CHAPTER 2
The explosion made them understand clearly that the mission will be difficult. They had entered enemy territory fiercely guarded. But they were trained ninjas and samurai, they could walk without being seen or heard. The Thunder Academy they were entering into was famous for the trained warriors. A special branch of the Thunder Academy was something like the Secret Service, mercenaries and assassins. They were looking for one of them.
"Be careful" Shane whispered. "They can be everywhere".
"We should split" suggested Cam. In that moment they entered in a clearing, and they saw her.
There was a girl swimming in a small pond with a waterfall, she was naked and enjoying the water.
The boys were astonished. The vision was so incredible. The girl was so beautiful, with long black hair and her skin was so white that under the sunlight she looked like a heavenly creature.
"Can you focus here?" whispered Tori angrily.
But they couldn't.
She knew the surroundings, the noises, the birds... she could smell something, her senses were so sharp... She was faster than a normal person so she knew she was being observed.
When the boys looked at Tori to apologize and then looked back to the waterfall, the girl was no longer there.
They moved forward, walking slowly, when it was too late, all of them had stepped in the trap and the next second six trained ninjas and a samurai were hanging from a tree.
"Give me just one reason for not to kill you right here, intruders!" the girl shouted, fully dressed as a Thunder Ninja and pointing them with what Cam recognized as a Samurai Saber.
"Please stop! We are also ninjas" said Blake imploringly.
"Yes, we are Thunder Ninjas like you, and my friends are Wind Ninjas" said Hunter.
"We came here because our sensei sent us to talk to yours" Cam said. "Our sensei is my father".
"But you entered like intruders" she said teasing. "Why you didn't use the front door?"
A tall man appeared behind the girl. "Raine, let them go, they are friends" he said calmly.
"But they didn't act like friends" she said.
"They were sent by an old friend" he said. "Let them go".
She released the trap and all of them fell down to the ground.
"Come with us" she ordered, smiling at the painful expressions of the guys in front of her.
They entered a room in the old building and found the tall man already sat in front of them.
"Sensei, our visitors" she said playfully and turned around to leave.
"Thanks, Raine, but please stay" he said.
All of them sat except Raine that was standing behind the man.
"Sensei, my father sent us because we need your help" started Cam. "Our academy is being attacked and the only solution was coming here to talk to The Raven".
Sensei was looking at them and listening attentively to Cam's words.
"We need to talk to him" he continued. "My father, Sensei Watanabe, told me that he was our last chance".
"He... won't talk to you, stranger" Raine said interrupting him.
"Let him finish, Raine" said Sensei.
"It's very important. It won't take long. Just a word with him" begged Cam.
"You can't talk to him, stranger" repeated Raine.
"Please, my father told us that you could help us, Sensei. Please allow me to talk to him" Cam insisted.
"He won't talk to you" Raine said.
"Why not!!!!" shouted Cam, he was really pissed off. "It's a favour. Our academy teaches children, we have students in danger!!"
"Simply because The Raven is not a HE, is a SHE" she said calmly.
All the rangers looked at her incredulously. So did Cam.
"Can I speak to HER, then?" he asked finally.
"You're already talking to HER. I'm THE RAVEN, stranger" she said, fascinated with the teasing.
"Raine, it's important that you can go with them. Sensei Watanabe informed me that they are facing a dangerous enemy" her Sensei said.
"I'm ready to go, Sensei" she said turning around to him. "Please, Sensei, read my fate"
Sensei put his hands over her head and his face changed dramatically.
"What do you see, Sensei?" she asked.
"You're not coming back, my child" he said.
"Do you see death?" she asked but her voice was calmed.
"Yes, surrounding you... everywhere" he said.
"Well, that's what I was trained for. To die fighting" she said. "Wait for me. I'll go for my belongings" said looking to the Rangers.
All of them heard the sensei, and looked each other puzzled. She was so mysterious, but there was something in her eyes that ensured them to trust her.
When she came back, she was carrying just a backpack.
"It that all?" asked Hunter shyly.
"Yes, only my weapons" she answered. She stood in front of her sensei and knelled in front of him.
"All my blessings in this new mission and I hope you find peace with your new friends" he said.
When all of them left the old Academy, they saw a group of students at the main door... Raine just looked at them and cracked a smile. There was a girl, red curly hair who approached to her and silently held her tight. Raine held her back, kissed her sweetly and finally let her go. She was not close to people, she looked rather distant, sometimes unfriendly.
When they were far enough from the Academy, Cam turned on the transmitter. "Cybercam, teleportation, please!" and suddenly they appeared in the Academy's main room. Sensei Watanabe was waiting for them.
"Welcome back, Rangers!" he greeted the crew cheerfully. "Raine, thanks for coming"
"My pleasure, Sensei" she said and knelled in front of him.
"Get up, Raine" said Sensei. "Please take your things to your new room. My son will show you where".
She followed Cam in silence. He entered one of the rooms.
"This will be your room. I hope you feel comfortable" he said.
"This is beautiful. Thanks" she answered looking at the beautiful bed and furniture.
"If you want to change your clothes, we will be waiting at the main room for dinner" he said.
"I don't have other clothes" she said, looking at him in the eyes for the first time.
"We can fix that. Wait here" he said. His look seemed too warm to her.
She waited there and started looking out the window. She could see the grounds and the students sparring. There were lots of memories missing in her head... her childhood... had she ever had friends? ... she was lost in her thoughts when the door opened again. She didn't hear Cam entering the room. She only felt his presence when he stood behind her. "Do you like this place?" he asked her almost in a whisper.
"It's beautiful!" she said still looking through the window.
"I brought you this" he said showing the clothes to her. "Some t-shirts are mine, others are Hunter's and the jeans are Tori's. I also brought a pair of black jeans that I had. You could try them".
"Thank you, stranger" she said smiling.
"My name is Cameron" he said looking at her.
"I know, Cameron. It's a beautiful name" she said and turned around towards the bathroom.
He loved his name, even more if Hunter called it. But he could never tell Hunter about that. Hunter must be straight. But now, her voice was so sweet when calling his name that he had to shook his head to get rid of those thoughts. But the thoughts didn't want to go... he was still standing close to the window when the bathroom door opened and Raine entered the room again. She was wearing his black jeans and a black and green t-shirt. The jeans looked much better in her he thought.
"Thanks for the clothes" she said.
"You look ..." he couldn't finish the sentence. Some part in his brain was shouting him to pick up the words carefully "...fine".
"Thanks" he answered looking at the mirror. "But you're still in uniform. Are you going to change for the dinner?"
"Yes, I have to..." he said. His eyes fixed on her.
"OK, see you then" she said.
When she entered the main room, she found the rangers sparring and talking.
"Hi, Raine, so you found clothes to change" said Dustin.
"You look pretty. Who's jeans are those?" asked Tori.
"Cam's. Thank you very much for all your clothes" said Raine sincerely.
