Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Ninja Storm characters, only Simone, Gabriel, Emma, Jakeand any other character you don't recognise.

the real vampire: Yep I was building up to something and here it is. Don't try and skimthe post to findthe part I was building up to. That would be cheating.You said you were looking forward to more, well here it is.

garnetred: Here's your update. Not gonna say what will happen. You'll have to read the whole post for that. Thanks for the review and here's your update.

Chapter Seventeen

Emma took in the surroundings of her bedroom. She was glad to be home and even more, she was ecstatic to be reunited with her family.

She had been classed as missing for a while after she ran away.

Sensei's Wang, Lewis and Nakamura visited Emma's family after Emma's punishment was completed to tell them that she had been found in the States and was at the moment staying with a friend. Simone.

Emma parents didn't ask questions as to how they knew as the recognized Sensei Lewis. They knew his as Jake Lewis, Simone's older brother.

Shane and Simone were having a laugh at the presentation dinner. Simone's cousin, Maria had asked them to mingle with everyone just to see if anyone had the inside scoop on those who would be promoted. They sat through the boring presentations, well boring because they didn't understand what it was all about and ate dinner. Now everyone was talking and dancing along to the music that was being played, everyone that is except for Shane and Simone who were sitting on a bench outside.

"I would kill for a pair of trainers. My feet are hurting in these shoes." Simone took off her shoes and wiggled her toes on the cool grass.

"Why did you wear those shoes then?"

"Because they go well with this dress." Simone proceeded to rub her feet. "Thanks for coming tonight. I would've been bored the whole evening if I was alone."

"No problem. Even if I was second choice."

"Second choice? Who told you that? I asked Tori, Dustin, Marah, Kapri, Cam, Sensei even Blake, just incase he could make it." Simone joked. "And all came before you. Sorry."

"You missed one."

"Oh yeah, and Hunter." Simone pretended to forget. She shrugged. "It's not his thing."

"Well I had a change of heart." A voice said from behind. Shane and Simone turned to face the newcomer. "Let's just say that Dustin can be very persuasive and persistent on getting me out of the apartment." Hunter thought for a moment. "Do you think something is going on with him and Marah? Because she's there right now."

"About time man." Shane stood up and shook Hunter's hand. "I'll leave you two alone. I'm gonna catch up with Cam."

After saying goodbye, Hunter took Shane's previous seat next to Simone. "Cam and Shane have been hanging out a lot. I remember those two always used to banter when they were together. You're quiet."

"I'm normally quiet"

"Not this quiet. Where's the dry wit?"

"I left it at home." Simone looked at what Hunter was wearing. It was a simple crimson shirt and black trousers. Not as smart as the rest of the guys there but smart enough.

"So, do you like?"

"Is it new?"

"Yeah."

"Did you keep the receipt and leave the tags on them."

"There's my girl."

"Pfft, your girl? I think for me to be your girl would entail on your part, dinner, movies on you and maybe a walk on the beach. You know, an actual date."

Hunter chuckled in amusement. Simone was definitely back to her normal self. "We've seen movies together and it was on me."

"DVD movies that you buy or rent and we watch at yours or you bring round to mine don't count."

"I've made dinner."

"You mean warming up take-away's or popping popcorn?"

"Ok, ok. We've walked on the beach."

Simone thought about a playful argument to that one but knew he was right. "Fine. But it still ended 2-1 to me." She smirked for a little while before asking, "So why did you come?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Simone raised her eyebrows. "I asked didn't I?"

Hunter knew she was playing again. "Ok, let me rephrase that question. Do you really need me to tell you as I'm sure you know the answer already? Anyway, it beats sitting around the apartment doing crosswords."

Simone laughed. "Crosswords? You don't do crosswords."

"Well I started tonight and I got stuck on this hard one. Maybe you could answer it for me." Hunter wasn't much of a romantic, so he hoped this ploy would work. If it didn't, he'd be having words with Dustin.

"Alright, fine." Simone's head shook with hilarity written on her face. "What was it?"

"Ok, finish this rhyme. Miss me, miss me, now you've gotta…"

It only took a couple of seconds for Simone to come up with the answer. It was so easy; she couldn't believe Hunter didn't think of it. "Kiss me."

"I thought you'd never ask." Hunter leaned in and planted his lips on hers, kissing her tenderly.

When Simone broke away, she smiled sweetly. "That was sneaky. Which is good, because it earns you another kiss."

"What happened to dinner, movies and a walk on the beach?" Hunter asked softly.

"Forget about it." Simone moved forward and kissed Hunter again. She her left hand on the back of his neck and the other on his upper arm as he wrapped both his arms around her waist.

Maria, looking for her cousin, had to do a double take when she saw the two. Her thoughts said 'about time' but her lips said "Geez, get a room."

Simone broke away for a little while. "Fine I'll use mine." She joked.

Maria shook her head. "I really don't need to or wanna know."

"I wasn't going to tell." Simone winked.

Maria rolled her eyes and smiles as she walked back inside to join her workmates.

"Now, where were we?" Hunter asked as if he'd forgotten.

Dustin sat back in his sofa and grinned at Marah. He thought about the ploy he told Hunter to try and tried for himself on Marah.

"This is silly."

"It's not. Just think about the rhyme and tell me the answer."

"I'm a space ninja." Marah replied. "I don't know about Earth rhymes. Anyway you don't do crosswords."

Dustin scratched his head. "For future reference it's, miss me, miss me now you've gotta kiss me."

"Ok." Marah answered and pinned him down to the couch.

It didn't take long for Shane to get to the Wind Ninja Academy. When he did he found, as he had expected, Cam hard at work.

"You work too much you know." Shane leant against the wall with is arms folded.

"So I've been told." Cam took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He had been going over the class plans for tomorrow.

"Why don't you take a break, get some fresh air? It's pretty warm out there."

Cam replaced his glasses back onto his face. "Wait? What time is it?" Cam looked at his watch and rushed outside before Shane could answer him or ask him what the urgency was. When Cam stepped out into the gardens, followed by Shane, he looked up at the dazzling stars in the dark night sky as if searching for something. He finally stopped walking.

"What are you…?"

"Shhh." After a while Cam smiled. "There she is, right there."

"Who?"

"My mother."

Shane looked up at the star Cam was pointing to. It was the brightest star in the sky. He then looked at Cam who had a tranquil and blissful look on his face. Shane hesitantly lifted his arm. He wanted to put it around Cam, but settled on resting his hand supportively on his shoulder.

Tori let Blake put his arm around her shoulders. She was pleasantly surprised by his arrival and didn't want him to leave again.

Blake grinned. "Stop counting down the days. It'll make it go faster."

"I'm not counting down the days."

"You are." Blake kissed the top of Tori's head. "I'll always keep in contact."

"I know but it's not the same."

"So why don't you come with me?"

Tori looked sad. "You know I can't. I can't leave the Ninja Academy, I love it there and what I do, just like you can't leave Factory Blue for the same reason."

Blake reached into his pocket and took out a small box. He knew Tori would love this present. He sat up and presented it to her. "I want you to know that when I'm out there, I'm constantly thinking of you and where I want us to go in our relationship." Blake opened the box. "I promise that I'll always find my way back to you whenever I get the chance. I want you to wear this promise ring. That way you know what I'm saying is the truth."

Tori was speechless. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of it's element. "It's beautiful. You didn't have to buy it for me. I know you're true to your promises."

"I want you to have it."

Tori took the ring and placed it on her finger. She then leaned forward and kissed Blake deeply. "Thank-you."

AN: Just one more chapter to go now.