As it so happened, trying to talk to Hunter was becoming well near impossible. Either the two brothers were always together, in which case the last thing Tori wanted was for Blake to see her pull Hunter away from him deliberately, he'd know something was up then, or Hunter was so busy organizing his students that he hardly had a moment to spare to talk to Tori. True, Blake, Lee Ann and Sensei Omano were all there to help, but Hunter took his responsibilities as Head Teacher very seriously. She wondered what she was going to do about that. She had to act fast, the end of the week was almost approaching and that meant the end of the tournament too and the Thunders would return to their home base. Tori was pacing up and down at ninja ops while she thought about this.
"Hey Tor. What's with the walking?" Shane asked walking in. Tori looked up at him, as an idea suddenly dawned. Shane saw the look.
"Oh no you don't. Whatever it is, I'm out. No way." Shane was vigorously shaking his head as Tori stood up to come and stand before him. "Hey, no fair, you can't put on that face, you know how I can't resist it!"
"Shane look. It's about Blake…and…well, and the reason he gave up motocross. We have to help him. I've been trying to talk to Hunter, but he's too busy, and now I'm thinking that Hunter may not want to interfere but let Blake choose his own path. That leave me with you guys. I don't know what to do Shane, and I need your help."
Shane looked at Tori, serious now, and said slowly, "If you think Hunter may not want to interfere, and has good reason for it, isn't it also true that maybe that reason- whatever it may be- applies to you too."
Tori shook her head, "Look, Hunter may not interfere because he might think Blake doesn't want him too. And he has all the right not to do so because Blake might turn on him for interfering. But Shane, the way things are now between me and Blake, I don't have a whole lot to lose, but Blake does. Here, read this article."
Shane took the magazine from Tori's outstretched hand and sighed before saying, "Look Tor, I trust you and your judgment. If you want to help Blake, then I know you are doing it for al the right reasons, but before I agree to anything, I'll read the article and I suggest that we call in reinforcements…Dustin and Cam."
Hunter Bradley, dark and brooding, was standing in the grounds of the Wind Ninja Academy, as he looked up into the sky. He wasn't really thinking of anything. It was the day before the final day of the tournament, and so all events that had happened that day were minor and had finished up early. Of that Hunter was glad. He loved him job, but sometimes he didn't get the time he needed to himself. He hadn't been able to ride in ages, and he loved the track at Blue Bay Harbor. It brought back so many memories. But then again, he couldn't exactly hop on his bike and work the track with Blake in his motocross-is-not-for-me mood. He wondered what exactly had changed his brother's mind so drastically about a sport they had grown up loving, but he had more sense that to badger his brother about details. Blake had a tendency to shut down completely, and that wouldn't help either of them.
"Hunnnteeeeer!" A screech of his name brought Hunter back to earth within seconds. He turned around to see Kapri racing across the grounds to his, but really what was she wearing? Oh my God! Was that his motocross gear? Hunter suddenly found himself grinning, Kapri looked ridiculous in his oversized outfit, and predictably enough, she tripped and fell. He found himself moving towards her.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"What do you mean what's going on?" Kapri demanded picking herself up and dusting off. "You promised to teach me how to ride today."
"Ride?" Hunter asked blankly. "Ride what?"
"A dirt bike thingy silly." Kapri gushed.
Hunter laughed, "Now why would I do such a thing!"
Kapri slapped him on the arm, "But you promised!" Before Hunter could say that never in his lifetime would he do such a thing, Kapri was rambling on, "But you did. You told me to read the entire book on 'A Thunder Ninja's History' and I did, and then you promised me that if I remained quiet and read the volume two of that same book, you'd teach me how to ride! And I did, so today's the day! Come on!"
Hunter frowned, he did remember telling her to read the books. They were so huge he'd figured that she'd be busy for months finishing them, but apparently two weeks had done the trick. But still, he didn't remember promising to teach her to ride. Yes, he'd been busy when she came to him, but he couldn't have promised her that…even by mistake! Or…did he? Hunter's frown became more severe as he realized, that if he did promise, he had to go through with it. He and Blake always kept good on their promises. Kapri, apparently saw Hunter's glowering face as a bad sign and started backing off.
"Hey, you know, maybe today isn't such a good day…"
Hunter sighed and shook his head, "No, if I promised you something, then I'll do it. Today is fine. The sooner I get this over with, the sooner by nightmares over having you ride my bike will subside."
"Yipee!" Kapri clapped her hands together and jumped up and down. "I'll go tell the others!"
"Meet me in 20 minutes as the track, and give me back my motocross gear!" Hunter yelled after her.
Two people watching from the bushes grinned as they saw Kapri approaching with a broad smile on her face. The three high-fived each other. Plan A had been put into motion.
When Hunter turned up at the track he found quite a large number of people there.\
"Hey guys. What's gives?"
Cam turned around to face him. "Apparently you'd promised to teach Kapri how to ride a bike and Kapri told this to Marah who refused to be outdone by her own sister, and so insisted that Dustin teach her how to ride too. Dustin wants to have a word with you about this later on by the way."
Hunter grinned as he turned towards the track and saw Marah standing a foot away from the bike and trying to put her leg over. Dustin was pleading with her to get closer to the bike. Then he saw Shane coming up with a reclining chair.
"Hey Hunter! We came to watch the fun. Here's your soda Cam." Shane said grinning. "Where's Blake?" Hunter simply glared at Shane and then started making his way towards Kapri.
A few minutes later there was a heated argument going on between the two of them.
"If you want to learn to ride you have to get on the bike first!" Hunter practically shouted.
"But it's making funny noises!" Kapri protested for the 100th time.
"That's the engine it's supposed to make noises!" Hunter yelled back.
"Hey what's going on?" Blake's voice didn't interrupt Hunter as he advanced towards Kapri, caught her up and dumped her on the bike.
"Hey Blake." Cam said. "Hunter and Dustin got roped into teaching Kapri and Marah how to ride. We're here to enjoy the show. Soda? Chair?"
Blake shook his head as he watched. He hadn't been to a track since coming back. He looked away from Marah and Kapri to some of the other local riders who were working the track. Young hopefuls, like he'd been. Suddenly his attention was caught by another rider who raced onto the scene. Blake found himself making a mental note of the rider's position, his stance, his movement and gave him about B grading. He was actually not too bad Blake thought as he watched the rider taking a flying jump over a mound. Something about the movement of the rider caught Blake as being familiar, but he dismissed it. And then it happened. Blake thought time had suddenly slowed down. The rider was going too close to the edge, he'd never make that sharp turn, Blake thought, and just as he did the bike and rider went into the boards, causing the rider to go fall away from the bike and onto the surface, rolling away in the process. Blake was running before he knew it, and he felt the others follow. They had all apparently seen the accident too.
"Are you okay!" Dustin shouted as he reached the rider.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Blake stopped in his tracks. He'd know that voice anywhere.
"Tori, are you sure you're okay?" Cam asked kneeling next to her.
"Yes, I am. It's not like this is the first time I've taken a spill." Blue eyes suddenly looked up to see Blake watching her.
And there was a sudden anger that filled Blake. No, anger was too mild a word, he was furious. He suddenly realized if he kept walking towards Tori, he was going to do something he was going to regret. He broke their eye contact by turning around and walking away. He never saw the look of hurt that passed through Tori's face in an unguarded moment as she thought he didn't care.
