Chapter four: The Ninja-ko's Name and Nemesis
Hi everyone! The reason why I was delayed in updating again was because of a bad snow and ice storm. I wasn't able to check my mail or anything for four stinking days:( Anyway, thanks for the compliment, Kaeley Mel. It's only going to get more awesome as it progresses! However, because I'm trying to slowly ease off of the focus being on the monks, and focusing on my characters and their relationships with Chase Young, this will take a while. Also, I have finals this week, so you can probably expect the next chapter(s) sometime in January, quite possibly with a late Christmas/holiday chapter. Please be patient, I do appreciate it!
For your convenience, there are translations below for those of you unfamiliar with any sort of Japanese. These are name translations and also translations for terms of address.
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Xiaolin Showdown or anything affiliated. I DO own any characters I label as : (MINE!!).
Please read, review, and above all, ENJOY!! Oh, yeah, and if you want to take the time, please tell me what you liked/disliked.
Your ever gracious hostess/author,
Violet Phoenix Rising
Note: A kunoichi is a ninja healer, if you hadn't already learned that from Naruto.
Translations of names and phrases:
Ameko -- Roughly "rain child" or "rain girl" in Japanese. "Ame" meaning "rain" and "-ko" being a female suffix.
Bakuto -- Roughly "respectable person" in Japanese. "Baku" means "respect", and "-to" means "person"
Kaoru -- You know Kaoru from Kenshin? I used her name for Ameko and Bakuto's cousin. I don't know what it means, sad to say.
Orochijin -- Sounds kinda like Orochimaru from Naruto, huh? That's the point. "Orochi" means "large snake" and "-jin" means "man". The whole name literally means: "large snake man".
Ane-chan -- A bit more familiar term of address for one's elder sister, but still mildly respectful.
Ane-san -- More respectful than "ane-chan", but less respectful than "ane-ue".
Ane-ue -- An old fashioned term of address for one's elder sister. The "-ue" part makes the address the most respectful.
Chi-chi-ue -- A respectful, albeit old-fashioned, address for one's father. If you read the Japanese Inuyasha comics, you see Sesshomaru calling his father this.
Ha-ha-ue -- Yet another respectful, but old-fashioned, address for one's parent; this one is for one's mother. I think Sango from Inuyasha calls her mother this in the Japanese comics.
Dawn broke before the monks were ready for it. They'd had too much fun from the day before. Raimundo had found a basketball court and a soccer field; he'd also made some Puerto Rican and Japanese friends. Kimiko talked to some kunoichis and female genin students near a health clinic. Clay discussed agriculture with the farmers, and earth techniques with ninjas specialising in his element. Of course, the monks' ninja-ko sensei (the same ninja-ko from chapters 1 through 3) found Omi chatting the ears off of the most patient chunin and jonin. By the time curfew had been put into effect, the monks were still excited and couldn't sleep at all.
"ALRIGHT!! UP AND AT 'EM!!!" their sensei shouted right above them as they slept. "GET UP RIGHT NOW!! You don't want to be late, especially since I'm responsible for you right now and it's your first class day!"
Raimundo yawned, "How can it be time for class?"
"It's five a.m.," Kimiko groaned, rubbing her eyes.
Omi bolted up from his sleeping mat. "You are all wissies! If you had just stopped talking a little earlier, you wouldn't be so tired!"
Clay snorted loudly and rolled over. In response, the ninja-ko made this sign with her right hand: (again, do it to get the visual) her two small fingers curled, her other two fingers and her thumb straight. Keeping her hand in the sign, she briefly touched the side of her index finger to her lips and then aimed at the snoring Clay.
"Water style," the ninja-ko muttered. "Freezing rain jutsu."
A torrent of ice-cold water spouted from the ninja-ko's finger tips and soaked a now awake and shivering Clay.
"Okay, everyone awake now? Good. Here's your uniforms."
The ninja-ko threw a forest green Sakura (Naruto) outfit with white fire symbols instead of circles and black spandex longshorts at Kimiko. The boys got forest green Sasuke (Naruto again) outfits with white fire symbols replacing the bobber on the back, and black Sasuke shorts. All of them received black headbands like the ninja-ko's.
"Just curious, sensei, when do we get armor like you?" Omi asked, a little discouraged by the ninja-ko's skill with his own element.
"You work for the armor," she responded. "You either get a job and buy it, or you get it when you make the honor roll. Hurry up and put your uniforms on. Meet your classmates in the recreation area for Tai-Chi and Yoga in ten minutes. After that, you will have a moderate breakfast, a lap around the village, and your first class. Don't... be... tardy. Period."
The ninja-ko went out the sliding doors and closed them. After a few seconds, her silhouette disappeared.
"You know what I just realized?" Raimundo said as Kimiko went into another room. "We still don't know sensei's name."
"She'll introduce herself at the beginning of class, I'm sure," Clay said. "Besides, it's not like we asked her who she was."
Omi made a thoughtful expression. "I wonder if she's related to the boy from yesterday."
Meanwhile:
A seven year-old boy in a burgundy Sasuke outfit (yes, this is the boy from chapter 1) was sitting on a high branch in a tree outside the main village, but within the barrier.
Ameko-ane-chan... the boy thought as he recalled how he'd been saved by the ninja-ko the day before. No doubt you called me out of morning activities to tell me how stupid I was. Please don't be angry with me!
The boy felt his sister's presence by him on the branch.
"Bakuto," (Alright, before there's any misconceptions, the ninja-ko's name is Ameko and the little boy from Chap 1 is named Bakuto) Ameko said gently. "You know why I've called you here."
Bakuto nodded in shame. "Ane-san, I'm so sorry."
"Sorry isn't good enough right now." Ameko's tone became stern. "You knew that that foreignor could easily have killed you! What if he had?! There would be no rest for Chi-chi-ue and Ha-ha-ue's souls if that happened."
Bakuto's eyes burned with tears. "I know, Ane-san..." He broke from Ameko's stare with shame.
"If you had known, you would've stayed in the tree like you were told. You were supposed to just keep watch!" Ameko voice rose slightly with her growing angrier. "Do you remember what I said for you to do if you thought someone was a threat?"
"Get back through the gate and tell you." Bakuto's voice cracked.
Ameko nodded. "Exactly. The reason why I was able to convince Metsuke and Rainochi-sensei to let you keep guard while I was on a mission was because I told them you could handle it. Now I'm a liar."
(I know that what Ameko is saying is very harsh, but see, he's her only brother and one of the four remaining members of their family. She loves him very much.)
Bakuto tried to blink back the tears, but they dropped down onto his cheeks anyway. "Ane-san, I don't know what to say! I know that I messed up! I know that I shouldn't have tried to fight, since I'm still just an Academy student! I'm just really, really sorry!"
As her little brother started to cry, Ameko's anger subsided, and she tenderly embraced him. The harsh feelings that had come from worry and distress were gone, and all that remained was the sisterly love she had for Bakuto.
"It's my fault that this happened. It wasn't fair of me to expect so much of you so quickly," Ameko said gently. "You won't be punished for my own mistake. I'm sorry for what I said. Please don't cry anymore."
Bakuto blew his nose on the kleenex Ameko gave him. "You know this kind of forgiveness interferes with your duties as a teacher, right?"
Ameko shared in his laughter and said teasingly, "Yeah, well, you just worry about your studies and I'll worry about my teaching, alright?"
"You shouldn't let him off so easily, Ronotaro," hissed a lean, lanky, and tall man with shaggy, tawny hair and small, black eyes. His voice sounds like Orochimaru's, ok? "Wouldn't want you to break your equal-treatment promise." (Ronotaro is Ameko and Bakuto's last name. Just using someone's last name is a mock-respectful way to address someone.)
Ameko glared at the man in the nearby tree. "This isn't exactly any of your business, Orochijin-san. This is between me and my brother."
Orochijin chuckled in his throat. "You, your friends, and Lady Kaoru may feel that way, but the Hikage, the Counsel of Dragons, and I do not. This is a teacher-student issue, and that makes it everyone's business. And your little brother must be disciplined for his foolishness."
"No. The foolishness was mine, as his sister, not his teacher," Ameko insisted. "I accept all responsibility for what happened. That said, there is no reason for Bakuto to be punished."
Orochijin's eyes unfocused, as if mulling something over. "Very well, Ronotaro. Since you claim the fault as your own, Bakuto will not be punished. However, as punishment for your mistake, you will be removed from your post as Gate-watcher until further notice. Bakani Ahibo will take your place."
"What?!" Ameko shouted, angered further. "Bakani's the least competant jonin! Have Metsuke take over --"
"I am the captain of the Gate Guard, and I say Bakani Ahibo will take your post!" Orochijin seethed. "Hurry up and get to class, both of you. The students are returning from their jog."
Orochijin's image seemed to shudder, like a bad picture on the tv screen. Ameko blinked and he was gone.
Creepy little egomaniac! Ameko thought bitterly. "Bakuto, does he ever talk to you when no one else is around?"
Bakuto shook his head. "No. I'm never alone."
"Good. Never go anywhere alone. And if he tries to tell you anything strange, don't listen to him and come tell me or Kaoru right away, ok?"
Bakuto nodded.
"Good boy. Come on, let's get to class."
Ameko carried her brother piggyback as she leaped from limb to limb.
"I can't wait until I can do this with you and not have to be carried," Bakuto said.
Ameko chuckled. "You'll learn. Eventually."
Back at the Gate...
Chase Young stood before the torii gate, staring and pondering how to access the village.
There's a shield here that prevents entry by tricking invaders into thinking that there's nothing on the other side. If I were to go through, I wouldn't be able to see or touch anything. At least Wuya was able to give me that much useful information. Chase Young shuddered as he thought of the perverted ghost.
His thoughts wandered back to the ninja-ko from Chapter 1 (whom we know to be named Ameko, but he doesn't). Ameko's eyes, determined and sparkling, had haunted him all night and all day. The teenage jonin is in there. I wonder what her other powers are. If only I could get in...
Chase felt the energy from the shield grow weaker at the gate.
What is this? he thought with a smirk. Is someone letting me in?
Proceeding with caution, Chase passed through the gate and quickly jumped into a nearby tree to conceal himself in the shadows. After he was sure no one had seen him, he observed the beauty of the ninja-ko's village.
Amazing. Now to find the school, and that ninja.
WHEW!! Finally finished with this chapter! Sorry for the extremely long wait! (bows multiple times from the waist) You're going to have to wait until January to get the next chapter because I'm being let out of school on Wednesday the 20th, and I won't have access to the internet all that time.
Please review and let me know what you liked/disliked so that I can write better. Thanks for your patience!
Violet Phoenix Rising
