"Prelude to a Prelude"
"Class dismissed." A tall dark haired man said to his class.
"Yes Sensei." The class responded, bowing.
"Dustin, Victoria, please stay after class." The Sensei said.
"Yes Sensei." 16 year old Tori Hanson said to her instructor.
After the room was cleared the Sensei closed the door so he was alone with Tori and Dustin.
"You two have been taking class from me for almost 3 years now. In that time I have seen great work from both of you. I think you have to potential to do more." The Sensei said.
"Thank you Sensei Moore but this is only an after school hobby for us." Dustin said.
"I am aware of that. You have other sports you are involved in. I'm just asking you to consider taking your martial arts training to the next level. I think you both can do it." Sensei Moore said.
"What do you mean Sensei?" Tori asked.
"You both have potential to train as ninjas." Sensei said.
"Ninja? As in top secret intense training? Are you for real?" Dustin asked.
"Yes Dustin, I am for real. There are certain instructors throughout the country that know about the 19 secret ninja academies. It is our job to look for potential students in our everyday classes." Sensei explained.
"You really think we have potential to be Ninjas?" Tori asked.
"Yes I do, if you are interested." Sensei said.
"I am. I would love to train at a Ninja Academy." Tori said.
"If Tori wants to so do I." Dustin said.
"Ok then. Meet me here after school tomorrow. I will take you to the Wind Ninja Academy for an entrance test. If you pass you will be in." Sensei Moore said.
"Yes Sensei." Tori and Dustin both said.
"Very well…remember, not a word about the Ninja Academies to anyone, not even your parents. You are dismissed." Sensei Moore said.
"Thank you Sensei." Tori and Dustin said bowing.
After they cleaned up they started to walk home.
"Can you believe this? We're gonna be ninjas!" Dustin said.
"Shhh! Dustin! Not so loud. This is secret." Tori said.
"How are we gonna hide this from Moms?" Dustin asked.
"We'll just tell them we're going to karate still. Sensei Moore will help cover for us." Tori said.
"Ok. That sounds doable." Dustin said.
"Remember, we meet with Sensei tomorrow…and not a word Dustin." Tori said as they got to her door.
"Yeah, yeah. Got it dude…later." He said walking towards his house.
The next day the two teens met with their sensei and drove to the Wind Ninja Academy. They were met by a short man dressed in robes.
"Kanoi." Sensei Moore said.
"Collin, it's very nice to see you again. I see you have two new recruits." Kanoi said.
"Yes. Kanoi, this is Dustin Brooks and Victoria Hanson. Dustin, Tori, this is Sensei Kanoi Watanabe." Sensei Moore introduced.
"Very nice to meet you." Kanoi said.
"Likewise" Tori said.
A man a few years older than the teens walked up.
"This is my son Cameron. Cam, please show Dustin and Tori to the dressing area. They need to change into training uniforms for the entrance exam." Kanoi said.
"Yes father." Cam said leading the teens away from the Senseis.
"So you live here?" Tori asked trying to make small talk with Cam.
"Yes." Cam said.
"Dude, you must be a great ninja then." Dustin said.
"Just because you grow up on at a ninja academy doesn't mean you're a ninja." Cam snapped, "The dressing rooms are here. You have 10 minutes before you exam."
"Thanks dude." Dustin said but Cam was already gone. "Man, that dude is touchy."
"Later Dustin, we need to focus." Tori said.
"Right…focus." Dustin said.
The two teens changed and then completed their exam, which was a series of katas and then spars with each other and some of the first year ninjas. After waiting for Sensei Watanabe's decision the teens were very nervous. They saw the Sensei walk in.
"I am very impressed by your skill. You both show great potential. Welcome to the Wind Ninja Academy." Sensei Watanabe said.
"We're in?" Dustin asked.
"This is great. Thank you Sensei Watanabe." Tori said.
The next week the teens reported to the academy to start their training. The first thing they had to do was get assigned to an element. They went to an area with all the other new recruits. They ended up standing next to another boy that looked to be about their age.
"Hey." Tori said trying to be friendly.
"Hey." The boy said.
"So you are new here too?" Tori asked.
"Yeah…I'm Shane Clarke." Shane said.
"I'm Tori Hanson and this is Dustin Brooks. We've seen you around school before right? You're the kid always skating in the halls." Tori said.
"Yeah, that would be me." He said
"I've seen you dude, you rip it up. You have some moves." Dustin said.
"You skate?" Shane asked.
"Naw man, Moto is my thing but I go to the skate park sometimes." Dustin said.
"Really? So were you there the other day? Steve James was there. He just got a new board, it was sweet man…"Shane said walking off with Dustin and leaving Tori behind.
"Great…just great." Tori mumbled.
After the first day it was decided that Tori would train as a water ninja, Dustin would train as an earth ninja, and Shane would train as an air ninja. When not in training Shane and Dustin became inseparable. Tori fought just to stay part of the conversation. This went on for weeks and Tori started to get sick of losing her best friend to this new guy. She started to give up and spend more time alone.
One day Tori walked to her house and saw a van parked outside she didn't recognize. She went in the house expecting company but only her mom and sister were there.
"Mom?" Tori asked.
"Tori, hey…so do you like it?" April Hanson asked.
"Um, like what?" Tori asked.
"The van. It's yours." April said.
"What? Are you for real?" Tori asked.
"Yes. Since Emily is going to Blue Bay University now it's harder for her to drive you around and I found this van. The price was too good to pass up so I got it for you." April said.
"Oh my god! Mom! Thank you!" Tori cried hugging her mother.
"You're welcome. Now what are you waiting for? Go show Dustin. Take him to dinner or something." April said.
"Ok. Thanks Mom!" Tori said taking the keys.
She headed to Dustin's house and rang the doorbell. Dustin's mom answered the door.
"Hey Tori." Britney Brooks said.
"Hey Mom." Tori said. Dustin and Tori often called either others' mothers "Mom" because they were like family. "Is Dustin here?"
"No he's at the skate park with Shane. I thought you were with them." Britney said.
"No…he didn't tell me he was going…it's ok. I just wanted to show him the van my mom bought me." Tori said.
"Oh yeah, April told me about that. It's very cool." Britney said looking out at it.
"Thanks. I think I'll drive to the skate park and look for him. Bye Mom." Tori said.
"Bye Tor." Britney said.
Tori drove to the skate park and found the boys.
"Hey Dustin." Tori said.
"Oh Tor…hey…" Dustin started.
"Guess what!" they both said at the same time.
"Ok you first." Tori said.
"No you first." Dustin said.
"No you." Tori said.
"Someone go first." Shane said.
"Ok fine…I got a job!" Dustin said.
"You got a job? Wow! Awesome." Tori said.
"Yeah, at Storm Chargers. I figure we hang out there anyway and Kelly is cool and she was hiring so I asked for a job and she said sure." Dustin said.
"That's great." Tori said.
"Yeah, so what's your news?" Dustin asked.
"My mom got me a van." Tori said.
"Are you serious?" Dustin asked.
"Yeah, totally!" Tori said.
"I gotta see this!" Dustin said as he and Shane followed Tori to her new van.
"Sweet!" Dustin said.
"Totally! No more walking to training!" Shane said.
"That's gonna rock!" Dustin said.
"Who said I'm giving you guys rides. You guy have been jerks to me. You should have been nicer then maybe I'd give you rides." Tori said.
"Tor, come on, don't be like that." Shane said.
"Yeah Tor, please!" Dustin begged with a puppy dog expression in his brown eyes.
"Oh Dustin you know I can't tell you no when you look at me like that. Ok, Ok fine. I'll give you guys rides." Tori said.
"See, just gotta know the right way to ask." Dustin said to Shane.
The next few weeks were an adjustment for all three teens. Dustin was working and this left Shane bored. He finally started to hang out with Tori as a last resort and as luck would have it he discovered she wasn't so bad. The longer Dustin had his job the more freedom he had and soon he had time to hang out with Tori and Dustin again. They all became friends and Tori continued to give them rides to training.
Training wasn't going as well. The teens had a hard time getting to training on time, this bothered Cameron a lot as he found tardiness very distasteful, not to mention disrespectful. Had there been someone to bet with he would have been willing to bet anything that those three would be cut from the academy by the end of the year…he would have lost that bet.