A/N: Final Chapter! And paint me surprised that I'm actually looking forward to it!

Please read and enjoy!

Chapter 10

"Holy fish nuggets! What do we do?!" Jay yells, taking a step back.

I glance behind us. There are only a few meters between us and the cliff. If we don't do something soon, we're either going to fall off and plummet to our deaths or get turned into Shinobi pancakes! I return my gaze to the matter at hand. It's effort to regain my balance, as the ground's shaking violently due to the force and speed the boulders are barreling down the slope towards us.

"Cole, do you perhaps have a plan?" Zane asks, turning worried hazel eyes to the earth ninja.

Cole tightens his grip on his scythe. "I…I'm afraid not, Frosty…" I can't imagine what's going through his mind right now. Is he thinking he's failed us…and Sensei Wu?

"Well we have to think of something!" Kai shouts indignantly, digging his sword into the ground to help stabilize his footing.

I bit my lip anxiously. I…I don't know what to do!

(Well…you could try using me, Little Gale…)

Again, that same voice in my head. Just what is going on?!

(Quickly please, there isn't much time. Position yourself in front of your friends…if you wish to truly protect them, that is…)

Without thinking, I follow the voice's command and position myself solidly before my clan. Sanity be damned I guess. Besides, it's not like I have any better ideas at the moment. I'll just have to trust this mysteriously soothing and feminine voice, and hope that it doesn't get us all killed in the process.

"Sis, get back!"

"Nya, what are you doing?!"

"Nya?!"

"Nya!"

(Good. Now, mimic the stance I send to your mind's eye. It should be…wonderfully familiar…)

I close my eyes and concentrate on the faceless figure I see in my mind. What…? It can't be…? Is this... A position I've known since I was five-years old appears from the depths of my memories. I would always watch religiously as my mother would go through her kata—one fluid movement after the next. And now…this anonymous figure…is performing one such powerful motion. My body moves to retrace a familiar step in the art of Tai Chi. I feel completely calm—reinvigorated even. There is no danger…not anymore.

I turn my body into the wind, left leg straight and planted firmly unto the ground. My right leg lifts and bends at the knee—balance is key. My left arm extends straight up, palm facing the heavens. And lastly, my right arm shoots out, straight and precise as an arrow, with my palm facing my adversary.

"N-Nya…? Is that…Mom…?"

(Perfect form…as to be expected from the daughter of my former master… Now, execute this attack… Do me and your mother proud…)

My eyes snap open to see my bladed gauntlets glow an intense purple and magenta. "Susamajii Senpuu!" I yell, performing two flying roundhouse kicks consecutively. Two powerful whirlwinds are created from the released art and sweep up the rolling boulders coming towards us.

"No! What's happening?!" I hear Pythor screech in consternated anguish. The whirlwinds then hurl the boulders back at the Serpentine."SERPENTINE RETREAT!" Pythor screams, and with terrified cries, they all flee in the opposite direction.

Wha…? My mother…? I… All energy promptly drains from my body and I collapse to my knees, panting.

(Well done, Little Gale…) The voice permeates my mind with a breezy chuckle. (Well done…)

What did you say…? I ask the voice brokenly. What was that about my mother?

(All shall be revealed once you stand before the Goddess of Wind, Little Gale. Thus until then, you must focus on strengthening yourself…as well as finding the rest of your brethren…)

I grit my teeth in frustration. But I want answers now! Please! You must tell me about my mother! She never said anything about being a Master of Wind! And if she was, then there's no way she should've been—

(You would do well to hold your tongue, Nya.) Gone was the sweet, airy tone. All that throttled my head now is a punishing nor'easter. (Would you speak ill of the deceased? Especially when not knowing all the facts? For shame…)

No, I just… I just…

(Shh…patience, patience, Little Gale. Don't despair… After all, your journey is just beginning—truly beginning…)

My hands clench in my lap. It takes everything I have not to cry—to not let the memories overflow and remind me of what was taken from me and my brother's lives. Sensei Wu said I should trust my intuition and my weapons…so that's what I'll do.

I peer down intently at my hands. The Bladed Gauntlets of Tempest pulse their stunning shades of Grecian fruits, their blades stained with Serpentine blood. So then…you are…

(Ah, I see you've figured it out. Well done. Yes, I am Tempest. An ancient spirit that inhabits these formidable weapons of yours…)

Well…I guess one can't call themselves a Shinobi without being a little insane… Um…so was that my True Potential…?

(Hmph, hardly… You still have much to learn, but someday you shall reach it…)

Fair enough… I have so many questions, but I know I won't get any answers… Not now at least. Just who was my mother? And if she was so strong…then why did she have to die…?

*~Elements~*

"Nya!" I shout, rushing with the others to her fallen form. "Nya, are you okay?" I kneel beside her. Something's off with her eyes again. They look so distant and spacey. Just…what is happening to her…?

Kai sheathes his sword and comes to kneel on her other side, his gaze sharp and searching. "Sis…that art… That was mom's, wasn't it…?"

I look from one sibling to the next in question. Neither one really talks about their parents, so of course I'm intrigued to learn anything new about my girl and bro. Nya seems to snap out of her trance and looks at us with a tired smile.

"Yeah…it was…" She then grimaces, but doesn't say anything further. Kai is silent also before he gets back to his feet and turns to Cole.

"We should get back, shouldn't we? Gotta report this trap to Sensei."

"Uhh…yeah…" It's clear from the lack of an explanation that the rest of us are banned from the secret society of siblings, but something itches at me to say something.

"So um…was that technique a precursor to you unlocking your True Potential?" I'm hoping that my question is harmless enough without prying too deeply into Nya's affairs, and I inwardly sigh with relief when my girl answers nonplussed.

"No, according to Tempest I still have a long way to go," she replies. She sounds tired and even a little sad.

"Wait, who's Tempest?" Cole asks with raised eyebrows.

"I'll explain later when we get back to the Bounty." Nya struggles to climb to her feet, so I quickly wrap an arm around her shoulders to help support her as she shakily regains her balance.

"Then let us return. It will make for an excellent discussion topic over dinner…" Zane eyes me knowingly and I can't help but preen with delight. I guess I have a little Cole in me, after all! Hmmmmm, pot roast…

(Back at Destiny's Bounty)

"And that's pretty much it," Nya concludes, glancing down at her platinum gauntlets with nothing short of wonderment.

We were all seated again at the dinner table after we had freshened up and changed into our pajamas. Zane had reheated the pot roast and vegetables, and we practically gorged ourselves while we listened to Nya's story.

"So that's it. A spirit, huh…" The siblings share a look that I can't ascertain, but then Kai just shrugs. "It really pulled us out of the proverbial fire, so I'm grateful."

"Well, I honestly don't know if having a voice in my head would be considered a blessing or a curse," Cole remarked, taking another forkful of the succulent meat and veggies.

"But it sounds like Tempest is guiding her," Zane intercepts, coming to the spirit's defense. "I cannot sense any misgivings from the gauntlets, so I believe we can trust them."

"Plus, the Platinum Weapons were kept with Sensei Wu all this time," I chime in. "So of course they can't be evil, right Sensei?"

Our mentor had been quiet throughout Nya's retelling of her experience. He hasn't even taken more than a couple of bites from our kick-ass dinner. He's just been sitting at the head of the table, diligently sipping at his tea. He puts his steaming cup down and finally lifts his gaze to us. "Yes, Jay. I am familiar with sensing maleficence, thus such doubt is unnecessary. However I must ask, Nya. Did Tempest say anything else of importance? Perhaps pertaining to the whereabouts of the other masters?"

Nya shakes her head. "I'm sorry, but no, she didn't. Only that we must find them."

Sensei nods and stands up. "Finish eating, and then retire to bed, young ninja. As for me, I must meditate about this…" He leaves the dining room shortly after.

"Hai, Sensei," we all call after him.

Nya rises from the table as well—she's the only one who still had her ninja garb on—and stretches languidly. "I'm going to turn in early. Goodnight, guys," she says as she too leaves the room. Though I know she's tired, I don't miss the solemn fog reflected in her eyes. I let my worry show as I stare after her before sighing and focusing on the current chatter from my brothers.

Cole wipes his mouth with a napkin and balls it up, a vexed frown firmly in place. "Damn those snakes," he grumbles. "I don't think we've ever been that close to annihilation before. I really need to step up my game. I can't let something like that happen again."

I try to comfort my best friend and place my hand on his shoulder. "Hey, we know you're our leader and you're doing your best, so beat yourself about it. Besides, no amount of planning could've foreseen Pythor's heinous scheme."

Zane breaks off a piece of a honey-buttered roll and pops it in his mouth. "Agreed. And in any event, it's not just you, Cole. We all could use some additional training. Like Sensei Wu says, there's always room for improvement."

I nod at Zane, delighted by his assurance. I wait expectantly for Kai to say something equally consoling to our dispirited leader, but am met with absolute silence. I turn to look at him—we all do. He's seated on the opposite of Zane, his arms lay crossed on the table and his head is bowed. I've never seen the fire ninja look so taciturn, and I bet Cole and Zane haven't either. A little unnerved, I call out to him.

"Hey…Kai…? You alright, bror…?"

That seems to rouse him from whatever silent spell he's under, and he turns to look at me. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. What's up?"

My brow creases worriedly. In retrospect, he was oddly distracted after Nya rescued us too. Zane, most likely having came to this conclusion too, voices my thoughts. "You've been most reticent since the aftermath of the battle, брат. Does the art Nya performed to save us trouble you that much?"

My eyes widen. "That's right!" I opened my mouth without thinking. "It's about your parents, right? Or rather you guys' mother? What's the deal?"

If Kai's angry with my slight diarrhea-of-the-mouth lapse, he doesn't show it. In fact, he becomes even more reserved and leans back in his chair with a heavy sigh. His voice rings out calm and detached, which only serves to make my concern escalate. "We all have our secrets, right? So don't go sticking your noses in where they don't belong. And anyway, you're worried about my sister, right Jay?"

Caught off guard, my response is less than stellar. "Well y-yeah, but…"

"Then what are you sitting around here for?" Kai interjects. "Go. Comfort her…" Sharp golden-amber eyes train menacingly on me. "But that better be all you do. Got it?"

I swallow awkwardly with a nod, and stand up. I give a gesture of farewell to my brothers then turn and follow Nya to her room. During my trek, I notice how heavy and unsure my steps are. It's very unbecoming of such a seasoned ninja like myself, but I just can't help it right now. I get what Kai is saying, and that I shouldn't pry… But if I can help alleviate some of Nya's burden…wouldn't that be worth prying a little? While Kai looked downright aloof about the matter, the obvious pain my girlfriend was in tugs excruciatingly at me.

There has to be some way for me to help her, right…? If nothing else…I can at least lend an ear…

My short journey comes to an end, and I find myself right outside Nya's bedroom door. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. No sweat Jay… It's just Nya…your girlfriend... The sudden rush of blood to my face causes me to inadvertently squeak in a very unmanly way. I shake my head vigorously. What the hell?! Now's not the time to act incredibly love-struck and stupid, Jay!

My head lands with a soft *thunk* against the door, as I precariously lean against it. "Maybe…I shouldn't—"

"Is someone there?" I hear Nya suddenly call out.

I jolt up immediately in a panic. Oh crap! Mission Abort! Mission Abort! I get ready to make a run for it when Nya opens the door.

"Jay?"

I whirl back around to face her—to explain myself…but my mind goes blank at the sight of her. Haloed by the soft luminosity emitting from her bedroom, Nya's curvaceous figure is encased in an incredibly fetching short, lavender nightgown. I've never been so thankful and so ashamed of my sight before. I can't stop my eyes from soaking in the details: The way her creamy vanilla skin appeared unblemished without flaw, the swell of her breasts pushing against the lacey embroidery, the jutting of hourglass hips connecting to a trim and narrow midriff, and the sight of long, gorgeous legs that looked undoubtedly soft to the touch.

My mouth feels dry, yet I'm pretty sure I'm drooling. I try my damndest to bring my gaze back up to her face—to show that I have at least some decency and am not openly ogling her. I feel like a fish out of water! Am I saying anything? I'm not sure... How am I not sure?! One of the spaghetti straps is hanging precariously from a milky cream shoulder…

"What are you doing here?" I hear her ask, and I almost have an aneurism with how hard I force my eyes to leave her body and focus on her face. My mouth moves again, but this time thankfully, I can finally hear myself speak.

"I…I just wanted to…check on you. I mean, y-you seemed kinda upset…" Seeing her quizzical expression, however, I immediately backpedal. "B-But I can come back later, yanno?" I get out in a rush. "Like tomorrow even? Y-Yanno when you're less…busy? Busy being…" My eyes sweep her heavenly frame again, and only one word comes to mind: "…beautiful…"

Wait…WHAT DID I JUST SAY?! Why am I standing in front of my girlfriend's door talking gibberish! I sigh miserably and place my hand over my face. I have no idea what expression Nya has now, and it's probably for the best that I don't see it. "Uh…you know what, Nya…never mind." I utter. "I'm just gonna—"

A soft, small hand touches the one on my face and slowly pulls it down."Jay…" She's smiling. She has such a great smile. And thankfully…I'm not the only one blushing. "…Thank you. And actually, do you mind coming in for a bit…?"

Despite her clandestine appearance, the frailty of her voice has me remembering the reason why I decided to come visit her in the first place. "Yeah. Sure," I say, stepping inside. A scent that can be best described as strictly feminine engulfs me the moment I enter the violet and aqua room. It's actually a more than welcome respite from the spice and sweat of me and my brothers' room. Nya goes to sit on her bed, but I remain standing by the door—looking for another place to sit. I spot a lone chair underneath the desk of her vanity. But before I can take a step towards it, Nya meets my gaze expectantly and pats the seat next to her. I swallow down my throbbing heart and make my way to her. Sitting down on the bed with her seems a bit much, but if she's okay with it, then…

"…So much has happened…" Nya folds her hands on her lap, her soft cocoa gaze downcast and reflective. "…In just a span of two days, there have been so many changes…"

I choose my words carefully. "Are you…okay with the changes…?"

Her gaze lifts then, and a heartfelt smile lights her face as she looks at. "In most aspects, yes. But…" the lovely grin promptly drops from her pretty lips, "…in others…I'm not so sure. Don't get me wrong, Jay. I want to be stronger so that I can protect all those precious to me—counting those who can't protect themselves. And if being a kunoichi will allow me to do that more efficiently than being a samurai, then I welcome the change."

She purses her lips, and her hands curl into fists on her lap. "It's just…what I learned today… What Tempest told me… It was…so sudden and…" Her eyes suddenly shut tight as her whole body tenses. "…I…I just want answers."

I'm not all the way sure I know what she's talking about. But it's clear it has something to do with her being the Kunoichi of Wind. Perhaps even a link to her past… But my curiosity can take a back seat. All I can see is that she's hurting. She's unsure and afraid. And want to help put her qualms to rest.

I lay my hand on top of hers and urge her eyes to meet mine. Chocolate orbs shimmer with gathered tears, but I do my best not to have them fall. "You'll get your answers, Nya," I assure as strongly as I can. "Like you said, it's only been a few days, right? And although I don't know the specifics about what's going on with you, I want you know you can always come to me if you need to. I'll happily lend an ear! And…I'll help you. You won't have to go through any of this alone. You have Kai, sure, but…I want you to become comfortable enough with me…to tell me anything that's on your mind." I gather her hands in mine and raise them to my lips. I kiss the back of each one adoringly. "I love you…and I'm here."

She stares at me. "Wow…Jay, heh…" That one loose chuckle empowers me further and I let my lips curve up into a smirk.

"You already know you're amazing, so there's no reason to doubt the future. With each passing day, you'll become stronger and wiser…and the rest of us will too! So c'mon! Show me that award-winning smile of yours!"

"Oh, Jay…" Her blush spreads ten-fold. And although the tears do fall, she never looked happier…or more beautiful. She leans into me, and I feel her arms come around my back in a hug. I reciprocate the affection wholeheartedly and press my lips to her silky strands, kissing her temple. "Oh, Jay…" My name is a sob, and I hold her tight and protectively as she cries into my chest.

"Everything's gonna be okay," I assure in a whispered kiss, her scent of vanilla and orchard enrapturing me. "You're gonna be fine. I promise." And I mean it. I know Nya is strong, but I want to protect her just as much as she wants to protect me—if not even more so. So I'm going to make sure I keep my word.

"Jay…" Her voice is muffled and a tad shaky, but I can still make out her words. "Jay…thank you. My heart…feels calmer now. So thanks…I feel so lucky to have you. I love you."

My heart both soars and thunders in my chest as I continue to hug her happily. I don't know how long we stay in each other's arms, but some time passes before we slowly pull apart. That one-of-a -kind smile lights her face as she looks at me. She suddenly becomes bashful and wipes her eyes with a noisy sniff. "Sorry…*sniff*…I must look so—"

"Fantastic…" I finish for her. It was something I told her before to express my attraction to her. But this…she does more than just shyly blush. Her hands reach up to frame my face, and soon my lips meet sweetly with hers.

Ahhh, sweet bliss…

Our lips press together gently. Her taste is sweet and addicting, and my heart pounds with fervor as she takes the initiative and parts my lips with her tongue. It's a shy encounter—a first deep kiss for us both maybe, but damn does it feel good. The flavor of fresh, ripe raspberries floods over my tongue as hers continuously glides over mine.

God I feel drunk…intoxicated…

I unconsciously tighten my hold on her, and feet her soft mounds through her thin nightgown and against my chest. Her hands tangle in my hair as we continue to explore each other's mouths. But soon, oxygen becomes a problem, and we pull apart breathlessly. I open my eyes—not sure when they had drifted shut—and stare at the enchanting vision before me. Nya's chest rises and falls with each breath she takes. Her now kiss-swollen lips lay slightly parted, and her soft cocoa eyes are hooded with passion that I know mirrors my own.

"Nya…"

Unbidden, she leans forward again, and begins to kiss and nibble up and down my neck.

Oh god…

Her hands go to work unbuttoning my pajama top. And soon I can feel a rush of cold from exposure before it's aptly replaced by the warmth of her hands gliding over my abs and chest. "N…Nya…" I sound wanton and breathless even to my own ears. I…fuck… I gotta get her…to stop before… I swallow thickly. "I…I really don't think we should…mmm—go any further. Not that I don't want to. It's just...maybe *gasp* it's a bit too soon…"

The way my hands are holding her in place contradicts my voice of reason. And I can tell by the hungry look reflected in her dark eyes, that she doesn't agree with me. I gather my resolve, however, and go again to open my mouth…only for hers to rise above mine. "Stay. We don't have to do anything…just…stay…"

She's already tugging me down to lie beside her, and I don't fight her on it. A smile spreads onto my face as her lips find mine in the dark.

To be wrapped up in her embrace…

To love and to be loved…

I don't want to let go…

And so I don't…

I stay…

FIN

A/N: And so ends the first of four revisions. It wasn't all bad. I did a lot of reflecting, you know? Just looking at how far I've come since this very first edition. It was nice overall, so I'm very motivated to get these things completed as soon as possible. Now for those of you who haven't seen them yet, please go visit my DA page! There are new portraits of my characters up, and soon they'll be even more.

Until next time!

VelvetPersona out!