DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN RANDY CUNNINGHAM 9TH GRADE NINJA NOR LIFE AND TIMES OF JUNIPER LEE
Lila hurried down the streets running on all fours since she is faster that way. Not caring one bit of all the people staring at her for acting like an animal, mainly because technically she is an animal, until she reached the Lee residence. Banging on the door, she was greeted by June's parents. "Oh Lila what a pleasant surprise," Mrs. Lee said.
"Um, hi, is June home?" Lila said trying to remember the proper etiquette when talking to parents. Mainly because she knows that June's parents are unaware of the magical world.
"I'm sorry but June is not home right now. She might be at my mom's place." June's father suggested. Lila thanked the two had hurried to Jasmine's place hoping beyond hope that the Ninja hasn't found her yet.
Speaking of the Ninja, he continued to jump from rooftop to rooftop, searching for his foe. "Ninja jump, ninja jump" Randy kept calling out as he leaped into the air. "Alright you witch, I'll find you no matter what!" Randy swore, only to stop on a random roof upon a startling realization. "Only how am I going to find you? I don't even know your name?" Randy realized. Thinking about it for a bit, he came to only one solution. "Maybe the nomicon has something," Randy said pulling out his book.
Shloomping into its pages, Randy found himself in what looked like a quarry. There several men at the bottom were tying ropes to a large urn filled with what looked like rocks, but when the men up top tried to lift it up, some of the ropes broke. One man then took the remaining ropes and twirled them together to form one big rope. Using this thicker rope, the men successfully lifted the urn up into the air, that's when the words appeared on the urn. 'Ropes intertwined are stronger than they are individually'
Randy studied it for awhile before responding. "Not sure what you are trying to tell me, but I'm pretty sure that it is going to be important somehow." Randy said with uncertainty. That's when the rope broke, causing the urn to fall on Randy sending him out of the book. "Now why would the nomicon tell me about rope?" Randy pondered. "I guess I should check the rope store!" he concluded. "Wait is there such a thing as a rope store?" he questions. Luckily he spots a hardware store with an ad for a big rope sale. "Alright Ninja lead!" Randy cheered as he jumped towards the store. Once he reached the store, the Ninja spotted three familiar figures walking out with a lot of rope. The witch girl along with two guys he saw earlier, who Randy figures must be her minions, and a dog. "Good old nomicon, I can always count on you," Randy whispered believing that the book guided him here for this reason.
"Why are we buying all this rope?" Ray-Ray complained. Ever since his brother learned the truth about their family legacy, Dennis has been bring him along to help with what he called sidekick duties. Naturally due to Ray-Ray's impulsiveness, he finds such tasks to be degrading and would much rather be kicking butt like their sister.
"Dunce, we are trying to set a trap for that Ninja," Dennis repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time.
"But how are you going to trap him. He's a Ninja!" Ray-Ray argued.
"Yes, do tell?" the Ninja whispered eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Look we know that Ninja is going after June right, and most likely he's going to make his move at the LARPing event. So we get June to act as bait and trap him there before he can cause trouble." Dennis explained.
"Again, he's a ninja, he can escape your traps before he even gets caught in them!" Ray-Ray retorted.
"Not if we're careful," Dennis insisted.
"Well I don't get why we even need to set a trap. June can just kick his butt like last time." Ray-Ray argued.
"Ray-Ray, while I appreciate the vote of confidence, I don't want to kick his butt. I need to subdue him just long enough to talk to him." June explained.
"I still think you should just kick his butt," Ray-Ray complained.
"What are those guys up to?" Randy wondered. Thanks to his super hearing he could listen in even at a distance, but he couldn't understand why she needed to talk to him. Curious and Suspicious, Randy carefully followed them to a nearby park. There he watched as they set up a simple yet effective trap like the kinds they teach in summer camp.
"There all finished," Dennis said proudly covering his trap with leaves.
"But you five bucks it doesn't even work," Ray-Ray chuckled.
"Let's find out, Ninja Ring!" the Ninja yelled tossing the ring at the trap, triggering it so that it would ensnare Dennis and Ray-Ray, leaving them dangling upside down.
"You owe me five bucks," Dennis grumbled. Upset that his trap failed to capture the ninja, so he wanted to at least get something positive out of this.
"Hey, it didn't trap the ninja!" Ray-Ray argued, struggling to get himself free.
"But the trap worked," Dennis countered.
"Maybe but I want a lawyer!" Ray-Ray demanded.
"Sorry kid, but technically Dennis won the bet." Monroe snickered acting as a legal mediator.
"Whatever man," Ray-Ray complained handing his brother five dollars.
"Did you people seriously think I would fall for such an obvious trap?" the Ninja laughed as he stepped into a pile of leaves, triggering another trap, and the Ninja found himself tangled in a rope net.
"Nope, that's why I set this second trap," June boasted.
"Great you caught me, but don't think you have me beaten!" the Ninja warned.
"Look I don't want to fight, I just want to talk." June insisted.
"Then start talking, before get out of this thing and go all ninja on you!" the Ninja threatened. Truthfully he could have freed himself at any moment, but he wanted her to feel overconfident so she would tell him her scheme.
"I know you think I'm the sorcerer but I'm not. I'm the Te Xuan Ze." June explained.
"And what the juice is a Tesh one z?" the Ninja asked.
"Te Xuan Ze," June corrected him. "I'm the guardian of the veil and keeper of balance between the human world and the magical world."
"Now I know you are lying!" the Ninja accused. "Ninja Finger Slicing Thingies!" the Ninja pulled out some small spikes from the palm of his hand, using them to cut himself free. "Not to brag or anything, but I happen to be pals with the American Dragon. So I know the Dragons are the keepers of balance!"
"Well actually the Dragons serve more as a police force," June tried to explain.
"And I was just told by a good friend of mine that you turned him and his tour guides into monsters!" the Ninja accused.
"Say what? I never" June stuttered in disbelief.
"Enough! I think this conversation is over!" the Ninja shutting her off. Drawing out his sword he got into a battle stance.
"So it's come to this eh," June said drawing out a sword of her own. While she may have preferred to resolve this peacefully, but that didn't mean she was stupid enough to come unarmed. After staring each other down for about a minute, the two began fighting.
Meanwhile over at Jasmine Lee's house, Lila started pounding on the door. "June, Ah-mah are you here?" Lila pleaded. The doors slowly opened to reveal the elderly Jasmine.
"Lila, what are you doing here?" Ah-mah asked.
"June, she's in danger, I must warn her about the Ninja." Lila huffed. Sprinting all the way here left her out of breath.
"Hey slow down and take a deep breath," Ah-mah advised. "I'm afraid June's not here, but don't worry she already knows about the Ninja." Ah-mah assures her.
"No it's not that, there's someone else. Someone who want June and the Ninja to destroy each other!" Lila cried.
"Oh no, we've got to warn her!" Ah-mah gasped.
"On it!" Lila said as she darted off and sniffing the ground. Now Sasquatches are not known for their tracking skills, or any skills for that matter, but Lila still hoped that she can find her friends before it's too late.
"Lila wait, I can just call her!" Ah-mah tried to tell her, but Lila was already too far away. "Great, now she decides to be as dumb as the rest of her tribe," Ah-mah said shaking her head. She hurried her house and dialed June's number on her phone.
Back at the park, June and the Ninja were still at it, dueling each other to no end. June, in her ever attempt to get the Ninja to listen to reason, fought more defensively, hoping that the Ninja would realized that she doesn't want to fight him. Randy on the other hand, misinterpreted her hesitation as she is still injured from their last encounter. Thanks to his Art of Healing, he's fully recovered and thinks he has the advantage over her. Over to the side, still dangling upside down, Dennis and Ray-Ray were watching the fight.
"Man this would be so cool to watch if, you know, we weren't upside down with the blood rushing to our heads," Dennis complained, still trying to get himself free of the trap he made.
"Speak for yourself, I think all that makes the fight more enjoyable!" Ray-Ray laughed. "Whoa, getting dizzy here, cool." Giving the little adrenaline junkie added stimulation. Dennis rolled his eyes not believing that he's related to this crazy kid.
As the fight progressed, June's cell phone started ringing. Jumping back a bit to give herself more room, June grabbed her phone and answered it. "Hello, Ah-mah I'm kind of busy here!" June complained. Blocking the Ninja's sword with her sword. "June you have to hear this, the Ninja" she heard Ah-mah said when..
"Ninja kick!" the Ninja yelled doing a flip kick that knocked June's phone right out of her hand.
"Hey that's my phone!" June snapped. She tried to get her phone back only to see it smash as it hit the ground.
"Oh boy," the Ninja gulped. He may not understand women all that much, but he does know that you never mess with a girl's cell phone.
"You know I was trying to be nice here, but you just crossed the line!" June fuming with rage, pulled out her levitation charm and used it to lift the Ninja off the ground.
"What the cheese is happening?" the Ninja cried as he floated off of the ground. June then started slamming him down repeatedly, occasionally flinging him to the nearby trees and rocks. Randy groaned in pain as June lifted him up even higher. While still in a daze after that beating he took, due to the protective powers of his suit, he was still aware enough to notice the glowing stone in June's hands. Seeing that she was about to pound on him some more, Randy tossed his scarf at June wrapping it around her wrist. Catching her completely by surprise. Yanking hard on his scarf, he propelled himself straight towards his adversary so fast that June didn't have time to react as the Ninja punched her in the face! Causing her to drop her magic charm. This of course only served to aggravate her even more as she prepared to continue fighting using her preferred method, hand to hand. Randy was more than willing to oblige as he got into battle stance. The two charged at each other when out of nowhere, Lila jumped in and grabbed June from behind!
"Lila let me go! He has to PAY!" June growled still wanting to tear the Ninja apart for what he did to her phone.
Randy was a bit confused but this turn of events until he recognized the new girl as one of Julian's welcoming committee, and figured that she's here to help get revenge on the one that turned her and her friends into monsters. "Thanks for you assist citizen, but it is too dangerous for you. I will deal with this witch." the Ninja assured her.
"No!" Lila yelled, shocking everyone present. "June, Ninja, you have to hear what I'm about to say." Lila pleaded. Trusting her friend, June started to calm down. Randy agreed to listen as well. Lila recounted what really happened and how White Julian wanted June and the Ninja to fight so that he could obtain some amulet. Her news was not well received.
"Julian? You seriously expect me to believe that Julian stanked you and your friends?" the Ninja laughed.
"That's what happened!" Lila insisted. "He then told you that June did it so that you'd fight her!"
"Makes sense, his arrival here does coincide with my bracelet going haywire." June said.
"Please, I've known Julian since we were kids, and believe you me, he's barely a party clown, and not even that. He can't even do one simple card trick, let alone dark magic!" the Ninja insisted. Just then he recalled that terrible event during Julian's birthday. "Unless you count that one time when he got hold of a green ball with ultimate evil in it," the Ninja whispered.
"SAY WHAT!" June and Monroe screamed.
"But it's cool. I took care of it." the Ninja insisted trying to calm the girl down. "I think." The Ninja added since he's unsure if he did take care of it.
"You think," June said critically. "How do you know he's not playing you?" June challenged getting right into the Ninja's face.
"Well, it's um," the Ninja trying to think of a good argument. That's when he noticed some doodles appearing around June and Lila, but unlike other times where he sees his most recent lesson, these were lessons he learned a long time ago. 'The most dangerous enemy often wears the mask of an ally' and 'Sometime the ones who stands against you are not your enemies'. By this point Randy couldn't help but wonder if what they are saying is true, but also he didn't want to suspect one of his closest acquaintances of being an evil sorcerer. Still he knew that he had to check this out. "Alright I'll give you guys the benefit of doubt, for now, but if I find out that you're lying to me...SMOKEBOMB!" the Ninja throwing down a smoke bomb for a fast get away.
"Again seriously!" June coughed. "Monroe can you find him?" she asked her dog and assistant.
"Sorry lass, but that smoke bomb is made from the sap of the skunk pine. It completely covers his scent, making it impossible to track him." Monroe told her sniffing the air.
"Um, that's all very interesting, but can someone get us down from here!" Dennis demanded, still dangling upside down with his brother. Apparently they have been forgotten with all the craziness going around.
Randy made it back to the hotel, where he removed the mask before entering his room. Inside he found Howard still watching TV. "Hey Howard, you'll never guess what I just found out." Randy said, wanting to talk to his best friend about what Lila said about Julian. Howard however kept giving Randy the gesture to shut it. "What's wrong buddy, don't you want to hear what I've got to say?" Randy taunted.
"Of course we do Randal," White Julian's voice came from behind him. "I'm so glad you're feeling better now." White Julian grinned.
"Um, yeah, I guess I just needed nap." Randy hastily made up.
"So what is your big news?" White Julian asked.
"My news? Right, what was it again?" Randy trying to think up of something. "I heard that the Ninja is here in Orchid bay!"
"Oh yes, in fact we just saw him a couple of hours ago, right Howard." White Julian said.
"Oh yeah, it was cool." Howard said more interested in the TV than what his friends were saying.
"But isn't it curious to why the Ninja is even here? Especially the fact that only the three of us are from Norrisville. That would make it seem that one of us is the Ninja." White Julian speculated. Randy, White Julian, and Howard froze in silence. Their only moment was with their eyeballs shifting between each other. Both Howard and Randy starting to sweat with White Julian staring accusingly at them. Just then all three broke down laughing.
"Good one Julian, one of us is the Ninja!" Howard laughed wiping a tear from his eye.
"Indeed, the very thought that one of us could be the Ninja, is just preposterous." White Julian agreed.
"Yeah, preposterous," Randy's laughter dying down. He was both relieved that Julian wasn't suspecting him anymore, but at the same time insulted that Julian didn't think that he could be the Ninja.
"Well I'm off to the showers and then to bed. I have a big day tomorrow." White Julian said as he entered the bathroom.
"I'm going to stay up and watch all the stuff my parents never let me watch." Howard grinned with anticipation as flipped through the channels, only to crash on the recliner a second later.
"Good night buddy," Randy said putting a blanket over his best friend. He then started watching TV, waiting for his turn in the shower.
Inside the bathroom, White Julian prepared himself for his bath when real Julian appeared in the mirror. "The Ninja is here. He's going to defeat you and free me!" real Julian cheered.
"I wouldn't get your hopes up, me. After all we don't even know why he's really here." White Julian pointed out.
"He's here because he want's to save me?" real Julian whimpered.
"Fool, he doesn't even know about you. No he's here for another reason. No matter, nothing will stop me from stealing the Monkey's Paw amulet." White Julian assures.
"What make you think that the Ninja won't stop you? In fact why didn't you just steal the amulet when you discovered where it was being kept?" real Julian asked.
"Because I didn't want to draw attention to myself just yet. With the Ninja around you can't be too careful. That is why I set up the Ninja and that one girl to fight. Once they have eliminated each other, I'll be free to collect my prize." White Julian explained.
"But if the girl defeats the Ninja then that means you can't." real Julian pointed out hoping that his evil counterpart's ego would make him do something stupid to ruin his own plans.
"You know what, I'm actually okay with that," White Julian laughed as he turned the hot water on the shower. As the mirror started to fog up, real Julian looked down sadly in failure before fading away.