Walking The Other Way
By: Riley
Full Summary – [Sequel to Crossroads]. With the rest of the year on the horizon, Rocky starts to feel the pressures of life bearing down on him even more. His future after high school, his potential career, his ninja training, and his relationship with his family. The pressure is becoming too much to handle. His panic attacks are getting worse and he doesn't really have anyone to turn to, so he keeps everything to himself, which only makes things worse as he works to figure out which path in life he wants to walk. But Snyder has him, Colt, and Tum-Tum right where he wants them and is, finally, going to get the revenge on Sam Douglas as he always wanted. And what better way to get that revenge than to hit him where it hurts? He saw how successful it was to target the boys before, but this time he's pulling out all the stops.
Chapter 1
"Ro-cky! Pay attention!"
Rocky shot his brother an annoyed glance and, to prove a point, turned around and sent a strong kick to the side of the practice dummy. It ripped away from the string that held it together and fell to the ground, the had flopping off. For a moment, there was stunned silence, Rocky's eyes widening in surprise at what he'd just done, then he and his brothers burst out laughing.
Their laughter wafted through their spacious backyard covering the sounds of the neighborhood. It was early on a Saturday, but the weather was nice enough that it felt like everyone in the neighborhood was out and about. Or else, maybe, it was the excitement of the city, knowing the Homecoming dance was that night. Not that Rocky paid much attention to those things, dances had never been his thing.
The school was large enough that only the junior and senior years were able to go to homecoming and prom, but that didn't keep the lowerclassmen from wondering what it was like to be able to go those events after the adrenaline rush of Spirit Week died down. Rocky participated in Spirit Week just fine, usually had to tap into being 'Rocky' to allow himself to let his hair down and do silly things to win class competitions for spirit points and bragging rights. Otherwise, there were moments where he was a little too strait-laced, a little too self-conscious to take himself out of his comfort zone in that way. Maybe, honestly, part of him was still trying to keep those parts of him separate, before realizing it was what he was doing.
It was the end of middle school and the beginning of high school where he was figuring out how to be 'Sam' and 'Rocky' with the different people in his life and those around him. It became easier when he started working in the pizza shop with Jason, where the entire staff only knew him as 'Sam', despite his boss being the one who was more than excited to one of 'the 3 Ninjas' to work with him. His boss had always been grateful for the whole thing, and probably favored him a little compared to the rest of the staff. Nevertheless, Rocky was a hard worker and was able to feel that he could be himself when he was working, and his nametag read 'SAM'.
There were a few customers here and there that recognized him, and he'd give a polite smile and continue to make their food. Sometimes his brothers came in and it became a 'thing' among his co-workers and his boss, but he was still able to be himself. Or, a version of himself.
It was hard going back and forth, the pressure falling on him a bit more. Sometimes it was easier but sometimes…he started to zone out, like what'd made his brother snap at him to 'pay attention'.
When his laughter subsided, Rocky sheepishly turned toward his grandfather, who sat quietly in a chair on the back porch. "Sorry grandpa," he apologized. "I didn't mean to knock it off like that."
"You didn't mean to?" Colt repeated. He gestured toward the practice dummy. "A gust of wind could knock that thing over. You barely touched it."
"Yeah." Tum-Tum went over and picked up its head, shaking it back and forth as if it were a prize. "How many times have we had mom sew this thing back together? It was only a matter of time until a massacre happened."
There was a wheezing sound, which took Rocky by surprise before he realized that their grandfather had started laughing as well. He held his cane between his hands, something that he'd had to use more often since his last few doctor's appointments, rolling it as the seconds passed. A large grin came to his face as he waved his hand.
"Ah, that thing's as old as I am," he remarked. "It's only a matter until I fall apart, as well."
Rocky's smile faded; he exchanged a glance with Colt. Tum-Tum continued to laugh, doubling over, wrapping his arms around his stomach as he did so. Rocky worked hard not to let his worry show on his face, wondering how much longer he could keep his grandfather's health a secret. He hadn't even told his parents that he and Colt knew their grandfather was dying. And, as it was, they still hadn't told the boys about it.
But Rocky heard their hushed conversations, their tense arguments from their room when it was late at night. Saw the tense looks his parents shot each other if he came into the room at the wrong point of a conversation before his mother plastered on a warm smile and his father swept out the room to go to work. Or else, it still had to do with Harding, and the trouble the boys and the Jacksons ended up getting into.
They interfered with a criminal investigation, trespassed, wounded some of Jack's hired security, hacked into a government database, didn't leave well enough alone. They had to start going to therapy again, pleaded for lighter sentences on crimes that were easily put against them, were put on probation for, what his father ended up calling, "a long ass time" and his father worked hard not to curse in front of the boys.
There were too many things hanging over their heads, least of all their grandfather's health.
"Don't worry, grandpa, we won't knock your head off like this guy," Tum-Tum said, motioning to the dummy once more. He turned back to Mori and planted his hands on his hips. "None of us can kick that high."
"Speak for yourself," Colt replied. He reached out and shoved Tum-Tum on the shoulder, knocking him forward before the three moved across the backyard to kneel in front of their grandfather. "How'd we do today, grandpa?"
Mori smiled. Took a little while to respond. Rocky watched him closely. Wondering what was going through his grandfather's head. Wondered what he saw before him as he sat, drumming his fingers along the curved edge of the cane. Wondered if he was seeing his grandsons as the children they were when they first started, or as the young men they'd grown into being. On the brink of change.
Nevertheless, he paid attention when Mori chuckled to himself and said. "I'm not sure there's much left I can teach you," he said. "Especially not when you were able to figure out how wrong things were going with MedoCal and Harding." He sighed quietly. "Long before I did. You can teach an old dog new tricks, but there's not much to say when that old dog starts slowing down."
"You're not old, grandpa," Tum-Tum said quietly, eyes growing wide at his words.
Rocky took in another deep breath and lowered his head. Tried to focus on the sounds of the neighborhood around him and not what his grandfather was trying to say. That he'd have to make the decision, soon, whether he was going to continue his brother's ninja training. Rocky wasn't stupid, he knew it was only matter of time until he'd have to make that big decision, just as he'd have to make the big decision about whether or not he was going to go to college, to the college he wanted to go to or the one his parents wanted him to go to, if he was going to follow his father's footsteps in becoming an FBI agent….
So many decisions that would alter the course of his life in ways he didn't think possible. Or could even begin to imagine.
"Oh, Little One, everyone gets old in their own time," Mori replied. He reached out and patted Tum-Tum on the head. He pulled himself to his feet. "You did well today. I have seen much improvement from you since the tournament you entered." Tum-Tum started to smile then stopped, while Rocky's eyes flew open and he exchanged another glance with Colt. "I understand your frustrations. Harding besmirched the ninja name, making it about money. But remember, everyone who entered, was a true ninja. The wins that you achieved, the losses you faced, they were still a mark of how far you've come as ninja warriors. Don't let what Harding did cheapen that for you. I've taught you boys well; you simply improve on your own."
"Yeah, and one day, we'll be able to beat you, grandpa," Colt said. His voice was quiet, though he held a smile on his face. Rocky smiled, hearing the sincerity in his brother's words.
Mori smiled back at his middle grandson, then moving to pat him on the head. "Oh, we'll, Colt. We'll see. But know that I'm very proud of you boys." He looked over his shoulder toward the house then added in a low voice, "I know your parents are being hard on you right now, but you did the right thing with Harding. Over the years, I've watched your father deal with everything you boys are going through and it is tough for him; having to be your father and an officer of the law all the same. He's doing his best by you, but I want you to know I'm proud of what you've done."
"Yeah, especially when no on else believes us," Colt murmured.
Rocky ignored him. "You were the one who taught us that, grandpa. To do the right thing, no matter what it takes." He thought for a moment. "But you also told us to be like the flowers."
Mori shook his head. "You didn't do this for any personal gain. You did it to help some friends. There's nothing more commendable than that. The first priority of the ninja, when put into situations like that, is to win without fighting. You'd already won when you put your friendships and care for others above any of the worries you may have had."
"Yeah, but how long do you think it'll take for dad to actually talk to us again?" Colt asked. "It sucks when he's in a bad mood and yelling, it's worse when he's actually quiet." He shuddered. "It's creepy."
"Maybe you should try it sometimes," Tum-Tum teased. He cried out when Colt smacked him across the head. Then Tum-Tum turned to the side and grabbed his brother into a headlock, rolling the two over onto the ground where they scrapped along the ground.
Rocky stood, moving out of the strike zone. He stood by his grandfather's side and watched as Colt and Tum-Tum continued to roll along the ground, trying to pin each other down. A small smile came to Rocky's face, remembering when he'd join them in on their playfight. Usually, it'd end up with his brothers tag-teaming him, working together to try and pin him down. (And that usually ended up with Colt holding his arms behind his back while Tum-Tum tried to hit him in the balls, rendering him incapacitated. Every time, Rocky came out on top.
It wouldn't be much longer until they found a way to beat him. It would probably come by the time he was set to go off to…wherever he was going. The applications still sat on his desk, he knew he'd have to send them in soon, but whether or not he'd do Early Acceptance to UCLA and be done with it, or send out all his applications, including the one to Washington State…it wore at him more than he'd like to admit.
And if anyone deserved to have a regular night off, it was them.
It was their mom who suggested to their father that they still be allowed to go to the Homecoming dance. Rocky hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but it was one of their heavy conversations that mounted in tension steadily increasing. He could feel it every time he went in and out of rooms and the house. So much so that he seemed to tune into the conversation before he even realized it, "They deserve some time to be normal," she insisted.
"Normal?" Sam snorted in response. "They haven't been 'normal' since they started in on this ninja training."
"My father taught me ninja, are you saying I'm not normal?"
"No, I'm saying you managed to grow out of it."
"Sam—"
Rocky had thrown his headphones over his ears and busied himself with editing photos after that. But he couldn't ignore his rapidly bouncing knee and the steadily increasing pins and needles growing from his fingertips to his palms. He managed to work himself out of it sooner than he had before, but it was starting to worry him, how often it was happening. And wondered what was making it still happen, it had started when he found out about Harding and now Harding was gone…
"I don't want to wear yourselves out," Mori said, watching Colt and Tum-Tum carefully. All with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. "It's a pretty big night for you all."
"It's just a dance, grandpa," Rocky said with a light eyeroll. "There's always going to be one." He shrugged. "But, I wouldn't mind if they wear themselves out and don't go. I don't want to have to worry whether or not they're going to embarrass me." He smiled when Mori gently nudged him on the arm. "Besides, it's only the morning, what else do we have to do between now and tonight?"
"I think I heard your mother say something about dance lessons?"
All at once, Colt and Tum-Tum stopped play fighting with each other. Their eyes widened in surprise and shock, probably rivaling the fear that registered over Rocky's face. Colt shoved Tum-Tum off him—effectively putting his face into the ground—then did a kip-up back to his feet so that he could face his grandfather.
"Y-you're kidding, right?" He asked. Inched closer. "Mom's been threatening us with that for years, she's not actually going to do it."
Mori shrugged. "I don't know, you know how your mother can be. She likes to be as helpful as she can. I think she said something about helping make sure your suits are fitted and that you get a haircut…" Rocky gulped and looked at his brothers, who looked back at him. "But I said you were a little busy with gardening after your ninja lesson to do it. I guess I'll just tell her—"
"—No, no, grandpa! That's okay!" Rocky said quickly. He reached out his hand, placing it on Mori's shoulder and smiled at him. "We'll help you out with the gardening. With…anything you need us to do. Right guys?" Colt and Tum-Tum nodded like bobbleheads. "What do you need us to do?"
"To remember that, when there's four strands of rope holding firm, nothing can break it apart," Mori said, grasping the boys' attention with the change in his tone. "Where one of us goes, we all go. Even if I may not be there for you in the ways you want. You really impressed me with your actions with MedoCal. You will suffer the consequences from it, but it is your pride that should keep you moving forward."
"We knew you had our back, grandpa," Colt said. He folded his arms. "You would've been there if you could be." Tum-Tum nodded in agreement.
Rocky gestured with his hand. "You go inside, grandpa, we'll get started on the garden for you."
Mori nodded, turned on his heel and started inside. "I told their mother I'd get them to work with the garden." Mori chuckled to himself, quietly shuffling back inside.
Rocky smiled.
A/N: And here's the start of the sequel! Like I said in the last story this (and the next chapter, mayyybe the one after that depending on how I plan it out) were supposed to be the end of the last story, but I changed my mind at the last minute. (It'll mostly be the same, but have to be re-worked to be an opening to a story rather than an end).
There's going to be plenty more ninja action in this one, ESPECIALLY because of my reveal at the end of the last story with Snyder. I'm sort of glad none of you figured out that Snyder was behind the whole thing, which is what Rocky was picking up on throughout the whole story, by the way. He never thought Harding was smart enough to do what was going on with MedoCal and things were starting to wind down in a familiar way for him…
Cheers,
-Riley