hey guys! By popular request: potato

Chapter 10

Elsie's POV

"Your goal is to complete this course before I finish my tea." Sensei said. I stood there, confused. He placed a napkin on his lap and a cup on top. He poured his tea, put two sugar cubes in it, and drank it.

"Today you have failed. Tomorrow, you will try again." He said as he headed over to the door.

"Wait, what?!" I shrieked. "No, no, no! There must be a mistake! That can't be the test! Let alone-" he cut me off by shutting the door. Does he always do that when people ramble? I sigh, and turn to the obstacle course. I've GOT to get used to this course to fight accordingly! I started up on it. I got banged here and thrown there! I was determined, though. I wouldn't give up that easily! By the time the ninja got back from saving the day, I only had to work on a few parts. It just so happened that I'd gotten to the hardest part when they came back. I turned my head and got thwacked off of the course and into you-know-you's arms. He caught me by my arms and repeated that famous line.

"We've gotta stop bumping into each other like this!" He smirked. I felt that fluttery sensation for a moment, but I wouldn't let it take me over again. I hopped to my feet and dusted myself off.

"Yeah, yeah. I'd like to see how you started out!" I retorted. He laughs.

"I was just a kid!" He says.

"Wow! You must've been doing this for years and years!" I said.

"Actually, he's not been doing this for that long!" Kai interrupted. He nudged Zane beside him and they both snicker.

"What?" I say confused. "What's so funny?" Lloyd is now holding in a laugh. I frown.

"Well, after the whole tomorrow's tea incident, I became-"

"Did you just say you got hit by tomorrow's tea?!" I shout. His smile wears off.

"Yeah, why?"

"Um, can I guess where?" I ask. He shrugs.

"Okay," he responds.

"Was it at Doomsday Comix?" I say in a low tone. He nods.

"Why is that so important?" He inquires. I sigh.

"Because..."

"Because...?"

"Because that's the day that I jumped in age. Because I watched you guys defeat the grundle. Because I saw you guys as kids. Because I was left inside and hid in an aisle. Because that day brought me years closer to the prophecy!" I say. I stare at the floor, avoiding their responses in emotions.

"No. Way," Cole said. I continued to follow the floor patterns. I nod.

"I am SO sorry!" I hear Lloyd exclaim. "If I'd known that I would be putting someone else's childhood at risk, I wouldn't've done it!" I gather up courage to look at them all. Lloyd is in front of me and the others are in shock behind him.

Changing the subject, I smile cheerfully and say, "Well! Since that's out in the open, I'm going to keep training!" I turn, and, for once, Lloyd doesn't grab my wrist. I'm relieved. He does try to stop me. As I'm running on an obstacle, dodging things left and right, I hear Jay shout.

"Woah, woah! You can't just drop a bomb like that and pretend like it was never said! Ow!" I assume that 'ow' was enhanced from Nya.

"Well, it's in the past now, and I'm not going to let a little thing like this change anything!" I say with a fake smile.

"LITTLE?!" I hear everyone shout. This knocks me off the obstacle and I trip, only to fall flat on my back. I scramble to get to my feet as they fire questions away that are coming from no-one in particular,

"Why didn't you tell us?!"

"Which aisle were you in?!"

"How did you sneak out?!"

"When did you see us as kids?!"

"Did we ruin your childhood?!"

"Who did you think was the cutest as a kid?" The last one, without mistake, came from Jay. Nya walked up to him and everyone else just stared at him.

"You. Ruin. Everything!" She yells.

"What? It was just a question! I have the freedom of speech, don't I?"

"NO!" Everyone yells.

"Hey! Who asked you?" He crosses his arms and glares. I laugh.

"So? Elsie...?" Cole says. I sigh and look at the wooden panels that make up the floor again. Then I shake the awkwardness out of my entire body. I look up and fake smile.

"Like I said, it's no biggie now! That's behind me now. I'm completely chill with my life! Well, besides the whole destiny thing and awkwardness of earlier when I nearly killed you guys." My face falls, but I vigorously shake on another plastered smile.

"But I'm not one to dwell on my past, so you guys shouldn't worry about a thing!" I turn to hop onto the course when Cole and Jay move in front of me. I take a step back and bump into Zane.

"Heh, heh. Come on, guys! You're not going to corner me like you did Lloyd," I gulp and me smile wears off, "are you?"