"I can't believe you Cunningham! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" His eyebrows were drawn together and a frown was beginning to tug at the corners of his mouth, lips slightly parted. To anyone else, he looked downright mad.
I know better. Howard's eyes are what give it away; he's hopeful. He wants me to have a logical excuse, a typical Randy Cunningham excuse that is so far out there yet somehow believable, to banish his doubts. I don't have one.
"Howard- I… It was last minute and- and my phone broke! Then-"
"Forget it, I don't want to hear it." Howard shakes his head and turns to leave.
Disappointment. I've let him down. It's not that we don't do things without each other, it's that he saw me with Theresa and assumed the rest. And he's right… wait a minute. I grab his shoulder.
"It's not like you told me you were going to be here either!" I sense a few party goers turn their heads. Panic flashes momentarily in his eyes.
"I have my reasons," he mumbles, not bothering to free his shoulder.
"So do I." Did I really forget my main purpose in being here? My mission was to spy on McFist! I just got a little sidetracked…
Howard notices the nosy people too. "Can I talk to you, alone?" He says with an edge to his voice.
I nod, apologizing to Theresa who was standing there, embarrassed, the whole time. In the hallway, he faces me, tapping his foot impatiently.
"I came here to spy on McFist and I didn't want to tell you because you didn't believe me when I said that he and The Sorcerer had teamed up." I speak quietly. Heidi and I had told him about the resort/tomb thing and he still believes it's a coincidence.
I guess I have an excuse after all.
"And that's why I didn't tell you. My dad is working for McFist."
"WHAT?"
"Keep it down chowder face! See this is why I didn't say anything, I knew you would freak."
"I'm not freaking out!" I take a deep breath. "When did this happen?"
"Eh, a week ago. It's not that big a deal really, he had nothing to do with the resort. Did you even find any real evidence linking the two tonight?" His tone expresses his doubt.
"I actually did thank you very much, but I'll have to show you later- too risky," I pause. "Bros?"
Howard sighs. "Bros."
We do the entirety of our secret BBF (Best Bros Forever) fist bump ritual and everything is okay again.
In the end, we decide that I shouldn't go home with Howard when the party ends because Heidi decided to invite some girl friends over instead of coming here with Mr. and Mrs. Weinerman. I pointed out that girls in pajamas were usually a good thing (they always wear booty shorts, need I say more?) and being at his house is my cover. Then he explains the reason he left his house is that they were trying to give him a makeover and then feature it on Heidi's show.
That is why I'm now sitting in the backseat of the Fowler car next to Theresa. McFist's party ends at ten, but the Fowler's left early so Theresa could get to bed on time. Mr. Fowler was happy to oblige; however, Mrs. Fowler keeps turning to check on us. What does she think I'm going to try to pull back here?
Theresa's great, but we've only hung out like four times. I love girls, girls are so honking amazing… it's just actually dating one is a huge commitment. I need to stop worrying over this topic. I enjoy talking with Theresa and I'm honestly surprised she's given me the light of day. We're friends and I doubt she thinks anything more of me. Case closed.
But Julian said… He was just trying to embarrass her. I sigh.
With a few directions from me, the car pulls up in front of my house.
"So, see you tomorrow?" I ask, stepping onto the sidewalk.
"Of course." Theresa flashes me a brilliant smile and then they're gone, leaving me in the dark. The street lamp next to my house has had a broken bulb for a month now.
First, I try my window. Locked. Front door it is then. Using the key hidden underneath a potted plant, I let myself in. Slipping into my room, I close the door and collapse onto my couch. Today was a busy day.
Thunk.
The book from McFist Industries had fallen to the floor. Eh, it's only ten. I can stay up longer to check this out.
The fall isn't as shocking as the first time. Unfurling my wings, I land softly. The dojo is in slightly better shape than a few hours ago. There's adequate lighting and doodle mops, paintbrushes, and various tools are in the process of repairing the area. Standing in the middle of it all, overseeing the reparations, was a small, red headed child.
"Hello?"
The child had his arms crossed and same as before, the words were spelled out rather than spoken.
Finally! I was wondering how long it would take you. What part of 'get us out of here' do you not understand? The risk you took in loitering there was imprudent.
I have to say, having this kid scold me with large words is disorienting. What does imprudent even mean?
"Okaaay. Do you know where the man from earlier is? Is he your father?"
The child sighs and begins to grow until he is in his mid-twenties. He'd definitely the same guy from earlier, though his wounds are healed.
"What the juice!?"
Knowledge is eternal and has no age. I am neither young nor old as I am just a fragment of a consciousness existing for the sole purpose of training a warrior to battle the Sorcerer.
While I'm reading, he shifts through an entire lifecycle, settling on a similar age to mine in the end. He is of Japanese descent, but his hair is an impossible Crayola red, pulled back into a long braid. Can a consciousness get hair dye in a book? The cape he's wearing isn't as black as originally thought, it has the exact design of the Nomicon's cover embroidered on it.
Speaking of which, it is time to get started. Your performance has been decent, but you have a long way to go before The Sorcerer can be locked up again. And please, do not use those infernal things while you are in here.
That said, he sat cross legged and closed his eyes.
Meditation form, Ninja.
"Hold on a second! I rescued you and you're already trying to order me around and insulting me? I want answers," I demand. I don't like this Nomicon much.
You cannot always find answers, sometimes you must let them find you.
He sighs, never once opening his eyes.
The wings are vile and are of the Sorcerer. I stopped you from becoming completely possessed, it couldn't be helped. They are an abomination and should not be used in a place sacred to the Ninja.
My cheeks burn; I never asked for this!
"I'm done. I don't care what you say, I was doing fine without you. Let me out." I do a 360, looking for an exit. The doodle words follow me.
If you co-operate and mediate, I will give you answers.
Groaning, I copy his posture and wait. Images form inside my mind. There's a village and a group of people, a family. In a few brief moments, I see all of their history. Generations upon generations are trained in the art of ninjutsu, hundreds of years of knowledge written down and passed on. As time passes, the village grows until it is akin to something almost modern.
Then they are on a boat, heading for America. According to Mac's article, it's the 1880's. They settle in Norrisville and continue their traditions. In Norrisville, they encounter an altogether normal looking man, but wherever he goes, trouble follows. People transforming into hideous monsters… and only the family has the skills to face them. They protect Norrisville until one day it's too much and all but one of them is killed, the youngest one. On his own, he miraculously defeats the Sorcerer, but cannot exorcise him. A chamber is dug in the outskirts of Norrisville and the half demon is chained there, forgotten. At the end of his life, the last of the Norisu bound his spirit with both the book and a scarf for when the knowledge might be needed again. He gives the objects to a white man from the West and that is where the story ends.
I open my eyes.
Those were the memories given to me and I am limited to seeing only what the person I am bound to sees. I have no knowledge of where the Sorcerer is, but since you discovered who freed him it is our only lead.
In the time it had taken for him to relay the story to me, he had grown old. His hair was gray with a few streaks of red and his perfect posture was bent. He looked worn out.
"But you were with McFist when I found you!" The pieces of the puzzle are slowly coming together.
I am a book, I do not have my own eyes. I did feel his presence though, when they were torturing me. They wanted my knowledge and wanted to know who the new Ninja was. That is why you had those extra tattoos; the information in this book was transferred to your skin for safe keeping.
I wince. The book cover looked pretty bad and he's tied to it.
"Well that blows." He raises an eyebrow.
Indeed.
"So Nomi-"
You may call me Sensei or Teacher or even Nomicon if you have to.
"Okay, Nomi. Can I be done meditating now?" This new information is mind blowing, but I need sleep. Tomorrow is Monday and I haven't had a break since last Thursday! The Julian fiasco, the McFist robot, the other robot, Mac Antfee and the party. It catches up with a guy.
Fine. We will be practicing every day from here on out, keep that in mind.
A doodle mop upends a bucketful of water on my head and I'm back on my couch.
"Ugh." I dump the tux and scarf in a corner. Climbing up the bunk bed's ladder, I'm asleep before my head hits the pillow.
I'm flying over the city again, this time much higher than before. I let out a whoop of excitement, diving down at a speed faster than any car, any plane, or any man-made object. The cracks in the pavement stick out with vivid clarity and I pull up, wind whistling in my ears.
It makes me wish I was a bird, carefree and far away from all the worries of reality. Closing my eyes, I float in space, lying on a bed made of clouds. Each feather in its place, effortlessly supporting me. How could the Nomicon say such things? Every human wishes they could fly and I can. What makes him, a book, think he can even begin to comprehend this?
I am perfect.
Flawless.
Magnificent.
Superior to all…
A clap of thunder breaks my reverie. Below, the lights go out. One by one.
Smoke rises from the city- green, poisonous smoke. I'm choking.
I FOUND YOU
My form begins to change. Nose and mouth elongating, arms melting, skin growing black feathers….
"Cunningham!"
I gasp.
"Holy cheese are you okay?" It's Howard, he's halfway up the ladder.
"Howard? Buddy? Wah- What time is it?" My voice sounds like sandpaper. Looking around, I notice my room is lit by moonlight.
"I know it's late… or early depending on how you look at it, but I cannot sleep at my house. The girls are driving me crazy! My sister's room is right above mine and they won't shut up. I'm too scared to even move into a different room in case she decides to get me back on all the pranks I've pulled. Long story short, can I crash here tonight?"
"Of course, you shoob. Come on…" I scooch over. It's harder sharing my bed; mines a twin compared to his full mattress. But we make it work.
That night I sleep without any more dreams, but I can't shake the feeling that something sinister is watching.
a/n: this is the turning point. They have a week and a half left