Nikki's P.O.V.
Tori rode the waves like she was born to. She rode the waves like an artist. Like she had a
connection to the water itself.
Water. The thing that connects all life. What keeps all life going and moving? Always moving and changing. Never stopping. What is necessary for everything to live, but also capable of being a cruel end. Water, from a simple puddle to large lake to a rushing river to a storming ocean. How you follow the path or fight the current with all your might. Good metaphor for life really. You either follow the expectations of others and go on a predetermined path or you blaze your own trail and fight everything that stands in your way. How easy it would be to just stop fighting the current and no longer deal with the flow, to just let the water swallow you and sink. To drown. For it all to end. Would it be painless? Peaceful? Would-
"Nikki?" Tori says drawing me from my head. She was drying her hair with her beach towel. Her surfboard laying next to her bag. Taking a glance around and realize three groups of people have left, the sky was now cloudy and there was a light breeze. My ass was numb from sitting, for who knows how long, on the towel I had borrowed from Tori. "Are you okay? You were thinking so hard you didn't even notice me coming up to you, which, like never happens. It has actually never happened with, like, anyone." Tori was right, it hardly ever happens. My years of ninja training heightened my awareness of my surroundings unless I focused on blocking them out or got lost in thought. It had happened a few times before, but this was the first time I wasn't able to mask my surprise or disorientation.
"I'm fine Tor. Just got lost in thought thinking about water and its connection to life and all that hippie dippy crap."
"Really? How so? …" Tori trails off as she pulls her beeping wristwatch out of her bag. "Oh my god!" She suddenly screams. "I'm so going to be late!" Tori slips the watch on her wrist and starts rushing, grabbing her bag, towel and surfboard and stumbles towards her van and my Harley. It had belonged to my parents before they passed. I added rather realistic lightning designs on to the sides. "Sorry, Nikki I gotta go." Grabbing the towel, my shoes and socks and I walk after Tori's wobbly figure as she tries to put her stuff in her bag as she carries it and her surf board at the same time. "Can we hang out later or tomorrow or something?" I have mercy on the frantic girl and take her still dripping surfboard from her. "Thanks." She slips her towel into the bag and starts digging around and pulls out her car keys, she unlocks the back of her blue and white van that looks like it might have actually been from the 60s.
"It's fine Tori." I state as she opens the back. I place the stuff I was carrying in the back of the van, Tori takes the board from me and starts putting it in the two pool-noodle-wrapped ropes she has hanging from the ceiling. I roll up my black leather biker jacket sleeve and check the time on my white wristwatch. "I have somewhere I need to be anyway." I start rolling on my black socks. "We're still hanging out with the guys tomorrow at Storm Chargers." I reach for my black lace up combat boots now that my socks are on.
"Definitely." She states as she hops out of the van, surfboard now on the ropes. I stand and bend down as I tuck my dark blue bootcut jeans into my boots and start tying them up as she closes the trunk. "See you tomorrow!"
"Later!" I shout as I walk to my bike. "Good luck with whatever!" I zip my jacket up all the way, now hiding my white, short sleeved, Bon Jovi T-shirt. I lift the seat up to get my black gloves and white helmet out of the secret compartment before closing it and getting on. The gloves quickly incased my hands and the helmet is now ruining my wild loose curls and trapping the few small braids I had randomly put on my head. The visor snaps shut. I start the motorcycle and give Tori a two-finger salute and I'm off.
Through the leather I could feel the rush of the wind as I smashed into it at 60 mph. My blood was pounding. I was aware of every tree, vehicle, and person I passed, it was crystal clear and a blur at the same time. I was on a vibrating death machine moving at high speeds, aware of everything and nothing... and I was at total peace. My thoughts couldn't touch me. It was just me, my bike, and the road. I was barely aware I had moved from the highway to the city roads, but at the same time I was all too aware of where I was going.
The peaceful sensation lasted until I got to the martial arts studio. Even after five years and moving to Blue Bay Harbor, California, I couldn't stop fighting. Even though I was no longer attending any of the ninja schools, I was still a ninja. I was still a lightning ninja. I still had to be ready for whatever it was that I would need to use the object in Sensei Omino's box. I had to be strong and succeed. I won't fail him again, not after last time.
"I can't it's too much. I can't..."
"Yes, you can, don't let it get out of hand, it doesn't control you, you control it."
"Somebody better tell IT because I don't think IT got the notice!"
"Hey, you gonna sit there forever or are you gonna go?!" Someone yelled. It was some angry old soccer mom sticking her head out her minivan window parked in the middle of the dojo parking lot. All of the parking spaces were filled. Guess the pissed off soccer mom thought I was leaving. So, I did what any annoyed badass would do. Got off the bike, took off my helmet, and raised my middle finger as I strutted into the dojo.
After going to my locker and changing into some white sweatpants and a black sports bra, I pulled my hair into a high pony tail, with my mini braids still intact. I began beating the stuffing out of a punching bag with swift and rapid blows. The cringing, slapping, and shaking of the leather-bound bag, but it wasn't just a bag, it was everyone who had ever made fun of me, who mocked me, and every soul who I ever wanted or deserved to be punch in the face, was getting what they deserved. Every cruel joke or jackass move they pulled, was getting justice. Every reason they had given me to cry and scream and wish I could crawl into a hole and die. Every flaw they had pointed out, every reason they had given me that made me hate who I saw in the mirror. Every reason they gave me to wish I had never been born. Every-
"Yo! You okay?" Jason asks snapping me out of my thoughts and stopping my movements. Jason Scott the owner of the dojo, he was originally from some town called Angel Grove. Apparently, some people called the Power Rangers protected the city once upon a time. "You've been going to town on the punching bag for an hour now. Are your hands okay?" I look down at my hands and there were a few scraps on my knuckles and I was now aware of a light stinging coming from them and the fact that I'm rather sweaty... and probably smelly. I should have wrapped my hands or wore gloves before I started training.
"Yeah I'm fine." As I grabbed the towel he had offered, wiping my face as a bead of sweat rolled down my nose. "The bag is probably a better option for working out my anger then the people who deserve it... or the people who are too close to me when I go off."
"Even when you let your anger take the rains you still have flawless form and a near perfect technique. You sure you won't except the instructor position. There are some good candidates, but they're not as good as you." He was right and if the compliment was coming from anyone else I would assume they were trying to hit on me, but he gave off that brotherly vibe and was a professional. Plus, I'm pretty sure he's dating a girl... or is it a boy? Whatever he's into. "You already know you would get a discount on your membership, you would be teaching teens with anger issues, and the classes wouldn't be in the morning. What's the problem?" He was right. It was the perfect deal, but most of my fighting was from my time at the Thunder Ninja Academy and I would probably end up accidentally teaching the students some secret ninja moves. That couldn't happen.
"I'm not meant to be a teacher and I would hate to accidentally beat a student to a pulp because I lost my temper." And accidentally electrocute them and reveal who knows what ninja secrets. "Besides, I already have a job at Storm Chargers." That and as a sometimes mechanic for motocross riders who could pay. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep my apartment, pay the bills, get food, and have a little on the side. I worked 9 am to 2:30 pm on weekdays, and the occasional shift on the weekend, because I was 19 and didn't have to go to high school. Also, something I dropped out of.
"I think you have more control over your temper than you realize." But not my lightning.
"Whatever, I need to get going anyway." Lie, I guess I could go to the motocross dirt track, either ride or see anyone needs bike repairs. "See you tomorrow. Maybe." I walk away heading to the woman's locker room and get the hell out of here.
Once I've freshened up and face the blast of wind as the door opens, I feel it. I move farther into the parking lot looking to the sky. The clouds have a purple tint to them as they rumple and move faster than they should. A cold and empty feeling of defeat, pure panic, and the impending sanction as if the other foot is about to drop, washes over me as if it's running through my veins. Something bad was coming and very soon. I could feel it in my bones. An evil is coming... and it may destroy us all.