The Red Samurai-Chapter 1-The Competition and Exhibition
Disclaimer: I only own the characters that I came up with in my twisted imagination. Please enjoy.
"Come on, Cam," Dustin asked his friend and comrade, "What's this big surprise you have?" The two former rangers, their four other fellow rangers, many of the students from both the Wind Storm and Thunder Storm ninja academies, and the sensei of each school were at the annual California Martial Arts Competition. The former Ninja and Thunder Storm rangers were wondering what their friend and his father had planned.
"Patience is a virtue that a sensei and ninja such as yourself should work to achieve, Dustin," Cam's father chastised the young man.
"We're just wondering why Cam is brought his gear, Sensei," Shane answered for his friend.
"Yeah and why he can't seem to stop smiling," Blake added.
"That's for me to know and you to find out," Cam answered, a crooked smile gracing his face.
"Don't look at us, he hasn't told us anything," Mara told them.
"And frankly, Cousin, we're wondering why that is," her sister put in.
"Because you two would have blabbed my surprise to the entire school," he told his cousins. The two young women just sulked at his answer.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have a special treat for you," the competition's announcer told the audience at the intermission. "We have the top two fighters from the Wind Storm Martial Arts Academy and Dragon Martial Arts Center here today to give you a taste of what sort of tricks two fourth degree black belts can throw at each other. From the Wind Storm Academy, please welcome Cam Watanabe and from the Dragon Martial Arts Center, please welcome Cari Smith. These two experienced fighters have spent the last six weeks training for this chance to show their skills. So, without any further ado, fighters please take your corners."
The five remaining former rangers looked towards the ring that had been erected for the competition and easily spotted their fellow ranger and ninja with the familiar black training uniform and the green sweat band he had taken to wearing during the last six weeks. Across from him, in the other corner, was a young blonde woman, dressed similarly in a black training uniform and wearing a red sweat band. She was obviously ready for the match.
"Cam's fighting a girl?" Dustin asked jokingly.
"What's wrong with him fighting a girl? I spar with him all the time." Tori questioned her friend.
"Nothing, it's jus that I didn't know that he knew anyone at the Dragon Storm Academy," the former yellow ranger tried to explain.
"Cam's uncle from is mother runs the school. He and Cari have been training in the martial arts with each other most of their lives," Sensei Watanabe told his former students before shushing them like children.
The bell for the match's start rang and the two fighters were off towards each other, throwing punches and kicks and blocking each other in a flurry of speed that it was difficult to make out who was winning while at the same time staying within a respectable distance from each other so that it was obvious to the ninja school students and teachers that they had spent a good amount of time choreographing what they would display for the spectators.
The match ended similar to how it began with both fighters breaking apart and no winner clear at all. They bowed to each other (there hadn't been a referee for this event) and parted ways, each heading back to their respective corner for a much needed bottle of water.
"Cam! That was awesome, man!" Hunter congratulated his friend on his performance in the ring.
"Thanks Hunter. How'd the rest of you like it?" Before his question could be answered, however, he was interrupted by a blur of red jumping up and hugging him.
"Camthatwassomuchfun!Ilovehowyouaddedtheroundhouseattheend!HiSenseiWatanabe,didyoulikethematch?ArethesethenewteachersSenseiwastellingmeabout?Hi,nicetomeetyou,I'mCari!" the red blur, which turned out to be his opponent and fellow exhibitionist, Cari Smith, babbled. It was obvious to Cam that she was on an adrenaline high and would probably need to run a few (dozen) laps to burn off the excess energy before she would slow down and start speaking with a few breaths in between words.
"Hi Cari, glad you liked my surprise finish," Cam greeted the ball of energy as he set her down. The other rangers noticed that she had a pendent similar to Cam's samurai crystal hanging from her neck.
"Hello, Hikari. Yes, I enjoyed your exposition very much. Where is Sensei Yamada?" Sensei Watanabe asked the young woman who had moved to hug him.
"He'sspeakingwithSenseiHiro.AreyouevergoingtocallmeCari,Sensei?HelloSenseiOmino;howareyou?" she answered his questioned, in one whole breath, and asked him another before turning to greet Blake and Hunter's former sensei.
"Hello, Hikari. I am fine. The answer to your question is that you are the light of all of the academies; that is why we refuse to call you by your nickname."
"WheneverIaskthatquestion,Ialwaysgetthatanswer.Areyouevergoingtocomeupwithadifferentone?"
"I don't think they ever will, Cari. Besides, at least the other academy senseis don't address you by your color."
"Oh,buttheydo,Anryoku," she joked.
"Just wait until they start calling you Akairo."
"That'swhatSenseiNelsalwayscallsme."
The duo continued their playful banter until they were reminded that they weren't the only ones around.
Cam then introduced Cari to everyone as best as he could before turning to his father. "Dad, I think we're going to go for a run so that she can start speaking in single sentences again and put spaces in between words." Cam and Cari ran off then ran off.
"That was interesting," Blake said after the initial shock of meeting Cari had worn off.
"She always was an energetic child," Sensei told the rangers.
"I can see that," he said before turning to everyone else and suggesting that they go get something to eat for lunch and discuss what had just happened.
Okay, so what did you think? (I wrote this while on a sugar rush.)