Tears cascaded down a soft brown cheek before free falling to an open album and widening the puddle that formed on the precious photo. A girl of Indian descent looked lovingly upon the second person in the photo out of her one remaining eye. The left eye lost long ago by tragic circumstances. She wore a lavender colored eye patch shaped in a heart to cover the gaping hole. Her sable black braid resting on her shoulder. The hair still frazzled despite countless attempts to smooth it down the past couple of hectic days.

A box sat on the bed next to her, a dark earthy brown polished to a fine shine. Mountains were masterfully painted on all four sides, with a golden rock head shimmering on the cover. The tear drops on its gilded surface sparkled in the sunlight peeking from the window. The warm rays were not close enough to reach the silent girl. Silverly black eyes opened once more to gaze at the photo clutched too tightly in her hands.

The faded image showed the girl at a much younger age with a similar-appearing boy by her side. Their chubby cheeks smothered by mango cream as much as their pudgy hands. The summer light that lit the background was outshined by the winning smiles displayed on both of their sweet faces. Two pairs of eyes glistening with cheer, mischievousness, and the happiness only found by two alone. A single moment caught from the raging and relentless river of time, now kept sacred forever. A moment she could never return to.

The desolate teenager gently placed the photograph before turning to the box. She lifted the lid to reveal a miniscule figure clothed in pure black inside. Daintily she picked up the minute person and cradled it in her right hand. It was a young man outfitted like a shinobi warrior, his mask only revealing bright yellow skin and eyes that seemed to reflect inner strength. She could not help but notice the bushy eyebrows, which reminded her painfully of the person who gave her the box. Someone who was here...

The argument has not ended for months now. She found herself in the middle, as if trapped by tigers fighting over new turf. Only neither challenger won or lost. Although Abhimanyu was well aware of their worsening circumstances, he remained as immovable as the Buddha. Refusing his uncle's internship for reasons only known to Abhi and herself. Sadly, their parents were just as adamant for unfortunately reasonable motives.

The family became more frequently late with school and work, tirades became part of the daily routine. There were entire nights when Bina would eat alone at the dining table, with only plain rice and packet soy sauce as her dinner companions. The house was either as abandoned as a ghost town or as fiery as a den occupied by surly dragons. The rooms were left as exhibits to battle royales that sometimes went on loud and screaming to midnight. The walls dirtied by coffee missiles while the floor cluttered with battered items.

Her parents begged and bribed her to bring her brother to his senses. Her twin pleaded with her to help him evade their mother and father's scrutiny. Yet no one listened to what she had to say. Finally, her parents' patience must had dried up for the next night chicken makhani and samosas* returned to the table-with their uncle as the guest of honor. That would be the last night she would ever see her beloved sibling.

The next morning Bina woke up, knowing that the inevitable has come and the least she could do was comfort her brother. When she arose from bed, she was suddenly confronted with the box placed on her nightstand. Attached to it was a sticky note written in Abhimanyu's rough but legible style. She at first did not dare touch it. For deep inside she already knew what the message held. She took the note, solemnly made her way downstairs, and entered the dining room where the rest of the family sat for bensan chilla and rava dosa*.

She passed the note to her father who read Abhi's last words.

My Dear Sister, I was planning on gifting you this box for your birthday this Friday. However, you know well that I can no longer stay here. Which is why I am leaving it with you now, so you have something to remember me by. I cannot say how ashamed I am to leave you. My only consolation is that you will not be as trapped as I was.

Until we meet again, your Abhi

Bina sighed as she traced the ninja's face with her forefinger. Her father and mother were ailing with devastation, having just left for loans from the bank. In order to employ more resources besides the police in retrieving their wandering boy. Her uncle had withdrawn from the situation completely which his niece anticipated. Considering his reaction to the last few sentences written by his nephew.

She sat there, lost in thought. Staring blankly at Abhi's present and only moving to shift herself away from the sun's approaching light. After a while she glanced at her watch which indicated that almost an entire hour has passed. Sighing heavily, she lifted herself from bed, newly motivated not to waste the day in laziness. Grabbing her sunhat, she exited the room and descended to the bottom floor of her house. Although it had two floors, the space was a bit too cramped for the family's liking. Not like their old house where there was at least room to avoid running into the walls.

She swung open the door to the backyard which contrasted sharply to the stark white house she lived in. The entire yard alive with overflowing plots of vibrant flowers and plump vegetables with a healthy sheen. Bina set down her ninja for a moment as she put on her gardening gloves and sandals. She then made her way over to the zucchini patch where a couple of weeds were beginning to take root. Just about she was about to settle onto the ground a soft but audible whisper reached her ears.

Gaea.

Alerted she stood right back up to scan her surroundings. Only the hustle of traffic and some quarreling pigeons greeted her senses. She knelt down again to begin her task when the voice struck again. Gaea. Shoulders tensed as her eyes darted to catch sight of the intruder. Once again nothing came forward to confirm her suspicions. So, she sunk down to the soft earth to start disposing of weeds.

For five minutes she experienced pure serenity, yanking the stubborn foliage from the rich soil they plundered. She had just cleared two plots and was moving onto the okra when it echoed again. Gaea. The young gardener nearly fell over in fright, the voice spoke louder than last time. She stood up and carefully removed herself from her garden. She dashed to the rickety garden shed where she practically flung the door open. Snatching a shovel, she ventured back to her stomping grounds with a weapon ready in hand.

"Alright you punk! Show yourself! I can whoop your hide before calling the cops to carry your aching body back home!" She took a fighting stance with her weapon raised steadily. Nothing responded to her threat. Bina gritted her teeth as she pondered whether calling the police first would be wiser. The trespasser could be a murderous fugitive or a stray kitty hunting for a meal for all she knew. As her eyes combed the area, they eventually rested upon the little ninja she had brought with her.

Suddenly a silly but comforting idea popped into her mind like a fresh popcorn kernel. "Hey there little guy, I can use you for protection." She giggled as she picked the miniature shinobi. "You can guard me from whatever creep is trying to scare me with some nonsensical word he made up." She said as she planted the supposed toy knee deep into the earth. All of sudden a piercing orange light emanated from the ninja and the ground began to rumble.

Bina let out an eep as she fell on her backside as the ground quaked from the mysterious power of the shinobi. The shaking intensified as the ninja sunk deeper into the earth, Bina let out a screech of horror. She lunged to grab her treasured birthday gift only to grasp glowing mud in her hands. "Mud?! I have not even start watering my plants yet!" Bina quivered in fear as the ground trembled ever more violently as the light increased in brightness.

Bina was not alone, for the entire city became a victim to the earthquake. People screamed and gripped stop signs or telephone poles for dear life as large cracks threatened to split the streets apart. Buildings almost bounced from their foundations as they struggled to hold onto the shuddering earth. The ceilings were collapsing, the walls were crumbling, cars were being rammed into each other. Sewer water flooded the streets as the entire sewage system was convoluted. People ducked for cover as billboards and telephone poles timbered.

The deafening sound of rocks cracking wracked Bina's ears as a new figure began to emerge from the ground. The light decreasing its brightness as it amped up its sunrise orange color. The girl kept her eyes closed tight until the rumbling, lights, and noise ceased at long last. Her eyes nervously fluttered open to reveal one of the greatest shocks in her entire life. Standing before her was her toy from Abhi, not impressive for its short height. Yet for the unmistakable fact that it-he, was actually alive and surging with a mystical energy not of the human world.

Gold dust, crystal shards, clay, and crumbles of rock were liberally plastered all over his suit. His body positively swelled with muscles despite his box-like form. His glowing orange eyes dimmed until they darkened to a blackish-brown. As if staring into the depths of the earth itself. She watched in astonished as he placed his cuff-like hands on the ground which emitted the orange glow again. The unknown power he held spread throughout all the city mending the damage it had caused.

The cracks in the city's concrete floor were swiftly knitted back together. Buildings were shifted back into their foundations. Anything connected to the ground that collapsed was up righted again in an even sturdier position than before. The overflow of sewage water was soaked up by the earth like a massive sponge until the surface itself was perfectly dry. When all the destruction has been undone, the light subsided and the exhausted warrior fell in Bina's arms.

The teenager wasted no time in being addled by the fantastic. She held him up and rushed inside before anyone in the city gathered their wits to investigate. She locked the back door and quickly checked all the other openings to ensure they were fastened against intruders. She dashed up to Abhi's room and tucked the unconscious shinobi in her brother's bed. She then scrambled to close all the windows to protect the house from prying eyes.

She nearly ransacked her mother's closet before composing herself. Getting overexcited would not do any good, or alleviate her parents' suspicions. As she fished out the first aid kit questions bubbled in her mind about her bewildering predicament. Oh my gosh, I wonder if anyone will track the earthquake back here? Did anyone get hurt? Would he be arrested if someone was?

How long will I be able to hide him from mom and dad? Will mom and dad be compassionate towards him, or would they call the FBI? Does he like curry? Is he even fully human?! The girl entered the room to find her patient sound asleep like a rock. "He kind of reminds me of a sleeping bear cub." She tittered to herself as she began to roll up his sleeves.

Her heart almost froze when she saw them, only to chastise herself for not expecting it sooner. Battle scars were embedded deep all over the patient's arms. The bright yellow skin darkens by the ugly jagged lines that ran crisscross all over the flesh. None of them were new or in need of medical attention. So, she turned her focus to the next arm which bore the same tell-tale mutilation. She bent down to listen to his heartrate which fortunately sounded easy and steady.

Her eyes glanced nervously at the foreboding mask that kept his face concealed from the world. Taking a deep breath of courage, she slowly lifted the hood praying that he would not bite. Or that the horrific injuries of violence had not manifested on his face. His entire head was shaped like a wide, short cylinder with a mop of ruffled hair coal black. Bina drew back a bit when she realized he did not even have a nose. She timidly searched the sides of his head for ears only to discover none.

She bit her tongue when she did find a nasty cut running up his stout neck. His skin clearly hardened and weathered by being out in the elements for so long. She placed a hand on her forehead for signs of fever, so far, he seemed to be in good shape. His only symptoms were weariness so she let him rest, locking the door behind her. She returned to her garden outside harvesting the ripest vegetables she could find. Planning on boiling a pot full of rice and vegetable stew.

Fifteen minutes later she heard her parents' car screeched to a halt in the driveway. With two basketfuls of tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers she rushed to greet her parents at the front door. "Bina! Priya* are you alright?!" Her mother cried out as she embraced her in a protective hug. The woman looked like an older version of Bina, only her hair was dark brown instead of black, with her skin a touch darker. "Where were you when the earthquake happened?!" Her father demanded, a man who stood the tallest in the family, the lighter skin and black hair coming from him. Abhi took after his father's stern features and unruly hair but possessed the silverly black eyes of his mother like Bina did.

Bina offered her parents an assuring smile, "I'm alright janani and pita*! The earthquake did not strike our house that hard. Our home is still intact from what I know." She held up the two baskets she had filled minutes before. "I even got a little gardening in after everything settled down! So how did the loans go?"

That evening they shared a hearty stew together, a place set up at the empty chair in remembrance. After dinner Bina's father turned on the news to learn what exactly happened today. Apparently, the bizarre earthquake has become the star topic for nothing else was broadcast that night. Seismologists from the nearby college have not been able to track the source of the phenomenon. Even more befuddling for the experts is that the city itself was 345 miles from the nearest fault line. With not even a single tremor occurring from the other location.

Witnesses reported seeing an orange light radiating from the ground which reformed the cracks. Other bystanders told of how they watched towers about to topple suddenly stood right back up. Few were reported to be injured and property only saw minimal damage. One man tried passionately to dismiss the entire event as a great hoax to bring tourism to the city. However, considering the staggering amount of footage taken during the event. Along with the internal damage to the city's estates which were unmistakable evidence that the near disaster was not caused by human hands. He was deemed as delusional, and his debunker website lost most if not all its credibility.

During dinner the parents told their daughter how the earthquake caused some of the equipment and computers at the bank to break. They would have to try again for a loan next week after everything has been replaced and refurbished. The moment her parents went to bed Bina slipped into the kitchen for the extra small pot of stew she made secretly. She tiptoed past her parents' room and unlocked the door to Abhi's room as stealthily she could. As she entered the room she flicked on the lights before closing the door and relocking it. Not once did her parents ever stepped foot in the room since their son had taken flight. Yet a little caution would not hurt.

Setting down the pot and a spoon on her brother's desk, she came to the ninja's bedside to gently shake him awake. He did not move an inch. She shook a little harder, then added a little more force to the next attempt. The patient hardly reacted to her at all, even when she whispered as loudly as she dared. Was he that drained of his anomalous energy that his body could not afford to wake up?

Suddenly, a question sprung from the shadows, what was he doing in a box?

The teenager silently fetched the box from her room back to Abhi's. Ensconcing herself in her twin's beanbag she eyed the box more critically. She slowly turned it over as her eyes roved every detail for a possible clue she missed. Besides the obvious being it was old, not much uncovered where it came from. Her best guess was somewhere deep in Eastern Asia. On the bottom of the box there was a queer message inscribed in a dark red ink. They reminded her of kanji letters but the styles were distinctly unique.

She even swiped a manga from her brother's bookshelf to compare the two. The kanji letters only similar and not matching the enigmatic handwriting. She opened the box to inspect the underside of the lid and the space within the wooden craft. The insides and underside were covered with a light residue that slightly glittered an eerie purple and green. She could not believe she even noticed in the first place! Man was she grateful she wore gloves for her garden and washed her hands before dinner.

Seeing nothing else she carefully closed the box in order not to touch any more of the strange residue. Racking her brain for answers, the most likely theory was that the shinobi was under an enchantment. Being freed once he had touched the earth. Gaea. Thats when the girl remembered the disembodied voice calling out to her. Was he the one calling me to set him free? She looked up to face the disenchanted stranger-and almost dropped the box in the process.

He was sitting up against the bedrest holding the pot, a spoon halfway to his mouth. Black circular eyes with white pupils meeting oval shaped ones colored silvery-black. Awkwardly he set the spoon down and held up the remaining stew, offering it to her. Bina could not believe it. He somehow managed to smell the food without having a nose! Or was some sense of smell present without one? Also, how had he managed to sneak past her without making so much as a sound?

Well, ninjas are supposed to be inconspicuous. She set the wretched box on the bookshelf as she made her way to its former prisoner. "Hi." She said as she held up a hand in hello. The shinobi set the pot down and mimicked her friendly gesture. Although the words he paired with it were foreign to her ears, the meaning was clear. The young lady pointed to herself and said, "I am Bina." Her guest responded by sitting up straighter to perform a bow as best as he could.

"Ori, Cole. Gaea no matsu*." He replied.

The next night in Wildewood the townsfolks were informed of the freakish earthquake that hit Niam City. Anyone who watched the national broadcast that evening could not bring themselves to believe such an impossible incident had occurred. Well, except for one person in particular. Lloyd stared wide-eyed at the screen from his place on the couch. Kai had fallen asleep on an armchair after his busy day. Having earlier secured a secluded place to train while Lloyd has practically hunted around the whole border of town to find where he ran off to. One of these days, Lloyd was going to force a harness on the troublesome little dwarf if he ever went too far...

The teenage lad let out a huge sigh of relief when the source of the earthquake was reported to still be unknown. That meant there was still time to travel to Niam City to extract Cole before anyone else figured it out. After hanging around the super-powered Kai for three weeks, he was certain only the Master of Earth could have been the cause. Turning on his phone he dialed the desired number and waited for its owner to pick up. When the call came through, he said, "Hi, Officer Moreno! Now I know this may sound a little risky if you watched the news. But I really need to ask a big favor of you..."

Hindi Translations (To be clear were not talking about Native Americans.)

Chicken makhani= A traditional Indian dish of buttered chicken.

Samosa= A fried or baked pastry with a savory filling.

Bensan chilla= A vegan pancake baked with gram flour and veggies.

Rava dosa= A specialty of Southern India, a crepe-like dish made with rice flour, semolina, and maida.

Priya=Beloved

Janai=Mother

Pita=Father

Ninjargon Translations

Gaea no matsu= Master of Earth

Author Notes: Gaea means "earth" in Greek.