"How was the visit with your mom?" Shane asked Tori as they arrived at Ninja OPS bright and early that following Monday to find her, as always already there preparing for her class.
"It was great, maybe after the students' graduation, I can finally find the time to go and visit her. She's been wanting me to get up to New York and see her business and the city with her." Tori said sadly.
"Tori, may I speak with you in private for a moment?" Sensei Watanabe said.
Tori looked to Dustin and Shane, who shrugged ambiguously at has as she followed him outside, a knot was quickly forming in her stomach.
"It has been brought to my attention that you would be leaving us." Sensei Watanabe said
"W ... what do you mean? Is it my students? I thought you said they were doing well!" Tori said as she felt her stomach come to reside by her feet.
"Tori, your students are among the best I have seen in a long time, a testament to their teacher." Sensei Watanabe said with a kind smile.
"Then ... I don't understand ..." Tori began.
"Tori, I have watched you dedicate yourself to the way of the ninja since you were a small child. You took on the duties of a ranger, stood up to the most evil beings earth has ever seen, and then offered to stay behind as a teacher, but I see now where your heart is. Your heart is out there." Sensei Watanabe said as he gestured to the ocean.
Tori opened her mouth, but what could she say, he was right; she ate, slept and breathed the ocean, she always had. It was like the water was a part of her.
"You have sacrificed so much for us, and for mankind, now, I want you to follow your dreams." He said
"But ... what about my students?" Tori said.
"Don't worry for them, they will be in good hands." Sensei Watanabe said with a kind smile as he gestured for her to go back inside.
"Wait ... so he told you guys the same thing?" Tori said.
"Yeah, I will never get used to that ability he has to like ... see into our very hearts and souls and stuff." Dustin said as he rubbed his arms.
"Guys, how many classes of students have we graduated since we became teachers?" Shane mused
"God, I lost count." Tori said.
"I wonder who he's going to get to replace us?" Dustin said.
"That would be me." Cam's voice came from behind them.
"Oh I understand now! that's why you've been working with all of us, so you can strengthen your earth, wind and water chakra!" Tori exclaimed.
"Er ... yes ... you could say that." He said as he pointedly avoided both her and Shane's gazes.
"Dude that is so cool! You're going to be like ... an ultimate ninja or something!" Dustin exclaimed as he clapped Cam on the back.
"Er ... something like that." Cam grunted.
"I'm happy for you, Cam, I know it's been one of your dreams to be a teacher, and I know you'll crush it." Shane said as he put a hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks, Shane, I know I don't say it very often but I do respect you and coming from you, that means a lot." Cam said.
"Dustin, are you serious?! I've been after you to try out for a spot on Factory Blue's tour for years, what made you change your mind?" Kelly said excitedly.
"I had ... other priorities, I finished with those and now ... I'm ready." Dustin said.
"And Tori, I am so excited for you to finally go for pro with your surfing, of course I'm no expert in surfing, but in my opinion that's long overdue too, I wish both of you the best of luck and keep me posted on how you do!" Kelly said as she hugged them both.
"I'll be back with the paperwork." She said as she trotted off.
"Well, I guess this is it, good luck, Dustin." Tori said as she hugged him.
"Yeah, same to you, Tor." he replied.
"Okay, Tori, you got this, you are water." Tori said as she closed her eyes and cleared her mind.
"Tori Hanson, you're up!" she heard the official calling her name.
Tori took a deep breath and paddled out, the waves were perfect, the water was perfect. she closed her eyes and became one with the water.
"Wow who's that ?" Naomi Vickerson, director of Factory Blue's surfing tour said to the coordinator.
"A new try out, name's Tori Hanson I think." He said as he checked his clipboard.
"It's like she's part of the water! I've got to have her, book her, whatever it takes." she said.
After riding the most perfect pipeline she had seen in a long time, Tori rode a wave smoothly back into shore.
"Congratulations, Miss Hanson, You've earned a spot on tour and then some, it's been a long time since we've seen talent like yours and we're honored to have you." The coordinator said as he held out his hand.
"Trust me, sir, the honor is all mine!" Tori said, trying to contain her excitement, as not to seem overly eager as she shook his hand.
"Pack your things, Miss Hanson, we leave next week for Key West." He said with a broad smile.
"I made it! I'm in!" Tori squealed as she ran up to Dustin and Shane at Storm Charges.
"Yep, I heard them say that our Tori is the best surfer they have seen in a long time, if ever!" Kelly interjected.
"Seriously?! that's awesome!" Dustin said as he hugged her.
"Yeah, we leave for Key West next week, not sure why the long wait, though." Tori said.
Dustin and Shane's faces fell as they averted her gaze.
"What?" Tori asked, looking from one boy to the other.
Shane cleared his throat uncomfortably and looked to Dustin.
"The long wait is ... so the surfing division, and the skating division can mesh up with ... the motocross division and then we're are going to Key West together for one huge bash, it's going to be epic." Dustin said, although his tone didnt match the excitement of his statement.
Tori winced as a sharp stab of pain drove itself through her heart, that would mean she would probably run into Blake.
"It'll be fine, I'm a big girl, I can handle this, I'm not going to let him ruin this for me. And we are in completely different divisions, and it's a huge event, so I might not even see him." She said as she plastered a smile on her face and hoped it looked convincing.
"What happened between you two, anyway?" Dustin said, his face full of concern.
Tori's eyes welled up with tears as her mind replayed the events of that fateful graduation day.
"Hey!" Tori said as she caught up with Blake.
"Congratulations , Tori, I know you're going to make an amazing instructor. " Blake said as he offered her a smile. But something wasn't right, it seemed ... strained.
"Blake, I know you well enough now to know when something's up, so out with it." She quipped.
"I've been recruited to ride with Factory Blue." Blake said abruptly, not meeting her eyes.
"Blake, that's great!" She said as she made to hug him, but he stepped back from her embrace.
Tori immediately felt a crippling rejection that made her knees weak.
"I'm sorry, Tor, it's just ... with the insane tour schedule, I'm not going to have time for a relationship and ..." he trailed off.
"Hey ... no worries, I'm going to be super busy with teaching anyway so ... it ... kind of works out." Tori said, she tried her best to feign coolness, but her mask cracked as she choked on her words.
"Tori please, this is for the best ... for both of us." Blake said as he reached for her, but she jerked away from his touch.
"Best for us?! More like best for YOU!" She said, her emotions pouring out of her before she could stop them.
Blake opened his mouth to speak, but Tori beat him to it, tears were streaming down her face, but her eyes were ablaze.
"You know what, Blake, you tell yourself whatever you have to to make yourself feel better about this, but you're doing this because it's easier on YOU. I really do wish you the best, but when it comes to us? We're done." She said as she turned on heel and walked as quickly away from him as she could before the tears she was holding in fell, because she was determined not to let him see her cry over him. There would be plenty of time for that after he was gone and she was alone.
"Damn ... what an asshole!" Dustin said.
"If he gives you any shit, Tori we got your back." Shane said as they both put their arms around her.
"Thanks guys, you're the best surrogate brothers a girl could ask for." She said as she hugged them.
"Now, let's go and kick some ass!" Shane said.
END OF CHAPTER 2