The birds were singing, the cicadas were chirping; it was summertime at Mori Tanaka's cabin in the woods. This was the greatest summer that this area had ever seen.

Mori was taking care of his three grandchildren this time of the year. Their names were Samuel, Jeffrey and Michael, but he had given them ninja nicknames last summer and changed them to Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum. Rocky was the oldest and the most level headed leader of the group, Colt was the fast but quick tempered middle child, and Tum Tum was the youngest and the jokester. It was early morning and he had begun to wake them up with a ninja test. The old ninja slowly moved his hands across the counter with speed but also with care. He chopped, sliced and squeezed with precision and soon his work was complete. Creeping about the cabin, he made the necessary preparations.

Rocky was the first to get up. He stretched slowly then made his way down to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"Man," Rocky said to himself, "We must have gotten a break today if I didn't have to avoid any of grandpa's crazy tests this morning!" He was just about to get relaxed, but just then when Rocky opened up the medicine cabinet to get the toothpaste, a rubber band snapped and a cloth filled with white chunks in it struck Rocky in the face.

"Aghh!" Rocky stumbled back in dismay. He quickly recovered though as nothing seemed to be affecting him long term. Scanning the floor, he looked at the white pieces that scattered upon the bathroom tiles. Picking one object up for closer inspection, he frowned.

"Onions? Really?" Rocky muttered under his breath, "What is grandpa thinking? It's supposed to be pepper used in a pepper bomb."

"Yes," a voice abruptly said at the bathroom door. Rocky looked up to see Grandpa Mori standing there with a satisfied look on his face, "Give it about four more seconds!"

Rocky was confused for a second before the tears started. His eyes began watering with the worst salty brine he had ever experienced! He couldn't see and stumbled to get up, "Grandpa, what did you do?"

"Don't get cocky, Rocky! Onions make you cry! You should have washed your face as soon as you got hit!"

Rocky was rubbing his eyes with fervor and his nasal passages were dripping with mucous, he was having a hard time breathing on top of seeing. "Sink! Where's the sink!" Rocky yelled as he flailed his arms around the small bathroom.

"Nice try!" Grandpa yelled as he wound up for a flying roundhouse kick. His old but strong legs came swinging around with so much recoiled power that Rocky had no time to react as the strong THUD nailed Rocky on the chest.

"SHIT!" Rocky yelled as he flew back and landed in the bathtub, slowly losing consciousness.

"Watch your language, Rocky. You need to be a role model to your brothers," Grandpa said as he locked the door and walked away with a smirk.

Meanwhile, Colt had awakened and decided to get warmed up for a morning workout. He had crawled downstairs and headed to the backyard to work on kicking some clay pots on strings. Normally he had to set them up himself, but today it appears that grandpa had done the work for him. He stood and marvelled at the setup before him. Ten clay pots were hanging from the trees, ready for the taking.

"Nice! Grandpa, you're the best," Colt said as he warmed up. Running forward, he swung his leg high above his head and smacked the nearest pot, causing a loud crashing noise.

Colt reared back with a satisfied smile on his face waiting for the dirt in the pot to rain down satisfyingly, but it soon became apparent that something was wrong. There was no dirt that went flying. In fact, his foot felt a little damp and heavy.

"What the heck?" Colt looked down and noticed a thick paste had stuck to his shoe. He went to lift his leg only to find out that he couldn't. His foot was stuck to the ground due to the sticky substance maintaining a firm grip between his foot and the earth. "Super glue?" Colt said incredulously.

"Yes," A voice said behind Colt. He attempted to whip around to see whom it was but due to the snare of his foot it caused him to stumble on his free foot. Sneezing dust and dirt from the ground, Colt looked up to see the face of his Grandpa standing over him. Since Colt was not prepared for the sticky mess, all he could do was block punches and try to maintain his balance. After a few kicks, Colt was able to get back up and maintain his stance, blocking a few more punches from his assailant.

"Heh, heh, I think I got the hang of this!" Colt jeered with a smile on his face while blocking a few more fast attacks from the old ninja.

"Don't be overconfident," grandpa said, while turning from Colt and quickly swinging his foot in an arching sweep along the ground. A small stake flew out of the ground where his foot struck. Standing there, Colt was bewildered.

"After all that, you missed tripping my leg?" Colt asked.

Mori merely pointed up and Colt soon realized his downfall. There above his head was another clay pot falling rapidly from the rope which was freed by the stake that was kicked out by Grandpa not moments before.

"Oh fu-" SMASH.

"Watch your language, Colt, try not to be a pothead," Mori quipped as he walked back towards the cabin.

Some time later, Rocky and Colt both made it back to the cabin after nursing their injuries. Grunting and groaning they sat down at the kitchen table. "Man, grandpa, did you have to go so hard on us today? I really don't know if I can even train anymore," Colt said as he rubbed his head where the clay pot had hit him.

"Yeah," Rocky added, "This was definitely not rad." Rocky moved the ice pack he had on his back to a better spot. Turning to the kitchen, he noticed his grandfather pouring orange juice into a glass while his youngest brother was eating breakfast at the counter. "What the heck, he didn't get a test today?"

"Quiet, Rocky, don't complain about needing extra training. Your brother's training is not of your concern. If I hear any more complaints from you I will make you bathe me in the hot tub later tonight again."

"Yeah," Tum Tum jabbed at his oldest Brother while spooning a mouthful of some really disgusting looking eggs. Rocky quickly pursed his lips and held his tongue. Colt shared an angry look with Rocky at the table, but he didn't dare say anything himself, lest he be punished in some form.

Later that day

Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum all stood with their grandfather in the middle of the forest. Mori was sitting on a tree stump while he gave them their ninja lesson of the day.

"Boys, A ninja is one with nature. You must remember to be fast, but careful. A ninja must be strong, but elegant. When the time comes, he must be able to make the right decision the first time." Mori picked up a stick next to him and pointed at the ground. "Take for example this termite mound. The insects must work together and do things right in order to survive."

"Or I could do this!" Colt interjected and smashed the termite mound with a swift movement by stomping his foot on the ground.

"Awk!" Grandpa gasped in horror at what his grandson just did. "Colt! A ninja is part of nature, you know this, and yet you destroyed part of nature! Why would you do this, why?!"

"I mean, sorry grandpa, It's just a bunch of bugs! And obviously the termites don't fight back so what's the big deal?"

"JUST A BUNCH OF-" Grandpa was so irritated that he couldn't even finish his sentences. How could his grandson miss the point so easily?

Mori took a few deep breaths and calmed down knowing that Colt still had a lot of maturing to do.

"They're not just a bunch of bugs, but nevermind that. Hai! Look over there, you runts," Mori pointed the stick behind his right shoulder. Beyond his figure there was a small garden amidst the forest, with plants abound and sunlight perfectly casting rays through the trees and providing the garden with nourishment.

Grandpa Mori Tanaka looked upon the hard work he had put into his garden and absorbed all its glory that transpired because of it. All the garden plants had been perfectly tended to, all weeding had been done by hand and not a single plant was out of place.

"You see this garden, the plants don't have to fight to survive, they provide us with nourishment, and in return I maintain their lives," Mori explained. His eyes scanned up a row of tomato plants, observing their perfection. Each sprawling plant was climbing their cages and producing perfectly round and robust red offspring for delicious eats all around. But soon his gaze was interrupted by a pair of white converse shoes. His eyes widened like saucers. looking up, there was Rocky standing in the garden with an armful of tomatoes in his hands.

"You mean these nasty things I pick out of my salad? These make excellent baseballs for practice!" Rocky laughed, while winding up and whipping a few tomatoes at his brothers, who laughed also while running around in circles to avoid being hit by his brother's flying tomato ammunition.

"ROCKY! THOSE ARE MY PRIZE WINNING TOMATO PLANTS! WHY WOULD YOU-" Again, Mori was infuriated at the scene before him. How could Rocky have been stealing his tomatoes just to waste them by throwing them around?

Mori muttered a few japanese curse words under his breath before calming himself down. He had to remind himself that though Rocky was the eldest, he still had a lot to learn. Turning to his grandsons, he tried to maintain control again.

"Boys, stop playing games. Let me give you your final lesson. Walk with me."

Grandpa led the boys down a path past the garden. The three brothers bickered and slugged each other while they jaunced down into the forest like siblings do. Mori ignored the boys' bickering as they did, not letting them get to him. He was determined to finish the day's lesson.

Finally, they arrived in a clearing surrounded by large rock faces. It was a small cove in a mountain in the forest. In the back center, there was a small rock formation that looked like a series of rocks placed in ornate manners.

"Boys," Grandpa Mori Tanaka started, while bending down sitting cross legged on the ground, "This is a place for meditation. A ninja's mind must always be clear and free of distraction. I made this small shrine to do exactly that. Sit down and take a deep breath, and try to concentrate with me.

The boys sat down copying their grandpa's seating position. Rocky and Colt both closed their eyes trying their hardest to follow their instructors' direction, but Tum Tum couldn't let something escape his eye. Tum Tum was staring at the shrine his grandfather had built into the rock face. It almost looked like there was a small door carved out of rock. While the others were meditating he got up and started inspecting the door. Upon looking closer, there appeared to be a yin yang symbol painted on the rock over the door with the gold letters "Shintaro" overlaying it. Prying his hands around the edge, sure enough he felt a draft coming from behind the rock edge.

"Hey, GRANDPA! Is that a door?! Where does it go? And what does 'Shit-taro' mean?" Tum Tum yelled, while pointing a small finger at the silhouette of the door on the rock face.

Mori's face flushed with a red color as his blood pressure rose. He bared his teeth and jumped up from his seat on the ground, stomping over to the youngest of the boys, who was now getting the attention of his two brothers nearby. Going up to Tum Tum, Mori smacked the young boy's hand from the rock door in anger.

"You boys are driving me up a temple spire today! I have had it up to here with you all!" Grandpa yelled, "Tum TUM! This is not for you to get into! You see this door, with this symbol? It says 'SHINTARO', not 'SHIT-Taro'! This is my secret lair, which you are to NEVER enter, ever. Do you boys understand? There is NOTHING in here that you should get into, and If I ever find out, you will be in big trouble, do you hear me?"

"Yes grandpa," all three boys responded.

"Now, I have had quite enough of your foolery today, Rocky! Colt! You are to head back to the cabin, taking turns carrying Tum Tum on your shoulders!"

"What the heck Grandpa," Colt whined, "First you don't give Tum a test this morning, and now we get punished by carrying him back to the cabin?"

"Don't worry boys," Grandpa responded, "Tum Tum is starting his test now."

Both Rocky and Colt turned to their brother to see him doubled over clutching his stomach in pain.

Rocky was the first to come to his aid. "Wassthematter, Tum?"

"uuuuurrgghhhh..." Tum Tum barely emitted.

"Right about now the laxatives are hitting your brother's belly at breakneck speed!" Grandpa said, now grinning from ear to ear.

"What? you put laxatives in my eggs this morning?" Tum Tum cried while kneeling, holding one hand on his stomach to contain the colossal amount of feces he was about to expel.

"Remember, a ninja must always be aware of his surroundings, Tum Tum! Now, I suggest you two boys get him back to the cabin fast, unless you like having a brown river flowing down your back!"

Rocky and Colt shared a horrified look with each other before quickly grabbing their little brother, fighting as to who was going to carry the little fecal time bomb back to the cabin.

"OW! Colt! Dont grab me there! I have to p-", Tum Tum screeched, "-ROCKY! leave me alone!"

"Stop fighting Tum! We have to get you back NOW!" Rocky advised.

"Tum! just help us out!" Colt yelled.

Grandpa laughed as he watched the two older brothers desperately running back to the cabin with their younger brother between their shoulders in their haste. Seeing them freak out over the last task was more than enough of a retribution from the boys' earlier events.

As the three ninjas disappeared into the forest, grandpa heard a faint "SHIT!" yelled by all three boys in the distance followed by much yelling.

Turning back to the rock shrine behind him, Mori Tanaka walked over to the door and ran his hand across the 'Shintaro' name emboldened on the door to his secret lair. "It is now time my friend...to give them boys the ultimate test."

Mori looked up at the sun and began plotting the most dangerous exercise that Rocky Colt and Tum Tum would ever have to face in their lifetimes.