him a hand up off the floor then said “we’ll meet here next break and try to think of a way to deal with this guy, see you then Ninja” she said as she sprinted away to find an empty storeroom and unmask.

She just made it to class on time and took one of the seats next to Howard “hey did Randy not make it back from the bathroom” she asked worried “no, no he didn’t” Howard said obviously unhappy about the fact Randy had missed seeing the Ninja. At that very moment, Randy ran in and crashed into the books in the corner of the room. When he made it back to his seat Howard started speaking “where were you? The three of us were supposed to meet the ninja together, but he was kinda stinking up out there between us. He whispered. “Come on Howard I... urr the Ninja was trying his best, ok it’s not like there are instructions on being a ninja” Randy defended. But Emma had stopped listening when he said instructions, unintentionally giving her the answer.

She quickly raised her hand to ask to go to the bathroom Randy did at the same time. While Randy went home to get his nomicon she actually went to the bathroom because she already had hers. They both enter their books because Emma had already entered the nomicon once before she kinda knew what to expect. Randy, on the other hand, had no clue, but to their surprise, they appeared transformed. Emma had been waiting in a blank room for five minutes “um hello, I need a little bit of help, is anyone there?” She asked but no response then two minutes later she heard a scream and saw her partner land on his face right in front of her. “Yeah, I did that the first time too,” she chuckled.

He seemed a little shocked that she was here “um why are you in my book?” He asked and she shook her head “I’m not but I think the books are joined so if we enter around the same time we’ll see each other” she told him her conclusion then a message appeared in front of the duo. “Believe in the weapon that is in the suit” they read together. Kuniochi slapped herself on the head, how could she be so stupid they were Ninjas of course they had weapons. She then turned to her partner to see if he had come to the same conclusion as she had.

“What’s in the suit, I’m in the suit, I’m the weapon I just have to believe in me, boom,” he said obviously coming to the wrong conclusion Kuniochi was nodding along until she realized what he was saying and tried to cut in to correct him but he wasn’t listening and he left. The drawings looked at her expectantly, she just shook her head and mumbled “my partner is an idiot” then looked at the drawings and said to them “I’ll watch him, don’t worry” then she left the book and the bathroom.

She made it to the hallway just in time to see Howard trip Randy as he fell to the ground she heard him cry out “why?” “Hey, perfect your back,” Howard said causing Emma who was leaning against the wall to double over laughing “man, Howard that was good” she giggled. Howard looked over to her and beckoned her over “hey Brooks, I got some great news” he said but was interrupted by Randy who tried to excuse himself to leave as the bell rang. Emma realized she needed to leave also but she wanted to hear what Howard had to say “no, no you are going to stick around for this, yeah turns out the Ninja and Kuniochi couldn’t beat that monster so they just locked it in a bathroom stall,” he said after he had jumped up to hug Randy which from a viewer’s perspective looked really weird.

“So I let it out,” he said in a singsong voice “you did what?!?!” The duo yelled Emma didn’t wait around for an answer she ran somewhere to transform. Randy on the other hand was stuck. “Yeah now the fighting duo have to come back and we can see them in action together” Howard finished jumping down not realizing that Emma had left. Then half of the principal’s car came through the wall, the two went to see what was going on. They looked out the new hole in the wall and saw Kuniochi fighting the monster by herself. Howard turned to Randy “you wanna thank me now or later or how should we do this?” He asked Randy, who was very unhappy. The boys made their way outside to see Kuniochi get beat then they saw her retreat “Ninja action courtesy of maw, who’s the best friend ever” he said and went chest bump Randy only to find him missing again. “Are you kidding me?” he complained.

The monster was destroying the rest of the car when the Ninja smoke bombed in and the crowd chanted. “I believe in me, I believe in me, I believe in me, kicking your butt” Ninja mumbled then he flipped over the monster then blocked all the attacks, then used one of the monster’s attacks against him. “Who’s getting p’wned now” he called out the monster woke up and a secret arm came out of his chest pinning the Ninja to the ground.

Just then there was a slice and the arm fell to the ground the Ninja looked up to see his partner’s gloved hand in front of his face “not that your self-belief wasn’t entertaining but would you like to get out your actual weapon now” she snickers which sounds so familiar “huh oh the weapon that is in the suit that makes way more sense” he said taking her hand then pulling out his sword. “So would you like to finish this,” she said “gladly” he replied then the monster ran at the duo and they sliced him to pieces causing some members of the crowd to lose their lunch. “So until next Ninja,” Kuniochi said “next time” he agreed and the crowd chanted for a smoke bomb. “Smoke bomb” yelled the duo and there were gone.

Both Randy and Emma ran up to Howard from different directions “hey Howard″ they said at the same time. “Do you two think I’m some sort of chowderhead? He asked “I don’t know how to answer that” Randy replied “yes”, said Emma “I know what you two have been up to” he continued, ignoring Emma’s answer. “You do?” They again asked at the same time. “Yeah, first you two are gone and they are here. Then they are gone, and you two are here, I know your secret, guys” he said. Causing the duo to worry “listen I wanted to tell you” they said as Howard cut them off. “Well it’s too late I figured it out with my mind”, he said “this is so great it’s been killing me that I could tell you”, Randy said “it’s such a relief” said Emma then she realized something.

“Um, Howard whose secret do you know? Mine or Randy’s because there probably different”, she asked “wait your both keeping secrets, oh come on guys what is this” Howard groaned “here’s what we’re going to do, you are both going to tell me your secret ok” Howard continued “wait I’ll show you but Randy turn around and Howard close your eyes I’ll tell when you can look”, Emma said when the boys both did as she asked. She pulled out the mask and put it on “ok before you look you both have to promise not to tell anyone “I promise” the boys said in unity. “Ok then you can both look”, she said.

Howard opened his eyes but said nothing due to the shock. Randy knew Howard had seen Emma’s secret before him but what could it possibly be to render him silent as he turned around his jaw dropped when his eyes fell on not his best friend, crush, and next-door neighbor but his new fighting partner Kuniochi. “Ha ha surprise” she laughed without an ounce of humor just trying to lighten the mood. “Umm guys please say something”, she asked, Howard was the first to speak. “omg one of my best friends is Kunoichi, were you serious about not telling anyone” he shouted. “Yes, dude be quiet wasn’t even supposed to tell you guys, I can keep a secret but lying to you guys is something I won’t do”

she said shushing Howard then she looked over to Randy who still hadn’t said anything. “Umm Randy say something please” she pleaded nervously playing with the ends of her hair “wow, you just keep adding to the list don’t you” he chuckled “umm what?” She asked very confused “well best friend, neighbor, and partner”, he said ticking the list off on his fingers “love of life,” Howard whispered so only Randy heard him which earned him a glare. Randy then pulled out his mask and put It on “oh, oh this is so honking Bruce” Emma cheered “wait my best friends are the Ninja and Kuniochi, so cool” Howard said.

“ok well now that’s out I need to go get my skateboard from my locker so if you two meet me at the school gate we can head over to Randy’s place,” Emma said as she took off her mask. “Yeah that’s cool we’ll meet you at the gate”, Randy said with Howard nodding. Emma ran off to get her board while the boys made their way to the gate.

“So when are you gonna tell her?” Howard asked once he was sure she was out of earshot “tell her what?” Randy asked “oh I don’t know, maybe about your giant crush” Howard replied “no Howard I can’t tell her,” Randy said shaking his head “no Cunningham you listen here you’ve liked her for years and I’m pretty sure she feels the same, so you tell her soon or I will” Howard demanded as they made it to the gate. the said girl skated up to them “let’s get going then” and they made their way to Randy’s house for the afternoon.