Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban
"Are you ready Eva?"
Eva took a deep breath, rolled her shoulders and gave a sharp nod. "Ready."
Before her, Ris slid into her ready stance; legs splayed apart, one bent back, one arm crossed over her chest, the other bent back, both hands fisted. And Eva simply shifted her feet so they were about her shoulder width apart and raised her fist.
Then Ris attacked. Eva barely had time to block the sudden move before Ris whirled, her fist swinging around. Eva ducked, grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. Ris bent at the waist sharp enough to send Eva vaulting over.
Sprawled on the ground, Eva blinked up a few times at the sky.
"Eva?" It was Dustin Brooks – Ris's dad – who spoke. "Are you all right? Can you continue?"
"Yeah," Eva managed, standing up again. "I'm seeing this to the end."
She and Ris were facing off in a circle of sand with a thick line of rope marking the border. Scattered around the border were ten people; their four team mates and six sensei from the Thunder and Wind Ninja Academy. Cam and Hunter, the Thunder and Wind headmasters respectively; Blake, the Navy Thunder sensei of the Thunder academy; and Shane, Tori and Dustin, the Air, Water and Earth sensei from the Wind Ninja academy respectively. Dustin, as the sensei who had put Eva up for consideration, was acting as the mediator for the match.
"Stances," Dustin instructed.
They readied themselves, and then attacked once again. Ris attempted a roundhouse punch, which Eva successfully blocked. Ris tried to counter the block with a quick left jab. Eva blocked that as well, tried to plough her fist into Ris's belly. Ris turned slightly so Eva's fist just grazed her side, then snapped her fingers over Eva's wrist, using it to the spin the slim girl around. With her back to her opponent, Eva kicked back, catching Ris in the shin hard enough to have the vice around her wrist released.
Taking advantage, she whirled round with a roundhouse kick.
Ris ducked so Eva's foot skimmed the air above her head and tried to sweep Eva's feet out from under her. Eva somersaulted back before she could finish the move.
"Good move," Jay called from the sidelines and earned a hard look from his dad.
"Shut up Jay," Jeanie muttered out of the corner of her mouth. "It was hard enough to get permission to sit in on the test."
"Just sit tight and don't make a sound," advised Trev. "It'll be a bit hard for you but don't get us kicked out okay? I don't think David'll be able to stand the tension." So saying, Trev peeked out of the corner of his eyes at his blond haired cousin.
David was standing with his hands in his pockets; a deceptively relaxed pose. In his pockets, his hands were fisted and every muscle in his lean body tensed. His eyes were narrowed against the gentle breeze, his mouth pulled into a slight frown.
In the circle, Eva and Ris had backed off for a while to catch their breath. Then Eva came in with a sudden flying kick to Ris's head. The earth ninja easily ducked the wild blow and Eva nearly stumbled out of the circle. Catching her balance, she turned and barely had time to block Ris's flurry of jabs. She suddenly dropped down, managed to hook her leg around Ris's and send the ninja flying to the ground.
Almost before she hit, Ris was tucking herself into a ball so she rolled harmlessly on the ground before leaping to her feet. Eva raised her arms in time to deflect Ris's counter-attack, struck out and her fist bounced off Ris's shoulder. Ris responded with a hook to her chin. Eva moved away in time, caught her retreating hand and used it to temporarily lock the ninja.
Ris easily broke loose by looping hers and Eva's joined hands over her head and smacking Eva in the stomach hard enough to make her let go.
Eva took a step back, rubbing her injured belly. Ris slid into her ready stance to prepare herself from the next attack.
She didn't have to wait long. Eva came forward with a huge leap and a subsequent front kick. Ducking under the attack, Ris came up beside Eva, shifted for a side kick. Eva turned, grabbed her leg seconds before it made contact, twisting it.
With an ease Eva couldn't help but admire, her opponent followed the twist with a quick – she didn't know what to call it – roll in the air, spinning her leg out of Eva's grasp. Ris landed, shifted and struck out with a roundhouse kick.
Eva stepped back and then forwards, onto her hands, as she tried to catch Ris off guard by slamming her feet into Ris's shoulder. Ris angled her body so Eva just performed a somersault and turned so they faced each other.
Eva jabbed, leading with her left. Ris blocked the fast blows, retaliated with a right jab of her own. Though Eva dodged it, it still hit her ear, stinging.
"Eva's slowing down," Jeanie murmured.
"She's tired," David said in a testy voice. "She's not used to this, like we are."
"She's doing pretty good," Jay ventured. David didn't reply, eyes on the action.
Ris now had Eva in a lock and was currently trying to throw her to the ground. Somehow, with a lot of flailing of her arms, Eva managed to break Ris's hold and turned in a flurry, taking a step back as she did. Ris, sensing weakness, didn't wait for Eva to recover.
She came in strong, with jabs and hooks, ducking and weaving so her image swam in front of Eva's eyes until she felt sick. But still she managed to block most of the blows as she retreated step after step, though one glanced off her brow and made her head ring. Moments before she stepped out of the ring, Dustin's voice ran out; "Time!"
"Dustin," Shane murmured for his friend's ears only. "What've we talked about appropriate timing for stopping matches?"
"Time is time Shane," Tori's sharp ears had easily caught Shane's question. "Leave him alone."
Shane looked at Tori with raised eyebrows but she looked back at him with a bland expression.
"Very good Marissa," Dustin said, stepping into the ring. Ris just grinned at what she called her dad's teacher voice. "Don't worry Eva," he added in a kind voice to the beleaguered girl. "Most matches turn out like that. It's because the ninja students are for more advanced, even for kids taking martial arts."
"Yeah," Eva said, rubbing her ear which, damnit, still stung.
"Now for the second part," Dustin continued in a cheerful voice, not seeming to notice Eva's less than happy disposition. "Meditation. Cam'll talk you through that bit." He waved his friend over.
Cam stepped into the ring as Ris left it to join her cousins on the sidelines. "Okay Eva. David tells me you've done some meditating before?"
Eva nodded. "With Dayton."
"I'm not sure exactly what Dayton taught you but meditating for ninjas is slightly different to normal meditation, so I'll talk you through it. But first, we need to hook you up to this." He held up a device that looked like a slightly bulky PDA.
"Is that the thing that's going to measure whether I've got ninja energy or not?"
Cam looked slightly surprised, then understanding dawned when he glanced at his sons and honorary nieces and nephews. "I see you've done your research. Yes. This will measure your ninja energy. Here," he handed her a soft gel pad that had a wire connecting it to his invention. "Put this at the base of your throat, right here." He tapped the spot he wanted on his own body to demonstrate. "The thing is," he continued as she did so. "Everyone's got some ninja energy in them. That's why there are some really good non-ninja martial artists out there. Jackie Chan for instance," Cam added with a slight grin. "Here, sit down." He led Eva to the centre, settle her on the ground. "My instrument just measures the output of your ninja energy and compares it to the output of normal ninjas and if it is equal or above the normal level, it's a done deal.
"Now," he sat down in front of her, placed the PDA like invention on his lap. "Firstly, close your eyes; clear your mind of everything. Nod when you're done." Eva nodded. "Okay." She was surprisingly fast at that. "Now just stretch your senses out. Try touch everything around you with all your senses." She frowned and Cam could sense her concentration wavering. "Open your eyes now Eva. They are part of your senses. I know this bit is difficult. Just look inside yourself. You can do it."
She opened her eyes but they were blank – just as they were supposed to be. Slowly, light began to pulsate from her. Encouraged, Cam looked down at his measure and was stunned to find no indications of energy. But light was still creeping out, pulsing, it seemed, with every bit of her heart.
Light blue and glowing, it curled around him, over the rope, heading straight for Eva's team mates. They closed their eyes as it seemed to wash over them. Eva took a sudden deep gasp as her eyes came back to life. Everyone waited, tension stretching thin as a rubber band while Cam studied the read out. Finally, slowly, he held it up for Dustin, who had been looking over his shoulder for much of the mediation test, to see. Dustin straightened and, just as slowly as Cam had held up his device, shook his head.
Eva's shoulders slumped. Silence reigned.
Then she stood up.
"Thanks. For giving me the chance." She said without looking at them.
David took a step forward as she stepped out of the ring. "Eva."
She looked at him, grinned. "Thanks David." And she walked away.
"Damnit," David cursed under his breath, started to follow her but Jeanie grabbed his arm, shook her head.
"Leave her alone," Jeanie said in a quiet voice. "I think I know where she's going."
"Where?" David said, his arm nearly vibrating with tension in Jeanie's hand.
"Where else?" Trev asked. "Dayton."
Dayton entered the main cavern of the command base at the same time Eva rocketed through the entrance. "Eva." He took one look at her pale face and was deathly afraid of the talk to come. "What is the matter?"
"I failed Dayton." She crumpled, Dayton barely managing to catch her before her butt hit the ground. "Damnit, I failed."
Gently, Dayton pulled her to her feet, led her over to where David had piled the cushions into a heap earlier that week. He sat her down, took her hands into his, crouching so he was eye level at her. "Eva, you did not fail."
"Yeah. I did." She replied. "Dayton. I didn't get into the ninja academy. I wasn't good enough. I'm the weakest member of the team and this just proves it. Damnit!" She pulled her hands away from his to thrust fingers into her hair. "Damnit Dayton. I didn't get in."
"Eva." He sat beside her. "Eva. The others. They have grown up with this. They come from ninjas. It is expected they are ninjas, expected they are good fighters. They come from Power Rangers. It is expected they have power."
"And what? I don't, so I'm not?" Eva challenged.
"You are just as good as them."
"Good try Dayton," Eva said with a bitter smile. "But I can see right through it. Don't worry. I'm not going to give up or anything. I came here to train some more."
"Train?" Dayton blinked.
Eva grinned, and this time the smile was real. "Bet you thought I came here to cry on your shoulder."
"Well." Dayton looked embarrassed. "In my experience, that is what most females tend to do when dealt a hard blow."
"Well this female ain't most females," Eva said, standing up and stretching, loosening the muscles. "Come on Dayton. Train me. Make me better."
"Eva." Dayton rose to his feet. "Perhaps you are not quite in the right mindset for training at this moment."
"Come on Dayton." Eva rolled her eyes. "The only way to make me a better fighter is for me to train better. And the only way for me to come up equal with the others is to make me a better fighter. And the only way to beat Pleance is for me to come up equal with the others. It's a never ending cycle. Come on Dayton," she repeated. "You know I need to do this."
He studied her for a long moment; the slim brunette who had been the first ranger he had empowered. And knew that she really needed to do it. "All right," he said finally. "To the training room then."
