DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN RANDY CUNNINGHAM 9TH GRADE NINJA NOR LIFE AND TIMES OF JUNIPER LEE
"Time to intertwine our powers!" the Ninja said removing his mask and placing it on Juniper Lee. Wearing the mask, the ninja suit materialized around her. Inside the suit, June could feel it. Her own magically enhanced strength now being amplified by the suits power. With the surge of power coursing through her, June is confident that she should be able to take out Monster Julian now.
"Let's do this," Ninja June said cracking her knuckles. "Um where's the smoke bombs in this thing?" Ninja June asked patting herself looking for the ninja tools.
"There in the right back pocket," Randy said.
"Got it," Ninja June finding them. "SMOKE BOMB!" she screamed throwing one on the ground, disappearing from their sight.
"So that's what it feels like," Randy coughed.
"Smoke Bomb!" A second smoke bomb blew right in front of Monster Julian with Ninja June appearing put of the smoke. "Alright, time for round two!" Ninja June declared. Monster Julian roared and pointed at the Ninja June, directing the other monsters to attack her. As the monster started surrounding her, Ninja June took a second to analyze the situation. Then before anyone could blink, she jumped into action! Jumping between two monsters and hitting both at the same time with a slit kick. She then used her pink scarf to snare one of the monsters, which she then flung it at another group of monsters, knocking them down like bowling pins. "Now let's see what these things can do," Ninja June commented throwing several balls at the monsters. Some of the balls exploded, others froze the monsters into blocks of ice, one released a swarm of bees, another electrocuted them, and the last patch created a trickling water sound effect prompting the monsters to rush to the bathroom.
"It's just you and me now," Ninja June said to Monster Julian after the other monsters have been dealt with. Monster Julian roared in frustration. His time limit was quickly running out. He needed to deal with the Ninja and the Girl soon so that he can claim his prize. Throwing a punch at the Ninja, he/she easily dodged it, ran right up the monster's arm and punched Monster Julian right in the face. Monster Julian couldn't believe it, somehow the Ninja seems even stronger than the last time he faced him, about less than a minute ago. Still Monster Julian refuses to lose, not when he is so close. Monster Julian started sending out strips of his clothing to attack as if they were tentacles. Ninja June began hopping around trying to avoid the tentacles, even slicing a few the ninja sword that she just pulled out of the suit somehow. Still there were too many and were coming in too fast for her to keep up. Ninja June tried to jump out of the way to give herself more breathing room, unfortunately the tentacles pursued her up into the air; and without any way to move out of the way, she was a falling duck. Whether by some form of warrior's instinct, or just an act of desperation, Ninja June started waving her pink scarf around, praying for a miracle. That miracle came as the scarf suddenly began weaving itself into a kite shape. Thanks to her new kite scarf, Ninja June was able to fly out of the way of the tentacles.
"No honking way. Ninja Kite Flying? Man, why doesn't the nomicon ever teach me the good stuff." Randy complained watching Ninja June flying in the air. Already wanting to go flying himself.
"Told ya that book is a jerk," Howard snipped.
"Or maybe because it knows you can't handle it," Monroe laughed.
"Hey I too can handle it!" Randy argued.
"Again that's not what I said," Howard commented thinking that his friend was talking to him.
"Not you, I was talking to him." Randy pointing at the dog.
"The dog didn't say anything," Howard replied.
"He cannot hear me lad, only those who are sensitive to the magical world can understand me. To everyone else I'm just barking like a normal dog." Monroe explained.
"Really, that would explain a lot," Randy said nodding his head.
"Still I'm surprised you're not freaking out about a talking dog more." Monroe complimented.
"Surprisingly, you're not the first talking dog I've ever encountered," Randy explained.
Getting back to the fight, Ninja June was enjoying her time flying around Monster Julian. Carefully waiting for an opening, she released the scarf's kite mode allowing her to free fall straight to Monster Julian, then charging her mystical energies into her fist, Ninja June released and energy dragon that sent Monster Julian crashing into the prop castle. Upon his defeat, all the stank in the area retracted and everyone reverted back to normal. Seeing how all the monsters were gone, the boys hurried to rejoin June.
"Now she can do that dragon thing, oh come on!" Randy whined.
"June have been training hard to be the Te Xuan Ze you know. So she is a highly skilled warrior." Monroe pointed out.
"Hey I've been training hard to be the ninja as well!" Randy argued, but it came out sounding more like an excuse.
"Speaking of which, this suit is amazing. Monroe we really need to get one for ourselves." Ninja June said.
"That's nice lass. Now give it back to the boy." Monroe barked.
"But can't I wear it just a little longer," Ninja June pleaded.
"Sorry, but that suit is crafted with forbidden knowledge. The longer you wear the more it corrupts your entire being." Monroe explained.
"I guess that's why the nomicon just let us be the ninja for four years," Randy figured.
"You only have to do this for four years, lucky." June gripped handing the mask back to Randy. It still bothers her that she is trapped in Orchid Bay until the next gen Te Xuan Ze comes to take her place.
Randy immediately placed the mask back on becoming the ninja again. Complete with red lines and scarf, as well as the Norisu Nine insignia. "Alright let's see if Julian is alright," the Ninja said still hoping that June is wrong about Julian being evil.
Inside the castle White Julian growled in anger at the humiliation the Ninja just dealt him. Now more than anything he wants to destroy that interloper. He was about to rush out when he suddenly noticed where he was, and what right there within arms reach. He was in the throne room of the evil king, right next to the display case holding his prize, the Monkey's paw amulet. White Julian was about to take it when he heard voices coming right at him. White Julian cursed, knowing that most likely they are the Ninja and that Girl. Turning around he saw that his suspicions were correct as the Ninja and June came busting in.
"Julian are you alright?" the Ninja asked.
"Ninja thank goodness you're here. There's the girl, the one that changed me into a monster." Julian pleaded pointing at June.
"You can dropped the act. We all know that I wasn't responsible." June said pointed a rock at White Julian.
"Oh dear I'm afraid I don't know what you are talking about." White Julian still playing innocent as he inched his way to the display case.
"Don't move!" June ordered.
"Too late!" White Julian laughed as he punched the display case, breaking the glass.
"That's it you're banished!" June declared activating her banishing stone.
"NNNOOOO! Stop!" the Ninja protested using his scarf to grab June's arm, and yanking of it so she would miss her target.
"Thanks Ninja," White Julian chuckled suspiciously as he reached out to grab the Monkey's Paw. "I have it. Now my first wish is to destroy the Ninja!" White Julian laughed holding the amulet high above his head. Everyone paused to see what will happen, only to see that nothing is happening. "What the? What is wrong with this thing?" White Julian ranted shaking the amulet.
"Julian, buddy what's going on?" the Ninja pleaded feeling a bit confused by Julian's actions.
"Ugh, I know this is the real Monkey's Paw. It should have granted my wish by now." White Julian now tapping the amulet.
"Do you honestly think I would have left such a powerful item here where any idiotic human could win it?" Monroe laughed. "I had it neutralized the moment I knew it was the real deal."
"What then I did all this for nothing!" White Julian sneered. He was about to throw it away, when he realized something. "Wait if you just neutralized it, then there has to be a way to reactivate it. Maybe this wasn't a waste of time." White Julian smiled putting the Monkey's Paw in his pocket.
"What you mean you were trying to destroy me for real?" the Ninja said taking one step forward.
"Stay away from me!" White Julian screamed shooting a stream of white stank at them. June and the Ninja managed to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit.
"There now you see that he's the monster! I need to banish him now!" June exclaimed.
"Are you sure you want to banish me?" White Julian asked suspiciously.
"Why wouldn't I?" the June asked.
"Because if you banish me, then what do you think will happen to him?" White Julian pointed to some broken glass where the image of Human Julian could be seen pounding on the glass, begging to be set free.
"Julian? What's going on here? What did you do to him?" the Ninja demanded.
"The same thing you did to me," White Julian shot back. "You trapped me in the land of shadows, and in order for me to escape, I needed to trade places with my good half. And thanks to that idiot Randy Cunningham, ditching him in the maze of mirrors, I was able to do just that. So you see if you banish me to wherever that girl is planning to send me..."
"Then the real Julian stays trapped in the land of shadows," June finished, lowering her banishing stone. The Ninja, no, Randy's heart sank as well, hearing how this is all his fault. By shirking his responsibilities, not only has he allowed a new sorcerer into the world, but now Julian is trapped in the land of shadows with every evil imaginable.
"Bravo on her first try," White Julian mocked with slow clapping. "You could learn a thing or two from her, Ninja."
"Julian," the Ninja looked upon his friend trapped in the mirror, well actually more of an acquaintance, with disbelief. "No, you're not Julian. You are uh, uh, Ghoulian!" the Ninja named, finally accepting the facts. Vowing to find some way to free the real Julian from the land of shadows.
"Ghoulian, I like that." White Julian, I mean, Ghoulian laughed. "Now if you'll excuse me." Knowing that he had all the cards Ghoulian started walking towards the exit.
"Where do you think you are going?" the Ninja and June asked.
"Weren't you paying attention? I need to find a way to reactivate the Monkey's Paw. Fortunately for me, this city is rich with magic. So I'm certain that I will be finding what I need very soon. If not, then I can just find some other artifact I can use against you and that Girl." With that, Ghoulian disappeared with a puff of white stank.
"The name is June!" June yelled. She hates it when someone just refers to her as 'that Girl'.
"Man, I've got to find him!" the Ninja declared.
"Not so fast hot shot. First we need to remove that curse on you." Monroe said.
"What curse?" the Ninja asked. Then right on cue, the chandelier on the castle dropped down almost crushing the Ninja.
"What the juice is that all about?" the Ninja cursed.
"That boy, Ghoulian I believe you called him, used the Monkey's Paw to wish for your demise." Monroe reminded him.
"But you said it was fake or neutralized or something," the Ninja pointed out.
"I was bluffing. This amulet is real and the wish is now in full effect. I was hoping he would discard it so that we could use it." Monroe said.
"Wait what do you mean full effect?" the Ninja asked.
"Simply put, unlike genie magic, wishes made with the Monkey"s Paw don't simply happen. The amulet grants wishes by manipulating fate. It is like, if you wished for a million dollars. Then one day while walking down the street, there's a bank robbery and a bag filled with a million dollars accidentally falls right in front of you." Monroe explained hoping that they understand the example.
"Oh I get it, because Ghoulian wished for my death, now everything is going to try and kill me! Like I'm going stop and smell a bunch of flowers only to find that they are actually sticks of lit dynamite, or out of nowhere I'm going to get trampled by a herd of rhinos, or anvils are going to start raining from the sky!" the Ninja already starting to panic.
"Not quite but close," Monroe said thinking that's probably the best he's going to get out of the boy.
"What will I do? What can I do? We have get that the Monkey's Paw, so that I can unwish that wish." the Ninja suggested.
"Aye lad, but easier said than done. That Ghoulian is one tough customer. He'd be trouble even without that curse hanging over your head. Fortunately I do know a few counter spells that might be able hold the curse off for awhile." the dog assured him.
"Oh thank cheese," the Ninja breathing a sigh of relief.
"Then we better hurry if we're going to stop Julian or Ghoulian before he finds out that the Monkey's Paw is still active." June reminded them.
"Oh right," the Ninja and Monroe agreed.
Meanwhile somewhere out in the city, Ghoulian was walking over to where several monsters were gathering. He doesn't know why they were here, but it did present a golden opportunity. "When I stank a human, they turn into monsters. I wonder what happens when I stank a monster?" Ghoulian chuckled as he gathered his stank.